Lieutenant Tito: Don’t poke the bear.
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btv.abreu
Mar 10, 2026, 6:52:51 PM (3 days ago) Mar 10
to USS Thor – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
((USS Thor, deck 5, Holodeck 4, Invicta Bridge simulation))
The Xindi Insectoid boarders had split up and were heading to the Bridge.
Tito had already dropped a phaser in front of Alora, and offered the other to Naledi.
Tito: Captain, anything else we can use against the boarders?
Naledi: Pew Snap Pop Hiss… Yes, Computer
The computer chirped.
Naledi: Pew Chirp Snap Pop Hiss… Transfer command authorisation to First Officer, Lieutenant Tito. Authorisation Naledi-Siera-Yankee-Romeo-Echo-X-Ray.
Computer: Code Accepted. Authorisation Transferred.
Naledi: Pew Pop Snap Crick Chirp Hiss… Cricking and Snapping sounds similar between it and them. This is our defence. If they torture it trying to get the USS Invicta. You will have the real keys to the ship.
Tito was about to reply when both turbolifts opened, Xindi Insectoids pouring out weapons raised. He raised his phaser. The only thing stopping him from firing was Naledi, who hadn’t yet given the order. But he had already one under his sight.
Tito: Surrender now or we will defend ourselves.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Don’t think we will not destroy the ship to prevent you from taking it. Pew Snap… It does not negotiate with Terrorists.
Ch'zila: Snap Crack Pop Hiss... Turn over this vessel to us and we will let you live.
Tito: Starfleet does not negotiate with boarders.
Their conversation was cut short by a computer report.
Computer: Incoming transmission.
Naledi: Pew Crick Snap Pop… Onscreen.
Tito kept his phaser aimed at the one that appears to be the leader.
Chief Engineer: Main engineering is secure Captain, Emergency bulkheads have been sealed. No more Xindi are going to be getting in here.
Naledi: Pew Crack Snap… Thank you, Lieutenant.
Naledi returned their attention to the leader.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Chirp… It assumes that you needed Main engineering. Sorry to hear about your ruined plans.
DeVeau: You don’t have to do this.
The leader raised their weapon at Naledi again. Tito had a clear shot and if these were other times he would have taken it.
Ch'zila: You will relinquish this vessel to us or we will execute your crew one-by-one while you watch.
Tito’s eyes narrowed. Did they realize that they were also the first to go?
Ch'zila: Starting with this female.
Two of the Xindi moved to grab one of the bridge officers.
Tito: Ch’zila if you try anything I will shoot you.
Naledi: Response.
DeVeau: What do you want from us and our ship?
The Insectoid leader stepped forward a half pace, the barrel of their plasma rifle lowering slightly but never leaving the command group.
Ch'zila: I could simply murder you all and take what I want. Yours would not be the first murders I've committed this day.
Tito: Maybe it will be the last.
Naledi: Response
Tito fought to keep balance as the Invicta shook. His arm was steady as his breathing.
He admired Alora’s efforts. And another of the reasons he hadn’t resorted to violence was exactly because of her diplomatic training.
Particularly her having him retake Diplomacy 101.
Twice.
DeVeau: If you tell us what you need, maybe we can help you.
Ch'zila: Snap Crack... What we want is survival. The Shra'Tik was dying and its captain chose extinction - release the brood and meet the void. I rejected that fate as did those who supported me.
Their forelimb lifted and gestured broadly toward the ship around them.
Ch'zila: Pop Hiss... The brood is our future and your vessel has everything they require - power, atmosphere, protection, and space enough for a swarm to grow. Your kind protects life instinctively and that makes you predictable.
Their gaze settled once more on DeVeau.
Ch'zila: Crack Snap... The Invicta will become their hive. Stand down and you will live. Refuse, and the brood will inherit this ship from your corpses.
Tito narrowed his eyes. They now knew more, even if that didn’t bring a possible solution.
Naledi: Response.
Ch'zila: Snap... Crack... Yes. Our peoples are allies. Pop Hiss... But alliances do not outweigh extinction. When the choice is between honor and survival, the swarm will choose survival every time.
Tito thought it was his time to try diplomacy.
Tito: Then maybe we can help?
Naledi/DeVeau: Response.
It looked like Ch'zila was hesitating. Maybe they could still solve this.
Or maybe not as Ch'zila's rifle slowly came around toward the captive officer held between two of their soldiers.
Ch'zila: Pop Crack... Now then, access the command console and transfer this vessel to my control or this human female dies.
Tito: We won’t respond to threats.
Naledi/DeVeau: Response.
Ch'zila tilted their head slightly.
Ch'zila: Pop Hiss... You forget, our young are already inside your vessel. Soon they will awaken and they will be very hungry... Even now, I can hear their shells beginning to crack. Can you not hear it?
Tito narrowed his eyes. This was getting them nowhere, and if Ch’zila wasn’t lying they could have a bigger problem.
Tito: This isn’t the way…
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
He couldn’t shoot. It would be a blood bath.
He couldn’t self destruct the Invicta, he needed two codes and that would take too long.
Tito was running out of options.
So he reverted to the drastic one.
Tito: Computer, Command Code Tito Echo Alpha one seven zero zero. Give me full control of shuttle bays and open them to space on my mark, or if any weapons fire is registered on the bridge.
Computer: Acknowledged.
Tito tilted his head to Ch’zila.
Tito: Anyone shoot and your Nursery goes flying back to the Badlands
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
Tito lowered his phaser and looked definitely at Ch’zila.
Tito: Do you really care to risk it? We are offering help… We can help. But we will defend us.
The only reason you are not laying on the floor is because we are a Starfleet ship.
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
TBC/TBC
Lt. Vitor R.S.Tito
Science Officer
USS Thor, NCC-85852
O238907VS0
The Xindi Insectoid boarders had split up and were heading to the Bridge.
Tito had already dropped a phaser in front of Alora, and offered the other to Naledi.
Tito: Captain, anything else we can use against the boarders?
Naledi: Pew Snap Pop Hiss… Yes, Computer
The computer chirped.
Naledi: Pew Chirp Snap Pop Hiss… Transfer command authorisation to First Officer, Lieutenant Tito. Authorisation Naledi-Siera-Yankee-Romeo-Echo-X-Ray.
Computer: Code Accepted. Authorisation Transferred.
Naledi: Pew Pop Snap Crick Chirp Hiss… Cricking and Snapping sounds similar between it and them. This is our defence. If they torture it trying to get the USS Invicta. You will have the real keys to the ship.
Tito was about to reply when both turbolifts opened, Xindi Insectoids pouring out weapons raised. He raised his phaser. The only thing stopping him from firing was Naledi, who hadn’t yet given the order. But he had already one under his sight.
Tito: Surrender now or we will defend ourselves.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Don’t think we will not destroy the ship to prevent you from taking it. Pew Snap… It does not negotiate with Terrorists.
Ch'zila: Snap Crack Pop Hiss... Turn over this vessel to us and we will let you live.
Tito: Starfleet does not negotiate with boarders.
Their conversation was cut short by a computer report.
Computer: Incoming transmission.
Naledi: Pew Crick Snap Pop… Onscreen.
Tito kept his phaser aimed at the one that appears to be the leader.
Chief Engineer: Main engineering is secure Captain, Emergency bulkheads have been sealed. No more Xindi are going to be getting in here.
Naledi: Pew Crack Snap… Thank you, Lieutenant.
Naledi returned their attention to the leader.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Chirp… It assumes that you needed Main engineering. Sorry to hear about your ruined plans.
DeVeau: You don’t have to do this.
The leader raised their weapon at Naledi again. Tito had a clear shot and if these were other times he would have taken it.
Ch'zila: You will relinquish this vessel to us or we will execute your crew one-by-one while you watch.
Tito’s eyes narrowed. Did they realize that they were also the first to go?
Ch'zila: Starting with this female.
Two of the Xindi moved to grab one of the bridge officers.
Tito: Ch’zila if you try anything I will shoot you.
Naledi: Response.
DeVeau: What do you want from us and our ship?
The Insectoid leader stepped forward a half pace, the barrel of their plasma rifle lowering slightly but never leaving the command group.
Ch'zila: I could simply murder you all and take what I want. Yours would not be the first murders I've committed this day.
Tito: Maybe it will be the last.
Naledi: Response
Tito fought to keep balance as the Invicta shook. His arm was steady as his breathing.
He admired Alora’s efforts. And another of the reasons he hadn’t resorted to violence was exactly because of her diplomatic training.
Particularly her having him retake Diplomacy 101.
Twice.
DeVeau: If you tell us what you need, maybe we can help you.
Ch'zila: Snap Crack... What we want is survival. The Shra'Tik was dying and its captain chose extinction - release the brood and meet the void. I rejected that fate as did those who supported me.
Their forelimb lifted and gestured broadly toward the ship around them.
Ch'zila: Pop Hiss... The brood is our future and your vessel has everything they require - power, atmosphere, protection, and space enough for a swarm to grow. Your kind protects life instinctively and that makes you predictable.
Their gaze settled once more on DeVeau.
Ch'zila: Crack Snap... The Invicta will become their hive. Stand down and you will live. Refuse, and the brood will inherit this ship from your corpses.
Tito narrowed his eyes. They now knew more, even if that didn’t bring a possible solution.
Naledi: Response.
Ch'zila: Snap... Crack... Yes. Our peoples are allies. Pop Hiss... But alliances do not outweigh extinction. When the choice is between honor and survival, the swarm will choose survival every time.
Tito thought it was his time to try diplomacy.
Tito: Then maybe we can help?
Naledi/DeVeau: Response.
It looked like Ch'zila was hesitating. Maybe they could still solve this.
Or maybe not as Ch'zila's rifle slowly came around toward the captive officer held between two of their soldiers.
Ch'zila: Pop Crack... Now then, access the command console and transfer this vessel to my control or this human female dies.
Tito: We won’t respond to threats.
Naledi/DeVeau: Response.
Ch'zila tilted their head slightly.
Ch'zila: Pop Hiss... You forget, our young are already inside your vessel. Soon they will awaken and they will be very hungry... Even now, I can hear their shells beginning to crack. Can you not hear it?
Tito narrowed his eyes. This was getting them nowhere, and if Ch’zila wasn’t lying they could have a bigger problem.
Tito: This isn’t the way…
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
He couldn’t shoot. It would be a blood bath.
He couldn’t self destruct the Invicta, he needed two codes and that would take too long.
Tito was running out of options.
So he reverted to the drastic one.
Tito: Computer, Command Code Tito Echo Alpha one seven zero zero. Give me full control of shuttle bays and open them to space on my mark, or if any weapons fire is registered on the bridge.
Computer: Acknowledged.
Tito tilted his head to Ch’zila.
Tito: Anyone shoot and your Nursery goes flying back to the Badlands
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
Tito lowered his phaser and looked definitely at Ch’zila.
Tito: Do you really care to risk it? We are offering help… We can help. But we will defend us.
The only reason you are not laying on the floor is because we are a Starfleet ship.
Naledi/DeVeau/Ch’zila: Response.
TBC/TBC
Lt. Vitor R.S.Tito
Science Officer
USS Thor, NCC-85852
O238907VS0
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