Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental multi-fandom project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 26 September.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Star Trek and all associated characters and situations are the property of CBS studios, Star Trek Online is the creation of Cryptic and Perfect World, all are used by myself for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit...

Character: Male Ferasan KDF Engineer
Timeframe: Post-"Surface Tension".


-o0O0o-

"An Exercise in Elaboration"
"Making The Upgrade"
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-


His tail twitched as he made a minute adjustment to the weapon. It was technically a war trophy, a prize taken on Orinth from the Hirogen who had made the planet their hunting ground, at least until the Ferasan warrior and his crew had been sent to recover the crew of a downed Klingon Bird-of-Prey and the intelligence they had gathered on the activities of the Romulans. The Hirogen Tetryon Blast Rifle had been an effective weapon when he had first 'acquired' it, but Jem'hadar, Borg, Breen and Undine had quickly relegated it to little more than a decoration in his ready room. The Ferasan wasn't sure what to make of the new alliance between the Klingon Empire, the Federation and the emergent Romulan Republic, The Remans were willing to do things more 'civilised' races would shy from to win a fight and the Andorians were recognised as warriors and equals by the Klingons... but there were the numerous pacifistic races of the Federation that would be dead-weight in battle; including the Unforgiven, especially the Unforgiven. The alliance, however, did have its benefits. The Federation's emphasis on scientific research and development - despite the revelation that one of their top officers in the field had been an Undine infiltrator - was finding its uses in the Klingon Defence Force and the Romulan Republic Fleet. One of those uses was in the 'Upgrade Kits' that Starfleet was sharing with its 'allies' - specialised equipment sets to customise and enhance various pieces of equipment, including Ground Gear such as armor and weapons... Like his Blast Rifle. It pleased him that through these 'Upgrade Kits', old equipment and outdated ships would see new life to fight against the Undine, Iconians and whatever the Delta Quadrant brought now that they had the Jouret-Solanae-Jenolen chain of Iconian Gateways to allow them such rapid access to that part of the galaxy. It would be, as his Klingon allies would say... Glorious.