The Valandrans

Captain Devore was sitting in the briefing room. Captain Osagawa, Captain Ryan, Captain Riker and Admiral Ross along with a few of the Romulan subcommanders were listening to the finalised plan of the war effort when Devore's combadge beeped.

*What is going on now ?*

[Captain Devore. This is Ensign Katts. I need to see you.]

"Lynn, Can this wait ? I am in an important meeting."

[Captain. I think that you should hear this as soon as possible.]

"Okay Ensign. I will be there as soon as I am finished here."

[That will be fine sir. I am in sickbay.]

"Fine Ensign. Devore out." His attention returned to the small assembly. "Okay gentlemen. We will leave first thing in the morning. I will expect a readiness report by 05:00. See you in the morning."

Captain Devore went through the upper pylon. The massive Leviathan-A cast a majestic shadow onto DS9 and he couldn't help but to look on her with awe. His second command with the nomenclature Leviathan-A was a credit to her legacy. As he left the airlock he was now on his ship. A turbolift was straight ahead which he entered. "Deck five, Sickbay."

The turbolift wisped away and in a matter of seconds he opened to a door that said "Sickbay." He left the turbolift and walked in. Immediately he noticed that Sickbay was huge. It was far bigger than that of the Apollo class starship. There were four biobeds along the far wall with a office to the left. Sitting behind her desk was Ensign Katts who was working on some kind of report. The Captain politely knocked on the glass to get her attention.

"Captain. I am glad that you are here. I have something that you may want to look at." Lynn said darting up, PADD in hand.

"Okay Lynn. What is it ?"

"Sir. I have just received the medical reports from all the crew assigned to the Leviathan-A and I came across something that was, well, rather disturbing."

"Really ?"

"Here, look for yourself."

Devore took the PADD and looked it over. His eyes widened. "Have you ever heard of the Valandrans ?"

"No sir, but read further.... about the Castinetians."

"Woah."

"Yes sir. I think that may be a problem."

"I don't know. I am going to take this PADD. I am going to have to research this."

"Okay."

"By the way. Great job what you have done here."

"Thank you sir. I think that it is going to be a little difficult. I don't have an assistant and all there is is the EMH."

"Well Lynn. Go ahead and use it. By the way, I have a question for you ?"

"Sure Captain."

"I thought that Starfleet Medical were usually Lieutenant Commanders and above.. at least the doctors."

"Well sir. I am a full fledged doctor, but ..."

"But ?"

"Well let's just say that I refused to treat an Admiral's son so I was systematically demoted."

"Why didn't you treat him ?"

"This Admiral came into medical and demanded that his son be looked at. The waiting area was full and he wanted to jump the gun, so I told him to wait."

"Really ? What did he say ?"

"Nothing. I proceeded to ask the people in the room if it was okay for him to jump ahead of them, needless to say they said no."

"And so the Admiral had it in for you since."

"Exactly."

"Well show me your mettle and maybe we might see in a promotion to the next step. Keep up the good work."

"Yes sir." She said with a smile.

"By the way. Keep this information top secret. Only you and I should know about this so far. Understood ?"

"No problem sir. However, I think that the crew has a right to know. Well until I have had a word with the new Lieutenant, I don't think that there should be any reason to initiate a hysteria."

"Aye sir."

Devore walked to the nearest terminal. "Computer. Access all information about the Valandrans and the Castinetians."

<Working.> A few minutes passed as Devore looked over the bio report.

<Transfer of data is complete.> The information downloaded into the PADD. Devore picked it up and began to read it. He left Sickbay and as he turned the corner was halted in his tracks.

*I don't believe it !*

"Computer. Locate Lieutenant Tyra."

[Lieutenant Tyra is in the forward mess hall.]

Captain Devore sat down at a table, a few table away from a young Lieutenant dressed in engineering garb. She was rather beautiful with dark hair, but her skin seemed to be a shade of pale. She sat upright which professed to be a proud woman, confident in her appearance, but sat alone drinking something. Devore wanted to observe her for moment and cross-referenced her file and the history download.

The Valandran history was one of turmoil. However advancements in social skills allowed for them to progress beyond their warlike graces. Earlier, the Valandrans were once a peace-loving humanoid race. They concentrated mainly on the advancements of their families and the simpler pleasures of life and happiness. However on their homeworld, a violent plague broke out that killed millions upon millions of people. The remaining thousands left "mutated."

The disease, Luekeric, attacked a particular chromosome needed in the Valandrans to produce nutrients for survival. There mediocre scientists tried to synthesise the chromosome which resulted in a compound that extended existence, but not a cure. They turned to the heavens for answers and establishing trade with a shrewd, troll-like race, the Valandrans acquired space travel.

The harsh conditions on the planet forced the remaining hundreds to flee in barges and ships creating a ragtag nomadic race. For years, the Valandrans wandered the galaxy for a home and people that could help them. After a generation died off, the remaining hundreds arrived on Castineta where the inhabitants were at war with a race of people called the Uriens.

The Castinetians were also a peace-loving people, whose interests were in the arts and literature, war and fighting was unheard of. The Uriens invaded their world and slowly advanced, gaining ground upon the planet. Throughout their nomadic years, the Valandrans had become excellent tacticians and warriors. So they grabbed the opportunity to help the Castinetians by fighting on their behalf in exchange for their life giving assistance. All agreed and within a year the fighting was over and the Uriens were integrated into the Castinetian culture as a subservient class.

When the time came for the Castinetians to tally up to their end of the bargain, the Valandrans explained their predicament and insisted that they must provide one counterpart for each Valandran. The counterpart or mate, would permit the Valandran to "feed" on them enough to sustain one-self but not to kill. This one feeding could "fill" the Valandrans for months on end depending on the health of the mate. In return, the Valandrans will protect and provide, never to go without. Relations could be between the Valandran and the Mate or the Mate and someone else, but the Valandran are not to mate but with their own.

This symbiotic relationship provided for generations of peace. The Valandrans now have revitalised their race, but for some reason must still depend on the life giving fluids of the Castinetians. The entry of the Valadrans into the Federation was first looked as an attempt to gain a political stronghold in the Castinetians Parliament. However the Federation provisionally allowed the combined peoples to enter into the Federation as a United Voice. The Valadrans/Castinetians were admitted on stardate 2402457. The first Valadran was admitted into Starfleet on 2455300 Starfleet medical have been working on a substitute for the Valadrans for years. They have been able to find something but the taste of Castinetians fluids were still desired. However the nobler Valadrans have agreed to use the synthetic once fully developed.

The dining hall began to filter out, but Lieutenant Tyra still sat reading a PADD. She drank a red liquid that made Captain Devore squirm, but he quickly shook it off as a paranoia. That is something that he was trying to avoid with the rest of the crew. There is no telling how she will react, but there is no reason why the crew should make her feel uncomfortable or otherwise threatened. Captain Devore continued to look over her record and noticed that she was a rather smart lady. Graduated in the top 20% of her class, but an outcast. Her social skills had been underdeveloped because of the "blood-sucking" quality of the Valandrans.

*It is too bad. She is such a beautiful lady and... well I don't know about her attitude.*

Captain Devore got up and finally decided that there was no better time then the present to meet the strange crew member. He quietly approached careful not to startle her. "Lieutenant. May I have a seat ?"

"It is a free universe. Suit yourself," Lieutenant Tyra said not looking up from the PADD.

Devore sat down and just looked at her. She said nothing nor did he, he immediately noticed a bead of sweat on her brow. "Lieutenant ? Are you all right ?"

"I am fine." Tyra said with a trembling in her voice.

*I wonder what's wrong ?*

"Lieutenant.... I wa.."

She snapped back, "Why are you cal....?" Tyra now finally looked up and noticed that she was talking to the Captain and slammed the PADD down on the table. "Captain. I am sorry. I didn't know."

"Try looking up from your reading every so often and you might see a new world." Devore said with a smile.

"I am so sorry, sir."

"That is just fine. I was wondering why haven't you checked in with me yet. I didn't know you were onboard."

"I was going to do that today. It was just the battle briefing and all, you are a hard man to get a hold of."

Devore smiled. "I know. My wife thinks so."

The sparkle that was in her eyes faded at the word 'wife'. "You're married sir ?"

"Yes Lieutenant. My wife is the ship's Counsellor."

"Oh."

A waiter approached the duo and asked for their drink order. The Captain listen closely to what she was drinking and was amazed that she ordered tomato juice with a dash of pepper.

"Coffee for me, black and hot." As soon as the waiter left, he returned his attention to Trya who was now fidgeting in her chair. "Lieutenant. Relax. I am not here to interrogate you. I just am curious of your race."

"Really Captain. Curious ?"

"Yes curious."

"You are one of the first who have actually taken time to understand my people. "

"Really."

"Yes. They think my race is that of a ... what do you humans call them...?"

"Vampires ."

"Yes vampires. That is so far from the truth. The Valandrans are a peaceful race. After our nomadic wars, we settled down and now live in harmony with all our people."

"Very noble of you. However, what is it that the Calistians do for you ?"

There was a moment of silence that Trya used to gather her story.

"Captain Devore. Just as you need air to breathe, we need a certain chromosome to survive. The Calistians have it as do humans. So we have developed the technology to extract the chromosome from willing donors. It is not forcefully taken."

"Ever ?"

"Only in dire situations."

"Like ?"

"My mate is killed and I am far from a replacement. Understand though that it takes many months even years. Then I will actually resort to a primordial state that will demand the chromosome."

"Will this cause a problem or even a threat to the Leviathan-A or its crew ?"

"No. You have my word. However Captain, if something was to happen I would need to obtain the chromosome. I will of course ask for volunteers, but never will kill."

"What if we ask the doctor to extract the chromosome and hold it in stasis for you until you need it ?"

"The chromosome has lifespan of about two minutes outside of the body. So it must be consumed immediately."

Devore sat and rubbed his chin like he commonly does when he is contemplating something. "Okay Lieutenant. You do what you must, but I will be kept informed as to what is happening on my ship, understood ?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. Now what is the story with tomato juice ?" Devore asked with a smile after taking a large gulp of his hot coffee.