Vincent looked at D'Solos, "It will be done, Governor."
Vreenak looked at Vincent, "By whatever means necessary, the Hunt is over now!"
Vincent looked at the Romulan, "Yes, Ma'am."
Vincent walked into the Federation Complex, "To all ships, we have a go to use whatever force is necessary to stop the Primatos Hunt."
"We have been doing that.", John snapped back, "Yet the hunt continues. We even had an appearance by the Phoenix One and yet the hunt continues."
"Whatever means necessary, John. These are the words from the Governor.", Vincent looked at the Comm.
John looked at Dawn, "Do you wanna get into trouble, Donkey?"
"I will follow you and don't call me that, Sir.", Commander Keystone responded.
John looked at Commander T'Zohl, "Take us over the reservation. Inform Commander Vasa of our intentions to enter low orbit."
"Begin scanning for the shuttle of Cleveland Powers.", John looked at T'Zohl.
"What are you doing, Captain?", the Vulcan asked.
"Just let me know where the shuttle is.", John grumbled back.
"Captain, we have the shuttle.", T'Zohl looked back at John.
Dawn looked over at the Captain, "What are you gonna do?"
"Are you with me?", John looked at Dawn.
"You are my Captain.", Dawn responded.
"Beam Cleveland Powers to the bridge.", John looked at Commander T'Zohl.
"This would be a violation of his civil rights. He will lawyer up big time!", T'Zohl turned back.
"That's an order.", John repeated.
The Vulcan beamed the Antican Crime Lord to the bridge of the USS Quasar Quest. Cleveland looked at the bridge crew, "What the hell?"
"The hunt stops.", John looked at Cleveland.
"You beamed me here to tell me that.", Cleveland looked at John.
"You could have done so over a comm-link. Your answer would be the same. I have no knowledge of the Primatos Hunt. I am no Predator. I am a humble businessman who has been ridiculed, wrongfully accused and even improperly sentenced by the Phoenix Colony, the Phoenix Federation and your Judge Advocate General. This is a railroad job. I demand you let me go.", Cleveland was growing more aggitated.
John looked at Dawn, "Bring Mr. Powers to the shuttle bay."
Cleveland and Dawn both looked at John. John looked back, "Now!"
Dawn and Cleveland followed John down to the cargo bay. John looked at Cleveland and took out a classic pair of handcuffs. He handcuffed Cleveland to a service ladder.
"What the hell are you doing?", Cleveland shouted.
"I repeat, the Predators are finished. The Primatos Hunt ends right now.", John looked at Dawn.
"Or what?", Cleveland snapped.
"Commander T'Zohl.", John tapped his combadge, "Prepare to open the shuttle bay doors in 5 minutes. On my mark. Begin countdown now."
"You don't have the balls. You have been recently promoted to Colony Fleet Chief of Staff. You are not gonna risk that for some stupid oversized monkeys.", Cleveland shouted.
"Commander Keystone, you are relieved of duty. Please return to the bridge.", John ordered.
"John.", Dawn looked at John.
"Go!", John ordered.
"You can't scare me Warren. I know you won't actually do it.", Cleveland snapped.
John looked at the Powers, "No more!"
Cleveland looked at John, "It is a profitable venture. Hunters come from all over the galaxy to hunt the very intelligent Primatos. Perhaps we could make a deal."
John could see that Powers was beginning to grasp the seriousness of the situation.
"4 minutes to go.", T'Zohl spoke on all channels.
John walked over to the emergency EVP suit case and removed a mask and put it on. He also stepped into the suit. He attached the tether to the maintenance tether. Powers looked at John, "John, I know you are a career officer. I know that you think this is the right thing to do."
John looked at Cleveland, "You sentenced an innocent Antican to die in your place to ensure that your syndicate would continue to operate. You cannot simply quit."
"He was hardly innocent, John.", Powers looked at Warren.
John looked at Cleveland, "The hunt is over."
"2 minutes to go.", T'Zohl announced the time on the comm-link.
"Look, you have made your point. I will not continue to put the hunt in the public eye. We will put this on the down-low.", Powers looked at John.
John looked at Powers, "The hunt is over."
The men stood there in a mental game of chess. T'Zohl looked back at Dawn as she re-entered the room, "This is murder, commander. You cannot condone this."
Dawn looked at T'Zohl, "John is the Captain."
"I refuse to open the shuttle bay doors.", T'Zohl stepped away from the console.
Dawn had only recently graduated from the USS Plato's Academy. She had been a commanding officer. She knew what the responsibility meant. Dawn paused thinking about her career, where it was going, where it could go. Dawn had to be certain this was the right thing to do.
Dawn finally sat down at the Flight Commander's chair. T'Zohl looked at Dawn, "Commander, don't open the doors."
Powers looked at John, "Can you imagine the discussion on your bridge, John? The moral dilemma they have to deal with because of your choice. You are dooming your crew. Do you realize that?"
"They are Quest. They know what it means to be a part of the Double Q.", John's voice was muffled by the mask.
"One minute to go.", Dawn announced.
Cleveland looked at John, "See, Commander Keystone is now at the Flight Commander's position. They are struggling with your choice. This is murder."
John looked at Powers, moving in close, right in front of his face, "Powers, killing the Primatos Braves is murder and for the crime, I sentence you to death."
"I have killed no one.", Cleveland snapped back.
"You have condoned it.", John shouted back.
"30 seconds.", Dawn looked at T'Zohl. The Vulcan shook her head in disgust.
"You can stop this, Commander.", T'Zohl looked at Dawn.
"We are stopping this.", Dawn snapped at T'Zohl.
John looked at Cleveland, "20 seconds."
"The tension is very interesting, isn't it John? You are not a killer. You are not like me.", Cleveland looked at John, "Are you prepared to live with yourself for some stupid apes?"
"10 seconds.", John looked at Powers.
"You will back down, John.", Powers shouted.
"Don't do it, Dawn.", T'Zohl looked at Keystone.
"5 seconds.", John looked at Cleveland.
"Okay! Okay! I will stop the hunt. It is over!", Cleveland started yelling.
Dawn turned off the countdown and breathed a very big breath. T'Zohl looked at Dawn, "Would you have done it?"
"We will never know.", Dawn looked at T'Zohl.
The Vulcan retook her position and looked down at the console. The open shuttle bay doors beacon was still flashing as active. She looked at Dawn with a bizarre fear in her eyes. Keystone would have done it.
John started to remove the suit. He looked at the Antican crime lord, "Next time, there will be no countdown."
The stare of a serial killer shook Powers right to his core.
"There will be no further incursions into the Reservation.", Powers looked at John, "You have my word."
"I would expect nothing less.", John continued to stare at Powers.
Commander Elora Vasa looked at Governor Vreenak, "The hunting packs are moving out of the Reservation. We have confirmation from the Dragons and the Zombies."
D'Solos looked at Vincent as he entered the Governor's Chambers, "What did you do, Mr. Secretary?"
"Solved the problem.", Vincent looked at D'Solos.
"How?", D'Solos looked at Vincent.
"Lets just say, I enticed someone to speak a language that Mr. Powers could understand.", Vincent looked at D'Solos.
"Do I dare ask?", Vreenak looked at Vincent.
"Things are done by the miltary that are best not known to the general populace.", Viceroy responded.
Vreenak shook her head. Her father used to say the same thing about the Romulans. Perhaps they were not all as different as their appearance might suggest.
Posted by:
Commander T'Zohl of Vulcan
Flight Commander - USS Quasar Quest
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
Based on request from
Commodore Vincent Viceroy
Secretary of Defence
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
To end the Predators Mission
