Season 1, Mission 02: Trapped

[cortez]

Reece shot out of his seat.

"Commander!" He yelled.

"Hajek, Find out where they took him! Hastings, get the transporters back online. Mirwald.... open a channel to the pirate base."

Cortez desperately searched for a way out of the jail cell but, unsurprisingly, there was none. He sighed, taking a deep breath, in his failure not to escape but to command the Churchill on just its second mission.

Just then, a few of the panels affixed to the wall of his cell began to move revealing a doorway. Past the entrance, Cortez could hear the echoe of footsteps along a open corridor. Someone was coming.

After a few more moments of nervous anticipation, the figure revealed himself. Cortez immediately recognised him as Andrew Finley.

"You bastard!"  he shouted, leaping towards the man.

His efforts provided zero reward as just as quickly as he had been beamed off the Churchill, Cortez was knocked back by a personal forcefield of Finley's.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"  Finley said with a sinister smile.

Cortez pulled himself up from the floor.

"Where is the Captain? I demand to see the Captain!"

Finley took a step forward. Cortez was careful not to get another blast.

"And you will. But not yet. First we collect the rest of your crew and...claim your vessel as ours. In fact, they should be beaming over any second now."

Finley then pressed a button on a strange-looking, oblong-shaped device. Cortez didn't recognise it but figured it to be some sort of advanced tricorder. With a couple more presses, a holographic display bursted to life.

"See?"  Finley said   "I have almost half of your crew already"

Cortez's face turned from dismay at his own situation to anger that his crew were now been plucked from the Churchill like labrats.

"You're not going to get away with this Finley"  he shouted back

Finley remained quiet, only for a slight snigger along with his usual sly smile. Turning, he headed back out of the cell, the doors slowly beginning to close behind him. Before each panel locked neatly into its place, Cortez managed to make out one final sentence.

"Once their crew is aboard, proceed with the plan."

[Kale Bridges]

Cortez desperately searched for a way out of the jail cell but, unsurprisingly, there was none. He sighed, taking a deep breath, in his failure not to escape but to command the Churchill on just its second mission.

Just then, a few of the panels affixed to the wall of his cell began to move revealing a doorway. Past the entrance, Cortez could hear the echoe of footsteps along a open corridor. Someone was coming.

After a few more moments of nervous anticipation, the figure revealed himself. Cortez immediately recognised him as Andrew Finley.

"You bastard!"  he shouted, leaping towards the man.

His efforts provided zero reward as just as quickly as he had been beamed off the Churchill, Cortez was knocked back by a personal forcefield of Finley's.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"  Finley said with a sinister smile.

Cortez pulled himself up from the floor.

"Where is the Captain? I demand to see the Captain!"

Finley took a step forward. Cortez was careful not to get another blast.

"And you will. But not yet. First we collect the rest of your crew and...claim your vessel as ours. In fact, they should be beaming over any second now."

Finley then pressed a button on a strange-looking, oblong-shaped device. Cortez didn't recognise it but figured it to be some sort of advanced tricorder. With a couple more presses, a holographic display bursted to life.

"See?"  Finley said   "I have almost half of your crew already"

Cortez's face turned from dismay at his own situation to anger that his crew were now been plucked from the Churchill like labrats.

"You're not going to get away with this Finley"  he shouted back

Finley remained quiet, only for a slight snigger along with his usual sly smile. Turning, he headed back out of the cell, the doors slowly beginning to close behind him. Before each panel locked neatly into its place, Cortez managed to make out one final sentence.

"Once their crew is aboard, proceed with the plan."

"They're being off the crew en-mass!" Hastings yelled.

"Emergency forcefields! All decks!" Reece yelled.

Seconds later... Hastings sighed, "Transport has stopped! For the moment."

Reece walked over to Hastings. "How many people are missing?"

Hastings checked his console, "They have just over two thirds of the crew."

Reece slammed his fist down on the console before turning away. The pirates weren't responding to hails.

"We aren't a match for the station, not in this state... OK, listen up." Reece stood in the middle of the bridge, announcing to everyone. "Organise everyone left into teams of six. Give them all weapons. Deactivate the warp core, close the injectors... make this ship useless. Activate the external dampeners and lock out your consoles and the main computer. I want to make sure that transporters are the only operational system."

Reece looked out of the view screen at the now de-cloaked station.

"That's going to take a while, sir." Hastings said. "At least an hour."

"Well... we're going to beam over the crew to that station, disable it, rescue our mean and get the heck out. You have at least an hour to come up with a better plan."

Reece slumped back down into his chair. "Hajek... assist Mirwald in making the teams."

[OctalLord]

Reece shot out of his seat.

"Commander!" He yelled.

"Hajek, Find out where they took him! Hastings, get the transporters back online. Mirwald.... open a channel to the pirate base."

"Our communications are still jammed I'm working as hard as I can!"

"They're being off the crew en-mass!" Hastings yelled.

"Emergency forcefields! All decks!" Reece yelled.

Seconds later... Hastings sighed, "Transport has stopped! For the moment."

Reece walked over to Hastings. "How many people are missing?"

Hastings checked his console, "They have just over two thirds of the crew."

Reece slammed his fist down on the console before turning away. The pirates weren't responding to hails.

"We aren't a match for the station, not in this state... OK, listen up." Reece stood in the middle of the bridge, announcing to everyone. "Organise everyone left into teams of six. Give them all weapons. Deactivate the warp core, close the injectors... make this ship useless. Activate the external dampeners and lock out your consoles and the main computer. I want to make sure that transporters are the only operational system."

Reece looked out of the view screen at the now de-cloaked station.

"That's going to take a while, sir." Hastings said. "At least an hour."

"Well... we're going to beam over the crew to that station, disable it, rescue our mean and get the heck out. You have at least an hour to come up with a better plan."

Reece slumped back down into his chair. "Hajek... assist Mirwald in making the teams."

Octavius collapsed into his hands, placing his elbows on his knees and holding his head. He went through a process to calm himself. "You're still alive, The ship is still working, keep it that way."

Taking a deep breath he uncurled. "R-Ready for action sir. Mr. Hajek, they've beamed off most of our security personnel but we've still go crew for our other main operations. I'm going to go and retrieve them, I need you find a way to get us over to there without risking them beaming others off that we don't want."

He jumped up from his seat and walked to the turbolift. Then he stopped as an idea occurred to him. Unstrapping his Phaser pistol from his belt he bent over the back of Reece's' chair and offered it to him.

"Sir.. I think that you might be the next target for them. Take this with you and you might be able to get a few shots off as soon as you're inside."

[Kale Bridges]

"Our communications are still jammed I'm working as hard as I can!"

Octavius collapsed into his hands, placing his elbows on his knees and holding his head. He went through a process to calm himself. "You're still alive, The ship is still working, keep it that way."

Taking a deep breath he uncurled. "R-Ready for action sir. Mr. Hajek, they've beamed off most of our security personnel but we've still go crew for our other main operations. I'm going to go and retrieve them, I need you find a way to get us over to there without risking them beaming others off that we don't want."

He jumped up from his seat and walked to the turbolift. Then he stopped as an idea occurred to him. Unstrapping his Phaser pistol from his belt he bent over the back of Reece's' chair and offered it to him.

"Sir.. I think that you might be the next target for them. Take this with you and you might be able to get a few shots off as soon as you're inside."

Reece tapped the left side of his waist that Octavius couldn't see. "I'm already prepared. I'm still a tactical officer at heart." He said with a grin. "Besides... They can't possibly know who's in command now unless they have the crew roster."

He sat forward again, giving Mirwald the chance to walk away.

Whatever they were going to do, they would have to do it soon, and right.

[OctalLord]

Octavius nodded solemnly, he put his phaser back into it's holster and stepped inside the turbolift, after a short trip he ended up back in the weapons bay.

"Alright, I know this looks grim and I can't ask you to do this but I need volunteers for a mission to..." Octavius trailed off as he saw a chorus of hands raise. They all wanted to fight. Looking over all of them blazing red in their uniforms. "Very good, I can only take one however. You." He pointed towards a man who had obviously done some heavy lifting by the size of his arms. "You're it. Come with me."

Without hesitation he joined Octavius back inside the turbolift as they made their way to Medical and Engineering in turn. Taking the first person he deemed fit at first glance. Outside of a bit of arguement from Medical noone had any qualms about leaving.

[Petr Hajek]

Reece shot out of his seat.

"Commander!" He yelled.

"Hajek, Find out where they took him! Hastings, get the transporters back online. Mirwald.... open a channel to the pirate base."

Petr tried frantically to make sense of the distorted sensor readings but it was no good.  He had to concede defeat.
"I'm sorry Sir but whatever that tractor beam is doing to our systems is playing havoc with the sensors too.  There's nothing I can do to pinpoint anything aboard the station."

With only maybe fifty members of crew still remaining on board it was necessary to conduct a physical headcount to ascertain just who was available to team up together.

"Captain, with your permission I'll leave the bridge to try and find out exactly who is still on the ship; the computer is unable to identify individual crew's combadges, and comms are down too."

[Kale Bridges]

Petr tried frantically to make sense of the distorted sensor readings but it was no good.  He had to concede defeat.
"I'm sorry Sir but whatever that tractor beam is doing to our systems is playing havoc with the sensors too.  There's nothing I can do to pinpoint anything aboard the station."

With only maybe fifty members of crew still remaining on board it was necessary to conduct a physical headcount to ascertain just who was available to team up together.

"Captain, with your permission I'll leave the bridge to try and find out exactly who is still on the ship; the computer is unable to identify individual crew's combadges, and comms are down too."

"Very well." Reece said. "Make a complete head count and give me the results aswell." Reece said.

He stood up and made his way over to tactical, taking over while Mirwald was away.

Targetting sensors, weapons, shields... they were all offline. It was just luck that the emergency forcefields were holding.

[Petr Hajek]

"Very well." Reece said. "Make a complete head count and give me the results aswell." Reece said.

He stood up and made his way over to tactical, taking over while Mirwald was away.

Targetting sensors, weapons, shields... they were all offline. It was just luck that the emergency forcefields were holding.

About thirty minutes had elapsed when Petr Hajek returned to the bridge.

"Captain.  I seconded the first four people I saw and divided the ship's decks between us.  I asked each person to search their respective decks and assemble everyone they saw in the crew lounge on deck eight.  With comms down I thought it would be necessary to get everyone in one place to coordinate the teams you requested.  We have fifty three persons on board from various departments and that includes ten officers."

[Kale Bridges]

About thirty minutes had elapsed when Petr Hajek returned to the bridge.

"Captain.  I seconded the first four people I saw and divided the ship's decks between us.  I asked each person to search their respective decks and assemble everyone they saw in the crew lounge on deck eight.  With comms down I thought it would be necessary to get everyone in one place to coordinate the teams you requested.  We have fifty three persons on board from various departments and that includes ten officers."

"Good work, Lieutenant." Reece said.

He paused for a minute before walking over to Hajek. "Mr Hajek... I'd like to see you in the meeting room please." He walked off without further comment, entering the meeting room, which was currently being used as Commander Cortez's ready room.

[Petr Hajek]

"Good work, Lieutenant." Reece said.

He paused for a minute before walking over to Hajek. "Mr Hajek... I'd like to see you in the meeting room please." He walked off without further comment, entering the meeting room, which was currently being used as Commander Cortez's ready room.

Petr found himself caught on the back foot by the request for a meet, and as he followed Reece into the room he wondered what he could have done that warranted a face-to-face in private.

He had paused for just enough time for the door to close behind Reece only to open again immediately Petr neared it.

"Sir, you needed to speak with me?" he offered, aware that the man now sat uncomfortably behind the desk looked as if he had almost had enough.  Only brief seconds passed before the reply came but it was long enough for Petr to consider the man opposite had not only been recently promoted to his position of XO but now had the pressure of command thrust at him with no time to adapt or decline, and to cap it all he now had no idea of how he or his crew were going to handle what was happening to them or if they would even survive.  Petr's earlier fear for himself was suddenly turned to sympathy for the young man that would have to rely on all those around him.

[Kale Bridges]

Petr found himself caught on the back foot by the request for a meet, and as he followed Reece into the room he wondered what he could have done that warranted a face-to-face in private.

He had paused for just enough time for the door to close behind Reece only to open again immediately Petr neared it.

"Sir, you needed to speak with me?" he offered, aware that the man now sat uncomfortably behind the desk looked as if he had almost had enough.  Only brief seconds passed before the reply came but it was long enough for Petr to consider the man opposite had not only been recently promoted to his position of XO but now had the pressure of command thrust at him with no time to adapt or decline, and to cap it all he now had no idea of how he or his crew were going to handle what was happening to them or if they would even survive.  Petr's earlier fear for himself was suddenly turned to sympathy for the young man that would have to rely on all those around him.

Reece perched himself on the edge of the table and looked up and the lieutenant. "The station is quite large, so I'm going to be taking the majority of the remaining crew. I want to leave you behind with ten other people to oversee the ship. As you'll be the ranking officer, you'll be in command... is that OK?"

It was alot to throw at him, but Reece was the senior tactical officer, so he had a duty to lead the away mission. It was also a serch and rescue for the other two thirds of the crew.

"I need a senior officer I can trust... are you up to it? If not, then you'll have to accompany us on the mission, and I'll leave someone else in charge."

[Petr Hajek]

Reece perched himself on the edge of the table and looked up and the lieutenant. "The station is quite large, so I'm going to be taking the majority of the remaining crew. I want to leave you behind with ten other people to oversee the ship. As you'll be the ranking officer, you'll be in command... is that OK?"

It was alot to throw at him, but Reece was the senior tactical officer, so he had a duty to lead the away mission. It was also a serch and rescue for the other two thirds of the crew.

"I need a senior officer I can trust... are you up to it? If not, then you'll have to accompany us on the mission, and I'll leave someone else in charge."

Of all the things he could have heard this took Petr completely by surprise.  He knew that Reece was in a position he would have preferred wasn't necessary, but like everybody else, you have to play the hand you're dealt, and despite being caught off guard his response was pretty intuitive.

"Lieutenant, I'll do whatever you need me to do, Sir.  Whether you've asked me because of a belief in my abilities or an obligation to respond to Starfleet's ranking protocol is irrelevant."  Petr had stopped as soon as the door had closed behind him and now that Reece had allowed him to respond he walked further into the room.  He then continued his assessment of their situation.

"With all due respect Sir I'll do what you wish but you and I both know that with the systems being as adversely affected as they are, there's not really that much I or anyone will be able to do to help you once you're over their."  He thought for a moment longer.  "I have had very little combat experience, and whether I'd be any use to you on the station is a moot point, but considering we are unsure of the numbers you'll be up against once there maybe taking as many people with you would be the better idea.  We have no idea of how long our transporters are going to remain operable, and I only say this because with the situation we're in making you the Captain,  I guess that makes me your XO, and it's the XO responsibility to provide their captain with as much info as possible;  Have you thought that of all the power drain due to the tractor beam's characteristics our transporters are still operational?  I can't help feel it's as if we are still being lead down the path of what they wants us to do...whoever they are.

[Alan Christopher]

Alan waited patiently at his station on the bridge. This situation was all too familiar. He had hoped that the Churchill would be a new start for him, it appeared this was not the caase. The galaxy was getting more turbulent. Things ahead where uncertain for everyone.

[Kale Bridges]

Reece smiled and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you. I know this is a pain. Losing the Captain... then the commander... in such a short space of time..."

He paused for a moment. "We aren't counting on any help. Communications will be disrupted when we're on the station... we're going to sort out all of the details before we beam over. I just need to know you're ready to get the remaining crew back to Starfleet should the worst happen.

[Petr Hajek]

Reece smiled and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you. I know this is a pain. Losing the Captain... then the commander... in such a short space of time..."

He paused for a moment. "We aren't counting on any help. Communications will be disrupted when we're on the station... we're going to sort out all of the details before we beam over. I just need to know you're ready to get the remaining crew back to Starfleet should the worst happen.

"WHAT?"  Petr was numb.  "You expect me to just leave you here?"