LCDR Decker glanced at the Communications Officer, the XO, and the Klingon commander on the screen. He turned away from the bridge monitor, put on an earpiece for privacy, and opened a direct channel to Lieutenant Nipay, "I believe the XO is a bit occupied, Lieutenant. What's the nature of the 'complication'?"

From the corner of his eye, he senses motion and Xanatos glances over, catching the Ensign's eyes but for a moment, sensing as much as seeing how she was handling it and feeling for her, not the most seasoned in combat himself, but this wasn't his first time either, and as subtly as he can, he smiles at her, hoping she notices, wanting to reassure her as best he can without adding to the situation, having been thru worse encounters and knowing that being too on edge is a dangerous thing..

In reply to LT Michael Stirling (msg # 175):

This would be a colossally stupid way to die, Parry-Jones thought, so I will just have to figure this out. Also, if he makes it out alive, poor dab, Lt. Sterling's therapy bill might bankrupt Starfleet.

She scrutinized the improvised device, to see if it was something she might be able to defuse.

"Hey, Lieutenant," she said, hoping the channel to the bridge was still active. "Here's a joke for you. Do you know why the Klingon crossed the road?"

In reply to LCDR Naryss ch'Pertha (msg # 178):

Commander Kalen'shal narrowed his eyes and studied the viewscreen for a moment.

"You play the game well, Andorian.  In time, you might even begin to lose gloriously.  You HAVE played Klin Zha*, yes?" he asked, the sneer gone from his face.

"The other two battlecruisers have their own commanders... but I do lead the squadron," he added with a nod.  His tone suggested this was not a permanent arrangement, but simply a matter of the moment.

* https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Klin_zha

In reply to LCDR Christopher Decker (msg # 179):

Tilting her head down and facing away from the viewscreen, Nipay adjusted her earpiece receiver and replied to Decker. "Lieutenant Stirling says there's a situation with the Captain.  Something about an improvised explosive device.  Do you want me to patch you through to him?" she asked.  She switched over audio so that Decker could hear, just in time for him to catch the captain's Klingon-crossed-the-road joke to Stirling.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Fri 26 Apr 2019.

In reply to LT JG Xanatos Mcreeg (msg # 180):

For her part, Nyshuri caught Mcreeg's glance and smile and let out the breath she hadn't been aware of holding, giving a wan smile in return.  Steadied, she minded her board...

The slightest of smiles crosses his face when Xanatos feels more than sees how she reacts, his own attentions fully back to his post, fingers still moving just making sure everything is as it's supposed to be, listening to the conversations, the posturings both spoken and implied, silently wondering how best to turn things to their advantage, feeling himself sweating just a bit, the anticipation, the waiting, not something he has mastered yet.

Hanging on the line, Stirling studied the setup carefully.  He was more than familiar with phasers, but how this Frankenstein monstrosity of wiring was put together, he wasn't sure.  Certainly not done by a professional, he realized.

Without glancing up, he smiled at the captain's lead-in for a joke.  "Not stinky enough on his side of the road?" he guessed.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:58, Fri 26 Apr 2019.

The corners of Decker's lips twitched upwards as he supplied the punchline to the old Academy joke, "Why, to conquer the other side, of course. Captain, this is Lieutenant Command Decker. The XO is speaking with the commander of the Klingon squadron. I understand there's a problem. Can I assist?"

"Oh, we're just fine here, Mr. Decker," she said, not quite telling the truth. "Whoever hit me on the head tried to wire a bomb, but..." She held it up and twisted it in the light before sighing. "My little cousin Harry can wire better explosives than this--in zero G." She started to untangle the mess of wiring around the phaser then looked up at Lt. Sterling. "I weep for the future. Truly. These...these wires are the lights from Decker's birthday party--and the phaser's barely got a charge. Right."

A squadron. A bloody squadron of Klingons. She pushed herself up and handed the mess of wires to Sterling. "Have we found the moron responsible for this yet? What the hell is he doing on my ship and what the hell does he have to do with the Klingons?"





19:07, Today: CDR Ffion Parry-Jones rolled 49 using 4d20 with rolls of 11,13,18,7.  Defuse Phaser Bomb: Intuition + Engineering + Momentum (2).

"I.......see." Decker had trouble focusing on this with the conversation on the view screen behind him.  "Ma'am, with all due respect to the XO, I believe we need you up here on the bridge ASAP. Do you need any assistance?"

In reply to Starfleet Command (msg # 173):

The only solid path you're getting off this ship is with the security division. Thats if i dont vent these tubes first.

ch'Pertha smiled at the compliment, but relied, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure, Commander.
Perhaps when we've sorted this mess, and completed our mission, I might have the opportunity to be 'taught a lesson' in Klingon Zha by yourself, eh?" he suggested.

"But, right now, I must beg your forgiveness, as Duty calls.
May a thousand hawks* drive you on, Commander".
And he make the gesture for Nipay to kill the comm-connection before Kalen'shai could reply.

In reply to CDR Ffion Parry-Jones (msg # 188):

Given the captain's insight and revelations, Stirling re-approached his task and took a different look at the problem.  After a moment, as the CO was on the horn with the CSO, he said, "Ma'am, I'm not sure that was entirely the case."

Apologetically, he indicated a few leads - now that he trusted they weren't live - and pointed them out the Parry-Jones.  "Looks to me like he rigged this up to LOOK like a bomb... but never intended it to actually explode."

"Whoever 'HE' is, that is," the Lieutenant added, somewhat awkwardly.

In reply to LCDR Gullak JavKer (msg # 190):

In the darkness ahead, JavKer could hear a muttered curse, followed by - if he wasn't mistaken - repressed sobbing.  "I don't want to do this," he breathed.  And the voice was definitely male. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:31, Tue 30 Apr 2019.

In reply to LCDR Naryss ch'Pertha (msg # 191):

There was a bleep and the screen went blank.

"Channel cut, Commander," Nipay reported.

"Awesome", ch'Pertha replied, turning with a huge shit-eating grin on his face and rubbing his hands in glee, "I don't believe that could have gone any better.  How about you Ltn Commander?" he said, directing his last comment to Decker.

"Right, lets see what happening with the Captain", pulling his Starfleet vest tightly down over his chest, and sitting himself down in the Command Seat.   "Ltn Nipay, could you please patch me through to the Captain, and Lt Stirling ... wherever their party happens to be".

Decker returned a rather weak chuckle and grin while nodding and trying to calculate how many seconds the ship had left to live. As Lieutenant Nipay cut the Captain's audio channel over to the XO, Decker swung back to his instruments to watch for the Klingons' next move.

"Roger that, sir," Nipay grinned, and patched ch'Pertha in to Stirling's open communicator... with the captain in easy pickup range of the audio.

Onscreen, meanwhile, the Klingons had no immediate, visible reaction (on sensors or visual)... but continued to approach, weapons ready.

With the channel cut, LT E'Detra turned to Mcreeg and Nyshuri as they sat at their helm console, at the head of the bridge.

"All right, there's two large dust clouds perpendicular to our course, flanking the intercept with the Klingons that's unfolding.  I've sent the pertinent data to your boards.  Let's be ready to dive in to one or the other.  It'll give us cover, and maybe buy us some time," she said.

ch'Pertha smiled, as he heard E'Detra taking control of the situation.
It always made him feel safer when Security was calling the shots.

"Lt Stirling, I understand that you're having fun without me.
Brief, please" he said, as he tapped away at the keyboard built into the Command chair arm ...

the typed message was to LCDR Jav'ker:   'Update please, Engineering'

Xanatos smiles, even with all that is going on, at home at his station, more comfortable with high tensions and a racing pulse than he is when things are calm..

Checking his boards, then checking them again, nodding to himself..

"Aye, say the word and we'll have the ship hidden before they even know we're gone"

He includes the Ensign in his response hoping to reassure her that things will be alright now that they have a plan.

What ever your intent, it is over now. Come out peaceably and you'll be treated with fairness. Endanger no more lives

In reply to LCDR Gullak JavKer (msg # 201):

OOC: Thanks all, for your patience.  Last week was a killer.  Pushing on!

There was a long pause as Jav'Ker waited for the man's response...

OOC: Please to make a Presence + Command check.  Difficulty is 1.  Your Intimidation focus will apply, so any roll of 2 or less counts as 2 successes!  You can buy an extra die for 1 Momentum if you wish, or 2 dice for 3 Momentum (total).  Otherwise, 2d20...

"I've got the captain; she's in a Jeffries junction near sickbay.  She's strapped to what appeared to be a phaser bomb, but she's identified it as a dummy.  Whoever rigged this either was hopelessly incompetent, or wanted it to LOOK deadly without actually posing any threat."

"In any case, I'm cutting her free now."

Having said that, Stirling quickly freed the Captain from her bonds.