Captain Fallon studied the sensor display from the console installed into the cargo bay that was designated for the recovery of the USS Rubidoux. Thus far, the ship hasn’t been classified as lost in action, but Fallon was being pressed for a response by command, and he wasn’t honestly ready to make any declarations. Official or otherwise.

They’d discovered the debris field of the battle the Rubi had with the Assault ship commanded by Talven. The area was still flush with nadion and poleron particles from energy weapons fire. They’d also found a heavy traces of duranium microfoam and tritanium. That would be the Rubi’s hull plating. Not enough to indicate the ship was destroyed, but she’d taken some shots.

There were also heavy traces of monotanium as well which Fallon took for the Vaadwaur debris. Again, not enough to equate to the loss of entire ship which meant both vessels walked away from the exchange. So what happened?

“Any more entries in that data bouy?” he asked.

“Negative. Nothing recoverable at least.”

Fallon cursed silently. He’d managed to comb through everything left behind in 2 different data pods. But it looked like his supply of information dried up.

“Bridge to Captain Fallon.”

“Fallon here, go ahead.”

“You asked to be notified if we detected anything else? I think we’ve got something. Routing it through to you now.”

It was something that much was sure. At first blush it could be mistaken for any random piece of debris lost in the attack. Of little use to anyone. He focused a detailed sensor scan of it. It was a piece of hull plating some of the underlaying structure attached to it. But there was a faint power source within it.

“Tractor that into the cargo bay, now.”

“Sir?” His tactical officer said. An objection about to form.

“Do it.”

In short order, the wreckage was towed in and set down. They didn’t have much of the ship yet. Just a few fragments and the data bouys. This constituted the first substantial find.

A liuetnant in blue ran a tricorder over it and frowned. “It’s not hull plating from the Rubidoux sir.”

Fallon’s brows furrowed. “Then what?”

“It looks like they dismantled a shuttle, and wedged another bouy into it, roughed up the edges so it looked like debris and let it float out of the ship. These elements here are in smaller concentrations than what you’d find in something from the exterior of a New Orleans class. See the difference in the layering?”

Fallon smirked.

“Rain must have known they were being watched, so he left this behind in the debris. Get the bouy out and hook it up.”

Several minutes later, a data cable was plugged in it and the team was recovering what they could.

“Got a log for ya, sir. It’s the oldest on the list.”

“Put it on, please.”

Log Date 2402.04.07.2035.15

The bay flickered, as the holoprojection system powered up and rearranged it. The perspective was jarring at first. It was like standing inside the image of a security sensor being displayed on a console.

“Anyway we can clean this up?”

“Aye sir, working on it now.”

A moment later the image rippled and the perspective shifted back to normal and the light blue tone filter lifted. Fallon glanced around and noted he was in a transporter room. A modest 6 deck pad. Not the biggest, but for a New Orleans that was about the biggest it would need. The captain was stood in front of the operator was if expecting someone.

A beat later, Zhorick Talven beamed aboard the ship. Alone. Fallon canted his head curiously, then looked at Tiberius.

“Now, how in the hell did you manage this?”

Then he remembered the truce offered. If they tried to capture Talven now, it would be a bad faith gesture on Rain’s part. He knew Tiberius well enough to know that wouldn’t be something he’d consider. So that left something more subtle.

“Captain Rain.” The Vaadwaur said.

“Captain Talven. Welcome aboard the Rubidoux. I have to confess, giving VIP tours to enemy captains of war isn’t typically something I do.”

“It’s my hope that we can leave this interaction as allies within the Supremacy.”

Tiberius didn’t immediately respond. He just smiled diplomatically and swerved the conversation around the statement.

“As you can see, we’re got a little dust here and there, pardon the construction.”

Rain gestured for Talven to step down and join him. As they strode out of the Transporter room, the footage followed them, leaving Fallon once again fighting off the feeling of movement without moving. Thankfully, he’d had the engineering team install a hand rail nearby for him to lean on. He flailed about until he slapped it, gripping it tightly for balance.

When this was over? He was never setting foot in anything holographic again. For a while. At least two infinities. And a half.

“This is not at all what I expected of a warship, Captain Rain. Your decks are carpeted, and the walls are a warm and inviting beige.”

Talven traced a finger along the hull.

“It seems designed more for crew and creature comfort than a utilitarian war craft.”

Tib smiled, genuine this time.

“That’s because most of the time we’re just a science and exploration vessel. It’s only when someone comes along declaring themselves supreme leaders of the galaxy that we turn into a warship. She may not look the part, but the Rubi’s got it where it counts.”

Tib tapped the bulkhead affectionately. The same way a horse breeder might a favored stallion.

The image flickered as the two strode through a heavily damaged area.

“Sorry sir, it looks there’s a dip resolution because of the damage in this area,” the science officer explained.

“Attempting to boost the gain using the internal sensor data.”

The scene flickered a few more times before solving clearly again. Fallon gave them a thankful nod.

What followed was a largely benign tour of the ship. Tiberius was careful not to take Talven in or near restricted and vital areas, instead showing him more of the spaces that would typically appeal to an ambassador or a diplomat. Fallon was amused at the approach.

Talven, for his part, appeared as engaged as any other dignitary on a tour. At its conclusion, the Vaadwaur captain finally had a question.

“If I may Captain Rain. What are these green glowing particles?”

Fallon hadn’t even noticed it.

“Computer, pause recording. Spencer, what’s he talking about?”

The science officer shook his head, flustered, before finally running several diagnostics.

“Sorry sir, it looks like the system was hardened and filtered so they wouldn’t appear. Adjusting the output now.”

And there it was. Like glowing green glitter. It drifted everywhere, saturating the image. What was he pumping into the ship? And why?”

“That Captain Talven? Is a story for another day. Unfortunately, that concludes our tour for now. Have you gotten enough of our culture yet?”

Talven nodded.

“Yes. I believe I have.”

Talven signaled his ship and beamed out. An engineer pried themselves out of the bulkhead near where Tiberius ended the tour and walked into the image. It was his chief engineer. The rigelian female, Taran Dex.

“You were right. He had a few low band sensors trying to run scans the whole time. Not sure if they expected we’d jam them. Probably did. Having your brother flood the ship with that magic particle of his helped wreck absolute havoc on his scans, though. He’ll be lucky to tell the deck from his elbow.”

“Good work Chief. The drive is finished, then?”

“It is. It outputs an impressive amount of power and takes up half the space the warp core does. If this thing runs right? It could revolutionize interstellar travel.”

Dex leaned closer to Rain.

“I get why you pried him out of Daystrom. It’s a great place, from what I hear? But too many ways to make bad stuff from good ideas.”

Fallon frowned. Drive? Particles?

“Get me everything we know about Tib’s brother.”

Fallon leaned back against the rail now, arms folded. Curious about what Tiberius was doing to the Rubi.

“What are you planning?” he mused.