Episode 37: Kordikar - Act 1

Game was 3/19/20. Due to COVID-19, Alec, Jeremy, and Heidi & Daniel Skyped in. The game was a little uneven as we adapt to the new format. This is part II of this game session; part I is the epilogue of Episode 36.

CO Commander Melva Deline and the rest of the senior officers – XO Lieutenant Commander Saval, senior counselor Lieutenant Armina Jasra, junior counselor Ensign Jessa Tyr, chief engineer Lieutenant Ssleestak, chief of operations Lieutenant K'tral, chief science officer Lieutenant Commander Fal Marik, chief flight control officer Ensign Phillip Dade and chief of security Lieutenant Shan'taar th'Vorish – all take their stations on the bridge while CMO Lieutenant She-Who-Swims-Amidst-the-Stars reports to sickbay. The Solstice disengages from Starbase 212 and Phillip pilots her out of spacedock. He travels to the edge of the New P'Jem system at full impulse, and then jumps to warp at 1615 hours. He increases speed to maximum warp, warp nine-point-nine-nine, and the engines remain stable.

Phillip reports, "Our destination is twenty-three light years from here, captain." Ssleestak adds, "We can sustain this speed for approximately eighteen hours, so the last five light years we have to slow down." Mel asks, "With our new upgrades, how fast can we go without being blatantly detectable?" Ssleestak does some calculations and reports, "Previously warp six, but I think we can now sustain warp eight without being obvious to anyone within three light years of our position." Mel orders, "Maximum warp as long as we're able, then drop to warp nine. Three and a half light years from our destination, drop to warp eight." Phillip computes the course and replies, "We'll arrive in roughly fifty hours." Mel accepts that, and Phillip lays in the course.

The next two days pass quietly, as the crew focuses on their duties and Ssleestak keeps a wary eye on the warp engines. However, Ensign Jennifer Kras's upgrades hold, although he identifies a few EPS junctions that need further reinforcement. Luckily, he can do that as they go. Ssleestak also informs Fal of his theory regarding the captain's 29th century data rod, that it contains extensive world scans – which Sola probably saw. Fal tries to wheedle that data out of Sola, but the AI remains unimpressed and politely rebuffs him. Sola does record his begging and sends it to Mel when she's alone in her quarters.

By now, the Solstice is traveling at warp eight, and she has left Sector 376-67 and entered unexplored space. The Solstice's engine wash is normal, and no one seems to know she's there. Fal reports, "We're now within range of the long-range sensors. Sweeping now." He quickly identifies the coordinates as a star system, with a M3V star – a hot, red main sequence star. Six planets revolve around this star, and Fal reports, "The two outer planets are Class-T super giants. Massive gravitational eddies. The fourth planet is… artificial." He refines his scans and adds, "Definitely artificial. The entire outer mass is metallic, but I can't get anything further. The third planet is Class M, but at the extreme edge of the green zone, so it's ice-locked like Andoria."

He continues working and announces, "The second planet from the star is Class M, temperate. Massive power readings. There's extensive orbital defense arrays and multiple docking rings circling the planet. The first planet is an unremarkable Class D rock." Mel frowns and instructs her crew, "Fly casual, but be ready to go to red alert." Phillip drops put of warp at 1815 hours at the outer edge of the system and carefully navigates the gravimetric eddies. He notes any vessel trying to warp directly into the system would be violently torn apart by the eddies, so he keeps the speed at half impulse.

At 1830 hours the Solstice exits the eddies and bypasses the two super giants; Phillip ramps up the speed to full impulse. Fal starts using the short-range sensors and reports, "The fourth planet is a shell surrounding something." He puts the artificial world on the main viewscreen and the senior officers see a dark, metallic planet roughly the size of Mercury. White-blue lights flash in rapid sequence across the surface. Fal reports, "The third planet has crystalline life-signs. The second planet's defense systems are roughly thirty or forty years behind Starfleet. There are hundreds of ships docked, many unknown configurations." Phillip perks up at that, but the officers spot several Dai'Loq vessels, an Orion Harmony-class escort, and one battered Klingon D7 Bird of Prey. However, half the ships coming and going are definitely Tizit – fighters, mining vessels, frigates, even merchant ships.

Before Mel can make any decisions, Shan'taar calls out, "Three Jem'Hadar attack ships coming from behind the fourth planet!" He pulls up the tactical feed and the officers see the three Dominion ships adopt a reverse arrowhead formation as they approach. K'tral reports, "We're being hailed." Mel says coldly, "Onscreen." A male Vorta appears, pale skinned, dark haired, and long features with purple eyes. ¹⁾ He states, "Captain Melva Deline, I am Ublis. This system has accepted the protection of the Dominion." Mel frowns as she processes the implications, as the Bajoran wormhole is almost four hundred light years from here.

Before Mel can make any decisions, Fal calls out, "The second planet's weapons systems just went hot and they're targeting the Dominion ships!" Ublis looks surprised and K'tral announces, "Captain, incoming hail from the planet." Mel nods, so K'tral puts Ublis on mute and splits the screen. A female Tizit appears, wearing a skintight dress of burgundy and reclining on a divan. Two half-naked male Tizit stand behind her. She announces, "Captain Mel Deline. Welcome to Koridkar, where all gods… and goods… are welcome. I am Zivan, chief purveyor of Kordikar, thanks to you." Mel looks surprised and replies, "Me? How?"

Zivan smiles conspiratorially and replies, "Because I bet on you, captain. Heavily. You've reunited Federation Secundus with Federation Prime and corrected false history. You killed Marat'teer, something I consider to be a personal favor, and you've aggravated the Wabai Unity, and you seem to have managed an alliance with the Dark Ones." She leans back and states, "Sadly, it seems our Dominion friends have misunderstood us, in addition to having horrible taste in aesthetics. Kordikar is zealously neutral, captain. I hope that won't be a problem."

Mel shakes her head and replies, "Not at all, we're here as explorers. However, I have a question. How does your society respond to threats against property?" Zivan smiles and says, "Why, captain, if someone threatens your person or property, then only lethal force can suffice." Mel takes note of that attitude and Zivan adds, "Please, captain, join me for lunch and bring your senior officers." Mel agrees, so Zivan sends docking coordinates and ends the hail. Mel notes Kordikar's weaponry still aimed squarely at the three Dominion ships and says, "Nice to meet you, Ublis." She motions to Phillip, who aims the Solstice right at Ublis's ship and moves forward at full impulse. Mel remains standing, staring at Ublis silently until the Solstice closes to twenty meters! Then she sits down and crosses her legs casually as Phillip dives the Solstice under the Dominion ship, giving the dorsal phaser cannon a clear shot as a warning if necessary. K'tral terminates the channel as soon as they clear the Dominion ships. The three Dominion ships retreat to the fourth planet as Fal returns to scanning.

Fal states, "I still can't penetrate the outer shell of the fourth planet, but I think it's capable of controlling or even weaponizing the gravimetric eddies." Mel shares a look with Shan'taar, as they both realize how utterly devastating such an attack would be against a starship. Fal reports, "The crystalline lifeforms on the third planet show signs of a primitive society, villages and the like but no industrial capacity."

As they approach Kordikar, Fal says, "This is interesting. Captain, the surface of the planet is covered in ancient ruins, and there are primitive inhabitants moving about. The Tizit have hundreds of artificial structures floating in the sky, moving with the planet's wind currents." Mel muses, "We may all be gods to the people below." Phillip adds, "Captain, those docking coordinates are for a platform in the atmosphere." As they approach, the Klingon Bird of Prey suddenly tears free of her docking clamps and powers away at full impulse. The Starfleet crew is surprised – until they see the sigil of the House of Duras on the ship's wings. Mel orders, "Blue alert," as Phillip enters Kordikar's atmosphere. The Solstice descends to approach a platform the size of a small city. She lands on a large landing pad jutting out from the floating city, and there is a gentle bump as the landing gear connects.

The crew sees a tall, well-muscled male Tizit waiting for them; he is bare-chested and oiled. Mel leaves Saval in command but declares, "Phillip, K'tral, Fal, Ssleestak, Jessa. You're in the away team." Armina decides to accompany them and there is some joking that Ensign Thal'tirian sh'Voras is already pawing at the ramp on deck eight to get out. Mel snorts but does send an invite to the Andorian historian to join them. She turns to Shan'taar, who is torn between remaining on the ship at tactical or accompanying the captain. Mel stipulates, "I am taking Threy'shaan, of course." Shan'taar initially leans towards remaining behind, but then brightens and declares, "But Virgil needs practice." Mel smirks as Shan'taar calls up the young Trill. The ten officers gather on deck eight and the ramp descends.

The officers disembark the Solstice and look up to see their ship looming over them, which is still an unusual sight. They walk up to the male Tizit, who announces, "I am Zug, chief servant of the chief purveyor. Do any of you have any sexual needs before we continue?" That throws Mel, but she recovers quickly and replies, "No, thank you." Zug nods and then runs down multiple questions about food restrictions and if the crew has any physical needs. The Starfleet crew answers as best they can and Ssleestak provides a list of poisonous substances. Zug takes the list with total seriousness and leads them to a monorail station.

He brings them to the first car, which is clearly for VIPs. Dark leather divans surround a bar and a table of appetizers. Zug taps a control pad and the monorail starts moving towards a mansion that thrusts up from the tallest point on the platform; the mansion is someone's idea of what grandeur looks like and is made primarily of a pink stone. Zug then motions for the Starfleet officers to enjoy the bar and appetizers. Ssleestak lumbers over and finds a dish of writhing orange mill-worms in sauce; he grabs a handful and swallows as Fal scans them and warns, "These are very nutritious and contain minute amounts of an aphrodisiac."

Ssleestak chomps own and rumbles, "What was that last part?" as he swallows. He finds the sauce to be sweet and sour and the worms burst in his teeth with a citrus flavor; he grabs a convenient to-go container. Jessa finds something that looks like orange sherbet and notes how much of the food presented is a hue of orange. She tries a dish of the sherbet and finds it also tastes strongly of citrus. Mel picks up a glass plate containing a silvery spiderweb, and Zug shows her how to eat it: she must slide her tongue under the web and suck in. Mel rues grabbing the least-dignified dish but follows Zug's example. She finds the confection to be very sweet, approaching Bajoran jumja sticks.

K'tral, Phillip, Shan'taar, and Threy'shaan abstain from the food and drink, while Armina and Thal'tirian sample a few dishes. Fal grabs something that looks like orange roasted legumes; he finds them spicy but not quite Bajoran standard. He also snacks on one of the confection-webs and finds the sweetness balances the spices perfectly. Jessa heads to the bar, ignoring the captain's warning look. She notes a bottle has things swimming in it but grabs a bottle of something pink. She takes a small amount, and it slides down her throat with a pleasant tingle – and then the hallucinations start! She realizes this wine has a minor hallucinogenic compound suspended in the alcohol, but luckily she can easily tell what is real and what isn‘t. She repeats to herself, "Be chill!" in her head – at least she hopes it's in her head.