"Test 2: Idols Fall."

By Lieutenant Commander James Lionel Corgan
And G'Iv Z'Jgk'Thur, Hydran Command

Location: Temple Ruins Zone, Mirusa VI

******* Meanwhile *******

"Hello?!? Anyone?!?"

Mika Sh'Sonora, youngest child of the famed 'Quadrotriticale King' of Andoria (or in other words, her homeworld's biggest grain merchant), former representative of the Federation on no less than two separate territories, and reviled figure among both the Federation Diplomatic Corp and the Gryphon Coalition...

...was lost in a tunnel, all because she wanted to go on a lark.

Not entirely true, she had to remind herself, though the thought of taking a trip on an unknown planet seemed a romantic notion at the time, but she was asked to join the trip because of her diplomatic experiences. Herself, as well as her mother and grandmother before her, had an unnatural talent of being able to put multiple frayed nerves at ease.

However, that talent did not work when she was lost, and stressed herself. The tunnels seemed to run forever, running an endless montage of ancient stories yet deciphered and not in the least bit helpful for directions.

She was lost, scared, and saw her boyfriend (the ever brave security chief James Corgan) disappear without even the courtesy of a puff of smoke to indicate his passage, as if to say in contempt that such a wonderful man did not even deserve to be whisked away in a dramatic fashion, thereby leaving her alone and without a way out. Backtracking entangled her more into the maze. There was no effective way out.

This all added to one desperate SOS.

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Echoed back a voice.

Another voice, one completely different from her surprisingly shrill, unfeminine tone that ruffled her calm like a strong wind, cut through the silence and hit her. Hard.

"Hello?!" She questioned loudly.

"Hello! Help us!" Came the reply, a slithering, deep voice she immediately identified as Hydran (northern accent, second continent, city of Hydrabad if Mika's Diplomatic Corp linguistics course was half as accurate as it claimed), but not Z'Jgk'Thur.

A beacon of hope! Mika's foul mood turned from dark to sunny in an instant. With a smile to her face and a glimmer of hope that the mission would not end in a horrid, miserable crash of failure, she ran to where she heard the Hydrans.

**********

"Waitasecond..." James Corgan asked, "What was the first test..."

James Corgan and Z'Jgk'Thur were transported seamlessly out of the room of stars, and into another.

"Not again." Z'Jgk'Thur grumbled.

"Same here." Corgan muttered, "I'm getting sick of these people already."

They found each other in a room, big as the Galaxy's largest shuttle bay and immensely taller, where overhead was a bright desert sun in the light blue sky, and palm trees hanging overhead on a ledge. Starting from the centre of the room and expanding nearly to the edges was the dominant structure; another pyramid. At a closer glance, James saw that it was a replica of the main complex outside, miniaturized to fit in the room. The walls, unlike the rest of the building, were sandstone shorn of their legends and idols, made completely bare as to hide no handholds to climb out, save for four pillars, one on each corner, depicting the Omnipresent Hydranlike idols.

The one door out of the pyramid room melded into existence, widening like a hole, then shaping into a rectangular door. In from it flew a bricklike, semi-Hydran statue, the size of James chest, hovering by unknown means. Its stony head scanned both James and Z'Jgk'Thur, then hovered its way up the pyramid, resting at the top.

The male disembodied voice quaked, saying, "Retrieve the idol. That is all."

"Ok." James nodded, "When do we..."

G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur was already climbing the pyramid like a shot.

"HEY!" James Corgan cursed his Hydran counterpart, running then scrabbling up the pyramid to catch up, "What the f**k are you doing?! He didn't say start!"

"He said..." The Hydran hissed back, "RETRIEVE THE IDOL!"

With three of his six legs, Z'Jgk'Thur kicked at James, dislodging him from the pyramid and sending the security chief tumbling back to the first level. Corgan landed, front first and face in the stones, with an appalling, ungraceful landing.

Bruised in ego and body, James glowered, "You... son... of a... BITCH!"

Brandishing a fist sized rock he found on the floor, James threw it with all his might, catching the Hydran at the back of his skull. The sound of a celery stick breaking off in one's hand could best describe the impact of the rock on Z'Jgk'Thur's head, as the Hydran turned and bellowed in pain.

"YOU DIRTY HUMAN! HOW DARE YOU!" Z'Jgk'Thur screamed a snakelike hiss.

"Get what you give, @$$hole!" Corgan quipped furiously.

"I'll kill you!"

"Come over here and try it!"

James scrabbled up the pyramid, clutching at Z'Jgk'Thur's leg. The Hydran kicked, but to no avail, for James leveraged up with Z'Jgk'Thur's leg and up the rocky steps. Z'Jgk'Thur kept climbing, kicking at the tenacious human, and looking for both his prize and his rival, doing all tasks but none too well.

Corgan climbed another tier, but found that breaking off from the Hydran's multiple grasping limbs was more difficult than he imagined. He could pry off an arm or two, but the third was always on him, tearing at his jacket, grappling an arm, or lobbing a random punch. Then there were Z'Jgk'Thur's legs kicking at his shins and thighs; always enough to kick at him and climb the pyramid with his six while James made due with two.

The Hydran had the advantage in balance. He was climbing farther and faster than James, using his muscles and limbs to their best advantage. James, more exhausted to keep up with the Hydran's relentless advance, could only distract or slow down Z'Jgk'Thur in his climb.

"Had enough, Human?" The Hydran officer taunted.

Corgan snapped back, "F**k you!"

In a burst of speed that punished his lungs and muscles, James scaled the pyramid, catching up with the Hydran, but then stopped. He worked his jacket off his shoulders, looping the cloth in both his hands. Catching up with the Hydran again, he fought off the alien's lashing feet.

He caught one of the six legs with his hands, wrapped the jacket around, and began to pull.

"What the..." Z'Jgk'Thur objected.

James yanked with the last of his strength. The Hydran's grip on the pyramid loosened, but didn't yield. Then, James jumped down a step, using his own weight to yank at the alien.

"Arg..." Z'Jgk'Thur's leg wrenched.

Corgan pulled harder, and Z'Jgk'Thur lost his grip on all three arms. He tumbled off steps, stopping by Corgan's grip on the jacket that bound them arm to leg. At that momentary, jarring stop Z'Jgk'Thur found a handhold with two arms and held on for dear life.

With the third arm, the Hydran clutched his serrated, silver knife.

James, recovering from a slight tumble himself, had one hand holding onto the pyramid and keeping their combined weight from tumbling to a near fatal fall, the second arm bound by his own jacket, he hadn't the Hydran's advantage of pulling a weapon.

Therefore, he unlooped the jacket wound up on his arm.

The Hydran's look in his three eyes was that of surprise. His eyes widened in shock, then his hands gave out before they could find a more permanent grip on the pyramid. Then his legs, now burdened by one with an overstretched tendon, clambered without luck to find a toehold. Without Corgan for support, Z'Jgk'Thur didn't have much of a hold on the pyramid.

That left only one way to go.

And that was down.

Z'Jgk'Thur tumbled down the pyramid, a mass of all arms and legs that somehow formed into a twirling, cylindrical ball that bounced its way slowly down.

"Heh." Corgan chuckled, "That will teach you."

Alone in the climb, James slowly made his way up the pyramid, closer to the Hydranlike idol laying up top. His arms protested, burning like a scalding furnace to quit the climb which grew more punishing and vertical as he went up. Under sweat and strain he still climbed, seeing the idol come closer, almost as if he could touch it.

Triumph swelled at his breast. He was about to do it!

"Z'Jgk'Thur!" Corgan stopped, "I didn't kill him, did I?"

James turned around to see what befell his rival. He was already high above ground level, until he could feel the slight kiss of wind from the open roof. The sky and sun was beautiful from this level, but when his attention was brought to what was below, he could only assume from the sun's reflection on the light sandstone.

The doorway in which the came in was small in comparison, leaving James to wonder how high he really climbed, or how long their contest took.

And... where the hell was Z'Jgk'Thur? His body, if alive, was nowhere to be seen.

But what he did see was a fast, silver glitter travel at lightning speeds towards his ribs.

Then a sharp pain in his side, as the flash moved past him.

James felt around for the source of pain, feeling the slick, stickiness of his own blood leak copiously. His breath brought fresh tears in his chest. Pain and nausea flooded his head, sickening his stomach and spinning his sandstone world like a carousel.

His hand lost grip of the pyramid, and his feet turned into rubber. Without stopping what was happening, James was falling, each bump jarring him, bringing about fresh breaks, tears, blood and pain.

But James could barely feel any more of it.

As he fell, his world increasingly turned black...

**********

"HuuhhhhhhhhhhH!!!!!!!!!!" James gasped his first lungful of air for... he did not know. Not a clue as to how long he was out. His last memory was Z'Jgk'Thur's knife, thrown through the ribs, and the fall that combined to kill him.

But alive he was. He felt around his wound. No blood. Even the tear on his uniform was repaired.

"WE HAVE RESTORED YOU TO HEALTH, HUMAN." The voice of the male being boomed.

The female added, "WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THE HYDRAN WON THE CHALLENGE!"

~"Crap!"~ Corgan cursed to himself, looking around. He was back at the room of stars, with Z'Jgk'Thur beside him. The Hydran had a smug, self satisfying look to him as he held the stone idol in his two arms, while the third twirled the serrated knife in his hand, as if to mock James of his fate.

"INDEED HE HAS WON!" The male declared, "HE PROVED THAT HE WAS WILLING TO GO FARTHER AND DO WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS UNTHINKABLE TO WIN, HUMAN! HE WANTED THE VICTORY MORE AND DID WHAT IT TOOK! THEREFORE HE WON!"

"Oh..." James sighed, "Then congrats to him. Does that mean he won?"

"NOT NECESSARILY!" The female screamed, "YOU HAVE WON THE FIRST CHALLENGE! YOU HAVE WON THE CHALLENGE OF SPIRIT AND MORALITY! YOUR MOTIVES IN THIS CONTEST WERE MORE PURE AND LESS SELF SERVING THAN THAT OF THE HYDRAN!"

"BUT HE HAD ONE THE CHALLENGE OF THE BODY, PROVING TO BE MORE ADEPT IN PHYSICAL CHALLENGES THAN YOU, AND IT WAS NOT JUST THE BODY ITSELF, BUT HOW HIS MIND AND SPIRIT WERE ALIGNED IN HIS GOAL TO CONQUER THE PHYSICAL!"

"YOU HAD DOUBT! YOU DID NOT DO WHAT IT TOOK! YOU LOST!"

"NO ALIGNMENT! NO VICTORY!"

"So we're tied!?" Corgan yelped.

"Impossible! I couldn't lose the first one! That is highly suspect!" Z'Jgk'Thur protested.

"SILENCE!" The male interjected.

The female said, "WE WERE BOTH IMPRESSED BY YOUR PERFORMANCES! YOU HAVE ALL GIVEN YOUR BEST, AND WE ARE NOT DISAPPOINTED!"

"HOWEVER... WE FEEL THAT BOTH OF YOUR RACES ARE NOT YET READY FOR THE GIFTS WE CAN BESTOW ON YOU!"

"THEREFORE... WE HAVE DECIDED TO SEND YOU BACK WITH NOTHING! BEGONE!

“Choosing your Therapist?”

By:

2nd Lieutenant Rayne Sutea

2nd Lieutenant Branwen London

**Seven Months Ago**

There was a sudden flash, and before realizing what had happened Rayne’s body was being tossed into the air like a rag doll. When she found the ground again, her skin tingled at first, as if somebody had placed a flame next to her, and she still wasn’t sure what had happened.

”What in the hell was that?” she uttered weakly, her outstretched arm reaching over for her phaser rifle. That was when she realized that her arm, no, her entire upper body was drenched in her own blood. “Oh my god… is anybody still alive? Rick, Marcus, Sam? Where are you guys?”

As soon as she gripped her weapon, she pulled herself around to try and find her comrades. A part of her was still in disbelief that anything like this could have happened. They had executed the breach perfectly; there was no way the intruders could have had time to react. Then she remembered how one of them had reached for something when the team was in the process of arresting them.

Rick Connaghey tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t go down…

“Rick!” Rayne cried, finding her friend’s body completely scoured of flesh and uniform. He was right there, right next to the damn grenade when it went off, now completely motionless. “Rick! Rick come on this isn’t funny, answer me.” She screamed, dragging herself towards him inch by inch. “Rick!”

***

The last of the Echani stood across from London as they stripped themselves of their armor and readied themselves for a desperately needed sonic shower. Today's exercise was as intense as any before, leaving both young women drained of their physical strength, and unwilling to move.

"Sometimes I think she does this on purpose..." Echani began, tilting her head to the side as she unclipped her armored suit and allowed it to crash to the floor with a satisfying thud. "That way it's not that we don't want to get into some trouble it's that we can't. I can barely lift my arms over my head, Branwen. So just how am I expected to break some fleeter's arm the next time he tries getting into my pants?" She joked teasingly.

“Train to get even stronger.” Bran joked back. She liked working out with the other young woman and she liked Echani although she didn’t know her very well. Bran had been very surprised when the new Lieutenant’s psyche file finally arrived. That with a strong recommendation to continue therapy.

“Uhm Echani.” She hated bringing this up. “Would you have time later today to stop by my office?"

"Huh? Sure Bran, no problem." Echani responded with a quick smile. "Why am I in trouble again?"

“Again?” Bran smiled. “No, you are not. It is just that your psyche file came in, and I would like to discuss a few things. You do know that I am a shrink as well, right?” She asked a little anxious.

"So..." Echani began, her voice a little smaller now. She wasn't sure exactly how to react to that because she wasn't sure what things Bran was referring to. Whether it would be about the death of her world, or the death of Rayne Sutea herself when she became The Last of the Echani. Or both. "...do we have to do that in your office? We're friends, right? Why not go to the lounge or something... that way it'll be like we're friends, and not like you're my shrink."

Echani had overcome most of her darkest demons when she became who she was. She knew that she wouldn't overreact, or fall apart as she had so many times years ago. She was strong not only because she had to be but because she wanted to be.

Branwen fidgeted a little. The rule books differed a little bit on this one. Some said it was okay to show parts of yourself to your clients or patients others said it wasn't. She had read a book about counseling on ships; it advocated finding some middle ground. In a small community it was almost impossible not to be friends with your patients. Yet you always had to have their best interests at heart.

"I would love to Echani. But there are rules, and they are to protect you. There has to be a boundary between what I do when I talk to you as a therapist and what I do when we are just friends. So I wouldn't mind finding a place outside of the office, yet that would have to be a place where we only talk when I am your psychologist. Agreed?" She hoped Echani would understand.

Echani gave her friend a curious look as she stood there for a moment, considering the situation. "Branwen, I know that you're trying to help but I can't be both your patient and your friend." Echani paused to phrase her next choice of words, knowing that they would have an effect. "I need to trust you, and I can't do that knowing that aspects of our every conversation are going to be compiled into some report."

Branwen thought for a long time. "Echani, I am just starting in my career, and I am afraid to make mistakes. If I see you as both a friend and a patient at the same time I could get severely reprimanded or even lose my license. It's not that I don't want to do it; I want to do it very much. I want to be your friend and be able to comfort you as a friend. But at the same time I think you have a lot of problems, and I would like to help you with those professional as well." She looked very troubled. "I keep my notes confidential. But if you think you would not trust me, you should see another shrink as only talk to me as a friend. That doesn't mean you couldn't talk about your problems, but I would answer as a friend." Inwardly she cursed. Finally a marine wanted to come to her, who trusted her, and the whole friend ship issue came between it. With ! such a small marine contingent powers is going to work if she had to keep everything separate?

Echani realized how tight a grip she had over her towel, and finally allowed the tension in her body to ease. "Look, if you want me to start seeing a psychologist I will, but it cannot be you. You are the one person on board this ship that I trust as a friend, even if you have a strange accent." Echani said with a small grin, now trying more than ever to ease the tension between her and Bran. "I don't want to lose everything I've gained with you Bran, I can't afford that. And that doesn't mean that I... won't talk to you about my problems, eventually. It's going to take! time Bran, I'm sure you can understand that."

"I think you will have to. Your psyche file states it very clearly." Branwen said apologetically. "And maybe you are better off with somebody else. I've got a lot of enthusiasm, yet I am only just starting out. Those navy shrinks have a lot of experience. You will be in good hands with them. And we can still be friends, and have girl’s nights." No need to tell Echani how much she would like to have her as a patient.

"Isn't there some sort of rule about telling patients how bad they are?" Echani responded with a smile, "Honestly I think you'd make a great shrink, and can only hope I get one just like you. If weren't such good friend I...” she paused for a moment, "well how about we finish getting cleaned up. I'm hungry as hell and with an Echani, that's never a good thing." Echani winked towards her friend. Even without physical contact she could tell that Bran was disappointed in the matter, but Echani had enough experiences with psychologists to know that a casual friendship usually goes out the window. She wouldn't mind talking to Bran about everything she would her own shrink, more even as it was a matter of trust. Echani trusted Bran enough to speak her heart out knowing that it wouldn't be seen on some report the next day. Confidential or not, it would have an impact on her career.

Bran sighed then smiled. “It’s okay. But you promise me you will see someone, and you will talk.” They were heading for the shower now together. “I would love to grab a bite to eat later on.”

Echani winked at her friend again as the two Marines stripped themselves of their sweat soaked uniforms and started the sonic shower. It felt great, and soothed Echani's sore muscles. "So what are you thinking of? Ten-Forward or the mess hall?" She asked as she raised her arms in order for the sonic waves to literally 'shake' off every speck of sweat and dirt she had underneath them.

"I think ten forward. It's more agreeable. And after working out I am not adverse to some comfort." Branwen was grinning again, her bubbly spirit returning to normal.

"Sounds good," Echani said with a sigh, not wanting to get out of the shower even if she felt clean. "Honestly I am craving that meal you showed me last week," she paused, looking over the curtain. "What was it called again?"

"You mean you liked my leek soup?" Branwen beamed. "It's like a national dish in Wales, where I come from. The shepherd’s pie I made is more English, don't tell anyone." She giggled.

Echani raised the brows of her eyes, not quite understanding why it was so important she keep that a secret, but shrugged it off as another unique earth trait. "Yeah, that one." She grinned again, finally grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her slender form before stepping out of the shower.

Bran stepped out without the towel and immediately started to scream as she noticed two male marines watching them grinning.

Echani reacted with nearly the same level of composure as Bran, covering herself up with her towel as best she could, although it was entirely too short. "You Jackasses, get the hell out of here!" She screamed, using almost every colorful metaphor that she had learned since leaving her home world. "Or I swear to whatever God you pray to you won't live long enough to have children."

Both marines waved their hands in mock fear, thinking that the young Echani would be too modest to come over and attack them given the fact that she only had a towel on for cover. Unfortunately for them, she also had a wide assortment of hard blunt objects, and a very good aim.

The first of which smacked right into one's face, sending him down to the ground hard.

"Echani no!" Branwen called out. "They just startled me for a moment." She grabbed a T-shirt, putting it on, and knelt next to the young man. "Put your head back, you idiot." She chided gently.

"They shouldn't have been peeping," Echani replied frustrated as she threw on a shirt as well. It wasn't like she could very well do anything given the fact that any contact without protection would establish a telepathic connection, but she leaned next to the Marine anyways. Once she saw the compassion in Bran's eyes she suddenly felt as though her action had been... a poor one. A Cultural Misunderstanding... she thought. It was something she heard several times ever since she left Echani.

She glanced down to the object she had thrown, realizing that it was a tricorder that had been set there accidentally. Yeah, I guess that would hurt. She thought, "great reflexes this one has..." she uttered lightly as Bran placed a cloth under his nose to stop the bleeding.

"The humans use this shower communally a lot. I just freaked because I don't like people to see me naked." She meant the scars on her back. "We have to get him to sickbay. And you Echani, you better apologized really nice."

Echani heaved an audible sigh as she glanced to the wounded marine, then back towards Bran. "Do I have to?" She asked, "I mean, you can't say he just accidentally watched as we came out of the showers." She replied, feeling the same tenseness of having somebody see her naked. To Echani, such things were considered... inappropriate.

"You don't have to, but if you don't I am not going to convince Rogers here that it was all a big mistake and there is no need to report it." Branwen said quietly.

"Brat..." she uttered towards Bran. Another sigh escaped Echani's lips as she reluctantly looked at the Marine in the eyes. Even with a t-shirt on she felt exposed, consciously afraid that he would touch her. "I'm sorry..." she said, more sincerely in tone than she expected it to come out. "Now let me get some cloths on and I'll help you take him to the doctor."

"Is that acceptable to you?" Branwen asked the male Marine. Who quickly gestured it was, not wanting to anger the women further. "Thank you. Just hold this over your nose while we finished dressing. And I would suggest you look the other way."

Echani reached over to take her uniform, sliding it over her body easily. It was a fresh uniform compared to that she had worn earlier, which was still drenched in sweat. Part of her wanted to keep the collar undone just a little bit because she still hadn't quiet settled down from all the excitement. As she pulled the collar around her neck she felt a reminder of her more turbulent times. Pulling her dark leather gloves on, the Last of the Echani once again sealed herself from physical contact with the world. "Bran..." she uttered lightly,

"Yes?" Her friend answered while she finished dressing herself."

When my world died, I shut down at the academy. I thought about just ending everything right there because why not... be it days, months, or years... soon the Echani would be completely extinct, and there would be nothing left to remember." She turned to face her closest friend since she had arrived on the Galaxy. "I didn't feel like there was any future left for me, and I was afraid. It took the death of a good friend for me to finally wake up. Ever since that day I've held everybody else at arms length, including you... and I'm sorry for that."

It was the first time Echani had really talked about her past, and it was a breakthrough. Branwen felt like hugging her, yet was somebody so frightened of physical contact, she didn't dare do that. "You don't have to apologies to me, Echani. I feel very honored that you are telling me now." She smiled gently.

Echani smiled faintly, "I thought you should know why I've been so distant. I guess I never expected you to be so persistent at making me your friend." Echani looked back up towards Bran, "Maybe that's a quality I need in somebody who is going to... help me become whole again, that is... if you're still willing to be my therapist."

"I will have to check with my supervisor, and we would have to have that division in place that I talked about. When I'm your therapist I will not act as your friend, yet outside of the therapy room I will always be there as your friend. You can lean on me, hon. It will get better”

Echani smiled, “Alright… well let’s get him off to sickbay then.”

<<Deep Space 5, Main Lounge>>

It had been an unusual past couple of weeks for Artim. Two weeks ago, Artim was graduating medical school and looking foward to getting to work. Now he was sitting in a starbase lounge absentmindedly swirling a glass of some exotic nectar from some alien world while staring out a window into space wishing he could be anywhere else. He was supposed to be meeting some fighter pilot with whom he'd be traveling with out to the Galaxy, a Terran named Lansky. When things got quiet like this, he started reflecting on things he'd rather not reflect on, especially when he realized what star he was looking at. Home

Or at least it had been, but that seemed like, and it was ages ago. M-2553 as the humans had designated it on their starcharts. Miri's planet as it came to be called. Its true name, even Artim had forgotten. For three centuries he'd lived there, watching the planet slowly die, pennance for treading on things that ought not be tred upon. Trying to prolong life and as a result destroying it. Eeking out a marginal exsistance with noone to look after you....

What was he thinking, that was a long time ago and he wouldn't have to go back to that life. He'd been once called one of the birghtest minds in the galaxy, by Romulans no less, and he looked like a child. Artim always appreciated the irony. He looked way too young to be wearing the uniform he now wore or achieved the things he had achieved and yet he was in reality way older then any of the beings he'd "grown up" with. He'd been stared at oddly several times since he sat down in the lounge. He'd been used to that, but something was still a bit weird here.

Despite all he'd seen and read about, he couldn't put his finger on it. Things just weren't right here. Everyone seemed distant, distracted, unfocused, restless even. Everyone, even the Vulcan's who'd he found were never really restless. The only time he'd seen anything like this was when...well, never. He'd been tempted to ask the stations medical officer if he could borrow a lab and some equipment and spend some time trying to figure out what was going on, but he learned that his youthful appearance was even harder on medical types. That and he was on leave. Before he came to the lounge he'd been in a holosuite fencing. Andorians looked great in the garb of 17th century France, though lace just didn't work on Naussicans. He'd have to adapt the program.

Sipping the nectar, Artim grinned. Soon he'd be out there again, in space. If only that pilot would get here...

OOC: Recently, I've been corrected on the rank structure for the Diplomatic Corps. Curran's correct rank is 'Vice-Legate', not 'Legate'. His equivalent Starfleet naval rank is and always has been Lt. Commander. Legate is the equivalent of Commander.

"A Test of Faith"

By Vice-Legate Kylar Curran, Chief Liaison Officer

Rear Admiral Olivia Proctor (NPC), Deep Space 5 Command-Incumbent

Captain Daren M'Kantu, Commanding Officer, USS Galaxy

Commander Kedr'ni'van (NPC), Commanding Officer, Hammer of Progress

Tar'ji'Let (NPC) Tactical Officer, Hammer of Progress

Har'ja'fer (NPC), Science Officer, Hammer of Progress

***

Curran couldn't feel anything under his feet. In fact, he couldn't feel anything anywhere. Opening his eyes cautiously, remembering the blinding flash, he immediately drew taut with unwelcome fear with the sudden knowledge he was about to die.

He saw stars all around his periphery and knew that by the end of his thought, he would be dead, crystallized and imploded from the cold, unrelenting vacuum.

***

Olivia Proctor found herself gagging on brackish deck plating herself. Last thing she remembered was her head bent under a faucet washing her mouth out of the ship's waste systems that had made their way into her glass of top quality wine.

What really made her wretch was when the deck plating *undulated* under her.

***

**Hammer of Progress**

"Tactical, target their engines and weapons ports. Prepare to fire on my command." Kedr'ni'van, commanding officer of the Hammer of Progress, dug his taloned feet even deeper into the ridge of the dais his command chair resided on, ignoring the groans of dissent that rose up around him.

Tactical analysis displays rolled along both sides of the hexagon shaped viewscreen in the cramped main bridge of the Hydran battlecruiser. Only large enough to seat the Navigational officer, Tactical, Sciences, and Commander, it was designed with heavy armor protection in mind. The Bridge was deep within the core of the ship, surrounding by meters upon meters of compressed trilithium and organic scaling. But not even the added protection designed to withstand the destructive power of the Federation phaser cannon would protect the ship from the impending photon impact that would likely ignite the plasma trails of both starships and destroy them all.

The welfare of his ship and crew were tantamount. He would not allow the Starfleet infidels to rain down their terror on his people, no matter the cost. He would rather let history dictate he did not allow them to destroy everything around them. He would instead cripple the starship, and take it under his banner as a prize. The Queen would bestow glory upon him and the crew of the Hammer of Progress. Perhaps even rise higher in the Line of Succession. The Engineering castes would enjoy analyzing the phaser cannon for weakness and develop invaluable defenses against it.

Nothing would stop destiny. The gods were smiling upon him fortuitously. He raised one sinewy talon, clicking one claw at a time as he counted down.

***

Curran coughed uncontrollably. His lungs were on fire. He grew feverish. Was this what it was like to die in space?

The rush of trying to gather his last thoughts to allow himself a dignified death by staring it right in the maw with dignity and civilized manner allowed him to formulate that he should have been dead several seconds ago. His brain and organs should have frozen solid and been sucked out of every orifice as his body was twisted inside-out, leaving him a mangled mess, but quite dead.

Instead, he was hacking continually, his lungs fighting for any amount of oxygen to keep the body alive. By virtue of the cough alone, he was inhaling something.

***

'Livia Proctor scrambled back to a seated position when her hands caught up to her eyes in feeling the slick texture of the squirming floor. She cupped her mouth, holding back another bout of nausea. The bile burned in her throat, joined with the metallic taste of her tongue as she bit down when she got a look at her surroundings and knew she wasn't in Kansas anymore.

***

"Tar'ji'Let, f-" A sudden fit of coughing burst out behind his conn. Spinning around, one foot clamping around after the other to gain a foothold, the leathery floor shrieked in protest as the claws dug into the skin of the organic materials. Puncture holes coiled into themselves from where Kedr'ni'van had gripped it formerly, healing quickly ever as dark purplish ooze seeped out. The Hydran commander spun his seat around at the offending sound, shortly trailed by his eyelets scrambling at the unseemly sight.

***

Proctor couldn't hold it back. She flew into a coughing frenzy when her body had relapsed back into its state of a need for increased oxygen and taken deep gulps of methane gas into her lungs. She doubled over, his vision dancing with spots, not even noticing the claws reaching down to grasp her by the collar and haul her up in the air.

"Tar'ji'Let, take us into an orbit above the Starfleet ship, out of their targeting sensors of the torpedoes. Reinforce the keel shields and keep us parallel. Our shields should be enough to repel any of their phaser fire long enough for us to eliminate key targets." The eyestalks scurried like Medusan snakes around the Admiral, who was now going limp in his grip. She would have passed out if not for the hacking. Blood flecked her lips. He clucked his tongue against razor sharp teeth.

"Looks like we have an infestation again. It's been some time since Charuk has eaten exotic meats." Carrying Proctor by the scruff did little for her dignity. She fought wanly against the behemoth, to no avail. Even as she felt the embers of her consciousness fade with her strength, still she clawed at the curved pincer with one hand, and tried to put any eye out with the other.

Kedr'ni'van stopped next to Har'ja'fer's station, and tapped two clawpoints together. "Medkit."

Har'ja'fer reached to the sidepanel on the console, rotated a spherical lever adapted to each individual claw, and removed a three-sided container as the panel slid aside.

"Commander," Tar'ji'Let interjected somberly, as if all was in order, "the infidel's weapons have gone offline...."

The Hydran commander had extracted a cylinder from the container, motioning Har'ja'fer to take it. The Scientist proceeded to assemble the item.

"Another infidel life sign detected. Mapping room. Life signs weak."

"Beam him here. Charuk is blessed today." The deckplating shuffled under his feet, emitting a throaty hum.

The hum of the transporter filled the main bridge, and as the form materialized on the deck, Kedr'ni'van waved his third arm at the other Science officer situated closest. Immediately, he too retrieved the same item from a medkit enclosed on his console, assembling it at no great speed.

As the form of the Kelvan liaison officer materialized and thumped to the deck in convulsions, the Admiral took the distraction as an opportunity to bite the Hydran's bulky bicep, drawing blue blood. At the same time, she kicked him where a human male would drop like a rock from, but the Hydran simply grunted in surprise. Still, he lost grip on the woman, who grasped what she hoped to be a phaser out of the recessed panel.

Snatching the newly mask out of Har'ja'fer's claws, she took up a stance at the foot of the Bridge, blocking the viewscreen.

"And you said I had no mind for tactics, Kelvan. I showed you now, didn't I, hmm?" She breathed the oxygen mask deep, feeling her lungs expand as she lightly coughed out the remainders of the methane. Curran had struggled to his feet, breathing through his own mask deeply now. The mapping room had had no Hydrans in it, therefore the concentration of methane to converted oxygen was much higher.

"This is not tactics, Admiral." Kylar's voice came through hollow, much like Proctor's confession. "It's cowardice. There's no honor or advanced thought in feigning injury or illness worse than you actually are."

"In the name of Starfleet, you are all under arrest for crimes against the citizens of the Federation, and perpetrating violence and murder on Starfleet personnel. You were about to destroy the Galaxy and claim this world as your own."

Kedr'ni'van did something quite unexpected. He laughed.

"We have done nothing, infidel. We're not subject to your laws. Your words are nothing, the words of a heathen, desecrating the gospel of our gods.'

"Don't call me that!! You are in Federation space, and subject to our laws. You reptiles signed a treaty. You'll do as I tell you. Now," she waved the box at him, "power down your weapons, and lower your shields. We're taking you in tow to Starbase 212."

"Admiral, do not presume to quote law when you are not a lawyer. Not even I know all the nuances of the Treaty of Ivor. Do not make the mistake you do as well."

"Are you siding with them, 'Legate? That's treason. You'll be hanged for this."

"I side with diplomacy, Admiral, not glory seekers. This is wrong. Put down the weapon."

Kedr'ni'van had watched with baited interest, tallying the two supposed allies. He relished the fact that he may not have acquired the Federation starship, but the bridge logs were recording every moment.

"Glory seekers? How *dare* you! Unlike you, my duty comes first, coward. If it wasn't for us, your kind would be subjugated to a backwater civilization with dreams of wishing you were like us. You're nothing. If anything, you're jealous of us, since we accomplished what you couldn't. I mean, look! You even took our form, knowing we're the top of the food chain.

"The Federation is the epitome of peace and prosperity. And we're not going to let anything get in the way of our own progress. Not even leatherface here, with his golf-ball sized brain, can comprehend the wheels turning on that path. So sit down, shut up, and stay out of military business."

The boxy woman turned her weapon on Tar'ji'Let. "Keep your ugly nails away from that console, reptile, before I send you back to the egg you came from."

"Admiral, put the weapon down. You have no legal defense."

"They were going to fire on the ship, for gods sake," This ensured a gasp from the Hydran contingent. "It's more than enough reason. Drop the damn shields and weapons!"

"The Galaxy initiated hostilities first, Admiral."

"It must have been a mistake, or the reptiles provoked them."

"Are you willing to take that chance?"

Har'ja'fer took the confrontation as a lull in Proctor's guard. He dove across the console at the woman, amidst a protest from his commander. Too late, as instinct took over for the Admiral as she depressed the trigger on the item where it lanced across the bridge at the Hydran scientist, decapitating him instantly. His body carried itself as far as it could across the console on momentum alone, finally dropping with a thud across it. The head bounced off his arm and dropped to the deck, where the floor immediately erupted around it. In mere seconds, it retreated, leaving only a yellowed skull.

'Livia stared in shock. A phaser bolt blasted across the bridge and into Proctor, crumpling her to the floor. Curran immediately rushed to her side, hoping to prevent any more bloodshed.

But the Hydrans did nothing, only humming in place.

Kedr'ni'van's voice carried over the din.

"The die has been cast. The fates have spoken. This will not go unpunished, but not today, or tomorrow, or mayhap a month from now. But rest assured, it will come, and you will shake before the awesome power of Shikhal, Destroyer of the Unclean. Be watchful. Now, we must all embark on our trials."

Curran shook his head, not understanding Kedr'ni'van. Before he could question the comment, the familiar tingle grasped him again.

****

Deck 1
Main Bridge
USS Galaxy

"The Hammer of Progress is breaking orbit, Captain... shall we plot a course to follow?"

Daren M'Kantu pondered for a moment as Cameron Bartlett passed on the unexpected news. First, the ships torpedo tubes had loaded without consent, then shut down. Khatrowen had most likely succeeded in his endeavor. Then, the Hydran ship had changed orbit before the torpedoes had shut down. Their weapons had gone hot, placing the bridge in a serious position of likely being a priority target. Now, the Hydrans were breaking orbit.

"Captain... you're not going to believe this... communications are back online, and we're getting reports of missing crew just showing up with Hydrans." Lt. Tarin was as bewildered as he was. Coincidence? Or perhaps their own test of faith?

**Several days later**

"... USS Pompeii and Basilisk reporting in to relieve you of your duties, Captain."

The Captain of the USS Galaxy, having lived in his Ready Room for the past several days while crew were being recovered, Hydran Imperial Guards being taken into custody, and filling out reports of all formats made out in triplicate, felt a burden lift off his shoulders.

"Pompeii, Basilisk, she's all yours. We're making steam for Deep Space 5." Next time Admiral Price diverts him for a simple mission, he's putting in for leave. Nothing's ever simple when it comes to that man and his former command.

OOC: I actually wasn't sure if the Galaxy had a chapel or not. Guess it does now. ;)

------------------------------

"Amazing Grace"

Lt. Jeremy Savoie
Chief Helmsman

In quiet solitude, a figure knelt alone in the ship?s chapel. The artificial lighting muted to a bare minimum, its harshness was replaced by the more natural and spiritually compatible glow of candles, their shimmering flames casting unsteady shadows on the walls behind them. A tranquil mood enveloped the room, manifested in a silent transcendence of the utilitarian physical surroundings.

Over the last several months Jeremy Savoie had become something of a changed man -- quiet, contemplative, and inwardly-focused. His temporary hosting of the Trill symbiont had been difficult, very nearly fatal. What had enabled him to cling to the fringes of life was unclear to him. It could have been the skill of the Galaxy?s medical staff; it might have just been dumb luck. Jeremy, however, saw it differently. In fact, since the far too close brush with death he saw many things, perhaps everything, differently. From somewhere deep within, packed away with the accumulation of memories and lessons from childhood, a renewed sense of the Spiritual was reborn. As far as he believed, whatever guise it may have taken in the material world, it was nothing less than the hand of God that had saved him.

And saved him it had, in many ways from much more than mere corporeal death. Not least among them was the fact that he had managed to retain his position as the Galaxy?s chief helmsman. That too could have been explained as the result of skill (his own), luck, or perhaps just the benevolence of Darren M?Kantu ? or divine intervention. It had also saved him from destroying not only his career, but the only significant relationship he had at this point in his life. Since his recovery, a closer and more meaningful bond had developed between him and Erin. On one level, their relationship had cooled, its sexual dimension removed from the mix but replaced by something like a deeper, mellower, more matured friendship. Neither he nor Erin knew whether or not that change would be permanent, but they both accepted and invested their emotional energy in it. But most of all, it saved him from himself, from the negative, cynical, volatile man he had become, to the beginnings of a ! transformation into someone he was only barely getting to know but thought he could love.

Despite his new-found faith, part of him was still scared, scared that he really didn?t deserve this second chance on life which, like the flames of the candles that flickered before him now, could be snuffed out in a strong wind. So while reserving some of his focus for his duty and for his relationship with Erin, most of his energy went into nurturing this new part of himself that now anchored his entire view of the universe. It was, he felt, the least he could do.

Rising slowly, Savoie stood where he was, his head bowed for a final moment of prayer. He tugged the folds out of his uniform, then walking a little taller and a little lighter than he had only a few months ago, he left to begin his shift.

"Test 3: Mind's Fire."

By Lieutenant Commander James Lionel Corgan
And G'Iv Z'Jgk'Thur, Hydran Command

Location: Temple Ruins Zone, Mirusa VI

"THEREFORE... WE HAVE DECIDED TO SEND YOU BACK WITH NOTHING! BEGONE!"

So was the decree of the male 'god', who's superior evolution and powers backed up the judgement in ways that James and Z'Jgk'Thur could not match. One fell swoop, and the contests the 'gods' forced the Hydran and the Human to do like gladiators... was for nothing.

James was already feeling the sense of betrayal, much like a dupe under the victimization of a Ferengi con artist.

He could only guess what Z'Jgk'Thur was feeling, but it was a good guess that he felt angered and hurt. Out of the two contestants, Z'Jgk'Thur had the most on the line. His countrymen, his rise to the ranks, and his station were all pinned on the hopes of winning this contest. James only had his fellow officers and some scientists, otherwise the prize he sought could be found eventually.

He could, therefore, sympathize more readily to Z'Jgk'Thur's situation, while walking away without feeling much loss.

But to be conned by an arrogant, disembodied voice? That James could not ignore with a final parting shot.

Z'Jgk'Thur was first to fire, "WHAT?!?! You give us such grandiose promises, and you fail to deliver in return? Why do you toy with us like this?"

"LISTEN TO THE HYDRAN, DEAR SISTER!" The male 'god' boomed.

"YES! HE IS FULL OF ARROGANCE!" The female commented.

"HE THINKS THE GODS ARE MEANT TO SERVE HIS PEOPLE!"

"IT NEVER OCCURS TO HIM THAT THE PEOPLE ARE MEANT TO SERVE GODS!"

"TYPICAL ORGANIC ARROGANCE!"

"THAT IS WHY WE CANNOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU SEEK, HYDRAN! YOU TAKE OUR GIFTS, BUT YOUR REVERENCE IS ONLY SUPERFICIAL! SHALLOW! YOU TAKE OUR GIFTS AND SING OUR PRAISES, BUT YOU WILL NOT GIVE THANKS NOR SACRIFICE ENOUGH OF YOURSELF! AND WHEN YOU ARE DENIED, YOU CURSE US READILY! IS THAT HOW YOUR RACE THANKS GODS?!"

Z'Jgk'Thur stuttered, "I mean no disrespect... but you promised!"

"WE PROMISE GIFTS TO THE WORTHY! YOU ALONE HAVE PROVEN YOU ARE NOT!" The male's voice cracked like thunder.

"Well." James shrugged, "We lose out. Can we go on with our mission now?"

The female added, "SILENCE! WHAT IS WORSE ARROGANCE, EXPECTING GODS TO BE YOUR SERVANTS... OR TREATING SUPERIOR BEINGS LIKE YOURSELVES LIKE EQUALS?!"

James had to think for a second, but answer he did, "Who said you were superior?"

"DO YOU NOT BEHOLD OUR POWER?!" The male argued.

"Sure I do, you're powerful. That's for sure." James nodded, "You can talk to us without being there. You can teleport us seamlessly. You also tend to manipulate your environment. But you know what? So do WE... on a lesser level. And so what if you are disembodied beings? We encountered the likes of you before on other worlds. And more often than not they tout about how their superior intellect or power makes them superior beings. The problem is... they are just like us. Emotional, prone to be dedicated to tasks that, translated after all the metababble they throw out is just plain, mundane paperwork. They also have petty likes, dislikes, struggles, goals, interests, games... just like us. So they can do more powerful things, sure. But take away the powers and they are just like me. No superior intellect or emotions. Just like me. Just like us. That... is what I propose you two are. So therefore I will reason with you like a man, and not a worshipper."

"GODLESS HEATHEN..."

"Ah!" James wagged his finger, "Don't assume. You two are supposed to be gods, right? Try acting like one and actually learn more about me. I believe there are omnipotent beings such as god... with my life and the events therein it is hard to discredit that theory. But as for you two being gods... no. You two are just really f**king powerful, that's all."

"OH?" The female voice hummed, "YOU DO NOT REVERE US!"

"No... not really. But then again, I don't revere Vulcans. They play the superiority card all the time... but I don't call them my leaders. However... I do respect them. They have abilities that amaze me... much like how your powers do give me a healthy respect for you guys."

"They are tricksters!" Z'Jgk'Thur snapped, "Let us leave them, human! They will do nothing but curse us! I spit at them!"

"Yes... but they are tricksters that can smite us if they choose. Try to be nice, G'iv." James sighed.

The Hydran slinked behind James, cowed as the Male voice cracked the heavens itself. "YOU DO NOT WORSHIP OR REVERE US, BUT YOUR RESPECT OUR POWER! YOU DO NOT CONSIDER US YOUR SUPERIOR IN MIND, BUT IN EVOLUTION! FOOLISH HUMAN! THERE IS NO EVOLUTION OF MIND WITHOUT THE EVOLUTION OF BODY AND SPIRIT!"

"WE ARE SUPERIOR IN ALL ASPECTS!" The female snarled, "THAT IS WHY YOU LOSE! YOU ARE NOT CONVINCED OF OUR TRUE SUPERIORITY! IT LEADS TO SMUGNESS! HYPOCRICY!"

"YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE! YOU CANNOT TOUT SUPERIORITY!"

"I didn't say I was better..."

"SILENCE! WE SEE BEYOND YOUR WORDS! YOU THINK US CHILDISH AND PETTY WITH OUR TESTS! BUT WHAT OF YOUR ORGANIC'S NEED FOR WAR, RESOURCES, CONQUEST!? YOUR FEDERATION IS ARROGANT AND HYPOCRITICAL IN THIS REGARD, CLAIMING TO LOVE PEACE AND HATE EXPANSION, YET FIGHTING WARS WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND TAKING PLANETS NOT ORIGINALLY YOURS!"

"YOUR RACE, IF IT WAS TRUE TO ITS BELIEFS... WOULD STAY ON THEIR PLANET AND NEVER MOVE, AND NEVER GO THROUGH WAR AGAIN!"

"Bullsh*t!" Corgan growled, "I don't need to justify my race's actions! They are bastards at time! But you know what? I don't want war! But I finish it anyways because if we tried your way, we would be a long dead species! You would ask for us to not fight and allow others to kill us without raising a phaser! How is that any way to live?!"

"BUT YOU LOVE PEACE! YOU CONSIDER IT SACROSANCT TO ALL ELSE! AND YET YOU LOVE DESTRUCTION AND WILL USE IT AS A MEANS OF CONTROL!"

"I PERSONALLY DON'T!" Corgan argued back, "I would rather not fight wars! If I had to go through my career without drawing my phaser like most of my fellow security chiefs then I would be happy! I have been in the largest, bloodiest war in our Federation's history! I saw what people like the Hydrans and the Klingons saw as glory... and I saw nothing but slaughter that was cold and contemptuous! I saw a conqueror race that made no secret of their intentions to subjugate us all, and I killed many of them! If I didn't... they would have harmed the people that I serve to protect. They would no longer have the peaceful life that they prefer over war."

"BUT WAR YOU PARTICIPATE IN NONETHELESS!"

"Hey... I find that starting wars is wrong. Finishing them so that we are no longer harassed by the enemy... I see no problem. But even that has its own host of problems. How far do we go? What weapons do we use? Have we killed too much, too little? As the Federation, we have to deal with these moral qualms... some see it as hypocrisy because sometimes we do something that may be cruel or excessive. But at least we question our actions before we do it. We question the morality of our actions and come to a concensus. Sometimes we are wrong. Sometimes a person will follow through with an action I'd find abhorrent without consensus. Sometimes we'll be fooled into believing a wrong action is right. But always as a people we ask ourselves whether or not IT IS WRONG!"

There was a long pause, without a voice in sound to be heard. "So, are you satisfied?" James said, "Any other moral dilemmas you want to grill me about on behalf of my race and my Federation? Do you want to prove that you're still superior in mind as well as evolution? Go ahead, throw me another, but after this just let me the hell out! I'm getting f**king sick of all this, especially since you have told me it will get me nowhere! Just tell me how to find the missing people, and if not, let me go like you promised..."

"NO! DO NOT LEAVE YET!" The female begged as James turned to walk off.

Corgan halted, turning his head, "Excuse me?"

"DO NOT LEAVE YET!" The female begged again, "WE ARE NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

Z'Jgk'Thur slithered, "Wait... you did not order him to stop."

"NO, SHE DID NOT" The male interjected, "SHE REQUESTED THE HUMAN'S PRESENCE! WHAT OF IT?!"

Z'Jgk'Thur replied, more confident, "You are gods! You can do what you want! You treat this human like an equal! How absurd!"

There was a long silence, at which the Hydran sweated increasingly as he waited for the god's response. James Corgan, was ready to leave, his curiosity bolding his feet to the sandstone floor, waiting impatiently for what the gods had to say.

It was not what they said, it was what they laughed. Heartily, throatily, both male and female laughed as if enjoying a great and complex game.

"Huh?" Corgan sighed, "Are they nuts?"

"DEAR Z'JGK'THUR... YOU ARE INDEED A DETERMINED SPIRIT!" The male voice thundered, "WE KNOW OF YOUR PLIGHT! YOU ARE OF POOR STANDING, MADE WHAT YOU ARE ONLY BY YOUR DETERMINATION! BUT THAT ALONE IS A GLASS CEILING, IS IT NOT?!"

"WE WERE TOO HARSH ON YOU, HYDRAN! WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOUR REVERENCE, THEN TORE YOU DOWN WHEN WE BACKED DOWN ON OUR PROMISES! FORGIVE US?!?"

"Ummm..." Bewildered, the Hydran replied, "What game do you play with me?"

"PLAY WITH BOTH OF YOU, I'M AFRAID." The male answered, "WE HAVE LIED TO YOU. WE ARE SORRY... BUT IT WAS ALL PART OF THE THIRD TEST, MY GOOD FRIEND Z'JGK'THUR!"

The female elaborated, "YES, WE ARE SORRY! THE FIRST TEST WAS YOUR SPIRIT! FOR THAT, WE WERE MORE IMPRESSED BY THE HUMAN'S SELFLESSNESS. THE HYDRAN WAS MOTIVATED BY GREED, BUT WE DID NOT BEGRUDGE THAT, FOR WEALTH WAS JUST A MEANS TO AN END TO YOU. IT REALLY DID NOT MATTER THAT MUCH TO BE RICH AND WELL OFF... YOU JUST WANTED TO PROVE AN EQUAL TO YOUR SOCIAL BETTERS."

The Hydran officer blushed over his mottled skin, "Please... not in front of the human. He didn't need to know that I was a..."

"Untouchable?" James asked. The Hydran looked at James, confused.

"YES... AN UNTOUCHABLE... A HYDRAN EQUIVALENT. LOWER CLASS." The Female confirmed, to Z'Jgk'Thur's annoyance.

"Ahhh..." James nodded his head, "So that's it. Why G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur... under that gruff, superior Hydran personality you used to hide yourself... I didn't think you were actually a regular man like me."

"Grrrrrr..." Z'Jgk'Thur growled, embarrassed.

"Heh..." James snickered.

"DEAR HUMAN," The male interrupted, "YOU STILL LOST THE PHYSICAL CHALLENGE, THE CHALLENGE OF THE BODY! THE HYDRAN HAD MORE OF A DESIRE TO WIN! HE KILLED YOU TO DO IT! WE HAD TO USE OUR POWER TO HEAL YOU!"

"Heh..." James laughed, "No harm, no foul, right, G'iv?"

"Shut up." Z'Jgk'Thur muttered.

"DO NOT MIND THE HYDRAN, DEAR HUMAN, FOR HE HAS YEARS OF XENOPHOBIA INVOLVING YOUR RACE TO OVERCOME! IT IS NOTHING PERSONAL!"

"IT IS SO! BLOODY HUMANS! STUPID GODS!" The Hydran shot back.

The female voice laughed in a sing song, airy quality, "DEAR HYDRAN, DO NOT FEEL SO ILL TREATED! WE HAD GREAT SPORT HERE, AND WE DO LOVE YOU SO!"

"BUT WE MUST APOLOGIZE AGAIN!" The male cut in, "FOR YOU STILL LOST THE CHALLENGE OF THE MIND! YOU SHOULD HAVE SPOKE UP MORE, DEAR HYDRAN! IT IS THERE THE HUMAN EXCELLED!"

"What?!" Z'Jgk'Thur and James said at once. For Z'Jgk'Thur, he was surprised to learn his defeat.

For James, he was surprised to learn that he won.

"But... you said..." James stammered, "We both lost."

"NONSENSE!" The male throatily guffawed, "THAT WAS MERE BAIT, TO PROMT YOU BOTH TO ARGUE! WE BAITED YOU SO READILY, BUT YOU WERE THE ONE THAT EXPLAINED YOURSELF AND YOUR PEOPLE THE BEST! YOU WON!"

James full attention came to the gods in the sky, unseen but heard. Z'Jgk'Thur, behind him and grumbling as if he was the brunt of an elaborate practical joke, snarled and stamped in his futility.

Corgan asked, "So... I told you what I wanted... more or less. What did I win?"

"The Adventures of Alice and Prince Charming"

(backpost; takes place right after the events of Alice and the Trickster)

8-ball Hunter
Vrih Himne

The door had opened. 8-ball was free. She had escaped M'lshnok, or whoever he was, and therefore escaped the homicidal statues ready to start slicing and dicing. No more riddle rooms of death for her. She was done. She was finished.

She couldn't have possibly expected the next room to be even MORE complicated.

But it was. Because while the room wasn't pitch black, and there were no freaky mirrors, and there weren't even any gods demanding riddles out of her, the room wasn't empty. There was a man in it. And not just any man.

The ex-boyfriend man.

8-ball just stared at Himne for a minute. She then quickly ran to him, gave him a hug that said thank God I'm alive and not alone anymore, and then stepped back as if the hug had never happened. "Jesus CHRIST," she said. "What the hell are YOU doing here?

Vrih Himne just stared at her strangely - he too was shocked by the whole situation, the nasty gash on his knee being testament to the danger he was now in. Green blood oozed out of the nasty cut, and the attaché was limping slightly. His expensive clothes were torn at the shoulders and arms, but he had no other injuries

Finally Himne smiled, glad to see another person - whoever it was. "8-Ball, I... what in the name of Romulus just happened? I was here with the rest of the away team as the Rihannusu representative, then everything changed..." Suddenly the pain in his leg was too much, and he crumpled to the ground with a moan of agony.

"Hnaev," he swore loudly. "It seems this place got me - I'll never make it out of here. It was nice bumping into you 8-Ball, but you'd better go on and save yourself." He screeched again as he tried to stop the bleeding from his knee gash with no success.

8-ball rolled her eyes, even though she was concerned about Himne. "Don't be an idiot," she told him as she moved back towards him. "I've been through way too much shit to abandon the first person I see, even if he did dump me. Besides, your leg's just injured. You're not dying or anything. Don't be melodramatic."

8-ball sat down next to him and examined his leg. Not being a medical examiner, however, all she really figured out was that it was bleeding a lot. "This doesn't look good," she said. "How did you get hurt, anyway?" Without waiting for answer, 8-ball looked around the room to see if there was anything she could use to bandage the leg, found nothing, and then glared at Himne. "You're buying me a new uniform," she told him, and tore at her uniform's left sleeve until it ripped off. She tied it around Himne's leg and waited for him to explain what had happened, and, more importantly, if he knew how to get out of here.

"I went... into this lit room," Himne drew ragged breaths as 8-Ball pushed on the wound. "Then, immediately it went dark. Suddenly I had a sword in my hand - a curved, ornate sword, as if it were of Rihannusu design - and this two-sword wielding creature was coming towards me. Because of the darkness, I couldn't see much of it."

"What is it with those wacky black-out rooms," 8-ball muttered under her breath, and then let Himne continue.

"There was no way I could beat it if I couldn't see it. So for a while I flailed uselessly in the darkness. But then the creature - it made a mistake; it went for a crippling blow to the knee rather than a fatal blow to the head. It wanted to see me suffer in agony first."

"But," Himne continued, managing to stand up now 8-Ball had at least staunched the bleeding. "Some of my blood splattered over the creature, and now the creature had a bright green marker on it. So I got it."

"The room went totally pitch black, and then I found myself here. In a room with no obvious exits," Himne finished, leaning slightly on 8-Ball for support.

"Thanks for the help," he said, grinning in an attempt to inject humour into an otherwise grim situation. "But I didn't dump you, by the way - it was a mutual separation, remember?"

8-ball didn't get the joke. "Don't start with me," she said. "I was NOT the one who came up with the idea of 'lets take a break, cool off, and be friends. Let's just try to find a way out of here, all right?" With Himne supported against her, 8-ball slowly walked over to the walls of the room and tried to feel for a door or anything out of the ordinary. So far, nothing. "Any bright ideas?" she asked.

"Maybe a trapdoor in the floor?" Himne suggested, scanning the ground for any obvious signs of an exit. But there was nothing.

"Or what about..." Himne said, trailing off as he looked up at the ceiling. "An exit above us." And, surely enough, there was some type of ceiling trapdoor.

However, there was another problem - the ceiling was at least six feet above them.

"I guess now it's your turn for the bright ideas," Himne said to 8-Ball dejectedly, slumping his shoulders in despair.

"Don't be so depressed," 8-ball said. "At least there aren't any gooey reflections or psychotic gods trying to kill us." She waved off Himne's confused look. "So there is an exit, if no furniture to stand on or anything. Normally, I'd say let's try me standing on your shoulders, but you can barely support yourself right now. And I don't think I'm quite strong enough to hold you on my shoulders. I mean, you aren't pudgy or anything, but I'm kind of a shrimp, and not particularly strong or mighty in the ways of holding up ex-boyfriends on my shoulders." She made an unhappy face. "I suppose we could try."

"No," Himne shook his head vigorously. Even the agonising pain in his leg could not overcome his pride, and his pride would not allow 8-Ball to do the exerting work. If anyone did the lifting, it would be him. An honourable man would not want a woman to do intensive labour if at all possible, at least in Rihannusu society.

"Rihannusu have higher bone density, so I'll be too heavy," Himne said truthfully, bracing himself for 8-Ball to climb up. "I'll support you."

8-ball shrugged. "Whatever you say, sugar." Himne knelt down so 8-ball could climb up on his shoulders and then stood up. 8-ball touched her hands against the trap door. She could only just barely reach it. She pushed at it but it wouldn't open and Himne staggered under her. "Whoa," 8-ball said, trying to stabilize herself on Himne shoulders. "You okay?" she asked him to which he grunted.

"Good," 8-ball said, and tried to push the door open again. It wouldn't budge. "Oh come on, you stupid piece of crap thing! Open up!"

As she said this, a soft light exuded from the trap door and 8-ball could see something being etched into the door. Maybe a message, or a riddle, or some kind of ominious death threat. When the glow retreated and 8-ball could see exactly what she was looking at, she was kind of disappointed.

1 Down: 3 letter acronym commonly used to describe the 'Federation'

1. Across: 9 letter word for Romulan

8-ball glared at the etching. "THAT'S our test? Not a battle of wills or a riddle machine of death, but a fucking crossword puzzle?" 8-ball shook her head. "That just seems silly. Well, One down is the UFP, but how do I write. . ." As she said the answer, the glow began again and the letters UFP scratched into the surface.

"Oh," 8-ball said. "Neat. Hey, Vrih? How you doing? It looks like we have to solve this crossword puzzle thing to open the trap door. Isn't the lamest thing you ever heard? Anyway, how exactly does one spell Rihannusu, cause that's m----holy shiiiiiit!"

Himne staggered under her again and 8-ball couldn't keep her balance this time. She fell to the floor, nose first. "Ow," she muttered into the ground.

"8-Ball, are you alright?" Himne looked down at her with concern.

"No," 8-ball muttered as she sat up. She was, actually, all right, despite her nose and her right knee hurting like a bitch. Then, when Himne was still looking at her worriedly, she rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Vrih. I'd say that just my pride's hurt except at this point, I don't think I have any more pride." She stood up.

"Shall we try this again?" Himne asked as 8-Ball climbed onto his shoulders, a hint of irritation now entering his voice. "Though try to be more careful this time - my leg is getting more and more painful by the second."

"Oh, like I was trying to fall," 8-ball said and then looked up at the crossword. "Oh, fuck!"

He heard her swear with annoyance and looked up. To his dismay, he saw that the crossword had been erased - they would have to start again.

"Well, that just sucks," 8-ball muttered. "We have to get this stupid thing done in one shot, or we'll never get out of here." She started on the crossword puzzle.

Ten minutes later, and halfway through the crossword puzzle, Himne's knee gave and 8-ball fell down again, this time on her ass. "Jesus," she swore in pain. "I think I broke my butt."

"Hnaev," Himne swore, his voice laced with anger. "Can you try to keep your balance for a protracted period of time, and then we might possibly escape this pit?"

8-ball glared up at him. "Okay, you can stop acting like it's all my fault right now. It's not like you're an easy person to stand on when you're wobbling around like a freaking spacemonkey." She climbed up on Himne's shoulders. . .again. . .and looked up to where the crossword puzzle had gone blank. "Fuck!" she swore, and then started the puzzle over. In between clues, 8-ball said, "You know, Vrih, this is all your fault."

Himne staggered slightly, but not enough for 8-Ball to lose her balance. "What? How in the name of Romulus is this my fault? Are you now starting to lose your sanity as well as your sense of balance, 8-Ball?"

"You know, buddy, I don't think I had any real sanity to begin with," 8-ball snapped, "and after the shit I've gone through in the last couple of hours, it wouldn't be that big of a surprise. And you know what, you're right, I don't know how it's your fault, I don't know why it's your fault; I just know that I'm blaming you. Here I've been for the last few weeks, hoping that we might reconcile or something, thinking we could get back together even though you DUMPED me on the fucking COMM system, but you know, I missed you and I like you and I wanted to get back together. And now you're here and bitching because you're poor knee is hurt when I just barely escaped death, like, three times in a row, and you have the nerve to insult my sense of balance when you're wobbling around like the universe's drunkest Klingon, and I freaking hate you! 15 down, two words, nine letters for arrogant asshole: oooh, I got this one, it's Vrih Himne."

The crossword puzzle started to glow again and suddenly the trap door slid open. 8-ball blinked at it in surprise. "Hey," she said. "It worked."

"Huh," Himne grunted in mild shock - he wouldn't have described himself as an 'arrogant asshole,' but apparently 8-Ball and whoever (or whatever) made the crossword thought alike.

However, none of it mattered since they had cracked the exit - now all they had to do was get up there. Himne's shoulders strained as 8-Ball clambered up through the trapdoor. Once there, she could reach out and pull him up into what hopefully was the exit from this insidious place.

"What do you see?" Himne called, as 8-Ball climbed through.

"Not a lot," 8-ball replied dryly as she looked around. The room above the crossword test was less a room than an extremely tight shaft that reminded her of a minaturized Jeffries tube. The tube wasn't completely dark but the lights were dim enough that it took a few minutes for 8-ball to realize there was a hatch at the end of the tunnel. The hatch had a sign on it that glowed a very dull red. The sign said, FINAL EXIT.

"Yeeesss!" 8-ball said, and looked back down to her "arrogant asshole" ex-boyfriend. Of course, the clue hadn't actually said 'arrogant asshole' but 8-ball saw no reason to inform Himne of that. She figured it would do Himne some good, thinking that everybody in the universe man, or alien psycho god alike, thought he was a jerk. "There's an exit," she told him. "Thank the gods. All of them. Now let's get you up."

Getting Himne up through the trap door proved to be easier said than done. They managed it on their third attempt, but it was a near thing, and both were exhausted afterwards. "You're heavy," 8-ball complained as she caught her breath in the tunnel.

"It's all muscle," Himne shot back, which was partly true. After all, he was far from what humans would call flabby - but, then again, he was not what they would call a male model either, at least in terms of physique.

"Look, 8-Ball, I..." Himne hesitated and glanced away from her shyly (which was a neat trick in such a small tunnel) before looking earnestly into her eyes. "I wanted to say thanks for helping me back there, and I want you to know that I would have done exactly the same for you, without hesitation."

8-ball blinked. That sort of ruined her righteous anger right there. Dammit.

"Anyway," he grinned. "Let's get out of this place." He moved eagerly to the exit, waiting for it to slide open. When nothing happened, he began searching for a handle or mechanism of some type. But there was nothing that would allow it to open.

As he pounded the door in frustration, a small inscription suddenly appeared on the door.

"Only those honest about their feelings may pass," he read in disbelief, before turning to look at 8-Ball. "What in the galaxy could that mean?"

"Got me," 8-ball said. She got up from where she had been laying and also tried pushing open the door. Unsurprisingly, she was unsuccessful. "Oh, come on," she told the door. "Please! Pretty please! Open sesame!" When it still refused to open she kicked it, which succeeded in doing nothing but hurting her foot. "Ow," she muttered.

The glowing light in the FINAL EXIT sign went out. It stayed dark for a minute and came back on, spelling entirely different words. THAT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK, YOU KNOW.

"Well, why not? Come on, door, open."

ONLY THE HONEST MAY PASS.

"Well, I'm being honest," 8-ball said. "And Vrih's being honest. We're both two honest, honest people. Now open!"

There was a strange, almost creaking sound, and 8-ball could have swore that the door was trying to laugh. The sign switched to REMEMBER THE LAST CLUE.

8-ball instantly frowned. "Oh, come on. That's not fair. Why should I have to say that? I mean, I wasn't lying? He really CAN be an arrogant ass, you know." She ignored Himne's look. "Can't you just let us un-honest people through? Just this once."

The door didn't open.

8-ball sighed. This sucked. She turned to Himne. "All right," she said, grumbling. "The clue didn't really say 'Arrogant Asshole'." She had hoped that this would be enough, but the door still remained locked. She sighed again. "The last clue on the crossword puzzle was 'lost love'."

The door opened. 8-ball looked at Himne crossly. "There, happy? And just to let you know, I think the crossword puzzle was being a little ridiculous and overly romantic because I don't know if I love you or not. I just like you a lot and I miss you and I also refuse to think I'm wrong and I equally refuse to change for you. So this doesn't really change anything, the hero does not kiss the heroine at the end of the tale, and nothing is solved. I just want to get the flying FUCK out of this temple." And with that, she went through the door.

As they stepped out onto the planet's surface - and into the fresh clean air - Himne was at a loss for words.

"I... I..." he muttered, trying to find the right words. When nothing was forthcoming, he decided to act impulsively (and perhaps rather recklessly, given 8-Ball's somewhat aggressive temperament.)

Ignoring the constant pain in his leg, he grabbed her by both shoulders and kissed her, fiercely.

After a moment he took a step back, before speaking. "8-Ball, I admit - you're right, I am sometimes, as you humans like to say, an arrogant asshole. I don't know why I proposed that mutual break-up, but I've hated every minute of it. It's just... I didn't know how you felt, and now I do, and..."

He trailed off seeing the total shock on her face, and he wondered whether his actions would prompt another kiss or a fierce slap.

8-ball waited a few seconds, staring blankly at his face, and then fiercely slapped him. She glared at him for a minute, clenching her jaw, and then gave up glaring and sighed. "I have no idea why I just slapped you," she admitted. "Probably because I wanted to do this."

And then it was 8-ball's turn to take Himne by the shoulders and kiss him passionately. Passionately enough, at any rate, for Himne's bad leg to buckle, causing him to fall backwards with 8-ball falling on top of himl . 8-ball leaned up a bit from her position atop of Himne and grinned at him.

"Looks like Alice gets her own Prince Charming after all," 8-ball said and kissed Himne again before he could ask her what she meant.

~The Happy End~ awwwwwwwww. . .

((OOC: So endeth the adventures of the Counselor & the Fighter Jock/Science Chief/Ex-Actress. - L))

"The Breath of Fate"

by Lt. Jasmine Heloi
Chief Science Officer & Vanguard XO

& Cmdr. Karyn Dallas
Chief Counselor & Second Officer

---- Mirusan Ruins Somewhere... ----

Jasmine Heloi brushed her uniform pants in an attempt to remove some non-existent dust. After her experience tied to the 'rock o' doom' she wasn't too thrilled with the idea with being stuck down in the bowels of wherever they were for much longer. What stuck with her, however, was the memory of the voice that proclaimed the 'watery' room as some sort of 'test.' A test of what? And why? Those thoughts and more jostled in her head as she led the way towards the next doorway. Would it lead to freedom? Or another death-defying 'test?'

"I love what they've done with the place," Jasmine exclaimed, focusing upon humor rather than any form of despair. It just wasn't worth it, otherwise.

"Yeah, I love the damsel in distress theme too," Karyn replied dryly. After her experience on the bridge, Dallas was actually in relatively lighter spirits. Never before had she been so happy to have underestimated her own abilities.

Heloi smiled as she picked the 'plain' door. No swirling designs surrounded this particular one, and she hoped that she was correct in her choice. As they entered, torches lit themselves around the room to reveal an archway in the center of what was otherwise an empty chamber. Confused, the Betazoid stepped forward, keeping an eye on the walls and the floor for any form of trigger for some other form of trap. Visions of Karyn and herself trying to outrace a boulder danced through her head and she shook herself in an attempt to remove it. "Then again, the whole archway in nothingness doesn't do anything for me," she continued on the same train of thought she had earlier.

"Be careful, Jasmine," answered Karyn, the cold hard fear returning in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey," she grinned slightly, feeling every bit the daring fighter jock, "It's me." With those words, the Betazoid moved closer to the archway. For some reason, the center of the otherwise unremarkable object seemed to be shimmering. "Do you see that?" Jazz asked her companion, her brow furrowing as she eyed the center.

"Yeah," Karyn replied with more certainty. "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."

Suddenly, the doorway 'shifted.' There was no other term for it in any humanoid language as the center of the archway - which had been displaying the opposite wall - suddenly showed a completely different location. A tunnel filled with cobwebs stretched away from the doorway. At the very end of the tunnel what could only be sunlight filtered through. It seemed to be a way out. However, Jasmine was skeptical. There was no way it could be that easy.

"It looks like a way out. However, I have this feeling that its anything but," Jasmine commented thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Karyn replied darkly. "Speaking from experience, I *know* God doesn't love me that much."

Another disembodied voice, similar to the one before, echoed through the room, "The last test. The Breath of Faith. One path to freedom, the other to stay. Only through respect for your position will you survive."

Heloi sighed, "Why is it never easy?" she asked rhetorically, "You took the last one, I guess it's my turn. Hang out back here and I'll come back for you once I'm through."

"If you can," Karyn muttered. There was no guarantee that either of them would be in a position to save the other. Someone or something else was in control, and Dallas hated that more than evil itself.

Taking a deep breath, the Betazoid stepped through the archway. The cobwebs were everywhere and she coughed reflexively. When she turned, however, there was no comforting presence of the archway. There was no way out. "Ah, frak," she muttered before turning back to the cobweb infested hallway. The only way for her to go was forward.

Her thoughts whirled with thoughts about the test, about what was happening to them. She suspected that these tests were some form of trial of worthiness - perhaps to determine if they were worthy to meet the gods or something of the sort. Gods. She dwelt on that thought. The voice had said that only through respect for her position would she survive.

"Respect," she murmured as she eyed the cobwebs, "If these are gods, how would someone show their respect?"

The cobwebs began to move ahead of her, as if some sort of breeze were blowing through the hallway. "The Breath of Faith. Faith. Respect. KNEEL!" she fell to her knees just as a massive blade spun through the location where her head would have been. Her heart beated frantically within her chest as she scrambled forward on her hands and knees.

Once again, the cobwebs blew, only this time they were at a height for her current position on the floor. She got to her feet and waited for a moment before jumping upwards, grabbing an I-beam that was supporting the tunnel for support. The blades barely missed her feet and she shook her head. This was rather ridiculous.

Join Starfleet! Explore Strange New Worlds! Dodge whirring blades! The thoughts occurred to her as she tried to judge her next action. She could use the beam to swing herself further down the hallway, but that did not answer how she would be able to bring Karyn through this deadly trap – never mind the fact that she wasn't certain if she could get back to Karyn now.

With a soft sigh, she began to swing and the I-Beam creaked ominously as she used it as a launch pad. When she hit the floor, she rolled to absorb the impact and barely missed getting skewered by another well placed blade. She was really starting to hate this place.

Five harrowing minutes of dodging blades, swinging over at least one bottomless pit, and generally over exerting herself the Betazoid found herself at the end of the tunnel. If she squinted, she could see the faintest glimmer of sky through the concealing cloud cover. Freedom was just steps away, but the Betazoid resolutely turned her back upon it. She needed to get back to Karyn, but first she needed to find a way to stop the blades.

She carefully examined the sides of the tunnel, tracing her fingertips over the cool stone in an attempt to find anything unnatural about them. There had to be some method, some way of stopping them. Suddenly, she realized that she was no longer alone.

A glowing orb of something hovered before her bathing both her and the tunnel in a golden glow. The orb flashed brilliantly and suddenly Karyn was in the tunnel with her. Jasmine could do no more than wave slightly in a hello before the orb shifted form into the same shape as that of the statue that had originally sent them into the 'testing area.'

"You have passed the tests set before you," the being announced, its voice echoing through her very bones. "Well done. Because of this, you will both be given a gift. It shall be of your choosing, your greatest desire. Think upon it and it shall be done."

"Are you alright, Jasmine? I couldn't see you, I could only hear, and even then I thought you were hurt. I never thought I'd say this, but screw the Risian pleasure cruise. I'm going to the USS Galaxy!"

Jazz nodded, "I couldn't agree with you more. Let's blow this popstand!"

"Your will, be done," the glowing orb replied and the two women were bathed in a golden glow.

After a moment, the glow faded to reveal one of the USS Galaxy's transporter rooms – and one very startled transporter chief. Jasmine staggered for a moment, her body feeling the effects of the rather unorthodox treatment that it had received over the past few days. With a cocky grin, she announced to the room in general, "Well, that was fun."

"Group Therapy?"

Branwen London
Samantha Widdlestein

****

"These meetings are very tedious." Samantha said from behind her book. Roald Dahl's 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory' was the subject of her next holoprogram for Arel so she needed to get all the details and then change them to however suited her best. "When do I get to actually *do* something?"

"If I remember correctly, you are still being punished for disobeying my orders."  Branwen said without looking up.  "If I cannot trust you to behave, how can I let you do anything?"

"Try not to take this the wrong way, London, but your orders were lame." Samantha sniffed, put the book away, and then looked up the counselor with a smug smile. "And you can trust me because I'm trustworthy."

"Really, I don't think so. A marine should learn even to follow a lame order. If you thought it was lame you should have come to me and debated it with me. That is what a trustworthy person would have done. Instead of trying to make me look bad with my boss. You know what that makes you look like? Sneaky and untrustworthy and you have lost a lot of the respect I had for you, young lady."

"Oh, how will I face another day." Sam said dramatically.

"Not that way." Branwen said.

"Fine, what's today's lesson."

"I am willing to listen to suggestions, if they are feasible."  Branwen said testing the girl, to see if she would come up with something totally ridiculous.

"Let's see some actual combat." Sam said. "Or therapy. How am I supposed to take anything from this if I can't see its practical application?"

Branwen looked at the girl for a long time."I am willing to fight you later today.  As for therapy, you do realise it is a very personal thing.  And it is confidential, I cannot talk about any thing I hear when I give somebody therapy, unless it threatens them or others.  However if you're able to find somebody doesn't mind that you sit here, and you are not to pressure people. And if you promised to take its serious and not to talk about it except with me, and not interfere during the session.  I'll let you sit in one-time."

"Really?" Sam nearly squeeked. Finally, she'd get to do something! "I'll go find someone immediately!"

"Samantha, remember my stipulations, one break of them and you are out of the treatment room."

"No, pressure. Check." Samantha said, making a clicking sound as if marking her own clipboard. "And after what happened in the temple, there's sure to be a lot of people wanting therapy."

"Probably."  Branwen shook her head.  Yet it would be interesting to see how the girl dealt with this delicate situation.  And if she was gaining maturity or not. 

"Ooh!" Samantha suddenly yelled, as if answering that question. "I have to go download everything I can about schitzophrenia and agoraphobia!"

off: Any takers? Muhahahaha...

"Advice, Part One"

Ella Grey
Branwen London

***Present***

Ella brooded.

Her back was uncomfortable but she decided that brooding people, especially those that chose to do their brooding in Jeffries Tubes, generally weren't looking for comfort so she should just suck it up and ignore the pain.

About a moment passed before she rolled over onto her stomach.

She was being.... Ella didn’t know exactly what she was being. Silly? Stupid? Hoping that a rogue missile would suddenly detonate in her section of the ship?

Ha, Ella thought. She should be so lucky.

Anyway, she was trying to work through some things and self-therapy was hard enough without having to worry about someone walking in on you while you were in deep conversation with yourself in your quarters. Even though Indigo used more hair care products than the ship used fuel and 8-Ball took out her frustrations on a stuffed teddy bear, there were just some things that she didn't want to share with them despite their own quirks, like her inability, at present, to stop talking outloud.

"And besides," Ella reasoned, forgetting her resolution not to speak. "I'm an engineer. Things break down all the time and by being here I could head off a potential disaster in progress."

She wasn't hiding from Victor; she was dedicated to her career.

“Right.” Ella drawled in her mechanical voice. “And I’ve got a nice chunk of land on the moon to sell you. And shut up already."

Shaking her head, she rolled back over onto her back and thudded her head a few times in hope of a concussion.

Ella figured the concussion was easier.

***Past***

"So you think he's not shy." Branwen asked. "Do you think he's not interested, or is he just dense like most men?"

"I think... I don't know what he's thinking." Ella said with a shake of her head. Who knew what Victor Krieghoff thought, other than sleep, eat, and protecting the sheep.

They were discussing her love life, or lack thereof. It was better than discussing the non-use, or bypassed use, of her voice.

"If telepaths didn't go bonkers at the sight of him, I'd ask one of them what he thinks of me." Ella said.

"That would be cheating." Bran said. "And not fair. Maybe you could ask somebody else to try and find out. He might find it easier to talk to someone else about his feelings, if he has any."

Ella didn't want to mention that she'd had Curtis once try just that because she didn't want to linger too long on thoughts that had to deal with Curtis.

"Well, I suppose you could try if you're interested. But I highly doubt you'll last five minutes with him."

"Why not?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Because he's...an intimidating person, Bran, and you have this sort of nncocent thing going for you."

"So? I am a Starfleet Marine, I will intimidate him. Just give me in his name, and I will make you see." Branwen said.

Ella raised an eyebrow herself. "He's scared off Klingons, Bran. And worse."

She then shrugged when the counselor just gave her a look. "Victor Krieghoff."

"I don't know him. But that is about to change. He cannot be that bad if he is afraid of Klingons." She said misunderstanding her friend.

"No," Ella said shaking her head. "He *scares* Klingons. Well, sort of. But he scares everyone else."

"Not me. I don't scare easily." Branwen said full of confidence.

***Present***

Ella did scare easily but no self-respecting woman wanted to admit that. But Victor Krieghoff only scared her when he went total Prince of Darkness on her. Or when he was throwing himself in harm's way, which was often.

Or when she’d been thinking for a few hours in an uncomfortable metal tube and she’d come to the conclusion that she owed him an apology.

"Not that I wasn't justified somewhat in being angry." She said outloud. "I mean, telling someone you love them should get you a slightly bigger reaction than..." And here she stopped herself by making any more excuses by the effective method of thudding her head again on the floor.

Because, really, how did one apologize for saying, in effect, "I hate you, I hate you, and I wish you'd never been born."

There wasn't really.

***Past***

"If only we could be so brave." Ella told Bran with a straight face.

"Brave as what?" Bran asked.

"As you Bran." Ella said with a smile, finding that she actually meant it. Branwen seemed to exude this innocence that Ella had once thought was impossible in a person. Or maybe it was just in her. "But we were talking about Victor. If you do meet him, try not to scream or anything. I think it hurts his feelings, whether he says so or not."

"I don't scream." Bran said not even to other marines. "And I am not that brave, I wish I was. Going in to action and facing Baile scares the shit out of me." She admitted.

Ella snorted. "That hair of his would scare anyone."

"Yeah." Bran admitted pensively.

***Present****

Bran was working on some dreary paperwork when she heard a knock on the door. "Enter!" She called out.

The door opened and Ella stood there with a pale face. "I don't know how to apologize to him, Branwen."

And she promptly burst into tears.

(OOC: Hi everyone!! I'm glad to be onboard, and I'm looking forward to be a part of the team. There's been some amazing writing going on, I've enjoyed reading all your logs :) Hoping for opportunities to write with some of you once my character gets to the ship...!)

"Stirrings of Uncertainty"

By Ensign Ember Lansky,
Fighter Pilot / Security Officer, USS Galaxy

Location: Crew Quarters, Deep Space 5

Ensign Ember Lansky appeared deceptively studious as she sat with one leg curled beneath her on the standard-issue futon in her quarters, a PADD in hand. More perceptive observers however, would have instantly noticed the telltale signs of restlessness. She was fidgeting constantly - shifting her foot, tucking her hair, licking her lips, or adjusting her weight on the couch. Finally, snarling in distaste, she set the PADD down on the coffee table. From the obstinate way her shoulders were squared, it was obvious that abandoning a project halfway was not something the Ensign liked or made a habit of. It frustrated her, but there was not a thing she could do about it.

Ember couldn't remember ever spending so much time reading since her Academy days. All that last-minute cramming for tests, forcing herself to hold still for just a few hours. It was nearly a miracle she even graduated, in large part thanks to her stellar performance on practical tests and flight, combat or survival simulations. But, a mortal enemy had been made then of books, PADDs and the written word - things she had happily consigned to the incinerator upon her graduation.

This was worse than Cardassian torture methods, she thought, a derisive glance directed at the hateful thing on the table, containing some of USS Galaxy's mission logs. Why she even came up with the half-baked idea to read them was something beyond her comprehension. She didn't need to familiarize herself, she didn't need to know how the crew operated, she didn't need to look before she leaped. Most of the time, she simply leapt, caution be damned. But here she was, waiting at Deep Space 5 for a ship which was late in arriving, and burying herself under with PADDs of useless data.

This was the result of the nagging unease that had settled in the pits of her stomach since she departed USS Regent. It was not to say she didn't welcome the exit. The relationship with her commanding officer had been coolly distant at best after the debacle that was their last mission. He seemed to have taken her insubordination as a personal assault against his authority, still chafing because she hadn't returned to the ship as ordered after a band of mercenary raiders had beat a hasty retreat. From her perspective, it was too flawless, too well-timed. The whole thing smelled of a ruse, and she had gone after them.

"Bring that attitude with you, and you will fail, Ensign. You are without humility, respect or discipline, and you will not succeed with your reckless behavior," the man had stated unrelentingly.

'You will fail' -- the words left a bitter taste in her mouth that still lingered as she looked towards her re-assignment on USS Galaxy.

Would she?

It was a question she suddenly didn't want to ponder. Setting her feet on the floor, she stood, putting aside the cushion on her lap. She had done enough reading for the day.

It was time to try out that new martial arts program in the holosuite.

"Advice, Part Two"

Branwen London
Ella Grey

***Present***

"Oi, hold up, slow down. What is going on?"

Ella forced herself to be more composed. All in all, it didn't take long, mostly because she considered herself an expert (albeit rusty of late) at hiding her emotions. She let Branwen lead her over to the couch and gave a long sigh.

"On the planet," She said. "I said some really horrible things to Victor. I was so mad at him because... well, I told him how I felt and..."

"And...?"  Branwen was curious.

"He didn't say anything!" Ella exploded. She wiped under her eyes and then rolled them. "Or at least that's what I thought. What he said something about my voice being dead and I just lost it. I said the most horr...they were.... it was the stupidest thing I've ever done, Bran."

"That must have been a shock.  Did it make you reconsider your voice?"

"Not then."

Bran just waited.

Ella frowned. "I... I've been thinking about it."

"Do you want to talk about it?"  Branwen knew how reluctant Ella was when it came to her voice.

"No, not really." Ella said. "I just need to know how to applogoize to someone you love after screaming at them that you wished they'd never been born."

"You need my help for that? The only thing I can do is let you practice on me. You will have to do it in your own words.  And how much longer are you going to run away from talking about your voice?"  She asked gently.

"I'm not running." The engineer replied. "I'm sidestepping."

Branwen just raised an eyebrow.

"I've heard it all before, Branwen. You're hiding, you're letting the people who did this to you win, you can't control everything... yada yada ditto gag barf etc." Ella said, her hands waving about. She really missed signing, she thought. She hadn't done a lot of it lately with the implant.

"And all those people were just saying that to annoy you, not to help you. The whole universe gets a kick out of annoying you."  Damn, the woman was stubborn.

"No," Ella corrected angrily. "All those people weren't listening to me when I said that I was fine and that of all the things I've ever done, being mute and putting an implant in my throat were the least of their worries."

She then sighed again. Sometimes she wished a cartoon anvil would fall on her head when she spoke without thinking, she really did. "Anyway, my voice isn't going to help me apologize to Victor. Even if I had it, I still wouldn't know what to say.

Branwen had not missed what Ella had just said, yet if she focused on it now she knew Ella would get angry.  Now she needed to talk about the apology."Give it a try, practice on me."

Ella shot her a 'get real' look but Branwen's own look was equally unimpressed.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm very sorry, Victor."

"You plan to do it with that body language? I'm sure it will make a huge impression."

Body language? What kind of body language did she know how to convey except the sexual kind? Well, she supposed that she could sign with her hands while she apologized. No that would not work. "This sucks." She said, slumping in her chair.

"You have to say it as if you mean it.  Or it will have the opposite effect, Ella."  Branwen explained.

Ella scowled. "I *used* to be able to convey things with just my eyes. I guess that thing about windows being eyes to the soul is really crap."

"They convey something.  It's true.  But if your eyes say one thing, and your voice and the rest of your body language something else...  it is not enough."

"But what if," Ella asked and it was hard to ask because she didn't even want to think about such things. "What if I do all these things and it still isn't enough?"

OOC: to everyone involved in the post, thanks for writing with me. Since we needed to finish this up, I just cleaned it up and slapped on an ending to finish it off. - Sabrina

"Wrapping up the loose ends"

Set straight after "Come together. Or Else"

Lt. JG Cora Dobyrin
Ensign T'Ashaya (Vulcan Tsunami)
And Pvt. Alliya Yhwalyan (SPC: Dru)

Alliya always knew that there was only one person that she could trust, and that was herself. But right now she did kinda, ish, wished that she had back up. Her tricorder had blinked back into existence and was beeping every few seconds. Life signs here and life signs there, just as Alliya turned a corner the sign blinked off the radar and then after a few seconds cursing, Alliya cursing obviously, have you ever met a talking tricorder? After a few seconds the life sign would appear again and Alliya would spend another thirty minutes following it. Tracking it, observing its movements.

Back flat against the wall, breathing; slowly and steadily. Creeping out inches at a time, the life-form could be hostile after all. phaser rifle at the ready, finger on the trigger, scanning with the tricorder. Life-form detected. Life-form dead ahead. She sprung out from behind the rock footsteps echoing around the cavern, flash light scooping the area... and. nothing!

Again and again.

NOTHING!!!!!!!!

Alliya was tired, pissed off and cranky.

She had been chasing sensor ghosts for hours. she had originally been looking for Dobyrin. But than her tricorder had come alive! And she had scanned for life-forms, and when the tricorder came up with some, Alliya thought that they could be the missing people that they were actually here to look for. But no! Sensor ghosts after bloody sensor ghosts.

Alliya was not impressed.

Wiping the sweat from her upper lip Alliya sat her sorry ass down on a rock and took a breather. Rubbing her aching neck, rolling it around, she could hear as well as feel it cracking. She stretched her arms next and cracked her shoulder blades, staying in the same tense position for the last few hours had done her posture no good at all. She would have to spend weeks down the gym to relieve all the stress on her muscles. And, boy, right now she would love to punch something.

Pulling the rucksack off her back Alliya opened it and took out some field rations, she wasn't really sure how long they had been in this hole, cavern, stupid Hydran god worshiping place thingy! But she knew she was hungry and that was all that mattered to her. Although, she was strongly thinking of transferring departments; maybe there was something she could do to perk up the taste of field rations!!!

Stretching and shifting on the rock with half a freeze dried, long life, preserved, replicated, tasteless, cardboard something-or-other sticking out of her mouth Alliya scanned the chamber she found herself in. The torch on her rifle scope was the only light she had left seeing as her actual torch had failed her three hours ago. She wasn't too interested in studying what she considered to be Hydran graffiti, but whilst chewing the tasteless it seemed appropriate to take a look around at the tasteless!

The glyphs were confusing, the images were similar to that of the Hydran, with there three arm beak thingies. she really didn't like anything that had more eyes than she did. and the beaks really freaked her out. she had a pet bird as a child. the memory tormented her!

Slowly she stood up and walked to the cavern walls, her fingers pressed against the touch responsive light panel along her rifle; the light spilling out illuminating the glyphs across the walls. Absently she traced the images with her right hand, her fingertips grazing the mottled dirt brick walls. As she scanned the pictures her mind processing the data and trying to make sense of the indications made by the glyphs, she felt that same sense of dread that she had as they were entering the caves.

Alliya didn't notice at first, as her heart rate increase, or her palms begin to sweat, or the prickly sensation that crossed her skin making her itch. Didn't notice at first what those signs meant!

Cora was all alone or at least thought she was but kept hearing noises as if someone else had joined her. This place gave her the creeps and she wanted nothing more than to find that familiar voice she thought she'd hear earlier.

"Will you please be quite I'm trying to work out what the hell this is saying." Alliya chastised the empty room just like she had when she was with the group. she was griping at the emotions that had flooded her mind from her colleagues... but there was no one with her here. so why was she feeling these things... they certainly weren't her own feelings, she was a marine... she didn't get scared... just pissed off and angry.

"It says, 'Beware of Gods bearing gifts," a voice stuttered from the gloom, as if talking chattering teeth.

Spinning round to the empty void, Alliya scanned the caverns, first with her eyes and the torch, nicely attached to the phaser rifle, and then with her tricorder. it showed nothing. Typical!

Did she hear something? Or was that just her mind again. or someone else's mind? Focusing Alliya reached out and scanned with her mind, "Lieutenant Dobyrin?" Alliya shouted. She knew that mind. Scanning for it for half an hour made it all that more recognizable.

"I'm here..." Cora called hoping that her response could be heard.

"Lt Dobyrin, down here..!" Alliya called again as she grabbed up her things and followed the 'trail' as it were!

Cora started jogging in the direction of that voice. Then she quickly picked up the pace so she was moving double time towards her intended destination.

As Alliya ran down the darkened halls she almost collided with the lieutenant. Throwing her hands out to brace her fall she stumbled into the walls, bouncing off them and eventually ending up with her back against it, leaning heavily, half way down to the floor.

"Lieutenant..?" Alliya called out breathlessly through the darkness.

Somehow Cora had managed to plaster herself against the opposite wall, "Calm down, I'm over here Private." She managed to get that much out as a wave of pain rippled through her. It was a signal she'd managed to wrench or twist something in the process of avoiding a collision with Alliya.

"Are you alright?" Alliya asked as she straightened her self up.

"I could be worse," Cora responded, "And other than a little banged up and wondering what the heck happened I'm ready to get out of here."

"Shush!" Alliya broke in. "There is someone else here." she hadn't finished the scan she started. she thought that she had heard someone else but figured that it was Dobyrin. But now there was another mind on the edge of her conscious.

Slowly she walked forward through the darkness towards the mind she could sense. Flashing on the light on her rifle she did a sweep of the corridor. Just down the end she could see something; a change in color on the wall. As she stared harder continuing to walk cautiously down the corridor her mind clicked what it was. It was flesh. She increased her pace till she was standing over the woman.

"Are you alright?" Alliya asked kneeling down.

T'Ashaya lay on the floor, where she landed after she stumbled into the room, still dripping wet. The chill of the cavern-like temple, combined with her soaked through state, finally began to affect the Vulcan woman. Childhood on Sol III or no, she, like every other member of her race, handled cold poorly. Her fingers and lips were turning greenish against her pale skin.

Hypothermia, her numbed brain barely got out the thought. She collapsed to the ground with a groan and curling involuntarily into the fetal position. Her teeth chattered brutally.

"Of the descriptions I would apply," the Vulcan woman replied, each word stuttered to life. "Alright is not one of them."

"Dobyrin, have you got a flash light? Shine it down here I need to make sure she is okay."

Cora dug for a moment an came up with a small flashlight. "I'm not sure how long it will last but its better than nothing."

T'Ashaya couldn't be sure that she actually heard, actually saw another person. The light, if she really saw it, seemed bright compared to the gloom of the temple, and her nictitating eyelids slid shut as she recoiled as much as her numb limbs would allow.

"The Vulcan concept of Hell is a cold death," she stated, her human-like sense of humor activating as a defense mechanism. "And I thought they meant Colorado in winter."

Alliya checked the Vulcan woman's pulse, "Slow.." She concluded, "Flash the light on her face would you." Alliya commanded more that asked, she was more than pushy!

"She's suffering from hypothermia." Alliya quickly diagnosed. "We need to keep her warm. Lieutenant, your jacket please." Alliya said holding out her hand expectantly.

Quickly Alliya wrapped the jacket around the Vulcan woman. Standing up she picked up her rifle and used the torch to find some rocks. Gathering them close to where the Vulcan was she aimed her phaser at them.

"Quite frankly Lieutenant I don't care about Hydran archeology. My mission is quite clear. Find the missing members from Starfleet and get the hell out. This woman is part of Starfleet and I'm not going to make it a habit to lose someone on my first mission."

The nineteen year old was quite adamant, strong minded and slightly rude. Before Dobyrin could protest further Alliya fired her phaser and heated the bricks. A red glow lit up the cavern casting unusual shadows across the walls.

The Vulcan woman moaned and covered her ears as the phaser went off, curling even farther into herself. The loud, high pitched sound echoed off the walls. The two other women stood there as if deaf, but T'Ashaya could hear it, and understood now exactly what the dolphins mean when they talked about the "bad death sound." This had to be it. She knew her head pounded even more and that she, herself, wanted to die.

Alliya knelt down next to the Vulcan and d'oeuvre her closer to the 'fire.'

"No one is going to hell today, not on my watch." Alliya said. "What's you name?" she asked rubbing the Vulcan's arms to increase the blood flow.

"T'Ashaya," the Vulcan mumbled, flinching away from the touch instinctively to preserve her personal space, both mentally and physically. She was too tired to keep up her mental defenses, too tired to keep the other woman from touching her battered and bleeding arms..

Alliya nodded and pulled off her rucksack, opening it up she took out her med kit. She wasn't a doctor but she had been well trained in survival, and not just her own. Taking out a hypo she filled it with a stimulant. She didn't want to give it to the Vulcan too soon, she was going to at least try to get her as coherent as possible and warm her up naturally before pumping her full of drugs. The strain on her heart would be too much otherwise.

"My name is Alliya Yhwalyan." She told her, "And this is Dobyrin. We are going to get you out of here. So just hold on!"

"No drugs," T'Ashaya stated through chattering teeth as she caught sight of the hypospray. There was illogical to compound the problems she was having by administering who knew what cocktail of drugs to the situation.

"No drugs. Don't know what it did to me. Just get me up and out of here, please."

T'Ashaya wasn't certain exactly what happened next, even with her Vulcan sense of time and her Vulcan memory. Someone, Yhwalyan or Dobyrin? Slung the Vulcan Tsunami's Amazonian form into a fireman's carry and physically hauled the heavy, sopping wet woman from the cavern like temple. Someone called for a beam-out. Somehow she got to sickbay and before she really had time to process it, the Galaxy was back underway, back to the mission of transporting Admiral Livia Proctor to her new assignment, as if the events of the last assignment had been little more than an unimportant sidetrack.

T'Ashaya knew differently though. Her ears rung constantly now, a side effect from her contact with whatever culture they'd discovered. Whatever culture it was, T'Ashaya knew it wasn't Hydran.

Whatever culture it was, T'Ashaya knew that one day, they would find this culture again. She feared they might not survive another encounter.

"Test Series: Epilogue."

By Lieutenant Commander James Lionel Corgan
And G'Iv Z'Jgk'Thur, Hydran Command

Location: Temple Ruins Zone, Mirusa VI

Corgan asked, "So... I told you what I wanted... more or less. What did I win?"

James wasn't given much time to react, for the prize seamlessly materialized into his hands, even going so far as to knot his fingers around the object's handles, something James did not feel or even command his body to do, but nonetheless did. The alien 'gods' transporter technology, in their signature flawlessness, delivered the package.

The object itself was a staff or cudgel like item, close to being as tall as James, and heavy as stone. In fact, the staff WAS stone, the same sandstone predominant in most of the pyramid structure. Aside from the handgrips, which was a prefect size for James' hands (aside from the fact that there were three of them!), the staff itself consisted of segmented stone rings that started small at the ends of the shaft, then grew larger and heavier, then smaller as they made their way to the handgrips. There were four groups of these stone ring curves.

On some of the rings of stone were hieroglyphic symbols that James recognized as similar writing to the glyphs on the walls, but only half of the rings showed this strange alien writing. The other half showed a language that was stranger still, one James had never seen in his travels, one that looked oddly like a snakelike form of Kanji.

G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur looked over the strange stone staff, flicking at one of the 'Kanji' rings. It spinned with a small grating sound of stone on stone. To that, the Hydran said, "This looks like my language... but I can't be sure."

"I don't understand." James surveyed the staff, "What is the purpose of this staff."

The male disembodied voice answered, sure as the heavens, "YOU HUMANS WOULD CALL THIS OBJECT A... 'ROSETTA STONE'."

The female added, "YES, COMMANDER JAMES CORGAN. A ROSETTA STONE. THE FAMOUS EARTH RELIC USED LATIN TO TRANSLATE THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE. THOUGH EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY BY BOTH YOUR PEOPLES TO TRANSLATE OUR LANGUAGE, IT IS YET COMPLETE. WITH THIS ARTIFACT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN OUR STORIES."

"WHAT KNOWLEDGE YOU GLEAN FROM IT IS VAST. USE IT WELL!"

"BUT FIRST... YOU MUST TRANSLATE THE OTHER LANGUAGE..."

"THE ANCIENT HYDRAN LANGUAGE!"

"FOR THAT, YOUR PEOPLES WILL NEED CO-OPERATION!"

"YOU WILL NEED THE HYDRAN'S ANCIENT LANGUAGE, KNOWN ONLY BY A FEW HYDRAN SCHOLARS, AND THE FEDERATION'S ARTIFACT, TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF OUR CIVILIZATION!"

"SUCH AS OUR TRANSPORTER TECHNOLOGY!"

"AND MANY OTHER SECRETS!"

James looked down at his artefact with some scorn at his alien captors. The staff itself, a priceless alien relic itself that would most likely become a space waster at the Smithsonian Institute's alien artefact warehouse (a complex which went for miles underground on Earth's Moon), and it would take a researcher into the Mirusa VI civilization years to gain access to it after cutting through enough red tape to choke the Ministry of Archaeology for years to come.

The hard part would come when said scientists would try to gain the Hydran's co-operation, which during the middle of hostilities that could turn into the next Dominion War... was as far away to them as the Andromeda Galaxy.

"So... this is supposed to foster a new era of peace between our people and the humans?" G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur snaked, a contemptuous slathering of the tongue and teeth as he spoke to his gods, "You may be our gods, but I would dare not make peace with these godless heathens, not even for the secrets of the gods. This is a test, Commander Corgan, and I will not fail! My faith is ever strong."

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF..." The male voice sighed.

"BROTHER! PATIENCE!" The female cut in, "THE PEACE PROCESS WILL TAKE YEARS! WE CANNOT PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT WE DO SAY THIS Z'JGK'THUR! YOUR PEOPLE MUST MAKE PEACE WITH THE FEDERATION FOR ITS OWN GOOD!"

"THIS IS NOT FROM ALL OF THE GODS, BUT FROM US! IF YOU VALUE AND WORSHIP US SO MUCH, HEED OUR ADVICE, FOR WE KNOW DEEP WITHIN YOU THAT THE HATE FOR THE FEDERATION IS NOT VERY STRONG!!!"

"NOW, AS PROMISED... WE WILL LET EVERYONE GO!"

*******

"Right this way, boys." Mika gestured to the next corridor.

Mika sh'Sonora, diplomat of the stars, schoolteacher of the next generation of space fodder, and lover to James 'Broken Head' Corgan, was currently the leader of her own Hydran Infantry Platoon.

"Thank you, madam Andorian." Said the grumbling, deep bass tone of their squad leader, Z'Paka'Zul, bowing reverently, his large ungainly stature a grand source of amusement when compared to short, slender Mika.

"You are welcome. Thank you for your kindness." Mika bowed back, her antennae emulating her body's movements.

She was still blown away by how kind the Hydrans were. Unlike the unfounded reputation of Hydran brutality, hatred and bigotry that the average Federation citizen was so accustomed to by holovids and Federation propaganda, the soldiers that ran the gamut of average lower class Hydran life were actually very nice people. Getting past the beginning hostilities was a surprisingly seemless effort; the fear of being trapped in the corridors forever, low supplies and desperation cut through the Hydran's bigotry towards anything Federation.

She expected tense negotiations. What she got was a platoon of Hydrans who clambered to her, begging for either escape or release from life.

Taking the role as an angel in disguise, Mika lead the Hydrans out of the corridors, taking the reverse trail of her former away team. The trail, unlike many a traveller, kept true and straight. One by one Mika found the away team's signal boosters. She recognized sights that picked up her spirits, indicating that they were close to escape.

"Almost there, boys!" Mika pointed further down the hall, "See? There is light! We are almost outside!"

"YES! I see it!" Ta'Ri'Khala, the equivalent of a Hydran Corporal, whooped and cheered.

His squad mate, En'Taro'Adun hollered, "We are close, thanks to this blue skinned saint! Adulations for the Andorian!"

"Adulations for Mika!" Z'Paka'Zul lifted the pint sized woman up in the air and onto his broad shoulder, "Adulations!"

The rest of the squad cheered with their leader, each wanting to shake the hand or hug the guide who saved their lives. Chattering in excited Hydran tongues, they all praised Mika as if to say, "Hip hip, hurray!".

Mika revelled in the moment. In their celebration she was treated with reverence and respect, and not once did the Hydrans try to harm her or do something unbecoming. Perfect gentlemen all the way... even moreso than most Federation races...

Except for one case, and this Hydran made himself know with an ordering bark that cut their celebration short.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF *&#@(*@!^#$ ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT HEATHEN SCUM!!?!?!?!" G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur screamed like the devil himself, his eyes wide with fury and hellfire at the sight of good Hydran warriors... obviously in the woven enchantments of the Andorian b*tch he verbally sparred with before.

The celebration died down. Respectfully, the Hydrans lowered Mika to the ground, then all lined up in parade formation, snapping into perfect ramrod stance like soldiers under inspection.

Z'Paka'Zul was first to reply to their superior officer. "Sir... we enlisted the aide of one of the Federation's people. She led us to escape, sir. What happened to you, sir? How did you get here without us noticing?"

G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur snarled, "That is none of your business. I came by the will of our gods, and not the swaggering backside of a blue blooded temptress! I have seen the gods and have done their will. Now I want to see your group of sullied vermin turn back into proud Hydran warriors... and that blue skinned whore out of my sights! DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

"SIR!" Z'Paka'Zul saluted until his hand vibrated.

"Watch it, @$$hole..." James Corgan, from behind the Hydran commander, said drolly, "Whether or not she's a blue skinned whore is none of your business, and I happen to like her swaggering backside, thank you very much."

"JAMES!" Mika squealed, running full force into the commander.

The next sight revolted G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur and intrigued the rest of the platoon. Mika and James kiss right there and then on the spot! Hungrily, not deep but joyfully. Mika peppered James with blue smudges of lipstick while James expressed his feelings with a hugging embrace.

Then she punched James in the shoulder, hard enough to feel and bruise.

"Ow!" James protested, "What the f**k?"

"That... was for leaving me in this temple, dear James. If it wasn't for all these nice boys there would be no escape. And the other..." Mika rapped him on the same sore spot of his shoulder, "Was for saying whether or not I was a blue skinned whore was none of the mean Hydran's business."

"Hey... honey." James apologized, looking at her with puppy dog eyes, "I didn't say you were a blue skinned whore... at least not until we find some privacy..."

Mika lightly smacked the shoulder again, which at that point was starting to really hurt, "You wish." She giggled.

"Really? Because I've had some strange wishes granted today..."

"Oh? Were they all granted?" She asked coyly.

"Well..." Corgan raised a brow, "All but one... where we go to your quarters and I..."

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF SANCTITY!" G'iv Z'Jgk'Thur screamed his intolerance, "Interspecies relationships? In front of us?!? You humans would sully your own blood and purity by injecting your indiscriminate seed inside alien women?! HMPH! The human libido does have a well earned reputation after all! Come, great warriors! We leave for the surface at once! Leave these Federations to their..." He looked disdainfully at Mika and James, "...rutting. Ugh."

"Geez, Z'Jgk'Thur. Before you were reasonable. Now you're a zealot. Can't we go back to our old relationship of being rivals?" Corgan questioned.

"No." Z'Jgk'Thur seethed, "I have seen the gods myself, and have been tested by them. You have their prize..." He pointed to James staff artifact, "But I have won the greatest prize of all. They have shown me the way to humility... and then to true belief. I am the true winner this day, Corgan! COME MEN! WE LEAVE!"

Z'Jgk'Thur led the platoon towards the surface. The men of the platoon thanked and shook Mika's hands, and patted James on the shoulder. The other Hydran's outwards affections, and the sceptical looks of the rank and file towards their newly saved commander came as a surprise to James.

As the Hydrans left, Mika and James were alone to take their own way to the surface.

"So." Mika ventured to ask, "What happened to you, and what is that staff?"

James replied, a smile on his face, "Potential peace and co-operation, just like you have seen yourself. The Hydrans really like you."

"Do you think so?"

"They adore you. You charmer you." James mocked a cute voice, and hugged Mika closer.

Mika sighed, "We should find the others."

James answered, "Don't worry about them. The gods promised they would be returned. I trust their word."

"And the rest of the story?"

James saw his staff, the ancient relic from a long dead civilization where gods still roamed, "I'll tell you about it when we get back to the ship. I'll probably have to report in... take a shower... then I'll take you to Ten Forward for dinner. How about that?"

Mika cuddled suggestively, "Or... we could go to my quarters."

James smiled, "Or... we could go to your quarters. Who am I to say no?"

Sojourners

"Misgivings"

By Captain Daren M'Kantu
Commanding Officer

Appearances by:
Most Bridge Crew and some senior personnel.

****

Deck 1
Ready Room

"Captain's Log:

It's been five days since departing Mirusa VI, and I can't help but feel apprehensive still at what has transpired since then. Vice-Legate Curran's report has disturbed me greatly, what with the Admiral's actions on the Hydran ship. Admiral Proctor's appointment as Commander of Deep Space 5 is even more dangerous now than it had been before. Prior to the events at Mirusa, the decision to assign her was justified by Starfleet Command, but after having transmitted the logs of her actions back to Earth, I have just been informed that her transfer is to remain on schedule.

I am a Starfleet officer, and will not question or disobey orders, but as a personal aside, I fear for the defense of the borders under her command.

I have also been informed of a staged coup by Section 31 on Earth on Federation Day. An attempted assassination of President Bacco followed by an unbelievable military conflict between our own forces in the Sol system has shaken the Federation to the core. Protesters to the revelations of the Battle of Havras and the attempted oust of the Federation government are rising up on dozens of worlds. Reports of more Council session closures to the public have increased. We haven't seen closed sessions since the Dominion War. The rumor is that there are motions to break from the Federation on the table by several members.

These are troubled times. If any member worlds leave the Federation, it will have a domino effect throughout the galaxy. Personnel on starships, starbases, outposts, and any other Starfleet property throughout the Federation will be forced to make a choice that could cripple the fleet. With the Breen, T`Kith`Kin, and Hydran problems on the rise, any discord would be pounced upon like blood in a pool of sharks. It is simply not something we can afford right now. Placing Proctor in a position that could ignite another conflict is not, in my opinion, the most judicious move in these times."

Daren M'Kantu leaned in to depress the recording on the log terminal. Restless, he virtually jumped out of his seat to pace back and forth behind his chair from window to window, tank to replicator. He tapped the cracked and worn fingers of his right hand against the fabric of his jacket waist cuff, tugging on the pleats.

They'd left Federation territory several hours ago as they traveled into the unclaimed space where DS5 was residing. There were no reinforcements, no protection, and no knights to come charging to their rescue. Hydran territory was a hypothetical stones throw away. The tension was knotted in his back. He dared not sleep for fear of ambush this far out of the safety of Federation territory. Not even the border patrol dared come out this way if not needed and without protection.

Against his better judgement, M'Kantu had also issued orders to release Emmett Bregman from protective custody, against Curran's protests. Citing the need to foster positive relations between the military aspect of Starfleet and the Federation, Bregman's position this far out in Federation territory could only give them much-needed publicity on how Starfleet is most definitively making strides in the protection of the peoples of the Federation as well as following the mandate of exploration and establishing relations, rather than creating conflict or an aggressive policy. Imprisoning civilians on a whim doesn't encourage the former.

[Bridge to Captain.]

"Yes, Commander Dallas?" With Commander Henderson's recent assignment as sector Strategic Operations officer, his role as Executive Officer had been reduced while he builds a structured department that now oversees the Tactical and Intelligence divisions. This was one of another series of restructuring since the once-thought-dead Fleet Admiral Murdock has mandated with Admiral Irene deMercereau a new division in this section of space, with its elevated level of alert now that the Triad were openly making advances.

Commander Dallas was given more responsibilities - mostly administration - to pick up the slack. One of these is her re-assignment to Alpha Shift while Commander Henderson moved to Beta shift with the Intel and Tactical Chiefs.

[Captain, sensors are reporting a Starfleet distress signal tracking along our path. We've identified the registry as a Starfighter.]

"Any lifesigns?"

[Two. Barely. Both Terran. Shall I drop out of warp?]

M'Kantu halted his shiftless fingers from tearing out strands of fabric from his jacket as he found purpose, exiting the room to emerge on the Bridge. The main viewscreen showed a real-time image of the Starfighter drifting.

"Drop to impulse and bring us up slowly on the craft, Lieutenant Savoie."

"Aye, sir." It was always a challenge for Daren to detect if the changes of the ship. Technically, the inertial dampeners were designed to instantaneously counteract any changes in velocity, but after you've been on a ship for some time, there are other ways. You just *knew*. Of course, this didn't stop Brianna O'Shea from trying to change that.

"Thirty-four thousand kilometers from the target."

"Scan the area. Any hostiles, Lieutenant Taern?"

"None, sir. Closest contacts on sensors are a debris field at mark 097 mark 1 and the starfighter."

M'Kantu stood between the Operations console and Conn, crossing his arms, then raising one of his hands to stroke his chin in thought. The Starfighter curtailed on the screen, larger than life. He squinted as he peered in close.

"Is that carbon scoring on the cockpit housing?" The small craft, its lights out and visually powerless, had caught the glint of the Galaxy's piercing infrared lights as it crept in closer.

"Scanning now..." Tarin Iniara ran lithe fingers over her console, the starfighter schematics running past in a terminal scroll as data pored through.

"Aye, Captain. The ship is a Banzai class - same as ours - two-seater variant. It appears to have come under intense fire by an as yet unidentified hostile. We'll need to get the ship aboard for analysis. Power is almost completely drained. Weapons batteries are drained. All torpedoes have been fired. Life signs are thready."

"Can we get a transport lock on them?" Karyn Dallas, factoring in the human component, brought the discussion back to the urgency of the lives on board. Her hoverchair had come up alongside and behind the Captain.

Tarin shook her head. "There's something interfering with the biofilter scans. Transporters won't get a fix on them."

"Bring it in under tractor beam, then. We'll use the Bulk Cargo Bays on Deck 13." M'Kantu tapped on his badge. "Bridge to Doctor Fienberg."

[Fienberg here, Captain. What can I do for you?]

"Doctor, we have a starfighter being brought in under tow. Biofilter restrictions prevented a lock on beam-in. Report to the Bulk Cargo Bays on Deck 13 immediately. Two lifesigns, both in need of assistance. Establish if they represent a danger to the rest of the ship."

[Aye, sir. On my way.]

"Bridge to Commander O'Shea."

[O'Shea 'ere, Cap'n]

M'Kantu quickly outlined the situation to the Chief Engineer. "We need to know what happened to that starfighter. I want to know what's in their sensor logs and how it got out here."

[Aye, Cap'n. On my way]

"Where is that starfighter assigned to, Lt. Tarin?"

Iniara scrolled back to the registration details, tapping her fingers on the words as they came into view, holding the section in place.

"Deep Space 5, Captain." This piqued M'Kantu's interest.

"Karyn, you go, too. We'll be arriving at Deep Space 5 in..." He looked to Savoie, who'd remained characteristically silent through the small conference.

"Eight hours, approximately, at Warp 5. We're already in extreme sensor range, but it'll be approximately three more hours before we see anything of value get picked up. There's a lot of interference in the area. Probably radiation cast-off from the Typhon Expanse, but I'm not a scientist."

"You've got that much time to get me answers, Karyn."

"Aye, Captain. You'll have it." The hoverchair floated up to the turbolift and out, as M'Kantu watched the starfighter disappear under the saucer on its way to its destination.

"Talking uncertainty"
Lt. Commander Brianna O'Shea, CE/SCE
Ensign Paulo DiMillo, Intelligence Officer

Paulo walked into ten forward and sat down at a table in the corner. He had finally submitted his report to Cora, and he just wanted to relax. There was hardly anyone in the room, and it was quite, just the way Paulo liked it.

It has been a tough few days though, and the chair suited him. That was the first time he truly felt helpless. On a planet with only a few other Starfleet Officers, all lower rank, with an annoying Doctor and some Hydrans he would rather have just die. He had been out of contact with the ship and all the other teams. He had assumed that they were alone and tried to send out a distress call, but it didn't get far.

He had felt helpless at that point. Cut off from everything.

Then two people appeared from the cave. And slowly everyone else from the search and rescue team and science team came back, including the hydrans. A little bit after that they had been able to get a hold of the Galaxy and get off that rock.

Though he felt better, he still didn't like that feeling of helplessness. So, he just sat there, looking at the stars with his back to the rest of the room.

Anna walked into the lounge and paused looking around to see who was there. Her green eyes scanned the room, settled on the form of her brother, sitting at his usual place staring out into space. Nodding to the bartender to bring her what she usually drank. Moving over she sat down, "I'm never using the stupid holodeck again."

Paulo hadn't even noticed his sister enter and sat down. A few seconds later the bartender walked up and dropped off two drinks, her favorite drink. "What?" He asked her. He had heard her. "Holodeck? Sure, whatever," he said taking the drink in his hand and taking a gulp of it. "Just tell me when and what to bed ready for." He looked back over through he window.

Swatting him upside the head. "Listen to me... I said... I AM NEVER USING THE HOLODECK AGAIN." Anna stated, then give a brief smile. "Borg... then friggin ice age... I'm through with it for a while." She said, then paused to take a drink of her hot cocoa. Ever since getting out of the holodeck, she lived on hot drinks. "What is wrong, your starring out into space as if it's some girl."

"If it were as simple as that I wouldn't be here," Paulo replied not taking his eyes off the stars. "Have you ever felt completely, and totally helpless?"

Anna nodded. "Everyone has at one point or another." She stated. "Why do you feel this way though?"

"Down on that planet," Paulo started, "out of communication with everyone. I couldn't reach the ship, I couldn't reach any of the teams that had gone down below. I figured everyone had some how been killed. I even tried sending out a distress call, which didn't work. I felt helpless, until those first two people appeared at the mouth of the cave. I could have hugged them. Then slowly everyone else returned," he said with a sour note noting that one person he would have rather just had disappear then have to deal with anymore.

Looking at him she slid her hand over the table. Taking his she give a gentle squeeze. "You think you failed in some way or another?" She asked. "You didn't... anyone in your place would have felt and done everything you'd done. Don't look at a situation as a mistake, but look at it from the evolutional stand point. Learn from it, think it out, search ever angle." Anna told her brother.

Paulo let out a small smile, then returned to his expression he had before. "An Intelligence Officer should not feel this way. When we feel helpless or feel as if we failed, then we did something wrong, and it could cost lives," Paulo said. "There is no reason why I should have felt this way. I should have been able to do something, even if it was to kill that frikkin doctor!"

"Has someone said something to you, you know, I'll kick their ass for you." Anna said, saw him shake his head. "Sounds like your talking about leaving the Intelligence department, that what your saying?"

"I don't know," Paulo said. "I have no idea where else I would go. If the Rangers were still around I could go that direction, but I really don't know," Paulo said as he looked over at his sister.

"Michael is in Operations. I like him, good guy." Anna said then looked at him. "Need my help, not just getting letter of transferal but need to talk you know you can come to me anytime, day or night." She said, then squeezed his hand. "When you applied to Starfleet, what was your second and third choice besides Intelligence?" Anna asked.

"Didn't really have one," Paulo replied. "I knew from the moment my kid sister was kidnapped and later when her twin died that I was going into Intelligence." Paulo paused. "I took some other courses, pilot, basic operations, and some security, but that was about it. It was all basic stuff."

"Considered about taking classes to boost your academy graduate study?" Anna asked.

"Not really."

"Why not?" The red haired Chief Engineer asked. "Could learn more about other departments, plus you could do it while here on the Galaxy."

Paulo thought about it. It was a good idea, and who knows, he could get him and his life back on track, which to say the least hadn't been over the last year or so. "I should look into it."

"Yes, you should." She said then released his hand.

He turned his chair so that his legs rested under the table. "So... what was up with you and the holodeck?"

"Routine simulated test from hell that tried kill everyone in the holodeck and ship." Anna said. "Long story, the shortened version on it is that ship was going shitzo and we were being attacked by Borg and ice age in the holodeck... no safeties, nothing to help us either."

"Sounds interesting," Paulo replied. "That would explain why I couldn't get in contact with the ship... so your the one to blame!"

"It was the gel packs fault... wasn't like I did it personally." She pointed out. "I would like it if you wouldn't parade that information around that it was me that did it." She said, looking at him.

"I wont," he said looking back at her. "Guess my sense of humor need work," he said letting his head fall and hit the table. "Keep doing that, girls are going to think your a looser, brother dear... you need to buck up, get some attitude." Anna said.

Paulo didn't respond, he just let his head sit there. He wasn't in the mood to get battered like this, and if she wasn't his sister he would have tossed her out an airlock to show how much attitude he had.

"This is fun... came for a drink, not only do I get that, I get to watch you rub your face all over the table that I like eating at." Anna said, then grinned, trying to lighten his mood. "Sit up! bad for your posture." Anna said, giving him a pinch on the ribcage.

Paulo sat up. "This is my table, what are you talking about? I have sat here since the first day I arrived here on the Galaxy."

"Sit here alone to, I'd say." Anna said, "Don't argue with me.. so unattractive." She said, standing up and walking over toward the window where she looked out.

He followed her with a movement of his head but didn't move. "How's Marcus doing?" Paulo asked trying to change the subject.

"He's fine... resting in medical." Anna said, "Took a good hit to the head in the holodeck. Funny how holographic things cause such damage." She said then folded her arms over her torso.

"Yeah," Paulo replied. "Though I never really used the thing."

"Besides sitting here thinking about your future. What were you doing?" She asked, "or was that it?"

"That was about it. I like to come here and think, especially when it is late and not to many people are around."

"You mean feel sorry for yourself?" Anna asked, then grinned slightly.

"Is it like help Paulo grind himself to a pulp day, and I just didn't get the memo?" Paulo asked looking over at his sister who was still looking out at the stars with her back to him. "I wasn't thinking of it that way, but you have a point."

"No, grinding Paulo into pulp day is tomorrow." Anna said, something was on her mind, but she just wasn't saying it. She then walked over and picked up her drink and took a sip. "You think I'm rushing into a marriage?" She finally asked.

Paulo was taken back by the question. "Huh?" He asked. "I really don't think I am the right person to ask," Paulo said. "I hadn't thought so. You both seem very happy together, unless I am missing stuff. I stopped spying on you both when I found out you were my sister," he said trying to make some kind of humor.

Anna didn't smile though, didn't even react to it. Just stood there, still looking into the depths of space.

"Anna, what is wrong?" He asked her. "Something is wrong, and your holding something back, its written all over your face."

"Nothing is wrong." She said, then looked over at him. She then looked back toward the window. Folding her arms again, the way she stood was almost like she had a unseen weight on her shoulders. Feet squarely apart, back straight and ready for every burden placed on the showers.

"Something is up. You wouldn't have asked that question unless something is up." As Paulo talked to her he almost felt a new calling. Intelligence, but in a different way. Counseling? Could he really be considering it?

She looked over at him, moved a chair to sit beside him so she didn't have to talk very loud. "Just the normal doubts, right? Cold feet, that sort of thing?" Anna asked.

"It would make since," Paulo replied. "It's a big step. You would be spending the rest of your life with that one person. You would have the joys and horrors that come with it. The joys of when he comes home safe after a mission, your first kid, and the horrors of a fight, or if you don't know if he is coming back after a mission. It's natural."

"So you think everything I'm feeling is natural?" Anna asked, looking at him.

He looked into her eyes, then responded, "yes."

Anna wasn't sure, but if he said they were, then they probably were. "Okay." She said then picked up her drink.

"Though, I think I would talk to a councilor. Talking to your brother who can't keep a relationship going isn't your best source of information."

"Yeah.. well, tried talking to a counselor... didn't really get anywhere with that." Anna said. "Just figure it out on my own."
"Question," he started. "Think I should try consciling?"

"Sure... might be pretty good at it." Anna said, then smiled. "Least then talking to you would be interesting cause you could come up with something better."

Paulo laughed and waved a waiter over and got two more drinks. "Though I think Cora might kill me," Paulo said, "but it would be an interesting death."

"Cora has Saul.." Anna said, giving a shrug.

"Cora doesn't trust Saul. Small problem there."

"Hell fire, neither do I... Saul would sell his mother if it meant he'd get a new, bigger secret." Anna said then frowned.

Paulo smirked, "most likely," Paulo replied. "But I should stay in Intelligence right now. Cora needs someone she can at least trust."

"Really She and you are all this ship has in good terms with the Galaxy... I know it might not be true, ever time I'm around Saul I feel he's working off his own personal agenda, reminds me of a damn Frengi..."

"Yeah, and the thing that bothers me is when I started investigating it the person I had working from inside a penal colony called and said forget the money, forget the job, he would no longer do it. Before he could finish explaining what was going on the transmission was cut. When I got through to someone I found out he had been attacked by a few fellow inmates over some dispute and he had died." Paulo paused. "I don't like that."

"You think Saul had a hand in that?" Anna asked.

"No, I don't think he did, but someone he is working for or with did," Paulo said. "Since then I haven't been able to pick up anything, and that bothers me."

"Not good.." Anna said. "Watch yourself with him, Paulo. I don't trust him."

"Watching my back is the easy part, watching him isn't."

"No kidding... he is more slick then a Naakian sand slug." Anna said then shivered.

"Yup," Paulo said as the waiter finally came back with their drinks and set them down taking the old cups away. "I will give him this, he is good at both being able to manipulate the Intelligence area, and covering his tracks. All we have right now is the incident with Nara and the feeling that something isn't right."

"That doesn't make him a good Intel officer, Paulo." Anna said, pausing to take a sip. "Just means he's playing by his book not those the rest of us do..."

"But he can play by ours when needed. He can play the whole field. I am sure he could be a great Intelligence Officer, but he has something hidden that he prefers."

"Might be he thinks himself as important when he hides stuff." Anna said, shrugging, not knowing since it wasn't her department.

"That makes sense to me," Paulo replied to her taking a sip of his drink.

"I think I'm going to call it a night... after the past few hours I've had... I'm tried." Anna said, then leaned over and hugged her brother, give him a kiss on the cheek.

Paulo nodded returning the hug. "I think I am going to just sit here and look out at the stars for a little longer."

"Fine... but no slouching." Anna said, then pinched his ribs again as she stood and headed then for the door.

Paulo smiled and turned back to look back out to the stars as the streaked by.

[Bridge to Commander O'Shea.]

"O'Shea 'ere, Cap'n"

M'Kantu quickly outlined the situation to the Chief Engineer. "We need to know what happened to that starfighter. I want to know what's in their sensor logs and how it got out here."

"Aye, Cap'n. On my way.. O'Shea out!" She said, then closed the channel. "I've got to run... talk to you soon.." Anna said, turning as she did she reached up and tapped her commbadge. "O'Shea to McDowell... meet me in the cargo bay on deck 13... bring two engineering kits... O'Shea out..." She said, tapping her commbadge closed.

"You did WHAT??"

Cmdr James Corgan,
Lt JG Claire Barnes

Location: Security
Time: Shortly after the Mirusa VI incident

Claire fummed with anger as she made her way down the corridor, ignoring an crewman who she scared. Entering the Security Office, she made her way straight to her chief's down and bashed the button until she was let in.

Moving to the desk, she slammed her fists on it and snapped, "You bastard! How could you do that???"

Upon seeing his department's rampaging loose cannon, a woman of immense presense and power so undeniably awesome that it took either a brave fool or a frigging moron to stand in the way and take the full brunt of her fury, which was a feat in itself unspeakable, foolhardy and just plain suicidal. Much like tossing yourself inside a Doomsday Machine, except more painful.

The now Commander James Lionel Corgan's first reaction was to stay unflappably calm in the face of this furious female storm. He was a commander now. Staring down death was a day job.

Almost off handed, appearing to ignore the Lieutenant while fake browsing through a report, James Corgan responded with infuriating panache, "I was just promoted Commander, Lieutenant. Can't you wait until I put you guys in unreasonable danger before you say something like that?"

Then it occurred to James that perhaps this was EXACTLY what he did. To find out, rather than just take Claire's word for it that he was being a jerk, he decided to delve further, "Alright... what did I do? And while you're at it... why are you on this ship, and not languishing in a Starbase prison cell like I so requested the chief of that station to do to you while we were gone?"

Claire clenched her fists, "You arrested Krieghoff!!"

James raised an eyebrow. "That's news to me. Care to tell me why?"

Claire didn't really know, but was still mad, "I don't know. I just heard it on the grapevine. Something to do with mods or something."

Corgan stopped Claire before her foot buried itself deeper into her mouth. "You don't actually know... do you? Don't answer, the answer is no. How do I know this? Because once again I have an officer relying too much on Mrs. Widdlestein's gossip network. I didn't arrest the poor man. Hell no! He's one of my best deputies. I wouldn't arrest him unless I had a good reason, so don't worry. He's not in trouble."

Claire took her hands off her hips, "Well, that's okay then."

"...Unless sickbay's test results damn him, in which case Starfleet will eventually find out and then i'll have no choice but to take legal action..." Corgan added off cuff.

Claire went back to growling and spat out, tapping him on the chest hard with a finger, "Why the fuck did they even find out? You didn't have to throw him to the wolves without finding out why."

"Hold it!" James words thundercracked, one sharp statement that held more sway and intimidation than Claire's entire diatribe, "Lieutenant Krieghoff may or may not have an illegal organ in his body, one he got while off world. As a security officer you DAMN WELL know the Federation's strict laws on genetic enhancements. As soon as the transporter detected the anomalous organ it was already screaming alarms on this ship and that in turn will make its way to our efficient and highly anal beaurocracy. I already sent the bastard to sickbay to find out if the organ's legit or not, and if it isn't we'll have a legal fight on our hands just because Victor needed a new lung! Do you think I don't feel like a total heel over this?! Getting thrown in New Leavenworth over a stupid LUNG?!?! But that's justice... blind stupid justice for you, and all we can do is defend him to the best of our abilities."

James then hissed, "Now unless you have a good suggestion or you know a hell of a lawyer, I suggest you back off."

Claire fumed but realised that she had gone too far & should have trusted her boss. Frowning, she looked down for a little bit before responding, "Sir, I'm sorry about this. I kinda jumped to the wrong conclusion and just went off without thinking."

James sighed at his newest hopeless case, "Sit down, Lieutenant. I think it's time to have this talk."

Claire sighed, and knew that after her unprovoked outburst, she should at least do that. Sitting down in the chair with her arms wrapped around her subconsciously, Claire waited for what she knew was inevitably going to happen.

Corgan's frown etched more into a serious face. He twined his fingers together, looking at Claire deeply as he spoke, carrying with his voice a power and an authority of his rank, with ease gentleness of a fellow comrade, "It is a common theme with you, Claire. Jumping to the wrong conclusion. Going off without thinking. I was warned about this when you came aboard. But then again, it was no excuse to toss you off this ship. I was a problem case myself. A mess after the war. Lacking in people skills. The works. How was I to be cruel to a fellow screwup?"

But then he continued, "The first time your mouth got you in trouble was with that damn drill sergeant on Earth. I let that go because the sergeant was more at fault. You agitated him, he went too far, I kicked his ass before he went further. All's fair."

"But then there's lately. You showed potential on Trill, on the Hazard Team, and that alone shows you're a good officer, willing to put your ass on the line for total strangers if need be. I admire that. But then... you had to do other things, such as a huge barfight on a space station... and now you had to go and dare suicide with a man who probably killed more aliens than the population of whatever coolie you call a home. All that... because you didn't think first, you just leapt in and took action."

Corgan sighed, hating to send such cold, tactless attacks on Claire. "There's a time and place for impulsive action. Now was not one of them. Neither was the fight at the space station. Trill... definately. Try to learn from this..."

"Sir, I have tried.. I have gone to counselling.. numerous times.. mostly for anger management, but it didn't work. I will promise to try, but its not who I am.."

"Then I will tell you this, Claire." Corgan stated, matter of factly, "An officer's best kept secret. And it goes as follows... you can show good judgement without undergoing a radical change of personality. Since when did thinking ahead ever steal your identity? What you just said to me... a total surrender to your bad habit. A great excuse. An awesome crutch, but nothing more."

Claire grinned, "I'm not saying it will steal my identity. Its that I just get too emotional."

As an almost missed detail, Corgan piped up, "Oh, by the way Lieutenant, what would you prefer? A medal and a black mark on your career, or to have both cancel each other out?"

"What are you talking about?"

"In other words, you're excusing your bad behavior, and making excuses for not correcting it. I was just thinking about Trill. I wanted to nominate you for a citation of bravery for when we used the Argo as an emergency support beam for a crumbling building... but then the barfight happened. I'd rather not throw you in the brig or make you clean the waste extraction chambers... paperwork, you know. What would you prefer?"

"With my record at the moment, cancelling out sounds good. Already got an excessive use of force and a bar brawl on there."

James laughed, "I had to use that one myself during the war. Don't ask... there are confidentiality agreements in place. Is there anything else you would like to address?"

Claire shrugged, "Nothing else unless you have any other suggestions on how I can stick my foot in my mouth."

"Try yoga. Alright then." Corgan went back to his paperwork, "Lieutenant Krieghoff doesn't get that many allies, even in his own department. He is an antisocial person, and it takes some getting used to. To find someone other than me standing up for him is... a surprise, but one I find refreshing. Thank you. If Victor does get into trouble, and if you can help in any other way, let me know."

Claire grinned, "Actually, I find it quite amusing and attractive. Just don't lean that way. But I know what it is like always getting in trouble, and he seems to be pretty good at his job. He seems to have the same sort of attitude of getting things done."

"I agree." Corgan smiled, adding with sarcastic aplomb, "Besides... i'm not done with him yet. He's one of my best officers. I would be hard pressed enforcing the infractions on this ship without him." He looked to his PADD's to help end the discussion, "If you don't have anything else... you're dismissed. There is still alot of prep to do for our mission."

He watched the most insubordinate member of his security staff saunter away. No doubtedly a fine female specimen; Corgan always noted an attractive female presence, but was all beside the point when his conclusion of her was formed.

Ill diciplined. Angry. A mess.

James Corgan shrugged his shoulders. His department was full of them, and he made it that way. Dicipline showed itself when it really mattered, such as their countless firefights.

It was in their offtime that their infractions were the worst, as if none of their experiences carried through to real life.

James sighed, not knowing whether to call his argument with Claire a victory of common sense or a defeat of dicipline itself.

"Memento Mori"

**Memento Mori: Latin. Translation; “Remember Mortality”**

In order of appearance: Michael McDowell - Civilian

Tria - Third year Medical Attending (NPC) Appearing Tanson Eshe (APC)

Jakim - First year medical student (NPC)

Adriel - Medical technician (NPC)

And Dhanishta Eshe

(This is set the day *before* the Galaxy leaves Trill orbit. Running parallel with the post “She’s not gone yet” – which is still under construction but will be aired shortly.)

*** USS Beagle, en route to Trill ***

The ship flew smoothly through space with warp 6. The colourful streaks of stars passed by in surprisingly regular intervals. The room was silent, except for some classical music that was playing in the background. Someone who was a bit familiar with Earth's classical music would recognize it as the Largo part from double concerto in D minor, from Johan Sebastian Bach.

In this tranquil setting, Michael was sitting on the sofa nearest to the large elongated window trying to catch up on some new developments in Warp Plasma Physics. But he wasn't getting anywhere. He didn't even make it passed the second paragraph. His mind always pulled him out his concentration, back to that moment where Jiiles had contacted him.

Then it all came back. He got cold, sometimes even shivered. Anxiety and fear crept into his body as he wondered what he would encounter when he was at his destination. Jiiles story had sounded absurd and Michael couldn't believe it at first, especially when he mentioned Dhani and what had happened to her.

How long had it been? Must've been a year or more since he'd left the USS Galaxy in pursuit of the truth behind the incident near Starbase 86, something for which he was blamed and had to pay for,...and still had to pay for. It had been equally long since he'd seen Dhani for the last time. But the memories of her were as clear as ever. They never faded. This train of thought made his mind immediately switch to Karyn. Like Dhani's, the memories of her would never die but will stay as vibrant as always.

Something had changed and Michael noticed it. He looked outside and saw that the ship had dropped out of warp. If he was right then they had entered the planetary system of which Trill was a part. It wouldn't be long before they would arrive there. He knew what he could expect in Trill's capital. The news broadcasts had described the situation in detail. And although that in itself was horrible, it was Dhani that filled his mind.

*** 4 hours later, Trill, Leran Manev View Hospital; room 8, Intensive Care***

Leran Manev View Hospital was situated on a hill about 15 miles from the capital surrounded by a beautiful landscape. The hospital itself was fairly new, only ten years old. Its sleek design took nothing away from its surroundings. The gardens that surrounded it were steeped with rich historic architectural designs, bringing the past and present together in a place of healing and transformation.

Transports ran regularly to the hospital, through the belly of the hill, keeping the landscape as natural as possible. The underground station was clean and fully air conditioned. Riding in transports could become stiflingly hot at times.

Michael stepped out a typical transport that could be found everywhere on Trill. Wiping the sweat off his forehead he looked around. It was his first time on Trill and it was interesting. However, the reason he was here for dominated everything, making his visit less then enjoyable.

He started to walk towards the exit of the station. He assumed that the entrance to the Hospital should be close to the station. And it was only now that his nerves started acting up, more and more afraid of what he was going to find.

Tria looked out the window over at the people coming up from the station. He frowned slightly. He didn’t know the woman in the bed next to him. But he had spent a lot of time with her sister, and her family.

He looked down at Tanson lying next to his dead daughter. He held her so tight as she had slipped away. This wasn’t the proper death of an honorary Klingon warrior, he mulled over the stories Kala had told him about her and her twin sister growing up on the Klingon home world and learning their ways.

Tria sighed as he noticed the eager medical technicians waiting by the door. One of them was a student. He had no grasp of grief yet. Just give it time Tria mused.

“Mr Eshe.” he said, “It’s time. I’m so sorry.” That was all he could say. There was nothing that was going to ease his pain. And Tria had to block it out. He was fond of Kala, and to be the one to tell her father… it was too much for him to think about now. The girl had been here, by her sisters’ side for six months now…. He blinked and resisted the urge to cry as he watched Tanson uncurl himself from Dhanishtas body.

Tria bowed his head, he couldn’t look as Tanson leaned over the bed and kissed his daughters head.

As Tansons’ footsteps echoed out in the hall Tria looked up and watched the med tecks hotfoot into the room. Tria shook his head in disgust and walked out.

*Ten minutes later.*

“And what does this do?” Jakim asked Adriel.

Adriel was beginning to get sick of the questions; did this guy ever go to medical school? He bit his tongue; it was good that he was eager, also annoying! Turning round he looked at what Jakim was referring to *now*.

“Oh, that is a device used to monitor brain wave functions. Here, you can turn it on if you like.” he suggested. It would be a good distraction while he cleaned up the patient and got all the equipment off her.

“You sure we are allowed to do that?” Jakim questioned brushing his dark hair back from his eyes.

“Why not?” Adriel responded, “It can’t do any harm. The girl is dead.” he said matter of factly as he gathered several instruments and put them on a trolley.

Jakim shrugged. Walking back round the bed he flicked on the power switch and watched as the monitors blinked back into life.

The brain wave monitor fussed and displayed what looked like static. Having only attended a Trill medical school, and specialising in Trill medicine he wasn’t completely competent in using such equipment. But it was only his first year. He would be learning all about other species in due time.

As the power flowed through the connecting circuits the ventilator kicked back into gear. The sound of it filled the silence between the experienced Medical technician and the student.

Jakim jumped slightly at the noise. “Oh c**p!” he exclaimed, “I need to disconnect that don’t I?” he asked.

Adriel shook his head, “It’s not connected to her. The mouth piece has been taken out.” He paused from his work again and looked at him. Jakim seemed so nervous. It was probably his first time around a dead body, “Look man the girl is dead. You could paddle her and it would make no difference okay? Don’t worry. Have a play with the equipment.”

Jakim nodded and looked at the heart monitor, “Hey is that supposed to be doing that?” he asked watching the line peek in irregular intervals.

“It’s just feed back.” Adriel reassured him without looking up. The new guy was beginning to get on his nerves.

Jakim shrugged and began to scan over the charts. They were interesting to the student; several pages of brain scan charts, notes from the doctors, drugs administered and so forth.

** Meanwhile, at the reception **

"Excuse me, could you tell me which room Miss Dhanishta Eshe is in?" Michael asked the middle-aged woman that sat behind a clinical white console.

She looked up and smiled. Not a smile like in 'how nice to see you', but out of pure courtesy and nothing more. "And you are, sir?"

That question was to be expected. Michael, however, had not thought of it and saw himself faced with a possible problem. They wouldn't just let him through just because he said he was a friend of Dhani, now would they? "Uhm, I'm a friend of Miss Eshe and I've come to visit her. I know, you've got only my word for it...but I’m telling the truth. I've come all the way from Earth and I really have to see her."

Tria walked out into main reception he was on his way to get lunch when he overheard the human at the front desk. He stopped and looked around for a moment. Lunch would have to wait.

“Sir?” he called out.

Looking to his right, Michael saw the man who’d addressed him. “Yes?”

“You’re looking for Miss Eshe?” he wanted to clarify. What a crappy time to come for a visit. The woman had just died. But then maybe he already knew that and had come to pay his respects… but then she had only ‘just’ died… Oh great! Why did he get himself into these sorts of messes?

“Yes, I am.” Michael replied. “I’m a friend of hers, and I’d like to see her.”

Tria nodded and sighed to himself. He looked at the man. He looked honest enough. And it couldn’t hurt for him to visit a corpse he supposed.

“Are you aware of Miss Eshe’s condition?” he probed as he led the way towards the lift.

“Only that she’s in a coma. Besides that I don’t know anything, not even what caused her to slip into a coma.” The trip to the lift was relatively short and now both men waited for it to arrive at floor eight. “I was hoping you could tell me more about that and how she’s doing now.”

Tria couldn’t even look at the man standing next to him. He hung his head and pondered how to tell him. The lift jerked as it stopped, another thing left over from the disaster on Trill just weeks before. He sighed and waited for the door to open. He had to tell this bloke soon, they would be at her room in a matter of minutes.

He stepped out of the lift and proceeded down the corridor. He paused three doors from room eight and turned back to the man,

“Can you wait here for just a moment?”

Laughter rippled through the corridor, Tria frowned and turning quickly he walked to Dhanis room. Stepping inside he glared at the two med techs. They had obviously broken the ice with each other, and found the task of clearing out the room of someone who had just passed away quite amusing! He would be filling a complaint that was for sure.

A few minutes later Tria reappeared in the hall-way, behind him two sheepish medical technicians appeared. They scurried past Michael both nodding slightly as they did.

Tria motioned for Michael to join him. The door to Dhanis room was open. The monitors were still beeping away to themselves.

“I am really sorry to tell you this,” Tria began as Michael joined him at the door way, “but Miss Eshe passed away about an hour ago. You are quite welcome to sit with her, talk to her… what ever you want.”

“She’s not gone yet!! Part 1”

Staring Kerenza Eshe,

Chandrakala Lakshmi Eshe

And

Captain Daren M'Kantu

Location: USS Galaxy, Deck 35, Main shuttle bay. (Set the day before the Galaxy breaks Trill orbit for Starbase 212)

Kerenza had never been on the Galaxy, she had never visited Dhani in the two short years she had served here. Sometimes time slipped by so fast and she never had the opportunity to do all the things she wanted. But that wasn’t really the reason; truthfully she had never wanted to visit. She had pushed Dhani so far away that there was only hostility between them now. And now she was gone, and she was never going to be able to make up for all her sins.

Kerenza wrapped her right arm around Kalas shoulders, and held her hands with her left. Slowly they walked out of the docking ring and to the turbo lift.

Kalas eyes never left the floor. Her entire body felt numb and her mind was blank. It was almost as if the engine was running but there was no one behind the wheel. Her feet dragged across the carpet, with each step she felt as if she was falling. She didn’t notice the scenery change around her as her mother led her from the shuttle bay to the turbo lift and out on to the bridge of the Galaxy, she was just waiting to crash!

Kerenza took a long look around the bridge as the turbo lift door opened. The view screen held an image of Trill, suspended over a backdrop of stars; such a beautiful serene picture. It had been a long while since she had been on a federation Starship The crew didn’t seem too bothered about her entrance, far too busy with there own jobs.

“I would like to see the captain.” Kerenza addressed the nearest person.

"One moment, ma'am," the ensign at the operations console offered. "He's in a meeting right now - I'll see how soon he can see you." She paused, then added, "Can I tell him what this is with regards to, ma'am? It might help."

“My daughter, Dhanishta Eshe.” Kerenza replied in a somber tone.

"Ah. One moment," she nodded and turned to send a message. A minute passed, and them the console beeped. "He can see you now, ma'am," the ensign announced as she looked at the screen. "It's just through the door over there," she pointed.

Kerenza nodded her thanks and steered Kala, who was still under her arm, towards M’kantus office. Kala clutched Kerenzas’ hand to her breast in a fearsome grip, almost as if she would never let go. She stared at the floor continuously, her head hung as she shuffled forward.

Kerenza reached out and pressed the chime and waited for the door to open. Slowly she stepped in.

“Captain M’Kantu?” she questioned the man behind the desk.

Daren stood and came around his desk. "Yes, ma'am. Here, let me get you a chair."

Kerenza nodded her thanks. Prizing Kalas hands away from hers she stroked Kalas hair. Kala flinched slightly, her shoulders were hunched up and her hands clung to each other in a ball over her chest. Her elbows dug into her sides and her head was hung, her chin almost touching her breast bone. Her hair fell over her face as she stared at the floor.

Kerenza sat Kala down and stared at her for a moment. Sighing she turned and sat down in the opposite chair.

Once the women were as settled as they were going to be, he nodded to them. "Now, what is it that I can do for you? You're related to Lieutenant Eshe, the message said?"

Kerenza stood up, no matter the situation she was a tower of grace and politeness, she understood the needs for diplomacy and protocol at all times. She stepped forward and extended her right hand, “Forgive me Captain, we haven’t met before. I am Kerenza Eshe. Dhanishtas mother.” she said pronouncing her daughters’ full name, D-HA-nee-sh-TA, even with the ‘H’ that they usually skipped, making her sound awfully posh.

“A pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Daren returned as he shook her hand.

The captains’ grip was firm and his hand was warm. Kerenza always judged a person on their ability to give a good handshake. She rated him an eight!

“And this,” she turned and took hold of Kalas hand, “Is my daughter, Chandrakala.” She flashed Kala a smile although Kala wasn’t looking. Kerenza sighed again. She squeezed Kalas hand and sat back down.

Taking a deep breath Kerenza smiled at M’Kantu. She could feel the dried tear streaks cracking along her face as she did. She flushed slightly and cursed her self for not touching up her make up. She probably hade huge rings around her eyes and mascara all down her face. What a picture to present to the Captain of a Federation starship! Along with her appearance and her nervousness for being on a Starfleet vessel again after all this time, she dreaded to think how she came off.

“Are you all right?’ Daren asked quietly. “Would you like a moment to compose yourself?”

Kala didn’t even register the captain. She continued to star at her lap. Shaking slightly.

“I am sure you are aware of Dhanishtas’ condition?” Kerenza asked crossing her legs and sitting up straight almost as if she had a flag pole up her butt.

“I am,” Darren nodded. “I made an attempt to check with the authorities on-planet to ensure that she was safe after the disaster, that her care facility hadn’t been in the affected area, but they weren’t able to provide me with anything. It was – and is – too chaotic for them to tell me anything. Perhaps you can? Is she… all right?”

Kerenza cast an uneasy glance towards Kala and shifted in her seat. She took a deep breath and sighed slightly, “The hospital, Leran Manev View, was not in the direct blast zone. They temporally lost power but Kala, here, managed to reconnect the emergency back up power generator and no patients were lost.” she informed him. The only indication that she was proud of her daughters handling of the situation was shown by the faint smile that crept across her features as she spoke her daughters’ name. However the smile was momentary, and she resumed her sober demeanour.

“Dhanishta’s internal organs failed several months ago, as the doctors here predicted. She has been kept alive on life support, but last week the doctors informed me and my husband, who regrets that he could not be here now, that Dhanishta’s brain functions have cessed. We made the decision to turn off the life support and let her go in peace. She has been through a great deal and she was a warrior at heart. I don’t think she would approve of us keeping her body alive in a futile hope that she would wake up. She is brain dead and there is no coming back from that.” part of her wanted to continue her reasoning, but it would only be to convince herself and Kala. Her gaze hovered over M’Kantu’s desk for a few minutes before she could bring herself to meet his eyes.

“I see.” Daren didn’t try to hide the regret and disappointment in his voice. “Have you… did you try having a telepath – there are Vulcan’s who specialize in such things – contact your daughter to make certain that she was… gone?”

Kerenza stiffened at the mention of telepaths, for a moment her mind raced. There were things that she had to hide, things that Dhani knew, though she didn’t know she knew them. Those things were still able to be passed on through Vulcan’s, things that could destroy her and her family. They had gone through this once she wouldn’t do it again. For a moment she seemed lost for words. Trying desperately to think of a reason why she hadn’t had a telepath present.

“No.” Kerenza replied slowly, stalling for time. “The only Vulcan we would allow to ‘visit’ with Dhani is a family friend. His name is Sark, he is… was the only person that has the ability to get in touch with Dhani, but he died several months ago, before the ‘accident’. There isn’t anyone else who is strong enough….” She trailed off slightly, knowing full well that any telepath could tell when a person has really died. But she didn’t trust them, any of them.

Kala slowly looked up, her head turning to one side at an odd angle, her eyes locked on to her mothers form.

“Any telepath can tell you she’s not gone. *I* can tell you she’s not gone. Mom I can still *feel* her.” Kala said her voice shaking as her body did.

“Kala, this is not the time or the place.” Kerenza chastised her daughter, her embarrassment showed through as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair and smiled nervously.

“Then when is? *You* turned off the ventilators. *You* killed her. You’re the one that let her go. *I* was the one looking after her, *not* you. *I* was the one at her bedside, *not* you. *You* didn’t even ask me, you just came in and killed her.!” Kalas voice rose as she spoke her body straightened, till she was sitting up on the edge of the chair.

“Kala!” Kerenza almost hollered, “Not in front of the captain.”

Kala stood up sharply causing Kerenza to flinch, “He is not my captain!” Kala shrieked pointing an accusing finger at M’Kantu, “It’s his fault that Dhanis dead. If it wasn’t for him and his stupid ship and Suder… You should have stepped in,” Kala shouted as she turned her wrath on M’Kantu, “You should have done something… you are all guilty for her death. My sister was *murdered*,” Kala screamed “and you all have her blood on your hands. And you know what…? You will play for her life. And I don’t even have to lift a finger! *I* wasn’t the only one that loved Dhani. Her friends want revenge. And by all the gods they will have it!” Kala shook with anger, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“No, I’m not your captain,” Daren said quietly. “I was Dhanishta’s, and yes, I do bear the responsibility for what happened to her because it happened aboard my ship, under my command. I can’t change what happened, or give my life to alter the course of hers – I don’t have that power. The fight was too sudden, too fast for any kind of a response to reach Engineering and stop it. All I can do is what I’ve done: investigate the incident, bring charges against the officer that assaulted your sister, and do my best to see to it that he can’t hurt anyone else, ever again. If that’s not enough…” he shook his head sadly, “Then all I can do is tell you that I too, believe it isn’t enough. But it’s what I can do.”

The anger flamed behind Kala’s eyes, “So where is he?” she asked through clenched teeth leaning in towards the captain.

“I don’t know,” Daren replied evenly. “After his demotion and the revocation of his command status, Starfleet transferred him off-ship while the investigation is ongoing. Your sister was popular with enough of the crew that the danger of reprisals was deemed too high.” He regarded Kala for a moment. “You do understand what they’ll do to him don’t you?” he asked quietly.

Kala blinked several times, not too sure who he was talking about, “Starfleet or the Klingons?” she asked her tone marginally softer… though she was still talking through clenched teeth.

“If it is judged that he used his powers in the manner that all the evidence indicates he did, then he will have them removed,” Daren said, voice still quiet. “A group of other telepaths – as many as they need – will go inside his head and systematically take his powers away from him so he can’t hurt anyone else. Then he’ll spend years in therapy learning to deal with that, and what he did.” Daren leaned forward. “But he’ll never forget. He’ll always remember what it was that he used to be able to do and can never again, always have a gaping void inside him, an emptiness that will never go away and will gnaw at him and haunt him for the rest of his life, like an artist losing the ability to see color, or a musician going deaf… That’s what they’ll do to him.”

Kerenza stared at M’Kantu. Her whole body tensed as he spoke. Her mouth hung open and she couldn’t form any words. Slowly she sat down. She understood the words he spoke. She felt it, remembered what it was like… to have her mind stripped piece by piece, her abilities taken from her, to under go years of therapy and to never get over the loss. Her hands shook slightly as the memory, that she had tried for years to suppress, resurfaced.

She remembered the pain the endless longing and the darkness that seeped through her core. Darker than anything she had ever inflicted upon her victims…. She looked back up from the floor where her vision had turned to during her reverie.

Kala stood and stared at M’Kantu, “Good!” she hissed. She didn’t care about the ins and outs and besides if the Klingons got to him first then he would die, so it wasn’t really an issue. Her own powers were limited any way. She couldn’t fathom being able to do what Suder had done. She was only an empath, though with Dhani she could talk and Nara too… maybe she had more ‘power’ than she originally though…. And Suder! …. he had gone in with them to try and find Dhani… had she made a mistake in letting him help? She thought he was sincere… she thought he wanted to help…. But maybe he had done more damage, and that was her fault. She sat down slowly as the guilt flowed through her in waves of nausea.

“How did he use his powers on my daughter?” Kerenza asked suddenly her black eyes darkened as she stared at M’Kantu. She hadn’t been told of the details. In fact she didn’t know what happened. She had heard of a fight but she didn’t know the whole story, she thought that Dhanishta had just retreated from life as she had when she was a child… The thought of someone hurting Dhani… like she had hurt others… her stomach turned. She covered her mouth with her hand and held the other over her stomach as if it would calm the knots that were forming.

“There was an argument,” Daren said slowly. “The reports from witnesses are inconclusive as to which of them started the physical exchange, but once it began, even the arrival of security was unable to halt it. There was one report from someone that offered a clue as to why the fight may have started, but as Mr. Suder was, and has been, uncooperative with the investigation I don’t know that it has any degree of accuracy. From the reports, and what the examining physicians deduced, there was a psychic component to the fight as well, but there were no telepathic witnesses that could shed any light on what form it took. Even reviewing the recordings of the fight from the internal monitors provides no help. The one examination made by a telepath before she was transferred of the ship was inconclusive. They simply said that it appeared to them that Suder had done something that had made Dhanishta… flee... rather than continue to face whatever it was. That she’d simply chosen to leave her body in some fashion rather than stay and be subjected to whatever it was.”

Kerenza let out a laugh, stifling it by covering her mouth she quickly she stood up and turned away from M’Kantu. What was this, some sort of sick twisted revenge? Her past had nothing to do with her daughter, why was she being punished. She didn’t deserve this, her baby girl didn’t deserve to die like this… but then what about the people she had killed in this fashion, did they deserve to die…?

Standing next to the chair she leaned heavily on it and tried not to cry, or scream or throw things.

She was silent for some time before she spoke in a quiet voice, “I want to drop the charges.” She knew that if they investigated this further that she would be found out and she couldn’t let that happen. For the first time in her life she was afraid of loosing something. This was such a weird feeling. She knew that if her past came out, what she was, what she had done; then she would lose Tanson and Kala for good. And that sent a chill through her like nothing else, her chest tightened and she gripped the back of thee chair harder.

“Excuse me?” Daren blinked. He was, sadly, used to many different reactions in situations like this. Requesting that the charges be dropped was not one he’d encountered before – or expected.

“You want to WHAT?” Kala asked looking up.

“Drop the charges.” Kerenza repeated forcing herself to look into Kalas eyes.

“WHY?” Kala shouted standing up.

Kerenza was fast loosing the ability to think on her feet. “Because… because I .. I know the Suder family... I know what they are capable of.” She said clutching at straws.

“Lon is dead.” Kala said, “He can’t hurt us. Or are you telling me that there are more of them out there? Can’t say I’m surprised though, murdering basterds, I guess it’s in the genes!” Kala retorted.

“Look, Kala, please, I have made my decision.” Kerenza begged her daughter to let it go. She wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take. She was fast loosing any sense of self respect in front of the Captain. She hadn’t come here to argue, she wanted to talk about Dhanis funeral. Make sure her first born was laid to rest in a way that was respectful. She needed to get this behind her. The longer it went on the more she could feel herself slipping. Slipping into what she had been; a hollow, lifeless, anger fuelled woman, totally stripped of her god given powers. That void that M’Kantu mentioned, after a telepath was stripped of their abilities, his words couldn’t describe how it felt, how she had felt, no words ever could. And she had passed that, she had made herself whole, as whole as she could ever be after that, she had turned her life into something her family could be proud of, but loosing Dhani was threatening to take away that stability that she had created. It was crumbling down around her and she had no idea how to fix it.

“You have no right to make that decision!” Kala shouted back venom in her voice and body language, if she could spit blood she would have!

“Yes I do.” Kerenza replied meekly.

“NO YOU DON’T!” Kala screamed at her. Her voice vibrated through the floor and the walls. “He should pay for what he has done! And if you let him get away with it then you are just as guilty as he is.” She hissed out, “You’re a murder! You are responsible for the death of my sister, your own daughter!”

“YES I AM!” Kerenza screamed back. Kala had no idea how right she was. Her words cut like a knife and Kerenza couldn’t bear to think how this was coming off for M’Kantu. To sit and watch this mother and daughter showdown, killing each other with their words… how could there be any love between these two? How could Kerenza ever get Kala back? They had been so close, and now they were as distant as the Alpha quadrant and the Gamer quadrant. Separated by an endless void that stretched for light years upon light years!

“I am guilty.” Kerenza continued choking on her tears, “I’m guilty because I wasn’t able to protect my baby. I am guilty because I couldn’t save her. And I can’t even enact the vengeance upon Suder that he deserves. Having your abilities stripped is one thing, but he will be rehabilitated. He will survive, and go on. He will still have the chance to have a family and…” Kerenza paused for a second as she swallowed the lump in her throat, she had heard a similar argument made against her at her own trial and couldn’t believe that she now felt the same way as her victims families did… this was one twisted, screwed up piece of irony that she couldn’t begin to fathom, “and to go on living through them. There is nothing that Starfleet can do to punish him that he won’t live through. Nothing they can do will bring her back. And so there is no point Kala. If ‘I’ can’t bestow on him the things he did to my little girl, if ‘I’ can’t hurt him the way he hurt her….” If I can’t kill him myself is what she was basically saying! “Then there is no point.” Tears streamed down Kerenzas face. Her arms shook as she gripped the chair back, pushing down upon it with all her might, anything to get the anger out.

Daren looked from one to the other as the two women talked, trying to understand what was happening, trying to find the right words to stop what he knew was coming, what he’d seen in his own life when his daughter had been torn from them. Having lost his own daughter, it was almost as painful watching it happen to someone else.

Kala stared at her mother; her eyes wide and her mouth open just a little bit. She had never heard such words from her mother, never saw such passion, and certainly never this much emotion. There seemed to be a connection there for just a moment, a sight of common ground between the two, but then Kala said;

“You’re still going to drop the charges aren’t you?”

Kerenza nodded, not even looking up.

And the common ground was gone.

Kala huffed and stormed out of the office. The door silently swishing closed in her wake.

Kerenza looked up as the door closed, she wanted to go after her but she couldn’t face it any more. Every time they connected something was said that brought them to flame. Kerenza felt like her heart was breaking. Things were never going to be the same again no matter how much she tried. And no matter how many times Kala said she didn’t hate her mother, Kerenza knew it was a lie. And there was nothing she could do about it anymore. Kala would never forgive her and she had to live with that.

She felt the bile rise in her stomach as she realized what a fitting punishment this was for her crimes. To watch helpless as her daughter died in the same fashion as she had bestowed to so many. And then to live with the hatred, to never escape it, and worse of all; for it to be from someone she loved so much!

Was there no forgiveness in this universe? Would she ever be able to find the road to redemption?

“Captain… funeral arraignments?” Kerenza said quietly sitting down again.

“Will be taken care of by Starfleet if you wish,” Daren said slowly. “Once your daughter moves on, and the medical staff notifies us, things will be taken care of. I’ll be honest, there may be some delays given the still settling situation on the planet, but as soon as possible, everything will be taken care of for you. Starfleet takes care of her own I this way, even if we failed to care for her in another.” He debated telling her that the charges against Suder were not hers to drop, that they were being pressed by Starfleet itself, and would continue, but decided against it. He did, however, make a note to send that information to Kerenza’s other daughter privately. She would need to know that. He stood and called up the information Kerenza would need, downloading it to a PADD. “First off, are there any special requests that your daughter had regarding this situation….?”

“Aeternum Vale?”

**Aeternum Vale Latin. Translation: - “Farewell Forever”**

In order of appearance: Michael McDowell - Civilian

Tria - Third year Medical Attending (NPC) And Dhanishta Eshe

(This takes place directly after “Memento Mori”, at the same time as “She’s not gone yet”. While the Galaxy is orbiting Trill, the day before they leave.)

** Previously **

Location: Trill, Leran Manev View Hospital; room 8, Intensive Care

**

(In: Breaking the Link;)

The child and her dark shadow, the officer and the woman in white; each of them took another step until they walked, flowed, into Dhanishta. Each one a fragment of her shattered self, torn from each other by the effects of the link, finally reunited and became whole once more….

And Dhanishta breathed…

Inhaling deeply as if it was her last and final breath, she savoured it, cherished it. She could feel her lungs swelling and filling; the life giving oxygen flowing into her. And as she stood, her body taught, her hands outstretched, taking in all the air she could, feeling the hand that had suffocated her release its grip, the rain stopped.

**

And

**

(In: Memento Mori;)

Tria nodded and sighed to himself. He looked at the man. He looked honest enough. And it couldn’t hurt for him to visit a corpse he supposed.

“Are you aware of Miss Eshe’s condition?” he probed as he led the way towards the lift.

“Only that she’s in a coma. Besides that I don’t know anything, not even what caused her to slip into a coma.” The trip to the lift was relatively short and now both men waited for it to arrive at floor eight. “I was hoping you could tell me more about that and how she’s doing now.”

***

“I am really sorry to tell you this,” Tria began as Michael joined him at the door way, “but Miss Eshe passed away about an hour ago. You are quite welcome to sit with her, talk to her… what ever you want.”

And now the continuation;

Michael didn’t say a word. He didn’t even look at the man that had brought him to Dhani’s room. It was like he became totally numb and the world around him came to a halt. This couldn’t be true. The universe couldn’t be that cruel, could it? Is the universe really only a place where pain and misery dominated? Where all you can hope for is a laugh or two? Michael’s world crumbled before him.

The last years had not been the best years. He’d seen enough, and the knowledge that Dhani had passed away was too much.

Tria watched the man before him as his eyes glazed over. The thought crossed his mind as to why this news was usually given sitting down!

“Is there anything I can get you?” Tria asked.

He waited for a reaction but when none came he took Michael by his arm and led him into Dhanis room. Directing him to a seat Tria pushed him gently on the shoulders to make him sit down, and then hurried off.

He reappeared in fort of Michael with a glass of water. Kneeling down Tria took Michaels hand and squeezed it,

“Sir?” He called out, “Sir?” he said again his voice filled with anxiety.

Still Michael ignored him, and when he finally did say something he did so almost whispering. “Please...I want to be alone now if you don’t mind.”

Tria scanned Michaels face. He was worried about the gentleman before him. Part of him said that it wasn’t his problem but the other half wondered just how he had taken the news. Sometimes Tria wondered if he should tell people this sort of thing, but then they were just going to hear it from someone else, why not him? Tria nodded and stood up slowly. He handed Michel the glass,

“Here,” he said, “just sip it.” he was going to add that it would help but he wasn’t sure of the man’s temperament, he knew how he would have reacted to that line!

“If there is anything you need…” Tria let the line linger in the air. Sighing he turned from Michael and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

When Michael was sure was all alone he stood up and slowly walked over to the left side of Dhani’s bed. He sat down on another chair that stood closest to him. He looked at Dhani. She looked so pale. Such a contrast when she was still alive. Damn, why did she have to go!? He’d still had so much to tell her, so much he wanted to share. A tear trickled down Michael’s cheek. He sighed.

****

Dhanishta fell backwards onto the ground. She felt the mud beneath her hands shift and change, she felt the grass grow. It sprouted up between her fingers and started a chain reaction. It flowed across the land like a Mexican wave, down to the crater, over the hill to the walled garden and up towards the cliff face. Flowers bloomed, sprouting up all over the once barren plain; roses and daisies, orchids and lilacs… The sky cleared and the sun shone down and all she could see was the light. It flowed across her vision in an array of colour.

And then there was a stillness. Calm and serene. She could feel movement all around her, she could hear sounds, although muffled and dulled, they were still recognisable.

Voices.

There were voices?

****

“I’m sorry Dhani...I’m so sorry it had to turn out like this.” Michael took Dhani's hand. It was cold. Another brutal fact that she was truly dead. All kind of emotions surfaced and Michael could barely contain them. He felt lost and disconnected from the world. Now that she was gone, Michael wondered what use it was to go on. She'd meant so much to him, even though he didn't want to acknowledge that at the time. More tears escaped from his eyes. It was no use to hold them back now. He wasn't able to anyway.

For the next fifteen minutes he stayed silent. Michael didn't say a thing. He only looked at Dhani and held her hand, softly caressing it.

"I still remember when we first met." He started talking without even knowing why. No one listened, so why talk? "It was at this bar, a Klingon bar at this giant station orbiting a Klingon outpost. It was there where you challenged that huge Klingon. Geez, you scared the hell out of me when you did that. I thought you were crazy." Michael couldn't help but chuckle when he thought back at that moment. "And you never changed, you know. You always surprised me one way or the other. You were always unpredictable, in a nice way. It sure was never boring when being around you."

Michael let his mind wander. One by one the memories passed by. Memories of Dhani and him working side by side in those darn small Jefferries tubes, the jokes they'd shared, the dinners they had together, discussions, the occasional argument. All those moments that had created and formed their relationship, be it purely platonic. For a few seconds he wondered what could've been. He'd done that many times and always felt a bit embarrassed afterwards, for reasons even he didn't quite understand.

****

The Link had taken over Dhani so much so that it had shattered her already splintered disposition. There were dark parts of her conscious that had been buried for good reason; locked up and the key thrown away. These aspects however had now been unleashed to once more roam freely inside her.

The tortured child and her ‘shadow’, her tormenter, had once again been blended with what she already was, or rather had been before Suder. The academic, responsible officer who strived to be the best she could be at all times, in everything she did; the calm serene woman who was in control no matter the circumstances or situation, the Vulcan trained, restrained woman and the emotional hot head with a Klingon temperament, who’s emotions ran deeper that a black hole had now been restored.

Been made whole.

And it was going to take some getting used to!

Dhanishta could hear the sounds around her, feel the air shift and change. But she could also feel other things, see other things; things she had not been able to identify as a child, things she hadn’t seen since she *was* a child. Since the doctors on Vulcan had…

Dhani shuddered. Well inside she did. On the outside her body remained limp and unresponsive. She couldn’t quite feel all her extremities yet, couldn’t even open her eyes. But she could hear things. Words drifted as she came in and out of some semi conscious, and even though she heard several of them she still couldn’t totally recognise them, or put them into any context. By the time she realised that she had heard something comprehensible the moment passed and it was forgotten.

She focused on her breathing. It was unusual to do such a thing; to actually think about inhaling and exhaling. It took a lot of her attention and concentration. And for a while that’s all she did. Telling herself over and over to breathe in and out. It was like she had forgotten how, the reflex to just do it automatically had to be reinstalled into her subconscious.

But another sensation really caught her attention. The electricity that still flowed around her… it was new, yet familiar. She could feel it flow across her skin like air, but its texture was different. Its energy, she could feel vibrating, emanating…. If she could move she could touch it, bend it, shape it… but she couldn’t move.

But her mind did. She could reach out and change the pattern with a thought… She strained at first, trying to concentrate while the world faded in and out was difficult. But …yes.. she could feel it now… it’s ‘real’ form unknown, but the energy it gave off; the life force, however small, was still there. A thing of beauty, radiating a thermal image inside her mind… the distance was of no matter she could still feel it, hear it almost taste it.. She could make that energy blink out, take it maybe….

****

Minutes passed as Michael just stared outside through the window. His vision was blurred as tears filled his eyes. One memory after the other passed. Slowly it began to dawn on him what it all meant. He would never see Dhani again, never talk to her, never touch her. Only once before he'd felt this same feeling. She'd already died once before in his arms, years back when he was still serving on the USS Galaxy. It was a feeling he wished he would never have to experience again. But here it was again and it was every bit as painful as he remembered.

There was a sudden thud at the window as a tiny bird collided with it, its neck breaking as it met the glass. Bouncing off the pain and onto the sill it rolled off, with the momentum of the impact, and free fell down the eight stories to the ground below, landing in the bushes with a rustle.

The thump pulled Michael back out of the trancelike state he was in. Not sure of what caused it he walked over to the window. He saw the fuzzy smudge that was left on the window and then looked down to see if he could spot the bird that had flown against it. It was nowhere to be seen, at least not from where Michael was standing. Inwardly he hoped the little animal got lucky and lived to fly another day.

Michael turned around and walked back to Dhani. Just like before he sat down and took her hand. What else could he do? There was nothing he could do, but he wasn't prepared to leave her. Not yet...

"Why you?" Michael suddenly asked, knowing full well that it was a ridiculous question.

****

Dhani could feel the threads of ‘it’s’ life force linger in the air, or rather the space around her. She sucked on them like Chinese noodles, feeling the rush as the energy flowed through her, tingling her spine. She tried to concentrate on moving but her body remained uncooperative. So she returned her focus to her breathing. When she remembered about it she realised that she was holding her breath. Not sure if the last thing she had done was inhale or exhale. She panicked for a moment. Her skin prickled with heat.

Once the rhythm settled Dhani began to explore her mind again. She let the sensations wash over her, not over-analysing them. But something caught her interest. This energy pattern she knew. She knew it well. There was a word that went with this one, it was called something….

****

The door opened and Tria poked his head in, “I’m sorry to disturb you.” He said with a look that matched the tone in his voice; pure sincerity. He really didn’t want to continue his sentence, but he also had a job to do. And it wasn’t a nice one. He had already removed Tanson, the girls father, from the room so he could get her to the morgue. And now he had another set back, though it wasn’t like he had targets to aim for. Well that was a lie, he kinda did. He had to get the room cleaned and sterilised for the next patient.

Michael wiped away his tears before looking into the direction of the man who’d addressed him. “Yes?”

Tria sighed silently to himself. He stepped into the room and pushed the door to behind him, “I’m really very sorry but I need to,” dam it he hated this part he usually didn’t have to spell it out. Shaking his head he stopped. This man had come all the way from Earth, he had said, to see Dhanishta. Hell he didn’t care if the next patient was the President, he could spend all the time he wanted with Dhani. He stood for a moment and stared blankly wondering what to do next.

“I just need the charts.” he finally said. Again for a moment he stood still, like a mechanical toy, slow on its mechanisms, jolting forward as if it hadn’t been oiled or greased in years; Tria took the charts from the table and left the room quickly.

And the silence returned to the room. Michael sighed. He knew he had to leave sometime, but he couldn’t. The moment he’d leave would be the moment he would truly have lost her. How strange it was that he had still so much to say to Dhani, yet he wasn’t able to bring out one more word. He just looked at her while still holding her hand, sometimes gently squeezing it.

Then Michael said something he’d thought he would never say. “Now you never know about my feelings for you...”

****

It wasn’t an ‘it’. It was a ‘him’. Just like the first time she had met him that time in the bar on Lanjep, she *knew* him. With all of her being she knew him, she could feel him. His energy passed through her, like a cord, mingling with what was, what had been, mingling with her own cords that had been so severely tattered. She had known him before that, before that first meeting on Lanjep, albeit through the eyes of another. But she *did* know him, he was unmistakable. And just like that first time she reached for his name…

And this time she did not wish to refrain from throwing her arms around him. If she could she would jump up and hold on to him forever, something solid something she knew. And this time it didn’t feel strange to recognise him. And she wished with all her being that she could just bloody *move*!

****

~“Mike…Michael …Michael… McDowell?”~

Her voice resounded through Michaels mind penetrating his hearing just like her voice would have if she had spoken, echoing slightly.

A sudden jolt is the best way to describe what Michael felt when he heard his name. A split second after that he sat straight up, eyes wide open, and looked around. There was no one, but that didn’t make sense. Had he fallen asleep and dreamed about someone calling his name? Maybe. It was possible. To make sure nobody had called him, Michael stood up and walked a few steps into the hall. He looked to the right and left. Nothing. Michael shrugged and returned to Dhani’s room. He’d been daydreaming after all then.

Dhani could feel him move away. She had to hold on to this. She had to hold on to something. Concentrating hard she focused on her left hand, she could feel it, she knew it was there, cold and lifeless. Slowly her little finger moved and twitched. Dhani felt slight satisfaction at finally being able to move, even if it was something so small as a little finger!

But that hadn’t seemed to work. There was no reaction. Did he see? She reminded herself to breath again and then set about her next task, talking. It was difficult, just like her voice would have been strained so was her telepathy. Unused and rusty her voice came out raspy and breathless as she again directed her thoughts to the energy,

~ “You…. didn’t say…. goodbye.” ~ she said referring to the time he left her. Left the Galaxy rather. She knew it wasn’t about her. He needed to sort his life out. But she was his friend and he didn’t even say goodbye to her! Just left a message. One that she had replayed until it wore out.

Now this was becoming a little creepy. It seemed,...it seemed like Dhani herself was talking to him, be it with a very soft voice. But that was impossible! “Goodbye? ...what goodbye?” Michael said to himself. He didn’t have a single clue on what was happening. “What’s going on here?”

Dhani felt the tides inside ebb, the consciousness flowing away from her. She wasn’t sure what that meant, whether she was dying again or just feeling tired. If fact she didn’t even know where she was. Or what was happening or what had happened. For a moment she froze inside feeling all these questions arise sharply in her mind.

But she made her resolve. She wasn’t going to die; nope, not today. It felt like she had spent an eternity toying back and forth in the clutches of death. She was going to get up. She was going to sit up. Open her eyes. Wiggle her toes. No? Okay then, she would settle for small things like moving her hand…. Again!

Switching all her attention to one task, even forgetting to breathe again, she focused intently. The fingers on her right hand twitched, each one in turn raising slightly off the bed. She felt the concentration slipping, she was going to have to make a big movement, like launching herself off a cliff or something, putting all her efforts into one thing and just hope she was caught at the other end.

Her hand jolted from the bed landing on Michael’s arm. As her hand began to slip down Michael’s arm; her fingers caught like a grapple around his wrist, squeezing as tightly as she could, holding on for dear life!

Panic gripped Michael’s heart. The shock was so big that he couldn’t even move an inch. He simply couldn’t believe his eyes! “What the...!!” He called out, which was followed with,

“Doctor!! ...Anyone!?” Instinctively he tried to remove Dhani’s hand. However, her grip was too strong. Then the scientific side of his mind began to analyse what was happening and rationalized it, and this made him aware of a possibility he couldn’t ignore. One that he didn’t want to ignore, even if it seemed absurd. Michael didn’t hesitate any longer and hit the red square that was located right above the bed.

“Medical emergency in room 8 IC unit!! I repeat, medical emergency in room 8 IC Unit!!”

“She’s not gone yet!! Part 2”

Staring Kerenza Eshe,

Chandrakala Lakshmi Eshe

And

Lt. Cmdr Brianna O'Shea, Chief Engineer/SCE Liaison

*USS Galaxy Main Engineering*

The doors the engineering opened and Kala stepped inside. She was greeted by the familiar sound of the warp core humming. It was a strange sound to hear after all these months, and totally different from the Klingon bird of pray she had lived and worked on for the past few years. She took several tender steps forward and looked around. Usually she stormed into engineering, once with a Klingon posse! This was an incredibly un-flamboyant entrance compared to the previous.

For a while she went unnoticed, tears still streamed down her face.

Nara heard the sound of the doors opening, but kept looking at her screen as she worked, but something had caused her to look up a moment later. She looked at the woman trying to figure out which it was. Kala or Dhani. Part her hoped for Dhani.

Kalas red hair fluttered in the slight breeze that flowed through engineering, created by the movements of the officers as they went about their duties. Her gaze finally fell upon Nara. The light caught the tears that welled in her eyes making them sparkle. She half smiled at her in greeting, but her face fell a second later. Kala tried to control the tears, but seeing Nara, someone who cared, she couldn’t hold it in. Standing in the middle of engineering she burst into tears again, covering her face with her hands Kala’s shoulders shook.

Nara blinked at the woman. She quickly walked from behind the console and went to her. She touched her arm, "Kala?" she feared what she already knew.

She stopped asking why she cared a while ago. She may not have been around Dhani much out here in life, but she had got to know her through Dhani's friends and this strange drama she had got herself into. Most of all, she got to know Dhani through Kala; the weeping woman, now before her.

She had also got to know Kala by being there, unsolicited and frankly unintended. They were bound as people are bound of going through something together. She considered Kala a comrade. Someone she would protect with her life.

She hurt because Kala was hurting, but part of her also hurt for Dhani.

And what Nara did when she wasn't sure what to do, but wanted to say something positive, she made lame jokes. "Please tell me you’re crying because someone drank the last bit of un-replicated raktejinko."

A muffled noise came from Kala; that could have been laughter or possibility a wail.

Nara put her arms around the woman and closed her eyes. She felt wetness gather in them, but she hated crying. It took something horrible and unexpected. She had expected this. Kala had been telling her all this time. Dhani was dying. She simply whispered as her voice grew shaky with emotion, "I'm sorry."

Kala tried to hold the emotion but it pored from her like a waterfall. She clung on to Nara tightly her body shaking in the other woman’s arms, vibrating against her chest.

This was how it was going to end? It really didn't seem fair. Nara had barely known Dhani, but knew she would be an interesting partner in their project. She had seen strange things happen around her. She had met her sister, Kala, during the onset of the end of Dhani's life.

She had offered to help and console. She had followed Kala into Dhani's mind which proved nothing more than, visiting another's mind is not something one should take lightly. She had tried to forget it all when everyone left and she was free to get back to her life.

Yet, in the mist of her life and all the Galaxy had gone through, there, in the back of her mind was this new alliance and friendship she had formed with Kala.

Now, here stood Kala, again, like the first time, mourning for her sister. All Nara could do was be there.

Jason noticed the two women from the upper level. He recognised Kala from before. His heart leapt in his chest. Dhani was a friend and he knew what Kalas presence represented. There was no other way to interpret what he saw. She wouldn’t be crying if Dhani was alive. ~Shit Jiiles!~ how the hell was he going to take this? With out thinking he pressed him com badge,

“Lt. Jiiles, report to engineering on the double.” He said.

[“Jiiles here, acknowledge.”] The Bolians voice came clearly over the comm. Line.

Jason stared at Kala and Nara from the upper level for a few minutes before slowly descending.

Kala pulled away from Nara and looked at her. She tried to smile but every time she did her face broke out into a pout. She dried her eyes on the back of her hand and went to speak. Then she noticed that everyone was now looking at them.

“I er…” she started quietly. It was almost as if all the engineers leaned forward to hear what she was going to say.

Kala frowned, “Is the Chief in?” she asked

Nara shook her head. "Not at the moment."

Kala took Nara’s hand and walked to the office. She had enough of causing a scene. As the door opened Kala walked straight in and perched on the Chiefs desk.

She looked up at Nara and again half smiled. Nara knew why she was here, everyone probably did. She tried to talk but the words wouldn’t form. Well not the ones that she came here to say, “It’s good to see you again.” she said, instead, sniffing.

Nara tried to smile, but couldn't, "Good to see you too, but I fear the reason you've come back." She looked Kala in the eyes and if she needed it, there was confirmation.

"Did she..." Nara gulped, "I mean, was she in pain when..." She shook her head, giving up.

Kala smiled faintly at Nara. It was so difficult not even she could bring herself to say the words, Kala understood that. She shifted slightly on the desk and stared down at the floor for a moment. Clearing her throat she went to speak but stopped. Again she dried her eyes and wiped her nose on her sleeve, “This morning...” she began trying desperately to keep her voice from breaking and bursting into tears again, “This morning mom and dad came to the hospital.” Her chin began to wobble and she swallowed hard, “They came and they… they switched off the life support.” She looked up at Nara, tears still in her eyes. She shrugged slightly her head tilting to one side.

Nara looked angry, but pursed her lips keeping them shut. How could they give up? She shook her head, "Was she gone when you last saw her?"

Kala shook her head. She was trying so hard to keep from wailing continuously. Swallowing hard she began to tell Nara the whole story, “I spoke with the doctors last week. They said there was nothing more they could do for her. Her internal organs failed months ago. The only things keeping her alive were the machines. They breathed for her, fed her…”

Lieutenant Jason lingered in the door way, Jiiles’ face peering over his shoulder.

“Kala?” Jiiles interrupted.

Nara turned before she could think of a response--if there could be one to have--and saw Jiiles. Her face fell even more, if possible, knowing how he would take this.

Kala looked over and smiled slightly, shrugging her shoulders. It was hard enough to say the words to Nara, let alone Jiiles. Quite unexpectedly she jumped off the desk and walked up to him, “I’m sorry for you’re loss.” she said taking his hands and pulling him into a tight embrace. Her tears soaked into his uniform as she held his stiff body.

Jiiles felt his heart stop. A coldness took over him as Kala held him. It was shock. He stared into her eyes as she pulled back, searching them, trying to attain the truth from them. He shook his head in disbelief.

Kala coxed him into the office and motioned for Jason to follow. Within about ten minutes all the engineering staff were piled into O’Shea’s office, even several who weren’t on duty. Kala sat back down on the desk, with the department surrounding her; some leaning on the wall others perched on chairs; even several stools had been brought in and littered the once tidy office.

Once everyone was settled Kala started again,

“I spoke with the doctors last week.” she began taking a deep wavering breath, “They said that Dhanishtas brain activity ceased, and that there was nothing more they could do for her.” She paused for a moment letting her words sink in.

She knew that her parents actions sounded cold and harsh, and even to her they were. But part of her understood their decision, even though she disagreed, she still felt the need to back up their actions, “Her internal organs had already failed months before. The machines were all that kept her alive.” she added. It was weird to defend her parents when she still *felt* Dhani. Still felt that she was alive, still felt… she wasn’t sure what she felt any more.

“My parents came to the hospital this morning, and turned off the life support.”

She paused again and stared blankly before her, “I… I think I handled it badly.” She said vaguely. “The security guards escorted me out of her room. In fact dad pushed me out and they grabbed me, sedated me, and left me in recovery!” she looked up from her short monologue and pulled herself back to the moment. Looking directly at Nara she responded to her earlier question, “When I left Dhani was alive, but only just. My dad was with her. I haven’t heard anything since.” she said.

Kala felt numb again as she finished. It was a strange sensation to talk to so many people about this; she had to pull herself together for them, stand up and speak correctly and loudly enough for them all to hear without breaking down into squeaky noises and mumbling incoherently.

She surveyed the shocked faces around her, and marvelled at the silence that followed. Jason placed a hand on Jiiles shoulder for support and hung his head. Several others turned to hug the person standing next to them. Kala didn’t know any of the people around her, or how well they knew her sister. But it didn’t matter.

Nara heard Mei take hold of her arm as she tried not to cry. Nara took a deep breath, "Is there anything we can do?"

Kala simply shrugged. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do. She shook her head as her eyes welled again making her nose tingle, “Nara, I can still *feel* her!” she said chewing on her bottom lip to stop herself making weird crying faces in front of everyone.

When Anna returned to Engineering she paused seeing the large pool of people, waiting to go into her office. Looking around the stations were unmanned and diagnostics were going unchecked. ~What is going down in there?~ She thought to herself as she walked over to the group of people.

Jiiles had sunk down the wall as Kala spoke. He sat in the corner of the room only visible now as the swarm of people shuffled, in shock, back to their stations. A slight hissing sound could be heard as they began to whisper to each other. Jason was crouched next to him, staring intently at his friend. Concern knitting his brow. Tears streamed silently down the bolians face as he stared out across the floor.

Nara turned seeing people hustle to get back to their stations, then as the doorway cleared, she saw O'Shea. "Frell." She whispered. She nudged Mei, "Better get back to work before she gets really ticked."

"After Action Report" part 1

Featuring: Second Lieutenant Greg Ward (PCC-Wil)
Blue Team Commander/SFMC-USS Galaxy

Master SGT Pete "Wrong-Way" Stacker (NPC)
1st Platoon XO/CO 1st Squad-Blue Team/SFMc-USS Galaxy

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Location: Greg's Office, "Marine Country"-USS Galaxy

After the events with the team on Mirsua, Greg was stuck in his office filling out the usual reports to be sent to not only the officer in charge of the Furies as well as the head of the ARC Project.

Suddenly there was a knock at the open door to his office and Greg looked up and saw Pete standing in the doorway, holding a PADD of his own which he handed to to Greg.

"I'm sorry to inform you sir, but one Dhanishta Eshe of the Galaxy's engineering section died a short while ago while we were still on the planet. However we are still receiving data on it." Stacker informed Greg who read through the PADD before he tossed it hard onto the desk.

"Frak me and Frak Suder. Stacker, I want you to get me Donut, Waldron and Caboose. Tell them that I want Suder in my office before Delta Shift today. Capesh?" Greg said in a cold, emotionless voice.

"Yes Sir, shall I have Waldron heat up the irons as well?" Stacker said, knowing from personal experience what his CO was thinking.

"No, not yet. I'm going to contact Miss Eshe's sister that came aboard before we left for this mission with that...woman on aboard." Greg said with the comment about the "woman" being Olivia Proctor who had a history with Greg's father since he was a dove and the admiral was one of the biggest hawks around.

"Aye sir, I'll get right on it." Stacker said as he saluted before leaving the room, leaving the half-trill to his thoughts.

About four minutes later, Pete was back in Greg's doorway. "Um, got some bad news. I just found out from one of the Reds that Suder got transferred off right after he got demoted." he explained.

"Right, get Grace on intelligence detail and find out where Suder went to and get Simmons to help her." Greg said as he tapped the top of his desk with one finger.

"Isn't that kind of extreme considering that we're not starfleet security, don't you think?" Pete asked.

Greg shook his head, "No, this is not extreme. Suder was still under suspicion about what happened that day and now he's suddenly gone missing right when his victim has been declared dead. He is now a fugitive from federation law, Peter. This is about the law, nothing more and nothing less." Greg said

Peter didn't say anything else and simply nodded as he headed off to do his duty, once again leaving Greg alone with his thoughts.

“Ad Lucem”

**Ad Lucem: Latin. Translation: - “Towards the light”**

In order of appearance:

Michael McDowell - Civilian

Tria - Third year Medical Attending (NPC)

And Dhanishta Eshe

** Previously, in "Aeternum vale?" **

Location: Trill, Leran Manev View Hospital; room 8, Intensive Care

Her hand jolted from the bed landing on Michael's arm. As her hand began to slip down Michael's arm; her fingers caught like a grapple around his wrist, squeezing as tightly as she could, holding on for dear life!

Panic gripped Michael's heart. The shock was so big that he couldn't even move an inch. He simply couldn't believe his eyes! "What the...!!" He called out, which was followed with "Doctor!! ...Anyone!?" Instinctively he tried to remove Dhani's hand. However, her grip was too strong. Then the scientific side of his mind began to analyse what was happening and rationalized it, and this made him aware of a possibility he couldn't ignore. One that he didn't want to ignore even if it seemed absurd.

Michael didn't hesitate any longer and hit the red square that was located right above the bed. "Medical emergency in room 8!! I repeat, medical emergency in room 8!!"

And now the continuation:

Tria stood just outside the door of room eight. After collecting Dhanishtas chart he had stood there reading it. Well he had been staring at it; if anyone looked at him it appeared that he was reading it but in fact he was not. Part of him wanted to just slide down the wall, sit on the floor and cry. And he would have done if it hadn't been for the fact that he was on duty. He wasn't inclined to get emotionally involved with his patients, but this one.

He remembered the day Dhanishta was brought in to the hospital. Her eyes had been open; wide staring eyes, dark and hollow. He had shivered when he first saw her. It was hard to believe that she was alive… what with her eyes the way they were. He had seen that stare before; the stare of the dead.

He knew back then on that first day what the outcome would be. Dhanishta was a Trill, yes. But she was also a Betazoid. The staff at Leran Manev View hospital just didn't have the training to deal with this sort of thing. She was in a telepathic induced coma for crying out loud! What the hell was a Trill based hospital supposed to do about that? They had no equipment, no experience, no clue on how to deal with her. She would have been better off going to Betazed or Vulcan. And as such, he had suggested that but the family declined. And so this was the outcome. The outcome he had predicted all those months ago.

Even though he knew this he was still upset. He had watched Kala for months. The woman had put her life on hold for her sister. She had left her job, which she loved, left her home, put her career on stand by and sat by her sisters' side for six months. He had watched her travel in every morning by transport shuttle, he used to make her fresh coffee every morning, leave it in Dhanis room for her; he paused and half chuckled at the memory. He had watched as she had given up on any sort of normal life and moved a sparse amount of her belongings into the hospital, losing the rest during the Trill disaster. She had slept on the floor of her sisters from for four months. And never winged one!

And for what?

She hadn't even been here when Dhani finally took her last breath.

Was this life he watched?

Was this the joy that life brings?

Cause so far it SUCKED ARSE!!!!!

The yells form the room pulled him from his reverie. Slowly at first he turned his head towards the door trying to make sense of the shouting. Side stepping quickly he almost dropped the chart as he rushed to open the door.

"What's going on?" he asked as he entered.

The chart hit the floor with a loud clatter, the papers fluttering out across it. Trias jaw dropped, his breath stilled and his heart skipped. His body tingled with chills as he froze.

He stared at the sight before him; Dhanishta, his DEAD patient, had a firm if not limb tearing grip on the humans arm, the human who's name he still didn't know! His mind went on hiatus, nothing registered. The lights were on but nobody was home!

Michael had calmed a bit by now and was looking at Dhani to see how she was doing. He at least expected to find that she'd opened her eyes, but that was not so. He turned to the Medical Assistant that stood behind him. Why did it take him so long to do something? Alright, this was a weird situation...but they had to act now. "Hey, are you going to help or just stand there!?"

Tria lurched forward at the sound of the mans voice. He couldn't help but ask again, "What the *hell* happened?" he emphasised.

"I don't know. She,...she just grabbed my arm all of a sudden!" Michael replied. He still wondered about the powerful grip Dhani held his wrist with. He never knew she was that strong.

Tria hurried to the side of Dhanis bed and began to take a look at her. He opened one of her eyes and pulled a torch from his jacket pocket, shining the light into her eyes. There was no reaction, which was odd. He moved down to the end of the bed and uncovered her feet. Again using the torch, he ran it along the underside of her foot. Yet again there was no reaction; he had expected her foot to curl up at the touch.

He frowned and stared at her. The heart monitor behind her was beeping. In fact it was showing a regular rhythm. He stared at the connections following them to Dhanishtas chest; some had been removed and lay across the sheet, several of them however were still attached.

Picking up Dhanishta wrist he felt her pulse. He was surprised to find one. He was a little shocked, as all the information he gathered was conflicting. Still holding on to her wrist he leaned over to the medical trolley and pulled out a tricorder and began to scan her.

Deep frown lines furrowed his brow. Stepping forward he pushed a button above the bed, "Dr. Marksman to room eight, IC ward. ON THE DOUBLE" he half shouted. His voice rang through the halls of the hospital his urgency was clear.

Dhanishtas had squeezed Michael's wrist tighter, ~ "No! No more doctors." ~ her knuckles whitened as her grip intensified.

Picking up the tricorder off the white sheets Tria jumped violently as the door slammed closed behind him. The tricorder fell to the floor clattering loudly. Tria stepped back from the bed and stared at Michael.

Michael had not even noticed the door. He just stared in front of him, completely focused on the voice in his head. It was the second time he'd heard it this day. He wondered if somehow, for some reason, he was going nuts. "No...doctors." he softly repeated the words.

Tria stared at Michael and then back down at the living corpse. He wasn’t usually easy to scare, but right now he’d rather be anywhere but here. Was this a practical joke? Cause it wasn’t funny. He looked back up at Michael,

“What did you say?” he asked his voice shaking slightly.

There was not response from Michael. Seen from another person's perspective it was like he was in a trance. It had taken him some time, but now he knew that it was really Dhani who was communicating to him. It sounded crazy, but it couldn't be anything else. She'd somehow reached him, formed a telepathic link with him.

Tria stared at Michael and began to back away nervously, “Look this isn’t funny.” Tria began as he reached out behind him for the door handle. Grabbing it in his sweaty palm he tried to open the door. But it didn’t work. Turning round fully Tria pulled hard on the door, but it was no use it was jammed. Tria swallowed hard. His fear turning to anger,

“What the hell is going on?” he half shouted at Michael.

It was a mere whisper when Michael spoke. "Everything is alright... Don't be...afraid." After having, said that he focused on his link with Dhani again. He didn't want to lose her again. ~Dhani? Dhani!? Are you there? Please, say something! I'm here!~

Tria stared deeply at Michael, “Don’t be afraid!..? Everything is going to be alright!...?” Tria repeated hysterical. “I have a dead patient that’s moving, that has a heart beat and a pulse, and yet shows no other external signs of being alive!” he pulled out his tricorder in exasperation, “This thing must be broken, or something is….. The door won’t open and you’re….” he bit his tongue before he said anything that he might regret. This was turning out to be one hell of a day. Her pupils were fixed and dilated, there had been no physical reaction to stimuli… the heart monitor noted a beat and he swore he could feel a pulse but his tricorder told him she was dead, and all the other signs indicated that too! Tria rubbed his head in confusion. Looking back up he noticed how close Michael had got the corpse, or Miss Eshe rather… before he had seemed just as freaked out at he was but now… now he seemed…. Trias eyes widened as he realised.

“She’s talking to you isn’t she?” he asked, finally getting his head around the situation.

"Yes..." Michael answered with the same manner as before. Still, Dhani didn't respond. He kept trying to call her name in his thoughts, hoping that in some way she could hear him via the link they had. Or the link he assumed they had. ~Dhani! Dhani!!? Say something, give me a sign, anything. Don't give up now!!"

Tria scratched his head and took a step forward, he hesitated slightly as he approached the bed. Taking one last look at the medical tricorder he snapped it shut and threw it back in the draws. It was clear that technology wasn’t going to work this time round, and on this woman. He was going to have to go with gut instincts. As he couldn’t get out of the room or get anyone in to help. Picking up Dhanis wrist again he monitored her pulse.

“Dhani?” he asked looking between her and Michael, “can you hear me?” he wasn’t quite shouting; just raised his voice like you would when talking to your deaf old granny.

~ “I can hear him.” ~ Dhanis voice spoke in a whisper inside Michaels mind. ~ “I’m not deaf!”~ her voice faded for a moment, almost like talking to someone when they were half asleep, husky and slow. And her grip slackened on his arm. Her hand fell back to the bed sheets with a slight thud.

It was a warning sign, and one that Michael took seriously. ~Tell me what you want me to do Dhani. How can I help you? I'll try anything...but you have to help me.~

~ “I want to go… outside. Take me outside…” ~ Dhani begged. She felt tired but she didn’t want to sleep, she wanted to get up and move around, shout scream… anything. But she still couldn’t move… so he was just going to have to move for her!

Michael didn't even hesitate. The moment Dhani said what she wanted him to do he quickly, though carefully, lifted her up from the bed. The few sensors that were still connected to her body were pulled off when he walked toward the door. Like before, the door started to move without anyone physically pulling/pushing it. From there Michael started to walk into the direction of the lift. Once there he entered the lift and without saying a thing it started to move and ended on the ground floor. Next he headed to the south entrance, which was next to the cafeteria. He completely ignored the people around them. Once through the south entrance, Michael stood on an old and crumbly patio. Before him lay the large garden that belonged to the Leran Manev View Hospital. The stone steps in front of him were leading through an arch in a six foot hedge that stood some five meters from him.

Michael waited for a few moments and then slowly, step by step, followed the path. After the arch, the path continued through a hallway of bushes and made a few twists and turns before ending in an inner garden that was circular in form. Everywhere was lush vegetation. Flowers of all sorts, trees, bushes, and grass pastures on key locations alongside a small stream. It was like a garden of Eden, right in the middle of the devastation and chaos in the Trill capitol. And it was there, on the green grass, that Michael laid Dhani down.

The sun was shining and her golden rays touched Dhani's face and bounced of her hair, giving it a beautiful warm glow. ~Dhani? We're outside now...in the garden.~ Michael said with his inner voice. ~It's beautiful... And the sun is shining. Can you feel it?~

Dhani noticed how the light changed as Michael carried her through the hospital and out into the world. The sensations of air flowing past her, over her, through her hair, it was totally amazing. As the light lit up her dull and pale features she could feel its heat flow through her. The warmth travelled across her skin tickling every nerve ending. It was like experiencing all these for the first time, like being a new born baby, but this time around she had the ability to remember the sensations and the emotions that coursed through her being.

As her fingers touched the ground she could feel the grass beneath it, each blade sharp and slightly corrugated, it was strange to notice all the little things…. And all the energy that whizzed past them she could feel it, touch it bend it… and it was becoming so much easier… and she hadn’t *thought* of breathing in at least the last five minutes, she felt stronger.

~ “I can feel it.” ~ she replied her voice steadier, ~ “I can feel …. Everything…” ~ her fingers slowly curled around a tuft of grass, inside she smiled at her accomplishment.

~ “I can hear water, Take me to it?” ~ she asked a note of enthusiasm and excitement flowing through her voice.

~Alright, here we go.~ Michael carefully picked Dhani up and walked over to the little stream that was just a few meters from them. He stepped into the water and slowly let Dhani down. ~It's a bit cold, so I won't let you in the water for too long, okay?~

As they entered the stream Dhani could feel the cool water surrounding her. The standard, and extremely unflattering, hospital gown flowed out across the waters surface. Slowly soaking up the water, like a sponge, before it submerged and stuck to the contours of Dhanis withered and bony body. Her skinny legs and arms bobbed on the surface as Michael held her. She could feel every inch of her body as the water slowly encapsulated her; trickling across her stomach and under her breasts, then over them and up to her neck, and then over her face and through her dark hair, across her dry lips, into her mouth and into her ears.

Submerge and totally surrounded by liquid she felt weightless in this environment. Dhani began to move her fingers, and then her arms and then her legs….until she was wiggling every part of her body. Her face broke out into a smile, flashing her pearly whites to the fish.

As Michael slowly lifted her back up out of the water she could feel the drag of her clothing, the pressures of gravity affecting her body, in fact she felt as heavy as a cow! But Michael lifted her with ease and she felt his strength flow through his arms and into her. She could feel droplets of water rolling across her face, down her nose, across her cheeks, down her forehead and on to her eyes. Tiny droplets gathered in her eyelashes and she could feel them as she slowly opened them, and looked up into his face, her smile widening.

“Hey you!” she said her voice cracked as she spoke. Her throat and mouth had been as dry as a sponge on Vulcan, after she had swallowed large mouthfuls of the water she could actually feel her tongue again, but still her voice was broken and husky. Her hand reached up a little shakily and traced his jaw line with her index finger.

"Dhani!" It was all Michael could say, but all the emotion he felt could easily be heard. Worry, pain, sadness, sheer happiness, longing, wonder,...it was all there. He wrapped Dhani in his arms and held her as close as possible. "I...I thought I lost you..."

Michael let her go again when he realized in what state she was in. In the months she'd been in coma her body had withered away, and physically she was but a shadow of the woman she was before.

Dhanishta wrapped her arms around Michaels neck and leaned in towards him, kissing him softly on the lips, as a mother would a child goodnight, and she whispered;

“Thank you.”

"For what?" Michael said softly. "You did it all by yourself. I only carried you."

“Thank you for being here.” She replied. Resting her head on his chest she listened to his heart beat, regular and comforting. She could feel his energy surrounding her like a duvet warm and comfortable. She could see his life force in a beautiful array of colours. And as she looked out across the stream and the gardens she could see the energy ribbons of thousands of life forms; from the grass to the trees, the stream to the earth, the insects to the birds flying high above them. It was all too much and tears slipped down her cheeks.

Michael pulled her closer as he saw Dhani cry. "Hey,...it's alright. Everything is okay. It's all over now. You're safe..."

From a distance Tria stood and watched his jaw hitting the ground. Beside him stood Doctor Marksman a middle-aged white haired Joined Trill,

“I don’t believe it, its just not possible…” the aged Trill said in a near hysteria as he searched through the charts and medical notes, looking for an answer that wasn’t there, to a question he didn’t even know how to ask.

The paper fluttered in the breeze as he continued to pull the reports apart. Tria just watched him in mild amusement and then turned away from Michael and Dhani to face Mia, the stout matronly figured head nurse, and Sara, a tall slender female Trill. Both of whom had joined them out on the grass inside the Rose Garden. They shared an expression of shock, joy and elation.

“Mia, go back to the ward and get some thermal blankets. I don’t want these two to catch a chill. Not after ….” He trailed off not really sure how to describe what had just transpired right before his eyes.

Mia responded with a nod and a smile. She touched his arm and went to speak, tears of joy glistening in her eyes, but the lump caught in her throat and all she could do was squeeze his arm before bustling off towards the hospital.

“Sara,” Tria turned to the other nurse, “Go and get a weal chair I don’t think or patient should be walking around too much, not until we run some more tests and make sure she is fit.”

Sara nodded, “How did she... I mean what did you… how?” she concluded lost for words.

Tria turned back and looked at Michael as he emerged from the water and sat with Dhanishta on the grass by the edge of the stream, “I really have no idea.” He replied honestly. This was the biggest medical marvel he had ever seen, and medicine had nothing to do with it!

“But I bet you 1000 strips of latinum that he,” Tria indicated Michael, “has something to do with it!”

“She’s not gone yet!! Part 3”

Staring Kerenza Eshe,

Chandrakala Lakshmi Eshe

Lieutenant (Jg) Naranda Sol Roswell

And

Lt. Cmdr Brianna O'Shea, Chief Engineer/SCE Liaison

After Mei reluctantly went back and the few people who cared enough about Dhani and Kala to endure the Chief's wrath stayed, Nara walked up to O'Shea.

"Dhani's twin sister is here. She's got bad news."

Anna looked over at Nara, then looked back to the woman and nodded. "I see, thank you..." Anna said to Nara then approached Kala.

Kala nodded her thanks and shook several people’s hands as they left. Shifting on the desk she moved several pads so she didn't sit on them. Wiping her eyes she looked up, she hadn't noticed the slightly annoyed looking woman enter, or heard what Nara had said. She glanced up at the woman, not realising who she was, she again nodded her thanks and flashed her a small smile of gratitude for her support, thinking she was just another face from the crowd.

Nara looked at O'Shea and back at Kala, "This is Lt. Commander Brianna O'Shea. She's the chief now." Nara told Kala with a slight tinge of urgency.

Kala looked from Nara to O’Shea, confusion crossed her face for a moment as she, all too slowly, realised what Nara was telling her.

"Pleasure to meet you... given the situation." Anna said, knowing it had to be bad whatever it was.

Kala nodded and stared at her for a moment. She shifted again on the desk, and suddenly realised that this was *her* desk. This was *her* office and she had just taken over without asking. Hell if anyone had done that back on the T’Kengra to her office she would have smacked them, no matter the circumstances. She hopped off the desk quickly and looked around the office. It defiantly wasn’t as pristine as when she first entered, “I’m sorry.” Kala said gesturing to the office, “I didn’t know that you were here, I mean in… I mean who you were!” She looked at Nara and the others that were around and then back at O’Shea. It had been that long since she had been on a Starfleet vessel she had totally forgotten protocol.

Taking Naras hand she squeezed it, “Thank you.” she said taking her into an embrace, “You guys can go now. I can ‘handle’ your new chief.” she whispered in Naras ear.

Nara looked at her and nodded, "We'll talk after my shift if you want."

Pulling back she smiled at Nara and watched as she left along with the others. It was unusual site to watch Jason pull Jiiles, the six foot bolian, to his feet and drag him out of O’Shea’s office.

When they had all left Kala turned back to O’Shea, finally letting the chief have control back of the situation.

Anna gestured to the sofa, where she herself moved to sit down.

Kala didn’t give her too long to settle though. She was quickly losing nerve to repeat the events of the morning, again! It was hard enough the first time round.

“I don’t suppose you knew my sister.” she stated rather than questioned, “So I won’t take up much of your time. Dhanishta has been on life support for six months now. Her internal organs failed months ago and last week her brain activity stopped. The doctors say there is nothing more they can do for her, so my parents decided to switch off the machines that kept her alive. They flicked the switch at 0900 hours this morning. Dhanishta is,” Kala paused her quick repetition of the morning’s events, she hadn’t had confirmation that her sister had gone, she was still alive when she left. Well she though she was, “She will be, I think she is,” Kala stumbled over her words. The lump caught in her throat, “….dead.” she finally concluded, “They say she won’t last the night.” Kala quickly added not wanting to sound as if she had given up on her sister too.

Anna didn't let it show on her face that she thought of Nara and her lying about being dead. She looked down. "I'm sorry... I did know your sister and she is very hard working and capable young woman." Anna said, since she had been on the Galaxy before with Dhani. "I would very much like to know the arrangements so I can pay respects."

Kala froze, she had shouted at her mother earlier for talking with the captain about arranging Dhanis funeral. She wasn’t even cold yet and Kerenza was disguising which flowers and what type of casket and if a morning service was better than an evening or, or, or! She shuddered and looked at O'Shea. Crossing the room Kala sat down heavily on the couch.

"She's not even cold yet." Kala blurted out, "I can't believe it. They just switched it off! After all this time, they just gave up. I can still feel her. I thought that she would make it. I really did." Kala hadn’t intended to off load on O'Shea but she couldn’t help it. It was how she felt. Hanging her head she began to cry again. She wondered how much more she could cry. Was there a point where you couldn’t cry anymore?

"People deal with death in their own ways. Sometimes to us it looks cold, or even uncaring. I'm sure they to are hurting, Kala." Anna said, this was not what she was good at yet she was thrust into this without any means of escape. "I'm so very sorry for all this.." Anna said, not sure what else to say.

Kala sniffed loudly. Her eyes stung and she felt exhausted. Slowly she leaned towards O’Shea and soon her head was resting in the chiefs’ lap. Kala closed her eyes and sighed. Her left hand curled around a fold of fabric on O’Sheas’ trousers; holding on to it like a child would a security blanket. Her tears rolled from the corners of her eyes and were absorbed by the dark material.

Anna was caught off guard by Kala having her head in her lap. Hesitantly, Anna rested her hands on Kala's head and caressed the side of her face. Anna didn't know what to say, hell she was struggling through all this as it was. She just didn't have any idea what to say, or even think about saying. Sure she'd had to give bad new such as someone being killed to a parent or spouse. She was always light years away from them, they never were right here with her.

Kala let out a slight murmur as O’Shea’s fingers stroked her cheek. It was quite comforting in a way. She closed her eyes and for a moment tried not to think about anything.

Nara glanced toward the office a few times while standing at her console, looking at the usual diagnostics. She wondered how O'Shea was handling a woman mourning her sister.

The doors to engineering swished open and a tall woman entered. She carried herself with dignity and grace, almost flowing into the room rather than walking. Her dark eyes surveyed engineering, her black ringlets bobbing as she looked around. She had a pale completion drawing attention to her black eyes and pouting red lips. Her makeup was flawed by tear streaks that ran down her cheeks, although her mascara hadn’t run at all. Her black eyes were defined even more by the dramatic eye make up she wore.

Frowning slightly the woman began to walk towards the office that she presumed belonged to the commanding officer of this section; she didn’t like talking to junior officers!

Nara stepped away from the console and quickly walked toward the woman,

"I'm sorry, the chief is in there with someone." She recognized something familiar about the woman. Not familiar to her, but assumed she was connected to this current crisis. "You know Dhani, don't you?"

The woman halted abruptly and turned to the young officer. Her body turned first and then her eyes descended down to the young woman’s face. She wasn’t actually all that tall, it was just the way she carried herself. She stared at the girl and tilted her head to one side for a moment in contemplation.

She came out of her thoughts and straightened herself and nodded curtly, “And you are?” she asked, her tone slightly sharp, as if Nara was an insignificant person in her way. She had an air of authority to her, as if she had been classically trained at a finishing school and her voice sounded like she had elocution lessons. She acted like royalty!

Nara raised an eyebrow looking at the woman. "Lt. Junior Grade Naranda Roswell." She softened her voice, "A friend of Dhanishta’s...And Kala's." She was used to rulers. The Juyel on Sakaria treated her as a niece from what she could remember, and the dignitaries she found herself dine with at her parent's insistence on the Starbase were not cold, but paid her no mind-not that she complained. She had rarely met someone who seemed to claim this presence yet showed no proof of having the role.

“I am Kerenza Eshe, Dhanishta and Chandrakala’s mother.” Kerenza replied, again pronouncing the ‘h’ in Dhanis name and rolling the ‘r’s in Kalas. “According to the internal ship sensors Chandrakala is in the Commanders office.” she stated turning to continue to the office. She paused in her tracks, she occasionally forgot that Starfleet had protocol, “Would you announce to the Commander and my daughter that I am here?” she asked politely turning back to face the young engineer.

Nara nodded, "Of course."

Back inside Anna's office, she had gotten a tissue from the replicator and began to blot Kala's eyes. "I don't know what to say, just know if you need anything, or just someone to listen. I'm here, night or day." Anna said then, drying Kala's tears.

Kala was a little overwhelmed with the situation herself, did she or did she not just curl up in the arms of her sisters’ commanding officer? Hell Dhanis death was making her do some strange things. She took the tissue from O’Shea’s hand and mumbled her thanks.

Her eyes darted around the office for a minute, “Could I transfer here?” Kala asked suddenly. She hadn’t thought about it the question just popped out before she realised what it was.

Anna wasn't sure how to answer it. "There is paper work that would need to be handled. I don't see why you couldn't, I mean as long as everything is in order."

Kala opened her mouth to speak at the exact same time Nara rung the chime to announce her presence outside the Chief's door.

"Come.." Anna stated, then looked toward the door.

Nara slowly walked in, trying not to look at Kala for the moment, "Dhani and Kala's mother, Kerenza Eshe is here." Then Nara allowed her eyes to meet Kala's and asked silently if she should stay or return to her station.

~Do I need to stay?~ The only person she ever mind-spoke to was Kala. Speaking to her in this way seemed almost more natural than actual speech, yet it never crossed her mind to mind-speak with anyone else. Even her own mother, had she been there.

Kala stared numbly at her mother. Right now there was a mixture of hate and sorrow towards the woman. Kala stood up, “Mother.” She said simply inclining her head.

Kerenza nodded to Kala and stepped forward and extended her right hand towards the other officer, “Commander O’Shea chief of engineering I presume?” she asked.

Anna stood. "Yes... though I've not heard your name." Anna said, standing there, god this woman already smelt of attitude.

“Kerenza Eshe. Pleasure to meet you.” She said shaking the young woman’s hand. For a moment Kerenza glared at Kala, she wasn’t happy with her daughters conduct in front of the captain. She would talk to her about it later perhaps, now wasn’t the time. She certainly didn’t want another showdown in front of yet another Starfleet officer!

Kala looked over towards Nara, she nodded towards the door and watched Nara as she opened it. Kala followed her out leaving O’shea and her mother alone in the Chiefs office.

Kala just wrapped her arms around Nara and hugged her as they stood outside the office. Burying her head in Naras chest.

Nara wrapped her arms around Kala and gently squeezed. She couldn't think of anything to say. She tried to calm herself and sent some of that to Kala's mind.

*****

"What brings you to the Galaxy, Ma'am?" Anna asked, as she moved and settled down behind her desk. "I'm sorry for the loss of your daughter. She was a good officer and friend."

Kerenza nodded and sat down, “Thank you Miss O’Shea.” She replied. “I came primarily to inform Captain M’Kantu of Dhanishtas death. And yourself as you were her commanding officer. We will be holding her funeral on Trill within the next week. I have been informed that the Galaxy is leaving tonight on a mission, it is unfortunate that Dhanishta will not be able to have a federation service, but the Captain will organise a memorial for her here on the ship so her friends can morn accordingly.” She held herself high, and her tone carried no sadness or guilt. It was almost as if she was talking about someone she hadn’t even met. She smiled too, adding to her air of detachment.

Pausing for a moment she glanced around the office and cringed at the décor before returning her gaze to O’Shea, “Well I should be going, I have taken up enough of your time. Thank you.” She said simply standing up to leave.

Anna looked at the woman. "Yes, I can see you’re over come with remorse for your daughter." The flaming red hair woman said. "Rest assured, I will speak to Captain M'Kantu about the ship board service. If he is detained, I will handle it myself." Anna said, and meant it.

Kerenza paused as she stood up. Her eyes flashed up at O’Shea and she visibly bit her tongue. Slowly she straightened up. Licking her lips she deliberated a response as she walked towards the door.

“Miss O’Shea, don’t you *dare* think for one second that I didn’t love my daughter. Dhanishta was my first born and she means more to me than you can ever image. A parent should *never* outlive their child. Do you not think I wouldn’t give the world to see my baby get up and walk, run to me, smile at me, even shout at me? Just because I am not screaming from the roof tops and crying in a heap, doesn’t mean that I am not dying inside….” As she spoke her voice rose in pitch, even her lip began to wobble. She had never showed as much emotion in front of another person as she had today, and she could even feel the tears welling again! Blinking them back she took on a stern demeanour and stared at the commander.

“Good day to you.” She finally said spinning round to the door.

“Chandrakala…!” Kerenzas voice rippled through the air as the door closed to O’Shea’s office.

"Remorseful my ass... if you were remorseful you would be comforting your other daughter and taking care of the one that died. Not off trying to get some formal ceremony for your daughter." Anna said to herself, as she walked over to her desk and sat down. Then picked up the padd laying there and tried to read it but she was to bothered now.

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