SIM:Varaan: Timing is Everything
| Crew of Deep Space 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Commander Varaan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This SIM was written and presented on August 10, 2005, (corresponding to the IC stardate 238208.10).
((ATLANTIS - Bridge))
::Varaan sat in his command chair, with C'elest beside him in the XO's chair. Everything on ATLANTIS was running smoothly, especially since they were running on support from the station. Varaan was discussing possible implications and courses of action to take in regards to their initial failure at diplomacy. C'elest was giving her criticism, a bit of Vulcan mixed with Human. Surprisingly, some of it was helpful. The turbolift doors opened and Greene stepped out onto the bridge. Moranta rose from her seat, but Greene waved her back down.::
GREENE: It's okay, commander. Captain, can I see you in your ready room please?
::Varaan nodded and stood up. He entered first and she followed, the doors barely closing behind them before Greene started to talk. She filled him in on the details of the away team's foray to the planet, right up until they spoke with Joshua. Varaan remembered reading that the Paaran had a son. A daughter too, if he wasn't mistaken, although her whereabouts were unknown.::
GREENE: Someone already decrypted all the information Joshua Browne had on that shuttle. It was planned for us to see. There's a thermal bomb on Urlista Station. We have to get the away team off that station and at least warn everyone else. There was also a reference to getting rid of the newcomers. I downloaded all of it onto this PADD.
VARAAN: If we were meant to see it, could it also not be a rouse of some sort? Though I do not see how we can take that chance.
::He was glancing over the PADD when a call came through, summoning them back to the bridge. Greene followed him out again.::
COLE: Captain, I've lost contact with Commander Jamar. His badge ceased to transmit and I'm unable to track his biosigns.
DICKENS: Where's his last position?
COLE: On the promenade, not far from the infirmary. I'll transmit the exact coordinates to your station.
DICKENS: I'll try to place his last position with the schematics of Urlista Station. If we have luck we can figure where he is and where he could exit. Do you thing we should ask the station help to find him?
VARAAN: At this point, I think it would be best. Mr. Cole, please hail the station and get me Lord Sonaris. Lieutenant Dickens, try filtering out non-human biosigns to pinpoint the members of the away team.
DICKENS: I'll do my best.
GREENE:
VARAAN: Under the circumstances, I agree. Contact them all. Let them know of Commander Jamar's disappearance, and have them regroup at the security office for transport out.
GREENE:
::While everyone was doing their jobs, Varaan strode over to the science station. His intention was not to make Dickens nervous by looking over his shoulder, but Torin was his friend and Varaan wanted as much data as he could get, as soon as he could get it. Dickens worked efficiently, which pleased Varaan. The young lieutenant knew what he was doing. The simple fact was that the task was a time-consuming one. Then, ATLANTIS rocked violently.::
::Picking himself up off the floor where he had fallen, he turned to Moranta, who had managed to grab her station to keep herself upright.::
VARAAN: Report.
MORANTA: ::raising her voice over the red alert claxons:: Internal explosion on Urlista Station.
::An explosion? On the station? ATLANTIS was lucky that there was no feedback through the umbilicals. ATLANTIS could very easily have several overloaded systems.::
VARAAN: Can you pinpoint the location?
MORANTA:
::With her Vulcan genetic heritage, C'elest's face was as close as it was going to get to being sorrowful. And surprised at the same time. They had just left Sonaris not more than an hour ago. And now an explosion had taken out his private apartments. Coincidence? Serendipity, as some would call it? Karma? Fate? Luck? If the diplomatic negotiations had gone better, Varaan and his away team would have still been with Sonaris, and would now be dead. Suddenly, being a poor diplomat had its advantages.::
::He turned to the viewscreen as Moranta put up an external visual of the station, a large chunk missing from the top. Small plasma fires could be seen, surviving in the vacuum of space only because they were still being continuously fed by the EPS conduits. Small bits of debris could also be seen floating in space around the top of the station.::
COLE: Sir, we're being hailed.
VARAAN: On screen.
::The bitter, angry, and saddened face of Hanar filled the screen.::
HANAR: =^= You killed my father and my sister! And now you'll pay!
VARAAN: =^= Hanar, I know how you must feel right now...
::Varaan had no idea how the boy felt. Being Vulcan did have its drawbacks in a limited number of situations. This was what was more commonly referred to as a bluff.::
VARAAN: =^= ...but you must know that we had nothing to do with this disaster.
HANAR: =^= Lies!
VARAAN: =^= It is the truth.
HANAR: =^= Do you deny transmitting a signal to our home just now?
::Varaan turned to Cole. The officer shrugged.::
COLE: You asked me to hail him. All I sent was a standard hail on the pre-established frequency.
VARAAN: =^= I cannot deny that, Hanar. We were trying to contact your father on a communications channel.
HANAR: =^= More lies! You were remotely detonating the explosives you planted when you came to dinner!
VARAAN: =^= I assure you, we did no such thing.
HANAR: =^= If I hadn't been summoned away, I would be dead now too. And THAT will be your undoing! You should have killed me when you had the chance! I will have my revenge, Federation! =^=
::The signal ended abruptly. Could things get any worse?::
((URLISTA STATION))
::Mr. Trel sat behind the communications console in his secreted and spartan "office." His boss was on the other end, being very pleased with himself.::
TREL: =^= Though some elements came about prematurely, especially regarding the check-in times of our guests and their accomodations, I must say that your plan is running rather smoothly.
VOICE: =^= Make sure you keep them secure. We can't have unwanted guests roaming randomly throughout the station. And the serving girl?
TREL: =^= Lorinda was more than willing to plant the small package we sent to Sonaris. Unfortunately for her, she failed to ask when it would be activated.
VOICE: =^= No loss. One less link to the organization. How did the boy react?
TREL: =^= Exactly as predicted. I must say, having me anonymously call him from his home before so that he missed the fireworks was a stroke of genius.
VOICE: =^= It is better for our situation that this...Federation...has a vocal opponent. They may have been able to convince the authorities that they really did have nothing to do with the "accident". However, with the boy hounding them, the blame and focus should stay on the Federation for quite some time.
TREL: =^= What should I do with our guests in the meantime?
VOICE: =^= Well, until I figure out the best way to implicate them in the goings on, keep them sedated. I'll contact you again at the usual time with specifics. =^=
::Trel reclined a little as the transmittion terminated.::
-TBC