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Lt. Cmdr. Katy Orman

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Everything posted by Lt. Cmdr. Katy Orman

  1. ((USS Excalibur-A, Main Engineering)) :: Murphy was not her friend. Neither was irony. Apparently, this was manifesting as a lot of things going wrong, all of which was definitely forcing engineering to work like mad. It made it worse that she had to keep in the corner of her mind whether one of the engineers was causing any of the problems. The only blessing so far was she'd not found anyone responsible. Oh, and that the ship was still semi-functioning and in one piece.. there was that too. While she waited for a response from the bridge, hoping that Livingston or someone up there still remembered some base level diagnostic coding, she tried to trace back the blocks on internal sensors and communications. It was like the computer was auto-acknowledging everything. So messages were being sent, but prior to receipt the acknowledge code would go out. So, as far as the computer was concerned, things were working normally. The ship rocked from a hit, leaving her if anything more frustrated. :: L.Walker: Phillips! Get more power to the forward shields! Not sure what's hitting us, but it's doing it often enough. Phillips: On it... Chief! :: She rolled her eyes briefly at the response. She was still being "hazed" by the other engineers about being put in charge. Something that she was sure every engineer went through at some point. Looking back at the panel, she saw that someone up there still liked her... well as long as "up there" counted as the bridge. :: >> MAIN ENGINEERING I: DIAGONOSTIC ERROR. MESSAGE UNDERSTOOD. SHUT DOWN ALL HOLODECKS AND TRACE ACCESS REQUESTS. :: She nodded to herself, bringing up the power flows to verify that her command had been completed... only to see that there was a secondary flow to the holodeck that had kicked on when she'd shutoff primary power. :: L.Walker: :: softly to herself:: Why you little... :: In response to her remarks, her opponent decided to blow stuff up. Which included the power to her station and from yells around her, to others as well. She cursed again, mostly to herself before raising her voice. :: L.Walker: Ok, people... Get to damage control or the engineering labs. Move! :: Thankfully engineering had a number of separately powered areas, specifically designed that if there were power failures they could continue repairing. She moved to the engineering holodeck as a slow smile crept onto her face. Likely the person had given engineering commands, changed the settings on something... then erased the commands. Which meant her logging program would capture it as differences to the logs. Unless, of course, that person had read all of her commands and countered it. :: ((USS Excalibur - A, Engineering holosuite)) :: Luna hadn't used this yet, but with her other options out... she brought up the suite, tying it to what information she could pull from engineering systems. She brought up several screens, one of which compared the commands given to the log that she'd pulled separately. Around her she brought up the ship as a three dimensional map. Immediately she could see blacked out areas between decks 13 and 14, as well as between 15 and 16. Whoever had done it had taken out both the primary and auxillary power to engineering and the Intel area. But she could already see that whoever it was had already left the holodeck. The door lock had been removed. The problem was, she couldn't send messages to the bridge anymore. Her consoles were dead, and the interface used higher functions that wouldn't allow the diagnostic messages. Not without shutting it down.. What she needed was a computer system that wasn't directly tied to the main computer. Which of course there were a ton just lying around. Suddenly she started chuckling... then laughing out loud. Just a couple decks above her.. there were in fact tons of computers just lying around. She just needed to get to the hangar. She heard a chime behind her and turned to look through the results. Her face fell, her jaw dropping as she read the logs. That whoever had done it was an expert was obvious, and had Luna not already been logging any changes to compare... she wasn't sure that she'd be any farther for finding out what she had. Her expected moment of triumph turned to ashes in her mouth. If she was right, she needed to tell Commander Livingston. And everything fit, so she was fairly sure. But... she wasn't sure that announcing it was going to help anything either. If Katy had actually done this... then there was no way to know how security would react. Would they support Katy, who would likely claim that Luna was the traitor? And worse, what if she WAS wrong? Accusing Katy would only make matters worse. Though doing nothing would leave her able to wreck (literally) more havoc. This of course presumed she'd have a way to send that message, without revealing more than she should. Somehow Katy appeared to be able to access the computer at the root level. Higher than the Captain technically, and worse she obviously had the skills and knowledge to work around any obvious roadblocks Luna knew how to put up. She forced herself to stop and take a breath. Moaning about what she couldn't do wouldn't help. She just had to think like a thief. If Katy controlled the place, she couldn't be overt, but she could work around her. She created a platform and tried sending a signal to one of the shuttles, and was gratified by a response. Then she setup a firewall around the shuttle, no one else could access it but her for now, any other signal would receive that the system was offline. She then reconfigured the communication protocols to send to specific locations on the ship using the transmitters and receivers there for those without badges. Since she was using the base locations, it would act as an old time switchboard. She could connect people together or at least locations. :: L.Walker: =/\= Lt. Walker to Bridge. Over.=/\= :: The sound and quality was terrible, but something that could at least be understood :: Silveira: =^= Sil here, we are listening, what happened? =^= L.Walker: =/\= Our friend took out power to the engineering stations as well as Intelligence suite. We are using the damage control stations, but more limited. On the plus side, I'm using a computer not attached to the ship to partially restore communications. =/\= :: The obscure reference wouldn't take too long for anyone to determine, though at least she would avoid immediately announcing her method to any potential plotters. :: Livingston: =/\= The sooner we get a system back, the better. Do you have any news on who was behind the sabotage? =/\= :: She swallowed, not wanting to share the news she'd discovered. :: L.Walker: =/\= Whoever it is, they appear to have the same access as the Captain, possilbly more. And they are very skilled, they were able to reroute my power commands on the fly, delaying them long enough to shoot back. =/\= Livingston: =/\= Whoever it is, have you locked them out? =/\= :: She shook inside, the thought reminding her far too much of what she'd been through before being rescued. Especially if it was Katy, one of the few people on the ship she still knew. Game or no, it was a shock. :: L.Walker: =/\= Hard to say. I have a name that's called out, but it could easily be another false lead. Especially with the access they have. =/\= :: She couldn't make herself believe she was wrong. Too much made sense for it not to be her. :: =/\= The logs I generated show that the updates were made by Commander Orman. System traces were immediately erased and electronically muddied. =/\= Livingston: =/\= We’ll deal with her. Thank you, Mister Walker. Please continue repairs. =/\=
  2. ((Folds' Quarters, Starbase 118 Habitat Ring)) ::He had only seen his new home on a map of the station's layout, and a generic picture of an empty, apartment-style quarters he had pulled up, quickly, in one of his few free moments between receiving his assignment and checking in. When the doors opened, they revealed a stark, empty, grey room -- not entirely unlike what any other small, one-person apartment might look like in between residents.:: ::Folds stepped inside and poked his head around. His duffel bag and trunk had already been delivered here, and sat next to a small table in the middle of the living area. Turning to his right, he found a doorway and a small bedroom. He slung the duffel over his shoulder, took three steps, and dropped it at the foot of the bed. The mattress was even a little softer than he had expected (or that he was used to from the Academy). But the pillows... He felt one, then lined the two provided up and punched them lightly. He would need to find better pillows.:: Folds: ::with a sigh that turns into a yawn:: Home sweet home... ::He sat on the bed and, keeping both feet on the floor, leaned back and closed his eyes. He didn't want to take a nap, or go to sleep, not just yet. He only wanted a moment or two of rest...:: ::The medical rounds had been fairly uneventful; MacLaren had been right that many of the patients would probably be ready to be discharged in the morning. Still... he should review what had happened before coming in. And Captain Dubeau's files, if he had access to them. Would he have access to the records of patients he wasn't assigned to? This must have been covered in the Academy, but he was too tired right now to remember.:: Folds: ::eyes still closed:: In the morning, Folds. You can take a little time off, get acclimated. :: 'You can take a little time off.' He remembered his sister telling him that, many years before. It wasn't long after she had left the Academy -- so he couldn't have been more than twelve.:: ((Flashback -- Folds Household, Savannah, Georgia -- 2374)) ::Anscom was sitting in his bedroom -- it had been his since Fiona had moved out to go to the Academy and Cyril had been allowed to take over her old room -- poring over work at his desk, the only piece of furniture other than a twin bed and a dresser. Fiona, eight years older than he, had come in to check on him. And offer to take him on a walk, to get ice cream, a soda, anything.:: Folds (age 12): ::excitedly and hurriedly:: Well, you see, I've got to finish my homework, and then finish these extra assignments Mum and Dad have me doing, and then Mum wants me to help review some of the data that she's brought in -- it'll be really exciting, she's finally letting me help her! -- and *then* once I'm done with all that, I get some time to myself to read, or maybe to get ahead on tomorrow's work. Mum and Dad say it's best to stay a day or two ahead of your teachers, if you can. Fiona: ::smiling lightly:: You know, Ani, you can take a little time off sometimes. Folds: Don't call me that. Fiona: Sorry. ::She left him to his work then, lowering a hand to rumple his hair in apology for the nickname before leaving.:: ::Later that evening, the entire family was together around the dinner table for the first time in over a year: Anscom, Fiona, the middle sibling, Cyril, and their parents, Rolan and Stella. In the background, however, voices from the news station Fiona had left on were filtering into their table talk. Dominion forces on Betazed ... Planetary defenses failing ... Casualty reports ... Ships missing or destroyed ... Federation and Starfleet insist on the security of Earth and Sector 001...:: Rolan: Will you turn that off? Fiona: No. They ought to know what's going on. And I *need* to know. You should want to, also. ::Some earlier tension Anscom hadn't noticed boiled over the moment Fiona turned to their father and addressed him directly.:: Rolan: You care so much but you can't bother not to flunk out in near-record time! Fiona: Record time isn't three semesters. It's the guys who pee their pants when the upperclassmen come around to "welcome" with Academy "traditions." ::pauses, looking at her food and then at both of her parents:: And it's not for lack of trying. I tried. You'd know that if you listened to anything other than your own failed aspirations. Stella: Fiona! Rolan: You'll not talk like that at this table. Fiona: I just believe in letting Cyr and Ani ::she winked at Anscom here, he thought:: know the truth: I just wasn't good enough. Like you just weren't good enough. And there's nothing shameful in that. It's not like I was doing anything worthwhile, sitting around in a classroom by the Bay with a stack of textbooks and simulations while Betazed's in flames and the NOOSE -- KEEPS -- TIGHTENING! ::Her face had turned, quite suddenly, red as her voice rose and she banged the table with a fist to punctuate each of the last three words. The rest of the table was silent and looked at her; she had risen halfway out of her seat and no one knew whether she was going to return to it or leave it. Even Fiona, taking a deep breath and pushing hair out of her face, seemed surprised to find she was no longer sitting down.:: Fiona: I'm going to actually go do something now. ::looking at her father:: And if actually cared about making a difference, like you say in all your speeches, you'd get up and go do something, too. Rolan: ::gruffly:: If they didn't want my help twenty-five years ago they wouldn't want me now. ::But Fiona was already on her way out of the dining room. As she passed by Anscom's chair, she reached over and pinched his back. He flinched, instinctively, then turned to look after her, but she was almost gone. They didn't hear from her for almost six months -- had no idea where she was or what she had done. A message came in one day letting them know that she was serving aboard a freighter, that they were in between runs and far enough from combat zones that she was allowed to send subspace messages home again.::
  3. OMG this is exciting! So many strong sims!
  4. ((Celes II, Ruin of Abandoned Machinery Storage Warehouse)) ::Consciousness came slowly, and with some reluctance. She swam in and out of it without being sure she was doing so. The sensation of the biobed, the odd tingling in her extremities, snatches of speech--these were all she caught of the waking world before drifting under again. Small wonder, perhaps, that she felt no urgency to surface.:: ::Eventually, though, her mind moored itself more firmly to the docks of consciousness. She took in the sensations, and after a few blurry moments of reaching for the memory trail to connect them to, she placed herself.:: oO Biobed. Yeah. I was injured... oh wow, by the Thousand Gods, I was injured a *lot*, wasn't I? ...I was really in the zone in there. How the cruk did I get to that state? ...He still beat me, though. I was as good as I've ever imagined being, and he still beat me. Oo ::She ran through the bout in her mind, several times, going over it analytically. She hadn't exactly been doing a lot of thinking at the time; now, she caught up on that.:: oO Sakkath, you clever, clever [...]. Barely had to fight, didn't you? Just hid until the right moment, then sprang your trap. Bet it was you who led Hard Hat Guy my way... still. Well played. Oo ::Opening her eyes was a bit painful, but she took her time at it, and eventually she was squinting steadily up at the dim overhead lighting. She risked a glance about, and was pleased to find her head did not throb or fall off. She gingerly tested out moving her various extremities, and found that both hands were immobilised by her sides, and both legs as well. She couldn't feel her legs, so she figured some sort of nerve block going on there, but her hands felt fine.:: ::She lifted her head a bit to get a better look. She was in a smallish alcove, made with the same prefab room dividers that had delineated her 'bedroom' before. Low tables lined the walls, many of them full of medical equipment. To one side there was a single chair.:: ::In that chair sat Sakkath.:: ::Katy blinked several times, as though reassuring herself that she wasn't seeing things. The Vulcan continued to not be an artifact of her recently-conscious brain, however. As she stared, a decidedly moronic look on her face, he stood and gracefully walked to her bedside.:: Sakkath: Hello, Katherine. Your vital signs are good. Some of your bone injuries have yet to heal fully, but according to the doctors they will heal perfectly. ::Katy's mind was full of several ideas, each competing to befuddle her the most. Would it be the fact he'd been sitting by her bed? That he'd addressed her by name? Or that he appeared to be concerned with her health?:: Orman: ...buh? oO Well, that was smooth. Oo Sakkath: I am here to congratulate you. ::All the previous competitors surrendered to the strength of the new challenger.:: Orman: ...Guh? oO Oh, yeah. Nice save, there, Katy. Oo ::The Vulcan glanced over at a readout for several seconds, then looked back.:: Sakkath: Your speech seems impeded, yet your neurological readings appear normal. Are you experiencing psychosomatic distress? ::She blinked some more, attempting to herd her thoughts into some semblance of verbiage.:: ::He appeared to reach a decision.:: Sakkath: I will summon a doctor. ::He turned to walk out.:: Orman: Gah... uh. No! ::He stopped where he was, turned his head back to regard her.:: Orman: I, umm, can speak. I... I just wasn't sure how to respond. ::He turned back towards her. He appeared to consider the idea for a moment, then nodded.:: Sakkath: Understandable. You have been unconscious for some hours, and my behaviour is no doubt puzzling given your point of view. ::She thought that over for a moment.:: Orman: Yeah. ::It seemed a safe response.:: Sakkath: Very well, I will elucidate. You have-- ::She held up her hand--or, tried to before remembering she couldn't move them.:: Orman: Stop. Umm. I think this may be easier if I ask questions. How long have you been sitting there? Sakkath: Discounting breaks for biological necessities, approximately nine and a quarter hours. ::She blinked, again. Twice.:: oO Somehow the dispassionate voice just makes it all the more surreal. OO ::But in the interest of keeping a handle on the conversation, she pushed past that and continued her questions.:: Orman: OK. You've been waiting here for me to wake up. Why? Sakkath: I was curious. And I wished to congratulate you. ::he paused for a moment:: And there was very little else to do. ::She narrowed her eyes:: Orman: Did... did you just make a joke, Sakkath? ::He raised an eyebrow:: Orman: ...Alright, never mind. What's this about congratulations? Sakkath: ::tilting his head to one side:: Congratulations are appropriate for a victory, are they not? ::Katy spoke slowly; this conversation was already going too fast for her liking, so slowing any part of it down was a comfort.:: Orman: Umm. Now you *have* to be making a joke. I know I've been knocked on the head a bit, but I'm pretty sure I remember *you* winning, back there. I present your general lack of bruising juxtaposed with my being unable to move my legs as my first piece of evidence. ::He nodded. His motions, she noticed, always seemed very bold, even dramatic. She assumed it was because he was so still most of the time; very few unnecessary movements.:: Sakkath: I won the game. ::She felt like there was a trace of contempt in his voice on that last word, but she was probably imagining it.:: Sakkath: However, I made a mistake. I wrongly thought that the best attitude would be to focus on winning. As such, I won with tactics, but I won no fights. You, on the other hand, won all of your fights. You surrendered because you recognised that your situation made further action pointless. And you also made the greatest impression. I am told that holograms of your fighting are already selling for very large sums. Orman: ::wryly:: The leotard they put us in might have something to do with that. ::He continued as though she had not spoken.:: Sakkath: As such, it seemed only reasonable to abdicate my position in favour of you. Orman: ....guh? ::That eyebrow again.:: Sakkath: I refused the honour. It belonged to you, so now it is yours. I believe the organisers are enthusiastic about this. Since no one has ever done it before, it will add to both of our reputations. I chose poorly, and fought no one. I gained nothing. ::pausing:: except... Orman: ...umm. Except? Sakkath: I saw you take a leap in ability far in excess of what I thought to be possible. ::Then the Vulcan did something that threw Katy more than the rest of the conversation combined. He smiled.:: Sakkath: I look forward to learning how you did that. ::quick as a flash, the smile was gone as though it had never been:: Now I must go prepare for my flight. Goodbye, Katherine. ::He walked off without waiting for a response, leaving her lying there completely confounded.:: Orman: ::quietly:: Bye... I... if I figure it out myself, I'll let you know... ::She resolved to go back to sleep for a bit. The waking world was just too much to handle, right now.:: TBC Lieutenant Commander Katy Orman Chief of Security Starbase 118 On Leave And Very Overwhelmed
  5. ((Celes II, Ruin of Abandoned Machinery Storage Warehouse)) ::The final bout of The Clashing was about to start; the bout in which, unlike in previous fights, all four finalists were placed in together to fight it out:: ::The fight was to take place in a large chamber, around fifty metres to a side. Unlike the rest of the warehouse, this area had not been cleared of machinery. Instead, equipment and junk from other areas had been moved in to further clutter it up. There were therefore various terrains created; piles of wreckage, clear aisles between large machines, random obstacle courses of assorted pieces and parts. There were enough large items around that the fighters couldn't generally see each other until they were close, and each competitor was let in through a different door, one on each wall.:: ::When Katy's door opened she stepped through immediately and was faced with a wall made from a large overturned conveyor of some sort. She did not stop to take stock but immediately turned to her left and continued moving.:: ::She was on the lookout for a good, defensible position. Despite being somehow completely ready for this--indeed, she was more fully embodying the principles of Shiji more than she could recall having ever done--there were still ways that she knew she could be overcome. One of those, the most likely, was being taken by surprise by a fight with two of the others at once. The best way to avoid that was to pick appropriate terrain.:: ::It is worth noting that she wasn't really *thinking* these things, or leastways not in the way one might normally conceptualise thought. She was conscious of them, and acting appropriately. This is not to say that she had no thoughts of the normal sort going on; she was cognising the occasional note or narrative. It simply wasn't where her attention was. But nonetheless the thoughts occurred.:: oO Concept is not truth. It can only model it. Therefore, focus on truth, not concept. Oo ::She rounded a corner into a more open area. Less than a second later, Sakath came into view, moving extremely fast. He spotted her and made for her, leaping over obstacles as needed.:: ::Without any reaction time between, Katy was moving into the most appropriate position to respond, a small platform that allowed her the greatest advantage when meeting the attack along the path he was clearly intending to launch it from.:: ::He stopped in his course having crossed just over half the distance. Despite the inhuman speed at which he'd been moving, he showed no signs of exertion. He tilted his head in curious inquiry, then shifted his weight to change to a different line of attack.:: ::She shifted in response at the same time.:: ::Sakath raised an eyebrow, nodded, and with a graceful pivot he dashed off on a different path.:: oO What we call separation is merely a form of distinction. Distinction does not divide reality, it only divides concept. Oo ::She took in the area around her, determined it was favourable enough to use. A large metal bar caught her attention; the arm of some sort of digging machinery. She squatted down next to it, got a grip, and lifted. Then she heaved it into a new position, lying flat just next to a pile of twisted metal plates. The noise, like a clamorous giant bell, rang through the chamber, reverberating from the walls and ceiling, and putting a ringing into her ears. She stepped back to wait.:: ::Just moments later, a man came into view, his bright green eyes locking onto her position quickly. Like his eyes, his long, braided hair was bright green. His ears were pointed, but he wasn't any sort of vulcanoid she recognised. He wasn't showing any particular speed, but he was distinguished by an extremely controlled grace. He made his way towards her cautiously.:: ::When he reached the pile of twisted metal he leaped over it--only to come down with his foot partially on the bar she'd tossed. It was only a moment's worth of catching himself from falling, but she'd already started moving when he was in the air, and she was there to aid his fall and direct it onto her upraised knee.:: oO It is important to understand what is context and what is content. Now is not a part of the context of time. Time is a part of the context of now. Oo ::She heard and felt ribs cracking on her knee, and let him roll off of her leg and onto the metal floor, struggling to draw breath; whatever species he was had a celiac plexus. He also had a carotid artery, which she reached down and put pressure on. After a few seconds, there was a noise and he was enveloped by the shimmer of a transporter field, taken away to an intensive care biobed in another part of the building.:: ::Two left.:: ::Katy had dispatched one opponent by arranging to make him ungrounded and vulnerable, then taking advantage of that situation. But two opponents were left to fight, one of whom she'd not taken the measure of.:: ::She stepped back again towards the row of what looked like long-outdated computer banks, moved to settle in against an unidentified piece of equipment--maybe a storage cabinet at one time, it was hard to tell--where she could view most of the potential field of attack, but was concealed from a large part of it. She took position and waited.:: ::Nearly ten minutes passed with no movement. Probably one or both of the others were also laying in wait somewhere. It didn't matter.:: oO Emotion, be it joy, fear, anger, love, frustration, impatience, or any other, is an activity, an attempt at self-manipulation, nothing more. See it for what it is and cease the activity, and the emotion is gone. Oo ::Soon after, she began to hear the occasional noise. The noises were indistinct, hushed, and probably relatively close, though it was difficult to be sure in the acoustics of this place. The likelihood that they were coming from her quarter of the room was high, however.:: ::Yet no one emerged. The noises, which had never become distinct enough to be identifiable, ceased, and nothing occurred.:: ::Another fifteen minutes passed. She heard more noises. This time, someone entered her vision.:: ::He was Terran, or one of the races that was outwardly difficult to distinguish from Terran. Short, full of nervous energy, and with a day or so worth of beard growth, wearing a hard hat and a stained workman's jacket with bulging pockets. They had all been sent in wearing identical outfits, so he'd probably picked those up somewhere on the battlefield.:: ::He gave the area a quick once-over, but she was blocked from his view by the probably-a-cabinet. As she watched through the small gap between cabinet and wall, he stopped, frowned, and looked the place over again. The actions of someone who expected their prey to be there. He had either narrowed the possibilities down to here, which seemed unlikely--he would have been found by Sakkath at some point during his search, and this man showed no signs of recent battle--or he'd been directed here to find her. In either case, hiding would not help her.:: ::She stepped out of concealment, and was noticed very quickly. So quickly that the average observer would have called the snapping of his gaze towards her, and the resultant reaching into the bulky pockets of the jacket and hurling a series of several small objects at her head, instantaneous.:: ::She was already moving, stepping out of the way of all of the projectiles. It didn't look like dodging, because there was no reaction involved; it looked more like she was doing an intricate dance that just happened to take her out of the flight paths, moving closer to him.:: oO If one is at the effect of other, one is not truly experiencing other. If one is experiencing other, one is not at the effect of it, and one is therefore free to act appropriately. Oo ::He was closing the distance as well, and when they were within eight metres, the projectiles he was throwing now came from another pocket. Now he thew handfulls of 2cm ball bearings, and she was unable to continue moving forward. In order to dodge all of the metal spheres, which the man was throwing with a force that could do terrible damage, she had to change her direction, ducking and rolling away, back towards the wall of tall computer consoles. It was not quite possible to dodge them all, and she was hit in a few places, gaining some tissue damage and at least one broken finger in the process.:: ::Nearing the wall, she dove and rolled behind the same cabinet she'd been concealed behind before. It would not offer that protection any longer, but it was still a useful resource. One of the doors was hanging off, only attached by part of one rusty hinge. She tore it off of the cabinet, cutting her right hand up badly in the process, then emerged with the door held in front of her. Another barrage of ball bearings hit, but she deflected them all effectively, gaining only dents to her makeshift shield and one crushed finger in the process.:: oO Pain does not exist. Sensation exists. Pain is a label, an attitude, an action. Accept the sensation and it cannot be pain. Oo ::The barrage no longer serving its purpose, it was ended. Instead, he leapt for her, deflecting the swung cabinet door with an upraised arm. At the same time, she got a strong sense that being in this spot was inappropriate, but moving away and avoiding her opponent's attacks at the same time was not possible in the immediate moment. She took the optimal available path, allowing his knee strike to connect and swinging him around behind her...:: ::So when the massive console came down, she was only caught up to her hips. The man she'd been fighting didn't fare quite so well; he was completely underneath the bulk, and not moving.:: ::Katy attempted to wiggle out. One of her legs was tangled up with her opponent's shoulder and arm. She couldn't feel it very well, which probably meant some nerve damage at the very least. And she was unable to extricate it.:: ::The antiquated computer console was, by her reckoning, too heavy for Sakkath to have pushed over. However, if he used a lever and fulcrum, it would be possible.:: ::The Vulcan in question stepped into view, his shadow falling over her. In his hands he held a thick metal bar perhaps a metre and a half in length. The lever.:: ::The metal bar whipped down towards her head.:: ::The speed it moved at was tremendous--and irrelevant. Timing and awareness were more important than speed, by far.:: oO Presence is that which naturally occurs when we stop doing the activities we do to cover it up. Oo ::The Vulcan's stance showed that he did not intend to crush her skull, only concuss her. That made all the difference as to the strike, and the response.:: ::At the last moment, she turned her head; not moving it out of the way, simply turning her profile towards the strike rather than facing it squarely. This made the difference of several inches, and the pulled strike barely clipped her, an inch or so above her temple. At the same time, she was moving her arm, relaxed, as fast as she was capable. She wasn't as fast as Sakkath, but at the right point, when his pulled strike was missing its target, he wasn't as fast either.:: ::She got ahold of the bar, and pulled in the most effective direction--but her hand was slick with blood, and her thumb was too damaged to apply the grip she needed. It was enough to pull the bar closer, but not enough to take it from the Vulcan's grasp. She used the opportunity to strike with her other hand at his gripping fingers, but at the last moment he twisted, and her fist struck iron instead. Sakkath used that moment to pull, trying to take the weapon from her weakened grasp.:: ::It would have worked, if not for two fortuitous (for Katy, anyway) circumstances. First, Sakkath's back foot came down on a ball bearing, causing him a moment of stumbling, which spoiled his pull more than a little. Second, the other fighter's brainwaves chose that moment to dip into full unconsciousness, and he was transported out, giving Katy the briefest moment of freedom. She used that moment to leap forward and twist, and successfully pulled the bar away from her opponent's grip. This further unbalanced him, and he fell.:: ::Sakkath was not the only falling object, though, and Katy was not able to get clear of the console in that brief time allotted; it came down on her lower legs and feet. She distinctly felt her right ankle snap; it had not been in the most favourable position. As a result, she was not able to follow up on her successful disarming with a strike before her opponent sprang back to his feet and up out of her reach.:: ::The two fighters made eye contact for several seconds. Katy saw his gaze flick briefly towards an area of the floor upon which lay several ball bearings.:: oO There is no such thing as a 'fight,' and there never was. Oo ::Katy dropped the bar onto the ground with a loud clang. Still holding the Vulcan's gaze, she flattened her less-injured hand, palm down, and tapped the floor twice.:: ::Moments later, she was transported away to an intensive-care biobed. Seconds afterwards, she passed out from the pain.:: Lieutenant Commander Katy Orman Chief of Security This is what she does with her free time
  6. Yay! regarding 2. Regarding 1, here's what I'm referring to. I did a single narrative in three parts, posted several days apart, each one picking up where the last one left off, labeled parts 1, 2, and 3. I like them enough to overcome my aversion to vanity and submit them, but they work better as a single sim rather than as 3 separate ones. Not to mention it would be weird to have them competing against each other. So what I'm asking is, is it alright to submit them as one?
  7. Is it alright to aggregate a sim before submission? I guess this is actually two questions: 1. Is it alright to submit a sim as a single entry, that was initially posted in several pieces (assuming they all were posted in the relevant timeframe?) and, 2. Is it alright to submit a sim that was posted with open tags, but filling in the tags with the responses that were posted in a different post?
  8. ((Kevin Breeman's Bedroom, Breeman Residence - Earth - Several Weeks After our Current Time on SB118)) ::Patri hugged her knees as she sat on the bed. Seated in the chair near Kevin's desk Jan watched her quietly as they discussed what had happened on what turned out to be Odyssey Station, located far outside of the Milky Way Galaxy.:: Patri: I don't know. I... Just didn't want to have to deal with them anymore. ::Jan nodded thoughtfully and smiled.:: Jan Breeman: That's understandable. I think you've had a very unique experience with computers. Computers aren't monsters. I'm sure you've been told that enough times. And I can understand why for you they are. ::Patri nodded.:: Patri: I was a real asset to a lot of people. I could feel what computers were doing, sense it when they were about to perform tasks. I could command them. But there was always so much noise. It was like constant screaming in my head. I couldn't recognize anyone any more. And that was why I found God. ::Jan nodded. A side effect of the slave tag had been a kind of prosopagnosia. Patri had effectively lost her biological parents.:: Jan Breeman: You saw religion as a way to calm your mind? Patri: Yeah.. In jail I'd practice it. There were less computers there. It was more peaceful. And I'd feel him there with me. Like Jesus Christ was someone I was friends with. He understood everything I was going through. It was like he had his own slave tag inside his brain. It jacked him into all the crap people had ever done. So God could obliterate it all just by killing him. ::Across the room Jan smiled slightly. It was understandable. The Christian narrative tended to emphasize the projection of all of human sin into the body of Jesus Christ. The crucifixion then became a kind of final purging.:: Patri: I learned to meditate. I even taught other inmates. I learned labyrinths inside the common prayer room. It was a holosuite devoted to running religious programs for inmates. We'd... Walk through the labyrinths together. It was like nothing else in the world mattered but you, the pattern on the floor, and God. Jan Breeman: I'm glad you did that. I wouldn't be surprised if you helped a lot of those people turn their lives around. Patri: I guess so. But then... This doctor named Emma finally figured out how to take out the slave tag. ::Jan nodded, remembering the lengthy correspondences she'd had with Emma Fengjian about the excision operation. The research that had led up to it had been revolutionary to say the least. And her follow through had been an astounding success.:: ::And yet, there had been something sinister in it all. As though in removing the device Emma had robbed Patri of a part of herself. She'd often brought that up. "Did I do the right thing?" she would ask sometimes during late night chats.:: ::Patri remembered what had turned out to be a kind of surgery.:: ((Flashback - Holodeck - Pamos Prison Colony)) Anger blossomed inside of her, a dagger sprouting in her hand. The throbbing beat harder, a rhythmic pounding driving her forward. She lunged at the creature, pressing her small by comparison form into the monster's midsection, and drove the knife into his stomach. There was a groaning sound from everywhere inside of him as she felt the dog's muzzle fall on top of her head. She smelled the stench of his wheezing breaths as the side of his opened mouth showered her hair with saliva and then blood. “Patri!” Emma, desperate and shocked. She grabbed at the dog and felt herself lifting him over her shoulder. This was instinct, a raw need that gnawed at her for satisfaction. “Patri I need you to talk to me. What are you feeling? I can't be sure this is working if--” How could Emma ever understand? Patri was doing what she'd wanted to do all her life. She was liberating herself finally, trekking into a new life. The ground in the forest in which they stood sloped gently upward, fog parting in front of them and obscuring their path behind. She could still see Emma in the corner of her eye, walking beside her, a pleading look in her eyes. Patri carried the limp Grendellai over her shoulder to... where? “Patri, I need you to talk to me. I'm here to help you.” She wasn't. She was just like all the others, singing a chorus of empty jargon to accompany the arc of Patri's life. Soon it was raining. As they reached the top of the hill Patri saw what she wanted. She set the dog down on the stony structure as a torrent of rain drenched his wound. She could see Emma staring at her, forlorn bewilderment pressed down by a soaked matt of hair, shaking her head in disbelief. Patri still held her knife. She wanted to cut at this dying Grendellai. She wanted to gouge its eyes out. She wanted to slice at its nose and draw blood from the vulnerable moist black skin. But something was wrong. There was a choked sound coming from his throat then a squeak and then a ruff and a bark. She couldn't believe it. The thing was a dog now. He was just a dog. ((Present)) ::At first she'd hated Emma for what she'd done. She'd wanted to kill herself after it, feeling as though she were just a husk and not a human any more. God had left her.:: Jan Breeman: ::Quietly she said,:: I know. Patri: So... When I saw that floor and those Binars told me what they thought it was, I just froze... What if I somehow wrecked it? Or caused it to do something that would damage the station? Jan Breeman: Because computers have always been trouble for you. ::Patri nodded.:: Jan Breeman: Patri... You must have been very scared. Patri: ::Quickly:: I was! Jan Breeman: And I want you to know that I'm very proud of you. Patri: Why? ::Jan got up from the chair she was sitting in and sat down on the bed beside Patri.:: Jan Breeman: Because you didn't want to do anything wrong. You would do anything to prevent yourself from doing something wrong. You're a good kid. And I want you to know that what Emma did to you back there... I know it hurt. I have known Doctor Emma Fengjian a very long time. And I know there isn't a day she doesn't think about how she hurt you. ::Patri burst into tears.:: Patri: What? Why?? Jan: Because, honey... She knew what it was she was taking from you when she extracted that slave tag. She knew you were too smart to let something bad in your life stay bad. You turned it into a part of who you were. And Emma took away that part. ((Flashback - Holodeck - Pamos Prison Colony)) The yellow grid was back, an empty room. Its lone occupant stood soaked in water that slowly faded as the emitters de-integrated the holographic substance from her body, until all that was left was Patri, staring out into a blank room, her real water still soaking her shirt, non-human elements gone. She stared at the flakes of dried mud scattered senselessly everywhere. Her mind, for the first time in her life, was an abyss that could never stare back. She slowly dropped to her knees and held out her hand wanting to clasp the god she'd conjured to get her through life. But the knocking at the door to her heart never came. She couldn't dream up peace beyond understanding or scandalous penetrations of her reality by an eternal divine other. Seated on the floor, dirt all around her, she held her head in her hands and wept. ((Present)) ::Jan calculated her next words, believing Patri would be mature enough to understand them.:: Jan Breeman: She wanted you to have your humanity back. ::Patri continued to cry softly as Jan wrapped her arms around her.:: Jan Breeman: And I think what you can learn from all of this is that people usually try to be good. Just like Emma did. Just like Kevin did. Just like you did. ::Patri wiped a tear from her cheak and said,:: Patri: Okay. Jan Breeman: You're a human being. You can start to trust yourself again. I know it'll be hard. But we're here for you. ::Later that night when Patri finally did fall asleep her dreams returned to being just scattered remnants of the days and weeks before, strung together with a logic all their own by the whims of her entirely human brain.:: Patri Jia Kom Former Computer Hacker as simmed by Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Breeman Chief Engineer Starbase 118
  9. Ahh, the joy of overlapping geekinesses. :)

  10. Aww, see, here I was hoping for drama! :)

  11. Yep, I was Nick's Squire. I'm very curious about the story of how you made that connection.

  12. ((USS Victory, Deck 9, Gymnasium)) ::Deck 9 was often called the 'security deck', due to its housing of the brig, the security office, and the quarters of nearly all the security personnel. As a result, it came complete with its own Gymnasium, but it wasn't a particularly large one. Katy was not the first head of Security to find the facilities inadequate; on her previous post, the Eagle, the entirety of Cargo Bay 3 had been converted into gym space. Katy had chosen a different solution; the adjoining men's lavatory had been removed and it's counterpart across the hall turned into a unisex lav. The extra space thus gained was enough to add some more equipment and a set of mats.:: ::It is to the opposite corner, however, that we now turn our attention, where Katy was busy with the heavy bag. Katy was not a regular at the heavy bag; her style of fighting emphasised effortless power over muscular strength. Still, she did use it from time to time for the workout or to work on technique. She had never, however, used it like this. A small, slightly intimidated crowd of off-duty security crew were inconspicuously gathered to watch as she pummeled the sand-filled bag with an ever-more-rapid series of vicious strikes. A series of jabs and crosses was followed by a backfist, an elbow jab, and then a succession of knee strikes as she grabbed onto the bag as though restraining it from escaping. After perhaps a few dozen such strikes she broke away and started knocking it about with front and side kicks. Her expression throughout all of this was completely dispassionate but completely focused, a nigh-perfect poker face despite the sweat running down her head and streaking her foundation. Her hair was likewise a mess, the hairsticks having come loose and fallen to the gym floor in the first fifteen seconds of her attack on the bag.:: ::The small crowd was growing larger as passers-by were drawn in. It had begun with a few people when Katy swept into the gym dressed for a social affair and, ignoring all greetings and questions completely, kicked off her shoes and went straight for the heavy bag. That had been nearly fifteen minutes ago and the spectators now numbered nearly a dozen.:: ::At this point the mask of emotionless broke. Her face twisted into a grimace, she let out a shout and jumped into a spinning roundhouse kick. The shout was less a kiai and more a scream of pain. It took the onlookers by surprise, which was nothing compared to what it did to the bag. It was a kick designed primarily for knocking riders off of horses, and was of very little use in actual combat, but it looked impressive and delivered tremendous force. The bag swung back more than 70 degrees. When it swung back, Katy met it with a shoulder block and another scream, then immediately followed up with a flurry of jabs fast enough to be a blur to the naked eye., her footwork keeping her at a steady distance from the now-wildly-swinging bag:: ::At this point, one of the crowd of onlookers took a few steps away from the others, a frown making his youthful features look positively droopy. He took a commbadge from the pocket of his sweats and spoke in a low voice.:: Davies: =/\= Davies to Leonard. Get Lance and get to the gym. =/\= ::After a moment there was a response, not hushed at all but it still went mostly unnoticed over the sounds of fists pounding bag.:: Leonard: =/\= I'm busy, Gil. =/\= ::Gil's voice got even quieter.:: Davies: =/\= It's Katy, Herc. =/\= ::Another moment passed.:: Leonard: =/\= Be there soon. =/\= ::Meanwhile, Katy's punches and kicks were slowing down and getting sloppier. Her breathing was no longer steady but punctuated by heaving gasps at random intervals. The screams were gone; instead, there was a sound, quiet but rising in volume. Gil's brain tried to assign a label to it and could only come up with 'keening'. It got louder and louder, and Katy was sinking to her knees now, still lashing out desperately at the bag as though it were some creature out of nightmare. Several in the crowd were pushing forward, but Gil outpaced them and held out his arms to indicate they should stay back. Turning, he approached cautiously, shoving his commbadge back into his pocket. He made sure he approached in her field of vision, watched her body language carefully... :: ~~~ ::Things were simpler in Katy's head. Everything was cold inside, frozen and motionless. Too cold. It hurt. She had to break it, melt it. Had to HIT things. She knew. That was the way. So she found something to hit, and she hit it and hit it and hit it and hit it and it started to burn, in her hands and in her muscles and her eyes and surely that would touch the cold, surely the melting would begin soon, and she hit and hit and hit and the rhythm was a song in her head, a song she knew but could not remember hearing, until finally--:: oO Water runs from the snow... Oo ::And she didn't know where that had come from but it fit and suddenly the ice was breaking, shattering, an explosion, and the heat flowed through and on her and the heat was fear and the heat was rage and was everything she didn't look at but was always aware of and she kept HITTING and it was good and it was terrible and everything hurt, the air in her lungs hurt and her legs were burning, traitorous legs, collapsing under the weight of it all, and then someone was there and he was holding her and she hit and hit and HIT but it wasn't working anymore, the heat was all just running down her weak, foolish legs and into the floor, leaving her empty...:: ~~~ ::She struck at him, weak but sharp blows at his chest, and he winced but held on, sitting and drawing her onto his lap. In his peripheral vision he saw that Herc had arrived, wearing what looked like a black velvet bathrobe, and was efficiently getting the crowd out of there. He didn't spare it a glance, trusting Herc to do his part well. The woman in his lap had stopped lashing out, but her body was tense and shaking. She started coughing violently, a dry tearing sound that made Gil wince a bit. He just held on, not making a sound. He noticed he was rocking gently back and forth, idly wondered when he'd started doing that. Herc approached them once everyone was gone, but said nothing, just giving it time.:: Orman: ::quietly, between coughs:: hurts. ::Gil just kept rocking her. After a minute Lance ran in, wearing his uniform of all things. When he saw Katy crumpled in Gil's arms on the floor he rushed across the gym with fire in his eyes.:: Parkin: What hap-- ::A raised hand and a look from Herc stopped him midword, and he too came to stand nearby, albeit with much more nervous energy evident.:: ::The coughing began to taper, and slowly the tension in the woman in his arms reduced, becoming something normal. A normal tension rather than the disturbing tightness that had filled her before as though she were made of skin bound around coiled rope. Somehow he felt that was his cue to stop rocking. It was oddly difficult to stop, a strange sort of inertia, but he did. Soon thereafter Katy began to speak. Her voice was very quiet, barely making it to his ears despite being so close.:: Orman: This is unlike the story it was written to be... ::Which to Gil's mind made no sense at all, but that was alright. She was talking.:: ~~~ ::There was warm, and cool, and soft and stable and soothing and uncomfortable, and it all fit in a way she couldn't piece together immediately. Slowly it began to resolve; not like the world fading in or coming into focus, but more like a painting that you are looking at so close that you can only see the chaotic mess of the brush strokes, but then you back up and see that they actually make sense and form a picture. She was on the floor, in someone's lap...:: oO ...Gil? Why? Oo ::She waited for brush strokes to become pictures. Slower than treacle, memory and understanding began to mesh. She tried to speak, said the first words she found in her head, but they didn't make sense, so she waited a bit longer. She looked around her, seeking out points of reference.:: Orman: I'm in the gym. Davies: Yes. Orman: Gil? Davies: That's me. Orman: I'm in your lap. ::She actually heard him smile.:: Davies: Yep. Orman: Lance and Herc are here, too. ::Lance spoke up, which Katy found irrationally startling.:: Parkin: Uh-huh. Orman: Gil? Davies: Still here. Orman: I freaked out, didn't I? Davies: ::after a moment:: Yes. You did. ::She rested her forehead on his shoulder for a moment, trying to piece things together.:: Orman: Kind of like a panic attack. I'm... not ready to talk about it. oO Or think about it, really. Oo Leonard: Don't have to. Parkin: But we're here. ::Katy smiled at that. Then her forehead wrinkled with concern as another part of her sensory experience was identified.:: Orman: Gil? Davies: Yeah. Orman: ::in a delicate tone:: Do you have a... ::She glanced up as her words trailed off. He was blushing a deep, deep red.:: Davies: Um. You've... you've been sweating a lot. Leonard: ::in a tone of embarrased sympathy:: Yeah... you really have. Orman: I should probably get out of your lap now. Davies: Yeah. Yeah, I think that's best. ::With some help from the three of them, she managed to get upright. They steadied her until she wasn't dizzy any longer.:: Parkin: ::decisively:: Come on. ::Katy looked at him in confusion:: Parkin: Well, we're not going to stand around in the gym all day. And I think you could use a professional listener. Orman: The counselor? I've never met him, but I figure he's probably on shore leave. Parkin: ::with a grin:: Ooh, counselor, good thought. But I was actually thinking something else...
  13. (( Ash MacKenna's FO Quarters, Deck two, USS Victory )) ::Ash didn't have many things to move into her new quarters, but what she did have, she wanted to get put away. The two small crates had been transported before she actually arrived, so when she walked into the room, they nearly tripped her. The doors had parted and opened to more room than she could possibly use. It would take some getting used to.:: ::Setting down the small duffle bag, the red head moved from the living area to the bedroom. There, she carefully sat her two 'guardians' on the top of the dresser. For a moment, she allowed herself to get lost in thought; the paths that had led to acquiring both of them had been paths she had never walked before. Now, with things changing so drastically, she was glad to have them. If nothing else, they made her feel as if she wasn't quite so alone.:: ::The door chime invaded her thoughts. Quickly running out to the main room again, she picked up the small bag and set it on one of the crates before kicking it out of the way.:: MacKenna: Come in. ::As the doors parted, she kicked the other crate towards the first before looking up. Inadvertently, her eyes met the darkness of his and she stopped, frozen for just that moment.:: Rais: It's just me. Come to help with the unpacking... and to see how our new Marine Head is settling in to his new home! ::Ash stared for a moment as if she didn't register what he had said. The moment passed, and she finally turned towards the room and then back towards him. It seemed like forever passed before she could gather her thoughts again.:: MacKenna: ::Laughing nervously.:: Come in, make yourself at home. I uh...::She moved into the room to allow him to move past her.:: The Colonel is in my room. :: Rais stepped in, smiling widely. At the mention of her room, however, he hesistated. :: Rais: Your.. room? :: Where she slept? An intimate place, to be sure. A private place. She would let him go in there? :: MacKenna: ::Grinning.:: You can go look if you wish. I promise I've taken care of him though. Rais: Ahh, well, don't mind if I do... ::Ash lowered herself towards the ground to open one of the crates. Her heart was racing. She didn't expect him to be here. She didn't expect to see him so soon. Yet, here he was, and that fact sent her into another bout of nervous thoughts. Calming, doing all that she could to retain her cool demeanor, she started rummaging through the contents of the crate. A few padds, a picture of Duster, some things her mother had sent from home. One by one she started putting things away.:: :: Radi slipped into Ash's bedroom, taking a look around. Interesting. She had placed the little handmade teddybear on a shelf... overlooking her bed, along with another stuffed toy he didn't recognize. How very cute. :: ::Glancing up for the first time in a few minutes, she realized that Radi was not talking. It took her a minute to locate him, and when she did, she greeted him with a semi amused smile.:: Rais: Dinner time. :: Moving into action, Radi replicated two thin slices of Terran veal. It was not too dissimilar from some of the larger rodents that dwelled on Betazed... not that he would mention that little fact to MacKenna. Terrans had some kind of issue about eating rodent meat- Radi didn't understand it. Betazoids loved all kinds of meat, rodent was a nice treat... :: :: Replicating a number of condiments, Radi hummed a quiet tune and began preparing the meal. He tenderized the meat with a small fork-like device, tap-tapping away until it was nice and soft. He sprinkled a healthy amount of seasonings onto the meat- garlic salt, seasoning salt, and pepper along with a dash of red wine. He heated the skillet until it was sizzling hot, then added a tablespoon of olive oil which jumped and sparked around on the dish. :: :: Laying the two strips on the skillet, he let them cook for a moment. The smell of roasting meat filled her quarters. :: Rais: So, hey... I'm not very good at this, but my old mistress back on Betazed had me cook for her a few times, so you pick up a few tricks. So I can prepare a few dishes pretty well, but outside of those ones I'm floundering. MacKenna: I'm not sure you ever want me to cook. ::She sniffed the air curiously. It had been a while since she had been privy to real cooking.:: Rais: Nah, I'm sure you'd do a better job. You're all... officerish and whatnot. Smart. Clever... :: Rais waggled the tenderizer around dramatically. He began setting the words to a kind of impromptu tune. :: ... brave, compassionate, loyal, and true, isn't that stuff what officers do? Honest, you'll find, and one of a kind, Strong in form and mind! So dashing and cute, In that red collared suit, Deserving of 'sir' and salute! :: With a playful bow, Radi deftly flipped over the two strips of meat- they were nicely browned on that side, sizzling loudly as they began to cook on the other side. He knew Terrans liked to have vegetables with their food, so he replicated some and began steaming them. Carrot sticks, some kind of bizarre Ferrengi vegetable, all kinds of things. :: MacKenna: ::Giggling.:: That wasn't bad. Rais: Told you I could sing a little. And hey, I kept it COMPLETELY clean... this time. See? I can be good! ::Ash finally realized that she still had something in her hand. Glancing down at the picture of her horse, she carefully set it on the desk across the room. Returning to where Radi was cooking, she leaned back and just watched him work. Content with the silence, she waited patiently to see what he had made. The smell made her quite hungry; her stomach reminding her that she had not eaten much at all that day. As he began to put things on plates, she moved to the table and sat.:: :: Eventually the meal was ready. Rais served it out onto two little square plates, one slice of meat each, with a healthy side of vegetables. He sat hers down first, placing the modest dish down in front of her, along with a sharp steak knife and a fork. Only after hers was set down did he fetch his own, putting it in front of his seat. :: ::Closing her eyes, Ash let the smells linger. It invoked thoughts of her past, of home, and of her mothers cooking. Another point for the strange Betazoid she had met not too long ago.:: MacKenna: It smells great. :: Sitting, Rais gave a nervous smile. :: Rais: Um. Did you mind if I gave a brief, quiet prayer first? It's okay if you don't want it- it's just... well, it's a habit I'm into. ::Ash looked over at him and nodded. Growing up, she had been surrounded by historians and archeologists from various walks of life. Even if most of it was Earth related, she was still able to pick up bits and pieces of many religions that had existed at one point or another. Though archeology wasn't her thing, she had enjoyed learning about the abstract as much as she had the science.:: MacKenna: Of course. :: Radi lowered his head a moment and was silent. When it was done, he gently clapped his hands together. :: Rais: Dig in! ::Ash sat and waited for him to finish. She found it interesting, though she didn't understand many cultures in the galaxy. When he had finished, she picked up the fork and took a bite. The taste was quite good, and with a smile, she looked over at him.:: MacKenna: It's good! :: Radi tucked in as well, slicing through the tender meat with his knife then popping it into his mouth. Mmm... tasty. Rais: Hah, well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Wasn't sure it would turn out okay... MacKenna: I knew it would be. It smelled good too. :: Radi smiled. :: Rais: Well, that's the best part about cooking I reckon- the smell. It's why I prefer cooking over replicated food, when I can get it... MacKenna: Dare I ask...what is it? ::She giggled.:: Rais: Heh, well, if I told you that I'm afraid you might not eat a bit... MacKenna: ::Glancing down.:: Well, I like it. ::As time progressed, her nerves died down. It was beginning to feel natural being next to Radi. Now, if she could keep that thought from really freaking her out....:: Rais: So how's settling into being the First Officer? I have to say, I seeing you in red is pretty [...]- uhh, well, it's... it suits you. ::Ash almost missed what he had said; she was too caught up in trying to maintain control.:: MacKenna: What? Oh...Yea, I guess. :: With his mouth full of veal, he waggled his fork at her. :: Rais: You havph my phull comfidence. :: He swallowed. :: Rais: No, seriously, you'll do great. Better than great. MacKenna: Your confidence is reassuring. ::She smiled and continued eating. It seemed that everyone else thought she would do great, even if she didn't necessarily agree.:: Rais: Heh, well, that's just the opinion of one of the enlisted plebs, that's all... but I'm sure it counts for something. And Jaxx wouldn't put you in the role if he didn't think you wouldn't completely excel in the position- like you do with everything else, it seems. I reviewed your history... wow. I don't think I've ever seen anyone get promoted so quickly. It's like you just flew right up the ranks... at this rate, you'll be an admiral or so in a few years. Who knows, beyond that. ::She almost choked, then she laughed. Admiral?:: MacKenna: I don't know about all that. Rais: You're gifted, that's for sure. MacKenna: ::Blushing slightly.:: Thanks... ::Ash's eyes fell to the plate in front of her. With all the talking, the meal had gone much faster than she really noticed. Her plate was empty; she quietly set the fork down before sitting back in the chair and watching the man across from her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something there that deeply intrigued her. She had never been the type to attach to anyone or anything, aside from her horses and her one close friend. Now, here she was, wanting more and more of him. It was like a drug; his smile, the darkness of his eyes, even his scent and how she felt around him. It was intoxicating.:: ::She was teetering on the edge of the cliff, about to let go of all that she worked so hard to hide, but the worry was still paralyzing. What if he didn't like the real her, the one she hid under the her she shared with other people? What if she was too simple...or too complex. Overwhelmed, Ash resigned to taking things a moment at a time. Planning things out would only make it worse. This was going to be one of those things that she could not wrap her head around.:: :: For his part, Radi had never met anyone as smart, as interesting or as clever as her. The attraction was building slowly, moving beyond its roots... where he had looked at her on the bridge and just thought: "Wow, okay. Do want..." it was now a bit deeper than that. Radi, himself, was now deeper than that- in his time as a Marine if he saw someone he liked, he would just charge ahead like a raging bull. If they accepted that, usually within days, it would be on- if not, well, that's okay. Plenty more pretty women were waiting in the wings... :: :: Ash was different. He wanted a "normal" relationship with her- a deeper connection. She was very, very pretty... but that wasn't all that was good about her. :: :: They ate a little more. Then, :: Rais: So, what comes after everything's set up, mmm? Looks like you're mostly done already... MacKenna: Hmm? Oh. I don't know. I didn't have anything planned except for moving my stuff here tonight. ::She shrugged.:: :: Ahh, well, there goes that idea. :: Rais: Oh, okay. Well, tomorrow is fine, too- I can come back then. What do you usually get up to when you're off duty? ::Ash didn't want him to go, she wanted him to stay there with her. She wouldn't ever just come out and say it, but that was what went through her mind at that moment.:: MacKenna: I really don't know. On a normal day I don't do much more than read and work on...well, work. :: Ahh, that did make sense based on what he'd observed about her beforehand. Such a shame... :: Rais: And what about when you're not working, that is? And not sleeping, or eating... you must do something? MacKenna: ::Smiling.:: When I'm not working, I'm either with Katy or riding. ::She paused for a moment.:: Or both. :: Radi had met Katy. It hadn't... gone down exactly as he had planned, but it was something he was going to have to fix if MacKenna was going to be a part of his life. Gotta have the friends onside, it was one thing he'd learned... :: Rais: So you like to ride, huh? I saw you eying off those horses back on the holodeck... you mentioned you had one yourself? MacKenna: Yea. ::She pointed to the picture she had set down.:: That's him. A Gypsy Vanner named Duster's Red Dawn. Rais: Duster's Red Dawn... is that a typical horse name? I really don't know much about them, sorry... :: He'd have to research this. :: MacKenna: ::Laughing.:: Yes, I call him Duster though. ::The thought hit her in that moment. Despite her normal shyness, she suddenly found a renewed sense of mischief.:: MacKenna: I can show you. You know...If you want to see. Rais: Of course I want to see...! We can go now, if you'd like? MacKenna: ::Grinning.:: Great! ::She jumped up.:: I am going to get out of this uniform first though. :: Radi couldn't help get a little tiny smirk on his face at that. "I'll give you a hand with that," was right on the tip of his tongue, but he behaved himself for now. Still... he let his imagination take the reins while she was away. That red collar looked great on her, but it would look even better on the floor of his quarters. :: :: When she reappeared, she looked very different. :: Rais: Hey, welcome... :: His voice trailed off. :: ::Ash moved back to her room, grinning the whole way. She always got excited when she got the time to go riding. It was her life before Starfleet, and it was still an important time for her. The chance to share it with others only made it sweeter, although she rarely shared that world. It took a special kind of person to break her shell and enter the realm of the red head. Katy had been the first, and she had spent countless hours in the fields of the holodeck as well as on Earth with her best friend. This would be the first time that she shared the realm since then.:: ::Returning to the living room in simple shorts, sandals, and tank top, she almost jumped for the door.:: MacKenna: Well? ::Standing next to the exit, she put her hands on her hips and waited for him to come towards her. She stood, almost daring him to get closer. She dared herself not to move and to allow it.:: :: Radi, plucking up his considerable courage, flashed a coy grin. He slid right up to her, slipping his hand around her waist. :: Rais: Well, now aren't I overdressed for the occasion? I'm happy to go as-is, or we can drop by my quarters for a bit... hope my roommate's not in. MacKenna: The holodeck isn't going anywhere. ::Caught in the moment, she let his touch linger in her thoughts, igniting a flash of adrenaline. She caught her breath for a moment before she couldn’t handle it much more. Slipping out the door, she let him take the lead towards his room.:: (( Deck Nine, USS Victory )) :: Rais lead her down to the enlisted crewman's quarters on deck nine. She was dressed so casually, Radi figured it would be a wonder if anyone recognised her. Still... the odd glance or two. :: Rais: Anyway, we're here. Come in, if you like, or stay outside- I'm fine. MacKenna: ::Blushing slightly.:: I'll wait here...I uh, have to check on some things anyways. ::Turning away, she stepped up to the screen on the wall where she pulled up the latest reports. It wasn't that she was going to really read anything; it was more to make her look like she was doing something. Bits of information passed into her mind, but it was mostly occupied with thoughts of him. Her heart fluttered, but a line in one report caught her attention. It seemed they would have to head over to the starbase after all.:: ::When he returned, Ash greeted him with a smile. The moment of distraction had allowed her to find the inner calm once more.:: :: Radi returned the smile. He was wearing traditional Betazoid clothes- loose fitting, flowing cloths that were remarkably similar to the Renaissance-era Terran style clothing. :: MacKenna: So, the holodecks are down, so I guess we will be heading over to the starbase....if you still want to go that is. Rais: You'll be there, right? So of course I wanna go! MacKenna: ::Grinning.:: Let's go then. :: Rais hooked his arm around her again, smiling widely. :: Rais: Holodeck four sounds good? ((Holosuite 4, Starbase 118)) ::Ash stepped up to the controls and loaded the program that she had created long ago. With a new sense of confidence, she stepped into the familiar environment. A soft breeze sent her hair flying in various directions; as if it were a flame that was dancing in the wind. The long grass bent slightly as the same breeze played through it, the scents of nature lingering in her nose. The sun was falling slowly, sending rays of pink and orange out in all directions. The first of the stars had not appeared yet; but they would soon.:: ::It was deliberate. Her favorite time of day, in a place that she would feel totally secure. It removed the variables that sent her into a panic, and perhaps when darkness fell, she would find the courage to really let go and just be the carefree girl she was. If he stayed, then maybe she would realize that she didn't have to hide it all the time. If he didn’t...well, she would burn that bridge when she got there.:: :: Radi took in the view. He had seen holoimages of Earth before, but nothing could really prepare him for this. This was an image crafted by someone who had actually been there... an image of Earth reconstructed through eyes that had seen it for real. He seemed awestruck, craning his head this way and that, drinking in the view. He had a wide smile on his face, lit up by the falling sun. :: ::She shot Radi a smile and walked out into the field in front of her. It seemed to sprawl out forever, ending only in the trees far off in the distance. The rolling hills made their perspective interesting, hiding both a lake, and the horse. She whistled once and waited.:: :: As she did, Rais moved up beside her again. It was a strange feeling- he wanted to talk to her, to share the moment with words, but... it seemed right to just remain silent. Something was about to happen... something interesting or fun. Or, perhaps, just something. He kept his arms by his side, admiring the view. His ears alerted him first... :: ::In the distance, you could hear the neigh of a horse, though you couldn't see it yet. Moments later, a mass of black and white could be spotted streaking across the green grass. As he approached, he slowed and walked up to her. With arms outstretched, she touched him on the nose, petting him for a moment before turning around.:: MacKenna: This is Duster. ::She patted the large black and white horse.:: :: Radi spent a moment looking over the horse. It was the first one he'd seen- granted, it was a holographic representation, but the detail was perfect... Ash wasn't just a genius and a mathmatician, she was, it seemed, very familiar with the animal... like an old friend. She knew his every part... every hair. :: :: Radi smiled wider. Her friend was his friend. :: Rais: Duster. I like that name... kinda weird, kinda alien- but cute. I like it. ::Ash turned back to the horse and grabbed a handful of mane before jumping up and pulling herself aboard. She moved the horse closer to the man and held out her hand.:: MacKenna: Well...? ::Grinning.:: :: Radi looked confused for a moment. :: Rais: Wait- wait. Me? Ride? Uh- hey... I just- um. I just thought that I'd be watching, I never really... I've really no idea what to do. :: He chewed on his lower lip a moment. But... Ash seemed confident. Extending his hand to take hers, he pulled himself up behind her. :: :: And fell off the other side. :: ::Ash fell into a fit of giggles. She had done that her fair share of times, but the look on his face when he hit the ground made her laugh.:: :: Sitting up, Radi blinked a few times. Okay- that was... not quite what he expected. :: MacKenna: Don't throw yourself up here. Go slow. ::She grinned and held her hand out again.:: Rais: Okay. Second time now. I'll get this right... :: Rubbing his bruised butt, Radi went back around to the other side. This time he was far less eager with the climbing up, and a lot more ginger- but he stayed on, legs awkwardly dangling on both of the horse. His arms slid around her waist, his chest pressing up against her back. He held on tight... :: MacKenna: Hold on. ::There was a flash of mischief in her eyes, though he wouldn't see it. Still, this was her world now, and she was free. His arms around her sent her into the stratosphere, like his touch ignited a rocket that was just waiting to throttle towards the heavens. She made the slightest move and Duster started forward; perhaps a bit faster than she had intended.:: Rais: Woah! Um. Woah. Slowly, please! :: He gripped her tightly. Forcing himself to relax, he slowly eased off, just resting his hands on her hips. She was ever-so curvy... :: MacKenna: ::Laughing.:: Alright. ::Another command. They were almost impossible to see unless you knew what you were looking for. A touch on the neck, pressure from her knees. Skillfully, she directed the horse around the field at a slow walk. Though his gait was smooth, she didn't want to scare Radi out of her world.:: MacKenna: Better? I can get you a seatbelt if you would like? ::She laughed.:: Or maybe a rocking horse! ::A joke. She blinked. It surprised even herself. Still, she laughed with the freedom that this moment gave her. Radi didn't say a word, just laughed along with her. :: ::The sun was slowly sinking beyond the horizon, and the moon was already spilling light upon the field as the fireflies began their nightly dance.:: :: It was, in all honesty, the second prettiest thing Radi had ever seen, firmly displacing the Radiant Pool back on Betazed from second place. :: Rais: ... wow. MacKenna: ::Turning her head.:: Hold on. I won't let you fall. Rais: I... I trust you. :: Her breath was warm against his, his face so close to her... he blinked slightly, wondering... :: ::Her head lingered near his in that moment, but as soon as she had turned towards him, she turned away. With a simple command, the horse began moving a bit faster. At first it was difficult; helping him keep his balance while maintaining her own, but after a while he seemed to find the groove of the gait.:: MacKenna: See? Easy. Rais: Mmm. Easy. :: Radi mustered up enough courage to give her a light, lingering squeeze around the middle, beginning to relax. He rested his chest down against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder. :: MacKenna: ::Smiling.:: Alright, try this then. ::Ash spoke a command and a similar, though smaller horse appeared in the field nearby. Fully saddled, it stood in the moonlight unmoving. Radi figured where this was going...:: MacKenna: This is Scotland's Summer Rayne. It's Duster's sister. ::Grinning.:: She doesn't like moving fast and she is a good learning horse. Rais: ... Rayne. Got it. Okay... okay. Slow is good, I guess. Slow is good. MacKenna: Just hold on to the saddle. You will be fine. :: Easing himself off the horse (and nearly falling flat on his face), Radi cautiously made his way over to the creature. She seemed friendly enough- regarding him with almost boredom. Radi extended his hand, cautiously stroking her neck... then, with the clumsy gait of someone who'd done this but once before, the Betazoid clambered up into the saddle. :: ::Ash waited for him to jump down and approach the other horse. True to her word, the mare stood fast as he clambered aboard. If nothing else, the beast was patient with those who were not used to horses.:: MacKenna: Take it slow. Rais: Yep. Slow. Um... forward! :: Nothing. :: Rais: Engage! :: Nothing. :: Rais: Um. Uh... ::Ash laughed and tapped Duster. Immediately, he broke into a run. Under the cloudless, moonlit sky, girl and horse became a blur. Her red hair mingled with the black and white mane that streamed behind him as he ran. Around them, the fireflies danced, seeming to follow them through the field. She circled him as he moved very slowly through the grass.:: :: Radi just sat, holding onto the saddle tightly. He watched as she raced- she seemed... so very different here. She was like a great bird spirit who spent her entire day cooped up in a cage, singing sweetly but sadly to those who wanted to hear her... but here? Here the bird was out. Here she could fly free, be herself... this, more than anything else, was peeling back the shy, cautious layers that covered her. This wasn't Ash the Scientist, or Ash the First Officer, or Ash the the cute little bridge bunny taking the command chair while Jaxx was in sickbay... :: :: This was Ash the human being. Her pure self... :: ::The wind in her face further fanned the fire that had already been building. She caught her breath again in the cold night air and reached her hands up towards the sky. Seeming to forget there was anyone there to watch her, she simply let Duster run as he would. Often as a child she would just ride him wherever he wanted to go. He took her to all the special places in the forest, the field, and even the lake. The Lake! Of course. She made her way back towards Radi again.:: MacKenna: How ya doing? ::She was grinning.:: :: Radi was beaming from ear to ear. The display of... what a Vulcan might call a Katra, a Trill an Essence, or what a Terran might call a soul... was incredibly pleasing to him. The faint light from the fireflies seemed to burn away her doubts like a flame to dusty cobwebs... the spark of her life, that wonderful little ball of energy inside her, almost glowing in the rapidly darkening night. :: Rais: Yep. Haven't fallen off yet. I think... I think I can manage "go" for now. MacKenna: ::Nodding her head in the direction of the lake that could not be seen over the hill.:: Come on, I've got something to show you. :: He would have to move. Awkwardly tapping the reigns, to his intense surprise Rayne began to trot along slowly. Gripping the saddle in a sudden spike of fear, Radi just held on... as the horse's slow gait trotted him along in a straight line. :: Rais: Okay, okay. I got this. I got this. I got this. A-yep... ::The two made their way slowly in the direction that she had noted. Duster knew where he was going, and Ash laid back and looked up at the stars. It was a beautiful night with only the moon to light their path. Before long, they reached the crest of the hill and began their descent towards the water. Sitting back up, Ash held on as Duster plunged into the water. :: :: Ahh, he would sit back here and watch. Now that would- :: Rais: Woah- woah! No! No-! :: Rayne seemed to follow, despite Radi's protests. Unsettled by the descent into the sun-warmed lake, Radi tumbled into the water with a large splash. Ash laughed.:: MacKenna: It's alright. ::The water was warm as she let go and fell with a splash next to Duster. She reappeared on the surface and pushed her wet hair out of her face. She waited for him to follow, and somehow found her way into his arms again.:: :: Radi surfaced, then stood waist deep in the water, laughing endlessly. Okay, okay. Terrified? Yes. That last bit? Pretty fun. He slid his arms around her waist, drawing her soaked body against his. :: Rais: I guess this makes up for the roller-coaster, huh. ::Ash smiled, her mind was too caught up in his touch to care.:: :: With a warm smile, Radi held Ash. It was like a moment frozen in time... fireflies danced all around them, their luminescence brightening the area, reflecting off the slowly calming waters of the lake. It seemed as though there were millions of them- although half, in truth, were reflections on the water... the moonlight caressed the water like a lover's hand, bouncing and reflecting. It was in this dark, beautiful scene that Rais felt himself locked more securely than any lock built by Betazed hands... his arms snugly around her waist like they would never let go. His clothes clung to his body, now, soaked from the water... but he didn't mind a bit. The air was warm. The water was warm. Ash was warm... yet her eyes were warmer still, little oceans of gray/green joy. :: :: Radi held her gaze, his dark eyes glinting in the moonlight. There was no fear there, now, and it had taken more than a silly stuffed Marine teddybear to give her this courage. Radi saw a strength that he had seen once before, on the bridge in the Azure nebula- the strength of someone who doubted themselves on the surface, but underneath that mask had a heart of flame burning with every passion under the sun. Someone with courage enough to humble two raging Klingon warriors. Someone with hopes, dreams, ambitions... affections. :: :: Affections for him? Rais refused to doubt anymore. She had taken him to her sanctuary, her private place. This was where she could be herself. This was where only friends.. true friends... and (presumably) lovers were allowed to enter. In more ways than one, this place was her heart. She had worn casual clothes... she had shown him something new, riding, and tolerated his clumsiness. She was standing waist deep in lake water, letting him hold her, letting him look at her... :: :: The little tiny lights bouncing all around them were just so beautiful. :: Rais: ... Ash MacKenna, you are a very desirable woman. ::Ash blinked up at him. The comment surprised her at first, until she realized that this new feeling...the one that invaded her mind, made her heart flutter, and sent the butterflies to her stomach... was her desire. It was strange, like uncharted territory she had never seen, yet territory that she could instinctively follow, given the right circumstances. She watched him, digging through her feelings. The world beyond that moment didn't exist. Her fears didn't exist. Nothing existed but that moment in the lake, surrounded by the glittering lights of the fireflies and the muffled sounds of the horses nearby.:: :: It was not the most romantic thing he'd ever said, but it was true. At this moment, Radi could think of nobody he had desired more. Seeking a deeper commitment was something he had initially thought was a mistake... something he thought was a fool's errand. He had no telepathic abilities... none. He couldn't even be read. Physical pleasures were not beyond him- he was, as a certain Soong-type android had so awkwardly claimed of himself, fully functional... but to be truly together, for Betazoids, required more. It required intimately knowing the mind of the other... being in their thoughts. It was an emotional, spiritual, physical and telepathic connection- a unity of four parts. :: :: It was like a table... all four legs needed to be there, and of the same height, for the table to stand strong and be, legitimately, a table. But any table made would be missing a leg. Would Ash settle for three? :: :: Settle. :: :: Such a cruel word... and insulting to them both. MacKenna had so much- she was the First Officer on one of the premier science and exploration vessels in Starfleet, she had a mind which outstripped the brightest of the bright, she was wise, witty, both beautiful and appreciative of beauty... she could have her pick of any man in the fleet. :: :: Radi was a humble man of humble origins. He didn't have a noble upbringing, wasn't an officer... that, and he had a coloured history of violence and war, including some recent activities aboard Deep Space 17 he knew Ash would be- :: :: He could not tell her. :: ::Gazing through the darkness, Ash tried to figure out what he was thinking. He held her closer, as if suddenly afraid she was going to disappear. Half of her wondered what to do next, and the other half fought off the instincts her body told her was natural. She had no idea what was going on inside his mind, but it didn't matter because her own scattered thoughts wouldn’t let her concentrate. She kept his gaze, losing herself in his eyes.:: :: Radi held her closer, tighter now, as the thoughts flickered into his mind like the tails of so many fireflies. Radi trusted her... he trusted her. But at the same time, he realized at that moment that he also cared for her a great deal. He was not concerned about if he would believe him, but... how she would look at him after he did. Would her eyes still hold that innocent sparkle? :: :: Instead, he said the words inside his own mind. :: Rais: oO ... I've done something terrible. Something I can never forgive myself for, nor which can ever be forgiven. It is unforgivable. When you find out... you will leave. You're too smart NOT to leave... and if you don't, I will force you away. I cannot have you... hurt... by my deeds. The sins of my past will come back for me in this life, eventually... do you know what I prayed for, over dinner? Oo :: Rais reached up to her face, gently brushing back a soaked, red clump of hair back from her eyes. When the action was done, he rested it on her cheek. :: Rais: oO I prayed to all the goddesses I knew the names of that the punishment that I so rightly deserve... my [...]ation... does not sweep you up in its shadowy grasp. I will burn for my crimes... but I will never, ever, see you harmed for them. Oo :: Fireflies danced around them, closer and closer. The water was still, now, like a mirror... reflecting the stars, the full moon, and the thousands of glowing insects all around them. There was silence... just the dripping of water from their hair and clothes, the smell of damp, warm skin pressed against soaked cloth, then soaked cloth, then skin. A perfect moment. :: :: Hooking his fingers around the back of her neck, Radi drew Ash to him, tilting his head to one side. His lips meet hers. It was electrifying- tingling shocks jumping down his spine, alighting his whole body in a rush of chemicals. Adrenaline. Dopamine. Norepinephrine and Phenylethylamine. Testosterone. :: :: Oh yeah. That last one. Radi had meant what he said... she was desirable. In an emotional sense, yes- very much. But there was also the physical side to her too... with her tight clothes soaked by lake water, that part of her was calling him like a siren's song. :: ::Nobody told her it was like this. Her mind was telling her what was happening; telling her to pull away or risk losing herself and the walls she had built over time. People were cruel, relationships brought heartache. At least she had avoided it all those years. Growing up alone, being reclusive through the Academy, and avoiding close contact with most people throughout her career...it had protected her from the hurt. Suddenly it dawned on her; was that what she had been hiding from all those years? Fear of being hurt, either intentionally, or simply by failing and disappointing someone above her. The fear had been crippling.:: ::Unseen sparks flew as he drew her ever closer. Her lips touched his, and her entire body ignited. The fear was gone; it was replaced by these flames that now engulfed her. She felt like she was floating, never wanting the moment to end. She had no idea how long they remained caught in the embrace, but when he did finally pull away slightly, she held on. Her legs felt like jello and her head was still spinning.:: MacKenna: I...::Whispering.:: I liked that. :: His face flushed, Radi gave a sheepish grin. :: Rais: Yeah, um. Woah. I... MacKenna: ::Grinning.:: Do it again. ::Ash met him halfway this time. Her legs still felt like they would collapse, and she let him encompass her with his strength. Radi's arms wrapped around her, squeezing her against him, his heart thumping in his chest. Around them time itself seemed to slow down; the sparks flew and Ash decisively let go. Her feelings hit her and she felt like her captivity had finally come to an end. On wings, she floated far from the fears and shyness that had kept her contained for so many years......:: :: Fireflies drifted around them, the two kissing, holding each other and being held. :: JP by: CPO Radi Rais Chief Operations Officer USS Victory and Lt. Commander Ash MacKenna First Officer USS Victory
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