"Assessing Potential" Part Two

Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - Chief Engineer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Naranda Sol Roswell - Engineering Officer

***USS Galaxy: Main Engineering***

Nara kept the taken back feeling deep inside, never once knowingly letting her facial expression show any emotion. It was rather a loaded question. She gave an answer she knew wasn't quite what was desired, but it was all she had, "I'm not sure that's a reasonable question, in all due respect. Likely only by my own ego, I am willing to say yes." Nara paused and decided reasons would be good, "In spite of my previous attitude, which I have shown a willingness to change, I have shown myself skilled and willing to submit to the chain of command." She rather hated the self-promotion, but the opportunity was given. She would be cheating herself if she didn't take it.

Dhani smiled slightly. She suppressed the chuckle that was rising. She had to admit Nara had balls and she was dedicated. She was eager for more responsibility and she admired that. In fact she applauded that. For a moment she contemplated her next step. "In regards to your ego Nara, it has a place. It has a place here, by showing me that you are committed and whish to advance, however when it comes to dealing with people your ego needs to take a back seat. You say that you are willing to change, to learn and therefore I assume put those skills, once learnt, to use?" she questioned.

"Yes."

"However you need to show me that before I can wholeheartedly without any shadow of a doubt put you into that position. As you are by no means the only person capable of performing that role in this department. There are several other candidates." Dhani informed her so that she wouldn't get her hopes up too high.

Inwardly, she deflated. Outwardly, she looked, she hoped, the same, "Yes, Ma'am."

Dhanishta noted how Nara slumped in the chair before her. She felt a lot of compassion for Nara, she had been through a tough time with the previous department heads and even though she had her failings she also was an extremely hard worker, "Nara, your skills as an engineer are not by any means in question here." she told her with all sincerity, "You have on several occasions shown your ability to adapt and improvise. What is under debate is your ability to lead, to interact as a superior officer to your subordinates. Hwii is a full lieutenant, Nara. While you were in charge of Engineering you outranked him by the position you were holding at that time, but would you have addressed a Captain in the same way that you addressed him?" Dhanishta leaned forward, not even realising that she had done so, Nara's response here was pivotal. She had been in charge and her orders were final, but she still had to respect the rank that others had earned, even whilst in command of them.

Nara had realized at the time, Hwii's rank, but he was being completely irrelevant and irrational. "No, I wouldn't." She wasn't sure if the truth was in her favour or not. It was still the truth. "I probably would had said the same things, but with more tact." The fact that Nara and Hwii had a bit of personal history and that he had bullied the others into agreeing to push her out of the 'pod' was beside the point. She decided it didn't matter to be mentioned because if it did affect how she treated him, it shouldn't have.

Dhanishta nodded, "Him and everyone else you dealt with." she added eying Nara for a moment. Hwii was by no means the only officer that she had been rude to.

Opening her draw Dhanishta pulled out several data padds, "To that end, if this is something you wish to pursue I have a list of courses that you can take to improve on your 'interpersonal relationship skills', and command ability. Some of these courses must be taken before you can take that next step up the ladder."

Handing them over to Nara she elaborated on there contents, "First off is the details on the 'Starfleet Leadership and Administration' course, I assume that you have already taken this at the Academy, if so you can skip this or refer to it for refreshment. Second is an advanced post graduation course on 'Officer Training', this is a six week course. The 'Command Management' course, also a post graduate advanced course, is a fourteen week course spread out over a period of time. All of these you can take whilst serving on the Galaxy, unless you wish to revisit the Academy?" she asked.

Nara answered flatly as it was all laid out, "That won't be necessary."

Dhani nodded, "You will of course need to take the 'Bridge Officers Exam' and another course in associated learning wont hurt either. Something other than what you majored in at the Academy, perhaps even on a different topic all together, xenobiology for example," Dhani suggested, "as interaction with other departments is a must for a senior officer."

Nara nodded, "Yes, Ma'am."

"As for what I expect from the officers in this department," Dhani said as the meeting drew to a close, "I expect you to act in accordance to the 'Starfleet Code of Conduct' at all times." she concluded flatly letting her know there was no wiggle room on that. There was obviously room for leeway under extreme duress, but for now, she had to set that rule in stone, as it always should be. Any further infractions would be dealt with as and when they came up, taking into account any extenuating circumstances at that time.

"I am away for the next two weeks on leave; Lieutenant Hwii will be in charge of Main Engineering until I get back. We will talk again when I get back." Dhani said as she began to pack up. She took a moment to mentally congratulate herself on not letting the offices current appearance affect her throughout this meeting, "Just so you are aware this office will be undergoing a refit, a temporary office has been set up in the store room. Please inform the Lieutenant." Her tone and posture signified that the meeting had come to an end, she looked up to make sure that information had been received and Nara was not away with the fairies plotting her own take over, or tonight's dinner!

"Yes, Ma'am" Nara looked her straight in the eyes as a sign of respect.

"By the way Nara," Dhani said absently as Nara was at the door, "You made the right call on not going on that second rescue team." she said as she picked up another padd off the desk, "You were the most qualified offer to handle that mission, and I know that you would have jumped at the chance had you the opportunity." she smiled slightly, had she been here she would have sent Nara on it without batting an eyelid.

Her tone turned dark as she said, "If you had left the ship you would be scrubbing the plasma injectors with a microresonator and we would never had had this discussion about the Assistant Chief position." she glanced up from the report she was now perusing and locked eyes with Nara for an instant, conveying her *complete* agreement with her decision to stay on the ship and her approval of Nara's actions on that case.

Crossing the room Dhani handed Nara the recent ship update report, "The ship looks good." she said locking eyes with Nara, once more conveying her seal of approval on the way she handled the recent crisis, that would be the only form of congratulations Nara would receive from Dhani at this time. She still had a way to go, but Dhani saw the potential in the young woman. Nothing came easy, and she had to make sure Nara knew to earn that spot she was going to have to work for it. Just like anyone else. "You are dismissed." she added returning to her desk.

Nara took the PADD and nodded before turning to leave.

"The Offer" Part One

Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe
CoE

Mr. Michael McDowell, civilian engineering specialist

***USS Galaxy: Main Engineering***

Her office was a frenzy of activity, bodies everywhere. Leaning back as another ensign passed her so quickly that his wake almost knocked her off balance; she rocked on the balls of her feet until he was out of the way. She took in another deep breath, she had made the requests for the changes to the office, yet she hadn't anticipated how quickly Jamson would have got the task started. She just hoped that everything would be sorted by the time she got back. Secretly she was looking forward to it. This room was going to be hers, her taste, her decorations, her bat'leth hanging behind that desk - although it wouldn't be 'that' desk, she thought looking at it with distaste.

With the modifications there would be no trace of Suder, no trace of O'Shea or Grey. She had nothing against any of them; each in their own right had been a pleasure (some of the time) to work for. But this room was hers now, it came with the territory, her territory, she didn't want to feel distracted in this room - that would in essence serve as a sanctuary from Main Engineering, give her a place to work in peace on reports, departmental changes, crew evaluations… crikey, this job entailed a lot. She took another deep breath, for a second she mused that she might have taken up the required oxygen for at least five crew members today in her attempt to stay calm. She couldn't go off on one like she had done as a junior officer. She had to project an air of authority, discipline and above all… sanity!

Running a hand through her ruffled hair in order to smooth it back into place and look slightly presentable, she tapped her combadge, =^= "Eshe to McDowell." =^= she called out.

["McDowell here. Go ahead."]

=^= "Please come to my office right away." =^=

["Alright, I'll be there in five minutes."]

Nodding to herself she scanned the room for a moment, her eyes narrowed slightly as she contemplated just what it was she was looking for. With a slight exclamation of 'ah' she strode across the office and retrieved the data padd she had been handed earlier from the shelf on the far wall where she had left it.

The door was already open to allow the work detail easy access as they gutted the office; Dhani therefore did not hear Michael enter. Staring at the padd intently she grimaced at it, closing her eyes with disappointment. As she opened her eyes once more her gaze immediately centered upon Michaels form as he came up to stand before her. She smiled at him, although this wasn't a social call so she couldn't hug him - which now upon seeing him, was all that she wanted to do. He was her rock in a storm, her anchor, and right now she could use that. She knew that if she just reached out he would be there and his embrace alone would sooth her and give her focus. However she had a lot to do before she could hand over Engineering and pack for her excursion with Kimberly, and not a lot of time to do everything in. ~Always the way!~ she griped.

"I would say take a seat, but as you can see…" she gestured, no longer aware of the data padd that had been in her hand awaiting her approval for at least the last five minutes, "there's no where to sit!"

He smiled and sported a grin with it. "Well, that was to be expected. Oh, and don't say I didn't warn you." He stepped aside when a Lieutenant removed a few chairs.

"Warn me?" Dhani queried frowning.

Michael raised a brow in an almost Vulcan manner. "You've told me you were thinking about 'redecorating' your office, right? I have a distinct memory of you and me talking about it... and me telling you what 'chaos' it would bring." He pointed at the all stuff that lay around.

"Oh yeah." Dhani said with a wave of her hand, "Sorry it's been a busy day, and I'm a little caught up in it all." she smiled softly with a look that conveyed her exhaustion. It wouldn't have been so bad, she supposed, if she hadn't agreed to be Kimberly's aeroshuttle Engineer in the upcoming 'Great Starship Race'. She shrugged at him with a half smile. "Anyway," she began, "I'm afraid that I haven't requested you down here to help with the color scheme." she refrained from grinning at him, knowing full well that he was not keen on her choice for a deep crimson red office. "We need to talk business." she informed him, slipping into a professional tone.

"Problems?" Michael asked just as seriously. "I know that work on the Starboard is behind schedule, but Lieutenant Jackson thinks it'll be ready in 4 hours."

"No." Dhani replied shaking her head, "I already have that report." she waggled the padd in her hand, "I want to talk to you about your career." she paused purposely letting that hang there while she ordered them both a drink from the replicator. Returning to his side she offered him the beverage, staying totally silent as she crossed the room and perched on the edge of the desk. Tilting her head she regarded him, noting how his body language had changed since she mentioned 'business'.

"Career? I'm not sure if I follow you here." Michael warmed his hands on the hot Raktajino.

Dhani smiled softly into her drink as she sipped it, wondering how to phrase what she was going to say. She took yet another deep breath and licked her lips, "Michael, it was over a year ago, seventeen months approximately, that me and you covertly infiltrated an Orion vessel to obtain the details of why you were set up and demoted, which I recall was your reasoning for leaving Starfleet, correct?"

Michael nodded. "Yes, and I remember it vividly. As far as I know the evidence that cleared me is still in Starfleet's possession but I haven't heard from them since we handed it over to them."

Dhani nodded slowly. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"What am I going to do about it!?" He looked up. Anger shimmered through from behind his eyes. "I'd say the ball is in their court. It was them that ignored the truth, closed their eyes against justice... and apparently still do! They screwed up, not I!"

Dhanishta simply blinked over the mug. She pursed her lips for a moment in contemplation. Before speaking she set the mug aside and stood up. She understood the anger he contained, he had been done a disservice, punished for it unduly and then after having to fight to get justice, it was apparent that justice in his case wasn't swift, as it should be.

"Mr. McDowell," Dhani said, her tone and body language shifting some what, "I put it to you that in order to get what you want; you need to fight for it."

Mr. The way she addressed him now sounded so distant. He was proud of Dhani that she made Chief Engineer, but at times like this he wished it was not so, because of their relationship. It didn't make it easy for them to have a normal working relationship. "Well, I'm tired of fighting. I've contacted the JAG department several times and got nothing. I wrote several appeals, and again got nothing. It's like I run into a brick wall every time I try."

Dhani regarded him for a moment. He was shy, this she knew all too well. He was never forthcoming with his own desires, never pushed for what he really wanted.

"Please answer this question honestly," she hesitated a moment, there were several questions here and she had to pick one, she had to get to the heart of the matter, she knew what she wanted but she couldn't push her desires on him, "what do *you* want?" she asked.

"You know what I want. I've never kept that secret from you." His drink had gotten cold so he placed it on the small table that was still standing in the Office.

"Then tell me again." she replied slightly curt.

Michael looked down and briefly closed his eyes. "This is pointless." He mumbled. He looked straight into Dhani's eyes then went on, "You know how I feel about it! I still believe in Starfleet, its ideals, and values. Why else do you think I stayed on the ship while we went to war with the Hydrans?"

~Because of me~ was Dhanishtas initial, instinctual, reply to that question. However, this was not about her, it was about him. She had a proposal for him, and there was not one other person in the Fleet that would want to see him rightfully returned to his position and his recorded cleared than she.

Instead of answering she simply bypassed that question. Turning from him she walked round the desk and opened the top draw. Setting down the padd she currently held she pulled out another and activated it. "Michael," she said as she scanned the information it contained, "I have here your service record." she mumbled slightly as she thumbed through it, apparently changing the topic.

"And?" It was a bit of a blunt question, but Michael truly had no idea why Dhani had looked up his Service record. As far as he could see it wouldn't help getting him back into the Fleet.

She didn't even look up, she had indeed noted the curt reply, but let it slide; for now, he was still a civilian. "You joined the Academy when you were 22, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right. I entered the Academy in September 2369." Michael kept his answer short and simple. He wondered where this was leading to.

Dhani nodded, "Your first application was rejected. And so you went to the Institute for Advanced Physics in Antwerp and reapplied the following year."

"That's also true. There I worked on new models for warp field compression using a Z-axis of 24 degrees or less."

She nodded, "In 2373 you joined the USS Galaxy engineering department. You were promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade that same year." Dhani continued as she walked back round the desk to the same side as Michael, "In 74 you were promoted to Assistant Chief of Engineering under the command of Ethan Suder." She looked up at him then, yet only for a second. "In October of 75 you were promoted to a Full Lieutenant." She paused to thumb through the record, "In 76 you were involved in an accident that rendered you in a two month coma." she paused at that, her head snapping up. She had never had access to these reports, never knew that he had been in a coma!

"The Offer" Part Two of Two

Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe
CoE

Mr. Michael McDowell, civilian engineering specialist

***USS Galaxy: Main Engineering***

She nodded, "In 2373 you joined the USS Galaxy engineering department. You were promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade that same year." Dhani continued as she walked back round the desk to the same side as Michael, "In 74 you were promoted to Assistant Chief of Engineering under the command of Ethan Suder." She looked up at him then, yet only for a second. "In October of 75 you were promoted to a Full Lieutenant." She paused to thumb through the record, "In 76 you were involved in an accident that rendered you in a two month coma." she paused at that, her head snapping up. She had never had access to these reports, never knew that he had been in a coma!

Michael looked slightly surprised. "Something not right?" He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary until now, so he wondered what made Dhani react the way she did.

She shook her head and took a moment to breathe before reading on, "Once coming out of the coma it was discovered that you had amnesia and could not remember the previous year of your life." ~Shit!~ Dhani thought, this could have been a really bad idea. But she had started now, she had to press on. Composing herself she continued, she couldn't let this information affect her personal life with Michael, "You underwent three months of physical therapy on medical leave before returning to light duties. Despite this you were promoted in September of 76 to Lieutenant Commander. Turning down this promotion after ten weeks." pausing once more to inhale she perched upon the edge of the desk again and continued, "In 77 you requested a transfer for 'personal reasons' and left the Galaxy, taking up service on the USS Windsor as their Assistant Chief of Engineering. You were demoted that same year, following an incident on a civilian freighter, and later that same year transferred to Utopia Planitia on Mars. 79 you returned to the USS Galaxy and in 2380 you left the Fleet to find a way to clear your name regarding the previous mentioned incident." After reciting his service record she set the padd aside and crossed her arms, allowing her eyes to center on him as she tilted her head in a slightly quizzical manor.

"Well, there you have it. My life in a nutshell." Michael said dryly and crossed his arms. "That said, I'm not sure I understand why we had to go through my Service Record. Care to... enlighten me?"

"From this record I deduce that you have wanted a career in Starfleet since you were a young man." It was strange thinking of him as a young man. She didn't think of him as old now. It was difficult to imagine him as a young boy; there was an entire part of his life that she knew absolutely nothing about. She chided herself for being so naive as to not realize that earlier. It was just something she hadn't considered, she knew Michal now, as he was, now. For him to have been any other way was a concept that she had never given any thought. She still had a lot to discover about him.

A smile crept over Michael's face. He remembered exactly the moment that had triggered that wish. "Even before that, since I saw the USS Hood passing by when I was 9 years old."

She repressed the urge to smile at his childhood memory and pressed on, "You were promoted quickly, your achievements, capabilities and potential was recognized, in fact I'll quote," she said picking back up the padd, "Lieutenant Commander Ethan Suder reported that he found your performance to be well above standard and that you had earned the respect of all in the Engineering Department for your technical expertise."

She slid the padd back on the table. "You held the Assistant Chief position on this ship for several years. It says here that you turned down the promotion to Lieutenant Commander because you felt your knowledge was impaired due to the coma and subsequent memory loss." she looked into his eyes, "That tells me that you were an officer of integrity. You put the needs of the ship and its crew before your own personal goals for advancement."

"It's what any officer would do. I took an oath to Starfleet and the Federation and I took that very seriously."

"I don't doubt for a second that you have forgotten the oath you made to uphold the ethics of the Federation. I think that in your own way you are still trying to uphold those duties you held as an officer of Starfleet now, as a civilian?"

"Old habits..." Michael mumbled softly. "You can't deny what you believe in. Nothing strange about that."

Dhanishta nodded and allowed herself to smile at that. "Throughout your career you worked hard, not just that but in doing so you fought for what you wanted. When rejected by the Academy you went away, studied hard and returned more determined than you had been. You threw yourself into the Academy program and excelled. You then put that enthusiasm into your work, here, on this ship. Your record reflects that. Yet what I don't understand is why you are so complacent now. You risked your life," ~and mine!~ she added silently, "to obtain the information to prove your innocence. You left the Fleet in order to do so, you crossed the galaxy to get it and yet here you are, being complacent. If I were you I would have been picketing Starfleet headquarters by now, having prior gone to the Captain and obtained his assistance *and* sat outside the JAG Officer's door for months on end until she listened to me." She regarded him coldly for a moment, watching and gauging his reactions to her words.

Michael said nothing and just sighed. "No one listens, Dhani. I'm just some civilian nobody in this big world of Starfleet. Once we had retrieved all the evidence, and delivered it to the CO of DS5, I tried to play it via the proper channels, convinced it would all be set straight. But wherever I went I bumped into a bureaucratic machine. There's no getting through that. I called people at the Justice Department at Starfleet Command via subspace, sent letters via subspace, but nothing happened. No one even took interest, like the whole subject was taboo. That was when I stopped trying. That was when I reached my limit." Just thinking back about the whole situation made him feel mad. "Geez... I HATE bureaucracy!"

"There are ways to be heard Michael," Dhani bit back, "you just need to know who to go to, and how to go about it. And what's more, you have to want it. Want it with every breath in your body." ~pretty much how I want you~ Dhanishta mused.

"I told you... I want it and I did try to get things my way!" Unable to think about anything else Michael threw his hands in the air. "So, what's you point!?"

"The point?" Dhani repeated with an air of indignation, "I thought that was obvious." she replied sliding off the desk.

"Well, you lost me!"

Turning her back on him she picked up the padd and once more returned to the other side of the desk. Placing his file back in the top draw she picked up the previous padd and once more scanned its contents, nodding at the information it contained she added her approval and then looked back up at Michael. Her expression was plain, her body language cold as she regarded him.

Michael looked back with the same icy stare. He couldn't remember the last time they had such an argument. This was not what he wanted. "If there's nothing else..." he turned on his heels toward the exit of the Office.

"The position for Assistant Chief Engineer on the USS Galaxy is vacant." she said flatly.

He stopped. A second passed where neither of them said a word. "I'm sure you'll find someone. I can't help you with that."

"You are the most qualified candidate. You have held the position before; you know this ship and its crew. Frankly I don't see anyone else that comes close to fulfilling the criteria, do you?" she asked looking up at him.

"Hey, I'm truly sorry! I can't help you. Do you listen to me? Besides, I'm a CIVILIAN remember? I can't...-" And that's where it finally hit home. Only now it became clear to him why she'd brought up his Starfleet Service record and why, from a certain point of view, she criticized the fact that he was a civilian and not a Starfleet Officer.

She pursed her lips for a moment and then walked to the door. "Ensign," she called to a passing crewman, "see that the Captain gets this status report." Standing in the doorway she regarded Michael once more.

"Think about it Michael." she said, "If you want to get back into Starfleet, when I get back from the race I will go with you to the Captain, and the JAG officer. I am prepared to fight for you, but only if you are prepared to fight for yourself first."

She knew that her earlier words sounded harsh, that during the entire meeting she had come across cold. Yet if her words had angered him, and that in turn caused him to really think about what he was doing, then it was worth it, "Think of the years you spent studying. All that dedication and hard work that you devoted to your career in Starfleet." she shook her head slowly, "All of that: wasted. You were set up, and I know how much that pains you. But Starfleet didn't cause this injustice. It was *not* their fault. Your petitions are caught up in so much legal red tape that unless you do something, unless you fight; and by that I don't mean subspace letters, I mean really fight," she emphasized with passion. It was odd, yet as she spoke she stepped forward, her clenched fist rising and swiftly falling to punctuate her points, "nothing will happen. I am prepared to stand up beside you, to go to M'kantu, to go to the President of the UFP if that's what it takes. I will fight for you, and I will not stop until you have what you deserve." by now she was only a few feet from him, "All I am asking from you is that same passion. I risked my life for you, to help obtain that evidence. The others, risked their *careers* and their *lives* to help you. Don't throw that back in their faces, in *my* face; just because of your complacency and aggravation over bureaucracy." she snorted staring at him.

Again that silence. That awkward silence that fell between them and lasted for what seemed like minutes. Something inside him told him that she was right. Michael felt it and although he didn't agree with her on all points and didn't want to admit he had been wrong all along, he had to. He hadn't really fought to get Justice done. He'd disgraced his friends.

He looked down once again, but now in shame. A tear forming when he looked up at Dhani. If it were anyone else standing before him he would've never permitted that to happen. Not in this situation.

"Do you really think it's possible...?"

Dhanishta smiled softly, "I think anything is possible if you put your mind to it." she replied gently, her voice full of warmth and compassion.

Without checking to see if anyone was around she crossed the remaining distance and slowly brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders. She hesitated for a second, but he was, at the moment, a civilian and her partner. She pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a reassuring embrace. She smiled slightly with regret; she should have done this months ago. She should have pushed him back then, when his determination was still fresh. Yet she too had been complacent, too wrapped up in her own problems. She closed her eyes as she rested her chin on his shoulder. Her hand reached up to gently caress the base of his neck, relishing the feel of his hair through her fingertips. "It won't be easy." she whispered in his ear, "I can not promise you anything, except one thing." she pulled back from the embrace and took hold of his chin, turning his face towards hers, "I will be by your side throughout."

"The Reveal" Part One

Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE
Michael McDowell - Civilian Engineering Specialist
First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

Standing in the open doorway that lead to their room Dhanishta huffed, arms folded across her chest, data padd sticking out by her hip, "You're wrong!" she said again, slightly more agitated than before, although the playfulness was still in her tone.

"I'm not. Not this time." Michael answered quickly. To his dismay this all sounded a bit too childish.

Crossing the living room she paused in her step rapping the padd against her left palm, "You have no basis in fact Mikey, admit it, this is all just a hunch." she said plainly looking over at him, her face as neutral as she could get it.

Michael sat back on the couch, "Well, okay, if that's what you want to call it then fine. I don't care."

Tossing the padd onto the table she smirked slightly and tiptoed softly to the couch, crouching down on her approach she knelt on the floor next to him and began to 'walk' her fingers up the button line of his shirt.

"But you just keep hiding from the truth if you ask me." He said nonchantly before turning his face away from Dhani and back to the padd, continuing to skim read the previous chapter of his book.

Dhani pouted and sat back on her haunches for a moment. Her mocked peeved expression did not hold out for long. Quickly she grabbed a cushion off the couch, slipped the data padd out from between his fingers and proceeded to thwack him round the head with it.

When the cushion hit him the first time there was nothing but a surprised looked on his face. His head snapped around to look at Dhani expecting her to be frustrated by his behavior. Nothing was further from the truth. In fact, the playful grin on her face was so infectious that he was unable to keep himself from smiling. "Hey, you..." He grabbed a small pillow for himself, his intention being obvious. "You...little...imp! Come here...I got something for you!"

She moved just out of reach grinning deviously at him before leaning over and planting a kiss on his lips. With the book discarded she wormed her way up on the couch with him, all the while kissing him repeatedly.

It looked like the game had changed and, truth be told, Michael was more than willing to play along. Now more than ever since it had been more than a month since they last had been together. He pulled her near and at the same time thought that this couch needed to be bigger. He kissed her back with such a passion that would tell her how much he'd missed her. A naughty grin appeared on his face when he said with a soft voice, "Wanna play?"

Pulling back she grinned once more before replacing her smile with as innocent a look as possible, she worked her hand under his shirt and began to tickle his side, before beginning her all out assault. Maneuvering herself atop him she pinned him to the couch, grinning like mad as he struggled beneath her laughing hysterically, unable to make a full word let alone a sentence she tickled him mercilessly.

Michael tried to get her off of him but he failed to do so. He was almost out breath when he made his last attempt, and all the while he kept on laughing until at one point he almost screamed. She knew exactly where tickle him and took full advantage of it.

The door chime sounded interrupting their play fight and Dhanishta frowned. She leaned down and kissed Michael once more, "Saved by the bell tiger!" she whispered in his ear before nibbling on it seductively.

"Next time, I'm on top." He answered in-between deep breaths and winked. ~Darn chime. Typical that it did go off right now!~

*** His head still hurt like crazy, but according to the quacks in sickbay he was fine. More then fine even. According to the monitors he was in the best shape of his life. Then why the hell didn't he feel like it? Why did he feel like his head was going to explode?

They had asked him if he had remembered anything that had happened to him. He had said no. And so it started. Lies. He remembered it all. Down to how his flesh had smelled when the bolt had struck him. There was anger deep inside of him. Anger at what had happened, to him and to... everything.

He wasn't like Victor. There was no aura of doom and death around him. Some would never even sense what was wrong. Some would and... he didn't know what would happen then.

Stumbling over to the door having untangled herself from Michael Dhani turned back to him before opening it. Her look conveyed *exactly* what she wanted to do with him yet she had to shelf that idea.

Visitors came first, unless they were already doing 'that', in which case they could bugger off - she certainly wouldn't stop to answer the door, it would be rude! Depressing the door panel she giggled as the door opened, turning to see who the visitor was she was totally surprised when as soon as the door slid open a closed fist connected with her face. The punch was fast and brutal, sending her head whipping back.

Staggering, Dhani reached out to the wall, anything to steady herself. Her vision blurred, everything was bright for a moment - a flash of light followed by intense pain as her neck cracked. She felt a trail of heat make its way up her spine dissipating with a burst, just like a fire in the base of head. She yelped, unable not to, as she wobbled on her feet, trying to assess which way was up and which was down. She felt a hand on her shoulder, along with a rush of emotion that was not her own upon the contact.

It took a moment before Michael noticed what happened but a split second later he'd got up from the couch. "HEY!! What the HELL do you think you are doing!?" he shouted, having crossed the room in what appeared to be just one stride. At Dhani's side he began to survey her injuries.

Dhani's vision returned all be it blurred and tainted red. Her hands instinctively had gone to protect the wounded area; her nose. Fingers clasped round, cocooning it as blood poured down her face and through her fingertips.

The smell of blood hit his nose and almost made him loose it. He was balancing over an abyss and sooner or later he would fall. He stepped inside with silvery glowing eyes watching what was happening within.

Looking at Dhani he could sense something else. Something.. familiar. Or at least he knew it would be if he allowed himself to know. But that meant something he wasn't prepared to do or be. Ignoring the others in the room he looked at Dhani, a part of him challenging that other side of her to emerge for round two. "Now we're even."

"The Reveal" Part Two

First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies
Michael McDowell - Civilian Engineering Specialist
Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

Looking at Dhani he could sense something else. Something... familiar. Or at least he knew it would be if he allowed himself to know. But that meant something he wasn't prepared to do or be. Ignoring the others in the room he looked at Dhani, a part of him challenging that other side of her to emerge for round two. "Now we're even."

Anger build up inside as Michael slowly turned and looked up at the aggressor that stood in the doorway. "You bastard!" the remark was followed by "McDowell to Security..."

"No!" Dhani breathed grabbing Michaels arm, blowing blood bubbles as she spoke. For a moment she eyed Baile as the stabbing pain subsided in her face to a dull ach.

"What!?" Michael gave Dhani a surprised look. His eyes went from her to the, yet unknown, assailant and back again. "You can't be serious..."

"Deadly." She replied to Michael whilst not breaking eye contact with Baile, "Do you have anything else to add?" she asked Baile pushing against the adrenalin surging throughout her body.

He opened his mouth to remind her that he had told her to turn herself in, but who was he to preach? Didn't he have secrets as well? "When ever you want round two - look me up."

Nodding slowly Dhani stepped forward, into his 'personal space'. "I'll keep that in mind." she said softly. "Now get the hell out of my quarters!" her eyes narrowed on him, her tone indicated that she was not by any means making a request. She stood her ground, her face just inches from his. She felt something within her stir, the memory of him on his knees, begging for his life... well, not quite begging. Baile wouldn't beg for anything, but he did plead; to reach her, make her realize what she was doing - and that she remembered, with clarity.

Her nostrils flared as she took in shallow breaths, her body more prepared for an attack, so much so that standing still she shook with the anticipation of a fight. She swallowed hard as he just stood there, as if he didn't want to leave, wasn't going to leave! She wasn't sure. And she sure as hell wasn't going to poke about inside his mind to find out. She already knew too much...

Anger and fear. They may feel similar at times but they differed like day and night when it came to how they smelled. Dhani's smell changed from anger to fear in the span of a few heartbeats. He met her gaze evenly. "You. Out." It left no room for doubt or disobedience. It was the same voice that made the marines run for cover.

Dhanishta frowned, wincing slightly with the pain that caused as Michael looked on confused.

Touching Dhani's arm, nothing but concern on his face, Michael questioned her silently via their telepathic bond. ~What's going on here?~

Dhanishta didn't reply, she kept her dark eyes fixed on Baile. She had no idea what he meant. And she certainly wasn't going any where with him.

"Barbie. The clock is ticking. When it reaches zero you better be out of here."

"Think again, pal. Just ONE more word from you and I *will* call security." Michael stated menacingly and forcibly, stepping forward and in-between Baile and Dhani. He cast an eye back to her, irritated by her behavior. Why she hadn't let him call them in the first place was beyond him. What also caught his attention was the feelings that emanated from her. Michael had been in quiet a few situations of danger with Dhani, yet he had never felt fear from her; at least not like this. ~Dhani, tell me what the hell is going on! This is going the wrong way!~ he yelled.

Yet still, Dhani did not answer him, not verbally, nor via their bond. Slowly her hand rested on Michael's shoulder, moving him aside gently. "You leave him out of this and you might just have a deal." she told Baile.

"That's up to them." he replied. The smell of fear was still strong. "The clock is still ticking and we got things to talk about. You sure you want them to hear what I got to say?"

"Them?" Dhanishta repeated. "Baile, what are you talking about?" he was cracking up!

His head pounded mercilessly. Letting out the anger now would be a one way ticket to a very warm place. "Want to see just how good that self control of yours is? Let's find out what happens to him when you're no longer driving the bus." His pulse started slowing down. Couldn't his damn body understand what he was trying to do? He didn't want to fight. He would do anything to avoid it but his damn body just didn't get it.

Dhani cast an uneasy glance towards Michael. She knew now what Baile was talking about, or at least she thought she did. For a moment her hesitation was clear. She couldn't let Michael see what Baile had seen. She had to protect Michael at all costs from that. She knew that he could sense things through their bond - more in fact than she desired, she had given herself completely to him and that way. Yet even so, she would rather die than let him know what dwelt within her. The sleepless nights she caused him due to her restlessness was the only thing she could guiltlessly let him endure.

Yet something that Victor had said recently played upon her mind 'If you suppress it, bury it, try to deny it then it will still get out - and you'll have no control over it. Whatever it was that came out on Romulus, whatever part of yourself that you don't want to acknowledge or deal with... acknowledge it. Deal with it. Accept that it's a part of you.'

Loosing self control, it was not something that Dhani ever chose to do. "You want to fight me Baile?" she asked.

"You want him to know?" he replied. He could feel his own control slipping. That which was within Dhani beckoned at him. Mocking him with its very existence. There was something deep within him, very deep, that demanded he end her now. It made him want to scream.

"Do you?" she countered feeling her body shaking. It wasn't anticipation, no, this was fear. She wouldn't admit it though, not to him. She wasn't scared of them finding out about her... more like what he would *do* to her.

"I don't give a shit which. All it does is add to the bodycount." Why the hell couldn't she just send him out? They both knew that thing inside of her wouldn't just sit idly by if he started to talk.

She was at a crossroads, unsure of what to do. Did you let the monster in willingly? She closed her eyes for a second. She could feel Bailes energy; she could see him just like she had on Romulus. Through her closed eyelids she could see the shape of his form, like the images that blazed in her mind, he refused to go away. Confront it...

"Michael leave." Dhani said sternly.

"But.." Michael interjected.

"Leave!" Dhani raised her voice her eyes snapping open and resting on his face.

Long seconds passed before Michael slowly began to leave their Quarters. The look on his face showed anger and concern. He didn't want to leave, but there was something in Dhani's voice that forced him to do so.

"The Reveal" Part Three

First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies
Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

Long seconds passed before Michael slowly began to leave their Quarters. The look on his face showed anger and concern. He didn't want to leave, but there was something in Dhani's voice that forced him to do so.

"Sit down Baile." Dhani said her eyes fixed on him, "Make yourself comfortable."

He heard the door slide shut behind him. Her offer went ignored as he simply crouched down. From there he could move fast if needed. It took him a second to realize what he had done and stood up again. "I'll stand."

"Fine." Dhani replied coldly. Without taking her eyes from him she crossed the room and ordered a drink from the replicator. "Do you want one?" she questioned, though her tone was less than inviting.

"No thank you." he shook his head. She still smelled of fear. Baile couldn't understand that completely. He had scared her, yes, but hell - so had she. Did he smell of fear as well? "We need to talk."

Dhanishta looked across the distance she had put between them. She knew that he could cross it in an instant if he chose to. Although for some reason the distance still gave her comfort. It was illogical, and she knew it. Feelings were illogical, fear was illogical, all of this… she silenced her mind and rose her head slightly, "Then talk." she said in a no nonsense tone, she did not however move from the replicator. In fact she leaned against it, almost casually, though her heart was pounding in her chest, and he could hear it… just like she could hear his. She shook her head. Control. She was in control, not him, not…her… it... Dhanishta was in control…. She took a sip from her drink and stared at him over the rim of the glass.

He crossed his arms, trying to ignore the headache. "I need to know who's in control." Baile said to her. "Don' try to lie. I'll know if you do." He had no idea if that was the case or not, but a little bluffing had never hurt.

She frowned, "Who's in control… of me, or you?"

"Don't play games, Dhani. It won't end well."

"Games!" she repeated slightly hysterical, completely missing the fact that he had just called her by her name instead of Dorothy or Sally or Barbie. "Correct me if I am wrong, in fact don't correct me because I know I am right. It was you that entered *my* quarters, assaulted *me* and now you accuse *me* of playing games!" she snorted back a mocking laugh.

Placing the drink back in the replicator she strode across the room agitated and annoyed. Slamming her palms down on the table she vented a small amount of her frustration, and a smidge of the adrenaline that was attempting to replace the blood in her veins, and bellowed at him, "WHAT DO YOU WANT BAILE?" Her holler vibrated through her arms causing the objects on the glass table top to shudder. Her eyes deviated from his form momentarily to assess that this was indeed the only thing between them… a glass table. She backed up from it, its symbolism to recent events not lost on her. Folding her arms she straightened up and swallowed hard.

"Again I ask. Who's in control?" he asked calmly, trying to force his damn body to calm down. He could smell adrenaline on her. A smell so sweet like the tears of angels.

"I am." Dhanishta replied slowly eyeing him, "And who's controlling you Baile?" She could feel herself relaxing somewhat. It was a strange feeling. Her muscles had been so tense and she knew, she could feel that she was prepared yet … something else, something within was 'happy' with this sensation… it knew this feeling. This feeling of terror; it was one with it, felt at home to be with it.

Dhanishta knew, or at least she thought she knew what part of her it was that liked that feeling, that longed for it, to cause it, to feel it emanate all around like a poisoned mist. An image flashed through her mind of Romulus and the dead Hydrans. Body upon body, all of them unharmed, no blood, no wounds… nothing to show the casual observer how they died. She left no mark, non that could be seen. But Baile had. He knew how they died, each and every one of them. From one field of death to another, from one play ground to another. One his, the other hers. A spark! A thought… she looked into his eyes for a moment, unfazed by the brightness, "You were afraid of me." she stated as the realization hit.

She frowned at him, not waiting for an answer she began to pace slightly, a small concentric circle around the armchair that was positioned close to the table. "When you kill… you don't remember. You feel the urge, you can't control it. You use every ounce of your muscular strength to kill, you use any object at your disposal, whether that be your hands or a weapon." she looked towards him, "Yet I didn't. I didn't touch any of them and that… that terrifies you more than what you are turning into." She stopped and faced him fully, "Doesn't it?"

"You're right. I was scared." Baile replied honestly. "But don't try and take the credit for it because you weren't doing the scaring. A psychopathic Dithparu did." There were other factors as well but for now those weren't important. "Right now you're not even a tremor on my shitlist. Make sure to stay that way."

Dhanishta rolled her head back and roared with laughter. For a moment something other than her was extremely amused. "So I'm a Dithparu am I?" she asked with traces of ridiculousness in her tone.

He moved before he even knew he did. His hand didn't grab her by the throat but by the neck of her uniform. The sweet spots he had always been able to see practically glowed on her body. He tore her up from the ground until her feet dangled in the air. "Doesn't really matter what the fuck it is…" he whispered calmly, "For your own sake, Betty, you better stay in control…"

Dhani simply laughed, grating and haggard as the collar of her uniform tightened, constricting her air flow. She had to admit it was unusual to laugh while dangling in the air, held up by only the strength of another. Though it could be classed as nervous laughter, Dhani hoped it was just that and not 'something' else. "If I am a Dithparu, what the hell does that make you?" she asked hoarsely looking down into his eyes.

"It makes me the meanest fucker on the block." he replied with a sarcastic smile. He lifted her even further from the floor, holding her with one hand now. The other closed into a tight ball. Death had made three buttons on her body. All he would have to do was to press one of them.

Dhanishtas smile wavered, faltered as she hung in his grip. This was better than being strangled, she had to admit. Though she could feel his intentions, and there was nothing to smile about that! Her breath was irregular, her heart beat strong and fast, though he wasn't choking her his grip still affected her. She knew she could get out of this, though she debated what would happen if she let herself go. Who would be walking and talking if she just touched upon her talents? Could she just brush past the darkness, or would that slight connection unleash her?

As she felt Bailes clenched fist twist the scruff of her uniform, tightening it, hampering her ability to breathe even more, she realized that time was not a luxury she had. His eyes told her nothing of his intentions but the expression of lust on his face did. He wanted her. She could see his muscles rippling under his shirt with the exertion of holding back. She could see the veins in his other fist rise and pulse underneath his skin. He was going to kill her.

Right here, right now, with no rhyme or reason, he would do it. She could almost hear his thoughts. He was trying to repress it, yet it was stronger than he. It was deep within, completely mixed, fused into his genetic structure - and it was growing.

Staring at him she made the choice - consequences be dammed. Focusing her mind on Baile she drove a wedge between them, forcing him towards the other side of the room.

"The Reveal" Part Four

First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies
Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

Staring at him she made the choice - consequences be dammed. Focusing her mind on Baile she drove a wedge between them, forcing him towards the other side of the room.

She dropped to the floor, managing to land shakily on her feet, while Bailes body soared across her quarters.

He hit the wall with a resounding thud and felt pain for a brief second before it got cut off. Even that short burst of pain made him feel more alive than he had in a long time. Baile crouched down on the floor until the pain had vanished. A second later he stood up again, brushing the dust off his pants. "Is that all you got?" Baile said calmly. It felt strange. The more dangerous it became the calmer he became. When the hell had that started? "You're proving me right, Betty. You're starting to take the easy path and soon there won't be any other."

"Look who's talking." Dhani shot back staring venomously at him. Her smile had faded. She trembled as she leaned against the wall to rub her ankle; the landing having jarred the bone somewhat. For a second she registered that her nose no longer hurt… though that was probably because she was preoccupied with making sure that the marine in her quarters didn't kill her.

She looked up at him, her expression changing as a mixture of emotions swirled within. She felt sorry for him, compassion and empathy. She couldn't say that she liked him, nor that she disliked him, though she suddenly remembered the pang that punctured her heart when she saw his body fall to the ground; steaming from the blast from the Hydrans rifle. She remembered how she had rushed to his side and attempted to quell the bleeding - tried anything she could think of to save his life, though she had no skill in medical apparently she had done the right thing - applied pressure to the wound.

"Jebidiah." Dhani said locking eyes with him, she took a hesitant step forward, after the one she continued with more assertiveness until she came to stand before him. Tossing caution to the wind she reached out and touched the point on his chest where the Hydran bolt had struck him. "Your blood stained my hands for week's after." she said softly, her expression changing to one of pain, sorrow and regret. "Michael collapsed not long after you were shot down. The battle had ended, I remember everyone cheered. You missed it."

Slowly her hand trailed from his chest, her eyes following it down until it disconnected from his body. "I remember how you helped me down there. Even though you didn't want to, you still did. I know there were times that you wanted to kill me. There were many times you had the opportunity to do so, yet still, you didn't. And I remember how you reached me when I, she, tried to kill you." Dhani had no idea why she was telling him all this, for some reason she felt a connection to him. They had been through a lot together, even if neither of them wanted to admit it - in a way they needed each other, even if it only was for the understanding. "You remember that, don't you?" she asked softly, "On your knees before me, pleading with me for your life."

He had taken her through territory where she wouldn't have survived for long. He had kept her away from the Hydrans until the shit had hit the fan. She was right. He could have killed her at any moment when they were trying to avoid the Hydrans. He did remember. He remembered a lot of things, things that made no sense. But had he pleaded for his life? "You're wrong…" he said quietly.

Dhanishta shook her head slowly, "No I'm not." she replied. She tilted her head regarding him for a moment, "In your mind you wouldn't beg for anything. Yet I remember what you said, you called for *me* to return. *That* I remember." she said softly raising an eyebrow in a questioning manor.

He shook his head. "I didn't plead for my life." His alien eyes looked at her. The moment he put the feeling into thoughts he knew it was the truth. "You are many things, Dhani, but you're not like me. Maybe you wouldn't have remembered killing me but eventually you would have. It wasn't you that tried to kill me, but it was you that would have to live with it and I couldn't accept that."

"No, it's you that doesn't understand." Dhani replied swallowing hard, "I have seen it, over and over. And it's always me!" she almost screamed. Tears formed in her eyes, she had never spoken about this to anyone, yet him; from the moment she had met him had the ability to draw this out of her.

And for once she wasn't going to fight it, "I dream about them all the time. I see their faces; I can hear their thoughts, feel their thoughts. There is one that is vivid, so vivid that it haunts me whether I am sleeping or awake, her death I see like a bad holo-novel on repeat. She stands before me, she is a *child*." she emphasized her pain clear in her tone, the expression on her face and her stance as she lurched forward towards him, "No more than six. She stares at me and I know that she knows what I am going to do. Yet she doesn't run, she doesn't scream. Just stands there. And in the next minuet she is lying broken against the wall, and I know that *every* bone in her body is broken, because I can *feel* it, like it's happening to me"

A tear fell from her left eye, rolled down her cheek and splashed on to her uniform when it soaked into the fabric, "I can feel the blood trickle down *my* nose, as I watch it trickle from hers. I can see myself through her eyes, me looking down at her, as she is looking up at me. I can *feel* everything she feels *and* what it is like to kill her. It's simple Jebidiah, so simple." she said exasperated by its simplicity, "It's just a thought and boom: their dead."

She pleaded for him to understand, "I remember the field of bodies, I remember doing it, I remember feeling everything they felt when they died. And I remember how it felt to take them… euphoric." she whispered. Stepping back, scared that that last word was too much, she trembled as she waited for him to say something, anything…

Baile looked at her with a blank expression on his face. He knew that if he struck her just to the side of her head the way she stood, she would die. It was a strange conflict inside. He had never backed down from protecting the Federation and its citizens, but now he felt an almost overwhelming desire, no - need - because it felt the right thing to do, to kill her.

But what was it he wanted to kill? Dhani or who ever it was that took control? For a brief period, that lasted between a second and eternity, something other than the human looked at Dhani. "You are dangerous." the thing that looked at Dhani said.

"It would be better for everyone, including yourself if I ended you here and now." But he remained relaxed, which all in all - didn't say much. He paused and looked at her again. "You need help and maybe I can give it to you."

Dhanishtas head tilted to the side once more, like a puppy confused at its maters orders. Her eyes searched his face, probing him, questioning him. "Jebidiah, I know that…" she trailed off for a moment unable to say the words, yet she had to force herself to do so, to admit to what she had done, to what she was, "I am a murderer." she said finally staring at the floor between them.

"But does that mean I should die too?" she asked her eyes snapping back to his, "You have killed, no strike that; slaughtered. There are other's on this ship that have done exactly the same as us. Who are you to cast judgment upon me?"

"Forging The Sword"

Flt. Admiral Victor Murdock, CinC, Starfleet (Pat)
Admiral Morgan Grey, Commandant, Starfleet Academy (Kate)

---------------------
Office of the CinC,
Starfleet Headquarters
San Francisco, Earth
----------------------

There were days, honestly, that Victor Murdock wished he'd stayed dead.

Or, put more bluntly, that he wished that his death had been for real and not an elaborate hoax. Days like today, with the news that had just been delivered in regards to Barzan. Or Gyndine. Or Atlantis. Or Ivor. Or any of the three dozen current hot spots.

"Admiral Murdock?" came the voice of his Chief of Staff, Captain Albrecht, over the desk's comm.

"Aye, lad, what d'ye need?" he responded automatically.

"Admiral Grey from Starfleet Academy to see you, sir."

"Send 'er in, lad."

Moments later, the petite silver-haired Dean of Starfleet Academy moved through the doors. She was perfectly put together, just like always; Victor could never remember her with a hair out of place, even in the middle of a battle. She offered a smile and leaned forward, kissing her old friend's cheek.

"Hello, Victor," she said. "You're looking old."

"And it's bloody well deserved, too." he grumbled. He caught his reflection in the glossy black of the desktop for just a moment, and marveled how just shy of two years at this job had turned his hair completely white. He was only in his seventies, after all, but there was hardly a bit of color in there anymore.

"Don't I know it?" Grey asked, setting very carefully into a chair across from the man's desk. She seemed to look around the office for a long moment, thinking before she took a deep breath. "I need a ship, Victor."

"And I need ye at the Academy." he replied immediately. "We've got to move up the accelerated training programs - especially given the news I just for from Barzan."

Grey made a low noise deep in her throat. "I'm doing no good there, Victor. I'm a glorified babysitter. You would think that after one gets into Starfleet Academy, one would be old to cut mother's apron strings. But no. I spend half my day talking to parents and I spend the other half disciplining! I should be in the field. I should never have taken this position. If you hadn't been pretending to be dead... This is your fault you know."

Victor just raised a supremely questioning (and highly doubtful) eyebrow.

"Don't even look at me like that. I'll trade you. That might toss things up a bit, be fun, a change of pace."

"I'm just waitin' to hear how you think any o' this is my fault, lass." the Scotsman replied. He noted Grey didn't even wince at the 'lass'. But then, he'd been calling her that for more than forty years now. She had to've gotten used to it eventually.

"You weren't here to tell me I was being an idiot," she said. "Well. You were. You just adopted this horrible habit of sending horribly cryptic and deeply encrypted messages telling me what I needed to do." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Cheshire." She wrinkled her nose.

That just drew a shrug. "It's hard t' argue the results." he noted. "But now, we've on the verge of open war with the Triad. It's a damned miracle it didn't happen after Romulus, but we bloodied their noses enough to buy a little more time."

"But it's comin, Morgan. It's comin', and I can't make the damned Council see that. The President does, but that's not enough. And now the Borg have withdrawn from the Galaxy accords, and have a foothold in our quadrant at Barzan. The T'Kith'Kin are testing our borders in Atlantis Sector more and more, and it looks like the Breen are providin' tech to the Syndicate over at Gyndine."

"And just t' top it all off, we're gettin rumors of that mystery race of yuirs - the ones ye ran into back on the Arizona - pokin' around our borders again." Starfleet's commander-in-chief sighed heavily. "It's too many fires, Morgan, and not enough ships t'be puttin' em' out."

"Yahnique," Morgan murmured, thoughtfully. "I'm not sure about them, they could go either way, I think they're testing the waters. As far as the Breen and Syndicate... Well. Guess it's not going to be long now. That's our own backyard. Meanwhile these crackerjack politicians are tearing us apart piece by little piece." She cleared her throat. "Victor, I'm just worried. This isn't our Federation anymore. This isn't our Starfleet. It's not like back when we started. All the Captains are these kids. The cadets graduating the academy right now? Are likely to be lieutenant commanders within seven years. Can you imagine? Most of them will barely be thirty if that and they'll be lieutenant commanders."

She made a disgusted face. "There's a Captain in the second Fleet who's all of 26. Twenty-six! Some big war hero. Then there's Jordan Elaithin who's theoretically about thirty four though who knows, really, and she's the Director of the most controversial branch of Starfleet! Do you remember who you were at thirty four? I do. And I don't care if she did come back from the dead, that's no age to be..." She brushed back her silver bangs shaking her head. "It's all damn ridiculous. Enlistment is down across the board, Academy testing is at an all time low and the passing rate of those testing is even lower."

"And we've got no choice but to be pushin' 'em on through." he muttered. He'd seen the recruitment numbers. They were down from the last few years, true enough. Section 31 and the constant political strife between the so-called "Hawks" and "Doves" had badly eroded the public's confidence in the government, and by extension, Starfleet. People were turning more and more to joining their System Defense Fleets, like the Andorian Guard or the Bajoran Militia instead of signing on with Starfleet.

Of course, the absolute numbers were still astronomically higher than they had been before the Dominion War, that was true as well.

But then, so were Starfleet's commitments.

"It's damn frustrating." She brushed at her nose and then sighed, leaning her head back. "There's far too much going on. We need to tighten up, consolidate and..." She shook her head. "Boot out almost all our elected leaders."

He snorted. "And that's the one thing we absolutely will not do." Murdock said, with absolutely no equivocation. "The Articles say they're our leaders right now, Morgan. I swore an oath do uphold those principles, and I'll do it, no matter how many lives it costs." A silent moment passed - he knew she agreed, of course.

Murdock tapped his fingers on the glossy black desktop a moment, a thoughtful expression plastering itself across his features. "Ye serious about wantin' to leave the Academy?"

"I don't want to be," Morgan murmured, "but yeah, I think I'm getting there. I'm doing what I can, Victor, but honestly. With everything else going on? I'm next to useless where I am."

His face grew deadly serious as Murdock focused his stare on his old friend once more. "I'm putting together an offensive fleet." he admitted. "Or restructuring one, I should say. Eighth fleet is going to be our sword, Morgan. A full 145 ships, plus support craft. The flag'll be carried aboard Excalibur, one of the new battlecarriers. I'm going to pull Westmoreland from Atlantis, to be the XO, but I don't have a commander yet."

"No symbolism in *that* name" she muttered, sotto voce. "If it's going to be your baby, Victor, you should have someone you know on the bridge," Morgan said. "Though... If I hadn't come in here, today, who would you have offered this to?"

"I'd been planning to give it to Irene." he said somberly, referring to another old, and mutual friend. It cast a momentary pall over the discussion, however, as Irene DeMercereau had been travelling aboard the Relentless six months ago when that ship had vanished with all hands.

Morgan visibly paled at that as she propped her head up on a raised hand, her elbow on the arm rest of her chair. After a long moment she took a deep breath.

"If you're offering, I'll take it on the condition that Admiral Matazra, the Dean of Students, take my place."

"Done." he nodded. "Effective immediately, you're relieved as Commandant, Starfleet Academy and assigned as Commander, Eighth Fleet. I'll have the orders drawn up this afternoon."

Morgan's jaw tensed and her eyes turned sad again. "Okay," she murmured. "Victor, I..."

He cocked his head to the side for a moment. "Morgan?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. It's nothing." She pulled a small, tight smile. "Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed this."

He waved his hands around, indicating the office they sat in. "Beleive me, lass, if anyone does..."

She nodded once firmly as she stood. "I know." She watched him stand to usher her out and she moved forward, giving her long time friend a tight hug, her eyes closed.

The act effectively dropped the ranks for a moment, and they were just two very old friends. "We'll get through it, Morgan." he said quietly.

"Sometimes I just feel as though I've lost my way," she murmured, voice half muffled against him. She'd been in this place for some times, truth be told; she'd lost most of her family in the horrible attacks at Starbase One. "Like I've forgotten what I'm fighting for."

"The Federation." he answered simply. "We fight for what it is, and we fight for what we want it to be. Always have, always will."

"I know," Morgan said, pushing at half an arms length, her head bowed. "It just sometimes seems as though that fight is getting more and more difficult and that the Federation is further and further from reach."

His response was as decisive as it was instinctive. "The system might get broken from time to time, lass, but there's always someone who'll fix it. And if has to be us, then it'll be us. Easy as that."

"Easy as that," she mimicked. "How're you always so together, Victor? After all we've been through, all you've been through, I envy you that."

That just drew a simple shrug. "It's because I'm a Scotsman, of course. We're all ten feet tall, phaserproof, and too damn stubborn to know when we're licked."

She laughed softly, her laugh mixed with a touch of tears. "That's good enough for me." She looked back up at him. "So Victor, we do I get to see my new ship?"

"She's at Hyperion Yards." he replied, referring to Starfleet's top-secret development facility in orbit over Mercury. "So what're ye doin tonight?"

"I'm opening a very, very rare bottle of wine," Morgan said, "at home in the mountains. I wouldn't mind the company."

"It's a plan, then. Long as ye don't mind Alyanna comin' along, of course." Victor got precious little time to spend with his eight year old daughter as it was, and Morgan knew he capitalized every moment he could.

"Of course," Morgan said, smiling, "you know how I feel about the girl. I still have a bedroom of toys and..." Her voice trailed off. "Yes. It will be good to have children in the house again."

"Good. Now let's go take a look at yuir new boat, shall we?"

"Alli-Quest"

Starring

Crewman Allison
Crewman Barnes (npc)

USS GALAXY
BRIG Administration Offices

"Whadaya mean you dont have it anymore!!!???!!!!"

"Just what I said missy....we aint got it no more."

"I aint your missy bucko, and you've got to have it......you were the guys that took it away from me."

"Maybe.....but it aint in the box, and if it aint in the box then we aint got it no more."

Gritting her teeth in frustration, young Allison gripped the counter top and shook it with anger. Of all the knuckleheaded bureaucatic snafu's..........

"That was a frakking present from my Mother you numbskull !! How can you guys lose it??"

The Brig Supervisor frowned at the tiny temper tantrum that had landed on his desktop. "Well Im shore your mother would be disaproovin of your language little missy....besides I never said we lost it.....I said we aint got it no more."

"Didnt lose it....huh?" Alli took a deep breath, reeling in her frustration and worry. Things would'nt be solved by tearing the place to shreds, but it would be a lot more satisfying.

The Icelandic girl had been bouncing around from department to department trying to track down the little pink electronic planner that had been confiscated from her during a recent 72 hour stay in the brig, and her latest tip had led her here in the Brig Administration offices.

Obviously she hadnt needed the planner during the recent vacation on Risa, but now that she was getting back into the swing of things on the Galaxy, she found that she really needed the small device to help keep her on track.

Unfortunately, while her lipstick, compact and portable music player had been returned to her, the planner was not likewise forthcoming.

"Look....uh....Crewman Barnes." she began again more calmly. "I know you guys took it from me, so I was wondering.....maybe you have it stuffed ina drawer somewhere or....."

"Like I said missy." the grizzled old guard sighed. "We didnt lose it....we didnt misplace it.....we just dont have it."

"Then who the FRAK does have it!!"

"Language missy."

"Im not your missy buddy-boy," Alli spat, "Stop calling me that or Im gonna do the mashed potatos all over your butt."

Crewman Barnes gave the skinny little blond a quizzical look. "Do the mashed potatos.......?"

"Nevermind nevermind." Allison slumped her head onto the countertop. Normally she wasnt this obsessive, but that tiny device was her lifeblood. "Look.....just pleeeeeease tell me who has my planner?"

"Please.....well thats more like it." Barnes gave a satisfied nod, and licking his thumb began to finger through the Prison logbook. "See.....you young 'un today jus' have no patience for waiting, and no conception how a good 'please' and 'thank-you' can get things done for you."

Wishing silent painful paper cuts upon the man, Alli just grit her teeth as the man looked.

"Ah see here.....here we go." he said at last pointing out an entry in the log. "One Small Pink Electronic Planner...property of Crewman Allison Jimsdottir confiscated on Stardate...."

"Where is it where is it?" Alli interuupted

Frowning slightly, Barnes skipped ahead. "Ah.....seems here that the device could not be opened during a standard security scan....some sort of wicked code lock on it."

Alli made 'hurry up' motions with her hands. "Yes yes....it has like a totally killer lock on it.......its my diary hel-lo."

"Yes well then......seems to me that the code encryption was not totally kosher see. Lieutenant T'lan couldn't crack it, and even a code picker couldnt break in........" Barnes gave a low whistle, "Not even a Code Picker.....and them devices are not exactly legal mind you missy."

"And.....?"

"And....well....says 'ere that we had it sent on up to the joes in Engineering for analysis."

"ENGINEERING!??!" Allison squeaked

"Keep your voice down, and yes.....Engineering. Where else would you send some electronic device you couldnt puzzle out right?"

"I'd give it back to its rightful owner since its nothing but a frakking....er.....nothing but a stupid electronic planner."

Barnes shrugged, "Well then see...thats where you and the boss have different opinions."

"Oh yeah well....wait a minute." Allison's voice dropped low and dangerous. "What do you mean 'the Boss?"

"The Boss.....Commander Corgan.....what do you think I mean by the Boss?"

"HE was the one who took it to Enginnering?"

"Well he didnt take it personally, but he gave the order....see here I got a receipt in the log......'Unknown Device Taken for analysis and code breaking by order Commander James L Corgan."

"He's trying to read my diary!!"

Barnes didnt know what to say. "Sorry miss.....thats all I know....the Boss is the Boss, and I cant help you anymore." He shut the logbook as a way of ending the conversation.

For long moments Allison stood there fuming and argueing with herself.

"He sent........ooooo he wouldnt.......how dare........Im gonna kill......I cant beleive.......Grrrrrarrr!!!"

She snarled angrily for lack of anything else to do.

What the zark was she supposed to do know? She had to get that planner back, but first........first she had to go have some words with 'the Boss'.

"The Reveal" Part Five

First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies
Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE

NOTE: With excerpts from "Who Wants to Live Forever Pt 13"

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

"But does that mean I should die too?" she asked her eyes snapping back to his, "You have killed, no strike that; slaughtered. There are other's on this ship that have done exactly the same as us. Who are you to cast judgment upon me?"

Yes. Who was he to cast judgment? To assign blame? Dhani wouldn't reach his body count unless she destroyed a bloody planet. "Because there's enough people like that in the universe."

A small smile flittered across her lips, "Does that mean you should too?" she asked.

"Sooner or later I will."

"And what about me?" she said, "Are you here to judge me now?" her voice was soft, serene as she asked this question. Right now she didn't know if she would fight to stay alive if his answer was yes, something within her told her that she couldn't.

"No. Our score has been settled." he replied. The headache was pounding mercilessly now. If his body could take away any other pain, then why not the headaches? Memories continued to flash past him, too fast for him to see what they showed, but slow enough for him to know that they were his, and yet not.

Dhanishta's head bobbed slightly in acknowledgment, yet some part of her knew that this wasn't the end. They would fight again, as they had always. And she had always come back, in some form or another; as did he. The everlasting battle that spanned millennia upon millennia, life time after life time for all eternity.

"Sarm," Dhanishta called softly, her voice carrying through the air like silk flows in a gentle breeze, "when will this end?" she asked placing her hand upon his chest once more, sultry and seductive, yet cold and detached at the same time.

Baile blinked in confusion. Sarm? It sounded familiar. "I am what I am. It is not up to me to decide when this ends." he heard himself say. Great fucking Scott! Now there was someone else in his head. 'I should start fucking charging for rent.' he thought absently.

She stepped closer to him, her body just inches from his, her face was next to his, her lips almost touching his ear, "We have played this game Sarm, over and over since the dawn of time. Stuck in this loop. You have to let me go now, let all of us go. We *suffered* at your hands, we died *then*, Sarm. This is not our time. These are not our people, no matter what she has done," she said indicating herself, "she is an innocent in our War," her right arm rose, her index finger pointed, touched his chest, "just like he is."

Baile blinked again. What the hell was going on? "Dhani..." Baile's deep voice rumbled.

"Yes?" Dhanishta breathed feeling her heart rate increase rapidly when she realized how close to him she was. Her whole body trembled, yet it wasn't completely from fear. He had already said that he wasn't going to kill her, and she believed him. Yet she couldn't control her trembling, what's more she couldn't move, she was completely routed to the spot like a dear caught in the headlights.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Me?" she replied bewildered, "what about you?" she countered feeling her breath catch in her throat. Her brow knitted together as a deep frown crossed her face combined with complete confusion. She could feel his breath across her neck, feel it flutter loose strands of her hair as he exhaled, she could feel the coarseness of his skin as her cheek brushed against his every time she shuddered, his scent filled her nostrils, hell this close she could practically wear him!

"…Larimar…?" she whispered slowly, questioning it and him at the same time.

"Who?" Baile asked her. Her smells were... wrong. There was something in it he preferred not to explore more than that. She felt so fragile. Like he could break her in half, unless he took it very gently with her.

Dhanishta felt herself become more relaxed, yet at the same time she knew her shaking was now coming from someone else, something else… "You don't remember do you?" she questioned Bail, still having not moved from the position she had found herself in just moments before.

"Remember what?" He remembered Hydrans dying, but the details on how was still a bit fuzzy. He remembered not remembering how he got into Hydran captivity. He remembered not remembering how he could have moved sixty clicks behind enemy lines and not knowing how.

"Larimar, Sarm, the War…"

"What you see here is my 'what-the-hell-you-talking-about?' face. I'm not wearing it for the laugh of it." he replied but not as angry as the words suggested. He was just very confused.

Dhanishta smiled slightly, snorting out a half laugh; no, she couldn't see his face! She was right next to him, her head almost resting on his shoulder. She closed her eyes. *Now* she could see his face. Just as Larimar had. Back then. The feelings ran through her so fast that she buckled doublings over clutching her stomach she almost nutted herself on Bailes shoulder as she went down. Gasping for air, gagging, dry heaving she sputtered at Bailes feet. The stench of fear rose from her like the sent of a burning pot roast; thick, choking and obnoxious.

Tears couldn't fall from Baile's eyes. Who ever had stolen his real ones had made sure of that. Maybe that was a good thing right now. The smell of fear was so strong it made him sick. Then Dhani started retching but nothing came. Baile understood nothing. He had said nothing. Done nothing in the last few seconds that could have triggered it.

She reached up and grabbed his left hand, pawing it for a moment until the retching subsided enough for her to grasp it fully and tug it, in an attempt to bring him down to her.

He felt her tug his hand. Slowly he crouched until he crouched down next to her. "You ok?" he asked evenly. What a dumb thing to ask he chided himself. Of course she wasn't fucking peachy unless she considered putting her fingers down her throat a merry good time.

Dhanishta shook her head, her body vibrated more now, so much so that if it continued it could probably knock her out! She heaved again, tears streaming down her face from the exertion. "On… Romulus…" she said between gags, "you... changed…" she had to stop talking for a moment as her stomach clenched, she whimpered with the pain, clawed at the floor till her nails bent. Gritting her teeth she pushed hard against it, she had to talk, she had to tell him this; he needed to know.

He didn't say anything. Changed? What did she mean?

***Flashback***

No human had ever fought like that and no human ever would. Nor would a Vulcan fight like that, or a Klingon. Or any other species for that matter. Only Baile would. Baile and his brethren.

***End***

"You let go, and you let it out." she said strained, "It over took you, like you knew it would. You warned me and I understood. I thought I could handle what would come." she turned her head to face him for a moment, one hand clutching at her stomach, the pain as it twisted clear in her face. The other arm, outstretched; supported her body weight, shook, trembled, her hand turning deathly white. As did her face, her trill spots becoming more obvious than they ever had been before, "I thought that I could plead to your humanity, with Maya." she paused and swallowed hard.

Maya's name stirred something inside of him. He missed her although he still wasn't sure it had ever been his Maya. Maybe it had just been his mental image of her that something had picked up on. "Go on..." he told her with a flat voice.

"But I couldn't. You decimated them so quickly; I could feel their energy spill out across the ground. It was thick, violent and so much…. I got scared. I tried to run from you… but you caught me... you were there, behind me… and then you were all around me and it didn't matter which way I ran…" her face creased up in pain again and her chin began to wobble.

***Flashback***

Breathing heavily, she opened her eyes and searched the darkened shadows for any sign of his aura, his energy, his color. It had to be out there somewhere in the darkness. Yet no… he had merged with that too. And now he was all around, in everything and everywhere all at once. And there was nothing Dhani could do but stand there and wait for him to take her.

***End***

Images flashed through his mind, like a holovid on fast forward. The headache had found new fuel somewhere and now throbbed like a plasma burn.

She bit her bottom lip in attempt to quell it, to stop herself from blubbering, for once she started she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop, and she couldn't talk and wail at the same time. She flinched when she tasted her own blood. "I tried to get you to forget. Forget what was happening, to bring *you* back. But …"

***Flashback***

~Forget~ she commanded, begged, pleaded… ~Forget.~ Just like when she had been on the ship with Burton the 'how' came to her, just as natural as breathing…. Yet to penetrate the darkness, and beg it to forget, that thing which was just the absence of light… was it even possible? She prayed that it would be… "Forget!" she screamed loudly into the stillness of the night.

***End***

"You.. entered.. my.. mind?" he whispered, his voice coarse with fury. He wanted to hit something. Hard! The headache slammed in a new gear and went into overdrive. A tiny red line of blood ran down his lips from his nose. The coppery smell made his head spin.

"The Reveal" Part Six

First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - CO SFMC Furies
Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - CoE

The Black Templars written by Jonas
Larimar and her Kin written by Dru

NOTE: With excerpts from "Who Wants to Live Forever Pt 13"

***USS Galaxy crew quarters deck 8***

"You.. entered.. my.. mind?" he whispered, his voice coarse with fury. He wanted to hit something. Hard! The headache slammed in a new gear and went into overdrive. A tiny red line of blood ran down his lips from his nose. The coppery smell made his head spin.

Her head bobbed slightly, "When I reached you… connected to you…" her voice trembled, "You .." she felt the blood trickle from her nose once more, down her philtrum and over her top lip. "I fell into your mind… I couldn't escape." As Dhanishta spoke she could see the images unfolding before her eyes once more, feel the emotion contained within, the emotion that was so powerful it sparked off the reaction that ravaged her body now: fear so potent that even she could smell it, as Baile could; pungent, musty; it filled her nostrils and made her gag once more.

***Flashback***

As her voice slithered its way into his head, blinded by the multitude of paths to take it stumbled into a booby trap. How natural that Baile, a man of the marines, and not just any, the Crows; it was inevitable that his mind would be littered with surprises, just as unpredictable as his character.

***End***

The adrenaline surged, it coursed throughout her body, she couldn't control it, couldn't push the feelings away. Fight or flight, yet she didn't want to do either. She didn't want to fight Baile, yet she couldn't run, she didn't need to run. Yet her body wouldn't accept that, it couldn't. As the memory played out it just got worse. "I couldn't stop what happened, what you showed me…." she looked back up at him, her eyes locked on to his, "…the essence of what you truly are…"

***Flashback***

Dhanishta gasped as she finally saw his eyes come into view. They were so close to hers that they merged into one bright light, so blinding that she pulled back, yet was held by his grip, forced to stay.

And then she fell through that pit of fiery amber and through to the other side…

***Flashback - "Who wants to Live Forever" Pt 13 & ½ (The part you didn't see!) ***

For a second, a brief second, after the warning sign had come on and the alert had been called, while the soldiers stood prepared for the boarding party, there was silence. Silence in the minds of those that stood next to him, silence in minds of those that were on the decks above and below him. They were all waiting on him, on them: his team. No one knew what was about to blast through the reinforced docking bay doors. Someone, somewhere, was sure that there was nothing to worry about; just another attack that would be dealt with swiftly. But as that second of silence dragged into another, and still all he could feel from the other side of that wall was nothing… absolutely nothing, his anxiety began to grow. That in turn bled into the others with him. And soon they could all feel it; all hear the silence of the minds from beyond that door.

The wait was the worst for the enemy. They all knew that from experience. The telepaths were powerful but impatient. Giving them time to think, to try and sense them worked in their favor. He watched Grimm place the inactive monophilament wire in a circle around the door. They weren't in a hurry. He gave two other black clad warriors in his team a nod.

The screeches as the grapple from the unknown ship attached itself to the Void Explorer had been heard on every deck, it resounded throughout the ship, echoed and amplified by every mind that had heard it; until they all herd it, all felt it.

In the command centre of the vessel min Larimar waited for the true nature of their aggressor to be identified. Around her, her aides worked gathering sensor information, listening to the voices coming over the conn. She could feel each one's impatience. They had their own mission to attend to and this distraction was an annoyance. Larimars lips curled gently into a soft knowing smile; she could sense the impatience of her subordinate; he was young, innocent to this form of warfare. Everybody had to have their first, this Larimar knew, she therefore did not fault his eagerness, nor his hesitancy.

The protective shielding around the single molecule strand flickered and died as Grimm turned it off by pressing a button on his wrist control. It took the philament wire mere seconds to cut through the blast door leading into their battleground. He nodded again and the metal objects floated in the air towards the blast door which was now falling inwards.

The door landed heavily with a loud bang and less than a second before that the grenades exploded. But no shards came. Just a massive darkness impenetrable by eyes and electronics.

Danburite stepped back as he saw the door fall, a gust of wind enveloped him as it landed on the deck with a heavy thud. Dust particles hit his face as the warm wind flowed over him; he closed his eyes instinctually for protection against the debris. The deck beneath him continued to shudder for a time, residual effects from the door hitting it. He could feel the vibrations in his toes and for a moment he enjoyed that feeling. Yet as he opened his eyes that had only been closed for mere nano seconds he felt something else; panic! He turned his head quickly from one direction to another. Yet it was the same.

Blackness, darker than the void of space, surrounded him. It penetrated his very core. Was he blind? Reaching out an extremity he pawed for the nearest available object. Feeling the cold metal of the consol next to him, he relaxed but only slightly. He reached out again, this time with his mind. He screamed out to anyone to hear him, to reply… but no one did… was he dead?

In the command centre min Larimar sat, her fingers clasped tightly around the arm rests of her chair, her face awash with concentration. ~We have been cut off~ she told the others simply that were with her.

~We have breaches on deck one through five.~ Phenacite told Larimar as she stood poised over the computer, reading the incoming information with precession. Her nimble fingers danced over the key pads as she attempted to erect a stabilization field around the effected areas.

~Alpha team reports that they have engaged the intruders…~ Shattuckite informed his captain, his min. His face too showed concentration as his mind was linked to the seven members of Alpha. It was a difficult task for those not as advanced as Larimar, he had to maneuver his way through layers of emotions, feelings, thoughts of possibilities from those he was connected to as they themselves speculated on what they were dealing with. The information was un-concise, tainted by raw emotion and physical reactions to fear, panic and disorientation.

Shaking his head Shattuckite looked towards Larimar ~Intruders are still unknown min at this time.~ he reported with regret behind his aged silver eyes.

Kunzite turned in her chair, ~Beta team are ready to engage min~ she reported in a determined tone.

The Void Explorer herself shuddered, moaned and screamed, as if she were the only one that understood the malevolence of those that penetrated and ripped open her hull.

To those uneducated Larimars youth would perplex, for she was in essence the captain of this vessel. Many of her aides were advanced in their years, and she compared to them was a mere child. Yet if one could see behind the expression upon her face, the complexity of her mind and the task it undertook… Larimar could hear every single voice upon this ship, she could hear every thought that was generated by the chemical reactions, neurotransmitters firing between synapses in their brains. She processed the data like a computer, analyzing it, investigating it and compiling it to draw out the consistencies: the facts. Her pace, her accuracy, her ability was second to none on this vessel. Within just seconds she had seen first hand what had walked through the impaired hull of her ship...

The intruders knew exactly where they had each other. It was a part of their design. Sarm stood calmly while Grimm and Frey fired two Screamer grenades down the corridor behind the ruined access hatch. A second later a telepathic hailstorm erupted as the Screamer grenades exploded.

Abruptly Larimar stood her expression grim. Traces of pain coursed through her face, laced the tone of her voice as she addressed the others.

~Alpha team one is gone.~ if she had the time to mourn their loss she would have cried right there and then. Yet there was something else… she closed her eyes and focused on the last moment of Amazonites life, Danburites Second.

Her heart rate increased, her breathing became shallow, ~Elders!~ Larimar screeched. Her head whipped round to her advisors, panic clear in her expression, fear emanating from every pore of her body…

~It's the Black Templars!~

"The Reveal" Part Seven

Continuation of "Who wants to Live Forever" Pt 13 & ½ (The part you didn't see!)

The Black Templars written by Jonas
Larimar and her Kin written by Dru

***Location: The Void Explorer, millennia's ago…***

Her heart rate increased, her breathing became shallow, ~Elders!~ Larimar screeched. Her head whipped round to her advisors, panic clear in her expression, fear emanating from every pore of her body…

~It's the Black Templars!~

Out of the darkness they came. The damned. Templar Frey was the first one to step out of the darkness. Dust flew up as his boots treaded over the bodies lying on the ground. More shadowy figures materialized out of the darkness that had appeared out of nothing.

The long dark dusters they wore made them look like futuristic gunslingers. All of them moving with deadly intent.

Sarm pulled one of his guns from the holster, released the safety and shot one of the telepaths in the head as he walked by. None of the nine Templars around him took any notice of the execution. If he hadn't done it then one of them would have. The death of the enemy was the only thing that mattered.

Galena, having been concealed by the shadows from the position she sat in the command centre, stood, making her presence known. She was the attaché to Gamma and well versed in the fables that were the 'Black Templars'. ~That is impossible min Larimar.~ she said in her ever calm and serene voice. It cut through the tension and rising panic that Larimar was feeling as the information poured into her mind from those all over the ship. Galena's gentle features were accented by the subtle lighting that illuminated the command centre of the Void Explorer. Gracefully she crossed the distance between them, not only physically but mentally too, providing unseen support and comfort to her min. Her silver eyes gleamed in the light, her age and wisdom seeping through unabated.

Phenacite turned from the screen for a moment, ~The vessel dose not match any of the intelligence reports regarding the Templars.~ she informed them all keeping her cool.

~They are a myth, min.~ Kunzite said standing up herself, agitated. She was a formidable woman, her mind dedicated to tactical strategies, she cared not for speculation. Fact was the only thing that drove her, that and having the upper hand against her enemies. She was a vicious woman at times, ruthless and arrogant. Yet she served her purpose, in War there was little room for compassion.

Shattukite shook his head. He felt sick to his stomach. His entire team had been wiped out in one blow, and he felt their loss, like part of him was stripped, taken away in a second, and there had been nothing he could do to stop it. If he concentrated hard he could hear their screams, yet he had to sever the link to protect himself. Their voices were gone, and he felt empty. It physically hurt. A tear slipped down his wrinkled cheek as he turned his face away from his min and her attachés.

Boji was the next to speak up, ~Kunzite is right.~ he said not moving from his seat, ~The Templars,~ he pulled a face to show his disdain, ~were *made up* by the mundanes,~ again he pulled a face, yet this one was far worse than the other, he spat the last word out with the venom and hatred he carried for them, ~to lull their children to sleep at night. It's a bead time story of hope, so pitiful, so egocentric.~

He stood now, the anger within him rising as did the pitch and tone of his voice in their minds, ~They believe that they can quell us with a myth!~ he slammed down a fist on the control panel next to his chair, ~They are fools! Do not let the rambling thoughts of the dying sway you min. We are better than that. Stronger.~ The fury in his eyes seeped out as he glared across the command centre and into Larimars eyes.

In the decks below the command centre a bolt passed Templar Frey barely an inch from his head. Calmly he looked down the corridor in the direction the bolt had come. Just as calmly he tilted his head slightly to the side to let yet one more bolt pass harmlessly by. The bolt struck the wall behind him with a sizzling sound, making a scorch mark on it.

Templar Sarm nodded in approval. Templar Frey and Templar Castor both removed a flat metal object from their belts, pressed a small button.

The small disks left the Templars hands simultaneously, each striking the wall on their way down the corridor. The bounce altered the course enough to bounce inside the corridor where they were hiding.

For a moment Larimar was silent, gathering the thoughts from her aides and processing them. Galena knew more about the Templars than any of them did. She had studied every fabled encounter with them. Her studies, though private, had been only theories based on her ability to feel and hear the words of those souls from beyond. Larimar did not doubt her talent, her connection to the deceased. She waited a beat until Galena let her in through her mind blocks so she could experience Galenas first hand account of the debris field: all that was left of several great Void ships. Several of her blood kin had served on those vessels, Larimar thought absently.

As the images and feeling unfolded within she began to understand the nature of how those souls had perished. She was not naive enough to take these images and memories as 'Written by the Elders', yet even so Galena's accounts were compelling evidence.

~Beta has engaged.~ Kunzite voice slipped into the silence in a low growl.

Galena blinked, coming out of her shared memories with Larimar she paused for a moment to re-establish her link with her troops. ~As have Gamma.~ she added softly.

Larimar looked to the other faces in the room, to those that had been silent, communicating back and forth with the men and woman under their command. Okenite was still in his chair, his eyes were closed, his expression neutral as he gathered information from his First. In the chair next to him Seraphinite flinched, her face creased up with an expression of pain. Larimar watched her closely. Seraphinite was also an innocent, recently her talents had grown, and thus Larimar had bestowed upon her the honour of joining the Circle of Aides and given her charge of her own Pod. She had been extremely grateful for the chance to prove herself, yet as Larimar studied her she soon realised her judgment of the innocent youngling had been in error.

In the other chairs that lined the outer rim of the command centre men and woman of various ages and experience sat; these were her aides, each one attached to a pod through telepathy. Chrysocolla, Calcite, Azurite, Apatite, Rhyolite, Sugilite, Wulfenite and Ulexite were the other eight aids that made up the 'Circle of Aides'. Twelve of the best telepaths, able to transmit data from their minds to the First of their Pod, coordinate attacks through those men and woman with ruthless precision. While they spoke to their First's with ease and tranquilly, Serphinite showed signs of stress and agitation; she was reacting to the battle that her Pod had engaged in. If her First died, so would she.

Larimar sighed, a long exhale of disappointment as she watched Serphinite grow more and more disturbed, her long bony fingers extended around the confines of the large oval chair she sat in as her body vaulted from the link.

~Shattukite…~

~I can not re-establish the link,~ He cut her off before she could even think her question, ~I can not tell you who killed my Pod. Just that they all died, horrifically. In ways I did not think possible.~ He ran a hand through his greying hair and sighed deeply.

~I do not understand it!~ Phenacite exclaimed.

Larimar turned, her tufted eyebrows rising, questioning.

~Beta is down, Gamma is down, Delta is engaging now.~ She turned and looked at Kunzite and Galena for additional confirmation.

The pair stood in confusion, both women were in shock. Larimar's eyes went from one to the other, her mind probing them as she did. Galenas usual gentle features became hard as her mind engaged with her pod her eyes spewed forth a rising fury, while Kunzite seemed to emanate compassion, regret for her pod.

The defenders were still trying to scramble together something that resembled a defensive line. The attack on the first defensive team had been faster and more brutal than anything they had encountered. Thulite was the first one that noticed the two metal disks landing behind his pod.

He looked at them for a second and saw the disks open up along the middle. A sickly green light suddenly gleamed out through the crack. ~Grenade!~ he howled to the others but it was too late. The grenades floated a foot up in the air. A low whine filled the corridor and steadily increased in volume. Within a few seconds the sound was so loud it made their teeth vibrate.

They all clamped their hands over their ears trying to block out the noise. Trails of blood had started running from their noses and ears and the pain blurred their vision. The defenders sank to their knees, now screaming in pain from burst eardrums. Even their entire skeleton began to vibrate. A shadowy figure dressed in a dark long duster walked around the corner. The gun in his hand spoke four times, preaching the word of death. It was nothing short of an execution. Sarm watched the bodies slide down on the ground as he walked past.

He turned to three of the Templars and nodded to them. Everything went according to plan. The telepaths cared greatly for their offspring, keeping them near for safety. Sarm couldn't understand why. It was tactically unsound and strategically insane. That's what their mission was: The children.

Larimar felt it then, a jolt through her body, through her mind. They all felt it. Before their very eyes Seraphinite slumped in the chair before them. Crimson blood spilling from her eyes and nose stained her silk tunic, her silver eyes stared out across the command centre, empty, cold: dead.

Another pod was down!

"The Reveal" Part Eight

Continuation of "Who wants to Live Forever" Pt 13 & ½ (The part you didn't see!)

The Black Templars written by Jonas
Larimar and her Kin written by Dru

***Location: The Void Explorer, millennia's ago…***

Larimar felt it then, a jolt through her body, through her mind. They all felt it. Before their very eyes Seraphinite slumped in the chair before them. Crimson blood spilling from her eyes and nose stained her silk tunic, her silver eyes stared out across the command centre, empty, cold: dead.

Another Pod was down!

Had the crew of the Void Explorer known that the fable of the Black Templars, spread by the mundanes; their enemies, had been true. Had Larimar followed her instincts just minutes previous. Had she not debated their existence, things may have turned out differently. But they hadn't, she hadn't and so they didn't.

~I want that deck vented into space!~ Larimar shouted at Phenacite.

The woman turned back to her console sharply. Her fingers raced over the controls, ~I can't!~ she hollered back, the sudden rising panic inducing the fevered pitch, ~I will have to interphase.~ she said with concern glancing at Larimar over her shoulder.

~Do it!~ Larimar ordered urgently.

Phenacite nodded curtly. Interphasing with the main computer was difficult, only Phenacite had ever managed to do it with any sort of success. Spreading her hands out over the control panel she closed her eyes and let her senses take over. A crackle of energy sparked from her palms, blue lightening emanated from her fingertips as she began to manipulate the power flow of the ship wide systems with controlled and concise bursts of electrical energy from her own body.

~Galena, Kunzite, Boji, Azurite, Ulexite, Wulfenite, you are with me. Gear up. This is all out War. Final orders to your pods: with all force necessary; get these farnartards off my ship! Disconnect and get ready to teleport.~ she barked.

There was a momentary delay as those still connected to their pods relayed their final orders, before scattering about the command centre to get the required equipment for battle.

~Shattukite…~ Larimar began turning to face one of her dearest and closest aides.

~I know Larimar.~ He replied reaching out to take her hand.

Larimar blinked, how was it that he knew what she wanted before she had even finished thinking it? She stared into his eyes for a moment, lost by their depth, his depth. For a second she paused to contemplate if he knew what she felt for him

He nodded slowly, never breaking eye contact with her, ~I know what needs to be done. This will be the last line of defense….~

~But how will you know...?~ she broke in, probing him with her mind, yet to no avail. He had erected his blocks; it was always the same when they were close, she felt his guard go up every time. At first she thought it was because he didn't trust her, regarded her as an infant still, given her age, but … she trailed off.

~I know where you are all the time.~ he replied as he opened the access hatch to the weapons and body armor locker. Pulling out a back and breast plate he began to dress his min in her battle gear, for the last time.

Holding the plates in place as he fastened them together she regarded him for a moment. His aged hands and weathered face, those gentle eyes full of wisdom. Wisdom that she had consulted a thousand times over, in every dangerous situation, she couldn't imagine him not being with her now.

While the two were looked in an almost ceremonial procedure the rest of the command centre was a thrum of activity. Around them orders were barked from one aide to another, each understanding the seriousness of the situation. She could hear them all as she stood silently letting Shattukite dress her. He moved so methodically, checking everything twice, attaching the power cells to her amour and linking them to the arm controls with his face neutral; so distant he was now, far out of reach, just going through the motions, disconnecting from everything in order to survive. For a moment she rose above all the voices, like turbulent waves crashing against the shore, focused on his song alone. Such pain. A tear rolled down her cheek. She knew now, as did he.

Turning from that gulf of emptiness she barked at Okenite, ~Get the Innocents here, prepare to disengage on my mark.~

Templar Sarm led his group out into the main access corridor. Heavy resistance was expected, but that was nothing new to the Templars. Without even having to give the order Templar Frey threw two Screamer grenades down the corridor, bouncing them on the wall to get them into the connecting corridor where defenders had taken up positions. The sound of the Screamers was barely heard by the Templars, but for the telepaths it was a different matter.

Again no orders were issued as the team of nine Templars walked down the corridor. Each of them simply followed the orders they 'knew' in their minds that Sarm wanted them to do. When the defenders came charging out from a corridor up ahead the rest knew it the instance the first Templar spotted the enemy. They knew where they came, how many they were and the weapons that were being used.

The onslaught had began, or rather the slaughter. As Galena, Kunzite, Boji, Azurite, Ulexite, Wulfenite and Larimar teleported into position they witnessed first hand the devastation being wrought upon their mighty vessel. Seeing it with their own two eyes was vastly different from feeling it through anothers. Setting up behind a blockade Larimar watched as wave after wave of her kin were knocked down by the Screamers. They were a twisted, sadistic form of warfare; to a telepath they were deadly. No other could hear or feel there effects; the instant pain they caused was overwhelming. They emitted a pulse for just long enough that everyone who was present in the blast radius was completely immobilized.

The Screamer was designed specifically by the Templars to aid them in their mission. It was cruel, just like they were. Unrelenting, just like they were.

It wasn't a quick death either; it was long, drawn out and excruciatingly painful. The grenade let off a pulse making it impossible for them to hear anything else once it blew. The pulse affected the telepathic brain as well as destroying their inner ear drums and bringing to pass all their worst fears. Within moments they were paralyzed with fear, disorientated and immobilized, locked inside their own mind, unable to escape. Their worst nightmare would play out. It was never what they expected either, for most, fear is locked deep with in the subconscious, and never really confronted in daily existence. The trauma of living through it caused so much damage to the brain that before the vision even ended, their body had already died. Those that did survive, and the odds of that were one in a thousand, were never the same again.

Larimar was lucky, she wasn't in the blast radius, yet she was close enough to see it. Her and her pod were at the back of large platform, crouched down prepared to shoot the first thing that moved, that wasn't one of their own.

She heard the cries from her kin as the Screamers detonated, she saw their bodies drop to the floor, watched them as they grabbed their heads in pain, shrieked out to the Elders for any form of comfort, and then she watched with unbridled horror etched on to her features as one by one the Templars stepped through the arch.

She felt nothing from them. Their faces were neutral, no trace of emotion as they turned their weapons upon every writhing form and fired. Larimar closed her eyes instantly feeling the loss of life as if it were a limb amputated from her own body. One by one the Templars turned and fired, executing each and every one of her kin that had fallen from the Screamer. Her eyes widened, her mind stilled as another voice was taken. Stunned for a moment she just watched. To be honest she would have done the same thing, no one lives through a Screamer; it was kinder to end it before it had barley begun. She turned from the sight before her, staring at the wall she cried out to the Elders, her 'gods' for strength.

Sarm nodded towards the left side corridor up ahead. There was no need to give additional instructions. He looked at three Templars whom all just nodded silently. In the Great War the telepaths had always had the upper hand through their powers. The mundanes had after a while developed screening methods to defend themselves, but it never took long until the telepaths had developed ways of getting through.

But with the Templars it was different. Their minds were shielded in a way they had never encountered before and the few times a telepath had managed to push through it had never gone well.

The telepaths had learned the hard way that the Templars could track them down if they tried to touch the mind of a Templar. To the silent warriors it was like seeing a flashlight in pitch black darkness.

The three Templars shouldered their rifles and drew their handguns. Massive things, designed to make very big holes in the body armor the telepaths wore. Sarm had a specific task for those three. The children onboard.

Sarm both saw and felt the telepaths retreat. No doubt had they been recognized. He retrieved a Screamer from his belt, armed it and tossed it down the corridor almost casually. It slid across the floor as Sarm followed it in suit.

The telepathic warriors that made up the bulk of the telepaths fighting body saw the grenade come to a halt. Less than a second later their world exploded. But their misery didn't last long. Sarm had un-holstered his gun and shot the writhing creatures as he passed them, one by one in the head, without looking. The screams died down just as suddenly as they had risen.

"Larimar.. " he said in a voice her telepathic abilities would pick up. He knew that by experience. He had hunted her and her ship for quite some time, longer than the telepath knew herself. Sarm knew the way she fought better than she knew it herself - after all she was but a telepath. He on the other hand was a Templar.

Larimar froze, just as she was getting her pod ready to move out she heard him. His voice slid inside her mind, it was unnatural, uncomfortable, and what was worse; he knew her name….

"The Reveal" Part Nine

NOTE: Continuation of Flashback to "Who wants to Live Forever" Pt 13 & ½ (The part you didn't see!) With excerpts from "Who Wants to Live Forever Pt 14"

The Black Templars written by Jonas
Larimar and her Kin written by Dru

Lieutenant Dhanishta Eshe - Chief of Engineering
First Lieutenant Jebidiah Baile - Co Furies SFMC

***Location: The Void Explorer, millennia's ago…***

Larimar froze, just as she was getting her pod ready to move out she heard him. His voice slid inside her mind, it was unnatural, uncomfortable, and what was worse; he knew her name….

She knew little about the Templars. Galena knew more, whilst no-one had survived an encounter with them, adding to the belief that they were merely a story, it was apparent that they were not. They were here, on her ship, and she knew now; having seen what Galena had seen, they were no myth. Turning to Galena, Larimar implored her for more information.

~They wont stop min.~ Galena said, her eyes fixed upon the shadowy forms that seemingly arose from the ashes and continued their pursuit towards them without so much as a break in concentration. ~They will hunt us down one by one until there is nothing left of us. No trace that we ever existed.~ her voice was distant, as if she had come to realize her own mortality and was readily preparing to engage it.

~They are not empathic, nor are they telepathic, even though they move as one?~ Larimar asked her. It was a reasonable deduction given how they had attacked and how they moved through her ship, silently with ease, each one knew what to do, without any communication from the other. Although there was one, the one that stood now, spoke her name and addressed her as if he was a leader. If she took out him maybe all the others would die…? She looked up, wondering if his death would be enough to stop this. Already she could feel the terror all around as news spread of who their invaders were.

After telling her pod their orders she stood up, it was her only way to reply to him, for he couldn't hear he if she spoke. This could be a trap, yet it also might be negotiations, if it was the latter she could not let that opportunity go.

The powerfully built Templar holstered his gun when he saw her. He pulled back the hood that had covered his face. They all wore similar garments, heavy body armor and a long duster with a hood on top of that. "It pleases my eyes to finally see you min Larimar…" he said. His voice had a slow drawl to it but it was still rich and full.

The Templars were a terrifying sight. They were mute, devoid of any emotion of thought. Their minds were totally unreadable and it was the scariest thing for Larimar to witness. She could feel nothing from him, no reasoning as to why they were attacking, no motive. She had fought many times before, since she was an innocent youngling, all those battles had gone well, she had fought hard and grasped her skills with a natural ease. Yet this was something different, more sinister.

He was the Telepath Killer.

She knew it already. As soon as she realized it was them. She knew they had come here to kill them all. The reports of entire ships being wiped out with no trace left, and no information of how, or who; she knew how now, and by whom.

Tilting her head to the side in reply she watched him closely, it was all she could do. She could not anticipate his actions, only hope that she would be able to translate the slightest twitch of his body and react in time.

"Surely the years of mindspeak has not deprived your tongue of its function?" he asked her with that faint drawl to his voice.

She took in a breath, and pursed her lips underneath her mask. Licking her lips to part them she paused before she spoke. Lifting the visor of her mask she looked upon him with her own eyes, instead of through the interactive visual display of her suit. Her silver eyes matched the tufts of her silky hair that poked through the sides of her helmet.

She confronted her fear: by standing here before him. She forced her body not to tremble. "They have not." she replied in a husky voice, brittle and dry from not using it in years.

The Templar smiled and suddenly looked very... human. This wasn't personal to any of the Templars. It was simply what they had been created to do. Hunt down and kill the telepaths. "It is a mighty fine ship you have… I have studied every single battle she has been in under your command, min Larimar… and I must confess I find your record of success fascinating."