Star Trek: Wings of the Archangel

[Polanski]

Episode 06 – Stolen Smile

Part 2

Counsellor's Log

Those present:
Lieutenant Nahodna Setkani - Ships Counsellor (Betazoid)
Lieutenant Turec - Science Officer (Vulcan)

***

"Tell me Lieutenant - when you made contact with the mind of Louise Benoit how did you feel...?"

"I felt.... I felt something Counsellor and I've been feeling something ever since. I am disturbed. Louise is long dead, and she felt such anger, such fear because of what Nix did. I wonder how her life turned out but I can't find any records of her in our history database."

"Most of all I wonder what she awakened."

"Did you know Counselor that the mind meld was considered illegal on my planet not so long ago? It had a stigma associated to its use that drove it's teaching underground. Nowadays it is practiced openly and yet we Vulcan's do not often use this teaching with other races."

"It is incredibly taxing and it can take time for us to recover our mental fortitude. So you'll forgive me Counsellor but all I really want to do is retire to my quarters. To meditate and to relax before I resume my duties."

"Turec I'm going to sign you off of your next duty shift. Get some rest and we'll talk more tomorrow. I do understand what you're going through and as a empath myself I can teach you ways to recover, ways to build your defenses back up when you need them."

"Thank you Counsellor, I would like that. There are so few Vulcan's on this ship and none I believe who I would care to share this with. Perhaps I will take you up on your offer and maybe you can also help me to develop these mental skills. I think I would enjoy that also."

End of Episode 06

[Polanski]

Episode 07 - All the Queen's Men

Please note that the following episode is equivalent to one of motion picture events in our campaign.
As such all players have been invited to contribute their own personal or mission logs.
In addition notes offered by Game Master (me) will be posted as well.

[Polanski]

All the Queen's Men
(Game Master's Presentation)

The dark green hull of his shuttle contrasted heavily against the darkness of deep, cold space. His orders demanded his presence at this specific set of coordinates and at the requested point in time, as always there was nothing here, though he knew very well that never actually was the case.

All that was required now was some patience. Patience that his pilot was certainly lacking for he noted the young officer’s uncomfortable composure and repeated insistence to check, double check and re-check their coordinates and shuttle’s sensors. Finally after about 15 minutes of silent wait the pilot decided to raise his concerns.

“Sir…” he turned to face his passenger but was never given a chance to finish the sentence.

Less that kilometre from their relative position the space shimmered as cloak fields parted giving way to the magnificent, predatory hull of a Romulan Dreadnought. “The Endless Sky”, for that was her name, appears out of nowhere, completely surprising the shuttle pilot, practically making him jump in the chair.

He watched the young Romulan’s expression, awe, inspiration, fear… in great abundance they danced on pilot’s face, as he admired the almost two kilometres long hull of Tal’Shiar flag ship. The intended projection of power was absolute for even he found himself still both amazed and intimidated by the very sight, one he had a chance to witness a number of times before.

Then again… he knew this is exactly how she liked to make her appearance…

The loud hail announcement brought them back into the present. The image of Romulan Centurion appeared on their view screen. The man, with cold calculated gaze, carefully measured both occupants of the shuttle, deliberately failing to recognize the very senior rank of its passenger.

“Stand by for tractor beam…” were the only words the centurion offered.

***

Admiral Vartek stood patiently and in a company of a single guard inside a specious, fast moving lift as they awaited its arrival to the intended destination, the command deck.

He noted that the soldier offered no recognition of his rank and position, that of Senior Naval Intelligence Officer or Romulan Star Empire as was required by protocol and wonder how much of it was orchestrated by the powers that were. He knew the displeasure of those senior to him in the relation to the situation, he was no doubt summoned to take responsibilities for it and long ago accepted that he was going to be used as the scapegoat. His stars were indeed in decline.

Finally, they were here as the lift came to a halt and the doors parted, opening the lavish command deck before him. Two Tal’Shiar centurions, their dark grey uniforms arranged into perfection, their lethal disruptors resting menacingly by their side awaited him at the entrance.

“This way…” was all they offered and once again he felt like a child summoned by the parent, no doubt to discuss his failings, whatever they may have been and of course… appease her displeasures.

***

She wore a set of citizen clothes, though they were distinctly cut in more of a military manner, not really unusual for someone of her position. They complemented her natural beauty, and given a set of perfect circumstances perhaps could even permit some degree of anonymity in a crowd. Yet all of that was instantly dispelled by a presence of large, emerald insignia, that of a supreme commander of Tal’Shiar.

“Senator…” one of his guards spoke, distinct politeness colouring his tone. “Admiral Vartek as ordered…”
She looked up, her cold gaze washing over him, her thoughts and emotions hard to read from this distance.
“Thank you Centurion…” she nodded, dismissing the escort.

The two officers promptly departed, leaving him alone with her, though he elected to remain at attention. She kept him waiting as she continued to examine data pads that laid before her. There was no invitation to sit down, no words permitting any type of ease.

Even though it was denied to him at this time, her office still offered plenty of comfort, though large, antique, no doubt handmade desk always remained the focal point of the room, above it on the wall, side by side and equal in size (a fact that many no doubt would consider shocking) hanged a pair of large insignias, representing the Romulan Star Empire and the Tal’Shiar.

He noted that a casual observer could easily imagine the pair as a set of giant eyes, always watching, always judging… a disconcerting though indeed. He smiled to himself, remembering the conversations he held with his colleagues in times gone by discussing the overly intimidating and full of insidious symbolism approach often taken by Tal’Shair internal decorators (if there was such job, a riddle they often pondered as well).

Below the symbol, now pair of grey eyes stared at him, and he knew that look, cold, calculated anger and contempt, design to mask intelligent, observing mind that hid beneath them. Designed to force the individual out of whatever comfort they might have been in and flood their senses with feelings of fear and impending doom, all while the inner intellect watched. He had learned to respect it, perhaps even to see a little bit past it, at least for his sake, for this was not the first time he has been on the receiving end of it and he had known what it meant to ignore it.

“Do you know why you are here?” she finally spoke in a firm tone.
“Yes Senator…” he offered a polite reply. “I understand that the command is concerned with the current situation on Federation Front”.

He knew that being direct and as open as one in his position would be allowed would work in his favour here.
“That is correct...” she nodded, her expression somehow less cold.
She reached for a pad and started reading.
“The initial projections are that the Federation will find itself in disarray with Starfleet paralysed due to the recent military coup and unable to properly respond to our advance. We estimate the fall and sub sequential conquest of Vulcan within 3 to 6 months…” she stopped short of full summary.
“Those were your words… were they not?”

Playing defence was what he had to do, yet the entire doctrine of his organization was always opposed to that. Fortunately for him, all the experience gained on the job, would prove invaluable in times like this.

“Senator, those projections were made with many critical variables considered strongly in our favour…” there was not much more he could offer.
“I am well aware of that…” her answer somewhat surprised him, maybe this place was not going to turn into a sacrificial chamber, with him as the main offering just yet.
“However here we are, some two years later, locked in border skirmishes with three very well organized Starfleet Battle Fleets… while the Federation at large is working hard on recovering its lost reputation and mending internal disputes… how do you account for that?” she continued.

“Some critical variables going strongly in their favour?” would have been the correct answer here, one that he dared not to give voice to. Besides he knew that she knew the answers quite well and so the best he could do was to remain silent, at least for the time being.

“I recognize that points of failure are much more complex and certainly cannot be placed on the shoulders of one man…” she added, her overpowering attention directed at him.
“However tomorrow I am going to be standing where you are right now and facing the Star Empire’s Praetor…”
A position he certainly did not wanted to find himself in, quite possibly ever.
“The Praetor without the doubt will ask me the same questions…” her observations ended abruptly.

“Senator, if I may be so bold as to bring your attention to a number of outgoing operations within the Federation and the surrounding space…” that was his queue to try and turn the tides in his favour.

“Admiral…” this was the first time today that someone on this ship has actually offered him some courtesy,
“The acts of sabotage and subterfuge, however successful they may be, do not interest me, we are not going to win the war with them alone and while Tal’Shiar remains the undisputed leader on the interstellar espionage scene you might have noticed that Starfleet is caching up…”

That last observation carried a certain well aimed insult, for Admiral Vartek have had some long and colourful history of animosities with the currently active Starfleet Intelligence establishment, animosities that, to be fair, left both sides with many agonizing bruises on more than one occasion.

“…yes, but you will notice that…” his were further attempts at some professional self-defence.
“I did notice that…” the senator cut him short, “…you have developed some remarkably well placed assets in Starfleet Intelligence, however it remains to be seen whether you are able to use them to their full advantage.”
“After all, your professional reputation… and your future rely on that…” a predatory smile coloured those last few words.

Hers was a well-constructed threat, one that he noted he could not afford to ignore.
“This short, victorious war has taken entirely too long to unfold Admiral…” she added.
That it did, for he certainly agreed with her on this point entirely...