"We'll place it in a stasis chamber, that and the bone amulet—best we can do short of coming up with a working psi-shield. We're decades away from that.

"On the other hand, the XO will be fine. He's got a mild abrasion from pulling out his breathing tube, to we're got him on tri-ox and pain killers. The steroids should take care of the damage from the borgia plant, so I foresee releasing him for light duty at 07:00 hours tomorrow—say, fourteen hours. I'll want him to wear a medical monitor for a couple of days, though," reports the CMO. "We've got Dr. Regem, our xenobiology specialist, seeing to the prisoner. Looks like it's lost a limb. No idea whether they regenerate. Presumably not, but you never know with unknown life forms."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:58, Mon 09 Aug 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Commander Winston Driveon, MD (msg # 130):

Meanwhile, Khendron is in the next room undergoing an examination from a tall female African doctor. She introduces herself as Surgeon-Lieutenant Ayan M'Benga. Khendron had met her father, LCdr Jabilo M'Benga MD (formerly of the USS Enterprise) when he was a young officer suffering from a minor plasma burn.

"I'm going to prescribe more tri-ox compound to help with your breathing. Doing a combat roll off the medical bed is not an approved procedure for removing an airway," she says with a stern face. "Luckily it just caused a minor abrasion." She breaks into a wide grin which lights up her eyes. "We'll try not to let alien assassins disturb your rest further."

She looks to be in her twenties, though he knows for a fact that she was preparing to enter Academy pre-med twenty years ago.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:01, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Ayan M'Benga, MD FFCS (msg # 131):

Khendron cannot help giving Dr. M'Benga a wink. "I don't think Vincentius had an approved procedure in mind either," he whispers hoarsly.

Then in a serious tone he asks "What is Dr. T'Sara's status? Her actions probably saved my life!"

In reply to Captain Khendron Mercer (msg # 132):

"She's in critical condition with a depressed parietal fracture and crushed facial bones. We're hopeful we can save her eye. If so, she should recover, but it'll be a long process. Deborah—Dr. Clearbranch is not only a fine surgeon, but also our Vulcan medicine specialist," Khendron has noticed Deborah Clearbranch. She is a short, zaftig Caucasian woman with short dark hair and an infectious giggle.

M'Benga hands Khendron a clear yellow lozenge. "Here, let this dissolve in your mouth." He slips the lozenge in his mouth. It tastes of lemons and his mouth and throat begin to go numb. Lt. M'Benga takes out a hypospray and says, "This will help you sleep."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Ayan M'Benga, MD (msg # 133):

"Wait!" Khendron whispers urgently. "Somebody has to tell me what's going on! One moment Vincentius is an agreeable conciliatory guy, and then suddenly he's back down here as a vicious hellhound! What happened in the Commodoressss'zz offissss..." Khendron's voice trails off as the hypospray takes effect.

In reply to Captain Khendron Mercer (msg # 134):

Once Thelev realizes sickbay is secure and Khendron is out, Thelev heads down to the brig to check on Vincentius and see if he is in a condition for Thelev to talk interrogate him about the attack.

When he arrives he sees Dr. Regem looking at Vincentius and waits until she acknowledges him before asking Vincentius status.

Once acknowledged he asks "Doctor, how is Vincentius?, has he said anything yet why he attacked our crew in sickbay?"

Regem sighs and reports, "I can't figure out its damned silicon metabolism—its flesh is like foamed asbestos with solid silicon struts for bones. The right 'arm' is burned off at mid-humerus and the integument—skin—on its shoulder and upper torso is crisped and blistered, equivalent to sixth degree burns where the skin, underlying muscles and even bone are charred away. Somehow, it's still conscious and all it says is that it refuses to give any statement under the Seventh Guarantee of the Constitution of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet Directive One Zero One. It appears to have some form of pain-blocking techniques similar to those used by Vulcans. My only recommendation is to put it into medical stasis until we can get further medical expertise—perhaps from the Horta Prime Mother."

PO2c Daneric-Tren replies that, "Under Directive 101, we can't legally question it further, sir."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Fri 13 Aug 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Maura Regem, RN, MD (msg # 136):

Loud enough for Vincentius to hear he asks "Are you sure the Horta Prime Mother is our best option, I was thinking if we could avoid Lord Dhark one of Lord Dhark children may be able to better treat our patient. Even though Vincentius is under our protection I was thinking if the best option was to risk a jump back to the 'Under World' we have to at least consider it." hoping to goat Vincentius into speaking first to get around Directive 101.

In reply to Captain Thelev (msg # 137):

Regem considers Thelev's question, "I had no personal interaction with Lord Dhark or his family, but from what I was able to gather from Dr. Driveon, they're a fractious bunch. I'm more inclined to consult the Prime Mother, as she's a more or less known quantity. True, the royal family seems to have some sort of magic technology but their attitudes are unknown—well, except for the Verlegg, who appears to be hostile both to Dhark and to us. By going to them for help, we may put Vincentius in more grave danger."

Daneric-Tren notes, "Since the prisoner has invoked its civil rights, placing it within the grasp of its former master may well violate those rights."

Vincentius remain silent and unmoving, lying on the bunk behing the force field.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Sat 14 Aug 2021.

In reply to Dworkin the Black (msg # 127):

Dworkin stands and looks at a timepiece on his wrist. "Now, my dear Commodore, I fear I must take my leave and return to Centre, to consult with Her Glory." He reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a stack of about a dozen cards about 7 x 12cm. Brad only catches a glimpse of the faces on a couple of cards and they appear to be hand-painted portraits. Dworkin selects one and stares at it with the same intensity with which he'd stared Vincentius down. He seems to fade from Brad's site, shrinking and distorting in a non-Euclidian manner before disappearing. Only the high-ball glass with a melting ice cube remains.

Brad sits for a moment refusing to be surprised.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:03, Sat 14 Aug 2021.

In reply to Dworkin the Black (msg # 139):

Thelev turning and looking at Daneric-Tren and givng her (corrected by Odyssey GM) the look of shut-up says "PO2c Daneric-Tren, I am familar with Directive 101 and fell we can protect Vincentius, I want to ensure we give Vincentius the best possible medical care and I was giving our doctor an alternative in case she had any doubts about the if Horta Prime Mother is qualified beyond just being a Silicon based lifeform. "
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:25, Sun 15 Aug 2021.

Daneric-Tren frowns and turns her desk monitor so Thelev can see it.

Minimum Sapient Rights: No person shall, by force or by guile, be deprived of their ability to resist volitionally the will of another person—except under due process of law, and even then, not by guile.

She flushes a darker shade as she comments, "Sorry, sir, but if you wish to declare the prisoner a hostile enemy alien, then Directive 101 no longer applies."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Tue 17 Aug 2021.

McCurrvey shakes his head and strides out to the bridge.  He needs people to clear his head.  To no one in particular he says “Status”

In reply to Commodore Bradron McCurrvey (msg # 142):

Collette is in the centre chair. She swivels to face Brad and reports, "Captain Mercer is stable and the Doctors say he should be able to resume light duty tomorrow morning following an attack by Vincentius. Doctor T'Sara was also assaulted by Vincentius and is in surgery with critical injuries. Vincentius was subdued by Mercer and security Crewman MacQuarrie and is in the brig being treated by Doctor Regem, as it was seriously injured during its apprehension, and is being questioned by Captain Thelev. Security Chief Trask is filing a request to promote MacQuarrie to Petty Officer Third Class for saving Khendron's life." She hands him a PADD with all the details.

McCurrvey relishes the hum of the bridge for a few moments as he takes a quick scan of the padd. “Have someone meet me at the brig who can do a scan for nanites on site”.  “I want to talk to our prisoner and I’d like to do it without Dworkin overhearing”  He heads into the turbolift.

"Aye aye, Sir!" responds the Navigator. Brad steps out of the Bridge into the turbolift. CPO Cobretti is waiting for him in the lift and accompanies him to the Brig. On the way, they pick up Petty Officer 1c Manuel Espinoza, who has dealt with Dworkin's nanobots before.

Upon arriving at the Brig, he asks for Brad's and Thelev's replacement (supposedly nanobot-free) calling cards and scans them using security's equipment. They are as advertised, nanobot-free, but he places them in a Faraday enclosure to ensure Dworkin cannot use them to eavesdrop. Likewise, he scans the two amulets and determines that the silver sigil is a molecular-level portable transporter link connected via subspace to an implant in Vincentius's skull. He immediately restores it to its stasis container and recommends removing the transceiver implant.

Doctor Regem, a Centaurian, orders an orderly to the Brig with a surgical transporter unit. Daneric-Tren lowers the force-field and stands by with her phaser drawn. Ensign Goldberg arrives with the unit and beams out the implant. Espinoza places it in the Faraday enclosure. Vincentius makes no hostile moves.

Daneric-Tren raises the force-field and informs Brad, "We've listed Vincentius as a hostile enemy alien under Starfleet Security Procedures, thus removing it from the protections of Starfleet Directive 101 normally applied to Starfleet personnel and civilians. You may proceed with your interrogation."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:37, Thu 19 Aug 2021.

In reply to Petty Officer 2c Daneric-Tren (msg # 145):

Turning to Brad, Thelev says "Commodore, the prisoner has not said anything yet, his injury is severe and Doctor Regem is recommending that we take Vincentius to the Horta Prime Mother. But to be honest I am concerned about him escaping."

“Thank you, Captain.  May I have a word with our ‘guest’ for a moment?  Is he conscious?”

McCurrvey moves past Thelev while trying to impart to his friend that he understands the situation.

“Crewman, in your opinion, am I clear of all nanites and other alien technology?”.  McCurrvey gives his best ‘you’d better not screw this up’ look at the PO.

[OOC: Not Crewman - Crewmen are basic ratings of ranks E1-E3. Petty Officers with ranks E4-E9, are NCOs. PO1 is equivalent to a rank one grade above Sergeant. http://www.coldnorth.com/owen/...y/uniforms/equip.htm ]

"Readings indicate you're clear, sir," replies PO1 Espinoza.

PO2 Daneric-Tren once again lowers the force field. "You may enter the cell, Commodore," she says.

Vincentius raises itself onto its remaining arm. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage. I do not waive my rights under your Seventh Guarantee. I believe that your Charter of Rights and Freedoms still applies, even to prisoners of war, which status I claim pursuant to being deemed a hostile enemy alien." Its voice is a silky rasp with little inflection. "However, I would like to make a statement—

"My race is called the Vaarduvée. Some centuries ago, a cohort of my people were stranded in the realm known as the Underdark. We reached a détente with the Ilithids, beings known as the Mind Flayers, and they began inserting us as operatives posing as slaves in some of the surrounding polities like that of the so-called Dread Lord of the Outer Spaces, Lord Dhark. When the Vizier took the admittedly foolish risk of devouring the intellect of your Chief Petty Officer Alexander, he was attempting to garner intelligence of your newly-encountered Federation with the intent of spreading the Underdark's influence into your plane, part of the Prime Material Plane. Although my erstwhile master, Lord Dhark, thought he'd captured the Vizier, intending to make use of him as a tool against the Grand Elder Concord, the ruling council of the Ilithids, made up of the most powerful Elder Brains. Unfortunately for him, he'd already fallen under the control of the Vizier, who had him dispatch me to gather information. By in turn, in capturing me, with the help of that being you call Dworkin, you have sealed you inevitable doom!" It laughs like a villain out of a holo-thriller and suddenly freezes in place on the bunk, its body surface gleaming with the unmistakable reflectivity of a stasis field.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:31, Sat 21 Aug 2021.

“Well there goes the idea that Dworkin influenced him into attacking…”  McCurrvey strokes his goatee and turns to Thelev.  “Thoughts?”

In reply to Commodore Bradron McCurrvey (msg # 149):

"We are stuck in the middle I believe, maybe in the middle of more than two influences." Thelev replies

"My gut is that we have to peel back the layers of the onion. So who is Vincentius working with? And who is Dworkin working with? And what is both parties goal? And is Lord Dhark a third faction or still related to one of the other factions?" he ponders out loud.

It is the end of both Brad's and Thelev's shifts. Brad is watches as the security staff take care of Vincentius's body. Dr. Driveon secures a treatment room in sickbay with enhanced security and full sensor surveillance, and they remove Vincentius from the Brig, where Bilgebottom stations a marine guard. Brad realises that his, Thelev's and Khendron's copies of Dworkin's calling cards are sitting on the duty desk in their Faraday enclosure. Thelev replies, "We are stuck in the middle I believe, maybe in the middle of more than two influences."

It's been a long, tiring day, so Brad absent-mindedly picks up the enclosure and summons a lift to return to his quarters on deck three.

"My gut is that we have to peel back the layers of the onion. So who is Vincentius working with? And who is Dworkin working with? And what is both parties goal? And is Lord Dhark a third faction or still related to one of the other factions?" Thelev ponders out loud.

The two continue discussing the mysterious little man's motives as the turbolift moves silently up to the lift station. They walk the twenty-five metres to the cross-corridor where they part ways, Brad turning left and Thelev right. [OOC: you can continue or wait until the morning when Khendron will be awake.]

Brad's quarters are dark, but he can hear music coming from Kyra's room. Both Kyra and Bellandra can he heard laughing. As he fixes himself an evening snack the door opens and Collette walks in, her tunic over her shoulder and her waistcoat unfastened.

"Hi, love," she murmurs. "You look as tired as I feel." She gives him an absent-minded peck on the cheek and hangs her tunic on a coatrack before peeling waiscoat off, leaving her in her grey pullover. "How's Khendron? Driveon gave us an update on T'Sara before I went off duty—Ayan's saved her eye and rebuilt her eye socket."

She sits down and replicates a smoked meat sandwich and a large dill pickle with a large glass of red wine. "Mind if I join you?" she asks.

Meanwhile Thelev enters his quarters and finds Thoma in her night dress replicating a slice of toasted Hari, a traditional Andorian bread. She takes a bite and says, "Mmmmm. Want a bite?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:56, Tue 24 Aug 2021.

In reply to Odyssey GM (msg # 151):

Thelev gives a reluctant smile and says "I would love a bit" and then gives Thoma a quick kiss.  "Somedays I wonder how Brad did this all those years. We are missing a key piece and I have no idea."

He thinks for a moment before saying "How is Vethia, I have been so busy I haven't been able to see how she is doing."

"I think she's still up. I told her she could stay up 'til you got in," says Thoma, smiling as she hands the toasted Hari over so he can have some.

Thelev goes into Vethia's room, where she's playing with some colourful interlocking plastic bricks, a favourite toy on Earth for the last three and a half centuries.

She looks up and says, "Daddy!" She sees the slice of Hari and asks, "C'n I have a bite Daddy?"

Thoma says from the doorway, "May I, Vethia."

Vethia corrects herself, "May I have a bite, please?"

Over the next few days, work continues apace organising the Bright Stars Cluster Sector task force. Teri Harris spends most of her time at Bridgeton negotiating with Sam with the goal of initiating a full Starfleet scientific survey of the Hole and the Bridge, in session with Federation Commissioner Rosemary Kent. Brad is consulted from time to time, as are John Smith and Okun Soong.

Khendron is released from Sickbay and resumes light duty. His throat still feels scratchy, more from pulling the breathing tube out than from side effects from the borgia plant.

T'Sara is in the ICU recovering from her surgery and seems to be recovering well. The team successfully saved her eye and rebuilt parts of her skull.

After a week with no contact from Dworkin, an encrypted message from Starfleet Command ordering Odyssey, Excalibur, Discovery and Fife to jump via Silver Ball to the plantoid Babel, taking with them Capt Harris and Commissioner Kent. Specific orders are to bring the stasis-bound Vincentius and the minor child Bellandra ferch Jaime. By now, Khendron has been cleared for full duty status. As Science Officer, he is instructed to bring along the stasis pouch with Vincentius's amulets.

Within an hour, the Discovery is in station-keeping with the Odyssey, and the Fife is keeping station with the Excalibur. Soong and Smith announce in unison over subspace, "Ready for Blue Alert" and Thelev and Bowman give the command...


To Be Continued in the Thread The Glory Road...