Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - CIC - Cobb and the others deal with some unwelcome intruders

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - CIC - Cobb and the others deal with some unwelcome intruders

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - CIC - Cobb and the others deal with some unwelcome intruders
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

The first mission for the newly-appropriated USS Leviathan, the first chance for this crew to show what they could do and for their Captain to show how he could lead. And so far it had been a complete and unmitigated disaster!
First, they had sent the away team over to the USS Einstein only to lose complete contact with them all only moments after learning they had a crewmember down. Then a second away team had launched after them and the Captain was still waiting for word that they had not suffered a similar fate.

About that time the comm officer piped up. “Sir we’re receiving a message.” Casela would have preferred a coded message with the Ferengi out there, but with interference from the nebula she just wanted it to go through. =^=Leviathan, this is shuttle Krakin. We’ve arrived. We are attempting to boost signal from Einstein. Uj’aw and I are preparing for EVA to deploy the AARM.=^= Casela’s voice came across the comm.

And now, as if they had not been punished enough, they had visitors. From his central position in the Command Information Centre, Cobb could see the simulations being played out before them concerning the approaching Ferengi vessels. And not one of the outcomes appealed.

“We appear to be running out of options here. Suggestions, ladies and gentlemen?” he asked the gathered crew. “Right now I am willing to consider anything.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb
  Lt. Synthi-er, RTF

The Doctor, having done as much prep work as she could, didn’t have anything at that time to do so she attended the meeting in CIC. The Doctor pulls out a standard issue gas mask and set it where everyone could see it. “These are standard issue and not only does everyone have one, but we also have plenty spare should anyone have a faulty mask. If we engage with the Ferengi and let them think they have disabled the ship, I can flood the environment with halothane. Once the Ferengi are on the ship, which they inevitably will be, they’ll last about 20-30 minutes before passing out. Our security teams, medical staff, command staff and Engineering will all be in gas masks. Once they are out, we can use general anesthetic to keep them under and send their ships on auto-pilot back to their own space.”

• Doctor Fey Kastil

“Oh, thank the gods!” Cobb’s relief at word from the shuttle was palpable. Which freed him up to focus more intently on the Doctor’s suggestion.

“Why, I haven’t seen one of these since…” he began, reaching for the mask and turning it over in his hands. “It’s an excellent suggestion, Lieutenant. My only concern is, what if they’re not here for us? What if they’re here for that?” he nodded towards the viewscreen, upon which the image of the Einstein could once again be seen.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

The Captains questions would soon be answered as two vessels dropped out of warp, ahead of schedule it seems the nebula had not only been playing with the communications but also the long range scanner. The on duty communications officer would see an indication of an incoming call, both Ferengi ships shield were up and weapons armed.

• LCARS

“Captain, two ships already dropped out of warp, weapons and shields raised. Their ETA is two minutes. ” Stone reported from behind the SEC console. “Sir, if we drop Einstein’s shields we could tow her further into the nebula and win some time. But negotiations with Ferengi will probably be much harder if we do that.”

Also the only way to drop it’s shields quickly would be to fire on their own vessel. As dangerous as that sounded, perhaps they could convince Ferengi that Einstein went rogue if they did that?

Lt. Andrea Stone, COS

“That’s an interesting suggestion, Lt Stone,” the captain replied, nodding, “I like it. But perhaps we should exercise caution by way of diplomacy first?”

He had no intention of getting caught off-guard but still, if the Ferengi were attempting to make contact, it was the gentlemanly thing to offer an ear. As long as that ear had a few torpedoes behind it.

“Hold ready, Lt Stone,” Cobb announced, “Let us hear what they have to say but with the presumption that we’re not going to like it.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“I think diplomacy might be the correct path here too, however, if we look weapons onto the Einstien we could always use it as leverage. We cant can the ship either so they won’t know that we have people aboard. We could threaten to destroy the vessel if they refuse to speak” Ryder suggested, the idea of actually shooting at thier own vessel especially with crewman onboard didn’t sit well in his stomach.

• Lt Cmdr Raauhl, XO

“Aye, the Einstein is our key bargaining chip in this, for sure,” Cobb agreed. “But I want a transporter lock on the away team the nanosecond those shields come down, if that is the direction we take.”

Stone checked that the shields were operational. She prepared herself to raise weapons as well and target either Einstein or Ferengi. She was certain then USS Leviathan could easily deal with the threat, but there were more on the way. Could they be delt with fast enough?

Lt. Andrea Stone, COS

With a final glance at his own control panel, Cobb could see that Stone was prepared to hone in on either target at his word. He offered her a final, appreciative nod then announced to the comms, “Well, let’s hear this call then.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

On the screen came the image of a older Ferengi male that unlike his younger counter parts is no longer shocked by the ugliness of hoomans. “I am DaiMon Olash of the Ferengi vessel Nant. Federation vessel, Identify yourself and your business here. You are between me and my property. I suggest you move. No one has been foolish enough to stand between me and my profits since I was a child and negotiated my first interplanetary acquisition.”
DaiMon Olash

Cobb rose slowly to his feet and pulled himself up to his full, impressive height. Momentarily banished was the slouching, apathetic demeanour of a functioning alcoholic, to be replaced by the very epitome of a battle-hardened Starfleet Captain.

Olash watched the man stand and took in his impressive height. A sub-officer could be heard to whisper in the background, “Rule of Acquisition 53: Never trust anybody taller than you.” The DaiMon silenced him with a quick wave of his hand.

“I am Captain Zachariah Cobb of the Federation Starship, the USS Leviathan,” he replied, confidently. “The USS Einstein remains Federation property and we have been sent to retrieve it. Are you attempting to suggest otherwise, DaiMon Olash? I would caution you that any threats made against either vessel could be seen as an act of aggression against the Federation. Difficult odds, even for one as accomplished as yourself,” he pretended to flatter the other man.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“The Federation ship USS Einstein is wanted by the Ferengi Alliance for grand theft. The pathetic hooman forgot Rule of Acquisition 52: Never ask when you can take. Cpt. Endust made that mistake: he asked when he intended to take. If he wanted my artifact by ill means, he should never have asked for it. And now I will have it back, his ship as compensation for my lost profits, and he and his crew shall be detained for grand theft against a Damon of the Ferengi Alliance.” And of course DaiMon Olash shrugged at Cobb’s reminder about the consequences of aggression, “Rule of Acquisition 34: War is good for business.”
DaiMon Olash

Zachariah laughed openly at the Ferengi captain. “War is indeed good for business when you can feel assured of a victory. But there is no profit to be made in losing. And I feel obliged to warn you that the Leviathan is different to any Starfleet vessel you have ever encountered.”
For a moment his eyes tracked to Lt Stone before setting back onto Olash - a silent signal that he hoped she would correctly interpret as a request to train weapons on the Ferengi vessel.

“But tell me more,” he continued, his interest only partially for show, “about this artifact. Our records indicate it is incredibly dangerous and at this moment particularly volatile. How do you plan to retrieve it without getting burned yourselves?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb