REPOST - Bait

Posted on Thu Apr 27th, 2023 @ 7:50am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen

Mission: Repairs and Retribution
Location: Orias III
Timeline: 9 Months Ago

OOC - For the rehash - as previously posted Nov 2020, the crux of the current mission revolves around the below post titled 'Bait'.

*snip*
A Mission Post by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Lieutenant T'Strella Drake & Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Ensign Bob Gomez

Mission: Diplomatic Masquerade
Location: Orias III
Timeline:

The arid wasteland was dotted with cliffs and rock formations, some perfectly innocent, others not so much. Extensive cave networks could be found hidden within the cliffs and served as hiding places for those who wanted not to be found - both colonist and Cardassian alike.

The Cardassian platoon stripped the Away team of their commbadges and weapons, and marched them to a nearby cave as ordered. Soon the Gul would arrive.

T'Strella, moved along with the others in the away team. She noted the guards, discreetly scanned the parameter..... noting a landed ship, a over decorated , over powered ship... She surmised it was most probably the Gul's...

She sat down when shown the place. They had taken the commbadges and tri-corders, octo-cording devices. She.... sat in silence observing....

Aurora sat herself down on a rock, her rash was growing and she'd scratched it almost raw. Now she was starting to feel the second wave of effect from the pathogen she didn't know she'd come in contact with, her body temperature was rising and she sat shivering as a fever started to kick in.

As T'Strella observed her surroundings.....she, sat in stoic repose, she refusing to show their captors any emotion. Her stoic alabaster stone face unreadable and she unmoved by the predictable....illogical Cardassians...

Ensign Bob Gomez was terrified, he'd never seen a Cardassian in real life before - let alone on who had an agenda against Starfleet. He trembled slightly, trying to control his rising panic as the Cardassians outnumbered the Liberty away team 5 to 1. They seemed to be waiting for something or someone though - merely containing the away team but not harming them.

Savar was stoic at least on the outside. Inside he was mad at himself for falling into a trap. No doubt Maccet was behind this and wanted revenge on the Captain. Also an unbeknown to the Cardassians, his Pon'farr had started. He could feel himself becoming short tempered, his emotions threatening to boil over.

The Cardassians seemed calm, patiently waiting for their puppet master to arrive. His shuttle had landed a few moments earlier and no doubt he was on route to their location. True to form Maccet took his time, making others wait for him put him in a position of power. He strode into the cave and regarded his platoon and the Starfleet officers who were held behind them.

" Well done, I must thank you for making full use of the facilities I have provided to capture you. Those colonists will be gone and the Liberty will suffer an 'unfortunate' accident, along with her black hearted Captain of course. This planet will be stripped of its ore for the rebuilding the Cardassia. " He grinned at his own tactical prowess.

Aurora looked at Macet “So this ...” she shivered. “Was your plan all along?”

Maccet strode closer to the shivering Vulcan. "And what do we have here? Oh deary deary me... shake hands with your black hearted Captain? Break the bread per sey? Did she hand you a padd or brush past you? The blood on her hands just keeps spreading doesn't it?" He kept his own mostly healed hand behind his back as he spoke, not wanting to give away his involvement. "To answer your question - Yes this was my plan all along. But rest your pretty little mind - you shall not be harmed any more than necessary. You are not the end goal here"

Aurora looked at Macet then at Savar concerned at his comments regarding her rash. “If you know what this is ...” she pointed to her arm. “Then you can fix it right?”

" Now tell me my dear why I would want to do that?" The Gul leaned closer - inspecting the rapidly spreading lesion. " Oh dear that does look nasty"

Aurora sat shivering. “You do know something!” She tapped her head. “Whatever this is ... it’s messing with my control, I can’t stop myself from reading your surface thoughts. You did this!”

T'Strella stood up and walked quietly looking around the area. She casually looked around.... Noting the Cardassians, Gul Macet in all his glory. She, continued to remain quiet and focused. She also could smell the pheromones givin off by Vulcan males during a certain seven year span. She saw the exchange between Aurora and Macet. She continued to remain quietly focused...

"Of course I know something, I created this pathogen. It was designed to incapacitate your black hearted Captain whilst we eradicate the colonists and strip this planet of it's ore" Maccet revealed his plan and seemed quite proud of it. " Your ailment will only aid the Glory of Cardassia. I must thank you in advance for you sacrifice"

Savar's eyes focused and locked on Maccet. Here was the enemy! Someone trying to hurt his mate. They must be eliminated.

Bob meanwhile was shaking in his boots, surrounded by Cardassians who seemed to have an ulterior motive.

Maccet turned to Savar who seemed to be rather edgy. The Cardassian held a phaser in one hand, and a commbadge in the other.

"Would you like to do the honours? Tell your black hearted Captain I will release some of your team if she joins us" He oozed.

Savar didn't look at him, his eyes were focused on some faraway point. He did manage a reply a single word. "NO." almost a growl.

" Call your Captain, or I start shooting your away team - I will even let you pick who dies first" Maccet raised his weapon and aimed it at Aurora. " Shall it be this one? Yes?"

Savar continued to sit, not reacting to Maccet's oily words.

Maccet moved forward, goading Savar, almost willing him to try something so he could shoot him. He levelled the weapon at Aurora.

" Get your Captain down here now" He ordered, his trigger finger getting very itchy.

"Call...her...yourself." Savar replied with visible effort.

" Having a moment are we?" Maccet said a little too joyfully " Protect your Captain or protect your team, such a hard decision even for a Vulcan. "

He pressed the commbadge, establishing a link with the Starship circling above.

" My Dear Rhen, if you would like to see your away team alive I suggest you beam down to the location I am sending you. For every 10 minutes you delay, someone will die"

T'Strella moved quietly away.... she looked around for any evidence of Shuttle craft, ally arrival.. .... she continued to walk the further from the containment the clearer her diplomat emergency chip would send clear signal. She began to tap her neck in CODE, alerting Tactical on the ship of how many enemy combatants, location coordinates, sick, injured... she moved deeper into a wood area...... continuing to let the signal emit..... She knew if Security could pick up her emergency code they could possibly end this.....


==Signal honed in and locked..==

T'Strella, free of the cave and cliff walls she remained low so as not to present any sniper a good target. She looked behind her to see the others moving to depart ... The Captain gave the word, the word is given. T'Strella saw two burly Cardassian's, with quick and deliberate moves she dropped them... she moved onwards, if Gul Macet had the personnel he led them to believe.... they might have to fight. T'Strella always packed heavy, pulling a phaser from her boot, putting it together she tossed it to Aurora. Then pulled another from her other boot. Putting it together, she continued onwards to freedom....



Meanwhile on the Liberty the Captain was working feverishly with Bonnie to locate the now missing away team - they had vanished from the powerful starships sensors and now weren't answering any hails.

"Captain, we're receiving a hail from Commander Savar" Ops announced, and at Rhenora's nod, opened the channel. Maccet's slimey voice filled the bridge, making Kaylen's blood run cold in her veins.

" Release them, your business is with me and me alone" She challenged.

Maccet laughed, the slightly manic tone grating on everyone's ears. Back on the planet he looked at Savar.

" Tell her Vulcan - tell her how you're going to pick who dies first"

Savar didn't answer, the blood fever was growing within him with each passing minute. "No." He finally answered his voice ragged filled with emotion.

From the bridge Rhenora could hear the struggle in Savar's voice - his Pon'Farr must have kicked into full swing with the turn in the away mission. She had little choice - if she remained on the bridge she was sure Maccet would have no qualms killing the away team, if she went down to the planet her life was the only one he was interested in. Perhaps she could spare that of the away team.

" Fine - I'll be down shortly" Rhenora's voice was devoid of emotion, filled instead with a stoic certainty. She intended to beam down with a phaser on her hip, and a knife concealed within her boot.

A few moments later she appeared in a shimmering sparkle outside the cave - drawing a deep breath to centre herself for what was about to be the negotiation of her life.

No sooner than she had shimmered into view was Rhenora surrounded by Cardassian troops. "Drop your phaser now. nice and slow." Came the harsh order.

Rhenora's chin rose in defiance but she stripped off the phaser and threw it on the ground, letting the weapon clatter to Maccet's feet.

" Let my team go, your business is with me" She said strongly, refusing to baited.

"You are in no position to demand Rhen." Maccet oozed, "However all of your away team may leave ... except for the Vulcan and the Betazoid women." He finished as another one of his troops appeared holding a pair of sturdy Cardassian security cuffs. "Hands behind your back Rhen." He ordered.

The Captain bristled as her called per by her pet name, but refrained from speaking in case he changed his mind regarding the majority of the away team. They fled the cave to presumed safety. Once they were well enough away she finally spoke.

" I will give you nothing unless you release everyone" She said stoically.

"You do not dictate terms here. It suits me for the Vulcan and the women to watch this. "Now, hands behind your back."

She said nothing but stood still as Maccet approached her, roughly grasping her wrists and yanking them behind her back, securing it with some kind of manacles tight enough to draw blood if she struggled too much.

" Let them go Maccet, otherwise they shall bear witness to your atrocities." She challenged.

He slapped her hard in response. "Let them watch. I'm not worried about them seeing what I do to you." He snapped, confident in his position.

The slap made Aurora cringe, she was having difficulty controlling her abilities and she was feeling what Rhenora was feeling. That and the fact that just seeing Maccet’s treatment of her Captain made her feel very afraid.

Meanwhile, T'Strella knew it was time to pull another Dee Dee McCall... she saw the tensions increasing with the baligerant Cardassians, berating her Captain, Aurora , Savar and the others. She, still fully geared up with Diplomatic Protocols.... quietly made it to the small rise where she had had her people send the 'Greetings and Salutations pack. She found it and turned it on.... it quietly sent out the distress beacon, and increased the bio signatures of all the away team..

Then she very quietly returned to her previous location. ***Light em up*** she thought as she sat appearing to be just a female Ambassador...

Savar glanced at Aurora, saw her arm was infected from her continuous scratching. Then his eyes were drawn to the Captain and the abuse she was receiving from Maccet and his blood fever became even more consuming. He rose and silently moved to the cell door. He was focused on the Maccet. he had hurt Aurora and was hurting the Captain. In his mind there was only one thought. Kill Maccet. Make him pay.

Rhenora's head snapped sideways as he hit her, the cuff of his uniform dragging across her flesh and leaving a thin red cut in its wake. She concealed her reaction, outward silence but an internal rhetoric screaming abuse. She glanced at the remaining members of the away team - locked in a rudimentary prison cell. They were safe for now, at least physically. Savar seemed to be struggling and Aurora was bearing the same lesions the Captain had been afflicted with.

Maccet laughed as the the thin cut on her cheek. "Oops." He replied insincerely. "Now, that I have you. I am going to enjoy embarrassing you Captain." He checked her cuffs and made them even tighter. He wanted no chance of Rhenora escaping. "There I think that will do."

" What is it you hope to accomplish Maccet? Killing me won't bring your brother back, it won't do anything to fix the past." Rhenora didn't bother to struggle against the restraints digging painfully into her wrists - she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"I hope for satisfaction, for revenge for your killing of my brother and I will have it." He answered.

" More blood on your hands - when will it stop?" Rhenora challenged, knowing she was baiting a bull with a wild red flag. " How many people will die before you leave the past in the past?"

"It will never be in the past!" He roared as he looked at her standing there bound and trying to act confident, in control.

" What's done is done, nothing's gonna change it. You can beat me, kill me, shoot down my ship - but Starfleet will kick your ass from here to next century for your actions. It won't bring your brother back. You have a chance to make a difference here Maccet. Change the play book" Rhenora continued, hoping to appeal to a somewhat logical aspect of the Cardassian's mind. She didn't have much hope but she had to try.

"Oh, I plan on beating you before I kill you Captain and you know why? Because I can and I want to but most importantly because it will make me feel good. You have been a thorn in my side for years, the itch I couldn't scratch and now I have you bound and helpless before me. It is perfect."

Aurora sat on the floor her arm was inflamed, sore and so itchy she couldn’t help but scratch it was driving her insane. She wasn’t feeling very well and she now sat shivering with her fever. Her mental barriers were also failing her and she was finding the voices and emotions of those around her intolerable without anything to hold them back. She sat in a corner cradling her head.

Savar was unresponsive, that is he wasn't talking. He observed and saw everything. Especially that Aurora was in distress and that heightened his blood fever even more.
All eyes were on Maccet and Rhenora as Savar got up as silent as a wraith and moved to the cell door. It was rudimentary and as such he snapped it easily. As the door swung open his eyes were locked on the Cardassian as he mocked and tried to humiliate the Captain.

Maccet knelt down face to face with his captured little mouse, the upper hand was his. But like any over confident cat he had to toy with his prey just a little before killing it. He was now eye to eye a good position for sizing her up. He reached out and touched the blood upon her face causing her to flinch, then withdrew and looked at the spec upon his finger briefly before putting in his mouth.

The silence was deafening until broken. "You know, there was a time I wouldn't harm a soul. Do you know how many colours are in the standard painters palette? No, of course you wouldn't. Your kind are not artistic, only a singular focus." He quickly swiped another bead of her blood and studied it for a moment before showing her.

"We call this Bajoran. Nothing else. No dramatic flare like rust or crimson, just Bajoran." He sucked it off his finger again. "My brother, who you so mercifully murdered in the street that night, use to tell me Bajorans were but tools to be used as we see fit." He squinted at her defiant form before him.

"Until that night I didn't care. I only saw the colours of a palette and a canvas with which I could craft my skills." He stood. "I fancied animals and insects, did you know?" He queried. "Of course not, shame." He looked around at his men and the situation as a whole then back at Rhenora. "From that night until this I was changed. I had a drive, a purpose. Every life on that rock I snuffed out, was because of you little rat. And every life I take here today will be on your hands. You think I'm a monster? YOU MADE ME!" He yelled loud enough to shake the cavern they were in.


As Maccet's words trailed off Rhenora could see the hatred and revenge return to his eyes, She kept Savar in the corner of her eye, the Cardassian goons too busy watching their boss at work rather than watching the prisoners. Apparently they had been promised a spectacle in prisoner interrogation and they weren't going to miss it. The Captain didn't deny the fact he would most likely kill her soon, revenge from a blood relative meted out on who he thought was responsible. When someone had built their whole life on revenge it was hard to change it within a few minutes.

Savar moved with the grace of a panther. His eyes locked on Maccet. No one was watching him. They thought him helpless, mentally disabled. They would soon the error of their ways.

The Captain could see an opportunity about to present itself. With the platoon overly focussed on the Gul's blood lust they weren't paying attention to anything else. Those that Maccet had released previously had escaped and triggered a distress call to the Liberty, the guards outside the cave (now the majority of them) were more focussed on the impending death of the Starfleet Captain than the sleek movements of the Vulcan.

Rhenora rose from the floor, determined to meet her fate on her feet.

" This will accomplish nothing other than an interstellar incident and the banishment of your command from the Cardassian Union" She said to his face, moving forward to stand within centimetres of his breastplate. Damn being short.

"An interstellar incident? I think not Captain. Your ship and crew will meet with an unfortunate accident and that will be the end of Captain Rhenora Kaylen." He pushed her back. causing her to stumble back. "On your knees!" He ordered.

"You don't think that Starfleet will come looking for answers if the Liberty fails to report in? You think this will all be swept under the carpet with no consequences? You'll end up back in prison where you'll rot in the fire caves" Rhenora shot back, wincing as the impact with the ground ricocheted from her knees through her body. There was definitely going to be some bruises tomorrow - if there was a tomorrow.

"Oh, I'm sure your Starfleet will come looking but they will find nothing but dust of the former starship Liberty." He gloated.

Unwatched, Savar was out of the cell, his movements fluid. looking like a predator as he stalked Maccet. His eyes following the Cardassian's every move.

" With Cardassian weapons signatures, and a Cardassian planet being their last known location. On what what deranged level of logic are you operating on? You'll ass will be hung out to dry and you'll rot in a Federation prison if your beloved Cardassian Union doesn't hot fry your ass for causing such an interstellar incident. You can't win Maccet." She was goading him, trying to get him to make a mistake either herself or Savar could take advantage of.

He obliged by slapping her again. "I will win! You will be a memory and I will rise to even greater glory in the Cardassian Union."

The Captain reeled from the blow, stumbling and hitting the wall of the cave unable to use her hands to protect herself. She slumped against it, bleeding from a fresh head wound. The cave span in lazy circles from her viewpoint and she could already hear the lectures from both Doc Wilson and Remal coming when they got back. If they got back.

His slap was the push Savar needed. He out of the cave in a flash and atop Maccet, throwing him like a twig away from Rhen. Then he pounced again, not giving the Cardassian leader a chance to recover as he picked him up off the ground, shaking him like a rag doll before wrapping both hands tightly around Maccet's neck and slowly squeezing the life out of him.

"You...will...hurt...the Captain no more." Savar growled savagely as Maccet tried to pry the Vulcan's fingers from his neck but they were like two steel vises. Macett's hand went to his face and scratched and clawed deep wounds in it but Savar was undeterred and his hands remained clamped around the Gul's throat.

"Savar...don't kill him" Rhenora said from her position against the wall, concentrating was difficult but she understood that Savar's blood fever was kicking in and that Maccet was most likely not going to survive the experience.

Savar heard a voice from far away. It was the Captain, she didn't want him to kill the treacherous Cardassian. "He... is evil...evil must be destroyed." He gasped, trying to keep his mental awareness in place.

" Not like this" The Captain replied, struggling to get to her feet. " Let him answer for his actions in a court of law, this is not the way"

Savar said nothing but his hands slowly relaxed their grip around Maccet's throat. he looked at Rhenora and grabbed her wrists snapping her cuffs like they were plastic.

Maccet took no chances, lunging forward and grabbing the Captain's head, planning on finishing what he started. Her blood coated his fingers like a crimson paint. The Captain raised her now free hands to try and prise his fingers off with limited success. Was this it?

A feral growl came from Savar's lips as he grabbed Maccet by the shoulder and jerked him away from Rhenora as he twisted Maccet's neck snapping it as easily as snapping a twig. He then dropped the Cardassian's body on the cave floor like a rag doll and slumped to his knees. His hands coated in the Cardassian's blood.

There was an 'Oh crap' moment in the Captain's mind, competing with the fact her life was no longer in danger.

"Savar, stand down...it's over" She said, struggling to her feet and leaning back against the wall for support. The remaining Cardassians retreated from the cave as they distanced themselves from the raging Vulcan. They didn't want to be the next target.

Savar made no verbal reply. He simply gave a nod of his head and remained on his knees his eyes closed, his breathing was fast and shallow.

Satisfied that Savar was no longer a threat Rhenora moved to the rear of the cave, opening the cell further so Aurora and T'Strella could leave.

" Let's blow this joint" She said, applying pressure to the wound on her hand in order to control the bleeding. Doc Wilson was going to have a field day.

Aurora was unresponsive she was overwhelmed and unable to concentrate on what was being said. Instead she sat rocking back and forth whilst digging her nails into her arm as she scratched it raw.

Seeing Aurora in such a state she nodded to T'strella to assist, together they eased the half Vulcan up out of the cell and towards the opening, once outside she could see a dark rumbling beginning to brew overhead - just what they needed. Sitting Aurora on a rock under Tstrella's care the Captain headed back into the cave, retrieving the handful of combadges and cautiously approaching Savar.

" Come outside Commander, we're going home" She said quietly, waiting for him to move before leaving the cave herself. They would beam back to the Liberty, regroup, and discuss the fallout. Then maybe try once again to contact the colonists.

But for now - she just wanted to go home.

" Kaylen to Liberty - beam up everyone within a 2 metre radius of my signal directly to sickbay"

The away team shimmered away the same way in which they'd arrived.


*end snip*