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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US><div class=WordSection1><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Mission: The Flames of Purity</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Day: 16 </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Stardate: 2445.09.16</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(Shuttle Michelangelo – Cockpit – 2O/CEO – Lieutenant Keira Merek – 1014)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>After getting a satisfactory response from most of the back after landing, Keira began to get her own gear ready and assumed Erin was doing the same. Merek had checked her gear and lastly her rifle, ensuring she had a full charge in the weapon. She didn’t want to use it, but in the back of her mind something was telling her she was going to have to. She ensured the weapon was set to heavy stun before looking over to Erin to see if she was ready.</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Erin was sitting at her station with her eyes closed, hands on the console, perhaps lost in thought or prayer. No, her hands weren’t on the console, they were gripping it, “white knuckle tight” was the term. Keira had pondered if she should disturb her, wake her out of what ever type of slumber or fugue state she was in, before she could act her friend opened her eyes.</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“I know what they’re doing…. Trying to do,” Erin said, her voice trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“Erin, what who is trying to do, are you OK?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“The Chronoton Tacheon antenna…… It’s pointing to the wormhole… they’re not trying to destroy it.” Erin answered Keira’s first question.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>~If this is the direction she wanted to take it, go with it.~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“What else would they be doing? With it pointed right at the wormhole?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“More so they’re trying…. I think…. To damage something inside …” Erin said quietly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“So it doesn’t change our mission or the states, so we’re still motivated to stop them. Erin I gotta know, as your friend and the person in charge of this part of the mission. Are. You. Okay?” As Keira asked, her tone went from, “nothing but the facts, ma’am,” to genuine concern for her friend.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“I’m fine.” she replied. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she looked at her friend and said, “We need to stop them.”</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>“Agreed.” Keira said relieved her friend seemed to shake off what ever was bothering her. It was something she’d have to ask about, but that was a task for later.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>(Reply none required)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>(posted by Todd)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='color:black'>The only way to defeat fear is to tell it 'No'." No - we will not take shortcuts on the path to righteousness. No - we will not break the rules that protect us from our basest instincts. No - we will not allow desperation to destroy moral authority.” - Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“No, I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space.” – Adm. James T. Kirk, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Todd Holladay<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SGT, IA ARNG (Retired)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>