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Episode 9: The Road Not Taken, Part III

Kelly
Dec 2 2004, 12:37 PM



Samantha Halliwell ~ beach house

Drayson had already took Matthew onboard and was getting him prepared to set sail. She could see them from the room at Drayson's beach house, Samantha had to smile at the two of them together. It always made Matthew happy to be with his father.

She moved her attention from them and paid it to Kyst. What on earth is she wearing? Samantha thought frowning slightly, it was a crime to call what Kyst what on a bikini, hell it would be painful to call it a thong. It made her look back to her own swim suits out on the bed, then back out. Kyst had always been one to show off her body, in a kinda "if ya got it, flaut it" style. Samantha shook her head slowly, not this woman.

She held up the one piece then looked at the bikini, then back out to the boat. They would want to get going, "Oh the hell with it," she muttered stripping.

---

Samantha stepped out of the beach house and crossed over to The Black Sparrow, she had to sheild her eyes from the glare of the sun as she did so. "Finally decided to join us?" Drayson asked sarcastically, then finally looked at her and stopped. She wore a black two piece bikini, with a black sarong wrapped around her hips, to be honest it surprised him to see her in something like that. It was a nice view, but it still surprised him.

Samantha tied back her hair loosely and smiled, "Yeah I thought it best not to keep you two waiting," she winked at Matthew. "Permission to come aboard?"
"Granted Mommy." She smiled and climbed aboard, scooping him up into her arms and giving him a kiss, then swung his legs over the side, "How about a dip?" Matthew squealed in delight and trusted his mother, knowing full well she wouldn't drop him overboard.

Samantha didn't know what had gotten into her, first the bikini and now her playful nature kicking in. She pulled Matthew back over the side and placed his feet firmly on the deck and gazed at her son. Samantha Halliwell didn't know what was causing this feeling, or how long it was gonna last? But it felt so good and she didn't want it to go away.
Ullii
Dec 2 2004, 02:24 PM



Doctor Ullii Lauren - USS Pollux - Sickbay

"Where's the Doctor!? I need a doctor!!" It was Tanik!

"I'm the CMO, Dr. Lauren. Put her on a bed; we'll take it from here." Ullii was in a hurry, and didn't want to be disturbed.

"Lauren? That's a Romulan name! Are you...?"

"Half Romulan, yes! Now I'm terrably sorry, but I'm very busy. Just lay..." The tricorder in her hand started beeping. She scanned the readings and found that the unlucky Vulcan was bleeding internally near the fracture in her spine. "Get her on a bed! Stat!" She looked uneasily at the worried Romulan. She didn't want to say it, but she needed him. The rest of her staff was occupied, and she couldn't do what she needed to do alone. "I'll need your help."

Tanik nodded.

"Listen carefully! I need you to apply pressure here, on her neck, as hard as you can! It will hopefully slow the internal bleeding long enough for me to repair the damage."

"I'll do whatever you ask." The engineer pressed hard against the poor Vulcan's neck.

Ullii wasted no time. With a tricorder in one hand to read her vital signs, and a micro tissue regenerator in the other, she set to work. After a few seconds into the procedure, T'kila started violantly shaking and foaming out of her mouth! "Hold her!"

"I'm trying!"

"I can't heal the internal wound if she's moving! If you can't handle it, Romulan, then leave! Isn't that what you people are best at? Sneaking away when it suits you?!"

Tanik kept his cool, but not his patience. "I don't know what kind of personal feelings you have toward my kind, Doctor, but this is not the time to let them get in the way! I will do the best I can to help you, but I am not a nurse!"

Ullii did not like the idea of working with a Romulan defector. After all, her father was one, and he abbandonded her when she was five! There was no good in them! There couldn't be!... But she's a doctor! She must save the patient! Even if it means working with the Romulan!"

"Do you think she's going to make it, Doctor?" Tanik was becomming quite worried.

Ullii remained silent as she continued the delicate procedure. It seemed like an eternity before she spoke another word. "I'm trying to heal the tissue surrounding the fracture in her spine. I've stopped the internal bleeding in her neck, so she'll live. You can let go now."

"Bless you, Lieutenant!"

"Damn!"

"What is it?"

"I had just about finished healing the fracture when it reopened!"

"What does that mean? Will she be alright?"

"It means that the fracture is now too big to heal. I can heal the bone, but the dammage to the grey matter inside of it may be irriversable." She checked her vital signs once more with her tricorder. "She's in a coma."

The primary bright lights of the sickbay went out as the secondary lights turned on, as a blast, then another bigger blast hit the ship!

Not again! Well at least the equiptment is still online.

"Sir, what should we do with the Vulcan?" A nurse asked Lauren

"Put her in stasis for now."

"In the morgue, sir?"

"Yes, lieutenant. We don't have room anywhere else."

"Aye sir."

Ullii went over to check on Captain Major as the nurse placed T'kila in a stasis container on the far wall. Just as she started reading his bio signs, someone was transported onto an empty bio-bed. Ullii and a few nurses rushed over to the body of Captain Hardgrove, who was broken and bleeding; a seemingly lifeless body laying on a bed in her sickbay. Ullii scanned him with her tricorder, and her heart sunk.

Not again! Two brain traumas in one day!

"Get him onto the operating bed! Hurry!"

Tanik stood to the side watching the events. He was about to return to Engineering when the Captain transported into sickbay. Ullii observed the readings on the panel at the head of the operating bed once Hardgrove was placed on it.

"Internal bleeding in the brain, and a massive skull fracture! Give him ten miligrams of Metracel!"

Right after the nurse injected the Captain with the anesthetic, over a dozen patients swarmed into the sickbay.

"That blast must've caused more dammage than I thought!" She looked at the nurses surrounding the operating bed. "See to the new patients." She then looked at Tanik.

Tanik smiled, "I'll do whatever I can, Doctor."

"I'm going to need a micro tissue regenerator, a laser scalpal, a micro tissue bonder, and hyposprays with ten miligrams of Metracel ready."

"Aye, Doctor." Tanik found the requested tools and stood ready.

"Ok. The skull fracture has punctured some of the gray matter in the brain. Many of the brain pathways in this area have been severed, so I'm going to have to repair each one manually."

The panel at the head of the operating bed started beeping. Ullii read the display.

"The punctured gray matter is causing the brain to swell inside of the skull!"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that if I don't repair the damage to the brain soon, the pressure is going to build, and his brain will literally shoot out of the fracture in his skull, and end up all over that wall!" She pointed to the wall facing the fracture.

Tanik stood there shocked!

"Let's begin." She said. "Laser scalpal."

Tanik handed her the precision medical tool, and she set to work. She cut open a slice of flesh on the Captain's head, exposing the fracture in his skull. The brain could already be seen swelling into the fracture. Ullii ased Tanik for the Micro Tissue Regenerator, and she started the slow delicate process of reconnecting the severed brain pathways. She worked slowly and accurately. The brain was still swelling, and the clock was ticking. Every once in a while, she ordered Tanik to inject the Captain with the anisthetic. It was slow and frusterating work. Especiall for Tanik who didn't have much to do, even though his part to play in the operation was vital.

"No..." Ullii exclaimed under her breath after about half an hour of operating. It was just loud enough for Tanik to hear.

"What is it, Doctor?"

"Some of the pathways are too damaged. They can't be repaired..." Her heart sank. He would be in a coma for the rest of his life. Just like T'kila. Tanik and Ullii both stood silent, not knowing what to do...

"First T'kila, and now Captain Hardgrove..." Tanik said softly in a depressed tone, which didn't help Ullii's mood.

Lauren watched the brain inside Hardgrove's head continue to swell as she thought. Her thoughts then turned to T'kila laying not ten feet from them in her stasis bed. "There is... one way to save him..."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Tanik was confused. "If we can save him, then lets do it!"

"It's not that simple... The only way to save his life... is if we extract some gray matter from T'kila's spine, and replace the damaged Matter in Hardgrove's brain with it..."

Tanik wasn't sure what this would mean for the Vulcan. "What would that do to T'kila?"

"It would put her into a deeper coma... maybe even kill her..."

Tanik looked at Ullii. He did not envy her this decision. He wasn't even sure if he could make it, if he were in her shoes. "I don't know what to say... But whatever you choose, I will not blame you for the consequences. Every officer has to make the call. This is yours."

"This is your call." Ullii looked up to find her Father standing on the opposite end of the biobed. "What are you going to do?"

This... I remember this... What am I doing back here? Why am I reliving this?

"YOU!" She screamed at Xervish, "What are you doing to me?! What kind of trick is this?!! TELL ME!" She threw herself at him, but he had dissapeared.

"... Doctor?" Tanik went to help her up. "Are you alright?"

"Wah?... uhh... yea. Yea, I'll be fine. I'm sorry." She looked at the man lying on the bed, and then toward the morgue where her other patient was lying. "Get her out of stasis." Then suddenly a realization hit her. This was another torment of her father's. To relive the decision she had made. To doom this woman to a life of sleep, until finally death would reach her. She did not want to do it again. But what if he actually sent me back in time? What if this is all real? I have to do it again... "But maybe I can do something different."

A man then stepped into the room. There was a short pause as he stopped to look at her. "Doctor! I fell and hurt my lips. Can you kiss it better?"

James Autumn! But is he a part of this... whatever it is that I'm reliving, or is he in on this with my Father?

She thought for a moment. She then picked up a hypospray, adjusted a setting, walked up to James, and injected the spray into his neck. He fell to the floor, unconcious. "Put him on a biobed beside the Captain. Prepair him for surgery. And Tanik..."

She looked up to a very confused Romulan. "Put the Vulcan back in Statis."
Hawku
Dec 4 2004, 01:39 PM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - Desert Planet

The Wraith glanced upon Sith and Julia, readying his bat'leth. "Two for the price of one? I couldn't ask for a better deal."

He began spinning his modified bat'leth at great speeds, faster than what normal Klingons could do. Julia pushed Sith to the side and grabbed his bat'leth away from him.

She spun hers as she ran towards the Wraith. CLASH! The Wraith blocked an incoming attack, "What's the matter Wraith; missing a few arms?" Julia said.

The Wraith arched his bat'leth down to her stomach, but she quickly jumped back. Then the Wraith lept up in mid air, spinning his bat'leth, and came down with a giant hack for Julia's head.

Julia blocked and tried to hold the down-coming force. "I noticed you gave up your immortality a second time. I do hope it was worth it," the Wraith replied as he was pushed back in his mid-flight-force and landed on his feet.

Julia flipped her bat'leth around to holding it with one arm behind her back, expertly. "It was, because it means getting rid of you."

Sith just stood at the side watching in confusion, Where did she learn to fight like that? He asked himself, or so thought that was what he should've been asking himself.

The Wraith ran for Julia again in full force and anger. "Yyaarrhhh!!!!" The blade-edges of his bat'leth began lighting up as he held it above him and clashed it against Julia's.

The Wraith then hacked and hacked at Julia, as she blocked and covered every attack after the other. But the Wraith's strength was stronger, and he kept clashing and clashing and attacking until Julia's arms began to get tired.

Sith turned away in anger and began walking as the blade swipes and high-pitched clashing swords raged on.

Julia lept over the Wraith and while holding her blade below her to a block, she managed her leg over and into the Wraith's head. This attack from above knocked the Wraith back and to the cracked floor below.

Julia landed and looked down at the demonic being who was harnessing his emotion and hate.

"AAAAAARRRHHHH!!!!!" The Wraith yelled in anger on his back, as he then began flowing with energy currents. The currents left him and flowed into the cracked-floor, absorbing into the Environment.

Julia focused her strength and set her stance ready for the next attack. In a milisecond the Wraith appeared before her already swinging his sword at her. She quickly dodged back and blocked with her bat'leth.

The Wraith lept up and hacked and hacked at Julia from his mid-jump, "Sith help me!" Julia cried out.

But Sith just kept on walking.

"Sith, you brought us here!" She said again. "I need your help!"

Was it all just a lie? Sith thought as he stopped in his tracks. I don't know. But on a leap of faith he turned around and ran towards the fight.

Sith lept up in mid-run, jump-kicking into the side of the Wraith as he was in his mid-air-jump.

The Wraith went flopping and skipping along the ground in a confusion of rotation and momentum.

Sith landed and glanced at Julia next to her, who was breathing hard.
"I told you I learned a lot," she said.
It was something in her eyes that Sith could almost trust. Whether it was true or not, he didn't care this time. Because he had to stay and work this out. Julia tossed him his bat'leth.

Sith tossed her the Orb.

The Wraith was getting up in the distance. "It's not over..."
RMrulz
Dec 6 2004, 03:04 AM


Tom Garrison - Restaurant in the Vulcan Capitol City

"Our special today is Plomeek soup, served with a side order of Vulcan Bread."

"That sounds wonderful, we'll take two of that," Anika said. The waiter nodded and headed off towards another table. Anika turned to Tom and smiled, but the smile disappeared as she notcied the frown on his face. "What?"

"Plomeek soup? Every time we have been to Vulcan that's what we get. In fact, every time we have been to Vulcan that seems to be the only thing on the menu. Don't these Vulcans eat anything else?"

Anika sighed. She knew Tom wasn't happy at the Volcano, but she appreciated that he tried to cover it up for her sake. But now he was just complaining again. "Can't you ever just be happy?" she asked, a bit more curtly than she intended.

Tom narrowed his eyes at her for a second, then looked away. "Sorry," he muttered.

The two of them sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Anika, I'm sorry," he said again, breaking the silence. "I don't want to ruin this, we don't get to take vacations very often." He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Forgive me?"

She looked into his eyes for a moment, and couldn't help but feel her anger floating away. She let out a faint smile. "I love you."

"I lov--" Tom started to say.

"Tom? Tom Garrison? Well god damn, is it really you?" Tom was interrupted by a voice behind him. He turned and found himself staring at a Starfleet uniform. He looked up and saw the face the uniform belonged to. He instantly recognized who it was.

"Miasha Jenco," he said. He glanced at the rank pips on the man's uniform. "Fleet Admiral Miasha Jenco, I should say. You've been promoted."

Suddenly, before Tom could hear Miasha's reply, a series of images flashed through his mind.

Miasha and him arguing over subspace about Utopia Planitia. Miasha telling him something about being the one to leak the information. Miasha and him standing over dead bodies in Starfleet medical. Miasha and him arguing about time travel. Miasha aiming a phaser at him in the Starfleet Command briefing room. Miasha being led out of the same room in handcuffs.

Just as quickly as the images had come they faded. Tom shook his head, trying to make sense of what just happened. He decided it was just a product of being out in the hot Vulcan weather all day and chose to ingore it.

"I don't want to interrupt your meal," Miasha was saying. "My ship will be in orbit of Vulcan for another few days. If you get some free time give me a call. We should catch up!"

Tom nodded. Miasha clapped his hand on Tom's shoulder. "It's good to see you, old friend," he said. Then he turned and walked out of the restaurant. Tom watched him leave, still a bit puzzled by what had happened. He turned and looked at Anika but found her staring in the direction Jenco had gone. She had a curious expression on her face. Before Tom could ask her what she was thinking their Plomeek soup arrived.

He considered not eating it but when he saw the instant change to happiness on Anika's face when the meal arrived, he decided to humor her. So he took a deep breath, held it, and placed a spoonful of the orange goo into his mouth.
Hawku
Dec 12 2004, 12:22 PM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - Desert Planet

Sith readied his stance, holding his bat'leth with one arm to his side. The Wraith got up in the distance and began running.

"Yyyaaaarrrrrrhhh!!!!" Sith yelled in frustration as he ran towards the Wraith aswell.

CLASH!

Both bat'leth's made contact, and they both continued slicing and richocheting thier blades against each other on different angles.

Sith swung for the Wraith's stomach, but the Wraith blocked and pushed back. Sith sunk down and swung for the Wraith's shins, but the Wraith lept up in mid-air about to attack.

But Sith lept up quicker and hacked and hacked at the Wraith as he was coming down, diverting his falling gravity back upwards. The Wraith was knocked back in flowing energy as they both landed on the ground.

Sith was breathing in frustration and emotion from all the walking and torture he'd been through in this place. But the Wraith showed the same frustration, only he expanded it into the currents of energy that came from his arms.

He slammed them into the ground, yelling. "AAARRHH!!" The flat desert floor began to break apart and large chunks of land burst all over the place. But the whole environment began to be charged with energy, that everything seemed to just stay in mid-air.

The Wraith lept up onto a chunk of land, prompting Sith to leap onto another floating chunk of land. They lept at each other, hacking and slicing until they passed and landed on opposite pieces of land.

They lept at each other again, attacking, but Sith multi-kicked into the Wraith sending him into the side of a floating-piece of dirt. The Wraith clung on and then launched himself back.

Sith landed and noticed the Wraith speeding towards him from behind. Sith lept onto chunk after chunk, trying to get higher and higher.

The Wraith landed and lept after, until they reached the top.

Sith sliced into the chunk they were both on, breaking it apart. He then kicked a large piece into the Wraith, knocking the Wraith off his feet.

The Wraith then fell clumsily, richochetting off other large chunks of land until he hit the cratered ground below.

Sith looked down, panting in deep breath. The Wraith didn't seem to be moving.
Mozg
Dec 13 2004, 04:34 AM



Lattrel Ottel - the Nexus

Everything seemed out of touch. Time was not here, and time was here. Time was everywhere, time did not exist. Places came and left, memories of past and future, occurred and dreamt, it all was and it all wasn’t. For the past three days... that’s what he wanted to think... but what he thought wasn’t... and yet it was. Whatever was happening didn’t seem right, and yet it felt more right than anything ever did.

There she was, mother, walking out into the balcony with a large bowl. There was the father, with a strange pipe... and a familiar one... in his hand, looking as happy as he ever had been. He knew this place, but moments ago he wasn’t here. The vineyard... it was lightyears away, in another corner of the galaxy.

“Have some of the soup, mon ami,” the mother poured out of the bowl, “c’est magnifique.”

“It truly is magnificent, Mrs. Lattrel.”

Whose voice was it. Of course! Shani. Throughout this blissful ordeal only she was a constant, a shining beacon of order amidst all the chaos.

“Oh, just call me Marie,” the mother put her caring hand on Shani’s shoulder. “Maybe later you can simply call me mama, huh?” she hinted towards Ottel. There it was again, all the uncertainty gone and he was once again seeing things clear. Maybe he just needed some rest.

“Don’t embarrass the girl, Marie,” father said through the smoke.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” mother argued. “Now eat!”

“Mom, we’re just going out,” Ottel said, smiling at Shani.

“Nothing is more wonderful than marriage,” mother still wouldn’t let go, “tell them Ossa.”

“Alright son,” father said, “listen very carefully. I never knew what real happiness was until I was married... but then it was too late.”

Ottel snickered, almost spitting out the soup in his mouth. Shani just held her hand over her mouth, laughter in her eyes.

“Oh, forget him,” mother shot an angry look father’s way. “Just think about it, we’ll have an amazing wedding... in Paris! Then, a few years later we’ll have little Ottels running around in the backyard.”

“Just think about it,” father repeated.

Just think about it. Oh no! It was happening again. Images of things to come flashed across, becoming dearest memories. He saw himself, wearing a tuxedo, standing in the most grandiose of cathedrals, waiting with great anticipation. There was mother, standing next to father, both as happy as can be. Then he saw her... white dress, longer than the eye could see. She walked down the flower lined aisle, holding her father’s hand.

More flashes, another ceremony... this time in a smaller church. More stony, cold, yet warmer that anywhere else. There seemed to be an ancient spirit encased within those stone walls. This time they walked together, him and Shani. He turned his head to look at her... stunning. She returned the look, with a smile.

Two ceremonies? Of course! His mother wanted a tradition catholic wedding... and Shani’s father insisted on a ceremony in a traditional Apostlic church.

“The Tankians will not give away a daughter without a wedding in St. Gayane!” he nearly yelled.

Ottel smiled back. Shani squeezed his hand even stronger. They kept walking, but now towards a circular object, hovering in the air. It was covered with flowers of all colors, brought from all four corners of the planet. As they reached the top of the hill, the object lowered, and now both of them were standing in the middle of it. A smiling Bolian man approached them with a long staff, a semi-circle on top of it.

“The Lattrels will not have a wedding without the blessing of Patriarch Bassen,” grandfather nearly yelled.

He and Shani smiled at each other, their hearts racing, and the staff was slowly lowered until the semi-circle touched their heads. The Patriarch had blessed their union. The light was caught by the metallic semi-circle and reflected straight into Ottel’s eyes. He squeezed them tightly.

“Just think about it,” mother said.

He felt small hands touching his knees. He opened his eyes to see his daughter, Narineh. It was a name Shani had chosen, meaning ‘queen of the waters,’ and she truly was a queen. She had her mother's wavy dark brown hair, and his green eyes. And her skin... it was the most beautiful shade of blue anyone had ever seen.

“Daddy, daddy,” she shook his knee, “look what they found.” She pointed at her brothers, playing with a small pup.

Ottel looked up... just think about it... there were little Ottels running in the backyard. He smiled.
Hawku
Dec 22 2004, 10:40 AM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - Desert Planet

Sith lept down the chunks of land as they were descending to the ground. His feet hit the ground and he and Julia approached each other.

"He wasted all his energy on the environment," Julia said.
Sith glanced over at the Wraith who lay in the center of the crater. The chunks of land descended all around it until they couldn't see it anymore. "I can't blame him. I really let myself go too..."

"You helped me. Thank you," she looked to his eyes.
But Sith was still thinking, "I just had enough of this place, and all that fighting allowed me to express myself. You were right, maybe I am living some kind of fight-driven lifestyle." He glanced back at her.

"Is that so bad?" Julia asked.

Sith glanced down, "I don't know. It probably prevents me from sleeping well at night."

Then Julia glanced away, "Well... you did once."

"But I bet I don't," Sith answered himself. "I bet I don't let myself."

Julia placed her hand on his forearm, "No one does."

"Do you?"

She looked to the hills filling up the crater, "Not while he lives."

"But I thought you were on a path of mortal discovery?"

"I am. But our battle always lies underneath. We will always be driven to destroy the other."

Sith shrugged, "Is that all that lies beneath?"

Julia glanced away and then back, "Well-- no..."

Suddenly the piles of dirt broke apart and the Wraith lept out and up into the air. He then launched himself off another chunk of dirt next to him and landed on the ground away from Julia and Sith. The Wraith then began running away.

"He's going to get more energy!" Julia yelled.

Sith ran over the crater and through the falling debris. "After him!" 

He ran for the Wraith and Julia followed.
Kelly
Dec 22 2004, 06:07 PM



Samantha Halliwell ~ Hardgrove's Beachhouse

Samantha had never been one to stay out in the sun too long, instead she'd sent Drayson and Matthew on their way, so they could spend some quality time together. She sat back and took a long sip of water, to see the boat returning. She stayed where she was and watched as Drayson showed Matthew how to tie it up correctly, she shielded her eyes from the sun to get a better view. A small smile played across her lips.

"Ain't that a lovely sight."
Samantha glanced to Kyst who still hadn't covered up, "Adorable," she muttered in response, really wishing she had some sort of camera. "Did Matthew have a good time?"
"Loved every minute of it, Drayson gave him a gift. A replica of the star base his mommy's gonna be working on."
"Really?" Samantha asked, her gaze wondering back.

Samantha had then approached Drayson and Matthew to let them know she was going back home to get some sleep in preparation for her meeting. She had even invited them to have lunch with her onboard the starbase.

---

Halliwell looked at her uniform once more in the small mirror, she still thought she'd never get used to wearing red after so long in medical. She still remember her days aboard the Heron, at one point just after she'd given birth to Matthew, she thought about leaving Starfleet altogether. For some reason, Drayson had been the one to convince her that if it was what she wanted to do, she should do it and even though they weren't together he would help her out as best he could.

Halliwell pushed these thoughts away. "Best get this over with."

---

Starbase 001 was beautiful, she craned her neck to get a good luck at the base in all it's full glory. No matter how long she had served, this had to be an highlight. She had only ever imagined something like this, let alone living it.

She stepped off the transport, a Vulcan greeted her. "Commander Halliwell?"
"Yes?"
"I am Lieutenant T'Ana, Captain Major asked me to escort you to him when you arrived." Halliwell smiled, then nodded for her to lead the way, all the while taking a good look at everything as they made their journey to the captain. Before she knew it, they had arrived at the Captain's Office.

"Captain," T'Ana said entering. "Commander Halliwell has arrived."
"Send her in, Lieutenant," came the response. Halliwell looked to T'Ana nervously as she entered the office, it was smaller than she'd imagined, she crossed over to the desk. "Captain Major."
"Commander," he reached across the desk to shake her hand. "It's good to see you."
"Thank you sir, I'm sorry if I'm late."
"You're actually early," he commented, "Please have a seat and we'll start."

They spent at least a good half hour speaking about her accomplishments in Starfleet. Including how she'd not only took on Starfleet medical training but civilian medical training. She then explained to him how she'd decided to enroll as a civilian doctor when she was pregnant with her son.

"Captain Major, you have a message coming through, it's from Admiral Roan." Halliwell looked at the intercom with fascination, for some reason another admiral's name came to her mind, an Tom Garrison. She shook her head, no couldn't be. There was no one by that name at all to her knowledge. "Can you excuse me a moment, Commander?"
"Certainly," Halliwell smiled and quickly and quietly exited the office.

She stood outside and looked over to the wall, only it was no longer light grey, it took on a dark appearance. It had, what looked like, plaques or something. Intrigued, she walked over to it and read. "In memoriam? Lieutenant T'Kila," her words trailed off, "Sounds like a drink," she muttered. She then focused to one next to it, "Captain David Major...dead??" Halliwell took a step back confused. A hand reached for her shoulder and she jumped.

"I said are you all right, Commander?"
Halliwell looked to Major, "Fine I was just looking at these," she turned back to the wall. "The turbolift," she narrowed her eyes then looked back to him, confused.

Just what in the hell is going on here?
Nightranger
Dec 22 2004, 07:57 P



Drayson Hardgrove:
Hardgrove beach house

Drayson has spent most of the morning "cleaning up" as His sister had once put it. He had shaved and trimmed his hair treeing to look more presentable.

As he started to run a comb threw his wet hair, he spotted something unfirmillier something that looked like a healed scare. It was fairly large and looked totally healed . It was only there for a minute slipt second and was gone.

The bathroom lights flashed,and was suddenly darkened. Drayson looked around quickly and was in a medical bay of ship with people operating on someone. He drew closer somewhat morbidly curious of who they were trying to save. The large spotlight was shining down on a male patient , it appeared that he had a head trauma of some sort and was being attended to. Something about this man looked firmilliar to him, the facial structure the eyes the beard . It took a minute for him to realize this mans trauma was the same place as his phantom scar . Then it hit him, The man was him. Hardgrove shut his eyes tight and the vision was gone.

He toweled off and headed into his bedroom shrugging off his weird experience. As he walked into his closet, he passed by his dresser and could tell something was out of place. Matthew model of Starbase 001 was sitting on the dressers flattened top shiimeringand twinkling at him .

"Mat, What did I ask you about your toys?"

"Not to leave them in your room daddy." Matthew said holding the model of 001 but this model didn't shimmer at him . "But I didn't leave anything in you room."

Drayson looked at his son questioning eyes and then rustled the boys hair.

"Go get dressed, We're soposed to meet you mum for some grub on her new starbase."

Matthew grinned and headed off to his room

Something was going on, something was not right . He could tell that much, and what ever it was it must have something to do with that starbase.
Jake
Dec 23 2004, 12:06 AM



Commander Tanik - Imperial City, Romulus

Tanik and Rhiana were strolling through the bustling streets and alleyways of the capital city of Romulus. It was a clear day, with only a few small cumulus clouds in the sky. The air smelled sweet because of the honey-derived drinks a vendor was peddling in the street. Rhiana was wearing a decorative red scarf over her shoulders, and her hair was let-down. Tanik had changed out of his Starfleet uniform into something less conspicuous.

"Did you say I was gone for 16 years?" Rhiana asked.

Tanik looked over to her, somewhat surprised. "Yes, 16 years."

Rhiana broke eye contact and shook her head slowly. "When we had just seen each other for the first time, I didn't question it - but I couldn't have been here for more than a week..."

Tanik's eyes widened. "That's impossible... 16 years have passed since that day you became missing."

Rhiana's brow furrowed. "I've been thinking alot about this place. It took me couple of days to figure out that this wasn't real. But... 16 years? I can scarcely believe it!"

Tanik chortled. "This whole situation is scarcely believable."

Rhiana returned the sentiment. "I'm with you there." She paused for a period of time, contemplating the situation before proceeding. "What, exactly, has happened in the past 16 years?"

Tanik took a deep breath. Oh boy... here we go... he thought to himself.
"Jarek and I were cashiered out of the Tal'Shiar. I was very confused at the time - they must have wiped my memory of the event. I decided to join the Imperial Navy to search you out." Tanik paused as Rhiana closed her eyes in reaction. "I eventually made chief engineer on the Warbird Chaltok. Now, you should understand that, by that time, the border conflicts were going very poorly for the Federation, and we were assigned with missions that became more and more atrocious. We, the senior officers of the Chaltok, held a meeting where we unanimously decided to... defect to the Federation."

At this, Rhiana smiled. "I'm glad. The Empire has become a mere pawn for those damned Cardassians and their whims of vengeance."

Tanik nodded affirmatively and continued. "We were successful. Most of the crew settled down in San Francisco - that's the capital of the Federation - and went into semi-retirement. I, however, requested a commission in Starfleet. Eventually I became the the executive officer on Starbase 001, in orbit of Earth. Now... I'm here."

"What happened to our niece?" Rhiana asked.

It was Tanik's turn to smile. "Sabinus is just fine, she came with me to the Federation. She now lives on the Starbase I'm posted on. In fact, she owns a hat shop there..."

Rhiana laughed. "Good for her!" She then turned to Tanik. "I'm proud of what you've become, Tanik."

Tanik could barely hold in his emotion. "I'm so glad," he said simply.

Rhiana cleared her throat. "How did the border conflict end up?"

Tanik took another deep breath. "It never ended - it just took a different form. An all-out war between the Alliance and the Federation broke out last year."

Rhiana gasped sharply. "The Federation doesn't stand a chance against all of the Allaince powers!"

Tanik half-grinned. "Not necessarily so. The Bajorans, the Orion Syndicate, and the Smugglers' Coalition have joined forces with the Federation. Granted, it's still a long shot. But, there's a human saying..."

Rhiana craned her neck. "Oh?"

Tanik smiled fully. "If there's a will, there's a way. And if there's a way, I will."

Rhiana chuckled. "A wise race, these humans."

Tanik slowed his pace. "Indeed. However, we still have one big problem."

Rhiana furrowed her brow again. "What's that?"

Tanik looked around. "How the hell do we get out of here? Wherever 'here' is?"

Rhiana raised her eyebrow. "An excellent question. Maybe... We should go and see if there's somebody in charge that we can speak to."

Tanik raised his eyebrow this time. "What do you mean?"

Rhiana grinned and pointed between two stores. "Let's take this straight to the top. Let's go to the senate."

Tanik gulped. "Uh... do you think that's a good idea? My stomach feels funny all of a sudden..."

Rhiana nodded slyly. "How could it hurt? All of this isn't real, anyway."

"Hopefully," Tanik added.

"Hopefully," Rhiana repeated under her breath.
Hawku
Dec 30 2004, 07:41 PM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - City

Sith and Julia stopped running as they approached and entered a huge City. The City was Klingon, and above them towered pointed red buildings, far more advanced than the Village he came accross earlier.

"Whoa! This place is huge," Sith said as he peered up at a pointed building; it's architechture not symmetrical but curved and sharp.

He and Julia began down the main street. Klingons where everywhere, setting up thier stores for the morning, or just hanging out and laughing with old friends at outdoor-corner drink shops.

Looking around intently, Julia realized she couldn't sense the Wraith to a specific location. She sighed, unfortunately at this. "He's too evasive here."

"It must be all the activity," Sith said still looking around. Above him, hover-vehicles sped by. "How can such an illusion be so elaborate?"

"It's just the power of this place. What I want to know is, how can a Wraith be so hard to destroy?" She sighed again, "I mean, after all these years I've been tracking him, I thought our conflict would be over by now."

Sith shrugged, "Don't worry, Julia. We'll get him."

"It's not that easy. I've worked so hard. We battled throughout space and dimension, but he would always end up with the upper hand... We would always fight until we were exhausted and weak. And then he would return to his position on that stupid station... and I would just float around, a weightless entity, trying to recover... He was so smart. He knew everything."

They stopped walking before an intersection. It was then Sith realized why she did what she claimed she had been doing all this time.

"So when you had the chance, you returned to the mortal state to learn about everything... just like he did," Sith said.

Julia crossed her arms and looked away. He was right, "Yeah... I guess I thought if he had the upper hand, I had to have it too. To even things, out."

Sith glanced at her.

"But it wasn't just that," she continued. "I had experienced it for the first time when I met you. I think I can see why the Wraith liked the mortal state so much."
"You make it sound like being humanoid is comparible to some kind of addictive drug," Sith said.

Julia shook her head, "What a grim analogy. I enjoy the mortal state, but I don't thrive off it."

Sith raised an eyebrow, "But you need it to fight the Wraith. It serves you more purpose than ever. Isn't it true the 'mortal' state is a lower classification of life to you?"

"Well--"

Sith raised the other, "Aren't you capable of so much more, beyond time, beyond space?"

"--Yes," she cut in. "But as every state of existence, there is a certain amount of awareness that it brings. There are things here that mortals experience, that no being omnipotent or other, can experience anywhere else in the Universe. Believe me. I've only lowered myself in power and energy. They aren't big things."

Sith remained silent for a while. He understood now; that she was more than just trying to do her job. She was living her life.

It was soon interrupted by the incoming sound of a disrupter blast. It came from above and sliced the ground between them. They both lept to opposite sides for cover.
"Auuh!!"

Looking up, they saw a giant disrupter canon loaded onto a hover-vehicle... manned by the Wraith. He snickered in amusement, as he looked down upon Julia and Sith.

He fired again, prompting Julia and Sith to make a run for it. Meanwhile, the City was in alert and adrenaline. Vehicles were surrounding the Wraith's stolen Disrupter Canon Vehicle in full force. But the Wraith just cocked his hover-vehicle around and pumped shots into each Klingon craft; blowing them away.

Sith ran into a building nearby and made his way up the levels. He came as high as the Wraith's Vehicle was and lept out the window into the sky. Sith jumped far enough that he landed on the Wraith's vehicle.

Pulling out his bat'leth he prepared to attack the Wraith. Suddenly, the Wraith realized he was on the craft and stood up. Sith hacked for the Wraith but was deflected by the Wraith's energy-powered bat'leth. The Wraith had his weapon with him aswell.

They both clashed and clashed, until a disrupter shot from a Klingon Vehicle to thier left onto thier craft, knocked them both down to the chairs. Sith and the Wraith got up, but Sith tackled the Wraith until they rolled onto the hood of the vehicle and the Wraith was positioned over Sith's feet. Sith then launched the Wraith off the vehicle, and the Wraith flew into the building wall.

The Wraith held himself there, clinging his fingers into the wall, and breathing hard as if he was weakening. Sith got to his knees and caught his breath quickly. Who was this Wraith creature? He had encountered it before... but it was more powerful last time; outspoken and over-confident. This time, the Wraith had fear. It knew it could die easily in this place.

"Nice try, mortal! Hahahaha!" The Wraith laughed.

...Apparently, he kept his over-confidence.
Kelly
Jan 2 2005, 07:04 AM



Commander Samantha Halliwell ~ Starbase 001

Halliwell had been slightly confused ever since she entered Major's office for the second time, he was asking her questions, bringing up schematics and testing her knowledge. Normally, she wasn't a woman who was easily distracted but for some reason she had trouble concentrating.

"Commander?"
"Sorry Captain," she replied leaning forward to look at the screen, "You were saying." He carried on, but she couldn't help but stare at him, he sure as hell didn't look dead but why would she imagine something like that. I'm... I can't be that morbid her eyes darted around the room for a second and she interupted him. "Sir, permission to speak?"
"Of course," Major sat back.
"Have you ever heard of a T'Kila?"
"You mean tequilla, of course it's a drink."
"No I mean Tee'Killa," she said emphasising the letter "T", "A name. Probably Vulcan by the sounds of it."
"Ahh you mean Lieutenant T'Kila," he sat back somewhat surprised, "She's going to be the new Science Officer, although she hasn't arrived onboard yet." He sat forward, "Do you know her?"
"Yeah," Halliwell lied uncomfortably, how was this possible? She didn't know anyone by that name and she hadn't even seen a crew roster. "I was just wondering, Captain. Sorry to interupt."
Major smiled, "It's no trouble, Commander." He paid all his attention back to the screen, "Where were we?"

---

Halliwell finally got out of the office and made her way to grab some lunch, hopefully Hardgrove and Matthew would be waiting for her. Sure enough, there they were sitting at a table. "Mommy!" Matthew got up out his seat and ran over to her, she lifted him up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Hey sweetheart." She put him down and walked over to the table as Matthew sat back down. "Has your father been taking care of you?"
"Yeah, he let me eat sweets instead of breakfast..."
Alarmed she looked to Hardgrove, "His kidding, Sam." Halliwell sat down, she could certainly see where he got his sarcasm from. Both of them.

Halliwell lifted the cup to her lips, Hardgrove looked at her concerned. "You alright? You're shaking." She put the cup back down and looked to Matthew, "Matthew, could you go just over there and get me some sandwiches, that blue guy there has them."
"Okay," he jumped off his seat and did the task. She looked back to Hardgrove, "I had an unsettling experience," she shook her head slowly. "I don't know maybe it's just me, but something just doesn't feel right."

Then as quickly as she could she told him about what she saw and all about T'Kila whom she didn't even know had exsisted until she saw the plaques. "I don't know how to explain it."
"Perhaps it doesn't need to."
"What can you possible mean?" He then proceeded to tell her about the model and his vision.

"Now that's just creepy," she commented solemnly.
RMrulz
Jan 7 2005, 01:10 AM


Tom Garrison - Cargo Ship Nobel, In Orbit of Vulcan

Tom sat in the control center of the Nobel and stared at the terminal in front of him. He was bored. They were due to leave in an hour, as soon as their cargo shipment arrived from the surface. But in the meantime there wasn't much to do.

He looked over at Anika. She was sitting at one of the side terminals reading something. He didn't have to ask to know what it was - another one of her stupid romance novels. She reads so many of those. Doesn't she ever get tired of them? He wanted to say something to her, it felt to him like it had been a long time since they had a decent conversation. But he couldn't think of anything to say.

A beeping sound interrupted his boredom. Anika looked over at him to see what it was, and he looked down to see a light flashing. “Incoming hail,” he said aloud in reply to her unspoken question. He touched the panel and the image of the Vulcan homeworld was replaced by a man’s face.

“Admiral Jenco,” Tom said in surprise.

“Miasha, Tom. Call me Miasha,” he replied.

“What can I do for you?” Tom asked. He was trying to figure out why Jenco would hail his ship.

“Nothing,” Jenco said with a smile. “Absolutely nothing. I’m here for a conference this week, but the meetings got over early today and I’m rather bored. I saw your ship in orbit and I was wondering if you and Anika would join me for dinner tonight. It’s been a long time since we’ve all been together. Hell, I don’t think all three of us have gotten together since your wedding!”

Tom looked over at Anika to see if she was interested. “We can’t, Tom. We’re due to leave orbit in an hour.”

Tom turned back to the viewscreen. Jenco had heard what Anika said and he looked disappointed. “Sorry Miasha. She’s right, though, we’re already horribly behind schedule. We really can’t afford to stay in orbit any longer.”

Jenco sighed. “Oh well, it was worth a try. I’ll just go back to being bored. But Tom, I’m going to be stationed aboard Starbase 001 for a few months. If your cargo runs ever bring you there be sure to look me up!”

Starbase 001… Tom nodded. “I will,” he promised. Starbase 001… the word kept repeating in his mind.

“Good, I hope to see you there someday. Jenco out.” His face disappeared from the screen, replaced by the same view of the Vulcan homeworld that had been there a few minutes ago.

I’m going to be stationed aboard Starbase 001 for a few months… . Tom couldn’t figure out what it was, but there was something about what Jenco had said that he couldn’t stop thinking about.
Will Karelia
Jan 7 2005, 08:56 PM



-William Karelia, Traverse City, Earth-

Will was walking through the center of Traverse City, just taking in everything there was to take in. It felt like he hadn't been here in ages. He strolled down the street in the center of the small town, just looking at things, window shopping. He wanted to pick out the perfect thing for Crystal's birthday. after settling on an overly expensive Firrkann necklace, with a rare stone found only on an unknown planet somewhere in Romulan space, he headed home. Upon arriving, the commpanel in his living area caught his attention with a flashing red light.

He walked over to the panel with a puzzled look on his face. He was not particularly surprised that he had a message, just confused as to who could have called when he was only out for five minutes or so. He pressed the "play" button, and a small figure appeared, standing on the holopad.

"Hey, Will! It's Jehryn! How've you been? It's been quite a while since we last got together." It was Talia Jehryn, his old Bajoran friend. They had met once on Bajor when Will was there on a "galactic tour". Biggest waste of money he had ever seen. "So, I'm on Risa right now, and I wanted to know if you and Crystal want to come along to stay for a while? We really need to catch up! Anyway, Send me a message back, and if you decide to come, I'll be here for the next month."

"Sounds like a good idea..." Will thought to himself. "With all that's been going on, I could use a break."

He pressed another button on the commpanel, and it immediately connected to Crystal's personal communicator. Her face appeared on the holoscreen.

"Hey, what's going on?" she asked.

"Well, I just got a message from Talia Jehryn. He wants to know if we want to go to Risa for a month with him."

"Talia Jehryn? Isn't that the one that..."

"...tried to throw the drunk Nausicaan out of our wedding reception? Yep, that's the one. Anyway, what do you think?"

"Sure, I'd love to go. Get the shuttle ready, and I'll meet you at the spaceport."

"Now? What, you don't want to pack?"

"Anything I'd want to bring, I can just replicate there. Why waste time?"

"Alright. I'll see you at the port."

He closed the communication. After a short walk to the nearest public transporter booth, he arrived at the spaceport shuttle docking desk.

"Hello. How can I help you today, sir?" asked the worker at the desk.

"Hello. I'd like to get my shuttle prepped for launch. It should be registered under William Karelia, registry number G75HR8."

"Alright, I'll just get that taken care o..." She paused.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"Well, sir, it seems your shuttle was... stolen. I'm sorry, it's a very rare thing, but it can be known to happen."

"Well, I understand, but I need a shuttle. Is there any way I can get one?"

Just then, his wife walked in. She saw the look on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well," Will began, "our shuttle has been stolen."

"Oh my god, do they know who did it?"

The attendant chimed in. "No, ma'am, but I assure you, we will replace it. Unfortunately, we have no shuttles at the moment, but we do have authorization to lend you a Federation shuttle, under the circumstances."

"I'm assuming that means we'll be taking a little trip," Will chimed in sarcastically.

"Yes. We have a shuttlepod bound for Starbase 001 in 20 minutes. You can get a shuttle there. Just take this card..." she says, handing him a small plastic card, "...and present it to the dockmaster there. He will lend you a shuttle."
RMrulz
Jan 8 2005, 07:53 PM


Major Lietra Kayana - Bajor

It's been almost a week since the Emissary returned. He's spent all of his time in closed door meetings with the Vedek Assmebly and the Council of Ministers, and hasn't even made a public appearance since the night he returned. This just isn't how I thought things would happen. But when I think about it, all of my fantasies ended with me bringing home the Emissary. I never really thought about what would happen afterwards.

Lietra put her pen down and sighed. The past week had just felt so anticlimactic, but she didn't exactly know why or what to do about it. She looked down at the entry she had just written in her personal journal. She sighed again as she realized she was almost out of paper. It was so hard to get her hands on any these days, and she was almost out. And writing her journal on holoPADDs just didn't feel right. She picked up the pen again.

I just feel lost in a strange world where everything I've ever wanted has come true, but I don't feel as happy as I should.

Lietra was interrupted by a knock at the door. She put down her pen and turned in her chair to face the door. "Come in," she said. The door opened and First Minister Hallan stepped into her temporary quarters on Bajor.

"First Minister," she said in surprise as she stood up. "What can I do for you?"

He stepped further into the room and shut the door behind him. He turned back to her and was about to say something when he suddenly stopped. He looked at her for a few seconds, and then asked "What's wrong?"

She let out a small laugh. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Not usually, but I can tell something is bothering you. What is it?"

Lietra sat down on the bed and looked down at the floor. She let out a sigh and looked back up at Hallan. "I don't know... it's really hard to explain, because I don't really understand it. But ever since the Emissary came back, things have just felt ..." she trailed off.

"What?" he asked her.

"I don't know. Off? Wrong? I don't know what the right word is."

He walked over and sat down on the bed next to her. "Kayana, he's been a great help Bajor this week. That's what I came to tell you."

She didn't say anything for a minute. When she finally spoke she sounded distant. "I spent my whole life dreaming of this. I guess I just had this unrealistic expectation that everything would be OK the moment he came back to us."

Hallan smiled. "Not even the Emissary can do that for us. But what I came to tell you is that he has persuaded us to open talks with the Federation. A good number of the ministers are still wary because of how corrupt the Federation became in the century or two after the Dominion War, because of why we broke ties with them. But he has convinced us we should begin talking with them. We're sending a delegation to begin formal discussions, and he'll be accompanying the delegation."

Lietra sighed. "I guess that's good." But she still didn't sound convinced.

"Kayana, everything will be all right. You'll see. We're a strong people, we've survived all sorts of things in the past. We'll survive this Alliance threat. If the talks on Starbase 001 go well, and I'm confident they will, we'll..." he stopped talking as he noticed she was staring at him with a curious look on her face. "What is it?"

"I'm going with the delegation," she said before she even knew what she was saying.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "It will be a meeting of ambassadors. You won't be able to take part in any of the talks."

"It doesn't matter, I need to go." She didn't understand any of this, her mind was a jumbled mess. But for some reason that she didn't even understand she knew she had to do this.

Hallan was going to argue, but decided not too. It couldn't hurt for her to go along with them. "OK, you can go. But once you're on 001 you'll just have to occupy yourself."

"I understand. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said, puzzled. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked.

She smiled. She was touched by her concern, he was always looking out for her. "Yes, I'm ok. I can't explain any of this, I just know I have to go."

Hallan shook his head. "I don't understand you, Kayana." He smiled at her. "I'll let you know later what time the transport is leaving that will take you to Deep Space Nine. You can meet up with the delegation there. But I must go now, I have duties to attend to." He stood up and walked to the door. He opened it and was about to step outside when he turned to look at her. She was still sitting on her bed, lost in thought. He was worried about her, she wasn't usually this impulsive. After a minute he left her room and closed the door behind him.
Hawku
Jan 9 2005, 10:36 PM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - City

The Wraith finished laughing and peered at Sith menacingly. He called upon a great energy within him and created a confusion of grey and black dust that swirled and circled around him, like a flaming ora, as he clung backwards against the building wall.

Sith glanced away for a second, in quick thought. He wanted to figure out the best way to defeat the Wraith, but couldn't... until it hit him. He snapped his fingers. "That's right! The Orb." He looked down below from his topless hover-vehicle unable to find Julia anywhere.

"Looking for this?" Julia's voice came from above. Looking up, Sith and the Wraith saw Julia on the building roof, not too far away. She held the Orb and closed her eyes, trying to use its power.

"I don't care about that thing anymore!" The Wraith said. "I'm using the power from all the people in this City. They're connected to the environment, and so now am I!"

Julia opened her eyes from the deep concentration, "He's right. I-- I can't do anything." There was a feeling of hopelessness that overcame her.
"There is one thing you can do... and that is die!" The Wraith extended his ora-shaped power, blowing part of the building and the nearest hover-vessels away.

Julia went flying back onto the other end of the roof. She got up in anger, calling upon a great power within herself. A blue ora of flowing energy encircled her, as she ran towards the Wraith who was floating in the air next to building now. "Aaaaaaaarhh!"

Sith held on for his life, as his hover craft diminished a spin. He sat up and rubbed his aching head, not noticing the epic battle behind him. "Oh man, I really got to lay off the Bolian Noodles." He then looked straight ahead in shock. "That's right... Bolian Noodles! I used to order them almost everyday from-- that guy. What was his name again?" He placed his finger on his chin trying to remember.

Meanwhile, Julia flew full force, charging into the Wraith. She knocked him way back into a hovering Klingon Law-Reinforcement Cruiser. Pieces of the cruiser spread off into the air as the Wraith was indented within its side. Cursing in anger from inside, the Klingon watched as the Wraith got up and lept off back into the air.

The Wraith and Julia converged once again in mid-air, grabbing each other to stop the momentum. But it just spun them on all axis', as they merely forced both thier energies together in conflict.

"My brother... That's right... I was supposed to meet him for a lunch one time and I never made it--" Sith continued his break-thru as the Wraith and Julia were still behind him in the distance, fighting for thier lives. "And I had a friend named Zeta. He was small or something..."

"AAAaHHHH!!!" Julia increased her energy output and blasted the Wraith to the streets below. The Wraith broke into the surface like a meteor, sending fragments of the ground and land-vehicles into the sky. The shockwave ruptured the entire block as Sith glanced over just noticing a sound.

He landed his vehicle next to Julia as she landed near the crater, glancing at the Wraith; they both knew wasn't dead.
"I never knew why the Prophets never spoke to me after I left them and now I know why... I had become a lesser entity; in a way they couldn't accept. At least now I'm part both." The energy calmed around Julia. "I'm sorry I was so bitter earlier, Sith."
Sith hopped off the fully-loaded hover-vehicle. "I'm just glad to be here with you."
"What made you change your mind about us, about the Prophets?" She asked.
He fixed his stance, "I don't have it all yet, but I began to remember things from my real life... from what the truth really was."

Meanwhile, all the Klingon's in hover-vehicles floated around in shock and conflict with each other on what to do. The Wraith struggled to get up, in so much pain, "Ugh--," in the background behind Julia and Sith.

Sith stared over at Julia in question, "Hey, Julia; we're you and I ever... close?"
"What do you mean?" She asked.

The Wraith got to his feet, but fell back down in pain, unnoticed by anyone.

"I mean, close. You know..." Sith tried hinting appropriately.
Julia smiled, "Ohhh; close."

Sith came near her.

"Why do you ask?" She quized jokingly.
Sith glanced down to collect himself, and then back at her again, "Well... How close were we?"
Julia remained still, allowing him to get nearer. They both seemed to be lost in each-other's eyes for a moment, at the possibility of something more, something great. "This close--," she replied, before they were interrupted.
RMrulz
Jan 10 2005, 12:21 AM


Tom Garrison - Cargo Ship Nobel

Tom sat at the desk in the bedroom he and Anika shared on their cargo ship. He had the terminal active and was examining the public schematics of Starbase 001. He wasn't even sure why he was doing it, but ever since Jenco had mentioned the place he had been fascinated with it.

He looked up at the sound of the door opening and saw Anika walk in. "Oh, you're awake," she said as she saw him sitting at the desk. "Good, then you can go and monitor the controls for awhile. I want to take a nap." She flopped down on the bed. "I'm really tired."

Tom shut off the terminal and stood up. He walked over to her and studied her for a minute. Realizing he was standing over her, she peeked open one eyelid. "What?" she asked.

Tom smiled. "Nothing. I was just admiring your beauty."

Anika let out a half chuckle. "I'm tired, I need a shower, and I haven't brushed my hair in hours. Beauty. Right," she said in a sarcastic tone. Tom smiled weakly but continued to stand there for a minute. He turned around and walked back over towards the desk, but stopped before he got all the way there. His mind was still on Starbase 001.

Anika opened one eye again and saw her husband standing near the desk staring at the wall. She sat up in the bed. "Tom?" she asked softly. There was no answer. "Tom?" she asked again, a little louder.

Suddenly he realized she was calling his name. "Hmm?" he turned around to look at her, noticing she had a concerned look on her face.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing..." he said. He wasn't sure how to bring any of this up. As soon as he said that he saw the look in her face, the look that told him she knew he was lying. "It's just that... Well... Anika, let's go to Starbase 001." He blurted it out before taking time to consider what he was saying.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Starbase 001? Why?" Her tone almost sounded accusatory.

"I don't know. Ever since Miasha mentioned it, I've just been ... drawn to it? No, that's not the right word. I can't explain it. We just have to go."

Anika sighed. "I think we both know what this is about, Tom."

He was confused for a second, but suddenly he realized what she was talking about. "No, Anika, no! It's not that. I just ... we have to go."

"Tom, you're not making any sense."

"I know. I don't know how to explain this, I really don't. I just know we have to go there."

Anika looked down for a minute, and when she looked back up there were tears in her eyes. "Damn it, Tom. We've been through this before." She started to raise her voice. "It was only last year that you were convinced we should go to Starbase 852. And all that turned out to be was your regret over leaving Starfleet, and your desire to go see old Starfleet friends, even if you didn't realize it at the time. We both made sacrifices in order to make this work. We both did, Tom. How can you do this to us again, after it nearly drove us apart then? What's wrong with you?!"

"Anika! I promise, it's not that, not this time. I..."

"No!" She was yelling now. "We have cargo to deliver, Starbase 001 is in the wrong direction. I will not give in to you, not this time! You're being incredibly selfish!"

He lost his patience. "You have NO idea what I'm 'being'," he roared. "You can't read my mind. You don't know what I'm thinking. This is something I have to do! Why can't you just support me for once in your goddamn life?!" As soon as he said it he regretted it. But it was too late. He saw the hurt in her eyes. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she interrupted him.

"Don't..." she said menacingly. "Don't say another word. Just get out."

"Anik--" he began.

"OUT!" she roared.

He stared at her for a few seconds, hating himself for saying what he just said after what she gave up to be with him. Yes, she convinced you to give up Starfleet. But you convinced her to give up a normal life on a planet so that you could still lead your life among the stars. Tom, you idiot! He gave her one last apologetic look, but she just glared back at him. He gave up and walked out of the room.
Nightranger
Jan 12 2005, 04:00 PM



Drayson Hardgrove - Starbase 001, The Deck

Drayson nodded in response to Sams last comment

"That not all. When I got out of the shower this morning I got this weird Vision that I was on an operating table being attended to a massive head wound. Then when I went to come my hair I thought I saw a scar where they were operating."

He too a deep breath and blew it out. "Something isn't right, before we left Kyst came in and told me she had a strange dream or what she thought was a dream that dad had been killed in a raid on a Romulan supply ship. I had her call dad on the Com. He and Mom were both on at the conference on Tanrian 6."

Hardgrove looked at Sam and then ran a hand over his aching head. "I can't shake the image of that Model shimmering at me. There is something about this Station that wants us to be here Sam. Some reason it seams to be calling to us. Mat and I are going to stay a while if that's all right maybe even spend a few days. Can you gets us some guest quarters?"
Hawku
Jan 17 2005, 10:30 PM



Lieutenant Rune Sith - Broken City

The ground rumbled slightly, and then cracked beneath thier feet. The entire metropolis fell apart, along with the sky and machines, leaving a mess of giant asteroids in a white nothingness. The entire city was reduced to large chunks of ground, roads, and Klingon buildings, floating in white space to where Sith and Julia found themselves.

They stood on seperate fractured grounds near the other. Sith glanced at Julia who was also trying to figure out what was going on, and then at the Wraith who was coming to his senses.

"The mortal must destroy the Wraith," a voice echoed from above.

Looking over, Sith then caught a view of the Prophets. They stood, towering overhead on pieces of land all around. Sith turned and saw another one on a piece of land further away; and another one, closer by. They all seemed to exist with eternal patience and serenity... but more importantly, thier expectance of Sith.

"I'm not here to fight your war--!" Sith called out in opposition.

"The Wraith must be destroyed," they continued.
"It is the way of things."

Sith glanced back at the Wraith who, of infinte slowness, finally came to realize who was around him. He made eye contact at Sith as Sith considered the fight. It looked like Sith had just had enough of all this 'being forced'; because that's what it all had come down to. He realized it was being forced that really turned him away from doing anything; especially fighting.

Sith shook his head finally, "Fine. If destroying this evil will get you off my back, then I hope you're ready for the stench his dead carcass is about to leave behind..." He readied his stance from his rock, aiming his palm at the Wraith on the rock ahead. He quickly looked back to get Julia's help, but she remained rested on her rock. She knelt on one knee. "Julia?"
"I... can't. Not in thier presence."
"Why?"
"It's just something that's not done!" She looked down quickly, staying firm to the ways of the Prophets.

They both knew thier places, so Sith lept off his rock into the air.

He came flying down, with his leg extended and forced. The Wraith anticipated the move, and caught the foot, which stopped Sith. Sith shot up his other knee hitting the Wraith in its demonic face.

The Wraith forced his palm into Sith's chest as Sith landed on the rock surface with him. The hit knocked Sith back, and into the side of some passing-by debris. Sith grabbed a hold and flipped himself off the debris, right back at the Wraith. The Wraith blocked with his forearms, as Sith stepped off them in speeding momentum, jumping straight up into the air above the Wraith.

The Wraith tended to his own business, flexing his trapezeus' in an attempt to steal more power from the Environment. This time, it was harder because the Environment was mostly fractured. "Grggh!"

He looked around, desperate, for more options, but was met by a kick to the neck from Sith above. The Wraith flew off his rock and through the nothingness, until he landed inside his hover-vehicle. It was rusting apart in this place.

Sith lept down, from the rock, falling until he landed right on top of the Wraith. They got up, clashing thier bat'leths at each other, left, right, and left and right. The Wraith then lept up, straight up into the air again, in escape.

Sith jumped off, onto closer-by pieces of road, going the hard way back up. He jumped from piece to piece, trying to follow the Wraith.

The Wraith landed on a broken roof-top, where the Orb lay. He calmed himself, realizing he almost just lost to a mortal, "Heh, heh, heh..." especially,that incompetent mortal. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

He lept over towards the Orb but was met by Sith, in mid-air. Sith sliced his bat'leth at the Wraith, forcing the Wraith to block and counter, by arching his other end around. Sith slid his bat'leth in mid-clash, up the Wraith's turning bat'leth edge, until meeting the other end. He held the force, as both the Wraith and Sith changed positions and landed on the roof; the Orb at thier feet between them. They held thier bat'leth ends against the other, right above it.

"We seem to be... at a disadvantage here," the Wraith said, holding his end strong.
Sith gripped his bat'leth, "You're afraid. You know you're capable of dying here, and there's nothing that can save you."
"Fine!" The Wraith admitted, "But what do you care anyway? You don't even know who I am," he started. "You want the reality? The truth is, the fight between the Prophets and the Pah'Wraith's has nothing to do with you. It never did! It's our war!" He pushed his end with more force, "Grh! Don't you get it? You're wasting your time. Why would you want to help a league of beings who conned you into thier dirty work anyway?"

Sith pushed back an anger.

"It's pointless! Unless you had one of those 'leaps of faith'. Believe me, I've conned way more Alliance Generals into doing my bidding with that pathetic philosophy."
"What are you talking about?" Sith squinted his eye in confusion. The Wraith had a knack for going on and on.
"Oh forget it. Your lack of memory is getting on my nerves!" The Wraith arched his and Sith's bat'leth around and into the roof-floor, on the side. The force knocked the Orb up into the air between them, and they both punched and blocked each other in battle as the Orb passed through the fight.

The Wraith lept up quickly, but was pulled down by Sith who lept up himself and caught the Orb in the air.

Sith landed and faced the Wraith.

The Wraith attacked. He ran for Sith, jabbing and punching quickly. Sith blocked and blocked with one arm, for the other held the Orb at his side. Sith kicked the Wraith mutiple times until room was cleared enough for him to spin around and use the Orb's power.

In a nano-second, the Wraith disppeared, mid-attack, leaving a dust of shadowed particles disentigrating in his reminiscent existence. He was gone.
RMrulz
Jan 18 2005, 01:27 AM


Tom Garrison - Cargo Ship Nobel

Tom lay on the floor of the darkened control room, staring up at the ceiling. He was trying to fall asleep but his mind was still racing with thoughts about what had happened. What did you expect when you accused her of never supporting you? You know she's had a hard time accepting this life on a cargo ship, and you know she's been aware of your regret over leaving Starfleet. She gave up so much for you, and you go and say something like that? It's no wonder she won't let you into the bedroom. Tom, you idiot! You're probably going to be sleeping out here for quite awhile.

As he lay there a full range of emotions came over him. First he felt guilt over what he had said. Then anger at being forced to sleep on the floor out here in the control room. Then resentment at leaving Starfleet based on her prodding. Then guilt over feeling that resentment. And then, in the end, curiousity regarding Starbase 001. And the longer he lay there the stronger that curiosity grew. Eventually it became so overwhelming he couldn't lay still anymore.

He got up and started pacing back and forth. He was muttering to himself, trying to work something out in his mind. Abruptly he stopped and turned towards one of the control terminals. He walked over and sat down. He pushed a button to activate the voice interface, it was easier than trying to remember how to do all of this manually.

"Computer, all stop." He felt the subtle shudder as the ship dropped out of warp.

"All stop," droned the monotone male computer voice.

"Open the cargo bay doors."

After a few seconds there was a beep, and a light on the panel in front of him turned from green to yellow. "Cargo bay doors open."

"Remove all cargo storage safety devices. Retract cargo locking clamps."

"Warning," the computer said as it beeped at him. "Actions not recommended while ship is out of space dock."

"Override," Tom said.

Again a beep, followed by "Cargo storage safety devices removed. Cargo locking clamps retracted."

Tom paused for a minute. If I do this there's no going back. I'll probably lose her forever. That thought sent a sudden chill down his spine. He had never really imagined what it would be like to lose Anika before, but suddenly it was a very real possibility. For several seconds he sat there in the dark, staring at nothing in particular, thinking. And then he made his decision. "Computer..." he paused one last time. He shook his head and continued. "Shut down cargo bay door forcefields."

A beep in acknowledgement. The yellow light turned red. "Cargo bay door forcefields shut down. Cargo bay has been depressurized." It was done.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light, blinding Tom. He whirled around in his seat and looked at the door. Squinting through the sudden brightness he saw Anika standing there. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying. She had a look of horror on her face. "Cargo bay has been depressurized?" she cried out. "Tom! What did you do?"

He looked down at the floor, then back up at her. "I blew all our cargo out into space."

"But why the hell would you do that?! We're carrying organic plants. They're all going to be dead now!"

"I know, Anika. Now we have no reason to continue on our present course."

"It's more than that, you idiot! This shipment was going to the Bolians on Randar VIII. They're our best customers! Without them we'll never make enough money to survive! We don't even have anywhere to go now!"

"So now there's no reason for us not to go to Starbase 001," Tom said, his voice cool and calm.

Anika's eyes flew open wide in surprise. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She was absolutely speechless. For almost a full minute they stayed that way, staring at each other. When she finally spoke it was in a quiet voice, a voice dripping with menace.

"Thomas Garrison, take this ship to Starbase 001. You'll get your wish. But when we get there I'm getting off. You won't ever see me again." And then she turned and left the room.

Tom watched her leave. He was conflicted. A large part of him wanted to reach out to her, to take her into his arms and apologize until she forgave him. But he had moved beyond the point of forgiveness. And besides, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had to get to Starbase 001.
Hawku
Jan 24 2005, 03:39 PM




Lieutenant Rune Sith - Broken City

Sith twisted himself back to his feet and paused in reflection on the what he had done. He turned around and saw that Julia was on the floating roof with him. She approached.

"I know what you're going to say..." Sith said looking down. "I saved the Wraith when I could have killed him." He looked her, "Well it was my decision, and to be honest I had no reason to kill the Wraith. You and the Prophets only created the perception that he was evil. He may have been, but there was no way I could have known for sure..."
Julia glanced over, "But Sith... Couldn't you have felt it? You felt it before. You know what he is."

Sith stared away for a moment, "I don't know... I thought I did. But how could I have been sure? How was I to be sure my feelings weren't lies either?" He shook his head. "He's back to where he last was anyway."

Julia looked down, "It's alright. I don't care... I don't care about the Prophets anymore." She then looked back at him, intentively. "I want us to be together."

Suddenly the asteroids all over rumbled slightly.

Sith looked around confused and then back at Julia. "What are you saying? You hold the Prophets under the highest regard."
"No, Sith. I want to be with you now. The way it's supposed to be," she looked into his eyes. "It's so right."

Sith stared back, and could tell she was sincere. He could feel it, and this time he wouldn't make the wrong decision.

"Don't send me away, like you did the Wraith," she said.
"I won't," Sith replied as the asteroids all around shook even angrier. "What's going on??"
"The Prophets are scared," she began to speak above the noise. "They know I'm leaving them." Julia looked around for the Prophets. "But why are they reacting like this? Unless they're starting to fore-see something else happening."
"Like what?" Sith asked.
"I don't know," she held on to Sith as the roof below thier feet began to fall apart. "But we have to get out of here."

They lept off and onto a floating wall piece.

"When the Wraith used up all his own energy, he turned to the Environment for power. Is there any way you could do the same? Could you transport us to a safer location?" He tried to negotiate.
Julia thought for a second, "Yes, I think I can."

Two giant rocks crashed into each other below them, sending a minor shockwave up at thier wall piece. They held on, and Julia concentrated...

"--Ugh! I can't do it. The Wraith used the energy from the people that were here. Now that no one is here, it's impossible." She shook her head, "But you should be able to change location's at will."
"What do you mean?" Sith asked.
"You're a full mortal," Julia answered. "This place was built for your kind."

Sith looked away and tried to concentrate himself...

Forest

Sith shook his head. "I don't think this is going to work--" But when he opened his eyes, he found he and Julia were surrounded by trees. The ground was in-tact, and there were birds chirping above them. "Whoa."

Julia looked around, paranoid. "We're not far enough away... The Prophets are follwing me."

The ground began to shake here aswell.

Warm-Breezy Planet

Sith changed the background to a different planet. They found themselves in a wide field of nothing but grass.

"This is nice," Sith said looking around.
Julia looked to her senses. The Prophets were still coming, "I don't get it. Why are they so weak all of a sudden? I mean... they still have thier power, but at the same time they're weak. It's... hard to explain."
"They're two things at once," Sith tried comprehending. "I think I understand... But what really is interesting is this--"

Thorny-Branchy Planet

He brought them a couple lightyears further. They found themselves surrounded by thorn bushes.

"I can't believe I can do that!" Sith said in amazement. He bent down and began examing the thorn bushes, trying to believe his power.
Julia continued looking around paranoid, but then stopped. She noticed Sith, finally and smiled. "Heh. You're cute when you're like that."
Sith realized how dumb he looked and stood up embarassed. "Very funny."

Julia and Sith smiled; they leaned in and kissed each other. They had finally found thier place together, and it was surrounded by thorns.
Ulli
Jan 27 2005, 02:19 AM


Ambassidor Yasha Lauren - Jupiter Station

Yasha stepped into the airlock. It only took a few seconds to depressurize, and she stepped onto the deck of Jupiter Station. Probably the first time that a Romulan who wasn't a defector had been on a Federation vessel in at least a hundred years. Peace talks usually took place in neutral territory. Several security officers who were passing by saw her and pulled out their phasers.

Honestly, don't they tell their officers anything?

"Hands in the air, Romulan!" One of them shouted. At once, all of the security officers surrounded her.

"My name is Ambassidor Yasha Lauren. I am a member of the Romulan Star Empire, and rebellion against the Alliance. Take me to Admiral McGee at once." She was tired of explaining herself, and it showed in her voice as hesitation, but she spoke authoritively none the less. She did not raise her hands.

"Hands... in the air... Now!"

"This meeting has been arranged. Speak to your authorities."

"We will. After you're in the brig."

"I will go no such place." The tension was growing. "This is an insult! Would you risk chance for peace so easily? Speak to your authorities Now!" She looked each officer in the eye. There were six of them. Most of them looked unsure but still determined that they were taking the correct course of action. One of them looked as though he didn't agree with what he was doing, and another one had an expression of rage on his face. His face and trigger-thumb were red with anger and tension. This one would be a problem.

"Our phasers are set on stun, Romulan. You will go to the brig willingly, or by force."

"Then you will have to try and force me." She quickly tapped a few holo-buttons hidden on her wrist, and became invisable. A few of the officers fired their phasers in her direction, but hit nothing. In a second, her invisibility had worn off, and she was holding one of the officers by the neck with a small disrupter pressed against his temple. "Drop your weapons or I shoot. Mine does not have a stun setting."

Looking terrafied, they all dropped their weapons except for the last officer, who screamed in rage, aimed at Yasha's head and fired. She evaded the shot with skill, and fired a pulse from her disruptor at him. He went flying to the ground. The man she was holding by the neck started crying.

"Oh god, don't shoot me. Don't shoot, please!"

"Don't worry. Although I'm not impressed."

"Yes, I'm sorry. We should have contacted our senior office--"

"That too... but I was talking about your pathetic plea. You should face death with honor. Are all humans such Varoole? Such cowards?" She dropped him on the ground. "All of you, gather round that pillar." She pointed to a beam standing in the center of the corridor, a few meters away. Confused, they obeyed. She took a length of rope off of her belt and tied them to the pillar and gagged their mouthes.

=.\= "Ambassidor Yasha Lauren to Sickbay. There's been an incident near airlock B18." =.\=

=.\= "This is Sickbay, we're sending a team. =.\=

Admiral McGee and a welcome party just then came around the corner. "Ambassidor Yahsh-- oh my..." They all stopped short at the sight that lay before them. They were unarmed.

"It was an unprovoked attack. Here..." She picked up the dead man's phaser and showed it to the Admiral. "It was set on kill."

"Ambassidor I am truely sorry. I should have made a general announcement about your arrival. We've been soo busy; what with all the chaos. Still... did you have to kill him?"

"My apologies, Admiral. My weapon has two settings. Kill, and Vapourize."

"A shame. We will have to confenscate all of your weapons, you understand."

"Of course."

"Now, we must speak about the matters at hand. What has happened to earth? Does this have anything to do with the information you have brought for us?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm as supprised as you are... although... We should speak in private. I do have some intelligence that fits in with all this. As far-fetched as it may be."

"Any news is believeable at this point. Please, follow me."
Doctor Ullii Lauren - The Nexus

Terrable nightmares had been haunting Ullii for days now. Each one a torment designed by her father. Such a malace he must have to hate her so. There must be a way to stop him.

She was wondering the corridors of the Station, but it was empty save for her. It was dark... and eerily damp. Each footstep echoed along the corridor in front of her like a loud messenger, making her presence known to any hidden evils that lay ahead. She was very afraid, but she was used to this already. Images started to fly across her mind. She saw her mother being driven mad, and her sister Yasha betraying her as her father had, even though it never really happened. She saw many images from all her life. Friends and family alike, all turning their back on her. Calling her an outcast. She felt soo dreadfully alone. Then in front of her, as clear as day, she saw a Vulcan in a blue starfleet uniform. It was T'kila.

"You!" There was hate and malace in her voice. "It was You that killed me! You sacraficed me, a stranger, to save someone you knew! You broke your oath!!"

"No! Not this again! I made a decision! And I didn't kill you! I saved both of your lives!"

"YOU CALL THIS LIFE?!" Instantly the entire universe around her became black, and she was floating in space. Terrable pain wreaked her head. Constant pain, like thousands of scalples prodding away at her brain, never ceasing. "THIS IS HOW I LIVE! EVERY MOMENT IN THIS HELL!!" Her screams were unberable!

No! No, don't listen to her! It's just my father trying to torture me! It's not real!

"YOU BROKE YOUR OATH!! THIS IS FAR WORSE THAN DEATH!!"

"NO! YOU'RE NOT REAL!!"

"YEHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" She gave out a Terrable, insanely loud, bone-chilling scream! Ullii had to cup her ears, but it didn't help. She looked up, and slowly, the image of T'kila turned into that of her Father, Xervish. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! It may be an illusion, but you know it to be true!"

"It's a Lie!" She tried to imagine herself in happier surroundings, but the power of the Nexus did not obey her. Her father's will was stronger, and it was He that was controlling everything she saw, felt, and heard. Everything she experienced.

She closed her eyes, and fell into a dark sleep.
Jake
Jan 30 2005, 04:36 PM



Commander Tanik - Romulan Imperial Senate Building

Both Tanik and Rhiana stood outside the towering structure. The doors were locked - the senate must have been in session. Rhiana turned to Tanik. "I think I have an idea."

Tanik raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

Rhiana took tanik by the arm and led him through tunnels and backalleys for several minutes.

"Where are we going? This alley is a dead end..." Tanik said.

Rhiana pointed to what appeared to be some alien graffitti on the wall. "One could say that this is the rebellion's... bulletin board."

Tanik's eyes opened wide. "You leave messages here? In a backalley?"

Rhiana chuckled. "We use a secret alphabet. Only rebellion members know it."

Tanik nodded in understanding. "Well - what does it say?"

Rhiana studied the figures. Her eyebrows raised. "This is creepy..."

Tanik's voice grew slightly louder. "What?"

"It says 'Tanik, you will come back later. Now, you must leave for your place of safe harbor.'" Rhiana looked back at Tanik.

Tanik appeared to be in deep thought for quite some time. "Safe harbor? What the de- Wait! Perhaps they mean Starbase 001!"

Rhiana's eyebrows crinkled. "I don't understand..."

"Don't you see? Starbase 001 has been my place of safe harbor!"

Rhiana clearly understood now. "Ok - but how do we get there? You can't exactly take the morning flight, you know?"

Tanik chuckled. "Good point. But... I think it's my turn to show you a secret place."

**********

Tanik and Rhiana were crouched in a vent in the bottom of a cavernous hangar deck. It was in the Tal Shiar building - Tanik's former employers.

"You see that fighter over there? It's a two seater. We can take that one." Tanik pointed to a sleek, twin-engined fighter in a distinctly Romulan shade of green.

"Sounds good to me." Rhian replied. Tanik removed the grating from the vent, and both scampered across the deck to the fighter. Rhiana climbed in first, and Tanik was about to climb in when he heard the sound of a disruptor being powered up.

"Stop right there!" Tanik winced and turned around to see the source of the voice. It was the fighter maintainance man, by the name of Valik. He and Tanik were good friends when he was still working in the Tal Shiar. "What the hell are you doing, Tanik?!" Valik asked.

"I just need to borrow her." Tanik responded calmly.

"Oh, no you're not, sir!" Valik spat back, the disruptor quaking in his hands.

"It's important. Are you really gonna shoot me?" Tanik asked dryly.

Valik lowered the disruptor.

"Just tell them I hit you." Tanik said. Valik looked at him in disbelief while he and Rhiana took off.
Kelly
Feb 10 2005, 05:14 PM



Commander Samantha Halliwell ~ Starbase 001

"I managed to get you and Matthew some quarters," Halliwell said as she walked Hardgrove and Matthew to the guest quarters. "I'll be staying in my own," she smiled, "Captain Major spoke with me, it's offical. I'm now the first officer of Starbase 001."

Hardgrove pulled her into a hug, she was a little uncomfortable with it but accepted none the less. "That's great, Sam."
"Thanks," she replied pulling away, she bent down as Matthew threw his arms round her, "That's great mommy." She kissed him on the forehead, "Thanks sweetheart." She looked back to Hardgrove, "I'll leave you to it, I'm gonna let dad know."
"And your mom."
How did she forget her? "Oh yeah, and mom. I'll see you in a while."
---

Halliwell sat down at the monitor, she couldn't believe what she had said before. It was as if she didn't exsist, it almost felt like the incident with Captain Major. It made her feel highly uncomfortable. She turned on the monitor, Carol Halliwell looked back at her. "Samantha, how are you?"
"I'm good mom," she started, then stopped. "Where's dad?"
"He's out at the moment."
"Oh." Samantha would rather have had her dad present to hear this but she'd have time to talk to him about it. "I got the job, I'm not offically First Officer of this starbase."
"Oh I'm so pleased for you," Carol said, "I am thrilled."
"Thank you." She watched her mother for a moment, "Well I'd better be going."
"Okay."
Samantha didn't feel in control of herself, as a feeling of dread overwhelmed her and she started speaking, "I just wanted to say you're so beautiful and I love you mom."
Carol laughed lightly, "Well thanks, Sammy." Samantha prevented a tear from rolling down her face, "I love you too, dear. See you soon," she ended the transmission and Samantha sat back.

"No," she whispered through tears, "I don't think you will."