Against Orders, Part I

Anomaly TrekMUX Episode (#02-004) 01/28/01

Story setup: Admiral Whitehorse has informed the command crew that there will be no rescue of Tarsis Balin, Station Commander of Station 419, from Betazed. The Commander was stuck there when the Dominion invaded the planet. The command crew is very angry over these orders, and intends to disobey orders to rescue their commander.

Holliday's brows raise slightly. "I think I'd ask you if you wanted to take a vacation with myself and Mr. Nevaren."

"What if I told you I knew about some people on the station who were planning on going to look for Balin anyway. Would you run to Stavek, or to Admiral Whitehorse?" Gwen smiles, taking any noticeable edge out of her words, and stands from the biobed. Holliday returns the smile evenly.

"No, I wouldn't." A slight chuckle. "Great minds think alike? Or run in the same gutters?" Holliday reaches for his compin and removes it. "Maybe we'd better go off the record."

Gwen nods, pulling off her own compin. "It's a small group, Pierce. We've been throwing some ideas around..." She sighs, "Well, I've gone and done it...," belatedly she looks around for any other medical personnel in the infirmary.

Holliday smiles. "Don't worry. I'm still horribly understaffed. And for the most part, the IR is fairly safe: Doctor-patient privilege... I've been trying to come up with something myself, some way to bend the rules maybe... But what have you got so far?"

"Let me answer that question with another question. How much do you know about the capabilities of the Aegis?" Gwen folds her arms and waits, letting out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "Not much, beyond the sick bay and the 'factory specs'..."

Holliday answers. "Although, if we're right about Sinclair having used.. Will use?" Shakes head.. "Anyway..."

"Well... they've let me in on some of it's more, interesting, capabilities. It -is-, in fact, a timeship. Possibly Starfleet's first." Gwen doesn't mention the fact that she is not supposed to know about the Aegis' purpose. "Someone stationed on the Aegis' will be helping us."

If Dr. Holliday has a good idea where Poole gained this information, and who that 'someone' might be, he doesn't elaborate. "Oh?" Pause. "Why doesn't that surprise me as much as I would have thought? I think I should tell Nevaren not to apply for any leave time, before he goes off half-cocked... If we're taking the Aegis though... Well, how are we taking the Aegis?"

"That's the trick... isn't it?" Gwen grins evilly. "I spoke with Nev a few days ago... he's in on it. As for the Aegis.... We need to find excuses to be on the Aegis. Taking it will be the easy part, we won't be warping out of here, if you were thinking of that. We'll initiate a time jump back to a time when the station wasn't here... perhaps two or more years ago. Once we've accomplished our objective, we'll drop Balin off at Risa, or at least at a starport where he can get anonymous passage to Risa." She smiles, then adds, "Then we travel back in time again... go back to our previous coordinates, and return to our time, approximately a nanosecond after we left. The only one who'd be able to detect we'd been gone is Starfleet Intelligence, Division of Temporal Investigation. They are who we have to worry about."

Holliday says "I'd say that's a good conjecture."

Holliday quirks an eyebrow. "Hmm. The temporal paradoxes contained in that plan make my head swim a bit, but Ok, it sounds like it should work. I'm a little leery of tampering with the course of events too much though..." He chuckles. "We all have things we'd like to fix, maybe... /When/ are we intending to try and rescue Balin?" Pause. "As far as getting to the Aegis... Stavek can't actively help us, but he doesn't like Starfleets decision on this either. I don't think he'll try to actively stop us either, so long as it's not sho try to actively stop us either, so long as it's not shoved right in his face?"

"Perhaps we can find an excuse to 'inspect' the ship?" Gwen shrugs, "We're still a while away from putting the plan into action... My person on the Aegis is still working on the temporal calculations." While she rubs her right shoulder, she says, "Once she is finished, the operation should be a go... It looks like it may be a few days yet."

Holliday nods. "Ok. I'll let you know if I have any bright ideas. We might be able to get the use of it for training maneuvers or something if nothing else comes up." He looks around the Infirmary. "So until Ty.. Your person finishes the calculations, I guess that's about it? But count me in when you're ready to go."

Gwen nods the affirmative, then picks up her combadge and puts it back on. "Until then I suppose I'd best keep up my therapy." She smiles suggestively, then says, "I have this new program that I got from my brother. I ran it yesterday with Nev and this civilian girl, and they seemed to like it. Old Earth type stuff."

Holliday returns the smile, also reaffixing his compin. "Sounds interesting... What kind of Old Earth type stuff?"

"A 20th century thirties or fourties club... Lots of different music, swing, jazz. Supposedly my brother took the basic outline for it from someone on the Enterprise." Gwen rolls her eyes at that idea, "Still, it's nice... and it gives us the excuse to wear nice civilian clothes for a short while."

Holliday smiles. "Well, the band sounds good. And I could use an excuse to get out of uniform. We'll have to give it a try sometime then."

"Now -that-, my dear Doctor, sounds like therapy." That ever-so charming smile is back again. Gwen let's the moment last for a few seconds, then says, "I'd better get my arse up to Ops. Stavek was cranky the last time I came to bridge duty late... something about his meditation time being reduced." She shrugs, "C'est La Vie."

"Right. And I'd better get back to work on this simulation- it keeps flatlining on me. Y'all come back now, hear?" Holliday chuckles.

Poole nods and mosies on out of the Infirmary, intent on dodging any amorous ferengi captains and grumpy gus vulcan CO's.

Tyler steps in, her hands wringing a bit nervously. Her new job on the Aegis keeps her busy there, so she's not seen the interior here since before Balin left. "Cuh-commander?" she finally asks. "You cuh-called me?" Wendy prays silently that she's not in hot water.

Poole nods, looking for all the world about as nervous as Tyler. She sets down the PADD and stands up, "Lt... Not commander... and thanks for coming so quickly. I need to talk to you about something." She pauses then says, "I assume you heard Admiral Whitehorse's orders about rescuing Commander Balin."

Tyler nods and looks down. She suddenly looks very guilty. "Yes, s-sir," she says softly.

"This is personal, ensign... and I hope.... I hope you won't speak of this to anyone else." Gwen pauses again, as if trying to decide whether to proceed. "If you had the chance to rescue Commander Balin.... would you do it?... if you could do it with no one knowing."

Tyler frowns as she realizes she's not in trouble. She looks at Poole, finally. "Puh-permission to speak freely?" she asks.

"Yes... please." Gwen sits back down in the swivel chair, and watches Tyler carefully.

Tyler looks incredulous, then and paces a bit as she speaks. "What is wr-wrong with you people? An order is an order. This k-kind of f-f-flippant attitute t-toward your orders reminds me of how Sinclaire operated."

"Unless you've forgotten... Sinclaire is... or will be -you-, doesn't that make you a hypocrit?" Gwen responds, then stops and calms herself. "We need to get Balin off Betazed.... You and I both know there's a way to do it without having to sneak past the Dominion, and without Starfleet knowing that we did it...."

Tyler blinks, looking at her. "What? Starfleet will know. The Timeline will be changed. DTI will know." She frowns a bit as she tries to click something together mentally.

"No... they won't. We can keep Balin hidden until after we were supposed to get his 'message' from the artifact... There must be someway we can make sure nothing noticeable changes in the timeline." Gwen keeps her eyes steady on Tyler. "DTI won't know... not if we're careful."

Tyler frowns. "With all d-due respect, sir, you d-don't know what you're talking about." She crosses her arms. "You d-don't know how it works. N-none of you ever had the suh-slightest idea."

Gwen grins at that, and nods, conceding the point. "However... you are overlooking one thing, Wendy. -You- do know how it works. That's why I'm asking for your help... not trying it all on my own."

Tyler shifts her weight in place but won't look Poole in the eye. "There.. Th-there are others, who huh-have expressed similar interests." She pauses for a long time, then looks to Poole. "But you'll huh-have to order me to do it, s-sir. I.. I d-don't.. The way I fuh-feel about Starfleet, s-sir."

Gwen winces at that.... "I... I don't... " She looks away from Tyler, flushing a little. "I ... I... Very well... I order you to help me rescue Commander Balin using all the resources available to you... including the Aegis... if needs be. This is to be considered a classified operation, and I'll take full responsibility if we're exposed... or caught." She looks to Tyler and adds, "And I think I know of someone else I can ask, someone who'd volunteer at any rate."

Tyler clasps her hands behind her back and stands at Academy attention, looking up about 45 degrees. She says softly, "Ah-aye, sir."

Gwen smiles faintly, and nods. "No one is to know... Understood? I'll bring in what volunteers I can." She sighs, then stands, "That will be all, Ensign... I'll contact you again soon."

Tyler nods and turns, walking towards the door. She looks back to Poole as she pauses by the door. "You shuh-should talk to Nevaren and Accolon, t-too," she says.

"I'll take that under advisement." Gwen nods, then sits again, picking up her PADD and examining it.

Tyler bites her lip and heads out, wondering what she's gotten herself into.

Nevaren stands at the bar, sipping his cappuccino. At his feet are his satchel, toolbox, and diagnostics equipment hard case. 

Janos has arrived. 

Gwen enters, wearing her special 'suit'... apparently not wanting to worry about the strength of her legs or back tonight. Without so much as changing direction once, she heads directly for Nevaren.... and spots Holliday as well. "Good evening, gentlemen." 

Nevaren looks up from the PADD on laid before him on the bar. "Evening, Lieutenant. What are you up to, this evening?" 

Janos wanders over to the bar and sits at an empty place. He calls Sileel over to him.

There is a gale of hearty laughter from some of the traders near the bar. 

Janos orders Bolian Tonic Water from Sileel. After a few minutes, Sileel brings Janos his order. 

Janos takes a drink of his Bolian tonic water. 

Holliday has just stepped into the Neutral zone, finding his way to the bar near Nevaren. A tricorder is affixed to his hip, and his 'black bag', (actually a hard case) rests beside his stool. He remains standing however, and orders a drink. "Gimme a 'klingon coffee', Sileel." She looks at him. "Rachtajino?" "Nah. Java. Strong and black." He chuckles nervously. While waiting for that to arrive, he nods to the others. "Evenin', Gwen, Nev. Not much- thought I'd go inventories the Aegis Sickbay in a bit." Holliday orders Coffee from Sileel. After a few minutes, Sileel brings Holliday his order. 


Nevaren smiles. "I got stuck with Aegis duty tonight too. It’s my own fault. I haven't had much time to go over and finish some work lately. Attuning the sensors and syncing these iso-neural circuits." Nevaren says "Maybe you can visit me in engineering and keep me company. Get the EMH to do inventory." 

Gwen smiles faintly at Nevaren, then says, "It appears we'll all be on the Aegis tonight... We should meet up for lunch in the Mess." She takes a seat and says, "I'm going over to help Tyler with a diagnostic." 

Jolvan up until now had been admiring the knick-knacks in the bar, he then spots Lt. Poole and with a look of determination walks over to her "Excuse me Lieutenant who the hell is ‘Ambassador’ S'Terik?"

Nevaren ahhs and sips his cappuccino again. "It's going to be a lonely quiet shift. The ship is almost empty." He suddenly looks up at Jolvan. "Sub Lieutenant?" 

Gwen looks over her shoulder, and upon spotting Jolvan turns around. "Ambassador S'Terik? He's from the Federation Diplomatic Corp.... representing the Federation in our local affairs with the Romulan Star Empire." Her response is not cold in the slightest, just matter-of-fact. 

Janos takes a drink of his Bolian tonic water. 

A young ensign carefully sidesteps one of the bar's more drunken patrons. 

Jolvan sounding a little furious but clearly not at anyone at this table, asks, "Is it my duty to report to him in anyway?" 

Nevaren smiles. "Why should you, Jolvan? He's your Federation Counterpart, not your superior." 

Holliday nods, takes a sip from his coffee, "Funny, everyone winding up on the Aegis tonight like that." The comment is delivered absolutely straight, although the coffee cup hides his expression. He lowers it, listening to the exchange between Poole and Jolvan until Tyler arrives. Then he nods to her. "Seems your diagnoser's arrived, Lt.." 

Gwen nods, "Lieutenant Nevaren's correct. You don't need to feel offended." 

Jolvan turns to Nevaren "Well my counterpart seems to think I need to report to him on my actions. Arrogant Vulcan." 

Nevaren turns back to Jolvan. "Don't sweat it, Sir. Vulcans only come off that way. They can be just as fallible as us once you get to know them." 

Janos picks up his drink and carries it over to where Nevaren, Holliday, and Poole are, "Did I hear you say you'd be working on the Aegis today? It appears I am assigned there today as well."

Blutox looks on the assembled crowd with a stoic expression. 

Jolvan is more relieved after his brief talk then is suddenly aware of the other conversion going on "The Aegis, is the staff preparing to take a trip?" 

"Don't worry overmuch about it, Sub lieutenant. It's a coincidence." Gwen replies to Jolvan, sitting down on a barstool. 

Holliday barely bats an eyelash. "Yeah. A coincidence..." He quirks a smile at Janos. "Well, welcome aboard then, Ensign." 

Nevaren smiles. "It happens once in a while, Sub Lieutenant. The Aegis doesn't get out much and we got to keep her in tiptop shape in case an emergency comes up. Until we get her a regular crew, anyways." 

Jolvan looks confused "A coincidence of what?" 

"A coincidence that we're all going to be on it... Every once in a while, we end up stuck with a duty shift on the Aegis. Tonight's just one of those strange ones where a bunch of us here end up together." Gwen replies, eyeing Jolvan carefully. 

Holliday nods. "Don't worry. We shouldn't be gone long." He says dryly, again swallowing some coffee. Holliday takes a drink of his Coffee. 

Nevaren sighs, shaking his head. He sips his coffee. "Double workload for me. Shifts on station AND on the ship?!? Well, if I were human. Well, FULLY human, that would probably bother me more. But since I don't need as much rest it's not a problem. Once in a while." 

Holliday takes a drink of his Coffee. 
Holliday finishes his Coffee. 

Jolvan, now understanding, says, "Ah, I am glad I don't have such duties. The Privilege of being a foreign officer" and smiles. 

Sileel darts among the dirty tables, cleaning them up. 

Nevaren takes a drink of his Cappuccino. 
Nevaren takes a drink of his Cappuccino. 

Gwen looks to the bartender and asks for a cup of Earl Grey. "Two lumps of sugar, no cream." She takes a sip after it arrives, and let's out a deep breath. 

Nevaren leans back in his chair, smiling. "So... what’s everyone going to do with their r&r when they get it?" 

Janos says "Hopefully there will be a football match I can catch somewhere." 

After another sip of her tea, Gwen shrugs her shoulders, "I want to go home, to Earth. Sleep in my old bedroom." She smiles faintly at old memories. 

Nevaren smirks. "Well. It's not where I was born or raised, but I think Earth will be my destination too. I hear New Zealand is nice all year round." 

"I want to go to London... And Florida." Gwen grins, looking over to Nevaren, Janos, and Doc Holliday. 

There is a gale of hearty laughter from some of the traders near the bar. 

Holliday chuckles. "I dunno. Try to rehabilitate myself?" 

A drunken Ferengi toward the back of the Zone shouts for more tube grubs. 

There is a gale of hearty laughter from some of the traders near the bar. 

A young ensign carefully sidesteps one of the bar's more drunken patrons. Tyler steps into the bar, and hands Poole her PADD. She waits for the acting first officer's reaction twisting her hands nervously. She glances about as if she's done something wrong and is afraid of being caught. 

Gwen accepts the PADD, taking a glance at it, whilst using her other hand to bring her cup of Earl Grey to her mouth. "Okay... So, shall you tell me plainly, or are you going to leave me to decipher this mess on my own?" 

Holliday nods to Tyler, smiling. "What's new, pussycat? You look like we're short a canary or two..." 

Jolvan watches Tyler's expressions carefully.

Tyler ignores Holliday's friendly jab and looks to Poole. "It's n-n-not g-going to work. I." She almost says something more, but stops herself. 

"It's not going to work," Gwen repeats calmly, setting down her cup of tea. With a look to Nevaren and Holliday, she stands up and motions to Tyler, "Let's sit together and you can explain it to me further." 

Tyler shakes her head. "Nuh-no, sir," she says. She leans further toward Poole to mutter something to her. Tyler mutters to you, "We've g-got to act now - the Aegis is ah-about to go out on patrol under the Admiral's orders. I've guh-got an alternative plan." 

Nevaren continues looking at his own PADD, sipping his coffee. 

"By all means, Ensign." Gwen's gaze flicks to Nevaren and Holliday, and with one hand gesture motions to the door. "It's seems as though time's up. All our hopes are in your hands, Ensign." 

Sileel darts among the dirty tables, cleaning them up. 

Holliday presses his lips together in a flat, pale line, then relaxes his expression with an almost visible force of will. He strokes his moustaches thoughtfully with a forefinger and thumb, observing the exchange between Poole and Tyler. "Sounds like time for 'Plan B'." He chuckles ruefully. "Do we /have/ a Plan B?" He asks, jokingly, but the question is sincere. 

Nevaren frowns, looking at Tyler and Poole... suddenly getting a feeling of dread. He tries to shake it off and finishes his coffee Nevaren finishes his Cappuccino. 

Tyler looks toward Holliday, and nods. "I. Um." She glances toward Nevaren, then back to Poole. "We duh-don't even have t-to steal the Aegis." 

Jolvan perks up. 

Nevaren stands up, shouldering his satchel and diagnostic equipment case. His toolbox is in his left hand. He walks over to Poole and Tyler and Holliday. His eyes narrow at Tyler, his face becoming very VERY serious with a trace amount of anger. "Stow that talk, ensign," he hisses at her as quietly as possible, yet loud enough for his little group to hear." 

"Oh?" Gwen sounds a bit surprised. "What then is your proposal, ensign?" She looks over to Jolvan, noticing his expression.... her hand drifts down to her phaser. "Don't even move, Sub lieutenant." 

Tyler blinks and takes a step back from Nevaren. "Oh, n-no," she says softly. 

Nevaren stiffens at Poole’s actions. This is DEFINATELY not what he had in mind. "This... isn't... the... place." he tells his group, pronouncing each word very carefully so his meaning is crystal clear. 

Jolvan is shocked at this move puts his hands up in an angry voice "What are you doing Lieutenant?”

Nevaren shoots a look at his crewmembers, then at Jolvan. "Go to the ship or somewhere... We'll Meet up." he studies Jolvan. "I'll Take care of the Sub Lieutenant." His voice is calm and steady, his eyes aglow. 

"Please come with us, Sub lieutenant.... I believe it's time we all find a place a bit more private for this conversation." Gwen says simply, then starts walking out the doors. 

Holliday smiles, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that's a relief." He mutters, and then looks to the others. "Isn't it?" He looks to Poole, then to Jolvan. "Relax. Everyone's just a little bit jumpy, what with not planning to steal a starship and all. C'mon." He stoops to retrieve his med kit and falls in behind Poole, reinforcing his words with a casual tip of his head in the direction of the doors. 

The group, with Lt. Poole leading the way, heads to the Infirmary; they should have the privacy they need there.

Infirmary - Station 419 - [IC] 

Throughout this room, the sound of forced air and the electric hiss of Level Three Containment Fields can be heard. The light blue fabric that covers the walls does little to disguise the severe sterility of the place. Eight medi-beds lie side by side down one wall. Above them, the monitors blink softly as they display appropriate medical information. On another wall, the extensive Medical Library computer's display screen shows tests in progress, simulations being run, and station monitoring information. Along the other wall, a series of small examining rooms sit with identical sets of medical testing equipment. Moving through all this is the quiet and efficient staff of the Chief Medical Officer, whose office is opposite of the infirmary's entrance. 

Obvious exits: CMO's Office <CMO> The Mall <O> 

Once they have all arrived:

Tyler wanders in last, having watched everyone leave and then remembering she needs to go too. 

Gwen moves to sit on one of the biobeds, and then nods to Holliday. "A secure area, right?" She waits until everyone has entered, and there is no one else about. "Well, who wants to go first?" With purpose, she looks to Tyler. 

Nevaren frowns as he enters. "Jolvan, we're not going to hurt you." Nevaren steps up to the Romulan, standing at his side. 

Nevaren shoots a withering look at Tyler. "You should have waited until we were in private, Ensign. We needn't have dragged non-Starfleet personnel into this." 

Holliday nods. "Secure enough, I hope." He shrugs, looking at Nevaren. "I'm more worried about dragging the military into this..." A slight chuckle, then he looks questioningly to Tyler and Poole. 

Jolvan relaxes a bit "So what is this about stealing a ship?" 

Tyler frowns and looks to Nevaren. "I'm sorry," she says, her eyes getting large and wet. "I really am," she pleads toward Holliday. 

Gwen slides off the biobed and moves to Tyler, "Wendy... c'mon... you needn't start all that. Just tell us your plan B." 

Tyler frowns and glances toward Jolvan. "I.. Is he.. W-w-with us?" she asks. 

Holliday smiles comfortingly. "None of that now." He says, mock gruffly, and then looks towards his chest. "I forgot my pocket square this morning." He glances towards Jolvan. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. Now..." 

Sounds emanate from the various people who pass by outside on the promenade. 

Jolvan says, "The USS Aegis isn't Romulan property." 

Tyler frowns, then nods. "Nuh-neveren's plan won't work b-because it's t-too gr-gran-d-.. Too big." She pauses a second, then goes on, speaking quickly. "The Aegis is ah-also ordered to g-go on patrol in thuh-thirty minutes by Ah-admiral W-whitehorse." 

With a careful, and perhaps pleading look, Gwen's eyes move to Jolvan. "Sub lieutenant. You've walked in on a rescue plan... we're going to recover Commander Tarsis Balin from Betazed. That's why there is all this talk of the Aegis..." 

Holliday says, "Well, that does complicate things a bit, doesn't it? Now what? Aside from staging an emergency evacuation of the Aegis, do we have any other ideas? We can't just give up on him, now can we? And, I might add, we're a bit far up the creek by now to back out..." 

Nevaren looks at Jolvan. "And I don't mean to be blunt, Sub lieutenant, because I like you, but you will NOT reveal ANY of this information to anyone... least of all Romulan Command... Or you will find yourself away from those battles you crave a very... Very long time. I will make sure of that." 

Gwen winces, "It's not all that bad, Sub lieutenant... just consider yourself drafted." She looks to Tyler, "So what is your plan for getting us on the Aegis? Or are we avoiding the Aegis altogether?" 

Jolvan looks a bit offended, and asks, "Why should I help the rescue of the Butcher of the V'tarus?" 

Nevaren frowns, offended at the reference to Balin. "Because if you don't, Jolvan, and if you squeal, I will call in a favor... From the Tal'Shiar." 

Jolvan looks at Poole with an unpleasant look, and says, "It appears then that I have no choice." 

Tyler says impatiently, "We're running out of t-time!" 

Nevaren looks at Tyler. "Do you think we could get Jolvan aboard... as an Observer?" 

"I'm sorry, Sub lieutenant. I wouldn't have chosen it to happen this way." Gwen nods as Tyler speaks up, "Yes. So, do we have to take the Aegis by force then?" 

Tyler shakes her head. "Nuh-no, sir," to Poole, then looks to Nevaren. "He c-can come on board if Lt. P-poole escorts him." 

Nevaren nods. "Okay... Looks like you're riding shotgun, Jolvan, so to speak. So what do we have to do, Tyler?" 

Tyler bites her lip, then looks to Poole. "We h-have to go into the Computer core. All of us. I c-can get us in there, b-but. It m-might cost me my career." 

"Again, ensign, all of our hopes are with you... The choice is yours." Gwen replies to Tyler, then watches the girl quietly. 

Jolvan mood changes slightly to acceptance at least for now. "Well if I am going be an accomplice to this, would someone tell me what the plan is?" 

"I'm sure the baker and the candlestick maker will be very grateful, Sub Lieutenant." Holliday quips, then groans. He looks to the chronometer and then to Tyler. He smiles. "Maybe we can get a group rate on the court martials." 

Nevaren suddenly gets a bad feeling. "Tyler... did you choose to join us of your own free will... or were you ordered?" 

Tyler looks to the floor for a long moment, and runs her hand across the back of her neck. "I was ordered." She looks back up to Poole.

Nevaren shoots a disgusted look at Poole. "We'll talk about this later, Poole." He says, obviously angry. He then looks at Tyler. "Look, Ensign, its too late now to turn back. Just get us into that core and if the targ dung DOES hit the fan, I will personally make sure your career remains intact. I pledge that. But right now, we have to get moving." 

Jolvan calmly says "How many are on the ship now?" 

Gwen looks away as she flushes a bit in embarrassment, then her anger flares. "We'll talk later, if I feel like it Lieutenant." She grits her teeth, then says, "If you aren't willing to help us in this effort, Wendy... I'll take that as a sign of your disrespect for Commander Balin, that you care about your career more than him.... More than a fellow officer, I should say." 

Tyler frowns and looks down to her hands. "I.. I d-don't disrespect him, sir." She looks back up to Poole. "But th-this uniform stuh-stands for high principles that I have to live up to as a Starfleet officer." Tyler gestures towards Jolvan. "Luh-like showing a Romulan cuh-classified Starfleet information." 

Jolvan sighs, then smiles and has a small look of glee, "Then let’s get to it shall we." 

"That's a crock of bull and you know it," comes Gwen's hot reply. She shakes her head, "Come on... If you won't bloody do it willingly, I order you to take us to the Core." 

Holliday sighs, then nods agreement with Nevaren, and chuckles, shaking his head. He looks to Tyler. "One question, Ensign. What would Admiral Sinclaire do?" 

Nevaren sighs. "Look... We're wasting time. Either get us into that core, Ensign, or please leave. I'll take care of Jolvan. And as for high principles, think the sanctity of life before you choose." 

Tyler frowns and looks to Holliday, not understanding the question. "I duh-don't know, s-sir." Her glance follows each voice as she is pressured from all sides. She finally sighs and, shivering, she nods. "Oh-okay," she says. 

Nevaren pats his gear. "Well I'm ready to go. Hope you all have other clothes than your uniforms." 

Jolvan says, "I suppose I don't have time to pack" 

Within a matter of minutes the group has made their way onto the Aegis. 

Corridor - USS Aegis - [IC] 

This hexagonal corridor leads inward into the ships' main computer cores. It is much narrower than the usual hallways found on Federation starships, and the ceiling is lower as well, providing room for little more than two crewmen to meet and pass by one another unhindered. The hall is dimly illuminated by yellowish light from thin strips where the floor and ceiling meet the walls. Occasional side tunnels are spaced along the corridor at irregular intervals emblazoned with standard junction designation codes. The deck is covered with light rust-colored carpet. 

Nevaren has arrived. 

Holliday says "Sure. I got a nice striped suit." 

Ensign Janos is kneeling beside an open panel, working on some of the ODN conduits right next to the Aegis' computer core. The Aegis is bustling with activity as its crew complement readies itself for departure from the station. Poole has to check Jolvan on board, and there are no complications with it. She's acting first officer of 419, after all. Tyler straggles at the back of the bunch until they reach the doors to the core. She pauses there for a moment. 

Nevaren looks at Tyler, nodding to her. 

Gwen is obviously still pissed off about the whole thing in the Infirmary, but, of course, everyone they pass in the corridors has no clue why she is angry. She pauses with Tyler, standing next to her. "Time is of the essence, ensign." Then she nods to the door. 

Tyler places her hand on the faceplate beside the door. She looks to the floor, takes a deep breath and says, "Recognize Tyler, Ensign, Alpha Baker One-One-Six." The computer chimes in confirmation. 

Holliday follows along in the cadre of officers, silent for the moment. His brow is knitted slightly, and he glances over each of the others with some concern. 

Tyler holds the doors open for everyone. 


Primary Computer Core - USS Aegis - [IC] 

This cavernous room, as big as a large shuttle bay, is circular in shape. Arranged radially are banks of computers, white lights flashing across them rapidly. In the center of these banks of computers is a large circular slab, about one meter in height, four meters across. Suspended above it via force fields (and a backup tether securely fastened around it) is a large stump-shaped object, appearing to be made of a cluster of opaque ice-blue crystals. The 'roots' of the stump branch out into continuously thinning crystals into a delicate-looking structure beneath. It is sheared off flat at the top. The whole thing is about one meter tall, and three meters in diameter at its widest point. A glowing gold ring around the base of the slab indicates a containment field is up around it. A single terminal, the only access in the room, is sprawled out at the base of the artifact.


Once Tyler opens the doors, Gwen's expression softens a bit. She follows Tyler in and softly, just to the ensign, says, "I'm sorry about this, Ensign... If there was any other way." Then she shuts up and chews her lower lip a bit. 

Holliday glances around at his companions once again, and mutters something about 'strange bedfellows'. 

Nevaren follows Poole and Tyler into the core, not saying a word. His face is stern and hard. He keeps an eye on everyone, Poole and Jolvan especially. 

The artifact pulses with a soft blue-white light, and the hum of the room is louder than the hallway outside. Tyler moves toward a console. She says something that sounds like 'Sir-say', then, "Initialize incursion routine Tyler Six, authorization Gamma Eight One." One of the banks looks as if it going to go haywire as it comes to life and starts to process information. Strangely, there are no other crewmembers in the room. Not so strange when you consider that there are still only two people who have access to the artifact full-time - Ensign Tyler and Lt. Accolon. 

Nevaren's pale green eyes glow in the light wash of the artifacts light. "Impressive." is all he says. 

Jolvan looks astonished at the artifact "What is that?" 

Accolon has arrived. 

Nevaren looks at Jolvan. "That, my friend, is our hope in saving your so called ‘Butcher.’" 

Jolvan asks, “How will this help?" 

Tyler looks toward Jolvan. "Why d-do you c-call Commander Balin a butcher?" she asks him. 

Jolvan says coldly, "Because of what he did to the cadets aboard the V'tarus." 

Nevaren frowns. "This may not be the time for that, Jolvan. Don’t judge the man until you've 'walked a mile in his shoes.'" 

Holliday quirks his mouth. "It's a transtemporal entity. That just happens to look like a big crystal tree stump. Everything clear? Good..." He chuckles. "How do ya like your new doghouse, Spot?" He asks with a little mock bravado, his question evidently directed at the crystal stump. 

Tyler frowns and looks to Holliday. "Duh-don't be so disrespectful." 

Jolvan with shock in his raised voice, "You are going to interfere with the timeline?" 

"Yes... please, Doctor." Gwen eyes the 'stump' cautiously, "We don't wish to aggravate it." She glances about the room, looking for surveillance devices. 

Nevaren sighs, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his scarred nose. "It's more complicated then that, Jolvan. Trust me." 

Holliday nods to Tyler and Poole, then looks to the 'stump' again. "Sorry. No offence I hope..." Tyler moves to tap some things into the computer. 

The door opens and Accolon comes through, appearing a little disheveled, as though he were in a hurry. He glances around at all the faces, nodding and lifting a smile. 

Jolvan says, "This is madness." 

Tyler glances toward Poole as Jolvan says it. 

Nevaren sits on the ground, cross-legged. He opens his satchel, pulling out an assortment of microelectronics tools, a few chips, and one of his iso-neural circuits. He also pulls out his tricorder. He takes a tool and opens up the tricorder's casing. 

Tyler looks back down to her panel. "Ah-actually, Sub lieutenant, we won't be muh-making a time travel today," she says. "Buh-but we are going to go to Betazed." 

Jolvan jaw slightly dropping in astonishment "That’s in Dominion held space." 

Tyler presses several keys on the terminal. "Puh-plotting destination." She looks toward Poole. "Wuh-where on Betazed do we want to end up?" she asks her CO. 

Jolvan looks around the room then finally on the exit.

Nevaren continues fiddling with the innards of the tricorder. He appears to be trying to add the iso-neural chip to the tricorder’s sensor array focus. 

"That's right Sub lieutenant. Now, if you please... Keep quiet." Gwen turns to Tyler and says, "I'd assume the city he was intending on visiting... His mother's house would no doubt be a good start." 

Accolon asks, "What's going on?" looking toward Jolvan. 

Nevaren mutters. "Or the nearest golf course to there." he continues working on his little project as quickly as possible. 

Holliday nods to Accolon. "Glad you could make it, Lt." He steps back, nearer the wall so as to try and stay out of the way of the engineering/science types while they do whatever it is they intend to do. He nods to Jolvan, chuckles darkly. "Details, details." 

Jolvan looks at Accolon, "I am as much as in the dark as you Lieutenant, but it appears this ship is going to be hijacked." 

Tyler nods and punches a few buttons after consulting a display. "Croniton buildup commencing." The room's light falls to half what it was a moment ago. She looks towards Poole. "They w-won't detect us on the bridge. I'm muh-made sure of it." 

Accolon opens his mouth in surprise. Then he asks, "What is the Sub Lieutenant doing here?" 

The artifact's glow continues to increase, as does the hum in the room. "Dropping forcefield," Tyler announces. 

Just barely audible, Gwen whispers, "Thank you, ensign." 

Nevaren says "I MAY be able to help find Balin once we get there" Nev says, using a mini welder to join connections between the chip and the sensors in the tricorder. ""Ever wondered how Balin contacted us through the anomaly. My only theory is that he has one of these Iso-Neural chips. He probably used it to sync a signal with the anomaly so he could send that Morse code message. Now, once we get the Betazed we have to find him. If he does have an Iso-neural chip, then maybe I can add one to the sensor focus in this tricorder. Then I can add one to the sensor focus in this tricorder. That way, I can match signals with HIS chip and get a fix on his location... Like a homing beacon."" 

"We were missing a man for mixed doubles." Holliday answers. "Ah.. Actually..." 

Jolvan says, "If he is still alive." 

Nevaren sighs, nodding as he finishes the last of the connections. "That’s right... if he's still alive." He closes the tricorder's casing and puts away the tools in his satchel. "It doesn't matter if he is or isn't though. We're doing this because it's right. Whatever the outcome, we did what we could." 

The force field drops with a soft buzz. The artifact's glow turns into an almost white color and it starts to illuminate its immediate surroundings. Tyler looks towards Poole. "On yuh-your mark, s-sir," she says to her. 

Nevaren picks up all his stuff, shoulder his gear. 

Gwen looks around the chamber, searching each person's face for just a moment... not lingering on Jolvan's (considering his attitude toward Balin and his willingness, or lack thereof, of helping to rescue the Commander). "Mark." 

Tyler presses a button. A blinding white flash of white, accompanied by a soft metallic hiss, envelops you for one brief moment. Suddenly a feeling of vertigo overcomes you as you appear in a dense wood, with birds chirping up above and the smell of earth and life strong in the air.

Nevaren drops to a knee, flipping out his tricorder quickly, grabbing for his phaser with his free hand. He does a quick scan of the immediate area, looking for life forms that could pose a threat. 

Tyler swoons and collapses onto the ground, landing on her hands and knees. "Oh, my," she says softly. 

Gwen sways slightly in place, but recovers rather quickly an draws her phaser. "Sound off everyone." Then she adds, "Tyler, Nevaren, report." 

Jolvan looks at Nevaren, "Great I am on an enemy held planet with no weapon/”

S'Terik looks up, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Turning around, he sees the group of people, and he cocks his head, "Lieutenant?" he asks the highest-ranking officer present. 

Jolvan dives for the nearest cover and looks for Jem’Hadar. 

Accolon takes a moment to compose himself and once again shows surprise as he sees the extra personnel around. He looks toward Tyler then and asks, "What happened?" 

Nevaren continues his scan of the area. "Nothing yet on the enemy front. Should I broaden the scan for Balin?" 

Holliday shakes his head to clear it, "I think I'm glad I skipped breakfast," He looks around the groups new surroundings and then checks out each crewmember visually while he fumbles for his tricorder and scans them. "I'm guessing this isn't Balin's mother's house, and if it's a golf course, they really need a better groundskeeper." He spots Janos and S'Terik, "Welcome to the party. Looks like we picked up a few hitchhikers, Lt.." 

Still not feeling quite right after the trip, Gwen turns slightly and looks to S'Terik, surprised to see him there. "Ambassador... I... I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to get involved." She straightens up and says, "We are on Betazed... to rescue Balin." 

Nevaren frowns. "Got movement. Betazoid. Heading straight for us. Scatter people." 

Janos is down on all fours, trying to get his bearings. He tries to focus on those around him, "What...is...happening?" 

Nevaren says, "Prophet’s protect me. There's five Jem'hadar behind him."" 

You can soon start to hear the rustle of the woods being pushed rapidly aside as the Betazoid bears down on your position, apparently in a run. 

S'Terik looks over at Nevaren, perplexed, but he moved as told. "Betazed?" he demanded once he's behind cover. "I do not believe I understand, Lieutenant." 

Nevaren turns to his crewmates. "Damnit. Move into the bushes. Anywhere!" And with that, Nev rolls behind a bush, phaser drawn. 

"Quiet people... arm yourselves." Gwen motions to the others to fall back a bit, then hides behind a tree herself. She presses a button on her phaser, switching from stun to kill. 

Accolon draws his phaser and moves into the cover of the brush, spread out as suggested. 

Janos recovers enough to dive into a bush. Janos wields his Type I Phaser. 

Accolon wields his Type I Phaser. 

Nevaren sets his Type I Phaser to Medium. 

Jolvan crouches behind his bush and assumes an attack stance. 

Holliday hasn't found cover yet. He moves to kneel beside Tyler, popping open the med kit and extracting a spray hypo. He quickly injects her, saying, "Just a little temporal head rush. It should be passing now." He attempts to help her into the brush now... 

S'Terik's eyebrows are still furrowed, his arms folded inside his long sleeves. 

The Betazoid comes into view, crashing through the underbrush. He looks exhausted, as if he's been running for some time. He is crying, and he collapses to his knees. "Help me," he pants. "I know there's someone here! By the Holy Rings of Betazed, help me!" 

Janos checks his Type I Phaser. 

Janos sets his Type I Phaser to Medium. 

Nevaren grimaces, not liking this. That a person should be hunted like an animal... it's barbaric. He quickly rolls out from under the bush, leaving his bags behind him, and tackles the Betazoid, covering him. "Down" he says, pushing the Betazoid to the dirt. 

Slower yet, the Jem'Hadar signals start to close in. 

Accolon calls quietly, "We're going to have to take them out or get away. We can't risk being found yet." 

Gwen moves, quietly, forward, positioning herself between the Betazoid and the supposed position of the Jem'Hadar. With a tight grip, she prepares to peek around the tree and blast away. 

S'Terik hugs the back of his small boulder, peeking around at where the Jem'Hadar were believed to be. 

The man keeps panting. "Phasers! Starfleet! We're saved!" He starts to laugh despite himself, and then goes into a racking cough. 

Holliday glances towards any of the others who he can see from his position. He taps his index finger against his temple, and ducks down further, shifting his tricorder from close to long-range biological, then geological. 

Nevaren brings his phaser to bear on the directions of the of his tricorder's readings. He keeps low, partially covering the Betazoid and trying to hold him against the ground. "Shut up, Man, unless you want us all to die." 

Janos is still disoriented. He's not quite sure why he's drawn his weapon... besides the fact he saw the others do it. For the time being, he remains concealed beneath the bush. 

S'Terik watches the Betazoid wearily, and then looks as if he's going into intense concentration. 

Slowly and methodically, the Jem'Hadar press further and further toward this location. Then suddenly, their bio readings disappear. 

Jolvan in a loud whisper to the others "It’s pointless to hide like this. It is doubtless they have scanners." 

Nevaren curses. "Oh, please don't tell me they went invisible," he whispers. He quickly tries changing the resolution of his scans. The birds have stopped chirping, the forest is silent except for a soft whimper from Tyler. 

Nevaren gets an idea, looking at the Betazed he's pretty much smothering into the ground. He kneels close to the man's face and whispers. "Hey... you're a telepath. Can you tell where they are? Nod for yes or shake your head for no." 

The man nods. "I know they're out there, but I don't know where." 

Showing no emotion, like a true Vulcan, S'Terik's eyes seem distant as he continues to concentrate. 

Nevaren grimaces. "Okay... look. You crawl for the bushes behind me... slowly." he mutters. "I'll cover you." 

The man nods to Nevaren. 

Accolon calls quietly, "A couple of us should attempt to flank their position." to Poole. 

Jolvan says in a shouting whisper, "Cover me." Unsure of the support he would receive by the SF officers, he slowly creeps around to where the Jem’Hadar flank should be. 


Accolon breaks from his cover and moves shortly behind Jolvan. 

Nevaren slowly gets off the man, bringing his phaser up to bare on. Well nothing. He's just holding it ready. He motions at the man to move. He watches Jolvan disappear into the bushes and wishes he could just slap himself. The Romulan doesn't even have a weapon. Hoo-boy, this is going to be a rough day. 


Gwen looks towards Nevaren and the boy, and then spots Jolvan and Accolon. She stays where she is however, determined to offer support directly to Nevaren if those Jem'Hadar decide to rush forward. 

Jolvan whispers to Accolon "What I wouldn't give for R7." 

Accolon nods, smiling grimly. "Lets make the best of it." He whispers back. 

Nevaren frees a hand by pocketing the tricorder. He reaches down, grabbing a handful of dirt, feeling its consistency in his palm. Then, with a flick of a wrist, he hurls the cloud of dirt in around him. 


Holliday nudges Tyler, raising a finger to his lips. He continues to play with the tricorder, pausing long enough to produce another hypo spray, examine it, and pocket the first one. He points to the tricorder display screen, and then after a moment, to her tricorder, then whispers, "We need to confuse their sensors." 

Jolvan looks for approaching Jem’Hadar.

Accolon stops where he is, some ways off toward where the Jem'Hadar were and crouches behind a tree, phaser ready. 

Nevaren flips a handful of dirt before him. It strikes something in mid air, causing a distortion in a Jem'Hadar shroud that is a mere meters from him. Suddenly, it seems as if all hell is breaking loose, as Jem'Hadar seem to come out of nowhere and start to attack. One is near Nevaren, the Betazoid and S'Terik, one is near Holliday and Tyler. Another appears beside Poole and Accolon, another by Jolvan. The last holds back. 

Gwen spins about, not quite having time to fire her weapon upon her attacker. Without much time to think, she throws herself at him in an attempt to give Accolon the chance to recover and attack. 

Nevaren frowns... oh boy... not good news. He rolls, bringing up his phaser on the Jem'Hadar nearest him and fires. 


The dizziness appears to be getting worse Jovan, he clenches his teeth and clamps his eyes shut. 

Jolvan attacks the nearby enemy with a fast and furious kick to the head. 

"They should be coming out of the woodwork any time..." Holliday looks up as the Jem'Hadar appears. "Ah. There you are, right on ti*!" 

Janos closes one eye and takes aim at the Jem'Hadar nearest to the Betazoid. He takes a few extra seconds to ensure his aim is on.

Poole leaps at a Jem'Hadar and tackles him as Accolon whips around with the phaser and fires a hot orange beam at him. Unfortunately Poole's momentum takes him forward and out of the line of fire. Tyler screams, as Holliday is surprised from behind and clunked in the face with the butt of the phaser rifle. Luckily he's only stunned by the blow and not knocked out or killed. Nevaren blasts one of the Jem'Hadar down and the Betazoid starts to run. S'Terik stays down like a good ambassador should. The fifth Jem'Hadar fires at the running Betazoid and strikes him down dead in a blast of green fire. Janos strikes down the Jem'Hadar attacking Holliday in the back with hot phaser fire. 

Nevaren watches the Jem'hadar fall. He stands and whirls around, looking for the straggler that had kept back, and fire at him when he lines his sight. 

Janos stares in shock at the Jem'Hadar he just shot down for a moment before regaining his senses. He scans the area to see if he can get a bead on any of the remaining Jem"hadar. 

Nevaren watches the Jem'hadar he nailed fall to the ground, motionless. He stands and quickly whirls around, looking for the straggler that had kept back, and fire at him when he lines his sight. 

Janos takes aim at the Jem'Hadar who murdered the Betazoid. He steadies his hand and fires.

Jolvan attempts to follow his failed kick with a double fisted blow to the Jem’Hadar's chest. 

Letting her rage flow through her, Gwen presses her attack violently... using the butt of her phaser as a weapon of sorts, and her free hand as a regular fist. She cries out in rage.... releasing a lot of pent up fury, no doubt. 

Holliday falls back when the rifle butt hits him in the face, remaining prone as his attacker is dropped by Janos' shot. He winces, making a face- a bruise maybe, but nothing broken, it seems. He shakes his head to clear it, muttering something about not making a habit of it, and rolls over into a crouch. "Hang tight." He says to Tyler, and then he's making a dash for Janos' position, swapping out his tricorder for the first hypo spray. Reaching the Bolian, he presses it to Janos' neck. "My shot." 


Accolon, Nevaren and Janos all aim for the straggler who took the Betazoid down and fire. He vaporizes, even though Nevaren's shot falls wide. Poole wrestles on the ground with her Jem'Hadar, managing to get a chokehold on it and ripping out its supply of white. 

Jolvan is kicked in the chest by his Jem'Hadar, but not before administering a solid kick to the Jem'Hadar himself. 

Tyler covers her head and starts to vomit beside a tree. 

Janos' eyes come into focus. Feeling more confident now, he comes out from beneath the bush and swings his weapon around, looking for any remaining Jem'Hadar.


Nevaren curses, looking around for another Jem'Hadar to fry. He looks positively livid, flushed green (an albino with green blood, do the math) His eyes cross the downed Betazoid and he slumps a bit, slowly making his way to the body. His phaser held ready at all times. 

S'Terik looks at the corpse of the Betazoid, then over at the two remaining Jem'Hadar, all while in his position by the small boulder. 

Janos spots the Jem'Hadar fighting with Jolvan. He aims his phaser at it and squeezes the trigger. 

Jolvan winces from his blow and move a meter away from the Jem’Hadar in a defensive stance.

Gwen stands from the corpse of the Jem'Hadar she has just killed... dead by her bare hands. She wipes some of the spilled ketricel white from her face, and, in a fairly girlish gesture, loops a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear as she surveys the area. 

The last Jem'Hadar goes down in a crumpled heap as Janos fires his phaser. Accolon is sure to finish the job as he fires as well. Tyler is still kneeling by a tree, sick. 

S'Terik stands up once the final Jem'Hadar was dealt with, his gaze first falling upon the vomiting ensign. He arches an eyebrow, but says nothing. Next he looks at the Romulan, his head shaking slightly. 

Nevaren kneels beside a Jem'Hadar's body, taking its weapon, checking its charge. He surveys the damage to his crewmates. He looks at the dead boy, sadly frowning, and kneels beside him. Trying to find anything to identify him, and to give to the authorities once this was all over. 

Accolon walks over toward Wendy, slowly. He crouches by her side, offering his hand. "Are you okay?" He asks. 

Janos stands shaking with his phaser still aimed in the direction of that last Jem'Hadar, "I can't believe it...I've never killed anything in my life...I...." 

"Sound off... Are we all still here?" Gwen says, making sure her voice carries. She shifts her phaser back to stun and slips it back to her belt. 

Tyler shakes her head. Tears streak her usually rosy cheeks, which are pallid and clammy now. She throws up again into a bush. 

S'Terik clasps his hands behind his back, the black material of his robe rustling slightly. 

Nevaren sighs, standing straight. But he can't take his eyes off the boy. He just can't. He is quiet, very quiet. Only his breathing can be heard. 

Accolon chuckles softly at Tyler and helps keep her hair out of her face while she wretches into the bushes. "Take your time. I'm all right, Lieutenant. Tyler is recovering... looks uninjured," he reports. 

S'Terik approached the roughed up Lieutenant, showing no change from before the fight. "Why are we on Betazed?" he asks again. 

Jolvan kneels down next to the fallen soldier and takes his weapon. Still kneeling, he walks to the side of a tree and takes cover; He instinctively makes alien hand motions to the rest, "Sgt T'rev Report. Sgt T'rev!" 

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph..." Gwen mutters loudly, and then softens a bit once someone actually responds to her. To Accolon she says, "Good Lt. Stay with her for now." Then to S'Terik, she grimaces, then says, "To rescue Commander Balin... disobeying direct orders." 

Again the Vulcan ambassador arches an eyebrow. "And why, if I may ask, am I involved?" 

Holliday pockets one of the hypo sprays, taking out his tricorder again. He gives each of the others a cursory scan, both visually and with the instrument. Once this is completed, he begins to scan the larger area once more. He sighs heavily. "Holliday here." He calls, approaching Jolvan. He considers a moment before recalibrating the hypo spray to account for the Romulan's physiology. "Easy." He glances back to Janos in sympathy, but says nothing as of now. 

Tyler wipes her mouth across the back of her sleeve. "Wuh-what if they told s-someone w-we were here?" she asks. 

Janos replaces his phaser in it's holder, and then pulls out his tricorder and begins scanning the area, "I'll check to see if I can get a reading on the immediate area." 

Again, Gwen grimaces. "It was an accident. By some chance the method we used to travel here brought you and Ensign Janos as well." 

Nevaren readies his Jem'Hadar rifle. "It doesn't matter if they did or didn't. Look, lets find cover and get changed out of these uniforms." 

Janos watches his tricorder display, "There's a city approximately 5 miles south of out location" 

S'Terik's face seems to harden. "I suppose I have no means of returning back to the Aegis?" He does not wait for an answer. "Then perhaps you should explain this mission of yours that goes against direct orders to me." 

Jolvan senses the doctor behind him and in a swift motion blocks the hypo spray. "Sergeant,” he says, then looks at Holliday, blinks and an expression of relief falls over his face. "Doctor, please continue."

"I don't have time to do that at the moment, Ambassador. We have to find Balin and get the hell out of here." Gwen looks around at the scattered group and says, "You heard Nevaren, find a discrete bush and change clothes... if you brought them. Discard your Starfleet jackets. We have to stand out the least we can." 

Janos walks over to the body of the last Jem'Hadar he killed. He stands over it and stares at it. His blue skin appears to a paler shade of blue. Finally he to stumbles over to a tree and vomits. He remains in a bent over position for a few moments. 

Tyler gives Accolon a half-smile and thanks him softly for tending to her. She looks pretty embarrassed though and won't meet anyone's eyes. 

"Lieutenant Poole," S'Terik says in a monotone, "I have been brought here against my will by Starfleet officers who intend to disobey their orders. The least you can do is tell me how you intend to fulfill your mission." 

S'Terik says "Lest you leave me behind to be killed by the Jem'Hadar." 

Nevaren looks at body of the young Betazoid and shakes his head, deeply saddened. He walks into the bushes, coming out a few moments later with his civilian garb on and his gear shouldered. 

Gwen replies, pure ice in her voice. "Ambassador, I can't tell you how we are going to fulfill our mission because quite frankly, I don't know. We're going down to that village, try to talk to some of the natives and find out where the heck Balin is." She looks for a decently large tree for some modesty, moves behind it and opens up her duffle bag. 

Tyler flips open her tricorder and taps something into it. She leans against a tree to be sure to steady herself. "I've eh-established a p-point of reference for our return trip," she says softly. 

Nevaren checks the Jem'Hadar rifle one more time, trying to find reassurance or purpose in it beyond what just happened. This hasn't gone nearly the way he hoped. He knew it wouldn't be a simple snatch and run, but he never expected this. He shoulders the rifle on his other arm and pulls out his tricorder, beginning to scan for the iso-linear resonance he hopes will lead him to Balin and hopefully redemption. 

Janos regains his composure, a still calm has come over him. He removes his jacket (being sure to pocket his compin) and stows it in the bushes. He walks over to the others. "We should take their weapons...perhaps they also have communicator devices as well...we may be able to monitor any their transmissions and avoid any other Jem'Hadar Patrols." He looks to the south, "I suggest we make our way to the town, we may be able to find those who will be sympathetic to our cause." 

Accolon remains crouched on the ground, observant and quiet. Tyler looks to Poole. "I thuh-think I know why the Ambassador and Juh-janos managed to... um... Join us, sir." 

Holliday presses the hypo spray onto Jolvan's wrist. "That should help counter the 'temporal motion sickness', Sub-lt." He looks to Janos and Tyler again, frowning with concern, but he doesn't say anything. He consults his tricorder again before walking into the brush. Returning in civilian garb, he quirks a brow at Tyler. "You beat me to the question, Ensign. Or questions. Nevaren, any chance to try your 'crystal radio' yet?" 

S'Terik stands in place, not following Poole as she goes to change, but speaking loud enough so that she could still hear him. "Your logic is flawed. Such a plan will better yield in your deaths than it will the rescue of your commander." 

Nevaren looks up at Holliday, his pale green eyes seemingly hollow. "Give me a minute, doc." 

Jolvan removes his over tunic, hides it under some brush, then picks up the rifle and begins to do an inspection of the weapon. 

Gwen reappears from behind the tree, changed from her Starfleet uniform. Wincing, she looks at S'Terik and says, "My logic is always flawed, tell me something new." Then she looks to Tyler, "Please, tell us." 

Janos searches the corpse of a Jem'Hadar. He takes its weapon and tosses the polaron rifle to Accolon, "I think you should take this sir". He searches the pockets pouches, seeing if there is anything else that could be useful. 

Tyler says "I'm n-not sure that we weren't d-detected. It s-seems someone wuh-was trying to stop us and fluh-flooded the chroniton field with anti luh-lepton interference." 

Nevaren turns to Tyler, face stone. "How could anyone know what we were planning to do, much less or method's ensign?" 

Jolvan says "How far do we need to go?" 

"Admiral Sinclaire would know." Gwen says softly, and then turns to look to the south. "Let's get moving." 

S'Terik stares at Poole as she answers him. "I will not walk into a Betazoid dwelling simply on your whim. You only faced five Jem'Hadar warriors so far, and that was out here in the wilderness. Imagine how many more you will have to face should you enter something like a village." 

Tyler shakes her head. "I duh-don't know. But they weren't successful. We're wuh-where we're supposed to be. When we're suh-supposed to be. But apparently the envelope extended and took in the Ambassador and Ensign Juh-janos." 

Nevaren nods. "Well, Jolvan. Janos said there's a city a few miles away. I say we stick to the woods as much as we can, spread out over a small area, and make our way there." he looks at his tricorder, "And maybe I can make a fix on the Commander while we head that way."

"You'll do exactly as I say, Ambassador. Or we'll leave you here... I don't want to have to do that." Gwen turns to Tyler and says, "When and where? We should be close to Balin's mother's house, correct?" 

Holliday looks around the clearing, and adjusts the shoulder strap of his med kit. "If we're done here, let's talk and walk." After a moment he adds, "Anyone got any gum?" 

Stepping out of the bushes, making almost no sound, is Nevaren. Duffle and satchel are over one shoulder, and the jhem'haddar rifle over the other. He nods to the portion of the spread out group he has just joined, not saying a word. His face is unreadable.

Jolvan spots Nevaren and Nods to him Then continues on his pace

Tyler's sitting at the base of a tree, resting. She looks toward Nevaren as he approaches, then looks down, trying to avoid his eyes.

Nevaren raises his hand, motioning Jolvan to stop. "This should be a good place to camp." He says quietly. "The otehrs are forming camps spread over a half kilometer or so." He drops his satchel and bag to the ground, though keeps the rifle shouldered, and opens the hard case. He removes three foil packs, handing one to Jolvan, offering one to Tyler, and keeping one to himself."

Tyler shakes her head. "Nuh-no, thank you, sir," she says quietly.

Nevaren offers it to Tyler again. "This is an order, Ensign. You need to eat." his voice is very very neutral. Everything about him has been that way since.. the fight.

Jolvan has reconnected.

Tyler takes the pack after a long moment of staring at Nevaren. "Y-yes, sir," she finally says.

Jolvan stopping to turn and look at Tyler and Nevaren "Lt Poole wants us to keep moving till we reach the town."

Nevaren nods. He sits down, crosslegged and leaning back against a tree. He carefully unshoulder's the rifle, placing it in his lap, and takes the foil wrap in his hand. Tearing the seam, he pulls out a ration bar. "I told poole that we stop for the night. If this town is anytjing like the prison I was raised in, it will have guard patrols at night. We're far enough a way we won't be detected. Then we can survey a way into town during the daylight.

Jolvan shakes his head "Damnit"

Nevaren takes a bite of the nasty looking ration bar. He doesn't make a face, in fact, he seems to regard it as a delacacy.

Jolvan kneels down next to the tree

Tyler attempts to sneak the foil pack into her rucksack without Nevaren noticing.

Nevaren raises an eyebrow at Tyler's attempt to his the bar, but says nothing. AT leastshe isn't wasting it, or leaving it around for patrols to find. He sighs and takes another bite of the bar, savoring it's rather unique flavour, or lack thereof.

Jolvan Opens the package and takes a bit, he doesn't seem to care about the taste

Nevaren pulls out his tricorder, taps the display a few times, and closes it again. He puts it on his belt and takes one last bite of his bar, finishing it.

Holliday catches up with the rest of the group a few minutes later. "Heya. So what's the good word?"

Jolvan looks at Tyler and with obvious sarcasm "Thank you for opening mouth in that bar."

Tyler shrinks a bit. She doesn't look at Jolvan, but says softly, "I'm sorry."

Nevaren ignore's jolvan and looks up at Holliday. "We're setting up camp for the night. You might want to remind the others to do the same. No less than two in a group, and each group a minimum of a hundred yards apart."

Jolvan Nods in agreement at Nevaren's tactics

Tyler frowns and looks up. The thought of spending a night here in the forest isn't attractive to her, and the expression shows it. She then opens her pack and pulls out a PADD, and starts to read while batting away an annoying insect.

Nevaren says, "Also, we should have a tricorder in each group set up to passively scan, continuasly... alert the wearer of any sentient not of our groups if they come within a hundred meters."

Nevaren taps the tricorder on his belt.

Tyler taps at the PADD a few times as she scrolls through the text.

Jolvan looks at Nevaren in a disapproving manner and begins to list "No Intell, No idea where Balin is, no off world support, lack of proper armorments, No one knows we are here, we are surroundes by the enemy No doubt aware we are here, No way of escape..., shall I continue?"

Holliday raises an eyebrow. "I s'pose you want us to sleep in shifts too." He sighs, looks at Tyler, and gives a slight shrug. "Although I doubt staying awake is going to be much of a problem." He attempts a laugh, which turns real when Jolvan speaks. "Ok, Nev. You get to bunk with happy here."

Tyler just tries to remain small while she reads. She does glance toward Jolvan for a moment.

Nevaren doesn't smile, his face eerily devoid of anything readable. "Jolvan makes a good point, Holliday. I have a map of Betazed and starfleet installations, pre-invasion, in my bag. But other then that we have no back up and three.." looks to Tyler, "No.. Four people who shouldn't be here. Our mission has turned from a plain rescue to a rescue and escort." He shakes his head, looking down at the rifle in his lap.

Tyler frowns to herself at Nevaren's comment, but remains silent. She bites her lip and forces herself to read.

"Good. When you two get to the part about our emminent failure and demise, get back to me." He approaches Tyler. He unslings his medkit from his shoulder and sets it down, before joining it, lowering himself to sit on the forest floor. "Whacha reading? Somehow you don't seem like the romance novel type."

Jolvan says "The Dominion has been here for months it would have been likely that they set up antiinvasion defenses. We are lucky they haven't locked on us now a beamed us to obliveon. They must have a sensor grid on most of the possible landing sight. Either we are not in one or they are waiting for us"

Tyler looks over toward Holliday, then looks back toward Nevaren. She chokes back her hurt at his words silently. After a moment, she says, "I'm ruh-reading some luh-letters concerning m-my latest paper that I've submitted to the Daystrom Institute." She sniffles and runs the back of her arm across her nose.

Nevaren starts examining the rifle, trying to "get to know" it's features. "We're not going to fail, Doctor. ANd I won't leave anyone in this group behind. But this mission was supposed to be manned by commited personelle. When I first gave Tyler the choice to join she turned it down. It dissapointed me but I understood. ANd when I heard that she was infact koining us I was ecstatic. But I dind't know that poole ordered her. This isn't fair to Tyler... or Jolvan or Sterik or even Janos. They weren't commited to this, they shouldn't have be dragged along." He looks at Jolvan next. "They're pretty set up here, Jolvan, but they are off their supply line and have limited manpower here. Until they can move more fleets in here, they most likely have safeguarded a few strategic areas completeley and check the rest with patrols or random sweeps."

Tyler bites her lip again and looks down as Nevaren again starts to speak about her like she's not there. Which she wishes she weren't.

Jolvan says "And when that patrol we killed doesn't report this sector will be priority One."

Nevaren shakes his head. "The great thing about Jhem'Haddar.. their devotion. It's imprinted on them. They take an order and continue to follow those orders with little or no supervision. So reports shouldn't be quite a worry just yet. I give us 24 hours before their superiors think anything is wrong."

Holliday rubs the bridge of his nose. Some work with a dermal regenerator has healed the bruise from the Jem'Hadar riflebutt, but the memory of the injury remains. "Personally, I'm kinda glad Ensign Janos got shanghaied with us." He chuckles, "And our Romulan Liason has shown himself capable enough despite his optimistic outlook. I understand your frustration, Nevaren, but we're all in this together now..." He turns his attention back to Tyler. "So how's reader response then?"

Tyler shrugs to Holliday's question, but she doesn't look up. "As expected," is all she says.

Nevaren pauses at Hollidays words, and shakes his head. He just looks at the rifle, his face and eyes completely empty and haunted. As if he keeps seeing something over and over again. He clenches his eyes closed for a moment, then looks at the rifle once more as he examines it.

Jolvan says "Thus far I can say I have been I worse situtations but at least then I knew what was going on or I was in charge. Now" Shakes his head "Its all fucked.""

Jolvan says "At least I am not behind a decks reading PADD after PADD of fleet movements."

Nevaren doesn't reply to that.

Jolvan says "So where might Cmdr Balin be"

Holliday chuckles. "Well, there's one thing that's going 'as expected'." He looks up at Jolvan's outburst. "Make that.. two things." He frowns, considers for a moment, then addresses Nevaren. "But you're right, Nev. Some of us are holding up better than others- I think those people should make it a priority to assist the rest."

Nevaren pulls out his tricorder again andflips it open. He loads the program controlling the iso-neural sensor. "I don't know.. yet.

Jolvan frowns more "I want to be more supportive of your plans, but each answer I get doesn't help." looks at the device in Nevaren's hands "Do we find him with that?"

Nevaren redefines the scanning parameters. "Hopefully. If not, then we go to his family's estate."

Tyler stands up and dusts herself off. "I cuh-can take care of myself," she says with more lie than bravado. She wanders off behind a shrub with her pack and un-rolls her sleeping bag. She lies down on it, and before she can speak another word, she falls fast asleep from the exertion of the day's hike.

Jolvan considers the news, the corners of his mouth up turns "Well that's a start."

Nevaren nods. "Yes... and if those two fail, we try to contact whatever resistance has been set up here."

Holliday quietly produces a PADD. He glances at the sleeping ensign, and then to the others before fixing his gaze on some indeterminate point in the darkness. After a few moments, he taps a few keys on the PADD.

Jolvan stands up looks at Tyler with a weary smile "I'll look after her, I may be hard on her but I want to see her live through this. Just like I want to see everyone live through this." looks down at the ground the quickly raises his head to look over at Nevaren, "I may be a pain in the ass, but believe it or not care."

Nevaren nods as he looks at his tricorder "SO do I" he whispers, his voice choked. He wipes something from his eye and continues working on his readings.

Holliday continues to access or enter data on the PADD. "Say, anyone much good with holograms?"

Nevaren looks up from his tricorder. "I am.. why?"

"Well, I was playing with the possibility of using the tricorders holorecorder function to.. Well, kinda like scattering flour to catch a spook." Holliday says with a chuckle.

Nevaren raises an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I follow?"

Holliday says "I haven't really worked it out very much myself. But when a solid object passes thru a hologram, there's a visual disturbance, right?"

Nevaren nods. "Usually.. It's the system compensating for the change in light and position as it intersects the photonic field."

Holliday nods. "I was wondering about using holographic static to negate the Jem'Hadar's ability to camoflage themselves..."

Nevaren frowns. "Their ability depends on bending light. Holograms are light... they should be able to pass through them without disturbing them, shouldn't they?"

Holliday says "Could be. I doubt we'd want to field test it unless we're really out of options then. Back to the drawing board..." He chuckles, wincingly. "I was going to try something with the visual playback functions just prior to that Jem'Haddar coming 'out of the woodwork'... Didn't work as well as I'd planned. Still, with more time to set it up, it might work."

Jolvan Picks up his captured rifle holds it by the grip down along his right side, starts to walk to a place where he can best keep a watch on ensign Tyler. Stops, "Nevaren could you do me a favor? Could you tell Lt Poole to stop threating me? First I don't believe her, second it doesn't become her, and thirdly I may argue but I am not here to betray I will fight along side you as if you were my fellow troopers." Raises the rifle and lays it on his shoulder behind his neck still holding it at the grip,"I would tell her myself but I don't think she would hear me." takes a few steps, "Good night gentlemen."

Nevaren frowns. "She isn't the one you should worry about, SubLt." he whispers to himself

Holliday winks at Nevaren, assuming an expression of mock disbelief. "Lt. Poole, threaten someone? Never!" He smiles, "Alright. Sleep tight. But not too tight, I suppose..."

Nevaren finishes with his tricorder and pockets it. He looks up at the night sky, seemingly lost.

After a while, Holliday breaks the silence again. "You doing ok in all of this, Nev?"

Nevaren slowly turns to face Holliday. "That boy..." he begins, but is unable to finish.

Holliday nods, shakes his head regretfully. "I wondered what's been bothering you. I'm not sure what to say though."

Nevaren sighs, looking at the rifle. "That boy could have been me... I don't know if you can unserstand but..."

Nevaren sighs. "It doesn't matter." He leans back against the tree. "Get some sleep, Doc. I'll take guard."

Holliday considers for a moment, and then nods. "There doesn't seem to be much sense to any of it, does there?" He sighs. "All right. Try not to dwell on it too much, ok?" He lays back, and rolls onto his side.

Nevaren looks away at the night sky.. remembering... remembering life in a prison. and secretly weeping for the man he could have spared from that existance but instead let get killed by the enemy.

OOC Note: It is at this point that we are missing a small, but important log of the events in question. As a summary of the events:

Jolvan, Tyler and Nevaren have been wandering through the woods in a small group. Nevaren, in his dour mood, antagonizes Tyler into screaming at him and walking off into the woods to find the main group. In the interim, she becomes lost.

Jolvan Stays about 10m behind Poole looking back every 2 steps

A sound comes from the bushes.. a very faint rustling, and a second later a shadowy figure emerges.

Jolvan darts his eyes on Nevaren about ready to shot but recognizes the half-breed and softly shouts "Run. Follow us."

The figure steps into the dim light. It's Nevaren, rifle held ready. "Has anyone seen her yet?" he asks, looking around, but is quickly surprised by Jolvan's order. He quickly takes off after them.

Janos bounds out of the cave, "I have everything...." He stumbles into Nevaren.

Gwen turns around and looks back, hissing, "Get a move on, damn it, or I'll leave you for the Jem'Hadar." It's difficult to decide whether or not she's kidding.

Jolvan Instictively begins to move to a position left and behind Poole motioning to Nevaren with his free hand for him to take a similar postion on Poole's right

Nevaren bowls over, landing on his knees. Cursing in Bajoran, he quickly gets up, shooting a look at Janos. "Go, Janos. Follow them. I'll take 'Six'." he hisses.

Polaron rifle in hand, Janos follows the others into the underbrush.

Nevaren takes up the rear, the groups 'six.'. Pale-emerald eyes proteced by polarized contact lenses scan the area as he runs after them, his rifle methodically bearing everywhere he looks.

Faint voices can be heard in the distance. They do not appear to be agitated at all.....but they are not the voices of anyone friendly.

Gwen runs, though she takes care where she steps to not cause noise or trip. She raises her hand and signals that no one is to talk, and continues onward, leading the other three away from the voices.

Jolvan relays the hand signal back

Janos has no itention of talking and giving himself away...he relays the signal to Nev.

Keeping silent, Nevaren nods confirmation to Janos.

A wild Betazoid Pheasant flies up in front of Gwen. It squaks sloudly as it flies...making a lot of noise.

Nevaren grimaces, signalling to everyone to get down flat.

Jolvan turns his head and weapon to the noise

Janos flops to his belly, rolling behind a fallen log.

Skidding, Gwen comes to a sudden stop and lies flat on the ground.

Jolvan is ahead of Nevaren but takes up a prone position as he notices the group stopping

Nevaren is on his knees, eyes still searching the area. He holds out his hand to tell everyone to wait. He looks at Jolvan and taps his own ear, signalling the romulan to listen.

Jolvan is confused by the alien hand signal but realizes the meaning as they are all mostly universal or similar. He is at the groups 9 so it scans the area from 6 to 12 for any movement or noise

The pheasant lands in an opening on the otherside of the bushes that conceal the group. It clucks and chirps irritatedly. There's also another sound.. the sound of footsteps beyond the bird.. Heavey footsteps. A rough voice can be heard. "First... This is Third. I don't see any signs of intruders. Just a local species of Fowl." ANother voice, deeper and flat, responds. "Yes. Another nuisance on this weak federation world." there's a growl that follows that statement, as if the 'First' of this platoon is not happy with his posting.

Jolvan is confused by the alien hand signal but realizes the meaning as they are all mostly universal or similar. He is at the groups 9 so it scans the area from 6 to 12 for any movement or noise

Janos holds his breath...making no noise at all. he presses his self against the log.

Noiselessly, Gwen hefts her phaser in her right hand and lies perfectly still, hoping the 'First' is as dumb as he sounds.

The Third responds to his superior, a little taken aback by his leader's personal opionions. "Yes, First. Should we continue with the search in this sector?" there's a pause... and then the sound of foot prints as they get cloder to the bush.. Just before they reach the bush, The First responds. "No, Third." The voice is tired and irritaded, "This sector is secure. Let us move on to the next." The Third gives confimration and the footsteps start recedding from the bush until, a few moments later, they are all but gone.

Just loudly enough for those on the ground to hear, Gwen mutters, "Bloody buggering idiots... A Starfleet patrol would have found us." She sits up very slowly, having a good look around.

Nevaren , not realizing he had been holding his breath the entire time, lets out a long breath. "That was too damn close." He looks up at his group. "Don't look a gift cow in the mouth, Lt." he whispers up towards poole.

Nevaren pulls out his tricorder, doing a passive sweep of the area. "They're out of the area, people. But thats no excuse for us to take it easy." He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a roll of bonding strips. Tearing a few off, he adhere's his tricorder to the top of his rifle, just below the sight-groove. When he's finished, he stick the strips back in his satchel.

Jolvan notices a draw a few meters directly ahead of him 90degrees to the left of the direction of the group The draw has a stream running through it but the sides ar steep and would make good cover he motions towards it to alert the group of this haven.

"Alright... we need another place to lay low for a bit and regroup. It is imperative that we find Tyler." Gwen says, holstering her phaser. "I am going to scout further south, but I want you three to go back towards the cave and try to meet up with Holliday and Accolon.... and keep your eyes peeled for Tyler."

Nevaren nods to Poole, face unreadable. "Aye, Lt. Just be careful, okay?"

Gwen returns Nev's expressionless look, but her eyes (as always) betray her. She's mad at that one, and once they are all safe and off this planet she's going to give him a piece of her mind.... for now though, "I will. Watch your backs." Then she's off, flitting from tree to bush...

Nevaren frowns, recognizing the looks. As she trails away he just mutters to himself. "At least *I* didn't order her here."

Nevaren looks at Janos and Jolvan. "So... Back to the cave.. or that draw?"

Jolvan says "Lets let the Jem hadar get a few more paces between us a them before we head back"

Nevaren nods. "Sound advice."

*** Some Time Later ***

Sitting on a large rock under a tree in a secluded Glen, Nevaren is taking a breather from the search. He checks the tricorder adhered to the top of his rifle, just below the sighting groove, for any readings of Jhem'Haddar in the area. Or, hopefully, for Tyler's location.

Jolvan looks over at Nevaren's Tricorder "Where might she have gone she doesn't seem to be the type to run off, well not in this situtation. She would stay where it was safe

Nevaren frowns, looking over his shoulder at Jolvan. "I don't know. And that worries me. DO you think.. that maybe I was to rough on her?"

Jolvan says "It doesn't matter what I think."

Nevaren looks up at Jolvan. "thats not true, SubLieutenant. Everything anyone says here matters."

The call comes down the chain of command, the two of you are to proceed ahead. A small lake up ahead has signs of a dwelling.

Jolvan says "Its about what she felt."

Nevaren stands, getting the message. "Yes, I know. I probably should have taken that into consideration. I just didn't want her hurt." He looks back his tricorder. "Okay.. so to this lake to check out a dwelling. Guess we're the scouts. Ready?"

Jolvan nods "Do you want point or should I?"

Nevaren holds his rifle ready. "I'll take point. I'll scan foreward as we go."

You get to the lake, which is more of a really large pond, and nestled into one thicket of trees, between you and the lake, is a small brown cottage with a white roof and stone chimney snaking up the side. There is no smoke from the chimney. It's bright, the sun is hot, but from here you are still in the thick tree-line.

Nevaren points his rifle towards the hutas to align the tricorder adhered to it's top for the best scan coverage as well as cover himself. He makes a cursary scan of the building, looking for lifeforms.

Nevaren frowns. "I can't get a clear reading on anything in this area." He whispers to Jolvan right behind him. He looks foreward again and fingers the controls on the tricorder, trying to redefine the resolution to find out what's wrong.

Jolvan smile "Jem' Hadar don't seem to be the cottage type."

<CONTEST> Nevaren contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Nevaren shakes his head. "Can't pin it down. And you're right. It's a little homey for a dominion outpost. Shall we take a look?"

Jolvan says "Lets walk around to the other side each taking an opposite side."

Nevaren nods. "Right. I'll take the left, you take the right. See you in the middle." And with that, Nev sneaks off into the bush."

Jolvan moves around the right using what ever cover he can find

As Nevaren corners the house, he sees that there's several windows on this side. Most of them have curtains, though one set is drawn to let the light in. You can see a living room beyond. Couch. A bar divides the kitchen from the living room. It looks in decor like a summer home - a lakehouse. A transporter pad is in one corner. You can see bay doors that are open, leading to the lake side of the house.

Nevaren looks inside, startled at good fortune of this find. He quietly circles around the house, looking for Jolvan.

Nevaren looks inside, startled at good fortune of this find. He quietly circles around the house, looking for Jolvan.

Nevaren trots around the house and to the front side. Jolvan should be on the right side, continuing around. The coast seems clear.

As Nevarent crosses to the right side of the house, Jolvan isn't there. There's a window, but it's closed with the curtains drawn.

Nevaren comes around the corner to spot Jolvan trying to sneak up the stairs of a deck which is obscured by tall bushes and shrubs. A large dock can be seen stretching to the water. The stair lets out a loud groan as he takes his second step.

Jolvan Freezes

Nevaren winces and steps face back to the oputside wall. he shoots a look at Jolvan and motions for him to be careful.

Jolvan motions whith his hands to Nevaren That I spotted something

Nevaren nods back. He motions that he's heading around the house and starts making his way to the bay doors he saw a little earlier.

Jolvan has found the deck to be occupied by a Cardassian woman. She looks up to Jolvan. She is attractive, deathly so, the blackness of her onyx skin glistens in the sunlight. Her eyes are large and a dark grey color, and the ridges of her neck are large and prominent. She smiles to Jolvan and says, in fluent Romulan, "I didn't think Romulans were perverts."

Jolvan with my weapon pointed at her "Don't say a word walk slowly to me and I won't hurt you." In romulan

The Cardassian woman smirks. "Rather boring of you, wouldn't you say? I mean, it's too nice of a day to go pointing phasers at unarmed women."

Jolvan says "I don't Know." looks her up and down, "This seems rather exciting to me."

Jolvan cocks the gun or whatever the hell one does to make the point that I mean business

The woman's smirk increases. "I'm sure it is." She sits up, pulling the towell up with her and wraps it around her, tucking in the top. "So, who the hell are you, and why have you interrupted my day off?" She turns to the radio and flips it off. She sits down on a lounge chair and combs through her black hair with her fingers. "Wait, allow me to guess." She taps her finger to her chin.

The Cardassian woman smiles, now. "Terrorists. Is that it? Part of this puny little Betazoid Insurgency?"

Nevaren sighs to himself, listening in from just below the deck. What a mickey mouse outfit they are... Wait.. Micky Mouse? They ain't even Betty Boop.

Jolvan in romulan "Do I look like a Betezoid?"

Not sure just who or what Jolvan is taking to, Nev decide he better go back him up before any trouble comes of this.. well, any *MORE* trouble that is. He slowly creeps up the back steps behind Jolvan, ready to help him out with whatever is happening.

The dark woman shakes her head. "Not really. But Romulans on Betazed can mean only so many things. You're a pre-invasion strike force, here to assassinate me to destabilize the occupational government."

Jolvan says out of the corner of his mouth "The House must be checked, Is there anyone there? the first part was a subtle command for Nevaren

Nevaren comes up behind jolvan, not yet in view of who jolvan's standing in front of. "Took a peek in the window. One big room, divided by a bar into a kitchen and a den. No one there." he mutters to the romulan.

The Cardassian woman hmmmms. "But you did say you wouldn't hurt me.. So you're not an assassin. Besides, with moves like that, you'd make a lousy assassin."

Jolvan pulls the trigger.

Nevaren flinches at the sound of the rifle going off. He grabs Jolvan's shoulder in anger. "Damnit, Jolvan.. Don't..."

<CONTEST> Jolvan (claiming disadvantage) contests his Energy Weapon (Polaron Rifle) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Jolvan says "That was a warning now GET DOWN!"

The Cardassian woman looks calmly at the bushes where the blast hit and singed them black. She looks back to Jolvan. "Looks more like a miss, to me. You've obviously never handled a polaron rifle before, have you."

Nevaren growls, pushing past Jolvan just after he fires, and brings his weapon to bear as well on his target. "No... But *I* have." He says calmly, though he's lying. Then he notices the woman is a Cardassian, and curses in bajoran under his breath.

The woman arches an eyebrow at Nevaren. "All the freaks seem to be out today. Go ahead. Shoot me. I'm still waiting for an answer. Who are you. And why have you interrupted my day off?"

Nevaren motions for Jolvan to be quiet and looks back at the cardassian, his face very VERY cold and set. "It's none of your business, Cardassian. We owe you no answers. It's we who ask the questions. Comprehende?"

The woman crosses one leg over the other and looks impassively, almost boredly to Jolvan. "Aggressive, isn't he? Definitely doesn't have the pinache' of a Romulan. Though he's probably tried to pass himself off as half-Vulcan. I'm still trying to figure out why he curses in Bajoran though. I find that rather odd." She looks back toward Nevaren as if he'd never spoken.

Nevaren 's hand trembles slightly, but he quickly steadies it. "Shut up! I don't need this rifle to kill you, you know. I've broken a cardassian's neck before, and will do it again if need be."

Her eyes dart to Nevaren's. One side of her lip curls up in a smile, her lips black as obsidian. She regards him like this without speaking.

Nevaren growls. "Look in my satchel over my shoulder." he says to jolvan, not using his name to be safe, "There's a roll of adhesive strip in there."

Nevaren keeps the rifle on the woman, careful never to ley his eyes off of her.

Jolvan without taking his eyes off the women tells Nevaren "Tie her up. I'll cover you."

Nevaren says, "You do it. I'm covering her."

The woman rolls her eyes. "The first one near me to tie me up, as it were, will die, before the one covering me can get off a shot. I guarantee it."

Nevaren says, "Or... on second thought. Reach into the top of my boot. There's a phaser in there.. set to stun. Shoot her THEN we tie her up.""

Lowering his rifle, Jolvan leans over and reaches into the top of Nevaren's boot, withdrawing a small phaser. He looks it over, making sure it's set on stub, and points it at the smug Cardassian. A luminescent beam of light lashes outwards, striking her square in the chest. After the glow subsides, she is laying prone on her back, unconscious. Nev shoulders the rifle and pulls out a roll of his industrial strength adhesive strips (star trek duct tape). He methodically binds her hands and feet a few times over them thinking it wise, tapes her mouth shut. He steps back, admiring his work with a certain malicious glint in his eyes.

Nevaren cover her nakedness with the towel, not wanting to see an inch of, to him, her repulsive flesh. "Jolvan. Go get the others. we have things to do." he mutters, looking at his prisoner, and then out at the forest beyond."

Nevaren walks over to the cottage replicator and places the tea cup in it. The system glows as it deconstitutes the cup into recycled matter.

Halev sits on the couch of the cottage, her hands bound. The white sun-dress that Nev found makes her skin look twice as dark. She stirs, waking up.

Jolvan says ""That might not have been a good reason for you as a child. I know it doesn't bring you solace but you must understand the reason is best for the Empire."

Nevaren looks over the counter, seeing the Cardassian wake up, ignoring Jolvan. "Well well well.." he says, smirking, "if it isn't sleeping beauty."

Accolon enters the cottage from outside. He quietly makes his way over toward a wall and leans back against it folding his arms over his chest.

Halev spends a moment waking up, then looks over toward Nevaren, but doesn't speak to him. She looks about the room the island of civilization that is Holliday and seems to relax a little as she realizes he is here.

Holliday steps back into the room, giving a glance around to take in the situation. He nods to Nevaren, smiling. "I didn't see you volunteering to play prince charming." He looks to Halev. "Good evening. How are you feeling?"

Jolvan takes his feet out of the pot of now only luke warm water, the swelling has gone down quite a bit. Jolvan walks over to the replicator, Looking to Nevaren,"Can this thing make me a pair boots?"

Nevaren looks at Jolvan. "Probably... if they're not to big."

Halev looks about the room, spotting a new face or two. She catalogues them for future reference. The snaps of the shutter in her mind are almost audible. "As well as can be expected. My hands have lost circulation. And I'm getting rather tired of being held captive by you."

Nevaren actually smiles at that. "Thats funny.. we're tired of having you as a captive.. Small quadrant, isn't it."

Accolon lifts his brows and sighs uneasily, glancing out a window.

Jolvan says to the replicator "Hiking boots black." then gives the size of his feet to the machine.

The replicator whirs at Jolvan's request, and soon, he has a new pair of boots.

S'Terik glances at the awakened Cardassian quietly from where he sits.

Jolvan takes the new pair and walks back to his seat to try them on.

Holliday nods, "Yes, that's about par for the course I'd say." He shrugs apologetically, "He's right, if not terribly tactful.." Referring to Nevaren's comment. "Any ideas?" He ask Halev, while producing his tricorder and scanning her hands, although he maintains some distance between them.

Halev regards Holliday. "Yes. Let me go." It sounds so simple.

Holliday seems to be seriously considering this proposal. "Ok. Say we do. Then what?"

Nevaren snorts. "Yeah, and have a Jhem'Haddar hunting party track us down? You're crazy."

Jolvan slide his feet into the new pair of boots, and begins to walk around the room to see how thy feel.

The Cardassian woman glances toward Nevaren, then looks to Jolvan as he gives everyone the runway model routine with his new boots. "They're not really you," she says to him. When she looks back to Holliday, she says, "Your racist friend is, of course, right."

Jolvan smiles to the Glin "Well from has to take a backseat to function I am afraid."

Accolon says, "I don't think it's a matter of race, so much as the position you hold with the Dominion."

Nevaren looks at Accolon. "Says you."

Accolon glances at Nevaren and shrugs off his admittal. "As far as turning us in if we let you go."

Holliday nods, smiling impassively. "That's regrettable. So I'm afraid we can'd do that just yet." He frowns, stroking his moustache. "And I'd rather not execute you, so we may have to put up with each others company a while longer." He looks to Nevaren, saying, "We can at least make that a little more comfortable. Would you untape her hands?"

Nevaren frowns. "Not of my own free choice, I won't. You don't seem to understand, Doctor, that regardless of how cordial she seems, she is still a dangerous enemy."

Jolvan looks down At his boots "Hmmmm, I wonder if that thing can make some Prpoer shackles for our hostess?"

Halev looks to Jolvan and nods. "A very Romulan sentiment," she says. She shrugs. "I'm merely being honest, Doctor."

Nevaren rolls his eyes. He shoulder his rifle and pulls our his swiss army knife. . "I'll undo her hands and wrists, okay.. BUt I want everyone who has a phaser to have it out, on stun. And I'm keeping your feet bound. Is that satisfactory *glin* halev?"

Accolon says, "I'm not about to pull out my phaser unless she threatens us somehow."

Jolvan snaps to Accolon "Just keep it ready."

Nevaren walks up to halev, carefully, and unfolds the blade from the knife handle. He grabs one of her wrists, not TOO hard, and with a few deft strokes cuts the bonding strip.

Accolon says, "I think the matter is under control. I'm going to take a look around the immediate area a little." With that he lurches from the wall, where he'd almost become a wallflower and walks out of the room.

Accolon has left.

Holliday says "You're right. One shouldn't mistake cordiality for friendship. And yes, keep an eye on her." He says to Nevaren. He sighs. "Now, I guess we should get back to playing twenty questions." He gestures to the other room. "It seems the Betazed information net is down."

Halev nods. "Of course. It's an occupation."

Nevaren shoots a harsh look at Halev when she says "the word". He steps back, snaping the blade back into it's handle.

Halev flexes her hands, trying to get the feeling back into them. She reaches up and scratches behind one neck ridge. "That's itched forever, it seems."

Holliday shrugs, chuckles. "The Dominion doesn't believe in propaganda?"

Halev says, "Terrorists were using the network for their own criminal purposes. We had to put a stop to it. Your Federation networks are so open that a Pakled child could break into them."

Holliday continues to smile. "I wasn't aware that Betazed had a lot of problems with terrorists either. Or this would be a recent develpment?"

Nevaren crosses his arms infront of his chest. "Well, we're not here to argue who has the best computer security. We need information and with all the nets down, it looks like we have to get it from the source." He smirks at that. "Feeling cooperative?"

Halev ohs softly. "I see. And if I'm not? I suppose you'll try to make me cooperate."

Nevaren shrugs. "Persoanally, I'd have no problem finding my motivation to persuade you.." he pauses a moment.. "But.. Sadly, there's still some shred of decency in me and that's all that keeps me from doing it. So it comes down to this. A choice. A rather simple one. If you're co-operative, you're useful... and if you're useful, you won't find your particulate matter spread across the surrounding room. Does that sound fair?"

Jolvan turns to Nev "Information from her? How would she know anything? She is just the whore of some Gul. The only thing she might know is how the Local Guls like to be pleased." Looks away from Halev towards Nev and gives a short wink.

S'Terik arches an eyebrow indiscreetly.

Halev looks at Holliday as she shakes her wrists. "You certainly have interesting friends."

Holliday nods, chuckles. "I'd like to think so." Pause. "My associates here are also highly varigated as well."

Halev regards Holliday for a long moment. "Well, we seem to be at an impass. You want information, I'm not going to cooperate. I suggest either shooting me, or letting me go."

Nevaren hmmphs. "Boy, your loyalty to the dominion is heartwarming, I'm sure."

Holliday nods. "Neither of which I'm willing to do at the moment, so we'll just have to find another option. Can I offer you a drink or anything, Glin Halev?" He takes a seat at the bar, "I'm afraid we've availed ourselves to the use of the replicator without you." He studies her closely now, eyeing her with blatant curiosity.

Jolvan looks the his two fellow resquers in the eyes "My I have a word with you two ALONE after we get her tied up again?"

Nevaren looks at Jolvan and nods. He then looks at S'terik. "You probably wouldn't mind-meld with an unwilling participant, would you?"

Holliday nods. "Sure. Do you already have a word picked out?"

S'Terik shakes his head. "It would be a breach of her privacy, one which I am unwilling to commit."

Nevaren nods, actually seeming slightly releived. It does seem there are thing he won't do to get information.

Jolvan says "Where is the tape?"

Halev ignores the repeated jabs from Nevaren, and the occasional one from Jolvan. She does glance at S'Terik, though, having missed him in the earlier round of identification. She stares at him for a long time, ignoring Holliday now, too. "Yes," she says. "Tie me up. I would like to speak to the Ambassador of Vulcan to the Dulcais Sector by myself while you three speak alone."

Jolvan eyes widen

S'Terik watches the Cardassian carefully, eyes unmoving.

Nevaren eyes widen.

Halev continues to watch S'Terik. "I saw a speech you gave on Ttomak Alpha Six concerning the plight of the worker situation there. I was most impressed."

S'Terik stands up abruptly from his seat and approaches the Cardassian. "Leave us," he tells the others.

Jolvan leaves the room.

"I don't think so." Holliday says abruptly. He looks to Halev, shrugs at her unacqknowedgement of his offer of food or drink. "Suit yourself. Maybe we can chat more later. Since we're stuck with each other, we might as well be civil." He nods to Nevaren, "A little less tight this time? You're not taping conduits." He nods to the other two, "Let's go discuss what you wanted to. You too, Ambassador." He stands, glances to Nevaren. "Try not to shoot her while we're out?"

Nevaren nods

S'Terik keeps his eyes on Halev as he says to Holliday, "I will watch over her, just tie her back up."

Jolvan says "Doctor we have a problem on our hands."

Halev watches the exchange with a slight smile. Good. She's thrown them off balance.

<CONTEST> Holliday contests his Coordination skill vs Jolvan's Intellect (Perception) skill and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Holliday contests his Coordination skill vs Halev's Intellect (Perception) skill and Fails!

<CONTEST> Holliday contests his Coordination skill vs S'Terik's Intellect (Perception) skill and Succeeds!

Holliday looks from S'Terik to Halev, then nods to Jolvan. "Yeah, ok. So let's go discuss it." He closes his tricorder and sets it aside, and steps to follow Jolvan. "Ok, she's all yours, Ambassador. We'll be outside."

S'Terik nods to Holliday, still watching the Cardassian carefully.

*** After going outside for a little while, Holliday and Jolvan return indoors, only to have found the Vulcan Ambassador has released the prisoner. And she is nowhere in sight. ***

The room is pretty much the same with some minor details changed. The biggest minor detail is the lack of a prisoner. The smallest is Holliday's tricorder, which a potted plant has fallen over onto. Ambassador S'Terik stands at the center of it all. Halev's bonds are on the couch.

S'Terik stands with his arms clasped behind his back, his face unemotional. "Of what were you discussing out there?"

Holliday groans. "What to do with Halev. So much for all that, eh? Looks like you two had an interesting conversation too, huh?" He visually scans the room for Halev or signs of her route of egress, going to check the transporter.

S'Terik holds up a hand in the air, signalling for Holliday to stop. "She did not flee. Allow me to explain."

Jolvan looks at the room, No toime to be shocked Instinct take over, "Doctor grab a tricorder and a phaser she can't be far."

Jolvan says "What?"

S'Terik clasps his hands behind his back again and begins to walk slowly around the room. "The person you thought was Glin Halev was actually a V'Shar agent by the name of T'Soll Mynshaer."

"A Vulcan agent," S'Terik explains further.

Jolvan stays back and grabs his weapons and holds his gun at S"terik "Doc check him check for Blood."

Holliday sighs. "Only as far as the horizon, unless there's a relay system, Jolvan." He smacks the transporter controls lightly, curses under his breath, turns to S'Terik, chuckles. "Oh yeah, you'll get a chance to explain. It better be good." He cocks an eyebrow. 
"That's good. Why the deception then?"

S'Terik cocks his head at Jolvan, then nods to Holliday. "Take a blood sample if you must. As for her deception, she did not know whether she could trust you or not. The Sublieutenant certainly gave her uncertainty - until she recognized me. I have...contacts, in the V'Shar."

Jolvan smerks at the ambassador "Logic dictates for a Blood sample, if you don't mind."

S'Terik says "Of course. I did not say otherwise, Sublieutenant."

Holliday frowns, looks around casually for his tricorder, spotting it beneath the potted plant. He retrieves it and checks it for damage. "That still doesn't explain why you two didn't bring this information out in the open before she 'left'."

Jolvan says "Or why She had to leave. I mean if we are all friends now."

"Time was of the essence," S'Terik answers, standing near the middle of the room. "The glin was to report back to the Dominion headquarters on this world, and any more delay may cause more trouble. Rest assured that I was skeptical of her, but the knowledge she possessed about the V'Shar was undeniable. I checked her blood as well." He pauses, arms falling to the side. "She also has word of Commander Balin..."

Jolvan says "I hope to the Vhorani your right otherwise we are all dead."

S'Terik, having no way to soften the message, says bluntly, "Agent Mynshaer told me that the Commander has been buried in Zeisteil Park, in the city of Viranis. All of the resistance in that city has been rounded up and executed in public as well. Your Commander is dead."

Jolvan says "Does she know of Ensign tyler?"

Holliday says "Well, /Vulcans/ don't lie. But how about their Cardassian operatives? Say, how'd y'all get her working for you?"

S'Terik says "She is not Cardassian, Doctor. She is Vulcan, altered to fool all types of sensors into reading a Cardassian signature."

S'Terik turns to regard Jolvan, "She did not mention the Ensign. It is doubtful that she knew of Tyler, for she was unaware that we were even here."

Holliday nods. "She certainly appeared Cardassian." He considers for a few moments. "I've heard of such proceedures, although that one was quite sophisticated. Would it stand up to a thorough examination?"

Jolvan says "So instead of an arogant Cardassian pain in the ass she was a arogant Vulcan pain in the ass."

S'Terik nods, "The V'Shar have run many tests alongside Starfleet Intelligence. Thus far, her disguise has not been discovered."

S'Terik tilts his head at Jolvan. "Pardon, Sublieutenant?"

Holliday frowns. "Ambassador? Can I ask you a question? I'm having a hard time with resolving a quandry without a logical paradox."

Jolvan looks at the Ambassadors face "I believe you heard me."

S'Terik says "You have been pitted into this situation against your will. Undoubtedly you have been stressed out due to our recent conditions."

"That," S'Terik says to Holliday, "is not a question."

Jolvan rolls his eyes

Holliday says "Sorry. It's been a while since I studied Aristotle. But here goes. Premise A: Vulcans don't lie. You say T'Soll was a Vulcan disguised as a Cardassian. Premise B: 'T'Soll' told us she was a Cardassian Officer, Glin Halev, which would be untrue if we accept the validity of premise A. And by extension, her whole situation would require her to lie or otherwise decieve people."

S'Terik says "Her task required her to take such actions, Doctor. Logic dictates that we not lie nor show emotions, but it also dictates that in order to be an effective undercover agent, such things as emotion and lies must be overlooked."

Holliday frowns. "I didn't think the Vulcans took such a situational approach to exercising their philosophy. But you, of course, would be the expert on all that, Ambassador." He raises the tricorder. "Now, about those requested scans..."

S'Terik nods, standing still. He adds, almost as an afterthought, "There is much about Vulcan society that is yet to be understood by outsiders."

Jolvan yawns "Well has you two debate the finer points of," says the name with disgust,"Surak's teachings.I have been up for more hours then I wish to count. I will take this time to get some much needed rest. I just hope I don't wake in a prison camp."

Holliday nods. "I'm sure." He nods to Jolvan also. "Better make it a quick nap, Joe. Despite your assurances that she's on our side, Ambassador, I think we should be checking out soon."

Jolvan Comes back after 15mins "I found Accolon and that Bolian I told them to find the others. How's our friend?" he asks with a smirk

Nevaren is sitting on a stool in the bedroom area, carefully going over his rifle and the tricorder affixed to it. The female Cardassian lays on the bed, still unconcious and trussed, a robe found in the closet over her and cinched at the waist. "She's still out." Nev murmurs, eyeing her once with a flash of unrestrained hatred, before going back to the tricorder and it's settings.

Jolvan says "find anything useful, Food, supplies,etc.. ?"

Nevaren says, "This place is stocked from what I can tell.. complete with a replicator and transporter pad."

Jolvan Looks impressed "She must be important."

Nevaren shrugs. "Maybe. Or else she just got lucky enough to steal some hapless citizens summer-home" Nev makes a sound signifying that he's disgusted if thats the case.

Jolvan nods "Even so, the important officers steal the best places."

Nevaren says, "She could just be the wife or mistress of an important Cardassian officer too. Though that could give us some leverage as well."

Jolvan simply nods

Nevaren looks up at the Romulan. "This may have complicated matters here.. but it may have also opened more doors for us as well."

Jolvan looks at the women "If she get to complicated, there are solutions."

Nevaren nods slowly.. he seems a little... conflicted on that point. "Yes, there are." he whispers, angry again.

Jolvan scratches his head by shaking his head a leaving the hand motionless, "She is an odd complication..... She spoke Romulan."

Nevaren looks back at Jolvan. "She could have been an ambassador's daughter, a scholar, or maybe a member of the..." he pauses a second.. "The Obsidian Order."

Jolvan says "Which still puts her in an important category."

Nevaren says, "Yes. Even if she's a second rate officer, though, she's in an important category. We need intel, she has it."

Jolvan sits down in a chair leans over clasping his hands, Shakes his head an mutters in a fast pace, "What are we going to do with her we can't take her with us looking for Balin, we can't keep a gaurd that would leave him vulnerable, wee.." jolvan's head springs up the looks at Nevaren," How well do you know transporters?"

Nevaren smiles. "They are my specialty."

Jolvan Tries to think "Some thing,, Something about buffers?"

Nevaren shakes his head. "No... don't go there. I know what you're thinking and it's too risky.

Jolvan says "I don't think we can trust a locked closet as a proper cell for our circumstnces."

Nevaren says, "This thing is a civillian model, anyways. Has nowhere the buffer capacity of a starship or base model."

Nevaren says, "And no, you're right. Thats why one of us will keep an eye on her at all times. Until we can think of something better.. or atleast more permanent."

Jolvan says "We can't keep separating this group especially leaving one man to guard.""

Nevaren sighs "I know.. I know.. But we have no choice.. besides, the more time seperated, the less chance of us all getting caught. Thats how resistance cells work. And speaking of which.. she confirmed there is a resistance here. We may be able to use that to our benefit."

Jolvan says "But WE are not a resistance cell. We are a resque team and if a resque is seperated then it more then likely becomes a resque mission for half the team."

Nevaren sighs again, irritated. "Well it's not like we have any choice *sublieutenant*. I knew that there would be complications, but not like this. Extra team members who were brought here accidently, a brilliant young girl barely out of the academy who was ordered here against her will and who went missing because she ran away after I was being hard on her. And now a half naked cardassian prisoner." He shakes his head. "Things have gotten out of hand."

It's a medium-sized 'lake house', brown in color with a white roof. A large deck is around back. Bay doors lead from the deck to the living room. In the living room is a large sofa, and a tied-up onyx Cardassian woman, wearing nothing but a robe (and some Starfleet-Equivalent Duct Tape) lies upon it, unconcious. A small transporter pad is nestled into one corner. A bar with a replicator divides the living room from the kitchen. The bedrooms are upstairs. The adornments of the house (such as pictures, etc) lead one to believe this the home of a former Betazoid governmental official - a getaway home. Hence, there is a bio-dampener on the place that operates at all times from a small cabinet beside the sink.

Nevaren is sitting on a stool in the bedroom area, carefully going over his rifle and the tricorder affixed to it. The female cardassian lays on the bed, still unconcious and trussed, a robe found in the closet over her and cinched at the waist. Nev and Jolvan are talking.

Jolvan says "Whatever we do we better do it quick she undoubtly has friends."

Nevaren nods and stands. "That transporter pad. I'm going to rig it so it won't take incoming transports from another transporter. Better safe than sorry in case those friends you;'re worried about decide to pay her a house call.

Nevaren hands Jolvan his starfleet issue phaser, still set on stun.

Jolvan takes the phaser and keeps a watch over their "Guest"

Shouldering the rifle, Nevaren walks over to the transporter pad and activates the controls. He quickly glosses over the functions and control screens, seeing if he can set it up to only work from here, not be accessed by outside systems except with a passcode.

Holliday stands near the Cardassian woman, open tricorder in one hand, the medical sensor detachment in the other. He frowns, checking the telemetry. "So.. How'd this happen again?"

Nevaren smiles as he reconfigures the system with ease.. It's a federation model so he knows it inside and out. He turns to see the doc, surprised.

Jolvan says "Simple doctor I stunned her. I wouldn't stand too close she could wake up."

Holliday frowns, comments archly, "I'm rather hoping for that at some point. Hmm. How many shots did you say were fired in the altercation?"

Jolvan says "That hit her? One."

Nevaren walks over to Jolvan and the doctor.. he must have been to busy with the transporter to notice the doc enter. "Only one. Well two actualy. Jolvan accidently fired the rifle at her but missed. He got her the second time though with the phaser. On stun too."

Holliday says "I didn't ask how many times she was shot. How many .." He breaks off as Nevaren volunteers the information. "Ah. That'd explain the vestigual trace-polarons." He looks to Jolvan. "She's lucky you missed."

Jolvan says "It was only a warning. She wouldn't comply when I ordered her to keep quiet and come to me."

Nevaren looks at the romulan, slightly peturbed ab