Brett:
 <<<<Resume Mission "ALiiTRA - Part 4">>>>

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::in the conference room listening attentively, antennae wriggling::

CO_Mordane:
 ::sitting in the conference room, listening carefully to the Carter's crew discuss their situation::

CO_Beacon:
 ::Sitting in the room, obviously annoyed and embarrassed at their situation.

CNS_Selin:
 ::sits in her chair, listening attentively::

XO_Mash`ev:
 :: Enters room. ::  All: I apologize for being so late but it couldn't be helped. ::Takes an available seat.::

CO_Mordane:
 XO: That's ok Chief...how's the path following going?

CO_Beacon:
 All: Let me introduce my Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander Selok.  ::Indicates the Vulcan man beside her who nods to everyone.::

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::looks at the Vulcan gives him a polite nod::

CNS_Selin:
 ::smiles ressuringly::

CO_Mordane:
 ::takes in the Science Officer with a slight nod::

XO_Mash`ev:
 CO: It's taking more time than we anticipated but I put extra people on it so I could be here. We're back on schedule now.

CNS_Selin:
 Captain: I'm very sorry about what happened to you and your crew. I trust the staff has met your needs efficiently?

CO_Mordane:
 Captain: Captain Beacon, why don't you start at the beginning.

CO_Beacon:
 CNS: Thank you Ensign, you've all been wonderful.  I don't know how much longer we would have survived there.  We had no provisions, and the world is quite arrid as you saw.

CNS_Selin:
 Captain: I'm at yours and your crews disposal if anyone needs my help.

CO_Beacon:
 All: Yes, well.  We arrived here almost six weeks ago, and began a deep soil survey of the Romulan ruins here with some new scanners developed by Starfleet Geologists.  After only a short time, we discovered a heretofore unknown room beneath the ruins proper.

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::nods, listening::

CO_Beacon:
 All: After excavating the room, we uncolvered something...well, amazing.

XO_Mash`ev:
 :: Leans forward, clasps hands together. ::

CO_Mordane:
 ::waits patiently::

CO_Beacon:
 All: Are you familiar with the Stone of Gol?

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: It was an ancient vulcan relic...a source of great power if I recall.

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::listens witth a greater rapt attention then hears stone of gol, shakes her head, not familiar::

XO_Mash`ev:
 :: Wonders if the Vulcan Science officer will provide more information if it is a Vulcan relic. ::

CNS_Selin:
 ::listens colosely with interest in ancient relics::

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> CO: Quite correct Captain.  Terrible power.  What we discovered here seems to be something similar...perhaps a "copy" if you will.  Not as old, but perhaps made by the Romulans in its image.

CO_Mordane:
 Selok: That sounds like something the Romulans would attempt.

CO_Beacon:
 All: That was the reason you were sent to meet us; we wanted to have you transport it back to Federation Scientists.  Your vessel is better equipped than ours for dealing with any...well, piracy attempts.  Obviously. ::Looks chagrinned::

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> ::Nods at the CO::

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::looks around and also nods::

CO_Mordane:
 ::feels slightly at fault for being deviated from the plan::  CO: I apologize for any inconvenience cause by our lateness.  I assure you, we will make up for it.

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> All: Unfortunately, one of my junior researchers, in her...excitement, sent a message to the Science station on Mars where her husband is working to inform him of the find.  We can only assume this is what brought the Ferengi here ahead of you.

CO_Beacon:
 CO: ::Waves her hand::  No Captain, we tried to maintain secrecy.  However, as Selok explained, our "cover" was blown before we realized it.

CO_Mordane:
 ::shakes his head::  Damnable profiteers...

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::antennae perk up hearing the word mars... and thinks back to the Caveat Emptor::

CO_Beacon:
 All: When the Marauder arrived, we knew we were in trouble. They had approached claiming damage to their impulse drive and requested assistance.  We couldn't turn them away and we never dreamed they would attack a Starfleet Vessel.  Of course, they didn't actually attack us when they got here.

CNS_Selin:
 CO: if it is the same ferengi we met before, then it is obvious they do have violent tendancies. Kind of unorthodox for ferengi though.

CO_Mordane:
 CO: How did they manage to get a hold of your ship, if not by force?

XO_Mash`ev:
 :: Listens intently, trying not to imagine how the search might be going without him. ::

CO_Beacon:
 All: It had to have been planned from the start!  The Ferengi approached, weapons unarmed and shields down.  No threat at all.  However, as soon as they got close enough...well, they beamed us off our ship and onto the planet!

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> All: Their ship must have been equipped with a multitude of transporters in their cargo hold.  They were able to transport almost the entire crew of the Carter in a matter of seconds.

CO_Beacon:
 All: After that, we assume, they simply towed the Carter away.

CO_Mordane:
 All: Even for the Ferengi, that would have been a difficult and costly upgrade.

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: What would they need with your ship?  Why not take it and leave theirs behind as scrap... or simply take the Stone and go?

CNS_Selin:
 CO: which could have been a reason they were so upset about losing at the casino

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> CO: The sale of the Stone of Draken IV as well as the sale of a new Nova Class starship would more than make up for the expense Captain.  The only question is: Who would buy them?

CNS_Selin:
 ALL: the Romulans?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CNS: Or a collector.

CMO_P`Trell:
 All: Let us hope it is not the Romula-- :;stops short hearing the CNS say what she was going to say::

CO_Beacon:
 CNS: Possibly, but I think not.  At least not directly.  If anyone caught them actually in posession of a Starfleet vessel, it could strain relations considerably.

CO_Mordane:
 ::shocked at the gal of the Ferengi::  Selok: Selling a Federation vessel is going to be a high visibility task...I can see the Ferengi getting away with a black market sale of the Stone...but the Carter is sure to generate quite a lot of discussion, wherever they go.

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> XO: Again, quite possible.

CNS_Selin:
 Captain: it would make a valuable tactical aquisition though.

CO_Beacon:
 CO: SO who would beneft from posessing such a ship?

CMO_P`Trell:
 All: I think that it will wind up in the Romulans' hands... only they have enough resources, capital and muscle to ensure they attain it.... if they know about it... which I don't doubt they do... ::just because she is that paranoid having heard tales of the Tal Shiar::

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: Nearly anyone...the Romulans for its tactical value...black market dealers for its ease of transport in Federation space...the only buyer we can safely rule out is the Federation...since the Ferengi would be morons to try and sell it back to us.

CMO_P`Trell:
 All: The Romulans certainly would... it would allow them to see our latest technology... see the types of sensors we have and render themselves even more impossible to detect... :: sighs ::

CO_Beacon:
 ALL: We are quite close to the Romulan Neutral Zone, why would the Ferengi take us in the opposite direction if they intended to sell to them?  We're heading deeper into Federation space.

CO_Mordane:
 XO: Chief, what kind of contacts do we have "behind the scenes" in this sector.  Can we get some intelligence on this, find some sort of lead?

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: What about the Orions...it would make an ideal smuggling vessel, and could fight its way out of many a pirate scuffle?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CO: I'll look into it, sir. It'll take a little while to get a response back, based on our location.

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::shrugs:: All: Maybe its not their intent to sell it to the Romulans.. but to sell it to the highest bidder... which I do not doubt will be the Romulans because of what resources they can muster over an average buyer.

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> ALL: The number of Orion syndicate leaders who could afford such a purchase is small.  But, it certainly is logical to assume they might be party to this crime.  Perhaps as middlemen.

CNS_Selin:
 XO: is there somewhere nearby that the Ferengi could hide the carter?

CNS_Selin:
 ALL: maybe they want to use the Carter to transport the stone safely through federation space themselves.

XO_Mash`ev:
 CNS: There are several places they could be hiding. We've been focusing our sensors on finding a trail, though.

CO_Mordane:
 CNS: Except that soon the entire fleet will be alerted to the Carter's disappearance...it's not much of a hiding place.

CNS_Selin:
 XO: I'm just thinking that the Ferengi are very crafty and may have plans for the Carter for themselves.

CO_Beacon:
 All; They must have planned this down to the last detail, to be able to pull this off before you arrived.  I wonder how they knew you'd be late?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CNS: Agreed. If we can track them now we can find them, even if they're hiding.

CMO_P`Trell:
 CO_Beacon: They gave us a distraction...

CNS_Selin:
 Self: clever, very clever ::shakes her head disgusted::

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: Oh they made sure of that...a healthy debt on the part of a freighter's Chief Engineer ensured that we'd be waylaid.  ::getting angrier by the minute as things fall into place::

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon/XO: If we've been falling into their plans all along, it probably means we still are.  We need to get some information that isn't being filtered through the Ferengi or we'll always be playing catchup.

CNS_Selin:
 CO: Do you think maybe the freighters crew may have more info about the ferengi? Perhaps we should have been asking if they heard any plans about where the Ferengi were going?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CO: Aye, sir. :: brow furrows as he tries to think of something new to try ::

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::quietly ponders::

CO_Mordane:
 CNS: I think it wouldn't hurt to find out where our Freighter friends have gotten to.

CO_Mordane:
 XO: Stay on course until we get a new lead...but let's get in touch with the Maru.  I think it's time their Captain and I had a more in depth convesation.

CO_Beacon:
 <Duty_TO> *CO*: Bridge to Captain Mordane.

CO_Mordane:
 *Bridge*: Mordane here, report.

CNS_Selin:
 XO: the Maru's captain did seem like he was in a hurry to get somewhere didn't he?

XO_Mash`ev:
 XO: Aye, sir. I'll get a channel open.

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::antennae quirk:: All: Did he?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CNS: I was so busy I didn't notice?

CO_Beacon:
 <Duty_TO> *CO*: Sir, we've picked up the Ferengi Marauder and the Carter.  They are coming into sensor range now.  We're reading leaking plasma, and they are traveling at Warp 5.  Looks like towing the Carter is straining their ship.

CNS_Selin:
 CMO: he was having issues with our detaining their ship to investigate the blast.

CO_Mordane:
 All: Sounds like we caught our lucky break.

CMO_P`Trell:
 CNS:Yes... but perfectly explainable as they were on a schedule

CO_Mordane:
 *Duty_TO*: Set an intercept course, go to Yellow Alert.

CNS_Selin:
 ::sits upright with anticipation of the CO's next order::

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::hears the Captain:: CO: Yes... it sure does

CNS_Selin:
 Self: but why would they come back here?

XO_Mash`ev:
 CO: Captain? Are we about to play into their hands?

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::leans over to CNS:: CNS: We are catching up to them.... because we are moving faster

XO_Mash`ev:
 CO: I recommend extreme caution.

CNS_Selin:
 ::blushes:: CMO: it's one of those blonde days today.

CO_Mordane:
 XO: I don't know Chief...but it's the only lead we've got, and I'm not going to let them slip away.

CO_Beacon:
 <Duty_TO> *CO*: Aye sir.  ETA to intercpet at present speed is two hours twenty minutes.

CNS_Selin:
 ::smiles sheepishly::

CO_Mordane:
 XO: I'll keep it in mind Chief.

CO_Beacon:
 <Selok> ALL: It is possible that, to configure their power systems to run the extra transporter banks, they have overtaxed their engines.

CMO_P`Trell:
 ::shrugs as she is neither a science or operations officer, has nothing to say on Selok's comment::

CO_Beacon:
 ALL: With all their careful planning...do youthink they finally made a mistake?

CO_Mordane:
 Beacon: It seems unlikely...

CMO_P`Trell:
 CO Beacon: Its hard to say... but how can we pass up the opportunity if it is one?

XO_Mash`ev:
 All: If the plasma leak is genuine they could be a powder keg just waiting to blow up.

CO_Beacon:
 <<<<Pause>>>>

Brett:
 O.k. For next week, we will jump ahead about 90 minutes.  The Marauder and Carter are closer now.  Sensors definitely detect a problem with their warp drive system, it is overloading.  No doubt they have seen you and are trying to escape.

Brett:
 (Marauder is the class of vessel BTW, not its name)