Saylek

The following takes place aboard the starship Columbia, where most of the Challenger team is temporarily serving, a few minutes after the events of last week's sim... Captain Saylek sat in the privacy of the Columbia ready room, a personal office that was one of the many improvements of the Excelsior-class. Although considered a new innovation, the early NX series – including one of Columbia's predecessors – had carried a similar, cramped room for such a purpose. Proximity to the bridge made it an efficient place to conduct administrative business, while remaining close enough to respond to summons. It was unclear why it had fallen into disuse in earlier 23rd century ship design. He reviewed the data slate containing background information on the world below them, gathered from probes and charting missions. It was not extensive. A more-detailed survey by the Miranda-class Ardent in 2287 had been cut short to respond to a Klingon incursion in the Ajilon system. Defensive distractions had diverted Starfleet from its exploration directives for far too many decades, he mused. It was a situation the new detente might rectify, even though it was a military mission that had brought them here. The Felfeyra system itself lay in a region of burned-out, abandoned, resource-poor systems, slightly above the galactic plane near the Borderlands separating Orion and Klingon space. While this made it less suitable for colonization, it was close enough to trade routes to serve as a base for privateers. Saylek had noted reports of subspace interference detected by the Epsilon comm station network, a possible sign of activity in the uninhabited system. The central star was a cool, light-blue subgiant (A8V-IV class), orbited by two rocky inner planets and a single gas supergiant. The supergiant was faint orange in color, radiated internal heat, and sported seven moons with a complex series of rings. But it was one of its moons that had drawn their attention. A class-M world, Felfeyra IIIB teemed with enough organics to overwhelm attempts at orbital cataloging. Limited ground surveys from the Ardent described riotous, larger-than-life flora including massive ferns, translucent gelatin pods, wild fungus growth, ever-present spores, and phosphorescent lichens in colors ranging from wild pink to fluorescent yellow to iridescent green. Animal life included plentiful insect and invertebrate forms, with some indications of megafauna. There were indications of a previous civilization, but little detail beyond the mention of large-scale abandoned structures. Although they'd been operating on the hypothesis that the reported comm interference was naturally occurring, Columbia had detected a short subspace burst from the moon's surface. Lieutenants Poldara and Reed, two of the officers on loan from the drydocked Challenger, had isolated the source in a subterranean chamber. He had ordered the newly-arrived Commander Farouk Ja'Lale to conduct a landing party to the surface. Ja'Lale was a Rigellian Chelon, a species Saylek had never worked with before. Semi-aquatic reptilians with a rigid beak, described as turtle-like in appearance, they remained a rarity in Starfleet. The commander had been assigned to fill-in as acting XO for this mission to demonstrate command experience. Saylek approved of the fleet's increasing diversity in combination. He steepled his fingers, considering whether the diversity of life on Felfeyra IIIB warranted a medical advisory. The Ardent report had mentioned abundant allergens and potential plant toxins. He thumbed a control by his desk monitor. "Bridge, this is the captain," he announced. "Advise sickbay that our survey team faces potential biohazards and forward the Ardent logs for details." He would leave to them the decision as to whether to prepare shipboard remedies or send a doctor down with the landing party. Saylek glanced at the chronometer on the wall. The party would be headed down to the surface shortly, and he wanted to be on the bridge when they did. He got to his feet, rounding the desk and entering the short corridor that would take him there.

Captain Saylek stood impassively as the commodore and her security team escorted Captain Rolf Seiben away from the docking lounge. There were others in civilian garb, probably Challenger officers coming aboard for liberty, who now milled about after stumbling onto the scene of the unexpected arrest. As he watched the lift doors close behind them, his thoughts became more calculating. If Seiben were tried at Starbase 15, there was some probability he himself would be pressed into serving on the board of inquiry. Still, there should be enough senior-ranking officers on the Kentucky, Lantree, and Scorpio, which were all docked at the station. Sitting on a court martial was not part of his plan. It would delay his intended pursuit of those responsible for the raid on Prelax IV. The raiders had been based on a small, swift blockade runner. It had been a bold action to strike so deeply, but their gamble had found the Federation colony unusually vulnerable. Saylek found it interesting that the raid had been conducted while dilithium freighters were being attacked in the adjoining sector. It was possible the incidents were connected or part of some larger motivation. Captain Seiben had told him they'd captured a number of Orions; they might possess some clue. Although the border between the Federation and the Klingon Empire had been hostile for decades, it had nonetheless been static between those pressures. The new detente, coupled with the withdrawal of Organian intercession, offered the Orions a chance to destabilize and shift the regional balance. If Starfleet was going to preempt this sudden resurgence of piracy, they would need to act quickly on the limited data they possessed. He glanced out the viewport at the wounded Challenger, undergoing repairs from their own run-in with Orions. His own ship Columbia had been undamaged during the Prelax raid, but more than half his crew and bridge officers had been brought down by a virulent strain of Andor-Levorian influenza. The contagion was under control, but with the extended recovery period needed, his ship was woefully undermanned. He had hoped for a longer discussion with Captain Seiben, enough time to make his proposal. Columbia was a ship lacking a crew. Challenger was a crew currently lacking a ship. It was only logical.

As Challenger heads into Elasian space for their diplomatic rendezvous, fallout from their previous encounter unfolds along the Neutral Zone... The bridge of the starship Columbia was dark, illuminated by spare, stark spotlights as onboard systems continued at minimal power. It was their second day of silent running. Silent floating, Commander shiKaan Raumuk corrected himself, since they weren't exactly running anywhere. Columbia remained adrift inside the Algeron cluster, trying to blend into the background asteroids, rubble, and dust that straddled the Romulan Neutral Zone. Days earlier, Columbia had been diverted from support missions near Klingon space in response to an alert from her sister ship Challenger. Somewhere in the Lantaru Sector, they had encountered a Romulan-operated D7 cruiser - a full two sectors inside Federation space. The Romulans had evaded, cloaked, and purportedly high-tailed it toward their own space. Columbia and other starships had been ordered to assume patrol runs along the Neutral Zone. Ostensibly, such deployments were a show of force to demonstrate Federation resolve and protect their borders. But with little explanation, Captain Saylek had eventually ordered them to hold position here, waiting. He wished he knew why. "Huh," came the voice of a the young human at the science console. Raumuk looked toward the starboard station. "Something, Mr. Marx?" The ensign scratched the light blue collar of the turtleneck under his jacket, as he turned around. "You know how the captain told us to watch the drift vector of objects in the cluster?" he asked. Seeing a nod from the Andorian first officer, he continued. "Well, one of the asteroids just... well, picked up speed." Raumuk considered the report. "That may not be unusual," he noted. "It could just be passing close to another object, picking up some gravitational pull." Marx shook his head a little. "I filtered out normal slingshot effects and collision projections," he answered. "This one is moving in a different vector, like something nudged it..." He turned his attention back toward the display as a sensor warbled. "Hmm, definite graviton concentration," he added, adjusting his board. "It's gotta be spillover from a tractor beam, but from where?" His fingers danced over more controls. Raumuk had already pressed the toggle on his armrest. "Captain Saylek to the bridge." * * * * * The first officer was leaning over the science console as Marx quickly explained his readings to the captain. "So I engaged the Jansen protocols and there's no question - exactly the kind of energy surge that would cover a cloaked ship." Saylek turned to Raumuk. "Advise Mr. Albrecht we'll be bringing the mains back online." With a nod, the Andorian moved to execute the Vulcan's order. Behind them, the Caitan security officer leaned against the railing. "I don't get it," Kal'don admitted, his tail thrashing visibly. "If you're thinking that's our Romulan friends, why would they stop here and start skipping stones. Why not just cross into the Zone?" Saylek turned. It was a trick he had observed more than fifteen years earlier, during his two-year stint on the Patton. Captain Schwab had actually used it against the Romulans during one of their own incursions. "Both sides monitor the Zone discreetly, attempting to prevent just these kinds of crossings," the captain explained. "Space is vast, but it's always possible that detection methods are employed that cannot be observed. It is often wise to employ a distraction, but one that can be easily dismissed as background noise." The Caitan looked at the tactical display on the Main Viewer, clearly reasoning out his response. "You throw a rock to distract the guard's attention," Kal'don mused. "Colloquial, but apt," Saylek confirmed. "So we've been sitting on the rock pile," he added. "Analogies shouldn't be extended too far," the Vulcan cautioned, stepping down to the inner center of the bridge. "Keep a lock on that energy surge, Mr. Marx," he ordered. Kal'don had lifted his feet and spun around on the railing to face him. "But how did you know? I thought Starfleet Intelligence assumed they came around through Klingon space." "And Excelsior is covering that route," Saylek confirmed. "But Saratoga intercepted the Romulan message buoy three light years from here." He stuck his chin toward the Main Viewer. "And the segment from Tomed to Galorndon Core is notoriously difficult to monitor. I simply made a logical deduction for an alternate crossing point." Kal'don set his footpads down on the blue carpeting. "Playing a hunch," he mused aloud. "Commodore Harrison would be proud." He took another glance at the Main Viewer and retreated to the security console at aft. Saylek also looked at the screen, thinking. If this was Firewing, Commander Raekal must be a skilled tactician to have outplayed a Mk-II Excelsior-class ship like Challenger. It was also clear he'd taken a less violent option, a course which earned him respect under Saylek's value system. He hoped similar options were available to him. During the failed Transwarp Project, Saylek had been exposed to the true origins of the Lantaru anomaly. This knowledge, and the Omega Directive which accompanied it, required his interdiction to prevent knowledge of that destructive experiment from reaching foreign hands. It was secret enough that he wasn't allowed to tell his our crew the importance of engaging the Romulan ship. Secrecy was the goal, but it was becoming obvious that Starfleet needed to extend the directive to all starship captains. Seiben would never had let them escape if he'd been briefed on what he was supposed to protect at Lantaru. "Ms. London, standby on communications," he ordered. "Engineering, bring us to full power. Mr. Kramer, it's time to let the Romulans understand that both sides of the Zone are to be protected..."

Setting: Early 2325. Thirty years after the timeframe of the USS Challenger (NCC-2457). "The Klingon coup of 2294," the lecture began, "was an early test of endurance for the Gorkon reforms – a loose band of disaffected warriors seeking to impose their will over the High Council." Not moving from the podium, the Vulcan instructor scanned the faces in the lecture hall. Attendance was heavy today. He made eye contact with several cadets, noting no open chairs. Applications of the Prime Directive was a required course at the Academy, which meant it was taught in a wide range of timeslots by more than one instructor. Cadets tended to drift between sessions, regardless of which they'd actually enrolled, depending on seating availability and their interest in the particular subject or speaker. Logically, he knew, there was an attraction to hearing historical events told by those who had witnessed them. Admiral Chekov's lessons, for example, were always taught in the auditorium. Today, it was his turn to discuss a topic with familiarity. "While insurgents claimed to seek a conservative return to Klingon values, it was notable that key members of noble houses – warriors themselves – condemned them as rebels to the Empire itself, not just radicals seeking to depose Chancellor Azetbur." Behind him, displays highlighted some of the political figures. "This all but ensured its collapse." He strayed from the podium, pacing the elevated platform. "The coup of 2294 is worthy of attention for two reasons. First, it is an exemplary case of measured Starfleet response. Second, it represents a major turning point in extending the non-interference directive from application to pre-warp societies to those of spacefaring galactic powers." He pausing, knowing this was the introductory point of second semester studies. The Prime Directive had many sub-orders, but this more recent addition was among the more controversial. True to form, one of the Andorian cadets in the class raised her hand and asked, "But Professor Saylek, doesn't that extension seem excessively isolationist? How can Starfleet avoid all interference with other cultures? Doesn't just knowing we're here affect them?" The Vulcan paused, looking to see if there were any riders to the question. Seeing none, he went on. "It is important to note two key distinctions in the application of non-interference to post-warp societies." He raised a finger. "One, the directive is limited to Starfleet itself. As a galactic entity, the Federation does and will continue to interact with external cultures. The Council can openly choose to influence, ally, or war with other governments according to the powers granted it by the Articles of Federation. Starfleet could be directed as an agent of such policy. The key to non-interference is that Starfleet should not set such policy. And yes, this is a change from earlier eras." He raised a second finger. "Two, unlike pre-warp civilizations, it is not necessary to withhold knowledge of the Federation's existence to species which have already ventured into space. The policy of non-interference applies specifically to the internal affairs of another species." "Isn't that hard to define?" asked the precise voice of a upperclassman in the front row. "Wouldn't commerce or the exchange of ambassadors alone affect internal affairs?" "They would, Mr. Nakamura," Saylek agreed, "but those interactions are not led by Starfleet." The Asian human looked non-plussed briefly, then changed tacks, "What about the fleet? We're here to deter invasion, but just moving our ships around can cause response. Eveb having a fleet can promote hawkish factions or trigger an arms race." The Vulcan instructor stopped. "Officer thinking," he commended. "It is exactly these sensitivities that individual starship commanders must not discount." He stepped back toward the podium. "Let us consider specific points of the Klingon coup of 2294." He cued a change in the display behind him, which faded to several well-known figures of that decade. "The Gorkon Initiative was a turning point in galactic relations, a rapprochement proposed by the Klingons after the destruction of their energy-producing facilities on Praxis," he commenced. "The subsequent complicity of high-ranking Starfleet officers in the assassination of Chancellor Gorkon led to increasing awareness of the power of Starfleet to shape internal and external political events, topple governments, and start its own wars. The added attempt on President Ra-ghoratreii showed that unchecked power could violate the internal security of the Federation itself. As a result, the Sarek Commission recommended new policies to strengthen the neutrality of Starfleet, in particular, the expanded application we are about to review." He cued the display again as it shifted to the rotating graphic of an Excelsior Mark II vessel. "With the signing of the Khitomer Accords, the Federation commenced relief convoys to the Klingon homeworld, which had suffered ecological damage from the Praxis explosion. After a number of convoy ships failed to reach their destination, Starfleet was directed to provide suitable escort, led by the starship Challenger." A hand went up and Saylek nodded recognition. "Wasn't the starship Columbia also assigned escort duty?" a Denobulan cadet ventured. Saylek nodded slowly. "You are undoubtedly aware that I commanded Columbia during that era," he admitted. "I should note our ship played only a secondary role, but where relevant, I will offer personal observations on the events that unfolded." There were changes in expression among the audience, showing either interest or amusement. The cadet who'd issued the question smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "Two capital ships to protect medicine and supplies?" came the query from a Caitan student. "Wasn't that excessive? Or was Starfleet trying to send a message?" Saylek mused briefly. "The concern for convoy safety was real, as an attack on its freighters proved how prudent that precaution was," Saylek noted. "It is fair to cite, however, that employing two ships-of-the-line stressed the Starfleet commitment to rendering aid." Another hand went up, toward the darkened rows at the back. "But wasn't aid a form of interference with Klingon politics? There were people who believed they should get by on their own, even among the Klingons themselves." Saylek squinted against the lights of the podium. "Mr... Hansen, is it? Certainly such opinions were held by conspirators like Admiral Cartwright and General Chang." There was a muted murmur. He swept his glance over the classroom. "I am not suggesting that association invalidates the sentiment. But in this case, Starfleet was directed to execute direction under a formally-signed treaty." "But then," the Andorian cadet from earlier spoke up again, "we didn't help them put down a coup that would have thrown that treaty away. Don't we have an obligation to protect allies?" The Vulcan was pleased to see his students employing the Socratic method to test his assertions. "Very good," he affirmed. "It is important to think logically, comparing such conflict of values. The Prime Directive has many functions, not the least of which is to protect us. It keeps one from allowing emotions to overrule judgment. As future officers, you can receive no greater counsel on this subject that to always demand the debate regarding non-interference. Great captains may have erred, or chosen differently than others might, in its application but they have never rendered it absolute or circumvented it blindly." He recalled the choices Challenger had faced in deciding whether or where to intervene during the coup. As he was about to describe, the incident had become a textbook example, setting the stage for developments along both major borders - the Elasian matter and Organian complications of the very next year - culminating in Tomed Incident of 2311. "If you will direct your attention to the timeline, let us review the initial evidence of the growing insurgency..."

A joint log with Savros. In the Main Briefing Room of the USS Columbia, enroute to the Azure Nebula, ten hours after the conclusion of the 11/23 sim... The senior staff stood for the arrival of Captain Saylek. As he took the head of the table, they all returned to their seats. "I trust that you have had sufficient time to accomplish your tasks," he spoke evenly. He looked around the table and saw no objection. "Sciences," he commenced. "Yes, sir." Lieutenant Ryan Marx straightened in his seat to be better seen. "Our department has looked at the data provided by Captain Koloth. The scans are amazingly detailed and reveal an effort that represents months, if not years of work." "But are they authentic?" interrupted the Caitan security chief. Mr. Marx looked across the table at Kal'don, "Everything matches information Starfleet has on the nebula. There's no way to know for sure, but it would be an elaborate ruse if it was faked. And then there's this," he inserted a memory card and pressed a button on the table. "Computer, bring up section 126 by 18." "Working," indicated the male voice of the computer as it accessed the data. A moment later, the center screen showed a picture of the requested section. "The most compelling evidence of authenticity is the pattern of stellar drift," Marx flipped a toggle and the cloud moved slowly in time. "Klingons aren't known for their science, but this clearly shows how the gases within the nebula are affected by existing gravitation forces. With this information, you can predict and avoid the worst concentrations. Since this matches exactly with every known scan, I would say that at least this part of accurate." At the other end of the table, Raumuk's antennae twitched, "So the Klingons have advanced computer simulations of the Vodrey Expanse?" Lieutenant Marx turned his chair to face the Andorian executive officer. "If you think about it, Commander, it's just the sort of information you'd need if you were spending a lot of time in there." "Thank you, Mr. Marx." The Vulcan captain prompted the next speaker, "Mr. Kal'don, you also analyzed the data." The Caitan leaned over and removed the memory card, replacing it with his own. He pressed a button and a new image appeared. This one did not show the previous detail, but an expanded view of the diffuse nebula. He pressed another button, causing red and green dots to fill the expanse, followed by blue lines and orange areas. "I focused my efforts on navigation and tactical areas within the nebula. Now, our Klingon friends tell us that the red dots are mines, the green ones are buoys, the blue lines are safe travel locations and the orange areas are likely positions for large groups of ships. Of course, the notes indicate that the buoys only respond to a very narrow band with frequency." Lieutenant Marx nodded, having seen this information before. Kal'don continued, "To determine the authenticity, I looked at the information to see if it makes tactical sense. The data is very thorough on this, too. The mines are set up to reduce an enemy's progress through the nebula. The areas of safe travel are set up to ensure minimum interference with ship's systems. Although it is unlikely that shields, communications, and other systems will work perfectly, we can detail a plan for outages." He looked around the table. "That's assuming the data is accurate. For all I know it could be an elaborate trap." The captain merely nodded. He did not believe in hunches, but the Caitan tendency to predict trouble bordered on precognition. This sounded more like healthy caution. "The probable success of such a trap is conditional on Koloth's complicity in it," Saylek noted. "The question is whether past experience suggests his motives are genuine. Ms. London?" The Vulcan looked down the table toward his senior communications officer. The auburn-haired human started her turn with the push of a button. A profile of Captain Koloth appeared on the central viewer. "Koloth, distinguished command officer in the Klingon forces. Numerous encounters with Starfleet. A key negotiator at Korvat, where he was known for his implacable temperment – earning the name Ice Man from Ambassador Dax. If the comment was meant as an insult, Koloth took it as a badge of honor. His current command, the IKS D'akturak, translates from Klingon as 'ice man'." "Interesting," Saylek interjected. "This is not a Klingon one would describe as a pacifist. It's unclear why he would support the Azetbur regime over the rebels." London nodded, "Klingon politics are tied up in ancient loyalties and strained definitions of honor. Several of his peers have declared themselves loyal to the Chancellor, so it's not unbelievable he would, too. Captain Kirk recorded a couple logs concerning him. He believed Koloth to be 'a strict disciplinarian who is as honorable as Klingons come'. Given the late captain's general distrust of Klingons, it's about the most positive thing that could be said about him." She paused and breathed deeply. "So our assessment of data and motives is at best, inconclusive," Saylek summarized. "I think we're right to trust him," Raumuk spoke again, softly from the other end of the table. "He didn't have to reveal himself. We were already on our way to the nebula." "Unless he was worried we could detect his ship," Kal'don countered. "Or he needed to steer us to the prime location for an ambush." "But he practically warned us off," London argued. She gestured to the screen. "His history favors maneuvering over aggression with the Federation." "What, like poisoning the grain on Sherman's Planet?" the Caitan noted, his tail lashing behind him. London pressed her point anyway. "He was there for the Korvat summit even before the Gorkon initiative. That détente paved the way for the Khitomer Accords." "After Praxis forced the need," Kal'don noted. He turned to the captain. "We all know the Klingons think diplomacy is just saying 'Nice doggy' until you can find a rock." Several members of the senior staff reacted, some stifling smiles. Humor aside, the meaning was not lost on Captain Saylek. "And your question is whether Koloth thinks he's found a rock?" he asked rhetorically. The security chief looked as if he had something to retort, but the Vulcan silenced him with an upraised hand. "Your points are well taken," he relented, "but I have already made the decision to trust Koloth and his data. This briefing has offered nothing conclusive to dissuade me." Kal'don looked down, lowering his ears. "However, our faith is not blind," Saylek offered. "Challenger is converging on the same destination and should arrive less than an hour after us. Ms. London has advised Starbase 24 of a need for reinforcements – they are attempting to reach the Ushaan and the Ardent." He paused. "Having expected a trap, I expect the use of all your skills to avoid it. See to it. Dismissed."

Captain Saylek watched his Andorian first officer disappear into the portside turbolift. Commander Raumuk had been tasked with telling the chief engineer to bring the Columbia warp engines to 110% - above spec, but not above safety margins or capacity. Given the distance and the urgency, he had briefly considered employing some of the better-behaved transwarp algorithms, developed over six years of the Great Experiment. But while the technology had enabled a dramatic leap forward in propulsion, the necessary fields remained too instable and demonstrably weakened the barrier between normal and sub-space. There were too many unpredictable side effects. He had no interest in pushing the ship into another dimensional interphase. As such, the Enterprise speed record of Warp 14.1 was in no danger of being broken. There was no need to start redefining the warp tables. To his right, his Caitan security officer leaned in closely against the armrest of the center chair. Kal'don kept his voice low, almost a purr. "Captain," he whispered, "I don't get it. Our lead says the hijacked ships are headed to the Azure Nebula, but we're two days out. Why is Challenger hanging back when they're so much closer?" With an air of non-challance, Saylek keyed a toggle, bringing up their intended flight path on the Main Viewer. "We may not know the full tactical situation at Qo'noS," he theorized aloud. "Our convoy there is still vulnerable, and there may be concern about the safety of our ambassador." Kal'don twitched the whiskers on his upper lip. "But sending us in alone?" he countered quietly. "We've got to assume they'll have escorts, probably a warship or two, probably cloaked." Although a small bird of prey was easily outclassed by an Excelsior-class starship, a D-9 cruiser could hold its own. The K'tinga-class was an extension of the sturdy D-7's that had menaced Federation space over the last quarter-century. If there were more than one of those, they'd be outgunned. And if any carried one of those prototype advanced cloaks, they might not see it coming. Saylek swiveled his chair toward the security chief. "No one is sending us," he objected. "Our orders are to recover those ships, and more importantly, their crews. If we don't act, we may lose the trail entirely." Kal'don stepped back. "I just wish we had the benefit of stealth on this one," he mused. "Or at least another ship in the sector." He relaxed, noticing his ears were lying flat. "Is it worth an inquiry? I don't know how close the next convoy is, but maybe the Klingons have got something in the area." Saylek considered him briefly. In their years of service together, he'd observed Caitans had an almost precognitive sense of danger. He cocked his head, then swiveled his chair towards the communications station. "Ensign London," he ordered, "See if you can indulge the Commander's concern. Make an inquiry." The human female nodded, touched the subspace transceiver in her ear, and turned to her station. "Better?" Saylek offered, not looking back. He couldn't see Kal'don smile. "I'll have security ready in case we'll need boarding parties," he advised. The Vulcan captain nodded. "A wise precaution," he acknowledged, fully aware Columbia had plenty of engineers, but no Marines. "They'll have less than forty-five hours. We shall have to make them count."

CAPTAIN'S LOG Excelsior-class USS Columbia Saylek, commanding Columbia remains on alert, following our discovery of the SS Yule, one of the freighters missing from previous convoys to Qo'noS. Both exterior and interior shows signs of battle. There is no sign of the crew, although Dr. Moriamis confirmed DNA traces match those of the bridge team and unidentified Klingons. The ship has been stripped of supplies and technical equipment and it's engines remain at minimal capacity. I have placed Mr. Albrecht in command of the Yule, with engineering teams to repair damage and look for any surviving data recorders. Captain Saylek closed the update to his log and forwarded it to Captain Rolf Seiben, ranking officer for the task force aboard their sister ship Challenger. The battered freighter hung on the forward viewer, with statistics for the subject vessel highlighted in yellow script. After weeks of searching in vain for clues to the convoy disappearances, it was almost insulting to have one of the ships appear right under their noses. Vulcans, of course, did not respond to insults. Instead, he'd ordered his crew to pick through the freighter for evidence of what had happened and why it was there. The decision to send his chief engineer over to the derelict carried little risk. They were hardly short-handed. As a shakedown platform for the Mark I Excelsior-class, Columbia boasted a large engineering contingent, largely Andorian. Both Saylek and his first officer Commander shiKaan Raumuk had run the department before Commodore Harrison's retirement last year. Given the number of times they'd been deployed as rapid-response, the Vulcan considered recommending Starfleet dedicate the ship entirely to the Corp of Engineers. Without looking over his shoulder, Saylek addressed the officer at the science console. "Raanan, anything else on that fluorine trace?" Lieutenant Jones looked up from the sensor scope, inhaling through his teeth. "No, Captain," he reported, "I'm keeping a close watch, but nothing since that first indication moved out of range thirty minutes ago." Saylek finally swiveled his chair away from the viewer and toward his executive officer, a balding Andorian in his sixties. "Well, shiKaan," he noted, "if it was a trap, we have yet to see it sprung." Expecting such when the freighter had first appeared, he had knowingly placed the ship at some risk investigating the Yule. Still, he'd kept his distance and left shields up except when beaming. Raised, Excelsior-class shielding was Federation state-of-the-art – had the Yule been rigged for core breach, Columbia could have borne the brunt. With Challenger and several Klingon ships sharing the system, an outright attack was unlikely. The soft-spoken first officer nodded. "It seems unlikely it showed up by accident." "I can believe its cloaking device failed as a result of fatigue, but its strains credulity to think its propulsion system would last only long enough to place it near the Klingon homeworld," Saylek reasoned aloud. "No," he concluded, "this ship was sent here with a purpose by those who subdued and stripped it." Raumuk interlocked his fingers and tilted his antenna down. "If not a trap, what?" From aft, seated at the Security side of the display table, the deep voice of Lieutenant S'Drak sounded. "There are other possibilities," he suggested. Saylek swiveled further to face the dark-skinned Vulcan, nodding for him to continue. S'Drak went on. "One: It could be a tip-off that a new faction is in possession of our ships and their contents. This could dissuade us from sending more aid. Two: It could be a warning to leave the system or suffer the same fate. Three: It could be a lure to get us to search for our remaining ships." Saylek listened and nodded. All logical possibilities, he concurred. "I agree," he answered, "the appearance of the Yule is a message meant to provoke a reaction. The question: what reaction is in our best interest, versus theirs?" As the executive officer was about the respond, the communications officer at the next station reached up to touch his earpiece, a sure sign of incoming transmission. "Captain," Lieutenant Spencer alerted, "Mr. Teurok says they've located one of the flight recorders." * * * * * Down in the diagnostic lab, Ensign Tharin threw down his spanner with a clatter. "It was well hidden, but took a lot of damage anyway," the computer science technician announced. "The voice log and visual records are corrupted, but there's some telemetry and cartographic data." Captain Saylek stood over the exposed recorder, ignoring the intense chill of the over-conditioned laboratory. He looking over to the tech and the lead diagnostic engineer, Lieutenant Commander Embosii, "Enough to construct an arrival trajectory?" Both Andorians nodded. Saylek walked over to the wall unit. "Bridge," he called, "prepare to lay in a new course. I'm on my way." "Captain," came the voice of his XO, "are we sure this isn't the reaction they were hoping to prompt?" It could indeed be an effort to divide their forces, he reasoned. But Columbia had already been out there, looking for evidence of the missing convoy. And Seiben had already agreed that the best deployment of forces was to let Challenger continue its interaction with the Klingon homeworld. There seemed to be no reason to change that plan. "We'll do our best not to be too predictable," Saylek countered. "Advise Captain Seiben of our intentions to trace this freighter back to its last position. Unless he orders otherwise, prepare to get underway."

CAPTAIN'S LOG Excelsior-class starship USS Columbia Saylek, commanding No leads thusfar on the freighters that disappeared enroute to the Klingon homeworld several weeks ago. Columbia has traversed much of the original flight plan through Klingon space, but found nothing amiss - no debris, errant warp trails, or residual traces of weapons fire. The Klingon High Command confirms they had dispatched the IKS K'Shil, a K'Vort-class bird of prey, to follow us. It was this vessel we engaged once we detected it's flourine signature. This suggests that the ship was one of those sent to assist us during the earlier convoy attack. The Klingons seem concerned that our recent encounter showed evidence of an on-board mutiny. Subsequent analysis of our engagement with the IKS K'Shil has suggested that the torpedo which damaged our sensor net did not originate from that vessel, but from a second undetected source. This suggests our search, although currently yielding nothing, may yet bear fruit.

I noticed players spent some time on the Klingon starbase, assuming they didn't know much about Klingons and learning about them. I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the logs about what they saw. Since my character (and ship) are off chasing ghosts, I hope the crew will take advantage of their opportunity to be among the first few Starfleet officers to set foot on the Klingon homeworld.

Spoken like a true student of cultural anthropology. Like Mr. Kas, this statement also made me think of the feudal Japanese model with the samurai bushido code. Certainly what we've come to see of Klingon honor must have had its roots there. There a great deal that our crews can learn. :::deadpan::: Heading down to Qo'nos, yea brother.

Strictly speaking, this post is not technically a log, but more of a discussion thread. I chose this portion of the boards because it seems specific to Challenger and its time period setting, but if it's inappropriate here, I welcome the suggestion of an alternate location. My thoughts are to address two topics: 1) The time period limitations of the Challenger setting, and 2) Our limited knowledge and exploration of the Klingon culture Limitations With the sim set in 2294, the beginning of the post-Khitomer period, most of the innovations introduced by TNG have not become reality - holodecks, quantum torpedoes, site-to-site transport. Communicators are still hand-held devices, not chest tapping insignia, and people on-board ship use the wall panels. Officers wear the burgundy-colored jacket and colored turtleneck uniforms. Ships have compact quarters. I imagine there's room for Challenger to be the source of some innovations. In the TOS/movie time period, we'd seen psychologists and psychiatrists, but no onboard position of counselor. Maybe we're the first to discover Bolarus IX or run into the Breen. Maybe we're the first ship to call our landing party an "away team". Maybe this ship develops a gathering place that leads toward a future Ten-Forward. Who knows? Exploring the Klingons The Klingons are one such area of development. By Star Trek VI, knowledge of Klingon culture was very limited. The average Starfleet officer would know about their battle techniques, their ships, and their government, but the Klingons were a closed society who'd been our enemies for decades. Even by the second season of TNG, Riker is still giving lessons on Klingon cuisine as if gagh had never been heard of. Remember how surprised the Enterprise-A crew was to see their food and how they ate? I notice one log speculated on Klingon body type, without revealing too much about their redundant physiology (brak'lul). Maybe our doctors are among the first to see this? Instead of having characters know and draw upon the wealth of established Klingon fact from TNG and DS9, wouldn't it be interesting to have the crew of Challenger - one of the first ships to operate in Klingon space in relative peace - be among the first to learn and document parts of their culture for the Federation? In working with Klingons and moving among these still-wary aliens, couldn't our logs reveal surprise at learning that our former blood-foes have depth? Imagine seeing the first bat'leth and hearing the legend of its origins. How about hearing revered descriptions of Kahless the Unforgettable that challenge the tyranical image plucked from Kirk's mind by the Excalbians? I mention this because, with the conclusion of last sim and the US Independence holiday, we've got a real opportunity to write logs that describe interaction with the Klingons on their station and maybe their planet. Wouldn't your character like to go down as one of the real "explorers" of a former enemy. Klingons aren't chatty - unless they're drunk, I suppose - so one should be creative in figuring out how to be exposed to their culture (food, weapons, history). I guess I'm looking for feedback, particularly from the Challenger crew, on other time period limitations (or alternate views on the ones I listed), and whether the idea of exploring the Klingon culture has merit. Any thoughts?

CAPTAIN'S LOG Excelsior-class starship USS Columbia Saylek, commanding With the assistance of late-arriving loyalist Klingon forces, attack on the convoy was thwarted with minimal overall damage to escorts and freighters. The threat force, a K'Vort-class bird of prey with augmented cloaking capability, was destroyed during its final run against the starship Challenger. Our science department continues to analyze sensor records of the battle, to determine an effective countermeasure against this latest improvement. Despite this engagement, transit of materiel to the Klingon homeworld has been accomplished. Columbia engineers were dispatched to make hull repairs on the more heavily damaged freighters. Challenger has docked at one of the many orbital Z-4 Klingon facilities (Outpost 35) for repairs. Damage to the Columbia was less severe, localized in our aft shield generator. Swapout of the fused components is nearly complete. Captain Seiben has given us leave to commence a search for those freighters previously dispatched by Starfleet Command. Our own encounter with hostile forces suggests we look for locations where they might have been diverted by force. Or debris. Saylek tapped the shiny black surface on his left armrest, ending the official log. He had yet to fathom the logic of attacking a mercy convoy, much less taking that assault to the death. General Tar'mok had no doubt spoken the official position of the Azetbur government that these were trivial, rogue elements. The advanced nature of their cloaking, however, suggested these elements were nevertheless well-connected. Was there willingness to die evidence of useless Klingon honor, he wondered, or could this technology have revealed their origin? Saylek considered the possibilities. He swivelled the center chair toward navigation. "Mr. Mennen," the Vulcan addressed him, "you have already determined a search pattern?" The dark-skinned human gestured toward the central stellar display. "Plotted and laid in, sir, once we reach the location of their last known transmission," the navigator answered. He looked over to his comrade, Lieutenant Nolan Kramer, who manned the other side of the shared console and wore a similar grey turtleneck under his burgundy uniform jacket. Kramer nodded, to confirm they were on course. "Very well," Saylek nodded. "I want you to detail all stellar phenomena within that pattern that are large enough to conceal our missing freighters, but unobtrusive enough to serve as a base for these rogues." His intention was to let the support ships confine their search to open space. Columbia was better suited to deal with any hostile forces that might be stumbled on up close. "I want summaries available on the main viewer." He wondered if it would be necessary to request access to the Klingon database. "Aye, sir," Mennen acknowledged. Saylek allowed the chair to spin further, until the science station came into view. Marx and Kal'don were hunched over the display. His Caitan chief of security was aiding in attempts to understand the battle they'd just survived. "Status?" he prompted. Kal'don flattened the fur behind one ear. "We tried things that would've worked against the prototype at Khitomer," he offered as a prelude, "so we're trying to figure out what was different about this one." He stepped closer to the railing. "Their first hits on us were with beam weapons. Disruptors. We should've been able to track them back using plain old line-of-sight." But there had been no tell-tale orange surges of energy to give away the enemy position. "And yet, we saw nothing," Saylek noted. "Tactical sensors didn't lock in on a source." Once again, he found himself wishing Malcolm Jansen were there to help them. Marx was his former science chief's best protégé, but no one seemed to match his missing friend's ability to think through the convoluted game of subterfuge and detection. Marx turned from his read-outs. "The shield output shows the hits we took were short duration and not as tightly focused. They were concentrated in less-energetic, non-visible wavelengths and at lower power than a full disruptor bolt." No doubt one reason they had taken less damage, Saylek reasoned. It might have been an adaptation the Klingon ship was testing. Being invisible was useless if one carried a flashlight. It could also explain why the ship had changed tactics, moving off to fire torpedoes from longer range. Perhaps the modified disruptors hadn't proven effective enough. Unless there had simply been a second ship… So many possibilities. "Excellent work," he commended. "Pass this along to the Challenger science department. And make certain our scans include evidence of flourine permeation. If there were any other ships operating in our convoy's smoke screen, there should be some lingering sign." He swivelled toward the front as Mennen's first database entries appeared onscreen. Back on the outpost, Captain Seiben would be soon received by the formal Klingon welcoming committee. He hoped they would be forthcoming with any countermeasures or intelligence they had on this new technology. Until then, Columbia would run with shields up, at the mercy of non-deterministic events. Logic would help him little.

They still had no dependable way to isolate their attacker. They had just crossed the border into Imperial space when a cloaked ship of unspecified class – Klingon, by its weapon signature – opened up on the starship Challenger with a sudden volley, then turned its barrage against Columbia, as well. Over the course of the next hour, it had moved with impunity among the convoy, alternating its attack between the two Excelsior-class ships and their supporting craft. Captain Saylek considered it an interesting test of his tactical logic. Similar to the prototype above Camp Khitomer, the aggressor's vessel had proven capable of remaining cloaked while firing. Unlike that prototype, it did not seem to be particularly susceptible to plasma ion tracking. Despite this challenge, the two sister ships had managed to coordinate their responses, combining their defenses against the unseen threat. Still, the Vulcan commander found himself wishing that his friend and former science officer Jansen was there – few officers studied evolving cloak strategies and countermeasures with such tenacity or such success. Except for a localized fire near the aft shield generator, Columbia had not been bloodied too badly. Indeed, because he had anticipated a repeat attack in that section, Saylek had directed a shotgun approach – Kal'don's phaser sweep of probable incoming trajectories had scored a blind hit. Although the destructive power had been disbursed by the wide arc and short dwell time, the resulting plasma imbalance from the unshielded hit had briefly given them a target to lock onto. It was an advantage that had evaporated too quickly. Regretably, Challenger's homing torpedo had gone wide, detonating harmlessly away from the target. Columbia had been unable to hold its phaser lock. During the lull, Saylek had been authorized to attempt communication with their attacker and try to stand down the battle. Open taunting had been the response, which was wasted effort. Insults were ineffective where emotion was mastered, the axiom repeated in his mind. Now they were embarking on Captain Seiben's latest gambit. As directed, Saylek had ordered motification to their torpedo payloads. Although naval analogies were largely anachronistic in his own culture, he nevertheless understood the parallel. Both ships were about to drop their depth charges on this particular submarine. The Klingon ship might survive to withdraw, but if it tried to press its attack, the space around this vital convoy was about to become hostile water indeed.

Captain Saylek sat alone in the aft-facing officer's lounge of the starship Columbia. An overhead light from the ceiling illuminated his review of the ship's cargo manifest, bound for Q'onoS. The Vulcan starship commander looked up as his nearly-silent Caitan security chief stepped down into the seating area. He smiled gregariously and lowered himself into one of the overstuffed couches. He held up both paws in a reassuring gesture. "Nothing averse to report, sir," Kal'don promised, "but then we just left the Andor-Vulcan-Deneva leg of our trip. No big surprise." Saylek nodded. "If the convoy has encountered no difficulties," he reasoned, still reviewing the manifest, "then you must be here for an inquiry." The Caitan leaned back further. "So transparent," he admitted. He relaxed, unbuttoning the gray rank flap of his double-breasted jacket. As always, he noted the captain was still wearing the full uniform, although the turtleneck undershirt would have been sufficient in the informal setting. He thought about the gentle ribbing Jansen would have offered, if he'd still been around to do it. Saylek would probably have claimed the lounge was too cold for his Vulcan blood. Kal'don took a deep breath. "I just thought I'd ask why we're out here," he finally ventured. Saylek looked up. "Since you saw the briefing material from Challenger, I must presume your question has a deeper meaning," he answered. He set down the manifest, offering his full attention "I'm all for encouraging peace with the Klingons; it's probably the most important event in our lifetimes," Kal'don explained. "Every bit of help we offer them probably saves our children from horrible death in battle." The captain considered his security chief. "There wasn't a question in that statement." Kal'don smoothed the calico fur on his forearm. "You don't think this task force is overkill?" Saylek folded his arms. "The Admiralty intends to ensure this aid makes it safely to its destination." The Caitan's ears went up. "Did you see the list of ships being assembled? I didn't even know we had that many Excelsior-class ships in the fleet, and the list didn't even include Enterprise-B or the Excelsior itself. Seven cruisers, five frigates." "Many of those ships will be involved in subsequent phases, Lieutenant Commander," Saylek explained. "Our initial forey into Klingon space…" "Looks like the vanguard for an occupation force," Kal'don asserted, then hastily added, "sir." The Vulcan let a moment of silence pass between them. "Really, Mr. Kal'don, you must learn to govern your passions," the captain advised. "You know full well Starfleet has no intention of occupying Q'onoS." The Caitan revealed sharp teeth as he smiled, as if his Vulcan senior had walked into a syllogistic trap. "The Klingons are a passionate people, captain," he agreed. "Despite our intentions, how will they see an arriving armada? Are they even going to let all of us across the border?" Saylek could hardly argue the rationale. His previous, albeit limited, dealings with their species had usually been at the receiving end of a weapon. Kal'don knew this, since he had saved him from one such encounter during their boarding to recover the Regulator. "Your insight is not invalid. We should be prepared for their concerns." He looked away thoughtfully, toward the stars receding at warp. "Captain Seiben is the ranking officer. If we should encounter resistance to the size of our task force, perhaps I could suggest to him that Columbia break off to search for our previous missing freighters." "It doesn't hurt to be ready," Kal'don nodded, "and something happened to those ships. It's too much of a coincidence – I doubt they dropped into a spatial anomaly. Our presence at their homeworld has probably raised a lot of internal tensions." Saylek looked back. "What do you mean? Starfleet has only been conducting evacuations and providing ecological planning." "We're a reminder that they can't solve their own problems," the Caitan offered. "You may not be wired to understand it, sir, but Klingon pride can't be that different than what the rest of us feel. It's also engrained in their culture, which could be a dangerous motivation." The Vulcan picked up the manifest again. "I am not completely oblivious to it, Mr. Kal'don. I trust you'll help ensure none of us forget it." The security chief smiled. The captain had already ordered refresher courses on Klingon culture to be played during the bridge shifts and available in all recreation areas. No matter what the outcome, it seemed, the crews of Challenger and Columbia would be learning a lot about their former enemies.

An excellent, succinct analysis. Why did Columbia let you transfer away?