Personal Log: Alys Vega

[kover]

Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 91553.06

::Alys stands in front of the personal replicator in the background, her back turned to the viewscreen::

Computer. Beverage, hot. Surprise me.

::She picks up what appears to be a mug of Klingon 'Iw Dargh and carries it to the desk, setting it on the table as she settles into her chair. She leans forward and rests her chin on her laced fingers as she stares thoughtfully at the viewscreen for several moments.::

Captain's personal log, stardate 91553.06. Today marks my first official day as executive officer of Orpheus station, Starbase 332 under Captain Sheridan Edzya. Our first meeting wasn't one of the most formal affairs I've ever be a part of; I found her half buried inside an engineering console doing repairs. ::Alys chuckles softly as she glances away from the screen:: I think it was a good call to bring in a gearhead like her to oversee Orpheus, considering it's still under construction for the most part. There's potential here, but it'll take a lot of work to get everything running. I was informed that long range sensor were down so I doubled our patrols in the system until they're brought back online. My primary duties will be to coordinate the station's defense fleet, and organize its future exploration missions. There's currently fifteen ships here, two of them docked for repairs for the time being. I expect repairs to be completed before the end of next week.

::Alys takes a sip of the Dargh, her brows rising with pleasant surprise as she sets it back down. Her expression then grows serious::

To be perfectly honest, I believe that the Valkyrie and her crew are being wasted on babysitting this construction project. She's a warrior, and she belongs on the battlefield. To be pulled from the front line because of a handful of slandering rumors-

::She sighs:: Computer, delete previous statement.

However, I will perform the duties that have been asked of me, as will my crew. Who knows? There might just be something worthwhile to discover in this back country of a sector. And I'm told Command Fayn is going to be my second in command. I haven't seen her since HazT boot camp. I wonder if she remembers me...

::She shrugs, smiling idly and picks up her mug::

End log.

[kover]

Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 91610.54

::Alys sighs quietly as she settles into her chair. There is a steaming mug of Vulcan spiced tea on her desk::

Captain's personal log, Stardate 91610.54. It's been two days since our unexpected detour on the second planet of KC-052, a star system in the Khazan Cluster not far from Orpheus Major that our cartographers have yet to name. I proposed 'Dune,' a suggestion that was not very well received. I suppose I'm a little biased.

Like I had stated in my official report, we were surveying the system during a patrol cruise out from Orpheus when our sensors detected an artificial satellite orbiting the second planet of the system, a Class L desert planet with low levels of plant and animal life. As it turned out, the satellite was a massive energy nullifier, a trap built by an as-yet unknown spacefaring civilization. It had lain dormant for who knows how long until the Valkyrie approached it to make more detailed scans. Trapped as we were, Illy managed to scrap together enough power for me to bring an away team over to the satellite to see if we can disable it and free the ship. Once aboard the satellite, Dr. D'Saryn and I were able to disable the trap with Illy's help.

::She frowns briefly, glancing away for a moment to take a sip of her tea::

The trouble started when we attempted to beam back aboard the Valkyrie. Someone on the nearby planet was able to hijack the ship's pattern buffer and diverted part of the away team into a holding cell on the planet. Illy made it back aboard the Valkyrie. Dr. D'Saryn and I were essentially kidnapped. We were put through combat trials almost immediately, automated systems facilitating the process in a language our universal translators were barely able to adapt to. Under my suggestion, we complied with the computer's demands until we were able to find a way to escape the testing grounds, which pitted us against increasingly dangerous native lifeforms. We were fighting for over a day until the facility was damaged by one of the creatures it used to test us, and we took that opportunity to escape.

I was wounded by one of the venomous beasts. Stupidly. I should've been more careful. At any rate, we managed to get to a control room of sorts and were able to decipher one of the consoles enough to identify an old starship wreck several kilometers away from our location. I had to bet on the hope that the wreck would have the parts we'd need to send a signal to the Valkyrie, and that she'd be there to hear it. I won't sugarcoat the facts, I should have died many times over during our flight from the alien facility. I could barely stand with whatever poison it was running through my system, and I knew I was slowing us down. It's...not a good feeling, knowing that you're just weight, especially when lives are on the line...

::Alys shuts her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose briefly. She then releases a long sigh, staring mutely at the a point behind the camera for several long moments::

But she wouldn't give up on me, not even after I gave her a direct order to do so. ::She smirks wryly:: I would've done the same. I have done the same...

It was night when we escaped from the facility. Kasandi-Dr. D'Saryn, managed to scrounge up some of the local flora to help with my injuries, at great risk to herself, while I was laying about, feverish, underneath a rock outcropping. It's not one of my prouder moments. But we managed. She managed. And we were able to reach the wreck the following day. The ship's origin was unidentifiable, though familiar enough that we were able to cobble together a subspace pulse device from the wreckage. Luckily, the Valkyrie was still within range to detect it, though I knew Bertinelli wouldn't have given up on us. Dr. D'Saryn insisted on making sure I was treated before she let herself have the same treatment. It was sweet of her, and what I've come to expect from working with her so far. I've recommended to Starfleet Command that her actions be commended, but they disagreed. ::She scowls:: Saving one person isn't enough for a medal, apparently. But I'll make sure she gets a commendation in her record.

Apparently the test facility was part of a larger set of ruins, a colony of some kind of long extinct civilization. Some pirates were squatting in the ruins, and were using the testing facility as a kind of bloodsport entertainment, using a rigged transporter to drop unsuspecting victims into the facility. I suppose we should be glad we survived the beaming at all. I'm also glad to know that the pirate encampment is no more. We made sure of that. Their leaders and surviving members have been captured and transferred to Starbase 39 for trial and punishment.

::Alys reaches for her mug of tea and takes a long sip before setting it back down::

Things could have gone much worse I think, especially if Dr. D'Saryn hadn't been there. Dying in the line of duty doesn't really frighten me, I mean, with the war and everything going on, we kind of expect it to happen sooner or later. But...coming close to death...makes you think. About one's life, about the people in it. I've made a lot of decisions in my life, and a lot of people have died from those decisions. Yet I only have a few regrets...just a few. I doubt I would have done anything different however, if given the chance to do so. ...Still, I cannot help but wonder...for those that I have marched straight into the jaws of death. Did they lay as I did? Cursing their inability to make a difference, a powerlessness that would mean the deaths of, not only themselves, but of those around them as well?

...I don't like this train of thought.

End log.

[kover]

Captain's Personal Log: Stardate 91618.72

::Alys is glaring at a point behind the camera, this goes on for several long moments::

Catpain's personal log, Stardate 91618.72. ...He got away. Tain Herlak, one of the Romulans under ice we brought back from the T'Liss wreck we found. It seems he had measures set in place to bring him out of stasis automatically should his pod be moved. I had ordered the pods to be guarded at all times, but somebody had left them alone in the medbay when this happened. I intend to find out who exactly countermanded my orders. ::She sighs:: In the meantime, we're still going over the station deck by deck to make sure that Herlak and his men haven't caused any other problems during their escape. Nothing we can't fix on short notice thus far, but I won't put it past him, considering his history.

::She scowls briefly and reaches over to a mug on her desk. She sips, the harsh lines on her face quickly fading away:: 

Kova, the civilian whose shuttle was stolen by Herlak and his men, came by today asking for the Captain. Wanted to talk about reparations for her loses. I'm glad she came looking for Edzya. I certainly didn't have the patience today.

One of the unidentified alien orbs that we brought back with us along with the stasis pods was damaged during the incident. There doesn't appear to be anything inside them, but considering the possibilities, I'm had the medical and science teams run environmental diagnostics just in case, but with Commander T'Pau in sickbay, things have been slow. This highlights just how short staffed we are out here. My requests for additional personnel continue to go unheeded by Starfleet Command, as are the Captain's, I'm sure. Our Romulan allies have been useful, though nowhere near as helpful as I had been led to believe. I also find Admiral Sindari to be...difficult to work with, even more so now. Despite preventing her from murdering Herlak in cold blood, I find myself in agreement with her reasoning. Which makes working with her even more insufferable now. 

::Alys drums her fingertips lightly against the desk, her brow furrowing::

I doubt this is the last we've seen of Herlak. With any luck, we'll catch up with him before he goes to ground. If not...

::She sighs again::

End log.