S1E3 - New Horizons

[Kinley Garrison]

[Emergency Medical Hologram Mark XII | Main Sickbay | Deck Fourteen | Outpost Solaere]

"I'll see if I can request this from Ops, and see if they can get Security officers from one of the other ships," The EMH said. "Meantime, I need to conduct a diagnostic, see where the signal mucking with coma life support is coming from."

One thing about this version of the EMH was that the model could've come off as an android if he wasn't a hologram. And were it not for the model's programming to be a medical unit, he'd be ideal as an Operations Officer. Nonetheless, it concerned medical equipment, so he needed to know where it came from. His internal systems started the trace...
[Deej Cloten | The Jackal | The Promenade | Deck Ten | Outpost Solaere]

The screens were up and applause was going as the clientele cheered on the new corvette bringing back some pirates. Cloten had heard word, and the screens showing the different races and shows and whatnot changed to show the outer view of Solaere. Cloten couldn't help but feel elated with them, though he flinched at the cheers, his ears sensitive as it is.

More to the point, it was the first time he got a good look at a pirate emblem, and it was the first one he recognized: The mark of the Khalas Family. One of the most powerful crime families in the Syndicate.

"The hell kinda price were they given to get involved with this?" he asked in wonderment. In fact, he hadn't heard from the Khalas since he was barely getting into his own stride at a young age.

He picked a good time to step out of his office and talk with customers. He turned to see Commander Garrison at the bar, inquiring of the new bartender...except that bartender wasn't so much new as she was temporary. He hired Osiris Kingston shortly after Lindsay Aubrey, but he knew perfectly well it was a temporary arrangement until she can set up her own business, and he had a good idea, given her past expertise, that it was going to be a more honest establishment than his.

New competition coming, he thought to himself whenever he saw Osiris. But the presence of Commander Garrison must mean something's up.

He caught the words she spoke as he approached and said, "You ain't going to need to look far for the boss." He sat opposite Garrison and said, "'Ris? One Tulaberry on the rocks. Put both 'poisons' on my tab. Now, Little Orphan Annie," he said, his nickname in regards to how youthful Garrison looked, "what can I do for you this time?"

[Cloten's bar]

Kinley smiled at the diminutive bar owner, even though she was somewhat bugged at the "Little Orphan Annie" nickname. She gave Cloten a look of annoyance, but let it slide.  It was better than him calling her by her name or rank right now, given that she was trying to be a bit more inconspicuous and just some normal patron of this place.

"Much appreciated, I'll at least get drinks for my friends," she said nodding to the others, indicating she'd pay for their drinks  and looking around, casually. This felt sort of strange, she had to admit. Normally, she'd be doing things above the board, given her usually honest nature,  but the mole, they'd be looking for that. They'd been watching her and the rest of her crew for who knew how long? She didn't want to attract too much attention by going  directly into the back rooms, so she had to choose her words carefully. The murmur of the crowds in here would muffle things, somewhat, but she didn't want to take any chances.

"We're looking for someone here, but we're not exactly sure who we're looking for. Have you seen anyone acting.... interesting to you? more than your usual patron?" she nodded to both bartenders.

As Kinley spoke, she felt a vibration in her pocket; The Horizon was coming in, accompanying several crippled ships in tow. It was a relief that things on the first trip out went well. She'd have to compliment the team for when they got back.

[Meanwhile]

[Somewhere]

[As the Mole]

Hey boss," said the voice."They're bringing back the ships. "

The voice came through to the Mole through their communicator. " I know. They have proven to be very resourceful, We need to buy some time before the next phase of things happen."

"Right. I've got control of several systems. If I play my hands right, it'll just look like a failure of all their systems. 

" Do what you need to.I've got my own way of dealing with the ship. By the time the next convoy comes, they won't have any way to deal with it."

The Mole nodded.

[Outer Space]

The long-dormant mines lit up one by one, flickering as they were activated like a sea of glittering glowing eyes. They were waiting.

[Stryker]

lt. Sven Aune.  Science Lab 2

Sven knew better than to show up at Cloten's bar.  The presence of the chief of security would surely tip the rat off.  No, he would leave the counter mole operations to Drylo and Kinley.

The large man made his way back into the science lab to work on the identity of the torpedo Lindsey had found.

The logs had been altered.  The identity of the type of torpedo was altered.  It was spurious at best.  But whoever had done the alterations had done a piss poor job.  Their hacking skills were sub-par at best.

He dug deeper into the core programs.

What was revealed, wasn't exactly that surprising to him.  But it did confirm some suspicions.

He went back and cross referenced the salvaged logs from the Mercenary ship, the Washington.

That torpedo was one of 165 that was assigned to that ship.  The identity was altered, to hide where it was originally picked up.  And altered again to conceal its destination.  It was starting to look like that ship was used to smuggle arms.

That, or someone was using the Washington as a cover.  But it was hard to tell given the illegal nature of the work it was engaged in.

"Commander Kinley,  I have reason to suspect that there are more torpedoes littering the area.  I suggest that we do a narrow angle scan sweep." 

[Feeva Drylo]

{Outpost Solaere|Command Room 1}

Indeed. We're going to have to go out of uniform for this one, I think. Not that it will help me much, since Cloten  unfortunately knows me as the Commander and all, but it probably will  be for the best that we retain a low profile...I I understand, Feeva. I don't want to do anything you're uncomfortable with,  If you can catch something when you're around and trying to find them , that's great, but don't feel pressured to if you don't want to. That's a good question. I'm no psychologist, but I assume they'd be very focused on not being noticed and probably lurking around in the Jeffries much more than most people. Maybe even they have old clearance codes or some special device to hack in. At least, that's what I'm guessing. They probably have some kind of ulterior motive to be here at least for the past couple weeks to months, maybe.

 

Feeva nodded. She was glad they were all three on the same page. "Alright, I'll change. And I'll use a wrist communicator," she said. They could stay in touch that way, and it was less obvious than the badges. She had a plan. "Ma'am, I'll need to cancel our meeting this afternoon," she said. "My apologies. Let's try for tomorrow, same time." 

When they were dismissed, she headed first for her office. She checked in with Rimous and the EMH, informing them she was needed for a project, and that the EMH was in charge. After, she headed for quarters to change. A bit later, she emerged, in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. She wore a backpack and contact lenses-indeed, she looked like one of the teenagers, hanging around the Station after class. She headed for the Promenade first, got a drink and then made her way to Main Engineering. She slipped in quietly-of course, these people knew her, so she wasn't suspicious. A minute later, she was inside the walls of the station, creeping along carefully. She could hear the din of the crew and civilians as they moved around the station. She made her way to the hulls above the Promenade-specifically, Cloten's bar, where the bad guys often gathered for planning. She finally stopped, and settled in, tapping at her wrist. 

"Drylo to Aune and Garrison. I am...in the walls. Above Clotens' bar," she said. 

[Lindsey]

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"Ms. Aubrey," Nira said, turning to Lindsay, "I felt a reaction in your analysis; I think you identified one of the groups of pirates at least. Can you send me what you know?" she asked, pulling up a holographic screen from her chair, ready to receive in formation.

Felt? what did she mean 'felt'?
Lindsey twisted in her chair and looked over at the Commander with an eyebrow raised in question.
Betazoid.. Right.
Turning back to her screen she started pulling and consolidating data
"Aye aye Mam"

then after a few minutes
"Sending what I can, but I don't have security clearance for some of it"

• Khalas, the third planet in the Aberriz star system within the Klingon Empire, is located in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant. It is the only class M planet in its system and boasts four moons. Khalas has a rich and tumultuous history shaped by the influence of both the Orion Syndicate and the Klingon Empire.
• Early Orion Influence
  Initially, Khalas was a minor colony of the Orion Syndicate. The Balun family, a powerful Orion clan, ruled the colony. The Orions, known for their cunning and influential Syndicate, saw Khalas as a valuable asset due to its strategic location and potential for resource exploitation. During this period, the Orions established control through covert operations, gradually taking over trade and commerce on the planet. They installed their operatives in key positions of power and manipulated local factions to ensure their dominance.
• Klingon Domination
  In the late 23rd century, the Klingon Empire seized control of Khalas, reducing the planet to a minor Orion colony under Klingon domination. Despite this shift in power, the Balun family maintained significant influence on Khalas, sharing authority with the Klingon rulers. Admiral Khour zantai-Laggal was appointed to command the planet, overseeing its operations and strategic importance.
  Khalas became an important rest and recreation (R&R) post for the Klingon Empire and a crucial border monitoring station.
• The Orion-Klingon Power Struggle
  The coexistence of the Orion Balun family and the Klingon Empire on Khalas created a unique power dynamic. The Balun family leveraged their deep-rooted connections and influence to maintain a significant degree of control over the planet's affairs. This balance of power allowed Khalas to function as a semi-autonomous entity within the Klingon Empire, with both Orions and Klingons benefiting from its strategic location and resources.

[Don Damien Addams]

[As LT. Don Addam - USS Horizon]

Don Sort chuckled when Nira made a mistake, but he decided to stay silent.

"Aye, Captain," Don said, a small smile playing on his lips.

He input the coordinates for the convoy, closely monitoring the four departing ships. Constantly on the lookout for any potential issues, Don initiated Warp Six as soon as they cleared Ciden IV's magnetic field and it was safe to do so.

His mind wandered to his wife, wondering what she was doing back at the outpost. Starfleet relationships could be challenging at times. He was proud of Torra and loved her deeply. He found himself contemplating taking time off to be closer to her, either as a civilian or while on duty. It was a surprising thought, especially as he helmed the legendary Horizon. His life had taken so many unexpected turns, but Torra was someone he would do anything for.

[Charlotte Fawkes]

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

Nira blinked. She forgot about the size of the brig in an Aquarian class yacht. "Ah. Of course. I guess I forgot about how big it was," she giggled at her mistake. "Thanks for the heads-up, Ms. Aubrey. V'Larinn, arrange the cargo hold into an overflow, but put the four most prominent officers in the brig. I'll want to have words with them later. Mr. Nelois, open a channel with the lead Andorian ship."

Once the comm was on (the comms on the Andorian ship were so that it was audio only), Nira called, "This is Commander Said of the Starship Horizon. Is everybody all right on there?"

"Rhooz! That was a close one!" wheezed the voice of the captain. "And what's the Horizon?"

"The new attachment starship of Outpost Solaere, formerly Outpost Seven," Nira explained.

"Well, it's about time,"  the voice breathed.

"If I may inquire, what are you transporting?"

"Cold storage for Oaish'le, to help with refrigeration, among other things. We were barely out of Shran'Vil, with the Tolstoy and the Bennett as escort, when we got jumped by these greenskins."

"Did you say Shranville?" Nira said with an amused scoff.

"Believe it or not, it's named after the founder of the colony, Arotheth Shran'Vil. We get the jokes all the time, Commander, followed by people wondering if there's a Shranburg or a Shrantropolis. Poor Shran himself must be turning in his grave through all those puns. It's an Andorian colony and it's just as old as New Jericho, but at least we have sympathies for the poor refugees."

Nira raised an eyebrow. So it's possible the colonists of Ciden X, including the Andorian colonists, could be potential allies where they found none - or rather, unfriends if not enemies - in New Jericho.

"Well, I'm glad to see there are people sympathetic to the Romulans of Oaish'le, and I applaud your humanitarian aid," Nira said.

"A good portion of us; we're never involved in too many affairs of the pinkskins of New Jericho. Unfortunately, we're not as big as New Jericho, if not obscure, and we don't have too many resources to share, that's why it took so long."

"All the same, the help is appreciated, Captain...?"

"Arotheth, actually,"  the captain replied.   "Arotheth XX," addressing himself as Arotheth the Twentieth.

"Captain Arotheth, then. I'm glad you can help. Horizon out."

The Horizon took the best conditioned yet disabled ship and brought it back to Solaere, along with the other towed K'Tingas. The displays were enough that trade ships launched firework warheads, albeit for a brief moment; it was their gesture to indicate celebration at the first win against the pirates. The briefness indicated that it was a celebration for the win, but the confrontation with the pirates was not over yet.

The Tolstoy proceeded to escort the Andorian ships down to Oaishl'e at the planet below, along with the Orlov; the Carolina then broke off tractor beam and she and the Bennett proceeded off at a heading toward the convoy, followed by the Quagmire and the Endurant. Nira can understand if they wanted to protect the two smaller ships in case of a pirate ambush, despite the pirates' choice of ships.

A comm call from Solaere came, and Nira raised an eyebrow. Dersch had returned. And he requested some time aboard the Horizon as he finishes his remedial studies. She gave her permission for him to come aboard; she decided it was ample time he returned to a more finer duty and responsibility, ready to return to more active duty. Still, she hoped his duties will restore her trust in him.

A new message from Dersch told Nira he was aboard and at the Security Section. She made a call:   "Bridge to Lieutenant Dersch: Once you're finished with your task in the Security section and getting to know the layout, report to Tactical. It shouldn't take long for you to get to know the Horizon, you'll find most of the layout is similar to the Revenant."

She looked around to V'Larinn and said, "Mister V'Larinn, commence the transfer of prisoners to Solaere, but keep the pirates in the brig so I can question them en route to the convoy. Keep transporter lock with Solaere, even at warp, until the prisoners in the cargo bay are transferred off. Lieutenant Addams, set course for the convoy, following the course of the four departing ships. Proceed at full impulse and punch it to Warp Six once we're clear of the Ciden IV's magnetic field.

"Ms. Aubrey," Nira said, turning to Lindsay, "I felt a reaction in your analysis; I think you identified one of the groups of pirates at least. Can you send me what you know?" she asked, pulling up a holographic screen from her chair, ready to receive in formation. And then she remembered something.

"Lieutenant Fawkes, that asteroid you found last night, can you scan for it and determine its projected course through the Ciden System, please?"

| Lt. JG Fawkes | Science Officer | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B |

"Projecting asteroid course, Commander." Fawkes scanned for the 370-meter rock hurtling through the system at 20 km/s. Previously, its trajectory placed the rock on course 300,000 km of Ciden II and possibly within the shipping lanes used by the miners of that planet. Thankfully, the asteroid passed by without incident. As nothing had intercepted the hunk of iron and nickel, there had been no change in its projected course.

Upon an initial scan, Charlotte found no other bodies in the asteroid's path. However, a secondary scan of space-faring vessels found something disturbing.

"Commander. The asteroid will pass by the convoy at approximately 200 km, well outside the safety range. I would advise them to give it a wide berth."

[Nira Said]

Felt? what did she mean 'felt'?
Lindsey twisted in her chair and looked over at the Commander with an eyebrow raised in question.
Betazoid.. Right.
Turning back to her screen she started pulling and consolidating data
"Aye aye Mam"

then after a few minutes
"Sending what I can, but I don't have security clearance for some of it"

• Khalas, the third planet in the Aberriz star system within the Klingon Empire, is located in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant. It is the only class M planet in its system and boasts four moons. Khalas has a rich and tumultuous history shaped by the influence of both the Orion Syndicate and the Klingon Empire.
• Early Orion Influence
  Initially, Khalas was a minor colony of the Orion Syndicate. The Balun family, a powerful Orion clan, ruled the colony. The Orions, known for their cunning and influential Syndicate, saw Khalas as a valuable asset due to its strategic location and potential for resource exploitation. During this period, the Orions established control through covert operations, gradually taking over trade and commerce on the planet. They installed their operatives in key positions of power and manipulated local factions to ensure their dominance.
• Klingon Domination
  In the late 23rd century, the Klingon Empire seized control of Khalas, reducing the planet to a minor Orion colony under Klingon domination. Despite this shift in power, the Balun family maintained significant influence on Khalas, sharing authority with the Klingon rulers. Admiral Khour zantai-Laggal was appointed to command the planet, overseeing its operations and strategic importance.
  Khalas became an important rest and recreation (R&R) post for the Klingon Empire and a crucial border monitoring station.
• The Orion-Klingon Power Struggle
  The coexistence of the Orion Balun family and the Klingon Empire on Khalas created a unique power dynamic. The Balun family leveraged their deep-rooted connections and influence to maintain a significant degree of control over the planet's affairs. This balance of power allowed Khalas to function as a semi-autonomous entity within the Klingon Empire, with both Orions and Klingons benefiting from its strategic location and resources.

[As LT. Don Addam - USS Horizon]

Don Sort chuckled when Nira made a mistake, but he decided to stay silent.

"Aye, Captain," Don said, a small smile playing on his lips.

He input the coordinates for the convoy, closely monitoring the four departing ships. Constantly on the lookout for any potential issues, Don initiated Warp Six as soon as they cleared Ciden IV's magnetic field and it was safe to do so.

His mind wandered to his wife, wondering what she was doing back at the outpost. Starfleet relationships could be challenging at times. He was proud of Torra and loved her deeply. He found himself contemplating taking time off to be closer to her, either as a civilian or while on duty. It was a surprising thought, especially as he helmed the legendary Horizon. His life had taken so many unexpected turns, but Torra was someone he would do anything for.

| Lt. JG Fawkes | Science Officer | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B |

"Projecting asteroid course, Commander." Fawkes scanned for the 370-meter rock hurtling through the system at 20 km/s. Previously, its trajectory placed the rock on course 300,000 km of Ciden II and possibly within the shipping lanes used by the miners of that planet. Thankfully, the asteroid passed by without incident. As nothing had intercepted the hunk of iron and nickel, there had been no change in its projected course.

Upon an initial scan, Charlotte found no other bodies in the asteroid's path. However, a secondary scan of space-faring vessels found something disturbing.

"Commander. The asteroid will pass by the convoy at approximately 200 km, well outside the safety range. I would advise them to give it a wide berth."

[Lt. JG JB Dersch | Security Section | Deck 2 | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

  "Bridge to Lieutenant Dersch: Once you're finished with your task in the Security section and getting to know the layout, report to Tactical. It shouldn't take long for you to get to know the Horizon, you'll find most of the layout is similar to the Revenant."

Dersch smiled.  Understood Commander Within a few minutes he was ready, Not much to do or go over.

[Lt. JG JB Dersch | Tactical Station | Deck 1 | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

Dersch walked onto the bridge and smiled, Ready to get back in the zone. "Commander Said, Reporting as asked" Dersch then took up tactical, Quickly running a small test check of its systems.

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"Welcome aboard the Horizon, Mister Dersch," Nira said. "Good to have you back on duty. Report to your station."

When Lindsay sent up some summaries and requested security clearance, Nira nodded as she got the information. It looked important enough, though granting a security clearance would be something else. "Of course, Ms. Aubrey," she said. "I could provide it, but for you to have the right authorization...I feel to provide a temporary rank."

Commander Mail from her post looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Temporary?"

"At least when aboard the Horizon," Nira said. "So here aboard the Horizon, Ms. Aubrey, I will grant you position as a Chief Petty Officer...also, I can ensure a good section for your shuttle in one of the bays in the Docking Ring."

"I can give clearance authorization as well," Commander Mail said. "As temporary First Officer here."

"Go ahead, Commander," Nira said. With that, Ruzal Mail approached Lindsay's side and unlocked the security clearance for Lindsay to pursue more information. The information about the Khalas and the Baluns were certainly significant to Nira. Still, they were some groups to identify, there had to be more than just a family or a gang joining in the piracy, not with the amount of ships involved; Nira was sure a whole quarter of Orion pirate personnel - for want of a better word - were committed to this situation.

When Lieutenant Fawkes put her report in about the asteroid, Nira nodded. "That's good to hear, Lieutenant," she said. "I'll be sure to let the convoy people know when we join them. I guess we may have a little additional escort that's made naturally. Now then...I think I need to review Ms. Aubrey's findings. Commander Mail, you have the bridge. I'll be down in the ready room."

And Nira departed, easily remembering the layout from serving on the Revenant to know her way around.

***

Ship's Log, USS Horizon, supplemental. Nira Said in command. We have joined up with the convoy and the ship escort at the edge of the Tarod Sector. We're now en route to the Ciden System and we're now half a dozen lightyears from the outer boundary of the Ciden System, albeit on an adjusted course heading from the asteroid. Admiral Gillespie is now laying in a plan against any incoming pirates.

[Nira Said]

[Continuation of Post #157]
[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"I can see what you have in mind, Admiral," Nira said when Gillespie gave his plan. "You plan on having the bigger ships back off and thus make the convoy look more like easy prey."

"Spot on, lassie,"  Gillespie said. "You'll be with the Carolina and the Bennett. I'll have the Legacy and the rest of the escort back off. After all, so bloody huge they are, they're bound scare off the pirates. Plus, we're coonting on the pirates underestimating the lot of yeh."

"I can see how it will turn out," Nira said with a grin. "Mister Dersch, remember back on the Revenant? That whole month when we helped a squadron of Klingon ships babysit their merchant fleet and protect them from Kzinti raiders? There were so many engagements when the more powerful ships would leave us be and then jump in against the Kzinti at the right moment. That's how I recognize what Admiral Gillespie has in mind."

"That it is, lassie,"   Gillespie said.  "I had nae forgot that report yeh made, it'll be like that situation."

"Problem is, this time the enemy have cloaks."

"I ken,"   Gillespie said.  "We've had constant tachyon scans since we entered the Tarod Sector and we heard nothing yet. And our modern sensors would pick up tachyons from hundred-year-old cloaks. And we can pull back ships in patrol. Commander Mail, be sure to alert any nearby ships on patrol."

"There's a slight problem with that, Admiral," Ruzal said with worry. "I may need verification...we're getting something from the nearest ships on patrol, the Melbourne and the Megistus, they've sent a distress signal."

Nira recalled how advanced the Melbourne and the Megistus were, and she was instantly concerned. "Holy Allah, how would the pirates...?"

"Dinna worry, lass, I'll send the Quagmire,"   Gillespie said,  "but it'll mean one less ship from us...Said, keep to the rear and be ready to let loose. Gillespie oot."

And Gillespie cut off from the viewscreen and Nira looked to her crew. "Yellow alert, everybody," she said. "Ensign Nelois, see if you can get the details from the Melbourne and the Megistus. Lieutenant Fawkes, keep an eye on your asteroid for the time being. Mister Dersch, stand by weapons and shields. Lieutenant Addams, parallel course to the convoy, keep us in a position where we can cover them. Mister Estrevan, get the tachyons cans running, I want to be able to see the pirates coming. And Ms. Aubrey," she asked Lindsay, "how goes your file analysis of the pirates you recognize?"

[Nira Said]

[Cloten's bar]

Kinley smiled at the diminutive bar owner, even though she was somewhat bugged at the "Little Orphan Annie" nickname. She gave Cloten a look of annoyance, but let it slide.  It was better than him calling her by her name or rank right now, given that she was trying to be a bit more inconspicuous and just some normal patron of this place.

"Much appreciated, I'll at least get drinks for my friends," she said nodding to the others, indicating she'd pay for their drinks  and looking around, casually. This felt sort of strange, she had to admit. Normally, she'd be doing things above the board, given her usually honest nature,  but the mole, they'd be looking for that. They'd been watching her and the rest of her crew for who knew how long? She didn't want to attract too much attention by going  directly into the back rooms, so she had to choose her words carefully. The murmur of the crowds in here would muffle things, somewhat, but she didn't want to take any chances.

"We're looking for someone here, but we're not exactly sure who we're looking for. Have you seen anyone acting.... interesting to you? more than your usual patron?" she nodded to both bartenders.

As Kinley spoke, she felt a vibration in her pocket; The Horizon was coming in, accompanying several crippled ships in tow. It was a relief that things on the first trip out went well. She'd have to compliment the team for when they got back.

[Deej Cloten | The Jackal | The Promenade | Deck Ten | Outpost Solaere]

Cloten raised his eyebrows with interest. There were a crapload of what she described, but in any other situation, he would've simply scoffed and bade her a sarcastic "good luck," but given what's been happening for a long time, and with the Khalas gang involved, it meant he had to do something to help.

He began leaning toward Garrison and spoke in a low, hushed tone. "Seen, I doubt," he said in her ear, "but this morning, the boys noticed something unusual. Like a little hideout a stowaway can arrange. Haven't seen something like that in a long time, not since I was back here when various scumbags came and went to use the abandoned outpost...

"...believe me, Commander," he continued, "there's a surprising amount of ghosts that call the outpost home. Not ghosts in a spiritual sense, the kind of vagrants that call the back walls and Jefferies tubes home. Or troublemakers; look at the Terran Phantom of the Opera in fiction as an example. Gangs that frequented here in the past have always tried to chase 'em off, but there's the occasional ghost that's too good for them to catch, let alone drive off; they know they're around, but chasin' 'em's a waste of time. Sometimes, these ghosts bite back. And often hard.

"My guess is, you got one such ghost causing trouble here. Especially the one from the morning. Now I can tell you how you can wrangle ghosts and corner 'em." He then raised his voice an octave and slipped back, looking more normally the businessman. "However, this is something that's going to cost you, Commander."

[Therem Estraven]

[Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

The skirmish was over in a flash, which impressed Therem so much that he forgot he had a job to do on the bridge. Quickly parsing through his monitor screens, he began scrubbing raw sensor data. It was basically busywork, but the immediate threat was dealt with so he could only really continue to monitor the area for anything strange.

Fawkes had detected an asteroid, but it was off course from landed on the planet. That was a shame, since it would have been interesting to mine a meteorite (as long as it didn't kill all life, of course). It always fun to tune into the low-frequency signals between miners when something crazy happened.

Therem's hands acted faster than his mind, and he initiated a full spectrum scan around the Horizon al.ost out of habit. Perhaps there were some securities pirate transmissions being sent between the defeated ships, Cider IV, or even nearby Solaere Station. Pirates and miners were all that different, after all, especially when it came to radio discipline.

[Feeva Drylo]

{Outpost Solaere|Hull above Cloten's Bar}

Feeva was now sat, crosslegged, fiddling with her PADD and trying to get her mind to tune into the people below her. It was hard to break through the hard wood and steel walls, but after a few moments of deep breathing exercises, she was in. Most of the patrons currently were just civilians, loudly discussing their day so far, joking, laughing, and otherwise making merry. She was a bit concerned about the level of drunkenness that a small few were displaying this early in the morning-marked by darker thoughts, and slurred "speech" as she could hear it, but there wasn't time to worry about that right now. She'd save it for later.

A few moments later, she had both the transponder and her mind on Kinley's comms. She was in a hushed conversation with the one called Cloten, a man that Feeva hadn't yet met. She "heard" their discussion.

Seen, I doubt...but this morning, the boys noticed something unusual. Like a little hideout a stowaway can arrange. Haven't seen something like that in a long time, not since I was back here when various scumbags came and went to use the abandoned outpost...

She sighed deeply. "Aye, I saw one of 'em on me way in," Fee volunteered. "I'll look around up 'ere." She said. She clicked over to Sven's comms line. "Aune, I am in the ceiling above Cloten's bar," she said. "Can you make sure that a trusted staffer knows I'm up here, in case I fall through or something?" She said, climbing to her knees and then to her feet. She was small enough to be able to stand fully upright. She fished a tricorder from her backpack, and turned on the flashlight function. How'd the engineers DO this?! She stepped off in the opposite way she'd come-to the left flank, looking for signs of a stowaway or something. She also had her phaser set to stun-just in case, but hoped she not need it. She hated the damn things! 

[J.B Dersch]

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"Welcome aboard the Horizon, Mister Dersch," Nira said. "Good to have you back on duty. Report to your station."

When Lindsay sent up some summaries and requested security clearance, Nira nodded as she got the information. It looked important enough, though granting a security clearance would be something else. "Of course, Ms. Aubrey," she said. "I could provide it, but for you to have the right authorization...I feel to provide a temporary rank."

Commander Mail from her post looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Temporary?"

"At least when aboard the Horizon," Nira said. "So here aboard the Horizon, Ms. Aubrey, I will grant you position as a Chief Petty Officer...also, I can ensure a good section for your shuttle in one of the bays in the Docking Ring."

"I can give clearance authorization as well," Commander Mail said. "As temporary First Officer here."

"Go ahead, Commander," Nira said. With that, Ruzal Mail approached Lindsay's side and unlocked the security clearance for Lindsay to pursue more information. The information about the Khalas and the Baluns were certainly significant to Nira. Still, they were some groups to identify, there had to be more than just a family or a gang joining in the piracy, not with the amount of ships involved; Nira was sure a whole quarter of Orion pirate personnel - for want of a better word - were committed to this situation.

When Lieutenant Fawkes put her report in about the asteroid, Nira nodded. "That's good to hear, Lieutenant," she said. "I'll be sure to let the convoy people know when we join them. I guess we may have a little additional escort that's made naturally. Now then...I think I need to review Ms. Aubrey's findings. Commander Mail, you have the bridge. I'll be down in the ready room."

And Nira departed, easily remembering the layout from serving on the Revenant to know her way around.

***

Ship's Log, USS Horizon, supplemental. Nira Said in command. We have joined up with the convoy and the ship escort at the edge of the Tarod Sector. We're now en route to the Ciden System and we're now half a dozen lightyears from the outer boundary of the Ciden System, albeit on an adjusted course heading from the asteroid. Admiral Gillespie is now laying in a plan against any incoming pirates.

[Continuation of Post #157]
[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"I can see what you have in mind, Admiral," Nira said when Gillespie gave his plan. "You plan on having the bigger ships back off and thus make the convoy look more like easy prey."

"Spot on, lassie,"  Gillespie said. "You'll be with the Carolina and the Bennett. I'll have the Legacy and the rest of the escort back off. After all, so bloody huge they are, they're bound scare off the pirates. Plus, we're coonting on the pirates underestimating the lot of yeh."

"I can see how it will turn out," Nira said with a grin. "Mister Dersch, remember back on the Revenant? That whole month when we helped a squadron of Klingon ships babysit their merchant fleet and protect them from Kzinti raiders? There were so many engagements when the more powerful ships would leave us be and then jump in against the Kzinti at the right moment. That's how I recognize what Admiral Gillespie has in mind."

"That it is, lassie,"   Gillespie said.  "I had nae forgot that report yeh made, it'll be like that situation."

"Problem is, this time the enemy have cloaks."

"I ken,"   Gillespie said.  "We've had constant tachyon scans since we entered the Tarod Sector and we heard nothing yet. And our modern sensors would pick up tachyons from hundred-year-old cloaks. And we can pull back ships in patrol. Commander Mail, be sure to alert any nearby ships on patrol."

"There's a slight problem with that, Admiral," Ruzal said with worry. "I may need verification...we're getting something from the nearest ships on patrol, the Melbourne and the Megistus, they've sent a distress signal."

Nira recalled how advanced the Melbourne and the Megistus were, and she was instantly concerned. "Holy Allah, how would the pirates...?"

"Dinna worry, lass, I'll send the Quagmire,"   Gillespie said,  "but it'll mean one less ship from us...Said, keep to the rear and be ready to let loose. Gillespie oot."

And Gillespie cut off from the viewscreen and Nira looked to her crew. "Yellow alert, everybody," she said. "Ensign Nelois, see if you can get the details from the Melbourne and the Megistus. Lieutenant Fawkes, keep an eye on your asteroid for the time being. Mister Dersch, stand by weapons and shields. Lieutenant Addams, parallel course to the convoy, keep us in a position where we can cover them. Mister Estrevan, get the tachyons cans running, I want to be able to see the pirates coming. And Ms. Aubrey," she asked Lindsay, "how goes your file analysis of the pirates you recognize?"

[Lt.JG JB Dersch | Sec/Tac Officer | Tactical - Deck 1 | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

"Welcome aboard the Horizon, Mister Dersch," Nira said. "Good to have you back on duty. Report to your station."

Dersch nodded at Nira. Good to be back.

"Yellow alert, everybody," she said. "Ensign Nelois, see if you can get the details from the Melbourne and the Megistus. Lieutenant Fawkes, keep an eye on your asteroid for the time being. Mister Dersch, stand by weapons and shields. Lieutenant Addams, parallel course to the convoy, keep us in a position where we can cover them. Mister Estrevan, get the tachyons cans running, I want to be able to see the pirates coming. And Ms. Aubrey," she asked Lindsay, "how goes your file analysis of the pirates you recognize?"

"Yes, ma'am, we are standing by on weapons and shields. We are now at full yellow alert and awaiting further orders." As JB issued the command, the simple lights on the control panel turned yellow and began to flash, signaling the heightened state of readiness.

[Jynaral Rkeran]

[Cadet Jynaral R'Keran| Outpost Solaere| Miscellaneous Jefferies Tube]

On his back, cramped and uncomfortable, R'keran pondered the design decisions that had led him to this point. It was routine maintenance - the Vallanium plating on the sequence fuses slowly degraded and needed to be replace regularly, much more so on stations like these - and as such required little real concentration. Busy work, which left time for the Caitian's thoughts to wander.

"Really, all these stations are just...shoddily designed for repair work. It's Dry Dock Syndrome all over again."

He spoke to no one in particular, but narrating his thoughts out loud helped him pass the time, hands at work in the tangle of pipes of wires above him.

"They make the fundamental assumption that just because the station isn't going anywhere, repairs can be done with ease and at leisure, so no need to focus on convenience of access!"

His little rant was interrupted as he moved a tool into his fanged mouth, holding it briefly as a short flash of light illuminated his face from above, before retrieving it to resume its duties.

"...And we know they can do better. Look at the ships meant for exploration! Ease of repair and access prioritized. I'm telling you, the Intrepid-Class was the best designed vessel starfleet ever commissioned. Masterclass of intuitive construction and maximizing efficacy."

With a click he finished replacing the plating, closing up the panel behind him. He'd be back here in this exact position in what...a month? two months? R'Keran couldn't help but sigh, a wash of sullenness passing over him; this...this wasn't what he'd wanted to do when he signed up. But here he was, might as well make the best of it.

A tap on the com-badge. "I'm finished up in Junction-3a2, moving on to my next assignment." He waited, a moment, just enjoying lying down on the job for a minute or so, before he started the arduous and unpleasant process of sliding out of the narrow passageway.

-----------------------------

{Outpost Solaere|Hull above Cloten's Bar}

Feeva was now sat, crosslegged, fiddling with her PADD and trying to get her mind to tune into the people below her. It was hard to break through the hard wood and steel walls, but after a few moments of deep breathing exercises, she was in. Most of the patrons currently were just civilians, loudly discussing their day so far, joking, laughing, and otherwise making merry. She was a bit concerned about the level of drunkenness that a small few were displaying this early in the morning-marked by darker thoughts, and slurred "speech" as she could hear it, but there wasn't time to worry about that right now. She'd save it for later.

A few moments later, she had both the transponder and her mind on Kinley's comms. She was in a hushed conversation with the one called Cloten, a man that Feeva hadn't yet met. She "heard" their discussion.

She sighed deeply. "Aye, I saw one of 'em on me way in," Fee volunteered. "I'll look around up 'ere." She said. She clicked over to Sven's comms line. "Aune, I am in the ceiling above Cloten's bar," she said. "Can you make sure that a trusted staffer knows I'm up here, in case I fall through or something?" She said, climbing to her knees and then to her feet. She was small enough to be able to stand fully upright. She fished a tricorder from her backpack, and turned on the flashlight function. How'd the engineers DO this?! She stepped off in the opposite way she'd come-to the left flank, looking for signs of a stowaway or something. She also had her phaser set to stun-just in case, but hoped she not need it. She hated the damn things!

[Cadet Jynaral R'Keran| Outpost Solaere| Cloten's Bar]

R'Keran strode into the Bar, eyes darting around the establishment. He rarely came here on work hours, which somehow evoked a strange sense of being out of place, as if he needed to let those around him know, 'no, I am working, not one of you.' Bizarre.

Moving to the center of the room, the caitian peered upwards, staring at the ceiling. His job was to...make sure someone didn't fall through the ceiling? An honestly genuine concern, had they ever fixed the structural supports up there? genuine work hazard. R'keran tapped his com-badge.

"Ensign Feeva Drylo." He called out, his voice rich with his soft purr. "This is Cadet R'keran, I am below you in the bar. I am here to.." He paused. "...catch you, I suppose. And offer any assistance as needed, ma'am."

[Zavrol Gohun]

Gohun was amazed at how fast the fight lasted. He was really surprised because the Orion pirates have ships equal to or stronger than Federation vessels. He just naturally assumed that the pirates here would be able to aquire ships of that caliber. Not that he's complaining less battle meant less stuff to fix. Gohun just couldn't figure out why the pirates engaged with such a tactical disadvantage. Gohun shrugged his shoulders and double checked his repair work.

[Kinley Garrison]

lt. Sven Aune.  Science Lab 2

Sven knew better than to show up at Cloten's bar.  The presence of the chief of security would surely tip the rat off.  No, he would leave the counter mole operations to Drylo and Kinley.

The large man made his way back into the science lab to work on the identity of the torpedo Lindsey had found.

The logs had been altered.  The identity of the type of torpedo was altered.  It was spurious at best.  But whoever had done the alterations had done a piss poor job.  Their hacking skills were sub-par at best.

He dug deeper into the core programs.

What was revealed, wasn't exactly that surprising to him.  But it did confirm some suspicions.

He went back and cross referenced the salvaged logs from the Mercenary ship, the Washington.

That torpedo was one of 165 that was assigned to that ship.  The identity was altered, to hide where it was originally picked up.  And altered again to conceal its destination.  It was starting to look like that ship was used to smuggle arms.

That, or someone was using the Washington as a cover.  But it was hard to tell given the illegal nature of the work it was engaged in.

"Commander Kinley,  I have reason to suspect that there are more torpedoes littering the area.  I suggest that we do a narrow angle scan sweep." 

[Deej Cloten | The Jackal | The Promenade | Deck Ten | Outpost Solaere]

Cloten raised his eyebrows with interest. There were a crapload of what she described, but in any other situation, he would've simply scoffed and bade her a sarcastic "good luck," but given what's been happening for a long time, and with the Khalas gang involved, it meant he had to do something to help.

He began leaning toward Garrison and spoke in a low, hushed tone. "Seen, I doubt," he said in her ear, "but this morning, the boys noticed something unusual. Like a little hideout a stowaway can arrange. Haven't seen something like that in a long time, not since I was back here when various scumbags came and went to use the abandoned outpost...

"...believe me, Commander," he continued, "there's a surprising amount of ghosts that call the outpost home. Not ghosts in a spiritual sense, the kind of vagrants that call the back walls and Jefferies tubes home. Or troublemakers; look at the Terran Phantom of the Opera in fiction as an example. Gangs that frequented here in the past have always tried to chase 'em off, but there's the occasional ghost that's too good for them to catch, let alone drive off; they know they're around, but chasin' 'em's a waste of time. Sometimes, these ghosts bite back. And often hard.

"My guess is, you got one such ghost causing trouble here. Especially the one from the morning. Now I can tell you how you can wrangle ghosts and corner 'em." He then raised his voice an octave and slipped back, looking more normally the businessman. "However, this is something that's going to cost you, Commander."

{Outpost Solaere|Hull above Cloten's Bar}

Feeva was now sat, crosslegged, fiddling with her PADD and trying to get her mind to tune into the people below her. It was hard to break through the hard wood and steel walls, but after a few moments of deep breathing exercises, she was in. Most of the patrons currently were just civilians, loudly discussing their day so far, joking, laughing, and otherwise making merry. She was a bit concerned about the level of drunkenness that a small few were displaying this early in the morning-marked by darker thoughts, and slurred "speech" as she could hear it, but there wasn't time to worry about that right now. She'd save it for later.

A few moments later, she had both the transponder and her mind on Kinley's comms. She was in a hushed conversation with the one called Cloten, a man that Feeva hadn't yet met. She "heard" their discussion.

She sighed deeply. "Aye, I saw one of 'em on me way in," Fee volunteered. "I'll look around up 'ere." She said. She clicked over to Sven's comms line. "Aune, I am in the ceiling above Cloten's bar," she said. "Can you make sure that a trusted staffer knows I'm up here, in case I fall through or something?" She said, climbing to her knees and then to her feet. She was small enough to be able to stand fully upright. She fished a tricorder from her backpack, and turned on the flashlight function. How'd the engineers DO this?! She stepped off in the opposite way she'd come-to the left flank, looking for signs of a stowaway or something. She also had her phaser set to stun-just in case, but hoped she not need it. She hated the damn things!

[Cadet Jynaral R'Keran| Outpost Solaere| Miscellaneous Jefferies Tube]

On his back, cramped and uncomfortable, R'keran pondered the design decisions that had led him to this point. It was routine maintenance - the Vallanium plating on the sequence fuses slowly degraded and needed to be replace regularly, much more so on stations like these - and as such required little real concentration. Busy work, which left time for the Caitian's thoughts to wander.

"Really, all these stations are just...shoddily designed for repair work. It's Dry Dock Syndrome all over again."

He spoke to no one in particular, but narrating his thoughts out loud helped him pass the time, hands at work in the tangle of pipes of wires above him.

"They make the fundamental assumption that just because the station isn't going anywhere, repairs can be done with ease and at leisure, so no need to focus on convenience of access!"

His little rant was interrupted as he moved a tool into his fanged mouth, holding it briefly as a short flash of light illuminated his face from above, before retrieving it to resume its duties.

"...And we know they can do better. Look at the ships meant for exploration! Ease of repair and access prioritized. I'm telling you, the Intrepid-Class was the best designed vessel starfleet ever commissioned. Masterclass of intuitive construction and maximizing efficacy."

With a click he finished replacing the plating, closing up the panel behind him. He'd be back here in this exact position in what...a month? two months? R'Keran couldn't help but sigh, a wash of sullenness passing over him; this...this wasn't what he'd wanted to do when he signed up. But here he was, might as well make the best of it.

A tap on the com-badge. "I'm finished up in Junction-3a2, moving on to my next assignment." He waited, a moment, just enjoying lying down on the job for a minute or so, before he started the arduous and unpleasant process of sliding out of the narrow passageway.

-----------------------------

[Cadet Jynaral R'Keran| Outpost Solaere| Cloten's Bar]

R'Keran strode into the Bar, eyes darting around the establishment. He rarely came here on work hours, which somehow evoked a strange sense of being out of place, as if he needed to let those around him know, 'no, I am working, not one of you.' Bizarre.

Moving to the center of the room, the caitian peered upwards, staring at the ceiling. His job was to...make sure someone didn't fall through the ceiling? An honestly genuine concern, had they ever fixed the structural supports up there? genuine work hazard. R'keran tapped his com-badge.

"Ensign Feeva Drylo." He called out, his voice rich with his soft purr. "This is Cadet R'keran, I am below you in the bar. I am here to.." He paused. "...catch you, I suppose. And offer any assistance as needed, ma'am."

[Cloten's Bar]

Kinley had a pretty decent understanding why Sven avoided The Jackal.  Probably much for the same reasons she tended to avoid it. However, she made sure that he'd be informed if and when they found things so they could take action.

Hearing his suspicion about the explosives, she nodded.  Pardoning herself from the conversation briefly, she tapped her comm.

"Alright then. let's do it. I'll give Ops the authorization for you. "

"Main Ops,  could you do a scanning sweep for torpedoes? Mr Aune has more details on what he wants for that."

Coming back to the group after her sudden call, she nodded, taking a drink as she listened to Cloten mention about some of the "ghosts" that haunted the back tunnels. That would do it. She had never even thought of the Mole using the Jeffries. Supposedly, the Jeffries would have been locked down for Starfleet personnel use only, but given how large and old this station was, it had yet to give all its' secrets up for her and the crew.

She gave a long hard look to the scraggly rat-like owner when he suggested a form of payment for his info.  She had expected it, knowing him, but still.  Really? It was for the greater good, but it felt a bit slimy to her, just on principle.

"I'll make sure you're properly compensated for your services and information," she said, placing a handful of GPL slips on the table, sealing the deal like one of the pirates she was hunting. "That should be a good enough advance,  for now. "

She really hoped that the others would have gotten that info. She knew Feeva was up there somewhere, watching.

Kinley was somewhat surprised to see someone mention Feeva's name. A Caitian,  who reminded her more of a panther if anything. That was not in the plan. A look of panic flashed over her face as she looked around. It didn't seem anyone had noticed, but things could have been compromised.

So, Kinley waved him over.

"Hey there! Let me buy you a drink!" she said to the engineer, really hoping that she didn't come across as too weird. He might have to just have to join them now.

[Meanwhile]

[Somewhere in the Jeffries, not too far away ]

The Mole opened up a panel and began patching into the outdated systems. Ops and Engineering had yet to get to this area, given how dusty it was,  which made it a perfect place to get to business. His coordinated attack would hit several systems; Computers, gravity, and power. Any more and people might be able to pinpoint him.

Suddenly, his hands slipped, sending his PADD clattering to the ground %&#@ hand tremor! he cursed silently to himself.