Star Trek TFL E-mail Role Play Entries, Page 5
Subj: Better Late Than Never
Date: 11/9/98 2:24:27 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Alley Quan
To: Angel Swan, VAdm Quan, DredPiRob, DrKrisMLyn
To: Amatuli, ADumas1826, ARBoss, Aron Wago, BCrew
To: Bld2LoveHr, B M Bowden, BradBaumn, Caelin R
To: Capt speed, CaptJoker, Capt MattS, Capt Raven
To: Cezzane, Clnl James, Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell
To: Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, D Rekhval, DMacCullum
To: FireDncerX, Josef McQ, Jol tLiss, Joy Mudd
To: KelCaraidX, Kris aps, Love Robin, Lt Jaz Dax
To: LtjCMoriah, LtCdrAnora, Lt SilverI, Moondnce
To: MqSabiene, PrincessML, ShaunaSkye, SinjnHawke
To: StuChtRiit, Trochilus, VinceOdin, Wiz Soong
To: W OConner, Wolenczak, YeIIow
Okay, okay. I'll admit it. Maybe I'm not a model citizen and
maybe I'm not a good example to use as your daughter's role model. So what? I
know the difference between right and wrong. Yeah, sometimes I go off the deep
end and let my anger rule over my actions. Shit, if you've been through what
I've been through, seen the crap I've seen, you'd probably be just like me. Ah
hell. None of you know what I'm even talking about. I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let's see, where should I start? Not from the beginning. Too boring. Don't
want to bore you. I know, I'll start when I met Him.
Years ago, who knows how many what with all these time deviations,
dilation's and shifts we've gone through, I finally met Him. No, met really
doesn't describe it. Saved his ass is more like it. He'd gotten into trouble with
one of Mom's old friends, a reptile named Thellian.
See, Mom met Him while still in the Fleet. Then, somehow, they
lost track of each other after we moved to the Oregulan system. Mom wanted to get
out on her own, said that Starfleet didn't do it for her. We were doing pretty
well by ourselves. Mom had her courier business and I started helping out when I
was old enough. She always said I had a knack with technology, said I was a big
part of the companies success. All I really did was keep her ship together.
We only had each other, couldn't trust anyone else. That didn't
last too long. Mom was murdered a few years after we moved, by none other than
Jankor Thellian. After that point I made a vow to hunt the bastard down and kill
him. Not with a long, painless death but a slow, torturous one. He deserved
nothing less. I'd make him choke on his own guts. After all, who said payback was
supposed to be humane?
Lucky for him someone beat me to it. I guess he screwed up one too
many times and paid with his life. Authorities found him holding his severed head
in the crook of his arm. I guess whoever killed him wanted his perspective of
death to be unique. Did a good job of it, if you ask me. Pretty original too.
With Thellian dead I lost my direction. Then I remembered Him. Mom
said you could tell if someone was trustworthy by their aura. Something told me
I could trust him so I took a chance. It took me a while but I finally tracked Him
down to Earth. So, I just showed up during one of His lectures at the Academy. No
pressure, right?
I wasn't sure what to expect. I mean, we hardly knew each other.
Maybe he wouldn't remember me. I just had to take that chance. After all, wasn't
like I had anywhere else to go. To keep this from getting sappy I'll just say he
was happy to see me.
That night He dropped a bomb on me. Maybe bomb's too harsh a term.
More like hinted at something. He suggested that we might be related to each other,
even suggested we take a DNA test. That's the last time I heard Him mention the
subject. Shoot, I was cool with it and all. I sort of liked the idea that this guy
was related to me. But, as we spent more time together and I got to know Him,
things started to fall into place. I was, *am*, His daughter.
Here I was, on Earth, with *my* father, a man I'd longed to know for
as long as I can remember. Instead of being happy, I was friggin' pissed! Yeah, so
he was my long lost father. How come he hadn't shown up years ago, when Mom really
needed him? When *I* really needed him? I mean, he could've made some effort to check
up on us. Maybe Mom would still be alive.
A few months went by. Dad was cool and all. He let me have my space.
We hardly spoke. He even adjusted his schedule according to mine, you know, to make
sure I saw him as little as possible. Then, one night as I was watching the stars
glimmer above, it hit me. Maybe he hadn't been there for me before, but he was here
now.
I felt like crap. Depressed. That's when he surprised me again. After
all the mean things I'd said to him in the months past, he asked me if I was okay.
Sure it was obvious that I was down but it was the gesture and the timing that counted.
I mean, let's face it, men aren't really all that insightful to begin with. But
that's a different story altogether.
Anyway, that's where my life started picking up. He said I could
live with him for as long as I wanted. The house was as much mine as it was his.
Dad was so supportive of me. He told me that I shouldn't let my situation change me,
I had to change it. Slowly but surely I started to build my life back up, getting
help here and there from Him.
Sometimes I wonder what our relationship would've been like if I
hadn't forgiven him. I guess pretty much the same. Heck, I guess I just wouldn't
have been able to stay mad at him for very long anyway. He's just that kind of guy
that has that sort of impact on people. I'm happy. Happier than I've ever been
since Mom died. I found my Dad, got a new life. The Galaxy is my oister. Better
late than never, right? Heh. Better late than never. Whoever said that sure knew
what they were talking about.
Oh! I almost forgot. Who's my Dad? Hmmm. Well, you know all his traits
from my rambling. You figure it out. Guy's, if you need help figuring it out, just
ask a woman. ;D
Subj: Shadow of the Swan - Part 5
Date: 11/15/98 2:06:47 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Angel Swan
To: VAdm Quan, DredPiRob, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli
To: Angel Swan, ADumas1826, Alley Quan, ARBoss
To: Aron Wago, BCrew, Bld2LoveHr, B M Bowden
To: BradBaumn, Caelin R, Capt speed, CaptJoker
To: Capt MattS, Capt Raven, Cezzane, Clnl James
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: D Rekhval, DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Josef McQ
To: Jol tLiss, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX, Kris aps
To: Love Robin, Lt Jaz Dax, LtjCMoriah, LtCdrAnora
To: Lt SilverI, Moondnce, MqSabiene, PrincessML
To: ShaunaSkye, SinjnHawke, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: VinceOdin, Wiz Soong, W OConner, Wolenczak
To: YeIIow
Saturday, July 26, 2375. 10:23
"Jolan tru, Mistress."
Angel Swan stepped from the turbolift and onto the bridge of the Cygnus with a
smile to the Romulan watch officer. "Is it certain that we've not been detected,
Lieutenant Cardinal?"
"99.975 percent certainty, Mistress. We are at a distance of 19.7 light minutes
from Ten Forward Station. Azimuth... 1.98 radians. Altitude... 0.66 radians off
the galactic plane."
"One chance of detection in 4000 seems reasonable to me. Let's see if we can
keep the probability low."
"Aye, Mistress."
Angel was looking at the main viewer as she settled into the white center
chair and crossed her legs in one smooth motion. Immense asteroids were
lazily gliding by with the grace of the pretty equations which completely
described their motion. "SEAN, if you'll assist me, we'll swing a wide arc
through the belt before emerging."
"Affirmative. Angel Schwan."
The hiss of a turbolift door behind her caused Angel to turn, then laugh.
"Vincent, I thought that you might have made a wrong turn and wound up in
one of the holosuites."
The human smirked. "You know how much I hate those things, Angel."
"Mmmm hmmm... it's not always the case, though, is it?" Her crystal blue eyes
were dancing. "Have a seat beside me. SEAN and I have a little tricky
navigation to do.
Captain Vince Odin was looking at the main screen. "Ouch... aren't you driving
a little too fast and a little... oh!!!" He sat down quickly as the great ship
spiraled and veered, its port nacelle coming within a few hundred meters of
a lumpy crater rim.
Angel was involved with tapping rapidly at her armrest personal navigational
console, but betrayed no particular worry. "You know that I like a little
excitement, Vincent."
"Yeah. Angel, tell me again just *why* you think Quan would be at Ten Forward
Station?"
"Three reasons, Vincent. First, the station is a relatively safe ten parsecs
from Federation authorities. Second, Dr. Lyn has been reported in the vicinity.
Third, Caelin is there."
"Caelin?"
"Our adopted daughter."
"Really. Is she anything like you?"
"She's a very bright little girl, but unless her accelerated aging has increased
since I've been away, she's only about 9 years old, physically and 3 or 4 mentally."
"Accelerated aging?"
"Yes." Angel tapped a few contact points on her touch panel display and the
starship made a wide swerve to starboard then up and over a 4 kilometer high boulder.
"It seems to be a property of her species. Apart from the gills, she appears much
as we do, however."
"Gills?"
Ambassador Swan turned to him. "Are you going to repeat everything I say?"
Odin looked from her to the screen and his eyes got wide. "Hey! Look out!"
Cygnus rolled a quarter turn and slid between two asteroids which were nearly
touching. "SEAN had that one," she smiled.
"This system doesn't even have a star. What's with this asteroid field, anyway?"
Swan was back to tapping on her console. "Oh there's a star, but you can't see
it. It's a neutron star... a bit more massive than Earth's sun but extremely
compact. Studies have shown that billions of years ago, when the universe was
still young, a giant blue star finished its frenetic life by collapsing upon
itself and forming a neutron star. It was one of the first and had formed from
primordial hydrogen. Naturally, because we see a disk of matter which could
only have been cooked within a different set of solar circumstances, it's
hypothesized that later on a more recent red or yellow star, carrying its own
dust disk, fell into mutual orbit and was eventually tidaly torn apart and
partially absorbed into the neutron star. Our neutron star of today is more
massive than the original."
"Uh huh." He blinked at her. "That's really interesting. So we're flying through
dust, in other words?"
"Mmm hmm. In other words"
Vincent leaned closer in a whisper. "It's some goddamn big dust."
Angel chuckled as she spun the Cygnus again, this time flying it right between
two pieces of a broken asteroid that were trying to coalesce back together.
Odin was out of his seat now. "Shit!"
"Really, Vincent. You *do* carry on. Ah, here we are... I'm plotting a course
straight into the station now."
"Thank god!"
"Goddess," Angel corrected with a smile. "She looks over me, so you needn't
have worried so."
"God, goddess, right now I'm ready to erect an alter to booze. Want to join me?"
"For tea, yes. But a little later, Vincent. I still have some intelligence to
gather before we park at the Station.
"I'll be waiting," he winked, leaning over for a kiss.
The kiss was soft but brief. "Lieutenant, please establish communications with
the Bird of Play and request that Captain Jay join HoD Falcon and myself in the
command conference room. Also, I'd like a condensed report on all recent
Federation material and communications traffic in this area, particularly anything
which may relate to the recent disappearance of Admiral Quan. I'll be in my ready
room when the HoD is ready"
"Aye, Mistress."
Vince Odin was shaking his head as he entered the turbolift. As the doors closed
he muttered, "The woman is wasting her time. Quan's run off with her friend,
killed a cadet, and obviously has no interest in horseback riding. He'll be dead
within the year, and probably by Angel's doing."
"What deck, please?"
He was snapped out of his reverie by the computer voice. "Oh. Uh, level 5, section 9."
"Obsessed by that guy is what she is," he muttered as the turbolift glided
silently to its destination.
~/\~ TO BE CONTINUED ~/\~
Subj: Homecoming - Part 13
Date: 11/19/98 5:24:12 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R
To: VinceOdin, BCrew, Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven
To: Aron Wago, Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr
To: CtJLPicard, D Rekhval, DMacCullum, FireDncerX
To: Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX, Love Robin, LtjCMoriah
To: Lt SilverI, Maige, Moondnce, MqSabiene, OmTorak
To: StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus, Vzardag, YeIIow
BCC: VAdm Quan
Warning! This entry contains explicit scenes of cooking and
nagging and, what I hope to be, one of a handful of holliday entries. The
author strongly suggests that viewer discretion is advised! And now, enjoy the
latest entry in the saga known as Startrek TFL : Homecoming.
:::Sector 001, Earth, North American Continent, Santa Cruz, California:::
December 23, 2375
He inhaled deeply. "Hmm. Not quite. Something's missing." He dipped
a spoon into the mixture and sampled some. "Little more stock, less starch." Steam
billowed from the oven as he pulled its door open. Using an oversized baster, he
sucked broth from the catch pan and applied it over the cooking bird. Then, with
one last squeeze of the baster's bulb, he sucked up the broth he planned to use.
Only after adding it to the contents of the pot with a thorough stir did he taste
it again. With a satisfied smack of his lips he proclaimed, "Much better."
The sound of a door shutting signaled admittance of another in
the foyer. "Don't worry! It's only me!"
"Shoes, don't forget your shoes!"
Stifled mumble. "I know!" An extraordinarily beautiful woman
silently walked into the room, feet insulated from the marble floor tiles by socks.
"Are you still at it?"
"Wait." He halted her attempt to kiss him. "I'm covered with flour.
Don't get yourself dirty." He wafted aroma carrying steam to his nose from one of
the open pots. "Who else is going to do it? Certainly not your aunt."
The woman brushed a few raven strands from her eyes as she regarded
the man before her for a moment. "A replicator can do the same thing, without going
to the trouble and expense." She turned to the replicator. "Kahlua." She turned her
attention back to the man as she sipped.
"Our family has celebrated in this manner for centuries. It's a
time honored tradition. Who am I to argue with tradition?" He smiled to himself,
his father having given him the same response years ago. He called the woman over.
"Taste this."
She padded over to him, accepting the mouthful of food he had
offered her with a spoon. "Mmm!" A few chews. "It's sort of sweet."
"Candied yams." He replied with a pleased look. "Do you think a
replicator can make something as good as this?"
"No." The raven haired woman answered after a swallow. "What are
those white lumps on the top?" She queried as more of the yams from one of the
dozen casserole dishes found it's way into her mouth.
"Marshmallows. Now those are replicated."
"Mmm. I like this."
The man glanced over his shoulder. "Don't eat all of it. I'm still
not certain how many people are coming. I hate being short on food."
"You've been at this for three days straight. I think we have more
than enough." She reluctantly put her spoon down, beating down the temptation to
sample the yams again. "Explain to me again the importance of conjuring all this
up by yourself."
"Haven't you ever heard the adage that goes, When you want something
done right do it yourself?"
"Mmm, vaguely." She smiled softly.
"That applies here. Doing this any other way would spoil the meaning
behind it. Besides, I feel that the results of such an endeavor, by far, outweigh
the effort put into it. I enjoy this aspect. And, it only comes once every three
hundred and sixty-five days so I know I only have to do this once in that time
period."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
He nodded. "Drain the carrots in this pot and add the other half
of the butter slab, from the fridge, to it."
The woman did as she was instructed. "Now what?"
"Hold it over the flame until the butter melts and then add a
palm full of black and white pepper." He watched her as she completed her task.
"Excellent. Now stir it gently until the pepper is evenly distributed. You can
turn off the flame."
"This is kind of fun. It's still manual labor, but it's fun."
She giggled.
He chuckled. "Now you're cooking."
"Where's all the other food you slaved away at making? Probably
cold by now?"
"In the buffer." He nodded to a contraption recessed into the
opposite wall.
"The half dozen turkeys and other courses are in there? How?"
"It deconstructs the food put into it and holds the pattern in
memory. Matter is stored in atomic form. Both matter and pattern are catalogued
together so that they match up precisely to what was originally put in when
deconstructed. When rematerialized the food is exactly the same as before. Taste,
smell, texture and appearance are all the same. The concept is akin to having
someone's pattern caught in a transporter buffer that's in a diagnostic loop.
It keeps getting recirculated so that it doesn't degenerate. That's why some
replicated foods don't quite taste like the real thing. It can't account for the
minor differences in the pattern, the nuances."
The woman watched as the buttered carrots shimmered into thin
air. "This was a very ingenious solution to a unique problem."
"I just used someone else's technology and applied it differently
than intended. Nothing ingenious about it." He wiped his hands on the front of
his apron. "I had to unload a few things from the house's computer core. Food
patterns take more memo-" The house started shaking violently, as if it were
being shaken from side to side.
"Earthquake?! "
Utensil's came loose from their hooks over the range, pots toppled
to the floor with a clatter. "Can't be! Haven't had one of those in years!" He
steadied himself against the refrigerator. "Grab hold of something!"
"Corey?"
The man arched an eyebrow as the voice came from the air above.
"Who are you? What do you-"
"Corey?"
"Show yourself!"
"Corey, I could really use your help right now."
The man was thrown to the ground, the woman screaming in panic
as pots and pans fell on top of him.
-----------------------------
"If you hadn't gone to sleep we wouldn't be in this mess."
Each of Quan's hands danced over the console they hovered above.
"If I remember correctly, it was you who-" The Tarim shuddered violently. "pointed
out to me that I hadn't slept or eaten in days."
The runabout zigzagged between various lumps of debris, the remains
of planetoid's that once orbited the star in Sector 75890. "I thought you would've
eaten first then slept. How was I supposed to know it was going to be the other
way around?"
"Indeed? Oof." He clutched the console railing as the small vessel
shuddered again. "Still following us, are they?" Through the forward windows he
could see stray jagged beams of energy lance in front as they missed their target.
"Only two. The third had a misunderstanding with one of the larger
asteroids. The asteroid refused to move out of their way and they misunderstood
and *boom*!"
The Admiral arched an eyebrow. "Poor choice of words considering
our current situation."
"You're doing fine. And you said you couldn't pilot yourself out
of a paper bag."
"You said that to me, HANAH."
"So I did." A pause. "Are you going to hold that against me?"
HANAH inquired, her voice a soft coo.
"We'll talk about that later." Admiral Quan glanced at the
tactical display. The blue dot in the center represented the Tarim while ugly
red triangles represented the Tarim's hostile pursuers. Red circles around the
triangles signified the hostile's weapons ranges, inner circles for projectile's,
outer for beam. "They're either very stupid or really want the thousand bricks
of latinum reward."
"Or both."
Quan nodded. "Greed and stupidity are known to go hand in hand."
He made a quick correction to the helm, jerking the Tarim to starboard as a
photon torpedo homed in on its impulse signature. The new course brought the Tarim
dangerously between two kilometer sized chunks of ice. The sensor pod perched
atop the runabout's dorsal plane ripped form its anchors as Quan tried to squeeze
the vessel through the gap, the torpedo exploding against the asteroid only
meters away The vessel shook violently from the shockwave.
"Ouch! There goes my extended sensor suite. Is that what a broken
nail feels like?!" HANAH exclaimed.
"Are we having fun yet?"
"No." HANAH replied crisply. "Rerouting sensor inputs to lateral
array."
Quan winced as an overhead console erupted in sparks. "Damn. I
just fixed that one."
A warning klaxon sounded. "Shields down to five percent."
"We've lasted this long." He glanced at the tactical display
again. "How many left, HANAH?"
"Only one. We lost the other one between the rocks."
The Admiral of Vices nodded slightly. "Better odds."
"I can't take much more abuse, Corey."
"From me or our friends out there?"
"At this point I'll settle for your gentle touch with a plasma
torch than those bounty hunters." Another console exploded after weapons impact.
"Shields are gone, Corey."
"Good thing I installed that ECM system. Never thought I'd have
a use for a sensor jammer. At least we're making it hard for them." Quan squinted
through the increasing cabin smoke, peering at a structural integrity display.
"How's the armor holding up?"
"Seventy-nine percent. And here I complained about you never buying
me anything nice to wear. If you hadn't spent extra time to uninstall my phaser's
and torpedo launchers they might be running away from *us* instead of us from
them."
The Admiral shook his head and winced as another control console
exploded to his left. "If we get out of this, remind me to perform some fine
tuning on a few subroutines of your matrix."
"Intruder alert. Two people have just transported into the aft
compartment."
Quan swiveled around in his chair to face the door leading to
the back. "Do you have any *good* news for me, HANAH?"
There was a pause. "Well, you always said you wanted to get away
from it all. So, here we are!"
To be continued...
Subj: Shadow of the Raven - Part 2
Date: 11/19/98 9:49:39 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Capt Raven
To: VAdm Quan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Angel Swan
To: ADumas1826, Alley Quan, ARBoss, Aron Wago, BCrew
To: Bld2LoveHr, B M Bowden, BradBaumn, Caelin R
To: Capt speed, CaptJoker, Capt MattS, Capt Raven
To: Cezzane, Clnl James, Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell
To: Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, D Rekhval, DMacCullum
To: FireDncerX, Josef McQ, Jol tLiss, Joy Mudd
To: KelCaraidX, Kris aps, Love Robin, Lt Jaz Dax
To: LtjCMoriah, LtCdrAnora, Lt SilverI, Moondnce
To: MqSabiene, PrincessML, ShaunaSkye, SinjnHawke
To: StuChtRiit, Trochilus, VinceOdin, Wiz Soong
To: W OConner, Wolenczak, YeIIow
The Captain's Yacht shot out of the ocean like a the once-plentiful cetaceans
which historically roamed these waters. At the helm were Captain Raven, now
dressed again in the black leathers of a pirate, and her second-in-command,
Commander Robin.
As they rose, the curvature of planet Earth was quickly apparent in this
water-dominated region of the world. Where there was frothy blue there used to
be white - for this was once the ice-packed Arctic sea.
Hours before, this sleek black disk ventured from beneath the nondescript
warehouse in Histo-Francisco. It dove deep, into the dark where cold northern
water flowed southeastward like a river. Within and against this flow it moved
northward; beyond the penetrating gaze of normal Starfleet monitoring stations.
Up the planet it traveled, occasionally tripping an oceanographic scan but
giving the appearance of a large whale or other biological. When no prying eyes
were evident, it moved swiftly, often veering along thermal vents and active
subsea fractures which could effectively mask it through turbulence. Out to the
mid-Pacific Ocean and back to North America's coast it journeyed. Then the
Arctic Ocean. It was here that Captain Raven made use of speed and the Van Allen
radiation belts to escape Earth as quickly and silently as she had arrived.
...
The Captain's Yacht - this one, on the Star Raven - was utilized on a regular
basis. After a subspace anomaly had split the woman known as both Captain Raven
and Angel Swan into two people and flung the former far across the galaxy, the
latter had had those adventures with The Admiral, had borrowed his runabout "Gecko"
(and never returned it), and had no need for the Captain's Yacht except for
diplomatic functions. Raven, however, without the advantages of the Gecko and
other similarly accumulated craft, had put much effort into refining the capabilities
of her own copy of the Yacht during that long three-year voyage back from the
Beta Quadrant.
Raven was a wicked woman. She looked every bit like Angel Swan, only harder
and colder. Yes, she and Swan were the same person once. But while Swan had had
experiences and friendships which tempered her outlook and ambitions toward
the better side of her nature, Raven had only proceeded on the same course of
greed and domination. Perhaps they had been polarized in some slight manner -
after all, while the original was ambidextrous, Swan was left-handed while Raven
favored her right hand. The forelocks dangled over opposite eyes. But there was
more to it than that. Three years is a long time to be lost in space, only to
return and find that an undeserving other self had won all those friends, stolen
all those lovers away, laid claim on the most eligible bachelor in Starfleet,
and had won celebrity as an ambassador and adventuress of the first order. She
had taken all the pirate profit for herself and was unbelievably wealthy. This
Angel Swan had renamed the replicate Star Raven "Cygnus" and changed its
beautiful black coat to a horrid white. And Swan had killed the duplicate Commander
Robin, besides! She was a threat to the empire Raven planned to build and a
worry to her own self-esteem. There was no room in this or any other galaxy for
such a troublesome replica.
...
"The Star Raven has answered my hail, Captain."
"It's about time! I'm guiding us into a polar orbit and the Raven can meet us here."
"Aye, Captain."
The forward ports of the Captain's Yacht looked down upon the immensity of
Jupiter - largest of Sector 001's gaseous worlds. From this vantage point the
complex cloud patterns in shades of brown and sparse white were almost unfathomable.
Their depth, flow and history could only properly be appreciated by an artificial
mind with prodigious computing power - or by The Goddess herself. Beyond the
twilight limb, lighting powerful enough to drive a fleet of starships for centuries
raged endlessly in testament to the broiling violence of those clouds.
Robin had programmed a central monitor to telescopically track a small vortex
within a southern temperate band. Within moments a dark form stirred in the gas
then collected itself and emerged. Its black profile was sharp against the
milky backdrop. The shape was that of a bird... almost a raven.
"Captain?"
"Yes, Robin?" Raven tapped out a few calculations as she spoke.
"You had said earlier that you thought you knew where Admiral Quan was heading.
What makes you so sure?"
Raven looked up and brushed the forelock from an ice-blue eye. She smiled.
"Because Angel Swan has gone there too."
~R~ TO BE CONTINUED ~R~
Subj: Return to Family Values Pt. 2
Date: 11/30/98 7:01:18 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: DrKrisMLyn
To: Amatuli, Angel Swan, Aron Wago, BCrew, Beacus
To: Caelin R, Capt Raven, Capt speed, Cmdr TVect
To: CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, DMacCullum
To: DrKrisMLyn, FireDncerX, KelCaraidX, Love Robin
To: Lt SilverI, LtjCMoriah, Maige, Mawkline, Moondnce
To: SimonAshby, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: VAdm Quan, Vzardag, Wrongjas21, YeIIow
The monitors hummed almost imperceptibly. The young woman sat in quiet
vigilance over them, fascinated. Tonight would be the moment of change.
She would become the woman into which she had been shaped and prodded
all these years. This was the great achievement of Carolyn and her
followers...and her own great achievement of being. These were the things
to celebrate, to focus upon, if they came to pass.
She watched the main screen, tapping it in for a tighter focus. The mark
was an older woman who sat, staring aimlessly at the viewport, forgotten
drink in her hand. The weight of the universe seemed to rest upon this
one's shoulders, shoulders not able to bear the burden. So much time
wasted. So much potential never met. The end of her time stolen by disease.
It was not an enviable fate that the mark had. She had great power within
her reach, but not the will or energy to reach for it. A pitiful state.
Such promise laid to waste. Until now.
Now all that should have happened thirty years ago was ready to bloom. The
seed had been planted over thirty years ago on this very station. Patience
and timing brought forth a new hope, a new chance. Now if the stars blessed
this endeavor, what was made wrong would be made right again.
Subj: Return to Family Values Pt. 3
Date: 11/30/98 10:02:06 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: DrKrisMLyn
To: Amatuli, Angel Swan, Aron Wago, BCrew, Beacus
To: Caelin R, Capt Raven, Capt speed, Cmdr TVect
To: CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, DMacCullum
To: DrKrisMLyn, FireDncerX, KelCaraidX, Love Robin
To: Lt SilverI, LtjCMoriah, Maige, Mawkline, Moondnce
To: SimonAshby, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: VAdm Quan, Vzardag, Wrongjas21, YeIIow
I glance around the room, filled with its monitors. It will be barren by
morning, seized by the enemy or retrieved by our side. I feel a small
sense of regret. This is the last place of safety. I leave the nest and
fly towards my destiny, death or triumph.
I go over the evening's list in my head, hearing an echo of Carolyn's
scratchy whine. There is no room for error. Too much of the family's
money has been tied up into this scheme; Carolyn already has much to
answer in the eyes of the family. No doubt she will weave her twisted,
quasireligious reasoning around them and once again escape censor. She
is the oldest female in the family, not without some say.
If she could, she would be nagging via comm and double checking
everything I did. She does not trust me completely; she loves and hates
me and what I represent. I am a high stake bet for her and now that she
has fully cast the die, she must wait and see. It must be driving her
nuts, to use a well-learned idiom. The years have not been kind and her
obsession about the control of this station and its monies are unending.
Some say madness rules her mind. I do not know. I do not believe I wish
to know.
I do not know the full extent of the funds she has poured into this
venture. The buying off of old Wolverine supporters and the computer
tech that has been set up to monitor alone must have put quite a strain
on the family's profits. Still, it is a last chance gamble. There is no
other link possible, given the splitting of the military force available.
I am the gamble. I, who has no true past but that created in a laboratory,
seek to create a future different than the one dealt by fate.
I straighten my black cloak around me and bring the hood up over my head.
It would not do to be discovered so close to my objective. I go tonight to
seek what I have not had- my identity. My name. My future.
Subj: Homecoming - Part 13 (Supplemental)
Date: 12/3/98 4:51:21 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Maige
To: Moondnce, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: Vzardag, YeIIow, Wrongjas21
BCC: VAdm Quan
:::aboard the Federation Runabout Tarim:::
Jackson held his fingers up in a three count then gave his partner
the signal to activate the door. They stepped through quickly, one after
the other, with phaser pistols drawn. The cabin appeared empty. Jackson
tilted his head slightly to the side, instructing his companion, Joreth,
to check out that area of the runabout. All the ships systems looked active
but under computer control. All automatic. Jackson looked at Joreth
questioningly. Joreth shook his head in response. Nothing. No one was home.
"Do you think we've been chasing a decoy?"
Jackson walked over to one of the displays. "With this thing flying
like it has a person at the controls and the fact that our scanners don't
work, it's hard to say." The bounty hunter brought his communicator to his
mouth. "Jackson here. Ship looks deserted. Stand down from Condition Three.
Out." He flipped open his scanner, even though he knew what the results
would be. "Scanner's don't work inside." He took a seat at the helm. "Check
the back, Joreth. I'll see if I can program this thing to follow us."
Jackson was the recipient of an unpleasant surprise, instead of the
usual bleep from the navigation controls, when he touched the console.
Electrical current shot up his arm. Joreth immediately hopped to his
companions aid as he heard him squeak for help. He, too, became caught in
the debilitating affect of the shock as he touched Jackson. Both of them
were thoroughly subdued.
"Now, what was it you wanted to do with me, hmm? Vile, unspeakable
acts? Dismantling? Dissection? Or were you going to sell me off to the
lowest bidder?" HANAH cooed sweetly. "What, cat got your tongue? Ah, I see.
One hundred and fifty kV coursing through you must not be a plesent experience."
A maintenance panel opened up, admitting Vice Admiral Quan back into
the command cabin. He brushed his hands together as he regarded the two
writhing gentlemen. "I think they've had enough, HANAH. Discontinue."
Both men collapsed in a heap, stunned. The smell of free electrons
permeated the surrounding air. "How long will they be out?"
"Ten to fifteen minutes, Corey."
"That gives us a little time to work with." The Admiral stepped over
the unconscious visitors and dropped into the pilots seat. "Have their scans
broken through our jamming field yet?"
"No, Corey."
Quan tapped console keys rapidly. "Chalk one up for our side. Let's
try to find a way out of this before they discover that their people aren't
in control. Coming to all stop." He looked out the forward viewports. The
debris in the asteroid field seemed to be getting denser. Chunks of, what
appeared to be, terrestrial material began taking the place of ice and
nitrogen hunks. "How did they know where we were?" The Admiral mused as he
returned his attention to the control panel. "HANAH, please keep the ship
behind us under watch while I check to see if we've been leaving a trail of
bread crumbs."
"They're holding station seven hundred thousand kilometers from our
position."
"I don't blame them. It would be hard for them to maneuver a ship
that large in the denser parts of the debris field." Admiral Quan's brow
furrowed as he noticed a peculiar reading on the diagnostic panel. "Damn.
The venting valve in the port nacelle didn't close completely during the
plasma dump."
"Sooooo, I've been releasing trace amounts of plasma this whole time?"
Quan nodded. "Correct. It's safe to assume that that's how they found
us." He manipulated controls expertly, correcting the problem. "That should do
the trick for now."
The tactical alarm sounded. "One new vessel entering visual range,
bearing two zero three mark one eight six."
"Tactical overview." He studied the display readings. The new visitor
had a power signature similar to that of the remaining hostile. "Long range
sensors didn't detect it?"
"I guess not. It probably entered the sector under cloak."
"Let's not make it easy for them." The Admiral of Vices piloted the
Tarim deeper into the jumbo sized rock garden.
"Umm, are you sure you know what you're doing, Corey?" HANAH was just
a teeny bit skeptical.
Quan suppressed the urge to grin. "No. Not one clue."
HANAH sighed softly. "Why am I not surprised?"
One of the intruders communicator's began beeping. It belonged to the
boarding team's leader, Jackson. More than likely it was his superior
checking up on him. The Admiral glanced over his shoulder. "Our guests will
be waking up shortly. Confine them in a level two security field."
The air around Jackson and Joreth crackled and flashed briefly as
HANAH erected a forcefield around them. "Forcefield active, Corey."
Admiral Quan arched an eyebrow slightly as something caught his
attention on the tactical monitor. "That can't be a torpedo. It's traveling
too slow. Identify object fired from hostile, HANAH."
The red dot representing the mystery projectile disappeared from
the tactical display, coincidentally mere milliseconds before the runabout
began shuddering. "It was a concussion missile, high yield, non impact."
By this time the missiles were detonating close by in steady
intervals. "They're trying to flush us out." The debris increased in
density as the Tarim's distance from the belts entry point grew greater.
Eventually there wouldn't be enough room for the nimble runabout to
maneuver in. Quan swung the small craft around one hundred and eighty
degrees, heading back the way they came. "Close the forward blast shutters."
He kept a close eye on the short range and visual sensor displays. They were
his only means of navigation at this point.
"Shutters closed." HANAH informed as the two forward facing windows
were completely covered by thick plating. "I managed to reassemble the
shields, Corey."
"I detect a but in your tone, HANAH." The Admiral entered course
corrections and evasives diligently, trying to avoid chunks of rock
accelerated by the concussion effect while avoiding the epicenter of the
missiles explosions.
"But, they're only good for twenty percent of normal output."
"They'll never let you escape, Quan."
The Vice Admiral glanced over his shoulder, noting his guests had
recovered. "Ah. Good morning. I'd offer you refreshments but, as you can
see, I have my hands full." Tarim continued to shake violently as wave
after wave of concussion energy impacted with it.
"Main power failing. Switching to secondary systems to
compensate." HANAH informed.
"If you're after me because of the reward, I'll see about
compensating you and your partners."
Jackson laughed. "Save it, Admiral. I know what your net worth is.
You don't even have enough to scratch the surface. Besides, even if you
did have the cash, I still wouldn't take it. It's all about glory. We'll be
living legends in our field when people hear we captured the legendary Vice
Admiral Corey Quan."
The Admiral had to arch an eyebrow at this. "I think you need to
conduct your research better when it comes to your prey. I'm a simple
engineer." He winced as the tactical display flashed into sparks.
"Admiral, I'm detecting multiple tachyon surges. Zero seven five mark
two two seven, zero seven five mark three four nine, three zero two mark zero
two zero and two nine eight mark zero nine eight."
"You'll have to give up now, Admiral. More of my people have arrived."
Quan studied the sensor readings of the new arrivals. "I highly doubt
that. Those are Federation starship's. HANAH, please confirm."
"Confirmed. One New Orleans heavy modified and three Excelsior heavy
modified. Their identifiers aren't in my registry database, though." The
concussion barrage stopped. "The bounty hunters are retreating."
The Terran Admiral opened the blast shutters just as the runabout
entered the less populated ring of the asteroid belt. He watched the ensuing
pursuit. The three Excelsior class starship's hung back while the New Orleans
gave chase. It was hard to distinguish the vessels from the void of space.
Their hulls were all bathed in black, as opposed to the usual light grey.
The New Orleans class vessel had little difficulty in quickly
overtaking the bounty hunter's. Now, the hunters were the hunted. In a
matter of seconds the battle, if you can call the New Orleans' easy
annihilation of the bounty hunters that, was over.
"There were more than a hundred people on each of those ships."
Jackson whispered. "They never even gave them a chance to surrender."
"That's because those aren't Federation Starfleet ships. Am I
right, *Admiral*?" Joreth spat out.
"Good guess." Replied the Admiral.
"What the *hell* are you talking about??" Jackson started freaking out.
"Those are Black Operation's starship's, Jackson. A branch of
Starfleet I believed to exist only in myth, until now. Their purpose is
similar to the Romulan Tal Shiar and Cardassian Obsidian Order." Joreth
glared at Quan, insinuating that he was somehow part of the organization.
"Incoming hail from lead vessel, USS Covington, Admiral." HANAH cooed.
"Open a channel."
Chimes sounded. "Frequency open."
"This is Vice Admiral Quan. Please state the nature of your presence."
"Admiral Quan, we've been expecting you. Please follow our course
through the debris belt. Covington out."
"Channel closed, Admiral."
Quan arched an eyebrow slightly. "Not quite the answer I hoped for."
He manipulated helm controls, slipping the Tarim aft of the Covington.
"What are you going to do with us?" Jackson asked.
Joreth spat again. "Isn't it clear? He's going to have us executed."
"I've no desire to harm either of you. I'm as much a pawn as you are."
To be continued...
Subj: Homecoming - Part 13 (Supplement b)
Date: 12/8/98 10:40:01 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Maige
To: Moondnce, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: Vzardag, Wrongjas21
BCC: VAdm Quan
:::aboard the Federation Runabout Tarim:::
This was, indeed, quite amazing to see. As the Covington led the
Tarim through the asteroid belt a giant piece of rock suddenly disappeared
from their path, reappearing behind them after they finished passing over
its position. This continued to happen until both ships emerged from the
belt into a clearing.
"Remarkable." Vice Admiral Quan breathed as he watched the spectacle
through the Tarim's forward viewports.
Space itself rippled, as if it were a pond and numerous pebbles had
been dropped in it. The effect was eerie because the large chunks of debris
opposite their position wavered and distorted as they were viewed through
the anomaly.
"Analysis, HANAH."
"Scans are inconclusive aside from visible differences in luminosity,
Admiral. Materials composing the surrounding bodies may be responsible for
decreased sensor accuracy."
Quan performed a scan of his own. The results mirrored HANAH's
findings to the letter. "It *is* an anomaly of some kind, perhaps spatial or
chronometric in origin." He paused thoughtfully. "Could this be the reason why
I was summoned here?"
HANAH responded in a tone reminiscent of a Ferengi's interpretation of
a profitable Angel Swan holosuite simulation. "Unable to corroborate due to
insufficient data." The ripples increased in oscillation as a form started to
solidify. "New readings. EM spike in progress."
The distortion gave way to a massive solid silhouette. It was a ship
of some kind, a design spanning some ten plus kilometers in length. Marker
lights and lit viewports hinted to the monstrous vessels wedge shape. There
were no outward signs of warp generators nor were there any obvious indications
of impulse drivers. This was one class of vessel the Admiral was not familiar
with.
A communications channel crackled to life inside the cabin. "Admiral
Quan, power down your craft's engines in preparation for automated docking."
Quan disengaged the appropriate systems and responded. "Acknowledged."
"We're toast now." Joreth said from inside the confines of a detention
field.
The Admiral swiveled around in his chair. "As I said before, I am as
much a pawn in this game as you are. And-" He reached over to a set of controls
and keyed in a sequences. "as a show of good faith on my part, I will deactivate
the forcefield holding you."
Jackson and Joreth looked at one another briefly. "You're either stupid
or telling the truth."
The Admiral turned to face the forward viewports again. The Tarim was
slowly, but surely, being drawn closer to the mystery ship by invisible tractors.
"Whichever one you are it doesn't matter. Not like we can escape
anywhere, right?"
"I can almost guarantee that if you do not act in an irrational manner
you and your companion will remain safe. And, as you stated before, you don't
have anywhere to escape to."
In a matter of minutes the Tarim vanished from sight completely,
engulfed by the cavernous hanger of the mystery ship. There were no chances for
escape now.
To be continued...
Subj: Homecoming - Part 14
Date: 12/9/98 10:20:54 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Maige
To: Moondnce, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: Vzardag, Wrongjas21
BCC: VAdm Quan
:::aboard the mystery vessel:::
Vice Admiral Corey Quan took a few moments to digest the events of
the past few months while waiting for the lift to stop at his parties destination.
It seemed to have started right after he returned to Earth, after hearing of the
heinous act perpetrated on his daughter, Allison. She was kidnapped shortly after,
used as a bargaining tool to force his cooperation in fulfilling some part of a
plan that, even to this minute, was unknown.
The Admiral had been forced to commit serious offenses of his own. Namely
the use of Starfleet property without permission, the USS Tarim, endangerment of
Starfleet and Federation personnel, in the Sol and Mactula star systems, theft of
Federation property, the Tembler module, disobeying direct orders from Starfleet
Command and last, but not least, evading officials with authority for his capture.
All charges worthy of a seasoned criminal. Not bad for an aging Fleet flag
officer, especially considering this was the first time he involved himself in
criminal activity.
As the lift came to a halt Quan refocused his attention to the present.
Jackson and Joreth had been taken to a location where they would be treated as
guests. The Tarim rested soundly in a docking berth separated from the enormous
hanger it had flown through earlier. Now the Admiral was in a turbolift with a
quartet of armed guards, on his way to a meeting with the person he believed was
responsible for baiting him here.
The doors to the lift opened silently, onto a brightly lit corridor. At
the end of the corridor stood a handful of people, dressed similarly to those
accompanying the Admiral. As he approached them he stepped under an arch,
presumably some sort of device that scanned for hidden weapons. Scan's turned
up negative so they ushered Quan through a door.
The Admiral stepped into a large room that appeared to be a command
center of sorts. Monitor panels and various other high tech devices populated the
room. He was able to examine, from a distance, a display that was large enough to
span most of the wall it clung to. It appeared to be a map of Alpha and Beta
Quadrants combined.
A man dressed in an all black Starfleet uniform stood before the massive
viewscreen, apparently lost in thought. He turned around as he heard Quan
approach. He seemed pleased when he saw who it was. "Corey, it's been a while."
He extended his hand.
"Indeed it has." Quan replied as he shook the man's hand. "You're
looking well, Stephen."
Admiral Stephen Caulden withdrew his hand. "A lot has happened since the
last time we worked together."
"To both of us, yes. It's obvious you've done very well for yourself."
"It hasn't been easy, Corey." Caulden chuckled bitterly. "I've had to make
certain sacrifices in order to come closer to achieving my goal."
The Admiral arched an eyebrow. "What would that be?"
Caulden motioned to a seat on the other side of his desk. "Have a seat and
I'll explain." He waited patiently for Quan to sit. "Answer me this first. Have
you ever experienced a point in your life when you felt like you wanted to give
up? Drop everything after figuring out all your hard work wasn't worth spit?"
"Of course. Everyone has felt that way at one time or another. The
important thing to remember is that no matter what you do, in some small way, you
are making a contribution to the greater good."
"Exactly. It scared the hell out of me, feeling like that. Little things
just weren't good enough. I needed to do more."
Admiral Quan nodded slowly.
Admiral Caulden picked up a framed picture and stared at it for a few
seconds. "You know I lost everything during the war a little while back." He put
the frame down and leaned back in his chair. "That was the turning point in my
life and about the time I was offered Black Ops. I was handed an opportunity to
make a difference. I wasn't a small piece of the puzzle any more."
"What are you talking about, Stephen?"
"Writing the future of the Federation, Corey. That's what I'm talking
about." Stephen Caulden stood to regard the large video display hanging behind
him. "I have over two hundred starship's and two dozen hidden installations at
my command." He waved his hand along the represented expanse of Alpha and Beta
Quadrants. "Not to mention the support of a few third party organizations." He
turned to face his comrade. "Join us in our quest, Corey. With my leadership
and tactical ability coupled with your unique understanding of technology and
engineering we'd be a formidable team. You watch my back and I watch yours.
Like old times."
"You know me better than that. How can I possibly join a cause with
negative repercussion's such as yours?"
"You think making order out of chaos is negative?" Admiral Caulden shook
his head. "If you see things the way I do you'd understand. No, imposing order
is not as villainous as you think."
"People will never submit to forced rule. They will fight and lives will
be lost."
Caulden slammed a fist on his desk. "Millions of lives have already
*been* lost, Admiral! Fighting useless wars. Wars that have no foreseeable end."
He leaned closer to Quan, his voice lowering. "You yourself believe that war,
unto itself, is a dead end, a road that leads nowhere. There *are* no clear
victors. Everyone loses." He pushed himself away from the desk, taking a good
long look at the large wall display before returning his attention to Quan.
"This is bigger than you or me or anything else in the Galaxy. You could be an
integral part of the puzzle. Think about all the good you'd be doing, all the
lives that'd be spared in the long run."
Vice Admiral Corey Quan watched his old friend, still unconvinced.
"Let me put it this way, Corey. Look at the Federation as it is today.
Look at Starfleet. What were they going to do with you if you hadn't escaped?
I'll tell you." Caulden paused. "They would've locked you away somewhere,
turning their backs on you. Where's the sympathy in that? I don't see it. Do
you?" He locked gazes with Quan. "No, I didn't think so." Caulden rapped the
surface of his desk with a knuckle as he turned away. "If it were me, I
would've done the same thing you did to the bastard. He did what to my
daughter??" He shook his head. "If justice hadn't been served he'd be living
it up right now, not a care in the world. Oh sure, he probably would've been
kicked out of the academy and forced to undergo counseling but what kind of
punishment is that?" He turned back to Quan. "You recognized the
limitation's of our government and acted on your own." Caulden sat down
again. "I know you're a man of good conscience, Corey. I trust you to make
the right decision."
"You argue your case well, Stephen. And quite convincingly, I might
add. However, right now all I care about is making sure Allison is safe. Are
you the one responsible for her abduction?"
"No, I'm not. She's here, though. And I'm sorry we had to meet under
this circumstance. The others involved in this endeavor felt kidnapping her
was the only way to guarantee your cooperation."
"I want to see her."
"I had a feeling you would. We can finish our discussion some other
time. And, to show you that there's no pressure in your deciding, you can
speak with your daughter in your runabout for as long as you'd like."
Quan stood and bowed slightly. "You have my heartfelt thanks, Stephen."
Admiral Caulden stood and smiled. "It's the least an old friend can
do for another. My men will escort you to the Tarim's docking space."
The Admiral nodded his thanks and was escorted out of the room. The
huge wall display winked briefly, map image replaced by that of a well groomed
man, perhaps in his mid to late thirties. "You believe he'll join us of his own
accord?"
"That's your favorite way of acquiring new talent, if I'm not mistaken.
For them to willfully give their services to you?"
The man on the viewscreen laughed softly, sending a chill down Caulden's
spine. "Very true. So very, very true. I'm still skeptical, Admiral. *You* may
be able to trust him, but I don't."
"He'll make the right decision. He has nowhere else to go. All his
friends have turned their backs on him, just like The Fleet."
"For his lovely daughters sake you better pray he does." He paused.
"And Admiral, do try to remember how much I frown on failure."
Caulden lowered his gaze. "Of course, Master."
To be continued...
Subj: Homecoming - Part 14 (Supplemental)
Date: 12/10/98 10:34:23 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Maige
To: Moondnce, StarWolvF, StuChtRiit, Trochilus
To: Vzardag, Wrongjas21
BCC: VAdm Quan
:::tap, tap::: This thing on? Huh? It is? Oh! Ehm. In our
last episode we discovered who was responsible for making our Admirable
Admiral jump through hoops. Unfortunately, he was offered an indecent
proposal. Well, as indecent as our dear Admiral can get. Will our hero side
with temptation for peace in the Galaxy or will he refuse, in which case
he'll be turned into little pieces and scattered across the Galaxy? Or will
this be another one of his writers dead end scenarios? You be the judge as
the saga continues with this supplement to Part 14.
:::aboard the Federation Runabout Tarim:::
Quan entered a sequence of commands into one of the Tarim's overhead
consoles. "Start rotating frequencies the next time I contact you, HANAH. As
of yet, none of our new friends are aware of your existence. I'd like to
keep it that way."
"That also include me?" A woman's voice came from behind.
The Admiral swiveled his chair around. "No, it doesn't. You're not
one of my friends." He stood with his arms extended. "You're more than that.
You're my daughter."
Allison Okabayashi-Quan practically flung herself into her fathers
arms. "I was so worried about you!"
"I could say the same for you." He said with a chuckle.
Allison let go of her father then gave him a stern look. "You sure
took your sweet time trying to find me."
"Traffic was backed up all the way from Alpha Onaris. There was
nothing I could do."
Her soft laughter echoed in the cabin. "I guess I can accept that."
Admiral Quan picked up a hypo from a nearby console. "Here."
"What's this for?" Inquired the Admiral's Canotonese/Japenese daughter.
He pressed the device just behind her ear. A soft hiss signaled that
the hypo had done its job. "It's a subdermal communicator, similar to the one
I use when speaking to HANAH remotely, just in case."
"Just in case? Mind telling me what's going on, Dad?"
Quan replicated two cups of tea and offered one to his daughter. "We
should sit first."
Allison took a tentative sip then sat. "Uh oh. Must be pretty heavy to
merit sitting down."
"An understatement." Replied the Admiral after a sip. "You've, no
doubt, taken note of your surroundings?"
"Yeah. Pretty impressive stuff. This barge is bigger than your starbase.
Must've took some serious latinum and people power to build."
"Agreed. We're dealing with a powerful entity here, Allison. One which
I've been asked to join."
"What for? Why you?"
"From what I've been told, my technical skills would be a valued
addition to the cause." Admiral Quan leaned back in his seat. "The cause being
their total domination of life as we know it."
Quan's daughter sniffed loudly. "They don't know you very well."
"Perhaps. I must admit that I believe their cause to be a noble one.
Deep down it is, total domination of the Universe aside. There is a certain
something that appeals to me in this scheme. I'm not sure if it's the thought
of having every race in the Galaxy united or the idea that war will be obsolete."
"You gotta be kiddin' me." Allison blinked at her father. Maybe he had
gone crazy. After all these years it finally happened. He shot her a look that
spoke volumes. "Ahhh. So you *have* decided." She said with a barely contained
grin.
"Indeed I have. I've also decided that you should go back home,
until this completely runs its course. The risk factor will be quite high."
"No way. I'm not going to sit back idly while you get your butt
kicked around the quadrant. Why should you have all the fun?"
Vice Admiral Quan regarded his daughter with a sigh. "There's no way
I can persuade you to change your mind?"
"Nope."
"I suppose it's settled then." He leaned over to toggle a communications
channel open. "This is Quan. You may inform Admiral Caulden that I have accepted
his offer but only on the condition that my daughter assist me."
A minute or so passed before a reply was sent. "Admiral Quan, Admiral
Caulden applauds your decision. He respectfully requests you and your daughter
join him for dinner this evening. You are required to wear your new uniform
which will be delivered to you shortly." The frequency closed with a chime.
Allison grinned widely. "And people say you're so predictable."
Vice Admiral Corey Quan chuckled softly. "Indeed."
To be continued...
Subj: Return to Family Values Pt. 4
Date: 12/19/98 7:24:59 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: DrKrisMLyn
To: Amatuli, Angel Swan, Aron Wago, BCrew, Beacus
To: Capt Raven, Capt speed, Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell
To: Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, DMacCullum, DrKrisMLyn
To: FireDncerX, KelCaraidX, Love Robin, Lt SilverI
To: LtjCMoriah, Mawkline, Moondnce, StuChtRiit
To: Trochilus, VAdm Quan, Vzardag, Wrongjas22
The stars seem to be the only consistent thing in life. Of course,
Kristie knew that was foolishness. Even the stars changed, if over a long
period of time.
It was late into the "night" shift and she was feeling particularly
nostalgic. Part of it was the upcoming winter solstice on Earth- a time
period filled with family related holidays. This time period always made her
reflect on the past. As the years passed, it seemed that the past took on the
hazy appearance of the old time photographs her aunt had kept in the ancient
trunk in her attic. Colors blending, same as emotion.
She sipped her mulled wine, a small indulgence in honor of the
holiday season. It wasn't bad, considering that it came from a Klingon
bartender who had never been to Earth. This lounge had been an old watering
hole of hers in the glory days of her past as La'Quv. It was quiet at this
point in the shift- all the day folk would be heading to their beds and the
night shift was busy with their day's task. There was a man drinking alone at
the bar and Krok was tending the bar. No intrusion on her thoughts.
Kristie turned back to the viewport, turning her thoughts inward.
Would she see another season? Already the aches and pains were getting beyond
annoying. The meds kept them mostly under control, but did nothing to retard
the disease. She shouldn't be drinking, but a small mug of wine would not
cause any permanent damage.
Her life dramatically changed from the course she had originally set.
By now she could have been a retired Star Fleet doctor, living on some small
pleasure planet somewhere. Who would have thought that she had once saved
a planet from human folly or controlled an empire? Thirty some years had
passed since those events. It was a time in her mind that had the mystic
veil of years to take away the harshness.
Her mind turned to Conner, not as he looked when he died, but the
dashing figure she had married. With a slight smile, she remembered their
time together. It had been short, especially in the length of her life, but
it had been a magical moment. The horrid business that followed the early
days left behind. Then followed by the illusion. There were so many "what
ifs" in life that you could drive yourself mad with the lost possibilities.
Her thoughts were momentarily interrupted as Krok brought her another
wine. With a nod, she accepted the drink. There would be no sleep tonight.
The wine seemed to take the edge off the pain, both physical and emotional.
Her son Stuart was now on the council running this station. She
could taste her envy of his position. Of course, she would have done
differently than he had. Regret mixed with that envy. Regret that she had
subverted Conner's genetic influence on the boy. That she had been so
concerned with him being his father, that she never allowed him the chance to
develop the greater presence of his father. She had thwarted the best in her
son by fearing his worst.
Kristie rested head on her folded arms as she continued to gaze out at
the stars, trying to clear her mind. It did not take long for sleep to creep
over her as the doctored wine fully hit her system.
Subj: The Christmas Adventure - Part 2
Date: 12/19/98 9:10:10 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Angel Swan
To: VAdm Quan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Angel Swan
To: ADumas1826, Alley Quan, ARBoss, Aron Wago, BCrew
To: Bld2LoveHr, B M Bowden, BradBaumn, Capt speed
To: CaptJoker, Capt MattS, Capt Raven, Cezzane
To: Clnl James, Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr
To: CtJLPicard, DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Josef McQ
To: Jol tLiss, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX, Kris aps
To: Love Robin, Lt Jaz Dax, LtjCMoriah, LtCdrAnora
To: Lt SilverI, Mawkline, Moondnce, MrHBond009
To: PrincessML, ShaunaSkye, SinjnHawke, StuChtRiit
To: Trochilus, VinceOdin, Wiz Soong, W OConner
To: Wolenczak, Wrongjas21
The away team was assembled on transporter pads 7, 8 and 9 aboard Cygnus.
"How long before we lose line of sight to the pack ice island, Lieutenant?"
"Barely two minutes, Mistress."
"Isn't this cutting it a little short, E'lev?" asked Admiral Quan. "If it
turns out that our sensors are wrong and Mayor Yengo is right, we'll have
over an hour of bobbing about in the ocean until help returns."
"Darling, with the Cygnus occupying its orbital corridor at 725 kilometers,
we'd only have to bob for some 90 minutes until its over the horizon again.
But how could *all* of our sensors be wrong?"
"Perhaps Q did it."
"Exactly, Beloved. And if *that's* the case, he surely has more planned than
a prank to have us go swimming."
Corey gave a sort of resigned sigh as he checked the seal on his
environmental suit helmet. It wasn't that he wasn't used to Angel's convoluted
reasoning; but he had dealt with Q enough times to know that the whole point
might indeed have have been a childish prank. Oh well, it was too intriguing
wondering what would happen next to complain further.
Angel nodded to the transporter operator and the away team shimmered off the
Cygnus.
-------------
The group of 15 white-suited figures stood amid a swirling white wind. One of
them was kneeling and scooping up the achromatic surface powder.
"It's snow, all right. Crystallized water droplets. Every one different, they
say."
Ambassador Swan looked over from studying her tricorder. "Of course it's snow,
Beloved. Did you expect to be disappointed over such a trivial detail in the
midst of this elaborate phenomenon?" Her chuckle crackled over the headset.
Admiral Quan stood and squinted into the blizzard, as though squinting would
help him to see further. "Grandfather once said that reason without examination
is like having an oar without a river. Aristotle, for example, believed that
lighter objects fall less quickly than heavy objects. He relied on pure reason
and got it wrong. Only by examining a thing closely do we know it, E'lev."
Angel was back to studying her tricorder. "Mmmmmmm ... the structure we
detected from orbit is in this direction, some 500 meters."
As the party moved out, Corey shook his head a little and joined them. With the
wedding day looming ever closer between he and Angel, doubts began to nag at
him. Sometimes they seemed to balance out each other's personalities to the
benefit of both. But other times the differences between felt too great a
divide to ever successfully cross. When they had last been together at Ten
Forward Station, she again mentioned her "nature," and seemed to be showing
impatience with the the agreement she had made to share her bed with no other
man but him. It didn't help that Brian Riley was always present. She looked
so tempted by him. Thank goodness Mr. Riley couldn't get away for this trip.
Odd, the way the warp core aboard Sabotage suddenly developed irregularities.
Even without the man around, though, Angel seemed to be feeling as testy as
he. It cast a shadow on what should be a joyous event.
"Mistress, I'm reading lifesigns ahead. 30 meters."
"I read it too, Captain Jay, and I think I can make out some large shadows in
that direction."
The shadows gradually resolved themselves into a fenced compound in the
swirling snow, then into several large antlered beasts with broad snouts.
"What are those?"
Admiral Quan's voice cracked over the radio. "Those are reindeer, if I'm not
mistaken."
"Not mistaken at all, Admiral Crumb." This voice was one which nobody
recognized. "The taxonomic name is Rangifer tarandus. I'm approaching from
your right, please don't use your weapons on me, for I mean none of you harm."
All eyes turned to the plumpish figure in green felt who emerged from the haze
almost directly in front of Admiral Quan and Ambassador Swan. "You *are*
Admiral Cookie Crumb, yes? And you must be the enchanting star woman I was told
of."
"Nei ho mah," Corey bowed, "however my name is Quan. Corey Quan."
"Oh? But I was told..."
Angel giggled. "Q delights in misspeaking Corey's name, if I may assume that
it was he who told you of us? I'm Ambassador Angel Swan..."
"Delighted! Delighted! Do forgive me, both of you! It was not my intention to
slur a perfectly good... Cantonese? name such as Quan! Yes... I think I recall
a wide-eyed little boy of that name. Many years ago. California? Santa Cruz?"
Corey made a move to speak, but the stranger interrupted. "In anticipation
of your question, yes, I'm the owner of this little plot of ice. My name is
Kristopher. Kristopher Kringle. And you, Admiral, know me by my more common
other name..."
"Santa Claus!" said the Admiral.
The man laughed from his belly. "Good for you! You were always a bright little
boy - children such as you made it all worthwhile for me these many years...."
The Vulcan captain of the Bird of Play, Jay, approached, scanning the man.
"Human, to all appearances. Yet Santa Claus is only an old Earth legend. He
is an icon for children; the personification of the spirit of Christmas,
usually represented as a jolly, fat old man with a white beard and a red
suit, who brings gifts to good children on Christmas Eve. The name is
probably alteration of the Dutch Sinterklaas, from Middle Dutch
Sinterclaes, St. Nicholas. Sint, or saint from Middle Dutch, with heer,
meaning 'lord' and 'claes' which is short for Niclaes or Nicholas"
Mr. Kringle's eyes were wide, even in the stinging swirl of icy snow.
"Goodness! What an astoundingly well-informed woman! But where are my
manners? Come. Come with me. This weather is no good for introductions!
There's a warm fire inside, and my wife already has *gallons* of tea on
for us!" He was already turning back into the haze. "Mr. Illusioner said
to expect you..." His voice was fading. "Yes, yes! Very special visitors
indeed! Very important task...."
Jay, Quan and Swan looked at each other with more than a little amazement
and followed without a word.
~/\~ To Be Continued ~/\~
Subj: Homecoming - Part 14 (Supplement b)
Date: 12/20/98 3:02:10 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, BCrew, Beacus
To: Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago, Cmdr TVect
To: CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, DMacCullum
To: FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX, Love Robin
To: LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Moondnce, StuChtRiit
To: Trochilus, Vzardag, Wrongjas21
BCC: VAdm Quan
In our last episode, the Admiral of Vices, Corey Quan
was reunited with his daughter for the first time since his adventure
began. With daughter and father reunited and working side by side what
could possibly go wrong? You'll need to stay tuned to find out. And now,
off with his head! :::blink, flips through the narration script:::
Eesh. Someone inserted a line from one of the future episodes.
:::scribbling in the correction::: Ehm. And now, on with the show!
:::aboard the mystery vessel:::
"Hold still so I can fix it. Stop squirming."
"It was fine the way it was."
"Ha! It wasn't even straight with the collar. I'm amazed you can
dress yourself at all." A pause. "There. Was that so bad?"
Admiral Quan fingered the pin fastened to his shirt collar, three
pips inside a rectangular frame. The platinum rank insignia signified his
position inside the Black Operations command structure. "Things would be
better if this uniform were less confining." He muttered as he struggled
to adjust the tight black pants of his new Starfleet style uniform.
Ms. Allison Okabayashi-Quan helped her father smooth his black
tunic. "Yeah? At least yours has three pieces. I have to shoehorn myself
into mine." She caught one of their escorts openly eyeing her figure. Within
a fraction of a second the phaser pistol that was holstered low on her hip
found its muzzle pressed against the offending man's nostril. "Didn't your
mother ever tell you that it's not polite to stare?" Her eyes narrowed to
slits while the man vigorously nodded his head. The Admiral's daughter
holstered her weapon as the lift came to a stop.
"Something amiss, *Commander*?" The older Quan inquired as he
stepped off the lift to follow his daughter down the corridor.
"Only the fact that I hate people staring at me." She replied.
The Admiral did his best to hide his amusement. "The thought of
people, especially men, not taking note of you would be quite comforting
to me. However, it is unlikely that that will ever happen since you
possess quite a few of your mothers physical attributes." He arched an
eyebrow slightly as she shot him a glare. "Don't blame me. I only had a
small hand in it."
Commander Allison Quan, rank as indicated by the three solid pips
on her uniforms collar, rolled her eyes and sniffed loudly. "Sure. Only a
small hand. Whatever."
Father and daughter shared a brief moment to exchange mirthful
grins. Admiral Quan pressed the door chime to his superior officer and
long time friend's quarters. The door slid open silently.
"Corey, Allison, come in." Caulden invited. "I hope you didn't
have trouble finding the place."
"Pshhh. Dumb and dumber out there wouldn't dream of letting us
stray." The Commander replied.
Admiral Caulden looked from one Quan to the other. "They're only
temporary, until you know your way around better." He motioned to a plush
couch. "Dinner isn't quite finished yet. Make yourselves at home." He
looked at The Admiral. "Oolong tea, right?" Then to Allison. "And a
martini?" He smiled as both Quan's nodded.
"Someone's been doing his homework." Allison quipped.
"I like to think of myself as the quintessential host." Caulden
answered over his shoulder as he retrieved the beverages from the
replicator. "I'll bet you never imagined you'd get to be a Commander this
quickly, Allison."
The younger Quan took a sip of the martini she was handed. "Nah. I
always knew I was officer material."
Caulden laughed. "A little sure of ourselves, are we?"
"Rightly so, Stephen. Allison was a model Academy cadet, even
though she may be lacking in a few social graces such as-" Admiral Quan
arched an eyebrow at his daughter. "humility?"
Allison smiled sweetly in response.
"Still, I'm sure she'll make a fine addition to the organization."
Caulden raised his glass for a toast. "Both of you will."
Daughter and father responded to the Admiral's toast with
simultaneous "here, here's." Over the course of diner the conversation ranged
from the Quan's future duties to reminiscing over old times. The time ticked
away quickly, so quickly in fact that bedtime snuck up on the trio. Caulden
reluctantly bid his two newest officers good night and that was that.
"You look troubled." Admiral Quan observed as he and his daughter
walked side by side to the turbolift. Their guards from earlier were
conspicuously absent.
Allison grunted quietly. "Nothing gets past you, Dad."
The Admiral cocked an eyebrow in response to his daughters sarcasm
laced comment.
"Sorry." She whispered softly after catching a glimpse of her
fathers reaction. "I guess I'm just on edge. Some of this doesn't jive.
"Such is life. Not everything can make sense." The Admiral stepped
into the lift as his daughter keyed in their destination into the lift's
computer. A few seconds of silence followed before the Admiral spoke up.
"Are you going to share what's on your mind with your father or would that
be inappropriate?"
"Nah. I guess I can." She leaned against the lift's wall. "You and
Admiral Caulden have known each other for a while, right?"
"We served aboard the Brigsby together."
"Well, what was he like back then? I mean, he wasn't like he is now,
was he?"
"I think you can answer that for yourself, Allison. You were there
when we relived old times. What do you think?"
Commander Allison Quan shook her head slowly as the lift came to a
stop. "No, I guess he wasn't." She stepped off the lift, enroute to her
quarters, her father following closely behind. "I can't imagine what pushed
him to this point."
"His wife and child were killed during the Cardassian war." The
Admiral exhaled softly. "A loss of that magnitude can have a profound impact
on a persons psyche. A part of Stephen died with his family. It's often
easier for someone to forget about their loss by burying themselves in
their work. It is an unfortunate aspect of human nature."
"I think it's sad. Sort of feel for him, though." Allison keyed in
the entry sequence to her suite and watched as the door opened in response.
"I'm gonna try to get some sleep. You should do the same."
"I will. joy gin, Allison."
She smiled softly. "G'night, Dad." Her door closed with a hiss.
To be continued...
Subj: Not Another Holiday Entry!
Date: 12/23/98 8:01:35 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Moondnce
To: StuChtRiit, Trochilus, Vzardag, Wrongjas22
BCC: VAdm Quan
Merry, merry and happy, happy ladies and gentlemen.
I submit for your enjoyment a semi-original holiday Trek adventure.
Feel free to forward this to whomever you wish. Any resemblence to
actual people, either alive or dead, is purely coincidental. Without
further ado I present to you this little entry. :::cue exterior
shot of Excelsior cruising at warp against the starry backdrop of space:::
:::aboard the USS Excelsior, NCC-2000-B:::
"Captains personal log, supplemental. Excelsior is now enroute to
Starbase 515 for reassignment. I've received word that the convey we
escorted through the Talbet system arrived at Deep Space Six no worse for
wear. That's pretty good news considering the last three convoy's were
destroyed by enemy raiders. I suppose they thought twice about attacking
after realizing the Excelsior was escorting it."
The Captain leaned back in the plush chair situated behind his ready
room desk. Dopplered starlight danced energetically on the desks obsidian
surface, reflected from the opposite viewport. The quiet drone of surrounding
wall embedded EPS conduits were the only noticeable sounds, aside from the
Captains occasional sigh. "I hate to admit it but I miss the exploration and
technological shakedown missions of the past. Of course I thought they were
boring wastes of time back then. But now, I don't know. Maybe it's because
I'm getting older or maybe-" He paused briefly. "or maybe I'm just tired of
seeing the names of friends on casualty reports. Who kno-"
The intercom chimed. "Sir, long range scans are picking up minute
distortions in sub space."
"Are there any other starship's in the area?"
"No, sir. We're the only vessel within four light years."
"Slow to impulse. I'll join you shortly." The Captain switched the
intercom off. "Computer, stop log recording." He instructed as he stood and
made his way out of the ready room.
The Excelsior's first officer, Jaylen Tiern slipped out of the
command chair as the Captain, known only as Ki, stepped onto the bridge.
"Holding course at one half impulse power."
"Bearing of anomaly?"
"Zero two zero mark zero three five. About a third of a light year
from our current position." The Helmsperson responded.
"It seemed to slow down as we dropped to sublight."
The Captain glanced at his first officer as he settled into his
chair. "Coincidence?"
Commander Tiern shook her head slowly. "I don't think so."
"Lay in an intercept course. Is subspace stable enough for a jump to
warp nine?"
The Operations Manager keyed in a few sequences into his console.
"Yes, it is, sir."
"Engage new heading at warp nine."
"Aye, sir. We should arrive in under two hours."
----------
"Helm, full stop."
"Full stop, aye."
"Put it on main viewer and perform a passive analysis."
Bleeps and bloops sounded from consoles as numerous bridge officers
collaborated with each other. "Object is an immense energy cloud of unknown
origin. Sensors are unable to penetrate the clouds boundary."
Captain Ki studied one of the small displays integrated into the arm
of his chair. "Switch to active scans."
The Excelsior's science console emitted a tone as the sensors cycled
through frequencies. The effect was akin to sonar ranges old earth submarines
were equipped with. "Scans are being reflected back at us. Still unable to
penetrate clouds boundary."
"Notify Starfleet of our current position and status. Cycle through
standard friendship hails while you're at it."
"Acknowledged, Captain."
The Excelsior shuddered slightly. The object began to grow larger on
the viewscreen. Ki stood swiftly. "Report."
"We're caught in some kind of gravitic field."
"Why didn't we detect it before?"
The Science officer frantically keyed commands into his console,
cross checking sensor data for accuracy. "I don't know, sir. It just grabbed
us out of nowhere."
"We're being drawn into the energy cloud." Commander Tiern informed
as she rose from her seat. "It's some kind of tractor beam."
"Helm, bring us about one eighty, full impulse."
The Nova class starship performed a smooth one hundred and eighty
degree pirouette then seemed to surge forward for a second as the impulse
engines fired. The vessel quickly lost the ground it made up in that
one-second. "No effect. We're still being pulled in."
"Increase to warp one."
The helmsperson shook his head. "We're still caught."
"Punch it to warp five."
The deck bucked in response, throwing anyone on their feet to the floor.
Those seated at controls clung to their consoles. The ship immediately switched
to red alert status. Klaxon's sounded loudly as crimson lights flashed.
"Throttle back, Helm!" The shuddering ceased as the Excelsior stopped
laboring against the tractor. Ki picked himself up from the floor, making sure
his tunic was straight by giving it a tug. "Damage?"
The engineering officer consulted her console. "Minor buckling of the
nacelle struts. Nothing major."
"What in heavens name is going on here?" All eyes were on the man as he
stepped out of the turbolift.
"Admiral on the Bridge!"
Ki was the first to speak. "Admiral Quan! What are you doing here?"
"I came to see what caused the ejection of my person from my warm bed.
It's not pleasant being waken up by carpet burns to the chin, Captain."
"I agree, sir. But what I mean is why are you aboard the Excelsior?
Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
The Admiral of Vices, Corey Quan, arched an eyebrow. "Wrong episode,
Commander. That was quite some time ago. I'll just say it's that time of the
year again." Quan held up a halting hand. "If any of you think I mean male
menopause I'll have you locked up in the brig. I'm old but not *that* old."
Ki nodded slowly. "Of course, sir."
"What's our status, Captain?"
"We've been caught in an alien tractor beam. All attempts to break free
have failed." Ki cleared his throat. "Since you're the highest ranking officer
on the Bridge I feel obligated to relinquish command to you, Admiral." A pause.
"We'd be honored if you did, for old times sake."
The Admiral nodded slowly. "doh jay, Captain. I accept, even though
this is just a cameo appearance." He peered over the Science officer's
shoulder, examining the sensor data and logs from the past few minutes.
"Intriguing. The energy output of the cloud is off the scale and will easily
overpower Excelsior's shields." He glanced at Ki and then Tiern. "I suggest
we head directly into the source of the gravitic beam."
"With all due respect, Admiral, that's the dumbest thing I've heard
in my life!" Lieutenant Thompson, the Tactical officer, blurted out. "We
should fire on the source of the tractor to break free!"
"Remember who you're talking to, Lieutenant." Commander Tiern
growled.
The Admiral looked to Ki and Tiern for any objections to his
suggestion. They had none. After all, Excelsior had been The Admiral's
former command. He eyed Thompson for a moment before proceeding. "Helm,
reverse heading."
"Reverse heading, aye."
"Channel power from the secondary warp core to the shields and
structural fields." The Admiral settled into the command chair and waited for
verbal confirmation.
"Auxiliary core online. Shields and SIF augmented accordingly, Admiral."
"Head straight into the source of whatever is dragging us in, maximum
warp."
Warp nacelles flared to life as large quantities of plasma flowed
through their field coils. The starship was enveloped in flames as it hurled
itself into the thick of the objects misty cloud. Energy of unknown type and
origin pummeled the shields, giving the vessel falling star visual beauty as
it streaked through.
In a matter of seconds it was over. The drone from the laboring
engines quieted. Moaning from Excelsior's superstructure caused by the forces
of increased velocity against the tractor ceased. Dead silence.
"Please get off of me. That's an order." Came a muffled voice from
somewhere. "And turn on the lights." Scuffling sounds. "Egad! Watch where you
put your hand, it's cold."
"Ack! Sorry sir."
Bridge auxiliary illumination flickered to life. Admiral Quan stood
slowly as he tugged down on his tunic. He glanced at Commander Tiern. "No
permanent harm done, Commander. But I do believe this means you and I are
engaged now."
Tiern visibly blushed. "I really am sorry, sir." She looked
horrified. "That didn't come out right, sir. I mean, not that you have
anything to feel sorry about. You are nicely end-" The Commander flinched
after hearing herself. "What I mean is I should be thanking *you* for-"
Quan arched an eyebrow slightly.
"I give up." The Excelsior's Executive Officer decided to drop it
altogether.
"I'm sure Admiral Quan understands what you mean, Jaylen." Captain
Ki reassured as he silenced the bridge crew's muted chuckles and giggles with
a stern look. "What's our condition?"
Tiern whacked the side of her flickering status display. "Main power
is offline. Engineering is working to correct the problem. Moderate damage to
exterior plating of primary hull. Sixteen minor casualties reported."
"Not bad, considering. Where are we?
The helmsperson spoke up. "Twenty-two point one million kilometers
from our starting point, sir."
"Did we clear the anomaly?" The Admiral inquired.
"Affirm-" The Ops officer swallowed softly. "Correction. We're inside
the object, Admiral. I'm also reading a breathable atmosphere outside the ship."
Ki glanced at Tiern. "Commander, assemble your away team."
"Understood." The Commander replied as she nodded to various bridge
staff, instructing them to accompany her.
Quan started for the turbolift, intent on joining the Commander. "Do
you mind if I tag along?"
"Not at all, Admiral."
----------
Hours passed as the away team made its way across a vast expanse of
interconnecting hexagonal tiles. Commander Tiern decided to head for the
source of the only steady reading her tricorder was able to produce, an area
of diffused light straight ahead. The tiled surface grew more flat and regular
as the away team neared the source of the light. Ultimately the flat nature
of the tiles lead to a central concave region, the source of the light.
Quan was the first to step down into the curved region. He observed a
number of pulsing conduits, presumably for power, that led to a pillar lthat
stood at the heart of the dimple. A number of thin filaments connected the
pillar to the object resting atop it. It looked like a life form of some
sort, consisting of two large eyes and a beak, all covered in fur. The
form began to chatter and hoot.
"We're from the Federation Starship Excelsior. We're on a peaceful
mission." Tiern said in response. She blinked, puzzled. "Tiern to Excelsior.
I need a translation of the creatures language."
"Acknowledged, Commander. We're running it through now."
"It's composed of various polypropylene composites. I'm also picking
up traces of gallium arsenide, silicon and tin." The Admiral reported as he
read the results from his tricorder. The creature started to flail and chatter
wildly.
"It doesn't look like it's very happy. I need that translation now,
Excelsior."
The Commander's communicator crackled slightly. "It's coming up now,
Commander. It translates to 'I want to play', from an obscure language
called Furbese."
"How cute!" Exclaimed one of the away team's red shirts. He started to
pick up the creature. "I'll play with you, little guy."
"I advise against that, Ensign." Quan cautioned.
"Oh, I don't think it means to hurt us, AdmirAARRRRRGH!" The Ensign
was thrown back the instant his hands came into contact with the creature,
the cause of an immense amount of electrical current shot through his
nervous system.
One of the other red shirts scrambled to check on her fallen comrade.
"He's dead!"
"We lose more security people that way." Tiern said with a sigh.
"Give us all the available information you have on this creature,
Bridge." Quan instructed.
"Admiral, the data we have suggests that the creature isn't a life form
at all. Rather, it's a machine. An Earth toy known as a Furby. They haven't
been manufactured since the late twentieth Century. They were deemed quite
rare and valuable to parents in search of the perfect Christmas gift for
their kids. Rumor has it that Earth's third world war was started over a
disagreement involving a Furby."
"A toy? From Earth? People from that time period possessed limited space
travel. How did it get this far from Sector 001?"
"Records indicate that an overachieving group of graduate students, from
MIT, launched one into space nearly four hundred years ago."
"That sure explains it."
"If it's a machine then there's a way to turn it off."
"We're calling up design schematics now, sirs." There was a moment of
silence. "The mechanism is simple in design, employing a simple electric motor
and camshaft for movement and simple sensors for input. An uncomplicated set
of circuitry governs behavior based on sensory input."
"Transfer the specifics to my tricorder, Excelsior." Quan scrutinized
the small display of his tricorder. "Commander, according to this, there is a
reset switch somewhere on its back."
"I think I see the switch housing but I can't get to it because the
thing is hopping around too much."
The Admiral toggled through the Furby information pages contained in
his tricorder. It was too dangerous to touch directly. How could they disable
it? Wait. What was that? He scrolled back a few pages, eyebrow arched
slightly. "Commander, cover its eyes."
"What?"
"There's a photosensor on the top of its head. It may go to sleep if
its eyes are covered."
Tiern looked skeptical but complied. The Furby started snoring, eyes
closed. "It looks like it worked." She withdrew her hand slowly. Furby
remained asleep. "Some toy. I hope they recalled them for that little
electrical shock problem."
"I'm sure it wasn't nearly as dangerous then as it is now."
The Commander glanced at Quan. "All this for a toy. I wonder what
happened to it."
"Who can say for sure, Commander?" The Admiral examined the Furby.
"Perhaps it was pulled into a black hole like the Voyager VI probe. Admiral
James Kirk encountered a highly modified version of it about a Century ago."
"I think I remember something about that. It crash landed on a
planet inhabited by sentient machines. They rebuilt it so that it could
finish its mission." She turned to the Admiral. "You believe something like
that happened to the Furby?"
"Only a hypothesis, Commander. It would seem to fit the data we have
so far, though."
One of the security officers tentatively touched the slumbering
Furby. He yanked it free from the filaments attaching it to the pillar.
Tiern gasped at the man while the Admiral raised an eyebrow slightly. The
security officer simply shrugged. "Not like it's alive or anything, right?"
All of the away team members, aside from the Commander and Admiral,
were overwhelmed by the Furby's cuteness. The pushing match they started to
see who's child would get the critter as a holiday present escalated into
an all out slugfest. The battle quickly turned bloody as noses and lips
were broken.
Commander Tiern unholstered her phaser and set it to a wide field
stun, having seen enough. She fired a shot into the battling group,
disorienting them. The Furby rolled clear. "That's enough! You're all
going to be confined to quarters for twenty-four hours." Tiern was
extremely pissed. "Can't believe behavior like this still exists." She
mumbled as she adjusted her weapons output and leveled it on the
defenseless toy. "Say good by to the Furby, boy's and girls."
The Furby exploded from the phaser's discharge. After the smoke
cleared all that was left of the creature was a melted carapace housing
the remains of two lifeless eyes that were frozen in a stare to the
heavens and two halves of a beak forever curled into a frown.
Commander Jaylen Tiern tapped her communicator. "Tiern to Excelsior.
There's nothing left to see here. Beam us home." She glanced at the
Admiral's raised eyebrow and shrugged in response. "It's good to be the
Commander." She said as they shimmered into nothingness.
Happy Holidays from The Admiral and the crew of TFL: Homecoming
We wish you and yours many happy returns.
Subj: Homecoming - Part 15
Date: 1/1/99 11:24:09 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VAdm Quan
To: Angel Swan, DrKrisMLyn, Amatuli, Caelin R, BCrew
To: Beacus, Capt speed, Capt Raven, Aron Wago
To: Cmdr TVect, CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard
To: DMacCullum, FireDncerX, Joy Mudd, KelCaraidX
To: Love Robin, LtjCMoriah, Lt SilverI, Moondnce
To: Trochilus, Vzardag, Wrongjas22
BCC: VAdm Quan
In our last episode we found The Admiral and Allison in the
process of adjusting to their new positions in the Black Ops command
structure. Sure employment with the secretive branch of Starfleet
provided for primo benefits, such as medical, dental and a 401k plan.
But is it truly worth it? Will they be able to live with themselves
after learning of the consequences of their actions? These questions
and many more will be answered as the story continues with part 15 in
the Homecoming saga.
:::aboard the privately owned vessel Millenium:::
Someone once said that time was a predator that stalked us all.
One of the Universal constants. The one that never lets us forget it's
there. With every second we exist, with every breath we breathe, we feel
it huffing at our ankles as it tries to nip at our heels. Time waits for
no one.
Ah, yes. There are people that have successfully baited time away,
causing it to lose their scent, slowing its pursuit. But in the end, the
predator always catches up. It always finds its prey. Remember, time waits
for no one, not even certain reputable Starfleet Admiral's.
"There are a few matters I must tend to. Do you mind if we have
our discussion while on the move?
Admiral Quan fell into step behind him. His bootfalls reverberated
off of the corridors walls. "Not at all."
"I've been reviewing your performance over the past few months
since you joined us. I have to admit, I'm quite impressed. " He was a tall,
well groomed man clad in a cashmere suit. He glanced at Quan briefly. "Not
something easily accomplished, I assure you." "I'm honored."
"I've been keeping an eye on you for quite some time now."
"I'm flattered to garner such... interest, Mister-"
"You may call me Ronald, or Ron."
"Ronald, I'm flattered. However, I fail to grasp the concept of
being interesting enough to attract someone's attention."
Ron chuckled softly. It didn't register quite right with the Admiral,
sounded somewhat false. "Your modesty is refreshing." They stepped through
a shimmering arch, exiting somewhere on the opposite side of the huge ship.
Similar arches were dispersed throughout, comprising a high speed
matter/energy transport network. "You may be surprised how much I know about
you."
"Doubtful. I suspect my Starfleet file is public domain by now."
"You may have a point. Let me gather my thoughts and we'll see if I
can't change your mind." They walked in silence for a few seconds. Ronald
came to a stop next to a pair of men guarding a heavily shielded door. He
turned around to face the Admiral. "You were born on August twenty-second,
twenty-three twenty-eight. Your father's name was Morris and your mother's
name was Julia. Your mother died a year or so after you were born while
investigating a dispute for the JAG. Your father remarried nearly two
years after her death, to Elizabeth Schattan. After that your family count
totaled five, you, your father, your stepmother, your stepsister Beth and
your grandfather."
"Your grandfather started teaching you the Chinese Arts when you
turned five, emphasizing the older wing chun styles while incorporating
the use of modern wu shu. Your father disapproved yet never stopped you
from learning. You continued to hone your skills, well into adolescence.
Something happened to your mother during this period. She was killed when
her ship, while on escort duty, was attacked by pirates." He paused. "I
was surprised to learn that your father was killed shortly after you
entered the Academy and that your grandfather died immediately after
your graduation."
"Quan family history is replete with similar occurrences. They are
part of what makes my family so unique. I must also point out that
everything you've said so far is in my Starfleet dossier."
"Hmm, perhaps." He looked at the Admiral for a moment. "How *is*
that neurological condition of yours? Still no cure?"
The Admiral narrowed an eye in response. "How did-"
"Like I said before, I've been watching you for quite some time
now. It's ironic that the condition that has slowed your aging will
eventually kill you. How long do you have? Two, maybe three years left?"
"I've stopped counting."
"Of course." Ronald entered the entry code into the panel that
controlled the guarded door. He stepped inside confidently.
Admiral Quan was appalled by what he saw. Three or four dozen
disheveled people from the Ferasan or Caitian races were locked behind
forcefield's. The stench was overwhelming. Not only were they forced to
live in a space barely adequate enough for twelve people, they were
forced to live in their own filth as well. Quan looked at Ronald,
expecting a reaction similar to his own. He saw no such thing. Rather,
Ron appeared to enjoy seeing these people live this way, barely
clinging to life.
"This is the last of the lot, Boss." A hulking man informed Ronald.
"Which of them gave you difficulty, Mr. Thron?"
Thron pointed three of the Cait's out. "Them."
"Lower the barrier and bring them to me." Ron took a moment to
explain to the Admiral what was about to happen while his guards
separated three of the Cait's from the rest of the group. "This is a
small part of our commodities base, Admiral. Felineoid's make for
excellent livestock. This race is usually docile and can be easily trained.
We use the men as hard laborers in our mining efforts and the women and
children as servants. You'd be surprised how much people are willing to
pay for them."
"Where did they come from? Shanghaied?" Quan was doing his best to
mask his disgust.
"Something like that." Ron glanced at the Admiral and grinned. "I'm
surprised, Admiral. You're taking this better than I expected. I anticipated
a long winded oration on how inhumane and wrong slavery is."
Admiral Quan spoke with a steady tone as the guards brought over the
three supposed troublemakers, two males and a female. "My position on the
matter is irrelevant. The bottom line is that it takes money to fund a cause
such as ours. How we raise the capitol shouldn't be an issue. What matters
is if we achieve our goal or not."
Ron was visibly pleased by this. "I couldn't have said it better
myself, Admiral."
"I assume you plan to use them as examples?"
"You catch on quickly." The man, known only as Ronald to the Admiral
and Master to his slaves, eyed the two males briefly, his gaze invariably
drawn to the female. He waved one of his men over. "Take her for immediate
processing. It would be a shame to waste such a fine specimen."
Admiral Quan watched as the terrified felineoid woman was taken
away. "What will become of her?"
Ron glanced at the Admiral. "She'll be conditioned."
"Conditioned? What does that entail?"
"Let's just say that she'll emerge a new woman, perfectly adjusted
to her new role."
Quan motioned to the two males. "And them?"
"My, my. Trademark compassion from our illustrious Admiral Quan?"
"Hardly." The Admiral's eyes darkened for a moment. "Consider it mild
interest in the internal operations of our organization."
The slaver scrutinized Quan's features. "Then I'm glad you asked."
He touched a nearby wall mounted control panel, triggering the door to the
small room to open. "They're free to go."
The two men looked at each other, confused. Ever so slowly did they
walk towards the door that led to freedom. Quan glanced at each of Ron's
armed guards, looking for a sign of things to come. Nothing.
"Wait." The two men spun around. "I've changed my mind." Ronald
informed as he unbuttoned the front of his suit jacket. "It'd make for
bad business if I just let two pieces of merchandise walk right out the
door." Ron produced a phaser pistol from inside his jacket and fired at one
of the Cait's, cleanly severing the Felineoid's leg at the knee. "This one
seems to have a defect. It's a good thing I caught it in time. We can't have
substandard merchandise roaming around the showroom." He fired once again,
this time completely vaporizing the helpless man.
Admiral Quan glanced at the sadistic man next to him. "Heaven
forbid that should happen." He said dryly.
Ron smiled broadly as he leveled his phaser on the remaining male.
"I believe this one will be the first in a new line of eunuch's." He
pressed the trigger. Nothing. He pressed it again. Still nothing. With a
loud curse he holstered the phaser. "That's the trouble with energy
weapons, Admiral." He reached inside his jacket once again, producing a
gleaming metal object. "Which is why I always have a backup." He aimed at
the Cait and fired. The end of the object flashed brightly, accompanied by
a loud bang sound echoed inside the confines of the small room.
The male felineoid collapsed on the floor, clutching his leg. Blood
gushed from the wound as he growled in pain. He refused to give his captor
the pleasure of seeing him writhe in pain. He stood slowly, using the wall
for support.
"I'll be the first to admit that this type of weapon is crude,
Admiral. But it does have a place in my personal arsenal." He took aim once
again, discharging another round into the Caitian. "It's called a Walther
PPK. Various governmental agencies used this firearm on Earth in the
Twentieth Century. It doesn't possess the versatility of a phaser or
disrupter, nor is it as tidy. However," He brought the gun up and aimed
again, this time firing a round directly into the Cait's eye socket.
"It can be a deadly weapon in the hands of a capable marksman."
"Was that absolutely necessary?" Quan asked.
Ronald holstered the antique weapon and rebuttoned the front of his
suit jacket. "Of course it was, Admiral." He turned around to regard those
still behind forcefield's. "Now they know escape is hopeless. Their lives
belong to me, to do with as I please." He smiled coldly, his voice growing
more quiet. "As will their souls, given enough time." With that said he
turned on his heel and proceeded to walk out, careful not to get blood on
his expensive shoes as he stepped over the body of the dead Caitian.
"Someone clean this mess up."
Vice Admiral Corey Quan paused next to the corpse, mumbling softly
as he knelt. "ho dooyee mjew. It won't be in vain." Quan stood and
continued on his way to the door, never looking back from that point on.
To be continued...
Subj: Return to Family Values- The End
Date: 1/6/99 10:30:08 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: DrKrisMLyn
To: Amatuli, Angel Swan, Aron Wago, BCrew, Beacus
To: Caelin R, Capt Raven, Capt speed, Cmdr TVect
To: CmdrQShell, Cpt TZyr, CtJLPicard, DMacCullum
To: DrKrisMLyn, FireDncerX, KelCaraidX, Love Robin
To: Lt SilverI, LtjCMoriah, Mawkline, Moondnce
To: VAdm Quan, Vzardag, Wrongjas22
"-u awake?"
I slowly open my eyes, the world concisting of colored blurs.
Bright.
"Kristie, are you awake?"
I am dully aware of some movement, some sensation on the fringe.
Motion. Shake. Voice, sounds familiar. Strange.
I want to reply, but can't seem to remember how. My mouth feels
fuzzy. My tongue feels heavy and useless. I blink deliberately and the
blurs begin to take more shape.
"Good. Now you'll no doubt be feeling funny, but that comes from
mixing your medication with alcohol. Of course, we doctored your drink,
but it is your own medication. The temporary paralysis will no doubt
wear off in time. "
I try to pay attention, but the words are flying fast and my mind
is only able to grab a few. Drug. Alcohol.
I make an effort to see this blur that keeps shooting all these
words at me. Light halo. Spirit? No. She keeps talking, her voice a
soft mummuring that seems familiar. She. A woman. Another slow blink
and her features seem clearer to me. She looks very familiar. I must
know her.
The blur reaches out and touches my face. Soft touch that seems
to be seeking something. Must find. The mummuring continues. Behind it
something else. There is a low, throbbing feeling. A headache coming.
The mummuring still continues.
"-uring that time that Carolyn began to create me. So, as you
raised Stuart here to be an ineffective leader, I was being trained to
be a stronger, better y-"
My mouth is dry. I ask for water, but my request is just a low
moan. I try to feel my arms, my legs. I need to move, but feel tethered
somehow. Arms so heavy.
The blond woman keeps talking as her features become clearer.
Blond hair. Green eyes....such a familiar face. Dream like. Young woman,
no wrinkles or lines.
"-ouble it'll get me into, I can't let that happen. Carolyn wants
to torture you for your last year, to get some of her own back. I'm going
to steal that from her."
The woman turns, reaching for something I cannot see. I see the
profile and suddenly it is clear. This is me. This woman is me. How?
Where am I?
"You probably won't thank me, but I need to save you from that. I
owe you that much."
I am dimly aware of something shiny in her hand. Ornate.
Decorated. Orcanian? Mine?
She leans over and kisses my forehead. I turn my head very
slightly. I don't like this. Something is wrong. Stop, I cry in my
mind. Don't.
"I am the Phoenix rising from your ashes."
A flash of metal. Spread of warmth, flowing over my neck, my
shoulders. The world darken and blurs then...