Finding Something Unexpected - Part One

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 10:08pm by Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 5: Skyfall
Location: Various Locations - USS Venator
Timeline: 1400Hrs - January 11th, 2389

Lee had stepped into the turbo lift with Ensign La Baron as they headed to do a inventory check of the probes."So Ensign how do you like serving on Star Base 400 so far?"

"I've bounced between ships more than I've worked on the station," Anthony chuckled, "As far as first assignments go, I'm enjoying it though. Some friends from my graduating class got stuck working on tugboats, so I'll count my blessings."

Lee nodded as he listen to Anthony:"Serving on Star Base 400 can have some interesting times, have had a few myself."

"I have a feeling that there's something interesting going on here."

Anthony began walking down the immense torpedo bay, tricorder in hand. He read off the designation numbers until he came upon the number and bin assigned to the torpedo in question.

"That's odd." Anthony scratched his head, "The torpedo is here, but the ship's registry says it isn't."

Lee turned and headed over to La Baron:"What's the problem Ensign?

He stood there listening to Anthony, he then held up one finger:"Pike to Baratan, are you meeting Ensign La Baron and I to help with the inventory?"

“Yes sir. I am on my way.” Saith left Security. Mark was still banging about and swearing in the cell. She made her way to the torpedo bay, smiling. Following the sound of voices she made her way around to where Pike and La Baron were standing. She glanced at the torpedo nestled in its holding bay. “Where would you like me to start?”

Lee nodded to Saith then looked at Anthony:"Where would you like her to start at Ensign?"

Anthony kicked the probe with his foot, "I'm going to do a thorough scan on this puppy. If possible, I'd like for you to check the torpedo bay's computer system for any unauthorized entries or anything else that strikes you as odd."

Saith nodded, and walked off with her data PADD to find a computer teminal. At least they knew where the torpedoes ought to be, it wasn't difficult, it was just time consuming.

"So where would you like me to start at Ensign?" Lee stood there looking at La Baron.

"Well Captain if you'd like," Anthony was interrupted by a blip on the tricorder, "That's odd. This probe is transmitting and receiving data as we speak."

Saith walked up to the computer terminal and input her security codes. She started with basic diagnostics. As she suspected, nothing showed up. She went to the next difficulty level and began to drill down to the more complicated types of access and tampering. She thought about the first puzzle she had worked on when she came to SB400; the section 31 problem, as she thought of it. She knew a lot of tricks and would track down every possibility she could. Then, if nothing popped up, she would have to come up with new ideas. She smiled, this was what she was born to do.

Lee was over checking on a couple things and getting reports as they came in from other officers, he handed them over to Ensign La Baron.

Lee then stiffened when he sensed the person behind him and turned around looking at the man, he thought he was seeing a Romulan in a Lt.commander's uniform but he didn't sense him as Romulan. "aeek'h'i raed'aeusnnta'ihiv aellei env uwheawhoiiik'heqhr"
(What do you want and how did you get down here?)

When the Impostor Romulan gave Lee a funny look, Lee knew they had a saboteur aboard the ship. Lee then charged at the Impostor but he managed to surprise Lee and let out a swift leg kick smacking into Lee's right knee sending him to the ground.

Before his comrades had time to react to the news he had presented them, Anthony watched as the Romulan subdued his superior officer. Anthony went to grab the saboteur by the shoulder. Unfortunately for him the Romulan was quicker. Without a moment's hesitation the Romulan countered by grabbing Anthony's wrist, and twisted it in a quick, smooth motion. Before he could yelp, Anthony was laid out on the ground, seeing stars.

Lee growled as the Impostor turned and ran:"After him, don't let him escape."

Anthony tapped his commbadge despite the pain surging through his head, neck and wrist. =/\= This is Ensign La Baron, we have an intruder on the ship. He is dangerous and...quite the fighter =/\=

Yamaguchi's voice came back. "Understood." came the response as Torilla Yamaguchi herself, up on the bridge sighed softly. "Red Alert, Intruder alert, all personnel be advised."

Saith heard the yell from Pike. Looking up from her computer terminal she saw the “Romulan” headed out of the area. She took off in pursuit hitting her com badge as she went, she informed her officers where they were currently and which direction they were headed. As an after thought she told them to send medical to check on Pike and La Baron.

She chased the man down two corridors but he nearly clothes-lined her as she came around the third corner. She managed to duck under his arm but it threw her off balance. He shoved her into the bulkhead and headed the other direction. Catching herself and turning to follow him, she swore “Favdt!”

‘Damn’ he thought as he ran, trying to remember the layout of the Federation Prometheus class vessel. ‘I hate Betazoids’ he continued to swear in his head. As he rounded a corner, he saw someone exit a turbolift, walking the other way. He quickly ducked into an open access way amd he started working on ‘plan B’.

She wasn’t injured but he had gained a little bit more distance on her. He was fast, she knew she had backup coming, and he should be running straight into them. As that thought entered her mind, he ducked into an open Jeffries tube. “Damn it!” she knew he would gain even more ground and quite possibly lose her in there. She hit her com badge again and gave his place of access to her officers, she asked them to get Marine back-ups as well. Instead of running in blind she glanced into the tube and saw him disappearing around a corner. She stepped in and continued pursuit.

Anthony came to, got back on his feet, and dusted himself off. He helped Captain Pike back up as well. He knew that ship's security would be better equipped to handle the intruder, and he still had to uncover the mystery surrounding the probe.

With great caution, Anthony pried the probe's case open. The dimly lit torpedo bay was illuminated by a soft, green light emanating from the bowels of the probe.

"Oh my." Said Anthony holding his hand over his mouth, "That's not good. Not good at all."

Lee stood there checking out his knee making sure nothing was broken or dislocated."Why do I not like the sound of that Ensign."

"Judging by my tricorder readings, this could be a thalaron device." Anthony felt a lump form in his throat.

Lee blew out a breath as he tapped his com:"Pike to Yamaguchi, we have a big problem down here."

Yamaguchi meanwhile was sitting in her command chair on the bridge, waiting for updates regarding the chase as her combadge beeped and then the message came in from Pike with his warning. "Whats going on Commander?"

"We have a bad situation, we have a believe a Orion Pirate dressed as a Romulan running around and a bomb placed with the torpedoes."

"Understood, I'm on my way." as she tapped her combadge, rose to her feet. "Commander Roebuck, the bridge is yours." and with that she slipped into a turbolift and departed.

Lee stood there:"What do you recommend Ensign?"

At this point, Anthony had turned completely white, "I recommend we make no changes to our present course or speed. We need to isolate this probe immediately and apprehend our Romulan friend."

Lee nodded:"I agree there" He then tapped his badge "Pike to Bartaan, have you captured the spy yet?"

Saith was doing her best to catch up to the Orion, and not bash her head in on the ceiling of the Jeffries Tube. She was definitely gaining ground, when her com badge chirped and she heard Captain Pike. She didn’t take the time to answer, but the noise had spurred on the Orion who had figured out she was gaining. He sped up, so did she. “This is so stupid,” she thought to herself. “Stop right now, you aren’t going to get away.” She heard him laugh at her words.

"And I want to speak with him the minute you guys have him, I want to find out why an Orion Pirate has sneaked aboard and tried to kill us all."

Saith and the Orion had been playing chase in the tubes for quite a while when suddenly, a side panel crashed open into the tunnel ahead of them. The unsuspecting Orion crashed into it and she crashed into him. They went down in a tumble and she hit her head on a beam. Still, she managed to get her hands on him, and in the confines of the Jeffries Tube she was strong enough to keep ahold of him. She was panting having chased him through what felt like half of the ship. Saith felt another pair of hands helping hers, and she looked up, startled, into the face of Mark. He smiled, “I found a way out.” Saith looked at him stupidly, trying to reconcile his presence in the tube with the fact he should still be in the brig.

He knew he couldn’t get away at this point, so he quit struggling, besides his job had be done.

Shaking her head, she nodded towards the Orion, “Let’s get him secured. I think Captain Pike wants to talk to him.” Mark grinned and nodded. The Orion just laughed again. Saith didn’t care. He could talk or not. They had caught him, that was what mattered first. They began making their way to the nearest access hatch. The Marines and some Security officers met them there, having been notified by Mark where they were exiting. Saith hit her com badge, “Lt. Baratan to Captain Pike, we got him sir.” She looked at her dirty uniform, and could feel the bump rising on her head. She didn’t yet realize she also has some nice bruises.

He didn’t resist, that would be a waste of effort at the moment, so he simply smirked at the Romulan woman.

Back in the torpedo bay:

Yamaguchi came around the corner, one could not miss her, the figure she carried or the concerned look on her face. "Yes, I'd like to hear this myself." she commented. "Commander, what do we have?"

Lee turned and looked at Yamaguchi:"Well Captain, we have found a spy aboard the ship that is an Orion pirate dressed as a Romulan and we also have a bomb in attached to one of the torpedos."

"Mmm." Yamaguchi replied. "A spy on this ship as we're heading to the largest fleet action in the history of the Federation." she sighed. "Fantastic news Exec." she commented evenly. "As for the torpedo.... let me have a look at it... also call in the bomb squad and prepare to space the torpedo, just in case the warhead activates...."she sighed softly "As for our Spy..." she paused. "I want to know everything there is to know about him.... or I'll space him myself. Make sure you tell him this.... and Leon, I mean it." she looked at Pike as there was no mistaking the rage behind her words. "If he is so eager to die then its our duty to help him along."

"Commander," Anthony said to Yamaguchi. "I don't think spacing the torpedo is a good idea. This very well could be a Thalaron device, in which case dumping it out into space would have severe implications."

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow. "No less dangerous then keeping it in here."
she replied. "Also depending on the size and power output.... If we warn the other ships in the fleet, they can escape out of range before the torpedo detonates..... "