STO Phoenix Compendium

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction' started by Hawku, Oct 5, 2020.

  1. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Oh, that's this one if you're interested: LC 69: Winter Wonderland -- Menchez teams up with Seifer and Aeris to fight Borg snowmen, with the help of a certain quasi-omnipotent Q-wannabe. Basically, a parody of the in-game Winter Wonderland event every December. :D

    To me, that phrase is so ingrained that it permeates the Trek universe until it involuntarily comes out of other people.

    Haha, thanks! I kind of regretted it, because I think it messed with another player's plans. But I guess it's like improv. You make choices in the moment.
     
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  2. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Author's notes: These are compiled posts for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in November 2016.​

    Earth Spacedock, Pages 76-78
    Operations - Earth Spacedock

    Elric entered Operations on Earth Spacedock and approached the holographic display at the Command Ring. He found several ships preparing for missions.

    A fleet of Starfleet vessels followed another fleet, setting course out of the system, escorting a now phase-cloaked Galaxy-X-class U.S.S. Sally, heading for the U.S.S. Hepzibah's last known location.

    Elric finished reading the report to get him up to speed on a situation with the Hepzibah. He put the PADD down and then tapped into remote subspace relay stations throughout Federations space to connect with the ships at the edge of Klingon space. After a moment he could see that the Prometheus-class starship was surrounded, and local sensor reports indicated that it was boarded.

    "I've got an eerie feeling about this," Elric said, as if having the upper hand was too good to be true.

    Captain Nat walked over to Elric and noticed the situation regarding the Hepzibah. He raised an eyebrow. "You might be right..."

    The human nodded to the alternate universe Captain Nat, as he was handed a report from an intelligence officer. Elric read it and turned to Nat. "Several similar-looking humans were found killed around Qo'noS," he reported. "They appear to be Infamous clones. It's just like the death here. What do you make of it?"

    Captain Nat sighed. "Word has it the D'ren out there is on a mission to take out the entire Infamous Armada. Makes sense to kill off all the other D'rens so they aren't a threat to his success."

    In a moment, an officer walked over to them and glanced at the display, reading the location of the Hepzibah. Before Nat or Elric could speak, the unknown officer vanished into a somewhat sparkly, roundish, and yellow transporter beam, not unlike those used by the Undine.

    Captain Nat stepped back, opening his mouth. No words came out.

    Elric was taken in shock as well. He then spread his arms, cautiously. "I got this. I relocated Spacedock's lockdown controls to right here, next to the daily ship rosters and coffee orders. I can't even count how many times we've gone full lockdown, but we may as well make it easy for us if it's going to be a regular occurrence."

    He activated the console and set the station into mode again. Transports and communications went into limited status.

    Captain Nat sighed. "How the hell did he even board the station without those devices sending him back? Did he have access to whatever that other Undine used?"

    "Hmm. According to Aeris' report, the Undine Doctor Kohogeth used the devices as a cross-universal proxy to pull in people to the Unknown Undine Biobase, and, eventually her old ship into Fluidic space. His access came from the same biobase, so, it's possible whichever Undine faction is in play here either has a similar control or took over that same base. Either way, they've found a way to modify Spacedock's devices, which are inaccessible to us, even after all our efforts to uncover them."

    He thought for a moment.

    "Maybe we can go back to that base and use the controls there to go from proxy-access to something more thorough to possibly sync these anti-devices to our universe. That way we could repair and upgrade them as necessary?"

    Captain Nat shrugged. "We can try, but the admiral did tell me to stay put, cuz hyper-Q powers."

    "So, you've got the powers, huh? What's to stop you from using them to get what we want aboard the Hepzibah? Or merge the anti-devices to our realm without all that work? Or even run off, never to be seen again?"

    "The admiral ordered me not to," the AU Nat replied. "First step towards power hungry insanity."

    "Your restraint is commendable, Captain. But how are you able to stand by when people's lives are in danger? The Undine could board Spacedock and kill us all, or that armada could go to war? How do you know you aren't being tempted into power hungry insanity right now?" Elric asked. "Sorry about all the questions, but having those abilities surely warrants some inquest."

    "The Undine aren't boarding spacedock and killing everyone." Nat replied. "If they do, I might just cave in and stop them." He sighed. "Your concerns are completely understandable, though. As for the armada, what would I do? They have anti-Q medallions, and yes, I am being tempted into power hungry insanity right now, but I'm resisting it."

    "Sorry, Captain. I may have spoken out of turn, but only because I know that if I had such powers, I'd be doing everything I could to help people in need. But I'm not in your shoes, and I don't know how something like that would really effect me. I can only imagine how it's working on you. I admire your dedication to staying within the command structure, and I know your intentions are good, but if you can't hold onto your sanity, we may be in trouble."

    Then he remembered.

    "Wait. What if we tried to annihilate this power like I tried before? The ancient El-Aurian amplifier artifact is still aboard the I.S.S. Amaterasu which is inside Spacedock right now. I may have lost the medallion, but there was another medallion on that clone earlier which we could attempt to use on you in the same way."

    "We had the admiral take it in case D'ren had another Q working with him."

    Before Elric could respond, his console beeped. "Okay, looks like the message I sent to Admiral Nat, while we were talking, informing him of the Undine, has been received by his ships." He then went to another console. "No signs of Undine anywhere here, according to Spacedock sensors and other Sol system relay stations. But there was a linear distortion near Jupiter, possibly caused by a moving cloaked ship. I think I can track them if I get to the Amaterasu quick enough."

    He nodded to the alternate universe Captain Nat before heading for the interior shipyard.

    "I'll be back before supper."

    ---

    Earth Spacedock, Shipyard

    When the Captain reached the section where the Prometheus-class I.S.S. Amaterasu was docked, he was blocked by Commander Barnes at the docking doors.

    "Going somewhere?" the Benzite asked.

    Elric took a breath from his run. "There are no ships around to investigate a distortion at Jupiter, so I'm taking my ship out for just a quick run around the block."

    "This was your mirror counterpart's ship; not yours," he explained. "Also, your attempts at dismantling its Dominion transporter device has irrevocably damaged its systems."

    The other man threw his arms up. "What!? First my original Amaterasu is nearly totaled by Na'khul and now this."

    "You should be kinder to your starships, crew issues notwithstanding. At least propulsion still works on the original vessel. Space magic, I assume."

    Elric snapped his fingers. "Yes, that's right." And then, "Hey, look over there!"

    "Ugh. You really think that would actually work on me?" the annoyed Benzite said as he rolled his eyes, disappointed at the attempt at all. But when he returned his gaze, he found Elric was gone. "Oh."

    Minutes later, the Hestia-class U.S.S. Amaterasu was activated, taken out of Spacedock and into open space.

    ---

    Operations

    Later, the fleet retuned with the Hepzibah, and docked with Earth Spacedock.

    Admiral Nat contacted Captain Nat who was sitting at a work station on the bridge, which was being repaired. "We need more crew."

    Admiral Nat facepalmed. "Of course you don't have enough guys. Scott, get some more guys. Anything else?"

    Captain Nat replied. "That probable-Undine we sent a message about, and Elric went looking for some cloaked ship or something out by Jupiter."

    "We'll go help him check it out, I suppose," Admiral Nat replied, "once Scott and his guys finish getting over there to help you."

    Captain Nat nodded. "Sounds good."

    ---

    Captain Elric - U.S.S. Amaterasu, Bridge

    The Hestia-class starship dropped an unprecedented short burst of warp at Jupiter Station. With Zeta crawling around the helm, the ship moved passed the science structure and toward the spot the station personnel had detected. Elric stood when a Starfleet officer suddenly entered the Bridge in surprise.

    "Oh," she said. "My name is Jessie. I'm the holographic maintenance program working on this ship, considering the engineering staff was reassigned."

    Elric turned to her in shock. "Sorry, Jessie, I just needed my old ship back for a moment. We're scanning a distortion in space that may be a cloaked ship."

    "Hm," she thought. "You could attempt a tachyon burst to reveal it."

    The Captain nodded. "I agree. Thanks, Jessie."

    She went over to a control panel and got to work. The Amaterasu shot out a burst which suddenly deactivated the cloak around a Caitian Atrox Carrier. Elric scanned it and found it was a ship registered as the Emerald and that there were lifesigns for Caitians and one human aboard. In the next second, 6 advanced Stalker Fighters shot out from it and opened fire on the Amaterasu.

    "Elric to Admiral Nat," he replied, noticing the hail. "I guess those Undine are still unaccounted for."
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2022
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  3. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

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    Classic gag. The franchise should have used it more often. Thanks!! rbs
     
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  4. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Pointing out a distraction is itself a distraction.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2022
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  5. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Author's notes: These are compiled posts, including other players, for the First City RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in November 2016. Tavar and his team were last seen stealing Lore parts in LC 65: Myths and Lore.​

    First City, Pages 1-2
    Captain Menchez - Qo'noS, Shipyard

    After transporting to the Shipyard in orbit of the homeworld, Menchez made his way to the centre of it where it was busy with high ranking officers working on their own ships remotely. Out of the large windows, the Captain could see the I.K.S. Kragoth, a Negh'Tev-class heavy battlecruiser. The sheer size of the thing blew the old Klingon away.

    "Hu'tegh!" he swore. "It is impossible to believe the Empire would give me such a ship. Especially after I may have uncovered events in what some would perceive as prematurely."

    Another old Klingon, a Commander Rogh walked over. "You aren't a mind reader, and, besides, no Klingon is perfect. Oh, I may be one of those anti-J'mpok hardliners. I am Rogh, and I assist Captain Klaarg in operating this facility."

    "Do not fret," Menchez held up his hand. "We had J'mpok to blame for breaking our peace with the Federation. Now that it's back, perhaps he could learn the benefits of such an alliance."

    Rogh shrugged. "Perhaps. But are politics and nationalism the only reason you are embarking on such a mission?"

    "You get right to the point, don't you Commander? Well, if you must know, this old warrior would like to prove to himself he is still useful. So far, age hasn't weakened me— yet."

    The Commander nodded. "The heart of a warrior never dies. If you believe there are more lessons and battles to be had, then allow nothing to stop you. In the meantime, your crew is boarding now, if you would like to take the Bridge of your ship."

    "Thank you, Commander Rogh," Menchez replied, taking a breath and one last look at the exterior of the Kragoth.

    Meanwhile, The Ha'vok drifted near the Shipyard, anticipating Menchez.

    ---

    Captain Menchez - I.K.S. Kragoth, Bridge

    Captain Menchez entered the Bridge of the Negh'Tev-class I.K.S. Kragoth and nodded to his crew. Lieutenant Commander Vato, a Klingon and tactical officer, walked over and handed him a PADD.

    "With the crew's battle records, we pledge you our lives and ask that you lead us as Commander of this ship," Vato said.

    Menchez took the PADD. "I accept your lives into my hands. Let us hail the Ha'vok."

    "Channel open," Lieutenant Kinna, a Klingon and operations officer, reported.

    The Captain took his seat. "General, we are ready when you are. The coordinates I received from my contact in Intelligence are in your hands alone. We will follow you to the orbital space station around an unknown planet that contains the assumed fleet of the House of Kovog."

    The general nodded in response. "We will set a course." Then his sizeable Kar'fi-class vessel set course for the coordinates provided by Menchez, and jumped to warp.

    The Kragoth sped through warp along with the Hav'ok. Menchez hailed the other ship.

    "General, whatever awaits us at the end of this may test us. If you don't mind my inquiry, how far would you go to retrieve the Chancellor? Would you die to get him?"

    The general nodded. "Me and my crew will do whatever it takes to bring him back. If worse comes to worse, today is a good day to die!"

    "I have my qualms with the man, but he is our Chancellor. Honour will have this day."

    When both ships dropped warp at the edge of the Pheben Sector, they suddenly found themselves before a giant planet and an orbital space station of Klingon design; both vessels surrounded by twenty enemy ships, half of them Klingon, the other half a mess of other-faction type starships: all, likely, unaligned to anyone but, perhaps, the House of Kovog. How much of this group was even comprised of Klingons?

    "Klingons, this is Tavar. Surrender your ships," came the hail of what appeared to be a tall Human, appearing on the view screen. "You won't get another warning."

    When the screen clicked off, Menchez returned to his communication with the Hav'ok. "Qu'vatlh," Menchez swore. "You are the ranking officer here, Kro'nok. I say we engage battle!"

    "To that, I agree, captain! We will destroy them!"

    The Hav'ok charged the main deflector and fired off a purplish deflector beam, generating a gravity well in the middle of the ships forward of them, and began firing a spread of antiproton arrays and chroniton torpedoes as a pair of Fer'Jai-class frigates emerged from phase shifts and began opening fire on the vessels to the aft. In a matter of moments, the Hav'ok was launching S'kul fighters as well, who began attacking the ships to the sides.

    The Kragoth pushed forward into the scattering of Klingon and exo-faction ships. A Ferengi Nandi-class warship fired phasers and photon torpedoes into Menchez's battlecruiser, to which the Kragoth countered with disruptor beams, taking out the Ferengi's forward shields. Two photon torpedoes shot into its hull then exploded its forward section.

    "That's one down," reported Vato. "How many more are there? Too many?"

    Menchez waved him off. "There is never too many! Continue!"

    "It was just an observation," Vato replied, as the Kragoth passed over a Kamarag-class battlecruiser and fired disruptor beams and photon torpedoes into its shields.

    Kinna activated weapon system efficiency, reducing power drain. The Kragoth took several more disruptor beam hits, bringing its ventral shielding down a few percentages. Vato fired again, burning through the Kamarag-class battlecruiser's dorsal protection and straight into its hull. Several more torpedoes exploded the Bridge and tore through the neck of the Kamarag-class battlecruiser, sending its own starship debris and spaceborne crew off into the vacuum.

    The Hav'ok continued, as the gravity well crushed at trio of Klingon Birds of Prey, as the Hav'ok fired a spread of antiproton arrays at a pair of Vor'cha-class battlecruisers, draining their shields and then destroying them with tricobalt devices.

    As the Kragoth moved through the space battle field, two Peghqu'-class heavy destroyers flanked from behind and began pumping disruptor cannons and beams into its aft shields. Kinna modulated the Kragoth's shields and Vato fired a full spread of gravimetric photon torpedoes into the forward shields of each ship.

    "Turn us about and finish them with the beams," ordered Menchez, as the Kragoth rotated to face them and fire powered-up disruptor beams through their shields and into their hulls.

    The two vessels blew up, with their explosions rocking the Negh'Tev-class battlecruiser and lighting up its shields. From the fading debris, a Kurak-class battlecruiser, the Sevak, decloaked and began firing disruptor beams into the Kragoth. Its Captain hailed Menchez.

    "Do you really think two ships against all of us is really a match?" smirked Tavar, a man and what appeared to be a Human in torn clothes. "Just because you discovered us, doesn't mean you have to attack us."

    Menchez gritted his teeth. It sounded like they didn't know they were here for the Chancellor, whoever they were. "What are a bunch of humans doing siding with the a house that was thought long dead?"

    "You think I'm some pathetic human?" laughed Tavar. "Would a human be capable of this?"

    The Captain watched as Tavar tapped commands into his communications console, diverting the rest of the waiting ships to open fire at both the Kragoth and the Hav'ok.

    "The answer is no," the man replied. "If you think you can take all of us on, you are as deluded as the rest of your Empire. You're all just a bunch of one-track-minded war beasts with no brains whatsoever. My people have made your lost House much better, and we will fix your weak Empire. If you get tired of being beaten, you may ask to join us. That is, if you're not dead by then."

    Another Negh'Var-class battleship warped in and opened fire on the attacking ships, as the Hav'ok launched more fighters and started generating an anti-time singularity in the middle of the enemy forces.

    Five Klingon ships became caught in the singularity, stopping them in place and knocking their shields offline. Their hulls began to buckle.

    Meanwhile, the Kragoth activated its molecular cohesion nullifier field, protecting Menchez and his crew from the increase in fire. The Negh'Tev-class vessel held in place as it took out three more swarming Birds of Prey. The Sevak quickly cloaked out of sight.

    The Hav'ok phase shifted, rendering it immune to incoming fire as the massive vessel fired on the enemy ships with antiproton beams.

    The Kragoth rocked under the explosion of the five Klingon ships buckling and exploding from the singularity, and rocked again from the incoming fire. Menchez turned to his tactical officer. "Report on scans for the Chancellor?"

    "Captain," Vato began as he turned to his other console. "I'm reading a Klingon life sign on the orbital station. The rest appear to be non-Klingons."

    Menchez turned to the view screen to take in the sight of the battle before them. "Augments," he corrected. "They're augments."

    "How do you know?" Kinna asked.

    The Captain nodded. "Their demeanour and over-confidence say it all. In addition, there have been reports of augment encounters in this sector. Hail the Hav'ok on a secure channel."

    "Channel open," Vato reported.

    Menchez sat in his chair. "General, if our intel is right about us being here, I suspect the Chancellor is on the Klingon orbital space station. There are more vessels between us and it. If we can defeat them, and then either beam him out or us in, we could be on our way to completing this mission. One more thing, if this space contingency is not humans, judging by their behaviour, it is likely they be augments."

    The general responded. "Acknowledged, captain. Onward!"

    The Kragoth tore through several more vessels until it neared the orbital space station. Vato fired upon its forward shielding, attempting to get a lock on the Klingon aboard it.

    "No luck, Captain," the tactical officer reported. "He's behind some heavy materials that is blocking our transporter."

    Menchez stood. "I will take an Away Team aboard. Hold us off here with the General if you can."

    "Understood, sir," he answered, leaving his position for the centre of the Bridge. He could see several Klingon ships attempt to transport augment soldiers onto the Hav'ok.
     
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  6. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

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    aptly named... Thanks!! rbs
     
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  7. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Location:
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    Author's notes: These are compiled posts, including other players' posts, for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in November 2016.​

    Earth Spacedock, Pages 79-83
    Admiral Nat - U.S.S. Sally, Bridge

    "We're here to assist." The admiral motioned for Jim to open fire, and the Sally rained on the carrier, as a pair of elite Delta Flyer-class runabouts launched from the Galaxy-X dreadnought and moved in to intercept the fighters.

    The admiral watched the battle closely, while Sarah gave out orders for various maneuvers and such.

    ---

    Captain Elric - U.S.S. Amaterasu, Bridge

    Two more Caitian Atrox Carrier's, the Feverent and the Gallaka decloaked behind the Amaterasu and the Sally, flanking them. Elric switched his viewscreen angle in mild shock.

    "Admiral," Elric said. "These appear to be a thug group of Caitians not like the kind we are used to, or serve with in Starfleet. I believe them to motivated by brainwashing, but, from who, may be the father of a woman named Claire that I encountered on Spacedock. He must be the same guy that gave them cloaking devices. Claire's in danger now, aboard the Emerald, and I plan on focusing my ship into getting me over there. Elric out."

    Two of the Stalker Fighters were destroyed by the two Elite Delta Flyers, prompting the remaining four to focus their tetryon pulse cannons into one Flyer at a time. Six more Stalker Fighters, three per ship, were launched from the two new vessels.

    Elric tapped a few panels. "Initiating multi-vector mode. I want to target all vector firing into weakening the Emerald's shields to get me through."

    The Amaterasu began moving forward as it split into three. The Emerald opened fire on them, while the Feverent and the Gallaka opened fire upon the Sally. Lancing phaser beam after phaser beam from each section of the Amaterasu suddenly caused a hole to be burned through and, doing as he planned, Elric transported aboard the Emerald to search for Claire.

    ---

    Admiral Nat - U.S.S. Sally

    Admiral Nat quickly turned to Jim, then Narekkun, then Sek, Burt, and finally 4 of 7. "You five, come with me. The rest of you, prepare for a Saucer separation. They won't expect this one. Separate on my signal, and immediately fire off an antimatter spread when you do."

    The officers rushed into the turbolift to the Battle Bridge, and arrived there soon after, signalling Sarah on the Saucer section. The Sally separated, the saucer firing off an antimatter spread, scrambling the Caitian's sensors as the Stardrive launched 2 more Delta Flyers, then turned about to aim its Phaser Lance weapon at the 2 carriers. The Sally's Stardrive fired a wide-beam soon after, and the Saucer began firing its own Phaser Lance at them soon after, disabling the Feverent's weapons.

    The Gallaka's forward weapons went down, but the impacts to its hull from that section weakened it further.

    ---

    Captain Elric - Caitian starship Emerald, Bridge

    The human made his way down the corridors, firing his phaser rifle into Caitian after Caitian. His tricorder led him to the Bridge, where Claire was already kicking one of the last Caitian operators out and to the floor.

    "I see you have everything under control here," the Captain observed.

    Claire smirked. "Which is more than I can say for you. Did you really think I needed saving?"

    "Hey, I just met you," he replied. "Also, to be honest, I blame myself for what happened. If I hadn't manufactured those cells or messed with Raven, I wouldn't have been distracted enough not to stop that hunter group."

    The woman looked at Elric's arm, which he revealed to be cybernetic. "Clearly doing things is not your forte, but I appreciate the sentiment. By the way, behind you?"

    "Argh!!" LuKet, completely covered in body armour now, swiped at Elric, knocking the rifle away and into a corner. The Caitian launched a second claw for the man, but Elric caught its wrist and forced a punch with his robot-arm into LuKet's helmet.

    Elric let go as LuKet was knocked back-walking several meters until the wall. "New threads? I like them," Elric said. "But how'd you fit your misshapened form into that suit?"

    "The hardest surgery of my life, no thanks to you," the completely covered Caitian replied in a deeper, augmented voice. "I wasn't fully prepared to leave the system to meet Fury without Claire's intel just yet, so I remained here until then. You're just a lucky bonus."

    He launched a suit-powered knee as he leapt at Elric, which was blocked with both the Captain's hands in an attempt at holding LuKet's momentum back. But, while in mid-knee-catch, above Elric, LuKet fired a straight-line-of-sight-punch down to his head. Elric arced his neck back, barely dodging it and then brought his cybernetic arm into an uppercut through LuKet's chin. The Caitian's movement was redirected and LuKet was sent upward, back, and then down onto the floor.

    "He may need more surgery," Elric said catching his breath and flexing his robotic hand. The new equipment was working better than he expected. "Well, at least I got the boss, right?"

    Claire shook her head as she walked over with the medallion and a stone tablet. "Seline leads the brainwashed Caitians. She's in another sector." Then she held up the tablet to a dissatisfied Elric. "These Ancient El-Aurian etchings were what they wanted me to decipher. It talks about a world in what's now Romulan space."

    "How the hell did that species get here before their present day equivalents?"

    She shrugged. "Who knows, but if you can help me figure the rest of this thing out, we can beat the Caitians to that world."

    "It looks like there are more parts to that box I recovered," he said as he examined it. "Err, anyway, let's finish this fight first." Elric went over to the helm and rotated the Emerald to face the Gallaka. Claire took weapons and joined the two sections of the Amaterasu in weakening the Gallaka's shields and hull. With weapons offline, the Feverent activated its warp bubble and stretched off through altered space, out of there.

    The third section of the Amaterasu assisted the Delta Flyers in destroying the rest of the automated Stalker Fighters. They exploded like popcorn in space.

    A surge was shot through the Gallaka's already overloaded interior, sending the warp core into a breech. The ship exploded in a bright plume of energy and debris.

    "Elric to Sally. I've got the Bridge under control on the Emerald, but there may still be men on lower decks. What's your status?"

    Admiral Nat replied from the stardrive. "They scratched our shields and put some dents in our Delta Flyers and the Saucer Section, but we're otherwise fine. I can have the Saucer beam over some MACOs to assist you, and have additional MACOs secure the rest of the ship."

    "Sounds good, Admiral. Thanks," Elric replied, noticing the Amaterasu reintegrating on another screen. "After it's secured, I'll bring the Emerald back to Spacedock. The Caitians on here will eventually need to be un-brainwashed. If that's possible. Elric out."

    The Sally's Saucer section started beaming MACOs to the Emerald. In a matter of minutes, twenty MACOs were already on the bridge, and more MACOs scattered throughout the ship, taking it over.

    Elric and Claire transported to the Amaterasu and the Hestia-class starship tractor beamed the Emerald back to Earth.

    After the Caitian vessel was brought into Spacedock, the MACOs took the Caitians to the brig, albeit temporarily, and then returned to the Sally.

    ---

    Captain Elric - Earth Spacedock, Operations

    Some time later, Elric went over to the command ring with the holographic displays of ships around Spacedock. He could see the Sally, the Lexington and the mirror Chronostorm nearby. A report told him Captain Jade was under medical care. He hoped she was okay, and wondered what was happening with the attacker.

    Then he brought up the data on the Caitian starship Emerald, which was being cataloged by Spacedock engineers. The brainwashed Caitians were all in the Brig, being examined by Doctor Melzine.

    Next to the alien ship was his old ship the Amaterasu, a vessel with only one person on board: a holographic engineer was all Starfleet would spare. He then watched the starship move into Spacedock's interior.

    "Stealing your own vessel?" came Commander Allura's interruption. "Hasn't that been done before?"

    Elric turned to her. "Doesn't mean it can't be done more than once."

    "Either way, it doesn't look good for you, despite the fact you revealed unregulated cloaked ships and captured intruders," she replied. "Starfleet likes the results, but the methods aren't always appreciated."

    The Captain crossed his arms. "Do you guys want me to raise my hand before I go to the bathroom too? I'm Captain in rank for a reason. If they didn't want me making decisions, they should've demoted me."

    "Rumour has it, it'd been discussed," she added. "Not that I'm on their side or anything."

    Elric thought about it for a moment. "Well, I'm not going to let that stop me from doing my job. Hopefully they can see past my rash nature for my integrity. Anyway, thanks for the heads up." He nodded to the Aenar and Operations officer and walked off, noticing Captain Lyras nearby. "Everything okay, Captain?"

    Lovely, more people... Lyras observed the approaching captain. "Yes, I am well," she replied, wondering for what purpose this captain was approaching her. Curiosity, perhaps? "I do not believe we have met," she said, successfully in keeping her tone calm and even. "I am Lyras." the Vulcan continued, studying the man before her.

    "Captain Elric," he extended his right hand, as his left, cybernetic hand was gloved. Elric was slim built, had dark brown short hair, and wore the Odyssey white-shouldered uniform. "Sorry to interrupt you. I was just curious. Are you on Spacedock for long?"

    "I do not know." Lyras replied, "Currently, I have not been given a mission, though that will no doubt change soon enough..."

    "Captain! Y-you're alive!" A young man with fiery red hair and a slight Irish accent, made his way to where the two captains were standing. "I can't believe it! When I talked to Commander Lissan earlier, she said that she couldn't sense you! We all thought you were-"

    "O'Donnell..." Lyras interjected, raising her brow slightly in warning. "How many of the crew made it?"

    His expression sobered. "Only... only those of us who were on the bridge when... well, you know..." he trailed off. "So... five, including you."

    "Five..." Lyras whispered, closing her eyes for a moment, before remembering captain Elric. "Captain Elric, this is Lieutenant Commander Kieran O'Donnell, my Chief of Operations."

    "Pleasure to meet you, Commander," Elric nodded to the Chief. He then looked at both of them. "I'm sorry about your crew, Captain Lyras. Sounds like things were rough? I lost my own crew as well during a Na'khul attack. I'm still in mission limbo. Though, I'm forced to wonder if they just want to keep me around Spacedock as a result."

    Upon hearing Elric mention the Na'kuhl, Lyras narrowed her eyes. So they're active in this timeline as well...

    Captain Sarah Walker entered Operations and waved to Elric, then continued over to center area, glancing at the holographic display of the system, and then looking over various reports.

    Minutes later, another Sarah came in, seemingly didn't notice the Sarah standing by the center console, and walking over to Elric. "Heya. How's the whole thing going on with those Caitians and that El-Aurian artifact?"

    Lyras observed the woman who looked exactly like the one who was studying a console nearby. Just then, she felt a nudge from O'Donnell. So he'd noticed it, too. She gave him the tiniest of nods.

    "Well, Captain, I'd better go round up the others. It was nice meeting you, sir." O'Donnell bobbed his head at Captain Elric, good-natured as ever despite the situation.

    "I had better go as well. It was nice meeting you, Captain." With that, she ambled casually over so that she was now on the other side of the woman currently in conversation with Captain Elric.

    In a flurry of action, she tapped her combadge, spun around, and aiming for the nerves at the base of the neck, attempted to deliver a Vulcan Neck Pinch.

    O'Donnell heard his combadge chirp. The signal! As smoothly and discreetly as he could he pulled out his phaser, and having previously walked over to stand behind the woman examining the console, aimed his weapon at her head. "Excuse me, Miss," the Irishman said conversationally, "Would you mind turning around slowly? I've got a phaser trained at your head right now, and I'd hate to have to use it."

    Sarah and Sarah quickly glanced at the two officers. The Sarah by the console raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

    The Sarah by Elric dodged the incoming nerve pinch, grabbed Lyras' arm and twisted it behind her, pulling out her phaser. "So you mind explaining why you're running around delivering nerve pinches, captain?"

    Scott, still by the ensign, glanced over at the various events, pulling out his phaser, not sure which Sarah to aim the weapon at, but eventually aimed for the Sarah that had now subdued Lyras. "Alright, which one of you is the real one, and which one of you in the Undine... or Changeling... or other assorted shapeshifter..."

    The two Sarahs glanced at each other. They seemed confused.

    Elric crossed his arms. "Hm. Let's run a blood test," he suggested as Doctor Melzine was entering Operations.

    "What??" the human Doctor widened his eyes in shock. "If I had known you guys were engaging in shenanigans, I would've stayed in the Infirmary!"

    The Captain rolled his eyes at the old man. "Just do the thing, please."

    "Fine, but you owe me an hour of calibration and review for your cybernetic arm for each test I take. Since that's two tests, that's two hours," the cranky man took out a blood screener from his carrying case and approached the Sarah in front of Elric first. He pressed it to her arm.

    Nothing happened. The Sarah by the console seemed genuinely surprised that the Sarah by Elric was a fake. Scott looked horrified. "THEY'RE BOTH FAAAAAAAKES!"

    The Sarah by Elric started growing into a large, imposing looking Undine, and swatted the nearby officers away with ease. The Sarah by O'Donnell grabbed him with an extended changeling arm and threw him into a wall, then glared at the Undine, who glared back, as Scott moved to try to prevent them from reaching Admiral Quinn in his office, but the Undine lunged at him, knocking him down while the changeling started fighting off security officers.
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2022
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  8. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: These are compiled posts, including other players' posts, for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in November 2016.​

    Earth Spacedock, Pages 83-87
    Captain Elric - Earth Spacedock

    Elric leapt to his feet and accessed a nearby console. "Clear the Changeling!" he ordered. He then put a forcefield around Changeling Sarah. On another console, he noticed a warning message notifying Operations that there was suddenly invasive technology located in the cargo bays. It appeared as if the anti-Undine devices were phase-shifting into their universe and malfunctioning.

    He brought up the cargo bay scans and looked at the data quickly.

    "Well, there they are. But they appear to be broken now, possibly by what suppressant this Undine is using."

    Doctor Melzine got up, annoyed. "Are you going scan things, or are you going to deal with the situation?" He threw Elric a hypo. "Anti-Undine nanoprobes. I never pack a medical kit without them."

    "You sure are prepared for things," Elric observed. He then approached the Undine Sarah and readied the hypo in his cybernetic hand. "Stand down. Are you with Captain Jade's armada?"

    The Undine, seemingly angered by the thought, swatted Elric away, glaring at him. Now, Elric somehow just knew that the Undine was very angry now. They were probably an enemy of the armada. Armour materialized on the Undine, as did a ground-scale antiproton cannon on the Undine's wrist, aiming the miniature planet-killer at Melzine, while motioning for them all to put their weapons down.

    The changeling, by now, was standing there, glancing at the Undine. "For some reason, I sense that we're here for the same thing." They turned to Elric, continuing. "Stand down and give us what we want, and no one will be harmed."

    "What is it you want?" Elric asked.

    The changeling went to say something, but the Undine motioned them to stop, whilst looking at the Sally outside the window.

    The Undine narrowed its eyes at the dreadnought, quickly turned to Elric, then abruptly shot the window, blasting it open and venting the air and numerous redshirts out into space. The Undine darted out the window moments before a force field materialized and went flying at the Sally. Before the Undine even hit the ship, the ship had already visibly lost power.

    ---

    U.S.S. Sally

    The Undine smashed a window open and forced itself inside the vessel before a force field (powered by emergency power) appeared.

    ---

    Admiral Nat - U.S.S. Sally, Main Sickbay

    The lights went out completely, but then the room lit up from the lights on the armor of the two MACOs, and a red glow from 8 of 14's eyepiece. Nat turned to them furiously. "What the hell was that!?"

    The MACO replied to the admiral. "Main power and auxiliary power were taken down by an Iconian computer virus. We have a security breach, apparently from a single Undine operative."

    8 of 14 added. "I'd guess the Undine may be affiliated with the Undine faction of the Behemoth. They may be here for Krystal and her armada."

    ---

    Earth Spacedock

    Scott rushed over to the nonexistent window filled with forcefield, at the empty space that once contained the Sally. "They just disappeared into subspace."

    "Well, so much for our down-time," Elric said as he used Spacedock scanners on the spot outside the window where the Sally was. "It appears as if their transition into nothing is subspace, much like the Solanae or Elachi. If the Sally was hijacked, where did they take her? Back to that Armada?"

    Scott sighed. "I'd guess they're after Krystal, like the Undine, and this changeling here..." he finished, motioning to the changeling.

    "Definitely worth a sigh. Maybe even two," Elric agreed.

    The changeling sighed. "I only know that I was sent to replace Sarah Walker, and acquire Krystal Jade. No one said anything about Undine, Elachi, Solanae, or anything of that nature. They must have plans of their own."

    Scott turned to the changeling, then to Elric. "You never know how many different factions might want her for one reason or another, most, if not all reasons regarding the armada. We need to track the ship and try to follow them. The Chronostorm might be able to."

    Elric sighed. "Oh, great. Now you've got me doing it. Never mind. We should take command of the Chronostorm. Commander Scott, are you familiar with that ship?"

    Scott replied. "Me and Captain Nat have already got the ship nearly operational. We're not very familiar with it, but we're figuring it out, slowly."

    Elric almost sighed, but didn't. "Very good. Let's make it so." After Scott beamed out, he turned to Captain Lyras. "Any assistance from your end would be appreciated, unless you've got other plans."

    "Of course, my crew and I are at your disposal." The Vulcan paused. "Before we get started, however, there is the matter of the woman the undine and changeling was sent to impersonate. It is likely that she is incapacitated somewhere, or worse, in order to avoid walking in on the imposters and ruining their plans." Lyras's brow furrowed, her voice somber, "Efforts should be made to determine her fate, if at all possible."

    Elric nodded. "Agreed. Your logic is impeccable. If any of your men want to assist Spacedock's security chief, Commander Reeve, in a search, that would be fine. Though, it's also possible she was on the Sally before it was lost. In the meantime, perhaps we should join the others on the Chronostorm, if what Scott says about about its abilities to track a ship in subspace is true, we may not have much time." He then tapped his commbadge. "Elric to Commander Reeve."

    "Reeve here."

    The Captain continued. "Start a search for Captain Sarah Walker and detain this changeling for questioning." He tapped his commbadge again. "Elric to Commander Batou."

    "Batou here, in Engineering. There better not be a window breech in Operations or anything."

    Elric hesitated. "How'd you—? Never mind. Just get up here and fix it. And it's not our fault." As he turned, he was met with Doctor Melzine.

    "Your arm seems to be in working order. But don't forget, you have to meet me for regular calibrations," Melzine said.

    He groaned. "After you did this without my permission? It's like you don't care about procedure at all! How many other officers have you fitted with cybernetic components? Menn Hilo seems to have been sitting on that bench for quite some time now. Anyway, I'll be on the Chronostorm."

    ---

    I.S.S. Chronostorm, Bridge

    Nat sat around in the captain's chair, watching the bridge crew prepare the ship for travel. He then noticed a Captain Sarah Walker by the right-side helm and tactical stations. Scott pulled out his relativity phaser and walked over to the so-called Sarah. "Mind if we get a blood sample to be sure?"

    Sarah nodded. When Salora, the ship's medical officer walked over to Sarah and got a blood sample, everyone looked at the results curiously. "Yep, she's human alright."

    Nat sighed then hailed Elric. "Cancel the search for Sarah. I think we've got her here."

    "Oh, I'm right behind you," Elric said. "Was here for a while actually." He then tapped his commbadge. "Elric to Reeve. Call off the search. Sarah's on the Chronostorm, as am I."

    *Click!?* came the eruption of the android spider clamped to his shoulder.

    "And so is Zeta, which he wanted you to know as well for some reason," the Captain finished.

    The Chronostorm began generating a rift to subspace, entering the rift and scanning for the Sally after crossing the rift.

    Lyras was unsure of what to make of that information. She couldn't help but feel like a third wheel in all of this... everyone else seemed so much more... Knowledgeable? Confident? she sighed internally. Maybe I should have stayed back at the space dock... After all, it's not like they need me here. I barely know what's going on! Oh well, too late now...

    Elric watched the screen intently. Everyone was doing their job perfectly as the Chronostorm cloaked before nearing the Sally and the I.S.S. Firestorm. Nat Q-disappeared to deal with Mirror Nat. He and Lyras appeared to be in auxiliary roles. He knew being Captain meant waiting in many cases, but neither he nor her were in command. Elric turned to Lyras.

    "Think we have time to find the bar?" he said half-jokingly, though toying with the idea as well.

    Sarah sighed. "They never should have put a bar on the ship anyway."

    Scott then pulled Lyras outside the Bridge to talk and Elric turned, momentarily. "Whoa, wait. Is there a secret bar that Scott knows about? Also, it seems Nat used his powers again. He told me he was being tempted by power hungry insanity but was restraining it. Now he may have just opened the door to his own madness."

    Sarah sighed. "No, he's just using the only obvious option to undo this mess. Besides, if anyone captures Krystal, we're all done for."

    "I'm not as ready to believe that," replied Elric. "Anyway, are we able to determine what is happening down there? What is the status of the ship?"

    Sarah got up and walked over to the captain's chair, waiting for a report. Some other relief officer spoke up. "There are intruders everywhere of every known species. Mirror Nat currently controls the ship, but appears to be in the grip of Captain Nat."

    "Well, you better hope the captain doesn't go power crazy. We already tried the anti-Q medallions here on the ship." Sarah replied to Elric. "They disable his powers alright, but the powers come back just as quickly when he's away from the medallions as well. It'd take something a lot more powerful to actually get rid of the powers indefinitely."

    "Hm. I may have something just for that," Elric suggested. "There's an amplifier which increases the power of the medallions. Though, there may even yet be more pieces to it still to be discovered."

    A Caitian Starfleet officer, apparently one of the crew, walked passed Elric and accessed a console. The cloak suddenly began to fluctuate around the ship.

    Sarah pulled out her phaser and stunned the Caitian. "There weren't any Caitians in our crew."

    "What? Then who is this?" Elric went over to the fallen officer and checked him. He looked normal. "He may be brainswashed like the other Caitians I've encountered. What's the status of our cloak?"

    3 of 5 replied. "The cloak just dropped. The Firestorm isn't reacting, however. They must know what's going on."

    ---

    Engineering

    A Caitian in Starfleet uniform entered and began sabotaging internal systems. She placed a handheld device against the temporal and engine controls, sending a disruptive and continual spike into the ship. Several consoles throughout the place exploded.

    4 of 7 shot down the Caitian, and the engineering crew removed the devices.

    ---

    Bridge

    4 of 7 called up to the bridge. "Sir, a Caitian sabotaged the--"

    Sarah shouted at Elric. "How the hell did this happen!? It was because you just had to come with us, you..." She turned to 3 of 5, glaring angrily. He reached out with a mobile emitter, activating a MACO style emergency security hologram. "Capture every Caitian on this ship." Sarah ordered the holographic MACO. "Use whatever force is necessary, and take as many security officers as you need to help you. Just bring them down."

    "I what, Sarah? If we had known Nat was going to use his powers, no one would have needed to come. He could send the entire invasion crew off the Sally and Mirror Nat back to his universe with the snap of his fingers."

    A Caitian suddenly broke out a jeffery's tube and fired a disruption device into the weapons console. 3 of 5 dodged the attack easily, but the console exploded. Sarah shot the Caitian.

    Sarah glared at Elric. "So you only came because you don't trust the captain? Well, that's great. Now look what you've done."

    Scott walked back in, evidently saving his conversation with Lyras for later. He looked over at one of the viewscreens, which now displayed a Terran Empire Galaxy-X-class dreadnought I.S.S. Sally, incoming. 3 of 5 seemed very bothered. "That incoming dreadnought is beaming somebody to the..."

    A figure started to materialize on the bridge. It was... Data? It didn't seem possible. He looked around, noticing Elric. "Captain..."

    He picked up Elric with one hand, and threw him across the bridge. The crew opened fire on the android, but their weapons did no damage against his shields.

    Elric landed on his feet then bolted back toward Mirror Data. Zeta leapt off Elric, ahead of him, launched several cables into the android and shocked the enemy with energy currents. Elric then met Data with a punch to the android's face with Elric's left android arm. Data went flying back into the helm console, destroying it by impact.

    "For the record," Elric said as Data returned, fast, to Elric to launch a kick. "I came because I was concerned about the other crew."

    Elric caught the incoming leg with his left arm and then swung Data around into a wall console, smashing it. Zeta crawled along the wall and then injected the android's head with two of his spider legs, firing another current of energy into him. The Captain followed up with a force-palm into the other man's head, burying it deep within the console.

    "Honestly, I never thought I'd have to do that to Data," he said, shocked.

    Data came back up and swung at Elric, knocking him off his feet. He then proceeded to grab Zeta and squeezed until Zeta starting sparking, disabling the robot spider as Data tossed him aside.

    Sarah smiled. "He's immune to electric shocks and such, ya know." She shot Elric with her phaser, stunning him.

    The bridge crew shot up and attacked the evidently now-exposed mirror Sarah, but were all beamed off the ship, along with everyone else on the ship (Data aside), finding themselves on the U.S.S. Sally.

    ---

    U.S.S. Sally, Engineering

    Mirror Sarah glanced down at the disabled robot spider by her feet, and kicked it aside as she walked over to mirror Nat. "Game over."

    Mirror Nat glared at mirror Sarah. "I don't believe this..."

    Mirror Sarah shrugged. "Was on the Chronostorm the entire time. Silly crew thought my blood was assurance enough that I was the real one. By the way, the Chronostorm is mine now, as is this copy-cat of a ship." She continued, turning to Captain Nat, who seemed to be in a bit of pain. "Also, I got an anti-Q medallion on hand, so don't try anything."

    Admiral Nat sighed. "What do you want? Don't tell me you're after Krystal too."

    Mirror Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Oh, of course. Everyone is."

    8 of 14 tried to wake Elric, and 11 of 14 crouched by Zeta, examining the robot spider.

    Mirror Sarah walked closer to Admiral Nat. "Now, as for my demands in exchange for your lives." Mirror Sarah turned to Krystal and grabbed her by the arm. "You."

    The glowing Trill then grabbed her. "You wanna know what kind of day I've had?" she asked before throwing Mirror Sarah to the ground and pulsing energy through her. It was as if she was experiencing Krystal's pain for herself. It was pretty clear now that Krystal was not thinking like a Starfleet Officer right now. She was angry, and she wasn't holding back.

    The Undine then came crashing in through a wall, knocking Mirror Sarah away and sending Krystal flying across main engineering. The Undine narrowed its eyes on Krystal. Captain Nat tried to stay sane and not exercise his powers.

    Captain Nat leaned over to Krystal. "It's your control over the Infamous Armada. That's what they're all after."

    "Well they can forget that," Krystal replied. "I've got plans to help people in need and to be ready for any galactic level threats. I'm not a Conqueror. I'm a Guardian." She shook her head. "As far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, the Armada is the Boogyman. A rumor. Let it stay that way." She looked at Captain Nat. "Control of the Armada is off the table. It is my responsibility. My burden. I can't let anyone who could abuse that power have control."

    Elric sat up and clutched his head in pain. "I feel like I just was hit by a Delta-class shuttle."

    The hand-sized crystal spinner-looking android spider Zeta sparked momentarily and then popped up to his feet. *Click! Cccckkkkllick!?* Three of his legs were malfunctioning as he wandered, confused, a few steps to the right and bumped into Elric.

    The Captain then picked up the spider and placed it on his own arm so it could regenerate and run self diagnostics. "Anyone have an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables?"

    11 of 14 sighed and walked over to Zeta, specifically. "You're welcome, by the way."

    Nat then deadpanned to everyone else. "Get off this ship." He snapped his fingers and the various intruders were returned to their ships, and their ships returned to their space.

    The Sally appeared outside Earth Spacedock in a white flash and the captain turned to the admiral. "We're back at ESD and the intruders are back where they belong. Oh, and I think I can change probability so no one can kidnap Krystal or anything, but give me time on that one, I'm still figuring out how these powers work."

    Burt raised a hand. "Um, what did you do with the Chronostorm?"

    Captain Nat went blank for a moment. "Oops."

    ---

    Starbase 144, Mirror Universe

    The Chronostorm, piloted by Mirror Data, arrived at Mirror Sarah's headquarters, Starbase 144, and docked within the base's powerful anti-Q field. The vessel was immediately boarded by mirror Sarah's androids and, evidently, couldn't be rescued now.

    ---

    Earth Spacedock - Operations

    Elric entered the busy area where Engineering had just finished replacing the large window. He approached Commander Batou, who was looking upon his repair work in satisfaction.

    "Just think, if that hadn't happened, you wouldn't be feeling a sense of achievement," Elric suggested.

    Batou furrowed his brow. "That isn't worth all the damage you people do to Spacedock on a regular basis. The Undine, Mirror Borg, an Armada, Q-powers. What's next??"

    "A little convoluted OP madness to realize that good should be the decisive force behind any type of power is worth it in my opinion. What the?" Elric then was given a report from Ensign Otis. "It says that Q is sitting in a giant chair in the Main Concourse."

    The Engineer cringed before walking away. "Ugh! He appears far too often within a single year promoting his Winter Wonderland! I'm going to extract more Borg components."
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2022
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  9. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Noooo - not the redshirts... Quick question - what happens if a storm trooper shoots at a redshirt?

    He misses, but the redshirt dies anyway.

    Thanks!! rbs
     
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  10. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    lol Even Thanos is like, "I'm staying out of it."
     
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  11. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: These are compiled posts for the First City RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in November 2016. Menchez was last dealing with the loss of his last ship and crew in ULC 28: Life or Death.​

    First City, Pages 2-3
    Captain Menchez - Moartor Outpost

    Menchez beamed onto the station. His away team of Klingons began firing into approaching Augment after Augment. Until one of the Augments ran up the wall and landed a downward kick into his lead away team member, killing him.

    "The name's Hokke," he introduced as he grabbed the nearby weapon of another Klingon and force-palmed the warrior up his chin so fast, the whiplash broke his neck. "I never thought anyone would find this place."

    Menchez fired his disruptor into Hokke, sending the Augment flying back into a wall. He fired again and again. "Perfect for hiding the Chancellor, then."

    "Captain?" came the entrance of Gaurantan, an old Klingon and Dahar Master.

    The Captain's eyes widened in shock. "Gaurantan? What are you doing here? It was you that gave me the intel about this place."

    "What are you talking about? I did no such thing. You are not supposed to be here! The House of Kovog has worked closely with Augments as we have great plans for the Empire."

    Menchez shook his head. "Then who gave me the intel about this place?"

    "He must be destroyed, Captain," said member of Menchez's away team Lieutenant Ceser. "He's a traitor to the Klingon Empire."

    He nodded. "This is treason at the highest order!" Menchez opened fire, prompting his remaining two officers to comply and fire as well.

    "Ugh!" Gaurantan was hit in the shoulder when more Augments flooded in from behind him.

    They ran for Menchez and his warriors, but Menchez signaled them to fall back and run down the other end of the corridor. They suddenly approached the Brig, where Chancellor J'mpok was being held behind a large holding cell.

    Meanwhile, out in space, five more ships arrived and each fired a tricobalt torpedo into the Hav'ok. The Ha'vok activated a point defense system, destroying the torpedoes, and opened fire on the newcomers.

    Inside the Brig, Menchez and his two officers Ceser and Bugh began working the many control panels to release the force field around the cell. J'mpok looked on in shock. "This is foolish, warrior."

    "The Empire needs you, Chancellor. It's been proven many times in the past that without stability, we would fall," Menchez said as the force field was released.

    J'mpok shook his head. "That may be true, but it is useless since we are dead here. You do not know these Augments. You do not know who they are."

    "So what?"

    Just then the room filled with Augments aiming rifles. Three Ferengi whips were launched at Mencez, Ceser and Bugh, wrapping and shocking their weapons off and then each of them to their knees. A tall man named Ruko, stepped in. "So, you've come to meet us, have you? Greetings Captain."

    "We're more resilient than you can imagine," coughed an injured Hokke, who walked in with several smoking disruptor blasts in his chest. "We may not have been the ones to put that changeling in the Great Hall, but we and our alliance with the House of Kovog were able to get him."

    Each of Menchez and his officers were force-kicked into J'mpok's cell before the force field was brought up again. Ruko walked over. "We are known as the Children of Kahn."

    Menchez's communicator chirped with an incoming transmission. The Captain slapped his wrist communicator, but all he could hear was static. "General, can you read me? General?" But there was nothing. "If you can get this, then get out of here. Our deaths will be all for this day."

    Hokke smirked from the other side of the cell as his dampening field blanketed communications. Ruko nodded to the augment and left the Brig to get back to his business.

    ---

    I.K.S. Kragoth, Bridge

    The Ha'vok hailed the Kragoth. "This is General Kro'nok. What happened to Menchez?"

    "This is Jengo, of the Children of Kahn. We've taken over your precious Kragoth with the utmost of ease. Now it is you who must surrender, Klingon." The Augment spat at that last word. He'd almost grown sick of them at this point.

    "We will never surrender to a peta'Q such as yourself!" The Ha'vok responded with a spread of chroniton torpedoes and generated numerous gravity wells around the enemy. They were definitely planning on fighting to the death.

    More ships decloaked, outside the parameter of the wells and fired heavily of beams and torpedoes upon the Ha'vok. As soon as shields were burned through, the General was transported away and into the cell with Menchez and J'mpok, within the station. There was then a massive disruption of the gravity plating as a ship exploding rocked Moartor Outpost.

    ---

    Moartor Outpost, Brig

    "Oh, General. I see you were able to make it. Welcome," Menchez said, trying to ignore his reaction to the dishonour of being captured. Then he turned to Hokke who was working at a console. "You may have captured us, but we discovered your shapeshifter! If you think you can fool our kind, you have another thing coming to you."

    Hokke suddenly stopped working and looked up. "What? The changeling was discovered?"

    "Exactly. I threw a knife into his head, much to the chagrin of others, I assume. It just seems like something that would elicit a disputatious gripe."

    The augment cringed. "That was too early! You don't have to immediately save the universe right away you know! Learn some patience and style! Are you that quick in the bedroom as well?"

    "Klingons destroy the bedroom! And what are you talking about?! You said it yourself, that you didn't even put the changeling there. That someone else did. What control do you possess?"

    Hokke walked over with his disruptor, aiming it at Menchez and Kro'nok as he lowered the forcefield for a moment to pull J'mpok out. "I'm at least able to go with the flow. We augments are superior to everyone, especially you, but even more especially, the humans."

    "At least we have honour. In that we are superior," the Klingon argued.

    He chuckled as he put the forcefield back and retrained his weapon on the Chancellor. "Do you? My intel on you suggests you sent your crew to their demise on Hanon IV. That is the highest form of dishonour! Never mind. We're bringing the Chancellor back to the Empire."

    "You're what??" J'mpok blurted in confusion.

    Hokke shoved him out the door. "You think we care about what power you think you have? We were just maintaining the status quo until the House of Kovok was able to complete their remuneration with us. They are not there yet. So, until they are, you go back to continue the status quo. Also, feeding two prisoners is one thing, but three? We have our limits, and it is certainly of that in patience with you."

    "So, do you know any Klingon games to pass the time?" Menchez said, turning to General Kro'nok as the others left.

    Kro'nok growled. "My ship was just destroyed, and my crew killed with the ship. Do you think I'll want to play a game?" He sat back in the cell, sighing. "They were a good crew, too. They died an honorable death, at the very least, and they all served honorably until the end. Especially T'Kek. He may have been 'only a Reman', but he served in many battles..."

    "You'll have to forgive my rhetoric, General," Menchez replied. "It is a remnant come from a previous life."

    He watched as another human Augment, Lobo, entered the brig to take the previous one's place. Glancing back at his away team members Ceser and Bugh, Menchez turned to Kro'nok.

    "What do you think our odds are against this one Augment? Do you think we can take him?" Menchez asked.

    Kro'nok nodded. "We can take on anyone, or die trying."

    Menchez turned and glared at his two warriors. They got the hint and began shoving each other.

    "You call yourself a Klingon? You are pathetic!" Cesar said.

    Bugh head-butted the other man in anger. "I am at the correct amount of adequacy as per my personnel file! You will pay!"

    "Hey, stop that!" Lobo said as he noticed the two Klingons. "I will kill you if I have to!" He took out his disruptor and walked over to the force field. When the two didn't stop, Lobo dropped the field and aimed for them. Instead, Menchez grabbed the out-stretched arm, redirected it and back-handed Lobo with the other fist. The disruptor fell and Lobo regained his balance to move into Menchez and grab him with both hands.

    Menchez struggled and threw Lobo into a stumble toward General Kro'nok. General Kro'nok grabbed Lobo and bashed his head into the wall, hoping to knock him unconscious. Lobo pulled himself out, albeit bewildered, and readied himself for another go at the General. A group of three Augment security personnel suddenly entered the Brig and before they could react, Menchez ran toward them and launched a momentum-driven fist at the front guy.

    "Ugh!!" the lead guy, Pren, was punched to the side wall, while Bugh and Cesar leapt into attacking the other two.

    The Captain followed his victim and fired a succession of fists at the Augment, each one swiftly deflected and redirected by Pren who was quick to regain focus. Pren appeared to be more agile than some of the other Augments. He then lofted a kick into Menchez, sending the Klingon back and into a console.

    Kro'nok grabbed Lobo and tossed him into the other augments, and rushed to Menchez. "Cover me! I have a plan."

    "Yes, General," Menchez nodded as he grabbed a disruptor off one of the augments and aimed it outwards. His two officers followed behind.

    The general deadpanned Menchez. "Was there not a dampening field preventing the use of disruptors?"

    "I believe it was merely a communications dampener," Menchez said, checking to make sure. He fired the disruptor at Pren, who got up and attempted to approach. Pren was hit, but not out. Menchez fired, now twice, and sent Pren back into the other augments, with smoking craters in his chest and shoulder.

    Kro'nok reached back and pulled out his Honor Guard disruptor rifle, and blasted the rest of the augments with a pulsewave shot.
    "Guess my plan won't be necessary, then."

    "Did they not remove your weapon after capture? Hm, seems the Augments are slipping." Menchez observed as he entered the corridor. There, more Augments turned from a corner and opened fire upon them. Menchez took cover behind a crate and returned fire, knocking one Augment to the ground.

    Kro'nok took cover and fired a photon grenade into the group of augments, blasting them all backward.

    ---

    Captian Kadaj - I.K.S. Furt'gh

    The slim, youthful Klingon Defense Force officer sat with one leg over the arm of his chair as the really old and decrepit Bird of Prey dropped warp near the Outpost. His crew had taken notice of the large fleet.

    "What the baktag? My contact tricked me again. This looks nothing like a pleasure planet!" Kadaj said, sitting up at the view on his screen.

    His tactical officer, Mille, observed as well. "You know, we really need to stop taking advice from that lonely Yridian information dealer. I think he just talks to us because he eats by himself."

    "Agreed," Kadaj replied. "Take us back to Qo'noS, where the gagh is always fresh and the Orions are always in that one alley way."

    But Mille's console beeped. "Sir, I'm reading Klingon lifesigns on the station, moving at a quick pace through its corridors."

    "It is good to know there are Klingons out there who value the practice of exercise. Good on them."

    Millie shook her head. "Disrupter fire as well. I believe they are under attack."

    "What!? I specifically left the homeworld to vacation. This is outrageous! Fine. Let's try to get in close, to transporter range. But then I want suggestions on where to go next."

    ---

    I.K.S. Hav'ok

    The Breen first officer, Nar, got up from under a fallen support beam, somewhere on the bridge near the command chair of the bridge. He looked around, trying to see through all the smoke. He spotted the chief science officer, a Reman named T'Kek, laying on the ground. He walked over and checked him over more closely. "He's dead," he said, grimly, looking up at the enemy fleet on the viewscreen, as hard as they were to see through the fog in the air.

    The engineering officer, a Klingon named Cho'fek, spoke up. "We've suffered several internal explosions throughout the ship."

    Nar nodded, and turned back to the command chair, noticing the empty chair. "They captured him." Nar stated, entirely serious. "...but it appears they think they actually destroyed us."

    A liberated Borg science officer took over T'Kek's station and responded. "Three Klingon lifesigns, currently in the middle of disruptor fire. Menchez's ship was taken over. Our other support vessels, destroyed. We still have 2 more frigates phase shifted, in case we need them to--"

    "Send one back to Qo'Nos and have them report on the situation. Set the Hav'ok on a course back to the nearest outpost and have the other frigate beam me aboard." The Breen replied, continuing. "I'll come up with some kind of plan to rescue the Chancellor, the General, and Menchez."

    ---

    Captain Menchez - Moartor Outpost, Corridors

    Suddenly, a crowd of Augments flooded the four Klingons from behind. The overwhelming numbers overtook them, and Menchez's two warriors were apprehended and dragged away. Menchez began elbowing and punching Augments at close range. "This is a dishonorable tactic!"

    He direct-punched one Augment into two, knocking them back and then stepped off the chest of another Augment to elevate himself into a force-kick of one taller Augment. The taller man caught the foot, holding Menchez in mid-flight until Menchez spun himself to kick the man down with the other leg. Landing, Menchez multi-punched several Augments away.

    General Kro'nok readied his Honor Guard rifle and began firing pulsewave blasts at the augments, driving them back. He reached for his belt, pulled off a stun grenade and lobbed it at the augments, while turning to Menchez. "We must go on!"

    ---

    Fer'Jai Frigate, I.K.S. Ter'Yai

    After Nar beamed aboard, he headed to the Bridge, which was close by. An officer, a Lethean, turned around and faced Nar, speaking up. "So what do we do now?"

    Nar replied. "Rescue the Chancellor and the others, obviously. We may be able to use the vessel's phase shifting to our advantage."

    ---

    Captain Menchez - Moartor Outpost, Corridors

    Menchez nodded to the General and continued on throughout the corridors. A few Augments were close behind them until one of them grabbed Menchez again and pulled him out of motion. "Curse you, you genetically birthed bIHnuch!"

    "Really, is that how to treat your favourite captor?" came the sly confidence of the Augment named Hokke. He blocked the sudden punch of Menchez and returned a palm to his face.

    The Captain held his forehead for a moment and then took a stance against Hokke. "You will suffer the might of the Klingon Empire!"

    "How about this: I have the Kragoth and all your crew and if you don't want to lose another crew, you'll join me aboard your ship with your access codes," Hokke suggested as he placed a hand on his hip.

    Menchez snarled. "You seriously believe any Klingon would allow capture? We would rather die!"

    "Oh, I have no intentions on killing you or your crew. But if left unchecked, I will maintain their lives in such a way they would never find honor. Would you like that, Captain? I believe honor was the issue you had been dealing with in the first place." He smirked. "Allow me your ship and I will allow you and your crew the honor they so deserve."

    For a second Menchez was about unleash a fury of Klingon passion and fight, before he realized it was the same madness that led him to lose the last time around. Instead, Menchez unclenched his fist and turned to General Kro'nok. "Sir, continue without me. Survive. I will see you in Sto-vo-kor."

    "That's a good man," Hokke said as he smiled again. He shoved a nearby Augment away and grabbed Menchez by his uniform. "Two to beam up."

    Hokke activated an enhancer device and both he and the Captain dematerialized. Out in space, the Kragoth rotated and jumped to warp.
     
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  12. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: These are compiled posts, including other players, for the Q's Winter Wonderland RP on the Star Trek Online forums. This had a short stint and was a bit silly. I usually play on PC, but I created Alphonse on PS4 to see what STO was like there. So, to me, he's sort of an outlier character. Q's Winter Wonderland is a seasonal area in-game event and I previously wrote two challenge entries that took place there: LC 69 & ULC 18. Started this in December 2016.​

    Q's Winter Wonderland, Pages 1-2
    Gazebo

    Captain Alphonse, a Starfleet officer and human, flashed into the cold out-reaches of the large semi-transparent Gazebo within the realm that was Q's Winter Wonderland. After seeking passage to this place yet again, he had finally been allowed to follow through with intentions of jolly times and good cheer.

    "As soon as I acquire one of those snow ground weapons, those Assimilated Snowmen are in for it," he said to himself. "Perhaps The Impaler would suffice."

    Suddenly, a Gingerbread Lieutenant approached him with a nasally voice. "My name is Peppermint! Are you ready for fun and excitement? Hehehe!"

    "This is serious business, Peppermint. When you're attacked by Assimilated Snowmen by the horde, you prepare yourself to respond in-kind. Now, where's that Holiday Item Ferengi?"

    Peppermint pointed in his general direction. "Over there, you silly! But you're going to need the appropriate Targ Fur Earmuffs, Bolian Candles, Terran Holiday Ornaments, Vulcan Meditation Incense, Andorian Sleigh Bells and Bajoran Gratitude Beads to get what you want!"

    "Damn," Alphonse cursed. "I only have one of those things and gratitude was not what I received for them. Anyway, in that case, I'd better go see the fishing thing. If I get one, could I slap an enemy with it? Only one way to find out. Thanks, Peppermint."

    The Gingerbread Lieutenant jumped in over-the-top excitement that would hurt the most sweetest of sweet-tooths. "Anytime! Yay!"

    "Excellent," Alphonse replied, nodding in civil acknowledgement of her joy and holiday bliss before walking off to engage in his winter missions. He would have to work like hard candy to get what he needed.

    Admiral Nat appeared in the typical Q flash, looking around at the winter wonderland. "Finally got a vacation..." He was already wearing a winter coat and armed with a snowball launching weapon, so he was all set.

    "Oh, hey," Alphonse said as he came upon the Admiral. "You look well stocked."

    The admiral jokingly fired a snowball at Alphonse. "Yeah. Just got away from literally everyone, so I figured I'd take a day off."

    "Oh yeah? Well," Alphonse took way too long to collect several snowballs from a nearby pile, neatly stacked, and threw one back at Nat! But then he put the rest in his pockets. "Did you know snowballs won't melt in there? Sometimes I'll just collect snowballs forever until I have hundreds upon hundreds and— Never mind. Now I hear how that sounds. By the way, I'm Captain Alphonse."

    Admiral Nat replied. "Admiral Nat. By the way, if you see a Captain Nat around, let me know."

    There was another Q-flash and a tall woman wearing Starfleet uniform materialized. Jenna Nolan had golden hair, blue eyes and green skin. She looked curiously around her, took few steps forward, slipped and fell down on her bottom. "Aw, buggrit!" she exclaimed and feeling creative, added few curses in Vulcan and in Klingon.

    "Whoa! Are you alright?" Alphonse said to the green skinned woman.

    Then, a sizeable, 3-legged Snowdine (snowman Undine) started approaching from behind Alphonse. The admiral's eyes widened. "I've been here many times, but never seen one of those... Look out?"

    Alphonse then he noticed the Snowdine and instinctively punched its head in shock. "Whoa!"

    "Whoa!" Jenna Nolan cried and rolled away from the attack before bouncing up to her feet. "I wanted a trip to Risa, heck, even Malibu Beach would had been okay," she complained, ducked a swing and threw a punch of her own.

    "Yeah, no kidding. I'm partial to the Philippine Islands myself," Alphonse agreed.

    The Snowdine reached up with an ice claw and slashed at Alphonse. Nat opened fire with his snowball rifle and started calling in snowball turrets and mortars. He slowly backed away until he bumped into a large, round snowball, and looked up to see an angry Klingon Snowman looking down at him. "Uh oh."

    Alphonse then started throwing snowballs at the Snowdine until it fell apart into pieces. Upon destruction, Alphonse found several dropped items which he could trade for a larger weapon.

    "Well, finally."

    Another snowman approached him from behind and tapped his shoulder. Curious and interested in learning who the newcomer could be, trying to get his attention, Alphonse turned in a beam of welcoming joy. Instead, the snowman punched Alphonse in the face, prompting the Captain to recoil and then return with an onslaught of unmelting snowballs. He then eyed the Holiday Item Ferengi near the table full of presents.

    "Hm. I've got to get over to that apathetic Ferengi and pick myself up The Impaler."

    "I could use a weapon myself," Jenna agreed. "And a winter coat," she added, shivering with cold.

    Alphonse continued throwing snowballs into the snowman. "Oh, I like it! Perhaps I could get something with style too." Then he piled three snowballs into one hand and threw them all at once. The snowman fell apart. "Gah, I just remembered I only have enough holiday collectables for one thing right now. Perhaps the weapon first, for me."

    Admiral Nat shrugged and shot the snowman with his snowball gun as a much bigger Snowdine loomed overhead.

    "I am Jenna. Jenna Nolan, Captain of the U.S.S. Celestial," she introduced herself and then picked up a thing that looked like a lollipop. "Is this a lirpa?" she sounded incredulous. Despite its look, it had the right feel and weight. She tested the edge, sharp as anything and nodded with satisfaction. "First time here," she told them and tested the lollipop lirpa on the Snowdine. It made a nice cut, bit shallow as the weapon wasn't quite the same as her own.

    Alphonse returned from the Holiday Item Ferengi with a giant Candy Cane Bat'leth. "Well, this was all I could afford. What the heck is this thing? Oh, by the way, pleasure to meet you, Captain Nolan. I'm Captain Alphonse." He then chopped into a suddenly approaching Snowman.

    "Pleased to meet you gentlemen," Jenna chimed before she got busy. She danced around the lumbering snowmen, cutting chunks out of them.

    Alphonse's Candy Cane Bat'leth got stuck in its head for a moment and he was forced to pull it out and kick the rest of the snowman away and to pieces. "I suppose this will do for now until I can get a projectile weapon," he said before he heard the sounds of a large ROARRRR! "Oh no. I think that's the Snowman Overlord??"

    "Probably," the admiral replied, aiming his snowball rifle at the Overlord, whilst deploying numerous snowball turrets, mortars, and shaved ice gateways. The Overlord's appearance gave Jenna a stop.

    Alphonse ran up to the beast, leapt up and swung his Candy Cane Bat'leth's left and right ends, consecutively, knocking gaps in its large snowy abdomen of doom. The Snowdine Overlord knocked Alphonse across the Gazebo. Jenna rushed to protect him until he got up.

    Q noticed the Snowdine Overlord, and seemed surprised. Admiral Nat turned to Q, noticing his surprise. "You didn't plan this?"

    "Just great," Jenna growled, overhearing Admiral Nat's words. "Q surprised? What next? Borgs?"

    "Actually, you'll see the snow versions of them in the Tide of Ice section of this place. Strange how selective they are about their invasion points," Alphonse realized. Now standing, Alphonse spun his Candy Cane Bat'leth expertly and took a fighting stance, but was unsure how it would look as it was really a giant candy cane. "Ready?"

    Suddenly, another Nat, a Captain, looked down at them from atop the Snowdine Overlord. "Heya."

    Admiral Nat deadpanned. "Obviously you learned how to animate snowmen like Q does. Good grief..."

    Alphonse stopped himself in mid-launch. "Hey now. Do we get to fight this monstrosity or what? I'm not on vacation time for nothing. Well, my Doctor did make me."

    Admiral Nat shrugged. "I wouldn't hesitate at all. The guy's practically invincible."

    "Hey!" Captain Nat exclaimed, as the admiral started firing on the giant Snowdine's legs.

    "Well, if it's invincible, then we'll be here forever. Perhaps we should go check out that large Klingon structure at the ice rink," Alphonse suggested.

    The admiral shouted. "No, I mean the captain is invincible, so it doesn't matter if he falls down!"

    He pulled out a snowblower and started blasting the Snowdine's legs. One broke and the Snowdine fell down, defeated. Captain Nat fell all the way down to the ground, but didn't hit it, hovering over it instead. "Well, why not?"

    "Snowdines, am I right?" Alphonse left the Gazebo and headed for the rink. Nat and Nat followed.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2022
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  13. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Odd time of year for your Christmas special... But I suppose Christmas comes earlier every year. Thanks!! rbs
     
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  14. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    lolol It's never a bad time for a Christmas special. Hashtag #hallmark!
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2022
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  15. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: This is a part of my Ragnarok series posted on the Star Trek Online forums, focusing on Captain Seifer and his new ship. The Deferi are a species created by STO. This story carries on from "Department Heads". Written in December 2016.​

    Anthology of Ragnarok #3
    Neutrality for Beginners

    The Pathfinder-class, with Discovery-class nacelles, U.S.S. Ragnarok approached the small Deferi colony world of Covalesence. There, a Breen Sarr Theln warship, the Leinstien, stood in orbit staring down the forlorn colonists in anger.

    Captain Oroku Seifer sat in his chair on the Bridge, observing the visual. "They always seem so menacing. Or, is that just me anthropomorphizing a ship with attitude? Because I've done that before. I once characterized a smaller Klingon Bird of Prey as 'cute and precious', but it turned out their disrupter shots stung like a bee. I don't know how, but I had red marks on my skin for weeks."

    "ZZKRRTTSDDDDKKkKrrrrRRkkT!" came the angry hail from Relk Marcel over the viewscreen. "VVKKRRTTzzzkkkkdddDD!"

    Seifer was taken aback. "Uh, wow. Could you be any ruder? Anyway, do you know that you are impeding upon the freedom of having empty space around a planet to the Deferi? That is a thing many species find annoying. Also, atmospheric hygiene, man. Think before you idle."

    "MMDDKKKSSZZZZZzzzEERrRRRK!" Marcel said. "VEVVEEERRKk! KkdddDDDKRRT!"

    The Trill shrugged. "Obviously, you don't know anything about cats, because a cat would never do what you are suggesting. At least, none of the Android-owned ones."

    "VVRRRKT! KRGGGTTVV!?" the Breen argued.

    Seifer nodded. "That is certainly something we can agree on. The Dominion War was clearly well done. If anything, it was one of the best wars ever and the viewers loved it. Anyway, Ragnarok out."

    "Captain, I didn't have my universal translator aligned," the tactical officer and Human, Lieutenant Aramaki, admitted as soon as the screen cut off. "What did he say?"

    Oroku Seifer shook his head. "That he would never choose Picard over Kirk. I mean, who does that? I think the choice is clear. Diplomacy and calmness is the epitome of high road."

    "Uh, I think we'd like to know what he said about his position over the planet. They are clearly overstepping their boundaries," the science officer and Caitian, Lieutenant Commander Moggs, corrected. "And the answer is Kirk."

    Rolling his eyes, Seifer replied. "Well, we'll talk about that. As for the Breen, they said they can do whatever they want because that's just how they operate. I couldn't argue too much with that logic, because their claimed track record on said operation was quite accurate."

    "Gonna speak to the Deferi? Huh? Huh?" perked the helmswoman and human, Lieutenant Edward.

    Seifer pointed at her. "I like the way you think! Let's do that thing you said. Whatever it was. Ice cream?" And then. "No. That's right, the colonists."

    ---

    Seifer, Aramaki and Moggs transported down to the outdoor 'welcoming area' at the centre of the Deferi town. There, they were greeted by a Deferi leader named Cassen.

    "You are both welcome and not welcome here. We lean neither one way nor the other," he said with open arms, before he realized how even that would be perceived as over-welcoming.

    Seifer crossed his own arms. "Uh, you sent us a distress signal, so why wouldn't you be pleased to see us?"

    "My feelings over the response of such a signal are neither positive nor negative. But, yes, you see, the Breen have been bullying us and won't go away."

    The Captain nodded. "Any idea why?"

    "We believe it to be our neutral nature, which invites aggressiveness in the most negative of forms from any neighbouring species."

    Then Seifer asked, "Well, what about positive interactions? Wouldn't a non-leaning, greyed-out attitude invite an equivalent measure of friendship and camaraderie?"

    "That seems impossible, since the galaxy is currently being permeated by a pessimistic fourth dimensional energy force," Cassen explained.

    Nodding, Seifer said, "Ah, the Q put that there as a joke. It's been hanging around a while. Anyway, I'll see what I can do about the Breen. But they were very convincing to me about their need to stay here, and I'd be hard-pressed to confront people so clearly better than us."

    "But, but...?"

    Captain Seifer laughed. "Just kidding. We'll destroy them for you. It's a new Starfleet thing we do."

    ---

    Upon retreating with his group, Seifer, Aramaki and Moggs came to convene off to the side of the town square with themselves.

    "Thoughts?" the Captain asked.

    The tactical officer replied, "I kind of agree with the Breen. Might as well bully the weak while you can. I mean, you only live once."

    "We could take their quadrotriticale grain while we're at it," Moggs added. "It's quite delicious."

    Seifer shook his head. "No, I mean how to defeat the Breen! You know we can't go back on decisions we've already committed to. It's counter-productive, and that, more than anything, is what we need to maintain. Oh, and ethical behaviour of a certain measure, I suppose. Nothing too outrageous."

    "Right!" Aramaki agreed. "Well, we could fire upon the Leinstien, thus proving who has the biggest torpedo tube. We have a science ship, but I think it's not about size, but, rather, how you use it that matters."

    Moggs turned to him. "Might I remind you, the Prime Directive prevents us from interfering with the development of substandard cultures, and the Deferi are, well, I don't want to get nasty, but, well, you know; implications by tangent statements and all."

    "What? They're the filth of Quadrant? Might I remind you, that you clean yourself using your tongue?" Seifer accused.

    The Caitian pointed at him. "That has never been proven, nor is that appropriate commentary from upper management! Now, where do we take our midday nap?" Then, admitting, "I need to, uh, lick... something unrelated."

    "How about we focus on the Breen? Apparently, they are in a perpetual state of searching for Preserver-Progenitor technology: The technology of the people who directed the formation of all humanoid life in our galaxy."

    Seifer thought for a moment. "So, creationism is our thing and not evolution?"

    "Now that you say it out loud, it sounds ridiculous!" Moggs said. "Anyway, should we not just ask and/or follow them?" He redirected his perpetual pointing finger at a group of Breen transporting into a distant field, visible and far off from the town square.

    The Captain took notice. "This will prove my theory that the Breen were up to no good from the very beginning. Sooooo untrustworthy."

    "You clearly love the Breen. Did you forget they joined the Dominion once?" Aramaki added. "That's a Gul Dukat level of insolence not even Evil Kes could have ever matched."

    Seifer waved it off. "Pfft! She was doomed to begin with. A seven-year lifespan? Clearly her makers didn't know how to handle that. Not that it was rocket-science."

    ---

    As the three approached the area of the field which the Breen had just breeched, they came to find no one there and a two foot-high stone-bricked platform sitting in the middle of nowhere.

    "This appears to be a remnant of a past culture," Moggs observed. "But that doesn't explain where those men went, nor do dry facts have any place in everyday conversation."

    Moggs pushed in a protruding brick and the platform opened into stairs that descended into the ground. Seifer, Aramaki and Moggs walked down the steps, deep into the history of the world to find an open cavern of a large alien-shaped pyramid that the four Breen soldiers were scanning with their devices.

    "Hold it right there!" Seifer called out as he and his team aimed phasers. "How dare you do things and such? Don't you know getting out of bed is a hassle in and of itself? I can't even go into the thought of breakfast at this point."

    The angry disturbance of Relk Marcel turned in his direction. "KKZZSSKklvvvVVGGGgrK! ZZZrrrKF!"

    "Well, no, we don't have permission to be here either. But who are we to mess with the status quo? You're here and clearly that's a thing that's happened at least once," Seifer answered.

    Then Marcel added, "TTTKzzZZZRKVVVV! VVVVVKTTT! GGGV!"

    "Obviously, I read up on Captain Archer's temporal exploits and am as confused as anyone how Temporal Cold War incursions still happened at certain points despite the war being later prevented by Archer himself."

    The Breen agreed, then continued, "ZZKKRrRRRRrrrVVVvvvVSZDDDDKKRR!"

    "There is no evidence to back up Janeway's attempts at teaming up with Borg to destroy another race. It's all just hearsay, as far as I know," Seifer said. "Anyway, you have yourselves a great day."

    At that, the Breen walked passed them, to exit the underground cavern the way they came in.

    "Sir, did you just repeat that communication-bit you did at the very beginning? My thirteenth brother always did that. Drove me crazy," Moggs said. "Also, you appear to have let them off the hook again?"

    Seifer nodded. "Indeed. The Breen's talk-mock is all there is out of a race of distorted yap-chappers, through of which they explained claims of dissident Deferi and Deferi pre-knowledge to underground ancient structures of such and that."

    "What is the point of being so neutral??" complained Aramaki. "You're neither Picard or Kirk! You're just blank! You know I was supposed to look up to you, right?"

    The Captain held up a finger. "Oh, you'll be in the complete opposite end of that spectrum by the end of the week."

    ---

    Returning to the surface, Captain Seifer, Lieutenant Commander Moggs and Lieutenant Aramaki met with Cassen who was being confronted by Marcel and his three rifle-aiming Breen soldiers.

    "VVRRKKVVVvvvVVT!" Marcel said, in anger.

    Cassen held up his hands. "Yes, so we did know about the caves, but we didn't have any obligation to tell you about them. Isn't that right, Captain Seifer?"

    "Uh, you didn't even tell us," the Trill countered. "How are we supposed to assist you with partial information? My science officer has way too many siblings to stand for that."

    The Deferi crossed his arms. "Hey, doesn't Starfleet work on a need-to-know basis? You are clearly aware of the kind of work-methods which require stratagem."

    "KRRGGGzzZZrKrrrrrGGG! Gkrk!" Marcel added.

    Seifer held up his hand. "Hey, I'm more on the Deferi's side of things, but I haven't completely signed off on the Breen's either. So, basically, indecisiveness is its own reward. That's going in my log for sure."

    "If you gentlemen must know, the pictographs on those underground structures have just recently been deciphered as Ancient Deferi," Cassen explained. "It took us a while to work it out because our neutral nature wouldn't accept the results one way or the other. We couldn't even decide what to have for our post examination snack timeslot."

    Marcel growled. "VVVRRRKKLLggGGGrrRRKr!"

    "Yeah, the Breen are right. You really need to stop being so neutral. In fact, because I've been engaged in similar, but differently motivated, behaviour, I'm going to make my own decision here and now: And that is that I believe the Breen need to leave this world alone," Captain Seifer declared. "I just invented it as a possible course of action. What do you think?"

    Marcel growled even more as his men turned their rifles to aim at the Starfleet officers. "VVggGGGGrRRRTTTKRR!"

    "What? I thought you'd be happy with my following through with your side-choosing task??" Seifer said in shock. "Also, none of these ruins are Preserver-based, the Archive of which was already revealed and fought over with Thot Trel on Lae'nas III, so you should be done with all of this."

    The Breen added. "VRKRRRRLGGGGggRKe!? DDRRRrrGGTTttkkWWNXX! STTtKKRTGGGXXChhHRgG! VVVvLRRGkKM!"

    "Seriously, when do Moggs and I get our universal translators fixed?" interrupted Aramaki. "I keep hearing a ringing noise in addition and it may be destroying me, physically."

    Moggs spoke up. "Also, how does an Ancient Deferi culture make its way all the way out into space to colonize this world? I've barely come to grips with my own genetic relations."

    "We suspect we are an off-shoot of their evolutionary branch," Cassen added. "But more research is needed, as, apparently creationism is a thing now? And the Breen have yet again concluded much more than is here, as is the style of their kind, which my colony must now adapt to, thanks to your example, Captain Seifer."

    Behind Cassen was now a large group of Deferi, ready to confront Marcel in any way possible. The gathering caught Seifer and the Breen off guard.

    "Whoa! I never thought of you as the doing-kind??" Seifer said. "Just wait until you try breakfast!"

    Cassen nodded. "I will. But, to be honest, this congregation is causing us a much anticipated heavy dose of anxiety, so it would be appreciated if the Breen could react quickly before we all collapse under our own shaky feet."

    "VRRRRKKZZRRCCHHHMRRR!" Marcel's men turned their weapons to the group, but, instead, the Relk ranked individual held up his hand to signal them 'stop' in lost patience from all the madness they have been going through. "BBBTTTTVVrrRRRGGGhhLKR!"

    Having enough of it, Marcel ordered his Breen soldiers and himself to transport back up to the Leinstien. After they dematerialized, the Ragnarok hailed the Captain below.

    "Sir, it looks like the Breen are departing. They've just gone to warp," reported Winry. "Also, their warp effect leaves residual snowflakes for some reason."

    Captain Seifer tapped his commbadge. "Acknowledged, Lieutenant Commander. Like the buzzing noise of the two-reason-incessant Talaxian fur fly, the Deferi have annoyed the Breen away and to no end."

    "A tactic we could all learn from," she said, before she cut the transmission, unsure at why she said it.

    The Trill then turned to Cassen. "One more thing: Were the Breen right? Is there something more to the origin of these structures?"

    "Definitely not," Cassen replied. "And you know we aren't lying, because we could never take a position on something. Well, except when it comes to the Breen now and that's only for, at most, three to four minutes at a time."

    Observing a fainting and knees-buckling crowd of Deferi, Seifer somehow was only partially convinced. "Very well then, Cassen. We'll be in orbit for a little while longer, in case they return. There are plenty more communication-bits to be had between they and I. So, if you need anything, let us know."

    "Thank you, Captain," Cassen replied. "As we learned during the Borg conference on Deep Space 9, sometimes action is required more than inaction."

    Seifer nodded and Cassen watched the Starfleet officers dematerialize away. Then Cassen narrowed his brow in more confidence, appreciative of all the obstacles finally out his colony's way in order for them to pursue what they previously had intended to go after.

    "The find will be ours now."
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2022
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  16. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

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    Interesting thing for a trill to say... Wouldn't it be trillropomorphising?

    Love these commentaries on the vagaries of the series - especially the creationism that suddenly became part of the franchise mythology.

    Thanks!! rbs
     
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  17. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    True! I guess they had to explain everyone being humanoids somehow.
     
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  18. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Author's notes: These are compiled posts for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. Written in December 2016.​

    Earth Spacedock, Pages 87-93
    Captain Elric - Science Lab 34

    Elric entered the Science Lab to find several officers working on separate projects and Claire working on her own. She had a stone tablet under a scanner on a table.

    "Your Starfleet escort is gone?" the Captain said in mild shock.

    Claire chuckled to herself. "Guess he suffered from information overload. I may have inundated him with enough of it to drive him away."

    "Speaking of which, where'd the Caitians get a tablet like that anyway?"

    She tapped a few buttons on the device, continuing her work. "Trade upon trade upon trade and, from there, who knows. After this data is extrapolated, it may confirm that it is the same material and date as the medallions and your ancient box. You interested in me?"

    "What?" Elric said, caught off guard. He wasn't sure how to answer that.

    Claire smirked. "Yeah. You interested in my work here? I may have been willing to steal, but it doesn't mean I'm not looking at all of this professionally."

    "Oh," Elric replied, completely bewildered. Then, to her, he said, "Uh, typically theft is averse to professionalism. Is your father what LuKet named as this Fury?"

    She laughed. "Oh, yeah. He's not the kind you want to mess with, apparently. Though, I used to know him as a different man. Guess he played me and everyone for a fool. Don't ask me how to reach him, though. I have no idea where he is."

    "If you're in danger, it's best you stay out of the way of the brainwashed Caitians."

    Claire rolled her eyes. "I can handle myself, thank you. Unlike you, who loses his arm and his mentor in one night. You haven't taken the time to visit your old Professor Raven, have you? Well, anyway, these scans are going to take a while. Want to take a break?"

    "After you," Elric said, gesturing to the door.

    ---

    Fracture

    Lyras regained consciousness gradually, her mind still reeling. When she had organized her thoughts enough to look outside of herself, what she saw just confused her even more. A vast black nothing extended in all directions as far as she could see, like some sort of pitch-dark void. She tried to move, but her body remained immobile.

    ---

    U.S.S. Sally, Bridge

    Hizrah, Chief Engineer of the Eterna, enlisted Sarah in search for Captain Lyras. Sarah led him to the Sally and found Scott. "Lyras. Where's Lyras?"

    "Disappeared into thin-air, actually." Scott replied. "She's a temporal agent. So I figure some other temporal force, hopefully on our side, pulled her out of there soon after."

    "Hizrah? Are you there?" the CMO, Johnathan, a male, English-accented voice hailed, a note of panic in his voice. "I found her temporal distress beacon in a storage closet on Deck 27 on ESD. It's deactivated."

    "Why would someone kidnap Lyras?" Sarah asked.

    "I think the more interesting question," Commander Lissan could be heard from the other end of the commbadge, "is who would know to kidnap her in the first place? We've been in this timeline for less than a day. Whoever it is knows how to travel through time. We need someone to access a temporal database and search for likely suspects in Lyras's past - or future."

    ---

    Earth Spacedock - Club 47, Astrolounge

    Elric and Claire sat at a table as another round of drinks was served to them. The Captain was off duty, so he wore civilian clothing.

    "So, let me get this straight, you found an ancient staff, with a harp-shaped tip, on Pollux IV, but lost it to a Breen squadron when they boarded your ship?" Elric asked.

    Claire held up her hand. "No, I defeated the Breen. It was the Gorn we had lost the staff to."

    "Fascinating. I wonder if it's anything like the depictions, accompanied with harp-symbology, of a centuries old bow and arrow thought to belong to the god Apollo on Earth?"

    The woman shrugged. "One can only hope. If my team were still in tact, I may have investigated. Unfortunately, all I do now is scavenge."

    "You? Had a team?" Elric looked at her with a critical eye. "I find it hard to believe you could work with anyone. No offence."

    Claire shoved him and semi-smirked. "Uh, I take great offence to that. Besides, I'm not the one who fought with his peers at the sight of his assimilated teacher."

    The Captain took a moment and sighed. "That could've gone better. But you try not stressing out at the sight of someone you consider a father-figure, drenched in alien mind-controlling technology. I suppose, since I've seen now that you've survived, I should see how Professor Raven is doing." He then noticed her PADD beeping.

    "The tablet's been analyzed," she checked. "You go to him, while I see to that?"

    Elric nodded. "Very well. I just hope Doctor Melzine hasn't gone too far again and created his own mini-collective with all the deactivated Mirror Borg or something. Well, it sounds like something he'd do." He then got up, nodded to her and left.

    ---

    U.S.S. Eterna, Conference room

    The crew met. Hizrah paced. Johnathan huffed, "We still need to figure out where and when she is."

    "I can help you with that," a familiar voice intoned, as Daniels emerged from the shadows of the room. "Your Captain. She's in the past. I have the temporal coordinates for you here but her captors have a great deal of control over time. Innate, natural control. Not with the use of technology. Lyras and the fourteen other people there are being temporally reintegrated with all their past and future versions of themselves at a quantum level."

    Lissan sighed. "They're essentially taking all the branches, all the timelines, and merging them into one branch of reality. One timeline."

    Johnathan contacted one of the Nats. "We know where and when the Captain Lyras is."

    Daniels added. "I'm sending you the temporal coordinates now. Where they're being held is in some sort of temporal fracture. Time passes at different rates than the rest of the space-time continuum. Sometimes it's faster, sometimes slower. What, to you, would seem only a few moments could actually be many years outside of the fracture."

    ---

    Temporal Fracture

    The Firestorm-K, Mephiles and the Eterna prepared for the temporal fracture and went to it. Away teams then beamed themselves into a facility of some sort and began searching for Lyras. There, they found her in a dark room, suspended in a light, lacerated beyond recognitiion.

    ---

    Earth Spacedock - Infirmary

    Approaching a bed in the Infirmary, Elric found Professor Raven lying, covered in Mirror Borg technology with data tubes connected to Starfleet computers next to him. The sight threw the Captain for a moment and then he noticed the Professor was awake.

    "Hi. Sorry, I should've let you know I was coming," Elric said. "How are you doing?"

    Raven took notice of his long time pupil and breathed as sparingly as he had been from several surgeries. "I've been waiting to hear from you. I'm glad you finally came around."

    "Well, to be honest, I was a little confused for a bit. Seeing you attack us betrayed my natural senses about you, though, I suppose if I was thinking rationally, I'd have concluded you weren't you."

    The old man nodded. "I've been too hard on you in the past. It's my fault for putting so high of expectations on your academic successes."

    "Not at all. Actually, I thrived on that. It's what pushed me to my Captaincy in Starfleet," Elric said. "Why don't we put it all behind us?"

    Instead, Raven looked off to the side. He appeared distracted, like he was hearing something in his head. "Elric, I'm getting some kind of temporal transmission in my cranial interplexing beacon? It's for you?"

    "What? I'm not in any sort of exchange with anything time travel-y. It's kind of overdone if you ask me," he said, at first confused.

    The old man tried to sit up. "They're saying... Your colleagues are in danger. You must... go to them... on the phased facility within the temporal fracture... Help them. Go to Storage Closet 3.... Deck 27." A second later, Raven's trance was broken.

    "Who was it??"

    He shook his head as little as he could. "I do not know. But my internal devices tell me it's from far in the future. Really far."

    "If you'll excuse me, Professor," he said, before leaving.

    ---

    U.S.S. Firestorm-K, Bridge

    Scott walked around. He could just feel that something bad was gonna happen, but he didn't know what. One of the Science officers, 7 of 14, turned to Scott, curious. "Sir, I'm getting some kind of temporal transmission for us. They instructing us to hail Elric?"

    Scott deadpanned. "Well, ok then. Hail Elric, apparently." They hailed. "Elric, why are we getting a transmission from the future telling us to hail you?"

    ---

    Earth Spacedock

    Elric tapped his commbadge from Weapons Locker 15 and then shrugged. Then he realized that shrugging wasn't viewable through communications. "Oh. I don't know, Commander. I was just contacted by an 'unknown' through Professor Raven's cranial interplexing beacon."

    The nearby android spider perked up from a side table and then scurried over and attached itself to Elric's bicep. *Click!?*

    "Zeta says hi. As for the inquiry, they indicated our people were in danger? I'm on my way to a storage room on Spacedock to investigate," Elric said as he unlocked a phaser rifle from a closet and prepared it. "What is going on?"

    Scott replied to Elric. "They've gone to a temporal fracture to save the fate of the universe."

    Captain Elric exited the tubolift and continued walking down the hall of Deck 27 as he carried the phaser rifle. Zeta reported that his repairs were finally complete, and that he was operating at full capacity.

    "The fate of the universe, huh?" Elric replied to Scott over comms. "Sounds reasonable."

    As he approached Storage Locker 3, Elric hesitated for a moment. Whatever was going on, he knew he had no idea how he'd be able to combat it. Perhaps some kind of reconnaissance would be possible? Then, he opened the door and behind it was an excitable bright white energy flashing tear in the fabric of space-time.

    "Commander Scott, I think whoever led me here has somehow given me a backdoor."
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2022
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  19. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

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    Always love it when your characters go meta to comment on the franchise. Thanks!! rbs
     
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  20. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Ya gots to! Time travel is done to death, but for some reason its potential keeps us writers going back to it.
     
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