The Refugees of Bak'TUR

 Episode Name:  The Refugees of Bak'TUR

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Albertz, Eidolon, Foster, Harris, Poole, 
                Sta'TORuk Warrior, T'Lyna and Valentine.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Mon Dec 13 03:02:46 2004

     Stardate:  54602.3

Time: Sun Dec 12 21:55:48 2004

Stardate: 54601.8

"Mister Foster you are clear to get us underway, release the docking and umbilical, then request clearance from the station to depart. Once you have it, best possible speed to Captain KurmeQ's location," Poole orders as she sinks into the captain's chair. "Ensign T'Lyna, I want a detailed scan ahead of the area we're heading into. And tactical, keep our weapons that way. Cold. For now."

"USS Thomas Paine to 419-Upsilon Operations, request clearance for departure," Foster states, pretty much to the screen before him (and, incidentally, his comm). "Docking clamps... released. Umbilical... withdrawn."
There is a few moments delay and then the response comes from 419: "419 Operations, clearance granted. Good luck and Fleetspeed."
"Taking us out," comes Foster's response, and the image on the forward screen begins to move. Once clear of the station, Foster adds, "Course set and engaged, warp factor 9.2." The screen blurs and then is replaced by the standard starfield of a ship moving at warp speed.

The spotlight that floods across the top of the Thomas Paine's saucer snaps into life as she pushes away from the station, announcing that she's underway. She clears the docking arm, turning toward Bak'TUR before she blurs into faster-than-light travel.

Her objective this night: a Klingon freighter convoy fleeing the fall of Bak'TUR -- the last world held firmly, at least until recently, by House Kang against their Sta'TORuk foes.

Albertz sits down at Command.

GAME: T'Lyna spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> T'Lyna contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Poole keeps quiet for this leg of the journey, waiting for anything out of the ordinary to be reported. An eye is kept on her own smallish console.

"Aye, aye, sir," Harris replies to the earlier order. "Weapons are cold."

Valentine keeps half an eye on her power readouts, while busily calling up data on resources that might be needed for repairs to the Klingon freighters.

. o O Valentine thinks "Please. Third time's the charm. We aren't going to get into battle. Poor Paine isn't going to get hurt. We're going to be /just/ fine." Pause. "Who am I kidding?"

Albertz is likewise silent as he mulls over something on his chair's display console.

<CONTEST> T'Lyna contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

T'Lyna nods in response to Poole's order, her head bending over her console as she brings up the sensor controls and intitiates the scanning protocols. A few moments later, she reports, "Commander, I'm detecting fifteen Klingon vessels, about twenty-five minutes away at our current velocity. Five have been seriously damaged, one is in imminent danger of a catastrophic explosion. The others all appear to have taken at least moderate damage. Sensors show no hostile vessels in the area... at least none that I am able to detect."

"Do we know how many are onboard the ship that's in more immediate danger?" Poole asks of T'Lyna, "Provided we don't lose her before we get there, stand by on transporters to beam them aboard. Mister Valentine, have engineering teams standing by to deploy to the other five damaged ships."

<CONTEST> T'Lyna (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Harris sits quietly at tactical, watching the sensors.

Valentine is already tapping at her console, conveying orders. "Aye, sir, engineering teams standing by."

T'Lyna's slim fingers dance nimbly over the console, and after a moment she nods, turning her head to look toward Poole as she answers, "Sensors show 963 lifesigns aboard the vessel, sir."

The time passes, and the Paine drops out of warp in the midst of the convoy, and is immediately hailed by the captain of the convoy -- a weary looking Klingon named KurmeQ. "Thomas Paine, the ship in question is the K'lanek. Our engineers cannot keep up with the damage -- we estimate roughly twenty minutes before a warp core breach occurs. There are nearly a thousand people aboard -- we have no more room on any of our ships to hold them all."

T'Lyna's words cause Poole to blink and looks down at her console, saying, under her breath, "Damn." When KurmeQ comes onscreen, she straightens and looks up, "We'll take on as many as we can, Captain... and send engineers over to try and stop the breach." Looking aside, she says, "Bring us into transporter range of the K'lanek, get us a detailed scan of the damage and send the data to one of our engineering teams. It's time to go to work." Pausing then, she says, "If anyone has suggestions for contingency plans..."

GAME: Foster spends a courage point.

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

Harris glances up at the viewscreen, frowning, before returning his gaze to the tactical console.

. o O Harris thinks "A thousand people. A thousand. Let's not screw this up."

Valentine tips her head, doing some rapid calculations. "Bloody... Get me the hell over there," is her blunt suggestion.

Albertz leans over to Poole, speaking to the Commander in a quiet voice.

. o O Valentine thinks "Not enough time to call for the Aegis. Crazy Horse is too far away. Gotta stop the breach."

"No visible - or invisible - threats other than the obvious within scan range," Foster says. "I don't see any cloaked vessels." So THAT is what he was looking so intently for, neh?

At his place, Albertz says "We can temporarily accomodate approximately fifty bodies if need be, Commander. Not for long and not optimally. But if they need somewhere tae put their people if that Core breaches..."

T'Lyna glances over toward Foster briefly. Isn't that what she just /said/?

The Klingon's lip curls. "Thank you, Thomas Paine. KurmeQ out." And then the heavily damaged freighter reappears on the screen.

Poole isn't about to question Foster's intentions. For now. "Mister Valentine, since you volunteered, lead the team to the K'lanek. Do what you can." She nods to something Albertz says to her and says something softly back. "Once we're in range, beam the team over."

At her place, Poole says "Understood. That was my thought process as well. Better some than none. Though... understandably, I'd like all."

"Request permission to beam to the frieghter, sir?" Harris asks, glancing at Poole. "I can help with the engineering efforts."

Valentine nods and calls up a replacement to take her station, and not-quite-runs toward the lift.

Foster misses T'Lyna's glance, and any meaning it might have had, considering how he's continuing to monitor for apparent threats. Still, he's not concentrating so hard that he doesn't catch what Harris says. "I can take Tactical, if it's desired, while we're here, sir."

T'Lyna makes the necessary preparations to lock onto the people on the critical ship, responding crisply, "Transporters are ready on your command, sir."

"Granted. Harris, Valentine, Albertz, go over to the K'lanek," Poole orders, "Take that engineering team and what medics we have to spare. Mister Foster, stay on helm. I'll handle Tactical in Mister Harris' absence. Mister T'Lyna, beam them over."

Harris pushes to his feet, signing off the tactical station before racing into the turbolift. "C'mon, Hamish!" he calls over his shoulder.

Harris stands and leaves Tactical.

Valentine waves a hand- she heard- before she disappears.

Albertz stands and leaves Command.

Albertz rises from his seat and slings his medkit over his shoulder, "Right behind ye Rab." He hurries off, hot on the heels of Harris.

Foster just nods, "Aye, aye, sir." He continues to monitor the scan range of the area for any incoming enemy. He might FLY by the seat of his pants, but when the lives of thousands are hanging in the balance? Then he keeps that seat right behind his console.

T'Lyna waits for the away team to assemble in the transporter room, then initializes the transport.

<CONTEST> T'Lyna contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporters) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

As the away team materializes in the engine room of the freighter, two things become obvious. Most everyone in this compartment is either dead or dying, with pink blood splashed liberally upon the bulkheads and deckplating. What few engineers there are work hurriedly at their posts, although most of them are injured. The second obvious thing is that it is hotter than hell in the compartment.

Harris wrinkles his nose as he takes stock of the damage to the compartment. "You're the boss, Tara... where do we start?" he asks softly before opening his collar.

Valentine glances around quickly. "Scans," she snaps at her NCOs. "And let me know the second Paine relays what the Klingons have for us. Hamish," she gestures toward the injured engineers, "Lieutenant, flow control first. Plasma leak's the first thing that jumps to mind."

. o O Valentine thinks "See, /this/ is why I keep my hair short. It'd look like hell after thirty seconds in this heat otherwise."

Albertz's tricorder is off his hip and open the second after the trio beams in. "Och, it's hot as heel in here" he mutters to himself. Glancing around the compartment, he begins a quick visual triage, taking stock of apparent injuries.

A few moments after the away team departs the ship, Foster's and T'Lyna's sensor boards chime a soft warning -- three Klingon Birds of Prey are coming from Bak'TUR at their maximum speed, on an intercept course. ETA, ten minutes.

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

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

When it rains? It pours. "Signal them for identification, and warn them that the refugees are under our protection," Poole says from tactical, before adding, "Going to Red alert."

Foster reads over his readings twice, "Sensors indicate that the incoming vessels are coming in weapons hot, sir."

<CONTEST> T'Lyna contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

T'Lyna nods to Poole and opens up a comm channel to the three incoming vessels. "Klingon vessels, this is the Federation starship Thomas Paine. This convoy is now under the protection of the United Federation of Planets. You are asked to power down your weapons and identify yourselves." She waits for several long moments, as nothing but subspace static crackles over the open comm line. Muting it, she shakes her head and looks back to Poole. "No response, sir."

Valentine's NCOs all take off at her command, tricorders out as they prowl the compartment and quickly vanish into the woodwork in search of damage to fix.

GAME: Eidolon spends a courage point.

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Harris contests his Shipboard Systems (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

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

GAME: Valentine spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Valentine (claiming advantage) contests her Propulsion Engineering (Warp Drive) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

"Flow control... flow control..." Harris moves to the Klingon pool table console, frowning. "My Klingonese is a little rusty, but.. yeah, I think I've got it." His fingers dance over the controls. "Yeah, I've got it! Lowering plasma flow rate."

Valentine nods, pouncing toward Klingon consoles. "Thanks." A frustrated glare at the unfamiliar terminals, and she commences muttering to herself. "... Flux deflector... I /think/... No. Interwavic capacitor..." She thinks. Argh!

Albertz purses his lips at the readouts on his tricorder. "Ye've approximately twenty minutes tae work yuir magic, you two. After that, nothing in this compartment will be surviving past the twenty-fifth minute" he declares in a voice loud enough for his colleagues to hear him. Message delivered, he reattaches the tricorder to his hip and retrieves a couple of hypos from his medkit. The doctor moves swiftly from stricken crewman to stricken crewman, administering a dose of pain killer and (needlessly) anti-radiation drugs to the doomed Klingons.

. o O Valentine thinks "Somebody get me a translator. *growl*"

Back on the Paine, the Birds of Prey race closer... and closer, still silent.

"Charging weapons and shields," Poole announces, "Signal them again. And send a message back to Station 419 that three vessels are approaching with a visible intent to engage. We believe they're from House Sta'TORuk." Then more orders are snapped Foster's way, "Lay in a course to intercept. We have to buy the convoy time."

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

<CONTEST> T'Lyna contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

"May be a good idea to inform Harris and Valentine what's going on," Foster says, hands already dancing over the controls. "That ship is pretty trashed and I'm sure they're sensor-blind at this point." He engages the engines, announcing, "Intercept course laid in and engaged."

T'Lyna signals the Klingons again. "I repeat, this is the Federation starship Thomas Paine. This convoy is under the protection of the United Federation of Planets. Disengage your weapons systems and identify yourselves." She then taps open a second comm channel back to the station. "USS Thomas Paine to Station 419-Upsilon. There are three Klingon vessels on an intercept course with the Klingon refugee convoy, with weapons armed. They have not responded to hails, and we have reason to believe they may be vessels aligned with House Sta'TORuk." She waits for a moment, then glances to Poole. "No response from the Klingons, but they are receiving us, Commander. Four-one-nine acknowledges."

Back in the engine room, a gruff Klingon computer voice starts warning of the approaching warp core breach in Klingonese -- "Fifteen minutes until glorious death claims this vessel," being the closest translation that the universal translator provides. Near the front of the compartment, a new Klingon enters in an environment suit -- undoubtedly to protect him from the radiation flooding the area.

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

Harris frowns at his readouts. "What next, boss?" he yells to Valentine. "This thing didn't come with programming -or- hardware to eject the core." His fingers work again, and all the consoles compartment-wide switch over to a semblance of Federation LCARS standard layouts.

<CONTEST> Valentine (claiming advantage) contests her Propulsion Engineering (Warp Drive) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Valentine grimaces without looking toward Albertz. "Acknowledged, Doctor. Rob, ask the Paine to pass on to KurmeQ to get those ships at least a half-light second away from here. Tow the wounded ones if they have to." She slaps at her commbadge, even as her eyes light up and she pounces on a console. "Slerek, Washington, Barrin, prepare for core ejection. /Don't/ initiate until-" She glances toward Rob, a bit aggrieved at his comment. "Lovely. Nevermind," she tells the NCO's. Fingers dance. "Alright. Energy overload rerouted. Let's shut this baby down."

<CONTEST> Albertz contests his Medical Sciences (Toxicology) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

"Fifteen minutes," the doctor announces. Checking on one of the patients, he gives a nod of satisfaction, the drugs are taking effect and somewhat reversing the damage done by the radiation exposure. The man will live, assuming Rab and Val work their magic.

As the Paine jumps to warp speed, the Klingons split into a formation allowing the port and starboard ships to flank, while the lead vessel continues barreling straight ahead on the same intercept course -- still silent, still weapons hot.

. o O Albertz feels a quiet satisfaction. The Klingon will live. Hamish rests on his laurels for about two heartbeats before moving on to the business of treating another patient.

<CONTEST> Poole contests her Starship Tactics (Naval) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

"Agreed," Poole tells Foster, then orders T'Lyna to, "Send a message to the team on the K'lanek... let them know we're engaging hostiles." Back to Foster as she furiously works at the tactical console, a discordant harmony of beeps and chirps. "Set a course for the lead ship, directly... and be prepared to quick dodge. It might get a little rough." Pilot speak for it's going to be difficult.

"Less than one minute to engagement," Foster says, his own set of discordant harmonies ringing from his console. "May also want to keep a channel open, at least to Lieutenant Harris. He'll be able to tell how long he has from our reports here." In short, he knows all the pilot speak too, but then, he would, wouldn't he. "We will engage at three minutes out."

GAME: Foster spends a courage point.

T'Lyna tilts her ears as a burst of static issues forth from the comm, and her brow arches. "Sir... we're receiving a hail. It's very faint, and difficult to make out through the static, but I distinctly heard mention of what's left of Ambassador Gr'laH's fleet, and something about assistance."

Aboard the Klingon freighter, the new Klingon makes his way down the compartment. As Hamish turns away to move on to a new patient from the man he just saved, the Klingon unsheathes his D'k Tagh, bends down at the knees -- and cuts the other man's throat -- instantly reducing his chances of survival to zero while creating a new mess on the deck.

He's apparently not finished, though. He straightens back up as he completes the motion, drawing his disruptor and letting loose a volley of fire across the side of the room that holds the still-standing Klingon engineers. "DIE, PETAQ'MEY!" he yells. "FOR STA'TORUK!"

<CONTEST> Harris contests his Presence (Willpower) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Harris just stares as the fire ripples across the room, then does the smart thing. "DOWN!" he yells before finding the deck himself.

. o O Harris thinks "I didn't bring a phaser. Why didn't I bring a phaser?"

GAME: Valentine spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Valentine (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Engineering) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Fails!

Valentine moves on to the third console down, working intently. Frowning at the recalcitrant systems, she's a trifle distracted, until the sound of disruptor fire finally sinks in. Her gaze snaps up, and she dives for Hamish Albertz, trying frantically to get the doctor out of the line of fire.

. o O Valentine thinks "Bloody hell! I don't have time for this *cough*!"

<CONTEST> Albertz (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Aikido) skill vs Sta'TORuk Warrior's Unarmed Combat (Mok'bara) skill and Succeeds!

Albertz flinches at the sound of disruptor, his shoulders shooting up over his ears instead of diving to the ground, like a normal person. Wheeling around to see his day's success bleeding to death on the floor, the doctor moves quickly forward towards the murderous Sta'TORuk without a moment's hesitation. Reaching an both hands dart out, grabbing both the warrior's wrists, slender fingers wrapping around in a tight control. After a moment or two of brief struggle, the pain is too much even for the Klingon and he drops both weapons.

Back aboard the Paine, the Klingon ships come inside the Federation vessel's weapons range, even as it remains slightly outside theirs. They remain in formation, weapons primed for battle.

GAME: Poole spends a courage point.

. o O Albertz's heart sinks to see his charge on the floor with a cut throat. Without hesitation he moves for the weapons, visualizing gripping the warrior in a control before he actually performs the move. There's no rush of blood to the head, rather a calm determination that the rest of the stricken men and his two crewmates must be protected.

<CONTEST> Poole (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Tactical) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Poole contests her Command (Starship) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

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

"Photon Torpedos locked... and... fired, standby helm," Poole orders. Wow. One can actually see the veins start to throb at the temples of her head. Stressed? Naw. Not a bit. Calmly as you please, she adds, "And if that's Ambassador Gr'laH's fleet offering assistance, accept it, Mister T'Lyna. But if they're asking for it, tell them we're hard-pressed ourselves. We will attempt to lend aid as soon as and if we can."

"Helm standing by," is Foster's response, though it doesn't do that for very long. Instead, following the controls of this conn officer, the Thomas Paine jacknifes hard'a'starboard and ventral as the flanking ship to port and the forward ship become so much exploding fireball. "Two down, one to go," Foster reports, almost blase in his response.

T'Lyna receives another burst of what would probably sound like static to human ears, and suddenly whirls around to face Poole. "Commander, respectfully suggest you hold fire. Incoming hails would seem to indicate that the vessels we are engaging /are/ the remains of the Ambassador's fleet. The messages grow clearer as we gain in proximity to the oncoming vessels."

<CONTEST> Sta'TORuk Warrior contests his Unarmed Combat (Mok'bara) skill vs Albertz's Unarmed Combat (Aikido) skill (given advantage) and Succeeds!

GAME: Albertz spends a courage point.

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

Back in the Klingon engine room, the unnamed warrior roars with pain as he drops his weapons, viciously headbutting the Scotsman in an attempt to make the good doctor let go.

In the background, the voice sounds again. "Six minutes until glorious death claims this vessel."

Harris pushes to his hands and knees, leaping for the Klingon's fallen disruptor. "Tara, stop the breach!" he yells as he moves. "Or get us the hell off this boat!"

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

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

So much for tackling. Tara's dive turns into a tumble, and she spins around on the floor in time to see the Klingon's weapons drop. Eyebrows rise, and so does she, leaping back toward her console for another shot at the former of Harris' suggestions. "Shut up, computer," she mutters. Glorious death indeed!

<CONTEST> Albertz (claiming advantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Aikido) skill vs Sta'TORuk Warrior's Unarmed Combat (Mok'bara) skill and Succeeds!

. o O Valentine thinks "/Nice/, Hamish. Wouldn't've thunk it of ya. Now where was that green button..."

There's a nice, soft, smushy, *crick* as Hamish's nose is shattered by the impact of the Klingon's headbutt. Blood streams from the Scot's nose as he blinks away star and tears, /somehow/ he managaes to stay upright. A heartbeat to get his bearings and he moves back in on the Klingon, aiming a flat palm at the warrior's chest while bring a leg back around. The blow lands true, knocking the Sta'TORuk flat on his back in the blink of an eye.

On the Paine, the remaining Bird of Prey tips up on a wing, angling away from the Federation vessel to avoid another onslaught of fire. Captain KurmeQ's voice pipes in over the speakers. "Starfleet! Our sensors detected weapons fire in the engineering section of the K'lanek, and we can't raise anyone aboard now! What is the status of your engineering team?"

. o O Albertz thinks "So it's the old Glasgae Kiss, is it? Wouldnae be the first time I've been planted wi' one of those, mate."

Poole's expression becomes pinched at T'Lyna's words and she frowns. "Damn." Pausing, she gives a different set of orders, "Bring us about, take us back to the convoy. Mister T'Lyna, signal the remaining Bird of Prey that there has been a mistake and that I would speak with their captain after the crisis with the convoy is averted." Speaking then to KurmeQ, she says, "Three birds of prey were closing in on our position with weapon's hot, Captain. I believed them a threat. They... appear to be members of Ambassador Gr'laH's fleet. We're on our way back to the convoy now."

. o O Albertz reels at the Klingon's blow. Somehow he felt that taking away the man's weapons would have been enough. Working hard to steady himself there's stars and little else. He comes very close to sinking to the deck, that would be so nice and comfortable.

The conn officer's fingers continue to move across the controls, "Return course at maximum warp. Three minutes to the K'lanek. Shields at 100 percent and maintaining."

"Aye, Commander." T'lyna responds, relaying the messages quickly back to the Klingon vessel that's been hailing them.

<CONTEST> Sta'TORuk Warrior (claiming disadvantage) contests his Unarmed Combat (Mok'bara) skill vs Albertz's Unarmed Combat (Aikido) skill (given advantage) and Fails!

Back on the K'lanek, the Klingon attempts to lash out at Albertz once again, although the limitations of the environmental suit and being on his back do nothing good for him. After several misses, he starts to get back to his feet.

The Klingon computer, meanwhile, continues its countdown. "Five minutes until glorious death claims this vessel."

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Harris (claiming advantage) contests his Energy Weapon (Disruptor) skill vs Sta'TORuk Warrior's Dodge skill and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Sta'TORuk Warrior contests his Fitness (Vitality) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Fails!

Harris grabs the disruptor as he lands, tucking into a roll and coming up in a two-handed shootist's stance -- even if he's still on his knees. In grim silence, he pulls the trigger on the weapon. And again. And again. He fires until the disruptor's energy cell is exhausted, and the unnamed Klingon falls to the deck -- quite dead, and rather crispy in spots.

<CONTEST> Valentine (claiming advantage) contests her Propulsion Engineering (Warp Drive) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

. o O Eidolon' higher reasoning shuts off as he pulls the trigger on the disruptor, and he sinks into a zen-like state.

. o O Harris' higher reasoning shuts off as he pulls the trigger on the disruptor, and he sinks into a zen-like state.

Valentine ignores the battle going on, not even looking up when more disruptor fire occurs. And all she can do after the best of her efforts is glare helplessly at the console. Commbadge time. "Crews, assemble for transport!" And another tap. "Valentine to Paine!"

Albertz wheels around to look at Harris, eyebrows knitted together. "Whub jew do dat pour?!" he wipes his nose and chin on the cuff of his uniform. "He'b stabe dow!"

Back on the Paine, KurmeQ falls silent before he speaks again. "You... did... WHAT? THEY ARE OUR ALLIES! YOU HONORLESS SLIME! You are not -fit- to lick the boots of a true warrior! Withdraw your engineers -- we would rather die as warriors than be assisted like petaQ'mey like you!" And then he cuts the channel.

"Your allies should learn not to rush into a situation, ignoring hails with their weapons raised and splitting into attack formation, Captain /sir/," Poole fires back, though likely too late. "Foster, get us there. T'Lyna, get our people off that crate and then beam off as many of their crew as we can get in a single pass. Unless they've stopped the breach, its likely all we'll have time to get." She lowers the Paine from Red to Yellow alert, then.

"Two minutes to transporter range," Foster says. "With the grand majority of our engineers off-ship, I can't push the engines any faster than that."

. o O Foster thinks "If we were on the Aegis, I could get us there in /half/ the time."

T'Lyna nods an acknowledgement, prepping the transporters for an emergency beamout as soon as they're within range.

. o O Foster thinks "Well, all right, to be honest, I could only trim about thirty seconds off the travel time."

The Klingon ship continues its countdown. "Four minutes until glorious death claims this vessel."

The NCOs from the Paine assemble in the engine room once again, some packing wounded Klingons with them. The ship, however, doesn't answer Valentine's hail -- and that is probably not such a good sign.

Harris pushes to his feet, tossing away the useless disruptor. "You're right. He'll stay down now," he replies flatly, face stony as he returns to the console and starts working on calling up the routines on ejecting the antimatter pods. "Tara, tell me you've got good news."

. o O Harris is empty inside. Just another day at the office, right?

Valentine pauses with a frown when she doesn't get an answer. "Lovely," she breathes, and looks at Harris calmly. "If we can't figure out how to eject the antimatter pods in about three minutes, we're all dead. The good news is that it'll be a very quick and probably painless death."

Albertz wrinkles a very flat nose at Valentine's pronouncement, "We cannae do it manually?"

The Paine drops out of warp near the wounded freighter, and sensors show that there is still very much a warp core breach in process.

GAME: T'Lyna spends a courage point.

Poole taps her combadge, "Leftenant Commander Poole to Ensign Valentine, your status please? Are we beaming out, or are we going to the wire?" Nevermind that the angry klingon told her to get the engineers out of there.

<CONTEST> T'Lyna (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Transporters) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

T'Lyna's hands fly over the console the instant they are within range. "Commencing beamout." she states as she initializes the transporter, bringing the Starfleet NCOs and six Klingon engineers aboard the Paine.

On the freighter, the NCOs and several of the Klingons dematerialize as Valentine's communicator chirps and Poole's voice emerges. The computer remains helpful as always, pointing out, "Three minutes until glorious death claims this vessel."

GAME: Harris spends a courage point.

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

An odd look crosses over Harris' face as Tara speaks, especially after the phrase 'in about three minutes, we're all dead'. "Right. I'm not ready to die yet," he replies as he turns his attention back to the task of ejecting the antimatter pods. After a few seconds of work, the ship thrums three times in quick succession, bucking up as the pods blast away from the ship -- and the warp core goes dark as its fuel literally flies away.

. o O Harris thinks back to another ship, with another engineer, and another captain. "Scotty, I need warp speed in three minutes or we're all dead."

Valentine glances upward as the computer puts its two credits' worth in, and gets back to work on her own console. "Didn't I tell you to shut up? Commander-" She starts to answer, then glances around, noting the beamouts. "Uh huh. If you don't hear from us in two point five minutes, mark, get us the hell out of here, plea-" Pause, and she peers at a monitor, and slowly turns to peer at Rob. "Nevermind," she says, slowly smiling. "Breach averted."

Albertz gives Harris a wide smile, "Well done Rab." What more can you say to that? Dude just saved their lives.

On the Paine's viewscreen, the antimatter pods fly away from the ship, clearing ten thousand kilometers in a matter of thirty seconds or so before detonating in three flashes of light.

"Thank the maker," Poole mumbles, running a hand down over her face. "T'Lyna, hail Captain KurmeQ, please. If he won't respond, ... well, tell me." Over the open com, she says, "Mister Albertz. What's the medical situation over there for the rest of the refugees?"

T'Lyna looks back to Gwen, one brow upraised. "Shall I continue with the beamout of our personnel, as well, Commander?" she asks, as she taps open a channel to the Klingon ship. "Thomas Paine to IKV K'lanek, please respond. Our engineers have averted your vessel's warp core breach." After a moment, she glances back to Poole, "Captain KurmeQ acknowledges, and offers thanks."

Back aboard the K'lanek, the tension slowly dissipates...

. o O Valentine just feels infinite relief at the lives that have been saved. She'll get around to kicking herself for her obvious incapabilities tomorrow.

Harris hangs his head, taking a deep breath. "This is why I am -not- an engineer," he mutters.

Valentine chuckles a little, turning back to start to call up damage reports on the ship. "You fake it well. /Damn/ good job, Rob. You only just saved about a thousand lives, you know."

Albertz gives a quiet little chuckle, nodding in agreement with Valentine's words. Turning away from the pair, he begins administering to injured Klingons again. Apparently once bitten, twice shy doesn't apply.

Some time later...

The Thomas Paine drops out of warp near the station, the crippled hulk of the K'lanek in tow and the other Klingon vessels appearing behind it until, eventually, all of the freighters and the surviving Bird of Prey arrive safely. On the bridge, back in the command chair once again, Lieutenant Commander Poole composes her final log for this adventure.

-Captain's Log: Leftenant Commander Poole commanding the USS Thomas Paine. Had certain variables been different. Had the last ship's of Gr'laH's fleet answered out hail, powered down their weapons, or if they'd even selected a less aggressive posturing, the resultant loss of life on this mission might have been nearly nil. Our initial rescue and aid mission was a success and a credit to the 419's crew. They saved the ships in distress, and stopped saboteurs from taking nearly one thousand lives. The loss of the lives of Ambassador Gr'laH's fleetmates is regrettable... they were rushing to the aid of their comrades, something I like to think we would have done in their place, regardless of the cost. But the cost of their blind haste was their lives. I'm not going to linger on this out of a sense of guilt or right. Hindsight, is, afterall twenty-twenty. And looking at this mission in hindsight, one thousand people were still saved. I may not like how we got there, but I can live with it.- And with that, Poole finishes entering in the log and taps her console, saving it to the database, before looking at 419 on the viewscreen and contemplating it silently.

On the way back, Foster's lips continue to twitch ever-so-slightly, having heard what the Klingon Captain had said. But he chooses not to comment to anyone. Some things are just better left alone, rather than the particular tone that KurmeQ had used. Instead, he just has himself a good snicker on the way back. Must be his way of dealing with the destruction of two ships that were *supposedly* helping them.

Gently, Thomas PAine nestles into her docking collar -- home once again.