"My dear Captain Thelev, you are correct. I do have a lot confidence in this young lady. She is a most formidable specimen of adolescent humanity. Yes, she managed to acquire the takatan on her own and conceal it from the crew. She had long since memorised Calista's private codes and was able to delete it from the pirates' manifest of ill-gotten gains. She is a genius-level hacker—largely self-taught—and had thoroughly infiltrated the Armida IV's computer systems." He takes another sip. "I calculate at least a sixty per cent probability that she would have been able to dispatch the Verlegg. Although innately powerful, the Verlegg has a fatal flaw—overconfidence.

For so long, he's been able to work through minions like Calista and her crew and cannot conceive that an juvenile Human—a female no less!—could defeat him. Bit by bit, by sheer happenstance and by dint of her innate force of will, young Bellandra has been able to construct a mind shield and it has completely slipped Verlegg's notice."

He finishes his drink and leans back in his chair, fingers laced together over his belly. "And now, by sheer cosmic coincidence, she has come into contact with one who complements her strengths and compensates for her weaknesses."

Collette, sitting in on the meeting in her position as Navigator, looks up in alarm. "Are you referring to Kyra? I noticed the other night that they seemed to be like best friends on first sight, down to finishing each other's sentences, but sometimes teenagers are like that. Are you saying there's more to it? Is Kyra potentially is some sort of danger from Bellandra?"

Boren looks at Dworkin, a frown on his face. "What do a Starfleet brat and a pirate cabin girl have in common that's so remarkable? Special Projects or not, you've got a lot of explaining to do Mister Dworkin!"

Dworkin observes Boren, his eyes icy. "For someone who works for Starfleet Intelligence—as great an oxymoron as ever was—should know, still waters run deep. Young Kyra has had all the benefits Bellandra never had - a stable family life, access to the best schooling and all that comes with it, but she's never had to operate on the most visceral levels; whereas Bellandra has had to fend for herself in the face of true adversity. On the other tentacle, pardon the metaphor, Kyra longs for adventure and derring do, while Bellandra has lived that life and longs for stability and normalcy.

"On that note, Kyra and Bellandra are two sides of the same coin. Unfortunately, that also makes Kyra a prime target for the Verlegg.

"Now that they have found each other, it would be inadvisable to separate them. If they are apart, Verlegg will be able to menace them separately, but together they can be trained, forged into something greater than the sum of the two apart."

Collette walks over to Brad. Taking his hand, she whispers, "Is he saying what I think he is?"

Boren looks at Brad. "Commodore, when this meeting is over, I request a get-together with you, Cdr DesMarais, Kyra, Bellandra, Carl Smith and Centurion Tevan." He looks around the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, I suggest we table the question of Calista, the Verlegg and all; and return to the Operational and Intelligence aspects of the Bright Stars Cluster Sector Task Force's mission. Next on the agenda..."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Sun 16 May 2021.

In reply to Dworkin the Black (msg # 29):

"Dworkin, I agree we should table this discussion and get back to the matter at hand.  But I would like to remind you that Bellandra is in the care of the state and I believe that Miss Jordan Stone has been appointed her guardian. So unless there is some complying security reason she can not be involved I request she is included in the meeting.  I remind you that yes she is a civilian but is aboard a ship with temporal capability and in the care of my daughter has been briefed to the point she can help deal with my daughter if anything should arise around the period of time I was missing." Thelev comments.

"Second Kyra is a minor aboard my ship and I will support whatever Commander DesMarais decides is best for her daughter as a member of my crew." he adds giving a supportive smile towards Collette.

Turning back to Boren he says "You may continue with your briefing." feeling that Brad maybe distracted about what was just said about Kyra and his and Collette's concerns on the matter.

"Excuse me, Captain," interjects Boren, "I will be chairing the meeting with Kyra and Bellandra. As C/O, you are of course welcome to attend, but since neither Kyra nor Bellandra have a SECLAR, there is no reason Miss Stone cannot attend as a supporting witness. In fact. it's a very good idea and, as you say, she's the state-appointed guardian and so has not only the right but the duty to attend."

"Quite right," acknowledges Dworkin. "And on that note, I shall take my leave; other than to note that Captain Ahab of the Pequod has a chart of the Phlogiston, the realm of fluidic space from which he—and the Verlegg—hail." with that, he walks to the door to the corridor and exits.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Thu 24 June 2021.

The strategy meeting goes on for eight hours, not even breaking for meals courtesy of the food replicator. Many of the organisational details of the task force are hammered out. Eventually, decisions are made and the meeting ends. Teri agrees to brief Sam on the effects the decisions will have on Bridgetown and the Emerson Accords.

The next day at 15:00 hours, after the end of the day's school session, Brad, Collette, Thelev, Khendron and Boren meet in the ship's classroom. Kyra, Bellandra, Miss Stone and Lt Carleton Smith are present. As the adults are getting set up, the girls are discussing an old flat-screen video presentation from their classics class. "That was just plain silly! Parsecs are a unit of distance, not time! Just like light-years! And from the way the old man rolled his eyes, he knew it!" Bellandra says.

"More like the actor knew it but the writer didn't," agrees Kyra. The two of them are polishing off a couple of litres of Flaxian bubble juice. The helium gas in the bubbles has made their voices squeaky, like a pair of chipmunks. Kyra is feeding her pet beaker roasted nuts, tossing them in the air and watching the odd creature catching them in its beak.

Miss Stone claps her hands to attract their attention, "OK, we're ready to begin! Send the little guy home, Kyra."

Beaker jumps down off the foot stool and waddles over to the door, chittering to himself. The door sensor detects the creature, no larger than a smallish dog, and opens obligingly. Beaker hoots goodbye and proceeds to the family quarters. "My cousin has an albino beaker back on Betazed. The albinos are highly prized as they form a psionic link to their humanoid companions and act as a psionic amplifier," Jordan informs the girls.

"Now, Commodore and Commander, shall we begin? It seems that Kyra and Bellandra have become what on Earth they call BFFs, or best friends forever. On Betazed, they are referred to as imzadis which translates as beloved. Many Humans believe that this is a romantic relationship, even sexual. Not true, of course. Its literal meaning is the first, not necessarily referring to the first sexual partner but the first to ever touch your soul. It would better translate as soulmate though Humans often equate even that as romantic."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:58, Mon 17 May 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Commander Bryan W. Boren (msg # 32):

Thelev plans to mainly listen and be there to support Brad, Collette, and Miss Stone.  And make sure Lt. Commander Boren isn't putting the Odyssey in danger.  After grabbing a Srjula to sip Thelev takes a seat where he can keep an eye on Bellandra and Miss Stone.

If there is a moment before the meeting he will ask Miss Stone how Vethia was today, more as a loving parent than anything else.

[OOC: A writeup on the beaker can be found here—Beakers are from the Traveller RPG by GDW, originally published in The Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society #3, 1980.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:48, Mon 17 May 2021.

Miss Stone smiles and says, "She's a real sweetie. She's already learning to write her name in Graalek. [Graalek is the written form of Graalen, a native language of Andoria] I'm very pleased with her progress. She loves sculpting with clay." She takes out a PADD and shows Thelev a selection of holograms of clay figures. "Sure they're rough, but good for a three-year old. She has amazing hand/eye coordination. I've shown these to Thoma and she asked for copies."

Thelev has a lump in his throat looking at his daughter's handiwork. He makes a note to send copies of the holos to Thanek and Vora. They'll be as proud as he and Thoma are of their little girl.

However, he puts aside these thoughts to savour later. The focus at this moment is on Kyra nd her new-found friend. If all goes well, Bellandra may be the key to the Calista problem.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:22, Thu 20 May 2021.

[OOC just back tracking a few moments to the beginning of the session.]

Miss Stone begins, "Now, Commodore and Commander, shall we begin? It seems that Kyra and Bellandra have become what on Earth they call BFFs, or best friends forever. On Betazed, they are referred to as imzadis which translates as beloved. Many Humans believe that this is a romantic relationship, even sexual. Not true, of course. Its literal meaning is the first, not necessarily referring to the first sexual partner but the first to ever touch your soul. It would better translate as soulmate though Humans often equate even that as romantic."

"The term imzadi could even be applied to the relationship between you, Commodore, and Captains Thelev and Mercer. I'm told that some even refer to the three of you as the Three Musketeers. The relationship is very common with Human girls in their teens and is much celebrated in Human literature, though not by that name. True, in Betazoid culture there is a psychic connection but it's just as real in non-Betazoids. Oh, dear, I've embarrassed the girls..." she concludes.

It appears she's right, as both of them are blushing.

Lt Smith, the psychologist leans forward. "I'm sorry Miss Stone, but Betazoids are much more open about these things than are we Humans. There's nothing wrong with that—interaction between various cultures adds a certain spice to life, but can also lead to embarrassing comparisons.

"That said, we all have much to adjust to. Teen years can often be confusing, what with new experiences and new acquaintances. Kyra, your father and Capt Thelev were not all that much older than you were when they met, and lok what that led to. A gestalt can be much more than the sum of its ingredients."

Lieutenant Smith looks to Brad and Collette and says, "Commodore, Commander, Miss Smith; do you mind if I ask the young ladies to wait in the ante room for a few moments? I need to discuss something sensitive with you."

Bellandra says with some pique in her tone, "Guess that's our cue to scram, Kyr. At least they didn't just tell us to Zark off like Jasmine does!" She and Kyra saunter out of the room, leaving their jackets on their chair backs.

Collette shoots a slightly confused look at Brad. Kyra's usually a little more headstrong.

Smith, a short Human in his early thirties with dark hair and a touch of a cyanotic tinge to his face, begins, "I assume you've all been briefed on Calista's plans for young Bellandra. According to information extracted from Centurion Tevan by LCdr Boren, it seems that our pirate captain inherited a taste for the macabre from her Human father. While her mother was running her own cons on the side, Calista's father was a high priest in a Satanic cult. Most Satanists are actually atheists at heart and use distorted versions of Christianity as a satirical tool of parody. A tiny minority, however are just as fanatical in their worship of the so-called god of evil that they actively believe in a mirror version of the once-powerful Catholic Church. Calista learned this religion at her father's knee before her mother decided she'd had everything she could get from him and left taking her with her.

"Apparently this Verlegg entity assumed the likeness of one of the supposed demons her father had worshipped and seduced her into its service. She decided that once Bellandra had reached the age of majority at eighteen, or six plus six plus six years, she would sacrifice her to bind Verlegg to her own service and theoretically gain its power for herself. All purest bunkum, of course."

He sighs and concludes, "I worry that, on top of the abuse she has endured over the past three standard years, though she has been spared the pirate crew's carnal attentions, this knowledge might have negative psychological repercussions on her formative mind."

Boren stands and walks over to Bellandra's chair. He says, "Yes, that's all well and good, Lt. Smith, but your information is out of date." He picks up Bellandra's jacket and reaches into the pocket, withdrawing an open communicator. "You may as well come in, girls," he says and flips the antenna closed.

Bellandra follows Kyra into the room, holding Beaker on her shoulder. "How did you know?" she asks, a touch of red in her cheeks. She tries to grab her communicator back, but Boren simply holds it high, out of her reach. Beaker jumps onto Kyra's shoulder, chittering in alarm.

Boren looks bemused, raises an eyebrow and says, "Intel knows everything..." He turns to Miss Stone. "...and you may be interested in finding she's bootstrapped a sort of mind shield to prevent a certain Half-Klingon Betazoid from reading her mind. That's why you find it hard to read her, Miss Stone."

Miss Stone's jaw is set. "Yes, Commander, I had figured that out. It's a skill some people raised in such conditions sometimes develop. It's called shuttle-think. It's possible to break through by slow and gentle work, but I decided to respect her privacy." She does not look happy or, indeed, impressed with Boren's hard-driving attitude.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:17, Wed 09 June 2021.

OOC Sorry guys.  I got spooked with the Dworkin stuff and it made me want to reread everything we had done.  I thought it would have taken me a few days but in fact it’s taken me weeks (I guess we’d done a lot of stuff).  Just the sheer number of NPCs we have going was overwhelming!  I think I now have most of the characters down and can get down to things.  Sorry again!

Brad looks around the table and shakes his head.  Having Collette around was bad enough (in a good way) but exposing Kyra to these dangers is almost overwhelming.  Most of these people around the table view her as a tool or as data, and not a precious little girl.  A small spark of anger begins to take hold which he forces down.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, While we can continue to discuss my daughter’s relationships for a while, I would really like to understand what is being proposed.  The Verlegg is one aspect of this mission but there are others.  If my daughter or her ward-of-the-state friend is to be involved I want specifics!”  Brad notices that his fist has clenched into a ball and he makes an effort to relax and present a calm (but firm) demour.

Krya stomps her foot and Beaker looks distressed, "Look, everyone, I'm not gay, but it shouldn't matter even if I was! If Bellandra is, I don't care—she's my friend and we're tired of being guinea pigs!"

Bellandra agrees, "Your father is right! We have to deal with Calista and the Zarkin' Verlegg! Do you know what they were going to do to me? They were going to cut my heart out when I got old enough, in two frakkin' years! My taste in friends or whatever is totally beside the fact! I'm only sixteen for Zark's sake. I've been a prisoner of a bloodthirsty frakkin' Satanic pirate who killed my Mom, three frakkin' years now, being prepared to be a frakkin' Human sacrifice and all anyone cares about is my love life! I don't have one, OK?! I'm just a kid. Commodore McCurrvey, Kyra and Collette seem to be the only ones here who seem to grasp that. Jordan's all right as far as that goes, but even she doesn't understand, pryin' about the edges of my mind!

"C'mon, Kyra, we don't have to put up with this felgercarb!" The two of them grab their jackets and stomp to the door while Beaker chitters angrily at everyone.

As the door swished closed, Jordan murmurs, "Well, that went well..."

The intercom chirps. "Captain and XO to the Bridge please," announces Thoma.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Mon 14 June 2021.

When Thelev and Khendron arrive on the bridge, Thoma advises them that there's been an anomaly reported in the Engineering section. A small inspection hatch has been discovered incompletely closed. Upon close inspection by techs in EVA suits reveals scratches in the alloy which interfered with its closing. Also present are silicon fibres resembling hairs at a microscopic level.

In reply to Commander Thoma (msg # 41):

"What does that panel give access to?" Khendron asks the Engineering Chief. "And who was the last person acknowledged to have opened it, and when? Let's get a security team to analyze the scratches and fibres!"

Khendron debates with himself whether or not to go down in Engineering, but decides he will wait for the security report.

Rutherford introduces Khendron to Lt Laetitia George, the Warp Plasma Tech who'd been sent out to do the inspection. She notes that the inspection corridor is normally kept in vacuum so it took until a routine diagnostic to discover the tiny air leak at the hatch caused by the scratches. The silicon fibres, most closely resembling the guard hairs of a caninoid creature but composed of silicates rather than keratin, were found clinging to the main Warp Plasma Conduits in the  starboard nacelle pylon. "We've begun a complete diagnostic scan of the area and have ruled out any contamination by the crew—nobody's been in the inspection corridor since we launched from Starbase 31 in March—about two weeks ship time. We were just on the verge of calling a Security Alert once we confirmed the hair-like structure of the fibres. The only silicon-based life forms on record are the Hortas of Janus VI, but they have no analogous body structures."

OOC Since I don’t know about the hatch.

“Commander Boren, without bringing my daughter into the coversation, what should we be doing about Callista?  We need intel to find her and a tactical analysis of this new ship she has.  I’d like some actionable intel ASAP”

“Dworkin, the Lord Darhk situation: can we deal with this later or can we expect “surprises” from that direction and if so, what?”

Brad looks concerned.  He doesn’t like so many balls in play at once.

Boren pauses. "Er, sir, Dworkin's not—"

"Here, Commander," comes the voice of the little man as the door opens, "Very perceptive, Commodore. I wasn't aware you'd realised I was watching." He steps into the room and sits down, dapper as ever.

"I suspect that the Captains may be able to shed some light on your last question. While I'm not personally aware of Dhark's plans, the timing is too coincidental."

Collette stands and says, "I think I'd better go check on the girls. Jordan, if you please?" They leave, taking Lt Smith with them. Smith looks disappointed to be left out but realises it's way above his SECLAR.

Brad's head is whirling, but everyone seems to think he knows more than he does. He suddenly realises that Flag officers rely on this all the time.

"Agent Dworkin—" begins Boren...

"Mister, Commander. Just Dworkin, or Mister Barimen, if you must—I have no official rank." clarifies Dworkin.

"Well then, Mister Barimen," continues Boren. "Just who the hell are you? Are you really with Special Projects? Sir," he says to Brad, "Just who is this—gentleman?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Mon 21 June 2021.

Dworkin chuckles. "Special Projects? Come now, Commander, we both know that Special Projects is really just a cover name for a little-known but critical covert division of Starfleet Intelligence, supposedly sanctioned by the Starfleet Charter, Article 14, Section 31 of which allows for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat. The current Director of Section 31—or Special Projects—is Fleet Captain Gideon Lancaster."

Brad is familiar with Fleet Captain Lancaster, though he's never met him. Then-Captain Lancaster was in the loyalist faction in the Intelligence War.

"However, to be frank, no, I'm not with Special Projects, I'm an independent investigator for the Empress of the Twenty Universes, based out of Centre. No, Commander, put your phaser down—I'm afraid it will be ineffective against me. Remember my little time-stopping trick? That's just one of my techniques."

Boren is holding a Type I Hand Phaser in his hand. He presses the trigger and a red beam lances out and envelopes Dworkin.

Dworkin grins broadly. "That tickles," he says, waving his hand. The beam cuts off.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:50, Mon 21 June 2021.

While Thelev and Mercer are debriefing Lt George, they get an update.

"Bridge, PO Gurdeep here. I'm in the Warp Pylon Corridor and I've got an anomaly. I've just found a cold spot on one of the plasma conduit modules. Scanning..." he says. Gurdeep is a Roylan—a short humanoid with oyster shell-like facial skin and eyestalks projecting from deep pits in his face. He is adept at climbing into small spaces like the plasma conduits.

"Oh, Frell!" he exclaims, "Intruder alert!" A tricorder scan of a thermal image appears on the screen.

The scan shows a cold hand-shaped outline against a glowing hot background. It resembles a humanoid hand, but elongated unnaturally.

"Gurdeep, evacuate the area!" snaps Lt George.

"Aye, sir, running like frell!" says Gurdeep and his transmission ends, leaving just the image from his tricorder on the screen. Khendron has a sinking feeling in his stomach—it looks strangely familiar.

In reply to Petty Officer 1c Gurdeep (msg # 47):

"Security alert!" exclaims Khendron. "We have detected signs of an unknown entity in the vicinity of the plasma conduits! Lock down the area and get us a thorough scan. I want know of anything moving near there, known and unknown."

Khendron also quickly summarizes the findings so far, concerning the open hatch and the traces of silicon "hair", so that the security chief is up to speed. He parks his bad feeling in the back of his mind for the moment. He can analyze his feeling later, after what is necessary is in motion.

No doubt Thelev is contacting Khendron asking what all the kerfuffle is about, so he brings him up-to-date.

Since you're still on the bridge, Thelev is right there.

"Roger that, XO. Security team to Deck Ten nacelle pylon inspection corridor—heavy duty environmental suits and Type III Phasers. Major Bilgebottom, place Rapid Reaction Team on standby!" replies the Security Chief.

The Marine commandant replies over the intercom, "Bilgebottom, aye. Capt Mercer, I've just looked at Gurdeep's scan. Is that what I think it is? Remember Lord Dhark's 'pet'? Didn't it have hands just like that—only on all four limbs? Did anyone get a scan of it?"

Dworkin looks at Boren. "Well, Commander, it looks like you have a bigger problem than little old me. Now put that toy away!"

Boren looks at Brad for orders, trying to digest what Dworkin has just said. "Brad? Orders, sir?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:49, Tue 22 June 2021.

In reply to Lieutenant Devlin Trask (msg # 49):

"That giant naked dog thing?", exclaims Khendron. "Hmmmm, I see what you mean. Dhark named is Pistos, and called it a domesticated hell hound. I did not get a scan, but perhaps someone else did. Let's check the records of that visit."

Khendron does a quick search, and figures somebody at least got a picture of thing.

"Dhark was not pleased with the Verlegg." Khendron muses, half to himself. "I wonder if he sent his ... pet to keep him appraised of the progress of our hunt."

Khendron sighs. If this is Dhark's pet, it would be best not to harm it if possible. "XO to security teams, if the intruder turns out to be a large four-legged furless creature—I am sending a picture—do not harm it if at all possible.

"Bilgebottom," Khendron continues, knowing full well that the Major is not going to like what he hears next, "if it is indeed Pistos, it may remember you. Perhaps you will be able to communicate with it. The thing seemed pretty intelligent."

In reply to Captain Khendron Mercer (msg # 52):

Turning to Bowman Thelev says "Work with the Transporter chief and see if their are any anomalies in our transport records that could have been a silicon based life-form when we beamed back to the ship from The Abyss pocket universe."

Bowman checks the Library Computer. "No, XO, we've got no scans of Pistos, but we do have one image clip, about 8 seconds long."

The image appears on the screen—it is a large dog-like creature with hands on all four legs and a naked pelt of corpse-white skin. The head, atop its long, curved neck, is an ivory skull with a gaping mouth, a ragged, black tongue, teeth like needles of yellow bone. Atop the cranium is a bush of transparent bristles like glass fibres. From floor to scalp, it stands just shy of two metres.

Bilgebottom enters the bridge, in full combat gear carrying a phaser rifle. "Yeah, I remember that beastie," he rumbles.

Bowman scans the transporter records. "The Abyss, skipper?" he asks. "Would that be the Museum or Lord Dhark's palace? At any rate, no records from either time period match those parametres, sir."

Lt. George, following the conversation on the intercom system, says, "We're running a complete scan of the records of that hatch. No records of it opening since we launched from SB31. The only reading I can find is a momentary glitch about an hour ago. Since the corridor is kept evacuated, it didn't trip any sensors. Soon as we figure out what happened we'll modify the monitoring protocols."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:22, Thu 24 June 2021.