Episode 45 Welcome to the Alpha Quadrant pt. 2

*"You know. There's a few people behind me right now, that lost a lot of people to folks just like her wearing a different uniform."*
—**Pirate**

## **Plot Synopsis**

### **Brief Overview**

The crew proceed with the hostage exchange at the South torpedo while EXEO heads to scout the North torpedo. EXEO successfully takes out three pirates who had been preparing to remove it while the hostage situation acted as a distraction. The distress sent out by the three pirates triggers a tense standoff at the South torpedo. It ends when Nitan's ship attempts to transport the torpedo off of the planet, and it explodes.

Everyone at the hostage exchange falls as the explosion opens the ground to an impossibly large chasm in the planet. They fall several thousand feet, and completely disappear from USS Ross' sensors. Inexplicably, they slow down as they reach the bottom of the hole. Several are injured by the rubble, but no one has died. EXEO runs to the site of the South torpedo and leaps into the hole after them. Once the crew in the hole get their bearings, they look up to see that the ceiling of the cave is completely covered by an upside-down forest.

On the surface, M'Qrell and Dr. Yen continue to make progress on finding a treatment for the infection.

Meanwhile, USS Ross tracks down the pirate ship among the asteroids. Sull orders a pursuit, and the ship successfully destroys the pirate's engines. Nitan surrenders to them.

### **Pre-Break**

The episode begins where "Welcome to the Alpha Quadrant pt. 1" left off. CAPT Azeri Sull takes a moment to ponder the situation and the planned deal with Nitan. Given that Nitan should understand Starfleet would never allow him to take a Dominion polaron torpedo, Sull concludes that he will be attempting to take the Northern torpedo while the hostage exchange takes place at the Southern one.

Sull contacts LTCDR Yeri Prahl with their theory. Prahl agrees, and he suggests a small team go after the North torpedo. CDR EXEO volunteers to handle it. Sull orders Prahl to attend the hostage negotiations at the South torpedo. Prahl comments to AMB Olyn Madzhin-Nil that Nitan considers his entire force at the hostage negotiations to be expendable, since he's really after the other torpedo. Olyn takes command of the situation and orders them all transported to the site.

Meanwhile, LTCDR M'Qrell is tirelessly working with Dr. Steven Yen to make a treatment for the disease affecting the colonists. He continually updates her on the progression of his own illness as they work.

On USS *Ross*, CPO Amandeep Singh warns Sull that transporting the torpedo is very dangerous, and it might explode during transport. Sull orders LT Madlin Spencer at the science station to scan the South torpedo for as much data as possible. They also scan the North torpedo as EXEO transports just outside the area. There are four life-signs, three Nausicaans and one Lethian.

LT Zhyliss Vrenn announces to the bridge that Olyn's team has arrived at the South torpedo for the negotiations. There is some kind of interference being generated that prevents transporting anyone out. Representing the pirates is a human in leathers, with thick hair and a ponytail. There are also two Orions, with no plates or collars (indicating they are not members of the Orion Crime Syndicate. The lead pirate greets Olyn and their team. Olyn can empathically sense that there are more people present than the three visible ones. Olyn and the lead pirate exchange some words, and then a Nausicaan appears with the hostage. The boy is very relieved to see Starfleet, and a little confused that one of them is a Cardassian.

The lead pirate attempts to taunt Lakat by saying the Cardassians deserved to be killed during the war. Lakat manages to keep her temper in check. The pirate declares they will all wait on site while Starfleet disarms the warhead. Olyn asks permission to check on the child's welfare. The pirate is annoyed, but backs down. Olyn approaches and checks on him. They glance over to Prahl, who is ready to go.

Meanwhile, EXEO (completely invisible) moves within close range of the three pirates at the second torpedo. The Lethian radios in to begin the work to disarm it. There is a tense moment where the senses her presence (Lethians are telepathic), but he's unable to spot her. EXEO determines he is the leader, and sees a device on his belt, which she surmises must be generating their interference from being transported. Sull, watching from the bridge, also notices, and orders Singh to beam in a distraction. Singh does so, and EXEO takes the opportunity to shoot the device off of the Lethian's hip. The sensor and transporter interference vanishes, as the Lethian screams out over their communications.

At the South torpedo, Olyn feels Prahl's emotions spike, and he draws his phaser rifle. Lakat draws her phaser as well. Everyone draws weapons, and one of the Nausicaans nearly jumps out of his skin.

### **Post-Break**

At the North torpedo, EXEO dashes out of sight, and the Lethian loses track of her.

At the South torpedo, Olyn manages to calm the situation down. Prahl and Lakat hold their positions, as do the pirates. Suddenly, the torpedo begins to beam off of the planet. Nitan is taking the risk since his plan at the other site has gone awry. Olyn throws herself on top of the child, and the torpedo explodes.

Most of the force of the blast is diffused by the transport process, so everyone isn't instantly vaporized. However, the ground begins to give way, and they all begin to fall into a chasm.

Meanwhile, Spencer manages to find the pirate's starship among the asteroids, and Sull orders Vrenn to intercept. With the interference gone, Singh transports the three pirates at EXEO's location to the brig. All sensor readings at the South torpedo are blank, so Sull orders EXEO transported there. When she arrives, she sees a massive, bottomless pit. She jumps in, and immediately disappears from sensors. YEO3 Azzmi Shanto realizes Lakat must have fallen into the pit and gasps, staring horrified at the screen.

USS Ross approaches the pirate vessel. It is a Cardassian-built *Hideki*-class ship, named Gavizz. It starts to flee. Sull orders LT Tommy Dugen to fire photon torpedoes at the asteroid belt. They scatter debris throughout the area, and Gavizz burns through its shields while flying through the field.

On the planet, EXEO feels the force of gravity shift as she falls. She lands at the bottom of the cave, where the gravity is extremely reduced. Rubble and bodies are strewn about everywhere. Prahl is digging through boulders twice his size looking for the crew. Olyn is badly injured. EXEO looks up and estimates they feel two to three thousand feet. She also realizes it should have taken her a lot longer to fall that far, especially with reduced gravity. Lakat stands up and pulls out a tricorder, but it is malfunctioning. Both Lakat and EXEO look up, and see that there is a rainforest growing from the ceiling of the cave. Some of the trees appear to have literally formed from the rocks. Scans show that the plants are the same material as the spores. They also match the genetic profile for the life on Redeeus (planet).

Prahl finally frees Olyn and the boy. Yomti also gets up, revealing his mask has cracked; he's been exposed to the spores. He hugs his child, making sure he can't see the crack. Prahl grabs a phaser and begins securing the pirates. He tells the two engineers (who were part of the team to disable the torpedo) to begin trying to rig up a communication system. LT Sam Decker and ENS Zaela Akarin get to work.

This entire time, M'Qrell and Yen have been working on a treatment. They've had some successes and some setbacks, as well.

On the bridge, USS Ross gets within tractor beam range of *Gavizz*. The hull of *Gavizz* starts to glow, as Nitan polarizes its hull so that it can't be pulled by a tractor beam. Sull orders phasers to take out its engines instead, and completely destroys them. Sull hails Nitan. He begrudgingly asks for assistance.

## **Cast**

* Eric Campbell - Game Master
* Revati Dhomse - Jane Lakat
* Gina DeVivo - EXEO
* Sam de Leve - Azeri Sull
* Aki - Olyn Madzhin-Nil
* Xander Jeanneret - Theq Lynadas (absent)
* Bonnie Gordon - M'Qrell

## **Non-Player Characters**

* Yeri Prahl
* Steven Yen
* Amandeep Singh
* Zhyliss Vrenn
* Madlin Spencer
* Yomti
* Azzmi Shanto
* Nitan's Pirates
* Tommy Dugen
* Zaela Akarin
* Sam Decker
* Nitan

## **Locations**

* Zartonus System
	+ Zartonus IV

## **Notable Lines**

*"You know. There's a few people behind me right now, that lost a lot of people to folks just like her wearing a different uniform."*
—**Pirate** about Jane Lakat

## **Notes and Trivia**

* This episode is the first use of photon torpedoes in *Clear Skies*.