Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek: Interrogating The Warden
Lael Rosek
((Bridge, USS Astraeus))
Lael opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the beeping of German’s console behind her. She turned, her brow furrowing. That look on his face, eyes narrowed...it usually meant bad news. Her suspicions were confirmed moments later when German spoke up.
Galven: Looks like we’re not out of danger’s path just yet. It seems the Son’a are coming back from the direction of that dark matter nebula I detected a bit ago with bigger ships. We may need to do what you said, Captain, and use the deflector to overload their weapons.
Rosek: ::nods sagely:: That’s going to take a lot of power and we may only have one shot.
Mei’konda: Ensign Chatva. Tiime until they’re in weapons range?
Chatva: ::runs her fingers over the console:: Less than ten minutes, sir.
She grimaced. That didn’t give them much time. From the sounds of it, they were going to cut it pretty close. She’d heard close calls, but… Shaking the thoughts from her head, she replaced them with positive ones. Negativity wouldn’t get those officers and prisoners on the surface safely back to the ship. They had a competent crew and a strong senior staff. They’d pull it off somehow.
Mei’konda: I think it’s time to leave. It would be a grievous taactical error to engage multiple heavy cruisers when we haave an alternative. Commander Galven, you have nine and a half miinutes to get everyone off that planet. After that, it will be chiild’s play to outrun them. Lieutenant MacNemar, alert Starfleet command that we are under threat from multiple Son’a warships.
Galven: Yes, sir. Initiating transport systems now. =/\= Galven to transporter chief. I’ll be sending you signals of the Bajoran refugees plus a Cardassian guest. Six each time per 30 seconds. ::pauses:: That should be about a four in a half minute job. Galven out. =/\=
MacNemar: Aye, sir!
Mei’konda: That said, just in case - prepare us for battle, once again.
Prepare for battle. Not that the Son’a were much of a match for a retrofitted Galaxy-class. At least not the ships that they’d encountered so far. But given that last little trick the Son’a had pulled out of their hat, Lael was willing to be they had a couple more in their arsenal that would at the very least make the Astraeus crew’s lives a bit more difficult. That bit of distraction could be enough that they lost either the away teams or a few of the prisoners.
They couldn’t afford any distractions or mistakes.
Rosek: Ensign Wrader, Lieutenant Delri’ise...are there any systems we can draw power from to increase strength and accuracy?
Wrader: We could divert power from the phaser capacitors and have a volley of torpedoes on standby, ma’am. It may be enough to repel them until power can be restored.
Galven: The Cardassian guard’s signal has been locked on. Transferring to the security station to send the man to the brig, Lieutenant Delri’ise.
Delri’ise::Melody looked to Galven:: I’ll handle it as soon as I can, Commander.
The tetryon particles. That was what this all came back to. The Alliance would be vulnerable to attack by the Son’a, but Lael wasn’t adverse to the risk. If it meant that the Bajoran prisoners and the away team stood a better chance of getting back to the ship unharmed, it was a chance she was willing to take. Her gaze flickered momentarily to German before turning to Mei.
Rosek: If need be, the Alliance could navigate the tetryon fields with relative ease thanks to the reskari alloy we lined it with. Once we’ve disabled the ship, sir, I could take Ensign Wrader with me and we could use the Alliance to guide the Watson safely back.
Mei’konda: I’m less worried about the tetryon fields than I am about those incomiing Son’a. I have no doubt that you could get a shuttle out by then, Commander, but I’m not sure you’d have time to get down and back. I thiink our only choice now is the transporter.
She nodded. It had simply been a suggestion. Her inner martyr-like tendencies coming out, perhaps. It made most who knew her crazy with how willing she was to sacrifice herself for others. She’d died and been brought back thrice, so she wasn’t afraid to die. It didn’t hurt that she knew where she’d go if she did. A crewman aboard the Gorkon had joked a few years ago that she should have been born a Klingon.
Galven: Ensign, I’m going to need your help determining where it’s safe enough so that there’s no interference from these tetryon fields.
Awatto: Response
(( Time skip - five minutes later ))
With all but four Bajorans accounted for, Lael breathed a quiet sigh of relief. That had been perhaps the longest four and a half minutes of her life. She’d been worried that they wouldn’t be able to get them and the away team back aboard before the Son’a came back around baring their weapons. She’d never been more grateful to have been proven wrong.
Mei’konda: Commander, Ensign Awatto, with the pattern enhancers in place, can you cut through the jamming and get them up here? Those shiips are getting closer, but if you hurry, I bet you’ve got enough time to maake a few test transports with a test cylinder.
Galven: Aye, sir. We’ve managed to get through miraculous time with Awatto’s help and she’s about to get the remaining ones. On your mark, ensign.
Awatto: Response
Mei’konda: Commander Rosek, I’d like you to go with Ensign Wrader to traansporter room one and meet our guests. Ensure they’re well taaken care of, yes?
Wrader: Aye, sir.
Rosek: ::nods:: Aye, sir.
Wrader: ::to Delri’ise:: Ma’am, I have a handful of solutions plotted against the Son’a, should you care to review them in case they approach more quickly than anticipated.
Delri’ise: Send them to my station, Ensign, and I’ll get to work.
Mei’konda: Thaank you, Lael. Ensign Chatva, set course to Cardassia. Once everyone is on board, bring us to warp eight to start, and however much faaster you need in order to outrun those incoming Son’a ships.
Chatva: ::nods:: Setting course and taking us out of orbit.
With that taken care of, she rose from her chair and straightened the hem of her uniform jacket before striding toward the turbolift. She was looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with Wrader during the walk to the transporter room. It had been some time since they’d interacted and she was curious what he’d been up to since they’d last spoken. She stopped when she and Wrader arrived before the doors at the same moment.
Wrader: After you, ma’am.
She smiled and nodded, accepting the gentlemanly gesture and crossed the threshold into the turbolift.
Rosek: Thank you, Ensign.
Once both were inside, the doors closed.
((Turbolift, USS Astraeus))
Wrader took the initiative, calling out their destination for the computer and the lift began to move. A silence hung between them for several long moments, a comfortable one brought on by like minds taking the time to process what had happened. She allowed it to linger, not feeling a particular urge to break it quickly. Her gaze flickered to Wrader and she smiled.
Rosek: It’s been awhile, hasn’t it, ensign?
Wrader: ::Looking up:: Yes, ma’am, it has been quite some time. I was glad to hear of your posting as First Officer and equally as glad to receive a posting here as well.
She somehow managed to reign in the flush that was threatening and cleared her throat softly. It was two and a half months shy of a year since Mei had called her into the ready room aboard the Montreal and asked her to be his first officer. Even after all that time, it was still so surreal.
Her first year at the Academy, counselors and bureaucrats had told her that she couldn’t handle the burdens of command. That she’d be forever relegated to junior officer status. But here she was only a few years later proving them wrong. She was determined to have her own ship someday...to hell with anyone who had doubted her.
Rosek: ::gaze drops to her feet and murmurs:: Thank you. ::looks up to meet his gaze and smiles:: I admit I have missed having a challenging opponent to spar with. ::smirks:: That move you showed me has saved my life a couple of times.
Wrader: I should be glad of the opportunity. Our last sparring session was quite educational. Perhaps when this matter of prisoner rescue and Cardassians is resolved.
Rosek: ::smiles and nods:: Certainly. I always have time for a friendly match.
Again, they fell back into the comfortable silence. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him looking at a PADD and she shook her head, a bemused smile crossing her lips. She’d noted Martov’s name above one of the dots. She felt relaxed with him, perhaps because of their previous working relationship aboard the Veritas. He was the no-nonsense type, something that Lael appreciated. People who pretended that the world was something other than it was bothered her. She found herself more comfortable around genuine people with simpler motives. It was much less mentally exhausting when she didn’t have to shift through the bull$!%^.
Rosek: ::smirks:: Care to share with the class there, ensign?
She caught his momentary hesitation and could tell he was carefully considering his choice of words. Again, she’d rather those who served under her were blunt and straight-forward. In general, it was easier to resolve an issue when the problem was crystal clear. There was no sense dancing around it. It was a damned waste of time in her opinion.
Wrader: ::holding the PADD so Rosek can see:: I tagged the Bajoran minister when he departed the bridge, ma'am. I must admit to some disquiet in regards to him--if only that he might countermand the captain's orders to be present when the prisoners arrive.
Rosek: ::pauses and nods:: It’s a possibility, but from the interactions I’ve had with the minister, he seems like a reasonable man. He’s concerned for the welfare of his people. However, if he’s asked diplomatically to stay out of the way, I believe he will.
They arrived outside the transporter room and the doors parted as she stepped toward them and over the threshold, entering the room.
((Transporter Room 1, USS Astraeus))
She spotted Riley and strode in his direction, greeting him with a simple nod.
Rosek: Commander Riley. ::glances around the room:: Glad to see everyone made it back in one piece.
Wrader: Response
Riley: Combination of brute force and surprise, honestly. We got ambushed, Lt. Hamasaki was shot in the leg, but otherwise I think we made out fine. Brought back one we beamed to the brig, and another to a secure ward in sickbay.
Rosek: ::nods:: Good work, Commander.
Wrader / Any: Response
Riley: I sort of thought as much. What is our ETA to Cardassia Prime?
Rosek: Last I heard, Ensign Chatva was setting a course at warp eight.
Wrader / Any: Response
Riley: Understood. Permission to accompany the wounded to sickbay, commander?
Rosek: ::nods:: Granted. ::turns to Wrader:: I feel we should check on our guest in the brig. See if he can give us some answers.
Wrader / Any: Response
Rosek: ::to Riley:: I’ll look forward to your report. ::smirks:: From the sounds of it, you saw quite a bit of excitement down there.
Riley / Wrader / Any: Response
(OOC: Will backsim as necessary)
((Brig, Deck 4, USS Astraeus))
She entered the brig with Wrader behind her. It wasn’t had to locate their lone prisoner. None of the other cells were occupied. Glancing at Wrader and arching an eyebrow, she strode toward Lieutenant Michael Goodwell, who it seemed was on guard duty. She saw him tense slightly as he noticed her approach, but if he was still angry at her for Abigail’s death, he didn’t let it show. He maintained an air of professionalism as she asked him for a status update.
Goodwell: He’s been unconscious since we beamed him in here. Medics checked him out and there’s no serious damage. They said he should come out of it on his own in time.
Rosek: ::to Goodwell:: Lower the forcefield.
She watched the man blink twice, his expression clearly confused.
Goodwell: Ma’am?
All traces of amusement disappeared from her features as she eyed the Lieutenant.
Rosek: You heard me, Lieutenant.
Goodwell paused before doing as he was asked. Noting the nearly-empty medkit that had been left behind, she leaned forward and grabbed an epinephrine hypo before turning to Wrader.
Rosek: I’m going to need you on my six to nail his @$$ to the floor in case he tries anything.
Wrader: Response
With the forcefield lowered, she stepped into the cell and moved cautiously toward its unconscious occupant. Pressing the hypo to the side of his neck, she quickly jumped out of the way so she wouldn’t become a victim of the Cardassian’s dazed lashing out. She then scrambled quickly out of the cell.
Wrader: Response