Irina Pavlova

(( Bridge - USS Thor )) :: Hendon looked over the Medical station and noticed his own readings were off by 10%. He frowned at that he felt great. But his forehead was about to become more wrinkled. When another crew member entered the bridge. Who ever it was their readings did not register.:: EMH Charles: Looking beyond them at Toni:: Madam, I'm EMH Charles the Bridge EMH reporting for duty. Caminos/Pavlova/Waltas: Response :: Toni turned to Hendon's station to her left.:: Turner: Boris, did you enact him? :: But before he could answer, Charles answered.:: EMH Charles: Madam, I'm set to engage at any time the Thor leaves orbit. Hendon: Admiral Turner was talking to me you holographic Jackass!!!! Turner: Alright, Charles, you've reported in, now go stand at the ready near the Turbolift. EMH Charles: As you wish, Madam. :: Turning on his heel, he did as she said.:: Hendon: Admiral......... Turner: Not now, Boris, just report it as glitch number 2 after the power loss to the brig, and we'll have engineering take care of it after the cruise is over. Hendon: Yes Admiral. Anyone: Response(s) :: Was it Hendon's imagination? Or did the bridge EMH gave him a rather sarcastic looking smile. Boris did not like the EMH. How would the rest of the Bridge crew react if the CMO. Gave the bridge EMH a right hook to the head.:: Hendon: oO Ty samodovol'nyy syn sviney Oo :: A thought crossed Hendon's mind. Maybe the clothing problem with the medical EMH. Had not been a personal attack on him from Dr Zimmerman. It was common knowledge the man was a grumpy old goat. Maybe this was his way at getting back at 'Starfleet ' for what they did to the first series of EMH's. Using them for mining duties instead of medics.:: Lcmd Dr Boris Hendon Chief Medical Officer Duronis II Federation Embassy USS Thor Author ID:- W237809SP0

((Casa Printzyessa, Duronis Embassy)) ::Katya was sitting quietly in her mother’s room, working on a school project, while Jazmine was downstairs watching a holovid. Her mother and stepmother were up playing on the new ship, and for the first time Jazmine was left in charge rather than getting a babysitter or the two girls going to stay with Admiral Turner’s or Major Parker’s families. To Katya it was pretty cool having Jazmine in charge, though not so cool that she still had to do her homework. Math finished, she turned to her history reading, and then her Laudean language homework and finally her science. When finished, she stood up to head down to the kitchen when something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. It was the dented metal box that Irina had dug up four-years-ago when they were first rescued from the Columbia. Katya remembered that trip to Sochi, Russia like it was yesterday even though she wasn’t even five yet at the time, and more than that, even though more than half of her physiological aging had taken place at a vastly reduced rate in a cryostasis tube. The box looked now as it did then; dented, faded and dingy. Sliding the bench from the foot of Irina’s bed over to the closet, Katya climbed up and took hold of the box and then brought it down to the floor where she sat and just looked at it for a few minutes as she tried to decide whether or not to open it. She knew what was inside already. A few trinkets, some old photos, and an old book, Irina’s diary, that only went up to her departure for Starfleet. Her curiosity was getting to her. What was Irina like as a child? What was her family like? What things did she enjoy doing? She knew she wasn’t supposed to look, but she couldn’t help herself and finally opened the lid and took hold of the photos. Irina looked much the same a she did now, only her hair was a shinier yellow/blond instead of the duller blond it usually was now, or the black that she dyed it a few days ago. There were pictures of Irina as a young girl as well, and while her youth was obvious, so too were facial features that were pretty constant from about the age of six. There was a picture of a very young Irina, perhaps 4, smiling as she played the violin. Another of a roughly 10-year-old Irina at a skeet range looking very serious as she stood at the firing line as the only child shooting amongst a group of very serious-looking adults. Another of a teenaged Irina in a bikini smiling with a boy of about the same age as they both held surfboards, and another of a young-looking adult Irina in her 22nd century Marine uniform. Katya thought to herself about what her mother’s life must have been like, and how long ago it really was. In history class she learned that Federation and Klingons had only become allies in the last century, but that picture of Irina was taken more than a century before even that. The amount of time was something that frequently caused Katya to lose herself to her imagination, wondering what it must have been like before replicators were invented and when kids like her didn’t love Klingon food. Katya heard a crash and a bang from downstairs and knew that Jazmine had dropped something. Not hearing any screams, she went back to looking in the box and finally removed Irina’s diary. For a few minutes she just held the old book in her hands, still in its plastic cover, but finally she pulled it out and opened it to the first page.:: ((Diary Entry)) January 5, 2154 Today is my tenth birthday. I clothes (boring) and a full-sized violin that sounds much better than my old 3/4 size, that will go to Anatoli and then eventually to baby Ekaterina. Anatoli is still too small too small for my 3/4 size, but he plays pretty good on the half sized violin that also used to be mine. It still has the glue line from where I dropped it and cracked the back. Mom gave me this book to write in for special days, and a bigger one to write in every day. Since its my birthday, I’m writing in the special one. ((End Entry)) ::Katya flipped through a few more pages and only skimmed as they were pretty boring. She stopped at a longish entry that had to be better than just a list of birthday presents.:: (Diary Entry)) October 7, 2160 Dimitri is finally off his crutches, but he still has the cast on his ankle. At least he gets around a little better and I’m glad he doesn’t blame me, even though the accident was my fault. We rode our bikes down the trail and I could barely avoid the rocks at the speed I was going, and should have known he would keep up instead of slowing to a safer speed. I need to remember he just isn’t that well coordinated. Actually, he’s a total klutz, but he always reminds me that his grades are much higher than mine so I guess its fair. Today we both snuck out of class and into the faculty men’s bathroom where Marco, Pavel and Nadia met us with a big bottle of vodka and half pack of cigarettes. The cigarettes taste terrible and made me cough, but it was fun to smoke them. The vodka was warm, but we got very drunk anyway. Mr. Karatov came in and saw us, smiled, [...]ed and then left without saying a word and I was sure we’d all get busted in seconds, but minutes passed and then we just started drinking and smoking again. I bet he did the same thing when he was our age. I wonder what he’ll say when I come to Russian class tomorrow, or if he’ll just smile. He’s so handsome with his short brown hair and wire-rimmed glasses. ((End Entry)) ::Katya flipped through more of the book and finally decided to read the last entry.:: ((Diary Entry)) July 20, 2169 Tomorrow I ship out on Columbia, and as I close this book, I close my childhood and upbringing with it. Dimitri and I are having dinner tonight and then probably go to a jazz club, and then tomorrow morning he goes back to Camp Pendleton and I report to USS Columbia as Chief Armory Officer. I still can’t believe I was picked for this mission, by the commodore himself, but I will focus on my duties and make sure not to let Commodore Moretti or any of my shipmates down. As the whales said in one of my favorite old books, I now also say to my childhood. “So long, and thanks for all the fish.” ((End Entry)) Katya: Fish? What fish? Katya Pavlova Printzyessa Author ID O238908HA0

(( Ijo House, Hathon, Bajor )) ::The older Bajoran woman listened to Irina, showing interest, she knew much of the information but she often found people more at ease when they revealed information about themselves. Plus, it would tell her how safe Aria was, along with those new grandchildren of hers. :: Cada: And, you? Pavlova: At first I was safe. The captain and security officer on the ship that rescued me, they altered my record so it looked to all as though I was in stasis, with the damage to my eyes blamed on failing circuitry in the stasis pod, but Starfleet Intelligence and medical knew better, and soon they were watching me. They made three attempts, but I was lucky and managed to stay a step ahead. ::She listened to Irina describe the how she was worried coming for her, and Cada's mind wandered to the contacts she had around the quadrant. Depending on how things played out someone would be willing to take on another mission, pay off a favor. She broached the subject. :: Pavlova: Completely? No. But, some help? I have friends at the embassy who would protect me as I’m sure you are aware, but I need to know who it is, and have leverage to stop them. ::Cada knew self-reliant people, and understood the attitude. Some people attributed her and Teevin's life to self-reliance, wanting to take care of their own. :: Cada: You need a pointer, no strings attached. Pavlova: I’m tired of violence. I just want them to know that if something were to happen to me, that it would not end well for them, and that if something were to happen to those I care about…, well, I’ve taken head shots from over five kilometers in high gravity, if I knew who they were, they know what I would do. Cada: I can understand that completely Irina. ::And she could, she had seen the look enough, played the role enough, understood it could work. She hoped it worked. :: Pavlova: I'm supposed to be some kind of prodigal soldier, but now, all I want to do is grow old with my family, make breakfast every morning and hold my wife every night. ::Cada made a resolution to herself, silently, and finished her juice. :: Cada: ::half smirking:: Well, if this retired Bajoran housewife has anything to say about it, that's exactly what's going to happen. ::She stood and made her way back toward the house, she turned back toward her new daughter-in-law at the last moment. :: Cada: Let's get more juice ::pausing to add, gesturing towards the occupants of the house:: We'll make it OK, for all your sake. Ijo Cada Ordinary Housewife Lt. Commander Oddas Aria Executive Officer Duronis II Embassy / USS Thor, NCC-82607 ASDB Co-Facilitator - Training Team E239305OA0

(( Ijo House, Hathon, Bajor )) ::The trip had made Aria more nervous than she had anticipated, which said a lot. She thought she had masked it well by answering the questions of the girls as best she could, of course she knew that meant she had told them much more than they wanted to know. She had seen that glazed over bored look in Katya's eyes telling Aria she had been talking too much. The stop on DS9 was brief, barely enough time to get to the next shuttle, Jazmine seemed disappointed she couldn't go into the bar. Aria was confused until she saw the girl looking at the Tongo table and whispered she knew a place in the city they could play together. Aria wasn't sure Irina heard. Finally they stood outside the Ijo house, a decidedly tall gray and blue building on the outskirts of the city. It was far enough on the outskirts it had a small yard inside a low wall, but close enough space was still at a premium and the building was much narrower and deeper than it was tall, 4 levels tall with a small vehicle landing pad hanging off the roof. Aria could not walk between it and the neighboring buildings. She had stood here countless times and she couldn't remember being as nervous as she felt this time. So much was different, even her clothing felt wrong, for some reason it felt as if she should have worn something that didn't make it obvious that her very body was different. She should have covered her arm up. :: ::Irina’s thoughts were entirely different. Despite four years having passed since her rescue from Kjenta II, Irina had actually been to very few worlds other than her own and Til’Ahn. This was also different because she knew how difficult it had to be for Aria. This was the home of her former fiance’s parents, her former fiancé who died literally in her arms; again a situation Irina knew far better than anyone should ever have to.:: ::Katya and Jazmine, for their parts, looked about equal parts tired, bored and curious, though neither of them complained at all, which made Irina happy.:: Oddas: I guess it's now or never. Pavlova: We are your guests, so after you. ::Irina had a point, so Aria lead the group toward the gate and opened it, and made it one step inside before the door to the house opened. Aria looked up in surprise to see Ijo Cada, Mother Cada appear. Cada was older than Aria remembered, but still had echos of Alea. Shorter than either Aria or Irina, hair that was officially more grey than red, some lines on her face that she wore with a mixture of pride and innocence. She smiled in a way that made Aria think of all mothers, except her own. :: Ijo: Aria! ::Before Aria knew what was happening the woman was across the walkway in a feat defying her age and had wrapped her arms around Aria's neck, standing on her tip toes to do so. Aria couldn't help to embrace her back, squeezing tightly. She felt tears on her face, she felt home. She felt someone tapping on her back, it was Cada. :: Ijo: Aria! ::laughing:: Aria, not so hard! ::Aria let the older woman go and smiled at her. :: Oddas: It is so good to see you Mother Cada. ::in that moment Aria felt a huge burden lift from her shoulders.:: Ijo: ::squeezing Aria on the shoulders:: It is so good to see you Aria, welcome home. ::turning her attention to the rest of the group:: And this is the other woman in my daughter's life, Ms. Irina Pavlova. Pavlova: I’ve heard a lot about you. ::Irina held out her hand as she replied. :: Ijo: ::looking at the woman's hand:: Nonsense! ::pulling Irina in for her own hug, equally as heartfelt, but not quite as rough.:: ::Irina was rather startled, but adapted quickly and returned the hug.:: Pavlova: It’s a pleasure to meet you. Ijo: And ::making her mouth form the word correctly:: Katya and Jazmine? Thank you so very much for coming with my Aria home. Katya: Hello ma’am. Jazmine: Thank you for having us. ::Cada took the girls by the hands, one in each, and led them towards the door. :: Ijo: Call me Ama Cada ::she looked over her shoulder at Aria and Irina:: you two bring the bags, I have treats for the girls. Oddas: oO Yep, I'm home, not in command of anything anymore. Oo Pavlova: And you were worried about bringing us. I’m guessing Ama is either Miss or Mother? Oddas: ::smiling and picking up a bag:: I guess the closest thing in standard is 'Grandmother', Grandmother Cada. ::Aria had a moment of panic, stopping as she was slinging a bag over her shoulder:: If, if it bothers you, or them, I'm sure she won't mind if they don't... Pavlova: Why would it bother me? I’m sure they love the attention. ::Irina picked up the heaviest of the bags:: Pavlova: Come on, lets get moved in. ::They made it inside a few minutes later and upstairs, to where Cada had set up a majestic spread of foods. Aria thought she was blushing when she saw the foods were mostly desserts and could smell a pot of coffee coming from somewhere. Her survey was wrong though, a small, very small portion of the dishes were savory, and a few she didn't recognize, they seemed almost Earth-like. She squinted her eyes and could have sworn she had one of the dishes at Irina's table. :: Oddas: Cada, this was not necessary. Pavlova: Is that? Piroshki? ::Irina looked closedly one of the pastries and couldn’t hide the smile on her face, while Katya’s and Jazmine’s attention went straight for the deserts.:: Ijo: ::beaming:: You were not going to come all this way and not let me cook for you. Pavlova: Cook away. Ijo: ::motioning for everyone to sit around the round table:: It is! I hope I got the recipe right! We make nothing like it on Bajor, but I wanted you to feel at home as much as Aria. Pavlova: For real Piroshki we’ll move in tomorrow. I’ve never had a good one anywhere outside of Russia. May I? Ijo: I insist, if its not right, you will make it with me before you leave. If we don't do something right we shouldn't do it. ::Irina bit on and immediately felt like she was Katya’s age, sitting at her Aunt Svetlana’s table in Sochi.:: Pavlova: Vkusno (delicious). Ijo: You like it? I made what I could, but had to replicate a few things. Oddas: ::biting a cookie and pouring coffee, trying to take in the scene around her:: Knowing her, she didn't replicate much. Pavlova: Your recipe is just fine. We can cook though, I’ll teach you my grandmother’s stroganoff, and you can teach me one of the dishes Aria grew up with. Ijo: It's a deal, anything for my Aria, ::she glanced at Aria who was trying to pretend she wasn't embarrassed by the attention:: and anything for a recipe. Is it something you do often? Pavlova: I’ve always liked to cook. (( Timeskip until much later in the night. )) ::Cada had explained Teevin, the man they had come to celebrate, had to stay at the University to finish paperwork and other things to not leave them in a lurch when his retirement became official. Cada was entertaining Irina with a story of Aria's teenage years. It was a very long, very elaborate, very embarrassing story of Aria being brought home by a Constable for trespassing. :: Oddas: ::laughing:: They had the part I needed! Ijo: ::laughing very hard and hitting the table:: So you snuck in at night to take it? Oddas: They would have said no if I had just walked in and asked for a power converter! Besides, it was just sitting there with the other junk! ::Irina was really enjoying herself. Excellent food, good drink, and despite any apprehension she had about Cada being uncomfortable with her or the amount that the woman had managed to find out about her, Irina found herself really liking her.:: Pavlova: But you got caught. Oddas: They heard the hounds chasing me! Another 10 meters and I would have made it to the fence too! ::They all began laughing simultaneously and Aria realized she hadn't thought about day in years. :: Pavlova: So how did you end up here? Oddas: Oh, I told the Constable this was my house, Cada was my mother. Pavlova: Why the need for deception? Oddas: Otherwise, they would have realized it was not my first ... part collection. ::Aria realized the two young girls were looking on, Katya in particular had wide eyes. Evidently Ijo noticed as well. :: Ijo: ::grinning, conivingly:: You don't know about Aria's criminal records? Oddas: Okay! Okay! I don't think Irina needs her girls to know I'm not the shining influence she thinks I am. Katya/Jazmine: Please!!!!! Pavlova: Its time for you two to go to bed. Oddas: ::trying to change the subject:: It is late. Pavlova: Come on, Aria and her evil ways will be still be here in the morning. Ijo: ::smiling in a way that said it wasn't over:: the guest room is made up for them, and I have plenty of Coffee and Drinks for us. Katya/Jazmine: Okay. ((A few minutes later)) ::Irina knew it was a very sensitive subject, but sitting here and enjoying the company Irina just felt compelled to share her feelings.:: Pavlova: I really appreciate your inviting all of us. I honestly can’t imagine everything that must have gone through your mind when learned about Aria and I. ::Irina put her hand gently on Aria’s thigh, who for her part poured herself a small glass of kali-fal and breathed in the aroma deeply before taking a sip. Aria felt content, if a little embarrassed as she interlocked her fingers in Irina's hand. :: Ijo: ::reaching for her spring wine:: Pavlova, I'm sorry, Irina, forgive an old woman's lapse, ::taking a drink and seeming to get lost in thought:: many years ago Alea started telling me stories of a girl she knew who was brilliant, and shy, and yes, beautiful. She went on and on about this girl, like I had never heard before, and Alea was not shy, not like Aria. ::winking at Aria:: I knew Aria was special because Alea, who never lacked for self-confidence, was completely at a loss around her. Oddas: ::looking away:: That doesn't mean anything, lots of people get infatuated, often with the wrong people. Ijo: ::nodding:: That's true, but then I met you, Aria, and I understood it. I mean, beautiful, ::shrugging:: so is Alea, and Irina here, but Alea was right about all of the rest of it too. I'm proud to call you my daughter. ::looking at Irina:: And I trust her judgement with people, she's not going to associate with people that don't deserve it. Oddas: I've never felt like I was good with people. Ijo: ::finishing her wine and standing:: Aria, you may not be good at talking to people, but you know faster than anyone if they are good. ::kissing Aria on the head:: Irina, what went through my head was my daughter, who I want to be happy and who happens to be a good judge of character was happy. ::she cupped Irina's shoulder and squeezed as she headed for the stairs:: I'm going to follow the kids' example, do not wait up for Teevin. Pleasant Evening. Oddas: ::wiping her eyes with her palm:: Pleasant Evening. Irina: Pleasant eventing, and again, thank you. ::Irina caught herself wiping a few tears as well.:: Oddas: ::pausing for a moment:: Thank you Irina. Irina: Thank me? For what? Oddas: Making me come home. Irina: You are so lucky to have a home to come back to, and such a loving one as this. I could get very comfortable here. Oddas: You've been home? St Petersburg? Irina: Yes, I’ve been back. There were a few, VERY distant descendants of my brother and cousins, but none of them had even heard my name or knew that I ever existed until I showed up with Katya. Oddas: Was it happy? Irina: We had tea and talked for an hour or so, but there really wasn’t anything in common. None of them had stayed in music, none had gone to Starfleet. They were just strangers who shared a small fraction of my parents’ DNA. The building I lived in, my old school, everything I knew except some of the ancient statues and the old opera house were gone. It wasn’t home anymore. Oddas: ::resting her head on Irina's shoulder:: You can always be home with me Irina. ::Irina found herself suddenly speechless, and was certain she was blushing as she realized that there was nothing she wanted more than “always”. She’d wanted it with Dimitri, or at least thought she did, and had wanted it with AJ, but even that somehow wasn’t the same. Right here, sitting on the couch in the home of Aria’s dead fiance’s mother, Irina knew, with certainty, exactly what she wanted.:: Pavlova: Always? Oddas: ::jerking her head up as she realized she had spoken without really thinking:: I mean, of course, if, I mean, ::sighing:: yes, always. ::Irina just leaned in close, not caring how brightly she might be blushing.:: Pavlova: Then I guess my answer is….., yes? Oddas: ::smiling:: That's a relief ::kissing Irina:: Lt. Commander Oddas Aria Executive Officer Duronis II Embassy / USS Thor, NCC-82607 ASDB Co-Facilitator - Training Team E239305OA0 and Major Irina Pavlova Chief of Security Duronis II Embassy / USS Thor Author ID O238908HA0

((USS Apollo, Bridge)) ::Some of her crew were cube people, she was confused, were they trying to make her new friends cube people too? They always just tried to attack and take. They had eventually stopped before, but she could not stop them now without hurting her friends. So many memories of her old crew and now they were in front of her! She was focusing so much computing power on the scene in front of her she felt relief when she heard T'Lea get her attention. :: T’Lea: I need you to relay our plan to Major Pavlova, or Commander Oddas. We need to be in synch for this to work. They have to be ready with the shuttle and the same time we are ready to implement the plan. Can you do that? Thetis: ::nodding, wide-eyed, half looking at the cube person:: I can. T’Lea: Excellent. Let me know when it’s done. ::She let her thread in the shuttle bay consume most of her resources and shunted the scene in front of her for later processing, it made her more comfortable and the one named Oddas, Aria, seemed more relaxed than dealing with cube people. She came back to the forefront when the conversation was over. T'Lea was leaning over her, listening.:: Thetis: ::smiling:: I did it. T’Lea: How much time do they need? Thetis: She said '15 minutes, shields may not be up, and possibly not the "TSD"' ::she made a face, she could not find mention of a 'TSD' in her memory:: I did get the impression she was speaking .... ::she searched for the word:: exaggerating? She also wanted me to let you know that I have encrypted the comms on a rotating frequency. T’Lea: That’s… not optimal, but it will have to do. ::comm. tap:: =/\= T’Lea to Oddas. Message received. Signal me when ready.=/\= Oddas =/\= Acknowledged =/\= T’Lea: =/\= Oh, by the way, Thetis is coming with us. Can you accommodate room for one more? =/\= Oddas: =/\= I have a plan, I will make it work. =/\= T’Lea: =/\= That will make her very happy. T’Lea out. =/\= :: With a small grin she looked at Thetis. Thetis for her part was beaming.:: T’Lea: See. Thetis: ::still smiling:: Thank you. ::When T'Lea turned to look Thetis followed her gaze and saw a cube person, in a crew uniform and her smile began to fade. She wanted to whimper again but fought to hold it back.:: oO Why are they coming again?! I want to leave now! Oo T’Lea: Is he still here? What have you two been doing all this time? Jorey: response Allison: My husband tells me Andorians are great warriors. Show me your warrior spirit, Commander. Fight them. Fight them for your shipmates. Fight them so you can go home to Andor and your family. I know there is some of you left, Commander… T’Lea: You’re wasting our time with that. Andorians are liars, and cowards. They have no strength of will. They are weak. So weak and dishonorable that this one had both antenna cut off. ::The women were having a disagreement Thetis didn't understand. She just wanted get to the shuttle bay now. There was no use, once the cube people started coming they would come and come and eventually all of the crew would be gone! :: Andorian: Vulcan bitc- :: He paused… and Thetis could find no time in her memory a cube person had ever done something like that .:: Andorian: Kill me. T’Lea: Can we save him? Jorey/Allison: response Andorian: Kill me! T’Lea: What about sedation and a stasis pod? Jorey/Allison: response Andorian: ::struggling:: They’re coming… my family... I love th- :: Suddenly he reached for the other woman a borg probe extending from his arm ready to inject the woman.:: oO They would all be gone! Oo ::The lights on the bridge began to get brighter as Thetis began to react to one of her new friends in danger. ::

((Tallesin Forest-Devi Providence, Til'ahn))::Tyr and Toni materialized at the foot of a large forest. In spite of all the time he'd spent on Til'ahn, he had never really studied the geography, except to plan for tactical situations like a ground or air attack. Now, he fully appreciated the beauty of the planet he'd called home. The forest was composed of enormously tall trees, taller than the ones on Ba'ku, although he wondered if part of that was due to the regeneration of the cells in the trees. They were ever-young on Ba'ku, but the trees here seemed ancient by comparison. Time had scarred and bent them, leaving markers that bore witness to the passage of the years. He took a deep breath of the natural air, catching the scents of the forest and the creatures within. A deep contentment filled him -he was in his element. Turning a Ba'ku loose in a forest was like turning a child loose in a candy shop. His energy spiked, his interest became keen in everything around him, and his senses seemed to magnify.::Turner: :: Hugging him, smiling:: Alone at last. . .Waltas: :: Closing his eyes:: I'll give it ten minutes before someone contacts us or Hannibal tracks us down.Turner: :: Frowning:: Do you think I'm a dummy? I made sure that the transporter engineer had good cause to be discreet.Waltas: :: Smiling:: Good. I think that extra week of shore leave I gave him might have helped too.Turner: ::slipping her backpack onto her shoulders:: It will be dark in a few hours, so we best get started and find a place to make camp.Waltas: :: Nodding, looking into the forest:: There's a clearing about a kilometer away judging from the tree dispersal. :: Kneeling:: The ground has a steady downward slope. We'll probably run into a stream or small lake near the clearing. :: He paused, looking at her expression:: What?:: Toni had a flashback of her teen years, watching her father read the signs that the landscape provided. As a guide in the lower portion of the Appalachian Mountains, (Georgia and the Carolinas) he had taught her everything she knew about survival, and he'd always said that those skills would come in handy some day. And now, somehow, his words now had a clarity she could not deny. Turner: Nothing, you just reminded me of someone when you did that.Waltas: Ba'ku are natural rangers. What I can't see I can smell, and what I can't smell I'll either hear or track. Didn't you know you married an elf?:: Immediately she envisioned the stereotyped short little man with pointy ears, nothing like the tall, well-built man that she married. Turner: :: chuckling:: You must have had one helluva growth spurt somewhere along the way.Waltas: :: He leaned in and kissed her:: I'll warn you..in an environment like this other aspect of our physiology are enhanced as well. :: He winked::Turner: :: smiling teasingly:: Oh? Really? That'll be a nice enhancement for a delayed honeymoon.Waltas: :: Moving forward, speaking over his shoulder and chuckling:: I was talking about strength and hearing, but it's interesting that's where your mind went. :: Grinning he quickly moved out of range before he was smacked:::: She ran to catch up with him, swinging her fist at him, but missed. :: Turner: :: laughing:: Okay big boy, sooner or later, you'll pay for that one.:: They journeyed through the forest, with the light of the two suns playing through the branches of the trees. It was peaceful, and they found themselves walking not for speed but for enjoyment, slowing their pace, meandering, arm in arm and very much in love. It was beyond peaceful-beyond anything they'd hoped for - just hoping it would last. They were both Starfleet officers, and knew that duty had a way of poking its head in personal affairs at the most inconvenient of times. He'd taken no weapons with him, relying on Hannibal and the crew to protect them but at the same time to stay out of sight.:::: Holding hands, they journeyed a little over a kilometer before the forest thinned a bit, revealing a small clearing and a large, crystal-blue lake nearby. A waterfall could be heard cascading downward nearby, and there were fish swimming in the water. Birds chirped in the trees and seemed to greet them, and a few land animals similar to squirrels chittered angrily at them from the branches above on their invasion.::Waltas: This looks like a good spot to me.Turner: :: pleased with his choice:: It's perfect. :: searching for a better word to describe it.:: Magical.Waltas: I hear a waterfall nearby. Want to join me?Turner: I'd love to.:: They were both a little warm from their journey and the volleyball game earlier, and the thought of a mountain waterfall shower was enticing. Tyr led the way, letting his ears guide him, and the source of the lake's water was soon revealed an enormous waterfall cascaded down from high above a rocky outcropping. Tyr took no time in stripping off his shirt and shorts.::Waltas: You coming with?Turner: Great joy? :: already stripped, she took his hand:: If you're waiting on me, you're backing up.:: They raced together and splashed into the end of the lake, moving to the waterfall. The water was cool but not overly cold and was intensely refreshing as it washed over his body. He turned to watch Toni for a moment, admiring her form and her grace -it was like a scene from a movie - the ones that always ended happily. He grew quiet, stepped toward her, wrapping his arms around her.::Waltas: I love you.Turner: :: whispering:: My feelings for you are mutual.:: He kissed her softly, then the kiss deepened.::

((Facility- Morgue level, Heralokk, Industrial District on Mercadia III)) ::It was safe to say that things were not going well. Armed men in the room outside, the power and the lights out, and their teenaged guest starting to get restless.:: Pavlova: They’re approaching the door, whatever you do, do it fast. Walker: I can get us out. But we'll have to take Kai'la with us. Leaving her here would be... oO a death sentence Oo bad.. Vahl: Obviously. Besides we've already agreed that Kai'la was an asset to this mission. Pavlova: Do it. Walker: Let's get some lights in here.. because it's gonna get dark. :: She waited a second.. then sent the command that shut down the warp core.. plunging the room into darkness. :: Kai'la: Can I go home now? ::Irina could hear the fear in the girl’s voice and immediately thought back to that fateful day, 223-years-ago when she had to putter own daughter into stasis on the badly damaged USS Columbia, not knowing if Katya would ever wake up, and if she did, if Irina would be there to see her.:: ((Flashback, Bridge USS Columbia NX-03, March 9, 2172) ::Smoke clung to the ceilings everywhere on the ship, while sparks erupted seemingly at random just about everywhere she looked. The bridge wasn’t even the hardest hit part of the ship, and with the main computer down there was no damage control readout other than for engineering, shields and weapons, which were mostly ruined.:: Moretti: Commander Lennon, Captain Treng, get as many crewmen as possible down to the surface. Transporters are offline, and with that ionic soup of an atmosphere I wouldn’t trust them even if they weren’t. ::The commodore looked around the bridge, making eye contact with Irina briefly:: : Take Irina and bring the backup weapons, you don’t know what that atmosphere will do to the modern stuff. We have oxygen for only three more hours, so I’m putting the rest of the crew into stasis. Wake me last when you’ve ferried everyone else to the surface. Lennon: Yes commodore. ::the XO turned to Irina:: : You heard him lieutenant, gear up and meet me in the shuttle bay loaded for bear. Pavlova: My daughter, I… Lennon: Go, check on her. Shuttle leaves in 20 minutes, so long as you are armed and seated in 18 minutes I don’t care how you use the other sixteen. Pavlova: Thank you sir. ::With that Irina didn’t bother summoning the broken lift and with her uninjured right arm forced open the Jeffries tube hatch and practically slid down the ladder until she reached her deck. In barely three minutes she was at the sickbay with her two-year-old daughter held tightly in her injured left arm.:: ((Sickbay USS Columbia NX-03)) Pavlova: Grace, take her. I’ve been ordered to the surface. Solis: Hear, give her to me. ::The toddler clasped her arms around her mother’s neck tightly and started to cry, but Irina pushed her away and into the chief medical officer’s arms.:: Pavlova: The commodore’s ordered everyone into stasis. Solis: I know. There should be enough tubes, but lets put your Printzyessa here in first. ::Both women held the screaming toddler and carried her over to the nearest cryotube, but the girl screamed louder the closer she got until Irina finally took her back into her arms and held her tightly.:: Pavlova: Can you do something? ::Lieutenant Commander Grace Solis took the hint, and seconds later returned with a small hypo and injected it into the girl’s neck. Within seconds the screaming stopped and the child grew very groggy.:: Pavlova::Softly:: : Its just a short nap Printzyessa, mommy will be here when you wake up. Katya: I’m scared. Pavlova: Me too, but I won’t let anything happen to you. I love you. Katya: I love you too. ::The last word was barely a whisper as Katya drifted to unconsciousness and Irina just stood there holding her, crying.:: Solis: We’re out of time Irina, put her in the tube. ::Irina just stood there, almost paralyzed as the tears streamed down her cheeks and into Katya’s dress. Finally she felt the gentle push of her friend and doctor’s hand and followed her lead, approaching the tube and gently setting Katya inside, then kissing her lovingly on her forehead.:: Pavlova: Watch out for her Grace, if I don’t come back, watch out for her. Solis: I won’t leave her side until you come for her, and if you don’t, I’ll raise her as my own. ::Irina wrapped her arms around the decade older Mexican woman and held her tightly.:: Pavlova::Whispering:: : Thank you. Solis: Now go protect the away team, and then come back for us. ((End Flashback)) Pavlova: Not yet Printzyessa. ::Irina watched as Kai’la sank a bit lower with a look of fear and sadness that she knew all too well. She approached, apprehensive because it was clear that the girl found her threatening, but her maternal instincts took over and she couldn’t help herself.:: Kai'la: So how are we getting out of here? Pavlova::In as soothing a voice as she could muster:: : Luna has some very modern machines that can move us. I wish I could tell you how they work, but honestly I don’t really understand it too well myself. I trust her though, she will get us out. Kai'la: What can I do to help? Pavlova: For now, just stay behind me and I’ll protect us long enough for Luna to do her thing. I won’t let any harm come to you, I promise. Kai’la: Response? Pavlova: Those men outside? No, I didn’t hurt them. Its a special gun that just knocks people unconscious for an hour or so. I promise, they’ll all wake perfectly fine, if a bit confused about what happened. Kai’la: Response? Pavlova: in a louder voice :: : How about that exit plan Luna? Walker: Response? TBC Major Irina Pavlova Chief of Marines USS Excalibur-A

That is some great writing.

Shouldn't this be in Round 17?

::As Irina practically flew out of her seat and Katya screamed, the blue light of the transporter faded and she found herself face to face with the man who, just over one year before, had arrived on Kjenta II and started a chain of events that led to this moment. Of course there was the small matter of him holding a sword.:: ::Tyr raised the katana in a defensive stance, knowing that Irina was probably armed to the teeth, and the blue haze of the transporter faded Just in time to see her using none of them except her own body. She fell on him with all of the focus and determination of someone 220 years held captive and now with freedom in sight. She didn¹t want to kill him, just to get the sword out of his hands and then delay him for the two minutes and twenty-four seconds it would take to hit breakaway speed.:: ::She slammed into him with the full force of her almost 200lb weight simultaneously delivering a punch to his gut with the full strength of a male Klingon or female Vulcan, one of the benefits of 219 years hazardous duty on a high-gravity planet. While outwardly thin, Irina¹s bone density and muscle mass were off the charts for humans, and the resulting hit was so strong that in addition to doubling over from the punch, Waltas dropped the sword which Irina promptly kicked away. The blade slid across and to rear of the runabout's cabin, out of reach.:: ::Irina didn¹t wait. She knew that he was likely a more experienced melee fighter than she was mainly on account of her having little beyond what she learned at Marine academy. She was a sniper, not a boxer, and while she desperately wanted to go home, she wasn¹t willing to kill the man who made such a voyage possible to do so. Still, she had the initiative on account of the powerful punch, now all she needed was time.:: ::Before he could recover, she closed in again, tackling him and wrapping her powerful arms around his waist and across his chest.:: Pavlova: Kirk went back in time twice, why not me? ::Tyr was stunned both by the trip through the transporter and the sudden attack once he'd materialized, but most disturbing of all was Irina's strength. His ribcage, seemingly the target of all of his foes, hurt like hell, and now she was trying to squeeze the breath (life?) out of him. He was trained in Judo and Aikido, and knew what to do.:: WALTAS: Kirk had to...to save the planet and the Federation. You're doing it.. GAH! ::He winced as the grip grew tighter:: Because you're a coward. ::This distracted her just long enough for him to grab the inner muscle of her underarm and squeeze with thumb and forefinger. The pressure point had the desired effect as Irina's arm went numb to the wrist, which he then grabbed and snapped the vice-like hold. He then pulled the arm toward him and turned his back, hurling her over his shoulder and sending her sprawling to the deck.:: ::Irina crashed hard into the passenger seats, and her momentum combined with her weight destroyed the seat back and ripped the entire seat out of the floor. What the impact did not do, however, was slow her down in the slightest, and she was instantly back on him. Her left shoulder slammed hard into his chest sending both of them forward under her momentum into the opposite wall while she simultaneously delivered a powerful right to his left shoulder. Her right arm quickly came back for a powerful rabbit punch to his face, which he easily dodged.:: ::He dodged the second punch, standard Starfleet-issue, and grabbed the arm as he did so. Slamming his foot into her ribcage he pulled hard and a distinct pop echoed through the cabin as the shoulder was dislocated. With nerve damage to one arm and a dislocated shoulder on the other, he knew what would come next. A hard kick he barely was able to deflect, and the Ba'ku dropped to the ground and swept her feet out from under her. Gripping her ankle he turned it in a direction it wasn't meant to turn, to the breaking point. He glanced at the viewscreen as the sun grew ever closer.:: WALTAS: Dammit Irina stop! I can help you! This place is my home and it can be yours too. You can't live in the past forever! It's worse than death. ::From the ground, Irina slammed her right shoulder had into the floor, popping the shoulder back into the socket just as audibly and even more painfully than its exit, but as she did so he tightened his grip on her ankle. PAVLOVA: Don't you see, it isn't the past for me, it's my home. ::Tears started streaming down her cheeks:: : They are all waiting for me. WALTAS::gently:: No, Irina. They're dead and gone. I could go back and save my father, or all the people that died on my homeworld when the Son'a attacked. Or all my shipmates who perished when I was assimilated by the Borg. The past is the past but it makes us who we are! PAVLOVA: Katya and I, we have nobody. WALTAS: You've got the Corps, and you've got me. And if you try, I think you'll have plenty of people. ::turning to Katya:: You want to see Bolt again don't you Katya? PAVLOVA: And the people who took Thomas and Moore. They've already made a play for me once, what happens to Katya when they finally succeed? WALTAS::Relaxing his grip a bit and lowering his voice:: Let me help you. Please. PAVLOVA: You can't guarantee that they won't get me. Katya needs me. ::He let go of her ankle and backed toward the console, tapping in codes to disengage the warp drive and shutting down the warp core for good measure. If Irina had any further treachery in mind it would take several minutes to repower the core. He saw Katya curled up in a fetal ball and gently touched the top of her head, then walked back to Irina, still on the floor. He extended his hand to help her up.:: WALTAS: As I said before, there's a difference between living in a moment, and getting lost in one. For both our sakes', let me help you. PAVLOVA: How exactly would you do that? There is no going back, and whether they come for me or not, I can't survive in a cell. WALTAS: They'll have to go through me and the entire crew to get to you. And you're not going to a cell. Pavlova: What other option is there? WALTAS: I didn't come here to throw the regs at you, Irina. You should know me better than that. You're alone, and scared, and you're a prisoner of the past. And you're talking to the one person who understands that. Come home with me and we'll forget this. PAVLOVA: And what happens when we get back? WALTAS::shrugging:: You're the strategic ops chief. You're new. I took you on an escort flight to teach you the ropes. PAVLOVA::Sitting down in the pilot's seat:: : They, he calls me every night. Its always the same, him sitting at the window and looking out the night sky, wondering when I'll come home. ::Irina powered up the impulse drive and set course back for Duronis embassy.:: PAVLOVA::Wiping the tears from her eyes:: : I guess its time to take Katya home. WALTAS::smiling, tapping the console:: I'll escort you back. Just stay on my wing. PAVLOVA: Don't worry, I won't try to run. Jointly Submitted Colonel Tyr Waltas Marine CO Duronis II Embassy / USS Thunder And Major Irina Pavlova Chief of Strategic Operations Duronis II Embassy / USS Thunder

((Parker Residence, Embassy)) ::Tyr continued his conversation with the only person he knew older than him-the enigmatic Irina Pavlova. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to put the woman through a wall or give her a pat on the back due to her experiences. He'd poured himself a double-shot of Jagermeister, his favorite, and sat staring into the dark brown depths that threatened to swallow him whole.:: PAVLOVA::Looking at her daughter, who was reading a book to Bolt:: I don't remember very much. Her first smile, her first word. I can almost remember the color of her hair, but when I concentrate on it, it just fades to the gray that I see. It was a peculiarly dark shade of gold, the same as my own hair in fact, but its all lost across the ages. WALTAS::Nodding in sympathy:: I didn't get to witness any of my children growing up. I didn't know about Daisha at all until she appeared on the bridge of the Discovery at 8 years old. Tye and Sanuye..well, you know what happened there. I've focused on making new memories with them. ::He threw back the shot, letting it drain down his throat and burn:: although there haven't been many to speak of with the boys. PAVLOVA: Yes, there are new memories. On the day before her fourth birthday she surprised me by announcing that she knew how to read. I didn't believe her, so I handed her my copy of Anna Karenina and while she couldn't understand it, she most definitely could read it. WALTAS: The boys seemed to age mentally as well as physically, so they just needed formal education. The scientists still can't explain it..not that I've let any get close. I don't think Daisha will either. PAVLOVA: Did you make peace with your sons? ::He found he'd poured himself another drink, and downed it like the first. He wasn't sure if the bitter taste had been there all along, or had been caused by the conversation.:: WALTAS::Sitting the glass down:: It never affected Tye. Trouble rolls off of him like water off a duck's back. He loves unconditionally, wrecklessly...::Smiling ruefully:: Like his father at his age. Sanuye.. ::He paused, smile faded, letting the sentence trail off:: PAVLOVA: Children are all that matter for people like us. Too many grains of sand in the hourglass, too many faces when our eyes close. I can still see them all, the faces of those who died on my very long watch, and the faces of those I've had to kill. Tell me, Tyr Waltas, do your demons visit you at night? ::The question was a chilling one. He could remember them all if he tried. All of his foes he'd struck down. All of the battles he'd been involved in as a Starfleet Captain and before that as a Security and Tactical officer. He remembered every face on every crew he'd served on, from his first days aboard the USS Constitution to those last, sad days aboard the Discovery-C. From Xan Hebron to Raj Blueheart, he remembered them all. And he recalled those who had fought him. Friend had become foe. Enemies of enemies, serial killers, power-mad dictators, even Starfleet Admirals. He remembered them all, and wished he didn't.:: WALTAS::His vision locked on the window overlooking the Embassy, his face a mask:: My demons don't wait until nighttime to visit me, Irina. PAVLOVA: Surely you've lost people dear to you to the sands of time? WALTAS::Still staring off in the distance, an image of dark-red hair and green eyes filled his mind, and he quickly dismissed it:: Too many. PAVLOVA: Next Tuesday it will be exactly 150 years since Dimitri died. He was the boy next door when I grew up in Sochi. I was older by a year, and he could never keep up. Running, jumping, pretty much any sport, he always was so clumsy, but he never gave up and always came in just behind me, like a shadow. ::He realized that, for perhaps the first time, Pavlova was opening up to him instead of holding him at arms' length. True, she had suffered and lived several lifetimes-something only a few could understand and sympathize with.:: WALTAS: What happened to him? PAVLOVA: Dimitri followed me into the Earth Defense Marines, but he didn't make the cut for sniper school. We were always just friends, but on the night I left we became something more. I didn't even know I was pregnant with Katya until over a month into Columbia's mission and by then we were too far out for Dimitri to join us or for me to go back. He proposed to me over subspace, but when I finally returned to earth he'd been dead 99 years, at the ripe old age of 95. He died alone, never married, never met his only child. WALTAS::Quietly, absorbing the story, he responded sincerely:: I'm sorry. PAVLOVA: Haven't you ever wanted to go back? To do it again, have a second chance? WALTAS::Sighing:: I'd be lying if I said no, but I've found if you spend too much time looking over your shoulder, ::his gaze drifted to Hella:: you end up missing the special things that are coming to you. I've made enough mistakes to count for four lifetimes, but I am who I am because I did what I did. I've learned to live with that. PAVLOVA: I've thought about it every day this past year. ::He paused, considering what her words meant, and the undercurrent of determination he sensed in them. There was more to what she was saying than what had been said, but what, he didn't know.:: WALTAS: You can't live in the past, Irina. It will consume you. You've been granted a second chance. Use it. PAVLOVA: That little boy is Irina's first friend. All I want is for her to have the tools she needs when I'm gone. Tell me Tyr Waltas, are my secrets safe? Are we allies or enemies? Am I safe here? I need to know, for her sake. WALTAS::Turning to regard her:: I'll give you the same answer I gave on Discovery all those months ago, Irina. You are safe here, and under my protection. These are good people of good character and they consider their crewmates family, just as we did on Discovery. And more than that, we are Marines. We are closer than family. You should remember that from your training. ::Pausing:: As for allies, again, I'll tell you the same thing-we are allies until you do something that makes us otherwise. I respect your past and the life you've lived. All I ask is that you do the same. ::He was going to say more, but Captain Turner walked in with a Marine at her side. Tyr gasped, realizing who he was-and the fact that he was supposed to be..well..DEAD. Angrily, he slapped his comm badge.:: WALTAS: Computer, bio file on Major Heath West to my PADD. ::The computer relayed the information, and he frowned at the results. Whether this was a trick or the man had indeed returned to play on Toni's sympathies was irrelevant-the Captain could possibly be in danger. Considering the Ba'ku still had his blade on his back, so was Major West. Stepping through the crowd as they sat down for a meal, Tyr made a beeline for the pair.:: WALTAS::Flatly:: Captain. May I have a word with you? TURNER/WEST: response WALTAS::Ignoring West and the introduction:: Captain? TURNER/WEST: response WALTAS::Turning on West, his voice rising slightly:: You'll explain yourself now, Major. TURNER/WEST: response OOC: Toni's dead husband returning should set off alarm bells for anyone in Security so I figure I'd have Tyr overreact. ================================= Colonel Tyr Waltas Marine CO Duronis II Embassy / USS Thunder

Hsina sat in the waiting room with the other cadets, though unlike the rest, she didn’t talk to her neighbors or look or feel nervous in any way. Of course, she was more than twice the age of most of them, and was here, perhaps, for different reasons. Even within her branch, science, she was something of a misfit as she was the only member of her year group with advanced degrees in archaeology and anthropology, with physics and warp theory far more popular majors. Lastly, she differed in that her academy itself was abbreviated, as she already had baccalaureate and doctorate degrees in her field, and as such skipped the first two years of the academy entirely, which mostly general education classes that Hsina had long since completed in her civilian education. Thats not to say that Hsina wasn’t a member of the class. For the last two years she had studied and worked alongside the other cadets in the waiting room. She had learned the fundamentals, like everyone, of military protocol, weapons, computers and everything else required for initial posting as a Starfleet officer. She had completed her branch training in sciences alongside the four other science cadets in the room, consisting of a basic science curriculum and a chosen major, in Hsina’s case Applied Mathematics. One of the other science cadets, a woman named Jill Engstrom, was also a prior university graduate, with a doctorate in quantum physics, though at 34-years-old, was a dozen years younger than Hsina. There was also young, as in VERY young Minoru Yamada, a prodigy who graduated from high school in Japan at the age of 10, from Tokyo University with a Master of Science in temporal physics at the age of 14 and now sat, waiting for his cadet cruise to begin, 3 weeks short of his 18th birthday. And those were just the humans, as this was a very diverse class. Still, Hsina felt quite apart. Of course, she had ALWAYS felt quite apart. Of course, any girl who hit 6 feet tall at age 12, and stood a full 6’4” as an adult would naturally feel apart, but to be tall, smart and perhaps most unusual of all, more than slightly crazy would be enough to set anyone outside of the norms of most societies, particularly the conservative muslim society of Iraq where she was raised. Rejecting religion at an early age and beating the tar out of the high school bully only reinforced her pariah status growing up. Now she sat here waiting for the cadet cruise briefing. She knew she was very smart, but then, so were all of her classmates. She knew that she had unique physical attributes (extreme height and freakish strength), but then, the Vulcan male sitting in the next row was slightly taller and slightly stronger as well. What she doubted (probably incorrectly) was that of everyone present, she was the only one hiding something. She hid it in every psych eval, answering the questions the way she knew they had to be answered to pass, rather than truthfully. She masked her thoughts at every counseling session. She masked her lies by masking the tells she could mask, and duplicating them when telling the truth for those she could not. The truth was, Hsina Amman was damaged goods. Her life, thus far, had been a mixture of great accomplishment and great loss, and every time, she felt herself slip just a bit farther away. So now she was here, for a new beginning. If she could keep her secrets hidden, hide the flaws, silence the voices that tormented her in the night. If, and only if, she could keep her demons at bay, then perhaps, just maybe, she could finally find peace out there, in the stars, where it all began. Andrew F. Cadet Hsina Amman Science Branch