ACT II
STARBASE 248"I wanna say... I'm sorry." Man, that lump sure hurt going down McGawan's throat.
Daniels stood there, with a disgusted look on his face, as he stared down the superior who had relieved him of duty just a few hours ago... and was no reinstating him. "And you think that would make me happy again? Just like that?"
Through his teeth, McGawan said, "this isn't easy for me either."
Nakajima, from the back of the office, caughed loudly.
McGawan, taking that as a signal, let out his breath, and took another deep one. "The terrorists have been all over my ass lately, and as a result, so has Starfleet Command."
"Ours too," Daniels said. "But still, that doesn't mean you have to be a pompus ass about it."
"Did I give you permission to speak freely?"
"Shove it," Daniels said. "It's going to take A LOT to get back any respect for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, CAPTAIN, I have a system to patrol." Without waiting for a dismissal, Daniels left.
"See?!" McGawan said, pointing at the door. "Appologizing didn't help AT ALL."
"But he'll still be loyal to you," Nakajima said. "Now, about Crewman Dallas—"
"Forget him," McGawan said. "I still want him out. My decision stands."
Nakajima shook her head. "I have a better idea," she said, "why don't you and Dallas go out on an outting?"
"What crack are you smoking? Can I have some? I want him OUT!"
"Well, seeing as though you are not authoirzed to make personell changes on MY station, it seems you have no choice," Nakajima said, bluntly.
"Who died and made YOU Starfleet Command?"
"Those weren't my words, remember?"
McGawan could feel his blood boil, again. "Damn that Owen Paris to hell!" He sighed heavily, trying his best to relax. "Fine. In fact, I have a small supply run that needs to be done on my scheduled departures list. I'll... send Dallas out in 'Kitty'... why the hell did he pick such a dumb name for that ship anyway?"
Nakajima cleared her throat.
"Okay, fine! I'll have the cargo transported to the Ohio and... go WITH Dallas," McGawan closed. "But if I don't like him one bit, I want him off of the station! And I'll make it a direct order, to YOU, for a personell rotation. Is that clear?"
Nakajima nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Captain."
"Good. Now get the hell out of my office and run this damned starbase."
Nakajima snapped to attention, saying "Sir," then left.
"Departing hauler bay," Dallas announced.
"Acknowledged," Kim's voice came over the comm.
The Runabout Ohio darted out of the hauler bay, and headed for open space. Dallas initiated the warp drive, and sent the Ohio into mid-range warp speed (around warp 4.5).
"Securing course," Dallas said for the flight recorders.
"Bring us to warp 2," McGawan ordered.
"Hey, this is my run," Dallas said, defiantly. "We're about to go through some pretty dangerous space. I'm not about to make us sitting targets, especially the Sector Commander. I'm staying at four-five."
"I gave you an order, Crewman," McGawan said. "Now, take us to warp two, or I will do it myself and relieve you of duty."
"Go screw yourself, old man!" Dallas barked. "I never asked YOU to come along on MY mission from the Commander. You have no authority here."
"That's it, you sonuvabitch!" McGawan pushed Dallas to the deck, and readjusted the throttle control, bringing the runabout to warp two. "When I tell you to do something, you do it. Got it?"
"Go to hell," Dallas said, as he brought himself to his feet. "This is MY mission. I could work just fine by myself in Kitty. But NOOO, YOU had to butt in and control me like a freakin robot! You REALLY need psychological help. When we get back to the base, you should see Doc. You're an asshole."
"Care to say that to my face, little man?"
Taking the challeng, Dallas came right up to McGawan's face, and faced him. "You, old man, are nothing more than a piece of garbage floating around the sector. You belong on a garbage scow, not in command, but AS garbage."
"Do you know what I do to little worm-like nothings like you?" McGawan said, picking up Dallas by the collar of his uniform.
Dallas wasn't going to take that. With one swift kick, that connected to McGawan's groin, he got free. That followed by a roundhouse kick to the side of McGawan's face, as the captain went down to the deck.
A moment after McGawan regained his composure, he charged, connecting a first to Dallas's face. As Dallas spralwed to the deck, he managed to catch the emergency weapons locker with his right hand. The locker flew open, as a result.
McGawan came right over Dallas, and grabbed him by the neck. "You insubordinate little bastard," McGawan said as he choaked Dallas.
Not about to assault the captain with a phaser blast, instead, Dallas hit McGawan in the jaw with the butt-end of a phaser. McGawan scattered away, as Dallas lept.
As they fought, no one paid any mind to the proximity sensors, the rocking of weapons fire, and the sudden transport of two Negarani Militants. Not even the computer could manage to get them to stop fighting, as it announced: "Intruder alert!"
Just as Dallas rolled onto his back, McGawan braced himself to punch Dallas. However, Dallas managed to pick up his phaser, point, and shoot a militant. Taking that as a cue, McGawan righted himself, just in time to be clubbed in the back of the head by a militant. Instantly, McGawan collapsed onto the flight deck, as three more militants aimed weapons at Dallas.
He surrendered his phaser, immediately.
Three hours later, two starburst puked out two Federation Starships, the Detroit (Constellation class), and the Mukaihara (Excelsior class). Both ships approached the station, signaling.
Nakajima climbed up the ladder to the second level, where she nodded to Kim. Quickly, Kim openned a channel. A gruff, square-faced, yet well built, human male appeared, with short black hair. Nakajima recognized him instantly. "Captain Grear, what can I do for you?"
"Where is Mister Dallas?" Grear wondered. "We were holding position for the last two hours, and they never showed."
"I sent him, with Captain McGawan, in a runabout with your supplies," Nakajima said. "Did they not get to you?"
"Nooo," Grear said. "They never came."
"That's funny," Nakajima said, as she headed to Kim's station. She retreieved the departure logs, and sent them to Grear. "They left the station about four hours ago."
"We've been waiting for two and a half hours, thirty minutes later than scheduled," Grear said clearly. "What happened to them?"
"I don't know," Nakajima said. "I will ask Captain Holland on the Mukaihara to check out their last recorded position."
"You do that," Grear said. "In the meantime, do you have any more of those supplies you can beam into our cargo holds? We're running late to Delta Miramax as it is."
Dallas openned his eyes. As the sleep agent wore off, the world began to come into more clear focus. And he found himself staring at a grey metal wall.
He looked around, finding McGawan, leaning against a wall behind Dallas. Quickly, Dallas scampered over to McGawan, taking off a blindfold, and smacking the captain in the face a few times. "Hey, buttwad. Wake up."
McGawan slowly openned his eyes, and stared at Dallas. "Why the hell did you wake me up, freak? NEVER wake me up from a good sleep."
"It's drugs, you idiot," Dallas said. "We've been captured by Negarani Militants."
McGawan yawned, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in the back of his head. "What the..."
Dallas checked it out. An open wound, where the militant clubbed him on the runabout. "You're bleeding pretty badly." Dallas took his blindfold, and put it on the wound. "It seems that they don't really care for giving a helping hand, do they?"
"Those psychotic bastards," McGawan said. "If I get my strength back, I'm gonna kick the sh—"
Just then, a large metal door openned. Two masked men entered, sporting nice phaser rifles. Starfleet issue. Where they got those was anyone's guess.
"You two," one of the militants said. "You're coming with us."
"Commander," Kim announced, "we're receiving a subspace message on all frequencies."
Nakajima nodded. "On screen."
The screen activated. A militant appeared, red mask with gold trim. Behind him were six more militants. Four of them sported rifles. Two of them held d'artags to the necks of two Starfleet Officers... Crewman Dallas and Captain McGawan.
This was a typical Negarani demand. "These," the Negarani said, "are two officers in the Federation's headquarters here in this sector. In fact, one of them is the Sector Commander." Another militant came around, holding a padd, to which he held to the screen. It were the IDs of Dallas and McGawan. The leader militant continued. "These men will NOT be freed through normal diplomatic channels. Nor will they be freed by ahearance to any terms and conditions. In two hours, Starbase 248 MUST be shut down, and evacuated. This transmission is live, so the clock is ticking. After two hours, we will send our warriors, in heavily armed friggates, to Starbase 248, to destroy it. Any attempt to destroy these friggates will result in a cataclysmic explosion that will rip subspace apart. These friggates MUST reach Starbase 248, and must interact with the station's power core to trigger a much safer explosion.
"It is too bad for anyone who is still on the station if the Federation does NOT give up its position here. Along with the deaths of everyone on the station, another friggate will plummet to the Morias Four colony, devistating the entire planet, if the Federation does NOT comply with our demand. After this, there will be the broadcasted beheadings of Crewman Michael Dallas, and Captain Bruce McGawan.
"The Federation has less than two hours to comply, or more people will die than just Dallas and McGawan. And we WILL succeed, one way or another. LONG LIVE THE NEGARANI!"
As the rest cheared the same chant in the background, two Militants kicked Dallas and McGawan, to the ground, and dragged them off screen.
Then, the transmission ended.
After a stunned moment, Nakajima turned to Wing and Kim. "Commander Kim... get me Starfleet Command on ESC. Tao... my office, NOW!"
END OF ACT II