The Last Refuge

 Episode Name:  The Last Refuge

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Eidolon, Harris, Idrani, Krathe, Leres, Medes, 
                Park, Savarna, Shamash and Takamura.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Sun Aug 29 02:40:59 2004

     Stardate:  54347.8

Time: Sat Aug 28 20:39:13 2004

Stardate: 54347.2

The Sandstorm looms near system PXR-0523432, plasma lightning flickering within its billowing mass.. rather like a thunderstorm threatening on the horizon.

A small point of light races toward the clouds, outrunning the light of the stars behind it. Running lights alternate flashes of crimson, green, and white, and the Starfleet Delta emblazoned along her sides point onward into the future.

USS Thomas Paine rockets forward into the eternal night.

Captain's Log, Stardate 54347.1
Lieutenant Commander Aaron Park in command of the USS Thomas Paine.

We are enroute to Strategic Station Korolev, which has been abandonded since 2322 to ascertain whether our engineering crew can repair and refit the station for habitation by refugees. I expect that we will reach the station in the next 15 minutes and with a bit of luck, we will be able to provide another safe haven for the influx of displaced people coming over the border.

Park finishes recording the log and glances about. "All stations, status report, please.", he says to the bridge at large.

Idrani sits at Operations. She's been quiet this trip, though that isn't unusual for her. She touches a button on her console. "Operations systems functioning within normal parameters, Commander."

Harris turns his attention to his readouts. "Holding steady at warp six, sir. ETA is... thirteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds."

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

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Shipboard Systems (Systems) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

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

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Savarna frowns slightly, looking up from her station, and states, "Sir, there are recent ion trails heading both into and out of the system. Given the local area, this is somewhat anomalous."

Takamura stands at the tactical station, monitoring his console. Glancing up, he reports. "All systems normal, sir. I'm detecting no other vessels at this time."

Shamash, at his science-cum-mission-ops console, concentrates momentarily on his console. "Confirming ion trails.", he states listening to Savarna, adding "Signatures indicate a few federation ships ... several, no make that a high percentage of Ferengi. Additionally some unclassified signatures i am not able to indentify exactly, Sir."

Leres checks the readouts on her console. "All systems are operational and functioning within acceptable limits, Sir." She adds, "I've also received word from the engineering crews, Sir. They report that they are ready to begin transport as soon as we arrive."

Park glances down at Conn. "Mister Harris, if you could adjust our heading so that we've got some sensor cover coming into the system. Mister Takamura, load the torpedo bays and stand by phasers. Mister Idrani, yellow alert please.", he issues out orders calmly from this chair.

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Idrani glances over at Shamash when he mentions the unidentified signals. She begins tapping on her console. When the yellow alert order is given, she notes in her calm, dulcet tones, "Yellow alert, aye." Another pause. "They look like Klingon ships, Commander. Modified Birds of Prey... probably B-12s."

<CONTEST> Harris contests his Space Sciences (Astrogation) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Idrani says, "Computer, yellow alert"

The computer acknowledges Idrani with a bleep.

The yellow alert lights flash throughout the ship.

Harris frowns at his readouts. "I'll try, sir, but I'm not seeing anything out here to hide behind."

Savarna turns her attention to her console, watching the readouts; keeping an eye out for further ion trails. Her expression, unsurprisingly, is sober.

Takamura nods to Park as he taps away at his console. "Torpedoes loaded and phasers charged, sir."

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

. o O Takamura thinks "So much for this being a milk run."

Shamash looks over to Idrani and holds what he has been doing, namely trying to identify those trails. With the additional info, he adjusts his sensor anaysis. "Additional result from the sweep indicates that the B-12s have been in this area less than eight hours ago." fingers dance over the console "While there are no current traces visible, i can not confirm trails leading /out/ of the system either. Ships may still be present."

Leres keeps her eyes on her console. She seems to be focused entirely on her task at hand. Her expression is one of concentration.

The outer edge of the system is quickly passed -- true to his word, Harris can't find anything to mask the ship's sensor profile.

The same second that the system is penetrated, the light on Idrani's console indicating an incoming hail starts to blink.

. o O Harris thinks "Bloody hell. I'd take -something- to hide behind at this point."

. o O Harris fumes.

. o O Leres thinks "So much for simple."

Idrani says, "Incoming hail, Commander."

Park leans back into the chair a bit. "On screen, please."

Idrani hits a button on her console. "Aye, sir."

"...frinxing idiot! Can't you see that's a Starfleet ship! They're coming for us!" screams a grey-bearded, wild-eyed man at someone off-camera before he turns his gaze into the feed and composes himself. "How... uh... can we help you?"

Park doesn't allow his face to betray any emtion and replies, "I am Lieutenant Commander Aaron Park, Captain of the USS Thomas Paine. To whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

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

As the hail comes in, Takamura makes some scans from his station. Looking to Park, he reports. "Sir, the hail is coming from Korolev Station. They are at full alert and are a match for us tactically."

Shamash continues quietly some modifications of his own, ignoring the hail for the moment.

. o O Shamash thinks "Now lets see if I can not find a way to get past that old cloak... might come in handy."

. o O Idrani thinks "We've got squatters in the abandoned station. How interesting."

Leres moves her eyes over her consoles, and reports, "Sir, Engineering reports that the ship is combat ready." After her announcement she immediately goes back to monitoring her station.

. o O Leres thinks "This is going to be fun. I can just feel the fun. Fun, fun, fun. Not."

"My name is Jaron Krathe, owner, operator, and sole proprietor of Waypoint Station," the old man on the screen replies with a hint of pride in his voice, although he eyes Park with suspicion at the same time. "I'm afraid you've caught us at a bad time, though, Starfleet."

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Park contests his Medical Sciences (Psychology) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Shamash contests his Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Park stands from his chair, offering the man a friendly smile. "I certainly apologize if our sudden appearance gave anyone a fright.", he begins in friendly tones. "Had we known that anyone was on board the station we'd have sent word ahead to prevent exactly this sort of situation."

Idrani hits a few buttons on her console. Her eyes scan the readout and her antennae flatten back against her head. She shoots a text message to all the bridge stations. "Lots of subspace activity. The station is communicating with some cloaked ships in the system and want to destroy the Paine."

Harris's features grow grim, and his fingers start to move on the panel with purpose now.

Savarna taps something out at her console, following Idrani's message with a message of her own: "Picking up irregular gravimetric readings at the following points, consistent with some readings taken from cloaked vessels."

GAME: Park spends a courage point.

. o O Idrani thinks "Make that well-armed squatters with some delusions of grandeur. They may take us out, but that would cause a fleet to come rolling in here after us. I wonder who is supplying them; if there is a Klingon House involved or if these ships were bought on the market."

GAME: Takamura spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Park (claiming advantage) contests his Diplomacy skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

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

<CONTEST> Leres contests her Shipboard Systems (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Takamura watches his console as the messages scroll by, then taps away in preparation for trouble.

Shamash is slightly lost in his own world and sends a message of his own, ~Ens Leres, Req quick feasibilty analysis as to modify systems as to emit modulated tachyon burst as to trigger cloak failure in the B12 system. Specifications follow shortly~

Leres moves her fingers over the console quickly, sending out a text message to all stations: Analysis shows the station's systems only barely functional. Outdated 23rd century systems are powering 24th century weapons. If they push anything on that station too hard it's all going up in smoke. Analyzing feasibility now.

<PROVE> Shamash has the merit of Mathematical Ability at 3.

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Physical Sciences (Physics) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Krathe's eyes narrow thoughtfully at Park for a moment. "Yes, I suppose you would have," he replies darkly after a moment. "Starfleet is always fond of talking. Like I said, though, Captain Park, this is a bad time. Perhaps you can come back later?" There is unveiled threat in his voice at that.

Medes has arrived.

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Espionage (Covert Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Park steps up behind Idrani's station, placing a hand casually on the back of her chair. "I would normally be happy to do that, Mister Krathe, but that isn't an option as we have a Task Force on the way.", he replies, leaving the details out.

GAME: Savarna spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!

Idrani types on her console quickly for a few moments. She composes a message to S419, appraising them of the Paine's status and discovery. A few more buttons are hit and the data packet is hidden in the active sensor ping. Just another bit of energy in the long-range sensors. No secret message here. Nope. She nods to Park.

Medes comes up from Engineering, PADD in hand, an a look of vague annoyance on her face, for whatever reason. She pauses inside the bridge doors, and offers Park a glance aside, questioningly.

<CONTEST> Harris contests his Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Harris clears his throat as he works his console. "Attempting to stay out of their weapons range," he asides softly to Park.

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

Savarna taps rapidly on her console, frowning slightly as she works; for the moment, she makes no comment.

Takamura continues to work at his console while staying abreast of what's happening on the viewscreen. He sends a message to the rest of the bridge crew. 'I have a lock on three graviton shadows that could be cloaked ships. Cross reference with your own sensor scans.'

Shamash sends the updated result of his research to Leres again, though this time with a cc to Taks Tactic console as well as a note to the commanding officer that he has a possible solution as how to decloak the vessels.

. o O Shamash thinks "Now if I set the acyclic modulation to 293,5 THz with a multi-wave tachyon frequency shift in the 10209 Aengstrom waveband. thats an Energy coefficient of 1.21338... that should result in immediate cloak failure. thats it. Heureka. Now only to communicate my findings."

GAME: Leres spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Systems Engineering (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Dramatically Fails!

Leres does some calculations and sends a text message to Shamash and Tak: It looks to me like the suggested modifications would make the deflector dish explode next time it's activated.

Krathe's eyes open wide, and he mouths wordlessly for a moment -- fear on his features. "A... a task force?" He settles back into his chair. "I'm ruined. RUINED!" He drops his head into his hands. "First it's the Dominion. Then the Siingoans. Now you're here to destroy what I have left! I can't let you! I WON'T LET YOU!"

The old man lifts his head to gaze into the screen, and judging by the look in his eyes, he's gone quite mad, with a capital Q. "I'm sorry Starfleet, but now you have to die."

The viewscreen resets to its primary view.

Park sighs and spins back toward his seat. "Mister Takamura, shields up and arm all weapons. Mister Harris, make sure you keep us out of the range of the stations weapon systems. Mister Shamash, if you have a way to make those B-12's visible, now is the time." Dropping into his chair, he waits for what's next.

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

Park says, "Mister Idrani, red alert please."

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Idrani begins hitting buttons on her console, bringing up the power management screens in preparation for very major power spikes going to shields, conn and weapons. "Computer, Red Alert."

The computer acknowledges Idrani with a bleep.

The red alert klaxon sounds throughout the ship.

There's only a moment or two that it takes Thea to take stock of the situation, and she moves directly toward the bridge's medical console. Within a few moments, she has it reconfigured for Engineering, her stubby-fingered hands flying across its surface as she works. She doesn't bother sitting down; she's got a better angle on things standing up, what with being ridiculously short.

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

. o O Medes thinks "Juuuuust wonderful."

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) skill vs Krathe's Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill and Succeeds!

Harris bites his lip. "Here's where the fun starts," he offers over his shoulder as he starts with the evasive manuevers.

Savarna continues to tap at her console, frown slowly growing deeper and more intense as she works. Klaxons? What are those?

Takamura gives Park a nod as he fulfills his orders. "Aye aye, sir. Shields up. Weapons armed. I have firing solutions on three cloaked objects and the station's weapons arrays." He states this all matter of factly, his face set like stone. As the klaxon sounds, the mental switch is flipped. Takamura is now in battle mode.

GAME: Shamash spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Shamash contests his Systems Engineering (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

. o O Takamura thinks "Why do they always have to do things the hard way?"

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

Shamash frowns at Leres' analysis of his equasions and repeats them himself.

. o O Shamash thinks "There is absolutely no doubt that they will work. I am sure of my work. ..well, if there is the infinitessimal small margin of error, no one will find out anyway."

He speaks up once more: "Yes Sir, I am confident we can modify the main deflector to emit a pulse of tachyons which, at a specific frequency, will disable cloak. .." fingers enter more data "everything is prepared ... and transferred to Lt. Takamura to engage."

Leres continues her own work and looks over at Shamash briefly before looking back down to her console.

. o O Leres thinks "Slick one, Gela. And in front of Medes too!"

A few photon torpedoes sail by uselessly, defeated by Harris' evasive manuevers and the Thomas Paine's superior manuevering ability.

Two raiders undock from the station, their weapons arrays already powered and glowing. Apparently Krathe is playing to win.

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

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

Park watches the viewscreen as the raiders begin to decloak, then taps at the arm of his chair to bring up the tactical overlay. "Mister Takamura, I want you to fire on those cloaked ships /then/ fire the deflector beam to decloak them. Mister Idrani, wide band broadcast warning all vessels in the area to depart. This will be their only warning. Mister Medes, I need a layout of the station showing critical power junctures. Mister Leres you will assist. Mister Harris, don't let them scratch the paint."

Idrani diverts some power to run another scan of the station. "Aye, Commander." She begins sending the warning message. "The B-12's have not verbally committed to the battle, according to the comm traffic. They've 'acknowledged', but that's it." She pauses, looking over her scans. "Commander, I am detecting twelve lifeforms on the station, all in Operations. Five humans, three Bolians, a Grazerite, an Andorian and a Pakled. A large portion of the station is uninhabitable. Recommend we send in a boarding team, go in with wide-beam phasers on heavy stun and stun grenedes, take out Operations. If you can spare Lieutenant Takamura at tactical, he and I could go in."

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

"Sir, I have control of the station's computer. Uploading full schmatics to your console," Medes replies, looking down at the console in front of herself. "Weapons systems controls for the station have been temporarily transferred entirely to me. Awaiting further orders."

Medes adds, "Should I disperse a sedative gas into Operations?"

. o O Medes thinks "Yes. That's right. I /am/ the best."

. o O Leres thinks "Wow. Was that cool or what?"

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Harris brings the ship around one of the gravimetric distortions at a distance that's far too close for comfort. "Weapons fire has ceased," he confirms. "Not letting them scratch the paint, aye."

. o O Medes thinks "Did you miss the part where I said I had it under control, Skippy?"

. o O Medes thinks "... I miss Cristobal. I should hang out with him more."

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

Savarna's frown is fast becoming an active scowl as she continues to tap away at her console.

Takamura narrows his eyes as he tracks his targets on the tactical display. "Aye aye, sir. Firing phasers at the cloaked targets." He then types in the command to use his new toy, the tachyon pulse. A slight smile forms on his lips as his board lights up. "Three Klingon Birds of Prey decloaking, sir." When he hears his name, he quirks a brow in Idrani's direction.

Shamash leans over his console and smiles to himself.

. o O Shamash thinks "worked like a charm..."

Leres does what she can to assist, which um, isn't much. And as the ships are de-cloaked she actually turns a little pink. So much for exploding deflector dishes.

The three Klingon ships appear with the shimmering distortion that the cloaking effect has. Takamura's phaser fire neatly decapitates one, causes the second to explode in a glorious eruption of sparks, and sends the third fleeing with a flaming hole in the starboard wing.

It's approximately ten seconds after this that the three defensive vessels quit the area at a high rate of speed, vanishing into warp. Krathe's voice then comes over the speakers in a general, unencoded hail: "STAND AND FIGHT, YOU COWARDS! FIGHT! IT'S ONLY ONE SHIP!"

No one returns, however.

Park glances over his shoulder, even as he pales at the destruction of the vessels on the view screen. His voice, however, maintains the same level as it has throughout this whole incident. "Mister Medes, disperse the gas and lower shields on the station. Mister Harris take us to within transporter range. Mister Idrani, lock down cargo bay one and transport all lifeforms from the station, please." A turn toward the science console, "Scan for survivors, Mister Savarna."

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

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Shipboard Systems (Security) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Medes contests her Shipboard Systems (Security) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporter) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Medes contests her Shipboard Systems (Shields) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Harris contests his Shipboard Systems (Flight Control) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Idrani nods faintly. "Aye, sir." She waits for Savrana's sensor results to come in before she can lock onto survivors. She does seem a tad disappointed, however. Command codes are probably safer, if you want to do things the easy way. But it certainly isn't as fun as an old-fashioned melee. "Cargo Bay One secured, ship's security team notified."

Tap. Tappita. Tapittytaptap. "Done, and... done, Captain," Medes responds to Park, nodding her head once. She's all business, this time, with her attention entirely focused.

"Transporter range, aye," Harris calls over his shoulder as he brings the ship around and heads for the station.

"Five lifesigns remaining on the surviving Bird of Prey, sir," Savarna replies, fingers tapping rapidly on her console. "Less than a minute remaining to warp core breach." A pause. "All lifesigns are Terran -- no Klingons present."

Takamura checks his readouts as he watches the havok he's wrecked. With a slight sigh, he shakes his head with a frown. "No sign of any other hostiles, sir. Your sky is clear." He then double checks on the security team dispatched to the Cargo Bay, remaining in contact with them.

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

Shamash, with the sudden descalation of the situation, keeps himself occupied by crosschecking the findings of his colleagues, and thus also keeping himself to think about the loss of lifes.

. o O Takamura thinks "Damn. Why couldn't they have just been disabling shots? At least the others fled wisely. Maybe we can rescue those survivors too."

Leres keeps her eye on the Paine's systems during all this, making sure that everything remains operational. Just in case something were to go wrong. Worse things have happened.

The screaming of Krathe gradually drowns out over the comms, replaced by white noise. It's nap time inside the station, see.

The disabled Klingon ship spins out of control on the viewscreen, dwindling in size as Harris pulls the ship away.

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

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

Park stands from his position, moving up toward the turbolift. "Mister Medes, once we've cleared the station, you can ready your team. Mister Idrani, make sure that you get those survivors beamed off the surviving vessel and down to Sickbay. Mister Takamura, dispatch some extra security there and make sure those other ships don't come back.", he orders, then looks around at the bridge crew as a whole. "Outstanding job everyone."

. o O Park feels absolutely horrified at the deaths of the people on the ships.

Idrani hits a few more buttons on her console. "Five survivors transported to sickbay, aye."

"Just a second, sir, please," Medes mumbles, chewing on her lower lip. "Okay. Warp core breach on the surviving ship averted. Powering down warp engines, shutting down all systems." Tap, tappita. Her brow furrows up. "There we go. Sorry. Took a bit. Lieutenant Takamura sort of shot their computer."

. o O Savarna thinks "How does one 'sort of' shoot a computer? I thought shooting was a binary state. Like computers. Or breathing."

"Entering standard orbit of Korolev Station," Harris reports before he glances at the viewscreen.

. o O Harris thinks "It's been a few years, but we're both still around. How's that for irony?"

. o O Medes thinks "Unnecessary use of force this, Idrani."

. o O Medes feels a wave of old resentment rise up, and then quashes it.

Savarna continues to monitor her console, falling quiet again.

Takamura complies with his orders as he sends another team to the sickbay. "Aye, sir. They are on their way." Hopefully, they won't need many more security personnel considering the small ship's complement. When Medes gives her report, he sighs heavily looking at the little engineer apologetically. "Sorry, Lieutenant."

The Klingon ship fades into darkness due to Medes' work, and the ship slides into a stationary orbit around the station.

Park moves toward the turbolift. "Computer, stand down.", he orders. "Relief crew to the bridge. Let's go see what we've got to work with."

The computer acknowledges Park with a bleep.

The ship stands down from its alert status.

Once she's finished up at her converted console, Medes returns it to its usual Medical status and stands up straight, tugging on her jacket absently before going to retrieve a pair of Engineering kits.

Harris waits until he's tapped on the shoulder by a redshirt to relinquish his seat at the conn. He takes a moment to check that he's got his tricorder, then nods to Park. "Good to go, sir."

Savarna rises from the console, collecting PADD and tricorder as she does.

Takamura secures his station for his relief to take over, then steps toward the turbolift. He pats at his hip to check for his Type II. Yep. Still there.

. o O Shamash thinks "minimal life support... temperatures below freezing to a steaming 315 Kelvin... Fluctuating grav plating... Sounds fun."

Shamash resets the console to its default settings before getting up, intend on doing a small detour to an equipment locker.

Leres stands up as she notes Medes on the move. She follows after the little engineer. Big caboose behind a little engine.

The crew makes its way through the Thomas Paine, coming to a halt on the transporter pad. The chief behind the console beams a smile at everyone before he offers, "I'm going to put you down in the transporter room. Good luck." Without further ado, the world dissolves into blue sparkles...

...and reappears as the station's transporter room. The first thing anyone would notice about the interior of this part of the station is that it's cold. Not only that, it's damned cold. Ice coats every 23rd century Starfleet standard-issue surface, the lights are out, and the alert tracers struggle to life intermittantly -- along with the readouts on the transporter console before the platform. To make it even better, it feels like the deck has a fifteen degree list to port.

Before them in the transporter room rests a sign that once read 'Welcome to Strategic Station Korolev: Starfleet 17th Fleet'... at least until it was replaced with crude graffiti making the name 'Waypoint Station'. It, like the station, has clearly seen better days.

Park puts a hand onto the wall to steady himself as the floor suddenly lists to port. "Well, this is going to be fun.", he comments to himself, then glances at Medes. "Where do you want to start?" This is obviously an engineering show now, so best to defer to the engineering types.

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

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

"What... a... mess... " Medes finally says, reading over her PADD, to which data is coming in stram after stream. "First things first, we have to get down to environmental engineering. It's going to vary between this and 'hotter than the fire caves' on the way down, but Life Support appears to be functional on the entire crawl. I hope everyone likes Jeffries Tubing." It's nice to be small, sometimes. Compact, for easy transport in tubing. "There are portions of the station where gravity is as low as .3 G, and portions where it is as high as 1.5. Life support is completely out in 70 percent of the station, the other thirty is erratic. No replicators anywhere, and even the synthesizers are broken." She taps at her PADD, reading, analyzing. "My head is cold." And then she goes on. "Reactors are stable, and strong, the weapons draw too much power, however, and they're always on the edge of overload. These people are lucky they didn't blow themselves up trying to shoot /us./ I suggest we get moving, anyway, it's a long climb down to Environmental Engineering -- about fifteen decks."

Harris rubs his palms together, leaning to compensate for the tilt. "We built things well back in the old days," he notes wryly.

. o O Medes isn't particularly discombobulated by the lean of the deck plating. She grew up in San Francisco, Land of Tilty Streets.

Savarna nods simply, and smiles a bit, saying, "Variant gravity should keep us motivated."

Takamura rematerializes with a standard away mission loadout. Well, less than standard for him. The phaser rifle he carries isn't his usual weapon with the grenade launcher. And he isn't carrying stun grenades. But, the Security officer is still ready for anything with his Idisha blade, Type II and tricorder. Stepping off the transporter pad, he adjusts his footing to compensate for the list and glances about. At Medes' report, he suggests, "Perhaps we should don some EVA suits until we stabilize the environmental controls."

Shamash looks around the room, also trying to compensate for the odd grav setting. He nods to himself and murmurs something sotto voce of the place meeting his expectations. Medes however gets a strange look for a moment before turning his attention to his utility belt and tricorder.

Leres follows after Medes, looking at her own PADD. She tries to compensate for the tilt with little lean as she goes. She doesn't comment, just nodding as Medes rattles off information.

Park follows along after Medes, quietly introspective as they make their way down through the bowels of the station.

Idrani follows along quietly, not commenting.

Medes leads the way to the hatch into the jeffries tubing; she straps her engineering kit to her tiny body and clambers down through, leading the way. She doesn't seem bothered by the tilty deckplate, and adjusts her stance without even really seeming to need to think about it.

Harris peers into the hole for a moment, then takes a breath. "Jeffries tube, ahoy," he remarks grimly before he squeezes his nowhere-near Medes-sized self into the tubes.

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

Takamura slings his rifle over his shoulder as he follows the parade into the Jeffries Tube. And away they go.

Savarna studies her tricorder as they descend, expression thoughtful. "We'll all be sure to hang on tightly."

<PROVE> Idrani has the merit of Athletic Ability at 2.

GAME: Savarna spends a courage point.

GAME: Leres spends a courage point.

GAME: Park spends a courage point.

Shamash sees the beginning of a procession to the Tubes and he can not help to look at the mission commander awaiting some kind of comment from him. As none is forthcomming and all just move without further words towards the jeffries, he speaks up: "Forgive me asking, but would it not prudent to also detatch someone to Operations?"

Park begins the trek down into the tube and responds without looking back, "We're already got access to the computer, Mister Shamash, so there's no need for anyone to be in Operations. All the action is going to be in Engineering."

<CONTEST> Park (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Park (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Idrani (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Idrani (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Idrani (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

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

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

GAME: Shamash spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Dramatically Fails!

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Climbing) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

The trip down starts off propitiously enough: the stifling hot interior of the tube causes Park's hands to sweat, and he slips in the first ten meters before he catches himself and continues on. Idrani's hands slip at the 30 meter mark, but she manages to catch herself before she falls to her demise. Medes, Harris, and Takamura all have no problems traversing the distance. Even Leres only slips twice.

Then come the science officers. Savarna has a hard time maintaining a solid grip, due to the sheer numbers of sweaty palms that have gone before her, but she keeps her grip on the ladder... barely.

Shamash, on the other hand, makes it to the 30 meter mark before he topples off the ladder and plummets downward. Fifteen meters is a long way to fall...

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

GAME: Takamura spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<CONTEST> Takamura (claiming advantage) contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

GAME: Idrani spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Idrani contests her Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Idrani (claiming advantage) contests her Athletics (Lifting) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Athletics (Lifting) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Medes contests her Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<PROVE> Medes has the merit of High Pain Threshold at 2.

GAME: Park spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Park (claiming advantage) contests his Coordination (Reaction) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Grasping hands snap out for Shamash as he plummets. Takamura and Savarna simply don't have enough time to act. Harris manages to get hold of a boot, but can't keep a grip. Idrani has an arm for a moment, but Shamash slips through already weary fingers.

Medes, on the other hand, doesn't have enough time to attempt a catch, so she throws herself into Shamash's path to be used as a cushion... and both plummet to the bottom of the shaft.

Park redoubles his efforts to reach the bottom of the shaft so that he can assess the damage to the pair that have vanished into the semi-darkness.

Idrani's breath hisses through clenched teeth as she fails to secure a grip on Shamash. Seeing that Medes and Shamash are now /both/ falling, Jaylas tries to keep the line steady, so Park can get down to the ground as quickly and safely as possible.

. o O Savarna thinks "Great Bird keep them; don't let them splash..."

It's one thing to throw yourself down the shaft and know you can land securely. It's another thing to do it intending to land and be someone's cushion /and/ with an engineering kit strapped to your body. These are the things that generally occur to someone while they are landing. Thea lands awkwardly, and with Shamash following shortly thereafter, she doesn't have time to do much more than shove herself through the air so as to cushion the other officer's head and neck with her body. Her own head, however, smacks against the deck plating a second after her shoulders hit, snapped against the ground as she's paying more attention to whether Shamash will be okay than to keeping her own head tucked. A tiny lupine whine, at least, betrays that she's conscious.

. o O Medes thinks "... ow."

All that escapes Harris' lips is a snarl as he's left holding one Starfleet boot. His eyes follow the fall down the shaft, mute frustration shining in them.

. o O Medes hurts with the hurty hurt that is hurtingly hurting.

. o O Harris thinks "I -should- have had him! I had my hand on him!"

Savarna flinches, and continues her descent, doing her best to remain outwardly calm. It's not a very good best. But she's trying.

Takamura reaches out to catch Shamash as he speeds past the former goalie. However, catching a puck was much easier than catching a falling science officer. Glancing below, he checks to see if anyone else had better luck.

After an initial ~Whaaa?!~ as he looses his grip, Shamash is far too suprised to experience Newton's theories first hand to utter a scream, flopping down through several hands and landing rather suddenly on something ...small. First there is nothing then he rolls off the engineering-shaped landing pad, groaning and lying there for a moment longer.

Leres is last, so she has no chance really of catching Shamash. She's having a hard enough time on her own. She continues the climb down. "Just keep going..." There's a few slips, but she keeps going, looking down occasionally to see if anyone caught Shamash.

. o O Leres thinks "At least I didn't fall."

<CONTEST> Park (claiming advantage) contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Idrani continues her descent to the bottom of the shaft.

Park slides down the final rungs of the ladder and moves immediately over to Medes, since she's the one who's looking like she took the brunt of the fall. Whipping out his tricorder, he scans with one hand as he opens up the medical kit with the other. "What /is/ it with you and heights?", he comments under his breath.

"It's not my fault... the piton broke, Aaron... " Medes replies, wincing between phrases. "I'll be fine. Give me a minute. Could you put my shoulder back in, please? I think I dislocated it." A few deep breaths, and her color comes back, and she looks an awful lot better. "Are you all right?" This is asked of Shamash, her head turning slowly to the side. "Did I cushion your head okay?"

Harris slides down to the bottom, dropping off the boot and tabbing the bottom door open. This, of course, has the wonderful effect of letting an arctic blast of air in to the burning hot tube as he squeezes himself into the corridor beyond to give Park room to work.

. o O Harris thinks "I -should- have had him. God, Thea... I'm so sorry."

. o O Harris fills with guilt.

. o O Medes is oddly calm. Zen, almost.

. o O Medes thinks "I'm all right. I'm really not hurt all that badly. Okay, ow, that hurt. Aaron's here. I'll be just fine."

. o O Medes thinks "I have some Stuff to Fix."

Savarna steps off the ladder, following after Harris, into the cold. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be perturbing her much; she has her tricorder out, looking curiously around.

Takamura finishes his descent, adjusting the rifle on his back. Turning to Park, he inquires, "Need me to help out here?"

Shamash nods. ...very slowly.... "Thanks... that came rather ... suddenly." Then turning a little further, to be able to look at the others, he proves that he has not lost his humor by muttering "I told you so.."

Leres finishes her climb and looks horrified to see Medes sprawled on the ground. Just proves she's new. She follows after Harris and Savarna to stay out of the way.

. o O Medes feels a wave of annoyance along with her pain.

The aforementioned corridor is one of those that is once again filled with ice. There is one bright ray of sunshine, though -- the door immediately before Harris, Savarna, and Leres is labeled 'Environmental Engineering'.

Park shakes his head at Tak's inquiry. "No, I've got it.", he replies absently, moving quickly from one peice of equipment to the other with practiced motions. One final injection of something and he's putting everything back into the kit from whence it came. "I think you just like spending time with me, Thea.", Aaron comments to her as he helps her to her feet, keeping the mood light. "People are going to talk."

"They always do," Thea replies to Shamash, looking up at Park a moment later. "Ah, Aaron, ever since you got married... you're off-limits. You know me, though. Like to break rules. Congratulations, by the way." She slowly starts hauling herself to her feet, wincing as she tries to put weight on her shoulder. "Yeah. Dislocated." She stretches her arm out toward Park. "Grab and pull, please?" Iron Engineer.

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

Park does as he is bid and the shoulder goes back into place with a loud 'pop'. Look how professional that was. Now a quick run over with another handy peice of medical gear and Medes is good as new.

. o O Leres thinks "She's like a little baby bull."

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

. o O Medes thinks "Aaron fix all better. Yay Aaron. Thank you Aaron. Nice Aaron."

Harris pulls out his tricorder and moves to the doors. "I can't get a reading... this room is safe, right?"

Savarna reports, "Temperature inside the engineering room is fourty degrees Celsius -- gravity is currently holding at .3, and the atmosphere is breathable."

Shamash manages to raise up again, stiffling a wince here and there and simply recollects himself before doing any scan.

Takamura nods to Park. "Very well, sir." So, since his medical skills aren't required, he switch back to guard dog mode, unslinging his rifle.

Leres goes ahead and opens the door into environmental engineering. "Okay, let's see if we can get some of the ice melted off of things around here." She goes on through the door into the next room, unless something stops her.

Environmental engineering is a large room filled with pipes, tanks, and other gadgets that help keep the inhabitants of the station alive. There's just enough gravity inside to keep stuff on the ground, and hotter than any part of the station they've visited so far. In the middle, there's a large pool-table console of readouts which scrolls and flickers intermittantly.

Park whispers to Medes, "I'll be expecting you to go quietly to sickbay when we get back on board."

Park whispers to Medes as he moves into the room, then stands aside.

Medes gives Aaron a /look,/ flattening her mouth into a line, and then nods her head slightly. "Right." She strips off her jacket and turtleneck, leaving herself in a tank top and pants, and pushes herself toward the pool-table console.

<PROVE> Harris has the merit of Mathematical Ability at 3.

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Computer (Programming) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Dramatically Fails!

Harris bounces experimentally across the ground, getting a feel for the gravity before he parks himself in front of one of the computer consoles. "Let's see what kind of shape you're in, shall we?" After a few moments of work, a slurred version of the old Starfleet computer voice comes on. "Warning. Primary operating system protection fault. Secondary and teritiary cores unavailible. Workstation offline."

To his credit, Rob doesn't swear at the machine. In fact, all that escapes his lips is a single word: "Oops."

. o O Medes feels raaaaaage.

. o O Medes thinks "ROBERT!"

Savarna tilts her head to the side, and comments, "I love Engineering. Were this a Sciences posting, this is when something in the room would explode."

Shamash follows his colleagues to the next room, though after a first taste of the temperature inside EnvEng, he stops at the entrance. -20 Centrigrade on the back +40 C on the front.. equals on average a nice 20 C. Just do not forget to turn around now and then. To spend the time with something useful, he concentrates on his tricorder once more.

Takamura chuckles as he stays out of the way of the engineer types. Afterall, there isn't a lot that a deckape like him can right now.

GAME: Leres spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Computer (Programming) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

Leres comes into the room, and moves easily with the lower gravity. She moves next to Harris and hmphs a little. She taps some keys on the console. BZZZZZZZ. She looks at it oddly and hits a few more keys. BZZZZZZZZ.

"Please, please don't say that, Lieutenant Savarna. Why do you think I'm bald? Something exploded," Medes notes, hissing through her teeth when the console makes its nasty little declaration at Harris. "Ensign Leres, check the readouts on the big console, please, and report. Lieutenants Shamash and Savarna, power flow reports, stat. Robert, you... just don't break anything else." Hurt Medes is cranky Medes, apparently.

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

GAME: Medes spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Medes (claiming advantage) contests her Computer (Programming) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

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

"It's -not- my fault," Harris retorts, frustrated now. "The apes that have been living here have been messing with it." Instead of touching the console, he pulls out his tricorder and starts examining the old duotronic-style cards underneath.

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

<CONTEST> Leres contests her Systems Engineering (Computer) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Savarna nods to Medes, and turns to begin adjusting her tricorder. Slowly, her frown returns.

Shamash, already having been busy with the device, simply continues his scans-

Leres goes over to the big console and checks on that information Medes wanted. "The readouts we have here are absolutely useless, Sir." She works at a few moments. "I'm still not getting anything. Do you want me to keep trying to bring it up?"

"Keep trying," Medes tells Leres, nodding her head as she hits the console Harris was working on once, and hard. It comes back online. "Ah. Old tech. Right. Onward."

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Computer (Programming) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

. o O Medes thinks "We can do this."

Harris flips the cards over, sliding them in and out before plopping back into the chair. "I've reinitialized the gravity network software... give it a second..." And just like that, the deck 'levels' out... and everyone weighs the same again. "Like that."

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Shamash (claiming advantage) contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

GAME: Leres spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Leres (claiming advantage) contests her Systems Engineering (Computer) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Savarna looks up. "Power flow is within Starfleet tolerences."

"I concur." Shamash confirms. "However there are a few glitches in the EPS conduits that leak power." He moves into the heat of the room and towards a routing array, "I can identify the taps from here to use a different routing and which might restore power to the station."

Leres hits buttons on the console and finally, taking a page out of Medes' playbook just kicks the thing. Lo and behold, it is like unto a miracle, the console comes back up. She breathes a sigh of relief as she hits more keys. "Restoring life support to the whole station."

Medes nods in approval. "That's a /lot/ easier than I expected." Soon afterward, she pumps a tiny fist in the air. "Command and control software restored. Aaron... barring the heavy equipment which has to be swapped out on EVA and we're not equipped fore, this station is operational."

Park nods as he pushes away from the wall. "OK. Let's take a good look at the station as a whole and figure out what we'll need to get from the station.", he says.

Medes nods after a moment. "Calling up the list now..."

Ten days later...

"Captain's Log, Supplemental." Captain Davenport of the Merrimac settles back in her command chair, lifting a cup of coffee to her lips for a sip before continuing.

"We've escorted the first wave of transports carrying Nausicaan refugees to Strategic Station Korolev. Another group, being escorted by the Discovery, will arrive here in the next three hours with Romulan refugees. If things don't stabilize soon... they'll be living here for a while. Special thanks to the crew of Station 419 for getting the station up and running so fast."

As the Excelsior-class vessel settles into orbit of the station, a string of transports moves in...