Sedrin Belasi

Welcome to the Fleet!

::He cried out, writhing against his bonds, and looked down at his stomach.:: ::It was a bloodied mess of torn armour, clothing, skin and flesh. Blood was seeping out, and he could feel it pooling underneath him, the metallic scent terrifying him far more than anything else. ::Tears began to spill from his eyes as his own death stared him in the face. Shallaten was gone, and he was dying, alone on this alien ship.:: VISHALYA: {{Someone, ::he sobbed, his voice thick with pain,:: someone help me, please.}} ________________________ So, a bad day at the office then?

((Deciduous Forest - Unknown Realm)) ::She could smell the forest before the darkness faded to reveal it. The sharp, crystalline scent of deciduous chill playfully tickled her nose and was followed by the appearance of colour. Yellows, golds, and oranges were tinged with undertones of red. Beneath her feet, a carpet of the bright hues softened any of her movements but there were still leaves that clung to the limbs and branches, not quite ready to hand over the glory of Autumn to Winter's kiss. It was a scene that held a hint of familiarity among the unfamiliar, a forest of her dreams, perhaps, or a conglomeration of places she had visited in her various travels on Terra with her family. She twisted about, behind her a path stretched on to infinity, but somehow she sensed she had already come down that path and it would do no good to backtrack for to do so would get her no wear. She returned forward and was faced with a decision. Before her, two paths stretched onward, one angled to her right, the other to her left. The one to her right was more pronounced, the leaves well trampled, the path clear. The other, to her left, was less obvious. There was a sense of direction, but if it weren't for a certain arch of the trees, a specific way the bushes bent back, it would be impossible to tell that there was a path there at all.:: Varistha: So which will you choose? ::The voice startled her and Alora literally danced to the side and whirled about only to meet the gaze of the ancient Kubarey who had entered naked when first she saw him. Fortunately, he was currently clothed, but his sudden presence startled her and her eyes went wide in her surprise.:: Alora: Whoa...where did you come from? ::The question was first answered with a soft chuckle.:: Varistha: Where do any of us come from? Alora: I think that's a matter that is in universal contention. ::Her answer spurred another chuckle and he nodded as he leaned against the gnarled cane clasped in his right hand.:: Varistha: Well then, perhaps it's one we shouldn't worry about an answer to. Rather, perhaps you should focus on a more immediate question. ::Alora followed the old Kubarey's gaze back to the paths in question. They remained unchanged save for a gentle dancing of leaves across as the wind teased them into a dance. With the wind's kiss, the forest commenced a whispered song, the breeze sighing its melody and mingling it with the branches' gentle clatter and the leaves' soft, enthusiastic jangling.:: Alora: Where do they go? Varistha: Another good question, but one I can not answer with too much clarity. They are the paths of your life. You must choose which road to take. ::With his cane, he pointed to the clear path.:: Varistha: That one is easy, comparatively. You can see it. The obstacles will be mild, the burdens light. It's a guarantee to a happy ending with little trouble on the way. ::The cane arched up and over to direct the girl's attention to the other path, barely visible as several leaves danced upon the wind to come and rest upon their fallen brethren.:: Varistha: That one. That one is less certain. There's a happy ending, but even so it depends on whether you master the obstacles upon the way or the burdens that will weigh upon your shoulders. Yet, the reward that it leads to is greater. Via that path, you will reach your heart's desire. I must warn you, it is more difficult than even I can say, but perhaps it will be worth it. If you can traverse it. ::The cane lowered and he allowed it to bear more of his weight.:: Alora: What a choice. ::Alora's lips twisted into a smile as she pondered first one path, then the other. They stretched out before her, both twisting then rising so that what was ahead could not be discerned. One offered certainty, it's ending unknown but pleasant. The other offered hardships, perhaps even danger from what she could glean from the old man's tone, but its reward was greater.:: Alora: Only two paths? Varistha: Which will you choose? Alora: I would ask you that question. Varistha: My choice has already been made, my path already traveled. Neither of these are mine, but yours to take. ::It was a difficult to choice to make. Would the road less traveled offer a reward great enough for its trials? Would she feel a sense of accomplishment if she took the easy route? For a while she remained there, eyes shifting between the two.:: Varistha: I fear you must make a choice. Your time is almost at hand. Alora: I'm on the clock, huh? ::Eyebrows arched up at the comment, but it also produced another smile.:: Alora: All right. I'll choose. ::Right, or left? Alora stepped forward, one foot in front of the other, but she angled neither way. Rather, she approached the line of trees that rose between them. The underbrush was thick and crackled as she plunged through it. One hand pressed against a trunk to allow for better balance as she clambered over. She had forged only a foot or so when she heard the Kubarey call to her, bewilderment rippling through every word.:: Varistha: What are you doing? ::With that hand still braced against the trunk, Alora craned her neck to peer back at him.:: Alora: There was a famous poet on my planet by the name of Robert Frost. He wrote a poem once that said this. 'Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by And that has made all the difference. ::The Kubarey allowed himself a moment to ponder the words, then spoke again.:: Varistha: But you took neither path, either the one well worn or the one less traveled. ::Alora's face brightened, her smile twinkling within those emerald eyes.:: Alora: You're right. I didn't take either of those paths. :: she paused to face forward and continue onward.:: I'm going to forge my own. ***** Lt. JG. Alora DeVeau Science Officer USS Mercury

Welcome to the Fleet!!

Welcome to the Fleet!

Welcome to the Fleet!!

Trel'lis: This worries me. What if we get into a playful tussle and whatever it is takes over? LUCKY SIAN!!

Welcome to the Fleet!

Pecs! We call them pecs on Byzatium!! *flexing*

((Holodeck 3, USS Garuda))) ::Alora's suggestion that they explore their home planets via the holodeck had been eminently agreeable. Her desire to show him her martial training was met with rather more reserve. Vulcans were by nature pacifists, and whilst Saveron understood the principle of being prepared to defend one's self - he himself practiced the Vulcan martial art of Suus Mahna to a high level - he was aware that Terrans as a species still occasionally employed violence purely for it's own sake. That was not a concept that he found easy to equate with what he knew of Ensign DeVeau, and he had meditated on his reluctance regarding that particular exposure.:: ::Having come to the conclusion that Alora's apparent desire to show him parts of her own life was not disagreeable in principle, he arrived at the appointed Holodeck, dressed in a long, loose robe against the cold of Federation Standard temperatures.:: ::When the doors opened to admit the Vulcan, he stepped into a single, large room. On the floor were mats. A little more than half were made out of some sort of light wood while a smaller section boasted more padding. The walls were lined with various banners that contained script not too unlike Vulcan, but blockier. Alora was already present. Her uniform had been exchanged for a jacket that folded across and tied with a belt and wide, loose pants that billowed as she sat - or rather, kneeled. There was a man with her, an older gentleman around seventy or so. His features were unlike hers with dark, slanted eyes, a rounder face and darker skin. When he spoke, the words clicked and sang at the same time and Alora responded in kind.:: Sensei: Your guest is here. ::The universal translator offered:: DeVeau : Yes, teacher. ::Alora's gaze moved away from the man before her and to the man who had just entered and rose.:: DeVeau: Hey. Ready to learn some Aikido? Saveron: Sochya, Lieutenant DeVeau. The acquisition of knowledge is always agreeable. DeVeau: This is a holographic version of my sensei back on earth, Hideyuki Takeguchi. ::The Vulcan noted the nature of the name and the man's appearance. One of Terra's asian cultures, if he recalled correctly. He bowed politely, never seeing any reason to be less than so to a hologram.:: Saveron: I am Shghren T'Ashaii Savehroahn, and I am honoured. ::The man bowed in a fashion typical of his culture, then straightened.:: Saveron: Were you speaking Japanese? ::He remembered her saying that she was fluent in the language, and it was an asian language.:: DeVeau: Yeah. I can teach you if you want. It's pretty complicated and often allegorical, but it's a beautiful language. ::Of course, Alora was rather biased, but that didn't need to be said.:: DeVeau: Shall we begin? Sensei: Hai. ::The hologram turned and took up position at the head of the room. Alora took a place diagonal to him, but facing.:: DeVeau: It is traditional for the newest students to stand closest to the door. ::Alora indicated a position to her left, which would indeed keep Saveron closest to the entrance.:: ::Saveron inclined his head but moved to the side of the room first to remove his robe and slippers, leaving him standing in a pair of loose black trousers and a close-fitting garment that was essentially a very long, strip of white cloth, wound about his torso and over his shoulders in a complicated interleaved pattern that made it close-fitting but flexible, shifting with his movements. The garment left his arms bare, and the backs of his upper arms were covered in the same pale spots as the back of his neck.:: ::Following Alora’s gesture, Saveron took up the position nearest the door.:: Once in position, Alora turned to face the 'sensei' who bowed. She bowed in return and indicated that Saveron should do the same. The hologram turned and then bowed toward the wall of the room upon which hung a banner. Alora did likewise.:: DeVeau: The first thing we're going to do is the walking Kata. This is the basis for every single move that we'll do in Aikido. Break down the more complicated motions and you'll always find something from this kata. When we do this, always keep your knees just slightly bent. Roll your body forward on the balls of your feet so that your heels are just barely off the floor, just enough to slide a piece of paper under them. When you move you want as little up and down motion as possible. Keep your weight on the front part of your foot and do more of a sliding motion and that will help. Sensei: Hajime! (Begin.) ::The motions were not complicated in of themselves. To someone who was not used to performing them, however, they were awkward and contrary to how most people would move. Both the hologram and Alora performed them with a grace evident of long practise.:: ::Saveron had an innate grace but the movements of the Kata were counter to how he had been trained, to how his body was designed to move. Despite the lightness of his frame his people were built for strength, adapted to a high gravity and a harsh environment, and his movements were overly stiff and lacked the flowing grace of Alora and her sensei.:: ::As the kata wound to it’s close Saveron returned to his resting position.:: Saveron: It is... interesting. The basic principles appear different to that which I have learned. ::And it was always interesting to learn something new, even if he found this difficult. A challenge was not disagreeable.:: ::Saveron’s attempts to mimic the motions were more successful than a lot of students, but was obvious that the Vulcan needed to relax. That was something else he had in common with a lot of newbies. Alora chuckled softly to herself and nodded.:: DeVeau: Aikido is a purely defensive art. If you attack someone, then you aren’t doing Aikido. It uses your opponent’s strength and speed against him to allow you to either get out of the way and run away, or disable your opponent if there’s no other option. ::Alora fiddled with the ties on her hakama and straightened it a little.:: DeVeau: The first rule is to not fight unless absolutely necessary. On Earth, if someone came and tried to rob you, any good Aikido instructor would tell you to just give the attacker what they wanted. Fighting should be limited to protecting yourself and others if you know you’re in danger of bodily harm.:: ::The Vulcan considered the information. It was interesting in many ways, aligning with many of the principles that he had been taught, though not all of them. It was certainly educational.:: Saveron: Violence is always abhorrent; occaisionally it is necessary. ::He agreed.:: DeVeau: Okay, next up, falling! Saveron: You have my attention. DeVeau: While technically there are no attacks in Aikido, we do teach people how to attack so that one can practise defense. It’s done in a slow manner, however, because when you’re learning something, it’s better to start slow. Like...piano. You practise a tune for the first time, you’re not going to go a tempo. You’re going to start slow. Then, as you learn the piece, it gets ingrained in your muscle memory. Once that happens, it doesn’t matter what speed you’re going at, you’re going to be able to perform that piece. Because of that, there are going to be lots of times when you make people fall or you’re falling yourself. So you need to learn how to fall in such a way where you aren’t going to get hurt. Saveron: That is logical. Prevention of injury is preferable. ::And he was interested to see how Terrans practiced such things.:: DeVeau: We start from the bottom and we work our way up. ::Alora sat down on the floor and waited for Saveron to do the same. :: DeVeau: First, the most important thing to protect is your head. So you’ll always want to tuck your chin as you fall so that it’s against your chest and your head never actually hits the ground. We always start at the safest point - on the back. Then we work our way up from there. ::Alora demonstrated and rolled back. She started with her head on the ground, then tucked her chin against her chest. Her arms which had began at a position across unfolded to come to her sides slightly bent.:: DeVeau: When you fall, you want to spread out the impact so that it’s not concentrated in one area and thus increases the chance of injury. If you fall with your arms like this, you’ll keep from landing on your elbow and your hand will be open and slap. Then it will sort of spring back up. You don’t want a hard slap, just a natural response to the fall. Saveron: To absorb some of the impact. Suus Mahna utilises similar techniques. ::Basic physics showed the logic of the method.:: DeVeau: Every time you practise, do it at least ten times. Then we go from a sitting position and fall from there. ::Saveron nodded and, after a moment, copied her motion, chin tucked and arms at his sides and bent ever so slightly.:: ::The obedient student, the Vulcan followed through the falls and rolls as Alora and her sensei taught and guided him, though it was plain that he had difficulty relaxing into the motion. The fact that he had enough strength to effectively push himself off the floor when he caught himself didn’t help his adherence to the technique.:: DeVeau: Maybe you should go see a masseuse. ::Saveron [...]ed his head curiously.:: Saveron: Why? DeVeau: Might help you relax. Saveron: Such would not be culturally appropriate. ::He said delicately.:: ::Alora chuckled softly, then slipped over to the edge of the mat. Upon it near the wall were a pair of dark blue gloves that matched her gi jacket. She pulled them onto her hands, then rejoined her student. :: DeVeau: There’s a lot of contact and sometimes its on the wrists and hands. ::It was an explanation for the gloves, an attempt to keep things comfortable for the Vulcan. She didn’t want to overstep her bounds again. He might not forgive her a second time.:: Saveron: I see, that it logical. ::It was also considerate, although perhaps she found it preferable to avoid such contact after their previous encounter. A spoken command to the holodeck’s computer provided him with a pair of elbow-length gloves that he pulled on fastidiously.:: Saveron: We also practice with gloves in Suus Mahna, though one is not afforded such luxuries in a genuine combat. In which case bare hands can be an advantage. DeVeau: I imagine it could. ::That earned her another one of those blank looks where he tried to puzzle out whether she was thinking what he was thinking.:: Saveron: My people chose peace but we evolved from violent beginnings. We are capable of mental defence; and offence. ::Scrambling someone’s mind was an option, should the situation become sufficiently desperate. He felt it was important for Alora to understand that, unlike Betazoids who used their broadcast telepathy for casual communication, his people’s abilities could be far less benign.:: DeVeau: I know. ::The Vulcan nodded, seriously, just once.:: ::Alora hadn’t ever experienced telepathy through physical touch before Saveron and Saavok, though she’d certainly been around Vulcans, including teachers of the language. While she admitted to learning more about their culture, particularly the differences between certain communities, she was not completely ignorant. She had learned something about their violent history and of the teachings they had adopted. She could certainly see the logic in it, and she could understand why they underwent such drastic measures. Vulcans were extremely strong and from what she had read, they had intense, passionate emotions. Or had if one asked a Vulcan.:: ::The thing was, Alora wasn’t entirely convinced that the Vulcans didn’t have emotion, though some claimed that they did not. Even with those claims, hints to the presence of feelings emerged here and there despite all their attempts. Or maybe, for some reason, she saw it more with Saveron. Or maybe she was simply imagining it all.:: DeVeau: Okay, so the first thing you learn in Aikido are the releases. They’re called that because at their most basic level, they break the hold that the attacker has on you - force them to release you - and allow you to gain control. We’ll focus on the first four today and work our way up. ::Never refusing a chance to learn, Saveron was a diligent if careful student, mindful of his superior strength and having no desire to inflict any pain on Alora, who was gifting him with this knowledge. Saveron was not particularly strong for a Vulcan, but he was far stronger than a Terran.:: ::Some of the movements were similar to those used in Suus Mahna, some were very different. One of them he had difficulty with because his elbow articulated in a slightly different way; species variation. She was a very patient teacher, he gave her the courtesy of studiousness. He did wonder why she offered to teach him thus, and whether she taught others. All of existence was a chance to learn, but there were only so many hours in a day and each was precious.:: ::Yet for some reason it was this perhaps eminently unsuited Vulcan that she was endeavouring to teach this deceptively gentle martial art to. It was his wrists she wrapped her cool hands around as she demonstrated the holds, and taught him how to break them. He could have broken her arm with one hand, but he was careful to use only just enough force to break the hold, gentle as he would be with a child. Who knew when he might have cause to use such techniques against stronger opponents?:: Saveron: Fascinating. It is a very different art to that in which I am trained, though no less effective. I shall experiment with my own trainer. Saavok might also benefit from learning such techniques. DeVeau: Why do you say that? Saveron: He will be smaller than others of his age cohort until he reaches puberty. Our species develops more slowly than those with shorter life-spans. ::And once they reached adulthood, aging slowed markedly further.:: ::Ah yes. It was easy to forget that. Alora had only been around adult Vulcans before Saavok - at least, for any real length of time. Human children changed so rapidly, but Vulcans had more gradual growth.:: DeVeau: I wouldn’t mind teaching him, though there’s just a few things I can do at this point. At the very least I can teach him the releases and practise getting offline which. Both are still very useful and can help protect you, but many of the motions require locks that would damage growth plates because of all the twisting even if you aren’t trying to. I’m...not really too familiar with Vulcan anatomy, but I wouldn’t want to cause him any harm. ::She paused.:: He might be getting tired of me though. Saveron: My son finds your company agreeable. He indicated that you expressed similar. DeVeau: Oh? Saveron: After the Fair. As family we regularly share experiences. DeVeau: I see. ::And the experience she had shared with Saavok had been agreeable, as a Vulcan would say. The touch of the child’s mind had a different feel from that of Kestra - and from Saveron’s. She refrained from describing it. They would probably think her mad. Well...maybe just illogical.:: Saveron: I also find your company agreable. DeVeau: And I yours. I’ve really enjoyed spending time with both of you and I’m glad you’ve allowed me to take up so much of your time. ::Alora had never had an issue making friends, but she had to admit she hadn’t expected to connect with someone so quickly. Not that she minded. Her smile returned as she tugged the gloves from her hands.:: Saveron: I find our mutual experiences both educational and agreeable; a valuable consumption of time. It is, after all, a commodity than can only be spent or wasted. ::And he considered time with Alora to be time well spent. He sometimes found it difficult to relate to other crew members and develop friendships beyond the professional, something that he attributed to cultural differences. With Alora however there had been no such difficulties, and he found her company particularly agreeable.:: DeVeau: I just hope you both don’t get tired of me. Saveron: I consider that there is a low probability of that occurring. DeVeau: You know, if I’m ever...you know, around too much, you can just say that you need some time to yourself. I can get greedy sometimes. Saveron: Should that situation arise, I will do so. ::He said gravely.:: One trusts that you will do the same. ::It would be preferable not to bore Alora with his company if she wished to seek more culturally comparable companions.:: DeVeau: I will, though I doubt that’s going to happen. ::Despite the lack of emotions, the Vulcans were a joy to be around, and quite interesting in her eyes.:: DeVeau: I like being around you, and I like learning from you. ::He, also, found such agreeable.:: Saveron: Then, on that premise, may I enquire as to whether you would be interested in a demonstration of Suus Mahna? ::He didn’t know whether she could learn the strength-heavy martial art, though he would be willing to teach.:: DeVeau: I’d love to! ::Alora knew very little about it to be honest, but she was always open to learning new things. She doubted that she’d ever enjoy a martial art as much as she enjoyed Aikido, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy it at all.:: Saveron: Then I will book the holodeck for an appropriate time. DeVeau: Good. I look forward to it. ******** Lieutenant Commander Saveron Chief Medical Officer USS Garuda & Lt. JG. Alora DeVeau Science Officer USS Garuda

Heehee, a Mirror Universe LHP? Well, we will just have to see what happens!

MONSTERS!

This pleases me. Never underestimate the sip of tea. Leo loves his tea (and his monsters). So how about a picture of Leo with a MONSTER bag of Yorkshire tea?

(( Walter Schirra Interior )) :: Well, it wasn't the best plan, but it was all he had and it had seemed to make sense in the moment. The Mercury crew would be fine, after all, under the wing of a Galaxy-class, and there was nothing more that he could do -- or, indeed, wanted to do -- other than get out as quickly as possible. Of course, then the question really did become where he was going. He answered that in spirit easily enough -- so easily, in fact, that he wondered if he hadn't known the answer before he left: He was going to join his grandfather. Whether or not he was going to assist him, he didn't know, but it was the most logical starting point. But how to find him? Wanted war criminals didn't exactly hang their locations on the public nets, so Aron was left to wander in the Schirra, searching the most likely locations, starting (to his intense displeasure) with 83 Leonis, cycling through the places where he'd seen his grandfather, and generally wending back toward Federation space. The difficulty there was that there was definitely a risk of running into Federation starships, and operating from a stolen shuttle -- while it might have been accepted by his former crew back in the Corridor -- wasn't likely to endear him to many other officers. So far, he'd been lucky, but that only lasted so long, and when the Schirra's proximity alert rang out, he knew he'd come to it at last. :: KELLS: Computer, can you get a fix on the approaching ship? COMPUTER: Miranda-class starship, bearing 45 mark 10.8. Warp 8.5. :: Well, that was truly unlucky as it was much more than the Schirra could do except in emergencies. What to do? He could try what the Mercury had done at Nygel and try outmaneuvering it, but they would come out of warp in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but space to twist around. Still, if there was no running, no eluding, and no fighting, he might as well talk. He could do that well enough by now. :: KELLS: Bring us out of warp, and as soon as the ship's out, too, hail them. :: He'd certainly be an odd sight: An old man in a Starfleet uniform, without a comm badge or rank insignia, alone in a shuttle and far from any parent ship. :: COMPUTER: Hail successful. Channel opens now.... :: A small screen in the [...]pit clicked on, and Aron froze. He liked to think that very few things could surprise him any more, but the Architect had pulled a fast one this time. :: KELLS: Arden? Arden Cain?! ((Bridge, USS Altamira)) :: Arden and his crew had spent the last three days conducting trails on the aging warp drive of the USS Altamira not to mention several other key onboard systems. That was, of course, until Arden's Chief Tactical and Security officer informed him that a stolen shuttle was within sensor range. Figuring that it would be killing two, or more, birds with one stone Arden ordered an intercept course. As the minutes ticked by and the Altamira got ever closer Arden was paying closer attention to the various engineering system monitors then he was on the pursuit. The Altamira might be getting old to the point that many would call it obsolete but the crew that manned it were nothing short of the best. Or at least that was how Arden saw it in all honesty. The simple fact was that newer technology did not equate to better results in the case of the Altamira so a little outside the box thinking was required.:: THELEK: The stolen shuttle is dropping out of warp Commander, your orders? MARTINEZ: Whoever it is, is also hailing us Sir. CAIN: Ok, approach from it's aft and close within tractor distance. Arm phasers and ready the tractor beam. With that done, lets hear what they have to say. ::Returning to his chair from the aft engineering station Arden sat down and faced the view screen which gave a decent look of the stolen shuttle that appeared to be of "Federation" design. Once Lt. Martinez, Arden's hot shot helm officer, had maneuvered the Altamira into position the view screen changed from the view of the shuttle exterior to the shuttle's interior. Inside Arden could quickly see an elderly man wearing a Star Fleet uniform without a comm badge or rank insignia. Arden could think of any number of reasons for the man's appearance so as strange as that was for Arden to see, what was stranger was the way the man seemed to recognize Arden. It was only then that Arden seemed to piece some of the details together. Knowing that Lieutenant Commander Thelek, who was dutifully manning tactical, wouldn't fire unless provoked Arden decided to take at least a moment to see if he could find out more from a man that resembled his former CO and friend. As much as he tried to keep up with the adventures of the USS Mercury, there were some things that mission reports couldn't quite convey. Appearantly this was one of them.:: KELLS: Arden? Arden Cain?! CAIN: You seem to be a fair way from the Menthar Corridor Captain Kells. Not to mention, the last person I expected to see today Sir. KELLS: The same goes for me, I'm sure. I had no idea I had strayed into the Altamira's mission sphere. :: In truth, Aron had no idea where the Altamira was operating these days; it could very easily be much different from the theater of operations he remembered. :: CAIN: I suppose it has been a while so perhaps a good place to start would be why you're in a stolen shuttle? KELLS: Well, I'm -- on the run, I suppose. That's the official term. What I'm doing, really, is searching. CAIN: This sounds like a conservation better held in private. Would you consent to being beamed to my Ready Room? :: Aron graced his former XO with a wan smile. :: KELLS: A tempting invitation, but as you've just pointed out, you know this shuttle voyage is not exactly condoned by Starfleet. You may prefer to arrest me and impound the Schirra, hm? CAIN: You know me, I am not going to just throw you, of all people, in my brig especially if there is a reason for all this. But I will need some answers, Starfleet is a bit antsy at the moment about stolen vessels. KELLS: I suppose they are -- and I also would rather speak with you than with a bureaucrat I don't know. Very well. I'll beam aboard. But, Commander -- one request. CAIN: I am glad to hear that. And your request would be? KELLS: Beam me directly to your ready room. I'd rather not be paraded around right now. CAIN: My thoughts exactly, stand by for transport. ::With that Arden watched as the comm channel closed. Turning to Lieutenant Commander Thelek, Arden didn't have to verbalise the order as the Andorian was already several steps ahead. With that Arden then left the Bridge through the aft door and took the quick walk to his Ready Room.:: (( CRR, USS Altamira )) :: Aron's first assessment of the room was that it was pleasant, functional, but definitely cramped. Well, no more than he expected, really; he'd been in the captain's ready room of the Drake plenty of times in his days, though he did remember that being larger, which could have easily been a function of his youth. But wasn't he smaller these days...? :: KELLS: I do appreciate your decision to meet with me, Arden, and not arrest me on principle. I know that you're bound by the rules of Starfleet and the Federation. (beat) As I no longer am. CAIN: ::Giving a small smile:: It is the least I could do and I'm not too concerned with those rules, at least not yet. Unlike my XO I learned early on that rules aren't the be all and end all. Whether that is because of all the time I spent in uncharted space or a number of role models, I don't know. Now that we're in private though, would you be able to tell me what's going on? KELLS: I'll explain a bit more in a moment, but first, may I ask: Have you heard anything recently about the war criminal known as the Infernal? ::Arden paused to think, he and his crew had had an eventful few months and missions involving more then a couple notorious figures but Arden had never heard of anyone by the name of the Infernal. Arden quickly came to the conclusion though that he didn't really want to come face to face with a man who described himself as an infernal.:: CAIN: Of the couple of war criminals I have tangled with since leaving the Mercury, I haven't come across anyone by that name. Why do you ask? KELLS: When I said I was searching, well -- he's the one I'm searching for. You know: My grandfather. CAIN: Oh yes, I seem to recall you mentioning something about him. Certainly seems like an age ago now. Just so we're clear, your grandfather is still considered to be a wanted war criminal? KELLS: By the Federation, yes. I know that he's-- :: "Innocent" was certainly the wrong word; the actions as they were presented -- that the man known as the Infernal was responsible for the genocide of a sentient species -- were correct in letter if not in spirit. Aron's eyes, as he searched briefly for the word he wanted, were blazing. :: KELLS: --he's more complicated than I had expected, as is his case. CAIN: As far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with wanting to reconnect with family. As much as I try very hard not to. And the only thing that officially needs answering to is the shuttle because you haven't found your grandfather yet. :: Aron looked sharply over at Arden -- much easier done now than with the screen separating them. :: KELLS: Yes, I suppose that's true. CAIN: I'm sure that I'm not doing anything you wouldn't have done if the roles were reversed. ::Pausing for a moment:: If I thought for a second that things had changed that much, we wouldn't be having this exact conversation, let alone having it in private. KELLS: No. (beat) No. CAIN: Did you want something to drink before you get into it all? KELLS: Yes, please. Anything substantial to eat. And I mean anything. The shuttle has a replicator, but, well, I've been trying to conserve it. No idea how long I might be out there, or where I could stop. CAIN: ::Giving a bit more of a smile:: Anything coming right up. ::Arden quickly moved from his side of the desk to the replicator where Arden ordered a cup of tea, glass of juice and a bowl of Earth styled Irish stew. It took a couple of moments for the replicator which looked as if it was one of the few original parts still installed on the Altamira to process the order but it did eventually producing the three items on a plastic carry tray. With the tray in hand it was a simple matter of returning to the desk and distributing the items to their intended consumer.:: :: Aron waited as Arden moved to the replicator and then back again. In truth, he did wonder if perhaps -- except for the size and the systems -- he wasn't a little better off in the shuttle; Arden's ship looked like it might fall apart at any moment. Yet, maybe that was desirable: If Aron Kells was on the run, then it was better, wasn't it, to be captured by a ship that was coming apart and not a brand new Sovereign-class or some such. Even if that dilapidated ship's captain was his old friend. :: KELLS: Where would you like me to begin? CAIN: The beginning is always a good place to start but admittedly I am most eager to hear, at the moment, why you're no longer a Starfleet captain. :: Aron smiled slightly, though the expression didn't touch his eyes. :: KELLS: Of course you do. Arden, I'm here to prove myself to you, to prove that while the letter of the law might dictate one thing, the right thing to do is what I ask of you. That's what I have to do. Nothing more, nothing less. CAIN: It is my general belief that doing what's right and following the law are the same thing. KELLS: I did so, once, too. Then my understanding of those rules and the order they sought to enforce changed. Another incidence of genocide prompted that -- which brings us neatly back to my grandfather. CAIN: I am not sure that I follow, could you explain that one to me? KELLS: Ah, but where should I start? Why don't you tell me what you already know? CAIN: Well I read the after action report submitted to Command after the 83 Leonis incident, or what I could find at my clearance level, so I am assuming that that was the genocide you speak of. Reading between the lines after that I assume there was some sort of trial given your absence from the Mercury at the start of that next mission. KELLS: Yes, there was. :: Aron was nodding slowly as he spoke, impressed as ever by his former first officer's deductive powers. Not that it should have been a surprise; the Prime Directive had been called into question, and that required a hearing. However, the official reports didn't include the specifics, and so Arden wouldn't have known the degree to which the Mercury crew had been involved; and so the deduction was still a good one. :: KELLS: Although it would be a lie to say that was the only reason, though it may have been a catalyst. And how did you know so certainly, anyway? CAIN: I like to stay as up to date with what's happening on the Mercury and the Menthar Corridor as much as possible. All in my spare time of course, it's a nice distraction. I also heard a rumour that Star Fleet assigned a new vessel to the Corridor. KELLS: Did they? Well, that's news to me, though it's fine; with the Mercury out of commission for so long, Ross would've been CO for a few runabouts. :: Still, Aron hadn't known that Starfleet had been ready to assign a new ship, nor that the Mercury would have been so crippled by its emergency maneuvers. Would he have run, then, if he had? :: KELLS: It was time to go. Starfleet and I parted company a long time ago, I think, and certainly before this-- :: He pointed at his old face and the oldest of the personalities residing within. :: KELLS: --but I spoke truly when I said that the trial was a catalyst. Certainly the Prime Directive was a concern, but the fact that the species there had been genetically tampered with -- well, that seemed, and still seems, to me more interesting. CAIN: Sounds like you were made into the scapegoat and I can honestly say that I do not like the sound of that. :: Aron looked over at him sharply. That was exactly what part of him wanted to believe, of course -- but it was too easy, too simple, too polarized. :: KELLS: Maybe I was. But I think there was something larger going on; and with Starfleet unable or unwilling to look into it, I realized I would forever have my hands tied by administration until I left. ::This time it was Arden's turn to return the look that his former Captain gave him just a couple of seconds beforehand. A frown was also coming to Arden's face just as it usually did on a mission when a seemingly impossible situation just got worse. This time the look was owed to the realisation of the full meaning behind what Kells was trying to impress on Arden. Having to deal with bueacrates or other decietful individuals was nothing new to Arden but the sheer scope presented was new and certainly hard to comprehend. That said Arden didn't doubt for a second that the man opposite him was telling the truth, the pair had been through too much for Arden to think otherwise.:: CAIN: Star Fleet certainly is capable of keeping something like this buried if they wanted to. And if working with the likes of Commander Bale has taught me anything, it is that this wouldn't be the first secret Star Fleet has wanted to keep hidden either. The real question is though, what do you plan on doing now? KELLS: To find out the truth: Who manipulated those people, who built that race? You see, I was afraid -- as an officer -- of the answers I might have found; because I know my grandfather now, and I know what he was ordered to do during the Dominion War. ::Arden paused for a moment to let out a breath that he hadn't realised that he had been holding. Before he spoke again he paused to make sure he worded his next statement correctly.:: CAIN: You're implying that there could be some connection between previous crimes committed by your grandfather and what is happening now. I know that genocide doesn't usually just happen but what makes you think the two events are linked? KELLS: He was ordered, by a very secret treaty between the Federation and the Romulan Empire, to develop a species bred for combat -- a kind of Jem'Hadar for the Alpha Quadrant. Very last ditch, you understand, and never to be used, unless. Well, that time never came, and a good thing, too, because the project failed. The species wasn't sufficiently controllable, not in the way the Jem'Hadar were. The project was terminated -- and I hope you take my meaning, because that's the reason my grandfather was labeled a war criminal, accused of genocide: He'd created life, but it had gone wrong, and so he's remembered for the death. CAIN: I see. I can't say that I fully understand because I don't and this isn't the time to go into those details. ::Pausing briefly:: Perhaps its safer for everyone if we don't. But I certainly do see the connection to your grandfather. If anyone can help you get to the bottom of this current situation, he can. KELLS: And now I'm going to find him. :: Abruptly, Aron stood. :: KELLS: It's time that I left, Arden. Which, of course, means that it's time for you to decide: Do I leave freely? CAIN: ::Remains in his seat as he begins typing commands into his console.:: There is no choice there, of course you're going to leave freely, just not in that shuttle. :: Aron raised his eyebrow fractionally. What was this? :: KELLS: I'm listening. CAIN: The next Starfleet vessel that spots you or that shuttle won't be so accommodating, I would imagine. Not to mention, and more importantly, you're not going to get very far in that tiny shuttle. :: That was certainly true, Aron thought. The modifications Lieutenant Vistain had made were apparently partially responsible for the shuttle's good speed and its high stamina thus far -- or he was willing to spread the credit, anyway -- but it was true that he couldn't putter around the dark corners of the galaxy forever in the Schirra. :: KELLS: No, I suppose not. CAIN: I have a Ferengi runabout in my hangar bay that I have been tasked with returning to Ferengi space. An annoying side effect of those Iconian gateways reactivating. Don't ask, but the point is that you would be doing me a great favor in returning it when you get the chance, of course. As far as my crew is concerned, a former Starfleet captain can be trusted to do that, wouldn't you say? KELLS: I would. Say, that is. (slight smile) Perhaps primarily because it benefits the former captain in question. :: Still, one question twisted Aron's smile into a frown. :: KELLS: But what about the shuttle? CAIN: Already working on that. As the records show you came upon the shuttle in your travels and decided to be the good Samaritan you are, by returning it to the nearest starbase. KELLS: Did I, now? What a good man I must be. :: Again he smiled slightly, but not at his own wit; he understood that Arden was putting himself at risk, since if he returned the shuttle and Starfleet had decided to be angry with Aron, he was advertising his culpability. Still, it was the captain's purview to think through the actions of everyone around him; the lone operator didn't have that responsibility. :: KELLS: You'll still have to return it, of course. They might question you. CAIN: I have no illusions to that but this way gives you more time to get clear of prying eyes. The only other way out would be for you to fight your way clear of the Altamira. Needless to say that I would give anything to avoid that. KELLS: Nor do I think I could, old friend. ::Entering the last instructions into his computer terminal, Arden also stood and waited for his former Captain to make up his mind. Arden wasn't a fool, he knew full well that Kells had probably already thought of fighting his way out. Arden knew that if the roles were reversed, he would have considered the option himself. In this case deception was the lesser of two evils because the other meant having to do Arden's best to arrest or possibly destroy a friend. Arden hoped that Aron saw that too.:: KELLS: I accept. Thank you. :: Aron stood, and offered a hand that possessed neither the plasticity nor the dexterity it once had, but which fulfilled the task of shaking Arden's hand well enough. :: ::Arden took the man's hand without hesitation and shook it gently. The man before Arden might have aged physically almost beyond recognition since the last time Arden saw him but Arden knew that Aron Kells was still the same captain that Arden had grown to trust. And indeed come to call a friend which was a rarity in and of itself for Arden.:: CAIN: It's the least I could do. ::Arden found himself pausing to avoid saying anything that sounded to final. Unlike the last time that the two parted this time seemed as if it would be the last. Suffice to say that Arden didn't want to focus on that even if that was just his imagination playing tricks on him. Giving a small smile he continued on what he hoped was a brighter note.:: CAIN: Just do me a favor, make sure the runabout gets back to its owners when you're done with it. I mean, my latinum stash isn't sizable enough to appease a Ferengi wanting a replacement runabout. KELLS: I will. (beat) You won't see me again for some time, so I say again: Thank you. And until then... TBC! Aron Kells Searcher & Commander Arden Cain CO, USS Altamira

Welcome to the SB118 Fleet!!!

Great to have you with us!!

Welcome to the Fleet!!

((Arboretum; USS Garuda)) ::The Garuda was much larger than the Avandar had been and even though Rune had already memorized the ship's layout, it took her longer than she expected to reach the Arboretum. She actually had a dual purpose in seeking out the ship's garden park. One was personal, the other business though she wasn't going to push the business end too hard just yet.:: ::As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a breeze of fresh air and the sound of water trickling somewhere from deeper within. She stepped forward, allowing the doors to close behind her. Taking a deep breath of the cooler air, she almost regretted it. Her side was still sore from the recently broken ribs and punctured lung.:: ::She smiled with an odd sense of bitter-sweetness as she slowly made her way along the path that had been made to look like a well worn dirt walking path. Aside from her quarters and her office, it was the quietest place on the ship and it was the only place that reminded her of a homeworld she was certain she would never see again. She found a bench away from the entrance and sat down. :: ::Stretching out her legs in front of her, she leaned forward with her hands on the edge of the bench. Hanging her head, she closed her eyes and took a much slower deep breath. She sighed softly at the sound of footsteps and almost wished whoever it was would just keep walking. That was, unless it was the person she had hoped to run into here.:: ::The Mercury had an Arboretum as well, but Alora hadn’t visited the Garuda’s version yet. It was lovely, of course, as lovely as the Mercury’s, and larger. Green was no dominant, nor was red, yellow, or purple, or any other colour. Rather the entire room was sprinkled with various shades of various hues, some that humans didn’t even have a name for. Flora from the furthest reaches of the known parts of the galaxy presented themselves in various locations for the benefit of those who wished to study or simply admire them. In truth, the Arboretum wasn’t simply one room. Too support the amount of various flora and to sustain ideal conditions, various plantlife with similar atmospheric and soil requirements, smaller rooms were laid out in a pattern within the larger. The main room boasted the largest assortment and sustained a temperature around eighty degrees. For humans, it was warm but not too hot. Humidity was tempered by a constant but gentle flow of air which made it more pleasant - for humans and other races that enjoyed similar conditions. While plants did not speak, silence could never be completely formed even in the Arboretum, especially with that breeze. There was always a hush of leaves, the whisper of twigs as they twittered slightly at the air’s touch. Visitors also added to the song of the Arboretum, though there were few that day. Only one that she could see, as a matter of fact, so when Alora drew nigh, she spoke.:: DeVEAU: Oh, hello! :: Rune looked up and immediately smiled. She recognized the human face from the personnel files she had sorted through. :: JOLARA: Hello. I was just enjoying the silence, such as it is. ::motioning to the empty space beside her:: Care to join me? I'm Rune Jolara. DeVEAU: Sure. Why not? ::Another day, another new face. Alora wondered if there would ever come a time when she recognised everyone she saw on the Garuda. With turnover being what it was, that wasn’t necessarily going to happen for some time. Still, getting to know other members of the crew was useful. They had to work together, it was a positive goal. The young woman offered her hand.:: DeVEAU: I’m Alora. :: Rune smiled and gladly accepted the handshake. :: JOLARA: I must confess, I already knew who you were. I’m the new ship’s Counselor. DeVEAU: Welcome to the Garuda! You came here to counsel plants? ::Alora gave a half grin.:: DeVEAU: Or did you just need a change of scenery? ::Rune shook her head and looked around. :: JOLARA: Perhaps partially. But mostly I enjoy the peace I can only find here. It reminds me of my homeworld. DeVEAU: Your home world? Where are you from? JOLARA: Leya-I. ::She smiled but there was a sadness behind her eyes. For that one moment, she missed the home she would never see again.:: It’s always warm. I think that’s one of the things I miss most. ::Alora couldn’t miss the expression within what many earth poets had deemeed windows to the soul. It could be believed as emotions played themselves out so easily in the eyes.:: DeVEAU: Oh? So it’s like this? Lush and green with lots of foliage? Parts of Earth are like that too. JOLARA: ::nodding:: It is. I believe you would call it tropic or sub-tropic. DeVEAU: Very nice. JOLARA: What about you? Where are you from? DeVEAU: I’m from Earth. Terra. Whatever you wanna call it. ::And yes, she missed it, but Alora couldn’t deny the advantages of traveling and serving in Starfleet.:: DeVEAU: Do you miss Leya-I? JOLARA: ::nodding:: I do. More than I thought I would. ::Alora tilted her head as if she were trying to get a better, or perhaps deeper, view of the counselor.:: DeVEAU: Why so down? JOLARA: I don’t believe I will ever be able to go back. ::Alora straightened a little. Had something happened to the planet? The destruction of something like that wasn’t trivial. Surely she would have heard had something occurred - wouldn’t she? DeVEAU: It’s...gone? JOLARA: No, my homeworld is still there. As humans say, long story short, I am at odds with my people. DeVEAU: Oh. I’m sorry. ::Odds with her people? All her people? Wow, that had to be hard. It was difficult enough being at odds with a single member of one’s family much less one’s entire race.:: DeVEAU: Do you mind if I ask in what way? :: Rune thought for a moment how best to explain without making the Lieutenant uncomfortable. :: JOLARA: I can not conform to what they consider acceptable thinking and behavior. They want to change who I am and who I am becoming. DeVEAU: What are they trying to change? ::Alora had to admit there were certain traits that should be changed. For instance, of someone had a habit of being physically abusive, that was an aspect of that person that should be worked on and modified - for their good and the good of others. She doubted that was the case with the Counselor, however.:: JOLARA: oOShe’s human. She should understand the way Nikki put it.Oo They wish to change my sexuality. They tried once before but failed. I refuse to go through the process again. ::The way Rune said it, was very matter of fact. Of course it was much more complicated than that and only 3 other people knew the entire story. Make that 2 since LtCmdr T’Lea had lost all memory of any time aboard the Avandar, including even knowing Rune. That very thought dredged up even more unwanted thoughts and emotions which Rune tried to quickly brush aside.:: DeVEAU: Oh. ::Seriously? Try to change her sexuality? And exactly how did that work? Alora wasn’t sure she really wanted to know.:: DeVEAU: That sounds rough. I’m sorry...I hope the process wasn’t painful. ::Rune tried not to react to that. What had been done to her was not the attitude readjustment therapy she had been trained to administer to patients. She wasn't really sure what it was but it was very painful. But that wasn't something she really needed to share with Alora. After all, they had just met and, now, thinking about it, she had probably shared too much already.:: ::Alora leaned forward and rest her arms on her knees, crossing them over each other. As she pondered, her lips pursed and she shook her head.:: DeVEAU: Sometimes we need to change - when we’re doing something that’s obviously wrong, like losing our temper all the time, or constantly stealing things. But when people want to change who we are when who we are isn’t necessarily anything wrong, well, those people are probably too short sighted to see how wonderful you are and too focused on how they think you should be. ::Alora turned her gaze and let it rest upon the counselor once more.:: DeVEAU: I say forget them and find people who appreciate you for who you are. ::She offered a rueful smile.:: DeVEAU: I know, easier said than done, right? ::Rune couldn't help but smile.:: JOLARA: That it is. But I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to ::What was the human term?:: unload on you. DeVEAU: Nah, it’s okay. I mean, we all need to unload sometime, right? ::Alora had friends Did Jolara? What was it like being a counselor on a ship? It seemed a lot had trouble connecting with counselors. She didn’t midn them, knew they were necessary and good, though she had to admit she wasn’t going to go to them first. If she couldn’t get past her issues after talking with her friends then yes, definitely. Did counselors have trouble making friends? Her thoughts drifted to Calavera briefly. He’d tried so hard…:: JOLARA: ::turning the conversation around:: Do you miss earth? DeVEAU: Yeah, I do, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, but I love being out here and seeing new things and having the chance to discover new things. I can at least visit earth now and again. ::But what would it be like if she couldn’t go back? If she were in a similar situation to Jolara? That would suck.:: DeVEAU: What’s Leya-I like? I know you said it had a lot of flora. Is it rich in fauna as well? JOLARA: Yes, we have a wide variety of fauna. DeVEAU: I’d be interested in learning more about it. I’ve done some virtual exploration of Vulcan. Would you be willing to show me your planet? ::Rune actually liked that idea.:: JOLARA: I do have a holo-program I was given. I would be very happy to show it to you. DeVEAU: Awesome. We have a couple more days of shore leave if you want to do it. I think there’s a special presentation tomorrow, but maybe after that? ::One of the reasons Alora had joined Starfleet was to explore. While using the holodeck wasn’t exactly the same, it was still nice, especially with someone who was familiar with the world and could educate her while they visited the sights.:: JOLARA: That would be perfect. ::smiling:: It really was nice to meet you. DeVEAU: And it was nice meeting you. ::Rune moved to stand up. Apparently she had been sitting too long and her back protested, though she didn't show any outward discomfort.:: JOLARA: Oh, before I forget, would you mind coming by my office later? I'm doing a simple follow-up with those who transferred from Mercury. It shouldn't take very long. DeVEAU: You are sneaky, you know that? ::Alora’s mouth quirked upward. At least she seemed a little more friendly than Calavera. Not that he hadn’t been nice, but he’d been...very stiff.:: DeVEAU: I guess I’ll see you sooner rather than later then. JOLARA: ::grinning:: So I have been told. ::bowing her head slightly:: I will see you then. Fair day, Alora. ----- Lt. JG. Alora DeVeau Science Officer USS Mercury & Lt. Rune Jolara Counselor USS Garuda

(( Sickbay, USS Garuda )) :: Del could get used to the Galaxy-class, but he did wish he didn’t feel so [...] guilty admitting that to himself. After all, it wasn’t as though Aron was dead -- in fact, it wasn’t as though Aron and he had even really been good friends any longer. But after cleaning out his quarters with Alora DeVeau, Del found that he just didn’t have the heart to accept the latter as true, and so he was stuck feeling terrible, even as he stretched out in the large office off of the main sickbay. It was cushy, truly: He had an office, Saveron had an office, Kotir had an office, Hawkeye had an office -- hell, even his head nurse had an office. The Galaxy-class, he’d decided, must’ve been dense as hell, since it was honeycombed with nothing but offices. In fact, that was where he’d decided to spend much of his leave time. Like his old office, this one had a very nice window, and he’d spent a long time looking out of it at the station or down at Eta Corvi IV and not doing much else, even though he had a lot to do, not the least of which was unpack his office things. But, he had to admit that there was another reason that he was slightly nervous -- and unless he was much mistaken, it was currently waiting in the hall. :: DEL VEDOVA: You can come on in. I saw your shadow out there. RAHMAN: Oh, I... didn't want to interrupt you. DEL VEDOVA: You’re not. Don’t be silly. :: To prove it, he set down the box he hadn’t been unpacking and held his free hands up, palms facing her. :: DEL VEDOVA: Anyway, if you’ve decided that now would be a good time, I’m not going to disagree. You’re the one who has to undergo the procedure. (beat) If that is what you’re here for. RAHMAN: ::nods:: Yes, if now would be a good time? DEL VEDOVA: Absolutely. Come on. :: As it so happened, much of the nursing staff and nearly all of the techs and docs were over on DSX or otherwise occupied on the Garuda. Del didn’t need an assist, but he had to admit that he found the utterly empty Sickbay to be slightly disconcerting. Still, he had his work to do, and he was with a friend -- or at least he hoped she was. Maybe he was about to find out. Which, once he thought about it, really put too much weight upon the procedure; in this context, this complex and fiddly context, she had to be a patient only. Didn’t she? :: :: She followed him over to another corner of sickbay and sat down at a small table where various instruments had been set up. She waited as he left to retrieve a small box. When he returned, he set it on the table and opened the lid. :: DEL VEDOVA: You want to examine them first? See if they’re up to spec? :: She peered into the box to see two detached biosynthetic digits resting on a bed of smooth fabric that almost looked like silk. If someone had stepped in at that moment to witness the exchange, they might have thought Del was channeling his inner post-Impresionist by presenting the strangest belayed birthday gift yet to his friend. :: RAHMAN: They look... nice. :: She shrugged and gave him a goofy smile. :: RAHMAN: I'm sorry, I don't know what else I'm supposed to say about a couple of fingers in a box. :: Del snapped it closed again, realized he needed it open, reopened it, and set it down on the tray beside the bed. In truth, he didn’t know what he expected her to say, either: “Oh, good, it looks like I’ll have fun with those?” “Great job, Del, let’s be best friends?” He smiled shortly, though more at her expression than at his own desire, which he’d managed then to mask as a joke and preferred not to think about just then. :: DEL VEDOVA: That they’re the most beautiful phalanges you ever did see, obviously. (beat) It’s not easy to induce biocybernetics to pluripotency that quickly, I’ll have you know. It’s not like we can just replicate them. It’s a long process, and complicated! Not as simple as a couple of fingers in a box. RAHMAN: Well, as long as they work. :: He met her eye for just a moment, all too aware that at the end, he’d strayed from talking directly about the fingers themselves. :: DEL VEDOVA: They will. :: As Del prepared himself for the procedure, he ran quickly through a mental list of the instruments he’d need and then checked them against the table he’d prepped. Yes, it would be a meticulous procedure, but it shouldn’t end up being so long or so hard. Really, the difficulty would be in syncing the nervous system and ensuring that the new fingers were properly vascularized or she’d be throwing clots like crazy. Not that she needed to know that yet, he didn’t think, although…. :: DEL VEDOVA: You are aware of the risks of this procedure, aren’t you? I sent you the material, but I’m not going to stand over your shoulder while you read it. You’re an adult, you can make an informed decision. :: He sat down across from her and began arranging the tools to his liking. The meticulous attention to placing each instrument in the proper place was almost hypnotic that it took her a second to realize he had asked her to do something. She smiled sheepishly. :: RAHMAN: Oh, sorry... :: Well, she clearly hadn’t been listening at all. He sighed. :: :: She extended her left hand forward and was a bit surprised when he grabbed it rather suddenly and firmly. He twisted it a bit to place it in position for the procedure. :: RAHMAN: Agh, careful now. I'm not a doll. DEL VEDOVA: No, you’re not. Right now, you’re a living, breathing Kriosian who’s undergoing a delicate surgical procedure, so mind you follow instructions, hm? RAHMAN: Hmmph. :: She wanted to cross her arms and give him the usual eye roll, but with him holding one of her arms already, she had to settle for propping the other arm on the table and resting her chin in her palm as she looked at him with mild indignation. :: :: Well, if it was a life and death situation, he wouldn’t have considered that response informed consent, but he figured her presence in the place was consent enough to proceed. He flash-sterilized the hand up to the wrist and then did the same to his own, his instruments, and the new fingers before he administered the nerve block. :: DEL VEDOVA: You’re not going to feel anything below the wrist. That’s normal. :: He didn't give her much time to process the disclaimer. With the laser scalpel, he opened the first finger’s stump and swooped in at once with his magnifiers to begin tying the veins and nerves together. :: :: He kept a steady grip on her with one hand as he performed the delicate work with his other. She gazed around the larger Galaxy class sickbay. :: RAHMAN: So... how are you liking the new facilities? :: He barely glanced up. He was just then connecting the digitales palmares, and it required his close attention, even as the nanobots did their work at a level too small for him to see. :: DEL VEDOVA: ‘s nice. ‘s missing something, though. RAHMAN: Oh? :: Her eyes continued to dart around the room, noting the various pieces of equipment lying about, many of which she had only seen before at the medical starbase where she had stayed following the accident aboard the Tempest nearly eight years ago. :: RAHMAN: That seems difficult to believe considering how much excess I feel they've installed aboard. ::grins:: I know Cybernetics is certainly happy though with the upgrade they've gotten in terms of facilities... :: She looked back at him to see he was still focused intently on the medical procedure in front of him. Which is as it should be, of course. Yet, she nonetheless felt disappointment that their conversation seemed an afterthought to him so far, as unwarranted as that feeling might have been. :: :: She decided to prod a little further. :: RAHMAN: All right, then, doctor. Maybe I can put the requisition order in for you. You are talking to the ship's second officer, after all... what's missing? :: Wait, what had he said? The digitales palmares in that finger was complete, and the nanobots were now working furiously on the neural connections. These were much trickier, and he was monitoring closely, instructing the others manually to carry away a dead ‘bot whenever one was zapped by an errant charge. :: DEL VEDOVA: Aron. Also you. You never visit. And now he won’t. :: The answer genuinely caught her off guard. Not because it wasn't true, and not even because she hadn't realized it, but because it was said so plainly. He didn't even look up from his work nor expand upon the thought. It sounded more like a simple observation than a complaint. :: :: In the weeks and months following that night in sickbay when Del and Captain Kells had confronted her, she had made a conscious effort to avoid sickbay. Which was utterly foolish. Here, Captain Kells had given her an answer, or at least a direction towards an answer to her problems, and instead of capitalizing on it, she had instead chosen so far to try her best to ignore it. And part of that had meant ignoring Del, too. :: RAHMAN: ...I know. :: There! That was one finger completed. Now he had only to monitor the osteoblasts and then apply the dermal regenerator, and that was only the work of a few moments. :: DEL VEDOVA: Do you want to? :: His eyes remained locked onto her hand as she looked back at him with a bit of remorse. :: RAHMAN: Yes. (beat) Very much so. DEL VEDOVA: Well, then, you should. :: Then, the first finger finished, he sat back slowly, stretched his back, and looked her in the eye. His voice, his demeanor was completely changed. :: DEL VEDOVA: There! First finger, back to work! RAHMAN: Wait! I wanted to say... :: Her voice trailed off as she saw the new finger start wiggling slightly. Her eyes shifted between the finger and Del for a moment before she chuckled. :: RAHMAN: I'm not doing that. DEL VEDOVA: Well, you think you're not. It's going to take a little while for your perceptions and your somatic nervous system to sync up, but you'll be there in under an hour. RAHMAN: Okay, good. Otherwise, I'd be afraid of accidentally hitting the warp core eject button. :: Already Del had begun to work on the second finger, but he stopped just short of the full sterilization. :: DEL VEDOVA: Yeah, well, me, too! Or did you think I didn't have a stake in this, hm? Arrogant engineers.... :: He started to get back to work, but Roshanara called out again. :: RAHMAN: Wait, Del, you were talking about missing me... well, me and Aron -- Captain Kells. :: She didn't want to sound too immodest. :: DEL VEDOVA: Oh, I did? (beat) Did I? :: She returned a frustrated glare. She wasn't sure if he was being his usual difficult self now or if he had genuinely not realized what he'd said. :: RAHMAN: Yes, actually. :: Del shrugged. With the sterilization complete and the first cut underway, he was again bent closely over her, and the shrug wasn't exactly a motion she would've recognized. :: DEL VEDOVA: I said a lot of things. I think out loud when I'm working. Helps to keep my mind focused. RAHMAN: Well, anyway... :: She waved with her other hand at the tools. :: RAHMAN: Go ahead. Let's finish what we started. :: He didn't need to be asked twice. With the wound re-opened, he dove in and began the revascularization procedure again, knitting the materials together with his army of nanobots and fully focused upon the task at hand, save for the sliver of his mind that occupied itself with talking. :: DEL VEDOVA: I suppose I was talking about him. Come to that, I've been thinking a lot about him, especially since Alora DeVeau and I went through his quarters. Also, not just him, but friendships in general. Ours, specifically. :: As he set back to work, she watched him now instead of his surroundings. She had always enjoyed bruising the egos of overly confident physicians and teasing Del, especially when he was bumbling about in her domain of engineering. Truthfully, though, she did respect their work, and here, now, watching Del perform in his domain, she realized how much she respected him. :: RAHMAN: You know, he told me something... before he left. DEL VEDOVA: Who did? Aron did? What'd he say? :: Del couldn't have stopped at that point if he'd wanted to -- he was on to the neural connections -- but he found that, just after the split second in which he really wanted to see her face and her expression, came a much longer time period in which he wanted to avoid looking at her or even hearing the answer to the questions he'd asked. :: RAHMAN: He had sent everyone else but Doctor Saveron and myself back to the Garuda. And at the time, I was still processing the fact that he was leaving so suddenly that I didn't really think about what he said. :: Well, there: She hadn't said anything at all. A whole platoon of nanobots went dead, fried by a calcium overload, and Del made an angry noise deep in his throat before he asked. :: DEL VEDOVA: Well? RAHMAN: He said we shared a friendship in you. And that the friendship you and I had... the one that he remembered enduring over the next decades... was something worth saving. DEL VEDOVA: Did he now? :: But Del's voice, even from the depths of the surgery, was steady, calm. He wanted to know more, oh yes, but there were those final polarizations to attend to, and now he had to heal over the whole shebang... :: :: Her voice grew unsteady now. No! She wasn't going to cry now. She'd already broken down once in front of Del outside the holodeck. But she did need to tell him. She looked for a moment at her hand still in his grasp before continuing. :: RAHMAN: I want to believe that part of my future is true: that you'll be there with me. Even if I'm scared about the rest that's to come. :: Especially because she was scared about the rest that was to come. :: DEL VEDOVA: Well, you don't need to worry about a thing, because -- your second finger is finished! :: He sat back again, and for the first time since his last major emergency surgery, he felt his body sweat. :: DEL VEDOVA: Also because we are friends and will always be. Okay? :: She sat for a moment just looking at her two new fingers. The first had stopped wiggling, but the newest one was now starting to waver back and forth. She then looked back at Del, with an unrestrained smile. :: DEL VEDOVA: You didn't think so? :: She blinked, trying to hold back a tear, and sniffled. :: RAHMAN: I… I didn’t know what to think. I was afraid I had messed it up. DEL VEDOVA: Is that it, really? :: That made her finally lose it as she felt a tear break through her composure. She laughed as she wiped it away with her other hand. :: RAHMAN: Yes, that’s it really. God, you’re such a [...]! :: She held her left hand in her right, looking down at the set of fingers, now complete again, and smiled. Del had done a meticulous job. Her hand still showed the scars from her original accident, but unlike her previous two replacements, the new digits blended in with their colleagues perfectly. :: RAHMAN: But I’m glad you’re my doctor. (beat) And my friend. :: Del was already putting away his tools. He looked down for a moment, then back again, straight into her eyes. :: DEL VEDOVA: Neither of those has changed, or will ever. You know that -- even if I sometimes forget. :: Del finished his cleanup, tapped into the computer to mark the surgery’s end on Rosh’s chart, a chart that he would now go and file into her long and complicated history -- but he looked back at her before he went. :: DEL VEDOVA: You’ll want to check in with Dr. V’Las. She’s the new physical therapist, and she’ll want to work with you as you learn to use those new fingers. (beat) And how about lunch tomorrow? RAHMAN: ::nods:: I'd like that. DEL VEDOVA: Good. See you then. :: He’d kept his voice calm and even, and he waved the PADD with the chart he’d transferred over to it as he headed back to his office and S’Riss headed over to finish up with Rosh. He did look back once, though, and of course when he did he saw her looking, too. He winked. What was he thinking? He had never been a winker. But now, he thought, maybe that had changed. :: -------- JP By: Lt. Cmdr. Roshanara Rahman Chief Engineer and Second Officer, USS Garuda & Dr. Nic del Vedova Chief of Emergency Services, USS Garuda

((Sickbay, USS Vigilant)) ::Everyone always said that doctors made the worst patients. Velana knew it to be true of other physicians, but she had always assumed that she was the exception, perhaps because of her innate sense of logic. It would have illogical to do any of the things that doctors usually did when they were on the other side of the tricorder such as self-diagnosing, downplaying symptoms to either get back to work or to appear tougher, or questioning their attending physician’s ability to do their job.:: ::But apparently logic went out the proverbial window when it came to her child. As Velana lay on the bio bed, waiting for Dr. Aribelle Tagren to begin a visual scan of her baby, it was all she could do to keep still.:: Velana: Can you check to see if the baby seems small? My last exam put it well within the normal range for this stage, but I’d like a second opinion. ::Aribelle turned to face her and offered a warm, reassuring smile as she, and a tech, prepared the equipment. Even if she hadn’t experienced pregnancy herself, Ari felt that she could understand what the other woman was feeling, at least on some level. Every woman wanted healthy and happy offspring, if they were to have any. And that was the most important thing of all, above any gender preference. In Velana’s case, her child was going to bring the best of two separate backgrounds. Aribelle understood that plenty well as she was a hybrid herself.:: Tagren: Of course. If it helps at all, you are measuring where you should at this point of your pregnancy. Fetal heart rate is excellent. ::The physical exam did not reveal anything concerning, either. For a hybrid pregnancy, Velana was carrying the child and herself well.:: Velana: ::releasing a pent-up breath:: That is very good to hear. Thank you. Tagren: Has your child has been plenty active? Have you been keeping track of fetal kicks? ::Velana nodded. She was entirely aware of the kicking now, but what about all the time she’d spent in alien stasis? She felt as if that precious time had been ripped away from her. Even if being unconscious had kept her emotions in balance, she had still lost out on a good chunk of her pregnancy and there was no way to get those months back.:: Velana: I have. ::She smiled.:: It usually happens when I’m trying to sleep. But then when it’s not kicking, I get nervous, so I’m already learning to live with less sleep. ::Aribelle nodded with a smile.:: Tagren: Your baby seems to be in a good position, from what I can tell, so I think you’re going to be happy with the images. Velana: I just want to see its face. I know it’s not logical, but I want to be surprised. ::She touched her belly.:: The mother of the first child I ever delivered waited until the delivery to find out the sex. The look on her face...there was something so special and wonderful about that moment. I’d like to experience that, too. Tagren: I want you to experience that as well. The birth of your first child is very special and I am here for you, every step of the way. ::Raising the head of the bed give Velana a good vantage point, Aribelle smiled again.:: Tagren: You ready? Velana: Yes. I think so. Tagren: I will keep away from images indicating the sex of the baby. I’ve also asked the computer to not reveal that information as well. Would you like a copy of these images? Velana: Um...just the face. ::Her expression softened.:: I want to see its face. ::With a warm smile, Ari nodded to her.:: Tagren: Let’s find this baby. ::Ari grinned as she moved the bed’s scanner over Velana’s abdomen. Velana tried to relax while Tagren was working, but it was hard. She was far too used to being the one carrying out the examination. But there was a tranquility about Aribelle Tagren’s bedside manner that made her want to be as good of a patient as possible.:: Velana: I read about a study on hybrid children that said they are 14% more likely to develop cosmetic abnormalities during development. Can you see anything like that? Tagren: Not at all. Your baby looks great. Velana: ::after a moment:: What about… Tagren: Doctor… Velana. ::Ari stopped the scanner for a moment and smiled warmly over to her CMO. Her patient. When she spoke, her voice was gentle.:: Tagren: You’ve been an excellent patient, following all your prenatal care. Hybrid or not, prenatal care is extremely important. You even prepared your body for this pregnancy. You’ve done everything you can possibly do. The scans performed earlier in your pregnancy don’t suggest any kind of abnormalities or anything that would be concerning. With your child being hybrid, it is considered high risk but there isn’t anything that concerns me based off the information we have. ::She paused a moment and smiled once again.:: Tagren: I am confident in that, Commander. ::She was right and Velana knew it. Taking another deep breath, she rolled her shoulders and offered the other doctor an apologetic smile.:: Velana: I’m sorry. My anxiety is getting the better of me. I should probably meditate after this. ::It was completely normal for the mother-to-be to be anxious. If it were her child, Aribelle would have read all the medical literature and educated herself to the point where she was focusing only on the extreme cases of things that could go wrong. It didn’t help when you were medical and you knew what could actually go wrong.:: ::Ari smiled warmly to Velana and nodded in front of her.:: Tagren: I think you’re going to feel much better after you see this adorable face. ::The bio bed’s sensor bar projected the image a moment later. As soon as Velana saw the three dimensional image of her baby’s head...the entire world changed.:: ::It was one thing to know the baby was there and to feel it moving, but it was another thing entirely to see its face.:: ::Two eyes, although they were tightly closed. A perfectly curved nose. Two ears, slightly less pointed than her own, but definitely not round. Sweet little lips. Cheeks that promised to be positively chubby one day.:: Velana: Oh… ::She couldn’t have kept her emotions in check even if she had wanted to. As she stared at the picture, tears welled up and spilled over.:: Tagren: Say hello to your little one. ::Ari grinned over to the dark-haired woman as she watched her bright blue eyes take in the image of her child. It was moments like these, did Aribelle truly enjoyed her job. Her ability to help. She felt honored to experience this moment with her.:: Velana: ::whispered:: I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Tagren: I can print this for you. Hold on a second, and I’ll capture the image... Velana: Thank you. ::She wiped away her tears, but more welled up.:: Thank you very much. For everything. Tagren: You are very welcome. That’s what I’m here for. Velana: I’m supposed to be monitoring a Parrises Squares match in an hour. ::She laughed though her tears.:: I really should get myself under control before then. ::Ari smiled, eyes sparkling with pure joy for the woman, and tucked strands of red behind her ears.:: Tagren: You take your time and enjoy this moment. They can wait. ::Easing herself off the bio-bed, Velana paused to rub her belly. In less than two months, she would get to meet this little person. She was already a mother, but at that time, motherhood would become her full-time job and being a doctor would become a part-time occupation, no matter how many hours she logged in.:: A JP by: Lt. Commander Velana Chief Medical Officer USS Vigilant & Lieutenant Aribelle Tagren Medical Officer USS Vigilant

But I have just been out-Britished... Francois: Yes indeed. ::He beamed at the young lady.:: And whilst possibly not the role that would best utilise your talents, I’m thinking that perhaps Tiger Lily’s father, the chief of the Indian tribe, could well be just your cup of tea.

So British. Absolutely, old bean. Keeping the British end up.

Welcome one and all!!!

Rahman: Monsieur Maréchal-Ferrant, it is such an honor! Your performance in Pygmalion... wow! I cried... I still cry! I can't believe you're here! Just- oh my goodness! Ahhh! So, not too excited then?

MEI'KONDA: Lieutenaant Commander Handley-Page? :: The heavy set man turned to gaze at Mei'konda and Evan. Was it his imagination, or was the expression on the human's face particularly odd? :: Handley-Page: ::smiling:: Heavy set?????? I'm just big boned!