Return of Sevros

Posted on Sun Jan 10th, 2021 @ 12:16am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Commander Owen Nash & Lieutenant Declan Roderick & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith & Ensign Ian Milkovich
Edited on on Sun Jan 10th, 2021 @ 1:56am

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Bridge

ON:

The Pandora had been blasted out of high warp by a Talarian attack force; the enemy managed to temporarily wound and disable the Starfleet vessel in their opening assault. Gavar, the Talarian Captain leading the raid, was making the most of the Pandora's vulnerable position as she attempted to escape the Expanse, to get revenge for losing an earlier battle on Hesiod Blue. Gavar was also undoubtedly searching for the glory of capturing the much-wanted Pandora. However, the crew were not about to give up without a fight. With Lieutenant Mindo working hard to restore warp-drive, the Pandora had no choice but to stand their ground - even as their enemy prepared to fire upon them again.

"Talarians will be in firing range in thirty seconds!" Milkovich reported across the noisy Bridge.

"Shields are at maximum!" Ensign Rostrum called out from secondary Ops

"Warp repair at sixty-five percent!" Lieutenant Bergdorph added.

In the Captain's chair, Nyx nodded as the reports came in; he was deliberately waiting, allowing the Talarians to get close enough to engage them again. The Pandora had been hurt, but she was by no means vulnerable.

"Roderick," Nyx called over his shoulder to the Tactical console, "Target the enemy's torpedo launchers with a multi-band phaser spread. But hold your fire. Wait until they've just launched and then fire. Let em get a taste of their own medicine."

Roderick had nodded at the Captain. He had the weapons trained on the Talarian ship. Ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"Nash, keep up the evasive manoeuvres." Temple turned to his XO on the Helm, "Once we start to knock them out, we're going to continue a circular defensive pattern. We're bigger than they are but we're still more agile; we're not going to make it easy for them."

Owen nodded before looking back at the helm itself, checking some of the readouts before him. "Milkovich, it would really help my cause if you can re-route some power to the impulse engines and thrusters," Owen requested. "That way, we have a fighting chance of keeping to the circular defensive pattern.

"Full power to impulse engines and thrusters," Ensign Milkovich replied, "That should give you more manoeuvrability, Commander."

Owen smiled as he found more engagement from the impulse engines and thrusters. "Oh yeah, now we're talking, thats more like it," he said as he moved the Luna Class vessel into further evasive manoeuvres. "Ready to engage the circular defensive pattern when you care, Captain."

"Thank you, Mr. Nash." Nyx called back.

Nyx looked over to Counsellor Kaleri who was sitting diligently in her seat to the left. "I need to ask a favour of you Counsellor. When the Talarians get close, I need you to reach out with your mind and find which ship Gavar is on. Can you do that?"

Krysia looked at Nyx and nodded. “Yes Sir, I can do that.”

He leaned over and quietly added, "Let me know if it's too much for you."

“It’s not too much Captain.” Krysia smiled. “I’m not a Betazoid, the strength of my abilities are not limited in the same way as a half Betazoid would be. I can do it, I just need a good look at those ships as they come round to help me be more accurate.”

Declan had continuously kept updating the weaponry, and sensors for the changing positions and manoeuvres that the Pandora was taking, and or about to take. Tagging in the LCARS on his Operations console, Roderick eyed mawkishly.

"The Talarians inbound in ten seconds!" Milkovich reported.

As the Talarian vessels approached the Pandora, their torpedo launchers opened up and their targets were locked on. Sitting in his chair in his vessel, Gavar's face was fuelled with stoic concentrated as he neared his enemy. On the Pandora, Nyx stared ahead at the view screen towards the approaching hunters, just waiting for the ship sensors to detect the attack. Gavar squeezed his fingers into his palm, the leather gloves upon his hands rustling in the silent anticipation. Nyx opened his mouth, ready to give the command.

"Fire!" Gavar shouted.

"Fire!" Nyx replied.

Lieutenant Roderick engaged the Talarian targets quickly and accurately. The Pandora had targeted acquisition, fire control integrating within mere seconds of the flanking vessels. The type-X phaser arrays fired off with impressive discharging power of 10.2 MW phaser bursts.

As the torpedoes launched from the Talarian vessels, Roderick locked onto each incoming missile and the phaser strip around the Pandora's saucer section lit up in multiple spots. In quick succession, the Pandora fired with deft precision at the torpedoes, causing them to immediately detonate. The resulting explosion blew back onto the approaching Talarian vessels - one ship was immediately destroyed, engulfed in bright blue plasma flames. Two other ships were damaged significantly, sending them careening off course. This left three Talarian ships still on approach to the Pandora.

Gavar's eyes widened as his attack was thwarted and his fleet diminished. He slammed his hand down onto his chair leg, letting out a bellowing cry.

"Fire phasers!" He cried.

Back on the Pandora, the crew were ready.

"Engage evasive manoeuvres," Nyx called across to Nash

"Aye Captain!" Owen responded as he dialled in further evasive manoeuvre programs into the helm.

Whilst it had been some time since he'd been at the helm of a starship, Owen was recalling all that he needed to make sure that he made the Luna Class starship do its best to evade the incoming fire from the Talarians. He also realised whilst doing this, just how manoeuvrable the ship was as she responded to his every request.

The Pandora streaked into a banked turn, the Talarian's phasers striking the shields on the ship's under hull. As the attackers flew past, the Pandora straightened up and let out a volley of phaser fire of her own - striking the Talarians hard. The intense firepower caused another of their ships to explode as well, bringing the Talarian forces down once more.

The shockwave of the explosion rippled through the Pandora, causing the Bridge to rumble and shake.

"Target destroyed," Milkovich reported from the Bridge.

However, as the Pandora began to turn again, the two Talarians fighters who had been knocked out by the torpedo explosion suddenly rejoined the fray. Together, the four vessels began to swarm around the Pandora, like hornets attacking from all directions. Roderick continued to open fire, as beams of burning phaser energy streamed across space. The Pandora would hit the Talarians, and the Talarians would hit the Pandora right back. It had become an engaged dog fight; with the Talarians relentlessly buzzing around their target as the Pandora attempted to swat them away.

Sparks flew on the Bridge as the Pandora took another round of phasers.

"Shields at seventy two percent." Rostrum called out.

"We need to target Gavar." Nyx spoke seriously, "Taking him out will cause confusion amongst their ranks, maybe ever deter the attack."

"They're moving too fast." Milkovich replied, impatiently, "I can't get a lock on which one's the lead vessel."

Nodding, Temple looked to Kaleri, "You're up." He quipped.

Krysia was keeping a close watch on what she could on the viewscreen. Her senses were searching for the one Nyx had asked her to find. It was hard work sieving through so many minds but she eventually found just the one she was looking for. “I’ve got him!” She stood up from her seat and moved closer to the view-screen her hand resting on her stomach. “Gavar is there ...” she pointed to a ship on the viewscreen that was attempting to keep out of range of the Pandora’s weapons as much as possible.

"Roderick, concentrate fire on that vessel." Nyx instruction, "Full power!"

"Aye Sir." Roderick had stated, re-firing, re-engaging the directed Talarian vessel for a full assault of the Pandora's weaponry compliments. He could engage with torpedo's and enact a broader range of destruction, yet there was a method to the targeting.

The saucer section illuminated once more as the Pandora blasted another beam of phaser fire at Gavar's ship, striking at the Talarian's engines. There was a small eruption as Gavar's ship suddenly careened out of control, spinning like a wayward top.

"Nash, match course," Nyx called out.

Owen nodded as he punched in the new course for the Pandora to follow, which now matched the same course which was being laid out by Gavar's ship as it continued to spin out of control before them.

"Course matched...although it won't be long before he starts breaking up with the forces that craft will now be tolerating or not," Owen warned.

Krys returned to the comparative safety of her seat, the last thing she needed was to be tossed around if the ship was hit.

The Pandora loomed over the smaller vessel as Gavar was attempting to use thruster engines to stable himself. The other fighters were still buzzing around the Pandora, but the method to the madness would soon become clear. As the Talarians managed to regain control of the vessel, Nyx pounced.

"Engage a tractor beam on his ship." The Captain ordered.

"Engaging!" Milkovich replied quickly.

A beam of energy shot out from the Pandora, ensnaring Gavar's ship into its tractor beam and holding the Talarian commander hostage. Try as they might, the remaining Talarians vessels swarmed the Pandora and tried to break their leader free, but Roderick's counter-attacks and the advanced Starfleet defences were proving too difficult.

"Open a hail to Gavar." Nyx asked as he stood forward from his chair. "No - make it an open hail to all Talarian vessels."

"Broadcasting." Milkovich nodded as he tapped his screen.

"Gavar! I have your ship." Temple declared, his voice booming throughout the Bridge and into every Talarian enemy still flying around them. "Call off your attack or you will be destroyed."

Gavar spat, "I do not negotiate, Captain. A warrior fights to his death. Pain is not a consideration."

Nyx shook his head, "Gavar, I am just trying to get my people home. Out of the Expanse. And if I have to destroy every last Talarian ship standing in my way, I will!"

There was a slight moment of consideration from the Talarian leader. "You have fought well, Pandora. A worthy adversary." He said, "But blood must be paid with blood."

"Until when?" Nyx asked, his tone trying to reach a place of reason. "Until we are all junk floating in space? Or can you accept that you have attacked as, as we have attacked you, and it was a draw?! No one else needs to die today."

The statement was only met with more silence, as Nyx started to believe he may have reached the stubborn Talarian for once. He was trying to reach the part of Gavar that would hopefully put his people above bloodlust - that maybe Gavar's desire to protect his men would overcome his desire for pointless revenge. They had beaten each other around and that should have been enough. It is possible that Gavar may have seriously considered the offer - that is, until an alert sounded across the Pandora's sensors. Temple indicated for Milkovich to end the call, which he did quickly, as Temple returned to his chair.

Checking the new information that was coming in, Owen almost sighed. "Captain, The Talarians have got some backup incoming...Sensors have picked up four new warp signatures...Talarian Warp signatures," he reported.

"They will out-number us," Milkovich replied, worried. The young ensign was right - with the number advantage now, the Pandora would soon become overwhelmed.

A coldness spread over Nyx, and he knew what he had to do. The Talarians were determined to keep on fighting and only a show of strength would halt their attack - a sure sign that the Starfleet vessel was capable of fighting their way out of this trap and that they would indeed stop at nothing to leave. If that meant destroying the captured and vulnerable Talarian ship, then so be it. Nyx would make the decision to put his crew first without hesitation.

"Prepare photon torpedoes." Nyx said, his tone calm. "Target Gavar's ship."

"Aye Sir." Roderick engaged torpedo tubes one and two over the main deflector dish. Targeting scanners locking on to the lead and flanking Talarian vessels. The quantum torpedo's would be a display in themselves of power.

The Talarians resumed their assault, seeing that the Pandora was targeting Gavar for destruction. A new fleet of Talarian vessels dropped out of warp, hanging in the space in front of the Pandora and the fighters. None of the new ships made a move.

"Sir, I'm reading two new fighters, a warship and... an observation craft?" Milkovich said slowly, not quite believing the report himself. "None have raised shields or weapons prepped."

Krysia frowned. “Captain ... don’t fire.” She looked at Nyx. “I think they’re waiting for us to make the decisive move.”

Nyx looked to Kaleri and decided to trust her judgement. He was hyped from the fight but he didn't want to make matters worse. "Hail them."

"Aye, sir." Milkovich replied immediately, tapping his console. "Open comms."

"This is Captain Temple of the USS Pandora." Nyx bellowed. "We are attempting to leave the Inconnu Expanse and return to Federation space; we have been attacked by your people and have defended ourselves. We do not wish to continue this engagement."

"Captain Temple?" Came a voice in reply. Familiar and patronising. "It's been too long."

"Sir, the hail is coming from the observation craft, they're requesting visuals," Milkovich called out.

"It appears you were right, Counsellor," Nyx said to Kaleri as he moved forward. "On screen."

The viewscreen at the front of the Bridge switched from a window looking out at the captured vessel, to one of a Talarian Bridge. Sitting front and centre was Ambassador Sevros, the Talarian commander the Pandora had helped on her first mission into the Expanse. Sevros' ship had gone chasing a malfunctioning border buoy without him, which had incidentally travelled into Tzenkethi space. The Tzenkethi had killed Sevros' crew and left his ship to lay a trap for would-be investigators. The Pandora managed to recover the bodies and defend themselves from a surprise Tzenkethi attack. Though Sevros had lost his crew, he was thankful for the Pandora for their assistance.

Owen sat ready at the helm as he listened and watched the exchange between Nyx and Gavar and knew that this could end badly for the Pandora and her crew and also make the odds of them returning to the apparent safety of Federation Space even more difficult.

However, when he looked up to see Ambassador Sevros appear on the viewscreen, Owen suddenly felt his heart drop as he realised who it was before them. Sevros had caused them issues in the past and was the last person they needed to see in such a heated situation.

"Can this get any better," he said quietly to himself.

Of course, Sevros was also an intolerable ass.

"Temple, it appears you cannot help but get your ship into skirmishes with Inconnu forces." Sevros began, looking regal in his command chair, a small smirk on his lips. "Nothing much has changed then."

"It's a pleasure to see you, too, Sevros. I am merely trying to get home, Ambassador." Temple replied with a shrug. "Your forces attacked me."

"Lies!" Gavar shouted, his voice coming from the Talarian channels. "We are owed retribution for an assault on us in the Hesiod Region! They have fouled Alrakis Pact space! Attack them Sevros!"

"You have been bested in battle, Gavar." Sevros replied with a laugh. "I have no desire to go to war with the Federation today."

"This is an outrage!" Gavar returned, his voice booming. "Attack the Pandora NOW!"

Sevros shook his head, "Believe it or not, Gavar, Pandora. I have come to... negotiate."

Nyx nodded to Milkovich to silence the call while he turned back to the Bridge. "What do you all think? Can we trust Sevros or do we push our advantage while we still have it?"

Krysia had sat in her seat observing the whole exchange letting her senses judge the emotional context of the conversation. “Believe it or not Sir Sevros is telling the truth. I sense no lies, but he’s not overly happy about it. He owes you and as such he’s bound by his own sense of honour to do this.” She paused. “I’d watch your back though all the same, Gavar is desperate! I don’t know how long he’ll wait to get what he wants.”

Owen turned around to show his surprised look to face the Captain and the others. "I'll be honest sir, Gavar wants your head on a plate or our hull mounted on his wall...but Sevros could be the key to us getting out here. My concern is what he will want in exchange," Owen explained. He paused. "However I am happy with this phase of not having any desire to go to war with the Federation today."

"Agreed." Nyx nodded, before turning back to the screen. Milkovich unmuted the call as he did, "Ambassador Sevros, I'd like to invite you and Captain Gavar to my ship to begin negotiations."

"I will not negotiate with this alien!!" Gavar exclaimed.

There was a loud sigh from Sevros. "We will accept your invitation, Captain Temple. Lest we allow this situation to fester for any longer."

"Be ready in fifteen minutes." Temple replied. "Pandora out."

Turning to the Bridge crew, Nyx took a deep breath. "Roderick, you'll have the conn. Oversee repairs while Nash, Kaleri, and I meet with the Talarians."

The battle had come to a stop - for now, at least - with the Pandora in a much better position than when she started. They had managed to repel Gavar's most arduous attacks and wrestle their way into a stalemate. Everything now hinged on the negotiations with the Talarians - if Sevros really had come in good faith to avoid a war with the Federation, the Pandora could potentially continue on her journey back home. If not, the dogfight would continue until one side was destroyed.

OFF