We have issue

Posted on 241408.18 @ 12:02am by Lieutenant Alyssa Lucas & Commander Tierney Rinehart & Acting Captain Mark Rhodes

=*=

She wasn't supposed to be on duty, but Lieutenant Riley had showed up, and after making it clear this wasn't a visit Alyssa had let him in with a clearly irritated "What?"

"Liam and T'Flea went out on Security duty with a couple officers and I was just informed by one of the Security officers on the Station that they were shot down. The two with them captured." Riley said looking at her with concern etched in his gaze.

Grabbing her stuff she rushed out the door. "Make sure everyone else is on the Station now, including the two bodies. I'm going to see the Captain!"

"He's off the station too." Riley blurted out, and tried not to find humor in the way Lucas near tripped over her feet when she spun around to head that way herself.

=*=Bimi Trading Station=*=

After the trade deal that was struck in the shop Mark exited with Nanee and directed her to head back to the ship and prepare for the arrival of their goods. Mark decided to take a look around the promenade, see what engineering nicknacks he could acquire. Mark decided to talk on making small talk with his Security escort, Ensign Jacobs.

As if by chance, two hooded and fobbed figures moved silently through the crowd not far off of Mark’s flank. Both of them had their hands hidden in overly large sleeves, their arms crossed in front of them in a manner not unlike the monks belonging to Earth’s middle-ages and neither appeared to be paying attention to the Captain’s logistics.

“Why do you have to be so difficult?” The tall one asked, fidgeting slightly with the robes he obviously disproved of. He continued, though, behind the much smaller woman he shadowed as she moved through the station quickly, stealthily.

“Because you’re an eyesore. You almost had my goose cooked when you tried refusing to stay outside.” The small one responded from under her hood, nodding to a merchant as they passed, their faces well hidden.

A scoff rose from the hood, “If you were attacked again, the Captain would have my Chief’s head on a platter. Not happening.” The rough voice rolled again as he nearly tripped over the smaller woman’s heels as he tried to keep up with her. It was obvious that the smaller woman was more adept to slipping in and out of crowds, more agile and svelte than her bigger, cumbersome counterpart.

Turning her head to look over her shoulder while trying to navigate, however, would prove to be her downfall as she did manage to have her toe clip the heel of someone in front of her, forcing her to lurch forward and brace her hands against their back with a small yelp of surprise. Her shadow grabbed her shoulders, tugging her away and quickly moved to stand beside her, ready should an issue break out until the victim of such a collision became apparent.

“Captain, I apologize,” He started, one hand firmly tangled in the thick cloth robe at Tierney’s back, keeping her rooted to the spot. “I was working on getting it home in one piece.”

It.

Tierney stiffened at the word and remained silent beneath her hood.

It wasn't hard to track down a Starfleet Captain, of course this time she had the Station's security officer also helping her. They were hoping for as little blame in this mess as she was for her department. As she walked with the Station officer a glance to the PaDD that seemed to be tracking the Captains movements though his badge, a breath of relief slipped from her seeing him up ahead.

A hand resting already on her phaser, trigger happy she may be, but right now, she had every reason to be. Expecually with the two cloaked figures making their way towards Mark.

"Back away from the Captain." Aly's voice sharp and commanding as she grew close enough. Of course the site of her and the tone of her voice had the Ensign near Mark snapping to attention and finding his weapon also.

Mark had just been bumped into when he hard Aly call out over the sound of the shoppers going about their business. Mark turned to see Aly walking up and 2 darkly robbed figures standing behind him and Ensign Jacobs. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked confused looking from Aly to the hooded figures, his hand moving to his phaser on his belt.

"She wasn't looking where she was going, so if you're going to shoot someone, shoot her!" The hooded male responded, tugging the hood off his smaller counterpart to reveal the irritated face of the Enterprise's intel officer as she struggled to both stay upright and not collide with Mark for a second time. Her eyes flashed to Lucas and Jacobs, then back up to Mark and over her shoulder to her security escort.

She sighed and shook her head, "I was conducting business as asked, sir, but it seems the security detail on the ship are among my biggest fans." Her fingers grasped the sides of her hood, lifting it back over her head to hide from the prying eyes of the crowd.

Aly groaned softly seeing who it was. A soft spoken word to the Stations security officer had her backing up, silent hand motion given that soon enough had others seeming to disappear from sight. Stepping close enough she first looked at the two clocked figures and muttered. "That's a good way to get yourself shot, especially right now."

As Aly turned her attention to Mark she continued. "Captain, I think it would be advisable to get back to the ship and think about getting out of here. This Station isn't safe for us." She knew they were still being watched, but at least this time she knew it was by Security.

"Yeah, well... If Sir Talksalot over here hadn't decided that arguing with the Intel officer trying to get us information was a good idea, this wouldn't have happened." Tierney's voice came from under her hood, anger nipping at its proverbial heels as she shrugged her shadow's hand off her shoulder. "I agree that we should get out of here. My sources say that the idea of a bounty is starting to become entirely way too appealing -- the offer to leave me here and let you lot escape still stands." She said.

She scowled at Tierney with a shake of her head as she urged them onward back to the Ship. Keeping her voice low so only the two could hear as she spoke. "Commander, you are no longer the issue... at least not the big issue... so chill, we have bigger issues on our hands."

"You don't say?" The tiny hooded Commander side stepped away from the security officer, shaking her head. "I'm not concerned about me, myself and I, Lieutenant Lucas," She harshly whispered in return, "There's a much bigger bounty on the collective heads of the Enterprise than there would ever be on just little old me. I'd stay as a diversion so you could save your skins." She all but snorted, working to keep from being touched again by the security officer who'd been assigned to her six.

"Tierney, shut up," said Mark quickly shooting her a look jumping into the argument. He then quickly and sharply looked at Aly. "Alyssa, what is going on?" asked Mark with a fair amount of urgency.

Having been about to say something to Tierney, that probably would have gotten her into yet more trouble. She was thankful when Rhodes stepped in. Turning her attention back to him she spoke lowly. "We have four officers leave the Ship. Two are dead, their bodies are being returned to us. It was reported that two cloaked people took the other two officers."

"Wait," said Mark pausing. "Do we know who was taken?"

"Com... err.. Lieutenant Rogers and Lieutenant th'Zarath" Alyssa said simply.

"And their security escort was gunned down?" asked Mark. Without a second he tapped his comm and called out "Transporter Room 1, 6 to beam immediately. Energize." A few seconds later all of the people were standing, boots back on the ship. "Chief," said Mark walking to the Transporter Chief. "I want every person of ours back on this ship as soon as possible. Send them word warning them they will be beamed out then do so."

Mark turned his attention back to T and Aly. "You are both with me," he said turning towards the door. As he entered the corridor, with the two ladies in tow, he tapped his chest again. "Commander Dhej, to my office immediately, there has been a situation. I am on my way there with the Chief of Security and Chief of Intel as we speak."

The hooded one remained silent, offering only a nod and the faintest traces of a sigh as she went along for the ride and walk like a toy breed dog in a purse. It was pointless, she reminded herself, to try and struggle against the proverbial binds that had been looped about her from the moment she'd gave rise against the Interceptor. They didn't trust her.

Smooth flowing strides lengthened out as she followed the Captain. Not bothering to tell him that she'd already send security out to gather off board people. She'd no doubt they would simply be beamed up too. Of course the quickness didn't allow for much talking anyways, something she was glad for as it gave her time to ponder the Intel officer. A soft sigh slipping from her as she did that.

The walk to the Captain's Ready Room was a quiet one, with no one wanting to be the first to talk. They crossed the bridge and into Mark's Office. He took his seat and said aloud, "Have a seat ladies. First thing is first, before the Executive Officer joins us, if you two have a problem it needs to be dealt with and attitudes stowed. We don't need to be best friends, we just have to work with each other, understood?" he looked between the pair.

Karim, having taken a break from the bridge was about to return to it, but changed direction and entered the room. Looking around at the assembled group he said "Reporting as ordered sir. What's going on?"

"Honestly, Captain. I have no clue what her issue is with me. Other than the fact that I have been doing my job and her friend got caught up in the middle of it." Alyssa said in response to Marks questioning of them first and missing Karim's arrival.

"I couldn't care less about who gets caught in what, I care about fairness." Tierney dropped her hood with a heavy sigh, nodded to Karim while untying the robe -- allowing it to slip from her shoulders and reveal the grey intel uniform beneath. "I have an issue with not being listened to and I believe the Lieutenant feels she can do my job better. She's welcome to it." She shrugged, folding the cloak and letting it drape over her arm as she took the offered seat.

Mark sighed out loud, "I can assure you that is not the case, to either of you," looking between the women. He looked up to Karim standing looking rather confused. "Commander, have a seat. We have an issue that has come up. Lieutenant Lucas, can you please tell us everything that you know?"

A little shake of her head was given hearing Tierney, she'd never had trouble working with Intel officers before why did this one have to be so dang stubborn. Pulling herself from those thoughts she refocused on the issue at hand. "Lieutenant Riley showed up to inform me of what had happened. Two of my officers went out with Scarlet and Thelin as per your orders. It seems the Stations Security contacted Riley to let us know that shots were fired, and then clocked men came up to the other two officers before knocking them out and taking them."

"The bodies of the security officers are being transferred to our morgue? I want Lt Quoicho to examine them as soon as we get custody of them. Try to identify the make of weapon they were slain with. Commander Rinehart, I want you to go onto the station and put your feelers out and see if you can find out any information, by whatever means necessary. You can take Ensign Jacobs with you as a security escort."

This was where Tierney got to her feet again and slid around the desk. "May I?" She asked, not bothering to look at Mark as she leaned across in front of him, her fingers working quickly on a console. The computer beeped in protest, demanding password after password until she was trough and quickly pulled up what it was that she was after. "I showed this to Lieutenant Lucas several days ago. Proof that Doctor Rogers was communicating with her former Commanding Officer now turned ghost, Vokar. The love note was intercepted by an unknown party, but it stands to reason that if we're clever, we won't go back to that station." She said, "I'd be willing to bet that their quarters have been cleaned of everything necessary and that they're well on their way to rendezvousing with Vokar." She backed away, allowing Rhodes to observe the information for himself.

"I agree, I don't think we need to be sending Commander Rinehart back on the station." Aly said as she looked to Mark.

Karim sat in silence, trying to follow along what was obviously a very complicated situation. Sighing slightly he said "So what do we do from here? Do we go back to the station and start an investigation, or just let whatever happened happen, and move on?"

"Not sure yet old friend," said Mark not taking his eyes off his terminal. He paused and looked up. "Who the hell is Vokar?"

"Former Captain of the USS Pendragon." Tierney replied, "turned ghost. Defective. No one's really sure beyond conjecture and legend, but we do know he was once one of the most revered Starfleet has to offer. If I go back to that station, I go back alone. Today is proof enough that sending someone with me is just going to hold me up in doing what needs to be done." Again she shrugged as she made her way back to her seat, "but I strongly urge you, Captain, to have us leave this place as quickly as possible."

"Again, I'm in agreement with her. We already have someone after the Commander, now we have people picking off other officers. What's to say that wasn't this Vokars intention in the first place. If they knew them already... then what was to stop them from being the one to have captured our first Captain and set this all in motion?" She looked between them all with a shake of her head, perhaps it's me But I feel like there is something going on that no one.... "She looked straight at Tierney a moment before looking to the others. "No one knows. And with people keeping secrets and not helping to get answers to this mess... perhaps we will never know."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "It's my place to help keep everyone on this ship safe. No matter who wants to go against me. So my recommendation Captain is we get out of here.. go silent for a bit till things can settle some."

"I am going to have to agree," said Mark. "If this Vokar is what we think he is, we need to be leaving. They are long gone regardless. We need to get the bodies of our fallen crew back into our custody and we have some last medical supplies we have paid for that we are going to take on," said Mark looking to his senior staff. "Until then we keep our heads down. Double security. No one leaves this boat. As soon as we have our people and our supplies, we get out of here. And leave this place in our rear view mirror, in a manner of speaking."

The redhead nodded in agreement, relief slowly washing over her as she realized that portion of the nightmare would soon be over. "A wise choice, Captain. We're not safe." Said Tierney, finally allowing herself a better look at the officer behind the desk.

"As soon as I was informed of this mess I already sent people to collect the bodies. And as you noticed ran into the Stations security people to make sure they were delivered to us pronto. They are likely being brought on the Station as we speak." Aly said, clearly having been on top of her game when the news had hit her.

Nodding, Karim replied "I agree as well. I'll confirm with Medical that all the supplies are aboard and we can leave when we're ready."

"If that's all you need from me Captain, I'll head down and reset the Security rotation." Alyssa said as she rose in preparation to head out.

"Understood," said Mark. "Dismissed."

Standing, Karim quickly made his way out of the room, en route to Sickbay.

With a nod, she turned and headed out and straight down to her office.

=/\=End Log=/\=
Acting Captain Mark Rhodes
Commanding Officer
USS Enterprise 1701-F

Lieutenant Commander Karim Dhej
Executive Officer
USS Enterprise 1701-F

Lieutenant Commander Tierney Rinehart
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS ENTERPRISE 1701-F

Lieutenant Alyssa Lucas
Chief of Security
USS Enterprise 1701-F