Subject: Grail, The Great Brightness - "All Good Things"

<<Stardate: 47307.31 - 01:30>>

Epic entered his quarters. The night had turned out better than he

thought. Despite his anxieties and despite his desire to hurt himself,

he felt... purged. Before stripping off his filthy and sweat dampened

uniform, he decided to check his messages.

There was one. From Ambassador T'Nek Destazio. He called it up. He

read it. Then read it again.

=^=Captain! Throw away your sorrow. I must meet with you as soon as

possible.=^=

Epics anxieties returned in a rush. So much for the therapy of

exertion and music. Without even clearing the screen, he left his

quarters.

Any who saw him stalking the late night corridors gave him a crisp

acknowledgement, but did not engage him. His eyes were cold and intense.

<<Ambassador T'Neks Accomodations>>

"Who is it?", came the sleep muffled reply.

"Terrakian.", was Epics bitten reply. The door opened.

The Torillion saw his anger, but showed no reaction that Epic could

discern. "Never...", Epic started and emphasized. "Never... tempt my

anger again."

The Torillions expression remained passive. "Now. What is it you

need? And before you answer, after consulting with my Medical Staff,

this K'Pla plague you speak of has neither been isolated nor identified.

Doctors Ramius and Ramin are confident that the malady my crew suffers

can be counteracted by the immunities taken from the Kerestians, who are

naturally immune. Are you going to offer us something more physical

about this plague, or are we just supposed to take your word that we are

all dying from a plague that only you can sense? And only you can cure.

I hope you can appreciate my concerns, Ambassador. You are an unknown

quantity. I have to be cautious. I cannot allow you to simply `treat' my

crew for a disease that we cannot even detect.

"So, what is it you needed to say that you felt you needed to

insult me to say it?"

At that moment a message came through from Ambassador Firespray.

"Firespray to T'Nek, I got your message what's up?"

"I am with the Captain right now. I would like you to be present for what I

am about to say."

T'Nek then turned apologetically to the Captain.

"Insult you, Captain ? I assure you no offense was intended. However, I

have some important

information I need to tell you. Please, sit down and relax."

T'Nek sat down, and stared at Epic.

"You are quick to anger, but remeber: We are all different. We come from

different cultures, from different species. Please keep that in mind. There

are a lot of species you have yet to meet."

Epic watched the man sit, but refused to sit himself. "You don't

know me, Destazio, so don't assume I am quick to anger. If you've only

seen me angry, it is because I am provoked at every turn. By my crew and

by my `guests'. If `throw away your sorrow' was not supposed to anger

me, then I guess our cultures ARE very different. When you casually

dismiss someones cares in the Federation, you've got a fight on your

hands."

T'Nek looks at Epic, this time actually smiling slightly.

"Casual dismissal, Captain ? I'm afraid you do have me wrong. I am

concerned for this ship, as any good ambassador would be."

T'Nek shifted his gaze from the Captain. "I know you do not trust me

Captain, and that is understandable. However, I assure you I mean you all

no harm. If I wanted to destroy this ship, or it's crew, it would have been

done already. No, I am here to help you. I have requested permission from

my Gods to go along with your crew as an advisor. They have granted me

this. Now, it's up to you. I will abide by your descision, but will quickly

point out that I can be of great help to you.."

T'Nek sighed.

Epic stared incredulously at the arrogance of the man before him.

If this Ambassador thought his soothing words were bringing comfort to

the Captain, he was hardly an Ambassador Epic would appoint to HIS

cabinet.

"Of course I don't trust you, Ambassador.", Epics tone was growing

colder. "Are you listening to yourself? `If I intended to harm this ship

and crew, it would be done already'? For that statement alone, I should

proceed on the assumption that you might actually be capable of

destroying us all. For that statement alone, I should deposit your

arrogant ass back in your shuttle and leave you where I found you."

"I would like to point out that anyone can destroy a ship if they put their

mind to it. It is not a unique quality we have."

Epics anger was becoming a frustrated knot, but he was tired of being

told what to do on his own ship. "But I suppose your Gods would be handy

to save you, wouldn't they?"

T'Nek sighed. "The Seven move in mysterious ways, Captain. They are just as

likely to let me die if I was somehow forced into that situation and did

not try to save myself."

At that moment, Ambassador Firespray burst through the door, forgetting to

knock in his excitement. He was so excited he he didn't ring the bell, he

just barged in. He saw the Captain and T'Nek in a heated arguement.

"Well, boys I have some interesting news."

They paused for a moment from their debate and looked at him.

"I've just made contact with an Alterian ship. She's out in the Gamma

Quadrant right now, but she's coming back to the Delta Quadrant to look for

the rest of the survivors."

The two listened, but immediately went back to their arguments.

"Anyway, that is not the only reason I called you here. The Great

Brightness you are about to enter is unlike anything you would have ever

seen. It is awash with every possible form of radiation, plauged by

excessive solar flaring, and causes all ships sensors much grief. I suggest

a number of modifications to your shield array that will help combat this."

T'Nek hands a padd to Epic. He then takes a deep breath. "I do not think

you understand the... danger of the K'Pla. Your doctors do assume they can

create a cure from the kerestians natural resistance, and this is obvious.

However, you still fail to acknowledge that this is not *just* an organic,

physical disease.

T'Nek watches as the expression on Epic's face changes. He is about to

speak, but T'Nek cuts him off.

"That is why it is only myself who is in the position to aid you.

Kyp stood right up. "Damn arrogant Torrilions, always trying to impress

authority by telling them what you can do. Always trying to put yourselves

in the best possible light. Have you perhaps forgotten that unique healing

properties of Alterians. The plague made us extremely strong to almost

every type of disese known."

T'Nek stood, and stared intently at the Alterian before him. He then fell

into his chair and sighed.

"You Alterians have the nasty habit of seeing through everyone. It is a

good quality, but so frustrating. I have never been able to resist an

Alterian.. You win. I have kept this facade up for long enough, it's now

time for the truth. All good things must come to an end.".

"I have lied to you. I am deeply sorry, but I was afraid you would not

attempt to save Kerestia.if you thought you could just nab one of them and

generate a cure. You see, Kerestia has always been a soft spot for me,

especially after being stranded for so long down there. I have acted

without honor and have betrayed the empire I represent. For that I am

indeed truly sorry."

"To be honest, we have little knowledge of the K'Pla. It has ravaged many

of our worlds as well, and we have yet to find a cure. THAT was why I was

on Kerestia, to source a cure. I will share the knowledge with you both,

but I'm afraid it does not cure it. It will hopefully prevent the need to

take a live kerestian though. The information I gave you about the Great

Brightness was true, however."

T'Nek sighed deeply again. Then spoke formally:

"I also give you my oath, as an Official Representative of the Torillion

Empire and as a Torillion citizen that I will not betray you or your

interests again. I hope we can put this behind us and work towards a

mutually beneficial relationship. I for one will embrace it"

Epics anger died a cold death in his chest. For all his posturing,

for all his grandstanding, T'Nek was just trying to make himself

valuable. To keep himself alive. Epic wanted to be angry at that, but he

couldn't. The Torrilion was a survivor. That, in itself, was worthy of

respect.

Then, he looked to Kyp Firespray. For such a young man, he showed

real strength of character. And he also showed a loyalty that Epic felt

he had not yet earned. But, he would, Epic vowed to himself. Epic would

earn that loyalty.

"I will take your recommendations to Flight Control, Ambassador.",

Epic sighed away the dried leaves of his dead anger. "And do me the

courtesy of contacting my medical staff with whatever you have on this

plague. They will be grateful."

As Epic turned to go, he stopped, showing only his profile to the

Torrilion. "Destazio. You had our help before there was ever a need for

your ruse. In the future, I hope you will trust that it is, and always

has been, our intention to help those that need it when we can. We may

not shine the brightest, but we are all committed to life.

"Good Evening, Ambassadors."

(Terrakian begins to leave)

T'Nek looks over to Kyp. "What was it you were saying about an Alterian ship?"

"Ah yes, As I mentioned. I have been able to contact one of our

experimental scout ships. She's

quite far off. In the Gamma Quadrant actually, but her experimental engines

could bring her here in a few weeks. Anyway, I've ordered them to search

for other Alterians. With any luck we'll find the reserve Alterian fleet."

T'Nek sighs. "We'll see, bold Alterian. We'll see"

A Threesome Between

T'Nek Destazio

Kyp Firespray

Epic Terrakian