PNPC Ford Tremmeli - A Raising of Stakes

[Justin Partridge]

((Interior. Starbase 821, Docking Bay 1.))

Tremmeli: Jarrus, c'mon, I'm not even goin' to print on this-

Carridan: ::dropping her voice into a harsh whisper:: I said, DROP. IT. FORD.

Ford was almost taken aback at the blaze in her already fierce purple eyes. But she had already given away quite a lot since Ford had started "background" with her. Starting from the lounge and then continuing nearly 30 decks down into the Starbase's buzzing Docking Bay. 

As Ford had suspected, there was definitely a story happening around him. And it was all in what everyone wasn't saying. He had gotten quite a lot of stuff he didn't know about the Proteus Engine too. That was the easy part. A few smiles and exactly two drinks into his conversation with Jarrus Carridan, the striking Betazodian 821 Engineering Officer (LTjg) currently about to break his neck and try to stow him into a EPS housing had told him all that.

Not only was the Proteus Engine straight off the line, but it was immensely powerful. Even more powerful than the preening Bolian who had taken all the credit upstairs had even said. Theoretically, according to both designer Roxy Wilde and Jarrus Carridan (one of the select few of the fabrication team, who had just happened to also be stationed on 821, a rare lucky break for Ford), it would and could break even the Galactic Barrier. No matter the ship it was bolted to.

For some reason, that scared Ford absolutely silly. So he had started to push. The drinks stopped. The smiles smoothed. But Ford kept pushing. Because he had to. It was something he both loved and hated about himself. He HAD to know. The rope was in his hand now. He wouldn't accept anything other than coiling the whole damn thing.

Which had led him 30 decks down, into an area he could technically be brigged for even STEPPING into. But that's where the story was. And Jarrus had given him so many more pieces. The largest of which being, now? They hadn't the slightest idea where the Arrow was. All contact with the ship and her crew had been lost. Alongside this absurdly powerful engine. Ford had to press down the chills he felt at the idea of The Arrow being lost once again. With an entirely new crew.

But it confirmed the harsh words he had seen exchanged by the Flag Officer and The Vain Bolian. This was supposed to be a Starfleet Achievement. Property Both Intellectual and Practical of The United Federation of Planets. Now it was in the wind. And everyone here was poised to be blown over in the wake of its gust.

But Ford knew his tactic had to change if he was going to get anywhere further. He raised his hands up slightly and gave Jarrus a touch more space. Which seemed to instantly ease her edge.

Tremmeli: Honestly, I just want to know what happened. This isn't the first time the Arrow has gone missing. I just want to...

Carridan: Help? What is a hayseed like you supposed to do?

He blinked hard. His turn to be slightly aghast. Ford couldn't help but laugh.

Tremmeli: Y'all have hayseeds on Betazed?

That made Jarrus laugh. The sound of her voice resonated beautifully with the hum of the station. The newly raised ice had broken. Ford felt quite a bit more sober. They were just talking as people again. She started to whirl around the Bay, which rose Ford's eye back to the Bay. The activity had significantly lessened in their time. She stepped gingerly deeper into the Bay, so Ford dared forward too. Keeping a keen eye out for any Security Officers in particular.

But he saw none. Didn't see anybody really. Which furrowed his brow once more. The 821 was a working Starbase. The lavish spread upstairs notwithstanding, people worked here. They had things to do. Always. Triple that now in a crisis, which the Staff seemed to know something about. They weren't stupid. 

Jarrus seemed to sense it too. She turned back toward him, the fire back in her eyes.

Carridan: Stay PUT. I'm gonna find Kyle and get to the bottom of this.

Tremmeli: Got it.

She started to step across into one of the access corridors. Once she was out of sight, Ford started forward. Drawing his notePADD from the inside of his coat and fiercely typing anew in the file he had started for this particular crapstorm. The distance from 821 to the Galactic Barrier. Various snippets he could remember from Jarrus' conversion. All the names of the Arrow crew.

oO I'm gonna find you, I will. Every single one of y'all.Oo

He had wandered to the start of the access corridor Jarrus had started down. So what if they hustled him to the clink? Some of their own were missing. Surely they had to see through a little trespassing. He looked up from the notePADD. 

Droplets of something spackled the metal of the deck plating. Dots of green stood in a rigid line. He brought his eyes up. The sounds of scuffling drew his head to the right. Toward one of the Power Junction Terminals. A row of terminals and a squat table stood amid the oddly dark side room. A tall figure stood aside the table, his arm out. Ford stepped and the figure stepped too. 

Bringing a scowling man in an Engineering uniform forward into the light. He was holding a phaser level with Ford's head and beckoning him forward. Ford switched the notePADD into his left hand, feigning panic and surprise (mostly because he WAS surprised and WAS slightly panicking). He rose the other hand, spreading his fingers as wide as he could and tightening his grip on the notePADD. Drawing the Engineer's scowl toward the left hand. 

Ford dared a look to his side. Jarrus was there, stunned, but groggy. Next to another rousing, but covered group of Engineers (one of which was a Vulcan with a busted lip; the owner of the blood in the hallway likely). A wildeyed other human stood over the Engineers, holding his own phaser and hastily switching his eyes between the charges and the taller figure. 

But he complied to the taller figure. Gingerly stepping and keeping up his act. He had added a vocal element to it. Muttering a few panicked questions and assertions that he was just a newsman and he had gotten turned around from the party upstairs and he would sure like y'all to put down those phasers and explain what he had done wrong and maybe then he could-

Ford relaxed the left hand and let his notePADD clatter to the ground, drawing an annoyed groan from the taller figure. He dropped the phaser's aim slightly and that was the moment Ford had wanted. He brought his right hand up and over in a powerful, but poorly aimed right hook. He didn't hit the temple but hit the ear. Pulling the taller figure down, but not completely out. He looked up into Ford's now fully panicked eyes which were almost apologetic.

Taller Figure: My EAR?! REALLY?!

Tremmeli: Yeah. Sorry. 

The next thing Ford brought up was his boot. Catching the Taller Figure right under his chin and careening him backward. Finally out. The twitchy one shouted and tried to bring his phaser to bear on Ford, but he was already moving. Flinging himself like a full bag of trash across the room and driving himself into the midsection of the twitchy one.

They barrelled back into the alcove. Twisting and scrabbling over the phaser. Ford was losing. Badly. The twitchy one was slicked in sweat and gibbering now. In...badly accented Bajoran? But all that mattered was that he was about to blast him in the chest with the phaser.

Ford kicked up and away, finally separating them. Ford slid across the flooring. The twitchy one had gotten to his feet. Ford prepared for a shot. It never came. Instead came the crack and crunch of material on bone. The Twitchy One crumpled. 

Jarrus stood behind him, holding Ford's notePADD (now slightly dented). They both found their breath eventually. Ford spoke first, naturally.

Tremmeli: Please hit "save" on that...

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TBC

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Ford Tremmeli

Freelance Reporter

Galactic Associated Press

as simmed by

Lieutenant Commander 

Quentin Collins III

Chief Science Officer

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U.S.S. ARROW NCC-69829

ID: E239512QC0

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F.N.S. CONTRIBUTOR

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