Questions For A Goddess

Posted on Sun Nov 11th, 2018 @ 1:14am by Commander Rita Paris & Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi & Hera
Edited on on Fri Sep 6th, 2019 @ 4:40pm

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera, Deck 8, VIP quarters #11
Timeline: 2395

Thex didn't want to do this. Having to talk to any lifeforms that a phaser wasn't going to affect and had the ability to create minotaurs terrified her. Well, besides that jellyfish of hers, but he'd never taken over any planets.

Still, she needed to get some answers for the machinery down in the engineering bay, besides after reading Rita's report she'd been curious about a few things. Mainly what a titan had been doing to her girl and the odd holo-programs it had been spitting out. So after getting permission from the captain and dressing in her usual skintight catsuit uniform, she made her way to the guest quarters.

Standing outside the quarters the Andorian breathed in deeply before speaking. "Computer, please unseal VIP quarters 11, authorization Thex 1-3-4-O-G-1-3. Use the same security protocols as Commander Paris, adding my access and questions for my own."

=^= Confirmed, Lieutenant Commander. Access restricted to Captain Telvan, Lieutenant Commander Paris and Lieutenant Commander Thex. =^= the computer replied.

The two security guards at either side of Hera's quarters didn't say anything until Thex had gone inside. After the door closed though, one of them alerted command to what had happened. The second officer and Chief Engineer visiting Hera wasn't out of the question, but anyone doing so alone was certainly against standing orders.

Inside the VIP quarters, Hera was lounging on her fainting couch, plucking at some grapes and munching at them slowly. "Ah, a visitor! And what an interesting shade of blue you are as well! How may I enlighten you today?"

"Thank you. I'm Commander Thex, the chief engineer of this ship. I'm looking for some answers regarding some of the tech you had on the planet as well as something you said to Lieutenant Commander Rita." Thex said politely, but cautiously. Being chased through the vents by a shadow beast had done wonders to make her nervous around creatures that defied the laws of physics.

Hera's interest perked up at the mention of the tech. "What did you happen to find? And what is it that I said that you'd like to ask about?" So far all the meetings and interrogations she had been through had included that Venusian first officer, so Hera wasn't sure if this Chief Engineer was acting alone or with permission. Either way, her curiosity had been piqued.

"A few what appear to be broken weapons and armor, along with an apple of solid gold. The information I'm interested in is in regards of something you said to commander Rita. You mentioned you could sense the ship had passed through a body of a titan recently?" Thex asked as politely as she could. She was doing her best to remain calm, but she was becoming incredibly nervous around the goddess.

"Yes, I did say that." Hera stood from her fainting couch and looked at the blue woman suspiciously, wondering if she too was somehow under the influence of one of the Titans and she hadn't sensed it somehow. "How much do you know about it?"

"Not as much as I'd like. All I know is when the ship was caught in an ion storm, it wrecked my girl like nothing I've seen before. What was unusual was the holomatarix went into overload. It started spawning what appeared to be random hologram programs over the ship. Only they weren't random- there was some intelligence behind them, though I still can't work out any motive it would have had by creating them. We didn't manage to shut off the holomatrix until we were able to escape the storm." Thex calmly explained, hoping the goddess would have some idea of what she was talking about. She may have just said a load of gibberish.

Hera thought she understood most of that and it sounded about how she expected. "I think I understand what you're saying. You want confirmation that that ion storm had an intelligence and was likely controlling your holoemitters to do something like study or kill the crew? Is that it? From what I've felt of this vessel, it has passed through a massive dark energy ionic mass which comprised a Titan's slumbering and forming body. What you likely experienced was the near wakeful dreamstate of the Titan as it interacted with your ship, as you would interact with a petri dish. That's my hypothesis."

Just then, the quarters door opened and in walked Enalia, looking none to happy and though she was in her Starfleet uniform, she stood with the airs of a Pirate Queen. "I had assumed that when I said you could visit Hera, that you'd schedule a meeting with her through either myself or Commander Paris. When I received word that you had added yourself to the authorization list, I almost had security escort you to the brig just in case. I assume you have a good reason for this?"

As soon as the Trill woman entered, Hera could feel the energy in the room turn cold and she almost shrank from the woman's double aura. She maintained her semi-haughty stance, though in her weakened state it sapped at her to do so. For now she said nothing, not wanting to attract the attention of the Captain of this vessel just yet.

Almost jumping out of her skin, the andorian turned to face her captain. "Yes captain, I do. After what was said in the meeting about how a sliver of a titan had been in Jurot, it got me thinking. We know the holo-programs in the ion storm had some intelligence behind them and that got me thinking. If it could have left part of itself behind in Jurot that none of us realized, then what are the chances it could have left part of itself behind in the ship? Then I started thinking some more about if it could do that, then what are the chances it could spread into other programs? There could be slivers hidden everywhere from your family's station to the Federation's communications relays. "

The andorian took a breath before she continued. "I know I should have talked to you or the commander, but if it is possible that part of titan could be hiding in the ship. I'd like to know that for certain, and as quickly as possible, and we only have one expert on titans. Remember how much of a problem the black blood was? And I was planning to remove myself from the authorization list when I was done."

"All very logical... and as the second officer, I suppose some leeway may be allowed." Enalia had to think this over carefully. If what Thex was saying was true, the ship might be infested with whatever had infected Avendar Jurot or one of the crew, and they wouldn't even know it. On top of that, the only one that would be able to tell is the one person they couldn't trust enough to not take over the ship, or worse. Eyeing Hera herself, she wasn't sure if this 'Goddess' was any more or less powerful than Hermes, or just putting on airs.

Hera was doing her best to remain calm, but when the captain focused her gaze on the millennia old being, she felt like she'd been bitten. For a moment it emboldened her, but as weak as she had become, she soon withered so that she could no longer even hold the captain's gaze without looking out the large windows.

The spotted woman looked back to Thex, her gaze softening considerably. "Well, it seems no real harm has been done so far. Policy stands that no one sees Hera alone, but for now we'll let this slide because of the possible... Psionic? Metaphysical? Titan threat. Especially since by all reports Hera has been a model POW. I'll stick around and observe any further questioning though, if you don't mind."

Retreating to the replicator, Enalia punched in a mug of coffee and leaned against the wall there to sip at it.

Feeling slightly relieved that the captain hadn't bitten her head off, Thex let out a slight sigh of relief before continuing. "Yes, that would be perfectly acceptable, captain. So as you were saying, that the holograms were possibly testing us? That does make some sense. Though I still don't get what test results you get by having me beat a group of Orion dancers in a dance-off." Thex said only realizing she had said that last bit out loud after it had left her mouth.

It was at that moment that the doors opened and Lieutenant Commander Paris, her short haircut disheveled, looking as though she had been interrupted in the shower, stormed in. Her standard gold minidress uniform of a long ago era was in place, though it was conspicuously lacking the jet black leggings that usually accompanied it, and for a change her legs were completely bare, marking her as out of uniform. However, the antique phaser in her hand made it abundantly clear that she expected trouble, not the Captain having a cup of coffee while Thex chatted with the goddess prisoner of the USS Hera.

Taking in the scene, the fulsome first officer brought the phaser up to point at the overhead. "I assume there's an explanation I am lacking, and that there is no emergency," Rita Paris asked as her eyes flickered first to the captain, then Thex, then to the now-bemused goddess.

"No emergency, commander. I was just asking our guest about what happened to us in the ion storm and if it's possible for a piece of the titan to have been left in the ship." Thex replied calmly.

Glancing at the Captain, who offered a noncommittal shrug, Paris holstered her phaser in the hidden slit in the right hip of her uniform designed to hold her weapon. "We'll talk about security measures and their reasons later," Paris said meaningfully to the chief engineer, then joined the captain to lean against the replicator, arms crossed beneath her prodigious gold-clad bosom and one eyebrow upraised. "Proceed with your questioning, Miss sh'Zoarhi. What was your last question I likely interrupted?"

"I was asking our guest if the titan was able to leave a piece of itself in the ship like it was able to leave a piece in Ensign Jurot." the andorian said

"And I was trying to be a helpful Goddess by answering truthfully," Hera added, making sure to avoid risk of eye contact with Enalia. She even only had one hand on her hip instead of the normal two.

Enalia shrugged again and punched up a second cup of coffee in the replicator, offering it to Rita. "While security was slightly compromised, I understand Thex's urgency and desire for directness in this. If there's a sliver of a Titan left in the computer listening..." Enalia left the rest unsaid.

Hera, however, did not. "Then it could easily take control of your systems and pervert them. As I am your only way to detect such an influence, I'd like to petition for amnesty and request that I not be transferred to the Norse prison ship 'Odin's Breath' as planned."

Thex swallowed slightly at the goddess words. This decision was way above her grade, but could they really afford not to take this offer? "Well, what do you think, commanders?" she asked Rita and Telvan.

"I think this is a decision that needs to be discussed, and by more than the people in this room," Paris opined. "Captain?"

Enalia didn't have to think on it hard. "I agree. Command will have to discuss it and Odin and his two chickenhawks won't be pleased, to say the least. If it were up to me though, I would be inclined if we had a way to ensure there was no duplicity. Hera is known for her cleverness, after all." While she spoke, she stared daggers into the goddess, trying to take her measure, which made the woman squirm as if she were being tortured.

Looking over at Rita, Enalia continued. "Have you ever heard of the term Geas?"

At the mere mention of the word, Hera's complexion drained. She obviously knew what it was. What she didn't know was how this mortal knew or if she really knew how to complete one or if she knew someone that did.

"Ah... an Irish folklore myth of an obligation or prohibition magically imposed upon a person," Rita spouted out, somewhat surprised that she knew the answer. With a bit of Sonak's katra inside her, sometimes the long-lost lieutenant commander knew answers she'd never learned, though she was surprised that he knew this. But then, given the current state of the galaxy, it stood to reason that he had likely been boning up on Earth mythologies. "So like a magically binding contract that one would use on a magical being to insure a minimum of mischief out of them?"

"And one that would bind her to us, if we can pull it off." Enalia was a bit grim as she continued the explanation. "It has some rather sour side effects though. If you don't complete the Geas, either because you can't, you refuse to, or it's poorly worded so you're unable to, it consumes the person and they die. On top of that, if the person placing it is psionically weaker than the one its being placed on, the one placing it might have it placed on them instead. The science behind it has a lot to do with her psionic realms and I didn't get a very definitive explanation on it. But I think when we rendezvous with the 'Odin's Breath' someone there might be willing to oblige us, if we paid enough."

"I suppose I don't get any say in this?" Hera protested, rather put off that they would even discuss such a revolting matter in front of her, let alone consider it.

Enalia looked back to Hera, her eyes again hard as stone. "For now it's a possible option, and if we're entertaining the possibility of harboring you aboard my starship, we need to explore all possibilities."

Well, at least that was something, the blue andorian thought to herself. Though maybe they wouldn't need to do that. They did have the golden apple after all. Though the andorian knew she really shouldn't mention it. "I'm sure we can find out a solution without putting anyone at risk." She said calmly.

"For the record, I'm against this, Captain," Paris stated firmly, crossing her arms beneath her prodigious bust. "Over the course of her interviews, Hera has grown more evasive and manipulative, and frankly, I don't trust her. I absolutely object to giving her any sort of access to the ship's computer. I have more faith in our people rooting out and dealing with any such influence than giving her a chance to start more mischief. She is an expert on the gods and titans, but as she's grown more comfortable onboard she's showing less motivation to be helpful and demonstrating more motive of pure self-preservation. I say we let the prison ship have her, since she's so cheerfully content to give us half-answers and allusions."

While traditionally Paris leaned toward the 'good cop' role, in this case she had been observing the captive goddess closely and cataloging her behavior patterns. Observe, analyze and deduce were the methods she had been taught. Thus far her observation was that once the shock of her captivity had worn off, Hera began to grow comfortable. The analysis was that she would do whatever it took to not be imprisoned by those who knew how to keep her contained. Thus her deduction was that Hera was taking advantage of this opportunity to seek asylum, and would likely seek a way to turn it to her advantage.

While Enalia was not a mind reader, she was fairly good at reading people and she had a pretty good idea of what Rita was thinking. She also knew Hera's M.O. and between the two, she was inclined to agree. "She may be trying to take advantage of us, and we may be her best hope of freedom, but as a Starfleet Captain I have to take every request for asylum seriously, no matter how many dimensions higher they happen to be to us."

"Thus, if Hera is serious about it, and can prove that she has the USS Hera's best interests in mind to the command staff without a shadow of a doubt..." Enalia's voice hardened even further as she spoke before she suddenly took a one-eighty and smiled sweetly. "Then the request will be considered and may even be approved."

Never one to argue with her captain, Paris kept her arms crossed as she glowered through half-lidded eyes at the captive entity. "That'll take a fair bit of doing. Those shadows of doubt are rather long and impressive. Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi, do you have any further questions at this time?"

"None, commander. I'm sure we could find something for her to help us with," Thex replied calmly.

"Or get along without her- after all, given how her 'help' tends to leave people worse off than when they started, I think we're finished. Captain?" the gold-clad commander turned an inquisitive eye toward the commanding officer. "Are we done here?"

Enalia nodded and glanced back at Rita before heading towards the door. "Yeah, I think we're done here. We rendezvous with the 'Odin's Breath' tomorrow, so we'll discuss this further with the captain of that ship and proceed from there." With that, she unsealed the door and walked out. On the outside, she leaned against a corridor wall and sighed. Not only had they fallen victim to Kirk's Fallacy and had all the top ranking officers in the same room as a possible homicidal alien, but that alien asked for asylum for likely selfish reasons and likely disastrous results. At least Hera, even in her weakened state, lived up to her myths.

Thex let out a sigh as she leaned back against the wall. That could have probably gone better. Still, before she could forget. "Computer, remove Commander Thex authorization to guest quarters, access code 1-3-4-O-G-1-3," she said to the computer which gave a simple =^= Confirmed =^= in reply.

"All right. Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi, please see if you can find any trace of lingering infestation- coordinate with Lieutenant Sonak to insure the ship's computer is free from all traces, preferably sooner than later," Paris ordered. "I want security on those recovered artifacts, and I'd prefer if no one decides to suddenly begin experimenting with them until we know more about them. So I'd like to see some in-depth scans and timelapse studies. Again, coordinate with the science department, please. Captain, anything to add?"

"El-Aurians are known to have a sort of sixth sense about things, right? Ask Doctor Dael if they'll accept a patient whose mass is over three point three million tonnes. Other than that, I think we're better off trying to rely on our own strengths first." Enalia nodded before giving her signature lopsided grin.

"Let's get to it, then."