[Bridge - Deck One - USS Detector]
"Three... two... one."
The streaming lines of stars slammed to a halt as the Detector dropped out of subspace at its target location. She sat their adrift, invisible, and observant. The Detector's advanced sensor pallets sprung to life, receiving information from the sector around her. Stellar phenomena, planet plate tectonics, lifesign readings, space vessels, stellar debris and a myriad of other data poured onto the small console readout on Chisulo's armrest.
"Qashqai is in orbit. I'm detecting a Federation comm device on the planet surface." The science officer reported, who had more detailed sensor read-outs at his disposal.
"Are their any lifesigns to accompany this combadge?" Chisulo asked.
"It's hard to tell from this range. That planet is crawling with life, all the signals are getting mixed." The science officer replied. "Unless we drop the cloak and go to active sensors with an increased resolution - we'll only get better readings if we get closer."
Chisulo leaned back in his chair, and clasped his hand in front of his chin. He took a deep breath, and looked over to Commander Summers who sat at the small conference table at
the rear of the command center. She looked worried, and he didn't blame her. If he had a spouse and child he would be worried too.
The Captain abruptly summoned the Tactical officer. "Lieutenant, I want transphasic torpedoes armed in all launchers and ready at a moments notice." The officer nodded, but Chisulo had already turned toward the helm, "Helm, take us in a synchronous orbit 5km above the Qashqai."
"Aye, sir." Helm replied. "Engaging RCS thrusters."
"Science," Chisulo said to the young Lieutenant stationed there, "keep an eye out for that Romulan scout vessel. Harker will be nearby. We need to be ready to pounce."
[Bridge - Deck One - USS Qashqai]
On board the Qashqai all was busy with activity, just waiting for the Commodore to establish contact and issue one of the code words. There were dozen of possibilities what could happen down on the planet and Guzman labeled good a twenty with code words. This way he was not needed to explain the situation, nor to say in 'plain' words what needed to be done. 'Red' for example was the code word for immediate decloaking, beaming all security personnel on his location and raising shields with red alert activating.
Guzman was still on board, but the OPS officer looked at his console with increased intensity. For a fragment of a second he had the impression to see something out there … not far
from the Qashqai. While cloaked, he could not use active scans, so all he had were passive data ... but he could swear that something WAS there. It was not like a ship's signature or sensor echo ... rather some unusual movement in the star dust stream. Of course, the dust stream was extremely weak ... so maybe it was nothing. Since he was an inexperienced LtJg, he did not know how to find out more. Just for the case, he kept an eye on the sensors, but that was all.
[Bridge - Deck One - USS Detector]
From her seated position, Rangi could see everything and she was grateful that Chisulo has agreed her request to return to the Bridge. He had greeted her when she had arrived telling her that they were nearing their destination and had asked that she take the seat where she now sat.
She had no intention of taking a part, for this was Chisulo's ship and Chisulos mission and though she was powerless to help, she felt, in a small way, better for being in the thick of the action rather than sitting alone in her quarters wondering what was happening. So she sat with her hands clasped on her lap, telling herself to observe this from a detached point of view. She was failing miserably.
[Planetary Surface]
Nicolas Harker stood on a sandy-white beach underneath a clear blue sky. A small boy with hair as pale as the color of the sand played near the crystal clear waves. A moment
later the shimmer of a transporter made the figure Commodore Shane Guzman appear on the sand, not far from where Harker and Martin were.
Materializing on the surface, Shane took a glance on his wristband. It was a SSF version of tricoder and it was set to detect life forms. There were only three detected. Shane, Martin and Harker. Glancing immediately at Harker, Shane said: "I am here as promised. Now it's your turn to do as promised and release Martin"
"It's all right, Martin, you can greet your daddy," Nicolas said to the young boy.
Martin had turned at the sound of Shane's voice and dropping the shells he had been playing with, broke into a run with a delighted cry of: " Daddy!" as he hurtled past Harker and launched himself into Shane's welcoming arms. He clung to his father as Shane lifted him up, pure happiness in his expression. " You took a long time to come here." he stated but couldn't hide his glee that they were together at last.
Shane allowed only a second to enjoy the presence of his son. It was a miracle that the little boy 'adopted' him as his father after all the horrors he has been through. He brought new purpose to Shane's life and was ready to defend him no matter what. "Are you all right, Martin?" Shane asked but looked at Harker instead of his son. "What have you been doing all the time?"
" He gave me some games and let me be sit in the Captain's chair on his ship.." Martin replied "... and he said mummy would be here but she isn't." He laid his head against Shane's shoulder, looking accusingly at Harker.
"I'm glad you kept your word and came, Guzman," Nicolas said to the Commodore. "So now I will keep my promise about your son. You can send him back to your ship, but you have to stay."
Shane nodded. Not releasing his sight from Harker he said to Martin: "I'll be right with you, Martin. You now return to my ship and do exactly what you are told there, agreed little warrior?"
He lowered Martin to the ground and released him, risking one glance at his son.
"But daddy," Martin began to speak, "I want you to..."
He tapped his badge and said: "White, one to beam back". Almost without delay, Martin disappeared in the blue-ish transporter beam effect.
After Martin had transported away, Nicolas spread his hands wide and looked at Shane. "As you can see, I'm unarmed. Please afford me same courtesy? Throw your weapon into the water and take off that armoured jacket, then we can talk... man to man."
Shane considered the request. He was sure that Harker will be cheating, but for now, he was true to his word. Maybe it was not true Starfleet spirit – but Shane was not ready to believe in Harker's honesty. Slowly he unzipped his light combat armour and let it fall to the ground. The badge was on the jacket, but Shane had one more – implanted in his arm.
[End Part One]
Captain Tedros Chisulo
1TF Tactical Advisor
Commander Rangi Summers
1TF Medical Advisor
Commodore Shane Guzman
1TF Commanding Officer
Martin Guzman
Civilian
Nicholas Harker
Federation Defector / Romulan Collaborator
