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"Finding the Flagitious Foes"
Previous post from the talented Jayson: "Flamboyantly Failing at Following"
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The scariest monsters... are the ones that lurk within the depths of our souls.
- Edgar Allen Poe.

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Setting: MASQUERADE DREAMS, Inner Decks
Stardate: 30153.0435
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Fear shooting through her, Lillie clasped the Operations officer's shoulders and gave him a solid shake "Jayson? Jayson please don't do this... you were doing so well" regret seeping into her words, the Tarellian wished she had taken her own advice and brought the now enthralled man to his room when she had the chance.


"He can't hear you. None of your friends can..." the raven-haired sorceress chuckled.

"Lillie please try to understand, whatever you may think of us there is a very good explanation. Instead of fighting against it, join our cause. This young man and yourself can assist us in helping thousands who can not help themselves" Fenix coaxed, reaching out to run a gentle hand through the blonde locks cascading down the back of the young woman in front of him.

Pulling away suddenly, attempting to sound as threatening as possible the CMO hissed out her next words "Release my friend. I want nothing to do with your attempts to harm the innocents aboard this ship!"

"Who said we were planning to harm anyone? You should know full well that the previous attempt had only been a scare tactic, otherwise it would have been placed somewhere much more central"

"What should we do with her? I can't control them both..."

"You won't be controlling either of us soon enough!" Lillie snapped, tears of anger beginning to pool below the lids of her eyes.

"Oh? You want a bet?" Ya'Jun challenged, turning her gaze onto the spell-bound ANUBIS operative "Jayson... be a dear and restrain your little blonde friend for me won't you?"

Somewhere in his flooded mind the Operations officer cried out that he refused, that his loyalty would not be compromised because of some witch. To the young man's dismay, his body moved as if pulled by a puppeteer's strings to grab and arm around the waist and throat of the doctor in front of him. Without a word Jayson easily held the struggling CMO in his arms as his strength far out-matched that of the clinically weakened woman.

"Be careful with her, she can still be of use to us..." the amused Rutian commented, watching his target flail in the hold of her once loyal companion.

"Fenix why... what did I do? What did these people do to you?" Lillie growled, her struggles becoming more useless as her strength drained away.

"My entire race is at risk. I'd do anything to help my cause, you'd understand if your entire race's existence was threatened" Fenix spat back, yet again having to explain his reasons to another who would not understand

"You're nothing! You're scum! You don't know anything about being a member of a dying race! You're nothing but a liar and a terrorist! Fear won't make people help you! Kindness will! You're the ones who knows nothing!" the Tarellian screamed, tears now flowing freely down her face

"Shut her up... do you want the entire cruise liner to hear us!?" the Nylaan growled venomously, glaring at the young blonde.

"I'm sorry Lillie... you've left us no choice" the Rutian sighed, moving in close enough to grasp the woman by the throat and knock the back of her head hard enough to render the CMO to slip into unconsciousness.

"Bring her with us" Ya'Jun ordered Jayson, keeping his eyes and her own focused solely on each other "What do we do with them?"

"The second bomb... it's in place and I want them both tied to it" Fenix said calmly, leading the way down the corridor towards their destination.

"You're going to kill them?" the royal daughter gasped, pausing to take in the sudden change of plans

"Of course not... the detonator in this particular model is not connected to where it should be so there won't be any explosion, but no one else on the MASQUERADE DREAMS will know that. We'll continue as planned and force the fear down their throats even if we have to fake their deaths..." the Rutian chuckled darkly, a sort of madness tainting his usually calm voice "I'm sure their friends will be much more accommodating if they assume the lives of their companions are at risk..."

"I'll make sure to remove whatever communication devices they have once I get the chance..." Ya'Jun assured, suddenly feeling uneasy at the side of her unstable boss.

"As soon as possible would be preferable" Fenix agreed, not even stopping to look back as he spoke.

All four figures slowly faded into the dark depths of the flood of early rising guests. Soon enough seeming like just any other passenger among the rest. Though this hadn't been what was planned, it would have to do. Fenix was running out of options and desperation was beginning to seed in his heart. The mission would be completed. No matter what.

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Setting: MASQUERADE DREAMS, Room 24-112 (Erik)
Stardate: 30153.0445
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"Doctor Doyanne, Jayson do you read me?" Captain Morningstar called into the communicator, not having been able to reach either his CMO or Operations officer since their communications had gone dead.

=/\= My readings indicate that both Ensign Doyanne and Ensign Stark are still within frequency range, but I am receiving no active responses from either communicator. =/\= ANI reported =/\= They stopped moving temporarily only to continue moments afterwards. I cannot seem to connect verbally to either operative, but I can say that the doctor is unconscious. =/\=

Just as he was about to instruct the rest of his crew to investigate the suddenly radio silence a knock at his door distracted Erik. Oddly enough the woman he had wanted to reach was directly behind the closed doors. Shar'El stood before her Captain slightly out of breath from having run to his side to report the discovery her talents had made known.

"Captain! It's about Stark... I need to tell you something"

"You know what happened? Why have their communicators gone silent?" the CO demanded, the mission beginning to take yet another turn for the worst.

"What are you talking about? I ran into them just a bit ago..." the Intelligence officer mused, rethinking her mad dash to her commanding officer.

"Doyanne is unconscious, from what we can tell Stark is carrying her somewhere..." the Native American grumbled, confused as to the sudden change.

=/\= Captain, the connection to both crew members in question just went dead. Last known location was on Deck 20, below sleeping accomodations. The life signatures are gone. =/\= ANI reported

Cursing in his native tongue Erik reopened all the channels to the remainder of his crew "Stark and Doyanne have gone dark. Find them, this is everyone's top priority." the man insisted, turning to his second in command with worry lines etched over his features "Now... what else is wrong that I need to know about?"

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Ashley Shane

Ensign Lillie Doyanne
Chief Medical Officer/Researcher
USS ANUBIS