Star Trek: Starbase 777 - league-room-01

There were 3 hostages in this room, one was unresponsibe at his computer desk and the other two were busy playing league.

Seiyya all but fell into the room, completely soaked and now practically burning with rage at De’z’s betrayal (seiyya did NOT do betrayal very well). She looked around the room, and seeing nobody to fight, she turned to the hostages. Seeing one was unresponsive, she knew a medical officer was needed. “Medical officers, go check out that hostage, everyone else start scanning the room for anything we need to watch out for.” She said, starting her own scan for anything hidden in the room.

Saith rolled over away from the hatch, making a headcount of everyone that'd gone in and everyone that was now on their way out. Once they were all in, he'd make sure to close it.

T'She nodded at the order and went to check on the unresponsive hostage, starting with a scan to see what might be the matter. They were being quick about it.

Mira quickly carried Essen up into the room, and scanned the room, noticing the same that Seiyya did. "You heard the lieutenant," Mira said, referring to Seiyya.

The hostage had passed out from exhaustion and malnutrition. Who knew energy drinks and crisps were not a balanced diet.

3

Seiyya, still pissed and muttering curses in Rihannsu under her breath, was still scanning the room for any traps or hidden hatches they’d have to worry about.

Essen remained alongside Mira, keeping her balance as much as she could. She couldn't see much out of the ordinary just yet.

No hidden hatches or traps, just three hostages.

1

“No hidden hatches or anything in here. I’ll stand guard by the doors in case anyone comes in.” Assuming there was a normal door leading into the league room, she stood by it, phaser at the ready, very damp and tired of this place’s bullshit.

"Very good, lieutenant," Mira said to Seiyya. "If anything so much as moves an inch outside I want to hear about it."

T'She immediately looked for a replicator in order to replicate some water and something nutritious, hoping that might be able to help with the exhausted and malnourished hostage.

The other 2 hostages were still playing league, pretending not to see the away team.

“Aye, Sir.” She said, eyes narrowed and looking towards the door, though still flattened against the wall next to it so nobody could see her while they were coming in. Nobody expected the Romulan Security Officer, because you couldn’t expect what you couldn’t see.

There was no one coming.

1

With Essen in tow, Mira approached the other two hostages. "Hello, excuse me," Mira said. "Are you two alright?"

The two gamers ignored Mira.

1

Seiyya was still standing there, because her only job was Phaser and nothing else here exactly suited her skills.

Something seemed off. The two gamers ignored Mira? Why? Out of choice? Or because they had no other choice? Essen looked to Mira. "They can't stop," Essen said. "It makes sense. If they stopped..."

Once everyone had been safely brought inside, including the ACTO who was definitely also present currently, Saith shut the hatch securely behind them. Hopefully it was watertight. Okay. Deep breath in, and out. "Sorry," he managed quietly, standing up. "I thought we could trust the Investigator."

"It is alright. They did seem trustworthy but alas... now we know they are in on this operation," Suss said, not blaming the Cadet for going along with going to the pool. They were all played.

Yep, he was inside by now. "Gaming must be seriously lucrative if they're willing to betray us for this."

2

"Esports players are treated like star atheletes, so I hear," Rai said to Eshen in response to the lucrative business of gaming.

"Yeah, I was gonna say," Essen agreed with Eshen and Rai. "If they're this adamant about keeping hostages here. Going as far as to put ankle monitors on them? It's like an infinite money farm." (edited)

"I see. How tragic." Gamers truly were an oppressed class.

4

"I mean... they were able to afford a pool and a jacuzzi, so this definitely is a business for them that they don't mess around with," Essen remarked. Half-joking, but it was technically true.

Saith frowned, but pressed on. "Do you need help with anything, sir?" He asked T'she, since his skills weren't needed for anything at the moment. "Do you want me to move him to somewhere more comfortable, maybe?" It wouldn't hurt to get a look at the computer, either.

At one of the consoles, Rai was trying to logon to his League account...

2

"Good idea, maybe if we can defeat these two people in league we can get them to talk to us?" Suss suggested.

"Riov, I must caution you," Mira said. "We are unable to determine the credibility and safety of the consoles here." Before she turned to M'jar. "Hm. Fascinating. Perhaps it is possible."

"Yes, that would be lovely, I am sure they would appreciate not being somewhere so uncomfortable when they wake." They were unsure how to play League, so they were turning their attention to ways to help someone who was Malnourished.

2

"Yeah, maybe that's how to do it," Essen said. "Beat them in the game, get to them in real life."

1

The two players were on league, if one looked over their shoulders they could find their GamerTags and challenge them in the game.

1

Saith peeked curiously over at Rai, wondering if the captain had epic gamer skillz before deciding it not an appropriate question to have your senior officers. He looked around - did this room have any gamer pillows?

"Maybe someone with both a warrior's spirit and a gamer's heart could try that? I'm only one of those things." He did play a few games, but not whatever the hell was going on in that screen right now.

1

there were gamer pillows! And a replicator that was currently jammed with what appeared to be broken cans of D'Deridex energy.

"I am okay at games, my hands are a little big," Rai said as he gripped the mouse that looked very tiny in his large hands.

"How many of us should play against them? Only two, so it is fair?" Mira inquired.

Saith helped himself to all the pillows he could grab, making a nest of pillows. He gently scooped up the unconscious player, relocating them to the Gamer Nest. "I think you have to know their gamertags to challenge them in League. One of my cousins play," he called over his shoulder.

2

T'She turned their attention to fixing the replicator, or at the very least, getting the broken cans out of it. They might not be able to set up an IV Drip here, but they could set aside something simple to eat and something to drink -- something with Electrolytes.

with the replicator cleared of the energy drink cans, it was ready to be used!

"Now this is something I can do," Essen said. "There's no chance for me to get physically hurt. I'm down to try it out." (edited)

"What are their gamer tags?" Suss asked, encouraging someone to check!

Mira looked over the shoulder of the gamers, peering with Essen to see...

One of the gamer tags was 'Ligma'.

2

02:26

The other was...... you guessed it. 'Ballz'.

3

"Oh no... Is the other one...?" YYYYUP. "Welp. Ligma and Ballz." (edited)

Broth and Space Powerade, the perfect combination to help someone who was malnourished! Both were fortified with some nutrients!

"Alright, I will start a game and invite them. Everyone playing... login. My GamerTag is BreadCaptain," Rai told the team so they would know who he was online.

The exhausted player was slowly coming back with T'She's help!

2

"An... interesting name choice," Mira said in regard to Ligma and Ballz. "I have not played before. I shall choose the name Chalet when I am to begin playing."

"You got this, Mira!" Essen said, logging in beside her. "Annnnnd... Essen'tial is online and in the room!"

"You could have chosen littleshit," Mira chuckled.

"Nah, not for something this epic," Essen said. "Alright, Riov! Mira and I are in!"

The two players Ligma and Ballz accepted the challenge. They were strong so the gamers of the team would need to roll 8 or higher on a 1d10 to kill them.

2

"I have activated sudden death match so... in theory, we only need to hit them once, I suppose," Rai said as he began to explore the map with his little character.

They looked to the exhausted gamer and smiled -- or at least, they tried to smile. "I have something for you to eat and drink. Do not fear, it is not energy drinks and chips."

"In theory," Mira said, as she also explored the map, but struggled to move around. "I am finding this user interface quite foreign. I am not one to participate in games such as this. A fascinating layout."

"Thank Kahless," The Klingon said as they slowly drank the water.

"Mira, I think this is to move," Essen pointed at Mira's screen. "This is to jump. This is to attack...? I think? We'll just have to try it out. I haven't played this game either."

Ligma and Ballz were on the move, hunting the gamers...

1

Saith peeked over Rai's shoulder, not trusting his skill enough to actually beat the game, but curious to check it out. He briefly considered feeding the team information by looking at Ligma and Ballz' screens, but that would be cheating, and cheating was bad!

"Alright. Let's do this," Mira said. "We may have soon, Breadcaptain."

Seiyya, seeing no harm in at least trying her luck (and having seen a few League livestreams before, she at least knew the basic controls), got onto a computer and made an account- her gamertag was EppohLover32, she was not very creative with this. She logged on, and after a moment to get used to the controls, and doing random attacks to see what did want, she went to go find Ligma and Balls. “I’m on, I’m EpohhLover32.”

"May I ask your name? I am Lieutenant T'She, a Nurse working for Starfleet." They offered, hoping that might instill some sort of comfort in their patient.

Rai was surprisingly good at the game, he also was showing off a lil coz he noticed Saith looking over.

2

"I see you, EpohhLover32, you just joined the game," Essen said. "Essen'tial is in."

"Bak'choy," The Klingon replied. "My..... My parents really liked Chinese food, we had a place near us on Qo'noS."

3

"We are going to get you out of here, Bak'choy, and when we do, we will get you more of the help that you need. Here, have some broth," They kept up their bedside manner as best as they could.

1

"If lieutenant Umali could see me now, I'd have to admit I was a hypocrite, I'm playing a game as part of a duty function," Mira chuckled.

Seiyya eventually spotted Ligma, and she tried to snipe them. 🎲3

Rolled: 1d10

[3] ➜ 3

3

02:41

“…Maybe I should have stuck to playing Mortal Kombat.”

"I'll back you up, EpohhLover32," Essen said, and she made an aim... 🎲4

Rolled: 1d10

[4] ➜ 4

02:41

"Drat," she muttered. "I'm still figuring out the controls."

Ligma evaded the shot!

Rai saw Ligma and shot 🎲2.

Rolled: 1d10

[2] ➜ 2

3

"I'm going in for a shot," Mira said, and fired! 🎲4

Rolled: 1d10

[4] ➜ 4

"Woah, you guys kind of suck at this," Saith commented playfully, while absolutely not helping at all.

"It's the lag," Rai said, what a gamer excuse.

4

"No, yeah, we kinda do," Essen agreed with Saith. "At least, right now we do."

“A correct observation, Cadet. Though, I was not lagging, the connection here is very good. We just suck.” She laughed a little.

2

There was a small clicking noise heard in the background, not on the game, in the room.

1

Seiyya, having sensitive Vulcanoid hearing, heard the click. “Did you hear that clicking noise?”

"I heard it," Mira said. "Anyone not playing, we need eyes on that clicking sound, double time."

"Well, here goes nothing," Essen tried again! 🎲10

Rolled: 1d10

[10] ➜ 10

2

"Yeah what could it be?" Suss began to look around the room.

"Yeah!!! No-scoped!" She exclaimed.

And Ligma was DEFEATED! Ballz was still cutting about though.

1

Out of curiosity, if nothing else, he decided to log in with the gamertag Nutz and have a shot at one of them. 🎲6

Rolled: 1d10

[6] ➜ 6

4

Seiyya, however, was going for Ballz. 🎲1

Rolled: 1d10

[1] ➜ 1

3

"Captain, you're running at almost 300 fps—" A clicking noise? "I'm on it." Saith went for his phaser to investigate, while everyone was doing medical things or playing league.

2

“There is no lag. I just suck.”

"Great shot, Essen!" Mira said, making a shot! 🎲6

Rolled: 1d10

[6] ➜ 6

2

T'She went to investigate the clicking noise, looking quite alarmed by it.

"Noob," Essen elbowed Mira gently with a chuckle.

Having always been here, trying to do the 'forgot password' thing to log to log in her account, she paused when she heard the clicking noise.d "On it." Jena said as she stood up to take a look around the room, her username 'Deez' still on the screen so she could log in later

3

The clicking noise was only one click, and it came from the 3 hostages...

2

"I'm going in again," Essen said, and fired! 🎲1

Rolled: 1d10

[1] ➜ 1

3

T'She immediately scanned the hostage in front of them, looking for changes in their Medical Tricorder so they could act accordingly.

"You were saying, noob?" Mira said to Essen.

1

no change in status of the hostages, the player who was Ligma seemed very tired though as they were tossed out of the game.

2

Funnily enough, there wasn't even a jump button in this game. It was more of a tactical thing, with a birds-eye view of his character, who ran around pulling off various flashy moves. They were supposed to work together to beat the enemy with tactics and teamwork, but none of them had realised that yet, which made their experience practically indistinguishable from any other game of league. (edited)

Rolled: 1d10

[3] ➜ 3

2

Mira went for a shot! 🎲3

Rolled: 1d10

[3] ➜ 3

2

02:50

"I'll have to eat my words by the end of this," Mira remarked.

Seiyya also tried to go for a shot, not knowing how League worked at all. 🎲5

Rolled: 1d10

[5] ➜ 5

2

Ballz was a crafty motherfucker, clearly. Evading all these blasts like my father evaded me for 13 years.

3

Essen took a breath, recentered herself, and fired again! 🎲6

Rolled: 1d10

[6] ➜ 6

3

T'She replicated some broth and water for the other hostage -- 'Ligma'. "Would you like something to eat and drink?" They asked.

"Jeez this guy is good!" Essen said.

"He's evasive, the speed at which he's able to evade our attacks is impressive," Mira said, taking a shot. 🎲2

Rolled: 1d10

[2] ➜ 2

2

"Water? Oh my Kahless, THANK YOU," the player behind Ligma took the cup of water and chugged it like they were an american frat bot with a beer keg.

02:52

Ballz was so evasive, dodging every shot.

"Oh, we're getting a transmission," Suss said as he listened to the words from the Da Nang team in #comms .

Right. So pressing this button shot a big energy beam... And pressing this other button healed someone else... And pressing this button... 🎲6

Rolled: 1d10

[6] ➜ 6

2

"I also have something with Electrolytes, and some broth, if you would like that." They spoke again, replicating more water for them.

"Come on, come on! Move slower, will you??" Essen said, and she tried a new attack this time. 🎲3

Rolled: 1d10

[3] ➜ 3

1

Oh, that button exploded him. Into many pieces.

2

"Well, that didn't work," Essen remarked.

"Yes, please," Ligma said as they slowly got up from their seat and made their way to the gamer nest that Saith had made earlier, next to Bak'choy.

Mira waited it out a little more, being deliberate with her next attack, before she went at it! 🎲9

Rolled: 1d10

[9] ➜ 9

2

Jena continued towards the source of the clicking noises on with tricorder and phaser on hand. In all honesty, she would be a lot better in Space Valorant than League. She had played the latter before... but even with Starfleet Connectivity, the lag made the latter a frustrating experience anyway

2

"Direct hit!" Mira said. "I repeat, direct hit on the Ballz!"

"Ayyyye---er... Mira... No..." Essen sighed.

And Ballz was down! The player who was playing Ballz slumped over in their chair, very exhausted.

"YEAH, HIT 'EM IN THE BALLZ!" Saith cheered, pumping his fist.

3

"Hmmm," he said, looking at the scattered remnants of his character littering the map like cheeto dust across an RGB keyboard. "Don't like this game."

2

T'She handed over the broth and the electrolyte water. "What is your name?" They looked over to Ballz and raised their voice somewhat, "I have elecrolyte water, and broth with nutrients over here, come join us!"

"Oh, I hit them in the Ballz, alright," Mira said to Saith. Her competitive side was coming out!

"Engineering disabled the ankle bracelets! The hostages are free!" Jena said to the others as she continued to investigate

"Well my name is Kao'ya and my gamertag is Ligma, and--" Kao'ya smiled and reached down to unhook the bracelet, THAT is what the clicking noise was! The bracelets being unlocked.

2

Essen's eyes popped open. "They're free?!" She exclaimed with a smile! "Did you hear that, you guys? You're free!!"

The player that was playing as Ballz also unhooked his bracelet. "And my name is Cha'dan," He introduced himself. Sadly Bak'choy could not undo their ankle bracelet on their own since they were too tired.

"Alas, Nutz was nutz so successful. Ah, the bracelets!" He undid Bak'choy's bracelet.

5

"Ah!" He got distracted. "Sorry, sir," he said much more softly, squatting down beside T'she. He was supposed to be helping. Oopsie.

1

T'She seemed quite happy that the hostages were now freed, now they just had to get out of there... somehow... "Ah, hello Cadet, there is no need to apologize, are you feeling any better?"

"We should disable the network," Bak'choy said as they looked at the multiple computers that were still online. "So they can't force anymore of us to play."

"Agreed," Mira replied to Bak'choy. "That will put an end to all of this."

"Ah noice!" Jena said with great relief as she saw the bracelets unlocking themselves to be the source of the clicking. "Aight, playtime's over. Time to shut the servers off for some 'maintenance' " Jena said with a nod to Bok'Choy and Mira. No one should be forced to play League.

"You guys... It looked like you'd been playing for days-- even weeks straight!" Essen remarked to the players, rubbing the back of her head and neck gently.

The network was a little easier to access in this wing, one just had to get 3 kills (roll 1d10 5 or higher) in DOOM to unlock it.

3

"Oh, it.." Saith grinned sheepishly, still soaking wet. "I'm okay. I just.. well, it's not important right now. Sorry." He had more stuff to do!

2

"Why are you guys so wet? you can replicate some towels or something," Kao'ya said, a little worried the officer were cold and were dripping on the computers!

Seiyya, also wet, went over to the replicator and replicated a bunch of towels, handing one to Saith before drying herself off.

"Oh, yeah, probably, huh?" Saith grabbed a towel with a bright "Thanks!". It wouldn't do much for his soaked uniform, but it'd help a little. He glanced over to the computer. "Can I play?"

1

Mira looked to Kao'ya. "We were fooled by an investigator. One who we thought we could trust. He flooded the pool area below this room to fill with water and he attempted to drown us out." (edited)

“Of course, take a crack at it, Cadet, if you know the game.” She said, still drying off her hair.

Kao'ya narrowed his eyes. "Not to sound...... moist-est? We here have learned not to trust moist individuals."

"Doom.... Doom eternal?? Oh shit!" *Jena's expression lightened up as she saw the game and logged in before she cracked her knuckles. *"Time for some real gaming." 🎲5

Rolled: 1d10

[5] ➜ 5

2

Essen looked to Kao'ya, curious. "What do you mean?" Essen said. "Have you been betrayed by moist individuals too?"

"I also got a dehumidifier disintegrated over my head, and I got misted when I arrived." Saith frowned. "If it helps, I'm really scared of big bodies of water. This was the worst away mission for me to possibly be on."

03:11

"Also, sir, the moist ones are the ones that kidnapped them," the cadet reminded Essen politely.

1

"We have all been mistreated by moist individuals," Kao'ya gestured to the entire room, Bak'choy and Cha'dan all nodded.

03:12

Jenaha took out one enemy!

2

“I wish to go to a very dry desert after this. I will be going to the Sonoran Desert in the holodeck when I am back on 777.” She said, wringing water out of her hair.

"Well, if we were really bad people, we definitely wouldn't be working down to shut down the network," Saith gestured to the computer the Commander was on. "I understand you not trusting us, and don't expect you to. But we want to help. We want to save everyone."

"That's the last time I challenge someone to an in-person fight on SPReddit," Cha'dan said with a frustrated sigh.

"Oh... Right... Thanks, cadet," Essen said. "Sorry. My head..."

He cast Essen a worried look. "If you're having memory loss, we really do need to get you back to 777 ASAP.."

1

Essen rubbed the back of her head slightly. "Yeah," Essen remarked. "I still remember most else from this mission, thankfully. But you're right, I have a one way ticket to sickbay once this is over. All this combat and escaping flooding is just... Adding up." She turned back to the hostages. "The cadet's right. We're going to get you all out of here."

"Oh fuck yeah! I love Doom!" Jena, normally level headed and calm, said as she quite mercilessly continued focusing on the game and tearing through her enemies. 🎲10 "I should really get into the new Helldivers game, been putting that off for a long while now!"

Rolled: 1d10

[10] ➜ 10

2

"I believe that's the sound of the network being disabled," Mira said, referring to Jena.

second enemy down, one more to go, you need 3 kills.

1

"the only way out of this shit, is through it. If violence isn't solving the problem, you're not using enough of it." Jena said with a smile to Mira, doing her best DOOMGuy impression, which was probably sort of cringe, but fuck it its doom! 🎲3

Rolled: 1d10

[3] ➜ 3

2

03:24

"Well fuck me I guess. This lag is terrible." Jena said as she stopped herself from punching the monitors lights out before taking a deep breath.

2

"Jeez... I have never seen this side of you sir," Essen said to Jena. "It's kind of comical."

"Essen, why don't you sit for a bit, maybe find out more from our player friends here? You've been on your feet and moving around a lot since that punch, you should rest while you can. Here, I'll help you down," Mira said.

"Aye, sir, thank you, sir," Essen said to Mira, and with her help, slowly sat down, being sure to balance herself as much as possible. "Can I ask, how long have you both been here? Not even just in this room, how long have you been playing for them?" Essen asked the players.

"Umm.... a few months," Bak'choy answered as best he could. "We honestly lost track.... We were recruited from SPReddit or a sketchy message on League DMs," He explained.

"Jeez," Essen said. "So you two legitimately couldn't stop playing with the threat of them beating you? That explains why you kept going nonstop, even with us getting in here. The ones on the surface are that serious about it?"

"They controlled us with the bands," Cha'dan pointed to the discarded bracelet. "Actually, you guys should move those somewhere far away, there's poison inside..."

"Some Betazoids are more easily affected by video games than others." Jena explained to Essen. "Unlike League, DOOM and Helldivers are the greatest past times in the galaxy. We should play sometime, I know a couple holodeck programs that really put you into it." Jena offered to Essen and Mira before turning back to setting up the network to its DOOM pun intended 🎲5

Rolled: 1d10

[5] ➜ 5

2

"Agreed," Mira said. "Someone who has access to something that can cover their hands. Rubber gloves, or other PPE. We need to contain these bracelets." (edited)

And the network was unlocked so one could disable the wi-fi for the entire Hai Phong wing!

3

"You're so cool, Commander Sul," Saith got up to replicate gloves! "I can handle it!" (edited)

2

"Make it so, cadet," Mira smiled to Saith. "Obviously be careful. You got this."

"Thankfully those bands won't be controlling you anymore," Essen said to the hostages. "Do you know what kind of poison is in those things?"

"No not really... it is just very bad, I've seen someone die," Bak'choy spoke up, pointing to the bands that Saith was now carefully carrying away.

"We could scan it and find out, right?" Saith set the bracelets down a safe distance away, doin' a cute lil scan with his tricorder.

Essen nodded, carefully as to not hurt herself. "Ah, I got ya. I was hoping if we could identify it, then we could try and find some sort of antidote like Lieutenant T'She suggested to us earlier. But since it's that potent to kill someone that quickly, the ones on the surface aren't messing around." Before she heard Saith say they could scan it! "Sure, cadet! I don't see why not."

It was venom from a Romulan bird of prey, a Neiirrh's talons!

2

"Young people think I'm cool.. fuck yea!" Jena muttered to herself as she worked to disable the Wi-Fi network and did the best measure she could think off as a former Security Systems Officer... Sending a very stern request to their ISP to ban the client from ever availing their services before practically changing the network password and log in credentials to access the network settings to random jargon. Which was just her mashing everything before she logged off. "there we go. and now nobody will ever play League ever again."

2

3

"You have done well, Commander," Mira said. "We have rid this wing of this game. We shall evidently perform this rescue swiftly."

"Oh, I already scanned it. Sorry." Saith should've waited for the ok, probably. "The venom is from a Neirrh's talons, which, as far as I know, isn't corrosive at all. They sink their talons into their prey, which introduces the venom into the bloodstream, and allows them to subdue—" Saith shut up. "I probably should stop talking." Saren was rubbing off on him. Help.

3

Essen didn't mind the science behind the venom's introduction into the bloodstream. "It's okay, cadet. You didn't do anything wrong," Essen said. "But who did do wrong was the ones on the surface. Either they simply extracted that venom from live Neiirrhs or--" she didn't want to think about the alternative. "Or they poached them. Which is... That's not only inhumane, it's... That's a new low." (edited)

Seiyya cursed under her breath at the thought of someone hurting or even killing a beautiful bird of prey like a Neiirrh.

"Let's not ... linger too long on that one." They would bring it up in the criminal investigation, and they'd let professionals deliver justice where it was due.

"Agreed," Essen remarked. "At the end of the day it was still wrong. At least we know what type of venom it is." She turned her head towards the medical officers. "Do we have a known antidote for Neiirrh venom?" (edited)

"Well, yeah, there is a known antidote, but we don't have access to a lab or our super in-depth medical equipment. Because Eventide.." Yeah. Saith shrugged. "We'll just have to hope for the best."

3

Rai sighed as he thought about the Eventide again.

3

Mira nodded. "Agreed, cadet. We will have to hope for the best. Hope is the best thing all of us can have now," she said first to Saith and then to everyone else, especially Rai.

"I wonder if we could reolicate an antidote, but I suppose that would be too easy," T'She sighed before they shook their head, they wished they had access to better medical facilities.

"They will pay... with their DOO- I mean with the weight of the law." *Jena said as she snapped out of Gamer Mode™️ and stood up from the computer." *We'll add animal abuse to the list of charges. We should find a way to open COMMS with starfleet from here."

"Not without a pattern. And these people don't care about treating their hostages, proved by the fact that someone already died." Saith sat down on one of the gamer chairs, spinning around. Whee.

2

"Sadly I don't have antidote patterns memorized, and I doubt they would let people look up patterns for it here," Their expression fell slightly when they learned that someone died, that was never good news to hear.

"Well... we did turn off wifi," He mentioned, not sure if they could use the internet now.

"That's okay, sir. I think most people don't have replicator patterns memorized. Me included. I keep forgetting to save my favorite noodle recipe, so I have to repeat it to the replicator in my room every time." He was just trying to lighten the mood a little at this point. What else was there to be done?

"Whatever this place wants, it will do anything to get it," Essen remarked. "We know that much." Which sparked a new question, and Essen turned to the hostages. "Which, speaking of the list of crimes and charges. Do you know how much money they make off an average game?" (edited)

"If all the bracelets are deactivated then we probably don't need an antidote, right?" Bak'choy asked honestly.

2

"I am worried that they might use it against us in a fight, it is better to be prepared after all," They tried to explain, but that might just have been some form of paranoia about the introduction of poison at all.

2

"Good thinking, lieutenant," Mira said to T'She. "It is always best to be prepared."

"But, Lieutenant T'she is super cool and awesome at their job, so you'll be fine if worst comes to worst." Thumbs up. Not helping, thank you.

"Depends, there could still be people who already had been injected with the poison before we got here that could be saved if it takes quite a bit to kick in." Jena answered. "Still, its always good to have an antidode handy. 'Knowing's half the battle. The other is violence.' ... another doom quote."

Essen looked to T'She. "You're right," Essen said. "Reminds me of another game. The main enemy used a poisonous gas called The Red Smoke to take out the player. It's entirely within the realm of possibility that if this place knows games, it can use whatever it has as a defense against us, including this Neiirrh venom. An antidote is best for everyone's protection, both of the hostages and for us as well." (edited)

"I don't think we should compare poisoning people to video games, maybe," Saith said thoughtfully, sticking his legs straight out so he'd spin faster. "But yeah, we can't get an antidote right now."

"We at least know there is one, which is better than not knowing," They said with a nod, perhaps that would be enough to put the others at ease.

2

Essen had a sad look on her face as she turned to Saith. "That's a sobering thought, really. Gaming is supposed to be fun after all, but you are right, these people on the surface are making it a nightmare," Essen said to Saith. "Greed is a fierce motivator for these people." (edited)

He shrugged again, his gaze down on the ground. "Greed is a powerful motivator, yeah. It leads a lot of bad people to do really bad things."

"They forced people to play League for money... how barbaric. At the same time we can't blame the people here for getting looped into it. They were coerced to doing it." Jena said she gave Saith a reassuring shoulder pat. It was like Squid Games....

1

Mira considered everything being said. "Did anyone else find it odd that they are choosing to use specific energy drinks? I don't mean to bring the drinks itself up. But how far is this facility's financial reach? To partner with drinks such as that one." (edited)

"Well, the drinks can be replicated. Just need the codes," Saith pointed out. "Just like everything else."

"Some of us were really hoping to be those cool progamers..." Cha'dan said with a frown. "And we were sponsored by D'Deridex energy, that's our main donor."

"Probably a whole conspiracy. They forced gamers here to play these games. The gameplay helps promote the drinks sponsors, who then give them more money to keep it all running. Vicious cycle." Jena suggested

Huh. That made sense, too. "There's a chance the donors didn't know what was going on behind the scenes. Like they thought it was a normal e-sports league or something." (edited)

"That's what I'm thinking," Mira said to Jena. "All a ploy to build up as much profit and exploit it as a marketing campaign to grow even larger."

"Maybe. But it is still good to include them in the investigation just in case." Jena explained to Saith. "Corruption runs deep."

“And all at the expense of the lives and health of hundreds of people and animals. Disgusting.” Seiyya said, stiff from her anger at all of this.

"Well, yeah, of course..." Saith was feeling a little queasy. He didn't want people to immediately jump to the idea that his people were involved in shady fuckshit again, between the D'Deridex energy and neirrh venom. He knew politics were rocky in the Free State, to say the VERY least, but... Ugh.

"You took the words out of my mouth," Essen said to Seiyya. "All of that pain and suffering so they can reap the profit. And making money isn't the issue here. It's how they make their money." Essen thought back. "I remember a quote from a book I read once. Winning isn't what matters. 'The way we win matters.'"

"If i recall, D'Deridex energy sponsors a lot of places..." Rai offered, thinking it was most likely they didn't know. "I mean, all these people here just thought it was a normal esports league."

Mira's eyebrow raised at that. "Fascinating," Mira said. "Then perhaps D'Deridex is unaware of what this league is doing behind the scenes."

That made him feel a lot better. "Yeah, that is...um. What I said. What I hoped for, anyway."

Essen also let out a sigh of relief. "Still irks me out that this place likely practically prints money out faster than ancient Earth casinos did. Can't even begin to estimate an amount."

"Well, casinos aren't ancient. Those definitely still exist," Saith pointed out. "Though not as predatory practices. As long as you're not in Ferengi space, anyway," he joked.

"I am also incapable of calculating an estimate to the approximate profit generated by this facility," Mira said. "Regardless, the profit generated does not justify the cruelty and predatory practices which ensue behind the scenes. In that you are certainly correct, cadet." (edited)

Essen was glad Saith was getting to recenter himself a little, he was even joking around a bit! "You got a point there," she chuckled back.

After saying something into comms, T'She's demeanor brightened significantly. "If we could get ourselves into their system, we could replicate the antidote with ease," They reported back.

Essen, who was feeling the back of her head gently, looked to T'She, and her face lit up. "No shit!" She exclaimed. "That's amazing! We have an antidote!"

They could do just that and get tons of antidote!

1

With a smile, Mira nodded to T'She. "Make it so, lieutenant," Mira said. "You may proceed how you see fit." (edited)

T'She went to do exactly that, once they were in the system they went to replicate a good amount of antidote, enough to protect them in case of any mishaps.

2

"Hey, uhh..." Essen said to T'She, feeling the back of her head again. "Thanks for helping me out. I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier. But you really are a life saver. I owe you one after all this is over with."

"There is no need to thank me, I am a medical officer, I was simply doing my job. You are welcome, however," They responded with a sheepish look, they still were not used to getting compliments.

2

Mira nodded once more to T'She. She admired the medical team's resourcefulness and adaptability. She was eager for T'She to distribute the antidote when they were ready. In the meantime, she turned to Essen. "How's your head?"

"In a lot of pain," Essen replied. "Still having trouble keeping upright. But I'll be okay, I hope. You and Vara'l are real ones for making sure I don't topple over Jenga style, thank you. I'm more glad that we can get all these hostages taken care of and to safety. And this antidote really helps matters, thanks to the medical team." (edited)

"You and me both, Essen," Mira said, watching as the medical team did their magic! "You and me both."

"Can we get some hypos? And we probably should check the map, wait I don't have a map, that whole pool thing threw me off," Suss said, realising he had no idea where they were. Well, they were in a league room, maybe someone should check the computers...

"I shall work on the hypos, that does seem to be under my purview, after all," T'She offered as they turned to the replicator again, planning on getting to work.

2

"I"ll check the computers, see where we are," Mira offered, and proceeded to peek at whichever the closest computer was!

The computers required a network password to access anything but league. You could get it from the team leader (one of the 3 Klingons in the room) or answer security questions.

1

"Ah. Figured that'd be a possibility," Mira remarked, and looked to the three Klingons. "If I may, which of you is the team leader? We're trying to figure out where we are, especially relative to how we can get all of us and you three out of here. Do one of you three have insights as to a password for the network, and could please help us out?" (edited)

Bak'choy raised his hand. "I'm the leader and the password is... well you need to have a can of d'deridex energy first."

3

Saith squinted suspiciously. "We're trying to save you, remember? Can't you just tell us the password...?"

Vara'l turned and stared at the Klingon briefly before he returned his focus to the door. "Is that the password or are you really demanding someone drinks a can of that drink prior to your telling them the password?" The ACTO coldly inquired then as he continued to watch the door. "As has been said, we're trying to save you."

An eyebrow raise in suspicion. Something Essen rarely ever did. "Well... he just said we need to 'have' a can, not necessarily 'drink' a can. Maybe there's something on the label." (edited)

"Well you need to have a can of d'deridex energy first," Bak'choy repeated and there was a convenient mini fridge in the room with the energy drink inside.

1

"Lieutenant T'she, please can you scan the energy drink, confirm its safe to drink if you can?" He inquired as he continued to stand watch. "While your doing so we can also check to see if there's anything on it that might hint at the password as has been suggested." The Romulan then added as he watched the door and idly shifted his position slightly, ready if this team leader tried anything like the Investigator had attempted.

"If it is safe to drink, I will offer to consume it," Mira said. "But only if it is completely safe to consume, and under no other circumstances."

T'She nodded, pulling out a scanner in order to do... some scanning! Yay for scanning. They did wonder if the password was just on the energy drink can itself though.

Saith peeked to see if there was something that could be a password on the can itself, like was suggested. "We could also dump it out to check inside," he offered. "Just to be safe."

Nothing on the can and the can was safe to drink, it was just a regular energy drink.

"This security system is its own advertisement campaign" Jena commented after she heard the key was a can of D'Deridex Energy "I can drink it."

"Well you need to have a can of d'deridex energy first! You don't have to drink it," Bak'choy said when Jenaha said she was going to drink the drink.

"Aha! So we don't have to drink it," Essen said. "Alright, players. We have a can of d'deridex energy! Now what?"

"Maybe there's a code on it that you can scan." It was like one of those self checkouts.

"Indeed, lieutenant," Mira said to Eshen. "If they are asking us to have a can then the can itself must be the key, and not the drink." As Mira turned once more to the players. "Indeed. We now have a can of d'deridex energy out."

".... Well you need to have a can of d'deridex energy first! By Kahless' arm hair.." Bak'choy repeated. "That's the password!"

".....do we need to put it anywhere?????" Jena asked

"Commander tr'Hara literally asked you if that was the password, and you decided not to say so??" Saith was going to rip his own hair out, he thought.

"and i said it again to clarify!" Bak'choy said, assuming he was clear enough the first time.

"Fascinating," Mira said. "Well. I am glad we cleared that up. Thank you," Mira said. "I shall input that into the console! An interesting password. 'Well you need to have a can of d'deridex energy first.'" And she did just that.

"That's a password that only the ones on the surface could make," Essen said, it all falling into place. "That sounds like something your captors would say to you before you started gaming. To keep you going so you wouldn't stop..." (edited)

That was the password and they were in! they could see the system network and the map! The prison cells were just below them. They could take #corridor-01 or use #hai-phong-tubes to get there.

"The tubes have not steered us wrong in the past, and I would be worried that there would be extra guard presence in the corridors," They offered their own opinion, hoping that it would make sense to the others.

1

"All, the prison cells are directly just below us," Mira reported. "Multiple routes to the prison cells available. I suggest the #hai-phong-tubes, those were a secure route to us previously, but #corridor-01 is also available."

"Jinx!" Essen pointed to T'She and Mira. "One of you owes me a soda when we get back."

"I worry that now that we have done so much here the guards know we are here and have secured the tubes.." Suss mentioned, thinking that stealth was no longer an option. Everyone knew starfleet was messing around.

1

"Good point, sogh," Mira said. "They'll have us in their scopes. Hopefully, not literally."

"A... soda...?" They seemed confused for a moment before they shook their head. "What you say is true, however. The tubes also leave us vulnerable to other types of attack." They sighed quietly, rubbing their temple.

2

He did Not want to go Back In The Tubes. But he had no say in the matter, and would follow his senior officers. Ugh...

"The way I see it, either we go quietly through the tubes and they could take us for cowards, or we use the corridor to show them we aren't afraid," Essen said. "Either way they'll be looking for us whatever option we choose." (edited)

"The corridor would also allow us a greater range of movement should push come to shove," They added, starting ti doubt their earlier words.

"Cowardice is the least of our worries," Mira said. "But you do have a point, T'She. In the tubes we are limited by our space and the enemy could use that to their advantage." (edited)

"Why do you care what opinion kidnappers have of you? It's just the logical option to stay quiet, no?" Saith frowned, before Mira said about the same. Yeah, exactly. She got it.

"It's highly likely that'll be the case." The ACTO said as he snapped out his tricorder and started to scan their environment again. "But the Starfleet contingent present are restricted on armaments we're currently got in our possession." He mused before he paused. "We've phasers, they may have rifles and other assorted munitions." He Frowned a bit then. "I suspect that they'll be covering both, we'd have more options for manoeuvre, as stated in the corridor compared to the tubes where they may just cut us off and as said, attack us in other ways." Vara'l glanced to Essen then back to the others. "Its a decision, do we risk an engagement in the more constricted environs of the tubes and potentially bypass any prepared positions in the corridors but face anything prepared in the tubes.."

"And the worst thing we could do is split up between the tubes and the corridor. They could snuff us out both ways if they wanted to," Essen said. "But I am with T'She on this one. I say the corridor. At least we can cover each other's asses if we need to given we have more space."

"Definitely, we do not want to split our forces. Especially when we will need to contend with the prison cell guards, who would probably be the strongest," Rai said, thinking tactically! He was the CTO before he was promoted after all.

1

2

"I agree. The corridors will also allow us to traverse ground quicker than in the tubes," Mira remarked. "The constraint of space in the tubes would slow us down and increase the probability of the enemy already waiting for us."

"Also I am a 7ft tall Romulan and rather large. My shoulders can barely move in those tubes," Rai said, pointing out that yeah, he was very tall and not exactly a skinny guy too.

"I agree with the Riov, splitting up would mean we'd be vulnerable to defeat in detail, we should move as a singular group." He glanced to the cadet then and then back to Essen. Grey eyes fixed on her briefly as he considered them and what they said. As he proceeded to make a mental note to raise this situation and what they'd stated at a later date when the other wasn't concussed. That sort of consideration, 'Cowardice' and how things seemed to a hostile group, especially when one considered things now, shouldn't have entered as firmly as it had seemed it had into their considerations. That seemed like something that may bare quite discussion later. "The tubes also leave us open to potentially being sealed in or slowed down through the closing of transit ways and through potentially using the installations environmental systems against us in a enclosed environment, they're likely aware we're here or at least aware someone is here."

2

"So it's safest to go through the corridor, right?" Saith was getting antsy, but he was happy to follow orders. Gogogogo.

Essen was also rearing to go. The irritability from her head pain was starting to set in. "I'd say so," Essen replied to Saith. "That's my vote."

"I second that." Mira remarked.

"Yes, let's take #corridor-03 ," Rai said, accidentally typed the wrong corridor oops, it'S #3!

1

“I would be wary of the tubes now that our prescence is known. It would not be difficult to seal us in and flood them with some kind of poison gas, or cut off airflow. I suggest the corridor.” She said, also not wanting to squeeze throuh the tubes again.

To #corridor-03 they went! Readying themselves for any combat they might encounter -- once all the antidote was safely placed into their medical bag that was.

"Sir, can I hobble with you? Mira's been doing a lot lately," Essen said, raising her hands towards Vara'l.

"That'd be my assessment." The ACTO responded with a sharp nod as he looked to the Riov. They were the commanding officer here after all, the decision to be made here happened to be theirs. When the decision was made, Vara'l nodded. "Lieutenant Commander Chalet, do you want me to take over supporting the Lieutenant in walking or are you still okay helping out Essen?" The Romulan inquired as he started toward the corridor as the Riov had decided. "Lieutenant t'Rhaikh, cover me." He requested as he headed out, phaser first as he palmed his tricorder in his other hand and started to scan. When Essen requested that, the Romulan nodded, looked to t'Rhaikh and said. "Never mind on that." And moved over to Essen and smoothly slipped an arm over to support her after he slipped his tricorder into its holster. "You may, Lieutenant, come on." He then supported her as he headed out into #corridor-03 .

"Took the words from my mouth," Mira said. "Onwards!" To #corridor-03!

Seiyya, now not covering Vara’l, headed out into Corridor 03, phaser drawn.