USS Illuminar

Mission: An End and a Beginning
Day: 2
Stardate: 2446.03.17
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(USS Illuminar - Deck 11 - Main Engineering - CEO - Lt. Bohb - 0700)
(USS Illuminar – Corridor – ACONN, Ensign Alexander – 0705)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 2 - CONN Office – FSXO/Navigator, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf–
0707)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 2, CONN Office – ACONN, Alexander Dyson – 0708)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 2, CONN Office – FSXO, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf – 0710)
(USS Illuminar -- Personal Quarters -- Deck 2- CMO/3XO Commander Quinna Solice - 0730)
(USS Illuminar - Deck 11 - Main Engineering - ACEO - Ensign Tegian Pex - 0746)
(USS Illuminar- Deck 2 - Personal Quarters- SFI - Lt. Michael Weston - 0749)
(USS Illuminar- Deck 4- Transporter Room 2 - CSec - Lt. Commander T'Mur - 0755)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 0900)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 5, Holodeck One – ACONN, Alexander Dyson –0901)
(Vulcan - Capitol City - Merchant District - CSec- Lt. Commander T’Mur - 0930)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – ACONN, Alexander Dyson – 1000)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – SPC Luma'lenai – 1001)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 1002)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – ACONN Ensign Alexander Dyson – 1004)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – SPC Luma'lenai– 1007)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counsellor’s Office – ACONN Ensign Alexander Dyson – 1012)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 1013)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 1- Bridge - FSXO, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf -1219)
(USS Illuminar – Deck 5, Jefferies Tube – Security Officer Sam Jones – 1221)
(USS Illuminar – Corridor – ACONN Alexander Dyson – 1455)
(USS Illuminar – Jefferies Tube – Security Officer Sam Jones – 1512)
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(USS Illuminar - Deck 11 - Main Engineering - CEO - Lt. Bohb - 0700)

Bohb was watching the engineering team as they Went about performing the daily tasks
required to keep the Illuminar in perfect working condition. He looked over at Tegian, who was
looking a little lost in thought. He'd been mooning away ever since he'd gotten involve with his
little Vulcan friend. He sighed.

The Magillan had planned to take a little trip down to Vulcan to get some tools that he had left
behind when he joined the Illuminar. As he watched his newest engineer he thought that
perhaps the boy needed a little break, from the people and from the duties. Separation was
always a good way to get perspective.

He moved behind Tegian and put a big hand on the young Trill's shoulder. "Mr. Pex, I am
planning a small excursion to the transport hub on Vulcan. I have some people to see, and
some old equipment and tools to collect. Would you care to join me."

(reply Pex)
(posted by Al Muir)
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(USS Illuminar - Deck 11 - Main Engineering - ACEO - Ensign Tegian Pex - 0702)

Tegian was working on one of the maintenance items that they hadn't gotten to in a while
because of the various urgent matters the ship had faced since he'd last joined the ship. It
was almost mindless, but not quite. The problem was, in the state he was in, it needed to
be mindless. He was making mistakes and the computer kept warning him and he kept
having to restart the task. It wasn't that difficult, but even though the computer had lots of
storage, it still was infinite. Data had to be backed up and old data had to be removed,
when necessary, to make room for new data. It was something rarely acknowledged. And
Tegian was making a mess of the backup.

He'd spent all his waking hours in sickbay, by her biobed, talking with her, while she was
kept sedated and in stasis. He'd talked to her about his family, stories from his past. He'd
grown more attached to her, just by spending that time, without quite realizing that's what he
was doing. He felt guilty that he was the cause of this. He knew that her father's Katra
being in her head was the real reason, but by seeking a relationship with her, he seemed to
have accelerated this break.

He almost didn't feel the hand on his shoulder and didn't react much when he heard the
Lieutenant invite him to join him on Vulcan. He took a moment to respond.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I'm waiting to learn if I'll be allowed to accompany T'shalaith to the
surface when she gets treatment. I've made the request, but given that I'm not a family
member, I don't know if it will be allowed. Could I let you know? She's supposed to be
transported down at 0800."

(reply Bohb)
(posted by Keith)
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(USS Illuminar – Corridor – ACONN, Ensign Alexander Dyson – 0705)

The captain had told him to report at 0800. But if the lieutenant wanted him to cover the next
shift, it would allow him to show up on the bridge on time. So he had asked the computer where
the lieutenant was and was headed their now. ~Time to meet the boss.~ He reached the
location and walked in.

“Good Morning. Ensign Alexander Dyson, Assistant Flight Controller,” He gave her a nod.
“Reporting for duty, ma’am.”

(Reply Grey Wolf)

After his check-up in Sickbay, Alex had spend two hours exploring the Illuminar. He had also
begun reading up on both the ship and her crew. But it would take him a couple more days to
finish that task. ~But that’s an issue for later, let’s see what the lieutenant wants me to do
today.~
“I arrived yesterday and I got a full night of sleep, so I can take on a shift right away, ma’am.”

(Reply Grey Wolf)

“Illuminar is a beautiful lady, ma’am. But I have to ask…how is her temper, ma’am ? Some ships
look pretty, but fly like a brick. And others look like a brick, but dance like a jackrabbit on the
head of pin. So…how does our girl do, ma’am ?”

(Reply Grey Wolf)

Alex nodded at the lieutenant. “All my previous vessels were either civilian or alien. So, it’s the
Starfleet specific stuff I have to put hours into, ma’am.”

(Reply Grey Wolf)
(Posted by Ruben)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 2 - CONN Office – FSXO/Navigator, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf–
0707)

The Cherokee woman stepped outside the office on the way to her duty station and saw none
other than the cocky officer who had appeared on the bridge yesterday evening. Her stoic mien
didn't change in the least at the sight of him. There was a very old saying about pilots, live fast
and die young as those who lived at a breakneck pace tended to hit the wall fast and hard. She
had been FSXO out of Sector 001 for 3 years before transferring to Illuminar to follow the
leading of the Wolf spirit and had seen many young men 'flame out' during that time, she had
also lost a number under her command. Space was cold and unforgiving and could take a life in
a heartbeat, too many had come to their end in its silent embrace.

“Good Morning. Ensign Alexander Dyson, Assistant Flight Controller, Reporting for duty,
ma’am.”

Tempest folded her arms and gave him an obvious looking over, weighing and gauging before
returning his nod, he seemed to have pulled himself into a sense of decorum overnight.

“I arrived yesterday and I got a full night of sleep, so I can take on a shift right away, ma’am.”

She motioned with her head back toward her office and stepped inside. "Let's talk first Ensign. "

“Illuminar is a beautiful lady, ma’am. But I have to ask…how is her temper, ma’am ? Some ships
look pretty, but fly like a brick. And others look like a brick, but dance like a jackrabbit on the
head of pin. So…how does our girl do, ma’am ?”

She had walked to the desk and taken her seat. "This class of ship is the most maneuverable in
the fleet Ensign. Illuminar can turn on a dime and give you change. She's like a greyhound on a
leash and when you let go she's gone. She's also hyperwarp capable and every bit as fast as
the quantum slipstream drive. One trick that a pilot can overlook during a battle is her planetary
landing capability. Yes, I said her planetary landing capability. With the atmospheric
maneuvering impulse drive on the bottom of the secondary hull she can reach a positive
declination of 100 meters in 5 seconds from a stationary plane. I've already proven that during
one live fire incident. And did I mention she can land on the surface of a planet? You will have to
take the holodeck simulations and pass them before I'll certify you to do a code blue maneuver.
Any other questions?"

He gave her a nod. “All my previous vessels were either civilian or alien. So, it’s the Starfleet
specific stuff I have to put hours into, ma’am.”

Her eyes narrowed. "In that case I'm putting you on alpha shift with me so that you can monitor
and observe until you've aced your Sims. Illuminar will be at Vulcan for the better part of three
days and that gives you plenty of time to get up to speed on this type of vessel. Assuming
you've completed that rota by the time we leave orbit you will be on beta shift. Take care of her
and she will take care of you." She gave a slight smile that flashed for an instant before leaving
her face. "This isn't your daddy's Intrepid though it bears a resemblance to one. Is there
anything else?"

(Reply: Dyson)
(Posted by Charles G)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 2, CONN Office – ACONN, Alexander Dyson – 0708)

Alexander listened as the lieutenant explained about what made the Illuminar tick. From his
conversation with Grey Wolf, it had become crystal clear to Alex that the lieutenant would not
give him any slack. ~Or so it feels to me.~ Being in Starfleet was indeed a very different thing
then serving on his previous ships. There, people came and went frequently. And freighter
captains tended to be a lot less demanding then Starfleet commanders. Long story short, it was
time to put his money where his mouth was.

~Oh, there is that.~ Some of his previous assignments had actually PAID him. So he had
opened a bank account on Ferenginar. And because he had rarely spent any of it…~ And the
interest.~ …there was a small fortune in it. It was something he might have to discuss with
somebody later. But today, he had to focus on the here and now.

"In that case I'm putting you on alpha shift with me so that you can monitor and observe until
you've aced your Sims. Illuminar will be at Vulcan for the better part of three days and that gives
you plenty of time to get up to speed on this type of vessel. Assuming you've completed that
rota by the time we leave orbit you will be on beta shift. Take care of her and she will take care
of you."

Alexander noticed the smile that that flashed across the lieutenant’s face. "This isn't your
daddy's Intrepid though it bears a resemblance to one. Is there anything else?"

“Not at the moment, ma’am,” Alex said.

(Reply Grey Wolf)

“So, shall we go to the bridge or the holodeck, ma’am ?” He had no intention of wasting any
time. ~She said I had three days before we leave orbit, so I have work to do.~ They could go the
bridge, but since the ship would just be sitting in orbit, he figured there wouldn’t be much to
learn. ~But it’s the lieutenant’s call.~
(Reply Grey Wolf)

He nodded at the lieutenant. “If I may be so rude, ma’am, what tribe are you a member of ? I
was born on Mars, but Earth history was taught extensively. Including the history of the United
States and the Native Americans.” His history teacher, Mister Arthur W. McKinley, had been an
excellent storyteller and his class had been the most popular in the school.

(Reply Grey Wolf)
(Posted by Ruben)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 2, CONN Office – FSXO, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf – 0710)

“Not at the moment, ma’am."

"Good." Tempest replied. "It's time to get to work." She stood to her feet and stepped out from
behind the desk.

“So, shall we go to the bridge or the holodeck, ma’am ?”

"The holodeck Ensign." She said as she passed him on the way to the door. "We don't have
forever to get you up to speed and I've got to assign your training holos, I can do it from there."
She tapped her combadge. "Montero we have a fresh face aboard, run helm for me while I set
up his training."

=^= Sure thing Chief, I'm all over it.=^=

"Come with me."

“If I may be so rude, ma’am, what tribe are you a member of ? I was born on Mars, but Earth
history was taught extensively. Including the history of the United States and the Native
Americans.”

She had turned away but whipped her head around and looked at him with a guarded
expression, the reply didn't come immediately. "Tsalagi Yelahi, Cherokee Nation. I am called
Ahdo Agilvdi Ganolvvsgv in my native language. That is enough history for now." She turned on
her heel and swept through the door.

(USS Illuminar – Deck 5, Holodeck One – FSXO, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf – 0858)

Tempest sat in the command chair monitoring his progress and taking notes, the simulation was
a maneuvering test pure and simple and after acquainting himself with the controls he was
doing a credible job, not as crisply as he would with more experience behind the helm but his
progress was increasing as time passed. Dyson appeared to have a well honed talent and good
instincts, he thought ahead in three dimensions rather than just reacting every time an obstacle
appeared. It was easy to tell the ones with experience and natural talent and he appeared to
have a mix of both.

She looked down at him as his combadge twittered.

“That works for me."
Tempest didn't need to see his face to read his reaction, the sudden tension in his shoulders
spoke volumes. She was also psychically sensitive to a point and could feel a rising tension in
the air. Dealing with the spirits made a person aware of more than just what one could see or
hear.

His navigation skills became slightly erratic for an instant but he rallied quickly to finish the
simulation.

“Sorry, ma’am.” He said as he looked back over his shoulder.

It could be only one of two things. "Medical or counseling?"

“For the record, I hate counseling sessions. I just want to get it over with.”

Tempest shrugged, her face impassive as always. "What time?"

(Reply: Dyson)

"Then you have time for another with room to spare. Computer run the same field and add in
evasive maneuvers, enemy vessel a Klingon Bird of Prey."

The viewscreen reset their position at the beginning with the enemy sweeping in from
Starboard. A torpedo sizzled toward them as the debris field came up fast.

(Reply: Dyson)
(Posted by Charles G)
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(USS Illuminar -- Personal Quarters -- Deck 2- CMO/3XO Commander Quinna Solice - 0730)

Quinna sat at the edge of her bed ready to go but she was distracted. The experience she had
the night before made her feel different. She wondered if she was dreaming or if the Prophets
really did pay her a visit. It felt so real but she knew that there was no orb for the experience as
well.

Looking down at her right hand, Quinna rubbed the burn that seemed to be permanently a part
of her. Today it was starting to bother her even more.

“The time is 0745,” The computer said Quinna snapped out her musing. She pucked up the
outfit that was appropriate for Vulcan if she had time to go to the market, A Blue seersucker pair
of pants and a white linen tank would help her tolerate the heat a bit more. Quinna liked to be
prepared. She shoved them in her go bag with a pair of strappy sandals and headed out.
Before she left, she grabbed a shirt and a piece of paper that was sitting on the table on the way
out the door.

(USS Illuminar -- Weston’s Quarters -- Deck 2 -- CMO/3XO Commander Quinna Solice -- 0748)

Quinna quietly entered Michael’s Quarters. Her plan was not to disturb him if he was there nor
was it to be caught. She reached into the poor and placed the shirt of his that she had taken
from him and a note saying “I’m sorry.” From there she left. Was she rash or hormonal or both?
With her successful deposit in Michael’s Quarters, Quinna bolted to the Transporter room.

(Reply Any IYW)
(Posted by Kris B)
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(USS Illuminar - Deck 11 - Main Engineering - ACEO - Ensign Tegian Pex - 0746)

He didn't remember if the Lieutenant responded to him or not and the task in front of him
never seemed to progress. It was a good thing that the computer wasn't sentient or it might
have gotten frustrated with him since he continued to make a mess of the backup.

At 0745, Tegian was startled by his comm badge.

=^= Ensign Tegian Pex, report to Transporter Room 1 for transport to Vulcan. =^=

He was slow to respond before he hit his comm badge and said, "Acknowledged."

"Lieutenant, I'm sorry. I can't join you. And I didn't finish the computer backup. I've got to go.
Sorry, sir."

(reply Bohb, iyw)

Tegian headed out of Engineering quickly and back to his quarters for a quick change and then
to Transporter Room 1. He nearly flattened folks in the hallways along the way and made it to
the Transporter Room in five minutes.

(Reply Any, iyw)
(posted by Keith)
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(USS Illuminar- Deck 2 - Personal Quarters- SFI - Lt. Michael Weston - 0749)

When his door opened Michael woke up. It was a reflexive action. However, he decided not to
move. That decision was based on two things. The first was that he didn’t want whoever
entered to know he was awake. It gave him an element of surprise when he needed to defend
himself. He felt under his pillow for the personal weapon he kept there and was comforted by its
touch.

The second reason was that his security protocols only let one other person in his room without
alerting him, Quinna. He had hoped to be woken up a kiss. He could feel her coming into his
bedroom and heard a drawer opening. Then it closed. The next thing he heard was the front
door opening and closing again.

He sat up in his bed, once again confused. He had, categorically, convinced himself that last
night's dream was all that it was… a dream. What was the message it was giving him?
Perhaps it was based on his concern about being mentally prepared to be a father. Leeza Pel
had awoken some parental instinct that he did not know he possessed. He had a younger
brother, but he had left home at an early age, after making sure that his own father couldn’t hurt
his brother and mother. Leaving them was the best way he knew to prevent them from being
dragged into something terrible. Perhaps his dream was telling him that he could protect
Quinna and their unborn child.

Then his curiosity got the better of him and he got out of bed. He went over to his dresser and
opened each drawer until he saw the note. It was a simple note that conveyed a complicated
message.

“I’m sorry.” Nothing else. No “I love you.” No, “We need to talk.” ~What was she sorry about?~

He took the note and sat down on the edge of his bed, looking at the note. His mind went back
to the dream. She was the Vessel, he was the Protector. Those two things implied that he was
not necessarily the father of the child. The one who will be the Emissary. And if he wasn’t the
father then who was?

He went over to his computer and opened a message to Quinna. He typed his own simple
message to her.

[Quinna, I think we need to talk. Contact me when you get back.]

He knew he wouldn't be able to talk with he while she was on Vulcan dealing with the medical
issues of the crew. But he needed some clarification, and she seemed to know something that
he should know.

Meanwhile, he would do the one thing he really knew how to do. Intelligence work. He would
dig to get answers from whatever source he could. Taking a deep breath he stood up and
stretched. He felt like he’d been in a huge fight. It probably wasn’t as bad as the fight he knew
he was going to be in when Quinna got back.

His first course of action was to go for a workout, shower then get dressed, then he had to get to
work.

(reply none)
(posted by Al Muir)
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(USS Illuminar- Deck 4- Transporter Room 2 - CSec - Lt. Commander T'Mur - 0755)

The door to the Transporter Room opened and T'Mur strode in. It had been a difficult morning
with Sienna. She had wanted to come with her, but logic dictated that with Sekal going off ship
she needed to stay, to be in command as First Officer. T'Mur understood the logic. Sienna,
however, was a bit more emotional about the subject.

It was, after all, just a follow-up, and she did not really need Sienna's support for that
appointment. However, she suspected that what her mate was more concerned about was the
meeting with Jopek. Sienna was still a little over-protective when it came to the subject of her
T'Mur's father.

T'Mur stepped over to the transporter controls. Transporter Chief Frank Martin nodded to her.

"Lt, Commander," Martin said.

"Are we ready to go?" T'Mur asked.

"Rule number one," Martin replied, "be ready early. If you're not early, you're late."

T'Mur raised an eyebrow and nodded, "A most wise policy."

Then the door opened.

(reply any)
(posted by Al Muir)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 0900)

Temas had been puttering around in the office for some time now. Captain Sekal had asked him
to take on some counselor duties while he was not directly busy with Luma, which was most of
the time. Ever since his episode in the alternate universe she had been a bit touchy about
talking to him. Riven Mias had saved his sanity, and perhaps the lives of many crew members,
but disconnecting him from Luma had damaged their relationship. Luma didn’t say anything,
but she didn’t have to. He could feel the difference.

So to help him feel more useful Sekal opted to put Temas’ skills to use. It was quite “logical”,
the Captain had said. So Temas has been given an office, which he had spent time to furnish in
a manner that would put most of the crew at ease. He had had holoemitters installed that would
have a multitude of uses, from changing the scenery of the room, to allowing Luma to appear “in
person,” as it were.

He sat down in the high backed, comfortable chair and picked the PADD off the small table
beside it, looking at the profile of the crew members that required to report for their
psychological evaluations. He grimaced at the term ‘evaluation’. It was such a highly
judgemental term. He just wanted to get to know them and make sure that they were
comfortable with where they were on the ship.

He tapped his comm badge, “Temas Laredo to Ensign Alexander Dyson, I need to meet with
you at your earliest convenience. Can you come to my office on deck 4 at, say, 1000 hours?”

(reply Dyson)

“Excellent, I will see you then,” Temas said and tapped his comm badge again.

(reply Dyson)
(posted by Al Muir)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 5, Holodeck One – ACONN, Alexander Dyson –0901)

Alexander knew he was not exactly Mister Decorum. He joked, he charmed the ladies and he
had his rough edges. But now that he was behind the Flight Control console, that was all gone.
This was the version of Alex that was hidden underneath that outer shell. It was in this mode
that he had landed the SS Octavius on Mars and had gotten arrested. By the time he had been
released from jail, the shell had been back in place. But the recruiter had seen through that and
talked him into putting on the uniform. Because he had seen that underneath it all, was a
no-nonsense pilot. And that was the man currently piloting the holographic Illuminar.

In the program, the Illuminar was moving through a dense belt that was a mix for asteroids,
chunks of ice and mines. He was not using the impulse drive, flying the ship with just the RCS
thrusters to get to clear zone in the middle of the belt. ~So far, so good.~ He had just dodged a
nasty looking mine when his combadge beeped.

=/\=Temas Laredo to Ensign Alexander Dyson, I need to meet with you at your earliest
convenience. Can you come to my office on deck 4 at, say, 1000 hours?=/\=

“That works for me,” Alex said, while keeping his voice even.

It took some effort to keep his voice even, because he was REALLY annoyed with this Laredo
person. This annoyance was not in his voice, but it was obvious on his face. He had no idea
who Laredo was or what he did for a living. But he had a hunch.

Newly assigned personnel had to go through both physical and mental evaluations. And since
Doctor Solice had taken care of the medical one, that left the psychological part of the equation.
Alex hated the these kind of conversations. But he figured it was better to get it over with.

=/\=Excellent, I will see you then.=/\=

The counselor had closed the channel, while Alex looked at Grey Wolf. ~If I were her, I would
not be happy with me.~ As all of this had happened, he had continued to pilot the Illuminar. He
had just reached the clear zone and was now taking the ship across using the impulse drive, so
that he could then start the second leg of the trip. Said leg would take the ship back out of the
belt.

“Sorry, ma’am.”

(Reply Grey Wolf)

“For the record, I hate counseling sessions.” After his parents had died, he had been send to
mandatory sessions to deal with it. They had helped him, but had also left him with a dislike of
the practice. “I just want to get it over with.”

(Reply Grey Wolf)
(posted by Ruben)
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(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – ACONN, Alexander Dyson – 1000)
Alex had stayed behind the helm of the holographic Illuminar as long as possible. He had been
able to complete the Belt Scenario and done several more maneuvers after that. Then he had
headed for Laredo’s office. The ship’s directive had made it crystal clear that Laredo was indeed
a counsellor. He had just entered the man’s office when a…..enormous crystal snowflake
?…began talking to him.

=/\=Welcome aboard Luma's skin, Tempest's Hotshot. Luma is pleased to welcome the Hotshot
small one among her collection of small ones that Luma cares for aboard the skin. The Hotshot
must have many questions, and is therefore invited to sit down and partake of the human ritual
known as coffee and chatter. This one is known as Luma of the Lenai, and Luma is the 'brain' of
the Illuminar, and this is Luma's physical form, blessed by Luma's Bohb via the holo-emitters
aboard the Illuminar.=/\=

He gave both the crystal and the counsellor a blank look. ~What in the world ?~ As far as Alex
was concerned, the crystal or ‘Luma’ might as well have been speaking Mandarin Chinese.
Fortunately, the being…~Is it an AI ?~…picked up on his confusion.

=/\=Luma's Temas is a skilled communicator which is fortuitous because Luma learned the
Federation standard from broadcasts called the sitting comms.=/\=

“Is Luma an AI ? Or are Lenai something else ?”

(Reply Temas)

“So…” Alex said down as it all clicked in his head. ~Sitting comms. She means sitcoms.~ He
had a feeling there was a longer story behind all this. ~But that is for later.~ “…what do you want
to talk about ?”

(Reply Temas)
(Posted by Ruben)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – SPC Luma'lenai – 1001)

Luma had been quiet during and since the mirror mission. Her rescue of the first officer and the
subsequent removal of her bond to protect Temas, had damaged something between the two of
them. Luma relied on her bondmate to help her maintain her connection with the current spot in
the temporal maelstrom that Luma existed in. After what she had done with Sienna, Luma had
expected both her father and brother to be hounding her for breaking one of the few rules that
they had instituted for her abilities. She expected when they got back to Earth for Temas to
leave her, and for the Illuminar to be taken away. Luma knew that her brother was toying with a
new ship design, and that ship wasn't specially built to accommodate her.

Luma was depressed. Her small ones had been retrieved even though many of them were
damaged by the experience. A new pilot had come aboard however, and Luma found most of
the pilots to be intriguing. She knew that the new pilot, the one that the other officers were
calling the hotshot, had not been informed or briefed about her, since her presence and her
abilities were secrets of Starfleet.
Manifesting in her Temas' office at the appointed time, Luma chose a much smaller version of
her true form, the crystalline snowflake that had been her physical temporal form among the
Lenai. As she twirled, giving off splinters of light, Luma seemed to gaze up at her bondmate.

::The Riven must repair the bond between us soon or Luma will need to seek another to serve
her as the temporal anchor. Luma does not have another viable option aboard the ship besides
the Riven and the Temas.:: Not Luma's or Hers as she had often called him.

Luma turned her attention towards the door and her demeanor changed, ::What if the new
hotshot doesn't love Luma? The Tempest almost approves of the hotshot, and if he is forced to
leave the Tempest might become sad.:: Luma twittered, her small ones were who she doted
upon much to the frustrations of the crew in the past.

Standing beside the Counselor's desk was a 3 ft tall, glittering, crystalline snowflake with no
discernable humanoid features. From the computer's speakers came the rich, melodic voice of
the Lenai, =^= Welcome aboard Luma's skin, Tempest's Hotshot. Luma is pleased to welcome
the Hotshot small one among her collection of small ones that Luma cares for aboard the skin.
The Hotshot must have many questions, and is therefore invited to sit down and partake of the
human ritual known as coffee and chatter. This one is known as Luma of the Lenai, and Luma
is the 'brain' of the Illuminar, and this is Luma's physical form, blessed by Luma's Bohb via the
holo-emmitters aboard the Luminar.=^=

Catching the blank look, Luma turned towards her Temas, =^= Luma's Temas is a skilled
communicator which is fortuitous because Luma learned the Federation standard from
broadcasts called the sitting comms.=^= She said that so proudly.

(reply Temas, dyson)
(posted by Mel)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 1002)

Temas could sense Luma before she appeared. He was not surprised by her arrival, but he was
surprised by her appearance. A three foot tall snowflake was not something he saw everyday.
Usually it was much larger. Temas smiled at her, but could still feel the distance between them,
and his smile faded.

::The Riven must repair the bond between us soon or Luma will need to seek another to serve
her as the temporal anchor. Luma does not have another viable option aboard the ship besides
the Riven and the Temas.::

And there it was. Being bonded with Luma had made Temas feel as “normal” as he had ever
felt. He had a much greater focus and control over his substantial abilities. On this ship he
knew that only Luma and Riven knew exactly how dangerous he could be. Being in that other
universe put him back in touch with that power. Sekal might suspect. Losing his bond with
Luma could be devastating to him. Having Luma bring the subject up twisted that dagger in his
heart even more.

Before he could respond Luma changed the subject.
::What if the new hotshot doesn't love Luma? The Tempest almost approves of the hotshot, and
if he is forced to leave the Tempest might become sad.::

Temas swallowed his personal feelings, as he had done so many times before and smiled.

::I am certain he will love you Luma. He would not be here if he were not qualified. And he
would only leave if ordered to do so. Either way, Tempest is a big girl. She can handle herself,
and him.::

A moment later the door chime rang and Temas opened the door. When Dyson stepped into
the office Temas was surprised. He did not look to be in his mid thirties. But he carried himself
confidently. The scrtuffy beard made it seem like he was attempting to look older than he did.
Before he could say anything Luma spoke up.

=^= Welcome aboard Luma's skin, Tempest's Hotshot. Luma is pleased to welcome the Hotshot
small one among her collection of small ones that Luma cares for aboard the skin. The Hotshot
must have many questions, and is therefore invited to sit down and partake of the human ritual
known as coffee and chatter. This one is known as Luma of the Lenai, and Luma is the 'brain' of
the Illuminar, and this is Luma's physical form, blessed by Luma's Bohb via the holo-emmitters
aboard the Luminar.=^=

Catching the blank look, Luma turned towards her Temas, =^= Luma's Temas is a skilled
communicator which is fortuitous because Luma learned the Federation standard from
broadcasts called the sitting comms.=^=

The sound of pride in herself made Temas smile. He sent a wave of pride to her through their
bond, hoping to start small things to repair the damage. He didn’t need to be a telepath to know
what the pilot was thinking. The look on his face said it all. He knew the question before it was
being asked.

“Is Luma an AI? Or are Lenai something else ?” Dyson asked.

Temas stood up with a chuckle, “No, Luma is a living entity. She is the … soul of the Illuminar.
She resides in the ship, wears it as a skin. It’s a little more complex than that, really, but that is
the simple answer. She is not a computer, but I must say that she is rarely wrong. Please do
not treat her as a computer. You can speak directly to her through the com system if you need
or want. She is quite friendly, and loving.”

He paused slightly, “But of course I am a little biased. I’m Temas Laredo, and I am her bond
mate.” ::Meanwhile.:: He sent that to Luma with a sense of hope. “And there is a great deal
more to that than I care to explain right now. Please, have a seat.”

“So… what do you want to talk about ?” Dyson asked.

Temas nodded. To the point, he liked that. “Well Ensign Dyson, it’s standard protocol to have
an interview with the ship’s counselor when arriving on a new ship. First of all, i just want to get
to know you. This is not an evaluation. However, I would like to get a deeper understanding of
who you are. Are you okay with that?”

(reply Dyson)
“Let’s start simply,” Temas said. “Tell me a little bit about yourself. Whatever you feel
comfortable with.”

(reply Dayson)
(posted by Al Muir)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – ACONN Ensign Alexander Dyson – 1004)

“Well Ensign Dyson, it’s standard protocol to have an interview with the ship’s counsellor when
arriving on a new ship. First of all, i just want to get to know you. This is not an evaluation.
However, I would like to get a deeper understanding of who you are. Are you okay with that?”

“Fine with me.” ~Not that I have much of a choice.~ After all, this was what the rulebook
required. ~And Starfleet loves their rules.~ “How do want to begin ?”

“Let’s start simply. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Whatever you feel comfortable with.”

“Well, there’s not that much to talk about that is not in my file,” Alex began. “I was born on Mars,
my parents died when I was seven and when I turned twenty-one, I got busy flying freighters to
strange and exotic places. I eventually got back to Mars and landed myself into trouble with
some cranky officers. That got the attention of a Starfleet recruiter and here I am.” He paused
and leaned back.

“I like to paint, I like to draw and I like to sing. Alas, all my drawings and paintings where vented
into space from a ship called the Hyperion. She suffered a hull breach and lost all her cargo,”
Said hull breach had been caused by a collision with a freighter called the Victoria. ~Because
the pilot miscalculated the course.~ He had been fired and Alex had been hired. “As for my
singing…well, it’s been compared to strangling a cat.”

(Reply Luma [if you want], Laredo iyw)

“My parents were geologists, but I didn’t inherit their science skills. In fact, I’m not very good at
science and medicine. I figure my flying skills came down from my grandfather William. He’d
died by the time I was born, so I never met him. But I know he flew impulse ships between Mars.
And that it was his father Alex, who I was named after, who moved the Dyson’s from Australia to
Mars.” Alex scratched his face. “Anyway…” He sighed. “Mom and dad were working for a project
to expand Utopia Colony. You know, figuring where it was safe to tunnel. Something went wrong
with the digging machine and there was a cave in. They and five others were killed.”

(Reply Laredo, Luma)

“I was raised in an orphanage. It was near the top of the pressure dome and the top floor had
this window that had this wonderful view of the sky. At night, I would sneak out of my room and
look at the stars. The orphanage’s dome was in the middle of nowhere, so there was very little
pollution. Anyway, eventually, I turned eighteen and I could get out of there. After eleven years of
rules, I wanted some place with lots to freedom. And the civilian sector had it. Not to mention
plenty of distant places to explore.” He paused. “And plenty of pretty girls.”
(Reply Laredo, Luma)

“I’ve charmed many a lady, of more then one species…” He winked at Luma. “…but were only
three ladies I….” ~How do I say this ?~ “…well, tried to make babies with.” He paused. ~You’re
going to have to tell somebody sooner or later.~ “K’Nera, she was Klingon..” He leaned closer to
Luma, while lowering his voice. “…and very, very drunk. As was I.” That had been a one night
stand. “And Claudia, who was Orion. We dated for six months before…you know. But…” Alex
sighed.

“Her name was Yenna Valerius and she was the love of my life. We spent three wonderful years
together. She was great, the ship was great. And if the ship hadn’t been confiscated by the
Nyberrite Alliance, I would have married her. I know she’s living somewhere in the Romulan
Republic, but I’ve never been able to find her.” His rant done, he turned to Laredo. “There might
be some small Dysons running around. But if there are, they are with their moms.
And…well….any questions ?”

(Reply Laredo, Luma)
(Posted by Ruben)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4, Counsellor’s Office – SPC Luma'lenai– 1007)

Luma floated beside her bondmate, the holo emitters making her able to manifest. It was
an exciting thing for Luma to meet with the new pilot, since they would need a good working
relationship. Luma was thrilled that the hotshot seemed to be artistic and musical. But the
musical point was soon dashed. “As for my singing…well, it’s been compared to strangling a
cat.”

Luma wasn't sure what the sound of a strangled cat might be, but she also knew that she
wasn't going to allow any of her small ones to engage in such a practice aboard her skin.
=^= Luma advises the small one known as the Hotshot that if there is an injury done to an
animal aboard Luma's skin, then the perpetrator shall be placed in an extended time out. =^=

Luma gave him fair warning that his hobby of torturing small animals would not be
tolerated. It would make Sienna cry and that was not acceptable.

<reply iyw>

“Anyway…” He sighed. “Mom and dad were working for a project to expand Utopia Colony.
You know, figuring where it was safe to tunnel. Something went wrong with the digging
machine and there was a cave in. They and five others were killed.”

Luma leaned toward the Hotshot and bowed her head towards him, =^= It is a sad thing
when entropy is embraced for the small ones left behind in this dimension. Luma is the last
of her species, and Luma's spawn was not able to cross into the star-song when the Lenai
had to transition to the starsong to avoid the Entropy that destroyed Lenar. =^=
It was important to express sympathy to build a relationship with those who were not
fortunate enough to be telepathic.

<reply iyw>

"Lots of pretty girls." Luma giggled. She didn't have facial features, so she couldn't express
her mood that way. Luma took the time to change her appearance. An anime cat girl
creature sat across from Alex now. She had purple cat ears, a purple tail and long purple,
glittering hair. Wearing a purple medieval front facing bodice, and a knee length skirt with
cat paws. She was a startling creature in this form and swished her tail as she sat on the
edge of Temas' chair. Luma wondered if when Gregory recovered if he would be competing
with the new hotshot for top tomcat on the ship. Luma leaned slightly forward, her smile
showing tiny cat fangs, whiskers twitching. =^= Luma has changed her seeming to be closer
to the Hotshot's form.=^= Luma sounded helpful, but Temas could sense that Luma was
enjoying the attention from the new arrival.

And that Luma was hoping that Riven would be able to repair the bond. Luma knew that her
stabilization was being affected by the damaged bond. Perhaps if they had more time for
the bond to solidify before the crises, well, Luma was ready for it to be repaired. She not only
wanted Temas back, she needed him back.

Luma's delight bloomed as Alex began to detail his love life. Luma loved gossip, and this
was right up her alley. Luma clapped her hands in delight, =^= The Gregory has competition
to his seducing ways! This is most excellent. The hotshot has the best gossip! =^= This was
likely not a great idea, and not why Luma should be interested in Alex.

=^= Luma is absolutely delighted that the hotshot is here! However, Luma needs to make the
apologies in advance, there will be times that Luma will take the skin from the hotshot and
become the pilot. It happened recently and Luma had to merge the realities of two adjacent
universes for a split second, overlaying the disparate locations for a brief time. Will the
Hotshot feel that his manly functions have been negated?=^= Luma really needed to know.
=^= Can the Hotshot allow that Luma is the skin? =^= There was so much that he needed to
know.

=^= The Hotshot DOES understand that Luma is a secret of the Starfleet and should not be
discussed outside of the Illuminar?=^=

(reply Temas, Alex)
(posted by Mel)

____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counsellor’s Office – ACONN Ensign Alexander Dyson – 1012)

Having completed his rant-slash-ramble, Alex wondered why he had told Laredo so much. But
then he realized that it had not been him he had been talking to. ~It was Luma he had been
opening up to.~ He knew that since she lived inside the computer, she probably knew most of
what he had been telling her already. ~Or would have figured it out sooner or later.~

At the same time, she had an interesting personality. Luma was innocent and childlike, but there
was a ton of potential there. ~I understand why she is paired with Laredo.~ He would be able to
protect her and provide the adult part of the equation. Meanwhile, Luma kept talking about what
he had just told her.

=/\=The Gregory has competition to his seducing ways! This is most excellent. The hotshot has
the best gossip! Luma is absolutely delighted that the hotshot is here! However, Luma needs to
make the apologies in advance, there will be times that Luma will take the skin from the hotshot
and become the pilot. It happened recently and Luma had to merge the realities of two adjacent
universes for a split second, overlaying the disparate locations for a brief time. Will the Hotshot
feel that his manly functions have been negated? Can the Hotshot allow that Luma is the skin?
=/\=

“I understand,” Alex began. “And I’m okay with that.”

=/\=The Hotshot DOES understand that Luma is a secret of the Starfleet and should not be
discussed outside of the Illuminar?=/\=

“Indeed Alexander,” Laredo began. “Luma’s existence is dependant in our ability to keep her safe
from discovery. Her history has been most unfortunate. She doesn’t appear to just anyone, but
since you will be… flying her skin, she felt that you two should meet.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Alex said with a nod. “It was nice to meet both of you. And don’t
worry, I have no intention of telling anybody about Luma.”

Knowing Starfleet Command, they would totally freak out at the notion of an energy lifeform
living in the computer core of one their starships. ~They wouldn’t care about here personality or
threat level.~ All they would care about was the rules. ~That’s bureaucrats for you.~ So he
would go along with not telling them. ~Turns out the Illuminar is not as regulation as a
expected.~ And that was just fine with him.

“I have one further question before we’re done. I noticed in your record that the you have
scarring on your back. I also know Dr. Solice, and she would have offered to repair the damaged
tissue. Why do you think you would refuse such service?”

“She offered and I did refuse. Those scars are a reminder that space is dangerous, they keep me
from becoming arrogant.”

(Reply Laredo, Luma)

“Well, time to get back to work,” Alex said as he got up. “You have my number if you need me.”

(Reply Laredo, Luma)

He winked at Luma… ~She is cute.~ …and walked out of the office. As soon as the doors closed
behind him, he sighed with relief. It had been much better then the average counselling session,
but he still didn’t like talking about himself. He checked the time on his fob watch and decided
to head for his quarters. ~Lunch, maybe some extra decorating and then back to the holodeck.~
So he headed out.

(Reply Laredo, Luma)
(Posted by Ruben)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 4 - Counselor’s Office – Counselor - Temas Laredo– 1013)

Dyson was clearly ready to leave, and his question made him sit back in his seat, which gave
him the appearance of bing irritated.

“She offered and I did refuse. Those scars are a reminder that space is dangerous, they keep me
from becoming arrogant.”

Temas tilted his head at the last statement, ~ And yet, here you are being arrogant with Luma.~
He tried to keep the thought from Luma. It was unbecoming of him to be jealous. It wasn’t as if
he and Luma were in a relationship. He wasn’t even sure if that were possible. But they were
bond mates. It was all so new. And what seemed to be like falling out of a tree had become
more difficult than hae could have imagined. He found himself just wishing things could be as
they were.

“Do you really need such reminders?” Temas asked.

“Well, time to get back to work,” Alex said as he got up. “You have my number if you need me.”

“I do but…” Temas tried to get out, but clearly Dyson was done and wasn’t really waiting for
anything more from the counselor. His last action was to send Luma a wink. He clearly heard
the the thought from Dyson’s mind.

~She is cute.~

When the door closed Temas sat back in his chair, unhappy with everything about that session.
And unhappy with himself. To be honest he wasn’t worried about the flirting with Luma. That
may have gone by unnoticed by the Lenai. But he was concerned as to whether Dyson, the
Hotshot, would attempt to take advantage of Luma’s innocence. Leaning forward he put his
elbows on the table and his head in his hands.

“Well that didn’t quite go as I had hoped,” he said, more to himself than to Luma, who was still
there in her cat like persona. However, he had gotten enough information to proceed. He would
need to keep an eye on this pilot. There was something about him that concerned him, but he
couldn’t put his finger on it at the moment. Some people are just too cavalier.

(reply Luma)
(posted by Al Muir)
____________________________________________________________________________
(USS Illuminar – Deck 1- Bridge - FSXO, Lieutenant Tempest Grey Wolf -1219)

Bridge duty on a starship in orbit was normally monotonous ... unless the Captain and 3/0 were
planetside, the 2/0 was in a coma and the XO was in the Ready Room. Did I neglect to mention
that put the senior officer on the bridge in the command chair? Montero was at helm and
Tempest was in the high seat. That made Bridge duty less monotonous with more responsibility
mixed in.

=^= Jones to Grey Wolf. =^=

Who the hell was Jones? The name was familiar but she couldn't put a face to it.

"Bridge here. Go ahead Mister Jones."

=^= Sorry to bother you, Lieutenant. But somebody is strangling the cat in Holodeck One ! And
all the computer will tell me is that it’s somebody from Flight Control. So, can you please do
something to make this violation of the Geneva convention stop ! I’ve heard bagpipes less
monstrous then this ! =^=

She tapped the button for the pop-up monitor and checked to see who was there. ~Ensign
Dyson doing more simulation training.~

Her voice was cool as she replied. "Let me get this straight Mr. Jones, you require me to comm
the officer in training and order him to cease singing so that you can perform your duty?"

(Reply: Jones)

"Is your duty related to a major repair on a failed system?" She knew the answer to that, all
systems were running.

(Reply: Jones)

~You have to be kidding me.~
"In that case Mr. Jones I suggest you vacate the Jeffries tube long enough to procure a noise
dampener so that you can return to your maintenance duties in peace and quiet. And stop by
Medical on the way to get something for that headache. Bridge out."

(Reply: Jones)
(Posted by Charles G)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Deck 5, Jefferies Tube – Security Officer Sam Jones – 1221)

=/\=Let me get this straight Mr. Jones, you require me to comm the officer in training and order
him to cease singing so that you can perform your duty?=/\=

“Yes, ma’am.” Sam said, while biting his lower lip. ~She is SO not happy with me.~ But below
him, whoever was doing this horrible singing, had just launched into a new song. And
this….person’s singing was enough for him to risk ending up on the receiving end of the wrath of
Lieutenant Grey Wolf.
=/\=Is your duty related to a major repair on a failed system?=/\=

“No, ma’am. I am trying to run diagnostics. But the singing is giving me a headache.”

=/\=In that case Mr. Jones I suggest you vacate the Jefferies tube long enough to procure a
noise dampener so that you can return to your maintenance duties in peace and quiet. And stop
by Medical on the way to get something for that headache. Bridge out.=/\=

~Well, that could have gone better.~ Sam sighed and set about executing the Lieutenant’s
suggestion.

NRPG: Just doing some decoration/character development. RPG:

(USS Illuminar – Deck 3, Dyson’s Quarters – ACONN Alexander Dyson – 1405)

The computer had kicked Alex out of the holodeck five minutes ago. The next block of holodeck
time had been reserved by somebody, as had been the rest of the day. So he had gone back to
his quarters. When he had been decorating it before – between his conversation with counsellor
and holodeck session number two – he had been replicating paintings and putting them up.
These were not his own works, but duplicates of other works.

~Victory Boogie Woogie, Starry Night and the Night Watch.~ Completing his collection of Dutch
art was M.C. Escher’s Relativity. All of these artworks were already in place. But there were
plenty of other pieces of art from other countries. He had pictures of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia
and Casa Mila, a small duplicate of Michelangelo’s Brutus bust and Man Ray’s Noire et Blanche.
Completing his collection were DaVinci’s Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. Some people would
have added Picasso, but Alex was not a fan of his work.

~Time to get to work.~ He replicated the necessary tools and supplies and got to work. When
he was done, his quarters had been turned into a mini gallery. ~Only two things left to do.~ The
first was to replicate an small easel for on his desk and painting supplies. This didn’t take long.
Now all he had to do, was do something about his bookshelf. Which was very empty. ~The
Times and Life of Scrooge McDuck, The Count of Monte Cristo and A Tale of Two Cities.~ And
that was it.

He replicated hard copies of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and an omnibus that collected all of the
Sherlock Holmes novels and stories. The rest of his shelf space was taken by Ian Fleming’s
original James Bond novels. ~None of that continuation nonsense on my shelves.~ When it
came to Bond, it was either Fleming or nothing. Done, he lay down on his bed and sighed. For
the first time in a long time, he had settled down somewhere. His mind drifted to the last time he
had done that.

(247 – Sickbay – Chief Pilot Alex Dyson – 0300)

247 was not exactly the conventional starship. Her life had begun a Tholian cargo drone, meant
to run on autopilot. But then her autopilot had broken down and she had ended up in hand of a
lady called Zara Farrell. Farrell had scraped together a crew and a pile of equipment and
components. Together, the crew had turned the drone into a working starship they could life on.
Now, under the command of Captain Zara Farrell, she was making her way across the stars.

Normally, flying 247 was Alex’s job. But she was docked at a Ferengi Starbase called Pel’s Little
Corner of Scum and Villainy. Once owned by a Ferengi lady called Pel, it was commonly known
as The Corner. ~The official name is way too long. And Pel died years ago.~ With the ship
parked, he was free to spend time with Yenna.

She was finishing a report on her typewriter, while he lay in the medical chair. Salvaged from a
dentist’s office on Aqua Victory Prime, it was a patched together affair. ~But so is this whole
sickbay.~ Yenna finally finished her report and joined him on the chair, putting her arms around
him and pulling him close.

“So, you ready to fly our Lovely Little Rust Bucket into Nyberrite space ?”

“Yes, I am,” Alex said. “But for now I have other plans.”

He kissed her, while thinking about the small black box he had hidden in his quarters today. A
box with a ring inside…

(USS Illuminar – Deck 3, Dyson’s Quarters – ACONN Alexander Dyson – 1450)

A thud in the corridor woke Alex from his slumber. He got up and walked into the corridor. A bit
further on, an enlisted engineer was running diagnostics and had removed a panel to access
some of the circuits. That panel had fallen over and caused the thud that Alex had heard.

“Sorry, sir.” The engineer – a Bolian male – said.

“It’s okay, just be careful. And don’t trip the secondary circuit, or you’ll have to start over.”

“Yes, sir. Will do.”

Since the Illuminar was parked in orbit and he could not spent more time on the holodeck, Alex
decided to go for a walk around the ship. As he did so, he began whistling Don McLean's
"Vincent."

(Reply any)
(Posted by Ruben)

Mission: An End and a Beginning
Day: 2
Stardate: 2446.03.17
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Corridor – ACONN Alexander Dyson – 1455)

As he had walked the corridors of the Illuminar, Alex had realized he had forgotten something.
~Doh !~ The good news was that even if he had remembered it, the replicator in his quarters
would have simply been too small to make it. So he went to find himself a bigger replicator,
which turned out to be one of the ship’s industrial units.

Once he got there, it took a bit of searching in the database to find the item he wanted. The
machine he asked the replicator to make was from a couple of centuries ago, so it was not
exactly very popular. ~I’m surprised it was even in there.~ His task complete, he headed back to
his quarters. When he arrived, the Bolian Engineer was just finishing up his work.

“A record player, sir ? Really ?”

“Yep.” Alex said. “By the way, do you have any idea who lives in Cabin 5B ?”

“No idea, but I can look it up in the computer, sir.”

“No, it’s fine.”

He gave the engineer a polite nod and walked into his quarters. It took a bit of doing, but he
managed to get the device set up. There wasn’t room for an extensive record collection in
his….well, room. But fortunately, the device came with a small drawer for storing vinyl records.
~Four records, it’ll have to do.~ Picking wasn’t easy, but he found his records in the end.

~Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Hits, Elton John’s Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player and The
Green Album by the Muppets.~ His fourth record had Klingon Opera on it. Alex had won this
record trader during a game of poker. ~Back on 247, in the good old days.~ At first, Alex had
never played it.

But then he had discovered it was a good way to get some peace and quiet with Yenna. As long
as the record played, none of the other crew members would come anywhere near their corner
of the ship. ~Let’s see if it works here as well.~ He put the record on a lay down on the bed as
the Klingon voices thundered through the cabin.

(Reply any)
(Posted by Ruben)
____________________________________________________________________________

(USS Illuminar – Jefferies Tube – Security Officer Sam Jones – 1512)

The good news was that Sam Jones had finished his diagnostics above holodeck one. The bad
news was that he had still had a ton of diagnostics to do on deck three. He was enjoying the
fact that his headache had finally gone away when somebody began blasting Klingon Opera in
the cabin below him.

“NOOOOOOOOO !”

He quickly grabbed the noise dampeners he had replicated before and put them on. They did
their job and the noise faded to the point that he could do his work. Quickly finishing the
diagnostic, he moved on to the next section. ~Finally, out of range.~ He took the dampeners off
and relaxed. Only for some idiot to start blasting Alba Ra.
“Ahhhh !”

He bolted from the tube and ran away screaming.

(Reply any)
(Posted by Ruben)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

End Compile