"And now, what are you worth"

Posted on Sun Sep 27th, 2020 @ 7:22am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Lieutenant Sapphire Morgan [Lalor] & Vice-Consul Josephine Carlyle-Cragen & Lieutenant JG Nerinath zh'Rhilror [Lalor] & Cadet Sophomore Grade Triston Montgomery [Lalor] & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant Commander Turak & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Ensign Olivia (Carter) Voight & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant JG Issac Drake & Lieutenant Nevada McKay & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Lieutenant JG Ryan Kade III & Lieutenant Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen [Taylor] & Lieutenant Scott Gregory [Taylor] & Legate Imik S'Niohun [Lia Taylor] & Lieutenant M'Tuuri Sh'iss [S'hib] & Lieutenant JG T'Kek [Naxea] & Staff Warrant Officer Reo'thanra Sandtail & Chief Warrant Officer Man'darr [Naxea] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor] & Lieutenant JG Heather De La Rosa {Kelea-Salik}

Mission: SEASON 4: Episode 1: Know Thy Self!
Location: Various - to Cargo bays 1 &2
Timeline: MD1 - 1100
4659 words - 9.3 OF Standard Post Measure

[[Attention all hands, Everyone is to report to Cargobays 1 and 2. Once there you will follow the instructions given by the personnel in black.]]

The message was broadcast through out the ship. Crew were puzzled but orders were orders

=/\= Cargo Bay 1=/\=

Inside the Cargo bay doors were a group of people dressed in black. "No Weapons allowed!" They announced. "All weapons are to be handed to us now!"

The Short Vulpine quietly shifted in place his eyes narrowed to a Glare focused on the nears black clad officer. "An who the fuck are you to demand that," he said sharply his large ears having folded flat against his skull. He Always had a weapon on him at the moment and having the demand leveled at him by Strangers was a major irritation.

Olivia entered Cargobays 1 and drifted off to one side to wait and see what was going to happen. She wasn’t about to hand anything over right away without good reason to do so. If the strangers wanted the medical kit that she had brought with her, then they would have to fight her for it.

Jess walked into the Cargo Bay and looked at one of the men in black. "Someone want to tell me what the hell is going on here." Almost immediately Jessica got head-butted from behind and. She was suddenly kicked several times by the guard in front of everyone. She had two weapons pointed at her, and one of the guards looked at the other crew. "Listen carefully, Slaves... We are in charge now. This is going to be an example to give us your complete submission." Jessica was suddenly brought to her feet. "Or... This will happen to you." The Guard drew another agonizer and plunged it into Jessica. She winced in pain, but she refused to scream. It was agonizing, but Jessica was no stranger to pain.

"Damn you!! Scream!!!!" The Guard shouted as he turned off the device.

"No...." Jessica stated. "You only adopted pain, I grew up with it. Every single day. There is nothing you can do to me that hasn't be done!" She spat at the guard.

Suddenly the two guards punched her and began kicking her.

Man'darr entered the cargo bay, curious as to why everyone were ordered into cargo bays and saw that several people dressed in black were assaulting Commander Vantarr. Rage built within him as he rushed through soem gathered officers, shoving them out of the way easily as he collided like a battering ram with the guard assaulting Vantarr, sending him reeling backwards as he turned on the other guard.

Stun beams rippled out stunning all involved. "We need to move people," a Lieutenant said calmly.

Man'darr was hit by several stun beams before falling to the deck unconcious.

Jessica pushed herself up and grabbed a phaser rifle from one of the black guards. "Sweet goddesses almighty." She moved to Man'darr. "Grab some people, and some phasers. We need to move. Now!!!" Her chest was still in pain, pushed it aside.

Suspecting that something wasn't quite right, Turak had run by the armory on his way to Cargo Bay 1 and grabbed his standard complement of tactical gear: a phaser rifle and pistol, and stun grenades. He had set his rifle and pistol both on heavy stun so as to be able to ask questions and make demands later if necessary. When he entered the room, he saw Jessica grabbing a rifle from someone dressed in all black in a way that indicated that he wasn't friendly. Turak sighted down his phaser rifle and stunned the unknown person. Once that was done, he swept the room with his shouldered rifle looking for any other targets....."is everyone alright, what's going on here?"

Tag Cargo Bay 1 Folks
=/\= Cargo Bay 2 =/\=

Inside the Cargo bay doors were a group of people dressed in black. "No Weapons allowed!" They announced. "All weapons are to be handed to us now!"

Dr. Nevada McKay crossed her arms. "Oh my gods is that you Jerry!" she said with forced enthusiasm. "I have seen you since the After math of Chintoka," She exclaimed as she passed one of the black clad officers. "Boy how Time flies."

A woman that looked like Arrianna walked up. Only she was not Arrianna. She stared at Nevada coldly. Her dress included fashion that was beyond tachy for Arrianna's elegant tastes. Like vanity on overdrive. She also showed skin, which Arri did not. She pulled out an agonized and plunged it into Nevada. "Slaves do not speak unless they're spoken to."

Searing pain lashed through Nevada's body as the agonizer was jammed into her body, she screamed out as warnings flashed through her brain from the network of Nanites that Swarmed through her body in an attempt to protect her. Their decision was quick, though possibly not the best response as they suddenly began Manufacturing Opioids to try and preserve Her Neural Network.

Heather walked into the cargo bay to see the treatment being dished out to Nevada, she went to step forward and try to help before a crewman grabbed her arm and shook his head. Her attention was drawn towards a woman who looked very much like Arrianna but it was obvious this wasn’t a good version of her.

Arrianna walked around. "Now... listen carefully. Each of you has a monetary value attached to yourself. Resistance will decrease your value, submission will sustain, even increase your value, I think it's time to show all of you what happens when your value reaches zero." Arrianna walked towards a random crewmember. "Beam him into space."

“You can’t ... Please!” Heather looked towards Arrianna’s doppelgänger. “Give us a chance to prove we can submit!”

What in blazes is going on, here?" Ryan thought to himself as he watched the violence ensue. His eyes narrowed as he silently glared.

"Oh Look, how adorable.... This savage wants to be a hero." Arrianna smirked. "I do want slaves to sell, and it might be fun letting you scum beg. Alright. How much worth do you want to transfer to this lowlife?" Arrianna pointed at the man that was about to be spaced. "Bear in mind, if you lose too much worth. Well.. you can already guess what would happen to you."

Another officer in black entered the room. "Arrianna, please." she drawled. Jo Carlyle, Lieutenant walked past Arrianna. "Captain Taylor wants them alive, for now. Stop it with the drama." She looked around. "If you all co-operate, this will go smoothly. Search them, remove all weapons."

She calmly stood beside Arrianna. "And we know males get a nice price on the market, do not waste your profit."

"We'll waste our profit if we don't throw them all into the agony booths and peel away the layers of their self-worth with the standard four hours of agony. Slaves are broken... Not coddled." Arrianna noted. "The Alindari have taken slaves for millennia, and we know how to make them docile. Your captain hired me for results." Mirror Arrianna left for the other Cargo Bay.

Naxea entered the cargo bay and immediately drew her phaser. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Put the weapon down" A black clad officer ordered. "Your captain has surrendered this vessel to us. So Stand down."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not the captain," Naxea said as she fired at the officer without warning and withdrew into the corridor and pressing herself against the same bulkhead as the cargo bay doors, hoping the officers would take the bait as she waited with her phaser at the ready. She wondered who the hell these people were and why the captain gave up the ship so easily.

Issac Drake hadn't made it to the cargo bay when he heard yelling. He witnessed a Marine Major open fire on several subjects wearing black uniforms. He sent a message to the intel com center on deck 31 to lock down and burn. But wasn't sure it got through. He pulled out his weapon and took it off stun. He could see the Major clearly and yelled. "Major what's the plan here."

"Withdraw!" she said taking a look back at the intel officer. There are intruders in the cargo bays taking the crew hostage!" she warned before her arm felt like it was on fire as she was hit by one of the black clad officers, moving into the corridor. She grimaced through the pain and returned fire, hitting the officer dead center in the chest.

Drake saw her get hit in the arm, but she stood her ground and took out the officer with a solid chest hit. But orders were orders. He moved back to the next doorway in a quick rush still covering the Major at a distance. Issac took out the light in the corridor above his position casting a shadow in the corridor. Footsteps behind him...

Naxea looked back to see if the intel officer had followed her orders and seen that he was covering her. Her arm hurt like hell but she pushed away from the bulkhead and back peddled towards the intel officer, narrowly missing being shot at from another black clad officer and she returned fire, just missing the officer as he ducked back into the cargo bay. 'Need to get to the Marine Deck,' she thought as she would need her armor and better weapons that were located there. Hopefully she could round up some more survivors to aid in retaking the ship.

"Aye, aye ma'am. Lets go." The black clad officer stuck his head out onto the corridor at the wrong time as Issac had planned his shot well, dropping the terrorist with a head shot. "we're gonna need bigger guns Major."

---

Mirror Arrianna emerged from behind a crate and grabbed Mirror Carlyle. "Your inquisitors are worthless. I'm bringing my people in." She tapped her com. "Captain Garrett, They are not surrendering very well. I need my slavers and my agony booths here now. This is why you send a professional slaver to enslave a crew. I also also will need the agonizer field generators. Furthermore, I would like to note Lt. Carlyle's general incompetence, and for her to be sanctioned immediately."

Taylor heard Arri's report and sighed at her meladrama. "Teach them a lesson they will never forget Arrianna." He replied crisply As for Lt. Carlyle, slate her for a double session in the booth."

Heather looked around the Cargo bay she couldn’t see Fernando anywhere which either meant he was elsewhere or he was still free, she hoped it was the latter. All eyes seemed to be on the disagreement between two of the mirror universe officers which gave Heather a chance to drop back a little in the crowd. All she needed to do was get close enough to a crate to be able to disappear behind one and hide, once hidden she could move around between the crates to get a better hiding place. She kept slowly backing up until she bumped into someone, she was almost afraid to look who it was until she heard a familiar voice.

Fernando had seen Heather in the cargo bay and he carefully made his way to her, using the crates as cover. Upon reaching her, he spoke softly. "Heather it is me Fernando. Don't turn around, just back this way." Fernando said guiding his wife to a Jeffries tube where they both were able to get inside without being noticed. "I was in the armory when I heard the call to report to the cargo bay." He explained. "When I arrived I saw the black uniforms and what they were doing with the crew. I slipped away, got back to the armory and collected a few weapons." He handed Heather a phaser. "We need to move, find others and come up with a plan to retake the ship."

Heather nodded then threw her arms around her husband’s neck and kissed him before letting go. “I was so worried about you! I didn’t know where you were.” She kept her voice low. “We need to get rid of our comm badges or at least find a way to block the signal from them, they maybe using them to track crew loose around the ship.”

" And I you my love." Fernando replied kissing her back. "Agreed." He said taking his off. Give me yours Heather we will drop them in another cargo bay. So they will think we are there. Now lets us go and find a more secure spot so we may plan out next move."

Heather nodded, right now she wanted as far away from these doppelgängers as possible.

Mirror Arrianna waited as her Slavemasters beamed down. She pushed a few buttons. "Is this on? Yes... good. Attention all crewmembers. Just now, your Commander has surrendered to the Terran Empire. That means your lives now belong to us. You are now under orders to submit. If you don't believe me, ask your Commander. Which means all of you are now disobeying orders and you shall be punished. We already have a good percentage of your crew in the bays. Either you surrender and submit!!! Or ill put one of your wretched crew into something we call an agony booth. If you don't know what that is." Mirror Arri nodded to her slave masters. Suddenly the screams of a random officer was heard through the ship. "We're going to do a head count of your crew. For each that are not in the cargo holds, another suffers. Eventually.... with enough pain. The agony booth creates loyal slaves. Do consider surrendering, i don't think they can take it for hours on end. Ill leave their screams on the intercom."

In the Jeffries tube Heather was trying to keep her mind’s ‘shield’ up to block the pain she was sensing from those in the agony booths but it was proving too much to block. “Fernando!” She clutched her head. “The pain ... I can’t stand it!!”

Fernando grabbed his wife and pulled her to him. "Heather! Hang on! We'll go to Sickbay and get you something to either block or reduce what you are feeling. But you have to help me. I can't pull you through the tubes all the way to Sickbay."

Heather nodded. “Not ... Sickbay! Our quarters.” She gave him a pained expression. “My medical bag is there.”

Seeing Heather's pained look, Fernando nodded, "Alright our quarters, lets' go." He said as they began the crawl through the Jeffries tubes to their quarters and Heather's medical bag.

Back in the cargo bay the doors opened to reveal the arrival of another familiar looking face, only this one wore the uniform of an inquisitor. Heather walked over to Arrianna looking around at the gathered slaves as she did so, her mind was shielded from the pain of those in the agony booths by the implant in her brain which augmented her abilities and also acted as an agony giver. Her loyalties had been determined years ago after similar time in the agony booths and she was now a loyal inquisitor, she had earned her position as the personal guard and of Captain Taylor. She nodded respectfully to Arrianna as she stood alongside her surveying the prisoners. “They are afraid but there’s still a sense of defiance here, a very strong sense at present.”

Arrianna growled and pushed Heather out of her mind. This was no Betazoid, though her abilities were similar, her mind wasn't easy to push into. It was disciplined, trained, intelligent, and focused. The gifts of a childhood of formalized individual learning and the finest of mental development.

Heather gave Arrianna a look. “I am not here to interfere with you, I am simply here to observe unless of course you have something to hide that Captain Taylor will not like.” She glanced around. “What is the status of the prisoner roundup?

"My slavers will have this scum properly broken and subservient in less than a day. Breaking a slave is a fine art that must not be rushed. Furthermore, I am a noble woman of Alindar. I will honor my agreement with Captain Taylor, that does not mean I answer to lowly peasants and riff-raff like you. Run along now."

Heather glared at Arrianna. “I will ... pass your sentiments along to the Captain.” With that she headed on her way. She had a visit to make to Phoenix Lalor.





=/\= Hallway near Cargo bay 2=/\=

Being a security officer meant that you took nothing at face value. So When the call for this happened, Serenity grabbed her children and ordered Raye to take the twins and hide. She then h"ad slowly walked towards the cargo bay. She paused at the corner and listened. And then turned and headed back through the crowd looking for people.

Consul Vanessa Alcean was in the Diplomatic Offices. "You have to understand Cardassian Society. Up until recently, the Central Command was... all intents and purposes... the Central Command." She noted to several diplomacy cadets from the Elysium Academy. "They're now just beginning to restore centuries of culture that was suppressed by the Military. Unfortunately, a great deal of Cardassian society still follows the maxims established by the Military, but some are pushing very hard for a return to the spiritualist ways. Citing..."

The door opened and Serenity stuck her head in. "Consul!" she said. "You and these cadets need to find a place to hide, the ship is being taken."

Vanessa turned and approached a painting, pushing it aside she pulled out a phaser rifle. "Open the Jefferies tubes. We're heading to the warp nacelles, Cadets. Move quickly and quietly. It's one of the few places on this ship that sensors have difficulty detecting. Cadets, discard your combadges immediately."

"Consul, this may get very nasty."

"I am no stranger to aggressive negotiations, Lieutenant. But we must move now." Vanessa tossed her combadge to the floor. "Into the jefferies tubes, Cadets." She entered the jefferies tube. "Move cadets, we cannot linger, they're going to search the ship."


=/\= Medbay. =/\=

The gorn knew something was wrong as did the few personnel who were in sickbay. Grabbing a large surgical blade he stepped out of his office seeing a nightmare of his people being rounded up by the black-clad intruders. A blow on the back of his head nearly caused him to blackout as a phaser smashed into the back of his head.

" Gee look at the....." The female intruder began before the gorn's artificial arm wheeled around bringing the blade into her neck. She let out a scream as the rest of the intruders emptied their phasers into the big gorn causing him to crash to the ground.

"Take him to Transporter room 1. He can go with the Bridge crew" the CMO was dragged off.


=/\= Transporter Room 1=/\=

The bridge crew were herded into the transporter room and the Mirror Morgan moved to the transporter control.

Miraj was very very conscious of the phaser against her spine, and didn't dare resist as she was pushed up onto the pad. She looked to the Commander and the CSO, wondering, hoping, if they had an ace up their sleeve.

Alicia was doing as she was told, stepping up onto the pad her thoughts were with Savar and where he was. ~ Savar where are you? Please be safe! ~

The door opened as the team dragged the unconscious doctor in before dumping him on the floor.

“Doctor!” Alicia went to step forward to help Sthilg but was forcefully pushed back onto the transporter pad. All she could do was watch.

Commander Gary Taylor entered the transporter room. He was angry, no he was filled with a murderous rage. His ship was in the hands of their mirror counterparts. Phoenix was being held somewhere else, no doubt in a secure location. Before he acted, he would get the Intel he needed to rescue Phoenix and take back the Elysium.

With the agony booths in use and the cries of crew coming across the comms Alicia was in a similar position to Heather, she sank to her knees clutching at her head as the continual pain crashed through her mental barriers and overwhelmed her.

Arrianna suddenly screamed nearby. Even her telepathy was being overwhelmed. "Gary....." she began sobbing. "I feel it in my mind. Such cruelty. Gary... she is like an Alindari before the reign of blessed Tirielle." She was feeling every bit of pain on the ship.

Gary paid no mind to the black suited security personnel. He moved to Arri's side. "Easy Arri." He said reassuringly but knew Arri needed something more than words. "Hey!" He yelled "This woman needs medical attention. How about getting a doctor over here!?"

SJ rolled her eyes. "Oh poor dear" she mocked. "You Federation types are weak, hence why you gave us and let us take this ship" she mocked Gary. "On the transporter." She pushed him onto it.

There was a slight lurch of the ship and a black clad ensign came in. "Lieutenant, We are underway"

"Good" SJ replied. "ETA to rift?"

"10 minutes"

The Terran nodded. "Send someone to inform Lieutenant Carlyle and get my recon team here. Once I have our guests settled, I will commence sweeps.

The Ensign nodded then paused. "Ah no one knows what to do with the High Lady, so..."

"So?"

"We locked her in the ready room."

SJ Sighed. "I will deal with her Highness shortly. I am sure Captain Taylor would love to have her as a guest with her mirror. Just make sure that door is guarded. We do not want her hurting herself."

The man nodded and left the room.

Lia found herself dragged to transporter room one, and left there. An armed guard stood outside, and she waited to see who else would be brought here. The doors opened and she now met her MU self, "So your me in this universe, how sweet you look". MU Lia now slapped Lia hard across the face, "You betrayed this ship because your weak, once I get you on the station we will be visiting a booth". Lia stood and faced her MU self, this being wasn't her and she already had a target to kill. The MU Captain, but this being just might be a stepping stone to get to him. MU Lia now continued, "I am the XO of my vessel, not some Security Officer. You will become my personal property, I will enjoy playing with you". The words XO of her vessel hit Lia in the brain, oh yes she would indeed be a stepping stone. By bragging about who and what she was, she had just signed her own death warrant.

A woman dressed in black, that looked like a dishelved version of Jessica Vaii beamed on as the Senior Staff was being prepared. Only this woman wasn't the composed, respected officer Jessica was. "OowwwwwWWWwww.. These meatsacks look just like our crew. I want some of these meatsacks, so I can poke them with little needles. Yes... I'll rip their eyes out, cut their noses off, and rip out their wagging tongue. Oh yes, Jessie is going to have loads of fun tonight."

Sapphire, still reeling from her own encounter with her mirror merely sniffed "Oh I am sure the drugs you are doing is fun enough"

"Well Phooey on you. No entrails for you. No fun little sharp pointy things for you, Being all mean to little Jessie!!! Oh well, More fun to be had on this ship." She began hoping and skipping to the Cargo Hold. "Half a pound of tuppenny rice, Half a pound of treacle. That's the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel." Arri looked at Jessica while holding her head. "Poor thing..." Arri winced again with the pain of the agony booths on the ship. "Poor demented woman."

Miraj had felt the ship lurch, and winced in pain. Who was flying her ship?
Not her. They couldn't fly for shit and Miraj refused to believe however evil her evil twin might be, she;'s still be able to fly in a straight line. She looked at Commander Holmes evil twin, and then after the obviously insane copy of Vaii. Was everyone from this opposite dimension insane or a sadist? What was she like? She didn't want to think about it. And then she recalled something Evil!Sapphire had said. "What rift?"

SJ smirked. "The rift that will take us home."


=/\= Security Office =/\=

Phaser fire filled the air as S'hib spun back behind the desks of the security office, the low thump of polished wood being vaporised ringing in his ears. "You know you're really making an awful mess in here..." He snorted while throwing himself onto his side with his rifle shouldered, firing at the doorway and hitting a Terran in the chest with two pulse shots, scurrying back behind cover as the man fell on top of another who has tried to push inside.

"So I would appreciate it if you would stop shooting!" He huffed as he pressed his back against the desk, acknowledging the flashing light on his rifle that it was running low on charge.

=/\= Outside the Security Office =/\=

"What is taking you so long human?" Mirror S'hib snorted loudly as he thumped down the hallway pointing a stubby hoofed digit at the last Terran who was outside.

"There's no cover," The Terran spat back as he waved a hand at the four others who had already been taken down. "We can't get through the fucking..."

There was a loud crack as the Terran was about to finish his sentence, followed by another... then another, until he finally went limp.

"Then make cover..." Mirror S'hib said coldly, a fine red mist covering his face and bare chest as he held the man against the wall by his face, hooves digging deep into his bloodied face.

=/\= Security Office =/\=

S'hib heard the hits against the wall echo through the office and raised from cover to see what was going on, his eyes caught glimpse of another figure moving through the doorway and instinctively fired another two shots, hitting the Terran square in the chest.

But when he did not fall and his own eyes glared back at him over the deadman's shoulders it was already too late, confusion filled his mind as he was hit by a phaser, the beam following him down to the floor out of pure malice.

"Disgusting..." MU S'hib snorted as he threw the dead Terran onto the nearby desk and left the office, purposefully stepping on top of the two Terrans that still lay in the doorway.

=/\=

Across the ship a voice boomed. [[Attention federation dogs, you are now property of the Terran Empire. To properly prepare you for your new lives, you will be tested, broken and rebuilt. And your lives, will build more glory for the Empire! Your Ship has been surrendered by your Captain Lalor. She betrayed you to us. And for that, she will watch as you are all broken.]] As the voice spoke there was another shudder and then the ship stopped.

[[You will be now transported to Arena Station. Where you will be processed and placed in the Arena. Enjoy your new lives. Those who continue to resist, will die on the Elysium. Even now hunter teams are finding you all]]

Across the Cargo bays, black clad officers collared the Elysium crew and once they were collared they were beamed away.

In the transporter rooms, collars were also placed around the necks of the bridge crew then they were beamed also away.

Crew were beamed onto a dimly lit station, scattered around randomly. No one was with another person, so huge was the station.