[Archived] Act 3 — Shadow of the Hunted

[Starbeard]

"It's your choice, Nadix: palm phasers it is," says the Captain. "You may not need much more firepower; our previous scan of the shuttle indicated that it couldn't carry much more than half a dozen beings at a time. I'll have an operations team standing by."

He activates a comms panel and addresses the bridge. "Commander T'Leia, please send word to Dr. Ryerson report to Nadix as possible."

EDIT: He turns to Nadix. "Where should I have him meet you?"

The Captain adjourns the meeting and heads back to the bridge.

De Mattio confirms that the Slaver belt is as ready for field testing as it will ever be. The Romulan weapon seems to be charged and ready to use, though she isn't certain on the limits of his safety features. They are currently residing in the High Energy Particles and Physics Lab (Room 12) on Deck 6.

(crossposted from Dr. Ryerson's travel to the Brig.)

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

The Edosian calmly replied, "The High Energy Particles and Physics Lab, sir. Kindly have a security detail meet us there at once.

"If our Romulan captive remains on board, when his Human allies have fled, his goal may be to recover those artifacts. I hope we're not too late.

"Please warn the personnel in the lab," he said as he departed in haste.

[Grognardsw]

Security Ensigns Gilbert



and Sullivan



arrive at the High Energy Particles and Physics Lab.

"Reporting for duty sir," they greet Commander Nadix in almost harmonious unison.

[Grognardsw]

Ensign Hardy looks around the sick bay, nodding at other ensigns he sees. "How are you Pryor?" "Good to see you Wilder."

He waits for the doctor to get the tricorder. Hardy is eager to catch the son-of-a-Romulan-bitch Romulan.

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Nurse Teklah, where is the tricorder that I went to planet with? Never mind, here it is." picks up the tricorder which he left on his desk. He adjusts the settings to scan for the specific life readings of Carlax. "If I can configure this correctly it should only show one specific life sign, Carlax."

[Starbeard]

USS Janus
Stardate 2271.3.23: 0220h

The Janus whines as its engines launch it into the lower boundaries of warp speed, chasing after the pirate vessel. The Captain orders the ship to pursue at a slow enough speed to intercept the vessel within minutes, but still leave enough energy to keep shields and phasers powered. Officer Dorotea De Mattio keeps a scan on the cloaked vessel; the signature is quite weak and vague at this distance, but it grows more clear as they slowly approach. She continuously redirects the helmsman and navigator by small degrees to keep them on path.



Down in Sickbay and the Physics Lab…

Dr. Ryerson retrieves the tricorder and adjusts it to scan for Romulan life signs. He makes a quick sweep and is shocked that the tricorder discovers no Romulan life signs anywhere on the ship! A call comes through from the ship's bridge. "Dr. Ryerson, please report to Commander Nadix immediately, at the High Energy Particles and Physics Lab on Deck 6. Bring escort." The Physics Lab (room 12), Ryerson knows, is just opposite the brig where he was earlier.

Dr. Ryerson and Ensign Hardy enter the Physics Lab, Hardy now armed with a phaser and Ryerson equipped with his tricorder and medical kit.

Nadix is already there, flanked by the injured Security Chief Vek and two security ensigns, Gilbert and Sullivan. They are deep in discussion. The security ensign who had been placed on duty in this room is missing, and the Romulan weapon and Slaver artifact are both gone. Ryerson's tricorder picks up high traces of negative particle residue in the room, suggesting a phaser was recently discharged at very high levels, enough to dematerialize matter.

Security Chief Vek rather grumpily says, "Carlax has stolen the belt and the weapon! It could take hours before we track him down on the ship… imagine the sabotage he could cause by then!" She heads to a wall panel and orders all remaining security personnel to make regular sweeps throughout all levels of the ship. She hastily departs to wander the ship herself, taking reports as she comes across security teams.

[Starbeard]

Dr. Ryerson and Ensign Hardy continue their adventures in the main thread with the rest of the group (thread link)

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"Commander Nadix I reconfigured my medical tricorder to sweep the ship to detect Carlax Romulan bio-signs. But surprisingly I found none. Now I'm no engineer but I'm certain I configured it correctly. Since Carlax possesses the artifacts, could they be masking his bio-reading?"

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

"Yes, doctor," replied the Edosian serenely. "I'm afraid so."
"Having recovered the slaver artifacts, Carlax might now wish to return them to his vessel. To accomplish this, he will need to lower the Janus' shields to transport out.

"Chief Vek, please wait. The prisoner might attempt to escape the Janus. Kindly have your men sweep shield generators and controls, please, as well as the shuttlecraft bay."

Then Nadix hailed the Captain via the wall panel, "Captain, the Romulan prisoner is at large and may attempt to escape the Janus. While pursuing the pirate vessel, we may wish to remain beyond transporter range."

[Grognardsw]

The ensigns look about tensely, following the conversations of the officers.

[Starbeard]

"Understood. We'll stay outside of transporter range," replies the Captain from the bridge.

Commander Vek grunts in agitation, though not necessarily in anger. Tellarites as a species thrive on argument, and she seems almost relieved to have her orders challenged for once. "Well why didn't somebody point that out earlier? I suppose you'll want me putting all available crew to Engineering and the Cargo Bay, leaving the computer core and bridge entirely unguarded! And don't get me started on the shield generators—from the Jefferies tubes he could make his way to any number of node points along the hull's shield grid and cause localized damage." She forgets her wound for a moment and winces as she throws her arms up in exasperation, then orders a team to the shuttle, a team to sweep all of Engineering, and everyone else to spread out and sweep the ducts along the outer rim of the hull, checking each node on the deflector grid and then moving inward from there.

The party quickly review their options from the safety of the Lab room 12 on Deck 6. There are transporter rooms on Deck 6 and 7. From Deck 7 they can access the lower warp pylon, where the Shuttle Bay is housed. The main of Engineering is also on Deck 7, with its upper rafters extended onto Deck 6.

One of the ensigns brings up a computerized display of the ship's deck plans.

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

Nadix says to the Captain, "If shields are not raised, perhaps they should be, sir, to prevent an attempted escape via the transporters."

The Edosian is impassive and serene in the face of the argumentative Tellarite's bluster.
"How can we help, Commander? Perhaps we can join these coordinated search parties?
"With shields functioning and raised, he won't be in a transporter room yet. Perhaps we can lock the doors into all transporter rooms while we search the other areas you suggest?"

[Grognardsw]

"All right men, we have our orders. Spread out and search!"

[Starbeard]

The ship soars through space, nearing the edge of the solar system as it continues to hunt the escaping pirate vessel. The Captain signs off from the bridge after giving the order to keep all shields raised to maximum power.

"Let you 'help', just so you can get in the way of my crew?!" argues Commander Vek. "I suppose we could use the extra numbers, and the Doctor's expertise may be useful. Very well. Make your searches, and feel free to give and receive updates from any security personnel you come across. I'll be moving throughout the ship with my own team."

Vek makes one last order to have the transporter rooms locked and shielded, then departs.

Nadix, Ryerson, Gilbert and Sullivan are alone in the Physics Lab, armed with basic phasers, tricorders and a medical kit. An armed and cunning Romulan prisoner is loose on the ship, which all agree must take precedence over their landing expedition to Coxa II. They discuss their next course of action.

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

"Thank you, Commander Vek," the Edosian says serenely, "Unable to determine the distance to his own vessel, I believe the Romulan prisoner's best chance for escape will be with a stolen shuttlecraft. He may believe his artifact will enable him to shield the craft from our sensors until he safely makes planetfall.
"What is your assessment, gentlemen?"

[DadsAngry]

Dr. Ryerson:

"That would be my plan. If he's blind to our sensors, I image he would be blind to our transporter beam. Nothing to lock on to."

[Grognardsw]

Ensign Sullivan, uncertain is Nadix is addressing him as part of the group, ventures to comment: "We should secure the shuttles. Maybe we could plant some of our men, follow the Romulan onto the planet to see where he goes."

[Inferno]

Commander Nadix Ar Eth, Science Officer:

"We are agreed then. Let's proceed to the shuttlecraft bay with all due haste," the placid Edosian replies.

[Grognardsw]

"Where is that damn Romulan?"

[Starbeard]

USS Janus
Stardate 2271.3.23: 0233h

The members of the party steel their nerves and make a beeline for the shuttle bay. They arrive without incident and enter.



From the doorway, they see the Minerva resting on the landing platform, hatch closed and powered down. There is currently no sign of the Romulan…



Meanwhile, they feel the soft, vibrating hum of the floor panels lessen, and the whir of the warp engine slow. The Janus must now have caught up with the pirate vessel and is matching its speed at a safe distance.