Hunted (Reyes + Kinun)

[Hust Kinun]

[Corridors]

Mahak decided that conversation was best kept at a minimum. Mechanically, he found targets and fired. He wasnt the greatest shot in the galaxy, but he could hold his own. It was enough to stall a charge.

[Corridors]

"We are in the corrodor outside of the brig," Mahak pointed out. "It does not look very secure to me."

A fresh batch of enemy fire, green daggers stabbing at them, drove the security officers deeper into cover. Mahak responded in kind, blindfiring his phaser rifle over the barrier.

"Time to move," A security lieutenant said to them. "They'll have reinforcements soon."

"What about your reinforcements?" Mahak asked.

"That's a dreadnought out there!" The lieutenant interjected. "A slaver ship. They have more men, and that damn warp disruptor knocked our engines and shields out. Get the hell out of here and stop arguing, crewman!"

[Corridors]

Hust nodded at the orders. "Aye." he acknowledged, and prepared to move, his rifle at the ready.

"Maybe you're right, crewman." he said, frowning as they came under fire again. It appeared that every slaver on the ship now knew exactly where these two were. Hust thought. Maybe giving these two over wouldn't be such a bad idea... but he had his orders.

He started to move from the position he had held, and retreated deeper into the bowels of the ship. So much for the peak of Federation tech. Their flag-waving had been met with the flames of the enemy.

"Is there any way to get the disruptor offline?" he asked, likely a stupid question but one that needed to be asked.

[Kali Reyes]

[Corridor]

Kali held up her hands in surrender, though it was merely to stop them from moving. "I know that this is going to sound suicidal, or really stupid, but I kinda... uh, well I'm kind of at fault? Maybe I should surrender before Lieutenant Wineberg over here gets his head cleaved right off."

"You weren't there when I did it," she continued to Mahak before he could say anything. "This didn't have anything to do with the boardwalk. Colgan said to squash it and I didn't listen. When I got back to the Discovery, I uh... kind of bulldozed down their biker bar on the Elysium Strip." And okay, maybe she blushed a bit for her impulsiveness. "Vendetta is a cruel bizatch, you know? But yeah, my fault. They kicked me out of Risa - I leveled their seedy cesspool and constructed a retirement facility over it. Karma, you know? Now they're really pissed off."

She was definitely trying to make a selfless gesture, which left a bad taste in her mouth. It was kind of gross trying to do the right thing. But the Shran is under attack and it's not their fault they got stuck with a beef between her and the Syndicate. And worse, she's dragging Mahak into it. "If I wave the tiny white flag, I think the Shran will get out in one piece if I go with them. Everybody wins. Except for me."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Corridors]

Hust nodded at the orders. "Aye." he acknowledged, and prepared to move, his rifle at the ready.

"Maybe you're right, crewman." he said, frowning as they came under fire again. It appeared that every slaver on the ship now knew exactly where these two were. Hust thought. Maybe giving these two over wouldn't be such a bad idea... but he had his orders.

He started to move from the position he had held, and retreated deeper into the bowels of the ship. So much for the peak of Federation tech. Their flag-waving had been met with the flames of the enemy.

"Is there any way to get the disruptor offline?" he asked, likely a stupid question but one that needed to be asked.

[Corridor]

"Unknown," Mahak said to Kinun. "Perhaps if Kali and I can scan the enemy device we could shut it down, and allow the Shran to escape."

They needed to get to the bridge, but it would be a long, hard fight to get there if transporters were offline.

[Corridor]

Kali held up her hands in surrender, though it was merely to stop them from moving. "I know that this is going to sound suicidal, or really stupid, but I kinda... uh, well I'm kind of at fault? Maybe I should surrender before Lieutenant Wineberg over here gets his head cleaved right off."

"You weren't there when I did it," she continued to Mahak before he could say anything. "This didn't have anything to do with the boardwalk. Colgan said to squash it and I didn't listen. When I got back to the Discovery, I uh... kind of bulldozed down their biker bar on the Elysium Strip." And okay, maybe she blushed a bit for her impulsiveness. "Vendetta is a cruel bizatch, you know? But yeah, my fault. They kicked me out of Risa - I leveled their seedy cesspool and constructed a retirement facility over it. Karma, you know? Now they're really pissed off."

She was definitely trying to make a selfless gesture, which left a bad taste in her mouth. It was kind of gross trying to do the right thing. But the Shran is under attack and it's not their fault they got stuck with a beef between her and the Syndicate. And worse, she's dragging Mahak into it. "If I wave the tiny white flag, I think the Shran will get out in one piece if I go with them. Everybody wins. Except for me."

[Corridor]

Mahak shook his head slowly.

"This is not just about our past transgressions against the Syndicate," The Vulcan told her and Hust. "This is about putting an end to the notion that a criminal organization can attack the Federation with impunity. If the Orion can have a Chief of the Boat surrender to them none of us are safe."

He glanced at Hust, hoping to get the lawyer's take on this.

[Hust Kinun]

[Corridor]

"Unknown," Mahak said to Kinun. "Perhaps if Kali and I can scan the enemy device we could shut it down, and allow the Shran to escape."

They needed to get to the bridge, but it would be a long, hard fight to get there if transporters were offline.

[Corridor]

Mahak shook his head slowly.

"This is not just about our past transgressions against the Syndicate," The Vulcan told her and Hust. "This is about putting an end to the notion that a criminal organization can attack the Federation with impunity. If the Orion can have a Chief of the Boat surrender to them none of us are safe."

He glanced at Hust, hoping to get the lawyer's take on this.

[Corridor]

As Mahak spoke, Kinun already had is doubts. This was the flagship of the fleet, and the best crew, theoretically. "I'm not too sure what you'd find that others wouldn't," he started, but then acquiesced. "I'll follow your lead, my job is to follow you two right now."

He shouldered the rifle, seemingly safe for now. However, safe was a relative term so he kept the smaller type I in his hand.

"I don't know your particular history against the syndicate but surrender is absolutely not an option." He said. Not only was it a violation of several Starfleet regulations, it would be seen as an immense sign of weakness- Imagine the Orions being able to say they could bully the Federation into surrender with just one ship!

"It appears you need to get to a sensor array access. Deflector control is on this deck, you could get access there."

[Kali Reyes]

[Corridor]

"I'm trying to do the right thing for once and you damp my ego anyways!" Kali whined. She had a more death-defying idea. And one that Mahak would definitely not like, but that was the gist of things.

They went back and forth over what to do, but Kali was already looking over her shoulder for a break in the firefight and wondered if the Shran's floor plan was relatively in line to the Discovery's. If so, the emergency Jeffries tubes there should lead straight to the shuttle bay.

Take a pod and go. Throw a bunch of visual indicators to attract the enemy ship. Pray she won't get blown up. Sounds reasonable.

Kali broke the line and sprinted for the tubes. 

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Corridor]

When Reyes broke for the escape pod, Mahak rolled out after her, in the prone firing position. Mechanically, with zero flourish, the Vulcan found his targets and let loose tactical fire: short, authoritative taps. The Orion dodged to the deck once they saw how well he could shoot.

"Cover me!" He shouted to Kinun above the cries of the wounded, the red alert sirens, and sounds of phaser fire.

[Hust Kinun]

[Corridor]

When Reyes broke for the escape pod, Mahak rolled out after her, in the prone firing position. Mechanically, with zero flourish, the Vulcan found his targets and let loose tactical fire: short, authoritative taps. The Orion dodged to the deck once they saw how well he could shoot.

"Cover me!" He shouted to Kinun above the cries of the wounded, the red alert sirens, and sounds of phaser fire.

[Corridor]

As Reyes broke on some hairbrained scheme, the fight started up again. He wasn't a soldier, this wasn't his place. He sighed and began firing, mostly blinded but at least using the built in sights on the rifle to get a little more accurate. While nowhere as good as Reyes, he was good enough to make most of the Orions think twice about moving.

He shot a glance over behind him, and tried to find out where they were. He had to stick with them on whatever crazy misadventure they went on, but that didn't mean he had to like it. If worst came to worst he could always stun Reyes and hope Mahak didn't take it out on him.

"Wait for me!" he said, as, still firing, he moved up toward them.

[Kali Reyes]

[Corridor]

"Are you nuts?! Don't follow me!" Kali whined over her shoulder, narrowly ducking to avoid a phaser blast over her head. Being a martyr was way more effective it was one over two and she could practically taste the inner plates of the Jefferies tube.

Something loud, like the sound of a t-shirt cannon, made her eardrums bounce around her head. Before she realized what was happening, an energy mesh designed as a net ensnared her completely, and she crashed to the floor. "Oof!"

She furiously wriggled and she was rewarded with a jolt of electricity so sharp, she instinctively curled into a protective ball to avoid anymore shocks. It was horrible. She almost lost her lunch in the process the way her gut churned.

"Got 'er!" An orion crowed in triumph and, like a demented game of fish, started to reel her down the corridor.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Corridor]

"Kali!" Mahak said, all of his calm gone in an instant when she was snared. The rifle was on his shoulder automatically, but the Orion who had taken her had already disappeared down the passageway. Phaser fire stabbed at him, stopping any chance of him running after her.

He shot the Orion drawing a bead on Kinun instead, dropping the man to the deck in a clatter of armor onto metal. The other pirates took in their comrade being stunned, and one of shouted:

"We've got her, let's get out of here!"

Mahak's weapon had broken, the breech cracked open at an awkward angle. He reversed the rifle, holding it by the barrel so that the butt was ready to use, and got ready to plunge into the mass of Orion pirates to get Reyes back.

[Hust Kinun]

[Corridor]

"Kali!" Mahak said, all of his calm gone in an instant when she was snared. The rifle was on his shoulder automatically, but the Orion who had taken her had already disappeared down the passageway. Phaser fire stabbed at him, stopping any chance of him running after her.

He shot the Orion drawing a bead on Kinun instead, dropping the man to the deck in a clatter of armor onto metal. The other pirates took in their comrade being stunned, and one of shouted:

"We've got her, let's get out of here!"

Mahak's weapon had broken, the breech cracked open at an awkward angle. He reversed the rifle, holding it by the barrel so that the butt was ready to use, and got ready to plunge into the mass of Orion pirates to get Reyes back.

As Kali was snatched Hust saw his first sign that not everything was right. The Vulcan's tone was one of unrest, and... Emotion? Whatever it was he didn't like it. As Mahak took down the Orion who was trying to get him, Hust also fired and took down another slaver, as the group hastily retreated.

As the area cleared, Mahak seemed to have a fire in his rear to get moving, ASAP. He shook his head. "Stand down, Crewman." he said, his rifle at rest. Not raised, but if he had to he'd fire at Mahak to keep him here. He dialed the setting down to stun.

The rifle in the Vulcan's hand was destroyed. "Think of it logically, look at yourself. What good are you going to do but give their gunners some target practice right now?"

He looked around as the smoke in the air cleared, main power still offline. They would have to get Kali back, but not now. Right now they had to regroup before they attacked.

[Kali Reyes]

[Turbolift]

By the time they got done dragging her down the hallway for the turbolift, Kali was pretty sure she was going to have a checker pattern of dirt on her back. It felt unsettling, almost unbelievable, that she was being pulled about like roadkill that wasn't even worth a toss over the shoulder. Third-rate roadkill, then.

But Kali squirmed and kicked under the netting and every time she moved, the net shocked her, albeit a lot less than the first. She was a bug snug in its own hell, but maybe that was a little too dramatic. The lift doors open and she was set far in the back wall while Orion pirates spilled as much as they could into the lift. From here, the klaxon sound was especially pronounced, the lift bathed in red alert.

"Is it too late to say you've got the wrong woman?" That earned her a hard smack to the ear.

One of the Orions faltered and it was pretty much obvious he was more brawn than brains believing her. "Then who did we catch?"

Her mouth got away from her. "Rali Keyes?" Another smack to the head. This time she connected to the wall and saw stars.

"Gag yourself before I use this instead!" The abusive Orion barked, showing her his rifle.

Kali blearily looked at it. Believe it or not, that wouldn't be the worst thing she ever had in her mouth.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

As Kali was snatched Hust saw his first sign that not everything was right. The Vulcan's tone was one of unrest, and... Emotion? Whatever it was he didn't like it. As Mahak took down the Orion who was trying to get him, Hust also fired and took down another slaver, as the group hastily retreated.

As the area cleared, Mahak seemed to have a fire in his rear to get moving, ASAP. He shook his head. "Stand down, Crewman." he said, his rifle at rest. Not raised, but if he had to he'd fire at Mahak to keep him here. He dialed the setting down to stun.

The rifle in the Vulcan's hand was destroyed. "Think of it logically, look at yourself. What good are you going to do but give their gunners some target practice right now?"

He looked around as the smoke in the air cleared, main power still offline. They would have to get Kali back, but not now. Right now they had to regroup before they attacked.

[Corridor]

Kinun's words reached through the iron will that was at Mahak's core. He was making a lot of sense. Slowly, the Vulcan lowered his improvised club. He realized that he may have gotten off a single swing with it before the thing was destroyed for good.

"You're right, sir," He said quietly. Right now, Reyes needed his logic, his cunning, not any bravery.

"We have to find her," Mahak announced, seemingly oblivious that he was talking to a superior officer. He tossed aside the damaged rifle and began to tap away at a panel.

Now that the Orions had gotten their prize, the corridor was much quieter. Burn marks and the smell of ozone was all that was left to signify a shootout had occurred. That, and the bodies. The Orions were stunned, but the Starfleet people were dead.

"Internal sensor network is offline," The Vulcan said. He turned an eye to the Betazoid ensign, wondering. The man was a JAG officer, a Starfleet lawyer.

"How much experience do you have in ship's operations, ensign?" Mahak asked bluntly.

[Hust Kinun]

[Corridor]

Kinun's words reached through the iron will that was at Mahak's core. He was making a lot of sense. Slowly, the Vulcan lowered his improvised club. He realized that he may have gotten off a single swing with it before the thing was destroyed for good.

"You're right, sir," He said quietly. Right now, Reyes needed his logic, his cunning, not any bravery.

"We have to find her," Mahak announced, seemingly oblivious that he was talking to a superior officer. He tossed aside the damaged rifle and began to tap away at a panel.

Now that the Orions had gotten their prize, the corridor was much quieter. Burn marks and the smell of ozone was all that was left to signify a shootout had occurred. That, and the bodies. The Orions were stunned, but the Starfleet people were dead.

"Internal sensor network is offline," The Vulcan said. He turned an eye to the Betazoid ensign, wondering. The man was a JAG officer, a Starfleet lawyer.

"How much experience do you have in ship's operations, ensign?" Mahak asked bluntly.

[Corridor]

Kinun looked as the man appeared to calm down. He powered down his own weapon, and slung it via a strap he'd made across his back. It was sloppy and not very secure, but for a paper-pushing lawyer, it was pretty good. He looked for a new weapon, and found none. He unslung the rifle and handed it toward the Vulcan.

As he handed the weapon, stock up, he spoke. "You're a better shot than I am anyways, crewman." he said, ignoring the either unintentional or implied slight against him due to the attitude and informality. If they were on starbase, maybe he'd be a bit more prissy about it but now was not the time, even in jest.

"Let's see... None." he said, a wistful grin on his face. "I have a basic starfleet ops course but nothing in depth. In fact, I haven't even been qualed on my phaser rifle. I'm no good outside my desk." he said. He had a very particular set of skills... and being an action-type was not one of them. "Why, what's on your mind?"

[Kali Reyes]

[Shuttle Bay]

They finally had the common courtesy to lift her up from the floor and carry her down, though they had to stop a few times to engage in Federation stragglers hoping to pin them down with phaser fire. Kali was forced over the lap of the head Orion while the knelt down behind large cargo crates and returned fire.

"We're outnumbered, Skran!" The dimwitted Orion called out from across the way. "Call for backup!"

Kali's mouth ran away from her again. "You have a hostage, don't you?! Idiot!" And that probably wasn't a bright thing to say, because it suddenly occurred to them that - yeah, leverage.

What she assumed was Skran grinned viciously down at her and then heaved her up like he was a goddamn hunchback waving a gypsy for sanctuary out into the open. "We've got one of your Federation dogs! Lay down your weapons and let us through!"

The beams of light halted almost immediately. Dammit.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Corridor]

Kinun looked as the man appeared to calm down. He powered down his own weapon, and slung it via a strap he'd made across his back. It was sloppy and not very secure, but for a paper-pushing lawyer, it was pretty good. He looked for a new weapon, and found none. He unslung the rifle and handed it toward the Vulcan.

As he handed the weapon, stock up, he spoke. "You're a better shot than I am anyways, crewman." he said, ignoring the either unintentional or implied slight against him due to the attitude and informality. If they were on starbase, maybe he'd be a bit more prissy about it but now was not the time, even in jest.

"Let's see... None." he said, a wistful grin on his face. "I have a basic starfleet ops course but nothing in depth. In fact, I haven't even been qualed on my phaser rifle. I'm no good outside my desk." he said. He had a very particular set of skills... and being an action-type was not one of them. "Why, what's on your mind?"

[Corridor]

"They're taking her to the shuttlebay," Mahak told the other man. "It is the only logical place to make an escape. Logic dictates that we cannot defeat so many pirates by ourselves. We must prevent the shuttle launch."

The Vulcan led the way through the passageways. The Shran had come to life now that the Orions had what they wanted. Medical teams were policing bodies, and security teams were patrolling to ensure that the enemy had truly left.

"While it is never safe to assume, the Orions are experienced in this type of operation." Mahak told Kinun. "If we do something overtly to stop their launch, such as a tractor beam, they will hurt Kali. We also cannot openly assault so many pirates. I believe we should find a way to sabotage the shuttle or the airlock."