SD 241301.15 || "Looking for Lansine" || JL || CO, CCO, Diplo, CHelm, XO ||

Posted on Tue Jan 15th, 2013 @ 10:39pm by Captain Robert Lansine & Captain Olan Dar & Captain Landon Neyes & 2nd Lieutenant Jasmine Garza & Lieutenant JG Alexia Ducati

1,860 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Romulan Ale.. I mean Aide
Location: Romulan Colony

The away team had arrived at the last known location of Commander Lansine several minutes ago and had spent the time running some scans and checking out the area for any sign of him.

While they were busy with that, Olan decided to contact Neyes on the runabout, "Captain Dar to Commander Neyes. Status report."

Neyes' voice came over the comms, the sound a little more staticky than would have been expected. "Scans are just about complete, Cap. There is quite a bit of interference for some reason, and I can't seem to pinpoint why. We've altered course to bring us within a closer distance to the colony. I couldn't raise Commander Lansine, is he with you?"

"The last report I got the commander was looking around......and something about a bad gut feeling." Sarah said knowing that she had the same as well as Ellis did.

Landon's voice became intense with his rising concern, "Do you think they did something with him? I'm looking at my scans right now. I see Lansine's bio-signs. I just can't raise him."

Ellis chimed in, "I doubt it commander.......the Romulans may not like us being here but they need support and they know if they do anything aggressive they won't survive a fight with us."

Olan nodded, "However, strong emotions don't always allow for rational thought." he recalled the narrowly averted shooting match in the Governor's office not long ago.

"Landon, can you narrow Lansine's position based on the life signs? If we can't find him based on his commbadge maybe that will be enough." Dar asked.

"No need." Rob's voice interupted the conversation between Neyes and Dar. After leaving the underground compound, using his newly configured comm badge and retuning back to the standard Starfleet channel Lansine had been able to find the search party's comm. "I'm here."

The small crawl space Aerv's men had guided him to provided an alternative exit to the underground system of caves to the more elaborately disguised entrance Aerv had originally brought through. At first glance he didn't exactly recognize where he was, but from the size of the colony's largest structures off in the distance, it was a fairly substantial distance from the alley way he had been 'kidnapped' in.

Dar glanced at the others, sharing their surprise at his sudden appearance.

"Commander, where exactly are you?" Dar asked.

"Probably a kilometer of so from the colony," Rob began as he slid his tricorder off his hip holster and flipped it open. "Can't tell exactly, the tricorder isn't giving me a straight answer." Aerv's modifications apparently stopped with his commbadge.

"I need you to beam aboard the Vindicator immediately. There have been some developments. I will meet you there to explain." Olan ordered.

A bit dazed by the change in objectives, Rob replied hesitantly. "Aye, sir." The time didn't seem to right to explain all Aerv had explained to him.

The Captain then looked to King, "I'd like you to stay down here. Meet up with Doctor Keal and Commander Dahe'el, find out how much more time they may need for their respective projects."

Ellis just nodded he had three Marines shaking his head he really now had a bad feeling about this.

"Commander Neyes, complete your survey and return to the ship as soon as you can." Dar tapped his commbadge, "Dar to Vindicator. Beam up myself and Lt Ducati."

Neyes nodded and started to alter his course. "You got it, Captain." His voice reflected his relief at having Rob's whereabouts finally solved. It was troubling mystery to have him out of reach one moment, and then suddenly back a moment later. Landon didn't pretend to know much about Romulans, but in the small time he'd spent with them in the last couple years, with the Charon and now with this, he was beginning to understand why the rest of the galaxy was rather content to let them stew alone in their own sector of space.

"Captain," came the voice of the duty officer, "A Romulan Warbird has entered the system on a direct course for the colony. The fighters are escorting her in. They have requested to meet with you."

Neyes suddenly felt vindicated for his thought.

Yet another surprise reflected on Olan's face as he exchanged glances, "Very well. Energize."

A moment passed and the Captain and Lieutenant Ducati remained materialized on the rough colony street. "Uhm, Captain," a young voice from the Transporter's Chief's station came over the comm for all to hear, "I'm having a hard time pinpointing your signal."

A slew of Trill slurs filled the comm signal and Landon changed course again, "Why would the interference from the minerals let you beam down and not back up?"

"No it's not that, sir," the young voice responded, now more frantically. "It's artificial--some sort of inhibitor field coming from the colony."

Olan looked directly at King with a noticeable scowl at the news, "See if you can break through. In the mean time we'll start moving away from the colony." he began to move as he handed out directions.

"Are you able to beam up Commander Lansine?"

"Negative, sir." The voice replied once again. "However, if my calculations are correct Commander Neyes and the runabout should be able to transport Commander Lansine. However, I'm afraid you and those inside the colony are too far inside the inhibitor field."

Neyes' brow pressed down as he entered the commands to start encrypting all communication between him and the fighters. "We're coming to get you, sir. Just hang in there."

The Runabout and the fighters made a wide turn over the rolling hills they'd been previously flying away from. Their dark shadows blotted out the sunlight in the trees below them, and shook the branches as the three ships immediately released their restricted flight speed in favor of a more aggressive pace. A sudden boom filled the sky, as their engines began running at higher power. Landon was going to be damned if he inherited a command because his command team was murdered on a peace-giving aide mission.

Neyes brought his shields up, and ordered the fighters to engage tactical status. "We'll be there in no time. I'll be in transporter range for Lansine in 20 seconds."

The time passed and soon enough the runabout appeared over the horizon. After the quick transport, Rob worked his way to the front cabin with Landon. "Where's the Captain?" He asked, situating himself behind the copilot station.

Neyes ignored his desire to display his protective frown at Rob for allowing himself to be captured on an alien colony world, ...again. Instead he pulled up readings to Rob's console to help him catch up with the last few hours, along with the survey readings.

"Still stuck in the colony. Some sort of transport barrier has gone up in the last few minutes. I was lucky to be able to get you up." Neyes said, working his transporter controls.

"Sensors show multiple energy signals turning on inside the colony," Rob said, frowning. "Seems the governor forgot to tell as about his cache of weapons."

"Seems to be going around..." Neyes gave Lansine a look. "what you been up to, Robby?"

"It's a long story," Rob started, remembering back to the detailed evidence Aerv had provided him about the governor's Tal'Shiar backed military might. "Can we beam the rest of the crew off the planet?"

Neyes exhaled, "I have tried every filter and carrier band I know. I can't get a lock on anything or anyone. It's seems to be dispersing directed sensor targeting as well, because I can't locate the inhibitors. All I'm reading is," he made a sweeping, broad gesture, "just Romulan with a dash of "Starfleet."

Rob frown grew into an angry scowl, "Dammit." The realities of a Carida-like situation were beginning to sink in. "Lansine to Dar, transporters are unable to lock on to you and the rest of the crew on the surface."

"Understood."

"We can't risk escalating this conflict," Rob thought a loud. "Not without informing the Federation about what's going on here." Rob was fighting every ounce of his being, every voice in his head screamed to ignore the bigger picture, the possibilities of grand consequence of swooping into the colony guns blazing to track down the Captain. Landon didn't know yet, but if what Aerv had told Rob was true, they couldn't risk that sort of bravado. "Captain, I'm afraid we won't be of use to you. The inhibitors are masking themselves to the runabout's sensors. Permission to return to the ship."

"Granted." Olan said only slightly reluctantly. After all someone needed to be up there in command, "What is it that you know, Commander?"

"Long story, sir. But you'll be needing this," Rob took his tricorder out and retrieved the rebel Romulan frequency Aerv had programmed into his commbadge and transferred it to Dar. "It'll explain this entire debacle much better than I can."

Olan handed the data off to King to go over while he continued to talk to the XO, "Robert. There is a Warbird approaching the planet. They appear to be coming peacefully but if they get the wrong impression of what's going on here that could end quickly. Make sure you make them understand."

"Aye, sir." Rob replied. He turned to Landon. "Let's get back to the ship before we get dragged into another war."

"War is bad." Landon entered the commands, "Probably a good call."

Looking over the data Ellis started thinking quickly, "alright Sarah get the good Captain and the Lieutenant somewhere safe and stay there.....I'll go fetch the scientist and engineer. Ducati you ever used a phaser before?"

"N......no!" She finally stumbled out.

Dar gave his type 1 phaser to Alexia and got one of the marine side arms for himself, being more experienced with that type of weapon, "Change of plans then. The ship couldn't lock onto Lansine so we'll have to go take out these inhibitors ourselves."

Olan tapped his commbadge, "Dar to Dahe'el. The colony has raised a transport inhibitor and armed themselves. I'm afraid it is no longer safe for us here. If you can get to safety, do so, but let everyone know to remain calm and we'll get you out."

Lexi took the phaser like it was gonna bite her. But than something came over like a calm and she gripped like it was a part of her arm.

Ellis looked at the Captain, "You stay with the Marines I'll go ensure the safety of the scientist and engineer."

"There are whole teams down here. You can't cover them all yourself, Ellis." Olan told him, "And they are sure to be under guard by now. Our best shot is to disabled this scattering field so the Vindicator can beam all of us up at once."

Catching the conversation over the comm, Rob offered one more piece of advice as the runabout slid through the final layers of the planet's atmosphere and back towards the Vindicator. His choice of words surprised him, and under different circumstances surely would have caused Landon to laugh.

"Give 'em hell, Captain."

 

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