The Norexan, Part II
With the Tahkar on the run, Captain Ozozah sends an away team. Commander Sevik leads the team, consisting of Lieutenant Valryon, Lieutenant Commander Juliana Phelps, Lieutenant Commander Coul Anala, Cadet Korvan, and a security personnel. The six suit-up in EVA Suits, aware that there is an unknown pathogen aboard the Norexan. Korvan is brought in case his knowledge of his people might come in handy, and he is a learned security personnel.
They beam to Main Engineering of the Norexan. Phelps immediately sees the condition of the Romulan crew. A fourth of the engineering staff is dead, and the rest lay unconscious with lesions and flaky skin. Sevik instructs Coul to see what is affected this ship, causing it to drift.
Coul accesses a terminal and discovers that not only is the propulsion systems offline, but the life support system is malfunctioning. Instead of filtering out the pathogen, it is continually recycling it. When he tries to correct the problem, he is hit with a command lockout, preventing him from reaching the high functions of the ship's computer. He attempts to override, but discovers the lockout is being done manually from the computer core. He opens a schematic to the computer core to learn the route, and he discovers that the computer core itself is being shielded from sensors.
Coul relays all of this to Sevik. Sevik tells Valryon and his security personnel to stay with Phelps, while the rest of them go check out the computer core. When the three, Coul, Sevik, and Korvan, arrive, they discover that the door has been physically sealed. Sevik hails the Invincible. Sevik details their situation, and adds that if the Romulans sealed the computer core, it was probably for a good reason. Ozozah agrees at first, but Coul explains that the only way he can fix the warbird is by accessing the computer core. Ozozah instructs them to proceed it caution, despite Sevik's protests.
Coul uses a plasma torch from his toolkit, and cuts through the door after a good time. With the door open, they prepare to step in. Coul decides he had been get a good look inside, and to his surprise he notices several Reman warriors, weapons drawn and lying in wait. He shouts for the others to take cover, and the Reman know they have been discovered. Sevik and Korvan draw phasers.
Computer Core Firefight
When the shooting starts, Coul notes five Reman. He also sees that the computer core is portioned enough that he could rush forward and make use of his skills in Federation Martial Arts. He charges the nearest Reman, much to the man's surprise, as the Reman is kicked into the nearest console.
Sevik and Korvan trade shots with the other Reman warriors, taking a few disruptors hits themselves, all the while trying to negotiate with their leader for the Reman to drop their weapons.
Coul takes out the first Reman, and moves on to the second. However, each Reman is in view of another, and he suffers a nasty burn on his back from a Reman disruptor. He is able to knock-out the second Reman, and charge the third.
With two Reman defeated, and the persuasiveness of Korvan and Sevik, the Reman Commander accepts defeat, and orders his men lower their weapons. All three Starfleet officers suffered injuries, and their suits were all exposed to the open air, and to the pathogen.
Engineered Pathogen
During this time, Lieutenant Commander Phelps is hard at work trying to cure whatever plague infects the crew. She determines that the plague is a modified version of the Reman Flu. In a stroke of genius and a bit of luck, she sends specifications for a vaccine back to the Invincible, and they send her down a batch of hyposprays. The cure is successful.
She is then called by Commander Sevik to meet them in the computer core. She and her security escorts leave immediately.
The Norexan, Part III
Phelps arrives and delivers the vaccine to the crew. Valryon takes the Reman in to custody. Sevik asks the Reman Sub-Commander to explain their actions. He says he is there to uncover proof that the Romulans are framing the Reman for the attack on the settlement, claiming there is an entry in the computer that will exonerate them. Sevik asks if they released the pathogen, and the Reman confirms that they did, however they did not know that it would be lethal. Phelps notices from her analysis that the modified Reman Flu was designed to effect non-Reman.
The Reman Sub-Commander is insistant on getting access to the computer's files. Sevik instructs Coul to look for the file they are speaking of. By then, Coul has removed the lockout and restored the ship's systems. He searches the computer banks and finds a file labeled with the settlement that was attacked. It requires a Tal Shiar access code, the Romulan Secret Security. He attempts to break it, but is unsuccessful. He calls for Lieutenant Commander Scully to beam aboard and try her hand at it.
Scully arrives, but is also unable to break the security code. Meanwhile, Pheps filters the vaccine in to the life support. With the repairs done, and the plague cured, they return to their ship, with the five Reman. Sevik, Coul, and Korvan report to sickbay to be treated for their injuries.
On the bridge, Captain Ozozah is informed that the Tahkar has returned and de-cloaked. Commander Tomaekh demands the return of his crewmen, but Ozozah refuses. The Geneva and the Nautilus arrive to back-up the Invincible, and Tomaekh cloaks once more and retreats.
Ozozah makes contact with the Commander of the Norexan. The Commander expresses his gratitude, and assures the captain that their actions today shall be made known to the Romulan government. The task force and the Norexan part ways, and the fleet resumes its course to the Nidavellir System.
Nidavellir System
The task force regroups with the Aceso and the Vigilant, who report all went well on their end. They full task force arrives at the Nidavellir System, and are met by six Magoi-class warbirds. Ozozah explains they are there to speak with Bikon, and they are told to hold position and wait.
While they wait for Bikon, Coul and Scully resume there investigation of the strange readings coming from the warp power conduit. The two find themselves in the power conduit junction, and Coul detects an object attached to the power conduit with his tricorder. When they find the object, it is clear to both of them at this is a bomb. A proximity sensor triggers, and the bomb arms.
Bomb!
The pair spring in to action, as the bomb prepares to detonate. Coul disables its redundancies and delays the detonation long enough for Scully to successfully disarm it. Once it had been completely disarmed, she wrapped it in a bow and brought it to the captain.
Ozozah orders a complete search of the entire ship, and statements to be taken from all personnel that entered Engineering since they launched from drydock.
The investigation continues, with no result. They learn the bomb was, to no surprise, Romulan in origin. Finally, after two days of waiting, something happens.
Admiral Bikon, Reman Warlord
A D'deridex-class warbird de-cloaks before the Invincible. The Reman declare it the Najiul, and provide the crew with transport coordinence, instructing them to come unarmed. Captain Ozozah takes Commander Sevik, Lieutenant Commander Coul Anala, and a security officer, unarmed as instructed.
When they arrive, they are escorted to a sort of conference room, and brought before Admiral Bikon. Sitting beside the Admiral is an unfortunately familiar face, Commander Tomaekh.
Over the course of negotiations, Bikon explains that he is working towards Reman liberation from the Romulan, and that Shinzon was a fool. Tomaekh seems to want to attack everyone in sight to achieve their goals, but the crew learns that Bikon is an intelligent and wise leader, and they eventually come to terms.
Bikon will dismantle his forces and submit to Romulan authorities under the assurance that the Federation will take am interest in Reman liberation, and open negotiations to that end during the peace talks with the Romulan Star Empire. When all is agree, Tomaekh leaps up in furious rage, and draws his dagger. He declares Bikon to be weak and a Starfleet collaborator, and Bikon jumps up and draws his dagger, too. Captain Ozozah leaps forward and grabs hold of Tomaekh, giving Bikon a chance to stab him through the stomach and gut him where he stood. Bikon thanks the captain, and tells him he can count on Bikon to provide aid should the need arrise in the future.
The Invincible and the task force oversee the dismantling of Bikon's forces, and it seems all went well. Captain Ozozah receives a private communique. The voice at the other end used a voice modulator, and gave him a clear warning: "You are interfering in affairs beyond your understanding. I'll be watching you closely." And that was all.
The crew is left with a handful of questions. Who is this mysterious voice, and how did that bomb come upon the ship?
No comments:
Post a Comment