Subject: Grail - The Great Brightness' - `First Contact, pt. 1"

<<OOC: Hello All. I only JUST noticed that Blake Cromwells address has

not been included in most of the posts of the last two weeks. Please be

sure to include it from now on. Blake, major apologies. Hopefully, I

haven't lost your interest.>>

<<Stardate: 47307.29- 23:45>>

<<ShuttleBay 2>>

Captain Epic Terrakian stood between, and slightly behind,

Ambassador Kyp Firespray and Counselor Mirka Tzavaras. As the Shuttle

Bay doors opened, he noticed Lt. Arda Kaje approach, getting her report

from the active duty officer. She offered him a quick smile which,

oddly, took away most of the gloom that had settled over him.

He watched as the doors opened and saw the slender shuttle being

forced toward the door by the emerald aura of the Grails tractor beam.

When it could no longer compel movement, the exterior beam was

deactivated, and the unit inside the Bay itself was activated, grabbing

the craft and pulling it forward.

As the craft settled onto the glossy floor, its hatch already

hissed steam, equalizing the interior pressure to match the exterior.

Epic moved to go forward, but stopped himself.

No. This was exactly the mistake he had made with Brinn. Instead of

allowing her the right to assume her responsibilities, he had taken away

that right by superceding her. And he had done it to her more than once.

Unfortunately, he had not realised that soon enough to prevent an

endless string of conflicts that he had blamed her for, in his mind. He

didn't know if he could ever make it up to her, but he knew that the way

to start was to stop acting like he was the only one who could do

anything.

And he was going to start doing that now.

"Ambassador Firespray.", Epic spoke softly. "Please greet our newly

arrived guest. Assure him of our peaceful, if paranoid, intentions.

Offer him our hospitality and any assistance he might require. Also,

find out whatever you can from him about Kerestia. I'll expect your

report at the meeting that you and I are scheduled to have tomorrow at

0900. Lt. Donucci will also be in attendance, of course."

Then, he turned to Mirka Tzavaras. "Counselor. Avail yourself to

our Ambassadors. I'll want your impressions of the Torrilion Ambassador

at the Away team mission briefing at 10:00. Thank you."

And then, quite against his natural inclinations, Epic turned and

exited the Shuttle Bay and let his crew do their jobs. Without his

interference.

As he walked, he had a dangerous thought. `Brinn's shift is about to

end. I wonder if she wouldn't mind having a drink with me. She's

had....', he thought about it. `About 10 minutes to cool off.'

He laughed at himself. `Besides. All my bruises are gone. I'm due

for a few more.'