SD: 21.0704.0100 (GMT)
Scene: OLYMPUS-MONS, Security Central

<snip: Don's "Letters of Marque">
>
>"If I understand you correctly, Lieutenant, you’re saying
>that if the government is involved in attacks upon alien
>races then there could be a very short chain-of-command,"
>Darr’chuh said.
>
>"Yes, sir," Rescola replied. "If I had to guess, I would
>say there are both government and private-enterprise
>influences at work here. Several major scientific advances
>over the last three or four decades appeared suddenly out
>of nothing. We can find no background research to account
>for those advances. So, acquisition from outside the system
>seems the most likely answer.
>
>"Or I could be wrong about the whole thing," Rescola
>finished on a low note.

"Your hypothesis seems plausible to me. I do have another
question, though."

"Yes, sir?"

"From your observations of their behavior, what would you
say is their method of maintaining order? For instance, how
physical do you think discipline is among them? Is disapproval
enough, or do they need to find themselves suddenly across
the room picking their teeth one by one out of the wall? Or
somewhere between? Or worse?"

The fang-and-claw armed, eight foot plus ex-Security Chief
waited; quite interested in Rescola's answer.

<tag Don?>

***********************************
Scene: OLYMPUS, bridge
Time: second-to-last course change
<<this is a jump in the story,
feel free to backpost if you like>>

CO Darr'chuh had returned to the bridge about five minutes
before each course change and this one was no different.
At 4 m 53 s remaining on FO n' Galeda's internal clock,
Darr'chuh stepped back onto the bridge. As he had every
other time, Darr'chuh made his way to the conn and sat,
despite his preference for standing.

There was one difference, however. The Mov captain began
immediately tapping away at the controls in the chair's
arm. Intriguing.

"The first two probes have reached the system and relayed
the RRT's preliminary reports. One has since activated its
self-destruct and the second has reported pursuit," LtCmdr
Kallesin n' Galeda informed the captain.

"Lt Trilone, please send the flight path alterations I've
made to the probes still enroute and switch to the new
flight path when ready."

"Aye, sir," Trilone responded, bringing up the new sequence
just entered.

n' Galeda checked it. The new course brought them into the
system dangerously close to one of the planet's smaller
moons. It did avoid the predictability that Trilone had
protested earlier. But it did so by sacrificing safety and
utility for defensive postitioning. The moon would both
block the view of them from planetside and their own view
of the planet.

The first officer thought over the situation in less than
the blink of an eye, considering alternatives he might
suggest. Was there a better way?

--------------------
Best Wishes,
Janet Gist

Cmdr Darr'chuh
USS OLYMPUS-MONS, CO

LtCmdr Reetaw'agah
USS DEMORA-SULU, CMO
Shield of Alexander 19.0813

Lt<jg> Tyn Alamy
USS DESTINY, instructor/CSciO