S6 E5 - The 48th Rule of Acquisition

[Neva Cordon]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

As the word passed its way to the few department heads that hadn't been taken which included Lieutenant Sunik, Lieutenant Davenport, and Lieutenant Rasher. It was only then that Sunik and Davenport realized they were the senior officers on the ship. Both left their regular duty stations, engineering and the brig respectively, to head for the Bridge.

They arrived in the same turbolift car and stepped onto the bridge. Davenport moved to Tactical and Sunik approached Neva in the command chair. He drew his shoulders back and said formally.

"I relieve you Sir."

[ACEO Lt.JG Neva Cordon|Bridge]

Neva was watching Hyperion and listening to the chatter around her. When the Turbolift opened, she turned and her eyes widened.

She was out of The Chair and standing beside it when Lieutenant Sunik spoke The Words.

"I...I am...I am relieved!" Neva stuttered out. "S-sir!" She managed before scooting over to the Engineering station. Plopping down, she gave a soft sigh of relief. She was done!

[Calindra Hejaran]

[The Pit - Unknown Planet]

As Ian stood over Bralak, he could see the Ferengi was broken, too battered to even yield. When the whine of disruptors firing occurred, Ian threw himself into a combat roll and came up ready to sell his life for as high a price as he could make the attacker pay. However, he saw it was Alex that had fired taking down Mazag. Before he could comment though, he could hear the sound of an overloaded anti-gravity drive approaching. He saw the battered freighter wallow over the rim of the arena and had to admit, he was dumbfounded. When the cargo ramp dropped and women from several species called out to "go, go, go!" Ian wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Alex! Ardy, Dersch! Make for the freighter!"

He shouted as he ran full speed for the cargo ramp. When the last of them were aboard, he all but flew to the bridge to find a young ensign at the helm. He shook his head in wonderment and hopped into the seat next to her.

"Good work Lieutenant Hejaran, now let's get airborne while I see if this rattle trap piece of shyte has sensors that can distinguish a human from a Ferengi. Commander Malik was badly wounded in the arena and was taken ta what I hope was a doctor."

Had he just called her Lieutenant...?

For a moment, Calindra blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected promotion, but there was no time to dwell on it. "Aye, sir. Panel over to your right," she replied, her voice steady as she returned her focus to the rear of the freighter, where the sister-wives were helping the remaining Challenger crew—Ardyn, Alex, Dersch, and others—onboard.

Calindra's hand hovered over the controls for interminable seconds, waiting for Lian's all-clear as the ship's bulky frame remained hovering above Bralok's arena. The massive freighter groaned under the strain, its thrusters working overtime to keep them in place, but they couldn't stay here for long lest they start taking on angry Ferengi as well as the crew.

The rear hatch indicator flashed twice before going solid. "Rear hatch secured," Lian called from the rear of the vessel, giving Calindra the signal she needed.

"Everyone strap in or hold on!" Calindra shouted, gripping the yoke tightly. With a sharp pull, she lifted the ship's nose, forcing the freighter to climb skyward. The ship's engines let out a deep groan of protest, the bulk of the freighter struggling against the sudden shift in altitude. But it moved—slowly, surely—away from the arena below.

[Lt. JB Dersch | The Pit - Unknown Planet]
(...)

"Alex! Ardy, Dersch! Make for the freighter!". Dersch turned to make his way to the Freigther.

"Who the heck is flying that, Maybe its one of the Crew that escaped or Some of them" Dersch said out loud as he made it to the Ship. Once on it was the Ensign Hejaran he had talked about for the camera drones.

(...)

"Good Job, Does the Ship have any ship to ship weapons, Phasers, or anything to prevent any attack from from another ship?" Dersch asked quickly entering Security and Tactical officer mode, It was now a priority to him to make sure the Captain gets off the planet alive, No matter the cost and Dersch wanted to know what he had to use to make that happen. JB had the pistol and rifle he had taken from the guard, But they were all gonna need on if they were caught and boarded. If not weapons to attack any Emeny ship that trys to attack them.

"Hejaran, Do you know if the Challenger is in orbit or system? Or did they hide it?" JB wanted to know if they needed to search and find, or just find.

Calindra glanced back, her grip tight on the yoke as she steered the freighter over the sprawling Ferengi city below. The ship groaned in protest as it rose higher, the engines whining under the strain of its bulk. She shook her head slightly, her frustration mixing with the tension of the moment.

"Sorry, sir," she called back, her voice raised over the noise of the engines. "No idea about weapons — I've had command of her for about five minutes, so all I can tell you is she handles like a drunk buffalo in a sandstorm; still, here's hoping you can conjure up a miracle," she added with a determined smile on her face.

Calindra's gaze remained fixed ahead as the freighter banked sharply, narrowly avoiding a comms tower. She gritted her teeth. "As to the Challenger, I did manage to contact Hyperion on board, so the ship is nearby," she added, glancing at the navigation panel briefly. "Gave him our relative position and status. He should be able to track us down, he also said the crew had a plan to retake the ship, but I had to cut the transmission short."

The engines whined again, protesting the freighter's awkward ascent as it skimmed over the rooftops of the Ferengi city. Calindra's eyes narrowed as she focused on keeping the ship level, her senses on high alert for any sign of pursuit. For now, they had the upper hand—but it wouldn't last long.

[Ferengi Freighter - Unknown Planet]

Ian wrung every ounce from the old freighter's sensors, but even as old as they were, the differences between a Ferengi and Risan were so stark that Ian was able to locate Malik fairly quickly.

"I've got him! I've got him! Bearing 315 degrees true!"

As Ian felt the old freighter lumber about, he ran to the freighter's transporter room. He groaned to see the device was a relic from Kirk's age, but he had what he had and knew he could make it work. He aligned the beam and pushed the engage toggles towards the top of the panel. There was the classic whine and he saw the twinkling form of what he hoped was Malik. The cycle completed and Ian found himself rushing to his First Officer.

"We've got you Lad. And we'll get you ta a proper sickbay double quick."

Ian stood and went to the bulkhead mounted communication panel and spoke to Calindra.

"Full boost Lieutenant! He's aboard, have Alex come ta the transporter room ta help me move Malik."

Finally, some good news! "Aye, aye, sir!" Calindra replied, her voice full of relief as she heard Ian's call over the comm. "You don't have to ask me twice! Well done, sir!" She gave Alex and Ardyn a wry smile, "You should choose a better spot for your honeymoon, honestly, can't say I recommend."

Her hands moved swiftly over the controls, pushing the ship's engines to full as she brought the freighter up to speed. The Ferengi vessel groaned in protest, its aging systems straining under the sudden boost, but Calindra wasn't about to let up. They were almost clear.

As the ship surged forward, Calindra's eyes darted to the sensors, checking for any sign of pursuit. The Ferengi might still be out there, but for now, all that mattered was getting the crew off-world and into safer territory.

"C'mon, old girl, you've held together this long," she muttered to the ship, her fingers gripping the yoke as the freighter powered through its ascent. "Just a little bit more."

[Alexander Wu]

[The Pit]

Bralok was a bloodied half-dead mess on the floor. Ardyn's attempts at flirting were cut short as Alex began firing. Bralok's traitorous entourage consisted of some paid guards, business advisers, accountants, lawyers and other sycophants. None were particularly eager to fight to the death for their former master.

Some guards exchanged fire back in the ensuing chaos, but most scattered. The crowd panicked. Shouts of 'Starfleet's gone rogue!' And 'Bralok's dead!' could be heard. Yelling and screaming followed as the thousands strong crowd tried to escape the arena, crushing and trampling each other in a bid to leave. The arena wasn't designed with evacuations in mind, and the exits quickly became plugged with masses of bodies. It was a sickening spectacle.

Bralok couldn't form words. Mazag growled in pain, "None of this was my idea, it was all Bralok...just let me live!"

[Unknown Planet - Coliseum]

About to make a retort about how begging wouldn't have helped the pirate's previous victims, Alex heard and then felt a rumbling through the air, dust beginning to billow around them. Risking a quick glance upwards, he swore silently, darting forwards towards Mazag. Calice, why can't we ever catch a break? If at all possible, the panicked masses trying to escape became even more hysterical, though their screams were mercifully drowned out by the freighter's thunderous roar. "If they think they're coming to rescue you, they'll find nothing but destitute disappointment!" He bellowed into the Ferengi's ear, hauling him upright by the back of his shirt, readying to make his last stand, maybe give Ardyn an opportunity to disappear into the crowd.

To his utmost surprise and relief, the figures that came running down the cargo ramp weren't Ferengi, but an assortment of alien women dressed in an eclectic assortment of revealing costumes. Even more reassuringly, they were waving at them to get in, and when the Captain ordered them onboard, he didn't question whether it was another gift horse. Hauling Mazag along, Alex heaved him onto a bench seat in the cargo bay before running back to the hatchway. He'd seen Dersch and Galloway go past them, probably to find out who was flying this thing, but at that moment, Alex couldn't care less until Ardyn was safe. He'd almost flung himself back off the ramp when she leapt in with only seconds to spare before they started lifting off.

"You had to be last." He scolded, though the relief in his voice was tangible. Standing on the open ramp clutching Ardyn's hand, Alex squinted through the swirling grit at Bralok's weakly hobbling form below. It soon became obvious what he was trying to escape from. The freighter's straining thrusters were leaving glassy scorch marks on the pit floor, superheated gases literally melting the sand. Bralok might've stood a chance if he could even crawl, but Ian had seen to that. Alex watched as a trail of black languidly transected into the pirate's torso, disintegrating skin, flesh, and bone under a blowtorch of blistering heat.

Turning away from the smoldering remains after it stopped squirming, Alex stepped back into the cargo hold and fixated his gaze upon a trembling Mazag, now strapped in with his hands securely bound by what looked like several silk scarves. "I believe you've just inherited the role as First Pirate of the Alliance. Congratulations. Try to keep him alive, ladies. He's worth his weight in latinum, a hundredfold. He'll also be useful in recovering our ship and crew, so please don't kill him just yet." Leaving their rescuers to quibble amongst themselves, Alex took the opportunity of not imminent death to wrap Ardyn up in a tight hug, relishing in a flood of relief and contentment with just being alive. Imzadi. That was too close.

Finally, some good news! "Aye, aye, sir!" Calindra replied, her voice full of relief as she heard Ian's call over the comm. "You don't have to ask me twice! Well done, sir!" She gave Alex and Ardyn a wry smile, "You should choose a better spot for your honeymoon, honestly, can't say I recommend."

Her hands moved swiftly over the controls, pushing the ship's engines to full as she brought the freighter up to speed. The Ferengi vessel groaned in protest, its aging systems straining under the sudden boost, but Calindra wasn't about to let up. They were almost clear.

As the ship surged forward, Calindra's eyes darted to the sensors, checking for any sign of pursuit. The Ferengi might still be out there, but for now, all that mattered was getting the crew off-world and into safer territory.

"C'mon, old girl, you've held together this long," she muttered to the ship, her fingers gripping the yoke as the freighter powered through its ascent. "Just a little bit more."

Reluctantly letting Ardyn go after several minutes, he went forwards with her, only to find Hejaran sitting at the helm. Alex patted her on the shoulder, releasing a ragged sigh of relief. "Calindra, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Not only because you've pulled off one hell of a miracle rescue, but that you're alive. Thank you, and well done. Ardyn, if you want to give her a hand, I'll go help the Captain. Lieutenant Dersch, good idea on weapons, but let's also prioritize communications. We need to get a message out to Starfleet, or failing that, the actual Ferengi government. Oh, and Mazag's tied up in the cargo hold, if you wouldn't mind checking on him."

Heading back down the corridor, he found Ian partially supporting and mostly carrying a still grievously injured Malik out of a transporter room. "Hang on for a second, hold him, let me check what they've done." Someone had crudely fashioned some sort of splint and cast for the broken arm and passed a dermal regenerator over Grippen's gouged leg, though Alex suspected it hadn't been properly done from how swollen and discoloured the limb appeared. "Well, it's not pretty, but it probably kept you alive. I think there's some crew quarters through here, I'll try to find some medical supplies."

Helping move him into a bed, Alex looked up towards Galloway with a haggardly expression while using some pillows to brace up Malik's injured limbs. "Captain, once we get the Commander stabilized, I'd like to request permission to return to the marketplace. Some of our people were still in those cages when they took us away and we need to go back for them...and I have to look for Maddison. Bralak said he'd discarded the crew onboard Challenger...well, if she got taken off, I need to find her."

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

CPO ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger-A - Deck 1 - Bridge  (during retaking of the ship)

"Understood. Sending signal," she replied right away, focusing on the task at hand, and modulating her high pitched sound to send the ship's Astrometric AI a message through morse code.

Autumn raised an eyebrow at the reaction of the chief petty officer. Before she had time to say anything however, the commanding officer spoke.

"Tying these Ferengi up in the briefing room doesn't solve the problem of what to do with the Ferengi elsewhere in the ship," Autumn pointed out, looking at the commanding officer, suppressing her annoyance at the chief's attitude, completely disregarding her previous suggestion, but lacking the vision to see beyond what was immediately under his antennae. She spoke instead, to the ensign that had offered her cover back in engineering, who was, for all effects and purposes the de facto tactical officer on the bridge. "Perhaps it would be wise to set up a containment area in one of the cargo bays, if you think that is possible,  to make sure there are no stray Ferengi elsewhere in the ship, who might cause us trouble, once the audio signal goes offline"

"And how exactly do you suggest setting up a containment area when 98% of the ship's systems are locked out? " the Chief Petty questioned trying to out logic the Vulcan.  "Not to mention that the rest of the ship is still under the control of Ferengi and their Nausicaan buddies.  Or am I supposed to take them out too?! he countered.

Then the tides turned in the blink of an eye.  Hyperion arrived and news of the crew fighting off the Ferengi and their minions made what had seemed a tad too dangerous - a little less so.

[ACEO Lt.JG Neva Cordon|USS-Challenger|Bridge]

Neva sat as if she were a statue, taking in the information from the android and the Ensign. She had a newly found respect for Hyperion. She had to make a concerted effort not to start peppering him with technical questions and discussions. She did, however, vault out of The Chair and spin around, anger flaming upon hearing the number of missing crew.

"Ok Lahr, change of plans. Take our 'guests' to the Brig. We need to also send a message to all Department Heads to round up the interlopers to do the same. They can put who won't fit in a Cargo` Bay. They kept the crew in there, so they might as well get to know what it felt like." Neva grinned evilly, eyes twinkling with malice. "If any of them bitch about the accommodations, let them know air locks can be opened remotely."

The Brig was Nine decks down. Lahr could only hope that now free Sec/Tac teams had managed to clear that section of the ship and that by the time he got there with the prisoners that the lockout had been lifted... cause sure as hell, Brig access was NOT on a low level system.

"Yes, ma'am" Lahr acknowledged his orders and ushered his prisoners onto the turbolift.

News of the missing senior officers was bad.

As they descended, Lahr eyed the Ferengi that had been sitting in the Command seat when they first arrived on the Bridge.

"You know you've lost, right? And the only way to cut your losses is make a deal with the winning team.  So how about you tell me where the senior officers are and I'll put in a good word for you - that could reduce your sentence in a Federation rehabilitation center."

[Malik Grippen]

[Ferengi Freighter]

Malik was thankful for being rescued. The Pit's sickbay was a far cry from the Challenger's clinically-clean facilities. The Risan would have to sonic-shower for a week to remove the grime. He and the Gorn had managed to find time to have a conversation. 'BukBuk', as he was called, was a slave forced to fight for Bralok. The Gorn had a family back home and was a victim just like they had been.

"The Gorn. Beam up the Gorn, he's a good guy, just trying to get back to his family..."

The freighter shook as it struggled to gain altitude. Then warning tones sounded as explosions detonated outside the hull.

A pair of Ferengi constabulary interceptors had launched and had their weapons locked.

Over the comms came the message, "Attention stolen freighter. Land immediately or we will use deadly force. Comply, pirate scum."

[Hyperion]

[ACEO Lt.JG Neva Cordon|Bridge]

Neva was watching Hyperion and listening to the chatter around her. When the Turbolift opened, she turned and her eyes widened.

She was out of The Chair and standing beside it when Lieutenant Sunik spoke The Words.

"I...I am...I am relieved!" Neva stuttered out. "S-sir!" She managed before scooting over to the Engineering station. Plopping down, she gave a soft sigh of relief. She was done!

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Hyperion had more than enough calculating capacity to continue his extremely delicate intrusion into the main computer and be aware of the change of command occurring behind him. He completed his task and pivoted his body around to face Lieutenant Sunik.

"Lieutenant, you have sensors at your discretion."

He then moved away from the helm station and awaited further orders as his internal projections still indicated that the situation aboard the ship was outside of normal operating parameters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Bridge - Lieutenant Sunik]

Sunik raised, in classic Vulcan fashion, his left eyebrow before replying in a completely conversational tone.

"Very good Mister Hyperion. Science officer, scan for the missing members of the crew."

He then turned to Gero.

"You may take the helm crewman."

[Ian Galloway]

Had he just called her Lieutenant...?

For a moment, Calindra blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected promotion, but there was no time to dwell on it. "Aye, sir. Panel over to your right," she replied, her voice steady as she returned her focus to the rear of the freighter, where the sister-wives were helping the remaining Challenger crew—Ardyn, Alex, Dersch, and others—onboard.

Calindra's hand hovered over the controls for interminable seconds, waiting for Lian's all-clear as the ship's bulky frame remained hovering above Bralok's arena. The massive freighter groaned under the strain, its thrusters working overtime to keep them in place, but they couldn't stay here for long lest they start taking on angry Ferengi as well as the crew.

The rear hatch indicator flashed twice before going solid. "Rear hatch secured," Lian called from the rear of the vessel, giving Calindra the signal she needed.

"Everyone strap in or hold on!" Calindra shouted, gripping the yoke tightly. With a sharp pull, she lifted the ship's nose, forcing the freighter to climb skyward. The ship's engines let out a deep groan of protest, the bulk of the freighter struggling against the sudden shift in altitude. But it moved—slowly, surely—away from the arena below.

Calindra glanced back, her grip tight on the yoke as she steered the freighter over the sprawling Ferengi city below. The ship groaned in protest as it rose higher, the engines whining under the strain of its bulk. She shook her head slightly, her frustration mixing with the tension of the moment.

"Sorry, sir," she called back, her voice raised over the noise of the engines. "No idea about weapons — I've had command of her for about five minutes, so all I can tell you is she handles like a drunk buffalo in a sandstorm; still, here's hoping you can conjure up a miracle," she added with a determined smile on her face.

Calindra's gaze remained fixed ahead as the freighter banked sharply, narrowly avoiding a comms tower. She gritted her teeth. "As to the Challenger, I did manage to contact Hyperion on board, so the ship is nearby," she added, glancing at the navigation panel briefly. "Gave him our relative position and status. He should be able to track us down, he also said the crew had a plan to retake the ship, but I had to cut the transmission short."

The engines whined again, protesting the freighter's awkward ascent as it skimmed over the rooftops of the Ferengi city. Calindra's eyes narrowed as she focused on keeping the ship level, her senses on high alert for any sign of pursuit. For now, they had the upper hand—but it wouldn't last long.

Finally, some good news! "Aye, aye, sir!" Calindra replied, her voice full of relief as she heard Ian's call over the comm. "You don't have to ask me twice! Well done, sir!" She gave Alex and Ardyn a wry smile, "You should choose a better spot for your honeymoon, honestly, can't say I recommend."

Her hands moved swiftly over the controls, pushing the ship's engines to full as she brought the freighter up to speed. The Ferengi vessel groaned in protest, its aging systems straining under the sudden boost, but Calindra wasn't about to let up. They were almost clear.

As the ship surged forward, Calindra's eyes darted to the sensors, checking for any sign of pursuit. The Ferengi might still be out there, but for now, all that mattered was getting the crew off-world and into safer territory.

"C'mon, old girl, you've held together this long," she muttered to the ship, her fingers gripping the yoke as the freighter powered through its ascent. "Just a little bit more."

[Unknown Planet - Coliseum]

About to make a retort about how begging wouldn't have helped the pirate's previous victims, Alex heard and then felt a rumbling through the air, dust beginning to billow around them. Risking a quick glance upwards, he swore silently, darting forwards towards Mazag. Calice, why can't we ever catch a break? If at all possible, the panicked masses trying to escape became even more hysterical, though their screams were mercifully drowned out by the freighter's thunderous roar. "If they think they're coming to rescue you, they'll find nothing but destitute disappointment!" He bellowed into the Ferengi's ear, hauling him upright by the back of his shirt, readying to make his last stand, maybe give Ardyn an opportunity to disappear into the crowd.

To his utmost surprise and relief, the figures that came running down the cargo ramp weren't Ferengi, but an assortment of alien women dressed in an eclectic assortment of revealing costumes. Even more reassuringly, they were waving at them to get in, and when the Captain ordered them onboard, he didn't question whether it was another gift horse. Hauling Mazag along, Alex heaved him onto a bench seat in the cargo bay before running back to the hatchway. He'd seen Dersch and Galloway go past them, probably to find out who was flying this thing, but at that moment, Alex couldn't care less until Ardyn was safe. He'd almost flung himself back off the ramp when she leapt in with only seconds to spare before they started lifting off.

"You had to be last." He scolded, though the relief in his voice was tangible. Standing on the open ramp clutching Ardyn's hand, Alex squinted through the swirling grit at Bralok's weakly hobbling form below. It soon became obvious what he was trying to escape from. The freighter's straining thrusters were leaving glassy scorch marks on the pit floor, superheated gases literally melting the sand. Bralok might've stood a chance if he could even crawl, but Ian had seen to that. Alex watched as a trail of black languidly transected into the pirate's torso, disintegrating skin, flesh, and bone under a blowtorch of blistering heat.

Turning away from the smoldering remains after it stopped squirming, Alex stepped back into the cargo hold and fixated his gaze upon a trembling Mazag, now strapped in with his hands securely bound by what looked like several silk scarves. "I believe you've just inherited the role as First Pirate of the Alliance. Congratulations. Try to keep him alive, ladies. He's worth his weight in latinum, a hundredfold. He'll also be useful in recovering our ship and crew, so please don't kill him just yet." Leaving their rescuers to quibble amongst themselves, Alex took the opportunity of not imminent death to wrap Ardyn up in a tight hug, relishing in a flood of relief and contentment with just being alive. Imzadi. That was too close.

Reluctantly letting Ardyn go after several minutes, he went forwards with her, only to find Hejaran sitting at the helm. Alex patted her on the shoulder, releasing a ragged sigh of relief. "Calindra, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Not only because you've pulled off one hell of a miracle rescue, but that you're alive. Thank you, and well done. Ardyn, if you want to give her a hand, I'll go help the Captain. Lieutenant Dersch, good idea on weapons, but let's also prioritize communications. We need to get a message out to Starfleet, or failing that, the actual Ferengi government. Oh, and Mazag's tied up in the cargo hold, if you wouldn't mind checking on him."

Heading back down the corridor, he found Ian partially supporting and mostly carrying a still grievously injured Malik out of a transporter room. "Hang on for a second, hold him, let me check what they've done." Someone had crudely fashioned some sort of splint and cast for the broken arm and passed a dermal regenerator over Grippen's gouged leg, though Alex suspected it hadn't been properly done from how swollen and discoloured the limb appeared. "Well, it's not pretty, but it probably kept you alive. I think there's some crew quarters through here, I'll try to find some medical supplies."

Helping move him into a bed, Alex looked up towards Galloway with a haggardly expression while using some pillows to brace up Malik's injured limbs. "Captain, once we get the Commander stabilized, I'd like to request permission to return to the marketplace. Some of our people were still in those cages when they took us away and we need to go back for them...and I have to look for Maddison. Bralak said he'd discarded the crew onboard Challenger...well, if she got taken off, I need to find her."

[Ferengi Freighter]

Malik was thankful for being rescued. The Pit's sickbay was a far cry from the Challenger's clinically-clean facilities. The Risan would have to sonic-shower for a week to remove the grime. He and the Gorn had managed to find time to have a conversation. 'BukBuk', as he was called, was a slave forced to fight for Bralok. The Gorn had a family back home and was a victim just like they had been.

"The Gorn. Beam up the Gorn, he's a good guy, just trying to get back to his family..."

The freighter shook as it struggled to gain altitude. Then warning tones sounded as explosions detonated outside the hull.

A pair of Ferengi constabulary interceptors had launched and had their weapons locked.

Over the comms came the message, "Attention stolen freighter. Land immediately or we will use deadly force. Comply, pirate scum."

[Ferengi Freighter - Unknown Planet]

Once they had Malik secured, Alex asked about possible hostages being held on the planet. This news made Ian's blood boil again, which he had to tamp down for now. He thought for a moment as he weighed his options and knew how imperative rescuing Maddy would be to Alex. It crushed Ian to say what he he had to say next.

"She's important ta me too Lad, but if'n we don't get word ta Starfleet, our escape will be a short one. We'll break orbit, send a message ta Starfleet and the Grand Negus, then we'll find the others, this I swear."

Ian then made his way back to the bridge and flopped into the co-pilot's seat. He found the communication system and sent a very specific coded signal in hopes that the Challenger was in range. This 'Captain's Only' link would perform a very specific function. It would link with the command chair's comm system and let him see through the chair's display and let him see who was sitting in the chair. This would give him some insight into just who was in control of the ship.

"Sweet Merciful Maker! Sunik!"

Ian exclaimed, which caused Calindra to look at him funny.

"The crew has retaken the ship."

He replied sheepishly before adding.

"Just have ta send the code ta unlock command functions and we're truly saved."

However, before Ian could send the code, the freighter was rocked by explosion and the comm panel barked the command to heave to.

"Bloody cheeky bastards ta call us pirates."

[Calindra Hejaran]

Reluctantly letting Ardyn go after several minutes, he went forwards with her, only to find Hejaran sitting at the helm. Alex patted her on the shoulder, releasing a ragged sigh of relief. "Calindra, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Not only because you've pulled off one hell of a miracle rescue, but that you're alive. Thank you, and well done. Ardyn, if you want to give her a hand, I'll go help the Captain. Lieutenant Dersch, good idea on weapons, but let's also prioritize communications. We need to get a message out to Starfleet, or failing that, the actual Ferengi government. Oh, and Mazag's tied up in the cargo hold, if you wouldn't mind checking on him."

[Lieutenant (JG) Hejaran - Ferengi Freighter]

Calindra turned, a warm smile breaking through her exhaustion. "Happy to see you too, Alex," she replied with genuine warmth, her relief clear. "Especially glad to see you both."

At the mention of Mazag, Cali turned a wary eye towards Alex. "Mazag, eh?" she said, suddenly more serious than before. "Well, keep him far away from Lian, if you can. She's got a few too many scores to settle that one." Her tone carried a hint of dark humor, but the warning was real enough.

[Ferengi Freighter]

Malik was thankful for being rescued. The Pit's sickbay was a far cry from the Challenger's clinically-clean facilities. The Risan would have to sonic-shower for a week to remove the grime. He and the Gorn had managed to find time to have a conversation. 'BukBuk', as he was called, was a slave forced to fight for Bralok. The Gorn had a family back home and was a victim just like they had been.

"The Gorn. Beam up the Gorn, he's a good guy, just trying to get back to his family..."

The freighter shook as it struggled to gain altitude. Then warning tones sounded as explosions detonated outside the hull.

A pair of Ferengi constabulary interceptors had launched and had their weapons locked.

Over the comms came the message, "Attention stolen freighter. Land immediately or we will use deadly force. Comply, pirate scum."

Did they just call US pirates?! Calindra's nostrils flared as she leaned over the console and ordered the vid channel open, her fingers tapping quickly on the control panel.

She had a sudden idea.

"Sisters! Come forward, please! Make sure you crowd the viewscreen, we don't want them to see the men," she ordered over the whine of the engines. When most of the puzzled wives were near enough, Cali opened a live screen with the Ferengin vessels, barely keeping her frustration in check.

The flickering image of a Ferengi constable appeared on the viewscreen, his self-satisfied grin only adding to her irritation. Calindra straightened, eyes blazing as she addressed him.

"Pirate scum, is it?" she grumbled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't you recognize Mazag's wives you credit pinching idiot?! I don't know what backwater regulations you're followin', but this here vessel was commandeered on Mazag's orders! You'd best stand down unless you're keen on filing a whole lot of unnecessary paperwork with our creditors!"

The Ferengi officer's grin faltered, his beady eyes flicking uncertainly over the group of women clustered around Calindra. He stammered, the confidence in his voice wavering as he spoke.

"Mazag's... wives? I was unaware of—"

Calindra cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand, her voice taking on a tone of haughty authority. "You clearly don't know who you're dealing with. Do you have any idea what kind of mess you'll be if Mazag hears about this? He's got more than enough to file grievances with every Ferengi tribunal from here to the Homeworld! Now, you are ordered to escort us to the Starfleet Vessel - Mazag wishes to take command of his new prize."

The constable's gaze flicked nervously over to his co-pilot, who was whispering frantically in his ear. The officer's eyes darted back to the screen, his bravado crumbling under Calindra's indignant glare.

One of the wives, Lian, picked up on the plan and raised her chin, giving the constable a disdainful look. "Mazag personally gave us this mission, if you must know," she added, sounding utterly offended. "He'll hear about this incompetence."

[J.B Dersch]

[Lieutenant (JG) Hejaran - Ferengi Freighter]

Calindra turned, a warm smile breaking through her exhaustion. "Happy to see you too, Alex," she replied with genuine warmth, her relief clear. "Especially glad to see you both."

At the mention of Mazag, Cali turned a wary eye towards Alex. "Mazag, eh?" she said, suddenly more serious than before. "Well, keep him far away from Lian, if you can. She's got a few too many scores to settle that one." Her tone carried a hint of dark humor, but the warning was real enough.

Did they just call US pirates?! Calindra's nostrils flared as she leaned over the console and ordered the vid channel open, her fingers tapping quickly on the control panel.

She had a sudden idea.

"Sisters! Come forward, please! Make sure you crowd the viewscreen, we don't want them to see the men," she ordered over the whine of the engines. When most of the puzzled wives were near enough, Cali opened a live screen with the Ferengin vessels, barely keeping her frustration in check.

The flickering image of a Ferengi constable appeared on the viewscreen, his self-satisfied grin only adding to her irritation. Calindra straightened, eyes blazing as she addressed him.

"Pirate scum, is it?" she grumbled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't you recognize Mazag's wives you credit pinching idiot?! I don't know what backwater regulations you're followin', but this here vessel was commandeered on Mazag's orders! You'd best stand down unless you're keen on filing a whole lot of unnecessary paperwork with our creditors!"

The Ferengi officer's grin faltered, his beady eyes flicking uncertainly over the group of women clustered around Calindra. He stammered, the confidence in his voice wavering as he spoke.

"Mazag's... wives? I was unaware of—"

Calindra cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand, her voice taking on a tone of haughty authority. "You clearly don't know who you're dealing with. Do you have any idea what kind of mess you'll be if Mazag hears about this? He's got more than enough to file grievances with every Ferengi tribunal from here to the Homeworld! Now, you are ordered to escort us to the Starfleet Vessel - Mazag wishes to take command of his new prize."

The constable's gaze flicked nervously over to his co-pilot, who was whispering frantically in his ear. The officer's eyes darted back to the screen, his bravado crumbling under Calindra's indignant glare.

One of the wives, Lian, picked up on the plan and raised her chin, giving the constable a disdainful look. "Mazag personally gave us this mission, if you must know," she added, sounding utterly offended. "He'll hear about this incompetence."

[Ferengi Freighter - Unknown Planet]

Once they had Malik secured, Alex asked about possible hostages being held on the planet. This news made Ian's blood boil again, which he had to tamp down for now. He thought for a moment as he weighed his options and knew how imperative rescuing Maddy would be to Alex. It crushed Ian to say what he he had to say next.

"She's important ta me too Lad, but if'n we don't get word ta Starfleet, our escape will be a short one. We'll break orbit, send a message ta Starfleet and the Grand Negus, then we'll find the others, this I swear."

Ian then made his way back to the bridge and flopped into the co-pilot's seat. He found the communication system and sent a very specific coded signal in hopes that the Challenger was in range. This 'Captain's Only' link would perform a very specific function. It would link with the command chair's comm system and let him see through the chair's display and let him see who was sitting in the chair. This would give him some insight into just who was in control of the ship.

"Sweet Merciful Maker! Sunik!"

Ian exclaimed, which caused Calindra to look at him funny.

"The crew has retaken the ship."

He replied sheepishly before adding.

"Just have ta send the code ta unlock command functions and we're truly saved."

However, before Ian could send the code, the freighter was rocked by explosion and the comm panel barked the command to heave to.

"Bloody cheeky bastards ta call us pirates."

[Unknown Planet - Coliseum]

About to make a retort about how begging wouldn't have helped the pirate's previous victims, Alex heard and then felt a rumbling through the air, dust beginning to billow around them. Risking a quick glance upwards, he swore silently, darting forwards towards Mazag. Calice, why can't we ever catch a break? If at all possible, the panicked masses trying to escape became even more hysterical, though their screams were mercifully drowned out by the freighter's thunderous roar. "If they think they're coming to rescue you, they'll find nothing but destitute disappointment!" He bellowed into the Ferengi's ear, hauling him upright by the back of his shirt, readying to make his last stand, maybe give Ardyn an opportunity to disappear into the crowd.

To his utmost surprise and relief, the figures that came running down the cargo ramp weren't Ferengi, but an assortment of alien women dressed in an eclectic assortment of revealing costumes. Even more reassuringly, they were waving at them to get in, and when the Captain ordered them onboard, he didn't question whether it was another gift horse. Hauling Mazag along, Alex heaved him onto a bench seat in the cargo bay before running back to the hatchway. He'd seen Dersch and Galloway go past them, probably to find out who was flying this thing, but at that moment, Alex couldn't care less until Ardyn was safe. He'd almost flung himself back off the ramp when she leapt in with only seconds to spare before they started lifting off.

"You had to be last." He scolded, though the relief in his voice was tangible. Standing on the open ramp clutching Ardyn's hand, Alex squinted through the swirling grit at Bralok's weakly hobbling form below. It soon became obvious what he was trying to escape from. The freighter's straining thrusters were leaving glassy scorch marks on the pit floor, superheated gases literally melting the sand. Bralok might've stood a chance if he could even crawl, but Ian had seen to that. Alex watched as a trail of black languidly transected into the pirate's torso, disintegrating skin, flesh, and bone under a blowtorch of blistering heat.

Turning away from the smoldering remains after it stopped squirming, Alex stepped back into the cargo hold and fixated his gaze upon a trembling Mazag, now strapped in with his hands securely bound by what looked like several silk scarves. "I believe you've just inherited the role as First Pirate of the Alliance. Congratulations. Try to keep him alive, ladies. He's worth his weight in latinum, a hundredfold. He'll also be useful in recovering our ship and crew, so please don't kill him just yet." Leaving their rescuers to quibble amongst themselves, Alex took the opportunity of not imminent death to wrap Ardyn up in a tight hug, relishing in a flood of relief and contentment with just being alive. Imzadi. That was too close.

Reluctantly letting Ardyn go after several minutes, he went forwards with her, only to find Hejaran sitting at the helm. Alex patted her on the shoulder, releasing a ragged sigh of relief. "Calindra, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Not only because you've pulled off one hell of a miracle rescue, but that you're alive. Thank you, and well done. Ardyn, if you want to give her a hand, I'll go help the Captain. Lieutenant Dersch, good idea on weapons, but let's also prioritize communications. We need to get a message out to Starfleet, or failing that, the actual Ferengi government. Oh, and Mazag's tied up in the cargo hold, if you wouldn't mind checking on him."

Heading back down the corridor, he found Ian partially supporting and mostly carrying a still grievously injured Malik out of a transporter room. "Hang on for a second, hold him, let me check what they've done." Someone had crudely fashioned some sort of splint and cast for the broken arm and passed a dermal regenerator over Grippen's gouged leg, though Alex suspected it hadn't been properly done from how swollen and discoloured the limb appeared. "Well, it's not pretty, but it probably kept you alive. I think there's some crew quarters through here, I'll try to find some medical supplies."

Helping move him into a bed, Alex looked up towards Galloway with a haggardly expression while using some pillows to brace up Malik's injured limbs. "Captain, once we get the Commander stabilized, I'd like to request permission to return to the marketplace. Some of our people were still in those cages when they took us away and we need to go back for them...and I have to look for Maddison. Bralak said he'd discarded the crew onboard Challenger...well, if she got taken off, I need to find her."

Had he just called her Lieutenant...?

For a moment, Calindra blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected promotion, but there was no time to dwell on it. "Aye, sir. Panel over to your right," she replied, her voice steady as she returned her focus to the rear of the freighter, where the sister-wives were helping the remaining Challenger crew—Ardyn, Alex, Dersch, and others—onboard.

Calindra's hand hovered over the controls for interminable seconds, waiting for Lian's all-clear as the ship's bulky frame remained hovering above Bralok's arena. The massive freighter groaned under the strain, its thrusters working overtime to keep them in place, but they couldn't stay here for long lest they start taking on angry Ferengi as well as the crew.

The rear hatch indicator flashed twice before going solid. "Rear hatch secured," Lian called from the rear of the vessel, giving Calindra the signal she needed.

"Everyone strap in or hold on!" Calindra shouted, gripping the yoke tightly. With a sharp pull, she lifted the ship's nose, forcing the freighter to climb skyward. The ship's engines let out a deep groan of protest, the bulk of the freighter struggling against the sudden shift in altitude. But it moved—slowly, surely—away from the arena below.

Calindra glanced back, her grip tight on the yoke as she steered the freighter over the sprawling Ferengi city below. The ship groaned in protest as it rose higher, the engines whining under the strain of its bulk. She shook her head slightly, her frustration mixing with the tension of the moment.

"Sorry, sir," she called back, her voice raised over the noise of the engines. "No idea about weapons — I've had command of her for about five minutes, so all I can tell you is she handles like a drunk buffalo in a sandstorm; still, here's hoping you can conjure up a miracle," she added with a determined smile on her face.

Calindra's gaze remained fixed ahead as the freighter banked sharply, narrowly avoiding a comms tower. She gritted her teeth. "As to the Challenger, I did manage to contact Hyperion on board, so the ship is nearby," she added, glancing at the navigation panel briefly. "Gave him our relative position and status. He should be able to track us down, he also said the crew had a plan to retake the ship, but I had to cut the transmission short."

The engines whined again, protesting the freighter's awkward ascent as it skimmed over the rooftops of the Ferengi city. Calindra's eyes narrowed as she focused on keeping the ship level, her senses on high alert for any sign of pursuit. For now, they had the upper hand—but it wouldn't last long.

Finally, some good news! "Aye, aye, sir!" Calindra replied, her voice full of relief as she heard Ian's call over the comm. "You don't have to ask me twice! Well done, sir!" She gave Alex and Ardyn a wry smile, "You should choose a better spot for your honeymoon, honestly, can't say I recommend."

Her hands moved swiftly over the controls, pushing the ship's engines to full as she brought the freighter up to speed. The Ferengi vessel groaned in protest, its aging systems straining under the sudden boost, but Calindra wasn't about to let up. They were almost clear.

As the ship surged forward, Calindra's eyes darted to the sensors, checking for any sign of pursuit. The Ferengi might still be out there, but for now, all that mattered was getting the crew off-world and into safer territory.

"C'mon, old girl, you've held together this long," she muttered to the ship, her fingers gripping the yoke as the freighter powered through its ascent. "Just a little bit more."

[Lieutenant JB Dersch - Ferengi Freighter]

JB almost couldn't suppress a small laugh from the Attitude the Now Lt. JG gave. They had just pulled off a narrow escape, and now they were flying away in a vessel that didn't belong to them. He had just finished checking on their captive, a sly grin creeping across his face at the thought of tossing him into the brig. There was a certain satisfaction in knowing they had outsmarted their enemies.

More than anything, JB was eager to return to the Challenger and get the hell out of the system—preferably after delivering a well-deserved kick to their adversaries before leaving. As he plotted their next moves, his thoughts turned to his family.

Images of Freya, Katie, and Kate danced in his mind, and he felt a pang of longing. It had been too long since he had seen their faces, and he yearned to hold them close again. The thought of reuniting with them fueled his determination to wrap things up quickly. He imagined Freya's warm smile and Katie's laughter, and he hoped they were safe, waiting for him to come home. With that motivation driving him, JB steeled himself for the challenges ahead, ready to protect his crew and secure a swift return to the ones he loved.

"Our Guest is Secured" Dersch told Wu quietly. He knew he was thinking of his own Daughter as well.

[Ardyn Jaeger - Wu]

[freighter]

Ardy finally could catch her breath. Not that it was easy to. Now that the adrenaline was not needed any more, at least for now, everything seemed to come at her all at once. Pain, anxiety, relief, exhaustion . It was almost too close between being here and being left behind. She could feel the rattling of the rickety ship as it thrummed through the atmosphere, but for the moment, she didn't care. Betazoid abilities or not, she was pretty sure Alex was the more emotionally aware of the two, all things considered.  She pulled him in tighter. They both needed it.

"Better almost late than never " she half joked. It was way too close.  One wrong move and maybe one or even the both of them could have been stuck on that stenchpit of a planet forever.  That thought in particular made her shudder.

Hearing the captain's thoughts on the state of rescuing the others, including potentially Maddy she grimaced.  "I hope you're right, boss. I haven't been able to find her thoughts yet. Though, we haven't gotten back to the ship yet, so we might just be too far away. " she said, trying to hide the new gnawing fear that she was feeling. The revelation that they had the Challenger back was something, but there still was a lot to do.

She got up and headed to Calindra, who was busy working on trying to get this rust bucket flying straight

"Need some help?" she asked, giving a nod to the one sister wife that she was  relieving her if she wanted. "I've flown something worse. Barely could fly on a clear day..."

Her train of thought was interrupted by the announcement on the comms. Pirates? That was some nerve considering just what s*** they tried to pull on them.

As Calindra and the others sent their message, Ardy took the helm so they could focus on getting the Ferengi off their trail. the ship was quivering badly, almost swaying like a drunk cow. With no real idea on what decade  their ship was last serviced, there wasn't a lot she could do except keep the thing steady. She motioned to Dersch, the captain and Alex. "I'm readying for evasive maneuvers. Pretty sure the dampeners needed to be replaced ages ago so we can't trust them. Hang on tight."

[Autumn]

Neva then turned to look down at the robot/android, her gaze hopeful this time. "Hyperion, do what you can to bring Sensors online. How long will that take?" She smiled when she found Kala and gave a quick nod of approval.

"And how exactly do you suggest setting up a containment area when 98% of the ship's systems are locked out? " the Chief Petty questioned trying to out logic the Vulcan.  "Not to mention that the rest of the ship is still under the control of Ferengi and their Nausicaan buddies.  Or am I supposed to take them out too?! he countered.

Autumn acknowledged the Lieutenant's nod, and didn't bother to so much as roll her eyes at the incessant nagging of the chief petty officer. This was a critical situation, they had to be creative, and setting up a containment area in this context could amount to something as simple as finding a big enough cargo bay, placing the prisoners in it and posting some guards. She remembered an instructor at the academy who had once told her that "a good officer is the one that manages to do what is needed even when the computer is offline, the universal translator isn't working and the crew is effectively stranded hundreds of light years from the nearest Starbase." Autumn had carried that ethos with her beyond her academy years.

Bridge - USS Challenger]
As the word passed its way to the few department heads that hadn't been taken which included Lieutenant Sunik, Lieutenant Davenport, and Lieutenant Rasher. It was only then that Sunik and Davenport realized they were the senior officers on the ship. Both left their regular duty stations, engineering and the brig respectively, to head for the Bridge.
They arrived in the same turbolift car and stepped onto the bridge. Davenport moved to Tactical and Sunik approached Neva in the command chair. He drew his shoulders back and said formally.
"I relieve you Sir."

"I...I am...I am relieved!" Neva stuttered out. "S-sir!" She managed before scooting over to the Engineering station. Plopping down, she gave a soft sigh of relief. She was done!

Pretty soon, two senior officers arrived, and one of them – a Vulcan lieutenant in engineering colours, probably Neva's direct superior – relieved Neva of her command. Autumn watched from the corner of her eye as the junior lieutenant promptly vacated the Captain's chair, seeming a bit relieved. Autumn didn't catch her eye, but she made a mental note to compliment the lieutenant when this was all over. She had done a good job.

[Bridge - Lieutenant Sunik]
Sunik raised, in classic Vulcan fashion, his left eyebrow before replying in a completely conversational tone.
"Very good Mister Hyperion. Science officer, scan for the missing members of the crew."

"Our people were taken using small crafts, sir," Autumn said, checking the sensor's logs and noticing they registered  vessels of unknown configuration docking on the airlocks near the shuttle bay. "I'm picking up a planetary system less than a light year away. It's M class and there's heavy freighter traffic in and out of the planet's atmosphere, at least two of the vessels read as Ferengi freighters. Given the time frame of when our people were taken from the ship, that is the best logical destination. I calculate that one of our shuttlecrafts, traveling at warp four can reach the planet in 4 hours and 36 minutes."

[Ian Galloway]

[Ferengi Freighter - Over Unknown Planet]

As Calindra continued her bluff, Ian, just out of camera range, used the distraction to access the freighter's comm system. He sent another coded message to the ship's computer and when it sent the acknowledged ping, he began to speak softly.

"Computer recognize Galloway, Ian."

"Confirmed."

"Computer. Unlock command functions. Authorization, Galloway 1A. 2B. 3."

"Confirmed."

Ian then shut down the comm system and waited to see how Calindra's bluff played out.

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

Autumn acknowledged the Lieutenant's nod, and didn't bother to so much as roll her eyes at the incessant nagging of the chief petty officer. This was a critical situation, they had to be creative, and setting up a containment area in this context could amount to something as simple as finding a big enough cargo bay, placing the prisoners in it and posting some guards. She remembered an instructor at the academy who had once told her that "a good officer is the one that manages to do what is needed even when the computer is offline, the universal translator isn't working and the crew is effectively stranded hundreds of light years from the nearest Starbase." Autumn had carried that ethos with her beyond her academy years.

Pretty soon, two senior officers arrived, and one of them – a Vulcan lieutenant in engineering colours, probably Neva's direct superior – relieved Neva of her command. Autumn watched from the corner of her eye as the junior lieutenant promptly vacated the Captain's chair, seeming a bit relieved. Autumn didn't catch her eye, but she made a mental note to compliment the lieutenant when this was all over. She had done a good job.

"Our people were taken using small crafts, sir," Autumn said, checking the sensor's logs and noticing they registered  vessels of unknown configuration docking on the airlocks near the shuttle bay. "I'm picking up a planetary system less than a light year away. It's M class and there's heavy freighter traffic in and out of the planet's atmosphere, at least two of the vessels read as Ferengi freighters. Given the time frame of when our people were taken from the ship, that is the best logical destination. I calculate that one of our shuttlecrafts, traveling at warp four can reach the planet in 4 hours and 36 minutes."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

As Autumn scanned for the crew, suddenly, all the terminals that were displaying "Command Functions Locked" switched to their normal LCARS displays. Helm, Shields, Weapons, everything was now fully functional.

In the command chair, Sunik blinked, about as much an indication of surprise he would give as a Vulcan, then began to issue orders.

"Operations. Send a graviton pulse up the Ferengi ship's tractor beam. Helm, be prepared for a micro-warp jump. Tactical, raise shields, bring photons to ready, bring phasers to ready and sound battlestations."

All over the ship, the crew was reacting to suddenly having access to systems they'd been locked out of, the fact that shipwide communications had been restored, and now they had to go to battlestations. There was a slight pause as the crew adjusted, but being well trained, adjusted they did and they began moving to do their duty.

On the bridge, the viewscreen showed the Ferengi tractor beam sputter and then go out. Everyone on Challenger felt the ship lurch as they broke free from the Ferengi's grasp. Sunik then added.

"Helm, your course is 116 mark 29, four second burst at warp 9.88. Engage."

Before the Ferengi D'Kora-Class ship could react to losing tractor on the Federation ship, the Challenger flickered with pseudo-motion and was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Ferengi Freighter - Over Unknown Planet]

Calindra was still stalling when suddenly the massive bulk of the Challenger appeared less than 20,000 kilometers away. To the average person, 20,000 kilometers was a long distance, but in space at the speeds starships could move, that distance essentially at collision distance and required Ardy to have to sheer off sharply, at least as sharply as the old freighter could manage. The two ships avoided collision, but only just. Regardless of a near disaster, the escapees on the stolen freighter cheered at the sight of their ship which implied, that now they were actually free.

[Calindra Hejaran]

[Ferengi Freighter - Over Unknown Planet]
Calindra was still stalling when suddenly the massive bulk of the Challenger appeared less than 20,000 kilometers away. To the average person, 20,000 kilometers was a long distance, but in space at the speeds starships could move, that distance essentially at collision distance and required Ardy to have to sheer off sharply, at least as sharply as the old freighter could manage. The two ships avoided collision, but only just. Regardless of a near disaster, the escapees on the stolen freighter cheered at the sight of their ship which implied, that now they were actually free.

[Calindra Hejaran - Ferengi Freighter - Over Unknown Planet]

It took every ounce of Calindra's calm and bluffing experience to keep her expression steady when the familiar silhouette of the U.S.S. Challenger appeared in the viewport. As her heart pounded, she forced herself to maintain the stern look she'd been using to face down the chief Ferengi on the comms, instead of letting the surge of hope and relief flash across her face. After everything they'd been through, the sight of the Challenger felt like a lifeline.

She stole a glance at Ardyn, who had been handling the sluggish freighter expertly but now looked visibly startled by the Challenger's sudden, looming proximity. If a seasoned helmsman like Ardyn showed any hint of nerves, the look on the Ferengi trailing them was something closer to abject terror. They'd clearly expected an easy prize in the outdated freighter—not a showdown with a fully armed Starfleet vessel.

The vid feed cut off abruptly as the Ferengi vessels swerved hard, the small silhouettes of their pursuit vessels veering away and retreating at speed. They might have been bold enough to chase down an antique freighter, but none of them had the nerve to stick around once the Challenger showed up.

As the freighter steadied, Calindra felt the tension in her shoulders finally release. She turned to the others with a faint grin, unable to hold back her relief any longer, her eyes swelling up with tears as her knees finally gave way.

[Ardyn Jaeger - Wu]

[freighter]

Ardy heard something spark and explode in the freighter's inner systems as she had to pitch the rustbucket to starboard sharply, to avoid getting run over by the sheer size of the ship. Were it a nice shuttle that actually was fast and working, she could fly circles around the thing. Unfortunately,  they had this shambling pile of junk. With enough upgrades and repairs, it could be actually good at some point,  Of course, that was a big if. it was just as likely to get hauled to some junk heap. However, they were stuck.

"We have a problem! I think something fried with the steering with that big turn, and I can't move her. Can someone check that out, or call the Challie to bring us in? I'd rather not us be some roadkill if I can help it.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

CPO ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Brig]

After having made the journey down to the Brig without the captive Ferengi spilling anything useful despite both threats and bribes, Lahr handed over the watch of the prisoners to the Sec/Tac officer who had returned to duty there.

His duty discharged, and with no need of him on the Bridge, Lahr returned to solitariness that was engineering.

Except that presently the place was a madhouse with several ensign engineers grumbling about the damage done by the Ferengi and Nausicaans.  Lahr wisely kept his mouth shut on the matter and went to work at repairing the damage to the consoles. It was going to be a long shift doing repairwork.