Muon Quark

Inside a stomach. Definitely a first. It was somewhat unsettling to think that you were inside something's stomach. They were safe for the time being because it didn't appear they were being digested but...... ::shudder:: Muon would have felt better if the security detail were there. So far, Aegis had been unable to beam anyone else over. Hopefully Ethan would have better luck. But what the heck was taking her so long?

Upon closer examination, the AT found the inside walls of the statue to be pink and wrinkled and there was also a musty smell to the air. Muon directed samples to be taken along with a whole bunch of tricorder scans, medical and otherwise. Shikame noted early on that the energy readings were strange and were also consistent with a stomach. Great. Wonderful. FCA preserve us.....

A short time later, the walls of the statue started glowing and moving in a certain direction. This didn't appear to be threatening so the AT started to follow the glowing patterns. At one point, Jaylen became slightly disoriented because he was experiencing a possible telepathic connection with something. He was in no immediate danger so the AT continued onward, with Muon keeping an eye on him. If it was the statue trying to communicate with them, Muon wanted to ask it nicely not to digest them.

Dr Lillion did point out that something was trying to communicate with all of them due to the increased levels of something or the other. Muon couldn't pronounce the word that the Doc had used but she understood the meaning well enough. Muon asked her to run periodic medical scans on the AT and to keep Muon informed of any changes.

At the same time, the Jaylen and Shikame discovered some kind of panel in the wall. While Muon and the Doc had been talking, the panel appeared to power up and a control thingy came out of the wall with a bunch of knobs on it. The AT all crowded around the panel to examine it.

Hmmmm, thought Muon to herself. Do we push the knobs or continue on?

Muon couldn't believe her ears. Centralist Party? They were going back to Cardassia, to the Centralist Party? Oy vey. Well, stranger things have happened. Not many but....

Muttering to herself in Ferengi, Muon quickly headed the GotLat back to Cardassia. Hopefully Ethan would be able to locate additional information on Ambassador Raumuk. They really needed to find him before their cover was blown. So Muon landed the ship at the nearest port to the Centralist Party. Once the ship had been shut down and secured, Ethan and Muon headed out into evening, under the cloak of darkness. They hadn't gone very far when all of a sudden Ethan insisted they head right back to the GotLat and take off ASAP. Immediately. Muon didn't ask questions.

While running back to the ship, Muon used her remote communicator to get the necessary clearance for departure. Punching a few buttons on another remote device, she was able to start the take-off sequence of the GotLat so they could launch immediately. Once onboard the ship, it was simply a matter of buckling in and bookin.

When they were on their way, Ethan directed her to quickly get the ship within comm range of Aegis so she could contact them. Then she told Muon why...... "Martial Law? That would mean....." Indeed it could mean Federation involvement in the Cardassian Government.... if it came to that.

While Ethan was speaking to Aegis, Muon looked up and received her first look at Aegis. "By the FCA, what happened? Ethan, did you see this?" Muon sputtered in shock. She should have known something had happened. The damage was extensive. Especially around Pylon 1.

They managed to dock the ship at Pylon 2 and then they both were off and running, Ethan to the CT and Muon to Main Security. When she arrived on the midway, it was chaos. GoldShirt and a team of guards were keeping the crowd that had gathered under control....barely. She quickly got an update on the situation and was heading to the CT when Ayers comm'd her.

"Commander Quark, locate Captain Nuranis and keep him at his present location. I will be there momentarily. Ayers out."

"Aye Sir." Muon replied.

"Computer." *beep*. "Locate Captain Nuranis."

Computer> Captain Nuranis is located in docking bay 2 by his ship.

+ANDREWS+ Quark to Andrews. Proceed immediately to docking bay 2 and detain Captain Nuranis there until Captain Ayers arrives. I'll be there shortly as well. Quark out."

As she headed to docking bay 2, Muon kept getting odd stares from passerbys. She couldn't figure out what was going on until she reached up to scratch her lobes and realized she still had the male ones attached. She would have to get to sickbay soon and have them removed. Dreading her first meeting with Ayers after returning from Cardassia, Muon hurried on her way to the docking area.

Hiding in the shadows of the bazaar, Muon was getting very nervous. Ethan should have been back by now. What in the FCA was taking so long? On top of that, Muon couldn't shake this feeling that something was wrong back at Aegis. She knew it was crazy. Ferengi were not physic or anything close to it but this damned feeling would not go away. She was anxious to get back.

"I should have went with her." Muon muttered to herself crossly. The Admiral and Captain would never forgive her if something happened to either one of them. Muon's only consolation was that neither one of them would be able to yell at her if she died. Grimly, she smiled at her morbid joke and continued to look towards the Prime Minister's estate.

Just when Muon was about to go and search for Ethan, she appeared out of the darkness. Ethan was exhausted and barely able to walk. Muon quickly packed everything up and they made their way back to the Got Lat. She gave Ethan something to drink, buckled in, and then powered up the ship. Just as she was going to set a course for Aegis, Ethan started muttering something about Centralists...Contortists....Communists??

"Ethan, what are you babbling about? We're about to head back to Aegis. Are you saying we need to go somewhere else? Make sense or we're going home." Muon griped as her hand waivered over the navigational controls.........

Ethan was arguing with Muon as they walked into Sickbay. “I'm too tall for a Ferengi,” she pointed out.

Muon grinned. “But I've seen tall Ferengi in my time. Plus you'd make a good Ferengi....” she added with a smirk.

“A six foot tall Ferengi?? Perhaps you have seen them, but don't you think I'd stand out? A Cardassian would blend in more.”

Muon put her hands up in defeat and smiled, “Ok, ok... if you want to be an ugly Cardassian.......”

Ethan smirked back at her, “Unless you want me to be a male Ferengi.... but I might be afraid that you'd hit on me.”

Muon rolled her eyes, laughing, “As if.... So anyways....” She glanced around, “Anyone home?”

Ethan spotted a ensign doctor, and pointed at one of the private rooms. “Ensign. In there. Now,” she ordered. Muon muttered a ‘here we go’ as she followed Ethan and the doctor into the room. Ethan turned back to her as the door closed. “Now the question, Commander, is would a Ferengi go into business with a Cardassian?”

“Sure thing. They trade all the time. You would have to be the boss of the group though. Cardassians consider Ferengi second class citizens.” They bantered again for a moment, out of habit, then Ethan turned to the doctor, “Doctor, I'm afraid you are about to come down with a case of amnesia... that will cover the next hour or two. I need you, doctor, to make me a Cardassian...” She glanced at Muon, then added, “An ugly Cardassian...”

Muon tried not to laugh, “Not too ugly though.”

“Okay, not too ugly. And then, you'll make my friend here look a little different... nothing drastic.” Ethan paused, and Muon considered the possibilities then suggested he make her appear male. Ethan nodded agreement, then spoke again, “Female ferengi in business are probably a bit unusual. Make her a guy. But I'll be a female cardassian.. a little harder to hide the fact that I'm a woman... no offense, Muon. And then you'll forget that we were here, you'll forget to make any record of the procedures, and you'll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Muon nodded in agreement, “Any questions Doc?” The doctor, looking nervous, was clearly trying to decide if he should do as asked, and suggested that he should clear the actions with Dr. Jones. Muon shook her head, “Negative.”

“On the contrary, doctor, this information is strictly on a need-to-know basis... and he doesn't need to know. Neither do you... that's why you are going to get amnesia. Even if I have to have her put you in the brig or deck you.”

Muon added, “This is a top secret assignment Doc. Consider yourself honored to be a part.”

“Honored and forgetful. That is an order, Ensign. Now let's get to work.”

The doctor finally nodded agreement, “You'll have to take off your uniform, ma'am.” While Ethan was getting altered, Muon finished the final preparations to her old Ferengi ship. When she was done, Ethan replicated appropriate clothing while Muon’s relatively minor adjustments were completed.

Those things done, the two prepared to depart the station, after reminding the doctor again that he had never seen them. Looking serious, Muon prepared them for departure. “May the FCA protect us... and whatever other diety is out there.”

In the transporter room, Muon was waiting to board the Yorktown. While she waited she comm'd Dent one more time.

+DENT+ "Quark to Dent. The zebra is out of the pen. Pursue with vengance. Repeat, the zebra is out of the pen. Report to papa bear when zebra is found."

Hopefully Dent and Zhu would remember the code and start piggy backing all Cardassian signals and then report any findings to the Admiral. Now it didn't matter if they were detected or not. Next, she had to leave a few instructions to Brown. He would be in charge of Security while Muon was away. Muon made a quick list on her padd which she would forward to Brown:

- V'Ran in charge of security detail guarding the Rixian. No visitors other than Admiral or Captain. Check in on Rixian from time to time to make sure she has everything she needs.

- Andrews working with visiting Lt. on the flight recorder f rom Doc Images' ship. Check in with him for updates.

- Monitor Breen's and maintain readiness just in case. Ensure security maintains yellow alert status until cancelled by Admrial or Captain.

- Find person known as Jenna if you can. Cardassian female. Wanted to speak with me about something important. Find out what she wanted, if you can.

- Dent and Zhu working on project for Admiral. Ignore any odd happenings in that regard.

- Assist Captain with anything he needs.

- Most importantly, maintain security of station. If the Admiral or Captain say "jump", ask them how high.

Good Luck. Quark out.

That would cover the most important things anyway. Brown would figure out the rest. She pressed a button on the padd and the message was sent to Brown's console on the CT. Muon mentally said a prayer and then boarded the Yorktown.

"May the FCA have mercy....." Muon whispered as she sat down.

After Muon and V'Ran had assisted with the evacuation to the Vico and Lewis, set up the security patrols, and initiated round the clock diagnostics, Muon found herself walking thru the near empty station later that night and thinking. It was a good time to do so even though she had a ton of unresolved security issues to take care of. Security had done all they could do to assist with getting the station ready for the ion storm. It was now eerily quiet on the midway. Not even Drankum was here to bug her. She wished he was. She could have used his advice and counsel even though it would have cost her. She grinned for a moment and then remembered the padd she was carrying.

Things were changing. No doubt of that but, were they changing for the good? Half the time Muon felt like she was barely keeping up with everything that was going on. It was hard to admit that but....there it was. All the new security gizmos and gadgets, the new security personnel. She glanced at her padd again and reread the mounting list:

-"Free Cardassian" separatist group's attack on the city of Z'lo, capital of Illopera. Still considered a probable threat to Aegis Sky Harbor and surrounding planetary systems and ships. Unable to move forward on this investigation due to lack of information and evidence.

-Murders of Ensign Ungar and Philip Armitage. Both probably related to the Free Cardassian separatist group. Unable to move forward on this investigation due to lack of information and evidence.

-Alleged attack on Ltjg Schwatz by Ens Sabourin. Unable to move forward on this investigation due to lack of information and evidence.

-Apparent seclusion of Ambassador Raumuk, along with disappearance of 4 cardassians who left on the same shuttle with the Ambassador. One of the cardassians has ties with a group known as the Freedom Fighters. Unable to move forward on this investigation due to lack of information and evidence.

-Attack on the station by some unknown cardassian group, which was resolved by an old "rule" concerning "finders keepers". Concerns are that there might be more of these attacks. Unable to move forward on this investigation due to lack of information and evidence.

-Upcoming ion storm and it's affect on the station and surrounding planetary systems and ships. Unable to communicate with any surrounding system or ship due to storm interference. Will render any assistance needed or required once the storm has passed. Note: check with Ayers and Hawke on the return of personnel once it's safe for them to return.

Muon sighed heavily as she continued to read the long list. Finally, she tossed the padd onto a nearby table on the midway and sat down. She wished Shawn was here. She valued his experience and expertise. V'Ran was invaluable too, even though she was fresh out of the academy. She was learning and growing as a security officer.

Yep, the station was definitely changing. But would it change for the better was what Muon wanted to know. It was becoming very political around here and Muon found herself out of the loop more and more. Out of her element. Sure she was a Ferengi, but she was a security officer first and foremost and it was becoming increasingly difficult to do her job properly.

Ah well, time would tell. She would contact people once the storm had passed and try to move forward on some of these investigations. Quietly she grabbed her padd from the table and stood. Her footsteps echoed into the silent midway as she headed to her quarters.....

Muon is frustrated. It's very difficult to get any information during the ion storm but security has a ton of stuff to do and very little time to do it in. She has teams out helping engineering with the deionization and also teams for keeping folks from flying off the handle with panic. Oy.... it's going to be a long week.....

Stopping at a nearby console, she logs in and starts researching the 4 cardassians that left with the Ambassador. As she reads the information she is disappointed. Three of them were civillians and one was ex-military. The military guy has ties to the Freedom Fighters.... Not good. Muon comm'd the Captain and let him know. Now it was imperative to find out if the Ambassador arrived. She then contacted Saborin on the CT and asked him to check with the port authorites on Cardassia. Next....she contacted V'Ran. There was a freighter to investigate......

Ensign V’Ran was running diagnostics of the station’s surveillance systems when he received a comm. from chief Quark. “Quark to V’Ran, I want you to take a security team and investigate the Cardassian freighter in dock, check for anything suspicious and may be of a security risk to the station.” “Yes sir,” replied V’Ran. While logging out of the diagnostic display, he sent a message to have a security team meet him in front of the docking bay to the freighter. While he headed for the docking bay, he thought of the incoming ion storm. He was confident that the station would survive, but he was contemplating the crew, whether or not they could handle the psychological stress of the possibility of being destroyed.

V’Ran arrived at the bay. He input the security codes, unlocking the bay doors. With the security team he entered the ship, while ordering everyone else to scan the ship; he brought online the ship’s computer core and minor systems. After bringing the systems online, he logged onto the ship’s navigational logs, tracing the whereabouts of the freighter. To check for any unusual detours they had taken, despite the fact that the logs could have been altered. As expected, nothing unusual found in the navigational logs. Next he moved onto their cargo roster, checking for any items that may be unusual for the freighter to be carrying or could be any potential threat to the station. Nothing found in the logs either. He proceeded to analyze the captain’s log, maybe an entry which would give him what the chief wanted. While searching the logs, the rest of the team reported back that they had found nothing out of the ordinary. V’Ran ordered the team to return to their posts.

He continued to analyze the logs, as suspected nothing was found among the logs. However, V’Ran felt a sense of disappointment. He said to himself, “Curious…” even though Vulcans suppress their emotions, they still feel them. V’Ran logged out of the computer banks, powering down the ship’s systems. He proceeded out the bay doors, inputting the security code, locking the doors. He proceeded back to his previous duties, pondering his own ability to handle his emotions, will he be calm when the storm arrives…

Muon listened as Sabourin spoke with the Port Authorities on Cardassia. So..... the Ambassador arrived safely and the 4 cardassians as well. Well at least she had some good news to relay to ShiKame. It was a little strange that the Ambassador wasn't speaking to anyone tho.

After arriving on the CT, Muon found out that Halloway's ship could not be contacted due to the Ion storm. Well, she should just have to inform Halloway later once comms were reestablished. For the time being, Muon had done all she could about the Ambassador and the 4 cardassians. She now had to concentrate on the station and the upcoming storm. She would have V'Ran do a check on the whereabouts of the cardassians while they had been on the station.

After relaying that request to V'Ran, Muon headed off the CT and back to checking the status of security throughout the station. She had a feeling it would be a long day.....

After receiving the message, V’Ran accessed the surveillance logs onboard the station. “Computer… bring up the surveillance logs of the past week.” The computer complied with a usual beep, on the display console, the logs were displayed. V’Ran accessed the logs, specifying the logs to the whereabouts of the Cardassians. That quickly narrowed down the numerous logs; however the whereabouts of the Cardassians were extensive. He began his work, observantly going through each entry, what will he find...

"Where are my security sensors?!?!?!" Muon muttered as she tried for the upteenth time to bring them up. Leaning back in her chair, she knew yelling at the computer would not bring them back so she decided to update paperwork on some of her active cases.

Case: 02562: Cardassia Bombing

Station remains on high alert after the terrorist attack by the Cardassia terrorist group. Both myself and Lt Andrews have been unsucessful in discovering any further information on the attack from our sources on Cardassia. We remain ever vigilant.

Case: 02564: Lt Sarah Davenport, Science Department

Subject reported that ex-boyfriend might be stalking her and intends to harm her in retaliation for their break up. Assigned Ens GoldShirt to follow boyfriend, an Ens Ian Taylor. Ens GoldShirt observed Ens Ian Taylor for 28 hours with no suspicious behavior noted. At one point, Ens GoldShirt observed Ens Ian Taylor entering Drankums Bar with a Shelia Boyden, an employee of one of the clothing shoppes on the Promenade. Will arrange another interview with Lt Davenport to discuss the situation further.

Case: 02563: Midshipman Paul Unger, Engineering Department

Mid Paul Unger was murdered during a party that was held in his quarters. New information was discovered during the course of the investigation and this case is now classified and access is restricted to command staff.

Items of note:

070204 - Sensors are down, which means security sensors are down. I have assigned extra security personnel throughout the ship to act as "internal security sensors". Hell, I'm having them look out the dang port windows every once in a awhile to see if anything is happening. Hopefully engineering will have them back online shortly.

070204 - Received notification that Thomas Halloway will be visiting the station for a few days. Have arranged for a standard security inspection of the ship when it docks.

End Security File.

Muon saves the security files she was working on and then goes home....

It had been one hell of a week. The Captain being confined, Ethan made XO and Muon made temporary Chief of Security. Then, during her first week these strange folks, from who knew where, arrived on the station and caused a rukus. What a week....

Finishing with the padd, Muon tosses it on top of her desk with the rest of the padds. The paperwork was piling up. Well at least things were quiet for the time being. The Raknor had been unloaded, the prisoners transfered, and amazingly enough nothing had blown up. Chalk up one for the goods guys.

Muon still had the odd feeling that something was just not quite right. She didn't know what it was but her intuition had served her well all her career as a security officer and she trusted it. Something was up. And she would dig until she found out what. It was not only her job but it was her nature as well.

Her console beeped, reminding her it was time to have the Captain's dog walked. Since it was getting a little late, she decided to head up and walk Diamante herself. She kinda liked the mutt. Stifling a yawn, she stands and heads to the door. Yep, a hell of a week...

Ethan gave Muon charge of the away team and headed back to the CT to assit the Aegis. While she listened to the Captain's annoucement about all the attacks, her deameanor became more grim and determined.

"They use of deadly force has just be authorized gentlemen." Muon said quietly to the assembled away team as the Captain finished his annoucement. "Let's move." Once they were cleared to transport, Muon picked an area close the bridge and gave the signal to energize.

Mass destruction everywhere, was what Muon thought as the away team made their way to the bridge. In some places it looked like something had eaten thru the deck, but mostly, the ship was blown to bits. Something had gone terribly wrong, or right, on this ship and has caused mass explosions everywhere.

As they reached the bridge, Muon had Talis scan for any wierd particles, or whatever, in the atmosphere that could have contributed to the ship's destruction. So far, he hadn't found anything. Talis and Tino had, however, found bones. Bones that looked like something had ate at them.... or......corroded the flesh that

had been on them? Only a detailed analysis would tell for sure. They weren't human bones tho. Muon's guess was that this had been a mercenary ship with an odd assortment of beings.

Tino had hooked up a tricorder to one of the stations on the bridge in the hopes of retrieving a log or two. He had found only one but it was a recording of explosions and cries of terror. Possibly the last few minutes of the ship's life. It was an extremely gruesome recording. She had him upload it for further analysis on Aegis.

Someone was systematically attacking different posts/stations along the Cardassian border. But who? They needed answers, and quick. Muon and the rest of the away team worked diligently to discover as many clues as they could.

Muon was hoping for a miracle but she wasn't sure she'd get one.  The evacuation of the southern hemisphere was going slow but steady.  Here contact down on the planet was helping as much as they could but it was tedious work.  How in the name of latinum would they get the whole planet safely evacuated?  

Security was another issue.  The word was spreading and so people were starting to flock towards the evacuation stations.  For now it was an orderly procession but Muon did not count on it remaining so.  As time grew shorter, Muon expected that panic would start overruling common sense.  Then the fun would begin.  Fights, threats, mobs.....  anything to get off the planet.  ::sigh::  She only hoped that Aegis would be ready and able to deal with it.  

Their only hope was either fixing the problem with the planet's core, which Muon doubted seriously would be discovered in time, or getting enough ships.  Either way, time was running out

Muon was depressed.  Another perfectly good opportunity gone.  Those beetles could have been worth alot but alas, ah well.  Business is business.  Anyway, her rounds were back to normal now that the threat to the ship was gone and hopefully the ship would get back to normal as well, whatever normal was....  It had certainly been an interesting few months on Aegis, that was for sure.  

Finishing her log, Muon stood up from her console and was just about to reach for a book when all of a sudden.......   "AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"  a scream wrenched the silence of her room.  Dropping instinctly to the ground, she rolled and came up in a crouching stance, ready to defend herself.  Controlling her breathing, she quickly scanned the room with her eyes but saw nothing.  Then....  "MUH HA HA HA HA HAH!!"  This time, it was an evil laugh.  Her eyes narrowed and her body tensed as she tried to identify where the sounds were coming from but she couldn't detect anything.  She was just  reaching for her comm badge when all of sudden, someone attacked her from behind.  The arm snaked around her neck and began to choke her.  She tried to elbow her attacker in the gut and then flip them but her jabs didn't phase them at all.  She was beginning to see spots, indicating that she was going to pass out soon.  Slowly, the life was being sucked out of her.  Her struggles became weaker and weaker.  "Now you will die." her attacker whispered coldly into her ear.  In a last ditch effort, Muon threw all of her weight forward, hoping to unbalance her attacker.  They both fell to the ground with a crash but the vise-like grip never let up.  Her vision was greying, she was growing very weak.....weaker......  The last thing she remembers is a voice saying...........    

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!"

heh heh  GOTCHA!

Reprieve

The four of them entered Drankums; Ayers, Hawke, Griffin and Quark.  It was a noisy, lively place that greeted all your senses at once.  They found a table towards the back and ordered their food and drink.  They weren't sure how long it would be before they had to get back to work but for the time being, they just relaxed and got to know one another.

Muon was curious about the crew.  It was "profitable" to have has much information as possible about everyone you knew.  ::grin::  So she asked the other three all kinds of questions. It didn't matter if they were personal or not.  Muon was the ah, curious (nosey) type.

They must have stayed at Drankums for several hours, eating and chatting.  It was a pleasant time that was all too rare in their line of work.  But for the time being, there was nothing going on.  No serious decisions to make, other than what to drink or eat.  No wars, nothing.  For now, everything was ok with the world.