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<DIV>~Yorktown Shuttlecraft ~</DIV>
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<DIV>The Intrepid loomed in front of the Andorian Commander as he eased his own
small ship forward. As he drifted closer a strange feeling of foreboding swept
over him. He remembered the Intrepid from the last battle with the Romulans. He
had seen her decks crowded with the lifeless remains of her former crew. He
pushed away the haunting vision from his mind. Hopefully it wasn't an omen of
things to come.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Da'nak soon felt the vibration as the shuttle bumped Intrepid's hull. He
hit the comm switch as the airlock began to cycle.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>= Intrepid, this is Andorian Commander Ca'daar. Request permission to come
aboard.=</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>= Permission granted. = Ethan said on the other side of the airlock. A few
moments later when pressures were equalized the door slid open. "Welcome aboard
the Intrepid Commander" he said, as the blue skinned Andorian stepped over the
threshold and onto the ship. </DIV>
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<DIV>Grim-faced. The battered Andorian stepped through the airlock and into the
ship. The lights were reassuring, considering the way things looked the last
time he had seen the Intrepid... an irradiated husk. He looked at the smiling
face of her commanding officer. "Thank you Captain." He said, antennae moving
slowly back and forth like twin blue cobras before a flute player. "And thank
you for the assist. After losing that Romulan I'm afraid we're going to need the
Yorktown to be in better fighting shape as soon as possible. Let's not waste any
time." </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>"I assume you've had chance to read the communique from Starfleet Command
on the way over. Looks like open war with the Romulans is about to become a
reality, yet again" he said with a sense of sorrow. He was awaiting further
instruction from command about Intrepid's next move, whilst reporting back on
their current status. Ethan led Ca'daar down the corridor toward the lift which
would take them up and to his ready room for discussion.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Da'nak worried at his lip with his teeth as he followed Ethan. "You know
the Romulans as well as I do Captain. They don't do anything openly... unless
they feel they have an advantage. Unfortunately, if we can't find that bird of
prey... we may have handed them one."</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Ethan frowned as they continued toward the ready room.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>[ Ready Room ]</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>The two men were soon seated, Ethan behind his desk. He listened as Ca'daar
explained the Yorktown's mission and some more detail about why they were
chasing the Romulan ship. </DIV>
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<DIV>"My repair teams and medical teams should be making their way over to the
Yorktown by now. But once the work is done, we need to decide the best way to
approach Xantia. We must get that data back" Ethan agreed, referring to the
stolen Andorian data. "We can't gather much more intel remotely, the Romulans
would surely detect any attempt to close in."</DIV>
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<DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Da'nak
nodded. "Thank you again Captain. Our encounter with the Kumat, and then the
Romulans took a lot out of us. Unfortunately," He continued, his face set in
stone. "If the war with the Romulans has indeed 'heated up', the phantom device
could easily tip the scales. It's not perfected quite yet, but given enough time
I'm sure the Romulans could devise a use for it." </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The
Yorktown's helmsman let out a deep sigh. He had never wanted to be put in this
position. He had applied to starfleet's officer exchange program with the
intention of exploring things beyond the Andorian sphere of control. After a
short time though, he came to believe that the Terran's ideas of cooperation and
coexistence were the keys to the future of his race, contrary to popular
opinion. Now, he sat as the acting commander of a Terran vessel, and his next
actions could weigh heavily on the fate of not one, but two worlds.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">"I have been
in contact with Commander Quirra, leader of the Andorian taskforce. She has
agreed to throw her vessels out in a grid pattern and continue searching for the
lost Bird. I think it likely that it was headed into the Xantia system... though
why I couldn't say. Was this where the Nausicaans and the freighter were
headed?"</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>"We do not know the Nausicaan's intentions except that they
have been using Romulan technology, and the ships they've been hijacking are
carrying </FONT>dilithium<FONT size=2>. This must be as valuable to the Romulans
as it is for us. It may tell us something about the nature of their outpost on
Xantia?" Ethan questioned. "Actually, they may still be waiting for their
delivery. Perhaps we can use the freighter to our advantage?" </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Da'nak
rubbed his chin. "Possibly. If we could get some volunteers to man the
freighter, we might be able to send it in and get some sensor readings
unobtrusively. Of course we'd have to stay in constant contact in case something
went wrong."</DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT
size=2>"I'm not keen on sending people into the lions den like that but it
appears too good an opportunity to dismiss. If people are willing, they will
know the risks. If we get enough to man the transport ship then I agree. But
what about Yorktown; if we get the go-ahead to move in will she be ready to
fight?" Ethan asked. He felt some relief however, knowing they had Andorian
support in any potential endeavor. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
<DIV><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The big
Andorian rose, extending his hand. "With your help, Yorktown should be shipshape
in no time at all. With your permission, I'd like to get back to the Yorktown to
run the plan by the rest of the senior officers and ask for volunteers." He
shook Ethan's hand firmly, then smiled, something that seemed comical behind the
bruises that now dotted his countenance. "I can see it's going to be a pleasure
working with you Captain."</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">"And you
Commander. On the subject of volunteers. I put myself forwards to lead the
mission. I am an experienced pilot, I've worked on freighters before, unless
their is significant objections from command I think I am a logical choice. I
will also ask around my senior staff and update them on our plan." Ethan nodded
with a grim smile. "Permission to disembark granted. Keep in touch
Commander." </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Da'nak
stopped at the door, turning to face Intrepid's Captain. "Don't worry Captain.
When the call comes, Yorktown will be ready. She's not called the Fighting Lady
because she's in the habit of letting us down. She's danced through hell before
and she'll do it again." Da'nak paused, sighing lightly. "I'll poll her crew and
see what we can do to round out the shuttle. I'll contact you soon. Thank you
again Captain." </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Andorian
gave a last, crisp salute to Ethan before slipping out the door. In his heart,
he hoped the Yorktown would be able to live up to faith he had in
her. </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT class=Apple-style-span size=2>Ethan returned the quick salute and let
the Andorian go. He would need to call the senior staff together again shortly.
For now he got himself patched into his Armory officer Ensign Wun </FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span size=2>who had taken a team over to evaluate
the </FONT>freighter<FONT class=Apple-style-span size=2>.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT class=Apple-style-span size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Cmdr Ethan
Armstrong</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Commanding
officer</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ESS
Intrepid</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Andorian
Commander Da'nak Ca'daar</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Executive
and Chief Helm Officer</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">NX-05
Yorktown</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Fighting
Lady</DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV><BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 size=2 face="Franklin Gothic Demi" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face="Times New Roman"
FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="10"><I>You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon
light?<BR>I always ask that of all my prey...<BR>I just like the sound of
it.....<BR><BR></I>Jack Nicholson- Batman</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>