RPG Silver One: Civil War

Aaryanna · May 8, 2008

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]Crystal was far from happy with Jared being gone, the last person she ever wanted to be in charge of the [I]Creator[/I] was Vallon Drace, but the decision was out of her hands. Her only comfort was the knowledge that she could go over his head if need be, but it didn?t make having to deal with the fool any easier. [I] I hope Jared is still alive.[/I] It mattered not that he annoyed her at times, or that she disapproved of his methods. What did matter is that he had been easy to work with in the sense that he had always been open to harsh criticism, never taking it personal. Jared had been too professional for that.

Now she was stuck working with an egotistical jackass whose only goal was to sway the favor of the crew to put himself in a better position of power. Crystal only hoped that Sandra was smart enough to see it. Though she had no doubt that Stevens did, that one was far cleverer than he let on. A chime from her computer terminal brought her back to what she was doing in her office in the medical bay. Curious she opened up the message only to be surprised by an order from Commander Drace to come to the main computer lab of the [I]Creator[/I]. [I]What in the world?[/I]

Crystal couldn?t think of a single reason for him to have requested her presence, he despised her for being a doctor and even ignored official reports from her. This included the one reminding him that he was long overdue for the physical that all members of the military were required to do. With a sigh she got up and made to leave the medical bay and head for the computer lab.[I] I?d better see what that fool wants. [/I]

It didn?t take her long to get there, not with the various lifts running through the ship, she was just entering the main computer lab with the entire ship shuddered and then rocked violently, nearly tossing her to the deck. In the same moment the lights failed before switching to that of emergency power only. One of the security standing watch at the doors to the lab caught her by the arm and helped her to regain her balance. [I]What the hell just happened? [/I]Instead of bothering the crew who were frantically trying to figure out what had gone wrong, Crystal instead pulled out her hand held computer and accessed the updates.

Her eyes went wide as she read the simple note that something had dragged the fleet out of hyperspace. [I]How in the world did that happen?[/I] There was nothing else and she imagined that until they figured out the cause there wouldn?t be. Crystal was putting her hand held computer back into its little pouch at her side with a commotion caught her attention. She looked up just as Commander Drace backhanded Jason, sending him tumbling over the computer terminal. [I]What is that fool doing?[/I] She thought as she watched him step forward and grab Celestia by the neck before demanding that she explain what she had done to the ship.

?[B]Sir.[/B]? His assistant Pheonia Roth started to say but an abrupt order from him to shut up and she fell silent.

[I]Why in the world does he think she?s responsible?[/I] Even Crystal knew that their access was strictly limited. Her eyes narrowed when she realized that he was grasping Celestia so tightly that she could barely breathe.[I] That idiot![/I] Without hesitation she took two steps over to one of the security personnel and took his disruptor from its holster, pausing only long enough to order both of them to stand down and make sure it was set to stun. Then she turned and took a few steps in Commander Drace?s direction, stopping when she was about ten feet away.

?[B]Release her.[/B]? She ordered firmly.

Drace glance at her and sneered, ?[B]This does not concern you Doctor.[/B]?

Crystal could see the desperate look in Celestia?s eyes as she tried to pry his fingers from her throat. They were practically begging her to do something and considering the orders for those two from the High Council, she was going to. She looked back at Drace and raised the disruptor, aiming it directly at him.

?[B]Either you release her or I?ll shoot.[/B]? She ignored the shocked stares from the other crewmembers and Drace?s look of contempt as he tightened his grip on Celestia a bit.

?[B]You are overstepping your authority Doctor, stand down.[/B]?

?[B]And you are disobeying a direct order from the High Council.[/B]? Crystal countered. ?[B]Release her at once.[/B]? The two stared at each other, Crystal resolute, Drace weighing her expression as if to gauge whether or not she really would fire.

Movement from Celestia as her body went limp motivated Crystal to fire immediately. The first blast caught the Commander by surprise and he staggered back a bit after releasing Celestia. Crystal ignored her momentarily as she collapsed to the deck and instead fired again, this time the Commander went down, knocked out by the second stun blast. With a sigh she moved to quickly check first Celestia and then Jason. Both were unconscious but she figured it would be best to have them checked just to be safe.

?[B]Take both of them to sickbay immediately.[/B]? She ordered the security personnel who had been uncertain as to what to do. When they hesitated she stood up and snapped at them. ?[B]You heard me, at once![/B]? Both of them moved to deal with the pair, calling for additional help to transport the pair to sickbay.

Crystal set the disruptor down on the closest computer terminal and opened up her hand held computer, contacting the head of security. She didn?t give the man time to tell her he was busy, she instead issued him an order immediately.

?[B]I need a group to come and place Commander Drace under arrest.[/B]?

?[B]Excuse me?[/B]? The man gave her an odd look.

?[B]You heard me; the Commander is guilty of disobeying a direct order from the High Council. You are to place him in a cell until Commodore Luciana can review the charges and decide his fate.[/B]?

?[B]I see, understood Commander Matheson. I?ll send a squad to pick up the Commander immediately.[/B]?

Crystal ended the transmission and then waited until the squad arrived to pick up Commander Drace. Then she handed the disruptor over to Pheonia Roth who was still just standing there.

?[B]Next time, shoot the fool yourself.[/B]? She advised the woman. ?[B]It doesn?t matter if he?s your superior officer or not, no one is above obeying the High Council?s orders.[/B]? Then she turned and left the computer lab to head for sickbay. Sorting out what had caused the mess was something that was not her duty anymore. Crystal didn't care if she did get in trouble later on; it had been oddly satisfying to shoot that arrogant bastard. [/FONT][/COLOR]

GuyYouMetOnline · May 19, 2008

[COLOR=darkslateblue][FONT=Tahoma]"Excuse me?" Kiva said. "You need [I]me[/I] for that?"[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkslateblue][FONT=Tahoma]Kiva was onboard the [I]Catalyst[/I], speaking to William. Transferring Jared and Kerstin had gone smoothly, but then the [I]Transcendence[/I] was stolen and used to cripple the [I]Liberator[/I]. Then it was discovered that Daniel was missing. To make things worse, analysis of the circumstances leading up to the incident made it clear that the person responsible was Graydon Kreid.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkslateblue]Despite her insistance on having Kreid removed until he could be fully investigated, Kiva hadn't actually believed him to be an operative for the Empire. She simply preferred to be as careful as possible.Even though she'd advised Daniel to relieve Kreid, she'd believed him to be clean. But he wasn't, which was the kind of thing that was why Kiva took every precaution she could.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Daniel's capture would be a serious blow to the New Alliance. Sure, finding a replacement for him wouldn't be too hard, but Daniel's real value, like Jared's, was what he knew. In particular, he had a high level of security access. Fortunately, he wasn't as informed on overall operations as William, but what he did know was bad enought. And this time, Kiva wasn't there to rescue him. So security access had to be redone. Fortunately, Daniel wasn't a programming expert, so there was no need to completely rewrite the software, but as a precaution, some changes were being made to the software. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]In addition to Daniel, Kreid had taken the [I]Transcendencee[/I]. Fortunately, the Empire wouldn't be able to learn much from that ship; they'd built it, after all. And the ship's database didn't contain anything they wouldn't know, either; it didn't contain anything on New Alliance operations, nor did the [I]Catalyst[/I]'s. Kiva made sure she didn't have access to any information she didn't need to have; that way, there was less the enemy could learn from her in the event of her capture.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]In addition to Kreid's actions, there was the situation with Kerstin, and there was also the [I]Stykera[/I] and 'Cassandra'. Plus, the kamikaze attack still had everyone on edge; many were morried that such an atack would happen again. And there were about a dozen other things going on, as there always were in wartime. All of which contributed to Kiva's surprise upon hearing her next assignment.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Let me get this straight," Kiva said. "You want me to leave everything that's been going on recently and begin a sweeping operation to plant a program in as many places as possible? There's no reason you need me for smething that simple. I can think of about ten thousand better uses of my time."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"This one's more difficult and more important than it sounds, Kiva," William said. "First of all, I'm sure you remember the effect our release of the illegal research in sector 14 had. The data we've got this time may have just as much of an effect, if not more of one. So we need it distributed, and we'll be using the program to do so. The problem is that we don't know when we'll have the data. After what Kreid did, we're going to need any advantage we can get as soon as we can get it, so we can't wait until the data's ready and then distribute the program. We need the program in place now, but we need it to be something that can evade detection for an unknown period of time."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"And it obviously has to be something that can receive the data for distribution. Yeah, that's not something a lot of people could make."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Can you?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Kiva nodded. "Yes. I actually already have a program I could use. I just need to modify it. It was designed to covertly monitor signal traffic; I used a version of it when I was investigating the leak regarding sectors 3 and 4. Remember that?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Um, yes. I'm still getting complaints about what you and Daego did. Especially Daego, since he's the one who took care of the brute force end of things."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Funny you should mention Daego," Kiva said, "because I'm going to need a second person for this one, and he's the first person I thought of. I know he still doesn't want to participate in the fighting, but he shouldn't have any problem with something like this."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"That's fine with me," William said, "but why do you need him? I'd have thought you'd be fine with this one on your own."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Because it'll take at least two people to do this right. I'll need a signal to get the program in, but unless the security systems are malfunctioning, this outside access will be detected. To prevent that, I'll need to disrupt the security systems at the same time as I insert the program, and I'm not about to trust either of those tasks to an automated routine. Daego's not as good with computers as I am, but if I handle the security end, he's more than capable of handleing the program's insertion."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"All right," William said. "You can get his help for this one, then. Anything else?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I'll want any information about shipping and transport patterns you have," Kiva said. "it'd make things much easier."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I'll get the data sent to you. Anything else?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"No. Kiva out."[/COLOR]

Aaryanna_Mom · May 19, 2008

Daniel stared at the picture of his mother in the tiny old fashioned locket for a while before he finally tucked it back under his uniform and leaned back against the wall of the cell he was now in. Other than to make sure he had no hand held computers or weapons, Greydon Kreid had not bothered to relieve him of any personal possessions. He was certain that once they got to wherever he was taking him to, that would change soon enough. All it meant was that Kreid would not be the one to conduct his interrogation, if he had been going to do so, he would not have left it with him. It was likely that Kreid?s mission had been infiltration, disruption and capture only.

Ironically there was one positive thing about the entire mess and even the grimness of the situation couldn?t stop him from smiling slightly at it. With Jared Scorer having been captured and delivered to William in sector nine, at least he wouldn?t have to worry about having him as an interrogator again. Not that it really mattered in the long run, between the drugs, torture and the fact that they held his daughter Celestia; in the end they would get what they wanted. Daniel held no illusions or thoughts that it would be otherwise. This time, there was no one in a position to do anything to extract him from the mess he was now in.

With a sigh he pushed off from the wall and went to make use of the tiny facilities the cell was equipped with. Now that whatever Kreid had used to drug him with had worn off, he was eager to clean up the blood that had soaked his hair and the left side of his uniform. It didn?t take him very long and once he was done, he left the wet jacket hanging in the tiny shower to dry out. In spite of what had happened he found himself oddly tired, something that was most likely a side effect of the paralyzing agent that had been used on him. Instead of trying to sleep, Daniel just sat down on the tiny bed and leaned up against the wall, lost in thought.

[CENTER]-------------------------[/CENTER]
Tarika Zaidin had finished preparing a report detailing the damage to the Liberator as well as a list of those who had been killed by the explosives that Greydon Kreid had set off. It was to be frank a bit shocking even for her. It was true that she had recommended he be shifted elsewhere, but she had not believed that he was an undercover agent for the Empire. A part of her felt responsible for what had happened as if it were her fault, even though she knew it was not.

For now she would be taking over as the new head of security for the [I]Liberator[/I] as repairs were made to the ship and members of the crew replaced. Commander Landers second in command, Spencer had been promoted to take his place for the time being. They were fortunate that though the damage was pretty severe, it was also much easier to fix than the issue with damaged crystals had been. So long as the Imperial fleet did not show up in the next couple of weeks they would be able to restore the [I]Liberator[/I] to full operational status.

If only she had been able to stop Kreid, that part was the hardest for her to accept. That she had ended up being useless, in spite of realizing immediately that something was wrong and moving to stun both of them without hesitation. If the Commander had not struggled against Kreid forcing his shot to go astray, he would have killed her. Zaidin sighed a bit to herself as she sent the report to both Commander Spencer and to William in sector nine.

GuyYouMetOnline · May 26, 2008

[COLOR=#483d8b]Daego had quickly agreed to join Kiva on her mission. The two of them were on board the [I]Catalyst[/I], speaking to William for the last time before departing.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Focus on relay stations," William was saying, mainly for Daego's benefit; he'd already gone over this with Kiva. "We can't distribute the information the way we did before the war; they won't let us get away with that again. That's why we need a new distribution program. If we plant it at the relay stations, we'll achieve maximum dispersion as quickly as possible. And we can get it planted at the relay stations this time, because we've got you two and the [I]Catalyst[/I] available. And just as importantly, we've got security codes for you to use."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"New ones?" Kiva said.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Yes. I got them through the same channel that got the [I]Phoenix[/I]'s. My source is still in place, and I'm not worried about compromising my source this time, because this time, you'll maintain your ruse for the entire mission. After all, they'll do a full inspection if they think we've had someone snooping around. The codes are for the [I]Madran[/I], a ship that, like the [I]Catalyst[/I] and the [I]Phoenix[/I], has been upgraded to the new model of messenger ship. The [I]Madran[/I] is on wide-area patrol, so nobody's going to wonder why it's in the area."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Wait," Daego said. "You've gotten [I]two[/I] sets of Specialist codes? How the hell did you pull that off?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I'm not going to ask questions," Kiva said. "We're obviously talking about an extremely valuable source here; I don't want to know anything more than I have to about this source."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Kiva's right," William said. "The less you know, the better."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I know," Daego said. "I was just surprised."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I can't say I blame you. Anyways, I'm sending you the [I]Madran[/I]'s codes now, along with other data you might find useful. I'm also including data on the [I]M[/I][/COLOR][COLOR=#483d8b][I]adran[/I]'s emissions signature so you can make sure your signature matches the ship you're claiming to be."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I assumed you would," Kiva said. "Anything else?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Nope. Data transmission is complete... now. Confirmed?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Kiva nodded. "I've got it. Ready to move out."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Then get going. And good luck."[/COLOR]

SunfallE · June 1, 2008

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]The newest arrival to sector nine was not on the list of ships expected. It did not follow standard procedure and move to join those who were already there, choosing to stay in place where they had emerged from hyperspace. When challenged to identify themselves and their purpose a code was issued in response. Those tasked with monitoring all incoming traffic were satisfied that they had the necessary clearance to be there and the ship was left alone. A short moment later a transmission from the newly arrived ship was sent directly to William?s ship, the [I]Astera[/I].

William himself was on the bridge when the transmission was received, he was preoccupied with reviewing some reports but halted immediately when his communications officer informed him that they were being hailed by the [I]Chevalier[/I]. William shut down what he was working on before looking up, his expression one of anticipation.

?[B]I?ll take that call in the conference room.[/B]?

?[B]Yes sir.[/B]?

He stood up. Offering no explanation as why he was moving to the conference room just off the bridge. Once inside he took a seat at the table, activating the built in computer terminal in the table. Then once he had locked the doors and secured the audio only channel he answered the incoming transmission. It took only a moment for some additional codes to be swapped between the two parties, to verify that the [I]Chevalier[/I] had not been compromised before they moved to the reason why they were there.

?[B]Thank you for coming so quickly Sauvage.[/B]? William said sincerely.

?[B]You?re welcome sir.[/B]? It may have been audio only, but the sound of man?s voice gave the impression that if he had been there he would have been standing at attention.

?[B]Now, as requested, everything has been done according to your specifications Sauvage,[/B]? William explained.

?[B]How much does the Commander know sir?[/B]?

?[B]Other than to know that he is in the hands of the New Alliance, Jared Scorer has been kept in the dark.[/B]?

?[B]Excellent sir.[/B]? Sauvage replied, going silent to wait for William to continue.

?[B]Now I know you are already aware of this, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to get the information that Jared Scorer possesses.[/B]? William waited patiently for the tiny delay in the communication since it was clear that Sauvage was not on board the [I]Chevalier[/I].

William didn?t need him to explain that since the sensors on the [I]Astera [/I] had picked up Sauvage?s incoming transmissions to the [I]Chevalier[/I], just as they picked up the outgoing ones with his responses. For this assignment, it did not bother William that Sauvage had sent his aide Salier to retrieve Jared. Something he also knew without being told since the codes also identified who he was dealing with through the [I]Chevalier[/I]. And they indicated that it was Salier. William would not have bothered to contact Sauvage if he was not the best choice for this job and as such he did not question how he chose to go about it.

?[B]I understand sir.[/B]?

?[B]Right, now just give me a moment to send you the coordinates? for opening a transport door in Jared?s cell.[/B]?

?[B]Thank you sir.[/B]?

William smiled even though Sauvage and his aide Salier could not see his face. He did not envy them the task of getting information out of Jared Scorer. He was certain that they could since he was also certain that Sauvage would have told him upfront if he felt the task was not obtainable. A tiny part of him wondered about it but like many things he shoved the thoughts aside. He didn?t need to know at this point.

A moment later, the connection was made between the two ships, his side into Jared?s cell, the other side?s destination one of their own choosing since he had not requested the coordinates. William did not need them since Salier would be the one handling the transfer. With the transport door now open in Jared?s cell, William waited patiently for them retrieve the Commander. [/FONT][/COLOR]

Allamorph · June 4, 2008

The figure that stepped through the door was a womanï¿½s: tall and slender, with a well-toned physique only partially masked by the precise contours of her black and drab-green uniform. The collar of her square-shouldered waist-length jacket was turned over and pinned smoothly in place, exposing a triangle of sharply contrasting white, and her well-pressed slacks, trimmed at the seam in green, fell smoothly down her legs and over a pair of polished black leather dress boots; it was obviously a dress uniform, designed explicitly for visual impact. The stern gaze of her dark eyes and her equally impassive features matched the uniform perfectly, and her ebony hair was tied back in an austere pony tail, away from her shoulders. No loose strands were allowed to fall over the olive skin of her face, as if that too were a part of her dress and so must be strictly controlled. She wore no sidearm.

She cleared the door in two decisive strides and stopped, here eyes flitting over the chamber before settling on the smirking prisoner, who had remained seated against the cellï¿½s far wall, right arm resting casually on his one raised knee. For a second she seemed to appraise him, like so much additional cargo that despite any repugnance must still be undamaged, and then she drew a small object from her right pocket and held it in front of her. The object gave two rapid blue winks, then emitted a bright flash that lit up the entire half of the cell and caused the prisoner to blink involuntarily at the sudden assault on his eyes.

The woman glanced quickly at the device and, apparently satisfied at the result, put her second finger to the mic resting in her left ear.

ï¿½Prisoner identity confirmed. Subject is Jared Scorer, as requested; proceeding with transfer.ï¿½

The words were terse, cold, and businesslike; the woman no longer looked at her ï¿½cargoï¿½, clearly no longer concerned with it now that its validity had been established.

ï¿½Thank you, lieutenant commander,ï¿½ Sauvageï¿½s voice replied. ï¿½Notify me when Scorer is secured.ï¿½

ï¿½Yes, sir.ï¿½ Lieutenant Commander Salier returned her brusque attention to Jared. Pocketing the device, she motioned curtly for him to rise. ï¿½On your feet, Scorer. Time to move.ï¿½

Jaredï¿½s smirk, which had faltered briefly, returned as he rose smoothly to his feet.

ï¿½Yes, maï¿½am,ï¿½ he said in exaggerated condescension. He stepped forward casually, approaching the doorway with a smooth, sure stride.

ï¿½Left down the corridor, and walk until told otherwise,ï¿½ answered Salier, ignoring the obvious jibe. ï¿½Failure to comply will not be tolerated.ï¿½ Jaredï¿½s only indication that the command had registered was a small derisive snort.

Salier followed him through the door at a small interval, and it closed behind her.

After a few moments, Sauvage spoke again.

ï¿½Iï¿½ve been told that the prisoner has been successfully transferred. I give you my personal assurance that we will have the information you requested as soon as possible.ï¿½

ï¿½Thank you,ï¿½ said William.

ï¿½Of course, sir.ï¿½

ï¿½How is the new addition, by the way?ï¿½ William continued. ï¿½I trust it meets with your specifications?ï¿½

Sauvageï¿½s answering tone was pleased. ï¿½The Zenith is en route to meet it as we speak, sir; no doubt it will already be back and halfway through testing protocol by the time the Chevalier rejoins us.ï¿½ He paused. ï¿½I appreciate the cooperation youï¿½ve shown us in the matter,ï¿½ he added. ï¿½The addition of the Melisande will greatly increase our ability to secure information and resources.ï¿½

ï¿½Naturally,ï¿½ William replied. ï¿½And that in turn will allow us to be more effective, so there is really no reason for me to hamper your motions, is there?ï¿½

ï¿½As you say, sir. However, much as I would like to continue this conversation, I do not like to spend more time on the same relays than necessary; and the longer we dally, the longer your information eludes you. I have instructed the Chevalier to break formation, and I will contact you again shortly.ï¿½

ï¿½Very well. I look forward to your results.ï¿½

ï¿½Yes, sir. Sauvage out.ï¿½

The connection was severed; Williams scans showed that the Chevalier was almost out of range. Edited July 25, 2013 by Allamorph

Horendithas · June 5, 2008

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]Sandra Tessa of the house of Luciana was not amused. It had been hours since the fleet had been dragged out of hyperspace by what was looking like sabotage and not an unfortunate event or malfunction of the system. Every single distortion shield for the crystals that powered the ship had without warning, gone offline. The strains between the crystals own distortions interacting with one another had triggered the emergency systems, pulling the ship out of hyperspace before the ship was torn apart by the disruption.

It had not been quick enough to prevent the damage to the crystals themselves. And though the backup systems had activated quickly enough, it was too late. The damage was irreversible. With all the safeguards built into the [I]Creator[/I]?s systems, such a thing should not have been possible, not on this scale. Especially after the unfortunate events when a program written by Celestia and Jason had been used by the Resistance to disable the battleship she used to command.

The military had scrambled to tighten up the integrity of internal security in the main computer systems of all ships to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. So for every single distortion shield to collapse at the same time was impossible. The backup emergency and security programs should have kicked in, stopping it from happening. For all of them to fail like that was unheard of, except perhaps in battle. However, incidents like that were usually caused by damage and not a system failure. It was unmistakable; they had a traitor on board. It could have been the two slaves and Sandra had her suspicions that the pair was involved, but something was telling her it was far more than that.

Their access to the system was too limited for that and carefully monitored, which meant that if involved, they had some form of outside help. For the moment though the fleet was dead in the water, stuck in sector five, or at least the [I]Creator[/I] was. The crystals that powered the ship had been fractured and were incapable of sustaining more than simple life support. The rest of the fleet could have left, but leaving the [I]Creator[/I] sitting without any form of defense until the necessary crystals could be installed and the backup ones arrived from sector one, was unacceptable.

All ships carried a back up supply of the crystals needed to power all systems. But with the failure of the shielding their own backup stash onboard had also been damaged. At the moment the engineers from the [I]Conqueror[/I] were installing their own reserve crystals, but that would take days. It wasn?t a simple process to switch out crystals. They required careful alignment and testing to ensure that they were properly calibrated to work with the [I]Creator[/I]?s systems. Rushing the procedure could result in one of them cracking under stress during battle.

This meant they needed to stay put until the [I]Creator[/I] was back online and the investigation as to what had happened could be completed. Sandra kept her face calm as she continued to review the reports being sent her way and issued any orders as needed. She couldn?t help but smile just a tiny bit at one report though, the one from Commander Crystal Matheson, in regards to Commander Drace.

Even if Celestia had been responsible, his actions which went directly against the High Council?s order in regards to their handling would not be overlooked. And when it had come to her attention that Drace was demanding to be released she had merely smiled coldly and reminded the security that as Matheson had pointed out, he did not have the authority to override the Council?s orders. He would stay put until she had time to review the incident and decide his fate.

She put the pleasant thought of Drace being detained out of mind and went back to getting through all the reports filtering in. In just a little while she would be meeting with Stevens and determining what they were going to do next. Their plans to retake sector four would have to be put on hold, for the moment.

[hr=indigo]100[/hr]
They had come for him, just as Jared had known they would. He had not expected it to be via yet another transport door. Did that mean his deduction that he was in sector nine was incorrect? No, that was unlikely, he could be wrong but he doubted it. The woman was not what he was expecting or rather it was better to say that her actions were unexpected. It was a stark contrast to the manner in which others had handled his transport.

Jared saw no reason to not comply with the order to move, after all, if they really wanted to move him, they could do so. If anything it was perhaps a chance to get a hint of information about where he was being moved to. But the trip to his new cell as it were, told him nothing. The corridors he had been taken through had been windowless, viewscreenless and utterly barren. Jared was positive they were being monitored, but other than the woman and himself, there had been no one at all.

Once she was gone and he had taken seat on the bed in his new confinement, he ran the whole brief incident through his mind yet again, looking for something, anything that would give him a clue as to where he was. He came up empty other than one thing, and that was that the woman?s thoroughness was to be frank, slightly unsettling. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

GuyYouMetOnline · June 5, 2008

[COLOR=darkslateblue]"So," Daego said, "how exactly are we going to do this?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]The [I]Catalyst[/I] was in hyperspace, still within New Alliance territory but not too far from crossing into Empire-controlled space, and also not too far from the first relay station they'd plant the program in.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Well, I've got the program finished. I'm using a modified version of the program I used to track down the traitor in sector 9. That one was designed to monitor transmissions and block any that met specified criteria while notifying me and awaiting a command. This version monitors transmissions in the same manner, but since it makes no recording or transmission of its own, it leaves no record of its presence until it receives a specific message. That message is the signal for it to activate and use the relay station to distribute the information. It'll self-delete after that, although even so, it'll be obvious that such a program was there. I just don't want them seeing how I did it."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Makes sense to me. How are we getting the program in?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"That's where the [I]Madran[/I] code comes in. William provided us with not only the [I]Madran[/I]'s codes and emmissions signature, but the identities of the Specialist and her two crew members. You've probably heard of the Specialist. Her name's Telara Kalathes; she's the one who exposed that smuggling ring a couple years ago. She was made a Specialist soon after that."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Yes, I have heard of her. She was in the news a lot after that. I take it we have sufficient recordings to simulate her?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Kiva nodded. "Yes. I've loaded the data in; when I activate it, whoever's on the other end will see and hear Telara instead of me. Sure, there's a risk that if Telara shows up there later on, someone'll mention 'her' visit, but even if that happens, it won't be the first time something like that happens; patrolers make enough stops and com people change frequently enough and talk to enough people that cases of mistaken identity happen. And we'll need some sort of legitimate signal to get entry in the first place, so this is the best option."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"I thought you were going to handle that by disrupting the security systems. Isn't that why I'm here, to make sure the program is planted while you're busy with that?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Kiva nodded. "Yes, but even if I do that, the initial signal will be detected, and we can't have that. Remember, this program needs to stay in place for an indefinate period of time. We can't give anyone even a himt that something might be there. So we'll get a legitimate signal going, and access the areas we need from there. I'll go straight to the security systems while you make sure the program gets where it's supposed to go. I've written up a routine to take care of that, but I want someone [/COLOR][COLOR=darkslateblue]supervising it, and I can't do that if I'm busy with the security systems. That's why you're here."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkslateblue]"I see. Well, I don't think I'll have any problem with that."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkslateblue]"Good, because if we mess this up, they'll tighten up so hard that there'll be no way we can get another such program in. In other words, we don't get any second chances here, so when we do it, we have to do it right."[/COLOR]

Aaryanna · June 12, 2008

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]?[B]You?re wasting my time.[/B]? Valencia yawned and then deliberately pushed her chair back a bit in order to put her feet up on the table between her and the two officers questioning her. ?[B]I?ve already told you that the only person I?ll talk to is William. Surely you don?t need me to repeat that for the hundredth time.[/B]?

She smiled inwardly at the flash of irritation in their eyes. Both of them, Stephen and Thomas were officers but it had taken very little on her part to learn their names and then refuse to address them by rank or honorifics. She was not a member of the New Alliance nor did she consider herself a member of the Versilan Empire. Valencia was a pirate and answered to no one.

?[B]I?ve told you before Ms. Sabina,[/B]? the one called Stephen started to object, ?[B]It?s?[/B]?

?[B]Stephen.[/B]? She cut him off with a sardonic smile, dragging the name out slowly as if he was too stupid to remember his own name. ?[B]I?ve told you before; I don?t answer to the New Alliance or anyone for that matter.[/B]? She folded her arms across her chest and shifted a bit to get more comfortable.

?[B]Now since you seem to have a hard time paying attention and retaining information,[/B]? she elaborated ignoring how it brought a look of genuine irritation to his face before he could hide it. ?[B]I will only talk to William got it?[/B]?

Valencia pulled her feet off the table, unfolded her arms in one smooth move and leaned forward to address the pair. ?[B]I grow weary of your stupidity. The longer you delay the more likely it is that Cassandra will self destruct before she?ll allow one of your idiotic technicians or engineers into her systems. Holding me here and attempting to get me to answer your questions is a waste of my time and yours. Unless you intend to resort to other methods to obtain the information you want, we?ll be here for years.[/B]?

She leaned back and folded her arms again. ?[B]Unlike [I]children[/I] such as you, I have been working as a pirate for over a hundred years. I won?t be changing my mind and agreeing to talk to you,[I] ever[/I].[/B]?

?[B]Now,[/B]? She put her feet back up on the table. ?[B]Get out, go and inform your precious William that if he allows this pointless charade to continue the information he seeks will be forfeit.[/B]?

Valencia closed her eyes and tuned out the attempts by the pair to talk to her further. She had allowed the pointless game to continue for a week, it was time to end it. Either William would get off of his butt and take care of matters himself or he would end up losing out on the information and Cassandra?s and her services as well.

She had tried to patiently explain that they had better not attempt to get into Cassandra?s systems and that she needed to talk to William. But each day it had been the same, the two had kept having her brought to the room for questioning. They kept asking her the same questions again and again regardless of her refusal to answer them.

It took a while for them to understand that she would no longer talk to them and she hid the smile when they finally gave up and gave the order for her to be taken back to her cell. She had given them more than enough time, if William didn?t show up and soon, she would play her hand. She hadn?t survived this long without having some form of back up. [/FONT][/COLOR]

Rachmaninoff · June 15, 2008

Darren did not have to wait long for the Commander to return, it was a moment he was simultaneously looking forward too as well as dreading. On the one hand, he was finished with what they expected of him, but on the other it now meant they had no use for him. The only question left was what was going to happen next, something that no matter how he ran it through his mind; he couldn?t seem to find an answer to.

So when the door to his cell opened to admit the tall blonde Versilan he stayed seated on the bed, leaning against the wall, waiting for him to make the first move. If there was one thing Darren had learned from working around this man, it was that he did not waste time and like always he launched immediately into the reason why he was there.

?[B]I?m sure it will come as no surprise to you that the information checks out.[/B]? He barely waited for Darren?s negligible shake of his head before forging on. ?[B]Our genetics specialist is convinced that if any information is missing it would have either not been sent or lost in the original transmission. The question now is what do you think we should do with you?[/B]?

Darren started slightly. ?[B]What? You?re asking me what I think you should do. It?s a little late to be asking that question.[/B]?

?[B]You really think so? Don?t be so quick to dismiss my question Darren.[/B]?

He gave him an incredulous look. ?[B]I still think it?s far too late for that. I can?t see either side of this pointless civil war letting me do what I wanted to do from the very beginning.[/B]?

?[B]Perhaps you are correct that it?s too late.[/B]? He gave Darren a long hard look. ?[B]Indulge me, answer the question.[/B]?

?[B]I had no desire to be involved in any of this, but the leader of the Resistance William didn?t give me a choice when he hacked my clearance, putting my ship in a restricted sector.[/B]? Darren folded his arms across his chest. ?[B]I?m sure you don?t need me to tell you what the penalty is for that particular crime. It did not matter that I was innocent.[/B]?

?[B]You seem to have done well enough just the same,[/B]? The Commander shrugged in a manner that irritated Darren to no end. ?[B]You took that situation and used your skills to land the position of Shipping Expert for the High Council. So really, you?ll have to do better than that.[/B]?

?[B]I?ll have to do better than that?[/B]? Darren?s voice rose a bit and he caught himself starting to come to his feet in anger. He forced himself to sit back down. ?[B]I had no say in the matter for that either.[/B]?

Darren sighed and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. ?[B]Just end this pointless charade, all I ever wanted was the right to work as an independent merchant. You can argue that I had a choice, that everyone always has a choice.[/B]? Darren looked back.

?[B]I think you know as well as I do that we are often forced to do that which we despise unless we accept that our lives are forfeit. I can handle that for myself, but what right do I have to place that burden on another for them?[/B]?

?[B]You mean your sister Kerstin.[/B]?

Darren froze refusing to say anything else as he struggled to get his fear under control. Stevens had refused to let him know how Kerstin was doing and though it was hard, he had been doing his best to not think about where she was or what had happened. [I]Is he saying?? Gods.[/I] He wanted to say something but couldn?t seem to manage to get the words out.

?[B]Darren, I already know how you were dragged into this mess. What I don?t understand is how you refuse to see how others had no choice either; you wear your anger and disapproval on your sleeve as if no one else has been placed in the same situation.[/B]? The Commander pulled out the handheld computer that Darren had been working with and tossed it to him.

?[B]There is no neutral ground, there hasn?t been any for centuries, and you just refuse to see it. The only way you?ll ever be free is to stand your ground.[/B]? He turned to leave and paused briefly turning back to look at Darren who was still sitting there. ?[B]I?ll be back in a few days, I suggest you read what?s on there and consider just which side you?ll choose.[/B]?

GuyYouMetOnline · June 17, 2008

[COLOR=darkslateblue]"I'm still not sure why you were assigned to this," Daego said. "Sure, maybe they needed help making the program, but you could've done that and given it to someone else. While we're doing this, you're not available for anything else."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"And I'm hardly the only elite operative William has. Hell, he's gotten two sets of Specialist codes. That we know of. Plus, he would seem to have connections with freelancers. Don't worry; he'll be able to handle things while we're doing this."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Things had gone well at the first relay station. Kiva'd gotten into the system without any problems, and the program had been planted successfully. The relay station had assumed they were checking in according to standard operating procedure for patrols, and they hadn't given anyone any reason to doubt this. The program was planted, and nobody even had a clue it was there. The [I]Catalyst[/I] was now en route to the next relay station.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Daego nodded. "Yeah, probably. It just seems like a waste to put you on this, but whatever. This does seem like an important mission."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Exactly. I wasn't assigned to it because i have to be, but because I'm the best William has for this sort of thing."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Yeah. You know, speaking of 'freelancers', I've been meaning to ask you what the deal is with that ship you brought in."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"You mean the [I]Stykera[/I]? I rendesvoued with it to pick up some valuable cargo; specifically, Jared Scorer."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"So we did get him, then? I've heard the rumors, but I didn't know if they were true."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"They are," Kiva said. "It wasn't planned, though; I'm not sure what all happened, but someone grabbed him, and I was sent out to receive him. I verified his identity in person before transferring him, and was about to return to the [I]Catalyst[/I] myself when the ship detected a hacking attempt."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Someone tried to hack the [I]Catalyst[/I]?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"It's more complicated than that. There were only two people on that ship. The capitan, Valencia, was with me at the time, so it wasn't her, and no automated routine, no matter how good, could get that far in. The hacker actually penetrated the first security layer before being detected."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Damn. Obviously, Valencia's passenger was quite the hacker."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Kiva laughed. "I told you, it's not that simple. The passenger was no hacker. You've met her, actually. Kerstin Anderson."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"What? Why the hell was she on a freelancer's ship?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"To get to sector 9. She's looking for Darren, and she's concluded we have him. Anyways, the hacker was not a person on the [I]Stykera[/I]. Valencia claims it was something called 'Cassandra'. She said Cassandra was her ship's computer system."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"She- an AI? Are you serious?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"That's what Valencia said. There's certainly something; I spoke with this 'Cassandra' over the speaker system, but I wasn't ready to accept an AI> And since I'd taken standard precautions, Valencia couldn't very well do anything to me, and she knew I wasn't about to let her go, so she surrendered and gave me the [I]Stykera[/I]'s access codes. So I brought the ship back with me. Techs are all over it, of course; developing a true AI has been something of an obsession in that field for a while now, and if someone's done it, they want to know how. I don't think they'll have any luck, though. The security around the core system is the standard set agreed on by AI researchers, so I don't think anyone's getting in."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Surely someone will, eventually," Daego said.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Yeah, but how long do you think they have?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"What do you mean?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Valencia's been in the business for a long time, Daego. Do you think she's never been captured before? She has some tricks up her sleeve, count on it. I'll be honest; if she wants out, she'll make it out, although it may be a bit more difficult than she expects, thanks to me. I didn't do enough to really have a chance at keeping her there, though."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Why not?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Because a, she's not really a prisonner; she came with me willingly when the situation got out of hand, and she never intended to hack me; I believe her about that. And b, I was never told to put anything in place. I planted a few surprises, but mainly because I always do. They're enough to stop most people, but not someone with as much skill and experience as Valencia. No, she may get a surprise or to, but if she wants to escape, she'll be gone. It's not our concern, though. I'm sure William knows what he's doing."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]Daego nodded. "True. Yeah, I suppose we can't do much about it here. We'll just have to focus on our job."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#483d8b]"Right."[/COLOR]

Aaryanna_Mom · June 21, 2008

?[B]What?s our current status Lt. Commander?[/B]?

Tarika Zaidin looked up from where she was sitting at one of the computer stations on the bridge of the[I] Liberator[/I]. Since Greydon Kreid had managed to make off with the Transcendence and Commander Landers, the crew had been working around the clock to replace personnel as well as finish up the repairs.

She halted the system checks for security that she was running and turned to answer Commander Spencer?s question. ?[B]The repairs are nearly complete sir. All that?s left is to finish running all the system checks.[/B]?

?[B]What?s the current estimate for completion?[/B]?

?[B]Approximately ten hours sir. Fifteen if you include the time frame for the remaining replacement crew to arrive from sector nine.[/B]? She hesitated briefly and then tacked on a bit more. ?[B]Two days if you include the rest of the security checks for the new personnel as well.[/B]?

Tarika gave him a long hard look. She had already given her recommendations to William but she didn?t know if they would actually be followed or not. After all, even with the incident surround Commander Landers they were still in the unfortunate position of not having nearly enough crew who that was completely cleared.

Spencer just gave her a smile meant to reassure her. ?[B]Don?t worry Lt. Commander; unless something comes up we?ll be staying put until the checks are complete.[/B]? He stood up. ?[B]I?ll be in the conference room should you need me.[/B]?

She watched him until the doors leading into the side conference just off the main bridge closed behind Commander Spencer. Tarika ignored the curious stares from the other personnel on the bridge as she turned back to running the system checks for the security programs. After the damage caused by the explosives that Greydon Kreid had set off, it had been necessary to completely rebuild part of the system for the[I] Liberator[/I].

Tarika was sure that she was not the only one to wonder just what they were going to do next. They had managed to get sectors three and four to join the New Alliance but it seemed so hopeless at times. She was sure that William understood just how serious a blow it was to lose Commander Landers. It was more than what knowledge he had or his ability to command.

It was the way he instilled a level of trust in those serving under his command without even realizing that he was doing so. People believed in him, in his ability to take a situation that was hopeless and fix it. She had come across it time and time again among the crew. The sentiment and trust that the crew had that Landers would do everything possible to save as many lives as possible.

She herself had seen it in sector four when one of the Representatives tried to have him assassinated. The way he had made sure no unnecessary retaliation against anyone who was innocent had been taken. Perhaps it was because she was so use to seeing the hard edge of military commanders who didn?t care about the people, but she had never seen anyone who was as kindhearted as he was resolute.

Tarika shook her head at the direction her thoughts were going in and pulled her mind back to the task at hand. She did have one last thought before she threw herself completely into finishing her task, and that was that she finally understood why Landers had been made a Commander at such a young age.

Aaryanna · June 24, 2008

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]Not only had the time she was willing to wait on William to finally show up long overdue, so was the expected contact from Cassandra. It was only a couple of days, but she had never been late before. Valencia wasn?t ready to give up though. Even if they had somehow managed to hack into Cassandra?s core program, she would not become a willing puppet to serve the New Alliance. She was running her options through her mind when the intercom in the cell came on.

[B][I]-There you are!- [/I][/B]Cassandra sounded irritated. [B][I]?Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you?-[/I][/B]

?[B]You?re late.[/B]? Valencia growled at her, rising up off the bed in the tiny cell.

[B][I]-Oh put a sock in it! You have no idea what I had to get around before I could break into where you?re being held. Not to mention what I had to do just to find you in the first place.-[/I][/B]

?[B]Why don?t you give it a rest and get me out of here already?[/B]? Valencia folded her arms.

[B][I]-It?s not that simple. The security to lower the distortion shields? Ah there we go.- [/I][/B]Cassandra sounded rather smug as a transport door opened up in front of Valencia.

Valencia didn?t waste a single moment as she hurried through the door that closed behind her. Stepping back onto the bridge of the [I]Stykera[/I] was a welcome sight and Valencia breathed a sigh of relief as she took the command seat and swiftly began to assess their situation.

?[B]What did you do with the technicians who were assigned to hack into your core?[/B]?

Cassandra snorted,[B][I] -I locked those idiots in the main computer room.-[/I][/B] She mock sighed.[B][I] ?And since I just know you?d object if I jettison them into space, I?m making them go through a transport door into the cell where you were being held.-[/I][/B]

A broad grin graced Valencia?s face as she finished getting a look at their current location. The ship was still docked at the orbiting space station though Cassandra had already closed the door and engaged the locks. Once they broke free it would be obvious what was going on. She was not surprised that Cassandra had waited for them to be on the far side of the planet before springing her release.

The extra time gained by the cover of the planet would make getting free of the gravitational pull of the planet for jumping to hyperspace easier. The choices for destinations were pathetic but she could always change that later. She input the closest option and waited for Cassandra to give the go ahead.

[B][I]-There. Stupid idiots didn?t want to do as I told them.-[/I][/B]

?[B]Of course not, they?re going to be in trouble once word gets out.[/B]? She replied as she brought the ship to full power and then took off for the calculated jump point as fast as possible.

Within moments lights flashed indicating there were incoming transmissions, she was certain they were demands for her to surrender. She did not bother to waste the time to respond, even when opening shots were fired and ships in the area began to respond to her actions as they moved to cut her escape path off.

The ship rocked violently when a closing battleship scored a direct hit. ?[B]Cassandra![/B]?

[B][I]-I know! I?m working on it!- [/I][/B]She replied even as the [I]Stykera?s[/I] weapons fired in return. They weren?t enough to do more than bounce harmlessly off of the more powerful shields of the other ship. They didn?t have a chance against a true warship; they needed to get to the safety of hyperspace.

Valencia hung on tightly as the ship was hit twice more before they were finally able to make the jump to hyperspace. Once it was clear they had managed to get free, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and take a look at the damage assessment. A quick look at the readouts indicated that it wasn?t too bad. Most of the repairs she could do herself.

?[B]So what took you so long?[/B]?

[B][I]-That damn stupid Elite Specialist Kiva left several programs in place to ensure that I really was cut off.- [/I][/B]Cassandra growled. [B][I]?I had to hack my way through those before I could even attempt to get into the space station?s systems.-[/I][/B]

Valencia laughed, earning a disgusted snort from Cassandra. She stifled it quickly and got up. ?[B]Let?s get started on the repairs, we can decide what our next move is after we?ve gained enough distance to change our flight path to head for sector five.[/B]? [/FONT][/COLOR]

Allamorph · June 24, 2008

It took a week for the Chevalier to reach its initial destination.

One week. One hundred and sixty-eight hours; subtract time spent asleep, eating, and walking between points and that still left almost a hundred and twenty to fill in an ongoing effort to ward off the patient ministrations of ennui. Shift duty took up another fifty-six hours, but even that became tedious after so long, its very routine soon inviting its own languor out of sheer repetition.

Lâ??Arachel Salier knew thisâ??given her high station, she was perhaps more susceptible to the gradual torpor than her subordinatesâ??and to that end she made certain to schedule various drills and exercises at infrequent intervals to break up the long periods when nothing at all would happen. These activities kept her crew occupied as well as in top form, but as the current commanding officer Salier was obligated to tend to the â??necessaryâ?? evaluation paperwork submitted by each of the shipâ??s division heads.

Which, of course, returned her to the basic problem.

Years in the Resistanceâ??s Black Ops had accustomed her to just this situation, though, so she was not totally without recourse. She had taken to intensive reading during these long periods of inactivity and by now was well-versed in most of her cultureâ??s literature. The vast majority of it was admittedly political nonfiction, political fiction, or assorted fiction with obvious political undertones, but every now and then Salier had encountered a rare and glorious gem from an independent mind, and these she always added to her personal library after securing them in printâ??a privilege of her line of work. She liked the feel of books better, and found the turning of pages and the spaces between chapters much more engaging than simply scrolling through block after block of text.

Her current distraction, Glass Wheel, was unfortunately not one of those gems, but she read it anyway. Glass Wheel marked the third book by that particular author that she had read, in fact; she viewed it more as an addition to her mental armament than a recreational pastime. Better to know the enemyâ??s mind, she reasoned, than to wallow in ignorance for the sake of principle.

â??Bridge to Lieutenant Commander Salier.â?

Lâ??Arachel lowered her book and cast an expectant eye to the handheld on the desk beside the couch on which she had been lounging. This was probably the interruption she had been waiting for, she thought. It was about the right time, but in truth any distraction coming from the bridge would be welcome. She reached out with her left arm and tapped the deviceâ??s surface.

â??Speaking,â? she answered.

â??XO Tourney, sir. You requested to be notified when we dropped out of hyperspace.â?

This was it, then. â??Thank you,â? she said, nodding out of social habit though no one could see the motion. â??Iâ??m on my way.â?

-----------------------

As the bridge doors hissed open, Salier saw her rugged XO turn to face her.

â??Officer on deck!â? he called. The entire bridge snapped to attention.

Salier waved her hand tiredly. â??At ease,â? she said, moving to stand by Tourney. â??You know I think thatâ??s a waste of time,â? she added under her breath.

Tourney grinned. â??And I think itâ??s good practice for them.â?

Sub-commander Gillam Tourney was not Versilan; his weather-beaten face bore evidence to the years he had spent on the surface of one of the Versilan slave facilities as part of the excavation contingent. Circumstance had seen him slowly rise to surreptitiously unite the slaves, more to control the loss of life caused by arrogant would-be heroes, and when he had accidentally become involved in an ill-fated revolt he had thrown his entire efforts to bearâ??and had been extracted by the Black Ops before the ensuing slaughter.

Now the sandy-haired former slave was one of Sauvageâ??s elite and held one of the three prestigious Sub-commander titles in the unit. Lâ??Arachel had been in the same unit as Gillam, and she regarded the man as one of her closest allies and always selected him for her second whenever she was required to make independent runs; partially for his excellent skills, but mostly because he didnâ??t begrudge being outranked by someone whom he outranked.

The Helm officer was speaking.

â??Weâ??re approaching Threshold coordinates, sir.â?

Lâ??Arachel nodded. â??Deploy the drones.â?

Her command was executed instantly. One of the Chevalierâ??s forward missile tubes launched a spherical object ahead of the shipâ??s path, and after four seconds of gaining distance the objectâ??s casing blew apart and disintegrated, revealing a set of five smaller objects. The central drone was the larger than the other four, spanning just over six meters in length, and was connected to each of the smaller drones clustered around it by a long, coiled tether. After its release, it continued on a direct path away from the stern of the Chevalier.

The four smaller drones did not. Barely a meter and a half in length, they looked like the corners of a box, and in fact that was the formation they clustered in. As the central drone sped away from them, they began to float outwards, the tethers extending with them until the cords pulled taut.

Upon reaching a preset distance from the ship, the central drone stopped its forward motion, and the four smaller drones followed suit. They now formed a rectangle over four-hundred meters tall and over six-hundred meters wide, the central drone in the exact center of the imaginary plane they contained.

â??Drones have reached their position,â? Helm announced. â??Primary drone has signaled the receiver. Ready to initiate Threshold.â?

Again Lâ??Arachel nodded. Excitement flooded her, months of testing about to come to fruition before her. She shot a sideways glance to Gillam; he was as excited as her, his eagerness obvious from the glitter in his green eyes.

She turned back to the viewscreen. â??Lock all forward cannons, maximum strength,â? she ordered. â??Fire.â?

Blue beams of light lanced from the Chevalier and slammed into the central drone, driving it backwards fifty meters. The outline of the rectangle constricted slightly, but held steady. After the volley, there was a second of nothing, and then the absorbed power from the cannons sizzled visibly through the cables and coursed into the four corners.

The stars within the rectangleâ??s borders shifted. The central drone disappeared.

â??Threshold established, sir.â?

A cheer came from Salierâ??s right. Glancing behind her, she saw the flushed Tactical officer sinking back into his seat, thoroughly embarrassed. Apparently he had expected to be joined in his jubilation, and the silence only intensified his chagrin; he looked as if he wanted to sink through his seat and into the next deck.

Lâ??Arachel smiled. She secretly wanted to join him in his cheer, but she was on duty, and the CO never reacts. Another of the privileges of rank.

â??Resume forward course,â? she told Helm. â??Sub-light engines ahead full.â?

â??Aye, sir.â?

In less than a minute the Chevalier had passed through the plane of the tethered drones. Sensors and Astrometrics bent industriously over their consoles, hurriedly processing the sudden burst of information flooding their screens.

â??Sensors are registering navigational data!â?

â??Star charts reinitializing. Ship bearing confirmation in five seconds.â?

â??Passive sensors report no contacts, sir.â?

â??Ship bearing confirmed. Weâ??ve emerged two point oh eight kilometers off projected coordinates.â?

Two kilometers. Even considering drift, that wasnâ??t too bad. In fact, a two kilometer error after a transit of almost three sectorsâ?? distance was barely a concern at all. The central drone had withstood a full volley from the forward cannons of a Javelin, and the tethers had sent the right amount of converted power into the door generators. Even the receiver array had done its job perfectly.

â??Screw rank, thought Lâ??Arachel. â??That was cool.

Outwardly she betrayed nothing. â??Send the signal to terminate,â? she said aloud. â??Cut power to the door; retrieve the secondary array and prepare to resume hyperspace travel.â? She turned to leave as bridge staff jumped to obey her orders. â??XO has the conn.â?

-----------------------

It would take another week for the Chevalier to reach the base; the transport receptor array had been left behind as Sauvage had shifted locations, to ensure that if someone accidentally activated it they wouldnâ??t be able to locate his cell.

One week. One hundred and sixty-eight hours, minus sleeping, eating, and walking. Lâ??Arachel stared resignedly at the book she had left facedown on the couch, its spine stretching because she hadnâ??t cared enough about the author to use a bookmark.

One week.

â??Dammit. Edited July 25, 2013 by Allamorph

SunfallE · July 9, 2008

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Celestia had been expecting something to happen once she had been released from sickbay and sent with Jason to their quarters, but other than the rumors about Commander Drace still being kept under wraps, nothing had. It made no sense really, or rather she felt as if her guilt over doing something she should not have would have been obvious. But other than to notice an increase in the security and access she and Jason were allowed, nothing was said.

A week went by and the [I]Creator[/I] along with the rest of the fleet was once again on its way to sector four. The only thing she could think of was that upon looking into the matter, they had decided that it wasn?t possible for her to be involved. Realistically she should not have the access and if not for the exploit she would not have been able to do it.

It was possible that they had found the computer glitch and were monitoring it, just waiting for someone to access it so they could catch them in the act. As much as Celestia wanted to look, she resolved right then that she wasn?t going to take the risk again. It just wasn?t worth it in her opinion. If she couldn?t guarantee the destruction of the [I]Creator[/I] or other parts of the fleet, there was no point really.

[CENTER]-----------------------------------------[/CENTER]
William was resting in his quarters while he went over some of his agents reports in the various sectors throughout the Empire. It was standard practice to commit them to memory before he erased the files from his handheld. Though tedious, it was far safer to not have any hard records of who was doing what, at least not for certain agents. He did make a short list of orders to prepare to send out since it wouldn?t be long until he could release the data they had gotten a hold of.

He was distracted by a call from the bridge. ?[B]What is it?[/B]? He answered promptly.

?[B]Ms. Sabina has somehow managed to get back on board the [I]Stykera[/I] and is fleeing the system sir. The fleet is giving pursuit.[/B]?

William smiled. ?[B]Tell them to stand down.[/B]?

?[B]Sir? Uh? Right.[/B]? There was a pause while the order was issued and then the sound of his second in command barking an order at the others came through loud and clear, ?[B]You heard me! Don?t ask why just do it![/B]?

William just chuckled to himself at overhearing the confusion. He had his reasons for not bothering to pursue or for not talking to her either. It was pointless to waste the resources chasing down a pirate, even if she had a very valuable computer system. The noise from the other end finally settled down.

?[B]You need anything else?[/B]? William asked.

?[B]No sir.[/B]? He paused, ?[B]Wait, it looks like Ms. Sabina shot off a message tagged for your eyes only right before she made the jump to hyperspace. What do you want me to do with it?[/B]?

?[B]Forward it to me of course.[/B]?

?[B]Yes sir.[/B]?

William closed the connection to the bridge at the same time a soft chime came from his handheld to indicate the message had arrived. He opened it up and then laughed when he read the short message.
[SIZE="1"][INDENT]You are [I]such[/I] a jerk Will! See if I ever do business with you again.[/INDENT][/SIZE] [/FONT][/COLOR]

Horendithas · July 13, 2008

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]So they were going to let the fool out after all, Sandra was in favor of sending Vallon Drace back to sector one but once again she had been overruled. Council member or not, Fleet Admiral Stevens was as well and in the military his commission was much higher than hers. Normally the Commodore of a flagship had a say in who commanded the ship under them but Stevens seemed to enjoy flaunting his ability to overrule her choices.

Then there was the matter of dealing with the two slaves Celestia and Jason. Though direct proof couldn?t be found, her gut feeling was that Drace had been correct in thinking she was connected somehow. Though his heavy handed handling of the matter was completely out of line, still something needed to be done just not what the Commander was thinking.

She was lazily watching the effect of stars appearing to move through the view in her quarters when the console at her desk gave off a chime. Sandra moved to answer it and then frowned upon realizing that it was Stevens.

?[B]What is it Stevens?[/B]?

?[B]I need you to clarify why you wish to send both Celestia and Jason back to sector one. I hardly think that Commander Drace is going to step out of line like that again.[/B]?

?[B]Oh is that what you think?[/B]? Sandra growled. ?[B][I]Idiot[/I], if you had read the entire report, including the one on the rewriting of how the systems of a flagship route power you would have realized why I intend to send both of them back.[/B]?

Sandra glared at him through the holographic viewer and waited for Stevens to do more than just glance at the latest reports. A few minutes later his right eyebrow rose as if even he couldn?t believe what he was reading.

?[B]Are you sure this is accurate?[/B]?

?[B]Very, it?s been tested several times to make sure the data is accurate. So you see whether or not they were responsible for the mishap, risking their lives to a fool like Drace is unacceptable. That is why I?ve recommended that they be put directly back under the care of the Commander for the Elite Forces, James.[/B]?

Stevens nodded. ?[B]If this is accurate, I agree. Very well then, when we make our stop before moving in to retake sector four I?ll approve having them both sent back.[/B]?

?[B]Was there anything else?[/B]?

?[B]No, Stevens out.[/B]?

[hr=Indigo]100[/hr]
He wasn?t going to show his confusion, but there was no denying that he felt it. Jared had been positive that he was in sector nine but now he wasn?t so sure anymore. When they had first moved him he thought perhaps that he was merely being transported to some facility for them to begin his interrogation. But as the days went by and nothing happened he began to question that assessment.

He ran through his mind all the alternatives and possible situations that he could think of. Had he in fact been sent somewhere else instead? Perhaps it was a different sector instead of nine. That might account for the difference in time. Though that explanation fell short as well since all of them time wise would have been the same or close enough that the difference would have been no more than a day or two.

A week went by and still nothing, it was obvious that he was being transported somewhere, or was he? His reputation for withstanding punishment and understanding interrogations was well known. Were they toying with him by making him think he was still in transit? He had used similar tactics but only on those few cases that had been the most difficult. Those had been accompanied by careful use of various drugs though and unless he was mistaken, it didn?t feel like he was being drugged.

However, if he was, would he even notice it if it was gradually introduced? Probably not but he didn?t feel any different. As the days approached two weeks he couldn?t help but feel anticipation. If they had just been moving him to another sector depending on the type of ship, they would be arriving any time now. [I]If[/I] his deductions were correct that is.

With an inward sigh he leaned back against the wall the bed he was sitting on was up against. It was a pity he hadn't been stuck with that one woman who would talk to him again. That had at least been entertaining in its own way, even if he still didn't know who she was.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

Aaryanna · July 26, 2008

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]Doctor Matheson told herself that she wasn?t going to allow any emotions show when the time came. Now that the moment had finally arrived, she couldn?t help but feel wretched and helpless inside. Finding out that Erica Kendrick had been the leader of the Resistance didn?t change the fact that she had spent most of her career working within the system to improve conditions for the slaves. Crystal had lost count of the times she had kept her own pushes for improvements from falling though.

To see such a resolute and influential woman dying only made her curse her inability to do anything to stop it. Yet another part of her was glad she could do nothing. Saving her would have only meant interrogation and torture and the hands of the other Council members in order to obtain the secrets she held. Crystal sighed as she watched Erica struggle to breath. There was little else she could do for her.

Erica had already lived longer than most. However, even her will to live couldn?t halt the disease that ravaged her body. She had refused Crystal?s offer to give her more medicine. It wouldn?t do anything, other than to let her pass on in peace.

The soft sounds of the equipment in the room were unnaturally loud to Crystal and part of her wanted to turn them off. It felt like they were intruding where they did not belong.[I] Why? [/I]She thought. [I]Why did it have to be you of all people?[/I] She had no answers of course.

?[B]So no one else will be coming.[/B]? Erica?s voice was so soft that Crystal could barely make it out.

?[B]Did you really expect them too?[/B]?

?[B]No child, I did not.[/B]? Erica smiled faintly. ?[B]You?re the only one I?d want here anyway.[/B]?

Crystal looked away. Uncomfortable with the situation she had been placed in. She would have rather not been there, but Erica was her charge and she would be required to confirm her death for the rest of the High Council.

?[B]I know you?d rather not child,[/B]? Erica paused as she struggled for a moment to catch her breath. ?[B]I am sorry for the burdens I have placed on you, it was unfair of me.[/B]?

Crystal still had nothing to say. It would be pointless to argue with someone who was dying. It would serve no purpose and change nothing. She still could not bring herself to say any comforting lies to her. She wanted to, but she found that she simply could not do it. The realization that she had become so harsh towards others had her feeling at odds with herself and she wished more than anything to be elsewhere at that moment.

?[B]The past is just that Erica,[/B]? She finally managed, the silence unbearable. ?[B]The past and not worth mentioning at a time like this, nor will I lie to you or argue or agree with you.[/B]?

Erica smiled slightly, ?[B]That honesty of yours is more comforting than any lie could ever be.[/B]? She took another deep breath and let it out. ?[B]Keep following that and you?ll do fine.[/B]? She looked away and closed her eyes. Another slow shuddering breath and then she was gone.

Crystal sat still for a while before she finally got up and acquired the necessary scans and then sent off the orders to properly deal with the body. As soon as it was stored on the shuttle heading back to sector one, she would be going along since she had been ordered to also escort the two earthling slaves back to sector one. Yet another duty she?d rather not do. She turned her back on Erica and left the room to go and get ready for the trip.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Allamorph · September 2, 2008

â??Helm, status report!â?

All heads on the bridge snapped around, their owners jumping to salute Salier and quickly returning to their duties. The response from Helm came before the bridge doors hissed shut.

â??Approaching the rendezvous point now, sir! ETA three minutes to deceleration.â?

â??Thank you, Helm.â? Salier settled herself into the commanderâ??s chair and glanced to Tourney. â??Has the base been contacted?â?

Gillam nodded. â??We transmitted them our expected entrance point, and theyâ??ll be ready for us when we get there.â?

â??Good,â? said Salier. â??Itâ??s about time this trip was over. Weâ??re set back three weeks for the interrogation anyway; we need to get Scorer processed as soon as possible before his information completely depreciates.â?

â??I went ahead and asked that a direct path to the preparation chamber be cleared,â? Gillam informed her. â??Figured itâ??d be best to get him ready right as we got in, since thatâ??ll give Inquisition something to do right away and we can get the crew off and rested.â? He smirked. â??I hear they just finished a new swimming pool.â?

â??Something like that,â? Salier remarked. â??I doubt Iâ??ll get to use it.â?

â??Paperwork?â?

â??Loads.â?

Gillam shook his head. â??Story of your life these days.â?

The Helm officer announced that the Chevalier was exiting hyperspace, and the two officers ceased their discussion, Salier ordering the forward viewscreen brought online. Under her feet, she felt the slight hum of the balancing thrusters kicking in to prevent the stress of deceleration tearing the ship to pieces, and the viewscreen displayed the asteroid field that shielded the Black Ops central base sliding impossibly across space as the sensors translated their readings into visual data.

â??Exiting hyperspace now,â? said Helm. â??Sub-light engines ahead one-half.â?

The asteroid field reached a normal rate of approach, and Salier waited patiently as Helm steered the Chevalier towards it.

â??The Hub is hailing us,â? called Tactical. â??Transmitting security codes and reconfirming mainframe fingerprint. Visual in five seconds.â?

An asteroid that rivaled most Dreadnaughts in size cleared the Chevalierâ??s bow, sailing over them to the port side as the Helm officer made rapid navigational changes to compensate for drift. In front of them, a section of the field suddenly disappeared, replaced by a small group of ships in parallel formation.

The base of operations for the Resistanceâ??s Black Ops was not really a base at all, but a collection of independent ships linked together through their central computer mainframes. The concept for the design had been Sauvageâ??s, utilizing the door generators on each ship to interconnect a small group, changing them into a single large unit capable of dissolving at a moments notice and fleeing in any direction necessary to rejoin each other at a later time. Additionally, any ship in the Black Opsâ?? fleet could withdraw at any time to pursue individual missions, while the rest of the group stayed behind and continued operations.

Sauvageâ??s concept was a closely-guarded secret, since until that time no one had considered ships as potential smaller pieces of a whole instead of simply independent units that could link together if necessary. The concept was also crucial to Sauvageâ??s secrecy; as long as any possible enemies seeking them out were concentrating on a single establishment, a ship or two would easily slip past detection, preserving the integrity of the unit.

â??Synchronization in process. Ship controls are being transferred to the Adept.â?

â??Transfer confirmed,â? said Helm. â??Adept has the helm. We are on course for formation, starboard of the Bastion.â?

â??Reopening doors to the group now.â?

The Adept was the brain of the group. The original design had been a custom model based on an Avalon light cruiser, but the ship had been extensively remodeled to accommodate a massive supercomputer capable of handling the informational enormity of multiple ship system data and maintenance. The computer and its coolant system took up over forty percent of the ship; and with the engines built into the streamlined design, very little room was left for anything besides a Central Operations room, which took up four decks, and various conference rooms.

All of the systems on the other ships were routed directly through the Adeptâ??s mainframe, which was also an essential part of the segmented station design: with one source for navigational direction, time wasted transmitting coordinates and minor helm changes were eliminated, and while linked the ships could effectively function as a single unit with no loss of efficiency.

Forward of the Adept, and several hundred kilometers below it, hung the Bastion, a Defender acquired shortly before the Harrier line of Messengers had been decommissioned. Since the Defender was a popular model, Sauvage had declared the Bastion expendable, and the ship was used primarily for crew quarters and any undertakings that required a large degree of space which decks would otherwise have limited. A section of the Bastionâ??s center was hollowed out and equipped for removable deck plating to that end.

Flanking the Bastion and to the rear of the Adept were two heavy cruisers, both Culverin class. Nearest the Chevalier, which was beginning its pass over the group, was the Squall, the groupâ??s espionage and information vessel; and on the other side the Zenith, which had been Sauvageâ??s secondary reconnaissance ship until the new addition had been confirmed, and was now being converted into a full-time research vessel.

In front of the Squall and still flanking the Bastion rested the newly acquired Melisande, an Aria model to partner with the Chevalier for necessary trips. Since the Aria was a lighter model than the Javelin, the Melisande was to be equipped with a state-of-the-art cloaking system for secure rendezvous and agent runs, and the Chevalier would take the opportunity to get some dry-dock time and upgrade a few of its systems.

The Chevalier lifted over the Zenith and settled into formation.

â??Synchronization complete at elapsed two minutes and thirty-eight seconds,â? said Tactical. â??All doors operational. Prisoner transfer path confirmed, through Squall to Bastion; corridors have been secured.â?

â??All right, gentlemen.â? Salier rose. â??Letâ??s get mister Scorer comfortable.â? Edited July 25, 2013 by Allamorph

Aaryanna_Mom · September 4, 2008

Since the war had begun sometimes James felt like he never got any sleep. If he had been busy before with leading the Elite Specialists & Task Forces, it was hard to see it after nearly a year of dealing with the war. There was never a day when he didn?t spend every waking moment dealing with more paperwork than any person should see in a lifetime.

He had barely finished up with the newest reports when the chime indicating someone was just outside his office door at the Council Center sounded. A quick glance showed that it was his aide. James stifled the urge to sigh and issued the command for him to enter.

?[B]What is it this time?[/B]? He didn?t mean to sound curt, but some of the nonsense he had dealt with that morning had him feeling a bit cross. He looked up and instantly regretted his abruptness. His aide looked just as tired and harried as he did. James made a mental note to make sure he was given plenty of time off once things settled back down. He had certainly earned it for putting up with him.

?[B]The [I]Transcendence[/I] has arrived sir. Specialist Kreid has requested a debriefing.[/B]? If he had noticed that James was less than courteous he didn?t show it. ?[B]Commander Landers has been transferred for level one interrogation, did you still wish to oversee that yourself sir?[/B]?

?[B]Yes, keep him on hold for now. Unfortunately, I still have a few things to deal with first.[/B]?

?[B]Sir,[/B]? His aide hesitated and then didn?t finish.

?[B]What is it?[/B]? He ignored the uncomfortable look on the guys face and then sighed inwardly. ?[B]Speak up; I won?t hold it against you.[/B]?

?[B]Sorry sir, it?s just that some of us are wondering if Landers will be executed once the interrogation is finished.[/B]?

James?s eyebrow shot up. ?[B]And why would you wonder that?[/B]? He knew the answer, war or not, there were a fair number of officers who felt that what happened to his family was uncalled for and therefore warranted leniency.

?[B]Never mind, I know why.[/B]? He said before his aide could answer. ?[B]I don?t know what will happen just yet, if I can tell you I will, fair enough?[/B]? His aide nodded. ?[B]Anything else you?d like to ask me?[/B]?

?[B]What should I tell Specialist Kreid?[/B]?

?[B]I?ll contact him before the day is out to set up a time for his debriefing, until then he is to consider himself off duty. Now unless you have other things to cover, you?re dismissed.[/B]?

His aid bowed in his direction and then turned and left the office. James sighed for real once he was gone and looked back at the reports he had been sorting through. Sometimes he wondered if it would be best to simply work out a compromise instead of insisting on forcing the outer systems to comply.

Horendithas · September 6, 2008

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]Jared was beginning to wonder if the New Alliance scum even cared about getting what information he possessed. He?d been bounced around from one location to another for several months now. The group at the capitol had been pretty useless when it came to getting anything. Beating him senseless on a regular basis did nothing. That had actually been entertaining. The next one had been the oddest with that mysterious woman who queried him until he had been transferred to Kiva Salqarian.

Still he had not been impressed or worried at all - at least not until he met that woman who came for him. It was her precautions from the get-go that concerned him the most. His first thought was that she was a member of the races that were slaves, with her dark eyes. But the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if she had merely had her eyes treated to hide her identity. Without the ability to test her genetics, he would have no way of knowing for sure.

Somehow he got the impression that she wasn?t the type to let something like that slip. Just that brief time of following her directions when moved to his new cell had been more than enough to tell him that she wouldn?t make stupid mistakes. It was mostly his gut reaction since he had nothing else to go on, but he?d be surprised to learn otherwise.

He hoped they did something soon. Jared was tired of the same daily routine of stretches and exercises that the limited space in his cell allowed. He could tolerate being alone, but even Versilan?s after a while would begin to break down from the isolation. Most of the races that had been enslaved went to pieces if isolated for very long. They didn?t have the benefit of genetic enhancement over the centuries to prevent that kind of thing.

Nor did they have centuries of space travel behind them. Over time, even without using genetics to enhance the process, one became more accustomed to that silent time between sectors when one traveled. Though usually they had some means of entertaining themselves instead of being deliberately stuffed into a cell and left there.

Jared had just finished his morning stretches when the door to his cell opened to admit two guards. They were both smartly dressed like the woman who had put him in there three weeks ago. Absolutely nothing was out of place with their dress uniforms. He didn?t miss how their gaze missed nothing either as they took in the room before focusing directly on him.

?[B]Time to move Scorer,[/B]? The closest one said, his dark eyes gave nothing away. ?[B]You are to follow me without question; any deviation will not be tolerated.[/B]?

Jared looked to the other guard who was standing just behind the one who had spoken. Neither one of them was armed. He stifled the urge to give them grief. It would be a simple matter for someone else to step in and deal with him. The two of them certainly looked capable. He snorted.

?[B]Yes sir.[/B]? He did not bother to hide the sarcasm in his voice. With a slight mocking bob of his head he followed him out into the corridor. He didn?t have to look to see that the other one was right behind him.

The corridors were completely empty of any personnel and utterly barren, giving him no clues as to where he was this time. Only the faint echo of their footsteps could be heard. Time seemed to move slowly as they took him through several doors. Jared tried to figure out what kind of ship he was on based on their path since he was familiar with just about every ship design there was. But the path they took him on made no sense. They would turn where they shouldn?t have or backtrack where a corridor shouldn?t even exist.

The next door opened to reveal a stark plain room with a single chair in the middle of the room. He smirked upon seeing it. He was well acquainted with [I]that[/I] kind of chair. If they really thought that would bother him or even work, then they were in for a rude awakening. He stepped into the room, his escorts moving to either side of him as the door closed in his wake.

He glanced at the chair briefly and then looked to the woman who had first come for him. She was leaning against a metal table up against the far wall, her hands to the side, resting on the actual table. For the briefest second his smirk faltered and then he recovered, matching her expressionless stare with one of his own.

?[B]Mr. Scorer.[/B]? Her voice was flat and as emotionless as her expression. She brought her hand up, palm facing the ceiling in an almost welcoming gesture. ?[B]Have a seat.[/B]?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

Rachmaninoff · September 8, 2008

?There is no neutral ground? that was what he had said. It was easy for him to say it of course; he had chosen where he stood. The Commander of the ship Darren was on worked for the New Alliance or rather the Resistance had chosen to support them. It was always easy for those who believe in one side to declare that there wasn?t a middle ground. The truth was that both sides were trying to force their views on everyone else.

Darren sighed. It didn?t matter anymore. Neither one would ever leave him alone; reading what had been on the handheld computer proved that. They could lie and pretend they were giving him a choice, but he knew better. It was no different than before. He already knew what he would do. There could be no other reason for The Commander to have given him [I]that[/I] information. They would have his cooperation whether he wanted to or not.

It didn?t matter if the actual information he had been given was true or not, he couldn?t take that kind of risk, even if they claimed nothing would happen. Supposedly nothing would beyond being detained until the end of the current civil war, but the thought just made him snort in disgust. If that were true they would have not bothered to deliberately give him some of the information that they had. The door to his cell opened but he did not bother to get up off the bed or to look up, he knew who it would be.

?[B]Have you made up your mind?[/B]? It was of course the Commander of the ship he was on.

?[B]I accept your terms.[/B]? Darren replied flatly. He kept his gaze on the far wall.

?[B]You realize the responsiblity and possibly consequences if you do that correct??[/B]

?[B]I understand what can happen no matter what I do.[/B]? He said dully. Part of him wanted to argue over it, but he was too tired to care anymore.

?[B]And you?re fine with being required to wear temporary restraints limiting your movements and access in the ship?[/B]? The Commander prompted.

?[B]I am.[/B]? He still did not turn to look at him. ?[B]Use whatever you want.[/B]?

?[B]Look at me and answer that again.[/B]? The Commander said flatly.

Darren sighed and turned to face him, meeting his gaze. ?[B]I?m fine with the terms you have specified. That includes the use of disruptor restraints to limit where I can go on the ship. There is nothing in there that I object to.[/B]?

?[B]Nothing?[/B]?

Darren grimaced slightly. ?[B]If you?re looking for me to object, then you?re wasting your time. I doubt you?ll let me go my way so therefore I accept your terms.[/B]? He sighed. ?[B]I?m tired of arguing with you and I don?t want to discuss it either. I?ll abide by what you?ve outlined so what more do you want?[/B]?

The man stared at him for a long moment before he finally nodded. ?[B]Alright, someone will come for you later then. Once that is taken care of, you?ll be debriefed on what you?ll be expected to do.[/B]?

Darren picked up the handheld computer off the bed and tossed it to the Versilan standing next to the door. The man caught it and with a tiny nod, turned and left the cell. Darren stayed put and went back to thinking about what he had just done. He had planned on not doing it but things had changed. He only had one real question now, and that was to wonder if she really was in the sector. If she was, had she really come willingly? And if so, just what the hell had she been thinking?

Aaryanna · September 26, 2008

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]Valencia hung on as the small ship shuddered from taking another direct hit to the back. They?d managed to escape from the New Alliance in sector nine, but now they were having trouble slipping through the defenses to get back into Imperial territory. It didn?t help that she no longer had safe passage codes to get through.

Nor did finding out that her ship specifically had been added to the list of hostile ships. Cassandra had learned that by hacking into one of the communication relays between sectors. [I]I am so going to beat the crap out of William if I ever get the chance. [/I]She scowled as another hit from the defenses between sectors four and five nearly sent her flying out of her seat.

?[B]Cassandra! Would you stop flying right into every damn shot?[/B]? Her hands flew over the controls as she boosted the power to the safety fields designed to keep her in her seat.

?[B]I can?t hit the damn defense towers and hang on to my seat at the same time![/B]?

[B][I]-It?s not that easy to dodge them!-[/I][/B] Cassandra shot back. [B][I]?You?re the one that insisted on coming this way instead of skirting the edge of sectors two and three like I suggested we do.-[/I][/B]

Valencia paused to hang on to her seat again as another shot hit, a few lights flicked before one of the consoles in the bridge shorted out, sending a shower of sparks into the air. ?[B]You?re the one who told me that the outer defenses had been increased for those sectors. If we had gone that way, we wouldn?t have been able to get back in at all![/B]?

She looked at the map up on the lower right hand corner of the main viewer. Just a few more and they?d be through.[I] I shouldn?t have dropped out of hyperspace, if I hadn?t done that to let Cassandra hack into one of the relays, we wouldn?t be in this mess.[/I] Getting the information hadn?t been a problem; it was the attempt to return to hyperspace that had triggered the defense systems in that area.

[B][I]-You?d better hope that we aren?t on their list too. At this rate, we won?t be able to outrun anything.-[/I][/B] Cassandra pointed out. [B][I]?We?re going to need an actual space dock for some of the repairs.-[/I][/B]

Valencia sighed, ?[B]Let?s just get the hell out of here first? Well worry about that later.[/B]? She tuned Cassandra out and focused on taking out as many of the defense towers as possible, if they took too long, they?d run the risk of encountering New Alliance patrols. A short while later she sighed in relief.

?[B]Finally![/B]? She leaned back into her chair. ?[B]Take us to the closest merchant station.[/B]?

[B][I]-Uh, that?s going to take a while.-[/I][/B]

?[B]Why?[/B]? A cold feeling crept over her. ?[B]Don?t tell me?[/B]? She looked to the control panel next to her chair; the reports for the actual damage were still being assessed. Well beyond the initial reports she had gotten during the scuffle. [I]Oh hell?[/I]

?[B]Shit.[/B]? She pressed her hand to her forehead. ?[B]How long.[/B]?

[B][I]-We?re down to approximately forty percent capacity.- [/I][/B]Cassandra explained.[B][I] ?That means that the closest merchant space station is just over two months away, unless?-[/I][/B]

?[B]Unless what?[/B]? Valencia looked up at the viewer. ?[B]Great, just great.[/B]?

[B][I]-If we avoid Imperial resources and stay far enough away to avoid detection, that makes it three months to get to the merchant station on the other side of this sector.-[/I][/B]

?[B]And if we trust that we aren?t on the Empire?s list, getting to their space docks would only take a month.[/B]? Valencia bit her lower lip. ?[B]Let?s take a moment to see what we can pick up first. Where?s the closest communications relay?[/B]?

[B][I]-There?s one just a day from here.-[/I][/B]

?[B]I assume you mean even with our reduced speed?[/B]?

[B][I]-Yes.-[/I][/B]

?[B]Set a course for that then, I want to know just what the hell is going first.[/B]? [/FONT][/COLOR]

Allamorph · September 26, 2008

Salier was pleased at her prisoner's reaction. The chair had been the result of an easy bit of delving, which she was glad to see had paid off. His eyes had given him away; the familiar object had brought up the right memories, and now he thought he knew what was coming.

—Let him, she told herself. —Let him believe he has control, a bit of leverage that I don't know about. She was certain he was feeling out of sorts after the long trip; a little common ground between them now would make it that much easier to completely disorient him when they got started. And Jared Scorer had responded just as she'd wanted.

She hadn't been expecting the second response, though: the brief unsettled twinge that had flitted across his face when he'd looked from the chair to her. However slight it might have been, it was the unmistakable seed of fear, and she wondered what would result should she continue to play on that feeling.

Her prisoner stopped a short ways from the chair and relaxed, reclining on the air and clasping his hands behind his head.

"That's a nice piece of equipment," he said nonchalantly.

Salier nodded her thanks.

"A bit old,â?" she conceded, "but perfectly functional." She allowed herself a small smile. "We try to make our guests feel at home with more . . . familiar accommodations."

The captive raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"We find that it helps with the acclimation."

Scorer seemed amused with her jab. So far so good.

"Maybe," he was saying, "but your room service could use a little work. A fruit basket would have been nice."

Salier shrugged. "We're still working out a few kinks." She gestured at the chair again."If you don't mind," she invited generously.

He eyed her for a moment, and then obliged, easing himself into it as if it were merely another lounge chair. Once settled, he stretched lazily and settled down, casually drumming his fingers. He drew a slow breath.

"Mmm," he mused. "Not bad. You've obviously done your homework." Salier saw his gaze flit over the armrests, no doubt noticing the lack of restraints. Leaving them off had been a subject of some small debate, but the final decision had been to abandon them; L'Arachel felt their absence added to the effect, too, since at best the prisoner would suspect a small degree of incompetency and at worst would be more confused.

"I'm glad it's to your tastes," she said. She rose, arms crossed, and began to pace around the front of him, keeping her stride deliberate and measured.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get you here," she told him. She took a small breath. "My superior also wanted to express his apologies, since he was unable to see you settled in himself." She made a careless gesture to the air as she passed the chair's right. "I'm sure you're familiar with the constraints of leadership."

"You could say that." The prisoner looked around. "So what, may I ask, are we waiting on?"

"A few of the medical staff," answered Salier. "They'll be preparing you for the main event."

This remark provoked an actual laugh from the Versilan in the chair.

"Really?" he ejaculated. "Then I hope they aren't much longer. I look forward to it."

Salier smirked.

"No...," she said. Grasping his shoulder with her right hand, she let the hypospray concealed in her other sleeve slip down into her waiting palm, and with a quick motion pressed it to his arm, just above the elbow. The sudden hiss caught the prisoner's attention; he turned his head sharply, staring at her hand, and as the anesthesia began to cloud his senses, his eyes lifted to meet hers, utter confusion etched across his face.

In another second the prisoner had slumped back against the chair, his body completely relaxed. Salier's eyes narrowed, the smirk gone from her face. Her hand dropped to her side.

"...you won't."

Edited October 7, 2017 by Allamorph

SunfallE · September 29, 2008

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]William was humming to himself as he lay on his back on the sofa in his quarters. It was an older lullaby that had been long forgotten. One of many that had been purged from the databanks throughout the Versilan Empire. He wasn?t entirely sure when he had heard it. He liked to think it was something his mother had sung to him when he was but a little child. It was a shame that the copy he had of it had been lost. Now all he had was a bittersweet memory from so long ago.

Sometimes he wondered if people forgot that the fight was for more than trying to free the enslaved races. The slow purging of what the High Council considered questionable in terms of acceptable materials, was something that was often overlooked. He use to keep better track of things that vanished from their society. Once he took over running the Resistance he had been forced to put it aside. When civil war had broken out, those few members who kept track of things like that had been required to fill other duties.

The thought that such cultural losses would end up being blamed on the current war pained him. William reached up and placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Cultural losses were the least of his concerns at the moment. So many things were in play, the loss of just one link in the chain of events he was working to arrange could spell disaster.

It was too soon for Kiva Salqarian to be done with her assignment. He hated to give her something that would be seen as being beneath her skills. However, it was far more important that she or anyone realized. It was but one feint to mask another?s movements. It would look like a failure and yet would hide the true success, provided things went as planned. Regardless, spreading the information he wanted to get out there, would have an impact even if the other part fell through.

The other side of that worried him the most. He wished that particular path wasn?t so? erratic and unreliable. It had far too many risk factors for his comfort. It was the only chance he had though; he only hoped that it didn?t fall through. That, if it fell apart would be an even worse disaster. It would compromise the Resistance in so many ways. Well mainly himself but still.

William sat up before reaching for his hand held computer that was sitting on the small table next to the sofa. There was nothing new to check into. He had hoped for one of his other agents to get word on what had happened with the Imperial Fleet where both Jason and Celestia were being kept. But that line of communication had gone silent. There were other agents in place, but their ability to pass information on was severely limited. Hopefully it was only a case of the agent keeping quiet.

He took a moment to glance through all the new reports; there was still nothing from Sauvage yet. That didn?t really worry him. Sure it would have been better to get the information as quickly as possible, but so called tried and true methods would have not gotten the desired results. It would have been riddled with deceptions carefully woven into the information. Scorer was far too clever for anything else. He didn?t know what Sauvage had in mind, but he was positive that if anyone could get to the truth, it would be him.

William stood up. He pocketed his hand held computer and made for the bridge. It was time to leave sector nine for a bit. He needed to get a few more things started. If all went well, it was possible that the war would be over soon. He wasn?t going to hold his breath though.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Horendithas · September 29, 2008

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]Why did it feel like things were dragging out? The war was going in their favor, wasn’t it? The reports could be seen as alarming, with all the skirmishes between borders, and the growing numbers of those who had died. But they had the bulk of the core systems on their side along with over half of the sectors that had been conquered. So why did it feel as if the wind was changing, and not in the Empire’s favor? The feeling had no basis or root in fact. And yet it lingered and persisted, in spite of all the information that said otherwise.

A smaller warship pulled free from the main fleet in sector five, slowly weaving in-between the other ships before it was finally clear and made the jump to hyperspace. Sandra watched the space where it had just been for a few minutes. She clutched the untouched drink in her hand tightly before turning her back on the view from her quarters on the [I]Creator[/I].

Perhaps her feelings were tied into the uneasiness that had spread with the news of Kendra’s death. Or from willingly sending Commander Matheson to escort Kendra’s remains along with the two slaves Celestia and Jason to the capitol. With every passing moment it felt like those few allies she could trust were vanishing on her.

Sandra wished she knew where Jared was. They had finally gotten intelligence reports that indicated the New Alliance had him, but that had not been confirmed and their agents had been unable to get anything to verify his whereabouts. It was as if he had vanished without a trace. With a sigh she set her drink down on the counter in the small kitchen. [I]Where are you when I need you the most? [/I]

She turned sharply when a chime from her desk indicated there were new messages for her. It was probably from Stevens, it was almost time to head for the border after all. They had only stopped to deal with Kendra and sending the slaves back to sector one. Sandra moved to answer them.

[hr=indigo]100[/hr]
He didn’t know how long he had been awake. There was nothing to mark the moment he went from being asleep to being conscious. No light, no voice, none of the usual sounds from a ship – absolutely nothing. Even now, he wasn’t sure if he was really awake or not. His eyes were open, at least he thought they were, but he couldn’t see anything at all. It was just a uniform blackness that was the same as if his eyes were closed. At least he thought it was.[I] What the…? Is this some sort of dream?[/I]

It took him a while to remember how he had ended up unconscious to begin with. It still made no sense, why bother to knock him out? He tried to shake his head but nothing happened. He ignored the rising feelings of irritation since it was more important to figure out what was going on. He seemed to be floating in a dreamlike state, and yet there was a lingering feeling that he was certain came from whatever had been in the shot that woman had given him.

Once that had faded Jared could feel his body more clearly; however, he was still so relaxed, it was like he was gently floating. He tried to move but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to get his arms or legs to cooperate. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it didn’t serve any purpose either.

“[B]What kind of…[/B]” He stopped, utterly confused.[I] I have to be dreaming. I can’t even hear my own voice. [/I]

Jared closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Hours later he snarled inwardly and gave up. [I]Why can’t I fall back asleep![/I] Was it possible he wasn’t even awake? If that was so, why did it feel like he had been in this odd darkness for more than a few hours? He had never had dreams about floating in darkness for hours on end before.

Jared abandoned that line of reasoning and opened his eyes again. He could feel an edge of uneasiness starting to form in the back of his mind; he ruthlessly crushed it. He didn’t have time to get worried over what seemed a stupid dream. [I]Focus on what’s going on around you idiot! They must have put something in that shot other than anesthesia.[/I] All he had to do was figure out just what they had used.

If it was a drug for inducing hallucinations, it was poorly done. But that made no sense either, that kind of thing actually made getting information out of someone worse, since they’d make up stuff just to get it to stop. And in their drugged state, the confusion from the hallucinations distorted their perceptions of reality. So that couldn’t be it. He ran the possibilities through his mind. Hours later, he still had no answer, he knew every interrogation technique out there and nothing matched up with this odd dreamless state he seemed to be in.

He shoved those thoughts aside and focused on the situation, starting with the air he was breathing - it seemed normal to him. What sensations he could feel, also seemed fine, well other than the fact that he couldn’t seem to move, [I]at all[/I]. Jared kept trying though, patiently focusing on one area before moving to the next. Hours later, he was exhausted by the attempts to get his body to respond like it should. But no matter how hard he tried, Jared couldn’t even manage to get his fingers to curl into a fist.

[I]Screw this.[/I] He stubbornly closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep again. Jared did his best to still his mind in order to go back to sleep. He tried, unsuccessfully, to fight back the ever growing uneasiness when hours later, he was still awake. Only this time, he couldn’t push it back like he had before. [I]What the hell is going on?[/I][/SIZE][/COLOR]

RPG Silver One: Civil War

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