The Needs of the Many, Part Two

Posted on Jul 08, 2015 @ 12:22am by Captain Michael Turlogh Kane & Commander Jacob Crichton
Edited on on Jul 08, 2015 @ 12:24am

Mission: The Lights of Hyperion

"THE NEEDS OF THE MANY, PART TWO"

(Continued from "The Needs of the Many, Part One")

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Location: USS Phoenix, en route to Elandipole through the Hyperion Expanse
Stardate: [2.15]0707.1800
Scene: Corridor, on a deck somewhere in the drive section


Arthur Embry moved slowly through the corridor, supporting himself on the wall with one hand. He wasn't sure where he was. He had tried to keep track of deck listings and directions stenciled into wall panelling at T-junctions in the corridor, but each time he found his way to a turbolift it wouldn't open. He guessed the security overrides had been activated, locking down all transit off this level, and that meant he'd need to find another way to Savaar.

Keep going down, he told himself. You're sore and bruised, but keep going down. That was where Engineering lay in relation to Cargo Bay Three. He tried to remember what route he had taken to get here and only recalled a maze of access tunnels and maintenance shafts. If he had to guess, he thought he was three or four decks below the cargo bay, going by all the crew quarters and sealed escape pods.

The decks were empty, too. The red alert bars were flashing on the wall, and no doors had opened for him so far. For all Embry knew, he was the only man on the whole deck, but he still had to be careful. He sidled up to corners, surreptitiously glanced down them, and kept one eye in the back of his head as he moved on.

There was noise from up ahead. Embry froze and stood stock still, listening hard. There were low voices around a bend in the corner ahead, and they were getting closer. He thought quickly. If it was a marine patrol, they'd lock him up, assuming they didn't just kill him on the spot. None of the doors would open for him, and he was too hurt to make a run for it.

Then Embry's eyes lighted on a section of panelling that had been torn free from the wall a few feet ahead of him. The voices were getting closer -it was a man and woman. Embry stumbled over to the removed panel and tugged at the manual release lever. It stuck, and Embry frantically yanked it again. He thought he felt it move a little. Embry turned, looking at bend of the corner next to him as the two voices got closer. For a moment he thought he recognised them, but he put that out of his mind and yanked again.

Suddenly, the panel slide aside, and Embry found himself staring into the business end of Starfleet-issue phaser. A woman Embry didn't recognize was on the other end of it, staring at him with suspicion. He saw that her hand was trembling a little, and his eyes followed up the line of her arm to a thin, bony face that was framed by a mop of scraggly hair. They looked into each others' eyes, and Embry thought her expression softened somewhat.

"Please," Embry whispered in a pleading voice. "Let me in."

The woman frowned, looking over Embry's shoulder at the corridor behind him. She could plainly hear the approaching voices too. She reached out, seized him by the sleeve and dragged him towards the opening. Embry crawled inside, and the hatch slid shut just as the approaching patrol rounded the corner. There was barely enough room for both of them, and Embry's bones ached as he was pressed against the woman one side and the wall on the other. He peered out through the small grille to see who was coming.

It was Selyara and Barnes. They were being slow but purposeful in their walking down the corridor. Embry glanced at the woman, noting that she was still pointing the phaser at his head. They could both hear the muffled voices of Barnes and Selyara from the other side of the hatch - it was difficult to hear exactly, but Embry picked up enough keywords to think that they were talking about finding a working turbolift. Apparently, they'd had as much trouble leaving this deck as Embry had. The whole damn ship must be on lockdown.

Embry felt his heart leap. If Barnes was loose on the ship, he had one more friend he could trust. Barnes must have either captured or made an ally of Selyara - either way, Embry needed to make contact with him. His hands reached for the grille to push it open.

"Don't move," the woman said suddenly from behind him. Embry felt the sharp end of the phaser pushing into his side.

"It's okay," Embry whispered back. "I know those two. I'm friendly with Barnes. We can trust him."

The phaser shifted position. It was no longer pushing into his side. Now the woman put the barrel of the weapon to Embry's cheek, her thumb sitting squarely atop the firing stud. She looked frantic. "That woman can't be trusted," she said. "Don't move or I swear by all the devils in hell I'll kill you right here."

Outside the hatch, Barnes and Selyara passed by. The murmuring of their voices started to fade as they moved on.

"Selyara?" Embry hissed. "I know she's one hell of a bitch, but - "

"She'll fry your goddamn head if you give her a chance," the woman said desperately. "She's a touch telepath. She can get inside your head and control your mind, like a puppeteer pulling your strings. Old friend of Captain Kane's, too."

Embry's jaw dropped. It was all true, he realised. "How do you know all of this?" he asked.

"I was on Limbo looking for her," the woman said. "So was Kane. All of this, everything that happened - it's because of her. They want her, they need her for something."

The enormity of what she was saying bore down on Embry. He'd been outplayed, right from the very start. "Kane," he breathed angrily. "He must have sent Selyara down to the cargo by to feed me information right from the start."

"Sounds like something he'd do," Montoya said. "He's a ruthless bastard." She lowered the phaser. "So, you're from Shanty Town." It was a statement, not a question.

Embry looked at her, his pride momentarily puffing him up. "I am Shanty Town, my dear. It's just everyone seems to have forgotten that. Temporarily, I assure you. I'm Arthur Embry. Who are you?"

"Evangeline Montoya," the woman said. "An unwelcome guest aboard this ship, like you."

"Kane's crew is hunting you as well?" Embry asked. "I'm impressed. We seem to have a lot in common."

"I don't think so," Montoya said coldly. She hefted the phaser again, reminding him that she still has it. "We give your two friends out there a couple of minutes to get gone, then you find your own hiding place."

"Don't be short-sighted," Embry said in admonishment. "The riot's over, or will be soon. Once things are back to normal, how long do you think it'll take them to isolate your bio-signature aboard the ship and beam you directly into the brig?"

"I won't make it easy for them," Montoya said fiercely. "They're desperately short staffed and they have to make port somewhere soon. If I can keep hidden, if I can stay moving - "

"That's insane," Embry said, shooting down her idea with a dismissive wave. "Your only chance lies in joining up with me."

"And just who the hell are you?" Montoya frowned.

"I'm the one who organized this riot," Embry said, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I have men free aboard the ship, attempting to seize control of Main Engineering. If I can rendezvous with them, we'll be in command of this ship, not Captain Kane. And believe me, I am every bit as ruthless as he is."

"Bullshit," Montoya said.

"There's no way you make it out of this without trusting someone," Embry said. "You know what Kane will do if he catches you. It seems like I'm your only remaining option. If you help me, I can protect you."

Montoya considered this for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Fine," she said. "What's your plan?"

"We go after them," Embry said, nodding towards the access hatch. "We need Selyara. Let's go get her."

The hatch fell to the floor with a dull thud. Montoya increased the setting on the phaser, and together they stalked down the corridor, on the trail of Barnes and Selyara.

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Scene: Main Engineering, as before


Jake was still looking down the barrel of Savaar's disruptor. The Vulcan, satisfied that Jake was apparently complying with his demand, had switched his aim back to the chief engineer. Sylvia was slowly reaching up to the communicator on her left breast to contact the bridge, while Savaar's three men watched her intently with balled fists. The lithe Gorn at the back seemed to be an unmoving monolith.

A lance of orange light flared out across Main Engineering. It came from the gantry on the deck above the warp reactor, angling down diagonally, sizzling the air as it came. Cindy and Sylvia cringed and ducked at the familiar whine. The orange beam struck Savaar on the right shoulder, knocking him backwards and sending the phaser flying out of his hand. it fell onto the ground between Jake and the Vulcan.

Jake didn't hesitate. He pushed his legs forward like pistons, launching himself into a dive for the downed weapon.There was movement overhead in his peripheral vision, but Jake's whole world right now was Savaar's disruptor.

Another beam flashed somewhere, shrieking down from one of the upper tiers to strike one of Savaar's men - a big, hairy man - in the back, sending him sprawling across Cindy's. Cindy dived on him, striking the man across the chin repeatedly with the heel of her palm, knocking him half-senseless. Sylvia ducked down behind another workstation as another phaser blast,wide-angled this time, took out the two other refugee men.

Amid the shitstorm, the Gorn stood tall and unmoving.

Jake his the deck plate hard, his arms outstretched, coming up just shy of the disruptor. In growing panic, he watched olive fingers reach out and close around the handle. Jake looked up and saw Savaar, now up on hands and knees, pulling the disruptor from the ground. The Vulcan levelled the disruptor at him.

"Time to die, chief engineer," the Vulcan said coldly. He squeezed the trigger.

A blur of green suddenly filled Jake's vision, and suddenly Savaar was hoisted almost 7 feet into the air with a mangled scream. The disruptor shot went wild, screaming away and upward to hit the ceiling two decks above. His dangling legs kicked uselessly at the air beneath him as he flailed in confusion, gasping for breath. The Gorn had him in one meaty hand, clawed fingers closed tightly around the Vulcan's neck. With his other hand, the Gorn seized Savaar's arm and shook it roughly. The disruptor clattered to the floor.

It was over.

"Clear!"

Jake heard a woman's voice yell out. He looked up, saw Kassandra Thytos leaning against the railing on an upper tier, grinning down at him. "Did Ah graze ya?" she winked.

Two other marines were also on the upper tier, covering the dazed forms of Savaar's henchmen. Jake looked over, and saw Captain Kane climbing down one of the ladders to join him on the lower level. A phaser hung in a holster at Kane's side.

"Commander Crichton," Kane said, as he turned to smile at Jake. "Is this a good time for a surprise inspection?"

Jake grinned at him. "Captain on deck," he said triumphantly. "How did you get down here so fast?"

"We had an inside man," Kane said. He turned, and nodded at the Gorn. "My sincere thanks to you, Mister Chaucer."

The Gorn returned Kane's nod, and released Savaar. The Vulcan collapsed in a heap at Chaucer's feet, staring up at everyone with fire blazing in his eyes. He looked at the Gorn with contemptuous hatred. "You have betrayed us," he gasped, rubbing his neck.

[[Yes,]] came the buzzing, electronic voice from the vox device strapped to the Gorn's wrist. Jake remembered the machine from when the Gorn had first come aboard.

"We protected you," Savaar said. "You would have been an outcast! Beaten, lucky to have survived the first week if Embry hadn't taken you in! You owe him your life, Gorn, and this is how you repay him that debt?"

The Gorn stared down at him silently for a moment, his expression totally inscrutable. Then, slowly, he raised his wrist and activated his Vox once more.

[[My name is Chaucer,]] the machine said. He lumbered over to stand beside Jake, Cindy and Sylvia.

"You did the right thing," said Kane. He looked down at the Vulcan. "Now then, I understand you've been asking for me?"

"You came to apprehend me yourself," Savaar stated. "Fascinating."

Kane raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You denied our repeated requests to meet with Embry," Savaar said, head cocked. "You responded with condescension when we ignored the chain of command to try to arrange a meeting with you. Diplomacy seems to hold little interest for you. And yet, when the opportunity arises to resolve a situation with violence, here you are."

"We're short-staffed," Kane said. "Perhaps you've heard."

"A deflection," Savaar said. It looked like the shadow of a smile was playing on the Vulcan's lips. "The violence excites you, does it not? Embry had to be convinced to use it, but you, Captain Kane, you jump at the opportunity."

"Enough," Kane said dangerously. "Get up. I have good news, Mister Savaar. You won't be forced to stay in the cargo bay anymore. I trust you'll enjoy your new accommodations in the brig." He gestured to Kassandra. "Move them out, Major."

"Ya heard the man, din'cha?" snapped Kass, as her two marines hauled Savaar's stunned henchmen to their feet and organised them into a line. "Git yore legs movin' afore I shove my rifle barrel up ya butts!"

An alarm began to sound from Jake's command work station, catching everyone's attention. While the marines covered the prisoners, Kass glanced over at Jake. "Ya microwavin' somethin'?" she asked.

"It's the radiation alert," Jake said, moving over to the workstation. Kane followed behind him.

[[Bridge to Engineering.]]

Kane looked up at the sound of Aerdan Jos's voice. "Engineering. Kane here. What is it, Commander?"

An undercurrent of concern permeated the Andorian's voice. [[Captain, we're picking up energy fluctuations in the warp core. Is everything under control down there?]]

"The mutineers are contained," Kane said, glancing at the line of prisoners, who were now standing with their hands on their heads. "What sort of energy fluctuations?"

"Captain!" called Jake in alarm as he deciphered the readings. "Beta particles off the charts! It's the Amaterasu!"

Kane's jaw set. "Pinpoint!"

"Oh my God!" Jake said, looking up from his workstation with aghast. "One of them is manifesting inside the intermix chamber!"

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Scene: Corridor on Deck 25 (drive section)


"The engineers are probably playing games with the power grid," Selyara said, as she and Barnes made their way through the deserted deck. The ship was on lockdown, the red alert bars were flashing, and neither of them had seen hide nor hair of another person since they left the cargo bay. "Trying to keep everything running smoothly while the refugees tear their ship apart."

"Just our luck," Barnes grumbled back. They were meticulously moving downward through the decks, making their way towards Engineering, and had spent the last ten minutes searching in vain for a functional turbolift. They'd found one, but it had slid to a sudden stop only halfway down to the next deck, and Barnes had needed to pull the turbolift doors open so they could climb back out and resume their search. Progress had been slow enough that they had decided to split up from the group they were leading - Marta, Guerrero, Maines and Carter were all somewhere else, making their own way to Engineering.

"Don't worry," Selyara winked at him. "Even without the lifts, there are ways between decks."

Barnes nodded, but he wasn't really listening. He looked still sore from the fighting during the riot, and was sporting several purple bruises on his hands and face. If he was in pain from the kicking he'd taken to the ribs, he was trying his hardest not to show it. He kept looking backward, like he'd heard something behind them.

"What is it?" Selyara asked, noticing Barnes' distraction.

"I keep hearing something like soft footfalls," Barnes said. "I think maybe someone is following us."

"Probably refugees too scared to get close," Selyara shrugged. She looked at him sidelong. "Don't take it personally. You're an intimidating man to look at, Jacen."

"Wait," said Barnes, stopping and turning around. "I'm not imagining this. How can you be deaf with ears like that?"

Selyara held her hand up in front of his face. "Maybe I'd be better off thinkstriking you and leaving you here for the refugees to find. Don't forget your place."

Barnes balled his fists. "See what happens if you try."

Then there was a noise from behind them, and Barnes and Selyara whirled. As they watched, a woman emerged from a side corridor ahead of them. She was short and thin, with a haggard, bony face around which flopped a mop of dark hair. She was wearing a frayed and stained gold-banded black Starfleet uniform which looked like it hadn't been washed in months.The woman's expression was cold and dangerous.

Selyara and Barnes faced her down.

"Montoya," Selyara said. "I thought I told you to run along. Now do as you're told before you get hurt."

Montoya extended her left arm and pointed at Selyara. "You're helping Kane."

"Of course I am," Selyara smirked. "You think I'd side with the refugees? Not likely. They're cattle, nothing more. They'll be lucky to survive the night."

"So it's true!" came a voice from behind them. Barnes whirled around, but Selyara merely turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder.

Arthur Embry was standing there. He didn't look good -his clothes were dirty and torn in several places. He had a cut on his forehead that ran up onto the scalp above his left eye, and the blood had run down his cheek to dry in long reddish-black streaks. His left eye was swollen almost totally shut. His remaining eye regarded Barnes, ignoring Selyara.

Selyara's eyes narrowed. There was something wrong here. All her senses were warning her of imminent danger. Montoya from the front, Embry from the rear. With a flicker of worry,she noted that Montoya was wearing a phaser on her right hip, and wondered if Barnes had seen it.

She half-turned, moving into a position where she could see both Embry and Montoya. Arthur," Selyara purred. "I see you made it out of the cargo bay."

"And then I met your friend Montoya," Embry said harshly. "She told me all about you, Miss Chen, all about what you were doing on Limbo, all about your allegiance to Captain Kane. You were working against me from the very beginning, weren't you?" His jaw was set angrily.

Selyara ignored him. "I was working for myself. You never stood a chance, Arthur. It's important you understand that. But you were just crazy enough, and Michael is just determined enough, that the pair of you might have actually torn this ship apart with your little tug of war. So, I stopped it."

"Jacen," Embry said, rolling his good eye to look at the big man. "She's manipulating you. Help me like you did back in Shanty Town."

"No," Barnes said,shaking his shaggy head. "This has to stop. You lost control of the situation a long time ago. I know what she is, Arthur, but she's right."

"You know nothing about her. You're betraying me for a monster," Embry said. "You endorsed this plan. I trusted you, Barnes, and for what?"

"You broke your word!" Jacen said angrily. "People got hurt! They trusted you to protect them, and all you could do was march them onto electric deck plating! Some leadership!"

"We can still win!" Embry exclaimed. "She's a telepath! She knows Kane's command codes! We can make her - "

"You're not making me do anything I don't want to do," said Selyara. "You don't make me. I reach my tendrils into your brains and I make you." She wondered if she should strike first, get this conversation over with.

"Arthur," Barnes interrupted, holding up his battered purple hand. "Stop. Just stop. It's over."

Embry did stop. He stared at Barnes for another moment, that sad look still in his eyes. Selyara's gaze moved back and forth between Embry and Montoya. The warning signs were all there. Embry was sad about the death of his revolution, not about losing Barnes's friendship. Violence was imminent.

"Jacen - " she said, but Embry was already nodding through them, giving Montoya the signal.

Selyara cursed, but Montoya's phaser was already out, the tip blazing orange like a torch as a heavy stun beam shot out and slammed into Barnes's shoulder. The big man grunted in pain and sagged at the force of shot, but staggered forward.

Selyara rushed forward towards Montoya, making claws of her hands and reaching for her face like she was going to tear if off, but Montoya was too quick. She moved like a cat, darting to one side and firing again, hitting Barnes dead centre in the chest. Barnes fell to his knees, and Embry was on him in a flash, balling up his fists and pounding on the back of Barnes's head as the big man went down.

Selyara closed the remaining distance to Montoya quickly, her arm lashing out to knock the phaser out of Montoya's hand. It clattered to the deck plating as Selyara unleashed a flurry of punches at Montoya's face. Montoya reeled backwards, throwing up her forearms to protect herself, and Selyara spun on her right foot, driving a heavy side kick right into Montoya's midriff. Montoya collapsed in a heap, and Selyara was on her, wrapping her arms around Montoya's neck, seizing the woman in a tight headlock.

Risking a glance upward, Selyara saw that Barnes was down. Embry was pummelling his face and head, yelling all sorts of nonsense. As Montoya wriggled in the headlock, Selyara looked down, her face contorted into a look of terrible, emotionless calm. "Very well, Montoya, " Selyara said. "If you're so determined to die, then die."

Her palm opened and clamped down on Montoya's forehead. Montoya's whole body seized up. Her eyes rolled back into her head. She jerked spasmodically and blood burst from her nose as the full force of Selyara's psychic attack ripped through her mind like a thresher.

The phaser blast took Selyara in her lower back, the force of it strong enough to slam her against the bulkhead. She released her grip of Montoya's head, and Montoya slumped to the ground, eyes wide but unseeing, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. A rope of saliva drooled from the corner of her mouth, mingling with the blood from her nose.

Selyara went to her knees, turning her head to see that Embry had retrieved Montoya's fallen phaser. Nearby, Barnes lay senseless.

Embry aimed the phaser at Selyara. "Now," he said, "look what you made me do."

"You have a hard time recognizing when you've lost," Selyara said, scowling up at him, panting from the pain of the phaser shot. "It's going to get you into trouble someday."

"Get up," Embry said, twitching the phaser point slightly upward.

Selyara slid up the wall back to her feet, rubbing at the soreness in her back where Embry had shot her. She kept her muscles loose, but her eyes were sharp, looking for any opportunity to take him by surprise. Embry was older, slower, didn't have any training. All it would take is one hand on him, and it would be over.

"You're thinking about trying for the phaser," Embry said, somehow reading her intentions in her passive expression.

"It crossed my mind," Selyara replied.

Embry pressed one of the buttons on the top of the phaser, which responded with a tinny chirp. Embry aimed it at her again. "The next shot will kill you, Miss Chen. Please don't test me."

Selyara gestured to the catatonic form at her feet. "What about your friend Montoya?"

"I don't need her anymore," Embry said simply.

Selyara help up her hands as Embry brandished the phaser. "What's your plan, Arthur? Force me at gunpoint to help you? Like Barnes said, it's all over.Your men in Engineering will be captured. Your riot has been suppressed. Lose with dignity, why don't you."

"It isn't over," Embry said viciously, shaking his head. "Leverage. Leverage is what I need. You can give it to me."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you value your own life more than anyone else's," Embry said. "And the only way you get to keep it is by helping me."

"Shoot me and it's really over," Selyara said. "You appear to be out of allies."

"Then I must move on to hostages," Embry said. He twitched the phaser again. "Move."

Selyara moved away in the direction he indicated, stepping over the unconscious form of Barnes. "Where are we going?"

"You're going to open a few doors for me," Embry said. "That's all you need to know for now."

Selyara held her hands above her head and moved in the direction she was bid.

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NRPG: Part Two of Three. Stay with us, now ;)


Shawn Putnam
a.k.a
Jake Crichton
Chief Engineering Officer
USS PHOENIX


Jerome McKee
the Soul of Captain Michael Turlogh Kane
Commanding Officer
USS PHOENIX


"[They] speak an infinite deal of nothing!"
- Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice", Act 1, Scene 1.117

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