Chirakis

Sky Harbour Aegis Chat Log for 12 February 2010 100212.txt

Welcome, Jack. Jump in and get your feet wet and it's almost guaranteed you'll never leave. Ask questions, check out the advanced sims and watch a few to see how it's done, play in the academies and enjoy yourself. See you around!

On the Third Day The first 48 hours in solitary confinement had been quite uneventful - at least from Chirakis Kirel's perspective. Solitary's dimly lit dank gray walls, deck, and flooring weren't exactly a welcome environment, but its stark metal construction served its purpose as a conduit for sound. The sharp clink of dishes and shuffle of feet in the adjacent Midway, music and muffled chatter from decks above and below, the hum of equipment and scraping of objects on the decking gave her information enough to determine the inhabitants' general disposition and a broad idea of the station's general physical condition. But she hadn't an inkling of what happened beyond unless an occasional careless comment from a guard or visitor reached her ears. But there had been few visitors of late, which in itself spoke volumes. That Ambassador Drankum had ordered a strike team to TKR-117, that Captain Halloway had intervened with the USS Yorktown and a near-deadly standoff ensued, and that both the team and the Yorktown were en route to Aegis fell outside her realm of perception. The first forty-eight hours were, indeed, quiet. The last fourteen, however, had been more eventful. The first bits of information had come from Dr. Belar, who had come to dutifully check on the health of prisoners Chirakis and Dabi. Though the commander had an innate mistrust of telepathic species, they did have their uses, and Dr. Belar's mention of Yorktown meant Halloway was en route. Then came the red alert caused by Cdr Brown and the USS Odyssey, but that was less of a surprise. Kirel's subcutaneous implant had activated, and that rarely happened. Several hours later, Dr. Feretti and SrLtn Le Morte came in under escort. By her count, one third of the station's Starfleet officers were now under arrest. Add Halloway and Brown to the mix along with their formidable ships, and if the last few hours had been eventful, Kirel wondered at what might happen in the next few.

Sky Harbour Aegis Mission Summary for 5 February 2010 USS Yorktown is in station orbit. USS Odyssey is docked and under guard. Captain Halloway was given a red carpet welcome with full honor guard. Ambassador Drankum informed him of the mutiny charge against some of Aegis' crew and then invited him to dinner. The brig became more crowded, with Feretti and Le Morte joining Chirakis and Dabi. Dr. Lepage's request that the science team be brought to the medical suite for post-mission physicals was denied. Time between games is 1 hour.

Sky Harbour Aegis Chat Log for 5 February 2010 100205.txt

STSF welcomes Pinner Chase back to the ranks as he graduated from the Sunday Matinee Academy! Congratulations, Pinner!

Welcome to STSF, Anthony. It seems you have quite a bit of experience that should make your transition to our way of doing things fairly easy. See you in the academy!

Mission Summary | Sky Harbour Aegis | 29 January 2010 The USS Yorktown, with Cptn Halloway in command, picked up Aegis' science team from TKR-117, along with the colony Administrator, Dr. McDowell. On the way to Aegis, Cptn Halloway sequestered himself to sort out what appeared to be a complicated situation on the station. Meanwhile, Dr. McDowell, Dr. Feretti, and Ltn LeMorte discussed their options and defense strategies. Aboard Aegis' shuttle Gravius, which is shadowing the Yorktown, Sec Tech Bean, Axelis, and Wolfe occupied their time playing cards and generally annoying one another. On the station, Ambassador Drankum was also sequestered, preparing for Halloway's arrival. Dr. Belar visited the brig and informed Cent. Dabi and Cdr Chirakis that the Yorktown is en route and Odyssey is in the area. During their ongoing investigation of Drankum and Chirakis, Drs McKinney and Pavilion found a classified unidentifiable insert in Chirakis' left forearm. Ltn Fletcher experienced the loneliness of command as he kept the station on an even keel. In the Control Tower, Ops Manager Fisher detected an anomaly closely approximating the signature that appeared when the Odyssey first approached. SubCommander Jorahl ordered yellow alert and brought the defense grid to full. SubCommander Jorahl and Cdr Brown of USS Odyssey exchanged words. The Odyssey docked under strict surveillance. Ostensibly bearing a message for Cdr Chirakis, Cdr Brown was denied access. Time between games is 3 hours. In that time Yorktown will be close enough to begin docking procedures.

Mission Brief: Several members of the USS Canton (those of us here) are on their way to a special Star Fleet conference on a nearby space station. We are within a half hour of our destination. Captain (CO) -- STSF Spyder Operations (OPS) -- Revon TACTICAL (TAC) -- John the Ripper Chief of Engineering (CENG) -- Pinner Chase Chief of Medical (CMO) -- TKAR

Welcome back, Pinner! I see that you graduated March 11, 2005 - yes, quite a while ago. Glad you've returned - see you in the academies.

Chat log for Sky Harbour Aegis, 22 January 2010. 100122.txt

Mission Update - Sky Harbour Aegis - 15 January 2010 SubCommander Jorahl replaced Commander Chirakis as executive officer. Chirakis, accused of mutiny, remained in solitary confinement. LtCdr Coleridge was placed in charge of engineering. Centurion Dabi was in the brig, but Ltn Porter was released and confined to his quarters. Drs McKinney and Pavilion discussed the possibility that aliens from Aegis's past have returned to "inhabit" the command staff. Mimi was off to get scans of Chirakis and Drankum, if possible. The strike force led by NPC Sec Tech Bean and accompanied by NPCs Wolfe and Axcelis, reached TKR 117 and were met by the USS Yorktown. Sitting tight on TKR 117, Administrator McDowell, LtCdr Feretti, and SrLtn Le Morte tried to contact the Yorktown, but Aegis jammed communications. Dr. Feretti created a distress signal by varying the colony's energy core electrostatic discharge; it was detected by the Yorktown but not the runabout. No time between games. At sim begin: The Yorktown will be in orbit of TKR 117; There has been no contact between Aegis and the Yorktown (Drankum wants Halloway to "show his cards"); Yorktown will have just received the squirted message from the colony but they will not have any specifics on the situation; The strike team is holding position above the colony.

Chat log for Sky Harbour Aegis, 15 January 2010. 100115.txt

Incarceration What do you fear? Few trees grew on the remote Cardassian colony of Ienur, and those few clustered in an oasis around the labor camp's meager water supply. For a sapling to grow to maturity was rare, and when it did it drew the attention of every living thing. So it was for those who labored there, for the Bajoran slaves whose lives meant little beside the ore they scraped from veins deep within the planetoid. For a child to live past infancy showed exceptional stamina. For it to grow old enough to labor drew the attention of every living thing, especially the overlords, who marked the parents as good breeders, as if they were beasts of burden. For a child to reach full maturity was rare, and for a female to reach maturity and keep her honor was nothing short of a miracle. At the age of maturity the parents of one young Bajoran female gave her the name Kirel, which meant free one. Aware of her uncanny ability to avoid danger and consequence, her parents dared to dream the unimaginable. What do you fear? Kirel feared not solitude; she embraced it as an ally and a refuge from persecution. Solitary confinement on Aegis brought her freedom. The cell's interior, though unfurnished, seemed spacious compared to her Ienur hiding place – a burrow within the Cardassian garbage dump. There she hid when Cardassian guards, in drunken marauding, stumbled through the camp in search of temporary companionship. Amid the putrid castoffs of the dump few would look for a missing slave. She had survived and retained her honor by stealth and cunning, like the trees of Ienur whose roots grew shallow to absorb moisture when nightfall teased it from the atmosphere, yet one root, more decisive, struck out towards any other source of water, and if that source dried up the tree produced another root, disengaging the first and leaving it behind. One tree grew quite far from the soldiers' main camp, but close to the mine. Sandwiched between boulders, it seemed to thrive without food or water, but Kirel had found its water source. She was thin and small, and therefore often overlooked during work detail. Cracks in the ground through which no adult could crawl led her to a cool hollow that condensed the smallest amount of moisture. Beneath this tree, broader and more densely foliated than most, Cardassian guards sat during the heat of the day, their conversations drifting down to that hollow and the young Bajoran girl, eager for knowledge. The guards spoke of the stars, colonies on distant worlds, great stations in the sky – Terok Nor and Empok Nor, of other worlds, other species, and the Federation. To Kirel, these were the things of dreams. Glorious battles and political intrigue laced their stories – some fact and some fiction. Their words became an education, the beginning of her plans for escape. Occasionally, when the day waned, their discussions darkened. One discussion in particular could not be ignored. What do you fear? Kirel feared neither hunger nor thirst, the two closest companions of her childhood. She survived on little, required little, desired little. Of the meals furnished her in solitary she took what she needed to think clearly and survive and nothing more. She feared not torture nor pain. To those her Cardassian overlords had given her immunity. Torture and pain passed away – sometimes quickly, sometimes not so quickly – but they did pass eventually. She feared not dishonor. Honor and respect were states of mind, and so long as she was at peace with her decisions she would retain them no matter what the circumstances. She feared not death. Death was inevitable, something over which she had no control. What do you fear? She feared but one thing, and as she stood within the barren confines of Aegis' solitary confinement cell it seemed to her that she might elude that fear if Drankum had his way. That one thing did not seem a part of her future. And it almost made her smile.

Mission Summary - Sky Harbour Aegis - 8 January 2010 The station is presently at alert condition yellow. On the Control Tower: Ambassador Drankum is in command. SubCommander Jorahl is Executive Officer. All station systems are back online. Security codes have been reset. Ambassador Drankum informed SFCommand, the Ferengi Alliance, and the Romulan High Command that "the mutiny has been put down and they request assistance." Ambassador Drankum informed the crew and those on the colony of the situation. Aegis personnel on the colony were ordered to return to the station. The Detainees: SubCommander Jorahl questioned Cdr Chirakis, Centurion Dabi, and Operations Manager Porter. Porter was released from the brig and confined to quarters. Jorahl offered Dabi suicide as an alternative to public disgrace. In Medical: Cdr Chirakis was cleared by Drs. Lepage and McKinney. Dr. Pavilion researched the possibility that command staff have been infected by a virus. After a heated discussion, Dr. Lepage went to the Control Tower to take his place as Second Officer. In Security, Sec Tech Bean replaced Security Chief tr'Jeth Dabi. In Engineering, Chief Jorahl handed command to LtCmdr Coleridge. On TKR117: Administrator McDowell, Cdr Feretti, and SrLtn Le Morte continued working at the archaeological site. After the science officers were ordered to return to the station, Administrator McDowell requested that they be allowed to remain at the colony and continue working. Unbeknownst to the colonists, Ambassador Drankum ordered a strike force - headed by Sec Tech Bean - to arrest the science team and forcefully return them to Aegis. Time Between Games is 10 hours. In that time the strike force will be within striking distance of the colony.

Welcome to 01/10/10.

Chat Log for Sky Harbour Aegis - 8 January 2010 100108.txt

Mission Summary - Sky Harbour Aegis - 18 December 2009 Believing that Commander Chirakis was staging a mutiny, Ambassador Drankum, with the aid of Engineering Chief Jorahl, brought an armed team to the control tower and took control of the station. Commander Chirakis is currently under arrest, having undergone both a physical and psychological examination. Security Chief tr'Jeth Dabi and Operations Manager Damian Porter are also being held and undergoing interrogation. The medical team of Drs. Lepage, McKinney, and Pavilion, in charge of the physical and psychological evaluations of the incarcerated senior officers, are frustratingly caught in the middle with no apparent exit. Administrator McDowell, Cdr. Feretti, and SrLtn LeMorte were giving Commander Chirakis an update via comm from the archaeological dig on TKR-117. Confused and alarmed after witnessing the station takeover, they have decided to sit tight, gather more information, and await further developments. Time between games is an hour or two.

Meanwhile "Kraxon!" "Yeah?" "Toss me a pouch. And the hydration unit." "One steak, rare, comin' up!" A package of field rations - one step above emergency rations - lobbed from the darkened side of the narrow tunnel. A few seconds later, a young well-built human emerged from the shadows carrying a small hydration unit. He was dressed in a rumpled flight suit, the Aegis logo prominent on one sleeve. "Tastes like sulag." A Talarian, a few years older than the human, palmed the pack in mid-air as he gave it disgusted look. "Mishega could've done better with supplies." His flight suit was the same, but a bit more worn than the human's. It was singed along one side and one leg bore a small tear. He leaned against an ejection seat that was propped on the tunnel wall and tore the ration pack open with his teeth. "That's chicken, Weir. Tastes like chicken." Weir gave a grunt. "Same thing," he said, reaching for his mess kit. "Yeah, but it doesn't have the same ring to it." Kraxon knelt by the fire and tore open his package, eyed the contents suspiciously, then gave a shrug and poured them into his cup. "We should check the water on this rock. Sooner than later," said Weir, taking a tentative taste of his package's hydrated contents. The young human stopped stirring. "But... we'll be gone soon." Weir stopped chewing and eyed the younger pilot. "And if we're not, we'll have to find other sources of food and water. These won't last forever." Kraxon feigned nonchalance and they ate in silence for a few minutes, utensils clicking against cups. Between them the fire shadowed their faces, spilled patterns on the mottled tunnel walls and barely reflected in a puddle at the entrance. Outside, an occasional breeze broke the stillness of an otherwise barren asteroid. "So," Kraxon eyed Weir as he shifted to stretch out on his bedroll, "how long you figure before they get us?" "Supposed to be..." Weir sucked something from between his teeth as he checked the chrono on his suit, "A few more days. Mishega said to give her two seven-days." "Any idea what's going down? Why all this, I mean," Kraxon answered Weir's puzzled look. "Damned if I know. I just do what I'm told when I'm told. Don't ask questions. Easier - safer that way." A snap and hiss echoed off the wall, the sound of bedroll opening and inflating. Weir stashed his mess kit and stretched out facing the entrance. "Afraid they'll come looking?" Kraxon chuckled, ticking his head at the opening. "Who? Starfleet? Allies?" Weir's hearty laugh echoed through the tunnel's interior. "Hell, they think we're dead. They probably picked up the fighter explosions on Cardassia! Why would they come looking?" After a pause he added, "Never hurts to be cautious." After some time the younger sighed. "Few more days, huh?" "Few more days." Another long pause. "And if she doesn't come...?" Weir propped himself up on one elbow. "Look. Kid. She'll be here. Trust me. She's good. Fourteen days. We got our packs, our kits, enough food for a month." "Yeah, and we're on the edge of the belt, pretty much out of sensor range. They picked this rock because the composition scrambles...." Before Kraxon could finish, Weir was on him. "Mishega knows where we are. She's good for her word. Trust me." They locked eyes a minute. Kraxon finally repositioned himself on the bedroll. "And I don't care what you say. It still tastes like sulag."

Deposition A Joint Log by Dr. Lepage and Cdr Chirakis After the conversation with DJ, Nick was determined to try and find out what on Earth was going on. And who better to ask than Commander Chirakis who happened to be sitting on a biobed in his sickbay. Nick knew that she had received training to withstand various interrogation techniques. So he had no doubt she knew all the right answers to pass this psych evaluation. Still, he wanted to take this chance and try to gather as much information as he could. So he walked into main sickbay and made a beeline for Chirakis' bed. Commander Chirakis turned as he entered, her expression a mix of patience and mild condescension. With a deep sigh Nick pulled up a stool and sat down in front of her. He looked her straight in the eyes. "Alright, Commander, we both know that this is as pointless as asking Drankum for a raise," he said, not bothering with niceties. "So how about we have a little chat about what is going on instead?" Chirakis met his gaze, her arms folded, her expression noncommittal. “I’m not in the mood for playing games, Commander,“ Nick added after waiting for any kind of reply. “About a week ago you ordered me to do a psych evaluation on Drankum who, at that moment, was in custody. And now, lo and behold, you are sitting in my sickbay and I am to do a psych evaluation on you while you are in custody. I’m sure you understand my confusion about this whole situation.” He cocked his head but held eye contact. Chirakis' mouth drew taut. The guards, who had moved a few steps closer to them when Lepage approached her, stiffened and raised their weapons when she angled her eyes towards them and back to Lepage. "This is no game, Doctor," she growled, weary of his sarcasm, "and if you believe it to be you are more naive than I ever suspected. Ask a question and I will answer." Astounding that this physician could diagnose the most obscure illness and repair a mangled body but could not see beyond his own insecurity. And he was the second officer of the station? Once again she cursed her position, half hoping for a court martial, half bound to duty, as damnable as it might be. The guards returned to their original positions but remained watchful. “You want a question, fine. Here is one. Why exactly did you order Drankum to be put into custody? Did you have any ulterior motives or did you really believe he was unfit for duty?” The little patience Nick still had was wearing thin very quickly and he finally wanted some answers. Her narrowed eyes returned, along with the mild condescension. "Why did I place the ambassador in custody? Do I have . . . ulterior motives?" She gave a sigh that could be interpreted as exasperation. "I fail to see what that has to do with a psychological evaluation, Doctor. However, for the sake of deposition and because you are technically the second officer of this station and will take command if both Ambassador Drankum and myself are..." here she paused, the double entendre clear, "...deposed..., I will answer. "I placed Ambassador Drankum in custody because he was disruptive on the command deck during an attack by a superior alien force. He was disruptive to the point of endangering the station and the lives of all station personnel, civilian or otherwise. He was disruptive enough that I made a fatal error that resulted in the deaths of two superb pilots and the loss of their fighters. I suspect him of sabotage and collaboration with the enemy." Present tense. Subtext obvious. “I saw the security feeds, Commander. You don’t trust him and he doesn’t trust you. Under normal circumstances I would rather cut off my right arm than get involved but we have an enemy out there who could strike any second. This is not the time to play king of the hill. We should be working on a plan to defend this station instead of fighting over who’s in command.” Nick didn’t know what he was trying to achieve with his little speech. He was sure both Chirakis and Drankum were aware of the threat. Still, he couldn’t resist reminding her. "You have a plan?" This question took Nick by surprise. “A plan?” he spluttered. Chirakis waited a few beats before continuing. "I am under arrest, Doctor. For mutiny. Ambassador Drankum has placed both Mr. Porter and Centurion Dabi in custody as well. As I mentioned to Dr. McKinny, all personnel who are most adept at defending this station, except for SubCommander Jorahl, have been removed. There are no Starfleet personnel in control. None. How do you propose we plan to defend the station?" Nick got up and paced up and down in front of the biobed. “Until a week ago I doubt you even considered me fit to run this sickbay and now you’re asking me to come up with a plan to make Drankum come to his senses and defend the station?” He stopped right in front of her, looking down on her. “You and Drankum got us into this mess and quite frankly, the only solution I can see right now is for me to declare you and him unfit for duty and take over command. The only thing that bugs me is that Drankum seems quite fond of the use of disruptors. That alone is reason enough for a court-martial.” She gave a small shrug and left her expression open for interpretation. Sitting back down, Nick ran a hand over his face in a gesture of frustration. “How would I even get him arrested?” "Arrested? Do you want to arrest him?" She lowered her voice to an intense whisper and gestured just enough for emphasis, not enough to bring the guards within hearing range. "You're going to overpower a force of Romulans armed with disruptors defending a radical, unpredictable Ferengi? Create more injuries? Casualties? Is that what you want?" Definitely not a tactical officer. Nick sat in silence, contemplating Chirakis’ question. As Dr. Lepage was not forthcoming she continued, leaning towards him and turning her face casually away from the guards' line of sight. "If you're looking for transfer of power there are much more subtle ways. Safer ways. Negotiation is one, but in the ambassador's present state of mind I doubt he will be open to negotiation. "Creation of a common enemy is another. Beings threatened by a common enemy are more apt to unite against it rather than to continue their petty squabbles. We already have a common enemy, whether or not Ambassador Drankum is in collaboration. And the common enemy does not have to actually attack to unite those on the station to achieve a common goal." Clear subtext again. “If Drankum’s collaborating with them it would make them his allies. Whether or not they’ll turn on him as soon as he’s played his role remains to be seen. However, I am not convinced he’s actually…hang on,” Nick paused as he understood her meaning. “Do you actually suggest we stage an attack?” The commander gave a noncommittal tilt of her head. “Sacrifice!” Nick muttered, resorting to cursing in his native language. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

An AhhA! moment, Admiral?

End Game Had the situation not been so serious, Cdr Chirakis would have laughed. She'd seen the signs of insurrection for days - Jorahl's manipulations of the security systems, his conversations on the midway and his poignant questions laced with innuendo. But this? Her feet firmly planted amidships in Sky Harbour Aegis' control tower, she stood, unarmed, facing the turbolift doors as they spewed forth... an army? Am I that much of a threat? She glanced at the viewscreen, half expecting the fleet. Only years of practice hid the contempt that lingered just beneath the surface. SubCommander Jorahl exited first, leveling his disruptor at Chirakis. Behind him came a fuming, spluttering Ferengi accompanied by Dr. McKinny. Then the point guard - loosely disguised as ordinary tower personnel - turned from their posts and took aim at Cdr Chirakis, Security Chief Dabi, and Operations Manager Porter. On cue. She had expected everything but the overkill and melodrama, and she wondered if anyone was left to watch the store or if every available crewman had been summoned to storm the keep. "Ah, Commander, for a bar of latinum the odds of finding you here." Ambassador Drankum's cane clicked on the deck at his approach. And where else would I be during Alpha Shift? Her passive expression and lack of response seemed to aggravate him further. Drankum reached into his jacket to add his own disruptor to the twenty-odd others already pointing in her direction. The entire situation struck her as absurd, even ludicrous. "You are hereby under arrest for mutiny, you and your friends." My... friends? He was going to drag as many "conspirators" into the situation as possible, if for no other reason than to justify the onslaught. Such was Drankum's style, or lack thereof. She was not about to play his game, nor was she going to play by his rules. She would not resist. If she did it would result in a full-scale skirmish. There would be injuries, most probably deaths, and definite damage to the control tower. And wouldn't that leave the station in a wonderful state of chaos, ripe for another alien attack? Wouldn't that play right into Drankum's hands? As disruptors leveled in her direction, Chirakis' eyes leveled at Ambassador Drankum. Jorahl was following orders. Drankum was up to something, and even if it involved her own incarceration, Kirel would find out what it was. She would have to trust others to come to their senses, and she would place her own trust in one in particular. "So you have two choices," Drankum continued. "Either go to the brig and get your bankrupt pips off my control center or be dragged there." "Perhaps the dragging would be more dramatic, Ambassador," Kirel replied evenly, her contempt coming a bit closer to the surface. "That is what you would like, isn't it?" "With all due respect, Mr. Ambassador," Dr. McKinny interrupted, "may I suggest the Commander requires a complete physical and psychological exam." "Yes, yes," grumbled the Ferengi, lowering his weapon. "I think that would look good on the balance sheet." * * * * * * * DJ's thoughts raced as she led the Commander and four "escorts" to the turbolift. She wasn't that experienced in command politics but she knew a disaster when she saw one and this was a doosy. DJ wasn't sure what she expected to happen when Drankum and his entourage arrived at the command center. She was pretty sure there would be a confrontation but weapons? She chided herself for her naivete. She'd never considered the possibility that weapons might be involved and the more she thought about it, the more she felt like she should have stayed in Sickbay.Then again, at least she knew what was going on and why. The trip to Sickbay was quick and quiet. DJ spoke only once and that was to order the armed escorts to holster their weapons, an order they reluctantly obeyed. No one else said a word. Once inside the medical facility, they garnered a few stares from curious staff members but Sickbay was fairly busy. Most didn't have time to even look up. DJ led the group to a quiet corner and motioned for Chirakis to sit on one of the biobeds. A single glare sent the guards off toward the main entrance and another emergency exit. For the first time ever, DJ McKinny was alone with the XO. She activated the biobed's scanners and then peered into the eyes of the ever cool Commander. "Permission to speak freely?" asked DJ. She didn't wait for a reply. "This is one helluva a mess," she continued quietly. "We both know I'm not going to find anything physically wrong with you....or psychologically for that matter." DJ checked the data scan more out of habit than expectation. The display gave her pause. Glancing quickly at her patient, she silently wondered how this Bajoran had survived the various traumas she'd been subjected to. DJ also determined she would review Chirakis' medical file as soon as she completed the physical. She seriously regretted not having done so earlier. In spite of her previous injuries, the Commander's current health appeared more than acceptable. In fact, considering her medical history, she was in excellent condition. So there really wasn't a physiological cause for Chirakis' behavior. But at this point, the cause seemed irrelevant. The solution was the priority. "I'm not going to ask why you disobeyed a direct order. But I would like to hear your ideas on how to diffuse this situation." Chirakis gave a snort and began to remove the glove from her right hand. "Diffuse the situation, Doctor? It seems to me that the fuse is already ignited and the charge has already exploded." She gave the glove a snap and a precise fold, placing it on the biobed next to her. "I am more concerned with picking up the pieces before another charge is set. The ambassador is systematically removing those who have the most expertise in defense of this station. Except for SubCommander Jorahl. And he, being Romulan, is following the dictates of authority." After slowly peeling off the other glove, she smoothed it, creased the fold, and layered it precisely with the first, then looked directly at DJ for the first time since leaving the control tower. "When our alien friends return - and be assured that they will - those who are most adept at operating the station at maximum efficiency during the attack will be out of the way. If this is the ambassador's plan, he has succeeded. If it is not his plan, the station most probably will be destroyed." DJ forced herself to remain calm. "I firmly believe it will take both you and the Ambassador to pick up the pieces," she replied quietly. "And it's imperative we prevent any further charges from being set. I'm afraid that is exactly what will happen if there is another attempt to remove Drankum as the commander of this station." The physician momentarily wondered if she dared voice her opinions on the station's security. She wasn't all that familiar with security protocols but she opted to be forthright with the XO. "I tend to agree with you that our friends will return. But Drankum may not appreciate your expertise on security matters since your refusal to obey his order resulted in the loss of several of our fighters....and their pilots." Chirakis' eyes narrowed as she turned to stare at the far wall. "My influence in this situation has ended, Doctor, and I doubt the ambassador will pick up the pieces except to deposit them in his bank account. Whether that is fortunate or unfortunate remains to be seen, but I hope the former is true. With external communications strictly controlled by the present regime, assistance from Starfleet or the joint allies is probably out of the question. However, we do have some who witnessed the takeover in the control tower. Cdr Feretti, SrLtn LeMorte, and Administrator McDowell, along with her colonists are off-station. External communications with them were operational at the time and their communications array may not be compromised. It's possible that they may help in some way." DJ turned her back to Chirakis and rolled her eyes. She hoped all of those off station would stay out of it. They didn't know the whole story. Most people didn't. The plain fact was, the XO disobeyed a direct order. As the station's commander, Drankum had a legitimate complaint. It was quite possible Chirakis would face a courts martial unless she and the Ambassador could reach a settlement....and that needed to happen quickly and quietly. It didn't help that Drankum's ego had been badly wounded when he was banished to his quarters. At least his psych eval was handled in private. The Commander was here, in Sickbay, in full view of the medical staff and a fair number of patients. DJ was absolutely certain the grape vine had already kicked in and rumors were flying. She turned around once again. "Relax for a few minutes," she said quietly as she switched off the biobed's scanners. "I'll fetch the CMO. He should be the one to administer your psych eval." Chirakis didn't respond. She continued staring at the far wall. For all DJ knew, the Commander didn't hear a word she said. DJ lightly tapped her on the knee. "Our 'escorts' are at both of the exits. Please don't try to leave. We both know that will only exacerbate the situation." As DJ walked toward Nick Lepage's office, she looked back at her unwilling patient. Commander Chirakis remained where she was, motionless....her eyes narrowed and staring at the far wall.

Sky Harbour Aegis, also falling on December 25 and January 1, will be taking a two-week hiatus. Our next sim will be January 8 when the crew will hopefully have come to grips with the alleged mutiny.

Sky Harbour Aegis Chat Log for 18 December 2009 091218.txt

Mission Summary - Sky Harbour Aegis - 11 December 2009 Leilani Feretti was promoted to Commander. Scott Coleridge was promoted to Lieutenant Commander Ambassador Drankum remained in his quarters doing what Ferengi do best. The station has received reports from various nearby sectors of space, a "strange unidentified species" passing through without attacking. Operations Manger Porter is sorting through the reports looking for a pattern or any other information that can be gleaned. Concerned about these reports, Cdr Chirakis visited engineering to examine station readiness and inform SubCommander Jorahl of the new information. She instead found LtCdr Coleridge and Lt Fletcher and was not entirely pleased with their responses. Drs. Lepage, Belar, and Pavilion continued to patch up crew injured in the last attack. Cdr Chirakis visited the injured. Drs McDowell and Feretti, along with Mr. LeMorte, descended to the working area of the archaeological dig on TKR 117. Cdr Chirakis is interested in anything they find at the site, especially anything that may point directly or indirectly to the attacking species. So far, most of the artifacts and characters they have found appear to be more Tkon in origin, though the scientists are moving cautiously and are not jumping to conclusions. Time between games is one day.