Current Mission Page 2

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Crimson Daggers of a Thousand Suns

When the Horizon is sent on a diplomatic mission to Aldeberaan, it is caught in the middle of a surprise attack by the Orion Syndicate. What's more, it seems they have made an alliance with the Gorn who board the Horizon in attempt to take control of it. It seems that the Orion Syndicate have found a use of a drug long thought to have stopped circulation by using it to control the Gorn into doing their dirty laundry.

Current Posts

Chapter III


Nicholas Li

Chief Engineer's Log:

The crew of the Horizon has been run through the gauntlet of the trials and tribulation of space exploration once again. Our Commander is being held hostage aboard the stolen Bird of Prey, the Crimson Dagger. Owain Taggart is literally in between the jaws of his captors and the blades of blood-thirsty Klingons seeking revenge. Now, I am left in charge of the ship, while the XO valiantly enters into the breach to save our CO. The wait is threatening my calm. Like any officer will tell you, I would rather be doing something than wait. It will take my utmost focus to keep us safe in this melee. I wish Aegis godspeed and quick reflexes.

Nicholas sat in the Command chair, hunched forward, staring at the viewscreen. In the vastness of space floated the Crimson Dagger, flanked by the IKS Kmpec and the IKS Gorath. The Crimson Dagger was definately damaged. Despite the fact that the B'Rels were many times smaller the the K'Vort ship, its was firmly in the grasp of the two Klingon ships' tractor beam.

There was one thing that one could never deny about these Klingons Commanders… they were formidable warriors. Nicholas could readily imagine the battle, as the B'rels decloaked and swooped down on the Crimson Dagger. They would have easily battered aside the travelling ship's minimal shielding and blasted at vital systems. The two Klingon Bird of Preys would then cloak. The Crimson Dagger's crew would be in a scramble to predict where their enemy would strike next. The two smaller ships would strike like wolves, periodically nipping at the larger prey until an opening was availble. Then they would strike and strike hard. This is not an easy task, given the K'Vorts firepower … but these veteran Commanders made it look like childs play. The Klingon Expeditionary Force must have sent their best.

Nicholas turned to Tactical and said, "Stay alert, I have an uneasy feeling. This unknown enemy would not leave this hard won prize easily. Keep scanning for warp signatures."

"Yes, sir!"

Nicholas then looked to Ozu, "Ensign Ozu, be ready with your best evasive maneuvers and keep the impulse engines warmed up. My instincts tell me that this is far too easy."


Owain Taggart

< = Aboard the Crimson Dagger = >

Norella was the one with the key, which meant ordinarily, it would have been easy to escape. But this battle had added several complications. The Gorn for example, were ordered to shoot any escapees on sight. There were many Gorn surrounding the perimeter of the cells, their attention primarily on Owain and Lukin Katran. Their attention was so focused that they weren't even aware of the battle currently waging on at the moment.

Norella did swiftly as she could. She unlocked and opened the cell doors almost without incident, as if it were a normal procedure. The Gorn didn't even blink. Norella then made a small hand gesture at Owain, who then stepped forward out of the cell. He was currently cuffed, made to look like he was being taken somewhere, which wasn't far from the truth. Now Norella moved towards Katran's cell and cuffed him as well. The truth was, however, was that they weren't really locked and could easily be removed.

It was when both Owain and the former Prime Minister were both out of their cells that the Gorn now became alarmed. Their nostrils snarled with with anger as they reached for their energy weapon on their belt. Owain reacted instinctively as he quickly ducked and rolled to avoid incoming fire, then looked behind him to see a scorched part of the wall behind him that would have been him if he hadn't narrowly avoided disaster.

“Hey, take it easy, big guy!”, called out Norella to the Gorn. She took out the vial she had shown the two earlier and waved it at the Gorn. “This is what you want, isn't it?” The Gorn snarled more delicately, then advanced, but she threw it down the hall. The Gorn ran for it and collided into an incoming Klingon who was searching the area.

The Klingon cursed loudly and brought down his bat'leth onto his new enemy. They couldn't stay and watch however, as this gave them a needed distraction. They had narrowly averted the gaze of another Klingon, so they had to get out of here soon.

“There's a maintenance chute just behind you”, Norella said to Lukin Katran. “I believe it leads to Engineering.”

Owain raised an eyebrow. “I was Engineer before becoming Captain…”

“Then you do what you have to do. We have to sabotage this ship.”

“I've never been more glad in my life…”, said Owain with a grin, who went to deftly went to work on the chute opening. They then all took turns climbing inside.


Aegis

The world coalesced around Aegis into the dark and dingy interior of the Klingon ships mess hall. Instantly, he was struck by the strange tangy smell emanating from the grates underneath the utilitarian benches where the Klingons ate their meals.

The room seemed deserted bowls and cups lay strewn around, as if the crew had been interrupted mid-meal and had left abruptly. Food scraps littered the floor and a strange smear of what Ageis could only think to be days old gagh graced the wall.

Whoever had taken over the ship hadn't used this section at all, which Ageis found, a bit disconcerting in the least. What the hell did it mean?

He looked around at his team, who were checking the room, the same perplexed look on all their faces.

"All right people listen up."

Their attention moved to him.

" I want pattern Beta 5. Keep your eyes open and check targets, we don't want any friendly fire incidents. Quietly and quickly, let's go."

Aegis took another quick look at the padd, burning the route to the holding cells into his mind And slipped it back into his pocket. They advanced quickly yet cautiously down the murky corridor. The occasional beep from a wall console was the only sound. As of yet no indication of the enemy was given.

Cadet Cain led the way, a tricorder in his left hand and the long barrel of the compression phaser resting on his left wrist. They had advanced at least 20 m so far, and were a little under 10 m from the target position. Suddenly Cain stopped and shifted his shoulder so Aegis could see the readout on the Tricorders small screen.

Several red dots signifying life signs moved back and forth. Cain mouthed the question "Guards?" Aegis nodded. Taking another look at the screen he calculated them to be around the next bend. Faint foot falls could be heard against the metal grating of the corridor.

Aegis motioned the team to hug the wall, as they advanced. Coming up to the bend Aegis carefully took a peek around the corner. He wasn't ready for the sight that befell his eyes. 7 foot tall green lizards patrolled the corridor, whilst another two guarded the door to the main holding area. Clear tubes filled with white liquid and the occasional bubble sprung from the necks, putting Aegis's mind on quick recall. He had seen this before, only on the the Dominion's foot soldiers, the Jem H'dar.

These Gorn are being controlled by Ketracel white! came the revelation, and quickly everything else fell into place. The mess hall had looked disused, because it hadn't been. The Gorn super soldiers hadn't needed to eat, they had the super addictive white fulfilling their needs.

Using hand signals Aegis gave orders for the assault. Each member gave thumbs up, the universal signal that they understood what was about to happen.

The team swung into action. Stepping around the corner, and behind a bulkhead, Aegis called the site of the rifle up to a side as the first Gorn sensed the movement and went for his energy weapon. The Gorn's claw like hand fell on the grip as Aegis fired. The light blue stun beam bridging the space between them in nanoseconds.

On hearing phaser fire the remaining Gorn became instantly alert and ducked for cover as Aegis's target fell to his knees. Swaying slightly the Gorn stood up again, pulled his gun and let off a few shots towards the Starfleet contingent.

Blue phaser beams streaked down the corridor and were replied to with orange sizzling pulses of disruptor fire, promising vaporization at the slightest touch.

Over the cacophony Ageis screamed "Maximum stun!"

Quickly, he thumbed the power setting on the compression phaser as he advanced up to the next bulkhead. He took a pause and looked behind them to make sure the team was following suit. One of the gold uniformed security guards, stepped out at the wrong time and was eaten up by an orange ball of fury drawing shocked glances from the rest of the team.

"Forward!" Aegis ordered, realising if they didn't keep moving then the Gorn would pick them off one by one. A couple of decent shots from Cain and Th'or took down two of the Gorn who fell this time unconscious to the hard deck of the corridor with resounding thuds. A disruptor blast a couple of centimetres above Ageis's head melted into the wall causing Aegis to flinch from the heat and impact, reminding him the battle was not won yet.

The Cardassian took careful aim at one of the half exposed Gorn, hitting the lizard in the leg and causing his desent to the deck. Insensed, the last remaining Gorn sprung from his position and started pounding down the corridor, firing blindly. Several of the bolts came within inches of the team, until one of the security guards halted his advance with beam of blue to the creatures chest. He collapsed almost instantly, face first, grounding to a halt like a rhinoceros hit with the tranquilliser.

All was silent now apart from the tik tik tik of heated metal cooling. A thick veil of smoke hung in the air. Aegis tasted burnt synthetic metal at the back of his throat and smelt it in his nose.

Slowly the team emerged cautiously from their cover and proceeded to requisition the disruptors from the incapacitated Gorn. Aegis caught a glimpse of a Klingon, who sat slumped against the wall, a huge charred hole in his chest.

Flanking each side of the door to the holding cells and one man watching their backs, Aegis touched the entry panel. The door opened with a swoosh, casting a dim light into the corridor. With no movement inside Aegis stepped through, followed closely by the security detail, who fanned out and checked every cell.

Cadet Cain was the first to voice, what had quickly become apparent.

"They're not here Sir!"

Supremely annoyed, Ageis mumbled a Cardassian expletive that he hoped the translator wouldn't pick up.

A concerned shout from the corridor caused Aegis's annoyance to melt away.

"We got company."

Heavy foot falls could be heard down each of the corridors. He really wanted to avoid another firefight and didn't seem too be too enthused about the prospect of meeting up with Klingon warriors looking for revenge.

"I got a half opened chute here Commander!" Suggested Th'or, who was quick to pick up on their predicament.

"Any idea where it goes?" Aegis replied.

The footsteps sounded closer now.

"Away from here!"

Aegis shrugged.

"Good enough for me!"

He motioned towards the now open chute.

"Everybody in the hole!"

One by one they clambered through, Aegis pulling up the door with a quiet click, cutting out the light for the corridor and plunging them into darkness.

Where the hell are you Cap?


Nicholas Li

== USS Horizon ==

Lieutenant Nicholas Li was ever vigalant on the bridge of the Horizon. From the hotseat he could feel the rising tension of the bridge crew. OPs and Engineering stations officers were checking and rechecking their consoles. Nicholas noticed a gleam in the TAC officer's eyes as he scrutinized the sensor data. Everyone was expecting the unexpected. When it finally happened, despite the increased actions, there was a noticable relief felt by all.

"Sir, long range sensors detect unidentified vessels approaching our position."

"Ensing Ozu, get us into a defensive position."

The ship maneuvred between the oncomming starships and the Crimson Dagger. It was up to Nicholas and the crew of the Horizon to give the boarding party as much time as possible to rescue the CO. Tactical charged the phaser banks and torpedo tubes were loaded. Shields were set to max. This new baby of the Federation fleet was going to show this quadrant the sharpness of her teeth.

Out of the vastness of subspace leapt a dozen vessels, all bearing on the Crimson Dagger.

"Tactical, what is the composition on this fleet?"

"Leading the attack force are 5 Jem'Hadar fighters equipped with foreward disruptor cannon. They are 24 million kilometers and closing fast. Scans also pick up 6 Talarian cruisers and a Ferengi Marauder following behind."

"Ok. Ozu, coordinate with the IKS Kmpec to attack the Jem'Hadar fighters first. Communication, send word to our friends that the party has started and they are welcome to the dance."

The battle has begun. The Horizon moved towards the cluster of fighters. Two of the Jem'Hadar attack ships forked and one blast at the Horizon's dorsal shields and the other her ventral shields. The bridge crew stumbled as the inertial dampners were temporarily overloaded. The Horizon responded with dorsal and ventral phasers, scoring glancing blows of the fast little buggers.

"Now Ensign, fire aft torpedoes!"

The blue of the quantum torpedoes lite the darkness of space as they raced towards their targets. One missed, but the other scored a direct hit. The Horizon turned quickly on a dime and bombarded the ship with a concentrated bursts of nadion particles. In a blink of an eye, the ship exploded and was no more.

GAtrackRocksandShoals.jpg

Three other attack ships leapt on the Horizon and sprayed her with disruptor fire. The Federation ships shield lite up under the strain. The ship's tactical officer was busily blasting at the fighters. It was like trying to swat flies with a wip. Just in time, the IKS Kmpec drop from above and laid down covering fire and blew away another of the Jem'Hadar fighters.

Whoever the pilots of these ship were, they were not Dominion. They were not as effective as the pilots that Nicholas heard of in the Dominion war. Not that he was looking a gift horse in the mouth. Survival was more important to him. The Horizon began teaming up with the Klingons to clean up the rest, when 7 new hostiles dropped out of warp right above them.


Ozu

Ozu sat behind his console working like crazy to get the ship in good positions to secure the damaged shields and also making sure that they could fire as much as possible. Then he felt an electronic charge trough his panel and with a quick reaction he jumped away as his panel exploded. Not thinking twice he run to the backup to continue the fight. In a blink of a eye he saw one of the klingon vessels taking a full torpedo hit in the core section and a second later it was gone. Then the Horizon shocked heavily and he heard “aft shields are gone rerouting backup power to shields” Ozu tapped a few buttons to make sure that the back of the ship was secure. But he just could avoid one torpedo who blew away a part of the port nacelle.

2 min later there situation looked grim 2 klingon vessels were destroyed the Horizon had taken quite a bit of damage and there where still around a dozen enemy ships out there. The ship shocked again and Ozu saw he had lost almost half of the ships thrusters so moving around had become a hard job now. He screamed out “Sir we can’t take much more I lost half of my thrusters so I can’t do any fancy moves anymore.” The get the answer “do what you can”. He quickly toughed about it and came up with a idea. He separated the impulse engines control so that bye adjusting the speed on one of the he could mover around quite fast.

1 min later “Sir the crimson dragger has broken free his escorts are in pursuit”. Ozu quickly hear Li’s orders “after him” and he plotted a course he saw that the ship was leaking plasma so they couldn’t go to warp at least. But if things where not going to chance, it soon would look very bad for them.


Nicholas Li

Nicholas read the tactical readout. With the Klingon's help, they took down more than half of the enemy fleet. The Horizon raced after the limping Crimson Dagger. What they would do when they caught up, Li didn't know. The remaining Talarian cruisers where in hot pursuit.

TalarianWarships.jpg

Lieutent Li looked around the bridge and saw a mess. The Nav console was fried. The tactical officer was knocked out from falling debris. Ozu was driving the ship from the tactical station as well as running weapons. Nicholas tapped his badge and said,

=/\= Medical personnel to the bridge, we have injured here. =/\=

Suddenly, the Horizon was rocked abruptly. Li stood up and gazed at the tactical sensor.

"We were hit by the Ferengi Marauder."

Ozu replied, "Damn! Those D'Kora-class warships can go toe-to-toe with a Galaxy-class starship. Shields are at 25%, we won't be able to take another hit from it's phaser cannons!"

44814_1.jpg

As the Marauder charged for another volley, warp flashes lit up the space above them. It was the cavalry. The Aldeberaans had finally come. Leading the small fleet was a large, gray, rectangular ship. It measured 2000 meters in length and it came out of warp right on top of the enemy warship. It openned its lateral gun ports and openned fire.

The Aldeberaans are not as advanced in ship weaponry as Starfleet. But what their ships lacked in power, they made up with numbers. The entire length of the 2000 m ship bristled with particle beams, plasma cannons, railguns, and missiles. The multi-colored weapon discharge of the Aldeberaan capital ship peppered the Marauder-class ship.

Taking advantage of the element of surprise, Li said, "Ozu turn us about and give them a full spread of all our torpedoes!"

The shear mass of energy impacts overloaded the warship's shields and it exploded in a blossom of fire. The viewscreen came on and Li saw the estatic glee on General Nelson's face.

"This is General Mordecai Nelson, of the RAS Warlock."

"We are glad you got here in time General."

"Yes Lieutenant, it is a good day for vengeance. We will clean up the rest of this rabble, go see to your Commander."

"Thank you sir."

With that the Horizon once again set out in pursuit of the Crimson Dagger.


Ozu

With the Aldeberaans fleet taking away the pressure of the Horizon Ozu could quickly reroute power to the shields and Phasers and put in a pursuit for the Crimson dragger. But the Dragger wasn’t ready to give up yet it moved agile trough the derbies and ships to make its escape and because it was smaller than the Horizon Ozu had to blow away derbies or take a way around it. 2 min later Ozu was close on there tail and he heard Li saying to lock a tractor beam on it, but Ozu replied that they had lost that one already. Ozu took a quick look and targeted the crimson dragger impulse engines and fired. After tree phaser hits the crimson dragger was death in the water with only thrusters left. They scanned the dragger for Owain and Aegis but it appeared they had some dampening field to hold that and transporters where offline.

Ozu: sir we have to use shuttles to board them we have lost transporters and I can’t scan the ship.
Li: dam it how about the klingons?
Ozu: fighting off the enemy’s still but most of there ships took a beating to. We are on out own now.
Li: can they run now?
Ozu: no they have only thrusters left but I can risk taking those out to she doesn’t look like she will survive that.
Li: wait I will see if we can get our transporters back online. Keep tracking that dam ship.

Li moved to a console and worked hard to get the transporters back online. In the mean time Ozu tried to get around the dampening field. Medical personnel arrived on the bridge to and started to take car of the injured. Ozu was shocked when he looked around a saw that only tree of the full bridge crew where still working the rest was either death or injured.

Ozu: I passed that dampening field I found the captain and our boarding party, well what is left of it I also see a other life forms near the captain not very clear but surely no enemy’s or they would have been death now.
Li: all right give me 2 more min. can you contact them?
Ensign: no response perhaps some things blocks com.
Ozu: whatever, we have to get them out of there fast their core is weakening I don’t give here more then 5 min before she is gone.


Owain Taggart

< = Crimson Dagger – In a maintenant chute = >

The three of them trudged along the maintenance chute, wondering what would happen to them next. Owain in particular kept wondering how much worse his day would get. His crew had witnessed a destruction of an entire world, an entire alien race almost vanishing as a result. If it hadn't been for General Nelson and Lukin Katran, Aldeberaaneans would have ceased to exist. It was the irony of the situation which drove him forward at the moment. It was a hope that maybe things would change for the better. He was looking wordlessly towards Katran as he thought this, hoping that after all this would be over, that he would be able to do something for them, possibly giving them a new world in which to have Aldeberaaneans re-establish themselves. A new colony, a new world…

His thoughts were interrupted however, and he slowed down to a stop. Something was going on back in the direction they had come from. “Listen”, he whispered, “Do you hear that?”

Lukin Katran nodded, “We have some company, I believe…”

Owain cursed silently under his breath. “Klingons! Hurry, I think they've found us. We must hurry out!”

The ship shook violently, sending all three into the chute walls. Owain winced, as he had already a bump from earlier. It could only mean one thing, however. The Crimson Dagger was involved in a ferocious battle and wasn't letting go of its prey so easily. Though Owain had full confidence in the Horizon, and whatever else she could muster as backup. He was sure that right now, Aegis was in the center seat and sending bullseyes at its target, which made him smile.

He could see the other end of the chute now; they didn't have long to go. Another violent shake sent him closer as he slid towards the opening. He gripped the edge and pulled himself out, and then helping his two other accomplices to safety.

Norella took one quick look around to confirm that they were now in Engineering. She then let out a laugh as she took sight of Owain. “You look like one of them Klingons!”, she exclaimed, pointing out the soot that was covering him from head to toe.

Owain grimaced. “Looks like you two are in good company then.”, he said while pointing out that she and Lukin Katran were covered by soot as well.

“Well, it is an Engineering room, is it not?”, Norella asked playfully, and then made a sound, in a matter of saying she was thinking. Owain noticed this.

“What's the matter?”, he asked.

“Well, you look like a Klingon…”

Owain smiled, beginning to see the woman's point. “We'll blend in just fine then. They'll see us as one of them, and…”

An alarm sounded which made them all jump. Owain didn't understand Klingon very well, but a core breach was a standard warning on any ship, and so it made him pay attention very quickly. He ran to the nearest console, and all was plain to see, “The core is weakening. We only have 5 minutes to get out of here.” Norella and Lukin both looked to him with a look of horror, as if he had all the answers.

He looked back at Norella, “You know this ship right? Is there an easy way out besides the transporters?”

“Well, “, she began saying, but something had all caught their attention. People were climbing out of the chute, and they all had their weapons trained on the three of them.

In the fraction of a second that it took, Owain had recognized the face that had fired the weapon. He could have called out in warning, but those seconds were not long enough. The last thing he saw was the flash of light, and then he slumped to the floor.


Nicholas Li

< = USS Horizon - Main Bridge = >

Nicholas read the sensor readout of the Crimson Dagger. Its warp core containment field was fluctuating randomly. In a twenty minutes it will destabilize and the entire ship will explode. Sporatic shield failures allowed the Horizon to glimpse at lifesigns. There was a concentration of human life signs in Main Engineering and a group of Klingon on one side and a group of Reptiloids on the other. All three groups were converging.

Knowing that their friends would need more time and more reinforcement, Nicholas mentally ran through the current bridge member that could lead crew of engineers safely in this situation. He only came up with one name.

"Ensign Ozu, take a contingent of security officers and the emergency engineer team to stabilize that ship. We need to get our people out and any information on the enemy we can, so we need to fix that containment field and secure that vessel."


Ozu

Ozu heard Li’s orders and moved away from the bridge down to engineering. But wile he arrived there it was quite a mess and there where lot of casualties as well. He quickly realised that they would need every body here to keep the ship together so he moved to security and found two cadets witch he took with him the shuttle deck. There he saw Casper running around and will he ran past Ozu, Ozu graphed him in the neck and told him to come along. When they all sat in the shuttle Ozu launched and 30 sec later he hang beside the crimson dragger. They beamed onboard straight into engineering where they found the captain and some unwanted quest. Ozu and the security officers shot down the Gron who where surprised bye there sudden break in. Ozu than tapped his badge to hail the shuttle but he got no response. So Ozu looked around and saw Aegis standing over the captain.

Ozu: Casper stabilise that field I will help you if needed.
Casper: all right.
Ozu: Sir we have to hold ground here see if we can block these doors.
Aegis: can’t you beam us all out?
Ozu: they is some dampening field here witch prevents com, but Li work on the Horizons transporters now
Aegis: all right. But do you have a medic kit we shot down the captain in a reaction.
Ozu: let me, rest block the doors or help Casper with the field.

Ozu: picked up a medic kit and looked over the Captain. “it appears that you took quite a hit Sir” he said quietly. He scanned his body and gave him some medicines to stabilise him. More he couldn’t do now. Than he walked to Casper and asked how that field was going and got some good new for a chance. Casper told him that the field was stabilised for the next 30 min so they would have more time. The rest had locked down the door or barricade them so that they would be ran over. Al Ozu did was that Li got those dam transporters online.


Owain Taggart

< = Several hours later = >

It hadn't taken very long for Owain to be transported back to the Horizon, under the care of Doctor Garland. He'd been out cold for quite a long time before he saw the first glimpses of the faces before him. He groaned when he came to, and it only took a moment's look at Aegis to figure out what happened.

“You… You shot me!”, he exclaimed. If it had been anyone else, Owain would have been furious, but as it was as he said this, he actually smiled. “You shot me.”, he repeated. “In all my years in Starfleet, I've never heard nor seen such an action. This will be going down in the history books, folks”, he said with a grin, gesturing around the room as if to say he was addressing all those before him.

He was looking at Aegis and was about to speak to him when he screamed out in pain. “Yow!”, Owain yelled out as he tried to shoo the Doctor away, “Do you have to do this now?”, he asked her, and then he just looked at her and it was obvious that she needed to do something. “No, you're right. Get it over with.” And then Owain winced with pain as Doctor Garland did whatever she needed to do, then sighed.

“I'd like to speak to my XO now, without everyone around, if you all please.”, he asked of them, and they immediately dispersed, the Doctor even leaving to her office, perhaps to work on some reports that were waiting for her.

“My my, Mr Kardin.”, he told his Cardassian friend. “It hasn't been very long since I've been in command, yet you had enough courage to shoot at your own CO.” Owain grinned as he said this, in a good natured humour. “Don't worry, I won't reprimand you. You only did what you felt was right at the time, even if it meant I looked like a Klingon trying to sabotage those engines.” He laughed.

Aegis grinned back, feeling lucky that he was still here without his head on a platter. “Doctor Garland says you'll be ready in a few days, sir. It looks like you're healing quite nicely.”

Owain sighed, “If you were any other man, you wouldn't have been so lucky. I wouldn't have been so lucky. It's a good thing you, Ozu and that security team were there. I take it the Orion woman and Lukin Katran are safe?”

Aegis nodded, “Norella has been put in custody in the Brig, and Lukin Katran is in guest quarters, awaiting transport to General Nelson's Warlock.”

Owain thought on it for a moment and nodded, “Norella is to be released and put in her own guest quarters. The woman saved my skin. I trust her and owe it all to her for our escape. She may even find herself part of the crew if she's lucky.”

This seemed to surprise Aegis, but he nodded, “There's also this matter of Lieutenant Ozu.”

And in turn, this surprised Owain, “Oh, what of him?”

“I think I better let him tell you, sir”, Aegis told him.

Owain nodded, “By all means, send him in.”


Ozu

When Aegis came out of the sickbay he nodded to Ozu and Ozu entered the sickbay. “Well you had to tell me some thing Lieutenant?” Owain said when Ozu entered and Ozu responded “Yes sir I request a reassignment”. Owain looked surprised “why that?” Ozu: “because I have been on two missions on this ship and on both I lost my Captain. And yes I know that both times they came save back, but I found out that this is one of the reasons why I don’t function at my full capacity now Sir”. Owain looked up again and said, “I see I know this wont help much, But it isn’t your fault. “And what about the other reasons?” Ozu looked up and said:

“Because of my will to save both of you I got stressed and un balanced I could concentrate anymore to my standards. My mind was bussing around thinking and working on useless things. In the end I visited the doctor about it and she told me to meditate just like must Vulcans do. So I did and it did help but during my meditation I also found out that I had build a lot of negative energy here for my self and I knew that would hunt me as long as I remain here. Don’t get me wrong I loved to serve here and I liked the ship but with this is can’t do my full job”

Owain: I see. Did you have a position in mind?
Ozu: yes I do the Tactical wing on the station and I already did what I could to get it all I need is your permission.
Owain: than I guess I wont be able to hold you here, nor that it would be clever to do so. So permission granted I wile take care of it as soon as I can leave here.
Ozu: thank you Sir. O and by the way I would send Aegis to a shooting training.
Owain: maybe I should. Dismissed.

Ozu walked out of the sickbay with a smile on his face to his quarters to start packing.


Nikki Garland

Sickbay

Nikki had just finished tending to the Captain's injuries and was about to give him a light sedative to allow him to rest and heal up. Then some members of the senior crew had waltzed in and the Captain had asked to be left in peace. Although it was against her better judgement and she still had to check a few things on the Captain, she had reluctantly left them and gone into her office.

Her desk was full of paperwork, she had just been too busy to get round to them. She had so much to do but her first duty was always to maintain the health of the crew. One thing that she had definately noticed was that everyone was in much higher spirits since the Captain had returned more or less in one piece.

Nikki was about to sit down and look at the mountain of PADDs when Ensign Frost came in carrying a hot cup of tea and a chocolate fudge cake.

"You are a lifesaver Christina"

"Thats my job"

"How did you that chocolate cake was my favourite?"

"I have my sources, namely I've found lots of empty plates on your desk"

"Yes, chocolate cake is my achilles heel"

Nikki did not take long polishing off the cake, then spent a while looking in the mirror removing the crumbs around her mouth.

After Ozu had left she left the office and returned to the Captain before anymore people arrived.

"Sorry Captain but you need to rest, and before you try to protest its Doctor's orders and thats one thing you can't protest to"

The Captain could think of anything to reply to that, so she gave him a sedative and watched him drift off to sleep.


Owain Taggart

Many weeks later now, and the Horizon was hurtling towards its destination, Outpost Jericho-Samaria. It had been an eventful mission, and Owain wondered how he would construct his report. How could one tell Starfleet about a world destroyed before their eyes? This was a question he contemplated as he looked out the window of his ready room.

The Horizon couldn't have done anything in time, of course, however Starfleet would question him rigorously over his course of action, especially considering it had been a world awaiting talks of joining the Federation. Sadness filled his eyes as his mind returned to the thoughts he had first experienced after the horrible devastation. A world was lost. A world without hope, snuffed of its existence. He was angry with himself for having it seen happen, the guilt within him rising, knowing he couldn't do a damned thing about it. He sighed deeply.

The Orion, as far as he was concerned, were madmen. If they hadn't been involved in this, then Aldeberaan would have still existed today. Though they couldn't be all bad, he told himself. He refused to label every single one of them as wrongdoers. Of course, he had met Norella and Lukin Katran who had helped him gain a new perspective on things, and learning that all had not been lost.

The Aldeberaanian military vessels that General Nelson commanded, were following the Horizon. It was hoped that talks could resume, or at the very least, the Federation could help them find a new home that could eventually join the Federation. They would soon start a new life, a new civilization.

The Crimson Dagger had been defeated, and the Orion Captain, taken into custody by the Klingons, to be tried in a court with a full jury, his fate hanging in their hands. The ship had been battered, but not lost, however. The Klingons were in the process of towing it back to their homeworld for repairs.

And as for Owain, he had been released from Sickbay after having been shot by Aegis, who himself was trying to rescue his own Captain. The irony of it made Owain smile. And then he had been couped up in Sickbay, wanting to get out and walk, to which the Doctor had denied him, vehemently. He couldn't complain, however as she was only doing her job, and doing it well.

“Captain's Log,”, he started, “I was shot 6 times by a man on the run…”

“Wow”, Aegis exclaimed just as he entered while hearing Owain, “Six time, huh?”

Owain shrugged with a grin, “Oh shush, I'm just playing around. It's actually a line from an old Earth song.”

“Six times…”, Aegis repeated, “It all seems rather gory, you know?”

Owain nodded, “I don't plan on actually submitting it. You'll never live it down though, I promise you.”, he said with a sly smile.

“It does make me seem a bit… Cardassian”, Aegis quipped.

Owain laughed, “Well, at least I'm comforted to know things are back to normal.”

And then Aegis left, which left him alone again, contemplating his report.

“I was shot 6 times by a man on the run,”, he sang softly.


Ozu

After a bit bumpy flight back to Megiddo the Horizon was lying death in the dock under going repairs. At the same time Ozu was walking around on the ship to memorise here like she was now battle scarred but still beautiful. Wile he walked around he saw engineering teams all over place trying to fix a thousand and one things. Here and there he loon a hand at the repairs if it was needed. It had been quite a mission they where supposed to make official first contact but it ended up in a semi war. Some people he met on his walk looked shocked about the damage the ship had taken and about the loss of the crew, but Ozu was used to worse.

When he walked on he almost fell over a Person going into a Jeffries tube. When he was stable on is feet again he followed the person into the tube. Li: Ozu dam it watch out where you walk. Ozu: sorry was trying to remember the ship.

"You know Ozu, for someone that's so light on their feet on the basketball court, you're pretty awkward in the Jeffries tube," stated Nicholas jokingly.

"Ya well, we all couldn't have been born sewer rodents," retorted Ozu.

"So I hear that you're heading for some sweet assignment on the TFW. I hope you take more care with Starfleet fighters. Who am I kidding… those station engineers better sharpen their emergency repair kits. Hahahaha:D. Well lucky for you I was looking for you. I brought some vintage Kanar I was saving up."

Nicholas pour some of the blue liquid into the shot glasses that he brought and gave one to Ozu. They lifted up their glasses and Nicholas said, "Here's to you buddy, the best goddamn pilot this side of the Gamma Quadrant… give them hell!"

When Ozu had said goodbye to Li he moved on. A few min later he found out that he was close to sickbay so he headed there. Once he entered a nurse came to him asking what was wrong. Ozu guessed that they must have had lost of minor accidents now and told her that he was fine and that he wanted to so Lt. Nikky. Ozu: well I wanted to visit you before I leave and I wanted to tank you for saving me back there.

"Hey it was no problem at all, all part of the job"
"Well I'm sorry that I ran out of sickbay the last time you treated me"
"If Im ever lucky enough to work with you again I'll have you restrained and sedated until I decide that you are better"
"Im just a very stubborn patient"
"Most people are, guess that’s why sickbay is quiet most of the time"
"I've really enjoyed being part of the Horizon crew while I've been here"
"It is such a shame to be losing you but that’s the fun of Starfleet you don’t know what will happen in the future, its what makes it exciting"
"The tactical wing is doing well in getting you"
"Well I best get going, lots of people to say goodbye"
"Take care of yourself Ozu"
As Ozu left sickbay Nikki headed into her office, losing the crew was always emotional but she knew this would not be the last time that she saw him.

When he left the sickbay he headed for the Bridge to find Aegis and Owain. But when he entered the turbo lift he found Aegis with one of his unavoidable pads. Ozu: Sir? Aegis: Yes Ozu what can I do for you? Ozu: I wanted to say goodbye and tell you that it was an honour to serve with you. « Same rules here Aegis»

When Ozu entered the bridge he saw that the Captain wasn’t there so he guessed that he would be in the Ready room. Once there he pressed the chime. Owain: enter!

As Owain saw Ozu walk in, he smiled at him, then sighed as he got up to greet him. Then he turned towards the observation window with his hands behind his back, staring at the stars pensively.

"Mr Ozu, when I first knew you, you had gotten yourself into quite a lot of trouble. I chose to let this slide and pretend it never happened. I'm sure you remember our little talk."

Here Owain turned back around to face Ozu, who was expectant and wondering what his Captain was meaning when bringing this up again.

"You've come a long way since then, and have meant a lot to the crew. I even appreciate the fact that you beamed down to save me when Aegis had shot me." A little smirk had formed on Owain's lips as he said those last words. He then held out his hand for Ozu to shake. "It's been a pleasure to have you on my crew, and I'll be sorry to lose you. You've been a good pilot who has gotten the ship where it's needed to go and I'll have one heck of a time trying to find a suitable replacement. Take care out there, Lieutenant. I don't want to have to read the news and find out that another of our fine officers has been killed due to something foolish he's done. "

Here Owain nodded as he knew what Ozu was here for. "You have my permission to depart, Lieutenant. Stay safe. May you live a long and prosper life." And then he let his fingers do the Vulcan salute. “Life long and prosper Captain and remember I will be out there to help you if needed” Ozu also made the Vulcan Salute and left the room.

Once he had said goodbye to his now former Captain and was granted permission to disembark he moved to his quarters. Arrived there he looked around to see if he had missed anything. Than he putted Sarion into his carrier and picked up his bags. Than he spoke some word in a alien langue witch where mend to say goodbye to a living space in a good way so that every thing on his would come with him. “Nairay fireon durano gonys” and whit these words he left and moved to the airlock. Once arrived there he saw a security Officer and he looked at him and walked off the ship onto the station. His Horizon times where over at least for now because he could never know what the future had for him. Once he passed bye a window where he could she the Horizon in her full glory he stopped for the last time looked at her and putted that screen into his mind and than he moved away relived but sad.


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