Alexander Matthews

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet.

Welcome to the fleet Ensign Matthews.

Welcome to the fleet

Understood sir. Thank you

Can a sim be entered from a ship that has been decommissioned ?

Welcome to the fleet.

Welcome to the fleet.

((Abandoned Space Station)) ::Isaac continued his dash across the landing bay, moving faster than he ever had before in an attempt to reach a defensible position.:: Bale: =/\= Commander, incoming!! =/\= Cain: =/\= I will have men ready to cover you Ensign. How many spiders are out there? =/\= Bale: =/\= Too [...]ed many! =/\= Cain: =/\= Copy that Ensign. Keep the channel open. =/\= Bale: =/\= ::through heavy but controlled breathing:: Aye, sir. =/\= ::As he closed the distance to the control room where his allies waited, Bale started to see crates and other equipment stacked up in defensive barricades. Major Fanel had kept his men busy, it seemed. Heightened as his senses were by the torrent of adrenaline rushing through his veins, Isaac easily spotted a tripwire that had been set between two of those barricades. Whether through his telepathic senses or some visible sign barely registered in his consciousness, Isaac's instincts kicked in and he knew the enemy was right behind him. Without slowing his run, Isaac went down slightly lower with his weight shifted onto his right leg and kicked off the deck, shifting his weight back to the left as he did. Time seemed to slow down as he fell into a deep state of concentration. Isaac poured his telepathic strength into his sword as he rose, as he had learned to do from his Tassa'Akai masters. He kicked off a barricade with his left foot several feet off the floor, shifting his weight again to the right and sending himself into a vertical spin through the air. As his body rotated, Isaac lashed out with his Khrysar'Akai and cut the two spiders behind him completely in half, sending their slimy entrails spraying out to the side. Isaac continued his spin and landed several feet past the tripwire, perfectly balanced and still at a dead run. To anyone watching it would have appeared like a deadly ballet, but Isaac didn't have time to reflect on his performance just yet. Sensing another enemy closing on him, Bale was about to perform another acrobatic feat when suddenly a phaser burst streaked out towards him. He jerked his head to the side as the shot passed by close enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Whoever took that shot was either insane, or very good with a phaser. oO Fanel. Oo Isaac decided he wouldn't mention his annoyance at having to dodge phaser fire, considering the satisfying crunch of a bug popping he'd just heard right behind his shoulder.:: ::Despite having been in battle several times before, a couple of which were quite recent, as Arden stood behind the barricade he felt a different set of emotions within him. He found himself anxious more than scared as he usually had in the past. Keeping his focus on Ensign Bale, Arden watched as the man grew ever closer by the second. Once Bale had closed within a couple of dozen meters from the barricade he excuted some kind of zero-G move, Arden could only conclude that Bale thought he had no other choice and that was good enough for him. As Bale landed, Arden barely saw a pair of spiders fall dead behind him. The next thing Arden realised was a single phaser blast shooting over Bale's shoulder. Looking first to his right then to the left Arden saw Major Fanel holding the offending weapon. The shot itself was absolutely breathtaking to Arden who was clutching at the borrowed marine hand phaser waiting, not entirely trusting his limited marksmanship abilities. Sucking up the courage and focusing it seemed that the Major's first shot was the signal the marines were waiting for to commence the covering fire for Ensign Bale. Taking his time, Arden too, took aim firing at any living spiders he could get at.:: ::Isaac leaned forward and pushed himself to run even faster as covering fire began to streak past him. He was almost through the door when he felt something slam into him from behind with enough force to lift his boots off the deck and send him sailing the rest of the way into the control room. He crashed down hard to the deck and slid across the floor inside. Forcing himself to his knees and trying to stand, Isaac could feel the many legs of the creature wrapped around him. The strength of these things was incredible! Able to gain his footing, but unable to shake the beast free, Isaac turned his back toward the nearest wall and tried to slam the spider into it. The tangled pair crashed into the wall twice, then Isaac threw his head back and growled in pain as he felt something knife into his lower back.:: Bale: Shoot it!! ::Rushing from the barricade, Arden went to help Bale who seemed to be struggling. As he got closer inside the control room he realised that was because a spider had latched on to him.:: Cain: Stop moving and I will. ::With Major Fanel busy commanding his marines at the barricade, Arden was on his own to deal with this issue. Steadying his aim he fired the phaser hitting the spider directly in the abdomen followed by an unusual screech for a bug. Crudely holstering the phaser he quickly but carefully heaved the dead body of the spider free of Bale. Once the spider was free of Bale, Arden could clearly see a golf ball sized hole in the back of the Ensign's body armour which was somehow in the process of sealing itself. Adding the suits repair function to the list of unanswered questions, Arden began helping Bale to a sitting position.:: ::Isaac fell to his knees and then toppled over to one side. He lay on the deck trying to control the jerking spasms shooting through his body. The wound in his back felt like fire, and the waves of nausea threatened to steal his consciousness. Then, to his ultimate horror, Isaac felt something moving inside him just underneath the skin at his side. His eyes went wide and he snapped his gaze toward Cain.:: Bale: By the gods, there's something inside me! ::Arden was sickened just by the thought that any sort of alien organism had somehow slipped inside of Bale's space suit, let alone his body, but Arden knew full well that it could happen. Star Fleet Academy made sure of that. Almost within seconds a larger moving bulge in the back of Bale's suite could be seen and it did appear to be moving, so for the first time on this mission Arden was at odds at how to handle the situation. Obviously the organism, whatever it was, had to be removed. The real question was how though.:: Cain: ::Trying to speak calmly:: Judging by that bulge, you're right Ensign. ::Isaac reached down to his boot and pulled out one of his combat knives. He extended it toward Cain with a violently twitching arm.:: Bale: ::through gritted teeth:: GET... IT... OUT! ::Taking the combat knife from Bale, Arden immediately ran through the options in the most calm and rational way he could. The first step to solving the problem was obviously to remove Bale's suit, so that meant he would need life support in the control room or somewhere else. He didn't really have to glance around the barely functioning control room to know that it wasn't an option. His next thoughts were of the Mercury, it had both experienced doctors and plenty of air to spare but that seemed like an equally unacceptable choice. He couldn't allow these spiders to get onto the Mercury but something had to be done now, so activating his comm system he called the Ensign pilot still aboard the Type-11 Shuttlecraft to complete a site to site transport.:: ::When Arden and Bale emerged from the matter stream, he found that while the shuttle hatch was closed the shuttle craft still had no atmosphere. Leaving Bale's side he slapped the controls to re-establish the atmosphere. While Arden waited for the ability to remove his own helmet he stumbled around in the back of the shuttle in order to find the emergency medical kit. Resting the kit on a chair besides Bale, he hastily removed his helmet and gloves feeling relieved, and thought of removing more of the cumbersome EVA gear, but thought better of it. Instead he removed the helmet and upper body portions of Bale's suit. Although that task in itself was more difficult then he hoped it to be, he was mindful not to cause damage to the obviously expensive piece of equipment. Next he ran a tricorder over Bale as his basic first aid course dictated.:: Cain: There is something growing in you Ensign. I'm going to cut it out. ::Isaac grunted and growled, shooting a look at Cain that would cause any sane man to take a step back under different circumstances. Pain shot through him as he felt whatever was inside him moving along his ribcage. Both men knew what had to be done.:: Bale: Less talk, more cutting! ::rolling onto his stomach so Cain could get at the creature crawling across his back:: Cain: Oh I know. Me talking is more for my benefit then yours at this point. I only have mild pain suppressors so this will hurt. Bale: ::grunting again in pain:: Time's wastin', doc. ::As Cain moved over him, Isaac pulled out a second combat knife. The tension in the shuttle was thick enough to slice up and serve for breakfast, but Bale felt both Cain and Gerrard relax slightly when he put the handle of that knife into his own mouth and bit down hard.:: Cain: Ensign Gerrard is it, please hold Bale very still while I attempt to remove whatever is in him. Gerrard: I'm not sure, Sir. Shouldn't we wait for a doctor? Cain: I would love to, but it ain't going to happen in time so... ::As Arden pinched the man's flesh together looking for the best spot to make an incision he pressed a hypospray to Bale giving him the mild pain reliever. Running one more tricorder scan just to make sure he wasn't in immediate danger of puncturing anything important, such as the spine or a lung, he used the knife cutting into the Ensign's skin as if he were dealing with a steak at dinner time. Only this time, blood began to seep out of the incision. Wishing he could do more for the man and hoping just as hard that Gerrard could restrain Bale adequately, he cut further along and deeper until he had a five centimeter hole. Ignoring Bale's pain responses, he pinched the still growing bulge together once more, which rewarded Arden with a purplish egg sac poking out of the wound. Knowing that it was too late to panic or for second guesses, Arden reached in and forcibly pulled the sac out of Bale. As he did so, it twisted in his hand but he maintained a firm grip just long enough to extract it from Bale's body and throw it to the rear of the shuttle. Putting the knife aside he picked up the tricorder which only confirmed that he didn't cause any further damage. From that point it was simply a matter of a couple slow runs over with the dermal regenerator. While not perfect, it was certainly better then having Bale bleed to death.:: ::Isaac didn't bother pointing out the futility when he felt the hypospray press against his neck. With his naturally high metabolic rate, and the amount of adrenaline rushing through him right now, his body was going to burn through the pain killers faster than they could take effect. He didn't care. He just wanted this thing out of him. Then came the pain. As Commander Cain grabbed a handful of skin around the lump on Bale's back and started cutting, the creature inside him activated a natural defense mechanism that neither of them had expected. Most likely sensing it's own peril, it must have released some form of neurotoxin into its host. Every muscle in Isaac's body strained to the point of seizing. He stiffened at first, and then began to thrash as muscle groups worked against each other. Isaac hadn't felt pain like this since his time under the 'care' of Cardassian scientists during the Dominion War. All coherent thought fled from his mind. The knife handle fell from his mouth, and to Ensign Gerrard's credit the man had the good sense to fling it aside before Bale's head could be skewered on it in his thrashing. Eyes clamped shut and unable to exercise even the slightest control over his own vocal cords, Isaac threw his head back with his face locked in a long, wordless scream.:: ::With the egg sac removed, Arden noticed that the spasms Bale was experiencing quickly faded which allowed him to get Bale into a sitting position. Breathing a sigh of relief Arden refrained from collapsing right there and then. All things considered he wasn't too concerned with appearances at that moment, but still thought it best to try and stay composed.:: ::Isaac floated somewhere on the edge of consciousness. The pain in his back was receding, but nerve endings throughout his body still felt like he was swimming in acid. He wasn't thrashing anymore, that much he could tell. Was Cain successful, or was his body failing? He had no idea if the lack of pain in his back meant the Commander was able to get that thing out, or if it was simply being masked by the toxins. Unable to think clearly, unable to speak, and unable to care, Isaac simply relaxed and let the darkness take him.:: Gerrard: Did you have to throw that thing across the shuttle Sir? Cain: Probably not.. ::Suddenly speechless:: :: For the first time since the hasty beam-in Arden felt cautiously aware of his surroundings. He trusted both the shuttle and his two companions but he found the position of the shuttle eerie. Even the tiniest sounds coming from the hull put him on edge as he remembered that the docking bay was where the spiders had emerged from during the attack on Bale. The shuttle seemed secure enough for the time being. Taking a moments reprieve to sit on a chair opposite from Bale, just to collect his thoughts even though there was really no time for such luxuries. Taking a few deep breaths Arden suddenly paused as he moved to get to his feet. His ears were greeted by the sounds of cracking and a skittering noise filled the interior of the shuttlecraft. Judging by Ensign Gerrard's panicked reaction Arden knew he hadn't imagined it but he also saw the Ensign fell backwards as he moved toward the pilot's chair in sheer terror. Turning around abruptly he saw the purple egg sac had spilt open with a yellowish trail leading straight toward him. Tracking the slime to its source Arden barely had time to draw his phaser as a baby spider, similar to those outside the shuttle, was in mid leap toward Arden's chest. It was simply too late to move out of its path as it landed on his chest in a posture that seemed like one of attack but seconds after the creature landed on him it just fell dead. After seeing what the adult form of the spider had done to Bale, it took Arden a moment to recover from his shock and another to even start figuring out what had happened. This time he didn't even attempt to hide his reaction from Gerrard while Bale still seemed to be sleeping. The baby spider itself had fallen onto the fall at which point it seemed to shriveled up. Although he could begin to explain the reaction he was silently praying to whatever deities existed for the good fortune.:: Gerrard: Sir what happened to it? Cain: I am not even going to pretend to be a biologist but if I had to guess I would say that it couldn't handle our atmosphere. Gerrard: What do you mean our atmosphere? There isn't anything exotic or dangerous in it to most species. Cain: The adult spiders outside are exhibiting the ability to survive in vacuum space. If that's there native environment perhaps oxygen is as lethal to them, as a lack of it, is to us. Gerrard: But your not sure Sir. Cain: No but it is a good place to start. Stay here with Bale while I return to the away team. I will have a proper medical team here as soon as possible. Simmed by Ensign Isaac Bale Starfleet Intelligence USS Mercury NCC-99812 and Lt. Commander Arden Cain First Officer USS Mercury NCC-99812

((Operation block, Infirmary, a few minutes later, USS Discovery-C)) ::Fenna Fax laid down on the operation table, her long blond hair spilled on the thin white pillow. Her body was muscular, just the right side of athletic, without being masculine. Though her face was calm now,Telice could perceive the tension in her body as she laid her hands on the future host's abdomen, proding gently. :: SHAGAN: ::softly :: It's all going to be fine. You're making the right decision. FAX: When there is only one course of action for your people then that is the course of action one takes. A symbiont to us is more than an individual. It is a collection of memories and lives. More precious than the will of the individual. Do you understand? SHAGAN: I understand. ::She didn't. God knew what she would have done.:: VARAS: Everything is ready Doctor. ::looking at Fax::You are in good hands. ::Telice took the hypospray prepared by the nurse and checked to contents. Satisfied with the solution's color, she set it against Fax's neck, not pressing the tappet yet.:: SHAGAN: As nurse Varas has explained to you, I will inject you with a sedative and begin with the procedure once you are unconscious. If the implentation is successful, you should wake up soon after the symbiont has attached to your body. FAX: IF! ::pause::You think something can go wrong now. Is that what you do, hook somebody then after they are strapped down you then tell them IF! SHAGAN: ::a pause:: If anything goes wrong, I'll be there to take the symbiont out, I promise. FAX: No you won't. The symbiont is more important. I did have time to find out that your Ensign Cogud is a Trill. I know he is not a candidate because he is infected with the plague. You will keep the symbiotic alive at all cost until Cogud can be treated and then see if agrees to be a host. I did not come all this way for nothing. SHAGAN: ::losing patience:: Alright, let's do this. ::Telice injected the sedative into the Marine's bloodstream. Fax's eyes fluttered, instinctively fighting the effects. Telice put a hand on her forehead, stroking the hair out of her face. It was unprofessional, but she couldn't help the feeling of protectiveness welling inside of her. This was her patient, and it didn't matter that Fax was older than her and more experienced, and that her consent had been forced. She was still vulnerable under her hands, just like the symbiont. It was her responsibility, and as per each time she had found herself in this situation, she was humbled by their trust.:: VARAS oO When she wakes up she will not be the same person ever again. People come out of surgery missing limbs, losing memories. She will be changed forever with the memories of previous hosts going back centuries. That is a life changer! Brave girl.Oo This should be successful right? SHAGAN: No reason it shouldn't. Especially since she is a prepared host. But what do I know, I've never done this. ::Fax was completely under now. Telice pushed the thin sheet covering her body down to the Marine's knees. In a flash, she saw Herlon's body lying down cold, looking up at her with blood injected eyes. She blinked, and the image was gone, Fax's serene face resting on the pillow. Taking a deep breath, Telice snapped her gloves on and gestured at Varas.:: SHAGAN: Exoscalpel. VARAS: ::slapping the instrument skillfully into Shagans hand::Exoscalpel ::This time, managing the patient's blood flow was of the essence, and a lot trickier.:: SHAGAN: Take that protoplaser. ::she told nurse Varas.:: Now, when I cut through with the exoscalpel, I want you to laser the blood vessels closed as I go. It won't be too hard to reconnect them when we close the wound. VARAS: Fortunatley for you and the Gunny I specialized in ER and trauma surgery. won't be a problem. SHAGAN: Excellent. ::Tricorder in hand, Telice prodded the area of Fax's abdomen once more. The device emitted a satisfying bip to indicate the presence of the cavity all trained Trills possessed, and Telice marked the area with a swift hand.:: SHAGAN: Going in. ::she started cutting, keeping an eye on Varas' progress with the protoplaser.:: Steady, steady. ::Some blood trickled down the Marine's hip, silently absorbed by the biosterilizers.:: ::Telice had studied implantation procedure on her last year at the Academy, and she was certainly glad for it now. The opening didn't need to be as large as it had taken to get the symbiont out of Helron's body, but then symbionts weren't supposed to be pulled out of a live bodies anyway.:: SHAGAN: Cutting through muscle now. Watch out for the pancreas. ::Pushing carefully.:: Good. VARAS: Ready for the Helron symbiotic? SHAGAN: Yes, bring the vat please. ::The nurse rolled the vat to the edge of the table. The steri-field hummed in the background.:: Grabb the cellular microsutures. I'm not sure how smooth this is going to be so I want you to start suturing as soon as the symbiont had pushed past the pancreas. VARAS: Got it. I can recess the pancreas also to give you two hands. ::Telice plunged her hand in the vat and took hold of the symbiont carefully. It didn't try to swim away, simply stopped moving as if it knew what was happening. And it probably did. Telice brought it up and out of the nutrient-rich water to slide it at the gap she had opened in Fax's body, round head first.:: ::As soon as it touched the Marine's organs, the symbiont took on a life of its own, wriggling to get to the comfortable safety of the Trill's abdomen, between the liver and the pancreas. Telice smoothed out the way with the tip of the protoplaser, and pushed it back up slowly as nurse Varas started suturing the organs and muscles back together.:: ::If any other situation, it would have been disgusting. But here it was- :: SHAGAN: Beautiful. VARAS: Just like birth. I have taken life out of a body, never put one back in. Amazing. ::Soon the symbiont was out of sight. Telice alterned between the protoplaser and the dermal regenerator as they got closer to the surface of the wound. The nurse was doing a excellent job, and Telice made a note to congratulate her later for a job well done. If they finished successfully, of course.:: ::Eventually, there was only the skin to regenerate in order to avoid scarring. Nurse Varas pushed the vat out of the way while Telice made liberal use of the dermal regeneration devices. Color was returning to the newly regenerated flesh, blood flowing under the skin. Telice smoothed her hand on the site of the operation, palm flat.:: ::It was done.:: SHAGAN: Now, we wait. VARAS: I will stay with her. The other patients are all stable for now. ::Except Cdr. Mitchell who was entering the final hours of the plague:: SHAGAN: ::yawning:: I think I'll wait here too. I don't want to miss the moment she wakes up. ::smiling:: I'd ask someone to bring us a snack, but that wouldn't be very sterile, would it. ::Fatigue settled in her bones like lead. They had been at it for more than four hours now, between the extraction of the symbiont and the implantation. Telice yawned again, opening her mouth wide.:: SHAGAN: ::laughing softly:: Sorry! You should go and get some rest. No need for us both to stand there looking at that pretty face. VARAS: ::pulling up a seat::I will stay. My boyfriend, Meng, is busy right now. Busier than we are I expect. SHAGAN: Your choice. ::But Telice was glad the nurse preferred to stay.:: Have someone clean the devices, would you? ::While Varas went to fetch another nurse, Telice grabbed a stool and dragged it near the operation table. She folded her arms and leaned on the side of the table, resting her chin for a second. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to sleep.:: TBC Ensign T. Shagan Medical Officer USS Discovery-C Ensign Ziyal Varas (PNPC) Nurse USS Discovery-C Gunnery Sgt Fenna Fax Platoon Sergeant SB-284 as simmed by: Lt. JG Meng Ishkan Tian Director of Intelligence USS Discovery-

It is always nice to see a solo sim to the family. I found this to be a very enjoyable read. The more you involved yourself, the more life came out to keep you reading. Very enjoyable.

Welcome Nathan

Note: This was written before this officer was promoted. ((Tiger-A Deck 4-Junoir officer crew quarters ) ) :: The ensign looked at the PADD in her hand, it held the schematics of the new Prometheus vessel she was to serve on. According to the data it was the most advanced vessel Starfleet had, and certainly the most advanced she had ever seen. First order of business was to find her quarters, stow what items she had before checking in to the commanding officers. :: oO There it is. Oo :: Touching the door panel she walked into a single occupancy room, that to her seemed large for one person. Her own quarters on Shield were this size and they housed her husband, child and herself. illumination activated once a living being entered the room. No need to fumble for the controls when tired. Convenient. Logical. A glance around showed a bed, deck consol, dresser and a closet for clothing, the refresher was in another room. A glance in there to familiarize herself, T’Mynn noticed another even smaller room in the ‘fresher, curious she put her head in to suddenly jerk back in gasping in surprise. Reached a hand to her head finding it and her body was all wet. oO Water out of the walls? Oo :: Starfleet Academy did mention these things, but experiencing them was another course in and of itself. Looking down, contemplating changing, she saw the droplets being quickly absorbed by her skin. Vulcan epidermis was made to be a bit more osmotic than a human’s. If needed, a V’tosh could ‘drink’ in mists that occasionally rose off the small oceans of Ti’Valk’ian absorbing water that way. The last time the woman had seen that world seemed to be many lifetimes ago. She decided to let the water absorb and put her toiletries in the fresher in the meantime. Medium sized blown glass bottles made by her uncle holding scented oils made from plants grown in her mother’s gardens were placed on the sink. She replicated a bowl of very fine sand, that too found it’s place. :: :: A quick uniform change while the computer updated her data, then chirped to indicaite an open subspace com channel was active. :: oO Punctual as usual Oo :: T’Mynn though with a smile as the faces of her parents appeared on screen. :: Farin: Hello, little one. T’Mynn: Hello Father. How are you and Mother and brothers doing? Farin: We are all doing well. ::A head poked itself into frame, T’Mynn’s brother Sorin, eyebrow went up.:: Sorin: Why are you wet? Did someone throw you into another body of water again? You should try to avoid that. T’Mynn:: head up a finger in an effort to explain when another head poked into frame, this time Sarek.:: Sarek: Maybe it’s a Starfleet thing. Ensign tossing. Although Lil’sister is small, so maybe it’s dwarf tossing. :: He grins. :: T’Mynn: Nope, No dwarf tossing. Just an encounter with the shower. They have water coming out of the walls on this ship. :: All three men’s eyes widen a little at that. :: Sarek: Water from the walls? :: Incredulously.:: Try the sonic shower next time, less messy. :grins: Did you find a nice mate yet. You can't play doubles Mahdhzong with only seven. Hurry up. :grins: T’Mynn: I..uh.. well..:: raising an eyebrow:: I wasn’t looking, I needed to study not go looking for males. ::Looking mildly uncomfortable even though the man was gently teasing hoping for a smile.:: ::Sorin shoves him out of frame. Only to be shoved out of frame by Farin. The brothers conversation though quiet wasn’t missed by keen V’Tosh hearing. In the background she caught Sorin saying “What’s the matter with you, that’s a touchy subject. :: Sounds of a hand gently swatting someone.:: "Give her time.” :: Farin: Hiist out,both of you. Go work on the Disciplines, you both can chat with her later. :Shaking head.:: Boys. :: T’Mynn tried to keep the grin of her face. She could hear the duo shouting back comments and joking with each other. The two brothers could be at times incurable but she loved them nonetheless. They added a lot of life to the family. Many days of laughter especially during the long trip through the vast wastes of space. They truly cared for her, they wanted her to be whole again by finding someone to complete her.:: oO It’s not that easy my dear brothers. A soul mate isn’t found on trees. Oo Farin ::Looking apologetic:: Sorin tends to speak before thinking. T’Mynn: I understand his sentiment, and I greatly appreciate his concern..What’s new? Farin: Ah. There will be a new addition to the family. ::T’Mynn raised a questioning eyebrow:: T’Ami, is with child. ::Farin was calm but his eyes showed how joyful he was. :: T’Mynn: That’s wonderful? When? Farin: Anytime now, she’s anxious for them to see the world. T’Mynn: Them? Twins? Again? :: Twinning was rare among their species, but occasionally some families tended to have more of them than others. Pregnancy was hard on a V’tosh because of their anatomy the baby was carried low which proved to be a bit uncomfortable. Twins made it a bit more uncomfortable. T’Mynn knew that if T’Ami was with twins, she would’ve been bedridden for three quarters of the term.:: :: Farin nodded, the scenery seemed to be moving around as if he were carrying the computer through the house. She saw familiar things, mother’s plants all over the home. . :: Farin: ::Whispering. :: She is sleeping, but I figured you wanted to see her. :;He had angled the screen to capture her, t’Ogien’s primary was shining through the large open windows, a breeze ruffling the woman’s hair. Her father quietly sat down on the edge of the bed next to T’Ami, gently stroking her forehead with his fingers. T’Ami smiled in her sleep at his touch, shifted to a better position her belly swollen the lives she carried. :: T‘Mynn: I can see why she’s wants her tenets out. I would too.. Please give her, the babies and those troublesome brothers my love. Farin: :: Speaking quietly still.::I will. T’Mynn: I’d like to talk all night but I have to meet my commanding officers. Starfleet has more protocal, than I can imagine, sometimes how much is even logical. :: She missed them all, she missed her mate and her child. Her bond with them no longer existing because both passed beyond the veil that separates this life from the next. :: Farin: ::nodding:: it’s necessary unfortunately, politicians need jobs. Things haven’t changed much. T’Mynn: Terrans have a saying.”The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Farin: There is wisdom there. Get going Little one, we love you and stay safe. T’Mynn: :: Putting a hand on the screen.: So do I. :: The connection closed, but not before a file packet showed up from her family. She put it in the desk drawer to view later after all the meet and greeting was finished. A tap or two on the environmental controls set the ambient temperature to forty degrees Celsius, gravity to 1.4 standard Gs and air density to fit that of her birth world. She finished unpacking her back pack that held a PADD, holo-cam, a small case that held paint brushes, ink well, a roll of fabric like paper, and an isolinear chip. These were carefully arranged on the desktop. A quick communicae’ to the transporter chief, the contents of the chip arrived, the rest of her items. Pots of plant-life shimmered into existence. Ti’Valk’ain plant-life that she and T’Ami had grown, and later she’d taken care of them during her tenure at the Academy. Holos of family sat at the desk, plants on the desk, floor, and shelving. A lyre stood next to the desk as well. The bed would have to stay until she could move it. It was going to feel odd sleeping on it; she was used to a floor pallet and generally preferred it. :: :: Standing in the middle of the room, it would be home for a while. A Terran saying drifting through her memory "Home is where you hang your hat." and "Home is where your heart is." :: oO My heart will always be with Ti'Valk'Ain until I find someone to share it with, this place is where I'll 'hang my hat." Oo :: A small form wound itself around her ankles.:: T’Mynn: Sneaky creature following me, how did you escape notice? Hmm :: Scratching an ear on the purring feline. She secured food and water for the feline and headed out the door to start her duties on Tiger. :: Ensign T’Mihn Ah’mygahn Science Officer USS-Tiger 52199-A

That was a great sim, a pleasure to read.

Welcome to the fleet

((Aqua Shuttle / Main Shuttle Bay; USS Mercury)) ::Rick worried at his bottom lip as the shuttle came in towards the mother ship. He knew, he sensed, Gypsy was in peril.:: Matthews: ::Tapping the comm system.:: =/\=Matthews to Mercury, requesting for final approach.=/\= Wulfantine:=/\= Greetings Alex, welcome home. Permission granted.=/\= Matthews: =/\=Understood, final approach for the main shuttle bay. See you on the bridge my friend. I will bring Rashnan directly to the Captain.=/\= Wulfantine: =/\=See you in a jiffy my friend.=/\= Rawden: Sir, may I report to Eyas when we arrive? Matthews: ::Looking over to Rick.:: Of course, you go right ahead when we land I can take care of the shuttle. Rawden: Aye Sir. ::Rick guided the shuttle in to the bay without a problem, landing the ship with gentle bump on the deck. Matthews looked back to the rest of the team Lara and Marcus.:: Matthews: ::Standing up and walking to the rear of the shuttle.:: Rick, thank you. I know that you are anxious to see what Eyas wants. Get going. Rawden: Thank you Sir. ::Rick nodded and scooted down the corridor to the nearest turbolift.:: Wulfantine: =/\= Rick, it’s Eyas. Details have been sent to your pad. =/\= ::Rick looked down. The message icon was flashing. He grasped the device and quickly read the content. He gulped.:: Rawden: =/\= Thank you… Sir.=/\= Lift – Sickbay. ::The turbolift sped towards the sickbay deck bridge. Rick emerged and rushed into the sickbay.:: ((Sickbay; USS Mercury)) ::He saw people bustling about, a medic attending to minor issues, but no sign of his beloved.:: Rawden: Gypsy?! Hawker: ::hoarsely:: Rick? ::Rick spun around, hearing her voice. His mouth dropped open. Lying on a biobed, was his sweetheart, her long hair matted and her skin….. was blue!:: Rawden: GYPSY!!!! ::He ran over to her, his face full of fear and confusion.:: Rawden: What? What’s happened? Eyas merely told me you’d had a minor injury. Hawker: Rick, I’m not injured. I’m.. changing. Rawden: Babe.. I can… how did it? What? Hawker: Transporter malfunction… we beamed back with an alien. They’re aquatic. We got… ::She raised a blue webbed hand up and brushed back her long hair, to reveal a set of gills on her neck. They flexed as they breathed the air. Rick was silent for a moment.:: Rawden: But..? ::Rick held her hand.:: Hawker: Rick? Rawden: Can anything be done? Where’s the Doc? ::Gypsy’s heart was hurting. She felt she could detect Rick’s changing image of her.:: Hawker: Doc’s in lab. But there’s more… Rawden: Oh Gypsy? You’re gonna be alright aren’t you? ::Gypsy smiled softly.:: Hawker: I hope ‘we’ are. ::Rick’s mind was confused and he assumed the ‘we’ referred to him and Gypsy. He was relieved that Gypsy was not hurt, but she was changing. Things were crazy. Just then, he heard a noise coming from the lab.:: Velana: She's a beautiful ship and everyone I've met has been more than welcoming. I look forward to meeting more of the crew, though. Del Vedova: Well, I guess, I mean, it's only a matter of time-- Rawden: Doc! Doc! Gypsy… what’s happening to her? Del Vedova: There was a sort of (beat) transporter accident. Her vitals are fine and we're looking for a cause right now. To Be Continued… LtJG. Rick Rawden & Crewman Gypsy Hawker (PNPCs) Engineer & Medic: USS Mercury Simmed by: Lt.Cmdr Eyas Wulfantine Chief Tactical Officer: USS Mercury

Welcome to the fleet. It is a pleasure to have you with us.

Congratulation, and welcome to the fleet.

Welcome to the fleet. It is a pleasure to have you with us.

Oh you will. Welcome

Congratulations, and welcome to the fleet.

((Treatment Room 2, Sickbay, USS Mercury)) ::He had greeted the Marines as he passed them and checked the integrity of the quarantine fields at the door. Everything was excluded; not a virus nor a signal could get out, certainly not a nanite. Not even air particles, the environmental system was on closed-circuit recycle with reclamation and replication of air molecules. The internal monitoring system showed that the majority of the raw materials that Engineering had delivered had been used, and the Borg Queen appeared whole, and was using the power module placed at the back of the room.:: ::Saveron keyed an exclusion forcefield half-way across the room, effectively cutting it in two, before he accessed the force-field airlock that was now in place in the entryway. The forcefields were transparent, he could see the Queen the instant the door slid back, and over their faint hum he could hear the whine of the powerpack.:: ::Stepping patiently through the fields as they cycled to let him in without letting anything else out, the Vulcan doctor at last stood with nothing but a forcefield between himself and the Borg Queen. He looked her over with a neutral expression, but a more compassionate eye than most would use. She was here because of him, he didn't doubt that most of the crew would have gladly destroyed her. Yet the doctor could only wonder how she must feel, bereft of her connection to the Collective that had created her. Could she even function independently? He would find out.:: Saveron: Sochya. ::He greeted her traditionally, for want of a better idea. He had insisted that she be treated as any other prisoner would; it was logical to be polite.:: :: The Queen raised her eyes to her visitor: an important motion, since it was one of the simplest left to her. She was pleased with her ability to execute it, since so much of what she had been -- so much of what had been given to her -- had so recently been taken back.:: Borg Queen: You are Vulcan. (beat) Perhaps it is logical to tell you that resistance is futile; but I do not doubt that you will disagree. Saveron: You are correct. ::He confirmed.:: oO So she does have independant reasoning. Oo Borg Queen: Then tell me why you are here. Have you come to observe me? The creature who was once Borg -- who, without the song in its mind, is now fit only for your menagerie? Saveron: Affirmative. ::The doctor assured her evenly.:: I also wished to converse with you. Borg Queen: You would be happier if you allowed me to assimilate you. A collective of two -- a collective beginning with two. Our voices, in each other's heads. (beat) Are you not intrigued? Are you not curious? ::She had him there; yes he was curious.:: Saveron: Not in the manner which you presume. ::He replied.:: Being Vulcan, I am already aware of what it is to have my mind bound to another, but unlike the Borg my bond-mate and I retained our individuality. ::Although in the depths of an intimate meld even that could be difficult.:: That is not something I wish to lose. Borg Queen: By sacrificing your individuality, you will expand and grow in ways you cannot imagine. It is illogical to assume that you would not benefit. Saveron: When the Collective assimilates an individual they become a drone and lose their individuality. It fascinates me that you have not come to understand how this weakens you. Or perhaps you have? The Nimitz Borg are different to those with which the Federation is acquainted. Borg Queen: It is true that we are -- and that I am -- different from those Borg encountered by your Federation before. We are connected, and yet each drone retains a sense of self. I've given them this gift myself. Saveron: So you begin to gain an appreciation of the benefits of a different point of view. Many thought that the Collective assimilated everything, and learned nothing. Borg Queen: Oh, yes. We have grown and learned much as we've evolved towards perfection. Saveron: The Collective assimilates, it incorporates, but it does not create; it cannot. To be creative requires subjectivity, and that is something that you lack. An individual point of view is subjective. And it is that point of view, that difference in perception and understanding, that leads to creativity, invention and improvement. Without it a species stagnates. You steal ideas because you cannot make your own, this makes you as a parasite dependent on your host species; that is a weakness. Borg Queen: Perhaps. You cannot hear the thoughts of those around you; that is a weakness. Whose is worse? :: She did not wait for a response before continuing. :: Borg Queen: I would take my own life and allow my children to grow another Queen if I believed I would never return to them. But their strength is such, and your weakness is likewise, that I trust that I -- that we -- shall overcome. :: She turned away from the Vulcan man. She had no more to say to him. :: Borg Queen: Leave us. :: Only the quiet swish of the door told her that she was, again, alone. :: TBC! Dr. Saveron CMO USS Mercury & The Borg Queen (sans collective) by Cmdr. Kells

Welcome to the fleet, and welcome back Mr. Hunt.

Welcome to the fleet, we are glad to have you with us.

Welcome to the fleet, glad to have you with us.

Welcome to the fleet.