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To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)

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To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest) Starfleet Ship Design Bureau, Refit ("To Boldly Go...")
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Someone asked what we could do if we no longer had to have so many ships in the GBZ....

Available ships in 2322.Q1:
Oberths – 4 [Torbriel, Inspire, Hawking (B), T'Mir (V)]
Miranda-A – 14 [Lion, Agile (B), Bon Vivant, Svai, Dryad, T'Kumbra, Shield, Intrepid, Eketha, Eclipse, Firefly, Calypso, Dynamo, Clarion]
Centaur-A – 4 [Lightning, Typhoon, Cloudburst, Gale (B)]
Centaur-B – 7 [Bull (B), SF Berth A, SF Berth 1, SF Berth 2, Aurora, Yuudachi, Summerstorm]
Constellation-A – 8 [Kearsage (B), Triada, Challorn (B), Vigour (B), Selaya (B), Stalwart (B), Docana (B), Gerzzi]
Constitution-B – 6 (Exeter, Defiant, Valiant (B), Hood, Lexington, Saratoga, Korolev)
Renaissance – 14 [Torch, Justice, Emancipation, Suffrage, Enlightenment, Epiphany, Reason, Insight, Kir'shara, Incorruptible, Reformation, Oreasa Berth 1, UP Berth 1, UP Berth 2]
Constitution-A 1 - [Cheron (V)]
Excelsior – None.
Excelsior-A – 11 (Salnas (B), Discovery, Sojourner, Frontier, Lakota, Zarayet, Endurance (B), Spirit, Thirishar (B), Excalibur, Avandar (B))
In Refit- 2 Excelsiors (Rru'adorr, Pleezirra), 2 Centaur-A (Yukikaze (B), Zephyr (B))
In Repair – None.

*(B) = Blooded, (V) = Veteran

2322.Q2 changes: 3 Centaur-B [Winterwind, Chinook, Sirocco] complete refit. 1 Centaur-A [Gale (B)] goes into refit. 1 Kepler [Kepler] completes, 1 Renaissance [Ana Font Berth 1] completes.
Net changes: +3 Centaur-B, -1 Centaur-A, +1 Kepler, +1 Renaissance

Sol Sector – Requires D18 (Supported by LBZ and SBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 10 = 3 homeworlds (Earth, Betazed, Gaen), 7 other major worlds)
  • 2322.Q1 – Excelsior-A (6) [Spirit], Centaur-A (3) [Lightning (i)], Centaur-B (5) [SF Berth A], 2 Starbase I (14) [Earth, Betazed] = 28D
Vulcan Sector – Requires D10 (supported by RBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 5 = 1 homeworld (Vulcan), 4 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 – 1 Constitution-B (5) (Korolev), 1 Miranda-A (2) [Svai], Starbase I (7) = 12D
  • Notes:
Andor Sector – Requires D7 (supported by RBZ and KBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 5 = 1 homeworld (Andoria), 4 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 - 1 Constellation-A (4) [Challorn (B)], 1 Miranda-A (2) [Lion], Starbase I (7) = 13D
  • Notes:
Tellar Sector – Requires D7 (supported by SBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 4 = 1 homeworld (Tellar Prime), 3 other major worlds
  • 2321.Q1 – 1 Constellation-A (4) [Kearsage (B)], 1 Centaur-A (3) [Cloudburst], Starbase I (7), Extra Outposts (5) = 19D
  • Notes:
Amarkia Sector – Requires D7 (supported by SBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 4 = 1 homeworld (Amarkia), 3 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 - 1 Constitution-B (5) [Saratoga], 1 Miranda-A (2) [Bon Vivant], Starbase I (7), Extra Outposts (5) = 18D
  • Notes:
Ferasa Sector – Requires D13 (supported by TBZ and KBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 5 = 2 homeworld (Ferasa, Risa), 3 other major worlds)
  • 2321.Q1 - 1 Constitution-B (5) [Defiant], 1 Miranda-A (2) [Agile (B)], Starbase I (7) = 14D
Rigel Sector – Requires D7 (supported by LBZ and SBZ and HBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 4 = 1 homeworlds (Rigel), 3 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 - 1 Constellation-A (4) [Vigour (B)], 1 Centaur-A (3) [Typhoon], Starbase I (7) = 14D
  • Notes:
Apinae Sector – Requires D10 (supported by CBZ and SBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 6 = 2 homeworlds (Apinae, Indoria), 4 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 - 1 Constitution-B (5) [Exeter], 1 Constellation-A [Stalwart (B)], 2 Starbase I (14) [Grand Hive of Apinae, Indorian Starbase], Extra Outposts [5] = 28D
  • Notes:
Alukk Sector – Requires D7 (supported by TBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 5 = 1 homeworld (Alukk), 4 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q2 - 1 Constitution-B (5) [Hood], 1 Miranda-A (2) [Dryad], 1 Starbase (7) [Alukk Station] = 14D
  • Notes:
Rethelia Sector – Requires D12 (supported by TBZ)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 8 = 4 homeworlds (Rethelia, Fiiral, Arqueniou, Ashidi), 4 other major worlds
  • 2321.Q1 - 1 Constellation-A (4) [Selaya (B)], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Bull (B)], 2 Starbase I (14) [Rethelia Starbase, Arqueniou] = 25D
Romulan Border Zone – Requires D15 (Supports Vulcan and Andoria sectors)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 1 major world (Solitude)
  • 2321.Q1 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Sojourner], 1 Renaissance (5) [Reason], 2 Miranda-A (4) [T'Kumbra, Shield], 1 Oberth (1) [Inspire], Starbase I (7) = 23D
  • 2321.Q2 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Sojourner], 1 Renaissance (5) [Reason], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Sirocco], 2 Miranda-A (4) [T'Kumbra, Shield], 1 Oberth (1) [Inspire], Starbase I (7) = 28D
Klingon Border Zone – Requires D13 (Supports Andor and Ferasa Sectors)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 3 = 1 homeworld (Caldonia), 2 other major worlds
  • 2321.Q1 - 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Discovery], 1 Renaissance (5) [Epiphany], 2 Miranda-A (4) [Intrepid, Eketha], 1 Oberth (1) [Hawking (B)], 1 Starbase I (7) [Shrantet] = 23D
Cardassian Border Zone – Requires D12 (Supports Apinae sector)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: None
  • 2322.Q1 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Thirishar (B)], 1 Renaissance (5) [Emancipation], 1 Centaur-B (5) [SF Berth 1], 1 Miranda-A (2) [Eclipse], 1 Starbase I (7) [Lapycorias] = 25D
Sydraxian Border Zone – Requires D11 (Supports Apinae, Amarkia, Tellar, Sol, and Rigel sectors)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 2 major worlds (Vega, Klivvar Proxima)
  • 2322.Q1 - 3 Renaissance (15) [Enlightenment, Suffrage, Oereasa S Berth 1], Starbase I (7) [Vega] = 22D
  • 322.Q2 - 3 Renaissance (15) [Enlightenment, Suffrage, Oereasa S Berth 1], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Winterwind], Starbase I (7) [Vega] = 27D
  • Notes:
Licori Border Zone – Requires D11 (Supports Sol and Rigel sectors)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 4 = 1 homeworld (Paddah), 3 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Avandar(B)], 1 Constitution-B (5) [Lexington] = 11D
  • 2322.Q2 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Avandar (B)], 1 Constitution-B (5) [Lexington], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Chinook], 1 Starbase I (7) [Kappa] = 23D
  • Notes:

Horizon Border Zone – Requires D9 (Supports Rigel sector)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 9 = 6 homeworlds (Kelowna, Laian, Wumei, Vail, Obar, Okatha), 3 other major worlds
  • 2322.Q1 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Frontier], 1 Renaissance (5) [Justice], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Aurora] = 16D
  • 2322.Q2 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Frontier], 2 Renaissance (10) [Justice, Ana Font Berth 1], 1 Centaur-B (5) [Aurora] = 21D
  • Notes: New Renaissance arrives in Q2.
Themis Border Zone – Requires D7 (Supports Apinae, Alukk, Rethelia, Ferasa sectors)
  • Homeworlds/Major Worlds in sector: 0
  • 2322.Q1 – 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Lakota], 1 Renaissance [Torch] (5), 1 Constitution-B (5) [Valiant (B)], 1 Starbase (7) [Gamma Canidae] = D23
  • Notes:

Gabriel Border Zone – Requirement ????
  • 2322.Q1 - 1 Excelsior-A (6) [Zarayet], 2 Renaissance (10) [Incorruptible, Reformation], 4 Miranda-A (8) [Firefly, Calypso, Dynamo, Clarion], 1 Starbase I (7) [Collie] = 31D
  • Notes:

Member World Ships Retained in MWCD: Retain 8 points of ships and one cargo ship (20 pp) - 1 Apiata Little Queenship, 2 Apiata Stingers, 1 United Earth Renaissance, 1 Andorian Centaur-A, 1 Orion Molhane Patrol Escort, 1 Tellarite Renaissance, 2 Amarkian Anacail, 2 Amarkian Centaur-A, 1 Rigellian Turtleship


Task Force: Beyond (assume continues to 2322)
-[X] Mission: Counteract Horizon diplomatic efforts in the Horizon Border Zone region. (Name is a play on Beyond the Horizon.)
-[X] Commander: Samhaya Mrr'shan - +1P to Flagship, reroll first failed combat roll each year
-[X] Attachments: Free FDS Diplomatic Team attachment
-[X] Ships: 1 Excelsior-A [Salnas (B)], 1 Constitution-A [Cheron], NEW 1 Renaissance [Insight], 1 Apiata Little Queenship, 2 Apiata Stingers, 1 United Earth Renaissance, 1 Orion Molhane Patrol Escort


Task Force: Handshake (assume continues to 2322)
-[X] Mission: Conduct covert diplomacy with the Dawiar. (Name is from secret handshakes.)
-[X] Min-Jee Lee - +1 P on flagship
-[X] Attachments: Free FDS Diplomatic Team attachment
-[X] Ships: 1 Excelsior-A [Endurance (B)], 1 Oberth (T'Mir (V), 1 Arqueniou Leb Nin (free), 1 Rigellian Turtleship, Andorian Centaur-A


Task Force: Shield (assume continues to 2322)
-[X] Mission: Dissuade Hishmeri raiding.
-[X] T'Mina - Reroll the first failed intercept each quarter.
-[X] Attachments: None
-[X] Ships: 1 Renaissance [Emancipation], 1 Tellarite Renaissance, 2 Amarkian Centaur-A, 2 Amarkian Anacail


[NEW] Task Force: Nigim
-[X] Mission: Resolve [Continent of Goo: 0/100] tag on Yizgisi
-[X] Diego Zaardmani - +1S on Flagship, Re-roll first failed Science check each year
-[X] Attachments: Starfleet Spacelift: 10pp on Purchase, 5pp per year. Enables major disaster relief; Lt. Sadd-Har's Cadet Field Training Team: 3pp on purchase, 3 pp per year. Effect: Increased experience gain for missions involving S rolls.
-[X] Ships: 1 Constellation-A [Gerzzi], 1 Centaur-B [SF Berth 2], 1 Centaur-A [Gale (B)] ---> In 2322.Q2 the Gale goes into refit and is replaced by the Kepler

[NEW] Task Force: Adazzi
-[X] Mission [Explore the Gulf]
-[X] Straak - +15 BR/SR on the first resource gain of each quarter
-[X] Attachments: Vulcan Science Academy Science Team. Cost: 5pp on Purchase, 5rp per year. Effect: Reroll first failed Science test involving an anomaly per quarter; All Pyllix Geological Institute Team. Cost: Free.
-[X] Ships: 1 Excelsior-A [Excalibur], 2 Constellation-A [Triada, Docana (B)], 1 Renaissance [UP Berth 1], 1 Oberth [Torbriel], 1 Forager


[NEW] Task Force: Yrillia
-[X] Mission: Resolve [Bigfoot is a Communist Pirate] tag on Yrillians
-[X] Vol Chad - faster experience gain for ships in the squadron
-[X] Attachments: Rixx Scrutineers: 5pp on Purchase, 5pp per year. Effect: Re-Roll Presence Tests during criminal investigations.
-[X] Ships: 2 Renaissance [UP Berth 2, Kir'shara], 2 Centaur-B [Yuudachi, Summerstorm]

Don't take Task Force Yrillia too seriously... that's kind of a placeholder for some diplomatic tag we might want to tackle. Also, added an extra Renaissance to Task Force Beyond.
 
I would really rather shuffle starfleet ships into our existing diplo TFs before making new ones.

And I STILL want that 1x Rennie 1x Centuar 1/2x science ship internal survey TF.
 
I like the task force proposals. Only suggestion I have is to see if we can get some Presence boosts to the Goo Continent TF. I'm as concerned with the political fallout as I am with the technical side. Things were very tense when we first made contact, and I'd like to tread carefully.
 
Briefvoice said:
Don't take Task Force Yrillia too seriously... that's kind of a placeholder for some diplomatic tag we might want to tackle. Also, added an extra Renaissance to Task Force Beyond.
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I'd like to put a dedicated taskforce on the Licori. With how many tags they have and what a critical position they're in for supporting the Ked Paddah, it should be a significant priority to nail them down as affiliates.
 
Random Member said:
Hmm, do you expect this will actually be used? Would trying to stop piracy count as a criminal investigation?
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Yep.

Because they have to offload the loot somewhere, and that means criminal conspiracies not rated for stopping a group that was rolling up the Syndicate just fine.

The hard part about taking down pirates is finding them. If you can figure out where they go to sell the loot you can jump them with a combat capable task group.
 
Briefvoice said:
Task Force: Shield (assume continues to 2322)
-[X] Mission: Dissuade Hishmeri raiding.
-[X] T'Mina - Reroll the first failed intercept each quarter.
-[X] Attachments: None
-[X] Ships: 1 Renaissance [Emancipation], 1 Tellarite Renaissance, 2 Amarkian Centaur-A, 2 Amarkian Anacail
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Awww, no Salnas?

[NEW] Task Force: Nigim
-[X] Mission: Resolve [Continent of Goo: 0/100] tag on Yizgisi
-[X] Diego Zaardmani - +1S on Flagship, Re-roll first failed Science check each year
-[X] Attachments: Starfleet Spacelift: 10pp on Purchase, 5pp per year. Enables major disaster relief; Lt. Sadd-Har's Cadet Field Training Team: 3pp on purchase, 3 pp per year. Effect: Increased experience gain for missions involving S rolls.
-[X] Ships: 1 Constellation-A [Gerzzi], 1 Centaur-B [SF Berth 2], 1 Centaur-A [Gale (B)] ---> In 2322.Q2 the Gale goes into refit and is replaced by the Kepler

[NEW] Task Force: Adazzi
-[X] Mission [Explore the Gulf]
-[X] Straak - +15 BR/SR on the first resource gain of each quarter
-[X] Attachments: Vulcan Science Academy Science Team. Cost: 5pp on Purchase, 5rp per year. Effect: Reroll first failed Science test involving an anomaly per quarter; All Pyllix Geological Institute Team. Cost: Free.
-[X] Ships: 1 Excelsior-A [Excalibur], 2 Constellation-A [Triada, Docana (B)], 1 Renaissance [UP Berth 1], 1 Oberth [Torbriel], 1 Forager
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A Gaeni mad scientist assigned to a continent of goo... nothing can go wrong!

Didn't Straak pick up a BFF from one of the Indorian colonies during his run on the Sarek? Oh, the plot bunnies...Aack!
 
pheonix89 said:
Wait, where's the probe dispenser then?

Starfleet standard probes use a torpedo chassis and launch from the torpedo tubes.

We might need to slip a torpedo launcher into a Kepler-A if we can't get a probe bay part.
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That was actually part of the reason I decided on a forward-facing shuttlebay for the Kepler.

Simon_Jester said:
Just toss the probe out a doggie door in the main shuttle bay door.
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*note-taking*
 
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    • Stardate 27499.9, USS Selaya, Hassonus Station

    When I materialize in Engineering, it's immediately obvious what's going on. Just as I thought, there's an intruder, and he's planting a bomb on my ship. No, not just any intruder. Oh -- logically I shouldn't rule out other possibilities, but I'm sure of it - this is the Lecarre who replaced Commander Vijay Roland. Who must have murdered him. Although ... "I see you have changed your face," I observe, phaser trained on him.

    He looks up from his work, a smile on his face. "Do you like this one better? Personally, I'm not a fan of Human faces in general, but they serve my purpose."

    "Stand down."

    "Or what? You'll shoot? Lotta antimatter here, plus my deadman's switch on the bomb. I wouldn't risk it if I were you. Or shall we die together?"

    "That would eliminate you. But it would do unacceptable damage to Selaya." I holster my phaser; he relaxes visibly.

    "I thought so." He thinks he's in control. That he has all the power here. "Now then, Captain, would you like to talk things out?"

    I charge at him. He does not have a phaser drawn, and at this distance, he would not have time for an accurate shot. Moreover, he is bound by the same logic I am - he cannot risk his life, or the secrets he has obtained die with him - so he will not attempt a wild shot.

    He gets a hand up in front of my first blow, but his defense is weak and I strike him through the block. I connect with my other fist, then slam him against the nearest wall. He grunts in pain, which is ... satisfying. Irrelevant, though, to my purposes. I take a moment to steady my mind, then go for a nerve pinch.

    Only, he resists.

    And then he reaches into his pocket, smiles again, and then jabs me. I feel a sudden, strong jolt, and I'm flung back - and I'm in pain.

    "I could have killed you, Captain," he says. "I know firsthand that electrocution's a painful way to go. But I'll be merciful, let the baryon sweep do the job. Hey, look on the bright side, you won't live to see your ship destroyed! That said, I must be going." He contacts the station computer, instructs it to beam him out and then delete any records of transports to and from Selaya, then waves good-bye at me. "Good luck with the bomb!" And with that, he beams out.

    Priorities: Find the bomb. Defuse it. Find the infiltrator. Bomb first. Logically, he'd've placed it where it would do the most damage ... no, here. Coolant. His original plan would've been for this to go off at warp, and a loss of coolant would've triggered a breach in short order. It will still do significant damage to the ship as is. He must have been pressed for time getting this bomb together, because it should be easy to disable. ... appears easy to disable, because he's rigged it to appear like a standard Ashalla Pact explosive, while wiring it completely differently. Clever, but not clever enough to fool me.

    I've finished disconnecting the last circuits powering the detonator when I hear the baryon sweep approaching. Time to go. The tingling of the transporter at work mixes with an extremely strong sensation of heat from the edge of the baryon sweep. Turns out the sweep's going faster than I anticipated.

    Well.

    I'm alive, so that's good. The pain has been replaced with a numbness, especially on the side of my face, which is ... not... good. Probably third-degree burns.

    The fact I am probably somewhat unrecognizable causes a plan to crystalize. He won't know I'm still alive, which is very good.

    Okay, now, where is he?

    No, wait, calm the panicking bystanders first. "I am fine," I shout. "The injuries are only superficial, I retain all faculties. This is more important - has anyone here seen a Human male, 1.84m in height, medium build, black hair, olive skin?" The looks of confusion are evident on everyone's faces.

    Wait, of course. He didn't beam here at all. He beamed directly to a ship.

    "Really, you need to see a doctor, you've got third-degree burns!" one Fiiral shouts. She starts walking over to me, clearly intent on escorting me there directly. She means well.

    "I know. Were there any interstellar flights that just left?"

    "Flight four, direct service to Risa. Now, please, will you go to medbay?"

    "Of course!" I see the Fiiral's eyes go wide in shock and realize I just snapped at her. "I'm going. Just... how fast is that flight?"

    "Six weeks, alright? Now come on, those burns are really dangerous." I nod. I'm well aware of the dangers of severe burns; my first rotation in med school was on a burn ward. And anyways, there's nothing I can do right now. I'll find a way to get to Risa ahead of the infiltrator, one way or another.

    I think for a moment of my emotional state. I tell myself what I am doing is logical. An old analogy from my island home splashes across my cortex -- logic as a boat, that allows the conscious-me to ride the seas of emotion. Intimately connected to emotion as the ship is to the sea, riding crests and surviving dips. But always above it, unless one fails to constantly check the ship for leaks, bail the water that has spilled over the gunwales.

    I look at the Fiiral taking me to sickbay. She looks back at me, I see fear.

    Stardate 27542.2, Risa

    I've been stalking my quarry for hours now. Being a dead woman has bestowed some advantages to me, like the fact the murderer who stole Vijay's face does not know of my relentless hunt. It explains why he is so casual, stopping every few meters to look at shops, or talk to the locals.

    It is time to strike and end this. I swiftly part the crowd and grab him by the shoulder. I spin him around -- I want to observe his fear when he recognizes me.

    Illogical. Stupid.

    His eyes do widen, but not with fear. "Heeyyy," he drawls, holding a Horga'hn statue, "You here to provide the diversity while I provide the infinite combinations?"

    He smirks but then frowns when I recoil. I mutter an apology and slip back into the crowd, my face hot. If my teachers could see me now they'd be disappointed. If the T'Arvit from a year ago saw me now, she would disown me. My mental boat is perilously close to sinking

    This man isn't Vijay's killer. He's not taken even one step towards finding a ship, he's openly propositioning anything with a pulse and compatible body temperature. Escape's clearly the furthest thing from his mind. He did not recognize me. So for the last five hours, I've been following the wrong man. So he could be anywhere on Risa right -

    Wait.

    Why did I assume he got off the ship at all?

    Ah. The ship was heading for Earth after her stop here. Of course. His mission isn't over; if it were, he would've found a way through our patrol net back in Rethelia Sector. He never wanted to escape.

    I walk off. I've wasted five hours here. The ship's already gone. She's a pretty fast liner as is, and without the ability to cut across neutral space, there's no way I can catch up. No other liners left in port today, and what ships are here can't match a ship that can hit warp 7.

    So this is where the trail ends. Officially, I'm dead, and for nothing. I have no further leads; all I can say is that a man who possibly matches a particular description is going to Earth, aboard one of three possible liners. After all, thanks to that little diversion, I gave him a five-hour window. While he shouldn't have felt any need to change ships, since as far as he should have known, I was dead, it's possible he took precautions anyway.

    Now what?

    I find myself at a seaside resort, drinking Vulcan spice tea. Steam wisps into the air, dissipating like my leads. I'm drinking it to center myself, remind myself of my home and lessons. That's what I tell myself anyways. All I know is there's a drumbeat in my head that matches the surf crashing onto the shore. I sigh, to the surprise of someone next to me, and get ready to ask for a communicator.

    "... T'Arvit?" I recognize that voice. I turn to see a human male swivel on a stool to face me. Aaron Wolfe. An academy classmate, he went on to serve on Enterprise before finding his way into Intelligence. He looks suspiciously at his glass. "Okay, that drink was a lot stronger than I thought, because I'm seeing a dead person."

    "Your last statement is incorrect." I give Wolfe a minute to process this.

    He stares at me, then shrugs. "Alright."

    I always appreciated Wolfe's ability to accept the outlandish with little protest. "Can we find somewhere quiet to talk?"

    "I know a place," he says, as we leave and turn down a secluded path. "I just hope there's a good reason for this," he grumbles.

    "There is!" I wanted to wait for a more secure location, but I feel I owe him an explanation. "I have been chasing an infiltrator, likely Lecarre, probably the same person who replaced my First Officer. He attempted to sabotage my ship during a baryon sweep at Hassonus. I faked my death to keep him from suspecting I was still on his trail. I thought he was going to get off here, and tailed the wrong man out from the spaceport. Instead, I believe now that he never left ship, and is bound for Earth at Warp 7, and I have no means to get to Earth ahead of him now."

    "... nah, I think I've got a way. Mind helping me pack?"

    "Pardon?"

    "I've got a ship," Wolfe says. "Well, a friend's got the ship, I've got the friend. And we've got bags to pack."

    "Ah."

    "At least I have a good excuse for bringing a dead woman back to the hotel."

    "I appreciate you taking this risk on my behalf," I say.

    He waves a hand, "I think you qualify as some sort of zombie-informant." He gives me a sidelong glance, "This isn't an attempt to eat my brains, is it?"

    "Don't be ridiculous. There would be extreme risk of prion exposure." I smile at him. "I'd start with the liver."

    "They never should have given you a medical degree."

    Stardate 27542.25, Sunshine Resort, Risa

    "You know, this would be a lot easier if we knew his target," Wolfe says, stuffing things into a bag so haphazardly it makes my eyebrows twitch. "That way we could just make him come to us."

    "I do know every query he made while he was impersonating my First Officer." I hand over a PADD. Then I try and put some order to the chaos of his bag as he scans it over. "I haven't been able to find relevant information, but intelligence analysis admittedly is not my expertise."

    "Hmm. He seems to have been real interested in weapons developments - burst launchers, phaser arrays, that sort of thing."

    "I had presumed he intended to sneak out with whatever intelligence he'd gathered, but it would appear that that is not his mission."

    "Lots of queries about the Office of Naval Architecture. ... wait, shit. He's been tracking their leave requests. If he wanted to get to Earth, that would've been easy for a Starfleet officer. No, he made his move when he did to get here now, when ONA's director is taking leave on Risa. That's his mission - kidnapping her. Conveniently, she's just down the beach there." He's staring at specks out the window, suddenly very still. "Less conveniently, she's also watching my kid."

    "Sorry, you have a child?"

    "Yeah, I adopted a Bajoran." He does not appear to be joking.

    "When and how?"

    "Classified." He deadpans, "Literally."

    Stardate 27542.3, Arandia Beach, Risa

    Anne Usha's looking at us, her eyes incredulous under a wide-brimmed hat. "Let me get this straight. You think there's a credible threat to kidnap me, and instead of stepping up conventional security you want me to trust you two?"

    She's sitting up in her beach chair, stuck in the sand of a wide, white beach. Down near the waterline, her husband Han Seung is playing with their twins and Wolfe's child. I admire their level of communication. One look at Wolfe's expression, one nod to Han, and he'd quietly taken the kids away. They're trying to save a crumbling sandcastle from the relentless surf.

    Wolfe crosses his arms and looks smug, "Hey, I was going to try to get you Office 24 guards at all times, but you'll remember Kuznetsova shot that down."

    Usha and I both give Wolfe looks of disapproval. "If you scare him off by stepping up security, he will go to ground and we will never find him," I reply. "This is the only way we can ensure his capture."

    "Look, do you really trust Risan security?" Wolfe adds.

    "Alright." The commodore frowns. "I don't like it. But alright."

    "We require a means of disabling him without setting off his suicide implant. I understand you are an engineer; can you assist me with this?" I ask.

    "Can't you just, like, neck-pinch him?" Usha shrugs. "'Sides, I do ships, not people. Not sure how much help I'll be."

    "Lecarre appear to be resistant to the Vulcan nerve pinch."

    "Resistant? Well, maybe you just need to pinch harder?"

    "That's not how the nerve pinch works. A nerve pinch - a true Vulcan nerve pinch - is as much telepathic as physical."

    "So we strengthen the telepathic side of things?"

    "Synaptic stimulators, then?" I pick up a PADD, "I can design them -- can you build them?"

    "That's good for you, but what about the rest of us?" Wolfe asks.

    "Did you not bring any phasers?" I inquire back.

    "I'm on vacation! What sort of psychopath packs a phaser and his kid on a trip to RISA?"

    I consider this, "That is a fair point."

    Stardate 27542.5, Zeniya Institute for Aerospace Engineering, Risa

    Our team is in position dressed in casual clothing to blend in. I had initially selected a long coat with a wide collar for the operation, but Wolfe persuaded me this would, ironically, expose me. Instead, my clothing resembles his -- bright shirt with a flower pattern, loose leggings cut off at the knee.

    We are watching Usha as she talks to a small group of people, most of them shipbuilding experts, the majority Risan. The Zeniya Institute is hosting her on their extensive beach-wide lounge. Open to the public, of course.

    "I don't like using her as bait," growls Han beside me.

    "You should have married someone less amazing if you didn't want this to happen, Seung," Wolfe comments. He droops when Han glares at him. "Sorry. You know if we had any other choice…"

    "There's a Human approaching Usha," I say, and they both fall silent, the worried lines in Han's face sharp like a knife. "Cover my approach."

    I slip away from the table. Wolfe guides me through the crowd to avoid being seen. I realize just how swamped my little mental boat is, as my perception of the time it takes to reach the Lecarre ranges from an eternity to a few heartbeats. Or it could be the synaptic stimulators.

    I come up behind him as he's shaking Usha's hand, chattering away. He's trying to ask if she's available for a special lecture for his students, or maybe further discussion. He won't let go of her hand.

    "I would," Usha says. "But, you know. Kids."

    "Hey, hey, I get it!" The murderer smiles back at her. "I got three little ones of my own. Watching them grow up -- I wish I could be doing it right now. I won't take up too much of your time, I promise. But I really need your help…" He pauses as he sees Usha's eyes flick to me. I'm not quite within reach, and his head is turning…

    "Like how you're going to steal me away from my kids?" Usha blurts, "Lock me up on Gervanis? Or will it be Cardassia?"

    His head snaps back to look at her, shocked, and I have my opening.

    As I pinch his neck, our minds are briefly linked, and I put all my mental energy into one telepathic command: "SLEEP." He doesn't want to. He wants to complete his mission or die trying. But I won't let him do either.

    He relents under the mental pressure and collapses. I automatically check for a pulse; it's still there. "It's him. He's unconscious. Contact the nearest hospital, tell them to get a surgical room prepped."

    There's an awkward silence. I remember dead women don't have any authority.

    "Do what she says," Usha says. "You can certify my credentials with Starfleet Command."

    Stardate 27542.64, Temtibi University Teaching Hospital, Risa

    It's good to be back in scrubs. There's something comfortable about being back in this role, working to keep a patient alive. I'm certainly giving my makeshift team of first-year residents and medical students a good lesson in xenobiology.

    The kill implant is easy enough to disable, once we find do it - a single-use disruptor built into the brainstem. It's more of an engineering task than a medical task. After it's done, we close up.

    "Alright, let's see if that worked. 20ccs of cordycytamine, please," I order. "That will wake the patient."

    He awakes. His eyes widen, taking in the scene. Taking in my face. He twitches his head. I allow myself a slight, triumphant smile when there's no effect, nothing but what seems to be usual post-surgical discomfort. "You don't get to die," I tell him.

    "No, I don't get to die fast. The implant you disabled kills in seconds; the one you didn't--" His face contorts in pain, and the next words are mostly a grunt, "--takes an hour!" He laughs, then is wracked with coughs.

    "What's so funny?" I ask.

    "I at least offered you a quick death, yet you caring Federationers give me a slow, painful one."

    I take blood samples, order tests that I know won't complete in time. I suppose it's good experience for the med students. And perhaps we will be able to develop an antidote for next time.

    "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts," I intone, pressing my hands to his temple. If he still had the will to live, I might be able to bolster that, fight off the toxins pouring into his bloodstream, but I know even before melding minds that he wants to die. That's not why I'm doing this.

    I need to know.

    The memory comes to our shared mindspace with ease, without any mental struggle from him. I wish it hadn't, but the other mind is all too happy to show me. Vijay Roland died quickly, but in excruciating pain, and he took pleasure in that. It's monstrous.

    No, it was necessary. I took pleasure in a job well done, in a job that had to be done. For my children's sake.

    But he's trying to hide something, and his mental discipline is sinking fast as he dies. My mind pushes past his blocks like my fists did earlier. He's thinking of his children, his pride clear as day - his children's births, their first steps, their first words, their first lies, taking the firstborn to her first day of school, having to say good-bye.

    Weeks of rage and frustration well up. Anger, raw, strong, fresh from the memories of Vijay. That was the last time, I scream into our skulls. You'll never see them again!

    The mental barriers he'd been putting up crack, and our minds almost fully meld. Memories mix, jumble up: I recall taking pride in my first assignment - a biologist aboard the Challorn, assassinating and impersonating a Lecarre pacifist. Being trapped in an Orion body, or an Orion holodeck, but making the most of the circumstances. Learning some of the secrets of the universe, or at least of Starfleet. Saying farewell to a wife, or a grandmother, for the last time. Realizing that the Caldonians of Ergot will never regain their former intelligence, their minds consumed by the parasites.

    Realizing that his mind is dying soon, that his intelligence is slipping away.

    I could stop that. If he let me. If his anger, his fear of death, his love of his family - if that were enough to get past his fear of us. Of captivity. But it isn't, and he won't.

    He won't even let me know his name.

    So I break the meld.

    "You get what you came for?" someone asks. It's Wolfe.

    "If my patient weren't about to die anyway, I'd reprimand whoever let you in here without scrubs. But yes, I got what I came for. I got a sense of who he was, of what he did, of why. I have a piece of him with me, now." That is the explanation couched in spiritualism, of course. It's more like an emulation, to use the word of computer programmers, or a fork of the father-infiltrator's consciousness. His 'soul' is nothing but some electrical impulses in the folds of my brain.

    "Wait, forever?" Wolfe says quizzically, "That sounds ... I mean, Archer was changed by Surak. This could be long-term traumatic--"

    "No." I say firmly, "I will return to Vulcan and have the katric masters remove his engrams from my brain. And then, he will truly cease to exist."

    Wolfe grimaces. "Alright." He breathes out. "That works as a segue; should talk before you step out of here. Starfleet has a lot of questions, most pressing is 'why did you fake your death.' I shouldn't have to tell you how serious it is… going AWOL is serious."

    The usual mirth on his face is gone. I nod in reply.

    "I think it'll be best if you claim -- hell, it's probably true -- the accident rattled you around a bit. You weren't thinking straight. They'll make you take some time off, but it'll save you from ending up captaining a hospital ship." He stops, tilts his head, considering. "Well, unless you want--"

    "No." It'll be lying. I know this. I don't know how much he knows it.

    Or is it? I wonder. A snap decision, then doubling down on it after I suffered third degree burns. And I don't feel ready to return to duty.

    Wolfe's looking at me. "I-- believe some time off could be beneficial," I say.

    "Sweet. I have some spots picked out already," he replies. I take one last look at the corpse as one of the residents pronounces him dead, scrub out, and then join him outside the operating room. The door shuts behind me.

    Written with @Iron Wolf
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Ah, Starfleet captains. Doing crazy shit since ... um, probably before Starfleet was a thing?
     
    Re the Kepler: they probably have a dedicated probe chucker on the same propulsive principles as a torpedo launcher, just significantly more cut down. The probes can be used with a launcher but don't have to be used with them.
     
    pheonix89 said:
    Ah, Starfleet captains. Doing crazy shit since ... um, probably before Starfleet was a thing?
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    Technically Cochran wasn't a captain but close enough.

    Forgothrax said:
    Which is system working as designed. The Comet is a specialist for a limited use case. It's something we want to have around in case we need it because the design process is so long, but we only need 5-10 active right now. If something happens and we need more we'll have them. If not, we can just keep the design on file and periodically update it if necessary.

    R&D and prototyping is fairly cheap and we now have a large enough fleet we can afford to invest in limited run specialists. Expect to see more of these pop up.
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    I think we're talking past each other so I'll repeat the question without the purple prose.

    Why keep building Centaurs instead of the Comet, which does everything the Centaur can except better?

    Centaur-B 2321-Future [315m, 898k t, 21.81% ev, 100% rel]
    C4 S4 H2 L4 P4 D5
    Cost [90br, 65sr, 2.25 Years], Crew [O-1, E-2, T-2]
    Refit Cost [30br, 20sr, 1 Year]

    Comet 2325-Future [1.1m t, 22.45% ev, 98.59% rel]
    C4 S4 H3 L5 P4 D8
    Cost [105br, 75sr, 2.5 Years], Crew [O-2, E-3, T-3]

    Is there some amazing Centaur-C Refit out there that I'm unaware of?
     
    chriswriter90 said:
    Why keep building Centaurs instead of the Comet, which does everything the Centaur can except better?

    Is there some amazing Centaur-C Refit out there that I'm unaware of?
    Click to expand...
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    Centaur is more crew efficient? Its 4.6 stat/crew vs Comet's 3.5 stat/crew. *shrug* Depends on how much crew we can spare after filling out Ambassadors and Keplers, I guess.
     
    Question of costs really.

    Comet requires 3 more crew units, 15br, 10sr and another quarter of build time.
    In return you get +1H +1L +3D, and the more advanced frames for future refits.

    If we can afford it, I expect we will build Comets.
    If we are facing a resource or crew crunch, we might get more ships out of the budget with more Centaur-Bs. Just have to wait to see how the numbers pan out.
     
    pheonix89 said:
    Ah, Starfleet captains. Doing crazy shit since ... um, probably before Starfleet was a thing?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Remember, the Federation is a post-scarcity paradise. Anyone could live their whole lives in peace and harmony without ever risking their lives. So anyone who willingly steps into a tin can to go out into the unknown and near certain danger has to be a bit crazy.
     
    charysa said:
    Awww, no Salnas?

    A Gaeni mad scientist assigned to a continent of goo... nothing can go wrong!

    Didn't Straak pick up a BFF from one of the Indorian colonies during his run on the Sarek? Oh, the plot bunnies...Aack!
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    He did, but pretty sure she was a medic, not a geologist

    Edit: whoops, sorry for double post.
     
    From the looks of it, Comet costs more and requires more crew, in addition to longer build time in exchange for somewhat better evasion, +1H, +1L and +3D. In absolute terms it's a better combatant, but it doesn't actually do everything better than a Centaur-B, which is cheaper, faster to build and has nominally higher reliability.

    Just because we're not imploding our economy on purpose doesn't mean we should mass-produce every single new design. Comet isn't actually that flat-out better than Centaur to justify replacing Centaurs entirely at its current cost point.
     
    chriswriter90 said:
    I think we're talking past each other so I'll repeat the question without the purple prose.

    Why keep building Centaurs instead of the Comet, which does everything the Centaur can except better?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Cost. CB is just as good at resolving rolls (less D but D5 is perfectly fine for many things) but costs much less. Comet is better in a fight and in the skirmish role. We will likely build both.

    Honestly the Comet will compete most with the Rennie-A... Which will handle response just as well but is a significantly better combatant and benefits more from doctrine. +2CH +1L is significant.
     
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