Mission: The Machination of Erebos Day: 1 Stardate: 2413.11.24 (Hades, Ten Forward - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 0752) (USS Hades - Main Engineering - CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 14:43) (USS Hades- Security Office - aFO- Lt. Commander Bohb- 1606) (USS Hades- Sickbay - CMO Angeni O. Windsong-Trommashere- 18:05) Mission: The Machination of Erebos Day: 2 Stardate: 2413.11.25 (USS Hades- Main Engineering - aFO- Lt. Commander Bohb- 09:09) Mission: The Machination of Erebos Day: 3 Stardate: 2413.11.26 (USS Hades - Sensor Control - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:42) (USS Hades - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:44) (USS Hades - CEO's Office- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 1746) (USS Hades, Security Offices - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 1805) (USS Hades - CEO's Office - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:47) Mission: The Machination of Erebos Day: 4 Stardate: 2413.11.27 (DS15- crawlspace- CSEC Lt Cmdr Evan Stephens- 0800) (DS15- Shuttlebay- CSEC Lieutenant Commander Evan Stephens- 0805) (Runabout- CSEC Lieutenant Commander Evan Stephens- 0810) (USS Hades, Turbo Lift - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 0814) (Starfleet Academy- Main Shuttle bay docking area – Assistant Chief Tactical Officer – Ensign (jg) Mil Nicolae – 0830) (Starfleet Academy – Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 0840) (Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 0920) (USS Hades - CEO's Office- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 0924) (USS Hades, Bridge, CO Captain Eva Straton, 09:25) (USS Hades - Main Engineering- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 0926) (USS Hades - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 09:27) (Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 1120) (DS15- CO's Office- Starbase CO- Captain William Nelson- 1121) (DS15 - Shuttle Jantz - ATAC Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae - 1122) (DS15 - Docking area - Shuttle Jantz - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1130) (DS15 - Docking bay - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1132) (DS15 - Outside Captain Nelsons office - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1135) (DS15 - Captain Nelsons office - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1136) (DS15- CO's Office- Starbase CO- Captain William Nelson- 1137) (DS15- CO's Office- ATAC - Ensign (jg) Mil Nicolae- 1140) Begin Compile (Hades, Ten Forward - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 0752) "I hope not." Harry replied. "I've had my fill of violence. Between the Waagoshin and the  strange hallucinations brought on by PX-1354, I'd like to have a fairly quiet mission charting stellar gas clouds or mapping pulsars for stellar cartographic references."   The man sighed and took a long sip of his coffee. "Besides, you haven't anything to worry about, If I know our luck, I'd say there's a high statistical probability that we'll run into something that will require your tactical and security expertise. Maybe Cardassians, or some first contact gone awry.  It seems to be the indefinable norm around here."   Takeshi had read almost all of the mission reports for the Hades that he could get his hands on. He knew enough about the mission to not make any remarks that could be construed as callous, in other words, he kept his mouth shut on the subject.  "I wasn't worried about inaction, just because we're not in the middle of a battle doesn't mean my jobs boring. Lt. Trinin makes sure of that. Besides, I'd prefer extra time to get used to the TIHS. Although I passed the test for using the thing, it's a great deal different from what we had at the academy." (Reply Doorman, iyw) Takeshi smiled as he stood. "It was a pleasure to meet you, but I must be going now as I'm supposed to be on duty in 8 minutes."  Without further ado Takeshi gave the man a slight bow, took care of his 'dishes' and walked out the door headed for the bridge. (Reply Doorman, iyw none needed.) Christopher Black.  (USS Hades - Main Engineering - CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 14:43) "I'm back what's next on the docket?" Eoin's smile was apparently infectious as Darla turned round with a smile on her face. She held up her PADD as if to inspect it and purposefully frowned. "Well the plasma manifold assemblies in D-section are coming up on their refurbishment and scrub cycle. If you're game?" she teased him. He frowned slightly, and was about to respond, but she kept going, "What about a waste reclamation repair on deck twenty two in the biomatter storage tanks?" "Well," he started, "if that's all there is, I'll take the manifolds." Dejection turned to levity quickly as she began to laugh. "Relax, I'm just kidding." she finally said, the smile broadening. "I wouldn't waste your talent on something so mundane. I've got a report of a non-descript glitch in the transporter in Transporter room two. I've closed it off for now, but I'd like to have you take a look at it and see if we can get it repaired so that it's a very small blip on the ship's status report that I have to send to the captain at 1800. You can take Valanar. I understand that he's had plenty of experience with transporters." Eoin lit up again. There was nothing engineering-wise that he liked better than navigating around a computer. He twiddled his fingers in anticipation. "Brilliant," he said, "I'll get right on it. I'll get back to you when we're done." (reply Wright) Eoin turned, and walked out of Main Engineering. He tapped his commbadge, and called the new Betazoid. "Mac Liam to Valanar. Meet me in Transporter Room Two." (reply Valanar, any) (posted by Spencer) (USS Hades- Security Office - aFO- Lt. Commander Bohb- 1606) Bohb nodded, "A list of candidates would be most acceptable. There's no rush. This will all take some time and I will want to speak with any candidates that you feel are up to the task." Bobh sat up a little more, and continued. "I would also like to have you send me your current duty roster, as well as any changes that you may make to it. I like to know who is on duty at which times." (reply Trinin) "Is there anything that you need to know from me, before we address your people?" Bohb asked. (reply Trinin) (posted by Al Muir) (USS Hades- Sickbay - CMO Angeni O. Windsong-Trommashere- 18:05) Angeni had set off a biobed in the corner of the bay for her examination.  She had laid out all of her instruments in perfect order, and she was finishing up setting things uo the way she wanted to.  Moving to her office, she looked at herself in the mirror, fixing a few pieces of stray hair.  As she turned, she heard someone clear their throat and she turned around with a smile. "Dr. Windsong-Trommashere, I am here for my  examination." The young cherokee woman smiled and raised a hand.  "Please, no need to be so formal with me.  Call me Angeni or Ang, sir..." (Reply Lt. Bohb) She glanced over the basic information that she had gotten from Starfleet, but she was eager to add to it.  She looked him over, making mental notes about his physical appearance and anything else she noticed.  She watched as he moved, his gait, his stance, everything.  She gestured to the biobed, "Right this way, please.  I thank you for offering to come in so I can poke and prod you a bit...now, before we begin, do you have any questions?" (Reply Bohb) (Posted by Kari) -------------------------- (USS Hades- Main Engineering - aFO- Lt. Commander Bohb- 09:09) Bohb shook his head. "I seriously doubt that there is anything that I know, about engineering , and this department, that either of you do not know better. But O would be lying if I was not concerned that one of the finest running ships in the fleet would have a problem like a computer core problem. We need to make sure that our reason for visiting the starbase is legitimate, and realistic." He looked at both of the engineers in front of him. "How do you plan on implementing this problem, and how will you convince the engineers on the starbase that this is a legitimate issue?" (reply Wright, Zzt) (posted by Al Muir) ----------------------------------- (USS Hades - Sensor Control - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:42) =/\=Wright to Mac Liam and Valanar. Report to my office immediately, turn over all current projects to qualified engineering team leads. We have a development I need to discuss with you.=/\= There was a tone of urgency in the CEO's voice. Eoin knew something was up. "Marquez," he said, turning to the CPO across the table from him, "I leave this in your capable hands. Good luck." The man nodded to Eoin, and Eoin was on his way. (USS Hades - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:44) Eoin strode into Main Engineering, the urgency that he'd heard in Darla's voice reflected in his stride. He crossed Main Engineering, and stopped at her door, ringing the doorchime without wasting any time. Apparently there was none to waste. (reply Wright, Valanar) (posted by Spencer) (USS Hades - CEO's Office- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 1746) Once both officers had arrived in her office, Darla did something that she never really ever expected to do in her career. She darkened the windows, sealed the door and disengaged the ship's recorders and cameras. That alone probably said more about the nature of what she was going to say than any words that she may speak aloud. "What I'm about to tell you is not to be discussed outside of a fully secured area and only between the officers present in this room. No exceptions whatsoever. To do so will have you brought up on charges for failing to obey an order from a senior officer. I want you to tell me that you understand me before I go any farther." (reply Valanar, Mac Liam) "Once she had their verbal understanding, she continued. We have received an order from Starfleet command that the commanding officer of DS15 may be an impostor and the Hades has been ordered to investigate. Captain Straton wants a valid reason to visit the station without drawing any undue suspicion concerning our arrival." "To that end, she has ordered me to create a engineering problem that will require us to put in for emergency repairs at DS15. We have decided upon a cascade failure caused by some faulty eps conduits and power flow leads to the secondary computer core." (reply Mac Liam, Valanar) "Exactly, regulations require us to put into the closest qualified repair station for immediate repair when the ship is reduced to a single operational computer core." She paused. "Now here comes the hard part. We have to make this look like an accident or a system failure. It can not look like sabotage. We're most likely going to have DS15 personnel aboard the ship and the last thing we want is for one of them to realize this is sabotage and alert to alleged impostor." (reply Mac Liam) "You'll have to handle the problem on our own, no junior officers and no engineers. And it has to be done in such a way as to make it hard enough to repair that we can't do it in the field, but at the same time we can't risk any injury to personnel in the core. We also can't evacuate them prior to the damage, or that will bring the validity of the failure into question somewhere along the line." (reply Mac Liam, Valanar) "I need this ready to fail by 0900 hours tomorrow morning. I need you to make this happen. Oh and once we get to DS15, there will be several of Lieutenant Trinin's security personnel with Engineering skills supplementing our engineering staff so that any station personnel aboard the ship can be closely monitored. "Any questions?" (reply Mac Liam, Valanar) Daniel Greene (USS Hades, Security Offices - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 1805) =/\=Trinin to Katsurou, please report to my office right away.=/\= "Yes Sir."  A few moments later Takeshi walked into the office bowing just slightly. He was about to speak when Trining motioned him to sit. A bit curious the ensign sat down and didn't speak until spoken to. His curiosity changed to caution as Trinin turned off the ships log recorder and sealed the door. Takeshi could help but feel a bit apprehensive and nervous as the door was sealed. "Ensign we don't have a great deal of time, so I'm going to come straight to the point. Our mission in this sector just got a great deal more complicated. It is believed that there is a possible impostor in control of DS15. as a result we have been ordered to investigate, confirm or deny this  rumor and then report back." "To accomplish this without too much suspicion, the CEO has been ordered to sabotage the ship so that we have a legitimate reason for putting into port for repairs." He slid the PADD across the table to his Assistant. "When we reach the station, we will be allowing some of their engineers on board. because we do not know how far this infiltration may reach, we must be  vigilant. These personnel have engineering training and as such they will be placed in engineering uniforms an insinuated into the engineering staff with orders to monitor all engineering personnel brought aboard the Hades from DS15." "At some point you and I will need to make our way aboard the Station without being detected. I need you to pull the plans for the station, and find us a way inside that we can use without detection. Stealth will be our greatest ally in this operation. We have been authorized to use whatever means we need to acquire the information we need. But before we do any arrests, the information for JAG must be solid." "What questions do you have for me?" Takeshi took the PADD, quickly scanning over the names on it. Seeing as Trinin was a telepath he didn't really look hard to see if the personnel picked could be improved upon, thought he did note that all of those in the list were the best they had in hand to hand combat with engineering knowledge. "Sir, if there is a spy on DS15 then is it really wise to sabotage the ship when we know at least three Cardassian vessels are sitting pretty right across the border?" (Reply Trinin) "Yes Sir. I didn't mean to question the captains orders. Do we have any leads as to where we should look first for this evidence? If the Cardassians managed the get an agent in a command position on the station than we can be pretty sure they are doing a thorough job of covering his or her tracks. Also, since your telling me this off the record should I assume that if caught we were working on our own without orders?" (Reply Trinin.) "No Sir, it's not a problem. Orders are orders on the record or not, until I'm shown evidence that orders are morally or ethically wrong I will carry them out to the best of my ability." (Reply Trinin.) "Thank you Sir. I'll get right to it. One more question to make sure there is no misunderstanding. Does any means necessary include lethal force?" (Reply Trinin.) Christopher Black (USS Hades - CEO's Office - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 17:47) Eoin knew something was up when Darla locked the door and darkened the windows. He shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. It was then that she began to speak. "What I'm about to tell you is not to be discussed outside of a fully secured area and only between the officers present in this room. No exceptions whatsoever. To do so will have you brought up on charges for failing to obey an order from a senior officer. I want you to tell me that you understand me before I go any farther." "Understood, ma'am." (reply Valanar) "We have received an order from Starfleet command that the commanding officer of DS15 may be an impostor and the Hades has been ordered to investigate. Captain Straton wants a valid reason to visit the station without drawing any undue suspicion concerning our arrival." "To that end, she has ordered me to create a engineering problem that will require us to put in for emergency repairs at DS15. We have decided upon a cascade failure caused by some faulty eps conduits and power flow leads to the secondary computer core." (reply Valanar) "Understood. That will require massive repairs once it's done. Is that why you chose it?" "Exactly, regulations require us to put into the closest qualified repair station for immediate repair when the ship is reduced to a single operational computer core." She paused. "Now here comes the hard part. We have to make this look like an accident or a system failure. It can not look like sabotage. We're most likely going to have DS15 personnel aboard the ship and the last thing we want is for one of them to realize this is sabotage and alert to alleged impostor." "Will I be allowed to use engineers to help me?" "You'll have to handle the problem on our own, no junior officers and no engineers. And it has to be done in such a way as to make it hard enough to repair that we can't do it in the field, but at the same time we can't risk any injury to personnel in the core. We also can't evacuate them prior to the damage, or that will bring the validity of the failure into question somewhere along the line." (reply Valanar) Eoin nodded, already beginning to think about how to go about this. It wouldn't be easy. "I need this ready to fail by 0900 hours tomorrow morning. I need you to make this happen. Oh and once we get to DS15, there will be several of Lieutenant Trinin's security personnel with Engineering skills supplementing our engineering staff so that any station personnel aboard the ship can be closely monitored." "Any questions?" Eoin had questions. He had a million questions. His mind was working at a thousand light years a minute. The first one that surfaced, however, was, "How will we pull this off without raising suspicion of sabotage? A computer virus? Disabling the security in the Core Control room?" (reply Wright, Valanar, any) (posted by Spencer) ------------------------------------------------- (DS15- crawlspace- CSEC Lt Cmdr Evan Stephens- 0800)   Evan was hallucinating again, that had to be it. The voice in his head kept calling to him through the drug induced haze that threatened to overwhelm him again. His vision swam frighteningly more often than he cared to admit and it was hard to think anything through the fog that filled his fever-ridden brain.   The security alert klaxons had finally sounded once they realized that he had managed to affect his escape. The doctor, the nurse, the entire medical staff were all in on the plot, working to subvert his ability to think, to suppress his desire to be free of this place.   He wretched as pain shot through his body, causing him to fold over nearly in half before dropping to his knees on the decking. "No...." he struggled to speak through his pain-clenched teeth. "nooo... I won't go back..." The pain stick was nothing new. Humans had once used them on earth as a form of non-lethal crowd control. The Klingons used them to prove their bravery. Evan used it to remain sane.   The small device was pressed firmly against the underside of his chin, sparking as the two small metal studs made contact with his hot flesh. The electrical discharge caused a cascade of bright flashes to appear behind his eyelids as his body convulsed. He dropped the rod, collapsed on the floor and half-choked, half-groaned as the agony washed over him.   The Rigelean fever was hard on him this time. The resurgence causing his fever to sky-rocket and his vision to swim almost as frequently as a terrestrial fish. He gulped in a large lungful of air, his brain soaking up the oxygen like a sponge soaks up water. He gripped the handle of the device, and forced himself to his feet. He knew he didn't have much time before they found him and made him do horrible unspeakable things.   He crawled at first, waiting for the smaller cramps in his legs and arms to stop hurting so much, before pulling himself to his feet. "One in front of the other." he muttered to himself through the mental slime that passed for his thought process. "One in front o-"   His mantra was cut short by a sudden pain in his legs as his own brain struggled to seize control of his body against his conscious will.  They almost buckled; almost pitched him face-first into the access panel that he needed to reach.   "Argggghhhh." he groaned through his teeth. He tasted iron and slowly came to the realization that he was biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. It took a serious amount of effort to release his jaw and extract his lip. In desperation he pushed the end of the pain rod against the inside of his left thigh and depressed the firing stud.   The pain washed over him, freeing his thoughts enough to allow him to pursue his plan. A way to escape from them. The watchers that were plaguing him, talking to him when he tried to sleep, locking him away in the brig or the sickbay until they decided upon the best way to deal with his defiance.   He knew what they were, monsters, senseless, controlling bastards that wanted to kill him, to make him better by crushing everything that defined him as an individual. They wanted to strip him of his identity, his career and his honor. They wanted him dead or worse- captured.   Captured so that they could lock him away again, put him into a small room all alone. Make him think terrible thoughts and want to do terrible things. Like before. Like the last time, when the doctors had come, talking about the state of his mind. Calling him insane, trying to convince him that he wasn't normal anymore, that he'd ever been.   And then they'd laugh and point and threaten him with their insipid tiny little thoughts and they'd force him to listen to them as they plotted and planned. As they prepared to destroy everything that he stood for, everything that he and Gloria had tried so hard to be.   His thoughts weren't focused, but his hands knew well enough what to do. They'd disabled his security codes a long time ago, once they realized that he could see their intentions on their faces. And when they realized that he could hear them thinking about him. But that didn't matter. He knew everything about this station. He should, he'd been here long enough before them, before anyone else was here.   His hands had removed the panel access and he'd almost completed the manual override for the access port when he could feel himself slipping again. The fever was there the whole time, but his brain, it was clear sometimes, almost lucid and that's when he understood that he wasn't hallucinating. He understood that this wasn't all some terrible dream, but then, the fog. That oppressive barrier that threatened to smother out any semblance of individuality. That incessant whispering at the back of his brain that threatened to shatter the last vestige of all that he was. That cackling maniacal laughter that threatened to launch him into oblivion alongside the uncontrollable, nearly uncontestable force of will that threatened to crush his soul. It would return like it always did, among the feverish half-sublime existence that was a mix of reality and some sick and twisted construct invented by Salvador Dali.   That's when the pain stick came in; burning flesh, sharpening his survival instincts to allow him to focus past the sickness and nagging, grasping voices of the beyond. They couldn't hear him think then, no, and he couldn't hear them either. No whispering ghosts talking into his skull, loading him with false promises and trying to subvert him to ...to... to the darker side of his humanity.   He dropped the last isolinear chip into place and for good measure pressed the diodes against center of his chest and thumbed the trigger again. He jerked, biting his tongue as he thrashed on the decking for a moment. But he had clarity; a clarity of purpose.   (DS15- Shuttlebay- CSEC Lieutenant Commander Evan Stephens- 0805)   The shuttle bay wasn't empty. In fact it was quite the opposite. There were several technicians and  a pair of security people in the compartment responding to the security alert. He knew what he had to do, and he couldn't let the voices in his head stop him this time. He had to save Earth, or Romulus or Vulcan, he wasn't sure which. There had been so many planets that had been mentioned by the voices in his head lately.   He ducked behind a stack of crates as a pair of technicians hurried past to some unseen destination. He had no doubt that they'd report him if they encountered him. They were all conspirators, whispering in the back of his brain. When they had passed, Evan cut across the bay as quickly as possible. His footfalls alerted the security men who rushed to overtake him.   He had almost reached the open hatch for one of the runabouts on the deck when he felt a heavy blow slam into his back. One of the security men, a small man named Seo, had landed hard against him, sending him sprawling forward onto the deck. The pain stick leapt from Evan's hand and clattered to the base of the ramp of the waiting craft as the security chief struggled to free himself from the man's grip.   "Stop resisting commander." The man shouted as Evan tried to squirm free of his grip, the entire time the fog in his brain was beginning to reform, but then...pain- brilliant blessed escape and a moment of divine purpose all rolled into one excruciating moment of clarity.   Seo's partner, in an attempt to take the fight out of Stephens, had used his own pain stick on the struggling man.  Seo and Stephens both convulsed for a brief second, but Evan recovered faster and as the second security man leaned down to restrain him, the commander's hand shot out and grabbed the hand phaser from his belt.   A single moment of hesitation was enough to give the fever riddled brain time to formulate an action and Evan's fingers pressed down on the firing stud, sending an angry red beam of phased energy into the body of his assailant. The man pitched backwards as the effect of the beam shorted out his nervous system. Evan twisted and brought the weapon to bear as Seo was scrambling for his own weapon. Evan didn't hesitate. A second beam of ruby-red light lanced out and dropped the man into a harmless heap on the floor.   "Go." he told himself, his voice beginning at a whisper and growing from desperation. "Go, you've got to Go!"   He half-spun as he pulled himself to his feet. The weapon held out to discourage any  would-be heroes from taking advantage of his deteriorating state.  Several backed away and then fled for cover.   ~The shuttle.~ he remembered then he turned and hurried, almost backwards towards the open shuttle hatch.   (Runabout- CSEC Lieutenant Commander Evan Stephens- 0810)   Two bursts from the smaller ship's phasers had disabled the force field emitters.  The sudden collapse of the barrier caused anything or anyone that wasn't tethered down to be forcefully ejected by the force of the escaping atmosphere into the cold grasp of interstellar space.   The runabout hadn't remained stationary. Evan had guided the vehicle through the opening and watched impassively as crew and cargo bounced off the small craft's newly erected shields. Two heavy jerks slammed into the top of the craft- an attempt to disable it by the station- the station hoping to use their phasers to deal enough damage to  make him surrender.   But he had come too far to let the fog and voices in his head win now. He knew that they were all watching him, laughing at his lumbering attempts to escape, but he'd prove them wrong this time. He wasn't trying to escape. He had different ideas.   Once you're a tactical officer, you're always a tactical officer. And Evan had been a tactical officer for a very long time.  He slid the ship into a tight starboard curve, avoiding two phaser blasts that had been plotted to intercept his previous course.   He opened a general channel and all but screamed into the thing as be brought the nose of the runabout around into a vector that would intersect the station. "No more whispering! You can't stop me. I know what you are, I know what you're doing. I'll kill you! do you hear me? I'll-"   Once again, the fog returned, only this time he didn't have a pain stick. The device was floating somewhere amongst the wreckage from the shuttle bay. He slammed his head face-first into the console, breaking his nose and stunning him with the sudden influx of pain. A gash had been opened in his forehead, his face was rapidly being subsumed by the flow from both head injuries. He started laughing uncontrollably as  he reached out to activate the runabout's warp drive. "Can't you see?" He screamed, "I've won. I'll kill you all!" The runabout's mass added to its velocity would have been more than enough to destroy the station had Evan been able to clearly focus on his goal;  however, through the blood smeared haze of his vision and his fevered brain he only managed to strike the impulse drive controls. That single mistake saved countless lives on the station by allowing them enough time to destroy the runabout with a quantum torpedo.  For Evan Stephens  the voices finally fell silent.  (reply none yet) Daniel Greene (USS Hades, Turbo Lift - ATAC Takeshi Katsurou - 0814) =/\=Trinin to Katsurou.=/\= Takeshi tapped his comm badge. "Yes Sir?" =/\=Mister Kasturou, I have just been informed that the Marine's Wolf Pack unit will be conducting anti-boarding training at 1400 on the Helldeck. Major Kgrik is in my office currently. He and I both believe that it would be an excellent opportunity for some of the Security squads to work closely with the marines to better understand their tactics and methodology. I won't be available to participate because of a glut of work I'm handling for the new First officer, but I was hoping that you wouldn't be too busy to participate. Do you have the time to lead a squad on the exercise?=/\= Takeshi frowned at the lift door. He didn't like the idea of leading the security squad, but he wasn't about to say no. Neither was he going to turn down a good opportunity to get better at something he disliked but knew would be useful in the future. "Yes Sir, I believe I will be available at the required time. I will do my best. Thank you sir." Takeshi waited a few moments before closing the link by tapping his badge again. ~Just my luck, I get to go shoot at holograms with marines!~ Smiling a bit to widely Takeshi walked out of the Turbo lift and took his station on the bridge. (Reply Trinin, iyw none needed.) Christopher Black (Starfleet Academy- Main Shuttle bay docking area – Assistant Chief Tactical Officer – Ensign (jg) Mil Nicolae – 0830)   Mil walked passed the alighting cadets from the recent transport into the Academy. Most of the young ones stared at him in awe as he continued his journey to the shuttle, duffle bag over his shoulder.   “Sir” nodded a young Trill trying to get out of his way.   “Thank you Cadet, watch your back” Mil pulled the cadet out the way of several instructors that were streaming thorough the crowds. He noticed Lt. Thrall, his final instructor holding the stare he smiled slightly and nodded towards the general area of the Andorian. Sending the cadet on his way Mil continued to walk towards a type nine shuttle. Mil walked to the rear of the shuttle to gain access, as he passed the door he tapped the side panel and it started to close behind him.   (Starfleet Academy – Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 0840)   Mil threw his duffle bag into the corner of the cockpit and fell into the pilots’ chair. He spun round to face the helm control panel. Tapping a few buttons the entire cockpit came to life and started beeping.   “Computer, initiate pre flight checks” Mil commanded as the computer beeped in recognition   He stared at the control panel, tapped a few more buttons and sat back slightly.   “Pre flight checks complete” chirped the computer.   Mil tapped the communications controls “Jantz to Academy control, pre flight checks complete, requesting permission to depart.”   “This is control; you are cleared to depart to Deep Space Fifteen.”   As Mil inputted the trajectory to DS15 the shuttle started to clear from the ground and flew into space.   (Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 0920)   Mil walked over to the repucator in the rear of the fore compartment. “Coffee, black” his drink appeared in front of him, taking it he moved back to the helm control and placed his drink on the panel.   “Open hailing frequencies, Starfleet command, Captain Emmi Green.” The computer responded and the face of his mother appeared on the screen. Mil motioned to greet her.   “Get that coffee off the workstation immediately Ensign, what have I told you about respecting your ships. Just because you’re out of the Academy doesn’t mean you can let the side down son.” Mil looked stunned at the screen as the comforting laugh of his mum filled the room. “Congratulations son, I heard you had been given your assignment, I wanted to see you before your left for the Hades but duty called.” She looked softly at her child.   “That’s ok; it sounds like I needed a quick turn around anyway. There will be plenty of time to catch up when I get some R and R” Mil responded moving his coffee onto his lap and wiping the helm.   “Boy if you think you’re getting R and R on your first assignment you need to think again, you will be worked to the core.” The door chime of Emmis office went off. “Son I'm sorry there is someone who I need to see…send me letter.”   Mil sighed and let his shoulder drop “ok, mum. Jantz out”   “Computer, auto pilot please” the panels bleeped and Mil walked into the rear compartment. (USS Hades - CEO's Office- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 0924) ~ The moment of truth.~ Darla thought as her finger hovered over the button on the console that would initiate the EPS conduit overload and bring the secondary computer core to a screeching halt. The work had been completed and all traces of the sabotage erased very carefully from the system. The last vestige of proof was the initiation program, which would self destruct and overwrite itself once it had completed it's pre-programmed task. Eion had been very thorough, even removing any trace of the access to the sabotaged areas, both in the entry points and on the internal sensor logs. it had taken a great deal of work and cooperation with Lieutenant trinin to avoid setting off any automated alarms, or automated recording systems. In the few instances where they were unavoidable, the Security chief had managed to make the evidence disappear. It was just a little bit chilling how easy it really was between them. Of course it was even easier with the complete leadership of both departments working towards the same goal. ~Stop stalling.~ she recriminated herself. ~Push the damned button~ With one final sigh, she pressed the button and watched as the program started it's work, in less than a minute, it would be complete and there would be nothing to warn a single engineer in her department of the imminent failure. She rose and immediately left her office, ready to play her next roll. (USS Hades, Bridge, CO Captain Eva Straton, 09:25) Eva was seated in the command chair looking over reports from the Gamma shift as the Hades moved into another star system to begin the mapping procedure they had used before. Eva was about to give the command to proceed with the launch of a series of probes when an alarm sounded suddenly at the OPS console. Eva frowned. "Report," She said curtly, though she had a good idea what it was she still had to act as if she didn't. "Power surge in the EPS conduits leading to the secondary computer core," Ensign Sirval at OPS reported in typical Vulcan calm. "Engineering report," Eva snapped, stabbing the com unit on her command chair. (Reply Engineering) Eva's frowned deepened as she listened to the report. ~Well done Lieutenant.~ She thought privately making sure her frown turned into a scowl. "Estimated repair time?" She asked. (Reply Engineering) "Understood, get started and I want a full report on how this happened," Eva replied. Closing the connection with engineering her gaze shifted to Ensign Sirval. "Contact DS15 and let them know we will be enroute for emergency repairs," She said, "Give them our estimated arrival time and then set course for the station. "Aye Sir," Sirval replied his hands moving over the console before Eva had even finished speaking. "Course laid in." "Warp 6. Engage," Eva commanded, keeping a deep scowl on her face as the Hades turned toward DS15 before leaping to warp. ~Soon things will get interesting.~ She thought wondering what they would find on the station. (Reply Engineering, Any) (Posted by Wes) (USS Hades - Main Engineering- CEO Lieutenant Darla Wright - 0926) The Alarms sounded as she made it out of the office and on to the main deck. She knew that right now operations would be already reporting the system failure to the Captain. She vectored herself to the Master display console and had just started pulling up the fault reports when the Captain's voice cut through the blaring squeal of the alarm. =^=Engineering report, =^= Her voice sounded irritated. If darla hadn't known better she would have been worried by the tone instead she tapped her commbadge with her right hand as she pulled up the specifically affected areas of the display. "Wright here captain." she said professionally, "Looks like we've suffered some sort of incursive EPS power relay failure. The plasma flow managed to exceed the control unit's threshold and has burnt out the majority of the secondary computer core, sir. The safety plasma flow regulators must have been damaged by the initial power surge." =^= Estimated repair time?=^= the captain asked over the open channel. "forty-eight to seventy-two hours, but we'll need to pull the core assemblies. To do that we need repair facilities. We can't repair this problem in the field, sir." She replied allowing some nervousness to creep into her voice. "but we can start work on some of the secondary subsystems right away sir." she added. =^=Understood, get started and I want a full report on how this happened,=^= Eva replied. "Yes sir. We're on it!" She replied. With the channel closed, she turned to her department. "Mac Liam, start the preparations for the repairs. and shut down any live plasma feeds heading into the repair area." (reply Mac Liam) Daniel Greene (USS Hades - Main Engineering - ACEO Ensign Eoin Mac Liam - 09:27) Eoin rubbed his eyes. He had been up all night performing "maintenence" on the Secondary Computer Core, and now had to work his usual shift. He yawned and took a sip of his tea. And that's when the klaxons started sounding. He knew immediately what it was. However, he needed to remind himself to react properly: surprise. He immediately sprang to his duty, "tracing down" the source of the alarm, and pinpointing the Secondary Computer Core as the source of the trouble. As he did this, he heard reports coming in from all over the ship, and couldn't help but feel proud of the engineers for tracking down what it was and what had happened so quickly. He also noticed Darla come out of her office at the perfect time, and getting briefed on what had happened. Afterwards, she faced Eoin, and gave him his instructions. "Mac Liam, start the preparations for the repairs, and shut down any live plasma feeds heading into the repair area." "On it, ma'am." His fingers flew over his console, and he shut down all plasma feeds to the section. He then sprang out of his seat, and shouted over towards two engineers near the warp core. "Habib, Nguyen, suit up! You're with me." (reply Wright, Valanar, any) (posted by Spencer)    (Shuttle Craft Jantz – ACTO – Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae – 1120)   The perimeter alarm woke Mil from his day dream in the rear of the shuttle, as he jumped up he left his uniform tunic behind on the chair and ran to the fore compartment. Mil silenced the alarm and pressed a few more buttons.   “Deep Space 15, this is the Jantz.”   The face of the station commander appeared on the comms screen   (Reply Nelson)   “Good morning sir, requesting permission to dock.” Mil replied   (Reply Nelson)   The screen went blank; the Ensign maneuvered the shuttle to the docking bay and set her down.   (Reply any) (Posted by Mat Hodson) (DS15- CO's Office- Starbase CO- Captain William Nelson- 1121) Nelson was sitting back in has seat, his eyes closed, as his mind wandered. It was such a unique experience, and he rarely had an opportunity to allow himself such a luxury. Of course, it was not always his choice. He was rarely allowed such an opportunity. Even now, he could sense that his moment of relaxation was going to be paid for in a long struggle. But it was worth it for his moment. =^=Captain Nelson, in coming message on a regular channel.=^= Nelson sat up in his chair, alert and already mentally fighting to maintain his calm. "Put it through Alice," he told the comm officer. =^-Deep Space 15, this is the Jantz.=^= They had been told to expect the incoming transwarp shuttle, bringing out fresh personnel. "Go ahead Jantz." =^=Good morning sir, requesting permission to dock.=^= "Good morning ing Ensign Nicolae, permission granted," Nelson replied. "Once your shuttle has been secured, I would like to see you in my office." He didn't wait for a response, and shut the channel. The Hades was now patrolling their space. Nelson had known that the ship would come in contact with the station sooner or later, and Nelson had wanted to be prepared for that eventuality. It seemed as though they were going to get that chance sooner than he had thought. This turn of events might work in their favor. He tapped his comm badge. "Nelson to all senior staff, I want to meet with you all in conference room 1 in one hour. The party's over and tomorrow starts the same old thing again." (reply Nicolae) (posted by Al Muir) (DS15 - Shuttle Jantz - ATAC Ensign (JG) Mil Nicolae - 1122)   "Once your shuttle has been secured, I would like to see you in my office" returned the voice of the station commander   Mil went to open his mouth but the Captain had already shut the channel cutting him off mid flow "lovely to talk to you too sir" Mil said tempted to reopen the comms channel. Insted he turned to the helm and piloted the ship towards the station. As the space doors opened he flew the craft using the manvering thrusters into possiton.   (DS15 - Docking area - Shuttle Jantz - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1130)   The shuttle rested in the large docking area as several crew members moved around. Mil secured the main stations within the craft and headed to the rear.   ~suppose I need to make an impression~Mil thought as he pulled his COMM badge off his vest and placed it onto the table. He picked up his outer tunic. Closing the tunic he cought sight of his reflection off one of the pannels. Staring long and hard at his face he bent down to his duffle bag and pulled out his earpeice. Slowly he looked at it ~its been five years..why now?~ Mil looked back at his reflection and cliped the Bajoran artifact to his lobe and upper ear. Holding the look he picked up his COMM badge and placed it on his tunic.   "Nicolea to Station command. Shuttle secured."   (Reply whoever)   He walked off the shuttle securing the doors as he went. As he looked around at the crew of the station he felt pride to finally be an officer, but somthing inside him felt wrong. Mil turned around and opened the shuttle again. He knelt by the wepons locker and pulled out a type 2 phaser and placed it in his duffle bag, wrapped in his old cadets uniform. He walked back towards the docking bay.   (DS15 - Docking bay - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1132)   No one seemed to pay the Bajoran any notice as he crossed the deck towards the turbo lift. The doors opened and closed as Mil travled to the Captains office.   (DS15 - Outside Captain Nelsons office - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1135)   Mil walked out of the turbo lift and towards the station commanders office. As he reached the doors he held out his hand and pressed the entry pad.   (Reply Nelson)   (DS15 - Captain Nelsons office - ATAC Ensign Mil Nicolae - 1136)   Mil walked into the room and faced the station commander. "I believe you would like to see me sir. I wasnt awaer I would be required to report to you as i'm supposed to be transfering to the Hades shortly"   (Reply Nelson)   Mil looked at the captain and remained standing. "Do you know what time my transport leaves?"   (Reply Nelson) (Posted by Mat Hodson) (DS15- CO's Office- Starbase CO- Captain William Nelson- 1137) Nelson stood up and stretched his back when the door chime rang. Then he called, "Come," and the door opened. It was interesting watching a crisp new ensign walk into the office. They were always filled with such hope for the future, and unsuspecting of anything that could be going on right in front of them. However, the smile on the captain's face was genuine. He was happy to see this Ensign Nicolae. "I believe you would like to see me sir," Nicolae said. "I wasnt aware I would be required to report to you as I'm supposed to be transfering to the Hades shortly" Nelson stepped froward and offered his hand. "Indeed Ensign, however, it is customary to report in to the command of any ship or station you find yourself, just in case there have been order changes, or news to report." Nelson led the ensign into the office and offered the chair in front of his desk. "We don't really know when the Hades will be arriving. In fact, I wasn't certain that they would be stopping by DS15 until just recently, when we heard that you will be coming." Nicolae remained standing and asked, "Do you know what time my transport leaves?" Again the captain offered a seat, "Please, have a seat Ensign." He moved back around the desk and sat down himself. "As far as I know, there is no transport to take you out to the Hades. In fact, I'm not completely certain where they are right now. All I know is that they are en route, and will collect you when they get here. Most likely it will be in the next day or so." Nelson could see the look of disappointment on the ensign's face. "You are welcome here, and we have made some arrangements for temporary quarters while you wait. You are welcome to enjoy any of the conveniences that DS15 has to offer. Our commissary has a variety of restaurants and stores, if you care. I would also like to give you the opportunity to meet some of my crew and create a sort of... bond between the Hades and the station, since your ship will be patrolling out here for a while. It's always good to have that rapport." (reply Nicolae) (posted by Al Muir) (DS15- CO's Office- ATAC - Ensign (jg) Mil Nicolae- 1140)   As the Station commander moved around the desk Mil took the seat he had been offered. "As far as I know, there is no transport to take you out to the Hades. In fact, I'm not completely certain where they are right now. All I know is that they are en route,  and will collect you when they get here. Most likely it will be in the next day or so."   Mil felt slightly deflated at the Captains comments. He placed his duffle bag on the floor and looked past Nelson towards the vast emptiness of space ~more delays...when will this assignment start?~   "You are welcome here, and we have made some arrangements for temporary quarters while you wait. You are welcome to enjoy any of the conveniences that DS15 has to offer. Our commissary has a variety of restaurants and stores, if you care." Mil went to answer but Cpt Nelson continued talking...seemingly oblivious to what the Mils mouth was trying to do. "I would also like to give you the opportunity to meet some of my crew and create a sort of... bond between the Hades and the station, since your ship will be patrolling out here for a while. It's always good to have that rapport."   The officer has stopped talking for a second and Mil sensed his chance to respond.   "Sir, thank you for the offer. As the Hades will be my first appointment the chance to take a look at your tactical systems and staff would be greatly appreciated. You know, get a feel for the post. If you dont mind could you please put me in contact with your Chief Tactical officer, just to get the ball rolling?"   (Reply Nelson)   "Well its just half a day on a shuttle has sent me mad almost and I would welcome the distraction of work"   (Reply Nelson)   "Is there anyway to contact the Hades to find out when she will be arriving, just to see how much I need to unpack" Mil looked at his Starfleet issue bag "not that it would take long either way." Mil let a little chuckle out.   (Reply Nelson)   "Understood sir, I'll go and get myself sorted and then wait to be contacted."   Mil stood up out of the chair and shook Nelsons hand, he turned and faced the door.   (Reply Nelson) (Posted Mat Hodson)