The Ronin approached the Proletarian
cruiser, heading for the forward docking port that Tre'val had indicated earlier.
"The security detail is waiting for you at the airlock and the Doctor is
heading for the Bridge with the remaining inhibitors." Sular announced.
"Good." Tricia said from the Helm.
Slowly she docked the Ronin with precision against the docking port.
"All systems report secure." Sular said.
"We've managed to adapt the anti-matter mines and they are ready to be transported." McQueen announced.
"Then I guess it's time to leave." Tricia said. "Mister Sular, you have the Bridge and your orders. If we are not back within half an hour, you are to disengage the docking link. Then you are to transport the anti-matter mines at the pre-designated co-ordinates and blow the Proletarians away."
Just then Doctor Jin arrived back on the Bridge and started to hand out the inhibitors, injecting each member of the Bridge crew as she did so."
"Why the injection Doctor ?" Tricia asked.
"The inhibitors are working, but only on the conscious mind, but we were unable to suppress the sub-conscious mind given the time available. That's what this injection is for, it 'dulls' the sub-conscious for about an hour." The Doctor explained, finally coming over to Tricia and injecting her in the neck.
"OK people. In half an hour, Captain Evans will be sat in that seat with Lieutenant Benosk standing at his side. Remember that. " Tricia said as she stood with Klara at the doors to the Bridge.
The two of them walked towards the airlock where they met up with the security detail along with both Tre'val and Fenris.
"I didn't ask for volunteers Mister Tre'val, you don't have to return to the vessel." Tricia said, "You've certainly earned your freedom."
"What's the point of freedom if it is at the cost of others suffering." Tre'val said.
"Then I guess Klara's little speech on the Bridge had some effect." Tricia remarked.
"I suppose." Fenris said "I'm sorry Klara about what I said before. I realise now that your were as much a slave to the Proletarians as we were. You were just performing a different task to the rest of us."
"Apology accepted. I hope I didn't hurt you ?" Klara replied "I've never really used my abilities that strongly on a non-Proletarian."
"Let's get started, we only have half an hour." Tricia said, pressing the airlock control panel.
With a hiss, the outer door opened and everyone could see inside. Cautiously, two of the security detail walked forward into the corridor of the Proletarian ship. Each looked down their respective ends of the corridor and saw nothing. Quickly, they signalled that the coast was clear and the rest of the assault party came out into the corridor.
"You two stand guard, if we're not back in twenty five minutes, go back aboard the Ronin and close the airlock door." Tricia ordered two of the Security officers.
"Yes Commander" One said.
"Right, Tre'val. Which way to the research lab ?" Tricia asked.
"This way." Tre'val pointed.
Klara was stood at the back of the group, obviously listening to something that the others could not hear.
"What is it Klara ?" Tricia asked "Do you hear something ?"
"No." Klara replied, "Just thinking to myself. This is the first time I've seen most of the ship, it's quite wonderful, I can almost hear it living. The sounds all around."
They walked for about five minutes, ducking into alcoves and crossing corridors.
"Wait here." Tre'val said as they reached a corner. "I'll check if there are any guards."
Tre'val glanced around the corner as saw nothing. He glanced around again, looking further down the corridor, then he saw it, or rather him. Stood nearly eight foot tall, a single Proletarian was guarding the door to the research lab.
"There's a single guard at the door." Tre'val announced.
"I'll deal with him." Klara announced.
Klara took a glance around the corner herself and then duck back to safety, a smile on her face.
She stood up straight and closed her eyes. In her mind she was concentrating on the Proletarian. *You want to eat, You want to eat* she said over and over in her mind.
Suddenly, the guard walked away from the door and headed down the corridor.
"That was easy. "Klara announced. "I thought he would never break."
"Exactly what did do to him ?" Tricia asked.
"I just made him think it was time to eat. Proletarians have large stomach's you know, they can survive for months without eating." Klara said. "I've known that one for sometime now and I know how he likes his food."
"OK, let's get the Captain." Tricia said.
Two of the group stayed behind, guarding the end of the corridor, whilst the rest of the group moved towards the research lab.
"How are we going to get this door open." Fenris asked "It's got a hand scan lock, the Proletarians would surely have deactivated our hand scans by now. If we tried to open the door, we'd have every Proletarian on the ship here in seconds."
"I can open it." Klara announced. She placed her hands either side of the hand scanner and closed her eyes once more. In her mind she tried to move the mechanics of the door lock, so that it would open.
With a hiss of air, that's exactly what it did.
Two of the security crew stood either side of the door and swiftly moved into the room, it was empty. Well almost empty, in the centre of the room was the body of Benosk, still on the examination table.
Quickly, Tricia moved over to the body and checked for any vital signs. There were none.
"I want you all to return to the Ronin and take Lieutenant Benosk with you. Then you're to disengage from the cruiser and carry out my last orders." Tricia ordered. "Tell Sular to blow the ship as soon as you're clear. I'm going to find the murderer and avenge Benosk's death."
"What about the Captain, Where is he ?" One of the security officers asked.
"Probably with the murderer I'd guess." Tricia replied "Now go."
"We will not let you face the Proletarians alone." Treval said, with Klara and Fenris stood beside him. "I know you have a duty to protect the crew, but we are not your crew. As I said earlier, what good is freedom if it is at the suffering of others."
"OK, I can't order you back to the Ronin." Tricia said defeated "Let's go find the Captain. The rest of you are my crew, so get back to the Ronin NOW."
Two security officers picked the limp body of Benosk and started to carry him out of the lab. The rest of the group followed all of them heading back towards the Ronin.
Which left Tricia, Tre'val, Fenris and Klara.
Five minutes later, the security group returned to the airlock and stumbled inside.
"Take Benosk to Sickbay, I'm going to see Lieutenant Sular. Keep the condition of Benosk a secret for now." Lieutenant Cannon ordered. "The rest of you, remain near the airlock, we're not abandoning anyone yet. Not if I can convince Sular to stay a while longer."
Cannon arrived on the Bridge a minute later and came upto Sular. "Can I talk with you in private." He asked in a hushed voice.
The two officers headed to the Captain's ready room.
"Lieutenant, I have to report that we have recovered one body, that of Lieutenant Benosk. He's currently in sickbay, but it looks like the Proletarians went back on their word. He's almost certainly dead." Cannon expressed.
"Any sign of the Captain ?" Sular enquired "And where are the Commander and the girl."
"There was no sign of the Captain." Cannon replied "As for the Commander, she's continuing the search with the help of Klara and the two Vulcans. Sir, I was ordered to pass on the following commands. We are to disengage from the Proletarian vessel and blow it up ASAP."
"Sounds like you don't think we should do just that." Sular replied "What are you thinking ?"
"We haven't been discovered yet, as far as the Proletarians are concerned we 're sitting here awaiting our introduction to slavery. We still have time to recover both the Captain and the others. Now that we're inside the Proletarians shields, we should find it easier to penetrate the hull and find the bio-signatures of the crew." Cannon explained.
"You could be right, I suppose we can give the Commander time to search out the Captain" Sular said "Let's see if we can find their bio-signatures."
Both officers walked back out onto the Bridge and headed to the Tactical console. Sular started to press some buttons and soon a series of white dots appeared to the viewscreen map of the Proletarian vessel.
"There they are, looks like they are heading towards the Bridge. Let's hope they find the Captain. McQueen, can we get a transporter lock on those bio-signatures."
"I've got all four locked-on, I can transport them at anytime." McQueen said "Any sign of the Captain ?.
"None. The only reason we can detect the others is because of the neural inhibitors. As Tre'val said, it is possible to track them using the devices." Sular said. "Keep that lock, at the first sign of trouble get them out of here and get those mines 'planted'."
*Let's just hope that we can find
the Captain in time* Sular thought *In ten minutes, I'm going to have to carry
out the Commander's original orders.*
