Admiral Quinn noted the distinct lack of an interruption as he worked on his report to the assembled Alliance Command. He pondered if it had been five minutes or five hours, but reviewing the report, which he had been reading and re-reading, didn’t offer any clues. He resigned to himself that it was ‘good enough’ and he would iron out any issues ‘on-the-fly’ as he always did. He glanced out the windows of his office to the command deck and spied Lieutenant Linnea, busying herself at one of the consoles with an ensign. He made his way to the door of his office, waited a beat and then said, “Lieutenant Linnea, please join me in my office.” Linnea turned and acknowledged the admiral and waited for him to turn before addressing the ensign she was working with. “Keep on it, you’re picking this up quickly. I’ll be right back.” Quinn motioned to a data pad on the edge of his desk as Linnea entered. She picked it up as Quinn sat down and gestured across the surface of his own pad broadly in her direction. She looked down to the pad where the latest draft of Quinn’s report appeared. The top of the draft read: Closing Trans-Dimensional Vortices and You. She smirked, “Are you looking for feedback, Admiral, or approval?” Quinn’s brows raised, “The title can use some work, I admit, but it is succinct.” She tilted her head then nodded in agreement, then launched into reading this draft and applying edits, satisfied that Quinn wanted her feedback. “It seems like every time we meet there is another crisis… uh huh… nature of our job and comes with the territory… blah blah blah… I would like to acknowledge the continued effort of all parties…” Quinn observed as Linnea cut through his words like an expert butcher, dismantling them and separating out all the good bits and pieces from the bad, trimming the fat, so to speak. “Ok, now you’ve gotten to the heart of the matter, the Trans-Dimensional Vortices.” Linnea ceased her two-step-like pacing and took a seat, sparing only the swiftest glance to Admiral Quinn as she started to do so out of respect, but also knowing that she had permission to sit when she had entered the room. She had worked with him long enough that the dog and pony show between ranks wasn’t necessary when it was just the two of them. “I think you should cut the pleasantries and get right to it.” She began. Quinn motioned for her to continue the thought. “L’Rell shows patience for such Federation pleasantries, but she does it out of respect, not appreciation. Get right to the point and get her thinking about actionable information and she’ll show that appreciation.” Quinn stood and began pacing around the desk, challenging Linnea’s suggestion, “And risk offending Loriss and the Dominion?” Linnea shook her head and stood to match the Admiral. “On the contrary. You’re thinking of the Old Dominion. They regaled in veiled threat and honeyed words in equal measure. The New Dominion…” Quinn stopped her there, “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Odo. He prefers his information without any sugar coating as well. And what he wants, Loriss echoes. I see your point.” Linnea nodded, “Now the Romulans…” Quinn again interrupted, “Point made. Let’s move onto the specifics of the report.” Linnea hid a smile with a strategic turn on her heel to begin her two-step pacing while she reviewed the specifics. “Trans-Dimensional Vortices… Admiral Kuumaarke… Proto-matter… ok… ah. Lukari and Tholian technology. Here we go.” Quinn sat back down as Linnea worked her magic. In a way, she reminded him of an orb weaver spider - performing her pacing two-step and diligently weaving together something wonderful out of chaos. *** Two Weeks Later Admiral Quinn nodded to Lieutenant Linnea in the back of the room. She gave him a subtle thumbs-up and then he addressed the assembled Alliance leaders. “I’m not going to waste anyone’s time with pleasantries and pageantry. I think we’ve proven that not only are we beyond the need for such theatrics in this relationship, but it’s also a little tired and cliché – after all, the Federation does like hearing the sound of our own voices.” L’Rell laughed. The rest of the assembled leadership looked at her in practiced horror until Quinn smiled and continued, “No, it’s funny. It’s funny because it’s true.” Loriss of the Dominion cleared her throat and addressed Quinn, “Yes, amusing. On with it, Quinn. Tell us about these Trans-Dimensional Vortices. You didn’t bring us out here to try your comedy routine for one of your crew mandated talent shows.” Proconsul D’Tan of the Romulan Republic added, “And more about this Lukari Proto-matter technology your science division has been developing to close them. Rumor has it that it’s Tholian in origin.” L’Rell watched as Quinn squirmed under the sudden verbal onslaught of the others, savored it for a moment, and then came to his defense, “I’m sure all of the technical specifications will come in time. What I found most pressing is why the Tholians are so eager to close them. What threat do they present?” The others nodded and looked to L’Rell. Never one to pass up the opportunity to lead, she stood, drawing all eyes to her. “I would prefer to handle the closing of these vortices within Klingon territory myself, rather than have the Tholians violate my borders to do it for me.” Quinn caught L’Rell’s gaze. She was giving him an opportunity to right the ship that his jocular introduction had nearly sunk. Quinn took the conversation reins L’Rell handed him. “Indeed. Specifications for the Stitching Network technology will all be provided so that you can maintain your sovereign territory and collectively we can put this threat behind us.” He turned to Loriss, “The Tholian Assembly has provided us with a mostly redacted report on the vortices. They form in regions of space that have experienced dimensional or temporal stress, weakening the space between dimensions and eventually causing a vortex to form.” L’Rell sat in her seat at that. Quinn could tell that the actions of her torchbearer, J’Ula, during the deposing of J’mpok, was weighing heavily on her mind. She had opened dozens of mycelial rifts with her weapon, and Aakar had done the same, all in the name of the Empire. A mess that was the responsibility of the Klingons to clean up, but nowhere near the bulk of the problem. That honor was firmly in the wheelhouse of the Federation. Quinn continued, “Given enough time, a vortex can grow to threaten the system or even sector of space it has formed in. The Tholians have prioritized the known vortices based on their assessment of how damaging they could be. However, I urge you to review this list yourselves as Tholian priorities have been known to differ from our own, from time-to-time.” D’Tan, keenly aware of Quinn’s attempt at levity, brushed past it and pressed his own agenda, “And when will the Stitching Network technology be available?” Quinn smiled, “Admiral Kuumaarke and some of our best and brightest are finishing final trials as we speak. You’ll all have the specifications within the week.” *** Prepare the Guillotine Vortices are starting to open across known space and rip holes between our dimension and somewhere else. Despite having the technology necessary for closing them, doing so will be anything but a routine science mission. Not because the vortices are particularly dangerous, but because something on the other side wants to keep them open. “Guillotine” is a Task Force Operation where your mission is to close the dimensional-vortices opening up across the known and prevent whatever is on the other side from getting a foothold into this universe. The blade falls for PC Captains with the launch of Star Trek Online: Incursion!