Episode I

Michelle was seriously considering an orbital strike right about now as she quickly dodged some angry plasma blasts which splintered a nearby tree. This planet was supposed to be an easy one! They were impartial before the war and were new to the Federation to begin with. It was supposed to be simple, beam down, assure them everything was fine, make sure they still held their allegiance to the Federation and bam, back up to the Liberty and all would be fine.

This was not the case.

"Apparently Klingons think faster than I do!" she muttered under her breath as she glanced over her shoulder, making sure her landing party was still intact and not, well, dead. She was sure she caught a glance of one of her team not being overly impressed by this chase through the woods with the Klingons hot on their tracks.

...Michelle stared at the bar in front of her. It seemed...archaic, such an old method, simplistic yes, but old nonetheless. Gripping the sides of her wheelchair, she counted to three, trying to motivate herself to stand...

She blinked a moment, her body covered in mud and grass. A shot must have landed next to her and sent her flying. Trying to shake the ringing out of her ears and clear her blurred vision, she looked up to see the Klingons quickly closing the gap between her and them. Her phaser seemed to have disappeared, along with her teammates. Presumably they beamed back up to the ship, expecting her to have already done so.
She placed her hands on the ground, ready to push herself back up, when one overly aggressive Klingon came to a stop, glaring down at her with a disruptor pointed at her face.

There was obviously no point now.

James was at the console. He could detect Michelle signal on the surface, and right on top of her, a klingon life-sign.

"Jason, the captain is still down there! And there's a klingon right on top of her!"

Kyrgis was on the bridge as well, looking intently at Dunbar for his reaction. Everyone on the Liberty knew him as Dan Kristenson; and not one person even suspected his true nature. Which should come of no surprise, considering that Kyrgis was an Elite, the highest rank of Infiltrator.

In his mind, Kyrgis was trying to make a decision. If the Captain died now, he was not in position yet to take over power. He would have to go through Dunbar and Carter, at the very least. A power struggle wasn't what he wanted. Not yet. He needed to know how far Captain Kendrick would go, and if it cost some Klingon planet? So what! He had to act slowly, very slowly, if he was to achieve his ultimate goal.

"That's Commander to you." Dunnbar replied to James. He sat there in the Command chair, staring into space. Then he snapped back into reality. "Emergency Beam out, on the Captains Signal, NOW!" Dunn quickly ordered.

Dunn, waiting for acknowledgement to the Captain being beamed up, turned to the Science Console. "Run an Scan for any Klingon ships, I want to know were they are, ASAP." said Dunn, as he got up from the Captains chair, and returned to Tactical. The Captain, was returning, hopefully. His ass in the Command chair, wasn't needed anymore.

(I'm just gonna call me guy Dunn... pretend I'm saying Dunbar.)

"Yes, Commander" James pressed a few buttons and the sweep begun... "Readout in three, two, one... Detecting faint signatures, Commander Dunnbar... Might be cloacked ships..."

Kendrick's comm unit materialized on the transport pad in front of the bewildered Chief. Tapping the comm, the chief cleared his throat.

"Sir... we don't have her," he informed the bridge.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Michelle's hands had been shackled together with some crude looking, but effective cuffs. She found this most odd as the Klingons weren't into taking prisoners, yet there she was, being escorted by half a dozen Klingons across the wooded terrain and back towards the small village they had originally come.

Arriving at a small metallic building that appeared to have no windows, they pushed her inside and locked the door behind her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but when they did, she began to look around.

The room was fairly empty, save for a large, cylindrical device much resembling some sort of metallic barrel and a flat pad like device next to it. The two pieces of equipment appeared to be connected to each other, yet neither seemed to be activated. Slowly walking closer, attempting to inspect it further, she began to notice its resemblance to some form of transporter.

"Interesting," she muttered, curious as to its function, when a large surly Klingon entered the room. Aggressively pointing at the flat pad, he simply grunted.

"Get on."

Hesitantly, Michelle stepped onto the pad while the Klingon went to the large cylinder. Activating some controls, it suddenly came to life, emitting a deep green glow. She then felt the familiarity of a transporter grabbing hold of her, demolecularizing her and then rematerializing her elsewhere.

Looking around, at first unaware of where she now was, she then recognized it as the interior of a Klingon ship.

"Why do they need a portable transporter unit?" she wondered when two gruff Klingon guards came and shoved her off the transporter.

This is important and unfortunately I have to tell you straight up, the Klingons just can't beam all willy nilly, nor use much of high power device

"Fuck" Dunn said when he herd the news. "Were not giving up yet." he said, as he put his head in the game, and went an sat down in the Command chair. He noticed the Bridge crew looking at him, as to what to do. before it was, Your the Captain while the Captains Away, now it's your the Captain while she's been captured by Klingons.

"Bridge to Engineering, prepare for Warp speed." Dunn said, just encase the Klingons ran away. "Conn set course for the Commanders signal. Tactical Ready weapons systems. Ship Security, post heavy Security around the Important Ship systems. All hands Battle Stations."

Michelle was shoved into a very dark cell of some sort, her hands still shackled. There wasn't much for accommodations, fortunately there was a slab of metal jutting out from the wall. Sitting down on it, Michelle began to ponder recent events when the dull rhythm of the engines kicking in, could be felt through the deck plates. There was then the familiar rush as the ship jumped to warp speed.

"This is very peculiar," she mused, "where...and why would they be taking me somewhere?"

"Commander, hostile craft went to warp, relaying current course to navigation..." Said James...

"Pursuit course, Warp speed 9!" Dunn ordered. He sighed then continued "Open an Comm Channel to Starfleet Command. There once I'm done with Starfleet open an Channel with the Klingons.... assuming they don't pull a Crazy Ivan." Dunn said, as he turned to look at the view screen, waiting for it to show SFC.

Michelle had fallen asleep when she was suddenly awaken by the lurch of the ship dropping out of warp. Blinking a few times, she sat up. They must have been in warp for some time for her to have fallen asleep like that. Standing up to stretch her legs, she went to the door of the cell, trying to peer out through some small holes that served as "windows".

The ship was so dimly lit, even for a klingon vessel, that she couldn't see more than a foot outside of the door. Suddenly hearing heavy footsteps heading her way, she dashed back to her slab and sat on it, waiting. The door creaked open, the metal grinding on the floor.

"Come," the Klingon said gruffly, pointing a disruptor rifle at her and motioning for her to move.

"Commander, we've lost the ships warp trail..." Said Commander James... "I guess they exited warp and cloacked..."

"Starfleet didn't Spend Two year refitting this ship, just so we can loose an simple Klingon ship cause it's cloaked. Run an Full Spectrum Scan, were not about to lose our Captain any time soon."

(lame post is lame)

"Scanning..." Said James... "First sweep shows nothing... Refining scan and beginning 2nd sweep..."

Commander James remembered of one thing though...

"Commander, we had this time to refit the Liberty, but the klingons also had the same time to refit their ships..." A bip sounded on the console... "Small light distortions detected... Trying 3rd Sweep..."

"Where's our favourite Klingon ship at then?" asked Dunn. "Several Light minutes behind us, we over shot them, sir." replied one of the bridge crew. Dunn, thought to him self for a few seconds. What to do now, you can't exactly go in gun blazing, for all he know, they were in the heart of Klingon Territory. Klingons aren't they most Diplomatic. The near destruction of the Klingon Empire, would of completely destroyed Martok's attempt to return Honour to the Klingons, they had become an mindless horde of Animals who wanted Blood. Plus killing the Captain, would't be a good idea either. "Conn, turn us around and take us back to the Klingon ship. Full Impulse." Dunn ordered, as the ship propelled it's self at Near Lightspeed.

Meanwhile, Kyrgis was still on the bridge. Nobody paid any attention to him, although he paid much attention to them. Until he spoke...

"Commander, what the hell do you think you're doing? Taking us back to the ship will allow them to fire first, as they obviously know we're coming now. If you don't fire at that ship, they'll fire at us, and then we'll all be dead! Remember, we don't exactly know what we're up against!"

Dunn, thought to him self, this bridge is over staffed, there were Three! Commanders on this bridge. Dunn turned to look at Commander Kristenson. "Commander, I'd like it if you tried to even acknowledge the fact the Captain is on that ship. I don't fancy giving the order to kill the Captain, do you want to?"

"Commander, If I were aboard a Nova class vessel before the refit, I would be worried... But this is a post-refit Sovereign class ship... I guess a small Bird Of Prey wont pose much of a threat to this ship... Unless they're now capable of reducing the size of their motherships..."

"Yes, and that is why we should not wait! We don't even know if the Klingons left the captain alive. And I guarantee that they now know we're coming."

There seemed to be some sort of panic amongst the crew of the Klingon ship. It was weird really to see them in such a panicked state. The Shadow War really did its number on everyone it seemed and especially the Klingons. Once the great warriors of the quadrant, reduced to a few intimidated fleets of disorganized ships. Scared Klingons, it just wasn't right.

The Klingon guard pushed her into the command center of the warbird. Like the rest of the ships, there were next to nothing on for lights. Klingons kept things dark, but never usually this dark. Power supply must be a problem or something for Klingons. Sitting in the command chair was a fairly large Klingon, but not as strong looking as one might expect from a Captain. Turning around, the Captain looked at Michelle, assessing her. Hesitant, the Captain tried to find the best way to start his sentence with her, instead pointing to the viewscreen which then came to life, displaying an image of the Liberty coming closer to it.

"Tell them... we don't want to fight," the Captain finally said, ashamed of his words. Taken a bit aback, Michelle cocked her head slightly.

"You don't want to fight?" she asked, still a bit uncertain. The Klingon Captain gritted his teeth before nodding.

"We can't," he simply replied.

"Will you return me to my ship if I do?" she asked, cautious of the usually treacherous Klingons.

"Yes," the Captain replied.

Taking a moment to mull it over, Michelle nodded. There was no need to get into a firefight if it wasn't necessary and it was quite obvious that the Klingons were incredibly overmatched by the Liberty. The Klingon Captain nodded to another officer on the bridge who then punched in some commands on his console. The Captain then looked at Michelle.

"Talk," he commanded, gruffly and ashamed.

"Liberty, this is Kendrick, do you read?" Michelle spoke, raising her voice a bit so that the comm could pick her up easier.

"Let it be know, Commander Kristenson, considers the Captain dead. I on the other, do not." Dunn said, as the Liberty slowed down, both ships were in firing range of each other, the Klingons hadn't fired on them, and thus the Liberty's crew had no legitimate reason to fire on them. "Options?" Said Dunn, as the Comm sprung to life.

"Liberty, this is Kendrick, do you read?"

Dunn opened an Comm channel. "This is the Battle Cruiser, U.S.S. Liberty, identify your self, with your Starfleet Security Code." Dunn said, he sounded serious

Michelle rolled her eyes, this guy was sometimes way too serious.

"Michelle Kendrick, Captain, Serial Number 831-2447-953, happy Commander?" she said sarcastically.

Dunn was glad to see that the Captain was still alive. Taking Permanent Command cause your Captains dead isn't all that fun, all the Inquires. you've got more chance of losing your rank, than getting command, for failure to do you job. "Yes I am, Captain. So you fancy telling me, why your still alive?"

"Well, it seems that the Klingons aren't exactly in any position to be fighting now. As they knew the Liberty would easily overtake them, it would seem I was their ticket to making sure we didn't blow them sky high. So unless provoked, remain at yellow alert only."

Michelle turned to the Klingon captain.

"Good?" she asked as the Klingon nodded.

"Commander, I would be much obliged if you would beam me over now," she said, anxious to depart from this Klingon ship.

Kyrgis allowed himself a small smile. Perhaps there was a good side to this captain after all. However, there was something more serious in his thoughts, something that he must speak aloud..

"Commander, Klingons refusing to fight? That is in direct natural law against what makes a Klingon, a Klingon." Although nobody else on the bridge knew this, Kyrgis was speaking out of experience. Kyrgis had been a Klingon before, and he had been all over their once-mighty Empire. And never once had he seen a... dishonorable Klingon.
"This could be a trap, and then this whole operation would be no more because of deception by, of all creatures, a Klingon!"

"Klingons don't fight, fights they can't win, I don't see any Klingon winning against the Liberty. So this is perfectly honourable, Either way Drop the Aft shield, and beam the Captain in. Just keep an weapons lock on the Klingons... you know just encase." said Dunn, as he relinquished the Command chair, for the Tactical Console.

Then he noticed something, "Where's the XO?" Dunn asked.

((Who is the XO anyways?))

Michelle could feel the energy as her body was broken down at the molecular level, reassembling on the Liberty's transporter. Blinking a few times to clear the feeling of being transported, she stepped off the pad, nodding at the chief as she exited the room.

Entering the bridge with a briskness in her step, she nodded as the officers started to attention, but quickly easing themselves at her quick nod as she took her chair.

"Commander, I presume you have a weapons lock?" she inquired, looking over in Dunbar's direction

"Capitan on Deck!" said Dunn, as Michelle entered the bridge, the crew shot to attention. The crew quickly returned to there previous duties, when she sat in the Command chair. "Commander, I presume you have a weapons lock?" Michelle asked Dunn, "Yes ma'am Phaser & Torpedo lock." Dunn replied.

"Captain, it is good to see you alive. However, this mission would be reported as a failure as we could not even capture that system. Should we go back? or do we already have another target?"