When Push Comes To Shove

 Episode Name:  When Push Comes To Shove

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Eidolon, Green, Hurley, Idrani, Lopez, Shamash and Tallon.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Sun Jun 19 01:38:29 2005

     Stardate:  55053.3

Time: Sat Jun 18 18:14:07 2005

Stardate: 55052.5

The yellow fire hydrant stands on a nondescript corner of a nondescript street in a nondescript part of the city. It's not special, really, in any way -- the paint probably needs a bit of a touchup, and there's spots of rust here and there, but that's about it.

Of course, if the hydrant could talk, it would have stories to tell. It's the same way through much of the city, really -- every inch of every block has its claim to fame, even if that claim is just that one of the Bosses stood there for a second or two.

This hydrant, affectionately referred to by the locals as 'The Plug', though, has a claim to fame that rises above the rest. It's at this spot, one hundred and eleven years ago, that the End of the War started. It's also where the people that introduced world's official game arrived.

It's where the Bosses started to lose their power to the new faction.

Three men stand near 'The Plug' this day, the collars of their trench coats turned up to protect against the biting wind. "Jojo, when they gonna be here?" one of the men asks as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

"They'll be here, you boob," Jojo, a tall, powerfully built example of a man, replies. "Quitcher whinin', Faro, 'fore I pop you one in the kisser."

Whatever response Faro had is drowned out by the whine and shimmer of a group of forms, encased in the shimmering blue of a Federation transporter.

"Ain't never seen nuthin' like that," Faro whispers.

"They can't do nuthin' until they quit sparklin',"Jojo replies softly. "Don't get yer panties in a twist."

The third lifts his submachine gun. "You want I should pop 'em?"

"Put that gun down, meathead, before I fill you with lead," Faro snarls.

It's then that the team materializes fully, and Jojo puts on a bright smile. "On behalf of Bosses Krako and Oxmyx, I welcome you to the city. You're right on time -- we likes the punctuality, see." He tilts his head at Faro and then the third, as yet unnamed, guy. "Boys, say hello to our guests."

The two other toughs smile and nod. "Hiya."

"On behalf of The Federation, I thank you for the welcome.", Shamash responds in a crisp yet friendly tone. Lesser nods go to the two thugs before he returns his attention to Jojo. "I expect the cut is ready to be picked up? For we too, like punctuality."

Wide-eyed and intensely curious, Christine Hurley tilts her chin to slowly look around, friendly smile easily drummed up for the hosts. But, no greeting. Sometimes it's just best to be silent. Even Hurley knows this.

Idrani remains silent as well, uncertain if her obviously alien appearance will attract positive or negative attention. She eyes the unfamilar-looking historical Terran setting, expression carefully neutral.

Green eyes the locals for a moment, then shifts to take a look around, seeming bored. Seeming.

. o O Green thinks, "Fascinating. This is better than any history holoprogram."

Hiya, indeed. Lopez, in pin-stripes no less, does not look terribly impressed with the toughs. But she holds her ground with the rest... because the mass of them looks plenty impressive... or maybe just cohesive.

Tallon eyes her teammates then the strange mobsters. Yep, she's enjoying this. But you wouldn't know it by looking at her body language, for it's all neutral.

"I expect you's'll be pleasantly surprised," Jojo replies, still smiling.

Faro's eyebrows lift as he takes in Idrani. "'Ey, Bela, get a load o' that broad. Ain't that sumthin' else?"

Bela, for his part, just leers at all the women in general. "I always wondered what a dame from space was like. Maybe we'll have time to test that out, mmm?"

Jojo sighs. "Quiet, you knuckleheads, before yer both sleepin' with the fishes, capiche?" To Shamash, he adds, "Sorry about my men, boss -- they're goons, but they've got good hearts under all that Eye-talian schmooze. Anyway, the building's just right up the alley, see?" He gestures to the east, and a large, not to mention somewhat imposing, building, about half a block up."

. o O Green thinks, "I hate surprises."

Shamash's eyes flicker over to the building Jojo indicates and nods a little. Playing tough he smiles. "Me ladies are not just decoration, so m' fraid he'd loose something on that testdrive." then a shrug, trusting Jojo to get his goon under control or that they are simply beneath his notice. "Lead the way, friend." Minor turn to the rest of the team to study their facial expressions.

Hurley's eyes fall specificallly on Bela, a blush quickly fills her cheeks and attention turns directly to Lopez. The Latina is much better at handling these situations than she is.

. o O Hurley thinks, "And it won't be Agrim that'd make him loose something, I fear."

Idrani only smiles slightly. She falls in behind Shamash and Jojo, antennae flicking as they pick up ambient sound.

Green's gaze returns to Bela, settling there calculatingly. As if, perhaps, she's deciding whether to give him a Colombian necktie. After a moment, she glances toward Faro, before her eyes flick toward the indicated building.

. o O Shamash thinks, "Nice, Taylor. That was exactly the kind of reaction i expected from you."

Tallon watches the gangsters carefully before looking over to Shamash.

"Ain't that the truth?" Jojo replies with a grin as he starts up the alley. "Boys, take up the rear. Anyone messes with the ladies, hit 'em."

Faro and Bela fall back, moving their Tommy guns to a ready position. "Buncha nice-lookin' dames like this -- ain't no one gonna get close," Bela calls to Jojo.

With that, Jojo just keeps walking -- not looking back until he's on the steps to the building.

Shamash passes the time walking by some idle chit chat, pardon me, information gathering. "How went the last year for Krako and Oxmyx? How are profits doing?" If he is not studying Jojo, his eyes flicker over the buildings and the immediate surroundings as he walks.

Hurley glances back to Green and Idrani as they walk towards the building, gaze remaining on Green just a tad longer with a quick flick back towards the 'rear guards'. Not so much of the trusting of the hosts in Christine's eyes, but somehow, she maintains a friendly smile.

Idrani seems relaxed, if a bit reserved. She follows, quietly.

Green gives Hurley a slight nod, but, admittedly, her eyes remain mostly on sweeping the surroundings and hungrily studying their hosts' Tommy guns.

Ana, who is perhaps the shortest of the group of Federation heavies, just leers right back at 'em, with a knife's edge smile settling on her dolled-up face-- War-paint, she prefers to think of it. It is not a 'hello-sailor' kindof smile. "Fellas," she affects, "-if'n you don't mind, don't mind our rears too closely, now." And she walks at an easy angle, to give her a good vantage of the alley as they go.

Tallon hovers along quietly, sort of nervous, but she doesn't show it.

Jojo grins again, but there is a lack of sincerity to it this time. "The Bosses just inked a deal that's gonna increase our take thirtyfold in the next year -- but I'll let them tell ya about it." He jerks a thumb over his shoulder at the doors. "Inside, second door on the right. The Bosses are waiting, see, and they're dying to meet yas."

Faro snorts with laughter. "The man's got a sense o' humor, eh?" he asks Bela. "-Dying- to see them. That's killer." Bela just grins in response, having watched Lopez's rear extremely closely as they went up the alley.

"Quiet, meatheads!" Jojo snarls before his attention turns back to Shamash. "Been a real pleasure. We'll see you again on the walk out."

. o O Hurley thinks, "I know how we could make it easier on them. If Tay or Ana could just tell them not to think of us as dames, but rather as a group of slender beings that could easily break every bone in their bodies, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to be fully respectful..."

. o O Green thinks, "Okay, I'm getting a baaaaaaaad feeling about this."

. o O Idrani thinks, "Ah hell. It's going to be another one of /those/ meetings. I hate /those/ meetings."

Shamash looks fom Faro to Bela, mouth twitching. Turn back to Jojo. "Pleasure indeed.. Though ya know.. you make that sound as if you had your own thoughts about the deal. Care to spill them?" he keeps his eyes fixed on Jojo.

. o O Shamash gets a gut feeling of something bad having happened.

Hurley's eyebrow lifts as she glances to Jojo and then to Shamash. Finally, she makes the first sound since they've arrived on the planet. "Hmmmm," but that's it. Over her shoulder, she takes a quiet headcount and personnel inventory, hands non-chalantly slipping into pockets of her own pin-striped pants as she chews on her lower lip.

Idrani inhales slowly, then exhales. Almost a sigh, but not quite. She flexes the fingers on her right hand a few times. Then, she smiles. Jaylas has a charming smile when she chooses to bestow it. "Quiet neighborhood." She comments, in her accented voice. "Everyone got the day off?"

Green's eyes narrow a bit as she moves with the rest of the group. She doesn't say anything, but she does look to see where those in the away team are situated.

Tallon doesn't say anything, she simply looks at the various criminals involved here.

"That ain't my place," Jojo replies to Shamash. "Boss Oxmyx don't like to be kept waiting, capiche?"

Faro wiggles his eyebrows at Idrani. "We like it quiet. Makes it so you can hear the boids." He gestures up at the sky. "We likes boids, don't we, Bela?"

"They sing good," Bela agrees.

. o O Hurley thinks, "... Boids?"

. o O Hurley thinks, "OOOOH. /BIRDS./"

. o O Lopez thinks, "Now, why is it that you don't strike me as ornithologically inclined...?"

Shamash nods to Jojo a final time, "Be safe, my friend", having made a quick note to call everyone friend as his quirk, then proceeds into the corridor but not through the indicated second door. He uses this moment to be able to speak to his team the first time after beam down in some relative safety. "This is supposed to be a quick mission, easy in, easy out. Though somehow i think that the dying part was more than figurativly speaking. Lieu.. Hm. I wonder if that will not be sounding odd in the local lingo. Anyway, Green, you do the honor of entering first. Remember though, they are still our ...associates."

Hurley's eyes flick towards Green and she defensively falls by the woman's side and just behind her, with a smile flashed over towards Jojo and goons. Green may be going in first, but Hurley will be close enough to grab her out, too, if need be.

Idrani has a brief moment of confusion as she tries to figure out what a 'boid' is. Then, she sorts through the alien accent, realzing that he means 'birds'. "Ah. Yes. Boh-ah-rd." She follows the team in.

Green nods approvingly. "Smart thinking, boss," she says, straight-faced at using the lingo. She glances around. "We ready?"

. o O Green thinks, "Tay Green, human shield. As it should be. But, oh gods, Park is going to /kill/ me if I get shot."

"Copacetic," responds Lopez, intending to bring up the very very back.

As Green opens the door, it swings open on oiled hinges -- silent to everyone save Idrani. Inside is a very nicely appointed conference room, with two middle-aged men in pinstripe suits occupying seats. There's no hail of gunfire to cut our heroes down, and, in fact, the man at the head of the table rises with a friendly smile. "Come in, come in. I'm Talan Oxmyx, this is my associate, Gala Krako. Please, sit! Would you like something to drink?"

Shamash enters after Green, shoulders pulled back to make the most of his suit, his had strategically dipped below one eye, the left hand hand in the pocket of his jacket, the other free at his side. As he strides nearer he smiles at his fellow 'bosses'. "Fancy finally meeting you in person", he says, "I'm Vidyasagar Shamash", picking the one of his given names that he thinks sounds the most prestigous. "And these are my associates.." Since the bosses did so with with themselfs, he introduces his team carefully leaving away any sort of title. He moves closer, surveying the table for the best place for a visiting dignitary to sit in.

Pleasantly relieved, Hurley keeps her place next to Green, a quick smile offered to the bosses in greeting. But, once again, she remains silent. For the moment.

Idrani smiles pleasantly as she is introduced. If Shamash sits, she will, as well.

Tallon has no choice to sit or not sit, as she's already sitting in her hoverchair. She nods when introduced, and simply remains quiet.

Green lets her gaze sweep the room as she enters before it returns to Oxmyx and Krako. Stepping slightly to the side to let Shamash take center stage, she answers the drink invitation with a brisk, "Never during business."

Lopez closes the well-greased door behind them, and removes her brimmed hat, after giving it a tip toward the pair of Mustache Petes, similarly giving the offer a pass.

"A pleasure. Please, sit," Oxmyx replies as he settles back into his chair. "Let's get down to business, shall we? You're here for your yearly forty percent cut."

Krako remains silent for now, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers as he watches the Starfleeters. Idrani and Tallon, of course, get long looks from both men.

Shamash smiles at Green with taking a bit of his taken up persona, petting her arm twice, giving it a mild tug on the second time "What would i do without you", he says sweetly before settling down on the far end of the table to face Oxmyx on the long side, he nods to Hurley and Idrani to take his direct flanks left and right "A single malt goes perfectly with business", he recaps to the offer of a drink, then as he notices the long look to Tallon he gives her one of his own with a small smile before returning his attention to the two men at the head of the table again. "Yes, that is correct. I'm here to collect the yearly cut"

. o O Shamash thinks, "I hope i can make up for all this macho behaviour when we are back on the station."

. o O Shamash thinks, "the girls will so kill me"

. o O Shamash thinks, "still... i like it."

Hurley, as directed, takes flank on Shamash's left side, reaching up to remove her hat, too. But, politely, she declines the drink by shaking her head and gently holding up her right hand, then inclining her head towards Green as if blaming her for the fact that she can't drink right now.

Idrani deliberately makes eye contact with Hurley, then shifts her eyes up (though not lifting her face) toward the ceiling. She does accept the offer of a glass with a smile. She sits at Shamash's right side, smoothing her pinstripes in an absent motion, legs crossed delicately at the ankles. Her attention then goes to the 'bosses', though her antennae continue to move in response to ambient sound.

Green nods slightly toward Shamash, settling into a standing stance a bit behind him and to his right. Missing Hurley's gesture, she keeps her eyes on the native pair, just staring at them intently.

Lopez comfortably rests herself against the wall beside the door, they've entered through, shoulder to wall.

Tallon smiles to Shamash, but remains quiet. She decides to give long looks to the two men looking at her. Who said she couldn't play russian roulette mob style?

"I'm afraid that we're not going to be filling the Federation's coffers this year," Krako remarks, his voice colder than his associate's. "You're wasting your time here, Mister Shamash."

Oxmyx gives Krako a baleful look before he elaborates. "There's a faction that's more powerful than the Federation. They've promised to give us the heaters that we deserve, and all they want in return is to establish a small facility near Capone Bay and inside the caves there." He smirks. "We've just signed an agreement with them -- as a result, we'll be keeping our money in our hands. You've come all this way for nothing."

. o O Idrani thinks, "Footsteps above us. So who's upstairs, I wonder."

. o O Hurley thinks, "...Who would give these people phasers? They're going to destroy themselves!"

. o O Green thinks, "Caves? Wonder what's in those caves that somebody would /want/ to live in them."

Shamash keeps quiet for a while "More powerful than the Federation?", he finally repeats, a tiny bit of disdain speaking in his words. "Now there is someone pulling your leg, Friend Oxmyx. And have we not a gentelmans agreement that traces back years and years? We are here to ..protect you." he leans back and a bit to the side so he gets closer to one of his 'advisors', a hand comming up under his chin. "You should have contacted the Federation before drawing up any other kind of deals, you know... It is our turf.. Tell me my Friend, does the other faction have a name?"

Shamash's eyes flicker sideways to Idrani and Hurley to see if they have input at this time, trusting the others that are not in his direct line of sight to make themself known.

As Shamash speaks with the bosses, Hurley does her best to keep a calm and professional demeanor, eyes lifting upwards and around as she studies the environment. Slowly, her gaze returns to Agrim when he stops speaking and then to return to the bosses, a soft, but so Hurley smile falling on each gentleman in turn. When all else fails, turn on the charm.

. o O Hurley thinks, "If someone's offering them... heaters... chances are they're not terribly friendly to us. And they likely have phasers as well. Which means.. they're armed and we're not. This is very much not a good position to be in at the moment."

Idrani speaks up softly, "Gentlemen, the Federation has been very gracious and generous with your organization and we have had an amicable relationship for quite some time. I would venture to guess that the establishment of a facility may in fact, be contrary to the betterment of business. As to who your new patrons might be, I suggest that you open the door and let them in. Leaving someone standing outside a room is quite rude, don't you think." She smiles.

Green's eyes narrow frostily as she stares at the two. At Idrani's words, though, she turns, right hand slipping inside her suit coat.

"We -do- have company," intones Lopez sharply from her position, jerking a thumb toward the closed door inches from her side. "Big, boot-wearing company," she says thinly.

. o O Green thinks, "That does it. Twice in less than a month. You're making me a projectile pistol, Alek!"

Tallon Smiles but doesn't comment. She let's the others speak. She's only here for the food.

The door opens again, and in walk a pair of Jem'Hadar, followed by a Vorta, followed by another pair of Jem'Hadar. "How right you are," the Vorta says in his bright, patently false tone which must have been bred into the first Vortas created by the Founders. "It is so good to see the representatives of the Federation here on Sigma Iotia II. On behalf of the Founders, I welcome you to our newest protectorate." Of course, the Jem'Hadar are clothed in their normal uniforms, but the Vorta wears a very snappy pinstripe suit and fedora hat.

Oxmyx stands once again. "Ladies and gentlemen, Boss Ears."

"I prefer Karntor when dealing with off-world species, but Ears is acceptable here on Sigma Iotia." The Vorta clasps his hands again, then tilts his head to the side. "I do so -love- guests."

. o O Hurley thinks, "Oh, Prophets have mercy. And here I was hoping it would just be Orion mercenaries that we could outwit, tie up and leave half-naked behind one of the buildings."

Shamash keeps seated, not even turning around, his attention is still on Oxmyx as he softly shakes his head. He waits for the Vorta to come into view before he turns his head, towards him. "Now there is indeed someone I thought i would not see here, Ears." beat "Though what do i hear here about a protectorate? That must be surely a mistake." he still smiles, even if increasingly sweet.

Composure? Hurley loses that the second the Jem'Hadar walk into the room. So much for a poker face. A quick breath is drawn in, color drains from her face and she turns her attention first to Idrani, then back to Green.

. o O Lopez thinks, "Nice suit."

Idrani's silver eyes narrow as she comes face to face with the first Jem'Hadar and Vorta that she's seen since being a prisoner of war, two and a half years ago. It is with a considerable effort that she relaxes in her chair. She eyes the four Jem'Hadar, crossing one leg over the other, ankle resting on knee. Of course, that particular boot is the one with the knife in it and although she'd very much love to use it, the odds are far too great. "I suppose they neglected to mention what happened to their /last/ protectorate, didn't they?" She asks, in a lethally soft tone, not taking her eyes off the nearest Jemmie's throat.

. o O Hurley thinks, "Ok. Bright side. Silver lining. Let's see. Maybe we'll get lucky and in this timeline, the Jem'Hadar are actually bred for diplomacy and the Vorta aren't quite as deceiving and sadistic."

. o O Idrani thinks, "ohh, I'd so love to kill you right now."

Green watches the Jem'Hadar very, very closely, turning to keep her gaze on them as they move. "Did you tell these folks what you did to your-" Idrani beats her to the question, and Tay steps back slightly, giving herself a bit of room in case it's needed.

. o O Green thinks, "Guess we have a pretty good idea what that 'facility' is for now."

Lopez remains where she is, for the time being, up against the wall by the door. She counts them silently with her eyes, frowning.

Tallon remains calm and cool, no Vorta's fool, watching the little show.

. o O Shamash thinks, "Jem'Hadar and a Vorta. Grreeaat. This is bad as bad can be. Ferrengi i could have expected. Romulans one could have reasoned with. Some other minor faction would not have posed much of a threat... but the Dominion? Juuuust great."

. o O Shamash feels less confident than he appears.

"The Cardassians were an aberration," Karntor remarks pleasantly as he settles at the table, smiling once again. "They did not embrace the Founders as they should have; the Iotians, on the other hand, have proven themselves to be far more enlightened than the Cardassians ever were. They had needs, the Dominion had needs, and we were able to make a mutually beneficial agreement which does not keep them in perpetual slavery to the Federation until the end of time."

Oxmyx settles back into his chair. "They give us heaters, we keep our money, they get their caves. It's a win-win situation for everyone -- well, except you. But you get to leave here in one piece. That's win enough, I figure."

The Jem'Hadar remain silent, polaron rifles unslung -- but not yet aimed at anyone.

Hurley draws in a deep breath and forces herself to settle back in her chair, but she is most certainly not pleased about any of this, and easily displays how nervous she is in general. Eyes flicker between Oxmyx and the Jem'Hadar, carefully remaining off the Vorta for now. "Perhaps they haven't explained their version of slavery to you. Or, as they describe, a mutually beneficial agreement."

Idrani glances at the Vorta as he speaks, though her antennae stay trained on the Jem'Hadar. "Well, I hope you had a good lawyer to draw up the agreement," she comments to the Iotians. "The Dominion do hold to the letter of their contract. Can't say the same about the spirit. So. Is there a reason that you waited to tell us about this until we arrived?"

Tallon wonders where the Prime Directive just went, and if it's a direct flight with a meal, or does she have to transfer on Cardassia Prime. She feels odd without a phaser, since they are seriously outgunned. Her attention is kept on those with speaking roles.

Shamash lowers his right hand to Idrani's wrist, letting his thumb move over her skin in what appears to be a fond display of affection, establishing something. Well. He hopes he does it. He smiles over at Oxmyx, then studies his Lieutenant for a while longer as if trying to see if the man has some sort of ..other... agenda "Heaters for Caves hmm.. And you do think that is a fair deal?" He looks over the energy weapons of the Jem'Hedar noting that Oyxmx is unfortunately right. He slowly pushes his chair back, prepping to raise from it.

"We don't use the caves," Krako sneers. "They're welcome to them."

Oxmyx nods his agreement before noting, "We like to conduct our business face-to-face. That's why you're here now."

Karntor smiles again. "Useless caves for weapons and Dominion technical assistance. We will create a new utopia here on Iotia." He pauses, then spreads his hands. "The Founders are most gracious, wouldn't you agree?"

. o O Hurley thinks, "We need to get out of here. We can't handle them by ourselves and unarmed."

"I would not, no", Shamash replies sweetly to the remark about the Founders. He turns back to Oxmyx "Would you mind if i were to take a look around before i give you my final answer? it would be a shame to give up on such a long standing friendship over some upstart minor Boss." he tilts his head.

. o O Green thinks, "Good. Get us out of here with our skins intact. Then we can solve this problem from a better standpoint."

Hurley glances to Shamash, then Idrani in turn, but this time remains silent.

Idrani inclines her head in the direction of the Iotians, waiting to hear his answer. She looks in no real hurry to leave, ankle still propped up on her knee.

Green lets her gaze slide dismissively away from the Jem'Hadar, moving to Oxmyx to await his answer.

. o O Idrani thinks, "Oh, we'll be sure to tell /everyone/ about your generousity. I'm sure the Romulans and Klingons would be most appreciative of that."

Tallon would get up, but she has the same problem she had sitting down in that she's already in a chair, ome that hovers her around from location to location. She looks between Shamish, the Vorta, and the mobsters.

"Just as long as you're out of my sight," Oxmyx replies dismissively. "Would your men be willing to see them out, Ears?"

"Of course," Karntor replies with his smile still in place. "So long as they do not disparage the Founders again." His eyes narrow slightly at Shamash -- that was, apparently, the one and only warning they'll get -- and then, he looks back to the Iotians, having dismissed the Federation representatives. "We have much to discuss, after all, don't we?"

The Jem'Hadar don't stand on ceremony. "You will leave this room now." The safeties on their rifles click off at that point.

Shamash was prepared to raise already. He does so, having eyes only for the top boss and his lieutenant. Fingers dip to the hat "Thanks my friend." The Vorta, gets his due as a fellow 'boss' even of an opposing faction with a dip of his head, even if barely noticeable. He gives sign to leave the room in a dignified manner, stepping out once the door is open without so much as a look back.

. o O Lopez thinks, "Enjoy your heaters. Much good may they do you."

Hurley rises to her feet calmly and somewhat composed now, another glance tossed in Idrani's direction as she turns to follow Shamash.

Idrani gets up as well, in a graceful motion. She gives the Jemmies a sidelong look as she follows Hurley and Shamash out of the room.

. o O Shamash thinks, "Energy weapons against a knife, first let us get out here in one piece without appearing to be too much intimidated... then lets see if we can not get some useful intel somewhere before leaving. Hope Jojo is now a bit more talkative."

Green hangs back slightly, with a gesture toward Lopez and Tallon to precede her from the room before she goes. Protective to the end, she is.

Lopez was the last one in, she also intends to be one of the last out, waiting for Tallon to proceed her. And even if Green insists, she's going to put her back between as many of the others and the Jem'Hadar weapons as possible, just to be on the safe side. The first set ahead of her, Ana slips on her hat and steps out, deliberately controlling her pace, so as not to get too far ahead of the end of the line.

Tallon proceeds Green and hovers behind Shamash.

There are more Jem'Hadar in the hallway, blocking the way to the door they came in. Instead, they start herding the Starfleet officers toward the front door in stony silence.

. o O Hurley thinks, "Ok. So they want us to go somewhere specific. Why do I not trust their hospitality?"

A corner of Shamash's mouth twitches as if he was going to say something . Though being in a somewhat weak situation just now he is almost curious as to what will unfold next.

. o O Shamash thinks, "now what....?"

Hurley lifts an eyebrow as the shepherd dog is herded around the room. But, being the good-natured and easy-going person she is, she simply keeps just behind Shamash and whereever the Jem'Hadar lead them.

Idrani follows Shamash and Hurley, falling silent.

Lopez by counter point to Dr. Shamash, does not look in the slightest bit... eager to find out what exactly is in store for them. She keeps walking.

Tallon hovers beside Shamash and whispers, "Couldn't we just beam to where we want to go? Wouldn't it be easier?"

Without further ado, they're tossed out on the street. Not literally, of course, but they find themselves at the front entrance to the building, and the Jem'Hadar close the doors behind them. It's still quiet -- there isn't anything in sight, aside from an uncanny facsimile of a Crossley 25/30 automobile from Earth. It's a stately car, really, and parked at the curb.

. o O Hurley thinks, "I would hardly like to think what the Dominion would think of us beaming here and there and everywhere. if they're here, they have to have some sort of ... ship somewhere nearby."

. o O Hurley thinks, "In which case.. why didn't we pick it up on sensors?"

Shamash walks a bit away from the immediate area of the entrance. "So the Dominion has taken over. that is.. interesting." understatement of the month. "with the current political situation, we have basically only two options here. Leave this world to the Dominion or persuade the natives to expell the Dominion mob and come back into the fold of the Federation - or something similar." beat "Is it just me for whom the first option is less than perfect?" another pause. "As this has changed from a simple pick up and go home mission, i would like to ask for comments atthis time?"

"Personally, I think we should let Starfleet Command know what's going on," Hurley murmurs, looking over in Green's direction. "Technically, they're not a member world, and sorta kinda still under Prime Directive rules. I don't really trust the Dominion to ... play nice and by the rules with us here, especially unarmed and only the six of us. That can't be all they have here. I want to know what it is about the caves that they're so interested in. Maybe someone around here has more information about them?"

GAME: Green contests her Law/Starfleet Regulations vs Challenging and Fails.

Idrani scratches the base of one antennae. "Well, if there's something here that the Dominion want, it will take more than the Iotians to convince them to leave. Or more to the point, leave without turning this world into another Cardassia Prime. I agree, this may have to be a battle to be fought elsewhere. The fact that they're letting us look around is noteworthy. They may have no intention of letting us leave or they may be so confident in their position that they do not think there's anything we can do to stop them. I also agree that we should try to find out as much information that we can, keeping our numbers and lack of armament in mind. Aside from the fact that we have no idea what their numbers are nor do we know how many cloaked ships they've got in orbit. But the Alliance needs to know about this. I don't like the idea of them setting up Jem'Hadar cloning facilities inside Federation borders."

Green folds her arms across her chest, watching the sidewalk thoughtfully as she walks. "Something you said earlier, Lieutenant," is addressed toward Idrani. "That it seemed quiet around here?" She jerks her chin to indicate the empty street. "Where is everybody? Where are all the people?" She glances sideways toward Hurley. "They said they're building a facility there. For what, though...? I wouldn't mind getting a look at those caves myself." Her gaze flicks toward Shamash. "Armed."

Lopez steps nearer to the automobile bending down to take a good look at the sturdy running board. "As Lieutenant Idrani has said, there's nothing saying that they intend to let us leave now, but they have given us freedom of movement, and I think, while we are obligated to let these people self-determine and abide as much by the Prime Directive as possible, we should use that movement, as they've suggested. Its plain they're playing wayyy out of their league... the least we can do is fact-gather. We're beyond playing it safe. So lets play smart."

Tallon hmmms, "I also think we should let Starfleet Command know. I think this is possibly outside of the Prime Directive now that the Dominion are involved, but I'm far from qualified to make that statement. I think if we try to convince the locals we could violate the Prime Directive, if we are still following it, because they've made their decision." A pause, "I too wonder where everyone is, and if we are going to explore those caves, we should be armed."

"We have still an open invitation to look around the planet. Even though 'as long as you stay out of my sight' might be pushing it a bit." He looks around as everyone speaks in turn, then nods and taps his combadge, initiating a call to the Paine. When the Bridge officer on duty accepts teh call, he quickly sums up what has happened on the planet and requests this to be relayed to Fleet. Further requests to have a scan of the area done for lifeforms and asking to locate, and subsequently scan, those as well, emphasizing to use passive sensors if possible to avoid detection. With a look to Green and a smile, he finally asks for some period weaponry to be replicated and sent to them as well. He offer Green to add some details of personal choice. When this call is done and he needs to wait for the scans to be conducted he replies to Idrani: "Making sure that the Dominion faction gets evicted is a first step, currently they are - even if that may sound unfortunate - here on the invitation of whatever passes as local government. It may be time for a change of that government though." he nods once again. "Procuring more information does require finding a native. Anyone remember if this world had a curfew?"

Hurley, clearly uncomfortable with the sitation, shifts on her feet and glances to Green. "Period weapons would not have stun settings." Duh. "We'd be very likely to ... hurt someone if we used anything, and I do mean anything aside from a wooden staff or similar ancient weoponry." She exhales and glances back to the building. "We... are really walking a fine line here, truth be told. On the one hand, why is the Dominion setting up camp in our own yard? We need to evaluate the strategy on that. Even if we succeed in convincing the local government to... evict them, well. I'm not completely convinced this is the only world on their "divide and conquer" list."

. o O Hurley thinks, "No, Agrim. We can't help in overthrowing any government. That's... not nice."

Idrani nods to Shamash. "I'd like my hrisal. And I agree that we should have phasers. At this point, the risk of the locals reverse-engineering a phaser is moot, if the Dominion are issuing poloron weapons. We may need to convince the Dominion that we've left the area. I'm sure they can track our combadge signals."

Green lifts an eyebrow as she listens to Shamash, then she nods her agreement with Idrani and Hurley. "The Prime Directive here has already been shattered by the Jem'Hadar and their gear. Besides, /I'm/ a crack shot with projectile weapons." She glances around the group. "Anybody else shot one before?"

Lopez shakes her head toward Green. "I tried to shoot a bow once... the people behind me were really upset."

Tallon says, "What is the point in having period weapons if they won't work on the Dominion with their body armor and so forth? At this point, exposure of our culture to them will have little to no effect. The Dominion already have revealed themselves."

The voice on Shamash's commbadge is a bit pensive. "Period weapons? Like... machine guns, sir?" He pauses. "We'll get right on it, but it may be a few moments. As for your sensor scans, there are massive lifeform readings all around you, sir. Every building is filled with people -- good health, bad health, old, young."

"With any luck at all, we do not need to use lethal force at all. However the Prime Directive is still in force from how i see the law which means that Federation technology is not allowed on this planet." Shamash mentions, then grimmaces "Though you are right that the damage has been quite likely already been done, though even before the natives knew of ...heaters." he pauses, muttering into the com again, "Understood. And what about those caves? Any luck on locating them?" Back to his people "There is probably a curfew in place then."

Hurley glances to Green and simply grins. Yes, she grins. That's answer enough to her question. "Sir, I doubt it's a curfew. Restrictions of some sort, I'm sure. Perhaps only in this area? Maybe if we venture further away from the heavily guarded building with all the ... bosses ... we'll find people?"

Idrani chuckles softly. "There's got to be a pub or something around here somewhere."

Green stares at Lopez for a moment, then clears her throat. "Right." She pauses to listen to Shamash, nodding once to acknowledge his comments. "We could go knock on a door," she mentions, moving over to examine the car with the fascination of a historian. A soft snort of amusement meets Idrani's comment. "Okay, Red."

Lopez lifts a shoulder, apologizing for a certain lack of martial skill. "Pub, no... what we'd be looking for is more of a phenomenon known as a 'speak-easy' in every sense of the word. Whoever we talk to might be harmed after we leave, for 'stoolies'. I guarantee you, we are being watched as long as we're in the city center... So we can find conveyance," she eyes the automobile-- its got wheels! How cute! "-or we can, yes, move away from here, and try to and discreetly as possible talk to someone."

Tallon looks around, "Maybe we can split up into teams of 2 and each take an area of the city, with one team going to the caves to check it out." She finally looks at the car, "What is that?"

"We've got a cave complex approximately fifteen kilometers south of your position, near a body of water. There's a transport inhibitor in operation there, though." The voice sounds a bit apologetic. "We're having a hard time replicating ammunition for the weapons, sir -- the best we can do in the next hour is to send you six Type I phasers -- or suggest you scavenge some from the locals, sir."

GAME: Green contests her Search vs Routine and Dramatically Succeeds.

Shamash confers with the bridge again, asking for a concentration of people that might indicate a public house "I agree that we should move away from here to at least a block away." he starts to move once more. To the Paine he communicates "Negative on the Phasers, I am not violating the prime directive, but keep a transport lock on each of us from now on. And have a trauma team stand by just in case." He frowns again as to the the inhibitors. "Very well, first information gathering."

Hurley eyes the car, Shamash, then the car again. "15 kilometers," she notes softly with pursed lips and lifted eyebrow.

. o O Hurley thinks, "I bet I could make it work. Just let me at it, Agrim."

Green steps onto the running board of the automobile, leaning way over its edge to get a good look around the interior. Then a hand leaves the top of the door, reaching out. There's a jangle, and she seems to pause, then Tay starts to straighten again. "Hey guys? Some idiot left the keys in this thing. And if I'm reading this right, it's fueled one hundred perc-" She pauses again, then leans forward, and when she rises and turns, there's a gleam in her eyes similar to that exhibited by a kid who just got a pony for Christmas. This is probably attributable to the Tommy gun she's holding, a hand running over it caressingly.

. o O Shamash thinks, "What now? Grand theft auto? But that look in Tay's eyes is almost priceless."

. o O Green thinks, "Wonder if this counts as a souvenir."

Tallon blinks for a moment, wondering if Shamash has all his marbles today. She looks to the car, "What is it?" she asks of Green.

"Aye, sir. Thomas Paine out." With that, the voice cuts out.

Shamash smiles, and mentions to Hurley "I did not say we were to drive over to the caves. Just to get away from the city center in order to speak to some locals... Preferrably Jojo or some of his goons." Yet he does stop as Green makes her discovery.

Hurley's eyes widen as she watches Green. "/Tay/," she says quietly in an exhale, much as a mother would as she discovers her daughter absolutely caked in mud and about to trample all over her freshly mopped kitchen floor. But, she finally moves away from Shamash and to the car. "Well, you should be able to pilot anything, right? Come on, how difficult can it be? It's pre-warp, right? It can't be nearly as difficult and dangerous to pilot." She turns and nearly pouts at Shamash. It is, afterall, a new toy. "We could split up. Like the Doc said." She waggles her eyebrows and traces a finger along the cardoor with a quick grin. "Double the work, half the time."

Idrani smiles a little as Green uncovers a weapon. She looks over at Shamash, "Your orders, sir?"

Green answers Tallon dreamily, "It's a /gun/," her utterly fascinated eyes only on the weapon as she examines it. Hearing Hurley, she looks up toward the car. "Hmmm. Chris does have a point there. Me, her, and Idrani check out the caves; the rest of ya question the locals."

. o O Hurley thinks, "I want my tricorder. And an engineering kit. I wouldn't mind my ship, too. With nice transporters."

"A team split is indeed a good idea, but Lt. Idranis cultural background is better served with questioning the locals." He turns to the other LO in the lot, "Lt. Hurley, please take Lieutenants Green and Lopez with you to check out the caves. Once you leave the town and are clear of all local lifeforms, I authorize you to get phasers from the Paine, Prime Directive or not, for you will be quite possibly up against the Dominion. You do not /need/ to get the weaponry, I will just back your decision here" and take the blame if need be. "We others.." that being Idrani and Tallon, "try to find some of the locals."

Shamash is the one doing the talking here of course....

"And tricorders," Christine quickly says to Green as she hops over the car door and into the car proper with a bright grin. "And maybe an engineering kit. Or two. I don't know if we'll need them, but.. you never know. It may not be a bad idea to grab a med kit.. just to, you know, have on hand. We can give it to Lieutenant Tallon when we meet up with the group again." She pauses, tilts her head and grins. "Why am I telling you? I'll likely be handling the hail myself. Come on, guys. Let's go!"

Idrani nods. "Aye, sir." She straightens her pinstripe jacket.

Green watches Hurley with a small measure of amusement. She's a bit more sedate in circling the car, though she too nimbly climbs over the vehicle's door to settle in the driver's seat. "Hmmm. Pedals." Sending a nod toward Shamash, she gives a merry, "Aye, sir."

Tallon pipes up, "Sir, I have a medical kit on hand. I took the precuation to bring one from the station. Also since those going to the caves won't be able to beam out if there's a problem, I should probably go with them. In case anyone is shot or otherwise injured."

The time for conversation ends at this point as a Dominion Polaron Tank comes floating around the corner with a platoon of Jem'Hadar troops behind it. With a roar, a blast flies over the car and leaves a crater in the side of a nearby building.

Starfleet has, apparently, worn out their welcome in this neighborhood.

Shamash looks at Tallons Hoverchair, then at the car. "Will you manage to stow the hoverchair in the vehicle or can it sustain a high enough speed on its own power. I am unaware of its capabilities, Lt. Tall..." He curses, creativly, in various languages before saying in a light hurry, "Change of plan! lets get out of here quickly!" ...and leave the neighborhood.

"We can distract them," Hurley offers to Green as she ducks her head further into the car as if that'll protect her from the polaron rifle. "Let's go. Cover the rest of the team."

Idrani moves to assist Tallon, as her hoverchair will likely impede her ability to get into a car. Having only recently been released from one, she understands. "Green! We need some cover!" She has her knife, of course, but that won't do much good.

GAME: Green spends a courage point.

GAME: Green contests her Vehicle Operations+A vs Challenging and Succeeds.

. o O Shamash thinks, "I hate being chased"

Green is still distracted by figuring out car control protocol. The thing nicely purrs to life after a moment, though... just as she instinctively ducks flying building debris. A curse is followed by a roared, "Get in!" And a slightly quieter and somewhat more snarled, "You want me to shoot a Polaron tank with a 20th century projectile weapon? You're nuts. Get the hell in here."

GAME: Tallon spends a courage point.

GAME: Tallon contests her Athletics+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Tallon looks to Idrani and nods, she quickly gets her cane to her side and within a few seconds she's in the car. "The chair folds up, just throw it in, don't hit me."

The tank fires again, blowing another hole in the sidewalk much closer to the car. Time is of the essence.

Now that was the plan. getting in there with Green and the rest of the gang. At least that is the immediate plan that Shamash has. He opens the comchannel again, though it takes a while before he can speak. "We are under fire, repeat. Dominion forces have opened fire on us. Go to red alert but do not, repeat do not engage any action, prepare to break orbit , continue to monitor our signals."

Hurley helps pull stray people into the car and urges at Green. "Go! Go! Go!"

Idrani stands her ground long enough to get Tallon's chair folded up and into the car before she leaps in after it. "Go!"

Okay, admittedly, it takes Tay a few frantic seconds to get the right pedal combination going, but abruptly the vehicle takes off with a lurch. "... push harder, goes faster. Got it." Yeah, right. She remembers to grab the steering yoke when it starts to yaw on its own, steadying. The clutch... will be dealt with in a moment.

Tallon is in the car safely with her hoverchair, sitting next to Idrani, who is now her new best friend. Once they get going, well, she's excited, still not knowing what the device is.

Lopez is stray person number one, getting down crouching on the running board, and popping as much into the vehicle as possible.

The car's tires squeal on the pavement, and then it launches forward with another blast vaporizing the patch of pavement they were just occupying. The Jem'Hadar troops open fire as well, but, miraculously, no one -- and the car -- aren't hit.

Shamash's communicator only replies with static. Apparently, they're being jammed.

Shamash mentions to Green, clinging to the car "Just get us far enough away from here..." a look behind him, "very far."

"Nice of you to drop in, Ana," Hurley coos to the Latina in the front seat with Green and her now. "I suggest we keep the same plan as earlier," she says a little louder, glancing over her shoulder to the backseat. "I think we were just in the heavily protected area where the bosses are. And... I didn't like the sound of that static. Give me a few minutes with a communicator and I'll find a way around it."

. o O Hurley thinks, "I hope."

Idrani keeps an eye out for further Jem'Hadar fire, either from the tank or snipers elsewhere. And, on the other end of the spectrum, she keeps an eye out for any help that may be forthcoming from the locals.

Green nods grimly, trying to watch the vehicle's control panel, her feet, and the street all at once. "Aye, Lieutenant." She mutters, "Nobody... /nobody/ is gonna believe this." Giving a nod at Hurley's words, she says, "Which way's south?"

Tallon looks around with awe at Green's ability to pilot this vessel. She hopes no one was shot, it'd be really difficult to start healing someone during this highspeed chase.

. o O Shamash thinks, "think, Agrim. Think. Now to get your team back up to the Paine. We need communication. Badly. Or how long until the paine notices we are gone. Wait. I ordered them to lock on our signals, so they knew the moment we.. 'disappeared'. Now just to keep my people in one piece long enough."

Lopez is squeezed in nicely, but twists around in the seat to face the rear, chattering fiercely in some other language that sounds like nothing so much as gibberish in her agitation. More clearly, "Hard a'right, Green, here, here. South is right!"

More explosions sound, but they slowly recede into the distance. The tank, however, keeps on their tail -- this is apparently not going to be an easy get away.

Shamash tries his combadge now and again, face set as he does so. His thoughts are turned inside. "Indications point more and more towards that the world got simply annexed. Chris, can you try to boost the signal strength of the combadge? We are being jammed."

GAME: Hurley spends a courage point.

GAME: Hurley contests her Personal Equipment/Communicator+A vs Challenging and Fails.

"Faster, faster!" Hurley encourages with Lopez's directions. Ever the helpful one she is as she fumbles with her combadge from inside her jacket. With bumps and twists, a curse actually escapes her lips. Unbelievable as it may be. "Working on it," she mumbles, squished in the front seat with the other two Ops women.

GAME: Idrani contests her Planetary Tactics vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Idrani watches the tank for an instant, eyes taking in the scene. She reaches for Green's tommy gun.

Green spins the wheel frantically to take that hard right, letting up on the gas just a little, and in the meantime completely forgetting about- or never realizing- the lack of inertial dampeners on twentieth-century type ground-based combustion vehicles. Newton's First Law of Motion does its thing. "Whoooooooooaaaaaaaaaaa...!"

GAME: Lopez contests her Athletics vs Routine and Succeeds.

GAME: Hurley contests her Personal Equipment/Communicator+A vs Challenging and Succeeds.

Lopez squeezes her arms hard against the back of the seat, struggling to keep herself from falling hard sideways into Chris Hurley. But the speed is exhilerating in a way, and as soon as they're on the straightaway again, she leans forward, putting out her arms out in a hook to provide Idrani something to stabilize against for her firing attempt.

The tank continues its persuit, firing every so often and falling short.

Meanwhile, Hurley's communicator crackles to life after a few moments of modification. "...Paine to away team, come in. We read weapons fire, your location. Please confirm."

. o O Lopez thinks, "Oh, gee, you think?"

"Confirmed, confirmed!" Hurley says rapidly into her communicator. "Do me a favor and beam something very large and heavy directly behind us on my mark." she looks over her shoulder towards the tank and pauses to count distance seconds between the two vehicles, "I don't care what it is. Anything. Large, heavy and very solid. Find a rock. A really. Big. Rock." The plan is to time it appearing right in front of the tank, if they can scramble quickly enough. Watch out for falling rock! "Mark!"

GAME: Idrani contests her Projectile Weapon vs Moderate and Automatically Fails.

Idrani attempts to figure out how to fire the primitive weapon, but isn't able to. "If we knock down the electrical power conduits and they hit the tank, it may knock out its antigrav."

"Good work Christine.", Shamash mentions, stress showing just a bit. He blinks at what she has to say and holds his words, reconsidering. "Add an order for a complement of beam weapons, including tricorder and engineering kit to be sent down. We try Jay.. Lt. Idranis idea." he pauses and "in case the com fails again, have us auto beam out, we can come back later, armed and better prepared."

Green just concentrates grimly on her current task, her only comment being, "I want... a Type III."

. o O Shamash thinks, "with a nice red ribbon, Tay. You earnt it."

Lopez retracts her arms, "How do you want to do that?... Knock down a conduit? A type three?? How are you going to do that, Tay, and drive? Look, if we veer left up here... they look slow on the turn, maybe we can buy a few seconds?"

"Negative, away team, transport inihibitors are in operation, your area," the voice says over the communicator. "We're working on a way to cut through the interference, but we're having some trouble with it. You're on your own for the moment."

Meanwhile, Green's driving leaves them on a main highway, where no vehicles are visible, save for their own -- and the Jem'Hadar tank still in hot persuit.

Hurley grumbles at the response, but audibly responds, "Keep working on it, please. In case of communications jamming, prepare for entire team beamout - if you can get it worked out. Away team out." Chewing on her lower lip, she looks at Green. "Ana's got a point, Tay. They look slow, and I have no other bright ideas."

Idrani points to the power lines overhead. "Those electrical conduits. Can we get enough time for someone else to take over piloting and Green to take a shot?"

"I meant," Tay clarifies for Lopez, "To use it once we got rid of the pursuers, as we check out the caves." She nods once, a little more careful during the leftward veer. "You know, they might stop chasing us if we stop heading toward their bloody precious facility long enough to make them think it's not our destination." She spares a very quick glance toward the power units Idrani speaks of, and ends up looking dubious.

Lopez says, "Any chance we can spin this thing, and blow by them going the other direction? Its mid-afternoon, they can see for miles... And whoever's at this facility probably knows we're coming by now."

The tank loses some ground on the turn, but remains in persuit. The firing, at least, has stopped for the moment.

Shamash looks behind him and to the tank, then back to the team "We need to get past the transport inhibitors in any case. In the current situation, getting out of here in one piece remains the first priority as long as we are followed by that tank."

Green glances back over her shoulder toward the tank for a brief second, then her lips thin. There's a moment of frantic fiddling, then she gets the car in neutral and lets it coast. "Ana, take the wheel! Gimme." She beckons for the weapon, carefully getting a knee up onto the driver's seat.

GAME: Tallon contests her Personal Equipment/Medical Tricorder vs Moderate and Marginally Fails.

Tallon looks up, "This is strange... this tells me we're in some sort of pool... ketracel white perhaps?"

GAME: Lopez spends a courage point.

GAME: Lopez contests her Vehicle Operations+A vs Moderate and Marginally Fails.

Grab the wheel? "What?" Lopez, currently still looking backwards over a parent's nightmare (the back seat), twists around as though with a rubberized middle. She tosses herself to grasp the wheel-- but does so trying to lean around bodies. The grip is awkward... and she doesn't even have her permit! So they don't hit anything, but they are not going to stay in control long this way. Their path becomes wobbly.

As Tallon speaks, the road the car is on passes into an area with a park on either side. There's no ketracel white to be seen -- just green plants. Of course, the tank remains in hot persuit -- and even starts to gain ground.

Shamash swears at the stunt of Greens, but clinging to the car he is not in much of a position to do anything about it. "Paine... We could really use that transport now." For much more the time does not suffice.

"Ketracel white?!" Hurley shouts over her shoulder, communicator tossed back to Shamash. "Are you /sure/? *Where*? Oh prophets, if it's in this car, I'm going to..." the thought isn't finished, but Chris ducks under Lopez as the two do a dance of pure grace around each other while she looks under the seat, along the floor, anywhere where it might be stashed.

Idrani hands the gun up toward Green. Her antennae shift in Tallon's direction, then Hurley.

GAME: Lopez contests her Vehicle Operations+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

GAME: Green spends a courage point.

GAME: Green contests her Projectile Weapon+A vs Moderate and Succeeds.

Green twists in her seat, upon one knee, and takes careful aim at an approaching electrical conduit. She only lets out one burst of bullets before dropping the weapon and spinning again to try to regain control of the wobbly car, shifting it back into gear and hitting the gas again. "Thanks, Ana!" Tay doesn't even bother looking to see the power lines that fall, sparking. "Chris, how far have we gone, ya think? Could we be over those caves yet?"

Tallon nods, "Pretty sure, it's probably right under us, and would explain why they're still chasing us."

"They're gaining..." Lopez says anxiously, and unnecessarily as Green lets loose a burst of weaponsfire. Noodle-armed problems over, she sits tight in her seat.

The power lines fall onto the tank, causing a massive amount of sparks and electrical discharge before fire erupts from the tank and it nosedives, rather spectacularly, and at a high rate of speed, into the pavement -- then explodes. The explosion sends shrapnel everywhere, including a massive piece of turret that threatens to overtake the car -- and indeed, is on the verge of doing so....

...when suddenly, there's a sonic boom overhead and the sickening feeling of being accelerated forward and upward all at the same time, and the ground drops away.

The Thomas Paine has arrived, and grips the car safely in a tractor beam as it banks hard and races back toward the stars.

"It would more so explain why they are not /firing/ upon us either.", Shamash mentions just before the second stunt happens and he clings even more towards the car. Being on the outside of the vehicle sure is not all that nice. "About time.." He starts to ease after some initial panic. "Nice shooting, Green." He fingers the combadge again, "What is your status, Paine. Can you get us on board.. while i like flying... i prefer to be inside the vehicle when doing so..."

"This is *not* an acceptable shuttle!" Hurley shouts to the sky, as if they're going to hear her, then, a little calmer, "I think they figured something out."

Idrani makes sure that Tallon is secure inside the car, for obvious reasons. "Well, they shouldn't have left their 'white unsecured in the vehicle."

Green blinks a bit, peering upwards. She lets out a deep breath and sits back in her seat, taking up the Tommy gun to cradle. Two fingers tip a salute sort of gesture toward Shamash. "Thank you, sir." Uh oh. She's starting to look thoughtful again, though the corners of her mouth twitch upward at Hurley's shout before being suppressed again.

Tallon nods to Idrani, glancing around as they're flown out, "They have good timing. I was beginning to wonder how much fuel was left in this contraption."

. o O Green thinks, "Was it ketracel Tallon was detecting? Or the stuff it's made of? What /do/ they make it from anyhow? And why in caves, for heavens' sake? Assuming that's what they're doing down there."

"Stand by for emergency beam-out," comes the voice out of the communicator, and the car fades away to be replaced by the transporter room on the Paine. "We've been ordered to return to the station, sir. Apparently, the Dominion is screaming over subspace about breach of the cease-fire to Starfleet Command. The mission's been scrubbed for the time being."

Lopez lets out a gusty little breath, that seems like out of place laughter. "Well... that was just about the only way this thing was going airborne, short of driving it off a cliff!" Nonetheless she holds on like someone riding a rollercoaster.

. o O Hurley thinks, "Hmmm. Breach of cease-fire, hmm? Let's see. They fired first. We didn't return fire."

Shamash says, "No wonder, actually. Though I had hoped we were left to have some more time to investigate." he nods to the person manning the transport. "Set course without delay, however do a in depth scan of the indicated area before breaking orbit.""

. o O Shamash thinks, "first i was glad i did not bring phasers, then i cursed myself for not allowing them. Now I am glad once more. For it was most certainly the Dominion who shot first."

Hurley releases a puff of breath. "Breach of cease-fire indeed. I'd like to see the contents of this cease-fire and see where in it, they're allowed to fire on us on a planet in Federation space after they've taken control of the government." She pauses and glances to Idrani, then Green. "I have a feeling this is leading to big, big trouble."

Idrani shrugs. "Cease fire won't last anyway. It's just a matter of time." She glances at Shamash, "I wouldn't be too worried about their claim, in this matter. They fired first. If they argue that we stole their 'white, we didn't know it was in the vehicle and they fired on us before we departed in it. As far as the legalities go, that's why they're calling this a 'protectorate'. They're here by independent agreement with the local government. That's legal. From a tactical standpoint, it's disasterous. But I wonder if there's 'white in those caves, perhaps. That could account for the military presence. That's some fairly significant ground support, those tanks."

Green snorts softly, but doesn't comment on the breach of cease-fire accusation. She does remark to the transporter crewman, "And have them set that vehicle down /gently/, or drop it in the ocean. No need to be destroying Iotian people or property down there with a meteor in the shape of a... whatchamacallit." Tay is very big on fancy technical terms, obviously. "Automobile. And we don't know if there /was/ any white in that thing, unless I missed something somewhere." Nodding grim agreement to Hurley, she glances down at herself in her gangster outfit for a moment. "Chris, before I turn this weapon over to security... can you get a holo of me in this get-up?"

Tallon looks around at the transporter room, glad to be in some safety. But she's on the floor. She finds her cane and tries to stand, "Please notify the station to have my backup hoverchair waiting for me."

Lopez smiles. "Joyriding Gangster, Tay Green."

Trailing streamers of atmosphere, the Thomas Paine screams into orbit, then jumps to warp speed -- headed for home before any Dominion fighters launch in persuit.

Sigma Iotia II, in the meantime, remains firmly under the control of the Dominion; for how long is anyone's guess.