"Impromptu Interview"

Tyrone Miller,
Civilian Reporter,
Federation News Service,
Attached to USS Galaxy

Ensign John Ramirez Jr,
Junior Flight Controller,
USS Miranda

Miller had left the shelter, not finding it sensible to remain in there whilst Bregman was making his own news footage. The Galaxy had suffered, but in a way he was glad, it would build his story into something that would sell newspapers back on Earth, and anywhere else in the Federation. That was what he was tasked with doing, it was his job.

Ramirez had been beamed back to the Galaxy from the Breen ship. In it self not a dumb idea, beaming the entire team off it at once made sense with the turn in the tides of the Breen Government. Military Coup's were something that could be found throughout history, something which he himself had never had much of a fascination for. Walking through the Galaxy's corridors, trying to lend a hand in anyway he could before the Miranda personnel were beamed back to there own ship, he found that it wasn't much different from one he'd been on with his parents when he was a kid. Turning a corner in the corridor, he bumped into someone rather unexpected.

Miller, fell back a little as he collided with the younger, slightly taller man. "I'm sorry kiddo, I should really watch where I'm going."

"No, I'm sorry sir," Ramirez replied. He didn't really need to call this man sir, but just about everyone he served with he was required to call sir, this was just a habit to him now. "I don't know my way around here, I'm trying to lend a hand until they beam us back."

"Ah," Miller replied, he waived the fact that the Ensign had called him sir, this was an opportunity to get some information. "So your from the Miranda uh. I'm guessin' that you were on the Breen ship with the diplomatic team." Miller activated the recorder on his dictaphone, but kept it out of sight. This could be the chance to get some first hand stuff, something better than what Bregman was getting. 'I'm gonna beat him on this', Miller thought.

"Thats right," Ramirez said, as he continued walking. "Although I would hardly call it diplomatic, they had us kept off limits in practically all areas of their ship, and didn't give us much insights into what they were doing. If anything, that was exactly what they wanted. The less we knew the better."

"Uh-Uh," Miller said, he walked with the Ensign. Hopefully he'd be able to get the young man into revealing something a little more than what he;d already been able to find out through the grapevine. "So, what did it look like over their. Did you manage to get a good feel for the Breen, how they looked, how they operated. How they communicated with each other, and others around them."

"Not really, the Breen seemed cold, in any sense of the word. They seemed more concerned that we were the invading party whilst we were here, rather than an invited potential ally. If you ask me, there one of the coldest, unemotional races I've ever come across." Ramirez had no idea that the guy he was talking to was recording every word he was saying, he didn't even know who he was. He actually thought he was with some Starfleet Agency that he was unfamiliar with or soemthing like that.

"What about the ways they communicated? Could you tell what they used to talk to each other." Miller pressed the kid for information, he wanted as much as he could get. Facts for his story could be just as good as the feelings that he could get the crew and civlian population to talk about.

"It was strange, just a series of clicks and mettalic sounds. It sounded like something from an old Science Fiction Movie or something. I didn't really get to talk with any of them, they weren't really interested in the lowly flight controller."

'A Flight Controller', Miller thought, 'Even better.' Miller knew what it was like as a Junior Flight Officer, he'd been one for the duration of his Starfleet Career. "What about the ship itself, is there anything that could tell me about the ship?"

Now starting to get a little suspicious, Ramirez stopped. "I have to ask, what are you doing. Whats with all the Questions about the Breen. Are you with Starfleet Intelligence or something?"

"Not at all." Miller replied. He held out his hand, offering it to shake with the young man, "Tyrone Miller. Federation News Service."

'Federation News Service', John thought. 'Well, that explains the questions'. "Ensign John Ramirez" he replied, shaking the outstretched hand. "USS Miranda."

"I'm covering this Breen story, and it's turning out to be quite fascinating. Right now, your the only Starfleet Officer that I have had the chance to talk to about this, and I'd like to get as much information as possible." He didn't want to reveal his new found motivation behind the drive to get that information, but the kid deserved to know his reasons for giving him the 3rd degree.

"Then I'll tell you all I can." Ramirez replied.

"So, about the ship?" Miller asked again.

"Well, the Breen ship was..." Ramirez began as they walked down the corridor.

More for the Story.

“Contact.”

Senator Ramir Omar’s quarters were decorated just like his other residences. His senatorial apartment, his suite at the Omar family home, or his quarters onboard the Galaxy: all were decorated identically.

The emphasis was on luxury: fine paintings, plush couches, beautiful silverware were just examples of how he lived.

However – as luxuriously as he lived – he did not live happily. His father was using him as a pawn for political reasons – conspiring with that veruul of a Tal Shiar officer. Even his own bodyguards – usually the first to admire a beautiful woman – had grown to despise her.

As the vicious Breen attacked the ship, his quarters remained as tranquil as ever. Energy shields – separate from the Galaxy and therefore viciously opposed by Lieutenant Commander Corgan – had protected his living area from the attack.

Now, as his bodyguards anxiously guarded the doors, he listened to musical compositions – straight from the finest music houses on Romulus – in order to cover out the sounds of weapons fire in the corridors. The music was at maximum volume, and yet he could still hear faint discharges.

Ah, well: better than being the target of those discharges he thought to himself with a smug expression.

Sub-Centurion Tekri hadn’t reported in yet as order. Let her face the Breen Omar chuckled.

Suddenly there was a beeping sound at the communications console. One of Omar’s bodyguards walked over and activated the screen.

The senator nearly leaped back in shock at the sight of his father.

“Jolan’tru my son,” The colonel warmly said.

“It is good to see you father,” The younger Omar said hesitantly. “But we are presently under attack from the Breen so-”

“Yes, that is what I am here to talk about,” The colonel smoothly interrupted. “We will not be monitored while there is an attack going on.”

“What? Our last transmission was monitored… you said-”

“You can’t be too careful can you?” Riov Omar interrupted yet again. “I must talk to Tekri, urgently.”

So much for being worried about his only son during an attack Omar thought bitterly.

“She’s not here,” He said sourly and waved at his bodyguard to shut off the console.

“Wait-” The transmission abruptly ended.

While the senator considered his father’s lack of concern, he also entertained the possibility of misjudging Savar. They had an uneasy alliance, with Savar witnessing his attempts at Vulcan meditation, but that alliance had held. Savar could have ended it by informing the Romulan authorities. They might not have fully believed him – but the senator would certainly have been investigated.

Yet Savar hadn’t.

Why? As Omar contemplated this question, he found himself ignoring the weapon discharges far better than with the music at full loudness.

"The Hunt" (Part Two)

Principle Characters:

Lt. Commander Arel Smith
Lt. (JG) Victor Krieghoff

****

Breen Diplomatic Services
Building Sub-Level 1

"If we talk, you die," Not-Victor said in that same cold, frozen voice that sent shivers through her. Death was, if nothing else, certain about the things that fell within His province. "They'll be coming."

Arel narrowed her eyes at him. "So let them come."

"Then the child dies," he told her. "Or worse. Decide now."

She set her jaw but nodded. "Let's go."

He nodded once, reached out, and plucked the combadge from her jacket as he turned to leave. "Follow me if you want the child to live." He frowned at it for two paces, and then smashed it against the wall. "They were following this - you should have discarded it."

"I wanted to lead them away from you." Arel said and then frowned at his expression. "I snuck as best I could, Krieghoff. Kahless' sake, don't get your jockies in a twist."

He didn't look back as he replied in that same, cold voice, "I can't - I don't wear them."

"Why thank you for that lovely visual, Lieutenant." Arel snapped.

"They'll evacuate the atmosphere next," he said, ignoring her comment. "Try and kill you that way."

Arel sighed and then shook her head. "I guess I've got carried away. I've been pretty pent up lately, you know?"

"No, I don't," Victor responded. "I'm never repressed - it would be bad for everyone around me." He turned a corner, waited for her to follow, and then closed and manually locked down the door. "You're injured, Commander," he pointed out. "You might want to see to that - they'll be trying to follow the blood trail if they realize the atmospheric purge doesn't work."

"What about you?" She asked before she winced at the sting in her cheek.

"They're not looking for me, Commander, I'm already dead - they saw me go out the window into the native atmosphere. Nothing human can survive that."

"Don't be overly dramatic. You obviously did? How'd you do it?"

Victor answered without slowing down. "No one scans for old technology, Commander - especially aliens that never knew humans existed at the time it was being used. I got the plans for one of the old Life Support Field belts from back when Kirk was still on his first 5-year voyage, went to an engineer I know, and they built me one. I told the Breen it was a religious item that generated a field that protected me from sin when I felt threatened. They laughed." He shrugged. "It worked exactly as designed - I just didn't plan on the fall and the injuries I received in it."

"Injuries?" Arel frowned. Krieghoff - or whatever he was - hadn't looked injured a few minutes before.

"Five cracked ribs, bruising, nothing serious there. But I think I took some internal injuries as well - nothing disabling yet, but if I have to fight again I'm not going to be at 100 percent."

Arel glared at him and then reached over to examine the injury despite his growls and the effect on her. It was bad but nothing that couldn't be delt with for the moment. "I don't have anything I can give you for that. I had to give up my mini-hypo to store my knife."

"I've got something for the pain that will also stop any internal bleeding-I just haven't taken it."

"Well then take it." She ordered.

"I'd rather not."

"Why?" Arel asked as they quietly rounded a corner.

"It's tIq tlhup <Heart Whisper> - a Klingon issue painkiller, anticoagulant,and combat drug. I was prescribed it by a Klingon doctor on lanJep after a fight, but there are... side effects."

"The Heart Whisper doesn't usually affect most Terrans in negative ways." Arel commented.

He turned and looked at her, voice less frozen but still devoid of emotional context. "My higher brain functions are... disconnected... when I take it, Commander. I'm a creature of instinct, not reason then. The last time I took it, I almost beat to death someone that was trying to help me when she objected to the first thing my instincts came up with. Do you really want that kind of problem?"

"No, Lieutenant." She said. "I'd like to stay on your better side."

"That *was* my good side, Commander - but I don't think either of us needs the problems I'll have if I take it. I only brought it because there was the chance that I would be injured severely enough that I couldn't protect the others without it."

She ignored that and pointed to a conduit. "That's probably our best bet to wait it out for a bit."

Victor studied it for a moment. "We can seal it to prevent the atmosphere from leaking out, and they're not likely to check it, since I'm going to have to cut it to open it and they *know* we don't have any energy weapons."

He made the statement a lie by producing a Type 1 phaser of a style that hadn't been seen in over a century and doing so. "Inside, they'll be coming soon."

It took only a minute to situate both of them in the cramped conduit and reseal it, Victor's welds as fine as those that had installed the door in the first place. Less than a minute later, the roar of evacuating atmosphere sounded, followed by the faint 'clink' of mag-clamp booted feet as the Breen swept the area.

"You know," Arel said after the Breen had passed. "My friend made a holoprogram with you in it."

"Your friend?" Victor frowned. "Widdlestein?"

"Yeah," The security chief said. "I'm surprised you allowed it."

"I didn't know she'd done it. I should have known better when she agreed to leave the restricted area quietly in exchange for an interview."

Arel smirked a little. That was her Sam. "Did you complete your task?"

"As much as I could. I wasn't counting on having to come in from the exterior. I think the Breen will be surprised when we want them to be, though."

She nodded her head and decided to check her weapons while they waited. Her stomach growled slightly and she frowned down at it. "Breen food is shit."

"They have super-cooled antifreeze for blood and breath something that belongs in a refrigeration coil, what did you expect?"

Arel gave him a look and then tore a bit of her sleeve off to wipe away at some of the blood she had from cuts on her arms. Then she took off her boot.

"Something wrong with your foot?" Victor frowned. If so he was going to have to stun her and go it alone - he couldn't risk the other lives in his care over a limp.

"I modified it, usually for a lockpick or a small weapon." Arel said, removing a tiny panel in the side of the heel. "I was in this old fashioned cell once. Thought I'd prepare better next time." Only this time she hadn't stored weapons.This time there was only a miniscule sparkly case which revealed two yellow pills.

Victor looked at them for a moment. "Interesting microgrenade design, how powerful is the explosion?"

Arel grimaced.

"Or are they a toxin of some sort?"

"Multi-purpose vitamins." She finally attmitted, annoyed that she should have to show any kind of weakness in front of the man.

"Ah. Have you had one today?"

"Yeah, but I'm feeling a bit... sluggish."

"Then take it Commander. The child will need the nutrients with all the ones you've sweated and burned off fighting today."

"Thanks, Doc." Arel said dryly and then popped one in her mouth. She replaced the other in her shoe and then pulled the boot back on. "Got a plan?"

Victor regarded her for a moment, and then nodded. "I use the Breen's automatic recall transport device to beam them all out of the embassy. We kill anyone that doesn't have one. Thomas will have a runabout or long-range shuttle here as ambassador; we use that to evacuate the others off-planet. There's enough debris in orbit to hide there if we have to."

"Works for me." She shrugged. "We should get moving anyway."

He studied her a moment more. "Yes." as he began to cut the hatch away, he observed," If there's no atmosphere on the other side I'll re-weld it and we go up the conduit. If there is, then all I need to know is this: can you read Breen?"

"N..no." Arel stuttered, confused by the question. "Is that going to be a hitch in the plan?"

"No." He paused to let the whistle of air tell him the story of which way they were going to transit to the upper levels. "I audited a remote learning course on the Breen language on the way here - I should recall enough to get by. That means that you can't handle the transporters, so you get the sheep."

She nodded.

He paused a moment more, and then nodded. "They repressurized. Stupid of them. I'll have the door open in forty seconds. You go first, make certain the coast is clear while I reweld the hatch so they don't know where we hid. After that..." He smiled, and Death was there behind the mask that was Victor's face again, the sense of his presence pushing at her in the confines of the conduit. "After that, we remind them why they should be afraid of the dark."

Arel shook her head. "Remind me to stay on whatever good side you do have, Krieghoff." She went through the hatch and looked up and down the corridor to make sure no one was coming. "Clear."

Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant jg Dhanishta Eshe
Engineer

“There’s a new Chief in town.” Part two of two.

The main doors to Engineering slid open. Ethan, along with Tom strolled into Engineering, both whistling the same tune. The song they were whistling was an old Betazoid song, not that it was of any importance.

They both had an engineering kit slung over their shoulders, if they had both been human, it could have been said they looked like dwarf’s whistling, ‘I ho, I ho’… But not these fellows, not at all!

Dhani glanced up at the whistling duo from the Master Systems Display console and smiled, at least someone was happy!

Strolling up to the Master Systems Display console, Ethan dropped his kit on to it and picked up a couple of data pads, still whistling the tune. Tom in turn continued whistling, joining in at the chorus where they both turned and pointed at each other with a finger and a wink. It had taken them quite some time to become intone with each other on this particular song, clearly their duties fixing the fracture of one of the injectors as ordered by Lieutenant Eshe had been rather dull.

After a few seconds, they finished the song. Tom smiled as he went about his work. Ethan looked up from the data padds at Dhani. “So Chief, what’s next?” he asked with raised eyebrows as he leaned over the display console on his knuckles.

Dhani returned him a curious glance in answer.

“You wanted the fracture repaired, and so it has been done. What’s next?” he asked.

She frowned at him trying to work out what he was talking about.

“Bring the Warp engines back on line.” She replied slowly as if it was the most stupidest question. A small smile danced on her lips as she realised what he was referring too. ~ Ahh it was Ethan she was talking to earlier. How embarrassing! ~

She shook her head slightly and let out a chuckle,

“Do I really have to tell you every little thing? Did you not attend the academy? I feel like I’m working with a bunch of retarded school children!” She flapped her hands, over gesturing purposely, and stood up. Sighing she turned away from him and strolled over the replictor,

“Coffee, black double sweet and another coffee, black. And a warm lemon with honey tea.”

Taking all three drinks back to the display she handed them out, black coffee to Jason and the other coffee to Suder. Sitting back down she took a long sip of her tea and grinned at the both of them.

“You heard the lady, Tom.” Ethan said with a nudge. “Bring the engines back online.”

Tom smiled and gave a nod in return as he activated the engines.

Ethan turned back to Dhani. “Ok, I’m temporarily making you Chief of Engineering. What’s the next course of action?” he asked sipping his hot coffee before folding his arms.

Another frown crossed Dhanis face as she tried to work out what game Suder was playing. She thought for a moment as she drank her tea.

“Firstly I would bring your attention to the fact that we have an assistant Chief.” She paused, “Then I would tell you both to get some rest as it’s been a long day….. but knowing the both of you, neither of you would actually do that. You would both work till you dropped. So I’d say we need to do some serious work on the shields. The engines on line, Sick bay have all they need for the moment, emergency teams are working to repair the structural damage on the ship and most key systems are back on line or are at minimal power.” She regarded him for a moment and then added, “I would also ask for an update to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything.”

Ethan leaned closer to Tom. “Get working on that update.” He glanced back at Dhani. “I’ll head to Deflector Control, see what I can do to tidy the place up and see what we can do to the shields from there. And I’ll let the Assistant Chief know you’re in charge for now.” He said with a half smile.

“I don’t think she will appreciate that.” Dhani commented.

Ethan stopped in his tracks and turned back to the Master Display Console. “If she wants to argue, let her. Until I say otherwise, you’re the Chief, got it, ma’am?” he said with a smile.

Dhani tilted her head to one side as she stared out across the display panel. Frowning, her lips pursed she asked,

“Why?”

Ethan returned the frown. “Look, consider it an order if you haven’t figured out already. This,” he said gesturing with his hands over Engineering, “is yours, that office,” again he pointed at the office, “is yours. What you do with the time that you have is up to you. But you’re going to have a lot of people looking up to you for answers. Let’s see how well you deal with everything that is about to come your way.”

“But Sir!” Dhani protested standing up, “I’m….” she shook her head confused and shocked, “I’m just an,” she was about to say ensign but she stopped, “just a junior grade lieutenant!” as if that was a reason to disobey her superior officers orders. But then surly she was supposed to question his orders if she thought he was wrong. And he was wrong, wasn’t he?

Ethan once again stopped and turned, this time with a sigh. “Dhani, there are Lieutenants out there that are Chief of Engineering. Getting ahead, learning and getting experience that can’t be taught from a book, can’t be learned from watching others around you, it comes from doing it. I’m giving you a chance. See what it’s like being in the big shoes, understanding the pressure, knowing what it’s like every single day, the work load, the responsibility.” He stepped forward as he spoke, slightly gesturing with his hands. “Being an Engineer isn’t just about fixing replicators, putting out fires and being carried around the ship by an over grown boy scout, it’s about holding the ship together. More than that, it’s about knowing the ship. Being one with it. Not like a man and woman, but to understand the ship. How and why it works. Knowing what needs to be done to keep not only the walls together, but the top-snots upstairs happy too. When they want power, shields, weapons, propulsion, and we have only twenty three per cent auxiliary power left, how to use what you’ve got. To understand, accept the reasoning, adapt, improvise and overcome the situations you’ll face. You have to do it.” Resting his clenched knuckles on the console in front of Dhani again, he waited for her response.

She blinked several times, her eyes wide, staring in disbelief. Dumbfounded. Totally speechless. For the first time in her life she didn’t know what to say or how to react. Was her Chief going mad? Why did he bring up Turan, was he angry at her? Had she done something wrong? He was giving her a chance but why? Had she said or done something to make him think that she didn’t realise how much he did? She could feel herself tremble inside, like she was a naughty child, being made to do something because she didn’t appreciate the person who did all those things. But then she had worked over time, a hell of a lot of it since vanquishing Naut. For several months she lived, ate and ‘slept’ in engineering, though her sleeping was meditating due to her insomnia. True though Suder didn’t know most of that, she had made sure she kept her overworking quiet. But… still, why? She could refuse. Maybe she should refuse. She would refuse. She went to speak but all that came out was a hoarse whisper. She looked down at the console and then back up and into Suders eyes deeply, searching for the answer to her question.

Ethan remained silent and just stared back into her green eyes, waiting for her response. He saw much of himself in her in a way. He remembered being her age. Being an Ensign and Lieutenant on the Galaxy. Working as much as she did. He had noticed, although he had also noticed she had tried to keep it quiet. Finally, he spoke. “I’m not going to explain right now the other reasons behind my actions. Just accept it. Understand what you have been tasked with and act accordingly. I will shortly go over the reasons to these actions.”

Dhani realised that she hadn’t blinked for about a minute; it was like a staring competition. She noticed that engineering had become silent all eyes, it appeared, were on the two of them, even Jason was holding his breath!

Without out breaking eye contact with Suder she called out,

“Jason.”

“Yeah.” He replied after a moments silence.

“That status report?” she questioned her piercing gaze still fixed on Suder.

“Yeah….” He said slowly as he approached the console, looking back and fourth between the two “chiefs”. He put a padd on the console and slid it over to Dhani. “Shields are going to need some serious work. Engines are ok. We’ve got various damage to the outer hull, quite a lot of secondary systems are down. The Deflector could use some work… the rest,” he paused still looking at Dhani and Ethan, “is… in the report.”

Dhani took the padd off the desk and finally broke eye contact with Suder. She began to skim read the report, pausing she looked back up at Suder,

“Deflector control should be cleaned up by now. Most of the consoles were off line last time I saw them, burnt out. I do believe that one survived though.” She told him.

Ethan lowered his head, as if respecting a superior officer. “I’ll get right on it.” He said. Grabbing the kit he earlier placed on the console, he turned and began heading towards the exit, a smile on his face.

“Suder.” She called out stopping him in his tracks. This was going to seem strange after the turn around, but she was still an engineer in training herself. And even though he had thrust this responsibility on her she still could help but look up to him. After all that is what he was there for.

“When I was on the bridge I got talking with Henderson about the attack. We are up against T'Kith'Kin fighters and Hydrans, and from the sound of it the Breen too. They have activated their defence perimeter with fusion mines. We are stuck here, and have to comply with their demands.” She paused wondering if he already knew that. From the gasps around her it seemed that the rest of the engineering crew didn’t.

“I had an idea about modifying the shields.” She continued, picking up a data padd of her own, that she had been working on since she left the bridge and all throughout her visit to Sick Bay, she passed it over to Suder, “I wanted your opinion.”

He took it from her and glanced over the information. “Personally, I’m not sure we have the power to perform this function.” He said honestly. He looked down at the Lieutenant and winked. “But I’ll see what I can do.” With that, he took the information with him as he left Engineering.

Dhani watched him leave and then looked around engineering and then down at the report in her hand. Shaking her head she cursed inwardly. What thee hell hade she gotten herself into?

Lieutenant (Jg) Dhanishta Eshe
Engineer

Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder
Chief of engineering.

“I’m just keeping the seat warm for ya baby!”

Dhanishta stole a few minutes out of Engineering to grab something to eat. The Mess hall was quiet, and she was quite thankful of that. It occurred to her that during a crisis she was usually away from engineering, fixing something. She had become to sympathise with Suders position.

“Club sandwich” she ordered from the replecator, “Oh no!” she exclaimed, “make it a baguette. And an icoberry juice.” Taking the long awaited items out of the replicator she crossed the room and took up a window seat.

Sitting down the knots in her shoulders loosened a little, picking up the baguette she paused to savour the smell. Her stomach growled nosily and saliva flooded her mouth. Bringing it to her lips she opened her mouth wide and sank her teeth in. Just at that moment her com. Badge chirped.

[“Suder to Eshe.”] He said plainly.

Her heart sunk. Pulling the sandwich out of her mouth she quickly licked her teeth, removing any fragments of bread, and tapped her comm. Badge,

“Eshe here” she replied unenthusiastically.

[“Meet me in Deflector control, if you’re not busy.”]

She placed the sandwich on the plate, ~so close~ she thought, ~so close~

“On my way.” She replied. She stood up slowly, pushing the chair back under the table, mourning over the lost lunch, ~Ah what the hell~ she thought. Grabbing the baguette and the juice she quickly left the Mess Hall.

Down the hall, into a turbolift out of the turbolift and into an empty deflector control, some times things became so mundane.

Ethan wiped his forehead with his sleeve, both of which were rolled up to his elbows. His face had various marks on it from the burnt materials in Deflector Control, not to mention his hands. They were just damn right dirty. He glanced over at Dhani as she entered the newly devastated room.

“Your mess I presume.” He said, waving his hands about, gesturing at the damaged walls and consoles.

“Technically….” She paused and sighed somewhat, “Yes,” she replied sarcastically, her hands flapping, lightly, at her sides, as not to spill anything, “I, single handily pulled the ceiling down, over loaded the consoles and set fire to everything!” she gave him an un-amused look.

Ethan picked up a fragment off one of the destroyed consoles and looked at it before tossing it to the ground. He then turned, frowning at Dhani. He physically bit his bottom lip in an attempt to restrain his anger.

His glare turned to his side, where he saw someone else. Nodding, as if being told something, he turned back to Dhani. “I’ve been going over the notes you gave me earlier.” He started, grabbing the padd from one of the consoles that was in some sort of working order.

She sighed again relieving her tension. Nodding she stepped forward in a responsive manner. Sometime she went too far she guessed, if he bit down any harder he would draw blood! She gave in and smiled slightly at him, a small peace offering.

He moved round to the console she was stood at and placed the padd down, activating it. “There’s a lot of modifications needed here if we were to follow this, but we had an idea.” He said, his eyes flickering up again before dropping back down to the padd.

“Go on.” she said taking a lump out of her baguette, if you can’t sit and eat then she could work and eat, she mused.

Suder glanced at the food and for a moment, realised it had been a long time since he had eaten anything. And that baguette was looking real nice. But he brushed his stomach aside and pointed at the padd.

“We’re liking the idea of using power from different sides of the shields and concentrating them on one side, thus giving us extra protection if were we to be bombarded from a particular angle. Means more work for Tactical, but I hear they don’t have enough anyway.” He paused to get some breath before continuing. “Only trouble is using this method, obviously lowers shields from the other vectors, thus leaving us a little vunerable…”

Dhani nodded along as he spoke but a frown crossed her face. Without even thinking she broke a bit off her sandwich and stuffed it into Suders mouth.

Taking a swig of her juice to wash her mouth full down she began to shake her head, “Yeah I know,” she began, “but if we create a second shield, like a second skin, then we will still have the protection from the original shielding. We could modify them and enhance them, like I was doing,” she waved her hand round the room, “before it collapsed! The only thing is,” she turned to a wall panel and attempted to activate it. It flickered for a brief moment and then died. She shrugged and turned back to Suder. Breaking the rest of the baguette in half she went to put it in Suders mouth again.

Ethan raised his hand in protest. “Wait.” He said, frowning.

“No your hands are dirty.” Dhani said pushing his hands away.

“Your hands are dirty too, what are you afraid of?”

She placed the morsel in his mouth before continuing, “I’m just afraid that we won’t have enough power to run both. And I think we should save using auxiliary power.” She waited a few moments for him to finish chewing and then passed him her drink.

“Oh, and who’s ‘we’?” she questioned taking a look around at the empty room. The thought crossed her mind that her Chief was going crazy and talking to imaginary people…. Nah!

Ethan stopped chewing and awkwardly swallowed the large chunk that didn’t go down so well in his throat. He looked around at the empty room and then back at Dhani. “I meant, myself, I came up with an idea.”

Dhanis eyes narrowed in on her senior officer. Again she scanned the room. There was no one else with them it was just her and him. A cold tingle ran along her skin, something wasn’t right. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, there was something more to this, and she didn’t know weather to call him on it or just let it go. She waited for a moment, giving him a chance to explain.

He moved away from her and stood around the other side of the console. “So,” he said turning the subject, “I’m thinking we set up extra shield generators. One’s that have their own power source. Thus if we were to get attacked from various angles and the weaker side of the shields went down, we’d have the backups that wouldn’t use any auxiliary power at all.”

Dhani nodded and looked down at the floor; so many times she had been in this situation, but on his side of the fence. She finally realised what she had put him through. She was a private person, and didn’t like to share what was going on in her life, let alone her mind. And she found it so hard to tell him, mainly because he locked her in her quarters and tried to keep her there till she fessed up! But she finally understood why. She knew that Suder was just as private as she, even more so, but this was the wrong time to have a problem…. Inwardly she laughed at herself, a mocking laugh, like there was ever a good time to have a problem!

Ethan eyes narrowed slightly. His head slowly raised and looked at Dhani. Her thoughts seemed to have centred and focused. Boy had she shown a lot of improvement. Crazy Dhani to normal Dhani. Was good to have her back.

She stood there waiting, nodding her head for him to continue. So far the idea was sounding good, but she felt like he was missing the point a little.

“So, we need to get crews working on this right away. We….” He paused and looked around again. “No, I’ll stay here and continue repairs here, why don’t you go down to Engineering and start modifications there, get four teams together to start work on the back-up generators. We’ll need two for the nacelles, one for Engineering, and one for the Bridge. I know they won’t hold much power, so they won’t add that much protection, but it might give us those extra few seconds to get out of this crappy mess. Like no one saw it coming.” He mumbled to himself as he removed another piece of junk from one of the consoles.

She crossed the room to stand in front of him. Her hand brushed his as she took the charred fragments from him and threw them aside,

“Ethan you said ‘we’.” she gazed into his eyes. She was sure that she was disobeying some Starfleet protocol by using his first name but then it seemed right. At least it would get his attention,

“You said it more than once, ‘we had an idea’, ‘we’re liking the idea’.” She quoted him. Her voice was soft, there was no judgment or implication in her statement, just compassion.

“I had a chat with Jiiles about it earlier.” Ethan lied. “As soon as I get some food in me, I’ll be right as fire!” he declared.

Dhani was not as easy as some to convince. She gave him a long look and again waited.

“Well, Lieutenant, better get on those modifications.” He ordered, straightening his uniform and turning to return to his work of repairs.

“No.” she replied simply.

Ethan sighed, frowned and turned slightly and glared at her. “What?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“I said no.” she replied her voice even and cool.

Ethan shrugged. “What then?”

Dhani regarded him intently for a moment, trying to decipher what was going on. Of course she could use telepathy on him, but that was something she didn’t do out of principle.

“You made me chief of engineering, or have you forgotten?” she asked him.

“Fair enough.” He said holding his hands up defensively. “Orders then?” he said, glad the subject had changed.

“Follow me.” She said simply walking to the door.

Ethan wasted no time following the Lieutenant out of Deflector control.

She led him down the corridor and into a turbo lift, “Deck eight.” She called out.

“So,” she began turning to Suder, “just to clarify. You want to put in extra shield generators in to back up the shields when they go down.” She paused a moment, “That sounds good to me. But with regards to my suggestion of creating a second shield system?” she questioned.

“Not sure we have enough power or time to sort that out. Otherwise two layers of shielding would be standard no?” he asked as they waited for the turbolift to come to a halt.

She sighed, “You’re missing the point.” She said trying not to sound exasperated.

“The second layer would act as a buffer of sorts, deflecting the weapons discharge. Thus protecting the ship and relieving the pressure on the shields.”

Ethan thought about it for a short while and sighed. He didn’t like the idea of tampering with the ship systems to this extent. He didn’t mind the hard work, but it did mean a lot of tampering. “No problem.” He finally agreed with a sigh. “Lets do that.”

She frowned at him, “What? Don’t you think it will work?” she asked him. His sigh was a defeatist one to say the least.

“No, I think it probably will.” He replied. “We’re going to need a hell of a repair afterwards though. You realise we’re going to need a lot of power to create this ‘buffer’ of yours? But hey, I’m sure you’ll get a mention in some sort of Engineering conference, maybe bring in a whole new evolution of starship shielding.” He explained with a hint of humour.

Dhani smiled at the prospect. That would certainly boost her career, but all she cared about right now was saving the ship. It was weird, she had never cared so much about the Galaxy before. She shrugged it off. Stepping out of the turbo lift she led Suder down the corridor to his quarters. Tapping the door release she watched it slide open before ushering Suder inside,

“I don’t know what’s going on with you,” she started, “and I’m not going to pry. What I am going to do is ‘order’ you to take some R and R. You have exactly two hours. Eat, sleep, take a shower, a bath or even read a book. I don’t care. But if you leave these quarters for anything other than an emergency or request from a senior officer there will be hell to pay.” She made herself look him in the eye, “Do you understand, commander?” this was such a crazy situation, her bossing him around, talking to him like she was superior officer. If anyone else knew about this she would surely be up for a demotion.

“In the mean time I will have crews working round the clock to implement the new shield generators. And I will run simulations to see how the ship copes with the power distribution. And I will inform the Captain of our progress, unless you would rather update him when you come back, Chief?” she purposely emphasised ‘Chief’, not just because he was, but she expected him to take Engineering back upon his return.

“I’ll arrange it sure.” He said looking around his quarters. Seemed odd to be resting at such a critical time of the day, when he should be working. But then he was hungry, and that could have been seen as apriority as this point. He turned and faced Dhani. “Two hours it is.” He said, still curious about how she was coping with the authority of Chief. Of course he’d take command when he got back, but he was still testing her, and maybe him too.

Dhani nodded and turned to leave, “We will talk about all this at a later date I’m sure. I’ll arrange it in your calendar, you know while I’m tainting your office with the smell of my shampoo!” she gave him a girlish grin and then proceeded back down the corridor to the turbo lift.

“My office…. Is the way it is for a reason, move a thing and…” Ethan stopped himself and turned away. Why did it bother him, the thought of someone moving his stuff? Everything in his office had been the way it is for as long as he could remember, since he was a little Ensign. “Don’t change a thing, it’s important.” He said quietly.

“Baby, I’m just keeping the seat warm!” she shouted back as the doors to the lift closed.

Phoebe Meets the Man In Charge

by
Commander Jaal Jaxom
(First Officer/ Acting Captain)

Lieutenant (jg) Dr. Phoebe Ivers
(Science Officer)

*******

Phoebe woke up slowly. She had fallen alseep in the lab. Alright. Maybe she did need to put in shorter hours. But there was an emergency afoot. And to her that meant she should work until they carried her off to sickbay.

Or, at least until they ordered her off duty.

And she doubted Commander Mitchell would do that. Phoebe had an impression of the mean being something of a task-master. While, his officers were loyal to him, he still didn't mind pushing them a little harder than other COs of their particular department might be likely to do.

So, Phoebe didn't feel she was likely to be ordered to bed. And she worked as hard as she could on theories that unfortunately fell through. Then she returned her attention to further study, and soon found herself in a dream where she was wandering the beach of some unknown world, looking for something. And she didn't know what it was.

Only that the ocean by which the beach lay was frozen over, and yet the air felt warm on Phoebe's body. Of course she was naked. Whatever mechanism in the mind made people dream loved to undress the dreamer. She was naked on a warm beach, watching two teams of hockey players battle it out on a frozen ocean.

And somehow the sheer sence of illogic that the image rpesented itself woke her. She opened her eyes, slowly, surprised to find her head on a console in the science lab. She sat up straight, shook her head to clear it, and found herself turning in her chair, almost by reflex, as the door to the lab opened.

A tall, handsome man whom Phoebe knew, almost instantly, was a Trill entered the lab. She could see the dark tatoo-like marks on his forehead and the sides of his face that gave away his heritage. She could also see the three rank pips on his collar.

Phoebe had been trying to familiarize herself with the senior staff, by reading their Starfleet records in her spare time. Didn't hurt to know the people you work for.

In this case, Phoebe was quite sure the man who had entered the lab was Commander Jaal Jaxom. The Trill Chief of Operations. She tried to push a smile onto her face, and ended up stifling a yawn.

"Commander Jaxom ?" she said. "Welcome to the lab. I'm..." she stood, extending her hand. "Doctor Ivers."

Jaal took her hand and shook firmly, "I'm Commander Jaal Jaxom. Welcome aboard." When they finished shaking hands Jaal's smile faded a bit. Getting right to business he gave the reason for his visit. "I wish this were a social call but I need to know if any progress had been made with scans of the bio-tech mines the Breen deployed."

Phoebe crossed her arms, and looked back to the datapadds cluttering her workstation. She shook her head. "No, sir." she said. "That's why I decided to use the data we've collected to so far, to run a couple of theories of my own..."

Jaal took a look at the display where Doctor Ivers had been working. Interesting stuff, but no headway yet. "I'm sending out a science team to capture one for study and possibly reverse engineering," explained keeping his eyes on the screen. "I'm reasonably sure a way can be found around them," now he looked back at her, "it's only technology, not magic."

"I'd like to be on that team, sir." Phoebe said. "I've spent two days studying this data. I know I can be of use. Who will be commanding the mission ?"

"Lieutenant K'rn will be leading it, I'm not aware that he's chosen his entire team yet." Jaal answered.

"I reported to Cernu Kern when I first came aboard." Phoebe said. "But, what ship are you sending out. We don't know what a close pass by one of these mines could do, say, to a shuttle craft. The team might get out there and be stranded."

A slight smirk graced Jaal's lips. "That brings us to reason number one I'm having K'rn lead the team. He has a personal ship that doesn't use any type of Federation technology. It's ..." here the commander was at a loss for words. How does one describe a vessel like Vr'lu? "... his ship is some sort of bio-tech in nature and suspect may be immune to the effects of the mines."

Phoebe's eyes widened with unashamed fascination, as Jaxom told her about the ship the team would be using. "Please, Commander... maybe you could put in a word to Lieutenant Kern... I know I could be a worthy addition to the team." she was definitely anxious to climb aboard that bioship.

"He may have already added you to the team," Jaal answered. He recognized the look on her face and actually smiled a bit. "But I'll suggest taking you anyway." Normally, this is where Jaal would have gave an understanding wink but he just didn't have the joy in him at the moment.

"Thank you, sir." Phoebe said. "I would relish a chance at seeing something like that bioship."

"Now if you'll excuse me," Jaal's body language stiffened as commanding the Miranda and his comatose wife came back to the forefront in his mind, "I have other things to attend to." The Trill commander turned to leave.

Phoebe couldn't help but notice the change in his movements, and the reflection upon his mood that they made. But, she thought better of intruding. This man was one of the highest ranking officers on the ship. There was no doubt in her mind he had to be under tremendous pressures. She did have one question she could not resists asking.

"Commander... do you think... " she hesitated. "Do you think we'll be able to get our people home ?" her thought, of course, were most with the Captain, and with Shinta. One she had only met and was begining to consider a friend. The other, she was looking forward to serving. And something told her the Captain's wife, Jordan, would not do well without her husband in her life.

Jaal's brow knit together as he turned around. "So long as we get through this next encounter with the Hydrans and T'Kith'kin I'm counting on it."

Phoebe nodded, slowly, letting Jaal's words sink in. "Dangers come with the uniform, I know they always say that. But... sometimes it is hard to accept."

The Trill commander's face cast a stony look at the doctor. "Yes. I know," Jaal replied.

As the man who was now in command of the USS Miranda turned, and left the dark, and somewhat lonely science lab, he left Phoebe Ivers to contemplate his last remark. It was not his words, but how he said them that let her know there was more behind the shadow in his eyes, than just the burdens of command.

But, first, the Miranda and the Galaxy had to come out of this with their people alive and their bulkheads intact. Then Phoebe would learn more of what had happened.

For Jaal Jaxom, he returned to the burden of command that fate, and ill chance had forced upon him.

[OOC: The references to Shinta, and her friendship with Phoebe come from a jp Mieke and I are working on... it'll be posted as a backpost... mil abrazos ~ Maria 8~}]

A Letter from Cutter Kara'nin

by:
(Lt. jg) Dr. Phoebe Ivers,
Science Officer,
USS Miranda

w/ some parts copied from "A Letter to a Colleague" by Lt.Cutter Kara'nin, Chief Science Officer, USS Galaxy-A

*******

Phoebe was in her quarters, preparing for the away mission aboard the bioship when the message arrived. Her bulky bag that she would later assign a name, just out of flippant sillyness, was about half packed. And she cursed the lonliness of her quarters. She did not have a roomate. But, she would have liked to have had one.

Especially at night. It got very lonely having no one to talk to.

Which was probably why she was sure she'd find herself falling asleep on Counselor Navarre's couch, if ever she was to see the lovely Bajoran again. That was the wonderful thing about Counselors. They were always willing to listen. Even if all you wanted to make was small talk. Phoebe grew tired of scientists, at times, even though she wa sone herself.

Because all her life she had been surrounded by the lingo, and the jargon of either the field or the laboratory.

She liked having someone to talk to who just talked, from the heart. And that was Navarre Shinta in the proverbial nutshell. Phoebe's thoughts went out to her. She was down on the planet with the rest of the diplomatic team. And Phoebe only hoped that she would see her again.

It was for Shinta, and for her Captain, as much as her own curiosity that she was eager for the away mission. Her scientist's mind wanted to see this bioship up close. Her heart wanted to help her new friend, and the other members of the Galaxy and Miranda crews who were stranded at the mercy of the Breen, who were not known for their hospitality.

When she heard the familiar beeping that told her there was a message awaiting her, she scoffed. "Now what." she said aloud, perhaps adressing her duffle.

She bent over the console, hitting a control to activate the LCARS display that gave her access to her messages. There was one- from the Chief Science Officer aboard the Galaxy.

Phoebe's eyebrows went up in wonder. She hit the control to open the message. It began:

~~
Phoebe,

I recieved the program of your simulation in a last minute exchange of information before the two away teams from both the Miranda and Galaxy set off to obtain and study one of the T'Kith'Kin bio-tech subspace jamming mines.

I'm sure you know more now than when you programmed the simulation, but even then you were on the right track. The principle mistake, I would say, is that you were approaching the problem as an engineer rather than a scientist. You were trying to come up with an anti-technology without fully understanding the working basics of the technology...
~~

She slowly slid into the chair that sat infront of the console. She read on, nodding at bits of information, knitting her brow at other passages. One in particular stood out. The reference to thinking like an engineer. Because it was probably a more accurate reference than Lieutenant Kara'nin could have known. Phoebe had, indeed, aproached the last few simulations from a decidedly engineering point of view.

In a previous assignment, she had been good friends with an engineer. A half-Vulcan woman who always seemed to aproach the doing of her duty with a sort of "duct-tape-and-bailing-wire" approach to her work. The same kind of not-necessarily-by-the-book style that pilots referred to as flying by the "seat of their pants".

Phoebe had learned a great deal from her.

The letter continued:

~~
If one could figure out how to shield our ships from these outside field packets, then theoretically we could then go to warp. Most likely, this would be done by creating a null field, which would require knowledge of the configuration of the T'Kith'Kin mine fields. Theoretically, this could be calculated (by combining the power of the two now-handicapped ship computers) within a few days. However, our enemy will have taken this into account, if they have any tactical intelligence at all, and will have set the mines to constantly rotate field configurations. Net effect: we're stuck on a cloud without our wings.

This, of course, is why I recommended the formation of the away teams for the retrieval of one such mine. Hopefully, we will be able to decifer its auto-rotation programming and be able to counter it.

But, continue your work while we are away. There is a chance, small but finite, that you or others will be able to crack the problem on ship. If not, your work will have already laid the foundation for the null-field generation.
~~

A small smile crossed Phoebe's face. And she touched a trio of controls on the console's LCARS panel:

"Computer, send to USS Galaxy, Chief Science Officer Cutter Kara'nin, from Dr. Phoebe Ivers, Science Officer, USS Miranda..."

Phoebe disliked the use of rank, and only referred to herself as "Lieutenant Ivers" when it was unavoidable.

"I received you letter," she continued. "and I appreciate your input, and observations. Know that I will take your advice to heart if I am afforded the opertunity to run any more simulations. And wish me luck, sir; I'm going to be on that away mission. I look forward to comparing notes with you when both of our ships are very far from Breen. Good luck to you, and the crew of the Galaxy. Your collegue, Phoebe Ivers."

And then she spoke to the computer: "Send, and then close the communications channel."

The computer replied, giving her verbal updates in it's flat, feminine sounding voice as it performed each action.

Phoebe nodded, deactivated the terminal, and removed herself from her seat.

"Now, what do I have left to pack ?" she asked herself, standing, hands on hips and looking at her half-filled duffle.

"Something so I don't get booted for lack of posting hehehe"

Lt jg Claire Barnes,
Galaxy Security Officer/Hazard Team Member

Walking down the corridor in a fresh suit of starfleet battle armour, wearing one of the new TDU units and carrying a heavy photon rifle tended to cause the more timid of the crew to go running away shrieking. But Claire was not one of those people. Instead, she was the one inside the suit with the rifle.

Stopping outside the security phaser range, she stepped inside, finding it was deserted like she expected at the current time of day. Moving to a terminal, she logged herself in and was assigned a lane. Moving forwards, she put a power cell into the rifle before kneeling and adjusted it to the lowest setting.

"Computer, record times & accuracy then start."

Tracking different targets that appeared, Claire squeezed the trigger numerous targets, causing holo-targets to explode.

Finally after she depleted the power cell and stood.

"Computer, report."

[Working.. Latest trial run within high end of personal record at this level.]

Claire grinned, not expecting any less.

She continued training for a few hours more, pushing the computer's level higher and higher.

Heading back to the armoury, she signed the rifle back in and checked the time. She still had a fair while to kill before her next shift but she was still restless & knew she couldn't sleep like that.

Handing over the armour, she thought about what she might be able to do. Smiling, she made the decision. Entering the lift, she headed down the corridor to the holodeck, starting amartial arts dojo program.

Entering the big room, she saw it was empty. Moments later, a man in a white robe appeared and bowed to her, "Welcome to the dojo."

Claire bowed back to him, "I wanted to do some sparring."

"Okay, any particular style?"

Claire cracked her knuckles, smiling, "Nope. Just throw your best at me. Computer, set for Security training level 3 with warmup first. Track as well."

[Working. Level 3 set with recording setup.]

Over to the side, the martial arts master starting down a series of warmup exercises, as Claire completed hers. She never went into a fight if she could help it unless she was prepared.

When both had finished, they stood and bowed.

Crouching down, Claire shifted her hands up to prepare for whatever came. She held back and waited for the program to start. The master shifted quickly, and Claire blocked the series of punches that he aimed at her. She moved backwards defending and blocking each blow.

Giving it a few moments to recognise the style, she grinned before twisting, starting her own offensive against her partner.

The sparring match quickly shifted into a higher gear, with both of them using advanced moves from many different styles.

Claire continued for a fair while before the match ended.

"Computer, towel."

Catching it as it appeared, Claire wiped her face and arms down. After that intense exercise, she was definitly going to have to take a shower before her shift.

"How did I go?"

[Working.. Improvement of 0.5% detected.]

"Cool."

Bowing to the hologram, she spoke after it bowed back, "Computer, end program."

Leaving the room, she headed back to her quarters.

Pilot Tyten
Vanguard Five
USS Galaxy

"In Shadows Of The Mind"

Tyten found himself wondering why lately he enjoyed his off-duty time less and less. Sitting in his quarters, he was seated in a chair, completely wrapped up in a blanket. The sound of a warm, tropical breeze complete with exotic bird calls wafted through the air. He had experienced enough cold on the Breen ship to last him a lifetime. He knew that the cold at this point was in his head, but even the thought of it sent a chill racing down his spine. The trip itself had turned out to be...well, to be completely honest with himself, pointless. If he had really wanted to be treated like a lower lifeform and with utter contempt, he would have arranged to spend some time with Admiral Jellico back at Starfleet Command. In terms of sheer coldness of personality, that man was hands down as bad as the Breen.

Taking a sip of his hot chocolate, he brooded over the fact that he had missed the fight with the T'Kith'Kin and the Hydrans. It had been awhile since he had been behind the "stick" of his fighter. Yet, he had been told that there might be opportunity in the near future.

Sighing, he slid further down in the chair and kicked his feet up on to the foot rest in front of him. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes. He had just begun to think that maybe this off-duty time stuff wasn't all that bad when he had the sudden feeling that he was being watched. Instantly alert, he set his drink down on the nearby table and burst through his blanket cocoon.

"Who's there?" he demanded. As he expected, there was no answer to his question.

Walking over to the bedroom, he suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Turning around quickly, he again, found no one there.

Then there was laughter.

It wasn't a loud laughter. It was dark, cynical, and soft. His eyes darted every which way seeking out the source. "Computer, identify source of laughter in my quarters," he requested.

"There is no known source of laughter," came the sterile reply.

"Anyone besides me present in my quarters?"

"Negative."

It came again, only this time, much louder and if possible, darker and more cynical. "Tyten."

He whipped around again and found his results to be the same as they had been before. This was it. He was finally loosing his mind. All the dreams, all the nightmares, they had culminated to this point and he was going to loose his mind. The laughter roared in triumph.

And then it stopped.

He waited for it to return, but after several minutes, it simply did not. More confused than ever, he sank to the floor, his head in his hands. He knew what was next and wasn't happy about it. It was something that he had avoided for years now. He cringed as he spoke. "Computer, schedule an appointment for Tyten with the counseling department."

OOC - If anyone in the counseling department wants to do a JP with me, I'd love it! Tyten is having some serious issues that he needs to take care of. 

'Sparring'

Lieutenant (JG) Dylan Reed
Science Officer
USS Miranda

Ensign Jeremiah Leger
Hazard Team Member
USS Miranda

He ached. It wasn't like he'd over exerted, far from it. It was more the dull, numb ache associated with having been sat infront of a console for the last 6 hours. The turbolift doors swished open as he neared the end of the corridor, his body on autopilot as he tried to regain his poise. Dylan was drained, his scientific resourcefulness depleted for the day after another round of unsuccessful attempts to enhance the sensor range in the subspace minefield. He rubbed his eyes wearily and unzipped the top of his tunic. The holodeck.

'Computer, take me to a holodeck.' He almost sighed, commanding the turbolift.

A chirp of acknowledgment whisked the turbolift off in another direction. His father had always said the best way to solve a conundrum or puzzle of the mind was to take it as far away from the problem as possible. The solution would then make itself apparent. Right now, he needed a foil.

Leger, in the mean time, had completed his Phaser Rifle target practice and had moved on to Bat'leth exercises. He didn't even notice the door opening to admit Dylan. Leger was in the middle of a Bat'leth form when he finally noticed the Lieutanent out of the corner of his eye. He stopped immidately and came to attention. "Sir." he said formally.

"Oh, my apologies, I was led to believe this was a free holodeck." He stood back from the man, waiting in the entrance arch. He needed to focus. Regain a sense of balance and control with the aid of physical exertion. He glanced at the equipment and attire of the man stood in the holodeck, a klingon blade in his hands. A forceful if not efficient method of attack, though not quite the match for the precision and delicacy of a saber or rapier.

"No problem at all sir." Leger replied. "Just killing time til either its time to go to sleep, or I'm called on duty." he explained. He looked the science officer over and figured he was a man who worked out. "Care to join me? I could use a sparring partner." he noticed the Lieutanent's hesitation and laughed. "I don't bite sir." he said.

"I don't know," he paused, considering the request and whether it would coincide with his planned relaxation, "I am not sure that our two different disciplines would be a workable match - I fence." He Concluded mentally the decision he had been pondering. He smiled shortly and said "Computer, supply me with Reed Pattern 01 Guard and Rapier." The projected images of his kit sat before him on a plain matt black bench. "I suppose it would be interesting however, to see if two such diametrically opposed styles would be a fair match for each other - My name is Dylan Reed. En guard!"

"Jeremiah Leger." he said with a grin and a nod as he dropped into stance. "Qapla'!" Leger called out as he began to circle Reed, his Bat'leth held in the classic guard position. He noticed that Reed was simply standing there, sizing him up and obviously wanting him to take the first move. Jeremiah was more than happy to oblige him. He began by stepping in and hacking toward the Lieutanent's midsection to see what he would do with the flimsy piece of metal he called a sword.

His moves were, cautious but fast. Dylan held a stance and paused, muscles tensed ready to parry. Leger swung, stepping forward onto his right foot, his weight shifted off centre. Dylan hopped back and deflected the Bat'leth with a flick of the wrist, before regaining his poise and balance in stance.

"It is a truly powerful weapon, the Bat'leth. But, there is also much to be said for the precision of a fine blade!" Dylan quipped, starting to relax.

Leger moved as fast as Reed when the subsequent counterattack came. After parrying a few thrusts and lunges, Leger spun in place letting Reed go righ by him and hooked the Science Officer's leg, causing him to go down. Leger stoof there watching impassively as Reed got up. "Again?" he asked. Reed nodded and they sqared off again. "So how was that for precision sir?" he asked with a grin.

An attack of opportunity. Where was his concentration? Maintain focus, let all the other trappings of the mind pass and maintain a determination on the task in hand. "Very good. Again." Dylan returned to the guard position, as Jeremy attacked. He stepped back, parrying the blow with ease to the side, the power of the swing wasted, taking Jeremiah momentarily off balance. He allowed Jeremiah to regain his poise, before striking again. He ducked the bat'leth stroke and lunged. His eyes did not deviate from the target, one well place strike. Focus... His blade connected in the centre of Jeremiah's chest and flexed, the plastic tip pressing against the junior officer's gym wear. "I believe that's one all?" Dylan said, stepping back, lifting his face guard momentarily.

Leger stood there befuddled. He took the plastic tip in his fingers and brought it up to eye level. "Oh you got to be kidding me..." he mumbled. "Plastic tips!?" he asked Dylan.

"Fencing is classically a sport rather than a form of self defense or attack. Points are scored for various parts of the body, and a strike with a plastic tipped foil scores the points. It's not about inflicting damage, but about the technicality and dexterity of the attack." Dylan replied, pausing.

He shrugged. "I've always been trained to fight with real weapons that can kill. But that is the Klingons for you." He dropped back into stance and then launched himself at Dylan in a flurry of attacks and feints. The fighting went fast and furious on their next round. Dodges, thrusts, blocks lunges and parries. The holodeck resonated with the sound of clanging steel on steel. Finally an opening presented itself and Leger took it. Reed was quick to compensate though and they locked blades. Leger then simply backstepped, flipped the Bat'leth once over and Reed fell once again to the deck. "cha' ghap wa'!" he said excidely. When he saw Dylan's puzzled look he chuckled. "Sorry, I drop into Klingon occasionaly when I'm sparring. "Two to one." he amended.

"Excellent attack, the bat'leth is a truly powerful weapon." Dylan pushed himself upright and dropped back into a different stance, this time gripping the foil in a pistol style grip. "Let's see how you cope with an alternating attack style." Dylan took a fast step forward, parrying a couple of fast blows. He lunged, blow deflected by the hardened steel klingon blade. His feet shifted again, always light and silent. Step, step lunge, repost. He ducked at leger swung, and sprung forward, planting the foil firmly at Leger's chest again. "I believe that's two a piece now." Dylan said, removing the face guard completely. He put his foil to his side and offered his hand to Jeremiah. "Well met."

'Geez... I gotta watch those sudden springs...' Leger mentally chastized himself. But he smiled despite it and shook Dylan's outstreched hand. "Well met yourself Lt. Reed." he said. "Ever consdier a transfer to the security division?"

Dylan chuckled. "I would not really consider myself 'military material'".

Leger laughed. "Well, what say we keep it a draw for now. I need to grab a shower and get my geared stowed in case I'm called up for duty." he explained as he placed the Bat'leth on the holographic stand and got a towel. "Qapla' Lieutanent." he said as he turned to exit the holodeck.

"And to you Ensign. Until next time."

"Reprimanded."

By
James Mitchell,
Chief Science Officer,
USS Miranda

and

Lt. (JG) Dylan Reed,
Science Officer,
USS Miranda

Upon entering the Chief Science Officer's office on Deck 20, you would think it'd be bustling with activity since the prime analysis responsibilities on the ship at this time was coordinating and amalgamating the sensory data the Miranda and Galaxy were manually tuning for.

Instead, upon looking around, all you saw was the coasting tortoise in the tank behind the overly stacked heap of propagating padds stockpiling on James Mitchell's desk.

With a shout and sweep of an arm, the pads hightailed it off his desk and all across the room in a combined assault of shurikens that skated on the air into random corners of the room.

The giant turtle burped an air bubble.

The Bajoran had stood up, his face red with blushing anger, hands gripping the furthest side of his desk with the whitest of knuckles.

"Computer, where the hell is Lieutenant Reed?"

[Please restate the question. Hell is not a location on the USS Miranda.]

"Try living in Commander Jordan's body for a day. That'll change your goram location maps." He mumbled under his breath.

"Tell me the location of Lieutenant Reed's body, because his mind obviously isn't there."

[Lieutenant Reed's medical scan initiated. Mind is currently still housed in his biological form on Holodeck 5]

If James could 'locate the mind' of the irritable voice in his offices, he'd jam a padd right square in the middle of its datachip. Only his appreciation for Jerri's lower curves from behind prevented him from damaging her precious cyberdoll.

"Not for long, Computer." He threw his jacket on from behind the chair, trampling data padds that had reproduced by fusion once again, satisfied of the crunch from beneath.

So James left to chase down his astrometrics officer who'd consequentially forgotten he was supposed to have volunteered for double shifts.

Dylan now stood in the holodeck alone, panting. The duel with Leger had indeed been interesting. He sighed and removed his face guard, his mind beginning to unwind from the tense feeling of the fight and once again wander. He dropped two fingers to his wrist to measure his pulse. An old force of habit, he chuckled - after every match at the academy. A measure of exertion.. a pulse.... A spark. His mind reeled as a thought cascaded through returning to the problem he had been trying to escape. He turned on his heel towards the exit... as Cmdr Mitchell arrived.

"Lieutenant Reed." The Bajoran had one of his arms crossed, the other extended out palm up as if expecting something to be placed it. He blocked the doorway, his bulk covering it as if he were a goalie. Except nothing was going to get past him.

"Hello there Sir," He stopped mid stride, the arrival of his department chief was unexpected. He needed to get this idea out of his head and into a simulation. If it worked, he could..his mind returned to the present situation. "How may I help you? My apologies if I ran over into a previously standing booking of the holodeck." He unfastened the white canvas jacket and replaced the rapier and guard on the matt black rest.

"Oh, no... MY apologies, Reed." The sarcasm virtually oozed off his lips. "Far be it from me to expect any members of my department to play three musketeers on the holodeck when the rest of the department is working double duty trying to save lives. Who the hell do you think you are?! Are you something special? You get a free pass from the Captain or XO? Are you a Q? Well, then... snap your fingers, boy. Make all this go away."

"My apologies, Sir." He began, unfazed by his superiors manner. "I was unaware of the amendments to the duty roster that required me to working double shifts, it shall not happen again." He paused, staring straight back at his chief. "However, I have just had an idea that may help our sensor situation. We modify the sensors and deflector to operate in unison, 'pulsing' if you will. A subspace disruption pulse coupled with a simultaneous sensor sweep would give us enhanced range, although not a continuous active scan. In effect, a subspace sonar."

"Unaware? It's only been issued to all personnel's calendars, and it is your JOB to review the duty roster each and every day, mister." The Bajoran cocked his head to peek around both sides of the officer, looking for something.

"Well, I'm surprised. No pacifier hanging off a safety hook." His hand was still extended. "Are you forgetting something?"

"I've already submitted my report, Sir. I handed the sensor readings to my team leader earlier as I finished my shift. As I have said sir, I am sorry for this confusion and it will not happen again, but my ide-"

"It's too late for apologies. Put your ideas to paper and send them to Doctor Ivers and Lieutenant K'rn. As for you..." He rolled his fingers into his palm on a snap to become a fist.

"You're to spend the next 3 shifts scrubbing and purging the waste management tanks on Deck 52. Maybe that'll make you realize being on the Miranda isn't about playing with your prick on the holodeck in an emergency situation. Report immediately. Commander Wolfson will be keeping me apprised of your progress, so no scurrying off to the sickbay to play doctor next else I decide to have you scrubbing plasma manifolds at warp. From the outside." He stepped back out of sight, to let the door slide shut.

Dylan took a step back, staggering almost as he'd been struck. What had just happened?? Not only had Mitchell flown off the handle, but he'd also more or less dismissed his idea, without thought. What kind of ship was this?? Things certainly ran differently on the Oberon, but he was here now, and Mitchell was his chief, regardless of whether he liked it. He took a deep breath, and headed out of the holodeck.

"Who is afraid of the Bigfoot?"

by
Turan Trelar,
Quentite ambassador and engineer wannabee

Turan closed the vacuum cleaner hose's vent and removed it from the vacuum wall-plug. The room was clean. Just the racks of the four destroyed deflector control panels stood there like memorials of a battle, the Galaxy was close to loose.

The dirt covered engineer wannabe rubbed the back of his nose. Tiredness seemed to take control of him. During his work in deflector control, he didn't even find the time to have a blink at the room's chronograph. Few minutes ago, the crewmen who worked with him left for shift change. A fresh group of crewman entered the room to continue the restoration of the deflectors' user interface. Probably nobody told them about their new aid. They stopped at the door, standing there open-mouthed as if they saw Bigfoot doing their work.

The giant Quentite turned around and looked at the men obviously amused.

"Booh!"

Almost simultaneously, the whole group took a step backwards.

"Oh come on . I don't bite.... " said Turan and laughed.

An elderly enlisted reacted by pulling a phaser on him. Then he tapped his commbadge. "Matthews to security. Intruder alert in deflector control. One humanoid, about 6'6" tall, wearing a kind of uniform."

=/\= Security to Matthews ... It's ok, don't shoot him, He is one of us. His name is Turan Trelar. He's a kind of student. Lieutenant Eshe sent him there to clean up. =/\=

Turan stood there and scratched his chin. Suddenly he realized what danger he had been in just seconds ago. A more hot blooded crewman probably would have used his phaser instead of calling security.

"The Hunt" (part 3)

Smith
Krieghoff

****

Victor nodded once as he slipped out of the hatch ans started to weld it shut. "Cells are above us if I have things figured out right. I'll need to transit outside the embassy to the buildings on the other side of the shuttle pad to get to the transporter controls." He stood up and nodded to her before he started down the corridor in the opposite direction that she had to go. "Good luck Commander."

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Outside the Cell Block

She smiled as the Breen officer in front of her began to dissapear before her eyes. And then she got ready as she saw the ones that didn't transport. Phaser in hand, she started to fire.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Outside the Atmosphere Shield

Victor slipped from one piece of cover to another like a ghost as he made his way across the surface of the plateau. He doubted the Breen had any visual surveillance of the area in place - they hadn't done anything else sensibly - but there was no sense in taking chances. The sheep wouldn't be going home if he did, and that was all that mattered.

The dim light shed by the Life Support Field gave him enough illumination to locate the correct set of symbols identifying the door leading into the Breen security station, and he paused a moment to check the charge on his phaser - still at 73% - before deciding that he had no choice but to use it.

There would be too many of them and no time for a closer contest. He dialed the power into the lethal range, checked the settings again, and let himself smile as he keyed the door open.

Helmeted Breen heads turned as he entered, phaser firing before the door was fully open, the first aliens struck simply vanishing into incandescent gas as the old-style phaser discorporated their molecular structure.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Inside the Cell Block

The phasers were knocked out of their hands. Arel kicked out hard, using the Breen to help push herself back. She took out both knives, the Breen took out one of his own and for a minute a neat display of swinging arcs, clinking knifes, and grunts took place. And then both found the perfect moment for the last strike and tried to take it.

Arel's eyes widened.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Breen Security Station

The last of the Breen soldier's molecules blew away in the frigid draft through the door, and Victor was alone in the security station.

For the moment.

He stepped up to the nearest panel and scanned it, then the next and the next, finally locating the transport controls on the fifh try. A few adjustments, a single grim smile, and he was done. "Time to die," he said aloud as he depressed the key that started the sequence he'd programed, automatically scanning for any Breen recal transponder and beaming it and Breen it was attached to out into space on a wide enough dispersion that they ceased to be in an instant.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Inside the Cell Block

She looked down at the remaining hilt of one of her knives. "He broke my knife." Arel looked over to where the Breen had fallen, a tiny sliver of silver seen protruding out from his throat.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Breen Security Station

Victor collected a few extra Breen weapons, loaded them into a convenient container - the local equivilent of a trash can he assumed - and started back for the Diplomatic services Area at a jog.

The first flash of his Life Support Field's failing moved that into a run as the incomplete recharge started to run out. Gray's warning came back to him again, as it had during his climb back up the plateau, and he wondered how long he had before the power cell gave out completely.

Fifty feet from the door, it flashed once more, flickered, and winked out.

OOC: This takes place shortly after the two ship's reach Breen. And before Shinta's participation in the diplomatic away mission :-)

Phoebe and Shinta's Run Through the Hillcountry

by:
Counselor Navarre Shinta
Doctor (Lt., jg) Phoebe Ivers

======================================

Phoebe had been working long hours, and pulling extra shifts ever since the Miranda had left the Starbase. And no matter how much she loved her work she absolutely had to have a break. Working constantly, with little sleep and no relaxation could dull the senses. If something came across her monitor, or Commander Mitchell handed her a top-priority assignment, she wanted to be at the top of her game. She insisted upon it.

And for that reason she decided to take her next off-duty shift and actually go off duty.

Her destination was the holodeck. Sleep could wait. She needed to feel the sun, and the salty water on her body. Even if was only a holographic recreation.

About an hour had elapsed since Phoebe Ivers had become immersed in her holodeck program. Australia. Or, more precisely, the coast of Australia. The ocean. With the island continent not too far off, as least as far as it appeared on the holodeck. She was windsurfing. Her feet, strapped to a surfboard as she tried to steer the tall, wide sail into the breeze coming off the coast. She was heading inland when....

The holodeck arch appeared and the door opened.

Phoebe pulled her sail back a little too far, in reaction, and her surfboard capsized, sending her tumbling into the water.

She came up spluttering and splashing. And her dark eyes sought out the form who stood in the doorway. It was a tall, lovely Bajoran woman who looked like she was dressed for something athletic, but not for water sports.

And she seemed to be staying clear of the holographic water, as it lapped and bobbed at the threshold of the holodeck, unable to leak out into the corridor due to a lack of holoemitters.

"Computer... end program." Phoebe ordered. And the water, the Australian coastline, and the surfboard all disappeared.

Phoebe was sitting, seemingly comfortable, on the floor of the blank holodeck clad in a black bathing suit that accentuated both her figure and her lightly tanned complexion.

"Is there something I can do for you ?" she asked the Bajoran woman.

Shinta came here sure she had booked in the holodeck this afternoon for an endurance run through rough terrain. And she badly needed to let of some steam, the events of the last mission were still going through her head.

"I thought I had booked the deck today. I probably made a mistake. Carry on with your program, I will come back later." She said distracted.

Phoebe scrambled to her feet. "No-no. It's more likely my time ran over. I was just killing a few minutes really. And I hadn't reserved the time. I just borrowed the empty deck, you might say. I should be sleeping anyway; please... take the deck." she tried to straighten her bathing suit, some, as it seemed to cling uncomfortably in places. She pulled and tugged until she got the wet fabric to fit around her contours properly.

"It's okay." Shinta said again. "I could come back as well, I haven't started anything yet."

"What program were you going to run ?" Phoebe asked. "Perhaps I could join you. My body is at that delightful stage of being too tired to sleep. If we were to take a hike, or something, it might just make me able to relax. Or, we could try the water together, What do you think ?"

She had a deep voice, and a British accent that reminded Shinta of her husband. The same sort of cultured upbringing was in Phoebe's voice.

Phoebe shook the water from her long hair. "I'm Dr. Ivers, by the way- science department." she extended her hand to Shinta, and gave her a smile.

"Navarre Shinta, I'm in counselling." She introduced herself. "I was going to do some running. To be honest I'm still a bit afraid of water despite my husband's best efforts. Are you British?"

"Yes, indeed." Phoebe replied. "Born and raised in a little town called Ipswich. Well... I guess I wasn't *raised* there. My parents had a penchant for being away from home for long periods of time. But, I am definitely a child of Mother England."

"So is my husband, that's why I recognised your accent." Shinta said.

"And you are Bajoran." Phoebe smiled. "What province, if I may ask ? I love Bajor. Such a rich culture, with such a strong history. And one of the few cultures in our scientificly driven corner of the galaxy that still has a thriving religion, which I find fascinating. Why don't we take that run, together. And we can compare notes on our cultures. Should take the edge off."

"I haven't been to bajor for long time." She deflected having to talk about her home world. "Maybe after our work out."

Phoebe took a few steps away from Shinta and ordered the computer to run "Ivers program 27-A."

A locker room like one would find in a gymnasium or spa appeared around the two women.

"I can access a replicator through this program, and have a jogging suit in no time." Phoebe said. "I need a new one, as mine is all tattered and torn from rock climbing. Shinta was it ? Give me a chance to get changed and then you can run your program."

"Fine." Shinta said. "Do you work out often?" She needed to find out if she had to set her program to an easier setting.

"Oh, anything physical, and perhaps a little dangerous is good for me." Phoebe said. "Although I know better than to turn off the safety protocols. Most good commanders frown on that until their brows are more furrowed than a Klingons." Phoebe accessed a replicator through the holodeck arch, which was cleverly concealed within the locker layout. And she soon had a brand new red and grey jogging suit.

It took her some pulling, and stretching to get out of her wet bathing suit, and then she towelled herself off before donning the new suit. It fit loosely, giving her room to move. She pulled the top down, and gave it a pull to stretch it some, and smiled. "There we go. Now... let's see what sort of workout you had in mind."

"Running the over rough terrain." Shinta said. She already decided to make this version will little bit easier. "Computer, run Navarre Hereford 3C" a mountain like landscape appeared.

Phoebe watched as Shinta's program was activated. She looked around her, as if she had suddenly been transported to the highlands of Scotland. A place Phoebe considered one of the lovliest on Earth.

"This is beautiful." she said. "You certainly know how to write a program."

"I don't do it myself, I give my friends specifications. This was taken from a place on earth, the English/Welsh border where the British commando's used to train." She explained. "We won't be doing the full run today." Shinta smiled.

"I can't think of nicer bit of country to run through." Phoebe remarked. "Shall we begin ?" her smile was cheerful, and almost motherly. Phoebe was like that. She had a kind of calm that hid her wilder side. So, most people were surprised when they saw her practicing kickboxing, or drinking with the boys, and windsurfing over a dangerous coral reef. Most people thought of her more the type to spend her time infront of a fire with a good book.

And, sometimes, she was exactly that type.

Then, others, she would get into her zone- and she craved physical activity -and a run through the rocky British countryside fit the bill just fine.

"First make sure you stretch for you begin. I don't want you pulling a muscle." Always when she was exercising Shinta acted more like the drill instructor than the therapist.

The two women began their run. Phoebe was exilirated. Her hair blew freely in the light breeze the holodeck provided, and her scientist's mind marveled at the technology. How a holodeck could create such a seemingly real environment. It was easy to get lost in it. How real it actually was.

It wasn't easy for Phoebe to keep up with Shinta. The Bajoran woman was in excellent condition. And it made a mental note in the science officers mind, that she needed to work out more. But, for the time being she managed to stay only a step or two behind Counselor Navarre.

"So..." Phoebe tried a bit of small talk. "You're a counselor. I seem to remember, on the manifest, that the ship's Chief Counselor was a Bajoran. Would I happen to have the honor of her presence ?"

"You do." Shinta said not even breathing hard. "You are in good shape for a scientist." She remarked. "How do you like the ship so far?"

"One hears a great deal about the Miranda all over Starfleet." Phoebe said. "She's a famous ship. And so far- she's definitely lived up to her reputation. It's a beautiful ship too. Admiral Murdoch certainly knew a few things about Starships, and no mistake."

"I never knew him. I came aboard just after his death." Shinta admitted. "Yet I heard a lot of good things about him."

They ran on a few more meters before Phoebe spoke again. "So, would you like another patient ?"

"Sorry?" She was taken completely aback. Not a question she usually heard. Usually she had to drag people into her office. "You mean yourself? Do you have problems?"

"Oh, I just think it would be lovely to have someone to talk to." Phoebe said. "Perhaps as a friend, as well as a patient. You seem very nice. I mean, most people would have tossed my wet little body out into the corridor for usurping their holodeck time. I thank you, for showing mercy." and here Phoebe offered a smile to accompany her jest.

"Do you just need to chat, if yes we can do it as friends. Or is there more going on?" She was paying attention now. "You didn't have your coming aboard chat yet, did you?"

Phoebe stopped running, and bent herself forward, placing her hands, fingers splayed apart, on her knees. "Actually, I haven't." she answered. "And... well... I do, from time to time, relish a little guidence. I can't imagine anyone who doesn't get troubled every now and then." she straightened herself, and stretched. "With me, it is loss. I tednt to lose people. I lose touch, or something happens to them, and there always seems to be something hanging over, if you follow me ?"

"I do. It's an issue with many people, especially those serving on starships. So it's nothing abnormal." Shinta said gently. "Who do you miss?"

"My mother, mostly." Phoebe said. "She's been gone for several years... and yet, I still miss her. I suppose I always will. And then there was that boyfriend...."

Shinta just stayed silent knowing there was more to come.

"Oh, he was a holy terror. Jealous, and a bit free with his fists." Phoebe answered. "But, T'Prala took good care of him ! She was a good friend of mine, T'Prala Marquez was her name; an engineering officer. Of course, through the shifting passions of Starfleet, where the brass tends to toss their people to the four winds every now and then; I've lost touch with her too."

"Why don't you contact her again. She is on the Arizona now if I remember correctly. I'm sure she would love hearing from you. It's not easy, yet if you are willing it is possible to keep in contact with friends on other ships."

Phoebe's eyes went wide. "You know T'Prala !?"

"Yes, she's a good friend and she was a patient of mine as well when she served on this ship." Shinta said smiling.

"Oh this really is such a small universe." Phoebe commented. "The last time I talked to T'Prala she mentioned a Bajoran. Said she was one of her best friends. And now I'm stadning here in the lovely highlands of England talking to that same person. Well- I always knew T'Prala had good taste in friends. Meaning that with all modesty of course." and she gave Shinta a wink.

"Wait until you get to know me." The bajoran grinned. "I have many patients who curse me daily."

"And they don't know the benefits they're getting, I'll wager. What say you, we finish this run, and I buy you a drink in the cantina." Phoebe offered. "Oh, and I know they don't charge money for the drinks. It just sounds better that way."

"Sounds like a good plan, and I'm going to let your work for the drink." She set the pace a little bit brisker.

Phoebe followed Shinta, who took the lead up the steep side of a hill. She let herself fall back, some, to take in the countryside. It was lovely. It reminded Phoebe of home. Or, at least what she considered her home most of the time. Growing up on the "road" with her parents, travelling from dig to dig did not give her much of a sence of "home". But the little country cottage that served as the Ivers' home when noone was travelling, working, or otherwise out in the vastness of space was what she identified, in her mind, with "home".

And these hills reminded her a lot of that country.

Shinta was in excellent condition. But, aside from a bit of sightseeing, Phoebe managed to keep up. There wasn't much time for talk as the two women took their run. It wasn't until they came to the top of a taller, steeper hill that Shinta stopped.

Phoebe came up behind. She was a bit winded. She stood, with her feet apart, and her legs held stiff. She bent herself forward, as she had done before, hands splayed over her knees.

"Well, I think you won." she commented, as she caught her breath.

"I don't see it as a contest." Shinta smiled. "And you are in extreme good condition. My compliments." She grabbed a towel. "I really hope we will be friends."

"I'd say we already are, Counselor Navarre." Phoebe replied. "Or, may I call you Shinta. It's a beautiful name, by the way."

"Thank you." She smiled. "And of course you can call me Shinta, us therapists are pretty laid-back when it comes to rank and position. I will be expecting you soon for your coming aboard chat."

"Perhaps we can work that in, with that drink." Phoebe offered. "I think one of us owes the other one some sort of libation."

Together, the two women left the holdoeck; Shinta deactivating her program on the way out. A few moments ago, they had been strangers. But, now, they were friends. Such was the way of it in Starfleet. Especially with a social butterfly like Phoebe Ivers....

"When the stress ebs away"

by
Koen as James A. Brooke,
aCMO

Brooke was walking through sickbay, stopping at every biobed to see how it's occupant was doing. Most of them were recovering nicely, while others still had a long way to go. This certainly went for the burn victims, who were kept in low gravity fields to prevent their skin from coming into contact with the biobed, or at least as little as possible. Even with sedation the pain was horrible, or so some people had told Brooke.

The next patient was sleeping, but he would be going back to his quarters soon. He would need to rest for the next week, but they needed the biobeds, and one could rest in their own quarters. Well, perhaps not Shinta. This strain of thoughts brought him back to his wife, now on the planet, a hostage. The hard work they had done had kept himself from thinking about the team on the planet, and then his wife in particular, but now most of the stress was over, and then those thoughts sneaked up on you.

He started wondering what Jaal was going to do. He had heared that they were searching for the attacker's base, because the Breen had asked. Ordered was more correct, probably. But there would be a time when they would return, and while a lot of their people on the planet were very resourcefull, they were on an hostile planet, where even the atmosphere was deadly. He didn't know the people from the Galaxy, but Shinta and the captain had been resistance fighters, and Arel, pregnant or not, was not someone to cross lightly. Of course, if you were confined to the buildings, it made searching for escaped prisoners easier.

'Stop thinking about it,' Brooke ordered himself, 'they will come home safely, or those Breen are going to pay for it.' He pushed himself not to worry anymore, and walked to the next biobed. At the moment he couldn't do anything about the situation of the hostages, but he could do something about the people here, and that had to suffice for the moment.

"The Hunt" (Part Four)

Arel Smith
Navarre Shinta
and (surprise!)

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Inside the Cell Block

She felt her heart slam hard in her chest when she saw the body but shook it off.

"Sorry, we're late, Captain." Arel said solemnly.

"Sowwwwwyyyyy, weeeee'rrrreeee lllaaaaatttteeeee, Caaappptttaaaiiiinnnn..." Time had slowed to an utter crawl. He felt weightless, hovering above the floor as a bird in frozen flight, held attached to life through a tenuous thread. Voices elongated into deep baritone.

He looked around, and found he couldn't move his eyes. They were frozen in place. His body likewise felt the same. It was like... he was a cloud, or in the vortex of a spinning eddy, pulled from all directions. Was he dead? Was this eternity?

A face appeared over him, reaching down. The pregnant woman? Her mouth moved ever so slowly.

He felt the touch and everything sped up, making up for the lost time.

PAIN!

His whole body wracked with it. All he saw, felt, knew, was streaking agony burning through - all around(!) him. He was the epitome of torment. Was he screaming? It was impossible to tell through the ringing in his ears.

He dared not move for fear of more distress. His eyes darted around him. Last thing he remembered was a bright light, and darkness. He saw Breen hovering over him, and struggled to grasp its throat in a last gasp for death. They would struggle for all eternity if the gods willed it, but he would emerge the victor.

"Can you carry him, Wikkins?" Arel asked the Amish security officer. She had to tear her eyes from the dead man's form. Damn it, damn the Breen. And damn her too. She may have disliked the man but he had been under her protection.

Arel looked around. Where was Shinta?

Kylar's fingers twitched. He prayed that Bajoran counselor stayed away from him. Bad enough he had one human touch him. He didn't need any more of the dirty creatures leaving their odorous touch on him. The faint scent of cinnamon rose off him. This gave him hope, then! He shut his eyes tight, and focused on the meditation techniques of his teachers. He felt the pain circulate and merge into something modified.

At the cellular level, his atoms metamorphosed, vibrating against each other in a storm of friction. Torturous ache exploded behind his eyes as he felt the turmoil from within.

His fingers elongated slowly, darkening, splitting into caressing tendrils. Kylar remained focused, giving into the pain. His upper torso expanded like a balloon, the organs housed beneath shifting into new positions. His head grew exponentially against his body, flattening out, blackening with streaks of brown, the eyes sinking into the fleshy membrane of tough hide. His arms and legs clung to his massive torso as they combined cellular instructions on regaining a form though long lost. The feet shrank into the now thick trunks of tentacles dotted with suctioning clasps.

When the change had completed, Kylar Curran was no more; he stood over eight feet tall, shrieking in his own language in wondrous delight. The cinnamon smell had now increased itself to an aroma of decaying rot.

He was home.

Inwardly though, he still struggled against the human DNA that fought to re-assert itself like the virus it was.

Arel Smith looked up at the creature, her eyes slightly widened. "Belay that, Wikkins."

Kylar stretched out to the spaces beyond with his tentacles, cherishing the expansion. Pain still rent him from within as the insurgent human DNA fought to re-assert itself. If the Kelvan died in this form though, he would die with honor.

She frowned at the absence of her best friend. "Lend me a hand, would you Curran? I think I've missed a few Breen on my way in." And without waiting for an answer she moved towards the other cells.

****

Breen Diplomatic Services Building
Shinta's Cell

She had not screamed when the whip took most of the skin of her back, she had laughed when it raked her breasts. When they broke her nose and several of her fingers. She had even managed to keep her teeth locked together when they started pulling nails.

That's when they had tried the drugs, finally, only to find out somehow her chemistry was wrong and they didn't work either. All it did was make her puke her guts out.

Only now, when they put the hot poker inside her body did she finally scream.

Arel wrenched open the door but the Kelvan beat her to the Breen.

When the Security officer broke open the cell door housing the woman, the monstrous creature, wailing in rags, lashed out with its smaller tentacles to wrap themselves around the throats of the Breen captors, tossing them about like rag dolls.

Kylar slithered across the floor, pulling himself along with other gripping limbs that had folded underneath his standing form, giving the impression that he was being carried along a sheet of air. The stench was atrocious.

Raising the Breen that had been personally tormenting the Starfleet officer off its booted feet, he reached around with several of his primary tentacles and encased its body within them, squeezing it until a satisfying crunch was heard. The body fell to the deck, every bone, cartilage, or whatever passed for a skeleton crushed beyond all comparison.

Shinta was only half conscious so all that really registered with her was another kind of big monster.

Arel resisted the urge to plug her nose at the awful and instead helped her friend down and supported Shinta while she attempted to walk. "Let's go."

"Side Trip" pt 1

Lieutenant Cutter Kara'nin
Lieutenant Curtis Geluf
Lieutenant Corran Rex
Lieutenant Ella Grey

Lieutenant Corran Rex was had been the first to arrive. Preflight checks aboard the Runabout Belgarion were complete, and all that awaited was the arrival of the rest of the away team.

As he'd understood it when the Captain and briefed the four of them, their mission was a relatively simple one: Get close enough to a T'Kith'Kin biotech mine, and capture it without destroying. His three companions were some of the smartest people aboard the Galaxy, and Miranda would be sending a similar team to try to accomplish the same. They had two chances to find a way other than a direct assault to bring down this minefield, which would ostensibly encourage the Breen to free those hostages currently in their possession, as well as allowing the pair of vessels to return to friendlier stars.

~Don't forget not getting blown up while you manage that. It's an important part.~ came the voice of the old smuggler.

~Shut up, Vorrin.~ he thought offhandedly, and then smiled briefly as he considered how accustomed he'd become to not being a typical trill. His medications kept it from getting disorienting, but there were essentially eleven other people living in his head. Eleven different sets of thoughts, of views, of reactions to any given situation.

For a moment he wondered what a telepath would think if they were to listen in to his head, and the thought brought a smile to his face. He was thinking of that as the Runabout's hatch opened, and the rest of the team began entering.

Ella Grey smiled at Rex as she entered. She held up her finger, dug into her pockets for her computer PADD, handed it to him, and then went to access the preflight check anlysis.

*WHAT'S A NICE GUY LIKE YOU DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?* The computer PADD asked Rex jokingly.

"Driving", he replied simply, smiling as he always did at Grey's chosen form of communication. "I still think that's a remarkably impractical way to talk, you know."

Ella looked up and smiled.

"Ah well. Whatever puts color in your spots." the Trill remarked, shrugging it off.

There was only a brief moment of silence after the flirtation ended before the shuttle hatch opened again and the large winged figure of the Galaxy's current head science officer entered. He looked around the small space and sighed heavily, reluctantly resigning himself to the new cage.

"Hello, Lieutenant Ka'ranin," Rex greeted.

"Kara'nin---just, uh, call me Cutter," he explained, noticably irritated.

"Ok, Cutter it is th--"

"I assume the requested sensor package was installed," Cutter asked the mute engineer, interrupting the Trill's friendly attempts and cutting straight to business.

Ella gave two thumbs up and then typed a quick message for the man to read.

The avian nodded in approval as he read Ella's response and then silently moved over to the appropriate console to run configuration tests.

"Don't take it too personally Rex, he gets that way from time to time." came the voice of Lt. Geluf, entering the shuttlepod, "I guess I'm the last one then?"

"So noted." the Trill replied, relaxing the raised eyebrow that he'd been giving the winged science officer.

Ella pointed to her imaginary watch to get the team moving. "Ready to go." She mouthed.

"I am," Cutter said, then looked at the Trill in the pilot's chair, "You understand how this is going to work, right?"

"I've got a fairly good grasp on it, yeah." the pilot responded, feeling Jalen's interest come to the fore. "Let's go over it again, though - just to be sure."

"We are currently in pursuit of the Hydrans and the T'Kith'Kin ships. It seems they may be affected by their own technology, since they are traveling along the edges of the effects of the mines, along a specific path," Cutter began to explain. Rex nodded as he remembered the information, but Cutter continued to speak, regardless, "The Galaxy is to big to do this, but you'll be intiating a high warp factor pulse and sending the shuttle forward on inertia, more or less. Hopefully, our calculations are correct and we'll drop out of subspace very near the mine, cause we can't make any corrections or control our exit point once the warp is initiated."

"Ella and I have been hashing out the warp jump calculations." Curtis added, "I guess my Warp Field Theory degree is finally paying off. Once we get it going," the Kerelian nodded to Rex, "you're piloting skill are going to be the only thing between us and a giant explosion.....not to put any un-due pressure on or anything."

"Nothing to worry about, then." Corran easily replied in a flip manner, turning back towards the front of the runabout, and pressing a comm button. "Runabout Belgarion to Shuttlebay Control, requesting departure clearance."

["Belgarion, you are clear to depart in five."] the voice of the deck chief came back.

The pilot silently ticked off the five seconds in hid mind, and then lifted the Danube-Class runabout off of the deck of Galaxy's sizable Main Shuttlebay.

****

Some time later...

From the floor where she had been thrown, Ella groaned slightly. She supposed that for her first shuttle crash (the vague memories she had of the seperate timeline where the ship crashing didnt count) she'd done marginally well. Nothing felt like it was broken; she only felt like she'd been smacked around like a