The Great Starship Robbery part 2

  Kheren understood perfectly the Bajoran's ire. He did not mince words.

''Captain Jureth; Syntron and I are committed to a course any Starfleet officer would call treason. We need th transwarp of the Lotus; we found it gone and the task force commander himself on baord. I decided you had to be stopped. Syntron agreed. Then Lieutenant Commander Sorripto showed up and vouched himself and you to be on the same course. Commander Rogers agrees.''

The Andorian's antennae darted straight at Jureth.

''The Federation chose the path of war. We intend to stop it.''

Jureth looked from the Vulcan to the Andorian...he was still angry, angry that he'd been essentially kidnapped and angry that two officers, one of whom he'd served under, didn't trust him enough to simply approach him. 

"Just who do you two think you are?" Oseno wasn't yelling...not yet anyway "Did you really think so little of me that you would believe I would simply go along with Starfleet's plans? I took an oath...to protect the Federation against all enemies foreign AND domestic. Yet here you stand thinking that rendering me unconscious would have accomplished anything? So you had me.Then what, Kheren? Interrogation? Torture? What if I resisted, which I would have..then what? A mind meld by you Syntron? Would you kill me to stop me from something you assumed I was doing? " 

Kheren's glare never wavered.

''If necessary.''

In the silence that followed, the Andorian spoke with a heavy tone.

''Who do I think I am? I am a desperate man. I sacrificed much already for that same oath you swore to. And to keep that oath, I am now on a course that will lead to losing everything... if I am lucky. I was a starship commander; I have lost count how many people's lives I had to sacrifice for the sake of my ship, my crew, the Federation. Yours would be just one more; like mine.''

His antennae were as rigid as his metallic stare.

''I am that committed, Captain Jureth. That desperate. My life, yours, that of everyone in this room or beyond, might be the price to pay to save countless others from a folly about to destroy everything I, you, each of us here swore to die for. So be it. If I make the wrong move, so be it; but regardless of how many times I stumble, I will try to do what is right. To the end.''

Jureth glared at them both again before continuing "Yes, Commander Sorripto and I removed the transwarp drive, and you better damn well believe it's going on the Alsea...and I may even have the same goals as you do...but I'm not sure I need allies I can't trust and right now I don't have any reason to trust either of you." 

Kheren's antennae curved inward. His tone softened.

''Wise words, Captain Jureth. Trust is a luxury; and I can not even fully trust my own judgment at this point. But I have to act with my conscience. So you should understand how little I could trust Starfleet's task force commander, a most steadfast officer of upmost distinction and valor, to take my only mean to do the right thing, right from under my nose, to do... what? Sacrifice his career, face dishonor, the loss of his command and a life sentence on a penal colony to do the exact same desperate thing that I am planning? Quite a stretch would you not think? ''

He sighed.

''For the sole sake of a friendship I no longer deserve, I nevertheless apologize for the... desperation of my actions towards you. But I had to stop you and find out... before you went away, taking with you all my hopes... and those of the Federation.''

Syntron stood beside the resolute Andorian and nodded subtly as he spoke. He could see the ire manifested in the Bajoran’s demeanor as the words were spoken, yet it seemed to soften slightly as he concluded.

“Those making the orders handed down to us from the Federation council were reacting without logic or foresight as to the greater consequences of their decision. It has been demonstrated throughout history that the greater the power that is wielded, the more dangerous the abuse that can result from its misuse,” Syntron added stoically, as he measured the Bajoran’s deportment.

“In this instance, when a clearly ruinous set of orders are being spouted and enforced, the only options available to officers is to rise against such misjudgment, or in our case, resign from participation in such a contemptible and ill-advised strategy or follow them blindly. Regardless, as noted in the centuries past, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

The Vulcan continued to keep his keen eyes on the Bajoran officer and former colleague as he spoke.

“How are you planning to move forward regarding what we perceive as these injudicious circumstances Captain Jureth?” 

Rogers listened with half his attention while he also kept an eye on his PADD. Although the automation sequencing files were necessarily large, they were also fast; comparatively speaking. As the eighty percent mark toggled into place a sudden chirp drew his attention off the device and to the transporter console. It was currently maintaining the tunnel to the Lotus's transporter pad, but this low alert was from the security monitor side panel. David had set up a low profile monitor for the station. 

'It would seem the station is waking up and getting to work,' David thought ominously. He tapped the comm relay and contacted Kheren in the Lotus brig on deck 15.

"Hey guys?", David spoke quickly. "If you are quite done with your pleasantries, I've got multiple alpha shift security routines beginning on the station."

David adapted half of the transporter console and began re-routing security probes. They were routine scans, but Rogers was safe inside the Alsea's shields, which had been up since the lockdown. But the Lotus wasn't so protected. David reopened his Security network backdoor and ran a quick alteration on the returns coming back from their Lotus scans, effectively hiding the fact that force fields were surrounding a brig on what was supposed to be a sleeping Intrepid class ship. David spoke again, with a bit more urgency.

"I can't deflect them for much longer guys!"

Kheren looked straight at Jureth as he spoke ion the hidden link.

''The Alsea is Captain Jureth's ship; he will give the orders.''

Jureth looked at Kheren and Syntron, his anger toward them still very much on the surface. 

"I have permission to be here...you do not. And Commander Sorripto is here under my authority. I would suggest whatever your escape plan is you enact it." 

He addressed Sorripto.

"How long do you need to prepare the drive?" 

“Prepare?” Sorripto said with an almost sarcastic tone. “The drive is already installed on Alsea.”

The aura of surprise from the room was not lost on Sorripto

“I mean Jureth had to keep appearances, but what do you all think I was doing for the past few hours?”

Sorripto cracked a smile

“I mean especially considering I had to respond to that small tetrazine leak which required evacuating engineering.”

Sorripto then gently tapped at his combadge and nodded to Jureth.

Jureth nodded and pulled the two spare combadges out of his pocket offering them to the two former officers. 

"Tap them twice to contact myself or Commander Sorripto. You have until Sorripto is ready to be aboard the Alsea or I'm leaving you here." He looked at Kheren "I was alone on the ship had you simply had some honor and approached me this conversation wouldn't have been necessary. We are on the same side, but understand this though, if you try and take my ship out from under me I will personally command the Horizon and blow you out of the sky."

“No need for that sir. A recent engineering upgrade has made the Alsea a little easier for you to personally control” Sorripto replied.

Jureth said nothing more and walked past them headed for the exit while listening for footsteps because he was half expecting one of them hit him from behind.

Kheren looked at the combadge a moment, then put in on his civilian clothes and looked at Syntron. His antennae were still curving inward.

''You heard the captain.''

He tapped twice on his combadge as instructed as Jureth was barely six steps away.

''Permission to come aboard, Sir.''

Jureth muttered something that sounded like "granted" as he exited the engineering space. 

Syntron moved in closer proximity to the Andorian, proffered a similar request and then waited in stillness for his molecules to be transported aboard the Prometheus class vessel.

 Rogers studied his panels again, ensuring the annular confinement beam matched the Alsea's shield harmonic precisely at that moment. The ship's shield was periodically switching shield modulation, as per standard practice. Once the megahertz matched David engaged the transporter. The Andorian materialized on the pad in a small, confined, swirling tornado of pale blue light.

 As he reconfigured the modulation on his panel to again match the shield's David asked the Andorian to step off the pad and, as the large man stepped down, Rogers again engaged the transporter controls to whisk the Vulcan off of the Lotus and through the shield onto the Alsea. Again the whirling blue aura materialized Syntron onto the pad and David, methodically removing the system interlock between the two ship's, shut down the system. Looking up from the panel David nodded to the pair.

"Welcome aboard!"

Kheren nodded. He took out his PADD and crushed it in his powerful grip as if it was paper, then threw the debris into a replicator recycling slot.

''Thank you for all that you have done, Commander Rogers. Now, since so far you have... officially... done nothing illegal or contrary to orders, I would suggest, for your sake and that of your career, that you avoid any further entanglements. Unless Captain Jureth recruited you as well?''

 "Jureth?", Rogers quiped back. "Bajoran right? Wrinkled nose? No way!"

David supposed his glib answer would suffice, although he himself was party to very little of the shenanigans that the four he had been eavesdropping on were up to. Kheren's tone did not get any lighter.

''You stay aboard with us renegades, and your career will be at an end... and in disgrace. And that is if we succeed. I do not wish that upon you.''

David looked the Andorian directly in his silvery eye's and replied, knowing that while the man could not actually 'see' him, none the less he could perceive his implied candor.

"Kheren, I have red on my ledger. I was raised by a Dai'mon, and he tried to teach me the universe had millions of worlds. All with too much of one, and not enough of the other. And flowing through all of them was the Great Material Continuum, like a great, mighty river."

With a glance back at the control panel David continued, but with a small edge of doubt in his voice now.

"Its meaning was, I think, that to get everything you desire in life, one had to navigate this Continuum with entrepreneurial skill and grace. Basically, any shortage in one region would receive what it needed from any other region that carried an access of that first regions shortage. In order to ensure that people everywhere will benefit by receiving what he or she wants, but regardless of any benefits to my own self-interests, I still must make amends for the actions of my immediate past."

Looking again at the Andorian David summed up his response. "In order to wipe out the red on my ledger, I am tagging along!"

Looking around the empty room for a moment Sorripto felt a sense of drive he had felt in a long time. This was the second time he would be seen as a traitor and despite the implications of such things it did not bother him. He simply double checked his gear and smiled.

“The game as they say is afoot.”

Sorripto then double tapped his combadge and vanished in the blue aura of a transporter beam.

Jureth moved quickly back to and down the airlock boarding ramp as a maintenance and cleaning crew was making their way aboard. He nodded at their greetings as he moved out into the docking area where he was greeted again by the security officers.

"Everything go okay Captain?" 

"More or less Lieutenant. I got what I came for anyway." 

"What could you possibly need on this relic Sir?" 

"Watch your tone Lieutenant, this ship has served the Federation longer than either of us. She deserves some respect." 

The officer was slightly taken aback by the cross reply but stammered out an "Aye Sir." as Jureth walked past him and his partner who were left to look at each other with confusion. 

The Bajoran made his way to the Alsea and as he passed the security checkpoint he realized they were going to have to come up with a way to get rid of the boarding ramp at the airlock. He would consult with Sorripto and Rogers on that one he supposed as he made his way to the bridge. As stepped onto the circular bridge of the Prometheus Class ship, his ship, he sat down in the center chair.

"Computer, begin level 5 diagnostics on all critical systems. Feed reports to the command chair console." 

"Acknoledged, diagnostics running." 

Jureth sat back and waited for the remaining conspirators, which he supposed is what they were now, to join him on the bridge. It was time to steal a starship.

The door wooshed open to admit Kheren. In his pearly blue and white civilian garb, the Andorian looked truly out of place; even more so with the combadge pinned on the baldric like part of his tunic. But his silvery eyes took in the entire bridge with the glance of an accomplished veteran, noting the layout of every station and their relation to one another. Of course, four eyes and a hyper sense of smell, hearing and bioelectrical fields helped a lot.

''Captain Jureth; this is my first time aboard this class of vessel. I must say I am impressed.''

Jureth nodded "Thank you, she may not be as...modern...as some of the other ships in the fleet, but she has proven again and again that she can hold her own. Please feel free to find your way around the tactical station if you like. I know it's been awhile, but I thought it might be a comfortable fit."

The Andorian's antennae perked.

''This design was already well ahead of it's time when it came out; I say she can still match anything among the stars.''

He went to the tactical console and ran a quick diagnostic and survey of it. He whistled.

''I always wanted to study this multivector assault mode of yours. Only thing I ever experienced remotely close to it was using saucer seperation on the Artemis to destroy a Romulan scimitar. Glad I will never need to repeat that maneuver here.'' 

As the two were speaking the bridge doors opened again and Sorripto walked in heading straight for the engineering station. He had never served aboard the Alsea, but he clearly knew his way around. Sorripto worked at the console for a moment before realizing he had not greeted anyone. Turning to Jureth Sorripto nodded.

"Engineering systems online and all controls rerouted through here."

Sorripto updated the transwarp drive systems and ensured his new modifications were ready to go. It was not a perfect installation, but it would hold for what they needed.

"Our new systems are online and will be ready momentarily."

Kheren chimed in.

''A word of caution; the Lotus' transwarp engine is an early experimental one. Each use can burn out the entire drive assembly; and the higher the factor, the higher the risk. Since transwarp 1 and warp 1 are the same and transwarp 2 equates warp 8, we will need at least transwarp 3; that means thirty percent chances of loosing FTL drive with each activation. And even at transwarp 3, it would take us over four hundred and sixty-four days to get to the intruder's last recorded position. Transwarp 4 would bring us a week after Starfleet would get there. So, if we are to get there and do anything, we would need to go at the top speed this engine is capable, which is transwarp 5. We would then be there in four point six days... at fifty percent risk of destroying our warp capability. But that would leave us about three weeks to contact and deal with it before Starfleet catches up with us. That is, if Starfleet does not ramp up it's pace.''

"What about the airlock?" Jureth asked and while looking at Sorripto he was directing the question to both of them "The boarding access is still attached and security is still outside. We need to get rid of the access at least."

Kheren tapped his combadge.

''Commander Rogers; Captain Jureth is bothered by an access ramp sticking out to his ship. Any idea how to remove that sore without security noticing or ripping it off?''

David stopped half way into the service hatch in the transporter room. He had finished erasing all traces of his recent action's and was leaving the Alsea, by a deliberate and obtuse route, when Kheren's call interupted him. Crawling back into the room Rogers closed the hatch then sat down on the floor with his back against the wall beside the service access, then answered Kheren.

"I'll get right on that Cap - er, Kheren".

 'Now what was this Andorians name anyway, David mused as he crawled to his feet again and made his way out of the transporter room to the hallway. 'Can't be calling him Mister Kheren!', he thought with a grin. 'Sounds too feminine', David chuckled.

 A few seconds brought David to the nearest turbolift and he traversed the length of the ship in a few more. Leaving that lift Rogers arrived at the personnel docking port in question. Looking through the small porthole window in the access door, David could see the length of the empty gangway to the far door, closed at the other end. Beyond that was, David knew, a couple of fleet security officers.

Turning to the panel beside the hatchway, David opened the panel's LCARS cover and peered inside. Normally one would press the command icons and the gangway would retract back to the star base hatchway; after cycling atmosphere first. To bypass that, Rogers needed to vent the atmosphere quietly then retract the gangway.

With a little dexterity David reached into the bowels behind the panel and eased open the ship side vent. Then, while the low hissing passed by him to his left he manipulated the pressure sensor, increasing its reading as the pressure fell inside the gangway. He needed to keep the pressure readings on the gauges at each end showing normal, and this would also negate the pressure drop alarm that otherwise would go off. After a minute, with the pressure to zero and the readings both showing normal, Rogers tripped the automatic detach to manual then slowly, as quietly as possible, unlocked the gangway from the Alsea. Once the multiple locks were withdrawn David tapped his badge.

"Rogers to Kheren. Gangway detached. Move away perpendicular to its longtitudinal axis before moving laterally. Have a nice trip!".

With a slight skip in his step Rogers moved back to the turbolift and took a ride back to the center of the ship and down four decks. Entering the large room aft of the lift David accessed the nearest engineering panel and ran a search algorythm, then programmed it under tactile command only, then locked it into continuous cycle for 48 hours. Any highly competent engineer would be able to find this search program if they were looking for it but, for now, David was not worried about that.

Taking a few steps back to the middle of the room David took the chair there and started studying the control surfaces for updates.

Stepping through the doorway, Syntron stood in his crisp navy-blue civilian attire for a moment as he gazed methodically around the layout of the small but seemingly effective bridge. He began to merged memories of earlier studies of the design of the enclosed environment with what now stood before him.

It was an ironic twist that mere days before, he was in command on the bridge of the USS Phoenix prepared to test her newly revamped systems. Now he entered this vessel holding no rank nor defined purpose. Making no assumptions regarding his role, he stepped towards the center seat and stoically addressed the officer in charge of the vessel.

“Captain Jureth, in what capacity would I be useful for this mission?”

"You are welcome to the science console or the ops chair " Jureth replied gesturing to each console "Kheren can run Ops and Tactical from the same console if necessary. I will leave the choice up to you." 

He addressed the entire bridge in general "We need to fool the station sensors and get the space doors open. Fleet Captain Samji knows the Alsea isn't ready to depart so if I try to take us out legitimately it will immediately raise questions, and we need to do it in a way that they can't stop us." 

Syntron thought of the two options for a moment before settling in at the science console. Despite an unfamiliarity with the ship’s specific console configuration, it was like a throwback to being the science chief aboard the Artemis. His fingers ran gingerly through the controls as he transferred in then initiated the evasion program he created earlier.

Once activated, all the obscured subroutines embedded would automatically time in and out. These would allow them a brief timeframe in which they could commandeer their starship out of the starbase without being detected by security measures. He then turned to Jureth.

“As soon as I activate the escape protocol prepared, we will have ninety seconds to get the ship out of spacedock before ninety-three point five percent of routines are reset back into normal protocols. This includes illusions projected onto all bay windows that can view the Alsea in place and as it leaves… which will remain while the majority of sensors return back to normal. Six-point five percent of the remaining sensor and related signals will continue with the illusion that the Alsea is still berthed.”

Kheren finished adjusting his console to handle ops, security and tactical as well as communications, the automation implemented by Rogers making it much easier especially for someone with four ocular receptors and full ambidextry. But that was the easy part, as he pointed out to Jureth.

''The biggest problem will be to undock; take control unnoticed of magnetic clamps, energy moorings and space doors. And then, navigate inside the starbase. Traffic will not be aware of us and we have much less than eight square kilometers of room with all the other ships but one also in here. In such cramped space, even with the lightened traffic due to current attrition, the risk of colliding with a shuttle, a workbee or a thruster suit remains too high for comfort. Then, we also must find a way to deactivate tractor beams, again without being noticed.''

Glancing again at the schematics layed on his main console screen, the Andorian spoke again.

 

''Captain, there may be a way. With Syntron's ''ghost program'', if Rogers can deactivate without notice the starbase systems long enough for us to leave dock, as he just did with the access ramp, I propose to use this ship's design to advantage; separate the hulls.''

He projected his plan onto the main viewer for the Bajoran captain and the others to better understand what he was suggesting.

''Each hull is the size of an escort class; much smaller and maneuverable, better suited to fly in here without colliding with something else. It will also add to the confusion if they somehow manage to catch us in the act. But more importantly, we can wait for a space door to open to normal traffic, when a cargo ship leaves of enter, and slip by, using it as added cover. Separation takes thirty-one seconds. On thrusters, we would clear spacedoors twenty-two-seconds after that. Under Syntron's program, that also leaves us a forty-seven seconds window to maneuver... or one try for each hull if we each have to wait for an open exit.''

As the computer recreated his idea with all relevant data scrolling by, he pointed to Syntron.

''You have two experienced starship commanders to pilot the other hulls. We can reconnect outside tractor beam range at full impulse and transwarp out before the fleet can realize we are gone... or do anything to stop us.''

Oseno stroked his chin for a moment "It's risky...I'm still afraid that once we start moving someone is going to see what's happening and report us, but I also know that my task force, the only ships being prepared for imminent departure, aren't anywhere near ready. Most of them still have partial crews and are undergoing some form of maintenance. At the same time, however, I believe you are correct and it is our best course of action for being able to maneuver out of here without causing casualties." 

Rogers watched as his console display mirrored Kheren's projection on the bridge. He surmised that they four on the main bridge were running scenario's toward getting the Alsea out of space dock, with no hint that they were actually taking the ship. And David knew that this Multi-vector plan would garner enormous percentage's toward achieving escape from Lotus base. He also knew that undocking the ship; moorings and all, was coordinated with docking control above the main bay. As also were the massive space doors.

'So,' David thought rapidly. 'How does one negate all the necessities of mooring lines, clamps and the added space doors?'

 David brought up the master display of the Capitol class star base and began tracing EPS leads. It wouldn't take much, he figured, to temporarily shut down the base. Everything ran off of the eight enhanced bio-neural computer cores, redundantly tethered together to share work loads if necessary. If one were to run level one diagnostics on the computer cores, they would effectively be shut down to everything except basic life support. Pressing his comm badge Rogers addressed the bridge.

"Captain? Could we run a level one diagnostic on all eight of the base computer cores at the same time? To cover our departure?"

"Wouldn't that prevent us from opening the space doors?" Jureth asked in response. The question was directed at Rogers but everyone on the bridge heard it.

“Not if I make it an emergency diagnostic” Sorripto responded.“I helped design a lot of the computer algorithms used on this station. There is a failsafe which causes an emergency diagnostic of target or, in extreme cases, all systems.”

Kheren nodded.

''I concur. I was on the briefing comitee for this protocol, since I have much experience in hijacking situations. The last thing the base would need would be to have it impossible to get inside once compromised... or having starships that could defend or evacuate it prisonner inside a sealed three kilometer-wide dead hulk. So in case of such a shutdown, all space doors automatically open and stay open until power and control are restored.''

Sorripto paused for a moment and thought.

“It is a failsafe which allows the systems around the ship to diagnose themselves and reboot incase anything compromised the system such as a nano attack or an engineer with a history of outsmarting Starfleet computers.”

Sorripto looked around the room and gave an ever so faint smirk.

“The engineering leadership decided this shortly after I was assigned onboard. I guess they did not want someone like me hijacking their station. Or maybe they did because I was instrumental in designing it.”

Sorripto caught himself monologuing.

“As I was saying, I can trigger the protocol on the computer core systems. It would create the illusion of a glitch and distract those who might be inclined to stop us. I can coordinate the ship’s modules and control the power outputs caused by the transwarp drive modifications, but in order to do that I will have to take over helm and navigation… We will need someone to work the engineering console to ensure the segments don’t burn apart.”

Jureth nodded "Sounds like a solid plan. Let's tip the dominoes and go cancel a war." 

But Kheren objected.

''Sir, automated flight and standard piloting is out of the question. Any signal between the hulls or use of navigational emissions, even a mere navigation deflector, will be detected and will nullify Syntron's cover. Computers can't fly a ship without them and flight programs will fail in a chaotic darkened starbase under power-down emergency lockdown. Each module needs to be manually piloted separately on maneuvering thrusters and with passive sensors only, meaning by direct sight alone, or this will end up in failure at best, disaster at worst.''

Jureth nodded in agreement with the Andorian. "I see your point." He looked at the Cardassian engineer "Mister Sorripto, How are your piloting skills? I think you will have to take the main helm here on the bridge while Kheren and Syntron take the controls of the other two sections of the ship." 

"I can handle it no problem. I have spent more time at helm that I can remember." Sorripto replied

"More time than Starfleet knows about anyway." Sorripto mumbled to himself under his breath.

Sorripto gestured to the custom combadges he had made that Syntron and Kheren were wearing.

"As soon as we clear those doors, I can coordinate the reconnection from up here and beam you two right back to the bridge. If we need to get out of here as fast as possible every second counts."

The Andorian nodded.

''Agreed, Captain; after all, we'll only have ninety of them in here; and who knows if any once out there.''

Sorripto pressed a few buttons on the engineering station then walked over and sat the chair at helm. Entering a few commands in quick succession and Sorripto was not in control of helm and navigation.

"Line of sight only. This should be fun."

Manning the science console, Syntron glanced over to the nearby Andorian former captain.

“Any preference to either the Alpha or Beta vectors, Kheren?” he inquired.     

'' Captain Jureth knows his ship better than both of us. Let's defer to his judgment.'' 

"There is really no choice better than the other," Jureth replied "both sections once separated function as any other starship. If you have been behind the helm of any other Federation ship the controls will be familiar. However, whomever has more piloting experience may wish to take the Beta section. I confess that I don't know which of you that is." 

Kheren antennae's curved slightly inward.

''Well, besides serving twenty years in the Andorian Imperial Guard before coming to Starfleet, and then to command in Lotus Fleet before he came to serve, I flew twice the workbee that brought us to this merry band. So I guess that would be me. Beta it is then. I'll be on my way. I don't want to be near this starbase when my wives wake up.''

With long strides he went to the turbolift and called for the most direct route to the bridge of the Beta section. Once he entered the small bridge of the secondary hull, the lights came on as he sat at the forward helm console.

''Computer; adjust environemental conditions for Andorian physiology. Then adjust helm console controls to Andorian ambidextry and sensory capabilities and link all bridge functions. Activate passive sensors only.''

''Adjustment complete,'' came the disembodied female reply from the ship's computer as the main viewer and console readouts came online. Temperature dropped to minus ten celsius, gravity rose to one point five G and the oxygen content of the bridge rose by twenty-two percent and lighting lowered by eighteen percent ; just like a beautiful summer night on Andoria. Kheren felt energized.

''Prepare for manual override once launch sequence is completed.''

''Awaiting separation command from main bridge.''

Kheren opened an encrypted channel.

''Captain Jureth, this is Kheren. Module Beta ready for departure.''

"Understood," Jureth replied "As soon as Syntron is in position we will begin our break out." he then switched gears "Jureth to Commander Rogers, report to the main bridge please. Mister Sorripto will need to take the Alpha section helm so I will need you here unless you need to be in engineering to monitor the automation."

Receiving the message in the tertiary bridge, Rogers stood and made his way to the exit, replying to Jureth's order.

"On my way Sir. I can monitor engineering from the main bridge just as well as any other during Em-Vap".

Just as he approached the bridge egress they swooshed apart to reveal an incoming Vulcan in civilian dress. Deferring entrance to the former captain, David paused and mentioned his destination orders, then asked a small, pertinent question.

"Sir, would you need me to stay here with this hull or return to the main bridge?"

As Kheren headed toward the Beta vector, Syntron veered off and headed in the direction of the control center of the lower Tertiary vector. He arrived moments later, almost simultaneously with the chief engineer, who addressed him immediately. He contemplated the option presented.

“All things considered, your presence on this bridge could prove to be most invaluable not only as we stealthy maneuver out of space dock undetected, but then head towards the prospective fray of the ominous mission ahead… should we encounter other variations of resistance or hostility.”

Syntron then took position at the helm. “If the captain approves of course,” he added as he then glanced towards the engineering post.

"It would be my pleasure sir," David answered promptly and then headed to the indicated console. As he sat down and started to configure the panel's in front of him he contacted the bridge.

"Rogers to bridge. Sir, I'll be staying here with our esteemed Vulcan if that's agreeable. Also, be sure you disable the main hull warp nacelle deployment before separation. Wouldn't want to tear one off, would we?"

"I'm okay with that," Jureth responded "Mister Sorripto and I will manage just fine up here I think. Thank you for the reminder regarding the nacelles, please notify me when you and Mister Syntron are ready to begin. Oseno out." 

The rigidity of the Vulcan’s seated posture relaxed imperceptibly as he began to prepare the undermost section of the multi-vector starship for a gradual departure from its berth. He immediately disengaged all automated piloting systems.  In their place, he tapped in initial maneuvering thrusting digits without engaging any helm activity, then initiated passive sensors. With his hands prepared for navigational control,  Syntron turned to Rogers stationed at the engineering console.

“Notify the captain that we are ready for separation and departure.”

Rogers acknowledged the request from Syntron with a curt nod and a brisk affirmative.

"Aye Aye!"

Checking the engineering panel again to make sure the module was still ready, David contacted the bridge as instructed.

"Bridge! This is Tertiary. Green lights across the board. Awaiting implementation."

Hearing the two sections report Sorripto activated all power controls and ensured each section would be ready.

“All modules ready at your command Captain.” Sorripto reported.

A double check revealed that all power systems were go and the initial system override was ready. Once Sorripto entered the commands it would give them a short window to separate and depart before the sensor updates notified the station of their movements.

“I will trigger the manual diagnostic gentlemen, which will shut down the outboard sensors and give us a very short window. Do not scratch up the paint.”

''No promises,'' Kheren replied.

"Okay gentleman," Jureth said solemnly "Let's see if we can cancel a war. Mister Sorripto, begin the diagnostic. All sections initiate ship separation...now." 

Syntron turns to Rogers as he states, “Initiate separation at your discretion Commander.” Then as he leans back, mutters almost imperceptibly “May fortune favor the foolish.”

 "Aye sir," David responded promptly. With a couple of taps on his panel their section slaved itself to the other two sections for separation and, as his separation readiness icon lit green, he awaited the corresponding green telltales from the secondary and main hulls to light up. As they almost simultaneously blinked on Rogers actuated the board to allow the section to follow the main bridge command to separate.

"Acknowledged." Sorripto responded.

"And here we go..."

Sorripto entered the command override and instantly every major system on the station began an internal diagnostic. While he could not see what was happening Sorripto imagined the scene of dozens of engineers and workers frantically trying to work with systems which have just locked them out. The Cardassian smiled at his work, but also knew this was the end of the line. It would not take the station leadership long to know who sabotaged them. These band of misfits were about to avert the end of the galaxy and Sorripto could live with the fact that all it took was the end of a few Starfleet careers.

"The station is on lockdown Rogers. Separate us and we are out of here."

 "Initiation starting in Five, ... Four, ...", Rogers responded to the trio of bridge's. As the bottom module, David knew that this section had to drop almost three meters to clear the secondary hull, while the main section would lift over seven meters to clear itself from the same middle component.

" ...Three, ...Two, ...," Rogers continued verbally.

As they were not initiating a warp maneuvre upon separation, Rogers had made sure the main hull was not deploying its own small warp nacelle's. This allowed for the smaller distance between the main and secondary hull's at separation and gave them important seconds to sooner start acceleration. 

" One, ... ,". David promptly engaged his icon and watched his board, listening to the telltale muffled clanks and thumps reverberating through the superstructure as the docking clamps tying the ship together let loose.

 As the upper and lower sections pushed themselves vertically away from the center the requisite distance, the secondary hull automatically slid to port away from the station docking ramp, thus freeing itself from the station proper. Once again Rogers glanced rapidly across his panels and, satisfied, announced to the ship's, as they were now plural.

"Engage helms, we are free to navigate," David said quickly. Then with a grim thought he realized; 'Well, 'Free' might be an inappropriate word to use anymore'.

As the indicators at helm blinked Sorripto activated the manual controls and watched through the observation viewer at helm to navigate.

“Follow the leader.”

Being careful to use only maneuvering Sorripto guided the primary section towards the station doors.

Kheren looked at the tactical display linked to his nav console and his antennae curved inward. The separation process simply let his own ship section drift free between the two others moving away and a simple unobstusive thruster push sent him careening towards his chosen doorway as nothing more than some piece of unpowered cargo left adrift by the sudden emergency lockdown of the station. His chronometer ticked away the seconds they had to maneuver out while his antennae picked up without the need of the earpiece the frantic comm signals across the starbase on emergency channels. And by the way inner base traffic stopped or cleared paths in case of sudden evacuation, it was clear Syntron's detection-fooling scheme was blinding evryone from what they were doing.

Well done gentlemen. now to do my part.

As his own hull moved towards space door B as planned on simple inertia, he knew no one was paying attention to him. And so when he saw the two cargo ships at station keeping right within the frame of spacedoor B, he realized they would not move out of the way. Not only were they not even noticing his approach, but there simply wasn't time for them to move away. Collision was inevitable. Using thrusters so close to them to change trajectory would be detected; and their little trip to save the Federation would end then and there.

Unless...

''Computer; on my mark, open all bottom starboard hatches and decompress deck 6, then open all top port hatches, same deck... mark!''

A warning whistle went off and, as all the air was expelled from on side of the ship through the underside, the entire B hull of the Alsea started to flip. Then a second warning  signal and another distant hiss told that the other side of the hull was depressurizing, just before the rotating motion of the entire hull stopped with the counter ejection.

Flying sideways, looking just like an arrowhead shot from a bow, the slim, pointed secondary hull of the Alsea slipped right between the two cargo ships with barely a dozen meters to spare each side.

''We have cleared spacedoors,'' the disembodied, emotionless feminine voice of the computer confirmed.

Only then did the Andorian started breathing again.

''Computer; repressurize deck 6 and standby to implement automated recoupling procedure as soon as main hull sends the order signal.''

'' Deck 6 repressurizing. Awaiting recoupling signal.''

Having been the first ship to clear the spacedoors Sorripto had reactivated tracking sensors and watched the B hull flip vertically as it cleared the doors.

"Very nice!"

Sorripto then activated secondary controls and locked on the Kheren awaiting the call to beam everyone back to the primary hull. One more piece to clear the doors and all they had to do was reconnect.

The tertiary hull, at the lowest position from the frame of reference of the space doors and the last to approach, also found a pair of cargo transports stationed just inside the exit. As they were stationary, Rogers had a finite amount of room to get through under them. Without resort to thrusters, as they would be detected, David resorted to his next best idea.

With a few rapid commands across his panels he reached forward below the pair of motionless ships with the forward ventral tractor beam emitter and latched onto the lower space dock frame. The mediocre weight of the tertiary hull was infiniteismal against the stupendous mass of the station that the tractor beam was connected to.

Once tethered to the frame Rogers then quickly reached sideways with the aft ventral beam emitter and again latched onto the lower frame. Now that he had some external grip, David dexterously repulsed with the aft emitter while simultaneously pulling with the forward, thus swiveling the entire tertiary hull into a lateral position in relation to the approaching doorway.

As the hull passed a few meters under the freighter's David then repositioned the aft beam to 'grab' onto the lower frame at a precise distance from the forward beam attachment point, giving him two equidistant points of tether. With a sudden pull and push to start an upward trajectory into the large maw of the open spacedoors David disengaged the emitters and hoped his calculations would clear the lower frame of the doors. The lowest portion of this hull contained three very large, very sensitive antimatter storage pods and the anti-matter injector assembly of the warp core. Hitting the door frame could possibly make a stellar nova out of Lotus base visible to the Ferenginaar homeworld..

A tense few seconds passed as the hull passed over the lower frame. With a glance at his viewer David could tell they had, miraculously, cleared the doorway sill. Releasing his tense iron grip on the console, David activated this hull's secondaries that would join the hulls, then with a relieved sigh swiveled to glance toward Syntron. David doubted it but, it seemed to him that the Vulcan appeared as relieved as himself!

“Creative maneuvering Commander,” Syntron acknowledged with little fanfare evident in his voice. He then contacted the main bridge.

“Tertiary vector clear of the doorway threshold,” he confirmed before adding “Now if we could reattach the three vectors as deftly as possible, we can we put distance between us and the starbase we just escape from… before they realize what just occurred.”

In the command chair Jureth slowly released the death grip he had on the arms and let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. That was close...damn close, but Syntron was right, there was no time to worry about close calls now. They needed to get clear of Starbase Lotus as he was sure someone would have seen their escape. 

"Agreed Mister Syntron," he replied "All sections initiate recombination sequence. We need to move quickly, I have no doubt someone on that base saw what we just did. This is Lotus Fleet after all."

Sorripto quickly switched to full computer controls and took command of all three sections from the helm station. He began the reconnection sequence and the blue lights on the bridge blinked as the pieces quickly maneuvered to realign.

“We will be whole again in a second Captain.”

Sorripto then activated his site to site transporter commands and Syntron and Kheren appeared on the bridge under the blue hue of a transporter beam.

“Nice flying boys, barely a scratch on her.” Sorripto said with a slight smile.

  Rogers studied his engineering panel casually as the recombination sequence flashed across his panel. Turning to inform Syntron, David saw the last vestiges of the Vulcan disappear in a swirling blue vortex of a site to site transport. Surmising they were back on the main bridge David slowly stood, glancing around the now lonely room.

***

 

Jureth  didn't know how right he actually was. A lone docking supervisor, a male human Lieutenant, Murray by name, with an unkempt look about him that conveyed the stress of his job was at that moment sprinting through the corridors of Starbase Lotus. He had seen the space doors open and the Alsea slide away, but with all the main systems down the only way he was getting the word to Ops was by going there himself. He burst into the chaos of Operations where Fleet Captain Allen Samji was barking orders.

"Someone get me security, and engineering! We need to end this lockdown now!!" 

"Fleet...Captain..." Murray stammered in between breaths

Samji looked at him "Who are you?" 

"Murry...Sir...Docking ..supervisor.." 

"Well? What is it? Can't you see we have a crisis here Lieutenant?" 

"The Alsea Sir...she's gone." 

Samji's eyes went wide as he began to connect the dots "WHAT?!" 

Down at dockside Gould and a port security officer where sharing replicated drinks when they noticed the prometheus class vessel starting to separate.
"Well, that's dam peculiar, nothing on the schedule about this.. should I call it in?"

Gould looked out the viewing port with feigned interest "I wouldn't bother, they did some upgrades today for their 'secret mission' that everyone knows about."
The officer smiled at that.
"I'm sure it's just a fitting test, once they reposition they'll just pull it back together" he shrugged accidentally spilling his drink.
As the man helped him clean off Gould glanced to see the three sections maneuvering away, clearly not moving to reconnect.
When the alarms went off a few long seconds later he watched as the confused people around him started springing into action.
He removed his combadge and dropped it into his cup, then sit down and sighed.

It was to bad he'd 'lost' it during the cleanup of his spilled drink, must have fallen off..
He had worked it out, he had been right, and to him that meant something. But he remembered that "Just because you can do a thing doesn't mean you must do that thing!"
Whatever the best of Lotus fleet were doing, heroes and good men all that they were, what he really needed to do.. was stay out of their way..

 

                                                                         *     *     *

 

On the main viewer of the Alsea, the aft view suddenly showed the immense disc of the base flaring back to life, a myriad of little stars suddenly appearing all over it's metallic hull. back at the tactical console, Kheren did not even register any surprise as a light and a scrolling text appeared. He had fully expected this. There was an almost matter-of-factly tone to his deep voice when he reported to Jureth.

''Sir; Starbase Lotus on emergency channel ordering you to surrender this vessel.''

Jureth was slightly surprised they had reacted so fast, but not overly shocked. This was Lotus Fleet, elite division of Starfleet, and multiple time heroes of the Federation. They did not come by that reputation by being slow on the uptake. Still, the Alsea had the advantage in this situation, they were clear of the starbase, and Lotus Fleet was not really in a position to stop them. Jureth tried to think of an appropriate response though his initial thought was to simply ignore them. Then he remembered something from a history class back in his academy days, a reply a human commander had given to his opponent when the opponent had demanded his surrender...

"Mister Kheren, send the following reply, nothing more, nothing less:  nuts"

Those on the bridge simply all looked at each other and shrugged. They were in too deep as it was there was really no response which would make things worse. On the view screen the station now looked fully operational. Sorripto only smirked with an evil curl to his lips.

"Three... two... one."

Just as Sorripto snapped his fingers and pointed at the screen the entire station went dark again.