USS Skytoucher - Mission 3: Joint mission with USS Rivendell

[Jean Michel Vartin]

Aye sir. *stands from his chair and walks towards the turbolift*

Mr. Skon, I'll meet you on shuttle bay 2. Remember to bring your sensors... The shuttle has very limited ones. *smiles*

Oh, I guess I'll go to sickbay and get some extra emergency suplpies. We don't know if there are any hostiles...

*turbolift door closes*

[Skon]

Interesting, Mr. Vartin. Hold position while I conntact the Avalon. We were sent out to explore a moon, not to engage a starship. Continue your scans and let me know what you discover.

[Skon]

Aye, Captain. I shall initiate the deflector beam immediately after I send the hail. Counselor, on my signal, you should be able to attempt communication.

=A=Skytoucher to NSC ship=A=

You are in danger of violating our space. We do not wish this situation to escalate into violence, but we will defend ourselves if necessary. Please respond.

=A=Skytoucher out=A=

*Skon turns toward Steigler as he presses a button on his console.*

Counselor, I have programmed the deflector to begin transmission as soon as the NSC ship responds. You can attempt to communicate at that time. If they don't respond to our hail, I will activate the beam manually, and we will have to take our chances without a distraction.

[Thomas Stiegler]

'But why should I follow you? My parents told me...'

Suddenly something knocked at the door. A dark well-known voice could be heard.

'L E T   U S   I N !'

Discerning the voice made the little boy start. He began screaming.

'No, go away!'

Skon saw Thomas screaming and crying. But when the voice sounded again, he suddenly knew what had to be done.

'Thomas, you must let them in. They don't want to hurt you, they just want to talk to you. Please, Thomas.'

Thomas looked into Skon's eyes, but he didn't answer him. It was as if he was totally paralysed by fear... Skon recognized that the little boy would never open the door. Skon had to do it himself. He walked to the door... hesitated... and opened it. He saw thousands of shades and lights turning towards him. Then it became dark...

----

On the Skytoucher's bridge the mind-melt between Skon and Stiegler collapsed. Skon fell down on the floor next to the place where the Counselor was still standing. For a short moment Stiegler's eyes seemed to be exploding, but then they stopped glowing and the Counselor also slipped to the ground.

(Edited by Thomas Stiegler at 9:27 pm on May 23, 2003)

[John Trustin]

John remained by the two men, his weapon ready until the medics arrived. It was a LtCdr and he got up to let her do her job. When she finished he headed over to the tactical station, the captain had said something about a battle and John wanted to be in control of the ships weaponry at the time...

OFF: Who has the tactical station?

[Tomas Goransson]

Continue with the deflector and be ready with the torpedoes and phasers in case the ship is trying anything.

[Aves Landon]

Yes sir.  
*walks over to the engineering console*

*runs diagnostics*

We lost part of our warp coil to a backup power surge.  I think I can fix it, though  perhaps Chief Engineer Marotek would do a better job as that he knows the ship better.

As it is i'll see what i can do.

*turns to the console*

[Skon]

Captain, I am scanning our approach to Starbase Avalon. They appear to have undergone heavy damage and extensive modifications and repairs. Some of the modifications appear to be of a biotechnology that I'm unfamialiar with. Shall we hail them?

[Tomas Goransson]

We are ready when you are, Jules. =P

(OFF: Can you change Valkiros rank title to Commander? Thanki you.)

[Tomas Goransson]

Agreed. in the mean time we need to find someone who can take the helm.

[Tomas Goransson]

Excellent! Take your station Lieutenant.

[Ricardo Oliveira]

Sir, the probe suddenly desapeared! Before doing so it sent some crucial data. It seems that the rift is emiting heavy charges of graviometric radiation. It does not appear it will reopen again, not on this cordanetes! And another thing Sir, to wherever this rift leads, it seems not to be normal space. I am sending the data to the science station, for a further analysis.

[Seldana Zax]

   Commander Zax I would appreciate your help. I am attempting to recalibrate our sensors to detect the aliens, but I do not have enough data. Do you have any idea what I should be looking for? Please advise.

   Seldana activated her comm so that she could reply to the message, despite the shock of being called "Commander".  She finally found out that her rank was Lt. Cmdr. thanks to the ship's computer updating the PADD she always kept with her.  

   Sel lightly touched the pip holder on her collar.  It was true.  There were definitely the right number and type of pips in the holder.  She could see the pip colors in her reflection on her screen.  She figured that her original assumption that her pip holder was empty was a mistake.  

   Sel didn't have time to figure out how all that happened.  She had to give the officer hailing her the info she'd gathered, sparse and inexact though it was.  

   "Sir", Sel began, "I do not really have anything concrete, but I will transmit what I do have".  Sel's heavy--but pleasant to the ear--Trill accent was clearly evident in her response to the officer.  

   Sel touched the transmission controls, adding a universal translation, just in case.  She knew that even her incomplete data was too important.  The UT would make sure that every syllable was crystal clear.  

  "Sir, you now have a verbatim copy of what little I have found so far.  I know it is not well-detailed, but I hope it will prove helpful.  If there is any other way that I can assist you, I will try my utmost to do so", Sel said with a warm, sincere smile on her face.  She closed the channel.  

   Sel glanced at the counselor again: "Sir, any further orders?", she inquired.  It was quite obvious that Sel was ready to obey more orders, if any.

[Tomas Goransson]

Make some room between us and them. Meanwhile hauil them, if there is something I learned of my familly, it is to gain time. Yoyu have my permission to use the deflector. I want to get an end of this...

*Sights loudly.*

d*mn. Doubble d*mn!  Why do you all just stand here for? Get to work!

[Skon]

Very well. Since there are no objections, I shall attempt to mind-meld with the Counselor.

*Skon turns toward the star-eyed Stiegler being*

This will require that I touch you. I am not attempting to do you any harm.

*The being nods and Skon places his hands on Stiegler's face.*

Our thoughts are one. Our minds are . . .AAARRRRGGGH! THE PAIN!

*Skon screams as he enters Stiegler's mind.*

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

(Where Skon is, all is black. There are shapes in the darkness. And lights. Skon looks at a shape and asks, "Is this where you are?" )

YES. . .THE PAIN!

(Skon blinks back tears. "Where were you?" )

HERE

(Suddenly, Skon is flying. Soaring high above a planet. He feels the stellar radiation beating down on his unprotected skin, and it feels good. He sees other shapes in the air and feels them "talking" to each other. He swoops and dives toward a shape. "Where is the Counselor?" )

HE IS HERE

(The shape leads Skon into the planet's atmosphere. Suddenly, ahead, there is a cliff of solid rock. In the middle of the cliff, there is a small door. )

HE WON'T LET US IN.

("I shall try." Skon swoops toward the door and knocks. "Counselor, it is Skon, may I come in?" A voice answers: "Quickly!" The door opens slightly, and Skon slips in before it slams shut again. )

(Skon finds himself standing on a beach on Betazed. A small boy is sitting in the sand, throwing pebbles into the ocean. Skon walks up to the boy. "Counselor?" The boy raises his head. "My name is Thomas. What do you want?" Skon kneels down and looks the boy in the face. "Coun. . .Thomas, you must come with me. The ship is in danger and the alien lifeforms need you to help us communicate." The boy's face turns dark. "I'm not going anywhere! My parents told me to stay here until they get back." )

*Back on the Skytoucher, Skon's body shudders.*

THE PAIN...THE PAIN

(On "Betazed," Skon shudders and blinks his eyes. "Thomas, you don't have to wait here. This place isn't real. It's a technique you were taught when you were very young. A way of blocking off your mind if it were attacked from the outside. We are taught similar techniques on Vulcan. You can leave, if you want to. It is safe. There is a door." Skon points to a simple wooden door that hovers slightly above the ground a few feet away. )

(Edited by Skon at 10:39 pm on May 22, 2003)

(Edited by Skon at 11:15 pm on May 22, 2003)