Tally Ho!

Posted on Fri Jul 3, 2015 @ 5:42pm by Captain Isha t'Vaurek & Commander Caden Aldrex & Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant Mikaela Locke & Captain Maritza Soran & Lieutenant Si'Lar Trellis

1,577 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Beholder
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 3/1700

Now that the Fae was elsewhere they could get down to business.

Caleb got up and refilled his coffee, figuring it might be a long night. “Anyone else want anything?” he offered in his Texas drawl as he pulled his cup from the replicator.

"Lots and lots of caffeine," Soran requested. "Captain, if we have internal sensors capacity it should go on seeking out more of those creatures. Round them up first before they get the chance to resume whatever hostilities they previously had. We're not in a position to host a war."

“Raktajino, with a shot of espresso,” Caleb ordered for Soran, and then brought it back to set in front of her.

“That assumes they can be located that way,” Caleb observed. “We might need to run a few scans on the one we have ta get the bio-readings.” He took his seat again and sipped his coffee.

It was a valid question, and one that did not yet have an answer. "The sensors could see it when it was holding Eviess' hand, not when they let go," Isha said. "We should be able to keep track of the Fae whilst Security has it, but to locate the others will require the computer to take what little data we have and extrapolate. My hopes are not high."

Caleb mused over that little fact. “Not a lot to go on,” he mused. “With your permission, I would like to try and tag her,” he told Isha. “That way we’ll always know where she is. She’s got that little…mind trick thing going.”

Isha rolled her lower lip between her teeth. "Try it once you have her in security," she said.

"I'm going to have a dig around," Locke contributed, her head still hurting. "Like I said, fables and fairy-tales aren't exactly my specialty, but, once you know where to start looking, you can usually find something useful. You never know," she mused. "There might even be something on record that would help us track them."

The doors parted and Aldrex walked in, having gone to Ops momentarily to get an update on things. "Recovery operations are still proceeding, Captain. No sign of anything unusual in the planetary system, other than the fact that there's now a planetary system where there wasn't before. With your permission I'll dispatch probes to take an initial survey."

Soran chugged down a fair amount of raktajino and then asked, "Did your daughter say where she met the fairy? That would be the logical place to start the sweep."

Isha wasn't quite certain Eviess had. Why did these people seem to think that a planetary system appearing from nowhere was everyday business!

"On or near the promenade. If near, it was one of the gardens, which could be the arboretum, the park, or the Bajoran Gardens," Isha said.

"With your permission," Mikaela said, turning to the security chief, "I'll coordinate with Lieutenants Trellis and Fisher," she nodded in the Trill's direction, but was careful not to make eye contact, "and follow up any reports of residual energy and the like."

She knew that, in reality, that sort of work should be passed to Lieutenant Rex, but she hoped that the connection to her research was enough for Ryan and t'Vaurek to approve her suggestion. Interest in the investigation, however, was only part of her motive. She was desperate for an excuse to work with Jason; in part because he had left her office in the midst of all the chaos, and she wanted to check he was okay, but, more accurately, because the conversation they were having had gone unfinished. And it needed to be finished.

Lieutenant Trellis could think of half a dozen other things he would much rather be doing rather than working with this particular Intelligence Officer. Something about her seemed off, as if she was looking for a nail to hammer. He stood up from the conference table.

“Ah can pull a small detail together to walk through the Promenade, and also let the assessment and repair crews know to report anything suspicious to Security,” Caleb said. “Ah also got word from the Ferengi,” he said distastefully. “They would like compensation for all the civilians they rescued off the station before they dock and offload.” His hand gripped his PADD tightly, knuckles white. Aleczandra was on that ship.

Lieutenant Trellis was prepared to walk out of the conference room, but stopped.

Isha straightened. This was not the time for banal negotiations. "Target the Fergengi ship," she said. "Let them know that their compensation will be us not blowing them into the atmosphere of that lovely new planet down there. You might also let them know that it’s my finger on the trigger, not a compliant Ll'hans'u."

"Ma'am, from a tactical standpoint, it would appear to be overkill to follow through on our promise and use station weapons on one underpowered vessel. However, a Security insertion team would be more in line with Starfleet Rules of Engagement," Lt. Trellis informed the recently-installed Romulan commander. There was no question that the Ferengi was wrong to try to ransom Federation citizens, but a Starfleet Commander could not immediately escalate a situation to the use of lethal weapons before all other reasonable tactics had been exhausted.

"If you've a better way to work in the background, Mister Trellis, I welcome it. Appear to negotiate behind my back and without my knowledge. Calm the threat. Let’s say ten minutes before I make it for you to get discussions in place."

Isha was in a standoff and she had not lost one yet.

Lt. Trellis looked in an uncertain manner from the Captain to the new Security Chief. It was not a question of whether another option was viable that troubled the Trill, but more so what extents the new captain was prepared to go to prove a point. Lt. Trellis was beginning to think that a tactical breach was the optimal choice, not just for the lives of the Federation citizens, but for the Ferengis as well.

Aldrex sat in his chair, absentmindedly rubbing his temple as he listened to this. Hadn't there been enough stressors today without the Ferengi ambassador adding to them? Captain t'Vaurek certainly seemed ready to unleash her full fury over it. She was, after all, still Romulan, and given to taking care of problems in Romulan ways. If the situation weren't so serious it would be amusing to watch the Ferengi play with gasoline and matches.

"Captain, as reprehensible as this act is, I advise against any overt use of force against them. At least while we know the hostages are safe and being treated well." He thought for a second then added, "Instead, do this. Lock a tractor beam onto their ship. Then remind good Ambassador Qinee that holding Federation citizens against their will is a criminal act in this sector, and if they persist in this we will confiscate every financial account, every means of transportation, and every personal possession of theirs to deny them freedom of movement under the anti-piracy treaty." He nodded to Trellis. "If that doesn't faze them then we'll consider plan B."

Isha chuckled softly. "I defer to the voice of reason," she said. "Continue with your approach."

Caleb had stared at the Romulan commander throughout the conversation, a bit too stunned for the moment. His daughter was on that ship! He was as pissed as she was, but there were several children on board. He was relieved when she appeared to see reason.

“The amount requested is rather…modest,” Caleb allowed. “Ah’ve seen far worse extortion from Ferengi. Perhaps the Federation ambassador can discuss the terms, de-escalate the situation. No harm has been proffered against the hostages.”

"It’s not the money, Mr Ryan, it’s the principal." Soran downed the rest of the raktajino. "We do not pay ransoms. Not in latinum, not in any other concession. It’s not about overkill on the Ferengi, it’s about making a clear statement of intent to anyone else out there who might get the same idea. To paraphrase an old Earth story, ’Are you feeling lucky?’"

"Commander Soran is correct," Isha said. "We will proceed according to Commander Aldrex's proposal. I have no intention of opening our purse in any context."

Lt. Trellis noticed the heightened tension in the room. He knew that decisive action was necessary or else the Captain might decide to go back on her original plan. "Very well. I can organize a party to go onboard the Ferengi vessel simultaneously with the station's use of a tractor beam," Lt. Trellis stated. "That way we can quickly board and prevent the Ferengi from taking hostile action against the civilians while the station continues to negotiate a peaceful resolution." Lt. Trellis proffered to the command staff.

"Do it," Isha said without a second thought. "Report back to us on your progress, Lieutenant Trellis."

Lt. Trellis nodded as he immediately made his way towards the exit. "Lt. Trellis to Chief Sah'mel. Get an insertion team ready and meet me in Shuttle Bay 18," he said into his comm unit as he made his way to the nearest turbolift.




Captain Isha t'Vaurek
CO

Lt Commander Maritza Soran
2XO/Chief Strategic Ops

Lt. Cmdr. Caden Aldrex
XO

Lt. Cmdr. Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security/Tactical

 

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