Said the Spider to the Fly

 Episode Name:  Said The Spider To The Fly

   Written By:  Starfleet

         Cast:  Edwards, Ghorev, Minos, Starfleet and Tyler.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Starfleet

     Aired On:  Wed Sep 04 00:00:49 2002

     Stardate:  52607.5

Time: Tue Sep 03 20:47:29 2002

Stardate: 52607.2

Tyler's working at her console as Edwards walks in. It's been four days, and the trail has grown cold. Minos simply vanished into thin air. With Edwards' wife and unborn child.

Edwards strolls inside and makes his way toward everyone's favorite temporal expert and her console. "Wendy." he greets, as he glances around idly.

Tyler glances over to the sound of her name being called and does a double-take. "Michael?" she says with confusion. "Aren't you on leave?"

Edwards chuckles humorlessly, "Not anymore. It's, ah, a funny story really. A pirate came and kidnapped my wife." A pause. "Well, okay, so maybe it wasn't that funny."

Tyler frowns deeply, and her eyebrows pinch together. "Someone's kidnapped Bela? Is everyone else okay? Is Aaron alright?" She looks sincerely distressed by the possible answers to her questions.

Edwards assures, "Everyone's just fine. Although Ensigns Leah and Jackson might have learned something about choosing their battles, I hope." After a shrug, he inquires, "Have you ever heard of Minos Evanginor?"

Tyler blinks several times. "I.. uh... h-have," she says.

Edwards nods slowly and remarks, "Mr. Evanginor is our perpetrator. And, being the slippery sort that he is, we've lost track of him... But you could find him, couldn't you? And Bela?"

Tyler swallows at the question. "Yes," she says softly and nods her ascension.

Edwards smiles somewhat, and it's not really a happy smile, "I need you to find out where she is, please. I wouldn't ask you to do this, but... without you and the artifact, we're not going to find her."

Tyler frowns a little. "You know this isn't exactly... regulation, Michael. Is this a test?" she asks, becoming a little wary at the thought of that.

Edwards states, a little antsy, "My wife and unborn child are in the hands of an Orion pirate, Wendy. No, this isn't a test."

Tyler shuffles her feet a few times and drums her fingers across the console as she tries to figure it all out and decide what to do. She swallows again. An eternity seems to pass as she tries to put the pieces together. "Okay," she says, finally and looks down to the console. She starts tapping things into it. As she works, she says, "If I get in trouble over this then next time I'm going to send you to the Dark Ages, I hope you know that."

Edwards replies, "You won't. But I'll start practicing with a with a broadsword, just in case." That said, he takes a step back, "I'm going to call Ghorev down here. It won't take long to find them, right?"

Tyler replies, "About ten minutes." She doesn't look up, but continues working.

Edwards taps his comm badge, "Lt Commander Edwards to Lieutenant Ghorev."

Over Edwards's comm badge a voice answers, "Lieutenant Ghorev here."

Into his comm badge, Edwards says, "Where are you?"

From Edwards's comm badge, Ghorev says, "(around the sound of some unusual energy fields and similar noises) My forge. I'm putting the final touches on an overdue project. What did you need?"

Into his comm badge, Edwards says, "You. Will you head over to the Aegis' Computer Core?"

Tyler continues to work silently, but she keeps one ear on the conversation.

From Edwards's comm badge, Ghorev says, "On my way. Let me just shut this equipment down so that it doesn't flood Cargo Bay 4 with hot plasma and I'll double-time over."

Into his comm badge, Edwards says, "Thank you. Edwards out."

Edwards reaches up and taps his comm badge, ending transmission.

Tyler glances up. "Sounds like he's not been briefed," she says quietly.

Edwards responds simply, "He will be." Stepping back forward, he glances at the console, "How we doing?"

"Please don't rush me, this stuff takes time," Wendy says. "Sir."

Ghorev comes into the computer core from the corridor.

Ghorev has arrived.

Edwards makes an annoyed sound and taps his foot idly, waiting, and peering over Tyler's shoulder.

Tyler glances between her work and Edwards and says something to him. Tyler whispers to Edwards, "Go play with your friend and let me work."

Ghorev has a faint smell of hot metal to him as he enters, adjusting his tunic as if he's just hastily pulled it on. "What's going on?"

Edwards gives her a /look/. Nevertheless, he takes a step back, wandering toward Ghorev. "We're taking on a Pirate King." he remarks. "You hear about what happened on Dulcais?"

Ghorev says, "I've been sequestered over the past few days." Come to think of it, it looks like he hasn't slept very much. "I didn't even know you were back until you hailed me. What pirate king, and will I need my chaka?"

Edwards eyes Ghorev, "You look like hell." He moves on, "Minos Evanginor and yes. The man had the gall to crash a Starfleet party and kidnap Bela. We're going to get her back."

Tyler taps at her console. Tyler whispers to herself, "And breaking a few laws in the process."

Ghorev starts to reply to the first comment, then absorbs the second. "Isn't he --- what was that, Ensign?"

Edwards turns and glances toward Tyler, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Tyler looks up from her console. "Sir, you'll be using the artifact to transport there. Which isn't exactly authorized." She looks back down and continues what she is doing.

Ghorev says, "It's not *wise*, certainly." He shakes his head, rapidly assimilating this fact. "But if it's only illegal for lack of authorization, Ensign, I'll wager you a years' credit that Captain Hendricks would approve this particular exercise." Then, realizing what he's said, he then adds, "I can't believe I just made that argument. Now I *know* something is wrong."

Edwards offers a wan smile at that, "This shouldn't be too hard. Get in, get the girl, get out." An unspoken 'but' soon becomes a spoken one, however, "But if I see Evanginor, I'm going to try to kill him."

Ghorev absorbs this. "Michael, if you're going to cross that line, you should do your best not to equivocate with words like 'try'." He adjusts his tunic again. "How long do we have before we leave? I will *need* my chaka, and likely some other equipment, as well."

Tyler continues tapping into her console. "I've got them, Michael," she says. "In the Syrenya system." Syrenya is in the neighboring sector toward the rim from Dulcais. "Strange, it is relatively easy to find Bela using the artifact, I expected it to be a little more difficult."

Edwards moves back toward Tyler as he responds, "We're going as soon as you get back here. So let's make it quick, Ake."

Ghorev says, "I'll be back shortly, then."

Ghorev makes his way out the door, before the sentence is even complete.

Tyler frowns. "Strange. It's not Bela that is easy to find. It's the baby."

Edwards mutters, "Par for the course." A gold reference in tribute to his Commander. "Must be all the bouncing we do through time." he comments, raising his voice back up to conversational level. "Ah, Wendy, you know... I just wanted to say thanks. If it weren't for you, we probably wouldn't be able to find her."

Tyler looks at Edwards for a long moment, her hands frozen on the console. "I'd do the same for Aaron," she says quietly. "Or for you."

Edwards nods at that and replies, "I owe you one, Wendy. If you ever need anything..."

Tyler smiles a little sadly to Edwards. "No you don't. Just.. Find her." The sound of the doors puts her back to working at the console.

Ghorev returns, a case held in each hand. "I believe I have everything." He hefts one. "Chaka." The other. "Miscellaneous bits and parts in case I have to make some piece of equipment or another blow up in a hurry." He still doesn't look in peak form, of course, but perhaps the action will be good for him.

Tyler's fingers stop tapping and she stares down through the console. Her expression goes blank. Edwards would understand it as the artifact showing her images - he's caught her like this in the past.

Edwards watches Tyler, taking in her eerie reaction to artifact-data. "Should be going soon." he comments absently to Ghorev.

Ghorev says, "How can you tell?"

Tyler breaks out of her reverie and looks up. "She's around a lot of people. Mostly women. They're on a ship. There's a really big Klingon," she says. "It's his ship. She's wearing a slave collar, Michael."

Edwards remarks, "I'm prescient. You didn't know?" More seriously, he states, "We're taking out the Klingon and coming home with all of those women. Is there anything in the way besides him?"

Ghorev flicks open the first case, and draws out his blade. "And are we being 'set down' there?"

"She's fairly well guarded," Wendy says. "But I can set you down anywhere."

Edwards considers that, "I'm guessing the nearer, the better."

Ghorev says, "It *does* make a difference. If we're setting down outside the room, I won't need to pull the chaka *now*, you see. So make up your mind and let's be on our way."

Tyler waits for Michael's order.

Edwards pauses, gathering his thoughts, "Weapons out, Ake. Wendy, send us into the room, preferably behind the Klingon, if you can make it." He pulls his phaser and makes sure its set to stun, "We'll take out anyone guarding them, then get the hell out of Dodge."

Ghorev opens the first case, removes the chaka, switches it into his good hand, and the closed second case into the off hand. "Ready."

Tyler nods and pulls a tricorder from out of a slot on the side of her console. She walks down the two stairs and hands the tricorder to Edwards. "Just push the EMRG button when you're ready to come home," she says.

Edwards takes the tricorder with his free hand, "Thanks." Glancing toward Ghorev, he remarks, "Let's go piss off a pirate."

Ghorev says, "I haven't the faintest idea what to say in response to that."

Tyler walks back up the podium and to her console. Thankfully Ghorev doesn't have time to think about it long. As Tyler's fingers dance over the controls, a bright ball of blue white light begins to coalesce and form between them and the artifact.

Edwards just shakes his head at Ghorev's response. And as soon as the flashing portal is fully formed, he steps forward, walking through it and into whatever may lay beyond.

Ghorev takes that as his cue to do likewise, murmuring, "...something to just *do*."

The portal winks out behind them and Tyler watches the space where they just disappeared. "Good luck," she says, then goes back to work.

Cut to...

The 419 officers step through the other side of the portal, across a whole sector. The smell of incense fills the air. The room is very dimly lit from above, the lamps shine down through a gauze material that hangs from the ceiling to the bulkhead, and down the walls to billow against the floors. It gives an almost tent-like effect to the rather round room. A semi-circular sofa is against one of the walls, above which is a viewport. A covered brazier is in the middle of the room, a whisp of smoke twirling out of it like a drunken ballerina. Both Ghorev and Edwards find themselves without any equipment at all. Phasers, chaka, box of engineering doodads, tricorders (Engineering and Temporal alike) are nowhere to be found. Both Ghorev and Edwards are dressed in high black boots, tucked into which are billowy, silken trousers. Edwards' double-breasted billowing shirt is white, and made of a similar material to the pants but of a thinner weave. A purple sash across his waist acts as a belt. Ghorev is in identical accoutrements, except his sash is red in color.

Ghorev starts to bring his chaka into what must be an Andorian en garde position ... and then realizes it's gone. He sinks into a low grappling stance and looks around. "Remind me why we consider the trade-off on use of that thing valid," he says in a low hiss, as he flicks his gaze about.

In the viewport, the green-blue marble of a class M world turns below.

Edwards glances down at his foreign clothes and lack of equipment, before taking in the surroundings. "Well this is just perfect." he mutters, "I know I didn't order this. If that artifact was a waiter, it'd be fired." Finished grumbling, he asks quietly, "We should be able to work the computer, right? Think we should ask it where the hell we are?"

Ghorev says, "If it recognizes us. I don't even see *commpins* on these ridiculous costumes."

Ghorev looks up. "Unless you got one and I didn'-----Why are you wearing a slave collar?"

Edwards reacts to that, grabbing at his neck as he looks to Ghorev, "Wha?" That's when he notices... "You're wearing one too! Oh, geez. Can this get any worse?"

Minos steps through the doors to the room and parts the gauzy material with a graceful motion. It can get worse. Much worse.

Edwards should've seen that coming. He turns his attention toward the newly arrived Minos and resists every impulse in his body that tells him to charge. That's a lot of impulses. Hoping that, as is usually the case when the artifact gives out new clothes, they look like they're supposed to be there, he tries to play it cool, "Hello?"

GAME: Edwards spends a courage point.

Ghorev remains, silently, in his crouch, having no such real experience in this sort of thing. He simply sizes up the newly arrived Minos.

Behind the Orion steps in the Klingon, barrel chested and taller than any Klingon either of the officers have encountered before him. He has to duck to come into the room. Standing at well over two meters and into his third, he towers over the effete Orion. The Klingon does not wear a collar and is indeed armed. "Gentlemen," he says. His voice is tinged with a little surprise at their presence. "You have been interdicted. You are now my... guests... on board the Prince's Gambit."

Edwards mutters out of the side of his mouth, on Ghorev's side, "I'm getting a really bad feeling about this." Unrestraining his hostility a little, he focuses on his Orion nemesis, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Ghorev sizes up the *second* newcomer, as well, his hands flexing and unflexing as he simply listens for answers.

The Orion pirate states, "Temporal interdictor. You've been.. 're-routed'." He smiles a bit at that. "Protection from the likes of you, and Sinclaire. Though I sincerely thought you were too straight and narrow to try it. From what Sinclaire tells me, you're rather a thorn in her side." He grins at that.

Ghorev breaks his silence, "You can't fully imagine how much of a bother we can be to someone," he says, simply.

Edwards clenches and unclenches his jaw. This so wasn't the plan. "And we restrain ourselves with her." he adds, "You, on the other hand... Well, we can make your life a living hell."

Minos nods at Ghorev's reply, then to Edwards'. "Well, let's save all of that for after dinner, shall we?" He once again smiles. It's not a happy smile. It's laced with smug superiority. "Like I said, you're my guests. I'll have to go out of my way, but I'll make sure you make it back to your station."

Edwards glowers at the smug pirate, "What makes you think we'd eat with you?"

Ghorev says, "Or, for that matter, what makes you think we believe your airs of civility and promises of return?"

Minos idly shrugs. He looks bored. "Eat, don't eat. It makes no difference to me." He turns and starts toward the door. "We dine in two hours. Kureg, make sure they are comfortable." The Klingon nods to Minos, and the Orion is out the door.

The Klingon, Kureg, is wearing a brown civilian tunic. He snorts at Edwards and Ghorev. "You worthless tg'laH will remain here. You will follow the master's instructions or you will receive much pain. Pain like this." He hits his wrist control, and Ghorev and Edwards' heads are filled with a bright, blinding pain, more than even the stoutest Andorian could muster himself against. It suddenly ceases, leaving the two officers reeling. "But honestly, I hope you try to escape, because I will enjoy killing you."

Ghorev drags himself away from the surface he began clutching as soon as the pain passed the point of bearability. "Enjoy ... killing us .... after using that to make us helpless? I .... fail to see the ... point," he slowly spits out as he pulls himself upright.

Yeow. Edwards grabs his head and staggers backwards, until he hits the bulkhead, when the pain hits him. When it stops, he tries to catch his breathe, and mutters, "Not very sporting..."

Kureg grunts and activates it again. Once again, our heroes' minds are filled with the white hot pain. It goes on for longer this time. So, so very long. Desperation begins to sink in. When it stops, the room is empty except for the two officers from Station 419, which seems like an awfully long way away just now..

.... Fade to Black ....