USS Explorer 11:03 SET 2185 “We can’t go groundside,” Lieutenant Commander Ames was saying as he was sitting at one of the empty chairs on the bridge.  “The number of people he’d have to have to sufficiently guard all those hostages far outweighs my whole security team.  We’ll have to do it from up here.” “But Marauder’s on the surface,” Commander Vaughn pointed out.  “If we want to prevent a scenario like this from happening again, it’s best that we stop it at the source.” “Agreed,” said Mansel with a nod.  “We have to. find a way to get down to the surface and get Marauder.” Since the incident out in the Corcian space, the Explorer had moved a system over, so as not to pose as a sitting duck for whomever Marauder decided to send to polish off what the first two ships had done. “Does Admiral Blackbird want him dead or alive?” Lieutenant Hardy asked. “Alive, at all costs, it seems.  Even though he’s done some pretty atrocious things to UNSF, he is to be tried by judge and jury like every other interstellar criminal.” “We might could use a diversion up here to distract Marauder down there,” Ames offered, swiveling in his seat from Vaughn to Mansel.  “While he’s distracted...we nab ‘em.” “What kind of diversion can one ship make?” Lieutenant Talaj asked him.  “All we could be is a thorn in their side, not enough to do any real damage.” “This is a perfect example of bad distribution of resources,” Mansel muttered.  “One ship can’t do this.  We need to enlist the help of some other people.” “Do you have anyone in particular in mind?” Commander Vaughn asked the captain. Mansel nodded.  “Yes, I do, actually.  The Titan.  Lieutenant Hardy, track down the Titan and tell Captain Andreyavich that we wish to ask for his aid one more time.” “It might take a while, sir,” she remarked before getting underway, looking for the carrier ship. “Anyone else that we know to lend us aid?” Vaughn asked while Mansel pondered over his next step. “Besides the Stealthlon, no,” the captain asked, shaking his head.  The Titan and Stealthlon are the only two ships we’ve come in contact with since we’ve been out here.”  He paused, tugging at his bottom lip.  "If we could get another carrier, though, we might have a fighting chance.” "Ten ships against three?” Lamb asked.  “That’s three-to-one odds...we could barely handle two.” “But carriers have fighters,” Mansel argued.  “Those fighters could help us out greatly.” “I still don’t think it’ll be enough.” Commander Vaughn sighed and shook his head.  “As much as I’d hate to do it, I have to agree with Lamb,” he said, glancing from the Security Chief to Mansel.  “At least two more ships...at least.” “We need a small fleet,” Lamb mumbled to himself, but Mansel ignored him. “What about the Foch-C?” offered Lieutenant Talaj.  “It’s a carrier ship.  As to its current whereabouts I am uncertain.” “Is it in 4th Fleet?” Mansel asked from his chair. The Science Officer brushed a strand of hair from in front of her eye.  “Every other ship to hold the name Foch has been in 4th Fleet, so it is a safe assumption that the Foch-C is also in 4th Fleet.” “How far is the nearest space station?” Vaughn asked Broadaway, who turned to his console to pull up the information. “The farthest one is seven light years from here, sir,” he replied.