A Call for Help

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 10:37pm by Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 5: Skyfall
Location: Various Locations - USS Venator
Timeline: 1000Hrs - January 20th, 2389

Back on the Bridge, things had been quiet for the several minutes since Yamaguchi left, but that quiet was soon to be broken…

“Commander, I’m picking up a distress call from Relief Convoy 15, the USS Betreuer, an Olympic Class Medical Ship, NCC-60979. She is in convoy with three Miranda class ships that have been refit as fast cargo vessels. They are reporting they are under attack, but the message stops, looks like their communications are being jammed.” Archer reported from Ops.

Roebuck walked over and stood behind Archer, looking at the sensors. “Looks like we’re the closest ship too.”

“In our shape?” Archer replied.

“We can’t pull anyone off the blockade line, and the USS Concorde would be better suited here to defend the blockade incase this is a ruse to draw ships away.” Roebuck thought a moment, then gave the order.

“Helm, set a course for the last known position of the Betreuer and engage as best possible speed. Tactical, put the ship on yellow alert then send a message to the Pegasus and Gladiator reporting this and we’re responding” He walked back over to the center chair and tapped the 1MC button. “Commander Yamaguchi to the Bridge.”

Torilla raised an eyebrow as she looked at the Chief Engineer as a smile crossed her face. "It never rains but it pours." as she turned and went over to the nearby turbolift. "Bridge." she commented

Zhao smiled back, "well you have full power and speed if you need it, captain.

Yamaguchi smiled for the first time in a week. "Well Done Chief..." she commented, then she walked into a turbolift and a few minutes later she was looking at Commander Roebuck. "You summoned me?" she inquired. "so... whats going on?"

Roebuck stood from the CO’s chair as he reported to the Commander. “We’ve received a distress call from Relief Convoy 15 reporting they are under attack, by who is unknown. We are the closest ship and I ordered us to intercept with best possible speed. If this is a Krazzle play to open up the blockade, the USS Concorde is in better shape to defend the line than we are. We’ve informed the Pegasus and Gladiator of the situation, sir.”

Torilla nodded as she considered her options. "Very good." she responded, her thoughts in one statement. "Red Alert, all hands to battlestations..." she added as she sat down in her command chair. "If we show up and they are still shooting at our convoy.... shoot to disable..." she raised an eyebrow. "if they resist... kill them."

Roebuck nodded, “Yes ma’am” as he took the Tactical Two station and waited for Saith to come and take over Tactical One. “Shields are up, weapons coming online.”

Saith looked up from the Communication console as Roebuck explained the distress call. Yamaguchi had wanted her to work Communication with Dr. Brislan, but that was before a distress call came in. Saith started to move even before Yamaguchi gave the order to Red Alert and battle stations. Saith slid into Tactical One that Roebuck had just vacated. She began running through the emergency protocols. This was their original mission after all, intercepting ships trying to run the blockade and cause mayhem. This she was prepared for! At Yamaguchi’s words Saith did feel a slight stirring of the old anger and doubt that had plagued her until just recently. Saith was a fighter, but not a killer per se. If that ship was Rihann, could she stand by and have them simply killed. She shook her head to clear her thoughts; the ship was more likely to be Krazzle than other members of the Pact. She waited as information rolled across her screen.

Lee had just stepped off the turbo lift from engineering when he had heard the red alert:"What do we have going on?" As he stepped over towards Torilla.

"Relief Convoy 15 is reporting they are under attack, but not sure by who. We've also heard a similar report from Convoy 11 and the USS Gladiator is heading their way." Roebuck informed Pike.

Tressa tried to reestablish communication with the distressed ships but could hear nothing.

Torilla raised an eyebrow. "Could be the Krazzle or someone else in the Pact." she shrugged. "Time till arrival?"

Lee stood there for a moment thinking:"I am starting to think that it might be someone else in the Pact who did this."

Saith glanced at the chronometer, “ETA Five minutes." She turned to face Yamaguchi and Pike, "we are not getting clear readings of the ships, so they are probably using some sort of cloaking device. That would be an indication of at least Pact involvement.” She hoped PIke couldn't read the distress in her eyes that it could be Romulan ships. To Yamaguchi she added “Also, Security is back to code and ready for visitors if necessary Captain.”

Lee looked towards Saith:"Contact Sgt. Maal and make sure the Marines are ready as well."

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow as she turned her head to regard the handsome Romulan female. "Lieutenant, assume we're heading into a trap.... prepare a greeting for them that will show them exactly why the Venator has her name"

Saith nodded at Lee and turned to her console. She sent a message to Maal regarding the Marines. She knew they would be ready; Security was ready. “Aye Captain.” She said to Yamaguchi, she began working on contingency scenarios for traps that might be laid. Then she created a couple that would allow them to be the “hunter” that they were named, if necessary. She also listened to the conversation taking place behind her.

“Commander, incoming message from the Pegasus, they want us to attempt a diplomatic resolution, but if it comes to a firefight to disable, not destroy…in the interest of peace.” Reobuck commented. He knew Brislan was working Communications, but with her hands full trying to raise the convoy, he thought he’d take a little pressure off her.

Yamaguchi sat back in her chair. "In the interests of peace, we need to remind these guys that messing with us is unsafe." she commented. "peace without honor is just another word for surrender...... if they wish to talk.... then we can talk but... I don't think they wish it."

Roebuck then added, “I thought I saw a Romulan Mogai Class cruiser for an instant, but either it cloaked or the Krazzle Gramal Class I just picked up on sensors making a run on the Medical Ship Betreue is sending out false sensor reading…but Captain, the Krazzle attack pattern is…well…erratic even for them.

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow as she looked at Roebuck with a practiced eye that said 'I'm listening very carefully', it was something she had gotten from raising three children. "Well... do enlighten me please?"

“Well sir, they aren’t shooting to kill. They are passing up obvious kill shots to take pot shots at non-vital systems. The Krazzle just had an open shot on the Betreue’s Bridge to take a shot at their Impulse Engine.” Roebuck replied.

Yamaguchi narrowed her eyes. "They're just trying to piss us off." she commented evenly as she sighed. "Lieutenant, please take out their engines, impulse and warp... and their sensors..." she commented with a smile. "How many enemy ships are there here?"

Saith nodded, “or get our attention at least. They may be trying to draw us out of place. If they can antagonize us to be the one to draw first blood, it would be our fault if war broke out.” Reluctantly she also acknowledged, “even if the ships are not Typhon Pact member ships, they may have given old technology to the Krazzle. Perhaps the Krazzle are using schematics to create their own shielding or cloaking type devices. Maybe it’s someone new.” Saith’s voice trailed off as she considered numerous possibilities. She briefly thought she should not be opening her mouth so much. This was something new; she usually kept quiet unless she was angry. She turned back to her console and ran some more scans and considered her newest ruminations to the possible conflict ahead.

"Understood." Reobuck replied as he looked over at Baratan. She was at Tactical One and the ship's Tactical Officer for the mission, so he waited for her to fire...instead he answered the Commander's other question.

"Just one ship sir. One of the Miranda class fast cargo vessels is damaged, engines offline, two others have minor damage, the Krazzle seem to be concentrating on the Medical ship." Roebuck reported.

"Like I said... they are trying to piss us off but they must think we are completely and utterly stupid by this ploy.... I'm insulted." she sighed softly.
"My youngest daughter can do better then this..... hell my niece-in-law's unborn is smarter then this..." she shook her head. "pitiful." Yamaguchi adjusted herself in her chair as she felt body parts falling asleep. "Lieutenant." she was addressing Saith. "Please educate them on the proper caring and feeding of ships..."

Lee stood there watching, narrowing his eyes. Something wasn't adding up to all this:"Something else is going on I have a feeling."

Roebuck looked back at Pike, he had the same feeling. "I agree, this isn't typical Krazzle activity."

They sailed smoothly into the area and Saith heard Dr. Brislan attempting to contact the supply ships. "Here we go," she said softly. Saith watched the screen intently. Suddenly, her fingers flew over the keyboard and she hit the ship that had just appeared squarely. Its lights flickered and dimmed as it veered away from the supply ship. “Direct hit, Captain.” She quickly reviewed her board, “they are running strafing configurations, but they don’t have enough power to stay cloaked and shoot. They should appear right before they start to fire. Keep your eyes open!” She smiled wickedly, “They are taking a look at us Captain. Trying to decide what to do maybe?”

Torilla blinked her large dark eyes as she admired the Krazzle ship. "Intresting design." she raised an eyebrow. "Could we have been lured here as bait?" she inquired. "Let someone else hit something else?" she then stood up as she turned to Archer. "Hail them please."

"Channel open." Archer replied.

"Krazzle vessel, this is the USS Venator... Attacking Federation ships inside Federation space or in neutral space is an act of war... Cease your attack at once or you will be fired upon." she commented, giving no doubt as to where her state of mind was. "Unless you stand down... I will have no choice but to deal with you." she commented as she turned her head to look at the attractive Sicilian Doctor seated at communications. "Doctor.... Call up the U.S.S. Cossack and have them come pay us a visit please."

"Aye Captain," Tressa replied, sending the message.

Torilla then turned her head to regard her tactical officer. "Lieutenant. Disable them please."

Saith knew exactly where she wanted to target. Her fingers flew across her panel and the ship responded. The precise shot took out the ship’s engines. It would have been nice to say she just sat there in space, but the shot began to tumble her over. {Favdt! Not as precise as I wanted} thought Saith. Lights flickered off all over the supposed Krazzle ship. Saith looked at her terminal screen, “she’s disabled, minor systems down, but they still have life support, Captain.”

Torilla watched as the disabled Krazzle ship slowly tumbled through the firment of space as she watched a tractor beam reach out and grab the Krazzle ship to steady its rate of rotation. "What do you think of the bait?" she
looked at Lee who was sitting next to her. "Tasty or what?" she gave her Exec who was twice her size a hearty grin.