A Hunger For Something More

 Episode Name:  A Hunger For Something More

   Written By:  Daedalus

         Cast:  Caeli, Daedalus, Dakin, Donavon, Krylow, Norvan and Pierce.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Daedalus

     Aired On:  Fri Apr 08 18:53:34 2005

     Stardate:  54882.2

Time: Wed Apr 06 19:22:05 2005

Stardate: 54877.4

Exterior shot of USS Thomas Paine speeding at high warp. There is an overvoice. A familiar overvoice. "Station Four-One-Nine Command Log," come the clipped tones of Captain Tarsis Balin. "Stardate 54877.4. On the orders of Admiral Whitehorse -- that, at least, has not changed -- we have dispatched USS Thomas Paine to the Irdosia system. Commander Ghorev and I have received word that the interdiction buoy placed around that system by our crew, and reinforced since the events of 19 March of this year by a small task force of Runabouts, was raided by pirates several days ago. Sector Command has responded by replacing the destroyed and seized Runabouts with USS Baden-Powell, which awaits rendezvous with Thomas Paine for a reset of the interdiction buoys to which only we, as a quirk of the timeloop closure, have the proper command codes. We've given command of the mission to to reset and recalibrate the buoys, and secure Irdosia until a larger and more permanent task group can arrive, to Dakin Rann." Cut to interior of the bridge, a sweep over with the crew in their proper places, including a few 'pinch hitters' at Ops, and for now, at Tactical. "It may have been nothing, just a bunch of pirates looking to make a quick score, but given what we now know, or at least suspect, of the Orion Syndicate in the repaired timeline, and how deep their menace runs, we can't take chances. Fleetspeed to Mister Dakin and his people..." The voice trails off as the camera pans in closer on the man in question, the Bajoran in Security mustard with two and a half pips on his collar.

The turbolift doors slide open with a hiss.

Caeli steps out of the turbolift.

Caeli has arrived.

The turbolift doors slide closed.

Dakin clicks off the comm channel he had open, his conversation with the standby away team complete. He looks over to Donavon. "ETA to our arrival aat the interdiction zone, Lieutenant?" His eyes glance to each of his bridge crew, then back to the starfield at forward.

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

Caeli enters the bridge at a brisk clip, nodding his thanks to the ensign keeping his station warm at Tactical, and stepping up to the console. "Security team is ready and armed, Rann, in case we need to board anything." He sets about reconfiguring the console to his preferred layout.

Caeli sits down at Tactical.

Over at the science station, Norvan's hands move over the controls of her console, with the computer's beeps providing the only sound coming from her section of the bridge right now. Her eyes are focused on her displays, and she appears to be all business.

Krylow is working quietly at the engineering station, fingers tapping at the console while eyes follow the screen. Beyond that he's quiet, patient and still.

Donavon controls the Paine's trajectory with a finger tap. From tactical to conn, cross-training with Foster has certified her as a 'flygirl.' Eyes a buzz to space activity, attention darts between console and viewscreen. "Within minu--" cuts off her answer as a broadcast hits her navigational transponder channels. "Sir," she calls to Dakin, "someone's breached the buoy ring perimeter. We have an automated Priority One-Omega alert emitted from the interdiction buoys."

Pierce is, for the moment, extraneous to the mission. He's perched where the First Officer usually sits in the big comfy chair. "Man," he murmurs to himself. "I've been ripped off, standing back at Mission Operations in the past..." He does have his console configured for medical scanners, however, should the necessity arrive. With the report from Donavon, he sits up a little straighter, though.

<CONTEST> Donavon contests her Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Pierce contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Norvan contests her Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Krylow contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Dakin contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Caeli contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

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

Dakin frowns, his grip on the center seat's armrests tightening. "All right, people, you know the drill. Mr. Caeli, raise shields but leave weapons on standby. Lt. Norvan, full sensor sweeps of the interdiction zone, find me anything that isn't supposed to be there. Lt. Donavon, increase to intercept speed and stand by to drop out of warp at 70,000 kilometers from the zone's perimeter." He tabs open an intership comm channel. "All hands, this is Commander Dakin. Yellow alert."

Blue fingers fly over orange and purple controls, and Caeli send the ship's shields into operation. "Shields up and at 100; weapons cool and ready to arm." His eyes flick between the screen and his console, all business now.

Krylow glances up as the reports start coming in, brow furrowing a a little as he listens. When Dakin snaps out the orders he simply remains where he is, watching and listening to the others on the bridge.

As soon as Donavon announces the alert, Norvan sits up, her back straightening as her hands become a blur over her console. "Already on it, sir," she responds to Dakin's order, her dark eyes darting back and forth over the readouts. "I'm picking up... four ships in our arrival zone. The Baden-Powell's in a fight with an unidentified ship, unknown make..." The pretty Trill glances up. "It's a bit bigger than a Saber, too, so the Baden-Powell might be a bit outmatched." Back down to her display. "The other two ships are smaller Starfleet ships, the USS Cormorant and the USS Sunbari, a Talon and a Runabout, respectively. They're actually *inside* the buoy ring, so it looks like they're the ones who set off the alarms..." She pauses, and then tilts her head up to look at Dakin again. "And it looks like they're firing on each other, as well."

. o O Caeli thinks, "Which means one is captured, which means boarding party."

Donavon preps for interception. Norvan's sensor read-outs are acknowledged by a professional firm nod. "Confirmed," is said in cool tones despite the raise to yellow. She adjusts the coordinates, lays in the course for outside the zone's perimeter, and engages.

Pierce keeps himself sitting up, but really has nothing to do other than monitor his console for the sake of monitoring his console. He nods his head, waiting, waiting.

Within an eternity of tiny moments, USS Thomas Paine-C, the Little Light Escort That Could, drops out of warp the requisite 70k kilometers from the nearest buoy. By now, follow-up readings have confirmed what Donavon and Norvan first 'diagnosed' with their watchful eyes -- Baden-Powell, far from overmatched, is dancing around a bigger, heavier, sturdier ship looking rather like a big, antiquated mining transport, making surgical strikes to disable and punish. Cormorant and Sunbari, however, are moving closer and closer to Irdosia Prime in their exchange of fire, the two little ships, each of them barely 1/10 even Thomas Paine's own size and mass, too evenly matched to stop each other.

Dakin frowns. "All right, everyone. The Sunbari was captured by the pirates reported here earlier in the week. Reconfigure IFF settings to designate the Sunbari as a hostile." He presses a few keystrokes on his armrest consoles. "Command codes for the buoys have been enteres." Another keystroke, this one to open another intership channel. "Commander Dakin to all hands. Escalate to red alert." After snapping it off. "Weapons hot, Zip." He surveys the battle before him. "All right, first priority's helping out the Cormorant before they burn up in the atmosphere. Meg, set intercept course against the Sunbari and take us in. Full impulse. Zip, target-lock the Sunbari. Communications, hail the Sunbari."

Caeli looks over to the Bajoran in command. "Aye. Locking on." And with that, he's all focused on the console, ignoring the viewscreen in lieu of his readouts.

<CONTEST> Dakin contests his Shipboard Systems (Mission Ops) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

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

"Sir, I'm trying to open a channel to them," Norvan responds to Dakin without looking up from her console, "but they aren't responding at all. They're receiving the hail, they're simply choosing to ignore it."

Krylow continues to sit quietly as the orders are passed out. Every once in a while he glances down to check his console but otherwise he watches the viewscreen as the Paine moves in.

Donavon crisply nods to the orders. "Course set. Full impulse. Wheeling her in, sir." Coordinates are punched into the system, intercepting the Sunbari.

. o O Donavon thinks, "Rocking n' rolling as the ol flyboys said"

Pierce takes a deep breath and watches the drama unfold, his hands tapping at the console in front of him, but doing little more than simply watching the read-outs. He just looks like he wants something, anything, to do.

GAME: Donavon spends a courage point.

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

Suddenly, the annoying auto-repeat cycle of the One-Omega priority hail cuts out -- whatever Dakin was doing on the command chair's armrest console seems to have worked. On the cutaway 'sensor view' in the lower corner of the main viewscreen, the blips representing the buoys change color as they acknowledge the command codes sent from USS Thomas Paine. Baden-Powell does not let up in its assault, and the 'mining ship' seems to show it. In fact, it tries to break away, lurching for the buoy ring itself, plasma trailing from its stubby nacelles. The Sunbari-Cormorant battle continues, bringing them closer to the planet's gravity well. Fortunately, Donavon's hell-bent-for-leather flying takes Thomas Paine in hard and fast. Unless Irdosia Prime's primitive natives have mastered glass-grinding and lens-making in this timeline, there's still a chance to fix this without a Prime Directive breach -- it'd take an Irdosian Galileo with a telescope to see the ships, at this moment, but soon, that could change.

Dakin nods to Donavon. "All right, then let's get their attention. Mr. Krylow, bleed reserve power to the shields in case we come in too hot, and standby on tractor beam in case the Cormorant needs a tow. Mr. Caeli, target the Sunbari's engines... and fire at will."

The corner of Caeli's mouth twitches upward a bit, and his scalp wrinkles up as he focuses still on the console. "Firing phasers," he announces to the bridge at large.

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

<CONTEST> Norvan contests her Physical Sciences (Physics) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Norvan (claiming disadvantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Sensors) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

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

Norvan continues to tap at her console, coaxing a cacophony of beeps from the computer. "Sir," she calls out over the alarm klaxons, glancing up at Dakin, "if all else fails, and we can't stop the ships before they enter visual range of the planet's surface... we *could* use the deflector array to generate high-density anti-photons, which would limit the ability of their immediate surrounding environment to transmit light rays. Essentially, it would act as a very primitive visual cloak; it wouldn't be perfect, but it would be better than nothing, if we can't stop them. But I'd recommend saving that for a last resort, because doing so would also interfere with the use of both phasers and photon torpedoes."

She turns her eyes back down to her console, still punching at the controls. "As far as the unknown vessel goes, it looks like some kind of refitted mining vessel. It's taken heavy damage, and it's already beginning to jettison escape pods. A lot of them." She glances back up. "Sir, I'd estimate that ship could hold as many as two hundred and fifty people, and there's no way the Baden-Powell would be able to rescue that many at once."

Krylow nods to Dakin and looks down to his conole to begin the work that Dakin ordered. For a moment his fingers tap over the console before he frowns slightly. Fingers continue for another moment before he glances up. "Sorry, sir, I'm having a little difficulty routing additional power to the shields.

Donavon works the Paine's nacelles; it streaks across space at an alarming acceleration. The flygirl needs shades to top off the cool as ice appearance, quite the opposite to the fiery flare of their arrival. Lips stretch into a lazy grin though her focus remains keen to the dogfights. She hovers, prepped, eyes peeled to readouts in anticipation for the precise moment to leap further into the battling heat. Words threaten to respond to Norvan, but she merely raises a questionable brow. The fight consumes her attention.

Pierce takes a deep breath. "And who knows how many of them could need medical attention, sir, with the punishment that the Baden-Powell has been dishing out," he adds, shaking his head slightly, doing the triage math in his head.

. o O Donavon thinks, "250...that's a lot of pods which could hit Irdosia. Even we don't have enough time to lock on that many *and* stand guard in this fight."

One salvo. That's all it took. Sunbari, already devoting most of its shield power to the facing it keeps to Cormorant, and unable to evade two enemies to keep blows on its weaker shield facings as mere glances, takes a good, hard hit aft, near the micro-warp power core all Runabouts have in common. Hit hard enough to begin a shutdown as its emergency power kicks in, it's not yet dead in the water totally, but its nacelles start to darken as it loses thrust and its shields go completely down. It tries a last burst of weapons fire in response, but the shots are wild. There's still clear signs that it's actively targeting weapons for possible follow-up, though.

Dakin frowns. "Zip, they're still dangerous. Do what you can to knock out their power systems, then drop shields and notify the transporter room to beam over the pirate crew. Scramble the away team there to take custody." A brief pause to take a breath. "All right, we're going to have to get a little fancy here, people. Meg, alter course to take us past the Cormorant. Lt. Norvan, scan the Cormorant and see if she can make it away from Irdosia under her own power. If not, Lt. Krylow, I want you to snag her with a tractor beam and haul her out. And Zip, assuming we get the Sunbari crew, tell the transporter room I want the pad cleared A.S.A.P."

Caeli nods, and keys the intercom. "Bridge to Boarding Party. Boarding party, report to Transporter Room. Prepare to receive prisoners." That said, Caeli goes again for a shot on the commandeered vessel.

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

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

"Sir, we're being hailed by the Cormorant," Norvan calls out to Dakin, her eyes flickering back down to her display. "They say they're fine, and they'll be able to tow the Sunbari to the edge of the system, although they'll need us or the Baden-Powell to take it from there." A few taps on the console, and then the Trill continues. "Our sensors confirm their assessment of the situation. They've got some minor shield damage, a few scuffs on the hull, and they're taxing their systems a little bit, but they ought to be able to handle that." She pauses, and then adds, "Also, sir, the Baden-Powell is reporting that they need help picking up the survivors from the mining ship."

Krylow simply nods to Dakin, taps on his conole for a moment and then watches and waits on Norvan's report. When she confirms the Cormorant is under its own power his head swivels back over to Dakin and the viewscreen.

Donavon pops a knuckle to get cracking. "Aye, sir," she announces while altering their flight pattern but pauses mid-input. Norvan's assestment could change directions. "Shall I bring the Paine in closer to the mining ship, sir?" Cautiously, she tracks all ships, mentally noting the 'playing' field.

Pierce takes a deep breath. "I'll get sickbay, what we have of it, ready," says Pierce, opening a comm to the infirmary. "Pierce to sickbay. Let's get rolling down there..."

"Skipper," comes the voice of the Transporter Chief via intercom, "we've had a momentary spike of interference in sending our team over. I think I can compensate, but I'm going to need an easy ride for a moment to have one less variable to adjust for. Can you have the Conn level us out?"

Dakin tabs open the comm channel. "Belay the transport, Chief, and stand by instead for incoming wounded. Away team, you're back on standby for the moment with my thanks. Dakin out." He then nods once to all the reports coming in. "All right, nice job thus far, everyone. Zip, cease fire on the Sunbari. Lt. Norvan, tag each of the escape pods that look like they're either damaged or headed for the planet. Those take priority. Zip, anything tagged by Norvan, send coordinates to the transporter room for immediate evac then destroy the pod once the survivors are off. The rest, Mr. Krylow, are yours. Tractor them into the shuttlebay at will."

Dakin then looks to Donavon. "And yes, Lieutenant, best speed to the mining ship."

GAME: Norvan spends a courage point.

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

Caeli mutters a mild obscenity in Bolian at the miss, chalking it up to the interference. "Right. Little bit of target practice, I guess." Zip sits tight and waits for the pods to empty out, relaying coordinates as they come in.

. o O Caeli thinks, "I can use it, after that botch-up."

"Aye, sir," Norvan replies in a clipped tone, as her fingers move over her console. "We're *way* out of range of those pods, but I'll see what I can do... I think I can tag them from here." After a few moments, she adds triumphantly, "Got them, sir. I'm reading eleven pods that are top-priority for evacuation, either because of damage to their systems or a course that's bringing them too close to the system. Marking them now."

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

"Sir, we're well out of range for the tractor beam right now," says Krylow from his station, eyes still watching his screen. "Commander, we've got a problem. When Lieutenant Caeli and the Transporter Chief were trying to work on the Sunbari, the Sunbari's transporters powered up. Given their other ship is out of range, and we'd know if they tried to beam to the Paine or the Cormorant, that leaves only planetside as their destination. That, or hiding in their own patterb buffers which is unlikely."

Donavon sets and halts the course once more at the announcements. Planetside or mining ship seems to be the question on this pilot's mind. "Alternate course inlaid, sir. Shall I engage?"

"Sir, do you want me down in sickbay to start work on any triage?" asks Pierce, his eyes shooting towards the front and the viewscreen. "Or...?"

. o O Krylow thinks, "If I never hear another word about this planet ever again, I think I'll be happy."

Dakin frowns deeply. One of those damnable moral dilemmas that usually plague a starship commander. "Lt. Norvan, scan the planet for any non-Irdosian lifesigns and get me their proximity to any native settlements. Lt. Donavon, hold position. Zip, contact the Baden-Powell and advise we may have hostiles planetside. Mr. Krylow, should lt. Norvan locate anyone down there non-indigenous, have them transported aboard." He looks to Pierce with a sympathetic expression. "We will rescue these people, Doctor. Rest assured."

Norvan glances up at Dakin, furrowing her brow. "Sir, it could take hours to scan the entire area of the planet's surface that's within range of the Runabout's transporters. I think it would be faster if I hacked into their computer system, and traced their evacuation that way. Even that would take awhile..." She pauses, blinks, and shakes her head. "Or, we could beam a team over to the Runabout, read the information from its consoles, and track them down even more quickly."

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

Krylow glances from Dakin to Norvan, waiting on her answer. Once he listens to it he turns back to Dakin. "Between Lieutenant Norvan and I we should be able to get the information fairly quickly, especially if we can beam over." He glances down to his console for a moment and then back up. "There is a minor hull breach, but the SIFs are holding solid. She's got a safe atmosphere. If we were to beam over the team could get the information and I could probably work up a patch for the hull breach."

Donavon maintains the position, the Paine at rest. She scants a glance to the nearby consoles in judging the level of activity from the officers before darting attention back to her own. Ships and pods accounted for. Then what Dakin stated registers. "Sir, if memory serves me, wasn't it a sustained sensor sweep which caused a problem on Irdosia before?" Thus does she back Norvan's suggestions. "If a team can't be sent, I could assist the Lieutenant in accessing the Runabout's system."

GAME: Pierce spends a courage point.

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

"Sir, I can't get a diagnosis on those in the runabout, but if they lost stability in there, even for a second or two, they're going to need help," explains Pierce from his console, working like all heck to pull up information. "I have two Pakleds near the breach. If they were there when the shuttle breached, they need me."

Dakin weighs the options, then looks to Krylow and shakes his head. "I'm not going to risk an away team on a ship with holes in it. Lock onto the two Pakleds Dr. Pierce mentioned and beam them directly to sickbay." To Donavon and Norvan, "Get to work on the system hack and get me their beam-down point." Then to Pierce, swiveling his chair a bit in his direction. "Once they're aboard, Doctor, they're all yours."

. o O Krylow thinks, "We can't risk a runabout with a tiny hole, but you're living on a station chock full of holes? Good call Commander. Let's make this harder than we have to."

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

GAME: Norvan spends a courage point.

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

Norvan frowns as she turns her eyes back down to her console. "Aye, sir... but I don't know how long it's going to take. This may take a few minutes to pull this off." And then she goes straight to work, tapping furiously at the science console.

GAME: Donavon spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Donavon (claiming advantage) contests her Shipboard Systems (Communications) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

Krylow looks down to his console, talking as he works. "With all due respect Commander, I wouldn't have suggested a beam over if she wasn't structural sound. In fact, I'd much rather sleep on her than on the station right now," he says, before looking up. "The injured have been beamed to the transporter room."

Donavon knits her brows together intensely, concentration sharpened. She glances to and fro at the data streams, mumbling thoughts to herself, and finally manages to make a lock. "Got the carrier signal, Lieutenant. Moving in for the hack. I go brute, you go finesse?" Eyes gleam as she regards Norvan for a second before she returns to work. This is no cake walk for every ounce of brain power whirls to life for this task.

"I'm on my way," says Pierce getting up and bolting for the infirmary, opening up a channel. "Get me a bullet up on Pakled physiology and a crash cart. I want the Pakleds moved to the sickbay, please...I'll keep a channel open to the bridge," he promises Dakin.

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

<CONTEST> Norvan (claiming advantage) contests her Computer (Data Alteration) skill vs a difficulty of Difficult and Succeeds!

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

Dakin nods to Pierce affirmingly then looks to Krylow, "I understand that, Mr. Krylow. My decision wasn't based on aspersions to your expertise." Directed in Caeli's direction, "Any word from the Baden-Powell, Zip?" His attention is then focused on Norvan and Donavon, hopeful that this strategem plays out sufficiently.

. o O Krylow thinks, "Sure, make this about me and not the mission. Thanks, Commander."

Caeli taps at the console; a smirk crosses his face. "Evidently all the pirates are Pakleds. They're rescuing the high priority pods now; they're requesting our assistance over the next few hours with the rest of them."

"One step ahead of you, Lieutenant," Norvan calls across the bridge to Donavon, a smirk on her lips even as her brow furrows in concentration once more. "Thanks for the piggyback ride over. Let's see if we can break through now..." Her gaze never leaves the console as she continues to tap at the controls for a few moments, and then... "Got it!" the Trill cries, with a ring of victory in her voice. "Looks like the crew of the Sunbari transported down to a hillside, about eight or ten klicks from a few different villages. There's a cave right near the arrival point, and it looks like they originally tried to beam directly inside, but the rock face was too thick for them to manage that." She glances up to Dakin, a frown on her lips now. "Sir, we're going to have the same trouble trying to beam them out. We're going to have to go in after them. Assuming they actually went into the cave. If you want, I can do a quick scan of the surrounding area, just to make sure. Either way, we need to hurry, because they're *way* too close to those villages."

Krylow looks to Dakin as the commander responds. He doesn't say anything, but insteand smiles slightly before looking back to his console and working quietly.

Donavon snaps a finger once she hears Norvan. 'One more second, Lieutenant, and brute would have won.' A wink then she breathes out a heavy and steady sigh. The completed strenuous work causes her to blink a couple of times, pinch the bridge of her nose, then gently shake her head. Back to life, she grunts at the current assestment. Donavon whispers to herself, "Risky on the scans," is muttered to herself, Donavon whispers to herself, "Phasers probably too. Resort to basic measures."

With a moment or two more, the brief scans do confirm the traces of a transporter beam at the entrance to that cave mouth, but no Pakleds there now. No Irdosians in the *immediate* vicinity, either, but a few minor hunting and scouting parties and stragglers within an hour or two's walk, and clearly within distance of any large explosions that might occur from a prolonged firefight with weapons on kill settings. Clearly, some tough and interesting choices are in store.

Dakin frowns and thinks hard. "All right, sensor scans are out the door, and transporters are cautiously optimistic at best. One thing to do then." He swivels his chair towards Zip at Tactical. "Dispatch the away team to the transporter room and send the chief the coordinates Norvan and Donavon obtained. Advise that they're to go with minimal equipment. Type I phasers only, one tricorder with its internal transceiver tasked to signal extraction. Commbadges stay on board. They're to go in, find the Pakleds, tag them for transport, and get out of there like the Pah-Wraiths were on their heels."

<CONTEST> Dakin contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Norvan contests her Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

<CONTEST> Pierce contests his Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Fails!

GAME: Donavon spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Donavon (claiming advantage) contests her Law (Starfleet Regulations) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

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

Caeli nods once, curtly, and cues up the intercom. "Away team, disarm down to Type Is and one tricorder. Leave your compins. Get down there, find the straggler Pakleds, tag them for immediate beamout, and get out ASAP."

"Sir, I'm afraid that's not going to work," Norvan informs Dakin quickly. "As thick as that rock is, we're going to need pattern enhancers to get through the cave walls. And if we use those, we won't be able to beam them out when we're done. Which means we'd need some kind of self-destruct that would leave *no* trace, and the enhancers just aren't designed for that." She hesitates, and then adds, "The only thing I can think of, sir, off the top of my head, is sending a team down with the enhancers, using them to beam out the Pakleds, then leave some crew members to get out of the cave with the pattern enhancers so we can beam them up separately. Only problem with that is, they probably *will* need their combadges, so we can get an immediate signal lock and beam them down." She pauses. "Well, that, and realistically, it's going to take a lot of time to do that. But nothing else is coming to mind at the moment. I'll keep looking, though, sir."

Donavon swivels to face Command. "Lieutenant Commander, due to the numerous Prime Directive breaches on Irdosia, didn't Station Command create a special rule that the Mission Commander must be present with any away team? In this case, Security as well?" She glances at Dakin and Caeli in identifying whom is required to go - both. Norvan, then, is directed a curious glance, but Donavon declines to say anything.

"It is possible to rig a self-destruct for the enhancers," says Krylow from his station. "It would leave no physical trace and only a short-term residual energy trace of the enchancers. I've got the skills to handle that, if we're looking for options."

And while Dakin is left to mull on that, the scene cuts to the small sickbay, just down the hall from the transporter room of Thomas Paine. As Pierce enters, the medical corpsman who is usually on duty in the transporter bay for just this kind of emergency has just finished giving the two unconscious Pakleds the once over. "Doctor," he says, "I think they'll be fine. Just a bit of exposure and some minor impact traumas from being jostled a bit. I haven't found anything more serious yet."

And that's why Pierce is here - to assess the damage. "How's their airway? Do the ABC's?" Pierce is confirming as he begins to do a visual, as well as a tricorder assessment of the two patients.

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

"No obstructions, Doctor," is the reply. The corpsman now begins to work under Pierce's direction, rather than independently.

"All right. They're good," says Pierce, looking over his read-out and the visual inspection he gives the the two. "Let's hit them with..." He checks their weights on the biobeds. "5 mg triox and 10 mg Cordazine. They're lucky they didn't get flash frozen out there."

The Corpsman starts prepping the hypos. "These guys pirates, Doc, or victims?"

"They're our patients, and we're going to treat them whatever they are other than that," says Pierce. He's busy, so it's quick, but it also carries weight. "That's what we promised them and it's what we promised ourselves when we got into this business."

"Yes, sir," comes the reply. "I understand that, Doctor, I truly do ... but I need to know whether I've got to restrain them, or make sure there's a security guard by the door."

<CONTEST> Pierce contests his Medical Sciences skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

"Oh." Right. High minded principles - no. Procedural questions - yes. "Well, I'm not really sure. If we've got someone to spare, post 'em outside the door. It should be a good thirty until they're up and around anyway." Pierce seems a bit sheepish, injecting the hypo mix into his patients.

Thirty *seconds*, maybe. That's about how long it takes until both of the bulbous, pear-shaped humanoids start to stir. By that time, there's a guard at the door, just in case. "nnnnnnnn", says one of the Pakleds.

"Welcome back to consciousness, folks," says Pierce as he hovers around the Pakleds, watching their telemetry. "My name's Doctor Pierce and I'll be your host today. What brings you to lovely Irdosia?" Hit 'em hile they're confused.

The quieter groaning one mumbles something about caves making strong. Although that might have been misheard. The louder one starts to feel his face, as if making sure he's still there and in one piece.

"Surprisingly, you made it," says Pierce, continuing to casually pump his patients for information. "What are the caves making strong?"

The louder one seems to notice the conversation and joins in. "The caves make us strong. That is why we come. Strong leaders made in caves. Little ship said so."

"Little ship?" asks Pierce, raising his eyebrow slightly. "The runabout? What are you going to do in the cave?"

"Do what leaders do. That's what little ship say. Caves make leaders strong. Little ship tell so after we take it." He tries sitting up, earning a glance from the security guard. "Gunner Mulk convince Captain Tegg, Captain Tegg say we survive caves, become strong, like great leaders. We come back to be strong."

Pierce nods his head once. "All right," he tells the corpsman. "Just keep track on their telemetry and restrain them if they start getting uppity," he says, encompassing the security officer. "And I'll be back on the bridge." Speaking of such, he's headed just that way.

Cut back to the bridge. It is about five or six minutes since Dakin had to start mulling the complications, and Pierce has returned and given a nutshell version of the highlights of the information the Pakleds have shared with him...

Dakin considers it all, then stands from his seat. "All right, Zip, tell the away team to put their badges back on and check out a set of enhancers. Mr. Krylow, you just volunteered to come along. Meg, we're going to need some extra help with this, so you're onboard as well. Lt. Norvan, as senior line officer on deck, you've got command until we return. Help out the Baden-Powell with the recoveries while we're gone."

Caeli mutters, "Oh, Birddamnit all." He keys up the intercom. "Away team, belay that and await mine and the Commander's arrival in the Transporter room; we'll be accompanying. Compins back on, and get a set of pattern enhancers Bridge out."

Norvan's eyes widen, ever so slightly, before she responds coolly, "Aye, sir." She immediately leaves her station and makes her way down to the command chair. "Should I also endeavor to determine what, exactly, the Pakleds were referring to on the Runabout?"

Norvan stands and leaves Science.

Caeli stands and leaves Tactical.

Krylow nods to Dakin and then pushes up from his seat. "Aye, aye, sir." A moment later he's keyed off the console and moving towards the bridge door. "I'm going to need to bring charges and detonators with us, as well."

. o O Norvan thinks, "I've got a *really* bad feeling about this."

"Where do you want me, sir?" asks Pierce, lost in the shuffle with the various assignments as he retakes his seat in the well. "Want me to tend ship with Lieutenant Norvan or beam down with the away team?"

Dakin says to Pierce, "Stay here, the survivors in the escape pods may need your expertise. Plus we want to keep this as small a team as possible without compromising the objectives." He then addresses the entire bridge crew. "I don't have to remind you about what we're dealing with. This operation can tolerate no sloppiness, no contact with the locals, no equipment gets left behind." He then makes his way to the turbolift. "Assuming that's understood, let's get this done."

Caeli follows Dakin to the turbolift, asking enroute, "If a local pops up, light stun?"

Norvan sits down at Command.

Dakin stands and leaves Command.

Norvan watches Dakin go, and then seats herself in the command chair, addressing the remaining crew members. "Alright. Keep an eye on the rescue attempts, and keep me in touch with the Baden-Powell. If they need anything immediately, let me know. We're still patched into the Sunbari, and I want to take a minute to see what those Pakleds were talking about." And with that, she starts tapping at the console on the chair.

Krylow moves to follow Dakin as well, quiet now as he does. He does spare a simple, "Its understood."

Donavon relinquishes her chair at Conn to another officer as she removes any dangerous equipment to the Irdosian environment. Stripped down to the minimums under Dakin's order, only then does she approach the turbolift. "Reminds you of the ol' days, Krylow?" is asked with a side glance to her former teammate. "Knives, Type Is and explosives. Oh my."

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

Pierce takes a seat in the command well once more, using the ship's channel with the Baden-Powell to let them know that he is on station in case the escape pods become too much. Otherwise, he settles back and enjoys the Plushiness.

. o O Krylow thinks, "Yeah, the good ol' days where we were the ones mislead to destory this planet. Great memories there, Meg."

The scene cuts to the surface of Irdosia Prime, a rocky hillock, with a cave mouth. There is the usual whine of a transporter, and, mostly concealed by the brush, Dakin, Caeli, Krylow, and Donavon appear. Each has an enhancer -- one more than the three required allows a spare -- and a Type I. In Krylow's case, a waist-pack with some miscellaneous gear, as well. It is a cool spring evening, breezy, and, by the light of the setting sun, ominous.

Dakin looks around to make sure the quartet hasn't been noticed, then looks to Krylow, placing one of the enhancers on its tripod. "All right, Ensign, get these fitted with the charges, but don't activate them until the last moment. Meg, I need a tricorder scan for the Pakleds, but I want that tricorder clamped shut when you're not using it." He unholsters his phaser and nods to Zip. "Light stun, like we talked about. Try to make every shot count, we can't afford to overdo it with the phaser fire here."

Caeli moves off towards the cave entrance a few steps, phaser drawn and set to a light stun. "You got it, Rann. I've got point."

Krylow eyes the Security Chief and then the enhancer. "Sir, the enhancers aren't needed out here. Until they are needed I can't set the explosives. Once we've got the Pakled's we'll set the enhancers and I'll set the explosives."

Donavon falls easily in line to the away team's objectives, phaser set on light stun. It's another day on the job except every move is watched with considerable care. Cautiously, she reveals a tricorder to set for a short-ranged scan.

. o O Donavon thinks, "Allie-allie-oxen-free. Come out wherever you are."

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

Sure enough, Donavon's scan shows signs of the Pakleds' passage. And, indeed, the two pirates themselves scan as not more than a couple of dozen meters ahead, down in the caves. So far, so good. No Irdosians.

Dakin eyes Krylow. "I realize where they're needed, Lieutenant, I needed to unholster my weapon. But duly noted on the rest." He hefts the enhancer with his non-weapon hand on one shoulder, then looks to Caeli. "Lead the way, Lieutenant."

Caeli nods once, and starts towards the cave, at a quick pace until he reaches the entrance. Then it's slow and steady all the way. Stealthy Bolian.

Krylow nods once to Dakin, quiet now. He's drawn his own weapong and falls in behind the other officers.

Donavon eyes the tricorder while inching behind the two forefronters. Her hand is at ready, hovering over her Type I's holster.

GAME: Dakin spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Caeli contests his Search skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Caeli contests his Stealth (Stealthy Movement) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Krylow contests his Stealth (Stealthy Movement) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Donavon contests her Stealth (Stealthy Movement) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Donavon contests her Search skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Dramatically Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Dakin contests his Stealth (Stealthy Movement) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Krylow contests his Search skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Dakin contests his Search skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Dakin (claiming advantage) contests his Stealth (Stealthy Movement) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Within a few minutes, the entire away team has made its way into the depths. The ground is crunchy underfoot with stones and bones, indicating that something either predatory or at least carrion-eating lives in these caves. Some of the bones look clean, like a skeleton with all the flesh and sinew just stripped away and the bones somehow left to bleach in the dim light. Others are jagged, and more than a few are even shaped and bound to form makeshift bone weapons.

Dakin looks down at the bones and frowns. He whispers over to Donavon, "You didn't happen to detect any... *other* lifesigns besides our two pirates, did you, Meg?" The grip on his phaser tightens.

Caeli continues on. Albeit slowly. And, evidently, unstealthily.

Like Caeli, Krylow moves behind Dakin.

Donavon could be a shadow, silent nothing, when lurking deeper into the caves. Training guides her steps to avoid areas which could alert the Pakleds of their arrival. However, despite her successful efforts, the team as a whole spoil those efforts. She hears Dakin's question but glances in another direction, head tilted to catch bits of conversation. She whispers in return, "They're," pause to confirm in listening, and brows lifted in slight alarm, "running *back* this way, sir." A gesture to the bones could possibly determine why these Pakleds flee.

Cut back to the bridge. All is quiet. Norvan and Pierce in the command well, a few relief hitters manning the important consoles....Baden-Powell is still too far away to really be assisted without leaving the away team, but indicates they still have the short-term control of the situation.

Pierce has harassed the corpsman to make sure the patients are still where he left them, but is otherwise just watching the Baden-Powell with a vague longing look, shifting a bit in his plushy chair.

"This is interesting," Norvan muses, glances up from her console at Pierce. "Apparently, the Pakleds were referring to a mission log from three years ago; a mission that Commander Dakin was on, actually, back when he was Assistant Chief of Security. It looks like those caves are some kind of... proving ground for the Irdosians. It's used for some sort of rite of passage."

<CONTEST> Norvan (claiming advantage) contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Impossible and Succeeds!

Norvan drums her fingers on the arm of the chair as she reads. "I suppose that would be the Dakin Rann from *this* timeline, though, not ours." She chews on her lower lip. "The Test of the Surging Dark... supposed to be a very dangerous ritual, one that forges the strongest, toughest leaders on that part of the planet. Apparently, we were going to use it as a bolt hole, because the test doesn't take place during the winter, which was when the mission took place. But that plan was abandoned because it too risky." She reaches up to tap her chin. "Of course, it's spring right now, so who knows if they're using it." She cross-references a few files and then frowns deeply. "Surging *Swarm*? Wonderful..." She turns to tactical. "Can we punch a com signal through to their position?"

"So that's what they meant by strong leaders," says Pierce with a nod of his head. "Huh. So the Pakleds want to try to follow them on this rite of passage? Why run the blockade, cause themselves all sorts of problems? Unless that's not why this 'Captain Torg' is here at all and is just using it as a cover." He pauses when he hears this new bit of information. "...Oh, great."

The relief tactical officer nods. "Aye, Sir. Hailing the away team now." And the scene cuts to the cave, the darkness cut by two sounds simultaneously: the chirp of a badge and the sound of running feet.

Dakin grits his teeth. "Flanking positions. Meg and Krylow on the right, Zip and me on the left. Wait for visual on the Pakleds, then cover them on the way out. We may not need the enhancers." He moves to the left side of the cave, phaser at the ready.

Caeli glances to Dakin briefly. "Whatever they're running from, we could set up a nice ambush right outside the cave mouth. Get them as they come out, beam up, all take just a few seconds." At Dakin's orders, though, he sets up with the Bajoran, ready to fire at whatever's chasing the pirates. Or the pirates themselves.

At the sound of the commbadge, he tabs it. In a whispered reply, he says, "Away team, Dakin here."

Krylow moves quickly to the side, falling in with Meg and taking up a flanking position. He raises his Type I, watching for the approaching Pakleds.

Donavon needn't be told twice. A nice spot at left side flank is assumed as she snaps her tricorder closed in exchange to wield her phaser. Eyes seek out the target(s), aiming and she waiting for a clean shot before firing.

"Sir, this is Lieutenant Norvan," reports the Trill's voice. "I think I've figured out what those Pakleds were talking about. Apparently, those caves are a testing ground, and whatever is inside them -- I'm getting Surging Dark or Surging Swarm, or maybe both, depending on the nuance of the language -- it's part of a ritual for determining their strongest leaders. I can't find anything more specific than that, but I think you need to be on the lookout for more than just Pakleds." Beat. "And, sir... if you *do* find anything else, I suggest you do everything within your power not to influence it, if you can manage to avoid doing so. As such a significant part of their culture, any unexpected impact on it would almost certainly be a violation of the Prime Directive."

"In other words, we're possibly messing with their Rite of Passage test of adversity," explains Pierce, helpfully. "We could be shattering a generation of young leaders by taking the challenge out of this."

. o O Caeli thinks, "Or shattering an away team of security officers. Let's just get the pirates and get the Deep out."

And, sure enough, that's when the chaos breaks loose. Bursting through the darkess, chaotically, are the Pakled. Lumbering, stumbling forward, one of them half-dragging the other, who looks to have lost am arm ... well, not quite. The arm's still there, but it's .. .well, bone. From the elbow to the fingertips something has stripped away the flesh and muscle and left only bone and some very little connective tissue. And close behind, there is ... something. SomeTHINGS.

Dakin replies, "Acknowledged, Norvan, we have two pirates incoming with something apparently carnivorous in pursuit. We're going to make our way out of the cave. On my order, six for hot transport. Stand by." He says to the away team. "We get visual..." His orders are stopped at the sight of the approaching "Oh, Prophets, Krylow, Meg, give those two some help! Everyone out of the cave! MOVE!" Into his open comm channel, "Thomas Paine, stand by for transport directly to sickbay!"

Caeli remains where he is, phaser leveled. When all the rest of the officers and Pakled have passed him enroute to the cave's mouth, then, and only then, does he make for the exit with hell at his heels.

And once again, Norvan's voice comes over the combadge, although she's addressing the bridge crew now. "You heard the man! Transporter room, standby for immediate transport, lock onto four Starfleet combadge signals and two Pakled life signs. Beam them out as soon as you've got them, directly to sickbay!"

"I'm on my way to sickbay to do that thing that I do oh-so-well," says Pierce, on his feet without being bidden by Norvan. "I'll prep a crash cart for whatever in the world is going on down there."

<CONTEST> Caeli contests his Athletics (Running) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

GAME: Dakin spends a courage point.

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

Krylow breaks out of his flanking hiding spot at Dakin's orders and moves to the nearest Pakled to assist in the flight out of the cave. He doesn't bother looking over his shoulder, instead watching ahead as he heads for the entrance.

Donavon sees in that instanteous split second what could possibly be their doom should haste not be applied. She jerks her phaser to lead on the Pakleds before swooping a supportive arm to the heavily injured one. "Move," she orders, the tone forceful to make the Pakled understand. They flee as fast as their feet will allow; she refuses to look back now.

<CONTEST> Krylow contests his Athletics (Running) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Donavon contests her Athletics (Running) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Krylow contests his Dodge skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

And so the running. And with good reason. As the team makes it nearer to the cave-mouth, the Surging Dark seems to follow, a ravenous horde of small, chittering things, like leaping rodents or bats too heavy to fly. Most of their head is maw, and the flaps of skin flutter with the speed of their movement. Krylow, lagging a bit behind, gets leapt on, but manages to throw himself into a forward rolling motion to scrape the things off before they can bite ... or ... apparently worse, since where the creatures tried to wrap on his back and legs, the fabric of the engineer's uniform can be seen to have been eaten away, as if by acid, as he rolls and rises and stumbles closer to the light of day.

The Bajoran Security Chief gives only one glance on the way towards the cave exit to check to see if everyone's present, accounted for, and running like hell. Dakin then nods once to Caeli then guns it towards daylight, shouting to his subordinates, "Haul it, people!"

Caeli pauses in his flight to pass off Krylow's Pakled to Dakin, the Bolian himself reaching for the downed Engineer to help the man to his feet, and subsequently to the cave mouth. Zip's phaser is on his belt; nothing short of a wide-beam shot will do any good, and there's no time.

Back on the bridge of the Paine, Norvan is tensely clutching the armrests of the command chair, watching her own display. "That's good enough, Chief," she barks over the com. "Get them out of there! And make sure you get their equipment, too! We don't want to leave one of those pattern enhancers behind!"

And on the signal of the woman minding the Big Chair, the thing is done. "Aye, Sir. Energizing." And within moments, there is that superheterodyne whine and shimmering. When the light clears, equipment clatters to decks, and medical corpsmen move forward to assist.

With Caeli's hand Krylow's back to his feet in an instant, and back to running full out for the entrance. A moment later he's back in the Paine, half stumbling to catch himself as things change so suddenly around him. Only then does he glance down to see what damage was done.

Donavon tears it to the light while assisting the Pakled on her arm. She glances, close to halting, when she hears Krylow stumble. Yet upon noticing Caeli stepping in, she continues to run full speed ahead. The team has each other's backs and that's when they reappear on the Paine. She hits the deck but immediately moves to assist the injured Pakled. "Extensive tissue damage. May require amputation. Regeneration later," she murmurs to the medical team as she swiftly examines and offers, "I'll apply pressure while you do your thing." Seems the officer has been trained in combat medicine judging by the way she holds the Pakled's arm yet defers to the medical team's wishes.

Pierce dives onto the scene, and then goes in. "Have to amputate and regenerate?" asks Pierce as he goes to check out the wound. "My. I haven't had one of those in days," he dead-pans. "But let'see if we can save it. Someone get me an autosuture, please..." And so the medibabble begins as we...

...slow to a crawl of orchestrated time. The Pakleds stumble forward, as well, once the transporter beam has worked its magic. The one with the acid-eaten arm is clutching a weapon of pointy, sharpened bone in his off hand, that is clearly someone else's. It, too, clatters in slow motion to the deckplating as the shock finally overwhelms him. His companion lets him slip into the hands of Donavon and the medical corpsman, mumbling something about tests making one strong. He slinks back, terrified now, the hunger to be something more than a mere pirate which drove him to this extreme now forgotten as the kind of lesson of loss which can penetrate even a Pakled's dense brain seeps through...

And meanwhile, up on the bridge, a brief sensor sweep of that immediate area shows that the critters, whatever they are, don't emerge into the light. Melting back into the darkness, then, the Surging Horde awaits the next would-be warrior to meet their trial, to gain the secret they guard ... or die trying, bleached to white bone on the floor of a dark Irdosian cave.