Candy Store

The assault group finally reached the storage bay, it had been a tough fight, but they had reached it although not without loss. Quinn quickly ushered what remained of his team inside, before closing the doors and shooting the lock. He then proceeded to weld the doors shut with his phaser rifle, whilst the rest of the group started to move cargo containers towards the door.

“Why did you do that ?” Harper asked.

“An incentive…...” Quinn replied. “…..plus it will make it harder for the Commando team heading our way to get in. All you have to do Mister Harper is get that transporter working, otherwise we’re all dead.”

Harper quickly stepped over to the console which controlled the cargo transporter system, whilst Quinn was busy organising the new barricade, just incase the Commandos got past the doors before Harper could finish. Beka, Jack and Trance took a look around the storage bay, which mainly appeared to consist of crates and cargo containers, none of them labelled.

“Is the cloaking device here ?” Jack enquired.

Whilst getting the passengers and his ship off the station safely, was his first priority, the cloak was his second. He’d hate to admit it, but he’d have done the job just for the device.

“Over there.” Quinn stated, pointing at a large crate as he dashed across the deck towards the transporter along with half his men.

”That’s the first thing that goes back to the hanger.” Jack ordered. “Then the rest of your cargo, followed by your men, agreed. ?”

Quinn looked at Stryker as if to question his authority, but obviously decided to leave it.

“Agreed, so long as I’m the last one to go.” He said instead.

“Then let’s get everything on the transporter pad.” Jack suggested.

The cloaking device and several crates of equipment were hastily moved onto the transporter pad, whilst Harper continued to work on the console. Finally he announced that he was a genius and the transporter sprung to life.

“We don’t have much time.” Quinn stated.

“Harper, transport the first load to the hanger deck.” Jack ordered.

The clocking device and the first batch of crates disappeared off the pad.

“Start loading more crates. “Quinn ordered.

A second pile of crates were quickly loaded and transported to the hanger deck, followed by a third.

“That’s all the cargo we need.” Quinn remarked. “If you want anything, I’d suggest you make it quick.”

Almost as if on cue, the storage bay was shook by the sounds of heavy phaser fire hitting the bay doors.

“Harper, take a look around, get as much as you can, but make it quick.” Jack ordered. “Trance, take over at the transporter. Quinn, I’d suggest we start get your men transported back to the hanger, as soon as Harper’s finished, we’ll do the same.”

Trance replaced Harper at the console, sending Quinn’s men back to the docking bay, whilst Harper disappeared into the pile of crates and containers. Stryker and Beka moved towards the barricade to help the men who had been manning the barricade, whist Quinn disappeared deeper into the storage area..

By now the phaser fire had been replaced with the much softer, but more intense sound of a constant phaser beams, those outside were trying to cut their way through the storage bay doors.

Harper re-appeared dragging an anti-grav sled he’d found onto the transporter pad. He disappeared again, returning moments later carrying a smaller crate.

“You know boss, this place is a gold mine.” Harper announced. “I could practically re-build the *Firefly*’s warp drive if I could carry all the parts.”

“Harper, just get the cargo back to the ship.” Jack ordered. “Where’s Quinn ?”

“I don’t know.” Harper admitted. “I think I heard someone around the back, it must be Quinn.”

“They’ll be through in a minute.” Beka remarked.

Jack looked at the slowly melting door and felt the heat.

“We don’t have time to wait for Quinn.” Jack announced. “Harper, transport back to the ship. Everyone else, let’s go.”

Harper and the cargo disappeared, whilst Jack, Beka and the remaining fighters headed back from the barricade and stood on the pad.

“Quinn, we’re leaving.” Jack shouted.

“Get out of here now.” Quinn shouted back. “I’ve got one more thing to do.”

Quinn appeared dragging a second anti-grav sled, which was loaded with an unmarked, but open crate.

“We don’t have time to load any more cargo.” Jack shouted over the increasing noise. “We must go now.”

“This cargo’s a diversion, not for the ship. Give me two minutes to finish and I’ll join you.” Quinn stated. “If I’m not back in the docking bay by then, get out of here as fast as you can.”

Trance set the controls on the transporter console and quickly joined the rest of the group on the pad. As soon as they were gone, Quinn moved the sled onto the transporter pad, checked its contents one last time and headed for the console. He transported the crate off the cargo bay and re-set the controls once more.

He stepped onto the pad, just as the cargo bay doors blasted open and twenty Starfleet commandos rushed in. Quinn threw his last plasma grenade towards the barricade just as the transporter energised and the storage bay was consumed by the resulting plasma fire moments later.

Quinn re-appeared on the hanger deck and Jack quickly ushered him onboard the ship, closing the doors behind him. They headed straight for the Command deck.

“Dylan, get us out of here now.” Jack ordered as he took his seat.

Ignoring every safety precaution, Dylan fired the *Firefly* impulse engines inside the hanger, providing the ship with a huge burst of speed, which even the integrity field couldn’t fully compensate for. The small ship shot out of the station like a bullet out of a gun and Dylan started to undertake evasive manoeuvres as the station started to open fire.

The ship was rocked by several hits to the shield, but she held together long enough for them to reach the debris field once more. Once in the field, the station’s sensors wouldn’t be able to distinguish between debris and the ship. However, that did not stop them trying.

“Captain, I’ve got some bad news.” Trance announced. “I’m picking up a vessel entering the system.”

“The *Northern Star* ?” Jack enquired.

“Configuration is unknown, but I’m also picking up several smaller vessels.” Trance reported. “They could be fighters or shuttles being launched.”

Quinn moved across the command deck and looked over Trance’s shoulder at the new vessel.

“It’s a GQOF cruiser.” Quinn remarked. “It carries a squadron of six advanced fighters; they’re probably being launched to search for us.”

“I think we’ll take our chances and play dead in here.” Stryker suggested. “Harper, prepare to shutdown the ship, then I want you to take a look at that cloaking device and get it installed.”

“Captain, we don’t have time to wait this out.” Quinn stated. “That Starbase is set to explode in ten minutes…..”