Mission 006: Divergence/Convergence

[Tiana Galwyn Cet]

"Tiana," he murmured, "Are you alright?" he asked, stepping back inside and allowing the door to close behind him

Somehow the fact that she was off balance enough for Savin to spot it within a matter of a second didn’t worry her. Perhaps she had reached her worry limit.

Savin guided her into a chair and then sat down himself. "Something troubles you," he stated, reaching to caress her hand. "Will you tell me about it?"

She swallowed, this was what she had wanted after all and then gave a half smile.

“I will try. Although in truth it’s difficult to know where to begin. I thought Cet and I had come to an understanding. By Cet I really mean my symbiont’s previous hosts. I thought we had found our balance, but lately they’ve been louder than usual…”

The door to Savin’s quarters hissed open Tiana jumped to her feet and found that Savin had beaten her to it he gave her hand a tug and placed himself between her and the person who had entered effectively blocking her view of the intruder.

"I'm sorry..." he said, "I seem to have the wrong..." The voice was familiar but in that moment Tiana couldn’t place it.

"Who are .." Savin’s words cut off and he clutched his side, she knew he had been hurt she could feel anger bubbling up inside her. Savin gave her another shove and she stumbled several steps catching her balance against the wall. She was further away now but Savin was no longer blocking her direct line of sight, it was the Romulan Telmak.

"Who are you," Savin demanded a second time, "why are you trying to harm me? Or her," he added, indicating Tiana.

That hadn’t occurred to Tiana, if she was the reason that Savin was hurt…

All the extraneous details dimmed in Tiana’s mind as a different perspective took over. She reached out and swept Savin’s sword from its pegs on the wall. Her body relaxed into a sword stance that had been popular about 500 years ago and pointed the tip of the weapon unerringly at Telmak. Technically the sword was too long for her but it was perfectly balanced and it wasn’t as if there was much choice at the moment.

She stepped cat-like round the room into Savin’s peripheral vision, she stayed as far from Savin as the room would allow. It was a tactical move that made it harder for Telmak to keep an eye on both of them.

“I suggest you slowly raise your hands and do not say or do anything threatening.” The sword tip was unwavering as she spoke. She inwardly cursed that she had not yet mastered Savin’s preferred sign language, it would be very useful right now. She could see a smear of green on Savin’s fingers and part of her wanted an excuse to run his attacker through. Protecting people was her duty…

Tag: Savin / Ghes / Security

[Allan Hood]

“And I suggest that all of you slowly drop your weapons and slowly lay yourselves on the ground,” Hood said, setting his type-1 phaser to wide-field stun, “or I can just drop all of you at once. Up to you.”

Hood saw Commander Tiana Galwyn Cet, poised for attack, with a Vulcan saber pointed at Telmak. Hood was tempted to stun them all without warning and clean up the mess afterward, but seeing how there was no real immediate grounds for such an aggressive move at the moment, he figured a fair warning was warranted. He considered the wounded security officers laying unconscious and debated vaporizing Telmak on the spot in his head. Hood had to lean heavily on his love for law and order to anchor him to justice rather than revenge.

The Chief noted that Cet, being against that wall, had no way to retreat from an attack and had to extend her sword arm and lunge forward to successfully land an attack on the Romulan intruder. Savin appeared to suffer only from a flesh wound while Telmak’s pride seem to be the worse injury in the immediate area.

"Ma'am, 'for you should strike or thrust in the shortest and nearest way possible'" Hood quoted Hanko Döbringer's Fechtbuch from 1389 to the Commander, “Ma'am, I'd love to challenge you to a bout on the Holodeck sometime.”  Being a member of the Starfleet Academy European Swordmanship Association and the Starfleet Academy Aikido Federation, Hood always kept an eye out.

According to Elohim, “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution.” Hood held on to his ancient faith all the closer in these moments. He could not help but take it personal when someone committed a crime on his watch, no matter how minor the significance or impact. So, in situations where there were multiple attacks with blatant disregard for sentient life, Hood had no excuse but to take an attack on someone else’s life personal, as personal as an attack on his own body. Knowing that he argued to give Telmak the benefit of the doubt only sweetened both the irony and the temptation.

TAG Everyone

[Deleted]

Eyes burning with reigned in fury, Savin shifted his attention from the Romulan to the security chief. "I am instructing Commander Cet," he snapped, "Tiana, hold the sword in your left hand, it is balanced for left-handed use." Though he preferred she give it to him, as he was unarmed. He was standing only a pace or two away from the Romulan, and the only thing he wanted right now, was to strike him down.

But, with the chief's weapon trained on the both of them, he restrained himself and took an unsteady step back, hand still pressed over his right side. Blood was seeping though his fingers, staining his uniform. He raised his right hand in surrender, shifting his gaze back to his assailant. "Who are you!" he demanded again.

(the Telmak in savin's quarters is a hologram, upon being struck it'll disappear)

[Gheskori]

OOC: Gheskori, Telmak; Saryn, Hood for reference

IC:

On approach to Saryn's quarters Gheskori knew instantly something was wrong. He doubled back, sprinting down the passage to Savin's quarters. Saryn's guards would already have been alerted to the situation developing at Savin's quarters... Ghes couldn't quite believe it. Against his judgment he'd permitted guards to be posted to the two vulcans' quarters, not thinking there was any real danger - he'd doubted Telmak would move so early, or move at all, against Saryn or any of his family.

He hurried in the wake of Saryn's guards, seeing them ahead around the bend in the corrior, their phasers unholstered as they scampered the short distance to Savin's abode. Of course, he hadn't seen the shadowy figure entering Dr Saryn's quarters seconds before his departure... [TBC]

* * * * *

"Who are you," he demanded a second time, "why are you trying to harm me?" Unless he hadn't been the target, but Tiana. "Or her," he added, indicating the Trill woman.

"Case of mistaken identity," Telmak said to Savin distractedly, casting about the quarters in case the young vulcan's abode was occupied by the father (waiting within some shadowy recess, perhaps, ready to strike when the opportunity presented itself).

Telmak was saddened it'd had to come to this. He couldn't be caught, that was for sure (unsure as he was of his own true identity...) Unauthorised in private quarters, with security doubtlessly closing in...

He pulled out his second dagger - he'd had little reason to use it over his 50 year life span, although on this expedition he and his superiors had felt it necessary.

"Prepare to meet death... Unfortunately, kinsman." Telmak added, tilted his head. Galwyn Cet's unexpected aggression had caught him off guard, but he now saw this as a stand off: he dropped Savin to his knees without much trouble and prepared to slit his throat - Cet's reaction on the face of it was unwavering - seeming intent on her enemy, she appeared ready to react to any movement Telmak might make, but now, the Romulan detected a momentary lapse in her concentration: there, a burst of sudden pearlescent light from behind him.

"And I suggest that all of you slowly drop your weapons and slowly lay yourselves on the ground,” Hood said, setting his type-1 phaser to wide-field stun, “or I can just drop all of you at once. Up to you.”

Security: all of Telmak's spirit for this escapade evacuated from him; he lowered the knife to his side - until then held to Savin's throat - and turned to face the security chief arms raised.

He hadn't even intended to infiltrate these quarters, and now he was facing brig time, having been - as this crew believed - caught in the act of an attempted murder of an Enzio crewman. The unexpected presence of the Trill had necessarily focussed all his attention on the vulcan; Tiana Galwyn's survival was paramount to the mission, after all...

"Who are you," came the question again from Savin. He'd hardly heard Savin, his eyes now focussed on the security chief. He finally dropped the knife and lunged forward suddenly, wrestled Lieutenant Hood's phaser from his grasp (courtesy of greater Romulan physical strength). He twisted away from the surprised chief, set the CTSO's phaser for overload and threw it into the dark recesses of the room, simultaneously stepping out into the corridor. Savin and Tiana remained inside.

Telmak was engaged in a hand-to-hand fight in the corridor with Hood and a couple security guards. He didn't fancy his chances, yet perhaps it didn't matter...

<Tag All>

[Deleted]

Savin was unaware of the thrown phaser set on overload; he had not seen Telmak throw it, nor did he hear the distinctive whine of the overloading weapon. One hand pressed to his still bleeding side, the other at briefly his throat to determine whether the secondary blade had cut him - as he had felt the sting of the blade - he stumbled over towards Tiana. "Give me the sword," he told her, holding out a bloodied hand. "Are you alright?"

He turned his head towards where Telmak had disappeared, knowing security was out there waiting for the man. "I do not understand," he elaborated to the Trill science officer, "I do not understand why he attacked me, when I do not even know who he is." The reason Tiana had come to his quarters had already been forgotten though no doubt, the woman would remind him, once they were safe.

[Allan Hood]

Security Chief Hood exchanged blows with Telmak after successfully wrestling Hood’s phaser from his grasp. Hood was stunned at the speed Telmak showed in adjusting his phaser to an overload setting and could not believe his eyes. Hood heard the distinctive high-pitched whine as the doors leisurely sealed. Somehow Telmak managed to disengage the safeties that normally managed the phaser's power system, allowing its energy to be transferred from the power cell to the prefire chamber then back into the power cell. With the safeties off, the energy transfer was faster than the power cell could reabsorb the energy, causing the overload.

As Hood recovered, one of the doctors tried to squeeze past and get inside, but Telmak floored him with a blow to the neck. By the time Hood had his bearings, two security crewman tried rushing past Telmak simultaneously only to receive a broken leg to one and dislocated hip to the other.

Telmak turned back to Hood with a similar attack he used on one of his security personnel’s throat. Hood blocked Telmak’s right punch with a right-arm block to his outside line. Hood’s left hand slammed Telmak’s right arm, dropping his hips to add greater pressure. Telmak adjusted by predictably forcing his left arm toward Hood’s chest as Hood’s right arm came up to deflect. Hood used the force of Telmak’s left straight-arm attack to fuel the energy Hood needed for his own left straight-arm attack to Telmak’s gullet by pulling Telmak’s left wrist pass his body and lining up Telmak for the final blow. When Hood’s left wrist hit Telmak’s neck, Telmak’s head hit the bulkhead.

Hood dove over Telmak’s falling body back into Savin’s quarters. While Hood fell toward the whinging phaser, he slapped his combadge onto the phaser. “Transporter Room! Lock onto my combadge and beam it off the ship!” No sooner did he slap the combadge onto the overloading phaser, it dematerialized from the floor.

Hood landed on his right arm, knocking his wind out. Gasping for air, he felt himself being lifted by the collar of his uniform and pulled back into the corridor. Hood felt a blow to his jaw causing excruciating pain to shoot to his brain. He tried to absorb as much of the hit as he could by turning with the hit to come back around and face Telmak again, sidestepping from the line of attack.

This time, Hood had time to finish the job. He grabbed Telmak’s left wrist with his left hand and threw his weight onto Telmak’s left elbow. Hood dropped his weight down, bringing Telmak down and off balance. Hood then pivoted and used Telmak’s extra force from his attack and extra Romulan mass to guide his skull back to the nearest bulkhead, again, rendering him unconscious. Hood then collapsed against the same bulkhead and slid down to the floor still trying to catch his breath. He patted the unconscious Telmak on the back saying, “that’s better” before restraining Telmak in handcuffs.    

TAG ALL

[Gheskori]

Telmak waited in the shower room of Saryn's quarters. He was dimly aware of the main door opening, a paltry illumination filtering in from the corridor beyond. A figure entered, derobing, "Lights," it said, the sound muted. The Romulan crept forward, a dark shape crouched out of sight behind a lounge chair, just before the lights came up and illuminated the austerely decorated interior of the vulcan's quarters.

Saryn sat in the lounge chair. Telmak stiffened, holding his breath and keeping completely still. Surely the vulcan's sharp hearing would detect his presence if he moved; then again, if the CMO wasn't expecting company (what would give him reason to?), he would be in relaxed mood, lower alertness. Potential to be caught off guard.

In a swift move Telmak reached up behind the chair and with both hands brought back a thin polymer wire onto the vulcan's neck. Saryn's head was jerked backwards, the vulcan instantly beginning to choke. The throttled, rasping sounds of an impending death, Telmak thought sadistically. Saryn grabbed at his throat, trying to get his fingers beneath the polymer wire that was slowly cutting into his neck, trying to pry Telmak's prehensile fingers loose from the wire's ends.

The vulcan's fingers passed straight through the Romulan's. Telmak blurted something unintelligible, some sound of terror... Yes, while this meant his victory was assured, what did it mean for his being?! The unmistakable phasing of real matter through something immaterial, something composed of... photons.

"I'm a..." he choked, "I'm a hologram!" He was flung backwards, sprawled on his back behind the couch from where he'd sprung up. He wasn't sure if the horrifying shock of the realisation had been the cause - his fingers unconsciously loosening their grasp; or if Saryn had actually managed to overcome him by freeing himself of the deadly cutting wire. Or it could be a mixture of both.

"I'm a hologram," he said again, staring at Dr Saryn who stared back, looking for all the world as if he was in a similar state of shock. "I don't know what this means... What my creator had planned for me I know... But I can tell you he wasn't Telmak. The real Telmak, that is."

<Tag Saryn>

[Gheskori]

Gheskori sprinted down the corridor, doing all he could to keep up with the younger and fitter security guards who'd just now been watching Saryn's quarters. "Is Hood back there yet?" he asked, panting. The security guards didn't know.

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Allan Hood."

~ Lieutenant Hood is not aboard the Enzio ~ the computer replied politely.

"What?!" The computer began to repeat the information but Ghes cut it off, rolling his eyes. Something strange was happening or had happened at Savin's quarters. By the time they arrived, Hood (apparently still alive) had the situation under control, and seemed to have had for quite some time.

"Good work, Lieutenant. Your commbadge?"

"Overloaded phaser, sir... Exploded in space."

"I see. Very good. Have Mr Telmak taken to the brig." Ghes stared daggers at his friend - who was just now regaining consciousness, being carried away by the fresh security who'd arrived with the Admiral. Ghes hated being right sometimes (in his precautions as to Telmak's access to areas of the ship): but he still couldn't bring himself to believe that the Romulan trader - and recently discovered informant on Romulan fleet movements - was capable of this. Attacking - intending to kill - Dr Saryn's son, neither of whom he knew.

Ghes surveyed the scene outside Savin's quarters, taking in Hood, Galwyn and Savin himself. "Conference," he said, striding off to the nearest turbolift heading for the briefing room. He put in a call summoning the rest of the staff, including the poor Dr Saryn who'd just retired for the night.

<Tag All - assume we've reached the briefing room and feel free to put forth your ideas to the Admiral>

[Allan Hood]

Allan Hood was the first to arrive to the conference room, besides the admiral. Admiral Ghes studied something on his padd and Hood, not wanting to interrupt, sat down at the table quietly.

He just returned from sickbay after spending some time with the osteogenic stimulator. The doctor on duty, an Orion female named Nalla, told Hood that his fractured jaw was dislocated at the temporomandibular joint, where the jaw connects with the skull. Doctor Nalla held the powered wand to his to jawline to knit the fractures together evenly.  He kept his eye on a recovering Telmak, who was healing from a concussion that was introduced to him by Chief Hood.

“I’ve never met an Orion doctor before,” Hood started, trying to make small talk.

The Orion shrugged. “And I have never met a human security officer.” Hood studied her for a second, knowing that human security officers are much more common than Orion doctors. “Just because you never personally met a member of a particular species, in a particular occupation, does not mean they do not exist, Lieutenant.”

“I don’t mean you don’t exist, only that Orions aren’t necessarily known for their medical expertise,” Hood said, digging the hole deeper.

This time the doctor studied Hood and added that “translated medical records from ancient Orion ruins helped revolutionize modern immunization techniques and are required reading at Starfleet Academy. You’ve never heard of the Federation archaeologist Doctor Roger Korby?”

“No, I haven’t,” answered Hood.

“I guess the ‘Louis Pasteur of archaeological medicine’ doesn’t exist, either,” the doctor said smiling, placing her hand on the top of Hood’s head and turning him to heal the other side of his jaw. “Orion use to be a highly advanced civilization, which draws the interest of Federation historians and archaeologists.

After a minute Hood asked, “I’m just wondering, but why does it seem that my metabolism and adrenaline seem to feel normal? Am I not being affected by your pheromones?”

“Disappointed?” Nalla teased, smiling again.

“No, no, I’m just curious, I don’t mean anything by it,” Hood said.

“I’m medicated to help keep any potentially effected crewmembers at bay,” Nalla began. “I wouldn’t be a very good doctor if I allowed my physiology and pheromones interfere with my patients’ metabolisms and adrenaline. I rather not encourage any feelings of aggression and delusion. Instead if anyone is going to fall susceptible to suggestion, I want it to be based off my intelligence and medical findings rather than raw emotion.” With that, she switched off the generator. “You’re free to go, Lieutenant. Try to keep that jaw in one piece next time.”

[Deleted]

[Savin's quarters]

Seeing Hood's quick action but being in no shape to move just as fast, Savin was only able to watch as something was transported off the ship, before the security chief dashed back into the corridor. Hand still folded around his side, and gasping for air as he'd nearly been strangled, he tried to crawl over to Tiana but really didn't have the strength to do so. His throat was burning, and he had no idea how bad his injury was. "Tiana," he called, his voice sounding raspy, "you alright?"

tag Tiana

[Saryn's quarters]
"I'm a hologram," he said again, staring at Dr Saryn who stared back, looking for all the world as if he was in a similar state of shock. "I don't know what this means... What my creator had planned for me I know... But I can tell you he wasn't Telmak. The real Telmak, that is."

Saryn too was gasping for breath, still trying to put two and two together as he watched the hologram. How could a hologram react so shocked? A hologram was a program, how could it be that it went beyond it's programming? Or was it programmed to respond this way if discovered? Telmak had tried to kill him, and for security purposes, guards had been posted he knew. And now, he realised, there had been no guards when he entered his quarters...

Ignoring the hologram, Saryn raced outside, then stopped as all senior staff were called to the conference room.

[Conference room]
Saryn was the last to enter the room and he froze in the door opening. "What happened?" he asked as he saw the dissheveled appearance of the security chief, the science chief and his own son. Instantly, he strode over to the younger vulcan and turned his head sideways, examining the bloody mark across his throat. Then he noticed the blood on his side and a make-shift bandage. He whirled around, facing Gheskori. "What happened," he demanded a second time, "why is my son injured, and why did someone appearing as Telmak, try to strangle me?"

[Gheskori]

"Yes, I'm not Telmak... And neither did he create me!" the hologram cried, running to the door as Saryn swiftly exited. "Damn!" the hologram spun and threw his cutting wire weapon at the quarters' portal - a metallic clanging of a window filled with stars. What use was his mission now? He'd been dispatched to destroy the vulcan - whatever family he had aboard, too. He sat heavily on a couch, the same one he'd attempted to strangle the vulcan doctor on. His photonic matrix allowed him tactile sensation of the object - its equal and opposite response to his imaginary weight that was pressing down on it.

The mission might still be achievable, the hologram's matrix computed, sifting through the possibilities. The vulcans - at least one, possibly both of them - had been summoned to the conference room. He knew where to find the conference room. There was much else he could do - despite having his cover blown by the real Telmak - if the vulcans weren't available. Disabling this vessel, taking it out of the game, was one of them.

"Engineering," he ordered hesitantly, entering a turbolift. He was mildly surprised it responded to his voice; he felt the lift dropping its way through the saucer section of the ship, then laterally towards aft. The only potential obstacle now was if engineering didn't have holo-emitters; that, and being discovered, the alarm being raised before he had the chance to eliminate the person who spotted him.

---

Palms flat against the conference table, Ghes waited patiently for the staff. Hood arrived first, followed by the others, then Galwyn and Savin; finally Saryn. "What happened?" the CMO asked, silhouetted in the doorway.

"Doctor. Welcome... have a seat. I trust you're now well rested?"

Saryn entered, immediately checking over the bloodied Savin. "What happened," he demanded a second time, "why is my son injured, and why did someone appearing as Telmak, try to strangle me?"

Looks of surprise and murmurs spread around the table. "Telmak was at your son's quarters," Ghes said, once the hubbub had died down. "He's been placed in the brig." He paused; he couldn't understand this. "Are you injured?"

"You said 'appearing'?" the Assistant Operations officer quizzed Saryn, "Appearing... as in a hologram?" Saryn nodded near imperceptibly.

"Lieutenant," Ghes addressed Hood, "Are you positive your men successfully transferred Telmak to the brig?" Receiving a positive response, he queried, "Is it possible my 'guest' has programmed a hologram of himself in order to attack different locations inside the ship simultaneously?" The staff were non-committal; Ghes didn't blame them. It was pure conjecture, but it was perhaps the most plausible explanation.

"Let's get back to the bridge..." he said, rising, "Commander Galwyn, coordinate with Ops and run a ship wide scan for holographic signatures complex enough to indicate intelligence. Lieutenant Hood, organise an on foot search utilising all security personnel at your disposal. I also want guards posted at Saryn and Savin's quarters again, permanently. And a personal escort for each - under no circumstances are those guards allowed to leave their side."

<Tag Tiana, Allan>

"Meanwhile, I have an appointment with Mr Telmak... Saryn, I'd rather not order you away from your son's side, but please accompany me." He exited the ready room, ascended to the upper level of the bridge, "Tiana. You have the bridge." He entered the turbolift, ordering, "Brig".

<Tag Tiana, Saryn>

[Gheskori]

The Brig...


Telmak wringed his hands, shook his head - shivering - on the bench of his cell. "I meant no harm to Saryn or his family, no matter how it might look."

Gheskori paced up and down before his former friend, safely behind the forcefield, "You have to admit, Telmak, it doesn't look good."

The Romulan screamed suddenly, fell to one side on his bench, clawed at the thin fabric. His cry was somewhere between an experience of physical agony and guilt. Ghes looked around at the brig guard and the attendant medical officer, nodding and indicating they step forward. "Wait. Wait!" Telmak shouted. "Ok... This is the truth."

Ghes sighed, almost out of pity and longing that the man could've been just a literature trader. They'd shared so much of their common interest of literature and history, drank Romulan Ale together - admittedly over the somewhat absurd medium of long range subspace - had attended seminars by prominent Federation authors of the 24th century.

"Whatever 'truth' you can offer me now is worthless, Telmak. You assaulted one of my medical staff, attempted to assassinate his father using a holographic version of yourself - "

The Romulan had sat himself upright again on the bench, his voice taking on a measure of control even as he cut the Denobulan off, "Listen to this, Gheskori. It's important. The intelligence I've given you on the movements of the Romulan Navy in this sector is correct, to the best of my knowledge, and is particularly pertinent to what I'm about to tell you. I boarded this ship to give you that information, that much is true, but I was also tasked by the Star Empire to fulfill a separate goal."

Ghes's mouth opened in shock, his former resignation and near-pity for Telmak dissolving, "You're a double agent."

"Correct. Now listen, this is incredibly important."

"So you keep saying..." Ghes muttered.

"Shortly before the last of our first round of meetings where I divulged to you what I knew, discussing the movements of the Navy, I made an enquiry to the ship's computer. I asked for the location of Commander Tiana Galwyn Cet. Surprisingly, given the restrictions I was sure would've been put in place on me, the computer obliged, telling me the Commander was in the quarters of Savin, son of Saryn. How typical, I thought, but I couldn't stop now..."

[Allan Hood]

Saryn’s Quarters
2 Security Officers standing post (armed)
2 Security Officers, personal escort (armed)

Savin’s Quarters
2 Security Officers standing post (armed)
2 Security Officers, personal escort (armed)

Bridge
2 Security Officers standing post (armed)

Security Office
4 Security Officers administrative post (armed)
Weapons locker - Secure area

Brig
2 Security Officers standing post (armed) only if cells occupied. Secure area.

Armory
2 Security Officers weapons maintenance duty (armed)
Main weapons cache - Secure area

Transporter Rooms
2 Security Officers in each (armed)
Site to site transporter response duty

Phaser Control Rooms
1 Security Officer in each area (armed)

Quantum Torpedo Rooms
1 Security Officer in each area

Computer Core (Primary)
1 Security Officer standing post (armed)

Roving Patrol (3 man patrols)
3 Security Officers deck 1-5
3 Security Officers deck 6-10
3 Security Officers deck 11-15

[Allan Hood]

Security Chief Hood watched from afar as the brig guard and the attendant medical began to move in. The Romulan friend of the admiral’s could not be trusted, that much was certain. Hood was glad to see Telmak was not talking so he would have every reason to keep him locked up.

Ghes and Telmak seemed to be the personification of a centuries-old metaphor playing out in the brig. The brinkmanship between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire has burned continually since the 2150s.

“Wait. Wait!” Telmak shouted. “Ok... This is the truth...”

The Empire always seems determined to stand in the way of galactic peace. They seem to carefully craft campaigns to increase conflict between the quadrant's major powers. Ghes would have to do the equivalent of the 2160 Battle of Cheron to make any kind of peace with Telmak. Telmak does not seem ready to lose a humiliating defeat to Telmak.

“Whatever 'truth' you can offer me now is worthless, Telmak. You assaulted one of my medical staff, attempted to assassinate his father using a holographic version of yourself…” the Admiral started.

Everyone says that the cold war ended in 2387 with the destruction of Romulus by a supernova. Instead, the Empire has spread its seeds of chaos around the galaxy in spite of losing their home for the past ten years.

Hood heard Admiral Ghes conclude that Telmak was a double-agent. It figures considering Romulans were not known for their overall trustworthiness.

Hood often felt like a double-agent himself, being torn between his family and Starfleet. He seemed to always be choosing a side, either choosing to side with his wife over the inconvenience of being a Starfleet officer. Hood had the two loves of his life, his family and Starfleet, hand-in-hand most of the time. But, he regretted informing his wife of the latest attack he had been a part of and considered not giving Sammi-Jo anything to worry about.

Noticing Ghes and Telmak talking in hushed tones, Hood had his security guard fall back, taking the guard's place.

[Gheskori]

Ghes noticed Hood stepping forward in his periphery, the security officer perhaps recognising the rising tension between the Admiral and the man in the cell. Or, was it not so much a rising tension as it was the nature of the information Telmak was about to deliver? Ghes saw this and thought he'd better say something to alleviate any sudden fear in Telmak - he didn't want his former friend intimidated out of giving his information in the fullest and most undistorted sense possible; however nor did he want to discourage Hood from stepping in where he felt he had to.

"Now wait," Ghes interrupted, "Telmak, either I'm failing to grasp an obvious point or you're skipping way ahead in your story. Why were you after my science officer?"

"The Tal Shiar..." Telmak froze, his eyelids shut, the globes moving back and forth underneath. "I could - ... I will die for this," he said, "Had tasked me with capturing the one Trill officer aboard the USS Enzio which they knew, courtesy of myself, was heading towards the Vrilas sector and the Romulan neutral zone in general." He opened his eyes, glancing around the cell, seeming to have realised something, some detail of his mission. He shrugged, "They want the Trill, I'm not sure why."

The ramifications of what Telmak was saying drove themselves through Ghes's head - hot iron stakes, like a cluster headache. If what was being said was true then... Well, he'd been taken for a ride, a very large and consequently very dangerous ride.

"I was to capture the Trill, slap a transphasic beam tag on her - no larger than one of your commbadges - and beam us both off the ship through the shields. I didn't mean to harm Savin when I got to his quarters; he simply got in the way. The dart was meant for Galwyn." Telmak laughed, "I couldn't believe the coincidence! And I knew how it would be viewed by you and Dr Saryn."

"Then you deny responsibility for the hologram of yourself that attempted to kill Saryn in his quarters?"

"Absolutely. I had no idea about that!" the Romulan leant forward, rubbing his chin, his agony seeming to subside to something like reasoned contemplation, "It must've been a set-up. They knew about my family's history with Saryn and thought they'd use my likeness to kill him, find a way to project my image on to your ship. Maybe the Commander of that vessel has some connection to my grandfather himself. If I failed in capturing the Trill they would leave me at your mercy, charged with two attempted murders." He laughed again, gallows humour, "Just like now."

Ghes was frozen in place, everything driving itself home at last, the plot unravelling in his mind. He turned to Hood, looking for some sign that the Lieutenant understood as he did what Telmak was suggesting, "He said he was beamed off the ship... To where?" he asked, quietly enough he thought that it would be in confidence.

<Tag Hood>

Telmak looked up, his eyes suddenly crazed - evidently he had heard. He was laughing quietly, with the terror of a man driven to the edge by split loyalties. Ghes found himself wondering how Tiana was faring on the bridge, and if Savin's injuries had improved and he was secure. Dr Saryn hadn't accompanied Ghes to the brig as requested; looking at Telmak now, Ghes felt he couldn't blame his CMO. "Telmak, you mentioned a 'Commander'... A Romulan Commander, presumably?"

<Tag All>

[Deleted]

Once security was gone from the room, Saryn rushed in and gestured for Tiana to take a seat while he knelt down at his son's side to give him a quick once-over. "We are all going to sickbay," he ordered flatly, including the Trill woman in that order. "It will not take long," he assured Tiana, "you will be free to return to duty after a quick examination."

(Tag Tiana)

Like the proverbial mother hen, the older Vulcan herded the two younger people towards the medical facility. He knew Savin wouldn't agree with a site to site transporter so he allowed the young man to walk, even though technically, he really shouldn't. But, he knew his son was a proud individial, and physical strength was part of that personal pride, and to need transportation would be humiliating, especially in front of the woman he loved. Saryn wasn't blind, and was very much aware of his son's affection for the young science chief, and he knew that during their last leave, the two had spent a lot of time together. Saryn only hoped that when the Time came, she would see just what a catch the young man was.

Once they got to sickbay, he helped Savin up on a bed, then turned to Tiana to give her the quick exam he promised her. "You are physically undamaged," he told her after a few seconds, closing the tricorder, "but I do recommend you see the counselor for a session or two. Personal attacks are a traumatic experience, and it may affect your duties if you do not speak with someone."

(Tag Tiana)

Nodding in reply, Saryn gestured for her to get off the bed. "You are free to return to your duties but I do hope you will come back later to visit Savin."

(Tag Tiana)

THe doctor watched her leave, then turned to his son. THe younger man looked worse for wear, blood caking the fabric of his clothes against his right side. "I am going to disrobe you," he told his son, while drawing the privacy curtains closed. The younger man looked pale and seemed unresponsive, as if he were deep in thought. Approaching the bed again, Saryn pried his son's clothes off of his body and tossed them aside, then pulled up a clean sheet up to his waist and eased him back onto the bed. While his own throat was still burning from nearly being strangled, his son being stabbed was his first concern. He was still losing blood, and that didn't seem right.

Laying the tricorder open next to his son's side, he tapped his commbadge. "Saryn to security," he called softly, "I would like an toxological analysis of the blade Telmak stabbed my son with."

(tag security)

Not deeming a response necessary, Saryn returned his attention to his non-responsive son. He reached for a hyopspray and pressed it against the younger man's throat, sending him into merciful oblivion as this surgery was going to be painful.

About an hour later, Saryn was done and finally allowed a nurse to tend to his own injury, which was easily taken care of with a dermal regenerator. "Please dress him carefully," he told the nurse, gesturing towards the privacy screen, "and make sure he remains asleep for another hour or two. It is likely he will want to get up and leave, and I cannot allow this."

At the nurse's nod, Saryn retreated to the sanctuary of his office and tapped his commbadge a second time. "Saryn to Gheskori. I want to speak with Telmak."

(Tag Ghes)

[Tiana Galwyn Cet]

Catching Up
OOC: Yes the pronouns in this post are variable. This is deliberate.

OOC: I am also a little unclear on the order of the briefing and the sickbay visit, and Saryn’s trip to the Brig, so I apologise if I have contradicted anyone.

"I am instructing Commander Cet," he snapped, "Tiana, hold the sword in your left hand, it is balanced for left-handed use."

The sword had felt good in her hand, she smoothly swapped it to her other hand. She had trained for that after all. It would be sensible to let Savin have the sword that he was used to but she couldn’t think of a way to get it to him without both of them taking their eyes off of the intruder and that seemed like a really bad idea.

She settled into her stance. It had been a long time since she had fought with a sword after all but he was sure he remembered how it went.

There was chaos for a moment as Lieutenant Hood and a security contingent arriving. She wondered if he really would stun them all, he could appreciate the practicality of that solution even she didn’t really like it.

The door closed with the intruder and the security team engaged in a struggle on the other side.

"Give me the sword," he told her, holding out a bloodied hand. "Are you alright?"

Tiana smoothly reversed the sword as she walked towards Savin. “I’m fine. He never touched me.” She was aware that worry was probably etched on to her face. There was no reason to ask him whether he was okay. He was bleeding, that meant not okay.

"I do not understand," he elaborated to the Trill science officer, "I do not understand why he attacked me, when I do not even know who he is."

She helped Savin in to a more comfortable position and laid the sword next to him. Tiana shook her head “I don’t know who he was either. He seemed to know what he wanted though.”

Tiana was just about to suggest the two of them site-to-site to sickbay when the door opened again, Tiana was on her feet with Savin’s sword her her hand before she could even think. It was Lieutenant Hood diving in, she could hear a whine. He grabbed at something that she had not seen. He ordered it beamed in to space and as the flicker of the transporter beam was fading he was dragged out again. The door closed.

Tiana turned back to Savin. He was looking worse now, too pale even for a Vulcan. "Tiana," he called, his voice sounding raspy, "you alright?"

She hurried to his side, narrowly avoiding hitting either of them as she dropped to her knees and put the sword back down.

“I’m fine Savin. Stay still please.” There did not seem to be blood coming from between his fingers any more. That had to be good, didn’t it? Or did it mean he was running out of blood to bleed?

He promptly started directing her to assist him in bandaging his side so he didn’t have to twist too much. She still thought they should go to sickbay but none of her degrees were in medicine so she would trust his judgement on this and just keep an eye on him.

Lieutenant Hood had been kind enough to let them know that the situation was under control so the two of them got to their feet and went to the door just in time to see Ghes arriving.

"Conference," he said, striding off to the nearest turbolift heading for the briefing room.

Tiana glared at her retreating CO’s back. Had he failed to register that Savin was injured? Savin was not objecting but this was not how you treated people under your command, she knew that better than most. When lots of lives were in your hands, yes, occasionally you had to make sacrifices but you could never be careless.

She and Savin walked slowly to the conference room.

Saryn was the last to arrive. Predictably he was worried about Savin although he would no doubt say ‘concerned’ or some other less emotional phrase.

Then came the revelation about the holographic attacker. Tiana was wondering whether the being that had attacked Savin and her had been holographic or not. He had been solid enough when he had been grappling with Lieutenant Hood and hurting the other security personnel.

"Let's get back to the bridge..." he said, rising, "Commander Galwyn, coordinate with Ops and run a ship wide scan for holographic signatures complex enough to indicate intelligence. Lieutenant Hood, organise an on foot search utilising all security personnel at your disposal. I also want guards posted at Saryn and Savin's quarters again, permanently. And a personal escort for each - under no circumstances are those guards allowed to leave their side."

Tiana nodded. She was still not happy and remember Savin’s suggestion that she was the intended victim although the attack on Saryn did make it a appear as if Savin had been the target. She was planning to get a phaser and tune it specifically to disrupt holographic matrices. He remembered investigating a murder which had occurred in a holodeck. The victim’s programme had been altered and the safety protocols disabled. It had been quite a tricky case because the killer hadn’t actually been at the crime scene.

She had to go to sickbay after the meeting, she was sure that she was fine but it made things easier for Savin if she went. She handed over the bridge to Lieutenant Clery.

"You are physically undamaged," Dr Saryn told her after a few seconds, closing the tricorder, "but I do recommend you see the counselor for a session or two. Personal attacks are a traumatic experience, and it may affect your duties if you do not speak with someone."

Tiana nodded formally. “I shall make an appointment as soon as I can.” She didn’t think it was necessary but it would do her no good to argue.

Nodding in reply, Saryn gestured for her to get off the bed. "You are free to return to your duties but I do hope you will come back later to visit Savin."

She nodded and made sure she caught Savin’s eye. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

With that she left sickbay and went to take back over from Lt Clery.

[Allan Hood]

Allan Hood scanned the surrounding space enveloping the Enzio. The Enzio’s flight recorder kept all sensor logs in the ship’s core, only accessible by senior security and senior command officers. It has been twenty years, give or take, since Starfleet was on the hunt for a cloaked vessel. Hood remembered from the Academy that cloaked ships radiated a slight subspace variance at warp speeds. These variances typically vanished once the vessel drops out of warp.

Hood began searching for any slight subspace variances in proximity to the ship. The cloaked ship would not dare warp away at close range, for fear of being detected, so it had to creep off slowly to keep its subspace wake at a minimum. The cloaked ship had to be very close to the Enzio to project such an authentic hologram.

The hologram most likely was not projected through any bulkhead; it needed a clear line-of-sight. Hood brought up the location of the victim’s quarters and window via starship schematic.

“Computer, display all subspace variances in the immediate proximity of the Enzio’s portside,” Hood ordered. Minor subspace variances littered the portside of the ship. Hood began sifting through likely candidates.

Decades ago cloak detection had become commonplace; Federation borders used gravimetric sensor nets and interphase scanners. At the time, the Romulans countered this by improving their interphase generators. By 2379, the Romulans developed a cloaked Warbird that did not give off any textbook tachyon emissions or residual antiprotons, making it undetectable. In addition, this Warbird maintained shields and fire through its cloak. Twenty years ago, Hood would have just searched for any tachyon or anti-proton bread crumbs. It is not that easy anymore; the Romulans have learned to clean up after themselves.

The last time anyone searched for a cloaked Romulan vessel was in 2382, when a Romulan vessel managed to penetrate the Mars Defense Perimeter to retrieve an operative at Utopia Planitia. Admiral Alynna Nechayev’s sensor scans indicated that the Romulans harnessed phase cloaks for active service.

How much more has their technology advanced in twenty years?

I need a finer-toothed comb, Hood thought to himself.  “Computer, decrease proximity in scans and cross-reference with previous scan’s findings,” Hood ordered again, “display and new subspace variances moving in a trajectory away from the Enzio.” Multiple variances appeared and dissipated with time. “Computer, now highlight subspace variances moving at warp away from the Enzio.” Finally, one small blip appeared on the screen, highlighted in bright yellow, giving itself away.

“Gotcha.”

TAG Ghes

[Allan Hood]

Hood left his meeting with the admiral and headed to his quarters. He put in extra time solving the mystery of the cloaked vessel and finally got the chance to get home. Sami Jo called on Allan after not coming home when his shift ended. He hated to disappoint her with the “not sure when I’m getting home” echo but had little choice.

Allan entered his quarters as Gracie came running up to him giggling and laughing. “Someone’s happy to see you,” Sami Jo said as Allan picked up his daughter.

“She the only one?” Allan asked.

“That depends…” Sami Jo said leaning in the kiss her husband with their daughter in his arms. “Did something happen to your jaw?”

Before Allan could answer, his combadge beeped, “Saryn to security,” Saryn called softly, “I would like a toxicological analysis of the blade Telmak stabbed my son with.”

“I’ll check in with the doctor and see what they found,” Hood replied.

“What? What happened?” Sami Jo asked while Allan put their daughter down to play.

“I’ll tell you more about it later,” Allan began, “there was an incident and a passenger was stabbed. I really should go and take care of this.”

“You have to go now? You just got home? You already came home late as it is.” Sami Jo asked getting annoyed.

“I know but I should get this down as soon as possible for his peace of mind.”

“What about our peace of mind?” Sami Jo said motioning toward the baby. “We like to see you made it home in one piece.”

“I know, I know. This won’t take long; I just got to get it down to sickbay or the science lab. I’ll be right back.” With that, Hood was out the doors.

[Allan Hood]

“So, what did Doctor Roger Korby find in his toxicology report?” Hood asked jokingly to Doctor Nalla as she leaned over a microscope with an attached computer display.

Nalla glanced up and smiled, “You mean cytotoxicity? It seems we found a cytotoxin, or an antibody, that has a toxic effect on Savin’s cells. His cytotoxin levels grew extremely high, causing his pulse to beat quickly and randomly. As a result, he has gone into cytotoxic shock.”

Hood watch Nalla studying the microscope display. She tapped touch sensitive keys on the screen and a holographic projection of Savin’s cells appeared floating about her desktop.

“Savin’s cells are undergoing necrosis; they are losing their membrane integrity and dying rapidly,” Doctor Nalla instructed as the hologram showed a dark cloud surrounding Savin’s entry wound. “Right now, it seems to be spreading through his body.”

Doctor Nalla’s holographic image zoomed in on one particular section, “we’re keeping an eye on these molecules, lactate dehydrogenase, and to measure relative numbers of live and dead cells within the same cell population. The weapon seems to have induced some kind of cancer into his system.”

“Cancer? But it was eliminated centuries ago,” Hood argued, “Why use cancer?”

“Right, Doctor Pyong Ko discovered the genetic sequence for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells within 50 years of First Contact after a cancer-inhibiting plant compound was discovered on Ganymede.

“This is no ordinary cancer; it spreads rapidly. This particular cancer would have killed Savin overnight, if not discovered.”

“Luckily our attacker had bad timing,” Hood said.

“Yes, I’ll have Savin up and out of here in a couple days; it’s easily treatable since it was caught so early. If it was given an hour to more to spread, it would have been more dangerous.”

Hood thanked the doctor and tapped his combadge, “Hood to Saryn. I have some news concerning the ‘cytotoxicity’ of the poison used.”

TAG Saryn

[Gheskori]

Ghes received the news from Allan Hood that he'd detected a cloaked vessel, moving away from the Enzio off its port bow. They were both at warp; Ghes didn't fully understand the methods of detection of cloaked ships but did know such ships were more susceptible to discovery when at warp speeds.

"Pass on to Commander Galwyn that we're to show no signs of having detected them," he responded curtly. He tapped his commbadge to reopen the channel, "That said, adjust heading slightly towards them, but make it appear as if we're making a minor course correction in our approach to the Vrilas system. If we can keep them in sensor range it may give us a clue as to their intentions, if, what Mr Telmak says is true about their increased presence in this sector." He acknowledged Hood's following comments before closing the channel, adding, "Notify me immediately if they change heading."

<Tag Allan>

He returned his eyes to his prisoner and erstwhile friend Telmak. The Romulan remained cowered in the corner of his cell, in a sort of sitting foetal position, knees hiding part of his face. "So, there is a cloaked ship. A Romulan ship, no doubt," the Denobulan said.

"Yes... Yes... It'll be gone soon though. Undetectable outside a particular range - warp speed or not. Black hull, so cold its invisible against the cosmic microwave background. They hardly even need to use their cloak as long as they stay outside visual range."

"Why didn't they beam you off when you failed?" Ghes asked.

"Ah. I threw my own transphasic tag away as soon as I realised I wasn't going to overcome your security officer. It'll have been somewhere in Savin's quarters but would've almost certainly been beamed off before they moved away from us."

"Saryn to Gheskori. I want to speak with Telmak."

Ghes replied somewhat flippantly, immediately regretted it and then asked Saryn to come down to the brig. Under no circumstances was he going to let Telmak out, not while two of his 'denied' targets Saryn and Savin remained on the ship - and one of them wished to see him! Moreover, not while Tiana was on the bridge conducting affairs.

Saryn arrived, seeming quite at peace - then again all vulcans did, Ghes reminded himself - despite the condition of his son. The CO didn't know at this stage, but Savin's condition was in fact getting worse. What had their guest, rather their intruder, poisoned him with in using that dagger? The vulcan came to stand next to him facing Telmak's cell, rightfully expecting moral support, however Ghes had other plans.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," he said, nodding at the guard on the way out. The security officer drew his phaser as the exchange began, however he remained behind the brig control console.

<Tag Saryn - possible JP between Saryn and Telmak?>

He walked the corridor, rubbing at his neck; he'd sprained it upon arrival at Savin's quarters: dashing about, finding out what'd happened to the CMO's son and his science officer who it turned out was the prime target. He felt old. Was it possible he'd outlived his usefulness? A great man had said that. He'd been proven wrong in the circumstances, but the question, its timeless implication and eloquence endured.

He headed for the bridge, relieving Tiana. Hood was not present, assisting in a science lab he understood. Being in proximity to his CScO recalled for him Telmak's confession that she'd been the target of his attack. It made Ghes wonder about the Romulan Navy's true intention in this region: were they en route for the Vrilas sector as Telmak's intelligence indicated? Or with the revelation of their wanting to capture Tiana, did they have some objective in the Trill sector, maybe even Trill itself? What was behind their sudden and striking fascination for Trills?

Surprised to find that Tiana remained in the command chair as he rounded the standing Ops console - he hadn't felt the need to vocalise his taking charge of the bridge; it was standard procedure - he came to stand before Tiana, coughing politely. "Tiana. Are you ok?" She looked up, an intensity in her eyes that surprised him. "Admiral on the bridge," he smiled, indicating she might have to move.

<Tag Tiana>

[Allan Hood]

Commander First Class Tiana Galwyn Cet, the Chief Science Officer oversaw bridge operations from the captain's chair.  

“Excuse me, Commander, the admiral wanted me to let you know that ‘we’re to show no signs that we detected’ the cloaked Romulan Warbird."

TAG Tiana

“Ma’am, if you’re ever available, I’d like you to join me in the ship’s Salle D'armes for a bout. If you’re interested, ma’am. Though I’ve been trained in both ancient European and Japanese fencing techniques, my preference is ancient European.”

TAG Tiana

[Deleted]

JP Saryn/Telmak


"Well, I'll leave you two alone," Ghes said, nodding at the guard on the way out. The security officer drew his phaser as the exchange began, however he remained behind the brig control console.

Telmak uncurled himself from his near-foetal position in the corner of the cell, the eyes just above the top of the knees and identifying the newcomer. In the perceptual fog that surrounded his focus on Gheskori there'd been the sound of Ghes comming his Chief Medical Officer down to the brig. It wasn't at that point that Telmak had seized up, his muscles hadn't become rigid - his distress, trauma, still drowning out any apprehension about coming face-to-face with his fabricated assassination target. It was only when the doors opened and the robed Vulcan stepped through.

"I'm sorry," were the first words he could manage, once the silence had fallen and crossed the line between sudden realisation of who you faced and outright tension. The words slipped out almost as if he'd not intended them. He added, or rather he liked to think began, "So you finally built up the courage to see me." More silence. "I still don't buy that my grandfather's ruin was his own doing or that he attempted to kill you, Saryn. It doesn't run in my family's blood, despite..." he laughed darkly, indicating the brig around him, "Despite how it might seem now."

Saryn approached the forcefield and just stood there, watching the Romulan scientist. He said nothing, instead only listening for the moment. It was, as if the Vulcan was sizing the incarcerated man up. However there was more to his scrutiny; Saryn was aware of the man's distress even though he wasn't letting on. Yet.

"You should know I didn't attempt to kill you, not on the station, certainly not on this ship. The hologram... It was the idea of the Romulan Commander who recruited me, or so I guess... I think the hologram will have disappeared by now; the cloaked Romulan ship wouldn't have been able to maintain a hologram for that long and at that distance."

"I know," Saryn finally answered, "though that does not explain why you attempted to kill my firstborn. I understand deception, and I understand subterfuge, I also understand that they are trying to frame you for something you obviously did not do. But i want an explanation. Why my son?"

Telmak sprung out of his foetal position at last, bounding off the couch, "I've already explained this to your Captain!!" he barked in frustration. Immediately the brig officer was on guard, phaser raised, even though the forcefield fully protected the Doctor. Telmak steadied himself, his reason catching up with him; he understood Saryn may not be aware of all the facts, and identified with him over the idea of the loss of one's first child - treated seriously, solemnly in Vulcan and Romulan culture.

"Savin was not the target. My objective was Commander Cet, who - it would appear from my visit to your son's quarters - is somewhat intimately involved with your son." Telmak's lip curled slightly, taking a perverse pleasure in this knowledge of Saryn's family's affairs. "It was for me a seriously unfortunate coincidence that the Trill was there. I threw a tranquiliser laced blunt-tipped knife at her; your son, got in the way."

"I am aware of their involvement," Saryn replied calmly, while waving the security officer off. "But that does not explain your reasoning. You said you did not expect your target in Savin's quarters, then why did you go there? You gravely injured my son, it is still a question whether he will survive, and if he does, in what condition."

Saryn stepped closer. "If he dies, I will teach you the true meaning of revenge. Commander Cet is under our protection. Touch her, and you are a dead man."

[Gheskori]

JP Saryn/Telmak (part 2)


"It's unfortunate that your son is involved with my superiors' target Commander Cet," Telmak said, "Had I known that in advance, maybe I'd have acted differently upon reaching Savin's quarters. But no matter what the intervening events, my mission had to end with the capture of the Science Officer! I had no choice! And by your 'reasoning', it seems I'd have ended up a dead man in either case."

Telmak sat back on the bench, feeling exhausted with the exchange, "I asked the computer for Cet's location; it told me Savin's quarters... I cursed my luck but there was little else I could do, I had to go there." He looked around, "And there's little else I can do to Cet whilst stuck in this cell, so I should not worry, Vulcan. My recovery vessel is far from here now. I'm stranded... Pursuing Cet for whatever nefarious reason the Star Empire has in mind is pointless for me now."

"You could have done the honourable thing, and alerted security," Saryn pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest. "I thought a true Rihannsu valued personal honour. You could have earned some of your lost honour by reporting this." He paused, relaxing a little. "There are various kinds of honour Telmak, and since you are a disgraced Rihannsu in what is left of your Empire, there is also honour to be gained with those you considered your friends. You betrayed Gheskori's hospitality and friendship by committing this act upon his vessel. Do not make this an act of murder as well, tell me how to save my son."

"Honourable thing!" Telmak spat, "I've forsaken all my honour in having to abandon my home, live among the Federation members of which - you are right - I had formed friendships with. Yet the Empire came calling; I couldn't deny them, not when a chance to regain stature in its fragmented Empire remained. Calling security... your resourceful security chief was on me too quickly even if I'd wanted to..." Telmak blinked, sinking further into the seat before looking up at the vulcan, "Your son's injured, severely?"

Saryn nodded gravely. "You injured him with a blade, it contained a cytolytic agent and we have no counter agent."

He thought furiously; the Romulan Commander Xelar had mentioned the possible latent poisonous effects of the tranquiliser, but only in passing, as if he'd not wanted Telmak to hear of it properly. Telmak had shrugged it off quickly, forgetting it as if it was just another trivial detail of the mission. "There's an antibody to the antibody," he said shakily, unsure why he was so readily willing to help the vulcan's son, "The cytotoxin delivered with the tranquiliser - usually neutralised by the target's immune system - is an antibody; it induced what human culture knows as cancer in the patient, your son," he added deferentially.

"The cure to your son's ailment - if such a thing has come upon him - exists however, its location," he tapped his lip absently, "Is not ideal. One of the four Romulan vessels - which you'll find is on course for Trill (why hide these further details any longer?) - has a small supply on board."

Now it was the Vulcan's turn to blink. "Cancer?" he queried, concern now plain on his face. "What kind of cancer, is it inherent to the location of the injury?." He steped closer to the forcefield, feeling the electrostatic charge against his skin as he just not touched it. "Why are there four Romulan vessels on course for the Trill homeworld?"

Telmak remained still as Saryn stepped up to the cell's boundary. He shook his head, "There's no relation to the location of the wound... The antibody affects the whole body, inducing a form of necrosis in the living cells." He stopped there; he wasn't a physician, or a scientist. He was a bookseller... simply a bookseller. Why had he let himself be drawn into the Star Empire's plans? Why had he engaged in this vain attempt to recapture his family's glory?

"You're not listening," he said bitterly, "One of the vessels is en route to Trill and I don't know why. The others' locations I don't know about. Xelar's vessel was the one under cloak that shadowed us and I guess delivered my hologram aboard... As for the other two, they could be anywhere, but likely close to the Romulan border the other side of the Vrilas system. I'm no scientist," he said, coming close to the forcefield til his face was inches from Saryn's, "But I'd suggest you contact your security officer... Rumour has it that there were some interesting findings from the research on my weapon poison's cytotoxicity... As a cure for your son's ailment, it's that, or the Romulan ship en route to Trill. I know which one I'd go for."

"I am listening," Saryn responded calmly, "unlike my son, I can hear." He looked the taller man right in the eyes, his expression softening.

Telmak hesitated, thoughts, images, streaming through his head of a triumphant return to New Romulus, Warbirds under the command of Xelar entering orbit and declaring a major scientific breakthrough, courtesy of informant and returned, formerly disgraced hero, Telmak of the House of Hirnak. He dismissed them: quixotic dreams, fanciful vanity. "Your ship's scientists have found a way - " he began.

"Thank you," he said, just as his commbadge chirped and Hood's voice sounded, giving off a report. "On my way," he replied tightly.

Saryn stepped back away from the forcefield. "If this is helpful, I will not forget," he promised.

Telmak remained standing at the cell boundary, eyes tracking Saryn's; he could feel the electrostatic charge of the field against his nose. He nodded briefly, inadvertently subjecting himself to the shock of the forcefield. Rubbing at his nose he stepped back, "Means more to me than you know, Doctor. And perhaps I can begin to forget your family's history with mine." He sat back on the bench of his cell, it suddenly seeming more welcome than before.

"And I," Saryn replied before turning and walking away.

[Tiana Galwyn Cet]

“Excuse me, Commander, the admiral wanted me to let you know that ‘we’re to show no signs that we detected’ the cloaked Romulan Warbird."

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Tiana said, she only briefly glanced up at the CTSO as she spoke.

“Ma’am, if you’re ever available, I’d like you to join me in the ship’s Salle D'armes for a bout. If you’re interested, ma’am. Though I’ve been trained in both ancient European and Japanese fencing techniques, my preference is ancient European.”

Tiana blinked and turned to face him, she was confused by the offer. “While I thank you for the invitation I don’t know how to handle a sword. I don’t think I’ve even picked up a sword.” There was something tugging at her memory about Savin’s sword earlier but it seemed more dream like than actual memory.

She scrubbed a hand across her face, it suddenly seemed rather warm on the bridge.

“Tiana. Are you ok?"
She looked up, she was stunned to see that Ghes was standing next to her, she certainly hadn’t been aware of his presence. She had been somewhere else. Some when else. "Admiral on the bridge," he smiled.

Tiana jumped to her feet. Then the bridge around her spun and she found herself laying on the deck with several concerned faces looking at her. What had happened, she couldn’t have been out long, if she hurried she good probably still get home for her children’s bedtime. She started to struggle to her feet.

Tag: All on bridge