Sunday 9 June 2019

X Marks The Spot


 Long ago, before it became known as Betazed, Cyndriel used to be a ringed planet, but a stray comet disrupted the rings' orbit and they coalesced into the three moons of Avandar, Merandar, and Keylandar.  However, some of the rings' exotic particles fell to Cyndriel and were fashioned into three circlets by smiths of the Fifth House.  During the Terabian conflict, the circlets were split up and hidden offworld for fear of their rare power being perverted, but over time, their locations were lost.
 Nearly 200 years later, an ancient star map came to light which guided a determined Daughter of the Fifth House across the stars in a "commandeered" Federation starship to seek out the treasured Holy Rings of Betazed...



 "Commodore, a diplomatic vessel from Betazed is approaching and requesting permission to dock."
 "From Betazed?"  Commodore Costa had a sudden feeling his day was going to get far more complicated.  "Is it a Betazoid ship?"
 "Yes, sir.  I'm getting the ship codes and registry now."  The communications officer paused, then looked up from her console with a sympathetic look directed at Costa.  "It's the Fifth House's royal yacht.  I'm sorry, sir."
 Costa's whole body sagged, then he very slowly turned and headed for the turbolift.  "It's Her, isn't it" he stated glumly.
 "I'll...  I'll arrange for a suitable reception."
 Costa just sighed as the turbolift doors hissed closed around him and he was left with his own thoughts - however temporarily that might be for.

 In station G-6's spacedock, an airlock opened revealing a statuesque and imposing Betazoid woman with a retinue of lackeys following in her wake.
 "Ah, Commodore!" she boomed at Costa, who had straightened himself up and donned his dress uniform to greet her.  "I've no time for our little games today, unfortunately.  I need one of your starships.  Immediately" she added.
 This is new, Costa thought, then immediately clamped down on his thoughts lest they escape from his head and into his unexpected guest's.  The lack of the usual protocols and mind games cheered him up no end, even if the demand had him momentarily non-plussed.
 His guest took advantage of his silence and swept her gaze around the dock.  "That one", she declared, pointing through the floor-to-ceiling viewport at a mid-size blue-grey ship at pier two.  "That ship.  The one with the golden eye!"
Starship by MadKoiFish here and, for a more obvious
"golden eye", here - scroll down to USS Balmung
 Costa followed Lyannifaer's outstretched finger to the recently refitted Sword of Omens, and conceded to himself that the glowing blue navigational deflector, with its golden housing and surround, did indeed look like an eye.  And, as fate would have it, the Sword' wasn't scheduled for anything more taxing than local sector cartographic update runs until her captain and first officer returned from other assignments in a little under two weeks time.  Or, had she already known the Sword' was available? he wondered.
 "Well, my lady, let's pay a visit to the dockmaster's office and see what we can do, shall we?" he said, trying not to let the sheer anticipatory joy that this formidable and entitled woman might soon be lightyears away leak out of his head.  However, the thought of the Sword's poor, inexperienced second officer having to deal with the Betazoid dignitary tamped down his joy somewhat, though.  But not by much.

 Once in the dock control room, one of her staff, a hulking hairy Yehtee produced an ancient-looking black scroll and handed it over to Lyannifaer.  From the mildly uncomfortable, yet charged silence, Costa knew that Lyannifaer was communicating with her staff telepathically.
 "Here" she said, passing the scroll to Costa, "I know you'll want to know where I'm taking your precious starship - This map should answer your questions."



::

 Yes!  If you haven't already guessed, this is just a teaser for an upcoming "It's A Faaaake!" Star Trek-related post with artwork by me. 

 Sorry!


::

Previously on It's a Faaaake! Not The Art Of Star Trek:

April 2019 - Oops-A-Daisy!
March 2019 - Disco78
January 2019 - Caught Red Handed
October 2018 - Anomalous T-Shirt
September 2018 - Two Soups
August 2018 - Wild Things (and its prequel: Seeing Double)
July 2018 - Revenge of the Baby-Sat
June 2018 - Making Money
March 2018 - Murder On The Dancefloor
February 2018 - Narwhal in a Spacesuit
December 2017 - Unfinished Business
November 2017 - Let's See Your OC!
October 2017 - Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
July 2017 - Walk Like An Egyptian 
June 2017 - Foreign Relations
May 2017 - Driven to Distraction
February 2017 - Of Prophet's Tears and Verteron Nodes (plus the warm up: The Celestial Temple Cries Golden Tears)
December 2016 - "Did the plan fail, Edward?"
November 2016 - Winter Solstice
October 2016 - Twisted October: Star Trek Art Challenge



  As is now traditional, Senator Vreenak insists upon having the last word:




17 comments:

  1. Nothing better than a bit of bling to distract the ladies. Or chocolate.
    Erm...I came to tell you that Cromer was on Antiques Roadshow, but you probably already knew. I bet the crowds were annoying?!
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps I'll suggest a chocolate-coated warp nacelle to Commodore Costa?

      No, I didn't know about Cromer being on the Antiques Roadshow. How much was it valued at? Was the owner disappointed at the valuation (much to the amusement of the crowd)?

      Delete
    2. I caught the tail end of Antiques Roadshow a woman was on there having some medals valued at £25000 and she didn't even crack a smile, the miserable cow, she said she wasn't going to sell them, for some sentimental reason, but we all know the second the director shouts cut she'll be off to Cash Converters faster than a greased pig.

      Delete
  2. Did you make the map, and create the calligraphy? I like it! I have a hard job with asemic writing - I can't help but write English words!
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did make the map, and the (very ropy) calligraphy!

      I'll let you (and whoever else reads this) into a secret: the "calligraphy" is a very mildly stylised version of my handwriting mirrored, then turned 90 degrees!

      Delete
    2. P.S. I've just had to look up what asemic writing is. I'm already fascinated - This is going to keep me out of mischief for a little while...

      Delete
  3. Yes it is! I'm going to try your genius method and see how I get on!
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You bandy about the word "genius", but I didn't realise until after I'd farted about with tracing paper and the like for hours, that I could have just turned the map 90 degrees and written on it in my normal handwriting, then photographed it to upload into the 'pooter before flipping & rotating it in mere seconds!

      I'm sure you'll be much more succesful and efficient than I was.

      Delete
  4. I recognise the nexus of that map!

    Asemic writing can be a lot of fun.(though people who get old-fashioned letters from me don't always think so!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've been to Betazed/Cyndriel??

      I expect there's a lot of squinting involved when reading asemic written letters (or anything). And much reaching for one's reading glasses...

      Delete
  5. To Orinoco. And beyond.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funnily enough, there is a little runabout spaceship named Orinoco in Star Trek. Unfortunately, it didn't last long...

      Delete
  6. Nice work!

    PS: When I click on the last map, there is a 404 Error indicating it is not on the server. ???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thank you, yes - Let me see if I can sort that out...

      Delete
    2. That was weird - there was some html stuff that was tacked onto the end of the image link. I've got rid of it now, and it embigulates a treat!

      Delete
    3. Much more enjoyable now! Thanks!

      Delete

Tickle my fancy, why don't you?