Kidnapping Attempt?

Posted on Mon Apr 6th, 2020 @ 8:16am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Legate Imik S'Niohun [Lia Taylor]

Mission: INTERMISSION: Rebuild, Reuse, Recycle
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Current
1419 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

IC

Previously on the USS Elysium:

Jess landed with Imik in the hanger bay and climbed out of her fighter. She tapped her combadge. "Vai to Lalor and Taylor. I need a moment with you and the Consul to relate a attempted kidnapping to you. Something is right about some details of this op."

And now:

Phoenix summoned people to her ready room. She wanted to discuss Lt. Commander Vaii's words and put some security in place.

Gary was the first to arrive. A look of concern on his face, "A kidnapping attempt Captain? May ask who the target was?"

Jessica entered the room with Imik in tow. "Thank you for your time, I'll explain the situation when Commander Holmes arrives."

Imik followed Jessica in almost immediately, and bowed as she entered. She then stopped in front of Phoenix, "Blessings to you Sinkahue, and to your crew". turning she found a place to stand while this meeting began.

Lia entered the ready room, she looked about and just nodded. "Another council of war? What's happened this this time?"

"Alright." Jess noted. "During the course of the last mission, Consul S'Niohun was almost beamed out of her fighter. I'm guessing it was the Romulans." She mentioned. "I moved close to her and established a dampening field to prevent a transporter lock. I nearly ordered our remaining wings to hunt down the warbird, but it suddenly vanished without a trace." Jess spoke again. "I'm getting tired of Romulan plots, Sirs. And attempted kidnapping is a violation of the Treaty of Algeron."

Gary didn't blame Jess for being angry, "You aren't alone in that Jess. We all feel like that. For what it worth, this attempted kidnapping was done by a rogue element of the Romulan Star Navy and they don't give a hoot and a holler about any treaty."

"Well isn't that convenient. They get to snoop around our space, kidnapping people and covering for slavers. And that's okay because they were rogues anyway. That doesn't improve my overall mood." Jess mentioned. "I know what will happen. The Diplomats will sweep this under the rug, because they're too busy making nice with everyone and drinking Romulan Ale while we're out here dealing with their 'rogue elements.'"

"Jess. I didn't say it was okay. I was telling you the facts so your better equipped with what we're dealing with. If it makes you feel better I don't like it any better than you do. I dare say none of us like it."

"Indeed" Phoenix spoke from her seat. "Consul S'Niohun, I will be assigning further security to you. Until we can lay our hands on these Romulans, you are going to have them I am sorry. And I will be relaying this to your homeworld. They may not stop at attempting to kidnap you."

Imik bowed to Phoenix to signal her compliance.

Jess spoke again. "I think they have another plan." Jess mentioned. "I've fought Romulan pilots before and sometimes they'll dogfight you and keep you focused on the dogfight while their buddy cloaks and slips behind you to kill you. We need to connect the dots, or we'll never be able to prove how connected the Star Empire is to their so-called 'rogues.'"

Lia looked up and around, "I agree about connecting the dots, but we have to connect them in the right order". She glanced at Phoenix, "I think you'll agree Captain, the attempted removal of Consul Imik isn't a normal tactic the Romulans would use. And I'm beginning to think our Romulan pest isn't as rogue as we've been lead to believe, why would she go after the Consul? She had any number of other pilots, why go for an Ojnas?" She took a breath and continued, "I think she scanned Imik's fighter because her tactics and flight handling caught her attention, and not knowing what an Ojnas is went after her".

Gary looked at the three women, "Look, I'll say what we're all thinking. That Romulan was and is Mishka. She has a vendetta against this ship, this crew. I do agree with your analysis Lia. Imik's tactics caught her attention and intrigue her. She wants first hand knowledge of just what she is dealing with so she won't be caught flat footed again and can deal with it appropriately. We need to be even more alert, for Mishka's given us clue to what she intends. She is not going to go for a direct confrontation at least not yet. She knows the Elysium is too strong for her. So she's going to these hit and run attacks, To make us keep our guard up, to stay vigilant around the clock, knowing or hoping it will wear on our nerves. Then and only then will she attack."

"If we use all our birds, we can triangulate her with a tachyon grid if she comes skulking around again, but that means a flight schedule that will be strenuous on the pilots. Including my latest class of nuggets. Not that I'm complaining." Jess smirked a bit. She was the toughest flight instructor in the fleet, but she trained excellent pilots.

"I am thinking of contacting our Romulan allies to see if they can do something about her" Phoenix said sourly. "I don't like her either and frankly being almost drowned by her puts her in my bad books without adding her other crimes. But I also refuse to live my life looking over my shoulder for her. Put what ever training methods in place you wish to Lt Commander Vaii."

"Dislike, your being diplomatic Captain. I can thing of much stronger terms to describe my feelings for her and how she treated and humiliated me and all of us. Simply put I despise her and the galaxy would be a much better place without her in it." Gary spoke with quiet firmness.

"Being diplomatic is part of the CO job description. I have other words but they are not polite nor meant to be used in this room." Phoenix smirked.

Gary resisted rolling his eyes at her. Uh huh. Right." He answered simply with a wry smile.

"Oh don't worry. The next time Mishka comes around. Me and Commander Holmes will put a hole in that warbird. Covering for slavers is a new low." Jess noted. "And I'll move heaven and earth for my pilot any day. Imik earned my respect out there, and that is no mean feat."

Imik had up to now stayed silent, but now spoke up. "I know nothing of either the Romulans nor of this Mishka, but I can detect a slight problem with your logic. You are committing a cardinal sin in your strategy, by concentrating only on one enemy". She now moved slightly forward and continued, "I use only my own people as an example, we the Ojnas over three thousand of your years ago, contacted the Founders. Their troops at that time were the people you call Tholians, we looked at them as the enemy. We did not look at the Founders themselves nor the Gorn, this was our undoing". She looked at Phoenix, "Your strength is found in your ability to adapt to who ever is attacking you, but this course of action is removing that ability. You are now defending against only one enemy, which will leave you vulnerable to any others she may deploy against you". Imik now bowed to show she was finished, and took a step back.

Lia simply sat and thought about what had just been said, "Setting up a tachyon grid of that size would leave us open to a surprise attack from other cloaked ships that fell outside our field of arc, and I think that's what our friend the Consul is getting at. We need more than one plan of action, and possibly against more than just Mishka".

"I will leave that in your capable hands Commander Taylor, I am sure you, Commander Holmes, along with Vaii and the consul will come up with something... appropriate."Phoenix said.

"Yes Captain." Gary answered simply, knowing that they did indeed need to come up with a plan of action to stop Mishka once and for all.

Jess nodded. "We're going to have a lot of work to do. First, I need to brief the Consul here on the Romulan Star Empire and the Earth-Romulan Wars. She needs to know who tried to kidnap her."

Phoenix nodded. "Good. Get to work" she smiled.

OFF