Brad remembers seeing a truly awful horror/science fiction movie from the early 21^th century about a motorcycle stunt-rider who sold his soul to Mephistopheles. This Verlegg looks similar to the antihero in that movie, sans the chains and flaming motorcycle.

As Brad remembers the silly storyline, Verlegg laughs, "Such pathetic fantasies you mortals weave! Your wildest nightmares pale before my reality! Ah-hah-hah-hah-ha!"

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Thoma reports, "Incoming hail from the Armida IV, Captain Calista commanding..."


"How delightful to meet you, Captain. I believe I have something you want..." A person standing outside the visual pickup's range thrusts a terrified Carol Marcus into frame. Calista puts her arm around Dr. Marcus's shoulders and continues, "If you do not lower your shields, pretty Carol here will need one of my spare eye patches!" The index finger of Calista's be-jewelled bionic hand strokes Dr. Marcus's cheek and a sharp scalpel blade suddenly shoots out of the finger-tip and draws a fine red line across the flesh. A tiny drop of crimson quivers and begins to run down her jaw as she shudders. Calista shoves her prisoner out of the shot and says flatly, "You have thirty seconds to comply."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:28, Sun 15 Nov 2020.

In reply to Odyssey GM (msg # 1):

McCurrvey walks over to a comms panel. Bridge, this is the Commodore, Drop emergency bulkheads in this section.  We have an extremely dangerous intruder and it must be contained.  Evidence of extreme psionic abilities and resistant to phaser fire.  McCurrvey turns towards Verlegg.  So you have impressive abilities.  Would you care to tell me what you want, or is it some random act of violence that we just happened to stumble upon. It doesn’t make sense to attack a sickbay.  Is this some distraction?  Given the way it shrugged off phaser fire, is it just some form of projection? 

[OOC: The red dot is Verlegg, the white is McCurrvey and the three dark green dots are the security detail. The med team, Dr. Driveon, Nurse Parducci and Saavik are all out of line-of-sight in the examination room. The sealed doors and the security bulkhead are shown in royal blue outlined in red.]

"Why the sickbay? My dear Bradron, your Lieutenant Commander Saavik was my conduit. True, she put up a valiant resistance, but I overcame her puny mental shields," gloats Verlegg. "Now, your ship is dead in space and my servants have you in their gunsights. If you want your precious Doctor Carol Marcus back, you'll have to accede to my requests. My dear Calista does so enjoy inflicting pain... Ah-hah-hah-hah-ha!" Brad feels the chilling laugh like a punch to the gut.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:37, Fri 26 June 2020.

In reply to Verlegg (msg # 3):
[A couple of questions:  Is my language skill in Andorian sufficient to think temporarily in Andorian?  Can I maneuver myself to see the status of the people in sickbay?  Are the three security people all human?]

Unfortunately, no. You are conversationally fluent.


Yes. They are Lieutenant Devlin Trask, Crewman 1c Arnie Braunschwegger and Crewman 1c Scott MacQuarrie.


Yes you can. Ens Goldberg and the med team have revived Dr. Driveon and are working on Nurse Parducci. Saavik is lying on the examination bed. Driveon is sitting on a chair with his head in his hands.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:29, Sun 15 Nov 2020.

Thoma reports, "I have the Commodore on the com... Patching it through."

Brad's voice comes over the speakers. "Bridge, this is the Commodore—Drop emergency bulkheads in this section!  We have an extremely dangerous intruder and it must be contained.  Evidence of extreme psionic abilities and resistant to phaser fire."

She then toggles the intership, "Intruder alert, deck five, starboard sickbay. Lt Trask is on at the scene. Maj Bilgebottom stand by to deploy!" and turns to Thelev, "Captain, we have marines ready to respond on your command."

On the main screen, Calista smiles—it does not reach her eye, which remains flinty cold. "Ah, that would be my patron, the all powerful Verlegg. I'd advise you to comply with my orders, Captain!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:54, Sat 27 June 2020.

In reply to Odyssey GM (msg # 6):

As soon as the ship dropped out of warp, Khendron orders "Navigation, was that a wormhole? Find out our position."

When the Armida IV appears, Khendron starts running scans on it. This is the first time up close to the ship, and he want to know its capabilities. Since the situation is dire, he's looking for any tactical advantage the Odyssey might have in the current situation, however small.

When Calista drops her ultimatum, he turns to Thelev. "Captain?" he asks, arching an eyebrow.

Collette replies, "Um... I'm not really certain, XO. It has many of the characteristics of one, but the event horizon is atypical. Off-hand, I'd say yes, but not a typical one. It almost seems... controlled. Our position is just to zenith of the Dozen, still in the Triangle."

The scans of the pirate ship show that there are four Type VII Klingon disruptors charged and bearing on the Odyssey. The Odyssey's shields are up, but since the ship's M/ARA is off-line they're on battery power. They won't absorb a lot of incoming fire before being drained.

Purrn reports, "Captain, we're being pulled into the, um, wormhole! It's not a tractor beam—we're just moving! Armida holding station at one hundred kilometres."

Rutherford say, "My guys are fighting to restore power, Captain. We've got a load of blown relays and one of the energisers is blown. Rerouting around it. Resetting the relays. Main power back up in... five minutes. Impulse at your discretion."

Calista observes the commotion on the bridge a cold grin on her lips. "Twenty-five seconds, Captain..."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Sun 28 June 2020.

Smith walks over to Thelev's command chair and stands with his back to the screen. He whispers, "Captain, we've lost all power to the Silver Ball. We'll have to start charging it from scratch in order to use it. Unfortunately, if we are drawn into this wormhole, we'll be without references, so any jump we make will be blind. Just like old times, you might say..."

In reply to Dr. John Smith (msg # 9):

"If that 'wormhole' is controlled," says Khendron quietly, leaning into the conversation between Smith and Thelev, "can we disrupt it? It might be what is allowing this Verlegg creature access to us!"

In reply to Captain Khendron Mercer (msg # 10):

[OOC: Sorry for being AFK, just getting the office ready to go back and then going back in has been draining and no drive to get online at night. Going forward I should be good, and with working from home still two days a week should be good Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in general.]

Thelev nods at Smith to acknowledge his comment. " Tacticial, status of shields and weapons?  Where is the Armida IV and what is these situation. " Secretly hoping even if this was their play that they have to cycle there systems to restart.

Tapping on his console "Engineering, ETA on getting warp back online?

Looking around the bridge he adds "Can someone tell me when or where we are, is there anything on comms."

[OOC: No problem, Steve. As I've always maintained, real life trumps leisure activities.]




Ramirez notes, "All weapons armed and trained on the Armida. Phasers will be limited by battery power, but torps are good to go."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:04, Sun 28 June 2020.

Suddenly, the main lights come on and the Chief Engineer say over the intership, "Power's back up, Skipper! You're good to go." Thelev is glad he'd poached Manyard from the Lexington, even though Capt Franklin is annoyed with him for stealing one of the best engineers in the fleet.

A light flashes on Smith's board and he flashes Thelev a thumbs-up.

Purrn says, "Sir, we're still moving toward the wormhole even with the thrusters at station-keeping!"

Calista says coldly, "Fifteen seconds..."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:29, Sun 15 Nov 2020.

In reply to Commander Wendell Manyard (msg # 13):

Thelev clicks his hailing button on his chair and says. "Stand down or be prepared to be fired upon. As your scans likely sure we are back at full power."

Once done he turns off the channel and turns to helm, "with warp engines online can we pull away or at least hold station. Smith jump as late as you think we can wait to just outside the range of the wormhole.", hoping he did not misunderstand Smith's nod.

"Tactical, if I say fire, fire full array of torpedoes at the worm hole. And a few phasers across the path of the Arminda as a warning, they are expecting a warning shot so we will give them one to distract them."

Turning to Khendran "Tell me where that wormhole goes, I plan to follow the Arminda if they go through."

Time is not on their side so Thelev is running three plans at once hoping his bridge crew is keeping up. Not knowing himself which one they will need to do.

In reply to Captain Thelev (msg # 14):

Khendron starts working furiously with Navigation to attempt to figure out where the wormhole goes.

"Captain," he says quietly to Thelev, "I'd like to fire a probe through the wormhole. Might be useless, but at the least it may be a useful distraction."

Calista concludes her countdown, "Five, four, three, two, one. Time's up!"

The Odyssey continues to move toward the wormhole. Purrn cries out, "Skipper, we're at full reverse Impulse but still moving forward at one hundred k/ps. Armida is maintaining her distance at 100km! Trying Warp drive—not responding!"

Manyard shouts over intership, "Cap, the relays are frying!" The ship shudders and a loud boom is heard over intership. "Damn, we just lost a second energiser! Medical team to Main Engineering!" He coughs loudly from the various irritant gasses.

Smith says, "Captain, if we dump all available power to the Silver Ball, I can try to initiate a blind Jump." The android's voice is impassive. "I cannot guarantee that the Ball will be stable and I do not know where we will wind up."

Down outside the starboard sickbay, the security team and McCurrvey are thrown to the floor by the shudder from the exploding energiser. Verlegg is unaffected by the jolt and begins to stride toward the turbolift doors. It is halfway there when Saavik appears in the sickbay doorway and begins to run after it. Green blood drips from her nose and spatters on the decksole.

Verlegg reaches the turbolift and proceeds to pry the doors open when Saavik reaches it. She grabs it by the flaming skull and gives a ferocious wrench. There is a loud cracking noise and the flames go out, followed by the body crumpling to the deck. It no sooner falls than it begins to dissolve into a sulphurous yellow cloud. Saavik leans again the corridor wall, holding her burned hands against her body.

Back on the bridge, the crew sees Calista give out a tortured shriek and stumble! "My lord!" she screams! The Armida IV begins backing away at high Impulse.

Khendron launches his probe. His console display reads that the event horizon is decaying, but with Warp power off line once again, the ship is drawn in as the wormhole closes.

Purrn manages to keep Impulse on line and stabilises the ship as it enters the conduit. The Odyssey finds itself in a brilliant blue tunnel streaked with glowing energies.

Saavik approaches McCurrvey as he stands up. The security detail point their phasers at her and she holds up a blistered hand, her sleeve slightly charred. "I am no longer a threat. Verlegg is not controlling me."

Ensign Goldberg and Dr. Driveon come out of the sickbay. Driveon points his tricorder peripheral at her hands, and tells her, "Get back on that examination table, young lady. You have head trauma and severe burns. You are relieved of duty."

The security chief looks at McCurrvey for confirmation, but remains at guard outside sickbay as the directs the security detail to check out where Verlegg had collapsed. Braunschwegger returns and says, "The carpet is charred and there's residue of, well... brimstone?" He turns from Trask to McCurrvey and reports, "The outer door to the lift if bent, but it looks like it'll function."

The intercom beeps and Thoma asks, "Bridge to the Commodore. Are you OK? We need a sitrep, sir."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:08, Fri 03 July 2020.

McCurrey provides a summary of what happened. “I want a science team down here analysing that residue and I want a full work up done on Saavik”.  Turning to the security team.  “Chief, Saavik doesn’t leave sickbay until the doctor says so.  I want a guard on this residue until the science team deems it to not be a threat.  Understood?”  McCurrvey heads into the turbolift, avoiding stepping in the residue.  “Bridge”

Thoma is awaiting McCurrvey on the Bridge. "Update from Dr. Driveon, Commodore. Saavik's hands are responding to treatment. She has third degree burns on both hands and a concussion. She's also suffering from the aftereffects of a rather brutal psychic invasion. She identifies the technique she used to dispatch Verlegg as the tal-shaya. Tal-shaya was a method of execution performed by the ancient Vulcans, and involved breaking the neck of an individual in a very precise method designed to cause instant death, and was in Vulcan's past to be considered a merciful form of execution. The tal-shaya is a part of the kareel-ifla martial arts discipline, of which Saavik is the equivalent of a 6th dan black belt. Pending a psychological workup, she'll be medically fit to return to duty in forty eight hours."

Smith turns to McCurrvey. "Only minor damage to the Silver Ball, sir. It caught the tail-end of a power surge when the energiser blew. Estimated repair time six hours. We'll be able to use it at that time in an emergency session, but I wish to run simulations first. Even then, if we cannot determine our galactic coordinates we'll be jumping blind."

Purrn reports from the Helm station, "We're on Impulse, Commodore. The ship is stable and under control."

Beside her, DesMarais also reports, "We're in a wormhole, as you can see. This type of wormhole, though relatively large and seemingly under control, is one associated with t-tauri stars."

Brad remembers his training at Starfleet Academy in Astrogation: T-tauri stars are a class of variable stars that are less than about ten million years old. This class is named after the prototype, T Tauri, a young star in the Taurus star-forming region. They are found near molecular clouds and identified by their optical variability and strong chromospheric lines. T-tauri stars are pre-main-sequence stars in the process of contracting to the main sequence along the Hayashi track, a luminosity–temperature relationship obeyed by infant stars of less than 3 solar masses (M☉) in the pre-main-sequence phase of stellar evolution. It ends when a star of 0.5 M☉ develops a radiative zone, or when a larger star commences nuclear fusion on the main sequence.

Collette turns around and says, "Since wormholes tend to be linear and this one was aligned along our heading, I checked all known t-tauri stars along this vector and I've come up with one candidate—in the Kellinan Reach. The Sheila system is a t-tauri pre-main-sequence star within the Bloodfield Nebula. No planets, just the Shiela Belt, an asteroid field with one dwarf planet named Bridgetown after an Ancient artefact on embedded in the surface, known as the Bridge, which spans what hey call the Hole. The Bridge is surrounded by a sprawling built-up area also called Bridgetown, though its discoverer calls it Sam's Place.

"Bridgetown is a known pirate haven and is completely lawless by any civilised standard. It is run by a mysterious Human simply named Sam—no other name known. The United Federation of Planets has established a Starfleet presence in Bridgetown, since it is a useful beachhead in the Kellinan Reach. The town remains a free port, not under Starfleet administration. This limits the authority of Starfleet personnel stationed there, and frustrates Commander Theresa Harris, the CO of Deep Space Six-Alpha aka Bridgetown Station. Officers often have to bend regulations and overlook violations in order to get things done in Bridgetown. This information is from the intel package called up by the XO several hours ago."

This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Sun 05 July 2020.

In reply to Commander Collette DesMarais (msg # 20):

“Captain, I suggest when we emerge, we take the time to ensure we are ship shape.  The crew has been on high readiness for a while and could use a rest.  Let’s take 24hrs for repairs and rest if the tactical situation allows.  We can then jump back to where we should be as I’m sure some people are wondering where we are.”

“When you have a moment, I’d like to see you and the XO in my ready room.”

“Science, please send all scans and tactical assessments of the Armida IV to my ready room.”

McCurrvey retires to his Ready Room.