"Decker, here," JavKer said, moving up next to his peer and offering his tricorder findings.  "I've already been tracking down other control nodes... this might help."

09:53, Today: Starfleet Command, on behalf of LCDR Gullak JavKer, rolled 1 using 1d20 with rolls of 1.  Assist Decker.

That will add two more momentum back to the pool.  Stay tuned for answers!

"If someone else is interfacing with the station, perhaps it was he that set the automated defenses" standing a short distance, T'Lara tried to read out the sigils on the console and figure out what commands were being carried out
This message was last edited by the player at 18:49, Sun 27 Dec 2020.

D'rala's eyes catch on the crumpled body of Lt. Rose--the first member of her team that had been lost here, and unfortunately far from the last. She knows they can't try and cart the bodies out in the midst of a crisis, but she can't help the guilt that pools in her stomach at leaving her fallen team-mates here.

D'rala reminds herself that she doesn't have the luxury to dwell on her grief, and turns to the matter at hand.

"The control panel's lit up differently than it was when we were here the first time," she  adds to their discussion of the secondary presence interfacing with the artifact.

Decker's trace on the main control node took a moment, but there was no doubt - it was a 20 kilometers deep towards the core of the station.

But with JavKer's help, he had a fix on the substation that was being used by somebody - both Vulcan and Starfleet if Tsolo was correct - to interface with the mainframe.

From her perspective, T'Lara watched the data scroll by, and with her knowledge of the Ithik language, it appeared to be some kind of build-up... to... detonation?  No, not that... more like... movement?

D'rala could see that the panel was indeed acting differently.  The last time, it hadn't shown this level of activity.

Something was coming.

Then the monitor broke in a wash of static, no longer displaying the Ithik iconography.  It was instead replaced with the features of Dr. T'Lah - the commander of Abyss Station, assigned by the Vulcan Science Academy.

"Your efforts are commendable," she said, "but ultimately futile.  I have no desire to see more lives lost.  I suggest you follow logic and depart, return to your shuttle and evacuate this place, while you still can.  Your time is short," she said.

Behind her, in the view, flanking, were two Ithik.  Black and pitted skin like burned charcoal.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:02, Tue 05 Jan 2021.

D'rala's breath catches in her throat when the commanding officer of abyss station, the woman she serves faithfully under as XO, appears on the view screen flanked by the Ithik. It can't be...
"Commander, what's the meaning of this?" she asks, voice tight, as she steps up to the view screen.

T’Lara took a few deep breaths.  T’Lah appeared on the screen, and her no-so-thinly-veiled threat put her as the culprit behind all these deaths.  But how could it be?  T’Lah was a Starfleet officer.  An alumnus of the Vulcan Science Academy.  It all didn’t make sense.  Or maybe…maybe it wasn’t T’Lah at all, but a clone created by the station.  Just like the deranged one they’ve encountered earlier.  She’d much rather believe that it was another scheme devised by the station’s A.I, than consider the alternative.

Ultimately though, it didn’t matter.  They needed to find a way to stop her. The could figure things out later, once the danger has passed. With a determined look on her face, T'Lara edged closer to the console and took a more careful look.  Perhaps there was a way to override T'Lah commands from here, rather than searching the station for her.

Tsolo takes another drink of water. Then, from the expression on his face, he's trying to puzzle out what's happening.

T'Lah regarded her first officer evenly and without apparent emotion.

"My meaning is simple," she said.  "This is an ancient super weapon, used by an elder race.  The Ithik are the survivors of that race's servitors, as I've recently discovered.  Most had their memories damaged by the supernova that wrecked this system.  These two," she indicated her flanking companions, "did not."

"I would have prevented the deaths of your team if I had been able, Commander," she said.  "But I have only just arrived.  In time to ensure the Federation need never fear the Klingon Empire again.  Or anyone else."


OOC: Decker and JavKer have isolated the location of the substation T'Lah is using. It would take the team perhaps 5 minutes to reach it from here.

LCDR T'Lara can make an Insight + Medicine roll with a difficulty of 2 for some info.

Tsolo sushes himself up to his feet and approaches the console. Doctor T'Lah, have you reasoned this through? If A kills B  from fear, is it not probable the C will think it proper to kill A for self-protection? And is it likely that one who kill s finds it easier to kill  and easier to kill and kill again? What does Vulcan law deal with murderers?

And remember, the galaxy is large, and what you propose to do will be known,remembered, and acted on.

Finally, are you sure you are acting fully from your own free will, uninfluenced by malign forces?

T'Lara didn't know what this 'super weapon' was capable of, only that its effects were probably bad, and tantamount to a war crime. For the first time since they arrived in the station, she felt anger, not fear:

"Dr. T'Lah, using this weapon would be betraying the Federation's ideals.  How can we ever make peace with the Klingons, or any other species, after this?"

The doctor looked adamant.  Convincing her to change course after she's already willingly sacrificed her entire career didn't look very promising.  Worryingly, she gave ch'Pertha a sidelong look.

three successes, with momentum.  Four if one of T'Lara focus applies.

"Listen to them, Commander," D'rala says, still referring to the woman as such out of long formed habit. "Listen to me. The people down on that planet are going to die. You have to let us complete our mission." Her voice is tightly controlled, throat taut with adrenaline, anger, and desperation.
"You've always been a good Starfleet officer--by the book all the way. You know this is against everything we stand for."

"And everything the Federation stands for. It will never tolerate "peace" established like this. You'll have to use this weapon against it. You'll destroy it far more effectively than the Klingons ever could."

Given that Dr. T'Lah appears to have control over the station, whereas they don't have the slightest idea about how to interface with the computer, the fact that she's monitoring them, and that there are murderbots present to step in should they even try, Decker can't think of anything they can do to actually stop her.

ch'Pertha was an experienced espionage expert ... and while Dr T'Lah was speaking with D'rela and T'Lara, he slipped stealthfully from the room.
Using the coordinates discovered by JavKer and Decker he ran like a man possessed.

If he could stop ... even distract ... T'Lar and her thugs, just maybe his people could work their magic.


- rolled 19,20,9.  Fitness+Security(16) +1 Momentum.
ARE YOU freaking kidding me, Dice Roller?

Is there any mechanic I can use to reroll this shit?

In reply to CDR Naryss ch'Pertha (msg # 412):

OOC: If you have a value that applies to the situation, you can spend a point of determination to re-roll all the dice. That assumes you haven't spent the point we all start with. I believe I'm the only one who has.

Thank you, Decker.   You endlessly prove yourself more fluent with the rules than I.  I appreciate the help.

I shall use the value 'Fortunes favour the Bold', please, to use my point of Determination (I have not used it) to reroll that mess.
- rolled 6,3,18.  Fitness+Security(16) +1 Momentum.
as I have the Focus 'Espionage', and Security rating of 5, perhaps that '3' can count twice?

Either way, the intend of my actions is to slip away unnoticed by T'Lar ... and get to her location as swiftly as possible.

T'Lah regarded Tsolo, her chief COMMS officer, cooly. "Logical, Lieutenant," she said, "But irrelevant when one has the ultimate weapon.  None will dare attack the Federation after we've destroyed the Klingons."

"Vulcans prefer the path of peace but Tal-Shaya* exists for a reason; sometimes to kill is the only logical alternative to extinction or death."

"As for memory... there's an old Earth saying... 'History is written by the victors'."

Her eyelid twitched slightly and she said, "My thoughts have never been more clear."


T'Lah straightened and regarded the others through the viewer.  "Do not fear," she said calmly, wavering only slightly as she met D'rala's eye.  "The planet will no longer be in danger.  This artifact will take the Black Hole, the thing threatening the planet, away.  It will then set it to a high rate of spin and drop it where it can do the most good: the Qo'nos system."

As T'Lah spoke, she failed to notice that ch'Pertha had slipped out of the room...

OOC: ch'Pertha is on his way to T'Lah's location. Undetected so far, as far as you know...

*Tal-Shaya is a Vulcan technique for snapping a neck, discussed in TOS "Journey to Babel".

**Trellium-D is a radioactive mineral that causes mental instability, a suppression of emotional control, and eventually, insanity, in Vulcans. - Ed.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:55, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

Tsolo tries once more. And what happens when you die? And what happens when another race develops this same weapon? What one can do, another can.

D'rala saw the way her commander wavered when she spoke to her and stepped closer to the view screen.

"T'lah," she said, trying for a more intimate approach, "I know you're better than this. It's not too late until you pull that trigger. You can stop this."

T'Lara pursed her lips. She doubted there was anything she could say to convince T'Lah to change her mind.  Even if she raised the most well thought, compelling arguments NOT to kill billions of people, it would likely be rejected by the Vulcan's deranged mind.  The only thing she could do then was distract T'Lah for a while longer, and hope their Commander could overpower her, the Ithik, and whatever other defense measures she's set up.

"T'Lah; had you the chance to study the radiation seeping out of the black hole? It is not too dissimilar from the one emanating out of Trellium-D"

T'Lah blinks, seemingly nonplussed by the barrage of arguments and questions thrown her way. She hesitates, perhaps uncertain?  The two dark and pitted-skinned Ithik behind her stir ominously.

Meanwhile, CDR ch'Pertha dashes down the hall like a bat out of hell.  He narrows in on the location scanned by Decker and T'Lara... to find a familiar situation:

The same kind of door.

And a pair of the same kind of guardian robots.

As Dr. T'Lah wavers...

Tsolo looks earnest, honestly inquiring, and open to persuasion.

14:32, Today: LT Tsolo Kloshe Saghalie rolled 18 using 1d20 with rolls of 18.  Assist, perhaps.

[Being new to Star Trek, and seemingly dense, how the rolling works is "Greek to me".]

D'rala sees Dr. T'lah waver, and takes the opportunity to appeal to her better nature once more. She knows there must be something left of the woman she's worked under and respected, that it can't have all been a facade.

"T'lah, you and I both know this isn't the way. It's not too late to stop. You've relied on my council before as your second in command--rely on it now," she says emphatically. "You've always done right by your position, so do right by it now!"

OOC:

00:38, Today: LCDR D'rala Vex rolled 9 using 1d20 with rolls of 9.

00:38, Today: LCDR D'rala Vex rolled 8 using 1d20 with rolls of 8.

00:38, Today: LCDR D'rala Vex rolled 7 using 1d20 with rolls of 7.

00:38, Today: LCDR D'rala Vex rolled 4 using 1d20 with rolls of 4.

Needed to be under thirteen, so success!

I think negotiation or composure could work as a focus.

"..and T'Lah," T'Lara followed in her soft voice "you would be killing ALL Klingons.  Children.  Those who oppose the policies of their government.  How could you justify the murder of people who have never done you harm, and pose no threat to any of us?  It is one thing defending ourselves from a Klingon warbird.  Quite another to to kill innocent civilians.  Even your 'villains' are nobler than this"

OOC: That would be seven successes, with one momentum, and one determination spent.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:07, Wed 27 Jan 2021.