Avoiding the Shards, Part 2: Apprehension
Posted on Sun Nov 9th, 2025 @ 1:02am by Captain Remy Johansen & Petty Officer 1st Class Enam Nemec & Sub-Lieutenant Osirin Acainus & Lieutenant Xalanth & Lieutenant Daynah Ral & Lieutenant Ryan Keel & Lieutenant JG Jezra Siv MD
1,678 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: Barisa Prime Conference Center
Timeline: MD 08, 1745, (After "The Shattering Hour")
It took a moment for Osirin to sort through the scores of emotions that flooded his mind. Fear and uncertainty were the strongest emotions. That was normal in a situation like this. He felt them too. But there were others too. One in particular caught his attention. Someone was feeling boxed in. Trapped.
What Osirin didn't know was whether that emotion was triggered by fear, or guilt. The culprit, or potential innocent victim was Valik. He would have to talk to security about them.
Valik's head whipped around when he heard someone behind him, eyeing the officer. The person on the other end of the communicator must have heard the newcomer, because the last thing spoken to the Romulan before the line went dead was "... remember, say nothing." His body was tense, like a coil ready to spring free, yet his expression was eerily calm. He slowly closed the communicator with a faint click and slipped it back into his pocket. Silence followed the officer's comment as the Romulan carefully studied the man, noting distance, hand placement, every minute detail that could matter.
"Take the communicator out of your pocket and place it down on the deck. Then place your hands against the wall," Xalanth barked.
For several long seconds, Valik continued to watch this imposing being. The officer wasn't Gorn, but the likeness was close enough that he leaned into his knowledge of the reptilian species in his assessment. His hand was still in his pocket, holding the communicator. Eventually, before the officer could ask twice, the Romulan pulled the communicator back out. Keeping his attention laser-focused on his company, he slowly placed it on the ground. After he stood back up, he gave the communicator a little kick so it skittered to a stop about halfway between them.
As much as his instincts screamed at him to not turn his back to someone who registered as a threat in his mind, Valik stiffly complied. He turned to face the wall, and gently put his hands on the cool surface, about head height. Enough to be visible over his shoulders, but not so high that it made him vulnerable. He used the turn to cover the subtle weight shift off his heels. With his back turned, he relied on his hearing to track the Starfleet officer, staring at the wall in front of him to focus.
"Xalanth to security I have a suspect requesting backup." Xalanth said into his communicator, still keeping the man covered with his phaser.
A young, half-Klingon security officer, her hair in long braids came eagerly rushing up to the scene, hand on an undrawn phaser until she noticed Xalanth with his weapon drawn then she quickly drew hers.
"Ensign Uy'yor reporting, Chief. What do you need?" She asked, eyeing the Romulan suspiciously.
" Cover me while i cuff the suspect. " Xalanth said as he stepped forward. " Sir i am placing...." He started resisting the arrest procedure as he began to pat him down.
"Yes sir," Uy'yor replied while moving in closer, watching her Lizard boss step closer to the Romulan.
Valik fought his own startle reflex when he felt hands pat him down, his own hands slightly curling into the wall in response. He remained still, almost too still, as his body was searched for weapons. His muscles were tensed as he silently tracked where the hands were and whether the officer searching him shifted left or right. Valik's breathing was controlled, yet shallow. There were no weapons on him, the scans at the entrance to the reception hall would confirm that, however his breath hitched when the pat-down ran over his left pant pocket several times.
The hypospray.
Entirely by instinct, Valik's hand shot down to grab the hand before it reached into his pocket. The movement was far too precise for any ordinary diplomat. Anyone with tactical experience would recognise the level of training needed to pull off something like that so smoothly, especially while under duress. Valik realised what he had done and froze, his grasp on the intruding hand hesitating. His eyes widened, but not necessarily from fear.
Shit.
Xalanth felt the man grab his hand. Instantly, his body, with the instincts of his people and the training of both Starfleet and the Legion, jumped into action. He brought his free arm up and grabbed the man's hand. " Now what have you got in that pocket sir."
Having slipped a small type-one phaser from his person, Keel was busy ushering a gaggle of Ferengi delegates towards the cordon of Marines. Eyes darting this way and that as he watched over his new principles, the ex-Marine was still grimly amused at the Ferengi's confusion when he refused their offer of an exorbitant sum of latinum for his services. Starfleet is always free of charge, he had told them.
He wasn't there when the Ambassador had collapsed, but was in no doubt that it had been foul play. Too many people had too much riding on the conference. As he reached the Marine cordon, he was nodded through while the Ferengi were sent off to be questioned gently and diplomatically. Keel wondered dully how much they would charge to allow a body search for potential incriminating evidence. He cast about, looking for a tricorder. The more data they gathered now, the easier it would be.
The Chief Diplomatic Officer's comm badge chirped to life as the combined security and intelligence center on Astrea began making contact first with Senior Staff.
[Ensign Tarek to Chief Diplomatic Officer Lieutenant Keel, status report.] the Vulcan's voice was crisp and punctuated, a sharp distinction from the chaos of the crowd.
'Keel here,' he replied sharply, slapping his chest commbadge with just a little too much force and wincing. 'Still in the building and shepherding dignataries to the cordons - we can process and question them that way. Work out who's missing.' He looked about the main space, noticing it was emptying quickly despite the hubbub. 'Uh, if any of you can find me a tricorder, we can take some preliminary readings of the space.'
The diplomat knew he was clutching at straws, but until someone with Security experience re-appeared, he was damn well going to do what he'd learned in Security One-Oh-One almost two decades ago. Yeah, nothing can have changed since then, he chastised himself ruefully. He knew he just needed to keep busy while processed everything they had worked towards falling apart around him.
A woman approached Ryan, Betazed, the fact given away by her coal-black eyes, large and wise beyond what her years would suggest. She was dressed in a an emerald green gown, jeweled around the neckline, and jewels that complemented her dress sparkled in her dark brown hair.
"Sorry to bother you, Lieutenant. I'm Lieutenant Maris Thalen. I know the Ambassador. I was wondering if you knew who I might talk to."
'Lieutenant Thalen?' Keel echoed, flipping his tricorder shut with an audible snap. He briefly wondered why the Betazoid was out of uniform. 'I'm not sure I can place you as part of the Starfleet delegation,' he said with a polite smile. 'May I ask how you know the Ambassador?'
"We go back far enough, it would take a long time to explain." The Betazed looked over her shoulders uneasily, the tension in the conference center heightened. Nervousness, fear, mostly confusion, and then there was the cool, steady force of the Starfleet officers who had chosen to step up and take control of the situation. The ones who seemed to thrive on this type of energy.
"Is she okay?" Maris asked.
Hesitating a moment, Keel then shook his head. 'I'm not sure. What I know is that she's collapsed.' His smile turned apologetic, 'I'm sure you can understand I can't tell you much more than that right now.' Taking a step toward her, he kept the smile, but his tone became more firm. 'I'll take you to the cordon, get you processed.'
Daynah could hardly believe what had occured. Well she hardly knew what happened. The only thing that had been confirmed was that the Ambassador had collapsed. As she processed everything her comm badge chirped. "Petty Officer Enam Nemec to Lieutenant Ral, Status report."
Daynah tapped the badge. "Ral here. At the moment I am outside the auditorium proceeding to assist with evacuation. Do we have any sensor readings on what happened? Where is the Captain?"
[Good to hear from you, Lieutenant, Petty Officer Nemec, Central Command Protocol is in place. I'm getting a read on your location.] The Bajoran security officer's voice came through clearly on Ral's comm.
[The Captain is with Security Chief Xalanth, we are still waiting on Commander Spello to report in. Medical transported one on board for treatment, I do not have information on who on their condition. ]
Daynah thought for a moment and resolutely arrived at what she felt was the best answer for what she needed to do. "Nemec, get me back up to the Astrea as soon as possible." She felt that with her extensive knowledge of sensor use she could figure out what happened here, or where the culprits got off to.
[Yes, Sir. The nearest exit is going to be to the Southwest doors. Once you are out of the no transport zone, we'll get you back on board immediately, Lieutenant.]
"Acknowledged. Ral out." Daynah made her way to the doors and was greeted by a Tellarite Corporal who wore the uniform of the Starfleet Marine Corps. "Corporal, I am Lieutenant Daynah Ral of the USS Astrea. I need to be let out to return to my ship." Without a word the Tellarite held out a scanning device that confirmed Daynah was who she said she was. He then stepped aside. Daynah made her way out and as soon as she was clear the transporter effect took hold. Now she turned her years of experience to learning what happened here.
~tbc~
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