Making moves

Posted on Mon Jan 14th, 2019 @ 10:57pm by Second Mate Quinton Beck & MERCHANT RANKS Fala Gaz (NPC) & Second Mate Simon Starr
Edited on on Tue Jan 15th, 2019 @ 12:23am

4,975 words; about a 25 minute read

Mission: From Within...
Location: Second Star/Starbase 42

-Start-

{Tiburon- Transporter pad/cargo bay}

Quinton materialized inside the Tiburon, trying not to grin. He was supposed to be in the pattern buffer but Judah had agreed to re-materialize him inside the nestled worktruck. There was just no way he was sitting this out helpless in a buffer. Judah had also interfaced the ships systems with the Tiburon bridge, effectively giving Quinton command-access consoles.

"Judah activate missing man protocols once Yellow Alert is sounded."

On the monitor he was working text configured to a thumbs up. Immediately, his pre programmed defenses went into place. First his accounts and online presence was quarantined, command codes disabled, the works. Then the ship went into a shutdown, leaving minimal life support and a total systems shutdown to anyone outside a group he programmed as "The Family." The airlocks had a combat seal still in place, welding themselves closed if need be.

On and on, his ideas and paranoia had inspired this sequence to lock the ship down. Judah enacted hundreds of contingencies for the most likely scenarios they faced and prepared blocks. Throughout the ship, power loss and computer lockout became a theme.

"Good work Judah, direct the crew to follow the plan. I'll be quarterbacking from here."

"Do you think she will leave without a fight?"

His voice was almost afraid to ask, with a real soul behind it, it was a valid question.

"No, I expect her to make her move when Talloc goes to arrest her. We just have to survive, then... make our move. shame we have to burn Talloc so soon."

"Oh? He is a plant, he has already made a report to Ferrell-"

"The spy in our midst can be a useful tool, but we got set upon early. We made a deal with the devil and if anyone has to go down for it, let it be him. We will be just fine, now I need Toriza on the line...

{Bridge}

..."I expect the evidence to be sent to my office immediately for review, and a report every half hour on the progress of your search. Tor Savill out."

Talloc was torn in his indecision over the next few moments. Quinton had dissappeared, mercs were apparently about to take over the ship, and they were playing cool with Starfleet when he was supposed to be the one telling them what was going on.

How had he gotten to this point? This was unacceptable, to be played by a freighter captain.

Kas wasted no time,

"Talloc? It's time, once the Captains protocols start, you'll need Radhe and Sinclair with you, hold Engineering it will be her first target. I doubt your deputies will be enough though. Othor?"

Before Othor replied Fala shared the file she was working on, evidence against Sheila and her operation. The warrant was sent to the security office and to all the deputies. It was an official arrest warrant, it carried weight enough to allow them to detain people up to safe harbor. It also contained a secret message to a deputy she knew would do his duty.

Simon Starr would receive evidence and orders to arrest Talloc Suder once the fireworks died down, Sheila's trio would not go so easily.

"I only have evidence against three of them to warrant arrest, Sheila, Ilyce, Poison. Anyone else will need to formally obstruct you from performing your duties before you can detain them. NO WEAPONS FIRE or Starfleet will beam aboard in force."

Othor was speaking to his stewards, "Security hold in effect, passengers to cabins. Lock down gantry, agora, secure off limits zones..."

Kas was firing off her own orders, "... Recall all of the Rangers holding secure posts, orders issued to all for immediate return to quarters, send stewards Othor, we need our relief deputies on Deck 23, also get the marines you vetted personally. Judah location Sheila, Poison, Ilyce?"

Judah showed all three, bunkered on Deck 23. As he showed the holographic display everything went dark, and yellow alert lights pulsed. Vicente and Avor had gathered supplies and handed out beacons to everyone.

Avor was cracking chemical light sticks as he spoke, "Captains protocols make the ship a hard shell trap, shuttles, airlocks, even torpedo tubes are all sealed. Deck 23 has connections to most of the Engineering hull and the cargo bay so we will need to cap off on 22 and 24 at Blue and Gray Beta."

Kas understood, "That'll force them to cut with phaser beams, nice work."

Talloc caught on, "We are provoking them to fire on us, or cut their way out, those with indictable evidence would be arrested and remanded..."

Fala contributed, "And we retain the outfit and its' services under contract. You cannot shoot first Mr Sudor..."

Talloc felt the strings being pulled. He hated this, being forced to play along to this affair. When did he get to restore normal Starfleet operations?

=0= Talloc to Security Department, convene at Engineering, we are under orders to arrest personnel in the Rangers mercenary outfit. I am enroute, 15 minutes.

Talloc had his customary arsenal on his hip and Type V rifle at the ready in the storage locker, but as he removed it from the pegs he heard the nails on chalkboard sound of Fala Gaz.

"Mr Sudor! Handcuffs! Not Phaser Rifles!"

Talloc made a point of cinching the strap in place as the rifle was slung over his shoulder. "I only ask once." He summoned the Turbolift thinking this exit line was a good one. Forgetting the Turbolift was often minutes away left him standing there with nowhere to go.

The group took a collective moment, Kas broke the silence. "Okay, Captain is MIA for all we know, so we need to act like it, organize Stewards into search parties, go door to door. Any Ranger you meet, you act like we are all still friends."

{Deck 23- Garrison}

Sheila lost her shit, "I'm under arrest? Who in the hell is coming to do it I'll-

Carson pressed her onwards, Sheila could rant for several minutes sometimes and time was precious. "Sheila! You, Poison, and Ice, all. I was in the brig when I got the all-call to ship security."

"Is it Talloc? I've got the Delta inducer for that telepath, ready the entries and secure Jefferies tubes. Open a channel to Admiral Ferrell immediately."

Poison had heard as well, she was in full combat gear. "Ice is preparing to site-to-site us to the Vaardwaur Transport, we can rally on the Starbase-"

Ice came up the group now forming, "No good, They've initiated a lockdown of sorts, some kind of embedded program. I can't beat whatever AI sentry they have on their computer core. It's an organic OS, unique."

Sheila reacted to that last information right away, "Sickbay, morgue, the data trunk is leading into that department. No reason for a slab to be taken up, listed as broken. that's our play."

Poison looked at her, the question begged in a glance, "Organic OS, you think they've got something hidden that's connected to that?"

Sheila nodded, "The forward vaults have illegal plunder, we just need Starfleet to have a reason, but the biogenic nightmare that runs this ships computer? That's a smoking gun."

She slapped her communicator, it was time, the Second Star crew were picking the fight. It would start with engineering, can't cut off power or access at the source after all. Then she imagined taking sickbay for their biogenic trump card, finally the forward Vaults for extra insurance. The Bridge was a distraction, those few goals were attainable and her people were vulnerable spread out as they were. He wanted a non shooting war under Starfleet's nose? Fine.

=0= Rangers, rally to Deck 23! Beta Team- Bunker down!

{Engineering- Main entrance - Deck 21}

Lid'a was ready for the words she knew were coming soon.

Kas had a voice that could cut through bedlam. Calm as could be, she relayed information all over the ship. Judah intercepted the message for Beta team, it was an assault on engineering in its formative stages.

Lid'a only heard,
=0= Lock down Engineering, prepare for potential hostile action in your area.

The five other officers stretched over the five decks and twelve thousand square feet of floorspace ran about to secure the hatches, and secure the Engineering core. N'tach had a variety of bladed weapons at the ready, standing at the main entrance, awaiting an intruder. Dampening fields rendered most energy weapons useless here. Lid'a considered this as N'tach was in the process of handing her a Mek'leth. Worldessly, she accepted the blade, standing next to him.

Christopher Callahan had a different plan, he was moving swiftly across the department overseeing the dozens of processes in effect. "Charge the graviton emitter, anyone crosses the EM threshold, crush em. Blast doors over containment core, dampeners in effect people so use the spanners to pacify people, EPS leads deliver one hell of shock..."

Simon Starr and three deputies entered main engineering, awaiting Talloc. Morgan Sinclair, and Jeffrey Radhe. As Simon entered, he noticed the others preparing for what was to come. He also knew that the time had come for Talloc.

Starr didn't quite believe it at first when the Captain pulled him aside and let him know about Talloc. He had been, at least in his own way, a mentor for Starr. He did some digging and discovered Talloc's true agenda and was disappointed.

The time building up to this, Starr managed to build a case against Talloc enough where the game was up. And there was nothing he could do. He looked towards the other officers with his usual business look, poker face as always, but down inside this was hurting. He couldn't show that, especially when Talloc arrived.

The other issue that he had to contend with was the crew knew his background. He was once on Talloc's side, would he double cross them? He had to prove to the crew that those days were over. Now was that opportunity.

He nodded to each of the officers already in Engineering, taking up his position. "We know what needs to be done." he said, matter-of-factly.

He didn't draw his phaser at this point. The instructions were clear. No weapons. And then he directed the security team that entered with him to take their positions. He had a rapport with the three deputies, but didn't give him as much information as he had for now. Just enough to prove the espionage.

Starfleet had an agreement, and that agreement was broken. And now it was time for the crew to take action. As Starr waited for his Chief, he took a breath, about to perform one of the most difficult arrests he has had to do in his whole career.

It was at that moment, Talloc walked in, phaser rifle in hand. He was about to order Simon to arm up when he saw the look on his face, and sensed what he was thinking.

Talloc pretended to be a blank most times, a passive telepath at the best of times. He was actually far more gifted in other areas, like sending messages. Simon had a clear idea of how the next five seconds were to pass, his intent to take the captain at his word and take Talloc out of play once his play was used.

Observe and report, we need an in, and they'll work for us under lock and key... he repeated to himself the nature of his mission, and it had now ended. Sheila was coming for them still, it was a play he hated to be forced into, pitting Starfleet Security and Intelligence against one another, but she was on a warpath where he was on a stakeout.

She had blown his cover, and may have set his Captaincy back as well. She had to go down for all of it, but how had it come to this?

"Simon... listen... Captain Beck is ok. Sheila and the ranger group is our focus until she is neutralized. Cards on the table... We need each other to emerge intact from what Sheila is bringing to the table."

Simon's facial features didn't change at all, but Talloc would definitely be able to sense sadness behind the face he wore. And probably the one that hurt Starr the most of all, disappointment.

"There is one problem with that, sir. The captain has shown me a lot. And, based on what I've seen, how can we trust you?" he asked, the same blunt tone as usual. Though this was effecting him emotionally, he refused to show any signs of weakness to his chief.

Radhe and Sinclair were observing the area, approving of the Engineers efforts to prepare for hostility. Vital systems were locked down, and disconnected terminal leads routed to exposed deckplating. It was a no mans land once you got thirty feet in, a bottleneck that promised to hold.

"I know when my time is up, I plan on leaving here, but I have to make sure she is pulled into the plain view for her actions. That puts us on the same side."

Simon looked over Talloc, assessing his true motive here. "Oh, I'm afraid you won't be leaving. Your headed to the brig after this, until the Captain has spoken to you at least. However, we can agree on one thing. The rangers are still a problem, but you need to be also arrested."

"I havent betrayed anyone Starr! My job was to make sure this ship didn't end up being used against Starfleet, to make sure the crew had a check in place if they went rogue, never to harm or indict anyone!"

"So, you need to make a choice, are you on their side or on ours? I can say that I will let the Captain know of your actions at this moment, maybe he will be a bit more lenient if you make the right decision". He asked, again not wavering from the way he was holding himself.

Talloc was pulled in three directions, he genuinely liked the ship and crew, but also Starfleet's agenda of justice. He also wanted a ship of his own. Drawing on Simon was a bad call at this time, he would be stunned and arrested. Radhe was in line of sight behind Talloc to boot, he had to play his cards right.

"I serve a just cause, and in this moment I stand with the Second Star. The Rangers can't be trusted to keep the ship or the civilian population out of harms way. I may be Starfleet's man, and a spy to your eyes, but I am still Starfleet, saving lives is the job."

“I used to be in the fleet too, and yes, saving lives is the main priority” Simon replied “but not by breaking the rules” he replied.

Christopher Callahan called out from the gantry above them, "Forced entry, Jtube 12. Exocomps have them contained in confinement field."

Talloc shouted, "they are trying to distract us to a second front, the threat is coming from the main entrance here."

Sinclair, was the closest and vaulted to the ladder access to the second floor, boots rang out of sight and a loud thud announced one Ranger down, Radhe and a few of the staff remained under cover.

Simon turned to Callahan “that EM field better be ready, we’re almost out of time” as he readied himself.

Talloc had a modified phaser which worked inside most energy dampening fields. He would have to stun Simon most likely, and escape to force Sheilas hand and save his career. He was however cut off from that line of thinking as the main Engineering bay doors, spread open, and a dozen rangers with shock batons, blades and chemical fire weapons charged in.

Simon made sure he was in cover to make him a harder target, he called over to Talloc “well now it’s time to prove what side your on,” as he pulled out his own phaser.

N'Tach bellowed, “Callahan, activate the field.”

Chris ran to the Master control box adjacent to the central command trunk in main engineering. Several of the larger engineers, N'tach and surprisingly Lid'a, stood ready to hold them. For the first time in in his career, he felt emotionally compelled to fight and defend his fellows. No sooner did he rig the controls when the doors forced open. He severed the circuit on the safety lines, which broke the system for the split second that needed to happen and generate the spike.

They called the central command trunk the "Pool Table" for its shape and size. Master displays and console panels lined the sides, it was a piece of undeniable real estate that forced their united front into two paths as the Rangers charged engineering. They carried portable EMC, a dampening field for energy particles forcing the issue to melee. Their goal wasn't to murder, this was a brawl, a street fight for control of Engineering, the true heart of the ship.

Armor, slug guns, shock prods... N'tach met them without fear. Lid'a had already endured a baton at full stun, and she was at his side and mad as hell. As the order was given for the gravity moat to fall they saw three men collapse as their EMC generators failed to compensate and they fell under their own ten fold weight. N'tach held the right path, bending to him like a stream around a rock. Lid'a stabbed with fury at his side, the two in parry with one another in limited spaces.

Starr was covering the left path, also being forced into hand to hand combat. Blocking the first swing from one of the rangers, stopping the stun baton from making contact, but not expecting the second swing which connected with his side, giving a brief moment in pain. Simon returned the favour, making his first move to disarm the ranger, finding success. Talloc back to back with Starr, fighting off another ranger.

Talloc knew Starr was also once in Starfleet, and his hand-to-hand skills showed that. As one of the Rangers came, he disarmed and grounded one with a solid shot to the jaw. The attacking force going on and on. The crew had managed to deal with most of the Rangers, but still no sign of Sheila and the main marines

{Deck 23- Garrison}

-5 minutes earlier-

"He isn't on board Sheila!" Carson was adamant, the search was incomplete but the results were written on the wall.

Sheila pulled her phaser, furious at the implications. She was being framed for something she was about to do anyway. Deprived of the joy but burdened with consequences all the same she realized her operation was falling apart.

"Is Beta Team at Engineering?" She didn't show how worried she was for her future, this was out of control.

Ice, conferred over radio, "Sixteen are waiting to rush the mains, four in ambush positions, two insurgents."

Poison added, "They have a decent front door strategy, we may not break it. Recommend sacrifice an insurgent, allow the other-"

"Do it, order the attack, disable the power trunk to the central computer, we can use the shuttle to operate the ships systems remotely."

Ice began to smile, "Oh but Sheila... looks like there is a shuttle running the ships command line, the Tiburon."

Sheila smiled, "He thought he was hidden. We three will go get him. The rest, lock down our decks, holding action, fallback defense only! Once we have Beck we will all have to surrender to Starfleet, I'll take care of it from there. Poison, Ice, with me."

The three women donned gear to mask their life forms, protect from small weapons, and disguise their identity. Arrest warrants for them had already been circulated, so they had to stay concealed. Her contract marines were unsure of which way to go, let them hold ground. The stewards or security staff would have orders to detain with force of action.

She needed her diehards with her, for this. Quinton was a protected man, but she was beginning not to care about that.

{Deck 22- Engineering upper core}

The main assault had been blunted, Engineering wouldn't fall to direct assault today. Toriza waited, certain a shadow would fall where none should. The first insurgent had been a ploy, baiting the defensive team into thinking the feint was exposed and the ruse ruined. Toriza was a crown heiress to a criminal empire, so she expected more.

There it was. The smallest tremor, but she detected it on the tremble sensor precariously placed on an access shaft nobody had business wiggling through if a normal engine had been in place. Their small engine left many inert components, and a very clever way in for the intrepid Ranger. Toriza had him in her sights from the moment he popped the hatch.

=0= T follow O. Bishops down.

In the lower core, nearly a dozen rangers lay broken, sharing the space with over two dozen similarly battered Engineers. Talloc and Starr stood back to back dealing with the rangers that breached into Engineering. They had managed to position themselves in such a way that firing any shots would be risky at best. As far as Simon was concerned, the order of no shots fired still stood.

Talloc wasn’t as keen on that order, but knew that doing anything more at this point would only make his situation worse after. So he was forced to comply, taking out the rangers one by one, keeping an eye open for Sheila. If only he could be the one to take her down, maybe that would fix everything. Maybe he would be able to continue his plan after all.

Another ranger knocked out. Still no sign of Sheila and the others. Something was wrong. He could have sworn she would come to back up her forces. He could sense Simon sensing it too. All his hopes were dashed once again when Judah spoke. “They’ve discovered the captain”.

Simon wasn’t considered senior staff so when he gave the command, there was no response from the computer. Talloc, being aware of the plan, didn’t have to ask. “They're going to Beck, Starr - with me” he ordered. Simon followed alongside, being led by Talloc to the Tiburon. Simon didn't even wonder if Talloc was preparing to make a move, he simply readied his phaser.


{Deck 32 - Shuttle Bay main entrance}

Talloc took off towards the shuttle bay, Starr following close behind. This was the moment he was waiting for. Everything was falling into place, and the time had finally come. Now he just had to finish this off. The two security officers, phasers in hand ran to their destination. They rounded the corner, just as they came face to face with Shiela and her marines coming down the same corridor in the opposite direction.

"Hands up!" The three women were already pointing weapons.

Talloc stopped running at this point, and slowly approached the marines. At first, Starr thought it was to get them to throw down their weapons, a cautious approach wouldn't go so badly here. These were professionally trained soldiers after all. It was then that he realized that wasn't Talloc's intention at all.

"Sheila, I can help you, we are both Fleet, we don't need to be shooting at each other ok?

"Chief, what are you doing?" Starr asked, unclipping his phaser as Talloc also had a hand on his. Talloc was ready for the draw, the phaser set to 3rd degree stun, enough to kill at close range. Simon knew what was coming, begged for Talloc to show just a little spine and hold his ground.

"Trust me Starr, this is for your own good." As Talloc finished, he pulled out his phaser, turned, and pointed it directly at Starr.

Sheila pointed to the oversize doors, "Poison, we need to get in there now! Starfleet, if you really wanna help us call this in to 214 when we get the Captain in custody." The tall and spare woman was impossibly lithe in her body armor, she practically bent around Sheila who stood in firing posture as solid as marble. Ice moved behind Sheila maintaining her target on Simon.

"Join us, come back with us to the fleet" Talloc said. For Talloc, Sheila was his best play to recovering his mission goals, Anything else was a failure.

Simon was in a situation he didn't want to be in. If he shot Talloc right now, he would be seen as an enemy to Starfleet, and would stain the reputation of the ship. That would be his legacy on the Second Star. Alternatively, he could submit, going back to the one place he didn't want to go back too, and betray the crew he had now been serving for some time. The ones who had twice put their faith in him to be an upright officer. He was surrounded, and if he refused, it would be the end of him either way. What he wouldn't do for an engineer right about now, but there was one way out of this mess. Get to the captain before they did, hold their feet to the fire.

{Tiburon}

Beck could have hugged Simon for stopping them outside the shuttlebay. Had those three gotten in, no telling how bad it would have gotten. Now, he had Sheila, Ice, Poison and Talloc all exactly where it was planned, in the ultra reinforced junctions outside the shuttlebay. Talloc was the only one ready to fire, but at one of his crew. "Judah, protocol two-three-five, activate force fields to the next junction."

As Quinton finished saying that Talloc's shot fired, just as the beam was about to hit Starr, the field went up.

Judah piped Becks voice, "I'm sorry Talloc, but we know. I've known for some time. All four of you are under arrest." The force fields placed as instructed, and revoking all command privileges of Talloc. "This ends. Now."

Quinton needed them to stand down. The Rangers had taken defensive positions on several decks and taking ground. Engneering held, but all of his soldiers were there and needed to stay. Simon was all he had between those four Starfleet assholes and the Tiburon itself. Without comms, they didnt know how close they were to winning though.

=0= Oh Sheila, I guess the jig is up, I am in the shuttlebay yes, but did you know I still also hold the bridge and Engineering? Starfleet will arrest you very soon, Talloc too I am afraid. Off books missions must suck,

Talloc looked to Sheila in desperation, she was covering Poison, who was still trying to open the shuttlebay doors. Judah spoke to her from the door pad, "Hey there Poison, really good tricks you got there, but I can keep this door closed no matter what."

Quinton didnt like what he saw over the monitor, Sheila dropped her weapon, the surrender telling to Poison and Ice. Sheila smirked, "don't count on it sweetie."

{Sickbay}

Quill was getting injured rolling in from the Turbolift non-stop. Elsewhere the ship must have been total chaos, because here, the casualties told the tale well enough.

A Ranger lay dying in front of him, "Asystole on 9 counts past Systolic norm, administering Salupren-"

Bunny was already there, Quill turned to the next patient triage laid out for him, "Plasma burns! Get me Anethrazole and dermabrasive counter shears-"

He was cut short when one of the brutes he had treated only the day before rose up. He had been shackled and restrained awaiting arrest by Starfleet. He had been beaten fairly soundly by N'tach, but Quill had unfortunately patched him up throughly. Julian Saligere stood from the bio-bed, far stronger than he had let on. Breaking through forcefield restraints was taught in basic infantry, medical restraints would yield before causing injury unless otherwise enabled. Civilian medical restraints had no such settings, so Saligere twisted his arms until it felt like they might snap.

They released in order of his efforts like clockwork. Sheila had told him to stay close and when the fight started, he was to cut the data trunk leading into the morgue. Quill had to keep on the man in front of him, but shouted to Bunny, "Alert security Saligere is out of restraints!"

The Ranger brute clearly had no compunctions hitting women, a career in murder of all races and species and genders of anything living saw to that. His assault on poor Bunny would break her jaw upon later analysis. She fell to the ground in agony, Quill pulled up a hypospray, and his scalpel. The laser edge gleaming crimson at fullpower, and his thumb ready on the spray Julian smirked before stopping just out of reach.

Quill managed a fair look of menace, "I have fifty CC's of Isonaprolazine ready here, in Carbon based life forms it's the nastiest blood infection you can imagine. Takes weeks to die, impossible to treat. Or I slice you in ways not even a dermabraser can fix."

Julian Saligere looked to the Ranger on the bio-bed, vitals dropping still. He looked to Quill again before slamming a hammer fist down on the poor mans chest. Instantly spurting blood from his mouth, Quill could only watch in horror as the mans internal scans showed the damage. Julain stepped back and around the bed, moving towards the morgue. Quill had no choice, to save the man he had to drop what he was holding. As he did so, Julian walked with confidence into the morgue.

-End-

Austen
Ben
Armando
Stephen
Shane

(OOC: Austen- Hey, I am punching up the ending just a bit so Talloc and Sheila can return as villains... We can wrap it up in a new post.)

 

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