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This is an appreciation shout out for the crew of the USS Gorkon! Our last (current) mission saw us in Deep Space, in deep sleep, and about twenty years in the past stuck in a dream. Awakening to a life as a member of a Maquis Resistance Cell on the raider Skarbek , everyone took to it immediately, temporarily redesigning aspects of their character makeup and made it work. It was truly an awesome mission (it's still going on) and there's so much love on the Gorkon for everyone's effort in bringing the Maquis to life in our own special way. Thank you, everyone, and especially @Quinn Reynolds - It's been such a ride! Having said that, you're all insane. Justifiably, as per the below, but nevertheless. Completely bonkers. We're fully aware that trying to explain any of this to anyone would warrant a buckled cuddle jacket and a padded room. Coupled with the fact that this will be completely out of context... Here are some of my favourite bits of the entire escapade pre-wake up call, in chronological order. Enjoy! --- ::The engines of the Cardassian raiders screamed through the night sky, a banshee wail of fire and devastation. The outpost was rapidly being reduced to ruins, buildings collapsed and aflame. The worst of the bombardment was over, paving way for the troops to hit the ground and try to mop up the survivors. Thankfully, the civilians had mostly been evacuated before the Cardassians had reached the planet, leaving only the Maquis fighters still on the ground. ::[Brunsig] was proud to say that they were living up to the name of "resistance fighters". There'd been casualties on both sides, but the number of Cardassian corpses were outnumbered by those of his own people. For now.:: --- Brunsig: You think we do that? To them? Do you think we swoop down on civilian outposts and burn their homes to the ground? ::He had no doubt she'd heard the commotion outside. But seeing it, tasting it, hearing the heat sear her face… he saw her expression shift, horror forming in her hazel eyes, even as she fought to keep her composure.:: Reynolds: I can't. Brunsig: Listen to me, *Cupcake*-- ::He stopped himself, clenching his jaw. Now was not the time, as gratifying as it would be to yell in her face.:: --- Brunsig: =/\= If I have to scrape your corpse up, I'm giving your bike to the kid. =/\= ::She snorted a laugh, her first for the last day, at least. The gruff guy knew just where to jab the painstik to make sure her priorities were in order.:: Marshall: =/\= Scheißhaus. If you do, I'll make telling him your nickname my dying words. Which of us will be worse off? =/\= --- ::The voices up ahead grew louder as she drew unendingly closer, Emilia’s pace increased to a light jog. Her ‘holster’, (aka, a glorified leather satchel) tapped soundly against her thigh, a sensation Emilia had gotten relatively accustomed to over the past several years in DMZ. After abandoning her place in the federation, carrying a weapon almost constantly was the new standard equipment. Having a weapon was one of the few luxuries that help Emilia sleep at night. Life had been a real kick in the backside since leaving her home on Trill, but it was a worthy sacrifice for a cause she believed in. Sure she’d never see her family, but Emilia wasn’t going to stand by as these people suffered at the hands of the Cardassian Union.:: ::A flash of pink entered the corner of Emilia’s vision, a somewhat, but glossy ribbon whipping in the weak wind as it held her hair in a side swept ponytail. That flash of pink was all she had left of home, nothing more and nothing less, but it was a good reminder of what Emilia fought for. The freedom of countless federation citizens, a cause she gave up a utopia for, but it’s not much of a utopia if those who govern it refuse to help their own.:: --- Brunsig: =/\= They're killing us down here, Red. =/\= :: Ayiana smirked. Everyone in the cell had taken on a nickname, always chosen by everyone else, and not always flattering. It was mostly to hide their identities over open communication channels, but over time, everyone had gotten used to the nicknames. It was pretty easy to figure out why people started calling Ayiana “Red.” :: Sevo: =/\= So kill them first. I’d say ten minutes until we’re down there. :: Boom! :: Assuming we’re not blown out of the sky first. =/\= --- ::Tasha gave a shriek of laughter as she grabbed ahold of a nearby access panel and tore it off the wall. In the recessed alcove was a mass of relays. Some would call it messy or unordered, but to Tasha it made perfect sense. She reached in and located the switch buried beneath the relays and flipped it. There was a high pitched whine and Tasha glanced at a nearby console and grinned.:: ::She plunged her arm back in, navigating the mass of relays on memory and instinct. She located a second switch and flipped it too. The whine dropped to a dull drone, and when Tasha flipped a third switch the sound vanished. She extracted her arm and jumped to her feet and raced to the nearest console, hurriedly entering several commands, and grinning as she watched the shield strength increase.:: MacFarlane: =/\= I’ve got more shield strength f’ yeh Red! An’ more speed f’ yeh Sticks! Show those spoonheads what yeh can do laddie!! =/\= --- :: Yiggtissi noticed the phaser that had appeared in Sim’s hand. No doubt it was his trusty sidearm that he almost never left home without. The Saurian patted himself down looking for his own but couldn’t find it. He looked around on the floor. Finally, under the rubble of a table, he saw it. It was a small silver disruptor his oldest brother had given him when he first joined the ragtag group of renegades. He snatched it up and gave it a once over. It was half charged and now covered in a couple of scratches. :: Sim: For luck :: Yiggtissi looked up and saw the infamous flask sitting in the air. It had become sort of a tradition between them both since they first went into battle together. Usually, before the two medics did something extremely stupid, they would take long draws from the flask and head off into the throws of battle or bar fights. Yiggtissi smiled a toothy grin and snatched the flask from his air, taking a long drink before handing it off to the rest. He used his remaining sleeve to wipe the dribble from the corners of his mouth. :: ::Cory declined. He had remembered the last time they had been together and the flask had appeared. It was a bar fight on Penthios IV and it cost Yiggtissi a broken jaw, Stoyer a black eye and Sim a nice cut on his forehead from a broken bottle. Good times, indeed. :: --- ::Ferier “Stick’s” Lanta loved to fly, as a boy all he wanted to do was fly starships. Rejected by the Federation for Starfleet Academy and finding no interest in flying Transporters from Trill and finding a hatred for the “spoonheads” for their actions on Bajor he had drifted in to the Maquis he had been found by Brunsig. After been caught stealing Brunsig had helped him out and quickly gained his trust with a speed that still astounded him. ::So here he found himself flying admittedly a run down Maquis ship. Held together by what Sparks called unicorn power, something he quite firmly believed having seen Sparks find miracle cures for the little ships mechanical woes. Usually, his job was difficult taking the battle to the Cardies. Today it seemed impossible. Fighting off Cardie attack vessels swerving around and between them. :: --- Vondaryan: Don't try anything. Brunsig: That goes both ways. How about you tear your eyeballs off her [...] and earn your keep? --- Marshall: Avoiding is better than a full frontal firefight. We're in no condition to take the fight to them. How's your chair doing on the rubble? Sim: I'm fine, don't worry about me. The old girl's done more miles than you've had replicated meals. --- Krugol: As much as you’re itching to shoot something, I doubt it’d be a good idea to delve headfirst into a bunch of Cardassians that can call for help. Vondaryan: We could try to draw some of them off with a distraction. Then the rest of us could make a run for it. ::He rummaged through the pack.:: I'm sure there's a few disruptor grenades in here somewhere. ::He made it a point not to volunteer to be the distraction himself. He was much too valuable to waste in a potentially lethal way.:: --- Stoyer: Hey Blondie! If this works you gonna talk Red into going out with me when we get out of here? ::Jo's eyes flitted upwards. A fight to the death came second to a dry spell apparently - she didn't expect any different from the charming Engineer. It had been the same on the night they'd met. One bar fight, smashed bottles, his flirtations exchanged for her eye-rolls aplenty. And, now, she was the wingman. Power ballads were written for that kind of friendship.:: Marshall: Sure, Strip. That impending shuttle wreck is exactly what I want on my mind! --- D’fini: Are you alright?::Concerned. She didn't want to rain on his parade. In fact, it was nice. It wasn't a quantum torpedo explosion by any stretch but it was nice and she liked it.:: Smith: Of course it wasn’t my first kiss.... ::She knew that was a lie. However, it might be interesting how to teach this one the fine art of it. She gave a small smile.:: D’fini: Not bad for a first kiss. Not bad at all. ::She watched his face go red. Davine had caught him and she wasn't going to let it go for a moment.:: --- ::Laugh, or cry? Hard to decide. A short, sharp smack with the butt of her rifle also seemed like a valid alternative. Finally, the pair decided to pay attention to the destruction and potential death that surrounded them, but from the direction their weapons were pointing, it looked as though they hadn't realised who was approaching them. Sienelis: It's us. ::She hissed, still not sure if she was amused or annoyed by (or jealous of?) their antics.:: If you've finished trying to mount each other while the world burns, we're leaving. --- Sevo: Computer, run program “Cavalry.” :: The computer acknowledged with a quick chirp. As the ramp lowered, Ayiana heard the opening riff of AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” blasting over the external speakers. Simultaneously, the ship flashed it’s running lights in tune with the beat. Once the ramp was open, Ayiana stepped up to the edge. Grinning widely, she let loose a barrage of phaser energy packets at over two-thousand per minute, straight into the Cardassians on the ground. :: Sevo: :: To ground teams. :: =/\= WAHOO! THE CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED!! =/\= (( OOC: https://youtu.be/4gDch1p4c_M )) --- Yiggs: Almost like that skirmish on Devro. :: He paused. :: I didn't think we were gonna make it this time. ::Genkos thought about the skirmish on Devro. If he remembered rightly, he'd annoyed some rather fierce Klingons whilst under the influence, and Yiggs had to come to his aid. They'd managed to corner the Klingons in an alley, and had to beat them to death with their own bat'leth. Again, fun.:: Sim: ::locking eyes with his friend:: Me neither. I was certain my little stunt was going to get one of us killed. Although it looks like we did okay. That explosion sounded pretty impressive, even if I do say so myself. --- Brunsig: I'll head to the bridge and see if I can get hold of him. ::He paused, eyeing the Starfleet officer, holding out the cuffs to whoever took them first.:: Cuff her again, put her in one of the empty crew cabins and make sure there's a guard on the door. Whoever's left, defend this ramp. Sevo: I got enough power to hold out. Go. ::Emilia nodded to Brunsig eagerly, deciding not to pay any attention to Trellis’ antics.:: Krugol: I’ll stay, and give Red a hand ::She spoke, holder her phaser up.:: Vondaryan: I'll make sure she's nice and safe. Sevo: Yea, that’s not creepy at all. --- Vondaryan: Don't worry, I won't begin any interrogations yet. ::He smirked.:: I'll just let her stew in the cabin for a little longer, contemplating her fate. ::The Maquis Raider was a far cry from the sleek, elegant engineering of the Starfleet vessels she served on. Cramped, dingy and damaged, she couldn't help but feel it echoed the personalities and attitudes of the people who inhabited it. Some Maquis were sympathetic in their struggles, noble warriors fighting a dirty (if misguided) war to protect their homes. The Skarbek's crew, by and large, were not counted among that number.:: Reynolds: ::Quietly,:: Have you ever contemplated yours? Vondaryan: Look, if we can get away from the Cardassians on a regular basis, we can certainly keep ahead of Starfleet. ::He smirked once again, in an underserved show of confidence.:: They haven't caught us yet. You're in this for the long haul. ::Oh, but the Cardassians had caught them, hadn't they? Only it hadn't been the Maquis who had suffered for it, rather the people who had lived and worked in the outpost currently in flames. Now an entire community was homeless in the Demilitarised Zone, left to hope that someone would take them in. Perhaps they'd head back to the Federation, where they'd be safe. She hoped so. ::Quinn answered as the EPS system on the beleaguered raider began to whine, power being pushed hard through the ship's systems. It looked as though they were entering the final stages of their escape from the outpost.:: Reynolds: You'll forgive me if I choose to believe otherwise. --- ::Cory ran over to the warp core and looked over it. He traced his finger to the top and located the injector under the Deuterium tank. It looked a bit out of alinement. Climbing up to reached it, he remembered that his toolkit was back near the shield console. Cursing, he climbed back down, ran over and grabbed it. Slinging it over his shoulder Cory climbed back up and started loosening the brackets that kept the injector alined. ::When they were loosened, Cory used a small rubber mallet to whack the injector a couple of time to see if it would move. Nothing. So Cory hit it harder. Cursing, he hit it with everything he had and it moved slightly. Hitting it again, it seemed to straighten back up and a light came on. Cory dropped the hammer and started tightening the brackets. Climbing down and wiping the sweat off with a rag from his bag he beamed at Tasha as she climbed out of the Jefferies tube.:: MacFarlane: Structural integrity is back, ‘ow goes it in ‘ere? Stoyer: I got the injector repaired. See I did learn a few things from you. --- Lanta: Don’t mind me while I close my eyes and pray. ::Muttering to herself, Jo turned her waning attention back to the console in front of her and the systems screaming for the power she didn't have to give. Whatever was going on in Engineering needed to get fixed fast, otherwise, they were going to be the guest stars at a Cardassian [...]tail party. Forgoing praying to any deity that was listening - because if their luck was any indication, none ever did - Jo concentrated on the image of Walter in a [...]tail dress, providing just enough amusement to see her through to the sticky end.:: --- Brunsig: =/\= Did you get it? =/\= E. Reynolds: =/\= Yes, and you owe me a new liver. I'm *still* hungover from all the bloodwine they made us drink. =/\= ::She wasn't kidding. Her head felt like someone was using it as an alternative to timpani in Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and she hadn't eaten in over 24 hours, still quite convinced that her stomach still wasn't ready for anything solid. The Klingons had found it hilarious just how much the tiny woman had been able to put away, but boy had she regretted it the next day. Which, oddly, had only seemed to endear her a little more to them.:: Brunsig: =/\= Sure thing, Bärchen. But if we're talking about who owes who a new liver— =/\= E. Reynolds: =/\= Fine, fine. But you have to admit, that was *good* gin. =/\= --- Reynolds: But your cause isn't as just as you pretend it is, is it? It's an excuse. A chance to kill and maim people who had nothing to do with the attack on your home. Then they use that as an excuse to hurt more of our people. And so it goes, round and round. ::An eye for an eye, and the whole galaxy goes blind.:: --- ::Suddenly sparks and smoke began sizzling out of an exposed panel under the tactical console.:: Krugol: Dammit, ::Yelling:: Hey Red? Could you possibly break it to Sparks that the motherboard got fried again? Sevo: Nope. Lanta: Don’t look at me I think it’s Emilia’s turn. Krugol: What do you mean ‘No’? I told her last time, it’s only fair that you do it. ::Emilia whined:: Burke: Here I got it. ::Eli said crawling onto the floor.:: Nobody needs to get the Queen of Scotts involved. --- Gwinnett: Come on someone. ::She had used the intercom so many times that she had gotten the answer. 'Don't call us, we will call you'. She had been quiet for hours now, but it was just another minor offense on a service record that was marred with minor offensives.:: ::She sighed and rolled over. Finally she got thin mattress and got on the floor. She got down and started to start her exercise routine. It was something that distract her for a little while. The pushups started in earnest. Slowly at first until she found her rhythm.:: Gwinnett: Three, Four, Five, Six. ::Her body started to transform into a machine, doing the same near prefect motion time and time again.:: ---- Yiggtissi: Here. It’s not much but you will need the protein. Besides the obvious, do you feel alright? Pain? Injured? Vondaryan: I doubt there's anything you can do for her wounded pride. :: Genkos could not read a thing off their prisoner, either through his natural empathic powers or in her body language. She was a slight woman, and it appeared that she was trying to appear smaller. It might be that was from genuine fear, to appease Slick's aggressive attitude, or from another feeling altogether. Pride was funny, and Genkos was pretty sure the only person feeling any level of pride at that moment in time was Slick himself. Genkos was fairly ashamed that they were having to resort to kidnapping a Starfleet officer, he was pretty sure Yiggs felt the same way as the tenderness he was showing their prisoner was touching. Whilst the look Blondie was giving Slick could kill Julius Caesar many times over.:: --- Reynolds: Why does it matter, anyway? ::She smiled, a hollow expression that didn't reach her eyes.:: The intention isn't to let me remain fine, is it? ::The bile rose in Genkos' throat. Clearly this woman believed they were going to torture her, and that was the last thing either of the two doctors wanted. Even without their experiences with Chok, they'd taken an oath to do no harm. Whilst they'd relented on that vow when it came to Cardassians, they still would take care of their own, as well as anybody who was decent and innocent. And whilst the Starfleeter in front of them was probably not innocent, she hadn't proved herself to be indecent.:: Sim: That's unfair and untrue. It's not Brunsig's way, it's not my way, it's certainly not Yiggs' way. --- Thomas: If we consider we can’t find time to bring it offline, what do you think about a few compensatory modifications to ensure that we do get to where we’re going at least? ::Poor Kael. So serious and sensible in his suggestions. It really wasn't fair that Tasha was hooting with laughter almost immediately after he'd asked the question. Valesha shot him a wry look, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. Unhinged as she was, the woman was both good at her work and popular with the crew. All you could do was put up with her… idiosyncrasies.:: MacFarlane: Compensatory modifications...Bahahahahahaha!!!!! ::Tasha doubled over, cackling away.:: Oh, that’s a good one!!! A better way t’ phrase tha’ might be; delay th’ problem until its too late. Sevo: We’re meeting up with the Inayat-Khan. Erin is bringing supplies and some new recruits. I hope we can at least make it a few light-years, Sparks? MacFarlane: Oh aye, ol’ Skarbek will get us where we need t’ go. Won’t yeh ol’ girl? ::Tasha fondly ran her hand along the edge of her console.:: But, she didn’t like jumpin’ in th’ atmosphere, she protested long an’ loud. --- Sim: Isn't that the reason we have law enforcement? To help curtail the worst echelons of the various species of the galaxy? Yiggtissi: I think our esteemed beside manner is useless here brother. Reynolds: I'm not going to voluntarily tell you anything I know. Beyond the fact it's my duty not to, I'm not going to help you kill more people. So let me ask you this; what options does that leave you with? --- Neathler: ::quickly Samira stood up, causing the chair to fall over:: Hey, what did I... :: Samira stopped midsentence, she was yelling at a closed door anyway. She stared at the door, her eyes flashing from one side to the other as if she was trying to read something that was printed on the door. Finally in her mind, a few loose ends came together and she figured it out. She shook her head as she picked up the chair and with a deep sigh she sat down. :: Neathler: :: talking to her self :: I should have known, some friend you are... --- Burke: I don’t know. Somewhere between killing people and letting people get killed. ::Eli responded in a tone acknowledging the entire universes spanning the distance between those two ideals.:: ::Idealism was what got people killed out here. Eli couldn’t afford to be idealistic anymore, for himself or for the people he was protecting. Part of him hurt admitting that, but it was true. And at the same time, the paradox of the issue confronted Eli because determining not to adhere to an ideal in order to save lives was an ideal in itself. So in his efforts not to be idealistic, Eli exercised idealism. If he was going to be idealistic either way shouldn’t he adhere to the ideal his heart, his spirit, told him was most important, the core of the issue? --- ::Emilia felt a strange feeling in the pit of her chest, the uncomfortable feeling as if she was being watched. Emilia’s hands formed into fists tighter than a ferengi, her knuckles going white with irritation and anxiety. As if someone was trying to burn a hole in her skull sheerly by staring, a feeling she despised with a passion. Emilia’s temptation to snap some snarky comment at the gawker was immeasurable, but she held herself back, she didn’t want to cut Eli off.:: Krugol: I see… oO Okay, that’s it. Oo Thumper, give me a second, will you? ::Emilia’s head snapped around in one swift motion, causing an almost visible disturbance in the air. Her narrowed eyes matched with a familiar blue, her body freezing for a second in hesitation. But, like steam through ice, Emilia’s snarky comment flung itself at the trill before her, like an asteroid.:: Need something? Or are you just staring for the hell of it? Try drawing a picture, it’ll last you longer. Lanta: Sorry Princess but no its nothing. Guess I am losing it. --- ::Talara saw a bright flash in the sky through all the haze and smoke. Had somebody really gone to warp in the atmosphere like that? They had to be crazy. ::Then again, this whole operation was crazy. She never should have left the Imperial Guard. What had she been thinking? She'd been thinking of Shral, of course. What was best for him. They would never be safe with any threat of Cardassians impeding upon Federation territory. Who knew how long it would be until the Cardies wanted Andoria, or some other occupied world in the heart of the Federation. The Federation may be willing to sacrifice the DMZ, but she wasn't. It was the principle of the thing. You had to stand up to bullies. The spoonies were some of the biggest bullies in the galaxy. ::With a roar of her own and her antennae pressed flat against her head Talara "Wires" zh'Aldrashi stepped forward to face the onslaught that awaited her. As the Klingons would say, "Today is a good day to die." She would take as many spoonies out with her as she could in the process.:: (Trellis Vondaryan) --- Marshall: Whatever you say, sponge. If you can explain to me where that dent came from in the Mess Hall table, I'll let you out. Gwinnett: I'll take responsibility. I think it was me.::She wasn't sure, but to fall on your sword at this point didn't hurt her.:: Alright so I shouldn't of been drinking. However, I should of been relieved hours ago. Not that a little liquor ever interfered with my aim. One has to wonder how many times....::She went on and on about her concerns. Gwinnett always had steam to blow off and keeping it bottled up was even worst.:: ::Finally the door slid open and Marshall was standing there. Brooks looked up and got up from the floor.:: Marshall: Fancy a trip to Engineering? Gwinnett: I was starting to think that no one cared.::Smiling.:: --- ::Genkos pushed himself closer, and Yiggtissi handed over his tricorder, still linked with the transmitter on Krugol’s neck. It had been constantly recording the various data and storing in the device’s memory. Genkos looked at the readings. They looked perfectly normal, sedate even, for somebody asleep. Glancing upwards, he saw Princess sat on the edge of the biobed. Definitely not asleep. He looked down again at the readings again – her limbic system was acting like it was in deep REM sleep, but she was wide awake.:: oO What the... Oo Sim: So I am reading this right – her brain is asleep, but Princess is awake. I'm not missing anything? --- EMH: You have a very serious disruptor wound, Lieutenant. ::Caedan started to laugh, then groaned at the molten pain the motion sent through his torso. Was it bad enough to kill him? It *felt* bad enough to kill him, but he was certainly the most biased person the assessment.:: Nkai: No kidd— ::his words stuttered in his mouth as he grimaced,:: —dding. EMH: Can you explain what's going on? ---- MacFarlane: Uhhh...All o’ it? I can fix th’ table, hang on. ::Tasha placed her flesh hand on a still flat piece of the table, while she reached underneath with her prosthetic. She easily located the dent, and with a couple of well-aimed and steady thumps she more or less smoothed out the crater.:: Reynolds: ::Sincerely,:: Then my lips are sealed. MacFarlane: Thank yeh, I do nae want m’ friends t’ think I’m mentally unstable. --- Marshall: Take your time. It's probably a byproduct of whatever gas Sparks uses in Engineering. Huff too much of that stuff and you'll be seeing fairies and unicorns. Sevo: I don’t know. This was weird. I mean, weirder than Sparks’ moonshine fumes. I...I think I’d better go to sickbay. Marshall: You gonna be alright going on your own, or...? ::However, the woman was already making her way toward the stairs, full steam ahead.:: Or just go it alone, into the dark, smash your head open on a step, make ME the bad guy... ::Muttering to herself, Jo jogged to catch up with her before she fell down them head first and face planted the floor. Their Maquis Health Insurance wasn't what it used to be.:: --- Brunsig: So to be clear; we're all exhausted and strung out on adrenaline; we've just narrowly escaped from the burning wreckage of Schulman, breathing in deep lungfuls of toxic smoke from an outpost's worth burning buildings and their contents; you're using equipment that was basic and bargain basement when it was new twenty-five years ago; said equipment took a battering along with the rest of the ship when we were being shot at by Cardassians... ::He paused for dramatic effect, sweeping his piercing gaze around the people collected in sickbay,:: Brunsig: ...but you think the *reasonable* conclusion is that we're all lucid sleepwalkers? Including yourselves. Who are diagnosing sleepwalking. In your sleep. ::He scowled.:: Is there such a thing as a common sense transplant? ::He glanced toward Vondaryan.:: What's the going rate on those, these days? --- ::Some of them had seemed quite promising, to start with. Some fury, some violent tendencies, a desperate desire for revenge… but they were all too loyal to (or afraid of) their "captain". It was a frustration that the dream state could only be created with broad brush strokes — goals set, scenario created — with the dreamers filling in the blanks. It led to situations like this, with Starfleet officers putting a captain in charge and following him like the sheep they were.:: Mirovan: Mmm. ::She paused, gesturing at the screen with a milk-pale, slender finger.:: In addition, the joined Trill are proving to a be problem— Lladre: ::Dryly,:: Story of my life. Mirovan: —as they're experiencing corporeal bleed, due to their unique neurophysiology. I can increase the intensity of the field to counteract it, but it does risk permanent brain damage to both symbiont and host. ::Face impassive, Lladre locked her gaze with the Dokkaran woman. Ana was almost monochrome: white hair, anaemic skin… the only splashes of colour were her pale pink lips and translucent blue eyes. She really was very fond of the mild-mannered, desert-witted woman. They had been friends for a very long time, through several hosts, and she was one of the few people Lladre would ever inconvenience herself for.:: Lladre: I fail to see how that's a problem. Mirovan: I thought you might say that. --- ::In an instant, her hungry eyes seized the book’s form, Emilia’s nails jamming in between the marked crevices of the novel. Dramatically and slowly, she freed the printed text from darkness that plagued the pages. The relief of escaping to a world of fantasy upon her once more, as she set her famished eyes on the bold, black letters that sunk deeply into the pages.:: ::It felt rather ironic really, suspecting one of dreaming, but once again indulging in the dreams of another man. Quite odd really? Perhaps it was… but the line between dreams and reality appeared to thicken once again as Emilia occupied her thoughts on the coarse pages. Though, she still couldn’t shake the feelings she had earlier. Each image within her mind, sticking with her like glue. Each recollection, causing a strangely ghostly feeling to reach through the very centre of her chest.:: ::But what could it all mean?:: --- Smith: Me and Davine? Noo...... ::He was lying through the skin of his teeth and it was very obvious, but he knew people would find out quickly. He just needed to be careful about what he said as they weren’t anything, they as Davine said we’re “just having fun” Yiggtissi: This is a small ship Kid. Every time someone passes gas around here, it’s like a major breaking news event. Sim: Although we're not going to tell anyone. ::winking at the Kid:: --- Brunsig: ...but you think the *reasonable* conclusion is that we're all lucid sleepwalkers? Including yourselves. Who are diagnosing sleepwalking. In your sleep. ::He scowled.:: Is there such a thing as a common sense transplant? ::He glanced toward Vondaryan.:: What's the going rate on those, these days? ::Trellis snorted. He tried motioning to say "I told them, they don't believe me," and "I can't just *buy* common sense for them" but wasn't sure how effective he was with a mere shrug and a roll of his eyes.:: --- Johns: Alright, alright. No need to take a chunk out of my tush, I was only asking. Consider my rump roasted. Lanta: What I wouldn’t give for a plate of fresh gagh or some Targ steak right now. Sevo: I don’t know, Soup, you would have made a pretty decent mirror. All we would need to do is just bend you over, and stick your [...] around a corner to look for any surprises --- MacFarlane: =/\= MacFarbles t’ Yiggy. I figged yer equibmint. =/\= Yiggtissi: =/\= Thanks. :: He paused. :: Are you ok Sparks? =/\= MacFarlane: =/\= Wha? I’m line...brine...lime...uhhh...I am completely alrigh’ =/\= Yiggtissi:: =/\= So there was nothing wrong with the devices? Hard to believe but I trust you. =/\= MacFarlane: =/\= Well, then come t’ shikbay an’ sheck it yerselb. Or no! Were are yeh? I can take da shricorbers t’ yeh! =/\= --- ::Erin smiled, tugged forward as Jo slipped her fingers into the belt loops of her trousers. She happily fell into the woman's arms, squeezing back just as tightly as she was swept up into a bear hug. It was good to be home.:: Marshall: Welcome home, sheya. E. Reynolds: I missed you. ::She paused, closing her eyes in a grimace of discomfort and annoyance.:: But, um… for your continued personal hygiene, you should probably put me down. --- ::Quinn hit the deck with a thump, and laid there in a daze for a few moments. The bare metal of the Skarbek's deck was cold against her cheek, and she couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed to have woken from the intense dream. Her heart was still pounding, and she could almost swear his scent still lingered on her skin, her lips still tingling from his kiss. Relieved. Surely she was relieved. Walter Brunsig was a traitor and a terrorist, and not a man she wanted running through her thoughts in *any* capacity if she could avoid it. What was her brain even doing, conjuring up a scenario like that? ::With a groan of an entirely different sort, she tried to bury her face in her hands, only to be reminded that she was still in cuffs.:: Bondon: If you're quite finished. ::Quinn began to move, her head turning toward the source of the voice. Caught entirely unawares, she wasn't quick enough, and the toe of a booted foot slammed into her midriff, leaving her in pain while gasping for air.:: Bondon: No, no. Stay down. You and I need to have a conversation. Or rather, you need to talk, and I want to listen. --- Smith: Basically, Yiggs and Kos are convinced were asleep. that this is some sort of collective dream. what if.. :Hesitating for the third time:: what if they're right, what if we don't know each other on.. where ever there is. our friendship means a lot to me. I don't want it to go away. ::He started to tear up, and a singular tear fell down his cheek.:: Or worse what if one of us doesn't exist and is just a part of one of our dreams. I... don't know what to do Dav, it scares me. ::He fell against the wall and slid down it, his knees upright and his arms around them. his head in his lap. he broke down, endless thoughts of what might and might not be real went through his mind, Jang, his parents, old friends, were they real. was he real. he didn't know what to believe anymore, more tears started to fall, quickly he wiped them away trying to avoid anymore embarrassment he had caused himself. Looking up he saw Dav, she started to talk. even just looking at her he felt a tiny bit better. if he wasn't real he was glad to be spending time with her. --- ::While Trellis moved aside some papers Wheels went to a desk drawer and took out a pair of shot glasses. He poured drink into both, took the slug, refilled, and only then handed the other glass to Trellis. He too downed his shot and refilled it. All the while Wheels climbed out of his chair to relax on his bunk before actually looking at Trellis. The pure black Betazoid eyes staring back at him still managed to cause shivers down his spine whenever he looked into them for any amount of time. Tonight was no exception.:: Sim: ::in a mock Austrian accent:: So Mr Vondaryan, tell me about your dreams... Vondaryan: ::He ran a hand through his blond hair, letting out a deep sigh.:: Well, it was a series of images... ::He paused, trying to remember the exact details.:: There were shiny lights. And... and touch screens. And colored collars, I think... --- Lanta: Relax let the music take you, you don’t have to count listen to your heartbeat and feel your way naturally ::Emilia said nothing in return, only resuming her pace in response. Her gaze bridged with Ferier’s, instantly softening the echo against her chest. Emilia drew a shallow breath before quickly continuing her somewhat slow pace in dance. She couldn’t explain it, but the slight taste of fish formed against her taste buds as her feet pattered unendingly against the deck. Following the rhythm of each beat. Emilia moved each body part as if her heart was a metronome.:: Lanta: You dance excellently, Emilia. ::The use of her name sent chills down her spine. Sticks had never called Emilia by name before, and it was strangely familiar. Familiar enough to feel almost illusive, it was a very cold feeling. Amongst her chills, the song finished, and Emilia stood gracefully in her finishing poze, standing under Sticks’ chin. A breath escaped Emilia’s lips, followed by a soft panting. Once everything had finished, it was as if the fatigue finally had a chance to catch up.:: --- E. Reynolds: Quinn! ::Erin sprinted inside, the scent of copper hanging heavy in the air, dropping to her knees in front of the prone form of the Starfleet officer. Her twin was out cold, her face bruised and split, blood matting a patch of her brown hair, dusty boot prints visible on the dark material of her uniform. Her hands were still cuffed, her hands and wrists covered in welts, as though she'd been using them as a shield. The blood rushing in her hears, Erin reached for her sister's throat with a trembling hand, checking for a pulse, while behind her, Jo thumbed the controls of the internal intercom. A breath she didn't realise she'd been holding escaped when she felt that gentle, regular thump under her fingers.:: Marshall: =/\= Doctors, medical emergency in... in Quinn's quarters. Move it. =/\= --- th’Koro: Right, so have you ever heard of the last Thursday theory? Namura: I can't say that I have. ::Her eyebrow angled flawlessly.:: Care to enlighten? :: Excitement coursed through him but he realised that he can easily bore people with all of his weird Science things. He knew far too much about it :: th’Koro: ::Teasingly:: Well I could but it is long. Namura: It's not as though we haven't got the time here, Newbie. You're into the Science. Let's hear it. th’Koro: ::Taking a big breath in:: Basically, it suggests that the whole universe was created Last Thursday...or whatever day takes your fancy. And it is absolutely impossible to disprove. Like if you say, ‘ooh but I know what I was doing last Wednesday,’ I could just say, ‘ You were created with those memories last Thursday.’ See, a little Reductio ad Absurdum. --- Johns: Sweet saints of all that is holy, you scared the crap out of me. ::He lowered his hand with a brief flash of apology on his features and quelled his shallow but rapid breath.:: Can't you wear a bell or something? Sienelis: No. Johns: Look, I've already been tenderised like a cutlet with a beef mallet on Schulman. The Docs had to pull a five-inch stake out of my buttcheek. So, if you’re about to beat me up, know that I’m tired, and I haven’t shaved my legs. ::Her nose wrinkled, just a little, and she regarded him with clear dismay.:: Sienelis: Nothing you just said enriched my life. --- Stoyer: Well, you are a bit intimidating. Again, I have seen you use that frankengun Sparks put together for you. :: Ayiana couldn’t help but giggle. Did she really seem that way to people? :: Sevo: Sorry. I never really intended to come out looking like that. But you have to try that thing; it’s so fun! --- Smith: That was quick. Also you’re wearing my clothes. MacFarlane: Mine wash bein’ too loub. Beshidesh, ish nob all yersh, thish ish shtill my jacket. Smith: Still that’s my... Hang on were are your clothes Tasha? You could’ve just put them back on MacFarlane: Uhhh...I think m’ clothesh are in yer quartersh shomewhere? Maybe I forgetted where I leaved them. --- Brunsig: Why don't you call your union rep and we'll all have a sit down to discuss the unfair working hours of freedom fighters. ::Stoyer's voice started to rise as he continued. For someone who changed partners as often as most people changed their socks, he was surprisingly upset.:: Stoyer: I know you don’t like me, but remember one thing. I am not here for you or your revolution. I have my reasons. ::He shot a quick glance at Jo, then began to step away.:: Also, you might try if it is in your nature to be a bit nicer to your crew. You may just get more out of them. Brunsig: You're right! How could I be so blind. Someone's just beaten Reynolds into a pulp because there wasn't a guard on her door *as I asked*, ::he glared at Sevo,:: but clearly what everyone *really* needs is a cuddle and a round of Kumbaya from Papa Bear. --- ::When Corliss had been sent ahead to the ship, she...well she...wasn't expecting uh...what had happened. What happened was...she wasn't entirely sure? One moment she was in the ship the next...ah, she wasn't sure now that she was being pulled from the dreamland. She knew she was a mix of afraid and nauseous and her head was pounding a bit. She made a noise, her hand sliding up and covering her face.:: Reynolds: Ensign? Fortune, can you hear me? Fortune: ::mumbling:: Boss, shussshhh, I was dreaming.... --- th’Koro: I’ll only do it if money is involved. :: So the Andorian petaQ wanted to get “paid”, huh? Fine. Without warning, Ayiana swung her right fist at Thalas’ face, hitting him hard on the cheek. :: Sevo: There’s your payment! --- MacFarlane: Ah...that doeshn’t sheem wise...hash anybody eber told yeh tha’ yer a really nice shade o’ green? ::She reached out to try and touch him:: Yer a pretty man. :: The Saurian’s brow lifted a bit as his eyes widened at her comment. It was the first time that anyone had paid him such a compliment, besides his mother of course. Living in Boston, he never caught the attention of women. Even his own species seemed to look at him as a traitor for leaving Sauria and deciding to live among the soft skins. He knew it was the lingering effects of the alcohol but he took Tasha’s comment and smiled. :: Yiggtissi: Thanks Sparks. And for a soft skin and someone I consider a sister, you’re not bad yourself. --- Vondaryan: I didn't realize we had contracts. Maybe the Ferengi wrote them without telling us. Lanta: If thats the case we have a whle slew of backpay coming th’Koro: ::Glaring at Red:: That would be nice :: Samira said nothing. If someone had joined the Maquis with the idea to earn a living, they were surely mistaken. Red's reaction said it all. They should be happy to still be alive at the end of the day. :: Sevo: :: Facepalming. :: It’s a figure of speech. Anyway, Slick, Walter wants *you* to lead this investigation, because apparently you’re good at such things. --- Vondaryan: Right, as we observed from Red and Buttons here, we've got an assailant on the loose. Someone, and I'm not naming names, yet, defied Papa Bear's orders not to harm the Brainiac from Starfleet. We've got to figure out who. ::He rounded on the nearest person to him.:: So where were you an hour ago? ::He could smell the discomfort coming off of the rabble. Everyone was a suspect until they weren't. And right now everyone was a suspect. Except him, of course.:: --- Neathler: :: Trying to remain calm. :: Now why would I want to do that? I didn't even know you had a Fleeter on board, where she was kept captive or how she looks like. And even if I knew, you honestly think I would have kept a fleeter alive? :: Samira was furious, she shouldn't have said the latter but it was too late now. :: --- Sevo: I was having dinner with Stripper. In the galley. Tons of witnesses. ::Unfortunately, Tali could attest to that, with nauseating detail.:: th’Koro: Does this ship have cameras or something or any way to see the corridors in front of the quarters. Sevo: Ha! It’s not like this is a shiny Starfleet ship with a security guard on every corner. Namura: We only needed the *one* guard, to be fair. --- Fortune: ::She grinned:: I'd say it's fair to say not every day you see a brightly pink haired woman in normal company. I'm also very good with my words. However. You definitely owe me a party after this. ::She winked playfully, then winced, rubbing at her temple.:: I'm joking. What's the plan? ::Quinn managed a faint smile, having guessed at the joke — her startling pink hair was barely worth a second glance among the incredible diversity of a Starfleet crew. The Gorkon alone counted a huge variety of appearance among the individuals in residence; a purple-haired Antosian, blue-skinned and antennaed Andorians, a green-skinned, lizard-like Saurian, a Romulan, a battle-scarred and aged Klingon, and last but most definitely not least, a Pahkwa-thanh — a talking dinosaur in a Starfleet uniform.:: Reynolds: I'm sure that Lieutenant Nkai would be delighted to indulge your request. Nkai: Any excuse is a good excuse for a party, sir. --- The dream starts to unravel... --- :: They were currently standing in a small cave, with several tunnels leading off in different directions. In the center of the cave was a raised pool with murky, bubbling water. :: Sevo: I...I think this is a Symbiont pool. From Trill. Lanta: I don’t know but isn’t it beautiful --- :: Samira reached out with her right hand and let some of the confetti fall on her glove. The colorful material quickly changed color on touch down into snow white flakes. Yet something didn't feel right. She looked up, the cave was now filled with snowflakes, blurring the view, the seahorses and jellyfish were nowhere to be seen. Confused she looked at her glove, seeing the flakes were acting as a corrosion and started to eat the leather of her glove. In a bit of a panic she shook her hand trying to get rid of the flakes but it was in vain. :: :: Quickly she turned around, dashed out of the cave, back to the others, ran to the pool and quickly dipped her hand into the murky, bubbling water, hoping the water itself wasn't boiling. Shaking the excess of muddy water from her glove, she muttered her first words since she left the bridge. :: --- ::Without warning the lights flicked back on, brighter than ever. Trellis shielded his eyes from the sudden change in lighting. When his eyes had adjusted he noticed, at the end of the corridor, stood what he thought Humans called a "clown." A being with an obviously fake set of fiery-red hair, paint stains on its cheeks, and a fake, giant, red nose. It smiled to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth that made the entire image unsettling.:: Namura: P-please tell me someone else sees him. Vondaryan: ::He hissed.:: The thing you call a clown? Yeah. And it's in my way. --- :: Lost in a universe of calamity and incalculable odds, the macrocosm had seen fit to join these two lights together in travel. The thought of losing that pained Yiggtissi to his core and if he could cry, there were would be tears staining his jacket as the two shared this moment in time. :: Sim: ::looking deeply into his friend's eyes:: Whatever happens here today, brother, I will always appreciate your friendship, your loyalty, and your alcohol abuse. ::he felt the tears watering at the corners of his eyes:: Now, lift me up on to that bed before I change my mind. Yiggtissi: :: He bent down and lifted him up. :: Whatever happens, we will find each other again my brother. Our travels are not complete yet. --- MacFarlane: We’re in Scotland ::frowning:: ‘ow th’ hell did we get ‘ere? Stoyer: Why are we here? What did you do? MacFarlane: I did nothin’! We came through t’ door an’-- --- Sevo: KID! What the hell are you--! :: The [unicorn] didn’t move, or even tremble. It freely let Kid touch it’s forehead in a bare place between plates of the armor. Carefully, Ayiana moved up as well. She got so close, she could feel the warm air one of them was breathing out its nostrils. She noticed a silver nametag on it, just like the others; the one in front of her said “Serenity.” :: :: Groznin turned back to Ayiana in confusion.:: Smith: Well what do we do? --- Lanta: ::muttering:: I wonder ::Without another word he climbed a rock near to one of the creatures and climbed the rock and then on to the unicorn. It stood patiently as if expecting it and looked round to make sure he was sat firmly. Then it turned and with no run up cleared the gap with one delicate seeming jump:: Smith: Umm.. ::Groznin was in amazement.:: Lanta: Looks like this is the way across guys --- Gravelled Voice: It's up here. We're to grab her kids and bring them up to the bridge. Rasping Voice: Lladre wants a bargaining chip, huh? Gravelled Voice: Something like that. Don't think his— ::there was a momentary pause, as if the owner of the voice was self-correcting,:: —*her* current plan is working out. ::It took Quinn a moment to realise that her phaser was already out of its holster, held in a vice-like grip. On this deck there was only one set of quarters hosting children — her own. The temptation to up the setting on her phaser was near irresistible, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to think straight. Now was not the time to lose her cool, as much as she wanted to charge around the corner and start shooting at the people threatening her son and daughter. --- ::Two guests, clad in plate armor and standing proud before the two humans were a pair of Unicorns. Slowly Tasha approached them and extended her right arm towards them, her flesh and blood arm. One of them, slightly smaller than its friend shook its mane and stepped towards her, lowering its head to sniff at her hand. She carefully petted it, her eyes brimming with tears of joy, the fear of moments ago completely forgotten. With a wide grin she looked over her shoulder at Cory.:: MacFarlane: Cory…look...Unicorns…it’s m’ dreams come true! --- E. Reynolds: I just… ::She kept her voice low, her words for the other woman alone.:: If we wake up and this is all… if *we're* not… ::She trailed off, unable to quite bring herself to say it.:: I just want to say that it doesn't matter. The way I feel about you, that's real. Marshall: ::Quietly,:: I know, sheya. I know. It's real for me too. ::She looked between them, at their laced fingers, and gave them a gentle squeeze.:: It'll be all right. Whatever happens, it'll be all right. ::She tried to smile, but it wouldn't quite come, worry lines running in parallel across her forehead. Swallowing, Erin reached for her partner, cupping her face in her hands and scooting up onto her tiptoes to steal a kiss fraught with fear and desperate affection. Jo pulled her close, arms around her waist, hands splayed on her back. Erin could feel her emotions reflected back at her, the aching sense that this was somehow a goodbye.:: Marshall: Whatever happens, whoever we are, I'm yours. ::Her voice wobbled in a way that made Erin's throat hurt, even more so when Jo tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, her skin tingling in the wake of her touch.:: Time to take a deep breath and face whatever this is together. --- ::He pirouetted his body around, darting forward towards the golden shade. It was an experience not dissimilar to swimming, but there was no water resistance, and it was solely a mental effort. His new body was a construct after all. Still holding Erin's hand, they travelled together towards the golden shade, who looked eerily similar to Erin's, except that she was clearly wearing a Starfleet uniform.:: Sim: It's not me, she is wearing a Starfleet uniform, right? E. Reynolds: She is, yes… Sim: Good. ::clearing his throat:: Quinn Reynolds. --- :: He kicked his knee out frantically and noticed a crack of light come through. He kicked again, causing the crack to become larger. He could hear the excitement from the voices but still, no idea who they were. He pushed out with his elbow and a different crack of light appeared. Yiggtissi began to shuffle his entire body and beams of light began to appear from everywhere. Suddenly, bright light rushed in blinding him once again. His stomach turned a bit as he felt as though someone picked him up and held him in mid-air. The cold air rushing around his body causing him to lose his breath. :: :: The white light began to fade slowly and his vision started to clear. The blurry images began to focus and in his mind, he was shocked. He saw the young face of his mother, who was holding him under his arms, his body dangling in the air. A loving smile streamed across her face as she turned to her husband, who was peering over her shoulder. :: Cairittin: Look at him, Tuk. Isn’t he wonderful? Tukmeeh: He has your eyes, Cairittin. --- :: Samira walked over to one of the cabinets and opened the door. Dozens of yellow rubber ducks fell out of the cabinet, quaking and making other noises. She slammed the door shut, ready to give the door another beating with her fist but stopped. There was no point, she'd only hurt her already fragile fingers. Instead she bent down, took one of the rubber ducks and threw it in the direction of the still dancing isolinear chips on the table, trying to break its formation. A couple of those chips jumped up, letting the duckie pass. The duck bounced from the table to the wall behind it, grew a set of wings and flew out the door into the corridor, quaking loud as if it was laughing at all of them. :: :: She took a few steps back and leaned against the bulkhead next to the doorway, crossing her arms in front of her. :: --- MacFarlane: ‘ow, what, who are yeh? ::The yellow teeth what showed from the smile disconcerted Cory. The beard was impressive Cory thought, as the little dude stroked it.:: Skar: A good question gal. What d’ ya want ta call me? ::He held up a hand before either of them could speak:: Sorry, that was not a very useful answer, I know. Ya can call me Skarbek, but I prefer Skar, but I will let you use whatever is better for ya mon. MacFarlane: Skarbek...yer named after our ship? Skar: Ya ship? Na mon, ya mah crew, I’m not ya ship. Ya didn’t think o’ that did ya gal. --- Reynolds: What the— ::Her gaze landed on Erin, and she scowled.:: You. ::Erin sucked in a sharp breath. Clearly something had happened between the two sisters in that moment.:: Sim: Commander Reynolds - Reynolds: Get out of my head. --- Skar: ::smiling widely:: Ey gal, its no troubal. Once ya undastand tha world ya live in, it is easy ta shape. Now go on, who knows how long that passage will remain open for ya mon. ::Tasha glanced at Cory, then back to Skar. He nodded encouragingly. Still unconvinced she looked to the Unicorns who neighed and pawed at the ground, gesturing with their horns for them to enter. Seeing no other option than to continue roaming the Highlands, Tasha dropped to her hands and knees and began crawling into the hole. It slowly widened, eventually to the point where Tasha could stand.:: ::Looking around Tasha was surprised, they appeared to be back on the Skarbek, in one of its narrow corridors. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Cory behind her, and no sign of the tunnel they had just passed through, only more corridor. Frowning she opened the nearest door and carefully stepped through, into the deflector maintenance bay, which had been her original goal.:: --- :: Ayiana brought up a biological scanning suite, and started scanning the pool of blood. It quickly returned a result; just not the one she was expecting. The top screen had a strange game playing out - a yellow smiley head eating through a row of dots, all leading through a maze to the center with a coin-like object. Four ghost-looking characters were chasing it. :: Sevo: Hmm. Very interesting. Neathler: Yeah very. --- Reynolds: Well, half. ::She didn't even attempt a smile at her own, half-hearted joke.:: My Dad... I think he's relieved too, underneath it all. And my brother and sister. She– ::Whatever Quinn had been about to say, it was lost as the sentence died in her throat. She shook her head and stared out past the shattered walls of sickbay, where a setting sun painted a rippling sea in shades of ruby and bronze. Sister? Singular? Didn't she have *two*?:: Reynolds: I love you, Walter. ::He flushed and stiffened, wanting to take a step backward and yet somehow unable to. What in the flaming hells was this? The words rang familiar in his ears, and feelings began to uncoil in his chest that echoed them. But what about Carys? How could some dream conversation feel more real that the memories of the woman he'd *married*? ::Quinn looked at him, a fragile smile on her face, as though she'd been expecting his reaction, playing out her part in the dream-memory without missing a beat.:: Reynolds: I'm not asking anything of you. I don't expect you to do anything about it. But you should know; you're loved. That's all I came here to say. --- :: Tired of everything Samira brushed away the figure that was still pulling at her hand. The girl fell on her bum in the middle of the table, yet stubbornly stood up, returned to Samira's hand, grabbed her thumb and started pulling again. Samira looked at the others not knowing what to do. Maybe she should just go back to her quarters and get some sleep. What if that was the solution to everything? She looked back at the girl on the table. The girl was now holding some kind of device in front of her mouth and shouted something through it. :: Girl: Follow the yellow brick road. Neathler: What yellow brick road? --- Skar: Ya mon! Ya know what I’m talkin’ about! ::Cory mumbled something vile under his breath and headed to assist Sparks. She grabbed the panel that was over the components they needed to fix and pulled it off. There was a sudden gasp from the little dude. Cory looked over at him.:: Skar: Ey gal! Be gentle! Those are mah insides ya are pullin’ an’ tossin’ around. --- ::Trellis could see the Trill coming out of her stupor, eyes fluttering open. She was still struggling to regain consciousness, let alone understand what was happening. He was fully cognizant of everything and didn't understand.:: Krugol: I-... Vondaryan: Shut it, just relax. ::To the others.:: We've got to get through that door. Thoughts on how to proceed? --- Sienelis: Ri'ran! ::Diverting away from the door, Valesha darted over to the woman and took her hands, trying to pull her to her feet. The woman didn't move, or even acknowledge Valesha's existence, going about her data entry as though there wasn't a full-grown adult tugging at her wrists.:: Johns: What's wrong with her? She's like a- Sienelis: Chris, please, help me! ::She looked at him with wide eyes.:: It's my mother, we can't leave her in here… she's going to— ::There was a dull, clunking sound that echoed through the bay. None of the inhabitants seemed to pay it much mind, barring a few stray glances, having got used to the odd sounds that the ship made around them and having little experience in living aboard a starship. But those who did, recognised it for the dire warning that it was. In response, Valesha pulled every more frantically at her mother's arms, but it was like trying to shift a statue.:: --- ::Cory quickly looked around, but didn’t see any umbrella except the one the little due was holding. Stepping forward he made a grab for it. He missed and the little dude quickly stepped away and just as fast bopped Cory on the head with the umbrella. He had never seen anyone move that fast. Cory growled a bit and tried to grab the umbrella again. And again he was bopped on the head. Cory swung a punch at the little dude. All of his frustration and anger boiling over. Missing and getting bopped again. Cory stepped back. The rain was continuing to fall. His head hurt from the boppings.:: oO All of this over an umbrella. Oo --- Reynolds: We'll take the turbolift. ::She glanced sideways at Nkai.:: Just stay with us a little while longer. ::He nodded, pain lining his ghost-white face and she guessed that was all he was capable of at this point. They shuffled forward, moving as fast as Nkai could manage, lurching toward the turbolift.:: ::Corliss slowly shuffled with him, seeing his pale face. Last time she saw someone that pale, they threw up in her lap at one of the bars her friends had dragged her too. Yuck. She knew this was from pain though, although she couldn't fault the man if he lost his lunch.:: --- ::Again Genkos kept quiet, waiting for Quinn to respond. She was clearly trying to decide what to tell them, if anything.:: Reynolds: Everyone aboard the Skarbek is a actually a Starfleet officer, and we serve aboard the same ship. Right now, someone is trying to steal that ship and I haven't yet figured out what purpose the collective dream has in— ::She stopped, frowning, and Genkos shivered. It seemed her realisation had made him cold:: Sim: What is it? Reynolds: My command codes. ::She shook her head.:: The codes you were after in the dream. They're actually the Gorkon's command codes. --- Sevo: Make...it...stop… *hurk* :: As the loop leveled out, Ayiana saw them heading towards a bright blue nebula. But instead of heading into it, the car looped around and towards a star; far too close for Ayiana’s comfort. She could feel the heat emanating from the cosmic fusion plant. Ayiana closed her eyes, and braced for collision with the dwarf star. When she expected to hit the surface, they instead flew right *through* the star, and back into darkness. Moments later, the car slowed and lurched to a stop. The bars around her retracted, and Ayiana scrambled out as fast as she could. :: Smith: WOHOO! That was fun. Can we do it again red!? Lanta: It was average at best Sevo: :: Heaving. :: ‘L-lemme ‘lone. *Hurk*--! :: Poor Cory. He worked so hard on that stew. :: Neathler: ::Grumbling. :: Leave me alone. Just give me a minute. --- ::Determined burned behind her blue eyes as she stared at the doctor, seized by whatever crackpot idea she'd had. The question was, was it completely crackpot, or only dreamworld crackpot?:: Marshall: Can you induce a hemorrhage? Without beating me to a pulp. ::Completely crackpot, then.:: Brunsig: ::He pinched his nose.:: What fresh new hell is this. --- ::In the distance Tasha heard the loud whistle of a steam locomotive, and, just as the rain around them changed to lumps of falling coal, Skar stepped close to them and the madness vanished. The rain remained, but thankfully it was a liquid once more, although it had taken on a smoky, black taint.:: Skar: See mon. I’m on ya side. I’m tryin’ ta protect ya from, oh hey wow! Another one bites the dust! MacFarlane: Another one bites th’ dust? Stoyer: What are you talking about? Skar: Ya doctor, the Saurian ya call Yiggs. He woke up! --- ::The young one, barely out of childhood by the looks of him, paced back and forth. Bondon kept his eyes down, assessing the situation.:: Smith: Let’s start with your name. What is it? Bondon: ::He snorted.:: Like I'm going to tell you that. Bondon don't tell nobody his name. --- Everyone: Three! Two! One! ::He closed his eyes one more time. The shiny walls were at least not full of desiccated bodies. That was a plus.:: Vondaryan: Where are we now? I- I don't recognize this place. --- Sevo: How rude. Perhaps a fist to your face might loosen your tongue? :: Ayiana raised a balled fist towards Bondon’s face threateningly. :: Bondon: No, I don't think I will. Maybe *you'd* like a punch to the face! :: Before she could react, Bondon somehow freed himself from the ropes, and swung a blade that he had somehow managed to get a hold of. Ayiana jumped back, trying to dodge the knife, but she wasn’t quite fast enough; the knife cut a large hole in her shirt. :: Lanta: Watch out! Sevo: Oy! This is my favorite shirt! --- Lladre: Then that's our cue to leave. Alert the others, we'll meet them aboard our ship. ::There was one last thing to do before they left. As Ana contacted the rest of their team, Lladre shifted the one device they had yet to use to the centre of the bridge, tapping out a few quick commands. Lights flashed into existed on its control panel, flicking on and off in something that looked suspiciously like a countdown.:: Lladre: We're set. Let's go. ::Ana nodded, and three transporter beams materialised on the bridge, stealing away the two thieves and the unique device they'd used to pacify the crew. Through the confinement beam, she could see people starting to stir, and was entirely unable to resist a mischievous wave as she vanished in front of their eyes::

First and foremost, I'd like to thank @FltAdml. Wolf for creating this so many years ago. I wish I had known about this a lot sooner! You have made an amazing world within the Star Trek universe and the community at large is so awesome! I've only seen a little on how things work. I have a feeling I've only scratched the surface and I'm so willing to learn more as I grow here IC and OOC. I'm so honored to part of the Community News Team and humbled that you let me become a part of that as well. @Roshanara Rahman and @Mei'konda. I'm so blessed that I came and started my simming experience with you two. You two have taught me so much and I have yet to take it for granted. Thank you for encouraging me to better myself. I've seen such an improvement over the last few months with my sims concerning my actions! I love reading your posts and how you describe every little detail, I can actually picture what the scene looks and feels like! @Sky Blake Thank you for being my mentor and being there when I needed help with a sim. Also sticking around when I had my meltdowns. I'm a hot mess, I know this. haha You've calmed me down so many times when my anxieties flared up and I can't even thank you enough. You always have the right things to say. @Lael Rosek and @Skyfire You two also helped me a ton when I need help and I'm so forever thankful to you guys encourage me to better myself as a person as well as my characters. I don't know what I'd do without you guys. The Veritas and the Montreal has been everything, but boring when we write scenes together! I also want to give a special shout out to @Ayiana. You were such an amazing trainer. Thank you for being the frontrunner in the tips and advice when I was training. I continue to enjoy our chats on Discord. Glad there's someone that's just as nutty as I am. I mean as German is. Second shout outs to @Jalana and @Jo Marshall Thank you so much for my pictures! I know I get distracted and forget to thank you guys so here's a HUGE THANK YOU! haha More shout outs! @CoryCodeRed @Pholin Duyzer @KDrex @Sotak @Tasha MacFarlane @Randal Shayne @Mirra Ezo @Wallace Williams You guys have so much enthusiasm and it keeps mine flowing all the time! Our chats are nothing, but boring. I'm sure I'm missing others. If you don't see your name, don't get offended too much. I'm a scatter brained scientist. And last, but not least... @Groznin Smith You showed me this little rabbit hole back in the beginning of July and I haven't looked back since! Without you inviting me here, my life would be totally different! Much appreciations go to you as well!

I popped onto the IRC Chat tonight and found Skyfire. I just want to take a moment to say that I have never seen anyone so welcoming. I sent over wy writing sample for some feedback and got great notes and we spent the rest of the evening RPing some backstory for my brand new char! Truly awesome and Skyfire should get some recognition for being a great ambassador to your site!

@KDrex and I made a tribute video for the fleet! Congratulations on 25 years and more to follow where no man has gone before!

My access to the internet is limited and I have not been able to post sims or mention things I'd like to here, now since I have some time today I am going to give some praise to the people who have helped me and been great friends and influences since I have joined. I am unsure of all the character and username differences that may exist so I will tag everyone with their character name. First, shout out goes to @Lael Rosek !!! Who was my academy instructor as well as my mentor once I had graduated and joined the Veritas! You helped me a lot by getting me in touch with people when I needed it and by always giving me great suggestions, explanations, and tips! I appreciate that you were so willing to work with my hard headed eagerness and you have done a great job of it at that! Next, I would like to thank @Roshanara Rahman @Mei'konda @Skyfire and @Sky Blake. All four of you have taken the time on many occasions to allow me to run my ideas by you and/or ask questions about the wiki and have given me good feedback. Thanks to Y'all I have been able to incorporate my ideas into our stories and I have re-learned the few things I once knew about editing wiki's and have learned much more as well. Next, a shout out to @German Galven. You have helped me develop my characters greatly IC since you joined us. I enjoyed your use of my NPC Sissel in your sims and I look forward to our future JP's and character interactions. I have also enjoyed watching you hone your wiki and forum skills and become a fairly large contributor and active member of the community, I hope to match you at this one day when my living situation allows for better internet use and interaction, and I look forward to working with you more in this way at that time. Lastly a LARGE shout out to @Moonsong @Kelrod @Alora DeVeau and the several other members of the Veritas and Montreal Crew's who have allowed me to share some great stories with them and their characters! Sorry, I don't have time to link sims or find the proper names to tag. p.s. I'd like to also thank the community and staff in whole for making this community so fun to be a part of! -Cory Hall, CoryCodeRed. T'Katt Dugoras/Kawakame Shin.

Have you ever run in this problem: Your sim formatting is all messed up and makes it hard to read. Maybe the fonts are mismatched, different colors, different sizes, background shading, extra line-breaks, oh my! Maybe a little something like this? Setting this right just takes a few moments. It's simple and it's quick, so fret no more. There are two options. If you use Gmail (and we recommend it), fixing bad formatting is as simple as using the "clear formatting" button: But if you don't use Gmail, it's still pretty simple. Here are the steps: 1. Cut all the text from your sim. On Windows, it's CTRL+X. On Mac it's ⌘+X. 2. Open a text editor. On Windows, you must use Notepad (search in your start menu). On Mac, you must use TextEdit (search from Launchpad or open from your Applications folder in Finder). 3. Paste all the text from your sim into the text editor. On Windows, it's CTRL+V. On Mac, it's ⌘+V. Notepad or TextEdit will strip all the formatting out of your text, removing it completely. 4. Now here's the important part... don't mess this up! After you've pasted in all the text, cut all the text out of the text editor. On Windows, it's CTRL+X. On Mac it's ⌘+X. Now that the text is "clean" in Notepad or TextEdit, you're grabbing the clean text to put back into your email. 5. Paste the cleaned text into your email client. On Windows, it's CTRL+V. On Mac, it's ⌘+V. Super quick and simple, and you're left with totally clean formatting.

(( Corridors en route to Main Sickbay - USS Gorkon )) :: Ayiana and Emilia had taken the ride in the turbolift down to Deck 7 in silence. Much to Ayiana’s embarrassment, she had completely overlooked the thought that Krugol would want to be with Ferier’s side. She didn’t even know the pair had any sort of relationship, at least not outside the quickly fading Dream. Then again, Ayiana was often quite oblivious and dense to such things. Her motivation for being at Ferier’s side during the Joining was to make sure it went well, and that she was there in case Ferier or Doctor Yiggtissi needed help or advice. :: Sevo: I’m sorry, Ensign. It didn’t occur to me that you’d want to be there when I...erm...volunteered to come down. Krugol: ::Emilia replied with a soft sniffle.:: It’s not your fault, sir. F-Ferier and I didn’t exactly make our relationship public for all the ship to see. :: The corridor they’d arrived in was almost eerily silent. As Ayiana and Emilia continued through the empty decks, nothing seemed to change. The same monotone doors, passing by the same coloured bulkheads. The familiarity of it all was somewhat comforting. At least that was one thing in her life that wasn’t about to change. Emilia dragged a cold finger across her face, attempting to sweep away the remainder of her breakdown on the bridge.:: Sevo: It is none of our business, anyway. Krugol: I guess you’re not wrong :: After a few moments, Ayiana stopped walking suddenly, and pounded a fist into the corridor wall. :: Sevo: Dammit! Why am I even coming? You were right; Ferier needs *you*, not me. And with Doctor Hahn on board, Doctor Yiggtissi has all the expert Trill advice he needs. :: Massaging her fist. :: Ow. :: Emilia jumped at the sudden impact on the wall. Her eyes locked with Ayiana’s reddened fist as it hit the wall. Her shocked expression desperately searched for something to say, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Emilia carefully stared at the commander’s angered features, hoping that by some possibility she would be able to say something reassuring.:: Krugol: Commander… you’re our first officer, and more than ever we need you to be there. I know for a fact that you may not have much of a relationship with Ferier, but for many of us onboard… much like the admiral, you give us the morale to keep going. It’s at times like this where we need you… sir. :: Emilia spoke anxiously, attempting to calm the angered trill before her. She was almost at a loss of reassuring words. Emilia had hoped that something she’d said got through to Ayiana.:: :: Ayiana turned to her fellow Trill, smiling. She never really thought she was that vital to the crew. Ayiana was well-aware that she tended to be introverted and quiet. :: Sevo: Really? I didn’t know. I’ve never been one for socializing, and I didn’t think I had that much of an effect on the crew. oO Maybe it’s this red collar. Perhaps it’s not as tight as I thought. Oo Krugol: Your reputation says otherwise. I-I’m not speaking for all of us junior officers when I say this, but... we look up to you, not just you, but to the senior staff. You’re an inspiration to those of us trying to reach a point in our lives where we’re accomplished enough to be validated in our Captain’s, or Admiral’s eyes. Instead of being seen ‘as that ensign I now know the name of, but will probably forget later’. A-And we see you as a person who’s reached a stage where we adore you, we adore how accomplished you are, we adore your ability to stay cool under pressure and we adore how much you’ve worked to even be here. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through to earn the privilege to sit next to the Admiral. Right now.. more than ever, we need you to be there for us, Ferier needs you. :: Emilia smiled at Ayiana, returning her smile with a soft, closed mouth giggle. An odd feeling of ease seemed to come about reassuring her fellow crewmate. She offered her hand in a friendly gesture, semi motioning for Ayiana to follow.:: :: Ayiana paused at Emilia’s words. It warmed her heart to hear the younger Trill woman say those things. At the moment, Ayiana could only stand there in the empty corridor as Emilia continued. :: Krugol: Someday, I hope I’ll be like you. I hope I’ll learn to be like you... Lieutenant Marshall, Lieutenant zh’Aella, Lieutenant MacFarlane and even Ferier… so I can tell stories of my time in Starfleet in god knows how many lifetimes. The stories of the ship named the Gorkon, and all of its wonderful people that kept me going, and inspired me to become more than I ever could be. Sevo: I...uh...I don’t know what to say… Krugol: ::Emilia stared at the commander.:: For now, w-we should get moving. They won’t wait up If Kian gets there first… ::Emilia replied, returning to her usual dainty, pitched tone of voice.:: Sevo: You’re right. And thanks, Ensign. (( Main Sickbay – USS Gorkon )) ::The medical staff had once again settled as Dr. Yiggtissi and Dr. Hahn prepared to begin the Joining. It was a rather disquieting scene but as the seasoned physicians began, a wave of confidence rushed over the attending staff. Yiggtissi thought back to his training and recalled the simulations he had participated in, almost as easily thumbing through a medical journal. He quickly looked up at Hahn who appeared calm, if a little troubled. It was clear by his methodical movements that the Trill clinician was no stranger to this practice. :: ::Yiggtissi turned his eyes to Ferier. The very mild sedative that he had administered early was in full effect, as Ferier’s eyes opened and closed at random. It was standard practice in Joinings for both parties to remain awake with local anesthesia being used at the site of the incision. Hahn had prepared the opening on Ferier as Yiggtissi waited by the small stasis table that had been pulled close.:: ::Lanta laid back on the biobed. Usually, he felt calm but on this occasion, his nerves were jumping as if electric was running through him. He had left the Bridge without a word to Emilia, hoping that wouldn’t be a regret and hoping when the Symbiont was implanted he felt the same he still wished he had said something, anything to her. His feelings ran deep for Emilia in a short time he had come to love everything about her. Lanta had no idea if Emilia felt the same, although he suspected she did. In a very short time, she had become the most important person to him and he had just turned and gone to sickbay to be changed forever a blending of personalities of memories. Lanta was nervous and scared. It never occurred to him not to be a host any more than it could occur to him not to breathe. He was approved by the Commission and had spent his all life preparing to join. Why then now did he have second thoughts, was he really that scared of losing Emilia. Lanta turned to the Chief Medical Officer and the Counsellor all the nurses and other medical staff. He was missing people. He wanted friends, family, and loved ones. Yes, there was the Trill medical officer but as he didn’t know him he didn’t count. He wanted Emilia there to be the first thing he saw as a joined Trill:: Lanta: Doc, ::To Yiggtissi.:: Can I have Ensign Krugol here with me, please? Yiggtissi: Of course. I’ll call her down. Lanta: Thank you, Doctor. ::Hahn's dark eyes flicked over toward Lanta, a small frown of concern drawing his greying brow together.:: Hahn: Are you sure? This is an ending, as much as it is a beginning. Lanta: I am, I have to do this for me and Kian. ::The doors to sickbay slid open once again revealing Lieutenant Commander Sevo and Ensign Krugol. They quickly made their way to the side of Ferier. Yiggtissi had completely forgotten how much support the young man would need once the Joining was complete. Usually, family and friends were in attendance during and after to make the adjustment from host to host. Yiggs was happy to see Sevo in that respect. As for Krugol, he assumed she had come to offer the same, having no knowledge of the delicate relationship the two officers had formed. :: Yiggtissi: ::Looking back at Ferier, smiling,:: Well it would appear she heard your request from the bridge. ::Lanta’s heart leaped with joy as he saw Emilia come into the sickbay. He was quite surprised to see Sevo. Working on the Bridge he had worked alongside her a lot but never really on a personal level. As he thought about it he realised he was happy she was there. It was fitting that as a Trill she was there too.:: Sevo: We wanted to be here, both as emotional support- :: gesturing to Krugol. :: -and in case you need any help or advice. ::Lanta was grateful for the both of them. Looking at Emilia he understood what potentially they were both giving up for the sake of Kian.:: Krugol: Ferier! Lanta: Emilia! ::Emilia embraced the man she’d called her love with open arms. Her arms coiled around his body tightly, almost refusing to let go. Emilia took a deep breath, she was truly uncertain with how things would go. Maybe by some miracle, the symbiont wouldn’t overwhelm his personality, maybe by some miracle, she wouldn’t have to let go. Emilia shifted her gaze, quickly scanning the room around her. From the looks of it, the inevitable was almost upon them. Just how much would the pair really lose once that time comes? After a brief moment, Emilia surrendered her tight hold on Ferier. She took a step back.:: Sevo: oO Well, this is awkward. Oo ::Lanta returned the hug. Of all the people he wanted close Emilia was at the top of the list. He would have also wished for Groznin to be there as his friend and Jo as his colleague plus the Admiral. Realising that shipboard matters were of the uppermost importance he was overjoyed that she had allowed Emilia and Sevo to be there. Tears formed in his eyes and he blinked them away.:: ::After a few minutes had passed, the sound of a transporter signal began to hum and the familiar shape of a teardrop began to materialize on the small table. Yiggtissi flipped open his tricorder and waved it quickly over the symbiont. The screen scrolled through several images and various bits of information as the Saurian processed it all. :: ::Ayiana stared at the tiny life form on the table. It was hard to imagine, even to a Trill, that the little mass of primarily brain tissue could contain so much knowledge and memories. Yet for all that, it was incredibly fragile. Ayiana often wondered what evolutionary pressures forced such a being into existence - needing another life form to explore its surroundings. Otherwise, a Symbiont was completely and utterly at the mercy of predators. The prehistoric Symbionts would have had to have unwavering trust in any creature they came across. :: Sevo: How is Kian? ::She referred to the Symbiont by name, rather than simply "the symbiont" as many aliens were keen to do.:: Yiggtissi: Its life signs are fluctuating slightly which I can only assume is a sign of post-stasis shock. We should begin immediately. ::Hahn nodded in silent agreement. The Trill doctor was unusually quiet, and despite his professional demeanour, there was the distinct sense that he was unsettled about something — the procedure, or perhaps his participation in it.:: Sevo: Yeah, it can’t survive long outside of a host or it’s spawning pools. Krugol: The sooner, the better. :: Yiggtissi carefully picked up the small creature and turned back to the biobed. As Yiggtissi held the Kian symbiont in his hands, he could feel the warmth emanating from it. He could almost feel the lives of several lifetimes in his hands as he placed the symbiont on Ferier’s stomach. He looked at Hahn who frowned slightly and gave a quick nod. :: Ayiana approached the bed where Ferier was laying. He was garbed in the usual dull hospital gown, except it had a large opening over his abdomen. She still wasn’t sure why she wanted to be here; her sudden request on the bridge surprised even her. Doctor Hahn was aboard and participating in the Joining, and Ensign Krugol was more than capable of being Ferier’s emotional support. Perhaps Ayiana felt she was taking on a more of a "maternal" role with Ferier. :: ::Emilia stood at Ferier’s side, her hand holding tightly to his. She watched as the symbiont was placed on Ferier’s stomach, it was a strange sight, to say the least. Not many individuals ever got the chance to witness a living Trill Symbiont, nevertheless witness an implantation. Emilia’s hand trembled with a cinch of fear as she looked upon the symbiont. A sour taste laced her tongue. Despite the beautiful sight, it was certainly a very decisive view. It wasn’t Emilia’s place to question Ferier’s decision, nor did she think she could sway the man in the wake of saving legacies worth of experience. A tear effortlessly slid down Emilia’s cheek, carelessly landing on the back of her hand.:: ::Lanta laid on the biobed, thanks to the mild sedative and the closeness of Emilia he was now relaxed. He gripped Emilia’s hand tightly but somehow also gently. This above all he did not want to lose. It was his duty and privilege to become a host. It was also his privilege and honour to be with Emilia this above all he would not change. He understood there would be changes, after all, he was going to absorb several lifetimes of experiences and memories. Maybe if he thought of nothing but Emilia he would essentially remain as deeply in love with her as he did now. Mentally he sent a message to the Symbiont, mess with my feelings about Emilia and I will rip you out. Life without Emilia wasn’t living it was just existing:: ::Doctor Hahn. It was strange seeing him. He was yet another doppelganger from the alternate reality Ayiana and much of the Gorkon crew were trapped in over a year ago. But his prime counterpart from this universe was an unjoined Guardian named Kael Tam who helped Toran with his zhian’tara. Due to the traumatic death of Toran, his memories were buried by the Sevo symbiont. Later, Ayiana ran across Tam on the Gorkon, now a Starfleet officer, who had recognized the Symbiont name Sevo, and was instrumental to Ayiana in remembering Toran and beginning the process of unlocking his buried memories. Unfortunately, Kael Tam had died Over There, and Ayiana rarely saw Hahn. So it was with mixed feelings that she was working with him today. :: Lanta: Is everything OK? Hahn: Kian's a little weak. ::He glanced at the readings on the biobed, frowning.:: It looks as though it's been in stasis for quite a while. ::For a moment, it looked as though he had more to say, but after he glanced toward Lanta, he held his tongue. Ferier’s heart flipped back and forth as he took looks at both the Symbiont and Krugol. He hoped that following the implantation his feelings would be as strong for the beautiful Trill as they were now. :: Lanta: oO Please let this symbiont be OK. Oo :: Ayiana moved to the head of the biobed. :: Sevo: I want to check with you one more time, Ferier. Are you doing this for yourself, or out of an obligation to save the symbiont? Despite what the Commission often says, its life is not more important than your own. You have free will. Lanta: I’m doing it for both, Commander! Sevo: If you think this is not for you, or you are not ready, say so now. In four days, this will be permanent. :: Lanta looked at the symbiont and then at Emilia. So many gains and so many potential losses, well one loss. Was the price worth the cost? He hated himself for the answer, but it was yes. To preserve the memories and experiences of several lifetimes his and Emilia’s emotions came second best.:: Lanta: The time is now, please proceed. :: Ayiana smiled, giving Ferier a light pat on the shoulder. :: Krugol: You’re going to be okay Ferier. I-I’m here. ::Emilia’s delicate grip tightened around Ferier’s tender hand. Her hand began to tremble as each moment ticked past. It was like watching a countdown. Waiting for each second to tick past felt like an eternity in her eyes. Each eternity she attempted to cherish with her beloved. Each eternity of seconds, moulding into countless minutes that ticked by unnoticed, lost in those precious seconds.:: Lanta: Thank you, Emilia ::Yiggtissi watch the interaction between Krugol and Ferier and as he did, flashes of his wife ran across his mind. He had remembered, briefly, being with them on Trill but what happened after that, he had no clue. He knew that over time, those memories would return but at the moment, it was very disconcerting not knowing. :: Yiggtissi: Everything is normal, Ferier. Simply relax. Sevo: Have you opened his pouch yet, Doctor? Hahn: ::Mildly,:: No backseat doctoring, Commander. Sevo: Sorry. ::Hahn shook his head, accepting her apology with a tired, kind smile. As infractions went, it hardly registered, and he turned his attention toward Ferier and Yiggtissi.:: Hahn: Are we all ready? Yiggtissi: Let’s proceed. Lanta: Yes! ::Yiggtissi gently picked up the Kian symbiont as Hahn slowly opened the small flap of skin on Ferier’s stomach. He slowly inserted the living mass inside Ferier and watched a part of the symbiont attached itself to the young Trill’s insides. It burrowed deep and as soon as it settled, its color immediately began to improve, turning from a pinkish-grey to a deep brownish-red. Yiggtissi shot a nod toward Hahn and he expertly and neatly closed the pouch. Grabbing the tricorder from the side of the bed and starting at the implant site, he began a careful diagnosis. The little device began to spit out information as Yiggtissi waved it up and down the length of Ferrier’s body. After several seconds, he closed it up and set it down. Looking over at Ferier, a smile stretched across his face as though he had suddenly walked from a cold room into the warm rays of a beaming sun.:: Yiggtissi: How do you feel? ::Kian looked at where the Symbiont had been placed and subsequently Joined with him. The picture that would stay with him forever was the image of Emilia looking down in concern. As the symbiont settled into place, memories flew through him each new second revealing a past that was his and yet not his. Emilia, the thought of her still made his heart jump. Amazingly and thankfully he still felt the same about her. Memories from Kudrem filled him. She had been a willing accomplice, and had agreed to the removal of Kian, knowing that it might result in its death. This would need to be discussed with the Admiral later. He had more important things to resolve right now:: Ferier Kian: I am whole ::He looked toward Emilia,:: Emilia… I love you that has not changed! ::Emilia drew a shaky breath, reaching out a hesitant hand towards Ferier. She questioned, just how much of him was left. Was it Kian talking? Or was it really him? Once that first tear fell, the rest followed along in an unbroken, constant stream. Emilia’s hand broke away from Ferier’s as she pressed it against the biobed. With her free hand, she covered her mouth, begging for nobody to see her in such an ugly state, muffling her suffocating sobs. Her mind was a cluttered mass of emotions, filled to the brim with relief, mixed with fear, fighting against her churning sorrows and anxieties. In reality she had nothing to worry about, he was alive and well. Emilia’s stomach gurgled in an almost sickly manner, as her face was drenched with the wet stains of her anxieties. She fought her first instincts to hug him in reassurance.:: Krugol: ::Muffled.:: F-Ferier ::Hahn glanced between the pair, another frown creasing his brow, though once again he kept silent on whatever thoughts were running through his mind.:: :: Ayiana hoped Ferier’s feelings for Emilia would remain. His personality could still change as the Symbiont’s memories and personality slowly blended with his own. The pair was going to have a rough few days as they tried to figure out the new Ferier Kian. :: Sevo: How are you feeling? The initial rush of memories can be disorienting. Kian: To say the least, so many memories. Sevo: Take some time to acclimate yourself to your new...um...you. You’ll find a lot of things have changed. Kian: And a lot of things have remained the same. ::Kian looked at Emilia. It was amazing, even with new memories and experiences she still looked as beautiful as when he was Lanta. He held her hand, not willing to ever let it go:: Krugol: ::Emilia looked to the doctors.:: Doctor.. May I hug him? Kian: oO Say yes, Doctor Oo ::Hahn glanced between the pair of them, the frowning shifting to make room for a worn, gentle smile. He nodded, gesturing toward Ferier.:: Hahn: Of course. Physically, he's fine. Kian: So can I get up as well? :: Kian, without waiting stood and moved towards Emilia. His arms raised ready to embrace her. He felt a little weak, but then considering what the entire crew had been through it wasn’t a surprise.:: ::Emilia graced Ferier with a smile, almost knocking him over with a longing hug.:: Krugol: I’m glad you’re okay… ::Kian practically fell in to her arms.. Laughing and crying tears flowed freely. Maybe it was due to the implantation as he had never been overly emotional before. He pulled Emilia in closer. He could smell the scent from her hair. The closeness of her made him weak at the knees. Her shape fit in snugly as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face deeper in to her shoulder.:: Kian: I am OK, ::To the Doctor:: Am I cleared for duty, Doctor? Sevo: I’d suggest he at least be checked out by a counselor. Yiggtissi: I’d say take it slow for the next twenty-four hours but I see no reason to keep you here. And I agree with the first officer, you should see Ensign Fortune right away. :: Yiggtissi nodded and watched the two lovebirds held each other close, locked together like two swirling galaxies ready to collide. He removed the red tunic, revealing his duty vest underneath. Yiggtissi felt as though he had been awake for days but there was no stopping just yet. There were shift assignments to approve, files from new transfers to examine, reports to read on the status of Nkai and he needed to speak with Denato. He glanced back over his shoulder and watched as Ferier and Krugol sat on the bed, still glued together. A smile stretched across his face. He wasn’t quite sure what provoked Kian to remove her symbiont and leave it for dead. Was it just a ploy to make a quick escape? If so, then she was more cold-hearted than anyone realized. :: fin Lieutenant (JG) Ferier Lanta/Kian HCO Officer USS Gorkon G239501FL0 & Lieutenant Yiggtissi, MD Chief Medical Officer USS Gorkon G239406Y10 & Ensign Emilia Krugol Security/Tactical Officer USS Gorkon G239409EK0 & Lt. Commander Ayiana Sevo First Officer USS Gorkon V239109AS0 & Doctor Kael Hahn Civilian T238401QR0

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Hi guys. I have a small confession to make.... It took a full 2 weeks after finding this group deciding if I should join or not because I was unsure if I would be able to give good quality simulations and I am quite shy at first about new people. That being said...now that I 'pulled the trigger' and joined up...I'm having a blast in the training sim and am stoked to start simmimg on a ship itself. The training CO/FO are great and my simming is going well. I believe I made the right choice in signing up. See you out in the galaxy.

Crazy feels in this for an officer trying to deal with the fallout from a secondment to the KDF. Amazing writing as always from @Sera zh' Aella and @Quinn Reynolds. --- ((Spa - Cochtois Lagoon)) :: Wearing a dark blue shirt and smart black pants, Sera strode purposely through the spa lobby. The attire wasn't weather appropriate, the heat and sunshine would normally have made her uncomfortable in such a dark outfit but right now she wasn't concerned with comfort. She wasn't quite marching like a cadet on the parade ground, but if anyone had paid attention to her they would have seen many similar features. The stern-faced determination and the measured posture with her shoulders back and head held high. Only now she was using the drilled movements as façade to hide her inner emotional turmoil, a crutch to lean on as she tried to perform an act which her heart rebelled against but that her brain knew was absolutely necessary. :: :: Sera's career hadn't exactly been the stuff of legends but she did have a few achievements that she was incredibly proud of. Leading an away team on the Romulan Republic colony of Sikuna and the resulting action on the bridge of the IRW D'delnor was probably her finest achievement. But there were other less dramatic things which she held close to her heart, most importantly she still considered it an honoured to wear the uniform each day. It was an honour she doubted that she deserved, so perhaps it was fitting that she was having this meeting in civilian wear. Maybe the absence of her uniform would make the unpalatable task a little easier.:: :: When Sera approached the Admiral's table she felt a lump in her throat and the urge to turn and run. For a moment she paused in her tracks and considered indulging the thought, but only for the briefest of moments. squashing those feelings deep down inside her, she continued up to the table with renewed determination. When the flag officer noticed her, Sera came to attention despite officially being on shore leave and civilian clothing. Formality would be the only way to get through this.:: zh'Aella: Admiral Reynolds, Sir. Reynolds: Hello Lieutenant. Would you like to take a seat? ::Sera remained standing but took the offer as permission to relax her stance. In contrast to her sombre clothing, the Admiral was wearing a light, draped shirt and capri pants, sandals on her feet. Wherever her combadge was, it had been stowed safely out of sight.:: zh'Aella: Thank you for agreeing to see me, Sir. I won't take up much of your time. Reynolds: It's fine. ::She offered a quick smile.:: What can I do for you? :: From her pants pocket Sera withdrew a PADD and her combadge. She gazed at the iconic symbol for several seconds before putting it and the padd down on the table. She found herself wringing her hands again and placed them both behind her back.:: zh'Aella: Admiral Reynolds, I'm officially offering my resignation. :: It wasn't too often that someone caught the Admiral off-guard, but Sera had achieved it. Her eyebrows shot up, lips parting wordlessly before she caught herself and sat up in her chair.:: Reynolds: I beg your pardon? ::The look on the admiral's face made it harder and Sera felt herself waver slightly.:: zh'Aella: Yes sir, the uniform is too important to me to be disgraced my actions or worse, my potential actions. Reynolds: You're going to have to explain. ::Sera shuffled uneasily, had the Admiral not heard about the incident in the ‘Cargo’ hold? Hadn't the civilian mental health nurse advised her of his preliminary diagnosis?:: zh'Aella: Sir, there probably a report waiting in your queue. I started having… relieving memories when we were receiving our medical assessments on the Yarahla. ::Her hands were back in front of her, trembling at the memory.:: I was so confused that I threw an Orion Security officer to the ground under the belief that I was still serving with the Klingons. Reynolds: Yes, I saw it happen. ::She paused.:: What triggered it? :: Sera’s antennae shuddered in embarrassment at the thought of her Commanding Officer watching her break with reality but she forced herself to continue, an explanation was owed for the outburst.:: zh'Aella: The Gre'Thor found a detention area on an Orion pirate base. It was ugly… I tried to kill the pirate leader and was restrained by two enlisted crewmembers. ::She knew that the admission would be the end of her career, but that was precisely why she'd sought out this meeting. She wasn’t going to stain the end of her career further by lying to someone she respected. But to Sera’s surprise, the Admiral kept her response guarded.:: Reynolds: I see. ::With that unexpected response, Sera felt compelled to continue as she stood under the gaze of her CO.:: zh'Aella: I've been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I don't want another incident to tarnish the Gorkon and I don't want my friends to get hurt because of my failure. Reynolds: Nothing's tarnished, Lieutenant. You've been hurt. It's a wound, not a failing. ::Was the Admiral serious about that? Sera didn't think the flag officer would sugarcoat anything to spare a junior officer's feelings but her words were difficult to accept. By any means of measurement, Sera considered her actions contemptible.:: zh'Aella: Maybe, Sir. But wouldn't the Gorkon be better off with someone else as the Chief of Security? Someone you could trust? ::The warm breeze picked up for a few moments, and it carried with it the scent of barbeque and sweet fruits. Reynolds absently smoothed down the strands of hair that it caught, and in one smooth movement it became a gesture toward the other chair at her table.:: Reynolds: Are you sure you won't sit down? ::She offered the Andorian a small smile.:: If nothing else, you're doing to give me a crick in my neck. ::Sera relented and sat in the chair opposite her commanding officer. Once seated, Quinn gestured for her to continue.:: zh'Aella: I'm afraid that I'll have another episode and do something which cant be undone with an apology. Reynolds: You've been diagnosed, Sera. Have you started any treatment yet? Counselling, medications..? ::Her face heated at the questions and her antennae shuddered as she realised that she wouldn't be able to give a satisfactory answer.:: zh'Aella: I have a treatment plan which includes medication and therapy. The medication I got on the Yarahla helped alittle. But… :: She stuttered for a moment.:: But, I haven't started therapy yet. Reynolds: ::Gently,:: Are you planning to? :: Pride clashed with the knowledge that she needed to seek help, the conflicting feelings causing her head to spin.:: zh'Aella: I was in the process of booking a session, but I'm not sure how talking about my feelings will help. Resigning seemed like the better option. ::Reynolds didn't answer immediately, and Sera's antennae dropped flat to her head.:: Maybe I choose the easier way out. ::Marching up an Admiral and offering her resignation sure didn't feel easy at the time. But perhaps it was easier than discussing, and attempting to manage, her mental state with people she had to see daily.:: Reynolds: There's nothing easy about any of it. ::She paused, considering her response.:: Take it from someone who's stridently private, and spent half her career fleeing in the opposite direction whenever she saw the ship's counsellor... it helps. It's not just talking. It's learning about yourself, understanding yourself and what you've been through. It's about figuring out the techniques that will help you. :: Sera let out a deep breath and placed her trembling hands on the table. She cupped them in an effort to keep them from trembling, and immediately her right heel began bouncing off the floor causing her leg to shake. It was almost enough to send her into a nervous giggling fit, but only almost.:: zh'Aella: I looked at the symptoms of this... of my, disorder when I got back to my quarters. I haven't experienced many of them yet, but I might in the future. Relieving the flashbacks was bad enough but other symptoms might strike when I'm not expecting them. I don't want to resign, but I honestly don't know if I can do my job while dealing with this. Reynolds: We have a while before the conference ends and we're back on duty. Take that time to think about it. You have to do what's best for you, and if that really *is* resigning your commission, then that's what it is. ::She paused, woodland eyes intent on Sera.:: But give yourself a little time, and take a little help. If the counsellor clears you for duty, that's good enough for me. Talk with her and start your healing, before making any final decisions. :: She sat there with her leg vibrating under the table and hands clenched together so fiercely that Sera's mind began to have thoughts of hanging onto a ladder as she was flipped her head over heels. Fortunately the memories were not so vivid that she forgot where she was, but the increased level of anxiety was undeniable. It felt like people at the other tables were watching her, judging her. Sera closed her eyes, recognising the negative feeling and began breathing slowly and deeply. After a minute she felt slightly calmer.:: zh'Aella: Yes sir. I'll start working on it, on healing and get back to you. :: She collected the PADD and combadge from the table.:: I'll hang on to those for a little while longer. I'm sorry for laying this on you, Admiral. Reynolds: I'm glad that you did. ::She offered a small, kind smile.:: You're not alone in this, Sera. zh'Aella: Thank you sir. Reynolds: Alright. ::She paused, about to say something else, and then changed her mind.:: Try and enjoy your shore leave, in the meantime. And if you *do* need anything, just ask. End -- Lieutenant Sera zh'Aella Chief of Security and Tactical USS Gorkon V239107TZ0 & Rear Admiral Quinn Reynolds Commanding Officer USS Gorkon T238401QR0

Hello everyone, Just thought I would come say hello. I’ve played various RPGs on and off for quite a while. I got started in what was essentially a chat room where you posted, hit refresh, and saw everything that was posted between then and the last time you hit refresh. Got my start there playing World of Darkness and other more freeform games, before I kind of drifted off to do life-related stuff and found it was gone. I played on a bunch of MUSHes and MUXes, including a Trek game I really enjoyed but I always found that the Trek games in those mediums were either short-lived or the community was difficult to connect with. Recently had the notion to try Trek games again, and thought I’d give Play by E-Mail a go. I’ve got no experience with this method of play and while I’m in training at the moment I’m still not entirely sure I’m doing it right. Hopefully I’ll get the hang of it sooner rather than later. I joined because looking through the wiki and the forums and such, I realised this is the sort of community I always wished existed when I was playing in the other places I frequented for years but was never able to actually find because I didn’t get the format and was unwilling to try. Better late than never, though. It’s nice to see such an active and welcoming community, so I wanted to end by saying thanks for giving me a shot!

(( Ayiana’s Quarters, USS Gorkon )) :: Ayiana stared into the mirror and saw a stranger looking back. :: :: It was the collar. It felt so alien. Funny how a simple change in pigment could add the weight of the world, or in this case, the ship, on one’s shoulders. The red didn’t just signify a change in department; Ayiana was taking on the most important job on the ship, next to the Commanding Officer, of course. :: :: Ayiana was leaning forward against her bathroom counter, her arms propping her up. Her hair was immaculate, save for a few wispy strands hanging forward. Her nails had been freshly trimmed and painted; instead of the usual red she wore, she had a “nebula” effect on them. Swirls of yellow, blue, violet, orange, and red covered each nail. The pattern shifted depending on one’s point of view and the light hitting it. No wonder it was called “nebula.” It was ironic how much her everyday look reflected her new uniform - red hair, red nails, red blush, red lipstick, and now a red collar to top it off. Red had always been Ayiana’s favorite color. Perhaps she was destined for this? :: :: The award ceremony was in a few minutes, and it would signify the official start of her new job. Why was she feeling so anxious, then? She had been in command of an entire *department* for years. :: Sevo: oO Why, oh why did I say ‘Yes’? I was perfectly happy down in the labs. Oo :: The image of her in the mirror suddenly spoke. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: You could have said ‘No’, you know. :: Ayiana stood straight up, and blinked. Her mirror image stood up too, but took a different stance, placing her fists on her hips, as if scolding a child. Ayiana rubbed her eyes, then looked back at the mirror again. The other her was still there. :: Sevo: But it felt wrong to turn down Admiral Reynolds. :: Her mirror image crossed her arms in front of her chest. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: So? Reynolds wouldn’t have been offended, and you know it. It was a huge honor to ask you, especially after what you went through recently. Sevo: You mean the reprimand and the bunking…1, 2 Mirror Image Ayiana: Duh. Sevo: Well you don’t have to be so rude! Mirror Image Ayiana: Think how far you’ve come. :: Her mirror image changed. Its collar shifted to the familiar teal of science; the color Ayiana wore since her first day on the Victory. Further, a single gold pip adorned her collar, and Mirror Ayiana appeared younger; no lines or wrinkles criss crossed her face; and no blemishes or scars were apparent. Her hair was a bit more unkempt, and she had a large blue bow where her ponytail was tied instead of a more modest and standard-issue hair tie. Even her posture changed, hunching over more, and looking more reserved and shy. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Remember your first day on the Victory? Commander Eerie was the first person you talked to. :: An image of Eerie appeared in one corner of the mirror; slightly translucent, as if it was a ghost. He looked like he did four years ago; which looked just about the same as today, to be honest. :: Sevo: :: Smiling. :: No, there was a Caitian in the shuttlebay.3 :: Immediately, an image of a slightly younger L’rann similarly appeared in a separate corner from Eerie. Ayiana had forgotten that she was on the Victory back then, too! The Caitian was the first person Ayiana spoke to after coming aboard. She was kind, despite Ayiana nearly vomiting on the woman’s boots after spending a week in a confined runabout. :: :: Mirror Ensign Ayiana hunched over, and stared down at the floor as she spoke. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: E-excuse me, sir! My mistake! Sevo: oO Did I really look and act like that? Oo :: Mirror Ensign Ayiana, sensing her thoughts, straightened her posture and looked back at Lt. Commander Ayiana. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Yes, you did. You were quite the wallflower. :: Ayiana smiled, remembering Eerie calling her that on her first day. Or was it then-Commander Nugra? :: :: An image of Nugra appeared in another corner of the mirror. He still had both eyes back then, and only had the three pips of a Commander on his red collar. Ayiana remembered first seeing her Gorn commanding officer. It was extremely frightening, as if he would eat her alive if she messed up. And she knew she would have. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: But you didn’t mess up. On that mission, you helped defeat the Hunger. :: The Hunger. An ancient, extra-galactic species from the dawn of time, bent on conquering the galaxy. That was Ayiana’s first mission - to defeat the Hunger. And they did, with Ayiana’s help. She remembered hunching behind Eerie as small mechanical spiders assaulted the team. She had been tapping at her tricorder, and managed to interfere with the network that coordinated them and gave them a rudimentary hive intelligence. Without it, they were disoriented, and her team was able to stop them.4 :: Sevo: That was harrowing. Mirror Image Ayiana: But you persevered, and moved on. Then… :: Her mirror image’s appearance shifted again, this time with a black pip signifying her promotion to Junior Grade. Mirror Ayiana’s posture straightened. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Commander Nugra promoted you to jay-gee and made you Chief Science Officer of the Victory. :: The image of Nugra nodded appreciatively, and the corners of his tooth-filled mouth bent upwards in a Gorn smile. :: Sevo: Yes. After Lt. Commander Rossh departed suddenly. :: She smiled, remembering the black-furred Caitian. She had only served under him for a couple of missions. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Yes. Remember your first day as Chief Science Officer? You stood outside the door to the main science lab, trying to summon the courage to appear authoritative to your new subordinates.5 Sevo: And a lot of them were higher-ranked than me. I was terrified they wouldn’t listen to a lowly jay-gee. Mirror Image Ayiana: But they did. And you ran the department splendidly. :: It wasn’t as hard as Ayiana thought at the time. She had shortly found her groove and settled into it. :: :: L’rann’s image was replaced by Commander Vess. Both him and Eerie were the only two individuals on the Gorkon whom Ayiana had served with since her first day. She looked at Vess; thinking of him as something more than a colleague. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Of course he’s more than a colleague. Vess has seen you naked… :: Ayiana mentally facepalmed. How could she forget? :: Sevo: He’s a doctor! He’s seen lots of people naked! :: During a mission, she had been electrocuted and slipped into a coma. She spent a number of days in sickbay after Vess had performed an operation on her. That event triggered a change in the link between Ayiana and the Sevo symbiont. With Talia Kaji’s help, Ayiana was able to reintegrate herself, but things hadn’t been the same.6 :: Mirror Image Ayiana: And despite everything you had just gone through, Commander Nugra saw fit to promote you to Lieutenant. :: The mirror image of Ayiana shifted again, replacing the black pip with a second gold, denoting her promotion to Lieutenant. The large blue bow in her hair was replaced by a more subdued standard-issue hair tie. :: Sevo: And when the Victory was decommissioned… Mirror Image Ayiana: Captain Reynolds kept you in the role under her new command. :: As before, an image appeared of Captain Reynolds, with only four pips no less, in the last corner of the mirror. Like Nugra before, she nodded acceptingly. Ayiana stared at the mirror for a moment, looking at the faces of some of the people who had been instrumental in Ayiana’s career. :: Sevo: Yes. I was grateful; I had grown to like being CSO. Mirror Image Ayiana: Just as you will grow into the role of First Officer. :: The image of her shifted yet again, taking on Ayiana’s current appearance. All four of the ghostly images of Nugra, Eerie, Vess, and Reynolds smiled at her mirror image and nodded approvingly. :: Sevo: But this is so much different! It's not just a single department anymore; it's a whole ship I’m responsible for! Mirror Image Ayiana: So? The principle is still the same. And you’ve been in command before. :: True. She had done numerous stints in The Chair during duty shifts; even while Over There. But it wasn’t quite the same. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Sure, you’ll probably trip a few times. You’ll mess up. But Reynolds will be there for you; Vess will, too. :: The ghostly Vess smirked and shrugged. Well, maybe he would be. :: Sevo: But my anger issues… Mirror Image Ayiana: Yes. You’ll have to watch that. But you’ve been doing better. You've seen counselors, and tried calming techniques. And you know what will probably happen if you have another slip-up. Sevo: I won’t just be demoted; I’ll probably be court-martialed. :: Mirror Reynolds nodded. Her stare was icy. She would be watching Ayiana closely. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: So don’t screw up. Sevo: Thanks. I’ll try not to. :: There was a pause as Ayiana stared back at herself. :: Mirror Image Ayiana: Well?! What are you waiting for, Commander? Get out there! :: Ayiana straightened her stance and nodded at the mirror. She turned and headed out of the bathroom. As she was crossing her bedroom, she turned and took one last glance at the mirror. All the images were gone and it was blank once more. Ayiana grabbed a PADD from her desk as she headed out of her quarters to the dinner. :: Sevo: oO I got this. Oo ---------------------------- Lt. Commander Ayiana Sevo First Officer U.S.S. Gorkon Image Collective Co-Facilitator Wiki Ops Training Team V239109AS0 --------------------------- (( 1 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=SIM:The_Court_of_Inquiry )) (( 2 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=SIM:The_Verdict )) (( 3 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=SIM:Ayiana_Sevo,_Arrival )) (( 4 http://sims.starbase118.net/sim.php?simnum=2366853 )) (( 5 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=SIM:Ayiana_Sevo:_I_Have_Minions! )) (( 6 https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=SIM:Ayiana_Sevo_Disjoined_Arc ))

Character Name: Braylin Winters Nickname / Alias: Bray Gender: Female Race: Human Age: 23 Date of Birth: 236807.09 Place of Birth: San Francisco, USA General Appearance: Long red hair, hazel eyes. Oval face with small scar under her left eye and a few freckles. Thin curvy shape. Height: 5’4’’ Weight: 132 Well the day she had longed for had finally arrived. Braylin Winters stepped off the transport wearing a smile that made the entire promenade lights pale in comparison. This was the day she had dreamed about many times in her four years at the academy and she knew this was only the beginning of an incredible journey. “Excuse me sir?” she said to a small round man sitting on a bench. “Can you tell me where the shop named Veronique’s is located?” “What! What are you saying child! Speak up I can’t hear you.” the man bellowed. Braylin looked around nervously. She had obviously chosen the wrong person to ask. This man appeared nearly completely deaf. Braylin stepped closer to the man and leaned in as she repeated much louder this time. “I’m looking for the shop Veronique’s. Do you know where it is?” “Ahh yes. It’s most popular with you youngins. Here let me show you.” He bellowed again, his voice echoing throughout the large hallway. Scooting off the bench he landing on both feet with a thud. “It’s just down this hall, not too far.” “No. Really that’s not necessary.” She tried to interject but the man just started walking as if he hadn’t heard her. Braylin followed the man after deciding stepping into the nearest shop to hide was out the question. Her mom had always taught her manners. Catching up to him she was relieved when they came to the shop she was looking for. “Here ya have it. Veronique’s!” he said making sure to use his fake French accent when he said the shop name. “This is what you were looking for I take it?” he asked. “Yes sir. Thank you.” She replied. “What’d ya say missy? Ya gotta speak up. I’m no youngin anymore.” He laughed and his belly shook. Braylin thought how he reminded her of one of the dwarfs in an old fairy tale her dad used to read to her. “Yes sir. Thank you.” She repeated louder nodding her head. The man took her hand abruptly and started patting it with his other hand. “Anytime missy, you come back and visit Edgar now. Ya hear? What’s your name anyways?” Braylin just wanted the encounter over so she could stop shouting, but there was really no getting around the conversation being he had been kind enough to show her the way. Besides she thought there was something very endearing about the man. “I’m Braylin Winters. It’s very nice to meet you Edgar.” “Yup that’s me. Edgar Mills. Ahh, well I bet you’ll be off on some deep space mission soon. The pretty ones never stick around very long. Probably never see ya round this parts again, at least anytime soon. But you promise old Edgar you’ll find me and say hello if you’re ever in the neighbourhood.” “Of course, thank you.” Braylin replied politely. “You take care yourself now.” He said with a wink. With that he hobbled off back in the direction they had come from. Braylin watched him go and then turned her attention to the task at hand. She had spent so much time looking for the shop prior to meeting Edgar that she had only forty-five minutes to pick out a gift for her mom. This would be the first year she wouldn’t be able to be home for her mom’s birthday and she thought if she found a gift from this shop her mom had been raving about it might make things a little easier. Scanning the shelves she finally settled on a black and white vintage toile scarf. After paying the merchant she exited the store and headed in the direction of the holodeck where she was to report for her first briefing. All the time hope Edgar was right and she would soon be in deep space exploring.

@Kayla Drex and @Maddi Hyden this was a great read, I really enjoyed it, good work ((239109.14 - Starfleet Academy - San Francisco, CA - Earth)) ::Kayla hadn’t been in the gym long, but her heart rate was already well over 130 bpm. The beating she was giving the holographic sparring partner looked like he’d said something particularly offensive about Kayla’s mother. The door to the gym hissed open, but Kayla didn’t register the sound at all, focusing instead on her training. ::She didn’t hesitate as a large Hirogen fist barrelled toward her stomach. Deftly stepping aside, she used the momentum to swing up onto the back of her would-be assailant, wrapping her legs around his midsection and landing a flurry of punches to the base of his skull. The padding armor he wore made it impossible to reach her, and her legs were too strong to disengage in front. ::A final jab resounded with a loud crack, and the hologram dissolved, dropping Kayla to the mat. She lay there panting and rubbing her bruised knuckles. Only now did she look toward the door.:: Drex: ::panting:: Hi Hyden: ::Shyly:: Hello :: The unexpected hello threw Maddi for a loop she didn’t expect, usually, when she came to the gym it was empty. She realized she was wearing a top that revealed her tattoo something she kept hidden. The person saying hi seemed to be very athletic from what Maddi observed, but she still didn’t know what she should do. She knew most people would say more, but she wasn’t most people. She just stood there awkwardly. :: Drex: ::Getting to her feet:: Um … how much of that did you see? Hyden: Well um….I saw you murder that holographic Hirogen like he did something to you...kinda frightening, as a first impression. Drex: See the thing is, I'm not usually so, er, decisively violent when I train. I just had a really trying morning. Hyden: I don’t normally do this, but what’s wrong? Drex: There’s this guy in one of my classes… German Galven. He’s been getting on my nerves, which is no small task. Hyden: Ahh well I have found the best way to take out my aggravation is doing the same, like you, but if you’d like a sparring partner I’d…….I’d join you. ::she said hesitantly.:: Drex: I think that'd be fun! I um … won't do what I just did to the Hirogen ::Kayla laughed a little embarrassed add she toweled off, got a drink of water, and tightened her gloves.:: Drex: What are you in the mood for? Is there a particular martial art you practice? Hyden: Well to start I feel an introduction is in order I’m Cadet Maddi Hyden. Also, I don’t think you’d get the chance with me that you got with that Hirogen. ::She laughed.:: Where do I start? I am a 10th Degree Black Belt in Judo, Karate, Jujitsu, Kenpo, and Tai Kwon Do, but I’m still learning more. The real question is what do you want to practice? Drex: You're absolutely right! Where are my manners? He must have gotten to me more than I realized. I'm Kayla. Kayla Drex. ::The two shook hands:: It sounds like you're very well-rounded, Maddi. Do you want to just improvise? My primary art is Jiu-Jitsu, but I've got a few others in there too. Hyden: I don’t usually talk to someone this soon, but I can say it’s great to meet you Kayla quite a stunning person if that’s ok to say. Improvisation? Hmm, what do you have in mind? Drex: Mix it up! You know, a bit of this, a bit of that. ::Kayla assumed a standard defensive Kung-fu stance, but arranged her hands in a Karate ready form.:: Hyden: I see if that’s the case. ::Maddi assumed her cover down position and got serious. She immediately lunged at Kayla, but not how she was expecting instead she swept her legs and took her to the ground. A slam could be audibly heard as Kayla hit the mat. She let out a small groan as she hit the mat. Maddi stood up and motioned for Kayla to get up.:: Hyden: Ok I’ll admit that was dirty, but you did say mix it up. ::she winked.:: ::Kayla stood up and smiled. Ok. She’d underestimated this new girl. Best not to do that again.:: Drex: Maybe a little dirty, but that’s part of improvisation, right? ::She watched Maddi as the pair began slowly circling. Kayla became instinctually aware of the smallest twitches of muscles in the girl’s arms and legs. She had scars on her arms that looked like she’d learned some hard lessons from weapons that weren’t exactly blunted for practice session. ::Kayla shifted most of her weight to her right foot, leaving just the toes of her left in contact with the mat. Her hands assumed a ready aggressive form. She assumed Maddi would not make the same attack twice, but assumptions are what landed her on the mat last time. When Maddi lunged this time, Kayla didn’t defend. She took the punch full in the stomach, flexing her abdominal muscles to absorb as much of the impact as possible. The wind was still knocked from her. She had the opening she needed though. Her ready left leg hooked between Maddi’s and arced upward. ::The move was a good one. It had landed even Philip (Kayla’s brother) on his butt countless times in their training. Kayla was therefore surprised to see Maddi roll backward and up to her feet with alarming speed.:: ::Though Maddi didn’t expect the move she expected something, but she brushed that off and got back up. The speed and reaction seemed to shock Kayla. Good it might let her understand just what Maddi knew. Maddi noticed her eying the scars on her arms. The truth was still as painful as when it happened. Abuse and pain from her childhood. The thoughts fueled Maddi’s adrenaline. She stood straight with feet facing forward. A usual fatal flaw in fighting. Kayla cautiously started an attack, but she had left her side open. Maddi immediately got into a defensive posture and threw a roundhouse quick with precision and speed that showed hours of training. Kayla faltered slightly, but didn’t fall.:: Hyden: Your form is good actually the best I’ve seen in awhile, but sometimes you have to know your opponents move. I know that sounds crazy, but it can be done. I see you’ve been looking at me quizzically why? oO Though need I actually ask. Oo Drex: Honestly? I’m trying to figure you out. I hope that doesn’t sound weird…. Hyden: Well, I don’t exactly know what you mean. ::They circled once again as Kayla continued:: Drex: Your scars - they don’t look particularly fresh, but they clearly happened over quite a span of time. My best guess if you’ve gone through some … difficult times. If they’re from training, your trainer was kind of a jerk. Still … the fact that’s all you have means you’re a formidable opponent, and a quick learner. ::Though not unexpected it threw Maddi off the way Kayla seemed to guess correctly in a way.:: Hyden: What are you trying to get at? Drex: Well, there aren’t two scars too close to each other. That means you didn’t make the same mistake in defense more than once. oO It means I can’t use the same attack twice Oo ::Kayla dove just to the right of her sparring partner as Maddi’s foot came swinging down in response. This time, Kayla responded correctly. Catching the foot with her crooked legs, she used her own momentum to unfoot her.:: ::Maddi fell to the floor, but instead of getting up tears starting running down her face. The past seemed to haunt her.:: Hyden: These scars are not from training. They have come from something much much worse. A pain and a fear that I still seem to cling too. ::She rubbed her fingers over the scars feeling ashamed.:: Abuse and bullying were a big part of this, but that’s two of the reasons the last well it’s the deepest secret I have and it’s the darkest moment of my past. ::Kayla didn’t really know how to respond to that. That was a lot of honesty from this otherwise quiet girl. Kayla rolled up to her knees next to Maddi, gently picked her hand up in her own, and simply held it. The two girls’ eyes met, and Kayla hoped that all the feelings coursing through her were conveyed.:: Drex: You’re here. Your past happened. However bad it was, you rose from the ashes. Is … is that why you have the Phoenix? Hyden: ::wiping a tear from her eye:: Yes, but it also reminds me of the fire I’ve brought in my life. My past has built me to be strong and take nothing from no one. Those ashes are numerous and they still reappear. I feel like I can trust you. My deepest pain is something I hope no one has to ever go through. ::Maddi pulled down her top revealing scars that explained just what she was hiding.:: Hyden: There’s more of these on my body and it has ruined my body. All the beauty of my body is now defiled and there’s nothing I can do about it. Drex: Maddi … ::Kayla paused for a moment to consider her words. The other girl said she trusted her. That spoke volumes about her strength of spirit. To go through such pain, but still retain the ability to trust - that took incredible fortitude. Kayla just couldn’t figure out how to convey this to the tear-stained, broken but rebuilt girl before her.:: Drex: You can trust me. Always. And not that you need it,::rubbing the spot where Maddi’s fist had connected:: but I’ll have your back, ok? Hyden: Thank you I’ve never opened up to anyone with this. It’s the one thing that haunts me and it seems like that will never go away. I’ll reverse your words and say I’ll have your back. This secret is something I hope we can keep between us. :Maddi’s face changed from the tear touched face to a face of resolve and strength. She stood to her feet and helped Kayla up. She embraced her in a hug something that entwined Maddi’s trust in her forever.:: Hyden: Well after that what should we even do? Drex: I think there’s only one option. We need brownie sundaes. ::The two chuckled as they walked, an arm each still around the other, out the door toward the smaller of the two dining halls on campus.:: ~ End ~ Simmed by: Lieutenant JG Kayla Drex Science Officer USS Eagle, NCC-74659 Image Collective Writer ID: E239510KD0 Science is life, art is soul, love is home Wiki: Kayla Drex ~ and ~ Ensign Maddi Hyden Security Officer USS Atlantis - NCC 74682 A239511MH0 There is no real security except for whatever you build inside yourself.

((Okay, I’m sorry about this little note, but I was reading some of the content in the forum before mine, and it seems that there was another “Cadet Collins” that was posted Nov. 30. My character is not supposed to be related to Quentin Collins III, thought I should mention that. Just a coincidence that the last names are the same!)) Jo hated shuttle rides in space. Sure, the likelihood of actually crashing or something going wrong was almost zip, but that didn’t stop Dr. Arika Jojovich-Collins from almost bolting off of the transport craft. Solid ground is a blessing, she reminded herself as she straightened her uniform and retrieved her bag from storage outside of the shuttle. Her coppery-blonde hair had been twisted into two Dutch braids and pinned into a bun at the nape of her neck by her Academy roommate before she left Earth, but a few unruly wisps still hung in front of her face as she bent down to get her stuff. Intelligent green eyes searched the bustle of people at the dock of StarBase 118. Other uniform-clad cadets of every shape, size, and color bustled through the crowded space, and Jo took comfort in the fact that it was very unlikely that anyone would pay special attention to a 1.73 meter, average cadet like herself. She felt a little old for the crowd, though she was only 27, but reminded herself again that the 5 years of university and earning her medical license set her apart from the other cadets in field experience too, not just in age. She knew what being the “odd one out” felt like: graduating from high school at 15 left her feeling alienated and skittish (because she was a pretty girl, and pretty girls still had to be pretty careful when alone on college campuses and in big cities) during her time alone at Harvard and Harvard Medical. She had good childhood friends that she kept in contact with while she was away, though, so she didn’t feel as lonely as she could have felt. Jo was able to admit to herself that she wasn’t like most of the cadets shuffling through the base. She hadn’t dreamed of the stars when she was young. If she was really honest, her father Dr. Jojovich had scared it out of her. His years in the Fleet found him in bed with someone who was definitely not her mother, Jean Collins, a xenobiologist in Seattle where she’d grown up. Jo’s birth certificate read both of their last names, and her first name Arika, which had been chosen by her father. Her friends had called her Jo or Jojo since she was young, seldom did anyone use her real first name. She’d also asked that she be referred to as Dr. Collins or Cadet Collins when it came to formalities. So why did she join the Fleet, if she had never envisioned herself doing so? As it were, Jo was incredibly lucky. Through her connections at Harvard Medical, her father’s and her own alma mater, and her mother, she landed an internship with a “galaxy-renowned” xenoanatomical researcher through whom she received her license to practice on both the people of Earth and a plethora of other humanoid species. Her mentor pushed her to join Star Fleet to exercise her expertise, and though she was wary of the idea, she enlisted. But none of that mattered, really, when she was surrounded by people that she didn’t know, and she settled to walk out into the main part of the base alone, awaiting in both excitement and trepidation for the adventures that were sure to come.

((OOC: A few months ago, I thought it'd a neat idea for IC interviews. With the help of @Kayla Drex and @Geoffrey Teller, we were able to come up with this! Thank you guys and if anyone else wants to be interviewed by a flamboyant and eccentric TV host, let me know!)) ((ICL Broadcast 27, Studio 9, San Francisco, California, North America, Earth)) ::The camera pans down on a modern news studio, replete with an enormous anchors desk, couch and chairs. Upon the desk, next to the oversized microphone is an assortment of sleek, hypermodern PADDS, all in the most fashionable colors, arranged in an eye pleasing rainbow. Entering the studio to raucous applause we see our host, Dresdon Mitchell, an almost artificially handsome human male with perfectly coiffed hair, an exceptionally well tailored, multi-chromatic suit and a high voltage smile.:: ::He strides to the desk confidently, clearly the Captain of this particular ship, and takes his seat with a dramatic flourish and crosses his leg over his knee with gusto. Behind him, the majestic San Francisco skyline twinkles like the stars and the Golden Gate bridge is perfectly framed. The camera settles on Dresdon as he, with false modesty, accepts the adulation of the crowd and settles in.:: Mitchell: ::smiles wide:: Hello, my name is Dresdon P. Mitchell and this is ICL, or the Intergalactic Comm Link if you've been living on Rura Penthe! On tonight's special episode, I’ll be showing you the gift of gab with a splendid young woman aboard a distant Starfleet vessel so you, my wonderful audience, can see where they've been Boldly Going and what they've been Boldly Doing! ::He then turned a quarter way in his chair and tapped a few demands on his PADD. The San Francisco skyline blurred as the image of a beautiful young officer wearing a teal Starfleet uniform was superimposed.:: Mitchell: ::smiles and arches both eyebrows:: Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, I'd like to introduce you to my most special friend, Lieutenant Kayla Drex! Kayla is currently a science officer aboard the USS Eagle and she's doing a great job! Let's hear it for her folks! ::The crowd cheers enthusiastically:: Mitchell: Wonderful wonderful. How are you tonight, Kayla? Drex: I'm doing very well, Dresdon, thank you for having me on! How are you? Mitchell: ::chuckles:: My viewers already know how great I am! ::laughter from the crowd.:: So tonight is about you! How are you enjoying your time aboard the Eagle? Drex: I'm having the time of my life. I grew up hearing about all manner of deep space phenomena, and now I get to actually see and study it up close and personal! Maybe I'm just a huge goober, but this is like a dream come true for me. ::The crowd laughs supportively and finishes with an appreciative 'awwww':: Mitchell: Stop it, you'll make me blush! ::smiles and winks, crowd laughs:: That's wonderful to hear though, it's so moving when a young person like yourself has their dreams fulfilled by a life out there in the stars! Now, I understand from my notes here that you grew up with a very interesting family. Your father, Dr. Gulliver Drex is a renowned Quantum Physicist, winner of the 2261 Hawking Prize for his work in...particle...sya...well...folks I can't pronounce this!::laughter from crowd:: What was it like growing up in the presence of such a famous figure? Drex: I had the best of everything - not possessions; mom and dad always the value of living with a minimum of baggage, but as far as opportunity, I was never lacking. Between Dad, Mom, and my four brothers, there was never any lack of something … interesting happening. ::smiling to herself as though at an inside joke only she knew:: Mitchell: ::smiles and covers his mouth as if something was shocking:: Gasp, sounds like someone was playing with wormholes at home! ::hoots and laughs from the crowd:: My research team also received a note from one of your colleagues, a Lt. German Galven. ::a chorus of ascending ooOOOOOs from the crowd:: He said to make sure we ask you about your time together at the famed Starfleet Academy! Can you tell us what happened, KayKay? Apparently you two shared some classes but Mr. Galven says he graduated faster than you! ::shocked laughter and amused boos from the crowd:: Drex: I bet he did. I'll have to send him a message thanking him for his delightfully sharp memory. ::a little chuckle:: The Academy was honestly very different than I originally envisioned it being. In my mind, I imagined some cross between an ancient campus of brick buildings, state-of-the-art technology, and military boot camp. What I experienced however was a place where literally anything can and did happen. My last two years were actually self-directed study, because they didn't have classes for my specialization. That's what I mean though: they didn't just say, “Sorry, kid, you're just going to have to take the same thing as everyone else.” They heard my ideas, gave me guidance, and let the ideas grow. It was … incredible. Mitchell: Sure sounds that way! I do self-directed study myself all the time, mostly on the mating habits of our alien friends. ::raucous hoots from the crowd:: So, after the Academy, you went directly to the Eagle? Take us there with you, KayKay! First thing. Go! Drex: The first thing I did when I got on-board was introduce myself to the ship. That sounds kind of weird, but I used to walk around the woods by my house growing up, and I always kinda felt like they were watching over me - like they had a form of consciousness I couldn’t quite understand. The Eagle - and I guess all ships - she has a personality - I wanted her to know me, and know that I’m grateful for her. ::realizing this isn’t a 1-on-1 conversation:: Aaaaaand now everyone is going to think I’m crazy. Mitchell: ::laughs:: I’m sure nobody here thinks you’re crazy ::looks offscreen with a smirk:: Oo, it seems we only have a couple minutes left - before you go, I understand you’ve been promoted recently. Congratulations! How'd that feel? Drex: I was pretty surprised it happened so quickly to be honest. When Commander Oddas pinned on my new pip, I felt like I was flying. I’m starting to feel the weight it carries though. Mitchell: ::more awws from the crowd:: Aw, smart, lovely and humble! Starfleet sure knows how to pick them! Final question - After everything you've experienced, what’s the one piece of advice you'd like to pass on to all the impressionable young Kaylas watching right now? Drex: Never stop dreaming, always try to see from new perspectives, and never believe anyone who tells you “It can’t be done.” It just hasn’t been done. ::The smiling young officer is replaced by the circling Starfleet logo before it fades completely, again revealing the majestic San Francisco skyline. Dresden turns to look directly at the audience and camera.:: Mitchell: ::smiles wide:: Inspiring words from an inspiring young woman. Here from all of us at ICL, we wish you luck on your journeys, Lieutenant Kayla Drex - make us folks on the ground proud! That’s all we have for tonight, everyone. Tune in next time when ICL will once again bring the furthest frontiers of the Federation right into your living room with absolutely zero chance of getting space sick! GOOD NIGHT! ::the crowd cheers as the set lights come down and Dresden dramatically tosses his PADD aside, waving excitedly to the camera.::

This exchange from a current Academy class made me laugh, so I wanted to share it.

(( Agricultural Administration Building - Ih’aesn - Sikuna )) :: Nugra was caught between feeling surprised by the fact that their situation had gone downhill to realizing that it always went downhill. Yiggtissi's suit had been compromised and the governor of this city was dead. He had two Starfleet officers to protect in case the colonists became a mob. He was not in the mood to kill anyone at present. :: :: Stepping out into the hallway while everyone followed their assignments, Nugra pulled his PADD out of his pocket to quickly get an idea what was going on with the other teams.:: :: There was a strange tickling in Kaji's mind as she neared the compound, like a familiar presence, and she slowed to pinpoint it. She frequently recognized the sounds of people's mental "voices", but not just a sense of presence. Stretching her telepathic senses, she searched for the source, but it seemed far away to the north. A mystery for later, then. :: :: Talia pushed her way through the Admin building's doors, grateful for the shelter. There were only a few military members around, most non-essential personnel having been sent home. A guard scanned her badge, as she was a civilian currently and not in any uniform. She traced her way through the corridors to the governor's office. Atlai had told her to meet the Starfleet team there. But when she turned the corner and looked down the hall, Talia stopped cold. :: :: It felt like her mind had frozen, incapable of actually processing thoughts. The figure at the end of the hall loomed over his surroundings just as he loomed over both her dreams and nightmares. The damn Gorn would just not leave her in peace! Was he to haunt her waking hours as well? Countless nights spent curled up in bed, too afraid to go back to sleep and relive his death yet again wasn't enough? Or the other nights where she wished she COULD get back to sleep to continue a different sort of dream, where they were just together? :: :: It took the mundane action of him checking his PADD to snap Talia out of her stupor. This wasn't a hallucination, it was Nugra. In the flesh. That stupid, beautiful, scaly flesh. :: :: Upon seeing a report that negotiations were not faring well, Nugra let out a grunt of irritation. Hopefully, Sevo was not going to punch a Romulan...again.:: :: The irritated grunt got through the last of Talia's disbelief. :: Kaji: :: striding towards him:: Oh gods, oh gods. Nugra! :: She threw herself at him, probably before he even knew it was her, but she didn't care. Decorum be damned, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. :: :: It was the scent at first that he detected but his brain refused to register it as being true. The PADD had his attention but it was the squeal of her voice and the arms that tried to wrap around his bulk that broke him out of the thought and into shock. He [...]ed his head to see what had gotten a hold of him and was met with a head of curly hair, black eyes, and the happiest grin he had ever seen. :: Nugra: oO Talia! Oo :: A million emotions soared through him in the half a second his mind hesitated. She was on Obsidia Colony and he had been long gone, hidden in the depths of the Gamma Quadrant on the USS Athena. How was it possible that they had met on a Republic world. His mind struggled to form words to speak to the woman he thought he had lost forever. :: :: She couldn't let go, even though her feet were dangling six inches off the floor. She just buried her head in his neck and hoped he couldn’t feel the tears. :: Kaji: How...How are you even alive? :: There were no words. How could he say anything to her right now when his heart felt like it was going to explode. He wrapped his giant hands around her waist, hefted her to eye level and gave her a crushing hug of joy. Only one word got out of this lizard. :: Nugra: ::choked up:: Talia. Kaji: You freaking lizard, you couldn’t even send me a note, like “hey I’m not dead anymore, so you don’t need to keep grieving”-- not that I was grieving your ugly mug, because you’re too stupid to…killing yourself like that to “save everyone” or whatever. :: Talia felt that her points were being undermined by the sobs breaking through and garbling her words. :: Nugra: Starfleet Intelligence…. Kaji: :: freeing one hand to slap the back of his head:: That is an astoundingly terrible excuse. Nugra: I should have sent you a note once I was released but...I didn’t know what to say. Kaji: Anything. Anything would have been good. Nugra: ::sheepishly:: Hi, Talia. I am alive. Kaji: :: mumbling as she buried her face in his neck again.:: [...]. I missed you. Nugra: I missed you too. :: Another voice broke into the conversation that snapped Nugra back. :: N’Lee: ::grinning:: As sweet as this is, Captain, I need my doctor. Please put her down. :: Chagrined, Nugra put Kaji back on her feet and gave his uniform a dutiful but too long tug before straightening back to business. :: Nugra: Of course, Sub-Commander. :: To Talia:: Doctor Kaji. We seem to have an outbreak and one of my crew members may have become infected. Shall we? Kaji: :: with a lightness she hadn’t felt in over a year, she laughed,:: Yes, Sir. :: As Nugra walked past N’Lee, he heard the Romulan whisper to him. :: N’Lee: ::grinning:: Don’t worry, Nuggs. I won’t tell the Admiral you were hugging doctors in a middle of a crisis. JP By… -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Captain Nugra Taskforce Security Liaison Publicity Facilitator The Archivist '17 Simming Prize Laureate USS Gorkon, NCC-82293 V238008N10 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ & --------------------- Dr Talia Kaji Civilian Medical Doctor Romulan Vessel, Mhr'Vaat E239008TK0 ---------------------

I wanted to publicly thank the Veritas crew, our guest simmers, and other well-wishers throughout the fleet who helped to make the IC wedding between @Mei'konda and @Evan Delano so enjoyable. I know there are still a handful of scenes wrapping up (I have some tags I need to respond to myself), but I wanted to make sure to put this out there before Veritas gets too wrapped up in our next mission. There were a number of really fantastic sims that came out of the event, and I really enjoyed the chance to explore my character and these relationships in a different context, and to see other people able to do the same. Special thanks to @Tony (Mint) and @Saveron who came back from their respective LOAs to participate, as well as @Quinn Reynolds and @Rune Jolara who were able to sim with us, even though I'm sure they have plenty to keep them busy on the Gorkon and Blackwell. One final shout out to @Roshanara Rahman, who helped to facilitate all of this both in and out of character: you rock!

((Tasha’s Quarters, USS Gorkon)) ::Tasha grinned, picking up the miniscule nacelle. She could feel each and every bump and imperfection in the material. Her new, cybernetic fingers were much more sensitive than her flesh and blood ones. The technology had been pioneered by Doctor Noonian Soong, and introduced to the federation through Data.:: ::Soongs work in the cybernetic field had been one of Tasha's main sources of inspiration during the construction of her prosthetic. She had reviewed technical information regarding Data's arms and read papers written about him. She glanced across the room to where a picture of Data now hung on the wall, holding a proud place between her Claymore and a model ship.:: ::It was odd, Tasha wasn’t quite sure why she had replicated the photograph. As Tasha, and almost everybody knew, Data had been killed in 2379 aboard the Reman Scimitar. Yet Tasha felt that his legacy survived, most notably to her through the advances he had led in the field of cybernetics, and now through her left arm.:: ::Upon returning to her quarters after the surgery one of the first things she had done was replicate the photo and place it on the wall. She felt it was her way of honouring him, and thanking him for what he had, indirectly, done for her.:: ::She smiled and picked up a pair of small, delicate tweezers and a small brush. She used the tweezers to pick up the miniature nacelle and dipped the brush in a pot of glue. Working carefully Tasha attached the nacelle to the pylon then placed the finished model aside to dry. Once it was dry she would paint it, and then it would truly be finished.:: ::Tasha heard a quiet meow as Spark jumped onto her lap and rubbed up against her, demanding attention. She smiled and rubbed his head, hadn’t Data had a cat too?:: Ensign Tasha MacFarlane Engineering Officer USS Gorkon G239311TM0

OOC: While it might seem rather big headed of me to post a simm I had a direct hand in writing- I'm actually posting this because @Kali Nicholotti absolutely knocked it out the park here. An absolutely stunning piece of prose from her! -- (( USS Blackwell - Deck 1 - Captain’s Ready Room )) (( Time Index: 1000 Hours - 2 Days After the Holodeck )) ::Theo Whittaker had already had three coffees that morning and it was shaping up to a day where he would have three months. At least. On top of the minutiae that came with his new role as Blackwell’s Commanding Officer, he had to sign off several to new duty rosters while also continuing to learn all he could about the Par’tha Expanse and the volatile situation threatening to unravel on Arndall. But above all that day he had to deal with the fallout from Lieutenant Commander Cecil’s decision to retire from Starfleet for the second time.:: ::The Pelian had inferred that his wife would not be happy with his hastily reactivated commission at their first meeting. Apparently he had not anticipated the depths of her displeasure. According to Cecil, she had been so enraged that she had threatened to dissolve their marriage if he did not return. Not wishing to stand in between a man and his wife, Theo had been forced to accept the situation. He had informed Starfleet Command immediately and requested instructions on how to proceed. To their credit, they had acted quickly. Less than 24 hours later, new orders had been received.:: ::He drained the dregs of his coffee as he reread said orders for the second time. Certain that he understood them, he nodded to himself and settled back in his chair. Taking a deep breath in, he tapped the communicator afixed to his uniform.:: Whittaker: =/\= Lieutenant Commander Adyr, please report to my ready room. =/\= ::Theo had expected Starfleet Command to assign somebody from outside the Andaris Task Force to the role, given that there had been a recent influx of new blood, himself included. With that said, he could understand the logic behind the decision- another new face in such a senior position, might be difficult to accept for some. Although Adyr was still relatively new to the Task Force, she was at least known to a good number of the crew and she had served as a Command Advisor aboard the U.S.S. Apollo-A. Those facts coupled six lifetimes from being a joined Trill told Theo that the Lieutenant Commander was a good fit for the role.:: ::With Adyr summoned, he little to before she arrived. Eyeing the now empty mug, he considered getting himself another coffee but he reasoned that he wait awhile lest he jumped to transwarp. He downloaded Adyr’s new orders onto a PADD and sat in the quiet of his private sanctum. As the seconds passed by, he found himself listening to the omnipresent hum of Blackwell’s engines. His engineer’s hearing told him that something was not quite right- probably a slight misalignment of the Torque sensors. It was nothing to be concerned with as he knew that those sensors were often temperamental and he was confident that Ensign Avarin would see to it. Smiling to himself he closed his eyes, pleased that two years of command had not dulled his ability to pick up the various ‘tells’ of a starship.:: -- ((Adyr’s Quarters, USS Blackwell)) ::The depths of fatigue that had been brought on by the long holodeck adventure spanned more than just a few hours, but well into the next day, and beyond. Muscles protested slightly, especially those used to rapid fire the bow that had been in use throughout the program. She was fit, but she didn’t fire arrows at things often. Or at all in this lifetime.:: ::Sleep had only done so much. Now she sat at the table in what was the small kitchen area of her quarters, staring at the steam drifting upwards from the mug on the table. In that steam was a million memories, and the easiest way to disconnect. It was mesmerizing and it always seemed to take her to a place in the distant past.:: ((Flashback - 2370, USS Valor)) ::There wasn’t another location that could even come close to offering the view that the lounge did. A few years after taking command, Ric had put in a proposal and to his surprise, it had been accepted. It seemed that Command didn’t mind catering to proposals that would increase the wellness of the crew and their ability to sustain in deep space.:: ::And so, the grand lounge had been born. With massive windows that gave off the impression that one was standing out in the middle of space itself, and decor that only accented the feel, anyone could come and relax, connect with the universe, and simply be. He had spent many hours there, right next to the best friend he’d ever had.:: Reese: How many of them do you think we’ll visit. ::Ric considered the question as he sipped from the blue hued drink in front of him. There were billions of stars out there and they were still discovering and exploring them all. Would they ever get to see each one?:: Adyr (Alaryc): Us personally? ::The question was a valid one. The Adyr symbiont had survived through multiple lifetimes and many years. The fact that this could go on for quite some time would lead Ric to believe that perhaps one day, each of those stars would be known to Adyr.:: Reese: No. As an intelligent group of species I suppose. Adyr (Alaryc): Hmm. If we survive long enough, maybe all of them. ::Wishful, perhaps, especially for a starship captain. But that was how he chose to live his life. There was good in everything. Sometimes it just needed to be found.:: Reese: I guess. ::Ric only nodded and took yet another sip of his drink. Silence and contentment in that moment surrounded them and the stars seemed to brighten ever so slightly as if to offer hope for the future.:: ::Then his badge chirpped.:: ((End Flashback)) ::Cayden heard the badge and the ensuing command, acknowledging it and gulping down the rest of the now-lukewarm coffee in the mug. It seemed like today there would be no rest either, but she was used to that.:: ::Tugging at the bottom of her uniform jacket, she left her quarters and made her way to the Captain’s ready room.:: -- (( Ready Room )) ::Theo had drifted into idle thought long enough to be startled by the door chime that indicated that somebody wished to enter the ready room. He did not know how much time had elapsed but je knew it could not have been more than a few minutes, after all Blackwell was not a big ship. Shifting his chair, he straightened himself before speaking.:: Whittaker: Enter. ::In walked Cayden Adyr and at the sight of the black collar of her uniformed he smiled, knowing that very soon she would be swapping it for deep red. He got to his feet and picked the PADD up off the desk and held his hands behind his back. This was going to be a first for him. He had never had the privilege of telling an officer of a new assignment.:: ::As she entered, Cayden noted that he stood. It was kind of a strange thing, and one she certainly wasn’t used to, but this was a new CO and he undoubtedly had his own way of doing things.:: Adyr: Reporting as ordered, sir. ::She stood at attention until it was apparent that he wanted more than to just tell her something. This wasn’t the normal interaction she’d expected.:: Whittaker: Yes, yes. Thank you for coming so promptly, Commander. Would you care something to drink? Tea perhaps? ::Shaking her head, she declined, but thanked him.:: Adyr: No, thanks. I just finished my third coffee moments ago. ::She smiled at him, but it seemed like he was a bit distracted. This wasn’t the normal call to the ready room she’d expected, and apparently it wasn’t a social call either.:: Whittaker: As you are already aware, Commander Cecil has chosen to step down as Blackwell’s Executive Officer due to a family crisis. ::Theo had already informed the crew about the Pelian’s decision to step down the day before but had chosen to be as vague as he could with regards to the reasons out of respect for the man’s privacy.:: I have just received new orders from Starfleet Command in regards to his successor. ::He produced the PADD from behind his back and passed across to Adyr.:: Congratulations! ::he grinned at her.:: ::She looked at him quizzically and then took the padd from him to read the orders there. In plain language, it was all laid out. It appeared that she had been placed as the new first officer of the Blackwell. Involuntarily one of her eyebrows shot up.:: Adyr: I can’t say I expected this. ::Indeed she hadn’t. Years ago, when she had begrudgingly agreed to rejoin Starfleet at the bequest of an old friend of Alaryc’s, Cayden had been quite hesitant. Then they removed the block on the memories of the symbiont and it all came crashing back like giant waves on a tiny island. She’d come to terms with all of that, but she never in a million years thought that they’d put her back into a command role.:: ::Theo peered across the small cabin, searching for something that was not there. Quite naively, he had expected a more…. excited reaction. Who wouldn’t find themselves elated at the idea of becoming First Officer of a starship. Adyr’s grounded reaction served as a reminder in that moment that not everybody aspired to be a CO or an XO. Some never aspired to be placed in a position of command at all. And then it hit him- he himself had been one of those people. He had wanted to be an engineer, nothing more. He had wanted to regulate plasma flows, prevent holodecks breaking down and to repair faulty replicators. That dream seemed so long ago, like a lifetime. The realisation was as profound as it was unexpected.:: Whittaker: You seem… ::he struggled to find the right adjective to use for several moments.:: perturbed? Adyr: Starfleet and Adyr have quite the history. I’m not sure what you have and have not read, but I never saw this coming. ::Or did she? It would have been a waste of talent to never tap her for command again, wouldn’t it have been? Her eyes narrowed and she wondered if her old friend knew. Perhaps later she’d send him a message.:: Whittaker: I’m aware that one of your previous hosts was a Starfleet CO and that, presumably, you have his memories of that life. ::beat:: I also know that you were Starfleet Command’s first choice for this role. ::he smiled:: Cayden- if I may call you that- I may not know you very well at this point but Starfleet Command clearly believes in you and I believe in them. So in a roundabout way, I believe in you. Adyr: Of course I am not planning on arguing orders, I just hope that this host can live up to what they are expecting. ::Cayden was not Alaryc. Did Command know that…?:: Whittaker: ::he stepped from around the table.:: I’m going to let you in on a little secret, I said something very similar to Captain Taybrim when he asked me to serve as StarBase 118’s XO. I’m not a joined Trill and I only have one lifetime- but I have some idea of what you must be feeling. I was an engineer before I ever put on a red collar, and I had never aspired to be a leader- but here I am three years later in command of a medical vessel. ::he smiled again, pointing to her black collar.:: You’ll need to change your uniform. I can step out while you replicate yourself a new undershirt if you like? ::What choice did she have? Cayden thought back to Ric’s old friend Jack, who she felt originally got her into this mess. Back then she was only to be a civilian advisor, and now here she was, on the command track in a modern Starfleet. It was strange where life took you. For a long moment she thought back to the moments she’d spent with Liam Frost, and how their connection eventually sealed this deal.:: Adyr: I guess now is as good a time as any. ::She wasn’t defeated, or upset, just slightly surprised. Perhaps that took away the reaction that Ric had given when he’d moved up to XO. That day stood out in her mind and for a moment she wondered if she were doing herself and her captain a disservice by not being quite so excited.:: ::He nodded.:: Whittaker: Well, I will be on the bridge whenever you are ready. Take a moment, if you need it and then we’ll announce your appointment to the Blackwell- ::he smiled again at her as he moved towards the door leading to the cramped command centre.:: - Number One. ::Cayden offered him a smile, both reassuring in nature and grateful. She was well aware that there were others who would kill for the opportunity, and to that end, she had shoes that required filling.:: Adyr: Sure thing. ::Interwoven lifetimes and the paths taken on each had led her here, to this moment. From the songs of the Typhon Expanse, to the ‘Retreat’ that she’d built on Ops. Each and every step gave her the knowledge and experience that she had now. As she pulled on the uniform of red and gave her appearance some extra color, she found herself staring into the mirror.:: ::There, in the image, was the eyes of so many - Alaryc, Eliza, Rodan, Jazra, and even Norah. Her face may have been young, but her eyes showed just how old she was.:: -- (( Bridge )) ::As Theo walked the short distance to his chair in the centre of the bridge, he heard the familiar voice of his personal yeoman, Lieutenant Haneer, calling out.:: Haneer: Captain on the bridge! ::As he took the chair, he shot the Angosian a waspish expression. He did not feel comfortable with such formality yet and he had never served aboard a vessel where the crew were required to do that. He had no idea whether Captain Zaekia had expected the Blackwell crew to do that- but now that the vessel was under his command, he was content not to indulge in that ancient naval tradition.:: Whittaker: As you were. ::he glanced over his shoulder and looked at Haneer, dropping his voice to a whisper.:: Don’t ever do that again. ::His order was undercut with a smile.:: ::Having dispensed with that moment, Theo looked down at the left arm of his command chair- a small panel was built into it that allowed the CO to access various ship’s systems such as the navigational array, tactical overrides and, mostly importantly in that moment- the vessel’s internal communications system. He tapped in his command code and opened a ship wide transmission. A boatswain’s whistle sounded.:: ::Cayden walked out onto the bridge as the whistle sounded. Taking up a position next to the Captain, she stood in silence as he spoke.:: Whittaker: This is your Captain speaking. ::he considered asking for their attention, but decided against it- feeling that the whistle had already garnered that.:: As I announced yesterday, Lieutenant Commander Cecil stepped down yesterday as Blackwell’s Executive Officer. I have been in communication with Starfleet Command who have now transmitted new orders. Effective immediately the post of Executive Officer is to be filled by Lieutenant Commander Cayden Adyr. ::Short. Sweet. To the point. There was no turning back now and Cayden knew that. It seemed like she was in it for the long run this time.:: Adyr: Sir. ::Nodding her head in acknowledgement she looked out into the tiny area they called a bridge and for once longed for the Valor again. It was a strange feeling, and one she’d never share, but it represented a turning point for her. She’d given up the fight and would do only her best for this new crew, and Captain.:: ::It was the dawning of a new day, a day where she was more than just a footnote in history from a prior life. No, this time she’d be the one making history.:: ::And she still wasn’t quite sure how that would go…:: OOC: Feel free to simm your reactions from the bridge- or anywhere else on the ship for that matter! -- Commander Theo Whittaker Commanding Officer USS Blackwell NCC 58999 Andaris Task Force C239203TW0 & Commander Cayden Adyr Executive Officer USS Blackwell Andaris Task Force R238605KN0

Hi, I just want to let everyone know how much I'm enjoying the training program at the academy. I'm falling in love with my character already and i'm really looking forward to joining a crew soon 🖖

“Safely docked at Starbase 118, Sir.” I said in as calm a tone as I could muster trying to speak through the excitement building up within me. Captain Rogers stood up from his chair, walked over to the helm and placed his hand on Jorey's shoulder. “Well done, Cadet. I have no doubt you will make a fine officer.” The Captain sounded like a proud father. In fact, I could sense similar emotions from most of the bridge crew. They had been like a family to me for the past few years. The captain kept his hand on my shoulder as I stood up from the helm and took me into the kind of embrace a loving father reserves for momentous occasions. In a less celebratory tone the Captain told me that my parents would be incredibly proud of me on this day. “Thank you sir. I know that you have the most sincere gratitude from my parents and the ancestors who watch over me .” It did feel as though I could feel my grandfather smiling down upon me. I stepped back from the captain, tugged on my uniform, offered a childish grin and asked for permission to enter Starbase 118. The Captain nodded in agreement. “Permission to escort the cadet to off the ship, sir.” The deep Klingon's voice was my most favoured melody. I could feel him struggling with mixed emotions. The Captain granted Koroth's request. I met him in the turbolift, stood to his left and he ordered it to move. I could feel as though he had something he wanted to say, but was holding back. I let my hand brush up against his at our sides and whispered in his mind that he didn't need to hold anything back. He took my hand into his and we opened our minds to each other. Every time we did, it felt like it was the first time, as though we were rediscovering each other's soul and how to communicate without words. Koroth's mind opened up to me and I felt a rush of memories, thoughts and feelings. It took me a few moments to calm the seas enough for me tread water. We reminisced about some of our favourite times together: our first meeting aboard the Helios as small children, sparring, first kiss, the Bat'leth competition on Forcas III, the friendship, the romance, and the intimacy. We wondered if we would ever find this kind of closeness with anyone else. It was all so beautiful, tender, and moving. “Some warrior!” I said giving Koroth a playful punch to the shoulder trying to bring needed relief to the intensifying situation. I felt the waters slowly begin to recede and sense of peace within both of us. Koroth laughed, only the way a Klingon does when he's genuine. The turbolift doors opened to reveal a hallway leading to the Starbase. The moment suddenly felt more real. The realization of being separated from each other again, this time indefinitely, took hold. Koroth took Jorey's hand and they walked together, very slowly, to the ship's exit. “Well this is it.” he said. I could feel his resistance to let go of my hand. I leaned in and kissed him on his forehead sweetly. “Don't worry, Imzadi, we'll see each other again.” I said trying to reassure and comfort him. He released my hand and I turned and stepped onto Starbase 118. It felt wrong to leave things end so seriously. So just before turning the corner out of his view, I stopped and turned to face him. I gave him a devious smirk and said, “You can serve aboard my ship when they make me Captian.” I could sense his Klingon temper beginning to emerge, but was quickly calmed by laughter. I turned the corner and made my way to the holodeck to report to Lt. Cmdr. Firestarter for my final exam.