Gravity of Loss (Challenger)
| USS Challenger | ||
|---|---|---|
 LOST | ||
| ||
"Gravity of Loss"
By Heath West
The members of the Dark, an evolved telepathic form of the Romulans lead by Sharik, sent a distress call from a Romulan Scout Ship, the D'haraza. The pursuing vessel is the Romulan Warbird, under the impression that Sharik has kidnapped the two. They claim sanctuary within Federation Space and are therefore placed under the protection of the Challenger and the Thunder. The two children are Ael Khellian (female) and Rhian Lhaihtrha (male), both of important lineage and in their mid twenties and supposedly in love with one another. They wish to become part of the Federation as does the population of the scout ship. The CHALLENGER and THUNDER are under command to escort the scout vessel to Shinraka.
The vessel is harboring members of a secular society called the Dark, led by Sharik who are fleeing Romulan Space to their new colonised home on Shinraka, who prefer to relate to Federation and Human ideals than Romulan. They are the evolved race of Romulan, a mutated few, with the telepathic abilities outlawed by the Romulan Government. The leader, Sharik has had education on Earth and wants to educate some of his followers in the same way. On board however, are the children of two prominent families, Ael Khellian and Rhian Lhaihtrha,
The Captain of the Warbird is Mnheia Khellian, mother to Ael, and she isn’t gonna let her daughter go without a fight. She returns with three more war bird vessels intent on destroying the Challenger and the Thunder to reclaim her daughter and prosecute the other 400 population of the moon.
The Tal Shiar has condemned those with the telepathic powers to exile or death, in this case, death is not an option for the two children of important families so they choose to become exiles in their own right.
The preferred outcome would be the relinquish of control over the children to the Federation and the initiation of the new planet and race into the Federation of Planets.