Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Nolmir]

"That signal you mentioned, Captain -- it appears to have had a terrestrial destination," Tobin says, walking over from the sensor console he and Thadis were using. "The tightbeam communication went to a camouflaged relay station we detected on a ridge. I believe the Klingons only use these relays when they don't have starship support available, which suggests there are, in fact, no Klingon vessels currently in the system.

"We weren't able to track the signal any further, but I have Lt. Thadis watching for any further communications we can track."

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva nodded. "Very good, Mr. Les," he said. "Notify me immediately if there are any charges." Turning to Cole, he said, "Get a detail together, meet me in the transporter room in ten minutes; that should give me time to put my turban back on."

Turning to go, he said, "Sorak, the ship is yours. Keep me posted."

[Renny]

Cole acknowledged, "Aye sir," and left the room, breaking into a measured trot once he was a discrete distance down the hall.

[Doug Burke]

Sorak nodded and headed to the bridge, "As always, sir."

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Okay, we have Treyva and Cole heading to the planet, with a security team of four (including Specialist Banks).

Who rounds out the other three security types?

Also, Nolmir, do you want to play a security type or continue Tobin's work up on the ship?

[Renny]

OOC: For security, I'll nominate Banks (obvs), Tann-Tyra, Petty Officer Joe Kowalski and Specialist Ellen Dietrich. Unless anyone has any other names they'd like to utilise?

[Nolmir]

OOC: No strong preference, so I guess I'll stick with Tobin.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Tobin will remain on the ship, splitting his attention between waiting for another Klingon transmission and keeping an eye on the Apellan forces. Cmdr. Sorak will have command, and Lt. Cmdr. Even-Vered will be on the bridge with him to assist as necessary.

Meanwhile, Treyva, Cole, Tann-Tyra, Banks, Kowalski, and Dietrich head planetside to meet with Styles and the Tyreen leaders.

Turban in place, Treyva returns to the transporter room in native-ish garb; Cole and his team are already there, standing by for his arrival. The captain is given a phaser I and the group assembles on the transporter pad.

Moments later, they materialize in the remote landing zone away from the locals and hike into camp. They're met at the perimeter by Styles, Reed, and members of the Rostov security department. Styles almost appears pleased with himself.

"Treyva, Pelel tells me that he and two of his hunters were attacking targets around the leaders' tent themselves," he notes as they continue on toward the war council cave. "They did shoot what he called 'dark-clothed men,' along with three others in and around their command tent, but I don't think he knows the true nature of our counterparts."

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva gave him a terse nod. "I don't know if that's better or worse." Looking around him, he asked, "Is there someplace you and I could talk? Privately?"

[Davy, aka GM]

Styles' expression becomes unreadable for a second before he responds, "Of course." The captain gestures to a quiet area a short distance from the practice range.

"What's on your mind?" he asks.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva took a breath. "Ever since we started producing these rifles and training the Tyreens," he said, "you've been acting...out of sorts. Distracted. Rushing things. You have a reputation of being very by-the-book, yet over the last few days you've circumvented the rules, kept me in the dark, jumped the gun on agreed-upon timetables." He paused, but only briefly. "This doesn't seem like you, certainly doesn't match up to your reputation. What the hell is really going on. Styles?"

[Davy, aka GM]

"This is our last chance, Treyva; it's their last chance to turn the tide," Styles replies, righteous anger in his eyes. "If the Tyreen don't change the way they fight now, if they don't learn what it takes to win a war, they never will, and they will be wiped out; if the Apellans don't just simply overrun them with their greater numbers, they'll destroy them through attrition. Every analysis I've done in the last four months gives them a decade at most.

"This moment, these weapons. We'll never have a better opportunity to force an end to it all than right now. And we don't have the time to convince Starfleet Command that this is the way to go."

It doesn't take a space psychologist to recognize how much he believes in his cause.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva nodded and sighed. "Then we'd lose Neural to the Klingons, and all of this...the time spent playing this damned stupid game, the labor, the people...all of that for nothing." He turned to face the man more squarely. "You could have come to me with this, Lawrence. You should have come to me." He turned and looked towards the camp, then turned to face Styles again. "So what's our next step, so we can finish this?"

[Davy, aka GM]

Styles slightly raises an eyebrow at the mention of his given name, then nods in contrite agreement at Treyva's assertion.

"Now, we go convince Yutan. Pelel's respected by both the elders and the hunters; if Yutan won't agree to change strategy, he's in a position to challenge for the leadership of the tribe. Pelel thinks he can win such a challenge," the captain notes, gesturing for them to return to camp.

As they walk, he adds, "I'm sorry I didn't come to you about it. Part of it really was to protect you. You're still on Starfleet Command's watchlist on PD issues, and I figured you could use a little plausible deniability.

"But, I also didn't have a good enough feel for you to risk it; I meant what I said that some of the finest captains I know started as scientists, but I also know far too many who would dismiss a military solution out of hand. The plausible deniability aspect just made it easier to justify keeping it to myself. Regardless, it was a breach of the trust we were trying to build between us, and for that, I sincerely apologize."

[Patrick Goodman]

"I appreciate your concern," Treyva replied, "but as my wives are fond of pointing out, I'm a big boy." He paused, then said, "You know him better than I do. How do we convince Yutan? He's been...reticent so far."