Lt. Silveira: The Artemis Standoff.
btv.abreu
(( An Access Room off Main Engineering - Deck 16, USS Artemis-A))
Vitor retraced his crawling and suddenly raised his hand closing his fist.
He raised his finger to his lips, asking quietly for silence.
There was a sort of hissing, very low, but audible. He turned his head to the others.
Silveira: Are you all hearing that?
MacKenzie: Trouble.
Yellir: Gas— we need to move, now.
Kel: They’re flooding the Jeffries tubes with gas? Why would they do that?
His expression turned cold, hoping his suspicion was wrong.
His words however denounced certainty.
Silveira: They are trying to flush us out.
Zie nodded slowly, turning her head to peek back out of the hatch and into main engineering.
MacKenzie: We can’t stay in this hatch… There are emergency weapons lockers on this deck, right Hallia?
Yellir: Yes. South-west corner, under the thruster monitoring station
Zie nodded.
MacKenzie: One of us has to try and reach them. I think there is enough cover for all of us behind a bank of consoles just out of the tube and to the right, but we have to move quickly. These Jem’Hadar don’t look like they know they should be expecting company, so we still have a bit of the upper hand.
Kel: Maybe captain but we’ll have to move fast.
MacKenzie: Alright, we’ll go one at a time on my count. Everyone ready?
Kel: No, but who is ready to sneak past the Jem’Hadar?
Yellir: We’ll be fine, not to worry.
Vitor nodded. It was another long shot, but unless luck had abandoned them, it was feasible. Zie would risk it unless she knew they had a chance.
Silveira: We can do it.
Zie peaked in again and then began her counting
MacKenzie: One, two, three…
((Main Engineering, Lower Level — Deck 16, USS Artemis-A))
Zie moved quickly once she reached three, when she got to cover she signalled for them.
Kel followed next, covering quickly. And Hallia moved like a cat, knowing her turf.
Vitor went last, tracing most of Hallia’s steps and joined the others.
Kel: Now, to get out before they see us.
MacKenzie: Response
Vitor nodded silently, waiting for the nest signal.
Kel took a peek and raised his hand, waiting for the right moment.
Kel: ::whispers:: Clear!
They moved on, but were now dangerously close to an open area.
Yellir: ::quietly:: The station’s right over there, but we’re going to be exposed moving through there.
MacKenzie: Response
Silveira: Let me go in first and get us the phasers.
Yellir: We need to lure them away. They’re expecting someone to be in the Jefferies tubes, maybe we could throw something to make them investigate?
Vitor nodded, a distraction would give him time to reach the lockers next to the station, he could hide behind it and retrieve the phasers.
Also, he was thinking of something. It would be the highest bluff he would ever play.
Silveira: I got an idea.
MacKenzie/Kel: Response
Hallia showed them her combadge.
Yellir: Who’s got the best aim?
Vitor grinned as he tipped his head.
Silveira: I would say me, but I want to get us supplied. Any other volunteers?
MacKenzie/Kel: Response
Vitor nodded and pointed to the opposite end of the room, whispering.
Silveira: Throw it over there. I will rush to the locker and hide behind the station. Once I got the phaser I will get them here.
There was a glow in his eyes and he hoped his expression wouldn’t denounce his intentions.
MacKenzie/Hallia/Kel: Response
He shrugged but couldn’t hide his mischievous grin.
Silveira: Well let’s say I have one of my crazy plans as a backup. Maybe we don’t need to use it.
MacKenzie/Hallia/Kel: Response
Vitor just winked and gestured for them to throw the combadge, leaning to the side and getting ready to run. With a final nod he waited until the arm was raised and the combadge went flying through Engineering.
It was barely audible, but the combadge did its thick as a lure and the Jem’Haddar moved quickly and with purpose, much like Vitor.
Moving fast along the wall, but with little cover, Vitor rushed to the station and the lockers behind it, opening them and grabbing four phasers quickly.
There was a confusion of voices and he tossed three of the phasers back at the team. He adjusted the setting on the one he still held and moved from the station.
But he got in the open and one of the Jem’Haddar sounded the alarm.
Raising his phaser he stood straight and shouted.
Silveira: STOP. Kill me and we all die.
MacKenzie/Hallia/Kel: Response
Tark’iqbar: Response
Vitor took a step forward hoping the others got their hands on the phasers he tossed.
He set up the phaser and looked around at the Jem’Haddar trying to figure out who was their leader.
Silveira: I got this phaser set to blow when it falls from my hand. I think we all know what that will mean.
MacKenzie/Hallia/Kel: Response
Tark’iqbar: Response
Vitor put on his best grin and confident face. This was the highest gamble he had faced so far. Facing the Jem’Haddar leader he tipped his head.
Silveira: I am the Chief Tactical Officer of this ship. Do you really want to test me and see if I will blow it up, sacrificing everyone so it won’t end in Dominion hands? Really?
MacKenzie/Hallia/Kel: Response
Tark’iqbar: Response
TAGs/TBC
Lt. Vitor S. Silveira
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Artemis-A, NCC-81287
O238907VS0