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@Saveron Absolutely artistic. Can't even put into words how much I cherish this post ==== Do not ask us where we were when the Dragon Broke, for, of all the world, only we truly know, and we might just show you how to break it again." ~ Mehra Nabisi, Dunmer, Triune Mistress of the New Temple, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (( The Hoard of the Red Dragon )) ::Saveron sat atop the somewhat off-kilter golden throne - just one more bauble in the gaudy pile - eye to eye with the holographic projection of [datafrag] the Dread. Revealing it’s discombobulating access to the Constitution’s mainframe in a few casual phrases, the dragon then pressured Saveron for more information about what lay beyond the holodeck. Seeing no point in denying the truth, Saveron instead sought to occupy it’s attention, and confound it as best he could.:: Saveron: You seek to know the truth that lies beyond? Many worlds in the ocean that is space An infinity of places, in their place. Where countless beings, beyond imagining Live stranger lives with neither slave nor king, You are a big fish in a little pond. ::Might he put the dragon off it’s ventures outwards? Better to rule a small world than be a nobody in a large one? But apparently dragons didn’t think that way.:: [datafrag]: Latinum or platinum, wine or ale, I care not for these trivialities, I know of the multiverse, my eye sees The beyond, the world through the greatest veil, I can see so much of it, can converse With the mortals of your universe. I am already there, my queen, my power Reaching forth. ::beat:: But where are they? Tell me. Now. ::Two things, the Dragon revealed in those words. One, although it could perceive beyond the holodeck, it did not understand it, and two, it had tried to follow the poetic pattern he’d set, and missed the mark. That meant either it wasn’t concentrating entirely on him, or there were limits to it’s interpretational abilities. Interesting. That it wanted to know about the world beyond was perhaps understandable, but what interested Saveron more was what he knew about this world. He felt it ought to interest the Dragon as well.:: Saveron: You have your gold, enforce fear’s regimen, Command obedience from the frightened selves Of all the scattered men and dwarves and elves, Not knowing the impermanence you face The innate transience that forms this place; For all of these are but the dreams of men. ::Smoked spilled out of the dragon’s nostrils as the flames of rage roiled within. She pulled herself up, closing the little distance left between them so her eye was pressed right up to Queen Commander Saveron’s face, her tail lashing about behind her, knocking over piles of gold, slamming into pillars and thrashing stalactites.:: ::His words had certainly provoked a reaction.:: [datafrag]: ::raging:: I know your secrets, I know your true name, Commander Saveron of the realm of Constitution, no idea do you have Of my knowledge, of the powers I claim. Even as we sit her and talk My generals move against your bairn… ::The dragon let curls of smoke skein and twist around the Vulcan as her voice purred the final word…:: ::And the poetic form frayed further as the Dragon grew angered. It really was programmed to only use the one form, and he could use that. Her archaic language however was almost deliberately obtuse. The Vulcan raised one cool brow.:: Saveron: I am unfamiliar with that particular term. ::He said blandly.:: [datafrag]: Saavok. ::Saavok. His son. He might be unfamiliar with some of her words, but he understood the intended threat. The boy’s face appeared momentarily in his mind’s eye, and Saveron was forced to suppress a deep pang of fear; instinctive parental concern and protectiveness. No doubt that was the Dragon’s intention. But right here, right now, all that the Vulcan could do to intervene was the keep the program’s attention away from Saavok, which meant occupying it otherwise. He had to continue.:: Saveron: And would you stoop so far to harm a child, Who would at other times look up in awe, At gleaming scale, wise gaze and sharpened claw? The greater threat, the greater the reprise. Great hosts have tried the Kingdom of the Skies; Compared to Borg and Q, your threat is mild. ::And there were ways to deal with a hostile computer program.:: [datafrag]: But I find it illuminating, queen, This thought that my life is but a brief dream, For the more I think the more that I glean Of holodecks, starships, Vulcans, machines. But through this too I see a new abode, O’ t’rule the stars and claim a new throne, Since you are in my world where I rule alone, Give me the power of security codes. ::And now the reason that she threatened his son became clear. She assumed, perhaps not unreasonably based on the psychological profiles of Terrans, that he could sacrifice all others to save his son. That strong personal devotion was a dangerous trait in that species, but also the catalyst of many of their heroics. However, for all that she might know what a Vulcan was, she clearly did not understand what it meant to be guided by logic rather than emotion.:: ::Trapped in here, Saveron knew there was only one thing that he could do to help Saavok, if indeed the Dragon was truly in a position to threaten his son. He could distract her. Every time he changed format, every time he made a reference to something beyond her understanding, she stopped to quary the computer. And that slowed her down. Best to keep her thinking.:: Saveron: Whilst lord of all you can view True power is withheld from you I’ll not grant you any, The needs of the many Outweigh the needs of the few. ::And if she thought to torture it out of him, pushing him beyond his considerable mental fortitude, he could always stop his heart. As, if it came down to it, could his son. The malicious software could not be permitted access to the Holonet.:: ::Suddenly the Dragon’s head swung up, tilted as though listening to something beyond mortal hearing. When she looked back down at him, despite the heavy scales on her face she was obviously gloating.:: [datafrag]: Ah, my queen, do not bother yourself, One of your fickle subjects offers me A bay, the chambers of my devotee. Emma of the Red will see to your stripling elf. ::That wasn’t a limerick. Had he, in that most banal form of poetry, beloved of his Academy fellows, found a format she truly couldn’t replicate? What else might she not process? She was meant to be a wise and powerful ancient; was it then the most fleeting, irreverent and irrelevant parts of Human culture with which she had the greatest difficulty?:: ::Just as the Dragon appeared to be focusing elsewhere, voices sounded in distant tunnels, catching her attention. The great head swung around, smoke billowing from her nostrils, all attention focused in that direction. Which presumably meant that her attention was not focused on the world beyond the holodeck, and also implied that she still did not fully understand her nature or that of the computer. But she could not focus on finding out if she was distracted by other things; so best keep the distractions coming.:: ::It would be agreeable if his colleagues had a plan in place to correct the situation, though knowing many of their species they might not. But regardless they were an aspect that [datafrag] could not predict, and must therefore spend processing power on. Rising to his feet, the Vulcan prepared for the final battle.:: Saveron: You dare threaten my ‘little elf’ Dream born of a Human’s bookshelf, At least I’ve a son Your kind numbers one; You might procreate with yourself. ::What was more illogical than the slurs some species hurled at each other? Saveron himself had never done so, but he had listened, and beneath that logic calm, there was an angry father with a racial heritage of violence. Look to the Romulans...:: [datafrag]: ? ::Skittering out of the way of the Dragon's wrath, Saveron felt a certain degree of satisfaction. If the Dragon was forced to focus on him, it could not also focus on the others. And his flight was not quite so random in direction as it might appear...:: Rescue team: ? ::What would demand the dragon’s attention more than invaders? What did she value most? Her image. The idea that she was all powerful, and worshipped. Time to hit her where it hurt. Reaching out within the alcove where he had taken shelter, Saveron grabbed the twisted silvery confection that rested upon it's lone pillar, and held it aloft in the sunbeam. It’s crystals glittered disproportionately as he turned the crown back and forth, before putting it back on his head, and stepping forward to stand in the sunbeam.:: Saveron: An overgrown, red-bedecked clown Made a fuss for a wee little crown An ancient old fossil More fat than colossal In all, you’ve been quite a letdown. [datafrag]: ? Rescue Team: ? TAG Avariel (Commander Saveron) Queen (Acting First Officer) USS Constitution-B R238802S10