S01 E04: Kettirohm Sovereignty: Sins of the Past

 

S01 E04: Kettirohm Sovereignty: Sins of the Past

 

               Historian's Note: After the Bajdon--one of the races of the Kettirohm Sovereignty--had left their native Bajor over two thousand years ago (via the Orb of Empathy) and settled in a new part of space on a planet they called Adoroth, they slowly developed the technology to start colonizing the other planets in the star system they called Kettirohm. After they had sparsely spread out over the ten planets in their star system, they explored a little of the surrounding space and found it void of habitable planets. They lost interest in traveling any farther. They sometimes intercepted news feeds from other worlds, but treated the lives of outsiders more as stories than events they had any interest in. There had been twenty-five thousand in that initial group that left Bajor, and after two thousand years, they had grown to a population of a little over seventy hundred fifty thousand people. The majority of the people were on eight planets. The other two planets in the system had been annexed for the use of their resources, and were populated by just enough people to take care of mining and farming. Kettian society was mostly peaceful, but with over seven hundred fifty thousand people, there was bound to be at least some criminal activity and some dissidents; enough to warrant a police force and a justice system.

               The ruling monarchs of Kettirohm were another race known as the Relamqu. They were originally members of a race known as the Q. They willingly left the Q to become humanoid. There are Relamqu who are not part of the ruling family; they live and work peacefully alongside the Bajdon. Though there are many physiological differences, the only outward physical difference between the two races is that the Bajdon have ridges on the upper part of their noses, and the Relamqu do not.

               The constitutional monarchy has worked well for the Kettians--both the Bajdon and the Relamqu. Only in the last decade or so have both races become restless. In an attempt to refresh Kettirohm society, the monarchs opened up the Kettian worlds to outsiders. Now, in the last few months, in order to breathe new life into a stale Kettian society, the monarchs have asked the United Federation of Planets for help in expanding their culture and society.

 

               To Lor'Kael Jazen from Tirinor Karese. Status Report. QDate 200.015.031. I have arrived at Federation Space Station Tyrellia. I am here to make negotiations for Kettirohm to have an enhanced communications array similar to the one Station Tyrellia has. The array was specially built to compensate for high gravity spatial waves in the area. Kettian scientists have shown that similar technology would benefit Kettirohm for long range communications with our new exploration ships. Also, I have come here with other Kettians, including ten children and three chaperones so that the children can enter the Tyrellia Youth Musical Theater Competition. The competition is for kids twelve to fourteen years of age who sing and dance. Federation Envoy Rayla Retaci recommended we enter the competition to encourage friendship and cultural exchange. Both the kids and the adults are very excited about coming. It is their first time leaving Kettirohm.

 

               Tirinor Karese Deron sat at the meeting table with the station's Ambassador, Chrolethad (a male native Tyrellian), and chief engineer Luruwa Layin (a Bolian female).

               The Bolian engineer studied the Kettian dignitary. The Tirinor looked human by all appearances. "Tirinor" was a title that meant something like a combination of “duke/duchess” and "governor". Tirinor Karese said, "I appreciate all of Starfleet's assistance in helping us build deep space exploration ships. From what my scientists and engineers know about your communications array, we should be able to update our comm systems, in a way similar to yours, to allow us to communicate better with our deep space ships when they are on long range missions. As of now, our comms are based on tech for shorter range within one solar system. We can reach longer ranges, but only on a subspace tilt, and not very efficiently. Even when we bounce off Federation comm buoys, we can only get a signal for a few minutes. Our comms were built on a different principal, and it would be more efficient to upgrade than to rebuild."

               "I have studied the system specs that your engineer sent," said the station's Chief Engineer Luruwa Layin. "I should be able to work with them in upgrading your systems. Our former Chief Engineer, Dr. T'Avaya, designed our comm array system just for this station because of the gravity waves in the area. It's the most sophisticated comm system in the galaxy. You would be the first to have a duplicate system."

               "I'm only asking for it because we need it," Tirinor Karese said.

               "Of course," said Ambassador Chrolethad. "And the Federation is happy to help. Just beware that our Romulan neighbors have accused us of using it to spy on their communications. Your star system is also somewhat close to the Romulans as well. But we have ships patrolling that border. We hope nothing comes up."

               Tirinor Karese knew that her husband, Tirinor Daiel, had been in contact with the Romulans, but it had been an isolated political incident, with no intent of friendship. She and her people were not interested in dealing with the Romulans.

               "I'll get started designing the new specs right away," said Layin.

               "And my Chief Engineer, Asohd Rogir, is available through subspace comms anytime you need him," Tirinor Karese said. It would be no problem at all to communicate with anyone in Kettian space from this station, considering that Station Tyrellia’s powerful comm array could easily send and receive Kettian transmissions.

               Karese turned to Chrolethad and said, "The children are thrilled to be here for the competition. They are so excited to visit a new place and meet other kids."

               "Oh, it's our pleasure," Ambassador Chrolethad replied. "I think friendly competition is a great way to build relations. And I love live performances. I understand stage performing is very prominent on your world."

               Karese answered with a smile. "We have many prominent art forms such as painting, photography, sculpture. Our children are raised to value the arts. We also have many talented stage performers of all types: singers, dancers, actors, musicians. It's a huge part of our culture."

               "Excellent!" said Chrolethad. "I only wish my planet valued art so much." Chrolethad was from Tyrellia Prime, the planet nearest the station and the station's namesake. All the inhabitants of Tyrellia Prime lived underground. A nuclear war two hundred years ago had made the surface unlivable. Their underground survival had, at least in their own eyes, left little time for the fine arts. Chrolethad had studied the arts of other planets and had grown up watching vids of theatrical plays from other worlds. The annual theatrical competition on Station Tyrellia was something he always looked forward to.

 

               As Tirinor Karese was walking through the station's public mall area, a human woman approached her and shoved a handheld recording device in her face. Before Karese could utter a protest, the human said, “Tirinor Karese, I am Federation News Service reporter Yasmin Oberg. I understand that your race, the Relamqu—unwanted former members of the Q Continuum--are the sole rulers over another race of people in the Kettirohm Sovereignty. Can you tell me what gives you the right to rule over another race?” Karese had been warned the press would be here. But she had not been warned they would be so blatant in questioning her values and way of life. And she had already explained all of this to Federation officials. She had been born royalty and never had to face this kind of disrespect before. Nevertheless, she was prepared for these questions ever since her brother, Lor'Kael Jazen, had decided to end Kettirohm’s position of isolation.

               Tirinor Karese answered as politely and diplomatically as possible. “We were not ‘unwanted’; we left the Q Continuum willingly. And we are not absolute rulers. It’s a constitutional monarchy. When we became mortal, we were created by the Q to be born leaders with an innate empathy and philosophy of peace. Our citizens, the Bajdon, are happy having us as a monarchy.”

               “Happy?” said the reporter. “There have been dissident groups, civil unrest, and protests ever since your society was formed two thousand years ago. Even more in the last year since you ended your isolationism.”

               “The dissenters have been a small part of our population. And we have been listening to them and working with them to find peaceful solutions. What has happened in the last year is due to cultural change. Any society going through change has to face new challenges. We are confident that we will be able to meet those challenges. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Tirinor Karese walked off quickly, as her personal guards politely gestured to the reporter and her crew that they needed to step back.

               Tirinor Karese continued through the mall area. She had wanted to see as much of the station as possible. She wanted to see everyone’s casual actions in public. She looked around and saw so many different races interacting with one another. In the last year, she had seen more and more new races on her planet--Phaeleon, for which she served as Tirinor--as it had been open to both Federation and non-Federation worlds, but there was an even larger variety of races here. She thought it a fascinating blend of worlds. Karese’s race, the Relamqu, retained the knowledge that the Q had of all the alien races in this and every universe that ever existed; at least, as much of that knowledge as their now limited physical minds could retain. But, having been born on her isolationist world eighty years ago, she had never seen any but her own race and the Bajdon.

               Another person approached her. Her guards started to shoo him away, fearing he would be as rude as the reporter. But, recognizing this person’s race, she motioned for the guards to let the man approach. “Tirinor Karese,” he said, “I am Ahmerse. I just want to say it is a pleasure to meet you. I have always wanted to meet a Q.” Ahmerse was a Brevalian. They were recognizable by their dark orange leathery skin, large hairless head, and one brown eye and one black eye. Two hundred years ago, his people’s star went nova. The Breval had spaceships so they could escape their solar system and search for a new home. After fifty years in space, they had not been able to find another habitable planet, until a Q led them to a new planet, which they named Breval-at. They have lived there ever since.

               “Well, I am Relamqu,” Karese said. “We’re not exactly Q, but I do know the history of the Breval. And it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Karese gave him the proper Breval gesture of greeting, hands crossed in front of the chest. (Familiarity with Brevalian gestures and general culture were an examples of some of the innate knowledge she had retained from her Q progenitors.) She didn't tell Ahmerse it was one of the Q who made their star go nova in the first place. Indeed, it was one of the reasons her Relamqu ancestors had chosen to leave the Q Continuum. Some of the Q only saw mortals as their playthings.

               “Nevertheless, you spawned from those who came from the Q Continuum. We are forever grateful that your people helped us find a new home. Some of us were on our way to Kettirohm when we heard some of you would be here at Station Tyrellia. We decided to stop here first and greet you. Appearances by the Q across the galaxy are so fleeting. We are so happy to hear of a race of Q that we could actually meet in person!”

               Karese smiled at him. “We would be happy to have you visit Kettirohm. You have traveled a long way.” Breval-at was not a Federation world and was months away at warp speed.

               “Oh, but we were happy to make this journey. Please accept this.” Ahmerse handed her a red box with a transparent lid. She looked at the sparkling red object in the box. “A jewel?” She asked.

               “It is a kravmera. One of our most valuable gemstones.”

               “How thoughtful!” She said as she gave him the gesture of thanks.

               “I know you are busy, Your Highness. I will let you be on your way. Again, many thanks. May the Sun of Larvmnee bring you warmth and joy.”

               Karese gave the proper Brevalian reply, “May your home be comfortable and loving.”

               They both gave the departing gesture.

 

               “Ever since the unique communications array for Station Tyrellia has been built, station Director Tab Nilo has been very protective of it. Why has he decided now that it is just fine to build another one for the Kettirohm Sovereignty, a culture that the Federation has had no relations with in the past, whose leaders are from a race that introduced the Federation to the violent and dangerous beings known as the Borg?”

               Ambassador Chrolethad frowned. He knew he would have to field these kinds of questions. He had only agreed to this interview with the Federation News Service because it was his duty as the station’s diplomat. Not all of the Federation citizens were against the Kettirohm Sovereignty. In fact, most citizens liked the idea, as it was Federation policy to welcome new civilizations. Even though the Kettians were not interested in becoming members at this time, the Federation was helping them cope with the inherent problems of changing from isolationist to non-isolationist and negotiating trade agreements that would be beneficial to both sides. Why did this reporter, Yasmin Oberg, have such a stick up her ass? He heard Oberg had already confronted the visiting Kettian Tirinor Karese, questioning her with the same glaringly racist attitude.

               He answered Oberg with all the grace he could muster. “The Kettians have a legitimate need for an upgrade to their communication systems. They have new spaceships that are traveling farther than they have ever traveled before, into uncharted space. Even with Starfleet’s help, they need to be able to keep in touch with those ships for as long as possible. Furthermore, they have proven themselves friendly, and they have offered many assets in return.”

               Oberg continued. “The Kettirohm rulers, the Relamqu, are an offshoot of the Q. They appear to be human, but their internal physiology is almost like a product of genetic engineering. They have perfect health; they have a lifespan of over 200 years; do not contract any known diseases; only need two hours of sleep a day; and they can go longer without food and water than other humanoids. On top of that, they are resistant to telepathy. No one can read their minds or emotions, so we can never know if they are being truthful with us. They have a distinct advantage over us and everyone else in the Federation, which, by the way, they tried to hide from us until we happened to stumble on it. What if they decide to exploit that advantage?”

               Chrolethad was sure that Oberg should be glad she couldn’t read HIS mind right now, because he was thinking of calling her some very unflattering words. He already knew all of these facts about the Relamqu. Keeping their origin a secret was a strike against them, but he understood it was a big reveal that they had had to be cautious about. And besides, the envoy that the Federation sent to Kettirohm just happened to be, by some strange serendipity of the universe, an El-Aurian--a race that has a history with the Q and seems to be the only known race that can give a Q the willies. And he was sure that Oberg knew this. What he said to her was, “So you’re against them because you fear them, Ms. Oberg? That’s not the way the Federation does business.”

               “What about the rumors that they have relations with the Romulans?”

               “We know they had an agreement for the Romulans to return the Kettian prisoners of war who had served in the Dominion War. Another fact, by the way, that works in the Relamqu's favor; while they were still isolationist, they saw fit to enter the Dominion War on the side of the Allies. And the Kettians gave refuge to an ex-Borg who had been a prisoner of the Romulans. So their relations with the Romulans have not been as friendly allies. We have no reason not to trust the Kettians and give them our full cooperation. Now if you’ll excuse me, Ms. Oberg, I have work to do.“

               Ambassador Chrolethad activated his computer terminal and looked straight at it, ignoring Oberg. “You’re dismissed,“ he said loudly. She gave up and left.

 

               Tirinor Karese sat in Station Tyrellia’s theater with her guards on either side and in front and back of her. The contest performances would start in a matter of minutes. Every seat in the theater was filled. People had come from all over the quadrant to see this competition. She had not seen any of these Federation contests before, but she knew the Kettirohm children had been well prepared. She had made sure they brought their top performers, award winners of song and dance in their own right. She was looking forward to seeing the best that the Federation had to offer. She was expecting it to be spectacular, just as her own people would be. And she was sure both cultures would get new ideas to add to their own.

               Meanwhile, the two of the three judges sat in front of the stage. They had their data pads with score cards ready. The third judge, Dr. Beverly Crusher, walked up and quickly took her seat at the judges' table. "Sorry I'm late," she said. She was honored to be invited to be a judge for the first time. She had many years of experience organizing theatrical plays on the USS Enterprise. She remembered being in several dance competitions as a child. She was even called “The Dancing Doctor” when she was a med student at Starfleet Academy. One of the other judges, a Bolian male, leaned over to her and whispered, “I don’t know why I always get nervous at these things. I’m always afraid one of them will fall.” “I’m sure they’ll do fine,” Dr. Crusher said. “After all, ‘break a leg’ is just an expression.”

               Just as Karese was getting comfortable in her chair, one of her security guards told her she had an urgent call. Of course, she thought. Doctors and heads of state never get to see a show all the way through. She stood up with her security guards and walked out of the theater. The call was from Ambassador Chrolethad. He asked her to meet him outside her VIP suite immediately.   

               When Karese got to her suite, she saw Chrolethad and the station’s security chief, a Zakdorn named Vedarem, waiting outside the door. Not only them, she saw Ahmerse, the Brevalian, encased in some kind of energy field.

               “Ahmerse!” Karese said. “Are you alright? What happened?” Ahmerse was moving his arms and legs, but was not able to step forward or backwards. “I seem to be trapped,” he said, “but not harmed.”

               “It’s a multivariant polaron confinement field,” the security chief said. “And I think it was meant for you, Tirinor.”

               Tirinor Karese asked the chief to explain. It seems Ahmerse was going to wait outside Karese’s door to greet her when she returned from the show. But when he got here, this polaron confinement trap was here, and he inadvertently activated it by walking in its vicinity. He was found by one of Karese’s guards. The guard called the security chief, who came here, scanned the field, and called the station’s chief engineer. The chief engineer had scanned the field and said it was some kind of polaron bubble. There was no apparent way in or out of it. It only had enough air to last Ahmerse another eight hours at best. The engineer had gone back to her lab to look for a way to deactivate or punch through the field. Now, the question was, who would want to capture the Tirinor? The first person Karese thought of was the FNS reporter, Yasmin Oberg. Karese couldn’t think of anyone else on the station who had outwardly spoken against her. The security chief said he already had his people bringing Oberg in for questioning. Ahmerse said he did not see anyone else when he had approached the door to Karese’s suite.

The security chief had looked into Oberg’s past. She was a retired Starfleet officer. She had a daughter that was presumed dead when, aboard the USS Enterprise, she was one of fourteen people who had been abruptly taken from the ship by the Borg in system J-25. That was when an omnipotent being called Q had whirled the Enterprise into the Delta Quadrant, where they had first encountered the Borg. Obviously that was the reason Oberg had been very insistent that the Relamqu, and thereby Tirinor Karese, were very dangerous because their race was once Q.

               The chief engineer came back with a generator that could move the force field, albeit with Ahmerse still in it. This way, she could move the force field to her lab for easier study. And Ahmerse wouldn’t be stuck right outside Karese’s door, which certainly made her guards feel better.

***

               “Someone tried to trap you inside a confinement field?” Tirinor Daiel said to his wife, Tirinor Karese. She was in his arms now, back home in the Kettirohm star system. No one but the Relamqu themselves knew that the one supernatural ability they still possessed was the power to instantly teleport to the immediate vicinity of another Relamqu in the blink of an eye, and then, at will, go back to where they were, just as instantly. They used the ability quite often. Karese and Daiel were rulers of different planets (Daiel ruled the fourth planet—Baeruta—while Karese ruled the fifth planet—Phaleon. Their staff knew that they traveled back and forth frequently via private shuttle. But no one, except for the Relamqu members of their staff, knew how often any of the Relamqu REALLY saw each other in person.)

               "Yes. I am sure that reporter was behind it. But she must have been working with someone. She's too bent on hatred to think straight."

               "Did you tell them how to deactivate the field?" Daiel asked his wife. The Relamqu, like the Q, possessed all the knowledge of science and physics in the universe. Well, maybe the Relamqu didn't know quite as much as the Q. Mortal minds had such limited ability to understand things the Q took for granted. And with each new generation of Relamqu, their minds seemed to retain less and less of this vast knowledge. But Karese did know how to deactivate the polaron field. She told her husband she was counting on the brilliant station engineer to come up with a solution. She would tell them the solution if she had to. She didn't want the Brevalian to die. But the Relamqu knew that sharing just how much knowledge they had of the universe would make them targets of those seeking to usurp power. The Relamqu had their own "Prime Directive" about sharing their vast knowledge.

               Karese answered, "No. I'll wait a little longer to see if they figure it out. Their chief engineer is working on it."

               "And you don't think the other Kettians on the station, especially the children, are in any danger?"

               "No. They are being guarded. But I don't see any signs that they will be targeted. The human woman, Oberg, is only interested in bullying ME because I'm in a position of authority. Her camera man, another human, does seem suspicious though. He acted a little TOO friendly towards me. Like he's hiding something. And I saw him having a very heated discussion with an Angosian." Although Angosians seemed to look just like humans, Relamqu, with their superior eyesight, could easily tell an Angosian from a human. She said, "There was a recent Science and Research report by FNS about Angosians doing research on polaron confinement bubbles. There could be some connection there. I'm sure the station's security chief will find out in his investigation."

               Daiel seemed satisfied with that answer. They shared a warm, deep kiss. Such interesting physical pleasures these mortals have. Daiel and Karese were born mortal, but they had the instincts of immortals. They still saw themselves as somehow above the physical realm, and yet somehow, an integral part of it at the same time.

***

               Security Chief Vedarem's investigation turned up witnesses to the FNS reporter Oberg meeting with a Tellarite who was a suspected smuggler. Well, that was hardly enough to charge her with attempted kidnapping. He also found out that Oberg's camera man had been seen arguing with another man, identified as an Angosian scientist.

               Vederam went back to the hallway outside Karese's suite. Her guards were outside her door. He told them he was still investigating the incident with the polaron field. He had already scanned the area, but this time he had brought a polaron energy scanner. It picked up strong polaron emissions at the far end of the hallway. He walked to that area. There was an abstract painting hanging on the wall. He removed the painting. There, attached to the wall was a small polaron emitter. Vedarem held it in his hand. It had a sensor attached that would activate a field when triggered. He immediately took it to the engineer, Layin.

               Next, Chief Vedarem went to the next step in his investigation. He went to the customers' vault and found the strongbox he was looking for. He opened the strongbox. If Oberg's camera man, Campbell Brown, saw fit to secure something in a station owned safe, Vedarem was within his rights to see the contents, especially since Brown was a suspect in an attempted kidnapping. What Vedarem saw in the strongbox was not at all surprising. It was actually a common item that people held in strongboxes. Vedarem's next move was to interrogate the Angosian that Brown had been seen arguing with. Vedarem did not want to tip his hand to Brown that he was on to him.

***

               Once Layin looked at the emitter, she figured out a way to reverse its field effects. She had to make sure she kept the ambient flux steady as she used her own polaron resonance modulator to weaken the field. Ingenious, she thought. Without knowing the ambient flux-to-polaron ratio, the shield strength could have lasted for weeks. She watched as the bubble field around Ahmerse slowly  dissipated. The Brevalian had been getting steadily weaker. As the bubble disappeared, he fell flat on his stomach.

               Tirinor Karese entered the lab. "Chief Vedarem called me. He said you found the field emitter. It looks like you were able to free Amherse from the field," Karese said looking at Ahmerse lying flat on the floor, free of the field.

               "Yes.  I think he's still alive," Layin said, as she felt his neck for a pulse, not that she knew if Brevalians actually had a pulse. Karese was holding a red stone in her hand. "Here. This will help," she said. She knelt next to Ahmerse, holding the stone close to his face. Ahmerse's brown eye opened and he slightly raised his head. Then he spoke, "What happened?"

               "You are free of the polaron field," said Karese. "I revived you with your stone." She helped him sit up. He now had both eyes open. "You are so kind," he said. He looked at Layin and added,"Both of you." Engineer Layin nodded in acknowledgement. She opened a comm channel to the station's chief physician to come see to the Brevalian's care.

               Karese said, "You should keep this  kravmera stone. You need it to get better."

               "But it's my gift to you."

               "I know. And it seems insensitive to return it. But I know it's a life-giving stone for your people. It was the ultimate gift of gratitude, and I am forever grateful, but you need it more than I do." He accepted the stone and said, "You, Your Highness, are truly a gift of the universe."

              

               Oberg and her camera man, Campbell Brown, left the mall area and went back to the habitat area. They needed to retrieve the polaron field generator they had hidden outside Karese's suite. They had been too busy fielding questions from Vedarem and having to stay out of the way of Karese's guards to retrieve it sooner. They were hoping that with Karese being in the engineer's lab that she had taken all of her guards with her. When they got to the hallway, they found it empty. "Perfect," Oberg exclaimed. They walked the length of the hallway and pulled the picture off the wall. But the generator was gone! "Where did it go?" said Brantley. "They must have found it. You fool!" Oberg yelled. "It means they're on to us!" They headed back for the elevator, only to find Tirinor Karese. And she was without her guards.

               "Hello," said Karese. "Are you two lost? I thought your suites were one level below."

               "Yes, 'below'. As we'll always be to you," spat Oberg.

               "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Karese replied, with a mock innocent look.

               "What did you do with our emitter?" said Brantley. "Fool!" said Oberg. "You just admitted it was ours!"

               Karese replied, "Oh, I already knew."

               "I've had it with you!" Oberg said as she rushed toward Karese. Oberg's right fist went in the direction of Karese's chin. The Relamqu simply moved out of the way, and Oberg barely caught herself before she slammed into the wall. Brantley yelled at Oberg, "What are you doing? It's over!"

               "Yes. It certainly is." That was the Zakdorn security chief, aiming a phaser at them. He was accompanied by two security men who also had phasers pointed. "Are you alright?" Vedarem asked Karese. "Yes. The Bajdon children are more worthy opponents than she." Oberg just stared at her with blaring hatred in her eyes. As Vedarem motioned for his guards to handcuff Oberg and Brantley, he said to Oberg, "Did you know that your partner here was going to turn Karese over to the Angosians?"

               Brantley's mouth opened and his eyes widened in fear. Oberg said, "What are you talking about?"

               "The Angosian he met with on the station paid him handsomely to turn over Karese for some genetic experiments. Angosians once experimented with genetic augmentations to make super soldiers. An experiment that ended badly. Now they just want to improve the general populace. They think Karese with her Relamqu genes may provide the key to making themselves a super race." Vedarem was explaining this as Brantley was shaking his head in disbelief.

               "How did you find out?" Brantley asked Vedarem.

               "I was able to convince the Angosian to explain it all to me, once I found the latinum he paid you. It was in your hotel strongbox. You do know don't you, that anything you save on the station is station property, don't you? I have the right to search any locked safe if it poses a threat to station security."

               Karese said, "And the Angosian also provided you with the field emitter. It was what the Angosians  had just developed. You found out about it when you photographed the emitter for another FNS story."

               "Of course," Vedarem said, "The Angosian is under arrest, as are the two of you. What I don't know, Oberg, is what YOU wanted with the field emitter? What were you going to do with Tirinor Karese once you had trapped her?"

               "I was going to make her confess publicly that she is of a grievously savage race. A race with no heart, no morals."

               "And do you think the public would believe a forced confession? It would say more about you than it would about me," Karese told her. The guards took Oberg and Brantley away.

              

               "The Kettians won third place in the Tyrellia Youth Musical Theater Competition. Their team was made up of eight Bajdon and two Relamqu. They put on a wonderful show last night. For many, this was a fine introduction to the aesthetic arts that the Kettirohm Sovereignty has to offer," FNS reporter Nurod Solol said, delivering his live news report to all of the Federation worlds. His camera man panned over from him to the Kettian children holding up their trophies. The mall area was crowded with children of varying species, applauding the winners and offering convalescences of "You'll win next year" to the others. Nurod was happy to get this assignment. He had been Oberg's assistant reporter. He had no idea about all the scheming that Oberg had done. Nurod had gotten promoted right after his boss found out Oberg had been arrested.

               The Bajdon children were approached by a group of Bajoran children of roughly the same age. The Bajoran children had been born during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor and had never had the chance to study any kind of performing arts. The Bajorans seemed genuinely curious about this species offshoot who had the same nose ridges, but a completely different cultural history. One of the Bajorans asked a Bajdon, "Do you think we could learn to dance like you?"

               "Sure. It's easy!" The Bajdon started teaching the Bajorans some of their simplified moves. The Bajoran children started smiling and clapping and chanting as they were enjoying the lesson. Even the Bajoran and Bajdon adults joined in.

 

               To Lor'Kael Jazen from Tirinor Karese. Status report. The mission to Space Station Tyrellia went well. The kids won third place in the performance competition. I was pleased with their success. I'm sure they will win first place next year. The kids also made new friends with some Bajoran children. There were two humans on the station who attempted to kidnap me, but their plans were thwarted, and they were arrested. The station's staff were instrumental in helping me and keeping me as safe as possible. One of the attempted kidnappers was someone who hated the Relamqu simply based on the reputation of the Q. I am afraid we will always face that kind of hatred.

               In contrast, I also met a Brevalian, a race that LIKES us because of the reputation of the Q. How ironic. It will be hard for us to escape the reputation of the Q, but we will have to show that we are not Q. We are our own race, with our own graces and foibles. Just as the Bajdon children showcased their own talents that are separate from the Bajorans' talents.

 

-by the Honorable Kavura

 

Thank you for reading my Star Trek Adventures: Captain’s Log mission report. Captain’s Log is a solo role playing game by Modiphius Entertainment.