Episode 4: A New Beginning

I. Depart DS9 for Avalon Fleet Yards (AFY), via DS12 portal.

II. Arrival at AFY, new members of crew will actually board the ship at that time, and we can begin JPs of new and old crew.

III. The Tomar is put into drydock for some major repairs, including the installation of a normal cloaking device, transphasic torpedoes, and the upgraded ablative armor. With the addition of these new technologies, this will truly make the Tomar more of a warship.

IV. The crew will be able to explore AFY for about a week together, before Shepherd is called in for a meeting.

V. At the meeting, George returns (RE: Episode 2), and has an update for Commodore Shepherd.
          a. George is now a full citizen in his society, and, holds the rank of Specialist.
          b. George has been sent back to the Federation, along with a small group of Union citizens, to begin to re-establish diplomatic ties with the Earth and the Federation. These have been going well for the most part, even though there has been some apprehension at how Union breeds people (RE: azi, see description from Ep. 2).
          c. One major point of contention are the Kzinti. They are still continuing to harrass Union ships, but the Union has begun to strike back, and have fitted their vessels with warp drives and such, and not just using FTL vessels.
                    1) FTL Vessels go faster than the speed of light, but in a different way than warp vessels go. What happens is that the FTL ship breaks away from the sun's gravitation pull, and then plunges on ahead at full until they cross the light speed thresh-hold, at which time Time slows down for them relatively speaking, even though time continues at its normal pace. A Federation starship traveling from Cyteen to Viking Station would take about 5 hours at Warp 7. A Union FTL ship would take about 1 month of real time, but to the crew of said ship, it would be only a few hours (RE: Union Space map).
                    2) When humans travel at FTL velocities in Union ships, they trank down. They take a tranquilizer which lasts about 6-8 hours, long enough for the relative length of the trip. They wake up on the other side of the jump. The body has aged a full month (in example from above), and is somewhat depleated of nutrients, which are supplemented when they wake up by the ingestion of nutrient packs (highly concentrated), liquid nutrients which don't taste well, and don't always sit well either, but when absorbed, help the body return to normal quicker.
                    3) It is possible for humans to survive FTL jumps NOT tranked, but they don't unnecessarily risk it, since their research suggests that humans can become unstable while in jump and fully conscious and aware. NOTE: Those who do become conscious and aware are somewhat feared, or looked upon with suspicion. (If you have the time, read Tripoint by C.J. Cherryh, to get a feel for what it means to stay alert in Jump. - C.J.)
                    4) By attaching to their ships warp drives, and modifying their technology to accept warp cores and other related technology, Union ships are not aesthetically pleasing to look at, but they are quite functional. They also allow Union crews to make the trip untranked, and unaffected by the effects of FTL jump travel.
          d. The Tomar has been ordered to escort the US (Union Ship) Aurora back to Union Space, and to prevent any incursions by Kzin ships during this diplomatic escort. Once the Tomar has made orbit around Cyteen, Union's capital world, they are to make diplomatic overtures on behalf of the Federation, while at the same time evaluating Union, to see what assistance, if any, would be allowed to be given to them by the Federation.

VI. The Tomar, of course, is unavailable for this mission, with the repairs and all being conducted on her. Starfleet instead is transfering her crew to the one ship that is currently available at AFY:
          a. USS Kep Salu, NCC-1767, a Constitution-class starship that was recently discovered after having been presumed lost and destroyed in 2269. The ship was discovered in the vicinity of the Delta Triangle, where many ships had disappeared. So far, it has been towed to AFY, and is in the process of being upgraded so that it can be returned to service.
                    1) Current Ship Status:
                              - No permanent replicators, only 3 portable ones: one is located in the ship's kitchen, one is located in Cargo Bay 2, and the other is located on the engineering deck.
                              - The Kep Salu is still set on the old Cochrane Scale (I've included the conversion chart that we used in the previous Episode). Warp core is usable, and stable, but, the AFY engineers are working slowly to retrofit the Kep Salu, and the Warp drive is the last to be upgraded, after the structual integreity fields have been strengthened, and the hull plating replaced.
                              - She still has only Type VIII phaser banks: http://www.bravofleet.org/bravofleet/wphaser-type08b.htm
                              - She has had her torpedoes upgraded though. She can fire Photon, quantum, and hellfire torpedoes. Quantum and hellfire torpedoes though cause a large power drain on the Kep Salu's systems, when fired. Shield strength is reduced to 15%, and most systems need to be put on minimal power until 5 minutes after they've been fired, except for life-support.
                              - No cloaking device.
                              - MLSS shielding has been installed: http://www.bravofleet.org/bravofleet/shelds-mlss.htm
                              - Control panels are a hybrid-mixture of panels from 2269 (TOS series, with push buttons nad everything) and current 24th century technology.
                              - Navigational deflector is upgraded, and fully operational.
                              - Shuttlecraft are usable, but are also from 2269. Two shuttlecraft are available, the Gardrick and the Sorkin.
                              - Sensors have been upgraded to current standards.
                              - Transporters have been upgraded to 24th Century Protocols as well.
                              - Sickbay is still in the 23rd century, even though the medicine cabinet is fully stocked with 24th century medicines, and the Medical computers have been updated with information. NO EMH is available.
                              - Impulse technology hasn't changed much in the 100 years between 2269 and the DS9/VOY time. Full Impulse (1/4 speed of light) is the same, and is fully functional.
                              - No holo-decks, but recreation facilities are still in working order, albeit 2269 standards. Modern recreational items could be brought on board, as long as they are usable in the space available (i.e. board games could be brought on).
                              - Accomodations are spartan. Crew quarters are up to 6 to a room, with very little privacy. Junior officers can expect to be sleeping 2-4 to a room. Senior Officers have private quarters.
                    2) Rough conversion chart for TOS and TNG warp scales:

US Aurora	USS Kep Salu	USS Tomar
Side View
Top View

          b. The US Aurora is only capable of Warp 5 (TNG Scale).

VII. The crew will only have 6 hours to get aboard their new ship and get ready before they need to leave for Union Space.

VIII. Trip will be uneventful until the ships reach the border of Kzinti and Federation space. There, they will encounter a Kzinti patrol. Also, tetryon particles can be scanned as well, but are not coming from the Kzin ships.

IX. The Kzinti demand that the Aurora be turned over to them, that it is in fact a pirate vessel who preys on Kzin ships.

X. We decline, and attempt to continue to escort the Union ship around Kzin space, towards Union space.

XI. Kzin follow and pursue, so does the tetryon particle signature scanned previously.

XII. Aurora heads into a star system that is filled with spatial dust. Dust appears to be remains of several worlds, and are highly charged with radiation. We follow.  So do our pursuers.

XIII.    The tetryon emmission disappears, instead, a vessel appears in its place after entry into system. Vessel is identified as Orion in manufacture, Wanderer-class blockade runner, the Far Star. (Orions from TOS, not Orion Syndicate from DS9).

XIV.    Ship is in distress, somehow, their cloak failed when they entered the system. Warp drive and impulse drive shut down, and life support begins to fail.

XV.    We rescue Orions, while Kzinti return to their space for unknown reason.

XVI.    Aurora and Kep Salu continue towards Union space. Orions are greatful that we saved them, but refuse to cooperate, instead declaring that since they are not Federation citizens, they do not have to.

XVII.    It is discovered that the Orions are the ones who have been supllying the Kzin with their new technology. This is in no way determined from questioning the Orion personnel. Reasons why remain unknown.

XVIII.    We arrive at Cyteen, with no more problems beyond ship board ones.

XIX.    Command crew transports down to begin diplomatic mission.

XX.    Marcus and the diplomatic team beam to Cyteen Station, where they are welcomed by members of the Union Government. From there, they are shuttled down to the planet's surface, and checked into living accomodations. Each of the members of the away team have their own rooms. While they are given a tour of Novgorod, Marcus notices some one who looks alot like his sister Jessie. He breaks away from the tour group (Alone, this is the last time they see Marcus for most of the rest of Episode #5), and follows her into a side alley. She turns around, and, Marcus sees that she is his sister. As Marcus is about to ask her what she is doing on Cyteen, he hears the hiss of hypospray, and falls to the ground unconscious. Marcus's sister and the one who snuck up behind him get Marcus off the planet without being detected.

When Marcus wakes up, he gets quite a shock, as he is looking at himself looking down at him.

(Continues in Episode 5.)