Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Oct 22, 2023 14:12:55 GMT
Clancy glared out the forward viewer, concentrating all he could on visual flying as, in the struggle with the shapeless changeling, the displays for the various instruments that assisted with the task of piloting had been smashed.
"Now we find our way to the waypoint marker," he replied to Elena shortly, referring to the asteroid they'd beamed to via the hidden transporter pad in the guildhall on Starbase, the asteroid being where de Luca and Noon had been kidnapped.
Once the last strands of the nebula had fallen behind, Iorte felt he could relax his hands on the pilot's controls and expand a little on his statement (though the James Clerk Maxwell was nowhere to be seen, somewhat concerningly), "It seems the asteroid lies pretty much between the nebula and Starbase 47, so we'd be heading by it anyway on the way back to the Director to report."
De Luca nodded; it seemed she thought the course of action reasonable, but then an alert came from her console, "I'm detecting a ship. A Federation starship."
"The Clerk Maxwell, I assume."
"No. The USS El Alamein," as Elena spoke the Defiant class became visible in the forward viewer, rising from beneath them and arrowing overhead. Sensors showed it turning and taking up formation off their port quarter. "Fran is hailing."
Clancy acknowledged and the bridge of the Defiant class became visible on the small viewer above the forward portal. "Clancy, de Luca. I've been redirected by Admiral Lemond from the Eta Iridi system in Romulan space over to observe the situation here. If you were wondering, the James Clerk Maxwell has returned to Starbase," Komin said.
"Glad to see your face, Captain. And the 'what' system?" Clancy added dully, "In Romulan space?"
"The USS Raven was sent on a hitherto secret mission, to the Romulans' border with the Tkrnn, by Vice President Laterza of the Federation," Komin explained, but Clancy thought he knew that already. He knew no more than that admittedly, not anything about the Tkrnn terraformer or anything else that'd happened to it in Romulan territory.
"And where did the El Alamein come into it?" he asked.
"Along with the USS Maracanda - which arrived separately to us - we were sent to assist the Raven when it arrived back in Romulan space from initially heading over the border into the Tkrnn's new territory. Now, status report, please," the El Al captain instructed, "I have to tell you there are a lot of anxious people back at Starbase awaiting news on your team."
"All Intel officers are accounted for, though Tan is hurt, concussion and possible internal bleeding," Iorte said, "I've been injured, too, in a changeling attack. We lost the Maxwell's Chief Navigation Officer. We've destroyed three Tkrnn vessels, all derelict hulks anyway, though one at least - the one which we found ourselves on - had as many as 20 to 30 Tkrnn on, both changelings and solids." He told her about the virtual graveyard that constituted what they'd found in the proto-nebula.
"We have to say that we've discovered the Tkrnn don't like the Federation anymore than they like the Klingons and Romulans, Fran," de Luca put in.
"Acknowledged. And I have to say that there's a situation at Starbase 47. Following the war declaration by the Federation on the Tkrnn, the Tkrnn have been ejected from Fed space, and their routes have taken them near the Starbase. They're causing some difficulty."
"Elaborate."
"One Federation merchant ship, amongst those tasked to oversee the Tkrnn's ejection, has been boarded by Tkrnn solid humanoids, about a lightyear from Starbase, and hijacked. Other Tkrnn vessels are likewise showing a lack of compliance," Komin said.
* * *
After Tan had been beamed aboard the El Alamein for treatment, both El Alamein and the shuttlecraft leapt to warp, the shaky engines of the latter being rendered superfluous to efforts to return to base by the Defiant class's extension of its warp bubble round the smaller craft.
In a number of hours they reached the asteroid-based waypoint marker. One stepping stone, perhaps of many, from Tkrnn space to the Federation, via the Tkrnn transporters aboard them, Iorte thought, looking out the viewer. It was evident that this, too, had to be destroyed.
Checking that no lifesigns were detected aboard the asteroid base (Iorte reflected grimly that Tkrnn changelings weren't readable by sensors anyway), the El Alamein fired a volley of quantum torpedoes and destroyed it. Then both vessels set a course onwards to the Starbase and the trouble near by it.
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Elena de Luca
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Dec 14, 2009 0:38:17 GMT
Posts: 266
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Post by Elena de Luca on Nov 4, 2023 15:46:04 GMT
Shuttlecraft / USS El Alamein ... Waypoint ::
Elena had watched as the Defiant Class moved above the damaged shuttlecraft and then enveloped it in her shields before approaching the Waypoint - David had been beamed aboard the Intelligence Vessel so Doctor Samantha Ademe could examine him better, for what they hoped was nearly a severe concussion - While he was being treated, and after a brief consultation with Clancy and De Luca, Fran Komin had ordered the asteroid fired upon, along with the Tkrnn base on its surface. Seconds later the destruction was obvious, with nothing remaining of the waypoint base. Done, the El Alamein, with the shuttle caressed within her shields, began her journey back to Starbase Forty-Seven ..... It soon became clear that the burden of the damaged shuttle was curtailing the efforts of the El Alamein, so the others were transported aboard and the damaged craft, released from the protection of the shields began to tumble end over end as it fell far behind. Komin came into the ship's Mess Hall, where Iorte and Elena were discussing the recovery of both David Tan, who with Ademe's approval, was due to be released as 'fit for duty' in the next hour or so. Alas, the same couldn't be said for Rosa Noon, who the doctor felt had suffered a minor breakdown during the last Away Mission. Whilst not fully releasing the Intel Officer, Ademe felt that her being seen by someone more specialised might aid and undoubtedly hasten her recovery. As to her actions, any outcome remained in the hands of Admiral Lemond and Senior Command ..... "I've just received a communication from the Starbase..." Komin said, pausing as she poured herself what seemed like the tenth cup of coffee that morning. She took a seat, sipping at the hot liquid then continued, "... Command is concerned about the hijackings. The latest report is that five vessels have been forcibly taken by the Tkrnn. At this point, it looks like they have abandoned any thoughts of returning to the Starbase itself, but as to their intentions with the hijacked vessels," she shrugged, not completing her statement. "You think the Tkrnn are going to use the hijacked vessels against the Romulans, or possible Federation targets?" Elena asked. "To be frank, no one on the Starbase, or at Command Headquarters on Earth seems to have an answer, or if they do they're keeping it to themselves," Fran said, taking another sip of coffee. "..... And us?" Iorte asked, receiving yet another shrug from the El Alamein's Commanding Officer: "We've been given leeway to pursue investigations, or rather, you lot have, I'm just the tai, remember," she said with a wry grin, knowing full well that the El' and her crew were much much more than a 'taxi' service at Intel's beck 'n' call. "Just out of curiosity here..." De Luca mused, refilling her own cup then retaking her seat, "... Has anyone any thoughts on just 'how' the Tkreen have been able to take over several vessels, seemingly unchallenged?" "Gheskori and Command seem to think there could be what they deem a 'core group' of Tkrnn with the Changeling ability, it is these who are getting aboard the target vessels paving the way for others of their kin to join as soon as practical," "These vessels, all cargo types?" Clancy asked. "That's the issue. It seems that two were freighters one being the one previously assigned to assist you guys, one is a deep range research vessel, compliment of thirty or so, one we're not clear on as details are vague ....." Komin said, falling silent. "..... And the fifth, or don't we want to know?" "A Romulan Scout Ship..." she said, seeing the others' expressions subtly change, "... That's not all. Apparently 'this' Scout Ship was one of their newer designs, with what the Romulans are cryptically calling upgraded weapons and shield systems," "Great, so now we have the Tkrnn running around in a bloody pocket warship!" De Luca said, unimpressed. "Oh, and just to put the proverbial 'cherry on the cake' ..... The Scout was last seen heading towards Klingon Space," Komin said ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Nov 5, 2023 17:19:55 GMT
"Which one are we going after?" Clancy asked as the trio left the mess hall.
"That's for you two, Tan and Noon to decide, at least as I've been told by Nia," Komin answered as they swept along the corridor to the lift for a return to the bridge, "Though if you ask me, which you have, I would suggest the deep range research vessel."
"Not the Romulan scout then?" de Luca asked with some surprise as they started to ride the turbolift.
"That's obviously the one to pursue," the El Al CO admitted, "But I'd advise we do so later. Two Klingon B'rel class destroyers are already en route to intercept the hijacked scout just inside the border of Klingon space. If we chase after the scout, the Klingons may take issue with our stepping into their jurisdiction, both territorially and diplomatically."
They arrived in the nerve centre. "Well, assuming there's anything left of the scout for us to investigate, once those destroyers are through with them..." Iorte muttered in reply and took a spare port-side chair, it being that usually reserved for a bridge medical officer.
The role of the Tkrnn-hijacked Romulan warship in heading into Klingon territory was obvious: to start once again the attempt by the Tkrnn to spark off a war between the two Beta quadrant empires.
Hopefully, Iorte thought doubtfully, the Klingons would remember to scan the vessel first to see which species was aboard it, before trying to obliterate it... But then such a scan wouldn't always be done by a Federation starship, let alone Klingons who tended to turn to the services of a weapons officer first before science or operations.
"Ok, where is this deep range vessel now, then, Fran?" Clancy asked, as Tan - restored to health - entered the bridge. Noon was still in sickbay under observation, with the ship's counsellor present.
Komin tilted her head and turned to Chief of Operations Ross, who nodded and had a map of the Alpha and Beta quadrants put on the viewscreen, "A civilian research craft, now hijacked, it's headed galactic northeast, towards the angle between the northwestern extremity of Romulan space and the unexplored territory north of that," he said.
"The edge of Tkrnn space lies over that way," de Luca remarked, "Then the hijackers are taking the ship to their Tkrnn home."
"Yes, perhaps. But they have a long way to go," Ross replied, "They're still well within Federation territory, sir. And could easily divert their course to any of a number of worlds that lie along their route, without too much additional time. Which is to say any one of a number of Federation planets, colonies and outposts could be their target destination."
"The good news is we can catch up with the ship," First Officer Van said, "If we leave now we'll overtake them in about 18 hours."
"Ok, the research vessel it is," Tan agreed. A course was set and Komin gave the order to engage. They jumped into the supraluminal. "What about crew manifest?" Tan went on, "What do we know about the people that the Tkrnn hijacked the ship from?"
Ross nodded and tapped a couple buttons on his console, "We know quite a lot. These are the crew." The viewscreen now displayed a series of about thirty files sequentially, the crew of the civilian research vessel.
"Wait, stop on that one," Clancy said, "No, back one." The correct file was displayed, with an archive image of the specific crew member, "Isn't that...?"
"Yes, Admiral Yevgeny Basirov. Now retired, after he had his emergency treatment, for psychopathy, on Betazed," Fran Komin said, "He caused us all quite a lot of trouble when he tried to usurp authority on Starbase, when we were still out at Circinus."
Lemond had had to take firm action then. Basirov, after trying to assert himself over the new Intel Director in the wake of the death of Tetsutaro, and causing all manner of fuss, had been committed, and taken by the USS Oxford to Betazed after Starbase 47's return through the wormhole to Federation space.
So now he and his civilian crew's ship had been hijacked by the Tkrnn, Iorte thought. "What do we know of the current state of the crew? Are they still aboard? Were any killed during the hijacking?" he asked.
"That's part of what you've been tasked to investigate," Komin said.
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 8, 2023 12:58:26 GMT
USS El Alamein ... Holding Station Close to Romulan Border ::
It had taken some convincing, but David had finally convinced Doctor Ademe that he was fit to return to duty ..... Entering the Bridge, he stood quietly listening to the tale-end of the conversation currently in progress - With a nod, Elena quickly updated him as Clancy and Komin continued to discuss options. They finally decided to go after the hijacked long-range research vessel, primarily because it was Federation-affiliated, but it was a Civilian Vessel, not Military ... Reviewing the Crew manifest, they were all surprised, if not shocked, to see 'who' was Commanding the vessel - None other than former disgraced Federation Admiral, Yevgeni Basirov! "Well, I have to say, that that, wasn't anywhere on my list of possibilities. I thought he was in the, undergoing treatment," Elena said. "He was, but was released pending a formal investigation. He apparently retired the moment he stepped into the sunshine, though I think he was 'pushed' rather than jumped," Komin said, reading from a report she had brought up. "What do we know of the current state of the crew? Are they still aboard? ... Were any killed during the hijacking?" Iorte asked. "That's part of what you've been tasked to investigate," Komin replied with a shrug. Seventeen Hours Later :: "We're holding position just outside their sensor range," Tom Demik confirmed. "Run a full scan ..... Let's see what we're up against," Komin ordered, glancing over her shoulder at the Intelligence Officers toward the rear of the Bridge, clearly leaving the running of the ship to its Commanding Officer. I'm picking up thirty-six life signs, majority Human with five possibly Tkrnn," Demik said. "So only five managed to take the ship over?" Elena asked, moving forward with the others. "It's a Civilian Research Vessel..." Milo Van said glancing up at the ship onscreen, "... Even with a retired Admiral aboard, it wouldn't be too difficult to achieve," "They are still heading out towards the undocumented sector of space well beyond the Romulan's northernmost border," Potr Kennit added from the Science Station. "Well, any thoughts on how you want to proceed?" Komin asked the gathered Intelligence Officers, who for once seemed unsure, all knowing that Basirov gave the situation a new and worrying element. "They've been scanning several smaller unpopulated Systems parallel to their current heading, maybe they're looking for something, or somewhere in particular?" Demik speculated. "..... And there's no way that can know we're following?" David asked. "None, they have long-range sensors, but they're nowhere near as sophisticated as the military equivalents..." Van confirmed, "... It's plausible that if they turned their science-configured sensor arrays back this way they would likely light us up like the proverbial 'Times Square Christmas Tree' but they would need to drop from warp and come about to do that, and we could be gone by the time they're looking our way," "Then given we have no evidence of any loss of life thus far, I think we should maintain position and see what they're up to," David suggested. "..... What if they make a run for Tkrnn space?" Clancy commented. "We're an hour behind them, less if we push the boat out..." Komin said decisively, "... We can get to them long before they enter Tkrnn space, we could disable their drive easily enough on approach," With everyone in agreement, both Lieutenant Demik and Lieutenant Kennit were tasked with running continual scans, instructed to inform Komin and the others if anything seemed out of place, or the ship deviated from its current path ..... It was close to twenty-one hundred hours now, so with nothing to do but wait, they decided to head back to the Mess Hall for something to eat while they had the chance. They were barely sat down when the comm chirped to life: =^= Captain to the Bridge =^= sighing, Komin acknowledged the call and stood, the Intel Officers following her out of the Mess Hall ..... "They turned..." Van said, rising from the centre seat to allow Komin to take it, "... They are heading towards a small Star System, three planets, two Class 'L' and one Class 'M' ... It looks like they're heading for the third planet, the 'M'....." "Scan the planet," Komin instructed. "Already have Captain. No population, it appears uninhabited, I haven't picked up any structures, but I'm still waiting for its orbit to bring the far side into view," Demik replied. "So what are they going there?" Elena asked. "Dump the crew?" Tan speculated. But again without revealing their presence, all the El Alamein could do was hold back and continue scanning. David was deep in thought, hoping that the Tkrnn didn't have something on, or worse still - 'below' - the surface, that could surprise them ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 13, 2023 11:14:45 GMT
Holding Station ... Undesignated Star System Close to Romulan / Tkrnn Space :: The frustration among both the Intelligence Officers and the El Alamein's crew was palpable - Waiting was frustrating, to say the least, they were confined to scanning the planet from practically outside the unknown System, this wasn't a massive issue, but it did leave a margin of error no one liked. The Tkrnn captured vessel was now in orbit, but as yet nothing had happened ..... "How long are we going to sit out here...?" Elena asked, voicing her impatience, "... The crew could have been massacred by now for all we know," "Is there 'any' way we can move closer?" David asked. "What about a probe...?" Lieutenant Kennit suggested from the Science Station, "... Put it on the opposite side of the planetoid," "..... And if it's discovered?" Komin asked, clearly considering the option in light of the obvious lack of alternatives. "Well, we're at war with the Tkrnn, so even if they 'do' spot the probe, it's not like they can file a protest with anyone. Worst case, they blow it up," Elena said. "OK, Potr, get a Class Seven reconnaissance probe ready. Plot a roundabout route back out of the System and have it return using the planetoid as cover, if nothing else it will at least get there..." the Captain ordered. At Science, Kennit made the necessary inputs and then turned to confirm the probe was ready to deploy, "... No time like the present ..... Launch now," They sat watching the screen as the probe blasted from the ship and made an impossibly tight turn before darting past the El Alamein and into the void of space. Kennit confirmed that he had sent the probe far beyond the boundary of the System before it would begin a slow arc to reorientate itself with its target position above the presumed unoccupied planetoid the Tkrnn were hanging over. "How long, Lieutenant?" De Luca asked. "Fifteen minutes, then it will re-enter the System ..... I wanted to make as sure as possible it wouldn't be picked up on their sensors," the Science Officer replied. Finally, the probe had turned and arrowed back into the centre of the Star System, finding its target planet it began to slow before using small manoeuvering thrusters to establish a geosynchronous orbit two hundred kilometres above the rocky surface. At first, they received nothing, no data, nothing, and David was about to ask if the probe had malfunctioned when Potr changed the view on screen - A string of data scrolled across the lower section of the screen, while an almost pristine image sprang into being of the surface. "Erm ..... What the 'HELL' is THAT ..... !?" Milo Van asked as everyone saw the large structure ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Nov 13, 2023 18:31:39 GMT
The probe had been sent on its elliptical trajectory well out of the system, then in past the unknown system's star and out again to the orbit of the M-class second planet, where it encountered that small body and took up position the opposite side to that on which - by virtue of its near identical geostationary orbit - was located the hijacked research vessel.
Soon it was returning data gathered from the surface...
Iorte stared in amazement at the viewscreen on the El Al's bridge. What on earth the thing down there was couldn't be divined from what he saw (the probe would need to return results from further scans), but it was certainly interesting: extensive, of a peculiar geometry and quite quite alien. Alien, Iorte thought, only in the sense that it was unlike equivalent artefacts (the few that perhaps existed) of the Alpha and Beta quadrants, for the technology was clearly from the Gamma quadrant, specifically the Tkrnn.
"If you had to hazard any guesses?" Komin turned to the three Intel officers and followed up to Van.
The surface complex consisted of several tens of square kilometres of giant irregular structures of a chrome sheen. Seemingly rising at least three kilometres off the barren rocky surface, the sinuous forms of the various sweeping buildings gave the impression of an infinitely complicated and logically impossible 3D maze.
"The probe indicates it's drawing an incredible amount of power, on the order of 50 to 60 petawatts," Kennit interjected from Science.
"A city? A weapons platform?" Clancy replied haltingly to Komin, the other two speechless for now.
Kennit tilted his head, "Weapons platform, sir? Well, I don't know, is this really the best place for it? Yes, we're in Federation space, near the border sure but still in our space, but what sort of Federation targets are around here? Or indeed Romulan ones?"
Iorte realised Kennit had him there, but a thought occurred to him, "Could it be possessed of such capability that its weapons can reach across tens or even hundreds of lightyears? It's of impressive enough scale and apparent accomplishment, so the possibility that the Tkrnn have the means to launch attacks over that vast a range can't be discounted?"
Kennit said nothing for now; there was little they could do until further data was acquired.
On the evidence of a close study of the image of the structure, it perhaps had on the order of a hundred potential entry points. If this target was deemed of sufficient interest, the idea would be to get down there - avoiding, disabling or seizing back the civilian research craft - and explore the thing. But perhaps they could learn all they needed from out here? Clancy didn't know presently.
"Captain," Demik alerted, "The research vessel is hailing."
"What?!" Komin stood from her chair. Had they been found then? Iorte thought. Well, obviously so, but how? "On screen," the CO instructed, unsure on her wisdom in accepting the call. Iorte braced himself. Appearing on the screen was Admiral Yevgeny Basirov, retired. Not on the bridge apparently. "Mr Basirov, I must say it's a surprise to see you," Fran said.
"Please keep your voice down, Captain," Basirov intoned, leaning into the screen, "There are two Tkrnn in close proximity to myself. You see, I'm transmitting this comm secretly. We were seized four days ago. Myself and my shipmates are captives of the hijackers, some forced to work, some behind forcefields in the cargo bay as well as sickbay that's been converted into a prison."
"What's your role on the vessel, sir?" de Luca asked.
"I was scientific advisor for our mission; Starfleet's training gave me the means to detect you. The Tkrnn employ me in preparation of food for the three Tkrnn humanoids amongst the hijackers. They executed our captain and first officer. Now there are 31 of us left. You must help us. The hijackers have no idea you are here. I'm sorry; now I must go..."
The comm broke off and the image on the viewscreen became once again the fantastic surface complex with its illogical architectural lines.
The most obvious response would be to fear a trap: quite apart from the fact Basirov - pre-therapy at least - had proven himself totally untrustworthy, who was to say he hadn't been put up to the comm by his Tkrnn captors?
"Well then, presumably, if he's to be believed, the probe is still undetected by the hijackers. We use to keep scanning the structure?" Clancy asked. And when do we move in against the hijackers, if at all? he thought.
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 16, 2023 20:45:41 GMT
USS El Alamein :: Everyone had initially fallen silent as the massive structure came into view ..... "The probe indicates it's drawing an incredible amount of power, on the order of 50 to 60 petawatts," Kennit interjected from Science. "A city? ..... A weapons platform...?" Clancy commented haltingly to Komin, the other two speechless for now. They tentatively, though not completely, set aside the idea that the structure was a weapons platform, there simply didn't seem anything out here to actually 'fire' upon. But even so, the possibility couldn't be ruled out without investigation, and that meant going down there in person ... Somehow! "We still have the Type Nine Shuttlecraft in the lower hold..." Nate Massa said, "... We could duplicate the probes' trajectory, keep the planetoid between us and the Freighter?" David remembered something about having the Type Nine aboard, it wasn't meant to be used given they were originally transporting it from one place to another, the Shuttle being destined for the USS Cleveland as a replacement for one they had lost, but having been retasked it was still sitting in the lower hold. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Komin was saying as Demik spoke - To say everyone was shocked was somewhat of an understatement! =^= What's your role on the vessel .. Sir? =^= de Luca asked. =^= I was the scientific advisor for our mission .. .. Starfleet's training gave me the means to detect you .. The Tkrnn employ me in preparation of food for the three Tkrnn humanoids amongst the hijackers .. On boarding they immediately executed our Captain and First Officer .. Now there are thirty-one of us left .. You must help us .. The hijackers have no idea you are here .. .. I'm sorry; now I must go .. .. .. =^= No one trusted the former Admiral, he had burned any bridges he might have left, but that still didn't solve their immediate problems - Clancy suggested continuing to scan the surface facility, hoping to glean any helpful information prior to the final decision-making. But there was also now the issue of Federation hostages! "Where's the Research Vessel now?" Komin asked. Demik made quick changes to the viewscreen, the blackness of space replaced by the ship's tactical configuration. On-screen they could see the planetoid and beside it, the Research Ship, on the opposite side of the planet a small flashing indicator signified the probe's location. Demik changed the parameters and the screen seemed to zoom in until the circle indicating the planetoid was centre screen. They could clearly see the structure now, large, squat, possibly two stories above ground, but who knew how many could be beneath the surface, 'that' was something they would need to investigate in person. "Adjust the probe's magnification, let's see if that place has any doors," David said. seeing the image change yet again - Now, the ground facility almost filled the screen. "Why's the picture hazy?" Elena asked, frowning. "There's no real atmosphere to speak of, maybe something is interfering with the image, I didn't configure the probe for diagnostics," Demik said, making quick inputs on his panel until the image sharpened, though not by a lot. He shrugged. "Any chance Basirov will get back in touch?" Nico Carré asked no one in particular. "I still don't trust that man...!" De Luca said, moving around the Bridge as if looking for something, or someone, to pounce upon, "... Why pick 'that' ship, it's a Research Vessel, hardly a prize," "Yes, that's been worrying me too ..... I'm not buying that they just took the first ship that came along. Especially given who's on board. Who the hell ever heard of a cashiered Starfleet Admiral becoming an 'advisor' on a dilapidated Research Vessel? ..... No, there 'has' to be another reason he's over there!" Tan said. "Maybe it was all he could get..." Alan Ross said from Opps, "... I doubt there would be a queue of people hoping to recruit him, apart from the Romulans, or Klingons, or pretty much any war-mongering bunch," "We'll have to interact with Basirov at some point, so let's keep in mind his 'dubious' status in all this," Fran Komin warned. She disliked the former Admiral but needed to deter her crew, and the Intelligence Officers from forming snap opinions that could jeopardise any actions they took from here on in," "There's no way we can move on both fronts simultaneously...?" Massa commented, "... So which do we prioritise?" "I can't see any practical way to board the Research Vessel undetected, even if Basirov disabled the sensors we'd be seen approaching by anyone passing a window, and if that happened to be one of the Tkrnn ....." Demik didn't bother completing the comment. "He said they had killed the Captain and Exec' the moment they boarded, so they must be pretty confident they can control the remaining crew," Milo Van said. "They have them confined all over the ship according to Basirov," Elena said. Komin noted that no one was referring to the fallen Admiral by his rank anymore, which suited her just fine. "So if the Tkrnn are happy they have everyone under control, we could sideline any retrieval, at least for the time being, and focus on whatever is on the surface?" the El Alamein's Executive Officer suggested ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 30, 2023 11:41:41 GMT
"So if the Tkrnn are happy they have everyone under control, we could sideline any retrieval, at least for the time being, and focus on whatever is on the surface?" the El Alamein's Executive Officer suggested ..... The group looked at each other, seemingly coming to an unspoken agreement - They would go to the surface and the mysterious facility. ---------- "I think if we can get 'below' the orbital path of the planetoid, we should be able to make headroom moving close to the surface..." Nate Massa was saying as he pointed at the planetary image on the viewscreen, "... We're looking at a fair slog once on the surface, but going right to the front door if indeed there 'is' one, is out of the question," "Couldn't we reconfigure a transport beam and drop right inside?" De Luca commented. "Same issue ..... There might be internal sensors we don't know about. Beaming in might just put us in a cage of our own making," Massa replied with a shrug. "Then let's go before we change our minds!" Clancy finally said, hoping his nervousness wasn't on show ..... They dropped well below 'Zee' moving parallel to the planetoids' orbital path around the distant Sun. Finally, they began to climb, approaching the surface from directly beneath its southern pole until Sharon Yip reorientated and set a course parallel to the ground - MUCH, MUCH, too close to the jagged rocky outcrops for David's liking, but he could hardly complain given it was his decision to go. "How long before we have to walk?" Elena asked, retying her boots for what seemed the thousandth time. "Five minutes, there's a range of low hills between us and the facility, we can beam down undetected and let the ship make a strategic retreat," Milo Van replied. "But not 'too' far that it can't come to the rescue, should we need it?" Elena asked, only half joking. Milo and Nate exchanged a glance before the Exec' grinned. "Sixty seconds, get ready," Yip confirmed as she slowed the ship to a relative 'crawl' before impossibly going even lower. Tan heard something far behind them and pondered the possibility the Navigation Officer had overestimated her skills and had hit something. But again, a scraped hull of the odd plate damaged wasn't going to kill off the hardy ship. The six assigned to the Away Team: David Tan Iorte Clancy Elena De Luca ... - Milo Van Tom Demik 1 Security Officer ... Stood in two groups of three in from of the transporter: David and Iorte, along with the Security Officer, would beam down first to cover any unexpected guests. Elena, Milo and Nate would follow seconds behind ..... David watched as the three El Alamein Officers materialised, all three began to cough until they became acclimatized to the thin atmosphere, Clancy had scanned their surroundings and confirmed they were alone, so picking a heading that hopefully offered the least hardship for their upcoming trek, they set off ..... It had taken six hours to scale and decent the rocky outcrops, each step a lottery given what could happen should any of them be injured, or worse case - Fall. But the facility came into view as the Sun began to set behind them. Demik was hidden behind one of these outcrops, inching the tricorder out into the open just enough to take the required scans without being spotted, but again he was frowning, repeating the scans several times before turning his back to the facility. "Problem?" David asked, kneeling beside the man. "I don't get it..." the Tactical Officer replied, "... Unless they're using something beyond our ability to detect, I'm not picking up 'anything' that could tell the owners we're on our way!" "Nothing?" Elena asked. "I can't even detect a bloody door, let alone a sensor array," Tom replied, clearly frustrated. "OK, let's not tempt fate, we'll keep to the rocks as much as possible. Let's go while we have what's left of the light," David decided, glancing left and right until he could a route to take ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 2, 2023 13:29:19 GMT
It took the group almost three hours to trudge their way through the thick, cloying undergrowth, and then, thinking the worst was over, they entered a heavily wooded area ..... "According to this..." Demik said, holding the tricorder in front of him, "... The building is approximately seven hundred meters, that way," Before leaving the ship, Komin had confirmed there would be no contact unless initiated by a member of the Away Team, the one exception being if the ship found a means of entry into what appeared to be a massive. Unfortunately, very solid, cube, and with no word from the ship, it seemed they too had failed. For an hour they couldn't see more than a few metres ahead, Demik guiding them using the tricorder, when without warning, he suddenly stopped. "The treeline is just ahead, I'm reading flat, clear ground between us and the facility," The Away Team inched forward, highly conscious of the fact that they could be spotted at any time. At the treeline they lay prone, each eyeing the massive building ahead, the wall facing them almost looked like glass, reflecting the moonlight like an enormous mirror. Demik was on his knees scanning ahead when he motioned to their left: "I'm getting an anomalous reading..." he said, getting to his feet, "... There, fifteen metres," he moved forward, moving the device back and forth until coming to a stop, eyes on the leaf-strewn ground. "Well?" Elena asked as the others came up behind him. "I 'think' I might have found a way in ..... There's some sort of door here, and what might be a tunnel," he knelt, swiping away some of the debris, grinning as he looked up at the others as it was clear he was now kneeling on a horizontal hatch, well-disguised, it was pure luck it had been picked up at all and a testament to the Tkrnn who could hide something so expertly. Tom moved more leaves and dry branches away and found a sensor inlaid into the metal. "That place is massive, this can't be the only entrance, surely?" Elena said, eyes still on the hatch. "No, there's bound to be more, maybe some large enough for materials to pass through, though I imagine like this one, you'd either have to know where they are, or walk right over them unaware," Tom speculated. "Great. I was beginning to think the Tkrnn were getting in and out through a crack in that wall we couldn't detect..." Clancy said, eyes scanning the facility, "... Can you open it?" "Already have the activation frequency, so whenever you're ready?" the Tactical Officer said with a grin, shrugging as Clancy's expression remained neutral. He made several inputs to the tricorder and then stood as the metallic hatch silently slid into an invisible recess. Lights came on automatically as a staircase was revealed. Looking at the others, David moved forward and began his descent, phaser set to heavy stun held pointing down into the tunnel below ..... ---------- They had barely reached the bottom when the hatch above closed. Not wanting to tempt fate, they took their time, giving Demik time to rescan every ten metres, but it was clear there was only one way to go, no side tunnels, no rooms off either side ..... Finally, Demik paused, they could see a door ahead, "According to how far we've walked, we're already a good sixty metres inside the facility's outer wall," Demik said as they approached a door, "... Open it?" David nodded, each raising their weapons a fraction as Demik manually activated the door mechanism - It opened onto a wide, well-lit area, and further inside they could see other corridors branching off the main area. "There's no way we can investigate the whole place, it could take days," De Luca said, frustratedly. "The important stuff will likely be deeper towards the centre of the facility, stands to reason," Milo van said, nodding ahead. "..... So why not ignore the peripherals for the time being, and try to find some sort of control rooms or offices, see if we can figure out just what the hell this place is all about?" Damik said nervously. "Agreed," David said seeing Iorte nod ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Dec 8, 2023 15:07:42 GMT
Surface of planetoid
They'd worked their way through the dank environment, poor undernourished shrubbery that came up to their knees; fog, some sort of miasma, rising up from pores in the ground obscuring their vision. Eventually they'd passed through an equally benighted patch of forest, towards the far treeline, and so on to open ground before the mirror-like face of the northwestern part of the vast structure.
Was this structure really the only feature on the planet's surface that wasn't desolate plain or bleak mountain chain? What was its purpose? Iorte thought, as Demik located an entrance point in the ground some tens of metres from the reflective wall.
Well, this was one of the doors at least, he thought, one of those they'd detected from orbit that'd been difficult to discern once on the ground. What remained elusive was any sensor array, or indeed anything else - including actual people, Tkrnn or otherwise - that could bear witness to them being here.
They passed through the tunnel and came to a door, these electronic mechanisms being the only signs of movement they'd detected since they got here; all else seemed curiously inert, as if the structure was just an ornament, solid with no practical function.
They entered a room that seemed to serve as some sort of hub for other corridors, but those passages or rooms off either side were deemed superfluous to their investigation at the moment; Iorte nodded his support and they pressed on in the same direction, before long being over a kilometre behind the northwestern wall, some 15 metres underground...
"What is the research vessel's purpose for being here? that's the question," he said to the other five, "That is, why did the Tkrnn happen to bring their captured ship here? There is a base here, of some description," he said obviously, "But what does it do?
"An answer to the latter question should hopefully answer the former," Massa replied.
"One thing's for sure," Van said, "This here is part of the structure and not some vault running beneath it." It was true, there was a sharp differentiation between the materials constituting this part of the tunnels, and those of the passages near to the team's point of access outside the northwestern wall.
"There was something cloying and strange about the environment just out there," Iorte said dully as they halted at another intersection, at first to no one, until Tan and Massa at last realised that he'd spoken, "Something about it just wasn't right."
"It's a barren rock, like many others in the galaxy, Iorte," Tan said with a grin, "Put your mind at ease, will you?"
"He's right, sir, I thought so, too," Demik said.
"In what respect?!" de Luca waved her arms.
Van interjected, "Well, that's two of you. Perhaps something is amiss. I recommend we find a way to contact the ship and send down a science team to outside the structure; limited complement, enough to complete a basic investigation, geological fieldwork, scans of the weak atmosphere."
Iorte raised his eyebrows; he didn't think they need go that far, but when Tan and de Luca concurred, they all three regarded Milo who nodded and contacted the ship on what was hopefully a secure frequency.
Fortunately, despite some limited interference, he was able to get through to his CO and a team of four scientists and two security guards was transported down to investigate the rocks and soil about a kilometre from the edge of the structure. Iorte supposed that if there was someone or something here that could detect the Intel team's presence, they would have done so already, so six more officers shouldn't invite more trouble.
Komin finished somewhat concerningly with, =/\=... Away team, we believe the research vessel has just beamed three individuals to the surface, not far from the structure.=/\= Tan acknowledged and the comm closed.
The question was, had something down here or the Tkrnn on the research vessel indeed detected them, or was the vessel beaming those people down anyway? And who made up the team of three?
They couldn't know for now. The only thing they could do at the moment was continue into the subterranean passages of the structure and hope it surrendered to them some idea of its function.
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 10, 2023 1:50:05 GMT
Unknown Tkrnn facility :: They were wasting time .....David and the others were rapidly losing patience. The facility resembled some sadistic maze, Corridors, with from what they could tell were completely blank, featureless walls, branched off the main corridor, and each time they investigated, it led to more branches leading off left and right ..... The only thing missing, were doors, or more precisely - ROOMS! Each corridor seemed to extend into the distance, with no reason or rhyme, they were just 'there' so why? It was obvious that there must be rooms off the smaller corridors, just as at some point, as they ventured further into the facility, they would have to come across something substantial, accommodation, laboratories, stores, something, but every minute they found nothing just stiffened David's resolve that they were wasting their time here. Demik had been looking at the walls, using his tricorder to try to map their progress, when he spotted something - Built into the gleaming white wall was a small circular disk, approximately five centimetres in diameter it too was constructed of the same gleaming white material, so even when you leaned in to look, it was all but invisible. He was about to let the others know when Tan received a comm from the El Alamein: =^= .. .. Away team .. We believe the research vessel has just beamed three individuals to the surface .. Not far from the structure .. .. =^= =^= Acknowledged .. Out =^= Tan replied, turning to look at the others. "We might be about to have company," he said, retrieving his phaser from beneath his coat to check the power level and setting. "This issue we've been having, there being no rooms off these corridors..." Demik said as he double-checked his tricorder, "... I might have found something," he pointed to the wall, the others just looked blank, wondering what he was referring to then Tom reached out and placed two fingers on the inlaid circle, instantly a door slid aside to reveal a room beyond. Clancy and Tan went first, phasers ready. Milo Van and the Security Officer retraced their steps along the corridor, assuming that the newcomers were familiar with the structure and its layout. "Empty, bet, table, computer interface, bathroom, little else," Clancy reported as he and David came back into the corridor. "Any way you can make these circles less invisible?" De Luca asked, eyeing the pencil-thin white-on-white outline. "Do I 'look' like a bloody interior decorator, woman...?" Demik asked with a wink before approaching the circle to scan it. He frowned, making adjustments to the tricorder, a second later it seemed to fluoresce, "... How's that?" he asked with a grin. "Nice, now we only have to be a few centimetres away than millimetres," Elena said realising that she'd spoken a little too soon as Milo Van pointed along the corridor. Now, while still almost the same as their surroundings, the activator disks seemed to have changed, white on white yes, but the inner circle now seemed more 'vibrant' than its surroundings. "Erm... How did you manage that?" David asked, admittedly impressed. Bit technical, but I realised that even though the panel and their surrounding materials 'seemed' the same, they were slightly different. By modifying the ambient lighting frequency, I made the activation disks luminance, making them kinda, well, glow, for want of a better word..." Demik said, clearly pleased with himself, "... If I've got it right, every door access in the place should be visible, at least for the time being. I'm assuming some internal monitoring system will see the lighting anomaly and rectify it before long, but hey, at least we can see the doorbells for now," he finished with a satisfied shrug. "..... And these?" Clancy asked, eyeing the panel up towards the intersection between the wall and ceiling - It looked like some form of advanced Morse code - A series of dots and both vertical and horizontal dashes. "Hmm, bonus ..... Signage maybe, it's possible my meddling brought them up too...?" Demik said, unconvinced, "... And before you ask ..... No ..... I can't decipher them, not without a point of reference, and I'm guessing we don't have the time," "OK, let's forget translating, at least for now, we need to get moving before whoever beamed down comes a'callin," David said, moving back to the main corridor where Van and the Security Officer were waiting, Van pointed at the newly revealed signage and asked if it were our doing. Tan said yes and then instructed everyone to continue down the main corridor. They had gone a further twenty metres or so when the Security Officer stopped, pointing up at another of the dot/dash indicators at a junction to another offshoot, this one though seemed different, the icons were red. "Secure section, restricted maybe?" Elena speculated. "There's someone else here!" Demik whispered. "The people who transported from the ship?" David asked urgently, eyes moving to assess escape options in the wide corridor. "No, down that way, half a dozen life signs if I'm reading right," the El Alamein's Tactical Officer said, nodding down the corridor to the right. Cautiously, they moved forward, Demik scanning constantly, the tricorder moving in a slow arc left and right until he paused at one of the door activators: "In there," Demik said.
Tkrnn? Tan asked.
"No!" the Tactical Officer replied. Readying themselves for a standard ingress, moving left and right, high and low, to cover the room as quickly and efficiently as possible. With a nod, demik reached forward and touched the activator - As the door slid aside they entered the room fast, then stopped short, almost unable to believe their eyes! "You are, Federation?" one of those in the room asked nervously. David, who had gone in low and left, stood, phaser still held level as he looked at the people in front of him, "... I'm Lieutenant Commander Naoko Mukai," the woman said, introducing herself. "You're one of the people missing from Starbase Forty-Seven!" Elena said in complete shock ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Dec 15, 2023 21:44:44 GMT
"Correct, I suppose," Lieutenant Commander Mukai said, raising an eyebrow and turning to Elena, "So we're classified as missing. That's a good sign. From your surprise though, I guess you weren't sent to find us."
"No, we weren't," Iorte interjected, "Though we were tasked with investigating your disappearance while we were still on the Starbase. Then we were reassigned and eventually transported to a Tkrnn asteroid base with the intention of capturing one of the species, impart information to them, send them packing back to their own space and in the meantime gather intel ourselves. It led us, eventually, here."
"And how did you get here?" Tan asked Mukai and her dazed companions.
As Mukai replied, Iorte realised that the six rescuees present must now account for all of them, as eight (plus one caught up in the same trouble) had gone missing, and three of those who'd vanished from their quarters that night had since been confirmed killed.
"On asking each other we here discovered that our stories were much the same," Mukai answered Tan, "We were beamed away or physically captured by an individual Tkrnn, and taken to one of their rhomboid-shaped vessels that was a few million kilometres off Starbase 47."
"The Tkrnn had a ship near the Starbase?" Clancy's jaw dropped, "How come we didn't know about it?"
"It was cloaked," she turned to him. The Tkrnn had cloaking device technology? That was news to Clancy.
"During the journey from the Starbase to this system, aboard their prison ship," Mukai explained, "we had an opportunity to question the crew about it. We don't think the Tkrnn cloaking tech's use is very widespread. How uncommon its usage actually is will probably remain unclear to Starfleet, as the vessels so equipped are more difficult to detect than a Romulan Scimitar class dreadnought. Though unlike that ship we don't think Tkrnn vessels can fire when cloaked."
Tan nodded, taking on board the information, and cast about, "So what's this facility then? A prison?"
Mukai said nothing for the moment, prompting Clancy to look at the five others, who'd remained resolutely silent. "Do any of you speak?"
A man in aquamarine science/medical colours piped up, "We don't believe so." Iorte took that to be an answer to Tan's question and not his own.
"Forgive me. I'm Ensign Ron Murtris," he informed them, "When we were taken in here, we did as much exploring and mental notetaking as possible, having a big opportunity, as these quarters are deep inside the underground part of the facility. Much of it seems medical or engineering focussed. And we received medical testing when we arrived. So we would guess... a research lab. But the specifics of the primary purpose remain elusive."
"Look, forgetting for the moment this delightful exchange, I must inform you we have three potential hostiles inbound," de Luca spoke.
"They're about 50 metres away in the tunnel system," Demik confirmed, glancing now and then at his tricorder, "heading in our general direction."
Iorte suggested they all get out of there before their pursuers got any closer. The hostiles closed to about 25 metres before the Starfleeters - Intel, El Al and those missing - were able to get moving, though the close range did give Demik the opportunity to resolve the species of the lifesigns: two Tkrnn (both of the solid variety), and one human... who, according to its physiological profile, was Yevgeny Basirov.
Unfortunately the group from the research vessel was blocking the route Intel and co had taken into the subterranean complex, so they had to go deeper inside. A worry was that their pursuers - the two Tkrnn anyway - were sure to have more familiarity with the tunnels than themselves.
The El Alamein science team conducting its survey outside the structure now contacted them, with disquieting news,
=/\=Sirs, we've scanned the soil, sampled some rocks... You won't believe it but we're detecting changeling DNA,=/\= Pyotr Kennit reported, =/\=Every apparently natural thing we've found, it just reads as Tkrnn changeling.=/\=
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 20, 2023 14:10:14 GMT
Tkrn Facility ::
Milo Van quickly ascertained that the six remaining hostages were in good health as they were debriefed - The revelation that the Tkrnn had cloaking ability came as a shock and something Starfleet Command would need to be made aware of as quickly as possible! Elena had to remind them that three Tkrnn were still approaching but seemed to be being cautious, maybe suspecting something could be amiss. They 'had' hoped to retrace their route out of the facility but with the Tkrnn in the passageway they needed to use, that was no longer an option ..... David spoke to Commander Mukai: "Who do we have? he asked, Mukai introduced the others in turn: "Yes, we have Starfleet Officers: Lieutenant Evan Kilt Lieutenant Trakn
Civilians:
Gail Fincher Kelvin Simmons Ray Williams ....." She replied. David nodded to each in turn before continuing: "You said they had taken the others, you know what happened to them?" "No, They were taken individually but no one returned, we fear the worst for them," David was about to continue the debrief when his commbadge chirped to life. =^=Sirs .. We've scanned the soil and sampled some rocks .. .. You won't believe it but we're detecting changeling DNA .. .. Everything we've found .. It just reads as Tkrnn Changeling .. .. .. =^= =^= That can't be right .. Surely? =^= De Luca commented. =^= OK .. We'll look into that further .. But at present we need you and your team in here .. Lieutenant Demik is sending you coordinates for a concealed entrance to the facility =^= Tan said quickly. =^= I have them =^= Kennit confirmed after a pause. =^= There are three Tkrnn between us and you .. You need to put them out of action .. Be aware .. We have located six .. I say again .. Six of the kidnapped personnel from the starbase =^= =^= Understood .. We are making our way to the entrance .. Suggest you find somewhere to hole up until we arrive =^= the El Alamein Science Officer suggested. =^= Negative .. We're pretty open here .. We will move further into the facility .. Don't waste time on the Tkrnn .. Put them down on sight .. Understood? =^= Tan ordered. =^= Understood .. On our way .. Kennit Out =^= The comm snapped off and David turned to the hostages: "Please say you have been moving around this place and have some idea of the layout," he said. "We we free to move within set confines, a mess hall of sorts, gymnasium, pool, ablutions etcetera, but nowhere outside that perimeter unless accompanied," Kilk said. "The Tkrnn pursuing us are less than fifty metres behind us, they will be in here in moments. Thoughts on where we could go to put some distance between us, quickly?" Tan asked the group. "Through the gym, past the pool, there is a changing area?" one of the Civilians suggested. "No, if our people don't get in here and stop the Tkrnn we'll be trapped in a dead end, no pun intended..." Demik said, glancing along the corridor from the doorway, "... Along there, there's a corridor off to the left, where's that lead?" he asked. "Dining area. As far as we know, beyond that, you just go deeper into the facility?" Gail Fincher replied. "Then that's the way we go!" Tan said, raising his phaser before stepping into the corridor. To his right, Milo Van was doing likewise but aiming back the way they had come. With Tan, Clancy and De Luca in front, the hostages sandwiched between them, Van and Demik brought up the rear of the group, they moved ..... At the intersection, David inched forward to make sure they weren't going to walk headlong into a group of hostiles. Satisfied he motioned for the others to continue ..... The door slid aside to reveal a brightly lit open space, dozens of tables were set in precise rows, clearly this place was able to hold a 'lot' of people. Moving quickly they crossed the open space, fearful of a shot from behind them before they reached the door they needed ... It was locked! "What now?" Ray Williams, the oldest of the hostages said in half-panic. Demik took a small device from his tunic and placed it beside the door, seconds later it obligingly slid aside. Without pausing, they passed through just as Van pushed the last of the hostages through and moved aside as Demik closed the door. "We were about to have company, I'm not sure they saw us so they are likely being cautious, there's plenty of places to set up an ambush in that room," the El Alamein Exec' said as Tan's commbadge again chirped: =^= Report Lieutenant =^= he said without preamble. =^= We're inside .. Approximately twenty metres from your last position .. We have three Tkrnn ahead of us but there migh .. .. .. =^= The comm snapped off, but not before Tan and the others heard the unmistakable sound of an energy weapon discharge! "Which way...?" Clancy asked, receiving blank expressions from the hostages, "... You said this led into the facility?" "Yes, but we've only seen Tkrnn use the door, we weren't allowed anywhere near it," Fincher, the youngest hostage said. "Great. So... 'Out of the frying pan' ... As the saying goes," De Luca said, receiving synchronised frowns from the group before moving further along the corridor. There were rooms off this corridor, each with the door open - It was clear that these were examination rooms, one central table, similar to Starfleet's biobeds aboard Starships, an overhead light, and cabinets along both side walls. What they needed so many identical rooms for was anyone's guess, and despite what they were likely thinking, no one voiced the obvious. Moving forward they came to another room, clearly an operating theatre, more sophisticated equipment adorned the room. "You think this could have served as a hospital?" Gail Fincher asked no one in particular. "Possibly," Clancy said, hoping to reassure her, seeing the worried look in the young girl's eyes. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to a room off the theatre. Demik moved into the room and crossed to the door which moved aside at his approach. He took a step inside, then a moment later backed out, returning to the others: "Morgue," he said, eyeing Tan and Clancy for a second. Both men knowing what the Tactical Officer was leaving unspoken. After a moment's pause, David continued along the corridor until they came to yet another sealed door. Demik again used the override to cycle the door aside. It was then that the lab-coated Tkrnn rounded the corner ahead of them! ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Jan 1, 2024 19:44:45 GMT
With the intruders, Tkrnn facility
"You Tkrnn don't know the first thing about killing," Yevgeny Basirov told his two captors/accomplices.
He released the mechanism of the next door along and they pressed through, the two Tkrnn (one changeling, one solid) smiling grimly at his arrogant presumption. They continued through the corridors, ever closing in on those that had come into the facility after them, the second El Alamein away team.
At first Basirov and the two Tkrnn had pursued those who'd headed in before, who'd apparently found the Federation hostages that Basirov was told the Tkrnn had been keeping here.
Now the three had wheeled about to go after the El Al's science team who'd started hunting after them. Undoubtedly lacking combat experience, Pyotr Kennit's team would prove an easier target for an ambush by the Tkrnn than would the Intel-heavy group ahead.
Basirov turned to the Tkrnn as they crept along, "You have to be quick. You can't let them see you. And you can't, or shouldn't, play this long game that you have been at the galactic quadrant level. Go for the kill! The Klingons, the Romulans..." he spat derisively, "Really! Who can stand in your way?" He hadn't been taking his antipsychosis meds.
Kennit's science team was approaching them...
* * *
With the El Alamein away team, Tkrnn facility
Demik and the security guard with the Intel team were the first to see the lab-coated Tkrnn, raising their phasers as the Tkrnn froze in complete surprise. While not knowing they'd been there, it didn't stop him from going on the verbal offensive,
"You're trespassing in a Tkrnn facility. Identify yourselves... Ah, well I at least know some of you," the evidently humanoid-solid Tkrnn caught sight of Lieutenant Commander Mukai, "Hello again, my dear... I see you and your colleagues have made some new friends?"
"Voro," Naoko Mukai said flatly; clearly it was the male Tkrnn's name.
"Yes, it is I."
Mukai turned to the Intel and El Al officers and explained, "He's part of the medical staff. A Tkrnn humanoid. He conducted our examinations when we first arrived here. Then once, after three weeks or so, he brought us in one by one, from our quarters - or cells rather - while sleeping, on a predetermined night of which we had no warning. We would wake up on his examination table. One of the rooms just behind us was probably where we were taken, but none of us could make out much detail at the time. Tkrnn medical instruments commanded our attention."
"I was just hurrying to the matter depository." Iorte wondered what Voro meant by that. "What you call a morgue, I think."
It appeared he'd been going to extract tissue from human bodies stored there, to be fed to genetically engineered research animals each about the size of a hand - barebones creatures that approximated the Tkrnn humanoid physiognomy - thus finding new ways of providing, for unspecified purposes, the Tkrnn solids with nutrients.
The truth - unknown to the Intel team - was that the research was intended to find a way to grant or return to the Tkrnn humanoids the lost shapeshifting ability...
"You may as well put that weapon down," Voro told Demik, "If you fire it will alert this facility's administrators, who will discern the fact of your presence, and your location. Besides, I'm no threat to you."
Iorte rolled his eyes; while it seemed Voro was indeed a medical man, they weren't about to believe he could pose no threat. He was searched and indeed a short blade was found, though he stated it was for medical use only. So now the officers and the former hostages had a hostage of their own.
"Tell us about this installation. What's it for? Our people detected unusual readings outside, to do with the soil and atmosphere," de Luca said as they started moving again, away from the possible examination rooms and morgue.
"Ahh, then you are already on to it," Voro said, being forced along by Milo Van and Tom Demik, his hands tied behind his back. "I can give you a clue. Something that may confuse you. Think of the facility as a giant medical probe or implant."
"What?" Clancy's brow furrowed.
"You'll learn it soon. You'll figure it out. But the facility has secondary purposes: research into humans and other Federation species... A search for something we Tkrnn are missing, or have lost. That is all I will say."
It was demanded of him that he explain, but now they were interrupted by a comm. It was Kennit. =/\=Sirs, the Tkrnn, including Mr Basirov, are closing on your location. They have destroyed my team. I have four dead, one injured; only myself is unscathed. Myself and Crewman Myles are in hiding.=/\=
<Tag Tan, de Luca>
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Jan 4, 2024 13:15:46 GMT
Tkrnn Facility :: David had been listening to the conversation, all the while he was glancing past the Tkrnn and then back the way they had come, half expecting to have company at any moment ..... "Tell us about this installation. What's it for? Our people detected unusual readings outside, to do with the soil and atmosphere," de Luca was asking the Lab Technician. "..... but I can give you a clue. Something that may confuse you. Think of the facility as a giant medical probe or implant." the Scientist replied with a knowing smirk. David was about to ask something when his commbadge chirped to life: =^= Sirs .. The Tkrnn .. Including Mr Basirov .. Are closing on your location .. .. They have destroyed my team. I have four dead .. One is injured .. .. Only myself is unscathed .. Crewman Myles and I are in hiding =^= =^= Can you make your way back to the surface lieutenant? =^= =^= Possibly .. I no longer have access to a tricorder so checking if we have more visitors will be problematic .. You need to be ready Sir =^= =^= Understood .. Get back to the surface and contact the ship .. We're done hiding .. Tan out =^= He turned to the Tkrnn, who had seemingly listened to the conversation with both amusement and concern - It was clear that whoever was coming didn't belong in the facility. 'So maybe he is worried for his safety?' Tan thought. "What's beyond the door behind you?" Tan asked. "Labs, research facilities, recreation rooms, living quarters... Nothing more," the Tkrnn said. David wasn't convinced: "How many more on duty?" he pressed. "On... Duty? ..... Oh, I see, you mean how many more are currently assigned to this facility?" Voro replied cryptically. "Answer him!" Clancy said, raising his phaser until it was aimed directly at the Tkrnn's face, a gesture which amused Voro rather than worried him. "There are currently a large number of research assistants, lab technicians as you might describe them. But currently, only six members of the Ruling Science Directive are in occupation," he said with a shrug, as if the information was both useless and moot, given his assumption the Federation Officers would be dead, or on operating tables well before they could reach the Scientists. "I think we should avoid a fire-fight," de Luca whispered to David and Iorte. "Agreed..." David replied quietly, eyeing the impassive Tkrnn, "... You're going to take us through there," he said, motioning towards the door behind Voro. "..... I think not," the Tkrnn said, eyes widening as Demik stepped forward, a glint of reflected light bouncing off the blade he now held at Voro,s throat! "There is more than one way to dispose of someone, Tkrnn ..... Now, do you open the door behind you, or do I cut your throat and do it myself?" he asked dangerously. Voro looked at the others, seeing each of them making no move to restrain their associate, but waiting on his response. "You would murder, in cold blood!?""Means to an end..." Demik said, applying a few grams of pressure to the blade, "... So what's it to be?" "The Tkrnn coming after us are less than thirty metres behind us," Milo Van warned. "There is no need for these, dramatics, I will, escort you," the Tkrnn said, making his participation appear voluntary rather than coerced. Demik removed the knife and returned it to its pace of concealment, then raised his eyebrows. Voro, knowing he had no option if he wanted to live, turned to the door and inputted an access key - The door slid silently aside and all present passed over the threshold. "Lock it!" Clancy ordered, and with a resigned sigh, Voro did as instructed. "Where's the power supply?" Demik asked. "..... Power, I do not underst .....""This place either has an independent power source, or has somewhere where it comes into the facility..." the El Alamein's Exec' Officer asked, "... I would like to know its location," for the first time the Tkrnn looked genuinely confused. "I am not sure. There is a section we are denied access to, maybe that is what you refer to?""..... and where would that section be, exactly?" Van pressed. "It is on the other side of the facility, behind the recreation hall, I think," it seemed to suddenly dawn on Voro why they were asking and his eyes widened: "..... WAIT ..... You cannot be intending to destroy this facility!?""Oh, we'll be taking a good look around..." David said, seeing the look of horror on the Tkrnn's face, "... But given we are at war with you, and we have what's left of the people you kidnapped, I'd say blowing this place up is probably the aim, yes," he finished with a decidedly satisfied shrug. "But there are 'GENERATIONS' of research into the restoration of ....." he suddenly realised he'd said too much and fell silent. Grinning, David nodded for the Tkrnn to continue his guided tour ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Jan 17, 2024 11:03:04 GMT
Now approaching the Recreation Hall, David was more than aware that their previously cooperative Tkrnn was looking for a way to escape! He had been hesitating for the last twenty minutes as they passed unhindered through the facility, David was beginning to wonder just how many Tkrnn were present given they had seen no one since hearing from the Science Team. "You said there were other people here..." Tan said, eyeing the Tkrnn, "... So where are they?" "This facility is large and covers numerous levels, they may be working on one of those levels, location is dependent on what tests are being conducted," the Tkrnn replied. "Is that so ....." Tan said, deep in thought. "You must reconsider your intentions,""And why's that?" Clancy asked, eyes still moving back and forth. "Surely you have men of Science within your Federation, destroying research is I believe something you would call a sacrilege. Maybe something could be, arranged?""You want to deal...?" Elena asked, incredulous, "... After what your people have done, you want us to save your precious research ..... Not going to happen!" "..... BUT.....!" Voro said, falling silent as de Luca's phaser came up to point between his eyes. ---------- "I assume that's the access you were referring to...?" Milo Van said as he walked over to a nondescript door set into the wall, the Tkrnn simply nodded confirmation as Van approached the door and scanned around the frame, "... Access?" "As I informed you, only those with adequate clearance are allowed beyond. I do not have that clearance,"It was clear that Voro was no longer willing to help them. Unfortunately, that left the Intelligence Officers with a quandary - They couldn't simply release him to raise the alarm, nor did he want to execute the man for being in the proverbial 'wrong place' For the moment the Tkrnn would have to remain with them, but Tan made it clear that 'ANY' attempt to flee would result in his immediate demise. Shaken by the turn of events, Voro could only nod as he moved to one of the nearby tables and took a seat ..... Tom Demik ran one hand along the framework of the door then he too scanned with his tricorder. Frowning he began pulling a small panel cover away to reveal sensors, presumably some form of card reader or digital recognition system. He pulled the sensor away to get a better look and then turned to the others: "I have a feeling that any tampering is going to set off alarms. If I open the door we may have company a lot sooner than we'd like?" "What about accessing their database?" de Luca asked. "I wouldn't know where to start," Tom said with a shrug. "No... don't look for a Scientist, get into the records and promote our friend here," she said, nodding towards Voro, who understood what she was proposing all too well, and again his eyes flicked towards the door across the Recreation Hall, obviously weighing up his chances of getting away alive. Van looked around and noticed a bank of cubicles along the wall to the left wall, each containing a desk, chair, and importantly, a computer terminal. He walked over and sat down, the screen immediately sprang to life, presumably detecting his presence. Quickly he looked for a directory or menu, then clicked on 'Personnel' ..... It took him two minutes to access the system and the personnel records of all those either currently or formerly assigned to the facility. Finding Voro's details he looked over at Tan and Clancy, who approached, admittedly impressed. "I can change the access level to a point before it needs outside authority. Hopefully, that will be enough to give him the required clearance," Demik said, glancing at Voro, who had inched forward in his chair. "Go ahead," David said as the Tkrnn bolted from his seat as if electrocuted! ..........
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Elena de Luca
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Dec 14, 2009 0:38:17 GMT
Posts: 266
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Post by Elena de Luca on Jan 18, 2024 9:59:16 GMT
Tan spun, raising his phaser and aiming in one smooth motion, after half a second's pause, he fired, destroying the chair metres from the fleeing Tkrnn, but surprisingly, the man kept running, clearly thinking his freedom was preferable to what might happen if found in the hands of the Federation interlopers!
Sighing, Elena returned her phaser to the small of her back and shot after the Tkrnn - He was much older than her, but adrenalin worked wonders and he was almost half the length of the Recreation Hall when she set off .... Closing the distance quickly she noted as he activated the door which slid aside, and despite his laboured breathing, he ran into the corridor beyond, de Luca now less than five metres behind.
As she got within arms reach she thrust out her left hand open-palmed and slammed it into the space between the man's shoulder blades, Suddenly off balance, inertia took over and arms flailing he went down hard, she heard the sickening thud of his face and one arm hitting the hard floor simultaneously, the crunch of broken teeth mingled with the 'snap' of one of the bones in his arm ..... Coming to a stop she watched the Tkrnn slide, then roll, leaving a two-metre blood trail from his shattered nose. He yelped in pain looking at his pursuer as if willing her to spontaniously combust!
"Nothing like a little exercise to get the old arteries flushed," she said, lowering herself to one knee, eyes flicking between the injured Tkrnn to the corridor beyond. Maybe it was some sense of self-preservation, or perhaps the fact that Voro's eyes flicked behind her for a fraction of a second, but instinct made her spin - The bar, metallic, grazed her shoulder before slamming into the floor. The Tkrnn wielding it began to lift it for a second try as she kicked out roundhouse style, the top of her foot contacting with the side of the man's knee, which dislocated and he too fell in agony. She was about to hit him a second time when she felt Voro reach out, she threw a punch at his jaw, blood cascading from busted nose and lips in an impressive arc before dotting the wall beyond.
"Stay put, I won't be long..." she said the the semi-conscious Voro as she got to her feet and dragged the yelping technician back into the room he had exited. moments later she reappeared, "... Up ..... NOW!"
"..... Bot hab you don wid my colleague?" he said, blood already clotting in his throat and shattered nasal passages, making speaking difficult.
"Oh, he's sleeping off a long day, don't worry, unlike some, I'm not in the habit of killing out of hand..." she said, wiping blood off her hands with a cloth she had taken from the lab, "... Now, let's get back, or would you rather remain with you friend?" she asked dangerously. After a few seconds of useless defiance, Voro clambered to his feet. Done with the cloth she handed it to him. He placed it over his broken nose, wincing at the jolt of pain before glaring at de Luca.
Finally, he began to retrace his steps. Two metres behind, Elena looked at the blood smear and shook her head, there was no way she could take the time to clean it up, and given her assumption that the Tkrnn coming after them most likely knew where they were heading, it hardly seemed relevent.
Re-entering the Recreation Hall, she saw the others sitting at a table as if enjoying a break.
"You got him then?" Milo Van asked with a grin.
"No... left him behind," Elena said, prodding Voro into a seat where he could be seen by everyone, before going to the serving line to pour herself what she hoped was a Tkrnn version of strong coffee.
"You should be happy Voro, you've had a substantial promotion..." Clancy said, eyeing the man's blood-soaked tunic, "... Now that we're all rested, how about opening that door?" he said, motioning to the door in question. Demik had already approached the Tkrnn and snatched him unceremoniously to his feet before propelling him towards the door. Reluctantly, Voro placed his hand on the slightly raised panel set into the door frame, his eyes widened in surprise as the door obediently slid aside.
"Whoo hoo," Demik said as he pulled the Tkrnn aside to allow David, Iorte, and Elena, to pass over the threshold first. Tom pushed Voro ahead as Milo Van took the rear. Once through he instructed the Tkrnn to lock the door behind them ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Jan 19, 2024 23:01:01 GMT
With the team stood in one of the many corridors of a brilliant white sheen, they took stock of their situation. Clancy looked both ways down the passage, satisfied they had time to discuss matters.
As he himself saw it, they had two main objectives, a primary and a secondary. First of all, they needed to get the missing persons on to the El Alamein and so on back to Starbase 47.
Unfortunately the way out of the massive surface facility was blocked by at least one team of Tkrnn - in company with Admiral Basirov - plus whoever else of the Tkrnn now intervened between the Intel team and the exit.
So they could only push deeper into the various warrens and above-surface sectors of the facility (a giant medical probe as the Tkrnn Voro had described it), in search of the power core and generator of the place, and so achieve the secondary objective, destroying the whole damn structure.
The secondary objective - if achieved at all - must then necessarily precede the primary objective, and again if achieved the away team would obviously need to be clear of the facility when it did blow, hopefully being back on the El Alamein with Lieutenant Commander Mukai and her five fellow hostages along for the ride.
They couldn't beam out unfortunately as matter streams were blocked from entering the structure, but the transportation system would operate from a few tens of metres outside, and comms were preserved inside the structure, so all they had to do was give advance notice to Komin of their return and then beam up once clear of the facility, having dodged the various enemies.
It occurred to Clancy, what Voro had said before, about the giant medical implant. "What did you mean by that?" he asked the wounded Tkrnn - the medical man's nose severely broken, his left arm with a more minor but still clearly painful fracture.
When it again seemed Voro wasn't willing to expound on his cryptic words of before, he was once again duly threatened with de Luca's phaser. "Fine, Starfleeters. It may shock you, but this facility was designed to probe a mysterious artefact that the Tkrnn found out here. What's the nature of this artefact? It's what you see that is apparently natural: the planetoid itself."
"The planetoid? In what way is it an artefact?" Van asked.
"It's not what it appears to be. And your science team you mentioned evidently discovered something of the truth of it, though the significance of the find was not apparent to them. You see, the planetoid itself is actually of the changeling species!
"A vast being, dormant and long so according to our researches. And the structure we Tkrnn have built here is a medical probe, affixed to the planetoid-sized changeling."
Iorte took a moment to absorb these surprising words. "What sort of changeling? Tkrnn?"
"No, we believe it is of a species of changeling that is ancestral to both the Tkrnn shapeshifters and the Founders of the Dominion. A progenitor. Perhaps this being here is their common ancestor."
Tan interjected, "Then if this facility is one giant implant you've created, what are the morgues for, the experiments with human bodies? And your weird creations that approximate Tkrnn physiology?"
"My experiments and those of many others here are subsidiary to the main investigation into the planetoid-sized changeling. The facility / medical probe you see all around you is large enough to admit of several secondary research projects and the tech needed for them. One such project was to find a way to restore shapeshifting ability to the whole Tkrnn species."
They were now deep inside the restricted area beyond which may just be the facility's power core. Voro very reluctantly gave them access to something of a more restricted inner sanctum inside this area, and here it was that they ran into the three intruders beamed down from the research vessel!
The two solid Tkrnn raised their weapons; Basirov, just visible, peeled away to the away team's left, affirming his allegiance at one stroke by firing his particle weapon at Tan and Van in a strafing movement, before the renegade retired admiral found cover.
"Get the hostages away from here!" Iorte called to Demik, who acknowledged in the nascent firefight and shuttled Mukai and her five colleagues out of the line of fire, going tens of metres down an adjacent passageway.
With Mukai et al hopefully protected for now, Iorte joined Tan, de Luca and Van in combating the three intruders. He dived into the midst of them, firing his phaser and with his free left fist swinging at the other Tkrnn solid. Where was Basirov? Nowhere to be seen.
Instinct made him crane his neck; there was an upper level, a series of interlaced metal girders. Basirov was screeching maniacally as, lightfooted, he skipped across those first floor girders in the upper blackness of this section, holding on to upright struts supporting the girders and firing down at the four Starfleeters when he could...
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Jan 28, 2024 10:52:30 GMT
"..... Then if this facility is one giant implant you've created, what are the morgues for, the experiments with human bodies? And your weird creations that approximate Tkrnn physiology?" Tan asked.
"My experiments and those of many others here are subsidiaries to the main investigation into the planetoid-sized changeling. The facility / medical probe you see all around you is ..... The first beam lanced from the solid Tkrnn before anyone realised they had been located! Everyone dove for cover, Clancy ordering Tom Demik to backtrack with the hostages - Voro had indicated there was a secondary exit point down one of the dimly-lit corridors they had passed once beyond the Recreation Hall. Neither Tan, nor the others, could guarantee the Tkrnn was telling the truth, but the only other option was to have them stand unarmed in the middle of the firefight, which wasn't an option. They had momentarily lost sight of the former Federation Admiral, Basirov, and then a beam of almost pure energy struck the wall centimetres from Tan's knee. He looked up to see the Admiral deftly skipping across the interlaced girders of the upper level ..... Van had seen the Admiral too and was in the process of changing position to get a clear shot while hoping he wasn't presenting an easy target the to one remaining Tkrnn technician after de Luca had dispatched his associate. David looked back along the corridor, Demik was standing at the junction looking his way, the hostages, clearly unnerved by events, were shouting for guidance, Tan motioned with his free hand and Demik nodded before disappearing out of sight, the hostages doing likewise. He could see Clncy moving, phaser aimed towards the upper level, eyes moving quickly, but it was obvious he had lost sight of Basirov, at least for the moment. With fire still coming their way from the remaining technician, David glanced at Elena, nodding to her left, she looked and understood - There was a small alcove behind and to her left, it ran almost the full length of the corridor and contained several terminals. With two quick shots, hoping to distract the technician for a second, Elena rolled away, colliding heavily with the wall below the row of terminals. clambering to a kneeling position, she assessed her situation - She was, as Tan thought, out of sight of the Tkrnn technician - She began to move forward, still crawling on hands and knees until she reached the point below the last terminal, where the alcove ceased. Looking back she could see David watching her, his eyes flicking every few seconds to a point beyond her. She raised her phaser to shoulder height then rolled out into the corridor! For a split second, the technician looked at her in complete confusion, then began to arc his phaser rifle in her direction. The beam from Milo Van's phaser hit the Tkrnn in the chest, slamming the body against the far wall even as it vaporised! Tan, de Luca, and Clancy all retargeted, eyes probing the upper level for any sighs of the former Admiral. Van moved forward to where their attackers had been positioned, turning to confirm that they were clear. He was about to return when he was spun almost three sixty degrees from a phaser hit to his right shoulder. Stifling a yell of pain, he quickly assessed the hit, seeing a ten-centimetre burn in the shoulder of his tunic, he could smell the acrid burnt flesh where the beam had seared his skin, but thankfully, it was a superficial wound. The others had returned fire blindly while Elena tried to make her way to the stricken El Alamein Exec' ..... She pulled him back trying for at least 'some' cover as she searched her pockets for the small med kit she carried. Sighing with relief she pulled out a small hypospay, quickly placed it as close to the open wound as possible then injected the painkiller and clotting agents to stem the blood flow. "Stop groaning, it's not like he shot your bloody arm off, no pun intended..." de Luca said as she assessed the wound before nodding, "... The bleeding's already stopped, it'll be sore as hell until we can treat it, but hay-ho," she finished with a grin. "We need to stop Basirov, if he gets away he'll inform the others of our location, and the fact that the hostages are heading for the open," Van said through gritted teeth as the pain suppressant began to take effect. "Well, if you'd like to get up, I'm sure between us we can do something about our traitorous Admiral!" Elena said, helping Milo to his feet. She bent to retrieve his weapon and handed it to him, he took it left-handed. "Ambidextrous ....." he said with a shrug as he checked the power reserve on the phaser. Both he and Elena were beneath the overhanging upper level, and out of the line of sight for Basirov, who was now pinning Tan and Clancy in a corner, for a moment she watched as beam after beam lanced into the ground and walls around the two men, then she took a step forward, moving to her left until she was 'hopefully' directly beneath the source of the firing. Assessing that Basirov would need to be close to the guard railing to fire down at such an angle, she moved again until she was confident she was somewhere beneath the tractor. Resetting the phaser to full power, she raised it vertically over her head and waited ..... Van, who had realised what she was trying, was ready to move should the whole level collapse on them. He watched, eyes flicking between de Luca and the beams lancing downwards, he motioned for her to move half a mature right then nodded. It was almost as if both had fired simultaneously, Basirov's beam slamming into the wall centimetres from Clancy, while de Luca's cut through the floor of the upper level and burned into the ceiling beyond. There was a screen of pain then the sound of someone hitting the ground in agony. It was clear her shot had missed the target, but only fractionally. Both David and Iorte returned fire, hoping to hold the Admiral down while Van moved towards a curved stairway leading upwards. Cautiously he lifted his head over the last step, phaser ready. He could see the gaping hole left by Elena's shot, but the Admiral was nowhere to be seen. He moved up, checking left and right, but apart from a jagged, blood-soaked section of deckplating, Basirov was indeed gone. There were several doors off the upper level, which seemed more like a mezzanine than an actual working level. He moved to the railing and looked down ..... "He's gone," Milo confirmed reluctantly. "I've had enough of this place..." David said, "... I don't care 'WHAT' they were doing, or the fact this whole place is some kind of mutant Changeling entity. We're leaving and blowing the hell out of it from the ship!" ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Feb 7, 2024 16:30:49 GMT
"He's gone," Milo confirmed reluctantly.
"I've had enough of this place..." David said, "... I don't care 'WHAT' they were doing, or the fact this whole place is some kind of mutant Changeling entity. We're leaving and blowing the hell out of it from the ship!" David turned to Voro, eyeing the man as if he were weighing up options to kill him where he stood! "Where will Basirov go?" he asked dangerously. "..... I have no way to tell you that," the Tkrnn Solid said. "Then we're done here...!" Tan said, looking around until he spotted the door furthest from their entrance to the corridor, "... That way," Without waiting, David strode off, the others falling in behind him as he approached the door which obligingly slid aside at his approach. "Once through the main door there's no need for continued security," Clancy said. Moving forward, they passed into the next corridor, then into what looked like a reception area. Corridors led off left and right, separated by alcoves holding a deck and computer terminal. Almost in the centre of the room was a desk. They moved quickly, not wanting to risk being ambushed or caught in any crossfire by the technicians still working. He looked ahead to two large doors opposite - These, unlike the others were metal but had full-length glass in both. Beyond, the corridor floor sloped gently upwards until it was hidden by the upper section of the doors. He looked at Voro, who quickly averted his eyes, but it was clear they were at a second entrance to the facility. Demik and Milo Van had been searching the open space - Finally, Tom yelped! "WHAT!" Tan said, his phaser rising. But the El Alamein's Tactical Officer was grinning while pointing into a large cabinet set into the wall of the reception area. David could see a large control panel, indicators flashed blue, green, and yellow, seemingly at random. "Atmospheric controls, power distribution, these look like status indicators for negative or positive atmosphere sections, this cou ....." Tom was saying. "Can you rig it to blow this place up?" David asked, cutting the man off mid-sentence. "Given enough time, yes, but we don't have time or the equipment. I doubt even a couple of our phasers set on overload would do much damage, there's bound to be multiple backups and redundancies ..... I suggest we get out, contact the ship and have them hit it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure," Demik replied. "Then that's what we do," Tom said, already heading for the double glass doors. "..... WAIT! ..... People are working here!" the Tkrnn said defiantly. David paused, then looked at the panel: "Can you program this thing to activate a fire alarm or something, power overload, anything to get everyone running for cover?" he asked Demik. "I don't see why not, I could program a tricorder to simulate the power overload, the internal systems should do the rest automatically," "OK, do it..." Tan said, glancing at Voro, who seemed to have moved further back into the reception area, "... Voro, I wouldn't advise running, one more dead Tkrnn isn't going to make a difference in the scheme of things!" with a look of resignation, the Tkrnn returned to the others and stood waiting for instructions. Demik returned saying he had set the tricorder to simulate the power surge in ten minutes. Nodding David headed for the doors and began walking up towards a second set of glass doors, he could already see sunlight streaming into the corridor as he walked ..... As they reached the open, David silently breathed a sigh of relief, then his commbadge chirped to life: =^= Al Alamein to Away Team .. .. El Alamein to Away Team .. .. =^= =^= Tan .. Go ahead El Alamein =^= =^= David .. Good to hear from you .. We've entered orbit after receiving a comm from the Science Team .. We're beaming them up as we speak =^= =^= Good .. Once you have beamed us back aboard I need you to destroy the facility =^= =^= Say again =^= Komin said. =^= You heard me Captain .. We'll stand by for transport =^= he said, tapping the comm off as white-coated technicians began to run from the building wanting to put as much distance between them and the place before it blew itself into oblivion, albeit with the help of a volley of photon torpedoes! Seconds later he felt the tell-tale caress of a transporter beam ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Feb 7, 2024 21:16:16 GMT
They'd reunited with the other group of their party - Demik, a security officer and the six former hostages - and headed out of the place they'd encountered the Tkrnn and Basirov, through a corridor and into a room that served as a hub for two corridors either side, as well as for an ascending corridor leading to a secondary entrance/exit.
Having found a way to simulate a power overload that would have the Tkrnn evacuate the facility, all thirteen of them (three of which - Van, the security guard and the Tkrnn Voro - were injured) made through the two metal and glass doors and up the slope into the barren plain and harsh sunlight.
"Well, Voro..." Clancy said to the Tkrnn researcher as Tan led the preparations for transport, "I suggest you catch up with your compatriots. We'll be departing now and there's no way, unfortunately or otherwise, that we can bring you with us."
Iorte gestured to scores of flailing white-coated research personnel in the distance scampering across the plain away from the vast structure. Voro turned and saw them and looked back at Clancy, nodding diffidently, looking profoundly unhappy. "But what will hap- ?"
"Don't worry," the Intel officer cut him off brusquely, "We'll have our ship's captain drop a beacon broadcasting a distress call towards Tkrnn space from this planet; some of your people will come and get you." The broadcast will begin after an appreciable delay, of course... Iorte thought. Two or three days should do, to give them time to get back to Starbase 47 and with much time to spare.
Voro went off to join the other Tkrnn, in search of shelter and basic necessities, critical for the solids amongst them but not so for the Tkrnn changelings, if there were any present.
As for Basirov, who knew? Was he amongst the fleeing researchers, soon to be looking for shelter from the pending destruction of the facility and from the bracing planetary elements, or had he found a way back up to the hijacked civilian research vessel, in orbit, or was he even dead, near-vapourised by de Luca's blast?
USS El Alamein
Beamed up to the Defiant class ship that'd made a beeline into the system to the second planet and taken up position near the shuttlecraft (which was still the opposite side of the planetoid to the hijacked research ship), Clancy, his fellow Intel officers, Van and Demik headed for the bridge.
"Voro told us there were about 450 scientists, engineers and medical staff assigned to the facility," Iorte informed Komin as the El Alamein CO and her officers were setting about preparing to destroy the surface structure.
"Well, I'm reading... between 370 and 380 individuals - all Tkrnn - outside the structure, at distances from the structure of between 310 metres and 9.2 kilometres, in a rough line," Alan Ross reported, scrutinising his readouts.
"So there are still about 75 Tkrnn inside the facility," Tan summarised, "And not all of those who have fled will yet be outside the blast radius of a torpedo strike."
"We can delay some 15 minutes before various conditions in system allow the Tkrnn-hijacked vessel to potentially detect us," Fran Komin declared. "So I can wait that long to allow more Tkrnn scientists to get out of range... Then, if you're still committed to this course of action," she beheld the trio of Intel officers, "I must destroy that structure."
Iorte and the others conferred briefly and came to an unanimous decision... They'd wait the 15 minutes, then the torpedoes would fly, and any Tkrnn researchers caught within range would be considered collateral casualties of war...
Now that all was decided, the three Intel officers excused themselves to go visit Rosa Noon, who was still recovering from the psychological effects of her ordeal, as captive - along with de Luca - of the Tkrnn changeling in the proto-nebula...
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Feb 11, 2024 11:55:29 GMT
USS El Alamein ... In High Orbit of Tkrnn Planetoid ::
They had made their decision - Despite the planetoid being part or whole Tkrnn Changeling, there was no way they could allow the research facility to remain intact once they departed - Given the relative sizes of the being and the construction on its surface, it was believed that only minimal damage would be inflicted upon the Tkrnn, this, along with the highly likely deaths of the still entrenched technicians, was something they were willing to accept. They were, after all, at war!
----- Rosa was sat up in bed giving Samantha Ademe, El Alamein's Chief Medical Officer, a headache, and despite her fragility, Noon insisted, not for the first time, that she was fully recovered and fit to return to duty. "You're going nowhere, young lady!" the Doctor was saying for seemingly the thousandth time that day as Tan, Clancy, and de Luca walked into Sickbay. "Still causing havoc then?" Elena asked with a grin. "Finally, some sanity..." Rosa said, trying to push herself into a seated position but Rita Kirkham, the Head Nurse detoured from her objective to put a hand on the woman's shoulder not to gently force her back down, "... Elena, can you 'PLEASE' tell this 'quack' that I'm fit to get back to work before I kill someone!" "That comment alone could see you confined for further examination..." Sam Ademe said as she approached the trio, "... If there was ever an argument for forced sedation, Miss 'Argumentative' there surely qualifies," "So she's still not well?" David asked, glancing over Elena's shoulder to see the Intel Officer. "Nowhere near, she needs counselling at the very least. She's gone through a lot," the Doctor said, shaking her head. "So how long are we talking doctor, weeks, months?" de Luca asked. "I'd say weeks if all goes well, and she cooperates, but I'll know better once Medical on the Starbase has looked her over," David nodded then walked over to the biobed: "Looks like you're taking some time off..." he said with a grin, "... Personally, I don't see why you're complaining, it will take us the better part of a week to get back to the Starbase, you'll have improved no end by the time we get back. Looking on the bright side, you could always consider the enforced rest and recuperation as time served," "Thanks for the support," Rosa said, pouting like a child who had been told to eat her greens and wasn't about to comply. David grinned again then turned as one of the crew entered and walked over to them: "The Captain says the fifteen minutes are up and wants you on the Bridge," he said, stepping aside to allow the Intel Officers to pass. With a final nod at Rosa, they left ..... ----- "Still set on destroying the facility?" Komin asked without preamble. "How many more have reached safe distance?" de Luca asked. "If your information is correct, there could be around thirty still inside, everyone else has passed beyond the one-kilometre mark so should be safe," Komin said, eyes moving between the three Intelligence Officers before settling on Tan. David eyed the view of the facility on the viewscreen trying to come up with a viable reason to leave without destroying the structure, but couldn't do so. He looked at Elena and Iorte, who both gave almost imperceptible nods. "Fire when ready, Captain," Tan said, turning back to the screen. "Lieutenant Demik, full spread of photon torpedoes," Komin said. "Locked on target," the Tactical Officer confirmed. Then after a short delay, Komin spoke one word: "Fire ....." Everyone on the Bridge watched as the six torpedoes lanced from the Defiant Class Starship, arcing down through the thin atmosphere before being lost in the cloud level, two seconds later the same cloud layer seemed to burn with such intensity as to startle the people watching ..... After thirty seconds the glow receded leaving a dark stain on the surface where the Research Facility stood a moment earlier. "Let's go home," Elena said quietly. Fran Komin nodded. "Lieutenant set course for Federation Space... Warp five," "Course and speed locked in Captain," Sharon Yip said from the Helm. "OK ... Engage," she ordered ..... They watched as the planetoid slipped off to Port before vanishing from the viewscreen entirely. As the El Alamein came to the desired heading it jumped into the netherworld of faster-than-light speeds .......... ~~~ Mission 012 : Missing Persons ~~~
***** CONCLUDED *****
Our latest mission has come to an end We will begin Mission 013 in due course
Thank you to everyone for another exciting outing
Regards
David Tan
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