On to Tirax:

    Several days pass as repairs are affected on the Star Fist.  You spend your time doing work here and there, helping with the repair efforts or gathering and interpreting sensor data. There isn't much in the way of significant weather or climate changes yet, but you are starting to already see slightly cooler temperatures.  Your passive sensors have mapped out the locations of most of the systems in the Sigma quadrant, but there is not much more data than that.
    The scene opens once again on the bridge of the Star Fist, as Lt. Kirana at the sensor station reports, "Ahh, Ma'am? We're beginning to receive sensor data from the probe that we fired when we met up with that run down colony ship..."
Mindwave walks over to the science station, "anything interesting, Lieutenant?"
Lt. Kaar looks over the data, reporting, "The signal is strong, looking good. Looks like we have a single-star system, yellow class II, eight planets, one in the biozone. That particular planet is showing significant technology, including some sort of orbital facility..."  She stops, saying a moment later,   "Telemetry has been terminated, Ma'am."
Bruno erks, "Oh dear...this would be a bad sign..."
Mindwave frowns, "Morgoths?"
Lt. Kirana nods, saying to Bruno, "I agree. The probe was broadcasting a strong signal, I think it's safe to assume that the probe was destroyed."  He looks at the data, saying in response to Mindwave, "Doubtful. We did get some information on their technology before the transmission ceased. This doesn't look like Morgoth technology."
Bruno shrugs, "Perhaps the natives simply detected our satt and acted of their own volition. Could be considered a form of self-defense, honestly."
Captain Tarna says, "Well, at least that answers one of our questions.  We know for a fact that the system is still inhabited."
Mindwave says, "How far away is the Tirax system?"
Ens. T'ja makes some quick calculations. She shakes her head and says, "It's quite far, Warlord. Six weeks at top speed, barring any complications."
Mindwave says, "That is quite far...."
Bruno says, "Any other ships closer to that system?"
Mindwave turns to the communications officer, "Send a message back to Earth and Fleet Command.  Include all data from the probe in the Tirax system.  Perhaps another vessel is closer and investigate..."
Ens. T'ja reports, answering both questions, "I believe we are the closest vessel to that system, unless the Empress has sent out other vessels that we are unaware of."
Mindwave says, "Ensign, how soon can we get a reply back from Fleet Command?"
Ens. Par'tagh at the communications console asks, "Shall I send that message, Warlord?"
Ens. Partagh says, "We're still within range of instantaneous communications with Earth, Warlord... though not by much."
Mindwave says, "Thank you, Ensign.  Send a message to Fleet Command with the data, and a request for orders on whether to investigate the Tirax system, or stay on our present mission."
Ens. Par'tagh says, "Aye, Warlord." and sets about sending the message.
Mindwave turns to Bruno, "I am curious as to just what is going on in the Tirax system..."
A few moments later, Par'tagh says, "Earth confirms transmission received, Warlord. They're asking us to stand by while they decide what's going to happen."
Mindwave says, "Acknowledged, Ensign."
Mindwave turns to the Captain, "Captain, how soon can we get underway, if we are ordered to go to the Tirax system?"
Captain Tarna reports, "All major systems have been repaired. If necessary, we can get underway at any time, and the rest of the repairs can be conducted in transit."
Mindwave says, "Thank you Captain..."
Mindwave turns to the communications officer, "Have we gotten an update on the colony ship, The Voyager?"
Ens. Par'tagh nods and says, "Aye Warlord.  They made planetfall about a week ago and have set up temporary shelters on the planet."
Mindwave smiles, "Excellent....at least there is some good news today..."
Ens. Par'tagh taps a few keys on his console, then says, "Ahh.  Incoming transmission from Earth, Warlord. Coded and encrypted with the Empress' personal encryption key."
Mindwave says, "Put it on the main viewer, Ensign."
Empress's image appears on the screen.  She sits on her throne in the palace outside of Paris. She says, "Greetings, Mindwave, and to your crew."
Mindwave bows before the image of the Empress Mindwave says, "Greetings, my Empress.  You have been notified of our recent  message?"
Bruno gives a little wave and makes smoochey faces at his girlfriend then settles down before Mindwave notices.
Empress nods and says, "Yes, I have seen the preliminary reports.  The Enchantress and I have been discussing your current situation, and we have decided that for the time being, it may be best for you to leave the Sigma Quadrant and check out this Tirax system.  Our intelligence on the Morgoth expansion has apparently been inaccurate, if you've run into them already.  We will send more ships to aid you in your mission, but it will take some time for them to arrive in the Sigma quadrant."
Mindwave says, "Acknowledged, my Empress.  We will get underway immediately."
Mindwave says, "How soon will the reinforcements arrive in the Sigma Quadrant?"
Empress nods and says, "Very good. We will not be within instant communications range when you reach the Tirax system, so you will be on your own for making decisions. Choose wisely, and remember your crew." She then answers the question, saying, "I have sent for a full battle group to aid you.  The   Dreadnought and the battle cruisers are not as fast as your ship, so you should have time to investigate the Tirax system and catch the battle group in transit to the Sigma quadrant.  As important as expansion in your direction is, I don't want to send you into a nest of Morgoths without a significant amount of firepower."
Empress asks, "Do you have any further questions, Mindwave?"
Mindwave says, "No other questions on the mission, my Empress.  I understand my orders, and thank you for placing such trust in me. I won't let you down. My only questions would concern the situation on Earth, and how things are going there?"
Empress says, "Things are going well here for the time being.  People are beginning to accept Imperial control with more ease.  We have also begun construction on the first of our defensive battlestations."
Mindwave says, "Excellent.  I am glad to hear that.  Send my regards to the Enchantress."
Empress nods, then turns her head slightly. She says, "Dr. Von Otto.  We have been requested by Defender of the group known as the Champions to send you this data to aid you in your research on the nano-virus. I will have that data attached to the end of this transmission.  Defender and Savant request your data in return."
Mindwave holds her breath and hopes Bruno doesn't say anything stupid...
Bruno nods, "Sure thing sweetiebuns. I've made significant progress in my research.  Not to question your wisdom of course, but is it wise to be transmitting this across open space?  Even on a tight beam, secured channel?"
Mindwave grimaces...
Empress's expression remains as neutral as it has through the entire conversation. She says, "Our encryption codes are strong enough. Please transmit your data, we will see to it that Defender gets it."
Bruno nods and produces the gadget, which has long since been wired to be compatible with the ship's computers. He plugs it in, hits a few keystrokes.   "On it's way, my love."
Mindwave sighs to herself
Bruno doesn't trust Defender to be able to tie his own shoe laces without getting incapacitated, but what the hell, it's what SHE wants, eh?
Empress looks off to one side away from the camera for a moment, then nods. She turns back and says, "Data received.  Thank you, Doctor."  She turns back to Mindwave, saying, "Good luck, Mindwave.  And be careful."
Mindwave says, "Thank you, My Empress.  Star Fist out."  Mindwave bows again before the image fades away.
The "End of Transmission" screen appears on the viewscreen as the Empress' image blinks out.
Mindwave turns to the Captain, "Captian, get us underway to the Tirax system.   Best possible speed."
Captain Tarna nods, saying, "Aye Warlord."  He turns and nods to Ens. T'ja, and the ship begins breaking orbit.
Bruno smirks and nods to Mindwave, "I'll be in my lab researching the virus, trying to see if Defender actually KNOWS anything..."
Mindwave turns to the Doctor as he departs, "Very well Doctor."

Bruno disappears into his laboratory.

Mindwave mutters under her breath, "One day that fantasy of his will get him executed... or worse..."
There is something odd that occurs to you though... what she had to say to him really didn't need to be said... that sort of thing could have easily been attached to the message without her making any special mention of it...
Ens. T'ja reports, "Course laid in for the Tirax system."
Mindwave shivers as she ponders the possibilities.
Captain Tarna looks to you, waiting for confirmation on the order...
Mindwave says, "Get us underway, Captain."
Captain Tarna nods, saying, "Engage, Ensign."  A moment later, the ship streaks forward and you're pulled into warp.
Mindwave keeps pondering the possibilites, and decides she needs a strong drink, "Captain, I'll be in my quarters."

  You enter your quarters and the door closes behind you with a gentle hiss.   Sitting down at your terminal, the computer begins compiling all of the data you have from both the probe and from the Voyager.  It's all pretty routine stuff, honestly, but you start sifting through it again.  Soon the data on the terminal screen stops making sense to you, and you feel quite tired... tired enough that you don't even feel like getting up to lie down..."
Mindwave looks around if Chesire Cat is in here...
You look around but see no sign of Cheshire Cat.  The room seems to be spinning, yet you don't really feel dizzy, just kind of tired.  You try to focus, but that just makes things worse, as everything around you seems to be swirling together into some sort of madman's painting.
Mindwave tries to get up and make it to the door...
You stand up and the roar of a crowd cheering greets you.  You look around and all around you, people are standing up in the stands of Coors Field in Denver as one of the players has just hit a grand slam home run. The discontinuity is incredible... like something you would experience in a dream, only much more vivid

Mindwave concentrates to see if someone is in telepathic contact with her, or affecting her mind somehow
You concentrate, and sense three other presences nearby... two of them you recognize right away as Dr. Jason Thorne and Col. Charr of Psibercorp... the man you were chasing in Denver when the Empress' ship crash-landed on Earth.  The third presence you're not sure of, but it's familiar to you somehow. Just then, an announcement is made over the speakers in the stadium, announcing the winner of a prize drawing...
A man brushes by you on his way up the stairs... Col. Charr. He doesn't seem to recognize you, or pay much attention to you, but he's on his way to claim his prize.

Mindwave looks at the clothes she is wearing
You look down and you're wearing regular civilian clothes... the same clothes you were wearing that day, as a matter of fact.
Mindwave starts to follow Charr, and checks her purse to see if she has all the stuff she is supposed to have...
A quick glance through the purse shows everything that was there before is there now. You begin following the Colonel up the stairs, he still appears to have taken no notice of you.
Mindwave radios Thorne and the others, "Target is in my sites, he's going for the bait."
No response...
Mindwave tries to wake herself up from this dream...
You still find yourself standing in the middle of the stands at Coors Field.   Col. Charr is nearing exit from the stands that leads down to the vendor area.
Mindwave follows Charr Mindwave looks at her watch...
The time and date on your watch are consistent with your surroundings.  You continue t follow Col. Charr down the stairs into the vendor area. He's at the bottom of the steps and beginning to make his way toward where he is to pick up his free beer.
Mindwave checks to see if she has a cell phone with her, to try to call the others...
Yes, you have a cell phone with you.  You dial the number (which you have no trouble remembering) but it merely rings and rings. No answer, no voice mail.   Col. Charr is in the middle of the vendor area now.
Mindwave looks around to see if display signs, or anything else, is out of the ordinary?
Everything seems to be 'correct' for the time that you find yourself in.  You just don't seem to be interacting with the surroundings very much.  Physically you are there... you've been bumped into enough times that it's obvious. But nobody seems to be paying attention to you.
Mindwave pulls a compact out of her purse and looks in the mirror at herself...
Looking in the mirror, you see what you would expect to see. Your own image is there, looking back at you. You look back up at Col. Charr, and he's nearing the point where he should be noticing Thorne
Mindwave continues to follow, readying her mental defenses...
Mindwave tries to telepathically contact Thorne:

Empress says, "Ahh, ok, make a roll vs. ECV"
Mindwave rolls 3 dice and gets: 4 3 3
Body: 3
Stun: 10

You can sense Thorne's presence, but something's strange when you try to make contact with him. You encounter some sort of resistance...
Empress says, "Roll your telepathy, and roll high :)"
Mindwave rolls 12 dice and gets: 5 2 5 3 2 2 5 2 4 6 4 5
Body: 13
Stun: 45

You manage to push through the resistance, but your contact with Thorne is shaky at best.
Mindwave tells Thorne telepathically, "He is just about here, look out so he doesn't spot you."
You sense that he comprehends, but is still confused. He starts moving out of the way, but Col. Charr spots him. A moment later, Charr staggers slightly and begins to run
Mindwave tries to halt Charr with her TK power
Empress says, "Roll 3D"
Mindwave rolls 3 dice and gets: 1 2 4
Body: 2
Stun: 7

You reach out with your TK power, but fail to grasp anything (Need high rolls in combat).  Col. Charr runs down the stairs leading out of the stadium.
Mindwave runs after him...
You reach the stairs and start down. You find yourself running beside yourself, though the other copy of you doesn't seem to notice, as you both make your way down the stairs.  You reach the bottom and get out to the parking lot, where you see Charr running through the parked cars.  Thorne wheels his way out behind you  , and Bruno is directly behind you. The third presence you felt before you now recognize as yourself.
Mindwave tries to touch her other self...
Physical contact is made. Your other self looks at you, grim determination on her face.
Strangely, she doesn't seem to give you a second thought.
You sense your other self open up with her mind control power, attempting to get Charr to stop... her attack fails again as it did the first time and the Colonel continues running.
Mindwave looks to the sky to see if the fireball is on the way...
You look up, and knowing that it's coming, you do see it. You have about five seconds before it passes by...
Mindwave yells out, "Everybody get down!"
Mindwave looks for cover and goes there...
You yell but again, nobody seems to pay attention.  The nearest cover you see is underneath a fairly large pickup truck... you are in the middle of the parking lot after all.
Mindwave wonders why no one pays attention to her, she can touch things, her feet do touch the ground...  she heads for the cover of the truck
You get underneath the truck just as the shockwave from the crashing ship hits and knocks everyone else down.  You, knowing that it was coming, were able to take the proper precautions and avoided getting knocked unconscious.
Mindwave gets up after it is over and looks for Charr...
You climb out from under the truck, and Charr is on his hands and knees, but is starting to get up himself.

Mindwave says, "can I use a mental attack on him?"
Empress says, "Ok, whatcha doing? Ego attack?"
Mindwave says, "yep"
Empress says, "Roll 'em."
Empress says, "3D to hit..."
Empress says, "Just don't roll bad"

Mindwave rolls 3 dice and gets: 3 1 5
Body: 2
Stun: 9

Empress says, "Eh... close enough, roll your damage"

Mindwave rolls 6 dice and gets: 4 2 6 3 3 1
Body: 6
Stun: 19

Empress says, "You see him collapse to the ground again as your ego attack hits him.  THAT will stop him from teleporting right away."

Mindwave yells out, "Quickly, while he is stunned!"
Everyone else around you is still trying to get up from the blast...  and yet again, they pay no attention to you.  Charr is on the ground but not down for the count. What are you doing?

Mindwave says, "I'm trying to remember if we had any restraints for him   on us?"
Empress says, "Yes, you did."
Empress says, "Your mission was to capture him, so you would definitely have had those with you."
Mindwave says, "who had them on their person?"
Empress says, "I believe you did, you were in charge of the mission, and really you were the only actual IST agent there."

    You realize that you have the restraints on you, in your purse... you begin rushing forward, running up to Col. Charr before he regains his feet.  As you start running, your surroundings begin to swirl again, the cars and the parking lot swirl and meld, forming a sort of tunnel that you run through.   But this time, Col. Charr doesn't seem to swirl in with everyone else...  you can still see him as plain as day.  Red streaks of light fly past you on the walls of the 'tunnel' and you're about to reach Col. Charr when you hit what appears to be the end of the tunnel. A flash of bright white light envelopes you and Charr, as you both seem to float weightlessly through a cloudy white mist.
He tumbles out of control, but you seem to maintain your orientation...   not that you have any point of reference other than him.
Mindwave says, "Where are we?"
Your voice echos back to you as you speak. Col. Charr, apparently only half-conscious, continues to tumble and is moving away from you.  The expression on his face is one of extreme confusion and disorientation as he drifts away...

Mindwave says, "can I see him anymore?"
Empress says, "you can still see him, but he's disappearing into the mists"

Mindwave reaches out with her mind to Charr...
Contact is made.  His brain is very active, and he does try to stop you, but you manage to penetrate his defenses... he still doesn't seem to be in top form.
Mindwave says, "Why were you in Denver?"
A number of reasons flash through his mind at your mere suggestion, the most prominent of which has something to do with some sort of new psi weapon.  His body is out of view now, obscured by the mist, and your mental connection is fading fast.
Mindwave says, "who was your contact?"
As the mental connection with his mind fades out to nothing, you get impressions of a person you know only by reputation... one of PsiberCorp's top infiltration agents, known only by the black power armor he or she wears.  The Agent is known even to Col. Charr only as "Stealth"
Your contact with Col. Charr's mind fades away as he drifts off into the mists. You begin to feel pressure against your back as the mists fade away, and you find yourself once again in your quarters, sitting in your chair in front of the computer screen.
Mindwave checks the chronometer to see what time it is now...
Everything seems to just 'fade in' around you... the computer terminal grows brighter until you can see it clearly, and about the same time, you begin to hear the ship's klaxons fading in.  A quick check of your watch shows that approximately 30 minutes have passed since you sat down.  The ship seems to be at Red Alert status, as the klaxons grow quite loud...
Mindwave gets on the comm channel to the Bridge, "Mindwave here, report."
Captain Tarna comes on the viewscreen as he's addressing someone off-camera.  He says, apparently to Lt. Kirana, "I want a full sensor scan, make sure we're alone out here, Lieutennant." He turns to the viewscreen and says, "We passed through some sort of worm hole a few moments ago, Warlord.  We are clear of it, and the ship suffered no damage.  I ordered general quarters as a precaution. You did not respond to my attempt to contact you, are you ok?"
Mindwave says, "I am fine, Captain, though I did have a strange dream from which I just awoke, and I think the wormhole might have had something to do with it. I will be up there shortly."
Tarna nods and says, "Understood, Warlord.  Bridge out." and the viewscreen blinks out.
Mindwave leaves her quarters and makes her way to the Bridge...
 

TO BE CONTINUED...