Paved with Good Intentions (Columbia)
- Location: Avronis V
- Stardates: 239205.08-239207-21
On Starbase 118, the crew enjoyed a relaxing barbecue in a holodeck, during which promotions and awards were presented by Captain Ben Livingston. A few days later, during shoreleave, the crew discovered that an urgent request for help by the Romulans had forced their Captain to take the USS Kumari (Captain's Yacht) to Avronis V. The USS Columbia, under temporary command of LtCmdr. Brek will join him as soon as repairs and restocking are completed.
Two days later, following a spate of bad repairs from SB 118, and fearing that someone was trying to delay their mission, Brek decided to start their journey to Avronis ahead of schedule. Several hours later Columbia tried to contact Captain Livingston, and discovered that they couldn't trace the Kumari.
| USS Columbia | ||
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 INACTIVE STATUS | ||
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On Avronis' Moon Station, Administrator tr'Lleodah is reassured to see that nature is making a quiet come back to his planet. Emboldened by this, he prepared a little reception to receive Captain Livingston. On Avronis itself though, things are far from being pleasant. The staff working in the recycling stations suffered a spell of dangerous accidents that menaced their health and forced the shut down of several facilities, slowing down their recycling program.
Moments later, unbeknownst to everyone, as soon as he reached Avronis, Captain Livingston was captured by Major Nelkar, a Tal Shiar agent trapped in an underground facility on the planet.
After checking the specifications of Ambassador MacLaren's shuttle. Lt JG. Whittaker was viciously attacked and lost consciousness. He was found by Ensigns Oori and Ezo, and promptly transported to Sickbay. There, a Marine, who appeared to have lost control of his mind, pointed a phaser at Ezo. Thankfully, the entrance of a hapless crewman with an injured hand provided a distraction and Tatash incapacitated the Marine.
Later, while in security, Tatash suffered a mental assault, leaving him with just enough lucidity to call Dr. MacLaren. Their CMO went to him right away. Upon discovering his trauma, both transported back to Sickbay.
At the same time, while enjoying some rest time in the Galactic Halo, LtCmdr. Vitor Silveira and Ensign Antero Flynn came across an invisible entity who tried to take control of Silveira.
Meanwhile, Major Nelkar lost control of his underground base when the Iconian gate activated itself, releasing several brutal aliens. The gate caused intense tremors that facilitated the escape of Captain Ben Linvingston and his small crew. Aware that he was well and truly trapped, Nelkar sided with Livingston, and together, they managed to escape from Avronis onboard the Kumari.
On Columbia, one of the 'invisible' saboteurs revealed itself as an Iconian. After a lengthy discussion with LtCmdr. Brek, it gave the crew an ultimatum: they would spare the lives of the Romulans working on the recycling project, at the condition that this encounter be classified, and that the Avronis gateway be once and for all destroyed. They left the ship right after their terms had been accepted.
Soon after, Captain Ben Livingston, the Kumari crew, along with Nelkar and some of his men, rendezvoused with the Columbia. Doctor Johanna MacLaren and Ensign Flynn, who greeted them, discovered that their Captain had a severe case of radiation poisoning.
While Captain Livingston was confined in sickbay with a serious case of radiation sickness, LtCmdr. Brek, Lt JG . Tatash and Ensign Flynn prepared to go to Avronis. They use the Bhujerba shuttle, on which a Romulan cloaking device had been installed. After stealing a power generator from one of the recycling stations on Avronis, they flew to the site of the Iconian gateway, and unseen, they destroyed it.
On their return to Columbia, Brek waited until all the supplies requested by the Romulans had been shipped to them, and then he asked Flynn to take them back to Starbase 118. The Ferengi also went to speak with Major Nelkar, a Tal Shiar agent who had fled Avronis with Captain Livingston. After a long discussion the Major decided to cooperate with Starfleet Intel, so that the scientists working with him could be set free.
The cloaking device was removed from the shuttle by Lt JG. Theo Whittaker and Didrik Stennes. Also, following orders by Tatash, they made sure that the Romulan device could never be used again.
“The amazing and the illegal quite often overlap.” Said, Didrik Stennes, Civilian Observer on board Columbia.
As soon as they reached Starbase 118, Flynn created a Risian holodeck setting for the crew's traditional party.
Meanwhile, Lt. Johanna MacLaren and Ensign Mirra Ezo shared their distress at discovering that Captain Livingston's health wasn't improving.
At the same time, Brek received the latest addition to the Columbia crew: Captain Nugra their Chief Intel, LtCmdr. Chythar Skyfire, a Medical Officer and Lt. Talia Kaji, their new Counsellor.
Later, Brek joined the crew at the holo party to announce the change of command and to deliver the traditional award ceremony. There, he got the surprise to be promoted to the rank of Commander by Captain Nugra.
While several crewmembers went cliff diving in the Risian landscape, Brek received Columbia's new F.O: LtCmdr. Rendal Rennyn.