The Great Galactic Hunt

Posted on Saturday, 22 August 2020 - 2:31pm by Captain Barret Stillwater & Commander DeVala Victrix Ph.D & Lieutenant Aristede Hobbes & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali & Lieutenant Talarn Zilth
Edited on on Saturday, 22 August 2020 - 2:31pm

Mission: Operation: Jabberwocky
Location: USS Monarch - Transporter Room
Timeline: MD 7

==Bridge==

Gemaris V, a Beta Quadrant world neighboring Dachlydious. Neither the Gemarians nor Dachlyds was members of the Federation though they did have relationships with the United Federation of Planets stretching back decades. Starfleet personnel had been posted on Gemaris V in the 2350s to conduct scientific research in regards to plasma which was unique to Gemaris. The interaction between the Gemarians and Dachlyds had been tumultuous at best. Trade tensions in 2366 caused then Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Enterprise-D to be dispatched to settle the trade disputes as a neutral mediator. It took several days, but an agreement was reached. The two still had a rocky relationship, and neither was too fond of the Federation through the Dachlyds were less problematic.

It was the Dachlyds which had permitted the USS Monarch into their space which was close enough for the starship to gather some reconnaissance information and confirm some suspicions, intercepting a transmission from Gemaris that was promoting a ‘Great Galactic Hunt’ had essentially verified that the Gemarians, if not responsible, were at least somewhat involved in the blood sports; however, the body Lieutenant Commander Victrix had discovered on the relay station was not Gemarin. It was Drai, a species from the Gamma quadrant of all places, and Gemaris V was extremely far from the wormhole near Bajor.

The USS Monarch proceeded to Gemaris, and on the far side of the planet, they discovered a few starships not of Gemarian design, though not uncommon given the planet being a port for trade. What trades Klingon, Nausicaans, Chalnoth, and Anticans had was ‘perplexing’ to Commander Barret Stillwater. Vessels of all those species were there, and another which was eventually identified as Drai. Representing three of the four quadrants in their assembling in orbit of Gemaris V. Commander Stillwater imagined if it were possible for them to be there, a species like the Hirogen from the Delta quadrant would have likely been in attendance with these fellow ‘hunters,’ but this was no pleasant competition.

It had been Talarn who had allowed them to crack the code without the cipher the other hunters were likely provided. Therefore, they had accessed an invitation which provided them coordinates to beam down to. Stillwater had no idea if the Gemarian government had sanctioned the hunt; he did not want to levy any accusations without evidence nor arouse their suspicions anymore than the presence of the Monarch already had. Commander Stillwater shot a look at Lieutenant Commander Victrix. "This was your mission to begin with, it should be yours to lead planetside," he said crisply. "Take whomever you want or need. I will handle things from up here diplomatically... the Federation's presence here is..." he contemplated for a moment.

Victrix smiled and stood from her seat "Scientific Commander. We are a science vessel after all and our agreement with their government for plasma research never officially ended," Victrix noted. "Stall them. Exploit the loopholes, and if you need any help... just comm me or better yet try to get in touch with Captain Dashwood. She knows how to talk bureaucrat."

Commander Stillwater nodded. "I will do my best," he replied with a grunt and a nod.

Victrix knew exactly who she wanted. She reached for the comm control on the XO's chair. "Dr. Rose and Lieutenants Vali and Hobbes report to transporter room one for away team duties," she said over the open comm. She looked at the Ops station on the Bridge "Kolani, I want you here with Stillwater. Talarn, I'll need your technical prowess and security background," she said to the Cardassian.

Talarn nodded and rose from his seat. "Of course, Commander." He was actually flattered to be invited to participate again. His eyes lingered on Barret as he made his way to the door, with a little smirk.

Rose and Vali had been in the small office inside sickbay, discussing the Drai, and the upcoming away team. At the call Ryan looked over. "Well, I guess we're up."

T’Lanna nodded. “It certainly sounds that way.”

==Transporter Room==

Lieutenant Commander Victrix walked into the transporter room finding herself being the first to arrive. It was not entirely surprising, the others were likely getting equipment. She herself had packed a bit lightly. One tricorder paired with a type-II hand phaser. She was not entirely sure what to expect, but the coordinates were scanned and there were no sentient life signs in the immediate area. There were; however, dozens of life signs not too far off. The area itself however seemed to be somewhat remote and treacherous.

Ryan stepped in, a large medical kit slung across his left shoulder. "Ma'am." He nodded to Victrix.

T'Lanna followed Ryan, nodding politely to Victrix. She too had packed light and had a hand phaser that she'd use if she had to protect herself.

Talarn arrived in the trasporter room, after gathering a small tool kit and a phaser. He nodded to the others in the transporter room and started to check over what he had brought, a tricorder and several engineering type tools, as well as a couple of specialized tools that he'd actually fabricated himself. "We're waiting for a few others? Yes?"

“It looks that way.” T’Lanna nodded. She was grateful for Talarn’s presence, having another ex-Borg onboard whom she could talk with was something of a blessing in her opinion.

Carrying his toolkit slung over one shoulder with a tricorder tucked into the front pocket and a phaser on his hip, Hobbes entered the transporter room; literally having grown up in front of an audience, he was not particularly shy. From the clowns, he had learned how to exaggerate an awkward moment and turn it into a laugh; from his family, he had learned grace and absolute control over his body. Good lessons. He made his way to the pads, taking in the team members, and nodding respectfully to the Commander.

"Everyone keep your eyes open, those ears sharp, and have your phasers set to stun" instructed Victrix. "It is mid day at the beam down site of the planet. This hunt has already begun, so we will be making a late arrival."

Victrix nodded at the transporter operator. "Chief," she said. The man approached the transporter pad and started handing out a PaDD to each member of the away team before returning to his post.

"The PaDDs contain a dossier of the 'prey' which includes a prominent Bolian businessman. Each prey is ranked in a tier system. There are more lower tier prey than higher tier, but the higher the prey is ranked, the more points they are worth" she explained. "Capture or kill is at the discretion of the hunters. We have our 'paperwork' in order and are here as a cobbled together group of bandits as a hunting party. Our goal is simple...take out the hunters, spare the prey. Any prey we come across we let the Monarch lock onto and transport. If we find injured prey, we stabilize them for transport."

The transporter chief cleared his throat. "Coordinates locked ma'am" he reminded her.

Victrix nodded. "Energize," she replied simply.