Geoffrey Teller

((OOC: I had a blast writing this JP with Lt. Cmdr. @Krindo Pandorn! It was originally meant to be a fun curveball for folks during shoreleave, but the reaction has been so strong we've decided to use these events to build into a full scale mission! Great writing with you, Krindo!)) ((Talisin Forest, Outside Lokesh City)) Hidden in the underbrush and wrapped in a sensor dampening shroud, Subcommanders V’Tak and Sojot were into the third week of their mission on this hateful world. Through a set of high powered optics, they could see their foe in the distance - the outlines of their stolen structures, grotesquely covered with the insignia of Starfleet. Somewhere on that base, their target was blithely going about their day, completely unaware they had been marked for death. These fat, lazy Starfleet people had no idea why their mothership had been recalled at the last moment. Their communications to the homeworld had been monitored, and quite naturally ignored by the high command. As far as they were concerned, things were going precisely to plan. The arrival of the Klingon battleship had served the Tal Shiar’s ends perfectly, creating a moment of confusion when their operatives beamed to the surface, completely unnoticed. Now, their patience had nearly been rewarded. Communications from the Embassy, easily intercepted from the planets traffic control network, indicated that their quarry was about to leave the protected confines of their installation aboard a small craft traveling north. It was the perfect opportunity to kill an Admiral. V’Tak: It makes my blood burn to think of those Federation people inhabiting a structure that rightly belongs to the Romulan Republic. Perhaps when we’ve succeeded in our mission, the Praetor will give it to us as a reward for our service? Sojot: And don’t forget the revenge we will have after Jorok Three and Thendara Two. The reward will be substantial I would gather. V’Tak: The Federation has much to answer for, brother. We are fortunate to have been chosen for this mission of retribution. Have you inspected the canon? Nearby, sitting on a complex mechanical mount, hidden beneath a holoshroud, was the instrument of their vengeance. A surface to air disruptor battery, stripped down to its minimum size and weight for portability. It would only give them a few shots before the power supply was depleted, but that would be more than they needed. Sojot: We’ll get one or two shots from it then it will most definitely burn out. It wasn’t made to be stripped down this much. V’Tak: Then our aim must be true, or we should not bother attempting to leave this place. Better to be killed fighting Starfleet. He shuddered briefly, thinking of the torments he had seen dispensed to those who failed the Tal Shiar. Men and women with shattered bodies and shattered minds to match. It was not to be his fate. Sojot: Should we fail to shoot them down, I’ve rigged a self destruct charge to detonate on command. We won’t be taken by those Starfleet veruul. V’Tak: Very well. There must be no trace of our presence here. Either we are successful, or we cease to exist. For the good of the Romulan people. Jolan Tru. Sojot: For our people. Jolan Tru, my friend. Through the optics, V’Tak saw activity at the airfield. Crewmen moving with purpose, and landing doors being retracted. It was nearly time to strike. V’Tak: Ready the weapon. The honor of the kill shall be yours. Sojot tapped a few commands on a side panel and watched as power levels rose indicating the weapon is charging. When the panel was green, he nodded to V’Tak. Sojot: The weapon is ready. We will show our people what real Romulans are.They will remember what we do here. V’Tak: Your zeal is to be commended. So many of our brothers and sisters have grown weak these past decades, listless and docile...a lost race. They must be reminded that to be Romulan is to be feared. Our names should be spoken in whispers, by those who fear to anger us. That day will come again. Sojot: ::::lifts the weapon to his shoulder, exhaling at the weight of the launcher and facing the Embassy:: Let this be our mark in our struggle. From the Embassy grounds, several small craft took flight. Two appeared to be standard shuttlecraft - unremarkable except in how small and vulnerable they were. Starfleet - always so arrogant. Always so trusting. Fools. A third ship took flight and V’Tak’s lips curled back into a feral grin. The Admiral’s personal yacht, an obscene and garish vessel easily three times the size of the shuttles, alighted and fell into a lazy formation with the shuttles. They were heading directly towards their position. Sojot: ::scoffs:: They make it so easy. What is the human expression...sitting goose? V’Tak: ::Hissing slightly:: Don’t dirty your tongue with human turns of phrase. Focus on our mission. Our target comes. Sojot: My apologies. Been on this rock a bit too long. ::takes aim at the yacht:: They will be dust soon enough.. V’Tak: This assignment has been a difficult one, brother, but it will soon be worth our efforts. Hold the target lock until the last moment, I don’t want to give their pilots a chance to react. Sojot: Almost here. They are closing quickly. ::an soft audible beeping indicated range:: As the three craft drew near, V’Tak could hear the whine of the canon’s power pack intensifying. The barrel articulated on its mount with a worrying grind and V’Tak’s eyes narrowed. V’Tak: What is the problem? Sojot: Power pack is overloading. Auto fire is not responding. Have to take the shot manually. V’Tak ground his teeth in frustration. There were an ancient set of rules in their profession, handed down from time immemorial to assets and agents like him. Always among them was the reminder ‘Technology will always let you down.’ V’Tak: Very well. Fire when ready. Sojot listened as the beeping got more and more rapid. When the beeping was almost a steady whine, he pressed the fire button and two bolts of green disruptor energy flashed their way to the approaching craft. One bolt was a clean miss, while the other struck one of the smaller craft in its port nacelle, causing it to smoke heavily and veer off course. It was going down. Sojot: ::cussing in Romulan:: One of the support craft was hit. It’s going to crash. V’Tak: FOOL, that was not our mission! I have seen better shooting from a Ferengi garbage merchant! Quickly, fire again! Frantically tapping on the controls, the canon ground to a halt, its power pack expended. The still aloft Starfleet vessels began darting erratically and picking up speed, quickly moving out of their reach. V’Tak considered the magnitude of their failure and considered his sidearm...first for the fool who had doomed them both, and then for himself, but the sound of a screeching engine coming closer stayed his hand. One of the shuttles was pitched over, yawing violently as a nacelle belched smoke and flame. The shot had missed the crew cabin, but the vessel was picking up speed on its descent. It would hit the ground near their position. Perhaps there was a chance to still salvage something from this disaster. V’Tak: If any survive the crash, we will take them back with us for interrogation. For both of our sakes, pray their pilot is more competent than you are. Sojot: We’ll need to find them first. This forest is very thick and some of the locals say it’s haunted. I will make up for my failure, I swear it. V’Tak: The only spirits trapped here will be ours if we fail again. Quickly, destroy the weapon. We must get to the crash site before a Starfleet rescue team arrives. As the burning shuttle collided with the nearby treetops the two Romulan assets set off, leaving behind nothing but a large scorched area where their useless equipment had burned. Their only hope now was to capture someone valuable enough to offset their failure. Desperation added speed to their steps as they crashed deeper into the dense forest. =============================== Subcommader V’Tak Tal’Shiar Field Asset V239509GT0 (AKA Geoffrey Teller) & Subcommander Sojot Tal’Shiar Field Asset Z239308KP0 (AKA Krindo Pandorn)

It was a pleasure getting to participate in this arc and I’m glad to see it getting recognized for Ghant and Samira’s hard work. Congrats guys!

((OOC: My sincere compliments to @Wil Ukinix !)) ((Room 04-3417 – G’var/Ukinix quarters, USS Veritas)) Standing in the mirror with only a towel wrapped around his waist, Wil rubbed his fingers over his jawline to ensure his skin was completely smooth after shaving. As he observed the deep blue eyes that were staring back it him, he came to a realisation. ((Flashback - Terra Tanunda Vineyard, Barossa Valley, Australia, Earth – Stardate 237312.10)) Little Wil was sitting on his grandfather’s lap, shielded from the hot dry sun under the back veranda of the refurbished estate cottage. Astrad: So, young Wil, what do you want to be when you grow up? Ukinix: Ummmm… Starfleet occifer. In space! Astrad dropped his jaw and smiled in pretend shock, while tickling Wil’s chest. Astrad: (Giggling) In Space, just like Mummy was! (Cheekily) Are you sure? Ukinix: Ummmm… Wil clasped his little hands together, and looked up at the veranda roof, before nodding and looking at his grandfather’s perfectly black irises again. Ukinix: (Excitedly) Yeah! His grandmother who was sitting nearby sipping a glass of cold Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris spoke up. Hayley: But Wil, it might get dangerous in space! (Teasingly) What if you fall out of a starship? He clasped his hands together again and turned his head to look at Hayley. Ukinix: Buuuuuuuut, naaaah, but, it’s OK, cos, cos, you might have to wear a special suit, a viralmental suit, and (shrugging) it means you can do breaving! So you can do breaving, OK?! Mummy said that’s what occifers on a starship do, OK Grandma? Hayley: I’d be worried about you, Wil! You’re my grandson, I want you to be safe. Ukinix: (Hand on cheeks, half laughing) Grandmaaaaaaa, I’ll be safe in my viralmental suit! She leaned forward and tickled him under his chin, which made him move his head down and lean back to avoid her hand. Hayley: You’d better be, Master Ukinix! Wil squirmed on his grandfather’s lap, giggling and squealing in delight. ((End Flashback)) He watched himself smile in the mirror at the fleeting memory of that moment. He was now a lieutenant, and becoming an experienced Starfleet officer. The one thing he had set out to do from a young age had actually *happened*. He had overcome the huge speed bump of becoming strongly empathic in his teenage years which had threatened to derail that goal. And there he was, staring back at himself on a starship, that contained a full crew, some of which he considered his good and close friends. One of which who, despite being in many ways the opposite of him, shared quarters with him. And he adored her immensely. As he moved back into the bedroom to get dressed for the day, he realised he’d been through a hell of a lot since he joined the Veritas. So had many of the crew, which meant he wasn’t alone. Ukinix: (Under his breath, singing) Dun-dun-dun dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun-duuuuun… After getting dressed, he picked up his combadge, and breathed on it before giving it a polish against his gold uniform. He placed it on his chest, then lifted it up slightly to inspect it. As big smile came to his face. Ukinix: (Quietly, smiling) I bloody did it. Every day brought new challenges and new opportunities to smile. Even on the “bad” days, deep down he knew he loved being part of Starfleet. And being part of the Veritas was the huge layer of chocolate icing on top of the already impressive rich chocolate cake. As he left his quarters and entered the corridor, his smile got bigger as he made his way down a corridor towards the turbo lift entrance on Deck 4, still singing very quietly to himself. Ukinix: (Under his breath, singing) Dun-dun-dun dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun-duuuuun… (interrupting himself)- wait Before a few seconds later back tracking, and then turning the other way instead, towards the turbo lift entrance on Deck 4…. Ukinix: (Under his breath, singing) dun-dun-duuuuun… (inhaling) Dun-dun-dun dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun - (interrupting himself, looking back)- hang on. …only to stop himself, gently slap his forehead, and back track *again* to turn back the way he was originally going towards the turbo lift. ((Main Engineering, USS Veritas, about an hour later)) The “ear worm” that he had given himself several hours earlier while he was getting dressed wouldn’t go away. Not that he minded, it was a song from his collection that he liked fondly. The lyrics were depressing, and he thought reflective of a time on Earth that, by all accounts, wasn’t great. There were even some dark were times in his life when he identified with elements of the song. Thankfully not anymore - he even felt a little guilty for even still liking it. But damn, the tune was good. And the classical string instruments made for a catchy intro riff. Which he kept repeating quietly over and over as he stood at the impulse monitoring board. Ukinix: (Under his breath, singing) Dun-dun-dun dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun-duuuuun… dun-dun-duuuuun… In fact, the riff was so good he reached for his nearby PADD, and made a few taps to access his personal files. After a few more taps music started playing quietly out of the device’s crystal-clear speakers, enough for him to hear it but not enough to distract everyone else. As the beat started, he tapped his hands on the board in front of him in perfect time as he monitored the impulse engine’s diagnostic readouts. PADD: // ‘Cause it’s-a bitter-sweeet… sym-pho-nyy-yy, that’s liiii-hiiife… // A smile came to his face as his friend and Chief, Lieutenant Geoffrey Teller, entered main engineering and gave him a nod. When Wil realised Teller was possibly heading towards him, he reached up to the PADD and tapped it to stop the playing song. But instead of walking towards him, Geoffrey simply gestured with his head in the direction of the office while still walking. Wil got the message, and left the monitoring board to walk behind him, following him inside. As the doors closed behind him, his Chief hurriedly sat down at his desk, working his fingers at the console that was mounted there, while somehow also managing to gesture for Wil to sit down. Wil could strongly feel Geoff’s sense of urgency, as he seemed to be flicking between different screens on the LCARS display. Teller: Sorry Wil, just a minute, need to do this before we talk. I promise it's important. Ukinix: No worries. Wil placed his elbow on the desk, then rested his chin on his palm. He looked up at the small shelf on the wall behind Geoffrey, and the unsealed bottles of Romulan Kali-fal sitting on it. The brightness of the blue liquid inside was mesmerising. Teller: Well, that's done...but now I'm in the wrong chair. Wil eyes darted back to look at Geoffrey, who leaned forward to rest against his side of the desk. There was a small smile on his Chief’s face, which made Wil furrow his brow. Ukinix: Huh? Teller: Wil, you know you have my complete trust, right? Ukinix: (Quizzically, confused)…. Yyyyyyeah… where is this going…. Teller: Good. Do you know that every man and woman in this department respects the hell out of you, both as an officer, and as a colleague? Wil’s face brightened as a smile came to his face. Ukinix: Ah! That’s because (raising finger) I slip them latinum every now and then. When his Chief ignored his joke and just kept looking at him, Wil furrowed his brow, this time squinting his eyes. He still didn’t know where the conversation was going. He rested his chin on his fist. Ukinix: Okaaaay…. Teller: Well, they do. A lot. They know you're fun to work with when things are calm, and a rock solid professional when things have gone pear shaped. They trust you. You're going to find that valuable. Ukinix: Thank you. (Smiling, sitting up) Sorry I didn’t realise it was performance review day. That’s valuable information for when the time comes- Teller: When you're leading them. Which starts the minute those doors ::Teller nodded towards the closed office doors:: open. As of about 15 seconds ago, you're acting Chief Engineer of the Veritas. Ukinix: You what? Wil’s face turned to one of concern. Ukinix: Wait, are you OK? Chief, you’re my friend, is something going on? Teller: Don't go getting all sappy on me, this is just temporary. Commander Delano asked me to join him for a few weeks at the shipyards here, working on some new ship that's still mostly in the transport crates. Apparently everything that's gone on lately has impacted productivity at the Livernois Shipyards....who could've guessed? He swivelled in his seat, and looked at the adjacent wall with a neutral expression, apart from his widened eyes. What Geoffrey had said had half sunk in, but so had the shock. Ukinix: Oh. Teller: Look, I know it's a lot to take in. When I got promoted to the acting Chief role, I was still an Ensign. You had barely been off the shuttle five minutes and we had just finished getting shot at by a bunch of grouchy windchimes. I had no idea what I was doing, but between you and I, we've forged a hell of a department in the last year. He nodded slowly in agreement, looking at a lower part of the wall he was staring at. Ukinix: (Quietly) We have. Slowly, a smile formed on Wil’s face, before he swivelled back to look at Teller, and stood up. Ukinix: (Nodding) Yes, we have! Teller: More than that, Wil. You're my best friend, and there's nobody in the galaxy who I hold in higher regard. You're ready for this. You have been for a long time. Congratulations, Chief Ukinix. ::Teller stood and offered his friend a hearty handshake which quickly turned into a fierce hug:: Wil put his hand in Geoffrey’s and shook it vigorously, before he found himself wrapping his other arm around him, giving him several firm slaps on his back. Ukinix: (Muffled) Mate, thank you, I don’t know what to say! (Cheekily) Except that I promise not to blow anything up… And I consider you my best mate too. Teller: Alright, alright. ::Teller turned away and surreptitiously wiped at his eyes.:: A beaming Wil took a step back to pat Geoffrey’s shoulder, while shaking his head in disbelief at two pieces of news that he didn’t expect. He was now the acting Chief Engineer of a Starfleet Starship, and his Chief considered him his best mate. Wil wasn’t always great with words, and there were times he wished he could project his emotions on to others, so they knew how he felt. This was one of those times. Ukinix: (Still patting Goeffrey’s shoulder) You’re a legend, Chief. (Chuckling) Wow, this came out of the blue. There was a moment of happy silence between the two. Teller: Well, back to business - Skipper told the XO that he'll have pick of the litter if we end up needing more staff, so I may have to poach a few people from you for a few weeks, but I won't know who till I get there. I'll keep it to a bare minimum. Ukinix: (Playfully rolling eyes) Chief, they’re your people, I’m just minding them. You take who you need, we’ve got things covered here. (Lifting finger, smiling) Except for Char, she’s awesome. She stays. Teller: Other than that, you know the shop status as well as I do, so there's no sense going over that. As for standing orders - Take care of the crew, take care of the ship, and take care of yourself. In that order. Beyond that - it's your department to run, Chief - enjoy yourself. I know I have. Wil stood up straight, and placed his hands behind his back, giving Geoffrey a nod. Ukinix: Aye sir. Good luck, mate. Turning his head to watch his Chief leave, Wil looked around the office before he almost jumped as the doors shut. He looked out of the window and watched the crewmembers of the engineering department diligently working away, blissfully unaware of the temporary personnel change that had just happened. The gravity of what he had just been told sunk in. He placed his hand over his mouth, and felt a wave of excitement and fear roll over his body. He slowly let out a breath through his lips, before adrenalin coursed through his veins. Ukinix: (Quietly) Oh boy. He leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees, to regain his composure. He was now a department head. Even if it was only temporary, he was now charged with a responsibility he didn’t think he’d have for a long time. Ukinix: oO Am I ready? Oo His thought was broken by a voice over the office’s speakers. Phan'ta'Go: =/\= Hello Lieutenant Ukinix? =/\= Wil closed his eyes, and exhaled through his nose, before tapping his combadge. Ukinix: =/\= Yes, Crewman, can I help you? =/\= Phan'ta'Go: =/\= Not really, I’ve got some information for you. =/\= Ukinix: =/\= (Sigh) OK… =/\= Phan'ta'Go: =/\= Can you hear me? =/\= Wil stood up straight, and placed his hands on his hips. Ukinix: =/\= Yes, C’lem, actually I can hear you, and in fact, looking out the window of the Chief’s office, I can even see you a few metres away across the other side of engineering, looking at a console! =/\= Without turning to look back at Wil, C’lem continued speaking. Phan'ta'Go: =/\= Well that’s good, because there’s been a personnel change. Apparently, you’re now Acting Chief Engineer of the (console beeping sounds)… USS Veritas. =/\= Ukinix: =/\= Funny that. Chief Teller just told me about a minute ago. =/\= Phan'ta'Go: =/\= Do you mean Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Teller, First Officer aboard the USS Diligent? How could he have told you. =/\= Wil closed his eyes and placed his hands on his temples, before smiling. There was nothing bitter about this moment. It was just “sweet”. [End] Lieutenant Wil Ukinix Acting Chief Engineer USS Veritas V239511WU0

((OOC: I'm very proud to have participated in this JP and wish to offer my sincerest thanks to Lt. G'var, Lt. JG. Wil Ukinix, Lt. Jg. Addison Mackenzie and Ensign Charlena Vanlith on an excellent sim)) ((Engineering Lab, USS Veritas)) ::When word came down from sickbay that G’var’s arm had malfunctioned, Geoff Teller had jogged into the Engineering lab and pulled up a full diagnostic on the assembly from embedded sensors that linked with the ship. What he saw made his jaw drop:: Teller: Dammit G’var, what’d you do to yourself? ::Nearly every readout, the ones that were still working anyway, showed massive failure in almost every component, servo, and controller board. The fact that G’var had been able to use it at all after this much damage was a testament to just how tough their Klingon security officer was.:: Teller: oO And how thick headed. Oo ::Moments later, Wil Ukinix walked into the room with a grim expression on his face and began rapidly laying out tools and replacement modules on one of the lab benches. It looked like they would be going right to work, and Teller had no objection, silently handing Wil components and preparing the space for some properly delicate and important work. Wil’s face was a stony mask of determination that Teller had rarely seen.:: Teller: ::quietly:: Sickbay? Ukinix: ::Pursed lips, nodding.:: Yep. Teller: How’s she doing? Diagnostics make it look like she got into a fist fight with a warp reactor. ::Wil took a deep breath, and held tension in his chest. He exhaled knowing that at least this time he could try to do something, given he was an engineer and the problem was her arm.:: Ukinix: She’s OK. Apparently her central nervous system has been damaged. Teller: We’ll get her fixed up, Wil. I promise. ::Teller offered the man a friendly pat on the shoulders. He’d never seen Wil this tense.:: ::There was a myriad of equipment, including tricorders and sensors, waiting on the table.:: Ukinix: ::Nervously:: I think we’re ready. Teller: We’ll pull anything else we need from the ship stores, I’ll sign off on it later - can’t imagine the Skipper will object. ::Wil picked up his PADD that was on the table.:: Ukinix: I’ve read over this three times. ::Concerned:: I’m still not sure what the source of the problem could be. Teller: The diagnostics are garbled as hell - the whole subprocessor assembly must be wrecked. We’re not going to know the extent of the damage till we get it apart. ::It had been a rough morning, G'var woke feeling like she had gone 20 rounds with a Mugato and lost. With Mac’s help she was able to bath and dress herself, G'var hated being a burden on her Family, the same feelings of self doubt that had plagued her after Limbo threatened to return. Staring at the Lieutenant’s pips in the mirror however helped remind G'var of what others saw in her and that she could rely on her Family. Making her way slowly to Main Engineering, G'var hoped her Trash Pandas had a miracle up their sleeves. ::Teller and Wil looked up when G’var entered the room. Wil walked over and gave her a hug.:: Ukinix: Hey, how are you feeling? G’var:::Trying not to fall over::-Like I could take on the whole Obsidian Order on my own ::Whispering:: Don't let go, I'm ready to fall over. ::giving Wil a smirk:: Teller: G’var, no kidding around - we’re here to help you. I don’t know what you did to that thing but we’ll get it fixed. You can trust us. G'var:::smiling::-I know I can Geoff, you two are the craftiest pair of men in the Galaxy. That's why I love you. ::Wil gestured to the seat that was set up next to the table. He walked over to pull it out for her.:: Ukinix: So, just sit in this chair, and rest your arm on the table. We can start straight away, G. G'var:::Falling into the chair::-Don't worry I'm not going far. ::taking a deep breath:: you boys do what you need to do to fix this thing. ::As G’var sat, Teller began hooking up diagnostic leads where he could and running a tricorder over the arm, up to the attachment point on the shoulder. The tricorder immediately began throwing alerts.:: Teller: I’m getting all sorts of weird feedback from the motor control pathways, I’m seeing random power discharges all across the system. When did this start? G’var:::pursing her lips::-Yesterday after my morning workout. ::rubbing the back of her neck:: I was in our quarters and then...it was a twitch at first...then unbearable agony...worse than even a fire larvae of Deneb V burrowing under my skin... ::Feeling nervous, Wil decided to lighten the mood a little.:: Ukinix: ::Smiling:: It’s funny, last time we were all in this room together- ::Giving Wil a cross look, G'var took another breath, she knew he was just trying to distract her from the pain and emotion and she loved him for it.:: ::He cut himself off, as the smile disappeared from his face.:: Ukinix: Mmm. ::Clapping hands together:: So anyway... ::Taking Wil’s hand she gave it a squeeze feeling his warm on her flesh:: Teller: Yeah lets maybe skip the fond reminiscing for now. Hate to ask, G’var, but this’ll be a lot easier for us and a lot less painful for you if the arm is disconnected. G’var:::Looking at her inoperable prosthetic::-Of course. ::Giving Wil’s hand one last squeeze:: You’ll have to help me, my range of motion is limited. ::Giving Geoff a stern glare:: Wil why don't you help me, I wouldn't want to give Geoff a thrill taking my top off. ::With Wil’s help G'var was able to get her uniform blouse off. After a few awkward moments Wil had the arm disconnected from its socket. Turning back to Geoff G'var had to stifle a laugh at Geoff’s red face.:: ::Wil picked up an engineering tricorder, and started waving it over G’var’s arm.:: Ukinix: OK, so there are some micro surges here, but they’re within tolerance levels. ::To G’var:: You haven’t put the power module back yet? G'var:::shaking her head::-No, I didn't want to risk the phaser accidentally discharging Teller: The secondary servo-actuator controller is totally fused. We’re going to have to fabricate a new one, and replace all the pathways leading to it. G’var, it’d help us if we understood how this happened. Was this some Klingon painstick thing? You been pulling shifts as a lightning rod? G'var:::Resisting the urge to snap kick Geoff through the bulkhead::-I happened when in grounded the Sentinel probe’s discharge through the prosthetic ::taking a breath:: I took two discharges through it...the sensation was...very unique ::raising a brow:: I had Mac check it right after and Commander Del Vedova gave me a clean bill of health I thought nothing more of it. :: Raising a brow:: could it be that one of the Sentinel programs hitched a ride in the prosthetic? ::At the thought of that suggestion, Wil eyes opened wide as he stood up staring ahead.:: Ukinix: I really hope not. Teller: ::Consulting the tricorder display:: Hmm, I don’t think so - more like the insulation on the circutery was damaged and has been slowly eroding ever since. I’m not surprised it was missed. As systems overloaded and rerouted, more and more pathways broke down - we’re talking about classic cascade failure. Another few days and we’d have no chance of salvaging anything. ::Teller looked over to the diagnostic console on the wall. The computer had been attempting to build an exploded view of the arm, highlighting components that were malfunctioning or no longer responding. Best case scenario, this was going to take hours of work to repair, if they could even salvage the arm at all.:: Teller: We’re going to need more help on this. =/\= Teller to Vanlith - please join us in the Engineering lab as soon as possible. =/\= Vanlith: =/\= Aye Sir. On my way =/\= ::G'var sat quietly and meditated on the Light as they waited for Ensign Vanlith to join them. She was no cyber surgeon or expert on micro machinery. Taking the brief respite G'var allowed herself a few moments to clear her head and focus inward. Mac was right she could feel her damaged nerve endings throughout her body and feel her body’s attempts to repair the damaged neurons. Her hyper metabolism was already hard at work. Hearing her stomach growl, G'var asked Wil to get her a bite to eat and something to drink, fuel for the engine. Thinking of G’var’s trip to Kentucky months earlier, Wil went to a nearby replicator and produced for G'var an Ale-8, along with a plate of Chicken and Dumplings.:: ::Only a few moments passed before the doors opened again and Ensign Charlena Vanlith joined the work already in progress.:: ::G'var stood slowly as the small Risian woman entered Engineering, they had yet to formally be introduced and G’var was looking forward to it, from what Wil had told her Charlena had a bright and inquisitive mind. She had heard the skuttlebutt about her emotional outbursts, but could hardly throw k’tangs in that house herself.:: Teller: Charlie, I don’t know if you two have met, but the muscular mountain here is Lt. G’var, Assistant Chief of Security. Vanlith: I believe we have met a couple of times. Nice to see you again. :: Quietly to herself:: and my name isn't Charlie. G'var:::-Taking the offered hand::-I know your name is not Charlie, Geoff was only being friendly ::smirking:: If you prefer Charlena so be it ::raising a brow:: By Kahless I would prefer to call you V and you can call me G. After all you are about to know me quite intimately ::gesturing to her arm socket:: Vanlith: You can call me V ::she smirked:: But these two still have to earn the right to. ::Reading his tricorder, Wil smirked a little.:: Ukinix: ::Under his breath:: You fail to assemble one bed... Teller: It seems the good Lieutenant is having some serious issues with her arm, and as it was still under warranty from Veritas Prosthetics and Kitchenwares, our reputation for quality craftsmanship is on the line. We could use an extra set of hands. Up for it? ::G'var once again had to squash the urge to hang Geoff from the warp core, taking a centering breath, she smiled brightly at his attempt at comic relief. Moving over to V, G'var wanted to give the younger woman a bit of encouragement. Vanlith: I can give it a go… oO I'm better at building then fixing though.Oo G'var:::clasping V’s Shoulder::-By the Light that is all I ask, perhaps you can be the voice of reason that keeps the Trash Panda’s from doing any unnecessary alterations to the prosthetic, or perhaps add some of your own. I give you my trust ::Squeezing her shoulder:: ((Engineering Lab, USS Veritas)) ::Tapping on a nearby console and reading diagnostics from components in G'var's arm, Wil again smirked while speaking.:: Ukinix: There goes my bottle opener idea. Vanlith: Well there is one thing but it might take a little time to perfect. I've never added it to something I've only built around it ...::she trailed off her mind whirling:: ::MacKenzie wandered into the lab, medkit slung over her shoulder.:: MacKenzie: I figured by the look on Wil’s face that you guys wouldn’t waste any time. Want a hand? Teller: Doc, good to see you, and yes, absolutely. Can you transfer any diagnostic scans you’ve already run into the lab computers? I want to start building a physiological model to go along with the control interface sims we’ve already got. MacKenzie: One step ahead of you - did it before I left Sickbay. You should be able to pull it up. G'var:::Laughing::-A physiological model, why Geoff if you wanted a picture all you had to do was ask ::smirking:: and once again the face matches the hair. ::Wil's eyes opened wide as he tapped away at his console.:: ::G'var continued to laugh as the room became uncomfortably quiet. For a brief moment her pain subsided as she teased Geoff. Seeing the other’s faces G'var composed herself.:: G’var:::holding her hand up::-My Apologies my friends, just lighting the mood, I guess I'm the Trash Panda now? ::Teller pursed his lips. If the normally stoic G’var was attempting to be funny, things were even worse than he thought.:: Teller: Alright, here’s how I see it G’var. First step is assessing the extent of the damage - we need to understand just how much of the prosthetic and the mount can be salvaged without putting more stress on your nervous system. I’d also like to avoid more surgery for you, but that’s going to be Doc MacKenzie’s call. ::Hearing the word "surgery", Wil turned around and walked towards G'var, placing his hand on her shoulder..:: MacKenzie: The nerve rehabilitation is non-surgical, but I can’t predict what treating any additional damage might look like. G'var:::nodding::-I too would like to avoid any more surgery. ::taking Wil’s hand:: Let's make sure I don't take anymore additional damage Ladies and Gentlemen. ::Wil simply nodded in agreement and gave G'vars hand a gentle squeeze.:: Teller: Second - we salvage as much as we possibly can with the goal of getting you out of pain, and don’t give me any of that Klingon super-warrior crap - I know this hurts. Even if you won’t admit it, it could affect your ability to do your job and I know you don’t want that. G’var:::letting a breath out::-just as long as we do it right, I won't play the proud warrior...I just want an arm that works my friends, let's get it done Teller: Third - we rebuild. We have the technology. We can make the arm better. Stronger. Faster. I’m even thinking about installing a coffee press. MacKenzie: ::raising an eyebrow:: ... can I get one? Ukinix: ::Smiling:: A new arm? Sure. If you'll just follow me to shuttle bay one, we can set a course for Limbo. G’var:::growling at Wil::-Count me out Beloved, I promised myself I'd never step foot on that Thrice Damned Moon again ::slamming her hand down:: even for. A new arm. Fek’Lar can have it. Vanlith: ::Charlenas mind was whirling with ideas and how exactly she could implement them to this arm. She was unaware of the constant muttering coming from her.:: That's how to add it. Teller: Any questions? Objections? No speeches - this is our friend and we’re going to help her. Let's get to work. ::Charlena froze unsure how to word exactly what she wanted to do. She didn't want to seem like she thought she knew more than the others but building for the aid of someone was kinda her thing.:: ::Seeing that V wanted to say something, G'var waited for the others to get to work before approaching her:: G'var:::smiling::-Do me a favor V, Never hold back an idea or thought with me. ::pointing at V:: Your ideas have the same worth as anyone's, always be honest to us and more importantly to yourself. ::playfully punching V’s chest:: come one Girl hit me back show me the warrior you are, and by Kahless let's out Trash Panda these two Tribble Herders ::hooking a thumb at Wil and Geoff:: ::Charlena looked at G oddly before then punching her as she had asked. Resulting in a stifled oww her shaking her hand, she never had been a fighter.:: Ukinix: ::To G’var:: Careful or I’ll get a pet tribble for our quarters. ((Two hours later)) ::Three Engineers and a Doctor crowded around the lab table, working nearly shoulder to shoulder as they extracted one destroyed component after another out of the damaged arm. Two small bins on the table were already full of melted, misshapen lumps that had been isolinear circuitry, micro-servo impellers and nerve induction relays. Nearby, G’var was perched with her legs up on a few chairs as the computer ran another series of diagnostics on the control surfaces embedded in the cybernetic mount in her shoulder. Teller gestured to a blackened shape near the arms elbow.:: Teller: We’re going to have to cut that assembly out, it’s not budging. The whole subframe is warped. G’var - you should know, there’s no way you would’ve survived the discharge with an organic limb. This thing saved your life. G'var:::Raising a brow::-why do you think I did it Geoff ::doffing a hand towards the Arm:: I knew you and Wil had built a superior device and that it could take the load...Just not me I suppose MacKenzie: He’s right - I’ve never seen anything quite like this before. ::Wil picked up one of the damaged nerve induction relays, and inspected it.:: Ukinix: :: Quietly:: Neither have I. G’var:::leaning forward::-It was better me than You or Raissa Wil. I was the only one expendable in the Core, and you know it. ::Slapping her thigh:: and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Vanlith: ::quietly as she worked, barely even audible to herself:: Sir I have an idea Teller: Most of our upgrades are fried - phaser emitter is that bit of slag over there ::he nodded to one of the bins:: and I’m not sure about the cloak. Think we’re going to have to skip the coffee press. G'var:::holding a hand up::-Quiet Geoff, please ::doffing her chin at V:: Charlena you’ve got an idea? I want to hear it. Certainly beats hearing what's not working. I'd like to hear what can be done. ::Wil smiled at the newest member of the Engineering team.:: Ukinix: Go for it, Char. Vanlith: Well it’s just that ::She stopped:: ::The computer chimed as it finished it’s work, and Teller stepped away from the arm to examine the results. His scowl immediately deepened:: Teller: Doc, can you look at this? These synaptic potentials are way below normal. MacKenzie: ::squinting her eyes at the display:: I see what you’re saying, but I don’t know what that means. Teller: In engineering terms, it means the electrical signals her nervous system is using to signal the arm are getting disrupted before they get to the control interface in the mount. MacKenzie: It could mean that the nerves are too damaged to make the connection. At least right now, anyway. G'var:::Rolling her eyes::-Then why can I still activate the socket? ::rolling her shoulder and flexing her back:: I can still move my back and shoulder, some signals are getting through. Ukinix: ::Shaking his head, pointing at display:: Because the interface is damaged too. There’s a lot of knock on effects here. Vanlith: ::muttering to herself: so it would need an upper and lower bounds to ensure to account for pain and numbness. G'var:::standing::-V speak up for the Team please ::winking at V:: come on Team it's the Third Period and the other team has the Ramp, ::smacking V’s back:: let me see your game faces - no one gives up now! Right V? Vanlith: Right. ::Charlena still wasn't sure how to word what she wanted to say still. She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves about it and formulate the words but nothing came. Instead her mind was blank. She really was awful at communicating.:: Teller: Hell no, we’re not giving up. We’re just going to have to come up with something different. If this was the Veritas, and the main computer, that’s your brain, G’var, couldn’t access a peripheral system, I’d say we need to run a bypass until we can repair the circuit pathways. ::Teller snapped his fingers:: Doc, do you have anything in sickbay that can monitor the synaptic output from G’vars motor cortex directly? Something small hopefully? MacKenzie: With some modifications, a synaptic transceiver might do the trick. I’m not sure if it’s ever been used in this way before. ::By this point Charlena had her mind set on this small addition. A way to ensure everyone was aware of the change in electrical communication in G's prosthetic. Whilst yes her arm was robotic it was meant to replace flesh and bone yet at no point could she see anyone replicating that with the communication. Pain was an over stimulus and numbness is an under stimulus so by factoring in something to read that you can know the arm as if it were flesh and bone.:: G'var:::Growling under her breath::-Sounds like more poking and prodding to me Mac ::tapping her forefinger against her head:: you're not talking about drilling holes in my head are you? ::Wil swallowed, and reached out to squeeze G’var’s hand. He could sense her anxiety. He tried to soothe her to let her hear the facts from the Doctor first.:: Vanlith: By completely bypassing the nerves linked to the arm would we not have to account for more communication than before that is not related to the movement of the arm? Teller: You’re right, that’ll be our next problem to solve. For now Wil, Charlena, go find a pair of micro-subspace transceivers and start taking them apart. We’re going to bypass around the nervous system damage by having the nerve impulses broadcast directly to the controller in the arm. G'var:::resisting a strong urge to put her hand through a bulkhead::-This is sounding an awful lot like more surgery. ::placing her hand on her hip:: and where does this bypass go Geoff? ::sneering:: HA’R’KTI! ::taking a breath to focus:: Apologies Geoff that was uncalled for. ::clenching her jaw:: ...I'm just tired of Surgeries...soon there won't be any me left. ::Squeezing her hand again gently, Wil looked G’var in the eye.:: Ukinix: ::Quietly, To G’var:: Hey, just wait, let’s here this out. Teller: It’s alright, G’var - I’m not thinking surgery. Maybe just a little module that sits below the ear, somewhere it can get a good read through that thick skull of yours. Doesn’t really...exist yet, but we’re about to build one. Forget what I said about skipping the upgrades - your arm’s about to get wi-fi. Vanlith: Urm Sir. I have an idea that I think might be beneficial in the long term. Teller: Open forum in here Charlena, lay it out for us. Vanlith: Well the arm is meant to represent the flesh and blood and bone that G no longer has. And well in most aspects it does. But there is one we are missing. I'm not saying G should have to feel pain in it but pain is nerves being over stimulated, in the most basic of ways, and numbness is when there isn't enough stimulation. I know it's a pretty basic way of looking at it but then surely by missing that element we don't always know how well the current and communication is working to keep a reliable check in. But it also means in a case where overstimulation happens we would know. :: Charlenas voice grew in pitch and speed as she got more and more excited about the prospect of helping G.:: Vanlith: I guess it could in some ways be described like a fuse. But instead of breaking the arms link and stopping all further communication it informs G and the rest of use that the current messages are running at too high or too low a level in the same way we would notice feeling pain or feeling numbness. But then by doing this we would be aware of any internal damaged caused before it could reach this point. If we set the bounds to met what a typical neural impulse from G is then it should work fine. It could also then work to bring the voltage down to a level that the arm can take until we could find why it is working at such a high level…. :: Charlena trailed off from her rambling. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything because she couldn't entirely read the expression of the faces looking back at her. She let her hair fall over her face again as she began to slow and stutter over her words.:: ::G'var stood silently for a moment taking in what V had said, she wasn't as versed in Microengineering as the others but V had made sense. Nodding to her new friend G'var could see her hiding behind her hair. Giving the Risian a quizzical look, G'var made a mental note to shave off V’s hair if she kept hiding behind it.:: Vanlith: Urm but it's urm just a thought we don't have to do anything like it ::she held her quickly made prototype behind her back not wanting to draw attention to it now.:: MacKenzie: ::skeptical, glancing momentarily at Teller before shrugging:: I don’t see why not. Teller: I like it - sort of a synaptic circuit breaker - keeps the motor impulses from overwhelming the nervous system, but also keeps the nerve pathways from atrophying. We can add it to the existing mount for the arm. I think that’s the last piece. Now we just have to figure out how to make it work. G'var:::smiling at V::-Any alternate to more surgery sounds good to me. ::moving V’s hair away from her face:: Thank you Charlena, I knew you were my girl. ::winking:: ::Charlena blushed at the comment unsure how exactly to respond again she pulled at the curls on the left side of her face as her eyes dropped to the floor.:: Ukinix: ::Moving over to console:: Chief, I’ll start modelling all of this and run some simulations to double check everything. ::A 3-D model of G’var’s arm appeared on the screen. Wil started furiously punching commands and codes into the console.:: Ukinix: I’m liking the sound of it. ((Nine Hours Later)) :::As Wil and Charlena sealed the arm, Teller stood back from the table and re-examined the diagnostic readouts from their new interface device. Everyone in the room was exhausted, but intensely focused on completing their task. The computer was happy, or as happy as the computer ever was, and showed that latency between the two transceivers was acceptably low and the virtual model of G’var’s nervous system they had built up from Doctor MacKenzie’s scans seemed to tolerate this new and unusual way of controlling a limb. All that was left was to remount the arm and have G’var give it a try.:: ::Charlena’s novel feedback control unit had slotted into the mount cleanly and was already providing an extra stream of sensory data, both to G’var herself and to the computer. It looked to be working, but they had to take the arm through a full range of motion test before they could be sure it would properly communicate the sensation data they were trying to emulate without overwhelming G’var’s already fragile nervous system.:: ::Having watched her Beloved and the others work on her prosthetic for most of the day and night, G'var couldn't help but feel the love and warmth that was flowing around the room. She wondered if this is what Wil felt like all the time. Seeing her friends finally step back from the table, G'var knew it was time to finally put metal to flesh and see if her friends labors would prove fruitful or if she was damned to more surgery and cybernetics.:: Teller: G’var, we’re ready as we’re going to be. We’re going to re-mount the arm, make sure the interface is clean, then power it up. I want you to go through a standard range of motion test - nothing fancy yet. Slow and easy. If anything feels even the slightest bit off, stop and let us know. G'var:::Standing and Taking a deep breath::-Time to defend the Ramp my friends ::smiling at Wil:: May we all find Kahless in the Light. ::Taking her blouse off, G'var took in several quick breaths and centered her focus on the light. Flooding her blood with adrenaline, G'var could feel her blood begin to burn, heightening her senses and sharpening her focus.:: ::Teller took a position at the diagnostic console and readied the arm for mounting:: Teller: Wil, Charlena, I think you should do the honors. Addison - please pull up the biofeedback monitor on the display over there and watch as the data flows in. You see anything you don’t like, call out and we abort the test immediately. Ukinix: Aye sir. Vanlith: Yes Sir. ::Charlena took a deep breath going over the calculations in her head one more time to make sure she had everything right. :: MacKenzie: ::nodding:: Alright, I’m ready. G'var:::-Taking a deep breath::-Everyone stand back, two arms lengths at least ::looking Wil in the eye:: No accidents. ::A small little smile appeared on Wil’s face as he and Charlena reconnected the limb. Teller’s eyes scanned every indicator for the smallest variation from the baselines they’d built up. Inwardly, he was worried - they were well off the edge of the map here. The new interface device, the subspace transceivers, Charlena’s fusebox - if this worked, there’d probably be a medical journal article in it for Addison. If something unexpected went wrong, G’var would have to start over with a new prosthesis from scratch, and that’d mean weeks of surgery, recovery and painful retraining. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone.:: ::Eyes closed, G'var could smell Wil and Charlena’s sents as the stood next to her, reattaching the prosthetic. Ears ringing with every turn of the spanner and wrench. The sudden smell of hydraulic fluid nearly caused G'var to gag as Wil and V finished reattaching the arm. The warmth of Wil’s hand on her back was sudden replaced by a million new sensation as he switched on transceiver. Gasping as she arched her back at the wondrous new feeling, G'var let out an inaudible scream. Reaching a hand out to Wil, she steadied herself as the sensation began to abate. Clearing her mind, G'var focused her thoughts on her arm. Slowly G'var could begin to feel the connection resurface, nodding to Wil she stood straight.:: G’var:::Growling::-It’s working, I just have to focus through the...noise...but it's manageable. ::Wil ran a tricorder over the upper part of G’var’s arm.:: Ukinix: Yep! All ready. Vanlith: ::Sure her calculations were perfect:: Looking good. MacKenzie: Clear so far. ::With the arm remounted successfully and the computer seemingly content, there was nothing else to do but cross their fingers and give it a try. It was now or never:: ::Clenching her jaw, G'var tried to make sense of the new sensations flooding her mind, it felt like a swarm of Dikaren Hornets were buzzing through her head. In the background she could feel her prosthetic.:: Teller: Stand Clear. Re-engaging motor functions in three...two...one...mark. ::The felling was electric, like standing on the hull as a ship went to warp. G'var took another deep breath as she sorted through the new feelings and impulses being broadcast through her transceiver. Straining G'var could feel the connection, like riding a lightning bolt straight through Sto’Vo’Kor G'var raised her arm.:: G’var:::Holding her arm out::-It’s like holding a plasma conduit in my hand. ::tears rolling down her face:: The feeling is exhilarating. I can feel my flesh again. ::Wil was very pleased, but also slightly horrified.:: Ukinix: ::Raising eyebrows, blinking:: Well, that’s a good sign I guess. Vanlith: Seems like a good sign to me. Teller: Ok, so far so good on my end - Doc, how’s it looking? MacKenzie: No problems on my end. We’re okay to proceed. Teller: Good, ok...G’var, how does it feel? We can adjust the feedback level in small increments up or down. G’var:::Taking a deep breath::-Dial it back Geoff. ::gasping:: By the Light Dial it back Ukinix: ::To G’var:: Safe enough to give you a hug? Or is Bangers and Human/Betazoid Hybrid Mash going to be on the menu tonight? ::Holding her arms out G'var embraced Wil, running her prosthetic hand over his back, she could almost feel the warmth through the plastics and metal. Gently squeezing, G'var inhaled deeply as she filled her lungs with Wil’s scent. G'var held Wil close as Geoff dialed back the processing and the swarm of Hornets in her head begin to diminish. Taking a few more deep breaths, G'var buried her face in Wil’s neck, silently thinking Kahless, she let the tears roll free down her face.:: ::Teller smiled and leaned back against the console in relief as the two embraced.:: Teller: Great work everybody. G’var - lets meet back here tomorrow after you’ve had a few hours to rest and test the arm out. I want to pull a full set of logs from the thing and make adjustments - but for now, get some sleep. Doctors orders. ::Teller smirked at Mackenzie:: Respectfully, Doc. ::Pulling back from Wil, G'var gave Geoff a Thumbs up, turning back to Wil she have him a playful smirk.:: Vanlith: :: Charlena smiled a bright smile. Her eyes lit up as she looked over at G thrilled at her addition to the device. It made her wonder how everything was going back home with her brother. She wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve.:: Well I’m exhausted I don't know about anyone else. G, don’t go breaking that arm again ::She chuckled:: I don’t think any of us want to build that again anytime soon. ::Charlena slowly made her way out and headed back to her quarters making a mental note to get in touch with her brother as soon as it was possible to do so.:: ::MacKenzie packed up her medkit and started to head out in front of Wil and G’var.:: MacKenzie: ::pointing a finger at Wil:: Anything happens, I’m the first call you make. Seriously. And none of this macho Klingon I-can-take-the-pain crap either, hear me? G'var:::Smirking at Wil::-Don't worry Mac, Wil and I are just gonna have a nice relaxing night ::winking:: No heavy lifting. Ukinix: You'll be the first to know, Doc. Don't worry, I haven't caught "Klingon". G'var:::[...]ing her head::-That sounds an awful lot like a challenge Mr. Ukinix ::Smiling brightly:: You heard the Doctor, don't get me to riled up. ::Wil took G’var’s non-prosthetic hand, and slowly led her out of the engineering lab towards the turbolift. She had been through a lot. He decided to try and cheer her up again.:: Ukinix: ::Over his shoulder:: You know, I think Geoffy’s got a thing for the warp core? G’var:::Laughing::-He's just trying to make Mistress IA jealous. ::squeezing his hand:: Now less talk of Geoff, we have to properly test the new arm out Beloved. ::As the team dispersed and the Engineering lab emptied out, Teller began absentmindedly cleaning up from their hours of work. The bins of melted components and spare parts they’d used, or modified, now covered much of one lab table, and after a few futile minutes trying to make sense of the mess, Teller decided to take his own advice and head back to his quarters for some sleep, but not before turning back to the computer which was still displaying a holographic diagram of the newly revised arm.:: Teller: Computer, save all workfiles and diagrams to a new subfolder titled G’var Prosthetic Redesign 1.5 and flag for review by Doctor Mackenzie and Doctor Del Vedova. ::Teller looked over the diagram again and the gears in his mind started turning.:: Teller:: oO Could do with some streamlining there...maybe replace those with something purpose built...hmm Oo Teller: Computer copy all existing data and start a new design file...title...Proposed G’var Prosthetic 2.0...I’ve got a few ideas to jot down…. [End] =============================== Lieutenant Geoffrey Teller Chief Engineer USS Veritas - NCC 95035 Capt. R. Rahman, Commanding V239509GT0 & Lieutenant JG Wil Ukinix Assistant Chief Engineer USS Veritas V239511WU0 & Ensign Charlena Vanlith Engineering Officer USS Veritas V239604CV0 & Lieutenant JG Addison MacKenzie Medical Officer USS Veritas V239601AM0 & Lieutenant G'var Assistant Chief of Security USS Veritas NCC-95035 V239511G10

Thanks Skipper. It's really fun to read back through these as a single coherent narrative, as they were originally spread over at least a week and a half of posts. It was a very interesting way to experience 'command' for the first time, both as a character and as a writer, and it gave me a greater appreciation for the difficulty senior officers face when they need to engage a full crew and coordinate their responses effectively. Definitely a fun if stressful educational experience.