Ships in the Night; Part Four        The last of the Kongo's senior officers were seated in the main conference room. The second ring had been installed, and most of the Acceptian officers sat as well. Kirk rang the bell.        "We have been made aware of the situation faced at Nabol by the Nabolese and the Acceptian forces present. We have limited contact with the Thasites. First Ga'fer I understand the Acceptian Empire has dealt with Thasites extensively."        "Yes Sir."        "Will you brief us on your understanding of the Thasites?"        "Yes Sir. The Acceptian Empire encountered the first of the War Cities in the area we call the Leadward Marches some 600 years ago. We have not by direct observation or interrogation of the Thasites themselves been able to determine the area from which they come. They seem to have been in space so long to have forgotten their own origins. Graphic." A station appeared in the holo space, a massive ugly thing. "A Thasite war city is a massive mobile space station. Some as much as twenty times the size of a Mothership. We have yet to see one that can exceed lightspace 9, what you call warp factor three. These massive stations mount a plethora of point defense and heavy weapons. It is difficult to approach one without getting chewed apart.        "This however is not the only threat. War cities carry a large number of escort ships. Most are what the Federation calls 'attack ships' The balance are boarding vessels, and transports. The latter comes out only when the war city is in gatherer mode or in extremis. Thasites have rammed our ships with transports.        "Thasites are slavers and scavengers. They will take whom ever they can and steal what they can. They will strip a world of what they need and move on. When they have greater resources they will build additional war cities, divide their population, and go separate ways.        "The main Acceptian tactic is to catch the war city away from any possible haven. We cut their warp drives apart with the big guns, and bottle up or destroy the escorts. Placed into this position the Thasties will eventually bargain. Those so captured have proved amenable subjects of the Empire."        "And when this isn't possible?" Asked Miritath.        "We do not surrender to Thasites. Acceptian ships will self destruct first. If they do not surrender, and sometimes they will not, we fight until they are destroyed. This happens more often than our being able to capture them."        "Thank you Ga'fer." Said Kirk. "Miritath, you have some Federation information for us?"        "Yes sir. I have located two encounters with Thasite war cities in Starfleet records. The First was the USS Promethus under Captain Malone. Promethus encountered a war city, and fought it off. Inside information on the Thasite shields was instrumental in this."        "Can we get similar information."        "Without someone from the war city, I seriously doubt it. The second was Deep Space 10 under the command of Commander Li'ira O'Keefe. DS10 was over run, and liberated from the Thasites by Starfleet and Bandarri forces."        "What was the difference?"        "DS10 could not leave sir."        "Yes. We will do all we can to aid Nabol and the Acceptian Fleet. We will make best sustainable speed for Nabol." ---        "Admiral Cher'cur, we are to understand that you will do battle with this, beast."        "Cher'cur bobbed. "That is correct. We will leave no sophant being to suffer the mercy of the Thasites, client, neutral, or even foe."        "Our defense forces are willing, but we do not possess your turn of speed. How might we add our strength to this fight?"        "How many ships do you have?"        "We have thirty defense cruisers, six war wagons, and many smaller attack ships."        Cher'cur turned to the younger man. "Taggel, you know your ship."        Taggel nodded. "We have enough hard points and hangar space. We can dock the entire fleet."        The Nabol liaison tried to keep his mouth from dropping open.        Cher'cur bobbed again. "Good. When your fleet is ready, we will move out. The farther from Nabol we take them the better."        "Sire, what of the Kongo? She is not an inconsiderable force. Should we not wait until we are ensured she will be with us."        Nabolese eyes went wide. "You fear this war city that much?"        Cher'cur bobbed again. "Yes, we fear it. The Thasites are why we built the Motherships. Even a Mothership is no assurance we can win. Even a shuttlecraft with a harsh opinion will be welcome in the line of battle."        "Report!"        "We have the war city at extreme range. They have not detected us yet."        Taggel took a deep breath. He casually put a hand on the throne. "Sound Battle Quarters, arm all crew."        CHURRR CHURRR CHURRR! "All hands to Battle Quarters, All Hands to Battle Quarters, Arm all hands. Arm all hands.. CHURRR CHURRR CHURRR! Feet, hooves, and talons pounded the rubberized decking throughout the great vessel. Marines slammed open weapons lockers, soldiers, engineers, and medical personnel all took blasters and blades alike.        The Serge at the locker shoved the blaster carbine at the next crewman in line. He hesitated. It was Second Kerchin.        "Sire, you should not be here."        Kerchin bobbed his head a little. "Serge, if the flood and mud was good enough for both of us, then I am not too good to defend the ship." Kerchin took the carbine and checked it. "I will fight beside the men I command. Carry on Serge."        The Kronin stuck his chest out. "By your Will, Sire."        Silence reigned on the command deck. Kronin passed gun belts out without a word. Taggel took one and buckled it on.        "First Attention! We are at long range."        Taggel looked at his men, Kronin, Buteos, Deeples, Sparrials, Acceptians, all equally threatened by these, creatures. He lifted the comm mike beside his beak. "Attention the ship. This is First Taggel speaking." His voice echoed though the corridors "We are about to engage a Thasite war city, the foe for which this ship was built to fight." Engineers readied tools, and fingered the butts of the blasters. "You now understand why I have ordered all crew armed." Kronin marines stood at attention, heads bowed. "There is no quarter. Forces of the Empire do not surrender to Thasites." Ship's gunners checked the readiness of their weapons. "There is only one outcome to this fight, Victory. Billions of people depend on us. Fight for the innocent. Fight for your comrades, Fight for the ship. First out." Taggel put down the comm. "Command deck report!"        "Shields at full strength!" "Weapons changed and ready!" "Sensors ready!" "Damage control ready!" "Medical Ready!" Second stood forward. "All weapons are manned and ready, all crew are armed, all stations report blue and ready."        Taggel dropped into the command throne. "Drop to sub light and engage as we are able."        Kirk looked at the plot. Kongo bored through the sky at warp 9.7. "Range?"        Avery Solin looked at the board again. "Two light years and closing. Acceptian ships have dropped to sublight."        Miritath clicked is claws on the panel. "All queues hot, all phasers green and ready."        Kirk looked back at him. "I didn't ask..."        Miritath rumbled slightly, "But you were about to."        Kirk swung back around and drummed his fingers on his panel.        Hideous energies built up, and suddenly released as a discrete bolt of plasma. Everyone on the Vigilant felt the deep base growl of the main gun. Lessor plasma bolts and disruptors held their fire until the range closed.        The command deck held their breath as one until the weapon hit. Eyes went to the Tactical officer. He looked up from his scope. "Minimal effect. This city has better shields."        Taggel fought down the panic that wanted to rise. Their best weapon not effective at it's best range. "Continue to fire, close range slowly. Release the Nabol defense forces."        A swarm of naughts moved out from under the cover of the big ship.        Tactical looked up again. "First attention, the Thasite escorts are moving out."        "Attention secondary batteries, eyes wide. Leave them to our escorts unless they close. Lock down the ports."        Everyone shuddered slightly as the rodinum shields slid over the command deck viewports. They locked in with the finality of the bell of doom. The main gun spoke its hellish note once more.        Kirk lurched from his seat. He paced around the bridge, looking over the shoulder of each officer, a word, a friendly hand. The view screen continued to show the tactical plot. The Kongo slowly, ever so slowly covering the distance between herself and the titanic battle being fought in front of her.        The overthrone shuddered again. Alarms sounded. Vigilant was taking a pounding. That was Taggel's concern. Cher'cur watched the over all battle. His strikers and seekers engaged the Thasite escorts to keep them off the Vigilant. A violent melee was raging around the main combatants.        "Comm, direct the Nabol forces more to the upper port quadrant."        "By your will, Sire." He bent to his comm.        Acke'cur took notes on his PADD. Another Nabol cruiser winked out.        A Tactical plotter spoke. "First Attention, the USS Kongo is on short range sensors. Speed Lightspace 29.1 and closing."        Cher'cur nodded. "Good, she might make the party in time."        Another Nabol cruiser winked out.        Acke'cur shivered his feathers. "First, they are dying in droves."        "Yes Fourth, they are defending their world. May they die slowly enough that we can succeed."        Comm spoke again. "First Attention, we have lost contact with Destroyer."        Cher'cur looked at the tactical tank more intently. Acke'cur spotted her first.        "There she is, headed right for the war city. Slowly the two icons moved together, and merged. Cher'cur closed his eyes. The fight went on.        Taggel jumped form the command throne. "Target the impact and FIRE!"        The great gun roared again, and the shot struck home. Taggel snarled the cheering down. There was too much grim work yet to do.        The boarding alarm sounded....        Kerchin heard the hollow boom and the alarm sounded. "Serge! Which section!"        "Our's Sire."        Kerchin checked his weapon again. "Move forward. Repel borders." He hit the comm. "Section 85-137 REPEL BORDERS. REPEL BORDERS!!"        The simian faced Thasite warriors came into view. Kerchin raised his weapon and fired. He changed forward with a scream among his men.        Mrlitath reported. "Long weapons range in 30 seconds."        Kirk griped the sides of his chair. "Miritath, triple scoop, Make warp 2.6. Fire on your marks."        Taggel ignored the cacophony of alarms. The Tactical officer was trying to get his attention. "Sire, the Kongo is approaching lightspace 7.8. She has fired!"        "On view."        The view space focused on the rapidly approaching Federation ship. Sixteen little missiles streaked from her twin turrets.        Taggel blinked. "Why did she fire so far out."        Kongo passed her own torpedoes, and fired again, and yet a third time. The Kongo herself increased speed and flashed by. Taggel and his command crew blinked again.        Forty-eight quantum torpedoes hit on and around the war city. It shuddered to the core. Attack ships blew up in the backwash, weapons imploded, great sections of the hull peeled open to naked space and the very air burned. Taggel looked up at the overthrone. Cher'cur was looking at him. Everyone in sight was cheering the attack.        "First Attention! The Thasite's shields are down!"        "Close, close and LET THE FILTHY CREATURES HAVE IT!!"        "Kongo coming around, Sire, she has dropped to sublight and has enegrized beam weapons.        The Kongo chased down one of the Thasite attack ships. She rocked slightly from its trailing disruptor. The war city itself was burning from a dozen or more points, the remaining escorts tried to fight a holding action.        Kirk grimaced. "Again Mrlitath, quit doesn't seem to be in their vocabulary."        Kongo lashed out with her phasers and the Thasite escort vessel shredded.        A silent heave came from the war city herself. One more shot from the Vigilant's big gun, and she started to come apart at the seams.        Kirk looked back at his tactical officer. "Do we have enough distance?"        "Yes, sir. Unless it gets ugly. Sir, I am getting a transmission from Vigilant."        "On screen."        First Taggel seemed to be looking down into a pickup of some kind. Cheering could be heard in the background. "Fleet Captain Kirk. I am glad you could drop in."        "First Taggel, I only wish we could have gotten here faster."        "Done is done. We will count the cost, and bury our dead.. ---        The combined forces orbited again over Nabol. Taggel worked with Cher'cur on the battle reports.        Cher'cur shivered his feathers again. "Three strikers destroyed, and the seeker Instigator badly damaged. How fairs Vigilant?"        Taggel looked up from the causality reports. "Materially the ship is well off. Nothing we can't fix ourselves. We were boarded."        "How badly?"        "One landing ship only. Second Kerchin was killed, 24 Marines, 66 Shaggies were killed or wounded."        "I seem to recall him bracing you at the end of the first briefing."        Taggel slicked his feathers. "You don't miss much."        "A rival?"        "Was, a rival. I put him in change of the relief effort, he did well. I commended him. He died leading the Kronin Marines, in defense of the ship."        "A good death. Regrettable, but good." Cher'cur looked at a different report. "I see our allies of the moment have gotten off lightly."        "Do you see what I mean about Federation cruisers?"        "Yes Taggel, I am convinced. The demonstration of firepower was... sobering."        "So what do we do?"        "Bob out heads, say thank you, and make nice."        Spacik summarized the general report. "We are in good condition. We have no dead, and 5 wounded. We have expended a third of our torpedo load."        Kirk quirked a grin. "Better I expend torpedoes than my crew. Let's not fight any more war cities until we make a base."        "Yes sir, I will make a note of it. The Acceptians took the brunt of the battle. The Nabol forces have been nearly destroyed."        "We will lend aid to whoever needs it. I will see that our comrades are aware of that. Anyone have anything else to add?"        There were no takers.        "Good. Let's finish the mission we came to do."        The Kongo drifted carefully near the Vigilant. The transporters locked and beamed. First Ga'fer and the first of his crew arrived. A Fourth was waiting to take him to Cher'cur.        Cher'cur noted the officer entering. "Provisional First Ga'fer, report."        Ga'fer came to attention. "Sire, my full report is contained within this PADD. May I give a quick summary."        "Proceed."        Sire. While patrolling in the Canon Wastes a wormhole opened near the Horizon. First Hister was unable to react in time to prevent our being taken in. We arrived in fatally damaged condition in the vicinity of the USS Discovery. Hister was dead. I assumed command. With their aid we followed them to Oz, an Ane world. Discovery founded a Starbase. Horizon was condemned, and destroyed by my order. We waited nearly a year on Oz before transport arrived to take us to the Federation Starbase 224. From there we were transported by the Kongo to Nabol."        "Where is your crew Ga'fer?"        "Sire, of the Acceptian crew, 39 died as a result of our traverse of the wormhole. One, First Hister, was murdered. None of the other surviving crew elected to return."        "Elected to return? Who gave them the choice of 'election'?"        "The civil government of Oz Sire. They were given asylum, and I was not in a position to compel."        Cher'cur looked at the appropriate place in the report. "Ane..."        "Of a sort, Sire. Vice Admiral Hailey was eager to take direction from them."        "Very well Ga'fer, I will have to read your doubtless hefty report and come to a decision. We are grateful any of you survived."        "As are we, Sire."        "I have a badly damaged Seeker that does not have a First. Do you wish the command?"        "I do Sire."        "You are confirmed as First, and ordered to take command of the Inquisitor. You may request any Horizon crew you wish to follow you."        "By your Will, Sire."        "What do you mean the League members can't help?"        "Just that minister. The Charter says that we will support and aid members in opposing the Federation. This does not oppose the Federation."        "Most of our fleet was destroyed defending Nabol. We still need to defend ourselves against any attempts to assimilate us by the Federation. How are we to do that?"        "I'm sorry, I don't know. No one is willing at this time to offer aid. I don't think you need to worry about it. How many of those things can there be?"        "One was too many. The Acceptians say they have fought them for 600 years."        "I will pass your needs around again, but I don't think the results will be different."        The Nabol representative looked Taggel and Kirk over. "Gentles, we find ourselves in a delicate position. In defending our world, we find ourselves... defenseless. The ten ships that returned from the fight are but tatters of what went out."        Taggel bobbed a bit. "Yes. A war city is not an easy foe. No one comes off unhurt. Your defenders fought hard, and died well."        "Yet they died, and there in is the problem. We need aid."        Kirk raised an eyebrow. "I though Nabol was a member of the League of Unaligned Worlds?"        "We are, but allies have nothing to offer. We seek new friends for the sake of peace. We solicit your offers of aid. These offers will be presented before the Peers for consideration."        "When do you want these?" Asked Kirk.        "Would two days be enough?"        Taggel bobbed. Enough for us yes."        Kirk shot him a look. "Agreed, two days."        Cher'cur puffed full out. "They are handing us the planet."        Taggel clacked and smoothed. "I would not be cocksure the egg is hatched Sire. We must compete with the Federation."        "What will they offer?"        "I am not sure. I don't think Nabol will boldly ask for membership in their Federation. I know they will not require it."        "How so?"        "That was the case at Galron. The Federation is generous to a fault with materials and aid."        "So how can we tie them to us?"        "Ships, technology. Our ships will require us to run them. After all, they are built for Acceptian crews. We start with their military and work into the civil government."        "I'll consider your recommendations."        Kirk sipped at his coffee while Admiral Hull considered the problem. Hall mused. "We don't have a lot lying about right now. I can keep Kongo on station for a while. I have an older Excelsior here, the Farnsworth, we had to decommission to crew an Intrepid."        "How good is she?"        "Not too used up. She is certainly dangerous, if slow."        "Sir, I recommend that if you can part with the ship, do so. I would add as many attack ships as we can find. They suffered hideous casualties."        "An Excelsior is one hell of a gift."        "Yes sir, and if given with the usual no strings attached will beat the best offer the Acceptian can muster."        "How are you sure?"        "Because what ever they give will have strings attached."        "What about the technical boost that will give them?"        "Better our technology than getting over run, quickly or slowly. They are players sir."        Hull shook his head. "I'll consider your recommendation."        The Nabol Minister of Defense sat across the table from Cher'cur and Kirk. "Gentlebeings, I am glad you have seen fit to being your offers in response to our requests. I would ask you to proceed at this time."        Kirk nodded to Cher'cur. "After you."        "You are kind. Minister, after consulting with my superiors I am able to offer you three strikers to patrol the Nabol system."        "These are your larger attack ships?"        "Yes. In return for the patrolling ships we ask that you provide station support. Strikers are not long range ships, and need tenders."        And who will command and crew these ships?"        "We will. The technology is advanced, and the accommodations and facilities are better suited to our bioform."        "I see. Captain Kirk, what does the Federation offer?"        "Well, we did some digging around. Admiral Hull found 14 attack ships we no longer support. These will be a little better than the ones you had. We also have an Excelsior class frigate that is freshly decommissioned the USS Farnsworth NCC-7352. It's old and slow, but they pack a wallop."        "How slow is slow Captain?"        "Warp 6 cruise, warp 8 flank."        "That is impressive compared to our ships. Who will crew and command?"        "Well, we can spare you a small crew to train your own people, but the Farnsworth was decommissioned because we couldn't maintain her and the newer ships in the fleet. Choices had to be made, in this case you benefit."        "And what does the Federation ask in return?"        "Remember who your friends are."        "No basing or support for the ships?"        "Minister that would be your concern. Your ships your base. Starfleet will only be here long enough to get your crews up to speed. Now if you need major work you don't feel you can do, we will support you at Starbase 464, for reasonable consideration. Just remember who your friends are when someone from the Federation comes to call."        Minister Narkin gathered the materiels together. "Thank you for your offers. I will report them to the Council, and have our answer shortly."        Third Jeekk entered the presence. "Sire, I have a request for a change of assignment."        Cher'cur looked at the younger officer. "It is unusual to come to the Most First for an assignment change Jeekk. Why?"        "Sire, I wish to continue with the Kongo."        Cher'cur puffed and smoothed. "You wish an assignment to the Federation Cruiser? That would be difficult for me to give."        "I have spoken with Fleet Captain Kirk. He is willing to accept me, provided I follow Starfleet regulations. I have been offered an exchange commission as a Lieutenant in sciences."        "Yes, that would help. The question remains, why?"        "Sire, our social sciences have deteriorated. We have not have much practice of late, and all experience in dealing with new races is gone. I wish to recover these skills, as practiced in Starfleet."        "I see. Allow me to consider this. I will have an answer for you before we depart company with the Kongo."        "By your Will, Sire."        Minister Narkin sat once again with Cher'cur and Kirk. "Sirs, I am please to give you our answer. Most First Cher'cur. The Council of Peers wishes it known that Acceptian ships are welcome at the Ports of Nabol, and will be aided with material. We also extend this offer to any Federation ship. This is in gratitude for the protection you have given us in the past, and in anticipation of any we may need in the future.        "Fleet Captain Kirk. The Council of Peers gladly accepts the Federation offer of the USS Farnsworth and 14 attack ships. We will indeed remember who our friends are. I thank you both, and thanks also to your respective commands for the efforts they have gone to."        Cher'cur looked up to see who had entered. "Ah Taggel, good of you to come."        "Yes Sire, you indicated news of some importance."        "Indeed, I just got a notice from the Hall of Pinions that might be of interest to you." He pushed the PADD towards Taggel.        Taggel picked it up and read. He blinked. "Quri has been given to my Family?"        "Yes, success breeds success as you can see. You are now a Great House and will have a seat in the Hall of Pinions."        Taggel clamped his feathers. "I shall covey my congratulations to my Dam at once. They are likely already packing."        "Forgive me if I misread you, but you do not sound pleased."        Taggel puffed a little. "Sire, have you ever been openly and vocally hated by anyone?"        Cher'cur clacked his beak. "I can't say that I have. Why does this matter?"        "I have been hated. The Galmeer made it plain that me and my kind were not welcome. It's one of those changes I talked about earlier. Sire, how many of the races we keep as clients hate us to the last pinfeather? Have they put up with us only because they must? What happens when the free booting Federation traders start to penetrate the Empire? What happens when people see that we are not the only way?"        Cher'cur sat quietly as the question lay there. At long last he opened his beak. "I don't know. I see some valid concerns in what you say. Changes as you say. We can either respond knowing that they will come, and if we work now we might be able to shape the outcome."        "Or we can blunder into the future as we are, and be destroyed."        Cher'cur rose. "I advise that you not speak openly of these concerns. Your rank is yet new, and public doubts will not be your friend."        "What about truth?"        "This truth could get us removed from our offices before we can do any good. We must proceed carefully, very carefully. For now it must be you and I. We will add others as we learn how they can be trusted. There is one more thing." Cher'cur pressed the comm. "Acke'cur, inform Third Jeekk that his exchange assignment is approved. He may begin at once." Cher'cur looked back at Taggel. "We shall learn from the Federation, or we shall not survive the contact. The contact is made, and that future is unavoidable."        Tim Kirk relaxed embracing his wife. Space rolled by outside his windows. In the distance one could make out the winking spot that was the Vigilant.        **We get tied up with her a lot. I wonder if it means anything in the greater scheme of things.**        Tathilan nuzzled closer. **That she's the Mothership on this side of the Empire?**        **I still haven't figure that out. Are they foes, friends? Are they something different?**        **Different I think. They are real imperialists, in the old Earth sense. But they are not stupid either. The Federation is something new, and they are curious.**        **And we need to use that to advantage.**        **What advantage do you want?**        **The advantage to make a peaceful friend, what else?**        **We have had our 80 days to make an impression. One of them has come back to learn. Perhaps he will learn more than he thinks he will learn.**        **That is usually the case with anyone. Don't we always learn more than we bargained for?**        **Yes, but that is why we are out here.** Kirk gave her a kiss and got up. **Come on pretty girl, let's find something else to learn.**      Ships in the Night -- Garry Stahl, June 2004          Footnotes for the curious:        The McGuffin in this story, the crew of the ill fated seeker Horizon, came from the on line RPG Jay Hailey and I are accustom to play when the creative juices are not flowing into stories. It is doubtful if those games will ever make the transition to story form. I don't tend to go back and rehash old games. For me it is told and done. Jay does rework games into stories, but the events of the Starbase 600 setting are firmly set in the Epiphany Trek universe, and run counter to the Outwardly Mobile plot arc in significant ways. I have stated that the game is Epiphany Trek canon, so events therein can and do effect the characters of my stories.        Thasites are from Jay Hailey's "Star Trek: Outwardly Mobile" setting, as are the USS Prometheus, and USS Discovery. Also from his ST: OM are Captain Malone, Captain/Admiral Jay P. Hailey and Commander/Captain Li'ira O'Keefe. Malone has not made any Epiphany Trek appearances. Captain Li'ira O'Keefe has appeared as the Captain of the USS Shi'kar and later the USS Abraham Dannon, an Ambassador class Kongo refit in the STB-600 online game. Vice Admiral Hailey is the commander of the Far Sector and Starbase 600. I wish to thank him for the permission to guest star his characters and races on camera or off.        Major events that have happened "off screen".        Peace with the Romulan Empire: As indicated in "The Long Patrol" the peace process has continued. The Romulan Star Empire has decided that the best way to secure their border with the Federation was to make peace.         Klingon/Cardassian War: The Klingon Empire made war on the Cardassians to relieve internal pressure. Romulan machinations were subtly aiding the Cardassians to bleed the Klingons more, but not enough to let the Cardassians win. If the plan had worked in the Romulan favor all three major threats to the Empire would be neutralized. The Federation by treaty, the Cardassian under the thumb of the Klingons, and the Klingon having to manage the Cardssians. However, it didn't because of ...        Second Federation/Cardassian War: Cardassian machinations on the Federation world of Oz, an Ane Conffederation world on the other side of the Klingon border and location of Starbase 600 lead to the Federation declaring war on the Cardassians while the Union was embroiled with the Klingons. The Union was unable to fight a two front war, and a civil change in Cardassian government led to the 24 hour war. The Cardassian union surrendered to the Federation, to the chagrin of the Klingons. The Klingon Council backed by Kathless accepted the end of the war and it's results. The Real Klingon houses did not. So ...        Klingon Civil War: The Klingons rolled right from conflict with the Cardassiasn to their most favorite activity, war with each other. This fight has a deep idealogical roots and is going to be messy. The Real Klingon vs. the New Klingons. Thumbnail difference: The Real Klingon are of the opinion that one must be physically Klingon to be a Klingon. New Klingons believe that anyone that behaves as a Klingon, is a Klingon. Warrior Patton from Jay Hailey's stories is a prime example.        That is the current condition of the Known Galaxy at the time of this writing.        Acceptian Rank: Rank in the Acceptian Star service is more fluid than in Starfleet. A Least Second can find themselves a Most Second on another ship.        Rank is a function of seniority among your Peers and reputation. In the scene where Taggel informs Kerchin that his excellent work will be reported Taggel is giving Kerchin a reputation boost. This will enhance his reputation and rank among the Seconds. The broad categories are Fourth, Third, and Second. These are a function of actual rank and follow you about, unless you command. A commander is aways a First, regardless of their last assignment.        Taggel was Second in "Lines in the Sand". The Most Firsts consider he did as well as could be done, and he got a reputation bump. He won the challenge and that got him a reputation bump as well. This made him Most Second. When given command of the Vigilant he got a huge bump. Size does matter and while he might have been the lowest on the "Firsts List" he had the largest command, and was therefor senior in the fleet. Among a gathering of Mothership Firsts (Scary the circumstances that might cause that to happen) he would be the least of their number, unless one of them had yet to fight a war city in which case Taggel's record would count for more. If all had fought a war city and each was commissioned at the same time, the size of the city and number of the assisting fleet would come into the occasion. Taggel would lose points for the Kongo and Nabol forces, but gain them for the mass of the war city and the number of ships his Most First commanded. The fact the city had better shields would also factor in his favor. None of this would need to be discussed. The other First will have read the action report as he will have read theirs.        Race is also of concern. What ever your rank it is below an Acceptian Least Fourth if you are not Acceptian. Buteos rank next highest followed by Kronin, Deeples, Sparrials, and Gromilites last. Other races, not yet mentioned would fall between the Kronin and the Gromilites. Gromilites don't have rank other than "Cannonfodder". They spar for dominance among themselves, but no one places any value on it.        The Acceptian Star Service is much smaller than Starfleet. Their total forces number in the thousands not the tens of thousands. Two Acceptian Firsts are much more likely to know each other than a similar situation in Starfleet.        A "Span" is 24 feet. A little larger than the average Acceptian wingspan. Span was most likely set by a huge Matriarch who did span 24 feet. As per the example the "foot" was first formally set by the Anglo Saxon King Edward Longshanks at the length of his own foot. (We understand the "longshanks" part.) The flight tank is 384 feet deep and wide and 1920 feet long. On the model (1/2500 scale) that would be a 1.8 inches square by 9.2 inches long. The flight tank likely also plays some part in the ship's life support system. Only Mothership's have the space to afford tanks that size.         Comments or questtons on this story? Mail Here Download A zipped Rich Text Format version of this story. Return to -- Epiphany Trek: The Stories The Above is a work of fiction. All characters are fictional, any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental. Copyright © Garry Stahl: June 2004. All rights reserved, re-print only with permission.