Nine Tenths of the Law

 Episode Name:  Nine Tenths of the Law

   Written By:  Starfleet

         Cast:  Bela, Clough, Edwards, Gellan, Jackson, Leah, Minos, Park and Zian.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Starfleet

     Aired On:  Mon Sep 02 14:37:48 2002

     Stardate:  52604.2

Time: Sun Sep 01 22:06:03 2002

Stardate: 52602.5

All of you have been on shore leave for over 48 hours, now. Dulcais is a nice, relaxing place. This is as close as you've been to Starfleet campus since arriving on Dulcais Prime. While relaxing somewhere, a message has been delivered to you by hand on a PADD: You've been invited to Entropy as guests for a banquet being thrown by Commander Balin in a back room of Entropy. You had no idea that the Commander was coming on Shore Leave, but upon contacting the station, it is indeed authentic. The Commander is still on Station 419 - but the intent is to get the crew together for some social time. And leave a chair open for him.

Waiters dressed in black are standing beside a single large table, capable of seating all eight of you plus one. They pull the chairs out for the ladies and take whatever coats need to be hung up.

Clough approaches the table set aside for them, dropping her duffel on the floor beside the empty chair to her cousin's left. "Elly," she greets with an easy smile. "I know you're probably expecting to be surrounded by gentlemen at any moment, but mind if I join you?"

Zian laughs softly, looking up at her cousin. "Not at all, Callie. I was saving this seat just for you. I figured I ought to be on hand to restrain you just in case the Commander /does/ decide to show."

Leah enters Entropy and heads for the banquet area, still curious about the message sent by Commander Balin. She smiles at Zian and Clough when she sees them, then finds a seat opposite Zian at the long table.

Park holds out a chair for Gellan, "So where have you been hiding yourself? I havne't seen you in ages it seems.

Jackson steps into the back room and glances around. Setting his bag down next to Clough's he decides to sit across from Zian.

Gellan offers Park a polite, if reserved, smile, while approaching the offered chair. "Thank you, Aaron. And I've been..busy, I suppose."

Edwards comes a-strollin' inside, along with his one and only wife, Bela. "Well this should be fun." he comments idly as he glances around. When he spots the table, he makes his way on over toward it, "Here we are."

Park lays a hand on Gellans arm.

Park whispers to Gellan, "How are you holding up?"

. o O Jackson thinks "Well.. the boss must be liking the job I'm doing if he's invited me to this kind of function."

Jackson glances around at everyone and then down at his own clothes and sighs.

. o O Jackson thinks "I may be a bit underdressed though..."

Leah finds herself seated next to Jackson and offers him a hand and a smile, "Hello there... I don't believe we've met?"

Zian smiles broadly at Leah and Jackson as they approach, apparently vying for the same seat. She murmurs an amused aside to Clough, "Well, I wasn't planning on an entourage, but I guess I'm more popular around here than I expected."

Jackson nods and shakes the extend hand, "No I don't believe we have, I'm Ensign Jackson."

Clough chuckles softly at her cousin and shakes her head, "I try not to kill the Command Staff if I can avoid it. I would imagine such actions would darken my already black record." She looks across the table, offering warm smiles to Jackson and Leah as they are seated.

Leah gives Jackson's hand a shake, "Morgan Leah."

Jackson says, "a pleasure I'm sure."

Bela smiles at Edwards and nudges him. "It'll be fun, you never take me out," she teases him. "Hi everyone," she says as they get close enough. She settles down into her chair, leaving the spot beside Balin's empty chair at the head of the table for Edwards.

Gellan settles gingerly into the chair, glancing up to Park with a quick smile. "I'm fine, really." She waves to the chair next to her. "I hear you've been busy too." She looks down the table to wave to Leah. "Hi Morgan."

Edwards pushes Bela's chair in as far as he can, which isn't too far, all things considered. That done, he settles into his own seat, and glances toward Jackson, admonishing him, "We're off duty, Mr. Jackson. Your first name isn't Ensign, is it?" He glances back to Bela, "I'm gonna feel dumb if that is his name."

Park grins broadly, "Busy, but it's been a good busy." He offers a friendly smile and nod to everyone else.

Jackson glances over to edwads, "Sir, No sir."

Leah gives Jackson a wink as Edwards' chides him, then glances down the table at Gellan, smiling. "Hello Sharra, how are you enjoying Dulcais Prime?"

Park laughs, "Better stop picking on him, Mikey. He's going to jump and salute in a second."

. o O Clough idly considers psychotropics that might be useful for the overly-disciplined ensign. She seems amused by the possibilities.

Zian chuckles at Jackson, teasing gently, "How can you be sitting there in a shirt like /that/ and still be so /formal/? Relax... we're on shore leave, for pity's sake!"

Bela grins at Edwards and looks back to Jackson. "Never mind him, he's cranky because they won't let him into the Command Executive Washroom across the street at the HQ complex."

Jackson glances down at his shirt, "This was what all the members of the academy surf team wore."

Jackson shrugs.

Edwards shakes his head and remarks, "It's only because they're jealous of me for being in space while they're all stuck down here."

Clough flashes a grin down the table toward Bela. "Fates forbid. Let's hope he does not decide to go without washing up for a week in protest."

Park grins as he looks over at Clough, but says nothing.

. o O Park thinks "Nice outfit."

Gellan starts to relax finally, even chuckling quietly at the banter. "The lakes are lovely, Morgan. I'm enjoying it much, thanks. An odd look is sent in Clough's direction.

. o O Jackson thinks "you just make wonderful first impressions don't ya?"

Jackson sighs a bit.

Zian looks down at her own outfit and laughs softly. "They did /not/ make the Cross Country team dress like this, thank goodness. I don't know how far I could've made it in these heels..."

. o O Leah thinks "There's Sharra... Ooo and Aaron... I just wish Rann were here."

Park glances over at Gellan, "You didn't pull anything, did you? You looked like you were moving a little slow a second ago."

Jackson smirks a bit, "Well.. wearing these things.. if you went down you were easy to find in the water.

Bela chuckles at Clough's comment. "It won't be the first time." She takes Edwards' hand in his and looks at him, giving him a wink.

Gellan glances back to Park. "Ah..erm..no." She grins a bit sheepishly. "Its called sunburn I think."

Park laughs, "You feel asleep by the lake, didn't you?"

Clough flushes lightly and smirks down at Aaron. "I've been busy. I didn't quite have time to make it back to the hotel when I got word of the party." She hmphs quietly, but teasingly, then laughs at Bela, flush fading as quickly as it appeared. "I'll have some air freshener sent to your rooms. Just in case. Though personally, I think it would be better to make him sleep on the balcony." She winks.

. o O Bela's in a good mood. She's quite happy and maddeningly in love with Edwards.

Jackson says, "He has a Balcony? I didn't get a balcony...""

Zian winks over at Jackson, still chuckling at his comment. "It's called a 'Command Perk', Travis."

Edwards squeezes Bela's hand idly and lapses into silence, doing his best to keep up with the myriad conversations.

Leah grins at Gellan, then turns her attention to Zian. "Lot's of athletes here."

Bela orders a glass of ice and a glass of water from one of the black-attired waiters.

Jackson nods slightly, "They probably afraid I'd try to take off from it with my board..."

Zian nods at Leah. "Gotta have /something/ to do, to pass the off-duty hours..." she comments. "Running helps me keep in shape, and it's very calming for me, too. Gives me a chance to clear my head."

Zian grins wryly and adds, "At least, as clear as a Betazoid's head can get, anyway..."

Jackson glances over to Callie as if something just dawned on him, "Wait.. Callie? as Chief Medical Officer Callie Clough?"

Park orders a cup of tea from a waiter.

. o O Park thinks "Oh, he's sharp as a tack, isn't he?"

. o O Park feels amusement

Gellan suddenly giggles and looks away from Park, taking the opportunity to catch the waiter and order herself a glass of wine.

Clough arches a brow, glancing towards Jackson. "Callisandra, actually. But I tend to prefer Callie in informal settings. You have to either be an ex, a relative, or one of my superiors to earn the right to call me Callisandra." She grins, still teasing.

Leah nods in agreement with Zian, chuckling a little. "Well, you've got a lot on your minds... what with everything that's on everyone elses minds on your minds." A pause and a grin. "Did that even make sense?"

. o O Zian thinks "I swear, if he decides that this is a good time for him to ask her about that whole situation with the Rynkans and Teirans, I am personally going to throw him in the lake..."

Jackson asks a waiter for a glass of ice water.

Bela pops an ice cube in her mouth and crunches down on it. She chews it with her mouth closed. She swallows and looks to Jackson. "You should arrange a surfing competition, Mr. Ensign Jackson. I hear your not the only one who surfs. I'd probably try it if it weren't for the kid," she says, and rubs her stomach.

Clough leans over toward Zian and speaks softly to her, winking.

Clough whispers to Zian, "I /do/ know how to refuse to answer, Elly."

Zian grins at Leah. "Perfectly." she affirms, then turns her gaze down the table toward Bela, who she's not yet had the pleasure of getting to know. "So... when are you due?" she inquires with a polite smile, nodding toward her obviously pregnant tummy.

Edwards offers helpfully, "Wendy Tyler seems to be a surfing afficianado." Idly, he ponders whether he said that correctly, as he glances between Bela and Zian.

Park comments unconsiously, "She's really good."

Jackson nods slightly, "Yeah.. Tyler told me she surfs as well... and was trying to teach others. But I think everyone is more interested in the soccer games right now.."

Bela replies to Zian, "January of 2376, and it can't come soon enough." She grins. "Michael will be glad, too, as I think my chewing ice secretly annoys him."

Jackson chews on his ice and the suddenly stops and places it back in his glass.

Jackson says, "Didn't someone have a child just the other day?""

Edwards adamantly denies that, "It does not annoy me! It's just, after all of this build up, it'd be nice to see the kid already, you know?"

Clough nods at Jackson. "Rebecca Bailey," she confirms before laughing abruptly at Edwards' comment.

Zian nods. "Rebecca Bailey. I helped Callie deliver her daughter Nelle. Though... I didn't do much beyond stand there and let her crush my hand..." she comments with a grin.

Park chuckles at Edwards, "Just wait. I'm sure once the getting up in the middle of the night starts, you'll be eating those words."

Leah flags down a waiter and says, "I'll have a root beer, thanks." Then, with some interest, she glances between Zian and Jackson, "So the Brahms' was for her?... What did she name it?"

Bela looks down at Zian. "Nelle is a pretty name. We've still not come up with a name for our daughter yet."

Clough smiles at Leah, "A long-standing tradition in most places. I've found it to be rather uplifting to know that a new life has just entered the galaxy."

Clough then grins at Bela. "A daughter... I suggest taking Michael's phaser away from him from the time she begins adolescence until she moves away from home."

Jackson glances down to Bela, "Have you considered Balin? It be a nice tribute.."

Minos enters from the street outside, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

Minos has arrived.

Edwards stifles a laugh after Jackson's comment, and gives Clough a look. But he doesn't deny it.

Zian smiles. "The name suits her, too. She's an absolutely /beautiful/ baby. She's got her mother's eyes, and the most /adorable/ little noseridges..."

Gellan quietly sips at her wine, save for the occasional grin or chuckle at a comment here or there.

Jackson shrugs slightly, "Or maybe Travis.. Men named Travis accomplish great things.. or so I'm told."

Clough grins at Edwards and shrugs. "You /know/ all children get a perfect mixture of the best and worst of their parents' genes with rarely any middle ground. I fear for the first young man to come to court her."

Through the doors to the back room steps Minos Evanginor, one of the Dulcais Sector's most wanted men. Like the Teflon Don of old ancient Earth, nothing has stuck to Evanginor each time he's been brought up. He walks over to the empty seat at the head of the table as he takes off his gloves. "What have we here," he says, looking over Edwards and Bela. "The usurper of my property."

"Maybe I'll stop in to see her then... I love babies," Leah says, smiling brightly. "You're right, Callie, it is uplifting to know... Kind of gives us an idea of what we are out here for."

Edwards slooowly turns his head toward the voice he barely recognizes. Utilizing all of his willpower, he manages to stay in his seat, "Well hey, if it isn't our very own scum."

Bela instinctively grabs hold of Edwards' arm. "Michael," she whispers.

Clough falls silent at the new voice, turning to look over the Orion man curiously. She, apparently, doesn't keep up with the news, and the man is a complete mystery to her, judging by her expression.

Jackson scratches his chin and leans over to Leah to whisper, "That doesn't look like the commander."

. o O Minos's hiding all kinds of things. He's a shroud of mystery, but is sole of purpose: He wants something very badly.

Zian's attention turns to the head of the table, her brow furrowing. A frown tugs at her lips as she sees the unfamiliar man standing at Balin's place. "That's... not the Commander..." she murmurs. "Very definitely not."

. o O Zian thinks "who the hell is /that/?"

Leah nods to Jackson as her gaze is caught by Minos. She stares at him intently, all at once her friendly exterior gone and replaced by something altogether hostile.

Gellan pauses mid-sip at her wine, the glass still held aloft, as she looks down the table to Minos. Her expression bears a distict 'uh oh' about it.

. o O Clough considers, then responds, more to herself than anyone in particular, "A handsome Orion with excellent taste?" A beat, then, "Who apparently doesn't get along well with Michael. Or Bela."

. o O Leah thinks "Minos Evanginor... Known Criminal... no current warrants...."

Jackson eyes his glass of water.

. o O Jackson thinks "I hope they didn't put anything in our drinks..."

Minos looks between Bela and Edwards, his eyes resting on Bela. "Bela," he says. She shrinks under his gaze. "At first I didn't think it was true, but now I am truly pleased that you are here." He turns his attention back to Edwards. "Michael Edwards." He pulls Balin's chair out and sits down in it, pulling himself up to the table. A racket can be heard outside in the front area of the restaurant. Startled voices. Some shouting. "I have a business proposition for you."

. o O Gellan feels a definate rush of unease, having caught Leah's thoughts. Along with that is anger. She knows that name..and those associated with it.

Leah begins to stand from her seat, a frown on her face.

. o O Zian considers pointing out to the Orion that this is a /private/ party... since she's one of the few junior officers present, and thus, most expendable.

Edwards rises to his feet; not quickly, so as to be alarming, though. "Clough, see what's going on." he orders, keeping his gaze on Minos, "I don't think that's your seat. Now you'd best say something really interesting in the next thirty seconds, or I'm tossing you out on your ass."

Clough draws herself to her feet with a nod toward Michael. She offers a smile to the stranger. "Business. And here we are, all on vacation. Really, Mr. Evanginor, could you not at least wait until after the party?" She seems genuine, perhaps even flirty. She does, however, make her way to the door to confirm what she is already fairly certain of.

. o O Zian projects "Be /careful/, Callie... I have a bad feeling about this..."

As Clough gets near the door it opens, and four men with energy rifles barge in, covering the room. One of them turns the rifle to the side and shoves Clough back to the middle of the room.

Minos smiles up to Edwards. "Is that interesting enough for you?" he asks the first officer.

"Not really." Edwards, always one to be contrary. In the interests of not getting his people killed, he he drops back down into his chair, "You realize that I'm going to kill you, right?"

. o O Zian thinks "...way to be diplomatic there, Commander."

Bela frowns and slides closer to Edwards. Bela whispers to Edwards, "Please don't let him take me, Michael."

Clough's smile doesn't waver for an instant when the men enter and shover her back into the room. "Gentlemen," she greets pleasantly, "I was just coming to see that you were being adequately seen to by the staff. This /was/ a private party, but in the interests of relaxation, you are more than welcome to join us." What's she going to do? Tell them to go away? She plays hostess, offering an individual welcome to each, albeit without names. She does, however, introduce herself - simply as "Callie Clough."

. o O Gellan thinks "Nail him, Commander. And his sidekick with him."

. o O Projecting, Clough offers, reasonably, to her cousin's mind, "Either we play nice, or we die. /I/ didn't bring a phaser. Did you? What options do we have just at the moment. Better me than Bela and Michael."

Jackson says, "You do realize by taking starfleet officers as hostages you're breaking several laws.""

Leah remains standing, a hand on the back of her chair. She remains silent as people say basically what's on her mind and she maintains her hostile glare at Minos.

Gellan remains seated in her chair, her hand wrapped tightly around her wineglass, and stares. If looks could kill...Minos would be a smoldering heap in the middle of the floor.

Zian tenses as she sees her cousin being shoved by armed men, but stays seated, her face an expressionless mask. "Travis... I don't think these gentlemen are overly concerned with regulations or laws." she comments dryly, letting out a little sigh. "Dammitall, I was really looking forward to /enjoying/ my shore leave..."

. o O Leah thinks "Four by the door... it's still seven on four... Not /impossible/."

Two of the men walk over to Bela. "She's the one," says Minos. They take her by the arms. The other two men cover the room, and especially those near the guards about to escort Bela. The Orion woman clutches tighter to Edwards' arm. Each of the men in Minos' employ are wearing Orion slave collars.

Minos dismisses both Edwards and Jackson with a wave. "I live by my own rules. Harm her and you die, it's as simple as that."

As Minos speaks a large Klingon steps into the room. He is taller than any Klingon any of you have ever seen, and he, too, except he wears no collar. "Minos, the bar is secure, and Starfleet HQ has started jamming communications."

Edwards glances toward the men that are grabbing Bela. "You get your hands off my wife." he says in an even tone. "The only way she's leaving here with any of you is over my dead body. I don't care how many rifles you wave around."

Bela resists as best as she can, but her pregnancy makes her in no real condition to fight. "No!" she cries. "No! PLEASE! NO!" The men do not stop. Her grip on Edwards fails and she covers her stomach with her arms.

Clough's jaw tightens as she watches, her eyes narrowing. "Gentlemen," she states in a reasonable tone, still standing as near to the door (and the two remaining slave-men and Klingon) as they will allow. "Will you not show some hospitality? She is struggling to protect her baby, not to escape. I really have no desire to deliver a child several months before her due date." She looks, pointedly, at Minos with flashing eyes.

. o O Projecting, Clough's mind seeks out and finds her cousin's. "How much do you want her free, Elly?" There is, to some degree, trepidation in her tone.

Park remains sitting and doesn't raise his voice, although his eyes are flashing, "Why don't you just tell us what you want?"

Jackson sighs as he pushes his chair back from the table and runs at one of the men with a rifle.

Leah makes her own leap for Minos at the same instant Jackson makes his move, trying to get him between her and the armed men.

. o O Projecting, Zian tenses a bit more, though she tries not to show it overtly. "...what are you thinking, Callie? Your mother will /kill/ me if I let you get yourself killed, you know... Don't do anything reckless. These men are a force to be reckoned with! Did you hear him? Either I misunderstood, or he said they're jamming communications at /Starfleet HQ/."

Zian sits quietly, with her hands folded in her lap, as all of this is going on. Her dark eyes narrow, her jaw clenching almost imperceptibly as she turns her eyes toward her cousin, one brow arching up fractionally. As Jackson runs at one of the guards, Eliara jumps, startled by his abrupt and foolish act. "Travis!!" she cries out with dismay.

<CONTEST> Leah (claiming advantage) contests her Unarmed Combat (Starfleet Martial Arts) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Minos contests his Energy Weapon (Disruptor) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Minos contests his Energy Weapon (Disruptor) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Minos contests his Energy Weapon (Disruptor) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

<CONTEST> Jackson contests his Unarmed Combat (Starfleet Martial Arts) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Jackson leaps up out of his chair and charges at the two men, but is slammed in the chest with a disruptor blast. He goes skittering across the floor on his back, smoke billowing from his chest. Leah grabs Minos in an easy choke-hold, but as she is trying to get him subdued she is winged in the shoulder with disruptor fire from the huge Klingon. She spins away from Minos and is thrown against a wall. Her shoulder is blackened and her uniform is on fire where it hit her. The third man levels his disruptor at Zian and fires, narrowly missing her head. "SIT DOWN!" screams that man. "Or next time I'll shoot her in the face, I swear I will!" Two more men come to the door.

Minos brushes his shoulder off. "You fools," he says. "Do not commit suicide over a slave girl." The two men drag Bela further toward the door. "Mr. Edwards you owe me. I'm the one who arranged for you to take the temporal criminal Wendy Tyler from the temporal criminal Wendy Sinclaire. That act got you promoted I believe. Now, in trade, I take what is and always will be my property. She is not your wife." He pauses. "You can have the product of your union though, I will return the child to you."

Edwards only resists joining in the suicidal escapades when Zian gets a disruptor in the face. Even watching Leah and Jackson wouldn't have done much to dissuade him, otherwise. "I will kill you in your sleep, Evanginor." he promises, "I don't care if they put me away for life. I will find you and end yours if you try to leave with her."

Bela is dragged out through the doors, holding her stomach and sobbing. "NO!" she screams. "MICHAEL! HELP ME! HEEEELP!"

. o O Bela feels deep intense fear, anguish, hatred toward these men.

Clough watches the scene unfold with widening eyes, staring at her cousin with apparent fear. She moves toward the nearest corner of the room, not trying to escape, just trying to stay out of the way. On the surface, she looks just about ready to curl into a ball.

. o O Projecting, Clough's thoughts grow hastier... tenser... as she watches the scene unfold. "Distract Evanginor if you can, Elly. Telepathically. On my count. In the meantime, try to get the others to listen to you. If they attack at the same time we do, we may stand a chance. But we HAVE to distract them. Before they get away with Bela. If my memory serves, she's... she's more important than you know. It's against our upbringing, I know, but we'll /all/ be dead if we don't do something soon. I'll talk to Michael. You talk to Aaron. Hopefully, YaSharra will catch on, too."

GAME: Clough spends a courage point.

. o O Edwards is telling the honest-to-goodness truth.

. o O Clough is not so fearful as she appears on the surface. Instead, she seems coldly calculating and above all, determined.

<CONTEST> Clough contests her Artistic Expression (Acting) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

. o O Gellan thinks "I don't know what chance we have in a building filled with armed men..dangerous one's at that, and us unarmed..but I'll pass it on."

Park watches in horror as two of his comrades are gunned down. Once the shooting stops, he stands, SLOWLY, and moves to offer some assistance to Morgan.

. o O Park thinks "There has to be a telepath in the freaking Sector HQ."

Gellan stands slowly as well, reaching out to rest a hand on Park's arm. She leans in to whisper something quickly to him.

Gellan whispers to Park, "We have to move together."

Zian watches helplessly as Jackson is mercilessly shot down and she is just barely missed, her eyes wide in a face gone very pale as she sloooooowly sinks back down in her chair. "Y--yes sir..." she manages to answer meekly. Her tongue darts out to moisten suddenly dry lips, her dark eyes turning to Minos as she asks tentatively, "Please, sir... may I see to the--the wounded? I'm a medic..."

. o O Zian projects "I--I'll try to help, Callie... but if he hears me in his head, he's gonna tell his goon to shoot /me/ in the head, and that'll end my effort real quick... I've never been so scared in my life...."

GAME: Zian spends a courage point.

"Once we've left, you can tend to your wounded," Minos says. Bela is out the doors past the two new arriving slave henchmen, and into the front of the restaurant. About a dozen other men are out there too. Minos stands the rest of the way up and casually begins to walk toward the door. The Klingon, two men with rifles and two other men right at the door still have weapons trained on the group.

"Prepare for Transport," says Minos.

Edwards clenches his jaw and sits there, ramrod straight, in his chair, stewing. It wouldn't take a telepath to discern his feelings on the matter. The word fury is particularly apt.

Bela screams from the other room, then silence from her as the whine of a transporter engages.

Clough straightens, hearing the Orion's orders. She stands in her corner silently for a long moment, glaring at Minos. Her eyes flash dangerously, or perhaps suicidally.

. o O Projecting, Clough's anger is a burning voice inside her head. "Do you think we have been silent, Evanginor? Do you think there are no telepaths on this planet besides those in this room? You can jam communications, but you /cannot/ jam our minds. You are surrounded already. This building, your ship, your escape. /You/ are going nowhere. Take Bela if you like, but it's your life for hers, now." A dark laugh follows. "We have /already/ communicated with /Starfleet Headquarters/ on this planet. /Nothing/ you have done has gone unnoticed." The latter, although still directed to Minos, seems almost suggestive.

<CONTEST> Clough contests her Psi (Focus) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Park just stands there unmoving as a phaser rifle follows his move. He simply takes Gellan's hand and pushes her just slightly behind him, sheilding her with his body. Just in case.

<CONTEST> Zian (claiming advantage) contests her Psi (Range) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

Zian trembles with a combination of fear and fury, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief as she stares at the Orion ringleader. She turns her gaze toward her cousin and shakes her head, almost imperceptibly.

Minos frowns and looks back to Clough. "Stay out of my mind, Betazoid."

Minos turns and walks out through the door, the guards still training weapons on the group. Then the guards begin to exit. The sound of transporters can be heard engaging still in the other room.

. o O Minos's thoughts turn instantly dark. "Because you will not like what you see. Take this home to Michael Edwards." It's not a memory, but he exposes one of the secrets he holds. Zeel, who recently was reassigned off of S419, is a Sinclare Agent from the future. And the child of Edwards and Bela.

. o O Zian projects "Callie... I can't reach anyone over there. Either there aren't any telepaths over there... or SFHQ has been neutralized. I /tried/..."

Edwards doesn't move from his seat yet. He just watches the kidnappers file out with an intense stare.

Clough's smile is placid, both as she watches Minos depart and while the rest of the guards exit and disappear. She is, however, silent. Her glittering eyes the only indication she is more active than she outwardly appears.

<CONTEST> Clough (claiming advantage) contests her Psi (Range) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

. o O Clough's call goes long and wide, "Starfleet Headquarters, this is Lieutenant Callisandra Clough of Station 419. Eight of the station's officers have been held hostage in the Entropy by Minos Evanginor, a known Orion criminal and his associates. They have transported out, taking with them one of our officers, Lieutenant Bela. Their ship must be stopped but not destroyed. I repeat, their ship MUST BE STOPPED."

Gellan stares hard at the departing kidnappers, her intent expression the only outward indication of her concentration.

<CONTEST> Gellan contests her Psi (Range) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

The Klingon is the last to leave. He makes a smug hmph, then backs out. The door closes with a click. The sound of transporters continues, then ends for good.

Edwards comes up from his chair finally and glances toward the fallen officers. "See to them." he orders of nobody in particular.

<CONTEST> Clough contests her Psi (Range) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Succeeds!

Clough's teeth are clenched and her eyes closed tightly. She hisses out. "Try the commbadges. Mine's on my bag by your chair, Eliara. Relay to headquarters or the station, the ship is still in orbit right now. Or else one of their cooks is holding his breath in a vacuum while considering dinner."

Gellan shakes herself loose from the gaggle at the table and hurries over to check on Leah, then Jackson. Not that she could do much. She glances around the room. "I don't suppose anyone has even rudementary first-aid gear handy? In the kitchen perhaps?"

Clough is still for a moment longer, then shakes herself and raises a trembling hand to her head. SHe looks around, spots the two fallen officers - or at least, /remembers/ them, and curses fluently in Betazoid. She walks toward the more injured Jackson and kneels. "Let me see, Elly," she says with remarkable calm. "Where was he shot?" Slightly disoriented after all of the invisible work, she appears to have forgotten.

Park moves over to Leah, checking quickly to see what kind of condition she's in,

In about ten minutes, after Jackson and Leah have been tended to with the first aid kit the restaurant has, four security guards come through the doors. One of them, a Lieutenant Commander, briefs Edwards, "Despite the warning we received from your Betazoid Doctor, the ship has gotten away. It has eluded our planetary sensors. We sent some runabouts after it, but found nothing. We've notified the station, too, and they've launched the Thomas Paine. Commander Balin wants to know if you want the Paine to pick you up." Edwards is also informed of the blackout at HQ. "A Dominion spy was detected inside the HQ perimeter. We blacked out communications in order to prevent communications. It turns out that it was an elaborate hoax by Evanginor's men."

Zian rises from her seat, reaching down to snag Clough's comm badge and bring it over to her.... just as the security guys arrive. "This is just a guess, doc, but I'd say probably right about where that burnt hole is..." she answers flatly. "Are /you/ okay?"

Edwards shakes his head, not surprised in the least. "Yes, tell the Commander that I want to be picked up." he replies to the officer, "And thank you for doing what you could." That said, he moves to walk past everyone and head outside.

Clough smiles thinly at Eliara, not upset, but fatigued rather obviously. "Next time Commander Balin orders me on shore leave, remind me to tell him to shove it, would you?" She then assists where she can with the two wounded, getting her bearings back after a few moments of concentration. When the assistance arrives, she straightens and moves toward one of the lower-ranking officers, gesturing to Morgan and Travis, "These two need to be moved to a hospital and placed under proper medical care immediately. Ensign Jackson, the male, is the more grievously wounded of the two, but both are stable." She looks, then, toward Michael almost pleadingly, "If the party is over, may I /please/ be on my way? I'm sorry, Michael. We'll find Bela. If I have to move an inch at a time over the quadrant, we'll find her and bring her back." She shakes her head, cautiously. "But... I'm of no more use right now. For the night, I've burned out what I had left."

. o O Clough has a /pounding/ headache, but is at least alert and oriented.

Leah stirs and reaches instinctively to her hip where her phaser would normally be. Groaning loudly, she asks in a slurred voice, "Where is that bastard?... Please tell me someone shot him." Her mouth is stained red with blood, guess she bit her tongue when she hit the wall.

Park assists Clough by tending to Leah until the medics arrive. Feeling rather helpless, he can only stand next to Edwards, not really knowing what to say and simply trying to provide some comfort with his presence.

Zian quickly moves to intercept Edwards, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "Sir... There's something you should know. Something... Evanginor knows." She pauses, looking around. "Maybe we should talk in private, sir."

Zian takes a deep breath, looking up into Edwards' eyes. "Sir, I don't understand what any of this means... but I get the impression that it's somehow important... and likely classified, since it doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me. Earlier, Evanginor revealed a secret to Callie, Sharra and I, and told us to be sure to pass it on to you. He told us that Zeel, who recently was reassigned off of S419, is a Sinclare Agent from the future. And the child of you and Bela."

Clough winces and bends to gather her bag, slipping toward the door quietly, and hoping to get out before the explosion.

Edwards gives Zian a long, rather unpleasant look after receiving that news. Make that... really unpleasant. But he doesn't say a word. Oh no. Doing so might imply that he's still sane. Instead, he steps away from Zian, grabbing Clough by the arm and moving her out of the way, if necessary, and makes his way outside.