Suffer the Little Children

 Episode Name:  Suffer the Little Children

   Written By:  Journey

         Cast:  Dakin, Foster, Havaris, Journey, Jub, Medes, Poole, Spect and Stewart.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Journey

     Aired On:  Fri Dec 06 02:12:34 2002

     Stardate:  52831

Time: Thu Dec 05 21:32:05 2002

Stardate: 52830.6

As we fade into Ops, we notice It is a relatively quiet shift this evening. The officers on duty are milling about, handling their different assignments at their lesuire. Traffic around the station is quite light. A few freighters, a Klingon Bird of Prey, and a Romulan Scout vessel all either docked or circling the station in their assigned slots. Even the Anomaly itself seems relatively at ease, it's rythmic pulse steady and without falter. Yes. It's a nice and boring evening on Upsilon 419, something to be thanful for.

Spect enters Operations like normal, through the door. Tonight he is a lackey, not in charge of anything. Saluteing to the various officers as he enter he heads straight to his station and takes a seat.

Spect sits down at Operations.

Dakin is seated in one of the command chairs, the ranking officer for this shift. he is currently quietly going over station business reports on one of the armrest consoles. An NCO passes by to give Dakin a PADD to voucher, which he does with a quick skim and a thumbscan before thanking her and sending her on her way.

Foster taptaps on the obsidian panel before him at his Ops station, opposite of Spect. Having already been on duty, he looks up an acknowledges Spect with a terse nod.

Dakin sits down at Commander's.

Foster sits down at Operations.

Sitting quietly, much like she does in the training center, Poole is at sciences, running passive scans and sifting through data. She looks up for a moment, stretching her arms, then goes back to work. Boy does she look positively /bored/.

Poole sits down at Science I.

Medes sits at Engineering, processing reports and chatting idly with Stewart in the meantime. The idle during-work chitchat largely consists of Medes wanting a pet -- something that /isn't/ a cat -- and mulling the idea over in conversation with her cousin.

Medes sits down at Engineering I.

Havaris has arrived.

Stewart is, as described, chatting with Medes. In theory, he's on general security duty, but that has a lot of leeway. He's guarding ops. Making sure no enraged Klingons break in. Right. At the moment his pet suggestions tend to be stilted towards the lazy pet owner. Things that live in a tank, need to be fed once every few days at most, and don't go for walks.

Dakin looks over to the arriving Havaris and nods from his post in the command section. "'Evening, Lieutenant, taking a shift on Tactical tonight?"

Spect returns Foster's nod with a grin..only. He has already saluted everyone he speaks, "Welcome to operations in operations. Are you enjoying your stay Lieutenant?"

Foster looks back down at Spect, giving the man a sigh in return for his grin and his leisurely attitude. It seems that Foster tonight has chosen to still do his duties as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, he mutters a response. "Just fine, Ensign. Thank you."

Havaris steps through the doors to Ops, down the brief stairway to the general seating, and makes his way towards Tactical with a nod to Dakin, "Aye, Sir. Unless you have need of me elsewhere or someone else you'd like in the chair." Apparently he's assuming Dakin's opinion on the matter, for he's sliding into the seat before Tactical without waiting for Dakin's response. He takes a moment to take note of who is standing where, offers nods and smiles where appropriate, and focusses his attention back on his work.

Havaris sits down at Tactical.

Medes offers a sort of sidelong I-think-I'm-so-subtle smile of greeting to Havaris (subtle like brick!) and then goes back to the funfun job of processing reports. She pauses, runs both of her hands through her unruly hair, and rolls her head around on her neck, eliciting a series of pops and cracks from her vertebrae. The excitement, much as in Poole's world, never ceases.

Poole looks over to Medes, as she was listening in to the pet conversation between her and Stewart. Smiling briefly, she winks at both of them, then focusses on the scanning again. "Next time I'm bringing a crossword," she mutters to herself.

Without warning, the Ops consoles starts beeping, red indcators blinking across the board. The sound echoes across the ops center, cutting through the chatter.

Dakin blinks and rises sharply out of his chair, gaze fixed on Spect and Foster. "Status report."

<CONTEST> Foster contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Spect contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Foster moves his head, brows furrowed as he flies his fingers even faster now up and along the console, attempting to discern what made the indicators go off so suddenly. "Sir, incoming vessel at warp. Power reading are fluctuating rapidly.. I can't tell much else, sir. The fluctuations are doing something to further readings."

Havaris perks up as the warning klaxons sound, tuning into the report from Operations enough to know it's likely not going to be a very quiet evening. He awaits further orders while running the routine diagnostics of his terminal and firing controls.

Spect I can't really get anything on my sensors. there is defintely something coming in at warp, but that is all I can tell. I am just picking up a warp signature sir.

Medes quickly closes out her reports, clearing her queue and otherwise readying her terminal for other, warning-klaxon-related use.

Stewart drops all talk of pets, falling quiet and turning around to watch what's going on. And quite calmly, and deliberately, he steps away from where Medes sits, heading to a section of room that is devoid of panels, so as to be out of the way if people need to start running.

Poole reflexively moves out of passive scanning and begins more detailed scans of the incoming vessel, analyzing the data to try and come up with any important data.

The viewscreen blinks, zooming in on a section of space about a hundred thousand kilometers from the station. It looks rather empty, as space usually is, and devoid of any trafiic... Until quite suddenly an elongated silhouette appears. Stretching to infinity, the shape snaps like elastic into it's proper realspace configuration. It's a ship dropping out of warp. A freighter to be exact. Of an older design, the freighter is rather blocky. Built with an 'H' shaped cross-section, it has a runabout sized crew compartments set in the dorsal groove at the very front of the vessel. The rest of the long dorsal groove is the warp-core housing and engineering. The Ventral grove is fitted with long hexagonal modular freight containers. Two angular-shaped warp nacelles are mounted to the rear and above the ship. The Port and Starboard hulls are fitted with 4 extremely large anti-gravity generators, 2 pairs of high-powered tractor beam emmitors, and a pair of very powerful looking impulse engines. Emblazoned across the bow hull is the ships Names. The Fallen Star. And she appears to be venting a LOT of plasma from her port nacelle. Dark scorch marks trail up the ships spine and sides, exposing unsheilded paneling. The Large cargo container tucked benath the ship also appears to be damaged, though not as much. Only a few scorch marks.

<CONTEST> Poole contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

The communications console begins to beep, a red light flashing that seems to echo it's apparent urgency

Dakin frowns as the ship comes into view. "That does not look good. Foster, open a channel to the ship. Spect, notify the docking bay we may be needing to free up some space. Medes, have a damage control team standing by. Poole, anything on sensors?" After he's distributed the orders, his attention reverts to Foster and Spect at Ops.

<CONTEST> Foster contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Foster fires his hand over the controls, flustered he can't discern anything from sensors. As Dakin gives the order, a hand reaches over and opens a channel, the other hand still running sensors. "Channel open, sir." The free hand then transmits the data he finds to Poole's console at Sciences.

Havaris finishes his diagnostics and assures himself of offensive and defensive prospects before noting back over his shoulder, "That's Captain Jub's ship, Sir." He looks back ahead, watching the plasma leak with a small frown before lowering his eyes back to his console and his work.

Spect immediaetly speaks, " Operations to Flight Deck, prepare to receive a Frieghter."
"Flight Deck here. Acknowledged Operations. Out." Spect begins to go over his panel with equal dexterity to see if he can garner anymore information.

Medes pulls up the results of Foster's scans and skims over them, her hands briefly skimming over the control panel and focusing on different portions before she hails the Flight Deck herself. "Ensign Medes to Chief O'Doherty. Ready a damage control team. Incoming frieghter, Fallen Star, has sustained heavy hits from apparent phaser and disruptor fire. Warp core fluctuations, multiple hullings, heavy damage to power core."
"Chief O'Doherty here. Acknowledged, Ensign. Out." Medes blows out a long, thin sigh and continues to go over the scans, trying to glean further information, much as Spect does.

Poole shoots a glance over to Foster, giving him an appreciative nod as she pours over the data. "I wasn't able to get much out of my readings... the polarized warp plasma... But, Foster's... Nice work, by the by, let me see." Glancing over to Medes as she speaks, she basically repeats, "It has been hit by phaser /and/ disruptor fire... curious... multiple hulls breachs and the warp core is fluctuating. Recommend we should evacuate the crew, then get that warp core as far as possible from the station, sir."

The hail message coming omes over the ops center's speakers in audio only, apparently, the computer not able to clear up the signal from the Freighter. The voice on the other side of the connection is badly distorted, the signal fading in and out as it's strength yaws and wanes. But the emotion behind the voice is unmistakeable. They are in trouble. "Station Four-*crackle*-Nine, Th*s is th* the Independent Freigher The Fallen Star, Captain Jordan Baird commanding. My vessel is being persued and I have been attacked. Repeat, under purs*cracle*. I request imediate asssistance. Repeat immediate assis*crackle pop*" The signal cuts out.

Dakin frowns at Havaris' report then tells his second, "Try to get a tractor beam on her and prepare to shove her away." then speaks once he's heard the comm channel. "Fallen Star, this is Station 419, Lt. Dakin speaking. We're going to beam you and your passengers onto the station. Your power systems are reading critical. Stand by for beamout." A tap of his commbadge. "Dakin to Transporter Room. Lock onto all lifesigns aboard the freighter Fallen Star and beam them directly to the cargo bay. Notify the infirmary to get down there ASAP." To Havaris, "Once the freighter's at a safe distance, shields up and weapons hot."

Foster raises his brow once. Not normally one to question orders, this comes as a slight surprise. Of course, it isn't an order to him. So. "Weapons, sir?"

The sound of releif on the captain's voice is evident even through the static. "Four-One-Nine *cough* Thank god ya 'eard me. We've taken damage. I've been able ta destroy 2 vessels so far but the last three were being relentless. *cough* Damnit, I've got an entire cargohold full of /children/ here. I came across these guys raiding a convoy I passed a few lightyears back.. I don't know what they were looking for but I was able to get the kids off. But now they are chasing me. I estimate my arrival in **cough**cough**hack** in 3 minutes and 41 seconds if I don't blow my core or die of bloodloss." There is a slight groan of pain, "I had some unwanted boarders." There is the sound of something that is either static, or a hoarse chuckle. "*hack hack* Heh, anywho.. I'm transmitting my course plot now. I'll be swinging as close *cough cough* as I can to the station on a parrallel vector. My impulse engines are almost shot and i'll need someone to tractor me in. But If these guys come out of warp firing..." he lets that line of thought trail off. "Tractor's would be nice.. but transporter may be out of the question. I have a scattering field around my hold I am havin touble dropping. Controls are sluggish"

Havaris taps the controls to bring up the tractor beam terminal, feeding energy to those systems to bring them on-line. He checks the distance of the 'Star and shakes his head. "It's no good, Sir. Until the 'Star passes through our Tractor range, she's a sitting duck. I suggest bringing weapons on-line and powering up our shield batteries. We may need to bring them up on short notice if the core of the 'Star goes."

Spect smiles, and mutters, "Finally some action." he rubs his sweaty palms togehter before putting them back to work on his console. He stops scanning for more information and changes his controls to the ships resources.He prepares to give more power to any system that needs it, "Sir, I have accessed the resource contorls. I can give you more power to any system when you need it."

Stewart's phaser quietly comes into his hand, and his head is up, eyes alert. Scanning for the first sign of, say, transporter beam. All the while, he's mostly attempting to stay out of the way. Seeking a balance between 'at ready' and 'not underfoot'.

"Sir... It might be feasible to take a shuttlecraft out there and try to bridge the gap..." Poole speaks up as she hears that the precious cargo is children, her voice twisting slightly. Looking over to Dakin, she says, "We could get in there and quick dock, get those people off and be away while the station takes care of the intruders... I volunteer, sir."

On the viewscreen, 3 more vessels suddenly drop out of warp behind teh freighter ans smoothly close in. Smaller then the freighter, they bear no destinctive markings nor resemble any widely used design. Vaguely diamond shaped and smaller then a runabout, they are hard to see against the stardrop since their hulls are reflective black with only a few highights of gold giving them any deffinitaion. Two of the vessels seem unharmed, while the third is trailing sparks and luminous gasses. In unison, the three vessels open fire on the freighter almost immediatly. No hails, no warnings.. Just 3 gold beams lancing through the dark. The freighters shields absorb the strikes, but can be seen getting dimmer each time they are lit up. The freighter is losing power to it's shields.

Dakin nods to Poole's suggestion, "All right, take a runabout though. If you aren't able to dock, I want you to tractor..." He's then cut off by the arriving attackers. "Havaris, shields up, weapons hot! I want those ships disabled!"

Foster shoots up from his seat. "Sir, permission to go with Lieutenant Poole. I'm the best pilot on this Station, sir. I'm sure she could use my help."

GAME: Havaris spends a courage point.

"Weapons hot, shields up, Sir. Plotting my targets..." Havaris' hands fly over the Tactical console as his eyes narrow slightly in focus. Avoiding the torpedoes for now -- since it's awfully hard to disable with deadly force -- he releases a spread of phaser fire on the aft side of the lead interceptor, aiming to disable.

<CONTEST> Havaris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Spect perks up to do the samething that foster just did and he bites his tongue. He simply takes over Foster's functions as well transferring them to his terminal. "Still standing by sir."

Poole stands from her terminal, letting a junior officer take over as she heads for the doors. She waits for Dakin's decision on Foster, which from the look on her face she supports and would welcome. Once it's decided, she's out the door. "I'll get those kids out, sir. Or die trying."

The Stations phasers lance through space towards the vessels but miss by scant meters. The ships seem to ignore the stations attempts to rescue the freighters and press foreward firing again on the freighter, it's shields getting even dimmer.

there is the sound of more explosions coming from the speakers, transmitted from the freighters cockpit/bridge. "God DAMNIT!" Jub can be heard growling, then following up with an extremely wet cough. "Those bastards... I'll show em a thing or two." On the screen, the freighter antigravs and remaining steering thrusters flare up and move the brick shaped ship in ways that should be near-impossible. The freighter jukes out of the way of a second volley of beans, rotating on /six/ axis' and actually sliding sideways under power of thrusters. It is amazingly graceful to watch. A single green beem erupts from the freighter's phaser emmiter, cutting through space and peeling the single damaged attacker's shields away like nothing, then punching through the ship. That freighter's phaser was TOO powerful.. and appears to be burned out now as well. The small attacking vessel erupts in a cloud of Duranium and plasma, leaving it's two undamaged brothers to continue stifing the freighter.

Dakin shakes his head to Foster. "Denied, Lieutenant, I need you where you are." He then faces Medes and Stewart. "Stewart, Medes, accompany Lt. Poole to the Fallen Star." Then to Poole, "Walk with the Prophets, Lieutenant." With his attention refocused on the battle. "Keep at it, Mr. Havaris."

<CONTEST> Spect contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Foster contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Foster nods once, and then with a look to Spect furiously working his console and giving the man a smile, he furrows his brows. "I see what you mean, sir. I'm picking up a small energy signature.. it's a transport signal from the ship that just got destroyed. The signal went to the freighter, sir. Just behind the bridge."

<CONTEST> Havaris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Havaris scowls as his first shot misses by a narrow margin, a quiet growl raising in the back of his throat. He corrects his firing solution and releases a new volley of phaser fire at that same interceptor. If he can't disable it, maybe he can scare it out of the air. Wouldn't that be novel. "Aye, Sir. Continuing my fire..."

Spect only looks shocked as Foster is denied. He hands his controsl back over to him, mission ops is his responsibilty. "Poole, I will be monitoring your progress. Don't forget to equip bio indicators. I wan to keep track of your vital functions." Spect then goes through the data banks to see if he can find some info about the 'geography' of the ship.

"Sir," replies Medes, hopping to her feet and following after Poole. Two short women and a Scotsman a foot taller than both of 'em. It's a hell of a sight. She glances aside at Havaris before hotfooting it out after her fellow Tiny Ferocious Female.

Stewart clips his phaser back onto his belt, and then salutes Dakin before turning to head with Poole, matching her speed. If she's walking, he'll walk along too. If she's running, well, running seems the order of the day.

Poole bows her head to Dakin briefly, a worried glance spared at the viewscreen before she gives Medes and Stewart an encouraging salute. Then it's all motion as she runs out of Ops for the turbolift.

The second of the remaing two attackers is scuttled, a glowing ball of protechnics that rains debris on the stations shields. The final vessel dekes downwards trying to get under the freighter, but the Captain known as Jub rotates his ships axis' again, always keeping the top of his ship only to the attacker's view. On the station, Poole and her team scurry out of the ops center and into teh lift, heading full speed to the launch deck for a runabout.

Dakin frowns at Foster's report and says into the open comm channel. "Dakin to Fallen Star, Captain Baird, we've detected transport signatures towards your ship. You've got boarders. I'm sending a runabout out to assist." He nods to Kusto in approval and encouragement as the second ship goes byebye. "One more to go..."

Foster says, "Sir, I'm getting ready to reroute power here along with Spect for that tractor beam on your mark."

<CONTEST> Havaris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Havaris shakes his head in frustration as the ship he'd been aiming to disable explodes in a shower of debris and plasma. "Our bogies have a death wish, Sir. They fight like Jem'Hadar. Complete disregard for their lives out there." Havaris shifts his attention to the last vessel, waits for the weapons to home in on the tailsection of the craft, and once more releases ... not the full fury of the Station's weaponry, but certainly the better part of its annoyance. He glances up to watch the light show of his handiwork.

Spect changes his controls once again to the Runabout, "Sir, with your premission I would like to being monitoring the away team. After all I am Mission Operations sir." he says with a big smile. Fianlly something that he is good at. "They are not at the shuttle yet sir."

The Ops console bleeps as the Runabout leaves it's hangar, slipping through the shield window and out into the big black. Havaris's last shot strikes the remaing attacker with surgical accuracy, pretty much shearing it's warp engine controls right off. The vessel skips off the remainder of the freighter's shields and hurtles into deep space.

<Cape Fear> "Hokay." Medes settles into the pilot's chair, equipping a bio indicator as requested while the runabout fires up. Once it's ready, she glances aside at Poole in the copilot's seat, notes, "I promise not to shoot you once we're aboard, Gwen," and eases the runabout out of the shuttle bay and into the sky.

<Cape Fear> On the way in, Stewart immediately hits the armoury, tossing a Type II to each of Poole and Medes. "Just in case. And where do you want me, captain? Am I cargo till we get there, or...?"

<Cape Fear> Slipping on the bio indicator device as asked by Spect, Poole slips into the co-pilot's seat, ready to give help at the helm while also bringing up tactical. She smirks over at Medes, "I know you won't... Just slip us up in so we can dock with Jub's ship and get out with those children..." As she slips her type II to her waist, she spares a glance over her shoulder at Stewart, "Cargo at the moment... until we board. I think we'll have company, and very little time to deal with them."

Over the speakers of both the runabout and the ops center, You can hear another wrack of coughing, followed by a wet laugh. "/GOOD/ jobs, lad. A free round on the 'ouse from me." On the veiwscreen, it appears as if Jub is trying to correct his ship's rotation. "Now what was this about a board.. What the 'ell?!?.. Get off my ship! I'm /warnin/ you I'll.." There is the sound of an energy blast and the signal goes dead.

<Ops> Dakin's frown intensifies. "Mr. Foster, you're cleared for the tractor beam. Mr. Havaris, good work. Maintain shields. Mr. Spect, notify the runabout crew they're going to have definite hostiles to deal with."

<Ops> Havaris overhears the feed from the 'Star with an impassive expression, shaking his head ever so slightly as he resumes routine functions over at tactical. Weapons are powered down to nominal levels, shields are maintained for the time being. "Sir, I'm sending word to both the Thomas Paine and the Aegis to intercept the the final vessel on its last heading. It's out into the black, I figure we haven't got long to effect a capture and rescue. I'll have an ETA on possible pickup and delivery as soon as I can..."

<CONTEST> Foster contests his Shipboard Systems skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Foster runs his fingers over the console crazily, engaging the lock. "Tractor beam engaged, sir. I've got the freighter wrapped up tight. Bringing her in."

<419 Operations> "Operations to the Runabout. How;s the weahter out there?" he grins to himself, "Be prepared for definite hostiles. Arm yourselves. I haeva positive on all of your biosigns. Thank You. I will try to get a lock on the position of the hostiles, but still be careful and keep me informed."

Journey the shimmering blue energy beam of the tractor beam slices out towards the freighter, grabbing into it's thick hull. The freighter stops rotating and, ever so slowly, starts pulling towards the station... until the freighter's retros come to life and start pulling against the beam.

The shimmering blue energy beam of the tractor beam slices out towards the freighter, grabbing into it's thick hull. The freighter stops rotating and, ever so slowly, starts pulling towards the station... until the freighter's retros come to life and start pulling against the beam.

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Vehicle Operations (Shuttlecraft) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<Cape Fear> Thea's hands are sure on the controls of the runabout, smoothly bringing the craft up alongside the crippled freighter, following its rotation at first, then back along it as it steadies under the tractor's guide and pull. Once the freighter's retros come to life, Medes snarls under her breath, "Oh no you /do/ not. You /do/ not. Hang on a second, kids." She throws the shuttle forward, giving it a burst of energy and cutting back abruptly so as to bring it neatly into dock with the 'Star. "Showtime, Jimmy."

As soon as the freighter is docked, Stewart slams open the hatch, heading out at full speed, phaser in hand, looking to immediately head for cover before the boarders get a chance to move to intercept. Or, if they are here, so that they aren't all pinned down in the shuttle entry. "Stay together. Concentrate fire, on my lead."

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Poole (claiming advantage) contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

Poole slips from her seat as docking is confirmed, pulling her phaser out and setting it automatically to heavy stun. "Moderate stun people... if there's children aboard heavy stun could hurt them..." She slips up behind Stewart, pulling out her tricorder... which promptly, upon trying a quick scan, blurts electronic raspberries at her. Shutting it, she slips it to her belt and holds her phaser in front of her.

. o O Medes thinks "Don't shoot Poole. Don't shoot Poole."

The Crew Compartments for the frieghter aren't much larger then the total interior area of a Starfleet Runabout, and are built along the same lines, set above the rest of the ship's large and roughly curvo-linear cargo-hull. The forward cockpit area of the freighter is done in a copper and bronze, with burnished titanium coloured flooring on the deck. Like a runabout, there are seats for a four-person flight crew. The two forward consoles are installed beneath a single, heavily armoured viewport. There are two consoles directly aft on either side of the flight consoles. The portside aft console is multipurpose, while the console at starboard gives access to the ship's engineering systems. In the center of the cockpit between those side consoles is a cross between a captains chair and a Pilots seat from a combat shuttle, with it's own half-moon consoles and even a flight yoke. Apparently the whole ship can be conrtrolled from it. At the aft of the cockpit-like bridge is a replicator and a two-personnel transporter unit. An archway access to the remainder of the /Fallen Star's/ crew compartments.

The bridge at the moment is filled with acrid smoke and the stench of burnt polymers. Most the panels are blown out and smoldering. Jub, the cybernetic human who captains this crate is on the floor, slumped against the pedestal of the captains chair. His right arm and leg are completely gone, ending in smoldering stumps of duranium and sparking wires. Sticking out of his chest, between the flaps of his jacket, is the hilt of a dagger in teh center of another nasty disruptor burn that is spead across the captains front. Blood pools around him, and his remaining arm is limp. Standing a few feet away is an Orion in a gold and black jumsuit, bleeding from some nasty gashes. He holds another dagger and circles a THIRD person. A femnale andorian.. A teenager.. in ragged clothes.. also wielding a knife.

<Ops> Dakin frowns upon seeing the thrusters fire up. "Guess we know who won the fight. Mr. Foster, readjust the tractor beam to give it enough slack so the ship isn't torn apart but do NOT let go. I'm confident Poole and the others can handle this, but I'm not leaving anything to chance." He turns to Havaris, "Kusto, see if you can tap into the Fallen Star's computer systems, maybe we can override her helm." Then to Spect, "Have the transporter room get a lock on every biosign on that ship and stand by. And have them ready weapons disabling protocols." He then looks out to the viewscreen. Anyone within close earshot might hear him praying to the Prophets about now...

Foster furrows his brow and nods, going straight to work. "Aye, sir. Keeping tractor beam as loose as a wet noodle but as strong as a cable."

<CONTEST> Havaris contests his Computer skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

"The Thomas Paine reports it will intercept with the lost bogie in just under thirty minutes, Sir. We'll have the suvivor -- if there is a survivor -- in our custody in under an hour. I'll try the command override now, Sir." Havaris switches his terminal screens once more, bringing up the manual docking controls as a front end to attempting to wrest control of the Freighter's helm controls. He winds up shaking his head without much surprise, "Sir. I'm not cut out for this sort of thing. If we had a Computer Engineer here, maybe..."

<419 Operations> "Operations to the Runabout. How;s the weahter out there?" he grins to himself, "Be prepared for definite hostiles. Arm yourselves. I haeva positive on all of your biosigns. Thank You. I will try to get a lock on the position of the hostiles, but still be careful and keep me informed."

<419 Operations> "Away Team. Status?" Spect calls over his communications line, "I sitll haven't found where the bad guys are so be careful. It must be that scattering field interfering wiht my scans. Be advised that I may lose your bio-signs as well as you go into the bridge or anywhere on the ship." he punches a few moer buttons, "I can't pick up anything else on the bridge too much interference. Keep me informed on what's happening." After hearind Dakins instructions he transmits to the transporter room, "Operations to Transporter Room 1. Lock on tothe bio-signs that I am going to rraaansmit to you. And any others that you can find on that ship. And ready weapon disabling protocols. As a matter of fact disablle all weapons except for these 3 bio-signs." he transmits the Bio-signs of Poole, Medes and Stewart tothe transporter room and adds, "stand By for the word. Operations out." then Spect turns towards Havaris then to Dakin, "Maybe Foster or I could do it sir?"

<Cape Fear> Medes turns a glance to Poole and Stewart, "Ship first? Blowing up? Bad!" Her phaser's in one hand, sure, but... easier to duck and start circling around and in, keeping a wary eye on the Andorian and Orion. Less likely to, say, shoot Poole that way.

<Cape Fear> Stewart has his phaser in hand, and aims towards the two circling each other with knives. "Stop where you are, drop your weapons. Anyone moves, I drop them." He braces himself in his usual firing position, one hand steadying the Type II, the other aiming. "And keep in mind, it'd take a moment to bring down the other one. Look at the guy across from you. You want to be stunned and laying in front of him?"

<Cape Fear> Poole speaks over the comlink between the team and Spect, "Jub's down... we've found two other lifeforms on the bridge..." She aims her phaser between the last two assailants, glad she's not alone facing the two knife duelers. As Stewart deals with them, she motions to Medes with her free hand, "See what you can do about the ship's systems... and if you could locate the children, I'll owe you chocolate sundaes for a month."

The Andorian girl spits on the floor at the Orions feet. "This scum kidnapped us.. Took us away from our families." She growls.. and then tears stream down her face. "This human saved us and this pirate killed him." Thats it.. Andorian rage kicks in at that point and the girl throws herself at the Orion. The Orion, on the other hand, is confused. Trapped between a Federation Boarding team and a homicidal Andorian teenager. He not sure what to do now, he just raises his arm to defend himself from knife wielding child.

Dakin nods in approval of Spect's suggestion just as Poole speaks, which prompts him to hold up a hand in a belaying gesture. "Acknowledged, Lieutenant. See what you can do about powering down the Fallen Star's engines and that transport inhibitor field. Meantime, start getting as many of those children into the runabout for evac."

Foster frowns about hearing Jub down, having briefly met the man. But he keeps the tractor beam on the vessel, and with a free hand tries to transport Jub out. "Sir, I'm going to try and transport Captain Jub out of there."

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Systems Engineering (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

GAME: Foster spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Foster (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

"Whatever we're doing, we better do it fast, Sir. Any group of Pirates willing to die over this cargo is willing to send more to die over this cargo as well. The Cape Fear is a sitting duck out there right now, and the 'Star's about two volleys short of a core breach." Havaris continues monitoring his console as he keeps up the sense of urgency on the bridge.

<419 Operations> Spect says, "Copy that Lieutenant. I will see what I can do from here about locating those children but it doesn't look good. But first I am going to take over the contorls of the frieghter and see if I can dock it. You are on your own for a few minutes." spect brings the contorls over to his terminal and begins to work on it relieving Havaris of his headache and making it his own.

<CONTEST> Spect contests his Computer skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<Cape Fear> "Operations, I already have control of the ship, and can dock it from here," Medes responds, perhaps a little more curtly than she needed to -- she sounds distracted, to say the least. "Warp core powering down, transporter inhibiter fields are down, Operations, you can commence beaming these kids out as soon as you locate 'em." Her hands fly over the controls with self-assurance. Forget the phaser, this, /this/ she knows.

GAME: Stewart spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Stewart (claiming advantage) contests his Energy Weapon (Phaser) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Poole (claiming advantage) contests her Energy Weapon (Phaser) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<Cape Fear> "Poole, I've got blue. Go green." With that, Stewart fires, striking the Andorian squarely. He doesn't wait to see if she falls, instead noting, "And quickly.", while shifting his aim to cover the Orion.

<Cape Fear> "Drop them!" Poole orders, though it's hardly necessary as Stewart's training kicked in perfectly. She aims at the Orion's back and fires, missing and hitting the bulkhead. Frowning as she releases the firing stud, she looks to Medes, "Good work... Are the kids alright?... What about Jub?"

The Orion cowers and falls to the ground, dropping the knife. He puts his hands behind his head, interlacing his fingers. The Andorian girl, on teh otherhand, lays a foot away from the orion, on the floor, just as listless as Jub whom remains against the captains chair.

Dakin blinks as he hears phaser fire over the commlink. After he hears Poole's voice, he exhales in relief. "Dakin to Poole, double-time that evac, we could have more incoming hostiles." He then turns to Havaris at Tactical. "Long-range sensors, Kusto, if there are ANY further incoming warp signatures, I want to know."

GAME: Havaris spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Havaris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Foster furrows his brow even more. "Come on, damnit. Come on.." His fingers work furiously and with amazing speed and grace over the obsidian LCARS panel.

<CONTEST> Foster (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

Havaris draws power to the long range sensors and executes a full 360 degree sensor sweep. It takes him some time to tabulate the data, but he's breathing a sigh of relief once the final results are in. "Aside from documented merchant traffic, the Paine and our drifting bogie, we're clean out to 25 light years. I can't say for certain beyond that, but I'd say whoever sent these interceptors has since beaten a hasty retreat." Havaris then taps his terminal communicator to patch in to the away mission. "USS Cape Fear Away Team, this is 419 Tactical. We're all clear for 25 lightyears, I repeat, all clear for 25 lightyears. I will keep you appraised. Havaris out."

<419 Operations> Spect can't get control of the ship anyway and he responds, "Copy That Away Team. Resuming search for the children." Spect goes over his console again looking for any biosigns at all and trying to get readings.

<Cape Fear> Her hands work the control panel of the 'Star with adeptness, and she shakes her head. "Her sensors are totally fried, Lieutenant," Medes answers, before her left forefinger skims up and, bingo! She taps a little green light on the upper left hand portion of the panel. "There's a life support circuit lit up over here, corresponds to cargo container C. Operations, that's where I'd bet you'll find the kids. Can't tell for sure, but that's where I'd put my money." Here's hoping she isn't betting wrong. That said, she goes back to readying the ship for docking. Havaris' announcement is received with a muttered, "Thank the Prophets," as her hands continue to skitter like overcaffeinated, stubby little spiders over the ship's control panel.

<CONTEST> Spect contests his Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

<CONTEST> Foster (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Transporters) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<Cape Fear> Stewart notes to Poole, "Cover me, I'm going to disarm." He clips his phaser back into his belt, resting one hand on it to keep it there even in the face of sudden acts of Orion. He approaches slowly, and assuming nothing goes wrong (see sudden acts of Orion), he kicks the two knives away from the earlier combatants. "Two for the brig. Seperate cells."

<Cape Fear> "Sir, I'd like to stay in a position to make sure the children get off safely," Poole says to Dakin over the com as she covers Stewart. Once the knives are away, she slips next to Medes to pat her on the shoulder, "You two stay here, I just want to satisfy my worriesome nature... I'm going to check on the kids in the container." And she goes to do so, yes, cause that's what Poole's do.

The Orion winces as his weapon is kicked away but just stays silent and still. The Andorian remains silent too, though being unconcious sort of makes that her only option. Jub, however, stirs slightly and looks up, coughing painfully. His single eye is unfocused, and blood stains his beard and chin. "K.k.ids okay." he whispers?

<419 Ops> Dakin nods at Poole's request, "Acknowledged, Lieutenant. We're beginning beam-outs now." With a gaze to Foster, "First Captain Baird, directly to the infirmary. Notify Medical they're about to receive a patient. Then the children, directly into the cargo bay. Have Medical send a team down there." He then looks to Havaris. "Better get some of ours down there too."

<Ops> Foster taps his combadge. "Foster to Infirmary. Prepare to receive injured." With that, Baird's question goes unanwered as he disappears in a shimmer of blue energy, and reappears in 419's Infirmary. Foster relaxes a little.

Havaris nods his head in agreement with Dakin, switching over his tactical console to operate as the Security console a short distance away. Multi purpose consoles! They're all the rage. "Ops Tactical to Dispatch. Please send a team of four NCO's commanded by Ensign Vespasian to guard a transport of children from the Fallen Star. Type I's only. They'll be in the Cargo Bay. Light stun only on those phasers." Havaris waits a moment for his orders to be acknowledged before noting to Dakin and the away team all at once, "Security will be waiting in the Cargo Bay."

<419 Operations> Spect replies, "Away Team, I can't get a reading on tha area. If the children are there they are very haveily shielded. Recomend that you go and check it out. But I do have a lock on you guys. I think the scattering field is letting up. Transmitting coordinates to the transporter room." Spect taps his Commbadge, "Spect to Transporter room, transport Orion and Andorian biosigns to the brig..seperate cells. Inform Security to be ready for occupants. Also prepare to recieve coordiantes of children biosigns. Away Team? I assume you are takign the shuttle back?"

<Cape Fear> "The life support to the cargo container is holding out, Captain... " and then Medes' question trails off as Jub disappears. Eyeing the messy captain's chair for a second, the Littlest Engineer opts to stand rather than get BairdBlood(tm) all over herself. "Operations, that scattering field should be letting up, I shut it down a little while ago. Are you still having trouble getting readings on us at all, or just the kids? And yes, we will be docking the Fallen Star with the Cape Fear still docked to her and bringing the Cap Fear back directly thereafter." After a pause, she adds, "Ensign Medes to Flight Control, commencing docking in thirty seconds." Her gaze flickers from the panel to her displays, and she brings the wounded freighter easily into proximity with the station, edging it closer until the docking ring locks securely.

Stewart heads over to collect the knives, putting each in their seperate bag, placing the bag over them and then picking them up, so as not to get his prints on them. Each is tagged seperately, wrapped in it's bag, and then thrust into his belt.

<Cape Fear> Thank goodness for being small. Poole manages to get in amongst the many children in the cargo container, holstering her weapon as she kneels and puts on her best calming smile. "Hullo there... Pleased to meet you all." Tapping her combadge she says as she begins a head count, "Twenty three children, sir... /nineteen/ andorians..." a memory hits her briefly before she finishes, "Two humans a Bolian and a Betazed... I think... All very young." She tries another smile and motions for the doorway. "It's okay now... we're going to get you all out of this place... you'll be safe and warm soon... Just follow me won't you?... We have to use the transporters... You'll see a blue light and this funny tinkling sound..."

In the hold, children are whimpering, some hugging each other, the eldest hovering obver the youngest to protect them.. regardless of species. They note Poole's starfleet uniform and quiet down some.. Just as the scattering field finally drops over this section of the ship and they are transported away to the stations cargo hold where security teams and medical personelle await.

Dakin sighs and finally takes a seat back in the command chair. "Nice work, everyone... very nice work." Another soft prayer to the Prophets follows that, this one likely a prayer of thanks. "Stand down from alert status and lower shields."

Foster nods once. "Aye, sir. Standing down alert status." He leans back and runs a hand through his hair, which through perspiration has become slightly wet. "I should have had him earliar. If he doesn't make it.."

"Security reporting in, Sir. Twenty-Three guests are now held within the Cargo Bay. Vespasian and his team are on site along with Medical. Brig cell one and two have our captives, including the boarder. We are now operating at standard readiness. Lowering Shields..." Havaris pauses, knitting his brow at a feed coming across his terminal. "This just in from the Thomas Paine, Sir. They have our drifter aboard and are returning home. The pilot is dead, however. No visible cause. I'll notify Medical to arrange an autopsy." And with that, Havaris finally slumps back into his seat and lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Now. This is more like it."

<419 Operations> Spect transmits, "Thanks for getting rid of that field Medes. Everything is clear now." he grins "Good job away team. If you need me I will be just monitoring your Bio-Signs. Operations Out." He grins at Foster, "Fun..huh?" but he doesn't wait for a response he just finishes up what he is doing.@emit <419 Operations> Spect transmits, "Thanks for getting rid of that field Medes. Everything is clear now." he grins "Good job away team. If you need me I will be just monitoring your Bio-Signs. Operations Out." He grins at Foster, "Fun..huh?" but he doesn't wait for a response he just finishes up what he is doing.

After bringing the 'Star into dock and powering her down accordingly, Medes finally removes her hands from the controls and runs one through her hair. Only then does she realize that -- one -- her hands are now shaking with accumulated tension and -- two -- her hair now resembles nothing so much as an oiled porcupine, slick with sweat and sticking up (if this is possible) even more randomly than before. She steps away from the console, bumping her hand against the captain's chair and coming up with a hand covered in BairdBlood anyway. With a weary sigh, she banishes the shudder that comes up her spine and wipes it onto her pants, willing herself to look at it like so much shuttlebay grease. "C'mon, Jimmy. Let's head to the 'Fear and take her home." She looks nothing so much as exhausted.

<Cape Fear> With everything in order, Stewart turns to follow along with Medes, into the shuttle. All in all, just another day at work in a contested area. Boarding a dying ship to fight hostiles and save children? It's what he signed up for, really. He does radio in, "Sir, recommend a security sweep of the Star once it docks, to make sure we don't have any more boarders."

<Cape Fear> Watching the children vanish in front of her, Poole gives them a reassuring departing wave before she rubs at a stray tear tracing it's way down her cheek. "Beautiful kids...," she muses to herself, making her way back out of the container. "Medes, Stewart, we've got one bird to take home. We'll get in trouble if she's not back by ten o'clock... back to the shuttle on the double." And she goes to follow her own orders, jogging down the passageways until she's back to the docking umbilical and inside the Cape Fear. With an ecstatic smile, she hops into the co-pilot's position, hands running over the controls, "I /love/ being Starfleet!" Whoops, did she leave the com channel on?

And as we fade out from Station 419, there is a plethora of of questions left unsolved. Why were the Pirates after the children.. Why did they die trying to capture them and the frieghter captaiun, Jub. Why did Jub, who is now in the infirmary critically injured and maybe even dying, risk his life for these kids.. And most important.. Who are these children and where are they from? *Fade to Black*