Deeper into the Final Frontier

[Will The Serious]

Jack Samuels is a Lt. J.G., so he wouldn't be a department director.

Worf was a Lt. J.G. and was promoted to lieutenant when he took over security.

Key Ranks & Roles on the Enterprise:Lieutenant Junior Grade (2364–2365): Began as a relief flight control and tactical officer.Lieutenant (2366–2371): Promoted and served as the chief security/tactical officer.Lieutenant Commander (2371): Achieved this rank just prior to the destruction of the Enterprise-D in Generations.

Aboard a US Navy ship, like an aircraft carrier, I read this:

A US Navy aircraft carrier generally has a small number of personnel holding the specific rank of Commander (O-5) in top leadership positions, but many more within the broader ship and air wing structure. While the Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (XO) are typically Captains (O-6), key department heads, such as the Chief Engineer or Air Boss, are often Commanders, along with several squadron COs in the air wing.

I figure, on a vessel of about 300+ crew, you are right, but there is enough flexibility and the newness of the community as a whole, means only the very top brass onboard would know the truth. T'Nilz did not expect to be trapped permanently onboard, and was just trying to move freely through the ship to a more permanent hiding place.

I didn't envision T'Nilz as a spy or infiltrator like that. More a Marine Force Recon type. Splinter Cell special forces ghost operative; alone or as a team, to observe and report, maybe disrupt and disable, not act the secret agent type. She just got caught by the events of a maiden launch in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her expertise is definitely not disguise and "fitting in". She's more an adapt and improvise.

The choice of rank "commander" was only expected to get her to a cabin. She, as you can see, has discipline, but it slips, at times.

Making her "acting head" of security would be fun, but a dangerous game on the part of the Doohan's leadership. How would they limit her access?

I figure Commander Bet, with her embassy and diplomatic experience, and Captain Williams' combat-as-a-last-resort attitude, they may try to "turn" their stowaway; or at least come to some sort of temporary alliance.

-Will

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Making her "acting head" of security would be fun, but a dangerous game on the part of the Doohan's leadership. How would they limit her access?

Have a human operator manning a secondary panel 24/7 to secondarily authorize all commands - with planned countermands for obvious sabotage. But for the most part her job would not be to do, so much as to supervise.

If she's good at improvising, she'll catch on fairly quickly that she's being played, but it will be difficult for her to use that to her advantage. She'll have to wait for her moment. And the entire time the simple psyops of turning her loyalties will be operating. A few genuine friendships and maybe even a romantic interest would make it all the more difficult for her. And no one could play that game better than Khevalin. She may be dour, but she's a denobulan, gregarious by nature.

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

No one knew when Phantom Station had been constructed, or who had constructed it. No one even knew what the station's original name had been. The odd, shuffling, snuffling aliens who lived at Phantom Station had taken to calling it that name so long ago, they no longer remembered their own name for it.

The name had been given by an ancient general of the Andorian Imperial Guard centuries ago when the Andorian Empire had a much greater reach than its current borders. It was the only deep space post still operated by the Andorian Empire, still protecting the Empire's flank at the edge of the Typhon Expanse. Paradoxically, the Andorians were more often resupplied by visiting Vulcan scientists than by their own shipping.

Centuries ago, in the heyday of their power, the Andorians had occupied the entire structure and built additional weapons platforms and watch stations, appropriate for a station that was key to defending the Empire's border. That border had long retreated and the Andorian population had dwindled, leaving still a few hundred Andorians, some of them from families who had never been off station for as many as four generations.

The Rokans, vaguely humanoid aliens with short, prehensile tails, a hunched over, shuffling gait, and large, open nostrils that produced prodigious amounts of mucous, had been there when the Andorians had taken the station from the Orions. They had been there centuries before when the Orions took the station over from some now-extinct race. Had probably been there longer and their people were not known to exist anywhere else. The Rokans had served the Orions and now served the Andorians, but largely tended their own affairs. The Andorians were in charge, but most of the station belonged exclusively now to the Rokans.

The U.S.S. Doohan was not stopping at Phantom Station to pick up supplies for its journey into the Typhon Expanse. The Doohan was bringing supplies to the station.


One week out from arriving at Phantom Station, Captain Caspian Williams found himself taking an unexpected call not from the station commander, but from Mareshi Radagesh Sevoran Carn Devali Uhalan, the leader of a religious cult aboard Phantom Station, mostly among Andorians, but with a significant Rokan following and even a few human, Vulcan, and Catullan members.

Vicet Prim was a very distant cousin to Commander Carrone Bet and he had set up this meeting. Commander Bet had joined Captain Williams in his quarters, one deck below his office. Prim balanced comfortably on his haunches next to the andorian cult leader, who had assumed a similar position, comfortable for both species. Bet had made herself comfortable on a lounge chair next to her captain.

"It is pleasing to see another of my relatives wearing a StarFleet uniform and having achieved seniority in the service." Vicet Prim was wearing a simple, but comfortable looking one-piece garment made of a fabric that resembled brown corduroy. His brush of dark, purple hair was shaved and close-cropped to create subtle patterns.

"I have never met Captain Pet," Bet replied. "Until recently, I didn't know I was related to him."

"Probably because you are related through me," Prim replied. "Both of you are closer to me than to each other. But there you are. A long, but unbroken chain holds us together across centuries and lightyears. When I discovered our relationship, the Devali Uhalan asked that I arrange this meeting and make introductions. Captain Williams, thank you for bringing my long-sundered cousin to me."

"A pleasure, I have every expectation, Mr. Prim," Casper Williams replied. "Mareshi Radagesh Sevoran Carn Devali Uhalan, how am I to address you? It seems from context that part of what I thought was your name might actually be a title."

"I give a different answer to anyone who asks me that question," the Andorian replied. He had a surprisingly high, musical voice, unusually dark blue skin, close cropped blue-white hair, long, thin, dark blue antennae, twinkling, blue eyes and undeniable friendly charm that was completely unexpected from an Andorian. His clothing was simple, comfortable looking, and more beige than white. He closed his eyes briefly and his antennae oddly seemed to reach toward the viewscreen on which his image was displayed.

"You enjoy being called Casper by your friends and I think you might enjoy referring to me as Radagesh. That name seems to amuse you." His antennae seemed to refocus on the U.S.S. Doohan's first officer. "I extend that familiarity to you as well, Carrone, but to the remainder of your crew, the Devali Uhalan would be most appropriate."

Radagesh stretched his neck, relaxed his antennae, and only then opened his eyes. "Casper, I am reaching out to you to let you know that your intent to enter the Typhon Expanse has disturbed of one of the many disassociated consciousnesses, spirits, if you will, that exist within the expanse. I have never encountered this spirit before and I do not yet know her name. I do not think she is awake, yet. But she feels, in her lightened, unsettled slumber, very powerful. She could be very helpful to you. She could be very treacherous. If she is anything like the local spirits I am more familiar with, I suspect she will prove to be both."

Caspian Williams smiled. "What do you recommend, Radagesh?"

The Andorian cult leader smiled again, a relaxed, genuinely happy smile. "You see, Casper? I knew you would enjoy using that name." The Andorian relaxed and took on a more serious expression. "I do not have a lot of time to train you. Humans have very limited telepathic ability, but you still have a very small amount and that can be improved with training. Alas, Carrone, the same is even more true for your people. Great instincts, but almost no telepathic ability. The exercises might do you some good in helping you calm your emotions and heighten your awareness, but there is little chance it will awaken any latent telepathic ability within you."

Radagesh returned his attention to Captain Caspian Williams. "My associate, Mr. Prim, will make himself available to you, Casper, to develop your awareness and focus it so that you can become as sensitive as possible to our mysterious entity. After you arrive, I offer to train you in person. Carrone or another person may attend if you anticipate such intimate contact might be disquieting."

Captain Williams' expression had changed as he had listened to this proposal. He was now a study in skepticism. "We have telepathic crew members..."

"And perhaps our spirit has noticed and focused on one of them," Radagesh responded. "But the more I talk to you, the more I watch your face, the more I feel your emotions, the more I am convinced that it is you, Casper, who has disturbed her slumber. And you with whom she will seek to form a relationship."

 

[Will The Serious]

Radagast the brown, and Radagesh the blue, like Alatar and Pallando.

-Will

 

[Will The Serious]

Master Chief Warrant Officer Zorala Khevalin sat her old bones into the padded guest chair of the Chief Of Security's office, and said, “Lieutenant Commander Starskier, I wanted to update you on the activities of our stowaway, as per the Captain's orders.”

“HUTCH, some Denobulan Blue?” Chief of Security Starskier gave Zorala a questioning look to be sure he got her preference correct. The coxswain gave no response, so Starskier finished his order, “tea for the Master Chief.”

The Humanoid Utility Tactical & Criminology Helper rose from its station behind the security chief's desk, floating a few centimeters off the deck on a pair of anti-grav pillars, to the replicator across the room.

Starskier added, “I'll take a sweetened mint tea.” once he saw the H.U.T.C.H. complete the input for the first order.

Zorala continued her report, “I have executed a plan that severely limits where the woman can go without a constant escort. You can review the details in the file I have sent you…”

Starskier interrupted her, when she paused to take her tea from the H.U.T.C.H. unit.

“I read your report already. It had me nearly busting a gut.” Starskier grinned. “I called Lieutenant Commander Ersatz in and had a talk with him only a couple of minutes ago.” Lieutenant Commander Starskier thought he noted an almost imperceptible change in the older Denobulan's flat expression. He quickly rushed on to reassure her.

“I think I can see what you think of him, and I'm sure you'd be right. Ersatz wasn't my first choice for my lead investigator. And…” David Starskier pressed on, “I did not inform the lieutenant commander of “Commander Baris's” status. I don't think we need to give him any more reason to fake his feelings than he already has.”

This is where Lieutenant Commander Starskier noticed a more positive micro expression cross the woman's face.

“Good,” commented Master Chief Warrant Officer Khevalin. “He represents the weak link in our tab keeping, but if he thinks Commander Baris is genuine, he is less likely to give away the game.”

Starskier leaned forward with a smile. “Ersatz is convinced the commander favors him with her attention. I'm mostly afraid she'll kill him just because he gets on her nerves.”

Warrant Officer Khevalin says, “I'm willing to chance that. Now, have you found out where she's from?”

“A physical profile of her by HUTCH, suggests Klingon. Considering how bold she's behaving, I can believe it. I'm surprised she hasn't tried to order up some Gah on the ship's replicator.”

Zorala asked, “Any idea why she's onboard? We are not a major secret or a big military asset.”

“Accident?” shrugs Starskier.

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Warrant Officer Khevalin says, “I'm willing to chance that..."

Lieutenant Commander Inferior Substitute... classic.

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

In a way, Commander Carrone Bet was exhilarated. She was also working harder than she had ever in her StarFleet career, and she was worried. She had been no more impressed with Radagesh the Devali Uhalan than her captain and while Vicet Prim was a relative, he was a very distant relative whom she had never heard of before.


Commander Bet had done some research into the cult leader and also into her distant cousin. The latter was, as he had claimed, a distant relative both to her and to the only Catulian command level officer currently serving in StarFleet, Captain Serian Pet, who had only recently been given command of another Hoover class starship. But there were some issues with Vicet Prim, who had a rather extensive criminal record, mostly swindling, fraud, and smuggling. He had taken refuge at Phantom Station nearly two years ago.

But it was Radagesh who was of greater concern. Bet's research revealed at least a few characteristics typical of religious cult leaders. Starting with his wives. Six of them: Andorian, Catullan, Human, Vulcan, Rokan. By all accounts, his followers were fanatically loyal. And he was exceptionally charming. At the moment, that's where it seemed to break down. Cult leaders tend to have a cruel, heartless superiority that could be seen under the charm. Bet had not seen any indication of that. Yet. All the more surprising because Radagesh was Andorian, a species known for aggression.

What was really wearing Bet down was essentially captaining the U.S.S. Doohan. Except for their nightly dinners, shared with one other staff member, neither she, nor anyone else saw much of Captain Caspian Williams. He was now spending most of his waking hours in communication with Vicet Prim or Radagesh, meditating, studying, chanting, doing odd, stretching exercises.


In addition to taking the captain’s shift in the command throne on the bridge, Bet had also taken over the spy-watching project. Commander Baris was now attending executive staff meetings, wearing a regulation uniform bourka. And asking lots of pertinent questions about why Casper the Ghost had become a ghost on his own ship. Questions Commander Bet was not about to give truthful answers to. She was a terrible liar, so she just went with, “That’s classified.”

This had caused a brief uproar from all the department directors until the Chief of the Boat spoke up. It was unusual for a warrant officer to attend executive staff meetings, but not too unusual. Captain Williams had included Master Chief Warrant Officer Zorala Khevalin in these meetings from the start.


“Enough! If you keep this up I will re-assign all executive quarters and you will spend your evenings next to the bilge pumps!” There weren’t actually any bilge pumps on a Hoover class starship. But the executive officers got the point. Every one of them outranked the Coxswain, but they were all smart enough to not cross her. Re-assigning their quarters was only one of many ways she could make their lives miserable.

T’Nilz did not understand why the executive offers oved in such terror of the antique Denobulan, who was, in her opinion, an inferior officer guilty of enough subordination in any 2-minute conversation to warrant a death sentence in any Imperial Klingon command structure. But her instinct was to follow the examples provided and not arouse Khevelan’s ire. Even though by now, there was no one on this ship she wanted to dismember more.

The disguised Klingon spy lingered after the staff meeting with the intent of talking to the first officer. She understood the concept of answering to an officer of the same rank with a superior assignment. She had never encountered a Catullan and was curious.


“You have a question, Commander Baris?” Carrone Bet’s tone was casual.

Too casual. T’Nilz immediately suspected that Bet might be aware she was talking to a spy. She had the same feeling about Master Chief Warrant Officer Khevalin. Nothing she could put her finger on, just an instinct. T’Nliz had long been trained to trust her instincts. But she was in it now. She had to ask her question.


“I’m just curious, Commander. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but why did you allow an inferior officer to impose order instead of imposing it yourself?”

“You tell me, Commander,” Bet replied.

T’Nilz was immediately thrown off balance by that response. Clearly, Bet wasn’t doing this out of weakness as she had initially assumed. It had something to do with understanding Federation culture, specifically human culture as all of the officers in question were human. Any answer that betrayed her ignorance of human culture would further endanger T’Nilz’s cover, such as it was. She had done some research on the particular human culture she was impersonating. She decided to run with that: “As a Muslim woman, I’m always feeling pressure to assert my authority. But you didn’t do that. You stayed silent and let the lowest ranking officer in the room restore order.”

“Warrant officers have a separate authority structure. When it comes to the enlisted crew, the other warrant officers and their areas of authority, Zorala Khevalin is the highest authority on this ship save only the captain. She defers to me because we have built a relationship and have learned to trust each other.” Bet untwined her long, purple hair, letting it down and shaking it loose with a sigh.

“The…” Bet stopped, then started again. “You humans have a saying: Keep your powder dry. It has something to do with explosives and antique projectile weapons. But the point is to preserve your authority and spend it judiciously. Do not give an order unless you absolutely have to. It isn’t part of my culture. But it really works with you humans. Captain Williams explained it to me. When you give an order on any topic, your officers become dependent on you to always make orders on that topic. He told me to avoid telling you how to do your job. Just tell you what needs to get done and leave it to you to figure out how to accomplish it. I had to really think about it a lot,” Commander Bet admitted. “I’m training my officers to think for themselves. Master Chief Warrant Officer Khevalin was not usurping my authority. She was preserving it.”

“Is that why Captain Williams has turned his ship over to you? To train you to think for yourself?” T’Nilz asked.

Bet considered her answer for only a moment. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”

“I was expecting you to tell me that’s classified,” T’Nilz prodded.

Commander Carrone Bet thought about this so long that T’Nilz started to wonder if she had, somehow, missed being dismissed.

“Well,” Bet said at length. “In broad strokes, Captain Williams is developing new abilities and carefully studying the Typhon Expanse in preparation for our mission. He is teaching himself some new skills. So until we reach Phantom Station, and probably until we enter the expanse, I’m taking care of the ship for him to free him for intense study. I would prefer you keep that to yourself. But it really isn’t that classified. The details about what he is learning are, but a StarFleet officer developing new skills in advance of a challenging mission is expected behavior, if the opportunity presents itself.”

 

[Will The Serious]

A very nice characterization of Commander Carrone Bet.

But her instinct was to follow the examples provided and not arouse Khevelan’s ire. Even though by now, there was no one on this ship she wanted to dismember more.

I'm working on the assumption that the Chief of the Boat is really the second one T'Nilz wants to kill. Lieutenant Commander Inane Ersatz is PRETTY annoying.

-Will

 

[Will The Serious]

Schooled:

Lieutenant Commander Ersatz was inspecting the supplies stored in the main hold on deck 19, the lowest deck above the gravity generators. His mind was on that incrediblely sexy Commander in 59. Ersatz was thinking that it was about time she went on a “date” with him. Her vail prevented him from seeing her face, but with a body like that, she most certainly was gorgeous, mused Inane.

He thought to himself, ‘It is getting ridiculous how she keeps playing hard-to-get. The woman doesn't know when to drop the act. Dinner, tonight, my cabin,’ he decided.

“Lieutenant Commander Inane Ersatz,” interrupted the master chief warrant officer from directly behind his right shoulder. “Where is your mind?”

The lieutenant commander leapt into the air and spun around with a girlish yip. His perfectly coiffed blond hair flipped up into a spike of bangs above his forehead.

He looked down at the grim, broad Denobulan face of the Master Chief, and felt relief.

“Don't do that, Master Chief. I… I was studying the tie-downs on the science probes. Making sure the CPO's men properly secured the equipment.”

“That is a worthy task,” stated Zorala Khevalin flatly, “but what can you achieve by standing over here?

“I am here for very similar reasons, to make sure those responsible for the safety of this ship are paying attention to their duties. One of my duties is to inspect and maintain the proper procedures aboard this ship and to ensure the quality of technical work. If you can assess the security of equipment “tie-downs” by staring at the cargo instead of the magno-gravimetric anchoring output meters at the control station. I would greatly appreciate understanding your technique.”

Ersatz took a moment to straighten to his full 1.8 meters in height. “I really don't have time to explain the finer points of equipment security to a warrant officer, Master Chief.”

Master Chief Warrant Officer Zorala Khevalin took a breath, straightening to her full short and stocky height. “Are you refusing the request of the USS Doohan's Chief of the Boat, to teach a safer, more efficient way to do her duties, Lieutenant Commander?”

The Master Chief gave the lieutenant commander a salute and held it until the human officer returned it.

“You are a superior officer, Mister Ersatz. But I will remind you that you are NOT my superior. Duty to procedure and protocol places you, and everyone but the Captain and commander of the Doohan, at my disposal within the functions of this ship. For that, I dare say, even our good Captain is wise to listen to my advice.” Zorala turned on her heels and matched over to the equipment hold’s data read-outs.

-

Inane was trying to get a cup of tea. He hit the button on the replicator and directed, “Spiced Chai, with milk, hot.”

A complex beep that indicated an error bleeped and the computer announced, “ERROR! Please state your rank and name to access this terminal.”

Lieutenant Commander Ersatz sighed. “Lieutenant Commander Ersatz.”

“Lieutenant Commander Ersatz recognized. Replicator access granted.”

The lieutenant commander smiled in satisfaction, and waited for his tea.

“Computer, where is my tea?”

The computer answered, “You have not specified a request. What may I get for you, Lieutenant Commander Ersatz?”

“What? I already told you. What is wrong with your circuits?” Inane was starting to get irritated.

An error bleep sounded.

“Okay okay, I want a hot spiced Chai tea.”

“Session timed out. Please state your rank and name to access this terminal.”

“Why you stupid…”

“Lieutenant Commander Ersatz!”

“YEIIP!” Inane Ersatz nearly jump out of his skin. He turned with opened eyes

it will not help to call the replicator or the ship's computer names. It can not feel the sting of your insults and it is working as best as it can to provide you with a cup of tea.”

“You are responsible for the operation of the systems aboard this ship,” stated Lieutenant Commander Ersatz, “Can't you fix the replicator so it works properly?”

The system signaled its error beep again.

Zorala said, “The replicator works perfectly. All you need to do is follow proper procedure.” The old Denobulan woman turned to the replicator and said, “Computer, this is Master Chief Warrant Officer Khevalin, please may I have a bowl of Denobulan cheese and dewfu soup.”

In a moment, the unique audible tone vibrated to indicate successful production and the bowl, steaming with the perfect temperature of 58.2°C appeared in the dispenser alcove.

Zorala reached to the offering shelf ahead of Inane Ersatz and pulled out the bowl and spoon. She turned and looked up at the lieutenant commander and flatly said, “Simple.” She turned and walked to a table in the lounge, where Commander Carrone Bet was sitting, drinking a tall frosty glass of something that looked like a lime green milkshake, through a straw.

Ersatz turned and said to the replicator, “Lieutenant Commander Ersatz, Spiced Chai, hot.”

The replicator replied, “Would you like your spiced chai as a tea with water, just milk, Indian masala chai, as a latte, with cinnamon, pumpkin spices, Denobulan mushroom spice, or a custom preparation?”

Ersatz was confused. He had ordered hundreds of spiced chai teas before and never even heard of half the preparations the computer listed. He blinked in stupification twice, trying to work out what the answer was.

The error beep sounded just as he said, “Just give me a simple spiced chai tea. Nothing fancy.

“Session timed out. Please state your rank and name to access this terminal.”

“AUGHHH!”

Across the lounge, Commander Bet turned to see what the frustrated outburst was about. Master Chief Warrant Officer Zorala Khevalin paused with a spoon full of soup in front of her mouth to give an actual smile.

□To the beginning of Deeper into the Final Frontier

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Okay - that was an awesome demonstration of how a Master Chief Warrant Officer can school a superior officer. I suspect Ersatz will later discover he is the only one having problems with the replicator.

I had a friend who was a quartermaster in WWII - a chief warrant officer. Snarky captains and majors quickly learned (often from their superiors) to show warrant officer the proper respect and decorum. I actually didn't hear that from him, but from another friend who served in the infantry in WWII. Both of them are long dead, but I remember their stories.

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Mushroom Soup:

The nightly dinners with Captain Caspian Williams had now been restricted to only one other officer in addition to the U.S.S. Doohan's first officer, Commander Carrone Bet. At this point, Bet was grateful that her captain had sequestered himself. Casper had become a ghost on his own ship, now seen exclusively by his first officer and the ship's chief medical officer, a diminutive young Vulcan named T'K'leil, who bore the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Casper was picking over his food, apparently uninterested in it, but managing to eat it anyway. He had restricted himself to a diet of mushrooms. Many people loved mushrooms. Casper WIlliams was not one of them. He wasn't even drinking coffee. Thin mushroom soup. And not just any mushrooms. Laskar mushrooms, one of the items in constant trade from the Klingon Empire.

Bet found the Laskar mushrooms passable, but not particularly tasty. The reason Casper was living on a diet of them was their alleged psychoactive properties. Between the strange diet and hours spent in training, Casper had not only effectively become a ghost on his own ship, he was starting to look like one.

"Are you sure this mushroom stuff and all those bizarre exercises are working at all?" Bet asked. "It seems really specious to me."

"It has been minimally effective," Dr. T'K'leil responded, unexpectedly.

Captain Williams suppressed a gag reflex and choked down some more thin mushroom soup. "It's kind of like drinking caster oil. It's not that it tastes all that bad. It has almost no taste at all. But it just feels disgusting." He shuddered again.

Commander Bet tried to keep her expression from being too sympathetic. She had also chosen the mushrooms for tonight, largely to avoid tormenting her captain by eating something off his meal plan. Which consisted entirely of variations of the Laskar mushrooms. Dr. T'K'leil was following suit, but seemed to have no problem consuming the various mushroom-based offerings.


"How can you tell?" Bet asked the young doctor. It was rare for her to encounter a Vulcan younger than herself.

"I can feel his thoughts," the doctor replied. "I have been monitoring closely using mind-melds, which also help me identify any attempts at indoctrination, brain washing, and other abusive behaviors common with religious cults. I can tell you that Radagast the Devali Uhalan is unusually telepathically gifted for an Andorian."

"An Andorian with 6 wives," Bet observed, acerbically.

"Never managed to keep a single woman happy enough to stay in a relationship with me," Captain Williams muttered. "Can't trust a man who would want six wives."

"So why are you doing this if you don't trust him?" Bet asked.

"Hecatelllia," Williams replied. "It's all I have at the moment. A name. But that's more than Radagast was able to get with all his abilities."

"Are you sure he wasn't hiding this name from you? Or that he wasn't the one who sent it to you?"

"I'm not. But the doctor is." Casper Williams choked down some more mushroom soup, made a face, a disgusted noise, and shuddered. "Apparently this ghost took a shine to me before we left space port. She's still asleep, according to Radagast. But at some point she's going to wake up. If it takes living on mushroom soup while we're in that messed up region of space to develop some sort of safe relationship with her..." Williams drained his soup and shuddered again, putting down another gag reflex. It was a moment before he was able to carry on. "Well, no one said being captain was going to be steak and ale every night... Ugh!"

 

[Will The Serious]

Might I direct you to https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Denobulan where it is pointed out that...

Denobulans considered hallucination healthy, as it was seen as a harmless wav to release nervous energy. (ENT: "Exile", "Doctor's Orders")

-Will

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Might I direct you to https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Denobulan where it is pointed out that...


-Will

I recall the episode of Enterprise that opinion is based on. Phlox was alone and eventually conjured up a hallucination of T'Pol to maintain his sanity. Since the doctor is Vulcan, I assume she reserves judgement about such things.

At the moment, Casper is really hoping for a hallucinatory Porterhouse and Leffe Brune...

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Will The Serious]

Ka'Tcholor tried for the hundredth time to raise T'Nilz and get a rendezvous time or, at least, an update. No response, no readings on her position.

He struck the encryption comm panel in frustration.

"Ghuy'cha!"

No one on the bridge of the T6 Raider dared look at Captain Ka'Tcholor. His mood was getting worse and worse as his one and only priority seemed to be lost. T'Nilz was a good operative, but when her discipline slipped, she could be reckless. Ka'Tcholor understood her impulses. She called it boldness, as did her captain, but underneath, he recognized it as a combination of overconfidence and the need for action.

Right now, Ka'Tcholor's only action was to wait and keep trying.

"Ghuy'chA!"

□To the beginning of Deeper into the Final Frontier