[April 14-26]
=======================================================================================
Mission log : Right as rain
Day : 5
Stardate : 2477.02.18
=======================================================================================
(Soverign – Deck 3 – Ensign Greg Dunn - 10:00)
(USS Paladin - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign AluraRathyn  - 1015)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:25)
(Sovereign, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1030)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 1031)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Calvin Capps - 1032)
(USS Paladin, Bridge, CO, Captain Eva Straton, 1033)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:33)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1035)
(Soverign, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1039)
(Captured Sovereign, Bridge, ACSO, Lt Shane Schofield, 1045)
(USS Paladin, Ready Room, CO, Captain Eva Straton, 1045)
(USS Paladin, Captain’s Ready Room, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1045)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:45)
(USS Paladin, Ready Room, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1045)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1046)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1048)
(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. Steven Matrix - 1048)
(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. StevenMatrix- 1048)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Jared Keller- 1050)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1050)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - Acting CSO Ensign Joran Matthew Brownlee - 10:50)
(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. Steven Matrix- 1055)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. Keller - 1057)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay -  CEO Lt. JG Steven Matrix  - 1057)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:57)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1059)
(USS Paladin - Deck 14 - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  - 11.03)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay -  CMO Lt. (jg) Keller  - 1103)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor & FO Lt Capps - 11:10)
(USS Paladin - Bridge - Acting CSO Ensign Joran Matthew Brownlee - 11:12)
(USS Paladin - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  - 11.22)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. (jg) Jared Keller -13.42)
(USS Paladin - Deck 27 - Security - TAC/Acting SCT`Vhor - 11:45)
(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. (jg) Jared Keller  - 13.45)
(USS Paladin, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 11:46)
=======================================================================================
(Soverign – Deck 3 – Ensign Greg Dunn - 10:00)

The boarding vessels had now latched themselves onto the sovereign’s 
hull 
and powerful cutting instruments were now beginning to reach the other 
side 
of the hull. Greg looked over the replica shot gun in his hand, it was 
like 
the old-fashioned pump action shotgun except this one fired more 
powerful 
cartridges. He ran his fingers along the top of the weapon and was cut 
short 
when there was the clanking of metal outside. Greg grabbed a flash bang 
and 
lobbed it through the gap and then moved to one side as the grenade 
detonated sending bright light everywhere.

“Follow my lead.” He whispered to the gathered marines and security 
personnel. “Don’t fire until fired upon.”

With the shotgun raised Greg jumped out of the boarding vessel and out 
into 
the corridor.

“Clear.” He said to the others.

The others filed out and were now in the corridor.

“OK. Lench you take five marines and go to the left the rest of you 
follow 
me.”

Lench looked up at Greg and nodded and headed down the corridor with 
the 
marines in tow. Greg then headed the other way down the right hand side 
of 
the corridor but there were people waiting for them. One marine was hit 
and 
was now lying unconscious on the floor. Greg raised the shotgun and 
fired 
one slug at one of the protection force. Seeing that the weapon did 
little 
damage he slung it over his shoulder and picked up the unconscious 
marines 
weapon and fired rapid shots whilst taking cover. He hit one of the 
protection forces and she fell dead to the floor.

~ They are so like us… why do we fight? ~

The bulkhead behind him was hit and it sent a shower of debris and 
sparks 
everywhere. Then there was a scream from another one of our men getting 
cut 
down. He looked to the marine next to him.

“Lob a grenade.” He barked to the marine.

The marine unclipped the grenade and pulled the pin out. With a final 
glance 
at Greg the marine ran out and lobbed the grenade into the barricade 
before 
being gunned down and vaporized by enemy fire. But the barricade was 
down 
and it now allowed for close quarter combat.

“ADVANCE, ADVANCE!” He barked to his group.

Greg raised the rifle and ran into the defences firing along the way. 
Someone behind him fired a deadly volley taking down another of 
Doughnut’s 
men. Now they were behind the barricade and were locked in hand-to-hand 
combat. Greg slammed a rifle butt into the face of his foe and then 
took 
another swing. This one was met by a sharp upper cut and Greg felt his 
shoulder being torn into by a knife. In retaliation he drew the 
un-modified 
desert eagle and fired two shots into the man’s unprotected skull. The 
shots 
echoed through the decks and the man fell to the floor. A big hole 
taking 
pride of place in his forehead. He then turned around and fired at the 
next 
foe nearest to him but the rounds bounced off the armour and went into 
the 
floor.

=/\= Ensign Dunn please report. =/\=

Greg fired another shot this time hitting the man’s neck. He fell to 
the 
floor gasping for air.

=/\= Takin… (Avoids a swing to the head) …casualties and wounded. We 
have 
(avoids another blow) taken checkpoint one. (Kicks his attacker in the 
groin 
and shoots him in the head. There was a crumpling sound as one of his 
security officers is cut down.) They aren’t giving up very easily and 
it 
looks like they were expecting us. =/\=

The final barricade defender was cut down and Greg looked around him, 
the 
desert eagle smoking in his right hand.

=/\= “Very well", said T`Vhor, "assuming that you have no more major 
setbacks your end, please report in at fifteen minute intervals to 
update us 
on your progress", he added. "Any problems beforehand, you
know where we are, T`Vhor out" =/\=

Greg holstered the weapon and picked the rifle back up.

=/\= Lench report. =/\=

Greg sat down on a crate.

=/\= We have taken checkpoint two… suffered heavy losses. There is only 
me 
and a marine down here. =/\=

Greg nodded at another five marines and indicated for them to go to 
Lench. 
Greg stood back up and wiped the blood from his brow then rubbed his 
scratched shoulder and winced as he touched it, the grey part of the 
uniform 
now looked black but he ignored that fact and decided to continue on. 
He led 
them down the corridor bursting into each room finding next to no 
resistance 
any that gave resistance were stunned and put in restraints. They had 
now 
met up with the other group outside a Jeffery’s tube hatch. Greg 
activated 
the control and the door opened. He then climbed in on his hands and 
knees 
and crawled through the cramped area. Then they reached the ladder part 
of 
their advance.

“OK. I want half of you to take deck two. The rest of you follow me.”

Greg grabbed the first rung of the ladder and began the ascent.

(posted by Greg Dunn)

(USS Paladin - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  - 1015)

Alura praised the lieutenant silently and touched her
badge again. "Rathyn to Matrix. Sir, our shields are
up to 78 percent."

Matrix was on the other side of engineering barely
noticing anything outside his view of the master
console. He was trying to maintain power to the
weapons systems, life support and the shields. - "Good
work ensign...we need to find more power in a
hurry...too many systems impacted by the fight."
Matrix continued to scan the ships systems, then it
hit him. "Ensign is the third warp coil online? I
can't tell from my console...can't access it from
here. If it isn't lets get it operational we can
implement additional plasma generation and divert it
to the shields."

"Negative on that coil, chief. I have it on my panel.
Coil three is out and number one has gone to yellow."

=^="Matrix to engineering teams. Please report in...I
need a damage report."=^=

"Sir! Rathyn, again. The anti-matter flow from
magnetic conduit four to the primary core is
fluctuating with a point-oh-five margin. The failsafes
will shut it down if it moves to a  point-1, but I can
cut it  off now if  you want."

"Ensign Rathyn, I'm heading up a deck to visually
inspect the warp cores...I'll contact you when I
arrive...looks like the turbo lift is out so I'll have
to get there via Jeffries tube."

"Yessir," Rathyn answered. "I'll put someone on the
coils. Rathyn out." Her eyes darted across the
Engineering Deck.  "Martona. Dedrich." she called two
nearby techs. Warp coil three and one need replacing,
quickly." They both acknowledged the order and moved
toward the exit. "Neelon man the sensor board," she
said to another, filling in Martona and Dedrich's
stations with the one. Battle damage tended to stretch
the manpower thin.

(posted by David)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:25)

With the ship having now established geostationary
orbit over the marine drop points, Ensign T`Vhor had a
lot on his mind. Far below them, the marines were
engaged in a fierce firefight with ground troops loyal
to admiral Doenitz whilst the Shark baits provided
pinpoint aerial bombardment. The marines however had
not gone unscathed, thay had already taken casualties,
three of their number had been killed & two injured
during the taking of the third ground station.

Despite the losses though, they were making good
progress with the fouth, Doenitz`s men had not been
expecting the attack & were not at full strength when
the assault had actually begun.

At his console on the Paladin`s bridge, Ensign T`Vhor
was listening in on the comms chatter between the
company leaders & their men, he was also in direct
communication with the shark baits whilst they
coordinated their attack runs along the eastern flank
of the planetry HQ.

For a moment, it would have been all too easy to get
completely taken up in the proceedings on the ground,
T`Vhor`s mind however was also on the security &
marine teams that had boarded the Sovereign. He
quickly switched to comm five on his tactical console
& opened up a direct link with Ensign Dunn leading the
team.

"Ensign Dunn, please report in", said T`Vhor.

(Reply Dunn)

T`Vhor was kind of relieved to hear his seconds voice
as it came over his link. He had every confidence in
him of course, but the fact remained that he was
taking a team into difficult conditions & it was all
too easy to be caught unawares no matter how
experienced the team leader.

"Very well", said T`Vhor, "assuming that you have no
more major setbacks your end, please report in at
fifteen minute intervals to update us on your
progress", he added. "Any problems beforehand, you
know where we are, T`Vhor out", said T`Vhor as he then
switched back to monitoring the ongoing ground
offensive.

Then all of a sudden the Bright Star was signalling...

"Sir, the Bright Star is reporting minimal losses &
has reformed with the fighting whatever`s over Gamma
Signa VII D", said T`Vhor.

(Reply CO)

"Aye sir", said T`Vhor, "relaying coordinates to the
Bright Star & the fighting whatevers now", he added as
he opened up the required frequencies.

(posted by Alan)

(Sovereign, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1030)

Greg carefully opened the hatch and then burst it open and lobbed a 
flash 
bang inside. He then slid back down and covered his face as the grenade 
detonated. Greg then charged out onto the bridge followed by the others 
and 
they quickly fanned out and had covered all the crew on the bridge. 
Greg 
moved over to the commanding officer of the ship only to find that it 
wasn’t 
a captain but an admiral.

~Could this be Doughnut? ~ He asked himself.
Greg gave his combadge a light tap.

=/\= Ensign Greg to T’Vhor we have taken the bridge… I think someone 
who 
recognises Doughnut should come over here… I think we got him. =/\=

Greg slapped the admiral across the face and picked him out of the 
command 
chair lifting the admiral off his feet.

(posted by Greg Dunn)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 1031)

When Ensign Dunn reported in again, T`Vhor was far
from ready for the information he would impart. He was
claiming that they thought they had the man himself.
~How could that be~ Thought T`Vhor, it was not logical
at all that the kingpin himself would be in the thick
of a major battle, unless of course they had been
caught completely unawares during a command visit.

Ensign Dunn was asking that someone who recognised the
man beam over to confirm this admirals identity. All
eyes were turned towards the Captain as she listened
to Ensign Dunns report.

"Sir, could it really be the Admiral himself?", said
T`Vhor.

(posted by Alan)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Calvin Capps - 1032)

Lt Capps worked his console again. Ensign Dunn had reported 
to Chief T'Vhor that he had possibly had found Admiral Doenitz. 
The information peaked Calvin's interest. he immediately 
searched in to his board for intelligence information. As T'Vhor 
looked at the Captain for advice Lt. Capps spoke up.

"Sir, could it really be the Admiral himself?", said T'Vhor.
 
"Sir, Admiral Doenitz on the sovereign is unlikely. The best 
Intel we have sir suggest that the Admiral is no where near here 
sir." Calvin said.

Calvin then spoke over the intercom to Ensign Dunn. "Ensign 
Dunn I am afraid that is highly improbable. However I am 
sending a complete detailed bio of the Admiral to you. Please 
detain the officer for now."

(reply Dunn)

Calvin then turned to the Captain. "Sir, the Marines have 
confirmed that they have taken 5 of the 5 areas on the first planet." 

(posted by Calvin)

(USS Paladin, Bridge, CO, Captain Eva Straton, 1033)

=/\= Ensign Greg to T'Vhor we have taken the bridge… I think
someone who recognizes Doughnut should come over here… I think we got
him.=/\=

	Eva's brow rose, as she heard the report from Ensign Dunn.

	"Sir, could it really be the Admiral himself?"T`Vhor asked, looking
at her.

	"Sir, Admiral Doenitz on the sovereign is unlikely. The best 
Intel we have sir suggest that the Admiral is no where near here 
sir." Calvin said.

	"Highly doubtful," She said standing, "Doenitz was on Earth at last
report.  There is no reason for him to be out here on the fringe of
Federation space.  Open a visual channel with to Sovereign.  I want to 
see
this admiral."

	Lt. Capps worked his console for a few seconds, and soon a view of
the captured Sovereign came into focus on the main view screen.  The 
was
some static and other interference, but the reception was clear enough 
to
see Ensign Dunn standing in front of the command chair holding an older
human male in an admirals uniform off his feet in front of the command
chair.  The older man showed a growing bruise on one cheek.  Eva 
scowled,
and her eyes narrowed in anger.  Lt. Schofield sat at one of the 
science
stations in the background with several marine's and security personnel
from the Paladin.

	"Ensign," She said, firmly, "Put him DOWN!"

	As Dunn dropped the Admiral, Eva studied the man's face.

	"That isn't Doenitz," She said, without a hint of doubt.  "Ensign
Dunn, I want you and the Rear Admiral on the Paladin in 5 minuets.
Immediately upon your return, report to my Ready Room.  Lt. Schofield, 
you
have command of the crew on the Sovereign.  Se what you can gather from
their computer and report to Lt. Capps if you discover anything."

(Reply Dunn)

	As the connection closed, Eva turned to T'Vhor.

	"See that quarters are made ready for the Admiral, in the Brig.
Then I want you to escort Ensign Dunn to my Ready Room," Eva said, her
voice hard and cold.  Remembering the T'Vhor was half Betazied himself, 
Eva
kept her own mental shields firmly in place.

(Reply T'Vhor)


	"Lt. Capps, work with Commander Tahlmari and Colonel T'Vanek on
getting all injured beamed aboard and sending any reinforcements they 
might
need on the surface.  Have the Dragon Slayers begin a patrol of the 
system,
looking for any more lurking hostile's.  I'll be in my Ready Room, you 
have
the Bridge."

(Reply Capps)


NRPG:  Slight time jump here.  Nothing personal here Greg, just some 
role
playing.  : )

RPG:

(USS Paladin, Ready Room, CO, Captain Eva Straton, 1042)

	Eva watched as Ensign Dunn entered followed by Lt. T'Vhor.  Her
face remained an unreadable mask.

	"Your dismissed Lt.," She said, looking briefly at T'Vhor.  Once
T'vHor had left and the door to the Ready Room had closed, Eva turned a
hard cold stare upon Ensign Dunn.

	"Ensign," She began, her voice cold, "Explain to me why you felt it
necessary to strike an unarmed Star Fleet Admiral and hold him in the 
air
by his throat?"

(posted by Wes)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:33)

~I thought as much~ Thought T`Vhor almost breathing a
sigh of relief on Captain Stratons negative
confirmation on the unknown Admiral. Lt Capps had
confirmed that their best intelligence reports had put
Doenitz in the vicinity of Earth, where he was now,
nobody knew. One thing though was now certain, he
wasn`t here....

The CO however had now turned her attention from the
main viewer to Ensign T`Vhor at the tactical station,
her expression still smarting from the verbal ticking
off she had just given Ensign Dunn.

"See that quarters are made ready for the Admiral, in
the Brig. Then I want you to escort Ensign Dunn to my
Ready Room", said the Captain, her voice hard and
cold. 

"Aye sir", said T`Vhor, "I`ll see to it imediately",
he added leaving tactical & heading for the turbolift
as the CO gave more orders to the rest of the bridge
crew.


(USS Paladin - Deck 27 - Security section - TAC/Acting
SC T`Vhor & Ensign Blake - 10:37)

As Ensign T`Vhor entered the security area, his mind
was fixed on the incident on the bridge between the CO
& one of his team. 

~Why had he struck the Admiral?~

As the mans imediate superior, T`Vhor knew of course
that he would have to speak to him as well. It wasn`t
nice but it was duty, & dicipline aboard a starship
was paramount of course.

For the moment however, T`Vhor put aside his thoughts
& went through into the brig to arrange suitable
containment for their captive Admiral. He might be
loyal to Doenitz but he was still an Admiral & as
such, he deserved to be treated according to rank.

T`Vhor turned to one of the security men still in the
section & then began to explain the situation to him.

"Ensign Blake, we have an unexpected dignitary who
will be staying with us for a while", said T`Vhor.

"Sir?", said the bemused looking officer as he looked
up from the desk he was working at. "A dignitary?", he
added questioningly.

T`Vhor raised an eyebrow & took a deep breath. "An
Admiral no less", said T`Vhor, "I want him to be
treated as such at all times whilst he is with us", he
added. "He is to receive whatever he requires for his
comfort, release from his cell excused of course",
said T`Vhor with the slightest of smiles.

"I`ll see to it right away sir", said Ensign Blake
imediately switching off his PADD & rising to carry
out Ensign T`Vhor`s request.

Ensign T`Vhor then made steps towards the coridoor
once again for the next task in hand.


(USS Paladin - Tranporter room one - TAC/Acting SC
T`Vhor - 10:41)

Ensign T`Vhor had just requested that the tranporter
chief energise in responce to the ok signalled from
the Sovereign. Within seconds, the materialising forms
of Ensign Dunn & the Admiral began to form on the
pads, Ensign Dunn`s shotgun still slung over his
shoulder.

"Ensign Dunn", said T`Vhor as the security officer
stepped down from the pad. "I am to escort you to the
Captains ready room", he added, as the two other
security memebers escorted the Admiral off towards the
brig.

(Reply Dunn)

Ensign Dunn seemed suitably aware of the fact that
he`d upset the Captain, that much was clear even to a
non empath. Ensign T`Vhor however said nothing at this
time as it was not the time to do so. He merely quized
the officer briefly on the state of play on the
Sovereign.

"The Sovereign is fully secured now?", said T`Vhor
looking to Ensign Dunn as they walked from the
transporter room towards the turbolift.

(Reply Dunn)

"I see", said T`Vhor, "we will have to get the damage
rectified as soon as possible, it is not logical for
us to remain in the Gamma Signa system any longer than
we need to be here", he added. "Ships loyal to Admiral
Doenitz may arrive at anytime & we need the Sovereign
battle worthy"

The two men then continued on saying more or less
nothing else now as they headed for the bridge. Ensign
Dunn was clearly avoiding any further conversation,
his mind obviously on his impending meeting with his
CO.


(USS Paladin - Captain`s ready room - TAC/Acting SC
T`Vhor - 10:45)

Ensign T`Vhor & Ensign Dunn were now standing before
the Captain in her ready room. Imediately she had bade
them enter, she had dropped what she was doing to face
the two men.

"Your dismissed Lt.", she said, looking briefly at
T'Vhor. Ensign T`Vhor nodded once & then turned about
to leave Ensign Dunn with the Captain.

(posted by Alan)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1035)

Captain Straton had requested to see the Admiral on the view 
screen. Calvin worked his board an the Bridge of the Sovereign 
came to life on the view screen. Lt. Capps kept working his 
board to clear up the picture, but it was useless. The battle 
earlier had done alot of damage to the ship and it would take 
several days and double time for all stations to get operations 
back up to standard efficiency.
 
When the First Officer looked up at the view screen he was cut 
off guard at first by what he saw. ensign Dunn had a hold of the 
Rear Admiral by the throat and had him a few inches off the 
ground. Captain Straton put a stop to this quickly.

"Ensign," She said, firmly, "Put him DOWN! That isn't Doenitz," 
She said, without a hint of doubt.  "Ensign Dunn, I want you and 
the Rear Admiral on the Paladin in 5 minuets. Immediately upon 
your return, report to my Ready Room.  Lt. Schofield, you have 
command of the crew on the Sovereign.  Se what you can 
gather from their computer and report to Lt. Capps if you 
discover anything."
 
Captain Straton turned to Ensign T'Vhor, "See that quarters are 
made ready for the Admiral, in the Brig. Then I want you to 
escort Ensign Dunn to my Ready Room"
 
The Captain continued her orders, "Lt. Capps, work with 
Commander Tahlmari and Colonel T'Vanek on getting all injured 
beamed aboard and sending any reinforcements they might
need on the surface.  Have the Dragon Slayers begin a patrol 
of the system, looking for any more lurking hostile's.  I'll be in 
my Ready Room, you have the Bridge."

"Aye sir." Lt. Capps stood up from his ops console and moved 
over to the chair that the Captain had vacated. Calvin swiveled his 
body in front of the chair and remained standing. He extended 
his arm down to to the right panel on the arm of the chair to 
push the comm button. 
 
"Lt. Capps to Ensign Knightly please report to the bridge."

"Aye sir, on my way," replied Elizabeth.

(posted by calvin)

(Soverign, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1039)

"Ensign," She said, firmly, "Put him DOWN!"

	This was a shock and this caused Dunn dropped the Admiral, Eva studied 
the 
man's
face.

	"That isn't Doenitz," She said, without a hint of doubt.  "Ensign
Dunn, I want you and the Rear Admiral on the Paladin in 5 minuets.
Immediately upon your return, report to my Ready Room.  Lt. Schofield, 
you
have command of the crew on the Sovereign.  Se what you can gather from
their computer and report to Lt. Capps if you discover anything."


Greg nodded at the captain and knew instantly he was in trouble. He 
gave a 
glance at the admiral
before the Paladin's transporters whisked them away.



(USS Paladin, Transporter Room 1, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1041)

Greg and the admiral were greeted by T'Vhor and two other security 
officers. 
The admiral was
taken away by the two burly security officers and T'Vhor was with Greg 
who 
gave him a faint
smile and got off the transporter PADD and headed to the captains ready 
room 
with T'Vhor biting
at his heels. Greg looked at the floor and avoided conversation.


(USS Paladin, Bridgem Ensign Greg Dunn, 1042)

Greg entered the room and stood infront of the desk with T'Vhor behind 
him.

	"Your dismissed Lt.," She said, looking briefly at T'Vhor.  Once
T'vHor had left and the door to the Ready Room had closed, Eva turned a
hard cold stare upon Ensign Dunn which he returned with a lifeless 
stare.

	"Ensign," She began, her voice cold, "Explain to me why you felt it
necessary to strike an unarmed Star Fleet Admiral and hold him in the 
air
by his throat?"

	Greg looked into the captains eyes and went over the events that 
happened.

	"....I...I don't know... somthing made me think he was Donitz... but 
somthing sparked..
a long dead hatred.... he reminded me of someone... someone from my 
past.. I 
am not going
to divulge." He stammered.

	He then pulled anxiously at his uniform and toyed with somthing in his 
right hand. Then
returned back to his giving hislifeless hardened stare at the picture 
behind 
the captain.

(posted by Greg)

(Captured Sovereign, Bridge, ACSO, Lt Shane Schofield, 1045)

Shane watched from the bridge as the crew moved the captured and 
damaged 
Sovereign class starship into formation with the Paladin and headed 
toward Sigma IV. While the Paladin took up a standard orbit their 
vessel 
was ordered into an orbit 5,000 kilometers beneath the Paladin.

~They must want us here to confuse the enemy gunners planetside and 
also 
to act as a buffer for any incoming fire that might be directed at 
them!~ Shane mused to himself as he slid into a Science station and 
began to scan the surface of the planet as well as the space 
surrounding 
it. There was a lot of debris floating throughout the system form the 
battle that made him question the sensor data.

=/\= Schofield to Straton. Captain what are your orders? =/\=

(posted by Andrew)

(USS Paladin, Ready Room, CO, Captain Eva Straton, 1045)

"....I...I don't know... something made me think he was Doenitz...
but something sparked..a long dead hatred.... he reminded me of 
someone...
someone from my past.. I am not going to divulge." Dunn stammered.

	Eva's eyes narrowed more, her anger rising.

	"Ensign Dunn," She said slowly emphasizing the rank, "You are a
senior officer on board this ship.  You are still a Star Fleet Officer.  
I
expect you to set an example for the junior officers.  I don't care who 
he
reminds you of, or why.  You will not  strike an unarmed prisoner, nor 
will
you physically assault them.  It is exactly that type of brutality and
disregard of the rights of others that we are fighting against.
Understood?"

(Reply Dunn)
(Leaving room for more)

	The ship shook suddenly, sending Dunn sprawling.  The shotgun slung
over his back went spinning off into a corner where it discharged 
taking
out the potted plant there.  ~What is that fool doing bringing a shot 
gun
into MY Ready Room!?~  Eva, seated behind her desk, just held onto her 
desk
till the ship stopped shaking.  

	Dunn picked him self up and recovered his shotgun and laid it on
the couch along one wall, then resumed standing at attention in front 
of
her.

	“Sorry about the plant.” He said in a rather depleted voice.

	"Forget it," Eva said, emphatically feeling the Ensigns emotions,
and noting the blood on his forehead and shoulder.  "Report to Sickbay 
and
have your wounds tended to.  Leave the shot gun, I will see that it is
taken care of.  Dismissed." Eva tone indicated that it was not a 
request,
but an order.

	After Dunn had left, Eva slapped her comm-badge.  

	"Ensign T'Vhor, report to my Ready Room," She said.  

(Reply T'Vhor)

	It only took a few seconds for the acting Security Chief to arrive
and enter the room.   Eva motioned toward the shot gun still laying on 
the
couch.

	"In the future, this weapon is *NOT* to be carried about the ship
for any reason," She said, her displeasure clear in her voice.  "It is 
a
clear safety hazard."  She pointed at the mess that had been her 
Betazied
Fern in the corner.  "Also, I would like an explanation why you allowed
Dunn to enter my Ready Room armed."

(posted by Wes)

(USS Paladin, Captain’s Ready Room, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1045)

The Paladin shook violently which knocked him off his feet and onto the 
floor catching his head on the captain’s desk. The shotgun that was 
slung 
over his arm spun into the corner and discharged a round smashing a pot 
plant and scratching the wall behind it. Greg grabbed hold of the desk 
and 
pulled himself back up right, he touched his brow gingerly and there 
was a 
small amount of blood on his hand, the wound he received earlier had 
re-opened on his shoulder and that had stained the uniform even more. 
Greg 
shook his head and went over and picked up the antique shotgun, which 
he 
checked over but found the safety catch still on. He placed the weapon 
on 
the sofa and went back and stood in front of the captain feeling a 
little 
sore.

“Sorry about the plant.” He said in a rather depleted voice.

(posted by Greg)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:45)

"Ensign T`Vhor, report to my ready room", said the
captain.

Ensign T`Vhor had just arrived at the tactical station
when the captain had suddenly signalled him.

"On my way sir", said T`Vhor puzzled at the apparent
insistance in her voice. Within seconds he had arrived
at the door to her ready room. He pressed the chime
once & the Captain bade him enter imediately, he then
walked to stand before her desk, noticing as he did so
that Ensign Dunn`s shotgun was still lying upon the
couch.

"Reporting as ordered sir", said T`Vhor.

(Reply Co)

The Captain motioned toward the shot gun still laying
on the couch.

"In the future, this weapon is *NOT* to be carried
about the ship for any reason", she said, her
displeasure clear in her voice. "It is a clear safety
hazard.", she added pointing at the mess that had been
her Betazied Fern in the corner.  

"Also, I would like an explanation why you allowed
Dunn to enter my Ready Room armed.", said the Captain.

T`Vhor raised an eyebrow in typical Vulcan fashion.

"My mistake sir, there wasn`t time to have it taken to
the armoury but I will see that it is dealt with
imediately", said T`Vhor, his voice as calm as it ever
was.

(Reply CO)

Ensign T`Vhor then picked up the unfamiliar weapon &
after being dismissed, he walked from the room.

(posted by Alan)

(USS Paladin, Ready Room, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1045)

"Ensign Dunn," She said slowly emphasizing the rank, "You are a
senior officer on board this ship.  You are still a Star Fleet Officer.  
I
expect you to set an example for the junior officers.  I don't care who 
he
reminds you of, or why.  You will not strike an unarmed prisoner, nor 
will
you physically assault them.  It is exactly that type of brutality and
disregard of the rights of others that we are fighting against.
Understood?"

Greg continued to stare at the picture for a few moments then looked 
the 
captain square in the eyes.

“Yes sir.” He said bitterly.

(After the shockwave)

Forget it," Eva said, emphatically feeling the Ensigns emotions,
and noting the blood on his forehead and shoulder.  "Report to Sickbay 
and
have your wounds tended to.  Leave the shotgun; I will see that it is
taken care of.  Dismissed." Eva tone indicated that it was not a 
request,
but an order.

Greg nodded and left the room he wasn’t going to go to sickbay but to 
go to 
his quarters and sought himself out.


(USS Paladin, Personal Quarters, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1046)

Greg removed his tunic to the timing of the door closing. He looked at 
himself in the mirror and looked at the wound with a slight morbid 
interest. 
He gave it a poke and regretted it when it stung violently.

“Jeeze that hurts.” He exclaimed to himself

Greg walked over to the replicator and ordered a whisky. A small glass 
with 
a brown liquid appeared in the bay and Greg removed it and took it to 
his 
desk. He took a small rag out of his pocket and soaked it with whisky 
and 
dabbed the wound with it. It stung like mad but he knew it would work. 
He 
then got some bandages out of the drawer and wrapped them around the 
wound 
with the whisky soaked rag still inside. He then touched his head and 
to his 
relief the bleeding had stopped. He put the whisky back in the 
replicator 
and got a fresh tunic out of the drawer. Greg un-holstered the desert 
eagle 
and put it under his pillow. Greg sat back down at his desk and rubbed 
his 
eyes.

~ I need to apologize to T’Vhor. ~ He thought miserably to himself.
Greg activated his computer.

~I also got to apologize to the Captain for the plant. ~

Greg looked up Betazed fern on the ship library. It was an easy plant 
to 
replicate so he instructed the replicator to make one. It appeared in 
the 
bay with a smart looking pot. Greg smiled as he took it out and placed 
it on 
the floor.

“Computer… send this plant to the captain’s quarters.” He commanded the 
computer.

There was a blue light and the plant disappeared. Greg looked at the 
ceiling 
and then at the floor, then headed to the bridge.


(USS Paladin, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1059)

Greg stepped back onto the bridge and took his place at tactical. He 
gave a 
quick glance over to T’Vhor and then concentrated on his console.

(posted by Greg)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1046)

Lt. Capps had now seated in the center chair. As he sat there 
he heard the turbo lift door's open. Calvin looked over and saw 
that it was Chief T'Vhor with Ensign Dunn. He watched the two 
walk toward the Captain's ready room, and then he continued 
with his standing orders.

Once again Lt. Capps pushed the comm button. "Paladin to 
Dragon Slayers. Start making routine patrol fo the system. 
Report anything."
 
(reply Dragon Slayers)
 
Calvin then continued. "Lt. Capps to Commander Tahlmari and 
Colonel T'Vanek, may have and update. 

(posted by Calvin)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1048)

There were still numerous of things that needed to be done. 
First, Calvin needed to know what status were for all 
departments. Everyone was pretty busy with all repairs after 
the battle. 
 
"Lt. Capps to Chief Matrix. Report."
 
(reply Matrix)
 
"Lt. we need these repairs fast. Can you send a repair team to 
the bridge." Calvin looked around and saw all the lose wire. "We 
need it."

(posted by Calvin)

(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. Steven Matrix - 1048)

"Lt. Capps to Chief Matrix. Report."
 
"Matrix here...Chief we're picking up the pieces down here. Warp coil 
three
is out, number one is yellow...we're working on stabilizing those and
implementing additional plasma generation.  Anti-matter from conduit 
four is
fluctuating, but Ensign Rathyn should have that stabilized shortly. 
We're
hurt pretty bad sir." 
 
"Lt. we need these repairs fast. Can you send a repair team to 
the bridge." Calvin looked around and saw all the lose wire. "We 
need it."
 
"Negative Lt... All of my teams are...."  The communications link went
dead... 

(posted by Steve)

(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. StevenMatrix- 1048)

Matrix heard the hissing of the plasma conduit but it was too late. The
plasma conduit super heated within seconds causing the power storage 
cell to
rupture in a flash of sparks and a blue glow which engulfed him and the
surrounding area. The automated suppression system reacted within a 
10th of
a millisecond. Matrix's ears were ringing and he was blind. Ironically 
he
thought, no pain. Matrix knew what had happened. He was on the 
floor...felt
for the wall, his com badge...

"Matrix to engineering..." Matrix passed out.

(posted by Steve)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Jared Keller- 1050)

It was starting to get bad in sickbay, hell it had been bad for a while as Eric had been moving the worst of the wounded from their makeshift infirmary in Cargo bay 3 and into medical for more complete attention. Jared seemed to see burned bodies and men missing limbs everywhere mixed in with the screams of those in so much pain the drugs had not yet settled in; those were the ones who were by and large transported nearly directly into sickbay. 
 
  Jared was used to seeing bloodshed but on this kind of a scale... after the 20th or 50th or 120th for all he knew he had lost count and they began to all look and sound the same. After closing up one fellow with shrapnel around his appendix and cleaning up his lacerated liver he stepped away from the table with his head reeling slightly. "Doctor Caruthers step in for a moment" He said then tapped his combadge. "All medical units report in, we have gone to code red! All medical units report to sickbay."
 
He slumped against the wall for a moment to catch his breath then waded back through the medical personnel toward his operating table. ~As soon as they get here I'll take a break, O god I need a break!~

(posted by Charles)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1050)

Calvin then moved over to the science station. Not to long ago Lt. Capps remembers that long range sensors were still inoperable. 

"Chief Brownlee, have we gotten our long range sensor back?"

(reply Brownlee)
 
"What seems to be the problem?"
 
(reply Brownlee)

"Mr. Brownlee, I don't think I need to express how important it is for us to have those scans online."
 
(reply Brownlee)
 
"Good, get to work."

(posted by Calvin)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - Acting CSO Ensign Joran Matthew Brownlee - 10:50)

While still looking at the damage reports for the long-range sensors, Joran saw Lt. Capps approaching.

"Chief Brownlee, have we gotten our long range sensor back?"

"Not yet, sir." Joran said.
 
"What seems to be the problem?"
 
"Every long-range sensor power conduit from here to the nacelles are fried. I'm trying to compensate by diverting power to conduits powering non-essential systems, sir."

"Mr. Brownlee, I don't think I need to express how important it is for us to have those scans online."
 
"Yes, I know. I'll have them up again in a few minutes."
 
"Good, get to work."
 
"Aye, sir." And with that, Lt. Capps walked away.
 
(USS Paladin - Bridge - Acting CSO Ensign Joran Mathew Brownlee - 10:55)
 
Suddenly, to Joran's surprise, the long-range sensor screen flickered back to life.
 
"Lt. Capps! I've got long range sensors back online!"

(posted by Spencer)

(USS Paladin - Primary Engineering Power Storage - CEO Lt. JG. Steven Matrix- 1055)

LT. Matrix wasn't unconscious long...perhaps a few minutes. On the 
floor, he
opened his eyes...his sight was coming back, but his ears were still 
ringing
from the blast. The CEO propped himself up on one arm, twisted and
positioned himself against the bulkhead...gasped and sat there. Slowly 
his
eyes began to focus and he gathered himself. He looked around. The 
plasma
blast had been contained by the suppression system. Force fields were
distributed around the area of the explosion and had prevented any 
further
damage. The plasma blast had licked the opposite side of hallway where
Matrix was standing and there was a noticeable outline of himself on 
that
side. Still in shock Matrix was slowing piecing the events together. 

Matrix thought out loud "...am I dead...no pain..." He looked at his 
legs
and chest. His uniform was still intact, but charred from the blast. 
After a
few more minutes the pain registered in his brain. His left arm was 
broken
in two places below the elbow and bleeding. He noticed a sharp pain in 
his
ribcage...four broken ribs that would be confirmed later in sickbay. 
Matrix
was lucky to be alive, without any serious burns or other injuries. He
managed to get to his feet and stumble out the corridor.

Matrix tapped his com badge, "M a tt rr ix t o sick...bay..." Matrix 
fell to
the floor unconscious.

(posted by Steve)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. Keller - 1057)

 "M a tt rr ix t o sick...bay..." 
 
The pain filled voice of the chief engineer carried by the intercom broke through the atmosphere in sickbay like a lightening strike. Jared heard it clearly over the moans of one young man. Jared was attending to an officer with his left leg missing below the knee and was working to reattach it, he had about 20 minutes more of dermal reconstruction to do before he was finished, his head snapped up and he got the attention of a nearby doctor. "Finish this for me."
 
He hurried from the operating suite and tore off his gloves then slapped his combadge. "Lt. Matrix this is doctor Keller, reply please if you can."
 
There was no answer so he slapped his combadge again. "Bridge this is Doctor Keller, Lt. Matrix just called into sickbay obviously injured and I can not get a reply from him. I need him located and beamed to sickbay ICU stat!"
 
(Reply: Anyone on the bridge)
 
The wait was interminable but he finally heard from the bridge crew that the CEO had been found. Jared hurried from the prep room to the ICU ward as the hum of the transporter began. When the CEO materialized Jared could see that his face was burned and all the hair had been burned off of it, his left arm below the elbow was cocked oddly and his breathing was quick and shallow. A nurse hurried up as he grabbed a hypo with a painkiller and pressed it to the young mans neck. "Get that shirt off him nurse so I can get a good look at his arm." He said as he powered up the biobed scanner. As two nurses lifted him up gently to slide his shirt off Lt. Matrix's eyes fluttered open.
 
(Reply: Matrix)
 
"Take it easy young man." Jared said. "we're going to make you as good as new again." He allowed a small smile to turn up the corners of his mouth. "Let's make this a quick question, what part of you does NOT hurt?" Just then the preliminary readings began to come up on the screen above the biobed.

(posted by Charles)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay -  CEO Lt. JG Steven Matrix  - 1057)

Matrix was in and out of consciousness...he heard voices, he felt pain. He knew that he'd been found and help was at hand. He felt relieved...
 
The wait was interminable but he finally heard from the bridge crew that the CEO had been found. Jared hurried from the prep room to the ICU ward as the hum of the transporter began. When the CEO materialized Jared could see that his face was burned and all the hair had been burned off of it, his left arm below the elbow was cocked oddly and his breathing was quick and shallow. A nurse hurried up as he grabbed a hypo with a painkiller and pressed it to the young mans neck. "Get that shirt off him nurse so I can get a good look at his arm." He said as he powered up the biobed scanner. As two nurses lifted him up gently to slide his shirt off Lt. Matrix's eyes fluttered open.
 
 Matrix grimaced in pain...he moaned... 
 
"Take it easy young man." Jared said. "we're going to make you as good as new again." He allowed a small smile to turn up the corners of his mouth. "Let's make this a quick question, what part of you does NOT hurt?" Just then the preliminary readings began to come up on the screen above the biobed.
 
 "I...I don't know...my legs...I can't feel my legs...I feel....," with that Matrix succumbed to the hypo and drifted off. 

(posted by Steve)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 10:57)

The Doctor certainly had his hands full & a comms
failure was not adding to it at all.

There was no answer via his combadge when trying to
access comms, so he slapped it again. "Bridge this is
Doctor Keller, Lt. Matrix just called into sickbay
obviously injured and I cannot get a reply from him. I
need him located and beamed to sickbay ICU stat!"
 
Ensign T`Vhor responded to the Doctors distressed call
imediately it finally came in. "Locating Lt Matrix now
Doctor", said T`Vhor as he scanned the ship for
Matrix`s com signature. The ODN was completely down in
engineering so T`Vhor had to work fast to re-route the
network to get a lock on him.

"I have him now Doctor", said T`Vhor, "beaming him
directly to your location"

(posted by Alan)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - FO/Chief Ops Lt. Calvin Capps - 1059)

Lt. Capps was now hearing all the fiasco that was being intended toward the chief engineering officer. ~This is the worst possible time this could happen,~ Calvin thought. With the multiple repairs that were underway, it was crucial for the CEO be well and working.

"I have him now Doctor", said T`Vhor, "beaming him directly to your location"
 
"Doctor, please keep me informed of the CEO's condition," Lt. Capps butted into the conversation. 

Calvin then walked over to the ops officer. "Inform Ensign Rathyn of the CEO's condition."

"Aye sir," Elizabeth said. She than worked her board accordingly.

Lt. Capps had now received back all the reports from all departments. Overall things were looking ideally 'OK'. Except for the incident to the CEO, Engineering were making the repairs as fast as they could. Ensign Brownlee had the long range sensor now operational. This was good news for no more enemy vessels could sneak up on the Paladin. The doctor was keeping up with all the injured in sickbay. 

The most important however were the marines down on the planet. They were still putting their lives in danger. Commander Tahlmari had sent on reinforcement squad down and another to relieve a hard worked and beaten squad. 
 
So far, the Commander and Chief of Marines officer had been able to take five out of five areas on the first state. Lt. Capps did not know the bare specs and wasn't for sure how many stages there were. 

Lt. Capps sat down in the center chair. He wondered how the talks were going between the Captain and Ensign Dunn. His thought transferred back to his previous duties and he looked at Tactical Chief with a look of wonder.

(posted by Calvin Capps)

(USS Paladin - Deck 14 - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  -11.03)

 Rathyn was checking on repair progress to the warp
coils when Elizabeth Knightly's voice cut in over the
com hailing her. The Ensign stood erect. "Rathyn
here." She felt her insides knot up when Knightly
informed her that the CEO had been injured by a
ruptured plasma line. "Acknowledged. Thank you." She
turned to the two men repairing the coil, sympathetic
of the concerned glances they exchanged. "He's in good
hands," she told them, trying not to sound harsh. "We
need those coils working as soon as possible."

  They gave her a grim acknowledgment and continued
their work as she whisked out the door. "Engineering,"
she hailed into her com-badge. She was disturbed that
an answer was not immediately forthcoming.
"Engineering! This is Ensign Rathyn."

  "Ensign Nate here, sir," a voice returned.

  "There's a plasma leak in one of the Generator
Rooms," she said. 

 "Yes sir," the reply came back quickly. "The
automatics came and it has been suppressed."

"Is somebody repairing it?" she asked as she entered
the turbo-lift. She called for the Engineering Deck
and the lift began moving.

"No. Our crews are spread out pretty thin already." 

"Acknowledged. I'm on my way down." 


(USS Paladin - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Alura
Rathyn  - 11.09)

  Her concern for Lt. Matrix made her expression even
more grim than usual by the time she arrived in
Engineering. Lt.  Morgot was the only person aboard
the Paladin she would consider a friend, but she had a
great deal of respect for Matrix and a visit to
sickbay at her earliest free moment was high on her
priority list. But at that moment she had to bury
herself in her job. She moved from station to station
checking on repair procedures, power flow readings and
gaining a better assessment of the bigger picture. One
of the crewmen approached long enough to tell her that
the Nautilus was in trouble and her crew was being
beamed onto the Paladin.

  Rathyn moved immediately to the warp core's central
control panel and began diverting as much power as she
could to the Transporters, then called on the
Auxilliary Generators to reinforce it, countering
their complaints sharply. "We have real people in
trouble. Take all non-essential systems off-line if
they aren't already." All arguments stopped on that
matter. 

  She punched in  a sensor reading. "All Engineering
personnel," she said into her badge. "The Nautilus
core will go  critical in approximately three minutes.
Be ready to grab something when the shock  wave hits
us."

  She kept an outside image of the Nautilus and the
core on her screen as she checked the anti-matter flow
from the containment tanks. Feed from the number one
magnetic  conduit was still unsteady. Considering the
impending explosion from the Nautilus' ejected core,
she decided not to take  chances. As soon as all of
the ill-fated ship's crew were safely aboard, she shut
down the conduit's anti-matter flow in that conduit.

  Moments later, a bright flash on the view screen
testified to the fate of the ejected core. She touched
her com-badge. "All Engineering crew, brace for shock
wave. The air hung heavily in the enormous chamber as
everyone looked to one another. then around the room
as if expecting the walls and ceiling to suddenly
collapse in on them. The ship reeled hard when the
wave hit, accentuated by several cries of alarm. Then
all went still and quiet again followed quickly by a
buzz of relieved conversation. 

Rathyn straightened herself from the panel where she'd
been leaning, straightened her uniform and quickly 
breathed her own grateful prayer.

(posted by David)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay -  CMO Lt. (jg) Keller  - 1103)

 "I...I don't know...my legs...I can't feel my legs...I feel...."
 
Those words had chilled Jared to the bone as they would any physician contemplating treating a patient, after the nurses had the young man ready he turned to the assisting physician who had just waked in from the emergency staff call.
 
"Dr. Maybrey I want complete spinal and neurological scans done on this young man. He has reported not being able to feel his legs, while you are attending to that I will work on getting his burns and other injuries attended to." 
 
"Yes sir Doctor." Marbrey said and quickly began setting the bio scanner for the required readings as Jared turned back to Lt. Matrix. He first turned on the sterilization field and watched as the remaining nurse finished cleaning the carbon residue from his face and hands then moved in with a dermal regenerator, fortunately the burns there were not bad, he must have ducked and turned from the blast when it went off and it didn't take more than fifteen minutes before fresh new skin had replaced that which had been singed. The matter of the  multiple fractures of the ulna was also not bad, he set it and immobilized the forearm quickly with a pressurized wrap after cleaning and regenerating the laceration just above his wrist that had been bleeding heavily.
 
Jared sighed and turned his attention to the ribs on his left side then that were shown to have clean fractures, four to be exact, it appeared from what Jared could see that the explosion had thrown the man against the wall on is left side, his arm had hit flat and been fractured and his ribcage on that side had absorbed a lot of compression when his body had bounced against the arm before the recoil had thrown him to the deck. Jared called for a ultrasonic unit that he placed over the ribcage, after turning it on he stepped back, the mechanism would speed the healing process of the ribs by approximately ten times, what would normally take two to three weeks to knit would be healed nearly completely in a couple of days. Another unit of similar construction was placed around his forearm, Jared then stepped back from the biobed while wiping his face with a towel.
 
"Doctor Keller."
 
Jared turned to look at Dr. Maybrey who had a serious look on his face, his heart dropped to the pit of hs stomach at the thought of what he might say. "Yes Dr. Maybrey."
 
"I didn't want to disturb you while you were working..." He continued at Jareds nod. "The scans show that the fourth Thoracic vertebrae is compressed and placing pressure on his spinal column, there doesn't appear to be any other spinal or neurological damage. " He went on after noting Jareds relieved look. "I could have him prepped for surgery in 30 minutes."
 
Jared nodded in relief, there were far worse things that could have been found and the operation would be relatively simple.  "Do so then Doctor. This shouldn't take very long then." He turned and smiled down at Steven. "And I don't see any reason for concern... he's going to be all right."

(posted by Charles)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor & FO Lt Capps - 11:10)

Ensign T`Vhor had been back at the tactical station
for only 20 or so minutes before the first signs that
something was very wrong began to show themselves.
Strange readings that appeared to be coming from the
vicinity of the Nautilus`s location had just appeared
on the Paladin`s sensor net.

Ensign T`Vhor raised an eyebrow in response & then he
set the controls before him to scan at a narrowband
frequency in an attempt to pinpoint their source. The
results however were inconclusive at best.

"Sir", said Ensign T`Vhor turning now to Lt Capps who
was still seated in the center chair. "I have
something on sensors that I cannot identify", said
T`Vhor.

Calvin heard the startling news from the Chief
Tactical officer. Lt. Capps wondered if it was more
enemy vessels. "Can you tell me more Mr T'Vhor?"

"There appears to be a localised area flooding with
warp particles in the vicinity of the Nautilus sir",
said T`Vhor, "perhaps science could look into it", he
added.

Hearing more from Tactical eased Lt. Capps a little
bit. However there was still a major issue at hand.
The Nautilus was damaged heavily in the battle. Was it
now going to be the end for her?

"Mr. Brownlee, what is going on over on the Nautilus?"

(reply Brownlee)

With the additional input of the science officers
evaluation, it was now looking decidedly likely that
the discarded warp core of the Nautilus was leaking
dangerously & still very close to the battered hull of
the ship that had recently ejected it.

"Sir, I suggest we break orbit & retrieve the
crew members on board the Nautilus as a matter of
urgency", said T`Vhor noticing an increasingly large
build up of warp particles in her vicinity as he
spoke.

Lt. Capps was now standing and looking between the
science officer and the tactical officer. There was no
time to wait. "Lt. Max take us to the Nautilus. Ensign
Brownlee watch that discarded core. We want to save as
many crew as we can, but we can't risk harm
ourselves."

(Reply Brownlee) 

As the ship left orbit, Lt. Capps kept throwing off
orders. "Ensign Knightley, clear all the transporter
rooms, we need as many as we can get. Chief T'Vhor as
soon as there are any sign of that core going
critical, raise Shields. Max when that happens get us
as far away as fast as you can."

Each of the respective crew responded to the First
officers orders quickly & efficiently.

The Captain however must have certainly noticed that
the ship had left orbit by now, Calvin signaled her
anyway to explain the situation. 

"Lt. Capps to Captain Straton. We are leaving orbit in
order to retrieve the crew on board the Nautilus, the
situation has changed sir", said the First officer.

Ensign T`Vhor kept his eye on the tactical viewer as
the Paladin made tracks to the Nautilus under the
expert control of Max at the helm. By the time they
were near enough to begin beaming crew off her though,
Ensign T`Vhor was already noticing a change in her
hull integrity.

"Sir, I am detecting micro fractures forming in the
Nautilus`s hull", said T`Vhor.

"How much time do we have?" Calvin asked hurriedly.

"The core itself will go critical in five minutes &
forty two seconds", said T`Vhor.

"That will have to do." After the Nautilus had been badly damaged in the battle not to long ago only a slim crew were left aboard to start the repairs on her. It was looking worst every minute they worked, but the repair teams did not want to give up. However now it looked like it was a waste of time and Nautilus was doomed.

"That`s an estimate sir", said the tactical officer as
the bridge crew began rushing from console to console
in an effort to maximize their chances of getting the
Nautilus`s crew off in time.

Ensign T`vhor then turned quickly towards the science
officer who was still busy at his console.

"Do you have any further information on the core
Ensign Brownlee?", he asked.

(Reply Brownlee)

The changes in the core were frightening & they were
now working on a knife edge in consequence to this.
Time was now of the essence.

"I have signaled the remaining crew members a code
nine on their comms sir", said T`Vhor, "They are now
preparing to leave the Nautilus", he added.

"Thank you Chief," Lt. Capps confirming to T'Vhor. "Ensign Knightley transport as soon as we are in range."

Max brought the ship to a dead stop at a point as near
as he was safely able, just as the relevant
transporter rooms began beaming the teams off to
safety. Ensign T`Vhor kept his eye on the core & the
Nautilus itself as they proceeded with haste.

"Sir, the core will go critical in one minutes nine
seconds, we have to go now", said Ensign T`Vhor.

"No, we must give them enough time to confirm the repair teams had transported." Lt. Calvin waited for the confirmation and could no longer wait for the crew to tell him verbally.

The first officer leaned to his right towards the
status console beside him to confirm that the teams
were now aboard the Paladin, the last thing he wanted
on his conscience now was being in a situation where
he would have to leave someone behind. 

Everyone was accounted for though so he quickly
signaled Max to engage the Paladins engines at three
quarter impulse to return them to their previous
station in orbit around Gamma sigma IV.

If they had engaged the engines any faster that that,
there was a distinct chance they would ignite the
plasma venting from the Nautilus`s discarded core &
destroy both ships in the process. The Paladin
immediately swung about one hundred & eighty degrees &
headed off towards the planet with her precious cargo
safely aboard.

With only seconds to spare, they had reached their
destination. "The core has gone critical sir", said
T`Vhor just as the leaking core spectacularly exploded
behind them taking the Nautilus with it in a huge
orange fireball that preceded the shock wave that
would inevitably follow.

Calvin looked back at the view screen which showed the Nautilus. The ship looked like it was at peace and nothing was about to happened to it, but everyone on the Paladin's bridge knew what was about to go down. "Shields, Brace yourselves." Calvin sat down in the chair and held on to the arm rest as tight as he could.

After the First officer had given the order for the
crew to brace themselves for shock wave impact,
everyone gripped on to whatever they could as the wave
hit them like a battering ram. It shook the ship
violently as it hit, sending crew & equipment flying
over the bridge. 

Ensign T`Vhor lurched forwards, hitting his forehead
on the tactical console, an opened gash appearing &
immediately issuing blood upon one of his screens as he
struck it.

Then as suddenly as it had hit, the wave diminished &
the bridge returned to some sort of normality. All
decks then began reporting in, there were minor
injuries being reported from various decks but the
important thing was that they had retrieved the
Nautilus`s crew. 

The rescue mission had been a success.

After the horrible shake from the shock wave of the exploding ship Ensign Knightley slowly got up from the floor and read the information on her console. "The Nautilus is gone sir. All repair teams are on board and on route to  sickbay."

"Good, please inform the Captain of our update. Once again," Calvin looked around the bridge at all the capable officers. "You all did very good. You saved lives today. Remember that. Now, Report."

(posted by Calvin and Alan)

(USS Paladin - Bridge - Acting CSO Ensign Joran Matthew Brownlee - 11:12)

"Mr. Brownlee, what is going on over on the Nautilus?"

"That concentration of warp particles that T'Vhor is picking up is the Nautilus' warp core." Joran said. "Sir, it's building towards a breach."

"Sir, I suggest we break orbit & retrieve the crew members on board the Nautilus as a matter of urgency", said T`Vhor noticing an increasingly large build up of warp particles in her vicinity as he spoke.

Lt. Capps was now standing and looking between the science officer and the tactical officer. There was no time to wait. "Lt. Max take us to the Nautilus. Ensign Brownlee watch that discarded core. We want to save as many crew as we can, but we can't risk harm ourselves."

"Aye, sir." Joran said.

As the ship left orbit, Joran heard the acting First Officer shouting out orders to other crewmen. Joran could tell from the looks on everyone's faces that they were uneasy, even T'Vhor. He looked back at the sensor readings.

"Sir, I am detecting micro fractures forming in the Nautilus`s hull", said T`Vhor.

"How much time do we have?" Calvin asked hurriedly.

"The core itself will go critical in five minutes & forty two seconds", said T`Vhor.

"That will have to do." After the Nautilus had been badly damaged in the battle not to long ago only a slim crew were left aboard to start the repairs on her. It was looking worse every minute they worked, but the repair teams did not want to give up. However now it looked like it was a waste of time and Nautilus was doomed.

"That`s an estimate sir", said the tactical officer as the bridge crew began rushing from console to console in an effort to maximize their chances of getting the Nautilus`s crew off in time.

Ensign T`vhor then turned quickly towards the science officer who was still busy at his console.

"Do you have any further information on the core Ensign Brownlee?", he asked.

"Just that the antimatter pods still attached to the core are losing containment. If they go, everything within 100 kilometers will be vaporized in a split second. I estimate a loss of containment in about 3 minutes tops."

Time was now of the essence due to the recent changes, frightening all who overheard.

(posted by Spencer)

(USS Paladin - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  - 11.22)

  A bright flash on the view screen testified to the
fate of the Nautilus' ejected core. She touched her
com-badge. "All Engineering crew, brace for shock
wave. The air hung heavily in the enormous chamber as
everyone looked to one another. then around the room
as if expecting the walls and ceiling to suddenly
collapse in on them. The ship reeled hard when the
wave hit, accentuated by several cries of alarm. Then
all went still and quiet again followed quickly by a
buzz of relieved conversation.

  Rathyn straightened herself from the panel where
she'd been leaning, straightened her uniform and
quickly  breathed her own grateful prayer. She quickly
checked the shields and inertial dampeners first and
found no significant damage — no more than before —
then she made a cursory system by system check.
Fortunately, the shock wave hadn't worsened their
situation significantly. 

  Over the course of the next hour, a handful of
repair crews reported completion of their various
assignments and she diverted them to other jobs,
starting with the gimpy Number One injector conduit
and the plasma conduit that had led to Lt. Matrix
injury. She remained intent upon clearing some time to
look in on him in Sickbay, but the opportunity did not
arise for some time. 


(USS Paladin - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  -13.40)

  "Free time" was a relative term on a starship,
especially under extreme circumstance, but Rathyn
managed to find a few minutes to slip away from work
and into Sickbay. Doctor Keller was of course
dutifully in attendance there and Rathyn inquired
after the injured Chief Engineer. 

  " How — ...." She swallowed a catch in her throat
she hadn't expected. "How's Lt. Matrix?"

(Reply: Keller)

  "I'd like to talk to him if he's allowed visitors
right now," she said. The Bajoran woman was not known
for sentimentality and she felt chagrin that her
emotions were slipping through cracks in her emotional
aromor.  She couldn't very well make a precise medical
assessment but seeing him would help satisfy her need
to know.

(Reply: Keller)

  She was aware that she probably sounded grossly
sentimental just then but she proceeded anyway because
she always preferred being in the know about
everything around her.  "How long will he need to
convalesce?"

(posted by David)

(USS Paladin - Deck 27 - Security - TAC/Acting SC T`Vhor - 11:45)

The hum of the Paladins engines sounded distinctly not
right. Normally the beat of the warp core was rythmic
& steady, but now it was as though it were irregular &
missing a beat. Strange the things you think about
when your mind is on nothing in particular.

For Ensign T`Vhor, such a state of mind was not new,
he had achieved Kolinahr many times before, the
quietness of mind on this occasion however was
something different entirely, just a fleeting moment.
As soon as he entered the security section, his mind
once again became focused on the job in hand.

"Ensign Blake", said T`Vhor approaching the man at the
desk. "Is our... guest settled in", he added.

"The Admiral sir, yes sir, settled in like a baby &
complaining about as much to", said Blake.

Ensign T`Vhor looked towards the entrance to the brig
& raised an eyebrow, then he returned his gaze to
Blake.

"Complaining?", said T`Vhor.

"About pretty much everything sir", said Blake, "he
has everything he needs to get by but he still isn`t
happy", he added.

T`Vhor returned his gaze to the brig entrance once
again. "Has he mentioned much about what went on over
at the Sovereign?", said T`Vhor. 

"Only that Dunn hit him sir", said Blake, "it`s one of
the things he`s most unhappy about", he added. 

"Oh and he also wants to speak to the CO", said Blake.

T`Vhor took a deep breath as he contemplated Ensign
Dunn`s unfortunate actions, then he began walking off
towards the brig to speak with the Admiral, leaving
Blake to his current duties.

The moment he entered the room, T`Vhor could see that
the Admiral was agitated, he stood from his bunk
imediately & demanded to see the Captain.

"Captain Straton is otherwise indisposed at this time
Admiral", said T`Vhor as the Admiral fumed a little &
then took a seat next to the bunk. "Then let me speak
to the First officer", he cried.

"He too is unavailable at this time sir", said T`Vhor.
The Admiral shook his head, then he looked up at
T`Vhor`s rank pins.

"Your the security chief?", he asked. "Yes sir, for
the time, it would seem so", answered T`Vhor. "Then
for the time being you`ll have to do", said the
Admiral as he stood to face Ensign T`Vhor & then
straightened out his tunic before he spoke again.

"You will no doubt be questioning my presence on the
Sovereign", said the Admiral. T`Vhor simply nodded his
assent as the Admiral took a deep breath as though
contemplating wether or not to go any further with the
lesser ranking officer before him.

"My presence on the Sovereign at this time in my
career, is one of subterfuge....Ensign.....", said the
Admiral motioning to T`Vhor for his name.

"T`Vhor sir", said Ensign T`Vhor acknowledging the
Admiral`s request.

"My name is Admiral Lewis", said the Admiral, "I am
hereby formally requesting asylum aboard this vessel",
he added, a remark which caught T`Vhor slightly off
guard to say the very least.

"You wish to defect from Admiral Doenitz`s fleet?",
said T`Vhor questioningly.

The Admiral straightened out his tunic once again &
lifted his head. "Your damn right son", he said, "the
man`s a madman", he added as he began strutting around
the cell agitated at the thoughts entering his head.
"He wants to annialite every god damn one of you &
everyone you ally yourselves too, he doesn`t care how
long it takes to do so either", said Admiral Lewis.

Ensign T`Vhor furrowed his brow as though not quite
hearing what the admiral was saying. 

"You wish to.....", said T`Vhor pausing as though to
choose the correct phrase. "Change sides sir", he
added.

"It isn`t as simple as that Ensign", said Admiral
Lewis returning to the bunk in his cell. "When I
allied myself with Admiral Doenitz I firmly believed
that his morals were good & strong & right", said the
Admiral running his fingers through his slicked back,
greying hair.

"Somewhere along the way, he lost the plot", said
Admiral Lewis, "went nuts....went ga-ga", he added
spinning his finger against the side of his head &
pulling faces to indicate madness. The he stood again
to face T`Vhor.

"You are not quite Vulcan are you son?", he asked
noticing his mixed heritage.

"I am half Vulcan sir", said T`Vhor, "my Father`s
side, my mother is responsible for my Betazoid half",
he added.

"A Betazoid!!", said the Admiral, "you should of told
me boy, you better not try & scan me", he cried
returning to his bunk again to sit, obviously
disturbed by the information T`Vhor had just imparted
to him.

"It would not be logical for me to attempt a scan of
an unwilling subject sir", said T`Vhor. "Also, it is
against my principles", he added.

The Admiral screwed his face up at the information
nonetheless, then he fell silent in thought.

"Then you must know I`m not lying", said Admiral Lewis
after a moment or two of contemplation.

"I repeat, I have not attempted to scan your mind sir,
it would break the sixth moral law of telepaphic
contact", said T`Vhor.

The Admiral then stood suddenly to walk towards
T`Vhor. "Then do it now son", he cried, "I give you my
permission to do so", he added.

T`Vhor paused & looked into the Admirals eyes, he
looked tired from everything he`d been through, he
didn`t have to scan him though, it was quite clear
that the Admiral was in fact telling the truth. Even a
non empath would be able to tell that.

"I believe you sir", said Ensign T`Vhor as the man
turned about.

T`Vhor took a deep breath as he watched the Admiral
running his fingers through his hair once again upon
returning to his bunk.

"Are you comfortable sir?", asked T`Vhor, "I mean, do
you have everything you require?", he added.

The Admiral didn`t even look up, he just continued
running his fingers through his hair as he answered.

"As comfortable as I can be in a brig son", he said.
"I don`t suppose you have any Romulan ale on board do
you", he added with a smile, "I could sure use a
drink"

Ensign T`Vhor smiled once, a fact which didn`t go
unnoticed by the Admiral.

"A smiling Vulcan", he said laughing, "I never thought
I`d see the day", he added.

Ensign T`Vhor however, simply raised an eyebrow & then
began to walk towards the door to the cell.

"I will need to make a report to the Captain sir", he
said, "Inform her of what you have said", he added.

"Very well", said the Admiral, "dismissed", he added
not realising at first what he had said.

"My mistake, force of habit", said the Admiral quickly
as he watched T`Vhor leave the room & re-instate the
force field.

(posted by Alan)

(USS Paladin, Bridge, Ensign Greg Dunn, 11:46)

Greg had got the urge to spy on the Admiral. He had hooked up to the 
brig 
internal comms and was listening in to the Admiral and T’Vhor having a 
chat. 
Greg wanted to apologize to the admiral and took note that the man was 
thirsty and asked for Romulan ale. Once their meeting was over Greg 
turned 
off the audio and headed to the brig.


(USS Paladin, Brig, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1151)

Greg stepped into the brig carrying a bottle covered with a cloth. 
Before he 
could get any further Blake confronted him.

“Don’t you think you have caused this man enough trouble?” Blake said 
forcefully.

Greg gave the man a cold hard stare.

“I am here to apologize, now move out of my way and let me speak with 
him.” 
He said with a hardened tone.

Blake still wouldn’t move.

“I am not going to let you near him.” Blake protested.

Greg looked Blake hard in the eye and clenched his free hand into a 
fist.

“All I want to do is apologise to the man.” Greg said angrily.

Blake shook his head and moved to one side.

“I’ll be watching you.” Blake spoke like a schoolteacher and that 
annoyed 
Greg.

Greg moved in front of the Admiral’s holding bay and the man cowered in 
the 
corner.

“D…. d…don’t hurt me please!” The man screamed with terror.

Greg lowered the force field and rolled the canister containing the 
Romulan 
Ale across the floor to the admiral.

“I am not going to hurt you.” Greg said calmly. “I want to apologize.”

The Admiral was still shaking and had gone white. Greg seeing this put 
his 
hands in the air and un holstered his phaser and placed it away from 
him. 
This reassured the admiral slightly as he regained his colour but he 
was 
still cowering in the corner.

“W… why did you do it?” The Admiral questioned.

Greg looked at the admiral and then at the floor. He was ashamed of 
himself 
for what he had done.

“A long time ago… before the federation broke up my family once had 
close 
connections with an Admiral of your description. That admiral sold 
information on the whereabouts of a federation outpost near the 
cardassian 
border… they attacked and they all died… I didn’t mean to harm you. It 
was 
kind of,” Greg moved into the cell and sat in the corner opposite the 
Admiral. “Admiral it should be me in this cell not you.”

The admiral remained silent listening to Greg’s story and when he had 
finished the Admiral gave Greg a thin smile and still remained silent.

“I brought you a drink… just what you asked for…” Greg caught sight of 
the 
Admiral’s look. “I am not stupid… I listen into a lot of places. That’s 
between me and you that one.”

Greg picked up the canister and unwrapped it and placed two glasses on 
the 
floor and got out the bottle of Romulan ale and poured it into the 
glasses. 
Blake saw this and was about to protest but Greg shot him a hardened 
icy 
stare and he soon backed off. Greg then picked one of the glasses up 
and 
handed it to the Admiral. He then picked up the other glass and gave 
the 
Admiral a smile.

“I heard that you were wanting to defect…” Greg said with a smile. 
“Good to 
hear it.”

Greg necked the ale in the glass and watched as the Admiral as he 
necked 
his. Greg nodded to the Admiral and got to his feet and helped him up.

“Again you have my utmost and strongest apologies.” He said with a 
tinge of 
sadness.

Greg extended a hand and the Admiral shook it.

“I will see if I can get you in some proper quarters.” Greg said as an 
after 
note.

Greg turned, picked up his equipment, turned on the Admiral’s force 
field 
and left the brig but not without giving Blake an Icy death stare. Out 
in 
the corridor Greg leant against the wall and slid onto the floor and 
held 
his head in shame for ten minutes after which he headed to the 
captain’s 
quarters.


(USS Paladin, Outside Captain’s Quarters, Ensign Greg Dunn, 1220)

Greg stood outside the door and pressed the doorbell lightly. Now all 
he had 
to do was wait.

(posted by Greg)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. (jg) Jared Keller -13.42)

 Jared had just cleaned up from the surgery on the CEO and was walking from the ICU ward when he noticed a young woman in engineering colors walking into sickbay, she saw him and made a beeline for him.

  " How — ...." She swallowed hard . "How's Lt. Matrix?"

Jared gave her a comforting smile. "The young man was burned slightly and battered pretty severely but he'll pull through."

  "I'd like to talk to him if he's allowed visitors right now," the young Bajoran woman stated. 

"I'm sorry Miss.... but he's still under sedation right now, I just operated on his back you see. The fourth thoracic vertebrae was compressed from the bounce he had on the deck I would assume and it was placing pressure on his spinal cord, I had to rebuild the vertebrae and he will be out for another couple of hours. When he does come out I want no more than a very short visit, he's been through quite a lot.
 
"How long will he need to convalesce?"

"He will be confined to sickbay for another couple of days due to some broken bones as well as the vertebrae thet need to mend, I would say two full days then at a minimum, after that we'll see how it goes. You look like you need some rest yourself."

(posted by Charles)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay - ACEO Ensign Alura Rathyn  - 13.45)

 "I'd like to talk to him if he's allowed visitors
right now," Rathyn said to the doctor. The Bajoran
woman was not known for sentimentality and she felt
chagrin that her feelings were slipping through cracks
in her emotional armor.  She couldn't very well make a
precise medical assessment but seeing him would help
satisfy her need to know.

  "I'm sorry Miss.... but he's still under sedation
right now, I just operated on his back you see," Dr.
Keller explained. "The fourth thoracic vertebrae was
compressed from the bounce he had on the deck I would
assume and it was placing pressure on his spinal cord,
I had to rebuild the vertebrae and he will be out for
another couple of hours. When he does come out I want
no more than a very short visit, he's been through
quite a lot."
 
   She was aware that she probably sounded grossly
sentimental just then but she proceeded anyway because
she always preferred being in the know about
everything around her.  "How long will he need to
convalesce?"

  "He will be confined to sickbay for another couple
of days due to some broken bones as well as the
vertebrae thet need to mend, I would say two full days
then at a minimum, after that we'll see how it goes.
You look like you need some rest yourself."
 
  "I won't disagree with you doctor," she said, a
smile dawning on her normally grim facial features.
The young doctor seemed pleasant enough. "But there's
still quite a lot of work to do. And my name is Alura
Rathyn."  She judged him to be about Zack Tristen's
age, and he was talking to her  according to what he
saw before him, a young woman apparently in her
mid-twenties. If he knew more about her, he would
probably call her "ma'am" instead of "miss." 

(Reply: Keller)

"Thank you for your concern, but I  still have several
good hours left in me," she assured him. "I'll be able
to sleep when I'm satisfied there won't be anymore
incidental injuries." 

(posted by David)

(USS Paladin - Sickbay - CMO Lt. (jg) Jared Keller  - 13.45)

  "I won't disagree with you doctor," she said with the beginnings of a smile. "But there's still quite a lot of work to do. And my name is Alura Rathyn."
 
NRPG: I guess Jared looks young for his age too since he is nearing forty.  *Snickers*
RPG:

"It is good to finally meet you then Alura, may I call you by your first name? I tend to be informal in sickbay. Since you seem to be bent on continuing working I could give you a stimulant if you would like though I don't give them out like candy as some doctors do, you're going to need your wits about you with the CEO down and out."

"Thank you for your concern, but I  still have several good hours left in me," she said. "I'll be able to sleep when I'm satisfied there won't be anymore incidental injuries."
 
"And that makes two of us then." Jared replied. "I have a lot of patients to attend to and more on the way. Come back in a couple of hours like I said if you wish, he should be awake then, if I'm not available tell the ICU doctor I gave you permission for a visit, he can check with me if he likes." 
 
(Reply: Alura)
 
Jared chuckled. "As a matter of fact he'd better. Until then if you don't mind I need to get back to the surgical ward. I hope to see you again but not under such conditions." Bowing his head slightly Jared made his getaway hustling through the door and was gone.

(posted by Charles)
===========================================================================================
[end]
===========================================================================================
Compiler: Calvin Capps