[End Act 1] Lieutenant JG Kaito Moore - Klingons? Who Invited Them?

[Lieutenant j.g. Kaito Moore]

((Bridge, USS Independence-B ))

Moore: ::Still watching Stros.:: Commander, unauthorized beam-ins are detained, and medical is responding to treat wounded.

Ukinix: Thanks Lieutenant. ::To Stros:: Mind telling me how you did that?

Stros: ::Slight smirk:: A magician never reveals his secrets, Commander.

Moore: oO Uggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. A Vulcan with a sense of humor. What next? Klingons without honor. Oo

Now, oddly enough, Aitas’s tone turned more casual—no doubt some ruse.

Aitas: Is there anything else I can assist with?

Kaito kept quiet, watching the situation. But in that moment, the ship received a comm message—seemingly from Imza.

Miller: Incoming transmission, Commander. Shall I patch it through?

Ukinix: ::To Stros:: You know anything about this? Should I be wary? More fake cave signals, or a fake message?

Stros held up his hands, palms out.

Stros: This is not my doing, Commander. 

Ukinix: ::To Miller:: Righto, patch it through.

Richards: =/\= Richards to Independence. =/\=

Kaito smiled a little bit—it was Charlena’s team. It meant she and all of them were okay.

Ukinix: =/\= Ukinix here Nathan, go ahead mate. =/\=

Richards: =/\= We’ve found a landing pad down here with some Talon Scouts. Looks like a couple might be missing. Might explain what happened to the colonists. =/\=

Ukinix: =/\= I can probably explain one of them. The head of research I think headed here in one of them with half of the colonists, who have just now beamed themselves on board the ship somehow. We have some of the colonists here. =/\=

Richards: =/\= Wait, you what? =/\=

Ukinix: =/\= I’m getting more information now about the rest of the colonists. See what you can find out about the second scout. Chat soon, let Hops know if you get a chance. Ukinix out. =/\=

The comms ended, and the Skipper crossed his arms.

Ukinix: You need to explain to us what that cave system is.

Stros: Project “Wandering Stone”, Commander. A prototype defense measure some of our scientists have been working on. Fascinating stuff, really.

Ukinix: Right. And now we have the rest of the colony to find. ::To Eliana:: Lieutenant Miller, hail the away–

Every console around the bridge seemed to let out a chirp. Kaito quickly turned back to his console.

Ukinix: Report.

Aitas: I’m seeing increased lag throughout the communication systems.

Miller: Urgently checking her console:: I am detecting multiple sensor anomalies and an energy spike consistent with a cloaked vessel.

Stros: Certainly there were other signs. Spatial or energy distortions? 

Moore: ::Looking at Stros:: Gravimetric sensors are picking up a spike. There is an unknown mass out there.

Ukinix: That would be consistent with a cloak–

The ship suddenly shook as they took phaser fire. Warning sounds filled the bridge as damage was registered. Kaito grabbed onto his station’s chair. No longer focused on Stros, he quickly pulled himself back into his chair and got on the combat sensors.

Moore: Sir! Bird of Prey, decloaking!

Ukinix: Red Alert! On screen!

As the Commander took to the center chair again, the viewscreen switched to show a Klingon Bird of Prey in the process of decloaking. Their Delta Quadrant settlement was lightyears away from Amity, but they must have been foolhardy to think a single Bird of Prey could take on a mighty—if old-design but still powerful—Defiant-class destroyer.

And yet they continued their assault. The ship shook once again from phaser fire. Sparks flew from the ceiling as EPS conduits overloaded. 

Ukinix: Evasive manoeuvres!

Miller: Engaging in pattern Gamma-2-4-Beta. Be prepared for swift and sudden moves!

Ukinix: ::Turning to Stros:: Bloody take the engineering console! And status!

Stros: Systems online. Diverting auxiliary power to shields. 

Moore: I’ve got solid lock on them. Ready for a full spread, Sir!

Moore: oO Time to show them the firepower of a fully armed and operational Defiant-class. Oo

Ukinix: ::To Kaito:: Hold fire. ::To Aitas:: Remind them of the Khitomer Accords, Second Secretary?

Kaito glanced at Wil, nodding—but part of him was wondering if they should disable first and then talk. They were Klingons, after all.

Aitas: Sending; they’re already shutting down our communications. Even odds that it went through.

Ukinix: Shields? 

Stros: Holding at–

Computer: Warning. Shield systems, deactivated. Warning. Weapons systems, deactivated. Warning. Communications systems, deactivated. Warning. Warp core shutdown procedure, commenced. 

Kaito typed quickly on his station. They were shutting down phasers, torpedoes, and shields, and Kaito had to fight to keep them online.

Stros: Sir, It’s Interlink.

Ukinix: Interlink?

Stros: Somehow they managed to get a hold of our technology. They are using it against us the same way they used it against the colony. ::Tapping at console:: Attempting to circumvent.

Luckily—be it Stros, Kaito, or someone else—they were able to regain control of the weapons systems.

Moore: Weapons targeting is spotty, Sir, but I can return fire.

Ukinix: ::To Moore:: Return fire! ::To Miller:: Get us out of here! Now!

The Commander didn’t have to ask twice. Kaito responded right away, firing phaser cannons, beams, and torpedoes. But there was a problem—targeting wasn’t accurate, as they continued to try and shut down weapons. Sometimes phaser cannons would misfire as a shutdown command hit their secondary processors. Ultimately, this made Kaito’s display of the Indy’s might nearly useless.

Miller: On it, Commander! Engine controls are sluggish. Trying to get a big impulse burst to get us out of here. I suggest redirecting any remaining power to engines to get us the fastest way out of here.

Stros: I’ll do what I can, Lieutenant. 

Moore: Making a screen for us. Switching torpedoes to proximity and firing manually.

He didn’t wait for confirmation. Kaito set the torpedoes for gravimetric proximity fuses. That meant if they got close to something—be it a ship, rock, or even themselves—they would go off. But with the impaired sensors, it was the best chance to damage them. Space depth charges, essentially. Not as effective, but they should give them an opening to get away. Kaito opened up, dumping torpedo after torpedo until the quick-load magazines were dry—unsure if they were going to make it out alive. 

END ACT 1 FOR Kaito

Lieutenant JG Kaito Moore

Tactical Officer

Amity Outpost

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