S2 M7 - The Two Wolves

[Solluk]

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Though the damage was still being assessed, it was clear to Solluk that the explosion had taken at least one casualty:  His ad-hoc backup network, composed of multiple shuttle computers, had been disrupted.  That meant several shuttles had been disabled in the internal berths.

At least it seemed the True Healy was arriving, to avenge the espionage and sabotage laid down by their doppelgangers.  As Solluk observed the False Healy's backside receding from the station, he also observed Saxon putting phaser fire and torpedoes into it, having impressively expanded the range of their phaser energy emitters.

"Good shooting, Mr. Saxon," he commended, while simultaneously rebuilding the ad-hoc network using surviving shuttles.  Not enough of them for comfort, it seemed.

"Lieutenant Goodspeed," he called out, knowing the Engineer was assessing the infiltration of their systems, as well as the result of the sabotage.  "One of our clues coming into this crisis was that your refit to the Healy's systems seemed to have been undone.  Is there any way to use that fact to our advantage?"

When Zex came in, Solluk turned to acknowledge the officer, "Take over communications from an auxiliary station, Ensign.  Ops is keeping busy troubleshooting systems and dispatching repair crews.  We could use help coordinating our assets in the field, while also answering queries from within the station."

Already, there were messages coming in from the Klingons and Tholians that were going unanswered in the confusion of the moment.

[Tess tLhoell]

NPC Ensign Roberto Padrini (Medical)
[Katra Station - Deck 22 - Sickbay]

Katra Station - Deck 22 - Sick Bay

Beja had felt bad for Tess. It was clear the commander was under a lot of stress with her new position, and the transition was not as smooth as the commander had hoped it would be. Add on to that, Tess just a newly wed, and expecting her first child. That was a lot for one person to carry, but Beja had total faith and confidence in Tess' ability to do a great job. The crew needed to give it time to see that Tess had the skills for the position, and that it was not just given due to Rayek's fall from grace. Yes, Tess had the position because Rayek had an emotional break, but Tess was already on the rise to leadership herself. Tess deserved the position she had been appointed and Beja knew that the crew would realize that as well.

Beja had an appointment set up for later on that afternoon with Roberto, so that the two of them could go over the Meridian's scans and files, to see if they could find a root cause. It had been generous of Tess to allow him a few hours a day to be on Katra helping. The plan of course was that Beja hoped the two of them could discover the issue and that it would allow Roberto to stay on Katra full time again. But before any of that could take place, all hell broke loose as the religious human saying went.

There was an explosion that resulted in a red alert on Katra. Beja was already in the medical bay area, so she didn't need to go far. She helped get the sick bay ready for the injured to arrive. Beja was grateful to see Roberto arriving. And none of them had long to wait for the patients to arrive.

"I'm here to help, what do you need Roberto?" Beja glanced down at the patient, and made the same realization that Roberto had. Tess' brother Benjin. He was one of the newer cadets to the station. He was a very sweet and kind person from all of her personal interactions with him. But all of that had to be put aside and they had to remain calm, and level headed.

Beja smiled over at Roberto with a nod and began to help him stabilize their patient. Right now, they had to just help each person that came into the medical bay. She didn't know what attacked them, or who, but that could wait. The crew needed them, and Beja was ready to serve her crew.

Roberto glanced up at Beja but was not able to return the smile right now. He was glad she was here though, he knew he worked well together with her. "We need a couple of injections", he replied while Benjin's pulse was dropping slowly. "Coagulant to stop the bleeding, Cordrazine and Tripdecederine!"

If Beja was on the way to get the hypos, she'd be stopped by Dr. Mokawa. Another patient had just died from an overdose.

"None of our hypo-injectors are to be used!" It was obvious these malfunctions was not a coincidence. "We will replicate hyposprays as quick as possible, please mark them so we know which we can use and which not!"

"Mokawa to Ops, please advice all medical stations that they are to use replicated hypo-injectors only. We must assume that some kind of sabotaging had been conducted on the ones we have which will make them administer overdoses automatically. Mokawa out."

Roberto's heart sank when he heard that. Why the heck would someone tamper with the hyposprays?? He looked back at Benjin's bio readings. "Beja! I need dressing material, I will make a compression bandage to stop the bleeding that way." This was so oldschool. But right now he was glad that Starfleet had taught them to get by if technology was not available. "We need to keep an eye on his vital signs, if they drop 5 points lower, we need to reanimate!"

Replicant - Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

Replicant - Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS rHealy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3 pm]

"Yes, Captain." he acknowledged then paused.  "Actually, I might have a better plan. Given my original's paranoia at discovering our presence he will have likely changed the prefix codes, but I'm fairly certain that we can find the correct  code that he or Tess would use.  Once we have that code we can bring them to a stop,  drop their shields and beam their Captain aboard.  With her as hostage, my original will do nothing to put her at risk.  Not if we can convince him she will be released unharmed afterwards."

rRayek knew this because it was how he felt.  Of course, he had the impetus of his programming pushing him beyond this limitation.  rRayek knew that for the sake of the mission if he had to sacrifice his wife he would be forced into doing so... but the original had no such programming.

Much like his counterpart, rRayek took note of the Cobra's approaching.

"Captain, we have three Cobras on approach."  rRayek called out before targeting the lead vessel.  The Romulan grimaced at the knowledge that Tess' brother Benjin could very well be aboard one of the vessels that he was about to shoot down.

Because of rTess' order earlier, rRayek didn't have to wait for permission to fire, he just did so.  While torpedoes had the best range, they were too slow to be effective against the fighter ships.   Even phasers were slow in comparison..  but a good tactical officer could foresee how strong and to which side a fighter might bank, if at all, when faced with phaser shot headed their way.

That's what rRayek did now..  He targeted the lead ship then anticipated that the ship would bank left upon seeing the coming phaser shot, and therefore drew his weapons fire to the left in an arc.. hoping to tag the lead Cobra.

rTess nodded her head. The plan was nothing her 'normal' self would ever do, but it sounded perfect to accomplish their mission. "Let's do it that way." She paused briefly. "And let's replace my original with a little surprise." She looked to rRayek. "Beam a grenade on the bridge; time the detonation in a way that won't leave much time for them to react." It was a sickening feeling to hear those words leaving her lips while she was aware that it could kill the whole bridge crew, or at least injure them severely. But there was not a chance she could go against her programming.

While that was worked on, with Tess providing her input about what her original self might have contributed to the task of changing the prefix code, rRayek announced the sight of cobra fighters. Oh, right. She already given the order to open fire, and that wouldn't have changed with the knowledge that her little brother could be on one of those fighters. The rHealy fired and only a moment later the ship shuddered with a hit - from behind.

There was no way that could have been one of the cobras - it was too forceful. The station's phaser arrays. Saxon. "Watch out, we gotta have eyes all around here!" rTess bit her lower lip in thought. If they didn't get away from here quickly, the odds might turn to their disadvantage - with the Healy, the Cobras and the station's defenses targeting them. She knew enough of the capability of each and everyone that this would become hard enough.

"Rayek, initiate the beam-over as soon as you're ready and you're certain we have the right prefix code." She turned her face to the view screen, focusing the original Healy. "We need some more leverage here."

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS Healy - Bridge]

At Tess' call, Rayek raised the Alert status to Condition Red.

His long fingers worked the controls to bring the shields up, and ready both the phasers and the torpedo tubes.  "Shields are up and showing 100%.  Phasers are charged and the ready and photon torpedoes are in primed and in the tube."

He then glanced over to Ensign Steward who was bringing the ship over to an intercept course.

When he glanced back to his screen the Cobras could be seen heading towards the fake ship.

"Captain, Katra has the Cobras moving in to engage.  Recommend we turn on all our exterior lights.   Right now because of location we are easy to differentiate, but in closer proximity combined with a moments inattention and we could be mistakenly  targeted if we don't take steps to appear different."

Tess nodded at Rayek's report. "Turn on the lights", she approved. "Helm, keep up the interception course."

With the order given to drop the distortions around them, sensors and communications should be restored now. "Ensign Oloze, open a channel to Katra." Nadia complied. "Healy to Katra Station. Captain, we are on interception course to stop the false Healy and its occupants." While she spoke she witnessed the exchange of phaser fire - the fake Healy targeting one of the Cobras, and Katra targeting the fake Healy. "What are your orders regarding the doppelganger-ship, sir?"

"Rayek, target the Healy, but don't fire yet. The others opened fire on the Cobras, they might turn their weapon's attention to us soon."

As she waited, she already prepared the words she would direct to ... herself ... on the other Healy. The thought was so strange. At the same time, she doubted her replicant self would answer the hail at all. At least, she wouldn't if she was in her position with her goal in mind.

While she was still musing over this, a transporter beam suddenly took hold of her and Tess disappeared from the bridge .... a split second later, a grenade rolled along the bridge's floor.

[Kirok]

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Though the damage was still being assessed, it was clear to Solluk that the explosion had taken at least one casualty:  His ad-hoc backup network, composed of multiple shuttle computers, had been disrupted.  That meant several shuttles had been disabled in the internal berths.

At least it seemed the True Healy was arriving, to avenge the espionage and sabotage laid down by their doppelgangers.  As Solluk observed the False Healy's backside receding from the station, he also observed Saxon putting phaser fire and torpedoes into it, having impressively expanded the range of their phaser energy emitters.

"Good shooting, Mr. Saxon," he commended, while simultaneously rebuilding the ad-hoc network using surviving shuttles.  Not enough of them for comfort, it seemed.

"Lieutenant Goodspeed," he called out, knowing the Engineer was assessing the infiltration of their systems, as well as the result of the sabotage.  "One of our clues coming into this crisis was that your refit to the Healy's systems seemed to have been undone.  Is there any way to use that fact to our advantage?"

When Zex came in, Solluk turned to acknowledge the officer, "Take over communications from an auxiliary station, Ensign.  Ops is keeping busy troubleshooting systems and dispatching repair crews.  We could use help coordinating our assets in the field, while also answering queries from within the station."

Already, there were messages coming in from the Klingons and Tholians that were going unanswered in the confusion of the moment.

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Zex watched the view screen while she listened to the others and oriented herself to what was happening.  She could clearly see what looked like the Healy leaving and Saxon firing on it.  She could also see what looked like the Healy approaching.

One seemed to be a fake.  She assumed it to be the one Saxon was firing on.  But she wondered what the refit was that Solluk mentioned as it seemed to be the potential key to resolving this situation.

She pushed that thought to the back of her consciousness when Sollluk called her name and assigned her a task. "Aye, Sir.  Happy to help" Zex replied.  She moved from the station she was at to the auxiliary station closer to the view screen.

The Deltan logged in quickly and took over communications.  There initially was some static on the line.  Then one hale came in after the next.

NPC Ensign Roberto Padrini (Medical)
[Katra Station - Deck 22 - Sickbay]

Roberto glanced up at Beja but was not able to return the smile right now. He was glad she was here though, he knew he worked well together with her. "We need a couple of injections", he replied while Benjin's pulse was dropping slowly. "Coagulant to stop the bleeding, Cordrazine and Tripdecederine!"

If Beja was on the way to get the hypos, she'd be stopped by Dr. Mokawa. Another patient had just died from an overdose.

"None of our hypo-injectors are to be used!" It was obvious these malfunctions was not a coincidence. "We will replicate hyposprays as quick as possible, please mark them so we know which we can use and which not!"

"Mokawa to Ops, please advice all medical stations that they are to use replicated hypo-injectors only. We must assume that some kind of sabotaging had been conducted on the ones we have which will make them administer overdoses automatically. Mokawa out."

Roberto's heart sank when he heard that. Why the heck would someone tamper with the hyposprays?? He looked back at Benjin's bio readings. "Beja! I need dressing material, I will make a compression bandage to stop the bleeding that way." This was so oldschool. But right now he was glad that Starfleet had taught them to get by if technology was not available. "We need to keep an eye on his vital signs, if they drop 5 points lower, we need to reanimate!"

Replicant - Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

rTess nodded her head. The plan was nothing her 'normal' self would ever do, but it sounded perfect to accomplish their mission. "Let's do it that way." She paused briefly. "And let's replace my original with a little surprise." She looked to rRayek. "Beam a grenade on the bridge; time the detonation in a way that won't leave much time for them to react." It was a sickening feeling to hear those words leaving her lips while she was aware that it could kill the whole bridge crew, or at least injure them severely. But there was not a chance she could go against her programming.

While that was worked on, with Tess providing her input about what her original self might have contributed to the task of changing the prefix code, rRayek announced the sight of cobra fighters. Oh, right. She already given the order to open fire, and that wouldn't have changed with the knowledge that her little brother could be on one of those fighters. The rHealy fired and only a moment later the ship shuddered with a hit - from behind.

There was no way that could have been one of the cobras - it was too forceful. The station's phaser arrays. Saxon. "Watch out, we gotta have eyes all around here!" rTess bit her lower lip in thought. If they didn't get away from here quickly, the odds might turn to their disadvantage - with the Healy, the Cobras and the station's defenses targeting them. She knew enough of the capability of each and everyone that this would become hard enough.

"Rayek, initiate the beam-over as soon as you're ready and you're certain we have the right prefix code." She turned her face to the view screen, focusing the original Healy. "We need some more leverage here."

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS Healy - Bridge]

Tess nodded at Rayek's report. "Turn on the lights", she approved. "Helm, keep up the interception course."

With the order given to drop the distortions around them, sensors and communications should be restored now. "Ensign Oloze, open a channel to Katra." Nadia complied. "Healy to Katra Station. Captain, we are on interception course to stop the false Healy and its occupants." While she spoke she witnessed the exchange of phaser fire - the fake Healy targeting one of the Cobras, and Katra targeting the fake Healy. "What are your orders regarding the doppelganger-ship, sir?"

"Rayek, target the Healy, but don't fire yet. The others opened fire on the Cobras, they might turn their weapon's attention to us soon."

As she waited, she already prepared the words she would direct to ... herself ... on the other Healy. The thought was so strange. At the same time, she doubted her replicant self would answer the hail at all. At least, she wouldn't if she was in her position with her goal in mind.

While she was still musing over this, a transporter beam suddenly took hold of her and Tess disappeared from the bridge .... a split second later, a grenade rolled along the bridge's floor.

=/\-Acknowledged, Mokawa.  I am forwarding your message to all medical personnel on duty.  As well as sending a text what will alert anyone who signs into medical.  Zex out-/\= she said after opening a channel and then competed the promised tasks.

Then a familiar voice came over the open line.  It kind of shocked her that Tess would be out in fire fight.  But duty came first.

=/\-hold the line, Officer tLhoell-/\=Zex replied.   She turned toward Solluk.  "Sir, XO tLhoell is asking for your orders" she announced.

[Hrafn Falleg]

Replicant - Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

rTess nodded her head. The plan was nothing her 'normal' self would ever do, but it sounded perfect to accomplish their mission. "Let's do it that way." She paused briefly. "And let's replace my original with a little surprise." She looked to rRayek. "Beam a grenade on the bridge; time the detonation in a way that won't leave much time for them to react." It was a sickening feeling to hear those words leaving her lips while she was aware that it could kill the whole bridge crew, or at least injure them severely. But there was not a chance she could go against her programming.

While that was worked on, with Tess providing her input about what her original self might have contributed to the task of changing the prefix code, rRayek announced the sight of cobra fighters. Oh, right. She already given the order to open fire, and that wouldn't have changed with the knowledge that her little brother could be on one of those fighters. The rHealy fired and only a moment later the ship shuddered with a hit - from behind.

There was no way that could have been one of the cobras - it was too forceful. The station's phaser arrays. Saxon. "Watch out, we gotta have eyes all around here!" rTess bit her lower lip in thought. If they didn't get away from here quickly, the odds might turn to their disadvantage - with the Healy, the Cobras and the station's defenses targeting them. She knew enough of the capability of each and everyone that this would become hard enough.

"Rayek, initiate the beam-over as soon as you're ready and you're certain we have the right prefix code." She turned her face to the view screen, focusing the original Healy. "We need some more leverage here."

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS Healy - Bridge]

Tess nodded at Rayek's report. "Turn on the lights", she approved. "Helm, keep up the interception course."

With the order given to drop the distortions around them, sensors and communications should be restored now. "Ensign Oloze, open a channel to Katra." Nadia complied. "Healy to Katra Station. Captain, we are on interception course to stop the false Healy and its occupants." While she spoke she witnessed the exchange of phaser fire - the fake Healy targeting one of the Cobras, and Katra targeting the fake Healy. "What are your orders regarding the doppelganger-ship, sir?"

"Rayek, target the Healy, but don't fire yet. The others opened fire on the Cobras, they might turn their weapon's attention to us soon."

As she waited, she already prepared the words she would direct to ... herself ... on the other Healy. The thought was so strange. At the same time, she doubted her replicant self would answer the hail at all. At least, she wouldn't if she was in her position with her goal in mind.

While she was still musing over this, a transporter beam suddenly took hold of her and Tess disappeared from the bridge .... a split second later, a grenade rolled along the bridge's floor.

[OOC: Sorry I'm behind again so skipping a few quotes and getting with the current action]

[Bridge - REAL Healy]

Hrafn noticed the grenade and was about to scream primarily at Tess, thinking of her and the baby, but saw the blue shimmer and figured what was happening, the replicant ship had got thru to their codes.

She sprang out of her chair with surprising agility and kicked the offending ball into the far corner of the bridge, it was still going to explode but not anywhere that was going to cause crew casualties, or fewer.

"GRENADE! TAKE COVER!" she screamed and ducked down with her hands over her ears.

The resultant boom was still deafening.

Looking towards Rayek, she realised he was going to be in a state of shock both with the grenade and with Tess having been whisked off, but he'd been a Commander in his time, so while she was currently the senior officer, she wasn't going to pull rank, they needed to work together here.

"tr'Lhoell, get onto Katra, explain what transpired.  Everyone else, damage report." she said sliding, painfully, as her knee wasn't used to such extreme velocity as she had shown in getting rid of the grenade, into the Centre seat, while reluctantly, it was what she was trained to do.

"And someone get me a line to that replicant ship, pronto.  They've got our doctor, our Captain, our friend, and we want her back!"

Sneaking a look at Rayek she mouthed "Don't worry, I didn't forget wife and baby... but I have to be professional here, for all our sakes!"

"Oh and change the codes, use something totally random, hang on..."

Hrafn pulled out the pad of paper she always kept in her pocket and the stub of pencil and wrote a random set of letters and numbers on it.

4e-2ru90SD''^8iS%$+B

"Use that, keep that bit of paper safe... it's totally random, not related to any of us so I doubt that they'll 2nd guess it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[REPLICANT Healy - Bridge]

rHrafn while wanting the plan to play out in their favour, had no intention of hurting a mother and child unless she had to.  She held on while the ship was rocked by the station array.

"Well, I guess there's a reason why he's as old as he is and still alive, wily old coot!" she said, with a grudging admiration for Saxon.

"I'm glad you got her out of there before you sent in the party popper!" she said with a grin.

"Sorry but unless totally necessary I'm not into infanticide... would it be infanticide, if the infant in question isn't born yet... well whatever.... there are some of us that consider abortion, planned or spontaneous, tantamount to murder. But I digress..."

She looked at the blue shimmer as the real Tess was beamed aboard the replicant ship.

"Welcome other Tess, I trust your journey was pleasant!" she said with a sardonic grin which was more in keeping with her task in hand.

"So boss, what do you want done with her, I can do the tea and toast bit if you like since I don't think we'll have quite as much leverage if she or the baby come to any harm."

[Eydis]

 Tholian Star spanner Acrux stands ready to pursue the rogue federation vessel. We are combat ready and have the ability to deploy a tholian energy web to ensnare the vessel. Ask us to run the rogue vessel down. It would be foolish to overlook my offer of help and my ship can stand toe to toe with the rogue vessel and hold it till you can muster forces to take it back This general hail was sent both to the Station itself command control center and the Klingon cruiser. Eydis would look at the center display of the command bridge. As shi stood in the u shaped console on the ceiling. Hir ship and crew seemed to be straining like a Doberman at its chain ready to give pursuit

[Rayek trLhoell]

Replicant - Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS rHealy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

Replicant - Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

rTess nodded her head. The plan was nothing her 'normal' self would ever do, but it sounded perfect to accomplish their mission. "Let's do it that way." She paused briefly. "And let's replace my original with a little surprise." She looked to rRayek. "Beam a grenade on the bridge; time the detonation in a way that won't leave much time for them to react." It was a sickening feeling to hear those words leaving her lips while she was aware that it could kill the whole bridge crew, or at least injure them severely. But there was not a chance she could go against her programming.

While that was worked on, with Tess providing her input about what her original self might have contributed to the task of changing the prefix code, rRayek announced the sight of cobra fighters. Oh, right. She already given the order to open fire, and that wouldn't have changed with the knowledge that her little brother could be on one of those fighters. The rHealy fired and only a moment later the ship shuddered with a hit - from behind.

There was no way that could have been one of the cobras - it was too forceful. The station's phaser arrays. Saxon. "Watch out, we gotta have eyes all around here!" rTess bit her lower lip in thought. If they didn't get away from here quickly, the odds might turn to their disadvantage - with the Healy, the Cobras and the station's defenses targeting them. She knew enough of the capability of each and everyone that this would become hard enough.

"Rayek, initiate the beam-over as soon as you're ready and you're certain we have the right prefix code." She turned her face to the view screen, focusing the original Healy. "We need some more leverage here."

To determine the prefix code, rRayek first attempted to connect using a code that he alone would have used. When that didn't yield results, he realized that his original had likely gone with split code so that no one replicant could determine it. It took only a second for rRayek to know who Rayek would have trusted to be a part of this.  Just Tess.  He had rTess share with him her best code.   After that it was a simple matter of arranging her code with his in various the most reasonable way to gain access.

While he worked on determining the prefix code, he also had to deal with the Cobras. It was a bit distracting.  As such he didn't notice the Firechain activating until it fired on the station.  He chuckled - wondering at Saxon and Solluk's reaction to his little surprise.

However he noted that it didn't take long for Saxon or Solluk to deal with it .  Fvadt!  He had hoped it would have occupied them longer.

Just as he found the right code, a chime of alarm gave rRayek a half second warning before the ship rocked from the impact of a phaser hit that only reached them due to the ACB jacket.   He checked his sensors... and noted the aft ones were were scrambled due to the EM wash of the hit.   His paranoia flared... Saxon would use the disruption to his advantage.   "Torpedoes...  Helm - hard port!"

The torpedoes hit the shields on the port side rather than the unprotected aft.  Shields were down to 72% from just those two attacks.  He reported out this out to rTess, before returning his attention to their plan.

"We're in Captain." he called out.  He signaled for security to come to the bridge then began the process of accessing the original Healy through the new prefix code.   First dropping her shields, then called down to the transporter room to bring Tess aboard straight to the Bridge and send back a grenade her in place.

Within moments it was done.  Tess was aboard the Thinker Healy.  A pensive frown settled on rRayek's face at how easy his original's plan had been to circumvent.  Were his own that easily figured out?  No, not likely.  His programming had him doing things completely out of character.

While he still had access, rRayek access the warp core ejection protocols.  It was hard to follow if you didn't have an engine.

Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS Healy - Bridge]

Tess nodded at Rayek's report. "Turn on the lights", she approved. "Helm, keep up the interception course."

With the order given to drop the distortions around them, sensors and communications should be restored now. "Ensign Oloze, open a channel to Katra." Nadia complied. "Healy to Katra Station. Captain, we are on interception course to stop the false Healy and its occupants." While she spoke she witnessed the exchange of phaser fire - the fake Healy targeting one of the Cobras, and Katra targeting the fake Healy. "What are your orders regarding the doppelganger-ship, sir?"

"Rayek, target the Healy, but don't fire yet. The others opened fire on the Cobras, they might turn their weapon's attention to us soon."

As she waited, she already prepared the words she would direct to ... herself ... on the other Healy. The thought was so strange. At the same time, she doubted her replicant self would answer the hail at all. At least, she wouldn't if she was in her position with her goal in mind.

While she was still musing over this, a transporter beam suddenly took hold of her and Tess disappeared from the bridge .... a split second later, a grenade rolled along the bridge's floor.

Once more Tess acted on his suggestion, and Rayek swiftly followed orders to make it happen, lighting up the ship with every light she had aboard and he even set them to flash in random patterns so that it looked like the ship twinkled.    If that didn't differentiate them from the fake there was little more Rayek could do.

From his console as well in from his peripheral view of the main viewscreen, Rayek saw the exchange of fire from several source.   Not so unexpectedly the Firechain became active.  But rather than target the fake Healy, the system fired on the station.  "What the.. "

However Katra's own defense system didn't remain a threat long before they suddenly all went dormant, reverting back to detection on.  This had the unfortunate affect of kicking the Healy off the Firechain satellite that had been their eyes into the OCC.  Then almost immediately after that the fake Healy fired on the lead Cobra.  Inwardly, Rayek winced.  He knew the lead ship wouldn't be Benjin, as point would never be assigned to a cadet but it could be Eli; the thought of which bothered Rayek.  He didn't want to see any of Katra's crew killed.

Then Katra fired on the fake Healy first with ACB jacketed phaser fire then with a volley of torpedos.   The fake Healy managed to turn hard to port so that the torpodoes hit the shielded port side rather than the weakened aft shield Fvadt!  So close!

Rayek itched to be able to join in the battle and he glanced over his shoulder to Tess.  His glance asking permission.  But her verbal back was to 'target the (other) Healy... but don't fire yet'.  He didn't like it.  But acknowledged the order with a crisp nod and a "Aye, Captain."

Then to his shock the shields suddenly cut out.  "Captain! We've lost shields!" he called back over his shoulder towards her.  The sound of a transporter beam sent a chill down his spine and thinking it was an incursion, he reached for his phaser sidearm.  But they weren't sending people in, the enemy was snatching people... or rather one person in particular.  His wife!

"Tess!" he called out and leaped from his seat, over the railing, towards her shimmering form but he wasn't quick enough.   He stared dumbfounded a second as in her place was grenade rolling off the command chair onto the floor.

[Bridge - REAL Healy]

Hrafn noticed the grenade and was about to scream primarily at Tess, thinking of her and the baby, but saw the blue shimmer and figured what was happening, the replicant ship had got thru to their codes.

She sprang out of her chair with surprising agility and kicked the offending ball into the far corner of the bridge, it was still going to explode but not anywhere that was going to cause crew casualties, or fewer.

"GRENADE! TAKE COVER!" she screamed and ducked down with her hands over her ears.

The resultant boom was still deafening.

Looking towards Rayek, she realised he was going to be in a state of shock both with the grenade and with Tess having been whisked off, but he'd been a Commander in his time, so while she was currently the senior officer, she wasn't going to pull rank, they needed to work together here.

"tr'Lhoell, get onto Katra, explain what transpired.  Everyone else, damage report." she said sliding, painfully, as her knee wasn't used to such extreme velocity as she had shown in getting rid of the grenade, into the Centre seat, while reluctantly, it was what she was trained to do.

"And someone get me a line to that replicant ship, pronto.  They've got our doctor, our Captain, our friend, and we want her back!"

Sneaking a look at Rayek she mouthed "Don't worry, I didn't forget wife and baby... but I have to be professional here, for all our sakes!"

"Oh and change the codes, use something totally random, hang on..."

Hrafn pulled out the pad of paper she always kept in her pocket and the stub of pencil and wrote a random set of letters and numbers on it.

4e-2ru90SD''^8iS%$+B

"Use that, keep that bit of paper safe... it's totally random, not related to any of us so I doubt that they'll 2nd guess it."

His eyes widened in alarm and Rayek had a choice.  Cover it, toss or flee.  He couldn't possibly die now... not with Tess in danger.   That just left Toss or Flee.  He could jump back over the Helm console and the cover it provided would likely be enough to survive the blast, but the grenade left where it was had the potential to kill Ensign Oloze at Ops, Stewart at Flight and Hrafn at Science as they would have no cover.  And he began to reach down for the grenade when it was suddenly kicked out of his reach towards the back of the bridge where the Head was, by a booted foot.  He heard Hrafn calling out 'Grenade! Take cover' as she crouched down and covered her head.

She had children that needed her.  He wrapped himself over top her, his back towards the where she'd kicked the grenade.. a second later he felt the heat of the explosion wash over  him singeing his hair, he was blown forward off of Hrafn ending up in a heap at Helm's chair.

Smoke filled the bridge before automatic fire suppression protocols initiated.  Rayek coughed for a bit splayed out on the floor before the dazing effect of the concussive force left him.  He made it to his feet a bit unsteadily, his ears ringing hollowly.

He looked about to assess injuries to personnel.  Hrafn's move had likely saved the lot of them.  Ensign Oloze seemed fine.. the slight dividing wall between the Bridge and the Engineering table having blocked and redirected a large portion of blast away from Ops.  Hrafn seemed to be mostly fine, having been shielded from the blast by himself and the command chairs.  But Ensign Steward didn't have either, she'd taken the full force of the concussive blast, she seemed to be having trouble breathing and Rayek from his position beside her could see blood leaking from her ears.  Not a good sign.

Rayek tapped his comm "Bridge to Sickbay.  Send a medic up here we have several injured from a concussive blast."

The muted and muffled sound of Hrafn voice drew his attention.  It overlapped the ringing that was still going on.   Because of the explosive force in such a small area, Rayek couldn't make out much of it because of the ringing in his ears.  Luckily, he was skilled at reading lips.

The Romulan watched Hrafn's face intently as she gave him orders and took a seat in the Command Chair.  It felt wrong to just continue on... he needed to get to the other ship to save Tess.. but recognized that at the moment there was nothing he could do but nod and  follow orders.

Ensign Stewart he noted hadn't reacted to his calling on Sickbay or Hrafn's orders, she remained partially hunched over her console holding her head as if in pain.  Gently laying a hand on her shoulder, Rayek drew her attention to him.  She startled.  Rayek looked to her questioningly and tapped his own ear.

She frowned and gave a slight shake of her head before stopping - the movement obviously causing her pain.  He motioned for her to remain there and signed 'Stay.  Doctor be here'.  He couldn't be sure she understood the signs he used but she nodded again.

Before he could return to his station, Hrafn was issuing more orders and he turned back to her to be able to read her lips for what those orders were.

Oloze seemed to respond to the request to contact the other ship for she turned away and answered with a muted "Yes, ma'am"

He was handed a piece of paper with a random number.  He nodded before proceeding to his station.  He multi-tasked - setting up the reboot to the prefix code.... while he used discreet vocal commands to initiate a voice to text call first to engineering for a damage repair team  to be sent to the bridge, then to Katra OCC to inform them of the new situation.

Healy to Captain Solluk:

Lost eyes on OCC with Firechain.  Real Healy prefix-codes used to sabotage ship.  Attempting to reset to random code.  Lt Commander t'Lhoell has been beamed off the bridge.  Grenade left in her place.   Mostly minor casualties.  Lt Falleg assuming Command.  Attempting to contact other Healy.  Orders?

Replicant - Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS rHealy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

[REPLICANT Healy - Bridge]

rHrafn while wanting the plan to play out in their favour, had no intention of hurting a mother and child unless she had to.  She held on while the ship was rocked by the station array.

"Well, I guess there's a reason why he's as old as he is and still alive, wily old coot!" she said, with a grudging admiration for Saxon.

"I'm glad you got her out of there before you sent in the party popper!" she said with a grin.

"Sorry but unless totally necessary I'm not into infanticide... would it be infanticide, if the infant in question isn't born yet... well whatever.... there are some of us that consider abortion, planned or spontaneous, tantamount to murder. But I digress..."

She looked at the blue shimmer as the real Tess was beamed aboard the replicant ship.

"Welcome other Tess, I trust your journey was pleasant!" she said with a sardonic grin which was more in keeping with her task in hand.

"So boss, what do you want done with her, I can do the tea and toast bit if you like since I don't think we'll have quite as much leverage if she or the baby come to any harm."

Replicant Security had arrived before their 'guest' and had phasers out and leveled on her by the time she fully materialized.  rHrafn's mocked greeting was a little unnecessary but if rTess didn't mind, rRayek wasn't going to intervene, he was still working on hacking into the warp ejection system trying to override the systems request for bio-metrics.

He paused to look over at the security personnel.  "Bind her and set her in the XO seat beside the Captain.  It should make shocking image.

Meanwhile the Cobra's were still being a nuisance and rRayek turned his attention to dealing with them.  But they were fast and nimbly and were becoming less predictable and he barely got a grazing hit on one before an incoming hail drew his attention as Ensign rOloze called for their attention.

"Captain, the Healy is hailing us.  Putting it on the main viewer."

rRayek had expected to see his own face on the screen but was surprised that it was Hrafn who had taken command of the Healy with Tess gone.  It surprised him was because though Hrafn technically outranked him, if someone had dared take his wife - he wouldn't be playing by no rules to get her back -  assuming his programming would allow him to.  But the original Rayek didn't have that interference to deal with...  he could take over the bridge easily, much like how he had with the Atrosians.

With his attention split between the viewscreen and the Cobras, his work continuing the sabotage on the Healy was paused.

[Kirok]

Tholian Star spanner Acrux stands ready to pursue the rogue federation vessel. We are combat ready and have the ability to deploy a tholian energy web to ensnare the vessel. Ask us to run the rogue vessel down. It would be foolish to overlook my offer of help and my ship can stand toe to toe with the rogue vessel and hold it till you can muster forces to take it back This general hail was sent both to the Station itself command control center and the Klingon cruiser. Eydis would look at the center display of the command bridge. As shi stood in the u shaped console on the ceiling. Hir ship and crew seemed to be straining like a Doberman at its chain ready to give pursuit

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Another familiar voice came over the comms unit.  It was Eydis of Tholia.  Shi was offering to lend aid to the fight.

She looked up at the main view screen.  There was a lot of activity.  Several ships moving about.

=/\-Acknowledged, Eydis of Tholia.  I will relay your message to the Captain.  Hold tight-/\= Zex replied.

"Captain.  The Tholian's are offering to help.  They are prepared to join the fight on your orders" she called out.

[Tess tLhoell]

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant) and Replicant Lt. Cmdr. rTess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

[REPLICANT Healy - Bridge]

rHrafn while wanting the plan to play out in their favour, had no intention of hurting a mother and child unless she had to.  She held on while the ship was rocked by the station array.

"Well, I guess there's a reason why he's as old as he is and still alive, wily old coot!" she said, with a grudging admiration for Saxon.

"I'm glad you got her out of there before you sent in the party popper!" she said with a grin.

"Sorry but unless totally necessary I'm not into infanticide... would it be infanticide, if the infant in question isn't born yet... well whatever.... there are some of us that consider abortion, planned or spontaneous, tantamount to murder. But I digress..."

She looked at the blue shimmer as the real Tess was beamed aboard the replicant ship.

"Welcome other Tess, I trust your journey was pleasant!" she said with a sardonic grin which was more in keeping with her task in hand.

"So boss, what do you want done with her, I can do the tea and toast bit if you like since I don't think we'll have quite as much leverage if she or the baby come to any harm."

Replicant - Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS rHealy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

To determine the prefix code, rRayek first attempted to connect using a code that he alone would have used. When that didn't yield results, he realized that his original had likely gone with split code so that no one replicant could determine it. It took only a second for rRayek to know who Rayek would have trusted to be a part of this.  Just Tess.  He had rTess share with him her best code.   After that it was a simple matter of arranging her code with his in various the most reasonable way to gain access.

While he worked on determining the prefix code, he also had to deal with the Cobras. It was a bit distracting.  As such he didn't notice the Firechain activating until it fired on the station.  He chuckled - wondering at Saxon and Solluk's reaction to his little surprise.

However he noted that it didn't take long for Saxon or Solluk to deal with it .  Fvadt!  He had hoped it would have occupied them longer.

Just as he found the right code, a chime of alarm gave rRayek a half second warning before the ship rocked from the impact of a phaser hit that only reached them due to the ACB jacket.   He checked his sensors... and noted the aft ones were were scrambled due to the EM wash of the hit.   His paranoia flared... Saxon would use the disruption to his advantage.   "Torpedoes...  Helm - hard port!"

The torpedoes hit the shields on the port side rather than the unprotected aft.  Shields were down to 72% from just those two attacks.  He reported out this out to rTess, before returning his attention to their plan.

"We're in Captain." he called out.  He signaled for security to come to the bridge then began the process of accessing the original Healy through the new prefix code.   First dropping her shields, then called down to the transporter room to bring Tess aboard straight to the Bridge and send back a grenade her in place.

Within moments it was done.  Tess was aboard the Thinker Healy.  A pensive frown settled on rRayek's face at how easy his original's plan had been to circumvent.  Were his own that easily figured out?  No, not likely.  His programming had him doing things completely out of character.

While he still had access, rRayek access the warp core ejection protocols.  It was hard to follow if you didn't have an engine.

[...]

Replicant Security had arrived before their 'guest' and had phasers out and leveled on her by the time she fully materialized.  rHrafn's mocked greeting was a little unnecessary but if rTess didn't mind, rRayek wasn't going to intervene, he was still working on hacking into the warp ejection system trying to override the systems request for bio-metrics.

He paused to look over at the security personnel.  "Bind her and set her in the XO seat beside the Captain.  It should make shocking image.

Meanwhile the Cobra's were still being a nuisance and rRayek turned his attention to dealing with them.  But they were fast and nimbly and were becoming less predictable and he barely got a grazing hit on one before an incoming hail drew his attention as Ensign rOloze called for their attention.

"Captain, the Healy is hailing us.  Putting it on the main viewer."

rRayek had expected to see his own face on the screen but was surprised that it was Hrafn who had taken command of the Healy with Tess gone.  It surprised him was because though Hrafn technically outranked him, if someone had dared take his wife - he wouldn't be playing by no rules to get her back -  assuming his programming would allow him to.  But the original Rayek didn't have that interference to deal with...  he could take over the bridge easily, much like how he had with the Atrosians.

With his attention split between the viewscreen and the Cobras, his work continuing the sabotage on the Healy was paused.

The Healy shook once more when the volley of torpedoes hit the side of the rHealy. rRayek shouted orders to helm for evasive maneuvre while rTess waited for them to hack the prefix code of he ship. Shields were down to around 70% by only the hits the station's defenses had inflicted on them. They'd have to think of something else to get out of here.

rTess looked to rHrafn at her comment about their initiated plan to kidnap the real Tess. She wasn't sure infanticide was the right word but she shook her head. "Our measures will be as drastic as necessary to achieve our goal. We need to escape, no matter what."

rRayek called out that they were in and rTess nodded, picking up what rHrafn had last said. "We'll see how much leverage this situation will get us."

***

Before Tess knew what happened, she found herself on the bridge of the Healy - of the fake Healy! With two security officers leveling their phasers at her head. Slowly Tess raised her hands, palms facing their way. Tess blinked and looked around. Everything looked the same ... everything was so familiar. Including the people on the bridge. Her eyes lingered on Rayek in amazement - and that amazement only grew when she regarded herself. A perfect copy! It actually was rather creepy.

rHrafn's snarky comment made Tess glance to her hesitantly. Maybe the characters had been tweaked on? 'What do you want?' - That question was on the tip of her tongue, but really ... she knew what they wanted. They took her as a hostage to escape.

"Looks like I'm speechless", rTess commented and a moment later the security officers approached her to follow rRayek's order to bind her before she was made to sit down in the XO's chair next to ... well, herself. "You won't get through with this", Tess said quietly. She noticed a side-glance from her doppelganger. "You'll see that I'm not like you ... I am capable of things my original is not. We all are. We might not choose that drastic measures naturally, but we still will be taking them as you see for yourself right now."

Tess swallowed hard and then glanced over to the fake Rayek, wondering if he felt the same love for her replicant self ... or herself, like the real Rayek did. In her head she tried to think of a strategy to manipulate either herself or the fake Rayek to her advantage. But first she was distracted by the Healy hailing the fake ship and a moment later she saw Hrafn on the command chair. Her heart clenched when she thought about what Rayek must be going through now. She needed to make this easy for him. She sat up a little straighter and tried to look unbothered despite the security officers still leveling their phasers at her head. She was unsure if they were set to stun or kill.

"On screen", rTess ordered rOloze. "Hrafn, power down Healy's weapons and shields and we won't harm her." It was clear she meant Tess beside her. It must look so strange. "Same for the station. And I want them to whistle back the cobras."

[John Saxon]

[Katra Station - OCC]

While he worked on determining the prefix code, he also had to deal with the Cobras. It was a bit distracting.  As such he didn't notice the Firechain activating until it fired on the station.  He chuckled - wondering at Saxon and Solluk's reaction to his little surprise.

However he noted that it didn't take long for Saxon or Solluk to deal with it . Fvadt!  He had hoped it would have occupied them longer.

Just as he found the right code, a chime of alarm gave rRayek a half second warning before the ship rocked from the impact of a phaser hit that only reached them due to the ACB jacket.   He checked his sensors... and noted the aft ones were were scrambled due to the EM wash of the hit.   His paranoia flared... Saxon would use the disruption to his advantage.   "Torpedoes...  Helm - hard port!"

The torpedoes hit the shields on the port side rather than the unprotected aft.  Shields were down to 72% from just those two attacks.  He reported out this out to rTess, before returning his attention to their plan.

John raised an unkempt eyebrow as the 'Healy' managed to turn before the brace of torpedoes found their designated marks. Quite the perceptive thinking, he thought to himself. He shrugged - the torpedoes were only another distraction to follow the previous EM wash. The true objective had already been achieved a moment earlier.

One of the benefits of using energy weapons sheathed in ACB jackets was that, for all intents of purposes, they were, fundamentally, the same as the 'donor' technology that gave them intra-warp stability- namely, from transporters; in so far as they both were designed to carry a powerful signal through a cohesive medium; yet one imparted a particle that decoupled molecular structures in an angry orange light, the other did so with finese, sparkles, and a return signal to reconstitute said structure intact. The barrage of phaser strikes that had impacted the aft shields of the Healy also hid a pure directed transporter signal among its brethren. While the shields of the 'Healy' contended with the EM wash, Katra's tactical sensors, working in concert with the transporter's own imaging scanners, penetrated beyond the outer graviton bubble and began to dematerialise a specially selected object from the Healy.

Of course, the window made in the shields was only momentary - there was absolutely no chance of a successful re-materalisation back to the station's pattern buffer...but that wasn't the intention. Deep within the complex warp nacelle manifold, from virtually the most extreme aft of the fleeing ship - about the furthest Saxon could get the low-resolution, but high power cargo transport signal - a small plasma flow regulator, something no larger than bottle of kanar - suddenly diminished into its sub-atomic particulates, and faded away like morning mist forever. While compartively tiny, the component was crucial - but not immediately so- to enabling the chained-plasma initialisation of the warp coils, the series of immense arch-like structures within nacelle casings designed to form a warp field once charged with warp plasma.

Its surprise absence wouldn't show on a damage report board, nor send an alert to Engineering; not until one of two things happened: the Healy tried to go to warp, or someone made a concerted effort to scramble within the Goliath nacelles and perform a visual inspection. Even then, the component was so integral to the wider structure, it would require a complete power-down of the nacelles to even begin to fit a new one.

In either case...the 'Healy' was going nowhere fast. Literally.

That was a triumphant thought until news of the real Tess, their Tess, had been captured by the enemy and was now on board the very ship he had - prior to now - been trying to neutralise. Permanently.

[Solluk]

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Solluk watched the room's central holotable display as the two Healies faced off against each other.  They were moving out of range of Katra's defense systems.  Only the fighter squadrons could reach them, now.

"Respond to the true Healy and all Starfleet assets in system: The False Healy must be stopped.  She is carrying not only untold Starfleet secrets, but possibly also sensitive information belonging to the Tholian Empire.  While every effort should be made to preserve lives if possible, it is of vital importance that these impostors not be allowed to escape.  Stop them at all costs."

But soon, dark turns would embark on even darker paths.  Tess was taken.  An explosive of some kind had detonated on the true Healy's bridge shortly after Tess was beamed out.  Sensors told the broad outline of the tale, but the unknown details could be disastrous.  The Healy's senior staff might have been utterly wiped out in an instant.

Fortunately, that was not the case.

Hrafn fell into command.  The Science Chief was sometimes socially inappropriate, but she was also a highly experienced officer with Command experience.  Solluk was less sanguine about the fact that Rayek was on that ship.  Who knew what the man might do with his wife captured?  It was hard to rule anything as being out of the question.  He might even sabotage his own ship to preserve his wife's life, and the life of his unborn child.

But Solluk couldn't do anything about that possibility now.  He could only hope that the man would do his duty.

It wasn't long before a message from the false Tess came through with demands that the true Healy exit combat status, and Katra's fighters be called off.  Solluk gritted his teeth, weighing the possibilities.

At that moment, Zex relayed the Tholians' offer.

"Inform the Acrux that we would be gratified for their help in restraining the false Healy.  But tell them we have important personnel aboard that must be preserved.

Then advise Lt. Ferris on a secure channel: He is to disobey orders, which we are about to issue on an open channel, and proceed to attack the false Healy.  Similarly, advise other elements of the patrol squadrons that they are to try- and fail- to shoot Lt. Ferris down when he disobeys our orders.  I want stray shots to pepper the false Healy's sensor arrays.  With all of this activity, the false Healy may be blind to the Acrux' approach until it is too late.

Once those messages are sent, use an open channel to order all fighters to withdraw.  When Lieutenant Ferris disobeys those orders, yell at him, and then reluctantly order his squadron mates to stop him.  With luck, it will seem like I've lost situational control.

Lieutenant Saxon and Lieutenant Goodspeed, I need a plan to get Commander t'Lhoell out of there.  If Rhade made it to our brig, loop him in.  We don't have to trust him- or let him out- to recognize any good ideas he may have to offer us."

[Rayek trLhoell]

Replicant - Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS rHealy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant) and Replicant Lt. Cmdr. rTess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

The Healy shook once more when the volley of torpedoes hit the side of the rHealy. rRayek shouted orders to helm for evasive maneuvre while rTess waited for them to hack the prefix code of he ship. Shields were down to around 70% by only the hits the station's defenses had inflicted on them. They'd have to think of something else to get out of here.

rTess looked to rHrafn at her comment about their initiated plan to kidnap the real Tess. She wasn't sure infanticide was the right word but she shook her head. "Our measures will be as drastic as necessary to achieve our goal. We need to escape, no matter what."

rRayek called out that they were in and rTess nodded, picking up what rHrafn had last said. "We'll see how much leverage this situation will get us."

***

Before Tess knew what happened, she found herself on the bridge of the Healy - of the fake Healy! With two security officers leveling their phasers at her head. Slowly Tess raised her hands, palms facing their way. Tess blinked and looked around. Everything looked the same ... everything was so familiar. Including the people on the bridge. Her eyes lingered on Rayek in amazement - and that amazement only grew when she regarded herself. A perfect copy! It actually was rather creepy.

rHrafn's snarky comment made Tess glance to her hesitantly. Maybe the characters had been tweaked on? 'What do you want?' - That question was on the tip of her tongue, but really ... she knew what they wanted. They took her as a hostage to escape.

"Looks like I'm speechless", rTess commented and a moment later the security officers approached her to follow rRayek's order to bind her before she was made to sit down in the XO's chair next to ... well, herself. "You won't get through with this", Tess said quietly. She noticed a side-glance from her doppelganger. "You'll see that I'm not like you ... I am capable of things my original is not. We all are. We might not choose that drastic measures naturally, but we still will be taking them as you see for yourself right now."

Tess swallowed hard and then glanced over to the fake Rayek, wondering if he felt the same love for her replicant self ... or herself, like the real Rayek did. In her head she tried to think of a strategy to manipulate either herself or the fake Rayek to her advantage. But first she was distracted by the Healy hailing the fake ship and a moment later she saw Hrafn on the command chair. Her heart clenched when she thought about what Rayek must be going through now. She needed to make this easy for him. She sat up a little straighter and tried to look unbothered despite the security officers still leveling their phasers at her head. She was unsure if they were set to stun or kill.

"On screen", rTess ordered rOloze. "Hrafn, power down Healy's weapons and shields and we won't harm her." It was clear she meant Tess beside her. It must look so strange. "Same for the station. And I want them to whistle back the cobras."

With Tess restrained and under close guard, rRayek turned away from her glance and returned his attention to the tactical situation going on.  rTess had spoken true, that they were not the same as their original but whereas their programming made it possible for them to do what was needed of them to complete their mission, it was far from easy.

Focusing once more on his console's readings, rRayek noted that the ship was nearing the far edge of the Stations weapons reach, if Saxon were going to try for one more attack, now was his last opportunity.   rRayek's dark eyes scanned his console for what the Strategic Operations Officer would be trying next.

While he did that, he listened in to rTess' demand of Hrafn and of Solluk.  With enough coercion, rRayek believed Hrafn would cave and given to their demands.  Solluk however would not.  He might give the illusion of cooperation, but behind the scenes the Vulcan would be planning something.  It was rRayek's job to ensure that he was prepared for whatever the Vulcan and Saxon might come up with.

As such while he still had access to the Healy, rRayek worked on a number of backup plans.  Since he knew his counterpart would be working to retake control of their ship with likely a  reset of the prefix code... again - this time with either a random generated code or selected by someone outside the bridge crew, rRayek began writing up a background program that would have the Healy computer screenshot the prefix reset screen every half second that it was open with the command to send the images to him in an encrypted transmission the moment the prefix was changed.

As he set up that, he recorded a discreet audio message for his original.

"By now you must be furious and planning on some elaborate rescue of your wife.  Let me save you the trouble by saying... anything you can think of... I'm already working on a counter to.  Your options are limited but allow me to suggest one that you might not otherwise have thought of.

I am you.  I don't want to hurt your Tess any more than I would want to hurt my own... but I will if forced to... and you know it.  So rather than work against us, work with us. Help us escape by doing what you can to negate whatever plan Solluk and Saxon come up with and I will promise you no harm will come to Tess and will see to it that she is returned to you safely."

Unfortunately rRayek was not aware that all comm calls to and from Rayek's commbadge were being reported to Saxon per the SOO's orders earlier.

Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Deck One - Bridge - Day 3 - 3pm]

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Solluk watched the room's central holotable display as the two Healies faced off against each other.  They were moving out of range of Katra's defense systems.  Only the fighter squadrons could reach them, now.

"Respond to the true Healy and all Starfleet assets in system: The False Healy must be stopped.  She is carrying not only untold Starfleet secrets, but possibly also sensitive information belonging to the Tholian Empire.  While every effort should be made to preserve lives if possible, it is of vital importance that these impostors not be allowed to escape.  Stop them at all costs."

Receiving the Captain's orders just moments after he sent in the text update, Rayek wondered if his situational message about Tess had even been read.  He hesitated passing on the orders, especially as at that moment part of the front view screen opened to the visual of the Bridge of the Healy... the fake one..  with Tess being held captive by... herself.

Rayek turned to stare at the scene.  Panic and livid anger warred for supremacy as he took note of the phaser held to her head.  If he could Rayek knew he would kill the guard threatening her like that.  He needed to get her off the other ship.  Solluk's orders were clear that stopping the fake Healy took precedence - evidently even over his wife's life.

It was the Atrosian scenario all over again.  To save his wife, Rayek would need to disobey orders or do something without permission, potentially ending in yet another court-martial.  While the end result was far from ideal, Rayek didn't see that he had any choice.  Tess was trying to appear unconcerned, but he could see by the set of her shoulders that it was just a brave face.  She must be as terrified as he.

In his counseling sessions, Beja had tried to impress upon him that he sabotaged himself with his decisions.... and perhaps she was right.  He was about to choose to do something that he knew would likely end his career completely... but surely that was preferable to any harm to his wife.

Yet even as he tried to plan some way to get to Tess aboard the fake Healy, he was reminded of one their conversations in the aftermath of the Atrosian incident.  Tess had suggested to him at the time that he needed to trust her more...  to make decisions... and to deal with situations on her own.  He didn't need to save her.  She could take care of herself.   It was after that conversation that Tess had begun taking martial arts training.

Fvadt, is that what she would want now?  For him to sit back and not do anything to rescue her?  His heart ached at the notion.

Before he could make a decision one way or the other, a discreet communication was sent to his earbud automatically.  It was difficult to make out the words due to the high pitched ringing that continued to sound in his ear.  But though it was muffled and overlapped by the ringing, fake Rayek's message was understood.

Rayek stilled, a nauseous feeling overtaking his stomach as he considered his doppleganger's offer.

NPC Lt jg Saqa7 Mountain-Khan
[USS Healy - Deck Six - Sickbay]

Rayek tapped his comm "Bridge to Sickbay.  Send a medic up here we have several injured from a concussive blast."

Saqa7 acknowledged the call out and looked at her assembled staff selecting out one for the task.

"Ensign Kumar, take a nurse and a jumpkit and go see what you can do for those on the bridge."

Saqa7 would have preferred to send more by given Red Alert, Sickbay was likely to become a hive of activity and she needed as many staff as possible to deal with patients quickly.

[Kirok]

Solluk watched the room's central holotable display as the two Healies faced off against each other.  They were moving out of range of Katra's defense systems.  Only the fighter squadrons could reach them, now.

"Respond to the true Healy and all Starfleet assets in system: The False Healy must be stopped.  She is carrying not only untold Starfleet secrets, but possibly also sensitive information belonging to the Tholian Empire.  While every effort should be made to preserve lives if possible, it is of vital importance that these impostors not be allowed to escape.  Stop them at all costs."

But soon, dark turns would embark on even darker paths.  Tess was taken.  An explosive of some kind had detonated on the true Healy's bridge shortly after Tess was beamed out.  Sensors told the broad outline of the tale, but the unknown details could be disastrous.  The Healy's senior staff might have been utterly wiped out in an instant.

Fortunately, that was not the case.

Hrafn fell into command.  The Science Chief was sometimes socially inappropriate, but she was also a highly experienced officer with Command experience.  Solluk was less sanguine about the fact that Rayek was on that ship.  Who knew what the man might do with his wife captured?  It was hard to rule anything as being out of the question.  He might even sabotage his own ship to preserve his wife's life, and the life of his unborn child.

But Solluk couldn't do anything about that possibility now.  He could only hope that the man would do his duty.

It wasn't long before a message from the false Tess came through with demands that the true Healy exit combat status, and Katra's fighters be called off.  Solluk gritted his teeth, weighing the possibilities.

At that moment, Zex relayed the Tholians' offer.

"Inform the Acrux that we would be gratified for their help in restraining the false Healy.  But tell them we have important personnel aboard that must be preserved.

Then advise Lt. Ferris on a secure channel: He is to disobey orders, which we are about to issue on an open channel, and proceed to attack the false Healy.  Similarly, advise other elements of the patrol squadrons that they are to try- and fail- to shoot Lt. Ferris down when he disobeys our orders.  I want stray shots to pepper the false Healy's sensor arrays.  With all of this activity, the false Healy may be blind to the Acrux' approach until it is too late.

Once those messages are sent, use an open channel to order all fighters to withdraw.  When Lieutenant Ferris disobeys those orders, yell at him, and then reluctantly order his squadron mates to stop him.  With luck, it will seem like I've lost situational control.

Lieutenant Saxon and Lieutenant Goodspeed, I need a plan to get Commander t'Lhoell out of there.  If Rhade made it to our brig, loop him in.  We don't have to trust him- or let him out- to recognize any good ideas he may have to offer us."
[/size]

Katra Station - Operational Control Center

Zex listed closely to Solluk as he conveyed several messages for her to relay.  He memory was pretty good.  So there was no need for her to take notes.

She took care of the messages in the order they were received.  First to the true Healy and other Star Fleet ships.  The she sent a message to Eydis and the Tholian's.

=/\-Katra to Eydis of Tholia.  The Captain welcomes your assistance is stopping the Healy that we have fired upon.  But only please help us prevent it from escaping.  Please do not take any measures that might result in the loss of life aboard that ship.  Our comms will remain open.  Katra over-/\= she said.

Then she send the secured message to Eli as instructed and the fighters.  She completed her tasks by open a channel.  =/\-Katra to all fighters.  Withdraw from fight.  Cease fire-/\= she said, preparing to 'yell' at them for disobeying.

[Tess tLhoell]

Replicant Lt. Cmdr. rTess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant) and Lt. Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (6 months pregnant)
[USS rHealy - Bridge]

Tess noted that the replicated Rayek paid almost no attention to her. If it was out of real disinterest towards her or to lessen the chance of him relenting if he took interest in her discomfort was hard for her to say. The one thing she knew for sure was that the situation was terrifying. It was one thing to find oneself in a hostage situation, but to be held hostage and have your life threatened by people you consider your friends, even your husband and yourself, was hard to grasp. Additionally to that came the fact that two security officers were pointing their phasers to her head. She knew the two young officers, she had worked with them in the past - will, with their originals. As Tess dared to take a glance in their direction, she noticed that they were replicated pretty well regarding their outer appereance - but there was something blank in their expressions that suggested to Tess there was something different about them. If her false self was able to create such a situation like this, surely those security officers would not hesitate to execute an order that would harm her if fake Tess decided it was necessary to achieve their goal.

Tess closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to fight the sense of panic that threatened to well up inside her. She needed to stay calm and act in a way that would not endanger her further. Apart from this, there was not much she could do with her hands bound. Lifting her gaze Tess glanced back to the view screen, waiting for Hrafn to reply. Tess was torn between feeling pained that she couldn't see Rayek from that angle, or if she felt glad that she couldn't see his face right now while he surely saw her on the screen. What would he decide to do in a situation like this? Tess didn't know what Solluk's orders were, she had been beamed out before she had a chance to hear his reply. She was sure they would try to safe her .... but would they risk to let the replicants escape with everything they knew and had done? Tess' breath caught in her throat as the realization dawned on her that they couldn't take the risk and would consider to sacrifice her in order to safe valuable Starfleet secrets? Was that not what she had vowed to do - to defend its security, to which such information surely belonged. She knew when it came to the crunch, her death would be a honorable one - but really, who wouldn't prefer to live? Just as she had found a partner she loved so much and a child on the way, the evidence of their love to one anoter. The pain she knew Rayek would feel if something happened to her made it all the more scary and terrifying and she felt hot tears threatening to fill her eyes.

Tess blinked and took another deep breath. She had to think positive. She didn't want Rayek to see how scared she was. He needed to focus on his duty now. She hoped he did. If she could she would let Rayek know that she was okay, that she would be fine. And maybe there was a way she would be able to manipulate herself and the false Rayek.
Tess glanced over to her replicated self, but the other Tess kept her gaze fixated on the view screen.

***

rTess felt her original's eyes on herself but she tried to ignore her. While she could trust her programming that she would take the nessecary steps to succeed in escaping, it didn't take away the emotional turmoil that was raging inside her. All of this was against their nature, against everything they had lived for. They wanted to heal and help, not threaten and kill. But their programmers made them do it. She couldn't afford the luxury of letting other's opinion influence her, it would make things just all the harder. So she tried to detach herself from this and focus on rRayek's strength. He definitely had an advantage in comparison to her given his past and so rTess tried to feed from that strength to suffer as less as possible through this. Because she knew she would - the question simply was, how much.

While rTess waited for Hrafn to respond, she tried to figure out how Solluk would react to this scenario. She knew the trust between Rayek and him was impaired severely. Rayek probably was their biggest joker in this game if they knew how to play him off. rTess glanced to rRayek. She knew he had his hands full right now but she hoped he'd have an eye on the sensors. She would not put it past Solluk to mobilize any help he could get. The Klingons were docked at the station. So were the Tholians. Would Solluk disregard the life of one of his officers, his Executive Officer, to stop them?

Once more rTess looked back to the view screen. Hrafn's reply would probably very telling about what her orders were.

NPC Ensign Javed Kumar (Medical)
[USS Healy - Deck 6 - Sickbay >>> Bridge]

NPC Lt jg Saqa7 Mountain-Khan
[USS Healy - Deck Six - Sickbay]

Saqa7 acknowledged the call out and looked at her assembled staff selecting out one for the task.

"Ensign Kumar, take a nurse and a jumpkit and go see what you can do for those on the bridge."

Saqa7 would have preferred to send more by given Red Alert, Sickbay was likely to become a hive of activity and she needed as many staff as possible to deal with patients quickly.

Javed acknowledged the order by bobbling his head which was very common for people of his origin. "Right away." He grabbed a medical kit and nodded to one of the nurses to come with him. Together they made their way up to the bridge.

The security officers outside of the bridge let them enter and Javed spotted another two security officers that - according to the marks of fire - had been right next to the explosion. The nurse was taking a look at them while Javed moved about to check the other bridge crew. Lt. Commander t'Lhoell was not here, instead Lieutenant Falleg sat in the command chair. She seemed to be alright at first glance, so seemed to be Rayek tr'Lhoell. His gaze then stopped at Ensign Stewart who sat hunched over her console. Only as he made his way towards her, did he glance at the view screen - and stopped in his tracks for a moment. What he saw was unbelievable. There were two t'Lhoells ...
Javed needed a moment to snap out of it and focus on his patient now. Checking Jessica with his tricorder it showed a myringorupture right side. Luckily perforations of the eardrum had a good chance of spontaneous recovery. Javed quietly inquired about vertigo or nausea and administered something that would help her. He'd give her some time to let the medication take effect and would get back to her after he made his round.

He moved over to Rayek, checking him over with his tricorder. The readings showed acoustic shock and Javed administered a solution of Hydroxyethyl starch to improve perfusion; additionally to that he gave him Procain, a local anesthetic together with cotisone to help take away any swelling that might have caused by the nasty bang. "Your hearing should improve any moment", Javed informed him. "Any other discomforts you feel right now?", he asked, waiting to hear back from Rayek before he would to turn to Hrafn if she needed treatment. As he understood she was in conversation at the moment with ... two Tesses. Javed glanced to Rayek, pondering if he should ask what was going on, but he figured it wasn't the right moment for that.

[Eydis]

 As you wish zex the deltan With that the Acrux would move off after the rogue or fake Healy. As three widows would leave the tri hull cruiser. The widows staying behind the Acrux as it began to max out at sub light speed. Energizing its deflector shield to full power   while not powering up its own weapons. The widows fell back a little more now trailing behind the acrux at 35 meters or so in a diamond formation with each other

Eydis would stand in hir console ring on the roof of the bridge, issuing the command to the widows over the lattice to reduce possible detection.  Within in 1.75k of the fake Healy the widows would stop and spread out. Leaving behind bright yellow energy trails as they spun the energy web. With three of it would take not much time to establish the energy web. Time eydis was going to give them by making a false ramming attack on the fake Healy. Pulling hir ship off at the last second, the cruisers two lower hulls a mere 45 meters above the fake ships damaged warp nacelles. Executing a sharp upward maneuver to the right of the fake federation main saucer. Hir ship twisting and spiraling in the maneuver. Stopping its twisting, when Eydis was confident there was little response fire from the fake Healy. As Eydis watches on the holographic display in the center of the bridge shi would bring up the real Healy on hir screen to see what damage it had suffered.

Hir cruiser would  just clear the creation of the energy web snare around the fake Healy by hir widows in a matter of seconds. While Eydis suspected shi might take some Phaser fire going in and then on the maneuver out,  it would not be accurate  or sustained enough to cause much damage. And it would also give the fake Healy almost no window to fire and torpedos at such ranges. That and the confusion of solluks own plan had hidden the arcux approach, as well the exchange of fire between the real Healy and the fake one. A risk of friendly fire from the real Healy was more of concern to Eydis. Hir own fake ramming attack would likely cause alarms all over the fake Healy to sound once shi closed within a certain distance. Instantly drawing all attention to hir cruise and leaving the widows free to deploy the web.

The web has been deployed, taking damage assessments now. Hostile federation vessel is ensnared in the web and no additional damage has been done to it. Now altering course to come along side the real Healy. Awaiting further instructions zex the deltan  Eydis would personal pilot the Acrux to the left of the real Healy and make a sharp turn behind it and the bring hir cruiser alongside the right of the Healy at 150 meters distance.

[L'mar Camili Rhade]

Replicant - Ensign Darek tr'Hava
[USS rHealy - Deck 12 - Engineering Day 3 - 3pm]

The Caitian intruder had to be stopped at all costs that was the one thought that kept repeating through Darek's mind.   He had one of the other engineers call for security with an intruder alert, while he attempted to phase down the forcefield the Felinoid had erected around that one station.

Calling out commands as he continued firing, he tried to negate the problems that would result from his intrusion. "Find a way to reroute around that console!  Cancel it's access!"

[ Provisional Junior Lieutenant L'mar Rhade ] | [ Deck 12 - Main Engineering | USS rHealy ] - [ DAY 3. AFTERNOON. ]

Since his forcefield had shocked those above him and he didn't see anymore coming that way, Rhade decided it was best to act. He waited for a moment that rDarek wasn't firing and dropped the fields. Rhade fired directly at rDarek's head with his type 1 phaser set to kill.

The Romulan's head was gone a few moments before the rest of him vaporised. Rhade quickly fired on all the others in the room, though he sustained a shot to his hip and left leg as he leaned against the dividing wall. A transporter sound came from his jacket he left on the console and it vanished.

Oh o, L'mar thought but quickly ambled over to another console that was closer. He put engineering into a lockdown with Campbell's codes and added his own encryption codes. Rhade then had the idea to dump the core and worked on it while he used the internal sensors to track anyone coming to Engineering.