USS Penumbra Sim Narrative, SD 202004.03 ANNOUNCEMENT: . At the beginning of this sim, Lieutenant Junior Grade Denovan Hawke was promoted to full Lieutenant and given the official title/posting of Chief of Tactical Operations. Congratulations, Lieutenant! Bridge, Sickbay, & Main Engineering: . The Penumbra was parked in interstellar space, regenerating power after towing a "friendly" Kyrathian Colony Ship at warp speed with its shields extended to cover both ships. While an Away Team prepared to beam over to the "friendly" Kyrathians, other crewmembers were discussing their options. . On the Bridge were Capt. Zak Taylor, sitting in the Command Seat; Lt. Cmdr. Relok, back in the Executive Officer's seat again since Lt. Col. Patterson was leading an Away Team; Lt. Tabeshk Tibris, checking systems' power on the Operations Console; and newly-promoted Lt. Denovan Hawke, manning the Tactical Station. . Lt. Cmdr. Jason Carter was supposed to be the acting First Officer, but as the Chief of Flight Operations, he was called down to the Hangar Bay to inspect some of the Delta Flyers to clear them for duty after repairs. . Down in Main Engineering, Lt. Cmdr. Bevin MacArdry was coordinating repair teams, working to get the ship back in tip-top shape (well, as best she could without a major repair facility). . Over in Sickbay, Nine of Twelve, sporting her new LtJG pips and Starfleet uniform, was making the rounds to check on the patients injured during the fight. They were all resting comfortably, so she decided to leave one of the other nurses in charge (Dr. Shadow K'Trevala was with the Away Team) and headed up to the medical station on the Bridge. . Relok was sitting comfortably in the XO seat and said, "I don't know what Patterson was complaining about, this chair seems perfectly comfortable now."

. Zak glanced over at the Vulcan who was his Chief Science Officer and Second Officer. He smirked, "Seems your butt is in it more than Patterson's lately." . Tabby turned his chair so he could see the Vulcan, "Eh, who knows, Relok. But honestly, you look better in that chair than the jarhead does." . An unexpected greenish blush touched the Vulcan's cheeks. He cleared his throat, "Ahem, well ...," and trailed off. . Tabby grinned, "Oh! He's blushing! Didn't think that was possible!" . Zak shifted in his seat and said, "So, Tabby, Hawke, we're keeping the shields around our new friend?" . Hawke answered, "That's the aim, yes, sir." . Tabby spun his chair back around and checked the systems again, "Yes, sir. Unless it's no longer needed, sir." . Zak answered, "We're holding Red Alert, and that means shields, and while they are inside our shield we can still get our Team over there ... and back." . Hawke agreed, "It generally wouldn't sir, but just because the shields are extended doesn't mean they are any less effective." . Relok commented, "I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, sir, but ... should they decide to attack us .... well, it wouldn't be good." . Tabby replied, " I'm sure we're aware of that." . Zak looked to the Vulcan, "They've been behaving so far, Relok, right, Hawke?" . Hawke nodded, "Thus far." . Tabby added, "But right now I'm more concerned with a three-way battle risk with those damned cockroaches and Kyrathians and us trying to do good." . About that time Nine arrived on the Bridge, stepping out of the Turbolift and walking over to the Medical console and logging in. She smiled over at her brother as she did so. . Relok noticed her arrival and gave her a brief nod. Tabby also noticed her arrival but said, "Oh, hello Nine, you seem to be in a good mood today." . Nine returned Relok's nod and then looked to Tabby, "Just glad that everyone in Sickbay is on the mend, Tabeshk."

. Tabby chuckled at Nine, "You can just call me 'Tabby', everyone else does. I assume it's easier for them." . She nodded, "If that is your wish ... Tabby." . Tabby smiled back at her, "Just a friendly suggestion." . Down in Main Engineering, Bevin was keeping the damage control teams busy, getting everything back to normal, well, at least as normal for them as was possible. Once the teams were dispatched, she returned to updating the shields, trying to see what they could do to augment them to better protect their new friend. . Zak said, "Speaking of 'those damned cockroaches', I suppose we should expect a call from the Android soon. I'm sure he's going to get an earful." . Tabby groaned, "Don't remind me, Captain, it was my idea!" . Belatedly, Zak turned to Nine, a flush of embarrassment on his face. He realized he hadn't asked about the injured. "How are your patients, Nine?" . She responded, "They are doing well. The most severe case is concussion, but Sandy should be just fine once it's done. Otherwise, just a few scrapes, bumps, and bruises, and a couple of broken bones here and there. Everyone is on resting and mending orders for now." . Suddenly Zak looked at Relok and asked, "Wait, Relok, aren't you on the Away Team?" . Relok answered, "The Colonel gave us 20 minutes, and it's been ...," he checked the chronometer and then gasped, "Oh! It's been 17! I should be going, sir!" He jumped up and rushed for the Turbolift. . Tabby chuckled, "Heh, for once, I'm doing my job and Relok isn’t! Shame on you, good sir!" . Before the doors slid shut Relok could be heard muttering, "The Colonel is going to kill me if I'm late again!" . And then lights flashed on the Operations and Tactical consoles as they received an incoming hail. Hawke pointed it out, "Incoming hail." . Tabby sighed, "I got it, I got it." . The Captain waited a moment and then said, "Let's hear it, Tabby. Who could it be?"

. "It's the Android, sir," Tabby informed him. He opened a private comm to his lady-friend, Bevin, down in Engineering. "Psst, how's it going down there? Adam Android is on the line, and if he knows the situation, I might just go deaf." . Bevin answered him in her strong Brogue, "Tais gaein. Werkin an kaipin tha shailds ait awptimil laivils tae civir is bith." . Nine looked over at Tabby as she could hear Bevin's voice but couldn't understand what she'd said. . Tabby noticed the look of confusion on her face and whispered to her, "She means she's working on the shields. I asked her about them." . "Oh!" Nine nodded, "thanks for translating, Tabby." . Zak muttered, "Damn, that was quick. Open the channel, Tabby." He stood and straightened his uniform. . Tabby opened the comm channel and the unusually still form of Ambassador Adam Android appeared on the screen. He smiled and said, "Ah, Captain Taylor, so good of you to decide to take my call." . The Captain smiled back, "Of course, Ambassador. How can I help you?" . Still with a polite smile, the Android said, "Well, you can start by explaining why Commander Yzzklunkrick has declared you a traitor to the Heirate." . Tabby seemed to deflate. "Frig ... he knows!" . Zak rolled his eyes. "Well, 'traitor' is a strong word, Ambassador." . Tabby turned to the Captain, "Sir ... if I may ... um ... explain?" . Hawke made a face at his console, then reached and scratched the back of his head as he double-checked his readings. Finally, he interrupted, "Um ... we've got three ... well ... something ... on long-range scans. I wouldn't say cloaked ships, since well ... we wouldn't be able to detect them. Definitely three ... something ... in and out on sensors." . The Captain turned to his Tactical Officer, "Are they Kyrathian?" . Hawke checked his scans again and then shook his head, "Can't tell."

. Zak's mouth drew into a grim line and then he said, "Keep an eye on them, Hawke." He returned his attention to the Ambassador waiting patiently on the screen. . "Sir," Zak began, "we were contacted by a Kyrathian Noble that claims to not be part of the Swarm. She wanted peace." . "Not part of the Swarm, you say?" The Android tilted his head. "How do you know?" . Zak fidgeted uncomfortably at the Ambassador's question. "Well, actually, sir, well, we don't know yet. But ...," he was interrupted by Tabby's coughing. . "Captain," Tabby said, "may I have my say? It ... it was my idea." . The Captain studied Tabby a moment and then gestured to the Ambassador on the screen. "By all means, Lieutenant." . But before Tabby could say anything the Android said, "So, you protected an enemy of the Heirate and then aided their escape and you don't yet know if they are actually friendly?" . Tabby stood from the Operations console. He appeared nervous as he stood before someone he considered to be a judgmental robotic uncle. "It ... it was my idea. After she contacted Shadow, and after reading the glyphs that T'Lin made out. It ... it said food shortage." . The Ambassador studied the man he remembered as a troublesome toddler from the days of the ISS Reciprocity. "So, you decided to help them based on this ... story?" . Nine watched the angry man on the main viewscreen, hoping he wouldn't notice her Borg implants. Hawke also watched, raising an eyebrow but saying nothing. . Tabby continued, "Her ship doesn't have the Swarm symbol on it." . "Well," Adam responded, "the good news is that Cmdr. Yzzklunkcrik was able to defeat the other Kyrathians with the loss of only a single Frigate. He called that 'acceptable casualties'." . Zak cut a glance at Tabby, turning so that the Android couldn't see him he mouthed silently, "Swarm symbol?"

. Tabby turned to him and with a nod said, "I took time to study each ship through the screen. Each of the other three had a different symbol than what was on her ship." . He turned back to the Ambassador and continued, "She begged ... pleaded ... that she meant us no harm, and just wanted her eggs safe! She reached out against her sister ships, even attacked her own! I saw it!" . The Android tilted his head again, "Wait, this Kyrathian attacked other Kyrathians? That's ... different, I must say." . Zak answered him, "Yes, sir. She attacked her own sisters just before the Aslans arrived. We tried to tell them sir, but ... well, Yzz wouldn't listen." . Adam tilted his head the other direction. "Well, Yzzklunkcrick is known as a hothead. Even the High Protector admits that about him." . Tabby added, " After reading the glyphs, it also mentioned that their plant is sick, insane actually. My theory is because of this shortage of food." . The Captain again turned his back to the screen but spoke softly to Tabby, "We don't know that for sure, yet, Tabby." . But the Android said, "Captain, my audio receptors are much more attuned than humans. I can hear you. So ... you have some theories that have yet to be fully investigated." . Zak still had his back to the screen. He muttered, "Damned android." . Hawke smirked and said softly, "Would you like me to hold him, Captain?" He was making a joke about when Cmdr. Spock had refused to kill his half-brother Sybok. Captain Kirk had said, "Forgive you? I ought to knock you on your God-damned ass!" And Dr. Leonard McCoy quipped, "You want me to hold him, Jim?" . The Android smirked, "I heard that, too, Captain." . Tabby bobbed his head slightly, "It's ... well, it's a theory. We're still looking at the glyphs. I'm really just going off of guesses and past history, way before my time."

. He paused before adding, "But the fact is, she attacked her own and we witnessed it! That's gotta be something to risk everything for to look into! I know damn well that I seem like I'm absolutely insane, but what I saw was real!" . The Captain turned back around. "Sir," he addressed the Android, "I just need time. We've got an Away Team standing by to meet with her." . The Android's head tilted again, "Hmm," he said, "well, no actual harm was done, if it all plays out the way you think. I'll talk to the Queen. They trust me. I'm their 'Revered Hero' after all." . Tabby giggled, "Yeah, but a reluctant 'Revered Hero'." . Adam smiled, "We Starfleet Captains have a thing for that, don't we, Mr. Taylor?" With a nod he closed the comm channel. . Tabby giggled again, "Oooh, the Captain has some dirt to spill!" . "Wait," Hawke interrupted again, "Hold on." His console was beeping. He studied it and then said, "Weapons fire between those three blips which now we know are ships!" . Zak spun to face Hawke, "Weapons fire? What the hell is going on out there?"

@everyone Another exciting Sim Log Narrative is posted. Enjoy!