Subject: Grail: The Great Brightness: `The Face of the Enemy'

<Stardate: 47307.31>

<En route to Sickbay>

Two of Brinns Marines, including `Sarge' Kirby, preceeded the

Romulan Subcommanders `guard' to the turbolift. Castle and Kirby

exchanged a serious nod when their eyes first met. Neither one of them

had had any positive experiences with Romulans.

Kirby and his second entered the lift and departed. The next lift

arrived almost immediately. En. Cariss Thorn, who had been moved from

Beta Shift to accomodate T'Arnas absence, and Kwan Lo Pan preceeded

Brinn and the Romulan, before Castle and Tifa Charr finally entered. It

was a little crowded.

"Deck 10.", Brinn ordered.

Rather than facing the doors, Castle and Charr faced the interior

of the lift. Or rather, they faced the Romulan. Castles barely perceived

anger made slow bubbles to the surface of his voice.

"Where is the honor in bio-weapons, Romulan?", Castles voice was

low, but biting. "You green-blooded lizards are always professing a

warriors ethics, but you poison your enemies with weapons that should be

adequate to kill them if you had any skill."

The Romulan looked Castle straight in the eye, but deigned to

decline from responding. Castles anger burned hotter, but expressed

itself with control.

"We are a deep-space salvage team.", Castle explained. "We are

ambassadors. We are families and we are children. And you poisoned us

for having the audacity to aid in the rescue of a Science Vessel that

your people attacked without provocation."

Something changed in the eyes of the Romulan, but she did not speak

and she did not look away.

Castles teeth were clenched in a snarl. "Did you know the people of

the T'Saloset?"

The Romulan did finally speak. "Yes, I did. Though I did not order

their attack on the Indiana. Commander Sarvid took his own initiative

and it would seem you have punished him for it." Her eyes showed some

anger as well, but Castles was more intimidating. Thalissa was angry for

herself. Castle was angry for a thousand innocent people.

Castle held up the disruptor he had taken from Thalissa upon her

submission after leaving the escape pod. "If this shows the same

contaminants as the disruptors on the Indiana...", Castle hissed as the

turbolift doors opened. "... I will personally file criminal charges of

war crimes committed against civilians and I will personally oversee

your execution."

But the Romulan was no longer looking at Castle. She was looking

behind him.

"That will be enough, lieutenant.", a deep voice spoke from behind.

Castle turned to face Captain Epic Terrakian, flanked by Kirby and his

second. The Captain nodded in understanding, but his eyes showed it was

time for things more constructive.

"I am Captain Epic Terrakian.", he said without emotion. "When my

First Officer is done with you...", his voice became sinister. "... the

three of us will have a long talk."

by Logan Castle with a last word by Epic Terrakian

Lt. Logan Castle

Chief Security Officer, USS Grail

theShadowKnight@webtv.net