Kyhid Zohl: | Outside the Tykera’s forward viewports, the T’Ong Nebula drifts in slow, breathing hues of pink and crimson. Filaments of ionised gas stretch like nerves across the void, backlit by +
Kyhid Zohl: | Outside the Tykera’s forward viewports, the T’Ong Nebula drifts in slow, breathing hues of pink and crimson. Filaments of ionised gas stretch like nerves across the void, backlit by +
Kyhid Zohl: | … scattered starlight. Several ships hold position nearby, silent silhouettes in the glow… among them Lakara’s.
N’Rat: A Ferasan Slithus vessel, with Alliance IFF transponder, reaches the gathered group at full impulse. "This AKS R’Rel, Captain N’Rat of Fahv Clan speaking, ready to assist on behalf of++
N’Rat: Allied Fleet Service.
Lakara: The Thorm has been an irregular presence over Dorvanis, sometimes performing an orbit, sometimes absent alltogether for reasons of it’'s own. Tonight the Bird of Prey was here, however
Kyhid Zohl: =C= This is Captain Kyhid Zohl of the USS Tykera. All nearby vessels, please confirm if you intend to acompany the pending operation as per Alliance InfoNet re: Dovarnis =C==
Hannam: A Khollr class warbird decloaks perhaps a bit too close to the Tykera’s port flank* “This is Commander S’anra of the warbird Cav’Sanalam. We are here to investigate these reports.”
N’Rat: =C= “This is AKS R’Rel. We respond affirmatively.”
Liiear: The R.R.W. Pangaere’elh, a Mogai class warbird lurks in the Nebula undercloak but with a Com open to the rest of the fleet. “This is Liiear of the Republic Warbird Pangaere’elh, Standing by.”
Lakara: “The Thorm will accompany you.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Understood, Cav’Sanalam. You’re welcome in formation, though I recommend more space unless you’re planning to dock on arrival. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Acknowledged, Captain N’Rat. Alliance support is welcome. Form up on our starboard flank and standby for group vector sync. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Understood, Thorm. Good to have you with us. Hold position off our aft port quarter. We’ll initiate departure on my mark.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Pangaere’elh acknowledged. Your presence is noted. Maintain current cloak or join formation as you see fit, transit begins shortly. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= All vessels, prepare for secure channel transfer. Adjust encryption to Alliance Standard Theta-Four. =C=
N’Rat: =C= “Deploying the encryption AS-Theta-Four.”
Kyhid Zohl: | A pause as status lights flicker across Zohl’s own console, channels aligning, ships confirming handshake. +
Liiear: “Pangaete’elh, Acknowledge’s, Channel transfer complete.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Before we proceed deeper into the T’Ong Nebula, I’ll brief all ships on current intel and operational objectives. +
Hannam: =C= Cav’Sanalam confirms new channel. We shall… make our course adjustments as you suggest, Captain.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Further to recent discoveries on Dovarnis III, and following from further interactions with the Caretaker AI entity of the discovered Archive below Grid Theta… the mission reports displa
Kyhid Zohl: display to all +
Hannam: Cav’Sanalam appears to initiate a collision course, though after a few seconds her wing starts to roll, gracefully arcing over the Tykera, far beyond any proximity sensor…
Hannam: …but a twitchy helm officer might not like it
Kyhid Zohl: Extensive interactions with the Caretaker have flagged a location of interest deep in the nebula itself. Possibly connected to the archive infrastructure in some way, we don’t know yet. +
Liiear: Pangaere’elh, maintains it’s cloak
Kyhid Zohl: Preliminary gravimetric scans of the coordinates show an object situated between two pulsars in tight orbit of one another. I stress, the environment is extremely hostile to say the least. +
Kyhid Zohl: If there is some sort of structure to be found there, then the alignment suggests intent. We’re going in to find out.
Kyhid Zohl: All vessels, confirm that you’ve made shielding and subsystem adjustments for deep T’Ong traversal, per Alliance hazard guidelines. We won’t get a second chance at this.
Liiear: “Pangaere’elh, Confirms.”
Kyhid Zohl: If we’re to reach the site in reasonable time, note this: ships exceeding Warp 2 in the T’Ong risk warp field collapse or accidental shift into adjacent subspace layers. +
N’Rat: =C= “Shield modulations adjusted, subsystems at the ready.”
Kyhid Zohl: Vessels with advanced adaptive field harmonics or reinforced warp governors may attempt higher speeds, but stay sharp.
Hannam: =C= Cav’Sanalam confirms, modifications are complete.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Final point. The Tykera holds command authority for this mission under joint directive. You do not take offensive action unless authorised by this vessel. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= If that condition doesn’t suit your doctrine or disposition, now’s the time to break formation. No harm, no judgement. But we go in disciplined.
Liiear: Decloaks before joining the formation.
Lakara: We will go with you, and we will not be under your command. Whether you wish it or not. This region is our space.
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s gaze sharpens at the reply, naturally from Cdr Lakara. One antenna angles slightly, the faintest tell of tension beneath control. +
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Understood, Cdr. Then let’s be clear, this is not a territorial claim. It’s a mission. If you operate independently, I expect coordination… or we jeopardise the entire effort. =C=
Liiear: “Acknowledged, Tykera.”
Hannam: =C= Come now, Thorm, I’m sure we can accept the Federation’s guidance on mission authority.
Lakara: Expect what you wish. Just finish your speech and move out before we lose our patience.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= You know this region. Fine. But if you act without warning in proximity to others, I will assume you’re compromising our safety. Let’s not make this harder than it need be.
Lakara: Unfortunately, it seems the Thorm would do exactly that. The connection is swiftly severed, and the vessel angels itself towards the destination, accelerating before fading into cloak.
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl exhales slowly through his nose, the tension easing by degrees. He studies the tactical display a moment longer, then nods to himself-about as good as he’s going to get…
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s jaw tightens as the Thorm breaks formation without a word, vanishing into cloak mid-burn. The flash of its impulse trail still flickers across the sensor display
Hannam: Cav’Snalam eases forward, thrusters only, not breaking formation, but starting to push the boundries of it “On your lead, Captain Zohl.”
Kyhid Zohl: =C= All vessels, adjust course bearing to match the Thorm. Looks like whatever is in store, they’ll meet it first. Let’s not have them meet it alone.
Kyhid Zohl: | The fleet slips into warp in staggered sequence, each vessel vanishing into streak and flare as they cut into the depths of the T’Ong Nebula. Within seconds, the starlight dims +
Kyhid Zohl: |… swallowed by swirling particulate clouds that bleed pink and crimson across the void. Inside the warp corridor, the light bends strangely. Subspace currents twist and surge against shields
Kyhid Zohl: | Readouts across the fleet spike with minor stress warnings. Static distortion creeps into short-range comms as they delve deeper into the Nebula’s core.
Kyhid Zohl: | Aboard the Tykera, the inertial dampeners hold steady, but shield output fluctuates at regular intervals, adapting to the unpredictable harmonics of the nebular field. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Less advanced ships show more strain. Energy redistribution cycles stretch thinner. Coils hum hotter. One of their number begins bleeding minor plasma from a ventral grid, just for a moment
N’Rat: | AKS R’Rel displaces at Warp 1.5 smoothly more or less. Occassional “hiccups” don’t seem to disturb any of crew while Captain N’Rat has his eyes fixed on what’s ahead of them. |
Kyhid Zohl: | The Tykera presses forward, lead ship in the formation, though the Thorm lies somewhere ahead… Ahead, between the veiled stars, the pulses of twin pulsars begin to throb faintly.
N’Rat: =C= “Lieutenant Delas, run a wide scan on the twin pulsar system ahead of us.”
Lakara: The Thorm eventually drops out of cloak as it enters the pulsar system. The vessel’s shields raise, and from it’s weapon port, it fires a PROBE towards the open centre..
Kyhid Zohl: | As the Cav’Sanalam hurtles through the nebula, a sudden subspace eddy lashes against its port flank. Shields spike hard, then flicker. The warp field stutters for half a second, causing a +
Kyhid Zohl: | … lurch. Internal lighting dims. One secondary console sparks violently before stabilising. Sensors lose orientation for nearly a full minute, starboard becomes aft +
Kyhid Zohl: | … velocity indicators freeze, and for a breath, the ship seems to drift sideways through nothing. She then corrects herself, but has reduced shielding as a result.
Kyhid Zohl: | On the Pangaere’elh, the effect is subtler, but no less insidious. Radiation blooms along the dorsal field coils, bleeding low-grade interference into navigation and impulse controls. +
Kyhid Zohl: | A deep vibration passes through the deckplates: faint, rhythmic. A sensor ghost appears briefly at the ship’s stern, unreadable, non-responsive, and then vanishes just as quickly. +
Kyhid Zohl: |The ship’s environmental systems register slight issues, and internal dampeners run out of sync to some degree. She needs to be careful navigation and must not stay too deep in the nebula for
Kyhid Zohl: too long
Hannam: Through the thin smoke on her bridge, she glares coldly at the duty engineer who immediately takes the hint and makes the bridge presentable again before the next communication.
Hannam: Her Operations officer, spared the glare, no less worked diligently to ensure no further incidents would occur
Liiear: Signals for her Science and engineering teams to attempt to optimise and enhance already inplace Hazard procedures not wanting to be left out of the hunt.
N’Rat: | Meanwhile aboard R’Rel, N’Rat speaks to his Ops officer: “Check in with other vessels and inquire if they need assistance.” |
Kyhid Zohl: | The Thorm’s probe launches cleanly, then hits turbulence almost instantly. Plasma eddies tear across its path, wrenching it off-course. +
Kyhid Zohl: | Guidance control flickers. The probe spins once, twice, then vanishes from sensors altogether, either shredded by the forces at play between pulsars, or something… else +
Kyhid Zohl: However!
Kyhid Zohl: | Before total loss of telemetry however, one data spike suggests gravimetric distortions around the structure… irregular, localised, and moving. Possibly cloaked vessels.
Liiear: “Pangaere’elh pulling out, Protective shielding critical.”
Lakara: “Thorm to Alliance ships - All vessels with cloak, use it! We are not alone!” The Thorm sends that single transmission. As the fleet arrives, the Thorm’s shields and weapons charge to full
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Understood, Pangaere’elh. Clear the field and stabilise. We’ll transmit findings once secured. Stay in comms range if able. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: | One by one, the fleet bursts from warp into the heart of the twin pulsar system. Starlight bends wildly between the stars as the ships emerge, haloed in red haze and static. +
N’Rat: =C= “Dumuk, reinforce our front-facing shielding and fine tune those modulations. Aliana, proceed to Red Alert but do not activate disruptors yet.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s eyes snap to the tactical readout, one antenna angling sharply forward as cloaked trace signatures shared by Thorm flicker and vanish across the display.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Tykera will hold position and anchor the formation. We assume we’re observed. =C=
Hannam: | Cav’Sanalam drops from warp, but not under cloak. Given their earlier incidence it’s probably prudent not to reduce shielding any further at this time.
Kyhid Zohl: | The fleet steadies into position around the Tykera, but not too close… cloaked or otherwise. The nebular mist swirls slower here, thick with charged ions.
Lakara: “We attempted to launch a probe to little avail. A shuttle seems as hazardous as a beam in. If we want to get at that structure, you may need to bring that behemoth of a vessel closer in.”
N’Rat: =C= “R’Rel to Tykera. With interferences from twin pulsars, deploying a tacyhon grid to detect cloaked vessels might be very tricky according to my science officer.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s jaw tightens at the suggestion, but he is glad that the Thorm hasn’t been taken out by some hidden threat before the fleet arrived. +
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Acknowledged, Thorm. We’ll edge in, slow and cautious. All ships, adjust position accordingly. If something stirs, I want crossfire coverage. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Understood, R’Rel. Tell your science officer to keep it in reserve, we may need the grid later if our options thin. For now, maintain passive trace sweeps. =C=
Hannam: | Cav’Sanalam moves in tightly with the Tykera, but not as close as her earlier jovial antaganising movements suggested.
Hannam: =C= Do we prepare for iminent combat, Captain Zohl?
Kyhid Zohl: | The Tykera begins a slow forward drift, nose angled toward the exposed seam in the structure. Shields hum louder, reacting to intensifying radiation and spatial compression. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The Tykera glides forward, her massive frame slipping ahead of the Thorm by degrees. Not aggressive, just deliberate. A quiet assertion of presence, of cover. +
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Negative, Cav’Sanalam. Weapons hold. Shields stay up, sensors stay passive. We respond only if provoked… or if someone makes the first mistake. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= One more thing. The Caretaker AI on Dovarnis III had the means to digitise physical matter, convert it directly into data for archival. Entire starships, potentially. =C=
Lakara: As the Tykera glides past the bird of prey, the Thorm abuses the momentary confusion on any sensors to slip into cloak. A risky manouver, but the Klingons seem willing to match the Romulans in this
Kyhid Zohl: =C= If this structure is linked, we may be looking at the same tech, or worse. =C=
N’Rat: =C= “Serani, focus the scanners on pulsars and send the data stream to other ships. Perhaps they can use it as a baseline to combat the interference.”
Hannam: =C= That would have been nice to know before you trapped us all in this nebula, Starfleet.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= R’Rel, we’re receiving your telemetry now. Good work, anything that helps stabilise the baseline is worth the bandwidth. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Cav’Sanalam, the nebular risk profile AND the Archive briefing was included in the briefing packet. Section 3, highlighted in red. I trust you’re caught up now. =C=
N’Rat: =C= “Acknowledged, Tykera. Glad to be of service. We have decent sensors, but we’d leave a more scientific interpretation and trickery to other vessels.”
Hannam: Just glares at her communications officer, she’s running out of people to glare at today and she hasn’t even had lunch yet
N’Rat: =C= "We are also considering an emission of highly dissipated disruptors bursts. Think of it as extremely-wide angled disruptor beams, in order to attempt disrupting the unidentified cloaked vessels.+
N’Rat: + However, we are at risk of burning our disruptor emitters."
Hannam: =C= Cav’Sanalam’s emitters can provide assistance there.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= R’Rel, hold off on the disruptor bursts. Too much risk to your emitters. The Tykera is almost upon the structure =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= At this depth, only Tykera and Cav’Sanalam likely have the shielding to approach the structure further. Other ships hold position. We’ll attempt close-range scans. =C=
N’Rat: =C= “Very well, Tykera. R’Rel stands by.”
Hannam: =C= Very well. We stand ready.
Kyhid Zohl: | The Tykera edges closer, hull groaning under the pressure. Cav’Sanalam follows tight on her port quarter, their twin shield envelopes shimmering against the nebular stress lines. +
Kyhid Zohl: | At just under one kilometre, interference surges, but holds. The structure now looms across the entire forward view, immense and silent. Details sharpen: layered etchings, scorched metal +
Kyhid Zohl: | … a faint shimmer along the fracture line. Active sensors engage. Beam pulses ripple against the surface, scattering light in jagged patterns. Data begins to flow, slow, partial, but ….
Lakara: Now gone from any sensors, the Thorm slowly edges forwards as well, maintaining a respectable distance from the Tykara, but always keeping it in weapons range. It uses the behemoth of a ship as a +
Lakara: + shield of sorts, letting the Tykera’s frame absorb the worst of the radiation for it. What it’s motives are is a mystery for now
N’Rat: | Meanwhile R’Rel assumes a patrol-like trajectory, leaving other ships to do the approach. |
Kyhid Zohl: | …data begins to flow… slow, partial, but decipherable. Beneath the interference, the scans resolve into a clear signature: the structure is a station, and it’s built on the same lattice t
Kyhid Zohl: | …tech as the Archive on Dovarnis. More than that, it’s a communication node. A link in the network. Signal analysis shows a line of transmission directed toward Dovarnis III.
Kyhid Zohl: | Signal strength as it extends towards Dovarnis, suggests the link is recent. Degradation patterns show reactivation, not persistence… as if the connection had been restored after a long
Kyhid Zohl: silence
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s brow furrows as a secondary scan layer resolves: shadows in the data. Multiple entities, faint but distinct, appear to be probing the node’s relay. These could be the cloaked ships +
Kyhid Zohl: | … multiple signatures, all attempting to link with the node relay.
Kyhid Zohl: =C= R’Rel, Tykera. Confirmed: cloaked vessels in local space are actively probing the node’s relay. Unknown configuration. Transmitting telemetry to your science station now. =C=
N’Rat: =C= “Delas, I want you discreetly fire up the forward disruptor banks. Use the pulsars’ interference to our advantage in case any is scanning on us.”
Hannam: =C= Could these be drones, Captain?
Hannam: =C= These signals look too numerous to adequetly shield a crew against the pulsar effects
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Possible, Cav’Sanalam. We might know more if R’Rel can flush them out without them realising it!
N’Rat: | As the disruptor banks quietly pile up their energy, N’Rat inputs several gemoetric equations for widest possible disperal of disruptor energy, in order to mimic LCDR Data’s trick with photon++
N’Rat: torpedoes back in the day during the internal Klingon crisis with House Duras. |
N’Rat: =C= “Aliana, send the following burst message to friendly vessels: three vessels spotted, possible configuration - Tal Shiar adaptation of Surhuel class warbirds. Awaiting instructions further.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl’s eyes narrow as the transmission reaches him. The Surhuel-class, Tal Shiar stealth platforms, if the identification holds. Trouble of the quiet kind. +
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Acknowledged, R’Rel. Three vessels, possibly Tal Shiar-configured Surhuel variants. All ships hold position, do not decloak, do not engage. =C=
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Cav’Sanalam, Thorm, adjust sensor filters for Surhuel emission bleed. If they’re adapted models, they’ll leak under subspace shear. Watch for pattern breaks. Now we know roughly their locat
Kyhid Zohl: ion
Hannam: =C= That is stolen Republic technology, Captain.
N’Rat: Meanwhile, N’Rat has his weapon banks restored to defaults.
Hannam: =C= We will observe for now, Captain Zohl. But I have no desire for the Tal’Shiar to hold our technology. Nor should anyone in our alliance.
Lakara: As the various ships remain inactive, the Thorm eventually breaks the silence. Decloaking off the rearmost Tal Shiar vessel, the Bird of Prey unleashes a barrage of disruptor fire for it’s main -
Lakara: - singularity core - And fires a set of photon torpedos for good measure. Its engines roar to life immidiately after to try and dodge the inevitable return fire
N’Rat: =C= “Adjust the course and join the engagement. Concentrate your attack to assist the Thorm.”
Kyhid Zohl: | The sensor grid lights up in an instant: Thorm decloaked and firing. +
N’Rat: =C= “But let them have the final shot. That ship is their game and glory.”
Hannam: Hannam looks to her tactical officer “Good, the Klingon will take some fire. Move us in to… support their attack. Let’s not take the risk, cover the Federation ship.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Zohl doesn’t speak for a heartbeat, and then starts giving orders to his bridge crew. The fight is on.
Tohi: Like the devious Mo’kKai she is, Tohi’s ship was cloaked as the Lukara backup, in case of needs. And so as soon as Lakara give orders to her ship, Tohi scream “FOR GLORY!” in her own bridge, her-
Tohi: -bird of prey decloaking for a volley of disruptors cannons toward the open singularity core, in a attack run: taking advantage of the ship agility
Kyhid Zohl: | The Thorm’s opening volley strikes true. Disruptor fire tears through the Tal Shiar hull, striking the core dead-centre. A heartbeat later, the ship erupts in a brilliant emerald burst +
Kyhid Zohl: | … radiation flares across the field. The explosion blooms like a dying star, between stars. Before the shockwave settles, a second Bird-of-Prey decloaks in a tight, aggressive arc +
Kyhid Zohl: | … no warning, weapons already hot. It surges straight toward the second Surhuelh now that the first has been anihilated, disruptors blazing already. +
Kyhid Zohl: | The strike is brutal. Focused. The second Tal Shiar vessel never has a chance. Its cloak falters, its hull fractures, and then it vanishes in a second violent detonation. No debris…
Kyhid Zohl: | The final Surhuelh drops cloak with cold precision, shields flaring to life as if already primed. In a single seamless motion, its forward emitters flare with sickly violet light +
Kyhid Zohl: | A cone of focused radiation bursts outward: wide, fast, and lethal. It engulfs the Tykera, Cav’Sanalam, and R’Rel in seconds, slamming into their shields and deflectors with a sizzling hiss +
Kyhid Zohl: | … as systems overload. This isn’t a standard disruptor blast, it’s a directed radiation beam, engineered to bypass deflectors, overwhelm hull shielding, and burn crews alive inside their ships!
Kyhid Zohl: | Shields across the fleet strain violently. Inertial dampeners flicker. Console casings glow. And for a moment… the temperature aboard each vessel begins to rise rapidly. +
Kyhid Zohl: | On the Tykera’s bridge, warning klaxons blare. Heat rises. Panels hiss. Zohl doesn’t hesitate, he strides himself to the central console, slams his hand down, and keys the override himself. +
Kyhid Zohl: =C= Bring the port warp core to critical margin, now. Shunt plasma to shield emitters. Expand the deflector envelope, cover the Cav and the R’Rel! =C=
Kyhid Zohl: (is heard over the comms)
Kyhid Zohl: | The Tykera roars as one of her twin cores surges beyond safety tolerances. Plasma conduits groan under the strain, but the shield matrix blooms outward; brighter, deeper, wider +
Kyhid Zohl: | The bubble catches just in time. The radiation beam slams into the expanded field with a crackling shriek. It holds, barely. The Cav’Sanalam and R’Rel are shielded within the Tykeras envelope
Kyhid Zohl: their systems spared from full exposure, for now.
Hannam: | The Cav’Sanalam breaks formation, dipping beyond the Tykera’s shielding, pulling a tight maneuver to pincer the final Surhuelh between herself and the R’Rel
Lakara: The Thorm puts its speed and agility to full use. Swinging around, and now shielded, the ship dives headlong into the fray despite the hazards - Its disruptor cannons roar to life, unleashing a +
Lakara: + withering barrage for the last vessel’s weapons banks to defang it
Hannam: | Cav’Sanalam unleashes a full barrage of her frontal weapons to melt the Surhuelh’s shields, with some shots aimed directly at the deflector array
Kyhid Zohl: (happening in parallel but slightly ahead of both the cav and the thorm’s moves)
Kyhid Zohl: | The R’Rel, shielded under the Tykera’s expanded deflectors, steadies from the impact. Her hull runs hot, scorched but intact. For a moment, she lingers in the protective field… then breaks+
Kyhid Zohl: | formation. The nimble Slithus-class ship veers sharply to starboard, disruptor banks already priming. She arcs behind the moving Cav, to get to the Surhuelh’s firing line. +
Kyhid Zohl: | As the Cav melts the target’s shields… the R’Rel can target the radiation beam emitters along its forward hull. With precise timing, the R’Rel opens fire: disruptor bursts slamming into the
Kyhid Zohl: emitter arrays, destabilising it entirely.
Kyhid Zohl: The ship suffers cascading shocks, coupled with the disruptor cannon assault from the Throm… it is entirely disabled, but still somewhat intact. …. a single emergency pod is seen to release
Kyhid Zohl: Before the ship loses its position and is drawn into the crushing depths of one of the twin pulsars
Hannam: Lock onto that pod, full security sweep, maximum tractor depth.
Lakara: The Thorm never stops, and veers past the Romulan vessel as it breaks apart. Well versed in raiding, the crew executes a surprisingly disciplined tractor on the escape pod, reeling it in if no one -
Lakara: - else gets to it first..
Hannam: Cav’Sanalam’s tractors fruitlessly engage to envelop the empty space previously occupied by the Klingon vessel
Lakara: C “Thorm to Commander t’Sanra.” If accepted, the viewscreen shows a bridge of singing, laughing Klingons, even though all of then look sweated and lightly sickened from cloaking in radiation..
Lakara: “I assume you want this prisoner transferred to your custody as soon as we are out of the pulsar?”
Hannam: =C= The Republic would appreciate the Klingon Empire’s cooperation in returning the Tal’Shiar prisoner to our custody for appropiate trial.
Hannam: | The comm closes and Hannam manages to get another glare into her comm officer’s skull. “Get me a full casualty and damage report.”
Kyhid Zohl: | Aboard the Thorm, the escape pod clanks into the hold with a hiss of cooling metal. Security teams move fast, forcing open the hatch with disruptor rifles drawn. The interior is dim +
Kyhid Zohl: | … filled with static-laced emergency light. Within, a lone Romulan woman lies slumped against the inner bulkhead. She is not in Tal Shiar uniform. No armour, no insignia. +
Kyhid Zohl: | … Her robe is deep black, hooded, patterned with subtle geometric markings; ancient, almost ceremonial. One of the Klingon warriors pushes aside a targ and steps forward without hesitation.
Kyhid Zohl: | … He grabs her by the throat, hauls her up with a guttural snarl. “Who are you?” he growls. “Who dares spy on the Empire?” +
Kyhid Zohl: | Her eyes flicker open, dazed, unfocused. There’s blood at her temple, and her breath catches in a half-choked rasp. But as the Klingon hauls her upright, something behind her gaze sharpens +
Kyhid Zohl: | … not defiance, not fear… desperation. “We… I.. am Zhat Vash,” she breathes, the words torn from her like a code pressed too long into silence. Her eyes lock briefly with the warrior’s+
Kyhid Zohl: “help us…”
Kyhid Zohl: | Then her knees buckle, consciousness slipping. Whatever pushed her to speak, it’s gone. But the name hangs in the air like a shadow.
— end of session —
