Episode 2.02: Rivulets of Copper, Eyes Aflame

[Renny]

OOC: Hmmm. Not sure what Cole can do at this point other than try and find out where this guy is going. I'd like to think he's better than just randomly shooting at him.

Seeing the figure in transit, Cole flips open his communicator.

"Cole to Drake, priority one! I have a suspect in mid transport directly ahead of my position. Can we scan for destination ? Urgent!"

[Nolmir]

"Sorry Cole, their signal is being masked somehow," Tobin responds, the exasperation apparent in his voice. "I can't get a fix."

[Renny]

Frustrated, Cole lowers his phaser which he realises he has brought up to aim at the shimmering figure instinctively before realising the futility of the act.

"Are you ok, sir?" he calls across to Sorak.

[Renny]

OOC: Happy Thanksgiving chaps!!

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, Renny!

I was hoping Doug would be able to respond, but I'm going to move on a bit. (And we can circle back to him as needed.)

Tobin notices on his board that, when transport is complete, the tag settles on Spalan departing to his V'Kor office. That said, he's pretty certain Spalan didn't leave the estate, nor was the V'Kor office the mysterious Vulcan's destination.

A moment later, Chief Nnamdi presses his transceiver to his ear and frowns. "Captain, I received a brief emergency distress signal from a Vulcan V'Kor communicator," he reports as he works the controls of his station. "Location was...N'Varas' home. It cut off after only few seconds."

[Davy, aka GM]

Frustrated, Cole lowers his phaser which he realises he has brought up to aim at the shimmering figure instinctively before realising the futility of the act.

"Are you ok, sir?" he calls across to Sorak.

The Vulcan engineer is already slipping past Cole as he answers, "I am unharmed, thank you." Sorak pauses near the spot the intruder last occupied, surveying as he continues. "Have your team secure the rest of the house and grounds; I will look in on my parents."

The first officer looks up to meet the security chief's eyes, revealing the slightest hint of gratitude in his countenance before he turns and strides to his parents' bedroom door.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva cursed under his breath, then turned to Comms. "Notify Mr. Cole, and have the transporter room beam his team to the Investigator's home; the standing protection detail is to stay at Spalan's house. Notify V'Kor headquarters that our team is en route; I feel certain they're already en route or perhaps even there."

[Davy, aka GM]

Bridge
"Aye, sir," Nnamdi responds, tapping a few controls on his console. "Drake to Cole."

...at the Spalan Estate
As Sorak raps twice on the door to his father's bedchamber, the security officer's communicator beeps.

"Cole here."

"We received a short-lived distress beacon from the home of Principal Investigator N'Varas," Chief Nnamdi reports. "The captain wants your team to transport there immediately. Chief Dhall will transport down to take the rest of Banks' shift."

[Renny]

"Understood Chief...," Cole responds, one eye on Sorak as he moves past, "...proceed with transport when ready."

[Davy, aka GM]

Moments later, Cole and the RRT are beamed to an urban high rise in the Kolnar-Kan District of ShiKahr. As they materialize in the building's lobby, they're met with a good dozen phasers pointed in their direction. The RRT members reflexively raise their own weapons.

OOC: Anderson shows his rookie stripes by putting the team down too close to the V'Kor. Cole needs to react quickly to prevent a bunch of edgy security types from starting blue-on-blue action.

I'm also bringing into play the Directive "Tread Lightly in Vulcan Jurisdiction" against Cole, which, if accepted, will increase the Difficulty of the task to gain control of the situation. Cole has the option of accepting or challenging the Directive:

- If he accepts the Directive as a Complication, he attempts to get his own people to stand down, this will be a Presence + Command vs. Difficulty 2 (increased Difficulty already included).
- If he challenges the Directive, he attempts to coerce the V'Kor officers into standing down. This will be a Daring + Security vs. Difficulty 1 opposed task vs. the V'Kor officers' Daring + Command vs. Difficulty 1.

Current
Momentum 6
Threat 2

[Renny]

OOC: Cole will accept the Directive. We're on Vulcan turf here so no good reason to start a fight.

Cole makes a mental note to have a word with Anderson about transporter protocols. He makes a show of holstering his own phaser.

"Phasers down people" he states calmly, never taking his eyes off the Vulcan security detail.

"Who's in command here? I'm Lt Durham Cole, USS Drake. We are responding to a distress call from Principal Investigator N'Varas."

[Renny]

OOC: I'm going to spend 1 Momentum to add another dice to this as I think this might be an important one to make.

Presence ( + Command (3) vs. Difficulty 2

Rolled 3d20 : 18, 12, 2, total 32

[Renny]

OOC: Hmm. Didn't quite manage to diffuse that situation.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Acknowledging the spent Momentum. 1 Success vs. Difficulty 2. A failure. <Agent 86>Missed it by that much!</Agent 86>

"Phasers down people" he states calmly, never taking his eyes off the Vulcan security detail.

Cole's men reluctantly lower and holster their weapons, Lear intoning, "Don't like the idea...," under his breath.

"Who's in command here? I'm Lt Durham Cole, USS Drake. We are responding to a distress call from Principal Investigator N'Varas."

A female V'Kor officer steps into view; she's about as tall as Cole and cuts a slender silhouette as she places herself between two of her subordinates. Her graying hair is cut in a traditional bob, and, in typical Vulcan fashion, her expression is neutral.

"You are far out of your jurisdiction, Lt. Durham Cole. I was unaware that Starfleet had taken it upon themselves to respond to distress calls from private Vulcan citizens," she states flatly. "I must contact the Minister of Public Safety to inform him he has been made redundant. Relieve them of their weapons.

"I am Precinct Captain T'Paara," she says as three members of the V'Kor team begin to remove the RRT's phasers from their belts. "Before I arrest you and your people for illegally brandishing a deadly weapon and using said weapons to threaten duly appointed peace officers, on whose authority do you claim to be acting?"

It's at this point that Cole notices wisps of smoke rising up from the building's security station behind the mass of Vulcans.

[Renny]

Cole holds the gaze of T'Paara evenly, feeling the frustration of the evening's events but finding an even tone to his voice.

"We will not be surrendering our weapons to you, Precinct Captain. We are operating on Vulcan under the auspices of section 17 of the Vulcan/Starfleet agreement in cooperation with the VIS. Our liaison is the citizen who sent the distress call to the USS Drake, Principle Investigator N'Varas. That is why we are here."

He pauses for a moment to let that sink in.

"By the way, are you aware that the security station appears to be on fire?"