Previously, in the Journeys of the USS Golini: > Hevrek motioned to the beings with him. They wound their way through the > crowd, making their way to the Andorians' table. > > "Sorry to cut you short, but I think we should leave," Aldan interrupted. > "Tharanx to MacKenzie. Emergency transport - two to beam out." > > "Is there some problem?" Thespia asked. > > * Unable to comply. There is a field disrupting all transporter activity > around the building * > > The thugs neared the Andorians. > > "There is indeed," Aldan answered. And now, the continuation: [Verkan Prime/Barnum's] Hevrek's thugs, two Orions, two humans and a Vulcanoid, approached the Andorians, pulling long batons from under their coats. Thespia walked around the table to join Aldan. "You know these people?" she asked. "Only their leader," Aldan said. "I'll explain later. Please be careful." The first of the thugs, the Vulcanoid, reached the table. Aldan heard the distinct hum of a stunclub. The thug rushed Aldan, the stunclub held high. Aldan caught the thug's hand. Using the thug's own momentum, Aldan drove the heel of his hand into the thug's jaw. The thug dropped as if hit by a phaser on heavy stun. The rest of Hevrek's men blinked at Aldan's efficiency. Obviously, they were not expecting a target that could defend himself. Recovering from the shock, the Orions and one of the humans rushed Aldan. Aldan dropped the unconscious Vulcanoid and crouched in a defensive stance. The first Orion help his stunclub low, wielding it like a knife. The other moved to circle around the Andorian. The human approached from Aldan's side. The first Orion swung his 'club, testing Aldan's reflexes. Aldan easily dodged the swipes. The human on Aldan's flank stepped in, swinging his club. The Orion started his attack, trying to double-team the Andorian. Aldan easily parried the human's attack. He then grabbed the human's weapon arm and swung the human into the Orion's path. The Orion's blow hit the human, who cried out as the stunclub connected. Aldan then tossed the numb human aside. The human crashed into a booth occupied a trio of Tellarites. Aldan turned his attention back on the Orion. The huge green alien tossed away his 'club and produced a knife from his sleeve. Aldan eased himself away from the table, trying to give himself more room to maneuver. He heard the commotion in the bar grow noisier. The Andorian watched the knife warily, waiting for any movement that would telegraph the attack. The Orion feinted two, three times, then launched his attack. Aldan easily avoided the blade, then crouched down. With a slight twist, he swept the Orion off his feet. As soon as the Orion hit the floor, Aldan followed up with a brutal elbow smash on the Orion's leg, breaking it painfully. The Orion howled. Aldan stood up and looked around. Thespia finished taking down the other Orion; the human that Aldan had thrown was showing the Tellarites he had landed on who threw him; the other human was in a defensive crouch; and some of Barnum's other patrons had decided to turn the Andorian's fight into a general brawl. Keeping an eye on the human, Aldan scanned the bar for Hevrek. The Cardassian was slowly making his way to the entrance. Aldan was interrupted by the human. Aldan easily avoided the first attack, a simple chop. The human followed up with thrusts and jabs, driving Aldan back against the table. Thinking the Andorian trapped, the human started a vicious crescent kick. Aldan caught the human's leg. Not to be stopped, the human swung his body, trying to land a backhand. Aldan ducked, then twisted the human's leg. The human fell off-balance, his leg still in Aldan's grasp. The Andorian then kicked the human, knocking him out. Aldan looked for Hevrek again. He saw the Cardassian speaking to another group of thugs, then continue to the entrance. Aldan tapped his commbadge. "Tharanx to MacKenzie," he signalled. "Computer, Stand by for an emergency beam-out for two as soon as I clear the field. Scan for any transporter activity to or from this location. Have all engines ready for launch after emergency transport." The runabout's computer chirped its acknowledgement. Aldan turned to Thespia. She had put down the human that Aldan had thrown and one of the Tellarites, and was facing off with the other two. Aldan calmly walked over to one of the Tellarites and sent him down with a jab. Thespia quickly dispatched the other. "We have to leave," Aldan informed Thespia. "Make your way to the door. I'll follow you. I'll explain later," he added, seeing her expression. Following Thespia, Aldan stopped in mid-stride when he heard the Ferengi bartender shriek, "No phasers! No phasers!" Aldan turned. The Andorian saw one of Hevrek's thugs aiming a phaser at him. Tensing up to try to dodge, Aldan was surprised to hear the thug bellow in pain. His gun arm sprouted a Klingon throwing blade. "Couldn't let a fight like this be ruined by a dishonourable move like that," Mekalk said from behind Aldan. "So StarFleet can get in a good fight once in a while." The Klingon laughed. "My thanks, Mekalk," Aldan said. He spied Hevrek leaving the bar. "I need to follow that Cardassian. It will be difficult leaving with all of his hired help." "You were wondering if we would ever fight on the same side. If you say you must find that Cardie, then that's all I need to know. What are mere mercenaries when compared such like us?" The two made their way through the crowd, fighting back against Hevrek's thugs. Klingon martial arts are known for their brutal power; Andorian martial arts were meant to take down opponents efficiently. With the two styles working together, the number of thugs capable of fighting quickly fell. Without their employer around, their morale broke. Aldan ran through the main entrance, rejoining Thespia. The Andorians beamed aboard the MacKenzie. ~Several transports have occurred from your previous location,~ the runabout's computer reported. "How many had Cardassian life signs?" Aldan queried. ~One.~ "Track it and place it on the view screen. Thespia, I must apologize for this. Hevrek was once a member of the Cardassian Obsidian Order, and was arrested in Federation space for attacks on Federation shipping." "So you are with StarFleet Intelligence." "No," Aldan answered. "I am the Chief of Operations on board the starship Golini. We were the ones who stopped Hevrek. Computer, are engines on line?" ~Impulse engines are ready. Warp power is on stand-by.~ Aldan motioned Thespia to sit in the co-pilot's seat, then took the pilot's seat himself. "MacKenzie to Spaceport Control," Aldan signalled. "The runabout will be lifting off under StarFleet Emergency Regulations 17 and 18. Advise all traffic." * Request denied, * was the terse reply from Spaceport Control. "This was not a request. Under the terms of agreement between Verkan Prime and the Federation, all due assistance must be rendered to StarFleet personnel in matters concerning the Federation but not directly affecting your planet. Section 27, subsection 12, paragraphs 1 through 5." * You're bluffing. * Aldan engaged the thrusters. The MacKenzie rose above the tarmac. "Look up the agreement. First, advise all traffic of the MacKenzie's departure. MacKenzie out." Aldan cut the signal. The MacKenzie quickly left Verkan Prime's atmosphere. "Computer, which ship has the Cardassian life sign beamed to?" Aldan asked. ~On screen. Originally an Orion Wanderer class freighter.~ "Thespia, have you ever used sensor systems before?" "Once or twice," Thespia replied. "Good. Run scans on the freighter. Tell me what you find." Aldan steered the runabout towards the freighter to allow Thespia to focus the sensor sweeps properly. "I must be reading this correctly," Thespia announced. "Why?" "The power curves are wrong for a ship that size, unless it is military issue. It is overpowered for a simple freighter. Wait." Thespia double-checked her readings. "They have raised shields and are powering up weapons." "Computer, go to Red Alert. Raise shields," Aldan commanded. "Thespia, keep getting as much detail as you can from that ship. On the main viewer, the freighter broke orbit, heading towards the tiny runabout. Aldan threw the runabout into a tight turn, reversing the ship's course. The computer signalled a target lock on the MacKenzie. Aldan pushed the runabout down and to the port. A green beam shot past the forward viewer. The freighter adjusted its course, trying to keep close to the runabout. Thespia reported that every ship in orbit was going to alert status, including the Klingon cruiser. The freight shot again. Aldan urged the runabout into a tight climb, but the shot still grazed the MacKenzie. "Shields are down by twenty percent," Thespia reported. As the freighter tried to match Aldan's maneuvers, Aldan swung the MacKenzie down and around. Arming the ship's phasers, he targetted the freighter's warp engines. "Firing phasers," he announced. Twin beams of light lanced out to Hevrek's ship. "Any effect?" "None." "Arming photon torpedoes." Aldan steered the runabout away from the freighter, forcing the freighter's pilot to bring his ship about. Hevrek's gunners were shooting wildly, trying to hit the runabout, missing the MacKenzie but grazing the shields of several other ships. Aldan maneuvered the MacKenzie to get a shot at the freighter's broadsides. He launched two torpedoes. They impacted on the freighters shields. "Their shields are down eight percent," Thespia said. "The shields are regenerating." Aldan took a quick shot at the freighter with the runabout's phasers, with little effect. He then changed the runabout course to go in the direction the freighter was coming. As the freighter came about once more, Aldan scanned the ships in orbit. An idea dawned on him. He activated the comm system. "MacKenzie to Klingon cruiser," Aldan hailed. "qu'bortaS here. What do you want?" came the answer. "This is Lieutenant Aldan Tharanx. I am requesting assistance in apprehending a pirate who has preyed upon Federation shipping and is suspected of piracy against the Klingon Empire." "How does this affect us, Lieutenant?" "I need your assistance. I assume you have been monitoring the battle." "We have," the Klingon acknowledged. "As you could see, the MacKenzie's weapons systems are no match for my opponent." "StarFleet asking help from a Klingon?" "As I have said, the captain of the freighter is suspected of piracy against the Klingon Empire." "We will grant assistance." "I will make my way towards you. Tharanx out." Aldan cut communications. Again, the Andorian pulled the runabout into a tight turn, putting it on a course directly to the Klingon cruiser. "Computer, display a schematic over the Klingon cruiser," Aldan ordered. Seeing the schematic on screen, Aldan added, "Enhance disruptor banks." Weapons systems were highlighted in red. The runabout shook as it took a hit from the freighter. "Shields down to thirty percent," Thespia said. "Reinforce rear shields with our forward," Aldan said. "What are you planning?" "We will not need the forward shields if this works. Still, get all the telemetry scanned from the freighter and prepare a message buoy." Aldan checked his scanner readouts. The freighter was getting closer. He started making minor course changes to avoid a target lock. Hevrek was being careful. Whatever the Cardassian wanted, he didn't want to hit the Klingon ship. "qu'bortaS to MacKenzie. You are in our field of fire. Veer off now." "Aldan, what are you waiting for?" With the Klingon cruiser looming in the viewscreen, Aldan forced the runabout into a steep climb, just missing the edge of the qu'bortaS's shields. With nothing in their line of fire, the Klingon ship fired it's disruptor bank. The freighter went below the Klingon ship, but took several hits. Before the Klingons could track the freighter, it entered warp. "Damage report on the freighter?" Aldan asked. "Their shields dropped to seventy percent before going into warp," Thespia reported. "The ship reached warp factor 8 before they were out of range." "Thank you, Thespia." Aldan opened a secure general StarFleet channel. "This is Lieutenant Aldan Tharanx on board the runabout MacKenzie. I have encountered a former Cardassian Obsidian Order operative known as Hevrek. He is known for piracy against Federation shipping. I am transmitting telemetry scans of his ship."