Subject: Grail: "Unexplored Spaces"-`All the Kings Horses'

<<Stardate: 47307.18- 16:15>>

<<Main Bridge>>

"Lieutenant Major Athalya Anne Brinn reporting for duty, sir!"

Epic repressed a smile. Brinn was a strong empath, but she was almost impossible to read. Still, what he could not feel in her heart, he could see in the cold glint of her eyes. She was angry.

"Join me in the Observation Lounge, won't you Major?", he said as he stood. He stopped before the doors as they opened, allowing her to enter first.

The doors closed and Epic walked over to the windows. The streaks of their faster than light travel were mesmerizing. He focused on her reflection in the clear aluminum windows.

"Sorry about that `in case you forgot' remark.", he turned his head to her with an apologetic smile. "But, I heard about the severe binge you went on, dragging my Chief Flight Officer and Cryogenics Specialist with you. I expect my officers to serve by example. I just forgot what kind of an example a Marine provides."

There was obvious humor in the statement. It wasn't a rebuke.

"Besides, I do believe I started this whole `celebration' thing. Actually..." he stopped for a second as he considered it. "... the fault falls on our Betazoid Bartender, Tony Verde. But, being empathic as you are, I'm sure you'll agree, the relief from tension that the ship experienced in the wake of our victory was contagious."

Brinn's face and heart were unreadable. Epic turned back to her reflection in the window.

"Almost no one had any faith in my ability to lead this ship into combat." The remark was not an attempt to engender sympathy. And if it was, it was wasted on Brinn. He had overheard her addressing her Marines the other day. `If you want sympathy...', she had spit at them. `..it's in the dictionary between `shit' and `syphilis'.

"They'll have greater faith next time. And every time we succeed. My faith in this crew was beyond doubt. I knew we could do it. I might have been the only one."

Epic turned around to face her fully.

"I attribute the greatest efforts in our success to you. You and your command crew. I did not know about your little home-made bombs. Taking out the Romulans computer bought us a great advantage. It enabled our primary objective to succeed. Great job."

Epic walked over to the big conference table and sat.

"And I also wanted to express my personal regrets for your injury. I tried to see you in Sickbay, but you had already left, much to my amazement. Later, I attempted to visit you in your quarters, but you and Dr. St. Claire were.... talking."

There was a barely subdued smile on his lips. But, he pushed that away.

"So now, in the aftermath, we must figure out what our alternatives are in repairing the damage done to you."

Athalya Anne Brinn felt something, then. Something bad. Epic looked her square in her beautiful eyes.

"Dr. Oku Ramin has informed me that the Romulans have introduced a biological contaminant into their disruptors energy stream. It is viral in nature and may become more contagious as time goes on. He suspects that he can cure it using the natural antibodies found in Romulan blood. We are hoping Lt. Talarak will be able to provide the answers we need. If not...."

Brinn nodded.

"If not...", Epic continued. "..I am going to order the Runabout Squad to proceed toward Romulan space in the hopes of encountering anything, even a Scout Ship, that might gain us a Romulan.

"Don't worry, Major. One way or another, we're going to solve these problems."

Brinn seemed as if she were absorbing all he said.

"And as for your leg...", he grimaced. ".. the neural damage done by the disrupter prevents us from replicating a replacement. The neural relays are damaged. Even if a replicated replacement could be attached, it might be numb or lame."

Epic took a deep breath.

"I want you to consider working with Lt. Mallory on a cybernetic alternative. Perhaps with her previous successes in the field, she can construct a replacement.

"We're going to bend all our energies toward helping you through this, Major. `All the Kings horses, and All the Kings men.'"