- , Mission #

"Syndicated"

U.S.S. Hyperion Mission #6

Directed by: C. J. Short

Starring

Einar Sigurdsson as Captain Jonathan Rome

Riccardo Fabris as Ensign Dimak O’Kar

Sophie Wakeling as Lieutenant Joanne Feyna

Guest Starring

James Greenman as Lieutenant Commander Richard Foxworthy

SUMMARY: After repairs, the Hyperion speeds towards the New Frace system to patrol for Orion Syndicate raiders. The Arachnid Nebula looms nearby; a decent hiding spot for pirates. The ship is five minutes out.

<<<Begin Mission>>>

NAV_Ens_OKar ::checks time until arrival:: CO: Sssir, we ssshould be 5 minutesss out.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Looking slightly green, at Tac::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::moves over to the warp plasma distribution console, making adjustments as the Hyperion screams through space at unfathomable speeds::

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: An incoming subspace message lights up the conn.

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Sssir, incoming messsssage.

CO_Captain_Rome ::nods:: NAV: On screen, Ensign.

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Sssir, audio only. It'sss a disssstresss beacon from a federation freighter!

CO_Captain_Rome ::edges closer to the edge of his seat:: NAV: Play it, man.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::makes the recording play on the bridge speakers::

CO_Captain_Rome NAV: Lock on to their location, maximum warp.

ENG_Ens_Emeric *Hyperion*: To any Federation vessel in range. This is the SS Brand, a freighter out of New France. We are under attack by an unknown vessel, and request immediate assistance.

ACTION: The message repeats, the voice oddly calm given the situation.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Tries to pay attention, but also tries not to be too ill on the bridge::

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand* SS Brand Commander, this is the USS Hyperion. We are en route to you now? Do you copy?

CO_Captain_Rome CTO: Red Alert.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::changes course towards the signal at maximum warp::

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Presses the big red...alert button::

@CO_Captain_Rome CEO: Commander Foxworthy, can you get a reading on that ship?

NAV_Ens_OKar All: Changing courssse to heading 305 mark 73.

ENG_Ens_Emeric *Hyperion*: We copy. Good to hear you, Hyperion; we're holding for the moment. They're trying to disable us. It won't be long, though.

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand*: Hold on, we're almost there. ::looks at O'kar::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::brings up the long range sensors and pulses a few scans in that direction to see what they're up against:: CO: Checking now, Captain.

CO_Captain_Rome ::looks over, failing to locate Emeric::

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Sssir, coming up to the location of the sssignal now.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::slows the ship as they approach the site of the attack::

CO_Captain_Rome NAV: Put us right ontop of that freighter!

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::looks up from his console:: CO: Looks to be an Orion scout, heavily modified. It's carrying some heavy shielding but it looks like they're diverting power from their engines for it.

CO_Captain_Rome CTO: Extend our shields to cover them.

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: The Hyperion drops out of warp to see a small Orion attack craft firing on a long, narrow freighter.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::inputs the commands to get closer to the freighter::

CO_Captain_Rome CTO: And fire a shot across their bow. Make it sting.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy CO: Sir, that freighter is taking a battering, but it doesn't look like they're that damaged. ::reruns his scans to confirm::

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Extends the shields, and fires a shot across the orion vessel::

CO_Captain_Rome ::furrows his brow:: CEO: The Orions...are their weapons at full power?

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: The shields flash as they extend around the freighter, and the Hyperion fires a phaser blast near the ship. It breaks off its attack, but doesn't run just yet.

CO_Captain_Rome NAV: Hail the Orion scout. Tell them to stand down or we fire.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::attempts to hail the Orion scout::

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: The Orion's don't repsond. The ship turns slowly, starting to face the Hyperion.

CO_Captain_Rome CTO: Lock weapons on that ship.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::lets his fingers fly across the familiar console:: CO: Seems so, Captain. The freighter is at 25 percent shields.

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: No resssponssse from the Orion vessssel.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy CO: They're shunting a lot of power through the weapons, Captain. Looks like they're planning something...

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::targets weapons on the orion::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::reinforces structural integrity and pushes power to shields::

CO_Captain_Rome *Orion Scout*: This is your final warning.

CTO_Lt_Feyna CO: they have locked weapons on us Captain

CO_Captain_Rome ::raises his hand and gestures:: CTO: Fire all phasers, disable their weapons.

ACTION: The ship launches towards the Hyperion, firing everything it has.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::starts tapping panels to set up defenses::

NAV_Ens_OKar ::enters into an evasive pattern, making sure to stay near the freighter to ensure that the shield extension isn't broken::

CO_Captain_Rome All: Didn't we just leave this party?

ACTION: The ships trade fire, plasma beams and torpedos slamming into the Hyperion's shields; the ship shakes lightly. A few phaser strikes slip through the vessel's shields, and it's weapons cease.

CO_Captain_Rome CEO: Report?

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Feels even more sick with the shaking of the Hyperion::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::runs a quick damage report after the exchange of fire:: CO: Shields are at 90%, minimal damage. The Orions look like they're turning to run, pushing power to engines.

CO_Captain_Rome CEO: Tractor beam.

CO_Captain_Rome CTO: Disable their engines.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Targets the engines, and fires::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::engages the tractor beam::

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: Instead of turning, the ship enters a direct course for the Freighter, impulse engines at full.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::sets course to make sure the Orion vessel is kept in range::

NAV_Ens_OKar ::immediately changes course, attempting to get between the orion ship and the freighter::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::spots what the vessel is about to try and pushes the tractor beam to full, looking to deflect the smaller Orion ship from its course:: CO: Sir, they're ramming the freighter!

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy CO: Attempting to push them away with the tractor beam!

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Fires again at the engines::

CO_Captain_Rome ::stands up:: OPS: Get veryone off that freighter, now!

CO_Captain_Rome NAV: Get us in between them.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::doesn't reply, too intent in manoeuvring the ship::

ENG_Ens_Emeric ACTION: It takes the tractor beam a moment, but it engages the vessel and begins changing its course. A strike from the phasers hit's the vessel's engines, and it stalls for a momrent before exploding in a brilliant flash of green light.

CO_Captain_Rome All: What the HELL is going on here? ::turns to look at Joanne::

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::frowns down at his readings:: CO: It looks like they overloaded their warp core. They were running it well past tolerance, and with everything...

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::runs a quick scan for survivors::

CO_Captain_Rome NAV: Status of the freighter?

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Shrugs, looking equally querying:: CO: I was targeting the engines to stop them. There must have been modifications that we would not have been aware of

CO_Captain_Rome CEO/CTO: These were no pirates.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::shakes his head slowly:: CO: No survivors, Captain.

CTO_Lt_Feyna CO: Then maybe we need to speak to the freighter. Find out what they have that the Orions were willing to die for to get their hands on

NAV_Ens_OKar ::hails the freighter to see what's their status:: *Freighter*: USSs Hyperion to Federation Freighter, what'sss your ssstatusss?

CO_Captain_Rome ::nods, then sits back down:: CEO: See to our repairs, Commander. I fear this isn't over.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::nods:: CO: I'm inclined to agree with you there, sir.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::begins assigning damage control teams, then pick up his engineering kit and steps into the TL, making his way to primary shield control::

Capt_Russell *Hyperion*: We're good, Hyperion. Thanks for the assist. This new shielding Starfleet helped us with did wonders; we'd be dead in the water without it.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Murmers to herself:: Self: New shielding?

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Sssir, the freighter ssseemsss to be fine. Want me to patch them through?

CO_Captain_Rome ::nods::

NAV_Ens_OKar ::patches the communication to the main viewscreen::

ACTION: A stoic-looking human appears on screen, all square-jawed and serious.

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand*: Captain. I think it's time you told me what's going on here.

CEO_LtCmdr_Foxworthy ::slips easily into a jeffries tube and pushes his way along, moving the engineering kit ahead of him until he gets to one of the neural gelpack relays::

CO_Captain_Rome ::looks to Joanne and nods towards the library computer::

Capt_Russell ::furrows his brow:: *Hyperion*: This has been going on for weeks. Their attacks seem random, and they never hit the same place twice. This is the closest to the colony they've been.

CTO_Lt_Feyna ::Nods back, and moves quietly to the computer, and starts a search::

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand*: I read the briefing Captain...?

Capt_Russell ::frowns:: *Hyperion*: What is it you want to know, then?

NAV_Ens_OKar ::inputs a holding pattern near the debris/freighter::

CO_Captain_Rome ::sighs and accesses his armrest console, letting the man wait as he accesses the files for the SS Brand::

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand*: Captain Russell. Ah. Now, what I want to know is what you are carrying....since I've fought pirates before, they usually cut and run when they see a Federation cruiser. This one was intent on destroying you. There's no profit in death.

Capt_Russell ::doesn't like the implication:: *Hyperion*: Raw materials, mostly. Duranium, tritanium; construction materials. I don't know what these pirates were after any more than you do.

CO_Captain_Rome ::let's silence hang in the air for a moment:: *SS Brand*: Fine, I hope you don't mind if I let my people scan your ship. Just in case... and if any of your people need medical assistance, they are welcome to transport over. We shall also send you some engineers to assist with repairs.

Capt_Russell *Hyperion*: We have nothing to hide, Captain. Feel free to search. Any assistance you can offer would be welcome.

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Sssir, an unknown ssship is decloaking nearby, looksss to be near an asssteroid.

CO_Captain_Rome ::looks to O'kar:: NAV: Magnify.

NAV_Ens_OKar ::sets the viewscreen to zoom in on the uncloaked vessel:

NAV_Ens_OKar :

ACTION: This ship bears the same coloring of the scout, but is sleeker, and larger. It is visible only for a few moments before its warp engines engage, sending it streaking off into space::

CO_Captain_Rome *SS Brand*: Thoughts, Captain Russell?

NAV_Ens_OKar CO: Looked like another Orion ssship, Sssir.

Capt_Russell *Hyperion*: I've never seen a ship like that.

CO_Captain_Rome Self: Neither have I...

<<<Pause Mission>>>