Episode 17 Farther from Home pt. 4

*"It seems like no one is who they used to be when they are in this place."*
—**Jane Lakat**

## **Plot Synopsis**

### **Brief Overview**

Captain Sull assembles themself on an away team to meet the Orion man down on Yukani Prime, much to Prahl's displeasure. Sull also privately requests Olyn use their connections to find out what's going on with the orders the USS *Ross* was given.

The away team leaves with Lakat flying the shuttle. They meet with a Ferengi named Sprak, who takes them to meet 'the boss', the Orion Tirazz. Tirazz recognizes Sull from their work, and tells them the Orion Crime Syndicate is reforming on Yukani Prime. The pro-syndicate faction is led by K'noll, a Ferasan and slaver. Tirazz leads the opposing faction, and wants K'noll dead.

M'Qrell administer's Theq's Changeling test on Sprak, Tirazz, and his bodyguard, a Gorn named Guzz. When they all pass, Sull tells them they're here looking for a Changeling. Tirazz is surprised, but agrees to help the search, and leaves to look into a lead he has.

Up on the Ross, Olyn sends a message to their parents and covertly discusses the situation with Ambassador Jahl on Narendra Station. Theq ignores a message about a group therapy session, and notices the same strange blip on their sensors as before. Vrenn suggests building a trap to reveal the cloaked ship.

On the planet, Lakat strikes up a conversation with SPrak before Tirazz returns. He offers to provide them the Changeling, if Sull helps him get rid of K'noll. He also asks that trade be allowed to continue on Yukani Prime, and Sull agrees only so long as it's all legal. The away team prepares to return to the Ross to await further news, but EXEO stays behind in disguise. As the shuttle flies off, it's comes under attack.

### **Pre-Break**

The episode resumes where "Farther from Home pt. 3" left off. CAPT Sull asks the Orion for an invite down to the planet. He replies that they will come down whether invited or not. Sull asks for his name, but he won't give it until they meet in person. He offers a meetup, and sends coordinates for a shuttle. Sull assembles an away team: themselves, LTJG Lakat, and LTCDR M'Qrell. LTCDR Prahl strongly suggest they bring a security detail. Sull points out that both Lakat and M'Qrell have high security ratings. Prahl insists, but Sull refuses him again. They tell Prahl to stay behind and man the ship's guns. Prahl looks to CDR EXEO for backup, but she dodges his glance. EXO suggests she attend, as well, and Sull approves. Prahl, clearly upset, begrudgingly accepts the captain's orders.

Sull dismisses everyone, and asks Olyn to meet them in the ready room. As soon as Sull leaves the bridge, Prahl walks over to EXEO. He formally protests the captain's choice. EXEO says to trust Sull. She also flexes slightly to remind him of her powers as a hologram. Prahl sighs. EXEO points out that everything he knows about security she also knows. Prahl falls silent, defeated. EXEO blips to the shuttle bay. LT Vrenn turns to look at Prahl, and Prahl stares daggers at him.

In the ready room, Sull requests Olyn use their diplomatic back-channels to find out what is going on with the orders. Olyn agrees, and says they will start with their parents, since they know everyone. Olyn suggest some frisbee practice with Patience when Sull returns. They thank Sull for bringing Lakat along, and says she needs the distraction. Sull points out that Lakat is a good shot, and that now might be the time for them to meet Lakat's "former" self. Sull walks onto the bridge, and turns command of the ship over to Prahl. They head to the shuttle bay. As Sull steps towards the turbolift, Prahl requests permission to have a full security team on standby. Sull agrees.

The away team boards USS San Antonio. Lakat takes the helm. As they get ready to take off, they can see Prahl's strike team assembling in the shuttle bay. They fly down to the planet. On the way, they pass several shuttles and trading vessels, which give them a wide berth. The shuttle moves down into a giant canyon, past a swarm of lights, shuttles, and transports. It is clearly a busy port. There are hundreds of cargo bays and flight paths. The shuttle follows the prescribed flight path and touches down on a landing platform inside a large shuttle bay. There is one figure waiting for them, a Ferengi. He has a tattoo denoting status in the Ferengi Trade Union, but is wearing very shabby clothes. They step out of the shuttle. As Sull is about to speak, the Ferengi holds up his hand and tells them all to follow him before exchanging pleasantries. He wants to get out of sight. He escorts them to a cargo elevator. The elevator begins to descend excruciatingly slowly. The Ferengi introduces himself as Sprak, and engages in very awkward small talk. He comments on the quality of their names (he is impressed by "EXEO", less so by "Jane"). He asks about news from Ferengenar, and about the state of the market. He mentions that Yukani Prime is on the verge of a full-on civil war. They ask for more details, but he says that "the boss" will want to do the explaining.

When the elevator arrives, the Orion is waiting for them. He directs them to a hover car. They get in and start going down a tunnel. He tells Sprak to scan; and Sprak replies that they aren't being followed. The Orion introduces himself as Tirazz. He asks Sull why there are present. Sull apologizes for bringing Federation heat down on the system. Tirazz says it's actually good for him, but suggests there must be some other reason for Sull's arrival. They verbally spar for a bit, and Tirazz says that he misses this kind of social combat. Tirazz says he is a big fan of Sull's work taking down the Orion Crime Syndicate. He says it opened up opportunities for him, but that the syndicate is reforming. It is almost done consolidating again, and Yukani Prime is its center. He describes two opposing alliances. He leads one of them, and a Ferasan named K'noll leads the other. He says that K'noll is the leader of the pro-syndicate faction. He suggests they work together. Sull says that if they detect any hint of piracy they will arrest everyone here. Tirazz says that his people aren't pirates, they are smugglers. Sull asks why Tirazz doesn't like K'noll, and he replies that K'noll is a slaver. Tirazz says his objective is to kill K'noll. Sull and Tirazz verbally spar and flirt some more. Tirazz says that if K'noll discovers Azeri Sull is here, they will probably try to kill them. Sull says they are confidant their team can handle any trouble. Tirazz is impressed, and makes a joke about Sull being a Changeling. He is surprised when no one else laughs. EXEO's body language reading suggests he was really joking.

The car arrives. As they get out, EXEO transforms into the appearance of Starfleet Security. Tirazz and Sprak are surprised and impressed. Tirazz leads them down a tunnel, past some snipers and security. On the way, they pass several Orions. Many of them are former slaves. Sull is the main object of interest for the passers-by. They get to a room, and in the back stands a massive Gorn with an equally massive gun on his back. Tirazz introduces the Gorn as "Guzz". He invites them all to sit, and asks Guzz to wait outside. EXEO positions herself by the door, and does a statistical analysis of how long it will take for word to reach K'noll of their presence. She determines they have 4 hours. M'Qrell request to administer a quick "medical test", and she takes out the Changeling tests that Theq made. Tirazz is suspicious, and has Guzz enter the room, first. Guzz takes out and spins up his gun, and Tirazz says M'Qrell can do the test. She tests Tirazz and Sprak, and finds that they are not Changelings; she also sees that Tirazz has some small genetic anomalies in his DNA. Guzz leaves again, and Sull activates a Federation anti-surveillance field. Tirazz asks what Sull wants. Sull replies that they are here to retrieve a Changeling. Tirazz is incredulous; he asks why a Changeling would still be here. Sull says that the Changeling might have gone rogue from the Dominion. Tirazz asks Sull what they will do with the Changeling, and Sull says they will return them to the Dominion. Tirazz says he may have a lead. He describes rumors of a third-party on the planet, outside of the two main factions. EXEO informs Tirazz that he has 4 hours before K'noll is aware of their presence. Tirazz is amazed she could calculate that. He thanks her and says he will give them a place to stay while he investigates. Sprak escorts them out of the room. On the way out, M'Qrell tries to give Guzz the Changeling test, but the needle has a hard time penetrating his scales. Eventually, she gets a sample.

### **Post-Break**

The scene moves to USS Ross. Prahl is sitting in the captain's chair, with YEO3 Azzmi next to him in EXEO's chair. Olyn is in the conference room. They send a message to their parents. It will take a few hours to get a reply, so they also call AMB Jahl, the Klingon Ambassador on Narendra Station. Olyn asks him a guarded question and he cuts out the signal. A minute later, Prahl reports an incoming transmission on an encrypted channel. Olyn moves to the captain's ready room to take the call. They see that Jahl has moved to a secure room on the station. He asks what Olyn wants to know, and Olyn asks a cryptic question about rumors of large movements in the Federation's diplomatic circles. Jahl is confused, and says he needs more information. He needs a direction to probe for information, since Olyn is being so generic. Olyn suggests the Romulans. Jahl hates the idea, and says he needs a better reason to talk to AMB P'jeeno than Olyn's word. He suggests a 3-way call with P'jeeno, so that Olyn and P'jeeno can speak directly. He asks if he should keep Hebert in the dark, and Olyn's silence gives him the answer. He says he will set up the meeting, and Olyn will owe him a favor. He suggests a bottle of Kanar, but swears Olyn to secrecy about him enjoying Cardassian alcohol. He abruptly cuts off the transmission.

The focus changes to Theq in his laboratory/kitchen. He is using the ship's scanners to examine all of the shipping traffic for Dominion connections. He noticed Prahl is doing the same thing, and that Vrenn has been flying USS Ross in erratic patterns in the system. Theq is pleased that they are as paranoid as he is. Theq gets a ping in his inbox. M'Qrell has forwarded a meeting to Theq. It is a support group on the promenade for Dominion War survivors. Theq makes a note, but closes the message and resumes being paranoid. While reviewing scans, he sees another vanishing warp signature. The compares it to the signal over Jateran and Starbase 105, and it matches. He brings the information to Vrenn and Prahl. Vrenn looks at the data, and sees that there is a small blip of neutron radiation nearby, which is a known side-effect of ship cloaking devices. He adds that it can't be Romulan, since Romulan cloaking devices are too perfect to leak neutrons. Theq speculates that it might be a Romulan ship that *wants* to be found. Prahl agrees, in part because he can't think of a reason why any Klingons would be following them. Vrenn repeats the idea that it must have something to do with Wellix. Prahl says they need more conclusive evidence to bring to Sull. Vrenn suggests they rig a trap. USS Ross can shoot a torpedo spread rigged to fire tachyon bursts, which will reveal the cloaked ship. Theq seems nervous about the idea, but Prahl orders him to build it.

Meanwhile, on the planet, the crew sits in the waiting room. Sprak arrives with some very unappetizing blocks of slimy food. EXEO has been standing by the door observing any people she can. Sprak asks the others how EXEO was able to transform uniforms, and Sull replies evasively. Lakat strikes up a conversation with Sprak. She asks about K'noll, whom Sprak says is terrible. He says Tirazz lost his eye fighting K'noll. Lakat asks how the factions are going, if the playing field is even. Sprak says that K'noll has the upper hand, because they are willing to do anything to win, and Tirazz isn't. Tirazz's morals are holding him back (Sprak approves), but it is gaining him favor with the former Orion slaves and other disenfranchised people. Sprak says K'noll is the meanest Ferasan that he's ever heard of, and looks to M'Qrell (Ferasans and Caitians are both cat-like species). Then, Sprak remembers that M'Qrell is Caitian. M'Qrell asks if K'noll is actually a Kzinti, another felinoid species. Sprak says he isn't sure. Lakat asks how long the fighting has been going on, and Sprak replies that it has been continuous since the syndicate collapsed. Sprak sighs and laments his fate; he used to be a DaiMon, a captain of his own starship. Sprak says that he'd like to leave Yukani Prime, but Tirazz wants to stay in order to make things better.

The doors open and Tirazz enters. He orders Sprak out. Tirazz tells Sull that he has a proposal. Sull helps him get rid of K'noll, and Tirazz will provide the Changeling. M'Qrell asks if Tirazz has seen any other Kzinti or Ferasans on Yukani Prime. He says that he hasn't. M'Qrell speculates that K'noll might be the Changeling. Tirazz asks Sull if they will allow trade to continue on Yukani once he takes over. Sull says only if there is no illegal activity. Sull asks him for proof of the Changeling, but he says he doesn't have any. He says that he will contact Sull on their ship. The crew departs, with some final flirting between Sull and Tirazz. Tirazz orders Sprak to take them to their shuttle. Before they board the shuttle, EXEO turns to Sull. She offers to stay behind undercover. Sull says it would be too dangerous. EXEO tries to reassure them, but Sull refuses again. On the shuttle, EXEO turns to Sull one more time, and says "if you were me, would you stay?". Sull says nothing, but opens the shuttle doors. EXEO transforms into a generic local guard and exits the shuttle. She watches as the shuttle takes off, before turning around and slowly walking into the complex.

As the shuttle leaves atmosphere, USS Ross hails them. Prahl's voice comes in. He starts to speak, but his voice is cut off by...

the force of a disruptor blast hitting the shuttle.

## **Cast**

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

## **Non-Player Characters**

* Yeri Prahl
* Zhyliss Vrenn
* Sprak
* Tirazz
* Guzz
* Azzmi Shanto

## **Locations**

* Yukovar System
	+ Yukani Prime

## **Notable Lines**

*"It will be fine. And if it doesn't [sic], shoot!"*
—**EXEO**

*"You are speaking to the only scrupulous Ferengi in the galaxy."*
—**Tirazz** about Sprak

*"I don't think I need to bag a dog for Chief Theq today."*
—**M'Qrell**

*"Here's what you need to know about Commander EXEO: as long as she is here, no one else is the most extraordinary person in the room."*
—**Azeri Sull**

*"Even if I was discovered, what would they be able to hold onto?"*
—**EXEO**

*"I want you to know who you're getting into bed with."*
—**Tirazz** to Azeri Sull

*"It seems like no one is who they used to be when they are in this place."*
—**Jane Lakat** to Sprak

## **Notes and Trivia**

* This episode was part of a fundraiser for BLM Community Bail Funds. $3,222.69 was raised.