What to do?

[tomcat]

It had been easy. The anarchy on the ship slowly acquiesced as the anti-Hydraen pheromone was dispersed - first to senior officers and then to junior crewmen and women.

With the command restrictions removed, Ramos and Tam configured the antidote as an aerosol and it was injected into the Warp core chamber. The crewman who had holed up in the ship's heart soon came out wondering what had happened. In fact, most crew suffered the same thing - memory of doing things but not sure why they had done them.

With his ship re-secured, Darkan sat in his command chair also comforted by the removal of unwanted 'feelings'. Dr. Tam had once again come through with a solution that brought the Columbia out of danger. He looked out the viewscreen at the now derelict Golayshian and listened to the suggestions from Grahm - they still had a team of 6 engineers aboard the Hydrean ship. Though the team could climb aboard their shuttle and blow the locks off the Golayshian shuttlebay, there were still over 70 Hydraen crewmen aboard. They had made an overt act of piracy against a Federation vessel, but Darkan had sworn an oath to his service and that was to help all lifeforms in distress.

So, he listened to Grahm and thought about how they would 'house' the 80 man Hydraen crew until they could get them to a Starbase or other facility. Behind Darkan, his senior staff were also back at their stations and back in their 'right mind'. Stonn still watched his sensor readings constantly concerned with the Paulson around them. The internal threat to the Columbia was dissipated but the external one was still very real. Townshend and Pushkin also sat at their consoles and each was relieved to be back in control of themselves, yet hints of the feelings roused by the Hydraen females lingered.

--------------

In the brig, Isaboul sat with a scowl on her face. What was going to happen to her and her entourage? How had they found them out? Had she played her hand to quickly?

The situation on the Golayshian had been critical and who knew when another ship would have come along in this wretched nebula. Now her fate was at the hands of this human captain! On her homeworld she was an outlaw... if she was taken there, she would be severely punished. The 'Hydraen Art of Diplomacy' was a long held secret and she had failed in her dealings and revealed the secret - on Tau Hydrae, that was an act that was punishable by death.

She continued to stare off, ignoring her fellow Hydraens around her.

[GandalfOfBorg]

"What about lifepods?  The crew abandons ship and we pick them up via tractor beam and/or shuttle."

"As for where to keep them... I'll talk with the princess about this.  The bigger problem is what to do with them."

[tomcat]

Townshend immediately transmitted the message to Lt. Williams and she got an immediate response, "Columbia... the Hydraens will not abandon their vessel until they hear word from their Captain. Also, we are now down to 5% power; the ship is becoming increasingly colder and I'd say we'll have gravity for another 15 minutes. If we do not get the Galileo off before then, the non-gravity will cause a hazardous launch."

To Darkan's third question, Townshend offered a solution, "Captain Darkan, Starbase-157 is directly along our path towards the 'Wedge'. It would make a suitable place to leave the Hydraens until Starfleet or the government of Tau hydrae may decide what to do with them."

[GandalfOfBorg]

"We'll have an answer for you shortly Mr. Williams.  Columbia out."

"I'll go speak with Princess Isaboul about cooperating and getting her people off the ship.  Mr. Stonn, you have the bridge," says Darkan and departs the bridge.

His journey was short getting to the brig.  With a simple command, he removed the quarantine and entered.  Coming to the cell with the princess in it, he called, "Princess Isaboul, your people and mine are in dire straights over on your ship.  Will you please help me get them off?  Once that is done, we can discuss further arrangements for getting you out of the nebula.  Whar say you?"

Persuade - (6+6+2)+4=18  (if it'll help)

[tomcat]

She looked to Darkan and a pleasant smile crossed her face and again she attempted to beguile, "Oh Steve... why do you have me sitting here in this cold, vacant room? We should be working together to assist both of our peoples - of course I can help you for the safety of our crews. Surely you can release us to return to our staterooms?"

There was a twinge inside Darkan's gut. She was beautiful and he had felt 'something' for her, but he knew now what she was about and the innoculation that coursed his system repulsed her 'chemical' persuasiveness. Isaboul could easily see that she no longer had any effect on the man before her and her face changed to one of defeat.

"What is it that you need from me," she surrendered.

[GandalfOfBorg]

All business, Darkan answered.  "I need you to command your people still aboard your ship to abandon it.  If we are to save their lives, it must be done now.  I will let you and only you out of the brig so this can be done and then we can discuss the conditions of your travel to our nearest starbase.  Agreed?"

[tomcat]

Isaboul silently nodded her head and stood, "I will do this Captain Darkan, but will my people be treated justly? I understand if you feel the need to keep me in such a condition, but must my people also endure being caged?"

[GandalfOfBorg]

"For now they will, yes." Darkan, markedly armed with a phaser at his side being the only one in the detention center, disengages the forcefield long enough to let the princess out and re-establishes it. "To the bridge, Your Highness. I believe you know the way."

--

The turbolifts doors open to find Darkan and the princess within. Ignoring the obvious disdain from Ms. Townshend, "Hail the Hydraen ship. Let them know the princess wishes to speak to her crew."

[tomcat]

Darkan and the other bridge members watched as the Golayshian began to release her crew. Explosive devices went off across both port and starboard sides of the ship, ejecting the lifepods into the nebula. The hangar bay doors also blew out and in moments, both the Columbia's shuttles and a Hydraen shuttle exited the ship.

"Columbia, Columbia, this is Galileo-042 and we are inbound. We have aboard all crew members plus a load out of 6 Hydraen passengers. ETA is 15 minutes. The Golayshian shuttle, Konshi, is trailing us and will follow us in. Galileao out."

Now, the real problems began, there were at least 30 lifepods now released into the Paulson cloud and the Federation starship would need to pick up all of the survivors of the abandoned vessel. To do that, they would need sensors and tractor beams - both of which were tempermental in the nebula. The crew began to get to their jobs.

The lifepods would be 'captured' and then brought into the Columbia's hangar - a difficult task in itself, compounded by the intermittance of the space around them. Townshend new that there could be injured people as well as the security issue at hand.

She thumbed a button, "Dr. Tam, please report to the ship's hangar in 15 minutes. Lt. Grahm, please report to the ship's hangar with an armed team of security officers."

Darkan turned to the princess, she had complied and her people would be safe, but now it was time to get her back to where she belonged. She looked harmless. Beautiful. Yet, she had tried to commandeer his vessel and turn her crew against their own - both serious offenses in Federation law.

OOC: First off - sorry for the delay since our last post. Second, I am going to need some test rolls:

Sys Ops (Sensors): TN 12 per test +5 for Paulson Nebula effect, or TN 17; each test will constitute 15 minutes and will work to locate the lifepods in the nebula. A failed test still will use the time but not count towards the rescue. If the pods are not all collected within 3 hours of test time, the lifepods will be lost, the environmental supply will expire and the occupants will perish. The DOS will infer the following affinity bonuses to the Sys Ops (Tractors) tests below:

Any Failure: No bonus
Marginal Success: No bonus
Complete Success: +1 bonus
Superior Success: +2 bonus
Extraordinary Success: +3 bonus

Sys Ops (Tractors): TN 15 per test; each test will constitute 15 minutes and will work to grab the lifepods in the nebula. A failed test still will use the time but will not count towards the aggregate. If the pods are not all collected within 2 hours, the environmental supply will expire and the occupants will perish. The DOS will determine the number of pods captured per test; understand that a Tractor test can only be performed in conjunction with a successful Sensor test; there are 30 lifepods in the nebula

Any Failure: No pods retreived
Marginal Success: 2 pods retrieved
Complete Success: 3 pods retrieved
Superior Success: 5 pods retreived
Extraordinary Success: 10 pods retrieved

PS I wanted to remind everyone again that I now use the Default skin for this forum. It is easier for me to use it at the office.

[GandalfOfBorg]

As the princess is led from the bridge, Darkan quietly comments, "I want sensors and guards watching them 24/7.  They are to remain in the cargo bay/shuttle bay/quarters (whatever is decided that they are kept in) at all times, not leaving without good reason."

[sdrotar]

Sys Ops (Sensors): TN 12 per test +5 for Paulson Nebula effect, or TN 17; each test will constitute 15 minutes and will work to locate the lifepods in the nebula. A failed test still will use the time but not count towards the rescue. If the pods are not all collected within 3 hours of test time, the lifepods will be lost, the environmental supply will expire and the occupants will perish. The DOS will infer the following affinity bonuses to the Sys Ops (Tractors) tests below:

Any Failure: No bonus
Marginal Success: No bonus
Complete Success: +1 bonus
Superior Success: +2 bonus
Extraordinary Success: +3 bonus

Stonn's SysOps (Sensors) +9, Specialty +2 = +11 (TN 17)
Roll(2d6)+11:5,2,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS (OOC: Whew!)

[tomcat]

Townshend bring's in pods with the tractors:

Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 3,5,+10 Total:18

3 Pods retreived, 27 left

OOC: I need another sensor roll from Stonn to find another group of lifepods. If you just wanna roll of series of rolls, I will use them in order based on success to make the corresponding Tractor tests.

[sdrotar]

Townshend bring's in pods with the tractors:

Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 3,5,+10 Total:18

3 Pods retreived, 27 left

OOC: I need another sensor roll from Stonn to find another group of lifepods. If you just wanna roll of series of rolls, I will use them in order based on success to make the corresponding Tractor tests.

OOC: Is it one roll per three pods? I'll make nine rolls here - does that cover it?

Stonn's SysOps (Sensors) +9, Specialty +2 = +11 (TN 17)

Roll(2d6)+11:1,5,+11 Total:17 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:6,6,(4)+11 Total:27 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:6,6,(5)+11 Total:28 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:1,6,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:5,2,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:6,1,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:3,4,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:5,1,+11 Total:17 - SUCCESS

Roll(2d6)+11:5,5,+11 Total:21 - SUCCESS

Stonn was pleased to feel like himself again, and as his long fingers danced over the controls, he felt completely in command of his station once more.  He was relieved that the sensors were working so well, and that lives could be saved.

[tomcat]

Roll(2d6)+11:1,5,+11 Total:17 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:6,6,(4)+11 Total:27 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:6,6,(5)+11 Total:28 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:1,6,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:5,2,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:6,1,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:3,4,+11 Total:18 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:5,1,+11 Total:17 - SUCCESS
Roll(2d6)+11:5,5,+11 Total:21 - SUCCESS

Townshend brings in pods with the tractors (27 pods left):

Tractor test 2 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +0 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+9: 1,6,+9 Total:16
3 more pods (24 left) - 30 minutes

Tractor test 3 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +2 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+11: 5,3,+11 Total:19
3 more pods (21 left) - 45 minutes

Tractor test 4 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +3 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+12: 2,6,+12 Total:20
3 more pods (18 left) - 1 hour

Tractor test 5 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 2,6,+10 Total:18
3 more pods (15 left) - 1 hour, 15 minutes

Tractor test 6 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 4,4,+10 Total:18
3 more pods (12 left) - 1 hour, 30 minutes

Tractor test 7 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 3,4,+10 Total:17
3 more pods (9 left) - 1 hour, 45 minutes

Tractor test 8 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 1,3,+10 Total:14
0 more pods (9 left) - 2 hours

Tractor test 9 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +0 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+9: 6,2,+9 Total:17
3 more pods (6 left) - 2 hours, 15 minutes

Tractor test 10 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +1 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+10: 6,1,+10 Total:17
3 more pods (3 left) - 2 hours, 30 minutes

Tractor test 11 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +0 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+9: 1,3,+9 Total:13
0 more pods (3 left) - 2 hours, 45 minutes

Tractor test 12 - TN 15: Sys Ops +9, +0 from Sensor affinity
Roll(2d6)+9: 6,2,+9 Total:17
3 more pods (0 left) - 3 hours

[tomcat]

After a gruelling 3 hours of labor, both Stonn and Townshend sat back from their controls, the Hydraens had all been rescued and were in the mammoth hangar bay of the Columbia. On the viewscreen, the Golayshian drifted uncontrolled within the Paulson Nebula, her hull dark and her interior exposed to the vaccuum of space.

"We are through here Captain," Townshend said as she pressed a control that brought the tractor emitters back into the confines of the Columbia's outer skin.

Next chimed the ship's intercom, it was Mr. Grahm. The Tactical officer had been restored to his duty once it was apparent that the Hydraen effect had been neutralized.

"Captain, we have all of the Hydraens in the Main Cargo hold and Dr. Tam and his staff are trying to make them as comfortable as possible. Access to the Hydraens is limited to senior officers and Medical personnel only. Grahm out."