Cptn Elias Moore

Perhaps the Spaghetti Monster is but one member of a pasta pantheon.

I love it. Priceless. :P

Lieutenant Commander Joshua Maynard, First Officer of the ESS Achilles, had not touched his breakfast. It sat on the table in front of him, neglected, as he stared at the nearby viewport in deep contemplation. They had fled the scene of an attack on a Starfleet vessel... by a fellow Starfleet vessel, no less. Without any sort of explanation, Commander Crane, a woman he'd always trusted with his very life, ordered their departure from the Nequencia system. He pressed for answers many times, but she simply assured him that she knew what she was doing and needed the trust of her crew. The ship made a brief and mysterious stop at Kappa Persei. Someone or something was transported from the surface. More questions were asked, still she left everyone in the dark. And now the ship was continuing a voyage to some destination that was unknown to all but Commander Crane... and, Maynard suspected, the Bolian engineers in whose quarters she was spending quite a bit of time. One of the Bolians, Nagen, was transported aboard just as Challenger fired on Defiant. Was he responsible for the attack? The crew was becoming restless. They looked to Maynard for answers, but he merely assured them that the Commander had their best interests in mind. He couldn't even be sure if he was right; his own trust in Commander Crane was beginning to slip. The door to his quarters opened. He looked up as Commander Crane crossed the threshold then stepped to the side. Nagen entered, followed by his assistant, Ardyus... and a fourth person whom Maynard didn't recognize. He looked human, but he was remarkably large and shaggy. The hulking figure had an unkempt tangle of black hair atop his head and a thick beard. He wore a plain brown tunic that's low collar and short sleeves showed mats of hair on his chest and arms. A strong smell of grease preceded him into the quarters. He gave Maynard a toothy grin that showed overly large canines. Maynard swept a quick glance over all four of his guests. Answers were coming. And what else, he wondered? His gaze stopped on the large figure, who stepped ahead of the others. "I suppose this is our visitor from Kappa Persei, Commander?" "You've supposed quite a bit, I imagine." Crane answered. "As has the crew. They're close to a mutiny, aren't they, Joshua?" "They're about ready to mutiny, yes." Maynard answered. "They're eager for an explanation that you haven't given them. But I've been holding them at bay, Lillian... if you really are Lillian." Crane laughed and Maynard looked at her now. It wasn't Commander Crane's laugh. She looked quite different now, he observed... looked like some strange person merely borrowing Commander Crane's body and making no attempt to hide it anymore. But even as this strange person had been so expertly mimicking Crane's personality over the past few months, Maynard could observe the small nuances that had managed to arouse his suspicion as early as Achilles' withdrawal from the Nequencia system. Looking back... he could recall such nuances even as early as Achilles' last shore leave at Earth. "You're holding them at bay, Joshua?" Crane asked. "The Captain and the First Officer must be as one. The crew recognizes that we aren't. That's why they're ready to mutiny. You haven't put your trust in me... why should they?" "So why have you brought this man to me?" He motioned to the giant. "And your two Bolian lackeys? To beat some sense into me? Just like you destroyed Defiant?" "Oh, we have no need to beat sense into you, Joshua." Crane circled around the giant and the table so that she was standing beside him. "We can simply create a Joshua Maynard that is better capable of backing up his commanding officer." "Is that so?" Maynard kept his gaze on her, but his hand was creeping for his communicator under the table. "How are you going to do that? The same way you created a better Lillian Crane?" "That's right." Crane nodded, now smiling unpleasantly. "Only, I'm not going to do it." Maynard glanced at the large figure that was now moving closer to the table. He pulled his communicator off his belt and whipped it open, but Crane had been on to him; she grabbed his arm and pulled it up sharply, sending the communicator flying out of his hand. He stood and tried to pull his arm free, but his attention was suddenly diverted across the table... The large man had disappeared into... what appeared to be a transport shimmer. But rather than fading, this transport shimmer moved toward him. It glided right through the table as if there was nothing obstructing its movement. With only a second to react, Maynard used his free hand to retrieve his phase pistol. But he was too late. The mass of dancing particles engulfed him. "Keep it clean." Was the last thing he heard Crane say before stunning pain ripped him. It was the feeling of a million needles shooting through his body with lightning speed. There were no wounds to release the blood, but he knew that his organs were being reduced to shreds. It took a moment that felt like an eternity for his life to snuff out. The shimmer left Maynard's body with nothing but a gush of blood from his mouth to suggest what had happened. The lifeless body fell to the deck with a thump. The transport shimmer drifted back over the table and hovered for a moment before it began to materialize. The body that reformed was no longer that of the shaggy stranger. It was the body of Lieutenant Commander Maynard--an exact replica of the figure that lay dead behind the table... even wearing the same uniform. "Commander, do you read?" Maynard's communicator was lying in the corner. The new Maynard walked over and picked it up. "Come in, Commander." "Yeah, this is Maynard." The figure responded in Maynard's exact same voice. "Sensors picked up a transport signature in your quarters. We also read an attempt to use your communicator. Is everything alright?" "Yes, Lieutenant Roosevelt, everything is fine. In fact, I've had an interesting chat with Commander Crane. She's finally let me in on our mission." He looked over at the smiling Crane. "It seems everything is going to be just fine. You were right to check on me, though, James. I'll be on the Bridge shortly." When he closed the device, Crane looked at the Bolians. "Let's make sure this isn't found." She motioned to the dead body. The Bolians bowed and scurried around the table. "Shall we proceed to the Bridge, Commander Crane?" Maynard asked with a mischievous smirk. "But of course, Commander Maynard." Crane answered. "I can't wait for this spacecraft trip to end." Maynard said as he stepped toward the door. "I'm really looking forward to finally seeing this weapon of yours." "Silly Joshua." Crane said in a mock tone as she followed him. "You can't see it. It's only a particle..."

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- September 18, 2155 A strong gust of wind whips at the shrubs, but the four-winged jaybirds of Kappa Persei V stay perfectly still among the branches. They are too focused on their late afternoon meal--the firepillars crawling about the broad silver leaves. They won't be deterred by a mere gust of wind any more than they were deterred by the commotion that took place several minutes ago within the small wooden shack nearby. Suddenly, the entire flock flutters out of the bushes and scatters away, leaving their precious meal behind. In just a few moments, they are all in the sky and soaring as far away from the area as they can get. Their behavior would seem odd to a casual observer, since no disturbance was apparent in the area. But animals lifeforms are known to possess a curious sense of the 'paranormal.' With an audible pop that sends another gust of wind through the surrounding shrubs, three figures appear outside the door of the wooden shack. This is the sort of disturbance that would be blatantly apparent to a casual observer. Standing just in front of the other two, the tallest of the figures is an extraordinally old-looking man. Long hair of pure white hangs from both his head and his chin. He is oddly dressed, with a silver-colored robe (metallic, it seems) dropping from his shouders right down to his ankles and a tall, blue, cone-shaped hat, its point hanging just to the side, perched atop his head. At his side he holds a long shaft of what appears to be ivory; he plants it into the ground like a walking stick, and the fist-sized blue crystal at its top is just beside his head. His eyes, as blue as the crystal atop the walking stick, sweep quickly over the shack as he speaks in a gentle voice. "They are no longer here, I am afraid." "Wormwaffles!" The woman behind his left shoulder whines. She is not at all pleasant-looking. Her hair is not as long as her older companion's, but it is decidedly unkempt, a large black tangle with irregular grey streaks. Sitting most precariously atop the mess is a cap much like her companion's, but it is shorter, dark brown, and sports a wide brim. She wears a large moss-green dress that is stained and tattered, and an offensive smell is drifting from the vials of various-colored liquids stuffed into the sash around her waist. A giant wart sticks out from the tip of her long, crooked nose. "And old Boneshaker went to all the trouble of finding this place!" "Yes, a shame, Zayel." The old man says. "But I think that what awaits us inside is far more terrible than the poor timing of Boneshaker's divinations." "Yes..." The man behind his right shoulder unexpectedly speaks up in a ravenous-sounding drawl. Not much of this one can be seen, as he is covered from head to toe in a hooded robe of deep black. Even his hands are concealed within the long sleeves. His form is hunched over slightly, but the sleeves and hood of the robe wave around fluidly as he speaks. "There is... death inside. The smell of it hangs about the place... like flies around rotting meat." "Oh, Pitpimples!" Zayel gasps. "You and your grotesque imagery, Morvis." "I think, dear Zayel, that we must steel ourselves for the grotesque truth." The old man lifts up his walking stick and points the crystal at the door. He gives the stick a sharp twirl, and the door suddenly swings open. The first sight that greets them is blood. Zayel winces at the sight of it, and the cloaked Morvis leans forward even more, sleeves fluttering hungrily, but the old man simply returns his walking stick to his side, expression and posture unaffected. "Morvis, if you will accompany me. Zayel, you'll be happy to know that you have no need to come inside. Remain here and keep watch." The old man steps across the threshold, followed by Morvis, who seems to glide rather than step. "Five of them." The old man observes as he looks around the shack's interior. "But six beds... three stacks of two. Simply an excess, or is there one person missing?" "Oh my." Morvis says, leaning over one of the bodies. "What freed you from the bonds of life, my friend?" "Morvis?" The old man glances at him. "Many small wounds." Morvis answers, sounding almost delighted. One of his sleeves reaches down and brushes across the body. "Many, many, oh so many. Their insides have been scrambled." "That sounds consistent with the capabilities of our quarry." The old man responds. His eyes make another sweep across the cramped room... a half-opened door leading to a tiny lavatory... an opened chest containing food rations, weapons, and other inconsequential supplies... and a long table against the wall opposite the beds, four chairs in front of it. He walks over to the desk and glances over its contents. Two of the chairs face a computer terminal with various displays showing diagrams, documents, and technical readouts. On either side of the terminal are large jumbles of vellum sheets, some stuffed into folders, others simply scattered across the table's surface, and small crystalline data disks. "Busy bees. Messy too." "What do you expect from common criminals?" Morvis says. He was already onto an examination of the third body. "Indeed, Morvis. But we know that Quantus, while he may be a criminal, is quite uncommon. He would do nothing without a clear purpose. I do not understand why he would kill the men who work for him." "Perhaps he was aware that we would be coming." Morvis' hood bobs around as if the figure underneath is sniffing the air. "And sought to remove anyone tied to this place... to avoid their giving away vital information." "It was Boneshakers' divination of this slaughter that brought us here. But, alas, that point leads to a discussion of fate, prophecy, and causality that I am afraid would take us around in spectacularly perplexing circles... so I will remain open to your possibility." The old man points his staff at the computer terminal and waves it around in intricate motions. After a few seconds, the crystal at the end pulses and glows with an inner light. "I have noticed, however, that many of the starmaps on these documents scattered about the table... match this map displayed on the screen here. They seem to have recently been obsessed with this area on the map here. I would say that this is a good trail to follow." Morvis stands up and looks around at the bodies. "What do we do about *them*?" The old man turns away from the table. "A proper burial would be the decent thing to do. Morvis, if you will." He nods and strides out of the shack. The cloaked figure clears his throat, then raises his sleeves into the air and begins a deep rythmic chant full of harsh guttural syllables. The sleeves dance around as the chant continues, and the shack trembles slightly as the stone floor begins to crack and split. Holes open underneath the five bodies and swallow them up into the earth. As Morvis' chant slows to a stop, the holes in the floor close up. When he is finished, the stone is completely restored, even cleaned of the blood. When the three figures are again standing together outside the shack, they join hands and close their eyes in concentration. It is right after they vanish that Challenger enters the system...

Lightning flashed outside the window, illuminating the dark office. Moments later, the sound of windblown rain spraying erratically against the glass was broken by a spectacular crash of thunder. Amidst the din, the siren of a fire-suppression craft could be heard soaring past the complex just a few yards below the window. Another brilliant flash of light revealed a remarkably feminine silhouette standing within the doorway, one arm propped against the frame. "Dear James," the voice spoke in a playful tone, with a delightfully intoxicating accent--nothing recognizable on Earth, but none of the harsh inflection commonly perceived in extraterrestrial speech. "Why do you sit in the dark?" Admiral Gardner raised an index finger, the smile on his face just barely visible in the meager light that managed its way into the office from ground-level lampposts. His eyes closed as another crash of thunder, more distant this time, echoed through the office. "I love thunderstorms. When I was child... I hated them. But my father... whenever one passed, he would keep all the lights in our home turned off and all the windows opened but for the screens. God... I can still recall the fear... no, the terror. I would hide under my bed until the storm passed." "How terrible." the figure said in a voice that oozed sympathy. "Why would your father do that to you, James?" "Simple, my love. I am disappointed that you do not see it." The Admiral stood and circled around his desk. He walked to the doorway and offered his hand. With an almost outwordly grace, the figure accepted his hand and stepped inside, leaving the door to close behind them. "As you know, the men typically lead the families on our world. My father was training me. Disciplining me, you might say, at first. He would not accept fear given to something so harmless as a simple storm." The shapely woman allowed herself to be lead to one of the chairs in front of the Admiral's desk. Though she had been in the office many times, she still courteously waited until he motioned her to sit. "His 'training' was not fruitless." "It never was." Gardner replied, one corner of his mouth upturned. He retook his seat behind the desk as lightning flashed again, and he waited for another crash of thunder, more distant still. He chuckled softly. "Now, I never pass up an opportunity to sit alone with the lights out during a thuderstorm. There's still a tingle of excitement as the room is lit up by a brighter flash, and I know that an especially intense roar is on its way. It's what remains of the old fear, you see... but it's been molded into something better." The Admiral pressed a button on one side of his desk, restoring the lights in his office and illuminating the face of his guest. If it were possible for a Goddess of the Earth to drift down from the Heavens and grace Humanity... she was it. She was a being from a distant world, but she looked no different from a Human; the only qualities that even remotely set her apart were her spectacular beauty, beyond, Gardner believed, any normal Human's, and those deep black eyes that seemed almost unnatural but that never failed to draw the Admiral in. There was her other quality too... that remarkable sense of empathy. She always seemed so sensitive to his feelings... always seemed to understand him better than anyone. He perceived this as an emotional connection that spoke of love, a connection that she often acknowledged in her subtle, playful way. He had no idea that the true source of the connection was telepathic ability. "You are a strange people." The woman said, but with no hint of mockery or even criticism in her voice. It was, rather, a mixed tone of curiosity and admiration for something clearly superior. Everything she said sounded just right to Admiral Gardner. "My people do not invoke harsh discipline on the young. But then, we do not have thunderstorms to fear on Betazed." Gardner couldn't help but laugh out loud, as he often did in her company. The almost childlike naivety she demonstrated at times was especially charming coming from one so exotic. And always she said just the thing that would elicit the most favorable response from the Admiral. She was like a beacon of good feelings, and he was becoming more and more drunk on them. "No discipline. I'm not sure how you grew up to be such a fine woman, my dear Iyyonu. But, as you quite rightly observe, we grew up in very different environments. What of the Romulans?" The woman frowned at the mere mention of the name. "No, there is no discipline from them, for they are so distant from my people. As I have told you, we have never even seen their faces. They remain hidden in their spaceships high above our planet, caring little for how we govern ourselves... as long as we make no attempt to leave or in any other way rebel against them. *That* would bring discipline." "Yet your family fled to us." Gardner rested his arms atop his desk and leaned forward, immersing himself entirely in her enchanting words. "You've said they only take natural resources from your planet in limited quantities. But they otherwise let your people live in peace. Why risk so much to get so far from those who do not involve themselves in your lives?" "Oh, but they do, James!" Iyyonu replied emphatically. It was a passionate response, and her passion was just as intoxicating as her compassion. "We have no freedom to explore the stars as you do. This is a dream that your people once dreamed, and mine dream it too." "Yes, I see." The Admiral nodded, finding that he genuinely felt for the plight of the Betazoid people as this magnificent woman poured out her heart for them. "The need for freedom is strong indeed. It must have been difficult to escape their fleet." Iyyonu nodded and put on a musing expression. "Everything had to be done in secret. The building of the ship, the movement of the scientists and engineers from all over the world, the launch from the surface after many years of toiling in the shadows... the ones who gave their lives to draw the attention of the fleet... the mines that surround our star system." She frowned and bowed her head and Gardner had to resist the urge to get up and embrace her. "Their deaths will not be in vain, Iyyonu." Gardner said. "You came to the right place." Iyyonu's head lifted and she offered Gardner a warm smile. "We went from star to star for over a year before we located the trading post on Maveo. They spoke very highly of the Humans, of the wonderful things you have accomplished. You have brought so much hope to so many worlds. Behind the Empire's borders, there is no hope for anyone but the tyrants who seek to conquer everything in their path. But I know now that there is hope for my people. We have found you, James." Gardner unfolded his arms and reached across the desk, offering his upturned palms. Iyyonu took his hands and gripped them gently. "I have promised you, my love, and I will say it once more... we will free your people. They are mounting forces to invade us, you say? No matter. The information your experts have been giving us will allow us to gain an edge against them when that time comes. If it is allowed to come at all. For we plan to gain the upper hand, don't we?" Iyyonu squeezed his hands more tightly. "Nequencia." "Your creation my love." Gardner gazed straight into her eyes with a determined, almost ferocious, glint in his eyes. "We shall bring the Romulan Empire a thunderstorm that it shall never forget." Iyyonu's response to this was a smile of deep satisfaction. It had taken so much less time and effort than she had originally expected to mold the notoriously dogged Admiral Gardner, a rumored power behind both Starfleet Command and the United Earth Government. But she realized quickly that Gardner already knew a good deal about the Romulans and was not at all put off by the prospect of an interstellar war. Iyyonu, with her exotic charm and practiced flirtations, her heart-wrenching pleas for the freedom of her people, and her lies about Romulan invasion plans, was just the focus that Gardner's ambitions required...

Elias sat in his ready room, silently staring at his Enterprise model. He was pleased that it was still perched atop his desk rather than stuffed into a trunk aboard Transport M-7, on its way back to Earth. He was pleased that he wouldn't have to be handing in his resignation, not today at least. He was pleased that Connor and Montague had made the right choices and would now offer compliance--hopefully enough to keep Sergio from any further probing or, worse, a report back to Headquarters. His engineering mind couldn't help but draw comparison to a clutch warp core realignment--everything had been adjusted back to a suitable level of normality, an explosion narrowly averted. Now to just wait for the next crisis. A voice over the comm broke the silence. "Captain, we've laid in a course for Kappa Persei." "Notify helm to proceed." Elias answered. Kappa Persei. There, he hoped, answers would be waiting. But danger would be as well. The location was given by Connor's supposed intelligence contacts... and Connor, for all of his manipulating, posturing, and hoodwinking at the instruction of his contacts, had himself been spectacularly duped... "I'm telling you Elias, there is no Omega V office at Starfleet Intelligence. I know of some pretty hush-hush branches of the Intell division, but there is no Omega V." Elias frowned at the image of Commander Sloan. The Starfleet Security operative was an old crewmate of Elias' from Venture and someone he considered a good friend. He'd chosen a desk life over any further advancement of his spacefaring career, but Elias could appreciate this; the last few years, Sloan had been one of his most reliable contacts at Headquarters. Though he'd been unable to dig up much information about the goings-on of the Admiralty (as much because of reluctance as incapability), his close contact with many aspects of Starfleet Intelligence made him more of an expert on the division than many Intelligence operatives. Any information he provided on Intell would be thorough and accurate. "So what is Omega V?" "Beats me." Sloan replied. "I could make some inquiries. Maybe Intelligence has dug up the name somewhere... do you think that could be it?" Elias shook his head. "No, Mike, my explicit understanding was that Omega V was an Intelligence branch. Clearly, it's not..." "I would know about it if it existed, Elias. I'll pull a few favors and have some of the Intelligence archives looked up. If someone or something has been *posing* as an Intelligence agency, maybe one of the legitimate branches knows something about it. Could just be the product of someone's invention though, toward whatever aims. It would help if you'd tell me where you heard the name." "I've seen some coorespondence with their signature." Elias said, glancing at the letter Westler and Grey had fished out of the computer. "But I can't say much more yet at the risk of implicating some... potentially innocent people." Elias wondered just who was sending encoded letters to his ship and just how involved Connor was. When the engineer returned from Defiant, Elias would bring up this 'Omega V' and make it clear that any further contact would cease. Hopefully, the discussion would reveal how much Connor knew about them... Elias sighed and looked at the pad Connor had sent him, the letter of resignation meant for Omega V. He marvelled at the logic of recruiting Connor... a known vagabond with an adventurous streak and no compunctions about blatant disloyalty. How easy it would be for this Omega V to recruit him with promises of shady undercover work, top secret dealings, and other assorted whispers in the dark... a chance to feel unique and important even within the midsts of military rank. Whoever they were, they'd gotten Connor to advance their agenda, possibly to the detriment of Challenger's crew or even the entirety of Starfleet. Elias rapped at the keys of his computer terminal, composing a message. Mike, I understand that the following comm address may lead to a contact within our mysterious Omega V: Elias copied the string of digits attached to Connor's resignation letter. Run a trace on it and let me know what you find. I know I'm asking a lot. I appreciate your help and I'll owe you one. By the way, anything from the Intelligence archives yet? -Elias He opened a secure command channel and relayed the message. "Captain, we are en route at Warp factor 5. Shall I order shift rotation?" Elias sighed to himself. Thanks to the Defiant crisis, it had been a good thirty hours since the last shift change. The trip to Kappa Persei would give the crew an opportunity to sleep. "Aye, order shift rotation. In fact, we'll run next shift on a skeleton crew; everyone is going to need some downtime." Everyone, even him. He wasn't even sure if he could sleep, though, with everything on his mind. While the Connor and Montague situation had been resolved, at least to an extent, there were still forces pulling the crew apart. From unknown entities posing as Intelligence operatives to the questionable policies being exerted by Admiral Gardner... Elias wondered if he'd still need to do more to build trust and comraderie among this group of Starfleet officers. A glance at his Enterprise model conjured up the image of structural flaws that threatened a collapse... "Yeah, I definitely need sleep." He said to himself. And with that, he got up and exited his ready room.

I don't even see the point of a long signature, as you can observe. :)

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- September 11, 2155 Defiant's core has been stabilized, as have the most critically injured crew, the hull breaches have been sealed, and the primary systems have been restored. Without her port nacelle, Defiant will not be able to leave the system for several weeks, but she can still relocate to the colony site. In fact, the entire fleet is currently being relocated to the new site; in spite of all that has happened, construction of the new facillities will commence on schedule. Challenger's next objective will be the location of the ESS Achilles, which departed the system with the rogue engineer Nagen presumably on board. Achilles is now well out of sensor range; the crew must determine how to go about tracking her down. Achilles may be a Starfleet craft, but the difficulty in locating her may depend on Nagen's ability to keep her hidden and the level of cooperation he enjoys from her crew. Time is precious, but several loose ends must be tied up before Challenger can begin the pursuit...

"Mr. Moore, just what in the hell is going on over there?" Admiral Gardner barked. Elias had expected no less harsh a greeting from Gardner. He was seated behind his desk in the ready room, addressing his computer terminal. The screen was split in two--Admiral Leonard on the left, Admiral Gardner on the right. How appropriate, he thought. Elias maintained a strict business face. He was not about to play wordgames with Gardner, not now. "I've got teams aboard Defiant, including the MACO's from your latest transport. They're affecting repairs and tending to the wounded. It will take a few days to render her spaceworthy again." "You know what I mean, Mr. Moore!" Gardner, of course, looked furious. But Elias noticed that his face was more sunken, with dark bags hanging under his eyes; he looked weary, as well. "You fired your phase cannon at one of our flag vessels. This is a very serious infraction." "I would imply no less, Admiral." Elias recognized that Gardner's wording and tone were directly accusatory, even though it was ridiculous to consider that he would have willingly fired on a Starfleet vessel. "Which is why I have not hesitated to commit every resource at my disposal to aide Defiant and her crew. I also have the crew remaining here on Challenger investigating the attack." "The attack that never should have happened!" Gardner replied. "That weapon, with its power requirements, could not have charged and fired without your being aware of it and able to stop it, not to mention the navigational adjustment that allowed you to aim the weapon in the first place." "Captain, I believe you mentioned there was a loss of computer control?" Leonard spoke up quickly to cut off Gardner's tirade. He was getting across, without indicating directly, that fault was not placed on Elias' head by the entire Admiralty. "That's right, Admiral. We've determined that Mr. Nagen planted instructions in our computer which were initiated when he escaped. The adjustment and weapon discharge have been tied to these instructions." Elias specifically neglected to mention the Bridge lockout since it was caused not by Nagen, but by two of his own officers. It left a major question that he was hoping the Admirals would not press... and a major issue that he still intended to press upon Connor and Montague. If not for their interference, this disaster might have been avoided. Such reasoning could lead one to believe that the engineers were involved in a conspiracy with Nagen, but, regardless, the Admirals would both demand that they be recalled to Earth. "We believe this was a distraction created so that Achilles might escape." "Nagen is one of the finest engineers the Corps has produced!" Gardner replied. "He wasn't assigned to this project for nothing!" "We are, of course, investigating his motives in this, Captain." Leonard again dove right into the conversation. "We've sent requests along the diplomatic channels to Bolarus. Unfortunately, these requests take a great deal of time to resolve, especially with worlds that haven't joined the Coalition. We're still waiting to get in touch with his family. Hopefully, we'll be able to gain some insight into how such an updstanding individual could have gone off the deep end like this. It's certainly not difficult to believe that a person of his engineering capabilities could have pulled off a sabotage like this." "The cloaking device, Mr. Moore." Gardner now jumped in, sounding as if he was looking for new issues to pester about. "Is it in tact?" "Lieutenant Williams assures me that it has not been tampered with." Elias replied. "Mr. Nagen took some scans of the device, but we sequestered his scanner when we had him in custody and we still have it in the armory. He didn't offer much resistance to this, so we can't be entirely certain that the cloak was his target." "Or he could simply have a backup of the scans!" Gardner replied at no less than a shout. "Such information could be damning to us, Mr. Moore, and now he's out there on a vessel that you allowed to escape, free to share such information with whomever he'd like! How was he allowed to gain entry to the chamber?" Again with the irritatingly accusatory wording. Elias had been fully prepared to weather it, however. He was also prepared to continue dodging any attention on Connor and Montague's roles in this incident. "The sensor logs show that a rather common anti-security device was used. We have that stored in the armory as well." "I'd like a copy of those sensor logs, Mr. Moore." "Admiral..." Elias took in a deep breath and chose his words just as carefully as he mantained his business-like tone. "Do you believe that my staff and I are not capable of conducting this investigation ourselves, or do you not trust us? I thought it to be accepted by all parties, including Captain Hard himself, that none of my people intended to cause any damage to Defiant or any harm to her crew." Gardner looked to be on the verge of an outburst before Leonard quickly answered. "Of course that is accepted, Captain. It's just that when you're sitting in our positions, you see, you're distressed by something like this happening to one of your premier starships. I'm just as anxious as Admiral Gardner to do whatever I can to figure out what happened. But we're more than willing to leave you and your crew to your own devices, isn't that right, James?" Gardner was looking more and more livid at Leonard's interruptions, but he was doing his best to keep himself in check. "We will expect frequent reports, Mr. Moore. Your failure to contact us in the wake of the attack is an oversight that we expect never to be repeated." "I'm sure Captain Moore was quite bu--" But Gardner's half of the screen went black before Leonard could finish. The Admiral sighed and shook his head. "I apologize, Elias. He's been under a lot of stress with matters back here being as they are." "I happen to agree that some of the blame in this lies on me, Admiral." Leonard chuckled warmly. "Spoken like a true Captain. But don't do that to yourself, Elias. This incident was beyond your control, and your reaction to it was admirable." Elias knew otherwise, knew about the side to this story that was still unspoken. He simply frowned in response and attemped to switch topics. "About Admiral Gardner... we never got a chance to speak--" "Uh, hahum." Leonard cut him off and made a shifty glance. Of course... command channel, could easily be monitored. "Not now, Elias. I'm afraid I have some pressing matters to attend to. It never ends here at headquarters." "Oh, right, I understand. It's not that important anyway. I'll leave you to your business, Admiral." "And I'll leave you to yours, Captain. Good luck out there and keep us informed about the investigation, otherwise we'll get jumpy." Leonard smiled and cut the comm. Elias picked up the Enterprise model sitting at the front of his desk. He had helped build Enterprise, and the model served as a reminder of what he had accomplished, a reminder that he belonged here. With everything that had happened the past couple days, he wasn't so sure anymore, and the model wasn't helping to bolster his confidence. So many NX ships being built now. What was Gardner building? Elias rubbed at the base of his nose, fatigue beginning to tug at him, with no respite to be enjoyed anytime soon. Random thoughts were zigzagging through his brain... Connor, Gardner, Julie, Sergio, Nagen, Montague, Cole... he knew he'd have to focus before leaving the ready room and returning to the fray. There was still much to be done to restore Defiant and her crew, to investigate the attack, to locate Achilles' trail. Gardner had made no hint at punishment for the attack. He intended no punishment. His chiding sounded genuine, but it lacked a certain sincerity... it was a demonstration... he was putting on a show... for whom? Elias shook his head and rubbed at his eyes now. He would have to stop by the mess and grab a cup of coffee. There's something he wouldn't enjoy. Julie was usually down there; every time she saw him, she would give him the same cold look before darting into the galley. And the coffee... would only make his mind race even more. What was he doing so close to the Romulan border? Why hadn't another ship been sent? "Captain, you're needed on the Bridge." The comm jolted Elias back to crisp reality. He replaced the starship model, found his composure, and marched back out into the maelstrom...

If ever anything was going to look bad on a report to Headquarters, this was it. Challenger had viciously assaulted another Starfleet craft. Using its most destructive weapon, it tore away Defiant's port nacelle, nearly destroying the craft in an instant, condemning it to an ultimately identical fate by sending it soaring toward the surface of Nequencia III. The only redeeming factor was that Defiant avoided destruction. A clutch rescue operation coordinated between Challenger and Phoenix had managed to halt the vessel's descent before it could plummet to a fiery doom. Rescue teams were already on board, and the commanding officers of both of the other vessels seemed convinced, for the moment, that control of Challenger had been momentarily lost. Captain Moore was wondering if he hadn't lost control of his crew. At the time of the disaster, command access had been stifled by, of all people, Ensign Lazarus Montague, in communication with Ensign Connor. It remained to be seen whether they were directly responsible for the assault on Defiant or their toying with the command protocols had prevented the Bridge crew from accurately determining what was really happening. The sensor logs would be reviewed. If they had fired the phase cannon, they'd face the maximum sentence from the JAG... Elias would not go out of his way to protect them. Even given their relative innocence, their manipulation of command level protocols would have to be investigated. Ensign Montague's fate was now tied to Ensign Connor's. Elias' hope that Connor would repent was dwindling fast, and Montague, for aiding Connor in whatever conspiracy had been hatched between the two of them, would have to be dragged down with his engineering friend. Achilles had taken off, departing orbit and exiting the system without answering communication attempts. Nagen, presumably, was on board. The attack and subsequent rescue of Defiant had prevented a pursuit. She would have to be located later. This wouldn't look good on the report at all. The report would eventually reach Command. At least one of the Admirals would see fit to hold Elias responsible. But, of course, he realized, he was responsible. It had happened on his watch, as had the minor mutinies of Ensigns Connor and Montague. Perhaps none of it was his direct doing, but he was responsible for all of it. He was worth nothing as a command officer if this was not answered in an appropriate fashion. He remembered the Captain of Venture, ages ago it seemed, explaining it to him. What was it he'd said, that conversation that had sent a cold spike right through Elias' chest, that had planted the first seeds of guilt? "This isn't your fault... it's mine. I haven't done enough to guide you on the right path. And if I could accept the punishment in your place, I would." Elias took in a deep breath as he stared at the viewscreen. He knew, now, how he would have to deal with the Connor situation...

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- September 4, 2155 Defiant was spared a fiery collision with the surface of Nequencia III, but the more immediate results of the phase cannon blast must be dealt with. Fires in the Intrepid class vessel's port sections must be controlled and the officers injured during the attack tended to. Erratic system failures being caused by severed power circuits and computer relays are not going to help matters. On Challenger, the circumstances of Nagen's escape and the causes of the phase cannon discharge and loss of computer control must be investigated.

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- August 28, 2155 Nagen stamped through the door and looked at the officer guarding his quarters, the same bulky woman that had escorted him from the launch bay. "I demand only once more, what is the meaning of this?!" The Bolian was shouting, but the woman merely stared calmly back. "How much longer will I remain imprisoned in this room?! Where are the people who are supposed to 'question' me?! What are you all playing at?!" "Mr. Nagen!" The woman cut off his tirade with a decidedly authoritative voice. "I will ask you to step back across the threshold and calm yourself." The 'ask' was, of course, an order, delivered in an appopriate tone, but the Bolian ignored it and continued. "I will not be held here against my will! If you people do not ask whatever it is that you wish to ask of me and release me, I will contact my Corps and inform them of the unjust treatment that you are subjecting me to!" "These are guest quarters, Mr. Nagen." The woman replied matter-of-factly. "Not a Brig cell." "Ha! Do guest quarters require an armed officer standing outside the door?" "Quite often, yes." The woman answered with a smarmy raise of the eyebrow. "Oh, of course, 'for my own protection,' right?" The Bolian turned and stepped back through the door. He shot a fierce look back at the security guard. "Inform your Captain that I will only wait ten more minutes. If there are no charges placed against me by that time, I am leaving this vessel, and you will have no right to stop me!" He hit the access panel with significantly more pressure than was needed, shutting the door on the security guard and her barely noticeable smirk. Nagen was pleased. The argument had lasted long enough. He turned and glanced surreptitiously around the quarters. Yes, indeed, there were monitors in this room... he picked it up quite surely from the guard's mind. They'd been keeping a watch on him since he was brought here, likely to get a read on his mannerisms to prepare for the upcoming 'questioning.' If only they knew how well *he* could read *them* in turn. He was able to read the guard's next action. His outburst would prompt her to contact the Captain, cueing the arrival of... Lieutenant Sergio Giovanni... the woman's department chief, he could read the name quite easily. The woman didn't know what had prompted his being brought to these quarters... but Giovanni would. If they had something significant on him, he would have to take drastic measures that he was none too eager to take...

"Mr. Nagen?" The Bolian engineer ceased his whispered conversation with his assistant and turned to look at the person who had addressed him. It was a young woman, short but surprisingly built, wearing the pips of a noncommissioned officer. "Yes, I am Nagen." He replied, wondering how long the woman had been standing there. "Our field team is returning to the ship. We need to make room in the bay for their shuttle pod." "Oh, yes! Of course." The Bolian replied, almost looking relieved. "Our business here is finished anyway, we were just departing for the Achilles." The turbolift hissed to a stop behind the woman and two more enlisted officers, both larger men, stepped off and approached. "I'm sorry Mr. Nagen." The woman said as the two men stopped on either side of her. "Lieutenant Westler has ordered me to retrieve you. Your presence is once more required by the command staff." "What?!" Nagen's voice was barely more than a whisper. "This is beyond belief! Have we not already settled this? Am I going to be convicted for an engineer's curiosity?" "They only wish to question you. You may have one of your staff members take your pod out, or we could. Will you come with us?" Nagen realized that the question had just the right tinge of a threat in its tone--he could come freely if he so desired, but he would be dragged if he refused. They had something else on him, but not enough to treat him outright as a criminal. He looked at his assistant. "Ardyus, gather the rest of the team and take the pod back to the Achilles. I shall be most inconveniently delayed." * * * * * It was approaching the end of Alpha shift, but sleep was not a priority on the Captain's mind. He watched the shuttle pod get pulled into the bay on the viewscreen, the first officer and security chief on board. What would he say about Connor's stunt? What would he not say? Connor was refusing to stop playing the rebel. Just like Elias during the early days, the Ensign had talent, but there was no devotion to commander, crew, or fleet in his manner. He was perfectly willing to throw away his Starfleet career. Why? Because he got caught in one of his miscreant acts and it stung his pride. His refusal to be truthful, the attitude he was throwing around... just his ways of keeping his chest puffed out. All his talent could end up being wasted if he didn't wizen up. Once Elias submitted the names of the seven crewmen who were to be exchanged for the MACO's waiting on Transport M-7, the Transport would head back to Earth. If Connor did not take the opportunity the house arrest was giving him to cool off and come clean, he would be on board the Transport when it left. Elias was putting off the selection of crewmen, using the excuse that it was difficult to single out which people would be asked to leave the ship. He was really buying time, however, time for the Ensign to realize that Elias was protecting him, not punishing him. Connor could not serve on this ship if he had no compunctions about lying to senior officers, and, with General Order S8-A5 in place, his deception and refusal to cooperate could cost him his career. Maybe, like a young Elias, this possibility would mean nothing to him. But years of experience, friendships with fellow officers, and the tutelage of good mentors allowed Elias to gain a better appreciation of the Starfleet life... he didn't want Connor to be denied the same growth process. There was little room for the Captain to maneuver. The new general order targetted him as surely as it targetted anyone else on the crew. Part of it, he was sure, was Gardner's way of challenging him to either play ball or deal with the disgrace of a court-martial. His own job could end up on the line if he threw warnings about the order to Connor or asked Sergio and Cole to look the other way. Connor's career could end up in jeopardy if this mess was simply allowed to run its course. So he had the Ensign ready to head back to Earth for reassignment, hoping that as little fuss as possible could be made about this if Connor chose to remain bullheaded. Nagen, the Bolian engineer at the heart of it all, was waiting most impatiently in guarded guest quarters. He would be the focus of Sergio's attention, but Connor's name would have to come up. There would be one more dive into the crucible before all this was settled. Elias knew that, as Captain, he would have to get used to the heat.

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- August 21, 2155 Transport M-7 drops out of warp at the edge of the Nequencia system, sending a tremor through the ship's frame that Chief Petty Officer Douk has gotten used to and even grown to rather enjoy. In the back sections, however, the transport's passengers suffer a moment of panic. M-7 is one of MACO's oldest transport ships, and every warp jump brings with it the apparency of a structural collapse, an apparency that's begun to border on downright alarming after numerous upgrades to the warp drive. Swiveling around in his cramped control pod, the CPO brings the external sensors on line and activates the forward viewer. Amidst the flickers and waves of static, Nequencia fleet is visible on the green monochrome viewer. Douk locates and raises the Intrepid class vessel. "This is CPO Douk, MACO Transport 7, do you read, over?" The voice carries a thick accent indicative of the southeastern region of the former nation of America. Captain Hard's static obscured face appears on the viewer. "This is Captain Asmodeus Hard, ESS Defiant. I read you, M-7. Report." "How'd'ya do, Defiant. I'm haulin' a load of ground pounders, no fewer than 42, that're lookin' for a new home. I got three fleet officers, too, one'a them's the feller that's gonna help y'all make the colony nice'n secure." "42 MACO's?" Hard looks down at a pad in his hand. "I was only expecting 35 with the first wave. Was there another transport sent before you?" "That's a negative, Defiant, this here's the first one alright. I got somethin' else fer ya that should set things straight. I see that big ol' warp 5 ship is still here. I'm to pass along new orders from the fleet bigwigs--seven of these here riflemen are to be assigned to her crew, and one o' the officers too." "Ah, I see." Hard says, for the moment ignoring the revelation that this crewman snuck a peek at Command-level orders. "MACO's are being assigned to Challenger, then? Send me the orders, Chief, and I'll pass them along to Captain Moore. He'll arrange to have the new arrivals brought on board. And I'll want to meet with the tactical expert right away, have him sent over here." "I read you loud and clear, Defiant. Copy, roger, ten four 'n' all that, M-7 over and out!" Douk cut the comm and cranked up the impulse engines. "Here I come, baby, yeeeeeehaw!" M-7 tremored even more violently than before and all the on-board lights dimmed as the dingy little transport with a large confederate flag painted on its dorsal face hurtled toward Nequencia III on impulse power. In the back, even the most seasoned MACO's were hanging on for their dear lives.

I played a Bajoran for a few years on a non-STSF sim. He eventually became the first manager of Red Star Nightclub, but he's now retired. :D

Nate?? Author of the "Helmsman's Guide" Nate? I remember you, we simmed on Ranger together. Welcome :D

Elias stood in the ascending elevator car with Daryus and Connor, trying to piece together the events that had set off a priority one security alarm. The cloaking device chamber, which had been designated by Command as an area of such high security that only he, Commander Cole, and Daryus were even aware of its existence, had been breached. The device was not supposed to exist; the other Coalition powers had no idea that a Starfleet vessel was roaming the stars with one and, further, that more were being built. In its rapidly mounting paranoia, Command feared that this sensitive information could be leaked by disloyal or indiscreet members of the crew. Much as it pained him, Elias was under orders to play along with Command's secrecy and scrutiny of its own and keep knowledge of the device restricted to a select few... at least, until such time as any "disloyalty" could be weeded out by the abhorrent General Order S8-A5... Elias glanced at Ensign Connor and looked down at the device that had been used to break the cloak chamber's security, a device the Ensign bragged was his own creation. With a bit of mental searching he recalled Daryus reporting that this same Ensign Connor had been involved in a scuffle with another engineer only a few days prior. He clearly had an attitude problem, and he'd sounded less than truthful as he'd told his side of the security breach. He reminded Elias of himself as a young Ensign aboard Venture--ill-tempered, unethical, over-confident. But times as they now were, such behavior could be far more costly... Elias thought of Sergio and his security staff. With first the scuffle, and now the emergence of this hacking tool, Ensign Connor had twice provided sufficient cause for a "Command authorized investigation." His possession of the device could be considered incriminating enough to have him labelled a threat to Starfleet security and shipped back to Earth for court-martial. His fate could end up in Sergio's hands. Elias wasn't sure how strictly Lieutenant Giovanni would enforce the new general order. The order itself black-marked anyone either not carrying an order out to the best of his ability or impeding an investigation. Certainly Sergio valued his career and would not jeopardize it to protect a snot-nosed Ensign running around the ship with anti-security devices. Elias couldn't read the Lieutenant very well--he was quiet, reserved, followed his orders and performed his duties, didn't cause any trouble. The thought of his becoming a Gardner-appointed policeman was disturbing, primarily because there was no reason to believe that it couldn't happen. Just as Gardner's memo had affirmed, trust was the invaluable glue that held any Starfleet crew together. But Elias could see trust running on short supply on Challenger, with rooms on the ship being kept secret and general orders forcing senior officers to question each other. Starfleet's new policies could end up causing quite a mess aboard the ship, and Elias hated that he had to go along with them. He would have to deal with this Connor situation before it could become a fleetwide scandal. For now, the issue of locating the Bolian engineer Nagen was top priority. Connor's claim was that Nagen had threatened to kill him if he didn't open the cloak chamber. Whatever the case, it seemed that Nagen had known of the presence of the chamber, if not the cloaking device itself, and he had now enjoyed direct exposure to it. This was a breach of the security that Starfleet was so closely guarding, of the secrecy that they were maintaining even in the face of their Coalition allies, and Elias was obligated to address it...

Nequencia Colonization Project Fleet Manifest Command Wing NX-05 Challenger - NX Class - Project Supervision and Support, Sector Reconnaisance Command: Captain Elias Moore and Commander Amanda Cole ESS Defiant - Intrepid Class - Fleet Command Command: Captain Asmodeus Hard and Lt Commander Jacob Dillon ESS Achilles - Lexington Class - Fleet Support, Workforce Support Command: Commander Lillian Crane and Lt Commander Joshua Maynard ESS Phoenix - Lexington Class - Fleet Support Command: Commander Kenneth Zane and Lt Commander Yamis Construction Wing ECS Armstrong - Y Class - Haul: excavation machinery ECS Trinity - Y Class - Haul: industrial conduits ECS Liberty - Y Class - Haul: landing pods, construction equipment, power cells, workforce amenities ECS Siberia - Y Class - Haul: starbase frame components ECS Rebellion - Y Class - Haul: starbase frame components ECS McEwing - Y Class - Haul: work pods, construction equipment, power cells, workforce amenities, type 3 sensor platforms Transport C-37 - engineering corps personnel Transport C-41 - engineering corps personnel Fleet Status Challenger's field team is analyzing geological, ecological, and environmental factors of several regions on the planetary surface. Challenger is also making preparations for necessary terraforming measures. Armstrong, Liberty, and C-37 are standing by for clearance to deploy labor and equipment to the designated colony site. Achilles' design team is consulting with Challenger's staff to finalize the starbase construction plans. Siberia, Rebellion, McEwing, and C-41 await the final blueprints to begin the frame assembly. Phoenix is running routine patrols and sensor sweeps of the system and will deploy sensor platforms once the colony site is designated.

4 months ago... Admiral Valdore strode into the Senate Hall, followed by the eyes of the Romulan elite. He glanced to the Senators seated to the left side of the aisle and met the cold gaze of Vrax, his old friend and mentor. With his glance, he noticed the officials seated near the walls. Some he recognized as his fellows in the War Plans Council, but many of them were likely to be Tal'Shiar operatives; their presence at the Senate meetings was becoming more commonplace. As he approached the center of the Senate floor, he looked upon the leaders of the Star Empire. Seated directly ahead was Praetor Tanis himself, the man who had issued Valdore's dismissal from the Senate. He had the features of a predatory bird (and the reputation to match). Sunken cheeks surrounded a mouth pulled back in a tight line, a thick brow cast foreboding shadows over his narrowed eyes and hooked nose, and hair of pure white that seemed a mockery of his otherwise dark freatures was pulled back neatly over his scalp. Seated to his left was Preconsul Lai, well-known as an old friend of Tanis, but also known to be more liberal than her fellow Senators; many worried that the Praetor's favor would allow her to succeed him. She was a strikingly beautiful woman despite her years, though her expression and demeanour were stern as befitted her position. To the Praetor's right was the ambitious Vice-Preconsul Menak, Lai's chief advisor, but also her chief rival. With roots more military than political, the physically imposing Menak was a brilliant war strategist known to have an insatiable hunger for conquest; he had been one of the more outspoken proponents of Valdore's dismissal from the Senate. Valdore despised these summons. As head of the War Plans Council, it was his duty to report to the Senate, but he could not stand within these chambers without recalling the shame he had endured at being stripped of his position. Menak's expression, the barely noticeable smirk and crook of the eyebrow, only heightened his discomfort, even as he made every effort to avoid looking at it. Valdore stopped and nodded to the Praetor. "Jolan Tru, Praetor Tanis." "Jolan Tru, Admiral Valdore." Tanis' piercing gaze was a brand on anyone standing at the center of the Senate floor. Even as anyone else within the chambers spoke, that gaze would remain fixed on the Admiral... unless the Praetor determined that someone else would need to be 'targetted.' "Report on your findings." Valdore reached into his tunic and pulled out an envelop of thick black fibers, sealed by an electronic panel. "Submitted for review by the Senate, the latest reports from our surveillance efforts." Tanis accepted the produced dossier. "Summarize." Valdore stepped back away from the Praetor. "As previously submitted, our efforts are comprised of the twofold infiltration of the Human system and outlying Human colonies by our agents assigned to Vulcan. In short, our findings confirm that Human military buildup is continuing at a faster pace as the Humans gain the support of the local powers. Sensor captures of the Human system show that their fleetyards in orbit of the fourth planet have expanded dramatically to support the simultaneous construction of three of their heavy long-range NX crafts and an estimated ten to twelve smaller short-range crafts." A stir of whispered voices revurberated through the chambers. "Furthermore, additional facilities are being constructed in orbit of the Human homeworld, and initial estimations see these facilities aimed at and capable of supporting the constructions of four or five NX crafts. The speed at which the second of these crafts, Challenger, was constructed indicate that the Humans could have a significant fleet of long-range crafts amassed within the next year. Their free access to the Caitian asteroid belt will provide a significant pool of resources capable of supporting this fleet expansion." "Admiral." Preconsul Lai captured Valdore's attention. Her stern expression was unchanged, but a hint of concern now glinted in her eyes. "What evidence has been gathered to support that this is a military buildup on the part of the Humans?" "What evidence is required?" Malek interrupted. "One of the NX crafts is gathering support from the alien powers, continuing the growth of an alliance that threatens this Empire. The other was sent to our territory on a mission of espionage before our Khitomer operation turned it back... it was that craft that later procured access to the Caitian belt. You've argued that they may simply be explorers, that they have commited no acts of overt hostility against us... but this is only because they're smart enough to bide their resources. Shall we allow this machine to grow to the point that it is capable of overwhelming us?" "I regret to say that the Vice-Proconsul is right." Valdore said, allowing just a moment for the double-meaning to sink into Malek's thick skull. "Plans being drawn show these vessels receiving the same combat enchancements that were added to the Enterprise craft. Furthermore, the Humans plan to strip the vessels of support components such as scientific sensor pallets, cargo and small craft bays, and substantial portions of the crew living areas... in favor of even more tactical capabilities. There is no mistake that these crafts are being built for war." A stir of voices in the Senate chambers was silenced by Preconsul Lai's raised voice. "But war has threatened the Humans many times in recent years. We observed incidents of direct hostility by the Andorians and Klingons during the Challenger craft's construction. We witnessed, as well, the Xindi attack on the Human homeworld. This buildup may simply a defensive measure." "That is short-sightedness and you know it!" Malek bellowed. "This is the start of an interspecies war fleet! The Andorians and Vulcans stand side by side for the first time in their histories, and the Humans will add their own firepower to the mix. Such a threat our fleet has never faced!" "Our agents on Vulcan suggest that they are pulling many of their warships out of service." Lai retorted. "There is no evidence that those ships have not simply been relocated." Malek said. "The Vulcans suspect that we are monitoring them, I tell you! They may simply be feeding us lies. Meanwhile they continue pulling the Human puppet strings, and this fleet buildup could very well be a direct result of their manipulations." Valdore watched the two bicker back and forth and listened to the flurry of hushed conversations behind him. These reports had clearly sent shockwaves through the Senate chambers. The eyes of the Empire had been on the Humans for many decades-- their ability to grow, evolve, and unify a lingering cause for concern. 'The Human element' was a topic of discussion at many Romulan dinner tables. Too much of themselves was recognized in it... "That is enough!" Praetor Tanis raised an open palm and all voices within the chambers were slienced. His eyes had never left Valdore. "The War Council's findings can not be disputed. The Humans build a battle fleet as we speak." He looked in Malek's direction. "This does not mean that they plan war, perhaps only that they take precautions against it." He looked in Lai's direction. "This remains a threat to the Empire nonetheless. Though they may not now aim for conquest, such is inevitable as dictates the pattern of military expansion." His gaze returned again to Valdore. "The Human machine should not be left unchecked, allowed to reach such a point where their eyes turn to our Empire and their thoughts focus on revenge for whatever collusive deeds in which they suspect our hand. We tried to... discourage the formation of their interstellar alliance... but our attempts failed... as you are aware, Admiral..." Valdore shifted uncomfortably as the Praetor's eyes narrowed even more tightly upon him. "Therefore..." Tanis continued. "We must heighten our espionage efforts and make appropriate preparations to quell the Human tide." "Understood, Praetor." Valdore said. "My people will begin fleet mobilization, and I will see to assigning additional agents to Vulcan." "The Vulcans can only dig so deep into Human affairs." Malek said. "I suggest we deploy Betazoid agents." "That is risky." Valdore replied. "We don't know if we can trust others to pull off such sensitive infiltration. If discovered, or if they saw fit to *be* discovered, they could expose our hand." "Such is no riskier than your chameleon pods, *Admiral*." Malek threw a scornful look at Valdore. "And even your collosal failure in that endeavour did not expose our hand." "It aroused suspicion." Lai pointed out smoothly. Tanis spoke up before Malek could offer a response. "It is decided! We shall use the Betazoids. Their talents will no doubt prove invaluable. The presence of our ships over Betazed should ensure their loyalty. Our Vulcan agents will keep an eye on them once they are deployed. Admiral, you will see to the recruitment yourself." "You wish me to leave Romulus at such a time, Praetor?" Valdore raised a curious eyebrow at Tanis. "I do. You are dismissed Admiral." Valdore bowed his head and turned to the left, so as to catch a glimpse of Malek; there was a satisfied smirk on the Vice-Preconsul's face. As the Admiral strode out of the Senate Chambers, he heard the hushed discussions of the anxious Senators, but he still felt many eyes fixed on him... particularly those of the Tal'Shiar agents. He wondered, as he exited the chambers, if he would return from Betazoid space alive...

Official Starfleet Memorandum General Order # S8-A5 To: Challenger Security Department CC: Captain Elias Moore, Commander Amanda Cole On May 20th, a sabotage attempt occured on the NX-01 Enterprise which nearly resulted in the death of her commanding officer. The culprit was not an outside agent hostile to Starfleet, but rather a Starfleet officer sympathetic to the cause of Terra Prime, an organization of anti-alien extremists operating on Earth, Luna, and Mars. In this case, an officer trusted to be a loyal member of the Starfleet family, unwavering in his obedience to his superior officers and his defense of Starfleet ideals and principles, was lead astray. He was turned against the people who had placed within him the trust that should be owed to any Starfleet officer. This most unfortunate circumstance, while tragic in its implications, has served the purpose of opening our eyes to a new threat. It has served to remind us that the security forces stationed on our starships and outposts must remain vigilant not only against external threats, but from the very real and very dangerous threat of the enemy operating within our midsts. Humankind is bringing social development to the galaxy that is feared by agencies who are threatened by such change. These agencies may attempt to undermine our growing presence in the galaxy by subverting the fine men and women of Starfleet. We must be prepared for this strong possibility. All security personnel aboard Starfleet vessels and outposts, you are henceforth ordered to maintain a watch on your fellow officers. This order does not authorize you to ignore the articles of the Constitution of the United Earth Government, particularly as it pertains to the civil liberties granted to your crewmates. You are merely to remain alert for any signs of dangerous behavior on the part of your crewmates. Signs to look out for include: - Repeated acts of insubordination, be they voiced or acted upon. Any officer questioning the judgment and/or orders of a superior and/or willfully neglecting to follow the orders of a superior to the best of his/her abilities should be considered a potential security threat providing cause for a Command authorized investigation. - Disloyalty to Starfleet and/or the United Earth Government, be it voiced or acted upon. Any officer voicing opinions and/or suggesting or willfully executing courses of action that are not in agreement with the doctrines of the Starfleet Charter and/or the Constitution of the United Earth Government; or any officer repeatedly voicing dissatisfaction with and/or willfully resisting the policies of representatives of Starfleet Command and/or the United Earth Government should be considered a potential security threat providing cause for a Command authorized investigation. - Aggressive and/or antisocial behavior. Any officer committing repeated acts of willful aggression against a fellow officer (arguing with a fellow officer, talking back to a superior officer, and/or acts or suggestions of violence) and/or displaying antisocial tendencies (seeking solitude from fellow officers, angry outbursts, deteriorating work performance, rebellious attitude) should be considered a potential security threat providing cause for a Command authorized investigation. Should you determine that there is sufficient cause to investigate an officer's activities, you are authorized and directed by Starfleet Command to take any of the following measures, acquiring necessary access codes from your command staff: - Detain the officer - Search the officer's living quarters and/or office space - Access the officer's personal logs - Access the officer's personal correspondences Any articles procured which suggest that the officer in question poses a threat to the safety of the crew and/or the integrity of Starfleet and/or the United Earth government should be submitted at once to your command staff. If the officer in question is a member of the command staff, you are authorized and directed to submit all reports of your investigation via subspace communique to Starfleet Command. If you are unable to acquire access codes necessary to your investigation, you are authorized and directed to utilize the engineers stationed on your starship or outpost to acquire direct access. Any attempt by a fellow officer to impede a Command authorized investigation constitutes an act of insubordination. This includes failure by any member of your command staff to provide an officer's access codes. It is a duty of the Starfleet officer to protect his crewmates, even from themselves. Under the right circumstances, anyone, even one that you trust as a close friend, is susceptible to the manipulations of a crafty nemesis. The reward of our vigilance will be the certainty that our enemies will be incapable of waging a war within our very ranks. For it is united that we stand, divided that we fall. Signed, Fleet Admiral James A. Gardner, Starfleet Command Co-Signed, Representative Marge Rozinski, UEG

NX-05 Challenger Mission Briefing -- August 7, 2155 Challenger drops out of Warp at the edge of the Nequencia system and proceeds to the M-Class third planet. Sensors show a fleet in high orbit above Nequencia III. The fleet consists of six fully-loaded Y-class freighters, two heavy transports, and one Intrepid class and two Lexington class vessels. In this system, a project will begin which will see the construction of a colony and an orbital starbase at Nequencia III. Challenger will oversee all the major administrative aspects of the project, beginning with the securing of a site on the planet's surface for the colony's construction. The project seems like a typical extrasolar colonization, but for one thing. Just twelve light years away are a vast barrier of high-yield proximity mines and many eyes curiously observing the activity in the Nequencia system...

Elias stared over the mess hall table and through the steam rising from the plate of jambalaya at Julie. The steam was fairly indicative of the tension hanging between the two of them, staring silently at each other, he with a stern, searching expression, she with an anxious, waiting expression. "Captain Moore, huh?" Julie broke the silence and the steam. She was attempting a smile. "Never thought I'd see it, Eli." Elias chose, naturally, to receive the remark as an insult rather than an icebreaker. Writing about his agitation with the mission and ship upgrades already had him out of any kind of a mood for pleasantries. But for eight years, this woman had been equated with the very concept of insult in Elias' mind. He'd said nothing when she'd greeted him. When she'd asked if she could sit, he had not replied. She'd sat anyway. He'd merely stared. When she'd punctured the long silence with the comment about his rank, it'd become clear that she was not going explain her presence. So, now, he simply asked, "What are you doing here?" She blinked and tried not to look hurt. "Eight years, Elias. It's been eight years, and that's the first thing you have to say?" "Maybe you've forgotten the last thing you said?" He asked in reply, trying not to sound icy. "I think it was something along the lines of 'I'll be waiting for you'" She answered defiantly. "Looks like you couldn't wait too long." He replied, a touch more venom in his voice. "I didn't come here for you!" She replied, a load more defiance in her voice. "Then why *are* you here?" Elias asked, trying to maintain his composure, to hold back the shouts of anger that were left unreleased that day eight years ago. He was the Captain now. He needed to maintain a cool head; he knew that much. "I'm listening." "I'm here... in the mess... because Starfleet was asking for a civilian to help out in the galley. You do remember that I have a culinary degree?" Elias had to search his memory for this tidbit of information. He remembered that she was a great cook... and, yes, he recalled her taking culinary studies at the Institute. But it had never exactly been a career path. Something wasn't adding up. "You're not a chef, Julie. You're a writer. What would you be doing here, anyway? There are a hundred places back home where you could cook." "This is the only place where I want to write. You don't have to sound so displeased to see me." "I'm just looking for answers. You noticed that I'm a Captain... this means I have quite a bit on my plate. I don't need to the distraction of a person who walked out of my life suddenly coming right back into it." "I told you, I didn't come back here for you!" Julie's answer was close to a shout, loud enough to draw the attention of everyone in the mess hall. Elias' eyes flicked around and he started to wish that he was somewhere else. "You still think the universe turns around you, don't you? You're just going to have to get used to the fact that I'm not here to crawl back into your arms. I'm here to write a book about Starfleet." Elias narrowed his eyes at her. "You hate Starfleet." "People change, Elias. Well..." She looked away and threw him a sideways glance. "Most people do. Anyway, how do you know that the book will be pro-Starfleet?" "Because any assignment to this ship would have to be cleared by people who want nothing remotely anti-Starfleet near it. Don't tell me you're another one of Admiral Gardner's gift-wrapped headaches?" Julie rolled her eyes at him. "I don't even know who that is. For your information, no one back home knows about the book. You're the first person I've told. They assigned me because I'm the only person with a culinary degree who would show any interest in a starship galley position. Like you said, there are a ton of places back home for people with my qualifications." "Then having you removed from the ship could be as easy as telling Starfleet all about your little sham?" A hardened look came over Julie's face, the first sign that she was trying to cover up the fact that Elias' words were cutting through her. "Fine. I came over here because I thought we could talk about the things that happened, put them behind us, and... and try to be friends. If you don't want that, fine, but you don't need to have me thrown back to Mars. I can just stay out of your way, keep to the galley and my quarters. We'll never need to talk to each other. But this is the only ship I could be assigned to. If you want a little revenge, to hurt my career, to kill my project... it's your ship and it's your decision." Elias couldn't believe that he was being cast as the villain, after Julie had come aboard this ship under false pretenses for reasons that he still found questionable. "Eight years ago, you told me that I had to choose between you and Starfleet. You told me this wouldn't be the life for you. Why have you changed your mind? Why the interest in Starfleet now?" Her expression didn't change. She hesitated a moment before answering in a flat voice. "Are we ready to move on and be on speaking terms again, Elias? Or are we going to avoid each other? Which is it going to be?" They stared at each other for a few more moments, before Elias answered by rising and grabbing the pads that he had been working on. He turned from the table and strode from the mess hall without another word, followed by many curious eyes. Julie merely stayed seated, staring at the now cold plate of jambalaya and wiping away the moisture in her eyes...

On Challenger, we make you wait, since we only have one :P

"So much has happened, so fast. I wasn't made aware, even as I was being briefed on this mission, just how many changes were being made to the ship. "I recall Admiral Gardner pointing out how difficult a major combat refit of Challenger would be given the initial design modifications requested by the Commodore. He certainly made his best attempt, though. The engine modifications will offer improved tactical maneuverability, to an extent. Two additional pulse cannons and an extra torpedo launch tube have been installed... handy in a pinch, I'm sure, but I always liked the Commodore's idea of potentially hostile vessels viewing us as less of a threat. The weapon upgrade is complemented by sensory modifications that will supposedly allow for more efficient target acquisition. From reports I'm seeing, the cargo assigned to the armory could allow the security department to take on a small army. "And we're taking all of this to the Romulan border. Not only getting close to the fire, but bringing along ample fuel to feed it. The Commodore wanted to approach these people and establish a dialogue. The new first officer thinks the construction of this base will serve as a show of resolve. Am I the only one that thinks it's best to just give them what they want... to leave them alone behind their mined borders? I don't know what truth there is to the rumors that they've been manipulating events on our side of the border for years. We know next to nothing about them, and that sort of knowledge gap always leads the way to dangerous speculation. Admiral Gardner isn't the sort whose word I'd take for it... no, he's just the sort who would promote the dangerous speculation. But I can hear it even from the crew... the rumors of murders, kidnappings, espionage. What do we really have to back those rumors up? Shouldn't these people be given the benefit of the doubt? I suppose we're going to find out. If all of it, the attempts to disrupt alliances, the influence of the Challenger Project threats last year, the Khitomer charade... if it's all their dirty work, they'll surely have a response to our presence so close to the border. If solitude is what really floats their boats, they won't give us any trouble, and I'll be more than content showing them the same courtesy. I just hope none of all this fuel we're hauling spills..." A plate of jambalaya was placed next to the personal log that Elias was reviewing. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to realize that the serving crewman was standing beside his table tentatively, watching him. His attention was immediately snapped back to the mess hall by a voice he hadn't heard in eight years... "Still like that spicy food, Eli?" A stunned Elias looked up not at a crewman but at a plain-clothed Julie Wagner, his former would-be fiancee...

To: Commodore Fitzgerald Moose, Crew of NX-05 Challenger Cc: UEG/Coalition Headquarters, Geneva; Starfleet Command, San Francisco Re: Caitian Alliance - May 10, 2155 Good Commodore Moose, I am happy to inform you that I have recovered full from the wounds I suffered in the Dogmans attack. The city of N'Goras is being rebuilt and my people are tending to their own wounds, both in body and spirit. It will take time, but my people have been through much and have known to be strong when times are bad. Just like good Humans, yes? You brought back to us our stolen people, and with that your wonderful crew passed the Third Trial of the Bast, the ancient empire that brought Caitians here long long ago and taught us great values that were first forgotten but later remembered by many generations of ancestors. You passed the very most important Trial of Loyalty and there is now alliance that you seek between Earth and Cait. The Dogmans are fools that we pity. They fought with the Bast many times ago, but Bast were very smart and caused the Dogmans to make mistakes they did not know they were making. That is how very smart people fight, yes? Now the Dogmans are caught in endless cycles. They never get stronger, only do the same forever and ever, and for that we must pity them. We can foresee their cycles too. We knew the Dogmans would come when the moons aligned, such as they always have, because Bast made it so. We brought good Humans here because we knew good Humans would help us. The Bast knew. Bast made great Ball of String, see? Very smart. But I am sad. For Cait nears the end of an era, when the last seeds of the wise Bast fade from my people. Where will they find guidance? My people are strong, but we all need guidance, Commodore. I think the Humans will guide us when the new era comes, yes? The other good races that the Humans bring together will guide us. All will guide each other. And the new era will be greater than the old era. To Commodore Moose and his good crew: I thank you all for being such good guests! And for bringing such good gifts, as good guests know to do! We hope you will bring us more of the Cognac soon, yes? Very good! You are all wonderful explorers and you have the support of Cait as you meet the challenges that the great galaxy has to offer. But you are called Challenger and that is very Human name. You do not see the universe challenging you on your voyages, you see other way around. You shake your fists at the universe and dare it to stop you from seeing your dreams come alive. Good defiant Humans came out of terrible world war to become great explorers and beacons of peace. Good defiant Humans brought peace to races that have long been at war. You would be defiant no matter what happens, yes? For the challenges you meet are not always ones to be expected; always we must look within, for there the greatest challenges lie, yes? To the Humans that sent the good Commodore to us: you want pretty rocks from Caitian belt? "Dilithium" you call it, but I think that sounds too deadly and I will call it "pretty rocks." You may mine the belt, as the good Tellarites do, but we warn you the same as we warn them. To abuse the good will of others is not very smart, and to be guided by need for too much is to see your own downfall. Remember this and understand later if you choose to be misguided thus. Caitians have long been quiet, but many changes come. We know you are forming a Coalition of Planets, yes? We wish to join you in this, for the Humans have helped us believe that a bond can be made to hold all the great races together in peace and understanding. They have been defiant and we will stand with them, no matter what challenges they make. Most Joyfully and Respectfully, M'nerrva, Elder of N'Gora tribe