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I was rereading this JP this morning while updating the Thor's mission summary, and man, this is just so elegantly written. I LOVE the sheer amount of lore and build up that is done in this two parter. @Alieth and @Brutus did such and amazing job with developing the kingdom of Calabrum in such few words. The stink of @Geoffrey Teller is all over this thing too. And that ending... I missed it the first time around, but way to tie everything back to the Thor at the end. I consistently stand in awe at the writers around me. Bravo you two.

The visual in this just cracked me up.

Mercifully alone after hours in sickbay, Geoffrey John Teller stood in his quarters and wept openly for the first time in his adult memory. Wracking sobs shook his torso as he supported himself with one hand against the bulkhead, peering through tears at the indifferent stars beyond the viewport. He’d maintained his composure through all the debriefings and the mandatory counseling sessions but now, in the safety of solitude, Geoff let the feelings he’d been tamping down pour out unfiltered. Tears ran down his face and onto his uniform unchecked as the events replayed in his mind once again. It started, as it always started...with the children. Their smiling, delighted faces. Their giggles and laughter. Their pure, innocent wonder. Their screams of terror. Geoff tried to shake the memory away but it would not be restrained anymore and he collapsed to his couch, hunched over with head in hands. A renewed series of sobs made his entire body shudder. It was several minutes before he could compose himself, and even then he was far from settled. His mourning had given way to a fierce anger every bit as unrestrained as his grief. With a hoarse bark he called out to the computer, his mind growing dark with increasingly violent thoughts. “Give me all the atmospheric surveys conducted on Telstrus 3 prior to beam down, along with the names of every officer and crewman responsible for their research. Someone is going to pay for this if it’s the last thing I do.” The computer's polite request to have him restate his query led to a shattered display and four broken bones in Teller’s right hand, although he didn’t know that. At the moment, the pain was strangely satisfying and helped focus his incoherent rage down to a fine, precise edge. He dug into the research for almost two hours as his hand throbbed and discolored, subsisting on a diet of cold coffee and even colder rage, but he came away with his answer. “Lieutenant Kowalski, report to my quarters, now!” The comm successfully conveyed the acid in his words because moments later his door chime rang. “Get in here and stand at attention, Mister.” Geoff’s tone was harsh, his quarters a mess and his own appearance far from uniform standard, but none of that mattered to him at the moment. The sole thing on Geoff’s mind was justice but at this point he’d happily settle for a violent measure of revenge. “Lieutenant Koawlski reporting as ordered. Sir, may I speak freely?” The tension in Koawlski’s voice was thick enough to land a shuttle on, but Geoff wasn’t in a mood to be compassionate. “No you damn well may not, Lieutenant. And I thought I told you to stand at attention!” Kowalski’s already rigid posture became ramrod straight, their unblinking eyes fixed on a far off point on the bulkhead. Geoff finally turned his attention away from the console and stood, closing the distance to Koawlski until they were nose to nose. Geoff’s eyes were frantic, red and bulging. A passing medical officer could have checked his blood pressure from the hallway. “Lieutenant, I am going to ask you a series of questions and you are going to respond Yes Sir, Commander Sir or No Sir, Commander Sir. Is that absolutely clear?” Geoff’s tone made it clear what answer he expected. “Yes Sir, Commander Sir.” To Koawlski’s credit, they weathered this volcano of rage without flinching. “Good. Were you the planetary meteorological officer on duty when we arrived at Telstrus 3?” Geoff knew the answer but he needed to hear the man say it to his face. To admit it was him and not some incomprehensible computer error. “Yes Sir, Commander Sir.” Again, it was the answer Geoff had expected, and it did nothing to quell his anger. “Were you responsible for preparing the atmospheric survey the Captain used to judge the coordinates of our beam down?” “Yes Sir, Commander Sir.” “When the Captain asked you to prepare that survey, were his instructions in any way unclear or subject to misinterpretation?” “No Sir, Commander Sir!” “Do you consider yourself competent at your duties, Lieutenant?” “Yes Sir, Commander Sir!” “In that case, Lieutenant, perhaps you’d like to explain why the Thor’s first children's kite flying contest was such a massive disaster?!” “Sir, I...the wind...it was supposed to be gentle...favorable...nothing in our models suggested hurricane force wind gusts!” “Perhaps you’d like to explain that to seventy-three primary school children who just saw two months of their hard work turned into high altitude confetti while they suffered scrapes and boo-boos the likes of which I’ve never seen!” “Sir, I can’t...I...I’ll resign...or...or you can file charges...you can’t possibly….” “Oh yes I damn well can, Lieutenant. As of now, you are assigned to serve as a class mascot until such time as I feel you’ve learned an important lesson.” Kowalski’s voice went up several octaves in shock. “But Sir!.....” “But nothing, Mister. Now get into that Flotter costume and get down to Deck 12. Those kids are getting blankies and juice boxes and they expect a visit from their new pal real soon....” Kowalski sputtered in incoherent shock but retreated in defeat, leaving Geoff alone again in his quarters. He’d always loved the wind but after today...he’d never be able to think of it without remembering Telstrus 3.

The way that @Oddas Aria wrote this sim really made me feel what Captain Oddas was feeling. All the little mannerisms of anxiety and anger. The weight and responsibility of what it really means to be a Captain in a really tricky scenario. Really had me connecting to Aria a lot in the moment. I've been thinking about it for a good hour or two now, honestly. So I thought it warranted an appreciation. It was well done. --- ((Bekanar’Klan’s Office, Jem’Hadar Colony, Aturn VII)) Oddas: =/\= Can you confirm that? =/\= The map with purported mining veins and traps set took a secondary position in her list of things to do for the moment. The thought that her crew members were captured and being subjugated to Prophets knew what caused the tension headache she had been experiencing back with a vengeance. The last thing she wanted was to lose crew, not only did it come along with the job she wasn't as aloof as others saw her. She didn't care to sacrifice life ever. Iovianus: =/\= Response =/\= Any: Response Dekas: This is all very odd. Bekanar’Klan: Odd? How so? Dekas: Do we know what they’re looking for? Or what they’re guarding? Han: Response Oddas: Regardless, taking hostages is a surefire way to make sure I believe them less. She gave the Jem'Hadar pair a sideways glance - she knew she had just obliquely said she trusted the Jem'Hadar more. In a way, she realized it was true. The Jem'Hadar were fighting their nature in order for a better life. It seemed Kaybay was leaning into his own worse pah'wraith in order to further his very typical goals. One took heroic effort, the other took practically none. Her narrowed eyes betrayed some of her discomfort at the idea and tension with the idea her crew were hostages. Han: Response As the Marine spoke she realized the tension was layering on top of something else - anger. Anger was something she was familiar with, anger at her family, anger at some of her instructors, anger with others, anger with aliens taking her crew. It didn't even matter what the Major was saying she kept thinking about the failure she could become. By the time Bekanar'Klan responded she was struggling to keep it at bay. Bekanar’Klan: Then, perhaps we should mount a foray into the mines while we wait on Strapek to arrive? I have more than enough soldiers here, along with your own people Captain. It was a plan, a solid plan, and one that might give them answers. She paused to count the Major and Minor Vedeks to be sure she wasn't reacting out of anger. Her fingers clinched more tightly, digging her artificial nails into her upper arm where she had crossed her arms. Osasad’Mon: We should attack the DaiMon's ship at the same time use the element of surprise! The words had come out as a snarl, the Second was obviously itching to do something. Looking at the Jem'Hadar's face she saw the hardened battle ready face of a brutal warrior staring back. Aria had seen the same face on militia fighters back home - including her mother. She had even seen it more recently on the face of a Starfleet Marine that had been the source of consternation for her. Oddas: If we attack Kaybay could simply decide to kill the hostages. ::she paused and considered:: We'll give the Juneau a chance to rescue the hostages, if that doesn't work we can resort to ::feeling her nails dig deeper:: other measures. Han/Dekas: Response Bekanar’Klan: I can have a tactical unit ready in 5 minutes, Captain. And I will accompany you. And since the Second seems eager for a fight, he can come along as well. She looked at the map and back towards the others. Bekanar'Klan's statement brought up an unfortunate reality - she tended not to go into battle. Aria could fire a phaser, hit most things she aimed at, if the object wasn't moving too quickly and precision wasn't required. As if sensing her discomfort the Second perked up in that happy disappointment of a tone she had heard on bullies before. Osasad’Mon: If you feel your team is up for it, of course. Oddas: We're up for it. Major Han, prepare a team, recall anyone you need from the Juneau. I want us to be ready to transport to that location 5 minutes. She pointed to the map and a location where it seemed the traps were most concentrated - directly around the entrance of the tunnel the Away Team had disappeared from. Han/Dekas: Response Oddas: That's how long the Juneau has to get our people free peacefully. The snort of derision from the direction of the Second was enough indication of what he thought of the plan. Bekanar’Klan: Response Oddas: We have experience with that too. We'll all beam over together. Han/Dekas/All: Response Suddenly the weight of the phaser on her belt - long forgotten since the beam down - made itself known. She knew some people felt the weight of a weapon as power, for Aria it meant she had done something wrong, missed a way out, missed the path that didn't require violence. The feeling added to the anger that was welling up in her. Before long the nails would be drawing blood from the pressure she was pushing into them. Any: Response TAG, TBC Captain Oddas Aria Commanding Officer USS Juneau, NX-99801 E239305OA0