Chapter XVIII: Working Knowledge

K'vot quietly entered the mess hall, empty save the lone Vorta seated, reading a PADD.

"I can hear you, you know." Semil turned slightly to face the Colonel, without interrupting his gaze on the text he was reading. "Good ears."

"We have new orders. I have ordered Conn to divert to Beta Lankal."

Semil nodded wordlessly, still engrossed in his reading. Finishing with a passage, he turned to fully face K'vot, who was pouring himself a raktajino.

K'vot joined Semil at the small banquette, gesturing with his chin towards the PADD. "And what is it that has you so captivated?"

"Oh, this? Just working my way through that pile of Alpha Quadrant histories you left for me upon embarkation. This one is 'Romulan Imperial Ambitions of the 24th Century'. I'm up to the assassination of Praetor Tal'aura. Heady stuff."

K'vot smirked through a sip of raktajino, not wanting to spoil the Vorta for the literally world-shattering events to come.

Semil continued. "I've always admired the Romulan people for their ability to adapt to shifting power structures. Our analysts concluded it would make the general populace more amenable to Dominion rule once we'd reached a critical mass of capitulation."

"Then you haven't been concerning yourself with the failure of our mission."

"Our mission? I was under the impression it was my assignment. Just what did the General task you to find from the Lethean, anyways?"

"That is not your concern. Your only task was to the deliver the Lethean."

"Oh, but I think I did one better, yes?"

"You very well know the General wanted you to deliver him alive. Not -- dismembered like some school science project."

"I disagree. Respectfully, of course." Semil turned to face K'vot more directly. "I'm certain you know the General far better than me. But why separate the interrogator from the acquisition? If he wanted you to make sure I delivered him, why not send you to the planet with me? It's clear it was a test of sorts, but..."

K'vot grunted into his mug. "You make too much of such things. The General does not hide his agenda. It's what makes him such an effective..." K'vot caught himself "..warrior."

Semil openly stared at K'vot, unflinchingly. "I know you are both Klingon Intelligence."

K'vot continued to drink, unimpressed, not returning the Vorta's eye contact. "I'm sure I don't know of what you speak."

"The base encryption lockout on all this ship's systems? Far more extensive than anything the rest of the KDF fleet bothers to operate with. And the General? It's clear his status within the Klingon hierarchy is greatly diminished. And yet he is still allowed some resources, your loyalty? Only former operatives wth signficant operational knowledge would be afforded such a luxury, without the dishonor of forced exile..."

K'vot looked up from his mug, to squarely assess Semil cooly in the eye. "I knew from the moment the General handed me your clone canister that you would be our undoing. That there would be no way a sniveling Vorta pe'taq could possibly..."

"Wait." Semil held up a hand. "He only handed you the one clone container. Only mine."

K'vot typically did not stand for interruptions, but was taken aback enough by surprise to stammer out, "Only one, only yours."

Semil paused, lost in thought. "The General never intended for you to interrogte the Lethean."

K'vot was now speechless, failing to comprehend.

"Don't you see? The General's instructions - he wanted you to ask the Lethean about the first time they met." Semil continued, excitedly. "He meant for me to see it, to see the clone cache. He needed you to lead me into the correct memory of the Lethean's."

K'vot glared, still unable to understand.

"He wants us to find the other clones."

Chapter XVII: Otherwise Blank

"This way." The Lethean was easy to keep track of, standing out in his simple prison tunic amidst his armored warrior escorts.

He had led the party to a nondescript back alley, remarkable only for being relatively unperturbed amidst the devastation of the Cardassian capitol. The district appeared largely abandoned and declined, perhaps explaining why Jem'Hadar had not seen reason to raze it. Even Cardassians fleeing for their lives thought they could do better.

Semil and K'vot trailed behind, unseen phantasms intruding upon this recovered memory.

"Here. This doorway." The Lethean led the party of Klingons inside. Semil gestured for K'vot to follow.

They followed the Klingons down a flight of steps into a dark basement, untouched by the Jem'Hadar extermination squads.

At the end of the room, the Lethean scurried to slide a bookcase along the dusty floor, revealing a heavily reinforced door. The Lethean beckoned the younger General to inspect the threshold. "Careful."

The General assessed the locking mechanism on the doorjamb, calling out for assistance, "Demolitions."

With the break in their journey, an opportunity presented itself for K'vot to needle Semil. "This is a failure. Why would the General wish us to interrogate the Lethean for events that he himself was party to?"

"Some detail the General missed the first time around, perhaps? Maybe he grows senile and forgot..."

"You will keep your life only because I have chosen to ignore your last statement," K'vot growled.

Summarily humbled, Semil changed tack. "This is why we didn't need the Lethean alive. Dominion mind probes are exceptionally effective at recovering memories from cadaveric brain tissue. In some ways, it's more efficient without the subject actively trying to shape his own recollections, participate in his own memories."

K'vot grunted, unimpressed by the Vorta's attempt to assuage him.

"My point is, as the interrogator, its your input, your mental imprinting of your question that led his brain to bring us here - to this memory, to this moment."

"We shall see. For the sake of your neck, perhaps you might let your head think first before acting if you live through this day."

Semil considered what he thought to be the most convoluted Klingon threat he had ever heard when the doorway erupted in a loud pop of fireworks.

Klingon warriors rushed into the smoking threshold, rifles drawn, followed by the General and the Lethean.

Following, Semil and K'vot entered the doorway, through a dark, cramped foyer.
In the next room, K'vot beheld a cavernous space, bathed in the cool, sterile violet light of a Dominion installation.

Around the room, warriors were canvassing, scanning for signs of non-existent Jem'Hadar resistance.

K'vot and Semil sidled over to the Lethean, who was leading the General about on a hushed tour of the facility. He would point at items on the numerous shelves, or larger pieces of equipment, make quiet remarks to the General, who would nod and move on to the next item.

From his own experience, Semil knew K'vot could recognize at least some of the Dominion technology surrounding them. An engrammatic interface processor. A barely used cloning vat.

In a quiet, undisturbed corner of the room, the Lethean had led the General - and unknowingly, the mental phantasms of Semil and K'vot - to a large wall rack. Innumerable stacks of cylindrical vessels filled the rack, each within a perfectly fitting slot, inscribed with status displays in Dominionese.

As the Lethean and the General were lingering, this destination clearly being of import, Semil looked at K'vot, trying to read his countenance - trying to ascertain whether the Colonel comprehended what he was seeing.

"What is it?" K'vot squinted, Semil couldn't tell from being unable to see or recognize the object.

Semil pointed at one of the cylinders. "That is a Mid-Managerial Vorta Grade 4G. Next to it, Diplomatic Attache Grade 3B." Semil went down the line. "Cloning technician, Ketracel engineer, Intelligence analyst..." He trailed off.

"This is what then? A cloning bank?"

"More of an cryonic backup. One of several scattered around the city. In case the capitol was ever cut off from the larger outlying cloning facilities. We could have backup reinforcements ready and out on the streets within weeks."

Semil gestured at a larger bank of more densely packed cylinders. "The Jem'Hadar lines are over there. A limited passage batch, too, by the looks of it. Emergency reserves that the F--" Semil caught himself. "That the Dominion never had the opportunity to activate."

Not far away, the Lethean and K'vot were closely inspecting a cylinder that they had ejected from its slot on the wall. The General gripped the cylinder with a reverent gentleness that K'vot had not recognized in him ever before, or ever since.

"And that. That cylinder he is holding there. What is that one?" K'vot pointed.
Semil squinted to see, his face otherwise blank. "That's me."

---

B U M P !
Just a reminder that this fantastic day at the beach is next Saturday! Raise your most exotic pets, choose a date for the Lu-au, and get ready to have a fantastic day in the sun!

See you all there!

EEEEE EPIC!!!!

Also Gary Graham reprising his role as Soval from Enterprise, Tony Todd (Worf's brother) playing Admiral Ramirez, Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh from BSG) as Captain Robert April, Richard Hatch (Apollo from the original, better Battlestar Galactica) as Klingon General Kharn, and Kate Vernon (BSG Ellen Tigh).

I love the idea that Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon are a part of this and both playing Star Trek captains. Can't wait to see more!

Chapter XVI: Fuming Remains

K'vot opened his eyes.

The dimness around him did little but add to the disorienting floating feeling of his being. His consciousness buzzed as he looked around, trying to get his bearings.

"Easy, Colonel. It won't do you any good to fight it. Just ease into it; you'll become accustomed shortly."

K'vot recognized Semil's voice, and slowly turned his head and squinted to see the Vorta at his side.

"As you stop resisting it, your brain will accomodate the sensory inputs more readily."

"I will let you tell me what I may choose to resist the day after I break your skull open with my bare..."

"I've done this hundreds of times, General. I'm just informing you it's far more productive if you're not distracted by your own disorientation."

Orientation, right. K'vot slowly spiraled his neck around to get a better look at the rest of the room -- no, it was a corridor. The emergency lighting had largely failed.

There was a clear acrid stench of smoke in the air - K'vot was surprised at the vivid lucidity of the smell and almost felt the urge to cough. "Remarkable. No simulation has ever felt this real to me."

"That's because it's not a simulation. It's real - well, a real memory, at least."

A shower of sparks to their left lit the hallway, before erupting in a hail of fireball and shrapnel. K'vot instinctively raised his arms to shield himself before realizing he wasn't actually there. The sensation of heat and blast passed through him.

He recognized yelling in Klingon, as a column of warriors advanced through the now open door, illuminating the hazy hallway from the light beacons affixed to their rifles.

The warriors spread down the corridor in an efficient fashion, clearing as they went, noticing neither Semil or K'vot. Apparently, their interactions with this memory would be limited. K'vot could see with the light that it was some sort of prison block, from the heavily secured doors leading off the main passage.

A lieutenant bellowed, "be'Huv!" giving the all-clear.

An important ranking figure strode confidently into the hallway, followed by his personal guard. He made his way past Semil and K'vot, to a cell door that K'vot just noticed had been forced ajar. "You, thief. You will come with us."

K'vot recognized the voice, no matter the passage of thirty years time. It was the General. Younger, but still a refined distinguished warrior, cutting an imposing figure in the fur-lined cloak of his position.

A small, though deep voice resonated from inside the darkened cell. "Tell me why I should."

"Because I will behead you where you stand if you resist."

From inside the darkened room, K'vot could make out the glowing eyes of its occupant. It was the Lethean.

"I think I know what you want - what you're looking for. And I'll take you there."



Semil and K'vot followed the party out the corridor, through the smoldering building, and into a soft hazy daylight.

K'vot was surprised that he felt the need to squint, his eyes adjusting to take in his surroundings. He recognized the brutalist architecture, replete with weighty buttresses and columns.

Semil intoned knowledgeably. "Cardassia Prime. I spent some time here."

As the party started its way along the elevated roadway, Semil gestured across at the view - across the Golhonorr River, past the fuming remains of the First Republic Bridge, towards a large blast crater where Alnetepp Plaza should have been. "Not quite how I remember it."

Now that K'vot could tell where they were, he could piece together when. At end of the War. Klingon, Starfleet, and Romulan forces just establishing a beachhead in the Cardassian capitol after the capitulation of the Dominion. Beaming down to find the proud cities of the Cardassians reduced to piles of still-hot rubble; to find Cardassian children gunned down in their mothers' arms.

At the time, K'vot was just a schoolboy. Training for his 3A bat'leth proficiencies, watching the newsfeed holovids of the devastation of Cardassia. Feeling pride at the warriors who defeated the awful cowards who could inflict such mindless atrocity, even on a race as honorless as the Cardassians.

"We need to keep up. This is his memory; there isn't anything here past what he can see."

K'vot and Semil jogged lightly to keep up with the squadron and their prisoner, past rows of Cardassian corpses, decaying where they had been slain.

I find some ships seem like they can't be killed in pvp. What insights do you have in creating these ultra survivable ships?

I've played it on my PC a few times, even my iPad and PS3. Planning to get it for PS4 though.

Quote by Andrea Maria

Cool!

Btw... 00:39: it´s J.G. Hertzler!!! He played Martok, my favourite Klingon General!

Also Gary Graham reprising his role as Soval from Enterprise, Tony Todd (Worf's brother) playing Admiral Ramirez, Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh from BSG) as Captain Robert April, Richard Hatch (Apollo from the original, better Battlestar Galactica) as Klingon General Kharn, and Kate Vernon (BSG Ellen Tigh).

You can still donate to the project if you like:

https://preludetoaxanar.backerkit.com/preorders

I think USD $15 is required to get the movie as a digital download. Higher amounts will get you T-shirts and tunics from the upcoming movie.

Cool!

Btw... 00:39: it´s J.G. Hertzler!!! He played Martok, my favourite Klingon General!

Heavens! this looks.. fantastic!! I cant wait to have a watch of this.. I checked the website out, due for release in winter 14.

though its a bit like the other HQ fan made "star trek Renegades" that they were making, didn't hear much about that :angry:

Oh my .. that is some sexy looking space.

THIS!!!!



UPDATE!!

Complete 'Prelude to Axanar' 20 minute video!

So looking forward to Inquisition roll on October

We have a Stonewall Clan in game, come join us

rixter1978 is my handle

The game is now free to play http://www.defiance.com/en/my-ego/profile/free-to-play/

Oh and were on the North America server, hope to see some of you there :D

Chapter XV: Little Intrigued

The rented room was small and dingy, not unlike everything and everywhere else on the planet. Semil sat at the small dining banquette, idly picking at some dried mealworms that were apparently some sort of local delicacy. An open bottle and two empty glasses sat beside.

The room had been picked not only because of its relative remoteness, but also because of the relatively quality muffling construction of its adobe walls. Having a landlady who apparently asked few questions did not hurt, either.

Across from Semil, the Lethean slumped over in his chair, face down onto the table.
A thin rivulet of drool trailed from the Lethean's gape and pooled by his face. At least one assumed it was drool; who knew what kinds of awful excretions these creatures made.

From his seat, Semil could see the Lethean continued to draw breath, shallow and slow. A simple assassination assignment would've been much too easy, in many ways. And Semil was certain he wouldn't have been the best selection for that.

There was something about sitting, watching the Lethean that was calming, soothing even. Compared to the lightning quick pulse and reflex of the past few hours, this was almost relaxing.

The General provided little in the way of specific instruction. The dossier on the Lethean was more than generous in detail. Semil knew more than he cared to or needed concerning the Lethean's favorite cuisine, preferred schedule, even some particularly distasteful prurient proclivities. Then again, anything even remotely sexual was offensively inefficient compared to cloning.

The Lethean's garbled wheeze gave Semil pause to consider the real purpose of his assignment.

Surely, it was another test from the General. It was obvious that he wouldn't be allowed anything of major import or significance until he'd proven himself, his loyalty. Not that Semil understood what that was.

Since the revelations from the General on Q'onos, it had simply been easier to ignore those thoughts. Put any memories of the Founders and Jem'hadar and the Dominion out of his mind while an assignment was pressing.

And yet here he was, watching the Lethean doze fitfully, letting his mind wander to the agendas that brought him to that place.

Task at hand, right.

The General had chosen an odd idiom for wanting the Lethean. To "pick his brain," he had said. The actual Klingon transliteration was surprisingly congruent to English.

An odd choice of words, indeed, Semil thought, as a glint of dim light shone from the bone saw he had just reached for.



"Report." K'vot had not eased in his brusqueness, Semil noted as he stepped into the dim glow of the Bird of Prey's ready room.

Semil slung the sack from over his shoulder onto the desk. It rolled lightly before coming to an abrupt stop. A few generous spatters of dried blood marred the otherwise unremarkable burlap.

"And where is your target? In the mess hall, enjoying a light repast, perhaps?" Semil had to remind himself that the Klingon sense of sarcasm, was neither subtle nor underdeveloped.

Semil gestured to the sack with his eyes, sensing K'vot's wariness and mounting frustration.

K'vot tugged lightly at the knot, and peered inside.

"You were supposed to apprehend him. Not..."

"The General said he needed to 'pick his brain'. I heard nothing about the rest of him."

"You snivelling little tohpah! I knew..."

"Now, now, Colonel. No need for epithets. You wouldn't have wanted me to question him myself, I know that. And the General can still have whatever answers he wants."

K'vot eyed Semil warily. "You're up to something."

"I assume you still have a Dominion engrammatic interface available?"

"if you think you're in any position to demand..."

Semil continued, in spite of knowing the risks of interrupting a Klingon in the middle of a threat. "It's the only way I'd be standing here. And you and I both know that Dominion interactive memory technology is far more advanced than anything your paltry quadrant has to offer. Even the Romulans have nothing even remotely as sophisticated or..." Semil pursed his lips in distaste. "...effective."

K'vot assessed the Vorta distrustfully. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you where you stand."

"Because without me, neither you nor the General will know what the Lethean knows." Semil caught himself. "Knew."

K'vot's rage eased, signified by the relaxing of the furrow in his brow.

"Come now, Colonel. If you weren't a little intrigued, you wouldn't have let me live this long."

I'm finally in game!

Just made a new character named "Narcissus D'Neves"!

be sure to add me! :D

Quote by GXV3

I watched season 1 like a marathon.. in 2 days.
Just started on Season 2.. to many sexy scenes for my taste this time around
*Goes back to knitting*

Okay got to episode 8 and I do not hate Bennett.

I won't have a whole lot of time this weekend. I'll probably be on later in the evenings or early in the morning. I'll be at my parent's house for Father's Day, so I'll be spending most of the time with them. Plus I'll be on my laptop, which is not nearly as good as my gaming rig at home. I'm definitely going to try to get on though! I'll check both factions; got 55s on both sides.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Quote by GXV3

I watched season 1 like a marathon.. in 2 days.
Just started on Season 2.. to many sexy scenes for my taste this time around
*Goes back to knitting*

I am on episode 5 or 6 of season 1. I do not like Pornstache. And I liked Bennett till he did you know what with you know who in the you know where.