Welcome onboard
When his vision cleared, he was standing in a similar transporter room, small but obvious differences showing the age of the transporter equipment and the room itself.
Two others were in the room. The one operating the transporter wore a science uniform, with a chief petty officer pip. He looks almost human, but long purple hair was tied back in a simple braid, slightly tufted ears and sunken pink eyes obviously marked him as an alien of some kind. The other man, an older human stepped forward to greet them. He had a Command cranberry turtleneck underneath his uniform similar to Stryker's. "Permission to board, sir," Stryker said, keeping with protocol.
"Granted." he said. "Welcome onboard. I am the first officer, Lieutenant-Commander Ciro Ramirez. The captain apologises for not meeting with you, but she was called to Melbourne for a meeting."
Stryker and Alice nodded. "Chief, please show them to their quarters." Ciro ordered.
"Yes sir," The man at the transporter console replied. "Please follow me cadets."
The alien took them past Engineering and into a turbolift which brought them to deck nine, and their quarters; room 936. Duty discharged, he walked away without another word.
Alice and Stryker stepped inside as the doors closed behind them. She took a look out the window. All she saw for now was the inside of the drydock, a damaged Nebula class ship being repaired by working bees and a technician in an EV suit drifting by. Stryker walked across the room, dropping his carryall on the floor and sat on his bed. Next, the door chime sounded. "Enter."
The door hissed aside. A gray-haired Bajoran man entered, smiling at the cadets in greeting. "Hello. My name is Fumie Maerton, ship's counselor."
"Hi" Alice greeted him.
"I'm here to see if there are any problems in settling in and to help smooth them out. As I've told the others, I am always on duty, so if you ever need to talk, about anything, never hesitate to contact me."
Alice returned the smile, "We appreciate that. I'm --"
"Alice Brangwin and Stryker, right ?" Fumie said. They nodded. Fumie continued, "Well, the captain is allowing a pretty loose reign while we are in dock, so feel free to mill around and become acquainted with the ship and the other members of the crew. It will still be a day or two before we ship out."
Alice and Stryker thanked him. Just as he was leaving, a whistle sounded indicting a ship wide announcement. "Chief Medical officer to all hands. All new arrivals is required to check with sickbay by 1900 hours."
Stryker entered sickbay and looked around. Seven humans crowded around one bio-bed, the older man complained of a back injury while the little brown haired girl tugged on a woman's pants. "What is it April ?"
"Grandpa broke ?"
"No. He just hurt his back playing with you."
Stryker turned around quickly, facing away the wall and let loose a silent laugh. "You there Cadet.!" a Bolian doctor said as he walked over to him. "Hop up onto the bed. I'll be with you in a minute."
"I-I'm sorry ?"
He turns back to Stryker. "We need to run a full scan."
"No, no, I-I'm fine." he laughed nervously. "Look, I have to talk to Wiuen first, a-hah, I can come back when you're not busy." Stryker said desperately.
"On the bed! Doctor's orders. Or else ... " he said firmly. Stryker complied.
Heading out
The turbolift doors opened, and Stryker looked out at the bridge for the first time. In the center of the room stood on a gentle dais, which spread out into a wedge behind it. On the wedge were the weapons and helm consoles facing front, and the large engineering display behind.
In the center, on the dais like a throne, was the captain's chair and flanked by two chairs, the one on the right for the first officer, and the left chair is sometimes occupied by the counselor, but more often by a visiting guest.
Stryker stepped out, a look of pure control on his face. But his eyes hinted of joy and excitement, and a bit of nervousness.
The bridge had few people on it when the turbolift brought Stryker there; Commander Ramirez, a Vulcan security guard, two in science garb, a human woman in the pilot's seat, and a pair of legs sticking out from under the pilot's console. Except for the Vulcan female, no one else took any notice of him.
"Aha!" said a voice belonging to the legs. "Found you, you little kudgema you! Antonai! I want you to call up, command 434 again, but this time touch, 'Menu' and 'Disable'."
The pilot touched a few icons on her panel which beeped in acknowledgment. "Done."
There was a yanking sound under the console. "The console just died," said the pilot.
"Good. It's supposed to. Hold on ... "
Stryker hestitated as he approached the first officer. "Reporting for duty sir."
He nodded, "You are fiveteen minutes early cadet."
Stryker was about to turn around and return in fiveteen minutes, but Ciro stopped him. "Sorry cadet, we are fixing a problem with the helm control. Would you mind helping Ensign Perl at science ?"
"Aye sir."
He walked to the science consoles on the opposite side of the bridge where two techs dressed in medical/science uniforms were working. Which one is Perl ?
He tried the woman first, "You're Perl ?"
"Is there a problem with that ?" the woman asked good-naturedly.
"No. No problem. I just don't know anyone here." Stryker admitted.
"I know the feeling."
She tapped the man next to her on the shoulder. He ignored her and continued to study something on his monitor. Introduce yourself, she told him.
I hate telepathy. Now stop messing with my head. I have a headache now. he complained.
Ah, poor baby. Your head hurts ? Well, no loss then. she retorted. He glared at her.
"Sorry. It was too easy to pass up." Perl smiled. She enjoyed picking on him because he reminded her of her little brother.
He sighed and greeted Stryker with an outstretched hand, "Hi, I'm Ashley Newkirk."
He remembered the human gesture and shook Ashley's hand. "Stryker."
"First day ?"
Stryker nodded. "I am sorry, I know you must hear this question too often. What species are you ?" Perl inquired.
"Edenian. From the Gamma Quadrant."
"That's neat."
She noticed Stryker's awkardness at being around unfamilar people. She pointed to the woman at the helm console, "That is Annie over there."
"Antonai," the woman shot back.
"The Bajoran under the console is Lieutenant Commander Shaedal Tierney, the chief engineer."
"Antonai ?" Stryker asked. Stryker thought about her name for a long moment. Her ears were long and pointy. "You are a daughter of Nei. Your people are telekinetic."
"That's right." she answered.
Stryker mused about the thought of having telekinetic abilities, "It must be wonderful to be able to move things with your mind."
She carefully answered, "I suppose it must seem that way to someone like yourself. To someone like me, it is a small gift for the price of dependency. But as a race, we are addicated to Kironide, however it is rare and hard to come by. If I don't get my daily amount, I get sick. I could even die. So my replicator is programmed to add trace amounts of it to my food. Enough to keep me well, but not enough for me to be fully telekinetic."
"My blood contains a concentration of Kironide." Stryker replied. A predatory deterrent. "But it is extremely poisonous, fatal to animals and humanoids even in small amounts."
Antonai nodded. "Not to my people."
"So how much can you move with your mind ?"
In answer to his question, she lifted Ashley's PADD into the air, it flew around Stryker's head and gently deposited it on the console again.
Stryker thought that was the coolest thing he'd ever seen. Antonai was holding a hand to her head. "It takes a lot out of me."
The Bajoran engineer had come out from under the console he was working on to watch. "Serves you right for showing off. Now get back here; I need you to touch 'Enable Overwrite.' "
She pressed the series of buttons. The console responded by powering up. "Running a diagnostic now." she paused. "All systems nominal."
"We are ready sir." Shaedal reported to Ciro.
Ciro acknowledged amd he tapped his combadge twice. A ship wide announcement whistle sounded. "Attention all hands. Secure your stations, department heads report to the bridge when ready. Prepare for departure."
About five minutes later, Stryker was helping Ashley and Perl setting up their consoles and interfaces when Captain Holden entered the bridge from the ready room. She had the green skin and layered, short dark green/black hair of an Orion, dimmed only slightly by her half human features.
Stryker looked at the personality profile of the captain and most of the senior staff. He learned the captain is an irrepressible steady planner and prefered to be organized. Although a scientist at heart, her organizational skills, compassion and analytical side and fearlessness combine to make her a force to be reckoned with. Her ship served as a scout on the front lines during the entire Dominion war. Except for the battle of the Chin'toka system when the Aurora was docked at Starbase 404 for repairs.
When no one else said it, Stryker yelled out, "Captain on the bridge."
Commander Ciro smiled, The young cadet was not used to normal operations on a starship.
His commanding officer turned to him, clearly aggravated, "Cadet, I am not some arrogant captain who needs her arrival announced. I know that is what they teach at the academy, but I would appreciate it if you would refrain."
Stryker looked devastated, but he turned back to his post. Perl and Ashley snickered softly among themselves. Even the Vulcan seemed to smirk. WAY TO GO! YOU MADE A FOOL OUT OF YOURSELF, he chided himself.
Captain Holden assumed her seat on the bridge. At their stations, she saw Cadet Stryker, Saavik (the Vulcan Security officer), Crewman Antonai, as well as a few techs of ensign rank. Beside her sat Commander Ciro. "The repairs are complete ?" the captain asked.
"Yes sir. Just one more thing left to do." Ciro paused as Holden sat down in her seat. "Cadet Stryker, take your post."
Antonai stood up and headed to the turbolift. "Aye sir!" Stryker walked to the navigation station and sat down. He logged on and waited a few seconds for the computer to load his personal configuration and lauguage.
"Time for this great bird to leave the nest, Captain." Ciro told her.
"Proceed."
"Lieutenant. Signal Earth Station McKinley."
The Vulcan nodded from tactical and started working on her console. "Departure granted sir."
"Clear all moorings." he ordered, standing up. "Release umbilicals and docking clamps when ready."
"Moorings cleared, sir." Stryker echoed.
"Umbilicals and docking clamps disengaged Commander." Saavik announced.
"Helm. Aft thrusters ahead one quarter, port and starboard at station keeping."
He manipulated the RCS controls. "Aye, sir. Exiting drydock, thrusters only."
The vessel smoothly slid out of the structure into the space dead ahead. "Clear of drydock, sir."
Holden nodded. "New course. Bearing 264 mark 7, full impulse."
Five minutes later, Stryker announced they were leaving the solar system. "Continue on present course. Warp factor seven."
"Course laid in, sir." Stryker announced.
"Engage."
The ship lurched forward. The stars on the viewscreen stretched into multi-coloured lines as the Excelsior class ship accelated, crossing the threshold of lightspeed and accelerated even further.
The captain stood up and started heading to her ready room. "Commander, you have the bridge."
"Aye sir."
Stryker checked the ETA to their destination. 39 days, 4 hours.
Good morning
A series of beeps. "The time is oh seven hunderd hours." said the male computer voice.
With a sigh and a groan, Alice cracked one eye open and peeked at the bedside clock display. She groaned and rolled over, looking at the empty bunk bed below hers. "Stryker ?"
He was standing on the opposite side of the room, programming the replicator. "Good morning."
"I hope it will be." she moaned. "What are you up to ?"
"Just making some coffee."
Alice stretched, yawning as she did so. "You are the best," she smiled, sitting up.
"Who said I was getting you a coffee ?" he chuckled. Alice threw a pillow at him from the bed, but he dodged it and it thumped harmlessly against the wall.
He come to her bedside with a replicated cup of steaming coffee and handed it to her. "Thanks," she smiled. The warm, thick, sweet smell of the java swept over her, possibly the first enjoyable thing to happen, and gave her renewed strength.
"Stryker, something's been on my mind for a couple of days now."
"What is it ?"
"An expression you keep using. Rise or fall. What does it mean ?"
He nodded. "Its a war cry of sorts. Inspiration when a challenge or battle lays ahead."
He recided the entire rhyme, "Your moment, your change has come. The enemy nears, our people are threatened, battle is imminent. Step up. Live by the code. Rise or fall Protector. Rise of fall Guardian."
"In other words, Do or die." Alice said.
"Sometimes that is the only way to fly." he told her.
Revenge
"Well, there you are," Mouse commented as Alice and Stryker entered ten-forward. They sat down at Lucida and Mouse's table.
"Nice of you two to join us. Sleep well ?" Lucida cocked an eyebrow and gave Stryker a pointed glance, unable to resist tossing Stryker's comment from the day before back in his face.
"Uh, yeah," he mumbled. Lucida grinned triumphantly as he avoided looked at her directly, momentarily enjoying his discomfort.
"I really don't want to know what that was about, do I ?" Alice asked them, amused by the exchange between Lucida and Stryker.
Lucida just shook her head, grinning, "No, you don't."
"Where is MRess and Ray ?" Alice inquired.
"Night shift, " Mouse answered, taking a sip of her mango drink. "They probably went straight to bed."
"Rumour has it that Wieun has been entertaining the engineering crew all night long."
"I feel very sorry for those poor souls, " Alice remarked, smiling.
The Lady Oratrei
He stepped into the gymnasium on deck five. There was always someone working out especially, it seemed, from the Security contingent. The Reticulan diplomat e'Lydix Oratrei, better known as Lady Oratrei (as per naming and gender customs of her people) was certainly one of the more interesting people onboard the Aurora.
She wore a very thin gray garment, or it was her skin. It was hard to tell where the one left off and the other began. Her sixteen spidery fingers each with its own suction pad.
Like Lucida's eyes, Oratrei's skin can change colour too, most of the time involuntary and random though. Stryker couldn't help but remember an incident in the engine room when a young Andorian male called her Lady Blush because of her skin's sudden change in colour then she came back with a rather crude, yet scarily accurate remark that brought the Lieutenant to tears.
Oratrei bowed her bulbous head and gazed at him, her liquid black gaze having a strange calming effect on him. "I greet you."
"Good morning."
"Would you like to join me on the holodeck ?"
"Depends what the program is."
"The Klingon-Federation battle of Daar Nav Block."
A major 23rd century battle, Earth date 2249 I think. The Federation lost this one. He nodded. "Sounds interesting. You have a warrior spirit, madam Ambassador."
"I get bored easily." she said.
Late night
Stryker was alone on the observation deck when Alice and Mouse entered. He sighed when he realized the time. "Hey!" he greeted them as he stood up. "I was just leaving. Working the nightside shift for the next couple of weeks."
"Have fun." Alice chuckled.
Alice's combadge beeped. She tapped the comminicator to activate it.
"Cadet. Internal sensors just went down again on deck eleven." Ensign Leslie Crusher told Alice. "I need you to go down there shut down the holodecks please."
"On my way." Alice said as cheerfully as she can, given that it is nearly midnight.
Alice stood in front of holodeck four but the computer refused to shut it down. Entering a security override, Alice opened the doors and walked in.
To her surprise, a program was running. She found this location strangely familar: A small creek at nighttime, proberly Earth. Alice approached a woman sitting underneath a tree. "Hi." the shadowy figure greeted Alice.
"Farley's tree..." Alice said, sitting down next to Deanne. "Sharon creek, Ontario."
"You remember." Deanne smiled. "He pulled me from this creek 17 years ago today."
"And died under this tree a few minutes later." Alice recalled. I miss that old sheepdog.
"Are you in love with Stryker ?" Deanne asked, catching Alice off-guard.
"No. We are just friends."
"Still think love just screws everything up ?" Deanne asked.
"Absolutely. Especially after the Adam Malkovish ... incident." Alice told her.
"That was a pretty messy breakup." Deanne remarked.
"Yeah."
"Are you sure there is nothing between you and Stryker ?"
"Yes." Alice said.
"Something you are not telling me ?" Deanne inquired.
"I will admit what Stryker and I have, goes a little beyond simple friendship." Alice said.
"I knew it." Deanne beamed.
"We have a unique insight of each other, both of us have a painful past. Sometimes we talk about it, but it hurts so much." Alice said, her hand pressed against her heart. "Behind a mask of pain, Stryker is gentle and tender. He is not exactly protective towards me, but he is fraternal, responsive to my moods. He treats me like the artist of the family, is respectful of who I am."
Alice and Deanne sat in silence for a few moments. "What about you and MRess ?" Alice inquired.
"We had another lover's tiff. But he is very affectionate and he likes holding me. But it is difficult to understand him.
"And ?" Alice prompted Deanne.
"Well ... I have keep reminding myself to pay special attention to his personal space." Deanne answered.
"It's a Caitian thing." Alice said. "Uh, that reminds me, we got to go. This holodeck is to be shut down."
"Computer. End program." Deanne ordered the computer as they walked out.
Hour of the wolf
She was four hours into sleep when the alarms went off in the dark room. Startled by the noise, the woman jumped up and twirled around, searching for the source. She reached for the com panel on the wall, stumbling in her half-wakened state. She could see the chronometer easily, glaring at her with overly bright orange digital numbers. 04:28 was what it read.
"Holden to Bridge! What is going on ?" She tried to sound authoritative, but having just been bolted out of a sound sleep, she ended up sounding very grouchy.
"Lieutenant David Xanatos here sir. Four vessels are approaching at high warp. They will intersect our periphery in 2 minutes and 53 seconds. Readings indicate them to be Kzin. We tried hailing them sir. No response."
"Get us out of here Lieutenant, I am on my way. Holden, out."
She growled through her teeth in undue anger. She needed sleep. "Merde !" she curse-yelled out in a shrill, morning-crackling voice. Her voice rebounding off the soundproof walls.
The turbolift doors opened, Commander Ciro entered the bridge, breathing heavily. Xanatos rose from the center seat. "Mister Stryker, bring us about. Warp six." Ciro ordered.
Stryker checked his console. "Warp speed unavailable sir. The core was taken offline for maintance."
Relieved, the assistant Chief engineer, Xanatos stepped into the turbolift. "This was not scheduled with me." Ciro said angrily just after the 'lift doors closed. He tapped his combadge. "Bridge to engineering. Shaedal, get the core back online on the double. And if we survive this, I would like to kill the one who authorized the core to be shutdown without me being told." he said angrily.
An annoyed Bajoran voice responded over the comm system. "This is kinda sudden sir. I will have it up and running in ten minutes."
Ciro frowned. "Shaedal, you better make that less then two and a half minutes. Else we will be have some unwelcome company in a nasty mood shooting at us. Then you will have even more systems to repair."
"Dammit, you are asking me to do the impossible. Shaedal out."
He turned around. "Ensign Perl, pull up stellar cartography maps from the computer libary. Include Kzin territory, any and all Kzin planets, outposts and trading routes."
She stifled a yawn. "Yes sir."
"WAKE UP PEOPLE! We are in trouble here." Ciro chided the bridge crew. Over one half of the Aurora's crew was raw, inexperienced cadets with no deep space experience.
"Helm, set course. Bearing 187 mark 43, full impulse, evasion pattern Beta One."
"Aye sir."
Perl scanned the databanks for information on local sectors and boundary maps. Ciro walked across the bridge to her workstation. "None of this sector or any surrounding systems sir. The Kzin border is about two days from here at warp six."
"Mister Throm. Tactical analysis."
Lieutenant Throm checked his readouts. "Three scouts and one of Class seven Interceptor sir. Alot of firepower and combat maneuverability. Intelligence reports their top speed is warp 8.7, maybe 8.8."
Our top speed is 8.35 on a good day Stryker recalled.
"So such for the idea for outrunning them." Ciro sighed. "Any other Federation ships in this sector ?"
"One ship sir. Ambassador class ... the Trident."
"Captain Elizabeth Shelby, " Ciro smiled. "Hail them."
Two minutes ticked by slowly. Captain Holden had herself beamed directly to the bridge. It was obvious she had dressed hastily, her hair in slight disarray. Barely missing a beat she started barking orders. "Enig, give me a three dimensional tactical display on the viewscreen."
One snapped on screen. "Shields up, ready phasers, load all torpedoes. Helm, set course 236 by 159. Full impulse. Report Commander."
"Aye sir!" Stryker replied, inputting the commands into his console. He was frilled, first time in deep space combat in almost seven years.
Ciro looked at his captain, "Engineering is attempting to restart the warp core. In case we run into real trouble, I summoned the Trident for assistance."
Outside the ship, the squadron of Kziniti vessels dove for the Aurora. Three scouts and one of the newer Interceptors, flying in a diamond formation. On the bridge, a sudden screeching, roaring sound whistled in the air. Everyone instintively clutched their ears. "What the hell is that ?", the captain demanded.
From tactical, Throm chuckled to himself, then stopped as Commander Ramirez turned to him. "An old Romulan terror tactic, sir. The engines of the fighters generate interference in the audible range in an enemy ship's atmosphere."
A wave of four vessels banked close to the ship's saucer, and began spitting brilliant beams of white energy at the Aurora. The first few glanced off harmlessly. The deck shook slightly. "Damage report."
Enig looked up from his console at tactical, "Negligible sir. Shields are holding."
A second later, all four vessels banked again and flew underneath the engineering section, firing simultaneously at a single shield vector, the navigational deflector.
In the engine room, a shower of sparks and smoke made Shaedel drop to his knees, covering his head protectively. When the small explosion had cleared, he immediately returned to maintaining the power systems. He looked the animated damage report being displayed, and tapped his combadge. "Engineering to Bridge. We've had an overload down here. A lot of these circuits are burned out. I need a few minutes to reroute them."
"Focus all your efforts on the warp system." Ciro ordered.
"I already did sir. The core is powering up now. Warp speed will be available in one minute."
"Shaedel, we may need to push the engines beyond 8 point 5. Can you do that ?"
"I cannot promise anything better than 8 point 2 without causing severe damage to the coils. If they go, we will be stranded at impulse. The old girl's engines are kaput, old, outdated, past their . . . "
"We get the picture Shaedal." Holden said, clearly agitated. Try shutting up for once! Lots of people would appreciate it Mister Tierney.
Perl and Enig exhanced quick glances and smiled. Being Betazoid certainly has advantages.
Ciro drummed his fingers on his arm rest. "Sir, something is amiss here. The Kzin usually choose to ignore Federation vessels."
"Shields at 80 " Throm reported from tactical.
Holden nodded in agreement as the ship rocked. "They must be protecting something. Enig, fire at will."
Every phaser array lit up, every launcher fired, unleashing a volley of photon torpedoes towards their targets. One of the scout vessels evaded a pair of torpedoes that was trailing it. The torpedoes continued on their course and collided with an invisible object before detonating in a bright explosion.
Nearly everyone on the bridge gasped as the stars began to fade, disappearing into a vast pit of shadow. A gigantic shape began to haze into view, filling the entirety of the view screen and eclipsing the small form of the Aurora. The space station was as large as city, woven of Duranium alloy; silent and forbidding.
"The Trident is entering the system sir." Throm reported. "ETA, two minutes."
"Helm, get us out the hell out of here. Warp 8 point 3 and engage."
"Aye sir." Stryker replied as he banked the ship to the left engaged warp.
"Any sign of pursuit ?" Holden asked.
"None sir."
Holden looked over her shoulder. "Lieutenant Throm, contact Starbase 25, priority one. Get me Admiral Jujuka and pipe it through to my ready room."
She headed for her ready room, "Stand down red alert. You have the bridge, Commander."
"Aye sir."
The inter-ship communicator chirped. "Engineering to Bridge, we're putting severe stress on the core's intermix chamber! We've got about ten minutes before we're looking at a warp core breach."
While Throm was busy contacting the Starbase, Ciro turned to the Betazoid. "Perl, signal the Trident. Helm, maintain heading, slow to warp 7."
Next Chapter
Another exciting day
Back to fiction
Lucida/Specky's height is 4'4", up 4'1. This is her final height, Lucida reached maturity.
Children of Nei
A race of humaniods, similiar looking to humans, although their ears are large and pointed, not unlike Vulcans. Antonai requires a chemical balance (endothalamine) in her body, which has been thrown off due to being away from others of her kind. The Children of Nei are known for their rare gift of telekinisis and are addicated to Kironide (requires a dialy dose), a chemical poisonous to humanoid species and fatal even in very small amounts. The Kironide makes telekinisis possible. First contact was made in 2252 by USS Pretoria (NCC 1738).
Proper etiquette require that they be referred to as "Sons of Nei" or "Daughters of Nei" to denote an individual or a small amount of individuals.
Reticulan
A peaceful, intelligent people from the Beta Quadrant. Like Caitians, they are easily bruised and killed because of their soft skin and bones. Reticulans are famous for their sixteen spidery fingers (each with its own suction pad). Their skin can change colour too, most of the time involuntary and random.
Diasoman
Diasoman possess sleek compact bodies covered with fine golden hair with matching feathery crests on their heads, and their eyes are nearly three times larger than human eyes. All births result in twins and the children are linked together mentally; and spend their young lives together in close proximity (closer than 25 meters) to the age of about 18 when the separation process begin as they lose their link and start becoming individuals. But the separation process in awkward and frightening, quite a traumatic life phase.
Orions
Civilization of sentient, green-skinned space-faring humanoids from the Orion planets. The Orion's claimed to be neutral, but this came into dispute when Orion's were caught several times engaging in piracy involving dilithium and stolen weaponry.
Kzin
The Kzinti (or Kzin, it's used interchangeably) are a race of vicious but intelligent carnivores. They are bipedal felinoids and related to the Caitians, but stand about 8 feet tall compared to the generally petite, human-sized Caitians. Kzinti are orange-furred, but have a distinctly tigerish aspect as compared to the lion-like Caitians. The Kzinti are physically large and they have a preference for unarmed (natural claws and teeth) combat. As a smaller empire, the Kzin have been on somewhat friendly terms with the Federation until two decades ago.