Praeothmin

Might be, need to know how it works, how we create characters, rules and other stuff... I want to be the group's Jayne Cobb...

Ty, I see what you did there...

no

Ok, sorry...

Yup, I felt it was better then spending most of my time on some loser forum on the 'net... Oh wait...

But then I'll be even more tired... No, I'll be all-right once all these plays I'm acting in are done and over...

So tired...

Phaser's standard power settings are no higher than Blasters, and so glancing hits from either would be diminished for an armor wearing soldier. And as Worf was able to create a forcefield using his Comm-Badge, why do Starfleet personnel not wear a breatsplate with a power pack for the shields? Face it: They don't wear armor where anyone with half a brain should...

Yeah, I think anyone will agree Starfleet doesn't have armor, unlike the Empire, and even cheap armor that only protects against shrapnel or glancing hits is better than no armor at all... Maybe Starfleet costumes are simply made of fire-resistant material, since we know Phasers do have heat effects, and so they found a good compromise between pajamas and Phaser protection...

Good, I don't want me three...

Chapter 3 James slowly came to, feeling constricted and oppressed. Not wanting to let his captors know he was awake, he did not move, and tried to keep his breathing slow with yoga techniques. He then listened, hoping to glean useful information, such as what his captors planned to do with him. If they were from the same company as the medical laboratory he had penetrated, things might get nasty indeed. He heard voices close by, and used his hearing amplification to eavesdrop and learn as much as he could. “Argh, dat ‘urts. Do ghou habe to press dat ‘ard?†James recognized the voice as the one over the speakers, the voice of Lt. Cmd. Teramak, whom James had identified as the Security Chief. The voice was haughty, aristocratic in its inflections, but slightly grave, though higher pitched than James’s. The man was also speaking with a broken jaw, which immediately let James know that Lt. Cmd. Teramak, the Security Chief for this facility, was the blue skinned man James had fought with. “Yes, I have to! He broke three of your ribs when he punched you, in addition to your broken jaw. It’s a good thing you know how to fight so well and roll with punches, or you would be in worse condition than you actually are. Just ask your two officers who’ve been mule kicked by that man. And since you do not want me to use an anaesthetic, being a Warrior, this means you will have to endure all the pain that comes from the insertion method of the bone bonding compound we use. Now sit still, shut up, and you’ll be back in your quarters in two hours, and ready to work for your next shift.†With that final comment, Lt. Cmd. Teramak became silent, except for the occasional grunt of pain. James was satisfied with his eavesdropping, as it was very informative. The voice of the Doctor working on the Security Chief was the same one he had heard uttering “Intruder alertâ€, the same one he’d taken hostage and had interrogated, the woman dressed in blue, and had a nice British accent to it that he liked. The previous encounter also told him that Medical personnel wore black uniforms with blue shoulder pads, while security wore black uniforms with golden shoulder pads. He knew that the standard security forces at his present location weren’t any better than standard corp security, and that for some very bizarre reason, they did not wear any armor. He had learned that the Doctor knew how to fight, that the head of security was of a new Metahuman variant he’d never heard about, and that he was a tough man. And since Lt. Cmd. Teramak wasn’t knocked out, it was more then certain he was the one who had shot James in the back. Most importantly, he had learned that they had the technology to heal broken bones in a few hours, and wondered what other incredible medical technologies this Corp possessed. It would more than likely be worth making a run or two against it, if he ever got out. He was still listening when he heard the recognizable hiss of automated doors. “So Doctor, how is everyone?†A commanding voice asked. “I see our Security Chief is as solid as ever.†It wasn’t hard for James to ascertain that this voice, a voice full of authority, belonged to the head honcho of the operations at the facility. “Everyone if fine, Captain. The worst cases have been successfully stabilized, which was easy because our “guest†only hit them hard enough to neutralize them. I’m positive if he’d wanted them dead, they would be. The same goes for the other guards, the ones he fired at. The ammunition he used is akin to the stun setting on our Phasers, designed to incapacitate, not to kill. Although I suspect that, as is the case with Phasers, too many shots can kill a man too.†The Doctor finished. “How about our “guestâ€? According to Ensign Jonen, he was hit 4 times at Light Stun before he went down. Even Klingons have trouble taking three and keep fighting.†The Captain finished, his voice getting stronger, indicating he was coming in for a closer look. “Well, Captain, the last hit injured him, if ever so slightly, and it took barely 1 minute under the dermal regenerator to heal him completely. After he was healed, I performed a full medical scan, and found a few interesting things about our friend. One, he his 100% human. Two, if he hadn’t already been previously injured, I suspect he would have been able to take that 4th hit and still take down security guards. Three, his body was almost completely reworked, augmented biologically, to superhuman extents. And four, he has more scars and battle wounds than even our fearless Security Chief.†“What type of modifications are we talking about here, Doctor? Eugenics?†“Well Captain, have you heard of one Roga Danar? He was a genetically altered human who was transformed into the perfect war machine. Our “guest’s†augmentations resemble those of Danar, and also those of Doctor Julian Bashir, of Deep Space 9. They are cruder, though, less advanced then the ones we’ve seen, but he has many more than we’ve ever seen in one being before. This man was bred for battle. And he is extremely resilient naturally. If anyone here had as many augmentations as he did, our body would cease to function because of the biological overload.†“How much more?†The Captain asked with genuine curiosity, as well as some shock. “Well, if these modifications were cybernetic in origin, we would be looking at a Borg drone.†The last sentence hung in the air for a bit, before the Captain asked: “What modifications did he have?†“Captain, it would be quicker for me to tell you what organs weren’t modified: the tongue, the liver and the kidneys.†“Who would do such a thing? The Federation has outlawed such inhumane practices, and here we have the perfect example of mad science pushed to the limit.†The Captain said, contempt filling his voice. “Doctor, were you able to recognize the type of Bio-engineering, or find out where he comes from?†“No, but you may ask him yourself, our guest has been awake ever since I started treating the Lt.†Chapter 4 Oh Frag!, James thought. He knew there was only one way she could have known he was awake: magic. That meant the good Doctor was a Mage. James discarded the possibility of the Doctor being a Shaman because her actions were too composed, to formal, to be those of a Shaman, who tended to act emotionally instead of logically, and who tended to act more like their totem’s spirits. Knowing there was no reason for him to fake it anymore, James opened his eyes, let them get adjusted to his surroundings, and looked at the room he was in. It looked like no room he had ever been into, unlike the earlier room where the fight had taken place. He was lying on some sort of bed, or table, and had restraints across his wrists and torso, as well as his legs and waist. There were at least 6 other beds like his, except the occupants of the other beds, all of them James’s victims, were not restrained like he was, which showed the restraints were not there for his security, but theirs. All these beds had some sort of computer display or console, and while most were raised to the side of the beds, like his, a few were switched down, and hovered over the bed’s occupants, held aloof by a mechanical arm attached to the bed. The room had soft lighting, except over the beds, and he saw many consoles and displays on the walls, just like he had seen many times in the Shadow Clinic he went to. But these displays were many, many times more advanced and detailed than any he’d seen before. There were even displays above each individual bed, clearly referring to the bed’s resident. Craning his neck, he was able to get a glimpse of his. He quickly tested the strength of his bonds, moving in such a way as to seem to only adjust his body for a better view. “Don’t waste your time trying, these restraints are strong enough to hold a Borg. You can’t get out.†Mother Fragger! He thought, staring right at the Mage, stop assenssing me you slitch. He received some gratification in the fact that his anger had not gone unnoticed, and had even unnerved the woman a bit. Having no immediate way of escaping, James tried to relax, and decided to study the people who were in the room with him. The first people he noticed were the three security guards at the door. They were of average height and built, and James wondered what they would hope to accomplish against him were he loose, but then, remembering the Mage, he knew that all they needed to do was to stall him for one second and he’d be fried. Their tasers, or Phasers as the Mage had called them, were in their holsters, and they stood guard ceremonially at the door. One of them was of another new Metahuman type James had never seen, with its pig-like face, three fingered hands and hairy body. One, he did recognize: the female security officer who’d shot him in the back, the one he had missed, one Ensign Jonen. He glared at her, and though she knew he was restrained, though she had been cool-headed in the earlier fight, he took satisfaction in seeing her flinch ever so slightly under his glare. His eyes moved to a man he had never seen, but recognized from his posture and the way people looked at him to be the Captain. Close to 6 feet tall, athletically built with short salt and pepper hair and brown eyes, the Captain radiated authority. His angular features made him attractive, though not like the trideo actors and models people saw every day. This was a man who was used to having his orders followed, like many other corporate types James had met before. James noticed his uniform had red shoulder pads, another different color for another different function. He wondered if there were any color-blind employees working for them, and how they coped with the colour-coding. He also noticed that each person had, in addition to their Comm-Link badge –and Phasers for the guards – small round pins worn on their right neck collar. The Captain had four gold ones, while the Mage and Security Chief – a Lt Cmdr – both had two gold ones and one black one. The Ensign had one black one, and the pig-like guard had one gold and one black. James came to the conclusion these were rank insignia, and that the pig-like guard was probably a Lt second-class, or junior grade. These ranks screamed of a navy crew to him, and so he concluded he was held by some country or company’s Navy department, but since he felt no rolling and weaving like he should on a boat, he was in one of their land facilities. He assumed the continuous vibrations he felt and low thrumming he heard were some sort of power generator, so he was most likely in an underground high-security facility. Then he remembered what the Mage had said about an airlock, and so glumly came to the realization he was under water, which seriously complicated any escape attempts he could try. “I am Captain Damien Kirkinger , and I would like to know who you are, and what the hell you were doing on my ship.†The Captain said with a hint of anger in his voice. The anger was a ruse, just like James’s threats to the Mage earlier. But his message also conveyed something else: James wasn’t in an immobile under water base, he was in a very big, and very silent submarine, this Captain’s ship. He first thought of lying to them, of trying to mislead them, but then thought about the Mage, her ability to “read†him like a book, and in barely contained anger, he told them the truth – well, most of it anyways. “My name is James, and my arrival on your “ship†was accidental. I was… working, when there was an accident. I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, here I was.†He decided he’d let them work for their information, and see how forthcoming they would be with the answers he would eventually want. “He is telling the truth, Captain, but he is also hiding something.†The Mage said with a smug look on her face. “Captain, if your slitch Mage doesn’t get out of my head this instant, I will kill her, the first chance I get, and she can tell you that’s the truth too.†James said through gritted teeth, pulling at his bindings, as if he was going to rip them apart. He didn’t mean it, of course, but he was so angry, felt so much rage at being held like he was, impotent, with no backup, no possibility of escape, that the empty boast helped him compose himself a bit. It also revealed that the Mage could not read him perfectly, because she had reacted to his threat, if only momentarily, before appearing relieved to find out the threat was empty. It was James’s turn to show her a smug look, quickly, just to let her know he had pierced her, and knew she couldn’t read him perfectly. “You are in no position to make any kind of threats here, and if I don’t take kindly to having my officers threatened. If you want this conversation to remain civil, I advise you to remain polite and to reign you temper in. You are the intruder here, not us, so we ask the questions, and you answer. Understood?†The Captain asked with a steel edge in his voice, this time real, not feigned. James was surprised to see real care from the Captain for his crew, which made him re-assess his situation and believe he was in the “care†of some country’s Navy, not a corporate one, as he had never met a corporate Captain consider his crew as anything else than cannon fodder. This made James re-assess his strategy. Real military men were usually more honourable, and while James was indeed an intruder, perhaps by playing it a bit more straight with the Captain, he’d have a better chance of getting out of his predicament unscathed. “I apologize, Captain! I simply don’t like being probed like a test experiment. But you are correct, I am the intruder here, and so I am at your mercy.†He said, with all the honesty and sincerity he could muster. “I will tell you as much as I can, but first, I would like to corroborate your Mage’s assessment of my… intervention. I try to kill only when I have no other choice, and had I wanted, I could have killed each and every one of these people, including her.†He said, nodding at the Mage. “I was doing a mission, as I said, and was in a special location, when there was this flash of light, and I found myself in great pain, which made me pass out. I woke up on your ship, disoriented, and I acted as I had been thought: find an exit, and try not to be seen. I have no idea where we currently are, but I can tell you my point of origin: Seattle.†All the members of the ship’s crew raised their eyebrows at this statement, and kept looking at James with incredulity, even after their Mage had nodded to indicate he told the truth. “Seattle, as in: on Earth?†the Captain asked, incredulous. That question, for some odd reason, did not reassure James, in fact it did the exact opposite. “Where else?†He said, fearing the answer. Chapter 5 The Captain looked at James, seeming unsure if he truly trusted his Mage’s assessment on whether James was telling the truth or not. “Where else indeed?†asked the Captain. “Where do you think we are, James?†The Captain had a strange look in his eyes, which did not reassure James in the least. “I know I’m no longer in Seattle, that the “Doctor†and the Security Chiefs are Lt. Cmdrs as their rank pips indicate, which makes one of your guards, the Metahuman one, a Lt., probably second class or some such. I know you separate security, medical and command structures by uniform shoulder colors. I know, from the airlock comment the “Doctor†gave me that I am not on dry land in any secure building. I had thought I was under water, not above, since there was no rolling action, but now, by your reactions, I have to surmise we might be in Earth orbit. You are not working for any Corp, because you treat me way too well for that, and are too honest with me. This leaves a Government Navy or space agency. Your lack of discernable accent –except for a slight German undertone - and your Doctor’s British accent makes me think the British space agency, although I had no clue they already had ships in orbit. Clearly they are better than we thought at hiding secrets.†James looked at each of them, taking in every reaction, every movement of an eyebrow, twitching of the mouth, and saw that he was on the mark, or very close to it. “You are good.†The Captain said, truly impressed. “But you don’t even know the half of it.†He said with a grin. “Allow me to fill in the blanks. Indeed, we do not work for a “Corpâ€, we work for a Governmental body: The United Federation of Planets.†Captain Kirkinger looked closely at James’s face for his reaction at that statement, and seemed very satisfied with the incredulous look that had appeared on it. “Yes, James, I said “Planetsâ€. You were right, we’re not on Earth, and we are in high orbit around a world. That world is called Bajor, and is located 50 light years from Earth. At our maximum sustainable speeds, this is a full day trip for us. Our Doctor, or Mage as you called her earlier, is from a planet called Betazed, and her ability to “read†you have nothing to do with magic, they are simply a race of telepathic people. My Security Chief if from Andoria, and the Lt. guarding the door is from Tellar, both founding members of the Federation. The Federation comprises 150 member worlds, plus a few protectorates. Human colonies alone cover over 1000 worlds, and each member has its own colonies. We’re all part of the exploration and defence branch of the UFP, Starfleet. While in the good old days, Starfleet was mostly exploration, some unfortunate events lately have made us become much more of a military.†Captain Kirkinger seemed genuinely sad when he uttered the last sentence, a sadness James saw reflected in the eyes of most of the crew in the room. “And now for the kicker, James. This is Stardate 51996.5, or in your case, June 24th, 2374.†There was no way for James to hide his complete surprise. The statement, apparently true, had taken him completely unprepared. He had thought of many far-fetched explanations, for after all the original accident had dealt with magic, and James knew how unpredictable magic was, but the thought of having been transported not only far from Earth, but also in the future, had never crossed his mind. He laid his head on the bed, not knowing how to react, or what to do. He barely registered the restraints coming off of him, and the Captain helping him sit. He didn’t know if it was the news, or remnant effects of the Phasers, but he almost fell off the bed, and only the Captain’s grip held him there. The Doctor was quick to give him something, using what looked like a DSMO injector. Whatever the Doctor had given him, it cleared his head and made him feel much better very quickly. “I don’t think we need those anymore.†The Captain said, looking at the restraints. “I think it’s safe to say you no longer represent a threat to anyone here, including our “Mageâ€.†The Captain’s smile was genuine, warm, and honest. “When are you from, James?†“2058.†He replied half-heartedly. “That would explain the references to “Corps†and Mages. History wasn’t well documented after the end of the third world war in 2053…†“There was never a third World War in 2053!†James interrupted the Captain. “Sure, there were many conflicts, but never such a warâ€. “Hhmm… A parallel reality then?†Mused the Captain. “That would concur with our findings, Captain.†Said a cold, dispassionate voice. “Detailed scans of his intrusion area show high concentration of decaying Verteron and Chronoton particles. Thus, he apparently came onboard through a time-vortex of some sort.†The new arrival was a woman, beautiful, yet severe looking. Her olive skin, dark hair and green eyes would have held anyone’s attention wherever she went, James was certain. Then he noticed the ears: she was an Elf. An Elf in space, he thought. Which would also explain the perceived haughtiness in her voice, James mused. “But more importantly,†she continued, “His Quantum Resonance frequency doesn’t match ours.†She looked at the Captain as if her last sentence explained everything, and perhaps it did for these people, James thought, but it truly did not shed any light for him. “You have instruments that can tell you I’m not from your century, or even stranger, that I’m not even from your… reality?†James still had a hard time accepting all this, as it was far too incredible to be believed. The Elf explained: “Of course, Starfleet, with the help of the Vulcan Science counsel, developed a means to measure the resonance of particles’ quantum fields nearly 30 years ago. We learned that all particles in this reality had the same resonance frequency, which led to the proof, due to different resonance frequencies of certain objects – or people – that there were indeed multiple realities co-existing together in what one would call a “multiverseâ€.†The Elf looked at James expectantly, leading him to the conclusion she wanted some sort of response. “Ok,†he said, “I have to accept it because I have no proof to the contrary, and can find no logical reason for such a setup to be faked. I gather the Chronoton particles, due to the name similarity with Chronos, have to deal with time, but what are Verterons? Do they have something to do with that “vortex†you mentioned? Are they used to open some sort of tunnels… In space?†“In space, or simply in what we call “realityâ€. You have an amazing understanding of advanced Quantum Physics for someone coming from such a primitive society.†The Elf said, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, well, I catch on fast, and your explanations were actually simple. I’m pretty sure the moment you try to explain the underlying principles, you’ll lose me.†“Perhaps you are right.†Captain Kirkinger looked at James and the Elf with a small smile, and said: “I think I’ve never seen the Cmdr so happy. Cmdr T’Len, perhaps when our guest feels better, you can explain to him how we plan to get him home.†“Captain, you know that happiness comes from emotions, which I do not have. I have performed my work diligently, as always. Please do not insult me in front of the intruder.†The Cmdr said dispassionately. “As for a way home, I do not that answer at the moment. I barely had the time to run these tests with all the mission preparations we have to perform.†“Ah, that is true.†Addressing James, Captain Kirkinger continued: “I’m afraid your voyage home will have to wait for some time. We have a critical mission to undertake, and we cannot be delayed. Doctor, if our crewmembers are fine and don’t require your attention, please take care of our guest. Find him some quarters, and get him some food. I believe the Star Lounge would be the perfect place.†The Captain finished with a knowing smile. James didn’t know what to say. He’d come aboard these people’s vessel - still not sure if he should truly believe all their stories – as an intruder, had hurt many of them, and still he was being treated extremely well, as if he were a friend. What a strange culture this is, he told himself, so caring, so very nice. What would I be today if I had lived here, instead of my timeline? The Doctor’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “Come!†She said, “Let’s get you some food, and then we’ll see about your quarters.†Chapter 6 James could see the Captain’s decision did not please everyone, at least not the Security Chief, as the look he shot James as he left the room seemed deadly. He’d have to watch his back around that one, he figured, but he was also happy that he was dealing with something he was used to: a dangerous opponent with a grudge. As they started towards what James assumed was the “Star Loungeâ€, he looked at the Doctor and, in an embarrassed tone, said: “I wanted to apologize for what I did to you. Where I come from, pretty much the only response to any kind of danger is to hit it hard and fast, else you die hard and fast. I’d rather we started over on the right foot.†He said, extending his hand. “Hi, I’m James Reynolds! The few friends I have call me James†“Hello James,†she replied, taking his hand and flashing him a smile that made his knees want to go weak. He only then noticed how utterly beautiful she was, with her thin body, bronzed skin and short blond hair, her pouty lips, pert nose and enrapturing icy blue eyes. “My name is Valis Numorr, of the Fifth House of the Bearers of Light, Heir to the throne of KelenThurk.†She held his hand for some time, James feeling as if she was holding his soul as well, before snapping out of it and wondering, the paranoia returning somewhat, if she had perhaps used her powers to enthral him. “Wow, impressive title,†he said, “Does this mean I have to call you Princess, or your Majesty?†“Well, most of my colleagues call me Cmdr Numorr, but my friends call me Valis. I’d love for you to call me Valis.†She finished with a smile. After which, she turned and resumed her walk to the “Star Loungeâ€. James followed, unsure what to make of the events that had just transpired, but certain that this wasn’t the end of it. This was fine by him. They crossed corridors familiar to James, as he realized he had “appeared†very close to the medical room. After walking around bending corridors, and travelling perhaps 35 meters, they arrived to automated doors that were wider than the standard room doors. Valis stopped in front of them, and gestured to James to go through first, which he did. He entered the room to find a mix between a lounge, restaurant and a club, with a section to the left filled with tables where patrons sat with food and drinks, to rows of what looked like sofas lining the far walls, and two bars straight down the middle, each one facing an entrance, as the room seemed the perfect example of symmetry. It was big, almost 40 meters across, by 30 meters deep, filled with all kinds of plants and flowers, some he recognized from Earth and others the origins of which he had no idea. But the one thing that really captured his gaze once he entered was the view. The rooms’ far wall, the exterior wall from what he could tell, had windows 3 meters tall, and at least 30 meters wide, and through those windows, James saw a sight no one he had known in Seattle had ever seen: a planet’s curved surface as seen from high orbit. To the left of the windows, he could see the stars, bright and crisp, and to the right, the blue and green surface of Bajor, with white, pure, unpolluted clouds lazily moving across the sky. James stood there, transfixed, until he felt the hand of the Doctor touch his arm gently. He was halfway into a pivot, his right hand coming up to the Doctor’s face, when he stopped cold, realising where he was, and who it was he had almost hit. Years of living on the fringe of society, where violence was a normal way of life for all, had honed his reflexes to the point few could take him by surprise, but the downside was also that any lapse in vigilance could result in unfortunate accidents for friends and allies when one was surprised. The startled look on Valis’s face horrified him to no end, and so he blurted out: “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!†over and over, heedless to the many stares he was receiving, to the hushed voices he was hearing, even to the few officers who had gotten up once they had seen his posture, and were currently making their way towards Valis and him, determination in their eyes. These were Starfleet officers, the finest people the UFP had to offer, and they would never let anyone threaten one of their own. “Step away from her!†A threatening voice said. James barely looked at the person who had spoken, solely intent on Valis and her reaction. She seemed to compose herself, then looked around and, noticing the crowd approaching, said with as much composure as she could muster: “Everybody, at ease! I am fine, nothing happened here. Our friend overreacted a bit,†she said, “But he’s fine now, and so am I. You must excuse him, for he is not from around here.†She looked at the officers who had been coming to her help, and added: “But I am happy to know I can count on such good officers to help any colleague in need. You make me proud to work with this crew.†She finished with a smile. While to James, the compliment had seemed heavy handed, he noticed it had had the effect Valis had most likely striven for: everyone was going back to their seats, almost as relaxed as before the incident, smiling, and happy that their efforts had been appreciated. This also meant that they would not stare at James as much as they normally would, and lunch – or dinner or breakfast, James didn’t really know – would be more relaxed. She’s good, real good, he thought. He also realized that one of the reasons people might look at him, even had he not almost attacked the Doctor, was that he was still wearing his dark blue combat fatigues with his form-fitting armour underneath. And also realized something else: he was hungry, as if he had not eaten for a whole day. For all I know, the last time I ate really was a day ago. His augmentations placed high protein and carbohydrate demands on his body for everything to run efficiently, and so he hoped that this advanced society also was advanced nutritionally. And he hoped above all else that they had no soy food. “Valis,†he said tentatively, watching her reaction, “I think it would be safest for everyone if I sat with my back to a wall.†“Agreed!†She said with a smile that had returned with full force, “As I’m not sure you’d restrain yourself as much if it were anyone else who surprised you.†He knew he must have blushed, for her smile to over her entire face, and when she turned to lead him to a seat, her gait was almost bouncing. After taking them to a table located in the corner of the room, next to the window, Valis indicated a seat to James that would place the wall at his back, but where he could also look out the window while he was eating. He understood the intention, but thought he’d rather just be looking at her, when her smile reminded him she was a telepath. Blushing once more, he looked out the window, trying his hardest to appear entranced by the view, knowing full well she was reading him plain as day. And he didn’t mind. “What would you like to eat?†“Well, I’d like to see a menu first, to see what they have. Unless, of course, we only have rations since this is supposed to be a military ship.†he said, nodding towards the plants and the bars, a smile on his face. “It is,†she said, “Except I’m certain it is like no military you’ve ever known. As for the menu, there is none. You say what you want, and we’ll have it replicated.†“Repli-what?†“Replicated, as in, made with the Replicators.†It was very clear to James she was toying with him, knowing full well he had no idea what she was talking about, but he didn’t mind, and decided that he’d like for her to toy a lot more with him. This time, she was the one to blush, which made James proud of himself. “Ok, let me guess,†he said, “These Replicators are life automated food dispensers, right?†“Sort of. They actually used stored organic material to create any food you want, with the same nutritional value as the original dish or meal.†“Yeah, sure they do. Come on, matter cannot be created, nor can it appear out of thin air.†he said incredulously. “James, we could argue all day, but you wouldn’t believe me anyways. Just order, and let me know what you think.†She looked at a waiter, who noticed and came to their table. “What can I serve you?†he said with a genuine smile, even when looking at James. “I’ll have a Chef Salad, no dressing, with lemonade, and my friend will have?†she left the question hanging. “Ok,†he said, looking at her with a wry smile, “Let’s play it your way.†He looked up at the waiter “I’ll have a 12 ounce sirloin steak, medium, with basmati rice and steamed broccoli. And I’ll have lemonade as well.†“Right away sir. Doctor.†The waiter replied, and he left to get their orders. “Valis, I still have some questions for you about… well, everything!†James said. “Go ahead, I’m all ears.†She said, laying her head on her hands, looking right into his eyes. James had some trouble concentrating, but he shook it off, and asked. “Earlier, in the medical room…†“It’s called SickBay.†Valis interrupted. “Ah! In SickBay then, the Captain and the Elf…†“Lt. Cmdr T’Len, and she is Vulcan.†“Thanks! Anyways, they mentioned a possible way home for me, and while they didn’t have it yet, they didn’t say or infer in any way it was impossible. Is Time Travel something you have experience with?†“James, here at Starfleet, time travel is a way of life.†She said with a smile. Noticing his surprised expression, she quickly added: “Seriously, it’s not something we deal with often, which is why we can’t just send you home right now, but it’s a common enough occurrence that we had to create the Temporal Integrity Commission to monitor Time Travel and its effects on our timeline. Don’t worry, if there’s a way to send you home, Cmdr T’Len will find it. She’s as talented as she is persevering.†She ended, taking James hand in hers to reassure him. The waiter arrived with their food and drinks, so Valis let go of his hand, and made James wish a vortex would appear and take the waiter away. The loud growling of his stomach reminded him that he truly needed to eat though, and so he did. The food tasted great, everything seemed fresh, as if just prepared by a cook, and best of all there was no under taste of soy permeating the food. James felt as close to paradise as any man from his lifestyle could be, with great company, great food and the best view one could ever hope for. They ate mostly in silence, James almost sucking his food in his mouth because he was so hungry, a few times remembering he was not alone, and that he was not eating in the company of Trolls, and so he slowed down, wiped his mouth clean with a napkin, and resumed at a more normal pace. But his eating habits had not seemed to daunt the Doctor, who smiled all through the meal, sometimes looking straight into James eyes, as if she were trying to see his soul. After the meal, she got up, and beckoned James to follow her. “We need to find you some quarters. I believe there are some that will do nicely.†As they were walking, in silence, she hit her Comm-Badge and said: “This is Cmdr Numorr to security. Please bring our guest’s belongings in quarters 95B. Numorr out.†She turned and smiled again at James as her badge let out a “Security here, understood.†They arrived at the end of a corridor, and as the doors hissed open, James noticed they were entering a small cabin. Most likely an elevator, James thought. “How big is the ship?†he enquired. “440 meters long, 300 meters wide and 82 meters high. It has 22 decks, some small, some big. Deck 7.†She said, and James was so entranced by her eyes it took him a full second for him to understand she was speaking not to him, but to the elevator. “It’s a big ship.†He said with admiration. “I guess it must be one of your biggest, right?†“Hardly, the longest ship class we have is the Sovereign-class, a Heavy Explorer, at 685 meters, but our most voluminous is the Galaxy-class ship, at 640 meters long, with a mass of 4.6 million tons. What makes the Akira-class special is that it is the first Starfleet Gunboat/Fighter carrier.†James couldn’t believe this, but then, in a society with over 150 member worlds, 600 meter ships should not be surprising, he figured. The lift stopped softly and the doors opened on another corridor. James knew if he had been alone he would more than likely have gotten loss. The Doctor led him through another corridor, and they finally stopped in front of a door. “Here you are. Let me show you in and, more importantly, show you how everything works.†They entered the small, but comfortable looking room, and James noticed his equipment had been laid on the bed. The room resembled the first one James had seen after he had woken up, and so this room also reminded him of a small hotel room, with a sleeping corner, and a work desk complete with personal computer. While listening to Valis explain how things worked, he absentmindedly went to his gun and checked if everything was secure. He froze in his track when the Valis said: “And here’s where you can get more 12 ounce steaks, if you wish.†He looked up, and saw a small recess in the wall, about 2 feet wide, by 1 foot tall and 1 foot deep. There was a control panel above it, and he expected the Doctor to hit a button as she went up to it, but she simply told it: “Sirloin steak, mediumâ€. A woman’s voice replied, stating: “Please state the type of animal meat you wish to consume, and the type of cooking.†The voice even had a semblance of emotion. It sounded nothing like the voice-recognition software James had seen in corporate enclaves. “Cow, Earth animal, on the grill.†Valis answered. And in a golden-yellow light show, a plate appeared out of thin air, with a grilled steak sizzling on it. Valis noticed James’s surprised look, his gaping mouth, and smiled smugly. “When you’re done, you put the empty plate back in and order: Return.†In the same golden-yellow light show, the entire plate vanished. “What the Frag? You have matter converters?†James asked, almost disbelieving what his eyes had shown him. “Oh, we have much, much more.†She replied in a tantalizing way. She pointed to a small doorway at the back of the room, and explained that it was the bathroom, with a sonic shower, another piece of technology James couldn’t believe, and the basin where he could brush his teeth and wash his face. Everything came out of the wall as needed, and went back in when you were done. The water, Valis explained, was purified using extremely powerful filters, and returned to the system. Then she showed him the crapper, and explained how it worked, including the three seashells situated on the right side of it. They exited the bathroom, and she showed him the computer, explained it too was voice activated, and that James was free to peruse the contents of all historical, scientific or even alien databases. All he had to do was ask, and the computer would show him. And whenever something was restricted, it would let him know. Looking at all these wonders, James had a question pop up in his mind. “Tell me,†he asked Valis, “With all your technology and gadgets, life must be so easy. But does everyone have equal access, or do the poor wait in line while the rich take what they want?†“There hasn’t been poverty, pollution or famine on Earth in over 250 years. Or even on any Federation member planets. There are no “poor†in the Federation.†She had stated it proudly, as someone who profoundly believed in what she was doing, what her leaders were doing. And standing there, as proud as she was, James thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was completely enraptured by her eyes, her lips, her skin, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. “What about work, then?†he said, almost absentmindedly, slowly getting closer to her, “Do people still work since they don`t need to?†She didn’t back away, simply looked up into his eyes when she answered: “People work to better themselves, they do what they like, and never feel the pressure of having to, but simply of wanting to.†For a long moment, there was silence. James had so many other questions he had wanted to ask, but at the moment all he could think of, all he wanted was to touch her, to feel her body against his, to kiss her passionately. He was looking in her eyes, she was looking in his, slowly getting closer, their lips seemingly drawn together by some unknown force. Chapter 7 The alarm sounded, a deafening klaxon reverberating all over the ship, which was followed by a message over the Comm system: “Red Alert! Red Alert! This is not a drill, everyone to their battle stations. I repeat, everyone to their battle stations!†Valis snapped out of the moment, looked at James, spun around and sprinted to the door as she said: “Come with me!†He instinctively grabbed his gun holster and collapsible stick, strapping his shoulder holster across his back, tucking the collapsible stick in its special pouch on his right pant leg. He followed the Doctor through many corridors – corridors he now recognized -, going back to the Sickbay, crossing many people hurrying, getting to their posts. He was careful not to go too fast, having learned years ago that not everyone in the shadows could run as fast as he could - especially Mages who could not have Cybernetics or Bioware implanted without losing magical prowess – and so you always had to learn to run only as fast as your slowest team member. And so he paced himself on the Doctor’s speed, and wasn’t even breathing hard when they got to Sickbay. As soon as Valis crossed the doors, she became business-like, showing only her Doctor persona. She made sure that all the remaining patients received the necessary treatments, and sent those she could back to their posts. James was unsure of what to do, so he followed the Doctor around, hoping to find a way to help. He noticed the Security Chief was no longer there, and he figured he had run to his post as soon as the alarm had sounded, no matter how injured he was. He didn’t have to muse much longer before a call came in. “Captain Kirkinger to Cmdr Valis, come in.†“Cmdr Valis here, Captain.†“Is our guest with you?†“Yes he is!†Valis replied, fully concentrated on preparing the Sickbay for possible injuries, not knowing if the ship was going into combat or not. “Send him to the bridge, I have a feeling we may need his help very soon.†With that, silence came back. James sent a questioning look to the Doctor, who simply nodded towards the doors, and sent him off with a “The guard outside will accompany you to the Bridge.†He went out of the room, and followed the guard waiting for him next to the door. They walked at a brisk pace, as if the guard was in a hurry to get rid of him, but as James looked around him, all the while memorizing the path they were taking, he noticed that everyone was as in a hurry as the security officer guiding him. He could see the determination, excitement and, in some people, a hint of fear, but all were busy going about their tasks with diligence, as if this was just one more work shift. The security officer accompanying him, a middle-aged man in excellent shape, was calm though, the sign of a man who’d seen action before, and who didn’t let his emotions show, or control his actions. James was sure the man felt the same thing as all the people they had come across, except his experience allowed him the luxury of not showing it. They entered what he had learned was called a “turboliftâ€, and seconds later, after a smooth ride, the doors opened up on the bridge. As James stepped out, he was greeted with the sight of many people bustling about around the bridge. But what captured his attention were all the displays, beeping and bleeping, and rearranging themselves as people’s fingers flew over them. None had standard buttons or switches, all the displays changed depending on the user’s needs and wishes. James admired the fluidity and adaptability of the system, but had to wonder how long it took for one to master this type of work flow. His attention then went to the main viewscreen, directly at the front of the bridge. It was more than two meters tall and at least four meters wide, and was currently showing the outline of the planet they were orbiting, Bajor. He allowed himself a fraction of a second of contemplation, before his training took over and he resumed his scanning of the bridge. The Captain was sitting in his chair, near the back of the bridge, slightly to the right, with a matching seat to his left that James attributed to the XO. They were separated in the middle by a display the Captain was currently studying. Both seats overlooked the front of the bridge, where a station with a single seat, most likely the pilot’s seat, was located directly in front of the display screen, less than two meters away. The bridge had three levels, each about twelve inches lower than the previous one. His level, the one with the turbolifts – he had noticed a symmetrical lift opposite his – was the highest one, then the Captain’s chair level, and finally the pilot’s level. Only the walls of his level were covered with displays and seats, the lowest level having only the pilot’s station. At the pilot’s station was sitting a blue alien, bald, with what looked like a small dermal slit separating the right side of his head with the left side. A couple of humans were manning the wall stations, with an Auburn-haired woman touring these stations, checking everything up and noting it all on what looked like an IPad. She struck James because she had the same aura of command the Captain had, and moved about the bridge as someone whom all should fear and respect. I think I found the XO, James thought as he noticed how beautiful she was. While the Doctor was petite, with a compact frame, the XO had broader shoulders, was almost as tall as the Captain, and was evidently muscular. She walked with the grace of a dancer, but the purpose of a fighter. As with the Doctor, James was stricken. Don’t they have ugly women here? He thought, as he kept looking at the XO. James was pulled out of his examination by the security guard that had brought him there. “Captain, our guest as arrived.†He said. He then took up guard behind James, awaiting orders. It was the XO who responded: “Good, you may return to your post, Ensign. Thank you!†Her voice was rich, of a lower pitch then James expected, with the undertone of one who expected to be obeyed instantly. “So you’re the one who beats up our crew and makes our Tactical Officer unfit for duty.†She said. “He would have been seating at that station there, were he capable of speaking intelligently.†Looking at the station she was pointing, he saw it was manned by a human officer. While he felt some remorse over the incident, he knew he had acted only as he had been thought, and so did not feel the need to apologize. He simply looked at her and shrugged in reply. “Let him be, Number One!†the Captain said, smiling. “Mr. Reynolds acted as any of us would have… Had we had his training and augmentations.†“Number One, is the ship ready?†the Captain asked his XO. “Yes Sir, all systems are fully operational, all stations report ready.†“Mr. Thromken!†called the Captain, turning towards the pilot, “set a course bearing 693 mark 327, and engage at my command, maximum Warp.†“Course laid in Sir!†the alien replied. “Engage! And turn that damn klaxon off… Helm, ETA to target?†“At current speed, 63 minutes Sir.†The alien said. The viewscreen showed the planet veering to the right of the ship, the starry night filling the screen, when suddenly the ship was blanketed by what looked like tracer rounds, as if someone was firing full-auto all around the ship, never coming close to hitting it. James felt a slight tremor, and a gradual increase in the thrumming sound he kept hearing since he had awoken earlier meant these were engines, and they were increasing their power output. The Captain got up, and started towards a recess in the wall next to the viewscreen, motioning for James to follow. He did, noticing there was a door in that recess, one that was invisible from the turbolift he had come out of. The Captain looked at the XO, and said: “You’re with me, and have Cmdr Teramak join us in the Ready Room. We will need his tactical input for this.†“Eye, Sir!†she said, before hitting her Comm-badge and calling out to the Cmdr. Then, before she followed, she passed command of the bridge to Lt. Garner, and entered the room on their heels.

There, there, PosRep for your sniffles... On a totally unrelated note, I've posted my new fancfic, did you read it? What do you think?

Cool, though no need to get "Airlock-y" in your level of details...

Hhhmmm, might be your hair color... Needs to be greener...

And the Sun revolves around me... In fact, I'm the center of the Universe... MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ah, in that case, there is an full-sized Eiffel tower to the west of my house, and San Francisco is East of my home...

Well, seems like geeks can and do meet nice girls... Congrats to you Ty...

Kirk, he has Phasers, and while both had the same haircut, at least Kirk had a spaceship...

Yes it does, which is why Asia was called "The East" when it was discovered by European countries, because it was closer through the East...

It's actually more Eastern than Western from SF...

Oh, I can garantee you every Starfleet member would have loved armor and shields on away missions... Yeah, the Federation is dumb sometimes. They probably copied the Imperial strategy book, but felt red looked better than white...

Matt Damon would have been a great Kirk, and would have woon all his fights, but I would have put Williams as Spock instead... Can imagine a hyperactive Spock cracking jokes like hell because he accepted his human side?

"The Ocean is a desert with its life underground, and the perfect disguise above"...

Well, Questor, since they wanted to equip military personel with these in case of an invasion of Earth, my guess (and yes, it is only a guess) would be protection in a fight... As to why they stopped wearing armor, we'll have to go with your interpretation, because it sure beats: "They all became dumb!"