USS Spectre Compile - December 1st-31st 2014 by Alan Reading ===================================================================== Mission: Inimicus Invisa, Part Two - Fallen Comrades Day: 6 Stardate: 2414.10.16 (USS Spectre - Marine XO's Office - Marine, Corporal Houseman - 01:05) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward - TAC/SC, Lt Kerge - 03:36) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:37) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – TAC/SC, Lt Kerge - 03:38) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:39) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward - Security Officer, Ens T'Solen Fairfield - 03:41) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:42) (USS Spectre – Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor and Tellarite Commander, Sur Vam Gicha – 04:01) (USS Spectre – CMO’s Office - CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 04:06) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, CMO’ Office – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:07) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:15) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:18) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:20) (USS Spectre - Bridge - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:20) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:22) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:30) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:30) (USS Spectre - Observation Lounge - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:55) (USS Spectre - Observation Lounge - TAC/SC, Lt Kerge and Tellarite Commander, Sir Vam Gicha - 04:57) (USS Spectre - Engineering – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 05:36) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 05:45) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 06:00) ===================================================================== Mission: Inimicus Invisa, Part Two - Fallen Comrades Day: 6 Stardate: 2414.10.06 (USS Spectre - Marine XO's Office - Marine, Corporal Houseman - 01:05) "A pointless exercise" “Yes Boss.” Houseman nodded in resignation. "Hauling Rameriz in for questioning about his sudden desertion" "he'd no doubt come up with some lame excuse about diodes frying or his matrix being buggy" He nodded with a hint of a smile. “Its interesting that the holographic Rameriz is so similar to the real one.” "As I said, a pointless exercise" Houseman nodded again. "I guess I had better book some sessions with the shrink" "Caras ain't too bad to look at from a comfy couch" He smiled. “Yes Boss much better option than talking to Mias.” Houseman watch as Kowalski bade him farewell. He nodded and gave a small smile as he stepped out of the Major’s office. The door shut behind him and he let out a small sigh of relief. ~That could have gone a whole lot worse~ He turned and headed back to his duty station. (Reply any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward - TAC/SC, Lt Kerge - 03:36) By now, Kerge was beginning to understand what it was that Ensign Tarna wanted, and it seemed that it was not to drink his bloodwine, but to prevent him having any more of it, which basically amounted to the same thing really. He was STILL trying to deprive the chief of his drink! Tarna had now changed tact somewhat though and was focusing instead on the medication. "When was your last hallucination?" he asked. Kerge needed no prompting to remember that, that was for sure, but as he examined his arm to show the torn flesh courtesy of the Targ attack not thirty minutes beforehand, he realised that there were no cuts at all. Not even the previously torn material of his sleeve! Kerge shook his head, not sure in himself if he was feeling robbed of a decent victory or just plain confused. Tarna took the lead now and pulled up a barstool, his best 'bedside manner' now in evidence as he queried Kerge further. "Can you remember what happened?" he asked. "There was a pack of Targ", said Kerge, gritting his teeth at the memory of how they had pounced from nowhere and ripped at his flesh. The outcome had been favourable, of course, but that did not detract from his confusion in the slightest. "Needless to say, I defeated them all", added Kerge with pride. "Alright. I'd rather not have to put you in the equivalent of a padded room until such time as we can be certain these problems with hallucinations are entirely resolved but it is tempting." said Tarna, before then explaining that it was unwise to give him any more medication, and the why's and wherefore's of not doing so. Tarna pointed out that a Klingon would probably do more damage to other crewmen than their Human, Vulcan or indeed, Trill counterparts, and that as such he would have to remain unmedicated for now. "People have died at their own hands and through accidents, what if you accidentally killed someone sir?" he had asked, to which Kerge seemed perturbed. "There is no honour in killing fellow crewmen aboard a Starfleet vessel", said Kerge, quirking head slightly as though contemplating that. "Although, if we were on a Klingon vessel, that might be a little different", he added, thinking back to the time he had fought and defeated a superior aboard the SuvwL'Vaj. "Everyone knows how honourable you are sir, but what if the next Targ turns out to be a crew members neck?", enquired Tarna. "At any rate you can see my problem, so what are we going to do with you sir?" he added. "What do you suggest?", countered Kerge, sitting up straight now and wondering if he were about to be asked to remain in his quarters until further notice, a possibility that although perhaps logical, would NOT be an option at this moment in time. The Security Chiefs place when a ship was in crisis was on duty, not holed up in the relative comfort of his own quarters. Indeed, the Captain would not agree with his removal from duty either, of that the Klingon seemed most certain... (Reply Tarna) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:37) Dr Janel Tarna realized he might him seem like an overbearing lunatic, but he really didn't think that was the case. Hopefully when he explained the reasoning behind that comment the chief would understand. He explained why he could not give the security chief any more medication and now that the embarrassment of banging his head had worn off he was more back to his normal self. "At any rate you can see my problem, so what are we going to do with you sir?" he asked. While he was trying to keep his concern contained and maintain the positive outlook that hopefully all this worrying was for nought. He hoped that by this point everything would start getting back to normal but he wouldn't feel confident about that until they started putting upwards of 48 hours behind them with no new reports of hallucinations. He had a bit of a problem on his hands and was trying the patient led approach first. "What do you suggest?", countered Kerge. Janel wrung out his hands for a moment as he thought about the options. Confiding him to his room, or better yet a safe padded room still seemed tempting but there weren't enough rooms for everyone. Kerge was one of the most dangerous people aboard but he was also one they needed to keep active if possible. He could only imagine the reaction he would get if he suggested that course of action. No that wouldn't do. Pulling out his PADD he browsed through the database looking for any alternative medications that might be suitable but even if he could get Kerge to agree on his honour to drink no more there was nothing really suitable. So as he'd suspect that option was out too. That's when the idea struck him. "Alright I have something in mind but I need to check some details first. It won't take more than a couple of minutes." he said as the silence began to stretch out. (Tag Kerge) He wanted to use a neural monitor, which would detect changes in nervous system activity. If Kerge was affected by a hallucination he could expect to see an increase in neural activity. At this point they could comm the security Chief to see if he was alright. If he started going on about Targs or something incoherent they would know to send medics to check on him. He began to explain the plan, "Alright, this is what I have in mind. To keep you operational and avoid confining you unnecessarily I suggest we use a neural monitor to monitor your brain activity. If we see an uptick of activity that may suggest a hallucination then we'll have someone comm you to see if you're alright. I think it's our most reliable plan but you should know that it's not perfect - there may be some false positives, especially if you get very drunk, or it may miss something. Obviously there's nothing stopping you from contacting us if you start to hallucinate and it goes without saying that we would want you to do that." (Tag Kerge) " Also, the monitor would be painless, quick and easy to use - all it would take to sort it out is a brief trip to sickbay. So what do you think?" he asked, hoping that they were on to a winning plan. (Tag Kerge) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – TAC/SC, Lt Kerge - 03:38) Kerge had breathed a sigh that could only be indicative of relief as Tarna looked at options to allow him to remain on duty. A Klingon being rendered 'useless' when his ship was in distress! It simply did not bear thinking about... "Alright I have something in mind but I need to check some details first. It won't take more than a couple of minutes." , said Tarna, activating his PADD and then scanning through it with the usual nods and 'mmm's' that were normally associated with such medical practices as these. Clearly, he was open to alternatives, or was it just that he didn't want the Klingon to 'go off' on one over this? In Kerge's experience, it was often the case that people tended to avoid doing anything that might antagonise him unless it was absolutely necessary, the course of least resistance oft times being the more favourable option for those that had dealings with him. Such was the bane of being born into a feudal warrior species such as Klingon. "Alright, this is what I have in mind.", said Tarna, eventually shutting down his PADD and then returning his attention to Kerge before explaining his plan, which basically amounted to monitoring him via a neural monitor. The Medic then went on to explain that there might be false positives, and that as such Kerge might receive attention without there being any particular problem per se. "Obviously there's nothing stopping you from contacting us if you start to hallucinate and it goes without saying that we would want you to do that.", said Tarna, countering any negative assertions that the Klingon might be feeling about that and giving him some sense of control over his own situation so to speak. Of course, the important thing though was that Tarna and his associates could obviously maintain some of the control for themselves. Kerge pondered it all just briefly and then nodded his assent. It seemed that in effect, they were putting a lead on the beast within him, but if that was what it was going to take to prevent them from confining him to his quarters, then so be it. "That would be acceptable to me", he said, reaching for his flask of bloodwine once again, but stopping just short of it. "I would assume that by your mention of false positives and alcohol, you would rather I did not finish my bloodwine then", he said, more as a statement than a query. (Reply Tarna) Kerge nodded and then exhaled with just a hint of sadness at being denied the remainder of his warmed to perfection beverage. Tarna seemingly attempted to distract him from it all though by returning quickly to the subject of the neural monitor and how it would be used. "Also, the monitor would be painless, quick and easy to use - all it would take to sort it out is a brief trip to sickbay. So what do you think?" he asked, hopefully. Kerge stepped down from his stool and then raised himself up to his full, intimidating six foot four inches height, dwarfing the Ensign by at least a half a foot. Then he pulled at his tunic to straighten it out. "I think that you should lead the way Ensign", said Kerge, "I would prefer to get this done sooner rather than later in order that I may return to my duties as chief of security" (Reply Tarna) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:39) Doctor Tarna explained to his patient Kerge what he had in mind, which basically amounted to monitoring him via a neural monitor. The Medic then went on to explain that there might be false positives, and that as such Kerge might receive attention without there being any particular problem per se. Finally, after everything had been explained the Klingon replied. "That would be acceptable to me", he said, reaching for his flask of bloodwine once again, but stopping just short of it. "I would assume that by your mention of false positives and alcohol, you would rather I did not finish my bloodwine then", he said, more as a statement than a query. “That would be preferable,” replied Tarna in confirmation. He then went on to talk a little more about how simple the neural monitor would be to use and how quickly they could get it sorted out. The less the Trill had to impose in the slightly intimidating chief of tactical and security’s day the better. Kerge agreed and got up on his feet. Tarna was not a small man but Kerge was so small he felt almost like a dwarf in comparison. "I think that you should lead the way Ensign", said Kerge, "I would prefer to get this done sooner rather than later in order that I may return to my duties as chief of security" The Trill doctor turned and led the way out of sickbay. On his way past Dr Trommashere he indicated his plan so that she would not be looking for him after she finished her rounds. Eventually he’d get finished with his work and come back here for something to eat. (Reply Any) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 10, Ten Forward - Security Officer, Ens T'Solen Fairfield - 03:41) T'Solen took his ordered drink and, moving gracefully, stepped to the furthest corner of the bar and sat down. He ran his thumb over the rim of the glass, causing the thick purple brew to slosh around the glass sluggishly. A drink that a past comrade had called 'muddy cough medicine with bite', the Phelosian Sunset was probably T'Solen's one real vice. T'Solen's ears quirked as he took a drink, taking passing note of all the conversations going on around him. It was hard to avoid, his hearing was exquisite, the pointy ears were more than just decoration. "Also, the monitor would be painless, quick and easy to use - all it would take to sort it out is a brief trip to sickbay. So what do you think?" ~Medical advice over a drink, how professional.~ He thought with a slight twitch of the lips as he put the half-empty glass back on the bar top. He continued to thumb the glass as a much more bass voice replied, "I think that you should lead the way Ensign. I would prefer to get this done sooner rather than later in order that I may return to my duties as chief of security" ~Oooh, scandal.~ He half turned his head, looking at his Chief from the corner of his eye. Though he knew his boss, of course, he'd never taken to talking to the Klingon socially. And he didn't dig his nose into the medical problems of his direct superiors - though now, it seemed, he was broadcasting said problems to everyone in the social communication structure. ~Maybe this ensign will slip with the needle, and my department will get a promotion.~ he thought, cynically. (reply any, none) (posted by Trout) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 03:42) It didn’t take long to get to sickbay and there wasn’t a lot of small talk. It seemed both officers simply wanted to get the task done and out of the way. Upon entering main sickbay Janel led Kerge to a free biobed and left him for a few moments to collect the necessary kit. He had the Klingon lie down on the biobed and did a few brain scans to assess neural activity, then he placed the device upon the chief’s forehead and configured it. After making some notes and updates in the appropriate medical file and dispensing all the normal advice he set the Klingon on his way again. He would be wearing the device for a while, at least until they could be sure it wasn’t necessary any more. Janel was pleased to have found a way to take care of the problem without pulling the officer from duty even if it had been tempting and would have been appropriate given the circumstances, (Reply Any) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Bridge – CO, Captain T'Vhor and Tellarite Commander, Sur Vam Gicha – 04:01) The Spectre had been drifting for over two hours now, her warp engines offline, her impulse drive barely allowing them to maintain station keeping against the powerful eddies and currents of the Voids unpredictable ebbs and flows. There had been further casualties also, and this had kept the medical teams busy to the point of breaking. It went without saying of course that the Void had affected them also, and tasked with trying to keep the rest of the crew sane whilst their own sanity was under attack, did not put them in an enviable position to say the very least. The past Eight hours had been rough going to them all, tempers had frayed, friendships had been severely tested and the ship itself put under strain of mechanical failure. Despite all of this though, the Garallon had not broken her tow line and the two vessels remained linked. Like a dependent child attached to it's Mother by a tenuous umbilical that might still break at any time, they had not parted. Needless to say though, everyone could do with a break, but nobody expected the break that eventually came. Tellarite vessels, it would seem, were made of strong stuff indeed. They had to be of course, given the locale that they often worked in, and Gicha's little freighter was no exception. For the last hour or so, the freighter itself had effectively 'steered' the two Starfleet ships towards the outer marker of the Void itself, unseen and undetected by the Spectre's crippled sensors by way of a low power tractoring system that the Tellarites had scavenged from a derelict and abandoned fuel barge many months beforehand. It was old, and it was failing, but it still had the necessary drive to pull the ships along at a snails pace until the mists finally began to clear. The first signs that this was so came from the tactical officer who reported reception of spurious coms chatter on the subspace network, something that had been totally absent within the Void itself. Needless to say, the transmissions hinted at the fact that something had definitely changed, Had they drifted 'through' to the other side of the expanse perhaps, or had they simply been caught up in a tidal eddy and dragged to the edge again? Whatever the case, it had raised hopes amongst the bridge officers and the Captain was immediately taking note. His first point of reference was the viewscreen, imperceptible stars apparently appearing here and there as the orange swirling mists that had been present from the very beginning of their voyage in, began to thin. Then all of a sudden, they seemed to be back in normal space! Was it another trick? A mind game courtesy of the Tsinkada Void? “Sensors!”, called the Captain, eager now to confirm that what they were seeing in the viewscreen was in fact real and not some Void induced phantom. “Status report, all stations”, he added. And the reports began to arrive one by one, causing the Captain to rise to his feet and then head for the temporarily vacant Science console where he quickly began running the data. It certainly seemed to be valid. They did indeed appear to be free of the Void, but how was that so? Then suddenly, the Tactical officer was calling again. “Sir, we are being hailed” The Captain instinctively wanted to ask by whom, but in truth it really didn't matter too much right now, so he immediately requested the transmission to be displayed 'On Screen', whereupon the smiling face of Sur Vam Gicha was staring right back at him! ~Gicha~ thought the Captain, suddenly remembering their earlier dealings as he waited patiently for the Tellarite to speak. Of course, Gicha did not disappoint... =/\=You have been ignoring me Captain=/\= he stated, dispassionately, =/\=we had a deal and you neglected me. You neglected perhaps the only person currently within the Shadows that had the knowledge and the ability to get you and your sorry Vulcan carcass back into normal space=/\= he added, the look upon his face indicative now of someone that was expecting some gratitude at the very least. “You....”, began the Captain, the sudden realisation that the Tellarite had been his unlikely saviour dawning now, “you, are responsible for returning us here?”, he asked, incredulously. Gicha nodded smugly, and then continued on. =/\=Indeed I am, Captain. A task for which you now owe me, a price that I am quite sure we can negotiate very soon in the comfort of your own... what do you call it? Ten forward over a glass or two of your finest alcoholic beverage? Two ships and a warp core, safely delivered back into normal space as promised=/\= said Gicha, gleefully rubbing his hands together before tweaking at his hair covered face. =/\=I'm sure that we can come to a suitable trade=/\= he added. T'Vhor was speechless, at least for a while anyway. A rare occasion for one of Vulcan heritage. Needless to say though, the Tellarite had him banged to rights. They had indeed discussed a trade earlier, a trade that had not panned out. And now here was Gicha demanding his payment for services that had indeed, seemingly been rendered. T'Vhor raised an eyebrow in typical Vulcan fashion, then he answered Gicha's request. “Starfleet will provide the necessary payment”, he began, “you may liaise via your government regarding your requirements, and then.....”, said T'Vhor, who was immediately cut off by the Tellarite. "No Captain", said Gicha, "this must take place now. Trust is a commodity in short supply in regards dealings withe the Federation. Please...", he added, "let us finalise our deal now before you leave this place" T'Vhor pondered the Tellarites words briefly, the fingers of his right hand cupping at his chin. It went without saying of course that Gicha HAD brought them to safe haven, and as such, perhaps he deserved the leeway that he was now requesting. Starfleet 'Red Tape' could indeed be notoriously convoluted and he knew that it would probably be a while before the Tellarite and his crew saw any reward from their much valued assistance, and with that in mind, the Spectre CO capitulated. "Very well", he began. "We will be in the area for a while yet, we have repairs to carry out and we have to make an operational report and update to Starfleet", he added, knowing full well that the covert nature of their mission negated clarification to Starfleet of their current location. T'Vhor's only report would be passed through the channels laid down by Admiral Alexander, at least until they knew fully what they were dealing with in regards Sulia Madon and her cohorts anyway... Gicha nodded respectfully, and then informed the Spectre Captain that he would be ready to transport across at the earliest opportunity. The transmission was then closed, the Captain turning to the First Officer beside him. "Arrange a meeting in the Observation lounge for 05:00 hours. In the meantime, I will require the debrief report from the interviews with the Garallon Cadets. It is time that we knew fully what we are up against...." (Reply Ktell, Any) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – CMO’s Office - CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 04:06) Andrew had called his medical staff to his office. He looked at tired faces surrounding him and realised the must be looking as haggard as he felt. “Okay then lets get started. From my understanding we should be out of this void soon.” ~and not a moment too soon~ “I am needing to give the Captain an update and I would like you impute” He looked at Kirien. “How is Dr Mais doing? When do you think that he will be able to return to duty?” (Reply Kirien) Andrew nodded. “I’ll pop by and see him later.” He looked next at Angeni . “How are thing outside of sickbay?” (Reply Trommas) Andrew nodded and added the information to his PADD before continuing and looking over at Janel . “How are we doing in sickbay?” (Reply Tarna) He nodded again as he turned to Ellie. “How are things doing on the counselling end?” (Reply Caras) Andrew took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay that’s good. We may be having a meeting some time soon so it would be good to have you attend but until then get some rest if not some food. He paused for a moment. “Any questions?” (Reply Caras, Tarna, Trommas, Kirien, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, CMO’ Office – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:07) The chief medical officer had called a staff meeting and a group of very tired looking faces surrounded him. This had been one of the toughest weeks Janel had faced since graduating, okay it was also his first but nothing he’d come up against so far had been this intense for such a sustained period. “Okay then let’s get started. From my understanding we should be out of this void soon.” That news brought a small tired smile to his lips. This was the news they had all been waiting for and he desperately hoped it would bring an end to the craziness. “I am needing to give the Captain an update and I would like your input” The CMO looked first to Kirien.“How is Dr Mais doing? When do you think that he will be able to return to duty?” (Reply Kirien) Andrew nodded and answered, “I’ll pop by and see him later.” Janel waited patiently as his attention quickly moved to Dr Trommashere. “How are thing outside of sickbay?” (Reply Trommas) His chief nodded once again and tapped on his PADD, presumably taking notes before finally looking to him for input. The Trill wondered what he could possibly tell his boss that he didn’t already know. “How are we doing in sickbay?” Clearing his throat and stifling a yawn he replied with what he knew, hoping that in his tiredness he was remembering everything. “We’ve restocked what we’ve got but supplies are shockingly low. You’ve been sent a list from out earlier restocking efforts with a list of drugs in order of supply. Those we need the most are highest on the list.” He changed the focus to talk about something more important and in hindsight the item he should have opened with in the first place. He felt a little silly but was too tired to feel embarrassed, so just carried on. “All of the minor cases have been discharged and we’ve been using neural monitors on a few patients. This has allowed us to monitor their status and check in when abnormal brain impulses have been picked up and has been a good alternative to confining people to quarters. As a result of getting more people back on the job the strain on departments has eased off. The resultant reduction in stress I believe has been a contributing factor in the reduction in new cases of hallucinations.” (Reply CMO, any doctor if you wish) “Yes, and that too,” with a nod he agreed that was also likely an important contributing factor. Whichever way you wanted to put it, things did seem to be improving, which was just as well because the gathered medics looked fit to drop Seemingly satisfied his boss turned his attention away. Only then did he realise how disconcerting it was to be asked a question and then get so little in the way of response. He didn’t like not knowing whether the CMO was satisfied with the report or not. It seemed there was still a lot he had to learn about how things really worked on the job. “How are things doing on the counselling end?” asked the CMO (Reply Caras) Doctor Williams took a deep breath and smiled, it was the first indication he’d got that the reports were satisfactory. The last thing he wanted to see was an angry or annoyed expression. Janel listened as he addressed the team, “Okay that’s good. We may be having a meeting sometime soon so it would be good to have you attend but until then get some rest if not some food.” Janel could not imagine they would all be needed at this meeting he spoke of. If that was the case then why had they just sat and discussed all of this if not to make sure the CMO could relay it all? Maybe he just wanted to make sure everyone was one the same page about everything. He preferred over communication to not having a clue what was going on and he felt he’d spent half of the mission feeling clueless so this was not a matter he cared to worry over. Janel thought they were about to be dismissed but then the CMO asked them something else. The Trill sat with his best innocent expression, no he had not just been about to scrape his chair back prematurely… “Any questions?” asked Dr Williams. The only question Janel had was not one worth voicing… ~ Can we leave? I’m exhausted! ~ ~ … and hungry. ~ He thought he better say something if only to expedite their exit. “Nothing from me, sir.” (Reply Caras, Trommas, Kirien, any) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:15) Janel lay on his bed having just had a light but filling meal. He wasn’t sleeping, not yet anyway. He was exhausted by his mind was still abuzz after work, so he listened to some quiet music in the background and reflected upon the last week. It was the first week of his career. He’d been assigned to the USS Spectre and while he’d been quite happy with that - as if he’d had a choice in the matter anyway - his mother was perhaps predictably unhappy about it. Their argument had played on his mind consistently throughout the week, bothering him at the most inconvenient of times, not that there was ever a good time for it. There was a seed of doubt in his mind. Was his mother right all along? He rolled over with a massive huff, it seemed like she was always right and that made his gears grind badly. The comm sounded so he rolled over again with a louder huff. ~ It’s probably mother. I’ll ignore it. I can’t be bothered with another argument. ~ The comm continued to sound and with each bleep he felt increasingly guilty. ~ I should at least go and make sure it’s her I’m ignoring I suppose. ~ Of course he knew if he saw her name there he would probably cave in. Even so he was soon on his feet and padding through to the lounge. He peered at the communications terminal. It wasn’t his mother, phew! Now he felt glad he’d got up and pressed a button to answer the comm as he sat down in front of the terminal. He gave his old friend a very big, cheerful grin. “Avaris! Good to see you! How are you?” Torrin replied with an equally broad grin, “How are you Janel? I hope I haven't woken you? I just wanted to check in and see how you have been since graduation? Hows life on the Spectre?” Janel let out a big guffaw! Sleep!? He’d survived the Academy on the minimum to less than minimum recommended levels of sleep, frequently pulling all-nighters to study. He was not naturally clever and had been studying a subject that was not really his passion in life. Not even his ticket to an easy life but if he could finally earn some respect and the love of his family then every bit of toil would be worth it. He would not miss this call for all the sleep in the universe. “Seriously it’s fine,” he stated before heaving a long sigh before answering the question. “Life on the Spectre. It’s okay. Harder than I thought it was going to be and I wasn’t expecting a picnic. Can’t say I’ve really gelled with anyone here yet either.” He threw his hands up in the air as he was feeling a bit exasperated with it all. There really was a lot to say despite that it had only been a week but he didn’t want to bother his friend with his settling in troubles. This was never going to be easy for him and complaining about it wouldn’t put anything right either. Instead it might just give Avaris a reason not to put in another subspace communication any time soon. Putting the smile back on his face he changed the focus of the conversation. “Tell me about how you and Artem are doing? Did you make it to your new ship okay?” Torrin’s response was, “We arrived two days ago, it was pretty hectic, poor Artem didn't get to sleep for almost two days, they were in the middle of some mission or other and apparently almost the entire bridge crew was on the surface. What is the Spectre up to?” Janel looked sympathetically at his friend, “That’s pretty rough, poor Artem! So… what can I say? I’ve been here just over a week and it has been a living nightmare at times. Literally. We’ve been stuck in this terrible void and the crew have all been suffering hallucinations… As you can probably imagine it’s kept me pretty busy!” Janel was probably more animated than he’d been since joining the crew of the Spectre. Avaris was one of few people he felt he could be completely honest with. They didn’t agree with each other about certain topics but actually the fact his friend didn’t hold the same traditional view as everyone else was quite freeing. “Ah the joys of exploring deep space. I have yet to encounter any anomalous phenomenons, but I have heard stories… it seems to happen a great deal, for such a large universe,” replied Avaris. “I had one patient who consumed alcohol despite recommendations to avoid it while on medication, so I had to think of another way to treat them.” Janel didn’t feel bad saying that either because it was so general that it could have applied to anyone so patient confidentiality was not compromised. “HA! The doctor here told me I need to go to the gym… as if that is actually going to happen, she didn't mention that I need to stop drinking which I found surprising because I may or may not have accidentally been a little tipsy for my initial exam…. it’s a long story please don't ask.” Avaris made a face, and Janel knew him well enough to believe that he should not ask for clarification. Janel simply raised his eyebrows in mock disbelief, tutted a few times and waggled his finger at the screen. He wasn’t being serious, Avaris hadn’t called for a lecture on healthy living and he wasn’t about to hand one out. “Alright, have it your way but tell me because I’m curious, how are you finding life among Starfleet compared to how you thought it would be?” asked Janel. Maybe it was too soon to tell but by now he probably had some first impressions and Janel wanted to know what they were. (Reply None) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:18) Dr Janel Tarna and Avaris Torrin had been catching up after reaching their new homes in space. Trill medic Doctor Tarna had been assigned to the USS Spectre, while Artem and Avaris had ended up on an Odyssey class ship. Janel hoped that despite the great distance between them and demands of life aboard a Starship they would keep in touch regularly. He had just finished asking about how Avaris was finding things compared to what he’d expected. Janel had asked him for his impression of life on a Starfleet vessel, and it was a loaded question… Avaris was not sure he wanted to get into it too seriously. Janel had said more than once that he appreciated his advice and company largely because of his unusual perspective, but the kid did not know the half of just how much living on a Starfleet ship was a trying and difficult thing for him. He had been keeping his more extreme opinions, and the more colourful parts of his past, largely to himself in the past 8 years, and Janel had never known the Avaris Torrin who had set fire to an Essentialist resource centre, who had stolen starfleet arms and smuggled them to the Maquis by way of the Orion syndicate, who had put on a mask and smashed the storefronts of the Leran Manev commercial district to protest the visit of the President of the United Federation of Planets, who had hidden in his home the fugitive Symbiosis Commission defector who had leaked out that medicine had advanced to a point where separating Symbionet and Host was now possible… Avaris wasn't sure he even knew that Avaris anymore. He decided to make light of the situation, wanting to talk about Janel more than about his own deepening self-loathing at what his life had become. Torrin explained, “Well it has certainly been interesting. I am still allowed to walk around freely, and I haven't noticed any security officers clandestinely following me around (apart from Artem). It’s actually a bit disappointing; I think I am losing my touch as a dangerous radical… I think the only person still interested in invading my privacy through illegal and immoral surveillance is my father.” Janel grinned at that and chuckled softly. Avaris had told him a few things but he’d always thought the tales had been embellished. Little did he know there was so much more to it than what he knew of and it was probably a good thing. If ignorance was bliss then Janel was probably in heaven. “Interesting is good! So is walking freely, so yeah I guess that’s a good start. In all seriousness though I hope you and Artem are both happy there.” Torrin thought back to their most recent conversation at the graduation ceremony, and wondered if there was a tactful way to bring it up, both the men knew that the reason for Torrins call was not only idle chit-chat about their new homes, but because Avaris was concerned for his friend. He thought back to the graduation, it had been very interesting. His parents had been present, his father Senator Edral Xind clearly believing that a Starfleet Officer for a son-in-law provided an excellent photo-op and an opportunity to hob nob with Federation movers and shakers who would be in attendance. Janel’s parents had clearly had the same idea, and between the two contingents of Trill politicians, Torrin had ended up spending most of the evening keeping papa Dragumov company (the gruff freighter captain was comically ill-at-ease at such a prestigious event, his formal attire seeming less comfortable to him than if they had forced him to wear a straight jacket to the ceremony). When his parents finally became distracted enough by being impressive and important with the other impressive and important Trill parents in the hall, Janel was able to briefly escape and steal a few moments alone with Torrin, who had brought a celebratory bottle of incredibly illegal Romulan Ale which he had cleverly disguised as a mysterious, unknown bottle-shaped object inside a paper bag. Torrin had come to like the San Francisco skyline having lived in the city for just over four years now…he still could not quite get used to the sky and oceans lacking a lilac tinge, but he was coming to appreciate the alien blueness of Earth. It was strange to think that he would likely be living in space in the near future, as would his friend Janel, and it might be a very long time before they were able to see each-other in person again. For a few lovely quiet moments they sat in silence, passing the bottle back and forth. Janel normally disliked alcoholic beverages but on that night it had been exactly what he’d needed. Torrin then, just as now in his quarters, had wondered how to start a conversation about Janel’s pursuing of symbioses. Avaris smiled at the handsome younger Trill, in a way he hoped seemed supportive and not patronizing. He had taken the younger man under his wing while he was studying with Artem, in large part because the younger man reminded himself so much of a younger Avaris. As such, knowing how resentful he would have been to have an older person acting like they knew best for him, and certainly considering Janel to be a friend and not a student or a project, he tried to be very careful not to act like…well like both of their parents did. (Reply None) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:20) NRPG: I wasn’t sure how best to post a flashback, so please let me know if I did something wrong, thanks. RPG: (Flashback: Starfleet Academy, San Francisco - Graduation Party) “And how is your initiate training going?” asked Torrin, an older Trill with quite different views to most other people who was arguably Janel’s best friend in the universe. Avaris Torrin wasn’t studying at Starfleet, rather they’d met through his partner Aterm Dragumov who was at Starfleet. Janel and Artem had snuck away from their pretentious parents to steal a few minutes together before embarking on the biggest journey of their lives. The younger Trill was starting to feel a bit tipsy and as a result his tongue was getting a little looser. As long as he didn’t then mess up in front of his family things would be okay. They stressed him out something terrible. In his view, everyone in that room had a superiority complex. Were all joined Trill like this? He’d heard his personality might change upon joining. Is this what he was going to morph into? He wasn’t sure he wanted that. Maybe it was just a certain type of joined Trill that ended up at functions like this. Maybe there was an unwritten rule about competing for most obnoxious… “I don’t know. I’m not confident about it. Do you… do you think I’m doing the right thing?” Janel replied with uncertainty and a bit of hesitation. Avaris was a great friend to him so his opinion and approval meant a lot to him. It’s just that his family’s did too and he didn’t want to lose either of them but with their differing world views it felt like he couldn’t have both. Avaris hesitated a bit, not really sure how to answer the question. He rolled up his sleeve, drawing attention to one of his many tattoos, the one on his left forearm, a styleized letter ulah in the Trill alphabet, the symbol of the Unjoined Majority. “Well…you already know how *I* feel about it Janel, but I want to know how you feel about it.” That was really quite complicated. He wasn’t sure if he wanted joining for joining’s sake or because he’d had effectively been treated like a bothersome rodent because of his failure to impress the symbiosis commission and become joined already. He knew that his mother had ultimately left his dad because he was not joined. It seemed she increasingly looked down upon those who were unjoined and he was worried it was a product of her success. He felt he could never have their love and respect until he achieved that goal. His mother was driving him towards it almost constantly, so yes he did want it extremely badly. He tried to explain his fears to the one person he felt he could talk to about this openly, “It’s complicated. I worry that if I am successful then I will lose your friendship and that would be a terrible loss as it means so much to me. On the other hand if I am not successful then, well let’s just say my family will disown me and I really really reeeeeaaaallly don’t want that.” Torrin closed his eyes and sighed to himself. It was a familiar enough horror story, one that he might have lived through himself if things had gone differently, and precisely the reason why he so vehemently opposed their planets oppressive and arbitrary social stratification. “The commission gets to decide if you inherit some old memories Janel, it should not get to decide how you or your family feels about you.” Janel couldn’t help but notice that Avaris hadn’t answered his concern, probably because the outcome would be exactly as he feared. He agreed that the difference between being joined and unjoined shouldn’t affect how his family felt about him, but in his case it did. He had never considered that his peers might be feeling similarly to him. He’d talked with many of the other potential candidates and it had never come up. Everyone seemed as passionate about joining as he was if not more. If anything he felt guilty that he maybe didn’t want this as much as he should. Inheriting those old memories was a big deal and it seemed short sighted and disrespectful to speak so dismissively of them. Of course he was quite familiar with his friend’s view on this by now and if it bothered him they would not be sat here talking today. “I know, I do agree with you. The thing is - I have to be successful. My parents want the best for me; they want me to be successful but have always looked at me like the weakest link. I’m not clever or witty or athletic like Neron is. I want them to be proud of me and to love me like they love my brother. I have to earn it, I have to be joined otherwise I will get permanently rejected, just like dad.” He replied matter of factly. Neron was his older brother and Janel had always looked up to him and wanted to be more like him. He thought his parents wanted him to be more like Neron too. They had never shied away from showing him affection but then he’d always met their expectations, he’d always been ambitious. Janel on the other hand had always been an underachiever, lazy his parents would say. He could never quite deliver what they were looking for and it frustrated them so much. Torrin did not agree at all and made his feelings plain, as always, “Your parents want what’s best for themselves Janel, they think you can't be worth anything if you aren't joined.” He started to get visibly angry, his voice raising slightly and his brow furrowed intensely. “You see, this is what is so completely ruinous about how we have let the Symbiosis Commission become so powerful. There is absolutely no reason why the love of your family should be conditional upon the arbitrary decisions made by a powerful and insular group of joined ….” he stopped himself, not wanting to get too vitriolic, knowing that Janel still, if perhaps foolishly, hoped to become one of those joined … people. He changed tact “... how is your father anyways? Have you heard from him at all since your mother left him?” Janel pressed his lips together into a thin line as he listened to his friend. None of what he said shocked him as he’d heard these kind of statements from him before. When he changed his approach and decided instead to ask about his father he was happy to answer. He just wished he had some better news to give. “No, not for a very long time. It’s been so long since I was able to talk to him and he wasn’t doing well back then. I don’t even know if he’s still alive and that is very worrying. He just disappeared. I bet Lukita could get a hit on him and no one would ever find out but she wouldn’t go that far to get him out of her life. No, I guess like the others he just doesn’t want me in his life.” It was pretty depressing really. He’d always sympathised with his father and felt bad about the pressure his mother Lukita had put on him. He and dad were two peas in a pod - nothing either of them could do was ever good enough. He had felt particularly bitter about the fact he hadn’t been able to go live with his father. He was certain he would not be here today had that been the case and he would probably be quite happily following his real passion. “I know it’s complicated, family makes everything complicated. I guess … what I really want you to think about Janel, is if you want this for you or do you want this because she wants it for you? Being joined opens a lot of doors, but it comes at a cost. It’s not just getting a prestigious new name, you would have to take on the persona of a centuries-old legacy, is that really going to make you happy?” Janel was afraid to think about this too much because deep down he already knew the answer. He also knew that life wasn’t perfect. He was a simple family man really, he wanted the love and respect of his family, to someday find love and have a family of his own. If he wanted the love and respect of his family then he had to put aside some of the other things that he cared about, to do something for them and earn it. Life was all about compromises and that was what he was doing here. A career as a medic wasn’t his first choice of career, or even his second but he had trained for it and he intended to do the job well. Maybe it would even grow on him, who could tell? “It might. After the amount of time and hard work invested in this goal I really hope it will. I don’t know if I would feel differently about joining if it wasn’t for all this pressure. Maybe I would… but the point is I do want it – really badly in fact. It’s my driving force. I would not have come to Starfleet Academy and worked so hard to become a medical officer otherwise, I’d have lingered on Trill studying and taking photographs, making holographs and simulations about wildlife… you know?”” finished Janel a little glumly. His alternative lifestyle wasn’t very glamorous, but really that was what he wanted to do most in the universe. Wildlife, that was his passion and he felt guilty about that too because as his mother always said what greater calling could there be in life than saving people’s lives? “Your photography is beautiful Janel, and there is so much nature left to be discovered and shown to the galaxy. Did you know, I was reading some Starfleet science journals, and they estimate that we have classified an estimated 6 % of life forms in the Alpha Quadrant alone? There is so much out there, and you could earn a great deal of prestige doing what you love, and you don't need a symbionet in your gut to do it, no matter what your mother says. You know I am biased about this, but please just remember that Tarna is a fine name, and Janel is good enough to accomplish whatever he wants to” He laughed quietly “Take that very sound and reasonable advice from a man who has given up on all his dreams and values, moved into the enemies headquarters to help brainwash our children, and preparing to live in a weapon of mass “exploration” amongst the soldiers of Terran cultural imperialism, all for his husband.” This brought a genuine, warm smile to Janel’s troubled features, “Ah the power of love. I have yet to experience it. I’m glad though that I can still come to you for advice.” Avaris laughed, “Well come to me for guidance any day, just make sure you go somewhere else to see a good example of it in practice.” Janel started laughing at that and it helped to lighten the mood. Talking about his family and joining was always a bit depressing but he needed to do that sometimes to release some of the pressure he kept bottled up all of the time. He didn’t know when they would get a chance to talk like this again but more than anything he wanted to enjoy what little face time he had left with Avaris. (Reply None) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre - Bridge - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:20) “Very well Captain.”, the first officer said. He had watched the conversation on the viewscreen quietly while he thought about the ramifications. They seemingly had been guided towards the end of the void and now the ship was waiting on the edge of normal space. The Spectre had come back to life like a newly switched on Christmas tree. Although full power had not been restored, the ship had re-established communication with Starfleet. He quickly assembled what information had been gathered during the conversation with the cadets when it came aboard and while there are in sickbay. There wasn’t a great deal to show. You’re so included the report that Fairfield had compiled only an hour before. He passed the PADD to the captain. “Captain, I think we should have all senior staff briefing at 0900. After everybody has a chance to get some rest and I think it be important if we catch up with everyone’s current situation.”, he said, making the request. Captain seemed to agree with his suggestion, we also seemed important to the first officer to to give everyone a chance to catch up on some rest. “All hands this is the bridge, all departments to change to minimum staffing. I want everybody to have a break and to catch up on some sleep.”, he ordered. The ship was still tied to 2 objects, the tractor beam was attached to the warp core and a physical tether was still attached to the Garallon. “Operations, update all systems.”, He said. The ship had been out contact from Starfleet for a while now. They needed to update any events that may have occurred in the area. (Reply from Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:22) Torrin smiled a bit sadly, hoping that he was able to help this young man through what so many of his people had faced for hundreds of years. He was one of the lucky ones, he saw it all for what it was, inequality and arbitrary rule by a minority of his world’s life-forms, and had found his drive in doing what he could to tear that world apart. It was lonely, but he had never pined for joining, never felt like he was worthless without an alien invertebrate in his abdomen and its consciousness mingled with into his nervous system. He had always preferred it being him against the world, and not him against himself, and the thought of this bright, enthusiastic and kind young man allowing a bunch of old slugs in their humanoid puppets to ruin his life was too much for him to bear. Getting down to the point of his call Avaris brought the conversation around to what he was really interested in “But I didn't call to talk about myself Janel. I was hoping you had thought some more about what we discussed at your graduation… I hope you consider following your dreams, regardless of what happens with the commission.” Honestly he hadn’t given it much thought, partly because he had been so busy and partly because he’d resigned himself to his fate and was throwing everything he had at achieving this goal. “I don’t know that there’s much to consider. I’m here now and I have to make a name for myself. The symbiosis commission don’t want just another doctor. Having a career in Starfleet is no longer enough. I have to be the premier expert in something. I have to earn a good reputation.” “Well even if it’s not your life’s work, even if you are a fantastic Starfleet doctor, you still should make time for your passion. Besides, my school is looking to commission some photography to accompany a comparative xenobiology report that I am doing research on… it’s about armoured terrestrial molluscs, which are not always the prettiest subject matter, but are unusually common on class M worlds, which we find quite fascinating.” It actually pained Janel to hear that because it sounded like exactly the sort of work he would love to do most of all. He could already picture it and was certain he could capture the most amazing shots. He didn’t care if they weren’t the prettiest subject matter because he had a flair for this sort of thing and knew he could make them look like stars. It sounded fascinating to him too but he couldn’t just ask the Captain to stop at any M class world they passed so he could go hunting for them. Pictures of holographically simulated creatures simply would not do whatsoever. He just didn’t think it would be possible even if he allowed himself the time. He felt like a rodent trapped in a cage with someone dangling the most delicious and appetising scraps outside of the bars where he could not get to it. He felt truly gutted that he had to decline. “You know I would love to do that for you, but it’s just not possible” “Well promise you will consider it. I can put you in touch with my department at the University,” responded Avaris. Janel felt it might break him if he had to decline an offer like this again. He wanted to do it so badly but there was no sense in agreeing to do something that he wasn’t going to be able to do. He was so filled with disappointment he couldn’t even reply and had to settle for shaking his head to decline. Avaris saw how pained his friend’s expression was, and felt terrible for having upset him. “Im sorry, I have upset you haven't I?” Tarna mustered up his voice to reply, “It’s okay. Look, thanks for the offer I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” “I won’t tell you how you should live your life Janel. Your mother does a fantastic enough job at that, and now Starfleet and the Symbiosis Commission as well. I won’t be another person pressuring you into doing what I think is best for you, all I want is for Janel to decide what is best for Janel.” “I know and I do. I’m sure I’ll feel better once I’ve had a bit more time to settle in. I’ll be wondered what I was getting myself worked up about.” The young doctor tried to bring out the usual optimism, and cheerful good nature that most people knew him for. He didn’t want Avaris to think of his as a miserable, sour faced man. “Artem and I are always here for you, you know that.” Well that settled that. Torrin was not sure if he felt any better, but he was glad he had at least reached out. He had come to care for Janel a great deal, having lived through the sort of family he came from, and feeling almost paternally responsible for him, hoping to be a positive influence and to encourage him that he was worth something on his own, that he didn't need to turn into one of the thousands of his people who felt like their lives were worthless because the commission denied them the status they had been trained since birth to strive for. “Well good luck in your assignment, and call me sometime soon Janel. And remember, you are perfect and you are worthwhile, alone or joined.” It was fortunate that Torrin was ready to wrap up the call, because just as he had said his last piece, a violent retching sound started coming from his bedroom, followed by a truly pathetic moan. “Well, it sounds like I have some cleaning to do. Shall I give your love to Artem? I would be happy to if he survives his impending hangover.” Janel wanted to say goodbye to Avaris properly. It was a shame he hadn’t been able to catch up with Artem as well but he was extremely grateful to have friends like those two. “ Of course. Thanks for calling; I’m glad we got to talk. Both of you take care and have a good night. Hopefully we can do this again soon.” “Good night Janel. Let me know how things go with your next test okay?” “I’ll keep you posted. Take care and bye for now.” Torrin ended the transmission, and stared at the blank screen for several moments, overwhelmed with the helpless feeling of a friend who could do nothing but listen, and hope that things worked out. He had spent the better part of four years trying to encourage Janel to look away from the Commission, to not pin all his hopes on joining. His opinions about symbiosis aside, Torrin knew a lot of people who had not been selected for joining, and he knew the profile of Trills who would fail all too well. He would never say it to Janel, but he knew deep down that he would never be selected, he did not fit the Commissions profile at all. He, strangely enough, hoped he was wrong, because Janel was so sure he needed this. It would certainly put distance between them if he was chosen, but it was going to crush him if (or as Avaris was fairly certain, when) he failed. It was so infuriating, knowing all he could do was be there for his young friend, and that there was nothing else in his power to do. NPRG: Ready for the new mishun! :D Hope you enjoyed that small amount of character development. (Reply None) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre – Deck 3, Dr Tarna’s Quarters – ACMO, Ensign (JG) Janel Tarna - 04:30) After catching up with his friend Avaris, Janel had returned to bed. His shifts had been pretty irregular of late, out of necessity and he’d found himself working when his body wanted to sleep, and trying to sleep when he expected to be up and about. Hopefully the next time he talked to Avaris he’d be able to talk about feeling settled in and having made some friends. As it stood he was hopeful of getting to know Doctor Trommashere a little better. He’d barely been with the crew a week but it felt like a lot longer because it had been so intense and so much had happened already. With the call having gone out for departments to go to minimal staffing it seemed they had finally cleared the void and were out of immediate danger. He didn’t know how things were for engineering but he knew he still had patients to follow up with. There hadn’t been any reports of new incidents in the past few hours but it would take a day or two for him for feel reassured and confident that things were back to normal. He was glad of not being a bridge officer and having to deal with all the internal reports, as well as face the danger outside. There would have been a lot of information to handle and it was necessary to be aware of everything that was going on in order to make important decisions, command decisions. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to rest before he was called back to work and for once made the wise decision to make the best of it. Besides rest was an order and even if no one was checking it made him feel less guilty about not forcing himself to stay up and try t work on his research project. The exhausted Trill ordered the computer to shut off the soft, quiet music he’d been listening too as well as the lights and drifted off to sleep, hoping for a better tomorrow. (Reply None) (Posted by James) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:30) Back in engineering, he was examining the state of the cold warpcore. Now free of the void influence, the teams were working on getting the call back online. Although it will still be a few hours before the restart was tempted, he had been relieved to see everybody working so hard to restore main power. Without main power, the auxiliary power units were working overtime to keep ship up and running even more than usual if you consider the fact the tractor beam was drawing a lot of power but mention the usual stresses of power management on the starship. (Reply from Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) (USS Spectre - Observation Lounge - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 04:55) He had made arrangements for the visitors to the ship. They were to be escorted to the conference room upon their arrival. He assigned that task to Fairfield. If Gicha or anyone else was to get any funny ideas, he was sure the security officer will be at the handle them. In a conference room he prepared the room, it wasn’t very clean from the last time it had been used. So it had taken a few moments to get everything ready. (Reply from Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) (USS Spectre - Observation Lounge - TAC/SC, Lt Kerge and Tellarite Commander, Sir Vam Gicha - 04:57) The implant seemed to be functioning fine, albeit annoying in the sense that the Klingon Security Chief could 'hear' it beeping every once in a while. Apparently, it was not supposed to do that, or so he'd been told. Then again, perhaps the hearing of a Klingon was markedly more sensitive than a Humans, or even a Vulcans, excepting perhaps, a Ferengi. Needless to say, Kerge was having a little difficulty as he entered the Obs lounge as ordered, an Obs lounge that for the moment anyway, only contained a few of the officers he had expected to see, along with the Tellarite Commander and his immediate subordinate, both of whom seemed intent on picking things up and examining them, as though testing their worth for a possible trade. Kerge shook his head and exhaled heavily. If the truth were to be known, he did not like this species at all, considering them to be uncouth, undisciplined and without any shred of honour. Needless to say, he did not allow his thoughts to be known, if only for the sake of protocol, although it seemed that the feelings were entirely mutual. Gicha simple frowned as Kerge's gaze fell upon him. He'd had various run-ins with the Klingons in the past, and it never went well. The arrival of the Captain however gave him something of a distraction, if only to avoid having to speak to the Klingon. "Captain", he exclaimed, standing to extend his hand in gratitude for allowing him aboard at such short notice. The Captain though gave a cursory glance only and then took his seat, perusing a PADD in his hand as he did so. If nothing else, this was going to be an interesting meeting... (Reply Any) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre - Engineering – Engineering Officer, Ensign Scott Smith - 05:36) Scott hid a yawn and he glanced over his shoulder and he glanced over at Ktell who was working furiously on the warp core. As he watched from his console nearby he saw Ktell jank out the entire crystal assembly and dumped it onto a near buy trolley. “Ensign Smith.” Scott move closer to Ktell. “Do something with this!” He caught the trolley that Ktell kick across engineering to him. He gave a silent sigh as he moved away from Ktell and grabbed his tricorder. ~I so hope he gets a bit more happy soon or it’s going to be hell working with him~ He activated the tricorder and began a thorough diagnostic scan on the dilithium crystals. He needed to find out if there was anything strange happening to the crystals while they were in the void. He blinked his sore eyes as he tried to focus on the tricorder. He pulled his sleep deprived mind into gear as the data appeared. ~okay it looks like…. Ow grate~ He pulled his eyes from the tricorder over to where Ktell had his head in the core. ~Better go and tell him~ He walked over to Ktell who was working hard and paused for a moment before speaking. “Sir, Do you have a moment.” (Reply Ktell) “I got the results back from the crystals. They seem to be some kind of unusual resonance at the cellular level of the crystals which is causing the matter and anti-matter not to react.” He passed the tricorder over to Ktell. (Reply Ktell) (Reply Ktell, Any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 05:45) And the First Officer was head and shoulders inside the core, feet dangling out the tube... he was manually adjusting one of the magnetic constriction segments when Ensign Smith appeared and handed back his results. “I got the results back from the crystals. They seem to be some kind of unusual resonance at the cellular level of the crystals which is causing the matter and anti-matter not to react.”, he reported, handing the FO his tricorder. He pulled himself down, landing with a thud as its 6 foot frame hit the deck. Remae took it for a moment, examined the scans and then said, “Sounds like its become inert. I can’t say I’ve heard of that happening before. Let’s replace the crystals.”, he thought about the procedure required to restart the core with new crystals. Normally, it would take hours to align and perfect the alignment of the matter streams but they were in a hurry. “Ensign, if you can remove the inert crystals from the holding tray, I will be back with replacements.”, said the Bajoran, walking towards one of the storage bins aft of Engineering. (Reply Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) (USS Spectre - Engineering - Acting FO/CEO, LT (Sg) Remae Ktell - 06:00) Naturally, the Spectre kept spare parts of every kind on hand but Dilithium wasn’t something they could just replicate so it was stored in case of an emergency. A small container stored the crystals but it was secured. It required his authority to unlock. It took only a few moments. “Here we are Ensign.”, he said returning with the now open container. “Go ahead and install the new crystals and I’ll get the computer warmed up.” He stood over the main engineering console and brought up the startup sequencing for the core... his idea of the core’s structure itself being the cause was put on hold. “Computer, standby to prime the matter/antimatter reaction streams on my mark.”, he said to the computer... as soon as the installation was complete, the cover replaced and checks were made, the core would be initialised. That would fire up main power but warp drive, would take a while... he had also been thinking about the Garallon, its warp core was sitting out there, wouldn’t take too much to reinstall. (Reply from Smith, Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) =====================================================================