Chirakis

Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis – 1 May 2009 Time Between Games is one day. Alastair I, the colony on TKR-117, has called for assistance in a medical emergency. All twelve of their colonists have become ill with coughing and flu-like symptoms. Administrator McDowell suspects radiation poisoning from possible exposure to jakmanite and our medical and science teams are quite concerned. Jakmanite is rare and did not show on pre-colonization geological scans. It is one of only five undetectable substances that can exist in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and can alter the molecular structure of glass. Science, medical, and colonist transportation runabouts have been readied and will depart before game beginning on Friday. Teams assigned to the mission are: Medical: Drs. McKinny and Pavilion, Security: Chief tr'Jeth Dabi, Science: Chief SrLtn Feretti and Ltjg Lucindak. Be advised: Full isolation protocol is in effect. Scans and information on the colony and planet will be required before anyone receives permission to disembark at the colony. The cause of the illness has yet to be determined. Whether the colonists will be transported to Aegis will be decided by medical personnel.

A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place this afternoon/evening at: * 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time * 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London) * 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany) =/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\= The Federation Starship USS Algonquin (Akira Class) is monitoring the area between Federation and Tzenkethi space after reports of a few skirmishes. The Tzenkethi have been at peace with the Federation since the Dominion War, though their own government has endured several internal coups.

And you don't look a day over 75. ::grin:: Congratulations and Happy Birthday!

Safe Passage "How does it feel?" Clad only in a thin sleeveless tunic and shorts, Kirel lay in a near-fetal position upon the dank cave floor, totally compliant to her captor's wishes. That was what was required, or at least she vaguely remembered it was. Much had become hazy over the past few days. Still, the urge to attack was strong, and, if by some strange quirk of fate she could muster the strength from her emaciated body, she probably would fall into his trap, attack, and die. "One never knows how one will respond in any situation until one is presented with that situation," her instructor had said not so long ago. She trusted him then. She had to trust him now. Her captor's tongue hissed in her ear, and then his voice, gruff and taunting, whispered insult and innuendo as he worked his way within an inch of her face from one side to the other. She felt a harsh, calloused hand brush slowly down the center of her back and across her thigh, but she remained still and unresponsive, except for a slight shudder she could not control. Threats of violating her body – and those of her teammates – spat from his lips in the company of a putrid odor. After a long pause a second voice, not her captor's, came from farther away, close to the drip of cave seepage that nearly drove her insane from thirst. "How does it feel?" it said again. Another male, familiar and yet not familiar. Water. She couldn't even remember its taste. One drop. Only one. One… drop. "How long will you last? Just say the word." "Tomar," she replied, though the voice didn't sound like her own. Perhaps she could suck some moisture from the damp cave floor. "Tomar," she said again. Safe passage. She knew nothing of the Federation and their strategies. All she required was safe passage, nothing more. Not even in the Cardassian slave camp of her childhood, where hunger and thirst drove them to the garbage heaps of their masters and the puddles that gathered after infrequent rains, had she known such a heaviness. A feral instinct had engulfed her very being, trapping it in a desperate struggle for survival. Her head pounded, everything magnified a thousand fold, the drip… drip… drip from deep within the cave, the floor spinning with the slightest movement of her head, the anguish from constant retching when there was nothing left to retch, her tongue swollen beyond speech, her cracked lips oozing what little moisture was left in her body. "Y ka'alat tomar," Kirel repeated. I require safe passage. Yes. That's what I'm supposed to say. Nothing else. "Tell me your name." Her captor again. The first voice, not the second. "Tomar." No name. Nothing. "Who sent you?" "Ka'alat… tomar." Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and her lips pasted together as she struggled for words. "Where are you from? Say it, and you will live." "Ka'al…." Kirel choked, her head lolled on the cave floor, and what she could still see spun uncontrollably. Her captor withdrew to be replaced by another – not the second she had been hearing in the background for the past few… hours, were they? Or days? Or weeks? The third one had a different manner, a different smell, a different touch, and a calm, soothing voice. It knelt next to her and the sound of a tricorder flicked past her ear. "That's it. No more," it said. And it sounded like… a female? The second, more distant presence joined the third next to her. Kirel craned her neck to see who it was, but her dry, unfocused eyes were beyond seeing, and her mind, becoming more confused by the minute, would not give her the information she required for reason. The language she did recognize – Federation Standard – and she had a faint recollection that she knew this second person, but the rest wouldn't come. He knelt next to her and seemed to study her for a long time, then spoke carefully and with authority. "Remember how you feel, Lieutenant. Remember every sensation in your body. The swelling, the disorientation, the pain… everything. Remember it well. Now you know how far you can go. Beyond this there is only death." A rustle of hurried bodies approaching, the hiss of a hypospray, and a cool, moist cloth over her face brought her mind back to remembering her mission, which was not a mission at all. It was, instead, an investigation of self-awareness, who she was and how far she could go, into learning the signs of her own body and realizing how much she could endure. All operatives, in a course called, strangely enough, Survival, endured – or did not endure – this test. "And how they groan and grumble when their Midway is barren," said Kirel as these thoughts passed. Now a Commander and second in command of Sky Harbor Aegis, she was taking a few minutes to enjoy a lemonade on the concourse. She had been watching the excitement of opening day for several of the smaller concessions, somewhat pleased that the crew had a place besides their quarters or the holodeck for relaxation. She imagined that Ambassador Drankum was also pleased with the resurrection of commerce, of profitable ventures, though she knew his heart was in the shipyard. Was this the feeling they called command satisfaction? For a brief moment Kirel considered that she might have become addled, and that perhaps she was actually settling into this post. Immediately after that, however, she began to wonder how the crew would endure in times of famine, though she knew from their files that many already had. Some had seen the Dominion War, and some had experienced the dire events of the Cardassian plague. Those thoughts had, in turn, led her to question the extent of their emergency stores, which led to wandering thoughts of her youth, her time with the Maquis, and her first few years of training with what they called The Service. In short, a long, involved, mostly useless mental journey had interrupted her enjoyment of one tall glass of fresh lemonade. "Porter to Commander Chirakis. Your birds are in the bay." Kirel smiled as she answered the comm. Supplies had arrived, the shipyard had begun construction, businesses were opening, and now they had fighters. Could it have been a better week? A better day? "I'll meet you there," was her succinct reply, and in less than an hour she and Operations Manager Porter were taking stock of two fighters, with promise of more on the way. Their outward appearance mimicked the Mongoose Mark IIs but their interior configuration and accompanying technology was, according to R&D, beyond imagination. But to Kirel, the bottom line would be do they work? She took a deep breath and climbed aboard to find out.

Chat Log Attached. 090424.txt

And how many BSG actors did you see in the crowd at the con, not to mention Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh) playing a lead role? ::chuckle::

Congratulations to T'aral, graduated and promoted to Ensign in the Academy on Sunday afternoon, April 26!

A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place this afternoon/evening at: * 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time * 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London) * 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany) =/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\= The Federation Starship Prometheus (Defiant Class) was summoned to Alpha Colony on Keteron III. Several domestic animals have disappeared and some colonists have reported seeing a phantom. Due to the highly classified nature of the research at the colony, Starfleet has asked us to investigate. Colony Director Torres has told us that the research they are doing is classified and that it involves miniaturization. A scan immediately after another animal disappeared revealed a small amount of chronitons, but they faded quickly. Everyone is on the planet, investigating.

Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis – 24 April 2009 TBS is 1 week Ambassador Drankum visited the CT and informed Porter that he wants his shipyard built, and he wants it built now. Plans to erect a "Coming Soon – Neighborhood Shipyard" billboard in adjacent shipping lanes are considered. He also visited Cdr Chirakis to voice his worries about mutiny and gossip. Administrator McDowell and her team are settled in colony Alastair I on TKR-117. She has told her team what she believes is below the surface of the planet and they are astounded. Ambassador Joy visited Cdr Chirakis to discuss her concerns about allied presence in this sector, citing the aftermath of the Sorehl Report as an example of failed diplomacy. In the Ambassador's words, "One cannot simply rearrange a sector of space without consulting the inhabitants of that area of space." Cdr Chirakis has placed an assessment of the sector's inhabitants and the possibility of diplomatic relations with them on her list of high priorities. Leilani Feretti has pronounced our shipyard asteroid "stable" so we may press forward in our construction. Lt tr'Jeth Dabi practices his Federation standard to the neglect of his Federation manners as he visits science to assess it for security and obtain scans of the system in preparation for fighter training and defense. After somewhat of a lull, our medical team is puzzled over a mysterious illness. NPC Lt Sato is down for the count with respiratory distress and NPC Ens Douglas is dizzy and nauseated, which explains the note from Dr. Lepage to maintenance about carpet cleaning. Centurion Jorahl continued work on the shipyard design. OPS Manager Porter brought good news – that engineering's supplies have been ordered and will arrive with the next shipment. In case you experience disorientation as you walk from a pylon into the midway, it's not your drink; Lt Coleridge has found that "The orientation of the midway with respect to the two pylons is off by 1.93°," which, in turn, gives new meaning to the phrase, "it's not level."

Welcome to STSF, Mr. Armstrong. An admirable name you have chosen for your debut. I look forward to seeing you in the academy.

Visual Confirmation Kirel cut her thrusters several hundred meters above the asteroid's surface, but still a fine cloud of dust rose to engulf the Peregrine fighter and block her visual as she eased her craft onto the rocky plain. That was the problem with barren low-gravity asteroids. The dust. Always the dust. Thick. Choking. Smothering anything that had the slightest electrical charge. The Aegis bay chief would not be happy, especially after the workout she had putting the fighter back together when Kirel returned from her last mission. But what was a little dust compared to hull fractures, fused coils, and jerry-rigged engine parts? That was one op Kirel did not want to remember. Her fighter settled in, locking its struts firmly onto the surface as Kirel strained to peer through the haze, made worse by diffusion of what little light was left from the star system's waning diurnal cycle. Powder-fine clouds from the previous exploratory expedition still hung over the desolate landscape. They would make her personal reconnaissance a bit more difficult, but not impossible. A quick report to Aegis OPS sent Porter her coordinates and let him know she would maintain contact with him at all times. Both he and Security Chief tr'Jeth Dabi had voiced reservations about her leaving unescorted, but there were just some things she had to do alone. She checked her instruments, powered down to stand-by and prepared to disembark. Her straps removed with a sharp click and she secured them to the seat for easy retrieval and rapid deployment. Flipping a lever to her immediate left opened a small compartment from which she pulled a helmet that was slightly smaller and of totally different design from her fighter helmet. Its non-metallic, non-reflective single-mold exterior easily disbursed what little light came through the fighter canopy. A thin integrated electronic ring encompassed the inside helmet-suit connect. The visor was essentially non-existent; the composition of the helmet itself shielded its occupant from external threats and provided a full 360 degrees of vision while insuring complete privacy. In essence, one could see out, but none could see in. Removing her helmet and placing it on the seat next to her, Kirel slipped on the recon helmet and gave it a quarter turn, firmly seating it and establishing electronic connection with her flight suit. A small LCARS imbedded in the left arm of her flight suit lit up, she pressed in a code, and her suit transformed for EVA while a clear interactive recon display came into her field of vision. An optical illusion made the display appear to float outside the helmet and within reach of either hand. Two pair of micro-thrusters, one set strapped to her arms and one set to her ankles, completed the package. She patted her pockets to check the emergency supplies already stowed there. Satisfied with her preparations, she popped the canopy and gave the terrain one last visual before shifting to vision/sensor mode, stepping onto the wing, and floating easily to the ground. Low gravity, indeed. How Jorahl was going to either overcome this low-G environment or use it to their advantage was his problem. Considering his reputation and Kirel's experience with him so far, she felt certain he already had a plan. The science team had given her ample information on the terrain, geological structure and composition of the asteroid, as well caveats for navigation. Still, she would proceed with all caution, as Lt. Dabi had quite firmly but respectfully requested. Kirel's primary mission was to do a thorough personal evaluation of the site. Not that she did not trust the results of the exploratory team; she preferred to see, to touch, to feel, to experience herself the full impact of a location before authorizing the establishment of a major installation such as they were about to create. And she had a mild curiosity about the caves. Caves had a habit of hiding too many things: some sinister, like the Pah-wraiths of Bajor, and some harmful but deemed of religious significance, like the vapors in the caves of No'Mat. A few caves were protective, as the Caves of Mak'ala wherein the Trill symbionts dwelt, and Earth's Taurus mountain caves that housed and hid hundreds of thousands during periods of conflict and ethnic cleansing. Some caves, however, harbored only threats from within. One's own fears and terrors, thought to have been conquered, were merely suppressed until the walls closed in, a wrong turn became disorienting, and a sudden noise or unexpected shadow flung those fears mercilessly, with ominous force, at an unprotected psyche. Kirel had decided that the caves on this asteroid were of he latter sort, especially after reading the report from Centurion Jorahl and the psychological report she had received from Dr. Davis concerning one Rachel Garrett. Still, she felt she had to investigate, and investigate alone to understand the full effect. Some species singled out their prey; some fears attacked in solitude. The entrance she found was deceptively small, but it quickly widened to a steep-sided descent that, if she were not careful, would have turned into a slow, deliberate, uncontrolled free-fall. After placing a small communication relay at the entrance, she entered. The sides were slick, as Jorahl had reported, and when her low-G decent came to an end she looked up to a pinhole about fifty meters above. A com check to Porter verified reception and she continued on, placing relays and checking communications every few meters. The science and engineering teams would return soon enough to verify findings for their own purposes. Kirel was more interested in evidence of habitation, sentient or otherwise. An asteroid with such rich deposits and caves protected from sensor penetration were usually magnets for the darker side of civilization, but she found no evidence here. Given the size of the asteroid field and its proximity to virtually nothing, she wasn't that surprised, but still…. Several hours into the journey still revealed no evidence, no signs of recent or ancient habitation, no artifacts, no graffiti, primitive etchings, nor pirate hordes – the mere thought of which made Kirel smile. Aye, they were the stuff of dreams or nightmares, depending on which side of piracy one fantasized. Still, hundreds of kilometers of tunnels laced the asteroid; the possibility still existed, but the chances of finding anything were low. The only potential problem she noticed was disorientation in certain areas of the caves, and that the disorientation was accompanied by high electromagnetic readings – something else for science to chew on. Seven hours later she was back on Aegis, thanking Porter and Dabi for their concern and formulating a report for Feretti and Jorahl, with a note to Drs Lepage and Davis concerning the disorientation. She had visual confirmation. Now on to the next task.

Just an fyi - if you have On Demand, you can access the program under TV Series, CBS, CSI. Watched it this evening.

Mission Summary - Sky Harbor Aegis - 17 April 2009 TBS was 2 days. Aegis returns to business as usual. Science has determined that the asteroids are prime candidates for the shipyard. In Feretti's words, "They seem to have the ideal density level to support boring and larger ships that will be housed inside it. And the underground caves make for prime tunnels." In engineering, Chief Jorahl is busy planning construction of the shipyard, Coleridge is tweaking the defense grid, and Fletcher tackles the guts of the station itself. Continuing his coordination of station security, Lt Dabi meets with Chirakis, Drankum, and Coleridge. There are areas of the station that are not accessible by any means – a puzzle to Chirakis and Dabi, a delight to Drankum, possibly because one is behind his bar. The last of the Betazoids to be infected, Dr. Belar has fully recovered from the telepathy virus. Medical personnel continue their quest for an end to paperwork.

Starfleet Academy Mission Briefing Sunday, 19 April, 2009 The Federation Starship Prometheus (Defiant Class) is en route to a colony on Keteron III. Several domestic animals have disappeared and some colonists have reported seeing a phantom. Due to the highly classified nature of the research at the colony, Starfleet has asked us to investigate. The Sunday Academy meets in the Holodeck: * 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time * 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London) * 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany)

My personal preference - the one on the far right. More dynamic, focused, determined. And welcome aboard!

To:Chief of Security Lt tr/Jeth Dabi CC: Ambassador Drankum, Station Commander, Sky Harbor Aegis Centurion Tylus Petrinius Jorahl, Chief of Engineering, Sky Harbor Aegis Ltjg Damian Porter, Chief of Operations, Sky Harbor Aegis Commander Nicolas Lepage, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis Lieutenant Leilani Feretti, Chief Science Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis From: Commander Chirakis Kirel, Executive Officer, Sky Harbor Aegis Re: Communiqué Regarding Station Security Lieutenant, Upon inspection of the security visual sensors you have placed, I find the placing is as we discussed, but the quality of visual receptor is below specifications required for this station. I understand you are working with what is provided. Understand that I am working to rectify the situation. When you receive the next shipment of security visual receptors, you will inspect them for the following: Full spectrum EM analysis to detect corporeal and non-corporeal beings Full spectrum visual feed Complete system and individual triple redundancy backup Duranium casing Fully integrated circuitry Failsafe tampering deterrent specification AI-42B At all times, coordinate with Chief of Engineering Centurion Jorahl and Chief of Operations Ltjg Porter for installation of all security equipment. It is imperative that they be familiar with the equipment, its placement on the station, and its proper usage. They must also be informed as to the personnel who will have access to said equipment. During your departmental visits, discuss the following, which would especially, but not exclusively, apply to the medical and science departments: Secure access to all volatile, potentially volatile, and hazardous materials; Secure access to all biological materials that could conceivably be used for internal biological weaponry. During your visit to engineering, have Centurion Jorahl assign an engineer to personally acquaint you with all access points to: Replicator systems and storage; Perishable food storage; Life support systems, especially air circulation, purification, and distribution. Assign a team to inspect the midway stores and concessions to be sure they harbor only legitimate items for sale or distribution. Regarding Placement of security, deploy your security details as you see fit. I am forwarding a list of recommended personnel you may consider in your most secure areas. Regarding station lockdown, we will meet with Operations Manager Porter to discuss insecure areas and command code lockouts and overrides, and the implementation of threat levels beyond our present alert system. Contact the Ambassadors personally regarding their needs and wishes for security in their areas. Ambassador Joy Two of Mudd, Federation Ambassador to Sky Harbor Aegis, does indeed have specific concerns regarding the assignment of humanoid security personnel. This is not a personal preference but a possible conflict with Asimov processing. She will inform you as to whether her Alyces require security training; I would venture to say they probably do not, but do consult her. The presence of diplomats has its own set of rules with which you should be familiar. A specific vocabulary is required when speaking to or referring to those in the Diplomatic Corps. Ambassador Joy Two is a Mudd Android. At no time should she be called or referred to as a "droid" a "robot" or an appellation other than "android". Such references are considered racial slurs. I must also require you to use Federation Standard at all times. Though Rihannsu is an honorable language and its users most honorable, a necessity for common language stems from the number of species present on this station. To ensure clear, precise communication, especially during times of crisis, the use of one language is essential. Thank you for your service and dedication. Chirakis

Practical Considerations "I fail to see the humor of the situation, Director." Cdr Chirakis stared at the screen of her secure command console, clearly not amused. SI-5 Director Torak's face was fairly flushed with the strain of laughter, which strain, Kirel surmised, must be considerable since his Vulcan half tended to suppress such outbursts. In addition, she could not fathom how a space station stuck in a no-man's land just outside of Breen space could engender such a reaction. She had been discussing her report, specifically the concerns she had about the security of the station. To her total and complete astonishment he seemed to view it as some kind of joke. After what seemed like several minutes, Director Torak composed himself enough to respond, but the tone was still one of incredulity, with a chuckle here and there. "Come, Commander. Be reasonable. You are not in the desert of Tel'azul, nor are you in the jungles of Azareth. You are on a joint-alliance space station. "Your crew is not a crack infiltration team, it is a diverse group of Starfleet officers, some of whom have great experience, some of whom have just come aboard, and some of whom have been assigned under protest. Yes," he replied to her narrowing eyes, "I would not be surprised if you have a few who are there because their previous commanding officers wanted to rid themselves of excess baggage – or worse. You must know your crew, Commander, especially before you begin shock-troop training." Pressing the broad-angle access, Kirel stood to pace the room, her only alternative to smashing her fist through the screen. "Of course you should be concerned with station security," Torak continued. "Of course you should train them, but be reasonable. You said yourself you wanted to establish a good working relationship," here he held up her previous report and waved it at the camera, "so do that first. Your best strategy at the moment is to secure the station by allowing it to settle down, for its crew to get to know their environment. Work the station into stability…." She stopped pacing for a moment to stare at the screen, her brow deeply furrowed, her jaw clenched. Torak had shifted into what Kirel called training manual mode. She'd heard it all before, especially just after her last posting here. But that was temporary; this was permanent. Why? qeyllS, what was happening? Had she outlived her usefulness as an operative? Was she destined to be trapped on a station for the rest of her career? Was it time to leave Intel? Apparently her posture translated well. Torak's next sentence was, "And now you are going to ask me why I have posted you there." She resumed pacing, partly because she had not yet fully controlled her temper and partly because she knew it annoyed the hell out of Director Torak. "You have not only Starfleet officers there. You also have RSE – two in particular who have been placed in positions of authority… under you, I might add." She continued to pace, running both hands through her hair as she made a sharp turn to reverse direction. "You have a group of colonists who, for some reason, wish to settle on a remote planet. And you have a high-ranking official of the Ferengi Alliance who has been placed in command of the station." She stopped with her back half-turned to the screen. She knew full well that the joint-alliance station technically belonged to the Ferengi, so it came as no surprise to find Drankum in command. But they both knew that, so he was skirting the issue, one of his typical diversionary tactics when they locked horns. Glancing over her shoulder, she shot a questioning look towards him, as if to say, and this is supposed to placate me how? "Sit, Commander." Torak had shifted into total command mode and had assumed a no-nonsense tone tempered by a tinge of concern. It caught her immediate attention. She sat. He continued. "Eyes and ears, Commander. There are some who have grave concerns about the shipyard, some with concerns about the station location, some who are concerned with the colony." "Some, meaning Council members. So we are playing politics." She spat the word out as a disgusting epithet. "Everything is political." Torak's face flushed and the fist of his right hand, within her field of vision, clenched. She had achieved her goal of provoking him to the truth, often the only way she could pry it from him. Forcing a deep breath, Torak leaned back from the screen, waving off a glass of water that appeared from behind as he did so. Kirel recognized the hand of Torak's Vulcan aide, T'lek, and wondered who else was in attendance. She forced herself to settle in and await his explanation, but it was not forthcoming. "Stabilize the station, allow it to settle in, and it will be secure. The Tzenkethi are between coups and their present situation is more stable than it has been for decades. At present, the Borg are dealing with their own collective problems; the resistance continues to gain ground. The Breen…." He shrugged with a small sigh. "Sources in Breen space are still stymied as to their disappearance, but we are on top of it. You're on the daily feed. "Sounding board? Use Joy Two. Advice? Use Jorahl. Use Dabi. They may not be Starfleet but they are dependable. And remember the boy who cried wolf; save red alerts for real situations. Torak out." The bold logo of Starfleet Intel filled the screen and once again Chirakis Kirel sat staring, wondering what exactly had just happened.

Mission Summary - Sky Harbor Aegis - 3 April 2009 Cdr Chirakis pulled the third red alert in as many hours to get a benchmark for station internal security. Disrupted in their efforts were: Medical personnel trying to complete physicals so the colonists could begin their settlement of TKR-117 Engineering in the midst of shipyard planning and defense upgrades – an irony beyond ironies Science collating data from their recent trip to the asteroids Security, whose new chief was struggling to pull the department together. The only ones who seemed to weather the storm were Ambassadors Drankum and Joy Two, who sat in the midway discussing life, the universe, and everything. Her benchmark obtained, Chirakis will curtail drills for a while to allow the station to settle into a semblance of routine. TBS is one week. The next simulation will be on April 17th.

Live long, and prosper, Sorehl. Enjoy the day of your birth!

A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place Sunday afternoon/evening at: * 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time * 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London) * 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany) =/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\= The Federation Starship Prometheus (Defiant Class) has left Sky Harbor Aegis to explore the asteroid belt.

Welcome to the dark side....

The First 48 Hours After hours of steady activity, the worker drones visible through the conference room viewport doused their lights and flocked into the bay like so many bees swarming at nightfall. But Sky Harbor Aegis had neither night nor day, only an artificial cycle produced for the comfort of certain species. For the crew, shift change marked time in the absence of a sun or suns of homeworlds, and in that change there came a lull – time enough for any adversary to drop out of warp and attack, with nothing but the station shields and weapons standing between them and total annihilation. The view waned as the drones cut their lights and disappeared, leaving the station running lights to outline the hull that separated an oasis of life from the abyss. Interior lights cut a ghastly glow through viewports where crew and civilians alike went about their mundane routines, some working and some relaxing, many of them oblivious to the danger that surrounded them. Kirel had laughed when Director Torak mentioned cross-training in conjunction with her assignment to Aegis. She imagined a quick in-and-out, an interim posting to assist the recently appointed Ferengi Commanding Officer. It seemed similar to her previous assignment – of no consequence. She was not laughing now. During the last twelve hours she had walked the station to evaluate its vulnerability by taking an inventory of its strengths, weaknesses, and the demeanor of the crew. What she found was very close to Ambassador Drankum's assessment. "Pakleds could invade right now." Permanent assignment as Executive Officer had placed the safety of the station and all aboard squarely on her shoulders. Never before had she been outwardly tasked with the survival of so many; never before had she doubted the outcome. The Terran term sitting ducks came to mind, along with other species' phrases that were much less flattering but just as appropriate. She rubbed her arms against a warm tingle that worked its way from her back to her fingers. She would have to visit Dr. Lepage, sooner rather than later. Behind her the conference room door cycled several times, indicating the department heads were gathering as she had requested. Keeping her back to them, she watched their reflections in the glass while contemplating her next move. The door and those gathered grew silent. Her thoughts in order, she turned to face them, taking a few minutes to gather her thoughts. She met their gaze evenly, one at a time: Operations Manager and Tactical Officer Damian Porter. Starfleet Lieutenant j.g. Human. Young. Junior officer, but more than capable. He had proven himself many times during her temporary posting. Chief Engineering Officer Centurion Tylus Petrinius Jorahl. Romulan. Expert in reverse technology. Known to Starfleet as The Reaper. Valuable to the station. Valuable to the Romulan Star Empire. Security Chief Lieutenant Torate tr'Jeth Dabi. Rihannsu. Starfleet graduate. New. Bold – perhaps overly so. Intimidating. Untried in Kirel's experience. Chief Medical Officer Commander Nicolas Lepage. Human. Highly experienced. Cautious, yet willing to take a chance when the occasion required. Chief Science Officer Lieutenant Leilani Feretti. Telepathic Human-Betazoid. Young. Beautiful. Capable. Sometimes distracted by frivolity. All comfortable. All attentive. Punctual. Without moving from her position she began in a quiet, measured tone. "This meeting is informational. There will be no discussion at this time. I am Commander Chirakis Kirel, Starfleet Intelligence, Section Five. Some of you I have met, some have yet to come to know me. I anticipate that will change quickly in the coming days as the situation of this station unfolds. For the moment just know that I am now the Executive Officer of Sky Harbor Aegis. My primary duty is the administration and the defense of this station and its inhabitants." A quick tap on the conference table activated a stellar cartography display behind her. "Our situation at present is precarious. We have one of the best designed and operated defense grids in the quadrant." Here she paused to nod acknowledgement to Jorahl. "However, station shields and defense grids are no match for what may come against us in our present position…. " She stepped back to give full view of the cartographic display, subtly moving to a position at the back of the room to have a clear view of the display and of those at the table. As she spoke, areas of the chart with accompanying data alternately brightened onscreen then faded to the background. "Our present location puts us approximately 112 light years[1] from Federation space, 128 from Canar, 96 from Cardassia Prime – though only 32 from the closest reaches of Cardassian space – and 64 from the Ferengi Alliance. Those are the closest; we are even farther from our Romulan and Klingon allies. "Suffice to say, though we can depend on instantaneous response from our allies, we cannot depend on instantaneous presence by our allies should we come under attack. The distances are far too great. And, for reasons unknown, we are left surrounded without a standing defensive fleet." The sentence stuck in her craw. As much as she appreciated the stealth presence of Captain Halloway and the USS Yorktown, one Sovereign starship did not a defensive fleet make. Sitting ducks, indeed. "To emphasize our need for protection, let us consider the present political situation in our little corner of space." A pale area outlined on the right side of the screen came to the fore with names, trade routes, planets, and colonies labeled, all with a tactical overlay. "The Tzenkethi Coalition. Their internal political woes seem to preclude the possibility of hostilities. However, should a powerful enough Autarch arise from the dregs of their Tzelnira, what better way to unite a disparate group than to rally them around a common enemy? What better common enemy to choose than the Federation, the Ferengi Alliance, or both? What better place to attack than an ill-defended joint alliance base far from its allies?" Here she paused as sudden pain shot from her back down her arms. Though she tried to mask a sharp intake of breath, it escaped, but the pain subsided. Leaning one arm on the viewport sill, she continued in a more contemplative tone. "The Rolor Nebula that separates us from Tzenkethi space presents another threat. The nebula may hide invasions from a greater foe: the Borg. Their use of the nebula to mask a transwarp conduit has always been suspected but, of course, has never been proven. Though the Borg have been dormant for a while, I would not trust them to remain so forever." The nebula and Tzenkethi space faded to be replaced with a larger area, precariously close to the station. "Then we have the Breen, from whom we have not heard in several months. Intelligence sources have no definitive answers as to why they have gone silent. We will not speculate on that matter, but we keep it in mind as a possible precursor to invasion, the lull before the storm, if you will. Perhaps a distraction, perhaps not." She shrugged. "Given our present state of readiness, should an attack occur I would give the station little chance of survival." The screen darkened, room lighting returned to normal, and Kirel took a position at the head of the table. Arms crossed, she leveled her gaze to regain her composure. Clearly, she should not put off her visit to sick bay, but at the moment there were more pressing issues. "If I paint too bleak a picture, I have no apology. I would rather we be prepared for the worst than to be met by the worst unprepared. And, like me, you probably wonder why Aegis is here. Many do. But why is not the issue. The issue is what we will do about the situation, how we will deal with a problem over which we seem to have little control. "Therefore, instead of looking at what we do not have we will focus on what we have, beginning with the excellent defense grid and shielding already in place." She paused to acknowledge Jorahl. "Our second priority will be to petition our allies for a fighter squadron and possibly a rudimentary fleet that will support our station defenses and help defend the colony on TKR-117. "Our most immediate priority, however, is to establish internal security. Allow me to introduce Chief of Security Lt. tr'Jeth Dabi, our coordinator, or trainer, and the one to whom we look for direction." The Lieutenant gave a curt nod and Kirel pressed on. "The Lieutenant's expertise notwithstanding, let one thing be very clear. Internal security is the responsibility of everyone… from the highest ranking officer in each of your departments to the lowest non-com. The more eyes and ears we have aboard the station the safer we will be. "In the coming days, Lt. Dabi and I will be very visible. In your face, I believe is the proper term. Inspections and drills will be commonplace. They are not for the purpose of assigning blame. They are to find weak spots in our procedures and to fix them. The reactions of your departments during drills will become instinct. When we face an actual alert none of your crew will hesitate, none will pause to think. They will move, and that will save their lives." Another twinge, and Kirel took a deep breath. Her voice dropped to just above a whisper, moving her words along. "All communications during these drills will go through Station Operations in the Control Tower. Mr. Porter, Mr. Fisher, or Lt. Dabi will be there. Drills will be conducted at random. Drill reports will be due one standard hour after stand down. Your reports will be concise and precise, containing a list of problem areas and your recommendations for fixing them. "Within the hour I will begin departmental visits to establish a working relationship. Then you may ask your questions – no holds barred. Hopefully I will have answers. If I do not, we will find them together." Kirel's face paled and a sweat beaded on her forehead. "I will be in your office first, Dr. Lepage. We have much to discuss. You are dismissed." ______________ [1] The Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Home" set the distance between Vulcan and Earth at 16 light years. Using that as a thumbprint and Aegis stellar cartography as a guide, the distances calculated are approximate. Corrections are welcome. Bottom line: we are far from allied space.

Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis - 27 March 2009 Colony Administrator Hannah McDowell and Federation Ambassador Joy Two discuss the formation and organization of the colony on TKR-117. Our new Romulan Chief of Security, Arrain tr'Jeth Dabi, arrives and is immediately acquainted with Ambassador Drankum's social graces. Operations Manager Porter gives him the five credit tour of the station. Away teams returning from the asteroid are given a clean bill of health by the medical staff, confirming that no diseasles have crept aboard the station. Commander Chirakis assures Ambassador Drankum that there are no ulterior motives for her presence on the station. She is to be his administrative assistant, and was sent to assure the security of the station and its occupants in this precarious area of space. A defense readiness drill illustrates the security situation. They discuss: The Breen and their dangerous proximity to the colony and the station The need for proactive rather than reactive thinking: IE: careful planning The present lack of defensive capability beyond station shields and weapons The need to upgrade internal security logistics and training, and beef up external defense capability, with special emphasis on development of a fighter squadron. Engineering Chief Jorahl collates data from the away teams and discusses construction of the shipyard with Operations Manager Porter. Dr. Lepage finds that the Betazoid problem is fading; their neurotransmitter levels should be normal within a week. TBS was 2 days.

Thank you, Ms. Kent. Sundays. Yes. Welcome, Angie.

STSF Congratulates JJ Lexi, who graduated from the Academy on 29 March, 2009!