Hostage Negotiations

Posted on Aug 14, 2018 @ 1:43am by Lieutenant Jasmine Yu
Edited on on Aug 14, 2018 @ 1:43am

Mission: The Trouble With Triticale

“Hostage Negotiations”

(contd from ‘Running down the clock’)

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Location: SHERMAN’S PLANET
SD: [2.18] 0813.2323
Scene: River bank


Hobbs informed, sighing with exasperation, “There’s a mob ahead, heading our way.”

Jasmine strained her eyes to look ahead – Hobbs was right, a small mob was approaching them, shouting and carrying an assortment of weapons, none of which would be able to withstand a skirmish against the Klingons. Not to mention the lives of the two farmers were on the line and if they caused trouble with the landing party now, the Klingons could very well kill the hostages in retaliation. She hoped the broadcast was already sent.

The shouting grew louder, the closer the group of men and women, came. Yu took a mental head count and noted about a dozen colonists. She could see the anger, frustration on their faces – people eager to fight to protect their grain from being stolen by invaders. The Klingons weren’t interested in invading the colony and only wanted the grain for a battle somewhere far from here, maybe embroiled in a civil war or something else together. But the colonists didn’t care about the reason other than stopping the Klingons from taking their grain.

Hobbs stepped forward, raising her hand, her gaze directed towards the approaching group, who, thankfully, stopped. But likely not for long. Sadly, if the message was broadcast, then either they missed or ignored it. “What’re ya’ll doin out here?” Her voice, while not too loud, was quite firm in tone. “Ya’ll should be at yer homes safe.”

A burly, middle-aged man, apparently the self-designated leader of this group, raised his voice, brandishing his rifle around, trying to look as menacing as possible. “We ain’t goin anywhere, deputy.” The others behind him cheered, lifting their weapons. “This here’s our home and our grain and they ain’t taking it away.”

Hobbs sighed. “Look, Ah feel angry about them Klingons comin to take our grain but losin yer lives over it ain’t worth it.”

Yu made a sidelong glance at the hill and sighed, no sign of the Klingons. She was worried the shouts from the mob would alert them of their presence. An woman, likely in her late thirties or early forties, joined the man and argued, “But deputy, that grain’s ours. We’ve every right to defend it.”

Treena shook her head, giving a solemn look. “Not worth losin ya’ll. Grain can be replaced. Yer lives can’t.”

Another, a young dark skinned man, pointed out, “But we outnumber them. Ah checked for myself before comin here.”

Jasmine shook her head, unable to stay silent any longer as she spoke in a calm voice, “You’re right. We have the numbers but…” She paused as some of the colonists jeered at her. “They’re highly trained warriors and even at their smaller size, they will be more than a match for all of you. Chances of getting killed is too high. You need to turn back now.”

“We ain’t listenin to ya, fleeter.” Someone shouted from the back but Jasmine couldn’t see the person, aside from figuring out that the voice belonged to a male. She let out another sigh, now more frustrated. If this mob got their way, then there’d be casualties, not to mention the consequences for the Federation and the Klingons.

Another person also yelled and Yu noticed a younger female at the back. “Yeah, no city gal, who live in a big tower, ain’t tellin me what to do.”

Jasmine bit her lip, stifling a groan. The Asian was tempted to say she lived on a starship and on Earth, her home was by the ocean but held her tongue to not exacerbate the situation.

Hobbs, releasing a low growl, shouted, raising her phaser pistol in the air. “Alright, Ah’ll say it one last time. Go home or ya’ll be spendin a night in jail.” Before anyone could respond, another group of colonists arrived. Both Treena and Jasmine frowned. The situation just got messier, making the Phoenix Sec/Tac wonder if they’d be able to stop them from confronting the Klingons at all, when jubilant cheers erupted from some of the members of the first group.

The burly guy smiled, “Ah’m glad to see ya’ll joinin us, Clem.”

Yu spotted a sandy haired man in his forties, appear beside the first group leader, looking rather displeased and watched their conversation unfold with baited breath. One group of angry colonists was hard to manage but two made it even worse. If the broadcast took place, did those people just decide to ignore the call to head to safety?

The man named Clem Wilson, shook his head. “Ah’ m not, Dom.”

“What’d ya mean, not?” Dom argued, his nostrils flaring in anger. “Clem, they’re takin our grain. We havta stop them.” The two men continued their conversation and to Yu’s relief, Wilson and his group were here to convince their fellow colonists to head home and not join them in fighting the Klingons. Soon, the colonists turned around, lowering their weapons and dispersed.

Hobbs nodded. “Thanks Clem.”

“Only makin sure no one dies, deputy.” He then left, leaving the two women alone. Both Yu and Hobbs made their way after them.

Jasmine tapped on her comm badge. “Yu to Captain Kane.”

[[Kane here. Report.]]

Yu informed, “Captain, the Klingons are only here for the grain and doesn’t seem to have any intention of harming the colonists. But there’s a complication.”

[[What kind of complication?]]

“Sir, they have hostages,” she said.

[[Hostages? How many?]]

“Two,” the Asian replied. “Both farmers. They were attempting to prevent the Klingons from taking the triticale but were captured. They’re currently locked away somewhere. From what I heard, the Klingons only want them out of the way until all the grain is transported.”

There was a moment of silence until the CO spoke, [[Lieutenant, I am sending you backup. If the Klingons have no intention of harming us, then negotiate with them to have the hostages released…even if we end up losing the grain.]]

“Understand, Captain. Yu out.”

Hobbs raised an eyebrow. “So no rescue attempt?”

“Well, yes.” Jasmine nodded. “But without exchange of fire.”

“Then why the backup?”

Yu sighed. “In case, things go south and the Klingons attack, then we use force to get the farmers.”

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Scene: Silos -> Woods -> Edge of the town
TI: Fifteen minutes later


“Who goes there?” The Klingon leader demanded, his head turned and gaze fixed on the trees, where Yu, Hobbs and two marines hid. Inhaling deeply, Jasmine stepped out from behind a tree trunk, her hands raised and walked out on the clearing. Hobbs came out next, followed by the marines. Immediately, all the Klingons pointed their disruptors and Bat’leths at them. However, they made no further move – a good sign, maybe.

Jasmine began in a calm voice, “We’re here for the hostages.”

“Hostages?” The leader blinked, though she wasn’t sure whether he understood her or not.

The Asian woman pressed on, “The two farmers you’re holding as prisoners.”

The leader nodded. “Yes them. You have nothing to worry. They are safe and will be released once we have transported the grain.”

“Actually,” Jasmine said firmly. “We demand you release them now, unharmed.” The Klingons began getting closer and soon they were almost surrounded with only an opening in the direction of the trees.

“You’re in no position to make demands, Starfleet.” The leader gave her a menacing glare. “Unless you all want to die.”

A Klingon woman rushed towards them and stopped, now a few feet away. “Lies. You are here to stop us from taking the grain.” Turning to the leader, she suggested, her eyes narrowed, “We should kill them now.”

“Silence!” Her superior commanded. Addressing Jasmine, he inquired, “How do we know you are really here for the prisoners?”

Jasmine explained, “Well, if we’d wanted to stop you, we’d have come with a much larger force and not just the four of us.” She watched the Klingon ponder her words. “We just want the prisoners. That’s all. You can have the grain.”

The leader grunted, when he turned around and issued orders in Klingon to one of his warriors, who then left the scene. A minute later, the warrior returned, dragging the two human men with him and shoved them towards the security chief. The farmers fell to the ground. Hobbs came forward and helped them up. Yu spotted bruises on them but otherwise they looked okay.

“Thank you,” Jasmine said and turned around, giving the signal to leave.

One of the farmers protested, glancing behind, his face contorted in fury. “Why’re we leavin? They’re takin our grain. We gotta stop them…” But Hobbs shushed him.

“No.” The deputy sheriff pulled him away. “We need to take ya’ll to safety. Don’t worry about tha grain. Okay?” The man nodded but was still upset over having to just give up the grain without a fight. The group made their way towards the trees with Hobbs and the farmers in the lead, while Jasmine and the marines covered the rear, in case the Klingons broke their word and attacked.

As Hobbs and the farmers went behind the trees, out of the Klingons’ sight, Jasmine glanced over her shoulder and watched in dismay as the Klingons finished placing the last of the transporter tags. As she was about to step inside the woods, she suddenly heard angry voices. The young woman quickly turned around and was met with some angry stares in her direction. This was bad. She ordered the marines to keep moving and followed at a hurried pace, when the Klingon leader shouted behind her.

“What have you done?” He bellowed.

Jasmine heard another Klingon yell about not being able to get a transporter lock on the grain. Maybe the Phoenix found a way to prevent the Klingons from transporting the grain but she didn’t stay around to find out, jogging after the marines into the woods. As she ran up the hill, the Asian kept glancing behind her to see if the Klingons were mounting a chase. So far no sign of them yet.

Hobbs called out to her and the marines, “There’s a trail through the woods that leads back into town and should provide us cover from the Klingons.”

“Lead on,” Jasmine called back. They had followed Hobbs to a narrow trail, surrounded by tall trees on all sides, hunched together over their heads. Eventually, after about twenty minutes, the group reached the end of the trail and stepped out of the woods. Yu sighed with relief at the sight of the town.

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~*~
Ranjani S.
Writing for

Lieutenant Jasmine Yu
Chief of Security and Tactical
USS PHOENIX