STSF Shadow

Indeed.

Not to mention the energy beings.

The Monosyllabic Lifestyle Communication was the key. The Odile used long, complicated words, detested monosyllabic chatter, and shuddered when speaking in the third person. The Odile was definitely one of them – like the other biologicals on the ship. Tay, on the other hand, spoke succinctly, used few words, wasted less energy and powered-down (in her own way) when she was not needed. Shadow, being an energy being and concerned with conservation of energy, preferred that type of speech and that lifestyle. However, dealing with the two of them – the Odile and the Tay – presented problems, since they essentially spoke the same language, but they didn’t. Shadow paused in his musings to consider that last point. Perhaps it would have been better to say that the Odile and the Tay used the same words but spoke a different language? No. Incorrect. The Odile and the Tay used the same words but employed a different syntax. Complication and waste versus simplicity and conservation. Yes, that was the correct thought. Complication and waste seemed to pervade the atmosphere of Agincourt, and it seemed to Shadow that, were the ship to survive until they reached their ultimate destination – which seemed to the crew to be a long way from their present location, a puzzlement to Shadow who still struggled with time and space – they would do well to conserve what energy they had. Would it not be prudent, then, for Agincourt to adopt a more monosyllabic lifestyle? And would it not be prudent for the Tay and Shadow to teach the crew said lifestyle? In that regard, it seemed to Shadow that perhaps the Marines would be the best starting point. They seemed to deal extensively with monosyllables. Hair and Troll replaced Lt Major Hanna-Beth Rieve, and Captain David Merril. Granted, the others nicknames were more extensive, but it was a start. And when on a mission, the Marines tended to use few words, opting for hand signals and other means of communication. Yes, the Marines seemed to be a good place to start. At that point Shadow’s thoughts shifted yet again, to the current mission, and the waste of energy and the damage the assault team might incur. Not a pleasant thought to Shadow and apparently not a pleasant thought to the Tay, judging by her reaction. “Marines fight?” she said, a profound sadness in her tone and posture. “No Marines hurt?” “Fight yes. Damage biologicals,” Shadow replied with an equal amount of sadness. Having maintained close contact with some of the crew, Shadow had formed a type of bond to their energy signatures. This bond primarily served to identify individuals when they approached, but in some it had become so strong that when one was injured or in danger, Shadow felt the fluctuation, no matter how minute, in the energy signature. He knew the Nimetti had been injured, no matter how minor the injury may have been. And it bothered Shadow that he could not be used during a mission because he was a Seeker, and not a Marine. The JoNs was not a Marine and the JoNs went on missions. Tay and Shadow were energy-efficient. Why could they not be used during the missions? Why could they not employ their energy-efficient techniques to save the Marines from more damage? With each successive mission the thought grew so he could ignore it no longer. He would have to approach the Harper, and soon. It was a matter of efficiency, and communication was the key.

Material World A Shadow Log Stardate 61599.2 Shadow had learned to never be surprised at what he observed as a Seeker in this alien universe. That is, he tried not to be surprised, but in reality many things caused him to pause and rethink his concepts of matter, of biological beings – sentient and nonsentient – and nonbiological items, or “stuff” as The Hefner liked to call it. His latest puzzle came during his investigation of the Soltan ball weapon. He had learned to take notes, mostly for the edification of the Odile. The Odile seemed to derive much pleasure from reports, memos, and the like from her Seekers. Strange biologicals. Inefficient methods of communication: speech, reports, memos. To: The Odile From: The Shadow Re: Soltan Ball Weapon Observations: • The weapon does not work using pure energy. The Shadow cannot activate it. • The weapon works, but not efficiently, with DNA from crew members. • Crew members’ DNA activates the weapon but control is not evident. • Soltan DNA activates the weapon. The Shadow held DNA and weapon at same time; weapon attempted activation. • Weapon was activated but not detonated. Conclusions: • Soltan DNA activates weapon. • Shadow energy with Soltan DNA activates weapon. • Weapon is powerful energy. Do not activate on vessel. • More research necessary to determine method of detonation. After filing the report, Shadow was free to deal with the conundrum that faced him concerning the biologicals on the ship and their dependence on such. If the Soltan weapon depended on Soltan DNA for effective activation, did that imply that the Soltan DNA and the ball weapon were dependent on one another? By extension, Shadow considered the ship and its occupants. The occupants never left the ship while they were “in space” unless they took another ship or were transported. If they used the transporter or another ship they were forever in contact with Agincourt via energy beams in the form of communication devices. Were the biologicals on the ship intertwined with it as the Soltan DNA was intertwined with the weapon? Did they have a symbiotic relationship as The Prell had with his biological symbiont? Query memo. To: The Odile From: The Shadow Re: Proposed Investigation Propose investigation into biological dependence. • Do biologicals have a symbiotic relationship with Agincourt? • Can biologicals live outside Agincourt or similar environment? • Does Agincourt have symbiotic relationship with biologicals? Advise as to procedure.

Broken Semantics Main Entry: bro•ken 1 : violently separated into parts, shattered Syn: damaged, destroyed Broken. Shadow waved a tendril gently through the leaf that had just fallen from his plant, trying to understand how this could be “broken off” to grow a new plant. The plant’s existence was apparently different than that of other biologicals on this vessel. In his limited experience Shadow had yet to meet a biological that could, for instance, break off an arm and grow another of its species. He had questioned The Hefner extensively about his species’ reproduction – the meaning, the process, and anything else The Hefner cared to share – and he had not mentioned anything about reproducing in this manner. Strange. The Levy had given him the greatest gift – the gift of life, of the biological life that existed in Shadow’s new home. Now, by using the smallest amount of energy possible, he searched the plant’s energies to see how they were formed, how they moved, and how they combined to foster growth. Their molecules, atoms, and subatomic structures should give him insight into how, if something were broken, it could grow an entirely new copy of the original. And in the investigation he hoped he would be able to understand the concept of biological life. His greatest fear, of course, was that he would cause injury, but his energy tendril easily passed through the leaf and did no harm. He found that energy begat energy, or more properly, it encouraged a different form of energy. The initial injury released a different energy that encouraged cells to grow rather than to die, eventually resulting in the formation of a new plant. Interesting. Then why does not destructive energy beget constructive energy in the larger biologicals instead of damaging them? The Marshall was injured and nearly perished. The JoNs had been injured, though not as seriously as the Marshall, but could also perish if injured further. The Levy, The Tordai, and The Socom had energy manipulators of various design that could regenerate cells and repair damage. Why could they not stop what they called death? Shadow puzzled over these things as his tendril continued to observe the internal workings of the plant, essentially watching it grow. He knew he could power down enough to investigate the crew because he had done so to The Levy. Perhaps . . . . His tendril paused at a rudimentary root sprouting from the leaf’s stem. Perhaps their instruments were not as delicate as his energy tendril. And if his tendril were more delicate perhaps he could . . . . Placing the leaf in what The Levy called “growth medium,” Shadow turned his thoughts to another broken item, a non-biological item that no one had attempted to repair. Instead, it had been hidden and remained a constant source of consternation for its owner. It was non-biological; therefore it could not “die.” Perhaps he, using a delicate tendril . . . . Something else worth investigating.

“A Simple Task” The task seemed simple enough. Find an incompatible biological sign among a homogeneous group. Unlike the Agincourt, whose biological signs varied greatly because of diverse species, the Selshans seemed to prefer homogeneity, making the presence of an avian Umbara stick out like . . . well, an energy being among biologicals. It took Shadow all of two seconds to leave the ship, locate the missing member, and return, after which he announced to Lt Colonel Day, “I have found a different biological.” Considering his task complete, he slipped into the ether to rest. Coming back? The call from Lt Colonel Day gave Shadow pause. He had found the Umbara. Perhaps he had not been clear in his communication. Then, for a split second it occurred to him that the biologicals did not understand that his designation of seeker meant a bit more than looking for and finding. Not that he felt himself beneath any task. Indeed, the biologicals’ dependence on him for certain tasks filled a deep-seated need to feel valuable. “Can you point out which ship?” she asked when he reappeared. He had found the Umbara general. It was on a ship. Many ships dotted the view screen, but to point out which ship contained the general? Finally Shadow managed, “I know where the biological is,” not knowing what else to say. Can you get to it? Can you put a commbadge on it? Can you mark it somehow? Can TAC keep track of you? Can you set off fireworks on the ship somehow? Doesn’t Driscol have a way to track you? Wouldn’t Shadow be an energy anomaly that we could track? Could he leave a trail of breadcrumbs? Fireworks? Breadcrumbs? Ideas flew across the bridge like quarks in a neutron. Shadow found it a bit overwhelming until Lt Colonel Day said, “Shadow, could you cause an alteration in the energy of that ship? Something we could see?” Had he finally found one who understood? An alteration of the energy, of course! But what kind of alteration, and how to accomplish an alteration that would communicate exactly what the biologicals required? Then he remembered a sign on deck four just outside Cargo Bay 1, accompanied by the words You Are Here. With instructions from Lt Colonel Day to go forth and have fun, Shadow shrugged, told her to watch the view screen, and melted into the ether. “I'm afraid Shadow hasn't mastered jokes, sarcasm, and irony yet,” said Driscol. “We're working on it.” But after a few minutes, Chief Security Officer JoNs at TAC announced, “Whoa! Okay...I have something rather noticeable...On screen.” Colonel Harper’s jaw dropped as she turned to eye the screen. “Mr. Driscol? You were saying something about humor?” She pointed to a glowing arrow that had just come into view within the nebula. The arrow pointed to a Selshan ship. “I think he’s doing better in lessons than you thought.”

"The Enemy Within" On the morning of September 5, in the year 2397, in an uncharted region of the Perseus arm, Tactical Officer Beauregard's practiced eye shifted momentarily from its routine surveillance of several monitors to catch the briefest blip, an anomaly off Agincourt's port bow. Within half a second he had processed the information, reported it, and noted it in his log. It was small. Inconsequential. Further analysis showed no effect on any of Agincourt's systems, so Lt Sanchez, Officer of the Watch, dismissed it with a wave and entered a minute energy discharge of unknown origin into her log as well. Shortly thereafter an exhausted energy being seeped wearily through the hull and draped what was left of his field over a power junction just outside main engineering. Shadow lay there, desolate, bereft of all being, lost, bewildered, swirling in a dizzy spiral while conflicting elements of this universe stabbed at him, wielding a vicious blade that threatened to sever the very essence of his being and throw him into oblivion. Is this what they call death? Is this the end of my existence? And in it I feel the end without having known the beginning? How ironic that in my ending I should finally understand what has eluded me thus far, the essence of the finite existence of these biologicals, the end of being. Then, without so much as a thought, Shadow melted into the power conduit, remaining there inert, losing all sense of being, all sense of self. It had begun with a statement uttered by an unsuspecting Dr. Tordai. "The energy is none of your concern. It comes from those aboard the vessel. Their problems are their own." It was beyond his comprehension. These beings actually produced negative energy? If so, did they do so willingly? At that point, a primal force as ancient as the universe had triggered a change. Humanoids would call it instinct; he called it survival. Shadow had begun a slow, deliberate transformation as the full realization of Lexia's statement overtook him. In his universe there were positive and negative; there was no middle ground. Shadow's survival and the survival of his bond depended on defense against the negative, and as he spoke his final words the change came upon him in full force. He struggled to suppress it, to prevent himself from transforming from benign to destructive, but he was powerless. "The biologicals on this vessel create negative energy? How is that possible? We must do combat." "No, we must not do battle," Lexia had said. A surging ball of energy grew inside him, slowly overcoming his Vulcan science officer form. "Negative energy is dangerous. How can we not do battle?" "Negative energy is dangerous, yes, but it is not always a threat." Shadow backed away, his combat form growing exponentially. How could it not be a threat? How could these beings he called friends harbor the negative? How could they produce it, coexist with it? "It is always a threat. It can destroy everything." "So can the antimatter on this ship," she had continued. "Sometimes a little risk . . . " But he did not hear the rest. She did not know the difference. She did not know the danger. Then Shadow had found himself faced with a choice. He could combat the negative energy and in so doing destroy all he knew in this universe, destroy his friends, destroy his home. Or, he could deal with the negative as he never had before. He could retreat, exit the ship, discharge in space, and return to confront this negative energy in a different way. If he survived. He chose the latter, plunged alone into the emptiness of space beyond the hull, and discharged harmlessly. Harmless to those he called friends, but not harmless to himself. Without his bonded cohorts, without other energy beings for support in the fight, Shadow almost totally dissipated. Exhausted, with barely enough energy to slip back into the ship and find a power source, he felt himself at the end of his existence. Have they not known? Have they not heard? Have they not been told it from the foundations of the universe? They concern themselves with a virus and worry how the virus changes physiology, how it destroys the original being and remakes it into another. But the Driscol says a virus can be contained, a virus can be destroyed. This energy they produce, they nourish it, they harbor it within themselves, fomenting disorder and chaos. That is more powerful and more destructive than any virus. His revival came with a jolt, a sudden fluctuation in ship's power, that shocked him back to existence. Still, he lay there weak and trembling, wondering if it were better to be here, among those who embraced the negative, or to fade from existence. Once again he felt lost. Alone. How could he tell them? Would they understand? Would they try to understand? The enemy is not external. The enemy is within.

The Lesson ~A Shadow Log~ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GySgt Mike Hefner configured Agincourt's holodeck for a special presentation, one he hoped would illustrate a human peculiarity to his newfound friend. Soft music drifted from a jazz trio in the corner. Fresh linen draped intimate round cocktail tables which dotted the area between the backlit bar and dance floor. Here and there couples murmured, huddled in various stages of interaction while a cranberry-glass candelabra flickered candlelight from the ceiling. "We call it romance," said Mike in his Aussie drawl as he slipped into a seat next to Shadow at the bar and ordered a Glenfiddich, neat. Dressed specially for this occasion in what Gunny called civvies, Shadow studied the room. "Romance," he repeated as though trying to absorb all its connotations and innuendoes. "And this romance leads to procreation?" "Ummm...sometimes. It depends." "Depends?" Mike nodded. "Depends." "On what?" The lesson didn't appear to be as straightforward as Mike had hoped. He took a deep breath. "Think of romance as getting to know someone really, really, really well. Then you decide if you want to . . . procreate." He winked. Shadow's face lit up. "Getting to know someone really well, as I came to know Dr. Levy, Kairi, Colonel Harper . . . ." Mike paused mid-sip so he wouldn't choke and held up his hand. "No, no, no, Shadow. Getting to know them is what we call friendship." He waved his glass towards Shadow. "That's like me getting to know you. That's friendship. But," Glass in hand, Mike pointed a free finger at a particularly curvaceous young lady across the room, "getting to know her - now, that's romance." A grin and a long pull on his scotch settled him back in position, one arm on the bar, the other draped over the back of the barstool. A glance at the girl, then around the room, then back at Mike indicated Shadow's confusion before he ventured, "There is something different about that female, something that is attractive to you. Why are you not attracted to the other females? Why do you choose this one?" Gunny paused thoughtfully watching her glide across the room. A red gown fell softly to her ankles, hugging the curvature of her figure and tugging intriguingly here and there. A gold clasp gathered auburn ringlets gently at the nape of her neck, then allowed them to cascade freely over her shoulders and down her back. She spoke as she moved, her gentle laugh mixing with the music to create . . . . Mike sighed, bringing himself back to reality. The girl was, after all, an invention of the holodeck program. "She's . . . different. Soft. Gentle. Curvaceous." "Curvaceous," Shadow repeated diligently. "Not angular." "Yep. Curvaceous. Not angular." "And this non-angular presentation leads to procreation." Mike eyed Shadow a minute, then downed the last few drops of malt and called for another. This was going to be a long, long lesson. And probably a long night.

Hm . . . no one mentioned "Assimilate this!"

Greetings, Brandinooo, As Mr. Carst suggests, Memory Alpha is a good start for terms. Googling "Star Trek Medical Terms" will get you to a lot of sites, also, as will googling just about anything you want to know about Trek, including species. Do one on Klingons and you'd be surprised (or not). As for the rest, being a team player rates number one. Otherwise, good technobabble (making up your own terms) is a plus :P . Welcome to STSF. Peace, and long life (after the academy, of course).

Congratulations on your 1st Anniversary, Eagle. May you have many more!

ROSTER: Commanding Officer (CO): STSF Amnor Executive Officer (XO): STSF Shadow Chief Medical Officer (CMO) - Madison Starr Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) - Finn Halek Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) - Jaden Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Joy 2 Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - SyAndrewL Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - Cdt LeMorte =/\= MISSION BRIEF =/\= The crew has been sent to the surface of Rackel 3, to the major city on the western coast following a major earthquake. The sci dept is tasked with stabilizing the crust, while the medical dept deals with injuries. 060623.doc

Commanding Officer (CO): STSF Amnor Executive Officer (XO): STSF Shadow Mission Executive Officer (MXO) - Sarvek tJhiin Tactical Officer (TAC) - Cdt Alan Calder Helm/Operations Officer (HOPS) - Sulu Chief Engineer (CENG) - Madison Starr Assistant Engineer (AENG) - Ens Marius Assistant Engineer (AENG) - OPEN Chief Security Officer (CSEC) - Ens Philip Carst Assistant Security Officer (ASEC) - Ltjg Ronin Shephard Assistant Security Officer (ASEC) - SyAndrewL Chief Medical Officer (CMO) - Pierre Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) - Ronaldo Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) - OPEN Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Joy 14 Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - Pheonix Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - OPEN The USS Nebula is suffering from an infestation of Rackels (Similar to rabid raccoons). The little devils have been chewing through conduits causing widespread damage, though usually minor, throughout the ship. Several crewmen have been bitten and are now displaying symptoms. Log will be posted when available.

[sTSF_Shadow] Commanding Officer (CO): STSF Amnor [sTSF_Shadow] Executive Officer (XO): STSF Shadow [sTSF_Shadow] Mission Executive Officer (MXO) - Joy 12 [sTSF_Shadow] Chief Security Officer (CSEC) - Ltjg Ronin Shephard [sTSF_Shadow] Assistant Security Officer (ASEC) - Angelis [sTSF_Shadow] Chief Medical Officer (CMO) - Lt Nicolas Lepage [sTSF_Shadow] Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) - Mid Spitfire [sTSF_Shadow] Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Cdt Finn [sTSF_Shadow] Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - Vatric 060428ed.doc

Maiden Voyage. God of Chaos. Did someone say "Titanic?" 060423ed.doc