Cloak and Dagger

Posted on Sat Mar 28th, 2020 @ 6:52pm by
Edited on on Sat Mar 28th, 2020 @ 6:52pm

1,115 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Prologue: Before the Inferno
Location: IRW Dominus
Timeline: 238610.03

T’Lan was the Chief Science Officer aboard the Dominus. T’Lan is well known for being composed, even in the face of danger, almost Vulcan-like. He served faithfully under his captain since coming aboard the Dominus. His love of science manifested at a very young age. Encouraged by his parents, T’Lan enrolled at the Romulan Academy of the Sciences. He excelled in the sciences, although he developed a particular interest in astrophysics and astronomy. The brother of a Romulan Senator, T’Lan was also active in Romulan politics, though he was very careful about what he said for fear that he might be interrogated by the Tal Shiar. He would eventually meet his wife D’rex, and they would settle down in the capital city. He was assigned to the Dominus under Commander Areinnye prior to the destruction of the Hobus Star and the Romulan homeworld. When their homeworld was revealed to be soon destroyed no, he was tasked with finding colony sites for refugees from their former homeworld.


Tasked with finding the ideal new home for Romulan refugees before the destruction of the Hobus Star, T’Lan’s mind kept wandering back to the day he was ordered to report to the Warbird Dominus as its chief science officer. Not too long ago, the half-Vulcan ambassador Spock revealed that the Hobus Star was dying. T’Lan drew up plans to deal with the supernova, drawing on his years of research. Unfortunately, his plans were often the object of political jockeying within the Senate. He had come to suspect that the senators had a plan, just one that would save their own skin instead of the loyal citizens of the Romulan Star Empire.

T’Lan grew suspicious when he was ordered to report to the Dominus to be the warbird’s chief science officer. He thought his brother was trying to hide him away from the Senate so he wouldn’t bring shame to his family in front of the entire senate. He grew even more bitter when it was revealed that they were given orders to report to the frontier of Romulan space to dislodge the Gorn from the Caridia System. T’Lan thought they were spending more time chasing fires than finding a solution to their crisis.

T’Lan finally sat down in his chair, swerving his seat around until he faced the desk. He accessed the scientific database. He was hoping to learn all he could about the planets in the Caridia System. Maybe there was a suitable planet for the Romulan people to settle down on there. Maybe he could make his home here, far from the Senate.

“Chief Science Officer’s log supplemental. I just heard that the Dominus is to report to the Caridia System to survey the planets for a suitable colony site. I’m shocked we haven’t already surveyed the planet, though I guess the goal was to just claim the system before the Klingon and Federation and then move onto yet another system. I hope this survey bears fruit. Most of the planets we have surveyed within our territory have been uninhabitable.”

“Computer, give me all the data you have on the Caridia System.”

T'Lan hoped this would be a perfect new home for his family. Maybe he would set up a new Science Directorate research center here. He could teach the next generation of eager scientists. He began to distill the information into an astrological report that he would deliver to the Commander.

He was glad the Dominus had such well maintained scientific facilities. T’Lan thought that he would end up on an old ship running routine operations out of the way of Romulan government operations.

As soon as his report was downloaded onto his PADD, T'Lan heard the red alert klaxon. He was sure that a weakened Romulan Empire would embolden its enemies to invade their space. He hurried to the bridge, knocking over a few junior officers in the process.

Kerika was in the turbolift when T’lan entered. “Jo’Lantru T’Lan. I have requested the replacement core. It has reached maximum mass. It will need to be bled off on a starbase or city for a few years. The next one will be shipped soon as soon as I get the confirmation and status.I will let you know what happens”. As soon as she reached her level she got out and went to her battlestation.

“Jolan Tru Kerika. Thank you. I will pass your update on to the Commander.” His voice was calm, despite the chaos. As he stepped onto the bridge, he took his battle station.

T’Lan was surprised to find that there was a Ss’tiskk-class Gorn vessel was locked in standard orbit around Caridia V. They were clearly exploring the planet, although it had been marked as Romulan territory two years ago by a scout ship. Although the Gorn vessel had not yet detected them, the Commander did not want to take any chances in case their plans failed.


He helped Kerika test the holographic emitters on a shuttle that would give out false readinaps gs on the Gorn ship's sensors. Crewed by a team of Reman commandos, the "Corvallen freighter" would be drawn into the enemy's shuttlebay and detonated.

Made to look like an incident, no one would suspect that it was a Romulan plot to repel Gorn ships from the system. After all of the modifications were made, he returned to his post on the Bridge, where he could ensure nothing went wrong with the holoemitters on board the shuttlecraft.

The Ss’tiskk-class predictably drew in the Romulan shuttle. There was a moment of silence on the bridge. A surge of doubt welled through him. Was it possible that they saw through their ruse? Were the Reman commandos captured? Could this lead to a conflict with the Hegemony?

Then, there was a brilliant explosion. The photon torpedo warheads detonated, tearing the ship apart. There was no trace of the ship left. T'Lan turned back towards his instruments, running scans to make sure there was no reason for any Gorn vessels to be suspicious.

T'Lan beamed down to the planet, sifting through any data the Gorn might have collected on world about the system's habitability. He downloaded soil and water samples, atmospheric data, information about flora and fauna, and anything else he could about the planet. He spent the rest of the day writing up a report for the Commander.

"Let the senators burn as they squabble among themselves," he thought. "It does not matter. I can...I will make a home here if I must. Anything to protect my family."

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