Mission 32: Feeders

[Andae Blakus]

The senior staff filed in and situated themselves about the table, looking upon Torek, Valente and Blakus expectantly. Blakus gestured to Milyanov who stood at the wall display, now having it display a cartographic map of the surrounding sectors, a graphic moving across the screen to highlight the position of H'ocru XII as extrapolated by the coordinates gained from the Werim ship's computer.

The staff were brought up to speed. Wedlerson was the first to speak, "Is it possible the Werim let their guard down intentionally? Perhaps they want us to find, to go this planet." It was agreed there'd been an unusual lapse in the security of their database; was what they'd found of significance? It certainly was if it'd been revealed intentionally.

The talk progressed, Blakus now querying, "Would it possible to learn of the planet in a different way, at least in the short term. Getting it from the Werim itself would be difficult, but rather than ask them via comms we could simply beam over there, covertly and masking our lifesigns, and procure our data on the planet in question: the purpose of the world, if any; with whom it is populated, etc."

He was asked to explain, because of course in the event of detection the whole negotiation could be jeopardised if not ruined immediately.

"Well, the Werim are due to beam over again 0800 hours tomorrow; while they're transporting, we could beam over to their ship simultaneously into a secluded quarter, preferably close to a computer access panel. We'd mask our beam-out within the Werim's and apply our sensor jamming techniques to ensure our transport goes fully undetected." The other option was to head straight for the planet, to suspend talks declaring they had some very important business and perhaps to mask their ion trail?

<Tag Torek>

"In the meantime, I'd like to ask Hemron some things at the next round of talks," Scober said, who was attending the conference via the visual display next to Milyanov's cartographic map, "Considering his apparent defection to the Phorx, perhaps he won't mind telling us more about the things accidentally gleaned from the Werim's databanks."

---

Mawr O'Slig

O'Slig entered his quarters, having been disappointed by the arrangements made for the same by the Maracanda's crew; well, perhaps this was unfair, they were cramped yes, but it decreased the chance he would be interrupted - not many people would think to come by this room as they would Kletchley's or even Salvador's quarters.

The Federation seal (missing a key component, he thought wryly, considering recent events of his) dissolved on his screen to be replaced by the shadowy figure who'd previously contacted him; he hoped he knew the man at least, hoped it was who he suspected him to be...

"Ah, I was expecting your call... It's been thirty hours. What's happening?" the figure on O'Slig's screen said.

"I'm sorry, I was interrupted by one of the Starfleet first officers during my previous attempt yesterday. I'm glad to learn that a relay buoy has been dropped - whether I was communicating with the Starbase or with the planet you're on, it would still have been needed."

"How are the negotiations progressing. You're keeping things on an even keel, I hope?" O'Slig nodded in response; the shadow leant forward, "And you're not still using that stupid anagram name are you?"

O'Slig spluttered, "What do you expect me to do?" he laughed, "I can't very well go around giving them by real name, can't I? Particularly when many of this Maracanda crew would have me confined to the brig, considering how I may in some way be to blame for the corruption of its previous Chief Engineer Reslik," he was allusive.

"Well, ensure you see to the failure of the talks; or, if they're successful, make sure the two sides are willing to work together in military operations. You know what I mean. When can we see you at H'ocru XII? Not for a long time I should think?"

"On the contrary; a little birdie tells me the senior staff of the USS Raven have already discovered evidence of it. They may decide to pursue before we're ready to conclude negotiations, thus I may be at the planet very shortly..."

[Carl Torek]

"....... We'd mask our beam-out within the Werim's and apply our sensor jamming techniques to ensure our transport goes fully undetected."

This new information had literally thrown a curve ball into their current situation ... Should he decide not to act, covertly or otherwise, it could have dire consequences for one or both sides. The fact that the information came via suspect means, the Werim were never going to believe the accidental discovery.

=^= I'd like you two to beam over .. I know it's late .. .. =^=

=^= On our way Sir =^= the comm closed.

"They didn't look too happy." Lysia said with a grin.

"We're up, why shouldn't they be." Wedlerson replied wryly, five minutes later the two Officers stepped into the Conference Room and sat down.

"Grant, Frank, thanks for coming, Calli get these two a coffee each, they look like they need it ..... How do you think the negotiations are going ?"

"As well or a bad as can be expected." Grant Manley said taking the hot cup from Calli, sipping it before continuing, "By definition they are not going to go smoothly, I don't envy you having to referee."

"So not something you would want to be in the middle of ?" Carl asked, a little too casually.

"What do you have in mind ?" Andae asked, knowing his friend was clearly concocting something behind those eyes.

"Not my area of expertise." Manley smiled, "It's all we can do to maintain the cease fire between those two, let alone start to work on solutions to their problems."

"Good." Torek said, giving Blakus a wry grin but apparently ignoring his question, "Calli ... Put everything up."

"You can't tell them you have this." Scober said after reading the information the Raven had acquired.

"We are looking at a minimum of twelve days." Calli said, anticipating the time to and from the co-ordinates allowing for a minimum of twenty four hours investigation time, "I can't see either side sitting on their hands waiting for you to get back. The other thing is the Raven herself, she makes an imposing deterrent should either side begin to try leverage."

"There is another option Admiral, if you intend the Raven going to investigate this information ...." Manley said, everyone waited, "Send the Raven .... You stay here, on the Mara' ...."

"You have three people with Diplomatic credentials, you have the Maracanda. You are more than able to handle anything they throw at you, and if worst comes to worst, you return all parties to their respective vessels and get the hell out. We're not always going to win, that's a given. I know you are relatively new to Command Grant, you too Frank, but neither of you would be where you are if Command didn't have confidence in you both." Carl said by way of argument, "My presence isn't going to sway them any more than you, or any one of those three could."

"We'll need an excuse for your leaving." Scober said.

"We 'could' receive orders from the Starbase ....." Harry said.

"Oh ?" Blakus said, wondering what the Operations Chief had in mind.

"Presuming they can't back-track a subspace communication ..." Harry began, "We could contact us from say, one of the shuttles, encode the message, which could be worded correctly or plain garbage, it doesn't matter. It's a given that either the Werim or the Phorx-ku will pick it up and demand to know the content. It will be moot of course given the Raven will have already left the region."

"So I shouldn't offer my apologies ?" Carl asked.

"Hell no." Manley said.

"Grant, have Kletchley, Illerda, and O'Slig try to keep the talks going, failing that, make sure the secure a cease fire agreement until we can return. At least that way we're not the cause of any breakdown ?" Calli said defiantly.

"We're not beholden to them either of them, or the talks for that matter. Especially given both sides have tried to attack us in one form or another ... We offered a neutral venue and people to help. We've supplied both." he said with a shrug. Carl looked around the table, no-one was objecting, though Commander Manley and his Exec' were looking less than convinced, but neither Officer could offer an alternate option.

"That's settled then." Carl said, getting up, everyone in the room following suit, "Finish your coffee gentlemen, I have the feeling your going to need it." ..........

[Carl Torek]

Four Days Later
ß cin Sector
Transwarp Four ::

"Sir, we are approaching the Beta Circinus Sector." Commander Marionette said from the Helm.

"Drop us from warp." Carl ordered, getting up to look at the image on the large view-screen. It was no different from any other space in his opinion, "Distance to the co-ordinates ?"

"Two hundred million kilometers." the gynoid replied.

"Any signs we have been seen ?"

"No Sir." Lysia T'Seng replied from Tactical, "In fact, I can't confirm that there 'is' a planet at the co-ordinates we have."

"Helm, full impulse ...."

The massive Sovereign Class Raven-C began to approach the System where the supposed 'planet' was located. It should have been showing up on long-range sensors from the second they dropped from warp. Carl was beginning to have forebodings about the validity of the information and his decision to leave the talks and not send the Raven without him. But then, that was why he was in the center seat he supposed, not for the first time:

"Sir, I'm picking up something ...." T'Seng said, the puzzlement in her voice obvious.

"The planet ?" Blakus asked.

"No ..... In fact it appears to be a, structure."

"Tie Science into Tactical, lets see if we can't clear this up." Lieutenant Svensson said from Science Station One. He looked at the readings then turned:

"Sir. Commander T'Seng is correct. There is indeed a structure at the location ... It is ... Gargantuan !"

"Visual range Admiral." T'Seng said, almost unable to believe the readings on her panel. She put the view on screen without waiting to be told to. Everyone on the Bridge stood, looking at the image in something approaching awe ...

"Sir, scans show the 'structure' is approximately, eleven kilometers in height, with three wheels rotating around the core, the central and lower wheels are rotating clockwise, while the larger, upper wheel is rotating counterclockwise. Each of those wheels are suspended from the central hub by sixteen 'spokes' if you will, each almost five kilometers in length. The diameter of each wheel is approximately twelve kilometers, with each wheel having a depth of almost eight hundred meters !"

"Bloody hell, the surface area alone is enormous." Calli said.

"What are those ?" Wedlerson asked, pointing out what looked like antennae.

"Magnify times ten." Torek ordered, trying not to react to the collective gasps around the Bridge.

"Ah, so not antenna." Harry said.

"Docking arms ?" T'Seng suggested.

"They could dock 'THOUSANDS' of ships there at a time ?" Wedlerson stated needlessly.

"Wait a moment ...." Lysia said, moving close to the view-screen, "I think it's a production platform, albeit on a ridiculously large scale ..... Look at those, they could be gantries, those could be stationary drones, heavy lifters maybe. Nonexistent on the upper ring, so that could be admin, accommodation, crew quarters or barracks possibly, storage, or workshops maybe ? ... Large along the spokes of the central ring, then smaller on the lower. Soooo, initial production on the central ring, with fit and finish on the lower, maybe ?"

"You didn't happen to build this place did you Commander ?" Calli asked with a wry grin.

"Hold position here." Carl ordered ..........

[Andae Blakus]

The base was admittedly massive, its roughly spherical dimensions allowing for the smooth rotation of the three wheels about its mass. "So they've got one of their own," Blakus said from the XO's chair, "And here we were worrying that they might discover and locate our own Starbase - they needn't go after ours with that sort of capacity..."

"Avarice in particular peoples is not something that should be underestimated, Commander," Wedlerson said.

Blakus considered... Indeed, they'd seen how the Werim had enslaved the Phorx prior to the latter's war upon their former masters; such civilisations that employed others to do their work for them often wallowed in luxury, which usually meant the accumulation of vast wealth.

"Wait a moment, Harry," Calli said, "The coordinates for this base (which we must assume is H'ocru XII unless the planet itself lies somewhere in the vicinity) were found in the Werim's databanks. That doesn't necessarily mean it is a station belonging to them, or the Phorx-ku for that matter."

Of course, Federation databanks held information on thousands of Borg planets, but it didn't follow that Starfleet personnel or Federation civilians must have a presence on any of those worlds. But there was the issue, Blakus thought, that these coordinates had been so easy to glean - from a mere scan of the Werim ship - and that the coords should've led to this monster of a station surely signified the Raven's receipt of this data was more than random chance.

However, it was then found upon scans that tens of thousands of Werim and Phorx-ku were aboard, but strangely not many of them were in the suspected habitat ring.

"Admiral, a vessel is approaching from the wheel-base." Torek requested onscreen. "It's a small craft, sir, not much larger than a Starfleet runabout. Lifesigns... hard to tell, could be anywhere between two and twenty people aboard." Any indication of species, Torek asked, Phorx-ku or Werim? "Again hard to distinguish, sir; it could be Phorx, or both... But not Werim alone."

Sensor results like that meant little of anything, Blakus knew; the officer may as well have said that a dozen sheep were aboard the craft. Blakus asked that the engine systems be analysed, but the officer requested to carry out the order identified instead several medium-powered weapons arrays analogous to phaser banks (though with unusual modifications that seemed to consist of 7th dimension superstring filament tech).

"They're heading straight for us, Admiral." There was no response to hails; sensors indicated the small ship's weapons were charging. Red alert was called, the claxon blared; shields were raised and phasers and quantum torpedoes primed. Those kind of weapons? Blakus thought nonchalantly, No problem...

The small craft fired a salvo of particle pulses and beams, the discharges rattling round its barrel-shaped form, the latter itself rotating as if the craft itself was an old-fashioned Earth revolver hand weapon.

The beams and pulses cut right through the Raven's shields. The deck pitched, inertial dampeners struggling with the sudden forces applied to the prow and ventral surfaces. Sparks flew from the helm and Ops stations, Wedlerson instinctively jumping back while Marionette remained still.

"Hole in ventral shielding in sector tau 72," T'Seng said calmly, "The craft is making for the gap!" Indeed it was; on the viewscreen, the bridge crew saw the gun barrel of an assault craft dive through the shield grid, through which it would normally have immense difficulty piercing without first weakening - no utterly bypassing - it via weaponry. "They've impacted the hull," Wedlerson replied, "I believe they're trying to burrow through... 1 metre tritanium has been drilled through, 1.5, 1.9..."

Far below them, through the ship's chassis, they could hear and feel a juddering vibration. "Got fix on lifesigns..." There was a dreadful pause, "Sir, these are neither Phorx-ku nor Werim..."

"But we detected Phorx and Werim on the station?!" Blakus protested, more as a pleading question as he picked himself up from the floor, spitting out a tooth; he felt a bruise developing on his forehead.

[Carl Torek]

OOC: Posting as Commander Grant Manley

Executive Officers' Quarters
USS Maracanda - 19:30 hrs ::

Frustration had got the better of him, he had to admit he was feeling out of his depth here ... Yesterday, after five days of childish bickering between the Werim and Phorx-ku, he had bannished all representatives from both races, to their respective ships ... Needless to say, the three 'Diplomats' had not been overly pleased with his actions and had made their feelings very loudly, and publicly, plain. Culminating in an all-out shouting match on the Bridge to outcome of which say all three men confined to quarters with Security outside each of their doors !

Admiral Kletchley had immediately pulled rank, threatening to have Manley hauled over the proverbial coals for his actions. Grant, in what was surely a career-ending move, instructed his Security Officers to ignore the mans protests ... All three were now stewing in private while the Werim and Phorx delegations were remaining stolidly silent.

"Another ?" Frank asked, getting up and taking Grants glass before the man had time to comment either way. He refilled it and handed it back.

"This is hardly going to help matters." Manley said, taking a large sip of the whiskey.

"Well, I hear the Starbase is crying out for technicians." Scober said, keeping his face straight.

"Har bloody har !"

"Oh come on, Kletchley isn't going to make good on his threats, he knows you were in the right, regardless of how you went about things. He's essentially retired, past it as far as Command is concerned, he'll calm down."

"I'm sure." Grant said sarcastically, taking another gulp from the golden liquid.

"Look, the talks, and I use the phrase loosely, were going nowhere, all they're doing is making unrealistic demands that neither side are going to agree to. We've done everything we can to keep the peace, but they simply don't want to know. If it was left to me I'd send them all on their way with those three blow-hard's and let them get on with it. We're not a diplomatic vessel after all." the Exec' said with an expressive shrug.

This time grant got up to refill the glasses from Franks cabinet, as he did so the comm chirped to life:

=^= Bridge to Captain =^= Frank rolled his eyes as Manley tapped his comm badge.

=^= Manley =^=

=^= Sir .. Commander Wilkes :: Both the Werim and Phorx vessels have powered up and are moving away .. .. =^=

=^= Heading ? =^=

=^= They have just put some distance between them and us .. They are coming to stationary positions relative to the Maracanda now =^= Frank looked puzzled, mirroring his Commanding Officers' expression.

=^= Keep an eye on them .. Manley out =^=

"What do you think all that's about ?" Scober asked, accepting the refilled glass.

"Beyond me, I pretty much failed everything that didn't involve a micro-spanner or a calculator." Frank said, dropping into his seat with a wry grin ..........

[Andae Blakus]

OOC: back post slightly up to present, I had this written before but decided to delay to avoid double posting - I've edited slightly to account for latest developments

'Mawr O'Slig', USS Maracanda

O'Slig watched the Raven jump to warp with a mixture of apprehension and relief. On the one hand, he was glad they were out of his way, that the inquisitive personnel aboard her would thus cease to pry at his doings (although he still had the security guards in attendance upon him); on the other hand, their sudden departure was so unexpected that he wondered what they might've learnt, what may have been the change in circumstances - they 'seemed' to be heading towards the Starbase, would they persist in that course? It didn't make sense.

Anagram names, he mused, anagrams indeed; if the Raven and Maracanda crew guessed his admittedly not overly subtle change to his name, if they realised that his name was a rearrangement of the letters of the name Wilm Goras, then his time here would be very short. Or again, would they simply be mystified at why a dissident should have anything to do with these negotiations, with these peoples, a man from a movement which had already been defeated?

"Mawr," Illerda was businesslike, "Come on, time for the next round. Commander Scober wishes to direct progress this time. Apparently he's wanting to talk to the defector between sessions, about things the Raven may have learnt of the Werim."

"The defector?" Goras asked distractedly, his back to Illerda who'd approached behind him in this anteroom. Of course, his colleagues weren't to know of his true identity, but Illerda's sudden appearance made him uneasy.

"You know... Ah," Illerda laughed, "Very good. Yes, the strangely partisan - to the Phorx - Hemron does give one pause, doesn't he? Is he really a defector? Is he playing us all for fools," Illerda looked at Wilm Goras/Mawr O'Slig as he turned around, "slipping under our noses unseen before he delivers his killing blow to Phorx, Werim, ourselves and whoever else?"

Goras/O'Slig followed the diplomat into the conference room. Most of the Phorx and Werim representatives were already there; Scober was just taking his seat at the head of the table. Hemron was the last in, a minute or so after Illerda and Goras/O'Slig. The dissident regarded Illerda as he sat next to him, yes he'd deluded this man well enough; Goras had had the diplomat whose place he'd taken murdered, taken his identity, and had felt little remorse... This was for the cause, for the first stages of the cultivation of an interplanetary organisation out here in these farthest reaches, under the auspices of the UFP in Circinus - more tolerant, more fair, more high-minded than its counterpart in the Alpha Quadrant (albeit all the ringleaders were in cryostasis and the movement shattered, only Goras and a couple others having evaded the authorities).

Half an hour later, the others not having at first realised it, Goras - through a small unrecognised comment designed to start a dispute - obliterated the chances of the talks' permanent success.

He made plans for his departure, citing he'd learnt from the Starbase that he was to be recalled and replaced; it wasn't true, he intended to be bound for H'ocru XII. However, his plans were scuppered as Manley and Scober on a sudden cancelled the talks; the diplomats from the Phorx-ku and Werim vessels were sent packing, Hemron included, while Goras and his two colleagues were confined to quarters.

Furious, Goras/O'Slig put in a covert call once more to his contact on the H'ocru facility, exchanging messages and then communicating with Admiral Basirov on the Starbase via a navigation buoy he'd had dropped to assist long range comms (considering of course the ventral comm array on the base was still, to say the least, unoperational). The cloaked Phorx-ku vessel below the Maracanda then transported Goras out, and he was taken at maximum warp towards the H'ocru system. Security came to call; they found his quarters deserted; Illerda and Kletchley were astonished.

[Andae Blakus]

Marines and security were en route to the two decks into which the boarders would burst should they succeed - as they surely would - in drilling their way through the rest of the tritanium. The boarders had managed to intersect two decks (perhaps by design, to draw defenders to two potential choke-points and not one) with their impact and boarding operation.

Green uniforms led by Colonel Burwell (himself on deck 14) took up position around the suspected ingress points on decks 14 and 15, rifles raised, taking cover where they could or prepared to shoot from some distance down the corridor (the farther away the better, if no cover was available).

=/\=In position, Admiral,=/\= they heard Burwell's comm from below.

=/\=Acknowledged. Do not fire unless fired upon.=/\=

It was requested that scans be made whether the boarders had indeed brought weapons with them, any of a sort that might be recognised. Andae and Lysia set about this, could find nothing at first, at least not from what he thought were the first ranks of the boarders (regarding their numbers incidentally, it was still difficult to ascertain whether 5 or 35 persons were on that assault craft (if that is what it turned out to be). Regarding subsequent ranks, lining up behind the first and ready to break through on the two decks, they seemed to be using a mixture of phaser, laser and even projectile weapons, using magnetic fields to propel the contents of their cartridges.

They heard a crackling fizz on the comm; Burwell hollered that they had company. Muffled confused sounds, the occasional phaser rifle discharge, an odd creaking and whirring effect emanating over the comm, then screams.

=/\= Where are they?!"=/\= they heard a shriek.

=/\=They've fired, sir, I think, I...=/\= That was Burwell. Svensson confirmed he was still detecting his lifesign; all but three of the defenders' lifesigns in fact, as marines' transponders were showing they were escaping down adjacent corridors in rather haphazard fashion; evidently then they couldn't hold their position...

"Admiral," Blakus moved from the engineering station to the XO's seat, still holding his forehead from the bruise sustained, "The first row of assailants continue to be near impervious to scans. Going by the comm reports," indeed, they were still hearing the sounds of that frightful contest, "I'd say they have some sort of cloak, or perhaps they're temporally shifted by a few fractions of a second."

The sounds of the fighting seemed to suggest more straightforward combat now. At least a couple dozen regularly-equipped fighters were pouring into the two decks behind the undetectable, perhaps invisible frontline shock troops. About half of these secondary troops were incapacitated in the initial assault, the others now finding their way down the maze of passageways. Some encountered forcefields, others made it through, still to be tracked down as they made their way further into the ship's vital heart...

Lieutenant Tinsley had been offering support to one of the marine teams (short of their marine engineer) on deck 15. He'd waited patiently but with much apprehension for the inevitable completion of the burrowing work. Forty seconds later, he'd found himself running.

What on earth those things were was beyond him: mechanical constructs, rolling on wheels, biomechanical edifices (brains?) in their centres, shifting in and out of phase perhaps? - he hadn't been able to tell, he'd been in fear of his life. He ran with a marine and a security guard. Behind them, something that seemed at first a little more reassuring - phaser and laser-wielding humanoids - soon proved itself to be something just as unnerving, all these humanoid boarders were clones of one another.

[Carl Torek]

Carl wasn't alone in being unable to understand how the small vessel had managed to get so close undetected .... The fact that it had now plunged through the Raven's shields after firing on the ship as if the shields had been defective to the point of uselessness shocked everyone !

"We have breaches on two decks Admiral ...." Wedlerson said quickly, "Fourteen and fifteen. I believe whoever is boarding should be trea ......"

Burwell's voice came over the Comm stunning everyone into silence ... They listened to the running commentary while the ship's crew fought to maintain a hold, but it was clear that the intruders were getting the upper hand. It was imperative that they be contained on the two decks infiltrated, should they gain access to the rest of the ship it could prove disastrous. A large majority of the ships Marine contingent were now flooding onto the two breached decks, Carl could only sit and listen to the running report from Colonel Burwell.

"I'm unclear as to 'who' has boarded." Calli said, turning to Lysia, "You said they were neither Phorx-ku nor Werim, so what the hell are they ?"

"At this stage Commander we have no way of knowing, we're picking up biological signatures but nowhere near enough to be a physical presence." T'Seng said, struggling to make sense of the readings on her panel, "I would have to say that whatever is fighting our people down there is predominantly 'mechanical' rather than organic."

"We still can't access visual from the two decks ?" Carl asked.

"No Sir, whatever they are using to 'phase' is affecting systems down there, we're lucky we can still hear them." T'Seng answered. Calli turned to Carl and spoke quickly:

"If they are mechanical they would be susceptible to gravity changes, right ?"

"I don't see how." Torek replied.

"Have our people retreat ... If we can keep them in one small section we could increase artificial gravity until they are fixed to the deck plates. Once stuck we'll ......"

"That's not going to work Commander." Lysia interrupted, not apologising for having overheard the whispered conversation, "If they do have phase technology, which seems likely, all they would need to do is adopt to phase a fraction of a second outside our timeline and the artificial gravity would have no effect."

"Decompress the decks then ?" the Mission Advisor said, making the statement more question than suggestion.

"I wouldn't recomm ....."

"Activate all bulkhead shields on decks fourteen and fifteen !" Carl ordered suddenly. He waited until T'Seng confirmed his order had been carried out, "How many of our people are trapped in the same sections as the intruders ?"

"Eleven Marines, eight Security Personnel ... The rest are segregated."

=^= Burwell to BRIDGE ! =^=

=^= Go ahead Colonel =^= Torek answered.

=^= Whatever you were trying Admiral .. It isn't working .. .. The intruders are moving downwards .. .. Requesting permission to deploy photon grenades =^=

"Even set on the minimal discharge setting he'll blow out half the bulkheads if he explodes one of them down there." Wedlerson commented needlessly.

=^= Admiral .. These things are forcing their way through the bulkhead force fields =^= Burwell said urgently.

Carl tried to recall the specifications of the photon grenade: On it's lowest setting, a photon grenade could incapacitate a man easily, on the highest setting it could bring down a substantial building if deployed correctly.

=^= Pull everyone out Colonel .. Make sure the is at least one force field erected .. .. .. Deploy one .. 'ONE' grenade only .. Highest yield .. Understood Colonel ? =^=

=^= Understood Bridge .. Stand by .. .. .. =^=

Seconds later, they felt the ship shudder as the grenade exploded. The bulkhead walls ruptured instantly vaporising most of the furniture contained in the suddenly exposed rooms, the bulkhead force fields had glowed through the red spectrum as it tried to cope with the influx of photonic destruction ... Finally the 'field began to reconstitute until it was again almost invisible. On deck fourteen, Burwell looked back at the people he had ordered out before wiping his brow. On the Bridge everyone waited to hear the results of the detonation.

=^= Burwell to Bridge .. .. We had six of the intruders trapped in the section with the grenade .. They .. Along with a fair portion of the corridor are now non-existent =^=

"Great, we can fight off the intruders by destroying section after section of the ship." Calli said, the sarcasm obvious.

=^= Colonel .. Stand by =^= Torek said.

"Is there any chance we could drop a handful of those grenades aboard the intruders' ship ?" he asked his Bridge Officers.

"We can't transport them aboard, so ...." T'Seng stated.

"I believe I could achieve the task." everyone turned to look at the Navigation Officer, Marionette raised her eyebrows as she had seen others do, "I am after all, 'mechanical' to a large extent. I could transport onto deck fourteen, board the intruders vessel and deploy the grenades. Though I believe our task would be more successful if we were to adopt a gravitic mine to destroy the intruder vessel ... I believe we have a compliment of twelve gravitic mines to be used in, exceptional, circumstances ?" the Gynoid stated.

Carl didn't have the time to speculate on how the Android had acquired this information when not even his own Executive Officer nor his mission Advisor were aware of their presence. Alas, he would need to deal with that at a later date.

"Go ...." was all Torek said.

"I must warn you that substantial damage could be caused to the Raven by the resulting destruction of the intruder vessel." before leaving her position.

"Try to locate the mine where their ship will take the majority of the explosion if you can OK." Carl suggested with a wry grin.

"Try not to get yourself blown up." Harry commented as Marionette entered the turbo-lift. The Comm shrieked to life suddenly:

=^= Engineering to Bridge .. Intruder alert .. INTRUDER ALERT =^=

=^= We are sending help Engineering .. Hold your ground =^= Andae answered.

The minutes passed as the Bridge listened to both the running battles between the intruders and the ships' personnel, Engineering were holding of the half dozen intruders somehow, but it wasn't lasting, suddenly Harry informed them that the ships shields and weapons systems were going off-line ... Very soon, they were going to be helpless and vulnerable !

=^= Commander Marionette to Bridge .. .. Please reinforce 'ALL' bulkhead force fields and structural integrity fields with all due haste .. Detonation in fifteen seconds =^=

Everyone reacted, instantly doing as instructed, not a second too soon as the ship was rocked by a massive explosion ... The Raven spun on her axis before the inertial dampers could compensate. Wedlerson had managed to get an external view from the Port nacelle on the view screen. They could see a mass of debris moving away from the Raven, it was clear that the debris contained organic residue, there 'had' been people of some description aboard the vessel that had penetrated the Raven's hull, alas, they had suffered the ultimate sacrifice ...

=^= Engineering to Bridge .. The intruders are gone .. .. We were almost toe to tow when they simply .. Vanished .. .. =^=

=^= Burwell to Bridge .. Same here .. They vanished about the time we disposed of the intruder vessel .. .. We are combing both decks now but I have the feeling we are alone =^=

=^= Keep the Bridge informed =^= Blakus said, closing the comms off.

"Where did they go ?" Wedlerson asked the question on everyone's lips.

"Maybe we should replicate a few more of those mines." Calli commented.

"Who the hell were they !" Carl asked, obviously not expecting anyone to answer, "Lysia, transport several sections of their ship into Cargo Bay Two, grab a couple of the bodies too. The more, intact, the better."

"Sir, I suggest we vacate the area at least for the time being." Harry said as Marionette stepped off the turbo-lift and took her position.

"I have to agree Admiral. It is plausible that where there was one vessel, there could be a second." the Gynoid added.

"Move us two light years from the facility then bring us about. I want every sensor array we have targeted on that place. Marionette, if there is any sign that another intruder vessel is approaching get us the hell out of here. don't wait to comment, just go to warp, any heading as long as whoever is coming doesn't make contact with the hull. Harry, lets get repairs underway." ..........

[Andae Blakus]

Blakus, Milyanov, Tinsley, Valente, Dr Roach, Wedlerson's deputy in the Ops department and various science personnel entered cargo bay 2. They were confronted with a nightmare jungle of twisted dark machinery, shards of duranium stressed and sheared, impressive scorch marks where the gravitic mine hadn't torn the hull asunder or vapourised its outer layer. "My... word..." Milyanov took out a tricorder and went roaming through the mass.

Followed by Roach, Blakus stepped into the largest fragment, coming upon a row of three oddly shaped boxes, almost like AM pods, or stasis units. He knelt and looked inside the nearest: empty; the transparent aluminium casing had been shattered. The next one along was missing its viewing port completely, and Blakus found inside the partial remains of a corpse, severely desiccated from vacuum exposure. A science officer arrived and conducted scans on the body while Roach leant and took a tissue sample.

"It's humanoid," the science officer confirmed, "One of the organics we detected when the craft was destroyed."

"I wouldn't say it's of the same type as the humanoids who boarded us," Tinsley said, arriving suddenly, "Those were clones, and they looked nothing like this; granted there's not much left," he grimaced. They surmised this was one of the pilots, who had perhaps - when the craft had been boarded by the CNO and destruction impended -, in a futile effort to save himself, thrown himself into this empty stasis pod usually meant for an 'assault clone'.

Milyanov burst through a gap in the jungle, brandishing a tricorder with a maddened look transfiguring his features, "I've found their computer core, a veritable black box of the old style...! Amazed it survived." Blakus could hardly believe it either. He stood and looked on drolly.

"Much of the data is corrupted, inaccessible, in any case would be completely unusable; I've perhaps salvaged 2.5%. Ah, you've found the stasis units," Milyanov nodded, surveying his new surroundings, "Yes, an intact craft carries 36 such pods, providing life support for 36 clones. It's a shame we don't have the phase generator..." he looked round wistfully. They asked him to explain...


"... And so the reason why the organic beings who boarded us disappeared is that they were, quite simply, disintegrated by a chip designed for the task," Blakus said, pacing about the conference room as he informed the senior staff of the findings, "A chip was placed in each clone's ear; when the chip no longer received a signal from the clones' 'mothership' and the logic circuits determined the mothership had been destroyed it vapourised the clone, so as, we think, to prevent it from falling into enemy hands."

"We are regarded as enemies then, this isn't some automated response. From what you're telling us, Andae, well, we've come across automated systems before that fit quite well with what you're describing."

"It's possible, sir. Perhaps we are counted as enemies, perhaps merely as unknowns, outsiders."

"And the biomechanical shock troops, with the phase cloaks?" Valente asked.

"Their fate, or lack thereof, is more disconcerting," Milyanov chipped in from the table, "When the assault craft was destroyed, the phase-space interface/generator onboard of course went with it. It was supplying the 12 Vuiden Reapers, as the databanks state the biomechs are called, with a sort of pre-existing parallel phase-space that the Reapers could phase towards and thus confound our defenders. When the phase-space interface on the boarding craft was obliterated, the biomech Reapers aboard the Raven - rather than phasing into normal space - by design fell the rest of the way into the parallel phase-space. It's another way for them to prevent their resources being captured. I would speculate the phase-space and the Reapers inside it are still accessible. Fortunately they can't get out by themselves, but should another interface on another assault craft be put to the task..."

"So they're trapped out of phase, but still aboard us?" The former, yes, the latter... they had to hope not.

Blakus took his seat as the briefing continued. Roach was asked about results from the tissue samples taken from the organic remains, "An unrecognised humanoid species, similar in physiology to the Werim but with some differences, notably a much reduced gene pool... What clone DNA I could recover - most was of technical and flight crew with more genetic variety - showed that likely the original type has been duplicated millions, perhaps billions of times."

Wedlerson put in that from intensive sensor sweeps it seemed there were indeed a great many of these clones on the H'ocru station, most inert and situated in or on the lower two wheels.

[Carl Torek]

"So they're trapped out of phase, but still aboard us?" The former, yes, the latter ... They had to hope not.

Blakus took his seat as the briefing continued. Roach was asked about results from the tissue samples taken from the organic remains,

"An unrecognised humanoid species, similar in physiology to the Werim but with some differences, notably a much reduced gene pool... What clone DNA I could recover - most was of technical and flight crew with more genetic variety - showed that likely the original type has been duplicated millions, perhaps billions of times."

"Suggestions ?" Torek asked after everyone around the table had had their say.

"We need to gain access to that station, or facility, or whatever we want to call it." Harry said.

"Is there any possibility we could modify one of the shuttles to get close ?" Calli asked.

"If we are going to do that then we may as well make the same modifications to the Raven's shields .... I'm assuming that was what you were thinking of Commander ?" Milyanov asked, receiving a confirmation from the Advisor.

"Can it be done ?" Carl queried. Milyanov looked over to the former Chief Engineer, Blakus was deep in thought, Commander ?" Torek prompted, causing Blakus to look up.

"I don't see how we could duplicate the phasing, we simply don't have the technology for such a thing."

"Hold on ...." Milyanov said, a deep frown forming, "You said that the station could be some kind of construction facility .... Ergo, it would have the means to repair anything coming back damaged or disabled in some way, right ?"

"Your point commander ?" Carl prompted.

"Well, what if we are in need ? .... If we were to put out distress call, life support, warp core issues, matter-antimatter containment, imminent systems failure. Maybe their autonomic systems would snap into place and allow us to approach ?"

"That saying they have such a system in place over there." Calli said, eyebrows raised.

Everyone around the table remained silent, understandably. What the Engineer was suggesting was tantamount to suicide if anyone, or any 'thing' over there decided we were faking, especially given the fact that only an hour ago they had attacked the Raven. Granted, it wasn't yet known 'why' but then sometimes an explanation for someones actions wasn't always forthcoming. Even the Sovereign Class Raven, with all the firepower at her disposal couldn't defend herself against another, possibly stronger attack, should one occur. But the fact remained, they needed to get aboard the H'ocru station.

"Correct me if I'm wrong here ....." Doctor Roach said tentatively, "..... But wouldn't they know 'EXACTLY' who we are, given their recent visit ?"

"Possibly, but then if we are incapacitated, then we would pose no threat, right ?" Wedlerson speculated.

"There seems to be plenty hypothesising as to possible outcomes should we proceed, not a lot of suggestions as to how we might achieve our goal." Carl said grinning. He looked at his Exec' who all but shrugged, having no immediate suggestion of his own to offer the table, he glanced at Calli who duplicated the previous shrug, "OK, so if we try to fool the 'residents' of our need for help, what are our options ?"

"Warp core issue." Wedlerson said.

"Life support." Roach countered.

"Doctor ?" Calli prompted.

"We can survive without a warp core, at least in the mid term. Even without warp drive we could begin our return to the Starbase and hope someone comes looking before we all die of old age, but if life support is damaged, possible contaminants following a ruptured anti-matter conduit could do it given some imagination, we wouldn't survive long enough to worry about getting home or anywhere else for that matter. I'm no warp theorist, but who's to say that their incursion didn't contaminate our antimatter, damage beyond repair one of those antimatter constrictor coil things, causing cascade failures throughout the ship ?" she finished, clearly unconvinced by her own argument.

"What if they scan us ?" Wedlerson asked.

"well, I suppose some 'creative' damage would need to be caused prior to our calling for help." Helen Roach answered, the sarcasm in her tone obvious, "You asked for suggestions."

"Indeed we did Doctor." Carl confirmed, throwing Harry an admonishing glance, "So, can it be done, convincingly enough to succeed ?"

"We 'could' release some of the antimatter residue, the waste, it emits high levels of Theta radiation, harmful to anything with a pulse." Milyanov suggested, glancing at the Navigation Officer before continuing, "My only concern would be how to convincingly 'fake' a breach without actually contaminating a number of people in the process."

"We would need to take the risk ...." Carl said, falling silent for a moment before continuing, "Doctor, we still use Arithrazine to treat cases of Theta radiation do we not ?"

"We do .... I would need to synthesise enough to treat all those contaminated prior to infection to be sure of ......"

"No." Calli interrupted, "If we have the means to treat them then those on the station may well realise that and turn us away."

"Then in that case I must forbid any intentional contamination !" Roach said defiantly.

"We may have no other option here Doctor." Torek said.

"Admira ...." Roach began, but Carl interrupted her this time:

"Doctor, Commander Valente is correct. If whoever is aboard that station realises we are attempting to deceive them then all they need to do is let us approach then blow us to atoms."

"Then we turn around, go back to the Starbase and send out others who can ris ....." Roach began, the frustration and annoyance building in her voice as again her Commanding Officer broke in.

"We don't have that luxury Doctor." he said quietly. The room remained silent for a long moment before the Chief Medical Officer stood.

"Then I believe I can be of no further use to this, conversation. Admiral, if I may ?" she asked. Carl nodded and the Doctor left the Conference Room.

"Do you want to warn anyone Admiral ?" Andae asked, already knowing the answer. He turned to the Chief Engineer, "Get back to Engineering, draw off a suitable amount of the antimatter waste and start thinking of a way to disperse it without killing us all. I'll join you there if you need assistance."

Ninety minutes later
Conference Room ::

"How many ?" Carl asked.

"Everyone from Deck Twenty Four, up to possibly the lower level of Main Engineering." Milyanov replied.

"So eight decks."

"Minimum." the Chief engineer confirmed. Carl looked at Calli then Andae, neither seemed willing to aid or hinder the decision only he could make.

"Go ahead." Carl said, watching the others file out of the room leaving him alone with his thoughts ..........

[Andae Blakus]

The waste flooded the conduits, flowed into the air stream of the eight and more decks likely to be affected, as surmised by the Chief Engineer and his deputies. Those in the corridors braced themselves for the effect although if it worked they shouldn't feel anything at all - they would merely become sick over the following hours and be in need of either a shot of arithrazine or the assistance of a certain mysterious space station.

The antimatter particulates were diffused through the air, the streams carried them onwards and the first infections were made. Milyanov saw it instantly. Too strong. He tapped furiously at the console set into the pool table... Yes, the set of constrictor coils were malfunctioning to the degree that was appropriate but the density of waste matter was five times what he'd expected.

With the first wave of the flood of AM fallout waste, fifty according to the medical sensors were rendered terminally ill, now a hundred, two hundred... Now those first infected were beginning to die, dropping dead where they stood throughout the contaminated decks. He'd failed...

"Computer, reset simulation..." The console beeped once and its graphics reset to the initial stage, T-5 mins before the waste was released. Milyanov stood upright and sighed.

"How much longer?" Blakus asked, from opposite him across the table.

"Gah! 20 minutes... Then I'll have it." Milyanov turned away, the delay was frustrating but there was little he could do besides run the simulation according to procedure and trust the computer was giving him the appropriate parameters to vary; he couldn't think what might be missing from the calculations... Perhaps that it wasn't being carried out in reality - something actually existent might account for the simulated failure.

Half an hour later, engineering believed it was ready. From the bridge Blakus acknowledged Milyanov's call and informed Torek who was in his ready room. The Admiral strode out and took his seat; Blakus had been keeping him updated on the problems, there was a great deal of trepidation but Milyanov had now run three consecutive successful simulations.

"Three minutes," was the call from Operations. Blakus for once was glad he wasn't in engineering, safe rather from theta contamination - he hoped - on the bridge. Torek commanded they keep away from the station, or at least rotated away so as not to make it appear obvious they were ready to head towards the station as soon as the emergency was under way. Marionette set a random course and moved the vessel at quarter impulse, keeping the base at roughly the same distance and strafing across it from left to right. The faux-catastrope (not that faux, Blakus thought, considering they were planning to create a real problem) impended...

"Contaminants released 30 seconds ago, Admiral. Theta radiation nominal." Nominal in this case meant they were infecting people at the required level. 15 minutes later, the first people were taken sick. Roach reported as much from sickbay. The H'ocru station was already moving into action.

A tractor beam shot out across millions of kilometres and gripped the Raven by the prow; simultaneously had been launched three of the assault craft, the same as before - they moved to board the ship. The Raven was now 50km from the H'ocru station, 5 km, they came to a stop at 1km. A great articulated arm unfolded from the lower wheel and presented itself before the Sovereign class - the arm was five times the vessel's length, it swung in an arc beneath them until it was aligned with the Sovereign's long axis and then extended four pylons - before long it had the stardrive section held in a vice grip. The three attendant assault craft now nestled in beside three available airlocks on the saucer; they made contact, the airlocks were cycling from the outside... The Raven had no control.

"We're receiving instructions via a text-only transmission," Wedlerson reported. He was asked to put it on-screen.

Prepare to receive assistance. Your vessel will be flooded with baryonic radiation to remove contaminants inducing theta radiation sickness. Your vessel will be boarded by clone workers for purposes of escorting your infected personnel to our medical facilities and escorting your uninfected personnel to another location. Your vessel will be boarded by clone workers for purposes of rendering your vessel spaceworthy and providing H'ocru Research Conglomerate-approved system upgrades. Your uninfected personnel will await completion of decontamination and upgrade operations in our visitors' lounge located in the maintenance arm. You may observe progress on your vessel from the lounge's 75 cubit panoramic display.

Prepare to receive assistance... the message repeated.

[Carl Torek]

=^= .. .. baryonic radiation to remove contaminants inducing theta radiation sickness .. Your vessel will be boarded by clone workers for purposes of escorting your infected personnel to our medical facilities and escorting your uninfected personnel to another location .. Your vessel will be boarded by clone workers for purposes of rendering your vessel space-worthy and providing H'ocru Research Conglomerate-approved system upgrades .. .. Your uninfected personnel will await completion of decontamination and upgrade operations in our .. .. .. =^=

"Baryonic ....." Calli repeated.

"I'm more concerned with these 'upgrades' we are getting." Harry Wedlerson said from the Ops Console.

"Maybe they were referring to the ship herself ?" Lysia suggested nervously.

"Let's wait and see shall we." Carl said, rising from the center seat and moving to stand only a meter from the large view-screen. He could see the arm that now held them fast, he had to admit that the technology to design, build, and operate this facility was well beyond anything the Federation could compete with ... A small part of him hoped they never found the Starbase, because he had the un-nerving feeling that despite the Sovereign Class Raven being the most technically advanced of the fleet, it would prove no match should this facility choose to dismantle or destroy her outright ... He had to put those thoughts behind him now as the message repeated yet again:

"Mute that. I think we have the gist by now." he ordered.

"Sir, I'm reading forty of the closes scattered throughout the ship, they appear to be ignoring anyone not contaminated for the time being." Commander T'Seng informed them, she glanced at her console then continued, "....I'm getting reports that personnel are 'vanishing' for want of a better word. As one of our crew are removed a clone replaces them. At this point it looks like only the affected are being replaced."

"Can you locate them ?" Calli asked. After a moment the Tactical Officer nodded:

"They are on the Station, in some kind of Medical Center."

OK, well it looks like this place is keeping true to it's word." Carl said, inwardly relieved and apprehensive.

The turbo lift doors opened, two clones stepped onto the Bridge ..... moving forward they replaced Torek in front of the view-screen:

"For your safety and convenience, you are requested to vacate this section of the vessel. Please traverse to the visitors lounge, illuminated markers have been placed to aid your transit, but if you require help please address your concerns to our staff."

The 'clone' motioned toward the turbo lift and waited. Carl wasn't going to simply walk off the ship, he strode up to the clone that had spoken.

"This area of the ship is free from any radiation, there is no need for these levels to be evacuated."

"The Baryonic sweep encompasses the whole of the vessel. Exposure could prove fatal if subjected unnecessarily. Your dietary requirements have been established and nourishment synthesizers have been programmed accordingly. You will find these in the aforementioned visitors lounge."

Torek knew he wasn't going to win this argument, if indeed the clone indeed even considered it as one. He looked around the Bridge.

"OK everyone, let's take full advantage of our hosts' generosity." as they began moving towards the turbo-lifts Carl appeared to remember something, "I just need to get something from my ready room." he said, heading in the direction of his office, one of the clones stepped forward, clearly blocking his path. Everyone halted, suddenly wary, eyes on the clones.

"Everything you require can be found in the visi ...."

"Yes yes, but I have been reading a very interesting book, it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to catch up." Carl said casually ... He had the distinct feeling the two were communicating sub-vocally then the first continued.

"Please retrieve your book." Thanking the clone he stepped into his ready room, he grabbed the nearest book 'Divine Comedy' written by Dante. He knew the clone would follow him in so he spoke quickly:

"Computer. Disable computer access and lock-out 'ALL' command functions immediately. Command authorisation: Torek-Alpha-Two-Two-Epsilon. Restore access on voice verification from myself or Commander Blakus only."

'Confirmed' the computer said as the doors slid open.

"Got it." Carl said cheerily as he stepped past the clone and walked to the turbo-lift ....

Thirty Minutes Later ::

There had been no opportunity to leave the visitors lounge, despite the fact that almost nine hundred people were in the massive area, it still appeared half empty. Thankfully, the Children were with their parents or playing on the myriad of entertainment consoles scattered throughout the room. Every few moments another previously affected crew member would enter having completed their treatment. The frustration was clear to see on the Command Staff, despite countless requests they had steadfastly been kept in this one room. A 'tour' had been promised, but they doubted it would come to fruition. Whatever the facility held, they were not going to simply walk around and discover it for themselves, that was clear ....

"I could feign illness." Lysia suggested.

"You'll be better than fully fit before you reach the doorway knowing these lot." Milyanov said frustratingly.

Calli had had enough of waiting. She got up and walked toward the doors, which opened at his approach. Unfortunately, two clones were directly outside, barring her progress.

"I need to return to our ship." she stated, matter-of-factly.

"That is impossi ...."

"Sorry ! ... Last time I checked we were not being held here, is that correct ?" Valente pushed.

"You are to remain here until all contamina ...."

"Am I being held here, or am I free to return to my duties ?" she countered, not letting the clone finish. Carl, Andae and the others watched with interest as the exchange continued. Calli clearly had the right idea, she was forcing them into a decision. Should they refuse then it was clear that the Raven crew were prisoners, on the other hand, should they capitulate then that was the way out, "Who's in charge here, I'd like to see someone in authority, with all due respect, you all look the same to me, so, can I speak to someone who can make a decision ... Now !" she stood her ground, eyes locked with the clone. After a moment he spoke:

"Callista Valente ... Starfleet Intelligence ... You are not assigned to the USS Raven-C as a member of the crew ... Therefo ....."

"Commander Valente is the Raven's Second Officer. Andae interrupted.

"We have no confirmation of this information, you will remain here in accordance with facility safety protocols." the clone said, stepping back away from the door before anyone could reply. Calli turned to Torek:

"They can't access the ships computer." she said, Carl nodded, turning the page of his book as if he had been reading throughout, but Andae was suddenly wary. He sat beside Carl.

"This place is H'ocru, right ? ... What was that the announcement called it, the H'ocru Research Conglomerate ? .... So why did I see a Phorx-ku while we were annoying our hosts ?" he whispered ..........

[Andae Blakus]

USS Maracanda (OOC: another post from Blakus perspective coming soon)

Manley and Scober sat in the conference room, stunned by proceedings over the last 24 hours.

What negotiator Illerda had said to get the two parties back to the table would, it seemed, remain forever a mystery. He and Admiral Kletchley had apparently slipped their guards (as they called them) and headed to the Werim diplomatic vessel. Illerda had returned announcing he'd organised another meeting of the two sides, he'd then attended the meeting in the Maracanda's holodeck; Kletchley had made for the shuttlecraft that'd brought him, beaming widely and declaring that his 'work here was done'. He'd now returned to the Starbase.

A renewed cease fire agreement had been signed; in 15 stardates, an armistice and a full permanent treaty were to be agreed upon at a place of the two sides' choosing (the Maracanda wasn't yet clear where exactly this was). The Werim who defected to the Phorx, Hemron, was championing himself as the broker of peace, broadcasting the news to surrounding sectors. Scanning the wider area behind the two negotiating vessels, the Maracanda had found the fleets which they'd latently discovered had been fighting one another had separated - it seemed the peace was holding.

All well and good as of 17 hours ago, however after that time things had passed from the unbelievable to the absurd.

Besides the concern over the whereabouts of O'Slig - still missing, perhaps having absconded with the Phorx, though how, when the Phorx craft involved in the negotiations was still present and no human lifesigns had been found aboard it, they didn't know - there was the new worry over compromised security: ghosts in the internal sensor data.

It was just two hours after that that Salvador Illerda was found dead on his bed in his quarters, apparently murdered. A thought that a Werim, dissatisfied with the new peace, was responsible - due to the type of wounds - was perhaps substantiated when the Maracanda received news that hardline elements on the Werim homeworld wanted to extradite Phorx-allied Hemron and put him on trial for high treason.

Then the two Phorx and Werim vessels near the Maracanda began demanding the Intrepid class return to wherever it'd come from (the two species still, ostensibly, didn't know of the existence of Starbase 47) and made a similar statement regarding the Raven, over which they lambasted Manley for having so easily let depart into the 'hinterland' (of which the H'ocru system was a part) between Werim and Phorx space.

Manley had withdrawn the Maracanda 0.1 parsecs from the two negotiator ships and was awaiting instructions from the Starbase (via the comm-relay shuttle, though comms on the base were apparently back up and running again). Before long, new transmissions were being broadcast from the Werim homeworld and Yibeha III across the sector that a squadron of vessels - 4 Phorx, 4 Werim - led by the peace party of either side were to head for a place called the H'ocru system and the ancient abandoned station there to finalise the perpetual treaty.

Having deduced that this is where the Raven had headed, Manley and Scober hailed the Raven via subspace to inform them of events. The Maracanda's CO was prepared to defy orders from the Starbase to head to the Raven's assistance if needed.

<Tag Raven>

As they'd continued listening in to the interstellar broadcasts of the new Werim-Phorx peace from the Mission Ops console, the Werim negotiator vessel had departed, on a heading matching with that of the Raven's. Soon after it'd exploded; initial scans seemed to suggest an 'accidental' AM containment failure. Now Manley and Scober discussed reasons why the Werim Hemron and his Phorx ship were still in the vicinity.

[Carl Torek]

"...... of this information, you will remain here in accordance with facility safety protocols." the clone said, stepping back away from the door before anyone could reply. Calli turned to Torek:

"They can't access the ships computer." she said, Carl nodded, turning the page of his book as if he had been reading throughout, but Andae was suddenly wary. He sat beside Carl.

"This place is H'ocru, right ? ... What was that the announcement called it, the H'ocru Research Conglomerate ? .... So why did I see a Phorx-ku while we were annoying our hosts ?

"You have me there." Carl replied,his frustration growing exponentially as the 'clones' lorded themselves over the Raven crew. He was still pondering his next move when his comm badge chirped to life ...

=^= Raven to Admiral Torek =^=

=^= Go ahead =^= Carl replied.

=^= Sir .. We are receiving a communication from the Maracanda .. Urgent =^=

=^= Patch it direct to me =^= Carl ordered, seconds later he heard the comm:

=^= USS Maracanda to Admiral Torek .. .. .. .. =^=

=^= Torek =^= he replied, glancing around those present to see if any of the clones were taking interest.

=^= Admiral .. Commander Manley .. Are you able to speak without being overheard ? =^=

=^= Give me a moment Commander =^= Torek said, getting up and moving to the far side of the room, Calli and Andae had seen this and were watching as casually as possible, =^= go ahead Commander .. Keep your voice down =^=

=^= I have to report that one of the negotiators .. Salvador Illerda .. Was found dead in his quarters .. There is no doubt at this point that he was murdered Admiral =^=

Carl turned to his Officers, who knew instantly that something was amiss as he continued the conversation:

=^= OK .. For now conduct your investigation but under no circumstances must anyone outside your Command Staff be made aware .. Seal his quarters .. Where are the delegations now ? =^=

=^= I have moved us away Admiral .. Both primary vessels seem to be actively scanning .. Mainly each other .. They are 'insisting' we go back where we came from .. I decided not to enlighten them as to our options in that regard .. But the cease fire has been established at least until we come up with a viable suspect .. .. Then if we discover it's one or other of them responsible I imagine it will hit the proverbial fan =^=

=^= Anything else Commander ? =^= Torek asked quickly, seeing one of the clones taking interest in his conversation.

=^= The Werim vessel hosting their delegates has exploded as it left the area =^= Manley informed him.

Carl was almost dumb-struck. how the hell could this man leave what might well be the most important piece of information to a casual foot-note in the conversation. He was almost tempted to relieve the man of his Command there and then, but he realised that Manley was relatively inexperienced as a Command Officer, he had all the skills but little 'practical' background, and to be honest there was no-one to take his place. The Maracanda had been rushed into service through necessity, he couldn't chastise the man or his crew for something out of their control ....

=^= Do you have any information on what happened Grant ? =^= Carl asked, using the mans given name hoping to ease his obvious anxiety.

=^= We are scanning from our location Admiral .. .. I would like permission to move us to .. .. .. =^=

=^= Move the Maracanda now Commander .. Forget the cease fire that has been sorted .. Get the ship to the location of the explosion .. I want you to run every scan you can think of then invent some .. We need to know who was responsible for that ship exploding .. .. Do 'NOT' allow the Werim or Phorx-ku to hinder your progress .. Understood ! =^=

=^= Understood Admiral .. Maracanda out =^=

"Bloody hell !" Carl muttered after a few moments of contemplation.

"Admiral ?" Calli asked quietly.

"You heard ?" he asked, looking at Andae and Calli.

"Enough to get the gist." Andae replied. Carl was about to comment when the three clones in the room headed for the door ... Before anyone could ask what was happening, the door closed. Carl had the feeling it wasn't going to open.

"Think the news has spread ?" Blakus asked ..........

[Andae Blakus]

"Goras is inbound, Director!" a clone of the lower deck barked from his position along the banked console that ringed the amphitheatric hall of the H'ocru station's one remaining nerve centre (the nexus of its remaining sensory equipment, the rest of the station had since long times past been unable to see, hear, experience its world). On the screen, a graphic showing the location of the rogue Phorx-ku scout ship did not betray the lines of the ship itself.

The Director viewed this from his gigantic chair and nodded, his voice was cracked but sonorous, "Is his cloak secure? He hasn't been seen by the USS Raven vessel?"

"The last of the crew of the Raven vessel have now been escorted to the holding bay, prior to processing, Director." Excellent, the Director thought, now the bipeds' ship would be unable to see or hear.

The ship of the traitor Wilm Goras, he who'd masqueraded as Mawr O'Slig a Federation diplomat, entered the main dock of the secondary wheel. That secondary middle wheel was almost wholly empty of old equipment now, the Director knew, the last vestiges and reminders of the control of the progenitors of the Werim soon to be removed, so as to allow only for the presence of the coldly efficient, omnipotent Research Conglomerate and the one remaining Mind it'd engendered. "The Mech Mind rules the Cosmos!" the Director cried from his throne. Clones and assorted quadripeds echoed his call, the words reverberating through the cavernous space.


"The base's technology is not particularly advanced," Blakus was saying, down on his haunches with a panel open next to a door, "Built on a huge scale, but relatively simple. If I had a tricorder, I should be able to access and work my way round the entire mainframe with total ease, the firewalls use algorithms with basic programming language analogous to late 22nd century Starbase computer cores. Now the lack of a tricorder truly is a pain, a serious difficulty..."

"But you can hotwire the door controls," Valente and Wedlerson finished for him. Blakus replied that indeed he could - he blinked, feeling as if he'd been made a fool of.

Manley had contacted Torek again to inform him of something else he'd forgotten, the fact four Phorx and four Werim ships were en route to the H'ocru station at this moment to sign an armistice; they would be arriving in three hours. However, considering the entire Raven crew was currently trapped in the lounge there was little they could do to either welcome or stave off these vessels - the only access they had to the larger universe was the panoramic window, showing the underside of the Raven, and a potential way out courtesy of this door and a number of hatches.

Milyanov released the catch on the door, this particular one chosen as it was the opposite side of the gallery from where the trio of clones had entered. Following Torek's directions, Blakus had the 100 crewmen and officers selected for the task divided into five groups: one group of 20 would exit through the door, and the other four groups would each go through a hatch to enter what presumably was the ventilation system, or perhaps maintenance conduits that provided access to EPS networks and the like. The remaining 900 or so crew and civilians would remain in the lounge, the former to guard and protect the latter.

Blakus led a group through a hatch labelled exit Delta. Milyanov and Tinsley joined the Admiral and the other 17 on his team to head out through exit Alpha - the doorway. Exit Beta, Gamma and Epsilon groups were led by T'Seng, Colonel Burwell and the Chief Science Officer respectively - they made through their own hatches. Their collective goal was to discover a way to get off the station (or at least take back control of the Raven) and to find out who exactly controlled the base, what their possible connection was to the incoming octet of Werim and Phorx peacemaking vessels.

<Tag Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon groups>

Blakus, Wedlerson and Valente crawled their way through the tunnel stretching away behind exit Delta, it seeming to reach to infinity; their fellow team members followed in single file behind. To Blakus it did appear as if they were going round in circles, eventually however another hatch was reached, and beyond he could hear whispers,

"The Progenitor Werim's descendants and their slave enemy Phorx-ku have made an agreement. They are en route." This voice was recognisably a clone's, but that which responded was not, it chilled Blakus to the core,

"They will further contaminate the Purity of the Mech. Their peace cannot be allowed to break ours. When they enter range, launch assault craft to intercept."

[Carl Torek]

Carl watched as Andae, Calli, and Harry, along with a substantial group of Raven Officers slipped away undetected ...

He sat for a moment looking at the remainder of the Raven crew, all apparently free to roam, but in reality held in place, in one location. Satisfied no alarms had been triggered, he signalled to Milyanov and Tinsley:

"We're leaving." he said quietly, still subconsciously fearing they were being monitored, "Commander, pick out Officers who can accompany us, sixteen or so should suffice." he said to the Chief Engineer, then waited until Milyanov returned.

"I've selected people from Engineering and Security." the Engineer informed him.

"Good .... Let's go."

The group exited, tentatively making their way along the deserted corridor until they reached what looked similar to a ships' Jeffries Tube access. fifteen minutes into their crawl he thought he heard something ahead ! ... Holding up a hand to halt the group, he inched forward ... Several meters ahead one of the hatches was open, he could hear two clones speaking beyond the opening but couldn't quite hear what was being said. He thought for a second about the other groups, and of those he had left behind. He figured that short of the clones carrying out a head count, they wouldn't miss the one hundred Raven Officers missing, unless of course they had cause to need to speak to himself that was, and in that situation all hell would break out !

Holding a finger to his lips he motioned for Milyanov and Tinsley to move closer:

"Can you hear what they are saying ?" he whispered. Both men strained but shook their heads, "We'll need to backtrack if they stay there." Milyanov was looking around the cramped tunnel. He tapped Torek on the shoulder and pointed. A few back they had passed a vertical access shaft, presumably leading between levels on the station. Carl nodded and they inched back to the others ... Tinsley, closest to the access stood and began to climb, he had gone almost five meters before halting at a closed hatch, presumably an airlock access, from below Carl nodded and Nate rotated the archaic wheel slowly. Hearing a 'thud' he assumed the dogs, or bolts, had fully retracted and he tentatively applied pressure, the hatch rose silently until just past the vertical then rested against a stopper.

One by one the filed onto the new level .....

"Any idea's where we might be ?" Milyanov asked sheepishly.

"I'd guess two levels above where we entered the shaft ...." Tinsley suggested, eyeing their surroundings, "Given the distance i think these shafts may only open onto every other level, no idea as to why." he finished with a shrug.

"Let's get into the open and get our bearings. Carl ordered.

Several minutes of clambering through the access tube they came across one of the hatches. They had no way of determining if anyone was on the other side of the metallic door so had no option but to open it ... Milyanov crawled to the small panel, on orange light was blinking steadily, this he assumed was a status indicator and hoped it wasn't linked to a duplicate on some panel one of the clones was monitoring. He glanced at Torek and received a silent nod. He tapped the orange button and it immediately switched to a steady green before the hatch opened a fraction, presumably through the release of whatever locking mechanism was being employed. Listening intently he began to open the hatch one degree at a time until he could look along the corridor beyond. Hearing or seeing no-one he swung the hatch open enough to climb out. He was gone for only seconds before returning to give the 'all clear' .....

One of the crew had moved along the corridor to ensure they were alone. He came back and spoke to Milyanov:

"We're above the Raven Admiral." the Chief Engineer informed him after speaking with the Crewman, "Mister Syme here could see the back end of the Starboard nacelle, approximately four hundred meters along this corridor and below us."

"Let's take a look." Carl said, summoning Nate Tinsley to come too.

"I didn't think we were that close." the Engineer commented as he looked through the port, "You think we could get back aboard from here ?" Tinsley was saying as Milyanov put a hand up ! ... Along the corridor several voices could be heard coming toward them, they had seconds to get out of sight or be discovered. Thankfully whoever was approaching passed without breaking stride.

"We have a decision to make gentlemen." Carl said once they were able to talk, "Do we continue searching this facility, or do we make our way to the ship and attempt ingress ?"

"There's another option." one of the Security Officers suggested quietly, the others turning to face him, "We know now that we can get at least this close to the ship, I suggest one of us goes back to the others to let them know what we have found. Maybe we can begin bringing them up here one by one ?"

"With all due respect Lieutenant, we're not going to get almost a thousand people through those conduits unseen." Milyanov said.

"It's a thought." Carl mused, agreeing with the Chief Engineer, "But I agree, there's no way of moving that many people, and we have to consider that a considerable number are civilian men, women and children."

"Send ten back." Tinsley suggested, "They can ready the others and assign Security Officers and Marines to protect the civilians and children."

"Agreed .... See to it please Lieutenant." Torek ordered, then continued, "We'll take the remainder and attempt to get back aboard the ship, where's a weapons locker when you need one." he finished wryly ....

With the ten split off and back in the conduits, the remaining ten stood in a tight circle, each keeping a wary eye on the corridor in both directions. They decided that several of the rooms nearby needed examination, and it was established that this level seemed to be mainly accommodation, or rest area's for technicians working on the station. There were several small workshops, a medical facility, along with numerous sealed rooms they couldn't access without the right access codes. These rooms disturbed Carl but he didn't know why, why would such a facility need secure rooms ? .... Torek wished he could contact the other groups for an update, but without communicators that was impossible, they were on their own for the time being. His priority now was to get back aboard the Raven ..........

[Andae Blakus]

USS Maracanda

"You cannot do this, Commander! This is an internal security matter, now that we and our Werim brethren have made peace..."

Manley refused to back down before Hemron, politely reminding him he too was a Werim and also that the Werim vessel had exploded shortly after the successful completion of negotiations mediated and supervised by the Maracanda and formerly the Raven. If the destruction of the Werim ship had been due to anything that may relate to the Maracanda, even indirectly, the latter vessel had an interest in the matter.

He also had suspicions - which for the moment he kept to himself - the Phorx had caused this destruction and had possibly been responsible for the death of Illerda. Of course, the defector Hemron and the Phorx would want to keep him from investigating the loss of the Werim negotiators' ship, if they had been responsible, and while it'd been thought a hardline faction of Werim - wanting to bring Hemron to trial - had been responsible for Illerda's death, if the Phorx were this keen to prevent the investigation, might it also be true that they'd something to do with the murder of the chief negotiator and mediator on the Federation side?

"If you must, Commander Manley, you must, but know that the Phorx-ku," the defector exclaimed on the viewscreen and with dramatic effect raising his fist in defiance, drawing a bemused, slyly amused glance from the Phorx leader to his left, "Will not allow you to meddle unhindered!" He slammed the fist down on the control to end the transmission.

Manley sighed as the channel closed and turned to Scober, "How proceed the investigations?"

"DNA samples seem to suggest a Phorx-ku was in the vicinity when Illerda expired. Whether or not that means Salvador met his death at the hands of the Phorx remains to be seen."

"What else could it mean?! Are you serious, Phorx DNA found on his person around the time of his death?"

"He may have had contact with a Phorx in the lead up. Remember negotiations had just been concluded, he could've shaken hands with one of them."

Manley tutted and shook his head. Shaken hands? "Let's assume for the moment the Phorx are indeed responsible, and work off that basis. The reason being... to restart the war immediately?" Then why had they not already done so? he thought.

---

H'ocru station

The Phorx and Werim peacemaking ships - four from each group - were closing on the H'ocru station; assault craft took flight from the tertiary wheel of the gargantuan structure and scythed out towards the octet, soon they would be making docking, unless the more mobile vessels of the Phorx were able to avoid being hard-docked and the Werim didn't immediately jump to warp given their superior engines.

Meanwhile aboard the station, the clones had re-entered the lounge and begun shuttling some of those present into corridors to the left of their entrance point - the opposite side of the lounge from where the exploring Raven officers had exited. At this moment, half of the twenty security officers and engineers of Torek's team returned and were just proceeding to bring many of the civilians under guard, using as instruments for this marines and other security. The plan was to put them in transit to a point, discovered by Torek et al, from where they may potentially be able to board the Raven. The move was noticed by the clones who started towards them; three of the eight clones raised weapons and then all came to a halt.

"What are you doing?" the lead clone asked placidly.

"Just reorganising some of our people, our civilians, protecting those who may not be as strong as the rest of us," the lead marine barked, half-turning towards the clone as he continued directing affairs.

"You will cease. You are to be taken for processing. This way." The clone directed them to the now opened doorways behind which stretched narrow corridors with barely enough room for a group of people walking single-file. "Where are your senior officers...?" another clone asked, apparently the observant one, though not observant enough to notice the marine sidling away to hatch Delta.

The marine caught up with Blakus's Delta group - still blockheadedly mulling over their various options, having heard the clone and the mysterious voice speaking of the 'Mech'. "Commander... The clones have begun rounding up the crew for 'processing', and they know the senior staff is missing," the marine whispered. Blakus blanched. "We understand the Admiral's group have found a potential point from which to reach the Raven, or at least are making progress," the marine continued, "We haven't got much time... Either they find a way to get back aboard the Raven, take control and potentially beam all our people off here before whatever happens to them happens, or -"

"Yes, I get the point, Corporal, thank you." He sighed and turned about to Wedlerson and Valente, "Let's rush them," he instructed, referring to the duo beyond the hatch, the clone and mysterious other, "We'll try to join up with the Admiral's group." He knew that the corridor down which Torek and co had headed was some way off to their right, through the room in which the clone and other were located.

[Carl Torek]

There were several small workshops, a medical facility, along with numerous sealed rooms they couldn't access without the right access codes. These rooms disturbed Carl but he didn't know why, why would such a facility need secure rooms ? .... Torek wished he could contact the other groups for an update, but without communicators that was impossible, they were on their own for the time being. His priority now was to get back aboard the Raven ..........

Part of him wondered if they were going to get out of this situation unscathed .... The H'ocru Station was massive and there was no definitive way of assessing just how many of the 'clones' were in residence. He had to put those concerns on the back burner for the moment, their priority being get back aboard the Raven.

"Sir ...." one of the group whispered, "I'm sure this is the corridor, the access-way to the ship should be just ahead and to the left."

Carl looked back the way they had come then forward, truth be told all the corridors had begun to look alike, much to his annoyance, so he had little option but to defer to the young Marine Lieutenant:

"Go ahead Lieutenant, lets see if we have company." Torek ordered. The Marine moved ahead, gingerly approaching the slight kink in the corridor ... Dropping to his knees he inched forward until he was in position to see the airlock ... Either side of the 'lock stood a clone, neither was looking in their direction. He back-tracked to the others to report:

"Two clones, approximately thirty five meters along the corridor, they look bored, I couldn't see any weapons but that isn't to say they aren't wearing any Sir."

"OK, so how do we get their undivided attention ?" Torek mused.

"Sir, if I may ?" one of the Marines asked. Carl nodded. He whispered to one of the group and both moved forward, then much to everyone's surprise the Marine slammed a fist into the other Officers' face, blood oozed from the gash in his lower lip and he staggered forward into the line of sight of the clones. The Marine Lieutenant moved back and readied himself ... As the Officer dropped to his knees, allowing blood to flow freely to the deck, the clones reacted. Both approached the fallen man thankfully without requesting permission beforehand. They knelt beside the fallen Officer and the Lieutenant stepped forward. He landed a boot into the nearest clones jaw, spinning him around and away, the others moved quickly as the Lieutenant continued his movement to slam a fist into the second clones neck, it dropped forward, hands bracing against hitting the deck plates, Carl closed the gap quickly as the second clone, clearly not as injured, spun, one arm sweeping the legs from beneath the Marine, who dropped onto his back. there was a sickening 'thud' of ruptured cartilage as the Marines throat was crushed ...

Torek slammed into the clone but knew he was too late. others had subdued the first clone and were now looking toward the events taking place along the corridor. Torek was turning to grasp the second clone when a fist smashed into his face beneath his right eye. he felt the orbital bone fracture instantly, but the impact was so furious that it pushed a section of the maxilla upward, he knew instantly that it had penetrated his prosthetic eye. his mind struggled to cope with the conflicting information as the prosthetic shifted between the numerous functions available to him, static interfered with his vision as the 'eye' switched into the ultraviolet, infrared, zooming through the range of it's optical range. He clamped both eyes shut trying to stem the overflow of information but it was no use, the eye continued to malfunction behind his eyelid.

He felt himself being lifted off the ground and dragged pulled along the corridor. The pain from his damaged prosthetic was so intense now it was drowning out all other sensory inputs. Suddenly he felt something against his neck and unconsciousness enveloped him .....


**********


"Lay back down Admiral, you are in no fit state to move." Carl could hear someone speaking, and could feel hands preventing him from sitting up, "You are back aboard the Raven Admiral but have suffered serious facial injuries. I need to carry out reconstructive surgery on your eye socket before we replace the prosthetic."

"Doctor, Roach ?"

"Nothing wrong with your hearing then, good, I was a little concerned the bone fragments had damaged your stapes."

"The ship ?" Carl asked as the pressure on his shoulders compelled him to lay back down.

"We have transported everyone back aboard and separated from the Station. We are, apparently, holding position two hundred meters off the docking port." Helen Roach informed him as she worked.

"Who ? ...." Carl managed as the sedative, or his complete exhaustion began to take hold, he slipped back into unconsciousness before he got a reply .....


**********


"Hmmm, the look kinda suits you."

"Very funny." Carl said as Calli approached grinning.

"Regular 'Blackbeard' look going on there Admiral." Calli said trying hard not to laugh.

"The patch is temporary, once the new prosthesis is fitted he'll be as good as new, better in fact." Doctor Roach interrupted as she continued her treatment.

"Report !" Carl ordered.

"I'll leave you two to it then." the Chief Medical Officer said with obvious disdain.

"Commander Blakus is monitoring several vessels approaching ... When we disengaged from the Station they all halted their approach. At this point four Werim and four Phorx-ku vessels are holding position sixty thousand kilometers off the Station. Both are constantly scanning their counterparts while keeping a wary eye on us ....." Calli informed him, looking around to make sure they were not going to be overheard, "Sir, I think we are out of our depth here. I honestly believe that if we were to depart the region we would be left alone. It is clear now that whatever began this conflict between the Phorx and the Werim, we are not going to solve it. I suggest we contact both factions and request safe passage."

"Either one of those may hold the key to our retu ....." Carl began, but Calli interrupted him.

"Carl, with all due respect, we need to leave this situation to them. In my opinion, we'll be lucky to get away with the losses we have suffered. If either race chose to follow us back to Starbase Forty Seven, then, I dread to think of the consequences .... Inform Andae to warp out of here, say one twenty degrees off a heading home, for a week at least, no point in telegraphing our intentions." Calli advised. Carl could not see her face, but he knew his adoptive Sister, and knew that if she was suggesting this course of action then she couldn't see any other way to save the ship and crew.

Carl lay in silence for a long moment. Had he been able to see he knew that the council of his Sister was sound ....

"Ask Andae to come visit when he has a moment." he asked ..........

[Andae Blakus]

Blakus had incapacitated the clone and mysterious other with the assistance of the marine corporal, the security guards and engineers. Reaching the next intersection, he'd espied a possible way to reach Torek's team, time was of the essence, considering most of the crew had been seized by the clones in the lounge and taken for 'processing'.

Five minutes of more blockheaded thinking went by, after which, signalling to the corporal, he started down the passage; he heard a strangled cry from behind; spinning about, he'd time enough to see a clone striking and winding one of his security guards and a jagged beam of scarlet tearing towards him down the sepulchral tunnel. He grimaced, waiting for the searing contact, when the cerulean wash of a Starfleet transport caught him in its cold but welcome embrace.

"There's a phaser beam, or something like it, caught in the matter stream, Lieutenant," the newly returned transporter operator reported to the junior officer beside him. "Deactivating it now," he said, needing little instruction.

Blakus materialised on the pad along with five others; he understood one more group of his team were to be beamed off - he trusted they'd held their own against the sudden onset of clones.

* * *

Now heading towards sickbay, he fell in alongside Milyanov who'd returned with the rest of the Admiral's team. "Are we still reading the comm signal from the Phorx-ku vessels?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, they've been broadcasting omnidirectionally for the past thirty minutes now. We believe it's some sort of alert, perhaps being sent to their compatriots. I have a suspicion -"

"That the Phorx are calling their brethren here to the slaughter," Andae said, feeling qualms at the possibility - aired as mere rumour through the ship though he knew something more concrete - of their leaving the Phorx and Werim like this, the Werim particularly considering it was likely their peacemaking vessels were to be caught in an ambush by huge forces. Perhaps however he and Milyanov were mistaken in the intention of the Phorx's broadcast. It was also possible the Werim had a back-up plan, forces of their own or an escape route - the two groups having recently been in conflict, they would both still have their guard raised while extending their free hand in friendship.

Milyanov went on to engineering while Blakus peeled away into sickbay and looked about, locating Torek with Valente standing beside his biobed. Approaching, he took in the sight of the eyepatch that Torek wore and didn't bat an eyelid (or two), "You called, Admiral?"

Torek nodded and Calli informed him of her suggestion, Blakus nodded, he'd surmised such might be the case and had already made preparations,

"If you approve, Admiral, I can have us direct a course for Valente's proposed coordinates immediately." He was asked what he thought of the solution or lack thereof to the Phorx-Werim crisis, whether he believed it was right to depart at all. He paused, aware his opinion was considered important; often in his career, he'd allowed his conscience to guide him perhaps more than was advisable even for a Starfleet officer (disobeying a direct order and commandeering and flying a shuttle into a star to save an unaligned planet sprang to mind). "They did make a peace, however shortlasting it may prove to be; if it only acts effectively as a truce or temporary cease fire, it's something to ease the conscience."

There was also the consideration that if the Raven and Maracanda hadn't been present, the Werim and Phorx may never have thought to make peace on their own terms (which was done almost as if to spite the Federation, rather than gratify them). He smiled and they nodded. It seemed then it was decided; they were to head home.

[Carl Torek]

USS Raven-C
Sick Bay ::

"If you approve, Admiral, I can have us direct a course for Valente's proposed coordinates immediately." He was asked what he thought of the solution or lack thereof to the Phorx-Werim crisis, whether he believed it was right to depart at all. He paused, aware his opinion was considered important,"They did make a peace, however short-lasting it may prove to be; if it only acts effectively as a truce or temporary cease fire, it's something to ease the conscience."

"Calli ?" Torek asked.

"Well, in my opinion we have done all we can. It's clear that the Werim and Phorx-ku will have issues regardless of our position. My first instinct was to cut our losses, and maybe that was a little hasty, we could leave the Maracanda in place, see if they can salvage anything from the current situation, failing that we would need to make a decision on our own position."

"Meaning ?" Carl coaxed.

"If we remain here we will need to take a side ...." she could see both her Senior Officers looking at her sceptically so continued, "If we defend the Werim we'll insult the Phorx, and visa-versa. But if we stood aside, allow this to play out, we may have a more definitive grasp on what we can or can't offer either side. At this stage, neither side has openly declared hostilities on the other."

"You don't call a fleet of Phorx'ku vessels approaching at high warp 'hostilities' then ?" Blakus asked. Calli shrugged.

"We can't solve every problem in the universe Andae .... What I'm saying is we need to step back, even if for a day. Remain in the region, or set out for home, we should possibly rendezvous with the Maracanda, they have been in the thick of the talks and have first-hand knowledge of the tone between the two races. If we are asking them to remain they need to be updated."

"So you think it possible that the Phorx are not coming here solely to eradicate whatever Werim are here ?" Carl asked, he winced as he beginning to feel the effects of the sedative he'd been given wearing off.

"This will have to wait." Doctor Roach said moving to the Bio-bed with a tray and two nurses in tow, "Admiral, I will need to sedate you while we make the transfer, replacing the eye isn't difficult, but connecting the optic nerve ganglia correctly will need complete stability."

"You realise that in all the time I've had this in I've practically never made use of it's attributes. I suppose the new one is all singing all dancing."

"It can sing and dance as much as you wish, it has been designed to switch through a range of parameters, or hmm, here's a thought ... You could simply use it to see through." Roach said with a shrug before nodding to one of the nurses, who placed a hypo-spray against his neck ... The room went dark as Carl slipped into a state of deep unconsciousness .....

"How long doctor ?" Calli asked.

Forty minutes to replace and calibrate the new optics, then rest. Ideally I'd prefer he wake up naturally, it will give his body time to acclimatise to the new eye."

"Thank you." Andae replied .....

Captains Ready Room ::

"So you all know our options ...." Blakus finished reviewing the situation, looking at the Senior Officers in turn."

"The Phorx are still thirteen hours from the Facility." Harry said, "If we're going to meet the Maracanda it would be best to have them head our way. We could meet them half way and still have several hours to make a final decision ?"

"We can't go up against the Phorx fleet on our own, that's a given." Milyanov commented. The conversation was continued, with each Officer having a say when the Comm chirped to life. Blakus spoke:

=^= Go ahead =^=

=^= Lieutenant Zmit Commander .. I'm receiving a Priority One communication from the Starbase =^= Andae looked at everyone:

=^= Stand by .. .. =^= he asked the others to leave the office given the apparent severity of the communication ... Five minutes later he stepped out of the Ready Room and asked Calli to join him. The Bridge was completely silent as she walked over, stepping past the Executive Officer who followed her into the room, the doors closed.

"..... I'm so sorry Calli." Andae said after informing her of events on the Starbase.

"We need to tell Carl." she said, trying and failing to hold back the tears. He tapped his Comm badge:

=^= Blakus to Bridge =^=

=^= Bridge =^= Wedlerson said from the Center seat.

=^= Set course for home .. Maximu .. .. =^=

"We can't ...." Calli interrupted, "If we go direct one or the other will follow us, we can't lead them to the Starbase." Andae thought about it then nodded.

=^= Set course one twenty degrees off the Starbase heading .. Maximum warp when set Commander =^=

=^= Yes Sir =^= Harry Wedlerson replied before closing the Comm. "You heard the Exec' ... Set course zero four five mark zero. Maximum warp now."

"I'm going down to Sick-bay." Calli said, standing suddenly and wiping her eyes ..........




< Tag : Andae >

[Andae Blakus]

Blakus circled the bridge, taking in each console and the activities of the still-shocked or somewhat subdued bridge crew. They knew of course that the Intelligence Director had meant a great deal to the CO and their mission advisor; Blakus himself had never known Tetsutaro well, but understood completely how such a man could become a type of mentor, a father figure as well as someone to be emulated.

He sighed inwardly, knowing that he must keep to procedure but somehow feeling weighed down by the sombre atmosphere; rounding the tactical rail he returned to the command chair (Torek remained in sickbay, his artificial optical systems still integrating into his physiology). "Commander Marionette, ETA to coordinates at which we plan to redirect to the Starbase?"

"Seven minutes, Commander."

"Have the Phorx fleet detected us?" he asked, tilting his head from side to side as he regarded the panel on either arm-rest; everything seemed to be nominal - there was no suggestion the out-of-phase 'Reavers' (sent by the H'ocru station) were still aboard the Raven; they were certainly still not in normal space - no fields capable of disturbing localised, low-energy chronitons detected around the station or aboard the Raven to suggest the Reavers had exited their phase shift.

He looked at the viewscreen, he knew that some way off to starboard and just inside the field of view the Phorx fleet of ninety vessels - obviously invisible at this range - was closing on the four Werim peacemakers; the Raven would pass by the armada at a distance of 4.2 parsecs, they believed the Phorx weren't in possession of sufficiently advanced sensor equipment to resolve the Raven at this range.

"Negative, sir... Not that we can tell anyway," Wedlerson replied. Blakus nodded, asking that if he'd have reason to amend his somewhat ambiguous statement in the near future he should let them know.

"Andae, we do have one problem..." Milyanov said, turning from the engineering station at the bridge's port side and smiling discreetly, "And I can't believe Mr Wedlerson didn't detect it." Wedlerson half-turned, perhaps annoyed, or merely amused that the engineer should assume his intelligence was the greater. Blakus nodded his head impatiently, standing behind the engineering station as Milyanov pointed at a graphic that displayed an aft view in the far infrared: four indistinct orange blobs melted across the screen, constantly changing form but clearly representing objects of unvarying geometry.

"Tetryon-based cloaks!" Blakus blurted, "... We can read that?" It was rhetorical; given the blobs representing the four Phorx ships, the Raven's sensors evidently could.

"Aye. They're following us... the supposed peacemaking vessels," Milyanov said resignedly. It was perfectly clear then that once they reached the coords at which they'd change course (turning about 120^o) for the Starbase, these four Phorx craft would continue to follow them. Andae asked for a status report on the Werim; long-range sensors registered them currently falling back from the H'ocru system but on the point of being engaged by the massive Phorx fleet and outnumbered by over 20 to 1.

He commed sickbay to request Torek return to the bridge and ordered Dr Roach to release him as soon as she was sure the new eye would take. In the meantime, he was developing a plan to evade the Phorx quartet, involving the placement of a replica Raven constructed from von Neumann machines.

It was an experimental procedure, but one he'd carried out successfully in consecutive holodeck simulations aboard the old Raven-B, where he'd tested the Galaxy, Prometheus, the old Miranda and fortunately the Sovereign class. The machines would be deployed from the Raven's shuttlebays as soon as she dropped out of warp at the designated construction site. Around the site, the machines would accelerate at warp speed for small fractions of a microsecond, and in their pre-programmed action (following building instructions, plotted courses, remedial work in case of errors) would in three minutes construct a decoy-replica of the Raven which - if the real Raven was quick enough in its course change, and then pushed its engines beyond maximum towards the Starbase in the hope of avoiding detection - could succeed in deceiving the four Phorx craft into believing the replica was the real ship. Blakus was certain the procedure was sound, he only hoped the crew would time everything correctly; assuming success, the celebration would be muted, in any case, as Starbase 47 would be their next destination.

<Tag Torek>

[Carl Torek]

USS Raven-C
Sick-bay ::

"I need to speak with the Admiral in private Doctor." Calli said.

"He's sleeping, I would rather he not be disturbed." Doctor Roach replied.

"Has the new eye been accepted ?"

"Yes, but as I ...."

"Then there is no need for you to prevent my seeing him, is there ?" Calli said, as patiently as she could manage, "Doctor, please ... What I have to say I would rather come from me than anyone else."

"Five minutes." Roach said, stepping aside ... Calli stood beside the bio-bed and gently shook Carl's shoulder. When he opened his eyes she couldn't tell there had been a replacement fitted. She took one of his hands and looked around to ensure they were as alone as possible, then she told him what had happened on the Starbase. Carl pulled her to him as she cried, allowing her head to rest on his chest as he comforted her. He felt sick to his stomach knowing that their adopted father was gone, something deep within him vowed to make those responsible pay.

"What's our status ?" he was asking as the Comm chirped to life, Andae was requesting his presence on the Bridge ... Calli moved aside as he swung his legs off the bio-bed, the movement attracted the attention of the Chief Medical Officer, who came across placing a hand on Carl's chest to halt his sliding off the 'bed.

"You are going nowhere Admiral."

"I'm needed doctor, the eye is fine, I'll rest as soon as our curren ....." he winced as light penetrated the new eye.

"The optic nerve needs to acclimatise to the new prosthetic, you will get those painful flashes for a few hours, thus my need for you to sleep, sedation would allow the process without you sufferi ....."

"Give me a patch, or something for the pain, or both." Torek demanded.

Bridge ::

"Nice patch." Blakus commented as Carl and Calli stepped off the turbo-lift and headed for his Ready Room, Andae motioned for Milyanov to follow them .....

"You're confident it will work ?" Valente asked after the Exec' had finished outlining his plan.

"Simulations have been successful." Andae replied confidently.

"What about velocity, Can the replica perform well enough to fool them ?" Torek asked.

"That's where it could get tricky ....." Milyanov replied, "My thought, was that we could duplicate the Raven's warp signature on the replica. Tractor it to warp, then release the tractor before we drop out. The replica will remain at warp for at least thirty minutes before loosing enough velocity to drop into normal space. It's all speculation, but I have looked over the Commander's data and it could work, providing the Werim don't loose patience and try to force our hand."

"How long ?" Carl asked.

"Three minutes for the replica, ten to install a sub-space generator to duplicate our warp signature." Milyanov answered.

"Three 'minutes' ..." Carl asked dumbfounded.

"For the replica, yes." Andae replied.

"OK." Carl said, getting up from his chair and walking around his desk.

"Sir ?"

"Well I'm damn sure not going to miss this." Carl said, heading for the Bridge. Blakus went to Science Station One and brought up the replication sub-routines files, turning to Torek, he received a nod and activated the program ..... Carl could hardly believe his eyes as a thousand meters ahead of the now stationary Sovereign Class Starship, an exact duplicate was appearing before their eyes, it was almost like watching a time-lapse recording of their own vessel being constructed ..... Milyanov had returned to Engineering to prepare to transport over to install the sub-space transceiver which would emit an identical warp signature as the Raven herself. Sixteen minutes later Milyanov confirmed he was back aboard and made his way to the Bridge.

At the Engineering Station he activated the transceiver.

"Helm, move us past the replica, Commander T'Seng, once clear, lock a tractor on it, once we're set we will jump to warp." Carl ordered, still amazed at what had been accomplished. granted it was a replica, with no working parts so to speak, nevertheless, it was a sight to behold, had he not known the nature of the other vessel, he would have sworn it was a sister ship to their own.

"Tractors engaged Admiral." Lysia T'Seng confirmed.

"Very well ... Take us up to full impulse, slowly, then got to warp two. If our hold is stable we will increase to warp seven." Torek ordered.

"Full impulse." Marionette confirmed.

"OK, warp two, then increase to warp seven gently."

One Hour Later ::

"Where are the pursuing vessels ?" Carl asked.

"Seventy nine minutes behind us Admiral. We have been steadily increasing the distance between us for the last hour." Harry confirmed.

"If we release now Admiral. Allowing for velocity degradation, I calculate the Werim vessels will catch up with the replica in twenty eight minutes." the gynoid confirmed, "Admiral, I suggest we go to a heading sixty degrees off our intended course and go to Transwarp five for thirty minutes, it should be safe to revise our heading to approach the Starbase undetected by the Werim."

"Fair enough." Torek agreed, "Whenever you are ready Commander." he said, turning to his Executive Officer ..........

[Carl Torek]

Carl sat in silence as those around him carried out their duties .... The Raven, now steadily holding warp seven, towing the 'Raven' behind them continued on her journey.

"Sir I'm ready to bring the Ra, the replica's warp generator online." Milyanov informed him.

"Stand by Mister Milyanov ..." Carl said looking at Andae who nodded they were ready, Calli remained expressionless, "Release the tractor." he ordered.

"Tractors released." Commander T'Seng confirmed.

"Go ahead Commander." Torek said addressing the Chief Engineer.

"Will the Werim not suddenly realise there are 'two' vessels out here ?" Calli asked finally.

"I have masked our signal until we are well away from the replica." Milyanov explained, "Hopefully they will be concentrating all their sensors on us, well, the 'other' us. We should be able to put enough distan ...."

"Something is wrong." Lysia interrupted suddenly.

"I'm reading it too." Harry said from Operations.

"The replica has developed a vibration, the amplitude and frequency are increasing by the second. At this point the replica will shake itself to pieces long before the Werim reach it. If it destroys itself it will light us up like the proverbial Christmas Tree !"

"Suggestions ?" Carl asked calmly.

"Reduce velocity now to match the replica. I will reestablish a tractor lock before she falls too far behind us ?" Milyanov requested. Torek nodded to Marionette, who complied, "Good, we have her ... Maybe the generator went out of sync, we need to go back over there to fix the issue .... It can't be done from here Admiral." Milyanov finished, knowing what his Commanding Officer was about to ask.

"How long before the Werim catch us ?" Carl asked.

"If we were to increase to warp seven as before, they will continue to fall back, but our delay has reduced the distance between us and they are now nineteen minutes thirty seconds behind us. Admiral, I do not recommend transporting at warp, while it has been successful, it entails a measure of uncertainty we should not be entertaining." the Gynoid informed the Bridge.

"What about the atmosphere, you said it was only temporary ?" Carl asked Andae and Milyanov.

"Engineering still has an atmosphere ...." Blakus said after scanning the replica.

"The rest of the ship is void of atmosphere or gravity, we didn't need to make it habitable." Milyanov added, "The artificial gravity plates we put in Engineering should still be working."

"Helm, get us up to warp six on our present heading, I don't want those following to loose interest." Torek ordered, not missing the anxious expressions on several of his Bridge Staff, "If they begin to gain increase velocity to match ... Take a team over there and get this issue sorted, quickly."




< Tag : Andae / Milyanov >

[Andae Blakus]

Milyanov acknowledged the Admiral and wished to lead the team himself, claiming only he knew his way about over there, but Blakus reminded him of his own specialty at the academy, warp field dynamics, in which Milyanov had made his one misstep during his Starfleet training. He was up to speed now of course and perhaps Blakus was merely using this as an excuse to be on the team, but the XO had his way, taking along engineers Taylor and Yaphi, T'Seng in case of some extraordinary circumstance and Milyanov himself.

They were beamed into the alternate engineering, at once struck by the indistinct and plain surfaces, the absence of detail and the overwhelming greyness. It was at once quite different but at other times - from certain angles and perspectives - bore an uncanny resemblance to the real Raven's engineering, and Blakus once or twice caught himself glancing at the pool table to note the warp core basic readouts, an instinct he was convinced had become part of his genetic makeup, only to find a blank surface.

The team had spread through engineering. "You're not going to like this, Andae. It's impossible to tell what might be the problem without once again activating the transceiver itself," Taylor said, moving back from the other side of the inert 'warp core'; she referred to the only active component on the vessel, on engineering's upper floor. Blakus nodded, agreeing that they would activate the subspace signal generator partially and at a low power level.

Milyanov scanned the now thrumming generator, paused and made a wondering sound before finally giving his evaluation, "It seems the phonon field is vibrating at the resonance frequency of the material bonding the von Neumann machines to one another. It's creating a ship-wide vibration." I can tell, Blakus thought, sensing the tremor propagating through his body from the deck.

Being asked if it could be fixed, Milyanov nodded, "It's simply a matter of altering the frequency... Strange, it's as if I set up the phonon field with the resonance frequency of the machines in mind. It might've been subconscious," he shook his head and worked his tricorder.

"And you wonder how you failed field dynamics," Blakus quipped.

"I'm changing the frequency now, no problem. We should get out of here soon, if our pursuers detected the stand-in warp field during its brief use they may eventually detect the extra lifesigns. We've created a false impression of a thousand biosignatures and obscured the fact of our transportation, but there's no disguising our additional lifesigns."

Andae nodded and secured his own tricorder, rounding up the team, "Very well," he tapped his commbadge, =/\=Raven to Raven, we've accomplished the repair, five to transport.=/\=

* * *

Now back up to warp 7, how long should the Raven wait before deactivating the tractor, what sort of lead should they wish for, bearing in mind the time they'd fixed upon for their transwarp run to escape all possibility of detection?

"We're about to lose our window," Milyanov warned from the engineering station, "The replica can only masquerade as having a warp signature for a period of time before the transceiver signal necessarily loses coherence; we don't have the tech to maintain the necessary phonon alignment."

"The generator's not yet active," Blakus shook his head.

Now it was Milyanov's turn to steal a march on his former immediate superior in engineering, "But we're pulling out a gap to the pursuing ships all the time. After we've released the tractor beam, activated the transceiver and warped out, the signal will degrade at a certain, ultimately unpredictable rate, I can't do any better than to say with increasing distance it becomes more likely our decoy will be unmasked during the pursuit."

"Then we go to transwarp now," Torek said, looking at Blakus who carried out the order. Near the end of the half-hour jump, the Raven detected distantly behind a fading radiation cloud.

[Carl Torek]

He could only sit, waiting for the first reports from the away team ... If they couldn't rectify the vibrations, the replica would simply disintegrate as the frequency and intensity increased beyond the vessels' limitations. This was their only real option to evade the Phorx pursuers, should it fail they would have no option but to turn and fight. They couldn't allow the Phorx to discover the location of the Starbase ...

"They will contact you once they have something to report." Calli whispered as she stood behind the center seat. Carl could only nod, eyes flicking between the view-screen and the chronometer above it.

=^= Raven to .. Raven .. .. We've accomplished the repair .. Five to transport =^=

"Get them back over here." Carl ordered, masking his relief.

Bridge ::

Andae, Milyanov, and Lysia stepped off the turbo-lift onto the Bridge of the Raven, the 'genuine' Raven that is.

"All set ?" Carl asked. Blakus confirmed they were ready, "Helm, move us past and above the replica. Commander T'Seng, lock tractors onto the replica ...." he waited as the replica moved out of sight, now behind and below them.

"Ready Sir." the Tactical Officer informed them.

"Same routine as before Commander Marionette." Carl ordered, finally able to stretch the knot out of his spine .....

*****

Milyanov and Blakus were discussing their options as the distance between the doggedly pursuing Phorx and the duo of Raven's steadily increased. It was clear they needed to act now before their window of opportunity vanished.

"Then we go to Transwarp now !" Carl ordered, "Tactical, release the tractors. Helm, for'ard thrusters, five second burst."

The replica passed majestically beneath her sister ship as the thrusters reduced the genuine Raven's velocity minutely. The Bridge Officers watched as it began to increase the distance meter by meter. Milyanov and Blakus reactivated the transceiver, they monitored the readings closely, confirming that the phonon alignment was holding steady. The replica, already one thirty thousand meters ahead, was holding her course while all the time loosing momentum. It would take the vessel over twenty minutes to fall below the warp threshold, hopefully, the Phorx would catch up and do what they needed to do before that happened ... He looked up at Andae, stood between the Conn and Operations Stations ...

"Helm, adjust heading sixty degrees off last location of the Starbase." the Exec' ordered.

"Heading set Commander." Marionette confirmed.

"Engage." he ordered, and watched as the replica drifter to their left and off screen, "Take us to Transwarp Two." The Raven, already at warp, transitioned into that further netherworld, almost incomprehensible, Transwarp. Thirty minutes later they made their final course change for home. Carl had spoken to David and Elena, and knew of the loss of his Stepfather. Part of him wanted to exact revenge, but the Officer in him knew it would be fruitless to do so.

"Admiral !" Lysia, pulling him out of his revere, "I'm picking up radiation emissions. They are coming from where the replica would have been now."

"They managed to catch up then." Wedlerson said from Operations. everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief.

"Any signs of the Phorx vessels ?" Blakus asked.

"No Sir."

"OK .... Comms, contact the Maracanda. Instruct them to move to the edge of the Werim system and monitor activity." Carl ordered, "helm, time to Starbase at our present speed ?"

"Six days thirteen hours, twent ...."

"So six and half days then ? Harry interrupted, a puzzled expression on his face.

"..... Indeed." the Gynoid replied, poker-faced.

"OK, maintain current heading and velocity." Carl instructed, he looked at Andae and Calli, "It will give us time to get some much needed maintenance done, won't it ?" he said with a wry grin ... he knew deep down that they hadn't seen the last of the Werim, or the Phorx-ku. They needed both for differing reasons, if they were to survive, even find a way to return home one day, they needed allies, he hoped that their first encounter with both races hadn't soured any chances of that becoming a reality. if it had, then they would continue to search this region of the Galaxy. One day they would discover what they required ..........

*** Mission Concluded ***

~ Mission 32 ♦ Year 2 : Feeders ~

Has come to an end. I would like to thank everyone who took part and made the mission as exciting and enjoyable as our other outings

The Raven, once back at Starbase Forty Seven, will be in Space Dock undergoing essential maintenance, repairs, and refit, before venturing out once more


Thank you all once again

Fleet Admiral Carl Torek
Commanding Officer
USS Raven-C