War Room

[Jonathan Price]

Deep under the new Leo's Blues and Rock Club -

Jonathan and Isabella Price were sitting at a table that looked like it came out of a starship's ready room. It was old, worn in spots and looked vaguely starship shaped. On the walls of the 'new' war room were holographic projection monitors as well as standard displays. Nick was standing in front of a map of the main continent and placing small markers in various spots.

"Alright... so these are the areas hit in red, the yellow are where we found some of Dominus' solders and the black are where we found Ajem'Dasis warriors. Clearly they had a plan in mind, what it exactly is, I'm still trying to figure out." Nick said as he looked at the 'Presidents Price'. "So Jon, Bella... the thing we need to figure out and fast... how do we keep this from being overly blown out of proportion?"

"Section 31 style cover up, I take it?" Jon said as he looked at a padd. "Obviously you and your family will always be targets, that won't really ever change, will it?"

"Not really. You're part of that family too you know." Nick reminded him. "I'm concerned about everyone else. Our families can weather this, we're strong, it's everyone else... that I worry about. Dominus and the Ajem have no concern for life, they're just collateral damage."

"I agree... and we lost far too many today between Sigma and the hospital. So what are your plans for Bartyn?" Jon crossed his arms.

"Find out what he knows then... " Nick gave Bella a look. "I imagine it should be up to your folks what happen to him. He's too dangerous to let go free and locking him up somewhere may only hold him so long."

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan stormed into War Room fury spilling off of him like heat from a nuclear reactor. He pushed his way past protesting officers and staffers. "They took her," he said through clinched teeth. That was only to keep it from a booming shout. "They have my wife!"

[Jonathan Price]

Jon pounded his fist against the table. "Alright, that's enough of this." he pointed his finger at Nick. "We are ending this Dominus. He wanted a war, he's getting a bloody frakking war."

"My grand daughter Jon..." Nick said as he tried to keep calm despite the news, mainly for Ethan's sake.

"I don't bloody give a shit, that mother fucker has one of our own now. He killed your father. Killed the young alternate of your mother. Killed the Narlin Emperor whom we are all friends with and his family AND... AND now he's got Colonel Trinity Talon?" Jon shouted and looked at Ethan. "General Talon, muster whatever you need. I want a war plan of attack by the morning. Nicholas, I want your teams ready to go, find the Colonel and get her home." Jon looked at his wife and saw the slight smile play at her lips after he swore. "And yes... I know fifty in the swear jar..."

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan took a deep ragged breath, "I would like to use the Erebus. The Narlin planet of Jakoo has several vibranium mines. I'm told the element is impervious to klidens. Our Last encounter with the Ajem was deadly. I had to promote three NCOs to Lieutenants to replace lost officers."

[Nick Ryder]

"First we need to figure out where she is." Nick said as calmly as he could. "And luckily for us, I did implant tracer nanobots into her new hand. They're a modification of the ones I've been implanting in high ranking officials for years now, but they move through the body, so they're not so easily traceable and there is more than one. By now she should have at least three or four tracers in the rest of her body, so even if they found and deactivated one or two, there are still backups that remain dormant and they don't actively send or receive. It's more a mineral we can scan for, in addition to a transmitter we can send an activation signal to." he explained and cleared his throat. "Sorry... I just never had the chance to explain the newer tracers I developed..."

"So you think you can find the Colonel?" Jon said as he looked at Nick.

"Reasonably so. Of course if they're out of the reality, then it's near impossible, but I'm pretty sure she's still here. Do we have any security footage of her being taken? Provided she was taken and didn't just leave on her own for some reason. They had her pretty doped up. I remember when I charred my hands when I was still learning my powers, took me months to not need daily pain killers and years before I actually forgot that I had half metal and half organic." Nick looked at Ethan with a sympathetic look. "I'm still planning on upgrading your's too son... what I used for Trinity, was intended eventually to be used for you too."

"If it was Dominus that took her... then it's safe to assume that she's wherever his new base of operations is, options gentlemen... we need to eliminate his threat and the threat of his forces once and for all and somehow stop this inter reality crossing over. The technology he possesses is far too dangerous to remain in existence. I would dare say, if there was a way to go back in time and stop him from ever having it, I would suggest it, but... that's neither here nor there." Jon crossed his arms. "All I know is that I'm tired of being attacked on our soil and our people looking like we can't defend ourselves. This ends. I'm authorizing lethal force, there is a time and place for taking prisoners and trying to be on the higher path, but I've gotten writer's cramp signing condolence letters and I refuse to rubber stamp."

"That's why I let you take over Jon... you care. Like I do." Nick replied.

[Lehona Sunstrider]

"Pardon my interruption," Captain Sunstrider said as she entered the War Room. "General Talon wanted the security footage as soon as possible."

She inserted a data chip into the chip reader and immediately a holographic image of the Erebus' corridor was displayed. "Our computers were seriously jumbled up, but she didn't do anything permanent. Just a Level 1 diagnostic of all critical systems. The work load was more than the computers could handle."

"You said she?" Ethan asked. "Dominus is a misogynist. He doesn't work with women he uses them."

"Yeah, about that," Lehona said as she pressed play. In the corridor a lithe female figure appeared wearing an Admiral's uniform. He flaming red hair pulled into a bun.

A passing Ensign saluted her, and Rebecca Talon returned the gesture. Upon entering sickbay there was a brief encounter with the on duty doctor whome was dispatched quickly with a skill that was very specific to a 'dasis.

"That isn't mom."

"Her voice print and authorization code was used. I confirmed it with command minutes ago."

"Then she's a Changling. Mom wouldn't ever do that," Ethan protested.

[Selene Cross]

“Or she from another reality.” Bella said thoughtfully. “We have someone in custody who might be able to provide the answer.”

[Nick Ryder]

"That's my thought." Nick said as he studied the footage. "She moves like Becca, but in a more aggressive sort of way, and if she was a Changling, the sensors would pick that up. Remember, Director V'Pier helped me install Founder detecting systems in all our ships... juuuuust in case. He doesn't trust his people as far as little Nora could throw them." he tapped his chin and looked at Selene. "You mean Bartyn... don't let him out of his cell no matter what. But... he may have answers. He's Ajem, this Becca is Ajem... clearly they came from somewhere."

[Ethan Talon]

"An evil version of mom," Ethan sighed. "I guess I always knew there would be on a purely theoretical level. But, this is scary. She's calculating, and exerted the exact amount of force to complete her mission. She could have destroyed the Erebus, but she didn't. Clean, efficient, and fast."

The holographic image finally showed Trinity being beamed off the ship as the feed was cut off. Ethan was gripping the table so hard that his knuckles were white with strain.

[Selene Cross]

“I don’t intend to let him out.” Bella replied matter of fact. “But until jack and Kinsey are back from Xenex we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.”