S:5 E:9 - The Naked When

[Zhukdrashar Mrekrerhas]

[Ensign Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas | Deck Nine | Corridor | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Just then, the Kranu sent a burst that took out the Challenger's front shields. This took everybody by surprise, and the front shields were enough; just as T'Kel was trying to figure out what hit them, troops of Tal Shiar and Reman boarders beamed aboard. Nirreen beamed in front of the command staff, aiming her disruptor at both of them. Nira stood up and stood forward before Ian, an effort to protect him, and Nirreen aimed her disruptor at her, keeping her at bay. Nira was astonished as well as intimidated; Nirreen was exactly the same height.

"Nice try," said Nirreen with a sneer. "We did anticipate you'd try antigravitons when Nakir decided on having the satellites have self-replicating capabilities in an attack."

"So the Tal Shiar's working with this Nakir," Nira said with narrowed eyes.

"We may not think much of Remans," said Nirreen, "but Nakir can be charming when he can be. Thelal regrets not tending to Galloway in person, at least he has the sense to be more concerned about the welfare of his ship. He did also convey his anticipating spinning on the wreckage of this 'antique.' Like spinning on one's grave."

Nira was looking subtly around. The boarders had everybody at gunpoint. She felt that if she could, it would be best to try to keep Nirreen busy, or even try to hold her in gunpoint in turn. She probably guessed there were more boarders out to sabotage the deflector array.

Meanwhile, a group of Romulans were taken by surprise when they ran into Zhuk, who was on the way to the armory...

Ensign Zhukdra'shar used his tail and his arms to keep himself steady while he sprinted towards the Armory, believing the situation to be more critical than he originally expected, considering how the disruptors and torpedoes were rocking the ship. It seemed as if things would not carry on as smoothly as they had with the previous confrontation against the Kranu. He just hoped that it wouldn't end with a fiery explosion with him and the rest of the crew inside. Quickly, he shook his head to clear it. Those intrusive thoughts had to go. It was not the moment to dwell with such negative ideas.

Suddenly, a particularly severe tremor forced him to stop both his thoughts and movements, to prevent himself from landing face-first into the floor. What he wasn't expecting, however, was that in front of him, a blur of particles began to manifest. They took but a few seconds to materialize into a group of Romulans, which seemed almost as surprised as the Caitian was to meet them face-to-face. Of course, with their Romulan disruptors in hand, their intent was clear. They were a boarding party, meant to wrestle the Challenger from the Federation's hands, or outright destroy it.

Outgunned and outnumbered, Ensign Zhukdra'shar proceeded to frown towards the Romulans as his ears flattened to appear smaller, lowering his form and tucking his tail in between his legs, much to his chagrin, showing submission towards them.

"Jolan tru," He spoke, in a greeting towards the group, his tone remaining neutral, even if his body language was not particularly friendly."I did not expect to meet such distinguished troopers up until my arrival upon thy vessel. Your arrival within the USS Challenger is... unexpected, to say the least. In any case, I have been trained in diverse types of welcoming guests, as... unwanted as they may be. Allow me to raise thee the following question: How would you like to be welcomed? As per Orion, Romulan, or Starfleet custom?"

A cheeky smile appeared on his muzzle, his senses honed towards them, in order to dodge out of the way in the case that they were unwilling to accept his surrender. Or he saw an opening to allow him to strike in a setting that favored him. For now, though, he would play along.

"Perhaps I can... be of use. If you decide to not eliminate me with your disruptors. I after all, have served Romulans before, let me reassure you..."

[Nira Said]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian smiled at the Romulan and spoke in a friendly disarming tone.

"If'n you think you have captured us, you underestimate our ship's computer. In fact I suppose if`n I had ta isolate the situation as a means of communication, those disruptors sure give me the right ta hand it ta you why you think that."

As Ian spoke, he carefully stressed certain words and was nervously drumming his fingers on the command chair. When he finished speaking, he kept tapping his right index finger, but the rhythm had changed. The tapping looked random, but in fact, it was Morse code.

.. -. - .-. ..- -.. . .-. / .- .-.. . .-. - .-.-.- / -... . .- -- / .- .-.. .-.. / ... - .- .-. ..-. .-.. . . - / .--. . .-. ... --- -. -. . .-.. / - --- / -.. . -.-. -.- / - .-- --- .-.-.- / .-.. --- -.-. -.- / - ..- .-. -... --- .-.. .. ..-. - .-.-.- / ..-. .-.. --- --- -.. / -... .-. .. -.. --. . / .-- .. - .... / .- -. . ... - .... . --.. .. -. . / --. .- ... /.. -- -- . -.. .. .- - . .-.. -.--

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

Lahr watched as the Caitian wasted no time in following orders to prepare for a boarding action.  For a moment, the Caitian's sprint reminded Lahr of another hurrying Caitian - M'lenda.  The Andorian squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to block the traumatic images from replaying in his mind.   This was not the time for a mental breakdown.   By the time he opened his eyes again, Zhuk was gone.  Lahr silently wished him good luck before returning attention to his console and incoming call from T'Vaan and the Free State ship.

News of the additional help was a relief.  Especially given the battering they were receiving.  Lahr was thinking it had been smart of Tharn to have both warp cores going to keep up with the power needs of this battle - when the unthinkable happened.

The blast from the Khranu shook up the ship something fierce and Lahr was just turning his attention to the internal sensor readings to see what, if any damage, had been caused by it.  The first thing he noted was that the front shields were down.  Even as his mind was thinking of how to correct for this, Lahr heard that distinct sound of an incoming Romulan transporter.  Roohz! This was not good!

Lahr quickly opened a comm line to Hyperion, who was on his way up to the Bridge, to warn him away.

That's when Commander Said's doppleganger appeared with weapons pointed towards the Command Team.

Other boarders had arrived with Said's body double, and while Nirreen traded words with Commander Said and the Captain, Lahr and the other Bridge crew were being ordered by these Tal Shiar and Reman boarders to step away from their consoles.

Rather than step away, Lahr stayed in his seat but leaned back - almost casually against the back of his chair.  He raised his hands in a seeming show of surrender, before transforming the move into a yawning stretch of his arms.  After his slow stretch, Lahr folded his hands behind his head in a very relaxed manner.

Ever the smart-aleck, Lahr couldn't help but mock the Romulan and her poor use of colloquial language.

"Totally butchered that phrase" He commented with a chuckle.  Then called out to Nirreen. "Hey Hotstuff! It's either 'spinning IN one grave' meaning he's angry at the situation... or 'SPITTING on one's grave' which is the rude insult Thelal probably meant.  But it's not surprising that you Romulans get it mixed up.  Federation Standard can be a difficult language to learn, there are three year olds that struggle with it." he stated deadpan.

When the Captain spoke up, Lahr glanced over and for a moment was a bit puzzled by the Captain's odd stressing of certain words.  Then it clicked.  Question was... would the Computer actually pick up on it.

The Andorian's antennae twitched a little as he deciphered the tapped out morse cord message intended for the ship's computer to enact.  What was it with Humans and this fascination with dots and dashes?

As the message came to an end, Lahr waited in anticipation for the ordered beam out.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Buck grimaced as the ship rocked, his knuckles turning white as he grasped hold; anticipating something far worse than what came to be the burst which took out their front shields. He had gone to move but was stopped in his tracks by the weaponry that gave their uninvited guests the advantage. There was not much that he could do as he stared at the Reman planted in front of him, weapon steady. He wondered whether or not T'Prith had any better luck and could get to a nearby console to help.

But, his eye and attention was caught by the Andorian's antennae twitching and frowned, wondering whether or not he was picking up something or he was simply overthinking things in the moment.

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge >- Observation Lounge | Deck One >- Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira noticed how Ian was stressing some words in particular and began tapping in a specific way. Nira recognized it at once: Morse Code. She learned the basics about it at the Academy. However, given the chance that Nirreen might know it, too, she moved closer and opened her mouth to get her attention, but Nirreen turned sharply at Lahr.

"Well, if you have to excuse my poor knowledge of Earth pronunciations, Andorian!" she called out at him.

"What especially intrigues me is how you managed to blow the forward shields off," said Nira.

"Oh, it's a modified beam weapon enhanced by Borg tech..." A very young uhlan near the science station started, but a beam sweep from Nirreen's disruptor sealed it shut. Nira was surprised at Nirreen's marksmanship.

Definitely an assassin, she thought. She's going to be a problem.

"You talk to much, uhlan," Nirreen snarled. "Rotar needs work on keeping lips sealed or else I'll do that for them..."

But her words faltered when she saw some blue beams out of the corner of her eyes. She saw the whole bridge crew being transported away. Given how close she was to Nira and she had nanoseconds, and given she was trained to act quickly and to develop quick reflexes, excellent traits in being an assassin, Nirren grabbed hold of Nira and was beamed out of the bridge with her.

"Surprise!" she tittered in triumph.

The rest of the Romulans were taken by surprise both by the beam out and the distribution of the knockout gas that incapacitated them.

Within moments, the whole bridge crew was beamed into the observation lounge...along with Nirreen, holding onto Nira and then bringing her down into a wrestle. Nira managed to break from Nirreen's embrace by butting her in the head, then rolling behind her, drawing her knives, and then putting the blades to the assassin's neck in a threatening way.

"Well," said Nirreen after a moment. "You've got some moves, Nira. And that's very clever of you, Galloway. But I highly doubt you'll do a thing on the bridge now, especially after my troops take care of the deflector array."

"So you do, do you?" said Nira.

Nirreen only smiled, the smile of a cobra ready to strike. "It never ceases to amaze me, the cleverness of humans." As she kept talking, Nira noticed her arm. Nirreen dropped the disruptor and proceeded to withdraw another...

Nira managed to press the withdrawn knife against Nirreen as the Romulan got out her own knife.

"You're not the only one who knows knife combat, Nira," sneered Nirreen.

"And yet, you seem to miss out on an old Romulan saying," said Nira. "Never turn your back on a Breen."

Nireen curled her lip and retorted, "Oh, please, we're nowhere near Breen sp..."

But suddenly, the saying sunk in, and she was noticing Nira looking behind her...ducking from the blades, she whirled around and slashed Savar's hand, extended and aiming for a spot on her neck, ready for a nerve pinch, and she ran out of the observation lounge, leaping up and over the table and shoving McNair and Lahr aside as she made her escape. Nira ran after her as T'Kel made the call.

"Security to Decks Two and to the Deflector Array," she called.

[Ensign Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas | Deck Nine | Corridor | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Ensign Zhukdra'shar used his tail and his arms to keep himself steady while he sprinted towards the Armory, believing the situation to be more critical than he originally expected, considering how the disruptors and torpedoes were rocking the ship. It seemed as if things would not carry on as smoothly as they had with the previous confrontation against the Kranu. He just hoped that it wouldn't end with a fiery explosion with him and the rest of the crew inside. Quickly, he shook his head to clear it. Those intrusive thoughts had to go. It was not the moment to dwell with such negative ideas.

Suddenly, a particularly severe tremor forced him to stop both his thoughts and movements, to prevent himself from landing face-first into the floor. What he wasn't expecting, however, was that in front of him, a blur of particles began to manifest. They took but a few seconds to materialize into a group of Romulans, which seemed almost as surprised as the Caitian was to meet them face-to-face. Of course, with their Romulan disruptors in hand, their intent was clear. They were a boarding party, meant to wrestle the Challenger from the Federation's hands, or outright destroy it.

Outgunned and outnumbered, Ensign Zhukdra'shar proceeded to frown towards the Romulans as his ears flattened to appear smaller, lowering his form and tucking his tail in between his legs, much to his chagrin, showing submission towards them.

"Jolan tru," He spoke, in a greeting towards the group, his tone remaining neutral, even if his body language was not particularly friendly."I did not expect to meet such distinguished troopers up until my arrival upon thy vessel. Your arrival within the USS Challenger is... unexpected, to say the least. In any case, I have been trained in diverse types of welcoming guests, as... unwanted as they may be. Allow me to raise thee the following question: How would you like to be welcomed? As per Orion, Romulan, or Starfleet custom?"

A cheeky smile appeared on his muzzle, his senses honed towards them, in order to dodge out of the way in the case that they were unwilling to accept his surrender. Or he saw an opening to allow him to strike in a setting that favored him. For now, though, he would play along.

"Perhaps I can... be of use. If you decide to not eliminate me with your disruptors. I after all, have served Romulans before, let me reassure you..."

The Romulan troopers were quite surprised to run into Zhuk and were even more surprised at his disarming words. Further words made one of them have a dawning of understanding.

"Ah. A former slave, I take it?" he asked. "And a Caitian to boot. I've seen your kind in the markets," he added with a sneer. "Surround him."

The four Romulans surrounded Zhuk, but then they perked at a shout. "What are you four doing?!?" Nireen called. "Leave him! He's not worth it!"

Nirreen had run past, shoving Zhuk out of the way and snarling, "Out of my way, Caitian!" And she gestured to the officers and shouted, "With me!" And with that, they took off, following her.

Nira, in pursuit, slowed long enough to tell Zhuk the same words and gestured for him to follow her, and then she kept up her chase.

[Bridge - USS Galaxy]

T'Lara sat at the science station on the Galaxy, dutifully keeping watch of the Challenger and the Free State ship. She hadn't expected to be interfering in a political conflict on the way over to her transfer, but she supposed the odds were high as they were in Romulan space. She was reminded of the many similar instances she experienced on the Discovery, and was slightly comforted by the fact that she wasn't in the command seat this time around.

Hearing the strange Scottish words uttered by the admiral, she looked up from her musings and took a moment to decipher what she heard. She hadn't paid much attention to her commanding officer, simply following orders and going about her business on what was supposed to be a simple trip. Now she looked more closely at the man with the salt and pepper hair, sharp cheekbones, and intense glare. He was different from most human admirals she'd encountered, and his stern countenance was one she was used to.

"I would need more information from several components of the situation to give an accurate answer, Admiral, however I would advise against pushing the engines past capacity. In my experience, Starfleet crews have an impeccable ability to hold their own in seemingly dire situations. I expect my new assignment is no different."

The Vulcan gave a slight nod as her eyes slid back to the console and watched their ETA decrease slightly with the increase of ship speed. She knew the chief engineer would push the limits like they always seemed to do, so she kept a wary eye out for any trouble afoot.

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

Admiral Gillespie turned around and got a good look at T'Lara.

"If you're trying to say, in a nutshell, 'the Galaxy is going to fly apart,' then fly her apart, then," he said. "And...oh, sorry lass, I forgot about yehr pips. You're looking at a man who never grew soft even behind a desk in Starfleet Security, Commander."

That was, in point of fact, true. A high member of Starfleet Security, Admiral Gillespie always took as many chances to get away from his desk in San Fransisco when he could. It was necessary to keep to his toes, especially in light of the exposure of Commodore Oh as a Romulan infiltrator.

The trio of ships, two Defiants and an Akira, even with the Galaxy's boosted speeds, arrived before the flagship did. Gillespie smiled with satisfaction as the task force opened fire. He noticed the Challenger wasn't engaging...

"What the devil's wrong with Galloway?" he said. "Open a channel to the Challenger."

[Ian Galloway]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge >- Observation Lounge | Deck One >- Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira noticed how Ian was stressing some words in particular and began tapping in a specific way. Nira recognized it at once: Morse Code. She learned the basics about it at the Academy. However, given the chance that Nirreen might know it, too, she moved closer and opened her mouth to get her attention, but Nirreen turned sharply at Lahr.

"Well, if you have to excuse my poor knowledge of Earth pronunciations, Andorian!" she called out at him.

"What especially intrigues me is how you managed to blow the forward shields off," said Nira.

"Oh, it's a modified beam weapon enhanced by Borg tech..." A very young uhlan near the science station started, but a beam sweep from Nirreen's disruptor sealed it shut. Nira was surprised at Nirreen's marksmanship.

Definitely an assassin, she thought. She's going to be a problem.

"You talk to much, uhlan," Nirreen snarled. "Rotar needs work on keeping lips sealed or else I'll do that for them..."

But her words faltered when she saw some blue beams out of the corner of her eyes. She saw the whole bridge crew being transported away. Given how close she was to Nira and she had nanoseconds, and given she was trained to act quickly and to develop quick reflexes, excellent traits in being an assassin, Nirren grabbed hold of Nira and was beamed out of the bridge with her.

"Surprise!" she tittered in triumph.

The rest of the Romulans were taken by surprise both by the beam out and the distribution of the knockout gas that incapacitated them.

Within moments, the whole bridge crew was beamed into the observation lounge...along with Nirreen, holding onto Nira and then bringing her down into a wrestle. Nira managed to break from Nirreen's embrace by butting her in the head, then rolling behind her, drawing her knives, and then putting the blades to the assassin's neck in a threatening way.

"Well," said Nirreen after a moment. "You've got some moves, Nira. And that's very clever of you, Galloway. But I highly doubt you'll do a thing on the bridge now, especially after my troops take care of the deflector array."

"So you do, do you?" said Nira.

Nirreen only smiled, the smile of a cobra ready to strike. "It never ceases to amaze me, the cleverness of humans." As she kept talking, Nira noticed her arm. Nirreen dropped the disruptor and proceeded to withdraw another...

Nira managed to press the withdrawn knife against Nirreen as the Romulan got out her own knife.

"You're not the only one who knows knife combat, Nira," sneered Nirreen.

"And yet, you seem to miss out on an old Romulan saying," said Nira. "Never turn your back on a Breen."

Nireen curled her lip and retorted, "Oh, please, we're nowhere near Breen sp..."

But suddenly, the saying sunk in, and she was noticing Nira looking behind her...ducking from the blades, she whirled around and slashed Savar's hand, extended and aiming for a spot on her neck, ready for a nerve pinch, and she ran out of the observation lounge, leaping up and over the table and shoving McNair and Lahr aside as she made her escape. Nira ran after her as T'Kel made the call.

"Security to Decks Two and to the Deflector Array," she called.
The Romulan troopers were quite surprised to run into Zhuk and were even more surprised at his disarming words. Further words made one of them have a dawning of understanding.

"Ah. A former slave, I take it?" he asked. "And a Caitian to boot. I've seen your kind in the markets," he added with a sneer. "Surround him."

The four Romulans surrounded Zhuk, but then they perked at a shout. "What are you four doing?!?" Nireen called. "Leave him! He's not worth it!"

Nirreen had run past, shoving Zhuk out of the way and snarling, "Out of my way, Caitian!" And she gestured to the officers and shouted, "With me!" And with that, they took off, following her.

Nira, in pursuit, slowed long enough to tell Zhuk the same words and gestured for him to follow her, and then she kept up her chase.

[Observation Lounge - Deck Two - USS Challenger]

Ian was relieved his use of Morse worked, but the Tal Shiar agent was proving to be resourceful. He growled and tapped his combadge.

"Computer, lock on ta all Romulan lifesigns not currently on the bridge and beam them back ta their flagship! Raise forcefields around the primary deflector array. Site ta site transport of me ta auxiliary control."

If'n the shields on the Romulan flagship were up, that's goin' ta be the Romulan's problem." Ian thought before he called out to Nira as the transporter took him.

"Nira, do whatever is necessary ta stop that Siursachd!"

When Ian appeared in auxiliary control, he waved Lieutenant jg Miammaso Ozoim who was in command back to her seat.

"Helm, hard over ta port! Your course is 275 mark 25! Full impulse! Raise standard shields until Engineerin' can get point of impact back online!"

Ian then tapped his combadge again.

"Dashlish, I need point of impact yesterday!"

"Tell me something I don't know!"

The Tellerite engineer snarled back.

"Got it, your workin' on it. Galloway out."

Ian chuckled at Tharn's irascible response.

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

Admiral Gillespie turned around and got a good look at T'Lara.

"If you're trying to say, in a nutshell, 'the Galaxy is going to fly apart,' then fly her apart, then," he said. "And...oh, sorry lass, I forgot about yehr pips. You're looking at a man who never grew soft even behind a desk in Starfleet Security, Commander."

That was, in point of fact, true. A high member of Starfleet Security, Admiral Gillespie always took as many chances to get away from his desk in San Fransisco when he could. It was necessary to keep to his toes, especially in light of the exposure of Commodore Oh as a Romulan infiltrator.

The trio of ships, two Defiants and an Akira, even with the Galaxy's boosted speeds, arrived before the flagship did. Gillespie smiled with satisfaction as the task force opened fire. He noticed the Challenger wasn't engaging...

"What the devil's wrong with Galloway?" he said. "Open a channel to the Challenger."

[Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

Ian had just finished speaking with engineering when the call came in from the Galaxy.

"Challenger here. We've had a spot of bother with some Romulan boarders Sir, we're still in control and will be able ta re-engage by the time you arrive."

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge >>>> Deck 2 - Observation Lounge]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge >- Observation Lounge | Deck One >- Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira noticed how Ian was stressing some words in particular and began tapping in a specific way. Nira recognized it at once: Morse Code. She learned the basics about it at the Academy. However, given the chance that Nirreen might know it, too, she moved closer and opened her mouth to get her attention, but Nirreen turned sharply at Lahr.

"Well, if you have to excuse my poor knowledge of Earth pronunciations, Andorian!" she called out at him.

"What especially intrigues me is how you managed to blow the forward shields off," said Nira.

"Oh, it's a modified beam weapon enhanced by Borg tech..." A very young uhlan near the science station started, but a beam sweep from Nirreen's disruptor sealed it shut. Nira was surprised at Nirreen's marksmanship.

Definitely an assassin, she thought. She's going to be a problem.

"You talk to much, uhlan," Nirreen snarled. "Rotar needs work on keeping lips sealed or else I'll do that for them..."

But her words faltered when she saw some blue beams out of the corner of her eyes. She saw the whole bridge crew being transported away. Given how close she was to Nira and she had nanoseconds, and given she was trained to act quickly and to develop quick reflexes, excellent traits in being an assassin, Nirren grabbed hold of Nira and was beamed out of the bridge with her.

"Surprise!" she tittered in triumph.

The rest of the Romulans were taken by surprise both by the beam out and the distribution of the knockout gas that incapacitated them.

Within moments, the whole bridge crew was beamed into the observation lounge...along with Nirreen, holding onto Nira and then bringing her down into a wrestle. Nira managed to break from Nirreen's embrace by butting her in the head, then rolling behind her, drawing her knives, and then putting the blades to the assassin's neck in a threatening way.

"Well," said Nirreen after a moment. "You've got some moves, Nira. And that's very clever of you, Galloway. But I highly doubt you'll do a thing on the bridge now, especially after my troops take care of the deflector array."

"So you do, do you?" said Nira.

Nirreen only smiled, the smile of a cobra ready to strike. "It never ceases to amaze me, the cleverness of humans." As she kept talking, Nira noticed her arm. Nirreen dropped the disruptor and proceeded to withdraw another...

Nira managed to press the withdrawn knife against Nirreen as the Romulan got out her own knife.

"You're not the only one who knows knife combat, Nira," sneered Nirreen.

"And yet, you seem to miss out on an old Romulan saying," said Nira. "Never turn your back on a Breen."

Nireen curled her lip and retorted, "Oh, please, we're nowhere near Breen sp..."

But suddenly, the saying sunk in, and she was noticing Nira looking behind her...ducking from the blades, she whirled around and slashed Savar's hand, extended and aiming for a spot on her neck, ready for a nerve pinch, and she ran out of the observation lounge, leaping up and over the table and shoving McNair and Lahr aside as she made her escape. Nira ran after her as T'Kel made the call.

"Security to Decks Two and to the Deflector Array," she called.

The beam out took most of the Romulans by surprise but not Nira's 'evil twin'.   Lahr noted with a grimace that she'd managed to grab onto Nira and beam out with her to the Observation Lounge.   Lahr should have been concerned but Nira seemed to have things under control.  So, while Nirreen faced off against Nira, Lahr did a quick check over the rest of the bridge officers.  Yep, all accounted for.

With his interim duty on the Bridge abruptly ended, Lahr knew as just an enlisted engineer, he was expected to gear up and join one of the damage control teams.  He headed towards the exit, figuring they've need an extra hand to help repair the shields.  "It's been a slice!  My excellence is needed elsewhere" the Andorian bid farewell to his Operational buddies - Buck and T'Prith - and gave the remaining officers a jaunty wave.

It was at the moment that he was shoved aside as Nirreen bolted for the exit,  with Nira hot on her heels.  "Hey! Watch it!" But Nirreen was out the door.

For a moment, the situation stirred the Andorian into thinking about giving chase as well... but that wasn't his job anymore..  nor was sitting the bridge really...  Nope, his job now was to fix things when they were broken - like the forward shields.

[Observation Lounge - Deck Two - USS Challenger]

Ian was relieved his use of Morse worked, but the Tal Shiar agent was proving to be resourceful. He growled and tapped his combadge.

"Computer, lock on ta all Romulan lifesigns not currently on the bridge and beam them back ta their flagship! Raise forcefields around the primary deflector array. Site ta site transport of me ta auxiliary control."

If'n the shields on the Romulan flagship were up, that's goin' ta be the Romulan's problem." Ian thought before he called out to Nira as the transporter took him.

"Nira, do whatever is necessary ta stop that Siursachd!"

And off Nira went.   As Lahr made his own way out of the Lounge, his comm badge chimed.  It was Hyperion letting him know that he was stuck on the turbolift to the Bridge.  Lahr couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that.

"Sorry, buddy.  Seems like you'll just have to wait this one out.   We got our hands full with Romulan boarders.  If you do happen to make it to the Bridge.  Keep the Romulans there under guard until security arrives.  If they start to wake have the computer dose them again with anesthezine.  Lahr out."

Lahr then had the computer direct him to Damage Control Team One and set off at a jog to rejoin his team.   His time on the Bridge had been brief but memorable.   He had some fun stories to tell Ruth when he saw her next.

[Zhukdrashar Mrekrerhas]

[Ensign Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas | Deck Nine | Corridor | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Bridge >- Observation Lounge | Deck One >- Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

The Romulan troopers were quite surprised to run into Zhuk and were even more surprised at his disarming words. Further words made one of them have a dawning of understanding.

"Ah. A former slave, I take it?" he asked. "And a Caitian to boot. I've seen your kind in the markets," he added with a sneer. "Surround him."

The four Romulans surrounded Zhuk, but then they perked at a shout. "What are you four doing?!?" Nireen called. "Leave him! He's not worth it!"

Nirreen had run past, shoving Zhuk out of the way and snarling, "Out of my way, Caitian!" And she gestured to the officers and shouted, "With me!" And with that, they took off, following her.

Nira, in pursuit, slowed long enough to tell Zhuk the same words and gestured for him to follow her, and then she kept up her chase.
[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

Admiral Gillespie turned around and got a good look at T'Lara.

"If you're trying to say, in a nutshell, 'the Galaxy is going to fly apart,' then fly her apart, then," he said. "And...oh, sorry lass, I forgot about yehr pips. You're looking at a man who never grew soft even behind a desk in Starfleet Security, Commander."

That was, in point of fact, true. A high member of Starfleet Security, Admiral Gillespie always took as many chances to get away from his desk in San Fransisco when he could. It was necessary to keep to his toes, especially in light of the exposure of Commodore Oh as a Romulan infiltrator.

The trio of ships, two Defiants and an Akira, even with the Galaxy's boosted speeds, arrived before the flagship did. Gillespie smiled with satisfaction as the task force opened fire. He noticed the Challenger wasn't engaging...

"What the devil's wrong with Galloway?" he said. "Open a channel to the Challenger."

Zhuk couldn't believe it for a moment. The Romulans had actually fallen for his ruse! Well, he had been honest about his history, but the fact that he had managed to hid his disdain for them in order to pull a fast one on them made him swell with pride. At the questioning of one of the Romulans, he meekly nodded. He lowered his gaze as the quartet surrounded him, ready to be grabbed or taken elsewhere, his claws slowly beginning to slide out of his fingers. His ears wiggled slightly, ready to capitalize on any action he could take.

And then, shouting.

He sharply glanced up in the direction of the woman's voice, discovering that Nira was coming his way. Wait a moment, that certainly didn't said like Lieutenant Commander Nira's voice, not quite. And why was she ordering the Romulans around...?

Zhuk's questioning and hesitation to strike got the best of him when she proved not to be Nira, but instead an impostor, fully confirming his theory. It was too late to do anything about it, however, as he was sent barreling into the floor with surprising strength. He grunted as he crashed into the floor and the wall, shaking his head to recover after a moment. Oh, she had done it. He was now flush with anger, as he quickly shook his head, hissing over at the escaping double and her apparent Romulan escort. Taking a moment to recover, he perceived Commander Lieutenant Nira slowing down slightly to instruct him to follow, which he soon did as he jumped back on his feet.

Baring his teeth, he fell into a sprint, unwilling to allow them to escape. He procured his Type-2 phaser from its sheathe on the right side of his leg, and fired twice at the closest Romulan, his weapon set to stun. Zhuk both sought to acquire another weapon, in order to better protect himself and Nira, while also stopping whatever ill-intent the Romulans had within the ship.

As he ran, constantly shifting from left to right, he sought to keep himself out of the disruptor's way, while replying with his own fire whenever it was possible.

"Apologies Lieutenant Commander, I do not wish to be a bother at the time being, but I would appreciate if a sit-rep was provided! Do you know what they seek?!"

[Buck McNair]

[Bridge > Observation Lounge | USS Challenger]

Buck had been unceremoniously shoved aside when the boarder lookalike to Commander Said had barged past her on the way over, hitting himself against his console panel. Though, seemed like a few seconds later the familiar feeling of being beamed out had marginally interrupted the fight between Said and her evil twin before they scrambled to their feet and rushed on out.

Glancing around, briefly the thought of giving chase to provide the Commander with back up had passed through his mind, though he would be little use to her. "Cap'n," Buck turned to the familiar features of their captain. "Permission to go back to the bridge to lend an assist there?"

[Nira Said]

[Observation Lounge - Deck Two - USS Challenger]

Ian was relieved his use of Morse worked, but the Tal Shiar agent was proving to be resourceful. He growled and tapped his combadge.

"Computer, lock on ta all Romulan lifesigns not currently on the bridge and beam them back ta their flagship! Raise forcefields around the primary deflector array. Site ta site transport of me ta auxiliary control."

If'n the shields on the Romulan flagship were up, that's goin' ta be the Romulan's problem." Ian thought before he called out to Nira as the transporter took him.

"Nira, do whatever is necessary ta stop that Siursachd!"

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge >>>> Deck 2 - Observation Lounge]

The beam out took most of the Romulans by surprise but not Nira's 'evil twin'.   Lahr noted with a grimace that she'd managed to grab onto Nira and beam out with her to the Observation Lounge.   Lahr should have been concerned but Nira seemed to have things under control.  So, while Nirreen faced off against Nira, Lahr did a quick check over the rest of the bridge officers.  Yep, all accounted for.

With his interim duty on the Bridge abruptly ended, Lahr knew as just an enlisted engineer, he was expected to gear up and join one of the damage control teams.  He headed towards the exit, figuring they've need an extra hand to help repair the shields.  "It's been a slice!  My excellence is needed elsewhere" the Andorian bid farewell to his Operational buddies - Buck and T'Prith - and gave the remaining officers a jaunty wave.

It was at the moment that he was shoved aside as Nirreen bolted for the exit,  with Nira hot on her heels.  "Hey! Watch it!" But Nirreen was out the door.

For a moment, the situation stirred the Andorian into thinking about giving chase as well... but that wasn't his job anymore..  nor was sitting the bridge really...  Nope, his job now was to fix things when they were broken - like the forward shields.

And off Nira went.

[Bridge > Observation Lounge | USS Challenger]

Buck had been unceremoniously shoved aside when the boarder lookalike to Commander Said had barged past her on the way over, hitting himself against his console panel. Though, seemed like a few seconds later the familiar feeling of being beamed out had marginally interrupted the fight between Said and her evil twin before they scrambled to their feet and rushed on out.

Glancing around, briefly the thought of giving chase to provide the Commander with back up had passed through his mind, though he would be little use to her. "Cap'n," Buck turned to the familiar features of their captain. "Permission to go back to the bridge to lend an assist there?"

[Ensign Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas | Deck Nine | Corridor | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Zhuk couldn't believe it for a moment. The Romulans had actually fallen for his ruse! Well, he had been honest about his history, but the fact that he had managed to hid his disdain for them in order to pull a fast one on them made him swell with pride. At the questioning of one of the Romulans, he meekly nodded. He lowered his gaze as the quartet surrounded him, ready to be grabbed or taken elsewhere, his claws slowly beginning to slide out of his fingers. His ears wiggled slightly, ready to capitalize on any action he could take.

And then, shouting.

He sharply glanced up in the direction of the woman's voice, discovering that Nira was coming his way. Wait a moment, that certainly didn't said like Lieutenant Commander Nira's voice, not quite. And why was she ordering the Romulans around...?

Zhuk's questioning and hesitation to strike got the best of him when she proved not to be Nira, but instead an impostor, fully confirming his theory. It was too late to do anything about it, however, as he was sent barreling into the floor with surprising strength. He grunted as he crashed into the floor and the wall, shaking his head to recover after a moment. Oh, she had done it. He was now flush with anger, as he quickly shook his head, hissing over at the escaping double and her apparent Romulan escort. Taking a moment to recover, he perceived Commander Lieutenant Nira slowing down slightly to instruct him to follow, which he soon did as he jumped back on his feet.

Baring his teeth, he fell into a sprint, unwilling to allow them to escape. He procured his Type-2 phaser from its sheathe on the right side of his leg, and fired twice at the closest Romulan, his weapon set to stun. Zhuk both sought to acquire another weapon, in order to better protect himself and Nira, while also stopping whatever ill-intent the Romulans had within the ship.

As he ran, constantly shifting from left to right, he sought to keep himself out of the disruptor's way, while replying with his own fire whenever it was possible.

"Apologies Lieutenant Commander, I do not wish to be a bother at the time being, but I would appreciate if a sit-rep was provided! Do you know what they seek?!"

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Corridors | Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

"I will!" Nira managed to call back as she ran, looking back and briefly seeing the bridge crew beam away. Probably to the secondary bridge - scratch that, auxiliary control - so Nira will be sure to meet them there.

Unfortunately, the beam-out order didn't work, given the shields on the flagship were still up...but were gradually being whittled down. Force fields managed to block away the boarders from Deflector Control.

With Zhuk at her side, she continued her pursuit. She could easily sense Zhuk's confusion, and it was understandable, seeing as he had just seen a lookalike of her run by before. She explained as best as she could in a run.

"They're seeking to sabotage the ship!" she said. "Specifically the deflector array! The satellites are self-replicating, so we were going to make an antigraviton bombardment, but then we lost front shields and they boarded us! And SHE is in the lead!"

Naturally, Nirreen was planning to head for the turbolifts and do her best to sound like Nira to ensure computer voice recognition, but the first turbolift she came across, a Security team stepped out. She tried to backtrack, but being stopped by the security team enabled Nira and Zhuk to catch up with them. The boarders found themselves trapped.

Nirreen, looking hastily around, barged into a set of empty quarters, the door of which had been jammed open from the crew's drunken spell; it hadn't been reached yet.

"Computer! Force field above boarders!" called Nira, ordering the specific section. Blocking the boarders from her, Nira and Zhuk followed Nirreen into the quarters, and Nirreen was looking desperately around.

"Trying to find Jefferies Tubes?" said Nira, mirroring Nirreen's sneer.

Nireen stopped and stared at Nira. She made for her disruptor, but Nira threw one of her knives and it stuck on the Romulan's jacket.

"Your boarding parties are contained," snarled Nira, indicating to Zhuk to stand at the door to keep Nirreen from escaping. Of course, she didn't know about the boarders at Deflector Control. Not yet, anyway. "It's just you and me now."

"Not counting the Caitian?" sneered Nirren.

"It's just us girls now," corrected Nira, twirling her knife in a combat stance.

Nirreen narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Knife to knife, is it?" she said as she removed her outer uniform and drew another knife. Then she got Nira's own knife out and flung it at her, but Nira managed to deflect it and then rolled to catch it. She was just in time to parry Nirreen's knife and get a hit from a slap of Nirreen's free hand.

Nira proceed to remove her own outer uniform and it was soon blade against blade.

This is going to be a tricky one, Nira thought to herself and analyzing her opponent. The knife's a lot smaller and she'll be more agile. Chances are, she'll get it into you more easily. Plus, she's bound to be stronger. Just watch the knife, that's what makes her the most dangerous.

[Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

Ian had just finished speaking with engineering when the call came in from the Galaxy.

"Challenger here. We've had a spot of bother with some Romulan boarders Sir, we're still in control and will be able ta re-engage by the time you arrive."

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

"Understood, laddie," replied Gillespie; he can never resist calling anybody under forty "laddie" or "lassie," given his age. While he would've liked to retire, the appeal to space kept him from doing so.

Meanwhile, the trio of ships was keeping up the assault. It was a matter of time before the shields were going down.

"Commander T'Lara?" he asked. "Report. How long before we can crack those shields?"

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge > Observation Lounge | USS Challenger]

Buck had been unceremoniously shoved aside when the boarder lookalike to Commander Said had barged past her on the way over, hitting himself against his console panel. Though, seemed like a few seconds later the familiar feeling of being beamed out had marginally interrupted the fight between Said and her evil twin before they scrambled to their feet and rushed on out.

Glancing around, briefly the thought of giving chase to provide the Commander with back up had passed through his mind, though he would be little use to her. "Cap'n," Buck turned to the familiar features of their captain. "Permission to go back to the bridge to lend an assist there?"

[Observation Lounge --> Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

As the annular confinement beam coalesced around him Ian called out to Buck.

"Take a security team. No chances. Stun the buggers and beam them ta the brig."

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

"Understood, laddie," replied Gillespie; he can never resist calling anybody under forty "laddie" or "lassie," given his age. While he would've liked to retire, the appeal to space kept him from doing so.

Meanwhile, the trio of ships was keeping up the assault. It was a matter of time before the shields were going down.

"Commander T'Lara?" he asked. "Report. How long before we can crack those shields?"

[Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

As the Challenger dove to port and came around, her standard shields were operational, which gave them the ability to fight again. Every fiber of Ian's being wanted to engage the Khranu, but that was not the admiral's intent. The squadron was focused on the battleship and that forced Ian's hand.

"Besides, that shield smashin' trick has got ta have a long cyclin' time. I doubt the Khranu will be able ta take a second shot any time soon."

He thought as he moved to watch the tactical display.

"Helm, I'm about ta give a set of orders I ken they do not teach at the Academy. Standby ta learn summat new. Ops, I want as much power as you can divert from the secondary warp core ta the structural integrity field, what I'm about ta do, Miss Challenger nae likes much and she'll need a bit of bracin' ta keep her girdle in place. Tactical, keep firin' photons as we close, but have a full spread of quantums ready for when we make our move."

Ian had the Challenger take up position as wingman to the Galaxy firing a steady stream of phasers and photons to add to the heavy barrage being concentrated on the Romulan battleship.

"Ye can bet yer last tuppence this Nakir of Xakarix has na'er seen a starship pitch pole."

He thought with a feral smile as the squadron closed on the battleship.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 2 - Observation Lounge >>>> Deck 7 - Saucer Deflector Array]

Lahr ran through the corridor towards the nearest interdeck ladder, since he knew use of the turbolifts would be restricted to those with either Command or Security authorizations.  As he reached the access way he was fortunate that his engineering passcode opened the hatch.  He was even more fortunate that his destination was five decks down, rather than five decks up.

It had been a while since the Andorian had had opportunity to use his ladder slide technique.  He just hope he remembered how to slow himself down before he needed to disembark otherwise he'd find himself on Deck 8 rather than Deck 7.  Though perhaps that might not be so bad since the Deflector array cover both decks.  But since sliding down was far faster than climbing it up, Lahr intended see what repairs were needed on deck 7 first and then head to deck 8.

Stepping out onto the vertical ladder which extended both above and below him, Lahr gripped the two side rails tight while his feet moved to the outside of the rails pressing against them. The rails acted as a guide and his hands controlled the speed of his descend.   As he slid down he was careful to keep his body out away from the ladder so that none of the tools on his belt would snag.  He counted the decks... Deck Three, Deck Four, Deck Five... he began to tighten his grip.... Deck Six..... Deck Seven.   As he slowed his descent, and came into range of the deck platform Lahr stepped off the ladder and took a second to get blood flow back to his hand.  They stung a bit from the friction, being out of practice with the maneuver and not having proper gear for a planned descend, but it was well worth it for having saved several minutes of climbing down.   A descent of over 70 ft in under 15 seconds wasn't too bad.

Lahr exited the access way and hurried towards the section where the deflector array was housed.  Unfortunately, he was stopped outside of its maintenance area by a forcefield.  Crud.

He tapped his comm badge.  "ch'Verret to Auxiliary Control.  I'm outside the deflector array maintenance hatch.  Here to see about getting them shields back up.  Any chance you can drop the forcefield long enough to let me pass?"

He waved towards the nearest security camera covering the entrance way, figuring security would want to be sure he was alone.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Random Dark Corner in Engineering - USS Challenger-A]

Ruth woke and groaned.  It felt like a shortage^a of dwarves were beating the 'Anvil Chorus' in her head.  She'd not been or felt this hungover since Beltane the year she was around 14 and had snuck a whole hogshead of mead and drunk it with her elder brothers sat under a table groaning with the weight of a spit roasted boar and assorted other foodstuffs, that would have been ok... but later her brothers had found several bottles of home-distilled schnapps too...

She regarded her slightly distorted visage in the chrome plating of a lower storage locker.  'Hvar Á­ fjandanum er Á©g?'¹ she thought, resorting to her native Icelandic in her head.

Peering thru slitted eyes she tilted her had and grimaced with the pain.  "Surely I don't look that bad?!" she asked rhetorically.  Looking down at her body which didn't seem to be talking to her brain (her brain if it was working, it had officially gone on a strike, or was having a strop with the rest of the body for putting it through this much pain!).

"One hopes fÁ¡vitinn ² came off worse!" she mentally chuckled to herself as she saw she appeared to have lost her right boot and sock (and couldn't see them anywhere), torn trousers and the left arm missing off her tunic. Smears of blood (hers or her assailants?!) over both her face and clothing, and one toenail on the exposed foot seemed to be torn off. That said it was just covered in blood so for all she knew she had just stubbed her toe in the dark. Her hair was loose and flying around her face.  She couldn't see her commbadge either.

Groaning as she went to stand she staggered and giggled, which hurt, and wondering where she could pull herself up on something.

"Computer, where am I?" she asked. Each word sending daggers through her brain.

'Cannot identify...please clarify...'

"Computer, locate Commander Ruth Sig-sig-siggy whatsit..." she gave up and sat giggling. "Not gonna be any better when or if I'm Lahr's! Waring wasn't any better."

She crawled around a corner on all fours, and was hit suddenly by light and sat back on her butt quickly back in the dark.

"GerÁ°ist sÁ©rhver hÁ¡tÁ­Á° Á¡ einni nÁ³ttu?!"³

She closed her eyes to just the bare minimum which was still agony, and slowly crawled around until she found a railing and pulled herself up.  She vaguely looked around.  "Why the hell am I in Engineering? Of all the departments on the ship..."

"Computer, locate Petty Officer Shran'Lahr Ch'Verret"

'Petty Officer Ch'Verret is currently by the external deflector array.'

"Ekki gagnlegt Á­ nÁºverandi vandrÁ¦Á°um!"⁴

The Commander, almost on 'auto-pilot' managed to find her way to a turbolift and ordered it to the Bridge, figuring that there would be someone there to help her.  There was no response so, cursing, she took to climbing, painfully to the Bridge.

[Bridge - USS Challenger-A]

Some time later, and every curse word in several languages, including Klingon, later a hatch was pushed open and Ruth staggered out, holding onto the wall for support.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on, and get a medic up here if there isn't one already,.." she said with a hand shielding her eyes.  "...I promise you I'd remember drinking, however I don't. I apologise for my appearance, I certainly don't remember the fight with a posse of Species 113..."

The CSO staggered to the nearest seat holding her head.  "Feel like I've got the entire maintenance crew with old fashioned sledgehammers trying to kill each other inside my head!"

^a INFO: A 'shortage' of dwarves is actually the collective noun!
¹ Trans: 'Where the ***k am I?!'
² Trans: it sounds like 'bar-steward'
³ Trans: Did every festival happen overnight?!
⁴ Trans: Not helpful in my current predicament!

[T’prith]

[USS Challenger-bridge]

"œCopy that captain." Tprith heard the orders from the captain and diverted as much power as she could from the secondary warp core to the structural integrity field. She smirked as she thought things were going to get interesting. She hoped that it was enough power. She prepared for what was going to happen next. She surely didn't want to lose her footing.

[T'Lara]

[Quote by Nira Said]

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

Admiral Gillespie turned around and got a good look at T'Lara.

"If you're trying to say, in a nutshell, 'the Galaxy is going to fly apart,' then fly her apart, then," he said. "And...oh, sorry lass, I forgot about yehr pips. You're looking at a man who never grew soft even behind a desk in Starfleet Security, Commander."

That was, in point of fact, true. A high member of Starfleet Security, Admiral Gillespie always took as many chances to get away from his desk in San Fransisco when he could. It was necessary to keep to his toes, especially in light of the exposure of Commodore Oh as a Romulan infiltrator.

The trio of ships, two Defiants and an Akira, even with the Galaxy's boosted speeds, arrived before the flagship did. Gillespie smiled with satisfaction as the task force opened fire. He noticed the Challenger wasn't engaging...

"What the devil's wrong with Galloway?" he said. "Open a channel to the Challenger."

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Corridors | Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

"I will!" Nira managed to call back as she ran, looking back and briefly seeing the bridge crew beam away. Probably to the secondary bridge - scratch that, auxiliary control - so Nira will be sure to meet them there.

Unfortunately, the beam-out order didn't work, given the shields on the flagship were still up...but were gradually being whittled down. Force fields managed to block away the boarders from Deflector Control.

With Zhuk at her side, she continued her pursuit. She could easily sense Zhuk's confusion, and it was understandable, seeing as he had just seen a lookalike of her run by before. She explained as best as she could in a run.

"They're seeking to sabotage the ship!" she said. "Specifically the deflector array! The satellites are self-replicating, so we were going to make an antigraviton bombardment, but then we lost front shields and they boarded us! And SHE is in the lead!"

Naturally, Nirreen was planning to head for the turbolifts and do her best to sound like Nira to ensure computer voice recognition, but the first turbolift she came across, a Security team stepped out. She tried to backtrack, but being stopped by the security team enabled Nira and Zhuk to catch up with them. The boarders found themselves trapped.

Nirreen, looking hastily around, barged into a set of empty quarters, the door of which had been jammed open from the crew's drunken spell; it hadn't been reached yet.

"Computer! Force field above boarders!" called Nira, ordering the specific section. Blocking the boarders from her, Nira and Zhuk followed Nirreen into the quarters, and Nirreen was looking desperately around.

"Trying to find Jefferies Tubes?" said Nira, mirroring Nirreen's sneer.

Nireen stopped and stared at Nira. She made for her disruptor, but Nira threw one of her knives and it stuck on the Romulan's jacket.

"Your boarding parties are contained," snarled Nira, indicating to Zhuk to stand at the door to keep Nirreen from escaping. Of course, she didn't know about the boarders at Deflector Control. Not yet, anyway. "It's just you and me now."

"Not counting the Caitian?" sneered Nirren.

"It's just us girls now," corrected Nira, twirling her knife in a combat stance.

Nirreen narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Knife to knife, is it?" she said as she removed her outer uniform and drew another knife. Then she got Nira's own knife out and flung it at her, but Nira managed to deflect it and then rolled to catch it. She was just in time to parry Nirreen's knife and get a hit from a slap of Nirreen's free hand.

Nira proceed to remove her own outer uniform and it was soon blade against blade.

This is going to be a tricky one, Nira thought to herself and analyzing her opponent. The knife's a lot smaller and she'll be more agile. Chances are, she'll get it into you more easily. Plus, she's bound to be stronger. Just watch the knife, that's what makes her the most dangerous.
[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | Deck One | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

"Understood, laddie," replied Gillespie; he can never resist calling anybody under forty "laddie" or "lassie," given his age. While he would've liked to retire, the appeal to space kept him from doing so.

Meanwhile, the trio of ships was keeping up the assault. It was a matter of time before the shields were going down.

"Commander T'Lara?" he asked. "Report. How long before we can crack those shields?"

[Bridge - USS Galaxy]

T'Lara did an internal eye roll at the captain's reckless decision. When he recognized her rank, she merely nodded.

"For some it is not enough to simply achieve the status, because the urge to be serving out in space is strong. It seems you path has served you well thus far."

She didn't know why she was making such observations of this man she'd barely met, especially being in this temporary position. Perhaps it helped to compare his situation to her own, which was not too dissimilar. Her decision to return to the fleet was rash by Vulcan standards, so maybe this was an attempt to justify her actions.

As they arrived at the scene of action T'Lara began to compartmentalize the status of each ship, her command skills returning seamlessly as she began to form a course of action. However, because she was not in the center seat, she dutifully waited for orders. She didn't have to wait long and her answer was almost immediate.

"Shield integrity is falling quickly, Admiral. All are under fifty percent, and Challenger is not letting up." That last part was because a majority of damage was being dealt by the aforementioned ship. The Challenger was making quick work of it, a fact that did not surprise the science officer in the least.

[Nira Said]

[Observation Lounge --> Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

As the annular confinement beam coalesced around him Ian called out to Buck.

"Take a security team. No chances. Stun the buggers and beam them ta the brig."

[Auxiliary Control - USS Challenger]

As the Challenger dove to port and came around, her standard shields were operational, which gave them the ability to fight again. Every fiber of Ian's being wanted to engage the Khranu, but that was not the admiral's intent. The squadron was focused on the battleship and that forced Ian's hand.

"Besides, that shield smashin' trick has got ta have a long cyclin' time. I doubt the Khranu will be able ta take a second shot any time soon."

He thought as he moved to watch the tactical display.

"Helm, I'm about ta give a set of orders I ken they do not teach at the Academy. Standby ta learn summat new. Ops, I want as much power as you can divert from the secondary warp core ta the structural integrity field, what I'm about ta do, Miss Challenger nae likes much and she'll need a bit of bracin' ta keep her girdle in place. Tactical, keep firin' photons as we close, but have a full spread of quantums ready for when we make our move."

Ian had the Challenger take up position as wingman to the Galaxy firing a steady stream of phasers and photons to add to the heavy barrage being concentrated on the Romulan battleship.

"Ye can bet yer last tuppence this Nakir of Xakarix has na'er seen a starship pitch pole."

He thought with a feral smile as the squadron closed on the battleship.

[Commander Thelal | Bridge | Kranu]

Thelal was seething furiously. The beam weapon had taken quite a drain on the ship's systems and a lot of them wouldn't be back up. Shields were fortunately still up and so were the engines, which meant Thelal was forced to fly circles, particularly when reinforcements arrived.

Nakir of Xakarix, this is not going to end well for you, he thought with disgruntlement.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 2 - Observation Lounge >>>> Deck 7 - Saucer Deflector Array]

Lahr ran through the corridor towards the nearest interdeck ladder, since he knew use of the turbolifts would be restricted to those with either Command or Security authorizations.  As he reached the access way he was fortunate that his engineering passcode opened the hatch.  He was even more fortunate that his destination was five decks down, rather than five decks up.

It had been a while since the Andorian had had opportunity to use his ladder slide technique.  He just hope he remembered how to slow himself down before he needed to disembark otherwise he'd find himself on Deck 8 rather than Deck 7.  Though perhaps that might not be so bad since the Deflector array cover both decks.  But since sliding down was far faster than climbing it up, Lahr intended see what repairs were needed on deck 7 first and then head to deck 8.

Stepping out onto the vertical ladder which extended both above and below him, Lahr gripped the two side rails tight while his feet moved to the outside of the rails pressing against them. The rails acted as a guide and his hands controlled the speed of his descend.   As he slid down he was careful to keep his body out away from the ladder so that none of the tools on his belt would snag.  He counted the decks... Deck Three, Deck Four, Deck Five... he began to tighten his grip.... Deck Six..... Deck Seven.   As he slowed his descent, and came into range of the deck platform Lahr stepped off the ladder and took a second to get blood flow back to his hand.  They stung a bit from the friction, being out of practice with the maneuver and not having proper gear for a planned descend, but it was well worth it for having saved several minutes of climbing down.   A descent of over 70 ft in under 15 seconds wasn't too bad.

Lahr exited the access way and hurried towards the section where the deflector array was housed.  Unfortunately, he was stopped outside of its maintenance area by a forcefield.  Crud.

He tapped his comm badge.  "ch'Verret to Auxiliary Control.  I'm outside the deflector array maintenance hatch.  Here to see about getting them shields back up.  Any chance you can drop the forcefield long enough to let me pass?"

He waved towards the nearest security camera covering the entrance way, figuring security would want to be sure he was alone.

[Lieutenant Savar | Auxiliary Control | USS Challenger]

Manning a station next to Lieutenant Randall, Savar perked up at hearing Lahr calling to be let passed. T'Kel responded quickly and punched in a code to allow Lahr through.

"That should do it," she said. "You may now proceed."

Savar looked back at the sensors and could see something in alarm.

"Captain, the admiral's flagship is in trouble."

[Random Dark Corner in Engineering - USS Challenger-A]

Ruth woke and groaned.  It felt like a shortage^a of dwarves were beating the 'Anvil Chorus' in her head.  She'd not been or felt this hungover since Beltane the year she was around 14 and had snuck a whole hogshead of mead and drunk it with her elder brothers sat under a table groaning with the weight of a spit roasted boar and assorted other foodstuffs, that would have been ok... but later her brothers had found several bottles of home-distilled schnapps too...

She regarded her slightly distorted visage in the chrome plating of a lower storage locker.  'Hvar Á­ fjandanum er Á©g?'¹ she thought, resorting to her native Icelandic in her head.

Peering thru slitted eyes she tilted her had and grimaced with the pain.  "Surely I don't look that bad?!" she asked rhetorically.  Looking down at her body which didn't seem to be talking to her brain (her brain if it was working, it had officially gone on a strike, or was having a strop with the rest of the body for putting it through this much pain!).

"One hopes fÁ¡vitinn ² came off worse!" she mentally chuckled to herself as she saw she appeared to have lost her right boot and sock (and couldn't see them anywhere), torn trousers and the left arm missing off her tunic. Smears of blood (hers or her assailants?!) over both her face and clothing, and one toenail on the exposed foot seemed to be torn off. That said it was just covered in blood so for all she knew she had just stubbed her toe in the dark. Her hair was loose and flying around her face.  She couldn't see her commbadge either.

Groaning as she went to stand she staggered and giggled, which hurt, and wondering where she could pull herself up on something.

"Computer, where am I?" she asked. Each word sending daggers through her brain.

'Cannot identify...please clarify...'

"Computer, locate Commander Ruth Sig-sig-siggy whatsit..." she gave up and sat giggling. "Not gonna be any better when or if I'm Lahr's! Waring wasn't any better."

She crawled around a corner on all fours, and was hit suddenly by light and sat back on her butt quickly back in the dark.

"GerÁ°ist sÁ©rhver hÁ¡tÁ­Á° Á¡ einni nÁ³ttu?!"³

She closed her eyes to just the bare minimum which was still agony, and slowly crawled around until she found a railing and pulled herself up.  She vaguely looked around.  "Why the hell am I in Engineering? Of all the departments on the ship..."

"Computer, locate Petty Officer Shran'Lahr Ch'Verret"

'Petty Officer Ch'Verret is currently by the external deflector array.'

"Ekki gagnlegt Á­ nÁºverandi vandrÁ¦Á°um!"⁴

The Commander, almost on 'auto-pilot' managed to find her way to a turbolift and ordered it to the Bridge, figuring that there would be someone there to help her.  There was no response so, cursing, she took to climbing, painfully to the Bridge.

[Bridge - USS Challenger-A]

Some time later, and every curse word in several languages, including Klingon, later a hatch was pushed open and Ruth staggered out, holding onto the wall for support.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on, and get a medic up here if there isn't one already,.." she said with a hand shielding her eyes.  "...I promise you I'd remember drinking, however I don't. I apologise for my appearance, I certainly don't remember the fight with a posse of Species 113..."

The CSO staggered to the nearest seat holding her head.  "Feel like I've got the entire maintenance crew with old fashioned sledgehammers trying to kill each other inside my head!"

[Emergency Medical Hologram Mark VIII | Bridge | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Transmitted automatically to the bridge, per the emergency protocol in the event of the bridge crew abandoning the bridge in some way, the EMH Mark Eight naturally awaited instructions for the Emergency Command Hologram to be activated, but it didn't come. Instead, all he had for company were a bunch of unconcious Romulans. The Mark Eight had a good idea what had happened; what he needed were details.

"EMH Mark Eight to Captain Galloway," he said, tapping his comm badge. "Did something to do with this boarding party prompt you to abandon the bridge?"

Once he explained about the pre-stage for activation before becoming ECH, hence why he was on the bridge, he then got the explanation of what had happened.

"Understood," he said. "I'll be glad to entertain this bunch and wait until Mister McNair arrives and have the bridge ready for you. Mark Eight out."

Then he was in for another surprise as to who should appear in a hatchway and man her usual chair, without so much as being aware of what had happened. The Mark Eight grimaced; Commander Sigurdsdottir wasn't even supposed to leave Sickbay, but having somehow inhaled the polywater molecules in her state, perhaps when she was just waking up...and it was certainly hard on his part to handle her, especially when she was shaving Zhuk and treating him like he was a quadrupedal feline instead of a bipedal Caitian, finally having been forced to leave her in a corner of Chez Captain Lahr, the Engineering turned Nightclub under Lahr's "command." Now he was absolutely worried about having to confront her. Again.

"Uh, Commander Sigurdsdottir," he said in a high octave voice, "you do realize you entered into the middle of a boarding party?" he added, seeing as the party itself was waking up.

[Bridge - USS Galaxy]

T'Lara did an internal eye roll at the captain's reckless decision. When he recognized her rank, she merely nodded.

"For some it is not enough to simply achieve the status, because the urge to be serving out in space is strong. It seems you path has served you well thus far."

She didn't know why she was making such observations of this man she'd barely met, especially being in this temporary position. Perhaps it helped to compare his situation to her own, which was not too dissimilar. Her decision to return to the fleet was rash by Vulcan standards, so maybe this was an attempt to justify her actions.

As they arrived at the scene of action T'Lara began to compartmentalize the status of each ship, her command skills returning seamlessly as she began to form a course of action. However, because she was not in the center seat, she dutifully waited for orders. She didn't have to wait long and her answer was almost immediate.

"Shield integrity is falling quickly, Admiral. All are under fifty percent, and Challenger is not letting up." That last part was because a majority of damage was being dealt by the aforementioned ship. The Challenger was making quick work of it, a fact that did not surprise the science officer in the least.

[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

The admiral grimaced at the status of the shields. Didn't matter, they were there...unfortunately, the flagship took that moment to turn on the old girl.

"Och!" he exclaimed. "Bloody thing packs a whallop. Thanks for the heads-up. Tactical! Weapons free! Keep pounding until you get the shields off...!"

But it was the flagship that was pounding them. To make matters worse, the ships that had been previously engaging the Free State ships were turning on the Galaxy.

However, it was an opening that they needed; the Joran began making readiness for its own antigravitron beam, covering the Challenger, while the Harpies took out the main control platform.

Admiral Gillespie, along with T'Lara, could see on the viewscreen and the sensors the Free State ships in their particular position, with the Kranu hovering around the Joran like a vulture.

"What's all this, then?"

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Corridors | Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira and Nirreen were circling around each other like a pair of dogs waiting to strike. Nira was looking over analyses and possibilities.

One small knife against two curved ones is going to be a problem, she thought to herself. Parrying is possible, but it'll be hard to make contact with something so small. Plus, it's straight, so it'll put up a good defense, particularly if enough strength is applied. And she could be a strong as a Vulcan, it may depend on the environment of her colony planet's origin. One of my jambiyas could be enough against that knife, but she might be able to stop the other one with her hand...

At the same time, Nirreen as analyzing her opponent in her own way. She had studied Nira for a long time, after all, in impersonating her.

She'll have trained in combat in ways to modify dance moves for combat, she thought herself. She is is a dancer after all. She's going to be quick and evasive. That means striking faster. The knife in her ribs will be so much sweet...but no. Speed against speed...

And speedily she did respond, as Nirreen jabbed at her, grazing Nira once again as she made her own dancelike martial art, a capoeira backflip, known as the macaco, but with fists clenched around her blades and her knuckles and fisted palms pressed to the floor as she evaded.

Nira got a good look at Nirreen's moves as she evaded. It seemed like a variation of Vulcan martial arts like what Savar had shown her, only it was brutal and swift, but with emphases on using blade combat.

"Ah. Not familiar with Kormerek, are you?" asked Nirreen. "A most ancient martial art. Of Vulcan origin. Like me."

And she moved, lightly, almost dancelike herself, but the free hand was extended a certain way. It managed to hit on Nira's arm, and however quick and light it was, somehow that touched caused a wound to open. Nira gasped at that.

"And you probably wouldn't know a nerve strike when you saw it, would you?" Nirreen gloated, jabbing with her knife to take advantage of Nira's moment of being distracted.

Nira leapt back, thinking quickly...she hated to think what that empty hand could do if she kept that small knife at bay...but then, she realized with the palm of the Romulan's hand the way it was...and if it seemed like she was expecting her moves...

Nira prepared for the knife and met it with her own. Nirreen smirked in a gloating way, almost like she was saying, "I expected better of you and you do this?" and then jabbed with her free hand for a nerve strike...only for Nira to stab it with her knife and then lay in a kick and a swift, clawed strike. Nirreen stumbled back in surprise.

"What in...?" she exclaimed in surprise, amidst the pain in her hand. "That was Mok'bara!"

Nira got her knife back from the wound, then jabbed it into the floor before adopting a Mok'bara stance. "So you know your martial arts," she said. "Well, news flash...I've spent time with Klingons. Computer!"

And she spoke some instructions in Arabic, but Nirreen definitely recognized one word, a Klingon word: mek'leth. And the air simmered and a mek'leth materialized and Nira grabbed the hilt, a stance made...

She has a mek'leth! thought Nirreen in shock. From somewhere on the ship! Where did THAT come from?!?

Now it was Nira's turn to smirk at the Romulan. It was clear she was expecting to counter dancelike moves and her knives. She wasn't expecting Klingon martial arts and a Klingon blade from her.

Realizing the Romulan was directly behind Zhuk, Nira looked behind her at him to get his attention and then added, "Zhuk?"

Nirreen furrowed her brow and wondered if she gave a Klingon insult...whatever she said certainly sounded Klingon...but then she noticed she was looking behind her and suddenly remembered...the Caitian...

[Ian Galloway]

[
[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

The admiral grimaced at the status of the shields. Didn't matter, they were there...unfortunately, the flagship took that moment to turn on the old girl.

"Och!" he exclaimed. "Bloody thing packs a whallop. Thanks for the heads-up. Tactical! Weapons free! Keep pounding until you get the shields off...!"

But it was the flagship that was pounding them. To make matters worse, the ships that had been previously engaging the Free State ships were turning on the Galaxy.

However, it was an opening that they needed; the Joran began making readiness for its own antigravitron beam, covering the Challenger, while the Harpies took out the main control platform.

Admiral Gillespie, along with T'Lara, could see on the viewscreen and the sensors the Free State ships in their particular position, with the Kranu hovering around the Joran like a vulture.

"What's all this, then?"

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Even though the point of impact shields were still offline, Ian nodded grimly and thought.

"Standard shields and reinforced structural integrity is goin' ta have ta be enough."

Out loud he said.

"Helm your course is 107 mark 25. Full impulse. Tactical, on my mark, full Alpha Strike. Helm, when we fire you are ta give me full ventral forward thrusters and full aft dorsal thrusters..."

"But Captain, that will..."

"I bloody ken full well what it will do! Just be bleedin' ready ta do it on my mark."

"Aye Sir." The helmsman replied sheepishly. As Ian continued to issue orders.

"Tactical, when we're at 90 degrees of our maneuver, full Alpha Strike with the aft weapons. Once we've completed the maneuver, fire another full Alpha Strike with the forward weapons again."

The auxiliary Bridge crew replied with a chorus of "Aye Sir" even if they were skeptical of the maneuver. The Challenger charged in on the Romulan flagship's starboard forward quarter at full impulse. Ian waited. Waited. Waited. And at 60,000 kilometers called out.

"Mark!"

Lieutenant jg. Rachel Davenport at Tactical fired every forward bearing weapon the Challenger mounted with an amazing display of raw firepower. Ensign Qindis Norann at Helm activated the thrusters and this made the Challenger`pitch up vertically and you could feel the ship vibrate as the stress from the maneuver made the Challenger shiver throughout the hull. As the ship reached vertical, Davenport fired again, and again as the ship flipped inverted,

A battleship's shields were by their very nature powerful, but no ship in the Alpha Quadrant could take three Alpha Strikes from a ship as powerful as the Challenger in the span of just the five seconds it took to execute the pitchpole maneuver. The Romulan ship staggered as her starboard forward shield collapsed, leaving the green hull deeply scored where several phasers struck home.

"Hard about ta port! Roll us right side up! Keep hammerin' them!"

The battleship was clearly hurt and most importantly, it made the Romulan break off her attack on the Galaxy.

"You're welcome Admiral."

Ian said softly and watched to see what the battleship would do.

[Zhukdrashar Mrekrerhas]

[Ensign Zhukdra'shar Mrekrerhas | Deck Nine | Entryway of Empty Quarters | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Corridors | Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

"I will!" Nira managed to call back as she ran, looking back and briefly seeing the bridge crew beam away. Probably to the secondary bridge - scratch that, auxiliary control - so Nira will be sure to meet them there.

Unfortunately, the beam-out order didn't work, given the shields on the flagship were still up...but were gradually being whittled down. Force fields managed to block away the boarders from Deflector Control.

With Zhuk at her side, she continued her pursuit. She could easily sense Zhuk's confusion, and it was understandable, seeing as he had just seen a lookalike of her run by before. She explained as best as she could in a run.

"They're seeking to sabotage the ship!" she said. "Specifically the deflector array! The satellites are self-replicating, so we were going to make an antigraviton bombardment, but then we lost front shields and they boarded us! And SHE is in the lead!"

Naturally, Nirreen was planning to head for the turbolifts and do her best to sound like Nira to ensure computer voice recognition, but the first turbolift she came across, a Security team stepped out. She tried to backtrack, but being stopped by the security team enabled Nira and Zhuk to catch up with them. The boarders found themselves trapped.

Nirreen, looking hastily around, barged into a set of empty quarters, the door of which had been jammed open from the crew's drunken spell; it hadn't been reached yet.

"Computer! Force field above boarders!" called Nira, ordering the specific section. Blocking the boarders from her, Nira and Zhuk followed Nirreen into the quarters, and Nirreen was looking desperately around.

"Trying to find Jefferies Tubes?" said Nira, mirroring Nirreen's sneer.

Nireen stopped and stared at Nira. She made for her disruptor, but Nira threw one of her knives and it stuck on the Romulan's jacket.

"Your boarding parties are contained," snarled Nira, indicating to Zhuk to stand at the door to keep Nirreen from escaping. Of course, she didn't know about the boarders at Deflector Control. Not yet, anyway. "It's just you and me now."

"Not counting the Caitian?" sneered Nirren.

"It's just us girls now," corrected Nira, twirling her knife in a combat stance.

Nirreen narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Knife to knife, is it?" she said as she removed her outer uniform and drew another knife. Then she got Nira's own knife out and flung it at her, but Nira managed to deflect it and then rolled to catch it. She was just in time to parry Nirreen's knife and get a hit from a slap of Nirreen's free hand.

Nira proceed to remove her own outer uniform and it was soon blade against blade.

This is going to be a tricky one, Nira thought to herself and analyzing her opponent. The knife's a lot smaller and she'll be more agile. Chances are, she'll get it into you more easily. Plus, she's bound to be stronger. Just watch the knife, that's what makes her the most dangerous.

Zhukdra'shar's chase against the Romulans was fortunately aided by a Security squad that managed to cut their escape through the turbolift, forcing Nira's double to evade them by backpedaling within an empty quarter. Before Zhuk or the rest of the Security officers could engage the Romulans, however, Lieutenant Nira requested a force-field that finally trapped the invaders from good, keeping them from accessing the rest of the ship. That had been an excellent idea coming from Lieutenant Nira, though Zhuk soon realized that there were still unfinished business to attend to.

Lieutenant Nira soon barged into the room, followed just behind by the Caitian. Though her double attempted to try and reach a disruptor once her attention was diverted, Nira quickly cut her attempt by throwing a knife at her. While Zhuk was ready to aid Nira in subduing her double, he was instead told to stay posted at the entryway, in case she tried to flee from the room.

Nodding, he leaned against the door in a nonchalant manner, as he saw the fight unfold. Though his sharp eyes and ears remained centered on both Nireen and Nira, ready to strike at the former if it were to overpower the latter, he visibly relaxed. In fact, so much, that he began to enjoy the show, cheering on for Nira in his mind, reacting to close calls against her worriedly, to then smirk when Nira got the upper hand.

[Emergency Medical Hologram Mark VIII | Bridge | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Transmitted automatically to the bridge, per the emergency protocol in the event of the bridge crew abandoning the bridge in some way, the EMH Mark Eight naturally awaited instructions for the Emergency Command Hologram to be activated, but it didn't come. Instead, all he had for company were a bunch of unconcious Romulans. The Mark Eight had a good idea what had happened; what he needed were details.

"EMH Mark Eight to Captain Galloway," he said, tapping his comm badge. "Did something to do with this boarding party prompt you to abandon the bridge?"

Once he explained about the pre-stage for activation before becoming ECH, hence why he was on the bridge, he then got the explanation of what had happened.

"Understood," he said. "I'll be glad to entertain this bunch and wait until Mister McNair arrives and have the bridge ready for you. Mark Eight out."

Then he was in for another surprise as to who should appear in a hatchway and man her usual chair, without so much as being aware of what had happened. The Mark Eight grimaced; Commander Sigurdsdottir wasn't even supposed to leave Sickbay, but having somehow inhaled the polywater molecules in her state, perhaps when she was just waking up...and it was certainly hard on his part to handle her, especially when she was shaving Zhuk and treating him like he was a quadrupedal feline instead of a bipedal Caitian, finally having been forced to leave her in a corner of Chez Captain Lahr, the Engineering turned Nightclub under Lahr's "command." Now he was absolutely worried about having to confront her. Again.

"Uh, Commander Sigurdsdottir," he said in a high octave voice, "you do realize you entered into the middle of a boarding party?" he added, seeing as the party itself was waking up.
[Admiral Hamish B. Gillespie | Bridge | USS Galaxy NCC-70637]

The admiral grimaced at the status of the shields. Didn't matter, they were there...unfortunately, the flagship took that moment to turn on the old girl.

"Och!" he exclaimed. "Bloody thing packs a whallop. Thanks for the heads-up. Tactical! Weapons free! Keep pounding until you get the shields off...!"

But it was the flagship that was pounding them. To make matters worse, the ships that had been previously engaging the Free State ships were turning on the Galaxy.

However, it was an opening that they needed; the Joran began making readiness for its own antigravitron beam, covering the Challenger, while the Harpies took out the main control platform.

Admiral Gillespie, along with T'Lara, could see on the viewscreen and the sensors the Free State ships in their particular position, with the Kranu hovering around the Joran like a vulture.

"What's all this, then?"

[Lieutenant Commander Nira Said | Corridors | Deck Two | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Nira and Nirreen were circling around each other like a pair of dogs waiting to strike. Nira was looking over analyses and possibilities.

One small knife against two curved ones is going to be a problem, she thought to herself. Parrying is possible, but it'll be hard to make contact with something so small. Plus, it's straight, so it'll put up a good defense, particularly if enough strength is applied. And she could be a strong as a Vulcan, it may depend on the environment of her colony planet's origin. One of my jambiyas could be enough against that knife, but she might be able to stop the other one with her hand...

At the same time, Nirreen as analyzing her opponent in her own way. She had studied Nira for a long time, after all, in impersonating her.

She'll have trained in combat in ways to modify dance moves for combat, she thought herself. She is is a dancer after all. She's going to be quick and evasive. That means striking faster. The knife in her ribs will be so much sweet...but no. Speed against speed...

And speedily she did respond, as Nirreen jabbed at her, grazing Nira once again as she made her own dancelike martial art, a capoeira backflip, known as the macaco, but with fists clenched around her blades and her knuckles and fisted palms pressed to the floor as she evaded.

Nira got a good look at Nirreen's moves as she evaded. It seemed like a variation of Vulcan martial arts like what Savar had shown her, only it was brutal and swift, but with emphases on using blade combat.

"Ah. Not familiar with Kormerek, are you?" asked Nirreen. "A most ancient martial art. Of Vulcan origin. Like me."

And she moved, lightly, almost dancelike herself, but the free hand was extended a certain way. It managed to hit on Nira's arm, and however quick and light it was, somehow that touched caused a wound to open. Nira gasped at that.

"And you probably wouldn't know a nerve strike when you saw it, would you?" Nirreen gloated, jabbing with her knife to take advantage of Nira's moment of being distracted.

Nira leapt back, thinking quickly...she hated to think what that empty hand could do if she kept that small knife at bay...but then, she realized with the palm of the Romulan's hand the way it was...and if it seemed like she was expecting her moves...

Nira prepared for the knife and met it with her own. Nirreen smirked in a gloating way, almost like she was saying, "I expected better of you and you do this?" and then jabbed with her free hand for a nerve strike...only for Nira to stab it with her knife and then lay in a kick and a swift, clawed strike. Nirreen stumbled back in surprise.

"What in...?" she exclaimed in surprise, amidst the pain in her hand. "That was Mok'bara!"

Nira got her knife back from the wound, then jabbed it into the floor before adopting a Mok'bara stance. "So you know your martial arts," she said. "Well, news flash...I've spent time with Klingons. Computer!"

And she spoke some instructions in Arabic, but Nirreen definitely recognized one word, a Klingon word: mek'leth. And the air simmered and a mek'leth materialized and Nira grabbed the hilt, a stance made...

She has a mek'leth! thought Nirreen in shock. From somewhere on the ship! Where did THAT come from?!?

Now it was Nira's turn to smirk at the Romulan. It was clear she was expecting to counter dancelike moves and her knives. She wasn't expecting Klingon martial arts and a Klingon blade from her.

Realizing the Romulan was directly behind Zhuk, Nira looked behind her at him to get his attention and then added, "Zhuk?"

Nirreen furrowed her brow and wondered if she gave a Klingon insult...whatever she said certainly sounded Klingon...but then she noticed she was looking behind her and suddenly remembered...the Caitian...

Things got much more interesting, however, when Nira managed to get a mek'leth to materialize, making his tail sway from side to side in excitement as she seemed to finally be able to defeat her double. He awaited with bathed breath to see how things would turn out, until something clicked, as he realized that Nireen had been brought directly behind him, giving him an opportunity to strike.

He adopted a more proper fighting stance, as soon Nira asked for his assistance, and with glee, he provided it, just in time for Nireen to realize her folly.

"Gladly~" He chimed in, before pouncing on Nireen's back, with a mrowl and attempting to latch on. To secure himself, he sought to lock his digitigrade feet at around Nireen's thighs, to make it more difficult for her to shake him off, and to keep her from running away, maybe even throwing her balance off as he squeezed, making her fall. His left hand moved over to try and further grip himself by reaching over towards her midriff, sharp claws seeking to dig into her armor and skin. Meanwhile, his right hand was positioned against her neck, claws intending to poke against the sensitive skin, albeit not puncturing it, in order to force a surrender.

"Surprised, Miss Copycat?! Its a little something we refer to as originality, I recommend you attempting it sometime!" He scathingly said, his muzzle positioned quite close to her pointed ear "Surrender, now! You are outmatched!"