Mission Briefing

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

NX-05 Challenger

Mission Briefing -- March 19, 2156

 

Captain Moore was ignoring, for the moment, how much he hated being stuck in Sickbay. His mind was too preoccupied with the reports of recent events.

 

His crew and his ship had come under attack. The reports were sketchy as to who, exactly, did the attacking. The chaos that had been caused on the ship and on the planet appeared the work of a small army. There was no longer any sign, however, of the Romulan fleet that had attacked Challenger, nor of the Nausicaan warrior that had invaded the Brig, nor of the massive armored mystery-men that had held up Sickbay. The most reliable accounts indicated that the attack was conducted by a mere three individuals. But three individuals with considerable capabilities.

 

Lieutenant Grey's report was disturbing and revealing. The radiation signatures attached to the three assailants were nearly identical to the signature they detected when a newly encountered Rufus of Midgar raised a protective energy field around their shuttle pod at Kappa Persei, saving the lives of the pod's crew in the wake of a pirate attack. Rufus had called the feat a manifestation of his 'talent,' the very mysterious talent common to the people of his planet.

 

Moore thought that the crew's dealings with Rufus' people had ended the moment they blew up the UES Achilles to dispose of the dangerous Omega particle. The explosion killed Rufus' nephew, Quantus, the one who had planned to use the particle for destructive purposes. He remembered Rufus assuring him that Quantus' death would not anger the other members of his rather perverse family. It now appeared as if Rufus was mistaken.

 

Moore reached for the terminal beside his biobed and opened the comm. "Commander Cole, any luck contacting Midgar?"

 

"Negative, Captain, they still aren't responding to our messages."

 

Moore sighed. "... I wonder if they're even capable of receiving our messages. Their... talents... don't exactly mix well with our technology." Before Moore could contemplate paying a visit to the planet Midgar, he remembered his parting words with Rufus. "Commander... this is going to appear rather insane... but there's something in my quarters that may help us get in touch with them..."