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"A Clear Message"
[Previous Post: "The FunBegins"]
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<<If a task is easy, eitheryou are doing it wrong or you are not doing it as well as you should.>>
- Commander Grull-Daw, Professorof Advanced Engineering, Daystrom Institute

Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
Stardate: 63077.1030

The Native American's eyes studied with disbelief the information on the PADD that had been in his hands for several minutes now, as if he expected the report to change at any moment.  The data stream had been on an unsecured PYTHRON frequency, as if someone had intended it to be intercepted so that the entire universe could become aware of what had come to pass.

"Something the matter Captain?" the Kzinti Sec/Tac officer solemnly asked, Hex's ears having become glued to the side of her head. The expression on Morningstar's face had only grown more concerned astime passed and it had been clear that not all had been well.

"Trodat, the son of the late Pythron Ambassador Gerran; the man responsible for the death of his father as well as nearly ending Captain Rikar's life; the person at the heart of the planetary coup and the same individual we arrested back on the VALLA ROYAL and turned over to local authorities escaped custody less than 30 minutes ago," Erik stated, the venom in his words impossible to miss.

"How?" Ensign Fanggotqueried out of shock.  The Sec/Tac officer had initially wanted to see Trodat held on the HATHOR and dragged back to NEW ALEXANDRIA for what he had done but Captain Morningstar had been quick to point out the potential political repercussions that such an act would provoke.  The fact that there had been a PYTHRON Battle Cruiser well within striking range of the VALLA ROYAL endangering the thousands of innocents onboard had made it impossible for the Ambassador's son to be dealt with behind the official scene.

"According to this report,the guards posted by Trodat's cell were found *gutted* as if some sort of sadistic outwordly beast had ripped them apart. The door to the cell was blown clear out of the wall and the best partis that no one saw or even heard anything," Erik reported, the disbelief in his voice still very clear.

"This was not an escape," the Shillian CSciO pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone.  "This was a message, a warning.  That is why the guards were killed in such a horrid manner and their broken bodies left to be discovered as they were.  The door to the cell was not simply opened but *removed* to further indicate that nothing would stand in their way.  Someone wanted to make it clear that Trodatis is someone to be feared, not only by his people but anyone else who might havehad intentions of interfering in this story."

"In other words; *us*," Elliot half chuckled, life within the world of Intel and Black Ops was, to say the least, never boring.

"Captain, do you believe that the Locustat were responsible for Trodat's escape?" Ensign Mitshiba inquired, very aware that the Native American had a unique understanding of the race and its methods.

"The Locustat usually work behind the scenes," Morningstar explained. "They deal from the shadows and usually keep their influences to lower ranking officials.  This is much bigger and far more public than anything they have ever done, yet I can't dismiss the possibility that they are somehow behind this.  Our problem is that we have no idea why."

"Captain," The COO cut in.  "We are receiving a signal fromthe ANUBIS.  She has arrived at theestablished location and is waiting for us. At our current speed we will be at the rendezvous point in 45 minutes."

"That gives you 45 minutesto try and figure out why the Locustat are doing this," Eve offered in a clearly discouraged tone.

"Sounds like you are goingto be using that time for something just as dreadful," Erik countered with.

"I have to break the news to Captain Rikar that the man who nearly killed her is no longer in custody and may in fact be aligned with some exceptionally unsavory people," the CNS explained as she pivoted on her heels and began to make her way off the HATHOR's Bridge.

"The Locustat are not *people*," the Native American pointed out with disdain not at all envying Ensign's Dalziel's task.

--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette

Lieutenant Elan Talak Fairborn
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS

AND

Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA

Also

Captain Erik Morningstar
Commanding Officer
USS PARADOX