ON: [[Wardroom, Starbase 386, Station Day 14, 1056]]

After hearing Arthur's request to see her, Mikaela (PNPC) had hurried to the wardroom. Kilana had mentioned that the base's Executive Officer would likely want to speak with her, but had been somewhat vague as to why. All she knew was that Kilana and some of the other engineers would be busy with a special project. It wasn't like her friend to leave her in the dark, so she figured that whatever it was was rather important. Curious, she rang the doorchime to the room, not sure who else was inside.

“Enter,” the voice of the station’s executive officer called from within.

Mikaela walked into the wardroom and saw Arthur seated inside, alone. Resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow, she stepped forward and said, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

A smile spread across Arthur's face as he looked toward the doorway where the woman stood. "Yes," he replied, "please, come in."

Giving a brief nod, Mikaela moved closer into the room and waited.

Arthur motioned toward the open chair across from himself with one hand, hoping that the engineer would sit. He wanted their conversation to be productive which meant ensuring that she understood that they were colleagues in this venture. "Thank you for coming so promptly, lieutenant," he said, folding his hands on the surface of the table, "I hope that I did not interrupt anything you might have been working on."

Mikaela took the seat across from the Executive Officer. "Of course, sir. And no, you didn't. I was just trying to figure out how to shuffle my team since Chief Nira needed some of the shipyard engineers for a special project."

The smile that had been tugging at Arthur's mouth widened ever so slightly at the irony of the engineer's statement. "That is precisely what I wanted to talk to you about," he said, keeping his attention fixed on Breland, "In your opinion, what is the operational status of our system defenses?"

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "Well, I mostly concentrate on the shipyard, but I do know that we got the defense platforms operational after the incident with the Elyshans. There are probably other tweaks that should be done, but Chief Nira would know more about that."

"That is precisely the reason I want to talk to you, lieutenant," Arthur said, unfolding his hands. He reached over and tapped a control surface that was embedded into the table's surface. A moment later, the large screen along one wall came to life with a real-time image of the USS Sentinel. Folding his hands on the table again, Arthur continued, "I'm sure people have already been talking about our latest arrival."

Mikaela nodded, "To put it mildly, yes, they have. I was wondering if it'd end up in the Shipyard for us to work on, considering its age." She looked over at him, starting to get an idea about the various odd things that had been happening.

"Do you think she could penetrate our defenses," Arthur asked bluntly.

Pausing, Mikaela considered the question. There were a lot of variables at play - for one, how recently it had been refitted and what level of technology it had. Constitution class vessels weren't actively used in the Fleet anymore, other than for some training exercises. "Well, sir, that depends on a few factors, but I'd say that it's unlikely. Our defenses have been improved, we do have garrison vessels, and the Sentinel's technology is likely outdated. At the same time, I wouldn't rule it out...stranger things have happened."

"Starfleet is concerned that recent disappearances of such vessels from fleet yards is indicative of piracy meant to put these ships into the hands of smugglers, pirates, and maybe even factions within the Elyshan, Cardassian, or Romulan Empires," Arthur explained calmly, "If that were the case, we would have no way of knowing what upgrades or modifications might have been made."

Mikaela frowned, "In that case, there's a better chance they could get through our defenses... The odds would still be against them, in my opinion, but depending on what upgrades and modifications they have in place, their odds could be much improved." As the final piece of the puzzle fit in, she said, "I take it then that we're testing it out? We'll be defending against an upgraded, modified version of the Sentinel? And this would be the special project Chief Nira is working on, I presume..."

"It would, indeed," Arthur said, pleased that the young woman had worked it out on her own, "Captain Lange will be commanding the Sentinel personally, which means that I am to command the station and her defenses. With Chief Nira being part of the Sentinel team, I want to be able to rely on you when it comes to ensuring that our systems are ready."

"Of course, sir," Mikaela replied. Normally she'd be more leery about the idea, but since she'd become Shipyard Foreman, she felt much more prepared for the task. "I'll see about assignments for the Engineers that aren't involved in the special project... Will any of them be needed on the Peacekeeper or Triconderoga?"

"It is my understanding that the Ticonderoga crew has everything under control from their end," Arthur replied, running through the crew assignments for the Peacekeeper in his head, "but I believe that Chief Nira has already taken the liberty of drafting a few of the personnel from the Peacekeeper. If you could find a few individuals to fill in over there, it should help to balance things out."

Mikaela nodded, "I'll work out personnel assignments once we're done here, have a little briefing, and get them started. I'm glad we got those defense platforms operational prior to this, even though it is a wargame. One less thing to worry about, I suppose. I wonder how much those on the Sentinel will be able to get done in a short amount of time though..."

"I have no doubt that Captain Lange and Chief Nira will be doing all in their power to complete their mission, namely to mount a successful attack on this station," Arthur said slowly, "Their knowledge of our operations and our defenses gives them a distinct advantage, not to mention whatever modifications they are able to make to the Sentinel before the exercise begins. We are bound by Starfleet regulations and, frankly, an obligation to act in the best moral sense. For the purpose of this exercise, they are not."

"True," she replied slowly. "That might complicate things somewhat, at least for us. But then again, we are somewhat used to that - it's not as if our enemies play nice when they come to fight."

"We cannot expect them to play by the rules of engagement," Arthur continued, both for her benefit and his own, "Thus, we must be certain that our response is not one that they might expect or predict."

Mikaela replied, "Creativity is key. That, or perhaps faking them out. Make them think we're going to do one thing, but end up doing something else. Although we won't exactly have the advantage of surprise since a Starbase can't sneak up on a starship."

"No..." Arthur said slowly, "but I do have an idea."

OFF:

A JP by:

Lieutenant Mikaela Breland (PNPC)
Shipyard Foreman & Damage Control Specialist
Starbase 386
played by: WO1 Nira

and

ON:
<<Starbase 386, Outside USS Sentinel, Day 14, 1300>>

Peters stopped at the airlock just outside the USS Sentinel noticing the Security Clearance notification on a nearby display. He tapped a command into that panel to open a comm channel. "Lieutenant Commander Peters to Warrant Officer Kilana Nira."

<USS Sentinel Corridor>

Hearing the message, Kilana tapped her comm badge, "Nira here, go ahead Lieutenant Commander."

<Starbase 386 airlock>

Peters smiled and replied, "I heard you were working on refitting the Sentinel for a war game and I wanted to offer my help."

<USS Sentinel Corridor>

Kilana paused to consider the offer. Considering their time limit though, it didn't take her long. "Rumors get around fast," she replied with a chuckle. "I'd be glad to have whatever help you're willing to give. I'll meet you at the airlock, Nira out."

<Starbase 386 airlock>

After a few minutes, Kilana had made her way to the airlock and glanced around, looking for Todd. Spotting him, she walked over, "Good afternoon Commander."

"Good afternoon," Peters replied. "Thanks for letting me help. I'm sure you're busy working on the ship. Since the Malinche is in drydock for upgrades, I don't have a whole lot to do other than to sit dockwatch shifts in Engineering."

She smiled, "Sounds thrilling. Well, we could certainly use an experienced officer such as yourself. We have a small team and not much time to get her ready... My team started yesterday and we have until the day after tomorrow to get as many upgrades and modifications in as possible."

Peters nodded with a knowing smile. He had had to deal with a similar time crunch many times himself. "Well, I'll be glad to help any way I can," he said. "My strengths are in stellar cartography and quantum mechanic theory, but I've worked on pretty much every system on a starship."

"Just about every system needs something done to it," Kilana chuckled. "So I imagine you'll come in handy. I have a list here of our planned modifications and upgrades, as well as what's been done thus far. Why don't we go in and you can see if you have any other suggestions?" She held out the PADD she had with her to him. Perhaps a fresh set of eyes would also be advantageous.

Taking the PADD Peters smiled again and replied, "That's sounds like a good plan. I had had a few thoughts, but you may have thought of most of them. So I'll let you know if I have anything you haven't thought of once I've read this list."

Kilana nodded, "Excellent. This way, Commander."

<USS Sentinel, computer Core>

"It looks like," Peters said, lowering the PADD, "You've covered most of the bases, which doesn't surprise me. I did have a couple of thoughts though."

"What did you have in mind?" Kilana asked. She thought they'd been fairly thorough, but it was also easy to just get caught up in your own ideas. That was partly why having someone else come in was helpful.

"Well," Peters said with a grin, "I noticed you were going to try to build a cloaking device for the ship based on the specs in the database from some of the older Romulan models. Another possibility as an additional surprise, or a backup, would be to try and fit holoemitters on the hull to either disguise the ship visually or to project images of other ships as decoys. Also, since we're simulating either an attack by Elyshans or pirates, it's very likely that the crew of a ship commandeered by the Elyshans could be willing to make a kamikaze run to fulfill their mission. So you might want to be prepared to simulate a saucer separation and using one or both parts of the ship as a battering ram."

Kilana nodded slowly as she considered his ideas. Both where certainly possibilities, and they hadn't been taken into account. "Good points... Of the two, the former would be more of a challenge. Would you like to borrow some people and work on that?"

Peters grinned again, "I'm sure I have a few officers wasting time on shoreleave who would love that challenge. I'll see who I can scrape together and see if we can get it to work. If we can, great, if not, you'll still have the other ideas you've come up with."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll let you get started; just let me know if you need anything," she smiled. "I appreciate it, Commander."

"Not a problem," Peters answered. "Once I get some of my people working on the holoprojectors, I'll come back and see what I can help with in the other upgrades."

OFF: JP brought to you by:

Lieutenant Commander Todd Peters
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

and

ON:
<<Shipyard, Breland's Office, Day 14, 1400>>

After meeting with Arthur, Mikaela (PNPC) had started working out assignments for the engineers who were left after Kilana had chosen some to work on the Sentinel. Having skipped lunch at the usual time, she'd instead wandered to the Promenade quite awhile after the crowds had gone. On the way back to her office, she'd contacted the engineers she needed to see and asked them to meet her there.

A few were already waiting for her when she approached; Mikaela nodded to them and tapped her code into the keypad next to the door. Glancing back, she said, "Come on in."

Mikaela sat behind her desk and watched as the engineers filed in. Amelia (NPC) came in first, followed by Marc (NPC). After them, a relatively new addition to the Shipyard team entered - Kevas (NPC). Mikaela hadn't really gotten a chance to know him very well yet, but like many Andorians, he had quite the temper when one riled him up. "Have a seat, we're just waiting for one more," she told the small group.

Taking a seat, Marc was tempted to ask Mikaela where Kilana was...but she seemed to be somewhat distracted. Most likely she would end up telling them what was going on. "How have things been in the Shipyard, Lieutenant?"

"Fairly busy," Mikaela replied. "Everyone seems to like blowing their ships up. Then we get to put them back together. Job security though, I spose," she said with a slight smile.

Kevas watched the exchange between the two officers, growing more impatient by the minute. At this point, he couldn't really afford to lose his temper - he was too new in the position and his direct superior was in the room. However, Kevas still didn't appreciate the wasted time. Who was this person they were waiting for?

Rushing through the door, Jon (NPC) nearly tripped over the blue person sitting near the door. "Sorry," he said quickly.

Glaring slightly at the Terran, Kevas said nothing. The man was not winning any awards in his mind. Being late and practically tripping over another person was not the best way to make a good impression.

Amelia caught the look on the Andorian's face and her eyes widened. She could feel him getting angry with Jon - not that she could entirely blame him, but was relieved when he stayed in his seat.

Mikaela waited for Jon to take his seat before speaking, "Thanks for coming. Today you'll find out what we've all been wondering...why was an old hunk of metal towed to 386. As some of you have noticed, Chief Nira hasn't been around much since yesterday. She has chosen a small engineering team to take a special assignment. They'll be making whatever upgrades and modifications they can to the Sentinel and use it in a war game against 386, the Peacekeeper, and the Triconderoga."

Frowning, Jon asked, "Why a war game? Shouldn't we be preparing for another attack from those Elyshans? What harm can an ancient ship do?"

"That's precisely what we're going to find out. Some older StarFleet vessels have been disappearing and it is believed that either Elyshans or pirates or someone are taking them. They would then modify the ships and could use them to attack us. With enough time, substantial modifications could be made that would make them a threat," Mikaela explained. "Captain Lange will be in charge of the Sentinel and there'll be a few others from the base on the ship. The rest of us will be assigned to either 386 or the Peacekeeper for the exercise."

Marc raised an eyebrow and looked around the room. Based on who was there, the best he could guess was that the four of them would be going to the Peacekeeper. Amelia and Kevas likely wouldn't have been called in if they were simply staying on the base, although it was possible that he and Jon were. Rather than guessing though, Marc asked, "Who will be going to the Peacekeeper?"

Looking over at Marc, Mikaela replied, "The four of you, as well as some of the others. Lieutenant JG Waters will be leading the Peacekeeper's engineering team and the rest of you will be assigned tasks within your specialties. Lieutenant Zari, 386's Chief Tactical Officer, will be in charge of the Peacekeeper as Commander Richardson will be in charge of the base during the war game. So, you'll need to work out a strategy with her, as needed. The Peacekeeper's systems should be in good shape, generally speaking, but you may need to get creative to try to find the Sentinel."

Jon swallowed hard as he stared at Mikaela. "I'm in charge?"

Also somewhat in disbelief, Kevas looked at the rather nervous, clumsy man who would be his temporary Department Head. How had this happened? How was the man even Assistant Chief for the base? It was just his luck to be stuck under this incompetent fool.

Amelia had to admit to being a little nervous about having Jon in charge. He had a habit of fainting, especially under lots of pressure, which was not reassuring. His whole demeanor, really, was disconcerting. However, she suspected that Mikaela had accounted for that and that's why Marc was coming along as well.

"Yes, you are," Mikaela confirmed. "You'll do fine. If you need anything prior to the actual start of the exercise, just let me know. But I'm sure you can handle it." Really, she wasn't all that convinced, but Marc would be there to help keep Jon calm. At least, that's what she hoped.

Finally, Amelia spoke up, "When will the war game start ma'am?"

Mikaela glanced at her notes, "Two days, Ensign. For us, though, we shouldn't have too much to do to prepare. Tactical and those in charge will be planning strategy and we just have to be ready to implement it or think up solutions...as we usually do. It's those on the Sentinel that will be beyond busy the next couple days. Any other questions? No? Alright, dismissed."

Marc hung back slightly, sensing that Mikaela wanted to speak with him. Once the others had exited the room, he looked over at the Shipyard Foreman and waited. It was interesting to see her now, really; it seemed that the new responsibilities had done some good for her.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "I didn't even have to say anything. Not that I'm surprised."

"We've worked together awhile now, Lieutenant, and I am half Betazoid," Marc grinned. "What did you want to speak with me about? Waters?"

"You're really good at stealing my thunder... Yes, Jon. He really is a good engineer, overall, but still...I'm concerned about him passing out again. Being in charge, he'll be under quite a bit of pressure, even if it is only a war game. I need you to keep an eye on him," Mikaela said. She felt a little bad, asking one engineer to keep an eye on the other who was supposed to be in charge, but she just didn't see a way around it.

Marc nodded, "You didn't even need to ask, ma'am. With Nira on the special project and Richardson essentially putting you in charge, it is your duty to keep the best interests of the crew in mind. He does seem to be doing better lately though..."

"Well, let's hope that holds true. Good luck," she replied as she stood.

"And to you as well."

OFF:

Lieutenant Mikaela Breland (PNPC)
Shipyard Foreman/Damage Control Specialist
Starbase 386

and

Lieutenant JG Jon Waters (NPC)
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase 386

and

Lieutenant JG Marc Coburn (NPC)
Chief Systems Manager
Starbase 386

and

Ensign Amelia Luri (NPC)
Shipyard Engineer - Warp Systems
Starbase 386

and

Petty Officer Second Class Kevas (NPC)
Shipyard Engineer - Power Systems
Starbase 386

All played by:

ON:

<<Transporter Room 1, USS Falcon, Day 14, 1100>>

"Captain, Starbase 386 reports they are ready to receive the Doctor," came the call from the bridge.

Commander Logan sighed. "Very well. Lieutenant V'les, it has been an honor serving with you. You are without a doubt the most...interesting Doctor I have ever had."

Revan's luminescent blue eyes pierced the dimmed lighting of the room and met Logan's. "Thank you, sir. Perhaps your next CMO will be as adept at keeping you alive, should you crash in to another jungle."

Logan smiled and stepped forward, extending his hand to Revan. Revan eyed it warily, and finally grasped it in a firm handshake. Logan visibly shuttered slightly at the jolt that went through his hand.

Revan then turned to the Vulcan standing next to Logan. "Counselor T'Prem, I will miss our conversations. Live long and prosper."

T'Prem was quiet just a moment too long, something that Revan interpreted as a clear sign of Vulcan emotion. "Peace and long life," she said, looking intently at him.

Revan walked towards the transporter platform just as the doors slid open and Ensign Mitri came running in. The young man stopped short at the sight of Logan and T'Prem and cleared his throat. "Oh, excuse me Captain, Counselor. I was just...here to see Rev...erm...Lieutenant V'les off."

T'Prem looked at Commander Logan with an eyebrow raised. "Perhaps we should make our departure."

Commander Logan nodded, and with a final look to Revan, the two exited the room. Silence held out for several moments before Mitri finally spoke. "You were just going to leave."

Revan's glowing eyes stared impassively back at him. "Those are my orders, Ensign."

Mitri winced. "Without even telling me goodbye? Or when you were beaming off?"

"I'm confident in your ability to take over Medical without further..."

"Damn it, Revan, that's not what I mean. And you know it."

Revan looked away for several moments, collecting his thoughts. "Landon, I showed you things you were capable of doing that you never knew you could do. The human mind, while not far enough evolved yet, still has incredible potential and ability. I showed you that, and that's all that happened."

"But you..."

"I am Loshaan. You are human."

Mitri's face hardened. "Right. Thank you for clarifying, Lieutenant. Are you ready to energize?"

Revan stepped up on to the pad. "Yes, I am."

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

<<Sickbay, Starbase 386, moments later>>

"And then SHE says, that IS my foot."

The young crewman thought about it for a moment, and then began to laugh hysterically. The panel he was attempting to replace on the wall fell to the deck with a loud clatter as he doubled over.

The nurse didn't get the engineer's joke, and said as much.

"The Vulcan was experiencing pon-farr," said the engineer with a smile.

Realization slowly dawned on the nurse. "You mean he was..."

The chief nodded.

"...with her foot?"

The young crewman roared in laughter as the engineer nodded again.

"Gross."

Suddenly, the lights in the medical bay dimmed. The nurse rolled her eyes. "Did you guys break something again?"

"Forgive me," said a soft voice behind them. "The dim light is easier on my sensitive vision."

The three of them turned around. The nurse gasped involuntarily, the crewman jumped, and the engineer's mouth fell open. In front of them was a tall man in a Starfleet medical uniform. He had very pale skin, glowing blue eyes, and what looked exactly like fangs in his mouth. His long hair was in a ponytail, and slight ridges protruded from his forehead.

Revan was entirely familiar with this reaction. "My name is Lieutenant V'les Revan, the new Chief Medical Officer. I just wanted to stop by and see the infirmary before I report in to the station commander."

"You're Loshaan..." said the nurse, while the other two were still collecting themselves.

"Yes," Revan said simply.

"I'm sorry, I've just never seen one in person...one of your people that is."

Revan smiled in what he felt was a sympathetic way, but exposing his teeth unintentionally had the opposite effect. "Not many outsiders see my people. It is an honor to be able to introduce my culture and beliefs to this station and its crew."

The nurse nodded with uncertainty, while the other two continued to stare. "Very well," Revan said with a nod. "I believe I will now go report in for duty. A good day to you all."

OFF

Various Crewmen (NPC)

AND

<<Starbase 386>>
<Operations, Day 14, 1015>

There were certain things about living and working with humans that Tallick was still getting used too. Their use of basic was one of them; he had so far found that several words had more the one meaning and thanks to an rather gruff looking human down on the promenade, you could compose an entire sentence entirely of colorful metaphors.

Not that Tallick really knew what any of them met, he was having to spend a great deal of time looking up a good portion of them. For a culture that prided its self on treating everyone with dignity and respect, the humans sure had an awful interesting and long way to tell you that they didn't like you.

Or to tell completely inanimate objects to perform tasks that would have nearly been impossible for sentient beings. Unless you were a shape shifter. He thought about that for awhile as he cleared another freighter for docking.

Tallick caught sight of himself in one of the reflective panels. He was slightly short for his species, standing at 5'9. His fur was a smoky grey color and his eyes were bright blue. He was well muscled and filled out his uniform well. He checked on another freighter and let them know that an repair team was on the way and that they shouldn't attempt to...what was the human saying...jury rig it.

The turbolift opened and his boss, the very grumpy and generally discontent Quinn Scott stepped out. He always looked angry about something and Tallick was pretty sure that if he kept up his current attitude he was going to find things were going to be most unpleasant. He couldn't figure out what Quinn hated it here so much, Tallick found the work very enjoyable. Although, he had never worked anywhere but a space station or a stardock.

Quinn made a beeline toward Lange's office and Tallick resisted the urge to ask him how his day was going. Judging by the very annoyed look in his face, he gathered that it was not going well at all. Tallick sighed, he hoped that Lange could get his attitude turned around or he was going to request a transfer to a different department on 386.

OFF:

Ensign Tallick R'vora
Operations Officer
Starbase 386

Played By:

ON: <USS Sentinel, en route to Bridge, Day 14, 1300>

Admiral Olivia Tavez (PNPC) walked quickly through the Sentinel, Admiral Meyer at her side. It would seem that Captain Lange hadn't gotten their message, which was understandable considering the war game about to take place. So, rather than waiting for him to come to them, the two Admirals had decided to seek him out.

They walked onto the bridge, which was fairly empty. Olivia spotted James right away and made her way over to him. "Captain?"

Lange turned away from the Science console and towards the sound of a voice. "Admiral Tavez, Admiral Meyer. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Meyer looked around the Sentinel's bridge and couldn't help but envy Lange for his chance to work on the ship, even if only for a few days. There was something just a little more exciting about this bridge design compared to modern ships' comforts. "We have to speak with you about some personnel matters, Captain. We sent a message, but I'm assuming you've not been to your office for the past several hours, so we decided to come to you when you didn't come to us."

Lange blinked. The admiral was correct in that he hadn't been to his office in quite awhile; there was too much he needed to get done on the Sentinel, so he'd left the normal daily operation of the base to Richardson and Manley for the time being. "Alright, I'll bite. What's the fuss about? If it's about Lieutenant Scott, I'm not about to accept his transfer request..."

"It's not about Lieutenant Scott," Olivia replied, shaking her head. "We're leaving that situation up to you. On the other hand, the lack of Security personnel on the starbase is our concern. We need to be able to ensure the safety of not only those on the base, but also on the colony. Being short-staffed allows the possibility for things to get overlooked."

"I would think you'd want to talk to Commander Roscoe about that more than me," Lange replied.

"Commander Roscoe," Meyer answered stoically, "is being re-assigned. No slight to her or her abilities, but we feel that her particular talents are not right for this situation."

"What?!" Lange nearly exploded. He hadn't seen any transfer orders for Roscoe and was not pleased by this news. "Admiral, when I agreed to take command of this station you told me you wouldn't interfere with my running of the station."

Glancing over at the other Admiral, Olivia turned her attention back to James, "You should know as well as anyone that officers get transferred all the time. There's no exception just because you happen to be in charge of a starbase. Commander Roscoe's abilities were needed elsewhere and the current situation with the colony has turned up another candidate for Chief of Security."

Lange quirked an eyebrow. "So, who have you found for me this time? Another reject from Starfleet's list of people they actually WANT to serve on ships?"

Olivia looked at James, but said nothing at first. "No, Captain. Actually, the candidate isn't part of Starfleet..." She paused and waited for Admiral Meyer to explain further.

Meyer held out a PADD for Lange to take. "Constable Zael Artori. He's been the chief law enforcement officer on Aldani IV for just shy of 4 years now and has become quite popular with the colonists. That's why we've chosen him, as some of the colonists no longer feel that Starfleet has their best interests in mind when it comes to matters of law enforcement."

Lange looked at the PADD and nodded as Meyer spoke. There wasn't much information here, just Zael's name and a brief career summary along with a note that the man had seen some action in the Bajoran resistance. Based on the available information, he was capable. Still... "And the Starfleet security personnel on the station? I don't expect they'll be too happy taking orders from a civilian L.E.O."

"Neither did we...which is why he'll be given the rank of Provisional Lieutenant. It still may not go over well, but it should help," Olivia said. "From my time on the colony, I can personally vouch for him, Captain. And, other than the one incident...he handled some issues with the Orion Syndicate, which the colonists appreciated."

Lange didn't bother to ask what Admiral Tavez had started to say. It seemed a workable solution to the problem of chronic under-staffing aboard the base, at least in the short term. And if it made the colonists happier that would be one less headache he'd have to deal with. He still didn't quite like this turn of events, however.

"Alright, Admiral," Lange conceded, "I won't argue this. According to this information and what you've said he'll make a capable Chief of Security. But I will treat him no different than I would any Starfleet Officer. I intend to make it clear to mister Zael that I expect this station to be policed according to Starfleet regulations."

Olivia nodded, "I would expect nothing less, Captain. He should be arriving within the next few hours and I imagine he'll report in to you once he gets the proper clearances."

Lange nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, Admiral. I'll make sure Ops sends him here to find me."

"We'll leave you to your work, Captain," Meyer said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you've come up with for this exercise."

"Good luck, Captain," Olivia replied, "I'm interested to see how the war game plays out as well. Good day." With a final nod, she headed back the way she had come.

Lange waited until the door hissed shut behind them, then turned back to the Helm console. He needed to check the rest of the connections to the new computer core they'd tied into the Sentinel's systems before heading down to Engineering to confer with Kilana about the progress they'd made so far.

OFF:

This has been a Joint Post by:

Admiral Olivia Tavez (PNPC)
Chief of Staff
Federation 8th Fleet
As Played by: WO1C Kilana Nira

&

Admiral Antoine Meyer
Deputy Chief of Staff
Federation 8th Fleet
As Played by: Captain James Lange

&

ON:

<<USS Sentinel, Engineering, Day 14, 1500>>

Kilana stared down at the console, frowning. Looking back over at James she said, "What do you think? Overall, we seem to be making good progress, but there's still a few things bothering me..."

"I think this ship needs a few more weeks in drydock to be halfway ready for anything other than a pleasure cruise," Lange said with a sigh. He wished they had a bit more time to prepare for the wargame, but the amount of time they had was not something Lange could alter. "Still, all of the critical systems will be ready, I think. Your people are good at what they do."

She smiled at him, "I'm pretty sure that's the point. Don't worry, we'll have it done. Or at least, in good enough condition for the wargame."

After arriving on Starbase 386 Constable Zael Artori was informed by the ops officer on duty that he had been cleared for senior officer access the day prior by the fleets staff department. With the proper credentials Artori had little trouble gaining access to the USS Sentinel and once aboard was struck by the ships simplistic yet attractive architecture. He had been aboard very few Starfleet Vessels in his life but what he saw around him was unlike anything he had ever experienced and a sense of admiration swept over him.

As the turbolift halted and the doors slid open Artori strode onto the deck and into main Engineering.

A bit surprised by the visitor, Kilana turned from the console to see who it was. A Bajoran man, dressed in a darker gold than her own uniform. Apparently someone from the colony's Security force, at least if she was remembering correctly.

Lange looked at the newcomer with a frown, wondering how he'd gotten onto the Sentinel without triggering the notification system. Either it wasn't functioning properly, which wouldn't be a surprise, or the man had Starfleet clearance codes. If the latter was the case, this was probably their new Chief of Security.

Lange looked at the rank bar on the man's uniform and tried to remember the Aldani Security Forces uniform guide he'd flipped through last week. "Can I help you, Constable?"

Artori approached the Captain and stood crisply at attention, "Zael Artori, reporting for duty sir. If I may be so bold, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Lange was trying to think of why Zael looked so familiar, as he knew they had never met. Admirals Tavez and Meyer had merely given him the man's name and credentials, no real information about him. After a moment it came to him. "At ease, mister Zael. You were the ASF officer who got thrown out of an airlock while trying to take out the Orion Syndicate ring on Aldani IV."

Standing at ease Artori's gaze fell on the Engineer standing to the Captain's side, a Bajoran woman who the Constable felt was somehow familiar. He gave her a professional nod before returning his attention to Captain Lange.

Noting the nod Artori gave her, Kilana returned it. She didn't recognize the man, but was curious about the apparent new member of 386.

The Captain's comment took Artori by surprise but his demeanor didn't show it, "Yes sir. The truth is that I broke one of my own cardinal rules in an attempt to keep a lid on the situation. If it hadn't been for the quick thinking of my team I would not be standing before you now. I would offer however that I am not known for making the same mistake twice."

Kilana spoke up at that point, "I definitely wouldn't suggest getting thrown out an airlock on the base, Constable. That's usually not something one survives to have a second chance at..." She gave him a brief smile to show she was only kidding and sat the PADD she'd been looking at down.

Artori smiled slightly and cast Kilana a sidelong glance, "You'll have to forgive me for staring but I can't shake this feeling that we've met somewhere."

Lange felt a quick surge of anger at the constable's comment to Kilana, then forced it back. It took him a moment to figure out why that had made him angry... then it hit him: he was getting jealous. 'Behave yourself, Jimmy,' Lange thought to himself, 'Kilana's not done anything to make jealousy warranted and she's more than capable of fending off any unwanted attentions, IF they even come up. Down boy.'

Tilting her head slightly to one side, Kilana regarded the Bajoran a little more closely this time. "I don't think so... I'm usually pretty good with names and I don't recall yours. I was on Bajor during the Occupation, but my brother and I mostly just helped people escape."

Artori nodded but still could not shake the sense of familiarity. Turning back toward the Captain he began, "I understand that you and the rest of the staff are very busy with the Sentinel here so I wont take up too much of your time sir. I was planning on getting my team oriented and assembling the Starfleet security personnel for introductions. That aside, is there any way that I can assist you here over the coming days?"

Lange considered that for a moment before replying. On the one hand, another hand was always welcome. On the other, he knew that the new security personnel getting accustomed to the station was more important at this juncture. "I don't believe so, Constable. I have been informed, however, that for the duration of your assignment here you have been granted a provisional commission in Starfleet with the grade of Lieutenant. It is my expectation that you and all of your personnel will conduct the law enforcement on this station according to Starfleet regulations."

"Of course Captain," Artori spoke with a nod. He had been made aware of his provisional status only a few days prior and at first he hadn't liked the idea. Since then he had grown more accustomed to it and realized its necessity if the chain of command were going to function properly. "I am no stranger to duty sir and I am familiar with what is expected of me."

After Artori had brought up the possibility of knowing her, Kilana continued to contemplate the idea. She still didn't recognize him, but she wondered... Others had mentioned her resemblance to her sister; perhaps this Bajoran had known Lirana? The chances weren't very good - there were a lot of Resistance Cells on Bajor during the Occupation and it was unlikely he had known her sister. Kilana shrugged the idea off; she had other things to concentrate on for now anyway.

Lange nodded. "I believe it will be appropriate for you to wear a Starfleet uniform in most circumstances, but if you feel there is a situation where your ASF uniform will be more appropriate I will leave that to your discretion."

"I will see one is replicated," Artori spoke briskly. "If that is all sir, I am eager to get my department's affairs in order."

Lange nodded. "That's all, Lieutenant. Welcome to 386."

Artori turned to leave but stopped mid turn and cast Kilana another glance, "It was a pleasure, um..."

A bit surprised to realize she had never introduced herself, Kilana replied, "Warrant Officer First Class Kilana Nira, Chief Engineer for 386. Pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant."

Artori turned to face Kilana briefly then with a vacant expression and a polite nod headed back to the turbo lift. By the time the doors closed behind him he felt dizzy and his heart raced, forcing him to lean against the wall for support. Memories long suppressed came flooding back all at once and for the first time in many years Zael Artori found himself to be uncertain.

OFF: JP brought to you by:

Captain James Lange
Commanding Officer
Starbase 386

and

Provisional Lieutenant Zael Artori
Chief of Security
Starbase 386

and

ON: [[Wardroom, Starbase 386, Station Day 14, 1112]]

Quinn was annoyed and ready to go bolting for the nearest runabout and just get the hell off the station. He dismissed the idea as soon as it came to him though, it would only prove Lange's statement to a certain sense. He hated the idea of being on a starbase when there were two typically good ships out there that he could be on. He didn't have any idea how to defend a space station let alone outsmart both Lange and Nira.

Grumbling to himself and training to remain calm he stepped through the wardroom doors. He had only briefly met Commander Richardson. He did his best to hide his sour expression.

The sound of the wardroom doors caused Arthur to look up from where he remained seated at the long conference table. He was not expecting Lieutenant Breland (NPC) to return so soon and was not very surprised when he saw that the individual entering the room was, indeed, not her.

"Good morning, lieutenant," Arthur said with a welcoming smile, "What can I help you with?"

"Morning," Quinn said, actually sounding civil. "Captain Lange suggested that I report to you, so here I am."

"Ahh, yes," Arthur replied, "Lieutenant Quinn Scott, Chief Operations Officer. I've heard so much about you already." He surveyed the younger man with a gaze that seemed to be looking at more than Scott's mere appearance.

Quinn resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had no doubt that Lange had warned him about Quinn's attitude. Lange had probably called him as soon as Quinn left ops to give him a heads up. That was fine with Quinn, maybe that would help change Lange's mind about leaving him stuck on the station. Doubtful but miracles could always happen.

"Did you need something from me?" Quinn asked, ignoring the chair that as infront of him. The last thing that he wanted to do was get comfortable, he didn't plan on staying around too long.

Arthur did not give any indication that he had noticed the bluntness with which Scott had asked the question. After nearly a decade dealing with Starfleet cadets of all temperaments, not to mention years of service aboard starships and his own personal experience, Arthur could see the frustration the younger man was feeling. He could also clearly tell that Scott wasn't doing a good job handling that frustration at the moment. "Take a seat, lieutenant," Arthur said simply.

Quinn resisted the urge to say that he would rather stand, although given the look on Commander Richardson's face. No doubt that ignoring the suggestion would make things even more complicated. Reluctently he sat down.

"Did you need something sir?" Quinn asked again.

"It was you who sought me out, lieutenant," Arthur reminded Scott in a kind voice, "though I suspect that it is, in fact, related to your assignment to the station during this exercise. Would I be correct?"

"Yes sir," Quinn stated, keeping his voice even. "I want to point out though that I don't have any combat experience on a starbase so I am not entirely sure what it is that Lange hopes to accomplish by leaving me here. I would have been better off on one of the garrison vessels."

"There is an old Earth saying, lieutenant," Arthur said, a small smile coming to his face, "It is nice to want things." It looked like Scott was about to protest, but Arthur held up his hand. The smile faded instantly, as if someone had flicked a switch, and was immediately replaced by a look that many cadets knew well enough to avoid.

"Your assignment here may not be to your liking, Mister Scott, but we don't always get to choose the opportunities that come into our lives," Arthur continued, "all we can do is decide what to do with the time that we are given. Now, you can choose to spend that time convincing yourself that you won't do us any good or you can choose to demonstrate the skills that your previous superiors have spoken so highly of."

Quinn quirked an eyebrow, clearly this old man wasn't going to be as easy to fool as Quinn had thought. But those skills that he spoke of; well they were better suited for starships not starbases.

"They exaggerate," Quinn huffed. "And I highly doubt that any of them spoke to highly of my skills considering most wanted me transferred right away. There isn't a thing that I am going to be able to come up with that Lange and Nira wouldn't have already figured out. They have been on this station longer and have considerable more experience with her."

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. He was not willing to believe that was what the younger man honestly thought about his ability to carry out his duties. Even if it was, the statement simply wasn't true. "Whether you like it or not, your skills came highly recommended," Arthur said slowly, "and you have been given your assignment. You will report to Operations as assigned and you will carry out your duties."

"Understood sir."

"Now," Arthur said, his face softening slightly, "In your professional opinion, are our systems operating at peak efficiency?"

"Yes sir," Quinn responded.

"Good," Arthur replied. They were starting to get somewhere now. Although it seemed rather quaint, if he could keep the lieutenant focused on what could be done, rather than what couldn't, perhaps Scott would realize just how valuable his skills were for this assignment. Leaning back in his chair, Arthur continued, "Are our systems secure?"

"As secure as they can be...sir. Lange will naturally know that we changed all the access codes but any decent operations officer on the Sentinel could probably hack them again given enough time."

"So we've established that our systems are in peak operating condition," Arthur said, recapping the information that they had covered so far, "and that they are as secure as we feel they can be at this time." He paused a moment as he thought about the situation. Scott had made a valid point regarding the fact that the captain would know that they had changed the access codes, but as far as someone being able to hack the system...it was a situation that was most unlikely.

"I don't suppose there would be a way that we could make the captain believe that he has gained access to our systems," Arthur mused, "without actually providing him with that access...is there?"

Quinn shrugged; he knew of at least a dozen or so programs that could do that but most of them were against Federation policy. And the rest would require completely reconfiguring the main computer access pathways, which was something that they wouldn't have time to do.

"Technically no," Quinn said. "It wouldn't really do you much good anyway, so what if he thinks he has access, once he realizes that he doesn't he's going to abandon that approach. If you want to mess with his head, allow him access but change the codes on every subsystem that he tries to access. You could even send a datastream back to the source full of well...anything that you wanted and cause his processor to slow down greatly."

Arthur considered this for a moment, mulling the thought about in his head. "It is possible, especially given the parameters of the exercise, that he will attempt to access our systems, whether it be with the Sentinel's outdated computers or his own access codes," he said slowly, "We need to be ready for when that happens."

"If we change the access codes to every system, say with a modified hex algorithm that Seven of Nine invented he wouldn't have a chance to access anything...it would slow him down at least."

Arthur had often left the deep technical work to the engineers, but he couldn't help learning a few things over the years. While he couldn't honestly say that he knew exactly what a modified hex algorithm entailed, he understood the complexity of such work and could easily see how it might provide them an added layer of security against a systems penetration.

A smile began to spread across Arthur's face. "Mister Scott," he said with a hint of amusement, "I think you just contributed something valuable to this mission."

Quinn resisted the urge to roll his eyes; he had a feeling that Richardson would say something like that. He had just come up with an idea, it wasn't likely to really do much to Lange, other then severely hinder his ability to access the stations systems. He almost didn't want to bring up his other idea but figured that Commander Richardson would press him for it if he didn't.

"You could also reconfigure the sensor and targeting arrays to scan and concentrate fire on the weakest point of the attacking vessel's shields, we made the same modification to the Athena and it seemed to work pretty well."

"I will be sure to run that past the tactical department," Arthur said, pleased to see that the younger man was starting to come out of his shell a little bit. Having been in the younger man's shoes once, Arthur knew quite well how difficult it could be to give up one's convictions. It took him several years to finally figure it out, but once he had, it was as if a great weight had been lifted from him.

Quinn nodded.

"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about, lieutenant," Arthur asked, keeping his focus on Scott.

"No sir," Quinn said, hoping that it didn't sound too rushed. All he really wanted to do was leave and hit something.

For a moment, Arthur studied the younger man's face. He may not have been an empath, but he did not believe that Scott was truly convinced of the value of his skills. This wasn't something that was going to be changed overnight and no amount of words would alter that fact. At this point, the only thing Arthur could do was to put his offer on the table. Only Scott could decide whether or not to take it up.

"Very well," Arthur said, nodding once, "See what you can do about working out that targeting sensor upgrade with the tactical department and let me know when you've had a chance to install that modified hex algorithm."

"Understood sir," Quinn said, keeping his voice neutral.

"Lieutenant," Arthur called after the younger man.

"Sir?"

Looking up from where he sat at the conference table, Arthur said, "If you ever need anything, my door is always open."

Quinn merely nodded and headed out of the wardroom.

OFF

A JP by:

Lt. JG Quinn Scott
Chief of Station Operations
Starbase 386
Horizon Fleet

and

[ON]

<<SB386, Personal Quarters of Zael Artori, Day 14, 1630>>

After leaving the Sentinel Zael Artori had stopped by the Security office on the Promenade to reschedule the afternoons Security Division briefing for the following morning, with his mind preoccupied with personal thoughts he was in no shape to address his team. For all his preparations in the week preceding his transfer to Starbase 386 the one thing he had not anticipated finding was a link to his past. After meeting the stations Chief Engineer, Kilana Nira, he had felt wounds long scarred over reopen and the mental dam holding back his painful memories burst. Had he been a weaker man he might have cried, as that was not the case there was no release for the emotional pain that gripped him and he attempted to right himself the only way he knew how; distraction.

Standing before a body length mirror Artori straightened his freshly replicated Starfleet uniform and sized himself up. The material was coarser and though the computer had supposedly taken his measurements into account the unused uniform felt too tight in various places. Not one to complain about physical discomfort Artori could deal with irritation but seeing himself in the garment gave him pause.

After the occupation Artori had remained on Bajor for a length of time and had always been in favor of keeping a safe political distance from the Federation. He had believed and over time maintained that Bajor was fully capable of protecting its own interests without the aid of Starfleet yet fate had guided him to a situation where he was forced to wear the black, gray and gold. It wasn't so bad, he thought to himself, given time he might even come to enjoy the martial looking uniform.

Turning from the mirror he rummaged through his single bag of belongings and paused as his hand brushed a small, black satin lined box. Swallowing hard he took the container in his hand and slowly withdrew it from the bag, handling it with the care an archaeologist might handle a delicate artifact.
After a moments consideration he opened the box for the first time in over a decade and found that the detailed silver earring remained safely protected by the containers delicate fabrics. His eyes focused on the Nira family emblem for a moment before he snapped the box shut by reflex and placed it on the table next to his bed.

Taking up a PADD, he closed his eyes and thought about the Bajoran woman he had met less than two hours before. There was no mistaking the resemblance Kilana had to the woman who often haunted his dreams and he was left searching for the words he would use to tell the Engineer of her sisters fate.

“Computer,” he began in a subdued tone. “Begin recording.”

[OFF]

A post by:

<<Starbase 386>>
<Engineering, 1200, Day 14>

Quinn knew that his conversation with Commander Richardson wasn't going to be pleasant but he wasn't prepared for how gruff and blunt he had been. Part of him was annoyed that he hadn't prepared his arguments better and another part of him was annoyed that he hadn't gotten what he wanted. Which was off the damn station. Frustrated he headed down to engineering to deliver a PADD with the latest sensor power usage reports.

He walked in, looking as grumpy as ever.

Mikaela (PNPC) was looking over the latest reports from her team. They didn't have all that much time to prepare the extra surprises Arthur had thought up and she knew they'd need as many as possible. Kilana was bound to have some creative ideas.

Quinn spotted Breland and made a bee-line toward her, handing her the PADD. "Here."

Raising an eyebrow, Mikaela took the PADD and eyed Quinn. Not bothering to look at the information yet she asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"What could possibly be wrong," Quinn grumbled. "I'm only stuck on a station that I know nothing about...a fact that Lange seems intent on overlooking. Does he not realize that I am completely useless here? How about the fact that I haven't spent one minute onboard a station during battle conditions like I have on starships."

Mikaela paused for a moment, trying to decide how best to deal with Quinn. He'd been requesting transfers daily, from what she heard, and apparently he was being overly stubborn. "Quit whining already, Quinn. You know as much about this station as any of the rest of us. At least your duties are basically the same as what you'd be doing on a ship. For engineering, these systems are somebody's Frankenstein invention. I've never been stationed on a starbase before, but you don't see me going around whining to anyone who'll listen and wasting people's time with transfer requests that won't be granted. Stop acting like a spoiled child and start acting like a StarFleet Officer."

Quinn resisted the urge to say something back that would no doubt land him in more hot water. "Spoiled child, huh? And I wish everyone would assume I knew as much about this station as they do...I don't. I know starships not space stations. I even asked to sit this little wargame out and Lange won't let me."

"You would if you would quit whining and start doing your job to the best of your ability. That's what the rest of us do. You're an able-bodied officer who needs to carry out his duties," Mikaela informed him. "Regardless, whether you do your job or not, you're going to be stuck here. So, you can either do your job or you can risk the lives of everyone on this station by neglecting it. Personally, I'd like to live."

Quinn snorted. "Risk the lives of everyone on this station? It's a war game, a war game we are going to lose based on Lange's record. You all seem to think I have some of glorious talent or something...here's a clue anything I can do I can do better on a starship. I still can't figure out why in the name of Hades that I get sent here."

"I don't mean the wargame...I mean in general. If you're not doing your job every day, you're putting everyone's lives at risk," Mikaela clarified. Studying him for a few moments, she asked, "Why did you join StarFleet to begin with, Quinn?"

"It wasn't my intention; I was a SWAT Officer until I got injured, StarFleet seemed like a good idea at the time," Quinn explained, his anger calming only a little. "I joined to see the galaxy, to have some excitement not to babysit freighters and do traffic control."

Mikaela raised an eyebrow, "The last I checked, that's the Dockmaster's job, not yours. You've seen a fair amount of the galaxy up til now, I presume... And I'm sure you'll see more of it, even while stationed here. The Taevon Expanse is nearby and we do have the garrison ships. You could try to make the best of it. Complaining obviously isn't truly making you feel better about it, and by now you must realize that the Captain's not going to grant your request."

Quinn knew that she was right. "Doesn't mean that I am going to stop trying. I brought you the latest sensor data power usage; I also added an upgraded detection protocol, might help you find the Sentinel. Do you need anything else or can I go back to my office and hit things now?"

Sighing, Mikaela glanced down at the PADD. "Hmm...these could be interesting. Though I imagine it would be you finding the Sentinel...Engineering wouldn't be scanning for her. I'll be sure to coordinate with you as needed on this. This is all I need for now, though I suggest the holodeck rather than your office. I'd rather not have to put it back together."

"Don't worry, I won't break anything that I can't put back together again," Quinn grunted. "You've known Lange longer then me, why the hell would he want me on his station anyway? Or for that matter, why the hell wouldn't he transfer a pain in the ass like me off?"

Mikaela shrugged. So long as she didn't have to put his office back together, she didn't care too much if he damaged it. Mikaela replied, "Well, I'm sure he knows you're a good officer, even if you aren't exactly showing it. Beyond that, in case you haven't noticed it, we're rather short handed here. Even if he wanted to grant your request, which I'm sure he doesn't....he can't afford to."

Quinn shook his head, he couldn't believe that in the whole of StarFleet there wasn't another operations officer that could replace him on the station. He sighed, clearly Mikaela was going to be one of those optimistic types. "What makes you so happy about being here?" Quinn asked.

"When did I say I was happy about being here?" Mikaela looked over at him. "I'd rather be out exploring space rather than being stuck in one place. However, there are up sides to being here and it is something different. I know I'm going to be here for awhile, so rather than make myself and others miserable, I'd rather try to look for some good."

"You're suggesting that I just sit back and pretend like everything is fine? That I play along with everyone like a nice little boy and throw myself into stopping Lange?" Quinn asked. "The problem I keep coming across is that I don't see any up side to me being here. I feel like all my talents are being wasted....I feel useless."

"You don't like the idea of visiting the planet, or the shops and restaurants on the Promenade?" Mikaela shook her head; obviously she wasn't getting through to him, "You aren't exactly showing that you have talents with this attitude. You're more likely to turn people away, which isn't really going to inspire them to let you transfer. What you have been doing isn't useless either, Quinn."

"It certainly feels like it," Quinn grunted. "Fine, you make a valid point maybe my attitude needs adjusting...I just don't see myself ever being happy here."

Mikaela shrugged, "Maybe you will be sometime, maybe you won't. At least try to not make the rest of us miserable in the meantime."

"Noted, I'll just be sure to steer clear of everyone then," Quinn said, heading toward the exit. "Let me know if you need anything. I'll be in my office."

"You know that's not what I meant...," Mikaela began, letting her voice trail off. Shaking her head, she simply replied, "Alright, will do."

OFF: A JP By:

Mikeala Breland played by:

Warrant Officer First Class Kilana Nira
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase 386

&

ON: <<SB386, Security Office, Day 15, 09:00>>

Artori paced the length of his office behind his desk with his hands clasped behind his back as he detailed his expectations. Opposite from him across the desk stood three Starfleet Security Lieutenant Junior Grades and four Colony Security Sergeants; his senior most subordinates.

"While the expectations of Starfleet might come naturally to those who have attended its academy," he continued with his lecture. "It will take some time to adjust for those of us who have not. There will be no animosity between the services while you are under my command, is that understood?"

"Yes sir," the seven assembled peacekeepers spoke together.

The doors to the station's security office slid open as Arthur entered the room. He made an effort to be as discreet as possible, knowing that it was important for a new senior staff member to have the attention of their department during a meeting. Without a word, he moved toward one side of the room where he could wait and watch the meeting play out.

Artori continued pacing with his eyes on the floor as the door to the office opened and closed, through his peripheral vision he recognized the aged man as the stations first officer but made no acknowledgment of his presence.

"As peace keepers," he moved on. "It is our duty to ensure that order is maintained aboard this facility and to make certain that its services are not being used in a fashion inconsistent with Federation law. To that end I will expect each of your teams to be vigilant in their observations of those who come and go and to be mindful of the tips you may receive from the stations residents. Any suspicious activity is to be reported immediately to myself or my deputy, Lieutenant Biggs, is that understood?"

"Yes sir," the seven replied in unison again.

"Finally," Artori began his conclusion. "As peace keepers under my command specifically, you will be expected to assist the public in areas that might not immediately be security related. Escort the elderly, assist a mother with child through a crowd, help those who may be lost, protect and serve. Is this understood?"

"Yes sir," came another unanimous reply.

Artori stopped just behind his chair placing his hands on its back and cast his subordinates a sidelong glance, "Very well, if there are no questions you are dismissed."

As the security officers exited the office Artori turned his attention to Richardson with a feint smile, "Good morning Commander, your sense of timing is impeccable."

"Is it now," Arthur said in a way that made it difficult to know whether he had planned that fact or just had the fortune to have things play out to his favor. Either way, he was here and the new station security chief was exactly who he wanted to see.

"I would guess that this is a formal visit," Artori ventured as he approached the rooms replicator. "But in any case I would offer you something to drink, what is your preference?"

"That is very gracious of you, but I am well enough, thank you," Arthur replied, holding up his hand in a polite gesture of refusal.

"Of course," Artori responded and approached his superior with his hands clasped behind his back. "In that case, what can I do for you this morning, sir?"

A smile spread across Arthur's face at the man's question. It was so typical of individuals to believe that a visit from a superior officer meant that something greater was expected of them. Unfortunately, that was most often the case, but Arthur's background as a seasoned officer and an Academy instructor had given him a unique perspective which translated into a rather unique method of running things.

"Actually, lieutenant, I was wondering if there was something I could do for you," he said kindly, "I am, of course, aware of the fact that this is the first time you have been in that uniform and I know that a lot of what we do here can be quite different from what others might be used to."

"I appreciate the thought sir," Artori smiled slightly. He observed the Commander for a few moments, taking in the mans expression and decided that he would have to get to know Richardson better at some point. The Commander was obviously from a different generation of officers and Artori found something oddly welcoming about the man.

"I've served among Starfleet personnel before," Artori continued, "As such, I've had an opportunity to become familiar with the expectations of the service. My colonial subordinates on the other hand will certainly have some adjusting to do, it is my hope that our cooperation can help alleviate the negative colonial perception of the fleet. I welcome any thoughts you have on the subject, a little insight into the Starfleet take on the colonies political situation could prove useful in the integration process."

"I'm afraid I'm no politician," Arthur replied, "but I am well-versed in the cultural sciences. Perhaps we could discuss the matter some time, as I am sure that you have your own opinions and viewpoints regarding the situation."

"Not so much as you may think," Artori admitted. "As Constable of the colony I was required to attend the events and play the games but I never did take well to the maneuvering. My interest in such things goes only as far as duty requires, I play the game if I think it might make for a safer future for the citizens of Aldani four. My hope is that it will be simpler than that to ensure a good working relationship between Starfleet and colony personnel here, only time will tell."

"Indeed," Arthur said, "You were appointed to this position because of the confidence that you will be able to do just that, lieutenant. That is saying something."

Artori nodded at the aged man and gestured toward the door, he would have enjoyed staying longer and entertaining his superior but like anyone else on the station Artori had matters to attend. "I try to keep that in mind sir," Artori replied as he motioned toward the door. "I was planning on visiting the armory next, there are a few members of the team I have yet to meet. Care to walk with me Commander?"

"Ordinarily, I would," Arthur replied, looking a little disappointed that he wasn't able to spend more time getting to know the station's new security chief, "unfortunately, there is a briefing in less than an hour and I have a few things that I must prepare before that meeting. Another time, perhaps."

"Of course Commander," Artori smiled and let his superior exit ahead of him. "You can expect an initial shakedown report on my staff within the next few days, perhaps we will have a little more time to discuss the situation then."

"Naturally," Arthur said, reflecting the younger man's smile, "Until we meet again, lieutenant." He nodded politely before making his way out of the office and onto the busy promenade. There were several things he wanted to make sure were in order before the briefing and then, perhaps, they might learn a little more about what it was the Sentinel was supposed to be doing.

OFF

A JP by

Provisional Lieutenant Zael Artori
Chief of Security
Starbase 386

And

ON: <USS Sentinel, Bridge, Day 16, 0955>

Lange stepped off the turbolift and onto the bridge of the Sentinel. The ship's control systems had never been updated from the standards of the late 23rd century. The computer systems were an early version of LCARS with primitive isolinear processing technology, but there was an odd mix between touch-sensitive panels and old-fashioned switches, dials, and buttons on most of the bridge stations. The helm had the highest concentration of manual controls built into it, but that wasn't too different from the ancient helm console on the Byzantine, which Lange had operated many times as an adolescent.

Walking around the upper level of the bridge, Lange looked at each station in turn. The science and communications stations were online and displaying a ready status. While Lange would have liked it better if they'd had time to reconfigure the systems so that all systems could be controlled from the helm, or any other station on the bridge, for that matter, he knew that they'd be able to control any individual system from any panel on the bridge, should the need arise.

After making sure that the other stations were in working order, though currently offline, Lange stepped down the Helm console. He tapped in a command sequence to bring the thrusters and engines to a ready standby state, then sat down in the Helmsman's seat on the left side of the console. Hearing the hiss of the doors opening again, Lange looked towards the turbolift.

Raven entered the bridge and looked about, taking in the old ship. Seeing the Captain, the former Marine nodded to him and moved to where the tactical station was supposed to be according to the schematics she had read. Sitting at the console, she activated controls and bought power to the systems, running a standard diagnostic in the meantime.

Raven found herself impressed by the utilitarian design of the console and the controls. They were not nearly as antiquated as she had feared. Simple and intuitive functionality had long been a standard in tactical systems design, and this ship was no different. A beep brought her thoughts back to her console. After consulting the screen, she turned to Lange. "All tactical systems show green across the board boss. It'll take me a few minutes to get used to the layout, but I know where the 'fire' button is anyway," she added with a smile.

Already seated at the Engineering station, Kilana moved over to the Propulsion Systems station, thankfully located in a logical spot next to the Engineering one. Thus far, everything was checking out. Her fingers moved swiftly across the controls, checking to see if the enhancements they'd put in seemed to be working properly. "All looks good with Engineering," she said.

With a small smile on his face, Lange stood and stepped up to the Communications panel. He tapped in the frequency that Ops would be using for communicating with departing ships, then opened the communications channel. "Sentinel to 386 Operations."

<Starbase 386, Operations>

Quinn resisted the urge to send a string of very colorful metaphors at the man who got him stuck on the base. In his mind he was already pretty sure that they would lose, especially given Lange's rather un-orthadox tactics. Oh well, he caught the incoming hail and looked at Richardson, doing his best to hide the disappointment in his voice as the Sentinel cleared the station.

"Incoming message from the Sentinel, patching it through now."

"On screen," Arthur said, turning away from the situation table to face the eye-like viewscreen on one side of the room. The image of the Sentinel's sparsely crewed bridge appeared on the screen. "Good morning, captain," Arthur said, "I trust you and your crew have had a chance to settle in."

"Morning, Doc," Lange replied with a smile. "Are you ready to kick off this parade?"

"I don't know about any parade," Arthur said with a wry smile, "but I do believe that we are ready to begin."

"Good," Lange answered. He tapped in a quick command on the communications panel. "Then if Lieutenant Scott would be so kind as to grant the request for departure clearance that I just sent, we can get this show on the road."

Quinn got the message and tapped a few icons. "Sentinel is cleared for departure," he said, although his voice showed no sign of excitement or other emotion.

"Don't sound so excited, Mister Scott," Lange said with a smirk. "In another five minutes I'll be out of your hair for a day or two and you can go back to hating life without my interference."

Quinn didn't say anything thing in response to Lange's comment. "The Sentinel has been released from moorings."

Lange nodded. "Alright, Doc... we'll be departing in the next couple of minutes. I'm going to take the Sentinel out beyond 386's sensor range, then from there you'll have to work to find us."

"Don't worry about us, captain," Arthur said with a glint in his eye, "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon." It was definitely his intention to see that the station performed to the best of its ability. In his experience as an educator, assessments were supposed to help give an indication of where the student currently stood and in which areas they needed improvement. He hoped that this exercise would do just that, regardless of who came out the victor.

"Sentinel out," Lange said, then closed the connection. He walked back around the edge of the bridge to the nearest opening in the railing and stepped down past the center chair to the helm. "Kilana, are the engines ready?"

Glancing down at her console, Kilana confirmed what she already knew to be the case, "Yes, Captain, engines are ready."

"Good, thank you. Raven, is our path out of here clear?" Lange asked.

"Aye sir we're clear. Even the spacedust is steppin' aside," she said with a small smile. After everything that had happened it was good to smile again, she thought.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road." Lange pressed a few of the manual keys on the helm, then flipped a pair of switches. "All moorings cleared. Clearing the pylon on thrusters. Kilana, could you give me one-quarter Impulse power?"

"One-quarter impulse power, aye," Kilana nodded. She slid her fingers along the console, trying to move quickly. The unfamiliar controls affected her speed to an extent, but not too badly. "Ready on impulse power."

Lange worked the Helm console with an easy familiarity. This ship didn't handle the same as his family's freighter, as a point of fact it handled a lot better, but the controls were definitely very similar. Within moments they had cleared the station and its accompanying freighter traffic and were headed out of the system. Checking the readout, Lange saw that they still had to clear the Aldani VI's gravity well before they could safely jump to warp with the Sentinel. A modern ship would already be able to make it, but the Constitution class's engines were just a bit more touchy about interactions with gravity wells.

"Outbound at full Impulse," Lange said, sitting back from the helm. At this point even the Sentinel's original computer could have held them on course, barring a major change in the local system's gravity. He stood and walked back up to the upper deck. "Raven, would you mind taking the helm and taking us to Warp 4 when we're clear of Aldani VI? Kilana, there's something I'd like to show you."

Raven blinked once in surprise but was out of her seat as soon as he spoke. "Aye sir," she said and crossed the bridge to the helm. In her mind she reviewed her basic helm training. "Just don't fly us into a star Raven," she said to herself quietly and set to work.

Kilana raised an eyebrow, but said nothing for the moment. Locking the console controls for the moment, she stood and walked over to where James was standing. She looked at him curiously, wondering what it was he wanted to show her.

Lange smiled and took Kilana by the arm. He led her to the turbolift and motioned for her to enter ahead of him.

OFF: This has been a joint post by:

CPO Raven'nik
Armory Master & Command Chief
Starbase 386

&

WO1C Kilana Nira
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase386

&

Lieutenant, JG Quinn Scott
Chief Operations Officer
Starbase 386

&

Commander Arthur Richardson, PhD
Executive Officer
Starbase 386

&

ON: <USS Ticonderoga, Bridge, Day 16, 1200>

With the Sentinel well away and off of 386's sensors, Manley wanted to get the Ticonderoga into a patrol route as soon as possible. He'd discussed the situation with Richardson and the commander had agreed that having at least one ship on patrol at all times would increase their chances of intercepting the Sentinel before she could attack 386. Manley knew that the Ticonderoga was a better choice for the patrol route, as she could easily match any ship on border patrol duty anywhere in the Federation for tactical ability. The Peacekeeper would logically be on more random routings inside the Ticonderoga's patrol perimeter to simulate a starship headed to or from a specific mission.

Stopping just short of the door to the bridge, Manley tugged on his uniform jacket to straighten it, then took a deep breath. He stepped onto the bridge with an air of calm about him that belied the fact that his mind was moving a kilometer a second as he considered possible scenarios for their almost certain encounter with the Sentinel. Lange was known to be crafty, especially when facing an opponent that out-matched him in firepower. Manley knew that he'd just have to be more crafty. He'd have to think like a pirate.

"Status reports, all stations," Manley called out as he sat down in the center chair. He hadn't had to argue too much with Richardson about who to assign as his crew on the Ticonderoga. Most of the officers that had crewed the ship on her ferry run to 386 had still been available to fill their same positions. In fact, the entire bridge crew was intact from the showdown with the Elyshans. Manley made a note to look into making this a permanent posting for the trio of ensigns.

The young Trill glanced up at Thomas before checking her station. "Ops is set, sir. I've increased resources to the sensors and am ready to do so with shields and weapons systems as well." Once again without a Science Officer, she tapped her finger on the console to bring up the other screen she'd put together, "Sensors are ready to start sweeps at regular intervals."

"All tactical systems read green across the board, sir," Greg (NPC) called out from his place at the tactical station. Being that this was supposed to be a tactical exercise, the performance expectations for him and his department would likely be the main focus.

"I'm showing a clear board sir, all propulsion systems are standing by," May said, trying to keep the excitement from his voice.

"Good," Manley said. "Mister May, I think you'll find that departure clearance has already been logged into the system. Clear all moorings, prepare for departure."

The young man checked and confirmed the Captain's words. With a small shiver of excitement he activated the systems that would transfer over the mighty power of the ship to his control. "Aye sir, all moorings are cleared, we are ready for departure on your command."

Manley smiled again and sat up a bit straighter in the center chair. "Take us out, Mister May. Steady as she goes."

James nodded and activated the helm controls to bring the mighty vessel out of dock. At one point he noticed that his hands were shaking ever so slightly. He smiled to himself. 'Steady as she goes indeed.'

The vessel swung itself gracefully into a departure vector and May fancied he could feel her coiling up like a spring to leap into the Great Dark. "We are clear and free to navigate," he said finally.

Manley smiled at the hint of anticipation he heard in May's voice. One of these days, he told himself, he was going to get back behind the helm of a ship again for a mission and let that be his only worry. "Full speed ahead, Mister May, bearing 000 mark 2. Take us to half a light-year beyond the sensor perimeter."

May grinned at the Captain's order for full speed and turned back to his console. "Setting course bearing 000 mark 2 aye." He loved having the chance to let a ship 'open her wings' as he put it, and the mighty vessel shot forward into the night under his deft touch.

"Alright, from now on, we pretend we're on patrol," Manley said. "Mister May, once we're on station set up a normal patrol routing a light-year in length with our current destination as the center point. Mister Sanders, I want a constant scan in all directions with a focus on the border region. Miss Tek, maintain condition green but maintain all systems at a ready state... We want to play this as accurate as possible, so program the computer to institute a few seconds of delay before going to full readiness on a random system when an alert is sounded... that should approximate a bored crew that's been on patrol duty a few weeks too long."

Nodding, Alina tapped quickly at her console, making the adjustments. The delay time certainly wasn't standard, but it wasn't too difficult to accomplish. She arranged the various systems' allocations along one side of her screen, monitoring current levels on the other. "Systems are ready; delay programmed in, sir."

Greg had spent a lot of time familiarizing himself with the particular quirks of the Ticonderoga's tactical systems since the standoff with the Elyshans. His hands moved confidently over the console before him, programming an appropriate sweep pattern for the ship's tactical sensors. "I've established a standard patrol sweep pattern," he reported, "if there's anything out there, we should spot it."

Manley nodded as a thought occurred to him. "Tell me... how familiar are each of you with the Constitution class? It's tactical strengths and weaknesses, maneuverability, computer systems?"

May looked up from his console. "I did some of my Academy helm training on one sir. She's a fine ship, and for her time was one of the fastest. Still is in fact. But on impulse turn she handles like a drunk Naussican. Assuming they haven't modified anything too much, we definitely have the advantage in maneuverability if not all out speed. But then, it really comes down to who she's got at the helm," he said, having speculated on that himself. Someone who was intimately familiar with the type of ship and her quirks could quite literally fly circles around someone in a superior vessel who was unfamiliar with her systems.

"Minimal armaments, at least compared to some of our modern starships," Greg replied, trying to remember what he had learned in his classes at the Academy, "Phasers and photon torpedoes. I think I remember something about a design flaw in one of the refits when they tied the phasers into the ship's warp engines. It was supposed to give them more firing power, but it also caused problems with power backflow...or something like that." He winced a little, wondering if his response sounded as lame to everyone else as it did to himself. He really hadn't focused all that much on 23rd Century starship technology and this exercise was making him wonder if he probably should have.

"The Sentinel was briefly brought out of mothballs during the Dominion War and given a partial refit. And since she was in service into the 24th century, I'm going to assume the phaser power flow issue was corrected before she was retired from service." Manley paused to consider. "They couldn't correct any handling issues or make major systems modifications in the time the ship was at 386. So we can outmaneuver her. Can we remotely hack into her systems?"

Glancing over at Thomas, Alina considered the question for a few moments before replying, "Well....we could, sir. But it's not going to be quick...or easy to do. At least, not unless we have the prefix code." With the prefix code it would be much easier, but without it...their chances wouldn't be good.

Manley nodded. "That's about what I thought, thank you. I'll see if I can pull up the Sentinel's prefix code, but I have to assume Lange will have changed that as soon as he took possession of the ship. Still, it's worth a try. In the mean time, let's make sure this ship is ready for action."

OFF: This has been a Joint Post by:

Ensign Greg Sanders (NPC)
Tactical Officer
USS Ticonderoga
As Played by: CDR Richardson

&

Ensign James May (NPC)
Helmsman
USS Ticonderoga
Played by: CPO Raven'nik

&
Ensign Alina Tek (NPC)
Operations Officer
USS Ticonderoga
As Played by: WO1C Nira

&

Lt Commander Thomas Manley
Officer In Charge
USS Ticonderoga
As Played by: Capt. Lange