Epilogue: For the Win [D06|1430]
EPILOGUE: FOR THE WIN [ DAY 06 | 1430 HRS. ]
Captain's Log, stardate 57556.69. Three hours ago, we emerged from a collapsing subspace tunnel into a sector bordering to the hollowed-out Mutara Nebula - disturbing a group of gormaganders chasing a solar wind with our sudden appearance.
Because of the state of our ship, it will take us 12 hours to reach the Epsilon Mynos System, which is the closest star system. I sent the Allegiant ahead of us, to try and establish communications with High Chancellor Martok, in hope that he will stand by his word, and lend the Empire's aid to our mission. Given the Empire's ties to the Aldeans, and my familiarity with the planet, we hope to have the ship repaired there, and to decide on our next move together with Martok.
Three days ago, about this time of the alpha shift, we encountered the Versant, which may have answered the call of the Asurians to find us in the Azure Nebula, but the Savi had an altogether own agenda when it came to this crew. One of the Infested led the aliens, and those of interest that were abducted did not manage to escape the ship until today. I was one of them, which explains the lack of logs made since then. I was liberated by a mix of abductees on that ship, after one of the aliens - named Echtand - aided in our escape, all for his own gain in a rebellion. Unfortunately, Echtand did not survive, but I hope the uprising of his caste will be victorious, and that the whole species not only find a way to live together in mutual understanding, but abide to their Old Code.
V-Nine had found her way to sickbay, and was trying to help in the time of crisis for the specimens, despite how crude and insufficient the medical facilities were. At least she had the tools installed into her platform to aid in the endeavour, but she had yet to begin any restoring surgeries to those who had been on the Versant.
At first, her efficiency was hampered by the reactions to her presence, but at least the medical staff had acknowledged that she was able to help after a short time, and they had allowed her to preform her tasks under supervision. The last thirty minutes and twenty two seconds, however, she had started to treat patients unsupervised, which showed that - perhaps - the crew might accept her services on a more official basis soon enough. Purse speculation, of course, but it was good to have a purpose.
"I see, so you were vaccinated prior to assimilation? Then there might hope for you yet, we offer ORE treat- Oh!" she exclaimed, er lens zooming back, when a metal implant sprouted from the neck of the patient she was scanning. It caused the specimen toscream in horror. "Pardon me, I w-will take you to the specialists now."
During the time spent on the Versant, the Continuance Protocol was in effect for the Theurgy, ensuring that the truth would survive an enemy such as the Savi. In the end, facing many hardships, the ship was reunited in a common cause to thwart a pending Borg invasion, and we who were abducted by the Savi managed to take command of the Versant and escape on our own. I commend the late Wenn Cinn for this choice, instead of trying to save those abducted. It must not have been an easy choice, frowned upon by many, but it proved to be the right one.
Unfortunately, Wenn Cinn sacrificed his life to seal the passageway the Borg had found into Federation space, claiming it was the will of the alien entities in the Bajoran wormhole. To grant him this wish, for the sake of the greater good, was a difficult choice of my own - surely frowned upon - but given the extreme circumstances, I also believe it might have been the right one. Nonetheless, I will always regret it on the basis of loosing a fine officer - and a friend - a second time.
Walking down the corridor, ThanIda zh'Wann was no longer in the Savi infiltration suit, having showered and donned her regular uniform. She had a Type II pulse phase pistol at her hip, and she had just thanked and relieved Adam Kingston from his duties as Acting Deputy. There was an unknown pinkskin named Kai Akoni that served as Acting CSec after they lost Wenn Cinn, but between runaway Devoted, half the Bellerophon survivors missing, and countless other security issues, Ida had yet to speak at length with the man. No one could replace Cinn, and she wasn't even sure he would be the one to keep the position. It was too soon to tell.
[Sehl th'Chilnes to ThanIda zh'Wann,] came a call from her combadge, the voice belonging to one of the Andorians she'd shared more time with than she cared for. Sighing, she ran a hand through her wet hair.
"This is Ida, what is it, Ensign?" she asked keeping her tone cordial. She felt numb anyway, the loss of Cinn still felt.
[We were told to inform you if there was any sightings of the Devoted. I am looking at them right now. Can you come to my position?]
"On my way. Ida out." Perhaps the three bondmates would come to their senses after all?
I have made Lieutenant Commander Natalie Stark Acting Executive Officer, because I have learned what Trent did wile in command of Vector 01. Whereas he should have upheld the Continuance Protocol in the respect of preserving the truth and the mission, his personal priority was the reassembling of the ship under his command - opting to needlessly stay in the final Rendezvous Zone. This, apparently in desperate wish to liberate the abductees from the Versant, and his love interest. Doing so, he would have jeopardised the ship against a superior adversary. While I can sympathise with his motivations, his heart leading him, his actions led to the destruction of the Bellerophon. This made Lieutenant Commander Dewitt relieve him from command, and she used any time available in the battlefield to initiate rescue operations of the survivors, meaning to flee as soon as engineering said they could.
Some would call what Dewitt did 'mutiny', and not agree with it out of principle, even if she did her utmost to both preserve the truth and do the right thing in the aftermath of what Trent had done. Before Trent came aboard, the Theurgy had defended herself against many starships, but only when absolutely forced to do so. Accounts so far indicate that the Bellerophon did not have to be destroyed, but Dewitt's actions in the sense of preserving the chain of command aboard is problematic at best. Of course, not many would dare do what Dewitt did this morning, but I have yet to decide what to do with them both. Nonetheless, their actions during the battle at the apertures commendable in their own merit.
For the time being, I have had Dewitt take the Allegiant to Epsilon Mynos space, and Trent is to compile the latest intel on this sector.
In the Main Computer Core, Thea had been working together with two engineers to help reinstall her positronic brain into it's proper place. A level one diagnostic was about to be concluded, after which she would go online once more. While her holographic interface waited, she thought of Lin Kae, and the hour she had fought as best as she might to maintain control of the Versant. Moreover, she thought of the Android humanoid and owl, who had both been given the Synthesis Code. What were they to her now?
"All systems check out," said the Engineer, "There is a bit of backlog in the memory banks to delve into, but as far as access goes, you're good to go."
"Thank you," said Thea and smiled, then she raised her chin. "Thea to Captain Ives, I am ready to be activated again."
[This is Ives, no need to ask. Please go ahead, and inform the Senior Staff.]
"Aye, Captain," she said, and with a nod to the Engineer, the Theurgy was truly whole again.
Wenn Cinn was not the only Senior Staff member I lost while in captivity. Chief Tactical Officer Leon Marquez and Chief Intelligence Officer Keval ch'Rayya, both gone, and I have been informed that the Savi raided the stasis units on the ship when they did their forage. As it were, Commander Nerina led the abductees on the Versant until her demise at the hands of a Scion. I deeply regret her passing, and how I was unable to meet her once more.
Of course, there is also the matter of Doctor Nicander, who's true nature as an Infested disqualifies him to continue serving as Chief Medical Officer, despite his apparent willingness to aid the mission. Evidently, something was done to him that allows him a modicum of independence and free will, and apparently, he has aided the crew with intel on the enemy. As I make this log, I am undecided on how much he may be trusted.
In the Parasite Cell, as the temporary holding cell had come to be called in the Security Center, Doctor Nicander waited, having been told that Heather McMillan was - indeed - alive. He'd been told, without detail, what had happened to her, which explained how he could have seen her die. She had been obliterated by that Scion after all, only to be reassembled... after a quantum stasis field had held her matter in animated suspense? It sounded ludicrous, had he not read the Voyager logs about the scientist Jetrel. Had the Savi succeeded where the Voyager's transporter systems had failed? Was there any limit to the discoveries those aliens had made?
Still, this did not explain the second sight, where a lot of crewmembers had been liquefied on a metal platform. Who were they?Did they exist? Were they a holographic illusion? Can I trust what I see when I look into the abyss, or will there be mirages there waiting for me?
As it were, he was waiting for the Radiant to come, having requested that she could try and permanently remove the taint inside him. It was not redemption... but perhaps a chance to be free, and earn the trust of the crew once more. Moreover, it would be the answer to the question he'd been asking since what happened at Starbase 84. Could they weaponize the light?
Of course, he'd told them that the Borg must have powered down the cell he sat in before, so that they might reach him. It would have been foolish to give them an excuse to kill him in fear of not being able to contain him. A white lie, for their own good, since how else could he make sure they knew what they needed about the enemy?
Furthermore, we have new shipmates from the Belleophon, the Endeavour and the Cayuga. Even a few security officers and fighter pilots from the Dauntless. Among these new faces on the Theurgy are high ranking officers who will likely understand the import of our mission, and I hope they will offer to serve with us. Given the situation, I realise I may have to select a new Senior Staff, but this will have to wait until after the dire needs of Thea herself can be seen to, and we've established an accord with the Klingons.
While we wait for the Allegiant, critical repairs are currently prioritised. Plasma fires are still rampant, and we have yet to tame the fluctuations in the EPS grid, which only serve to cause more fires. We dare not power down the warp cores since we might be unable to restart them, diagnostics offline after a well needed purge of Borg contamination in our systems. Security are still working on finding escaped Devoted and dangerous individuals among our new shipmates. Medical are working tirelessly under Doctor Rez' command with ORE treatment of any vaccinated crew that were assimilated during the battle. Rez, indeed, even if I have yet to evaluate her suitability for running Sickbay given what her former host - Jona - did at Starbase 84. My final decision is not set in that respect.
In the Fighter Assault Bay, Liam Herrold was working tirelessly with the deck crew, the squadron as a whole in great need of repairs, just like everything else aboard the ship. With Covington gone, and him being second in command, he had to step up and do what was needed. For three hours, he had delegated the duties between the Heads of Fighter Ops - Ji included - and reviewed the tactical logs from the battle to better understand the conditions of some of the fighters.
Only four fighters, those in the best condition, were out on patrol - the rest of the Wolves off drinking no doubt. He surely could need a drink himself...
At one point, he found himself in the SCO and COD office, pressing his hands against his eyes and trying to dispel the fatigue. The sliding doors opened... and there she was. Ji, lit from the back by the fighter bay, and despite it all, he found himself smiling to her. Regardless the workload, she was there to share it with him.
I was pleased when I recently learned how Lieutenant Commander Miles Renard managed to reach the Theurgy in his fighter, rejoining the Lone Wolves even though he was declared MIA at Starbase 84. I do look forward to read his report. As for the Lone Wolves, new and old, two fighter elements are patrolling the sector to find any present threats to the ship, but the rest are off duty. Since we're no longer in the Azure Nebula, Mission Ops are able to maintain subspace communication with the patrolling wolves, and we have real time threat assessment once more.
While the implications of the battle's import rely heavily on the word of Nicander and Sarresh Morali, I see how they might be correct. In stopping the Borg, we have delayed the...
Thea, pause log.
- Captain Jien Ives, USS Theurgy NX-79854
[ Captain Ives | Main Bridge | Deck 01 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ]
After the call came, Captain Ives - in his male form - left his Ready Room and stepped out behind his chair.
"Captain on the bridge!" someone called, making him raise a hand to the present crew.
"At lease. Report?"
"It's the Allegiant," one of the present officers said. "She's returned, having entered comm range. She's hailing us."
"On screen," said Ives, and sat down in his chair when Dewitt appeared. "Do you bear news, Commander?"
[Aye, Captain,] she said, folding her hands behind her back where she stood on the small bridge of the scoutship. [We were able to reach a subspace relay network of the Empire's and requested access in order to reach the Klingon Defence Force and High Chancellor Martok. It was not easy to have them understand the need for absolute discretion, but when I told them what you said, and delivered Zyrao Natauna's message to identify us to the recipient, Martok knew it was really us trying to make contact. He told me to tell you that.... you fought with great honour, for being a shapeshifter.]
Despite of all that had happened, this earned a quiet smile from Ives, and some chuckles around the damaged bridge. "How did he respond to my suggestion?"
Smiling a bit as well, Dewitt gave them the news. [Chancellor Martok has spoken with the stationed KDF General and the Aldea Defence Committee already, and in respect to the threat the galaxy face, they have offered to receive us at the Aldea Prime Shipyards. It will not be easy to keep us hidden there for the duration of extended repairs, but the Aldeans were confident that they could provide complete discretion and prevent direct Federation insight. Fake military drills are being arranged to clear the orbit of Aldea, and all traffic will be diverted upon our arrival. We've got the coordinates, and we just need to send word ahead when we reach the edge of the solar system.]
Hearing that they had been given sanctuary, after five months of constantly being on the run, was far more soothing than Ives had thought. He had not liked the mentioning of a new cloaking device being installed aboard, but he would not dismiss it's usage just yet. As it were, they didn't even have energy enough to use it.
"Well done, Commander, and you can dock that poor ship for repairs now. Helm, set a course, for the Epsilon Mynos System."
As it looked, perhaps Aldea would be their home for quite some time, while they planned the next step to fight the Infested.
OOC: The Epilogue is open for posting! Either you post once or twice in this thread, or you set up scenes in Supplemental threads that belong to the Epilogue. These supplemental threads can either detail the immediate aftermath of Chapter 05 and the Battle of the Apertures, meaning between the aperture exit and this scene above which takes place 3 hours later (Day 06 between 1130 hrs and 1430 hrs.). Secondly, you can also post Supplemental threads that take place between the scene above and 12 hours later, when they arrive to the Epsilon Mynos System (between Day 06 at 1430 hrs. and Day 07 at 0230 hrs.).
Regardless the time you pick, the naming convention for all such threads belonging to this Epilogue is: EPIL: S [D06|XXXX] Insert Title. Have fun! The next board will open up when all preparations are finished for Aldea, but it shouldn't be too long. 
Topic: Epilogue: For the Win [D06|1430] (Read 12197 times)
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