SubAccount: Jael Sherem

["Aye Lad. Things are never what they seem and are generally much worse than expected. However, that might as well be another of Starfleet's mottoes. We simply have ta adjust ta the complications and complete our mission. There isn't another option besides success."]

[USS Challenger - Deck one - Bridge]

Don watched the Andorian take his place at the sensor station. Torra had mentioned an Andorian name Lahr. Was Shranlahr Lahr? This was not time to find out. There will be a future opportunity to do so.

Don smiled to the Counselor who was a Cardassia. It was hard for him not hear the rumor she was on the ship. In one of the lounges on Starbase 234 an Ensign who was an Bajoran was unable to keep his waggy tongue still. The handsome new Lt Commander told the Ensign to keep his thoughts to himself and come to terms that ALL Starfleet uniforms are respected as one union.

Now, Don's head snapped to the Counselor annoyed Don by her poor choice of words.

"œTHAT is not an object, Ensign," he sounded irritated in his throat. He had not addressed her as a Counselor because of her reaction. "œThat is...," he stopped because he had not known the name of the SF Breen officer. "œI am sorry I do not know your name." He had hoped that the Breen would say his name or someone else.

Then as they moved forward. Don centered his gut and weight in the center of his chair. "œI got a bad feeling! Sir," Don said.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian nodded at Don's words as the situation in NÁ´r-AralÁ® system was already more complicated than what suited him.

"Aye Lad. Things are never what they seem and are generally much worse than expected. However, that might as well be another of Starfleet's mottoes. We simply have ta adjust ta the complications and complete our mission. There isn't another option besides success."

At one half impulse, it would take another half hour to reach NÁ´r-AralÁ® IV, the home of the NÁ´ri. However, as the task force crossed the orbit of NÁ´r-AralÁ® V, the third Class-M planet in the system and jointly occupied by the NÁ´ri and the AralÁ® as a condition of the peace treaty, sensors detected a NÁ´ri ship, something they classified as a destroyer, but was little more than nuisance compared to the Challenger on an intercept course.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

It didn't take long for the conversation with the Defense Minister to go from polite and courteous (Ian's part) to terse and rather rude (the Defense Minister).

Lahr thought the Ca...Commodore did really well at being diplomatic.  'Better him than me, that's for certain!'

Soon enough though Galloway managed to convince the Defense Minister to allow them to pass through their blockade.

With the order to signal the fleet to proceed at one half impulse, Lahr gave a sharp nod.  "Aye sir." he acknowledged, his antenna upright and alert as he sent off the message requested.

Lahr noted the NÁ´ri ship on its intercept course and for a brief second hesitated.  Usually, T'Kel noted this sort of thing far in advance of him, but the Vulcan was oddly silent.

"Commander." Lahr called out to the new XO following the chain of command, but figured it would likely be the Captain that responded since he was very much a hands-on Captain. "Sensors are picking up a NÁ´ri destroyer on an intercept course, sir.  Coming from the third planet."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael had to admit, when she first saw the Breen, she made the mistake of saying it aloud in front of the new First Officer. Addams naturally told her off. She has been careful to not express herself in words whenever the Breen was in the same room with her, but she always curled her lips whenever she locked eyes on him. Or her. Or it. Whatever the hell gender a Breen was.

Now, as Jael sat on the bridge, she looked on in interest at Captain Galloway's being referred to as "commodore." Made sense, he was leading a fleet of sorts.

But the situation...seismic activity, and the Nori and the Arali just happen to divide between themselves now? Jael thought back to Cardassia before their joining of the Dominion. The Cardassians would've simply conquered them to ensure their unity. On the other hand, they would've given them a common enemy to resist against and would've expelled them within fifty weeks max, judging from the level of hostility of the Nori and the Arali; as opposed to the fifty years of them walking all over Bajor.

Jael was jolted back to reality when Lahr mentioned a Nori destroyer coming in. She glanced uneasily at the Command staff. She wondered how they'll talk their way past this, this time?

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael was sitting on the bridge, pretty much on the other chair next to the Captain's, the other one aside from the First Officer's chair. As a counselor, it made sense to be on it. Plus, where else would she sit on the bridge? In any case, her presence on the bridge would be essential, as she would need to see the situation of the coming humanitarian crisis. After all, there's going to be plenty of traumatized people below, and her work's going to be beneficial alongside the medical personnel.

She was a little surprised at the loss of Commander Briggs and his being replaced by Commander Addams. She heard plenty about Don. One of the best pilots in the galaxy, apparently. But if he came from Discovery...well, she wondered momentarily if Nira had asked him to relay a message of love to Malik. Yes, she was on the ship long enough to know first names.

She had to admit, she was unnerved by the presence of a Breen officer. Her first instant reaction bordered on hostile: "What in the Prophets is THAT doing there?!?" Even after all this time, Cardassians still hold a resentment against Breen, and the Breen in turn. She wasn't used to a Breen officer as of yet.

Now here they were in the humanitarian mission. Surprise, something's going wrong here. Jael was instantly reminded of the T'Sari and the T'Kori when she was on the Athena. Looks like it's become a humanitarian crisis after all.

Now at the news of contact with one minister, Jael was ready to observe the minister's behavior. She paid rapt attention to the viewscreen.

["Let's go ahead and get started. The floor is open ladies and gentlemen, please tell me your thoughts."]

[USS Challenger, Briefing Room]

Another mission and another flight under his belt, it had been an interesting day, you never knew what was going to happen aboard the Challenger. The flight had been planned and executed well, with Tharn's modifications holding up against the ocean pressure. The galaxy still held many mysteries it would seem with Malik never having expected to meet an actual God.

Now they sat in the conference room ready to debrief on the day's events and what if anything they would do about the inhabitants on Pelagic VI. Malik waited for the captain to start the meeting, wondering where their next adventure would take them.

[Conference Room - USS Challenger]

Ian took his seat and looked around the room. The crew that had met Poseidon seemed ready to get through the pro forma report and call it day. The only person who looked upset was Kantorek and Ian had to admit he was curious what had put a bee in the High Fellow's bonnet.

"Let's go ahead and get started. The floor is open ladies and gentlemen, please tell me your thoughts."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Conference Room | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael was astonished at being called to the conference room. It was her first time being there. She was prepared to make a report and to advise the Captain about Poseidon and his Jem'Hadar.

She spent the time with Malik waiting talking about leaving Poseidon be, as well as their various meetings with Nira Said. Once the Captain arrived and asked for a report, Jael replied immediately.

"Poseidon and the Jem'Hadar below wish to be left alone," she said. "This is a unique community. The Jem'Hadar down there are capable of living without Ketracel White, but because it's a single-sexual community, it'll be a matter of time before they die, they're all well into old age for Jem'Hadar. I mean, this is a rare exception where Jem'Hadar are not the typical reptilian stormtroopers of the Dominion you'd expect, but a people living peaceably. However, Poseidon wants to be left alone, him and the Jem'Hadar. I don't blame him, I think it's best he'd be left in peace. Otherwise...any and all respective deities from God to the Prophets help Pelagiac."

[[Shuttle Scobee]]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[Shuttle Scobee]

Despite his words that he had no power to make this situation silent, Lahr was escorted away  by Poseidon's minions, along with the others to the awaiting shuttle.

A short time later they launched and the shuttle was making it's way up to the surface.

Lahr wanted nothing more than to just 'wash his hands' of the situation... but Poseidon's threat of action against anyone violating his domain, kept playing in his mind.  What could he - a mere Petty officer - do or say that would convince others like the Captain and the Pelagic government - people like High Fellow Kantorek -  to basically declare the deep oceans of Pelagic VI a quarantine area?

'Ugh! It would be just better if Poseidon with his omnipotent powers just wiped the memories of those involved... but then maybe that was beyond him?  and it wouldn't really solve the problem.. cause Kantorek would like just call up Starfleet again to ask for another ship to come down and help in his search for Poseidon.'   Lahr heaved a sigh and his antenna drooped with the weight of his thoughts.   Noting this Lahr shook his head..  'Ha! and Poseidon thought he'd be good officer material!? Boy, did he ever get that one wrong!   Goes to show.. even 'gods' weren't infallible.'

Lahr was completely unaware of the approaching hand behind the shuttle.

Glancing over to Lieutenant Grippen and the Cardassian, Jael, Lahr gave them each a nod.  "Thanks for coming to get me."

[Shuttle Scobee]

Finally they were away home with their precious Andorian cargo. Poseidon had been perfectly decent all things considered, nice even. Malik had thought about asking for a godly favour or two but figured it wouldn't go down too well. The shuttle continued its upwards ascent untroubled, the light growing brighter the nearer to the surface they got.

He looked over his shoulder at Lahr, "Don't mention it, we'd never leave one of our own behind. Maybe after things cool off this Poseidon fellow will invite us back for a visit."

To Jael, he said consolingly, "Dont worry, I'm sure those codes will come in handy the next time we run into some Jem'hadar troops."

He checked the status of the shuttle, everything was fine. They would be entering comms range of the Challenger very soon.

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Shuttle Scombee | Approaching the Surface of Pelagic VI]

Finally, they were on their way back. Jael was relieved. And when she heard Lahr's gratitude, she nodded with a grateful smile. And hearing Commander Grippen's words, she turned back to him.

"Yeah, most likely," she said. She should've known the codes would be useless. Besides, they'd probably prove useful if they found any Jem'Hadar ships or facilities that would crop up in the most unexpected places, courtesy of her father. Right now, the more they spent under water, what with the groans of the shuttle, the more nervous Jael became.

Thankfully their descent had went uneventfully, Malik would have to remember to by Tharn a drink to thank her for her efforts. They were greeted by the formidable sight of Jem'Hadar soldiers. It was the first time Malik had seen them in the flesh, though they seemed to be missing the traditional white vial in their necks of the original versions. Curious. Malik watched and listened as Jael conversed with the Jem'Hadar, they didn't seem to respond in the way either of them were expecting. It was unheard of for a Jem'Hadar solider to not serve a Vorta or the Founders.

Malik followed as they didn't really have much choice, with Jael carrying their cargo of culture to this Lord Poseidon. Jael appeared to be flustered with her lack of progress, but nothing here was what they expected.

"Yes, kindly lead us to your lord. We come bearing gifts."

[Conference Room - Dominion Battlecruiser]

As the Jem'Hadar led Jael and Malik on a long, torturous, and winding path through the heavily damaged ship that showed many sections of the ship were closed off from the damage incurred in her last fight. As they walked, it soon became obvious that in addition to the lack of the Ketracel White tubes, that all of the soldiers were venerated elders and clearly the oldest Jem'Hadar ever reported.

On reaching the conference room, the regal being sitting in an elaborate chair as Lahr stood next to him rose to greet the new arrivals.

"Malik and Jael. Welcome. I am Poseidon. I see you have brought me the gift of stories and music that I crave. Thank you."

Poseidon then turned to face Lahr.

"As you and your Captain have kept your word, how can I, as a God allow mortals to be more gracious than me? You are free to go. I ask only one thing. That you keep the existence of myself and my minions to yourselves. We have created a working life here and do not wish to be disturbed. As you are aware of my powers, I assure you that anyone going forward that attempts to bother me here, as the Lord of the Sea, I can ensure that those who try to violate my privacy, will not return to the surface. Please, go in peace and speak not of me again."

Poseidon then sat and waved the away team to leave. The Jem'Hadar escorted them back to the Scobee and the shuttle was allowed to leave.

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Jem'Hadar Battleship | 600 Meters Below the Surface of Pelagic VI]

Naturally, after what seemed to be a lifetime of walking (Jael wondered if plenty of troopers had to run from one end of the ship to another to get anywhere and at a productive rate), they met with Poseidon himself. Jael was instantly suspicious that he both knew their first names.

Jael looked around at the Jem'Hadar. Every one of them had no White tubes. Not only that, but there were more and more old Elders. Jael wondered how a community like this thrived, let alone grew. Without females for reproduction, and no likely cloning facilities (they could have some partial ones somewhere, hence the younger generations, but Jael was sure such would've been damaged in battle, as indicated by damage she saw in passing, or fizzled out, which explained why there were more Elders), a community like this would die out.

Jael exchanged the gift to Poseidon, remembering and ensuring she held the PADD that contained the entertainment database, not the PADD containing Dominion access codes, among other things. And looking at him telling Lahr not to tell anybody else about his existence, or that there were Jem'Hadar down there, Jael was definitely willing to comply. She could imagine forced removal back to the Gamma Quadrant if the rest of the Federation knew. Or worse.

And worst-case scenario: it would eventually get to her father, who's still on the run. If he knew about it, he'd try to take advantage or, more likely, put them down like animals for being so old, weak and useless in combat. Gul Sherem had no use for old Jem'Hadar, rumor had it.

In any case, Jael never liked down in this wreck. The sooner they got out with Lahr, and peaceably, the better.

"Bridge to Scobee. You are clear to launch. Special orders to Ensign Jael. You must complete database transfer before you reach battlecruiser in order to facilitate the release of Petty Officer ch'Verrit."

[USS Challenger, Shuttle Scobee]

Malik was finishing off the preflight ritual and awaiting the go command when he tuned to the voice of Jael, surprised to see her join him onboard.

"Welcome aboard, ensign. I didn't want to put anyone else at risk, this shuttle isn't rated for the depth we're heading to, but if you insist your help will be most welcome."

He felt the pressure start to build behind his eye, a stress headache was beginning to form. He was now responsible for getting Jael back from this flight safely when there was no guarantees. Finally, the call came in from Sh'vhaorhath at bridge ops.

Malik wasn't sure if that was a positive or negative turn of events, but if they could help secure the release of one of their own they would do so. At least one member of the away team was alive and well, he didn't know about the others yet. He turned to Jael sat beside him.

"Well, I hope you know what that means. Let's go."

The type 11 sped out of the shuttlebay at high impulse and darted towards the ocean planet below. Regardless of what was occurring under the sea, there was no doubting the planet's beauty from orbit. The ocean got larger and larger until the blackness of space and the plasma cloud of their rentry faded and all the could see was water to the horizon. Malik brought the shuttle to a near stop and touched down in the ocean with a plop, whereupon the water quickly engulfed them. The glare of the sun changed to the calm blue of the ocean, a very familiar sight for the Risan. He powered up the thrusters and began their underwater decent.

[Shuttlecraft - Scobee - 600 Meters Below the Surface of Pelagic VI]

The Scobee creaked and groaned in protest when the depth passed 400 meters, but the improvements to the structural integrity field performed as well as Tharn said they would. Soon the wreck of the Dominion battlecruiser was visible. It was beyond obvious the ship would never move under it's own power as the aft third of the ship was largely missing with what was left a blackened twisted ruin.

As Malik was coming to that conclusion, the Scobee was snagged by a tractor and pulled into the battlecruiser's shuttlebay. There was a delay of several minutes as the water was pumped out of the compartment and once drained, a half a dozen Jem'Hadar entered to approach the shuttle. They expertly opened the hatch and a single of the formidable soldiers boarded.

"Lord Poseidon will see you now."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Shuttle Scombee | USS Challenger >- Dominion Battleship | Pelagic]

Jael was surprised at the call for a database transfer. Seeing as she had a useful PADD on her, she pulled up a second spare one and plugged it into the shuttle's computer. She was quite surprised at what was coming in: The whole Federation database of entertainment. How the hell was this going to facilitate the release of Lahr? She already had Dominion-based unlock codes. On the other hand, if Poseidon was interested in this, chances were, the odds of getting out with his hostage without hostilities would be better.

"Okay, got it," she said.  "Sherem to Bridge, I have the database."

In no time at all, the shuttle made its way to the planet and deeper. Jael stared in fascination. She rarely ever had a flight that went to under an ocean. Granted, the shuttle groaned at times due to the deep ocean pressure. It instantly brought back some memories. When she went with her mother when she defected, when they got to Earth, they went too fast, given they were being chased by Jem'Hadar for lightyears, and in the rush, they practically crashed their ship in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, almost before the slope into the deep ocean, and they were trapped there for a few days before they were tractored out.

Well, at least we could be just diving in and getting out, not getting stuck among coral and fish, Jael thought to herself.

She looked at Grippen at one point and could see the Risian was in his element. Jael could easily imagine him and Nira diving into the depths of an ocean, perhaps to some beautiful undersea cave, in some romantic getaway. Jael could see why Nira liked him.

Then, all at once, like a whale (and she remembered distinctly being terrified by a curious whale that swum up to her mother's Hideki while they were stuck there), there it was. A Jem'Hadar battleship.

"Ho. Ly. Proph. Ets," said Jael in astonishment. "No wonder they lasted this long down here. Just look at the size of that thing."

Soon they were docked in and they were met by Jem'Hadar. Only...something was off with them. Then Jael remembered: Every Jem'Hadar trooper had a tube of Ketracel White embedded into his neck (of course a he, all Jem'Hadar were male. The female gender had been expunged, the only reason Jem'Hadar were spared from extinction was cloning, the average Jem'Hadar would know about reproduction to start with the first curve of the letter "r"). These, however, they had no White tubes. Jael got a good look at them to make sure. No White.

Jael heard plenty from her mother, and in Federation databases, that while the Jem'Hadar were reliant on White, enough so that a Jem'Hadar going cold turkey, as they say on Earth, was dangerous before suffering death, once in a while, there would be a Jem'Hadar that would survive without it. But the chances were million to one. And here, there was a whole ship of them.

This Poseidon fellow must have something to do with it, thought Jael to herself, and then she began realizing that a crucial element of her Dominion codes were worthless. One of the triggers involved promises of White, promises that soothed them, and if these troopers weren't White-dependent, it rendered that particular trigger worthless.

She withdrew her PADD with the Federation entertainment database and bowed. "Greetings," she said. "We come bearing gifts for Poseidon." Then, looking at a young Jem'Hadar, she added, "And glory to the Founders."

The Jem'Hadar merely cocked his head. A nearby Third, and she remembered Jem'Hadar rank, merely stepped up and grinned in amusement, which was an unnerving expression to have on a Jem'Hadar.

"The Founders are not anywhere near," he said with a chuckle. "There is only Lord Poseidon."

Oh-kaaaay, looks like that trigger's useless, too, thought Jael. Normally, mention, and even reverence in the mention, of the Founders usually made Jem'Hadar agreeable, and in enough reverence, can lead to obedience. Looks like that was gone, too.

Then an Elder stepped up. And Jael knew he was an Elder just by looking at him, he had enough wrinkles to expect in a human who extended his age to two hundred through modern medicines.

"Typical of Cardassian arrogance," he wheezed in amusement. "They expect us to obey them like they represented the Founders, like the Vorta."

Then he let out a soft laugh, a few others following. If it was possible for Jael to turn red, preferably in embarrassment, she would. And what was more, this Elder was old enough to have been in the war and know about Cardassians.

"My apologies," she said. "It's probably been a long time since you've seen a Cardassian. No matter. We come with a gift for Lord Poseidon."

[USS Challenger, Main Shuttlebay]

Was the tellarite chief engineer coming onto him? He wasn't so sure, he'd never encountered many of the hairy tellarites back home to be able to read them well. In any case the shuttle was now reinforced and ready for departure.

"Much appreciated, chief. I'll be sure to prioritise the shuttles life over my own." He assumed she was joking, well hoped maybe a better word.

Malik went onboard and began the preflight sequence he'd done so many times before.

"œGrippen to bridge. Shuttle is ready for departure."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Shuttle Scobee | Main Shuttlebay | Deck Twenty | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael had to make a run for it just to get to the main shuttlebay before Commander Grippen departed, especially as she had to call Gid to transmit Mother's old Dominion codes to a PADD en route. She made it just in time. She hurried into the shuttle - and she knew which one it was by looking inside and seeing a handsome Risian inside - and got a chair by the helmsman, short on breath.

"Commander," she said. "Pardon...Got permission...from Captain Galloway to assist you. I know plenty about the Dominion from my mother...I'll explain on the way down."

She pulled up the old codes and Jem'Hadar triggers. Granted, the triggers were designed so that Jem'Hadar troopers would obey Cardassian officers as well as the Vorta. She hoped they would work.

First bit of Christmas listening.

["You've had quite the childhood Ensign. Goin' by the data we are receivin' on that battlecruiser, it dates back to roughly the time of the D-War, so your codes may still work. If'n no one answers, I'll authorize the Scobee ta depart, so you need ta get crackin' ta make sure she doesn't leave without you."]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian eyed Jael and had to shake his head in amazement as he replied.

"You've had quite the childhood Ensign. Goin' by the data we are receivin' on that battlecruiser, it dates back to roughly the time of the D-War, so your codes may still work. If'n no one answers, I'll authorize the Scobee ta depart, so you need ta get crackin' ta make sure she doesn't leave without you."

Just as Ian finished speaking, the viewscreen lit up and showed a regal looking human wearing a crown made of seashells.

"I am Poseidon. To whom do I speak?"

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael nodded in understanding. Of course she had the childhood. Her memory was a sharp one, and even at that young of an age when Jem'Hadar came into Cardassia in droves, they frightened her. Everything about the Dominion frightened her. Her mother had a lot exchanged between her and her father, who had been put in charge of the Intelligence Bureau shortly after the Dominion arrived. Her father practically expected her to be his number two. Her mother practically had a treasure trove of data before she defected. She wasn't sure of her father undid the codes he gave her, or if he didn't give a crap; he gave her so much, there were too many programs to deal with, and he was too busy rooting out enemies within and executing them to notice, which was how her mother defected under his nose: he was so busy looking for traitors, he didn't think to look within his own household.

Jael double-taked at the sight of the human-looking figure on the viewscreen. Knowing the shuttle's potential departure time, she departed unnoticed, slipping quietly into the turbolift and heading down to the shuttlebay.

["Got ta give it ta the Vorta that designed the bloody thing, not many Starfleet ships would have survived that much damage and a water landin' and still be recognizable."]

[Shuttlebay - USS Challenger]

Tharn's eyebrow rose in a close match to that of a Vulcan at Malik's admission and she exaggeratedly offered her arm in his direction as she replied softly so that only he could hear.

"Why am I not surprised? In any case, when you get back from this mission, assuming you do come back, if you're looking to be someone's arm candy, I'm your girl, pretty boy."

Louder she growled.

"If you think you can do the work any faster, you are welcome to try, but I doubt you know a self-sealing stem bolt from a lamb chop, so you just hold on to your pantaloons pretty boy."

Malik could tell Dashlish's bluster was just for show for the enlisted personnel that waved that they were finished with their work and she continued.

"Try not to wreck the shuttle or get killed, but if at some point you have to choose between saving yourself or the Scobee, save the shuttle. Now get along before you really get me to say something you will regret."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

As requested, the Class-1 and Class-3 probes were launched and hit the water in one splash until the Class-3 slowed down to let the decoy get some distance. This time, a video feed allowed the crew of the Challenger see what was happening under the seas of Pelagic VI. The Class-3 probe captured the giant green hand crushing the Class-1 probe before winking out of existence.

Lieutenant Sh'vhaorhath let the currents take the stealthed probe along on a natural course so as to not draw attention and this allowed the Class-3 probe to reach a depth where it could show the wrecked Dominion Battlecruiser on the surface of the ocean. Ian whistled involuntarily as he looked at the obvious damage the ship had sustained and said.

"Got ta give it ta the Vorta that designed the bloody thing, not many Starfleet ships would have survived that much damage and a water landin' and still be recognizable."

Ian stood and paced in front of his chair as he struggled with what to do next. He could keep the probe in place and be able to observe the arrival of the Scobee, but odds were, the larger shuttle would suffer the same fate as the Mjolnir, whatever that happened to be, or he could risk trying to communicate with the battlecruiser and hope that someone was willing to talk.

Ian had been forced to take course in diplomacy after the his contact with the Doud and the Numati and his instructor had been insistent that 'no problem can get solved without talking', so that gave Ian the answer to what to do next. Talking a deep breath, Ian said.

"Vessaash. Hail them."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael was watching as the probe pulled up footage. What she saw, what the probe showed to the bridge...if she had any color in her skin, it'd turn as pale as she was already. She had a feeling it would've been a big ship to give a signature. She had no idea it would be that big. If Commander Grippen was going down there...

"Captain Galloway, with your permission," Jael said, "I'd like to go down with Commander Grippen. I know a good deal about the Dominion from my mother and her associates. She's given me and my brother Gid a database of Dominion codes, including Jem'Hadar trigger words, just in case we ran into any likely Dominion ships left behind in the quadrant when the war ended. She stole them from her husband, my father, when she defected. She did anticipate there'd be Dominion ships or bases hidden around the Alpha Quadrant somewhere, and now I think they can come to good use. Depends, though, if they'll still work, it's been more than twenty years."

["A Dominion power signature is unsettlin' for truth. I'm no historian, but I'm pretty certain, even at their deepest penetration into the Federation that the Dominion never held this area. Now, it's certainly possible that a recon in force or a raid got here and if'n a lone ship went down with no survivin' Starfleet ships ta report that fact, then, as unlikely as it sounds, it's nae impossible.]

[USS Challenger, Bridge]

Malik listened with interest as the counsellor gave her opinion on the situation, she obviously knew her recent history and far more than what he did about the war. They had both been toddlers during that time, blissfully unaware of the carnage being carried out amongst the stars. The counsellor's first two suggestions seemed plausible enough, the galaxy was a big place, it was entirely possible some of the original invasion force got left behind and were cut off. He wasn't so sure about her last theory that this had something to do with her father. She did pose an obvious question however.

"So how do you know what your father's been doing if he's on the run? Wouldn't Starfleet Intelligence want to know that sort of information...wait, nevermind. This is a discussion for another time... Thank you Counsellor."

A couple of minutes later and Malik nodded to ops to retrieve their captain to the bridge. The captain appeared dripping wet from his dip in Pelagic's ocean, a small wet patch forming on the bridge floor where he stood. Malik was unfazed being no stranger to wet suits throughout his life.

"Captain. It's a bit of a mystery at the moment. Sensors detected an intermittent Dominion power signature on the trajectory of the shuttle, we have attempted to make contact with the commander's away team but to no avail, their comm buoys have seemingly been taken out. Shortly thereafter, we could no longer detect the power signature due to localised interference."

He then glanced to a nearby bridge officer, "Can we get the captain a towel, thank you."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

As Ian listened to the report, he took the proffered towel with a grateful nod and began furiously drying his sable hair, leaving it draped around his neck as he replied.

"A Dominion power signature is unsettlin' for truth. I'm no historian, but I'm pretty certain, even at their deepest penetration into the Federation that the Dominion never held this area. Now, it's certainly possible that a recon in force or a raid got here and if'n a lone ship went down with no survivin' Starfleet ships ta report that fact, then, as unlikely as it sounds, it's nae impossible.

"Helm, take us down take an altitude of 200 kilometers and launch a class one probe over the last reported position of the Mjolnir. I need eyes and ears people. Malik, you keep the Conn for a wee bit more. I'll be in my ready room changin' ta summat more fit for the bridge than a bloody wetsuit."

Ian then pivoted and left the bridge to get into a proper uniform.

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

"They do. In a way," said Jael. "I know so because one Admiral Gillespie of Starfleet Intelligence had assigned me to infiltrate a band of Cardassian pirates attacking Klingon freighters within Beta Quadrant...almost exactly opposite Cardassian boundaries. What I gathered was that they were acting under his orders. He's very tricky to find, his base is a Nor-class station rigged with Borg transwarp technology; he can jump all over the quadrant in the most out of the way places. He never stays in the same place. I managed to get all that by the time I betrayed the pirates by joining a Klingon boarding party. Nira Said was a part of that party, she was a participant of the Officer Exchange Program at the time, that's how we met."

She heard the turbolift door and saw Captain Galloway enter the bridge. Dripping wet. Was he taking a literal dive in the ocean somewhere?

She responded to his views before he gave the conn back to Commander Grippen to dry off: "Most likely it's both, Captain. A recon and a raid. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to claim the planet as they were conducting recon, the Dominion were taking worlds faster than a ravenous child set loose in a bakery at the height of the war."

Once he left, Jael looked back at Commander Grippen and said, "If it's all right with you, Commander, I'd like to remain here to keep advising. Most of what I know from the Dominion is from both childhood knowledge, what I learned from my mother, and what I learned from my mother's friends, even those who joined Legate Damar in their rebellion after the Breen joined."

[USS Challenger, Bridge]

Malik took another sip of his raktajino, trying to process what just happened. They really didn't have much to go on to draw a firm conclusion.

"That is odd to say the least. Can we get the other Pelagic representative on comm, what was his name, Karras? Maybe they can provide us with some explanation as to why they have a Dominion power signature on their planet."

Malik then turned to the counsellor, "What do you think, were the Dominion in this sector during the war?"

He then realised the captain had no idea that they'd just lost contact with the shuttle and the first officer's away team, probably not what he would want to hear.

"Grippen to captain Galloway. We have a situation here, apologies to pull you away from the ocean. We've lost contact with the away team and have detected a Dominion power source at their supposed destination."

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Jael looked at Commander Grippen and shrugged. "It's possible," she said. "The Dominion were everywhere during the war. Practically within spitting distance, as they say on Earth, to the core Federation worlds once they took Betazed. I wouldn't be surprised if they overran worlds throughout Federation space. My mother would know more than I would; I was practically a toddler when the war began. Then again, she was a defector, so not much.

"However," she said, "there are two possibilities. One is that whatever Dominion forces down there could've potentially been left behind. The second is that they could've set up a base in secret, using the depths of an ocean as cover. How and where an entity known as Poseidon comes into play I have no idea, unless we're talking about a Jem'Hadar elder genetically altered to have scales and gills, in which case he'd be mistaken for Poseidon.

"There is also," she continued, "a more disturbing possibility. My father, the former head of the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau...and I say former because he's still on the run after the war ended...he's been hiding Dominion technology around random places in space, even materials to set up a cloning lab for Jem'Hadar. The Prophets forbid this Dominion signature is something he's hidden..."

She chucked and said, "Sorry I can talk this much and go on on hypotheses. A security petty officer once told me I talk as much as Nira Said, and it's a little true, she can be quite a talker. Literally."

[USS Challenger, Bridge]

Malik felt a pang of annoyance at first T'Kel's then Kantorek's statement that Vyrl being a part of the away team would be some sort of problem. He assumed it wasn't the first time Vyrl had encountered prejudice based on the Dominion war. But that was part of what this exchange programme was trying to change. He was going to speak up and put Kantorek in his place but the commander did so.

After the away team left, Malik made a quick trip to the ready room to replicate some raktajino. He returned to the centre chair and realised there was no cup holder, he wondered how annoyed the captain would be if he had one fitted when the science officer spoke up.

Malik went over to her station, Raktajino in hand. "What have we got?"

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

On being acknowledged, Lieutenant Sh'vhaorhath spoke up, the excitement in her tone clear when Malik leaned over her station.

"Sir. I'm picking up an intermittent power reading, almost directly below the Mjolnir's projected flight path. The power signature is Dominion!"

[Ensign Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

With the away team back, Jael felt to get to the bridge. Both the command officers are off the ship, and she never even knew if now Commander Grippen had ever run the conn before. He's likely going to need an adviser. Hey, that's what a counselor was for, in a way, wasn't it?

She had arrived in time to be startled when news came of a Dominion signature.

"Dominion?" she snapped. "Looks like somebody has been left behind when the Dominion lost the war," she added, looking hard at the screen. She certainly hoped it was just an attack ship stuck under the sea...but then again, something that small wouldn't stand a chance to deep ocean pressure after more than twenty years under water.

"Commander Grippen," she added, nodding apologetically. "Apologies for not acknowledging myself upon entry, but with Captain Galloway and Commander Briggs gone...well, a counselor often acts as ship's adviser, correct?"