ILLUMINARRPG: (9-1548)- CO -- Captain Sekal

[Charles Gatling]

Mission: Death in the Shadows
Day: 9
Stardate: 2446.02.09

 (USS Illuminar -- Ready Room – CO -- Captain Sekal --1548)

 His workload was not decreasing for certain and when his security chief
had asked for a meeting it could have been over a number of things, the
action on the Kang or plans for tomorrow's insertion into the facility on
the surface of the planet to name just two but Lieutenant Lee had specified
Luma. So he was going to be having the other side of the conversation he
had already had with the Lenai. When the chime sounded he shrugged his
shoulders and turned from the viewport. "Come."

 Lieutenant Lee walked in and stood to attention. "At ease Lieutenant."

 “Thank you for seeing me, Sir.  As you probably heard by now, the entity
known as Luma and myself had a confrontation about her role.”

 Sekal nodded and gestured to a chair. "Have a seat Lieutenant. Luma has
already come to me about the incident as you correctly surmised. She gave
me access to the entire conversation and I have concluded that there was a
misunderstanding between the two of you."

 “First of all, I want to apologise to Luma for offending her. It was not
my intention to do that.”

The Lieutenant looked about when he said that appearing to expect the lenai
to hear his apology however Luma routinely avoided the Ready Room unless
called so the Vulcan placed his hand on the wall in order to contact her
telepathically. ::Luma Chief Lee has just tendered his apology to you.:: He
then relayed it to her.

(Reply: Luma)

 “I do have some concerns with regarding Luma’s involvement on this ship.
Correct me if I am wrong but is Luma persona linked in with the ship’s
systems and who is she accountable to in the chain of command.  I’m not
really clear about what she means by her father on the Hades”

 Sekal moved to his chair and sat down. "Luma is accountable to myself,
Commander Verin and other members of the command line Mister Lee just like
any other member of the crew on this ship and she will take their orders.
She routinely defaults to me however since I am a mind bondmate. What does
that mean? It means I am a direct point of contact telepathically, am
expected to mediate between herself and any member of the crew with which
she has a dispute and am a guide in her interactions with the crew. As for
how she is tied into the ships systems; she is integrated into the computer
system so has command/control interface with all of the automated functions
of the ship. As for your last question...," He sat back and crossed his
right leg over the left as he considered his answer.

"... Luma is an ancient being though childlike in many ways. My father was
one of her initial points of contact with our civilization and she has a
.... fondness for him as a former mind bondmate. When he returned to the
fleet he took up oversight of Luma in order to protect her and in turn she
has taken on a subservient role much like a child. In her mind he has
become a father figure and she refers to him as such."

 “I understand that Luma’s have some defensive capabilities to protect this
ship and the crew?  So I would like clarification on  how she can protect
this ship in the event of a boarding action or in the possible event of the
ship being captured.  Would she do this on her own authority or act on the
orders of a command officer?.  You see what I am worried about and what
comes to mind is that Luma  will make her own decisions without consulting
someone…a ‘loose cannon'. A loose cannon is an Earth expression meaning  an
unpredictable or uncontrolled being who is liable to cause unintentional
damage.”

 "Ah I see." The Vulcan nodded. "As I understand it this is a reference to
the fact that cannons on wooden sailing ships if they broke the ropes which
had them lashed to their places could roll about the deck causing
substantial damage." He then considered the question. "Luma will not take
action without orders or at the request of someone else on the ship. She
understands that the crew is to run, maintain and make the decisions that
govern the routine operation of it. Some of what she can do is classified
to command only level but I can say that she has some substantial
abilities." He got up and went to the replicator for a pitcher of water and
glasses then walked back to the desk and offered his security chief one.

"As for what might be expected from her outside of orders...," he took a
sip, "... were we to have boarders Luma could use the transporters to
neutralize the enemy and were the entirety of those aboard to be
incapacitated she could pilot the ship back to Federation space to get
assistance. While she is considered a civilian not having a rank she also
will obey orders as any other crew member."

“You see.  I am concerned that if she fell into enemy hands, she could be
radicalised or turned against Starfleet interests.  There has to be some
control over her.  Dare I go to say there maybe similarities to a Q ”

 "I believe I have already answered that concern. As Captain and mind
bondmate I give both orders and direction to Luma. As for your concern
about her being radicalized allow me to impart some background
information." Sekal activated the holographic system on the desktop and a
3D simulation of the Mystique appeared above it. "This is the USS Mystique.
Captain Winters and her first officer Commander Saleke encountered a
drifting generation ship some thirty seven years ago with Luma'lenai
aboard. All of its Illuminari crew had perished many thousands of years in
the past due to an accidental release of radiation due to damage to the
ship. Captain Winters took her aboard and integrated her into the Mystique.
My father then Commander Saleke took command of the Mystique after Captain
Winters was rendered unable to continue. Saleke's command was later
transferred to the USS Hades but he was not allowed to take Luma with him."

Sekal left the Akira class drifting above the desk as he took a drink then
sat back. "StarFleet Intelligence took control of the Mystique and spent
nearly ten years attempting to turn Luma into a weapon. They deprived her
of a mind bondmate which cut her off from real-time contact with her
surroundings, attempted to find ways to replicate her or create more lenai
and she resisted their efforts to indoctrinate her into becoming a
destructive force. In retaliation for her resistance they deprived her of
motive force, mothballed the ship and concocted a cover story of damage to
the ship in order to keep anyone away from it. This was what we stepped
into when we discovered the Mystique mothballed at Utopia Planitia space
dock. Luma was initially hostile to myself, Commander Verin and those with
us. I took on the role of mind bondmate in order to assuage her concerns
and mediate between herself and the command structure headed by at that
time Admiral Remae. As for keeping Luma out of enemy hands..." he set the
glass down, "... I will remove Luma and send her to safety if I can but if
I cannot I can and will destroy the ship along with her and all of the
classified material aboard it. Luma is well aware of this. But before it
comes to that I will consider and exhaust all other possibilities. As for
Luma being a Q? No though there are some superficial similarities. Luma is
an energy based, telepathic lifeform originally having a crystalline body.
The Q gave some the ability to escape the destruction of their planet. Luma
is aware of the Q and is afraid of them. She cannot match one though she
has some abilities you would find fantastic."

 “She make an ideal accomplishment when it to do with Security
operations..a defensive or offensive weapon."

Sekal leaned forward. "Yes she perhaps would but as I have demonstrated
Luma has already proven that she would refuse to be turned into such a
weapon. She is a being that prizes life, wishes peace and will do anything
in her power to safeguard those aboard her skin." All the while the 3D
representation of the Mystique hung stolidly above the desk.

(Reply: Lee)

(Posted by Charles G)


Charles Gatling
Commanding Officer
USS Illuminar
NCC 61240


"The light shines brightest amidst the deepest darkness."
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