Current RPG

Synopsis:
Captain Iowae and Lieutenant Commander Ara are on an away mission on a small shuttlecraft when they are fired on by an unidentified vessel. As they are losing power, Captain Iowae decides to flee to a nearby nebula where they can make repairs. When they return to the rendezvous point with the Avant-Garde, they find that it is not there. Iowae and Ara try to find the Avant-Garde while on a nearby planet. At the same time, they struggle to figure out who fired on them...and why.
Captain Iowae and Lieutenant Commander Ara are monitoring a small vessel that is thought to have caused a problem in the time/space continuum.
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant Ara, has the vessel yet in any way shown a threat to the time/space continuum?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: No, Captain.
Captain Iowae: I'd like to wonder what we're doing here, then.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: We are doing fine, Captain. Now would be a good time to nap.

A console suddenly begins to beep.
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant? What is that?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: That can't be good. I'll go check.
Captain Iowae: I thought you checked all systems before we left the Avant-Garde? Why are these sub-space fluctuations so high? Our warp drive can't be causing all of them...
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I did check all the systems...but there is a possibility that we have been sabotaged.
Captain Iowae: By whom?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I don't know, Captain. It could be anyone!

A small vessel opens fire.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I don't understand...there was no one there a moment ago...
Captain Iowae: Then they were probably cloaked! Return fire!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, ma'am!

Launches torpedos. Torpedos have no effect on the other ship, however, the ship ceases fire.
Captain Iowae: Unidentified vessel, this is Captain Iowae of the U.S.S. Avant-Garde. Who are you and why are you firing on us?
Vessel: I am captain of this Klingon vessel. We believe that you have some technology that we would very much like to acquire. Surrender or die!
Captain Iowae: (glances over at Lt. Cmd. Ara) Klingons?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: How interesting...
Captain Iowae: (cuts transmission) How is this in any way at all interesting??
Lieutenant Commander Ara: They're not very common in this part of the galaxy. In fact, they must have come an awful long way to find us...
Captain Iowae: (sighs) What could we possible have that they want so badly?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (thoughtfully) We do have a lot of technology that may be interesting to them. You do remember Captain Kathryn Janeway's encounter with them in the 24th century...but this is still very odd.
Captain Iowae: (annoyed) Would you care to make yourself a little bit clearer, Lieutenant?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I lived with Klingons since the age of two. They taught me their ideals, their values...
Captain Iowae: (snappily) And what does that have to do with anything right now?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Well, Klingons do not steal technology very often. You see, they pride themselves with honor and would most likely figure things out for themselves, thus increasing their level of praise. Stealing technology, in the opinion of the Klingons, is a dishonorable act, punishable by death, in their culture. Are you sure they were Klingons?
Captain Iowae: Yes. Unless...
Lieutenant Commander Ara: What?
Captain Iowae: I suppose they could be members of Species 8472 in collaboration with the Cardassians...but after Voyager's final encounter with them, during which they made peace, they have held their truce with Starfleet very highly. I don't know why they would suddenly join forces with the Cardassians.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (frowns) That is very strange. Are they still out there?

Another torpedo blast shakes the shuttle.
Captain Iowae: I think that was a yes.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I'll return fire!
Captain Iowae: Fire torpedos, full spread. Aim for their shield grid. Show them we're not going to sit around and let them take our shuttle.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I'll ram those torpedos down their throats so that they choke on them!
Captain Iowae: Kerplach, Ms. Ara.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Captain, their shields are down.
Captain Iowae: Aim for their weapon systems.

The shuttle suddenly begins to shake violently.
Captain Iowae: They're using their deflector to reroute our torpedos!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Ceased fire...what do I do now?
Captain Iowae: What is our shield status?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Shields at 80%, but all systems are green.
Captain Iowae: Okay. I will bring the shuttle around just above their weapons and you fire the plasma torpedos. Their shields are down. Then we will go straight to warp and head for the nearest nebula...this one (points to console). That should mask our signal.

The shuttle is brought about and the plasma torpedos are fired. The shuttle goes to warp.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: What now, Captain?
Captain Iowae: Set a course for our rendezvous point with the Avant-Garde and engage, warp 8.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Aye, Captain. We will reach the rendezvous point in 180 minutes.

180 minutes later, the shuttle drops out of warp.
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant, where is my ship??
Lieutenant Commander Ara: My console said it was here when I checked last, but it doesn't look that way now.
Captain Iowae: Would you care to find it, Lieutenant? Are you sure this is the right place?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Positive, ma'am.
Captain Iowae: I hope that "Klingon" ship didn't find them. I wouldn't want you to be here when there was a battle on that ship.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: What are your orders, ma'am?
Captain Iowae: Head for the nearest M-Class planet. We can scan for them from there. And it will save us some trilithium.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, ma'am.
Captain Iowae: Scan for any anonymous vessels in this sector. See if you can match the hull signature of the vessel that fired on us.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Captain! There is a vessel fast approaching! They are ignoring our automated transmissions!
Captain Iowae: Anonymous vessel: this is Captain Iowae of the U.S.S. Avant-Garde! We are on a peaceful surveillance mission...what do you want with us?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: They're not responding.
Captain Iowae: Unidentified vessel: respond!
Vessel # 2: We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Captain Iowae: You can't tell a Borg cube when you see one, Lieutenant??
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I didn't even now that anyone was approaching! They were cloaked!
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant! What did you do in the required class at Starfleet Academy dedicated solely to the ways of the Borg? Look! These fluctuations in comm. frequency directly indicate the presence of the hive mind!

The Borg cube opens fire, then engages a tractor beam.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Shall I launch torpedos?
Captain Iowae: No.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Captain! We have to fight them, we can't just sit here!
Captain Iowae: We are not fighting them! Bring armor shielding online!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Why can't we fight?:
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant I gave you a direct order! If I were you, I wouldn't question it!! Do not return fire!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, ma'am.

Borg cube fires again.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Come on, what the hell do you want to do?
Captain Iowae: Bring the main deflector online.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Our shields can't take this for much longer!
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant, did you not hear me? Bring the main deflector online!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes ma'am.
Captain Iowae: Use a tractor beam to route their torpedos toward the deflector and destroy the cube. I don't want to waste our torpedoes.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I agree. Why waste our own missiles when we could use theirs?
Captain Iowae: (flinches, remembering Lieutenant D'elsu'ke, still semi-connected to the hive mind) He'll feel them being disconnected from the hive mind...in essence, their souls being pulled out. But he is not a part of the collective anymore, he is a mere observer.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (shudders) What are we going to do now? I have returned the missiles...but they are still advancing toward us.
Captain Iowae: Wait. Don't do anything.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Captain, they will ram us if we do not act!
Captain Iowae: WAIT, Lieutenant!

Borg cube explodes.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (stares in shock) Yes?

Shockwave hits and Lieutenant Commander Ara tumbles from her seat to the floor.
Captain Iowae: Hold on, Lieutenant! Find something and hold on!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Holding!
Captain Iowae: See? I told you to trust my judgment.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (pulling herself off the floor) Yes, but what made them explode like that? Surely it wasn't our torpedoes?
Captain Iowae: No. It was theirs. The Borg, you see, design their weapons to destroy their own ships...and because their ships are, under normal circumstances, the most powerful in the galaxy, these weapons will also destroy any other ship.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Self-sacrificial idiots.
Captain Iowae: (shrugs) They are Borg.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes. Well. It saved us for the time being. (sighs) Well, now that we are off-course again...
Captain Iowae: Set a course and engage, maximum warp, Ms. Ara. I don't know why everyone suddenly hates us today, but I intend to find out.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes ma'am. By my calculations we should be back to our normal course in 25 earth minutes.
Captain Iowae: And how long to this damned planet?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Well, let's see. We were 30 minutes outside the planet BEFORE we got knocked off-course. Now it should take another 55 minutes to get back to the planet. Perhaps more, if we run into anything else.
Captain Iowae: I hope we don't run into anything else...for the sake of this shuttlecraft. I don't think we would last too long. What is the status of our shields?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: There is an asteroid field outside the planet, which may prove difficult for our ship. Right now our shields are at 90%.
Captain Iowae: 90%. That's not good enough for me. Get on it.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: There is also a storm in the stratosphere, possibly dangerous.
Captain Iowae: I want those shields at at least 95% before we hit it.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes ma'am. All systems checking as green.
Captain Iowae: I see that, Lieutenenant, now get those shields up to 95%! Preferably higher!
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes ma'am. Engaging automatic shield regenerative system.
Captain Iowae: Lieutenant! What is the status of our shields now?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: (glances at console) Shields are holding at 98%, Captain.
Captain Iowae: Go into orbit of the planet. See if you can get us there before we get attacked again.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I'm on it. It shouldn't take long now.
Captain Iowae: Hopefully not.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I understand. I just don't know why everyone is so intent on killing us today.
Captain Iowae: We'll figure it out, Lieutenant. We'll figure it out...but not right now. Ms. Ara, what was the hull signature from that first vessel?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: The signature says 'Klingons', but it could be a stolen ship. What do you think?
Captain Iowae: You know more about Klingons than I do...what do you think?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: I have a very strong feeling that the ship we encountered was stolen. But the Klingons who owned it...must be either dead or prisoners.
Captain Iowae: From what I know about the Klingons, they could not have influenced the Borg, powerful as they are, and also, they wouldn't just...andomly attack. Yes, they are warlike, but they have enough honor to respond when you send them a message. Lieutenant?
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, that is what's troubling me.
Captain Iowae: These people - their captors - are ruthless. They probably beamed them into space to suffocate.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, I am aware of that. Should we go after them?
Captain Iowae: Absolutely not. Not until we find the Avant-Garde. We'll stand a better chance then. For now, get some rest. I don't know how much sleep we're going to get over the next few days.
Lieutenant Commander Ara: Yes, ma'am.

 

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