Mission 6 : Flight of the Freighter

[Kejal Buris]

[Bridge]
Kirok read the messages as soon as they came in.  It was as he feared, Kejal had verified Captain Lafayette's report.  Someone in Section 31 had orchestrated the massacre on Tarna and blamed the Cardassion Union.

'Thank you, Mr. Buris' Kirok replied.  He took in a deep breath to help calm the uncomfortable feeling that was building in the pit of his stomach.  He had only been angry one other time that he could remember and this was beginning to feel like that.

Spotting the tells that her commanding officer's emotional state was leaking through from his normally very Vulcan hold, Archangel hazarded a guess as to what the PADD in his hand contained.  After all, it was all she could think about after returning from her little mission.

"Captain, I'm afraid I need to speak with you on an urgent matter before you leave," she replied, hoping that she might be able to cut off at the start whatever hairbrained stunt he was about to set in motion.  He had been the one to induct her into the Intelligence services, even if Revek had taken it further by drawing her into Section 31's dark embrace.  She could never forgive either man for that, but nor could she stand back and watch as Kirok got himself into trouble with very unforgiving people.

Buris was also about to rise when T'Koris started speaking.  If they were talking about a massacre where he'd lost friends and associates... he'd be damned if he'd let the two commanding officers of this vessel do something that would tarnish their memories.

And then suddenly the Captain had given Archangel the Bridge.  He was going to walk over and speak to her, privately, when the Sec/Tac officer noticed something he should have.  Damn this history nonsense!

Steve noted the Admiral had transferred to Star base Columbus for a meeting. Noting the change of command he continue to monitor long range sensors.  The external coms beeped. He quickly punched in his verification code.
He broke the silence in the room.

"Incoming distress call from large size freighter its being pulled in to an event horizon. They are roughly three light years from our current  position. They are taking damage and there shields are holding just."

The distress signal was being broadcast on all frequencies and all language's. " Sir there are no other star ships  in the vicinity."

He whirled back, turning off the LCARS search - saving it to a private archive.  A history lesson would have to wait.  "I have the distress signal as well, sir - Freighter Quaritch, civilian registry to Deneb V.  Science will have to confirm the details, but there wasn't a singularity on the scan at that location as we entered the system - just a very old star.  Maybe the freighter's engine caused some kind of a subspace distortion, speeding up the star's demise."

[Archangel Koris]

"I'm sorry Ms. T'Koris.  It will have to wait" Kirok replied.  "You have the Bridge" he repeated and then left the Bridge.

Moments later, he was in the main transport room.  "One to beam over to Starbase Columbus" he told the officer at the duty station.  The blue light engulfed and then his form disappeared.

[Bridge]

Archangel's jaw set, her eyes narrowing as her commanding officer blew her off.  She could feel hot tears of frustration and exhaustion threatening, but slammed her poker face into place.  She would be damned, not just by the elements, but by her dark masters as well, before she would allow Kirok to screw this up.

Moving over to the Operations station, she noticed the flurry of activity, but this could not wait.  "Kejal, I need you to beam the admiral into his ready room and lock him in there until I can speak to him.  If you're unwilling, I understand, in which case I will do so myself."

[Kejal Buris]

[Bridge]

Archangel's jaw set, her eyes narrowing as her commanding officer blew her off.  She could feel hot tears of frustration and exhaustion threatening, but slammed her poker face into place.  She would be damned, not just by the elements, but by her dark masters as well, before she would allow Kirok to screw this up.

Moving over to the Operations station, she noticed the flurry of activity, but this could not wait.  "Kejal, I need you to beam the admiral into his ready room and lock him in there until I can speak to him.  If you're unwilling, I understand, in which case I will do so myself."

He looked at her and sighed quietly, bringing a transport screen back up.  Still, he spoke in a conspiratorial tone.  What he was about to say was something that might get him thrown off most ships entirely. "Commander - Arch... I wouldn't presume to know what the intelligencers around want or are doing, but... the Admiral asked me about Tarna.  I told him everything I knew, including a few rumors from the Resistance network.  If what he's doing is pursuant to that... I'm glad to follow that order and preserve the way history views the event.  Because the truth is that those good people are dead - no amount of revision to history will ever change that; and because they died so suddenly and horrifically, the Federation and Starfleet sat up and took notice.  If you told the Bajorans who still worship the wormhole entities, they'd say it was the Will of the Prophets, either way.  Why would we try to change history?  Why should we do something to tarnish their memories?  Those people still have living families."

Really, he didn't even think twice about bringing Kirok back.  His 'Ops Voice' was back on, as he started the transport sequence, tracking Kirok down and doing quite a bit of handshaking with the Station authorities (who were more than a little confused at how quickly he was arriving and departing) - he'd snapped off the channel before they could respond that the Admiral was not in the transporter room, and was not in posession of his commbadge.  Regardless, Buris was getting ready to transport; since it was just a Starbase-to-Starship transport, and it needed to be done on the double, he wasn't concerned with a lifesign match or trying to be 100% sure it was in fact the Admiral before beaming him aboard.  His duty to T'Koris sometimes overrode even his best judgment.  "Admiral, we're now on red alert.  There's been a distress call from a civilian freighter.  Starfleet regulations clearly state that the commanding officer of a vessel must be aboard during all alert condition situations, with the exception of extreme medical danger or extreme duress. In which case, formal command of the vessel must be transferred in the field to the First Officer or an appropriate officer with at least two department chiefs as witnesses.  The regulations also state clearly that a commanding officer who abandons his post and does not return immediately due to an alert status is to be placed before tribunal to explain their actions, at pain of 'the highest consequence', quote-unquote.  Three officers of command rank are present aboard this station, Admiral.  Standby to beam directly to your ready room.  Energizing."=/\=

Soon enough, he was sure that the man was locked in the room.  Which man was beamed aboard now might be a mystery.  He'd set the door servomotors to a level 1 diagnostic, and he had it secured with a code in Bajoran.  He looked up at Archangel, his voice soft. "I hope you know what you're doing, Captain.  We could swing for mutiny, if he pushes it."

[Archangel Koris]

[Bridge]
He looked at her and sighed quietly, bringing a transport screen back up.  Still, he spoke in a conspiratorial tone.  What he was about to say was something that might get him thrown off most ships entirely. "Commander - Arch... I wouldn't presume to know what the intelligencers around want or are doing, but... the Admiral asked me about Tarna.  I told him everything I knew, including a few rumors from the Resistance network.  If what he's doing is pursuant to that... I'm glad to follow that order and preserve the way history views the event.  Because the truth is that those good people are dead - no amount of revision to history will ever change that; and because they died so suddenly and horrifically, the Federation and Starfleet sat up and took notice.  If you told the Bajorans who still worship the wormhole entities, they'd say it was the Will of the Prophets, either way.  Why would we try to change history?  Why should we do something to tarnish their memories?  Those people still have living families."

Really, he didn't even think twice about bringing Kirok back.  His 'Ops Voice' was back on, as he started the transport sequence, tracking Kirok down and doing quite a bit of handshaking with the Station authorities (who were more than a little confused at how quickly he was arriving and departing).  "Admiral, we're now on red alert.  There's been a distress call from a civilian freighter.  Starfleet regulations clearly state that the commanding officer of a vessel must be aboard during all alert condition situations, with the exception of extreme medical danger or extreme duress. In which case, formal command of the vessel must be transferred in the field to the First Officer or an appropriate officer with at least two department chiefs as witnesses.  The regulations also state clearly that a commanding officer who abandons his post and does not return immediately due to an alert status is to be placed before tribunal to explain their actions, at pain of 'the highest consequence', quote-unquote.  Three officers of command rank are present aboard this station, Admiral.  Standby to beam directly to your ready room.  Energizing."=/\=

Soon enough, he was sure that the man was locked in the room; since he'd set the door servomotors to a level 1 diagnostic; and he had it secured with a code in Bajoran.  He looked up at Archangel, his voice soft. "I hope you know what you're doing, Captain.  We could swing for mutiny, if he pushes it."

[Bridge]

As Kejal carried out the order without hesitation, bringing Admiral Kirok back to the ship and shut in his ready room whether he wanted it or not, she wondered why she had thought that he would have refused to carry it out.  For all his knowledge of Starfleet regulations, he had turned twisting them to suit his needs into a fine art, and was someone who would put his own moral code above that expected of officers, and loyal to her in a manner that she could never have imagined when he first stepped foot on her ship.  She couldn't help but feel a little proud of the officer he had become from the Ensign he had been.

The lowered voice and what was said didn't bother her in the slightest.  After the last couple of days she had had, there was probably little that could throw her off stride.  Under normal circumstances, to anyone other than Kejal, she wouldn't have stopped to explain herself, but he had earned that right in her eyes.

"If my instincts are right, yes, he's going after what he thinks is a story about Tarna," she replied in a soft tone, for his ears only.  "But he's going after the wrong people, and the wrong people will do a lot of damage if he and the others perpetuating that story don't stop.  I don't intend to lose my commanding officer just because he found a fittingly evil face to put behind that tragedy rather than looking for the actual culprits."  She then offered him a faint smile.  "I hope I know what I'm doing, otherwise a mutiny won't be possible."  One eyebrow raised slightly.  "I just hope for your sake that you don't actually intend to start one."

Taking a deep breath to try to steady herself, she straightened her uniform and moved away from the operations station toward the door to the ready room, nodding to the Bajoran to let her in when he was ready.

[Kejal Buris]

As Kejal carried out the order without hesitation, bringing Admiral Kirok back to the ship and shut in his ready room whether he wanted it or not, she wondered why she had thought that he would have refused to carry it out.  For all his knowledge of Starfleet regulations, he had turned twisting them to suit his needs into a fine art, and was someone who would put his own moral code above that expected of officers, and loyal to her in a manner that she could never have imagined when he first stepped foot on her ship.  She couldn't help but feel a little proud of the officer he had become from the Ensign he had been.

The lowered voice and what was said didn't bother her in the slightest.  After the last couple of days she had had, there was probably little that could throw her off stride.  Under normal circumstances, to anyone other than Kejal, she wouldn't have stopped to explain herself, but he had earned that right in her eyes.

"If my instincts are right, yes, he's going after what he thinks is a story about Tarna," she replied in a soft tone, for his ears only.  "But he's going after the wrong people, and the wrong people will do a lot of damage if he and the others perpetuating that story don't stop.  I don't intend to lose my commanding officer just because he found a fittingly evil face to put behind that tragedy rather than looking for the actual culprits."  She then offered him a faint smile.  "I hope I know what I'm doing, otherwise a mutiny won't be possible."  One eyebrow raised slightly.  "I just hope for your sake that you don't actually intend to start one."

Taking a deep breath to try to steady herself, she straightened her uniform and moved away from the operations station toward the door to the ready room, nodding to the Bajoran to let her in when he was ready.

As the Red Alert sounded and the ship went to General Quarters (because after all, they were about to respond to a distress call), he nodded to T'Koris.  Obviously they were both worried about the colony, but in the end, he'd have to see about getting them into a meeting and talking about it candidly.  It didn't matter if someone 'got away' with it.  In his eyes, the killers at Tarna were the most despicable heroes ever to grace the Galaxy.  What mattered was, some people were dead and others didn't die because of those deaths.  That was all that mattered in the end.  Still, he returned her thin but reassuring smile.  He knew that smile, from the trenches and the battlefields.

"I have no intention whatsoever of mutiny against any commanding officer of this vessel, Archangel.  On that, you have my word.  But please, don't get us embroiled in a needless chase against ghosts of the past."

He turned off the diagnostic cycle when she nodded to him, letting her into the Ready Room.  As soon as she was safely inside, he took the conn and looked at the people around him, standing where Archangel did, between the center seat and the viewscreen, at a distance where he could see both his own board and Filitov's.  "If asked by anyone, what happened was 100% according to regulation."

In a commanding way, Kejal cleared his throat.  Still, old habits died hard, and as a commander he was always plagued by an instinct to refer to his staff the way he had as an Enlisted - "Mister" and "Miss".  "Mr. Marshall, report when all hands are at general quarters.  Muster a rescue team and have them waiting in Shuttlebay One in case we have a need to board.  Ms. Filitov, set intercept course for the Quaritch.  When you're ready, engage at maximum warp.  Ms. Falleg, when we scanned that location, it was not at singularity point.  While we're on the way, try and figure out what I'm about to fly us into.  I'm placing the probes at your disposal."

Buris walked over to his Operations board, touching the button for intership communications, opening a channel to SB Columbus. "Starbase Ops, this is Phoenix.  We will be departing for distress call location from Freighter Quaritch.  When we return, we will be either carrying either survivors to offload or towing a Denebian freighter.  We are at red alert and general quarters."

That told them that the Phoenix wasn't requesting departure, it was demanding.  It also gave an indication of the severity of the situation that little Denebian freighter was in right now.

He then tapped the intraship channels, first going to Kintiss in Sickbay.  "Operations to Sickbay.  We're responding to a distress call.  Stand by for any wounded.  Please check the Ops datastream for a full complement of the freighter in question.  And if we need any inoculations or somesuch to survive near a black hole, sooner would be far better than later, Doctor."=/\=

He then switched over to the Engineering channel, hoping he got either Arthur or Lollock. "Operations to Engineering.  Get a team on standby for repairs to a Denebian freighter.  Also, I want full power to the engines, thrusters, and shields.  I'm going to be taking this ship dangerously close to a singularity to save them.  We'll either tow them out or beam them out, depending on what we see there.  Get on sensors, and make sure you're tied into the Science datastream!  Any insight on this phenomenon, or a prognosis on that ship, I want it the moment you have it!"=/\=

He tapped a third channel, and glanced over to Filitov. "I'm going to get a pre-handoff check going down in the Shuttlebay.  If we have to launch, we won't have time for much pre-flight."

"This is Operations calling Shuttlebay.  Operations staff, begin pre-handoff checks and technical handshakes with Flight Control staff.  Ms. Weir, please have a Type-8 Shuttlecraft ready with seating in refugee configuration before we arrive at our destination.  If we need a shuttle, we'll need it on rapid deployment.  Make it happen, and report back to Ms. Filitov on the Bridge when ready and standing by."=/\=

With that, he stood up and took a breath, looking around at the sudden buzz of activity he'd just started around the ship.  He wondered for a moment if this was how the Captain of a ship felt every day; and then realized it would probably become tiresome very quickly - no wonder so many commanding officers tried to hide in their hobbies or side pursuits.

He walked to the center seat area, the whole row currently empty, and shrugged before sitting down in the Captain's chair.  It really was comfortable.

[Ashley Weir]

[Mess Hall - NPC Beggon]

Relieved of his duties on the Bridge, Beggon headed to his favorite place on the ship - the Mess Hall.  He could eat all he wanted - for free!  Being in Star Fleet was great!

Today, Beggon got a full bowl of jellied gree worms.  Then he went to look for a place to sit.  "Hi, may I join you?" he ask the lone woman.

[Mess Hall]

By now the mess hall was full of people. All of them grouped together and enjoying themselves. She hadn't thought silence was a blessing since she was a kid, and that wasn't changing now. Having spent most of her life completely deaf any sound was the blessing for her. After a moment alone she realized another officer was stood and asking if he could sit. "Uhm....y-yeah. Please do." She said, her hands still instinctively signing faster than she could even speak.

[Kirok]

[Ready Room - NPC - Kidnapped Transport Specialist]

The Transport Specialist was shocked to find that he was now in a new location.  Kidnapped no less!  He looked down at his hand and saw Kirok's com badge.  And by mistake no less.

"Computer, return me to Starbase Columbus" he called out.  =/\=Authorization denied=/\= the computer replied.  "Frack" he shouted.

He went to the door and started pounding on it.  "Open this door and release me.  You have committed an act of war and I will have those responsible brought up on charges!  Open this door, now!" he yelled.

[Mess Hall]

By now the mess hall was full of people. All of them grouped together and enjoying themselves. She hadn't thought silence was a blessing since she was a kid, and that wasn't changing now. Having spent most of her life completely deaf any sound was the blessing for her. After a moment alone she realized another officer was stood and asking if he could sit. "Uhm....y-yeah. Please do." She said, her hands still instinctively signing faster than she could even speak.

[Mess Hall - NPC Beggon]

"Thank you, I will" Beggon replied.  He took a seat and dug into his glee worms.  He whipped his mouth when he finished his mouthful.

"Sorry.  I was famished" the Ferengi replied.  "My name is Beggon.  What's yours?" he said.

[Hrafn Falleg]

[Botany]

"Oh," Gabriel smiled again, "any excuse for them to make a mess and smear things on one another won't be passed up any time soon."  He stopped, turning to face Falleg, head tilting slightly as a small grin played over his lips.  "Hrafn, of course the girls want to see you.  You're their Aunt Fran.  Arch and I don't blame you for anything that happened, and the kids sure as hell don't."  Gabriel was quiet for a moment as they walked, letting some distance rack up between them and the rest of the crew.  "Unfortunately," he continued, his voice subdued, "they're pretty used to things like this, now.  In fact, just an old-fashioned abduction is pretty mild, comparatively speaking."  Shaking his head, Gabriel reached up and ran his fingers through his short, blonde hair.  "It's been on my mind, lately...a lot of things have, actually.  Archangel's been preoccupied with her own things, and...well.  I wanted to run this by you.  I consider you a friend, and seeing as how we just went through basically the same thing..."

He realized that he was starting to babble, which often happened when he wanted to avoid a subject.  Best just get to it.

"I'm thinking about deactivating my commission."

Botany

Hrafn raised a small laugh at Gabe's comment about the girls. That much was true, they were at the age where such things as getting as dirty as possible was almost a given duty handed down by the Prophets!

She was glad also that their father seemed to not blame her, nor did the girls and they wanted to see her.  She'd missed them.

It was her friend's next words however that surprised her...or they would have done, had she not questioned her own commission many times especially over the almost 7 months of the twin's life.

"Gabe... " she began.  Moistening her lips she wasn't quite sure what to say but she continued.  "First, thank you for not blaming me, Secondly, thank you for saying I'm your friend.  I have always considered you and Archangel as such since I first came aboard."

She knew the next bit would be difficult, but she knew it had to be said.  "However, I'm not sure I'm the one best qualified to give you the answers you need about the question you didn't ask, but it was hanging there... 'Am I making the right decision here?'.  I can't answer that but as your friend I will give you my opinion.  You are one of, if not the best engineer I have seen.  There would be very few worthy of taking your place, you're intuitive when it comes to engines and the inner workings thereof.  Give it a few years and yes, Seika will be that good, but the engine room of a starship isn't ready for a CEO under 10 years old!"

She gave a wry smile and tried to jolly along Gabe a little with the thought that was Seika running the Engine Room at her age!

"However, I think I know why you're going down this route, because I've thought about it myself.  It was only my temporary separation from Nevir that really got me thinking differently again, mostly because of necessity but the recent abduction made me question it again.  I have 3 children as you know since Archangel helped me rescue Ruthie who is currently with her father.  But the number of times I've thought 'What if one, or even both of us were killed.  What would happen to the children... is it fair to drag them around the galaxies with us?!'  Now I'm not sure what the situation is like with your or Archangel's parents but I know that should anything happen to either myself or Nevir, and should we ever want the children in a comparatively safer place, then the Tekin's would welcome all of them with open arms, we just have to ask, and there is the understanding there that should the worst happen, they would take them and the family would care for them."

Hrafn paused then continued thinking rapidly.  "I gave up the idea of leaving the Fleet when I abruptly left the Challenger having thought that I saw Nevir with another woman in his office 'in flagrante delicato'... that coupled with some other business had him painted a rather black picture and I had filed for divorce.  Those papers are still sat in Nevir's desk drawer.  Until the time I say 'Tear them up' he keeps them.  And I shall say that, the day we get a commission together or both take retirement.  I-I'm actually thinking of asking if I can move to be with him, but I didn't want to upset the girls.  Anyhow, I digress.  When I left suddenly like that, I had to have a way to make sure that the twins were ok, I wasn't even thinking that they were ... they are half Nevir's.  I wanted him out of my life at that point.  And that being the case I didn't have the luxury of having his parents take them... it had to be myself and Evie.  Thus I stayed.  Recently however, relations between my husband and I are better and also he's 90% there to completely proving his innocence.... So there is no need for me to feel I couldn't leave, and the latest disturbance, ... I've begun to question it all again."

The walk had brought them round to her office and she opened the door, got herself a coffee and gestured to the replicator "Help yourself!" she said simply.

Sitting with her butt up against the edge of the desk facing into the room she said "But that doesn't help you with your dilemma.  If you are doing it for the girls, given that, and I can say this in here, and you know that I know of Archangel's ah...involvement... in certain quarters...could be and is highly dangerous, then I know exactly where you are coming from, but I don't know that it's the only answer.  If it's for other reasons, then tell me, and I'll make further comment based on that."

[Gabriel Arthur]

[Botany Labs]

"Her 'friends' couldn't care less what kind of uniform I'm wearing," Gabriel ruefully answered.  "It's not my pips and connections they're interested in."  In fact, he could more properly be called a liability in that regard - the shadow intel community didn't need him for anything other than a lever to be used against Archangel.  "But...yes.  You're right on to it.  The girls need a more stable presence in their lives.  This?" he gestured, pointing to his uniform and rank.  "This is just a job.  My family is my life.  The weight of one duty is a feather, the other a mountain.  I -- "

"Operations to Engineering.  Get a team on standby for repairs to a Denebian freighter.  Also, I want full power to the engines, thrusters, and shields.  I'm going to be taking this ship dangerously close to a singularity to save them.  We'll either tow them out or beam them out, depending on what we see there.  Get on sensors, and make sure you're tied into the Science datastream!  Any insight on this phenomenon, or a prognosis on that ship, I want it the moment you have it!"=/\=

Gabriel's next words were cut off abruptly by a call from the Ops manager.  Sighing, he had to remind himself that, yes, Kejal Buris was a complete and total jackass...but he was also a jackass that had done his best to bring the children home.  That fact alone kept Gabe from snapping a reply back about not ordering a peer around like a deckhand.

=^="Arthur here.  You'll have it, with extra spit and polish.  I'm standing with Falleg, we'll liaise together from here on out, unless you have any objections."=^=

Closing the channel, Gabriel rolled his eyes.  "He's good at his job.  Let's just keep repeating that...anyway.  We'll have to continue this later.  You wanna get on those sensors?  I'll get my engineering team prepped."

=^="Arthur to Lollock...assemble response teams one and four and meet me in Main Engineering."=^=

[Kintiss]

He then tapped the intraship channels, first going to Kintiss in Sickbay.  "Operations to Sickbay.  We're responding to a distress call.  Stand by for any wounded.  Please check the Ops datastream for a full complement of the freighter in question.  And if we need any inoculations or somesuch to survive near a black hole, sooner would be far better than later, Doctor."=/\=

[Sickbay]

Black hole, eh? Kintiss was sure there was a comment to be made about frontier medicine, but kept it to himself. He instead began getting his team up and going, preparing biobeds, general anaesthetics and treatments for basic wounds.

There was an inoculation developed by Starfleet Medical a few years back on a deep space station, a solution of amorathine, hydromanium and chromexaline. Easy to synthesise and administer. "We'll prepare inoculationsss for the whole crew, but they'll need a sssstronger dossse if you plan to go through it, Lieutenant Commander,"=/\= he replied. "And for all our ssssakessss, I do hope that issssn't the casssse."=/\= Still, didn't hurt to be prepared in case they did.

[Kachina Filitov]

As the Red Alert sounded and the ship went to General Quarters (because after all, they were about to respond to a distress call), he nodded to T'Koris.  Obviously they were both worried about the colony, but in the end, he'd have to see about getting them into a meeting and talking about it candidly.  It didn't matter if someone 'got away' with it.  In his eyes, the killers at Tarna were the most despicable heroes ever to grace the Galaxy.  What mattered was, some people were dead and others didn't die because of those deaths.  That was all that mattered in the end.  Still, he returned her thin but reassuring smile.  He knew that smile, from the trenches and the battlefields.

"I have no intention whatsoever of mutiny against any commanding officer of this vessel, Archangel.  On that, you have my word.  But please, don't get us embroiled in a needless chase against ghosts of the past."

He turned off the diagnostic cycle when she nodded to him, letting her into the Ready Room.  As soon as she was safely inside, he took the conn and looked at the people around him, standing where Archangel did, between the center seat and the viewscreen, at a distance where he could see both his own board and Filitov's.  "If asked by anyone, what happened was 100% according to regulation."

In a commanding way, Kejal cleared his throat.  Still, old habits died hard, and as a commander he was always plagued by an instinct to refer to his staff the way he had as an Enlisted - "Mister" and "Miss".  "Mr. Marshall, report when all hands are at general quarters.  Muster a rescue team and have them waiting in Shuttlebay One in case we have a need to board.  Ms. Filitov, set intercept course for the Quaritch.  When you're ready, engage at maximum warp.  Ms. Falleg, when we scanned that location, it was not at singularity point.  While we're on the way, try and figure out what I'm about to fly us into.  I'm placing the probes at your disposal."

Buris walked over to his Operations board, touching the button for intership communications, opening a channel to SB Columbus. "Starbase Ops, this is Phoenix.  We will be departing for distress call location from Freighter Quaritch.  When we return, we will be either carrying either survivors to offload or towing a Denebian freighter.  We are at red alert and general quarters."

That told them that the Phoenix wasn't requesting departure, it was demanding.  It also gave an indication of the severity of the situation that little Denebian freighter was in right now.

He then tapped the intraship channels, first going to Kintiss in Sickbay.  "Operations to Sickbay.  We're responding to a distress call.  Stand by for any wounded.  Please check the Ops datastream for a full complement of the freighter in question.  And if we need any inoculations or somesuch to survive near a black hole, sooner would be far better than later, Doctor."=/\=

He then switched over to the Engineering channel, hoping he got either Arthur or Lollock. "Operations to Engineering.  Get a team on standby for repairs to a Denebian freighter.  Also, I want full power to the engines, thrusters, and shields.  I'm going to be taking this ship dangerously close to a singularity to save them.  We'll either tow them out or beam them out, depending on what we see there.  Get on sensors, and make sure you're tied into the Science datastream!  Any insight on this phenomenon, or a prognosis on that ship, I want it the moment you have it!"=/\=

He tapped a third channel, and glanced over to Filitov. "I'm going to get a pre-handoff check going down in the Shuttlebay.  If we have to launch, we won't have time for much pre-flight."

"This is Operations calling Shuttlebay.  Operations staff, begin pre-handoff checks and technical handshakes with Flight Control staff.  Ms. Weir, please have a Type-8 Shuttlecraft ready with seating in refugee configuration before we arrive at our destination.  If we need a shuttle, we'll need it on rapid deployment.  Make it happen, and report back to Ms. Filitov on the Bridge when ready and standing by."=/\=

With that, he stood up and took a breath, looking around at the sudden buzz of activity he'd just started around the ship.  He wondered for a moment if this was how the Captain of a ship felt every day; and then realized it would probably become tiresome very quickly - no wonder so many commanding officers tried to hide in their hobbies or side pursuits.

He walked to the center seat area, the whole row currently empty, and shrugged before sitting down in the Captain's chair.  It really was comfortable.

Bridge

Katcha listened to T'Koris and Buris in horror at their clearly mutinous behavior. She stood up and turned to Buris.

"Niet Commander.  I am relieving you of duty and vill be detaining you on a charge of disobeying a direct order by your commanding officer." She lowered at Buris before turning to the duty Security Officer.

"Please escort Commander Buris to ze Brig and summon a security detail to ze Bridge to take Commander T'Koris into custody as well."  She glared the young officer.

[Kejal Buris]

[Ready Room - NPC - Kidnapped Transport Specialist]

The Transport Specialist was shocked to find that he was now in a new location.  Kidnapped no less!  He looked down at his hand and saw Kirok's com badge.  And by mistake no less.

"Computer, return me to Starbase Columbus" he called out.  =/\=Authorization denied=/\= the computer replied.  "Frack" he shouted.

He went to the door and started pounding on it.  "Open this door and release me.  You have committed an act of war and I will have those responsible brought up on charges!  Open this door, now!" he yelled.

As the doors opened, Buris looked at the man, glancing at his collar - Enlisted.  Good.  He glared at the man before Archangel could speak.  "This is not an act of war, Petty.  You're now a material witness in an ongoing investigation!  Admiral Kirok has knowingly deserted his post!  And you have two choices - either you're just a witness, or you're part of the conspiracy to desert and transmit sensitive classified information to enemies of the Federation!  Which is it, Petty?  Security, take this man into custody and have him give a sworn affidavit!"

He glared the man down with all the rage he could muster (which was quite a lot), and he knew that he'd trigger some of the instincts the man had gained during the basic training all enlistees suffered.  Then he let T'Koris handle the problem, since she'd indirectly given him the conn.

Gabriel's next words were cut off abruptly by a call from the Ops manager.  Sighing, he had to remind himself that, yes, Kejal Buris was a complete and total jackass...but he was also a jackass that had done his best to bring the children home.  That fact alone kept Gabe from snapping a reply back about not ordering a peer around like a deckhand.

=^="Arthur here.  You'll have it, with extra spit and polish.  I'm standing with Falleg, we'll liaise together from here on out, unless you have any objections."=^=

He tapped his commbadge, speaking a bit more gently - he could tell the sarcasm and the edge of frustration in Arthur's voice, and decided to head it off at the pass.  "Thanks, Gabe.  As soon as you get anything usable, tell me.  I'm about to throw this ship and her complement into mortal danger; please make damn sure I'm not throwing all our lives away for nothing."

Kintiss came back next, also sarcastic.  Then again, he really hardly minded that - everyone on this ship knew how to do their job.  The fact that he was telling them to do it was nothing especially new. 

There was an inoculation developed by Starfleet Medical a few years back on a deep space station, a solution of amorathine, hydromanium and chromexaline. Easy to synthesise and administer. "We'll prepare inoculationsss for the whole crew, but they'll need a sssstronger dossse if you plan to go through it, Lieutenant Commander,"=/\= he replied. "And for all our ssssakessss, I do hope that issssn't the casssse."=/\= Still, didn't hurt to be prepared in case they did.

"Doctor, right now, I don't have a plan.  There's people in a freighter, they need help, they've been caught by a singularity and are in a degrading orbit around the event horizon.  My plan is to do whatever's necessary to save their lives while endangering ours to the least feasible degree.  If you'd like to come to the Bridge and discuss that topic, I ask that you do so with hypos for all of us and after you've finished getting the Sickbay ready."

Katcha listened to T'Koris and Buris in horror at their clearly mutinous behavior. She stood up and turned to Buris.

"Niet Commander.  I am relieving you of duty and vill be detaining you on a charge of disobeying a direct order by your commanding officer." She lowered at Buris before turning to the duty Security Officer.

"Please escort Commander Buris to ze Brig and summon a security detail to ze Bridge to take Commander T'Koris into custody as well."  She glared the young officer.

Buris folded his arms over his chest, looking her in the eye.  "Lieutenant, this is not the time for that!  There are civilians dying out there on that freighter.  Get your fingers on that panel and plot us an intercept, now, or they will all die.  After we are at warp, we can discuss your accusations.  No matter who is in command here, those people need our help!  So whether you're helping me to help them, or doing it for yourself, or for Commander T'Koris, or for whatever entities you worship, just bloody well get it done!"

His arms uncurled, and his fists were tight.  He glared her down - obviously, Buris had no problem being a bully; he'd commanded a ship as a teenager through force of will and the willingness to harm people.  He'd given most of his rambunctious rebel crew a bloody nose or two, after which point they'd listened.  He'd run an engine room almost as soon as he'd been an officer, covering multiple departments.  And now, here was Lieutenant Filitov, accusing him of mutiny and disloyalty?  It was literally everything he could do to keep his temper in check.  The ridges of his nose flared as he exhaled, hard, eyes narrow.

"And I received no order from the Admiral that indicated, 'do not bring me back aboard if there is an alert condition'.  He beamed to the station - over the protest of his First Officer, no less - when we were not even at alert status blue.  We intercepted the Quaritch's distress call, we are the only ship on station.  Commander T'Koris and I attempted to follow Starfleet regulation and bring the Admiral back on board this vessel to command in the Red Alert scenario.  He has deserted his post, Katcha!  He has abandoned us!  Why else would this damn fool Petty be standing here instead of him?!  So if you want someone to blame, it's not me.  I'm just trying to save a few hundred lives - and I need your help to do it - they need your help, and on the double.  Blame the damn Admiral, who darted off on some personal mission, who didn't trust his crew; hell, blame me if you must.  But get us to that event horizon so we can do some good.  Please."

He glared at the Security officers, knowing that they'd be confused between the conflicting orders - take the Petty into custody, take Kejal into custody, or get ready to do a search-and-rescue on a ship being pulled into a black hole - as he glared at T'Koris and stalked his way over to her, his voice now devoid of anything but a black rage; though it was obvious he wasn't directing it at her.  "Captain.  You have this Bridge - I sure as hell don't want anything to do with it.  Whatever the hell can be made of it anyway, with a helmsman who's openly disobeying a direct and legal order of highest priority, and allowing civilians to die needlessly.  All departments, with the notable exception of Flight Control, are reporting in and will have reports on the Quaritch and the singularity phenomenon soon.  Should I report to the brig, or to my station, sir?!"

Oh, yeah, he was ineffably ticked off.  Having Kirok run off and abandon them, he could almost tolerate - Admirals (according to what he'd been told when he was nothing but a Crewman) were fickle creatures, prone to flightiness and capable of wild goose chases of nothing but the highest order.  He also understood that the Admiral had a loyalty to the Fleet and the Federation as a whole; rather than just one ship - a good reason for a Fleet officer never to trust them anywhere but ashore.  So he could almost accept Kirok's disappearance.  But to have Filitov suddenly refuse to save people's lives, and then accuse him of mutiny!?  That was the last straw.  If she'd set the course, gone to warp, and then accused him, he'd still be angry, but... at least he'd be able to understand; he'd do the same in her shoes, if he didn't know what had gone on before.

[Archangel Koris]

Katcha listened to T'Koris and Buris in horror at their clearly mutinous behavior. She stood up and turned to Buris.

"Niet Commander.  I am relieving you of duty and vill be detaining you on a charge of disobeying a direct order by your commanding officer." She lowered at Buris before turning to the duty Security Officer.

"Please escort Commander Buris to ze Brig and summon a security detail to ze Bridge to take Commander T'Koris into custody as well."  She glared the young officer.

[Bridge]

As it became clear that bringing the Admiral back aboard the ship had been a fruitless effort and that he had, essentially, deserted their ship in a time of need, anger flared up in Archangel's mind.  How dare he abandon the Phoenix?  How dare he leave his post?  But most of all, how dare he abandon his duty?

That anger was nothing compared to what crashed over her at the accusation from their helm officer.  Turning slowly to Katchina, she forced herself to maintain a neutral expression.  Let Kejal be her anger.  He was rather good at it and, at that moment, they had more pressing matters to attend to:  notably the freighter in distress and the desertion of Admiral Kirok.

"Admiral Kirok gave me no direct orders on this matter and has deserted his post during a red alert, Lieutenant.  Compromised emotional state or not, that's still a serious offense.  Bringing him back to the ship under protective custody was rather kind on our part, but that is not up for debate."  She cast a glare at the security officers, who were looking at little confused, daring them to do anything but stand there.  I am too tired for this... was a stray thought that crossed her mind, but she forced herself to focus.  Kirok had made his choice to get himself killed for a lie, but innocent people shouldn't have to suffer for his mistakes.

"Commander Kejal, until I tell you otherwise, I expect you to carry out your duty, which means manning that console," she told the Bajoran, effectively telling him to return to his work on preparing the ship to respond to the distress call.  "Inform the station that Admiral Kirok has abandoned his post for a personal mission and, as First Officer, I have assumed command to handle the alert situation.  And find someone to escort our friend here to guest quarters, unless he has any particular urge to assume a post."  Turning her attention to the helm officer, her tone took on an edge of steel.  "Lieutenant, you are also abandoning your post in an alert situation.  If you're not capable of following orders, get your relief up here and get off the bridge.  You have five seconds to make your decision."

She didn't know the lieutenant well enough to predict a response, but nor did she had the time to wait on one.  Moving away from the operations station, Archangel headed for the helm station, intending to take it over until Filitov could figure out what to do with herself.  "Kejal, forward coordinates to the helm station," she called out as she sat down, bringing up the controls and engaging the engines.

[Kirok]

As the doors opened, Buris looked at the man, glancing at his collar - Enlisted.  Good.  He glared at the man before Archangel could speak.  "This is not an act of war, Petty.  You're now a material witness in an ongoing investigation!  Admiral Kirok has knowingly deserted his post!  And you have two choices - either you're just a witness, or you're part of the conspiracy to desert and transmit sensitive classified information to enemies of the Federation!  Which is it, Petty?  Security, take this man into custody and have him give a sworn affidavit!"

[Ready Room - NPC - Kidnapped Transport Specialist]

"Your a liar, a criminal, and a kidnapper" the man replied.  "You have taken me by force without my consent off of Starbase Columbus.  That is the very definition of the word kidnapping!" he added.

"And the only trial I will be testifying at is yours, Sir.  Yours and who ever gave you the order to abduct me.  Now, return me forthwith to Starbase Columus and turn yourselves in" he said.

Then he turned to Marshall, Filitov, and the other members of the Bridge crew.  "You are all my witness.  I have demanded to be returned to the Starbase.  He is the criminal here, not me!" he called out to the officers on the Bridge.

[Steve Marshall]

[Ready Room - NPC - Kidnapped Transport Specialist]

"Your a liar, a criminal, and a kidnapper" the man replied.  "You have taken me by force without my consent off of Starbase Columbus.  That is the very definition of the word kidnapping!" he added.

"And the only trial I will be testifying at is yours, Sir.  Yours and who ever gave you the order to abduct me.  Now, return me forthwith to Starbase Columus and turn yourselves in" he said.

Then he turned to Marshall, Filitov, and the other members of the Bridge crew.  "You are all my witness.  I have demanded to be returned to the Starbase.  He is the criminal here, not me!" he called out to the officers on the Bridge.

Bridge - Security station

Marshall looked up from the file he was reading to see what all the commotion was. A tense stand off had started. He stopped what he was doing and concentrated on the task in hand. Moving away from the console he moved with in a few feet of the man. Far enough way not to spook the man who had claimed he had been kidnapped. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on and why the man felt this way.

As he was on the bridge he decided that it wouldn't be wise to escalate the situation with more people. Turning to the man in a quiet voice " Exactly what is it that has happened for you to be here".