Lt.Cmdr. Drex - Choose your destiny
4 views
Skip to first unread message
Drex Drex
Mar 1, 2026, 10:51:29 AM (3 days ago) Mar 1
to sb118...@googlegroups.com
((Security Area, Deck 2 - USS Eagle-A))
Security teams were still clearing a few blind spots, but all scans now indicated the same result: no additional Alomians remained aboard.
After Gnai located the saboteur near the compromised bioneural gel pack, the section on deck 6 had been fully isolated: power rerouted, bioneural pathways severed and containment fields layered as a precaution. Drex had sent a concise report to Lieutenant Commander Kettick outlining the damage and the need for decontamination.
Kettick had his complete trust. The Remmilian possessed far more experience in containment protocols than a Denobulan architect turned xeno-anthropologist ever would. Drex had not wasted time asking how the cleanup would be handled. That was in capable hands.
He had left the Bridge with clear standing orders: inform him immediately of any updates from the two teams still off-ship. By now, everyone understood the priority: bring them home.
And trusting his crew allowed him to stand here instead, with Lieutenant Stendhal, Lieutenant JG Gnai and the “friendly” Alomian Zebba.
The brig was quiet. His “guests” were now prisoners, separated and under guard. Drex studied them in silence. He did not know whether they would offer anything useful. But some of them had been on the moon. They had collected the toxic spores. If anyone understood how to interact with the terraforming AI or how to stop it, it might be them.
Drex: I’ve ordered the bioneural connections on Deck 6 severed, so the damage is now contained to that deck. Your attempt to harm the ship has failed. ::He wasn’t entirely sure the intervention would fully isolate the spread, but if he sounded confident, it might just be convincing enough.::We won’t harm you, but we need information. About the spores and about what is going on on your sacred moon which is about to annihilate your people.
Gnai: How did you get these spores? Did someone give them to you? Did you cultivate them yourselves...?
Octil: Response
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Drex: We don’t have much time for riddles. Your moon is a ticking bomb. How do we stop it?
As Drex’s voice rang out, the protests from the other cells grew louder. Some of the words were unintelligible, but the disdain in their tone was unmistakable. Drex’s eyes flicked toward the other prisoners, trying to read the situation, but it was impossible to tell whether the jeers were directed at him or at the saboteur.
Octil: Response
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Drex: You may believe the gods have a plan, I understand this. But what is happening on Ondo will not affect only the moon, it will affect Alomia. You people will not survive. ::He turned looking at all the people in the cells :: Are your gods vengeful? Or do they love you? They created you, and you worshipped them. You still do. And do you think that for the mistakes of a few would they send a cataclysm to destroy you completely?
Gnai: ::to Lt. Cmdr. Drex:: Perhaps this one ::pointing to Octil:: should be removed from the others. Their presence might be influencing what she wants to say.
The Denobulan did not answer immediately. Gnai had a point, but the First Officer was not convinced that separating the group at this stage would offer any real advantage.
Drex: Removing her could be interpreted as coercion. And I won’t have her thinking we’re isolating her to force compliance.
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Octil: Response
Drex raised his arms slightly in resignation, then let them fall back to his sides. He could not force anyone. The choice to save a planet inhabited by sentient beings was not his to make, nor the Federation’s. They had answered a distress call in good faith, but if that help was no longer wanted, their authority ended there.
The thought of an entire species vanishing from the universe pressed against his chest like a physical weight. It felt wrong to stand by. Wrong to leave. But coercion would be worse. His jaw tightened.
Drex: We came because you asked for help. We will not impose it on you.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
Drex: I can argue.::A short beat:: I can present options.::Another beat:: I can show you projections of what will happen if nothing is done. But I will not cross the line into forcing your hand.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
Drex: My responsibility is the safety of my ship and my crew. If your government refuse our assistance, we will respect that decision... and we will depart.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
TAGS / Act 2 - End for Drex
Security teams were still clearing a few blind spots, but all scans now indicated the same result: no additional Alomians remained aboard.
After Gnai located the saboteur near the compromised bioneural gel pack, the section on deck 6 had been fully isolated: power rerouted, bioneural pathways severed and containment fields layered as a precaution. Drex had sent a concise report to Lieutenant Commander Kettick outlining the damage and the need for decontamination.
Kettick had his complete trust. The Remmilian possessed far more experience in containment protocols than a Denobulan architect turned xeno-anthropologist ever would. Drex had not wasted time asking how the cleanup would be handled. That was in capable hands.
He had left the Bridge with clear standing orders: inform him immediately of any updates from the two teams still off-ship. By now, everyone understood the priority: bring them home.
And trusting his crew allowed him to stand here instead, with Lieutenant Stendhal, Lieutenant JG Gnai and the “friendly” Alomian Zebba.
The brig was quiet. His “guests” were now prisoners, separated and under guard. Drex studied them in silence. He did not know whether they would offer anything useful. But some of them had been on the moon. They had collected the toxic spores. If anyone understood how to interact with the terraforming AI or how to stop it, it might be them.
Drex: I’ve ordered the bioneural connections on Deck 6 severed, so the damage is now contained to that deck. Your attempt to harm the ship has failed. ::He wasn’t entirely sure the intervention would fully isolate the spread, but if he sounded confident, it might just be convincing enough.::We won’t harm you, but we need information. About the spores and about what is going on on your sacred moon which is about to annihilate your people.
Gnai: How did you get these spores? Did someone give them to you? Did you cultivate them yourselves...?
Octil: Response
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Drex: We don’t have much time for riddles. Your moon is a ticking bomb. How do we stop it?
As Drex’s voice rang out, the protests from the other cells grew louder. Some of the words were unintelligible, but the disdain in their tone was unmistakable. Drex’s eyes flicked toward the other prisoners, trying to read the situation, but it was impossible to tell whether the jeers were directed at him or at the saboteur.
Octil: Response
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Drex: You may believe the gods have a plan, I understand this. But what is happening on Ondo will not affect only the moon, it will affect Alomia. You people will not survive. ::He turned looking at all the people in the cells :: Are your gods vengeful? Or do they love you? They created you, and you worshipped them. You still do. And do you think that for the mistakes of a few would they send a cataclysm to destroy you completely?
Gnai: ::to Lt. Cmdr. Drex:: Perhaps this one ::pointing to Octil:: should be removed from the others. Their presence might be influencing what she wants to say.
The Denobulan did not answer immediately. Gnai had a point, but the First Officer was not convinced that separating the group at this stage would offer any real advantage.
Drex: Removing her could be interpreted as coercion. And I won’t have her thinking we’re isolating her to force compliance.
Zebba/Stendhal: Response
Octil: Response
Drex raised his arms slightly in resignation, then let them fall back to his sides. He could not force anyone. The choice to save a planet inhabited by sentient beings was not his to make, nor the Federation’s. They had answered a distress call in good faith, but if that help was no longer wanted, their authority ended there.
The thought of an entire species vanishing from the universe pressed against his chest like a physical weight. It felt wrong to stand by. Wrong to leave. But coercion would be worse. His jaw tightened.
Drex: We came because you asked for help. We will not impose it on you.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
Drex: I can argue.::A short beat:: I can present options.::Another beat:: I can show you projections of what will happen if nothing is done. But I will not cross the line into forcing your hand.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
Drex: My responsibility is the safety of my ship and my crew. If your government refuse our assistance, we will respect that decision... and we will depart.
Zebba/Stendhal/Gnai: Response
Octil: Response
TAGS / Act 2 - End for Drex
============
Lt. Commander Drex
First Officer
USS Eagle-A
D240011D14
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages