4x01, Hunter's Dawn

by A wee Moose

Terrorist demands weapons else he will kill a million civilians

Episode 1 'Hunter's Dawn', June 13 - July 14, 2003 Stardate 61179

The sun rose over the sleepy colony, slowly waking its inhabitants from a peaceful night's rest. The colony was established a few years ago on the planet 18 Beta Perseis 4, better known as Polaris, in a system on the outlying edges of the Federation.

Rolling plains and grasslands cover most of the surface, which is also dotted with small lakes and rivers. A rather boring place, the planet boasts no significant resources, is far from the major galactic trading routes, and has no strategic importance in its location. The three thousand colonists, merely living out their lives and of their children's in a quiet lifestyle, farming the land for food and mining the hills for metals. Such a place should not garner any interest from anyone.

On an unassuming farm, ten kilometers from the nearest city.

"Good morning sweetie," said Richard as she walked into the kitchen, "Sleep well ?"

"Yes." answered a teenager, barely fourteen years old.

"I finished fixing the engine on your bike last night so you can ride it to school again, but no more crashing into people's gardens alright?"

"Ooh! Thank you daddy!" Sami squealed, and hugged his neck.

"Okay," he gargled and gently pried her arms from his collar "My, you're getting strong."

Sami giggled and started attacking her breakfast. Richard poured himself some tea as his wife, Danielle placed a stack of grainbread on the table and thought this was the perfect living. The family had used to live on Earth. Five years ago, they gathered their belongings and left for the outlying colony they lived in now. He worked at the colony's comm centre, receiving and transmitting information and messages, at the same time maintaining the outdated equipment so that he could perform his primary job. Danielle took a position at the medical centre, although a far cry from a typical Federation facility, she is still able to help heal the sick and the wounded.

The proud father looked at his daughter; her tousled blonde hair drooped down to her shoulders, those bright green eyes full of excitement and intelligence. Sami Aran had finished her first slice of grainbread and was reaching for a second when the morning air was pierced by a sudden supersonic screech that caused the entire house to shudder. "What was that?" asked Danielle as she steadied the table. The explosion did considerably more than rattle a few windows.

Looking out, he saw columns of black smoke in the direction of the spaceport and city. A sudden orange bloom punctuated another massive explosion that seemed to engulf the entire port. There goes the deuterium fuel bunkers, he thought, before spotting a four blue ships flying through the flame.

Richard yelled "Get Sami down to the subfloor now! They're coming back this way!"

Danielle had a look of panic on her face, but Sami just seemed to be irritated by the loud noise and not frightened at all, "What? Who is it? Who's attacking ?"

"Raiders!"

"We HAVE to send a distress signal." Danielle told Richard.

"I've got a subspace receiver in the basement." he told her.

Posted: Jun 16 2003, 02:59 PM "Strange days indeed !"

Captain Rakurai Stryker - Dot's Diner

Outside the windows, space debris streaked by, briefly made florescent by the ship's warp field. Rakurai took a sip of his drink. It was the colour of the sun and sparkled like the ocean. The air warm, comfortably so, like a room with a fireplace.

He received a few strange looks from the crew. They crew almost never saw him in ten-forward or Dot's Diner. And yet, here he was, out of uniform and relaxed, while chatting away with a lovely red haired woman. !!

Posted: Jun 16 2003, 04:40 PM Commander Khetrha - Somewhere on the Pretoria

It wasn't easy being quiet, especially when one is eight feet tall. It also doesn't help when one's appearance always reminds humans of a certain mythical creature. Although, looking like a dragon can have its perks...

...such as the ensign lying on the ground in front of her...

"Sir...ma'am...sir..." the poor ensign stuttered, scrambling to regain his footing after being scared witless by the sudden appearance of the looming first officer. She chuckled inwardly as her reasurring smile (which suppposedly looked like she was baring her teeth) caused the ensign to go white as a sheet.

"Are you okay, Ensign?" she asked.

"Yes...fine...ma'am...uh...sir..." He scrambled to his feet and attempted a shaky "at attention" posture.

"As you were, Ensign," she said, slowly strolling into the room and looking at the monitors the ensign had been working on.

"Is there anything I can do for you, sir...ma'am...? N-no one comes down h-here v-very much..."

"No... I was just coming up to do a quick check on this section." Khetrha smiled again.

The ensign regained his discolored look and blurted, "Well, that's good, sir...ah...ma'am...because I was just...just about to get a hyperspanner that I left in...in my quarters..." The guy was out of the door and down the corridor before Khetrha could say "ensign."

Khetrha grinned to herself. Works every time... she thought as she turned and snuck down the corridor....quietly...ever so quietly....

...and it wasn't easy being quiet...

!! Posted: Jun 16 2003, 05:34 PM The slow hum of the ships engines almost sent O'Leary into a trance as he sat, very comfortably , in the captains chair on the bridge. TO stop himself fro falling asleep he read the crew reports on the new crew members. He was especially interested to read the report of LtJg Renada, His new assistant chief engineer. He has briefly served with Lt Renada during an incident with the USS Yorktown where she served as chief engineer. He just hoped that she wouldn't get too hot headed now being an assistant chief.

AS he mussed on that and on how much longer he had to take the bridge shift (4 hours 23 minutes) before he could attend to engineering, the hail beep caught his attention. With only the bare minimum staff on the bridge [helm, tactical and himself] he took the call.

[Over the comm.] This is Richard Aran of the planet Polaris. we are under attack please help us.

This made O'Leary sit up and take notice.

"This is Commander O'Leary of the starship Pretoria. please repeat."

[Comms} I said we are under attack. Please Pretoria help us signal starts to degrade P..s. h..p ...........................

To comms, "This is the Pretoria we are on our way"
"Lt Rish set course for planet Polaris. Maximum warp."

"This is O'Leary. All senior officers to the bridge repeat all senior officers to the bridge."

He turned to the tactical officer. Someone he didn't recall seeing before but he was sure he'd probably read about on the incoming crew manifest

"Ensign. I need all tactical information you can gather on the planet Polaris. Its defenses, possible threats etc..."

Posted: Jun 16 2003, 05:56 PM Captain Rakurai Stryker - Deck 18 Corridor, outside Dot's Diner

Under the tint of flashing yellow alert lights, he exited Dot's Diner immediatly. He hestited to leave Alice. She had no formal assignment and basically had nothing to do. A mixture of anger and sadness on her face.

Not equipped with either a uniform or combadge Stryker walked to the nearest panel in the corridor and opened a comm link. "Bridge. What is going on ?"

"We received a distress signal sir. A remote colony is being attacked. Information is very limited right now. Consulting the computer libary now." Lt.Cmdr O'Leary answered.

"I am on my way." he said, ending the comminication. He resumed walking down the corridor, as the ship's personnel hurried around him, running about to report to their stations. !!

Posted: Jun 17 2003, 12:25 AM Kiya Black Wolf - Her Quarters

Kiya Black Wolf was asleep. The sleep of Dreams and Visions...

All about her was not her familiar quarters with all her dearest funrnishings and momentos to her legacy and heritage, but a flowing meadow with children playing in the middle-distance. Small farms could be seen here and there just over the rolling hills, healthy livestock peacefully grazing, their young frollicking and playing as all youngsters of any kind will do. And the sky beaconed to be drank in like a fine wine. It was a place she longed to stay and relax.

She threw her arms wide and looked up to the sky thanking Father Sky and Earth Mother for this place of peace and tranquility. It was as it should be and she insistantly wanted to stay in this beautiful place.

Kiya looked all around her, spinning slowly with her arms still outstretched, breathing in the sweet earthy smells of verdant Life in all it's forms. She was smiling as she rarely did, an honest, open, childlike smile filled with wonder and exhuberance.

The mild breeze teased her long black hair from her face and draped it along her back and shoulders. Kiya closed her eyes leaning her head into the caressing wind. It made her think of her mother's gentle touch that always relocated her willful hair from her face. Her mother had forever told her that her hair shielded her beauty too much, to never be afraid to allow one's face to be seen plainly. "An open face hides no malice, and burries no shame." Her mother had always reminded her. So she had always striven to be so.

Kiya could loose herslf in this place. She thought of how dearly she missed her home in Arizona and the trips her family had made every year to the mountains there. Flagstaff had also been a favorite hangout. And of course, there was nothing in the world like the Grand Canyon and the Salt River Canyon to make her feel at peace, so small in such a big, comforting place.

Kiya sighed in contentment as she walked barefooted through the soft grass, it's tickling leaflets pushing up between her toes. She was in no wise prepared for what she experienced next.

Shrieks and cries filled the air. Though the children were not near to her, their clear voices were. In dream signs, this was a warning that the danger was also near to her.

She snapped her head side to side trying to locate the children, but they had disapeared from sight, though their shrieks were ever louder. Kiya ran for the nearest farm, topping the crest of the hill at a dead run, but there was no sign of it once she got there, only a bare valley. She stopped and looked in all directions, all the farms had been visible before, but now were not.

Before she could think. a warning call came from above her. She looked up to see what she most dreaded. She knew the bird's call without needing to see it. And a chill of direst dread shot through her like lightening when her eyes met the eyes of Owl flying above her and over the valley where the farm had once been. To most Native Americans, the call of the owl is the omen of imminent death. It was at this moment she realised in horror that the shrill screams of the children had stopped.

Silence filled the beautiful land where once children and life had been. And she knew in the deepest pit of her stomach that there was nothing she could do to stop it. Death walked today and had paused briefly to warn her on it's path. Her skin prickled with goosepimples.

Hot anger ran in Kiya's narrowed eyes. This time she ran to pursue Owl. If she could do nothing but watch, then she would watch. But she had to know what was going on one way or the other.

The grass that had previously felt like silk now stung her feet like whips as she ran. But soon that changed as her feet became padded and smaller, her breathing quickened to at least four times her normal and all too soon she realised she was running lower to the ground and with four feet. Her Vision had allowed her to shapeshift into her spirit form.

When Kiya stopped running, she'd crested another hill, this time looking down an a small port of some type. Smoke and burning explosions rocked the earth beneath her spirit feet. Below her, the people ran for their lives from their enemy. Death had claimed several in it's wake here.

Remorse, anger and helpless loss filled Kiya's heart. She layed back her wolven ears and howled in lament. A single man in the melee below looked up and pointed. He had never seen a black wolf before and now he ran away in the opposite direction, his fear doubled.

This shook Kiya. She sat down and peered. What was she to do?

A strange noise in this destruction took her attention. She looked all about her but could not find it's source. In the distance, a great huge hawk was flying. It saw her and flew hard and fast towards her, diving with wings folded. She realised almost too late that it meant to ram into her.

She dodged and rolled trying to evade it's attack, but found herself in her bed covered in sweat and tangled in her sheets. Kiya blinked and shook her head trying to clear her mind. She was breathing hard and in confusion. This was not the traumatic place she'd been. She realised through the mud of her sleepiness that she was back in her quarters on the Pretoria.

It was at this very same time that she finally identified the odd sound she'd heard in her Vision...

"All senior staff report to stations!" came the call on her console. Her mind was a flight of mixing ideas and images. She knew she had been warned... but what of?

Kiya tapped at the buttons until she found the right ones, "CMO Black Wolf confirms. Reporting to Sickbay." She stopped and tried to orient her thoughts a moment.

She stared into nothing considering the truth of her dream walk... she had been warned.

....they all had been warned....

Posted: Jun 17 2003, 07:46 PM Captain Rakurai Stryker

The turbolift doors opened, and Stryker stepped onto the bridge. He relieved O'Leary, who went to the master control engineering consoles.
He pressed a button on his chair, "All stations report !" he gruffly demanded as Commander Khetrha entered the bridge.

"Science report ready." Ensign Fox Xanatos reported.

"Weapons charged, shields at standby." Ensign Alva Rei said from tactical.

"Hangerbay ready. 3 shuttles ready to launch." Chief Petty Officer Josie McCoy reported.

"Sickbay here. We are preparing for a worst case scenerio." the EMH reported as CMO, Kiya Black Wolf entered sickbay.

"Holding at maximum warp. ETA to Polaris, 34 minutes." Lt. Rish told his commander.

"Anything on sensors ?" Stryker asked.

"Entering sensor range of Polaris in ten minutes." Rish told him.

"All shipwide system are nominal." O'Leary reported.

"When do we know so far ?" Stryker asked O'Leary.

!!

Posted: Jun 17 2003, 11:39 PM Sabaqwa Isth - Dot's Diner

"OWCH!" A growled and muffled stream of ephithetes and other oaths followed in a steady stream from under the bar in Dot's Diner.

The waitress on the other side of the bar sat down her tray on the countertop, and peered over and down to the bending form of Sabaqwa Isth on the other side. He had himself stuck neatly just inside the cabinet's opening. She giggled, despite herself, as she heard him scrabbling around knocking over bottles of various spirits and liquors.

"Sab? Sab.. what on earth are you doing?" She unsuccessfully stiffled rolling snickers as she heard him pop his feline head on the underside of the countertop. This of course, produced more ephithetes and oaths.

She heard a loud crash, a thump, and a few surviving bottles rolling around on the floor and inside the cabinet. In silence, Sab creaked up from the ignominious encounter with the counter, with a rising lump on the top of his head already visible. He was frowning and his mane of bluish black hair was rumpled in all directions. The waitress lost all composure when he sneezed.

After a few moments, her hooting and breathless laughter wound down. Sabaqwa deemed her a Singular Look, his narrowed eyes just slightly trembling.

"Are you quite finished Samantha? I mean, really." He peered at her daring her to laugh again. She bit her lip until it hurt, but her eyes were rebellious with pent up giggles screaming to get out. Noting that look, Sab folded his arms, took a step backwards, and tried to lean cooly back on the counter behind him. He didnt make it.

Several crewmembers were looking their way. Some had been following the actions from the start and were laughing without remorse. One was getting up to come see what was going on.

One cocky cadet in medical blues slid up gracefully, leaning up beside Samantha with his best suave' glide and winked at her. "Soooo... Sammie, how's the cat? Feeding him properly lately? Or are ya still having troubles with litter-breaking the little boy? I know a good airlock nearby that'll fix him of that real quick."

The cadet noted her frown, but had little comprehension of what had followed. And, he was having troubles focusing, thinking or orienting himself for that matter. He shook himself and tried to get up off the floor where she'd layed him flat with one good sucker punch to the jaw.

"If I were you, 'little boy'", she growled,"I'de get your blue-uniformed little butt back to Sickbay now, while you can still walk!" Samantha glared at him with wicked disgust.

Another officer in security gold walked up to Samantha and the splayed cadet. The Lieutenant looked at Samantha and nodded his head at her. She took the message and stalked off with her tray grappled tightly in her fist. She was mumbling as she went and Sab was sure he didn't want to know what she'd said. He decided to stand all the way up now, instead of peering over the bar at everything like a cartoon of Killroy.

"Many thanks... ah, er Sir!" Sab smiled very nervously. Starfleet uniforms always made him nervous. Especially since he never had been able to puzzle out what rank any of them were from those funny little dots on their collars. 'And they always did get so blasted upset if you ever got that wrong!' Sab thought privately as he continued his weak smile.

"Bartender, I'll deal with you in a moment. Excuse me." The Lietenant stooped and caught the cadet, who was still on the floor, by the scruff of his collar and hauled him to his feet in one stroke. The cadet's eyes were wide with just a touch of healthy fear.

"Cadet. You are hereby on notice. I see you harrasing anyone, and I DO mean anyone else on this ship, and I'll make sure you scrub bedpans until you're 92. Read me?" The cadet nodded in a panick.

"Now report to Sickbay. I'll be informing the CMO of your actions. I'm sure she'll find some use for you, if I know anything about Kiya Black Wolf. And I do know something about Kiya Black Wolf, she is my sister." He grinned a meaningful feral grin at the startled cadet.

He plunked the cadet to his feet. In his speach, the cadet found himself being lifted slowly, inexhorably, from the security of the deck plates beneath him, where he most wanted to be all through his chat with the Lieutenant. The cadet promptly nodded and excused himself and took off for the doors like a scalded dog.

"Now Bartender, about this incident..." The lieutenant began, leaning on the bar as he kept his head turned to watch his prey run for the doors.

"All Senior staff report to the Bridge!" The blaring words ended the small interrogation before it began, much to Sabaqwa's relief.

"Excuse me Bartender, business calls!" And the tall Apache Security man took off at a jog for the door. Sabaqwa was certain if the cadet was stupid enough to still be in the vicinity, he'd be seen somewhere belowdecks still running for his life a week from now. "That's what I would do." Sab said out loud to himself without thinking.

"Do what?" Smiled Samantha with a quirky grin. "You know..." she looked over behind Sab, reaching to turn him around, so his back could face her, "You really should take that sticker off your tail. Now don't get me wrong, it's cute and all. But a bright yellow smiley face completely clashes with your fur and tail coloring."

Sabaqwa spun around in several directions trying to get a glimpse of his nubby, flat tail and this offensive sticker he'd had no knowledge was there. "What sticker?!" He spun and spun, but to no avail, he just couldn't get a glimpse of it. He stopped and looked around at Samantha, who was once again fighting to control fits of giggles.

"Sam?" Sab sounded so resigned.

"Yes Sab?" she smiled with gleams of mischief in her eyes.

"Sam, would you please remove this st-sticker from me? sigh With my luck it'll remove a layer of skin and I'll have to report to Sickbay.... again..."

"Okie-dokie!" Sam quickly and gleefully grabbed the edge of the sticker with her fingernail and ripped.

Somewhere in the corridor outside Dot's Diner, several crewmen stopped in their tracks. They looked back and forth at each other and all around them with alarm.

"We have panthers on the Pret? That sure sounded like a panther scream to me!" The others frowned, shaking their heads and continued on their ways, cautiously looking for anything that didnt belong.

Posted: Jun 18 2003, 05:47 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar looked at the destruction he had wreaked on the planet. It brought back many memories. Memories of his own world, ablaze. Memories of his people's ships attempting to dispell the attackers. Memories of his captain being impaled into his seat by a support frame. Falkar blinked his eyes, one green, one blue to dispell the images.
He turned to his tactical officer and asked "Any casualties on the surface?"
His officer, an elder man named Janhag responded "No, as per your orders, we did not target areas of populace."
Falkar was relived to hear this. He did not enjoy taking life from those who could not defend themselves. Dismissing this thought, he continued his questions.
"Have the colonists sent out a distress signal?"
"Yes sir, a vessel has responded. The USS Pretoria. We jammed the colonists signal after they responded, which should pressure them to arrive faster."
Falkar was impressed "Excellent work. Inform all vessels to withdraw to the fifth planet of the system and hide in the outer radiation belt. We should be able to see them but they will not see us."
Janhag sent the message. As the raider fleet moved into it's position, Janhag could not help but wonder why Falkar had chosen to attack this place and why he wanted a vessel to respond. Had he finally gone mad? Or was this a deliberate tactic?

!!

Posted: Jun 19 2003, 05:48 PM [OOC] Ok for some reason my post deleted itself halfway through witing so if it turns up some then i appologise and ask if one of hte moderators could erase it

Lt.-Cmdr Michael O'Leary - Bridge

[IC] O'Leary was relieved form his post at the captains chair by... well the captain. He was somewhat reluctant to get up as the seat was so comfortable. He made a meant al not to try and order a chair of similar comfort for his engineering office. Either that or change from engineering to command staff.... He was broke out of his musing by the captain asking him for a report.

"Captain, it appears that the planet Polaris is under attack from a force of unknown size or origin. Their communications were cut just after the distress cal was sent out."

He scanned his engineering display and smiled. Everything was working at 110% for a change.

"Sir all systems are operating at optimum performance. Including, I am happy to say, the defensive systems. Recommend we raise shields and go in expecting trouble!"

!!

Posted: Jun 19 2003, 07:01 PM The Eclipse class, USS Pretoria ripped through the cold vacuum of space at Warp 9.75

Captain Rakurai Stryker - Bridge

He nodded in agreement with O'Leary. He took a cue from the captain, and called out, "Battle stations."

The red alert klaxon and lights replaced the moody, amber lighting. Where is Commander Khetrha ?, Stryker thought. I bet 3000 meseta she'll come to the bridge via the jeffries tubes again.

Rakurai stepped forward, to stand behind the two front consoles. To his left, Lieutenant Rish at the Helm. To his right, Ensign Alva at Tactical. He turned to Rish, "Lieutenant. I know this ship's maneuverability is less than ... well, remarkable."

Rish chuckled softly.
"But, I need you to drop us out of warp to close to the planet as you can, and park the ship in low orbit above the heaviest populated area."

"That is a very tall order captain." Rish said to him.
"I am well aware of that."

"Ensign." Rakurai said to Alva. "Raise shields the moment we drop to impulse. Phasers and torpedoes to fire at a moment's notice."
"Aye sir." she answered.

He then turned the bridge science officer. "Mister Fox. I want continuous sensor sweeps, short and long range. Once we reach Polaris, scan the surface for lifesigns."

!!

Posted: Jun 21 2003, 11:38 PM Commander Alice Brangwin - Dot's Diner

From a table near the bar, Alice looked at the commotion with slight amusement. It afforded her a small but temporary distruction from the fact that she, a fully qualified Starfleet officer with alot of experience, has nothing to do. Apart from trying to avoid the ship's counselors, of course.

This would get interesting ...., she thought.

"Sam, would you please remove this st-sticker from me? With my luck it'll remove a layer of skin and I'll have to report to Sickbay.... again..."

"Okie-dokie!" Sam quickly and gleefully grabbed the edge of the sticker with her fingernail and ripped.

Sabaqwa's feral growl of pain was so loud, the sound hurt her ears.

It was not like any sound she had ever heard though. If the pitch had been slightly higher, Alice would not have heard it at all. As things were, the strange, almost subsonic scream reverberated through the Diner, through the walls and bounced around inside her skull. Alice fought the urge to let out a scream of her own; it felt like her eardrums were about to collapse.

Then it was all over in a few seconds. She tentatively let go of her ears, hoping that the ringing in them was not evidence of permanent damage.

"More nuts than a squirrel pantry." she remarked to herself, unaware her voice was louder than usual due to the state of her ears.

!!

Posted: Jun 23 2003, 04:33 PM Somewhere on the Pretoria

Khetrha paused a moment, her clawed hands momentarily suspended in the air as she listened intently. She waited for a couple minutes, but the sound never repeated itself. I must be hearing things again, she thought.

She had just been about to resume her work when a call came across the intercom: "All senior staff report to stations!"

Khetrha groaned out loud (it wasn't as if anyone would hear her where she was). Not again. Why is it something always happens just when I get settled in up here? Reluctantly, she clambered out of her hiding space and quietly padded to the nearest main corridor (which was quite a ways away, as per her liking).

She arrived on the bridge to find everyone else there already. The readings on her panel - as well as the clipped bridge conversations - brought her up to speed on what was going on.

Posted: Jun 24 2003, 12:50 PM Chief Science Officer Ensign Fox Xanatos - Bridge

Monitoring his console which was located on the long 'wing' behind the chairs of the captain, first officer, and two spare chairs, which was unoccupied at the moment.

Fox was very nervous. Two minutes, ten seconds left until the ship arrives at Polaris. At the captain's request, he fed stellar cartography to the viewscreen. The viewer displayed 6 planets orbitting a single star and two asteriod belts. The belt nearest to the sun was proberly a planet before something destroyed it millions of years ago. Three radiation belts ran throughout the system, not unusual at all. A Nova Madagen can be seen far in the background.

"Not on a single ship in sensor range sir." Fox reported.

The captain was now sitting on the edge of his seat. He was tense, 'The calm before the storm of the century' like his grandmother used to say.

"Captain. I am reading multiple warp eddies. They are zig zagged across the system to make it extremely difficult to track." Ensign Alva reported from tactical.

Seems that I am might be facing an intelligent enemy commander, Stryker thought. "Analysis !" he demanded.

Fox opened his mouth to speak, but Alva was faster. "The trails contain mesons, sir. Not Starfleet though. All nine of them accounted for sir, they left the system in different directions."

She smirked, and sent a mental image of her sticking her tongue out at Fox and saying 'wêwê wêwê wêwê. I beat you to it.'

Fox retaliated by imagining an image of her, gaining 400 lbs. She read his mind and grew angry. Fox decided to push one more 'button', Admit it. You like me.

Alva retorted by giving him a severe telepathic induced headache. With everyone's attention on the viewscreen, it appears only Lt. Rish, a weak telepath himself was even aware of their private little war as he smirked just a little bit.

"Sounds like a diversion." Commander Khetrha told the captain.

"Agreed." he said. "Mister Rish, continue on best speed to Polaris."

OOC
"wêw" is a taunt, possibly french in origin. Young kids tease and mock each other by using these words.

!!

Posted: Jun 24 2003, 04:12 PM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar analysed the situation. His fleet was hiding in the radiation belt of the fifth planet. Using technology he had stolen from a Romulan base, he has made it appear his ships had left. However, Falkar had not set that up simply to lull his prey into a false sense of security. A Starfleet officer would aid the colony first. Such regard for life, these Starfleets types. Setting this thought at the back of his mind, he turned to Janhag.
"When will the Pretoria enter the system?"
Janhag ran a series of calculations to pinpoint his quarry's position "One minute, forty seconds."
"Have the fleet's weapons been configured as I asked?"
Janhag checked his display "Yes sir."
"Excellent. Put Polaris on the m,ain viewer. I want to get a good look at our friends."
Janhag complied, still uncertain as to why this was happening. He hoped Falkar knew what he was doing. He stared at Polaris and did not take his gaze off until he saw the Pretoria emerge from warp !!

Posted: Jun 25 2003, 11:35 AM Holodeck program 19179

It was.
It was the kind of night favoured by horror stories and mood pieces.

A frigid, steel edged wind, taking up the leaves of the forest into its whirling embrace, rain slashing down beneath a soul-black sky, lit to brilliance by staggering whips of lightning and rocked with the thunder of their passing, that sort of thing.

On nights such as this, people would huddle around their homestead hearths and the stories they would tell would gravitate to tales of stark terror, of shadows moving through a moonless night, of creeping clthonic beasts invisible in the darkness. One thousand five hundard years ago, superstition and the sword ruled. It was a time of darkness. It was a world of fear.

In their imaginations, demons, succubae, and wolves would kill anyone unlucky it find themselves outside. The people huddled in the dark, fearfully wondering what brought their stories to life. Hence the occupants of the Inn, which stood on the southwestern outskirts of the Wyvern forest.

The Inn was still standing mainly because of its clientele. They weren't the best of men, and right now they were drunk, which didn't help.

The rickety door had been rattling on its bolt all evening, so very few really noticed the noise of its opening. They all turned at the blast of cold air, though, and saw a pretty young lady pushing it closed. With only one hand, it might be noted, and against the strength of the wind. Everyone in the Inn was too occupied or too drunk to really take heed of that.

Especially given the woman's clothing.

She was wearing pink. And purple. Specifically, she had a pink skirt and top, and purple, gold edged rigid leather armour. She wore powder yellow leggings and bright, pure white boots. Her long red hair was wet, and straight with it, but she didn't seem uncomfortable.

She secured the door and turned. The lady with the hidden athletic build was carrying a walking stick, and had presumably come from some distance. She smiled and walked to the bar, as the conversations stared up again around her, punctuated by the requisite whilstling.

The barman, a beefy bald guy, took up his best no-nonsense stance and waited for her to order. "Ale." she told him.

The Inn went briefly silent, and then erupted into laughter. Only the barman didn't smile. "I'm afraid I don't have any money, but...."

The barman snorted and turned completely away from her. The drinkers continued laughing, and the lady waited. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Yes?"

The speaker was a big guy, really big. Plenty of muscle, but even more gut, and only a few teeth. From the smell it seemed likely they were rotting.

"I can pay for your drink, sweetie, and pay you a bit more besides."

The lady in pink tried to sound naive and interested. "Really?"

The man's hand crept towards her. "Yeah. All you have to do is....Oh ho! I like a girl with spirit!"

The lady had brushed away his hand, angerily. "Don't I lads?" the man called over his shoulder. More laughter, and suddenly the room was an audience.

"Now, see here girlie...." he started, grabbing her arm.

Her electric green eyes burned with true fury. "Don't call me that! Let me go, lout!"

Even the barman joined in the laughter this time. "Don't worry, we'll pay you well, won't be boys?"

A chorus of 'yeahs!' and a sea of smirks.

The man turned back from addressing the crowd, and looked at the lady. She smiled back at them with the beauty of an angel (or a succubus take your pick). "Boys," she said seductively, "Are you sure you want to go through with this ?"

And the lady brought up her knee. Careful, she thought, we don't want them to know what they're dealing with. Not yet.

She resisted the temptation to follow through and twisted her arm out from his now limp grasp, rubbing it as if it was sore. Not that it wasn't. The brute had a grip like steel.

Most of the bar was laughing even harder, but a couple of what the lady could only assume to be his mates, had risen from their table, and were trying to walk menacingly towards her.

The lady sighed inwardly and cowered back against the bar.

The barman grabbed her hair from behind, a move that she was not really expecting and now held her immobile, and hissed something in her ear about not hurting his customers.

The lady checked her grip on her staff. This might be a little awkward, but she should be able to handle it....

Two seconds later, she moved.

After fifteen seconds, the rest of the bar joined in.

After a minute, her pole broke, and she had to start using furniture. Adrenaline on overload.

After a minute and a half, she found out that wine bottles didn't break as easily as you might expect. Her two bounced off around five skulls each before eventually breaking.

After two minutes, although very few were actually conscious, nobody seemed interested in admitting it. The pink lady stood in the middle of the heaps of toppled bodies, panting, but pleased. It had been ages since she'd had the opportunity to give her skills a real workout.

She went and lounged over by the door, waiting for people to start getting up. It took a while. She smiled at any who seemed to want to try getting past her to leave.

"Who are you?" someone risked eventually.

She quirked an eyebrow. "I'm the person who demolished a bar full of men, but if you want more, then, well...."
The pink lady smiled sweetly, but with a hard edge.

"Next time I'll bring my sword." she smirked. She exited the holodeck.

The red haired woman walked along the hallways. Just as she entered Dot's Diner, Alice heard a loud crash, a thump, and a few surviving bottles rolling around on the floor.

!!

Posted: Jun 28 2003, 02:18 PM Chief Medical Officer Kiya Black Wolf - Private Office, Sickbay

Kiya sat at her desk, times were tense, she could sense tension throughout the crew. Not that she was psychic by any means, just attentive to details. And all the details around her made her skin crawl. She knew it also had to do with her dreamwalk. That, she could not ignore.

She was allowing her mind to wander, a habit she did not like to engage in, but so much was on her mind. Cadet Blake had been releived of duty and remanded to his quarters. On her desk the Medical Database Interface winked at her patiently with all the lessons he was to review and pass again posted in order. She figured a stint in medical basics again might occupy him so well that he might actually remember this was a ship on a mission, and all the civilians and crew onboard were to be respected. She made her decision and began downloading the materials into his systems. His days were about to be tougher than any Academy day he ever remembered. Despite the delight that tugged at her lips, the smile would not come.

"Kiya to Thomas Black Wolf"

"Here." came the rough voice she knew so well. Funny how he sounded no less amused than her about now. She sighed.

"Tiko, your charge is confined to his quarters and going to pass his meds again or be flunked off this duty. CMO's orders. I've already sent the report to Captain Stryker."

"He has sick timing. You really should train them better sis." He chided her. In his quarters, he smiled. He knew if he antagonised his so-serious sister, that she would lighten up a little. After the initial rush of anger, that is.

There was dead silence on the other end of the conversation. Thomas realised too late he'd taken this too far.

"Sis, I'm coming down."

"I think you better, Thomas. Black Wolf out."

'Oh-oh', he thought, 'that did it.. me and my big mouth'. Thomas rubbed at his face in self-aggrivation and groaned. He left the Security Office and headed out to Sickbay. He could take down a Chalnothian warrior with one well placed kick, but he dearly dreaded facing his older sister in a rage that he created.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the Dreaded Doors Of Sickbay and stopped to straighten his uniform before entering. No use showing up looking as rumpled as he felt.

He strided in and saw her hovering over a patient on a biobed. A pregnant civilian who was about Kiya's age and build. He wondered when she'd get over her bad days with Charles, her ex-husband, and settle down again to have those grandkids Gramma always wanted. He pocketed the idea quickly when she looked up and saw him standing there. All the joy in her face had evaporated like steam on a highway at mid day.

Kiya jerked her head towards her office. He complied without further eye contact, and walked into her office.

She glided in, not a good smile on her face either, he noted.

She motioned for him to sit down, he nodded and did so, sensitive to give her her place of honor at her desk. 'Kiya's earned that desk, I ain't about to usurp her there.', Thomas thought appreciatively to himself. He couldn't help smiling, he loved his older sister and was wildly proud of all she'd come through in life. She'd beaten alot of odds and made it here onto the Pretoria as the CMO, and on her own terms. Too bad Kiya misread his smile altogether...

"So you think it's funny Thomas. That it?" She had lost her smile.

"Wha?" he stammered for a second before his thoughts caught gears and leapt ahead of his confusion. She'd crossed her arms on her chest. Waiting.

"Oh shi... sis, I was thinking how you've come so far. This is a great ship, a great career..." He gulped softly noting that her expression hadnt softened.

"Damnit Kiya, I'm proud of you and have a right to smile about it if I want to. Get off of me will ya?" He was the one now frowning, his eyes darkening a little. That stopped her. But all she could do is smile. And that made him madder.

"Well, nice to know I can still backfire your little pranks on you Tiko. And I DO train them well here," her eyes narrowed to slits, "just take a look out there next time. That little cadet is in for a shock, seems he's been used to soft duty on other posts. Not on my watch. And you better not go soft on him either. Last time I tried to jerk one of my own back into place, you found a way to derail that. And on that subject, what the hell were you thinking when you popped Ens. Marshal from confinement to go out for drinks last year? He was in confinement for drunkeness onduty already! Then he nearly killed a Corvalan Ambassador mislaying the man's pipes in surgery! The idiot reported to Sickbay that day after an all-nighter in a Corvalan bar! The one you were so fond of!"

Thomas just looked at her, steam just barely visible rising off his forehead. She'd snapped his chain and he knew it. He also knew she had every right to. Drinking because of Maria leaving him was no excuse. And he had shared part of the responsibility for the Corvalan Ambassador's near fatality in surgery. He'd gone on report for it, and Kiya had signed the papers testifying against him before Ens. Marshal's courtmartial. Thomas had nearly been courtmartialed too that week. And it had taken a year to get his head back together about why Kiya took the role she did in things.

"Kiya... I was wrong then, I've told you so, many times before. I am not about to spring Cadet Blake from your orders. Once is enough for me with you." He tried an experimental sheepish smile, "You're one helluva adversary sis. Always have been."

At last Kiya's dark expression lifted. All she'd ever wanted was to hear him say it. And he had, as he'd said, several times. But she was unsure whether he'd learned his lessons. And she wanted to make her position clear from the start before history repeated itself on the Pretoria.

"Tiko", her voice finally softer, "You are a royal pain in the butt for a little brother, you know that?" She finally smiled at him, but went just as quickly back to serious. "But this mission is gonna have a twist I'm not sure about."

"Oh?" His interest peaked, his inner senses telling him she meant something more. "How do you mean?"

"No time to detail it to you now, but get back to me after shift. Owl warned me of some things in a dreamwalk. It was too specific, and too vivid to have been a dream. And I don't usually remember my dreams. This one has still got me by the throat."

Thomas looked into her eyes, all the kidding put aside. He didn't tell her he'd had a similar dream. Better time to do so later, he thought.

"Ok, I will do that. I've got to get back to Security." Thomas rose with a different spin on things running through his mind now. "You keep me advised Kiya, things arent quite right. You have that one dead to rights. We'll talk later." He quietly walked to her office door and stopped. Somehow he always knew before she spoke when she had more to add to a conversation. He considered it a courtesy of a weird sort to wait on her, even though it bugged her to death when he did it.

"Tiko, I'll call you. I know a good bar." Kiya said baitingly. She waited on his surprised look. And she couldn't help grinning at his moment of off-balanced thinking. Thomas just blinked at her.

"Besides, I know a certain bartender who needs to get to know you in a better light." Kiya stood up from behind the desk and walked up to him, her hand on his arm. She leaned closer as if to impart a dark secret.

"Brother, do you really have to scare the man who mixes my drinks half to death? The silly cat might end up poisoning me, you've got him so scared."

At that, Thomas stood back and did a wide eyed double take of his sister and shook his head as he walked out of her office.

"I'll definately talk to you later kid!" And he stalked off for Sickbay's doors muttering and still shaking his head. Kiya just grinned hugely.

.....gotcha.... she whispered to herself.

Posted: Jun 28 2003, 04:32 PM Rakurai Stryker - Ready room

With red alert lights still flashing and the klaxon silent; Captain Rakurai Stryker, Commander Khetrha, and Lt.Cmdr. Michael O'Leary stood in the ready room. Behind them the door was closed and the walls soundproof.

A pair of repulsive Gargoyles "guarded" the door. The concrete creatures were nicknamed, Bruce and Angela by the captain. A rather large aquarium filled with jellyfish occupied the walls next to the replicator while the computer fatefully imitated the sounds of the ocean, waves at low tide rolling in and out, rolling in and out. Even the air smelled warm and salty.

Is it my imagination or does Khetrha look a little queasy, he wondered.

O'Leary voiced his concerns, his formal protest, ".... this ship was not designed to come to an emergency stop from warp 9.7" he complained. "Should any other ship to attempt to do this insane manoeuvre, it'd end up scattered across half a parsec."

That's a nice thought, Khetrha mumbled to herself.

"Our priority is to the people of Polaris, Commander. There is usually only one reason to block comminication at the source." Stryker said. "Invasion."

"But .... " O'Leary started to say.

But Stryker made up his mind, Khetrha agreed with him. So Stryker gave his captain of Engineering a direct order. Khetrha, O'Leary and Stryker walked out of the ready room in single file. All the bridge crew heard was O'Leary saying, "If this works, I am adding sourcery to my resume." They shot each other confused looks, from Ensign Alva at tactical, Ensign Fox at science/OPS, Lieutenant Garishal 'Rish' Shrint at the CONN, and Cadet Kira Tierney at engineering.

That was when the "fun" started. Starting a seventy-seven second countdown, the massive battlecruiser started to slow down. Non-essential systems were completely shut down, and the lights dimmed as the powerdrain demanded more and more power. Deck plates rattled, Inertial dampeners operating at 140 % of normal. Miss Tierney and O'Leary tried desperately to keep the ship in one piace.

Eighty-nine seconds later, the ship was hanging in low orbit around Polaris. Lights were normal again. "REPORT." Stryker demanded.

"Numerous malfunctions across the board. Damage to the hull is negligible. Shields holding. Main power at 80 %, but auxiliary power is depleted." O'Leary reported from the master engineering monitors.

"Minor injuries reported on almost every deck." Khetrha said.

Stryker sighed softly, "Well done Mister Rish." he told the CONN officer. The poor Lieutenant was in a bit of a shock after the rough ride.

"The deuterium fuel bunkers was specifically targetted to vapourize a coastal city that was under construction captain." Ensign Fox told his Commanding officers from science.

"Lifesigns ?" Commander Khetrha inquired.

"2,844 sir. Mostly Betazoid, Bajoran, Andorian and Human." Alva reported from tactical. "413 injuries detected. No fatalities."

Stryker sighed, something about the pattern of destruction bothered him. "Any surviving comminication buildings ?"

"Negative captain." Ensign Alva said from tactical.

He tapped his combadge, "Bridge to sickbay. Prepare to receive cascaulties."

"We are ready down here captain."

Stryker gave her a ten second head start. He then nodded to Ensign Alva to drop shields.

!!

Posted: Jun 28 2003, 07:14 PM Sabaqwa Isth - Dot's Diner

Sabaqwa jumped around like he was molecularilly fused to a pogo stick. His poor tail trapped beneath his hands behind his back. Even though he had stopped his enormous scream, his eyes were still quite wide with alarm, and of course, pain. Provided by his now not-so-favorite server.

"More nuts than a squirrel pantry." she remarked to herself, unaware her voice was louder than usual due to the state of her ears.

Sab looked around at her wondering why the woman had yelled.

"Now there is no call for all that! And I do not have a squirrel or a pantry of nuts!" 'but a bloody ship full of them!' he remarked under his breath, still holding onto his nubby little tail.

Alice just looked at him like she couldn't hear a word he'd said. And that smirk on her face irritated him to no end. Which of course made him think of both irritation and his end. Once again, he spun around trying to see his poor tail without luck.

"Here Sab! A trophy!" He stopped spinning and took in the object in Samantha's hand, held high for him to see... and anyone else who happened to want to look.

"Give me that!" he snatched it from her fingers and gave her a Look. "What, I dont want the whole bar seeing that!"

He stopped scolding Sam, which did little good anyways as she'd given in to fits of giggles again, tears rolling down her face. He turned it over and over staring at it, "Why... that's my hair there, it's downright..."

"Fuzzy!" Samantha offered with glee, barely recovering her breath in time to cut in on him. Sab stared up at her in shock.

"It took my hair?!" He looked back down at it and growled, and this time it was business. "I will find that little ensign, you know the one, he had been in here the day before cutting up with that silly cadet you klonked. I'll bet they're working with each other!"

"Sab... all he did was accidentally get some of that unrully mane of yours caught under the sticker when he stuck it in place. It's an innocent enough mistake." She smiled at him waiting for the explosion.

"Innocent! By larissinth, [/i]that.. is.. my.. skin.. there! That wasn't innocent! That was, was... well, it was just so rude!"

At that, Samantha began her fits of giggles and walked off towards Alice to see if she wanted something to drink. Sab just glared after her, wishing the human female would stop that irritatingly distracting habit of swinging her hips back and forth like a pendulum. He never could understand why it fascinated him so much.

He shook his gaze, looked all around the bar and nervously wondered if anyone had noticed he'd been staring. 'afterall' he thought to himself, 'I am paired already! Why does this female distract me so? She's not even my species!'

Sab stooped down to retreive a fresh supply of mixers and glasses, when the lights went down without warning and the ship lurched him to his already sore noggin again. He had landed back under the bar where he'd stuck himself before and he was not saying anything kindly in any language humans would understand.

Both Samantha and Alice picked themselves up from the barfloor and looked around in the dark. They carefully climbed back into the seats and listened. But Alice was still having a hard time hearing things and asked Samantha what the weird sounds were to her.

Samantha listened a minute and began to stiffle a round of snickers.

"Oh my, he's soooo mad right now!" She covered her mouth with her hands preventing herself from saying another word. She knew if Sab overheard her right now he'd be positively impossible, which he was anyways. So she uncovered her mouth, leaned over the table to whisper into Alice's ear.

The two women sat back down looking at each other in silence for a pregnant moment. Then they both suddenly broke out laughing uncontrollably. Sab stopped his stream of Quadarinian cursewords to listen.

Alice leaned over the table to Sam, "You mean to tell me his species keeps it... there?!"[I] Alice pointed behind her tailbone to her rear.

All Samantha could do was nod her head repeatedly, her mouth covered with both hands, desperately trying not to laugh out loud. But she lost it. Especially when Alice asked, "But how?"

They both looked up to see Sabaqwa turning the bend around the bar and quelled themselves like two caught-red-handed schoolgirls. Even though they had stopped laughing, smiling was impossible to cease.

Sabaqwa limped up to them, which made Sam quiver with pent up giggles. She realised he had done the human equivalent to pulling a groin muscle, very badly. Alice watched Sammie's eyes water with trying not to laugh.

"Samanth, please hold down the bar for me. I-it seems I have to return to that awful Sickbay, and that awful doctor in there. I uuuh, I..ah, well, it's just that..." He floundered wondering how to be specific without being specific around a stranger.

"Sab, got get your feraleien fixed, you know it'll only swell up. And then you wont be able to put on pants. And as I recall, pants are pretty much required in public, especially Starfleet facilities. Unless you like skirts."

Sab colored an odd shade of orange from the chest up. The Quadarite equivalent to blushing candyapple red. His mouth dropped open and all he could do was stare back and forth between the two ladies. He huffed in total embarrasement and limp-trotted out the doors of Dot's Diner, growling and cursing in Quadarite all the way down the corridor.

Alice and Sammie just looked at each other and busted loose laughing in hoots of laughter. From somewhere down the corridor, Sab could swear he could still hear their despicable laughter.

"I swear!" He growled in Quadarite, "I am installing a ubiquitous EMH program in the bar and thickening the sound barriers on the walls! How awfully rude!"

:P

Posted: Jun 29 2003, 10:37 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar stood in awe. The ship before him was sleek and looked very powerful. It looked like it could handle itself in combat. This was going to be interesting. "Report" Falkar barked.
Janhag consulted his console "They had a bit of a rough entry into the system. Auxilary power is down. They are preparing to evacuate the surface."
Falkar composed himself. "Signal the fleet to engage the Pretoria while they're vunerable. If we can get through this without any injury, it would be better."
Falkar's raider fleet powered up and left the haven of the radiation belts. Like a pack of hungry wolves, they raced towards their prey.
Falkar, now seated, turned to Janhag "Signal the fleet to target their shield generator only. Once the grid is down, switch to the Dispersal cannons. With their auxilary power out, 5 shots should render their propulsion and weapons inoperative."
The signal was sent and the fleet continued to advance.
Falkar knew that the next minute would be vital in determining the outcome of the day. If this first strike failed, the future of his people was in doubt...

!!

Posted: Jul 2 2003, 08:13 PM In Sickbay, the lights were just flickering back on, the redundant dedicated emergency power systems had not failed, much to CMO Black Wolf's releif. She turned about to face a stream of injured walking, limping and being carried in.

"Well, business is up today it seems." She grabbed up her medbag and began organizing and triaging the crowds according to severity and need, right alongside the rest of her talented medical team.

Triage was an especially relaxing occupation to her, despite some of the medical staff's reactions. Kiya found herself settling into it with practiced ease and calm. Some of those talented medical team members were raw cadets, as in the case of Cadet Blake, fresh out of the Academy. But many were experienced and more than capable peers who had been picked over for the position of CMO.

Kiya often wondered about them, if resentments existed for her because of her promotion. But in the here and now, all that was visible was a competently smooth-working team of medical wizards and their Starfleet-issued potions, tools, oracles and talismans. All of them working towards the same goal: Heal The Sick. The oldest vow of all medical profesionals and healers under the hypocratic oath. An oath far more ancient than Starfleet or much of the 24th century's historical accounts of that age.

But, perhaps, not as ancient as her families history of Apache Healers, Warriors and Shamans. From this spirit, Kiya derived her direction, ambition and stamina, from the vast stores of knowledge and energy of her ancestors. From this perspective she always gained great calm and strength in emergencies. From this strength she always thrived.

"Stryker to Black Wolf, status."

Kiya looked over to a nearby intern and nodded. Without a word, he instantly understood and signed on as the take-over on this patient and took up where she left off. 'hmmm...' she thought to herself, 'Manni will be up for promotion soon. He's the best I got, I'm putting up the recommendation for promotion to Assitant Medical Officer as soon as we are done with this mission. God knows his wife Anna will be exstatic with their little one coming.'

Kiya walked a space away to give the others room to work,

"Black Wolf here Captain. There are 38 injuries requiring treat-and-release. 98% of those will be back on duty in aproximately 30 minutes. Two of those will need closer to two hours before release. Only 4 injuries requiring 12 to 14 hours treatment and observation. Cargo Bay 2 is temporarily set up for the extra triage we need, we're kinda over-run down here at the moment. Most of the injuries in the past 15 minutes are minimal, they are being sent there. Sickbay's being maintained for more serious treatments."

"Understood, good work Doctor."

"Captain, know this, we are running a little low on a few supplies. My teams are keeping the pace so far by divvying out supplies in the negative. But soon I will need time and a team to replicate more. Are you expecting more casualties?"

"Definately."

"Alright, I'm calling in medical secondaries to shore up the need down here, with your consent Captain."

"Granted, keep me informed. Stryker out."

At this time a hobbling form zipped into Sickbay, at one and the same time trying to go unnoticed, and also trying to get to a medical person as soon as possible. She walked quickly to them.

Sabaqwa Isth spun around in utter startlement as Kiya spoke,

"What can I help you with?"

He began an unitelligible stuttering, looking this way and that, eyes wide and somewhat unfocused. Kiya was fighting her impatience when he finally got something formulated into intelligible words. And as fate would have it, this happened just exactly when there was an unusual lull in the noise and clamour of a very busy Sickbay.

"I have injured my f-f-ferale...ah, I mean, I-I've crushed my genitals in a fall in Dots!" He blinked back and forth in panick, the echoes of his excited voice ringing slightly in Kiya's ears, "Oh my...." Sab's mouth suddenly went dry, mostly because it was still open.

"I see." she said flatly and spun around to direct him to a more discreet biobed. "Follow me please."

The medical staff, now acutely aware of the severity of Cadet Blake's reprimand, quickly went about their business as if nothing had happened. However, that did not prevent a few patients from sniggering here and there from their biobeds.

Kiya noted Sab's tense gasp of shock and embarrasement. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure he hadn't hissed at one person they passed. It was probably the smirk that got to Sab, she thought. She'd realised he had a decided hatred of human smirks when at his expense.

"Mr. Isth, please step this way.", she motioned him around a corner of Sickbay usually reserved for maternity and delivery, pointed to an empty biobed and pulled the curtain. Sab clumsily climbed onto it, screeching a triffle as he positioned himself.

Kiya just looked into his wide blue-white eyes, all too tense with anxiety and devastating embarrasement. Despite a hard life and all the damage 'the school of hard knocks' had endowed her with, his little face broke her heart. Kiya visibly softened. She was in 'Momma-Mode' now.

"Sabaqwa, I promise I will not hurt you. You're in enough pain for three people already. And please do not try to sit up like that, just roll over and lay on your stomach. That will releive your bodyweight from the injuries."

Sab's mouth worked, but nothing came out. Kiya patiently walked away to gather supplies and allow him his moment. When she returned, he was in the requested position and seemingly quiescent, most of his body as relaxed as possible, arms crossed under his chin.

Kiya sighed and began her delicate work. What she didn't see was Sabaqwa staring teary-eyed across the room at a small table full of pictures. The center picture was of Kiya as a child of about 12, hair wild as the wind and black as night. She was holding a small cougar cub, it's legs bandaged and trussed, nursing it with a bottle. He could plainly see it was her doll's bottle, as the doll was still in her lap. And hovering over the young Kiya was her proud Gramma, making sure all went exactly right.

It was then that Sab finally realised, despite his fears and her sometimes gruff exterior and straightforwardness, Kiya Black Wolf was the gentlest of souls.

"How are you doing there Sab? Am I hurting you?", her hand was on his back, the touch asking the question as much as her voice. All Sab could do was burry his eyes and cry.

Posted: Jul 2 2003, 10:49 PM Rakurai Stryker - Bridge

"Sir, detecting something coming out of the radiation belts." Ensign Fox Xanatos reported from science.

"Define 'something'" Stryker angrily demanded. He hated the word 'something', its too vague. A vague description of a situation will likely get you killed out here.

"Three ships. One appears to be a battle cruiser, the others are scouts of Tarosian design."

"Distance !" Commander Khetrha barked.

"Two million kilometres." Fox told her. "Moving fast."

"They are targeting us sir." Ensign Alva said in a panicked voice. The young Betazoid woman at tactical was one of eighty others that arrived onboard, a month ago. And like the others, she was inexperienced at the real thing. "Weapons range within sixteen seconds."

"Two more scouts detected." Fox announced.

"Haenbu taiku houka." Cadet Kira Tierney swore from the engineering console. Circle of Hellfire

O'Leary chided the Bajoran.

They were the ones who attacked this planet, Stryker thought. He knew his transporter chiefs needed about another 60 seconds to beam up the injured on the surface, but they'd have to wait. I have no choice.

"Helm, break orbit. Charge weapons, Shields up!" Stryker barked. "Hail them."

"No response."

"Repeat hail. Wide band signal. Channel K, Priority One."

Time is ticking out. Nine seconds until weapon's range.

The four scouts took up formation, the classic pincher manoeuvre. The Pretoria has two choices, face the combined firepower of twelve low yield cannons, or go head-to-head with the battle cruiser itself. "We are on a mission of mercy. Do not fire. We are not at war." Stryker pleaded.

Four seconds left. O crap, Stryker thought. He was outgunned, but not yet outsmarted. "Rish!" he told the helmsmen. "Set a collision course with battle cruiser. Maximum impulse."

"But …."

"Proceed." Stryker said with barely contained anger. "Fire at will."

"Aye-Aye." The two ensigns said.

"The two massive battle cruisers collided, just only barely as their Tarosian counterpart dove to its left.

The Pretoria was hit from all sides by the scouts as it continued to make another desperate run at the other cruiser. This time both vessels severed moderate damage, just as Ensign Alva connected a pair of quantum torpedoes to battle cruiser's underbelly.

Lt.Cmdr O'Leary and Cadet Kira attempted to reinforced the weak shields, while battling a number of minor onboard malfunctions.

He nodded to Fox, who tried to hail again. Stryker stood at attention in front of the viewscreen, glaring into it, at his still unseen opponent. "Do I have your attention now ?"

!!

Posted: Jul 3 2003, 04:23 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar was stunned. He had been stunned before, the sensation was nothing new. But he now knew there were different degrees of stunned. However, he was also impressed. Not only had his opponent seen his ships before they fired, but he had also fought overwhelming odds and now had attempted to ram his command vessel. I had expected this to be so easy. But a challenge is always welcome Falkar also silently acknowleged the skill of his helmsman. Janhag broke the silence "Sir, the Pretoria is hailing us again."
Falkar asked to lsiten to the hail.
Janhag complied and Falkar heard the voice of his opponent.
I'm not dealing with the typical Starfleet officer. This is a seasoned man of combat. This calls for a change of strategy.
"Return the hail." Falkar ordered. Now he could see the visage of his opponent. Falkar was not intimidated by his size, or his scales, but he knew to be wary.
The eyes of the Pretoria's commander silently demanded him to speak. But first, he wished to honour his opponent.
"I congratulate you as a fellow Captain, and I salute your tactical officer."
His counterpart seemed unimpressed "I am Captain Stryker of the Federation Starship Pretoria. You have attacked Federation citizens and fired on my vessel. Our two species are not at war, I demand an explaination."
Falkar was more than willing to introduce himself.
"I am Falkar, a commander of the Tarosian military forces. I apologise for the attack on the colony. However, I went to great pains to see that no-one was seriously harmed. I dislike taking life where it is not necessary."
Falkar took a breath then continued, overruling whatever response Stryker intended to give.
"Since you have performed well in combat, I will give you the chance to get through this day without any bloodshed. Please load 2 phaser coils, 20 of your torpedoes and the schematics for developing ablative armor into an armed shuttlecraft. Push it out of your launch doors with a tractor beam. I have cargo vessels who will take it and we will leave without further incident."
"You are outnumbered and outgunned. My vessels have their weapons calibrated to disable your vessel. If you do not comply, I will be forced to send armed boarding teams onto your ship. This could result in casualties for both sides."
"We are both on a rescue mission. If you don't delay mine, I won't delay yours."
Falkar signalled to cut off the channel. He turned to Janhag.
"If she moves or tagets any of us, disable immediately."
Falkar returned to his thoughts, remembering what had made this day come to pass.

!!

Posted: Jul 3 2003, 07:00 PM Surrounded by five vessels, the Eclipse class battlecruiser stood her ground proudly and defiantly.

Outside the saucer section, a sudden energy burst formed. The forward shields flashed one more time, before the shield grid collapsed, sending a burst of power throughout the entire ship. The viewscreen winked out as well.

TAG. O'Leary post now

!!

Posted: Jul 4 2003, 10:00 AM [OOC] Apologies. I hadnt been getting any updates so i thought the BBS was quiet. My mistake! D'Oh

[IC]

Oleary cursed up a storm from underneath a console in the engineering department as he tried to re route power to the forward shields. Sparks were flying from every direction..

"[CENSORED] OUCH!"

He screamed as conduit exploded close enough to give him relatively severe burns in down the right side of his face. Still he kept on working.

"Cadet Kira I need you to disengage the safeties on the power management systems."

The bajoran was about to object and start stating various protocols that forbade that action but O'Leary came out from underneath the console with a burnt face and a look that said 'dont argue' and said

"Cadet. We are about to loose all defensive systems. If that happens we will either be destroyed or captured.. Personally I don't want either. and when you have spare minute a hypospray of pain killer would be nice"

Cadet Kira decided it would be better just to follow orders this time and ignore her Bajoran instinct to argue.

"sir I am standing by to disengage safeties."

"Very well on my mark 3..2..1.. MARK"

As he finished and The Cadet did as instructed the lights went off throughout hte ship as he re routed power to the shields and propulsion. The emergency lights came on and the entire ship was bathed in an eerie red glow.

(/) "This is O'Leary to the bridge. Sir you have propulsion and I have repaired the shields. They should last about 2 minutes under this barrage.
Now may I may a suggestion. Lets do what one Sheppard said to the other and get the flock outa here......"

TAG Ok Cap your turn!

!!

Posted: Jul 4 2003, 10:59 AM Rakurai Stryker – Bridge

With the main lights off, Stryker felt defeated. He pushed the ship too hard, and he did not even consider the possibly of an ambush. But then again, even with no damage, the Pretoria was heavily outgunned versus a battle cruiser and four scouts.

The normal lights come back on.

The circuitry beneath the Science Console B was smoldering, the ambient temperate was lower than usual and the viewscreen was still offline, but he was hit by an idea of inspiration.

He told Ensign Fox to set Science Console B on fire, might he did. The bridge started filling with smoke, the desired effect he wanted. The morale among the junior crew was low, not sure what to make of their captain. Is he insane ?, they thought.

O'Leary to the bridge. Sir you have propulsion and I have repaired the shields. They should last about 2 minutes under this barrage. Now may I may a suggestion. Lets do what one Sheppard said to the other and get the flock outa here ... "

"Just a moment Commander. I have an idea, but I need you and at least one engineering team to go to Shuttle bay one."

"Understood." come O'Leary's reply. "Engineering out."

The captain tapped his combadge. "Bridge to Lt. Eli Renada."

"Yes sir ?"
"I am aware to your repairs to the power grid. But I need you to take your time." he told the engineer.

"Sir, Eichner radiation is leaking from the EPS network. It will reach fatal amounts in two hours."

"I am aware of that Lieutenant. That's the whole idea."
"I object." she protested.

"That's an order." he said warningly, biting back venomous words. She tapped off her combadge without saying another word.

Thirty seconds passed. Even Commander Khetrha and Lt. Rish had their doubts now.

At the same time Stryker ordered Fox to put out the fire, he ordered Ensign Alva to reopen communications channel.

Stryker studied his opponent for a second. Falkar was slender and tall, had two large triangle formations on forehead and three inch scar on his chin. A hardened field commander no doubt, he thought.

Stryker still felt defeated by a superior opponent. Too many victories does lead to arrogance, he chided himself. "My chief engineer tells me a shuttlecraft will be ready to be deployed in twenty minutes." he told Falkar.

!!

Posted: Jul 4 2003, 12:41 PM Things were jarring loose in Sickbay. And people were being rocked violently from their positions as well. Supplies, treatments and complaints were flying in all directions, and the power and lights were flickering out. Kiya looked up with a dare in her eyes at the lights, but the lights went down despite her glare. She hissed when she heard the distinct creaking of a bulkhead somewhere under the strain of whatever was going on above decks.

"Dam! James! See if you can reset the ICU Medical power grid! Maybe the rest can be booted from here, go!", she dashed over to the console to coordinate with him.

Kiya watched the young medtech dash off in the sublighting. He had just recently took up courses in mechanics and engineering in order to supplement his learning base in Medical. 'Just in case, you never know when you'll need it.' he'd always said to his CMO. She wagered he never thought he'd be using his knowledge just four months into his classes.

Few were left of the original rush of patients who had flooded Sickbay earlier, but her comm board was ablaze with new reports of widespread injuries and emergencies, and new casualties were pouring in Sickbay's doors as she worked.

"Sickbay here, Medical triage on the way!" She looked over as the six medical blues blinked in and out of sight in the dark, they were approaching her. She knew they were already making their out way to answer the calls flooding in. These were her best team; Simmons, Ulania, K'eyHr, Fitz, D'Uronin, and Brownwell. She called them her "Silver Six".

"May, you take two and split over to Engineering. Jack, take the rest of you to help out the Cargo Bay 2 Triage Team, they'll be flooded. I'm activating the EMH here and take a team to the Bridge. Keep me posted, good luck!"

They nodded and answered in their various ways and rushed out, the ship still vibrating and shaking all around them. Kiya grabbed a bulkhead and felt her way along to the back of Sickbay. She had to check on Sabaqwa, she was sure he would be a livid ball of fear about now.

"Sab?! Sab, are you ok, where are you?" She squinted in the darkness and could see nothing. But she could hear and smell. She was very familiar with the scent of fear in any feline. Sab's was no different than any other feline she'd ever encountered. Plus his teeth were chattering loudly. She stooped over and went down on her knees. This put her face to face with one very frightened Quadarite hidding under a delivery table.

"Sab, please follow me, there is a better place in my office. Come on... I'll make sure you are safe." '..as any Sickbay can be at a time like this..' she thought to herself. Sab said nothing, his breathing was dangerously close to hyperventilating and she knew he was likely as claustrophobic as she was. She grabbed his trembling hand with hers, ignoring his talons digging into her fingers, and pulled him along. Time was precious now.

James had apparantly made some progress with the power systems, lights and medical screens were flickering on more than off, but alive enough to work. She praised him silently for having patience with her. She pulled Sab gently but forcefully along.

As they dodged into her office, that creaking noise became alot louder. She looked in it's direction but did not betray the knowledge to Sab. He was near to [pardon the pun] catatonia as it was, no use aggrivating it undully.

"Here, if you must get under something, crawl under this. If you can't stand being under there, stay right here. This room's structure is about as sound as you'll find." He nodded quickly, jerkilly and she didn't like the way his breathing had become. Kiya hypoed him with a sedative, she had to get him calmer before he collapsed.

Sab jerked away for a second, blinked in confusion, then offered the arm back, appologies in his wide eyes. Kiya nodded, she knew he couldn't help the reaction, he was all raw nerves and rank fear right now.

She squeezed his arm and dashed out, "EMH Program activate!" At first she did not realise that Demi had not responded. She was grappling her way through the choas to the power console to finish rerouting some power grids with James.

"Michael, come help with this, I need to contact the Bridge." The medtech responded, earger to use his first-year cadet's cross-training in engineering. He tapped at the buttons, intrinsicly familiar with systems she did not yet know. He paused, mouth open in shock, retried a few different configurations then ceased. He looked around and lowered his voice to her.

"Doctor, we have a huge problem. Demi's systems are offline. The entire EMH database is refusing to respond. I'll keep trying to get her going." He looked back around, hoping none of the already anxious patients had overheard.

"What?" She looked down at his findings and saw that it was indeed true. She tapped her combadge with a glint in her eyes.

"CMO Black Wolf to the Bridge! Medical Team is on it's way, but we are without our EMH down here. The system is refusing to respond. I will remain here and hold Sickbay down."

The Bridge did not respond. "Comlines down up there?" she thought outloud. She hunched over on the console, fingers digging into the table.

"Well, this is fun..."

Posted: Jul 5 2003, 07:26 PM What was the point of ramming the ship? thought Khetrha as she used her tail and big feet to keep her balance in the barrage. We don't need our shields weakened at the beginning of a fight! She managed to stay on her feet during the entire attack, but from the grunts behind her, it seemed at least one crewman wasn't so lucky.

When the lead enemy ship threatened to send boarding parties, she laughed. "I'd like to see them try to take over this ship!" She smiled, imagining the looks on their faces when they saw her coming at them (which would probably be the last thing they'd ever see).

[Stryker orders the console fire and talks to O'leary.]

She shivered a moment. Is it getting colder in here or is it just me? I wonder if the captain would mind if I set my console on fire... She mentally shrugged. Oh, well. I think I can handle it. Just as long as I don't have to endure any more ocean sound effects... Her face turned a light shade of tan (and her stomach felt a little queasy) at the thought of being in that nauseating room again.

At first, Khetrha was a bit confused as to what the smoking console and engineering team in the shuttlebay were about. Was the captain crazy? She chuckled inwardly. No more crazy than the rest of us mhk'dhk.

Suddenly, Khetrha knew what the smoking console was for, and she figured the engineering team in the shuttlebay was going to do more than load a shuttlecraft with the demanded supplies.

The Mahki grinned crookedly and looked at Stryker. "Planning a little surprise, sir?"
Mahki language lesson: "mhk'dhk" - mentally ill or insane Mahki.

Posted: Jul 5 2003, 08:19 PM Rakurai Stryker

With the viewscreen off, he nods to his Executive, with a sly smile. "The radiation from the conduits will mess up their sensors, the smoke on the bridge would make it appear like we're in more damaged then we actually are, and then the shuttle too would be boobytrapped."

"For I moment there I thought you'd willingly give them the technology sir." Ensign Fox said from science A. Science console B need to be completed replaced.

"If I wasn't Starfleet, Ensign, I'd simply blow them up without mercy." the captain told the young Operations officer.

!!

Posted: Jul 6 2003, 08:39 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar had returned to his deep ruminations. While his crew and fellows were almost in celebration of a victory, he still brooded, sensing something amiss.
Captain Stryker stood against us, even thought the odds were against him. He would obviously rather go down fighting than surrender. Why is he now agreeing to my demands? He turned to Janhag "Can you tell me what the crew is doing?"
Janhag shook his head "They've taken a lot of damage. Our sensors can't get completely accurate readings."
Brek'thu Falkar thought. Falkar knew the Dispersal Cannons he had used to diable the Pretoria were only prototypes. This must be one of the faults. Ah, the perils of raiding science bases.
"How much time do we have before the shuttle is launched?" Falkar enquired "Seven minutes. Our cargo vessel is in position to pick it up"
"Order them to move off a futher 20 thousand kilometres."
Janhag was puzzled "But sir, they will be outside tractor beam range."
"I know. However, once the shuttle is clear, tell them to move back to their original position and resume the capture plan."
"May I ask why we're doing this?" Janhag said, in a tone that he thought would not enrage Falkar. Janhag had once asked one question to many, and was severly punished.
However, Falkar remained calm "I want to get full sensor scans of the shuttle before we bring it in. I'm expecting a trap."
Janhag sent the order immediately and decided to trouble his master with one last question. "What makes you think Styrker would do this?"
Falkar grinned widely "Because in his Hanldags, I'd do it too."

Notes:
Brek'thu-Tarosian equivalent to the "F" word Hanldags Spiked shoe made from the skin shed by a replie native to the Tarosian homeworld.

!! Posted: Jul 7 2003, 05:17 AM Captain Rakurai Stryker - Bridge

Time was ticking out. 6 minutes, 49 seconds left.

"The freighter is moving away from us sir." Ensign Fox reported. "Holding a new position, bearing 177, mark 0. Distance: 21 400 kilometers."

"Damn, he is cunning." Stryker mumbled.
"He knew ?" Khetrha asked.

"We seem to be at a disadvantage again Commander." he grumbled. "He seem to know everything about me, possibly the Pretoria ... This raid was just get our attention, and we happened to the closest starship. Which leads me to believe he specifically wanted the Pretoria to come to the rescue."

He paused. "A Tarosian spy must have gained high level access the Starfleet's mainframe."

The young Betazoid from tactical shifted into her seat, spun it around to face the CO and XO, "Captain. I am starting to get a reading on Falkar."

"This should be interesting. Go ahead ensign." said to Alva.
"Something about shoes. Leather shoes. And images of you." she said.

This filled him with an incredible rage. Stryker knew what Falkar was planning, or least hoping to do to him.

Anger is a waste of energy in virtually every circumstance save battle. That's a Edenian saying--a cliché, really. Losing one's temper in combat is counterproductive in the extreme. And this opponent was pushing all his buttons.

"Time for a Plan B and C." he told the XO.

!!

Posted: Jul 7 2003, 05:43 PM Khetrha's eyes widened, then narrowed at the implications of Alva's assessment. She could almost feel the fury emanating from the command seat. If they'd do that to Stryker, who knows what they'd do with me... She bared her teeth and ground them against each other in anger, causing the crewman nearest her to go white as a sheet and quickly change stations. I'd tear my own scales to shreds before I'd allow anyone to...to make me into a pair of shoes!

She turned to the captain, her eyes blazing. "How about we combine A, B, and C?"

Posted: Jul 8 2003, 02:52 PM Captain Rakurai Stryker - Bridge

Time was ticking out. 6 minutes, 12 seconds left. Every engineer onboard was at work repairing the ship. At the request of a highly aggravated Apache woman, the EMH, Demi's systems received high priority and was brought back online a few seconds later.

He thought for a second. He was furious, also now envisioned skinning his opponent alive. What colour does Tarosians bleed when you cut them up ?, he thought grimly.

But he realized he had to concentrate, he needed to be the "fearless leader" Alice jokily called him into private. Commander Khetrha's voice guided him out of his reverie.

"It is clear they were expecting the Pretoria and brought in just enough ships to defeat us."

"But ...." Khetrha prodded.

"But Falkar's tactics seem to indicate that his intent is to capture this ship."

He quickly considered a few strategies.

"Its still a long shot, but Plan A remains unchanged." he said. "Plan B will be to attack their strongest point. Plan C involves a little 22nd century maneuver to take care of our four little friends and the surviving freighters."

He turned to Ensign Alva at tactical. "Our shields might not survive the fight, I want EVERY critical room secured. Main bridge, battle bridge, the engine room, Jeffries' tube Hubs and turbolifts. Shoot to kill if we are boarded."

"What about sickbay ?" the Betazoid woman asked.

He smiled wryly, "Do not worry about deck 7. Demi will take care of them."

!!

Posted: Jul 9 2003, 06:06 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Janhag's console signalled to him that something was happening.
"Sir, the launch doors on the Pretoria are opening."
On the viewer, a shuttle was guided away from the ship with a tractor beam. Falkar was uneasy. "Signal the Maisul to move into position for capture. I want a full sensor sweep for any explosives, traps or hazardous materal aboard."
Janhag's fingers flew over his console. If the shuttle was rigged, he wanted to find out in time to respond. All of his scans turned out negative "Sir, our sensors show that aside from our requested parts, the shuttle is empty."
"Excelent. Instruct the Maisul to bring it aboard and prepare the fleet to return home." Janhag sent the order and watched the Maisul maneuver towards their prize. A green energy beam locked it in place and began to draw it in. The Pretoria withdrew her tractor beam. Falkar was pleased. No innocents had died and he could aid his people. Just as he mentally composed a message to thank Stryker, his world was violently shaken.
Seeing nothing but white and thrown to the floor, Falkar crawled to where he knew, from memory, his chair was. As his senses recovered, he could see Janhag scrambling to his console. "What happened, Janhag?" Falkar demanded "The shuttle exploded. The shields raised when the blast wave hit but we took a fair amount of damage. Forward disruptors are inoperative."
"You said the shuttle was empty." Falkar barked, enranged.
Before Janhag could respond, the ship lurched. Falkar knew immediately that he was being fired upon.
"Evasive manuevers, pattern Falkar Nine. Signal the fleet to withdraw outside their weapons range. And I want to know how they rigged that shuttle Now!"
Janhag spoke quickly "Our sensor logs reveal that an antimatter explosive was in the reaction chamber of the warp core. It wouldn't show up on sensors without close inspection."
Again, I have underestimated my opponent's cunning. Falkar mused.
Janhag spoke up "Sir, one of our scouts, the Rintad has taken a serious hit. Her weapons are offline and their propulsion systems are damaged. I am also getting no response from the Maisul."
"Order the Rintad home and scan the Maisul-determine if her communications are down."
Falkar watched as one his ships limped away from the battle. It's pristene hull now scorched and bruised. "Sir..." Janag began. "The fleet is now clear of the Pretoria's weapons. No serious damage was done. However, my scans show that the Maisul has lost all internal power. No lifesigns aboard."
Falkar bowed his head. He had lost 54 people. Tarosian custom dictated they must be avenged.
"Hail Captain Stryker." Falkar commanded, his voice hoarse. He heard the chime of the communication channel opening."
Falkar dismissed his sorrow and mustered as much aggression as he had "You are a coward Stryker. A true warrior does not sabotage equipment and hope to deal his enemy a blow. He attacks with what he has."
"I did not come here to shed blood. I killed no-one on the surface and merely disabled your ship. All I asked for were some supplies to help rebuild my people's forces. But your actions have resulted in the death of 54 people on an unarmed freighter."
"I respected you as a warrior and wanted to treat you with the respect due. But you have taken advantage of this respect. I will avenge my people. I will take what I want from your vessel and then carve the names of the dead into the hull of your ship."
Falkar signalled the channel to be closed. "Signal the fleet to target life support and weapons. Fire the moment we are in range."
Janhag sent the order and the mighty Tarosian fleet moved to brifge the gap betwwen it and the prey. However, Janhag was uncertain. He trusted Falkar but surely this action would result in war with the Federation? Didn't that defy the object of these raids? Had rage blinded Falkar to his goals and his principles? And would the crew support him in a coup...?

!!

Posted: Jul 9 2003, 04:56 PM Rakurai Stryker

"You are a coward Stryker. A true warrior does not sabotage equipment and hope to deal his enemy a blow. He attacks with what he has."

"I did not come here to shed blood. I killed no-one on the surface and merely disabled your ship. All I asked for were some supplies to help rebuild my people's forces. But your actions have resulted in the death of 54 people on an unarmed freighter."

It was Rakurai's turn to press his opponent's buttons. "You attack and threaten defenseless civilians and opened fire on a Federation battlecruiser." the Edenian spat back. "You won't mind if I take that personally, now would you ?"

"I respected you as a warrior and wanted to treat you with due respect. But you have taken advantage of this respect. I will avenge my people. I will take what I want from your vessel and then carve the names of the dead into the hull of your ship."

He was about to tell Falkar his favourite human expression "Go to hell" when the comm-channel to closed from the other end.

The captain stood between tactical and helm. He then tapped Ensign Fox's shoulder.
He nodded that he is ready.

Lt. Rish accelarated the ship to near lightspeed while Alva concentrated bursts of phasers and quantum torpedoes at the Tarosian battlecruiser. Falkar was slightly better this time at anticipating Stryker's radical maneuvers.

The two huge battlecruisers did a slow but deadly dance, while exchanging fire. Falkar's ship did not fare well, Stryker had personally seen to that. He smiled when it lost forward and starboard shields. Another explosion marked the destruction of the purple sphere that was the Tarosian version of a deflector dish. Under its own power, the mighty ship was now stranded at impulse speed. "Audacity, Always, Audacity." Stryker taunted his opponent.

Meanwhile the four scouts strived the Pretoria, spitting torpedoes and their dispersal cannons, inflicting severe damage from every angle. "Plan C" Commander Khetrha said. The shields could fail every second now.

"Plan C." Stryker agreed. "Helm, Emergency stop. Now Mister Fox."

Ensign Fox pressed a series of three buttons. Anti-matter streamed through the Pretoria's phaser arrays and bussard collectors. It certainly was visually impressive but relatively harmless display rarely used by Federation starships. The result was similar to a fireworks show, causing wide-range electromagnetic interference. A cloud almost eight kilometers across quickly formed around the Pretoria.

Six vessels suddenly found themselves in Gamma Night, a complete failure of sensors. Stryker heard the intraship communication chatter of various rapair teams dispatched to combat damage and fires, while Kiya's people tended to the wounded.

"Now Alva." Stryker urged. She deployed slow moving photon torpedoes which acted like mines. Soon, the scouts would be disabled and he'd have a little chat with Falkar.

!!

Posted: Jul 10 2003, 08:24 AM [IC] O'Leary s vision returned with a blur. He had been knocked uncocious by the blast wave from the shuttle. This lights were still on emergency but as he made quick scan of the engine room he saw that there were no plasma fires and the warp core was still pulsing.

HE tried to focus on who was around him but there were numerous unconscious bodies lying in engineering.

=/= this is O'Leary to the medical bay. We need medics and doctors down here. Numerous injured unknown severities, many unconsciouses.

"This is the medical bay. We're a bit busy here commander but we will dispatch medics immediately. IF you can get eh remote projection system online we can send the EMH down there." Kiya answered.

=/= affirmative. O'Leary out

He started issuing orders to have the not so wounded take care of the incapacitated. HE then checked the status of the ship.

"Mother of God........."

1% shields, structural integrity down to 50%, hardly any armaments to speak off and the containment on the warp core was hovering at a trouser change inducing 30%

=/= This is O'Leary to the bridge. Captain what has just happened. Most of engineering was knocked unconscious by the concussion wave from the shuttle. Looks like the inertial dampers are fluctuating. We have numerous injured, more uncurious bodies than after an Irish party, and to cap it all off the warp core containment system is slowly loosing integrity

[Tag]
What are ye doin to me we bairns!!!!

!!

Posted: Jul 10 2003, 09:36 AM Falkar's Lead Raider

Falkar was impressed yet enraged. The Pretoria had restored her defenses sufficient to cripple his ship and now he had just witnessed his comrades fall into a trap. As the area became visible again, Falkr could see all of his vessels had taken a serious beating.
"Janhag, order them to retreat." "Aye sir, but only two of those ships still have active propulsion. Shall I order them to be towed?"
"No-they'll only slow us down."
Falkar watched as the survivors fled the battle. They were lucky not to have been disabled. He noticed that one had lost it's lightspeed drive and sensors.
Suddenly, Falkar had an inspiration To have so many systems restored so quickly is unusual. I'll wager this attack wil cost them dearly.
"Full sensor scan of the ship, Janhag. Determine if any damage has been caused by the power usage"
Janhag set to work "You're right sir-severe damage to their shields and structure. Environmental systems are failing and....they are losing core containment."
Falkar grinned "Then all is not lost-Signal our other freighter to to arm it's dipersal cannon and lock on to the Pretoria's warp core. Then open a channel to Stryker."
Janhag complied. Falkar did his best to hide his rage and sound amicable.
"Captain Stryker, my scans indicate that your warp core is losing containment and will breach within minutes. If you agree to meet my demands, I will have the core disabled so that you can rescue the colonists and call for a repair ship. You have a fine ship and I wouldn't like to see it destroyed any more than you."
"I hope you can trust my offer as it is genuine. I am a man of my word. Also, if your core does breach, I will lose the ships you have disabled. I don't want that to happen.
You have three minutes to respond."
Falkar signalled the channel to be severed and he seated himself. He turned to Janhag:
"If Stryker does not respond, disable their weapons so we can recover our ships and retreat to safety."
Janhag nodded.
Falkar returned to his thoughts I hope Stryker places the lives of his crew above his selfish pride. He considers me evil? He kills my men and damages my ships and calls me evil? I thought the Federation stood for peace and unity. Now I am not so cartain Falkar waited...2 minutes 41 seconds....

!!

Posted: Jul 10 2003, 02:57 PM Rakurai Stryker

It seemed that he had no choice anymore. Although it seemed his ship, his crew was beating the Incredible odds, they were now defeated. No one let him down. It was simply a no-win situation staring him deep in the face.

Two minutes later, he sent a shuttlecraft with the requested items: 2 phaser coils, 20 torpedoes and the schematics for developing ablative armor.

Naturally the coils were useless without the technical sub-systems that they were intregrated into.

The surviving Tarosian ships left, two scouts dragging the battlecruiser with their tractor beams.

Stryker also left a PADD for Falkar, marked for his eyes only. It read, "One day, out of nowhere, some vanquished enemy will rise up and exact revenge upon you--if not for your victory, or for your treachery, then for your mercy. Believe me, that last will be your undoing." !!

Posted: Jul 10 2003, 04:36 PM Khetrha was furious. Why didn't we beam over to their ship and give them a piece of our minds? We should've turned his little lying butt into space debris! But noooo... They let that little weaseling mongrel get what he wanted, and then he had run like the frightened little hypocritical numbchuck that he was!

And the moron even thought he was the one being wronged! HA! If he didn't do anything wrong, then I'm going to go blow up his homeworld's star and say I'm perfectly justified!

She paused a moment, realizing what she was thinking. No... I wouldn't do that... Her expression hardened and her eyes narrowed to barely-perceptable slits. If we ever meet again, he's going to learn the consequences of attacking outposts and ships for measly objects, she vowed.

Posted: Jul 10 2003, 07:16 PM 37 minutes later.

Captain Rakurai Stryker - Ready room

He'd red O'Leary damage report. 9 hours to regain impulse engines and another 33 hours to get the ship fully functional, he insisted they wouldn't need starbase support. Engineer's pride, weakly smiled to himself.

The casualty report was heart breaking. Eighteen dead.

The wounded beamed up from Polaris were healed and returned. The Pretoria would be sending down enough materials to setup a tent city for the 1,100 left homeless by Falkar's forces. On the planet it was "summer", so the tempature would not be problem anytime soon. A colony ship would arrive in 19 days to rebuild the rest.

Over the next hour, he sent a preliminary report to Starfleet Command where he knew he was going have explain his actions that clearly broke a number of regulations. Or simply to be "burned at the stake".

A response would be due in about 16 hours.

When that was done, he opened a subspace channel to pass on Kiya Black Wolf's request for medical supplies, both for the colony and the Pretoria.

Extreme anxiety worked into his system, he did not realize how tired he was as he fell asleep on his desk. His dreams filled with blood and vengeance for his nemesis, Falkar.