Personal Logs of Tavi Antony, file record begins Stardate 2454264.875
2454[]
Stardate 2454264.875[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
I just finished my first day on the ship. I have three new roommates. Marla Rigby, Fallo Blot, and Mika. I got all squared away, thankfully I did not bring anything I did not need. I did not bring anything that might be traced back to home. At least I can leave an album photo of Bobby pinned up without anyone assuming he is family. No one assumes you are related to famous people.
I do have the earrings Mom had made for me with the private listening set built in them. It is nice to be able to play Mom’s old music through them, and not have to explain to everyone around about what I am listening to. Unfortunately, they are not part of the cadet uniform, so not for use while on duty.
I transferred up to the ship in the second group, and was given specifics in brief.
- Cadet cadres are divided into four shifts.
- Beta and delta are also on rotation with us.
- Each cadre will be assigned on overage a week to simulate stressful living conditions. On those days we will perform double shifts.
- We will be afforded 1 free day out of every 14. That free day is defined as 12 hours free time including 1-hour of holdodeck allotment.
- Cadet shifts are 12 hours overlapping standard shifts of 8. This allows time for instruction and PT.
- Each of us will have at least one bridge action shift per 7 day period.
Fellow Cadets:[]
Here are my evaluations from my notes taken during our tours of the ship and stations.
Brian Scott Donaldson II
- He was late to the game, hard to judge his skills but I heard he is a legacy, with a namesake difficult to live up to since his grandfather is an admiral. The Legatus is my own great shadow, I understand how he feels.
- She is a scowl monster, but damn can she shoot. I looked her up in the system after meeting her with Maeve the other night. I think she might have a weak point when it comes to her father. Will have to watch that and help if it comes to that.
Fallo Blot
- She is a Bolian female, and very excited to be on board.
Vrajen Kodor
- He is a Trill male and is a confident flirt, confident with the ladies anyway. He seems kind of shy about talking with officers. He has skills, he is fit, smart, and with great reflexes, a pretty good shot with a phaser.
- I think he is going to be a good one to count on in team situations so far.
- He knows who I am. Maeve couldn't keep her mouth shut about it. It might be a problem, but it could also be a successful test of his character.
- Zeke is a Trill I think, I didn't get a close enough look at the party and haven't seen him up close since. I don't have any assumptions to make, other than he is a little slow on the update in humor.
- She is confident, but plays it down by showing disdain for things. She said she didn't like science or medicine, which hints at what she wants out of her career. I need to look more into her.
Mika
- She is a Ferengi female, more to come there I am sure. She is someone I might be able to practice my Ferengi language skills with.
- He is nervous in the service, I think he is Betazoid , but if he is I think this is his first time in this type of environment. I need to look up more about him.
- She is a human female I met the other night, briefly with her fraternal twin. We haven’t had anything together yet, I will have to evaluate her later.
- He is a human male, the fraternal twin of Marla. My only assessment is that he is very dependent on the presence of his sister. I do not think he will come into his own until they are separated.
Bethany Scarlett
- She is a human female, athletic and confident. "Beth" is a good shot, but hard to read. Bit of a computer nerd
- She is a confident, bold, and seems a kiss-ass to the upper officers. She has the facial features that indicate Kzari, but also Trill spots. That feline DNA thing may not be a misnomer. I think she has thought to play with people a bit to make them think about what she wants. I need to look more into her, she has potential.
Chatam Xanto
- He is a Rigelian male, I can’t yet tell much about him. I never could read Rigelians well, and he seems very stoic. He didn't do badly with the phaser test and didn't seem to be someone who got excited by his success either.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454271.05[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
Today we got underway. We had an inspection by Admiral Nyoko Honda and Admiral Jackson Riens. I didn’t realize she was so small, she was even smaller than my honored mother, not shorter, I think they are the same height, but the Admiral was more slight.
It was nerve-wracking. I struggled to maintain composure when I heard his voice, when I caught sight of him out of the corner of my eye I was immediately certain it was him. It is not bad enough to have Maeve on board, but also her father the Captain, they both know me. At least Captain Blaine hasn’t yet called me out, but Maeve is nearly constantly dropping hints to the other cadets.
Thankfully, Admiral Nyoko seemed not to know anything about me. She, just passed me over after I answered her questions. She gave me a little encouragement but didn’t probe like she did with most of the others. Admiral Riens said I would make honored father pleased, but not honored mother. I never thought of him as an Admiral, just as my parent's friend. Seeing him today, while both of us were in uniform it was a completely different experience. It was sincerely nerve-wracking. When I was little, he and sometimes his Trill woman would come to the Villa for dinner and entertainment in the Ludus was common. I have a vague memory of him coming alone once when I was very small when he sat with Robertus and me while our parents were away. The last time I spoke with him in person, I was visiting the Foundation with my Honored mother. I was graduandia and bragging I was to be named valedictorian. I forget what I was saying, but he put me in my place reminding me that he had changed my diapers as a toddler and I should remember that.
I couldn’t get that out of my head as he stood there looking on. I changed the way I wear my hair, letting it loose to cover much of my features, I hoped he wouldn’t recognize me. I mentally begged Fortuna to let him not see me, and if he saw me, for the Captain Jack I remembered from my earliest memories to not recognize me. It was all I could do to remain still and not bolt. I remembered joining them in the baths while he was visiting, not thinking for an instant that it was wrong. Wrong or not, it was only seven years ago and I couldn’t get my mind to stop shouting at me, "That is Admiral Riens, inspecting us, he has seen me naked and it feels like he can look right through me." When he spoke of Honored Father and Mother, he at least didn’t call Father ‘Centurion’. That would have been something that would have caused Admiral Nyoko to ask more questions.
I don't know what I was thinking. With Maeve, Admiral Riens, Captain Blaine, and the fact that so many of the other cadets are legacies with ties to the LMC and know their history of the Dawnbreaker War, there is no way I can keep myself concealed or more to the fact, keep my parentage concealed. For three years I didn’t see anyone who gave me any indication that they had any idea of who I was once the Admissions Counselor agreed to let me enter under Tavi Antony instead of my full name. I just want to make my mark and know that my accomplishments are due to my merits and not favoritism because I am a legacy. It is a huge shadow to have fallen over you to be the child of heroes. Not just heroes, but famous people beyond their war experiences. It would have been impossible on Magna Roma, at least on Earth without the name DeLancey no one made the connection except those at the Foundation. Even then, it was more as if I was Grandpa Mick’s ward than Honored Mother’s daughter. He has his fame of a sort and is a professor at the University I was attending. That was the inspiration for my plan.
At home in Capua, I insisted on going to a state school instead of a private school, Liceo Statale Capua was more difficult because the teachers pushed me for more. They expected more of me because I was Gens Antonia, granddaughter of the Legatus. I wanted it because at the private school, Schola Privata Lucorum Verorum in Roma, they seemed to go easy on me to curry favor from my family. They disgusted me, the sycophants. I am of the Gens Antonia, I need not be coddled, I was blooded in the Ludus and required challenge. The last four years at the Liceo were a challenge, and I reveled in it.
I wished to separate myself from Roma, Capua, and the sycophants who wish to curry favor of the Antonia family. Honored Mother and Grandpa Mick both spoke of her Alma Matar with such affection, that I looked to attend. There I encountered both sides as I resided in my Mother’s family home, those who knew of my connection to Grandpa would either offer me additional opportunities to succeed by challenging me or offer me dispensation that others would be denied to dismiss my failures without record. I thought that the only way to know my own worth and have it known on record was to be unknown to everyone.
I had all but given up my dreams of service to my world, to the UFP, because I did not want to have my future decided by sycophants or self-appointed judges who would sabotage me, assuming I was given any status by nature of my lineage. Worse, I did not want my parents or the Legatus to take a personal interest in guiding my career or even appear to have had a hand. Changing my name seemed to solve it all. How could this have gone so wrong? There are now already two cadets who know for certain who I am. Vrajen was told outright because of things said by Maeve and how I had to respond. Hedwik though, the daughter of UFP Ambassador to Kzar, pieced it together. How was I to know she had studied the stories of the war so closely, or that her mother would know Honored Father and his deeds firsthand and tell stories of them?
I cannot dwell upon this anymore this night, I must organize my thoughts in my notes so that I can see them clearly.
Science Lab:[]
- Taught by; Chief Science Officer; LCDR Aija Bessley, or Doctor Bessley
The Orzaul:[]
- Ancient sentient species of the LMC, very advanced technologically many millennia ago, were nearly exterminated but live on as digitized entities of incredible complexity, that until the end of the Dawnbreaker War, lived enslaved by the Tanausian Empire. One such entity, Allaya, is an ally of the Federation and allows access through a gate controlled by her.
- In size, only fragments could exist in Federation technology, as the sheer volume of code that makes up a multiple millennia-aged Orzaul restored to full ability would far outstrip the ability to contain it. The Orzaul technology is millions of years more advanced, they were thus advanced before most current species of the Milky Way Galaxy were even considered bipedal.
Allaya:[]
- Allaya was a small girl when she was put into the machine that captured her essence as code, having aged millennia since. She is made up of a single entity and served the Tanausian Empire as the intelligence to service Orzaul gates to make them operational for their control of additional sectors of space and hold control over more species.
- At some point in the Dawnbreaker War, she took the form of an artificial body created by an entity known as Elysia; (Seek more here, Elysia?), and split her consciousness to be both simultaneously, each having disparate experiences and acting independently of the other before merging again when the body is returned; (To where?).
- There are debates as to whether Allaya is a true entity with a soul or just a digital representation of such. Either way, she is recognized as a Sentient Entity legally, allied but independent of governments.
VIA:[]
- Many of the Orzaul digitized survivors of their extermination, were enslaved by the Tanausian Empire. Some of their essences were highly compressed and limited in their form, pressed to serve as AI systems to control many of the Tanausian facilities and Starship functions as well as being pressed into service as defensive and offensive systems in EWAR.
Technology:[]
USS STARDANCER:[]
- Coaxial Drive:
- We witnessed the use of the experimental Coaxial Drive. It was not explained to us what it is, or how it works. I remembered, then Captain Jack, animatedly explaining to my parents his theoretical drive system that would connect the dots between two anchor points nearly instantaneously. Theoretically, he said, the distance would not matter, if you had properly anchored endpoints, then the drive would connect the two, physically existing in two places at once to the observers. I have not studied science as well as I should, it is some sort of fold space idea I think, but most of the words he said when explaining it when I was a child I did not understand.
Fellow Cadets:[]
- Vrajen Kodor
- He is the nephew of the war hero Sinez Kodor, who served on the USS Adagio. Vrajen told us his uncle Sinez married a Klingon woman.
- Hedwik Von Schwarzweld
- She was born and raised on Kzar, her mother is a part of the Federation Embassy there, and the UFP ambassador to Kzar, Contessa Veeri Relidia. Her other mother, as she was created through the genetic melding of two female donors, is equivalent to a Starfleet Admiral, but in the Kzari Starnznavy. Hedwik desires to be a Security officer for her career.
- She described Kzar as being a world stripped of resources to feed its military machine for millions of years. First on behalf of the Dark, but then in the fight against her forces once deciding they were on the wrong side. The current era is the first peace they have ever known. Her mother even imported Equus ferus caballus of the Equidae family, bringing the horse species to the Kzari for the first time.
- Hedwik knows who I am, or at least who my parents are. Maeve couldn't stop herself, that and some other clues allowed Hedwik to connect the links of data into a picture she could parse.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454278.10[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
Away Team Report, Cadet T. Antony, Event Date 2454277[]
- Location/Situation
The colony world called Cetas formerly a part of the Black Ocean, inhabited by a people calling themselves the Iopi. The USS Stardancer was tasked with a 2nd Contact mission, checking on the people as they are rejoining the greater galaxy. Reports I have been permitted to read say that being covered by the Black Ocean had a time freezing effect, and there may be many for whom the passage of a million years may be as a few moments.
We were told that the CSO Alemyn had done a sweep, and it was deemed safe enough for the cadets to join on the mission. I among them shared the optimism and excitement at meeting a new species and experiencing their culture. We prepared ourselves and joined the others for a 5 hour shuttle ride to islands of the waterborne colony. The structure of manufactured hexagonal islands, joined by bridgeworks was all that the colony seemed to put forward. We were there though, on a day of laetitia and festum. As such, their culture was on display, and they seemed excited to share of themselves with us. We were sternly warned against sharing ourselves with them by the CMO, except in ways befitting Starfleet representatives.
Captain Blaine gave the Cadets freedom of thee hours to enjoy the festival then return to the shuttle. We split into singles and pairs and explored the islands of the festival. They were joined together by bridges and passage between the landing area and the other islands of the festival was a simple walk. I saw some like ENS Tolena and Cadet Mixman heading toward an area devoted to music and dancing, Cadet Kodor, Cadet Xantor, and Cadet Von Schwarzweld found the food vendors, and I went off with my room mate Cadet Fallo to wander and attempt to gather tricorder scans of as many Iopi, their food, and their music as we could. We stopped to try food, recorded the samples for our reports, and were making our way to the musica theatrum.
We were not at the theatrum more than a few minutes listening to a young Iopi called Srena telling an origin story of how the 'Devils drove them from their home'. We were just being introduced to the child's mother when a disturbance became apparent, and I noted a black and white shape darting through the crowd and past me. It became obvious that it was the cause of the disturbance. Almost as I came to this realization that is was a feline of Earth, it was identified as just that. Loose, it was causing chaos, so took chase. The others with me, ENS Tolena, Cadet Mixman, and Cadet Fallo took to the chase as well. As we corralled the feline we heard Cadet Dyrellia shouting "Apprehend that feline" as she was chasing as well.
We chased the feline toward the food vendors, and then another Iopi voice shouted something I did not understand, "The offering is---THE BELOVED!!! I then caught sight of Cadet Von Schwarzweld joining the chase, and then behind them Cadets Marla Rigby and Marlin Rigby apparently having been in chase for some time. With this many chasers, I attempted to call for tactical envelopment, calling for the cadets to spread out, and cover the exits. There were only two bridges off of that section. Cadet Von Schwarzweld, Cadet Dyrellia, and Cadet Mixman cornered the animal while the rest of us cut off any other escape.
The feline gave up the small creature, which looked like an amalgam of small rodent and fowl, dropping it at the feet of Cadet Von Schwarzweld who collected the creature. She discovered it was injured, and sought assistance from Dr. Mehta to save the creature that was announced to be "The Beloved". It was returned health and returned to the "Keeper of Love", an Iopi young woman named Amea.
As it was explained to us, it was timely returned, as without "The Beloved" for their ritual, the Keeper would have taken its place. This did not seem at first as a dire thing, until witnessing the ceremony. I recorded the ceremony, see attached files. It was explained after, but it was disturbing while watching. It was a sacrifice to their protector a creature they called the Amphion, and the Great One. Their legends say that when they came to Cetas, harried by the Devils, and the Amphion drove them away and protected the Iopi. They perform a ritual of sacrifice to the Amphion every 10 years. When queried it was determined the Iopi stellar rotation of Cetas is 400 sleep cycles. The ritual has been performed every 10 years based on the original Iopi calendar, and for the last 13 rotations the choice has been to sacrifice The Beloved instead of the Keeper of Love which was the traditional sacrifice. What is more, it was a willing sacrifice with the belief that being consumed by the Amphion allows them to become one with it, and live on forever protecting their people from the Devils.
Additional declarations from Amea, the Amphion does not fight the storms and the devils physically, but with some extraordinary power.
On a personal note, the bounty of the sea prepared by the Iopi is nothing less than culturally treasured and palatable by many species. Their fish wine is very similar to Roman garum, and would be a good ingredient vegetable dressing, roasted pheasant and chicken, as well as a glazing for roasted and grilled fish when mixed with honey and herbs.
- Personnel on Mission:
- Officers:
- CPT Marcus Blaine
- LT Samwise Blake
- CDR Priti Mehta, CMO
- ENS Maeve Tolena
- Officers:
- Cadets:
- Tavi Antony
- Fallo Blot
- Zarina Dyrellia
- Vrajen Kodor
- Ezekiel Larris
- Thelonious Mixman
- Erys Maliah
- Marla Rigby
- Marlin Rigby
- Hedwik Von Schwarzweld
- Chatam Xantor
- Cadets:
(End Report)
Fellow Cadets:[]
Fallo Blot
- Fallo is a very smart cadet. Due to her upbringing she has nearly crippling fears. I believe she can learn to overcome them with experience. She is part of my team, I am trying to help her with her fears.
- Zarina is proving that she absorbed diplomatic skills from her youth. I think she is still too much of a princess though, it will cause her to create friction.
- Zeke is going to be trouble. Everyone else found food, music, dancing and artworks, he went right for the spirits.
- Marlin has some serious gaps in his concept of good vs bad ideas. I do not know what possessed him to bring along an animal for a 2nd contact mission. The potential harm it could have done to diplomatic relations, ranged to the possibility of catastrophe.
- Hedi showed a more sensitive side I did not expect. She apparently has a penchant for foods, and even though she took on a feral appearance when in pursuit of Colby, she became soft and gentle to deal with the Beloved. She exhibited more self control than I initially thought possible of her.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454281.25[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
I am not going to bother with much of a log, I'm tired having just done an extra shift. I just finished working all night doing the grunt work in the medical bay, mostly cleaning up, lifting, moving, or fetching things. As soon as I was done, I sent a message to Maeve as when I went to her lab on the way to change, I did not find her. I couldn't look long because I had to change and report to medical per Dr. Mehta's orders. I hope she is alright, more than anything I just wanted to hug her and let her know she is not alone. It was difficult to look at Ms. Niaev and not want to run to hug her. I haven't seen her since I was very little, but she was someone I have fond memory of to say the least. If it was that difficult for me, it must have been a terrible blow to Maeve.
Situation Report, Cadet T. Antony, Event Date 2454280[]
- Location/Situation
Celebrating the birthday of Ensign Tolena after assigned shift in the Dizzy Lizzy, a group of cadets with Doctor Mehta in attendance, were enjoying the musical performances of the Ensign. During that celebration, a ship wide emergency occurred which put the majority of the command and staff out of commission, including Dr. Mehta. While I cannot attest to what happened elsewhere in the ship due to a lock down, we were ordered to shelter in place by LCDR Daly who had taken command during the emergency.
In that situation, the cadets stood by for orders after putting ourselves forward as being relatively unaffected so that we could help the ship and crew through the emergency. The cadets were not completely unaffected, as at least five of us experienced visitations or hallucinations of loved ones missed. Those visitations resulted in words of warning, "Darkness, flee, danger, incompatible, deep roots". While most were attempting to determine the meaning of those words, some of us wished to offer our hands to the work needed to keep the ship safe. That decision was taken out of our hands by a new visitation upon Ensign Tolena. That visitation was more interactive, and was able to be shared among the group by touch. Beyond sharing, the touch also improved the clarity of communication.
The visitation was by the Captain's wife, who is currently in a suspended state due to an illness uncurable by current medicine. She was placed in suspension to wait for medical advancement to catch up to her infection. As much as it was exciting to experience such an unknown communication, it was a bittersweet experience due to the pain anyone would expect would be visited on Ensign Tolena to communicate with her mother once again for a limited time. LCDR T'Lena, was only there for a short time to make introduction for another entity.
I believe that drawing on the memories of Ensign Tolena the entity describing itself as one of the species called the Arboreals from the home world of the Iopi, used the interaction in order to grant the opening to speak its warning before being discounted. I do not believe that visitation was real, but only a simulation, but that did not make it less impactful. The Arboreal gave us a warning, specifically about the Vauri. Below is the most complete recounting of that warning I can give at the moment.
The Arboreal spoke directly to our minds, not in sound but an audible presence in our heads. It appeared as a silver network of branches spreading out over our heads. I imagine that its roots were spreading out beneath our feet as well. It reminded me of the Yggdrasil images I learned about as a child, the tree of life symbol. I expressed the following:
- "I would not have reached out were my warning not one most dire. You are in danger in this region of the Abyss. A war rages deep within. Its belligerents have been decimated; they replenish their numbers the only way they can. In harvest. The harvest of sentient beings."
- In response to a question of if they would attempt to harvest us for their war machine, the Arboreal stated, "They would. And if they cannot, they will destroy you." Then it continued, "Their core tenant is that consciousness is divinity. That they were the first beings to develop the ability to think, to reason, and all who came after are blasphemers."
- In response to Ensign Tolena's statements, "You are one of the ones from Iopia. The Arboreals." and "You traveled with them."; The entity responded, "I am an... echo. The imprint in the soil of roots long decayed." and "Yes."
- The entity continued its warning; "They call themselves the Vauri. Your kind utilizes ocular perception... they will appear no different than any other sentient. Some will appear to be your allies... make no mistake. Their only goal is to become the only thinking beings in this universe. Look... inside. The mind... the center... it grows there..." It began to become weaker in connection; "Your brains are soil in which the roots grow deep... Mycelium... the structure... is so similar..."
- When asked what the Arboreals were like before the Vauri, the entity stated; "Once we were a forest. We lived in concert with the others... the Iopi, the Vi'adai. All was connected. Our roots grew deep... our leaves blanketed continents. The Vauri had no use for us. They called us abominations. And now we are no more. The Iopi fled as far as their ships could take them... but it will never be enough until their roots are burned... Their spores spread... everywhere... You cannot stop... them..."
When the entity faded out, the crew began regaining consciousness. It had apologized for the condition of the rest of the crew through the image of LCDR T'Lena, stating that sleep protected them as their minds were incompatible.
After hours working in the Medical bay during the overnight shift, it would seem that the only injuries were those caused by individuals on each other or to themselves as result of initial hallucinations and collapsing to unconsciousness. One such injury was CDR Zhal who had come in with a head laceration, from falling.
- Personnel Present:
- Officers:
- CDR Priti Mehta, CMO
- ENS Maeve Tolena
- Officers:
- Cadets:
(End Report)
Fellow Cadets:[]
- Hedwik showed a level head and that we were of the same mind during the situation, for the most part. Culturally, I am still struggling to find common ground, but I believe the strict adherence to discipline may just be that common ground. She maintained a clear mind, and was able to provide a succinct and informative summation to the CMO when asked. I remind myself to compliment her on this when we have time to speak.
- Jupiter's cock this one is frustrating. I understand, were given 8 hours for free time and were celebrating Maeve's birthday, but when it became evident that there was an emergency developing we had every responsibility to be available as assets for the command staff. We are Starfleet, even if only Cadets, we are Starfleet. Honored Mother, Honored Father, and the Legatus all partook but not on duty. I heard the stories, but I also know none of them allowed themselves to become out of control even off duty and did not partake when their minds were needed to be clear. I honor them by not accepting my mind to be inhibited in operation by such things in spite of ability to imbibe much more than most and keep my mind.
- Mr. Larris continued to imbibe when the situation developed into a fearful level, in spite of plentiful evidence. It is yet another example of his irresponsible attitude. I do not think I could possibly count on him to complete any task of importance. I would have to pair him with someone such as Hedwik to keep him even partially in line. The gods help him should I be partnered with him on a task, for I would not accept such lack luster a performance to sully my reputation.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454294.00[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
I am a day behind at least, but I wasn't ready to write up those reports yet. It was a startling experience. I am going to write up the reports, and put my personal thoughts down after.
Away Team Report, Cadet T.Antony, Event Date Stardate 2454292.5[]
Aboard the runabout Elbe, the Captain and a team of cadets were attempting to complete a sampling mission assigned by Dr. Bessley on a class II comet passing through a star system as the Stardancer was moving on to investigate a pulsar that is part of Iopi faith, and legends of their migration to escape the devils who threatened to destroy them. It was expected to be a 15 hour mission.
Skillsets intended to be practiced included Starship Piloting, Starship Operations, Starship Sensor Operations, Science Sampling Protocols, and Transporter Operations.
Unexpectedly, the away team discovered a subspace radio signal that appeared to be a distress call. This became the priority as per standing orders and Federation tradition. We isolated and located the signal, and it appeared to be of Starfleet origin and coming from the comet. I assumed it must have been a distress beacon that was picked up by the comet in its travels, perhaps something that was left over from the Dawn Alliance war with the Dark. Unfortunately, I was not primary on any of the systems, and was only assisting.
As we approached the comet, approximately 1 minute to contact, Cadet Maliah reported a power surge building up in the warp engines, requiring shut down to avoid overload and destruction of the Elbe. As we approached it was becoming worse. I thought it might be some sort of reflection of the warp field power of our engines returning from the comet. The Cadet was able to shut down the engines, but it would not be able to restart, as our fuel was somehow depleted. Even switching to auxiliary power, the Cadet reported we were somehow dangerously low on battery power as well, only 25 minutes of life support.
We tried to rule out the possibility that we ourselves had caused the feedback that we were receiving, first as a distress call and then as an energy surge. We tried to rule out anything that could be causing the issues aboard. Cadet Maliah reported that her boards reported almost four days of continuous power drain, a temporal anomaly.
A starship was detected in front of us, considering our lack of maneuverability, its appearance was the first step to our survival as our attempts at a distress call was not effective. The shock was what ship it was. Though it was deeply battle scarred, it was the USS Protector NCC-95312. It captured the Elbe for docking. We followed protocol, locking down the computer systems and arming ourselves.
We encountered a boarder as the hatchway opened. It was a battle ready automaton, ordering us to disarm, claiming "We mean no harm". This was our first indication it was not alone. It was the only companion of the only being on the other ship. He was Human/Romulan hybrid, who identified himself eventually as Jack Blaine, and proved with medical scans that he was indeed Captain Blaine's son. Apparently, from a different timeline or parallel universe, the son of the captain and his wife.
Jack explained that the Class II comet we were to investigate was in fact an imprisoned entity, trapped by the Azreyane, long trapped in the Black Ocean. He had been trapped, along with his ship, in a death dance with the entity for at least 34 years, the ship for 57. Each failure causing more damage, more casualties, but the ship would be propelled into the next universe as the entity consumed this one. He said we had roughly 2 hours to prepare the ship for battle and our escape while he engaged in the battle. His only allies were "Otto" the automaton, and the mind of Ezri Ali Tegan uploaded into the computer.
Jack, with the permission of Captain, assigned us each work to get his Protector functional enough to use the weapons and plan to fight the entity. It was a uniquely simple plan, harpooning the tail of the entity and dragging it into the maw of the entity. It would consume itself such as an ouroboros of legend. He assigned his automaton to install an Azrayane power cell to replace our drained power, to enable us to escape and survive the battle. We split up, and put ourselves to the tasks at hand. Even though we are only Cadets, we were able to bring critical systems back online, and control, while Captain Blaine fixed the control systems to be able to control them from the bridge. I was proud of the efforts and clever solutions implemented.
With successes, we were prepared even though the entity emerged earlier than expected. We evacuated, all but volunteers who would transport in the last moments to ensure the higher possibility of success. For my part, I was assisting with the operations of the shuttle systems, shields and weapons, the piloting being handled by Cadet Maliah. As a team, the Cadets were able to support Captain Blaine and his son Jack from another reality to launch the harpoon designed by that reality's Ezri Tegan, and fly the protector towing the tail into the maw of the entity.
All members of our Starfleet team were recovered before the destruction, and we were even able to pull Jack Blaine from the Event Horizon. Since he had been conceived, born, and grown into a man aboard the Protector which had been slipping from one reality to the next for years, what we beamed aboard the Elbe was not just a man. There seemed to be a great amount of energy, as if every possible iteration of Jack was beamed aboard simultaneously and coalesced into a single individual. He then, aware of his new ability, left the Elbe under his own powers.
The Elbe, and all aboard her, were picked up by Stardancer with no casualties or injuries, the Azrayane power cell, which we promised to take offline, was depleted during the actions with the entity, pushing the abilities of the Elbe well past normal capacity.
- Personnel On Mission:
- Officers:
- Cadets:
- Antony, Tavi
- Zarina Olivia Dyrellia
- James, Rigby
- Maliah, Erys
- Mixman, Thelonious
- Rigby, Marla
- Scarlett, Bethany
- Schwarzweld, Hedwik Von
- Xantor, Chatam
(End Report)
Thoughts on the mission, I was excited by a routine mission to do something I have never done. It was a shock to us all to have our entire team at mortal risk. It was a chilling thought that if we did not succeed our entirely reality may be consumed. It is something I am still not sure I have fully digested, if we had failed everyone in our reality could have been killed.
Fellow Cadets:[]
Antony, Tavi, on personal introspection I find that I could have done more. I was in a support position, and provided support, but did not provide effective leadership where I believe it was needed.
Zarina Olivia Dyrellia, the events of the mission did not change or advance any previously held thoughts on this cadet.
James, Rigby, this was my first interaction with Rigby, he seems a solid cadet and with potential to be a solid officer.
Maliah, Erys, Erys showed that she could keep her head and probably saved all of our lives by keeping such a close eye on the warp systems. If she had not spotted the surge, it all could have ended badly for us. On another note, she is quick. She beat me to the pilot seat when it was called that we should return to the shuttle. I question if she is a better pilot than I am, but she was there and confusion was needed, team work was.
Mixman, Thelonious, during our assignment in engineering, Thel was clever in using our com badges to bridge the broken connections on the ship. Restoring communications was critical to our success. He earned respect, of both me and the others.
Rigby, Marla, a competent cadet, capable of keeping her head in a dire situation.
Scarlett, Bethany, I did not see the work she was assigned to, but I know that it was critical to success as the computer was not able to connect to every system as it should in a ship.
Schwarzweld, Hedwik Von, and Xantor, Chatam, Hedi stepped up with Chatam and they worked well as a team. They both showed ingenuity and bravery under adverse conditions.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454298.96[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
We had a mandatory fun day. Maeve drug me into one of her fantasy role playing games again. I haven't done them since we were kids, she apparently pushed even deeper than she had before. It was mandatory, first time she could actually order me to take part. I've had fun with it, but I haven't played in years so I reactivated my old fighter character. Bellatrix, of course I know that just means a female warrior, but I think when I created that character when I was 11 that it was horribly clever.
I had a good time, mostly because I got to practice my skills with the sword and shield. It was fun to see everyone creating characters. I almost lost it when I watched Maeve talking into a gnomish version of a communicator to make a log.
The mission was to obtain a powerful book, and defeat a necromancer named Maelar. I hate that evil stuff, but, it is what it is. I am just upset that no one saw eye to eye with me over the evil fairy necromancer named Saedis, we aided to take his place. I still think it should have been destroyed as well.
Fellow Players:[]
Tavi, me, am playing Bellatrix the warrior.
Maeve is playing Maeve of Faydwer, a Half elf bard
Fallo is paying Tirael, elven priestess of Nife
Zarina is playing Elara, Thief
Erys is playing Lin, a blade for hire
Thel is playing Rigenhold Sriracha, mage and a computes follower
Marlin is playing Marlus, with Jack the Displacer beast played by Colby Jack, the cat.
Beth is playing Sinria Clearstorm, sorcerer
Hedi is playing Kasa of the Witherfen circle.
Chatam is playing Riven, Ranger
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 245305.98[]
(Text Only - Location Code USS Stardancer)
My friend and Roommate Fallo Blot managed to get the Captain to authorize turning over Dizzy Lizzy's to her as Bolian territory for the evening and shared with us a Bolian cultural tradition, and religious ceremony to mark the Bolian Spring.
She asked that we dress to represent an ancestor, and share a memory with her goddess, represented by a statue and Fallo as a priestess. Fallo was barely dressed in a flowing purple and orange gown that left little to the imagination, and her statue was of a Bolian woman who stood nude but for some flowers and children. My first thought was that Zeke was in a lot of trouble, as he is vocally sexually minded and Fallo explained to me a few weeks ago about how Bolians are not compatible with humans, painfully not compatible. I couldn't help but tease her a little, I told her if I had known the party was tits out, I would not have worn the vest.
What I meant by that, I dressed as Ann Gale, specifically one of the few pictures that exist of her. The top she was wearing in that picture was pretty sheer white lace and once I replicated it and put it on I thought that would be a mistake to wear around Zeke. So I replicated a suit vest to put on under the suede fringed coat and covered up my more appealing bits. The coat already hung low enough that the 20th century blue jeans which seriously hug my bottom were covered and avoided him commenting on that. I'm not sure I would have worried about it but I didn't want Zeke to ruin her religious ceremony. If I had known it was a fertility celebration, the Festival of Rebirth, that usually ends in group sex, I wouldn't have bothered.
It was really interesting really. I learned more about Bolians than I ever knew, despite having been around a few of them most of my life. For instance, I never knew they were marsupial, and did not have nipples on their chest. I never actually looked, it wasn't important to me, and we never had any Bolians at a Saturnalia I was allowed to be involved in. They just seemed like people, not that much different so I didn't ever ask. There was the history lessons, where they talked about their actual origins of the Bolastra and their colony ship that crashed like a thousand years ago. They are an incredibly resilient people to have adapted to that difficult environment and thrived.
Her celebration, the Festival of Rebirth included tasty drinks, and culturally representative foods. Mostly it was fruit of the sea, crabs and such like that. It also involved offering a memory to the goddess, and in returned we received a portent, a vision of the future.
When it was my turn, I had in mind my first Saturnalia as an adult. It was a good memory, freely shared, but I received in return was shocking. I came to the feeling of being within my own body, but ... something was wrong. The environment was dimly lit, dark even, and smelled like bodily stress. The chill, yet humid air and the eyes focusing I realized I was in a prison cell. One of many, but it was too dark to see into the other cells. I caught a glimpse of a hulking Orion pirate, obviously my captor, and I realized it must be a slave cell. It was very short, the vision, but the feeling was of dread. It was made worse by a voice from the shadows, that of my brother Robertus. Bobby only said, "Sorry Tavi...", and I came to myself with my forehead still resting on the statue.
When I got the chance, I sent a message to Bobby. I am really hoping this is not a vision of him being in trouble. That damned Orion he is dating, Lira. I know she is going to pull him into trouble.
Everyone had their own visions, not really shared so much, but I will make notes about what they shared below. Elsie, the AI sociologist/mixologizst, even took part in the ceremony. That actually is where things went strange. When she offered her memory, instead of her receiving a vision, all of us present received one. Dizzy Lizzy's turned into a unique venue of Earth.
It was an amazing concert, a popup they call them. It was, according to a poster on the wall, June 26th, 2436 at the House of Blues in New Orleans of Earth. Elsie, who had been costumed as Brenda Riens, actually became Brenda Riens the AI. Three songs she performed were Disposable Dreams, Binary Memory, and Fireflies. I was never a big fan of hers, but seeing this live, intimate concert, I might be now. The thing is, Elsie didn't see the vision, and even Fallo was able to run a tricorder and verify the patrons of the House of Blues were human, not photonic.
I thought, maybe the tricorder was part of the simulation, and I tried to replay it for Elsie, but the computer did not have a recording of the event. That is really strange, the Foundation prides itself in collecting recordings of performances and they should all be available.
Maeve was dressed as a Romulan officer.
Fellow Cadets:[]
Early 1970, Ann Gale-Confirmed
Antony, Tavi, I was dressed to represent Ann Gale, basically the reason the Delancey Foundation exists. That is the name one of my mother's ancestors from the 20th century took as a performer. I found a picture of hers in the archives at the Foundation while I was staying there and learning more of Mom's side of things. Honestly I am still really confused by it, because it looks just like Mom with strawberry blond hair. I hadn't seen this until I was there for college, so we haven't had time to talk about it. She was always quiet about things of personal nature, only sharing Earth culture and music history with us. She really focused on Roman culture and reminding us that we were Roman first, as needed by our family to carry on traditions. I've held on to this photo I found during winter break last year, meaning to ask her about it.
Blot, Fallo, dressed to represent her namesake Fallo, priestess of the Spring, of the 'Faith of Rebirth'.
Zarina Olivia Dyrellia, dressed to represet her maternal great grandmother, Sakara of Vulcan, a sublieutenant of the Ni'Var. She said that Sakara was wounded in the battle of Charon during the war with the Romulans. Sakara was also at the signing ceremony that created the UFP.
Larris, Zeke dressed as his ancestor Ambassador Zacir Eren.
Mika, dressed as her great uncle Mork. It was a ferengi business attire, but for men. She was doing it because she knew he would not approve. Mika is very proud to be in Starfleet, which is not yet as accepted there even now.
Rigby, Marla, was dressed in a nice pioneer era of 1800s Earth dress. She represented an ancestor as part of the LDS Church, Lorelai Young Rigby who made the journey to found Salt Lake City in 1847.
Scarlett, Bethany, Bethany was dressed as a late 23rd century Starship Captain
Schwarzweld, Hedwik Von, was wearing an old Kzari uniform in grey with a sword on her hip. She was representing Kapten Else, who on her world was a great hero who lead a division of soldiers operating the first War Wheels, and drove the forces of The Dark from her world. She apparently is a great hero of theirs, who died in the process.
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454312.50[]
(Text Only - Location Planet Tatpha, LMC)
We are gearing up for an exploration training mission on an alien planet inhabited by a species called the Xegi. The planet appears pretty much in a natural unworked state, with our base camp approximately kilometers magnetic south from the Xegi settlement. We are going to meet Dr. Bessley for our briefing in a few minutes.
More Later...
Reference
(Log Ends)
Stardate 2454326.67[]
(Text Only - Location Planet Tatpha, LMC)
The Cadets and our advisor Ensign Tolena are currently quarentined. The other team came into contact and recovered a Xegi child who needed medical aid. During his examination it was determined he had a fungal infection of the brain. Since our team encountered two Xegi as well we are being kept away from the camp until Doctor Dorian Turk can clear us. The issue is, we are also out of communication and suffering some difficulties because of an atmospheric ion storm which is raging in the upper atmosphere. We can't get through to the ship, and they can't pull the cadets that were captured by the Xegi of the local settlement of Epva.
I am inquietus, I need to see to action to do my part for our fellow Cadets. Fallo, Marla and her brother Marlin were dispatched to look for my team because we were late in returning and out of communication. I feel personally responsible for their prediciment. I know I am not in a position to save them, but there must be something productive I can do.
The doctor is here, More later.
Reference
(Log Ends)
OOC information