[TWI] Twilight, The Final Frontier: Twipires IN SPACE!!!!

[darkblade]

Doggie

"Krybots, the foot soldiers of the Troobian Empire, a small fascist group that controls a few systems in the Beta Quadrant. These are the forces that destroyed my people." Doggie explains as the holograms fade away.

"I've been fighting them ever since." Doggie neglects to mention the secret war he fought against them using the SPD's resources when they covertly attacked Earth but Worf lacks clearance to hear that tale.

"Enough with the warm up. You ready to go?"

***

Bebop

Faye hesitates for a few minutes but shakes her head as she slams what was left of her cigarette into a bulkhead. "No thanks then. As bad as my debts are I'm not doing that to the rest of the Federation."

[industrious]

Preem Palver

He repeats the figure numbly.

"You could buy your ship for that!"

He blinks, shaking his head at the number.

"...I can pay you two thousand, lad. Plus fifteen...when we reach Earth."

Seventeen thousand. In credits, which didn't spend as well on the border planets, but still. A man could take a luxury cruise with that sort of money. Or not have to eat protein for a year.

[AnimeKid]

Ratchet and Clank

The trio continue their way through the jungle into the deeper parts of the planet. The plan was to find someone here who knew the quadrant well enough to at least get them the coordinates to the nearest metropolitan-like planet. Cause without coordinates or a map for this quadrant they would be reduced to flying around aimlessly until they happened along a planet.

Junior

The Little Master jumps into his lounge chair that doubled as his captain's seat as he listened to the details about the Klingon's . "Okay then sounds like this should be interesting at least. Now then time to get out of this stagnant place. How's it going girls?" One of the 100-Series Observational Realians that helped pilot such a large vessel turns towards Junior. "We're ready to go sir, all systems check out, we have the coordinates locked and we are ready for warp." Junior nods as he claps his hands together. "All right then people lets get this show on the road. Let warp!" The realians nod as they say, "Roder", and proceed with warp to their location.

[Cracklord]

Shevak
At fist glance, the planet doesn't look much different from yours. Dry, far from anywhere, and supporting only a tiny fraction of what it was capable of. It's when you get to fauna, and see the sandworms that you gain a small measure of reverence for the planet. And apparently it's the only producer of the Spice, that incomprehensible material that makes men prescient.

Legato
Pandora is a large moon, with a low gravity, inhabited by a sentient native species that is allowed freedom as long as it keeps away from the production facilities. As such, there are only a few places to land. The Outlaw Starr landed in the central facility, where all the rest branched from. Judging by it's current level of occupation, it just got a boost in personnel both military and civilian. You'd hoped to track them to some out of the way smugglers moon where you could attack them directly. This was far from what you'd wanted.

Doggie, Worf
The world flickers, then falls away, and you find yourself in the midst of a battlefield. It's a scene from history, the first bug war, and the greatest conflict the Federation has been involved in. Essentially, it was the catalyst that turned humanity into a superpower, and was also a battle nearly destroyed them. If you were superstitious, you would probably find it vaguely sinister.
Even so, it's certainly a workout. They are a extraordinarily adaptable and always attack in large numbers, and what's more they are intelligent. One leaps at Doggie, it's razor-edged serrated talons powered by whipped muscle capable of eviscerating him in one blow. Another readies a hand held canon, primative beam weaponry by todays standards but certainly effective, while the others work to keep you in place.
They'll quite happily sacrifice dozens of their people if it means taking down one enemy.

Kirk
Spock does not jump to conclusions. He goes quiet, considering the matter, utilizing his mentant training as he performs calculations. "I can only speculate, sir, as they are a largely unknown phenomenon." He says at last. He has answers, but not all of them. "It depends on to many factors I don't have, so any calculation I perform are ultimately speculation. However, if Ace Rimmer, the premier specialist in The Federation believes it to be dangerous, then I would advise we take him seriously."
McCoy grunts. "Damnit, I'm a doctor, not a quantum mechanic." He says under his breath then shrugs. "Look, if this is a threat to anyone, the Kirk I know wouldn't put them at risk because some uppity official doesn't want him to work in their backyard. With respect, sir."

Solo
"You're the only one crazy enough to pull it off, and desperate enough not to try and cheat me." He replies easily. "Come on pirate, you know me better then that."

Bebop
"Of course, every action has consequences." He says blandly. "Taking responsibility for them can be hard. Well, it was a pleasure talking to you. You have a very unique viewpoint that I cannot help but sympathize with." It's something of a dismissal, leaving you to speculate how someone apparently so well connected got caught so easily.

[doliest]

Kirk
Kirk nods, "We can't risk innocent life, not Romulan OR Federation. We're going to have to investigate this, and quickly, considering what Ace said." He taps the communication panel on the side of his chair, "Scotty? I don't suppose you can hide our warp signature to get us through Romulan Space to that wormhole."

Solo
"I know. It's just been a while. And the last time we worked together, I DID try and cheat you." Though my finances have only gotten worse since then.

[darkblade]

Doggie

((I'm combining it with the Bugger Wars from Ender's Game because, why the Hell not. If it's an issue just say so.))

"I would never have the Xenocide in my program. Something is wrong..." Doggie says swinging his sword towards the attacking foot soldiers. As a victim of a total species wide xenocide himself Doggie is naturally uncomfortable with the end result of the Bug War, where a child prodigy, annihilated the home world of the Bugs, destroying their Queens and leaving the workers to all die painful deaths.

"Computer, abort program!"

***

Bebop

"You wanted us to take you to Earth all along." Faye says with a smirk as she gets up from her chair.

"You're planning something there aren't you?"

[Cracklord]

Doggie
(Quite the contrary. I encourage initiative.)
Worf is as confused as you, although far less concerned about it. Not being particularly introspective or discerning, at least in regards to what he dubbed as inconsequential things, he hadn't questioned this rather odd turn of events. He simply dealt with them.
Shouting a war-cry in klingon, he decapitates the bug that was preparing the weapon, hen charges he others, mowing into them while his ally bears the brunt of the attack.
He had different feelings about the war of extermination, as he saw it the war was inevitable and what followed was something to take pride in. It was regrettable that the fight had to take place, but once it was that had taken place between two warrior cultures, and so as both sides had been completely committed, there didn't seem much reason to dislike the conclusion.
The bugs are tough, smart, and no how to work together. It takes a long time to finish them off. When you finally do, you hear clapping, and turn to find yourself looking at a smiling man in starfleet uniform.
"Wonderful! And here I was worrying that you've all gone soft."

Bebop
"You give me entirely too much credit. Placing myself in such risk would be foolish, particularly when there were so many variables that could go wrong. Allowing a situation to master you is unforgivable." He replies. He says it with the same quiet, unassuming conviction he says everything, but you already know he's a good liar, and something tells you your not wrong about your hunch.

Kirk
"Nay problem!" He shouts up from the engine room cheerfully and unnecessarily, his voice booming in the bridge. "Joost a wee fix. Be up before yer ken it, cap'n."
As he takes care of that, the ship turns and pretends to warp, in order to convince the Romulans you care about their opinion, and have left. The Scot gets it online, and you sneak past the border, unnoticed.
Now it's just a matter of finding the bloody thing.

Solo
"I haven't forgotten." Lando replies. "But if I wasn't willing to overlook that, I wouldn't be in this lifestyle, pirate. There is a lot of money in Spice, and I know I can trust you. At least, I know I can trust you because one I put you in this position, you won't have any choice."

John Carter of Mars, Paul Atredis
On the planet Barsoom, on the great red plains that stretch as far as the eye can see, choked with dust like clay and red, thorny plants that twist about, there is a burning light in the sky, like a star falling from the heavens, leaving a burning trail through the night sky. A wreck of twisted, blackened metal smashed into the ground, sending up dust throughout the sky, and further wrecking the ship.
It is seen by only a few. But the news travels fast, something has fallen from the sky.

[Colesign]

Shevek

"Yikes. " Shevek mumbles. Next, he pages through the history of the Federation, fully mindful that this particular set of data might be positively biased in favor of the authoritarian government in question.

He tries to read between the lines.

{I figure this is a good way to get some exposition in}

[Executor]

John Carter of Barsoom

Across the Red Planet of Barsoom, many eyes watched the burning streak of fire fall from the skies. The light from it was brilliant, lighting up the heavens all across Barsoom as Red Men and Green Men alike watched it fall. But amongst all the Red Men and Green Men and the myriad varieties of Barsoomians, there was one who was not of Barsoom at all. The one that had survived the gladiatorial games of Warhoon, the one that had overthrown the empire of Zodanga for the love of one woman, the finest swordsman of two worlds, the one who had become known to the Green Men as Dotar Sojat, Warlord of Barsoom, a Chieftain of the Tharks and Prince of the city of Helium. His name was John Carter.

"Tars! Did you see that?" John Carter said, standing on the balcony of an old stone Barsoomian mansion in the ruined city of Thark. He had been on a visit to his friends in the Thark clan, his old comrade Tars Tarkas in particular.

"Aye, old friend, that I did" said Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of the Tharks since he slew Tal Hajuus all those years ago. The fifteen foot, six-limbed Green Man came up to stand beside his diminuitive six foot human companion, and he turned his gaze skywards, his two large eyes regarding the trail of smoke rising from the place where the fireball had impacted. The two cup-like antenna that served as antenna for the Green Men swiveled forward, a gesture not unlike that of a horse paying close attention to something.

"A comet perhaps, or... maybe it was a ship" said John Carter.

"It must have been up at quite an altitude if it was a ship. Higher than any airship I have known" replied Tars Tarkas.

"What say you and I take a conroi and go investigate?" said John Carter, turning around and purposefully striding into the main hall of the mansion, away from the balcony.

The walls of the mansion were covered in art, clearly marking that this building had not been constructed by the crude Green Men, for they made no buildings of their own, instead dwelling in the ruins of ancient city-states. No matter how many times John stayed in the city of Thark, he never ceased to be amazed by the great quality of the art. It represented scenes of peace and leisure: People strolling through parks, boating on ponds, playing music, dancing. It depicted a happy people at leisure, and it did so in such a lifelike but artistic manner so as to reduce an unprepared man to tears at the first sight of it. The Green Men, however, had no appreciate for art, not even Tars Tarkas, the one Green Man on all of Barsoom that could be said to have a heart. 'Alas, that Barsoom must've been such a different one to this cruel and warlike place' John Carter thought lamentably as he glanced at the beautiful murals on the wall.

"Are you sure that is wise John Carter? Other hordes must've seen it, and who knows what that thing is" said Tars Tarkas, following after his friend and gesturing with his four arms as he did.

"Losing your nerve Tars? Come on man, the game's afoot!" laughed John Carter.

"Very well, but if this turns out like that incident with the Plant Men, I shall tell Dejah Thoris that it was all your fault!" Tars Tarkas replied as the two friends walked down the central staircase of the mansion.

An hour later, the gate of Thark was thrown open, and a strong cavalcade of fully armed Tharks, mounted on their great thoats, galloped from the city, raising a cloud of red dust as they did. At their head, amongst the 15-foot green giants rode John Carter himself, and Tars Tarkas beside him.

[doliest]

Kirk
"Mr.Spock. Can you locate the anamoly by any special signature it might send out?" Kirk had never been a science officer. He knew a few science officers had risen to the rank of command, but Kirk had always been an officer. He did his best to keep up with scientific advances, but, frankly, he was eternally grateful for Mr.Spock; without him, Kirk wasn't sure he'd be able to figure out half of what he DID know about, for example, wormholes.

He slides slightly in his chair to a more comfortable position, taking a view of those on his bridge. It was something he always did when he did something he knew could end horrifically. He needed to see the people who's lives and careers he was playing with, who could end up courtmarshalled for allowing him to do this. Indeed, they could be killed, perhaps by the Romulans, perhaps by the wormhole, or a dozen other things. He knew it, and they knew it. But they followed him into the abyss unquestioningly. It was why he never settled. Never stopped fighting; because if he did, he condemned them. And, for the many things people, and on some nights, he himself could say about Captain Kirk, no one could say he would let this people be killed.

Solo
"Heh. Drag me in as deep as you can? Nice plan Lando." Han drinks a little more, "Still, I get the feeling more is going on here; sorry 'bout that, but I don't stay alive by trusting people. It's why I try to avoid Tatooine, after all."

[Cracklord]

Shevak
It's been a little over two centuries since you departed to form your own colony, and a lot has changed. The Bug war came about shortly after your secession, which resulted in the first united military effort by the human race, and led to the creation of Starfleet, as well as creating certain laws that seem rather draconian to you. Apparently only those who have served in any of the militaries or government positions are allowed to vote and the noble houses came about due to certain extended families gaining control of the upper ranking positions in the Imperial armies and ensuring they retained them.
Just the same, increasingly it is turning into a co-interdependent socialist government, and you suspect it would have long since if not for the fact it is regularly forced into positions that necessitate rapid mobilization, and withdrawal of certain personal freedoms. You read about the Dominion war, the growing war with the borg on the fringes, and the skirmishes with the neighbors, and it occurs to you that opening ourself up is opening yourself to their enemies as well, though you are quite aware that ignoring them won't make them go away.

John Carter of Barsoom
You think of absent friends, in particular of Lieutenant Gullivar Jones, your comrade and the only human you had set eyes on since you first came to the red world. He died a long time ago, saving your life on another of these journeys in fact, and at times like this you can never help but think of him.
The two of you mount up, and begin the long trek into the plains where the crash occurred, driven by both curiosity and alarm. Eventually you come to the ruins of what can only be called a flying ship, like the great iron dreadnauts that plowed the ocean back on Earth, though sleeker and made of some substance you have never seen or imagined before, like iron and yet unlike. More to the point, a boy, almost a young man is lying face down in the red earth, and he is unquestionably human, whipcord thin with a hard, muscular frame, and a shock of reddish hair. It's almost too much to believe.
You are not the only one to have seen the fiery crash. Huge, unblinking white eyes stare over at it from a black, soft, rubbery 'body', if it can be called that, given the being consisted of a disembodied head about four feet across, two branches of eight almost-whip like tentacles each around the mouth. It's eyes watch, and then it withdraws. The emperor will want to hear this.

Kirk
"I would imagine so. It is simply a matter of tracing the drain of emissions, including light. If space is a rubber-sheet, then it would appear as an enormous sinkhole, distorting everything around it."
Chekhov waits patiently for him to state his findings before nodding. "Well, we have somethink exactly like that here." He says, creating a three dimensional hologram of the space quadrant you are in, and indicating a red blip. "Captain?"

Solo
"Well if we can't trust each other, we're both forewarned." He replies, smiling easily. "Anyway, round up a brute squad, try to keep the information down, and meet me when you're ready to begin for the rest." He says, suddenly slipping into the role of authority figure.
"Will you get going you pirate? We do want to move in before someone else beats us to the blow.

Ratchet and Clank
The smoke shrouded structure of forward Base 16 rose from the blue-green jungle below like a grey rock in an alien ocean. The forest itself stretches for uncountable miles, until it comes to a mountain range of soaring peaks.
The mountains float like clouds among the fixed mountains and swirling cloud structures, and circulate slowly in the magnetic currents like icebergs at sea, scraping against each other and the towering mesa-like mountains of the region. When they are in clear sunlight they cast distinct shadows on the land below.
They are overgrown with foliage at the top, and straggly beards of vines hangs down beneath them, as though tying them in place.

[doliest]

Kirk
"Can we launch a probe into it, Commander Chekov?" That seemed the best way to get a good look at it.

"Mr.Spock, check any sensor readings that might give us an idea of if it's expanding."

Solo
Solo nods, getting up to get this trainwreck started. He knew it was going to screw up; that was just how things went for him. Indeed, everything about this job sounded like it was going to screw him over. But he needed the money, and, worst case scenario, the job put him further in debt. Big deal. He was already long past critical mass; it couldn't get worse.

[darkblade]

Doggie

"Who are you?" Doggie asked not reconizing the man. He wore a command uniform but he was not someone Doggie had seen, or smelt on board the Enterprise before but he seemed to know Lt. Worf, this did not bode well.

***

Bebop

"Well I'd rather not take that chance. I can't afford to lose your bounty." Faye says as she walks away heading towards the bridge where she shifts the course away from Earth and towards it's moon. There was a thriving colony there and any bounty on Earth was just as valid there.

As they apporached the natural satalite she started the on the comms. "Lunar outpost, this is Cowboy vessel Bebop coming in to claim the bounty on mark um..." She stops herself and rifles through the mess of wanted posters and bounties Spike leaves lying around the ship.

Jet wanders into the Bridge and takes the comm from her. "Mark 24601."

((Why yes I do use that number for any kind of fugitive I don't have any reason not to.))

[Draxx]

Paul
Sands. Arrakis would have sands not unlike this. He could imagine them already, stretching out as far as forever in a great haze, with the sun beating down and the ground bellow vibrating steadily. It was his destiny, and the destiny of humanity.

But he wasn't ready. Arrakis would destroy him if he set foot on it now, he was too soft, to young, iron in need of forging. So he was here, where he would learn to be a man. He looked up into the eyes of the man who would become so important. He saw many things, many of which he hadn't expected. The man carried an air of tiredness, but also of what was almost boyish excitement. He saw hardness, but also compassion. He saw why this man would be so important.

His lips are cracked and dry already, but he opens them, his face calm and tranquil as though he wasn't just pulled from the burning wreckage of a ship that sailed the gulf between the stars. "My name is Paul. Paul Atreides. Hello John Carter." The man hadn't said his name, or who he was. There was no way for Paul to know who he was. And yet he did.

Mal
"That sounds about fair to me." He says, shaking Preens hand. He accepts it just quickly enough, not too much to make the farmer feel he was agreeing too quickly, but not too long considering either. "Meet me at the spaceport in a few hours, we'll be up to leaving then."

Mal gets up and walks Zoe and Jayne out.

[Colesign]

Shevek

Shevek, frowns. There were some egalitarian elements to the Federation as of the moment, but he couldn't help but recall an old saying of Laia Aseio Odo, the Mother of the Anarchist Revolution:

"Freedom without Socialism is privilege and injustice: Socialism without Freedom is Slavery and Brutality."

Shevek can't shake the feeling of worry. To take his mind off of it, in a fit of frivolity, he decides to look up the entry on Annarres itself.

[Cracklord]

Shevak
It's not very detailed, which seems strange, given that they are here to try and get you to open up to the universe. It's simply names and dates,as well as explaining it's industrial capabilities and primary production.
Then it hits you. They don't care. As long as it's inhabitants keep their heads down and get on with it, they can do it however they want, as long as what they do isn't inherently objectionable. The Federation ultimately makes provisions for every species, lifestyle and creed, so long as they are willing to compromise themselves about certain things.
Just the same, you read between the lines, and you can't help but be shocked at how bland it all is. Apparently the dispute that caused your secession is listed here as a minor dispute, during a management crisis. It's not all that big a deal by their standards, so nobody saw it as important enough to explain.

Doggie
"Hasn't your captain mentioned me? Well I am called Q. And you are here to be reminded of humanities essential nature. They are two meals and one threat away from this again, and I'm going to prove it."
He clasps his hands behind his back. "But because forcing you all to do something is boring, I'm going to give you a chance to prevent it as well."

Bebop
The moon you've chosen is coming into sight. You'll drop him off, be paid the bounty, and he'll be taken somewhere for a trial. It will probably still be earth, but it won't be your fault, and there is always a chance they might listen to you.

Kirk
The Wormhole, as it happens, is a swirling mass that is visibly sucking everything around them toward them like a giant drain or tornado. Sometimes it is a directional tornado shaped funnel. A blue and purple vortex swirling into darkness, a red glow near the centre. It's only a few kilometers across, tiny in astrological terms, and if you can get an accurate measure you'll soon know whether it's growing or shrinking. Unfortunately, you'll have to do it from here.
The thing is so hot it glows in X-rays. If you get any closer, it will liquify you, even protected by a meter of lead. Technicians and scientists run about below decks, reading radiation, trailings and attempting to measure it with mathematics.
Then Spock, who is translating their findings into recognizable english, or at least as close as he can get, for your sake, looks up and shakes his head. "Captain, given certain levels of distortion and the trail, it seems likely that something came through. Which should not be possible, given the conditions I calculate that it would tear apart a black hole, let alone anything less sturdy."

Solo
Recruiting too many people is a rookie mistake. More people to share with, more chances of one of them not keeping their mouth shut or deciding the scam might work better if their were less ways to split it.
Recruiting not enough people was an idiots mistake, because being unable to do the job was far worse in the scheme of things.

[industrious]

Preem

"Will do, Cap'n."

After the crew of Serenity leave, Preem ponders his half-finished drink for a moment before he finishes it.

He exits the bar, enters the alley, humming a song with far more class than a humble farmer would ever know.

"At the end of the day, there's another day dawning..."


Captain Picard

The Captain sits at the head of the table, with the rest of his senior staff arrayed around him.

"I would everyone's reports on this first day of negotiations on my PADD before 2200 hours today. There isn't much to be said for this meeting, I'm afraid." He gives a brief smile.

"I'm going to have to play tomorrow's schedule close to the chest."

[Colesign]

Shevek

It's at times like these that Shevek realizes how big the universe is.

Yet it's not that simple fact that causes him to worry so, so much as the soulless monolithic nature of the Federation itself. Being part of a greater whole is all well and fine...but this...

Shevek sets the pad to the side, and winds up staring at one of the small mobiles of glass, wire, and jewels hanging up on the ceiling, the so called "Occupations of Uninhabited Space" that Takver so loved to create. This is how the daughter Sadik finds him when she returns home from school.

[darkblade]

Doggie

"Big talk from someone who may have doomed every species in the Federation with your stunt with the Borg." Doggie growls towards the God-like being. He walks past Q towards the doors of the holodeck.

***

Bebop

"You can't take him to Earth." Faye warns the lead officer who takes their prisoner from them.

"He wants to go to Earth, that's why he let us take him without firing a single shot."

[The Tygre]

... Inconvenient. Legato's ship is well-hidden. After dropping him off on the toxic moon, the stealth runner enters Pandora's orbit, watching for its master's summons. As for the psion himself, his activities will require a bit more tact. The omnicidal maniac takes a bold step by not disguising himself with invisibility. Everything is cluttered. It all feels like cattle shuffling against each other in a meat truck, or rats vying for the last place on the trap. Their toxin is condensed, the filth practically choking Legato. If it wasn't for the poison gas outside, Bluesummers would be making a B-line for the wilderness. But for now, he lays low, blending in with the rest of the scoundrels, bounty hunters, and riff-raff of the galaxy.

He starts with the obvious; the dock offices. There has to be a manifest somewhere. If he's lucky, then the task will be simple; empty ship with the prisoner. And even if they have moved him, then there aren't many places to run on this world. He'll find them, even if it means tearing the moon apart to the core.

[Cracklord]

Doggie
You step through the door, only to find yourself stepping back out of the door onto the holodeck. He has bent space. Q only shakes his head, and sighs. "I was reasonably sure that wouldn't happen. Besides, it's a big galaxy, and there are plenty of dangerous things floating about waiting for you to discover, and plenty of them are worse news waiting to hit you."
Then he smiles again. "But enough judging that you don't understand. Tell the captain I said he should go to the planet you've chosen to name Mars. The longer he leaves it, the worse the situation will be."

Shevak
The night passes slowly, you find yourself unable to sleep, too wrapped up in thoughts. What will happen to your home? By the time you dress and join the congregation awaiting the next days negotiations, you don't know whether to be relieved or terrified.

Legato
Segmentum Tempestus. Subsector Gaius. Unnamed System. Pandora.
It takes you only a little time to trace the location of the ship. The main holding area. No mention of the prisoner. PErhaps they already dropped him off, or disposed of him. Maybe you should resort to some more on hands questioning.

Bebop
You are taken aside, the man pays you, you fill out some forms, and then you're ready to go. Before you do, Nadrek looks at you and sends a thought directly into your head.
'That man you drugged. If you have any fondness for him, I would suggest you now go and find him. You see, my accomplices believe him to be the one to capture me.'
Then he's gone, taken to a solitary holding cell awaiting trial, looking smug about the whole thing.

Captain Picard
You read over the reports, most of which more or less agree with your own perception of the events. They've become insular, and while the terms you offer are very reasonable they can't help but be suspicious of any change whatsoever. It happens to closed communities.
Just the same, they are mostly reasonable and willing to hear you out. Initially they were fearful, but you've managed to reassure them that the Federation has no intention of gunboat diplomacy.

Outlaw Starr
You came to Pandora for two reasons. One, the small community was handling serious amounts of money, given they had a substance everyone wants. And two, given they were a small community, there were a whole range of services they no doubt needed outsiders to provide.
That sounded good to you.

Ratchet and Clank
A cluster of huge, tall, thin trees with many branches that stuck out at right angles from the trunk had all leant towards each other over a small lake, forming a dome like structure. Hammock leaves and vines and fungi covered the trunks and branches, which formed a cobweb of connections. It was beginning to glow in the dimming light, reflecting off the water, which gave off its own glow from fluorescent underwater plants.
An indigenous Xenos, three meters tall with smooth cyan-colored skin, large amber eyes, and a long, sweeping tail, face scarred with ritual markings, is observing you from one of the branches, a rude spear in it's hand.

[industrious]

Picard

It's been a good day. No snags, no unexpected twists to upset a delicate political situation.

Time for bed.

[darkblade]

Doggie

"Fine, just fix the door." Doggie says pulling out his SPD licence. He always preferred it to the standard Starfleet communicator. It kept half the conversation hidden from eavesdroppers which is all but essential while in security.

He calls Picard with it.

***

Picard's Quarters

As you get ready for bed you receive both a knock on your door and a communicator signal from Doggie.

***

Bebop

"So much for the race track." Faye mutters as she runs back to the ship with the credsticks.

"We got to go now!" She yells as she boards the ship to the surprise of all present. Even Eine lets out a small yelp at Faye's rush, normally she's the one keeping them on a single world long enough for her to gamble away a bounty.

"He's going to do something and has men coming after us. He used his psychic powers to tell me." Faye explains but the others don't seem to concerned.

"How many of our bounties have said that someone was going to come after us for putting them away?" Jet asked crossing his arms as he turns to look at Faye.

"Almost all of them." Faye admitted weakly. "But this guy was different."

"Sure he had the power to do it but if he was going to do it why wait until we already had him on Earth's Moon, which I still think was a mistake, they docked us a couple thousand for a transfer fee." Spike complained without even taking his eyes off the small holovision unit they had in the ship.

"Ed believes Faye. Gas man was spooky." The tiny hacker says surprisingly optimistically. "But Spike can fight bad guys so we're okay."

Faye proceeds to sigh and place her head against the wall all she could hope for was for this to pass or for their next bounty to take them far from Nadrek's goons.

[industrious]

Picard

Damn.

The captain has just gotten out of his uniform. Fumbling for his badge, he taps it.

"Picard here."

[Cracklord]

Doggie
Q has already vanished. The door works perfectly, and nobody else seems to have noticed the issue with it. Worf puts away his Bat'leth and steps out with you. It was you he addressed, not the klingon, so he assumes it's probably for the best to let you handle it. Plus, he's naturally taciturn.

Picard
Your crew knows only to call you once you go to bed if it's some sort of emergency only you can handle.

Bebop
Jet finally turns his gaze from the holo-unit to look at Faye. He softens a bit when he sees she's serious, but only a bit. If the guy was going to have them killed, why would he tell them about it?
"Look, what exactly did he say?" He asks, folding his big arms over his chest.

[darkblade]

Picard

"Captain, um Q just appeared to Lt. Worf and I in the Holodeck. He says that there is a situation on Mars you should look at before it escalates. He specifically compared it to the Ender the Xenocide and the Bugs." Doggie says not quite sounding sure of himself, he's not sure what to make of Q or his insane demands.

***

Bebop

((Jet is the gentle giant character. Spike is the martial artist type built miserable bastard. I'm going to assume that was said by Jet not Spike cause that makes more sense.))

Faye thinks about the specific thoughts and calms down severely. "Wait...okay crisis adverted."

She slumps down on the couch next to Spike. "I misunderstood him and forgot all about drugging Starwind. That's who the hit is after. We're fine."

The others all look on her disapprovingly.

"Where did we leave the Outlaws?" Spike asks jumping up and running towards the control room. He may complain about bastards like Gene but he's not about to let one get killed by one of his bounties that's just low and bad for the reputation.

[Cracklord]

Cowboy Bebop
Starwind has left the solar system and has made his way to Pandora, looking for work. A nice, out of the way place, on the very fringes of civilization, where nobody will hear him scream or wonder what happened to him.
If you want to follow him, you'll have to catch a lift or upgrade the ship a lot. Fortunately, contacting him is easier. Or at least, would be if he had a number (he doesn't. Too traceable).

[industrious]

Picard

"I see."

Instantly, all thoughts of sleep flee his mind. He is alert, composed, and ready for anything. With Q, it wouldn't be enough. But it would help.

"Picard to Bridge. Red Alert! All senior staff are to report to the briefing room. Mister Worf, escort Guinan there as well. This is not a drill."

[darkblade]

Bebop

Ed has already begun tracking the Outlaw Star and trying to hack into their computer to open up a channel between it and the Bebop. Of course to anyone else it looks like she is sitting in front of a keyboard with a pair of goggles on and slamming down on buttons randomly but she is totally hacking into the other ship's computer.

***

SPD

Doggie and Bridge report to the Briefing room. Bridge is not quite sure why but a combination of Picard's earlier statements about how he relies on his counsellors and Doggie forcibly dragging him brought him there.

Kat continues to work in Engineering.

[Executor]

((All Barsoomians are telepathic. Italics indicates mental communication

John Carter of Barsoom

The young man was not one of the Red Men of Barsoom, nor was he of any other species of Barsoomian. No, to all outward appearances he was human, a shocking discovery indeed on the mossy dead sea bottom of Barsoom.

John dismounted his thoat, the leather accoutrements of his fighting harness creaking as he did. With a hand set on the hilt of his long steel sabre, he began to descend into the crater of the crashed ship. His iron-grey eyes regarded the boy before him with a calm, evaluating look. The boy was slight of frame, but wiry and muscled, he was not exceptionally tall, for he seemed to be on the cusp of adulthood, still straddling the border between boy and man. His uniform was not familiar to John, but it had been centuries since he had been to Earth, so perhaps that was to be expected. It was the eyes though that held John Carter's attention, for there was a depth of wisdom and knowing that belied the boy's age.

Suddenly, there was the sound of cocking actions as the Tharks trained their long radium rifles on the boy as he said John's name. The boy also said that his name was Paul, Paul Atreides.

"Stand down" John said mentally, touching Tars Tarkas' mind with his own. He gestured downward with his hand as he continued down into the crashsite. Reluctantly, the Tharks lowered their weapons at a mental rebuke from Tars Tarkas.

Finally John came to the bottom of the crater, and he stood before the boy. It was a strange feeling, standing before someone dressed in what appeared to be Earth clothes while wearing nothing but the harness and accoutrements of a Thark warlord. John Carter's critical eye looked the youth up and down. He felt very large in comparison to the boy, and he suddenly realized how the Green Men must feel when looking at him. 'Ah, but it was foolish for the Tharks to underestimate me when I first arrived here, I shall not repeat their mistake' John thought.

"Greetings Paul Atreides, I must apologize if my accent is strange, I have not spoken English for many years" John Carter said at last.

"I must ask you though, how do you know me?" he continued, cutting right to the question on the mind of every one of the forty warriors sitting on their thoats behind him.