S01E15 - Session Log (Season Finale - Part 1)
Summary
The 58-hour journey to the ship handover coordinates provided a rare moment of respite as the crew recovered from their ordeal aboard the SS Nexus Drift. Released from quarantine with their equipment decontaminated, each team member pursued their own preparations: Bum refined his technical gear and assisted with repairs, Narik analyzed Dr. Merik's medical requests against their tricorder data, Klix continued his methodical decryption of the Xunil isolinear rod, and Androni sent an encrypted message to his mother regarding their "new business venture."
The handover itself proceeded with professional efficiency - ten bars of latinum exchanged for command codes and access to their own ship at last. As the armed handover team departed with a warning about leaving Federation space quickly, the crew began a systematic tactical sweep of their new vessel. Deck by deck, drone and tricorder leading the way, they cleared each compartment until Androni finally took his seat on their own bridge.
But triumph gave way to revelation when unusual sensor readings - tachyon emissions consistent with a cloaked vessel - preceded an incoming hail. Vesh Loqar's face appeared on screen, his calm amusement carrying a devastating admission: he had ordered their deaths. Yet their survival had impressed him enough to offer three paths forward: prove their worth through one final job, walk away and never cross his territory again, or finish their conflict now. The episode ends with the crew facing the most consequential choice of their criminal careers.
Detailed Log
Recovery and Preparation
With the Nexus Drift safely at warp, the crew's quarantine period transitioned from medical necessity to productive downtime. The ship's crew handled ongoing repairs without requiring further manual intervention from their unexpected guests, allowing the team to focus on personal projects and preparations for the challenges ahead.
The first priority was data security. Transferring the accumulated tricorder readings to a PADD took approximately an hour, but ensured their valuable intelligence would survive any equipment failures. Their gear underwent thorough decontamination, environmental conditions normalized, and ship systems stabilized to functional status with only minor repairs outstanding.
Individual Pursuits
Each crew member used the extended travel time according to their particular talents and obsessions.
Bum's technical expertise proved invaluable across multiple domains. His assessment of available materials revealed exceptional quality components throughout the ship's stores - four successful evaluations identified everything he could need for construction projects. His subsequent fabrication work achieved similar success, producing refined modifications to his equipment. He also contributed to the ship's ongoing repair efforts, though his single success in that domain suggested the crew had the situation well in hand.
Narik focused his analytical mind on a troubling discrepancy. Cross-referencing Dr. Merik's medical shopping list against their tricorder data and his own fragmented memories about his condition, he discovered that two of the doctor's requested items bore no apparent connection to his current medical status. The implications remained unclear, but the discovery added another layer of uncertainty to their medical arrangements. His support for Bum's construction projects proved more straightforward - three successful assists - and his contribution to repair efforts yielded four successes, making him the most effective repair assistant among the crew.
Klix maintained his obsessive focus on the isolinear rod recovered from Xunil Station. Two successful decryption attempts during this period advanced his understanding of the device's structure. His investigation of the sickbay's systems revealed something unexpected: another transponder set, discovered through three successful searches of company records. Later, three more decryption successes brought him closer to unlocking the rod's secrets entirely.
Androni attended to strategic communications and crew coordination. His encrypted message to his mother - coded language about "starting a new business" and requesting an accelerated process - achieved two successes, though the response would have to wait. His examination of sickbay systems yielded three successes and generated valuable tactical advantages. He also provided historical context support for Klix's Starfleet-related research, contributing one successful insight to the decryption efforts.
Arrival at Handover Coordinates
As the Nexus Drift approached the designated coordinates, the crew prepared for their long-awaited ship acquisition. They gathered the remaining ten bars of latinum for final payment, the culmination of their financial arrangements with Linni.
Before departing, Androni approached Captain Nerex with a practical request: information about "safe harbors" - locations where their new ship might find refuge if circumstances demanded. His three successful negotiation checks convinced the captain to share four specific locations, valuable intelligence for their future operations.
The farewell with the Nexus Drift's crew carried unspoken acknowledgment of shared survival. Whatever suspicions remained about the sabotage, the crew had proven themselves capable allies in crisis.
Tactical Handover
The crew approached the handover with appropriate caution. Androni took point position, Narik positioned behind him, while Klix and Bum concealed themselves behind the airlock walls with phasers ready but hidden. Trust in Syndicate dealings was earned through survival, not assumption.
The handover party consisted of seven individuals - one apparent leader and six armed escorts - all wearing Federation uniforms. The exchange proceeded with professional efficiency: latinum transferred, command codes received, and ownership officially changed hands.
As the Andorian leader prepared to depart, Bum posed a practical question: "Anything we should know about the ship?"
The response carried ominous weight: "You probably should bring it out of Federation space soon."
Systematic Exploration
With the handover complete and the previous crew departed, the team initiated a methodical tactical sweep of their new vessel. Androni distributed weapons while Narik prepared his tricorder for life-sign detection. Their approach would be thorough and cautious - this ship's history warranted careful examination.
Cargo Room 2 yielded an immediate bonus: four surveillance drones of fair quality but sufficient capability for their purposes. Klix examined the PADD containing the command codes for potential malware while Narik attempted to interface with one of the drones. Initial activation attempts failed, but Klix's technical expertise combined with Narik's support successfully brought the drone online.
Androni established the tactical protocol: proceed to engineering first to verify command code access, then systematically clear each deck with the drone providing advance reconnaissance.
The approach through the airlock to Deck 4 demonstrated their methodology. Drone forward, tricorder scanning, visual confirmation by Androni and Bum. Deck 4 proved clear - logistics storage as expected. Engineering received the same treatment: Narik's tricorder sweep, Klix's drone reconnaissance, Bum's visual assessment. Nothing unusual, no life signs, no threats.
Klix used the command codes to access ship systems. His malware check revealed clean systems - no hidden programs, no sabotage waiting to activate. Basic diagnostics confirmed the vessel was operational, if requiring some attention.
They established security protocols immediately: all doors locked, opened individually only as the crew passed through. The systematic approach continued upward through the decks.
Deck 3 - recreation areas, mess hall, gymnasium, sickbay - clear. Deck 2 - crew quarters - clear. Deck 1 - clear. Finally, the bridge: a small compartment, unexpectedly warm, but empty of threats.
Androni took his seat in the command chair. Their own ship at last.
The satisfaction lasted only moments.
Unusual Sensor Readings
The bridge consoles flickered with unexpected readings. Energy patterns appeared on sensors that defied immediate explanation.
"Narik, Klix - consoles. Assessment now," Androni ordered, his brief moment of triumph instantly subordinated to tactical awareness.
Narik performed the sensor analytics, his technical training identifying the signature's characteristics. "Tachyon emissions detected," he reported, the implications already forming in his mind.
Klix's interpretation carried the weight of experience: "These readings... I have seen something similar once. It was the signature of a cloaked ship."
Yet no ship appeared on their sensors. The invisible presence hung in the void around them, watching, waiting.
Before they could formulate a response, an incoming hail demanded their attention.
The Confrontation
Vesh Loqar's face filled the viewscreen. Calm. Amused. Dangerous.
"I must admit, I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to survive."
The words landed like phaser fire. Another figure stepped into frame beside Vesh - a woman whose presence triggered fragmentary recognition across the crew. Familiar, yet impossible to place definitively.
Narik's analytical mind worked rapidly. This recognition wasn't recent - not from the last days - but neither was it months old. He discretely shared his assessment with Androni through their console interface, avoiding Vesh's potential surveillance.
Bum experienced a strong intuitive connection to something around the time of the Xunil heist. The timing aligned with their first operations for the Syndicate.
Androni's recognition proved most specific: the familiar feeling matched his experience when leaving Vesh's ship after the QMP operation. Someone had been watching them even then.
The woman spoke, her tone cool and assessing: "Indeed. Your performance exceeded my expectations."
Vesh Explains
Vesh's explanation came with businesslike clarity, each word precisely calculated:
"Let me explain why you're supposed to be dead."
"First: you were loose ends. The QMP heist drew significant Federation attention. Loose ends get tied up."
Narik interrupted, his bluntness cutting through the rhetorical presentation: "Why didn't you just tie them up earlier, then?"
Vesh faced him directly and continued:
"Because... Second: you were given clear instructions. Observe Tavik's operations. Report. Instead, you made your own deals, arranged your own transport, rushed to leave."
"You chose to improvise when I told you to follow the plan."
A deliberate pause allowed the weight of his next words to settle.
"So I ordered your elimination. The sabotage on the Nexus Drift. Glix at Kepler watched your departure - when you deviated from my timeline, he received the order."
"Business. Not personal."
Glix's cryptic warnings suddenly made terrible sense. "You should have left yesterday." "Vesh was right about you... that you are not ready yet." The surveillance had been constant, the judgment already rendered before they ever boarded the Nexus Drift.
Androni responded with exceptional composure - seven successful checks worth of measured counterargument. The core of his response challenged Vesh's assumptions: they hadn't robbed the doctor but Grell, a rival operative. They were criminals who required operational resources. Their initiative demonstrated capability, not insubordination.
Reassessment
Vesh's tone shifted. Not threatening now - genuinely reconsidering:
"You survived. That's... noteworthy."
"I've ordered the deaths of many operatives. Most die. Some survive through luck. Very few survive through competence."
"You handled the sabotage. You saved the ship. You saved the engineer. You evaded the Kepler response."
"Operatives who can survive when I myself try to kill them... might be worth more alive."
He leaned forward, his presence filling the viewscreen.
"The question now is: what do we do with that?"
The unknown woman broke the contemplative silence:
"For what it's worth - I recommended reassessment rather than pursuit. They exceeded my initial evaluation."
Three Paths
Vesh presented their options with characteristic precision, though his manner suggested openness to counter-proposals:
"I see three paths forward."
"Option one: Prove you're worth the risk. One job, my terms. You succeed, you earn a seat at the table. Not as expendable assets - as valued operatives."
"Option two: Walk away. You keep the ship. Don't operate in my territory, don't use my contacts, don't speak my name. I'll forget you exist."
"Option three..."
A slight smile crossed his features.
"We finish this now. I don't recommend it, but I respect honesty."
The silence stretched between the two ships - one visible, one cloaked but present.
"You have time to discuss. But not forever."
The screen held Vesh's image, patient and predatory, as the crew faced the defining choice of their criminal careers. Everything they had survived - Xunil, Lyseria VII, Kepler Station, the Nexus Drift sabotage - had led to this moment.
Notes
Session Notes
S01E1516 - Session Log
Treatment /Quarantine
- ships crew performs repoair, not mo manual adjustments more needed
- Tricorderdaten auf PADD übertragen
- stuff decontaminated
- environmental conditions normal
- ship systems functional, minor repairs needed
Travel Time to destination
- transfer the data to PADD: 1 hour
Bum 1) Einkaufsliste - was ist hier verfügbar: everything in exceptional quality (4 successes) 2) Construction: 4 successes 3) supporting crew with repairs: 1 succes
Narik 1) Abgleich Doktor Einkaufsliste mit Tricorderdaten + Wissen über Gedächtnislüclen: 1 success (2 of doctors requests are not related to current condition) 2) Support für Bum bei Basteln: 3 supports 3) supporting crew with repairs: 4 success
Klix 1) Entschlüsellungen Stäbchen: 2 successes 2) Sickbay, company papers search & transponder: 3 successes: another transponder set 3) entschlüsselt rod: 3 successes
Androni 1) Message to mother: "Startin new business, please fasten process": 2 successes 2) Sickbay: 3 successes (-> 2 edge) 3) Support Klix with starfleet history: 1 teffer
Arrival at Handover Coordinates
- crew collects the 10 bars for the remaining payment
- androni asks captain for "safe harbors": 3 treffer, 1x 20 (4 locations handed to androni)
- farewell with ships crew
- prepare for handover at docking:
- Androni in front, Narik behind
- Klix und Bum behind walls at airlock
- phasers ready, but not visible
- handover professional, 1+6 armed guys in federation uniforms, exchange mnoney and command codes
- Bum asks if "anything we should know about the ship": andorian answers "you probably should bring it out of federation space soon"
Ship Exploration & Discovery
- after handover, crew takes weapons + tricorder for lifesign scans (Narik)
- Cargo Room 2: 4 surveillance drones (fair quality, basic amount)
- Klix: check padd with commando codes (for malware)
- Narik: connect to one of the surveillance drones
- Klix: copy commando codes from
- Narik: failed to start drone
- Klix with Narik support: start drone
- Androni: tactical plan: go to engineering, check commando codes
- schleuse zu deck 4: sichern mit drohne voran
- deck 4: safe, some logistics stuff
- engineering:
- Narik Tricorder scan:
- Klix Drone check
- Bum: recon check
- nobody there, nothing unusual
- clear room: all
- Klix: use commando codes to access systems
- Klix: malware check on ship systems: nothing found
- basic system diagnostics: see ship status table
- lock all doors (and open individually when crew needs to pass)
- crew moves up and clears the decks with the same tactical approach: drone (klix) + tricorder (narik) + visual check (Androni + Bum)
- clear deck 3: recreation area, mess hall, gym, sickbay
- clear deck 2: crew quarters
- clear deck 1:
- clear bridge: small room, unexpectedly hot
- Androni takes his first seat on their own ship.
- does not take long until...
Unusual Sensor Readings
- Energy patterns detected on sensors
- Narik and Klix ordered to consoles for assessment
- Narik performs sensor analytics
- Tachyon emissions detected
- Klix interprets results: "These readings... i have seen something similar once - it was the signature of a cloaked ship."
- But no ship is visible on sensors.
- While they analyze, an hail is received.
The Confrontation
Vesh Loqar appears on screen. Calm. Amused. Dangerous.
VESH: "I must admit, I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to survive."
Another figure steps into frame beside Vesh. She seems familiar for some of the crew, but no one can really place her.
- Narik: quite sure this is something not from the last days, bot also not months old - shares this thought with Androni via their consoles (to avoid Vesh overhearing)
- Bum: has a strong feeling this is connected to something around the time of the XUNIL heist
- Androni: is sure the familiar feeling is the same he had when leaving Veshs ship after the QMP heist
???: [cool, assessing] "Indeed. Your performance exceeded my expectations."
Vesh Explains
Vesh lays out his reasoning - calm, logical, business-like:
"Let me explain why you're supposed to be dead."
"First: you were loose ends. The QMP heist drew significant Federation attention. Loose ends get tied up."
Narik interrupts:
"Why didn't you just tied them up earlier, then?"
Vesh faces Narik and continues:
"Second: Because... you were given clear instructions. Observe Tavik's operations. Report. Instead, you made your own deals, arranged your own transport, rushed to leave."
"You chose to improvise when I told you to follow the plan."
[pause]
"So I ordered your elimination. The sabotage on the Nexus Drift. Glix at Kepler watched your departure - when you deviated from my timeline, he received the order."
"Business. Not personal."
Androni reacts (with 7 successeses) - core content:
- we did not rob the doctor, but Grell
- we are gangsters and need something to operate from
Vesh's tone shifts - not threatening now, genuinely reassessing:
"But you survived. That's... noteworthy."
"I've ordered the deaths of many operatives. Most die. Some survive through luck. Very few survive through competence."
"You handled the sabotage. You saved the ship. You saved the engineer. You evaded the Kepler response."
"Operatives who can survive when I myself try to kill them... might be worth more alive."
[leans forward]
"The question now is: what do we do with that?"
[pause]
The unknown, yet familiar woman breaks the silence:
"For what it's worth - I recommended reassessment rather than pursuit. They exceeded my initial evaluation."
Vesh presents options - but makes clear the crew can counter-propose:
"I see three paths forward."
"Option one: Prove you're worth the risk. One job, my terms. You succeed, you earn a seat at the table. Not as expendable assets - as valued operatives."
"Option two: Walk away. You keep the ship. Don't operate in my territory, don't use my contacts, don't speak my name. I'll forget you exist."
"Option three..." [slight smile] "We finish this now. I don't recommend it, but I respect honesty."
[silence]
"You have time to discuss. But not forever."
[EPISODE END]