Alieth

@Quentin Beckand they move ODDLY 😆

@Marty Tuckermaking me losing it with this description from Rork 😆

And i want to remind @Addison MacKenziethat she didn't allow alieth to erase the romulan-provided scars, since she is this stubborn! Illogical (miss you boss!)

@Quentin Beck & @T'Ama just don't kiss already Jokes aside, this JP is delicate and vulnerable, I really enjoyed this, it's always a pleasure to give a glimpse into characters' pasts, old relationships and friendships between ships, well done guys! ((Outside Guest Quarters, Room 2001, Deck 4, USS Ronin)) He just kind of… stood there for a while, staring at the reprogrammable panel next to the door that displayed T'Ama's name and listed her as a special guest on the Ronin. Their whole interaction on the planet's surface had been… well, interesting wasn't quite the right word. It had stirred up a lot of old memories, old feelings he hadn't exactly forgotten about but had certainly put aside until she had unexpectedly come back into his life again. That wasn't a bad thing, per se, but the last time they had talked had ended rather poorly. That had been his fault, not hers, though up until recently he had convinced himself it was the other way around. His time on the Ronin had taught him a few things about alien cultures, not the least of which being he had a lot of trouble separating them from human traditions. That often left him confused when they didn't respond in a way he'd expected, or when they seemed entirely too puzzled by what he'd chosen to do or say. Quentin didn't like that he'd been so mad at T'Ama when she'd left before. He'd had a lot of time to think about it by now. Steeling himself, he reached up to tap the chime next to her door. T'Ama: Enter. The door cycled open after a moment and he still just kind of… stood there, for another long moment. Then he cleared his throat and took a single step into the guest room, clutching an item to his chest. He was dressed in a fresh, clean uniform - quite a bit different from the sheets of fabric he'd been wearing on the planet. She was sat reading on the couch, which was oriented towards the large viewport showing a field of darkness and stars. The guest room was way nicer than the windowless quarters she shared with her roommate on Deck 19 of the Conny. After a moment she realized no one had actually come in and she looked up from her PADD to the door to see… him. Oh… She stared as he stepped inside. Beck: Hi. I just wanted to, uhm… Thank you. For all of your help down on the surface. She looked down and away, embarrassed. He’d still been mad with her and rightfully so and now it was horribly, painfully awkward. Not at all like how it used to be. T'Ama: Yeah, well… ::she inhaled:: … What did you bring? Beck: Huh? Oh. He fidgeted for a moment before shaking the package in his hand, the contents shifting around inside. Beck: I brought these for you. Quentin handed the box over. She would find the box full of chocolate-covered potato chips - a treat he'd introduced her to at the Academy to which she'd taken a particular shine. He'd had no idea at the time how chocolate affected Vulcans, he'd just wanted to share a snack he enjoyed with a good friend. She took the box and opened it in her lap and she gave him a lopsided half smile at her favorite Earth treat. She’d gotten drunk off her ass on them the first time, they were so good. The perfect combination of sweet and salty that made you want to keep eating them. They were difficult to find on replication menus. T'Ama: Thanks. She sat and stared up at him, box clutched on her lap, the tense moment stretching out between them forever. She desperately wanted to turn on that El-Aurian thing that made people want to talk to you so he could say something, anything, easier but apparently he had always hated when she’d done that. At the thought her face fell and she looked back down at the box of chocolate in her lap, one finger worrying the corner of it. His brow creased as the silence stretched between them for longer than it should have, and he watched the play of emotions running across her features before she'd dropped her gaze to the box. The chips were symbolic of what he wanted to say… or at least, that's what he'd intended. An olive branch. But then, their whole friendship had nearly imploded because of a misunderstanding on his part, so he figured a symbol probably wasn't enough. Beck: I owe you an apology. T'Ama: ::surprised:: For what? Quentin chuckled lamely, looking down at his feet before digging a toe into the carpeting on the deck plate. Beck: For a lot of things, but… mostly for overreacting when you left. I've learned a lot on this posting, mostly that I have a habit of humanizing everyone rather than taking the time to learn about their cultures and how they respond to things. I thought it was good to see everyone equally, but it sort of blinded me to the realities of how different we can be. She blinked at him, confused about what he was apologizing about. His reaction to what she'd done seemed perfectly valid to her - who wouldn't be upset? And all this about him humanizing everyone and being clueless about their culture was irrelevant. She liked that about him. He never treated her like a Vulcan. She could see why it would get him in trouble with others but she had found it so refreshing to just be herself. She gestured to the couch. T'Ama: ::quietly:: Sit. We should talk. He fidgeted again for a moment before nodding and crossing to sit on the other end of the couch, with some space between them. She twisted to sit sideways and face him. Beck: The whole touch telepathy thing is weird for me to think about because I'm so limited in that regard. I imagine if humans had it, too, we wouldn't be quite so touchy-feely about anything. Wouldn't shake hands, wouldn't do… all the things we normally do with someone we care about. Like hugs. Or… more. T'Ama: ::dryly:: Like kissing on a first date? Beck: ::sotto voce:: Like kissing a Vulcan on a first date. He hadn't figured it out until after seeing her again, despite the fact he'd been doing a lot of reading about Vulcans after his initial encounter with Is'Kah after the mission. Physical intimacy was fully scandalous, even in private, and to actually kiss was basically the same as dropping down on one knee and proposing marriage. Sort of. She closed her eyes to gather her thoughts and sighed, then realized she never had explained what happened, though he had in a weird way deduced it. T’Ama: Look. That was my fault. I should have kept myself shielded especially considering what we were doing. But you caught me by surprise… ::she smiled sadly:: And I got a full hit of your mind and all your… expectations. And I just… I couldn't live up to that. I can't be all that for you. She had broken the kiss by pushing him away, muttering something like “I can't” as the only explanation, and then running away. And avoiding him every time he tried to talk to her until she graduated and was posted to the Constitution. Oh he had every right to be mad. Quentin had been… wrapped up in the future he could see with T'Ama, but then he'd always had pipe dreams that looked far, far into the future, and they were all unrealistic. Normally he wouldn't have been so obsessive over a relationship like that, mostly because he didn't quite understand them, but his friendship with T'Ama had been instant and had felt deeper than any other friendship he'd had up to then. Beck: ::brow creasing:: It was a lot, I know. I only had one or two close friends growing up, and you know I was an only child, so… I kinda couldn't help the mental spiral into some imaginary future. I'm sorry I expected too much so soon. T’Ama: ::in a small, weepy voice:: I'm sorry I avoided you. I shouldn't have handled it that way. I should have just talked to you. She sniffed and wiped her eyes where a couple of tears had rolled down her cheeks. She had curled completely up into a ball and hugged her knees. He let out a heavy breath, leaning forward to prop his forearms on his knees and lace his fingers together. Beck: I should've tried harder to talk to you, too. Shouldn't have given up so quickly, but I was still smarting at the time. After you graduated and I didn't hear anything, I figured that was it. T'Ama: ::shaking her head slightly:: No, I was avoiding you. You have a right to be mad about that and about being rejected. Quentin looked down at his feet, pursing his lips. Beck: I'm not mad anymore. Well, not about that. Now I'm just mad we lost all that time to a stupid misunderstanding. ::shaking his head:: That's why I'm working on better communication skills. That includes educating myself when dealing with folks that aren't human. She frowned at that, her brow furrowing. T'Ama: Quentin, I like that you never treated me like a Vulcan. Don't go starting to now. Beck: ::smiling slightly:: No, I get it now. I think maybe I would have then, too, if you'd explained it? His gaze lifted to peer out at the stars. Beck: I'm sorry for coming at you so hot at the club, too. I think I was trying to blame the El-Aurian thing for… everything. She shifted her gaze from him to the tops of her knees, curling inward to protect something vulnerable. She was proud of that half of her heritage, and she couldn't bear to hate all of herself. T'Ama: ::softly:: Yeah, that hurt. Did you actually hate it the whole time? She thought he had been into it at the time. She never would have used it like that if he hadn't been. Quentin shook his head. Beck: No. I never did. I said it because subconsciously I knew it would hurt, and that was a dick move, so I'm sorry. I definitely didn't mean it. She stretched her legs out across the length of the couch and they were just long enough for her to press her toes into his leg. Her own symbolic olive branch. T’Ama: So… just friends? No romance? He sighed and chuckled, tipping his head once in a nod as he leaned back against the couch. Beck: No romance. I'm involved with someone right now, anyhow. You and I were always better off as friends, anyway. I'm sorry I complicated things. T'Ama: ::smiling slightly:: I'm glad you're moving on. Is’Kah could not wait to tell me you were dating someone. Beck: ::rolling his eyes:: Oh, I'm sure she couldn't. Queen of the rumor mill, that one. T’Ama: Though what is up with her lately? She kept making weird pointed comments about you like she was jealous. Beck: ::scrunching up his face:: I maybe sort of kind of accidentally went on a date with her. If she had been drinking anything she would have done a spit take. T’Ama: You went on a date with Is’Kah?! Beck: ::sighing and rubbing his face with both hands:: Okay, but I thought she was joking when she first called it a date. Like we finished her medical exam and she asked if I wanted to join her for drinks and she said she would 'only find it logical' blah blah blah and she didn't call it a date until after I agreed. T’Ama: ::swearing in El-Aurian:: She didn't tell me THAT part. That explains a lot. Beck: ::sighing again:: I thought she was joking because of the way she said it but I forgot that Vulcany Vulcans are always so damn literal. So we went down to the Lounge and ate and it wasn't until we were done that she took my hand and said, uh… crap, how did she put it… 'I believe the next step in human courtship rituals is for you to offer me a nightcap in your quarters in a thinly veiled attempt to get me to remove my uniform'. Her eyes went wide and she clamped her hands over her mouth and kicked him from across the couch in excitement. T'Ama: Sweet Surak, noooooo! Did you die on the spot? Quentin winced and rubbed at the spot she kicked, making a face. Beck: I about choked on my beer, that's what. Her eyes twinkled with amusement. T'Ama: What did you do? What did you say?? Beck: I tried to let her down gently, but that went about as well as expected. I don't know if she's holding a grudge or anything, if she's even capable of that, but it was way embarrassing. She snickered from behind her hands, eyes shining. She forced her hands into her lap trying to contain her grin and mostly failing. T'Ama: If she's anything like my mother - and she is - she can hold a grudge. She'll tell you she isn't but she is. The mention of her mother sobered her up some and she repositioned herself on the couch to sit in the middle next to him. Feet up on the coffee table, she considered the stars as the moment grew heavy and then passed when he changed the topic. Beck: ::leaning his head back and staring down his nose out the viewport:: You like it on the Conny? T'Ama: Yeah. Jalana is very casual, it suits me. Plus luxury liner and all. It's like being back on the Louisville. How do you like the Ronny? Beck: Oh, I love it here. This place is nuts. She raised an eyebrow and smirked like no kidding. T'Ama: ::dryly:: Yeah, I noticed that. Barring her very first day on the Conny, these last few days on the Ronin had been nonstop insanity. It was quite the contrast. T’Ama: How is Alice? Did you get to bring her with you? Beck: ::smiling warmly:: Oh yeah, she's here, too. She's adapted remarkably well to living on a ship. Though… hell, I still don't know where she came from originally, she could've been brought to Earth by a transport from the Martian colony for all I know. She's happy, though, at least I think. T'Ama: She's a cat, she's probably from Earth. Though it's unusual to find a purebred randomly outside. Beck: You should come say hello at some point. I'm sure she'd love to see you. T'Ama: What, like now? Beck: Just sometime before you leave. You could meet her in the Medical Lab if you want, she comes there a lot to spend the day with me if I'm too busy to go back to my quarters. T'Ama: ::smirking:: It's a date then. He made a choking sound at the back of his throat. Then scowled and crossed his arms, scrunching up his shoulders. Beck: Oh, go to Hell. I lied, she doesn't miss you at all. She threw her head back and cackled immensely at his reaction. T’Ama: Ahhh, I have missed this. Beck: ::scowling deeper:: I didn't miss you, either. Or this. T'Ama: ::smugly:: Yeah ya did. He pushed out his lower lip, screwing up his face a little more… then sighed, his shoulders slumping, and he raised an arm to hook over her shoulders, letting his head tip back against the back cushion again. Beck: You're so damned annoying. T'Ama: ::snickering:: You love it. He gave her a firm sideways hug before detangling himself and letting his hands drop into his lap, kicking his feet up on the table next to hers. Beck: Heh. This kinda reminds me, we sat like this after uh… oh hell, who was it that taught that Operations and Command Functions course we took together? T'Ama: Professor Vinku? The Denobulan guy? Beck: Yeah, Vinku! That one class where we had to give the thirty-minute presentation and he stopped us halfway through because he didn't like our take on the responsibilities of an Operations officer - he just wanted us to repeat what he'd told us in class without any changes whatsoever. Still gave us a passing grade on that project, but just barely, and we took the shuttle up to the orbital station and sat in one of the viewports all night, grousing over a bottle of Bolian ale. T'Ama: Yeah and we cooked up ways to prank him so his face would puff up! ::she laughed:: Beck: That was… a good night. Not sure I've had one quite like it since. T'Ama: Well… Turns out this guest room comes with a stocked mini bar. She popped up from the couch and bent over to look into a lower cabinet, giving him a rather nice view. His eyes widened and his gaze flicked away, cheeks coloring slightly as he studied instead one of the seams in between panels in the ceiling. Thankfully the color drained before she stood again. When she straightened up she had several small bottles in hand and offered him the assortment after she plopped back down beside him. T’Ama: No Bolian ale but there's, uh, all this stuff. ::turning a bottle to read the label:: Trill kahlua. Beck: ::taking the bottle to look it over:: Wonder if Cap bought way too much of this and just shoved it in the VIP quarters to get rid of it. Heh. T'Ama: Probably. Shaking his head, he looked it over for a moment before twisting off the cap and raising it to take a sip. It wasn't too different from the old kahlua recipe he'd had on Earth - pretty sweet, tasted like coffee, but not quite like any coffee he'd ever tasted before. He smacked his lips before taking another sip, then held it out to her. Beck: It's a little much. T'Ama: Is it? She took the bottle from him and took a sip herself, cocking her head thoughtfully as she considered it before downing the rest of it. It was only a little bottle. T’Ama: It was alright. Try another one. She laid out the other little bottles across their laps for him to choose from. Beck: ::wrinkling his nose:: Lessee… this one is… ugh. The small bottle was about half the size of the Trill kahlua and held a green liquid. Beck: It's just called 'Green'. I've heard of this one. Shaking his head, he twisted off the cap and took a tiny sip. His face screwed up and he smacked his lips a few times before taking another sip, then handed her the rest. Beck: Oh yeah, that is green, all right. She took the bottle and downed the rest of it. T'Ama: ::surprised:: That does taste exactly how I'd expect green to taste. He plucked up another little bottle, Aldebarian Amaretto, and opened it to sniff it. Beck: Oooo, this one smells nutty. She leaned over to sniff it too. T'Ama: I can barely smell anything with the nasal inhibitors. I bet that actually stinks a lot. Beck: I probably shouldn't have too many of these, I'm supposed to take a duty shift in Sickbay this evening… T'Ama: Well, good thing you're a doctor then and have free access to the hyposprays. Just give yourself a sober up one. Beck: ::lop-sided smile:: I mean, that's what I was gonna do but those things give me headaches if I had too much to drink and I don't like doing a painkiller at the same time. She grabbed her box of chocolate covered potato chips he gave her and selected a large chip to offer him before selecting a small chip for herself. She always liked to eat them smallest to largest. T’Ama: Have something to eat with them then. Beck: ::shaking his head and taking the chip:: Clever girl. Or maybe it's clever me, since I brought those for you. She smiled and they clicked their chips together as if to toast. —- Ensign Quentin Beck Medical Officer USS Ronin NCC-34523 A238810SA0 & Lieutenant JG T’Ama Operations Officer USS Constitution-B C240004T11

I feel @Karrod Niacpain in my bones. Also, of course, there is fire

Here i'm late but @Sovek making me laugh because I can 100% picture the pug doing this XD

@Quentin Beck's Bec is so damn ferengi to the level of repulsion and I love him for it XD ((A couple of days later, asteroid field, near the orbit of the planet REDACTED, system REDACTED )) The box for Deep Rockets Delivery Service wasn't the best box available for a race such as this, but there were only a few that might be considered more lavish, more comfortable - it was perhaps even second only to that of the Nagus. Pillows covered everything. Gold covered everything. Latinum covered everything. And although Bec's own personal wealth was only a fraction of that of his company, he lived by Rule of Acquisition number 46: it's good to be the King. One could hardly blame him for taking advantage; he'd built the company from the ground up, after all, and the only reason he'd started selling shares was because he knew that treating the company as its own entity would allow him to make bigger, better deals that would lead to bigger, better stacks of latinum down the line. That money belonged to the company, technically speaking, but it allowed him to make investments he might not otherwise make because of their volatility; the company could bounce back a lot better than he could as an individual entrepreneur. That shuttle was one such investment. As was this race. He was limited with what he could do with the money as far as betting went, so that required dipping into his own personal bank account, but he had done everything he could to assure making some kind of return on investment. Not to mention he knew Alieth very well. It was tempting to turn on the listening device his men had installed in the Threshan E'Shua, but he knew he would only hear one of two things: either dead silence or Alieth cursing his name. It was, more or less, standard practice when it came to them, though it was more amusing than insulting. He knew that, despite her words, there was warmth in what she said. Perhaps not adoration, but at least some kind of fondness she would keep entirely to herself. He was all right with that. Bec was also alone in the box. He would need to make an appearance in the lounge at some point, of that he was certain, but he enjoyed his solitude. He sat on the largest, softest pillow at the very center of the room, studying a number of screens mounted on the far wall; one mirrored the images on the larger screens that Alieth was indicating to Luxa, showing rotating shots of all of the different ships in the race. One was focused entirely on their ship, seen from a distance. One screen was off and would remain so for the time being. The final screen was a much smaller one, and it was mounted on a small rotating desk panel next to his seat. Alieth's Starfleet file scrolled slowly over the screen. He hadn't looked at the official one for quite some time… but then, she hadn't been around for quite some time, either. And the Ronin's arrival meant he could make sure his copy was up to date. She had quite the official record - though it paled in comparison to what could be listed on an unofficial one. A small window was open on that same screen, showing live footage from a body camera that had been mounted on one of the bounty hunters he'd hired to track down Beck. They had mostly been foiled so far in their attempts to pick him up, but Bec had faith one of them would manage it sooner than later. He didn't think it bad to keep an eye on things. Alieth was right about one thing - he had bet against them. Quite a bit of money, in fact. But he'd also bet in their favor, which stood to win a lot more money in the end as they were being treated as fresh-faced and inexperienced racers. That was fine by him, too. He popped a Beetle Bite into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he considered his options. Seemingly making a choice, he set another between his teeth before laying the bag in his lap and leaning forward to type a few things into the small console next to him. The offline screen flickered to life to show the interior of the custom shuttle and the two women seated in the primary cockpit. It seemed Alieth was explaining the race to Luxa - good. Alieth: No outside intervention, no connection to databases, only what we have with us. Nothing else, the first one to cross the finish line wins and takes it all. As long as you do not die, everything else is allowed. Lorana: Response Aboard the Threshan E'Shua, a hologram flickered to life on the upper lip of the instrument panel, centered between the two seats. It was a near-perfect recreation of Bec, save it was really only on the blue wavelength for visibility and it flickered occasionally. Not to mention it was only about twelve inches tall. When Bec spoke, his voice was small and tinny. Bec: Honey Badger, my love. I am very pleased the two of you made it - and with extra time, no less. Alieth/Lorana: Response Bec: Now, now, darling, you know I'm not allowed to play favorites. Not publicly, anyway. I can promise you, though, this will be easier than you might think. Alieth/Lorana: Response Bec: You think I'm worried? You're in the fastest, sleekest ship in the quadrant. I'm not worried. Alieth/Lorana: Response Tags/TBC Bec Chief Owner and Operater, Deep Rockets Delivery Service Ferenginar A238810SA0 As written by Ensign Quentin Beck Medical Officer USS Ronin NCC-34523 A238810SA0

My godness here @Ian OConnor nailing the best humour every time. You rocks mate!

Here @Hiro Jones making me going oO he he Oo too 😆

Little pebble pile has ideas and opinions and here for it 😂 @Karrod Niac

we are just a wee little ship @Karrod Niac!

I may have a soft spot for BajCardies. Even more if they are this awesomely written like @LuxaLorana's ((Cargo Bay 5, Deck 11, USS Ronin)) Teryn Lo hadn't moved much since they had brought him here. He preferred to remain anonymous. Not because he was incredibly secretive. He wasn't exciting enough to have secrets. He just liked his own space and the room to observe. He was curious, he'd never been on a Starfleet vessel. He'd never really remembered being on any ship, except the intercolony shuttles, and they had long since given up on space travel. He must have travelled at one point, he wasn't born on Grus Beta Three. His biological mother had told him that. Space. The final frontier they called it. The ship they were on was magnificent. He'd managed to get himself situated near a window on the runabout that had taken them here. Once he'd worked up the courage to open his eyes and the rumbling of the runabout settled after they left the planets atmosphere. The USS Ronin. He couldn't breath as he took the wonder of it. The beauty of her nacelles, the way in which each part of her served its own unique purpose but despite that it all worked as one. A sum of all it's parts. Like him. He was Bajoran. He was Cardassian. He was also an orphan. Of sorts. All of these things, meant that he was alone. Even Mother Emzai hadn't favoured him like she had the others. He asked too many questions. Or maybe he asked the wrong questions. He couldn't quite get it right. He wanted to know things. How they worked. Father Kipal had shown him the secret room below the administrative centre, he said that he'd be important in the experiments. This had caused Mother Emzai to become incredibly angry and she banned him from the building. He never knew what he had done wrong. Now, he just watched as the mounting tensions rose in the cargo bay. At first the Starfleet officers were kind, courteous and respectful. Everyone was grateful to be free of the planet, and then more colonists came. Rumours began to circulate. Mother Emzai had been held at gunpoint by Starfleet, and others had been shot. The planet had been attacked by the Ronin. They were being forcibly removed and held here against their will. Then the gold shirt officers had arrived, with weapons and now the Ronin. This beautiful emblem of safety, had begun to feel like a prison. He wanted to go back home. It was the only place he'd ever felt safe after his mother had abandoned him. She was a Cardassian geneticist, who had worked on the mining project with Father Kipal. Bris: Gorva told me they're going to take you to Cardassia. Teryn hadn't seen the human sidle up next to him. Bris was an orphan like him. Mean spirited in the way that children could be when everyone that was supposed to be kind to them … were never kind. For Bris, it hung around him like a shadow. Teryn was often the butt of his jokes and he figured he should hate Bris, but he understood him. He was angry that they'd been left. As much as Mother Emzai offered a home, and he loved her for that. He always knew that somehow that kindness came with a price and that price meant that one day they'd serve the colony too. Teryn: What are people saying? Really? Bris: :: sighs and shrugs shoulders :: They said that Father Kipal was murdered. :: genuine fear:: I don't know if I believe that. You know people talked about Kipal before. Remember? The screams? Teryn remembered the screams. Pure terror and rage. He still heard them in his nightmares. Kipal would look at them at times, like they were food rather than persons. It made him frightened to sleep. Teryn: Mother Emzai will come. She will explain to Starfleet and they'll let us go. They'll see we're good. :: to Bris :: We're good, right? Bris: I'm human so … maybe I'll be okay. They might take me to Earth or a colony or something. You, I don't know? Bajorans won't want you and the Cardies … well you're mother didn't take you so … maybe they'll put you in a prison or something. Teryn felt the tears begin to form, he touched the Titanium bracelet his mother had given him the night she had left. For him it was a promise, that she'd come for him one day. Bris grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. He nodded towards a group of Starfleet officers, one of them was a giant, colourful bird. Bris: Stop hiding and let's go and find out! Teryn allowed himself to be dragged along. Dekas: I’ve got Dr. Jones on their way to help out in here as well. We need to de-escalate. Tzim-Shah/Solana/Carpenter: Response Dekas: Absolutely. I do think having at least one of you with me might help keep things a little easier with people who are dealing with the anger part of this. Tzim-Shah/Solana/Carpenter/Any Grus Betian NPCs: Respose Bris: :: whispers to Teryn :: De-escalate. They've got the guns :: laughs :: Give me a gun and I'll de-escalate. Teryn: :: fear:: Don't make them angry at us. Another human joined the officers. Dekas: ::to Hiro:: Oh you have no idea how good it is to see you. We need all the help we can get. Teryn thought that the bird man seemed kind. They all did. He wanted to ask the bird man questions, he'd never seen someone … so alien before. Teryn: :: whispers to Bris about Dekas :: What species are they? Bris: You've never seen an Aurelian before? Dumb big birds. My Dad used to fry them for dinner. Delicious. Bris bent over into a bird pose, and begun to flap his arms and squawk out loud. Teryn looks at the alien, his eyes wide in horror. oO please don't shoot us Oo Tzim-Shah/Solana/Carpenter/Jones/Any Grus Betian NPCs: Response Tags/TBC Teryn Lo (14) Grus Beta Three Lt JG Luxa Lorana Science Officer USS Ronin A240004LL2

ah @Toryn Raga there noting core emotions

I'm catching up with this scene after the week ™️ i've dealt with and OH GIRL @LuxaLorana she makes me SHIVER and not precisely in a good way

@Karrod Niac

my GODNESS @VLen Kel

there is so MUCH drama and so MUCH going on in this scene and still @Quentin Beck makes me enjoy every line of his silly self ((Administrators Office, Landing City, Grus Beta Three.)) For a second, Quentin thought maybe the Vulcan couldn't see him, despite the fact they were nose to nose. The readings on his tricorder were going wild - elevated heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, and elevated brain activity that suggested he was actively hallucinating. Frankly, if he hadn't been Vulcan, he would either have been tearing the room to shreds or deep in the thralls of a severe seizure. Emzai: Kipal… Whatever chaotic images he'd been seeing must have snapped into place when he'd heard Emzai say his name because his head snapped to look at her, rather than Quentin. That… didn't make him feel any better, between the readings on the tricorder and the tension in Kipal's shoulders. While Kipal's attention was drawn away, the Doctor dropped his hand towards the pocket holding the hypospray. It would take a helluva sedative to knock the crazed Vulcan out, probably applied a few different times even, but it was better than nothing. He probably would have managed it, too, if Kipal hadn't seemed to make a decision in that moment and grab his shoulders. Quentin tensed, his eyes growing wide as the Vulcan pushed him back towards the wall. He'd almost lost his grip on the tricorder but somehow managed to sustain it, continuing to draw in more and more data regarding his current state, which would only prove useful if he didn't put Quentin through the wall as he seemed to intend. He let out a grunt as his shoulders collided with it, then a soft gasp when he felt pressure against his chest as Kipal pressed a shoulder against it. Beck: ::grunting out under his breath:: I've heard of peer pressure, but this is ridiculous… He was starting to think he should have paid a little more attention in close-quarters combat training back at the Academy, but he'd always struggled with fights that weren't choreographed. He wasn't much of a dancer, either - most of the time he lacked the rhythm many people held naturally. Assuming his heart wasn't pierced by his ribs snapping under Kipal's assault, maybe he'd plan on learning to samba. Kipal: :: struggling :: Emzai … your mind … anger … it's … I had no … I can't She stepped towards him and lay her hand on his side. It didn't seem to do much to quell his anger, though the pressure on his chest released by a fraction. Enough for him to breathe. Emzai: They are going to find out what you've done. What you've been hiding here. What's underneath this city. :: to Beck :: I won't die here or be taken into custody or hunted by the federation. I won't allow that. I won't allow you to ruin his reputation. Kipal: My work … Beck: ::gritting his teeth:: Lady, I couldn't give two farts about what you two have been doing here - that's not my job. All I want to do is help you guys survive. Is that too much to ask? Help me help you, help me help you, help me help– That's what he would have said, anyway, if Kipal hadn't suddenly pulled his shoulders from the wall and lifted him bodily before throwing him higher than he'd been before. He got as far as 'Lady-' before being swept off his feet, and the rest of his train of thought was lost in a wooph once his back hit the wall again and the air was knocked from his lungs. The tricorder hit the floor but remained open and still scanning. He didn't witness the fight, as he was too busy collapsed in a heap on the floor trying to catch his breath. He heard the sound of Kipal and Emzai struggling, heard Drisila's footfalls as she moved to pull Kipal off Emzai. Quentin looked up just in time to see them wrestle to the opposite wall and cheered her on while she took a swing at the Vulcan. Reaching into his pocket to retrieve the hypospray, he leaned his other arm against the wall so he could stand only to have the (thankfully smaller and weaker) Administrator come at him like a bat out of hell and give him a full-on slap across the face. Quentin's jaw tightened and he raised a hand to snag her wrist before she could slap him again. He'd hoped to have time to load the sedative into the hypo, but her hysterics were proving to be a rather stubborn distraction. Emzai: :: tears of rage :: You couldn't just leave us alone! I could've fixed it! I would have made it better, don't you see! The tension ebbed from her shoulders and she dropped to her knees at his feet. Quentin looked over in time to watch Drisila slump to the floor in a similar manner, though with her neck twisted at an impossible angle. Kipal slowly crept away from the Klingon corpse and towards the door before bursting through it and out of view. Emzai: :: panicked tears :: Kipal … don't leave me! Don't leave me alone! Not again, I can't bear it! Emzai followed the Vulcan. As worried as he was about Carpenter and Kos and what Kipal might do to them, his training kicked in immediately. He palmed the hypospray and darted towards Drisila's body, snatching up the tricorder and saving everything from his scans before clearing the cache. He was not at all surprised to find it was too late. If they'd been on the Ronin and in Sickbay, maybe he could have done something for her, but… Beck: ::sighing:: Sorry about the resting lIch-face thing. He suddenly felt very stupid when it came to the death rituals of other cultures. He knew there was supposed to be some kind of special ritual for Klingons, but he had no idea how to perform it. He studied her open eyes intently, which looked… shocked, if accepting. Then he closed them and muttered something under his breath about her having gone with honor. Unsure what to do next, Quentin glanced at the open door to the room when he heard his name, then back at the chair and torn bindings on the floor. There were green stains on the rope, on the floor, on the bedding - Vulcan blood, from the looks of it. Loading up the scans he'd been taking of Kipal, he adjusted a few settings and scanned the different marks. There were varying levels of maleconite poisoning, from what he could see, and that kind of build-up in his blood meant Kipal had been hallucinating for… who the hell knew how long? Shaking his head, he closed the tricorder and tucked it back into his pocket before moving to the side of the bed. Now that there was a little more light, he could see a container of some kind stashed underneath the bedframe. Dropping down to one knee, he pulled it out and fiddled with the lock for a moment before smashing the end of the hypo against it to snap it open. Inside were half a dozen full vials of what looked like refined maleconite and another half dozen that were empty. Scowling, he looked up at the door with annoyance before closing the box and tucking it under his arm. There was more going on here than he could have ever imagined. He'd just started for the door again when he heard a sudden crash of glass shattering. Sighing, he loaded up the strongest sedative he could manage with the hypo and darted forward to the door, spotting Carpenter off to one side with… a Romulan holding a sword at her back? What the…? Emzai: :: insane :: Let us go to Kipal's lab. Emzai was halfway between him and Kipal, who was again halfway between him and the XO, who had suddenly arrived out of nowhere looking like something out of a Rambo movie. The Vulcan darted forward to attack Raga with a speed that startled Quentin even now. He grimaced. Raga: By the Branch! What's wrong with him? Beck: He's got maleconite poisoning, for one thing! And he packs a mean punch! Tucker/Dekas/Carpenter/Emzai/Kipal: Response The Vulcan pressed forward again as Raga tried to lock hands with him, a contest of strength and will that Quentin could never have accomplished himself. He shook his head and grimaced again. Raga: We…don’t have time for this! You need..to evacuate! Beck: Sir, I don't mean to undermine you, but I do think we need to see Kipal's lab if that's where he was headed. I think it'll give us the answers Miss Mary Quite Contrary here isn't willing to discuss. I'd say just let him go and I can follow if you guys want to evacuate these idiots. Tucker/Dekas/Carpenter/Emzai/Kipal: Response Beck: ::shrugging off his coat and wrapping up the PADD, tricorder, and box of refined maleconite:: Take this - it's got everything I could find on maleconite, how it's used, and all of the scans I could get of Kirsty and our Vulcan friend. And don't argue with me on this one, sir, we're gonna need a medical officer down here to make sense of any of this crap. ::nodding at Kirsty:: I'd take her with me, though. And a fresh tricorder. Tucker/Dekas/Carpenter/Emzai/Kipal: Response Ensign Quentin Beck Medical Officer USS Ronin NCC-34523 A238810SA0

@Quentin Beck

@Marty Tucker

This sim is SUCH a rollercoaster!!! Awesome @LuxaLorana ((Administrators Office, Landing City, Grus Beta Three.)) Emzai escorted the doctor to the small room adjacent to her office. She opened the door and stepped inside and beckoned the doctor in. The doctor hesitated a moment, and glanced back. He stepped in. Beck: …hello? Kipal? Emzai had known loss in her life. Horrific, destructive loss that most would never be able to sustain. She had witness her children become monsters; who they were had been dissected and pulled apart in front of her very eyes. She has endured, and she had fought to survive and escape the Borg. She sustained herself on the pain, and the fear. It kept her alive. It became an ally, something primal that she could tap into. Eventually she has honed it into a weapon. Cruel, brutal and without mercy she had been forced to use it. Time and again. She could have told them everything when they had come. Except she held on to what was hers. Power, and Kipal's deceit. She wanted to protect him. It was her duty. If only she had more time, she might've been able to hide it all. Those fires had burned more than land, they'd burned a legacy. The truth of a great scientist. Kipal coughed, he hasn't really appeared to notice them at all. Emzai looked to the doctor, her head lowered. She wondered if he'd actually be able to help. She almost reached out to him. Let it all go, released herself from it all. Then what? Kipal would be arrested for his crimes, as would she. Starfleet had determined her guilt almost from the first moment she met Captain Niac and the others. Their suspicions were written all over their arrogant condescension as soon as they had arrived. Emzai stepped closer to Kipal, followed by the doctor. Drisila then slammed the door shut behind them, and the room was plunged into darkness. Emzai listened, she could hear the soft and quick footfalls of the Vulcan she had spent centuries beside. When the doctor turned to look at the tricorder and what was in front of him again, the wild eyes of an aging Vulcan male stared him down almost nose to nose. A moment was all Quentin had to register the bed and chair behind Kipal, the bindings Emzai had used torn to shreds on the floor. He made a fearful and pathetic noise. Emzai felt a sense of pity for the man. He just happened to get in the way. She took no pleasure in this one. Emzai: Kipal… Emzai reached out to the Vulcan. Her hand was shaking. Even Drisila had taken a step back. Kipal's head twisted towards his wife. She could see the recognition in his eyes. He then grabbed Beck and pushed him against the wall. Beck: Response Kipal: :: struggling :: Emzai … your mind … anger … it's … I had no … I can't She stepped towards him and lay her hand on his side. Emzai: They are going to find out what you've done. What you've been hiding here. What's underneath this city. :: to Beck :: I won't die here or be taken into custody or hunted by the federation. I won't allow that. I won't allow you to ruin his reputation. Kipal: My work … Beck: Response Kipal thrust Beck forward and threw him against the wall and turned on his wife then. Emzai tried to fight against him, his strength was too much. Kipal grabbed her throat and pushed her onto the bed. He choked so hard she thought her neck might break. Then he was pulled backwards, it was Drisila. Ever loyal. The Vulcan grabbed at the Klingon, he once called his child, and wrestled against her. He pushed her against the wall, she swung at him and missed. It was futile, Kipal was enraged with a thousand years of repressed anger. Beck: Responses The doctor was trying to get back to his feet. Emzai lunged towards him, and slapped him. Emzai: :: tears of rage :: You couldn't just leave us alone! I could've fixed it! I would have made it better, don't you see! Emzai fell to her knees then as the struggle behind them went quiet. All that was left was Kipal's heavy breaths. Drisila slumped to the floor, lifeless. Beck: Response Kipal slowly, like an animal moved towards the door. Then abruptly he burst through the door into the office and she heard him hit the forcefield that Drisila had been ordered to activate. Emzai: :: panicked tears :: Kipal … don't leave me! Don't leave me alone! Not again, I can't bear it! Something inside had snapped in her. Like a taut rope that had finally given way and the load now tumbled down, and shattered what was left of her in that moment. The doctor made his way to Drisial as Emzai rushed after Kipal. Beck: Response Emzai was stunned to see that the twins has been successful. Kipal leered at them all like a wild animal. Carpenter: What did you do with Beck? And how much is it going to make me want to hurt you? Emzai ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to smooth it down. Regain her composure. She felt it all around her. Coming apart. She let the rage she felt inside begin to fill her heart. No more would she allow them to take what was hers. The Borg. The pirates. The Federation. Starfleet. She'd rather burn in the flames than allow them to take what she had built. Carpenter: I'm done with that. I was done with that even before your goons. Was this all about "healing" your husband? Why even allow us on the planet if you were just going to stonewall us?! Emzai: :: maniacal laugh :: You don't see what's going on do you? You're just a stupid girl from some backwater, reclusive Earthling village. I bet you still hear your mother in your head. Speaking the truth to you. You don't matter. Not here, not anywhere. Kipal: My work … :: breathes in madness :: The Romulan twin, Perin, that held Carpenter shoved his sword against her back. Perin: :: to Emzai :: What now? Emzai let the forcefield fall. Kipal burst forward. At first, he seemed aimless as he collected himself and then he moved with purpose. Decades of habit took over. Emzai indicated to the Romulans to follow him. Emzai: :: insane :: Let us go to Kipal's lab. Carpenter/Kos/Beck: RESPONSE Tags/TBC Administrator Emzai Landing City Grus Beta Three A240004LL2 -- Lt JG Luxa Lorana Science Officer USS Ronin A240004LL2

My level of love for the deep this character has, increase with every sim. I love Emzai and how she is the main character of her own story (( OOC - This is a long one, but I wanted to include the flashback scene)) ((Outside the Administration Center, Landing City, Grus Beta Three.)) Emzai walked towards the Administration Centre and a sense of trepidation fell over her with every step she took. The dust hung in the air, and ash fell on them like snowdrops. She looked to the window of her office and the much smaller one beside it, the room within was where Kipal lay; bound. ((Flashback Scene - Several Months Before, Emzai and Kipal Home, Mountain District, Grus Beta Three)) The house was large and spacious, decorated tastefully with antiques and artefacts from across the galaxy. They had been carefully chosen by Emzai, and placed so that each item caught the eye no matter where you would be located in the house. Maximum enjoyment and commitment to beauty. Of course the house itself was no exception. It occupied a vista in the mountain, with uninterrupted views of Landing City below, each window offered a vestige of wondrous beauty. Emzai stood at one of the windows, as she often liked to do, to watch the sunset over the city. Tonight her thoughts were plagued with a growing concern about Kipal. He had become withdrawn from her, and she found herself wondering about the blackouts she had been experiencing. Kipal would tell her it was due to stress, the Sheliak had placed a significant amount of pressure on them to mine for Maleconite. Kipal: Adun’a* are you well? His voice denied any emotion, as was the way of a Vulcan, although she knew him well enough to hear the subtle inflection of concern in the way in which he spoke. Emzai: I can't remember … Emzai turned to her husband and he moved to stand close to her. She moved towards him and rested her hands on his chest. It was a simple act, something she had done many times before. Kipal: Perhaps you should retire to your chamber early this evening? Emzai: I'm not tired, Kipal :: looks him dead in the eye :: I think you're lying to me. Kipal: :: eyebrow raise :: As you are aware Vulcans cannot lie. Emzai: :: lifts her head to him :: That's a lie. Kipal frowned at that. Emzai: You choose not to, it's a principle, yet you are capable of lying. Vulcans lie just like anyone else. Kipal: What is the meaning of this conversation, Emzai? Emzai: I want to meld with you. Kipal took a step back and surveyed his wife carefully before he nodded. She placed her hands on the sides of his head, and he did the same. Kipal: My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to my thoughts. Our minds are merging, our minds are becoming one. Emzai inhaled a breath as she felt his thoughts crash into her own. It felt like she was plunged into a deep ocean. There was a flood of memories, dreams, words and thoughts. She felt for him amongst it, and he was there. His arms outstretched. She could feel the pull of his katra, it threatened to dominate her and take over. This time she wouldn't allow it. His mind was powerful and if she wasn't El-Aurian she'd have never been able to resist him. Yet she did. She needed to know. There was a dark cloud that enveloped around them and she could see Kipal call out to her, except no sound came from his mouth. She walked into the cloud and emerged into a memory … It was a discussion between them both. The day she signed the agreement with the Sheliak for the Maleconite contract. Emzai: I'll never sign that agreement, Kipal. You can find another way to continue your experiment. I'm sure there is - Kipal: There is no other way. You are being illogical. You are allowing emotion - Emzai: Emotion! I don't think you understand what you ask? This agreement will give them unfettered access to the mines and … this order … it's too large. We'd be putting every single person on this planet in danger. Maleconite it was only intended to power the cities and the towns, not for this … Kipal: We came to this world for a reason. It was a logical choice. This is the natural evolution of that choice. My work is the most important work in the galaxy and in order for me to continue I need the compound that the Sheliak can provide. It is not logical to turn back. Emzai: We didn't come here to use these people like specimens in a lab. I didn't come here for that. I came here to make a home for us, and the children. After the blight you promised that was the end of it. Kipal pulled her towards him and grabbed her violently into a meld. She watched herself, in the memory, struggle against him. It lasted for seconds. Then. Kipal: Are you feeling better? Emzai: :: confused :: I … yes. My head … What was I saying? Kipal: You were telling me that the agreement with the Sheliak is approved. Emzai: … I was? :: sure :: Yes, I was. It's important. More memories came through, each time that he'd performed this function. How he changed her. Violated her, time and again. With each memory, a fury rose in her and the memories intersected with her own. Screams in green lit chambers of horror. A breath on her neck. Blood on her hands. Snippets of a lifetime of terror. Things she'd needed to do to survive. She screamed, her thoughts became claws that struck out and tore at Kipal. She felt his mind contort, he tried to resist the anger that she pushed into him. It was too powerful and he was consumed in rage. She felt it rush back towards her and she pulled herself away, breaking the meld. Emzai stumbled backwards, she had returned to her home. Kipal lay on the floor, he turned to her and she could see the violence in his eyes. ((End flashback)) Beck: ♫ Do mi sol do do sol mi do! Every truly cultured music stu, dent, knows ♫ Beep beep Beep beep Beep. Went Beck's tricorder. Beck: ♫ You must learn your scales and your arpe, ggi, os ♫ Carpenter: Why that song? Because you're a laaaaady, that's why? Emzai: :: looks to the building:: We're almost there. Perhaps we should behave in an adult-like fashion. Kos: RESPONSE Beck: Everyone's a critic. C'est la vie. ::switching back to active scanning:: Do the tunnels run underneath the entire city? And is there maleconite stored everywhere down there? I'm having some trouble getting clear scans. Carpenter: Same here. It's like we can tell it's hollow, but nothin' else further. Emzai: That's hardly surprising given the situation. Kos: RESPONSE The good doctor, true to his nature decided to interfere some more. Beck: Kos. ::sidling up next to him:: I know you don't have a lot of reason to trust me, but would you allow me to scan you? You said you worked in the mines before, I'd like to check something out… Kos: RESPONSE Emzai crossed her arms in frustration. Emzai: Can't we do this inside? Kos is perfectly healthy. My husband on the other hand … Carpenter: Now, hang on there, Doc Beck might be onto something. Prolonged exposure is no joke… Emzai had just about had it with this human woman. She shot a look to Drisila who stepped inches closer to her. Once they were inside, she would split them up. They'd be able to deal with that way. Beck: RESPONSE Emzai: I'm going inside, how Starfleet gets anything done is beyond me. Emzai walked at a brisk pace into the building. Carpenter: Still right behind ya. Beck/Kos: RESPONSE ((Administrators Office, Landing City, Grus Beta Three.)) They all gathered in her office again. Where she had initially met them. Perhaps this is where it would end. For all of them. She felt a pang of sympathy for the young officers. Her own children, those she gave birth to, were much older than these and she felt the loss of them so keenly, even now all these hundreds of years later. oO will they have mother's that would mourn them? Oo Emzai: Doctor I'd appreciate it if you come alone to tend to Kipal? :: to Kos :: If you don't mind, I'll call for you once the doctor has finished. Beck/Kos/Carpenter: Response Emzai: Very well :: to Carpenter :: Help yourself to a beverage. Emzai escorted the doctor to the small room adjacent to her office. She opened the door and stepped inside and beckoned the doctor in. Tags/TBC Administrator Emzai Grus Beta Three A240004LL2 -- Lt JG Luxa Lorana Science Officer USS Ronin A240004LL2

Party on deck 3, guys! you broke @Quentin Beck!

PLEASE

@Quentin Beckthat deserves a solo thread no a post in the quotes, XD

here @Quentin Beckchannelling McCoy