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Trellis Vondaryan

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Everything posted by Trellis Vondaryan

  1. Since DS9 is my favorite series, and “In the Pale Moonlight” one of the best episodes of that series, I went with Other and voted that. While TOS established the Prime Directive Kirk was never very good at obeying its rules. He would be heavily involved in other civilizations, pre-warp of not. The Prime Directive really came into its own, and the repercussions of breaking it, in TNG. That said, sometimes the Prime Directive was tossed about as a plot device. Sometimes it meant non-interference in any species, sometimes just non-interference in pre-warp cultures. With the DS9 episode we got to see the reasoning behind the Prime Directive, how a captain struggles with the decision and the eventual outcome of what happens when a captain does break the rules.
  2. ((Sickbay, Deck 4 - USS Za))::With a yawn, Noros Tanna slowly allowed her eyes to flutter open. It felt like she had been in a deep, dreamless sleep, and it took her a few moments to realize where she was and why the environs were so bright. Once her memories resurfaced, she started with a jolt. The vivid recollection of the attack she had endured outside the guest quarters flooded in, and she was surprised to feel no ill effects. The Bajoran security officer had been in a lot of pain, both physically and to her pride after the small Trill survivor had bested her so spectacularly, yet all that remained was the bruises to her ego. The physical effects were no longer there.::::Tanna turned her head to see the likely source of her newfound well-being, the resourceful and kindly Femi Cattan. She was attending another patient, and as Femi sighed and turned towards Tanna, the prone security officer could see the object of her ministrations. Ezra, the sell-out dabo girl that was a disgrace to Tanna's outdated sensibilities, appeared to be held under an induced medical stasis. Absently, Noros considered the lapse of time during her unconsciousness, and wondered what had brought her countrywoman to this state.::Cattan: How do you feel?::The medical officer was looking down upon her, appearing harried and concerned, but still tempered by a sweet demeanor. Noros felt first and foremost an affinity towards Femi for her effortless ability to project a cheerful and outgoing vibe, though there was a slight twinge of jealousy. These traits of Femi's were ones she herself had never owned, nor was she ever likely to obtain them. At this time and place, however, Femi had all of Tanna's gratitude.::Noros: Better. Much better. ::moving around tentatively to ensure that all her pains had fully abated:: You do great work, Ms Cattan. ::a bit more seriously, and with a hint of a scowl:: Good enough to give me a rematch with the waif who bested me, I hope.Cattan: ::nods:: I understand, your experience with Miazra can be of use to us ::to Porus and Soxco:: how do we proceed?Soxco: While I don't tend to agree with my culture way of life, they do have a valid point of knowing first who or what we are dealing with::Noros was about to object that she knew exactly who she wanted to deal with. Miazra Peeex, formerly an occupant on the Morning Star, soon to be an occupant of the Za's brig. But common sense shortly prevailed, and she realized that there had to be more to the story than just a common misdemeanor. No Trill that Noros had ever heard of possessed the superior strength and reflexes that she had witnessed in Peeex, and there was no telling what new information had come to light during her unconsciousness. So, she bit back the bitter retort borne of shame and frustration in the circumstances beyond her control, and decided to listen instead.::Porus: Agreed, found anything of use in that database?Cattan: ::she nods:: did something like this happen before?Socxo: We are dealing with a being that can take over a person mind and force it to its will. The USS Enterprise had to similar situation and dealt with it swiftly by finding the source of its problem ::Looking at the others:: If you push the head of the infected person aside, and lower the collar down you will see a green tail stick out of the neck. This is how you notice the person to be infected and it can be removed by precize point to point transport. But it requires some time and effort.Noros: So there's aliens controlling these survivors?::The information actually gave Tanna a small measure of relief. She had been ashamed to look her fellow security officer Porus in the eyes, thinking herself a fool for allowing herself to be bested by Peeex. But, if Peeex was under the influence of an undetectable performance-enhancing alien, then Noros could be forgiven for underestimating the situation that had led to her being overwhelmed. At least with this knowledge, she could ensure it wouldn't happen a second time.::Porus: I guess that means we stun them and remove the buggers?Cattan: ::she turned around:: I don't think it's that easy. 2 phasers on maximal stun, fired three times didn't work out as we thought either. ::she showed them the monitor with the brain activity on display:: These parasites are still “awake” but the host is knocked out.Socxo: ::looked at the file:: The Enterprise seemed to have contain the problem by taking out a being called the Mother? I got no real idea what it is...but it neutralized all beings and hostNoros: So no problem, then. We frag this Mother. Where's my phaser, I'll happily do the job.::Tanna sat up and swung her legs off the side of the biobed, and instantly regretted her bravado. Though she didn't swoon, her head swam a little at the rapid movement, and her hands had to grip the padding of the bed tightly for a moment in order to regain her equilibrium. Had she known about the introduction of anesthazine to the atmosphere during her incapacitation, she wouldn't have been quite so concerned.::Noros: oO Just how long had I been laying here? OoPorus: It might solve the problem but if I understood correctly it won’t remove the beings from their heads right?Cattan: with precise point to point transport we can remove them from their hads but it is risky. ::she thought for a moment:: do we know where this Mother is?Socxo: That ...::He shrugs a bit::... we don't know as the files indicated that the Enterprise crew were guided towards it.Noros: Well... okay then. When we DO figure out where this Mother is, let me know. I'll gun her down. I'll even gun down Peeex. ::shrugging, with a smirk:: Y'know, as a precaution.::A new entry to the sickbay was heralded by the opening of the main doorway, and an escorted officer entered the room. The escort, a fellow security officer by the name of Carritaro, stood at attention at the doorway. Noros gave him a friendly nod, which he returned in kind.::DeVeau: Hey, it’s just us!Porus: ::Lowering the phaser again:: Sorry…Cattan: ::to Porus:: No need to apologise. Since she could've been taken over we have to be very cautious.Socxo: It is a precaution to our own safety, we do not know whom to trust or whom we can't. But thanks towards the Enterprise files we can see it to their necks ::pointing to his own neck below the collar::DeVeau: oh no, I totally get it. Just not quite the welcome I was expecting. Noros: Wait, did I miss something during my beauty sleep? Not only is there an alien presence in some, if not all of the Morning Star arrivals, but they have been infecting the Za crew?Porus: That is correct… unfortunately, we are not sure how they spread their influence. We could be looking at a dozen casualties right now. It's seems to be spreading and give those under their control a lot of stamina too.Cattan: Yes, it makes them very dangerous.::Tanna nearly did swoon this time, but it was an emotional response instead of a physical one. The thought of another creature entering her body and using her as a puppet... it was more than she dare to consider. She looked pleadingly at Femi.::Noros: Was... Is... Am *I* infected?Cattan: No luckily you aren't. Peeex flew before she had the chance. If you didn't call us it could've been too late. ::she looks at Noros:: But Pandorn and you were both talking about the same kind of creatures.::The relief was palpable and overwhelming, though Tanna still felt herself gingerly touching the back of her own neck subconsciously looking for a protuberance that wasn't there.::Noros: Well, that would explain Peeex's words and actions. By the Prophets, that was a close call! PNPC LtJG Noros Tanna Security Officer, USS Za ~as simmed by~ LtCmdr Maxwell Traenor Chief Science Officer, USS Za =/\= Top Sims Contest Facilitator =/\= A239111MT0
  3. ((Main Computer Core - USS Za)) Losak: And now the bridge has been sealed. ::smiling:: Which means they can't get out, either. Well, then, let everyone fire away! Petras: ::finally looks up.:: What did you do? ::She shrugged.::Losak: Wasn't me. The bridge must have done something... But since they can't get out, it shouldn't be a problem. Lushington: which means they’re trapped…no time to lose. Don’t forget we still got a brother up there. Wouldn’t like to lose him either. Petras: And he will understand the sacrifice we may all have to make to achieve our goal. ::Her console beep. And she turned to look.:: Clever girl… ::He rolled with his eyes. He had made some sacrifices himself. With his hand he softly rubbed his swollen chin and cheek. It stung a little bit but the swollen parts were numb and speaking became more difficult. He shakes his head:: oO That damn Romulan gave me a good beating, he even kicked out my tooth. I will get my revenge on him Oo ::The bleeding luckily stopped quick enough but he couldn’t understand that his beautiful Faran still gave him a kiss. That she still showed some kind of interest in him though he looked hidious:: Lushington: ::He looked on her console but couldn’t understand one thing:: Whas hapfened? ::he knew that it sounded weird but it was the best he could do for now:: Losak: What's that, Nicky? You want to know what's happened? ::she didn't intend to sound like she was speaking to a young Tumerian prairie pup, but she didn't change the inflection of her voice either:: Someone has launched a set of probes. Unmodified, by the look of it. Petras: I warned you they would take action and they have done so. Lushington: Witw ‘they’ youw ean thew weowle on the bridge wighthh? Losak: ::sharply:: Who else would 'they' mean? Petras: They began by attempting to restrict access to personnel on the bridge only. ::pauses and then types rapidly.:: Oh… very clever girl… Lushington: vefy cwever indeed…what awe we going to dow abous it? Losak: Not much. There's no point. We weren't going to the bridge anyway. Petras: The captain has sent out probes… ::nods to herself:: I can make use of this… Lushington: awe we lucky to hawe yous onboarwed. ::he looked agry at th’Enise who was laughing at him and grabbed him by his collar:: dowt laugh at me owe I will woop youw [...] pfall!! Losak: ::she chuckled at the thought, then scowled back at Nicky, chiding in her voice:: Now, now, boys. We have work to do still. No time for fighting among ourselves. :: The console chirped tentatively as afraid to give more bad news. ‘Petras’ cursed in a manner which didn’t suite her Vulcan no-emotion look:: oO DARN IT, they trampled all our ideas down before we could even come up with another plan Oo Losak: Well, that doesn't sound good. What now? Petras: The captain has locked out slipstream, warp and long range communications. ::shakes head:: It will take too much time to bypass. Lushington: ::he didn’t understand it at all. She was talking about systems he never heard of:: so we hawe to be qwick and take ofer the sjip… ? Losak: If it were only that simple, little simple Nicky. ::sarcastically:: What do you think we've been trying to do? th'Enise: ? Petras: ::looks at the Andorian:: They will move the ship to follow the probes. I can access them. Send the signal. ::To Lushington and Losak.:: Connect with the rest, we need to regroup if we are to salvage this mission. Lushtington: Yesh good pwan Ma’am ::After what happened earlier in the turbolift he tried to be as kind as possible to Petras. He knew that she was his sister now, but the amazing strenght she had wasn’t something he wanted to feel a second time:: Losak: Does anyone know where the others are? :: He grabbed Losak’s hand and they walked towards the doors. He reminded himself that finding her was probably the second best thing that happened in his life. His Casino was of course the first thing but still. Before leaving trough the doors Losak’s comm.badge went off, but the call wasn’t meant for her:: Lers: =/\= Lers towards Lush....boy it is now in your hands to take control of this situation. Both myself and Peeex will be not available a certain amount of time...."=/\= ::He leaned in so he could speak trough her comm.badge. He tried to keep his distance but he felt, especially one cheek, blushed a little bit.:: Lushington: =/\= Mr. Hish. We wewe about tow m-m-meet up withs you. ::paused for a moment and glanced at Faran:: But you can fuwwy twust on me…and ush! ::pause:: wiw you be back again? =/\= Lers: =/\= Don't worry we will be coming...just hold your ground=/\= Lushington: =/\= whatewer you awe up to…be savw and pfrotect Lady Miazwa! =/\= ::The conversation ended and he looked up into Faran’s beautiful eyes. This called for a change of plans:: Lushington: So, whaf do we do now? Losak: Relay the news, obviously. ::Nicholas turns around to the others. He had to discuss this in the group. Their options changed quite a bit and he didn’t know how to achief it without losing lifes from his siblings:: Nicholas: so, Mr. Hish and Miazwa are up tow somefing….we have to twust them of couwse but our pwan to meet up withs them ish gone now. ********************************************************** Nicholas Lushinton Sadly, a former Morning Star member and a proud Casino Dealer (missing a tooth) As simmed by, Ensign Femi Cattan Nurse Officer USS Za Z239308FC0
  4. Apologies for missing a few months. October and November saw a lot of participation, so thanks to everyone who contributed. To close out the year, here's December's kudos! The Federation News Service contributed the monthly vessel reports, eight in all; LtCmdr. Brell & LtCmdr. Valdivia together submitted five Poll of the Week articles; LtCmdr. Traenor submitted three Top Sims Contest articles, including one about the 2016 winners; LtCmdr. Jorey submitted a Featured Bio Contest article; Capt. Nugra wrote one article about the podcast; Cmdr. Blair submitted the monthly apps & grads count; Capt. Rahman submitted two articles, one about monthly post totals and the other an FNS cross-post; and Admrl. Wolf submitted eight articles, including donor thanks, promotions, interviews and various announcements about vacancies and leadership roles. Thanks to everyone for helping us end the year on a high note. We've already hit the ground running in 2394, so let's keep it up!
  5. From a pure hilarity standpoint I'd say Garak as Santa (who is obviously part of the Obsidian Order being able to track all the kids) and Spock as an elf.
  6. What? A few of us got some friendly pets. What's wrong with that?
  7. I'd prefer a real person as the love interest, but whether that's character or PNPC I don't care very much. I had just started a relationship with another player's PNPC when I transferred and we're currently still 'involved', though we haven't simmed anything since.
  8. I sense trouble... And no Raisillius to help shoot the troublemakers.
  9. ((Sickbay - USS Za)) ::After what seemed like an eternity after being awakened, the three survivors from the Morning Star finally had a moment alone together. From the time they had been reanimated from the stasis pods, to the evacuation to the Za, to the pokes and prods and scans and ministrations of the medical staff, the three had been under the supervision of someone or another constantly. Now, finally, they had a chance to speak in private.:: ::Miazra Peeex looked around to ensure that they were well and truly alone, before the scared and confused look that had graced her face since the time she had been awoken fell. In it’s place was a rictus grimace of frustration and annoyance.:: Peeex: ::in a harsh whisper:: Starfleet. Of course it would have to be Starfleet that found us. ::eyes rolling in disgust:: Lushington: :: he gave a gentle smile:: I fully understand your feelings dear Lady. But don't forget their intentions are true. Lers: Don’t worry my child, they are by nature a curious bunch of explorers ::The Tellarite spoke old and wise:: Peeex: ::to Lers:: Can you believe how that man called you a frozen ball of pork?! And that Vulcan, the way he manhandled you? I think you showed great restraint, considering how you could have reacted… ::devilish grin:: We’ll see who’s laughing at who soon enough! Lers: ::He rose his hand:: We have the advantage here, let's keep that intact if we rush things right now we will lose the element of surprise and they will know our hidden agenda. Lushington: ::he nods:: I agree with you Sir. ::to Peeex:: Young Lady, Please, don't let yourself get ruled by your negative emotions. Peeex: ::sighing:: I know. I’m just not… adapting as well as you two. Something about being Trill is affecting things. It even left me with some semblance of consciousness while in stasis. That wasn’t supposed to happen, was it? Lers: ::hums a bit:: No it shouldn’t affect the progress, but it seem to happen to my own body also.. Lushington: I have to admit that I had a similar experience during the stasis process. Sometimes I was on the verge of sleeping or dreaming the other time I was wide awake, counting sheep. Peeex: Well, if you two had the same experiences in stasis, then it’s more than just me being Trill. Still, we can’t afford me spending any more time in Sickbay. There’s too much risk in being examined too closely. The nurse is kind enough, but the pointy ears are sure to get suspicious after too long. ::The Vulcan doctor and the Romulan counselor were by nature more critical and suspicious, and all three survivors from the Morning Star knew that they would need to keep their guard up around them.:: Lushington: ::Nicholas nods. Even he didn't trust the pointy ears. They’re too smart:: If I may ask something, How do we intend to proceed further? Lers: I would suggest that we divide ourselves and get closely towards those that seem to….get along with us. Will it be positive or negative, it does not really matter….I already have security going after me. I believe you Nicolas have that focus on the ladies, use that charm! Peeex be yourself but not yourself? Could you please do that... Peeex: ::grinning wickedly:: I can garner some attention myself, I’ll let you know! ::Nicholas tried to hide his laugh behind his hand. He wasn't supposed to laugh at the young Lady but he knew it could be difficult for her with such a grand personality:: Lushington: ::he grinned:: It's not something I'm proud of Lady, Sir. But I don't mind being in company of these beautiful ladies. ::his smile faded when he realised something important:: We somehow have to convince them to come with us to our planet. Without making them suspicious. Lers: We need the Captain for that, convince the Command team would be our priority goal... ::Miazra scratched her thin thoughtfully, a concerned expression etched across her face. Nicholas understood why. Every attempt they made to get in touch with the Captain “failed”. They couldn't get near her at all.:: Peeex: True, but we need to exercise caution. We’ve dealt with Starfleet before, and it didn’t end well. We still have the upper hand, and as long as we can get them to the planet, then we’ll prevail. We’ve waited for 30 years, we can wait a little longer if it means proceeding safely. Les Lushington: ::he nods. For that was true. They had to be cautious:: they seem willing to “rescue” our people. We made it clear enough they need their help. Lers: I wonder about that, Peeex already mentioned a few times, but no real action was taken ::He pointed out with a shrug:: Peeex: And in the meantime, we don’t want to spend *too* much time together. As the only survivors of the Morning Star, the people on this ship will expect us to cling together, but if we spend all our time alone, they might get suspicious. Lushington: Indeed my Lady. We can spend time together but we have to get acquainted with some. ::he looked at Miazra:: you seem to have a good contact with my ‘little lamb’ and she seems to like you. ::he looked at Hishnend and smiled devilish:: Sir, with all the respect, I believe they don't like you one bit. Lers: It comes as a second nature my dear boy, we Tellarites love to argue and debate ::Hishnend nodded to himself when speaking:: Lushington: Well, as long as you stay away from the Bearded Guy and Panda Guy. They’re particularly sharp when you're around. Lers: Don’t worry Mister Lushington, I don’t intend to provoke them to much. They are cautious already about letting me near any of their technology. Time will tell…. Lushington: of course Sir ::he made a small bow:: I fully trust on your instincts. It was just meant as advice. As you said ::he gave them a wink:: I'll try my best with the ladies once more. Lers: ::Giving a slight nod to him he looked at Peeex:: Focus on the young nurse, she has shown….affection to you. Maybe their counselor might be of use also. ::Frowning, Miazra didn’t like the idea of approaching the counselor at all. His lineage, not to mention his profession, made him a risky person to spend too much time with. However, if it was necessary in order to reach their goals, then she would do it. She looked carefully around the room, and noted that some of the medical staff were sparing glances in their direction. It would be best to wrap this up until she was released and they could enjoy the privacy of their assigned quarters for further conversations.:: Peeex: ::quietly:: Understood. I can do that. ::then more aloud:: Well, thanks for visiting, guys! Don’t have too much fun without me. Hopefully they’ll release me soon enough. Les Lushington: ::he takes her hand and kisses it softly:: take care my Lady. We'll meet up soon enough. ::he gave her a naughty smile and whispered:: give my greetings to my ‘little lamb’. Lers: Don’t mock to much dear, we will be back soon! ::He gave a slight nod to her and moved in the direction of the doors:: ::Hishnend nodded and Nicholas waved a last time at Miazra they didn't like it to leave her behind, but they knew for what cost they had to do this. They walked out through the doors of sickbay where their “bodyguards” were waiting and headed towards their own quarters. They didn't talk much while walking, they only gave each other a nod before entering their own guest rooms. They knew what to do. The game was on:: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Miazra Peeex Cabin Steward, Morning Star ~as simmed by~ LtCmdr Maxwell Traenor Chief Science Officer, USS Za =/\= Top Sims Contest Facilitator =/\= A239111MT0 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Nicholas Les Lushington Casino Dealer, Morning Star ~as simmed by~ Ensign Femi Cattan Nurse Officer, USS Za Z239308FC0 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Hishnend Lers Engineer, Morning Star ~as simmed by~ Lieutenant (JG) Nak'aqi Socxo Assistant Chief Science Officer, USS Za FNS & Podcast Member Z239308NS0
  10. It's not epic, but there was a lot of emotion and info about Sto'vo'kor in "Once More Unto the Breach" that I really enjoyed.
  11. ((Bridge -- USS Za)) ::The Deep warship had made its move in firing upon the Klingon ship. Trellis had moved his own pieces on the board, positioning the Za between the Defender-21 and the Krorgh. The game was coming to a close, he considered. The Deep were in check and weakened. Now the Za waited for them to realize that.:: Vondaryan: Can we beam the Captain and her team back yet? Petras: We will need to remodulate our defensive shields to pull them through… Baxter: Transporter room has locks on all the away team. One of the life signs are showing weaker than the other indicating that someone has been injured. Williams: Its useless as long as the Deep shields are operating. My scans show they are still up. And even if they are not I hate to drop ours while taking fire… I think the captain is better of where he is right now. The Deep ship can take a beating too. ::Trellis didn't like the information that one of the signs was weaker than the rest. The away team was in danger and he should be over there leading it. He was frustrated there was not more he could do about it here.:: Vondaryan: Acknowledged. ::The turbolift doors opened, but Trellis was too focused on the viewscreen to notice who came in. It was only when spoken to that he noticed a Klingon officer now on the bridge.:: Socxo: Commander I was wondering where the Captain is? I got a plausible theory for the illness… Williams: I doubt they’ll listen right now ensign. As you can see we are in the middle of a battle. Vondaryan: The Captain is aboard that ship there, ensign. ::he nodded in the direction of the viewscreen showing the Defender. He looked to the science officer and tilted his head:: Does this mean you've discovered a cure? Petras: I have been monitoring the science-medical team. Awaiting confirmation from medical. Vondaryan: Well, that is good news. Continue working as quick as you can. There should be an available science console over there. ::he motioned toward one of the empty work-spaces along the wall:: ::Stationed as they were in between two ships it was inevitable that they would take a stray shot or two. Thankfully Falcon was managing to dodge the majority of them and, when she couldn't, the shields absorbed the rest. Still, he didn't expect this stalemate to last much longer.:: Williams: The incoming fire its takings its toll on our energy reserves commander! Falcon: I think they’re getting mad at us. Vondaryan: Make no aggressive moves. Keep us between them as long as you can, Falcon. Baxter, can you increase energy to the shields? Shut down any non-essential functions necessary. Falcon: If it’s just them, I can keep this up for a while. I make no promises if the Defender starts moving, too. ::Thankfully Baxter was able to increase power to the shields for a little longer, as the Za continued to get rocked by an occasional stray blast. They weren't suffering any damage yet. ::From the bottom of the viewscreen a smaller ship suddenly appeared, firing a different color phaser bolt that hit the Defender. Where had that come from?:: Williams: Commander, unless my sensors deceive me the small Deep ship just fired on the Warship. Baxter can you confirm sensors are working? ::Ah, that would explain it. Trellis had almost forgotten about Arbiter Ydem.:: Vondaryan: The Arbiter has fired upon the Defender? ::he tilted his head and smiled:: Excellent news. ::he'd never heard of a piece changing color in the middle of a game. It was an interesting development.:: Baxter: Yes, Ydem-18 has fired a low energy phaser beam at the other Deep ship. Petras: There is some significant damage to the Defender… Williams: It doesn’t make sense… why would they do that. That are no match for her, or the Klingon ship for that matter… ::Trellis was fairly confident he knew what was happening. When the communication came through from the Explorer he felt vindicated in his belief.:: Ydem-18: =/\= This is Arbiter Ydem-18 aboard the Explorer-46. We have fired upon our vessel Defender-21 because we want to show, as strongly as we can, that we disagree with their course of action. Though our actions may have been brash in dismissing support from Captain Bron and the Krorgh, we would never think of provoking him and his crew into battle. We stand now with the Krorgh and the Za against Defender-21. Defender-21, stand down. =/\= Williams: Well that is an uhm… Baxter: Interesting turn of events. Falcon: Good way to put it. Vondaryan: How are the Klingons holding up in this battle? Has the Defender moved its target? Do we need to move into position to defend the Arbiter's ship? ::Trellis could feel the adrenaline pumping through him. He was nervous. He could not understand why Ryael had continued this game for so long already. Surely she must give up now being outnumbered 3 to 1. Her king was surrounded on all sides and close to checkmate. It was an inevitable outcome, and her delays only drew out the game for no purpose.:: Williams: No sir, she is still targeting the Klingons. Lucky Ydem... one or two shots and she’d be space dust… ::Trellis shuddered at the thought. That would be a horrible end to the first contact mission.:: Williams: Commander, if I may. I suggest we move ourselves towards the scout ship. It’s in no position to defend itself and it seems the Klingons and Deep are unable to finish each other off at this rate… Vondaryan: Yes, make it so Falcon. Falcon: On the move. Baxter: The Deep ship is signalling surrender. ::His eyes widened at that. He had been hoping for this outcome. He let out a small sigh of relief. Ryael had knocked over her king.:: Pandorn: =/\=Pandorn to Za. The Defender-21 is standing down. Repeat... the Defender-21 is standing down. Prepare to beam the away team back and have a medical team standing by. We have an injury. =/\= Vondaryan: ::he stood up:: Get them out of there as soon as you can! Have a medical team prepare to meet them in the transporter room. Falcon: We’re still well within transporter range. I intend to maintain position. Petras: I have signaled the transporter room and sickbay, Commander. Baxter: The Deeps shields are still up. Falcon: I don’t like this. ::He gave a small growl of frustration. ::He sat back down as they were waiting for the Defender to actually power down to fully signal its surrender. Trellis looked around the bridge. Most everyone was looking slightly more relaxed now than they had mere moments before. Except for Williams at tactical.:: Williams: What is THAT?! ::Trellis looked to where the man pointed on the screen. It zoomed in to the top of the Defender where some sort of cannon structure started to appear.:: Williams: Is that our missing piece of the puzzle? Baxter: I thought they were surrendering. Vondaryan: I believed that, too. What can you tell me about that cannon? Baxter: That thing is drawing a lot of power. It seems to be a very powerful phaser, from the power output I’d guess it would fire a beam of 10 times our phasers. Petras: I do not believe our shields can handle a weapon with that kind of output for very long. ::The blood drained from his face as his heart rate zoomed back up. His hands broke out in a cold sweat. With a weapon that powerful they stood no chance of survival, even outnumbering the Defender 3 to 1.:: Ryael-3: =/\= This is Defender-21. Our cannon is now armed and ready to fire. We will defend ourselves and the Explorer from any hostiles -- even from the Explorer itself. =/\= Ydem-18: =/\= You would fire upon your own people? =/\= Ryael-3: =/\= You have already done so, diplomat. =/\= Williams: If that thing is really as powerful as Baxter just told us we can only withstand a few hits sir… And a few less for the Klingons. Baxter: I suspect it would need time to recharge between shots. Falcon: Depending on the speed of their shot, we can probably shift to take the hit to the port and starboard fringes of the shields. Might buy us some more time… ::Clearly Ryael had been moving toward this position all along. The supposed surrender was merely a ploy. This was like another piece being added to the board in the middle of a chess match. Trellis had no defense against it.:: Vondaryan: Open a channel. ::he paused as the communications opened.:: =/\= Defender-21. We have no wish to engage in a fight. Our actions must have proven that to you by now. All we've wanted to do is help. Surely we can talk about this without any further rash actions? =/\= ::he motioned to mute the channel so the chatter from the bridge wasn't transmitted:: Baxter: Maybe it’s a deterrent. They did seemed to want to surrender and hopefully talk things through. ::Trellis gripped the ends of his chair. If anyone looked at him they would see his hangs going white with effort. He certainly hoped Baxter was right. He so wanted her to be right.:: Vondaryan: How long will it take that thing to activate? Baxter: I’d estimate it will be operational in less than 10 minutes from the way the work is progressing. Falcon: Then maybe we close the distance? So close they can’t track us and get a shot off? Ryael-3: =/\= No. No more talk. This poor exercise in exploration and assistance from outside ends now. We are the Deep! We need no help from beyond our borders. We need-- =/\= ::Her voice was cut off mid-sentence. Something was happening over there. Trellis wished he knew what.:: Vondaryan: Status? Damage report? Falcon: Nothing on our end. Petras: All system optimal. Shields holding. Baxter: Confirmed. Williams: It sounded like a hand phaser being fired in the background… Maybe there is a mutiny? Maybe the captain took over? Porus: Firing on a Deep diplomat would be an usual diplomatic maneuver… Typical among my people but unheard off in the Federation. Williams: Shields of the Deep warship are dropping sir. We have a lock on our people. ::So, the Defender was finally lowering their shields. The king had been toppled after all. Unless there was some other last-minute piece added to the board.:: Vondaryan: Get that away team back, now! Falcon: Still within transporter range. Baxter: Shields are still up. ::Moments after he gave the order, the Captain's voice came through their system.:: Solzano: =/\= Solzano to Za. Four to beam over. Beam th'Enise directly to Sickbay and have a med team standing by. =/\= vav Felvh: =/\= Acknolwedged. Energizing. =/\= Williams: =/\= Williams to sickbay. Prepare to receive injured. =/\= Baxter: The Deep have lowered their shields. :: She watched the reports come in from the transporter room.:: We have all the away team back. ::Trellis let out a huge sigh and slumped into his chair. It was over. Everyone was back aboard the Za, and mostly safe. Now they just needed an actual cure and they could leave these xenophobic peoples to their own devices. Still, a part of him wanted to learn more about them.:: Vondaryan: Socxo, how's the cure coming along? Socxo: The cure is in progress and we found the reason behind their problem. It was caused by cadmium. Vondaryan: ::he smiled:: Well done. Very well done indeed. Beam the information over to the Explorer at your earliest convenience. Socxo: I will sir, the Commander is working now to send the relevant data over towards the Deep. Vondaryan: Well, the Captain did order me to send you over there, but I think I'll belay that order in this instance. ::he smirked:: Unless you'd prefer to give them the cure in person? Porus: I would be happy to accompany you… Socxo: ::Shaking his head:: I rather stay on the USS Za, I have other projects to attend to sir. ::Trellis let out a hearty laugh.:: Vondaryan: Yes, indeed. First round will be on me. ::he tilted his head:; I wonder if Zogi has any good wine's I haven't tried... tag/tbc -- Lieutenant Commander Trellis Vondaryan First Officer USS Za O239208TV0
  12. I'm taking over the kudos post from Admiral Wolf, so here goes. For the month of September I'd like to recognize: The Federation News Service Team submitted our monthly plot summary articles as well as an additional post; LtCmdr. Brell & LtCmdr. Valdivia together submitted four Poll of the Week articles; LtCmdr. Traenor submitted two Top Sims Contest reminders; Capt. Taybrim submitted two chat reminders and a Writing Workshop article; LtCmdr. Jorey submitted two Featured Bio Contest articles; Capt. Faranfey submitted the monthly post totals; Cmdr. Blair submitted the monthly apps & grads count; LtCmdr. Hael submitted an article on a species highlight; Capt. Rahman submitted an article announcing the ASDB; and Admrl. Wolf submitted five articles, including interviews and the Halloween announcement. Thanks everyone for your help and hard work! Great work, let's keep it up!
  13. ((Traenor's Quarters - USS Za)) ::Barque was yipping in a quiet whimper of excitement, happy to see the stranger. Guard dog the beagle was not, more willing to play with any intruder rather than scare them off. The interloper wandered aimlessly throughout the quarters, picking up and displacing knickknacks and running an idle finger along the ebony sheen of the case on the piano in the main living area. The visitor, a security officer, used her role and position on the ship to override the lock on Maxwell Traenor's door, not for the first time in the man's career. Going to the replicator, the stranger ordered a Saurian brandy and upon retrieving it, finally acquiesced to the plaintive cries for attention from the canine inhabitant of the room.:: Noros: You're new. I though Max didn't like pets. ::She scratched the dog behind the ears absently as she looked about some more, nursing the drink that Commander Traenor claimed as his favorite. In fact, the same vintage bottle that she had seen before sat in prominent display, heralding his love for the sweet liqueur.:: Noros: 'Commander'. Still feels strange to use that title for ol' Max. ::Noros had served with Traenor a year ago, before she was removed from the Darwin under dishonorable circumstances. There had been misplaced munitions that were used by a saboteur, and though the Bajoran security officer hadn't personally left them unsecured in a cargo bay, she had been acting security chief at the time, and the de facto one to blame. She had been moved to Deep Space 32, and lo and behold one year later, she had ended up on the same ship as Traenor yet again. She sported a sly smirk.:: Noros: ::vocalizing her thoughts to Barque:: Purely coincidence, mind you. ::It was actually an easy choice, for she much preferred serving on a ship as compared to a starbase, so when the Za came to port and was looking to shore up its crew compliment, Lt Noros gladly put in her transfer request. Imagine her surprise when she saw Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Gordon Traenor's name on the roster. It was fate as dictated by the Prophets, if she was so inclined to have more than a passing and begrudging respect for the deities of her people. She hadn't been studiously avoiding Traenor since the Za's launch, but neither was she making her presence aboard well-known to him. He in the science labs, she in the security suites, and slight was the chance that the two shall pass. Until she wanted to, of course. She missed the dour man, clueless as he was, even though he never saw her friendship as valuable as she saw his.:: Noros: So, poochie, is your master still as naive and clueless as he always was, or did the weight of rank beat that out of him yet? ::Barque, whose entire Federation Standard proficiency consisted of "dinner" and "cookie" and "ball", among very few other words, simply tilted his head inquisitively and stared at her confusedly with his tongue all agog. Tanna smiled and renewed her efforts at scratching the base of his ears, which suited Barque just fine regardless of what gobbledy[...] she spouted.:: Barque: Bark. ::With a nod of agreement at the dog's astute assessment, Noros arose and sat at the piano. She remembered well the times she had blackmailed Max into playing a song for her, and looked forward into tricking him into doing so again. She struck a couple keys, crinkling her already-creased nose at the tuneless discord of her choices. She would leave the tickling of the ivories to him, and she would stick to making his life interesting in return, whether or not he appreciated it. Noros would have rummaged further, had not the klaxons of red alert sounded. Needing to report to the security offices or the armory, she strode quickly towards the door before coming up short. The glass of Saurian brandy she had been drinking was left on the lid of the baby grand piano, collecting a pool of condensation around its base. She thought to retrieve it and place it back in the replicator for reclamation, but with a smirk she decided to let it be.:: Noros: ::muttering to herself:: Ol' Max is absentminded enough the think that he left it there himself. No need to bother. ::raising her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, she spoke aloud to Barque:: No need to tell your master that your Auntie Tanna was here today. Our little secret, okay, poochie? ::Noros let herself out, not her first covert visit to Maxwell Traenor's quarters even if it was the first time on the Za, and certainly not the last covert visit she would make.:: PNPC LtJG Noros Tanna Security Officer, USS Za ~as simmed by~ LtCmdr Maxwell Traenor Chief Science Officer, USS Za =/\= Top Sims Contest Facilitator =/\= A239111MT0
  14. When I created Trellis I specifically didn't want to label him as anything and let his sexuality grow based on the relationships he made. As a writer I was open to any and all aspects of who he might prefer. It ended up he identifies the same as me, though I definitely think there's more fluidity available.
  15. To be honest I was kind of expecting something like this. Having it all ready to go by January would be a big ask. I only hope it means it will be a high quality show.
  16. What, you don't appreciate the smell of Klingon in the morning?
  17. We had one of those missions. It involved tribbles, not kittens. We almost destroyed the station.
  18. ((Shooting Range -- Starbase 118)) ::Trellis held his hand steady as instructed. Aim. Breathe. Exhale. Fire. He was, yet again, wide of the mark. He howled in frustration and threw his hands in the air. ::It didn’t help his annoyance level that Kaitlyn promptly fired a quick succession of shots that all hit true. He stared at her, barely concealed anger in his eyes. His nostrils flared as he breathed heavily. Why had he let him talk her into this? He was never going to get better, no matter how long he practiced. ::Yes, phasers were important in modern society. Being able to hit something on a mission was vital. He had seen that for himself during the rescue. Yet he had proven himself to be next to useless in that department. ::He watched again as she calmly fired another few rounds. So deadly. So precise. So cold and calculating. He stared at her hands. Though he had touched those hands when she was lying in sickbay he was suddenly filled with fear of them. Those same hands that had killed the Orion woman, Khante. Those same hands that now held a phaser that could, with a flick of the wrist, be pointed at him. ::He trusted her enough not to act on him with those hands, but it was a close thing.:: Vondaryan: I don’t see how you can ever get good at this! ::Kaitlyn set her phaser down on the table, taking a breath to steady herself.:: ::It was true that she was out-and-about now, no longer under observation. Her family was still close, still ready to help at any moment. She had worked through most of the remaining emotions weighing her down.:: ::When Trellis had asked her for help, however, she could not help but wonder if it was too soon. Too soon for her, to soon for him, too soon for them both. Still, he was a friend in need, and over the last couple days she had not been the best person to her friends. He needed help, she wanted to give it.:: ::Kaitlyn looked over to Trellis, her features remaining calm. While she had managed a smile or two, a lot of the old fire was still dampened.:: Falcon: All it takes is practice. Learning the phaser and how it fires. Are you-- Vondaryan: ::shouting:: Yes I’m following your instructions! Do you see me getting any better? ::Kaitlyn involuntarily flinched back, though this time she managed to keep her mind in the there-and-then. Her memories were still riding very close to the surface, and getting cut off sent her dangerously close to Thomas territory.:: Falcon: Sorry... ::He let out a sigh and with it some of the exasperation he had been feeling. It wasn’t her fault he was a terrible shot. It wasn’t her fault that he never felt comfortable around phasers. It wasn’t even her fault that he was frustrated with the ease with which she fired. He was entirely to blame for all of it. Him and that blasted nerve damage he’d suffered as a child. Ever since he had damaged it he had been just a fraction too slow, suffering a mere second delay in his actions. ::Normally that short timespan didn’t hinder him at all. But in situations where seconds counted, he fell flat. Even in practice a second was the difference between hitting a target and it moving on. In battle it would be even worse, with people moving, dodging, falling, running, throwing obstacles in the way or finding cover. In battle, seconds were the difference between life and death.:: Vondaryan: ::downcast:: Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just rubbish at this. I’ve never been good, and I doubt I’ll ever get better. ::Kaitlyn took another deep breath, trying to release some of the tension she felt. Trellis had not been Trellis since they got back. He was more angry, especially at himself, and even more wary than usual.:: ::Then again, Kaitlyn knew she was hardly herself, either… They had both been run through the wringer…:: Falcon: Let’s… ::Another deep breath.:: Let’s step back, for a minute. Back to step one. ::Kaitlyn grabbed the small PADD which controlled their lanes. The moving targets vanished, replaced by a single static target.:: Falcon: We already know you can hit a still target, but I want us to start there again. After a few, we’ll start in moving again. This time, though, I’ll watch what’s happening. Maybe I’ll be able to see something you can’t? Vondaryan: ::he sighed:: Okay, fine. ::Kaitlyn took a step back, leaning over to watch his stance, his form. It looked spot on with regulations, and was just as she had recommended. (Just because her form worked for her did not mean it worked for everyone.):: ::Clenching his jaw he nodded at Kaitlyn. As he had before Trellis aimed, took a breath and fired. The small beam of light shot out from his phaser, striking its intended target. He let out a small grunt of satisfaction though he didn’t feel particularly proud. Anyone could hit a stationary target, he was proof enough of that. Enemy combatants weren’t often stationary.:: Vondaryan: ::despondent:: Well, I can do that, at least. ::Kaitlyn nodded.:: Falcon: Good. Now, let’s start it moving again. Vondaryan: ::he sighed again:: Well, I suppose the enemy won’t be staying still, will they? Fine, let’s get this over with. ::With a few taps on her PADD, Kaitlyn ordered the target to begin its random series of movements. It started slow, speeding up moderately over time. The longer it went, the faster it moved, and…:: ::He missed. He missed again. Just as he was pulling the trigger, the target dodged out of the way. He was a fraction of a second late each time. Trying to compensate he fired faster and faster, losing his aim as he went. He missed the targets by a wider and wider margin.:: ::Kaitlyn could see it. Trellis was shooting at where the target had been a second before, not where it was. His shots were consistent; had they been a bit faster he would likely have been hitting it.:: ::Finally reaching his limit on frustration, Trellis threw his phaser against the wall in disgust. It didn’t even have the decency to break apart, making him feel even more useless.:: Vondaryan: AAAAGGGHHH!! ::There was no point in containing his rage.:: ::The flashes of rage… So much like her own, only his were uncontrolled, uncontained. Kaitlyn could not help but shrink back, if only for a moment. Her own mental defenses were far from their usual strength. She pushed through it, forcing herself to stay put.:: Falcon: It’s okay, Trellis. That’s why we’re here, to see what’s happening and what we can do about it. Okay? Vondaryan: Really, it’s going to be okay? As soon as a target starts moving I completely miss. HOW is that okay? ::He moved over to his thrown phaser to pick up up and bang it against the wall again. A piece of paneling fell off of it, which Trellis supposed was about all he was going to get out of it. He hung his head to turn back to where Kaitlyn stood.:: ::All the raw emotion in the room, from the both of them, was starting to get to her… When had she become such a wimp? Once again, she pushed ahead. Her friend was hurting as much as she was. If there was some way to alleviate that, she wanted to try.:: Falcon: I could see it, actually. And it gives me an idea. Vondaryan: ::he snorted:: At least one of us has one. And that’s usually my department... ::Kaitlyn tapped the PADD, stopping the target again. She leaned against one of the lane separators, feeling a bit more calm as her mind worked the problem.:: Falcon: Have you ever heard of the EM-33? Vondaryan: ::he tilted his head to look at her:: No, should I have? Falcon: ::Shakes her head.:: Not necessarily. It was the last plasma pistol Starfleet used before phase weapons were introduced. You can still find a few of them out there, though I haven’t had the chance to try one out. Sill, I heard some stories from when they were phased out. Folks who had only covered basic weapons training kept overshooting when they switched to phase pistols. The EM-33 had taught them to lead their targets, whereas phase pistols were as immediate as a phaser. ::If Trellis were in a normal state of mind he would piece together the information Kaitlyn was giving him. Today he was not in a normal state of mind. Rage and frustration mixed with a smattering of fear was keeping him from thinking clearly.:: Vondaryan: So I need to go find an EM-33 and use that? ::Well, the Tower probably did have something in inventory if he really wanted to get his hands on one…::: ::Kaitlyn managed a small smile.:: Falcon: Not QUITE where I’m going. I could see that your shots were on-target… just slow. You were consistently shooting a little behind your target. ::Looks to the target for a moment, then back to Trellis.:: I think you need to treat a phaser like old Starfleet officers treated the EM-33. Lead your target, try to shoot just ahead of it. Make it so that when you shoot, your target will be there when your shot gets there. ::Besides, actually using an EM-33 would probably exacerbate the problem. He would have to lead by an even larger margin.:: Vondaryan: So I just need to know where my target will be before it gets there? Sounds simple. ::Had he just used sarcasm? In his state of mind he couldn’t tell.:: ::It was, and she could hear it plainly. However, she could also understand where it came from. That, and she was not in the state of mind to counter it.:: ::Probably a good thing, too. This was a situation where more sarcasm would do no good.:: ::Kaitlyn took another breath. Dad. She needed to be Dad. Dad was always calm, no matter what situation he might face. She tried to mimic Dad’s tone, keeping her voice smooth and calm.:: Falcon: I never said it was simple, I just said it might be a solution. ::He blinked at her and took a few breaths, trying to listen to what she was actually saying. She was giving him encouragement, not berating him. She wanted to help. Help him to become as effective a killing machine as she was.:: ::Trellis looked down at the broken phaser in his hand. He realized that both he and Kaitlyn were as broken as the phaser.:: ::A sudden spring of emotion welled up inside of him. He tried holding back tears but could not. He wasn’t being fair to Kaitlyn, or to himself. Yes, they had seen a lot in the last mission and experienced their fair share of hardship, but they had survived. Somehow, they had come through. Damaged and broken, but not completely. They needed help to rebuild. That’s what Kaitlyn was offering him. Trellis realized, too, that’s what he was giving to her through this exercise. The strongest steel was tempered through the fires darkness.:: ::He wiped the tears away from his eyes. He steeled his jaw. There was a renewed look of determination in his eyes when he looked to Kaitlyn again.:: Vondaryan: Right. Lead the target. Anticipate where it will be. Shoot it. ::he took a breath.:: I can do this. ::Kaitlyn could feel her own chest catch for a moment at the confirmation… They really were equally broken, each in their own way.:: ::If he was game to continue, then so was she. Kaitlyn held up the PADD.:: Falcon: You can do this. ::As she set the targets in motion again he tried to concentrate on where his targets would be in a fraction of a second, not where they were. Moments later he’d hit the proper space. Not with any finesse or eloquence, but enough to register as a hit. Moments later, he did it again. And again.:: Vondaryan: ::smiling at Kaitlyn:: Well, it’s not pretty, but it counts, right? ::For the first time in a while, Kaitlyn was able to give a real smile. Seeing Trellis smile was a bit of a balm; she had been able to help. Or at least, it seemed that she had.:: ::Now, she would probably ask for St. Eliza’s prayers that he would never actually NEED those skills. He was WAY too peaceful a guy to be shooting anyone, even on stun. Still, should he ever find himself with no other options, at least he would have this to fall back on.:: Falcon: ::Keeps her smile up, giving a nod.:: I’d say it counts plenty. As the saying goes, ‘Practice makes perfect’. Vondaryan: ::chuckling:: I guess it does. ::He sighed, releasing with it all the frustration, anger and fear he had built up over the past hour they had been practicing. He felt lighter, more calm. He could feel his mind clearing from all its negative thoughts.:: ::As she saw Trellis visibly calm, Kaitlyn felt a bit more calm as well. Not quite 100%, all weight off chest, or something like that. If her read was right, she had helped. That was something.:: Falcon: So? Vondaryan: This was… ::He wouldn’t say fun. Phasers were never fun.:: Something… ::he tilted his head at her, some of the mischievous look he kept hidden back in his eyes:: Now, I could use a good game of chess. You in? ::To that, Kaitlyn actually managed a chuckle.:: Falcon: Well, to be honest, I’ve never been particularly good at chess. Vondaryan: ::his eyebrows shot up:: Oh, even better. Now I can give you a bit of payback. ::She gave another chuckle. Trellis was absolutely right about that one.:: Falcon: Fair point. I DID just give you a metaphorical butt-kicking in here. Vondaryan: So...? ::he let it trail off, anticipation in his voice:: ::Kaitlyn shrugged, but smiled as she did so.:: Falcon: Why the hell not? ::Chuckles.:: I’m in. Vondaryan: ::smiling:: I know just the place! Have you been to the 8x8? ::Without even waiting for a response he headed out the door, the perfect chess match on his mind.:: -- Lieutenant Commander Trellis Vondaryan Chief of Intelligence StarBase 118 Ops O239208TV0 And =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Lt Commander Kaitlyn Falcon Chief Helm Officer Starbase 118 / U.S.S. Albion F237507RF0
  19. I doubt there will be Security involved in T'Sai and Zinna's adventure, though. And a lot fewer dabo girl dresses.
  20. Congratulations! I look forward to writing with you and reading you soon!
  21. If only because there's usually too much alcohol involved to remember what happened in Little Risa.
  22. I now have a picture of our fearless Gorn marine prancing around like a unicorn. A pretty, pretty unicorn.
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