Rendezvous in Space Pt 2

Posted on Wed Aug 25th, 2021 @ 1:39pm by Captain Maia Sterling & Lieutenant Steve O'Carroll & Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran-Blake & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Robert Hendon & Lieutenant Commander Havri Belbre & Lieutenant Maria McMahon & Lieutenant Kasey Tanger & Lieutenant Rick Gibbs & Captain Karyn Somers & Captain David Blake

Mission: The Riixian Insurection
Location: USS Leto Halfway to Betazed

"Captain Gorbets Sir we been called to duty I have lit a fire under the men's rears, I am going to get my weapons," Somers said.

Strangely there is no response.

-----------Bridge--------------

=/\= Bridge to Engineering. Lieutenant Dougherty prepares a damage control team to board the Hood. =/\=

=/\= Dougherty here, captain, I'm sending a team on the way now,=/\= she said as the line closed.

The Leto swung around and took out the engines of the first and then the second ship. The third ship was already disabled. The precision shots from tactical disabling both ships. It was off that when the Leto showed up the marauders didn't break off they continued to assault the Hood. With her shields now down to 50 per cent, the Hood weathered the beating well.

Maia thought of something the ships might have been sent on the remote.

"Scan those ships for life signs," Maia ordered.

Samantha performed the life form scan with inconclusive results. Something aboard the vessels was preventing her from determining if there was a crew aboard, much less who that crew could be done. "Interference of some kind. Probably using an isolated power source."

"Mr Gibbs, are there any other ships in the area?" Maia asked

"Not currently at the moment," Rick sighed.

Ryan frowned as he studied the attack pattern. It dawned on him why it looked familiar. "Rescan the area for neutrino emissions. Search for signs of a cloaked ship."

"Neutrino emissions won't do us any good without a net or being right on top of them. Look for plasma emissions from impulse engines." Gibbs gave a glance over.

"Something is wrong. I can sense it, deception. Captain be careful. I can't pinpoint it but it is there," Sheena said, moving near Maia.

That was good enough for Maia,

"Lieutenant Brannon set security alert 1". Maia said.

Admiral Saagu replied, "There are rumours of the Rixxian Caliphate using cloaked ships and also using Drone ships. This may give me more to negotiate with when we return to Betazed. Be careful there is a manoeuvre where they bring in a cloaked ship and attack fist with drones and when the attacked ship is weakened the cloaked ship appears to finish off the ship they were attacking According to reports from other Betazed ships that are loyal to the current council defending Betazed from attacks in space."

Maia was afraid that a significant portion of her crew was Betazoid.

Lt Brannon turned in her seat something had her getting some feelings that put her on alert. "Telepathic signals are coming from the Hood Captain. It appears there may be some infiltrators on the Hood and they are working some kind of guerilla warfare. It appears that the Rixxian Caliphate may have access to Starfleet uniforms. I looked at sensors on the Leto and find the location of all Betazed personnel on the various decks."

She then checked to see if any personnel were they without having Starfleet communications devices and then she checked their locations, she found 6 personnel with actually communications devices that actually work. Replicators can copy the communications devices on non-Starfleet Ships but they do not work.

"Captain I am going below deck to check out a possible security issue. We may have Rixxian Caliphate infiltrators on the Leto. I am checking it out now." Brannon said.

"Make your checks, after that I want you to prepare a boarding party to head over to the Hood." Captain Sterling ordered.

"Understood Captain if I am right this will take about 5 minutes." She went to the turbo lift a down to the deck where the Brig is. She went quickly to the Brig. There was 4 armed personnel that did not have proper uniforms for the Brig area. "What are you doing here? You know you are not authorized to be here." One pulled his phaser and fired. But missed Brannon was quick and accurate. She nailed 2 and hid. In a few minutes, she hit the 3rd one and the fourth surrendered. Once they were secured in a cell she went to grab her combat gear.

On the way she hit her communications badge=/\= Captain, we had Rixxian Caliphate members on the Leto. They are wearing Starfleet uniforms but their communications badge do not work. I am sending the information on how to detect them as I speak. The captured badges only allow them to communicate with each other. I sent them to Engineering to see if they can find a way to tap the frequency they are using. =/\=

Brannon continued, =/\= I am on my way to Transporter Room 1 now. Lieutenant Somers how about you and a Squad of your Marines join us for a boarding party to the Hood. Full Battle gear for everyone including my Security team as well. =/\=

=/\=Understood, I am curious as to how they got here with our shields up. Also is there any way to technologically block a psionic/telepathic attack from the Caliphate?=/\= Maia asked.

=/\= I think they were a sleeper cell already on board the Leto and they were waiting for the chance that just occurred. They were supposed to sabotage the systems. I am suspicious about the Hood and how certain keep things like communications were out but other systems are still working though.=/\=

=/\=Understood I want you and Somers to capture and neutralize the sleeper cells on the Leto, then we can work on the Hood. Sterling out=/\= The Captain said.

"Mr Gibbs make sure that third ship really is disabled," Maia said.

"Little late. It is, but we have an unauthorized phaser fire on the Security deck. They were yes, already some on there. They can be isolated easily enough, if.." Looks to Ops, "We start a link to the Hood. Command codes to further drop the shields and beam the ones to our Brig. The Transporters will disable the weapons."

"Aye Lieutenant," replied Maria as her fingers danced over the console; she continued "Codes ready to be sent captain on your word," as she poised to press the button that sent the codes to drop the Hood's shields. she finished "Transporter room one ready to beam them directly to the brig,"

"Fine let's use the prefix code, all three ships are disabled. we can beam the caliphate to our brig. We can then beam an away team over to the hood and see what damage they have done. be on the lookout for any cloaked ships the instantly one de-cloaks disable her with a spread of torpedoes." The captain ordered.

"Aye Captain," replied Maria as she pressed the button that sent the command codes to the Hood's computers that rendered the ship defenceless; she stated "Command codes sent and the Hood's shields are dropping like a stone," as she knew this was phase one of the plans. " Caliphate are now in the brig Ma'am," as she hoped that this was the easy part.

"I'm watching, Ma'am." Gibbs gave a bit of a nod and was doing just that. A spread already set, just a slightly lower yield to not accidentally blow up the ship if there was one.

Ryan continued to monitor the battle as the enemy ships were disabled. There was little else he could do at the moment.

Sheena was still standing near Maia as the shields dropped on the Hood. Now she was sensing something else she quickly blocked her mind from being read. Something was still not right but she was unable to pinpoint it as before.

"Commander Toran are you alright?" Maia asked.

Ryan glanced at Sheena with concern. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on with her.

"Captain the Ambassador is right but I had to shield my mind. A very strong mind-probing, looking for someone, but I still can't pinpoint who or where it is coming from but it is on the ship here now", Sheena said, looking at Maia then Ryan.

-Lower levels -

Karyn had finished her alert duties and all the Rifles were in place at various points on the ship, now all she had to do was wait for the fighting to start, she had sent some Rifles two make sure the lifts to the bridges were secure now with one unit guarding the other way to Engineering and the bridge she and her troops waited. Then the fight was on them the boarders had reached her position, what surprised her was that they were so few in number, but either way, they were quickly dispatched. She tapped her Commbadge =/\= Somers to Gorbets! Sir, we have encountered the enemy and repelled the small number of attackers, I expect there will be more, do you read me? =/\= she asked.

Still no response.

- Sickbay -

Robert scratched his head as he looked in the supply cabinet. Something was wrong here? He was sure they had replicated enough hypo sprays. Should he report it? Had he missed counted?

Hendon decided to be cautious.

“ Sickbay to security come in please?” He said as he tapped his comm. badge

Brannon tapped her communications badge. =/\= Go ahead Doctor. =/\=

Robert rubbed his chin as he spoke.

“I have just done a manifest of the medical supply cabinets. We seem to have three hypo sprays missing. I have double-checked and they're definitely not here. They were fully loaded with several painkillers. That could easily be used to render someone out cold or if used correctly susceptible to mind control.” He warned

Brannon replied, Did you or your staff see anyone acting suspiciously in sickbay lately? And any idea how long they have been missing?

Hendon felt foolish.

“ Unfortunately I have not been on the Leto for long. So they could have been missing before I arrived. Plus the number of people coming in here with a high amount of ailments. Means we can’t watch everyone. Sorry.” He said

Understood perhaps we can limit it at first, Have many Betazed"s been here for treatment or injuries. I know this falls under Hepa but it could possible be a huge help. This could be the information that could prevent the ship from being damaged or possibly destroyed. Also I will have to alert Captain Sterling of this information. Also when you have time, check your medical logs to see if any Hypo's were lost or destroyed on any previous missions. Brannon replied

A dilemma that plagued medical departments through time. The oath all doctors on Earth took since the time when leeches were used. To today with bio beds and building new limbs from DNA. So they were almost real. Robert could not go against the oath.

" I'm sorry you know I cannot tell you that. It goes against the oath. But I can find out when those hypos went missing. Perhaps someone other then the medical staff of course. Could log into the ones around the sickbay entrance. They would tell you if a certain body of people went in around that time." Robert said.

Brannon replied, "OK Doctor, I will increase security in Sickbay but they will not interfere with what you are doing here. And also some extra in the corridors around Sickbay.


--USS Hood, Auxiliary Control--

Captain Blake sat at the weapons control panel in the Hood's Auxiliary Control. He glanced at his wife who was at the communications station and the young Boatswain's Mate at the helm. "Amanda see if you can raise the Leto again. Hopefully, the damage control party got to the transmitter array and got the repairs done."

"Nothing on subspace we must have been sabotaged, however, I am getting a signal it sounds like Morse code of the targeting scanners," Amanda said.

After a few moments.

"It's the Federation Starship Leto, they have engaged whoever is attacking us. They are going to use the Prefix code to lower our number 5 shield to beam over marines and a damage control party. they are manoeuvring into position to protect our number 5 shield with their own." Amanda reported.

David nodded. "Good."

The Boatswain's Mate studied his panel for a moment and saw the indicators for the impulse engines go from red to green. "Sir, manoeuvring has been restored. Should I lay in a course?"

David nodded. "Bring us over the Leto matching their course and speed. We need them to transport troops to quell the mutiny."

My Morse is a little rusty but I can respond.

- Strategic Operations, secure communications room -

Tanger was having a meeting via a super secured channel with an informant on Betazed. He was gathering the goings-on that was unravelling on his homeworld and not liking what he was hearing. His informant was a very trusted source and in fact, had served his family for decades. He was telling Tanger the horrors of what the Rixxian movement had caused to Betazed and the Betazoid way of life. He was in a secured bunker under Tanger's family's estate on the southern edge of Betazed's centre of commerce. He was getting information that Rixxian controlled patrols were gathering those they sensed were not supporting the movement to withdrawal from the Federation. It was a nightmare on a planet of telepathic honesty and making many people so scared to think of anything at all.

Sheena was still blocking all thoughts barely. Her head ached and at one point she thought she heard whispering in her mind. A dark devious whisper that shook her up but with all of what was going on, she could not pinpoint it. Remaining some what calm, she remained at her station on the bridge. However she was going to make a point of talking to.Maia after this was done.

--USS Hood, Saucer Engineering--

"Crap, look at it," said Jessie, one of the Chief Petty Officers on the Leto. She was 5'6", with long curly blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and a killer figure that even her uniform couldn't hide. She pointed over to the core interface with the impulse engines.

"Woah, that's bad," said James, a Petty Officer First Class. He wanted to go to Starfleet OCS but hadn't the time yet to take the Officer Candidate Test and get a sponsor. He looked at it and there was no other way to look at it. "Sabotage...gotta be. Can we even get impulse back online?"

"Well, we need to try. Manoeuvring thrusters won't do for long, and we need that transmitter array back online," Jessie said with a nod.

The way the computer was supposed to connect to the impulse engines had telltale signs of phaser damage. The two had worked together since the Leto launched and knew what to do without even saying it. James grabbed a set of spare plasma transfer conduits, while Jessie got a few ODN cables from the spare parts locker.

"Alright let's get the panelling off, make our lives easier," she said, looking at James. It'd likely help with the light flickering in the room also.

The duo removed the wall panelling with a bit of effort and saw the mess inside. Jessie cut the power to this half of the room so that they would still have lights, a feature first found on this class of ship, putting lights on a separate circuit from consoles to try to keep lighting from failing when consoles did. Eight ODN cables had to be pulled, frayed and melted from their various connection points, and three plasma transfer conduits had to be twisted and pulled out like the old fluorescent light tubes from the 20th century.

It took a good fifteen minutes to get everything removed, replaced, and secured, working as quickly as they could, but once they checked their work, the duo went over to the panel and did a quick connection check - every cable had a locked chip on it that verified power and data connectivity - enabling them to know that they connected everything to the right place.

"Here goes nothing," James said as he pulled the power lever back to the ON position.

The hum of power returning was a welcome sound, as the lights also stopped flickering, and the open panel showed the ODN cables blinking with renewed vigour, and the PTCs humming and glowing with returning power. Jessie and James exchanged a smile with each other and went to the dual panels on either side and looked at the systems, running the quick checks every engineer had to run, low-level diagnostics to verify system integrity.

"We did it," Jessie said with a smile in her voice. "The impulse engines back-feed into the transmitter arrays on every saucer section from 2271 to 2309 in case of saucer separation or warp cores going offline. So with this, we got the transmitter back too."

"Perfect," James replied with a smile. "Let's get back to Aux Control and let them know it's back."


[OFF]

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

A post by

Captain Maia A. Sterling
Commanding Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lt. Cmdr. Sheena Toran
Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake
Second/Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Commander Dr Robert Hendon
Chief Medical Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Angelina Brannon
Chief Security Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Jamie Doherty
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Maria McMahon
Chief Operations Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

1st Lieutenant Karyn Somers
MarDet 95 Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Kasey Tanger
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916