How do you solve a problem like the Empire?

Posted on Sat Sep 26th, 2020 @ 11:42pm by Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: SEASON 4: Episode 1: Know Thy Self!
Location: SS Serpents Tooth, somewhere in the MU
Timeline: Just before "Differences"
1747 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON]

"That is quite possibly the craziest scheme you've come up with yet." Lianej Derani told the handsome man sitting across the mess hall table. "I'm beginning to think that you've got a deathwish."

Malcolm Garrison gave her a smile that glittered like the sins of angels. "Think about it. If we pull it off, we could have the Erisian's striking at Emperor Phillip within days. And then we can sell her off to the Orions and use the cash to upgrade the ship, and go get some of those betazoids out of their stud farms like we planned."

Lianej threw up her hands. "We are not kidnapping High Lady Penelope. Especially not off the bloody ISS Elysium. Its twice the size we are."

"Mishka would do it," Mal gave her an impish smile, his pale blue eyes bright.

The Boslic woman let out a huff off exasperation. "One, Mishka is not the captain of this ship. Two, she is just as immune to those fluttering eyelashes and sharp cheekbones as I am, so: Three. Once we drop her off at her ship, don't bother trying to persuade her otherwise. Its a stupid idea that will get her killed, and I like her more than I like you."

"Lianej!" Mal swept her fingers up and kissed them, "Say it ain't so."

She took her fingers back, "I'm afraid so. I know, you're crushed, however will you - "

She was cut off my a call from the Bridge. "Captain, we've got a shuttle off the starboard bow. Its barely got life support." There was a pause. "Its Terran."

"Life signs?"

"One."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "Whats a Terran shuttle doing out here?"

Lianej shrugged. "Lets find out. Bridge, haul it in, and ask Mishka to join us in the shuttle bay."

"Aye captain."

Mal held out an arm to the older woman, "Shall we?"

---

When they arrived at the shuttle bay, her Romulan friend was already there, watching the tractor beams bring the shuttle inside the structural integrity field. Lianej joined her at the rail at the back, Mal standing to one side. "So, what do you think?" she asked. "Any guesses why a terran shuttle is so far out in the middle of nowhere?"

"Prisoner escape, look at the damage here on the side. They fired on it, terrible aiming the sensors must have been off". Mishka walked round the shuttle as she spoke, "And look at this, I don't think they waited for the shuttle bay door's to open". She was pointing at the starboard part of the nose of the shuttle, paint was missing as streaks of bare metal showed the passage through what ever it hit.

Lianej squatted down to look at the area Mishka pointed out, and whistled. "Don't blame them, if I was on a terran ship, I wouldn't hang around either." They came up to the shuttle door. Lianej drew her blaster. "Lets open her up and see who we've got."

Mishka drew her weapon, she never had trusted the Terrans this could be a trick leading to a trap. "When your ready Lianej, I've got the door covered". She waited to see who would press the button to open the shuttle door, if this was the Havraha it would already be open and the occupant removed.

Lianej looked over to her gathering crew. Her nausicaan Master-at-arms brought over the plasma cutter, and a few minutes later, he stepped back and the shuttles door clanged down onto the ground. Taking out her own phaser, checking it was set to stun, she stepped in.

He was slumped over the controls. his uniform if you could call it that was ripped and dirty in numerous places. His body was likewise bruised, battered and dirty. He drifted in and out of consciousness.

Lianej holstered her weapon and went to him. The human had taken a beating, and looking at how motley some of the bruises were, it had probably been just one of many. She couldn't see any sign of serious wounds. "Mishka, give me a hand."

On hearing Lianej's voice, Mishka did as she was asked and put her head into the shuttle. "Who or what have you found?" It was then she noticed the Human, "Oh one of those, is it alive?"

"Yeah. If he'd gone, the smell would be worse. Mal! Go get the doc." she turned back to the Romulan. "Help me get him outside. Its too cramped in here."

Mishka climbed into the shuttle, "Fvadt!!!(Damn) What a stink these Humans have, are you sure it's alive?" Between to two of them they removed the Human, and laid him on the deck outside.

"Definitely." Lianej put one hand on his neck, and the other over his mouth. "Pulse and breathing. At least for now. I don't see any obvious injuries. But look at the state of him. There could be internal injuries."

Nodding in agreement Mishka looked the Human over, "The possibility of internal injuries are more than certain with that amount of beating, the Terrans really wanted the information he holds". She glanced back at the shuttle, "I wonder if there's anything on the computer memory?"

"No idea. You can check, or I can get Brella down here to go through the databanks. I'll stay with him. Doc should be here in a moment."

Garrett's eyes fluttered open and fixed on Lianej. "C... can't let them catch me!" Then his eyes closed and he was unconscious.

"Your safe," Lianej reassured him, then realised he had passed out. She patted his cheek. "Oh no, no passing out until the sawbones says otherwise."

A moment later the ships doctor appeared, emergency kit in hand. The heavily scarred Bolian pulled out the sensor and ran it over the humans body. "It could be worse : "Lacerated spleen,kidneys badly bruised, broken collarbone, fractured right wrist, concussion and skull fracture." He continued to scan. "Even has burns on the bottom of his feet. Multiple bruising as you can see." He looked at Lianej. " Must be someone important or know something important. Maybe both."

That was obvious. If the stranger didn't have something the Empire wanted, he wouldn't have lived long enough to run. "Get him up to sickbay and patch him up. Give me a shout when hes awake." She looked over to the shuttle he'd arrived in. Only one way to find out where he came from, and if anyone was coming after him. She'd better see what Mishka had found.

Inside the shuttle, despite the stink. Mishka had been checking things out, she had attempted to enter the computer but it had a 25 figure lockout code on it. "Lianej, this guy must have been in real trouble. This shuttle is from the ISS Elysium, but I don't think he was on that ship just managed to steal one of their shuttles. This flight plan was from somewhere out side our universe, to DS9. I think our mystery guy escaped from DS9".

"What do you mean, outside our universe?" Lianej said from the doorway. She couldn't smell the stink as badly as the Romulan's sentive nose, but she also didn't want to get to close to that horrible stained and sweaty seat. "That's not possible."

Mishka turned to face Lianej, "Some people believe there is a parallel universe similar to our own, and that there has been contact with this universe. This shuttle is showing signs of time distortions, I think who ever flew this shuttle to DS9 made contact with something outside of our universe".

Lianej raised a skeptical purple eyebrow. "I know we live on spaceships, but that sounds like science-fiction to me."

"We Romulans have had more than a few reasons not to doubt this theory, but if you are a non-believer", Mishka left the shuttle as the stink was getting over powering.

Lianej shrugged. "No, no. If you say its a thing, its a thing. I believe you. Its just... a surprise." She shook her head, trying to take it all in. "From the Elysium?" She recalled Mishka's earlier statement, and sighed. "Of course it would be. Anyway. The pilot's going to be okay, but he's been tortured fairly substantially. Physically as well as agony booth, if I'm any judge."

Mishka nodded, "Standard Terran practice, I have no doubt they will be looking for him. We may have to loose the shuttle, in fact I suggest we blow it up quickly."

"Consider it done. And then we high-tail it for the Havraha. If we're going to have that ship chasing us, I'd be happier if I've got you lurking somewhere to give them a nasty surprise."

"The Havraha can't take on the Elysium alone, but she can certainly cause it a lot of damage". Mishka crossed the shuttle bay and stood by the door, "How long before we arrive at the Havraha?"

"We're back in warp." Lianej could tell that from the vibration in the Serpent's Tooth's decking that they were going about warp seven. "Couple of hours at most. Want to try and take the Elysium?" Mal would be happy at least. "I hate to mention it, but Mal thinks we should grab Lady Penelope. I said no. But if they're coming our way..."

"Take the Elysium head on? I don't think so, hit and run tactics is the only way. And as for grabbing Lady P, it has merits but she would be well guarded". Mishka turned and headed for the bridge, "Do you mind if I sit in on the bridge? I can monitor radio traffic".

"My home is yours," Lianej replied. "Do you want to talk to the Terran when he wakes up?"

Nodding her head, Mishka continued towards the bridge. "Sure why not, he could have information we could use. He might not be to happy seeing a Romulan, so are you sure you want me there?" She found the comms console and sat down, "I'll check if the Havraha is about while I'm here, if you don't mind that is"

Lianej nodded. "My home is yours," she repeated. "It means something on my ship you know. We all look after each other here, and you and the Havraha have had our backs enough times to count as family."

[OFF]

Riov Mishka Valdran
R.I.S. Havraha

Lianej Derani
Captain of the Serpents Tooth

Garrett Lovejoy
Man on the run