Created by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson on Sun Mar 3rd, 2019 @ 8:02pm

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - What goes Bump in the night

A Mission Post by Darkness

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Uncertain: Somewhere in the Gamma Quadrant

Timeline: T-Minus 4 days prior to MD1 aprox

As they wandered the dimly lit corridors, the lights from their EVA suits, highlighted decay and dust. The ship, was to all intents and purposes..... Empty.... And just as spooky as it was when they had beamed into the ship’s corridors. As the small group moved down the obviously decaying ship, the deck plating creaked beneath their feet. From behind them, a muffled scream alerted those in front that something had happened. Spinning, they found, floating behind them, an empty Starfleet regulation helmet. The ensign who had worn it, was gone. The only other clue to his whereabouts was drag marks around the corner.

"This is crazy Ltee" One of the group said. "We should get back to the runabout."

The Lieutenant considered and then nodded. "Weapons at the ready. Lets see what we can find on our way out..."

The team turned and moved back, one snagging the floating helmet as they passed it. "Wonder what happened to Warren." she muttered.

The answer came in the way they didn't want. There was a flash of movement and a strangled gasp, then the female who had been holding the helmet, was snatched right before their eyes by a long, pale arm.

Shouts and curses filled the comms as the phasers were snapped up and shots fired into the dark hall where their crew member had vanished.

"Ensign Morrow, Hot foot it back to the runabout. Contact Starbase Gamma, get a call out now!" The Lieutenant in charge yelled. "Carr go with him!"

The two ensigns began to move as fast as they could, disengaging their boots, low magnets which had been helping them in the low gravity so they could 'fly' through the corridors.

Behind them they could hear screams, phaser blasts and thuds. Panicked they kept running back to the runabout. They needed to get a call out.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - A Favour to ask

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor & Commander Gary Taylor & Commodore Karlos Evans-Kyler

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Starbase Gamma, Commodore's Ready room.

Timeline: MD 1 12h00

Commodore Evans-Kyler was concerned. He had a missing run about, and he had limited resources to search for it. But he also had a ship about to depart Starbase Gamma on another mission. So with that thought in mind, he summoned Commanders Lalor and Taylor to his ready room.

["Commanders Taylor and Lalor to Commodore Evans-Kyler's ready room. Commanders Taylor and Lalor to Commodore Evans-Kyler's ready room."]

Phoenix had been going over supply lists when summoned, sighing she had put them down and beamed to the starbase from her ready room. She waited outside the office for Gary.

Moments later Gary beamed in and stood next to her, "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." He jerked his head towards the Commodore's Ready Room. "What's this all about? I thought we were cleared to leave once we were supplied."

She shrugged "I do not know. I hope that our crew have been well behaved, I'd hate this to be a bitch session about our crew and their behaviour." She hit the chime.

The door opened and a voice called out "Come in commanders."

The Commodore was standing behind his desk looking out the window as Phoenix led Gary inside. "Commodore." she said calmly,

"Commodore." Gary added standing to the right of Phoenix.

"Please sit down both of you. Is the Elysium ready for departure?"

"Almost sir, we are just finishing our resupply."

The commodore nodded almost vaguely.

Phoenix glanced at Gary and then said "Sir?"

He turned. "I have a favour to ask of you both Commanders."

"A favor?" Gary repeated, not sure he had heard the Commodore correctly. As he studied the Commodore's face and saw no sign of this being some sort of joke.

The grave look on the Commodore's face didn't relax as he spoke. "A runabout call-signed the "Andor's Ice" left the starbase 2 weeks ago on a training mission. It had one Lieutenant Gregor in charge with two junior lieutenants, a couple of ensigns and 4 cadets on board. It was due back two days ago." He paused. "We had not heard from them prior but that was normal. Communications are hard the further into the Gamma quadrant you go. We did however receive a communications package this morning from one of the communication buoys."

"What did it say?" Phoenix asked curiously.

"It was half a garbled message, we think it is from the Andors Ice but we cannot tell."

He pressed a button.

[["...*Static* This is ensign.....*Static* Miles *Static* Ando *Static* send ..... coordinates.... gone....*Static*....bad *Static*Help...*Static*evil....*Static*all dead...*Static* repeat....*Static*help..."]]

After the transmission played, Gary spoke, "Commodore with all due respect that transmission doesn't exactly help. Have you got the coordinates for their flight plan?" He looked over at Phoenix, "We can trace back over the flight plan and hope we find them. If need be we can use the Valkyrie's as advanced scouts."

Phoenix nodded. "Agreed." She looked at the Commodore.

"I will have all the data sent to your ship Commander. I am not sure what you will find, if you will find anything at all. But answers are needed. I thank you in advance for it." Evans- Kyler said

"We can leave tomorrow morning at 06h00." Phoenix said. "And we will drop more communication buoys as we go."

Gary faced the Commodore again, "We'll do our best to find them Commodore as well as get you some answers. I promise."

"Thank you commander. I appreciate that."

Phoenix took a breath. "Is there anything else we need to know about the region they were heading to?"

"Nothing other than, it is basically unexplored. A few scans but nothing else."

"Then, with your leave Commodore, I will put in place the recall to the Elysium for my crew. We will depart tomorrow at 06h00." Phoenix said standing.

Gary stood up silently as Phoenix spoke to the Commodore, his own thoughts were that finding the missing runabout would be like finding a needle in a haystack but they would give it their best shot.

"I will schedule your departure for that time Commanders. Thank you for your assistance." The commodore replied and he dismissed the two from his office.

Phoenix waited until they were outside the office before looking at Gary as the door closed behind them. "Is this what humans call a wild goose chase?"

Gary shook his head, "More like trying to find a needle in a haystack Phoenix but the idea is the same. Even with their flight plan they could have veered far off it. Maybe we can lock in on the runabout's transponder signal..... at least that would point us in the right direction and give us something to go on.''

Walking beside him, as they made their way back to the turbolift. "Agreed. I think we will brief the senior staff later on today. I want to make sure we have all the information ready for them."

"Sounds like a plan. Does away with questions being asked later. Gets everyone on the same page. We need to let them know just what's going on and what's expected from them and their departments."

"Yes. Hopefully this will be an easy mission." Phoenix said softly as the lift arrived and they entered. "After our arrival, I will be glad for a quiet mission."

Stepping into the lift, Gary faced his CO and friend."Truer words were never spoken. I couldn't agree more. Here's to hoping"

She smiled. "Maybe," She added her smile turning sly, "You will have time to properly romance a certain Security Chief, without flirting on duty?"

Gary looked at her, his expression neutral, his eyes innocent as he replied, "Why Captain, whatever do you mean? Flirt on duty?" He deadpanned.

Rolling her eyes Phoenix laughed softly. "You and Aurelia are as subtle as a sledgehammer. You offered to replace her dress while we were descending the tubes remember." She smirked. "Don't worry I have no issue with it."

Gary laughed with good humor, "That subtle huh? I offered to replace her dress since I cut up the other one just for clarification." He chuckled before adding. "Thank you Phoenix, I appreciate that. I'm sure Lia does as well."

Phoenix inclined her head. "So, shall we get started on the rest of our day?" she asked as the lift stopped and they disembarked near the Docking Hatch. "I will call the meeting for 16h00. That should give us time to complete any resupply issues and look at the data."

"Sounds like a plan." Gary concurred. "I want to see what we're getting into."

Nodding Phoenix looked towards the hatch that lead to the Elysium. "And how deep we will be into it." she said softly.

"Amen." Gary agreed softly.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - First Impressions

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Shrytaat Zh'echilnoth & Cadet Senior Grade Toumun

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Commandant's Office

Timeline: MD 1, 0900 Hours

Toumun was running late. The commandant's office was no where on the desk listing he could access from his quarters and by the time he'd figured out where it was, it was already past time to check in. He was in an all-out sprint down the corridor, nearly taking out a pair of medical students when they came out in front of him.

He took a second and composed himself as he stood in front of Commander Zh'echlinoth's office door and then pressed the button.

"Enter" the voice was crisp from the other side. The door slid open to show a very streamlined office. And it was colder than normal.

The Andorian stood behind her desk, looking out the window.

"Cadet Toumun, sir," he offered in his deep voice as he stepped into the chilly office. He took an at-ease stance with his hands clasped behind his back.

The Andorian turned. "Ah yes, one of our new transfers. Welcome to the Elysium. Intelligence Track yes?"

Toumun nodded in the affirmative, "Aye, sir."

"Good. Your main instructor will be Lieutenant JG Klop-Johnson. She is a long term Intelligence officer and has a wide range of experience. You will also be able to liaise with the Intelligence department on board." She picked up a couple of PADDS and held them out. "Your Cadet bunk assignment and all important information about the ship and her crew." The Andorian inclined her head. "Your record is impressive Cadet, I expect it to continue here."

He took the PADDs, hesitating a bit on accepting the compliment as easily, however. "Er.. Thank you... Commandant." He wondered for a moment if she meant it, or if this was some kind of test. Maybe she hadn't seen the scores from last semester's astrophysics course. "I'll try my best," he decided to add, just in case it was a test.

"I expect nothing less." the andorian said calmly. She studied him for a moment more. "I am sure you will want to get settled in cadet. You are dismissed."

The cadet gave a sharp nod and a crisp, "Aye, sir!" at being dismissed. That all went much better then he'd hoped. He turned on his heels and headed out to get familiar with the facilities.

LT Savar's Personal Log - A New Beginning

The following is a personal log from LT Savar.

Savar looked around his quarters, there was nothing special or note worthy about them except for the fact they were larger than his previous quarters and would easily hold a bookcase or two for his books.

Before departing the starbase, he had taken the opportunity to read up on the Elysium's crew especially it's command staff. The Captain, one Commander Phoenix Lalor was young to hold such a position. She had previously been the Elysium's Operations Chief before being hand picked for command by Admiral Sharr. Evidently Command felt the same way has they had assigned a Commander Gary Taylor has the Elysium's Executive Officer, to possibly bring experience to the command team where Lalor had little. Taylor's file was also full of classified material, making one wonder just what he did to have it classified. It was known that he had been a POW in a Romulan prison camp and had scars to prove it. The Second Officer, Aurelia Holmes, came from Intel. So that meant she presumably knew and could keep secrets. She also had a reputation as a no nonsense, straight to the point, take no prisoners officer. He looked forward to meeting them and learning more about them.

He sat on the bed, found it acceptable and began to unpack his belongings. Afterwards he would take a tour of Sickbay, his office and perhaps meet the CMO who was a Gorn *That will be interesting* he thought to himself as well as meeting the Chief Counselor, Lt. Commander Tate Sullivan and get her ideas on how she wished the department to be run as well as what standards to maintain.

"This should prove most interesting." He muttered to himself as he continued his unpacking.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? – Punctuality

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Michiko Maruyama

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Starbase Gamma

Timeline: MD01 - 0920 hours

She was going to be late. She knew it, had known it for hours and hated it. Her first field assignment and she would be late. It was not her fault, not entirely, but that did not change the facts. She was late.

Cadet Michiko Maruyama - even after three years of hearing that, it still sounded strange to her, less melodious than the 'Maruyama Michiko' she had been prior to coming to Earth - was running along the long, quite crowded corridors to get from one of Starbase Gamma's numerous shuttlebays to the dock where her new post was waiting for her.

The USS Elysium.

The flagship of the Ninth's Fleet.

While she had not expected this assignment, it made sense in retrospect. Not many vessels had Academy divisions and the Elysium was one of them.

"Hey! Pay attention to where you're going!" the person she bumped into called out to the young woman as she continued to run. "Sorry!" Michiko called back over her shoulder and narrowly avoided the next collision, but only because the other person stepped aside just in time. She continued to run, the shoulderbag she was carrying worn like a messenger bag and bumping against her upper thigh every second step. There was no reason, logical or otherwise, to her running. For one, she could have taken a turbolift to get to her destination, and she had considered that. But in her impatience, she left after the turbolift had not arrived yet after several seconds of waiting. Two, she was more than nine hours later. Five or even ten more minutes would not make the situation worse. Three, she had called ahead and informed the Academy secretary that she would be late by several hours. Still, Michiko could not talk herself into slowing down, if only for appearence sake.

There. Finally! The Elysium's airlock entrance came into view. With a sigh of relief, Michiko skidded to a halt before the security guard posted just outside the entrance. "Cadet..." breath "Michiko..." breath "Maruyama..." she panted and barely managed to open her bag. After some fiddeling, she finally extracted a PADD, activated it and held it out for the guard to see. "My orders." The guard glanced at the PADD. "Looks more like homework to me," he commented with a fake skeptical expression on his face, hiding the amusement he felt. Michiko looked at the PADD herself and blushed, muttering a Japanese expletive under her breath. She switched the view to the correct one and handed the PADD over once more. The guard took it and examined it, taking his time, while Michiko could barely remain standing still. She had noticed the time on the device's display with a bit of a shock. Her pre-arranged appointment with the Academy's commandant was in less than five minutes.

"You are late," the guard remarked at which Michiko quickly began to nod. "Yes. Shuttle malfunction. But I informed the Academy's secretary." The guard looked at the orders again and finally handed them back with a nod. "Appears to be in order. Welcome aboard the USS Elysium, Cadet." He smiled now and stepped aside to let her pass through. "Thank you, Crewman," Michiko replied with a smile of her own. She tucked the PADD back into her bag and quickly walked into the airlock. But just before the door closed behind her, she turned around. "Crewman, could you please tell me on which deck the Academy commandant's office is located?" The guard looked over his shoulder. "Deck twelve." "Thank you!" With that, Michiko continued through the airlock and entered the Elysium proper for the first time.

Episode 3: Such as we are made of, such we be - Let's Get Down To The Nuts and Bolts

A Mission Post by Lieutenant JG Ja'Marcus Brandt & Lieutenant Commander Matias Grronkil

Mission: Episode 3: Such as we are made of, such we be

Location: USS Elysium: Engineering

Timeline: TBD

After finishing up his meeting with Commander Lalor Ja'Marcus headed down into the bowels of the ship to seek out her chief engineer. Walking into the rather cavernous engineering bay he felt a momentary elation at what he saw around him. It was obviously going to be a fascinating place to work, and the amount of damage to the ship was going to make it an even more interesting experience. He looked around for the chief engineer for a while before he finally found him. He was a conspicuous person, after all, but in a place this big it could still be a bit difficult to locate someone who was busy, and moving around. He watched as the man interacted with some of the other of the engineering staff and noticed that he had a very matter of fact way of doing things, and dealing with people. He liked that. It helped things move smoothly, and kept the misunderstandings down.

Finally he saw the man move into his office and decided it was time to go ahead and move forward with the introductions. Walking up to the doorway he pressed the button that would admit him into the man's professional inner sanctum, should he choose to allow him to enter that was. While he waited he made sure his uniform was straight, and schooled both his facial expression, and his body language into one of confidence, and enthusiasm.

Matias was working on keeping the systems up to par and better, and the crew was very busy. Finally, he had to go into his office for some additional calculations. He saw that there was a new crew member about to join them. Just then, the door chimed. "Enter," he said.

Ja'Marcus walked through the doors into the chief engineer's office. Approaching the desk he spoke, "Lieutenant J.G. Ja'Marcus Brandt, Structural Engineering Specialist, reporting for duty, sir." he said.

"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant." said Matias. "Please sit down and tell me about yourself."

Ja'Marcus took the proffered seat and settled comfortably before beginning to talk. "Well, sir, I'm Martian, first off, born and raised. Both parents were fleeters, both members of the Corps of Engineers actually, dad has since retired. One of my main career goals is to prove myself worthy of following in their foot steps, and getting into the Corps, working on a dedicated Corps vessel. I've been interested in engineering since I was a kid, I guess since I grew up at the Utopia Planitia shipyards sort of predestined that though. I graduated about four and a half years ago, and did a four year stint on the USS T'Vir as a junior engineering officer. I proved myself capable and was offered a bump up to Structural Engineering Specialist, due to that being my specialization in the Academy, and was offered the position here on the Elysium, with an increase in rank as well. On a more personal note, I'm married, to two wonderful people, one a Denobulan female, the other a human male." he said, answering the man's request as succinctly as possible.

"I look forward to working with you, Lieutenant," said Matias. "We need one of your experience to keep the systems going."

"Thank you, sir. I look forward to the same thing." Ja'Marcus replied. "One thing I do need to ask you for, right off the bat though. I know I was supposed to start today, but my wife was able to get a few days off and is at Starbase Gamma, while her ship goes through some upgrades. I'd like to be able to have at least one day, maybe two to spend with her. Do you think that would be acceptable?" he added, hoping against hope that the other man would say yes.

"At the moment, we have little to do, so I'll give you leave." said Matias. "Report back when your time is over."

Smiling wider than he probably meant to Ja'Marcus stood. "Thank you, so much, sir!" he said, "I will see you in two days!" he added, turning to leave.

"Dismissed," said Matias. "You did forget to wait for that, but I'll excuse you. See you when you get back."

Ja'Marcus let that slide, seeing as it was a matter of semantics as to whether his previous direction to report back when his time was over was a dismissal. With a curt nod he spoke, "Understood, sir. It will not happen again." he stated, and then left the room.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Breifing the Senior Staff

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor & Lieutenant Commander Shrytaat Zh'echilnoth & Lieutenant Jaeih t’Noramei-McKinley & Avalon & Commander Liselle Qwyyn & Commander Gary Taylor & Commander Aurelia Holmes & Lieutenant Commander Matias Grronkil & Lieutenant Commander Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Lieutenant Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Commander Dyhei Liducca & 1st Lieutenant Michael Andrews & Lieutenant Dante Xithia

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 16: Observation Lounge

Timeline: MD 1 16h00

The call went out. Senior staff meeting at 16h00. All senior staff were to report to the Senior Staff Observation Lounge on Deck 18.

Phoenix made a point of being there, already, waiting for her team. She hated when CO's walked in late or after everyone else. She preferred to be waiting for them. She had replicated herself an earth beverage she had found nice, a hot chocolate and sat at the head of the table. She had hopped for a nice exploration mission, and she knew what they had was not that.

Gary arrived next, he had come from the bridge, making sure stations were manned and everything was as it should be. " Hello Captain. Drinking already?" He teased Phoenix as he took his place at the table to her right.

"Yes" she smiled. "Pity though its non alcoholic."

"Well, you may get a chance later for the real stuff depending on how this mission goes." Gary observed.

"Optimistic aren't you today Gary." Phoenix smirked. "Or should that be pessimistic or realistic?"

Gary shrugged his shoulders, "Not so sure about the first but definitely the last two and you know the old saying, two out of three ain't bad."

Lia entered and noticed the Captain and Gary talking, "Oh sorry, am I interrupting something?" She blushed slightly, somehow the thought of them being more than crewmates suddenly made her jealous. She headed for the end of the table, "I'll sit here, that way you two can finish whatever it is your doing". She almost bit her tongue saying the last part.

Phoenix laughed softly. "No worries Commander, we were just discussing if Commander Taylor here was an optimist, a pessimist or a realist around our next mission. How is your department going? Did you get everything you needed in our resupply?"

She nodded slightly, "Um yeah, we managed to get everything". She looked at Gary, "Optimist! In case your wondering, he's an optimist. He may try and bluff you on it, but he's very optimistic". Lia wondered if the Captain had picked up on her emotional response, "I on the other hand, am a pessimist. If it's gonna go wrong, then I just know it. And if I'm around something fragile, you bet it'll go wrong". She managed a weak smile, the Captains words hadn't dampened her jealousy one damn bit.

Phoenix was not, telepathic but she could recognize jealousy. So she merely smiled and said. "As soon as everyone is here, we can get underway with this. I want to be done before 18h00. I have dinner plans"

Blushing slightly again Lia nodded, "I think I may go and slaughter some Dwarfs and Elf's, get the tension outta my system. Nothing like a good old fashioned sword fight to help me relax, just gotta remember where I left my sword". She again looked at Gary, but he seemed otherwise occupied.

Gary sat there listening to Lia and Phoenix go back and forth.He couldn't get a word in edgewise, finally there was a pause in their conversation. He could tell from Lia's tone she was jealous. He sighed inwardly and spoke, "A sword fight, without a sword? I'll be glad to help you look for it Lia." He said with a grin. "Never know where it may have ended up."

"Oh I have an idea where it might be, just not sure if I can retrieve it Commander". Lia lowered her head, "It maybe in a somewhat embarrassing location, if you catch my drift". She fell silent and waited for the rest to arrive.

Gary tilted his head as Lia used his rank to address him. "Oh, I catch your drift Lia. However I'm sure between the two of us we can retrieve it.'

Phoenix rolled her eyes. They were as subtle as sledgehammers.

Matias was the next to come to the meeting. He was hoping Liselle would be there already. He went and got a raktajino and sat down.

Liselle Qwyyn entered just a few moments later. She found the empty seat next to Matias and made her way over to him. "Lieutenant Commander," she greeted him as she took her seat. "I would have never figured you for a coffee drinker," she teased.

Matias grinned. "I don't usually, but when I've been working round the clock, I need a pick me up."

Michael entered and nodded to the senior officers. "Captain. Commanders Taylor. Commander Qwynn" he said then got some apple juice and sat across from Matthias. "Commander Gronkil" he acknowledged

Dante sauntered in, his stride heatlthier than normal. After the the injury he sustained en route to Starbase Gamma he finally started using the lightweight leg brace he'd been given years ago. A barely audible his followed him as the hydraulics went to work bearing the weight he typically struggled with - once they had a moment he'd meet with Doctor, it was about time he got it fixed.

"Ma'am" he nodded, taking the seat closest to the door.

The door opened as the gorn stepped through the door. He nodded politely as he took his seat at the table.

The Romulan Hybrid Chief of Operations walked in, in discussion with the taller Andorian Academy Commandant. They paused their conversation, nodded in turn to the senior staff and took their seats.

Dyhei arrived just in time by the look of things, why break the habit of a life time she often thought, finding one of the few vacant seats across from Lieutenant Xithia. She flashed him a smile as she sat down, "Lieutenant, how's the leg?" She asked with enough genuineness she hoped for an accurate responce.

Dr. Sullivan entered the observation lounge, her favorite Klingon mocha coffee in hand. Normally, she wouldn't indulge in such a sweet treat, but she believed everything was welcome in moderation and it was never a bad thing to elevate one's mood. Tate possessed no psionic abilities, but she could tell as she entered the room, the vibe amongst the staff was positive and lively, which was always a comfort, especially during potentially stressful times. Anytime she was called to a senior staff meeting, she always felt a sense of anticipation mixed with a sense of uncertainty.

Once everyone was seated Phoenix stood. "Good afternoon, thank you all for arriving so swiftly. We have our orders with a few amendments so I will inform you of them now."

She paused and let her gaze sweep the area.

"Our overall mission is to commence mapping and exploring the farther reaches of the quadrant while initiating first contact where appropriate. In addition to this, the Commodore has requested that we look into a missing runabout of his." She hit a button. And a list of names appeared.

Commanding: Lieutenant Gregor Han (Bajoran Male)

Lt. JG Qes Esraras (Bolian Male)

Lt JG Stephanie Carlton (Human Female)

Ensign Warren Hallows (Human Male)

Ensign Jasper Morrow (Human Male)

Cadet Susie Carr (Betazoid Female)

Cadet Messah Marohl (Unjoined Trill Female

) Cadet V'Lar (Vulcan Male)

Cadet R'Trelar (Caitian Male)

"These people were all on a Cadet training mission on board the runabout Andor's Ice. Basic mapping from what we have been told. And they are, as of 13h today, 2 days overdue with no contact except from one very garbled message."

Another button pressed played the message.

[["...*Static* This is ensign.....*Static* Miles *Static* Ando *Static* send ..... coordinates.... gone....*Static*....bad *Static*Help...*Static*evil....*Static*all dead...*Static* repeat....*Static*help..."]]

Dyhei turned away from the list and put her attention on the message, as was said not much to go on, she shook her head subconsciously, turning over a few thoughts before offering a suggestion. "Is there an inverse wave analysis in the file? It'll only give us a distance indicator but it could be a start."

Phoenix pushed a pile of PADD's into the center of the table. "These are for each of you. Includes all the data we have on the runabout, including its last known position, which was logged three days after departure. I am not sure about the inverse wave Dyhei, but I am sure you will be able to use the sensor logs from the station to assist with tracking their warp core."

Pausing she looked around. "We leave at 06h00 tomorrow. All Crew and supplies should be on board by 05h00. We have a number of new cadets who will be arriving in the next few hours, I want them briefed on emergency procedures and the like." She added to the Andorian Commandant.

"Of Course Commander." Shrytaat replied.

"Commander Taylor, I would like you to work with Commander Qwyyn and Lieutenant Andrews and prep the Valkaries for flight. We will be dropping out of warp every few hours to take sensor readings and I want a CAP up every time we do so."

"Of course Captain." Gary replied quickly as he nodded to Liselle and Andrews. "The Valkyrie's will be ready and you'll have your CAP.'' He promised.

Liselle mirrored the Executive Officer's assured nod. "We can get started right away."

"Commander Liducca, please work with Lieutenant Xithia and his team and with Operations," she inclined her head to the Ops chief who was making notes "Go over the data, every little bit helps."

"As you wish, Commander" Dante accepted eagerly. Analysing data was his forte. He'd be in his element for the first time since arriving, it wouldn't hurt that he'd have an excuse to spend some time with a fellow senior officer, "Let me know where you are looking at conducting our work and I'm all yours, Commander" Dante said to Dyhei.

"One fine tooth comb search coming up boss." She replied rather cheerily to her assignment, only improved by the intel chief apparently sharing the enthusiasam. "Do you mind if we three meet up in Stellar Cartography, Ivery got that setup just right and figure it'll provide a decent platform?"

"I can't find a fault in that, ma'am" Dante agree, and he couldn't. A visual aid would definitely leave less room for error.

Jaeih smiled. "Of Course I will place myself and my team at their disposal."

"Commanders Tate and Sthlig, I would like you both to go over the files of the missing and give me profiles on them. This may not be a shuttle mishap, this may be foul play. I want all angles covered."

"Yes, ma'am," Sullivan replied with a nod. She hated to think anyone in Starfleet could be behind the disappearance of the crew, let alone cadets, but she understood the necessity of investigating all possibilities, even the most disturbing ones.

The gorn doctor nooded and was already reding through the first of the files from his wrist computer.

"Grronkil and Holmes, I want this ship swept from bow to stern with security and engineering teams. If there is more anomalies out there like the one we hit when we exited the nebular, I want us prepared. Also, work together to ensure all areas are able to be secure in any sort of incursion." She was covering all bases she knew. "Borrow people from other teams where you need to. I am sure Intel and the marines would be happy to help."

"Understood," said Matias. "We will do it and I will need the help of the marines."

Glancing up at Matias, Lia nodded. "If you want Marines then you can have Marines Commander, I'll place my security detachments under Marine control during the search. That way there should be no doubling of orders or search patterns". She looked over at Gary, "Is there any area which requires special attention Commander? I can pass that information on with Lieutenant Stiegalle when he reports to the Marine Commander". She continued to input information into a PaDD, somehow she just knew it would be useful later.

"I will look forward to working with you." said Matias.

Smiling Lia answered, "And I with you".

Phoenix took a breath. "You all have until 05h00 to prep your teams." she reminded them. "I suggest you all get started. Dismissed."

As Phoenix signaled the end of the meeting, Gary looked to Liselle and Andrews. "When can you two make a meeting so we can discuss having the Valkyries ready to launch as well as how many we want to launch giving the Captain the CAP she wants."

Qwyyn looked to the Marine Commander to get his read. "I'm ready when you are."

"Excellent." Gary answered approvingly as he turned to the marine to hear his opinion.

"Let's go," said Matias as he left.

"I'm on your six", stated Lia in response.

Dante rose from the conference table, "I'll meet you within the hour, Commander Dhyei; once I'm sure my department is appropriately mobilised" the El-Aurian promised before promptly leaving the suite, padd tucked firmly under his arm.

"Works for me, bring a beverage of your choice, I've a feeling were going to at this a while." Dyhei added as she to rose to leave. "See you both down there."

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - And away we go

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: BRIDGE deck 18

Timeline: MD2 06h00

Phoenix Lalor, rank commander, stood in front of the command chair. She listened to reports of ship readiness as they came in. Once all reports were in Phoenix hit the comm. ["Attention all hands. We are departing Starbase Gamma. Prepare for departure."]

Then she sat in the command chair and said "Take us out, once clear of the starbase, take us to warp 6 along the designated course."

After the acknowledgement from helm, Phoenix tried to relax. Something itched between her shoulder blades. Simple was all well and good, but she had a bad, a really bad feeling about this mission.

As the Elysium gracefully left dock, Phoenix let her mind wander back to the day before and the information they had been given. Yes it was going to be bad, really bad.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? – Bunked

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Toumun & Cadet Senior Grade Michiko Maruyama

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 15 - Cadet Bunks

Timeline: MD 1, 1000 Hours

Cadet Toumun had been on Elysium just over ten hours and yet his room had already managed to achieve a 'lived-in' look. Yesterday's clothing was on the floor somewhere near his bunk and there was plate with half an eaten sandwich on his workstation, it teetered precariously across the input interface.

The cadet himself was lounged across the his bed on his stomach, pantsless, as he skimmed through coursework on a PADD. Yes, it's coursework, really.

Good thing he didn't have roommates yet.

Just at that moment, the door to the quarters opened and a diminutive cadet entered, a bag slung across her upper torso. She took one look around and wrinkled her nose. "I hope for you that they don't do inspections here. You would definitely fail."

Toumun started to sit up until he realized the female cadet was moving in and then he fell back down onto his elbows, shook his head, and continued scrolling the display. "Oh, I don't think so. You have the wrong room."

"I'm afraid not." Michiko sounded as if she meant it, too. Pulling a PADD out of her bag, she checked it again, just to make sure. She really didn't want to bunk with a slob like this. "Quarters 152871." Not waiting for the other cadet's reply, she returned to the door and had a look outside to confirm. "Yes. That's it." She returned to the room and tucked away the PADD. "You didn't think you'd get the quarters to yourself, did you?"

By this point, he wasn't really reading the coursework anymore, but Toumun stared at the PADD like he was. "You could petition for a change of assignment," he offered in a direct, faux-helpful tone. "I snore." He shrugged. "Loudly."

"I sleep very soundly." That was not true. Even though her sleep had improved since arriving at Starfleet Academy, it remained light and Michiko woke easily. That had not always helped her escape the inevitable, but at least she had not given them the satisfaction often to surprise her during her sleep. "You have to find a better excuse to get rid of me." With that, she took possession of the remaining lower bunk by placing her bag on top of it.

"Suit yourself," he replied, barely louder than a mutter. He slid the PADD aside and stood up. He was barefoot, wore blue Starfleet-issue boxer briefs and a tank top. He picked up the plate from the workstation and sniffed at the sandwich before deciding to recycle it.

He even picked up the clothes from the floor and threw them into a pile on the table. "So, operations or engineering?" he asked. He'd figured there was no way she was in security, given her petite size.

Michiko watched the other cadet make a bit of an effort and resisted wrinkling her nose again at the dirty clothes on the table. "Operations. And you?" Alas, the Starfleet-issue underwear was not colour-coded like the rest of the uniform.

"Intel," he replied as he scratched a butt cheek. "Toumun," he said, introducing himself as he came over to her bunk and held out his hand.

She took the hand after the briefest of hesitations and shook it. Her handshake was firm, but not excessively so. She even smiled in a normal, polite way. "I'm Michiko Maruyama. Nice to meet you."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. My money's on the fact that you'll be transferring rooms before the end of the week, Michi," Toumun said airily as he crossed back over to his side of the room and plopped down on the bed.

Michiko discreetly wiped her hand at the side of her trousers while Toumon's back was towards her, then grinned at him. "Don't get your hopes up just yet." With that, she turned away from the Orion and began to unpack her bag.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? – Blood

A Mission Post by Darkness

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Unknown

Timeline: Unknown

Thud, Thud, thud,

Blood, it dripped slowly down the walls of the room. Pooling on the floor, slowly spreading out. A thin white hand, with long blood red nails casually trailed through the puddle and then up the wall. Then down across what was once clean white, leaving red streaks of the viscous liquid.

Another hand, dropped a limp form to the ground. The form, was badly mangled and hard to recognise as being of a humanoid race.

Click, Click, click.

A flash of white, sharp fangs flashed in the dimly lit room as a dark ping tongue cleaned them with a swipe.

Sreeee!Sreeee!

The sound of metal on metal, broke through the oppressive silence. Followed by another wet thud from another form hitting the ground.

"BORED!" A low voice called out. And was met with wicked, evil laughter.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Reporting In

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Michiko Maruyama & Lieutenant Commander Shrytaat Zh'echilnoth

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 12 - Commandant's Office

Timeline: MD01 - 0930 hours

Cadet Maruyama was standing in front of the door to the Academy commandant's office to spend the last thirty seconds she had before her appointment to check herself for presentably. She tucked stray strands of hair behind her ears, for there was no time to redo her otherwise still mostly acceptable braid. After having placed her shoulder bag on the ground, she dusted herself off briefly and tucked at her uniform for it to sit as perfectly as possible given the circumstances. At last, she took a handkerchief out of her pocket and quickly shined her shoes. Putting the handkerchief away, she hoisted the bag back over her shoulder and pressed the chime to announce her presence to the commandant.

The door opened and a brusk voice came out. "Come in" The room beyond the door was colder than normal, due to the occupant's personal preference.

The cadet followed the invitation and entered the room. The cold took her by surprise and she shivered slightly as her body worked to get used to that temperature. She came to a stop two paces before the commandant's desk and stood at attention. "Cadet Michiko Maruyama reporting in, sir."

The andorian looked up from the paper work. "Ah yes, please have a seat Cadet." She picked up a PADD. "Welcome to the USS Elysium Cadet Maruyama. Operations Correct?"

Maruyama took the offered seat and nodded. "Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. I am minoring in helm/navigation."

Shrytaat nodded. "You will find there is a lot of opportunities on this ship to extend those skills and grown in knowledge." She held out a PADD. "Your cabin assignment Cadet, and important information on the ship."

"Thank you, sir," Maruyama said as she took the PADD. "If I may ask, sir, how often do cadets participate in regular shifts in their chosen departments?"

"Currently it will be 1 shift a week. But you can work with the department head to do more should you wish." She inclined her head. "I am positive that you will do well here Cadet."

Maruyama replied with another, "Thank you, sir. I certainly hope so." She smiled every so slightly, uncertain how much of emotion she could show towards the commandant. "It will certainly be quite different from being at the main campus."

"I believe most will find this a better place to learn. Hands on with the instructor of necessity being key. I am sure you will be useful in the operations department." The Andorian gave a brief smile. "You should go settle in Cadet, and I hope you enjoy your time here on the Elysium."

"Thank you again, sir. I am looking forward to serving aboard." With the obvious dismissal from the commandant, Maruyama rose to her feet and stood briefly at attention. After a second or two, she leaned down to pick up her bag, then turned around and left the commandant's office to go and look for her quarters.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Medical Check-up

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Michiko Maruyama & Ensign Gareb Endilev

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 13 - Academy Medical Training Centre

Timeline: MD01 - 1100 hours

Cadet Maruyama had a mental list of things to do right after her arrival aboard the USS Elysium. One rather important item on that list was passing the medical examination. There was no real reason for her to be worried, but she never could help it.

At precisely 1100 hours, the hour that was indicated in her schedule, the cadet entered the Academy's medical training centre and presented herself to the reception desk. "Good morning. Cadet Maruyama. I've got an appointment with Ensign Endilev," she explained to the young student nurse. The latter checked this on her workstation and nodded after a moment. "Yes. Doctor Endilev will be with you shortly. Have a seat." She gestured towards the small waiting area across from the reception desk. "Thank you." Michiko smiled at her and took a seat.

Gared looked at his chronometer for a quick second and found that it was getting closer to the time for his next appointment. Not one to waste time he grabbed his coat and made his way to the reception area. He could've sent someone, but he was old school in that way.

He glanced at his padd. "Cadet Maruyama?" He called out.

"Yes, sir." The Cadet quickly rose to her feet and walked towards the Ensign. "Cadet Michiko Maruyama. Here for the boarding medical check-up."

Gareb smiled. "Right this way." he said, gesturing to a nearby biobed.

Maruyama nodded once, then headed over to the indicated biobed. She hoisted herself up and came to sit on it, feet dangling freely.

Gareb nodded as he got his tricorder from his coat pocket. He removed the scanner attachment and started his exam. "Have you had anything happen with your health recently?" he asked. His scans were showing that was the case. But Gareb believed in the acronym "CYA".

The cadet sat patiently while the doctor scanned her. Her back was straight and she had her hands in her lap. At his question, she shook her head. "No, sir."

"Good, good." the Andorian hybrid said. Finishing his scans, pleased that the scans showed green across the board. He pulled up a vision testing chart and projected it across to a wall. "Read the smallest line you can for me, please?" he asked.

Maruyama looked at the projection and glanced over the letters displayed there. The smallest line was tiny and it took her eyes a second or two to adjust to the size. "E. B. C. X. V. U. M. A," she reads at moderate speed.

Gareb noted this on his padd. "Perfect vision, Cadet!" he said, impressed. He took out an old school reflex hammer. "Just gotta check your reflexes and you're fit for duty." he said with a smile. He knelt down and exposed the cadets knees and hit them softly with the hammer. Gareb nodded. He rolled the pants legs back down. "Good to go." he said.

"Do you have any questions about anything?" he asked. Gaeb always liked to give the floor to his patients, a trait he will try to pass onto his cadets.

Maruyama slid off the biobed and pondered the doctor's question for questions for a moment. Finally, she shook her head. "No, sir. I don't have any questions at this time."

"Very well, Cadet." he said. "You're dismissed then."

Cadet Maruyama nodded, turned around and left sickbay.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? – Nightmares

A Mission Post by Selena Harris

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Selena's cabin

Timeline: MD 2 23h

She tossed and turned in her bed. Her dreams were disturbed and Selena was struggling to remain asleep. She had already woken several times. She sat up slowly and rested her head on her knees. Images flashed through her mind. From the dreams, that, had seemed so real.

A thin white hand, with blood red nails, shooting out of the darkness to clasp around her throat.

The sound of nails on an old fashioned blackboard.

Fangs dripping with... well mucus was the best word she could use to describe it. And evil. The sense of total evil.

It made her cold, and her cabin was warm, comforting.

With a grumble, she grabbed the robe she left at the foot of her bed, and shrugged it on over her naked form. Looking at her hands, the image from her dream overlapped them, scaly thin hands. Selena shuddered.

A warm drink would help. She padded out to her replicator and ordered a drink, what humans called a hot toddy.

As she reached for it, the replicator exploded, spewing blood from its vents right onto her.

She began to scream, and woke, again, sweating in her bed, still hearing the echos of her screams in her head as she realised that she had been dreaming....

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Promoting Cadet Waters

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor & Lieutenant Commander Shrytaat Zh'echilnoth & Commander Liselle Qwyyn & Commander Gary Taylor & Ensign River Waters

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Commander Lalor's Ready Room

Timeline: MD 2 13h00

IC

After looking over a pile of information, Phoenix had summoned the three officers she needed. She summoned her executive officer, her Flight Control Chief and the Academy Commandant to her ready room. This needed to be dealt with and according to the information, needed to be done now.

Gary had received the summons to report to her ready room for a discussion. Arriving he pressed the chime on the door that would allow him admittance as well as an opportunity to find out just what it was that Phoenix wanted to discuss.

The door opened and allowed him in. Phoenix greeted him with a smile "Take a seat." she said calmly.

Liselle followed soon after. and when she saw the two commanding officers waiting for her, she couldn't help but stiffen. Something in her gut told her that this meeting was about something that had happened in her department. And she was certain that she was about to hear about yet another controversy that reflected poorly on her. She quietly slid into an available chair, and she swallowed.

Phoenix noted Liselle's aprehension and gave her friend a smile to try and relax her. Before she could speak however the door opened and the Academy Commandant entered with a nod to them and looked at Phoenix. "Commander, you wished to see me?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yes, I wanted to speak with all three of you. It involves a cadet,who, I noticed has actually passed all of his courses and due to the Andromeda adventure, passed his cadet cruise without a visible hitch... current circumstances aside. Commander Zh'echilnoth brought the cadet to my attention." She began calmly. She looked at Liselle. "Cadet Waters is of who I speak." She held out two padds. One to Gary and one to Liselle "His current course grades put him at the top of his flight control class."

Gary stifled a chuckle at Liselle's obvious discomfort. He was about to comment on it when the Academy Commandant walked in. Instead he took the offered PaDD without comment and began to look over Cadet Waters's grades. After several seconds he looked at all three women. "Impressive." He commented getting right to the point.

Phoenix nodded. "Despite the current issues in his personal life, the cadet has dealt with a lot more than his fellow classmates. The time in the Andromeda Galaxy counts as experience. And was counted as his cadet cruise." She looked at the Commandant.

The Andorian spoke. "He is ahead of others for sure. He has completed everything required for graduation. Had we been on Earth he most likely would have graduated already and been assigned to a ship."

Turning slightly in his chair, Gary looked expectantly at Liselle waiting to hear her opinion.

Qwyyn nodded. She didn't need to review the PADD to confirm River's qualifications. He was clearly ready for the next step in his career. "I can't imagine a more revealing test of his character or his abilities than what he has experienced during his time with the Elysium," she said. "I think, despite some mistakes, he's demonstrated the qualities I look for in an officer."

"Then you will have no problem with my authorizing his promotion to ensign?" Phoenix asked.

Liselle nearly swore, the relief of her worried tension finally let loose. Still, she put a hand over heart as though this whole ordeal had nearly sent her to medical. "Yes, sir. I think that's a wonderful idea. He will be thrilled," she said with a proud smile. "And I can certainly use the permanent addition to my roster. That is, assuming he'll be allowed to stay aboard the Elysium?"

"I have no issue with it." Phoenix replied and then hit the comm. "Cadet Waters to the captains ready room" she sent the message.

Gary leaned back in his chair, shaking his head slightly at Liselle's reaction at Waters promotion. He could only guess to what she had been thinking to produce such an obvious reaction.

The Cadet had been on the bridge in preparation to take over flight at the next shift change, and so he was not long in entering the Captain's Ready Room. Seeing the crowd that waited for him prompted the very same reaction in the young man as they had seen in Liselle. He stopped dead in his tracks and snapped into full attention, his eyes focused dead ahead. "Cadet Senior Grade River Waters reporting as ordered, sir."

"Ah good" Phoenix stood as she replied. "At ease cadet."

River looked down at his feet a moment as he widened his stance. His hands remained firmly clasped behind his back.

Her face neutral Phoenix walked around her desk her hands behind her back. "Commandant." She signaled and Shrytaat stepped up beside her. " Commanders join us please."

Gary rose from his chair, his face an impassive mask as he move to join Phoenix and the Academy Commandant at her desk.

Liselle went to stand to the Cadet's left. She couldn't help herself from reaching over to lightly touch his back for a brief moment of reassurance.

If the young man had been nervous before, he was positively ready to faint now. But he hold his tongue, and he did his very best to maintain his composure.

Phoenix studied him carefully. "Cadet River Waters I have been reviewing your academy records, and after consultation with the Commandant and Commanders Taylor and Qwyyn, I have to undertake the following. You are hereby promoted from Cadet senior grade to Ensign. And if you are amenable to it, you will be assigned to Elysiums flight control under Commander Qwyyn." Her face still neutral Phoenix held out a small box. Her eyes sparked with a smile that she kept off her face.

Gary watched Waters, the poor boy was so stiff he was afraid he was going to break in half even with Liselle standing next to him for support, which probably in all honesty wasn't having the desired effect it was intended to.

Somehow, the young man managed to make himself reach out and open the box. Inside there was a single metallic pip. At the sight of it, he took in an unsteady breath. "Sir, I--" he began. But the words died out.

Qwyyn gave him another reassuring pat. "It's okay, Ensign," she said. "Speak. You're at a rank now where we might even listen to you," she teased.

"I don't know what to say," he continued. He looked up at Phoenix. "Thank you? I -- when I left my homeworld to start my life over in Starfleet, I never thought a day like this would come. I worked for it, of course," he was quick to correct himself, "but now that it's finally here..." He took in another deep breath. And he smiled. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't Ensign" Phoenix replied calmly.

"You've earned this," Qwyyn assured him. She looked at the pip still sitting in the box. "Captain, may I?"

"Go for it." Phoenix waved her to do so.

Gary watched as Liselle prepared to "pin" Waters. She was obviously proud and she had every right to be. This was an a young man now moments away from becoming an officer and under her direct supervision, in her department. As for Waters, the young man was still in a state of shock over his promotion but he was right, he had earned it. It wasn't being given to him.

"Congratulations again Ensign and welcome to the brotherhood of officers." Gary added.

The reality began to set in for the Cadet -- now Ensign -- and he positively beamed as Qwyyn attached the pip to his collar. "Thank you, sir," he said proudly.

Qwyyn gave his shoulder a final squeeze and stepped back. Her eyes caught Taylor's and she gave him a appreciative smile. She nearly thought she might burst for the pride she felt for her newest officer.

Phoenix stepped forward her hand out. "Congratulations Ensign Waters, welcome to the Elysium." She handed him a PADD as she shook his hand. "Your new cabin assignment as well."

He gladly accepted it. Whatever changes and challenges the new rank brought, he was already looking forward to the next step in his career: larger quarters.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? – Hungry

A Mission Post by Commander Liselle Qwyyn

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Liselle Qwyyn's Quarters

Timeline: MD 2 - 22h00

Liselle Qwyyn moaned in her sleep. She rocked herself onto her left side, then over to her right.

She couldn't get comfortable. Her eyes snapped open.

Instantly she knew that it was going to be impossible to find herself anywhere near approaching sleep. There were nights where she was doomed to restlessness, and this was clearly going to be one of those nights.

With a frustrated sigh, she reached over to the nearby nightstand and grabbed a PADD. She twisted about in bed, and with a couple of well-placed angry punches, she fluffed her pillow up behind her. Scooting herself back, she braced herself against the makeshift backrest and she began to read. If she wasn't going to sleep, then she would at least get herself caught up on work.

Liselle found paperwork relaxing. Perhaps it was because of her department. She wasn't buried in the stuff like the people in Sciences. If anything, the paperwork in Flight Control tended to be even lighter than the -

She stopped.

Her eyes narrowed. Calmly, she lifted her blankets to see that her toes were perfectly fine. A moment ago she could have sworn she felt something soft and fluffy close tightly around the ends of her feet, but there was nothing there. She shook the imagined sensations from her head and went back to reading.

The numbers coming from her department weren't bad, particularly when considering the damage the ship had been subjected to as of late. Poor girl. Ever since Qwyyn had first reported aboard the Elysium she had found that --

"Ow!" Qwyyn yelped, and she pulled her legs up with a start.

Instantly she saw a dark red stain blooming at the foot of the bed, where her feet had been only a moment ago.

"What in the name of the Gods!" she swore. She tossed her PADD onto the bed beside her and cupped the ends of her feet with her hands to help ebb the sharp pain now radiating from her toes. Her fingers closed over them, wet and slick. In surprise she brought her hands up to her face and nearly jumped straight from the bed as she saw them glistening red with blood. And so much of it! It covered her fingers, pooled around her wrists, ran in long beads down her arms.

Taking a shaking breath, she willed herself to look down at her feet and survey the damage. Her hands obscured her vision. She parted them.

And there, at the foot of the bed, was Matias Grronkil, the Elysium's Chief Engineer. He was hunched over on all fours, and looking up at her. Naked. A low growl emanated from his throat. It didn't sound angry, or dangerous. It sounded almost passionate. Sexual.

"What?" Qwyyn said dumbly. What was he doing here? In her bed? Sure, they had both agreed to start dating, but things had not progressed very far, certainly not where he should think himself allowed to enter her quarters without her permission. She found herself backing up away from him and toward her headboard. "Matias, is this some kind of ritual or something that your people do?"

He looked at her, quizzically.

"I don't like it," she continued, her voice firm. "Please leave. Now. We'll talk about this in the morning."

Matias bowed his head. And he smiled.

And as his lips split apart Qwyyn could see that his fangs were covered in blood.

Her blood.

From her feet.

She looked at them now. At where they should have been.

Instead, her legs ended in stumps.

Qwyyn screamed. In her panic, instinct overtook her. She threw herself at her nightstand, desperate to grab her communicator; but in one smooth leap, Grronkil was on her, pinning her down to the bed.

"Computer!" she cried out.

But his paw slapped down over her mouth, pressing hard.

Her breathing blew into his fur, ragged and painful. Hot. Wet.

She tried to beg him to stop. Her words came only as muffled cries. The effort of screaming into his wet fur was robbing her of precious oxygen, making her feel faint. His vision pulsed red. Her chest burned.

He smiled at her then. Raised a finger to his lips.

Shhhhhhhhh...

She nodded.

Slowly he took his hand away.

Qwyyn knew then that if she had any chance to escape this, it would be if she could appeal to his mercy. If she could distract him long enough to make him understand that whatever was happening here was a mistake. A horrible mistake. "Why?" she whispered.

His eyes drew down the length of her body. His smile grew wider as his gaze fell further and further down. Until finally he stopped, seeing exactly what it was that he wanted of her.

Liselle felt her skin turn to ice. She tried to skitter away, but his weight was on her, the stubs of her missing feet could not find purchase in the blood-slicked sheets. He was studying her. Her pouch. Again she asked, her voice barely audible, though it felt like she was screaming for all the effort it took to force the word out: "Why?"

He did not look at her. Merely spoke a single word.

"Hungry."

And then he plunged into her abdomen, teeth gnashing, skin tearing. His jaw grabbed hold and locked down tight. He rocked his head violently to either side and then he jerked his head up, ripping the symbiont out from her.

Qwyyn screamed so loud, clenched her fists so tight, that her fingernails buried themselves into the soft palms of her hands, drawing dark red trenches of blood from between her fingers.

And then she was alone.

In bed.

And the covers were up to her chin.

And Matias wasn't there.

And everything was calm.

And quiet.

She threw the covers from her, as though they burned her.

And she saw her feet there. They were there. Whole. And uncut. Her spots dotted their way down her legs and between her toes.

"A dream?" she said, spitting the word out, incredulous. "A dream?"

And she pulled her knees up to her chest and she began to cry.

Jealous

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Matias Grronkil

Mission: Episode 0: History Speaks

Location: Matias' Quarters

Timeline:

Matias was happy, asleep, in his fur as he usually slept. His relationship with Liselle was what brought him back to life after losing his mate Brronzir long ago in another galaxy. He was awakened by a soft voice.

"Matias,"

His eyes snapped open. There was Liselle laying next to him. What was she doing here? Was this something he hadn't comprehended when they started dating? They had agreed not to rush into things, and now she was here in his quarters, laying next to him.

"But..." he said.

"Shhhhh, my love," she said, laying a finger on his mouth. It was something out of a dream. But this was interrupted by a loud snarl. "SO!" came the voice from the other end of the room. "This is how you repay me for the best years of my life. Leaving me and going with this alien!"

Matias sat up sharply. "Brronzir??" he said. "But you're dead. I was there when you were killed."

"So you wished." she said. She approached him and pulled Liselle out of the bed. She was strong and held her up.

"I expected better from you, my love!" and that last word was another snarl.

"Let go of her, Brronzir!" he said.

"Sure! In pieces!" She bit deep into her neck, blood spurting everywhere. "Let's eat her together, or watch me eat her."

"NOOOOOOO!" he said even as she tore into Liselle's chest, pulling out her heart.

He woke up alone, heaving great breaths. How could Brronzir be so spiteful? It was not the one he remembered. But then, he saw he was alone. It was a dream. But a dream he would rather forget.

Betrayal

A Mission Post by Commander Gary Taylor

Mission: Episode 0: History Speaks

Location: Gary's quarters

Timeline: Current

"Red Alert! Red Alert! All Hands to battle stations!" The Captain's voice echoed through the decks of the ship. The Solstice had through a navigational malfunction strayed into the Romulan Neutral Zone. The malfunction had been fixed and the ship had started back for the Federation's side of the zone when like ghosts three bird of preys had materialized out of the inky blackness of space, surrounding the Solstice.

The Captain had tried to explain, that it was a system malfunction but the Romulans were in no mood to listen. They didn't even reply to the Captain's desperate plea. Instead they opened fire, taking out the shields and most of the senior staff when they destroyed the bridge.

Gary had been on the bridge when the attack came. He had delivered some Intel to the Captain that was now useless. He looked around the smoking,destroyed bridge, picking himself up off the deck the air was filled with an acid smell of burning conduit. The Captain was dead, crushed in his command seat by a falling bulkhead. Likewise for the XO. In fact all of the senior officers on bridge were dead. He tapped his combadge trying to reach Caitlin his wife but there was no reply. He then after several tries reached the CEO who informed him they were dead in space, no power, no weapons. A hasty discussion ensued and it was decided to abandon ship while they could.

Gary had managed to round up some others to help in the evacuation of the ship all while he made his way to Sickbay and Catlin as that was her duty station. Arriving he was greeted by a sight of mass confusion. Doctors, nurses trying to treat the rising influx of patients and failing miserably. Shouting above the din, he told them to head to the nearest lifeboat station even as he frantically tried to locate Catlin. Yet search as he did she wasn't there.

Leaving Sickbay, his heart in his throat, he pushed his way through the mass of crew that were scurrying in their panic trying to reach the lifeboats.*Like rats abandoning a sinking ship.* He thought without humor as the ship rocked from repeated phaser strikes. After what seemed like an eternity he reached their quarters. Entering, "CATLIN!" He shouted but silence was his only answer. "Where can she be?" He said to himself as he heard a sound that chilled him to the bone. Romulan transporters! The Romulans were beaming onto the ship! Stumbling out onto the deck, Gary and some other junior officers were determined to buy some time so the rest of the crew could get off the ship. They set up a spirited defense, buying time for the others but it was doomed to failure. An overwhelming force of Romulans had surrounded them. Yet instead of killing them ordered them to surrender instead.They would be taken as spoils of war, spending the rest of their lives as POWS.

The Romulan Commander of the boarding party (a female) named Slar stepped before him. "Ensign before you and the rest are taken away to a POW camp and your ship dissected for pit of information, I thought you might like to see who was instrumental in our victory. You see your ship didn't just suffer system failure, it was made to fail! The architect if our victory is someone I believe you are very close to." She waved her hand forward and the Romulans split apart like the parting of butter when a hot knife passes through it. Then suddenly standing before him a huge conceited smile on her face was Catlin. "Hello Lover." She purred sensuously, "I can see your surprised. never thought I'd ever see that. You're always so cocksure of yourself. Well Surprise! Jokes on you." Slar sneered "Enough Catlin go with the others, you'll be the hero here while your husband or should I say ex husband is taken away.....forever"

Gary lounged at Catlin, "How could you betray the ship,me? I love you." She stopped and turned around to face him "It was easy." She sneered, "I won't bore you with the details Gary but consider this our divorce." With that she turned on her heel and walked away. The sound of her bitter laughter ringing in his ears.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed as he grabbed for her but was beat down by the Romulans. "Caitlin!" He cried collapsing on the deck. Then suddenly he awoke he was in his bed...alone He turned and looked at the picture on the bedside table of Catlin and himself. "A dream? That's all this was? A dream?" He muttered. Nonetheless he didn't go back to sleep for the rest of the night. So shaken by the dream he was.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Fear wears a familiar face

A Mission Post by Commander Aurelia Holmes

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Lia's cabin

Timeline: Current

WARNING!!! Some sexual references, and implied violence

ON

Lia lay in bed looking up at her ceiling, her mind wondered from thought to thought. Then from the corner of her eye she spotted someone standing in her cabin, "Who the hell are you?" The figure didn't answer, Lia pulled her gown closed and started to get out of bed. But the figure raised it's right arm and she found herself pinned to the bed, "What the bloody hell is happening here?" She struggled to move but was held tight, her nightdress rode up exposing her lower body fully to the figure. It moved towards her it's left hand coming forwards to touch her genitals, she closed her legs and turned on the bed before it arrived next to her. Lia's eye's filled with tears, she was about to be raped and it seemed she could do nothing to prevent it.

Nothing. No touching, no forcing her legs apart, no groping of her now naked breasts. She turned to see what was going on, the figure was back where it had started. "Who are you?" She asked, the figure moved back towards her then stopped. "You know who I am Aurelia, think about it", the voice dripped with icy coldness. Only one person had ever called her Aurelia, her dead father. Fear now began to eat into her, "Dad? It can't be you, your dead. I was at your funeral". The figure now raised it's head slightly so Lia could see the face, "Oh Christ, it is you. What are you after?" You could hear the fear in Lia's voice, "How did you find me?" Her father moved closer and a putrid aroma filled Lia's nose, "I'm here to take what I always took from you, just shut up and lay back. Once I'm finished I'll leave, until I want it again". She started to shake violently, "There's no way in hell I'm just going to roll over and let you rape me, I'd sooner die first". Her father laughed, "Oh please do die, then you'll be mine for eternity. I can do what I want when I want for as long as I want". His voice drilled into her, and her fear rose higher.

She felt a cold finger tracing a line down between her breasts, heading for her vagina. She tensed up waiting for the touch, again nothing. Opening her eye's she saw her father inches away from her now naked body, but he only stood there looking at her. His face seemed tortured, his hands hung limp at his sides. Lia could see the evil in his eye's, "WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?" She screamed. Her father moved back, Lia hoped that Gary would arrive and save her. "Are you dreaming of that pig your in love with?" The question was loaded with hate, the eye's filled with venom. "Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?" Lia asked. Her father turned and faced her full on, "You were born a girl for a start, and all that pretty clothing you wore exposing you legs and breasts. Why else would a man want a girl for?" Lia felt sick to her stomach, "I was your daughter, most men want at least one daughter. Did you do this with Jacqueline?" Her father moved back slightly, "I loved Jackie, I never touched her. She was beautiful, and loyal". Those words hit home, "What do you mean loyal? Did Jackie know what you did to me?" She asked. "Of course she did, she even told me were to find you. Don't tell me you didn't suspect her?" Her father began laughing.

But Lia had noticed something, when she resisted he moved back. When she challenged him, he moved back. "You can't do anything to me can you? Unless I let you". Again her father moved back, "I can touch you, and I can have you anytime I want". He stated. But the fear in Lia was dying, "No you can't, or you would have done it by now! You could never stop your self before, but now you can't touch unless I believe in you and let you touch". Father moved back again, and this time he seemed to fade as well. She noticed this development, "Why don't you just crawl back to that hole in the ground you escaped from and let the bugs finish their work, I don't think they have much more to chew on after six years". Back he went again, and yes he was fading before her. Suddenly Lia felt she could move again, grasping her dressing gown she covered her self. "You've lost you dirty old bastard, go rot in hell!!" Her father seemed explode in front of her, and disappear. Lia screamed as it happened, and sat up right in bed.

As her heart pounded in her chest, she looked around her cabin. Her bed clothes sat neatly on her bed, her nightgown covered her fully. But that smell, there was a slight smell. Could it have been a dream? Was it a dream? And if it was a dream, what was that smell?

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - The Mechanical Horror

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Arrianna Salannis an Vantar

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Lt. Salannis' quarters

Timeline: MD-2 2204 - 0630 Hours

Arri continued to walk through her what once was her home. A two century old transport, but something was terribly wrong. There was no one here, no one she could recognize, and she wasn't feeling anyone's presence. Only the vibrations and the constant humming of the Vantar's engines. She entered her family's home, which was a cargo container until recently. "Mother? Are you here? Father?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by mechanical sounds behind her. Something walked by, making clanking noises as it walked down the hall. Arri looked into the corridor and found nothing. She continued down the long corridors of the Vantar, and her eyesight was playing tricks on her. The long hall twisted even thought it did not seem like it. It felt like a dream, but also reality. Horrific reality.

Arri began to hear more mechanical noises.

She entered the engineering section and then stopped. The whole corridor was covered with converted Borg technology. No drones, yet. She began to look around. She could hear them walking around her, but there were no drones yet. She opened a panel and pulled a phaser pistol from it and began move forward with her phaser held at the ready. Her hand began to shake. Few things frightened the Alindari, but the Borg was the chief fear.

She entered another room to find what appeared to be operating tables with Alindari in the process of being assimilated. It was there she found her mother and father being converted. "No...." For one of her people to loose their soul to the Borg, it was worse than death. A drone inserted its forearm apparatus into a port on her mother's head and she stiffened as her mind was linked to the collective. "NO!!! Mother!!! NO!!!" Arri yelled.

Suddenly an iron hand grabbed her shoulder. She looked around to find her brother, with a borg ocular implant in his right eye. She began to struggle in vain against her brother and he threw her against the wall. She looked up at Darius as he approached, half-assimilated and grabbed her by her shirt. Lifting Arri up, tubiles appeared from his hand and shot into her neck.

Arri awoke breathing heavily, covered with sweat in a Syrilian Silk night-garment. Her hand reached toward the light and she checked herself, patting herself down obsessively... No implants. Her mind was still her own. She was not being subjected by a thousand voices, and an overwhelming compulsion to comply.

She entered her lavatory and began to check herself in the mirror. No implants, she began to sigh in relief. She stepped into the shower to start showering the sweat off her, and she just barely pulled a tie from her long hair when she heard a mechanical wizz, she looked towards a shadow that appeared beyond her shower curtain, a red laser light danced around the small bathroom, she pulled the curtain back.

Revealing herself as Borg.

Arri jumped out of bed once again as the alarm sounded. Once again, she was nearly out of breath as the alarm continued. Her bed was completely deranged from her struggling. and she stumbled out of bed and onto the floor, she began to shed tears. "No... fear is... a calm mind can overcome fear... a calm mind can overcome fear..." She said to herself as she attempted to calm her mind. "a calm mind can overcome fear." She told herself again. looking around the quarters.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - "More"

A Mission Post by Darkness

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Unspecified

Timeline: Unspecified

Cold, so deep, so frigid it froze the to the bone. Breath showing in puffs, heating small patches of air as feet thudded in a panicked retreat. Gasps of fear, of worry of desperation split the frigid silence. Behind them, the sound of skittering noises, of nails on glass, on steel.

A muffled cry a thud as the runner tripped and fell, then a tearing, a rendering, screams and begging for mercy, found none. Then the soft sound of something being dragged, a trail of blood left behind....

Running the Decks

A Mission Post by Commander Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Sthilg & 1st Lieutenant Michael Andrews

Mission: Episode 3: Such as we are made of, such we be

Location: To Be Determined

Timeline: 0900 hours

Michael looked over the deck plans of the Elysium while waiting for Taylor and Sthlig to show up. The deck races were a good way to let off some steam and meet other crew member.

Gary arrived moments later. "Good Morning Lieutenant." He greeted Michael pleasantly. "Ready for the race?"

The gorn stepped into the room just after Gary. " Ssso gentlemen ssshall we get this underway?"

"Morning Doc." Gary greeted the CMO cordially, "What's the rush? Decks aren't going anywhere."

" The universsse never keepsss to my time table." The gorn replied a smile on his reptilian face.

"Ah." Gary answered an answering smile on his face. "Well since that's the case. I suppose we should get started."

Michael looked over at Gary. "You're the HMFIC here, Commander. What are the parameters?" he asked.

"Yes. I see. Thank you I think Lieutenant," Gary replied. He did indeed know what the term meant. "However I think I'll let you set the parameters Lieutenant after all, it was your idea that we run the decks."

Michael thought for a moment. "Okay.. last one to officer's lounge buys. No turbolifts. Sound fair?" He asked, stretching his legs.

"Sounds fair to me. What about you Doc? You okay with this?" Gary asked casting a look at the CMO as he stood in place and moved his legs up and down to get ready to start.

Michael reconsidered his plans. " Okay.. We're here in deck 11, in the cargo bay. So...ah ha... Eleven Forward then? We can bypass 7 and 8" he said.

Gary nodded in approval as Michael laid out the race route. "Sounds good. Bypassing Medical and Counseling is a good idea. Don't want to upset their routine or patients as we come rumbling by."

"Any objections, Doc? Or stipulations from you? " he asked Sthilg

" None that i can think off. " The gorn replied grinning. ''

"Then what are we waiting for? Lets get this little race started." Gary suggested with a smile.

Michael took his ready position. "On 3 .. 1.... 2.... 3" he said, taking off at a good pace.

Gary fell in behind Andrews as he was content to let the Marine set the pace in the early stages as it allowed him to conserve his energy for later in the race even as the barreled down the decks. His goal for now was just to stay within shouting distance of the Marine as they wove along the decks.

Michael wasn't built for speed. Strength and stamina were more his forte. He did manage to keep Gary within earshot.

Just as they were hitting deck 9, some crew were moving excess cargo to the bay. Michael made a split second decision to hurdle the cargo as opposed to running it over. He leapt and cleared the cargo but landed with a tuck and roll against the wall.

Gary pulled up short as they came upon some crew moving cargo yet even as he did , he caught Andrews jumping the cargo but landing in a tuck and roll against the farthest wall. He looked in the direction of the marine making sure he wasn't hurt before resuming his run.

The gorn grinned as he followed behind the other having to move carefully due to his big size.

Gary turned and saw the CMO lumbering after them. The Gorn moved well despite his size. Nodding he turned and resumed his run, determined to give it his best shot.

Michael stood and shook the cobwebs from his head, motioning to Gary he was ok but to keep going. Seeing Sthlig following, he took off at a run. He'd give it his best.

Seeing that Andrews was alright, Gary resumed running, in fact even picking up the pace to increase the distance between himself and the others.

Michael kept his pace but his bulk couldn't overcome Gary's speed. As they neared their destination, Michael fell a little further back.

In the lead, Gary was running free and easy. He looked over his shoulder to check on the others and saw Michael up and running but not able to close the distance between them. The CMO followed behind Michael.

Michael knew he couldn't catch Gary but he'd give his XO a good run. He dug deep for longer strides in an effort to close the distance, glancing back at Sthlig on his heels.

Giving another glance over his shoulder, Gary saw Andrews pick up his pace in an effort to close the distance between them and the CMO despite his size was right on his heels. "Sorry fellas, not gonna catch me today." He whispered to himself as he kicked in another gear, his stride lengthening with each step he took and the distance again increasing between him and his pursuers.

Michael kept up, despite Gary's lead. He dug deep for a burst of speed but it wasn't enough.

Rounding a corner, Gary could see their destination in sight and he dug a little deeper into his inner reserves to keep his lead and hold off Andrews and Sthilg.

Michael saw the endgame of the race. Taylor would win but he wouldn't quit. As Gary crossed the 'finish line', Michael was just a few steps off. He reached an open chair and looked back, seeing Sthlig hauling his bulk in. "Well fought, Commander. Congrats on the win" he Said between breaths, giving Gary a hearty handshake.

Gary gave the young marine a firm handshake. "Thank you Mr. Andrews. Thank you very much." He replied honestly. He resisted saying anything like "you gave me a good run. or nice effort." Anything that may have sounded patronizing. He looked up and saw Sthlig lumber across the finish line. The Gorn moved quicker than he would have thought.

Michael shook Gary's hand and offered it to Sthlig. "You carry yourself tremendously well, Commander " he said.

"Indeed you do."Gary added and offered his hand to the CMO as well.

" Good run gentlemen." The Gorn replied still trying to catch his breath. He took Gary's hand and gave it a firm shake.

"We'll have to do this again." Gary told the others.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - "Cornering Jaeih"

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Jaeih t’Noramei-McKinley

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Starbase Gamma

Timeline: MD 1 16h00

With

Commander Jalena t'Mandak-Garot

Executive Officer

USS Cairns A

Commander Shiarrael t'Nairrehk

Second Officer/Romulan Exchange Officer

USS Resolution A

= Starbase Gamma =

Jalena looked at Shiarrael. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. My sources say that is her" She held out the image to her cousin. Both looked at the image and then at the young woman who was strolling down the promenade deck of the starbase.

"If that is her then we are in luck. How do we approach this?" Jalena asked softly.

"We tell her."

"Woah. Slow down. I was raised on earth. It was a shock to me to find out about my romulan family, more so when I thought they had abandoned me." Jale said softly. "We need to take this slow."

"Come on." Shia took Jale by the arm and led her out of the alcove. "You talk to her, You are a Fleet officer. She will respond to you."

"If she does not, I am so blaming you" Jalena groused.

The pair approached the woman who was looking into a clothing store.

"Excuse me?" Jalena asked politely. "Are you Jaeih t'Noramei-McKinley?"

Jaeih turned at the sound of a cultured British accent. She took in the pair. One had Slight Romulan Ridges and was her height, the other was at least two inches taller and had no ridges. "Yes, I am Lt. t'Noramei-McKinley, can I help you in anyway?"

Jalena smiled "I am Jalena t'Mandak-Garot and this is Shiarrael t'Nairrehk. We were wondering if we would be able to speak with you in private."

Their names were Romulan. Jaeih took a step back.

"Please…" Jalena said softly. "We are not here to harm you. We just want to talk."

"Ok.." Jaeih said softly. "Where?"

Shia smiled. "I have private quarters on the Resolution and Jalena has the same on the Cairns."

"Or we could go to your cabin if you like" Jalena said softly giving Jaeih a choice.

"My cabin then" Jaeih said. Better to get to where she was in command of the situation.

= Ten minutes Later, USS Elysium, Jaeih's Cabin.=

The three women entered the cabin and both Jalena and Shiarrael looked around casually. Compared to Shiarrael's cabin, this was sparse and grey. And compared to Jalena's.. it was neat and tidy, after all with four kids and a husband Jalena's cabin was always cluttered.

"Please be seated" Jaeih invited. "Can I get you anything?"

Shia shook her head. "No thank you."

"No thank You." Jalena replied with a smile.

Jalena sat calmly, while Shiarrael stood. Jalena took a breath and began to speak. "I know this is strange, but as you have probably already guessed Both Shiarrael and I are of Romulan birth. I am half Romulan like yourself and Shia for all her lack of ridges is full born." She paused. "Her Maternal Grandmother is my Paternal Grandfather's Sister. As is your paternal Grandmother. They were siblings. You are our third cousin."

Jaeih stared at her. "I do not believe you. I was abandoned."

Shia shook her head "We believe you were kidnapped."

"I was not! My family did not Kidnap me!" Jaeih protested

"No not by the federation" Jalena stated.

"By a romulan officer." Shiarrael added.

"What do you mean?" Jaeih was curious.

Jalena took a breath. "I was born on earth. Therefore I could not be raised within the Romulan Star Empire without being killed. YOU were born on a romulan Ship. You Would have been raised and raised with honor among the family. We believe someone on the ship that you were born on, stole you from the medical bay and put you in the life pod. It is not uncommon. Your.. father believes it was an officer who was jealous of your mother's place in his heart. It is not uncommon."

Jaeih sat down and watched Jalena's face. "But you are not certain."

"And we never will be." Jalena said softly. "Here" She held out their family tree.

Jaeih read it in silence. "How do I know they want me? They have never sought me out before."

Jale smiled faintly at that. "I had the same questions when I found out about our family from my cousin Robbie. But I have the assurances of our family members that they look forward to meeting you, and your Adoptive Family."

She looked at Jalena curiously. "They want to meet my Adoptive Family?"

"Yes." Shiarrael said calmly. "They do." She pulled a crisp piece of Vellum from her pocket. It bore the seal of the Three Families Combined. The Storm bird of the first house of T'Mandak , Guarding the Sword and Dagger of the Second House of T'Nairrehk and the Flame of the Third House of T'Noramei.

"All the Heads of Houses Signed that invitation. Your Grandfather Hanja and your grandmother Jaeih along with my Grandparents Havraha and Shiarrael, and Shiarrael's grandparents Thue and Aev. They all back the Praetor, your second uncle's Invitation to you and your Adoptive Family to the Romulan Star Empire." Jalena said softly. "And the Empress Also sends an invitation. Not a summons. An Invitation." She gave a rueful smile. "You are lucky, I got summoned."

Shiarrael nudged Jalena. "Oh, I almost forgot." Jalena said as she pulled a box from her pocket. "The T'Noramei Crest." She held it out to Jaeih in silence.

After a few tense minutes Jaeih finally took the crest from Jalena. "I… will need time to think on this."

"I understand" Jalena stood and took Jaeih's hand in hers. "No matter what you choose, The family will stand by you Cousin." She knelt so she could look Jaeih in the face. "And my family, me and my husband and children will always be there for you no matter what. I understand what you are going through having been through it myself. If you need to talk to me, you can reach me on the USS Cairns Ok?"

Jaeih nodded.

Shiarrael walked over to the pair. "We make a strange trio of cousins but it is what we are."

Jalena laughed softly. "You have not met Robert yet!" She grinned at them both. Impulsively she hugged Jaeih and then Shiarrael. "We are honored to have you in our family Jaeih." She said as she stepped back.

"Thank you" Jaeih said tears in her eyes.

With a smile, the cousins left the cabin, leaving Jaeih to think things over. Jalena went back to the Cairns, while Shiarrael went back to the shuttle to take her back to the USS Resolution.

MORE DREAMS

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Matias Grronkil

Mission: Episode 0: History Speaks

Location:

Timeline:

OOC: I just couldn't resist this.

IC: After that horrible nightmare, Matias had trouble getting back to sleep, but he finally did. It was only the beginning of horrible dreams for him. He now found himself in front of an ancient door with a sign on it. He desperately needed to get in. He pushed and pushed on the door, he pushed and pushed, but he couldn't get it open! It was only when he was about to wake up that he realized the sign on the door read PULL. He awoke and held his heart which was racing.

He went back to sleep and dreamed for the rest of the night that he was eating a tasteless Terran food called shredded wheat. All night long, he dreamed he was eating shredded wheat. When he awoke, he saw half the mattress was gone. He didn't know how he was going to explain THIS to Liselle.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Class Warfare

A Mission Post by Lieutenant JG Jessinia Kopl-Johnson & Cadet Senior Grade Toumun

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 15, Cadet Dedicated Holodeck 6

Timeline: MD1, 1300 Hours

The course was INTEL250, cryptically titled 'Advanced Analysis.' It was supposed to be an advanced senior-level course on the analysis of data collected, and the possible messages held within. It sounded a lot like book work from the description and no one in the small Intel class had any idea why such a class would meet in the holodeck. So much of the Intel curriculum was practically unknown except by those who had already gone through the courses, and those people tended not to share their memories of academic life after they got through the program.

Cadet Toumun stood at the far left of the three senior Intel students. He was taller and beefier than the others and, like someone had taken a highligher to a coloring page to make him stand out, was green. His arms were crossed over his chest. He wasn't known to be much of a talker, and usual, he just listened while the other two chatted quietly about their speculations on the class.

Jessinia was watching the students interact very much young and wanting. Senior Cadet, Touman, a Very strapping young man, Although Well below her usual, was an eyeful. He was brooding, like a child. "Is there an issue with your material Cadet??"

"I don't believe so, ma'am," Toumun said in a low rumble, unfolding his arms and looking slightly unsure of himself as he glanced from the instructor to the other two students and then back.

His grudginess annoyed her. "Speak Cadet, Never let Anyone assume..!"

"Aye, ma'am," he said, louder and more clearer. "There's nothing wrong with the materials."

"Then What is Wrong??" Jessinia toned, keeping her cool...

"Nothing, ma'am," he answered flatly.

That rose up her ire. "As Humans say, "Bullshit", Cadet, Out with it..."

Toumun re-folded his arms across his chest. "You look much older than the photo on your dossier. You also don't look anything like a typical Betazoid." Aside from the not-so-subtle burn, he was calling her out for reading his thoughts so casually. If that's what she was doing. He could only speculate since he knew next-to-nothing about her, but the theory made sense.

Whether he knew it or not, he was Hitting on her, It was, Adorable... She could easily devour the delicious young maleness, but she was Very happily taken. He was the one, the diamond in the rough, the others were just fulfilling credits. Like liquid sex she curled from her seat and onto an empty desk. "Your eye is sharp, your aim is, decent. All intel paperwork is Grey and I choose to leave it as such.

"With all due respect," Toumun spoke up again with the same deeply resonating voice. "Is your statement indicative of never having all of the facts prior to having to execute a mission?" Advanced Analysis, indeed. He was going to need an analyst to be able to decyper his instructor.

So delicious, youth and inexperience. Jessinia curled Back around to her chair. leaning forward just so. "The only way to know everything is to be a god. "Eyes up!" she ordered. the class looked toward their instructor. "AS of today, Cadet Touman is designated Class commander."

Oh, shit. Toumun's brow rose in surprise. He was pretty sure he wanted to be anything but Class Commander. Being invisible would have been perfectly fine with him.

The others looked at Touman in surprise, Sort of. It was All the cover Jessinia needed. {And No I didn't read your mind young one.} She placed at his left ear...

Toumun nodded his head, unsure what to say or think. It was not the most pleasant place for him to be, being singled out from the rest of his class, but he was also determined not to show his hesitation or unease.

Meeting

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Toumun & Cadet Junior Grade Rick Prymm

Mission: Episode 3: Such as we are made of, such we be

Location: USS Elysium

Timeline:

It has been only a few hours since Rick beamed onto the Elysium. But now he was thereof the system Shras finally had some downtime before reporting to the Medical instructor. He was at a loss to what exactly to do, however. Knowing that doing something was preferable to boredom he simply decided to take a walk. He nodded to fellow crewmates before a familiar urge hit him. "How could I forget!?" he said to himself. He made an about face and headed straight for the mess hall. "Hadn't eaten yet." he said with a small laugh

He entered to see the place buzzing. "Must have a special or something." he said to himself. He looked at the line and threw his hands up. He went to one of the display cases and got himself his trademark orange juice and a sandwich and then started to scan the room for a place to sit. He looked around and found an intel senior cadet sitting alone. Ever the friendly sort, Rick walked over.

"Hello. Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked.

"I do, but go ahead anyway," the green-hued cadet replied without looking up from the PADD he was studying. His voice was deep and it carried a rather sharp tone in a way that expressed a mild annoyance. On the PADD was study materials for xenobiology.

"Okay then." he said, with a slightly confused look on his face as he sat. He took a sip of juice as he took out his own padd containing his daily agenda. He nodded as he read.

Toumun eventually glanced up at the blue-shirt, one eyebrow raised. "Science or medical?" he asked directly.

"Medical," Rick replied with a certain amount of pride. "Tried for operations but computers aren't my thing." he laughed

"Mm," came the short reply, without any laugh. "Medical's not my thing, and THIS class," he indicated the PADD. "Isn't going to be good." He may have been generally unwelcoming, but at least he understood that this medical cadet could be useful to him. All good friendships have to start somewhere, right? "Name's Toumun. Got here yesterday."

"Rick. Same here." he replied. "Xenobiology huh? I know what you mean." he smiled.

"You're probably pretty good in xenobiology, huh?" Toumun asked, warming right up now and mirroring Rick's casual tone, a subtle closing of the divide.

Rick nodded. "Pretty much yeah." he replied

"Good. I might pick your brain sometime," Toumun promised -- or threatened, depending on how one viewed the statement. He got to thinking for a moment and set his PADD down. "So, you just got here and don't know anyone?" He asked, calculatingly. "You should petition to move rooms. I have open bunks."

"Sounds good to me." Rick replied

"You agreed to that too fast," Toumun said, eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to figure out why Rick was so agreeable.

"Eh." Rick replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Just how I'm wired I guess."

"Wired differently," Toumun thought about the peculiar expression. Of course he knew it was an expression, that Rick didn't actually mean that he differed physiologically from other humans on the ship. Still, the use of the expression tickled uncomfortably in his thoughts. Why was Rick 'wired' any differently than other human cadets? Was it really just Rick's personality or was Rick overcompensating for some other trait or hiding a part of himself that he didn't want anyone to see? Maybe Rick was trying to pretend be friendly so that he could gain a tactical advantage in some way.

"Hmm," Toumun settled, still thinking. "Tell me something about you," he prompted randomly.

"No. Wait," the orion interrupted Rick before he'd even gotten a chance to think about it. "Let's play a game. Two truths and a lie. Go."

"Okay." Rich said. "My Dad served on Voyager. I was born on Earth. And my favorite color is blue." Rick said. "How about you?"

"Green," Toumun responded to the inquiry easily. Then he say back in the chair, crossed his arms, and declared in a deadpan tone, "Those are boring, but let's see. You're probably lying about being born on Earth because I think the first one is too specific to be a lie and the color blue is statistically the most favored color by humans."

"You'd be right. Born in Tycho City on Luna.." Rick replied. " Sorry I couldn't be more interesting." He laughed. "What you see is what you get."

Rick gestured hi hands as if to say " Now your turn"

Toumun rubbed his hands together for a moment. "Alright. Well, I have a twin, I've been in prison, and I've never owned a pet."

"Just guessing here, but I'd say the twin is the lie." Rick said. "Wouldn't be surprised if I missed the mark though."

"Hmph," Toumun nodded slowly. "Good guess."

"Really?!" Rick said.

"It was an obvious choice," Toumun said, giving in to Rick's guessing the correct answer.

"Alright then" Rick replied.

Toumun looked at Rick and shook his head. "It's probably time for me to go find someone else to harass. See you around, Rick."

"Sure thing." Rick replied. "Gotta report to sickbay soon, anyway."

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Underwater Boundaries

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Toumun

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location:

Timeline: MD 2, 00:00 - 04:40 Hours

Dragged ya down below

Down to the devil's show

To be his guest forever

Peace of mind is less than never

Hate to twist your mind

But God ain't on your side

An old acquaintance severed

Burn the world your last endeavor

- Song "Nightmare" by Avenged Sevenfold

Toumun had barely closed his eyes, he could still hear his roommate, Michiko, rummaging around with her homework on the other side of the room. He was about to sit up and say something to her when he felt the a cool, wet tightness wrap around his neck. His eyes flew open and he clutched at a tentacle, trying to pry it away as he gasped for breath through a constricted airway. He couldn't make out anything in the darkness of the room, but he was sure he was still in his quarters, his legs kicked against the mattress beneath him. He tried to yell out but no sound would come, only a quiet gasp for air.

More tentacles wrapped themselves around his wrists, over-powering even his above-average musculature and dragging him against his will down toward the floor. There was no thud as he hit what should have been the hard decking, but rather a splash of water. He kicked and splashed, thrashing about as he tried to get away from the grip of some unknown, unseen demon entity.

It pulled him under the water and he instinctively held his breath; his eyes were so wide and fearful that they threatened to pop from his head. He continued to kick, to thrash, to resist with everything in him. All of the energy used up the oxygen in his lungs as his heart beat so hard in his chest that it felt like it would explode. He'd pass out before that would happen and soon everything went dark.

He awoke gasping for air and clutching at the blanket that he'd become entangled in. The only sound in the room was his slowing gasps as he regained his breath and his awareness for the reality around him.

It was a dream. Just a dream. No doubt triggered by the party at the water park the previous day.

He groaned to himself, pulled his tormented blanket straight and turned over to go back to sleep. Or try. The nightmare would haunt him for hours more as he turned over restlessly. Goan. Turn. Sigh. Pull the covers up. Turn. Sigh. Kick the covers off. Turn. Pull the covers up. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Toumun's mind was uneasy. It was not able to settle itself back into a place of nocturnal comfort capable of sustaining a sleep pattern, so he gave up on trying somewhere in the early hours of the morning. It bothered him that the dream had disturbed him so deeply. It clearly meant nothing to him. It would make for a long, grouchy day. He could at least use this time to be productive somewhere. It made him resentful of having a roommate that he had to be quiet and considerate of. Still wearing a t-shirt and boxers, he grabbed a PADD with his class work on it and headed to find somewhere on the deck to study.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Medical lesson planning

A Mission Post by Ensign Gareb Endilev

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Holodeck

Timeline: current

"Computer. Begin Medical lesson program Gareb alpha one." Gareb said. A manifestation of the sickbay of USS Voyager appeared. Gareb walked through and nodded. A thought kept nagging him about it being a little too big for his needs. He tried to think of a real test for his cadets, to see what they were made of. He thought for a good few minutes before he hand the proverbial "light bulb" moment.

"Computer, remove Intrepid class sickbay and replace with NX class sickbay." The room changed and Gareb smiled from ear to ear. "Good, good." he said. "Now update with current lcars displays and medical tools. The tech changed according to the Andorian hybrids instructions. Gareb was beaming. "Just change the displays and tools. Keep the medical capabilities the same."

"Clarify." the computer said.

"Have the display and tools so the cadets are semi familiar. Keep the facilities the same according to the NX class."

"Acknowledged." The voice replied. Gareb rolled his eyes. "Computers." he said to himself. "Not to worry. They're going "old school" next lesson." he said to himself.

He walked through the simulation. Satisfied, he moved onto his next set of commands. Those regarded patients. They ran the gamut between simple trauma to complex syndromes. "We'll get into lecture later." he thought to himself. "Right now I've gotta gauge what they know already."

Soon after he said that his commbadge beeped informing him of an appointment with a cadet. "Computer, save program and exit."

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Caught In The Act

A Mission Post by Cadet Senior Grade Michiko Maruyama

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 15 - Cadet Bunks

Timeline: MD02 - 0237 hours

ON:

Michiko was sitting at her workstation at home, doing what she spent most of her days with: coding. A second workstation next to hers had the sole function to be used for testing her creations and their objective did not fit at all with the surroundings in which they were created.

The girl's work space was a relatively bare yet cosy tatami room that doubled as her bedroom. A large window let in the warm rays of the sun but it could be covered at night with rice paper sliding doors. To one side of the room, there was a half-metre wide and just as deep gap between the tatami and the wall. A wide yet narrow shelf housed the work stations as well as several datapadds and, oddly, a tray with what looked like scrolls of paper, ink bottles and several brushes of different sizes. For more comfort during long hours spent in front of the work stations, Michiko was sitting on a cushioned zaisu, a floor chair with a back rest. The gap between tatami and wall allowed her to not always sit on her folded legs but as if sitting on a normal, western-style chair.

The sliding doors to the adjacent rooms were open, to allow the warm air and light to flood the house that had painstakingly been built by her ancestors two hundred years ago, modelling it as closely as possible after houses that had been built in their native Japan for hundreds of years. Familiar sounds and scents reached Michiko from the rest of the house, adding to the general sense of belonging and safety she always felt here. Not that she had any real reason to feel threatened. She was just a child to most people. Far from being of age. A polite, soft-spoken young girl whose grandfather was an important yet discreet figure in the city.

She smiled as she thought about him, temporarily and uncharacteristically interrupting her work.

Her reverie was interrupted when the pleasant day-to-day sounds ceased and were replaced by screams of terror piercing the air.

"No! Noooo!" came from here and there, followed by more screams.

Michiko leapt up and ran towards the nearest screams. She did not come far. In the room adjoining hers, she found a servant on the ground. His eyes were open, unblinking, and he had an expression of surprise on pain on his face. She felt for a heartbeat. Nothing.

She continued to the next room, looking for her family. She didn't call out, afraid that she might draw attention to herself. More dead servants in other nearby rooms. Still there was screaming and she had the impression of moving shadows outside.

The next room revealed the dead body of her youngest brother Mitsuo - eight years her senior. His eyes were open as well and his expression matched that of the servants she had found. There was no visible blood. Michiko swallowed hard and tears welled up in her eyes as she touched her brother's still warm cheek. It was now eerily silent in the one-story mansion and even though Michiko would have liked to stay and somehow help her brother, something forced her on.

The next rooms were not better. Servants and employes are everywhere. All, as far as she could tell without touching everyone, dead. Even the pets had been killed. There was her oldest brother, Kazuki. Dead. Her second brother, Takeo, next to him. Also dead. Slain while they were drinking tea.

Tears were streaming down Michiko's cheeks and blurred her vision. Still she continued to stumble from room to room, fearing with every step what else she may find.

Her mother. Fallen in the kitchen, lying next to the cook, a wooden spoon still in her hand.

Michiko let out a sob and hurried on, unable to bear the sight.

Her father. Crumbled onto his desk.

Michiko sobbed louder. She continued to the next room. Not wanting to but being driven by her fear and morbid curiosity. She had to know.

There. The last room. Her grandfather's room. She paused before the closed sliding door. Swallowed hard and wiped away some of the tears before she reached out and slowly slid the door back.

Her oyabun was sitting behind his low desk, as straight-backed as ever and alive! With a sob of relief she hurtled across the room towards him.

Then, everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Michiko suddenly found herself in the air, her feet not touching the tatami anymore and while she struggled to, she couldn't advance anymore. A second or so passed until she realised that someone strong and towering was holding her around her midsection against their chest, making it impossible for her feet to touch the ground. Someone else entered her field of vision. He had a phaser or disruptor in his hand, trailing it on her grandfather's head.

Michiko became aware of others in the room. What seemed like a crowd. All armed.

She continued to struggle, but to no avail.

She tried to say something, but no sound came out of her mouth.

Someone said something, but it sounded as if they were speaking under water.

Her grandfather had still not moved but looked ahead with a stoic expression on his face.

The person holding her clamped his hand over her mouth. Some of the noise in the background stopped.

One of the men walked over to her grandfather.

Hit him with the phaser in the head.

Kicked him.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Michiko screamed against the hand and struggled as hard as she could.

Again to no avail.

Again, the man kicked her old grandfather who never raised his hand. Merely looked at his favourite granddaughter.

Until he toppled over, blood running down the side of his face.

Michiko screamed again.

Kicked and scratched.

Squirmed and wriggled.

The arms holding her were too strong.

Michiko opened her eyes.

Panting hard.

It was dark.

She laid still.

She listened.

Her own breathing was loud.

Her heart was beating as quickly as if she had run.

Her blood pounded in her ears.

Some tossing and turning came from the other bed on the other side of the room.

Her limbs were tangled up in her blanket.

She moved slowly. Untangling herself.

Kept thinking about... a dream? It had been so realistic... but it had never happened.

Still. She would write to her grandfather tomorrow. And to her brothers and parents.

Or...

No. Better do it right away.

Michiko reached out to her nightstand where she kept a PADD. She turned around, her back to Toumun's bunk, using her body to shield the dim light of the PADD not to disturb her roommate. Then she began to write.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Sobering Dream

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Cadet Senior Grade Toumun

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Dreamscape

Timeline:

WARNING!!! Some sexual references, and implied violence

Arri continued to walk down the corridor, but something was wrong. She felt... intoxicated, and the world around her seemed unreal. It was also like she had no concept of morality, she just wanted something fun to do. She moved to a panel near someone's quarters and reprogrammed the environmental systems to start filling the quarters with pink lemonade. To which she suppressed a chuckle, but in reality, she felt shame for being drunk.

Toumun, on the other hand, seemed content to believe everything was just fine. It was fine that he wearing the dress variant of his cadet jacket with it's shiny pins and crisp lines. It was fine that he'd apparently forgotten to put on pants with the jacket this morning. It was fine that the overhead lights cast everything around him in a gaudy purple haze. He turned through the corridors, not even realizing the abnormally crazy pattern that the hallway twisted and wrenched itself around. He had somewhere to be and he was late.

"Hey!" he called to the unknown officer screwing around with his door panel when he spotted her.

Arri turned one of the twisted corridors and stared at the Cadet. A devious thought entered her mind, and she could not stop it.

"CADET!! ATTEN-HUT!!!" She barked. This poor man was going to get it, and inside herself, the shame was unbearable.

The cadet snapped to attention. Three years of conditioning would do that to a person, even in their unconscious thoughts.

"You will follow me." Arri noted and opened one of the Escape Pod ports. "Into this Escape Pod!!!"

"Are we under attack, sir?" Toumun asked, hesitating on the threshold of the airlock. He hadn't remembered hearing an evacuation order, but that explain the weird purple lighting which he just took notice of.

Arri responded. "YOU. will. get. into. the. escape. pod. NOW!!! Do you want a mark for disobeying orders."

"Aye, ma'am," Toumun rumbled in his low voice as he stepped into the warm, humid environment of the escape pod. It should have been designed to hold four people, but there was only a cedar-plank bench and a steam generator that was pelting out eucalyptus-scented vapor. The cadet seemed confused and turned around to object. "Something's wrong." He peeled off his jacket. It was so hot and sweat was starting to gather on his forehead.

'Oh no..' Arri's eyes widened as she saw his physique. There was nothing holding her back, no reason or rationale. Her hand moved up her uniform and began to unzip it. She was irrational, reduced to base desires. It was horrifying and insulting, but she could not control.

His tunic clung to his torso like a second skin and dampness was setting down the front and under his arms. He lifted his dimpled chin up toward the ceiling as he surveyed the cabin of the pod and rivulet of perspiration ran down his neck. "Something's wrong," he repeated to the Lieutenant as he looked back over to her.

She pulled more her clothes off and began to advance toward him, desire was turning to madness as unrestrained emotions began to appear. The world appeared more surreal twisted as Arri couldn't control her emotions. "Get out of here, Cadet... I will kill you like this." She walked slowly towards him.

Fear registered for him somewhere in her words and it triggered some primal Orion instinct he probably wasn't even entirely aware of. He would stand his ground against his aggressor. A snarl of his lip was the response he would give her before he peeled off his shirt and threw it down. He stood there in his underwear and growled, "You can try."

She suddenly pressed herself against him, but the primal urging and loathing in her compelled her to start kissing him, but in an irrational flurry of emotion, she grabbed his neck and started strangling him obsessively.

Pinned between the wall and the woman, Toumun was a little confused and more than a little turned on as he gasped for breath against her soft lips. He wouldn't pull away though. It was a strange desire for her to continue for a long and violently passionate moment, until the edges of reality started to fade and a new adrenal surge kicked in. He yanked her hair so violently, that she would have no choice but to drop her grip on him.

She let go, but she was left seething with an irrational desire both to love and kill him. Her eyes turned to sheer, unrepentant madness. She began laughing insanely.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec4nMM9KSKA)

She smiled insanely and charged him. "Time to love me and DIE!!!"

He growled at her as he met her charging body.

It was like nuclear explosion when they climaxed some time later, the both of them bloody and beaten.

---

Arri jumped up out of bed. Breathing hard. "Calm.... serenity...." She began to calm the surge of emotions within her.

---

"Holy shit." Toumun was out of breath when he sat straight up in bed and looked immediately for the blood on his hands. He touched his face, looking for the battle wounds. It felt like a hang-over. Or a hang-over from a hang-over. Except it wasn't. Everything was normal. Just another dream.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Acadmy Meeting

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Shrytaat Zh'echilnoth & Lieutenant Commander Ephraim Parish & Lieutenant JG Jessinia Kopl-Johnson & Ensign Gareb Endilev

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 12

Timeline: MD 2 09h00

Lieutenant Commander Zh'echilnoth summoned her instructors to the Meeting room on Deck 12. She wanted to make sure everyone was settling in ok.

Gareb walked in, holding a padd full of lesson plans. He nodded to the commandant. "Commander." he said as he sat down after getting himself an iced coffee.

Not long after a chipper Ephraim cleared the threshold, since meeting Liselle and Phoenix the Elysium's former Chief Engineer come Instructor allowed himself to grow excited at the prospects of his role. It was known amongst those that had known him during his time prior, that he took great pride in his patient, hands-on, approach to instructing.

"Good morning, Commander" he greeted easily, as he took a seat, placing the flask of coffee that he always carried with him onto the table, "Doc" he nodded to Gareb.

Gareb nodded back, lifting his own coffee in hello.

Jessinia entered in a bustle. She'd had trouble with Mavric, living up to his name. She stiffened slightly at the feel of the office, She wasn't really an academic tye after all. "Morning everyone.." She easily though... taking a seat in the middle...

With everyone gathered, Shrytaat called the meeting to order. She surveyed the gathered officers/Instructors. "For those who have not yet met me, I am Lt. Commander Zh'echilnoth. I have been assigned as the Academy Commandant on the Elysium, and was previously assigned to Earth as a tactical Instructor at San Francisco campus. We are a small campus. We average 100 cadets in different stages of their studies across all fleet disciplines, We average around 10 students per department."

Her gaze swept the group. "You should all have these students details on file. And I want to see regular reports from your departments about these students. Some of them upon graduation will be assigned here, others will be assigned to different ships within the fleet. These reports will influence their prospective commanding officers."

Taking a sip of water, she continued. "My door is always open, and I will be available until Gamma shift each day. Now I would like to know if any of you have concerns, or need things for your students."

AS usual Jessinia, last to arrive was first to speak. "We need to keep them in their natural disciplines during alerts!" "They were all lumped into damage control last time..."

Gareb took notes on his padd. Being brand new, he didn't want to miss anything.

Ephraim cleared his throat, "I've yet to speak with Commander Lalor, but I was hoping I'd be able to add some of the missions I was involved in onto curriculum, I gathered so long I adhered to the core modules, a few additions wouldn't be an issue" he deduced confidently, "Also, with your go ahead, I'd like to begin working on an extracirricular damage control session. I understand the importance of ensuring that our cadets don't stray too far from their track, but I've seen this ship almost mothballed, it took me months to orchestrate her repair - a time that could be significantly shorted should more bodies be familiar with emergency repair procedures"

"Makes sense to me." Gareb said.

"THats All well and good. We can't let it be the modus operendi." Jessinia didn't like how the academy lumped things most.

"Modus Operandi?" Ephraim replied curiously, "It'll be extracurricular, hardly mandatory. These cadets are to be our future, it should be our main priority to prepare them for any eventuality they might face. If this ship should be mechanically crippled, a lot of things can go wrong. If you'd prefer that the Engineering and Operations department's departments stretch themselves thin trying to save your life; then that's your prerogative", he frowned. The discussion was bringing a lot of memories that he'd rather forget to the fore. They'd had to evacuate the entire ship save for those deemed useful by Ephraim and Phoenix.

"The short of it all is this, I'm not asking that it be mandatory, and I'm not asking that it be ran by anyone other than myself outside of my own office hours. I'm offering the Cadets from all disciplines the opportunity to learn skills that will truly be useful during a crisis" he huffed.

Shrytaat held up a hand. "I want all cadets trained in emergency proceedures and repairs. And I will be initiating cross training between the departments and ours. All cadets will be expected to do one duty shift a week within their chosen department. You should work with the duty officers within the departmemts to make sure this goes smoothly."

She paused "while I understand the issues you bring up lieutenant Klop-Johnson, cadets need to understand that the more experience they have in other aspects of the fleet the better prepared they will be for their active service."

"For what its worth. I can ask my cadets and gauge who would be interested in learning some engineering skills?" Gareb interjected.

Again this annoyed Jessinia. "Generalization is Not the issue. The issue, To me. Is Getting them to Choose a specialization. We're out in the open and that's a death sentence for anyone wishy washy as it is..."

"Having a varied experience is not being wishy washy." the Commandant replied calmly as possible. "I would think that an intelligence officer would see the positives in knowing a bit about everything."

"Red Alert is a Do Not a Know." They have to have a Core. Mine is black ops. Others have others. None of our Cadets Have Core discipline."

The andorian frowned. "I am confused Lieutenant as to what you mean. Intelligence Cadets should have the Intelligence as their core discipline. And as their instructor, you are to assist them in fostering their skills within it."

Ephraim piped up, "It's not exactly like I'm requesting that your students drop their curriculum and learn to become Engineers" he explained again, this time simpler and in a more frustrated tone, "I'm asking that an extracurricular activity is to be set up outside of general academy hours through which they can learn skills that will make them infinitely more useful to the fleet. Not to mention how many opportunities this will open up for them when they graduate. this will open up more opportunities for them. I'm frankly failing to see if your obstinance is based on anything but ego"

"Similar to the extra, optional engineering courses at Starfleet Medical Academy. Still be Doctors, but know a little something about tech?" Gareb said.

Jessinia seemed to discover the problem just by listening. "That's my problem. NONE of my students have committed to intel, they're, Coasting." Intel was a Very specific field, None of her students seemed to have the heart for it...

"Lieutenant, then that is your goal. You are there to guide them, assist them. You do have committed intelligence cadets, we had one of them come on board at Starbase Gamma. You are their instructor, their guide in this course of study. You cannot just wave your hands about and not put in the effort." the Andorian replied.

Jessinia ignored the barb. "You don't "Make" an Intell operative. You mold them, It has to be in them from the start. Am I to give an overview to the rest and shortchange the real one?? Again out here on the edge we Have to make these cadets sharper faster or they are deader faster. I dont want that on my conscious, IF I can give my best to the one that may have the ability to save the others..."

Crossing her arms, the Commandant looked at the Betazoid, her antennae twitching in irritation. "Are you telling me, Lieutenant, that you are not going to give your students equal treatment? These students have been accepted into the fleet and accepted into their chosen course. They all deserve your best. Just because you don't 'see' their potential does not mean it is not there."

What few knew was that Andorians and Betaziod, routinely, messed with each other... Jessinia scoffed. "I'm making him Class commanding Cadet, that will make all of them work harder..."

The Andorian bit back a sharp retort and turned her gaze to the rest. "Any other concerns?"She was curious to see if the Lieutenants views were shared.

"Yes," Ephraim piped up, "based on what I've heard this morning i reckon there needs to be a review of our standard of service. If cadets aren't meeting the mark we need to be looking into why, not ostracising them or laying blame on their lack of aptitude within their chosen fields" he added confidently, he'd heard enough by this point, "It's our jobs as their instructors to mold them not only into the best versions of themselves, but to ensure that they are fully functional members of this fleet. If your current group is so dire, the priority is to work out why - not to punish them for our shortcomings or oversights" he had no idea whether it was how fresh the teaching guidelines and practices he'd learned on Earth, but the Lieutenants approach rubbed him up the wrong way.

The Andorian nodded her head. She had heard nothing but good about the Engineering instructor, he was the former chief of Engineering of the ship and had returned to teach his methods. "I agree with your statement Commander." She said simply.

Jessinia sighed. "It's Not them, It's, I'm Not used to working with, Constraints..."

"Well unfortunately this is not Starfleet Intelligence where such things are common Lieutenant. This is an academy, where constraints are normal." The Andorian replied coolly. "If there is no other issues You are all dismissed."

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Well, this is awkward

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Cadet Senior Grade Toumun

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Lounge

Timeline: MD-03 0930 Hours

Arrianna did not sleep well last night, the only thing she could remember is that she was out of control, and she unleashed herself in a blind emotional frenzy upon some kind of orion in the dream. Not that she would talk about it. Perhaps he was a figment of her imagination.

Thankfully now she was in complete control of her emotions and approached a replicator. Computer. Klingon Ractachino, seventy-five degrees celsius, Fill eighty percent of the mug, and a small resevour of milk. The drink replicated and she took it to a table with a view of the stars.

Toumun, the unmistakable miniaturized version of the Hulk, dragged himself into the lounge in search of a liquid breakfast. He, too, did not sleep well the previous day. It's hard to function during the day when you're battling sex goddesses all night in your head.

"Coffee, strong, chilled," he commanded to the replicator impatiently in his slightly accented tongue.

She heard that voice and spoke quietly. 'It can't be, the orion from that dream?" She whispered quietly. She looked around carefully to catch a glimpse of him and then snapped her head back to the viewport so he wouldn't notice. Her long, and voluminous hair would have given her away.

He picked up his tall glass of chilled coffee from the replicator and gave the room a quick visual scan. He was looking for one of the other Intel cadets to sit and commiserate with about INTEL250 and the impossibilities of satisfying an insane instructor's demands, but his eyes paused when they reached the long hair of the operations officer facing away from him. She held an uncanny likeness, at least at this angle, to the woman who had dominated his unconscious thoughts for most of the night. It unsettled him and he had trouble commanding his gaze away. He picked a table and a seat where he could covertly steal subtle glances at the woman, purely for the reason of setting his mind at ease.

When she finally turned and he caught her profile, a swallow of coffee got mixed up with a gasp of surprise and he went into a fit of coughing, spewing the brown liquid across the top of the table in a messy spray. So much for being covert. He grabbed napkins and wiped vigorously at the mess as he tried to calm the spasming in his lungs.

She suddenly stood up and quietly attempted to leave the room. She was hoping to slip out during his coughing fit.

Oh hell, no. He saw her walk away and he threw down the soiled napkins and abandoned his coffee. He didn't know who or what she was, if she belonged on the Elysium or if she was some kind of psyionic intruder-- he'd heard stories. Maybe this was even a dream, too -- the possibility crossed his mind. He needed answers.

He stormed out of the lounge, found her part way down the corridor by the time he caught sight of her again. "Hey!" His own word reminded him instantly, like some sick post-traumatic flashback, of what he's yelled to her when he'd found her messing with the panel outside his quarters.

She ducked into an intersection near a corridor and began to run. 'Crap, he's following me.' She then opened a jefferies tube and began to climb through it. Sliding down the ladder to Junction 4A, She could loose him within the Gravity generators.

He didn't know the ship as well as she did, but obstacle courses were totally his thing and he was making time on her. Like chasing the elusive white rabbit into Wonderland, she kept disappearing. When he would round a bend, he'd catch glimpses of her hair, his nostrils flaired slightly at the whiff of a scent. The chase was on.

It was official, he was a nightmare and she was loosing her self-control again. She moved through the ship again and found herself at the entrance of the holodeck. "Computer.... Load...." She thought of a program where she could loose him. "Disneyland... Christmas..." The program completed and she entered the ultimate crowd.

Whoever she was, she was definitely corporeal, not some figment of imagination able to vanish and reappear at will. She was going to extremes to hide herself, but now he had her cornered.

'What.The. Fuck.' Toumun mouthed silently as he stood in the archway overlooking a mob of happy people. There's no way he was going in there, playing her sick games. There were lots of strategies he'd studied on how to flush guerrilla fighters out of foxholes and now he was about to put those into practice. He shook his head and walked out, letting the door slide closed behind him.

Out in the corridor, he worked quickly to open the panel that fed the holodeck with power and core data access. He studied the components and then yanked the primary power relay from the system feed -- it should have immediately shut down all of the holoemitters so that Dream Girl would find herself smack in the center of an empty black room. And then he just waited for her to come out.

Arrianna shook her head. "Computer, initiate transporter diagnostic mode. Commence Transporter test one-zero-one. Target myself. Prepare to transport me to my quarters on my mark." She then spoke again. "Computer, activate EMH."

"Please state the nature of the Medical Emergen....." Arri spoke. "Computer give the EMH my physical configuration." Suddenly, an exact duplicate of Arri was made, except for the personality. "Ma'am!! I'm a doctor, not a distraction, restore my default configuration immediately."

Arri spoke again. "Computer, energize."

Toumun had waited long enough to flush the fox of her den and it hadn't yet happened so he burst in and wagged an angry finger in the woman's direction as he marched forward. "Finally."

The EMH turned around. "Well, Hello. Fine weather we're having today. I assume you're looking for the woman that was here?"

"What the devil," he rounded on the woman. "Playing dumb, eh, that's how you want to do this?"

"I'm afraid she's given you the slip. She activated my program, changed my appearance, and beamed out of here. My you look exhausted." The EMH noted. "Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

He poked his hand through the hologram and grunted in disapproval. "Of course I haven't." Medical holograms were the worst; they were so one-tracked. "Who is she? Who is the Lieutenant that activated you?" he pressed. If need be, he'd go through the entire Ops-Security-Engineering roster by hand.

The EMH responded. "I'm a Doctor, not a Dating Service. If you want love, you've come to the wrong hologram. Computer, restore default EMH configuration, and deactivate EMH." The EMH vanished.

The doors opened and a Bolian engineer came in, evident by the specialized tricorder and ODN recoupler tool in his hands. "We got an alert that the holodeck controls lost power. I should have it back up for you in a few minutes, Cadet."

Toumun just ignored the man and stomped past him. The only thing left was to look at roster pictures until he found his mystery woman.

Reunion

A Mission Post by Commander Liselle Qwyyn & Commander Phoenix Lalor & Lieutenant Commander Ephraim Parish

Mission: Episode 3: Such as we are made of, such we be

Location: The Red Lion, Civilian Promenade, Starbase Gamma

Timeline: MD 8 19h00

After a sabbatical that extended to cover several months, Ephraim had decided it was time to return home. Initially, his leaving the Elysium was motivated by a need to add a level of stability to the relationship he had formed with the gargantuan cruisers previous CMO during their unplanned excursion to the Andromeda Galaxy. However, they both discovered in time that they had very different ideas in regards to their next steps.

Ian had opted for something a little more casually, hoping a colonial assignment would place them very firmly out of the way of dangers. Yet, Ephraim yearned for more. How could you go from what they had experienced into something mundane? For Ephraim the answer was that he couldn't.

After an emotional farewell, the former Second Officer requested reassignment, but requested that the request would remain private from the two people he had missed the most since leaving the Elysium. An atypical approach for sure, but SFC felt compelled to a least see if it was possible. It was hard denying the Andromeda survivors after everything they had experienced.

Now, here he was, occupying a quiet corner of the charming little pub that had caught his eye when he first arrived on the station. Truth be told, he was anxious. He'd barely spoken to anyone since his original departure and was entirely unsure of how he would be received.

Thankfully, a mixture of determination and Dutch courage had eventually prompted him to invite Liselle and Phoenix to dinner, on him of course, so that they could catch up and he could share what he hoped was good news.

And so he sat waiting with his back to the door, in order to stop himself from constantly checking to see if his friends had arrived.

Phoenix all but dragged Liselle up the bar. "Come on" she said as she pulled the Trill along. Dressed in a dark green gypsy top and black pants and low heals with her hair down Phoenix was not dressed as Commander Lalor now.

Liselle wore a long black dress, slit high along one leg, and resting low on the shoulders. She had spent an agonizing amount of time getting her hair settled into a perfect up-do, one to compliment the slender shape of her neck, and she had been generous in her application of vanilla-scented perfume. The whole getup was a bit too much of an attention grabber, but lately that seemed to suit her just fine. This was a social gathering, after all. The Trill grabbed Lalor's arm in one hand, while her fingers rested on her lips to stifle a gasp. "Gods, is that him?!" she whispered excitedly to Phoenix. She nearly felt overwhelmed by an urge to start crying. "Phoenix! That's him, isn't it?"

Phoenix laughed softly and with Liselle beside her, dodged between tables until they were standing behind Ephriam. She reached out and placed her hands over his eyes. "Guess who." she drawled in his ear with a laugh.

A wide grin stretched over Ephraim's face as relief flooded his body, they weren't mad, "I'd remember that voice, anyone, the first time I ever heard it, my ship was being mishandled" he joked as he stood up and faced the pair. He shared the first genuine smile he'd had in months with the pair. Meeting them here brought him one step closer to being home, it didn't matter that it was on different terms, "I've gotta' say, it's going to be weird calling you Captain" he chuckled before pulling the pair into a tight hug.

Phoenix laughed and hugged him back.

"It's nice to see you both again" he whispered sincerely. After everything they'd been through together, he had no doubt he would finally start healing now that they were back in his sight.

"Its good to see you!" Phoenix stepped back to allow Liselle a chance to greet him better.

The Trill instantly threw her arms around the poor man, crushing him to her. Not so long ago, the young Engineer had been instrumental in saving her life, a feat which she wouldn't soon forget. In point of fact, she had actually been rather rude to the man the last time they had spent any time together. She was beyond grateful for to have this opportunity to finally see him again on better terms. She held Ephraim at arm's length. "I am so happy to see you again," she breathed. And then she looked past him to the empty table. "Ian?" she asked cautiously.

The hulking Engineer's smile faded as quickly as it had come. Ephraim coming to the Elysium had resulting in a compromise that had left neither of the pair happy, yet was unavoidable nonetheless. Ian had remained in the core, unwilling to deal with the pressures they had face before, preferring to just the job he was trained for without the danger and adventure. Eph was different, after what had happened, he yearned more adventure.

"He'll be staying in the core," he explained, "we, uhm, wanted different things. The Elysium is my home, for him it wasn't. Maybe we'll have a look into things in the future. Until then, you're stuck with me" he smirked but it didn't quite meet his eyes.

Phoenix grinned and giving him another hug, swung into the seat opposite him and Liselle. "Well, we are glad to have you back." She paused, a slight frown crossing her face. "You are part of the Academy staff now yes?"

"The Academy!" Liselle cut in. "Of all people, I never would have guessed you for something so --" She stopped suddenly, realizing the unintentional insult she was levying on him. Her eyes darted to one side. "Errr...sorry."

Phoenix just smiled and shook her head. "I think you would be great at it." She said with a hand reaching out to squeeze Liselle's shoulder to calm her down. "We will miss Ian of course, but having you back is great."

Liselle's cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "Yes. Exactly. Having you back is --" she blinked "-- wait a second. You're...you're staying?!"

"Yes," Ephraim admitted happily, "I heard the Elysium had some opening at the Academy, who better to break the Engineering Cadets up than the man who was part of the team that rebuilt the Elysium?" he cockily joked before taking a long pause, "not to mention that I wanted to come home..."

Qwyyn exchanged a happy glance with Phoenix. "And we couldn't be happier to have you back here. Where you belong," she said genuinely. "Oh! We need to toast!" She raised her hand to catch the attention of a passing waitress. "What's a good drink for a moment like this?"

Phoenix laughed. "Humans like Champagne." She suggested.

"Champagne!" the Trill repeated excitedly to the nearby waitress. The young woman bowed her head and went to the nearby bar to fetch their drinks. When she returned, Qwyyn was positively beaming with excitement. She took the glasses down from the serving tray the waitress held, and she turned to distribute them amongst the three of them.

Liselle held up her glass. Her lips bent into a small smile. "Okay. Somebody say something inspiring."

Phoenix smiled. "How about, here is to family to happy reunions, to friends, to us"

"To us," Ephraim echoed, holding his glass between the pair for a toast, "may our adventures keep up safely within the milkyway" he smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. The shadow of their displacement still too heavily for jokes yet - not for lack of trying.

"I'll drink to that" Phoenix said with a smile. "It is nice to remain within our own galaxy for a bit."

"You said it, Captain." Qwyyn agreed. She thought a moment, and then she raised her glass to them one last time. "To those who didn't make it back," she said. "And to the Admiral, who brought us together the first time."

Phoenix nodded and with a smile sipped her drink. "So Ephi, you are back and it is great! And believe me, the cadets can use a wonderful engineer as their instructor. And i personally believe I could use you back on the ship, stop me from killing people." she smiled broadly.

"We're allowed to do that?" Qwyyn joked.

"Yes." Phoenix laughed.

"I very much doubt I could stop you," Ephraim smirked, "besides, that's Liselle's job, I just make sure you don't kill the ship" he teased, "I'm glad to be back" he nodded as if he was only just confirming it too himself, which he was.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Making Better Dreams

A Mission Post by Senior Chief Petty Officer Ken Waters & Commander Phoenix Lalor

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Phoenix Lalor's Quarters

Timeline: MD 2 - 22h30

The sounds of his own murmuring brought Ken Waters back to consciousness. He immediately sat upright.

Bed.

He was in bed.

With shaking hands he covered his face and blew out a heavy sigh. He brushed his fingers back into his hair and rested his forehead on the heels of his hands, his chest heaving with the effort of breath. "Holy shit," he whispered to the dark. "Holy. Shit."

Holy Shit? Since when did he revert to Human swearing? For as long as he could remember he had sworn in Bajoran. Always had, ever since he was a kid. He was Human himself, but he had been raised on a Bajoran colony world. In the early days it had been all too easy to avoid those strange ridged-nosed people and instead keep himself (and his swearing) to his own kind. But then the Cardassians had come.

The Cardassians.

Phoenix!

He turned quickly to the woman lying asleep next to him, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. The Elysium's Captain was safe, she was alive. It had been a dream. Just a dream.

The worst dream of his life.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her.

He swung his legs out of bed and walked over to a nearby table. He found an empty glass and the water pitcher, half empty now. He poured himself a drink.

His leaving of the bed, woke the Erisan female and she sat up slowly, "Ken?" she said into the dimness. The cool sheets pooled at her waist.

Waters looked over at her. Prophets, she was beautiful. "It's nothing," he assured her. "Just a bad dream." He picked up the water pitcher again and refilled his glass. "Vivid as hell. But just a dream."

Phoenix pulled her shirt on and slid from the bed. Padding over on bare feet she slid her arm through his. "Want to talk about it?" she offered softly.

He shrugged. "Seriously, it was nothing."

Even though he said those words to help reassure her, he knew he didn't believe them himself. Sitting there quietly in her darkened room, he couldn't help but feel the guilt begin to swell in him again. "It was so real," he found himself saying to her. "I've never had a dream like that before in my life." He breathed in deep, exhaling with a shaking sigh. He could still see the images in his brain, could still hear the voices -- her voice -- begging him. He took another sip of water. In the pit of his stomach, the guilt boiled, threatening to consume him if he didn't say something more. And so, again, he found himself talking. "It was Feyth. She had been captured on DS9 ...by your father..."

"My father?" She was puzzled "Very weird Ken. But do not worry about him, he never leaves Erisia."

"No, I know. You're right. Of course. It was just a dream. But --" he swallowed air "-- in that dream...your father...he demanded an exchange. A prisoner exchange, I suppose you could say." Ken couldn't look her in the eye as he finished his thought, "He was willing to release Feyth as long as I gave him....you."

Gently Phoenix touched his face. "Ken, its not going to happen and if it did, you don't make that choice. You do not need to make that choice. I will not allow any one of my crew to be used as pawns. It is going to be fine." she soothed.

He reached up to hold her hand even as she pressed it to his cheek. "I just can't shake the guilt of betraying you like that. I'm not a kid, I can get over a nightmare. But this one...Prophets, why the hell was there something like that even in my brain?"

She shrugged. "I do not know. But what I do know, is that it wont happen. Feyth will be fine, safe here on the Elysium. I am not going anywhere. My father has no interest in me. I am the 'engwar' the banished, the forgotten. He won't come for me. Pallas might but I can handle him. He thinks he is the big bad, but i am worse."

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Believe me, I know that first hand," he teased.

She laughed. "Come on, lets go back to bed, Morning always comes too soon." she stretched up and kissed him. "And dreams are nothing to be concerned about."

He knelt down so that he could sweep her feet up from under her, carrying her in the cradle of his arms back to the bed. He stopped just a few feet shy and looked into her eyes. Beautiful silver blue eyes. Prophets, but she could take his breath away. "You're too good to me, you know," he said, his voice little more than a whisper.

"I think its the other way around." Phoenix linked her arms around his neck. "I believe I am very lucky to have you."

He smiled wide, pulling at the corners of his eyes. "Maybe it's about time we find something good for me to dream about."

Phoenix laughed and kissed him. "Why don't we?"

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Putting Our Heads Together

A Mission Post by Commander Gary Taylor & Commander Liselle Qwyyn & 1st Lieutenant Michael Andrews

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: XO's Office

Timeline: Current

One of the perks of being an Executive Officer especially on a ship like the Elysium was you got nicer quarters and an office to call your own. entering his office, Gary took quick steps to come and sit behind his desk. He had just left a senior staff meeting and one of it's objectives was to have the Valkyrie fighters fly CAP when they came out of warp. Gary excelled at tactics anyone who read his file would know that (Lia knew it) it was common knowledge put there by the powers that be. It was what wasn't in his file that would be the truly interesting reading. He shook his head, the crew had no idea what they had in their mist and he hoped they never found out. However that was neither here nor there, right now he had other more pressing matters. Tapping his com. "Commander Qwyyn, Lieutenant Andrews, please report to my office."

Michael had just poured a glass of juice when Taylor's message came in. =^= I'm on my way, Commander =^= he replied then downed the juice and made his way to the XOs office.

Hearing Andrews reply, Gary nodded in satisfaction. Now all that was needed was to here from Qwyyn. Gary hoped Liselle would be able to meet with them as he wanted to be able to present a plan to Phoenix as soon as possible.

Michael walked in and saluted Gary. "Reporting as ordered, Commander " he replied, standing at attention.

Gary looked up from behind his desk as Andrews walked in, ''At ease Mr.Andrews, relax, help yourself to something to drink from the replicator, that's if you want anything."

Liselle came through the doors a moment later, her arrival ending in several quick little steps. Clearly, she had been hurrying to make it here, late as she was. "Sorry, Commander," Liselle said. "I was wrapping up some logistical issues in Flight Control."

Gary waved her apology off, "Nothing to apologize for Liselle. Always have your priorities in order. I'm just glad you could make it. If you'd like anything to drink before we get started, please help yourself to the replicator."

"Yes," Qwyyn said with a distant nod. "A drink. That -- that's -- I'll definitely have a drink." She walked over to the replicator and rested her fingers against the control surface. "Water. Cold Water. Please." As the glass materialized in front of her she let out a heavy sigh. "Sorry," she said to the two of them. "Sleep has been a little precious lately."

Gary looked at Andrews as Liselle made the cryptic comment about sleep being precious. "If it's not intruding Liselle, care to explain?"

She tilted the glass back and downed its contents in one gulp. Returning the empty container to the replicator she shrugged. "It's nothing. Silly stuff," she assured him. "A couple of bad dreams the last few nights. That's all. It's not entirely uncommon for joined Trill, actually. It'll pass."

Gary wasn't going to be put off so easily. "Wait a second Liselle, If' something is affecting your sleep. It could impact on your job performance." He pointed out before adding "Your not the only one having bad dreams."

"It's got to be the events of the last few weeks. We've all been through a lot. We need time to decompress," she said. And then, realizing how far so had strayed into casual territory she excused herself, "Sorry, sir. You're right. I'll stop by sickbay later for a quick checkup."

"Liselle, stop it. I hope you realize your among friends and anything said here stays here. So you can say anything and it stays here. However a stop off at Sickbay couldn't hurt. Might find the reason for the bad dreams." Gary offered.

She took in a heavy breath through her nose, releasing it slowly as a long exhale. "They've been pretty bad," she admitted. "Really bad. Honestly, I'm a little concerned that this might be a symptom of a neural disconnect between my host and symbiont." She hesitated before continuing, "Although, if you're not sleeping, either, then I'm sure this is all nothing."

"Perhaps." Gary offered slowly, "Like you Liselle, I've had some bad dreams, intensely bad dreams. Though there may be something that connects the fact that we're both having bad dreams." He shifted his gaze to Andrews, "What of you Lieutenant? Any bad dreams lately?"

Michael stayed quiet, merely observing the 2 senior officers. "None that I can recall, Commander. Greetings, by the way, Commander Qwynn" he said, letting them have the floor.

"Oh! Hello, Lieutenant!" she said, suddenly realizing how rude she had been. "I'm sorry. I'm usually better than this; when I have my rest, that is."

After Liselle spoke to Andrews, Gary looked at the marine, "Be thankful you aren't Lieutenant." then moved to the purpose of the meeting. "The Captain wants a CAP flying when we come out of warp.I think that's a good idea. How many fighters do we want to have flying cover as well as keep on standby, ready to launch if needed?"

Michael thought briefly. "We have 20 birds total, with 32 pilots. Also, some techs. 35 pilots if you include the 3 of us, Sir" he replied.

"The Elysium's shields are shaped a little irregular, to help in protecting the advanced AI core. Because of this, a close formation gets pretty impractical with too many ships. Any more than six, and everyone starts getting in each other's sensor paths. We could spread them out farther, but that means more ships and more distance; which means more time to land everyone if we need to jump the Elysium out in a hurry."

Gary listened as both Andrews and Liselle gave their opinions and he was glad he for their advice. He bit his lip before replying,"Alright 20 total Valkyrie's and anymore than six causes problems and we don't want problems. So what if we split the difference and sent four out? One in front one on each side and one in the rear. That reduces the likelihood of sensor problems, has the main areas for defending the ship covered. We can keep two more on ready standby." He looked to Liselle and Andrews for their thoughts.

Michael saw the wheels turning in Taylor's head. He had tactics. "I think that's an excellent tactic, Commander. Give ourselves a 360 perimeter and with others on standby, a rapid response should things go sideways. You agree, Commander Qwynn?" He asked.

She gave him an assured nod. "Now it's just a matter of whose butts we put in the seats. I don't have a lot of experienced fighter pilots under me, we log all of our hours steering the big girl," she said, and she reached over and patted the nearby bulkhead.

Gary smiled at Liselle's patting of the bulkhead, " Nodding he answered, That is a problem. Flying a fighter isn't like piloting the Elysium. Alright,Count me as one to pilot a Valkyrie."

Qwyyn took a spare PADD from Taylor's desk and keyed up one of her files. "This is a list of qualified fighter pilots in my department, 1st Lieutenant," she said as she handed it over to the Marine. "My people are at your disposal."

Michael looked over the roster. "My thanks Commander Qwynn. They'll be a welcome addition" he nodded to Liselle then turned to Gary. "Commander, would you do the honor of being the CAG?" He asked, albeit reluctantly.

Gary heard the disappointment? in Andrews voice asking him to be CAG. "Thank you Mr. Andrews, I would be honored to assume the position of CAG in addition to be Executive Officer."

Liselle cleared her throat. "This may not be the time for this..." she began, "but one of my crew, Feyth Railli, has demonstrated her eagerness to officially train as a fighter pilot. She used to fly before joining Starfleet. I've seen her in sims. She's good. It might be worth noting that we can lean on her in a pinch. And it might be a good idea to consider getting her trained up in the future."

"Railli? Gary questioned,"One thing to pilot a fighter in a sim Liselle another to put it to real use." He held a hand up to stop any protest she might have, "However I respect your opinion. So put her down to at least get trained and if comes down to a pinch we'll use her. Fair enough?"

She gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you, sir. I'm sure you won't regret it."

Though it hadn't been explicitly stated, she knew that she had just asked the XO for a favor, and that she herself had now personally vouched for Feyth. Qwyyn realized it was an unusual request for her to make of Taylor, but she was tired and her guard was down. Nonetheless, she appreciated his willingness to hear her out. She would not soon forget it.

"Well, then," Qwyyn said, slapping her hands on her legs. "Should we go over the defense and attack patterns that we should have on the ready?"

Gary shook his head, Forget it Liselle. I'm glad to help. I'm sure she'll be a wonderful addition." He answered honestly. "Absolutely." Gary agreed and was glad that Liselle was thinking on a defense as well as attack patterns. Now he turned his own lagging attention to the problem. "Have you got any ideas Liselle?"

She breathed a sigh. "Well, I think we can all agree that the Elysium is top priority. Attack Pattern Sigma II and Defensive Pattern Gamma I are counter-ambush tactics that fit our ship's flight profile very well. Any fighters on standby should be ready to execute on either one of those. Aside from that, as long as everyone remembers how to get back to the ship quickly, then we'll be in good shape."

Even as tired as he was Gary couldn't help but smile at Liselle's last comment."Couldn't agree more Liselle. Getting back to the ship quickly ranks right behind protecting it."

"Then I think we're ready," Qwyyn said breathlessly. "I hope." She looked to the two men. "Unless either of you have something else?"

"Not from me Liselle what about you Lieutenant" He asked Lieutenant Andrews?"

Michael took in the discussion. "That pretty much clears everything up, Commander. I'll get some simulations going on those scenarios. Commanders " he saluted Qwynn and Taylor.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Sod's Law Is A Nightmare!

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Ephraim Parish

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 27, Eph's Quarters, U.S.S. Elysium

Timeline: MD 2, 0300hrs

________________________________________

It had only felt like it was but a moment ago that he’d dozed off before he felt himself being roused into consciousness. Something was wrong. Everything was coming to him slowly. He noticed that the sound around him was muffled, the way it was when you submerged your head under water. He could hear random thuds all around him. He tried opening his eyes but all he could see where blurs. A flash here and there would steal his attention, but for the most part, he had no idea what was going on.

He almost leaped out of his skin when he suddenly felt himself shaking, “Eephum” he heard, his hearing becoming clearer, “Eeph-ruhm” he realized it was his name they were calling. In an instant, his sense’s focussed. Before him stood a panicked Ensign Roseland, one of the Elysium’s damage control specialists. Ephraim quickly noticed his friend was hurt; his eyes stuck on the trickle of blood that leaked from the pretty deep gash on his forehead.

“Ephraim, we’re under attack!” the younger man shouted, his shaking ceased, “What are you doing just standing around?” The Ensign was clearly anxious, his face painted a picture of panic - The red alert klaxon wasn’t likely to be helping things either.

Ephraim knew where he was in an instant.

It was the day it had all began, the moment that had led to him becoming the Chief Engineering officer and Second Officer of the gargantuan cruiser.

It was the moment that led to them becoming stranded in the Andromeda Galaxy.

He observed the room, they were in the main engineering bay. The vast horizontal warp core shook slightly with as each volley struck the Elysium. All around him people fell victim to the new hazards the ship introduced as the damage mounting.

A Bolian, whose name or rank was beyond him, was crushed by a large panel of hull plating that had dropped from the weakened ceiling. Adjacent to him a desperate Caitian attempted to repair a damaged conduit on one of the warp core conduits, only for him to be struck by a fatal delivery of electricity when a volley shook the ship, causing him to fall into the exposed wiring.

He quickly sprung into action, running to a nearby console to bring up the extent of their damage. His action inspired the same in Thomas and he quickly caroled a few of his fellow specialists before directing them to the Warp Core to ensure it’s safeties remained online.

Ephraim slowly picked up on a distorted, high pitched, drone as the warp core began to grow active.

Someone was trying to take the ship to warp. He could tell by the audio feedback that something was wrong. Before he could investigate the ship shunted as it entered, then quickly exited, a warp field. They must not have traveled very far, he recalled considering.

He suddenly felt a high wave of Energy emanating from his body. He looked at his hands curiously, only to see them begin to slowly disintegrate, black ash streamed away from the place his skin had once been. He almost couldn’t breathe. He noticed the process speeding up, he had seconds left. All he could do was scream out.

“No-o-ssssssssssss” he was gone before anyone had heard him.

“ssssssssssss-o-oo!” he was whole again, but the scene had changed.

The ship was quiet now, frighteningly so. He heard a conversation over by the warp core, he could see one of the three cores had been damaged. Around him, the crew in various states of shock silently busied themselves with repairs. His curiosity was quelled for the moment, he was more interested in calming down. His heart thumped aggressively in his chest, here and there a palpitation fluttered the rhythm. He had no idea what that was, he must have transported or something. He guessed he had been, the sensation was what he imagined the ship's transporters to feel like had they been slowed down dramatically. He didn’t remember this happening on the day though - something was wrong.

A Unique Klaxon, reserved only for a core breach, suddenly broke the silence. A white cloud began to fill the room as the warp core began to fail. The men working on the tech began ordering everyone to immediately evacuate the bay. Those that could run, ran. Those that couldn’t, stayed behind without the help of their more mobile crew members.

Ephraim watched in horror as the bay’s blast doors began to descend excruciatingly slowly. He felt dread as he watched the immobilized try their best to make it towards the doors. Some of those that fled had returned and began grabbing the people closer to the doors and dragging them out. He looked around frantically before spotting Thomas sprawled helplessly on the floor. He looked at the door, it was almost halfway closed, they probably weren’t going to make it.

He quickly found that an unconscious Thomas weighed tons. Fatigued from his own experiences he still attempted to drag his friend by the arms towards the still descending doors. Every other second he turned his gaze backward, making sure to watch out for any obstacles and to torture himself with glimpses of the progress the door was making.

They weren’t going to make it.

This didn’t happen.

He suddenly felt an incredible pain all over his body. He looked down to see nasty, red, blistered develop on his skin. His eyes burned as he fought to keep them open. His grip on Thomas loosened and he saw how he had caused the skin to become inflamed and crack on his wrists - his blood became a natural lubricant and the Engineer struggled to keep a hold of him.

He felt himself strike the door with his back, it was closed. He mustn’t have heard the door’s shut due to the distraction the pain was proving to be.

He dropped Thomas’ limp wrists dejectedly. This was it, the reaper was coming for Ephraim Bartholomew Parish. He winced sharply, his strong arms clutching his stomach. Blood ejected from his mouth, a sign that his insides were cooking.

He suddenly felt the surge of energy again and looked down to see the trail of blood leaving his mouth turning to ash.

This definitely didn’t happen.

a minute later, he found himself in a shuttle outside of the Elysium. Ian waited impatiently whilst, then Cadet, River Waters nervously flew the shuttle in silence. Ephraim was sat in the co-pilots seat, before him the terminal interface had been configured to show the Engineer detailed scans of the Elysium. Specifically, they were looking for a certain joined Trill.

For the first time since whatever was happening to him had begun, he’d found himself in a happy moment.

They were looking for Liselle, she’d become trapped after the attack and was rapidly losing her life. The three of them had taken the shuttle with the intention of locating her, beaming her over, and getting her treated. If he recalled correctly, they did.

Something was wrong though, the readouts weren’t telling him what they were supposed too. His fingers danced across the screen rapidly as he began switches the search parameters in the hopes that a calibration would bring up the information he needed.

Finally, he managed to detect Liselle, a quick scan of her genetic fingerprint provided the information he needed; his face fell nonetheless. It didn’t take him long to realize her biometrics were flat, her body was terrifyingly cold.

“Found her,” he murmured mindlessly.

This hadn’t happened.

He promptly beamed her corpse over, he couldn’t bring himself to look at her initially.

The gruff CMO cursed as he realized how dire her circumstance was. He quickly began working at reviving her. He could hear each rep, counting down in his head before the noise of the Doctor filling her lungs twice confirmed his calculation.

He rose from his seat slowly, “This didn’t happen” he whispered. He hopeless tone forcing the doctor look at him for a moment, “this didn’t happen, we saved her!” he added as he made it to the singular biobed that filled the rear of the Type-11 shuttle.

“Ephraim! Shut up talking nonsense and help me!” the Doctor barked before diving in for two more puffs.

Ephraim slid the down the walls, his head held firmly in his hands. “This didn’t happen,” he murmured, a lonely tear began streaking down his dirty cheek. He felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. “This didn’t happen, this didn’t happen,” he repeated as he began to rock.

Ian went silent. Ephraim looked up and caught the Doctors forlorn face. He shook his head sadly, “Computer, log death of Lieutenant Commander Liselle Qwyyn; add the time. Recorded by Lieutenant Ian Monz, Chief Medical Officer”.

Cadet River Waters tried to call out “no”, but it was stuck in his throat as he released a sob instead. Ian activated an opaque field to provide their fallen comrade with dignity.

The three of them hung their heads in shock and heartbreak.

It was all for naught.

“THIS!” Ephraim called out suddenly, “Didn’t” his voice was frantic, “HAPPEN!” the world instantly snapped black.

“Computer, lights 20%” he called out and his bedroom gradually became more visible.

It was a dream.

“Shit,” he whispered as he stared at the wall ahead of him, almost catatonic as he processed what had just happened. “It was a dream” he confirmed in a whisper. He’d had his fair share of nightmares surrounding their displacement, but nothing on that level.

He rubbed his face before scooting to the edge of his mattress. He fought back tears as he recalled the ending. Saving Liselle had been the win the Engineer had needed that day, without that he very much doubted he’d have been able to oversee part of the rebuilding effort. To this day it was his proudest moment. He also couldn’t shake the shifting, the sensation still present, faintly tingling his skin.

He looked at the time, 3:30 am. He needed to get back to sleep but he was too keyed up. He needed help.

With a grunt he rose to his feet, padding slowly towards replicator at the opposite end of his room. He pondered his options as he made the journey. He’d decided he wanted something else when he spied the cabinet above the device. Before he returned to the Elysium Ian had sent him a good luck gift, a vintage bottle of black spiced rum, the closest thing to supposedly taste like an Ancient Earth bottle of Kraken.

He skipped out on a glass, or something to go with it - he needed the kick.

An hour later he snored passed out in the booth that was supposedly his quarter's dining area, an empty bottle rested on its side tucked loosely under the hand he'd been holding it in prior to passing out.

He had hoped his return would have had a more healing effect.

Sod's law was a bitch.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - "Hallway flight"

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Lalors quarters

Timeline: MD 4 Midnight

Location: Lalors quarters

Thunder crashed. Lighting flashed. Bare feet slapped on the cool flagstones as the figure fled through twisting corridors. The velvet skirts tangled in the figures legs as they rounded a corner and skidded to a stop, a large doorway was a head, its opening gaping like the maw of an evil beast. Heart pounding, a hand pushed long black hair back from a sweaty brow.

Biting back choice swear words, lifting the skirt, the figure stepped tentatively towards the opening. Knowing without a doubt that back the way they came was worse than whatever they would face moving forward.

A sound, of metal grating on stone echoed through the darkened corridors behind them. A choice made, a flurry of velvet skirts and gasping breath, the figure darted through the opening and into a darkness so thick, it was oppressive and made it hard to breath let alone see.

THUD

THUD

Hunched against the one solid thing they could find, a wall, they stilled in the darkness, pressed a hand to their chest, trying to halt their rapid breathing, caused by their reckless flight through the halls. Listening, ears straining, waiting for death that followed them. Time slowed as they waited in that dark cold room. Waited for the footsteps as they grew closer. And Death came nearer with each step.

THUD

THUD

SCRRRREEAAAAPP!

'That was the sword' Their brain registered the noise and linked it to the images they had seen.

Death with a sharp, and now bloody sword. Blooded by the life blood of their friends and family. Revenge was a bitter pill to swallow, one their family had learned the hard way.

It was a horrible sight that had met their gaze upon entering the great hall. Blood everywhere, and standing amid the carnage and bodies of their family was a lone man with madness in his gaze. A man who they knew had died years ago.

"When the dead walked, your bloodline will fall."

The words echoed from the dead man's throat. And had set them to flee. Knowing their connection would not save them from the fate of their family.

They knew the old prophecies spoken long ago by a condemned man whose ability to predict events had been legendary. He had cursed their ancestor with ill health and had predicted that one day the dead would rise from the grave and those of their blood would die before the sun set on the 3rd day after they had risen.

A scrape, closer now, made them catch their breath and hold it, pressing back into the darkness, praying the killer would pass along and no go into their hiding place.

"He eh he he he"A dark throaty chuckle reached their ears. And a low almost hissing voice called out "Come out and play, little girl. Make it easy for me. Come out and play."

Yeah that was so not happening. Phoenix was definitely not about to make things easy for this mad man. Why was he here? Why was she here? Shouldn't she be elsewhere? The thoughts puzzled her. And while her mind was considering the puzzling thoughts, a hand landed heavily on her shoulder and flung her from her safe haven and onto the floor.

A scream tore from her throat as she rolled away and tried to orientate herself to face her assailant. "Mik'hai!" She got out between gasps for air. "No!"But her words were too late, the sword descended with swift justice and she knew no more.

===

"NO!"Phoenix screamed sitting bolt upright in her bed, the sheet pooling around her waist. She glanced at the sleeping form beside her. For once she had not woken Ken, and he was sleeping calmly... for now.

[["Oh for the love of the Triad"]] She groaned in her native tongue. Another nightmare. She knew she should not have slept. She was sick of having nightmares and she refused to take sleeping tablets. Mik'hai had killed her again. Killed her and ruined her favorite dress in the process. Bloody man. With a disgruntled 'Humph' she slid from the bed and headed for a shower and clothes. She would work. It would take her mind off of things.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - A Change in Routine

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Dante Xithia

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Deck 17, Dante's Quarters, U.S.S. Elysium

Timeline: Circa 2374

________________________________________

ON

An anti-personnel mine crossed over from subspace as one of the remaining rebels ran into its path, He had been yet another freedom figther to rally behind Dante when he began searching for allies. Now, yet another one of the El-Aurian’s allies, whose names had become a blur sometime around the 40th, was dead - his body splattering what was left of the walls surrounding the narrow alley.

He didn’t spare a moment before he began sprinting towards one of the few safe areas he’d scouted out a few days before their trip. Exhaustion came to him quickly. Since the Federation had retreated from the planet Dante had been working on making things difficult for the occupiers.

He ignored the intimidating thuds that echoed the neighborhood’s narrow pathways - the Jem’Hadar had been raising their presence in response to his antics.

Sometimes he thought it was pointless. he and his freedom fighters had only operated within a 50-mile radius, they hardly contributed anything globally. Yet, his resistance movement was the only thing keeping him sane. If he survived this, he’d be taking up desk duty. He’d almost been discharged due to the survivor's guilt he had experienced after Wolf 359. On his ship, he was the only survivor of over 200 souls.

Now he found himself on the wrong side of a battle again, only this time he could fight back.

He ignored the wreckage of a house as he passed it. Two weeks prior a two-party Jem’Hadar patrol had discovered Dante during one of his scouts. He’d yet to let anyone who had seen his face live, it was essential that it wasn’t if he wanted access to further recruits. They had him at a disadvantage, he’d damage his rifle two weeks prior and was yet to replace it. Instead, when exploring, he took to arming himself with a kitchen knife he had discovered at a restaurant and the last of his photon grenades.

His options were sparse, he’d lost the element of surprise, and, had no hope of reaching the Jem’Hadar before they discharged their weapons. His only choice was the grenade. It would definitely draw unwanted attention, but it will deal with his current threat without much risk; providing he made it out of the window he’d been caught exiting.

He threw the grenade.

Just before he was out of range, the kinetic blast of the device caused the house’s outermost wall to crumble inwards as the floor caved. Some of the bricks got caught up in the blast, following the spook as he crashed into the road. A couple of the projectiles smashed into Dante’s back before he could roll out of the way. The one that struck his leg had led to a weeks bed rest, much to his disappointment. It wasn’t a break, but it had definitely bruised him internally. Even now, the pain hadn’t eased up, forcing the spook to almost hop off of the injured leg as he ran.

His eyes welled up as his exhaustion began causing him strain. His sensitive eyes failed to notice that he’d run into a moderately sized courtyard. He didn’t initially notice that he was now surrounded.

The Jem’Hadar barked for him to stop.

His eyes almost bugged out of his head when he noticed them.

a dozen feet away stood a singular Jem’Hadar, only it seemed different. it had squatted with it’s back to him. His breathing was heavy, his eyes darted from soldier to soldier looking for any opening that would at least grant him a way out of the courtyard. Something about the individual before him unnerved him.

The other Jem’Hadar looked spooked too.

It slowly rose to its feet. Dante's heart plummeted when he noticed it was taking more longer than it should for its rise. Whatever it was before him, it wasn’t Jem’Hadar, at least not in the same way the soldiers that surrounded them were. Well, had surrounded them.

Once the creature was fully bipedal they fled the scene, not remotely interested in being a part of what was to come.

Dante deduced that the Founders had made a few changes to the genetic material they needed to create the Jem’Hadar; an upgrade it seemed. The monster before him easily stood over seven feet. The scales of its skin were consistent with those on other Jem’Hadar. It had horns were the others did, on these ones were thin, angular, and sharp; they look almost like a demonic crown upon its head.

Instead of the heavy musculature, the Jem’Hadar typically had, the one before Dante was tall and skeletal. Bones jutted from its knees and elbows, its eyes were black. Dante didn’t need common sense to know that whatever he faced was likely more dangerous than anything he had ever face in his life.

He instinctively began to retreat backward, his eyes fixed on the Jem’Hadar demon whilst it also watched him.

Each breath rang out like a horn.

His heart pounded erratically in his ears.

Would he even get out of here? he couldn’t help but consider.

Suddenly, the creature darted forward with impossible speed. It was only by a hair's breadth that he made it of the creatures way. He landed on his chest and quickly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, scrambling to get out of the creatures reach.

He felt a sharp pain spread from his knee, it’s sharp claws ripping through the flesh and sinew effortlessly.

“Arrrrrgh!” he screamed out before suddenly being flung backward. He must have traveled a good 8 feet before he landed.

He tried to push himself up again but his knee couldn’t bear the weight. He rolled over onto his butt, pushing his self up clumsily onto the one leg. He grabbed one of the stray bricks - he wasn’t going down causing harm.

At least that’s what he hoped.

The creature was on him again before he even saw its approach. He swiped at the creatures elongated arm that it had swept out to claw at him. One of them missed, and it wasn’t the beast.

It threw him 10 feet, the blow taking the wind out of his, the claws boring shallow holes into the flesh on his chest.

He slumped against the wall he hit, his breathing labored. Now it wasn’t only his leg that screamed in pain, it was his entire body. His eyes rolled as the physical and mental exhaustion came to a boiling the point, his consciousness was fading.

A shadow caught his eye causing him to gain a little focus. The creature was over him, it knew he was beaten. It slowly leaned in towards, it’s jet black eyes fixed on Dante’s throat. He weakly tried to hit the creature, but it simply grabbed his arm and held it down.

It was over the instant it’s other hand rested had across his face, with a tight twist it was all over...

Dante gasped loudly as he scrambled anxiously to the edge of his bed. His light’s were already on, darkness made it difficult to protect himself should the need arise. He scanned his room for any threats before climbing of off his firm mattress to search for his dressing gown.

A hot chocolate was in order, his go-to drink when he felt anxious, it reminded him of memories past. A time over 80 years ago when all he had to worry about was school and helping out at the cafe. The good times, moments unaffected by his time in Starfleet.

He also so fit to had two shots of dark rum in search of a warmth that would guide him back towards slumber.

Regardless of the scale of his dream, this wouldn’t be the first time he’d had dreams of his time on Betazed.

The last thing he remembered was snuggling into his duvet, thoughts of the nightmare fading as he focussed hard on creating the foundations for a more positive dream.

________________________________________

Plots

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor

Mission: Episode 0: History Speaks

Location: Erisia

Timeline: _Set about the same time the Elysium left Starbase Gamma_

Location: Erisia

Cast of Characters:

King James Lath of Tirath,

Prince Alexandre Lath,

Princess Jenaya Lath,

King Pallas Lalor - Younger brother to Commander Phoenix Lalor

Lilith, Head of Assassin’s Guild

=/\=

Jenaya moved softly down the hall of her family’s home, Castel Morestone. She was dressed properly, demurely, and knew her way to her father’s study. She had been summoned to his study. Curious she wondered why. She knew she was an oddity within those of her age group. Not married yet, her father had turned down all suitors stating that he had found no one worthy of his daughter yet. At 26, she was known at Court as the Lady of Ice. She rebuffed even King Pallas, the twin her departed best friend, Princess Penelope. She had little time for that poser. She unlike most in the royal court, knew the real heir was Penelope. Having been born first had been her friend’s curse.

But she knew one day she would have to marry. Most of the ladies her age were married with children already. And she did want to marry, she was not sure who though. Just as long as it was not PALLAS.

She knocked politely on the door and at her father’s voice, she entered. And almost ran straight into the armored back of the Heir to the High Lord. Pallas. Just wonderful.

Pallas turned to face her.

Jenaya swiftly curtsied and skirted around him with a polite “Your Grace” before stopping before her father’s desk behind which he sat.

She repeated her curtsy. “Your highness” She said to her father.

Pallas bit back a retort. He knew that here, his power was limited to that of a visiting king. He was not high lord yet. And he also knew that Jenaya was clear in her dislike of him.

King James Lath, of Tirath studied his daughter’s face for a moment and nodded. “Jenaya, His majesty, King Pallas has requested your hand in marriage.”

Jenaya just stopped herself from rolling her eyes at that statement. Mentally she groused ‘Again’ it was the 5th time, Pallas had come to her father.

“Oh how strange Father” She said with a small polite smile to Pallas. “I was unaware that His Majesty has had thoughts in that direction again. Unfortunately, Your Majesty” She turned to face Pallas, “My answer remains the same. I am not suitable to be your bride. You should look to a more suitable bride.”

Pallas had to grit his teeth. Having Jenaya as his bride would be a kick in the gut for his sister to hear about. But Jenaya constantly refused him. “I see. Perhaps My Lord Lath, You should express on your daughter the importance of such a match”

James merely inclined his head. “I have done so. But she refuses your suit.”

“Most fathers would not allow such insolence”

“Jenaya is my only daughter, she and her brother are my only heirs. I see no fault in their wanting to be happy in their marriages. With my wife gone, my daughter runs this household. One day she will be ready for her own place.”

Pallas had to stop himself from sneering. “And your son? I do not see him here. Surely he will want to bring his wife here and having a sister here running the house will cause issues.”

“Alexandre is with his unit.” James said calmly. “He has yet to choose his wife.”

“I am sure any female would be grateful for the opportunity”

Jenaya smiled and stirred the pot. “Perhaps your sister, Penelope would be happy to marry Alexandre, he was as you know, best friend to Mik’hai. And they always got along.”

Pallas narrowed his gaze at her. “My so called Sister is no longer considered marriage material by our illustrious father.”

“I am sure the High Lord has his reasons” James stated to forestall Jenaya’s forth coming comments that might irreversibly damage relations between the two royal lines.

Jenaya merely inclined her head. She knew from smuggled letters that Penelope or Phoenix as she called herself now, had, definitely ruined her chances to make a good Erisian match. The Princess had told her of relationships that would, had she had them on Erisian, she would be branded, royal or not. And the priests of the Six would be lining up to denounce her from the alter, preferably with her being whipped in front of it.

Pallas straightened. “So if Jenaya refuses to see reason, I will accept it for now. But be aware Your Majesty, that one day I will be High Lord, and any lady chosen to be my bride will be elevated to the highest position a female can aspire to.”

Jenaya rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide it. “I’ll remember that” she said with a touch of sarcasm. She was not scared of Pallas. If she were him, she’d be more worried about the exiled sister coming back and removing his head. “Do pass on my greetings to your family, Your Majesty.” She swept him a curtsy, just deep enough in reverence. “I will remember them fondly in my prayers to the Six”

Pallas turned and stalked out of the study.

Jenaya moved to the window and not 5 minutes later watched him stalk to the hovercraft awaiting for him in the front fore court. “Pompous ass” she grumbled under her breath.

Her father cleared his throat. “Jenaya, you need to be careful. I cannot forestall him forever. One day he will be able to force the marriage.”

“I could enter the church” she said with a small smile.

“You? Reduced to harsh cotton clothes? You’d break out in a rash” A voice said from the shadows near the wall.

Jenaya turned and her brother came from the shadows. “I thought you were not arriving until this evening?” She said as she curtsied to him.

Alexandre merely smiled. “I arrived minutes before that ass did. Poor Pene, she must be so relieved not to live with him anymore.”

“She brought it on herself. Killing her betrothed.” Their father stated.

Jenaya and Alexandre both shook their heads. “No Father, you are wrong in that.” Alexandre replied.

James stared at his son. “What do you mean?”

Jenaya went and sat down. She knew the story.

“Mik’hai would never have forced himself on Penelope. Despite the fact that their marriage was arranged, and they were due to wed when she turned 21, he cared about her. He was even planning on fighting Pallas for the throne.” Alexandre replied

“A throne he could claim as Penelope is the elder twin” Jenaya added “Pallas killed him. Stabbed him in the back. Pene took the blame to save the family’s honor.”

“And her family repaid her by whipping her bloody and basically disowning her. No sister of mine will marry into that family Father.”

James listened to his children carefully. His gaze focused on Jenaya. “You have had contact with Princess Penelope?”

“Why no father. No one has had contact with her.” Jenaya denied. “It is at cost of your life should one communicate with her. And none have seen her planet side since she was transferred away from the federation starship Talons Wing.”

“When she kidnapped her sister.” James huffed. “Now Miran would make a suitable daughter in law.”

“FATHER!” Alexandre replied crossly. “Miran is but 14 summers.”

James chuckled. “I am only joking. But you are nearly 28 Alexandre, you need to choose a bride.”

Jenaya considered the situation. “Princess Ciretha Laslor, she is single. Nearly 22, well trained in household management. And Kyian has his eye on her. Perhaps, an alliance between our families would be more… tasteful to the family Laslor?” She suggested innocently.

“Mik’hai’s sister?” Alexandre was puzzled. “She is but a child.”

“No Brother, she was a child. Now she is nearly a woman grown.” She smiled. “I know that it would put a kink in Kyian’s plans.”

Alex grinned at that. “You know how I like to crimp their plans.”

James sighed. By the Six, his children were up to their eyeballs in plots against the High Lord’s family. Not that he blamed them. He was of the opinion that the Lalor family had only had a few good eggs among them. And two of them were no longer on Erisian.

He studied his daughter for a moment. “Jenaya, I suggest you invite Princess Ciretha for lunch one day this week. Alexandre, you will of course be present.”

His children smiled. “And Jenaya, you will put your mind to whom you will marry, Pallas may be driven off for now, but he won’t be forever.”

Both his children nodded. Jenaya mentally shrugged. She had plans. Plans that did not involve staying on Erisian anyway.

=/\=

Hours later, a slim hooded figure slipped into an old and tumble down house within the capital city. The house was the entry to the assassin’s guild. Moving lightly and swiftly, the figure made their way through the old smelly corridors and to a small room at the end. A swift rap on the door and they slid through the entry way and into the room, lit by a lone candle.

In the room, lounging on a low divan, Lilith, the head of the assassin’s guild looked at the figure. “Yes?”

“I was wondering if you could pass on a message to Phoenix.” Jenaya pushed back her hood. “It’s a matter that would greatly interest her.” She held out a letter, sealed and marked with the name PHOENIX.

“Really? A Princess here, asking me to deliver a message?” Lilith frowned.

Jenaya smiled. “Please Lilith, Just deliver it. I know Phoenix trusts you. And she needs to know this. I would not ask if it was not important.”

“You play a dangerous game.”

“Don’t we all to put the proper ruler on the throne?” Jenaya replied as she pulled her hood over her head and left the letter with Lilith.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - A Journey into madness

A Mission Post by Commander Aurelia Holmes

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Sick Bay

Timeline: Current

ON

Lia looked around her, where the hell was she? Wasn't she on the Elysium just now? Now she seemed to be in some sort of nothingness, just a pale light illuminated nothing. But there was sounds, muffled sounds but sounds. Lis strained hard to hear what the sounds were, they sounded like voices. But what were they saying? She tried to move but again nothing, she didn't have a body that she could see. Then slowly her body appeared beneath her, naked and exposed. oO What the hell is going on? Where are my clothes? Oo she thought.

She started to walk forwards, or at least it felt like forwards. But was she moving? Lia couldn't tell as there was nothing to tell her she was moving, only this pale light. Was there a floor below her? Was she floating? No she couldn't be floating, because she hated negative G. That's why she didn't do that well doing space walks, so scratch the floating thought. But she finally knew she was moving, her legs hurt. What ever this stuff was, walking was difficult in it.

The sounds faded, silence now ruled. Lia found that frightening, when there was sounds she didn't feel alone. But now there was nothing to see, nothing to hear she was truly alone in this nothingness. She stood still and waited, but for what? The nothingness shimmered, and a figure started to appear. Lia began to step backwards as the figure took shape, it was her father. "Hello Aurelia, nice to see you AGAIN". Fraser Holmes stepped forward towards Lia, and she could see him coming for her. She tried to turn, but seemed unable. A hand touched her shoulder and she screamed, her father stood only inches from her.

The smell issuing from her father made her sick, she went to throw up but found to her horror she couldn't. Turning to face her father she attempted to speak, "Why the hell are you haunting me you sick bastard?" Fraser Holmes laughed at his daughters question, "Are you really that stupid? You have what I want, and I intend to have it. Don't you get it, your mine for now and always". Lia shuddered at those words, "What I have is mine and mine alone, to give to whom ever I choose. NOT for some sick fucker like you to just take whenever you want". She fought hard to supress her fear, she remembered how she beat her father the last time. Fraser Holmes shook his head, "Not this time daughter of mine, this time your in my world. Your little tricks won't work here".

He turned and began to walk away, motioning Lia with his finger to follow him. "Fuck off you sick bastard, no way in hell am I going to follow you!!" Lia said. Fraser stopped and turned back to face Lia, "You have no option, stay here and you'll start to fade out of existence. Come with me, and you might just make it out of here. But it will cost you". Looking down Lia now saw her feet disappearing slowly, "Seems your to late once again, I don't have a choice to move because I can't". Fraser glanced down, "What a waste, but I won't be staying to watch the finale. Looks like you met your match finally". He turned and left as Lia started to cry, why was this happening to her?

The light was fading, everything was going black. oO Is this how death feels? Oo she thought. But why? What did she do so wrong to end up like this? Her mind felt fuzzy again, thinking wasn't coming easy. Lia now decided to just give up, if this was the end then bring it on. Now darkness was everywhere and Lia couldn't see anything, but those voices were back. And she seemed to finally leave life it's self, she heard a voice call her. "Lia, come back to us please".

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - What I Am

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Matias Grronkil & Commander Liselle Qwyyn

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Starbase Gama - Five Tails Restaurant

Timeline: TBD

Liselle Qwyyn sat alone at a table for two in the Five Tails restaurant on Starbase Gamma. She drummed her long fingernails along either side of the wine glass in front of her. The crystal sparkled as it reflected the light from silver earrings that dangled beneath her carefully pinned hair, mingling with the few locks that strategically fell about her face. The fabric of her dress was a deep black, and was of a flexible fabric that complimented her body well. She hoped she hadn't overdone it -- at least not to the point where she would make things more awkward than they would likely already be. What if he showed up in Starfleet uniform? That wouldn't look weird, would it?

She blew out a nervous sigh.

She had selected this location because of its diversity in food selection, though now she found herself hoping that "Five Tails" wasn't any kind of reference to the menu. She wondered if her date would find such a thing offensive. She probably should have been more careful about this decision.

Matias came in, accepting the invitation. He wasn't wearing a Starfleet uniform, but the clothes his species usually wore at home. He wore what looked like a red Asian jacket without sleeves. His furry arms showed outside the jacket. He wore trousers with a hole for his tail and of course he didn't wear shoes. It looked fitting on him. He wasn't offended at the name of the restaurant, in fact he was amused by it. "Five Tails," he said with a grin. "You know how to make a guy feel welcome. I like it." He bent down and licked her hand, his way of kissing her hand. "You look charming." He sat down beside her. "What's good to eat here?"

Qwyyn smiled, though she couldn't help marring it with a slight wince in the corners of her eyes. She knew instantly that he had picked up on her reaction. "I'm sorry," she apologized softly, her eyes darting down to her hand. "It just surprised me." She very purposefully did not wipe off her knuckles, assuming such an action would likely be considered insulting to him.

Matias nodded. "Nothing to be sorry about," he said. "My apologies for startling you. It is a courtesy of my people."

"It was just unexpected," Qwyyn assured him. "If we're going to give this a try, then we should be prepared to step out of our comfort zones." She hesitated, and she looked down at his paw. She swallowed. Then back up at him. "So, would it be customary for me to...?" Her eyes gestured down to his paw.

"We should find out about each other," said Matias. "What is customary for you to do?" She saw her looking down on his hand, or paw, and looked up with questions in his eyes.

She smiled coyly and then rose up from her chair, walking around the table to his side. She knelt in front of him. With both hands she reached up and gently took hold of his neck, guiding his head towards hers so that they could press their foreheads together. Matias needed to exaggerate his lean to accommodate her. She held the pose with him as she spoke softly. "This is generally considered the appropriate way to greet someone you are courting on my world," she breathed. "If we were on Trill, we would have just signaled that no one else in the restaurant should bother us while we get to know each other."

Qwyyn took her hands from him and went back to her chair, pulling it to the table again. "What did you think of that one?"

Matias had to catch his breath. He was totally surprised at the gesture. "I like it. It's a custom I could get used to."

They were interrupted then by the sound of a young man clearing his throat. Clearly, they were not on Trill after all. The waiter clasped his gloved hands together in front of him, and he looked to each of them in turn with a slight bow. "Ready to order?" he asked. "Or a drink to start with perhaps?"

Matias sighed. The timing of this waiter was lousy, to say the least. "For now, a drink. We are still undecided on what to order," he said. "I'll have a good wine. What will you have, Liselle?"

"The same," she said with a happy nod.

The waiter inclined his head and left the table. But Liselle reached out and caught his wrist. He looked down at her hand clasping him, and he turned a quizzical look to her.

"Better bring a full bottle," she said sheepishly. He went on his way again and she turned back to Matias, breathing a nervous sigh. "Sorry," she said to him. "I think I'm going to need a little liquid courage for tonight. Oh! Not because of you. It's because of me. I -- I want to tell you about me, about what to expect and what you might be getting into. Once you hear it all, about what I am, you might appreciate the extra wine at the point, too. Trust me."

"I trust you." said Matias. "I don't know what you have in store, but I'm ready to hear your story."

"Great!" Qwyyn said. And she breathed. And when the wine arrived she eagerly took her glass. "First off, the Trill --" and she proceeded to tell him about her people, and the joining, and she was careful to elaborate on the concept of the host and the symbiont. "What's more...interesting...this time around," she continued, "is that in all of the hosts I've had so far, Liselle is the first female. I struggle with that a great deal, every day. Experiencing and appreciating my new sexual identity is something I put a lot of effort into. I may often seem overly masculine or trying too hard to be feminine, or just a blabbering mess trying to figure out who I'm supposed to be. For many races, a confused sexual identity isn't a problem, but it has been with many others that I've met...and I wouldn't judge you in the slightest if that's not something you're able to handle right now."

Matias took a drink himself and started chuckling. "Forgive me, Liselle," he said. "It reminds me of what a Wise One told me when just a pup, that in a previous life I had been a b...., sorry, a female. " correcting himself before he said the whole word. " It's not a bad word in our culture, but a term of endearment." He looked up at her. "It is a challenge, but I can be there for you. It is not going to be a problem for me. I have one of my crew who is bisexual, and we get along fine. And this is not going to get in the way of our relationship. You'll find a most understanding one if you still want me around."

"Oh, Matias, I'm only getting started," she said with a nervous sigh. Truth be told, she was thrilled to hear that he had yet to be scared off. Just this much had been enough to end a first date with many other races. Still, she was about to give him several more opportunities to bail out of this. "I spend about two hours every day in front of a mirror. Brushing my hair, makeup, perfume. I try to get it all perfect. I can't stand it when it's not perfect. I mean that: I can't stand it."

He held her hand. "I'm touched that you care so much." he said. "We can work it out. Are you nervous that you're dating a wolf? At least one who looks like a Terran wolf?"

She looked down at her hand, holding his, and sighed. "You're asking a girl who spends two hours in front of the mirror every morning if she worries about appearances?" she teased. She looked up at him then, her expression growing somber. "I won't lie. It's something that I'll have to get used to. I haven't actually been in any kind of real relationship since I joined with Liselle. So there will be that factor working against the two of us already. I don't really know how to 'be in a couple' anymore, so I'm likely to get a lot of simple stuff wrong for a while. And that's assuming you're still going to be interested in trying this out -- because there's still one other thing you should know..."

"I'm still interested," said Matias. "But what is that other thing? Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?" he teased.

"No, nothing like that," she assured him. What superstitious nonsense had he been reading about the Trill? Probably nothing worse than the rumors she had read about his people. Qwyyn picked up the wine bottle and leaned across the table to refill his glass before dropping the bombshell that she had decidedly saved for last. "There are other officers on this ship, people that you know, that I have feelings for. Romantic feelings," she said. She was quick to continue so as to not let those words hang there between them. "Please believe me, I'm not telling you this to hurt you. I just want to be honest with you. These feelings of mine are something that I'm trying to work through; but they are there right now. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to fool yourself into thinking that I'm something I'm not, I want you to have the full picture of who I am. What I am. So that you can make an informed decision."

This was a shock. Yet not unexpected,she was one confused Trill who had nothing to draw on. Yet, was this the time to abandon her when it could get worse? He leaned over and kissed her. Sitting back down, he said "We can work it out. You're having a tough time adjusting to your new host, I see, and I'm here for you. I will treat you better than all the others, I promise you, and the word of a Grrall is his bond."

She lifted her hands up in mock defeat. "That's it. I think I've scared you just about as much as I possibly can...for now." She smiled at her own little joke. "I can't promise that this will work out, but I can promise that I will always be honest with you." She picked up her glass and swirled the wine around, sloshing it along the inside. "Now, do you have any frightening facts about yourself for me?"

"Well...." he thought for a moment. "I'm a Grral, I look and act like a Terran wolf and I really get into whatever I'm involved in. It's hard to explain, but you'll see as our relationship progresses."

Liselle smiled at him, warmly. Her eyes sparkled on the verge of tears for the relief she was feeling that she hadn't already screwed this up. "You may be the most patient and sweetest man in the galaxy, Matias." She held up her glass in a toast. "I promise to try my absolute best not to take advantage of that; to be worth the amount of effort and faith you're putting into this."

"You are already worth the effort, Liselle," said Matias, lifting his glass and clinking it with hers.

Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you? - Look what we have here

A Mission Post by Commander Phoenix Lalor & Avalon & Commander Liselle Qwyyn & Commander Gary Taylor & Commander Aurelia Holmes & Lieutenant Commander Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Lieutenant Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant Dante Xithia

Mission: Episode: 4 Do the Dead Frighten you?

Location: Bridge, Deck 18

Timeline: MD 5 10h00

Her eyes were .. what humans called sandy, gritty, and she felt like she could sleep for a week. Her head felt like it was stuffed with pillows and all Phoenix Lalor wanted to do was curl up on her bed and TRY to sleep. Nights of nightmares, comforting her sister, and her lover as well as trying to hide her own bad dreams was wearing on the Commanding Officer. She sat very unusually leaning back in the command chair, shoulders slumped. Normally, Phoenix sat on the edge of the chair like she didn't want to be there. But today, she had barely moved as she studied the view screen, which was split in two showing the fore and aft sections of the ship, and their destination and where they had been. They had dropped out of warp at the last broadcast co-ordinates of the shuttle they were looking for.

Scanners were to maximum. And the bridge crew went about their duties in muted fashion. She could see that everyone was struggling like she was. Medical, it had been reported, were struggling with helping people sleep. She knew she had not had a good nights sleep in days and her dislike of coffee made it hard for her to use it as a stimulant. So she had been drinking what was called a Mocha with tons of Chocolate to mask the coffee taste. But it was not working.

Arrianna had been moody all day long. She had just had another dream last night where she started assimilating crewmembers on the Elysium. She was exhausted. Terribly tired. She was now beginning to have blackouts, and she was afraid that she'd loose control of her emotions because of these nightmares. She had a ship to run, Dozens of reports to compile and operations to perform. She did not even notice the turbolift open and what she thought to be a Borg step out. She blinked in terror, it was an illusion. What was going on? She didn't understand it, but then she felt it from everyone. Was she having a waking dream? Was she going to loose her emotional control? Her people feared their base nature, and being Borg. She looked down on her console and suddenly an implant broke skin on her hand. Arrianna screamed as she woke up from her station, bolted in sheer exhausted terror. "I'm not BORG!!!"

That jolted Phoenix from her half doze and she sat upright. "Lieutenant?" She asked as she stood. "Are you alright?"

"No, I am NOT!!!" She actually yelled. "I've been tormented by my demons for the last five nights." She was loosing her rational control. "Am I going insane?!?"

If she was, then so was the majority of the crew. Phoenix calmly said "Go wash your face Lieutenant. Take 5."

Lia heard the commotion in front of her, but she really didn't want to be involved. Looking up at the `Take five' comment, she shook her head. "It's not a case of take five, something isn't right here. And for some stupid reason, we're not responding to it as we should". She turned her back to the bridge and thumped the console hard, "I need to sleep, without these bloody nightmares. And everybody here is in the same boat, why the hell are we staying here when the crew is suffering in this fashion? That shuttle crew must be dead by now, because I've wanted to murder people before now!"

From his XO chair, Gary spoke "Calm yourself Commander Holmes. Getting mad doesn't help the situation." He said in an even voice that belayed the fact of what a struggle it was to to that when what he really wanted to do was shoot the Operations Lieutenant out an airlock with all her whinnying.

Phoenix struggled with her own temper but she replied as evenly as she could. "We do not know what is affecting our ship, affected them and we can't go back, what if what is affecting us, affects the star base?"

She took a breath. "I know we are all being affected. Lack of sleep, bad, no horrible dreams, but I think we can find what is affecting us, and stop it." she broke off as the AI appeared.

Tate could only hope that was true. She, like the rest of them, knew by now there was more going on than met the eye. Still, that didn't mean as a counselor she didn't feel responsible for doing something about it. Even so, how could she reasonably address all of these issues when they seemed to be affecting the entire crew like a virus which spread no matter what she did?

"Captain, sensors are starting to indicate a vessel 300 light years away."

Phoenix looked at the bridge crew. "I want scans, and information before we approach. Full stop Commander Qwyyn. Scanner to full please Science and Operations."

"Do you want a fighter patrol out and around the Elysium Captain?" He asked Phoenix.

Arri moved back to her console, trying to get a hold on her reason. "The ship appears to be adrift, running on emergency power, main systems are offline and life support is barely operational. I'm not picking up any life signs on the vessel. It's a derelict."

"We're at full stop," Qwyyn reported. She felt a flush of frustration and embarrassment in the delay between the order given and her eventual response. The lack of sleep was taking its toll on the crew, but for a joined Trill the effects were incredibly profound. The neurological bond between host and symbiont required a great deal of energy. She shook her head slightly, mentally slapping herself awake.

Lia did a few long range scans and confirmed what Arri had said, "From what I can see, it's not the shuttle. But then being half asleep, I can hardly see the bloody readouts". She went to hit the console again, but stopped herself. That little tactic to stay awake wasn't working, what could she do now to stop falling asleep.

Gary continued to look in Phoenix's direction as he waited for an answer in regards to a fighter cap. He wanted to reach out and shake her and demand an answer but he knew enough and realized that was the lack of sleep talking.

Phoenix turned to Gary. "Yes send a squad out."

Then she looked at the rest. "Put it on screen as soon as we can get a better view of it.

"Very good." He answered as he stood up and began to move to the lift. "I'll lead the fighters out unless you object."

Phoenix shook her head. "no go for it if you wish. Just don't fall asleep at the controls. I'd hate to explain to the admiralty how come I lost a perfect XO."

"Believe me I'd hate for you to explain it as well." He replied in a weak attempt at humor.

"Commander." Arri spoke to Phoenix. "This trend of constant nightmares is not a coincidence... We are all being targeted with our own demons. Considering the scale of this, I'm beginning to suspect a non-corporeal influence or a chemical or biological agent. I wish to liaise with our science, counselor, and medical officer to determine the root of these nightmares."

"I'm happy to help wherever I can," Tate replied. "There has to be something we could all do to stop this." The frustration in her voice was clear. Psychological issues often never had quick fixes, but at the very least, she should've been able to figure out something to help.

Phoenix wanted to beg people to stop talking at her but she took a deep breath and after a moment said "Medical and Science can work together lieutenant, I need you here on the bridge. You can make sure they have the resources they need."

She paused as the viewscreen lit up and the image appeared in small, but at a wave of her hand it increased in magnification.

"That's a large ship, Commander" Dante muttered as he made his way upto the main bridge from the CIC. He'd been observing the readings from below, "It looks to be a crusier of some type, given it's scale" the exhaustion he was experience was no stranger to the El-Aurian.He'd been haunted by dreams of his time on Betazed during the Dominion War for a great while, "I cross-referenced it with the database, based on a visual submission, and turned up nothing. Until we can get some better readings it's origin is unknown" he explained as he deposited himself at one of the auxiliary consoles to join the effort.

Arri spoke again. "I do not think it's a warship, Commander not with those modular cargo bays. It may be a transport or a freighter." She performed some more scans. "It should be safe for a small away team to board, however we should not stay there very long without restoring main power. I also suggest flashlights."

Looking at the vessel, Lia knew that it was trouble. "Well if you ask me, and nobody did. I would avoid it, something that large just doesn't get abandoned for no good reason". She had stated her objection, but knowing this crew and it's gung-ho Xo. They'd probably go aboard, and regret it.

"Then we must find out what that reason is, as it may relate to our missing shuttle." Arri mentioned. "Furthermore, I am not picking up any signs of weapon impacts on the hull, and the escape pods are all in their berths."

Gary stopped just short of entering the lift, turning to hear what Arri reported and not knowing Lia's thoughts he agreed with her unspoken thoughts. "Captain, if you prefer to have an away team board that ship, I'll lead the away team and assign someone else to lead the Valkyries out."

Phoenix took a breath. "No take the fighters Commander. I am not sending anyone over just yet. I want that ship scanned from bow to stern and I will make the call after we have that. I do not care how long it takes,we are still some time away from it lets use that time."

"Well there we are, what more evidence do you need?" Lia said, looking harder at the on coming vessel. "That screams trap to me, no damage and the escape pods just where their supposed to be". She still somehow knew that Taylor would in some way get on board, "We're bloody stupid if we put people on that thing, you know that right?"

As Gary stepped into the lift to take him to the shuttlebay he turned and flashed a tired smiled,directing his next comment to Lia, "Really Lia? Don't hold anything in,tell us how you really feel." He finished as the,lift doors began to shut giving her a wink as they did.

With Taylor on his way to the launch bay and her bridge crew discussing the ship, Phoenix was studying it carefully. "Take us in slowly Liselle."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," the Trill mumbled. As the Elysium glided in to the vicinity of the mysterious ship, Liselle frowned. She shook her head as she double checked her board. "Readings are sparse, sir. One moment I've got her, and the next it's like she isn't even there. Slowing us to 1000 kph. I'm not sure if I trust sensors right now."

Arri began to run a diagnostic. "Lateral Sensor Array is off by five microns. I'm running a calibration."

"If you need to bring us to full stop do so" Phoenix replied.

Qwyyn nodded. "That's probably a good idea. Full stop," she reported. "Once the fighters are out, they can feed sensor data back to us and we can safely move again." She turned in her chair to look at Arrianna. "Will patching the fighter's sensor data in for me be feasible on such short notice?"

Dante was sure to patch a feed into his terminal. So far he'd still not come across the data he'd need to secure a match, but he hoped the fighters would provide the missing key. Something was off, and Dante wasn't all too keen for a First Contact situation so far from Federation space.

"All symptoms of the deeper problem, Commander. The traumatizing events we've witnessed when we dream. Make no mistake, If none of us are rested, we will loose the capability of providing basic maintenance to our own vessel." Arri mentioned. "And the scope of this event is unprecedented. Hence my concern I feel no telepathic influence on us, but that dose not mean there is none. I would have to scan deeper in order to know for sure.... much deeper."

Looking at the Lieutenant, Lia's befuddled brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. "Lieutenant, for us lower life forms. What the hell did you just say? In plain English, if you don't mind". Lia was having problems maintaining her train of thought, in fact she seemed to be loosing her whole will to keep going. "Captain, I have to report the fact that I can no longer do my job. I don't seem to be able to understand or process information". She started to slowly sink down to the floor, exhaustion overtaking her and she closed her eye's.

Phoenix turned and called out."Someone get the commander to Medical. Now!"

The derelict floated there, behind it the edge of a vast nebular glowed against the dark of space. Phoenix studied the image it presented. Yeah, trap was what this was. And something, lurked behind that floating mess...."Science, launch probes into that nebular." she ordered suddenly.

The officer at science nodded. "Probes away."

On the shuttlebay, Gary was seated in his fighter, alongside Tinker, Evers and Chance were in theirs awaiting orders to launch. "Alright gentleman, we do this by the numbers. Nothing fancy just a standard protection search pattern of the derelict. Lets do this." He finished as he received final clearance to launch.

=/\=