The Let's Play Archive

Star Trek Online

by PoptartsNinja

Part 9: Episode 9: "GOOORRRNNN!"

Episode 9: "GOOORRRNNN!"

"Urgh, the lights…"
"Are dimmed for your comfort, sir. I know how sensitive Cardassian vision is. It is good to see you awake. Logic dictates that congratulations are in order, Lieutenant Commander. How are you feeling?"
"Feel? Like I just spent three days wrestling with an angry Sehlat. How's the ship? … Wait, Lieutenant Commander? ...We're back at Spacedock? How long was I unconscious?"
"You've been promoted, sir. We all have. Wait, you shouldn't be…"
"…standing up. I know, I'm doing it anyway. How is my crew?"
"Most of them are fine, sir. Some have even volunteered to serve with you ag…"
"Janzer? Galti? Weiler? Fitzgerald?"
"Lieutenants Janzer and Galti are both fine, Fitzgerald was off the bridge before you were. I am sorry, captain, but Weiler didn't make it. Starfleet Command has also decided not to refit the Benedict Arnold. She's being mothballed."
"I see."
"You do have new orders, however-as soon I feel you're fully recovered, you're to report to the USS Von Braun; as its commanding officer."
"That's… unexpected. Wait, wasn't the Von Braun destroyed by the Borg during the Vega colony attack?"
"Logically, it seems you've impressed someone at Starfleet Command. Additionally, I, and the rest of your officers have all put in requests to continue serving under you. And the Von Braun wasn't destroyed-but most of the crew was assimilated and it's been in drydocks since the Borg attack. She should be fully recovered about the same time you are, sir."
"Any complications I should know about?"
"Just one; and she comes with the Von Braun. One of the ship's ensigns was partially assimilated. She's still got her mind, but these new Borg nanoprobes are far more virulent than any we've seen before; our best doctors can't remove them. Also, one of your old crewmen has been promoted to Ensign; the Von Braun is an expensive piece of hardware and Starfleet Command wants to make sure you have a dedicated Security Chief."
"One of my officers is a Borg?"
"Is it any stranger than a Cardassian captain? After the invasion of the Vega colony, there are several partially-assimilated officers in Starfleet. Some even have their own commands. Starfleet Intelligence has certified her 'safe'."
"Scrubs, has… oh, you lived. Well, at least now you'll finally be able to answer a question for me."
"… And what question would that be?"
"Hela, Isshan is really in no position to be…"

"What were you thinking? Why did you save me? Why did you go back for Weiler?"
"You're my crew. Weiler is… was… a good officer. I wasn't willing to leave you, or him, to die."
"Targ manure. His whole station exploded; you had to know he was dead already. What was the real reason? Or were you trying to die a stupid, 'heroic' death?"
"Have I ever struck you as the heroic type, Lieutenant?"
"Lieutenant Janzer, you are agitating my patient. And you, Isshan-you will return to bed immediately or I will be forced to sedate you."



Captain's Log posted:

This ship doesn't feel 'right'. I know that doesn't make any sense, from an intellectual standpoint; but while I may be a creature of intellect, I am still Cardassian, and the familiar is always a comfort. Everything smells… sterile, this ship is far too clean; as if the engineers who rebuilt her scoured every surface of the signs of human habitation. I've noticed that humans tend to prefer the 'new', the 'bright', and the 'shiny' over the old, worn, and comfortable. Still… even I admit, this ship has some character that even Starfleet's engineers weren't able to scour from her.

I've heard some of my crew whisper quietly that the ship is haunted; indeed I have already experienced several instances where I heard a door open and close behind me only to turn and find no one there. Even Tre'gata can't find the coding error that's causing it; but it's been happening all over the ship.

I've also heard rumors that some of the enlisted crewmen have spotted 'Borg-ified tribbles'. I'm tempted to discount the rumors as silly, as our sensors detect no extraneous life-forms onboard; nor can I imagine what possible use a… Tribble of Borg could serve, but I trust my crew. If the rumors persist, I may test our new security officer by sending him on a deck-by-deck search for anything out of the ordinary.

We've received no orders, so I've requested permission to take the Von Braun on a long shakedown cruise; partly so that the crew and I can get to know our new ship, and partly so I can see how much of Starfleet's repairs manage to shake themselves loose.


youtube version

Captain's Log , supplemental posted:

The Klingons are very sloppy when it comes to information security: I wouldn't entrust a child's birth-day ceremony to them unless I wanted it to be attacked by Romulans. In spite of their suicidal ramming attack, we've found the central location of the Klingon augmentation research facility. The Klingon captain didn't think to clear out his message buffers, so we have exact coordinates: that we learned where to find this facility from an enemy ship orbiting the Korvat colony is an irony not lost on me.

I've sent this information to Starfleet command, and requested permission to extend our "training" operations because I've detected an obscure gaseous anomaly and I'd like to go investigate the base chemical compound.

See? Being covert isn't that difficult.

Suggestions are currently open for:
a) Our Human Tactical Officer (male)
b) Our Borg Engineering Officer (female)