Central Strategic Operations Center, The core control of SBR

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

The operations center of Starbase Republic is a deviation from normal Starfleet designs. Unlike the normal twelve to fifteen people who usually crew the operations center of a starbase, Republic's uses a large, multi-layered design meant to coordinate all traffic and activity on and around the large station. Captain Craz often stands at "the table", a holographic projection at the center of the room that shows all sector activity.

[Lieutenant James Williams]

Jim entered the Central Strategic Operations Centre and came to his console. A young Ensing was sitting behind it and it seemed that he was somewhat agitated.

"Everything allright Ensing?" Jim said as he came to him.

"No Sir." the Ensing replied. "I have a Ferengi Marauder that openly refuses to send its credentials to us and tell me what are they are transporting."

"You tried to hail them?" Jim asked raising his eyebrow and looking at the console displaying the Marauder.

"Three times. Their Dai-Mon always tells me that there is something wrong with their comm system and their wiewscreen, but I think he is lying Sir." the Ensing said.

"Allright Ensing. I`ll take care of that. You are dismissed." Jim said as he took the seat behind the console and looked at the display one more time. The Ensing slowly walked out of the Ops as Jim hailed the Marauder.

"Ferengi ship, this is Starbase Republic. Please identify yourself." he said in a firm tone of voice, but he got no reply. "I repeat again. Identify yourself, or we will be forced to use measures against you." he said raising the one of his voice, but once again there was no reply. Finally he decided to stop hailing them and call in help. He sent out a message to both Captain Craz and Commander T`Lessa and hoped that at least one of them will arrive shortly since at the moment he was the only member of the Senior Staff to be on watch.

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

Craz enters Operations from his office. "Mister Williams," He said, stepping down from the communications level to the tactical pit. "Report."

[Lieutenant James Williams]

"Problems Captain." Jim said as he got up and nodded to the Captain. "We have a Ferengi ship that is refusing to identify themselves and tell us what kind of cargo they are transporting. My deputy told me that he hailed them three times and they told him that their comm system is malfunctioning. He didn`t trust them, and quite honestly I don`t trust them. I hailed them two times and I am preety certain they heard me. But they simply refuse to answer the hails."

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

"Keep an eye on them," Jason ordered. He walked to the tactical table, and studied it for a moment. "Run a scan on the ship. And until then, deny them docking clearance. Mister Takasui, prepare the shield generators, just in case." He leaned over the table. Again, he regretted giving up drinking.

[Lieutenant James Williams]

"Aye Sir." Jim replied as he started the scan. Minutes later he looked at the display and read the info from it. "It all seems in order......they are transporting a few hundred isolinear chips, few cases of Klingon Bloodwine." he said but then something caught his eye. "Sir I am having some trouble scanning their aft cargo bay. It seems that they have some protection against our sensors."

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

"Hail them then take us to yellow alert. Raise the habitat ring shields, and send a challenge to the Ferengi ship, treat as hostile." Jason watched as Operations sprung to work, comm officers relaying orders, and then...

[Lieutenant Commander Olis Neemar]

Olis steps into Ops. "Sitch, Cap'n?" She asks.

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

"We've got a Ferengi ship here refusing to respond, with a protected cargo hold. Take weapons, Olis." He directed, and sighed. "And someone get me talking with that Dai'mon!"

[Lieutenant James Williams]

Jim tried to hail them one more time, but it was all the same. There was no answer at tall. "Nothing Captain. Either we are dealing with extremly deaf Ferengi which I doubt due to size of their earlobes or they are planning something. Or hiding for that matter."

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

Jason ran a hand through his hair. "What's the status of the Interceptor, Lieutenant Williams?" He asks.

[Lieutenant James Williams]

"She is fully operational and ready to disembark on your orders Captain." Jim said.

[Commander T'Lessa]

T'Lessa enters ops, slightly puzzled. "I heard rumor of a Ferengi ship..."

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

Jason nods. He considered his options for a second, then reeled off his orders. He looked first at the newly-arrived T'Lessa. "Yes, Commander, we've got one who we think may be up to something. Launch the Interceptor and put the ship in a tractor beam. Olis, get an assault team ready. Me and Mister Williams are going to beam over."

[Commander T'Lessa]

T'Lessa nods once. "Aye, sir." She re-enters the turbolift, heading for the docking ring.

[Lieutenant James Williams]

"Sir if we are to beam over I suggest we bring in some additional firepower. I don`t want to beam over there and find out that our phasers are not sufficent."

[Commander T'Lessa]

::USS INTERCEPTOR::

When T'Lessa strode onto the bridge of the Interceptor, she was pleased to see that the relief crew, mostly junior officers, had beaten her there. "Undock from the station," she ordered before she even reached the center chair.

Then ensign at helm complied quickly. "We're clear, ma'am."

"Bring us around. Come up behind the Ferengi ship and engage a tractor beam when we're in range.

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

"They're Ferengi..." He sighs. "We'll carry with us phaser rifler, and the assault team will be Olis's best. Tell me, what do life signs look like on the ship?"

[Lieutenant James Williams]

"The sensors tell us that they are Ferengi...but it might be a fraud." Jim said as he looked at his console. "I am reading twenty lifesigns, all Ferengi. Six of them are on the Bridge and the remainder is scattered along the ship with the majority of them being near that aft compartment that we can`t scan."

[Captain Jason M. Craz]

"Then we go. We beam down to near that aft compartment and find out what's there."