The rain was noticeable as I materialized, but it helped me realize I was alive. I had managed to escape the incessant concerned glances, worried looks, and half-hearted "are you ok?" questions of the crew. Sometimes I don't know what is worse: being alone after I lost you, or being constantly surrounded by caring souls who didn't know how to help, but felt that they should. Everyone wants to do that, you know. Help. Especially in Starfleet. If there's a problem, you fix it. It's everyone's first reaction. You keep finding solutions until you land on one that works. You never give up.

Unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is to do nothing at all. I wanted to let time heal the wound, I really did. While the Pandora was back at Earth receiving repairs after the attack on Vega, I did everything I needed to do. I went to your funeral, I cried with your family, and I decorated my face with the Romulan symbols of grief; the same ones I remember on my mother's face when father died. I did everything I needed to do. I was accepting and getting ready to move on. What I didn't plan on was the fact that nobody else was.

From the moment I arrived back on the ship, all anyone could do was ask how I was doing, check up on me, talk about what happened. They were all so determined to help me that they couldn't see they were only dragging me down deeper and deeper. Everywhere I went, I was reminded of you; in the looks that people gave me, the questions they asked me, the memories they recounted to me. I know they all wanted to help, but I sometimes wonder if that help was meant for me or for themselves. No one was willing to let me let you go, probably because that meant they would have to let go as well.

In the end, of course, not even you would let me let go. It was bad enough that the crew wouldn't let me have my peace... but you? I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that look in your eyes, you know. As you staggered toward me, your figure perverted with black steel and green wiring, I could see it in your eyes. Underneath the implants and the voices of the collective, I could see you, and you wanted only one thing: me. You wanted me to join you.

Did you know that, for the briefest of moments, I was going to let you take me? It actually didn't sound too bad. You and me, together, surrounded not by the thousand pinpricks of a thousand questions from a caring crew, but instead the unfeeling voices of an indifferent hive mind. No one would care about us enough to drag us down into despair, and we would be left alone in a sea of chatter. I was going to let you take me... until the captain became the one person on the bridge with the sense to shoot you. That's when I realized what you really were and what you had become.

I remember being so frustrated and so angry. How dare you? After all that I had been through after losing you, after all that my friends had done to keep me shut in my prison of despair, how dare you be the one to turn the key and lock the door? Then you had the nerve to leave again, to return to your collective and its sweet, uncaring solitude. You almost even got death out of the deal, but I stopped it from happening. It probably came close to costing me my rank, but I don't care. I don't care about anything else anymore.

It's fitting that the Pandora has come back to Earth. The last time I was here, it was to mourn my loss and to cope with your departure. Now I've returned, only to vow to bring you back, no matter the cost. I even visited your grave, in the pouring rain, and stood there staring at the marker. I don't remember how long it was that I stood there in the sweet loneliness of the rain, clutching a lily in one hand and a tricorder in the other. At some point though, I placed the lily on your grave. You know the kind; my bouquet was full of them. When I held them, we vowed never to part until death and, fortunately, you're not dead. You're just locked away, same as me. In my tricorder, I have the key that will release us both. I've probably broken ten regulations getting it, but I just don't care anymore.

I'm bringing you back, because everyone just wouldn't let me let you go.

The rain was noticeable as I materialized, but it helped me realize I was alive. I had managed to escape them, though for how long I could not be sure. Looking through the fading haze of jade and violet light, I understood inherently where I needed to go. Free from the transporter beam, I ran towards the swampy grove of dark, twisted trees that promised my freedom. Surely I would not be alone here for long and I had much ground to cover in very little time.

Entering the mire, with my feet sinking into the muck with each step, the trek was slow-going and dangerous. I knew this would be the case but, due to the nature of my escape, was unable to dress appropriately for the terrain. Momentarily looking behind me, fearing that I was already being pursued, I failed to notice the danger signs of the upcoming mud hole. I sank up to my chest, slimy soil coating my arms and hands now. My folly cost me valuable time as I struggled to free myself.

Reaching up for a sturdy-looking vine, with my fingers only inches away from grasping it, a bright flash of energy grazed my hand. It burned and bled, no doubt countless bacteria seeping in to attack my body from the inside. Still, I had to carry on. Lowering further into the muck to present a smaller target to my attackers, I finally reached the edge and dragged myself up with the aid of an old, gnarled root. Another bright pulse thwooshed past me, scorching the tree to my right.

“You are wanted alive,” steely determination sounded in my hunter’s voice. “If you come with us now, we will not harm you. But if you flee,” his tone embraced a sneer, “we will savor the screams of your dismemberment.”

Captured and alive OR dismembered, captured, and alive: I, of course, preferred neither choice. Thankfully, the memories embedded by my predecessor gave me an idea. This area was known for its rather violent wildlife—that’s part of what made it such an attractive escape avenue—and I knew I could use that to my advantage.

“Alright,” I called out, assuming that smugness my people are known for, “You’re right. I cannot run and I do not wish to die. I will go with you,” I raised my arms to show my willingness to cooperate.

“A wise decision. Now, sit down!” He gestured to the base of the tree with his rifle, raising a communications device to his mouth. “I have found him. We will await your arrival here. He is, as yet, unharmed.”

“We have your location and will be there momentarily. You’ve done well, Third.”

“Victory is life,” the Jem’Hadar soldier replied proudly. Clearly, he was pleased with himself as well.

“Third Tiktana’Ran,” I formally addressed my captor, “I am injured. Attend me.”

“Be silent,” he growled, “or I will injure you further.”

I could tell from his eyes that he was quite serious about that. Rubbing my injured hand slowly, I could feel the blood flowing around the gunk gathered inside the wound. The anti-coagulants carried by the blast refused to allow my body to stop the bleeding. And for this, I was pleased. Wincing with the pain, I further agitated the wound by forcing more of the mud into it. I knew that it would not be long now…

“Be still while I secure you,” Third Tiktana’Ran crossed the distance between us and removed a set of wrist-restraints from his belt. Bending down, he grabbed my wrists and began to shackle them.

“Third,” I smiled, again lavishing my tone with all the smugness that a Vorta could muster, “if I were you, I would be more concerned with killing our friends here…” I could see them from my position and knew what was about to happen.

“I told you to be silent!” That’s when he struck me across the jaw, his armored fist slashing my face and shattering my cheekbone. It was a pity (for him) that he did not listen to my rather informed suggestion. With a bright splash of my blood now coating his hand, he resumed attempting to restrain me.

Some Vorta have telekinetic abilities and I happen to be one of them. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and pushed with my mind. The push threw the Jem’Hadar backward, falling to the ground so near the creatures I’d seen gathering there.

They attacked him swiftly, scurrying from the dense undergrowth and attracted by the smell of blood so near. Fortunately for me, the mud coating my hand wound worked to mask much of the scent. As I slathered the gash on my cheek with more of the slimy dirt, I was thankful for the Third’s violence. Now painted with a purer source of attraction on his own hand, I was free to escape in the chaos that ensued.

The vicious rodents, unusually sized compared to most, tore into the Jem’Hadar’s pebbled skin with vigor. He shook his body, whipping around his arms and flinging some of the animals off of him. He returned to his feet and with a few bursts from his plasma rifle, he even took some of them out. But there were simply too many and he was quickly overrun. I heard him scream terribly as he was made a meal of. Like I said, it was a pity…

Guided by my implanted remembrances, I carried onward. Unfortunately, the mud’s ability to mask the scent of my blood wasn’t complete. That’s why the rodents came in the first place, and that’s why some of them were chasing me now. Still, I was almost there. I knew that my salvation lied ahead and so I ran harder, jumping across another swallowing puddle and, once I hit the other side, dashed into the clearing.

There it was, just as I “remembered.” My predecessor, the ninth clone of the Bearis model, had planned everything out very well. Having been forced to work for the Alphas as an engineer (something the Bearis line is very talented at, I might add), the soldiers would occasionally hunt him in the swamps as part of their training regimen, only to activate a new clone to resume the work once he’d been eliminated. Understandably, he grew rather tired of working, dying, and being reborn so consistently.

By implanting memories into his forthcoming replacement’s genetic code, he was able to ensure the freedom of his line, even though he, himself, would not be the one to go free. Knowing what was waiting for me, I was still relieved when the Starfleet craft came into sight. It was the Niagara--a Danube class Runabout abandoned there years ago—and it was the key to my escape. As I opened the side hatch and darted in, I was greeted with stale air and darkness. Quickly slapping the controls, the hatch slid shut behind me and I rushed to the forward compartment.

As an engineer whose predecessors heavily studied Federation technology, I was quickly able to power up the engines and bring the other systems online. Though unused for several years, the ship responded perfectly. At my tactile command, it rose into the air steadily. Below, I could see several Jem’Hadar breaking through the treeline, drawn by the sound of my escape. Their weapons impacted uselessly against my shields as I continued to ascend.

When I reported for my duties that morning, freshly cloned and activated, First Tiktana’Ran warned that any disobedience would lead to my death. That routine declaration activated the implanted memories that brought about my freedom. I was quite sure that he did not expect treachery so soon after my creation. If he had, I never would have been allowed to perform maintenance on the transporter array that delivered me to my waiting ship, over two light years away.

It wasn’t long before I broke for orbit and found myself amongst the stars. Directing the computer to set a course for the nearest Starfleet installation (at least, according to its now-outdated records that is), the Runabout selected Deep Space Nine. I, of course, was pursued (though I had a sizable head start). Luckily for me, being a Dominion engineer lends one quite a few tricks for fooling your own technology. I was able to lose them, though I had no idea what would happen once I reached the Federation…

Edgar sat defiantly across the table from Maggie. His glaring was enough to get under her skin. Edgar was doing this intentionally; doing everything he could with his body language and demeanor. However, it only served to bolster her own resolve to crack the tough nut that sat across from her and extract the information she needed. “Lieutenant. Can I assume you understand the purpose of this interview?”

“No. Perhaps you should clarify all of your intentions.” Edgar seethed. Maggie gave a small smirk before continuing in a tone that, while polite and professional, was obviously forced.

“This interview is intended as a post-mortem regarding the Borg that attacked the Vega Colony and an examination of their behavior. As part of that investigation, the application of a particular computer virus you created to counteract the assimilation process needs to be reviewed.”

“As I told you before, Lieutenant, that information is still classified by two Admirals.” Edgar said, holding his ground.

“And as I told you, Lieutenant, I have been given enough clearance for this assignment.” Maggie volleyed back getting only a scoff from Edgar. She slid a P.A.D.D. across the table, “So, about the virus...What was its original intent?”

“Disabling drones.” Edgar said. He refused to offer further information and Maggie quickly perceived the impression she was going to have to drag every bit of information out of him.

“Why did you write it?” Maggie pressed.

“That, I can’t tell you because of a gag order from Admiral Giovanni with the Judge Advocate General’s office. I looked over the P.A.D.D. with Quinn’s orders. You not cleared for disclosure of my motivations.” Edgar deflected. “Are we done?”

Maggie scowled and shifted into a more aggressive poise in her seat. “No, we are not. Can you discuss the details of the code and how it worked?”

“Yes.” There was a pause while Maggie waited for him to continue but yet again, he wasn’t cooperating fully.

“Then please explain as completely as possible the details of the program’s behavior.” Maggie directed.

Edgar sighed and leaned back. “The virus operates only on the volatile memory of the neural processor. After the file locks out any commands with a fractal encryption, it proceeds to allocate bits and bits of this volatile memory until the neural processor overloads.”

“Are you aware of any side effects or after effects of the virus?”

“I’m aware of rare instances where unexpected effects have occurred, but I’m not at liberty to discuss it. That falls under Giovanni’s jurisdiction.” Edgar sighed.

Maggie almost slammed her P.A.D.D. down. It was these side effects she wanted to hear. “Can you elaborate what you’ve heard on these and remember I am cleared to hear this.”

“One unexpected behavior was a total system failure in the drone, and another unexpected behavior was disconnection from the collective.” Edgar admitted, beginning to grow unsettled about the interview.

Maggie knew she was getting to the one question she wanted to ask, but knew she’d have to bend somewhat to get the answer, “Thank you, Lieutenant. If you need to speak off the record, I’ll respect that. Do you think this program could be utilized against the Borg to disconnect more drones with similar success?”

“No need, Lieutenant. Expecting consistency from a side effect, with the code reengineered or not, will only be met with failure in the end. It’s only a matter of attempts before the Borg adapt; and believe me, they will.”

“Mr. Calvin, did you notice any odd or inconsistent behavior with the Borg that attacked the Vega Colony compared to the previously documented encounters?” Maggie asked, starting to see if there was anything more she could get from him.

“No I didn’t; I was too busy trying to avoid assimilation or death.” Edgar snapped at her, almost growling. Maggie inched away slightly at the aggression. She'd pushed too much, and his response said enough.

“That’s understandable. Thank you for your cooperation, Lieutenant.” Maggie said, gathering the PADDs on the table.

“Lt. Matoya, there is no cooperation at going behind a fellow lieutenant’s back when that lieutenant is honoring an Admiral’s gag order. This forced cooperation would have gone far better had you gone through the proper channels from the beginning. Excuse me.” Edgar lashed, moving towards the door. Maggie nodded, letting the insulting comment slide. She had what she needed, and was content with waiting for the door the close behind him before she vented her frustration in one bite of sarcasm.

“Funny...I wasn't aware Starfleet let children command starships... ”

zomg, i'm the only dutch person here? nowai!

Hello I would like to know how this is going? I have visited many times on teamspeak and have had an excellent time. I hope to be there with the raid on the crystalline entity on Saturday.

Thanks again

I'm Joseph, and I live in the Salt Lake City, UT, area. I moved here about 5 years ago from Phoenix with my partner to be closer to his kids. I have a BS in physics from USF, as I used to live in Tampa like a few others here, it seems. Probably even went to USF at the same time as ChessyMC ;) I also have an MS in physics from ASU. I now work at a memory company where I teach people how it works and how we manufacture it.

I've loved Star Trek ever since I was about 5 when we were living on an air force base in Germany and it was about the only thing on TV in English. My mom also took me to see Alien at about that time, so I've been pretty warped for a while now :) My favorite movie is Forbidden Planet, not just because of the campy lines, but also because of the obvious similarity to Shakespeare's The Tempest. I also enjoy model building. I'll be getting onto a 1:350 Enterprise-A that I plan to light up sometime this summer. In addition to Star Trek stuff, I also collect Transformers and Lego, especially Space. If you wanna know more, just say hi sometime :)

Oh God, I totally forgot;

Massive Kudos for the e-mail, it looked great! :)

Very nice graphic design then!

That's my actual Captain!

Btw, Nick, Love the picture you put in there...

I'm gonna try to be at all of 'em. But the 12 PM EST one may be a bit earlier for me.

I like this fleet, it's exciting!

All being well I should be at the 4pm one, PjhN :)

Also hoping to hit the 9pm one. The 2am one may be a little too late but I may try for that too :p

Greetings comrades! Have been wanting to get my teeth into the Crystalline Entity so much, and haven't had the chance to do any fleet actions with the Stonewall cohorts, so very very excited about this...

But, I only think I could make it to the 4pm GMT [12 EST] meet; by 9pm GMT I'll be out on the town (It's a Saturday, after all! My man will almost certainly go out regardless, and goodness knows what he'd get up to if I left him to his own devices! ;-D hehe).

So I guess what I'm wondering is how many other people are planning on making it to the first slot? I know the mechanics of the encounter but not how many we would need to take it down? I worry most people would be logging in later.

Optimistically, and with love,

PjhN x

Hey Everyone!! Im sorry i procrastinated a bit but finally decided its time to do my introduction post! Only been here since Closed Beta seems like the right time! :P

Well my name is Ken, My character in game is Adam McNeil (adam@Kenjermin) and he is the Captain of the USS Destiny a Science Vessel. I chose that name because thats what my mother wanted to name me but my dad insist i be named after him, Thanks alot dad! :angry: :angry: :angry:

I live in Overland Park Ks, but i am originally from Fort Worth Texas! I love Texas but moved up here to be with My partner of nearly a year, and go to Pharmacy School, eventually. lol

Hmm not sure what else to say if you have anything else you would like to know dont hesitate to ask. My playtime is sparatic what with school and all but youll see me on usually early morning or late at night! See you guys around the Universe!!

Hi all. My name is Richie and was born and raised in Virginia, US. I am currently a University professor and spend most of my free time reading and grading with a little research on the side too. My current research focuses on the intersection of sexual orientation and spirituality identity development.

In my free time, I spend time with my partner of 10 years (got officially married in Vermont on our 10 anniversary this past fall. He doesn't like online gaming, but I do forgive him. I also have two dogs that I love and who adore me unconditionally. I also play some awful golf (translation: I swat at golfballs.)

I am almost 43 (so one of the senior members). Have played WoW and CoH/CoV for many years and have taken a sabbatical from them while exploring the ST Universe. Gaming is online is about the sociability so I chat a lot.

Lieutenant Calvin entered the mess hall looking slightly less antagonized than when he left sick bay, and moved to sit down after getting food from the replicator. He sat with a heavy sigh from exhaustion. Soon after, Captain Oren-De entered the mess hall with Maggie and War'en in tow and, after spotting Eddie, walked over to him. “Lieutenant Calvin, may I have a word with you please?”

Eddie almost grunted as he finished a bite, “Have a seat, Captain. What is this about?”

Oren took the offered seat as War'en and Maggie sit next to him. Maggie looked a little smug, which did nothing but annoy Edgar. He watched her with great suspicion, trying to figure out what her motivations really were.

“Lieutenant Matoya informs me that you have been... uncooperative... in her attempts to interview you about a matter regarding a project of yours. Is this true?” Oren pressed immediately to the topic. Edgar noted quickness to the point.

“The claim is relatively accurate...but not unwarranted...” he answered vaguely, adhering to minimal disclosure in a public setting.

“Please explain, Lieutenant.” Oren-De volleyed. Edgar noted that he would have to deflect to someone else if he was going to keep this up, looking squarely at Maggie.

“Is it safe to assume you've explained how you aren't cleared for this information?” He paused, “Or would you take this opportunity to reveal yourself for witholding such clearance authority now?”

Maggie smirked as she glanced at her captain, “I've explained that you were hiding behind Admiral Qui--”

“Watch your tone, Lieutenant. We are all officers of Starfleet here.” Oren-De shot back, turning to her.

Maggie frowned as she looked away. “Yes, sir.”

Edgar grinned with a slight nod to Oren's comment at Maggie. The expression caught Oren’s attention and he looked back, looking simply annoyed. “Lieutenant Calvin, I am asking for your explanation, not Lieutenant Matoya's. So please, in your words, explain why you have been uncooperative with her.”

Edgar sat down his fork and looked at the officers sitting around him, “Since the key detail has been so painfully omitted...I'm under direct orders from two admirals to not discuss a single aspect of what happened on the Vega Colony.”

Oren-De nodded, “Understood.”

Edgar continued, sitting up slightly allowing his long torso to tower over the table. “Now unless I have my rank privelige and clearance levels backwards, I doubt a Lieutenant would have such a clearance by default. Since she did not produce such exception earlier, I was well grounded in my refusal to cooperate. Also, on a personal note, I do not see any reason this cannot wait until I have gotten permission from those two admirals to discuss anything with her, why she needs to know, or why this can’t wait.” Edgar looked irritated that he had to keep repeating himself as he jammed another bite of food in his mouth.

Oren nodded again. “Understood, Lieutenant. However...” his eyes flashed a brief, but unmistakable glare, “you would do well to watch your tone when speaking with a Commander and the captain of the vessel on which you are a guest.”

Edgar shot a glare as he tried to respond quickly, but struggled on the bite of food before he swallowed. “On a technicality, Commander, I, like you, hold the rank of Captain to my crew until I disembark at Sol. We would all do well to remember that.” His last comment was given directly to Maggie.

There was a tone of silence from his outburst, yielding a raised an eyebrow at the man's clear disrespect. Oren dismissed it in the interest of moving on. “Your misinterpretation of the chain of command aside, I am here to inform you that Admiral Quinn has granted clearance to Liuetenant Matoya to interview you with regard to the events at Vega Colony.”

Edgar heard the words of defeat from the captain, and sighed as he gazed at his half-eaten food. “My apologies, sir. If you have those orders on a PADD, I'd like to see that.”

Oren promptly hands the PADD to Eddie, clearly expecting the request, “You will find all relevant information there.”

Eddie scanned the PADD carefully, and then grinned, “This is only partial clearance. Given this, an interview would only allow me to repeat the data reports included. Any information I can provide based on what is cleared is already available from the science reports and the debriefings...Besides, no one has answered why she needs this information before we reach spacedock.”

“With regard to the first point, I agree. However, Liuetanant Matoya still wishes to conduct the interview with you.” Oren sighed, knowing he was holding information just as much as Edgar had. Edgar glanced up at a slight interruption.

At the far end of the mess hall Desmond and Will entered, laughing about their run through the holodeck race. Desmond stopped when he looked at the table. After a moment, the two decided to sit on the far side of the mess hall.

“And with regard to the second... it doesn't matter. I am ordering you to comply with her request.”

Edgar knew what it meant. His assumptions felt now grounded in more truth than conjecture. He almost snarled at Oren’s dismissal of his inquiry.

“.....Understood....sir.” Warren noticed Will and Desmond and takes some comfort in that at least SOME members of the two crews are getting along, turning back as Edgar finished. “...Is that all?”

The two bridge officers stared between the two men, noting that Eddie's clear disrespect didn’t seem to phase Oren. Maggie smirked smugly again at her partial victory, as it was a victory nonetheless. “Excellent. And yes, that is all.”

“Then if you would excuse me.” Edgar stood quickly, throwing his dishes together splashing half-eaten food and a full glass of liquid. Oren raised an eyebrow at the mess, while War'en and Maggie stared in surprise at Eddie's outburst. Edgar walked over to the reclaimator but got intercepted by Desmond.

“Sir, is everything ok?” Desmond asked, almost craning his neck to look at his towering captain.

Eddie sighed, realizing that people that did admire him and respect him had seen him act a bit like a child. “Yeah, I’m fine, Des. I just...got a bit of a bomb dropped on me, to use an old human turn of phrase.”

“Sir...Eddie, I’m sure it will work out in the end. Besides, we still need our captain when we get to spacedock.” Desmond said, smiling at the comment. It moved Eddie to smile sadly.

“Here’s hoping you’re right.” Eddie patted Desmond’s shoulder. After a moment, Eddie returned to the table looking immensely calmer and collected, “Whenever you are ready Lieutenant.”

All four Pandora officers noticed the brief exchange between Desmond and Eddie, though didn’t hear much of it. Maggie looked at Eddie and stood, “I'm ready now. Care to follow me to my office?”

“As you wish...”

Maggie smirked again and turns to exit the mess hall. Oren and War'en followed suit. “Mr. Lok, please take the conn on the bridge. I will be heading to sick bay.”

“Sir? Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I believe, given our recent conversation, it's long past time that I spoke with Ms. Roberts.” Oren-De said, leaving the mess hall. War’en looked surprised, but nods with a small grin as he made his way to the bridge.

The rain was noticable as I materialized, but it helped me realize I was alive. I had managed to escape the brig aboard the I.S.S. Razor,

but the phaser burn on my shoulder reminded me the it had been a narrow escape indeed.

Suddenly someone or something slammed into me from the side knocking the wind out of me and sending me sprawling into the mud against a

wooden walkway. A wagon rumbled by being pulled by two animals resembling horses. If I hadn't been knocked aside, it would not have been

going by, but rather over me. My shoulder screamed in agony as I tried to push myself up out of the mud, and blackness threatened to

consume me. Shaking my head to clear the fog from my brain I felt two hands gently helping me over onto my back. I noticed a small crowd of

people gathering around me and a strange looking alien kneeling beside me looking at me with silver reflective eyes, set into a redish

tinged face. He, at least I assumed it was a he by the deep voice and somewhat masculin features, was talking to me in a language I didn't

understand. he looked at the wound on my shoulder. I couldn't understand a word of what he was saying, but his firm hands urged me to lie

still and he motioned for another to help him. Letting my head lay back in the mud with the rain gently falling on my face, I closed my

eyes.

I must have lost conciousness, because the next thing I was aware of was laying on a soft blanket in a room lite by a simple flame bearing

lantern. Quickly taking inventory of my surrounding told me that the inhabitants of this planet were a simple folk, and definatly not as

advanced as the federation. A small fire burned in an alcove on one side of the room, and a metal pot hung over it by a hook. My shirt and

jacket had been removed and my wound had been dressed and was covered by a strange smelling moss. Touching it experimentally I noticed the

pain was gone. Whatever this stuff was, seemed to be working well. from a doorway across the room my savior enetered. He was about 6 foot

tall and lean, dressed in simple overalls and a plain shirt. His head was roughly huminoid, but with pointed ears, a ridged brow and nose,

and a redish pink tinge to his skin. His eyes were no where near human. One solid silvery color with no pupils.

"Forgive me Captain, I was not aware that you were awake"

I looked up and smiled, "Just woke up actually...Wait, you speak english?", surprise clearly shown on my face.

He let out what sounded like a small laugh and said, "I do now. Please forgive me. When you lost conciousness I needed to know that our

treatments would not injure you further, so I entered your mind. Thus I learned your language and all about you. This is never done amongst

my people without permission, but given the circumstances, I was left with little choice"

Blushing slightly I asked, "So you now everything about me?"

"Yes. You are Marshal Palen, Bajoran, but born on Earth in Illinois. You enetered starfleet at 20 years of age. Your ship is the U.S.S.

Imbrium. Your mate, the vulcan/human hybrid Bryan disappeared when the Klingons attacked..."

"Stop!" A flash of anger had mad the comment come out more harshly than I had intended. Bryan had died during a klingon raid almost 15

years ago, but the pain was still there. And although he hadn't meant to be insulting, calling Bryan a "hybrid" had put me on the defensive

immediately.

"Forgive me Marshal, I had forgotten that you humans process your emotions differntly than we do. Do not be alarmed as I am the only one

who touched your mind, and your secrets are safe with me." A small smile creased his lips. "Now you must be hungry. You have been sleeping

for 3 days.

A loud growl from my stomach told me he was right. He helped me off the pallet that i was on and steadied me me when the blood rushed to my

head and my legs threatened to dump me back onto the floor. We enetered a small simple room with a wood burning stove and a small table

with two bowls set at each of the chairs. After setting me in one of the chairs, he turned and filled my bowl with a spicy smelling stew.

Taking a small spoon, I tasted it, and was surprised that it tasted like clam chowder. One of my favorite dishes. I began to eat quickly as

hunger overode my thoughts of everything else. Halfway through my bowl my host sat opposite me and set a small piece of bread beside my

bowl. Realizing I was making a pig of myself, I swallowed and appologized.

He laughed, sounding almost like a turkey gobble and said, "No appologies Marshal, eat and be well." With that he began shoveling the stew

into his mouth almost as rapidly as I had done. Smiling I tucked back into my meal. And three bowls later we were both sitting back and

enjoying a companionable silence.

The light outside the window had began to fade and my mind wandered to the events of the past few days. It was hard to remember what

exactly had happened, and the events that lead me to be marooned on this primative planet.

"You say you know everything about me, but I am having trouble rememberng the last few days. Would you mind gong over some things with me,

so I can try and get it straight in my head."

My host looked at me with those strange eyes for a few moments then said, "I think I can do better than that. With your permission, I can

join with you again, and relay the memories that I have to you directly. This will relay days of memeories in but a few moments."

I was skeptical about letting this guy back into my head again, but after thinking about it for a minute realized, he had already been

inside my mind. He knew everything about me, including things that I had never told anyone. I looked at my host and nodded. "Alright, let's

try that." I knew a telepathic link would not only be faster, but clearer than trying to describe was each other was thinking.

"Very well, shall we find a more comfortable place. I must warn you that the sharing is rather," he paused for a moment searching for the

correct word, "intimate"

Thinking he meant "intimate" as our minds would be joined like a vulcan mind meld, something I had experience with Bryan a few times, I was

not too worried. We walked into another small room where he pushed two chairs to face each other closely, and helped me into one of them,

sitting opposite me. I was about to ask if there was anything I needed to do when he placed his hand on the side of my head and pulled me

forward. pressing his lips to mine. As soon as our lips touched a rush of mental imagages flashed through my head. Many of the memories

were not mine. Later I would realized that I was seeing all of his, and only then did I realize, I had never asked my saviors name. Tiam

The images slowed and I saw myself sitting in my ready room on board the Imbrium, packing my bag for a bit of shore leave on Risa. A friend

was meeting me planetside for some doctor ordered rest. My new ships doctor has nearly come unglued when he had seen how long I had been

aboard ship with no time planetside save the occassional away mission. With the war going on, and starfleet being short on ships, there had

been litle time to think about R&R. When we had stopped to change out personnel, or give the crew some time off, there were systems to

repair and modifications to make and test. Being an engineer had been in my blood, and I was always working on something while my chief

engineer was on break. Trying to convince the Doc that to me that was a vacation was futile, so under threat of being relieved of duty, I

agreed to a week on Risa.

The transporter hummed and light filled my vision as I felt myself dematerialize. When the light faded i stood face to face with 4 red

shirted security personnel with phaseres pointed at me. Their com badges told me that these were not starfleet. The mirror universe crew

had somehow highjacked my transported beam and now had me prisoner. I was escorted out of the transporter room and into an interrogation

cell, where their commander had asked me several questions about earth defense protocols, and security decrytion keys. I refused to answer,

and this seemed to make the captain happy. "I so love a challenge. A mind meld will give me all the information I need, and the more you

struggle against me, the more I will enjoy shredding your defenses and tearing through your memories like a phaser cutting through

duranium."

The guards leveled their phasers at me and the force field lowered...when the vulcan captain reached for my gface, I sprang into action. My

hand snapped into his nose breaking it and driving he bone fragments into his brain, he staggered for a moment, then began to slump

forward. I shoved hard and threw him into one of the guards turning to kick out into face of the other. when he fell i continued my turn to

face the first guard and reached for his phaser. We struggled back and forth, and one of us inadvertantly changed the weapon's setting from

heavy stun to a narrow cutting beam. The phaser fired, burning my shoulder and then continue to lance across the face and eyes of the

guard. He screamed as his eyes burned, and loosened his grip. I pulled the weapon free, quickly adjusted the settings and fired point blank

into his abdomin knocking him out cold. Taking one of the guards uniforms i left the brig and hurried toward the transporter room. Although

there were slight differences, the ship design was that of a Miranda class light cruiser, like my first command. As soon as I entered the

room red lights began flashing and the klaxon sounded. My escape had been discovered, and it would only be moments before they shut down

the transporters. I quickly keyed the panel to lock out external controls and began programing the unit with an equation I remembered from

my transpoter theory class, something I continued to study after i left Starfleet Academy. Captain Scotts transwarp beaming equation. I

tied in the long range sensors and entered a subroutine to erase my destination after the beaming sequence had completed. I set the timer

and was about to step onto the pad when another red shirt entered through the doorway. My surprise must have told him I didn't belong, and

to his credit he assesed the situation quickly and rather than try to draw his weapon before I fired, punched out at scored a hit directly

onto my shoulder. I screamed in pain and he kicked the phaser from my hand, grabbed my wrist and flipped me onto the transport pad. Rolling

as best I could, I barely regained my feet when the beaming sequence energized, sending me to god only knew where.

His lips left mine, and only then did I realize that I had opened my mouth and was actually kissing him. I hadn't kissed another man since

Bryan had disappeared. Or anyone for that matter. Maybe it was my way of holding on to the hope that he was alive somewhere. Waiting for me

to find him.

Something came to mind then. "You have a subspace transmitter here."

"Yes. Your ships is enroute and will arrive tomorrow. We contacted them when you arrived, and I was able to gain the knowledge form your

memories. There was a minor incident which had to be dealt with before they could divert to our location, but there is no need for concern.

Although we choose a simple life, we are not primative captain. My species was traveling the stars well before the humans were."

Now was my turn to laugh. Look like my luck was changing after all.


Not a writer, but figured I would give it a shot. Would love to here some honest feedback, so if you don't like it, feel free to tell me why, and maybe I can improve. Don't be afraid to be blunt, I don't bruise easily :P

And....you'll probably see me there 3 times...don't know if that's good or bad :P

As mentioned above, we are taking your amazing feedback and switching a few things up! Here is the new date/ times for the contest!

Saturday, Mar. 20th, 2010

EST: 12 PM, 5 PM, and 10 PM

PST: 9 AM, 2 PM, 7 PM

GMT: 4 PM, 9 PM, 2 AM (3/21)

HOORAY! See you all there =)