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((Nygel II aka the Gateway Planet)) DeVeau: Ow. ::Her eyes still refused to focus completely, but they eventually condescended to doing so enough that Alora was able to recognise Rahman.:: Rahman: Ow is right. DeVeau: Ow infinity. ::Those blasted lights kept wriggling and writhing, which almost made Rahman look as if she had a strange case of dancing Venuvian glow pox.:: DeVeau: Dare I ask where we are? Rahman: We're on the cavern floor. Commander Ross and Dr. Saveron are above us. I'm not sure about the others. DeVeau: I was afraid you'd say something like that. ::Her entire body screamed, assaulted in some places by fire, in others by knives. Slowly, Alora made an attempt to sit up and a cry escaped while tears stung her already clouded eyes.:: Rahman: Don't try to move just yet. You took a nasty hit to the head, and I don't have a medical tricorder--or even a regular tricorder--to guess how severe it is. DeVeau: Lovely. ::She nodded.:: Rahman: The point is, we're alive. ::A blurred hand moved and the chirp of the combadge followed. Her badge. She had a badge. That's right there was a badge. Her fingers fumbled for it and she managed to tap into the conversation.:: Rahman: =/\= Rahman to Commander Ross. Are you and Doctor Saveron all right, sir? =/\= Ross: =/\= We're alive, if not exactly in one piece. What's your status? =/\= Rahman: =/\= Lieutenant DeVeau and I are on the cavern floor. We've both sustained injuries--possibly severe. I don't know if we'll be able to reach your location. =/\= DeVeau: We fell down the hooooole. ::There was a sudden almost irresistible urge to giggle, but at the first attempt to do so, her body complained. Loudly.:: DeVeau: Ow. Ross: =/\= We'll come down to you. =/\= Rahman: =/\= Understood. Do you see Lieutenant Zeme or Doctor- =/\= ::Rahman didn't have a chance to finish. As a flash of light was accompanied with the distinct tone of a disrupter rifle, Rahman slumped to the ground. Alora's scream reverberated throughout the cavern walls.:: Pasht-Nos: Quiet! ::Alora's teeth chomped on her tongue and she drew blood, but it kept her from voicing another scream. She winced as he snatched her combadge and proceeded to make the appropriate threats.:: Pasht-Nos: =/\= Commander Ross, is it? =/\= Ross: =/\= ...that's right. =/\= Pasht-Nos: =/\= This is Captain Pasht-Nos of the Free Trade Union. I'm going to make this very simple for you today, commander. You're going to repair this Gateway and secure my passage off of this planet... =/\= ::Alora's eyes crossed as they stared down the blackness of the barrel.:: Pasht-Nos: =/\= ...or you're going to have two dead Starfleet officers to beam back up. =/\= Ross: =/\= That's impossible. Iconion technology is thousands of years in advance of- =/\= ::Impossible was not a word that Pasht-Nos wanted to hear. He stepped back and fired up and past the walkway, showering Ross and the others with hot rocks freed from the cavern walls.:: ::Somehow, Alora managed not to scream, but she couldn't help but cringe. The motion sent more fire through her body and she had to bite her tongue again - that time to keep from voicing her pain.:: Pasht-Nos: =/\= This is not a negotiation! The Gateway lies at the center of the network of tunnels. Meet us there, and perhaps you will see your women alive again. =/\= ::He flung the badges on the floor and shot them. They were destroyed and so went any hope of communicating with her colleagues on the ground or in space. That task completed, the man focused on her once more.:: Pasht-Nos: Can you walk? DeVeau: I don't know. I haven't tried. ::Although she still couldn't focus completely, there was no mistaking the snarling smirk on such a sinister seeming.:: Pasht-Nos: On your own feet or dragged by your hair: either way, we're going. Now! DeVeau: Okay. ::The best thing she could do was comply. Keep cool. Try not to panic. But panic was what she wanted to do. Her heart pounded furiously against her chest as she tried to order her limbs to comply with her desires.:: ::Her left arm refused to move. Dislocated or broken? She couldn't tell and the strange combination of tingling and numbness couldn't be interpreted. The cavern swam as she rose, her motion slow, careful. Her legs complained, particularly her right ankle. It was extremely painful, but she could hobble if she had to - and frankly, she had to. She inhaled deeply, took a step and almost fell. Almost.:: Pasht-Nos: Stop stalling! ::Alora winced and lifted her eyes. Whether she was praying or looking for her friends above wasn't certain and she didn't let her foggy gaze linger.:: Pasht-Nos: ::laughs:: He can't help you now. Let's move! ::She had to focus, had to move had to...nausea gripped her and it took almost everything she had to keep from heaving. Despite her attempt, bile rose to her mouth though she managed to choke it down as she began to hobble while escorted by her captor.:: Lt. JG. Alora DeVeau Science Officer and Captive USS Mercury

((Church)) ::Irina never went to church. She was raised Russian Orthodox, and after arriving in the United States her father continued to attend services, but Irina had not stepped foot in a church since leaving Russia. It just made no sense. Since her mother was killed, the whole concept of some happy and wonderful grandpa in the sky looking out for you just didn't work. Those lessons were relearned in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where Irina learned that nobody was coming to help her, and that if she was to survive, it would be only by her own wits, and no small amount of pure, blind, chaotic luck. The Taliban would kill her, or they would keep her around, entirely at their whim.:: ::The night of the riots was like a return the combat. Irina was just passing through, on her way to New York. She had stopped in Ravensville for a cup of coffee and perhaps an ice cream for Katya, and the two of them were actually inside the Plaza Caglia when the excitement started as Irina had decided to have the oil changed in her car. It was actually what led to her job.:: ::Many townspeople had taken refuge inside the restaurant/bar, and Irina, like them, had no plans to go outside or in any way get involved. When the windows broke and a group of aggressive young men entered the bar, however, all thoughts of waiting it out went right out that broken window. As the four men started trashing the place and terrorizing those inside, one of them made the mistake of looking at Katya for perhaps a second too long, and immediately found the baseball bat he had been holding ripped from his hand and then smashed into the side of his head. Irina proceeded to beat the living daylights out of all four, and then she heard the single shot from outside.:: ::She remembered dropping the bat and upending most of the tables and ordering everyone to crouch behind them, while she peered over the top with her own pistol at the ready. Fortunately, after the shot was fired, things calmed down quickly.:: ::She didn't know why she didn't just pick up her car the next morning and keep on driving, but for whatever reason, she had stayed in Ravensville. She rented a small two bedroom apartment, got a job keeping the peace at the very same bar, and since there was a large VA hospital just 40 miles away in the same county, she stayed. Now she was in a church, listening to descriptions of the police officer who died when that single shot was fired.:: Rascon: Hey, you're that bouncer who looks like Michelle Pfeiffer who kicked my [...] when I was drunk! Those were some cool moves. I totally felt them in the morning, so respect for slapping a drunken bum who should have known better back into line! Pavlova: I've got a lot more moves where those came from. ::Irina completely put aside that they were in a church, as she had no real respect for such places anyway, and played along.:: Rascon: Do you know if Plaza Caglia is open? You don't just let something like this pass you by without raising some kind of a toast. If you don't have to work then you're welcome to join us and I'll shout you for a drink. It's the least I can do after... whatever I did that made it feel like you dislocated my leg last time. Pavlova: We should open in about an hour, and I'll have vodka on ice. ::As someone started to move past him in the queue, Daz, gave them an elbow.:: Rascon: How about you, Kael? Joining us in the bar? Thomas: Err, sorry? Rascon: You've gotta have some stories to share about the big guy, right? Thomas: Oh, a few. Matthews: ::Coughing:: Hey Kael, Pavolva, nice to see you while I'm sober. ::Irina nodded, then backed away. Too many cops. She resumed her quiet stance near the exit, keeping an eye out for Leo. It was hard for him, she knew. The bullet was meant for him, and he knew it. It was a sort of guilt that all soldiers felt for those who didn't make it, worse if their loss was the reason for one's own survival. Irina knew the feeling well.:: ::A drink would help, preferably far more than just one.:: Irina Pavlova Bouncer

(( Ithassa Sector - 2 Years Prior )) ::It had been a long day’s work for the inhabitant of this small shanty on a hill. Wood and plaster like the houses of old, it was a single rectangular structure with singular purpose. A lone mattress lay bare on a corner, along with a portable food replicator unit - not the only technology, for the rest of the room was filled with it.:: ::It was raining. The hardest rain he had yet seen, and he feared for his work. The lush green grass outside soaked up the ambrosia of life, rejoicing in the growth it would bring. The structure might have been made by replicator, but it wasn't holding up as well - water had begun to trickle onto the floor. And onto his equipment.:: ::He quickly tossed a tarp over his obsession and turned his attention upwards - the leaks had to be patched, and quick. Duranium, he told himself. Duranium would have been a better choice. Ugly, but better. The romantic in him apparently had disagreed. He grabbed a polymer adhesive and took a deep breath, stepping out into the flood.:: ::The wind howled in his ears and battered against his sides, and it wasn't five seconds before his hair became matted and his clothes waterlogged. He pulled himself onto the roof, wiping his bangs out of his eyes as he tried to find the source of his pain. Fifteen minutes later and he collapsed exhausted, staring up at the darkened sky. The wind died down and the rain became soft.:: ::He had been living here for a while. So much so that it had become his home, now far more than the temporary housing he originally sought. It was his refuge. It was his castle. It was his solitude. He had come here alone, a refugee from the darkness of space. He had run. Fled. Escaped. Where he had come from was death, and it was on his hands. He had told himself he had to, that there was no other option. It was a lie.:: ::Each rain-drop reminded him of home. He missed his friends. His family. His captain. His crew. His ship. In his mind he was a failure, and even worse he was a deserter. He had abandoned them when they needed him the most.:: Atimen: I'm sorry. ::He whispered, blinking rain and tears out of his eyes.:: I'm sorry. ::He hadn't spoken a word aloud since he arrived all those months ago. He had no one to speak it to. No one but the rain. But it listened. It embraced him. The giver of life, of growth, of sustenance. There, on that roof, light years away from any living soul, he was not alone.:: -- Lt. Cmdr Atimen Chief of Security/Tactical Starbase118 Operations

((Shelter ~ SB118 Ops)) ::Wanda was evacuated from main sickbay together with her mother. Wanda was spending days since mother’s injury and sitting by her bed, reading her and talking to her hoping it will wake her mother from coma she was in ever since the end of the first surgery. After all this months, Wanda was almost ready to accept that her mother will not wake up any time soon. Her father couldn’t accept that. He even accepted a desk position aboard the station to can be near his wife, something Wanda considered impossible for her parents.:: ::Though, she considered impossible for them to ever think of having another child or to retire, but they planned both and this accident ruined their plans thoroughly. It was hard watching her father suffer a loss of a baby, though unborn. He was suffering and in his pain he failed to see that his only child is suffering too. Suffering because of her mother yes, but equally suffering for Wanda was watching her colleagues taking over the station command and she was not there for them to help. Wanda felt as she failed them.:: ::She missed them a lot and couldn’t find a courage to go and say hi. Worst was seeing Marvin almost every day. Just a few days ago she decided to one day when father replace her in sickbay go and talk to him. Wanda loved him and she had to find out do he feels the same for her.:: ::Now she was sitting in the shelter while they were fighting something obviously very deadly when they moved all the civilians to the shelters. She wondered will she see any of them again and it was hurting her, so much. When her father arrived and brought few boxes of blankets, she stood to him and explained she want him to take her to command.:: G. DYAMONE: No, absolutely not. DYAMONE: Enough is Enough. Father, 'you' can do that or I’ll ask one of security officers. You know that I’m much safer with you escorting me. Your choice, Sir. ::She was watching him firm and tough. Sir shook him, obviously. It was telling him that she means it seriously that she is returning to active duty when she treated him as superior officer. He looked at her in silence, turned away from her and then back to her. Gordon took one of the blankets from the box and covered his wife kissing her in her cheek, then turned back to Wanda.:: G.DYAMONE: I can’t lose you, child. I lost a baby this year, i can’t lose my only child. DYAMONE: You know I was always careful. ::He bite his upper lip and pouted, then grabbed another blanket from the box and put it on her forming a robe around her and pining it with something Wanda couldn’t recognize at first. When she finally saw the pin she knew he was ready for this. Gordon obviously knew his child better than she expected him.:: DYAMONE: You cleared this with security, pa? G.DYAMONE: Yes, commbadge is yours to use. I told them you’re devoted medic and you’ll surely want to help. ::He sighed heavy.:: Are you ready? ::Wanda collected her medical bag from under the bed her mother was laying on, kissed her mother and nodded to her father.:: DYAMONE: Ready. ::They walked in silence. Maybe because they were not alone, maybe because they wouldn’t talk anyway. Some parts of the station looked as nothing happened while some they moved through as the war was followed by thunderstorm with lot of heavy wind. On their way Wanda stopped few times to check bodies and her father and his marines frowned every time, all up till she actually found alive woman barely breathing hit by something or maybe someone running to the shelter and left for dead. One of them was left behind to help poor woman to sickbay.:. ::When they were almost on their destination, another body attracted her attention. Woman was laying on the floor as resting, but moreover she was looking familiar. When Wanda approached young Betazoid opened her eyes and smiled.:: ILWARY: Deities, thank you. I thought I’ll stay here forever. My uniform is stuck and I’m frozen and couldn’t pull out. ::Wanda saw the look on the faces of tough marines and growled at them.:: DYAMONE: She is ill and weak, in her condition getting frozen as she is is disastrous. Don’t look like idiots, help her. ::Soon everyone realized it was impossible to pull the uniform without ripping it apart. When they got Ireya up even Wanda couldn’t but laugh seeing the hole on young Betazoid’s back. One of marines, the youngest one took off his jacket and covered Ireya and her bare back and posterior.:: ::When they reached Command center everyone entered, but Wanda stopped at the door. She was imagining this moment so many times and in her imagination it was easy, she will come to Rogers and tell him she is back... she first saw James and it shook her and then remembered how she just sent a message to Captain never faced him when left to take care of her mother and now it all turned into a fear that made her legs heavy and her resolution fade away.:: DYAMONE: Captain. ::She whispered and when nobody noticed her, took a deep breath and said aloud.:: Captain, permission to sssstep aboard, Sir. ROGERS:: Turning around at the sibilant pronunciation of ssstep he paused in confusion seeing Lt DyAmone standing looking at him. He said the first thing that came into his head. :: Welcome back Lieutenant. DYAMONE: Thank you. I... ::She looked up to her father, seeking support and courage.:: I would like to return to duty, Sir. ::She just glanced to Will; still expecting to be refused, Wanda held her head down.:: ROGERS: ::Quite sure his inane greeting had caused her obvious discomfort he responded to her request:: Lieutenant we need every hand to the wheel. You are returned to duty. to be continued... PNPC Wanda DyAmone Medical Officer Starbase 118 Operations

((Assembly Chamber, Prak Zel)) ::Following Minister Haksar into the lion's den, Diego caught himself tapping his PADD against his leg and quickly flipped it through his fingers to look at the display. He had left himself bullet points to guide his speech along with the necessary logs and records from his various sources. As he was shown to the lectern in the centre of the room, he was pleased to see an LCARS interface, which was going to make the technical side of the affair relatively easy, at least.:: ::Many of the seats around the chamber had now been filled, and those that weren't were about to be, it seemed. Zakdorn were filing in through doors on the upper level. The atmosphere was entirely different now to how it had been during their previous visit. Granted, there had been tension between Haksar and Wadke but this was more electric. Anticipation from both sides laced the atmosphere; this felt comparable to the feeling that Diego often experienced at the beginning of a Parrises Squares match, with two sides staring each other down, each trying to anticipate the other's tactics and plan accordingly.:: ::Tapping at the lectern controls, Diego transferred the files from his PADD to the device, ready to start his presentation. Instantly, the viewscreen switched to a split field, with the Federation logo on the left and the Zakdorn emblem on the right. Diego turned towards Haksar, who was still positioned nearby.:: Herrera: Everything's set, unless you can think of anything else? Haksar: I have full confidence in you Captain, and you too Ensign. ::Smiling:: Just be true to your convictions and you will be fine. Herrera: Alright. ::He clapped a hand on the Minister's shoulder in thanks.:: You've been a big help. Haksar: Not at all. Thank you Captain! And it's been a pleasure working with you madam. Androsia: Yes Minister, as always you have remained a true delight and a refreshing presence here on Prak Zel. Whatever success shall be had here today, I know you have played a key role in it. Thank You again. ::The Minister left to assume his position in the Assembly Chamber. Diego looked around the room for a moment; a sea of faces looked down on his position with great interest and comments were already being passed between members, all lost in the sea of general conversation. There was a seat placed alongside him on which Ensign Androsia could sit during the address and as she was about to settle, Diego took one final opportunity to ease his nerves.:: Herrera: You'd better be ready for questions. Androsia: My dear Captain, THEY had better be ready for some answers. Do not fear, you will do just fine, of this I have no doubts. Herrera: ::Smiling:: I'm not worried. If the Minister's appetite is anything to go by, we'll be done in time for lunch. Androsia: Very true, though too I fear it is the Zakdorn and Klingon appetite’s alike that have caused this issue in the first place. But nonetheless, you must focus. ::A pre-recorded chime rang throughout the building, followed by an announcement that the assembly was in session. Diego listened as his name was announced, as was Androsia's, alongside the matter for discussion. The massed Ministers fell silent one by one and Diego left them that way for a moment before launching into his address, tapping at the lectern controls to bring up his first visual rendition of a sensor log.:: ::On the wall, the Klingon moon Praxis exploded.:: Herrera: 2293. The Klingon empire experiences a disaster that throws their home planet into turmoil. This was the trigger for one of the most important events in the history of the Federation: the signing of the Khitomer accords. Since that day, we have been allied with the Klingons, for better or for worse, for almost a century. We have traded with each other. Explored each other's culture. Protected each other. ::He paused just long enough to let that sentence hang in the air.:: There have been times when we have stood together to face unrelenting enemies. We stared into the eyes of the Dominion and we did not blink. Even after General Martok was replaced by a changeling and our two powers stood on the brink of war, we were able to patch things up and put our differences behind us. ::The viewscreen changed to a display of the Klingon incursion into the Trinity sector, depicted as a tactical map.:: Herrera: Recently, something changed. The Klingons' thirst for war reawakened. After the Hobus supernova, they were given the opportunity to exact what they would consider to be revenge against a long standing enemy. The Federation objected. The Romulans are in no position to threaten us on any major scale, after all. Their homeworld and their fleets are in disarray and it will be decades before they can rebuild. Even then, they would need our help and support and in that time we have an opportunity to forge peaceful relations with the Star Empire. It's happened before, briefly, on a range of different occasions. Unfortunately, that doesn't appeal to the Klingon psyche. ::Knowing the next part of his speech well enough that he did not need to look at his notes, Diego wandered out from behind the lectern, leaning back against it and folding his arms.:: Herrera: If we go back to Praxis for a moment... that was the start of quite a different journey. You see, the Klingons made peace with the Federation because they needed us. Their technology was not as advanced as our own. They had concentrated for too long on making weapons, ships and cloaking devices, but without resources to power them, they were dead in the water. We supported them as they asked. We took the initiative in forging peace with their worlds. Without our help, who knows whether they would have survived the explosion of Praxis and maybe the Romulans would have had a chance to finish them off? Sure, the Klingons fought alongside us during the Dominion War, but who was first onto Cardassia Prime? It was Starfleet who sent support to the Cardassian Resistance and that led to the Founder Leader being taken hostage. Who fought against the Scarlet Brotherhood when they threatened to take control of Deep Space Nine and the wormhole? Who was it who came out on top when we last locked horns? Without wanting to cause any offence, the Klingon invasion forces did not even push us into a position where a drawn out conflict ensued and that meant that we did not even reach a stage where the superior tactical minds of the Zakdorn were called into play. Wouldn't it be infuriating to engage in fight after fight alongside an ally that wasn't patient enough to listen to you? That has consistenly depended on the Federation for aid? That has lost out to us so many times when we have fought? ::Turning around, he changed the screen to a map of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants:: If our methods are so weak, why is our territory larger than the Klingons'? ::Returning to his original position, he showed footage of the first fleet engaging a Borg Cube at Earth.:: Herrera: Maybe the Klingons did employ tactics in certain situations. Where were they when the Borg attempted an invasion of Earth? Where were they at Wolf 359? Perhaps their long-term goal in that regard was to let Starfleet get wiped out while they turned a blind eye? ::Without warning, he cut the video feed altogether.:: Herrera: Or, maybe they didn't. Maybe there isn't going to be a war. Maybe we're looking at a rogue faction of Klingons that has very little support on the High Council. Think what would happen then if Zakdorn IV were to withdraw from Federation membership and join the Klingon Empire. Would you still enjoy the same privileges you do with us? There's a common misconception throughout the Federation sometimes that the founding races receive preferential treatment. I can't argue with the fact that there are still more humans in Starfleet than any other race, but we're talking non-military benefits as well here. The Zakdorn, by virtue of being members of the Federation, have access to some of the greatest scientific minds in the galaxy. There are opportunities to interact with other species and benefit from their unique talents. Vulcan logic. Human resourcefulness. Bajoran spiritualism. Trill experience. Bolian enterprise. By replacing that all with the Klingons' prowess in battle, your world would lose more than it would gain. And while the Klingon High Council might be grateful, where are the guarantees that they will look after your non-military interests in the same way as the Federation? ::He looked around the room, trying to make eye contact with as many people as possible in quick succession. When next he spoke, he had dropped his voice to a near whisper.:: Herrera: Will you sacrifice culture, science and risk your race's identity over the half-truths the pro-Klingon movement offers you? Or will you see this for what it truly is: an ill-planned attempt to switch reason for armament? I'd like you all to think about that carefully for a moment before I open the floor for questions. ::Conversation bloomed once more around the room as Ministers considered what had been said. Diego looked to his diplomatic officer for her reaction.:: Androsia: Captain...if they don’t see the logic and reason and truth and passion from what you’ve said...I don’t think they are deserving to be in the Federation from this point on. Herrera: That should provoke a few interesting questions, I hope. Androsia: Oh no doubt about that. Nows time that we hear a few challenging roars. But don’t worry, I am with you in this and you did as admirably if not more so as could ever be asked of a true StarFleet Captain. ::Another chime brought the Ministers slowly to silence. The grilling was about to begin.:: TAG/TBC Captain Diego HerreraCommanding OfficerUSS VigilantNCC-75515http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Herrera,_Diego

((StarFleet Intelligence, Operative branch)) :: Chang stood before a window, looking in on one of her former operatives. Alix Ozera had been a promising prospect, and his early initiative had garnered him several undercover assignments, of which te information he had obtained had been quite usable to Starfleet...except the last mission he was sent on. He had returned and been debriefed, he seemed fine..but once it had been determined that he had been compromised by the Orion Syndicate, culminating in the attempted assassination of Commander Hannibal Parker, an attempt which was foiled by Isaac Bale aboard the USS Mercury. Since then, Alix had remained in custody, and repeated debriefings could shed no more light as to where the chip which had been implanted in his brain had come from, or who had given him the order to do it. :: Much information had been gained from the information retrieved on Duronis, and it was still being analysed. One of the things Starfleet did was to order Chang to pull some of her deep cover operatives out of the Orion Syndicate, while some, who were too deep, were allowed to stay. Of those she recalled, one was Alisha Ozera, Alix's sister. She had been invaluable in her role, but Starfleet decided that she needed to be reassigned back in her old role as a Medical analyst, much to Changs' displeasure. Alisha had given up a lot to work in deep cover, and she was good at it.Chang had summoned her here to see her brother, and to tell her of her reassignment. In some ways, this would be good for her, as she could spend time with her brother while he recovered, and Alisha's first assignment would be to find out who made that chip and where could they be found...:: ::Many things were on Alisha Ozera’s mind, and most of them troubled her. Her brother’s condition had deteriorated – back on the [REDACTED], his brain had done some rather odd things, giving off strange readings – at one stage, it seemed like he was having an unexplained seizure. Alisha was Alix’s twin sister – she couldn’t stand by and watch his brain give up on him. ::But it wasn’t just Alix that was starting to concern her. After going through the procedure to have her Human DNA flushed out and “swapped” with an Orion’s, turning her skin permanently green and making the computer register her as Orion, she felt . . . stronger. More physically able than what she used to. Whether it was something to do with the newly-implanted Orion DNA or not, she didn’t know, but she was starting to like it. But due to the constantly changing situation, the process looks like it was all done for nothing. Alisha was going to be reassigned, and she didn’t like the sound of that. She had already spent too much time as a Medical Analyst on Chang’s ship, and she didn’t intend on doing it again. Sure, she appreciated Chang for pulling her out of the cold and allowing her to do what she had been doing, but she didn’t appreciate being assigned a task which would become boring very quickly. ::Alisha shook her head slowly at herself. No, she wasn’t going to allow Intelligence to put her in some room with a heap of data on “strange” deaths that other Medical officers “couldn’t explain”. And she wasn’t going to allow them to lock Alix in a cell in his condition, when he clearly didn’t remember the assassination attempt on Commander Parker – if there ever was one, as Isaac Bale seemed far too interested in Alix’s case than what he would normally be; for all Alisha knew, it was Bale that had committed the attempt on Parker’s life, and it was Alix that had stopped him. With all Bale’s mucking around, there was no longer proof of what had actually happened . . . and that’s what’s been keeping Intelligence from locking Alix in some hell hole somewhere as soon as they possibly could. No proof.:: Chang: : Looking at the chip in Alishas' hand:: It's amazing something so small could cause so much damage..... ::Alisha barely acknowledged the woman standing next to her. Alisha had been watching the operation to remove the foreign chip from Alix’s head – a delicate operation that *should* have had Alisha at the well, but, according to regulation, she wasn’t allowed to due to being his sister. The group of “doctors” had finished, and Alix was already hours into recovery, but that didn’t stop Alisha from examining the small chip that had apparently made Alix a killing machine. But it wasn’t concern for Alix that had her examining it – in reality, it was for potential use . . . for Volkoff Industries.:: Alisha: It’s a very interesting piece of equipment. Especially if it’s from the Brotherhood or the Syndicate. I sent a deal out as Volkoff to see if I can catch the creators. Chang: Do you think that was wise? Alisha: Well, it’s the logical thing to do. The chip comes from the two organizations, Volkoff Industries sells weapons to both of them, and I head the industry. It was quicker than becoming a new identity all together. :: Alisha did have a point...but it could also raise red flags and Alisha would then be in more danger. Both the Scarlet Brotherhood and Orion Syndicate would be very wary of dealing with someone new, and the power vacum currently sweeping through both organizations, both sides had itchy trigger fingers...hence, the pullback ordered by Starfleet Intelligence..:: Chang: It light of recent events, it would seem to be wise....and you can still monitor the progress of your inquiry from your new post... ::Alisha put down the chip at the mentioning of a new post. Slowly, she turned her eyes to Chang.:: Alisha: Director, I’m not *Human* anymore, and you know why? To make the cover of Vivian Volkoff more believable and convincing to buyers. Putting me in a different position means that I’ve done all this, gone through so much pain, for *nothing*. :: Chang undestood how she felt...no field operative liked being reassigned to perform "staff" work. As important as it was, there were those in the upper echelons of Intelligence who have forgotten the adrenaline rush, the sacrifice, the living on the edge that came with field work. Then, she thought again...most in the upper echelons WERE analysts who had done very little field work...that was how they managed to survive to achieve such a rank in the first place...:: Chang: Alisha...if it makes you feel any better, I was not in favor of the reassignment. You have established a solid cover, and your information has been spot on:: Looking at her:: Being here will also give you a chance to check on your brother more frequently than if you were in deep cover... Alisha: I am *Orion*! My life has been taken away. I am no longer *related* to Alix, purely because it was necessary! Chang: In many ways, our lives are not ours to have. We serve a jealous master in Starfleet Intelligence...those deltas on the walls mean something, Alisha... :: Chang was referring to the large white granite wall in Starfleet Intelligence headquarters in San Franciscoonto which black deltas were affixed..each delta representing a member of Starfleet Intelligence who had lost their life in performance of their duty. Three of those had been recently added, one representing Tallis Soban, killed by the Orion Syndicate. That sobering fact was one which weighed on her mind daily as her operatives went about their dangerous, but necessary work...:: ::Sure, they mean throwing away two years work for some idiot behind a desk.:: Alisha: I can’t stand this anymore, Chang. ::She stood up.:: I’m going to see my brother. At this stage, he has more difficult work to do then what I would in years if I’m forced to work as an analyst. ::The Orion stood up, leaving the room and Chang to her thoughts. What Chang didn’t realize, however, was the Alisha had swapped the chip that had controlled Alix with a fake. Her plan was now in motion, and she had little time before someone realized what she was doing.:: :: Chang watched her go, but something within her was telling her that Alisha more more than unhappy with her new assignment, and her feelings of unsatisfaction. Chang sttod up to leave, and preceeded out to check on the repairs to her ship. They should be close to finished by now, and the rest of her crew could continue to enjoy the rare opportunity to enjoy Earth..:: ((Recovery, StarFleet Intelligence)) Alisha: How are you feeling? Ozera: Better then what I did a few days ago . . . ::The Terran tugged at his restraints and motioned to the lack of his left hand.:: Nice to know that they trust me. ::During an early mission with the Marines, Alix’s hand had been severed. The details as of why were unknown, but Intelligence reports suggested that it was to save his life – and as he was stuck in a Borg-prone area, it seemed logical enough. So, it was replaced with a robotic one, and apparently, the officers that put the restraints on him didn’t want to take any chances.:: Alisha: I’m surprised to see you up this quickly. While the chip was deep in the brain, it’s still a lot to recover from. Ozera: The doctors said I’ll be absolutely fine in a matter of days. ::Taking a hypospray, Alisha loaded it up with a knock-out drug.:: Alisha: Good. Unfortunately, I can’t take any chances, and having you fall unconscious when we’re trying to escape this branch is only makes things harder. Ozera: Understanda- Wait, *what*? ::It was then that Alisha released the spray into Alix’s neck, and the Terran’s eyes shut.:: Volkoff: I’ll talk to you later. ::Oh yes. StarFleet Intelligence had a traitor, and a very dangerous one at that. Alisha has always been “iffy” when it came to Intelligence. Never reporting on time, making ridiculous “mistakes”, constantly arguing and threatening Chang. Alisha was a ruse, and she was about to walk out of Intelligence without even a scratch due to the leverage on the bed that she was now moving.:: Officer: Hey, *stop*! ::Having no time for a random Intelligence officer, Vivian immediately disabled him, snapping his neck in the process, which immediately got the attention of the rest of the branch, the alarm going off when the life-sign suddenly disappeared. Soon, she’d be surrounded, but Vivian Volkoff had a plan for that, and everybody watching knew it.:: ::After defeating several officers, Vivian had gotten to the front doors, of which she knew, by experience, would be in lockdown, and trying to transport out of the main base would be a no-go, especially if Chang had anything to do with it. She wasn’t stupid. So, turning around to face the hoard of officers with phasers, rifles and even disruptors, the Orion merely laughed. A field officer would have jumped her by now, Allison would have shot her by now, but neither Kamela Allison or any properly trained field officers were present. Standing before her were merely analysts and scientists that were hardly worth the trouble.:: :: Chang was three levels below Medical when the klaxon went off..a truly unusual event. Chang ordered the facility locked down, making it impossible to beam out or leave. The facility was low level,nondescript, but bereft of operatives for the most part. Chang knew the security personnell were good, but nothing was kept there of great importance. The lift stopped and Chang was hung between floors until she entered her override code to get the lift moving..this time, moving towards the upper level and the exit. The doors opened and she was greeted by a sea of personnell storming towards the front doors. She knew beaming out was impossible, and the facility was locked down...no code would open those doors except one...and Chang had it.Changs' short stature made it impossible for her to see who was now trapped at the front doors until she fought her way to the front of the line...and she was shocked and enraged at what she saw. Alisha had gone rougue, and was taking her brother with her...:: Chang: There is no escape Alisha....you know that...... Volkoff: If you managed to catch me, we’d both know I’d be in a cell by now. Chang: What do you want? Volkoff: I want to leave. Chang: You have no reason to. Your brother needs care. What other possible reason would you want to leave? :: Chang thought about the chip, and a know grew in her gut....she was selling out to the Orions.....:: Volkoff: Isn’t it obvious? I have *buyers* to get to. So let’s say we put forward out stakes and speed this up. ::She pulled out her phaser, and pointed it at Alix’s head.:: Allow me to leave, or your chance at ever finding out how Ozera got a controller chip in his head is gone forever. :: Chang knew that if she had Bale, Allison, or any one of her other operatives, the woman would have been dead by now, or at least stunned.There were several weapons pointed at Alisha,and they were good shots, not snipers..which meant that they could not take out Alisha without also taking out her brother.. The worst part was, Alisha did not even have to have her phaser set to kill to take out her brother, not with the emitter right next to Alixs' head. She had one choice...try to stall her, and hope she made a mistake...:: Chang: Alisha...the Orion Syndicate is responsible for what happened to you brother...you know that...why would you want to abandon Starfleet to join them? :: Chang took a step forward..there were only fifteen meters seperating them....:: Volkoff: It’s not the Orions that want him, it’s the Brotherhood. They only joined forces with the Orions in order to achieve a common goal. You’d know this, except your other analysts are useless. ::She sighed, apparently getting a bit bored of the situation.:: The reason I’m leaving is because Intelligence has no use for me anymore, and my file has some serious red flags, which means that some idiot behind a desk will attach my file to a cancel order – I’d be sent into a room, and eliminated so that I don’t cause any more trouble for your little organization. Alix is merely leverage to help me leave. If he wants to come back and face cancelation, I’ll let him do so, but first, he’s going to help me leave. Chang: Alisha...there are other ways to achieve your goal. Let Alix go, and come with me to the (REDACTED).We can sort it all out there...I know you are upset, and you could be a great asset here... :: Chang knew that once she got to space, all bets were off. There were only three starships currently in the Sol system...hers, the USS Thunder-A, and the USS Charleston. All the crews were on holiday leave, and even if they were available, persuing Alisha, who was trained to evade, would be difficult. Her ship was the only one which could catch her, but her impulse engines were still being repaired.She picked a good time for a jailbreak..:: Volkoff: Chang, you’ve got twenty seconds before I pull the trigger and kill Ozera. It’s either I kill him and disappear, *or*, you let us go and he comes back after I leave the system. ::She wasn’t bluffing and she wasn’t lying – there was no hint of hesitation (she was trained to avoid it and do whatever necessary to complete a mission), and there was no look of fear in her eyes. From the looks of things, she’d willingly kill her own brother just to get out of the Sol System and back to Volkoff Industries. Vivian knew that without Alix, if she got out of Intelligence, she’d merely be caught once she got back onto her ship. Taking Alix with her was really the only way out, and Chang wasn’t going to just let Volkoff kill Alix . . . was she? No matter. Alix was just colattoral damage. Alisha Ozera was the chameleon, changing appearance with ease and skipping past borders without problems – disappearing and becoming someone else was what she did for a living. Volkoff, however, was going to be better. She was going to be the master, and she knew she’d get out of the facility one way or another, and disappear until she got back to her ship, Alix, or no Alix.:: :: Chang looked into Alishas' eyes...she knew there was no doubt she would kill Alix if she had to, but it also meant that she would die in a hail of phaser and disruptor fire. Chang was faced with an impossible choice...they would either both die, or they would both escape. Chang was enraged, but only her calm was appaarent. She took another step closer to Alisha...her next words as cold as space...:: Chang: If you do this, you know we will hunt you down...and you know what that means...... Volkoff: Oh I know very well what it means – a cancel order will be put on my file, and I get quick and easy access into the Orion Syndicate. ::She pressed the phaser into her brother’s temple.:: And now you’re out of time. What’s it going to be? :: The phaser firmly against Alixs' temple made her meaning clear:: ::Chang keyed in the override command to open the doors ONLY, so as long as she was on the grounds, she was still vulnerable..and carrying her brother would have to slow her down some....... ::As the door opened, Vivian pulled herself and Ozera out the doors, the hoard of officers and doctors gathered, watching her leave the facility, unable to do anything about it without losing an asset. While Chang probably thought that she could take Vivian out, the Orion with her hostage had a plan.:: Volkoff: Good choice. I’m sure we’ll be in touch, Director Chang. Chang: Your [...] right...we will be...... :: Chang was hoping Alisha would surrender...but as time went by, surrender was no longer an option on the table for her..:: ::The crowd in the building and the few officers that had their weapon trained on her outside of it stared. Time seemed slow, and there was little regret in Volkoff’s eyes. She couldn’t help but think, however, that she was leaving her family. No matter – she was sure that she’d be up against StarFleet soon enough. Finally, as she walked out of the facility gates, Vivian pulled a signal transmitter out of her pocket and pressed the button. Outside of the grounds, the lockdown was pointless. Volkoff, and her hostage, were beamed up to a ship.:: :: Chang silently cursed herself.. Alisha was a trained and skilled operative, and her transmitter had the ability to beam through shields. She watched as the shimmer of a transporter beam took Alisha and Alix away...they were now fugitives. Chang hurried back inside and quickly issued a scrambled and encrypted broadcast to every Intelligence outlet in Starfleet, and uploaded to every Intelligence briefing to every Starfleet installation. The orders were simple...if spotted, moniter her movements, but do not engage. Intelligence would track her..and eventually, Alisha would lead them to the new heads of the Orion Syndicate...and the Scarlet Brotherhood..and they would all suffer for the pain they have caused...:: ((4 hours later, Unknown Orion vessel)) ::Volkoff had merely waited during the hours of Alix being unconscious. While she wasn’t patient with her buyers or her own “crew”, she was much kinder to the Terran on the biobed. She wanted answers, and if she was going to mass-produce or even sell the chip, she was going to need to know what he had experienced. After he had told her everything he could, she would let him go, but not without offering him a position within Volkoff Industries. But finally, he stirred and opened his eyes with a groan.:: Ozera: I would feel better if you had physically knocked me out . . . ::Volkoff smiled a little, crossing her arms.:: Volkoff: I’m afraid that would have been *too* convincing for your Director. I had to make her believe that I would actually kill you, not torture you. That’s how your operatives make mistakes. ::She could tell that he was calm with the situation. While he was barely conscious, Alix was able to work out what had happened – he was in some sort of area that belonged to Orions, Alisha was not in a uniform, and there were no tools of torture or death nearby. He wasn’t even restrained, and his hand was back on his left arm. It seemed like they trusted him.:: Ozera: You defected. Volkoff: No, just changed my identity like I had a few months ago. ::She stood up to look out the window, the stars shooting past with the ship at warp speed.:: I needed your help to get out, and you gave it to me. For that, I’m in your debt. Ozera: And help wasn’t given unwillingly. ::He stared at her.:: It’s nice to finally meet you, Miss Volkoff. Volkoff:::She turned around to face him around.:: You too, Mister Ozera. ::Vivian pulled a data display over to the bed, the details of Volkoff Industries loaded up.:: Volkoff: Now, Mister Ozera, I’d like to propose an offer. Ozera: Oh? Volkoff: To repay you for your troubles, you have a choice on what you’re going to do next. You can either leave, and return to StarFleet Intelligence, *or*, you can join us here at Volkoff Industries as soon as you’re up and running about. ::Alix tilted his head a little, a grin on his face. Vivian couldn’t tell whether it was because he thought she was joking or if he was considering joining her.:: Ozera: It really depends on what position I’d be getting. I don’t exactly want to leave Intelligence for a desk job in an enemy company. ::Vivian shrugged. Alix Ozera was a very strong man, very resilient and demanding when he wanted to be. If he was going to be a part of the company, the Terran would have to shove his way in, and that meant playing the bad guy *permenantly*, being quick on his feet and trusting no one but Volkoff herself. Of course, he’d have to learn the ropes, especially if he was going to be placed in the position Vivian thought he was suited for.:: Volkoff: You are my most trusted asset, Mister Ozera, with skills I can’t deny – I can assure you that Volkoff Industries is merely here to help with the . . . growing economy of the Orions. Therefore, you’ll be my second in command and my security chief. ::Weakly, Alix folded his arms and stared at Vivian.:: Ozera: Your First Officer? ::Vivian nodded, and Alix smiled.:: Well, in that case, when do I start? JP by Vivian Volkoff Head of Volkoff Industries As simmed by LtCmdr Sky Blake Chief of Security/Second Officer USS Avandar & Chang Director, Starfleet Intelligence USS( REDACTED) As simmed by: Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker 2nd Officer/ Marine Commander/ Chief Of Strategic Operations USS Thunder/ Duronis II Embassy

((T’Mar’s Quarters, USS Apollo)) ::As the Betazoid man moved into her quarters, he smiled slightly. He took his seat on the floor and looked toward her as she lit the candles. He could almost sense the emotions in her raging like a summer storm. There was something much different about her than standard issue Vulcans. It was almost as if there was a [...] holding back everything, but it was leaking. He was not sure about how she was able to suppress her emotions as well as those from others around her. Being a Vulcan with empathic abilities, no matter how small, was a difficult thing to imagine.:: ::T’Mar lit her candles then sat down across from Zage. She looked at him in the eye, wondering why he was so willing to help her. She was thankful, but at the same time worried. When she was around him, her emotions were harder to suppress. She could only hope that these lessons would help her control that.:: T’Mar: Where shall we begin? Bolani: Close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. T’Mar: ::Raising an eyebrow:: Alright.. ::Immediately, she closed her eyes and straightened her back, her hands in her lap and her shoulders back. It was a position she often was in when she meditated throughout the day. She began breathing in deeply through her nose, her chest rising, she held it for a moment then breathing out through her nose. As she relaxed, she let her wall drop that attempted to block out others’ emotions. For a moment she thought she sensed attraction from Zage, but she tossed it aside, figuring she was sensing someone else.:: ::As she closed her eyes, Zage glanced at her demeanor. He wanted to look for physical signs of stress and tension. Occasionally, he would catch himself admiring her features. It was something he would not dare be caught doing. As she drew her breaths one by one, he watched as she started to center. Closing his eyes, he began projecting a sense of calm as best as he could. His empathic abilities were good, but far from strong. He wondered if she was able to sense his feelings.:: Bolani: Are you able sense where your feelings start, and where mine begin? T’Mar: I.. ::She hesitated, afraid to prod and sense Zage’s feelings. She decided to just let it all go for the moment. It was not logical, of course, but an empathic Vulcan was biologically not logical! She stopped forcing the suppression her own emotions, which allowed her to sense Zage’s as well. With her mental walls down, she now had a better focus the feelings that she sensed from others. She found it almost exhilarating for a moment:: T’Mar: Yes. I do! ::With his eyes closed he listened intently. Until now, he was not sure how much of her feelings she allowed to surface. She was an odd creature to watch while on duty. Some moments we was as Vulcan as Vulcan could be. In other moments, her emotions were like a ray of sunshine barely shining through the clouds.:: Bolani: Tell me what you can decipher. T’Mar: Well.. I sense that my behaviour confuses you and.. ::She focused and once again sensed feelings of lust, which amused her:: nevermind. ::Suddenly T’Mar was afraid. She had never been so open with her feelings. She felt herself wanting to suppress her own emotions again. It had been so long since she had fully acknowledged her own feelings. She opened her eyes and looked at Zage.:: You will keep all of this private, correct? Bolani: ::smiling:: Of course. What happens behind the walls of this room will remain in this room. ::He thought for a moment about their location. If she were Human, or any other species it might have sounded like he was hitting on her, but given the situation it was a completely benign comment. Keeping their interactions private was his top priority. In the end, it would only help her develop things. At some point if she no longer wanted to sense the emotions of others, he could teach her to drown it out. At the same time, he could teach her to really be in tune with what is going on around her.:: T’Mar: I know. Thank you. I just.. I do not feel comfortable showing emotions around others. It’s not logical... but I know that this is necessary. ::For a moment, she wanted to hold his hand. She yearned for comfort. She then thought about the Vulcan she had been bonded with as a child. She never spoke of him, because she barely remembered him. He was a scientist and the last she had heard, he was on a ship studying dark matter. He would never comfort her. He would never understand what it is like to struggle with emotions. They should have been married by now, but neither one of them had been able to make it to a ceremony due to their duties. As far as she was concerned, she would never marry the cold man.:: ::Then she thought of Zage. He understood empathy and feelings in general. Perhaps, though, he didn’t fully understand her Vulcan side..:: ::Zage could sense her discomfort. It was akin to the feeling one would get doing anything for the first time. He remembered the first time he went skiing. He was so worried he would fall in the snow and tumble down the hill. He recalled how awkward he felt, but it did not last very long. Sure he fell from time to time, but he was able to get right back up. By the time he was done with his first trip, he could not wait to go back and do it again. After years of skiing, he was pretty good at it. Most things in life were like that. Bolani: Good. Now, broaden your focus to reach out into the corridor. Anyone out there walking by? Do you sense anything? ::T’Mar broadened her focus and was overwhelmed with many emotions belonging to many people in the surrounding quarters. She found it hard to distinguish at first, but she forced herself to focus on the corridor.:: T’Mar: I sense someone.. they are stressed, worried about something. Bolani: Now, very quickly, focus on yourself. What are you feeling right now? ::It was a simple question. She needed to be able to quickly distinguish between the feelings of others and her own. Betazoids had a the gift to project emotions, and the burden of allowing the emotions of others affect them. He was wondering how she would be as she progressed. Vulcans and Betazoids are the polar opposites. He had no idea how someone in her family managed to procreate with a Betazoid. Of all the ways they were incompatible, it was odd and intriguing at the same time.:: ::T’Mar tried to determine how she was feeling, but it went against everything she was taught. She wasn’t supposed to have emotions. Was she worried or was that the person in the corridor?:: T’Mar: I am uncertain how to answer. Why must I sense my own emotions? Should we not be focusing on others’? Bolani: The more you focus the better reception you will get this early in your development. It is also important that you try to switch back to your own emotions, such as they are, as often as possible. This will help prevent you from sharing in the emotions of others. Think of it like being out of your body. The longer you are, the easier it will be to become involved in others. Focusing on yourself is a way to center yourself. ::Most species would be able to do this easily. Because Vulcans suppressed their emotions, it would be harder for her. She would have to embrace her own emotions and it would oddly go against what she did on a daily basis. It would take a toll on her throughout the day. Headaches would come, and she would have bouts of confusion and maybe even dizziness. There was not a lot of information on the Vulcan/Betazoid mix. With each one, it would likely be different. He was very curious how it would work for her.:: ::T’Mar closed her eyes tightly and concentrated on herself, battling against her natural suppression. She had tried to drop that mental wall earlier, but subconsciously she had put it back up.. she put it back up because she had begun to feel emotions for her self.. and that had..:: T’Mar: Fear? ::She did not want to say it. Of all emotions, she always found fear to be the most illogical besides love. It was less that she has sensed it in herself, but more a logical conclusion. It seemed that she did not have much control over when she could sense and feel her own emotions and when they remained suppressed.:: Bolani: Fear of what? ::Zage could imagine what she was going through. It would be like asking Betazoids to stop sensing other feelings, or to only communicate verbally. It went against everything he was brought up to do, but it was necessary. He was surprised it was not done sooner in her life. She was fairly young for a Vulcan. The better handle she had on her abilities to sense other emotions, the better she would be able to suppress hers as well as those sensed, if that is what she chose to do. It was just...logical.:: T’Mar: I believe I am afraid of feeling... ::The room seemed to spin momentarily, but soon returned to normal. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes and her stomach churned a little.: ..of feeling emotions. Bolani: Are you alright? ::The look on her face already answered the question. It was quite a bit for someone to deal with that had not faced their own emotions. Now, he was asking her to face the emotions of others, as well as her own. It was a big step and he wanted to know what she was capable of for their first session. She could stop at any time, they could take it slow...but he wanted to understand how much she would push herself, even more so since she admitted her fear.:: T’Mar: I am fine. oOPerhaps pride is another emotion to add on that list?Oo Bolani: As long as you are certain. I know it is a lot and do not want you overdoing it. ::T’Mar took a deep breath:: T’Mar: I was a little dizzy, but I assure you that I am quite alright now. Please continue. ::The truth was, the only feeling she was certain of, was that she enjoyed Zage’s presence. It made her feel.. happy? No, content. She did not want him to leave.:: Bolani: Very well. Take that fear, and suppress it as you normally would and tell me how I am feeling. ::In that moment, he focused on his final days on the Crawford. It was not a happy point in his career, and when he got word...it did not please him. The more he thought of it, the more he was able to relive those feelings he felt as he left. It was a combination of anger and sadness. He had formed bonds with those he worked with and was not looking forward to leaving.:: ::T'Mar suppressed her emotions and focused in Zage, this time envisioning it as a mind meld without physical contact. She felt...:: T'Mar: Anger. You are angry. ::She wondered what was making him feel enraged, but at the same time felt proud of herself for picking up on the emotion:: Bolani: Very good. ::Fast forwarding to his arrival on the Apollo, he thought of when he got his reassignment orders at the starbase. While he was not excited to leave the Crawford, he accepted it. When he found out he got the Apollo, he was actually excited to serve on the Achilles Class ship. It brought a sense of pride and happiness.:: ::The anger melted away and new sensations overtook her. She was beginning to get the hang of this.:: T'Mar: Joy? Bolani: Good. ::Before he could move on to the next question he continued on his train of thought, remembering the first time he thought he saw the corner of her mouth start to form a smile, and the moment his eyes traced over her features. He quickly realized that she was still focusing on him and his memories were betraying his purpose in her quarters. He found the Vulcan woman attractive, but he was not sure he would ever act on it. She was so different, and even though he was intrigued, they could be described as oil and water. He was curious how her grandparents did it. Even though he liked spending time with her and loved to see her struggle with the emotions of others, his initial instinct was attraction. There was something in her eyes that he had never seen in a Vulcan and it made it easier to forget that in the end...she was.:: ::T’Mar was surprised by how quickly she was able to feel what Zage felt. She could only assume he was projecting the emotions stronger in order to help her along. She continued to focus and soon felt another emotion. She was not certain if it was her feelings or his, but they bombarded her system and she leaned in closer without thinking about it first.:: T'Mar: Attraction... ::she whispered, staring into his eyes. Logic had abandoned her as her abilities went into overdrive.:: ::Zage widened his eyes. He was not trying to project his attraction for her, but she was able to pick up on it. It was a small feeling he had inside, and the Vulcan seemed to identify it quickly. He was not sure what to do next. He could have just played it off as him thinking of an old flame, but when dealing with an empath, it was easy to tell when they were not being honest. He could not think of anything to do but move one. He was worried about how she might take it. There was a lot to be said about the things that were never said. Neither confirming, nor denying he was feeling the attraction toward her, he nervously moved on.:: Bolani: ::nodding:: Yes. And now... ::T'Mar felt her heart pound and her blood rush to her cheeks, probably tinting them green.:: T'Mar: Nervous.. Bolani: I think you are getting pretty good at this. ::Looking into her eyes he paused. There was a look briefly in her eyes and it was one he shared. He realized that while she was learning quite a bit, they hit the ground running. He was winging it instead of planning out the different aspects. It made him nervous and concerned that he was feeling the attraction to her, and working with her empathic abilities at the same time. He felt the urge to drift his lips toward her, but fought it...knowing better. In one swift moment, he broke eye contact with her.:: ::T'Mar suddenly pulled back, her logic taking over. she remained silent, unsure what to say:: Bolani: I uh...I think we had a good lesson. You are actually pretty good at this once you get started. It will be harder for you to suppress your emotions and be able to read others at the same time. T’Mar: Indeed, I am noticing that.. ::T’Mar began focusing on getting her emotions in check. She was not fond of that aspect of these sessions. At the same time, she was not sure what to make of what had just occurred.:: ::Zage quickly stood up from the center of the room. He wanted to stay longer, but he could not afford the prolonged responses of his emotional state. Had she been any other species, he may not have shut down so quickly. He felt helpless, and as if his feelings were futile. He was not sure what he was doing, but he knew it needed to stop, at least until he had time to figure it out.:: Bolani: I think we can call it a night. It is getting late, and I do not want to impose...besides, the more you spend on it at one time, the more it can become blurry. ::smiling at her:: For what it is worth, I think you did a great job. I cannot wait until our next session, we will do it in the mess hall, or the Complex. ::His idea was to take the focus off of his feelings and put it onto someone else. Being an empath, he would be able to tell if her guess was right. That would keep his emotions out of the discussion, and he would try better to mask his attraction for her. It was the best way to help her and try to keep his feelings from her at the same time.:: ::T’Mar blew out the candles and stood, looking at Zage.. not daring to sense his emotions, for fear that she may lose control again. Instead, she nodded at his suggestion, a tiny smile creeping in.:: T’Mar: I look forward to the session as well. You are indeed a talented instructor. Thank you.. ::Moving to the door he turned around and gave her one last smile. He knew that he would need to see her in the morning when he came on duty. He was hoping he would not feel awkward. The last thing he needed was to have his personal feelings spill over to his work, but he knew enough to be able to prevent it from happening.:: Bolani: I will see you in the morning. ::T’Mar watched as he made his way to her door. A part of her wanted him to stay, the other knew it was not logical for many reasons.:: T’Mar: I will expect you to be on time, despite this late session. ::Turning Zage headed out of her quarters and off toward his. The entire trip he dwelled upon his feelings and the thoughts he was having in her quarters. He was not sure why they chose that moment to really surface. He thought that because he was trying to adapt his feelings through memories and at the same time focus on her...he just became over extended. It was a lot to handle on their first lesson, but in the end the benefits were greater than the drawbacks.:: ::And he left. T’Mar suddenly felt so alone in her quarters. She changed into her pajamas, dwelling on the emotions that had surfaced in the session. How was it that she so easily became overwhelmed with attraction? Unless.. she was feeling it too. It only made sense. Except that it didn’t. She was a Vulcan, she shouldn’t be allowing herself to feel anything. She sat on her bed, still deep in thought, wondering what was going through Zage’s mind. As she laid down, she soon became aware that the session had worn her out more than she originally thought. She drifted off into sleep, wondering what their interaction would be like the next day..:: TBC Lieutenant JG T’Mar Chief Security Officer USS Apollo, NCC-71669 & PNPC Lieutenant JG Zage Bolani Security Officer USS Apollo, NCC-71669 as simmed by: Fleet Captain Andrus Jaxx Commanding Officer USS Apollo, NCC-71669 Captains Council Magistrate

((Yosemite National Forest, Earth)) ::He'd jogged until he was out of breath, and then stopped only to regain it before running again. Certain that he'd distanced himself sufficiently from the Yacht and from Kieran, he finally stopped, chest heaving, and dropped to his knees. Tears spilled from his eyes as he looked up into the dark sky filled with stars, the silouhettes of the trees outlined by the moonlight.:: o O I can't do this again. Not to myself, not to Daisha or the twins. I can't get involved again. It hurts too much.. O o ::Sighing, he sat on the broken stump of a tree that had fallen and died long ago, his eyes reflecting in the moonlight. His sensitive infravision picked up a skulking wolf, far in the distance, and its prey, a small rabbit attempting to remain absolutely still. What the Ba'ku's night-vision did not intercept, however, was the figure that emerged from shadows of the trees and into the clearing. The moonlight danced off of her brown/burgundy-colored hair, her green eyes, and her pointed ears. Tyr gasped as he recognized her.:: WALTAS: Eden.. REDSTONE::Remaining partially in the shadows:: So you blame me for your fear? Did I "break" you, k'diwa? WALTAS::Anger rising to the surface:: Don't call me that. REDSTONE::Mockingly:: What? K'diwa? Would you rather I called you the human translation? Beloved? WALTAS: You don't have the right to call me ANYTHING. ::Even through the haze of anger, he found himself drawn to her, wanting to hold her again, to feel her lithe frame wrapped around him. He furiously fought down the urge to reach out for her.:: REDSTONE: The great Captain Tyr Waltas, broken by a woman. I was right to leave. You ARE pathetic. WALTAS::Looking away:: I loved you with every piece of me..every bit of my soul I poured into you. And you did nothing but wait for the moment to destroy everything we had. You walked away from me. From them... REDSTONE: And I'll do it again. Goodbye, Tyr. ::His head snapped around in the direction where she'd stood, only to find empty space. His eyes searched the wilderness, only to find what he'd found before-the wolf and the rabbit. Predator and prey. The rabbit was on the run, with the wolf in pursuit. He watched the chase idly, until another voice snapped his head in the direction where Eden Redstone had stood. There, in the moonlight, another form now materialized. This one from the dirt and mud itself, as if rising from the grave. It took form, and Tyr quickly found himself wishing it hadn't. Lieutenant Hammond, complete with her vintage gold-colored command shirt from Kirk's era, stood before him in all of her glory, carrying a fresh bag of guilt for the Captain.:: HAMMOND: It was easy to rid yourself of someone who walks away from you. What about someone who couldn't? WALTAS::Bitterly:: You KNOW why I left. The timeline.. HAMMOND: So you abandoned someone you loved for Starfleet protocol. To preserve the future. What about my future, Tyr? Our future? So the Constellation would have survived...would it have made that great a difference? To wipe out the planet killer together and spend the rest of our lives in each others' arms? Was that worth your precious temporal prime directive? WALTAS: It would never have worked.. HAMMOND::Walking forward, she planted an accusing finger squarely in his chest:: YOU walked away from ME, Tyr. You left me.. ::She walked backward, her form disappearing into the shadows:: to die.. WALTAS::Plaintively:: Please! Wait! ::Silence only greeted him. The Ba'ku lowered his head, tears falling upon the now dew-laden grass. The memories of the USS Constellation and his decision to consign them to their fate, including the woman he loved, tore at him from all sides. A strong yet feminine hand cupped his chin and lifted his eyes to hers. His heart nearly stopped in shock.:: WALTAS: Merigold. ::Merigold Kitiganzibi stood before him, smelling of sandalwood and lavender as she always had, the wind carrying the scent to him like the touch of a lost love. While Tyr had grown older and his hair was now gray, she stood before him in the flower of youth-just as when they'd first met aboard the Constitution. Her powerful form was accentuated in the moonlight, giving her an almost statuesque appearance. Except this statue spoke, and delivered more pain.:: KITIGANZIBI: Ah, the memories of first love. WALTAS::Shaking his head:: YOU walked away. KITIGANZIBI::[...]ing her head curiously, a curl of dark hair escaping to stray into her face:: Did I? Or did you ask too much, Tyr? ::She raised her other hand, holding the wedding band he'd given her. It gleamed golden in the moonlight:: Too much, too soon? You always wanted it all, when you wanted it, didn't you? Never willing to wait until the time was right. WALTAS: The time was NEVER right for you. You never would hold yourself to me. KITIGANZIBI: Blaming others again, Tyr? ::Snorting, she dropped the ring to the ground, where it dissolved into the vegetation around it:: I can see you still haven't grown up after all this time. ::Playfully, she flicked his graying long hair:: You've only grown older. ::She began to walk away as the words cut at him, wounding him from every side and angle. Through the pain and tears he spoke, his voice weak and labored. In the distance the wolf had caught the rabbit and quickly made the kill.:: WALTAS: Y..you killed me.. KITIGANZIBI: I did. ::Turning, a phaser now in hand:: And I would again. ::She fired, the bright orange beam burning a hole in his chest and blasting him off the log. He landed in a heap nearby as pain radiated outward, burning him, consuming him as the wolf consumed the rabbit. An anguished scream was all he could muster before the beam destroyed him utterly.:: ((Yosemite Forest, Earth)) ::He awoke with a continuation of the scream from the nightmare, but quickly silenced himself. He was shaking with terror, and his hand went involuntarily to his chest to feel for the phaser burn. There was nothing but the fabric of his sweat-soaked shirt. Allowing his breathing to return to normal and his heart to slow to its regular pace, he climbed down from the large branch of the tree he'd perched in and stood unsteadily on the ground. He looked about and found the wolf in the distance. The rabbit was nowhere to be seen. Quietly, he returned to the campsite with no firewood, but still bearing a burden heavier than he had left with.:: ============================== Captain Tyr Waltas Commanding Officer USS Discovery

((Counsellor’s Office)) ::Greir was running out of time and had been procrastinating about watching the news feed from Britta Daysa. He’d even gone so far as to coax Eerie into coming in for his yearly psych eval. Anyone would think he wasn’t taking his task seriously, especially given how important his task was and the greater things at stake – things that mattered a great deal to him personally.:: oOSo what was the problem then? Oo :: He knew how the battle went, he’d read the reports, talked to surviving relatives. They’d won, massacred the Klingons and drove them from their home so what was he afraid of? He cracked his fingers as he thought about it. This was hardly the first battle he’d seen or participated in for that matter. It wasn’t the first time his planet had seen strife either –there had been the Romulan occupation.:: ::The battle had been fought outside the city, in the ridge at the far end of the valley that led in towards it. A few small groups of townspeople in the city had caused a riot and some damage; he’d lost family due to that but that wasn’t the cause of his problem either. He’d lost a few family and friends from the militia, but he’d lost friends in his Starfleet career too. He had barely even bothered to keep in touch with his family and friends, now that did bother him. Those that he’d lost, he’d never have a chance to express what they meant to him or even say goodbye. He had no one to blame but himself for that and for one person in particular that he’d lost the thought was unbearable.:: oORori…Oo :: Most fielders in Greir’s family were of average ability but Rori had a lot of natural talent for it. When Greir was small he had suffered terribly with headaches and other symptoms and at times he’d been inconsolable. Rori had frequently stepped in to give his parents a break from the constant crying and fuss he’d kicked up. He could remember most clearly looking into the man’s big, yellow and copper flecked, warm eyes. He had always been so patient and kind soothing Greir with stories and song. They had spent hours drawing what they fielded. In this and other ways Rori had helped Greir learn to use and cope with his fielding abilities. This continued for years and when a new school was found for Greir it was Rori who went with him. His parents had commitments in Bondi that they could not leave behind . Greir’s older brother Loffe was at school too, he was doing well and had friends and did not want to move. There were also elderly, frail grandparents that needed constant care. Coupled with their jobs it was a lot of upheaval, so it looked like Greir would not be able to attend and would have to make to where he was.:: ::It was a great relief when Rori offered to accompany him as the two had always been very close...:: oO What are you expecting to see? It was a big battle there’s no way… Just grow a beard and be a man. Oo ::He was getting frustrated and irritated with himself.:: ::Also he was now procrastinating by considering the merits of, and imagining himself… with a beard.:: ::He slammed his hand down on the table flat and hard making the PADD resting on it rattle.:: Reinard: Do it! ::He prodded the touchscreen aggressively making the newsfeed finally begin.:: ==========THE BATTLE OF BONDI========= ((Bondi, Manar Providence, Til’ahn)) ::The Laudean militia assembled in the ridge at the far end of the valley. The invading forces had to pass through here to be able to get into the coastal city Bondi. The Laudeans were equipped with disrupter weapons and there were explosive charges and grenades ready to be used.:: ::The Laudeans in the valley looked tense but very very determined as they waited on the Klingons advancing far enough into the valley for them, and the StarFleet Officers supporting them to shoot them like Meeka in a well. The Starfleet Officers were up on the ridge in strategic positions. Much preparation had gone into this - fielders, including Rori had done sweeps for Houdinis , mines and other traps before assembling in the valley.:: ::You could tell the Laudeans wanted to open fire but Daysa and his Lieutenants held them in check. Greir had so much respect for that man. Once the Klingons had come forward enough they finally let rip! The battle roiled this way and that, all sides were losing men. The sight of blood, energy burns, explosion damage, dismembered people – Laudeans was tough to behold. There were his people, fighting hard and dying for the freedom of their very planet.:: ::Greir had been blissfully unaware at the time. The news hadn’t reached him until sometime later and what a pile of dren he felt. He’d been quite comfortably sat in his officegoofing off! He’d been wasting time, flirting and cracking jokes with a terran called Aidan. There probably wasn’t anything he could have done about it even had he known what was coming prior to it, but he still felt he should have been there. He felt like he’d abandoned his people.:: ::Up on the ridge StarFleet Officers fought fiercely. They shot and dropped grenades on the invading Klingon and Scarlet Brotherhood invaders– Grier should have been among them! The Klingons were ferocious and held their own for a long time. It was the Brotherhood that crumbled first, their flank began to collapse forcing the Klingons to try and resupply them.:: ::The sound of Klingons roaring, people screaming and dying in agony filled the air, along with the boom of yet more explosions and the familiar sound of mortar fire. There was rock fall and dust as weapons fire impacted the walls of the cliffs. Greir remembered climbing those as a child but now he’d never look at this area the same again. As the battle unfolded before him it was clear that the Laudeans would be finished for if the Klingons managed to get their reinforcements up through the gully, and resupply the Brotherhood. :: ::Laudean fighters circled overhead and fired down upon the invaders relentlessly. Greir had wanted to be a fighter pilot – like many young boys – and had collected toy models and read the articles in the ezines, but had not possessed the required reflexes. A Starfleet shuttle could be seen zipping overhead as well depositing the previously recovered mines in strategic positions. :: ::It seemed the StarFleet Officers were having the desired impact because their efforts were starting to draw attention causing some weapons and mortar fire to be concentrated on their positions. A lot of that fire however was just hitting the rocks causing… more rock fall… It was actually rock fall that had killed Rori.:: ::The Laudeans were never let up or faltered, they fought with passion and determination. With StarFleet and the air support the battle was won. These were true heroes. Greir knew that a lot of them had little or no combat experience but they still put themselves forward, put themselves at risk and died for their people – their loved ones. The Laudeans finished them off while StarFleet went on to locate the cowardly leaders of the brotherhood and prevent them from sneaking off and re-surfacing to cause evil and damage elsewhere at another time.:: ==========END OF NEWS FEED========= ::As the news feed faded to black Greir slumped back in his chair, absorbing it all in a way he hadn’t had to before. He missed Rori terribly and wondered if there was some kind of memorial he could pay his respects at some day. He was sure Rori knew how much Greir had cared for him and hoped he hadn’t passed on thinking that Greir had stopped caring, that he’d abandoned him.:: ::He had to pull it together and he had to watch it again. This time he’d watch it from a more tactical and strategic viewpoint. He needed to see the battle as the Zakdorn would, he had to anticipate their reaction to this, what questions they might have. What in here had merit to the Zakdorn and how was he going to sell the Federation to the masses.:: ::He went to get a fresh drink of tea and was feeling a little jittery now. His cup trembled slightly in his hands as he pressed the button to play it again. He took notes on his PADD and drank the calming tea as he watched the second play through. Viewing it with a more focussed mind helped him regain his cool a little. When it was done he put the PADD down and set the chronometer. Ten minutes.:: ::He took out a small device that resonated energy, it wasn’t very powerful. His terran friend Aidan had seen it once and likened it to a ‘Lava lamp’ whatever that was, but it gave off soothing energy and he began a small meditation exercise to bring himself back into balance.:: _____________________________________ ((USS Vigilant, Deck 5: Counsellor's Office)) ::Happy to have had the chance to sit down with his first officer at long last, Herrera had taken to the corridors once again. The coffee he had drunk had started to take effect and had stemmed the onslaught of yawns that had begun to take hold. Quite apart from the fact he knew he needed to be alert for the task he and Counsellor Reinard were about to undertake, he knew quite well from experience that yawns were contagious. He imagined Reinard was probably a little tired himself and having the captain sat in front of him half-asleep wouldn't exactly be conducive to making progress.:: ::Pushing the chime on the door to the office, he waited to be called inside.:: oO(Greir)Is that the Captain? So soon? Perhaps not… Oo Reinard: ::Calling out:: Come on in. ::And so it was that Diego stepped through the now open door into the Counsellor's office, hefting a PADD of information he had hastily downloaded and believed would help both of them in their cause.:: Herrera: How's everything going? Reinard: Ah… well… I-uh- … Well… ::Stammering a bit:: ::He was trying to think what to say about it. He hadn’t made as much progress as he’d ideally wanted to. It seemed to be an annoying constant right now but as always, he was determined to get on top of it. By now though he was getting tired, the meditation at least had helped soothe some of the sour mood that had been forming earlier however. Even so he wasn’t half as cheery or optimistic as normal. :: ::Depositing his PADD on the desk, the captain's eyes were immediately drawn to the replicator.:: Herrera: Do you mind if I grab a coffee? Reinard: Oh. Not at all Sir, help yourself. Herrera: Thanks, do you want anything? Reinard: Yes actually, that would be nice. I’ll take a Jestral Tea please. ::Placing his order, Diego quickly returned to the desk putting down Greir's drink where he could reach it. Fighting the urge to push his seat backwards and put his feet up on someone else's desk, he instead activated his PADD.:: Herrera: So... what have we got so far? Reinard: ::Clearing his throat and cracking his fingers:: Well, I got in touch with Britta Daysa from home. The minister and I were both of the opinion that we needed something more… concrete to show them, as proof. We don’t expect them to simply trust and believe in our word and heart felt sentiments. ::Slurping his tea and gulping it down in one go.:: Hererra: I'm with you on that too. The more hard evidence we can show them, the better. Reinard: ::Rolling and cracking his neck this time:: She sent me a data packet – a newsfeed of the Battle of Bondi. It’s a bit of a … tense battle. A bit of a slaughter really. ::Pointing a finger:: …Of the Klingons. ::He wasn’t too sure what he was trying to convey right now but he was going to have to step it up quite considerably for tomorrow.:: Herrera: ::Encouragingly:: Well, that sounds like a great selling point. The Zakdorn public will definitely be interested in hearing about things that are recent, relevant and local. I figured that I'd maybe try a more historical approach that reaches further afield with the Assembly. They're more likely to be concerned about the political picture over the Alpha and Beta quadrants. Reinard: ::Picking himself up a bit:: I think that’s an excellent approach Captain, it will reinforce our position quite well I think. What will you tell them? ::He took a swig of his drink before setting his PADD to display an old mission report from the USS Challenger.:: Herrera: I crossed paths with the Klingons some time ago. They requested assistance from Starfleet to deal with a race that had suddenly withdrawn from a war they had been fighting under mysterious circumstances. When the orders came through it took me a while to understand exactly why that was a problem, until we all realised that there was something else to it. Reinard: Yes, it does seem very odd. ::Scratching his left cheek with his right hand as he mulled it over.:: Herrera: To cut through a lot of complications, we found out that the Klingons had been completely duped by a third race who they didn't even seem to know existed. I'd say it's a perfect example of a tactical blind spot and a result of their collective overconfidence. Not something a Zakdorn would necessarily approve of. Reinard: I agree. I tend to wonder, if the Zakdorn only sought ‘muscle’ in their alliance they’d have sided with the Klingon’s long before now. Klingons are not known for having great achievements in science for example. Almost all Klingons are warriors and they actually look down upon their scientists as inferior. In some ways it’s amazing they even made it out to space… don’t you think? ::Put like that, it did seem like quite a feat for them to have accomplished, although despite the fact that scientists weren't exactly top dogs in Klingon society, they had made some important advances of their own.:: Herrera: Maybe it was the urge to conquer that spurred them to develop better technology... but yes, I think we can probably play on that a little. Reinard: I know we’re short on time but what about giving a shout out to some of the technological or scientific or medical achievements the Zakdorn have benefitted from due to the Federation? ::The category of 'medical achievements' was home territory as far as Diego was concerned and the same could probably be said for Greir. They wouldn't have to look too far into those topics to find useful things that Starfleet had developed before the Klingon Empire being as the Klingons had been through a period of sharing technology with the Romulans in order to further advance themselves in the past.:: Herrera: Good call. I'll focus on military... why don't you look at day-to-day things? Hospital equipment, communications technology... the sorts of things that we can't do without. The only thing I can think of that the Klingons have that we don't is cloaking technology but even those aren't completely impenetrable any more... Reinard: I doubt it will be long before we crack it though. We have working Klingon and Romulan devices that researchers are working on and a growing number of aliens coming in with knowledge of the technology. However I agree, our alliance is not based only on one thing and it would be good to remind them of the every day things they have and take for granted that can be attributed to the Federation. : :It was as his thoughts drifted to how he might feel if he had to make the public address that Diego got the feeling that he could have been asking more of his chief counsellor than he first thought. He didn't doubt his capabilities to make the address for a second, but his mind lingered on the fact that a battle that had taken place on Til'ahn would be included as part of that event. Putting himself in the Laudean's shoes, he had the unpleasant feeling that were their situations reversed and Earth had been hit, he might have been less than comfortable. He didn't want to patronise Greir, but then he didn't want to just railroad over him without considering in more detail what he was asking him to do.:: Herrera: Greir, where... ::He stopped short of asking the question. Maybe it was just tiredness that was making him overthink it; that wasn't normally his style. Or maybe he knew he should have been listening to his own counsellor's training and continued with the question. Either way, he'd already attracted the man's attention.:: ::Greir was fidgeting and shunting his cup around with one hand as he scrolled through databases looking for some hits for the additional strategy they were going to bring in. His nostrils flared as he stifled a yawn and he raised his eyes and brow to look at the Captain.:: Reinard: Sir? Herrera: Whereabouts on Til'ahn did you say you were from again? ::He knew the answer even as it was being given. Diego had asked in the turbolift. He was from Bondi. The same place as the battle in the newsfeed.:: Reinard: ::Returning his eyes to the PADD his reply was monotone, clipped and fast.:: Bondi ::Eyes dropping to the floor for a moment, Diego sighed. Had he had to pick through a newsfeed about a Klingon invasion of Santander, he knew exactly how he'd feel.:: ::Reinard raised his hand and wiped his eye before it could shed a tear.:: Herrera: God, I'm sorry. I should have realised as soon as you said it. Are you alright? Reinard: Well I knew about it before this. Just... wa'ching it. ::Choking up a bit:: So many... dih dih... ::Strained:: lost. Terrible. Heroes. ::Greir slapped his PADD down in frustration. He was tired and mostly shocked, he'd barely just finished watching these events and after everything that had been going on he felt like his mind was still trying to catch up. He couldn't afford to lose it though. There was too much at stake.:: Herrera: ::Sympathetically:: That's not true... Reinard: What really gets me right now. Those StarFleet Officers... Fleet Captain Turner, Major Parker, Marine Captain Hella, Lt Cmdr Allison and Tallis Rhul among others... they've done more for my people than I have. ::Greir put his head in his hands.:: Herrera: They're permanently assigned to the Embassy, you don't get to choose where you get posted. Reinard: I should have been there! I did nothing... I didn't even touch... ::He felt shaky and despairing all over again:: ::Diego wasn't sure what the significance of the word 'touch' was, but Greir's emotions were unquestionably raw. He wished he'd had the chance to put two and two together before he'd had to go through this ordeal but hindsight wasn't going to do Greir any good. The counsellor's guilt was understandable but hardly rational and this wasn't the kind of thing that just passed like a cloud in the wind; Diego knew from his own experience that he would need support in the coming days and he had no intention of forcing him into something so difficult and painful.:: Hererra: You can't blame yourself for not being there. ::He knew that the comment would provide cold comfort if any at all.:: Would it help if someone else made the presentation tomorrow? We can find a different case file, anything that will make this easier on you. Reinard: ::Bucking himself up again. He was quite determined:: Captain. I can do this. I won't crumble tomorrow and I won't let you down. ::The captain took a second to digest that. Even in the wake of such personal tragedy, here was a man who was determined not to fail him and to do his duty. Was this what a commanding officer and service to Starfleet represented to those in its service?:: Herrera: I can't think of a way that you could let me down right now. This is one hell of a thing you've just put yourself through and lesser men would have crumbled. The truth is, I've served with Captain Turner, Hella and Parker. They're [...] good officers. But just because you're not serving on your home world doesn't mean you're doing less for your people than they are. Your actions tomorrow will prevent an alliance between the Klingons and the Zakdorn. I know that because you've put every ounce of your expertise into drawing together an address that will bring the Zakdorn who have lost their way right back to their senses. You're fighting for your homeworld just by being here and in everything that you do. Reinard: ::Nodding in agreement:: I try to see it that way too. ::One question remained and Diego purposefully pushed it to the back of his mind. At some point, he knew he would need to bring it to light but at the present time it would hinder Greir more than it would help him. Finding out whether or not he'd heard the names of any friends or loved ones on the death list would have to wait for another day.:: Herrera: I think we both could use some rest. I'd like to talk about this again some time when you're not under so much pressure. ::Effectively, it was a request for an appointment. There were enough trained mental health experts aboard that in this situation there would always be someone to counsel the counsellor if it was needed.:: It would be good to talk about some happier things too. Reinard: ::Trying to smile:: You're right and it certainly will, I'd like that but for now let's focus on the mission. Herrera: ::Nodding:: Alright. ::He stood from his chair, PADD in hand before looking Greir in the eye and offering him something that rank, position and previous training did not generate; it was a genuine gesture from one person to another.:: If you need anything, call me. I'll probably be up for a little while yet. Reinard: ::Sincerely:: Thank you, I really appreciate that. I'm going to stay up a bit more. There is some more work I need to get done on this before I will be remotely happy and i'm going to need some more meditation to focus and balance myself properly again. ::He knew he was going to have to address what had occurred here today but he needed to do it at an appropriate time. He would muster every ounce of determination and professional resolve he could and steel himself for tomorrow. It was going to be a tough day but he was a Lt Commander now, his fresh faced ensign days were long gone. He'd gotten to this stage in his career by handling tough situations, by coping with pressure and he would make this work.:: Herrera: See you tomorrow. ::Waving over his shoulder as he reached the door, Diego sincerely hoped that Greir really would be alright.:: Reinard: Goodnight Captain, rest well. ::Turning over his notes and looking to make sure he'd covered all the points he wanted to make, searching for weakness.:: A JP by: Captain Diego Herrera Commanding Officer: USS Vigilant http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Herrera,_Diego and Lt Cmdr Reinard Chief Counsellor USS Vigilant__._,_.___

((Counselor’s Office)) ::Grier was leaning back in his high backed leather chair and listening to some Mozart as he made preparations for his speech and waited for Eerie to arrive for his yearly psych eval. He’d never listened to it before but despite his time constraints he’d done his homework and knew that Eerie listened to it. Having it play quietly in the background was as much an effort to understand the officer as it was to put him at ease when he arrived. Shame it did nothing for his, but then perhaps he was just procrastinating. That was an extremely bad idea right now. He needed to watch that news feed and get that speech prepared. He was making himself anxious now but he justified the diversion - he did really want to check in with those who’d been held hostage - and his review was due... :: ::Eerie was not pleased, another ship and another evaluation. He moved down the corridor, with purpose as always, new crewman got out of his way, but it was not for want of getting there. It was for want of getting it over with. He found the Counselor’s office and buzzed the door.:: Grier: ::Hearing the door buzzer:: Enter! ::Pleasantly.:: ::Eerie entered the office to see Counselor sitting in his chair, he was a bit surprised to find some of his favorite music playing quietly in the background. But it did not soften his mood. He stood in front of the Counselor..:: Eerie :: Lt. Commander Eerie, reporting as ordered.. ::It was stiff and formal.:: ::Grier noticed with a trace of disappointment that Eerie was every bit as stiff and formal as ever. Whatever friendliness he had glimpsed... or imagined the first day they had met was nowhere to be seen. The music however was not the only trick he was using in his ‘charm’ offensive.:: Grier: Hello Eerie, thank you for keeping your appointment and arriving punctually. As you are aware you’re here for your standard, yearly psych evaluation. Just a point of note, while we are in this room rank is irrelevant. In this case we’re the same rank but experience shows rank, particularly where there are big differences can present an obstacle in itself, so please, address me as Grier. oO(Eerie) Not a bad speech. Gets an ‘A’ for effort, so far Oo Eerie: Of course. ...Grier. if you want to address me as Eerie, that is fine. I am here to answer your questions. ...oO(Eerie) Come on rock head....what do they call it? ...little talk.Oo ::Pause:: Eerie: I hope you are settling in alright? ::It was still stiff and formal. But he tried taking some of the edge of it off. The Brikar took a quick glance at the table and saw a chess set on it.:: Grier: ::Smiling warmly and laughing lightly:: Eerie, this is not an interrogation you know. I’m not here with a purpose in mind. ::It seemed to him that so many people came in here thinking he was going out his way to find a reason to take them of duty or classify them as insane or unstable.:: However, in answer to your question i’m settling in great. We have a varied and interesting crew, i’m enjoying getting to know everyone and making some friends. How are you settling in yourself? ::Switching the focus back to Eerie:: Eerie: I am Brikar, I would not crack under interrogation. ::Stiff, but with a bit of pride.:: I look forward to getting to know the rest of the crew as well. But I am getting to know the ship. I have found the crew well trained, and do their jobs. ::Eerie’s tone was almost monologue.:: Greir: Of course not, never suggested such a thing. I am glad you’re settling in fine, but how did it feel to be held hostage like that? Eerie: I was only a hostage so, no one else would get hurt. :: His voice stiff and formal, like a textbook response.:: Grier: Okay, but how much damage can a Brikar sustain. ::He imagined it was a great deal but no one was invincible.:: Did you have any concerns for your colleagues if not yourself? Eerie: My concern was for my crewmates, Doctor. My life is to serve, it is our way, the Brikar way. I have put myself in the way of harm before for my crewmates, I will do so again.::With a bit of pride.:: Greir: Very courageous Eerie, we’re all very lucky to have you by our side! Eerie: We all use our talents, just don’t ask me to save someone from a lake. It would take me a very long time to wade out to them. ::There was minor hint of humor in his voice.:: We don’t swim.:: Greir: ::Smiling and hoping to fish a bit more:: Perhaps there’s an interesting story there you’d like to share? Eerie: Perhaps another time. ::Eerie remembered the time he almost drowned and froze. It was not a pleasant experience. :: :: He was a little disappointed but decided it was time to play his next card in his effort to get the Brikar to relax with him a little more. He knew it was a tall order given the species psychological profiles and that’s why particular care had been taken.:: Greir: While you’re here, I thought you might enjoy a game of chess as I get to know you a little better. ::Grier had only had a little time to brush up on the game, and wasn’t anywhere near as ready as he would have liked.:: oO(Eerie) Chess?.....Hmmm. Oo Eerie : White or Black? ::Eerie took a detailed examination of the the chess board.:: Oh...yes.: ::The board was on table with two chairs, and Eerie carefully eased into on. The game started with Greir using a knight to open the game. Eerie decided on a conservative approach to the unknown skill of the counselor. He remembered the conversation in the transport, and how good the counselor was supposed to be. He had checked the records of the Starbase, and had not found any record of him playing in any of the tournaments. :: ::The game progressed slowly as the Counselor, seems very tentative. Eerie started to get into the game and started to relax a bit. :: ::Grier was playing a bit cautiously and taking his time. It was difficult to concentrate on the game and also the counseling session. He had to be choosy not only about what he asked, but how and when. He had to be an attentive observer of body language, tone and general reactions. He wasn’t so much here for a chess match as the opportunity to unravel the mystery of Eerie after all. Though he was trying to anticipate what move Eerie might make after each of his possible moves before he settled on one.:: ::Grier wanted to begin the session on a positive note and chose a subject that he thought Eerie would respond positively to. Not to mention it was quite interesting in it’s own right. He’s learned from records that Eerie had been involved in a personal relationship with a Bolian. It was a huge difference in personalities but he could see how it might have worked. Bolian’s being generally outgoing, sociable and upbeat creatures was possibly the best antidote to the Brikarn’s formal and stiff demeanor. :: Grier: I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how is Peiy doing? ::The only concern was that if he was missing her terribly then bringing her up might be touching on a nerve. He took the gamble and observed carefully.:: ::Eerie could see that the last move was a mistake and he captured a bishop. He said nothing. Just letting the game continue. The question was however a bit of surprise, he missed Peiy. But he knew that it was the best situation, for right now.:: Eerie: She is fine. We are sharing personal logs. But we thought that any direct communication should wait for a while, but I am sure that we will talk again. She...is a very special person. ::He tried to keep it formal, but he soften a bit, thinking of all the good experiences that he had with her. Forcing ‘Eden’ out of his memory. :: ::Grier was slightly kicking himself for losing a bishop but didn’t let it show. Who won the match was the least of his interests and concerns.:: Grier: I’m very glad that you still keep in touch with her. What was it that attracted you to her in the first place and did you have any difficulties during the course of your relationship? ::By that he meant as much culturally as physically. It was purposefully a broad question designed to allow Eerie to interpret it appropriately for what they’d shared.:: ::Eerie wasn’t thrilled with the open ended question, by nature Brikar never talked about such matters, counselor or no counselor. But he had to say something. He paused for a moment, and took his mind off the game.:: Eerie: I worked will with her, and as she was tactical officer, we worked in close proximity. I felt some attraction to her. So we had a picnic together eventually. I was able to talk to her. We shared a lot. And she still means a great deal to me. There were of course, difficulties. Most Brikar do not have ‘relationships’ outside of their species.::Eerie’s eyes and mind focused back on the chess game, now wanting to be a bit more bold and aggressive in the game. He could now see an open path to a checkmate and hopefully and put an end to this ‘discussion’.:: ::In answering the question Eerie seemed to have been distracted and Greir thought the last move might have been a mistake. More interesting than the piece he just captured was the question about how Eerie overcame the species barrier. He examined the captured piece in his hand as Eerie looked at the board, probably thinking how to compensate for the loss.:: :: Greir’s mind was not on the game. He was considering whether it would be more fruitful to pursue this line of questioning or come back to it another day after gaining some more trust. This was just a standard psych eval, there was nothing he had observed or written in any reports that suggested there was any concern about Eerie’s mental state or ability to function. He didn’t want to needlessly push him away.:: Grier: ::Sincerely:: That was very bold of you to be able to step beyond your boundaries like that. ::Eerie watched the next move, and it was a rare move that wasn’t employed very often. Eerie watched Grier executed a ‘castling’.Moving both the rook and the king. Throwing Eeries’ attack strategy in disarray.:::: oO(Eerie) Didn’t see that move. Come on Eerie, you better focus on one thing. Oo Eerie: I had some help from one of my friends. She gave me some ‘dating’ advice. As most relationships are arranged for us. It was a good experience for me. ::Eerie tried to focus back on the game, and not doing particularly well as he lost a knight to the counselor.:: ::Grier smiled, he knew it was important to have good friends and the best ones were those that challenged you to grow. It could be hard to make truly great friends like that and a big change such as moving ship could be the death knell for some friendships but hopefully not for this one.:: Grier: ::Upbeat and merry:: That’s good to hear, do you still keep in touch with this friend? ::Eerie took his ‘hand’ off of the piece he was about to move, losing his concentration.:: Eerie: She was killed during an away mission, Counselor. ::Becoming very formal again, and stiffening back up. His focus on the game, now gone. He straighten up to regain his equilibrium.:: ::Grier knew instantly he’d touched a nerve and deduced that this was the person he heard about in the course of his foraging for information.:: Grier: ::More serious and very sincere:: I’m terribly sorry for your loss Eerie. Losing a friend is never easy. Did the two of you have anything special, or fun that you used to enjoy together? ::Eerie remembered back the the holodeck and the surprise greeting he got on more then one occasion.:: Eerie : She loved to call me ‘Buster’ and toss rocks at me to get my attention. But I got her back ‘good’ once. But it is a long story. ::Remembering the entire “Pippin Longstocking holoprogram.” ::Keeping a smile, down but his tone changed slightly.:: ::Grier checked himself before frowning and just managed to maintain the mask of neutrality. ‘Buster’? … and tossing rocks... that didn’t sound too friendly. He supposed Eerie was more than big and tough enough to handle it but still... It wasn’t his place to judge, Eerie seemed to remember it fondly enough and he figured that was all that mattered. :: ::Eerie focused again and came back to the present. The game was still in front of him.:: Grier: No one can take away those fond memories and you’re welcome to talk to me - informally even - about those good times. Eerie: Agreed. She was a great friend. My first real friend. ::There was a bittersweet taste in his mouth. He focused back on the game and make a move that would probably end the game soon.::: ::Eerie’s game seemed to be picking up again and it didn’t look as though it would be long before a winner was determined. There were just a few standard questions he wanted to ask before they finished up.:: Grier: What would you say has been the most challenging thing you’ve had to overcome? ::Eerie knew right away, but today was not the day for it and he would keep a lid on it.:: Eerie: The Eden mission, but it is not a topic for discussion. At least not yet. ::Eerie made another move, Using his Queen in a start of a systemic approach to eliminate the rest of the Counselors pieces. :: Grier: Alright Eerie, I can respect that. What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Eerie: Command....Someday.. ::The answer was simple and direct.:: ::Grier had given it his best shot and had actually done better than he’d hoped, both with Eerie himself and the chess game. There were a few turns when he thought he’d turned the game around. Eerie most certainly seemed to have the upper hand now and seemed to be pushing to get finished, presumably so he could leave. Grier noted with disappointment that he’d clammed up again. He couldn’t see a way to turn the game around but thought at least he could be a little irritating and drag it out a few more turns to get his last questions in before the big officer tried to make his escape.:: Greir: Alright, a commendable goal... what are the things you most like and dislike about your job? Eerie: I am the Chief Tactical and Security officer, other than the reports that I have to write and read. I have a great career. ::Eerie moved his rook in for the kill before there was a chance of a stalemate.:: ::Well report writing certainly could be a bit boring but if that was all he had to complain about then he was either a very good liar or a very content officer. :: Grier: I wish we could all be as content as you seem to be. ::Standing up and offering his hand.:: Well Eerie, you beat me fair and square but it was a good match. Thank you for coming to see me today, I don’t see any reason to detain you further. Please feel free to come and talk with me again any time you need anything. ::Smiling warmly: Eerie:: Eerie got up from the chair and carefully gave the man a firm shake: Commander, you may not be the ships best chess player, but tactically. ::Thinking of the Chess game and the music, he had set the scene perfectly. He should of had Turkish coffee. But Eerie was certain that one does not play all of his assets to begin with. :: I will not underestimate you... Grier: ::Watching Eerie depart:: Don’t kid yourself Commander, you've had one victory and only because I went easy on you. You’ve not had the best from me. ::Grinning jovially.:: ::Eerie turned and decided that he ‘actually’ liked this officer, there was something about him. There was some cunning as well.:: Eerie: Commander, it was a pleasure. Just be aware that you have not seen my ‘best’ game either. ::The tone was still formal and dry. But the words conveyed some warmth. Eerie turned and exited the office.:: A JP by: Lt Cmdr Reinard Chief Counsellor USS Vigilant and Lt. Cmdr Eerie CTO/CSO USS Vigilant

((Private room, Assembly Hall, Prak Zel)) ::Things hadn't yet been explained to Fox on the plans for how they were going to deal with - and hopefully win - a game of Stratagema, and so Ilyazi, having already retrieved the Ensign from Zaveri's office, walked with him back to the room Minister Haksar had allocated for their use. He was nervous, she could tell, and she needed time with him both to explain, and then prepare him for what was possibly going to be quite an experience. She didn't know yet just how much contact he'd had with telepaths, and getting him used to her in his brain was her main priority.:: Malon: ::laughing:: I tell you what, if you win, I'll buy you dinner, how does that sound? ::This was the second time he'd been surprised by Malon in as many minutes. A shy smile managed to grow on his face. A few drinks with Counsellor Reinard and dinner with Dr Malon. If only he'd known making friends with his colleagues would be so easy, he might have managed to sleep the past fortnight.:: Fox: ::Smiling:: Well with that incentive, I've no excuse to lose. ::She smiled to herself, and as they finally approached the private room, she silently opened the door and held it while Fox came in, much as she might have welcomed a patient into her offices back on Earth. But he wasn't a patient. He was a colleague. And with that in mind, she closed the door, literally shutting everything outside that room off.:: ::The door closing and the ensuing silence startled Fox. The young Ensign quite clearly had no idea why Ilyazi wanted him alone. He cautiously took a seat in the far end of the room, facing the Doctor. He had nervously begun to run his hand through his hair.:: Malon: ::laughing gently:: You look a bit nervous. Are you okay? Fox: ::Hesitantly:: Uh...that depends. What are we here for? Malon: ::smiling:: Just relax. I wanted to talk to you about this game of stratagema. How are you feeling about it? Fox: Alright....I suppose. I'm quite a good player but with so much riding on me winning....and the quality of the opposition... ::He slowly shook his head, doubt plastered over his face.:: Malon: Hopefully I can help with that. ::moving to bring a chair over to where Fox was sat:: The Captain and I have come up with a little plan to aid you in winning this game of stratagema. But for it to work, I need you to be completely and utterly comfortable with me. Fox: W-what? Malon: Do you know that I'm a telepath? ::Of course, the moment he registered the question in his mind, she'd have her answer. Not even the most skillful of liars could ever school their first thoughts from her.:: oOYesOo Fox: I think I heard the Captain mention as such in the briefing.... Malon: ::giving a curt nod, keeping her black eyes settled on him:: How do you feel about telepaths and communicating via telepathy? ::She was keeping contact verbal for the time being, more with the aim of building trust than anything else. Captain Herrera had been forearmed with the knowledge she was a telepath, and by his thoughts made it quite clear he had no problems communicating that way. Fox, though...she wasn't sure yet. Nor, for that matter, was Fox:: Fox: How do I feel about it...? I don't know. I mean, you're the first telepath I've met. oOI've nothing against telepaths if that's what this is about....is that what she thinks? God, I hope not. Does she think I'm a bigot? Does the Captain?Oo ::She heard his quite obvious distressed thoughts and, with a warm smile, held up a forestalling hand.:: Malon: It's okay, I'm not asking because I think you're bigoted. No one thinks that of you, so relax. This is purely about the game. ::pause:: Obviously, for me its quite natural to hear other people's thoughts in my head. For you it isn't. It can be quite a...unique experience, especially if you're new to it. Fox: ::Cautiously:: If I'm new to it....? Malon: The idea is that I'll be with you while you play a game of stratagema. The Zakdorn spectators won't worry about their thoughts being overheard, and you can guarantee that with their skill, they'll be thinking of what your next move should be if *they* were playing. All I need to do is listen in, pick up the best move from them, and relay it to you. How does that sound to you? ::Fox's face was quite the sight; his jaw hung open and his eyes narrowed as he fought to take in and comprehend this barrage of new information.:: Fox: Wh.....but isn't that cheating? Malon: ::chuckling:: Yes. But as much as I'd love to say you're up to the Zakdorn's level...no one but a Zakdorn is. Fox: I suppose you're right....Stratagema's a pacy game though, could you....'communicate' with me that fast? Malon: ::nodding reassuringly:: I think so, but we'll need to practice. I don't want to overload you, so I want to take this fairly slowly. ::She paused again, giving him chance to think it through.:: Malon: Ready? Fox: ::Nervously::....Alright. I'm willing to try. Do I need to do anything? Will this hurt? ::She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, her next words being sent telepathically to him.:: Malon: ~ I promise you, it won't hurt. And all you have to do is listen. ~ ::speaking aloud:: I'm going to send you a list of four words. All I want you to do is relay them back to me verbally. Alright? ::He was startled as he first heard Ilyazi's voice inside his own head; he jolted upright in his seat. As she finished and he realised no harm had come to him he softened.:: Fox: ::With growing confidence:: Yeah....yeah, alright. ::She made sure to only send him thought words, not images. She started off with simple words, gradually making them more complex until she reached 'schizophrenia'.:: Fox: Tree....yoghurt....vigilant.....::Grinning:: schizophrenia? A few hundred years ago, that'd be my diagnosis if I told anyone about this. Malon: ::grinning:: And how do you know I'm not a figment of your imagination? ::more serious:: How was that? Fox: Okay...I think. How was it for you? ::He almost kicked himself for asking such a silly question.:: Malon: ::smiling at him:: It was fine, trust me. I'm used to this, so you don't need to worry about me. ::shifting to lean forward on her knees:: Now, the next part is a little more intense, a little more tricky. I'm going to send you images - a few basic items, a few complex scenes. All you have to do is relay them back to me as fast as you can. We'll start when you're ready. Fox: ::Exhale:: Okay, I'll give it a good go. Malon: I promise you, you'll be absolutely fine. ::As long as *she* didn't mess this up, anyway.:: Fox: ::Smiling:: Even if I'm not, at least there'll be a Doctor in the room. ::Ilyazi nodded, smiling at him, and then proceeded on with his "training". She started off by showing him an image of a pear. As he responded, she added to the image, imagining the bowl the pear was sat in. And then finally the table.:: Fox: An apple.....no, a pear sorry. It's.....it's now inside a bowl....the bowl's on top of a counter...or a table, rather.. Malon: Good, that's correct. ::Ilyazi sat back at that point, clearly indicating it was time for a few minutes break. She stood and walked over to the wall unit that Haksar had welcomed them to use. Fox welcomed the distraction, this was all rather disconcerting.:: Malon: What would you like? Fox: A pint of Romulan ale....::grin:: but I'll settle for a glass of water. ::She laughed and tapped in the order for two waters, waited for them to appear, and then held Fox's out for him to take. He gladly accepted the drink.:: Malon: ::concerned but relaxed:: How are you doing with this? Are you okay? Fox: I...think so. It's just a bit strange, I've never had anyone visit my brain before. If I knew you were coming, I'd have tidied up a little. ::He ventured a little smile then took a few sips from his water. It had been quite a busy day...they hadn't prepared him for this in the Academy.:: Malon: ::smiling:: I'm glad you can still keep your humour through this. Some people totally freak having someone else in their minds. Fox: How about you? Is it tiring, telepathy? ::She took a sip of her own glass of water, considering his question. She wasn't entirely certain how much to tell him. Not *everything*, obviously, or he really would freak at being anywhere near her.:: Malon: It's...complicated. Rodulans have four lobed brains, which means that when we're among our own people, we're blind to each other. Put me in a crowd of people, and its like a deaf person from birth can suddenly hear one hundred conversations going on around him, all the time, non-stop. It's not always easy to filter out. Fox: I can't even imagine what it must be like..... ::A sudden thought occurred to Fox. His mind flashed back to their initial briefing and the marine that had approached Ilyazi. He had offered her apologies and romance in equal measure, much to her chagrin.:: Fox: So back on the Vigilant....with that marine Iceman....you must've known what was coming? ::She chuckled and bit her lip all at once.:: Malon: Oh yes, I did. I perhaps could have been a little kinder to him by *not* rejecting him in front of the entire senior staff, but honestly... ::She trailed off at that point, not wanting to finish the sentence.:: Fox: I think during times like that, I wouldn't want to know what the guy was thinking.... ::She held his gaze for a long moment, and judged his comment to be entirely truthful and frank. She felt like she could trust him, seeing as he was putting so much trust in her.:: Malon: ::carefully:: Sometimes its good to know. It can be...a protection. If you know what's coming, you can avoid it. ::oO(Malon) Or exploit it. Oo:: Fox: That makes sense.. Malon: ::giving him a grim smile:: Are you ready to continue? Fox: Yeah, let's do it. ::There was a steel in Fox's voice which wasn't there before. Ilyazi, extremely glad to find him more confident, put her glass down on the desk and crossed one leg over the other, letting herself relax into the chair.:: Malon: This next image is going to progress faster and will be more detailed. If you're struggling, I'll know. But I'll also know if I think you can do it, okay? Do you trust me enough to do this? Fox: I do. Trust you, that is. Malon: ~ I'm here to support you, so don't worry. ~ ::Once he'd given her the all-clear, Ilyazi sent him an image of a palm tree. A sandy beach quickly formed around the tree. A beautiful coloured parrot flew into the branches as-:: Fox: I can see...a palm tree. And now a beach. I've just seen a parrot fly onto the tree. A green wing Macaw, I think. I saw one of those once when.... Malon: ~ Focus. ~ Fox: oORight....sorryOo ::She didn't let him lose concentration. She now did something she rarely did - she forced other thoughts that came to him out of the way, forcing him to remain focused, and then continued with the image. It was a more intense way of doing it, but he needed to learn mental concentration.:: ::A coconut fell to the beach and rolled towards the lapping waves, as a lizard crawled upon a rock. Everything she sent him progressed rapidly.:: Fox: A coconut's fallen....it's rolling towards the sea. I can see a lizard....it's....it's.......crawled on the rock. The parrot's looking at it. The parrot's flying towards it...landed on it's back. They're both now scampering after the coconut. They're not fast enough, the coconut is in the sea drifting away. ::She knew he'd struggled part way through, but Ilyazi kept him focused on the task at hand. Once they'd finished the image, Ilyazi pulled herself back out of his mind, giving him chance to recover and gain control of his own mind. She hadn't hurt him, but she was concerned it may have been too much.:: Fox: ::Breathlessly:: Wow....that was...quite a lot... ::He hadn't expected telepathy to be so....vivid. The image forced into his mind was clearer than his own recollections; his focus was so intense that he had momentarily forgotten about the room he was sat in. Returning so abruptly to his own thoughts was quite disjarring. Malon: ::quietly:: It's not easy, I know. But are you okay? Fox: I'm okay, honestly. That felt alright. Malon: ::smiling and picking up her glass:: Good. ::taking a sip:: How do you feel about the game tomorrow? Fox: ::Pausing to think for a moment:: Pretty good, all things considered. Better than I did, at any rate.. Malon: My plan of attack is to let you do the hard part. I'll only be there as a guide. ::wryly:: If you count shoving images into your mind as "guiding". Fox: ::Grinning:: I like guide. It sounds gentler than 'mind image shover'. ::She laughed at that, thankful he was okay after what some would deem an intrusion.:: Malon: Thanks! ::smiling reassuringly:: I think you'll do okay. Just...react as quick as you can, and stay *focused*, and you'll be absolutely fine. ::React as quickly as you can, stay focused and you'll be absolutely fine; he'd been told exactly the same thing by his father before his maiden flight. The words themselves did little to assuage his unease but the familiarity of them brought yet another smile to his face.:: ::Ilyazi put her empty glass down on the desk and stood up. She was worried, now she thought of it. Not because of Fox's abilities. But because of hers. Stratagema was *fast*, and she had to be careful.:: Malon: Tomorrow morning we'll have a quick practice session, but I think otherwise you seem fairly comfortable with me in your mind. That's all I wanted to make sure of. ::Following Ilyazi's cue, Fox also stood. He felt confident that the advantage afforded to them by Ilyazi's telepathy would be significant. Now all he needed to do was brush up on his own skills.:: Fox: Not that I'd wish rooting around in my brain on anyone... but I'm glad it's you helping me with this. Thankyou. ::And *that* was all she needed to hear to make her totally relax again. She was always wary of using her telepathy in such a forceful way, but hearing a "thank you" made it all worthwhile.:: JP by Ensign James Fox Helm Officer USS Vigilant & Ensign Ilyazi Malon Medical Officer USS Vigilant

((Earth – Scotland – Castle of Mey – Side Room)) :: The lot of them continued to talk and eat, with each of them taking turns spinning space stories. Each of them had a few stories to tell, although Kamela was at a distinct disadvantage....almost from the time she entered Starfleet, she had been in Intelligence, so her stories were limited...but she did have the story of how she met Hannibal on Starbase 375...which seemed to delight everyone at the table. finally, with their bellies stuffed and lubricated with an array of intoxicating liquors, the two of them bid goodnight to the rest of them and they made their way to the guest quarters, which were situated high above in the castle. The room they were shown to was huge, with it's own fireplace and decorative rugs covering the stone floor. A large window opened out to the sea, and the fireplace crackled as Hannibal stoked the fire. The both of them were stripped out of their dress uniforms, with Hannibal in a pair of shorts and a black exercise shirt, emblazoned with SFMC on the chest, his bare feet making no sound as he moved across the floor. She was dressed in a simple blue camisole, and her feet were also bare, her long, curly blond locks freely flowing down her back. What she had to do next was either going to send her out into the cold, or bind her to him forever...The two sat before the huge window, looking out towards the sea, unseen in the darkness but audible as the waves crashed into the rocks below. They sat in silence for awhile with both of them nursing a cup of coffee. She turned to look at the massive Marine, who knew all along this conversation was coming, and she knew he had steeled himself for it, just as he would have for combat..but this was combat he had never before experienced, a battle not fought with weapons or hand to hand, or mental tactics to gain an advantage over an enemy....this was a battle for his heart, and to win, she had to come at him with everything she had.....:: Allison: Hannibal.....do you love me? :: The big Marine, still looking out over the water, bit his lip....he knew this day would come, but he had hoped he could hold off on it as long as possible.Kamela was not going to give him a choice now...:: Parker: You know the answer to that question.... Allison: No Hannibal...I don't..... :: Still maintaining his cool dimeanor, Hannibal spoke again...:: Parker: You know I would do anything in the galaxy for you... Allison: Anything but say "I love you?" :: His face, now turned back towards the sea, responded: Parker: I would kill for you, Kamela. I would risk everything for you if I had to, just to make sure you were safe.... Allison: How long have we done this dance, Hannibal? Four years? Five? All that time, I have known I have loved you. When Hella and I rescued you from that pier, I would have done anything to trade places with you, just so you would not have had to go through that pain. While you were lying in Hellas' cave I prayed that you would live, that you would not leave me that way. I knew then that life without you would not be worth living, and dammit, I wanted to have a life with you...as your wife..... :: Hannibal turned to her and spoke, his voice tinged with anger..as much as he cared about her, she was still standing into forbidden territory...:: Parker: I...never asked you to love me...I never asked you to care..... :: Hannibal didn't want to go down this road..she was pushing him hard..too hard.....For the first time in his life, he reined in attacking someone who was attacking him...:: Allison: Well, Hannibal, it's too late for that...so...exactly what am I to you? Someone you can conveniently frak whenever you feel like it? Is that it? I'm just like all the others you have slept with through the years? I am the same as Maya Gemini? Sky Blake? Hanna Martinez? Is that all I am to you? :: Hannibal had made no secret over the years of his many lovers he had, and her throwing out the names of some of them was going against the rules they had set so long ago. .especially since he didn't know how she knew about Chief Martinez since they had never talked about her....his father often said a woman knows, and over the years, his advice had been true....buthis anger continued to build as Kamela bore in..:: :: Kamela knew the anger was building within him, an anger towards her that she had never seen...but she had to press on...:: Parker:: tight lipped:: Kamela....you are nothing like any of those other women. You mean more to me than that.... Allison: pressing the point:: Do I? Really? Hannibal...you are the only man I have ever met that says what he means, then does it, no matter the consequences, no matter the risk. Enemies fear you. Marines respect you. Tell me, Hannibal, why does the great warrior who can walk through the Great Hall on Qo' noS and have the respect of Chancellor Martok and be a member of his House be afraid of three little words? He would laugh at you...... :: Kamela knew she had crossed the line as Hannibal got up, the fire clearly visible in his eyes. Her blood ran cold, as she had seen the look in his eyes before. She knew he would never lay a hand on her, but he could do something far worse to her...abandon her..and she had no place to go.....Instead, he angrily turned and flung his coffee mug into the fireplace, the shards falling into the fire.... The room was deathly silent, as the fate of their relationship hung on a wire. Tears rimmed her eyes as she watched him in the firelight, his gaze only for the fireplace.When he turned back towards her, he stood in front of the fireplace, his face not completely visible. She knew in that moment, she had given her all, and now she was completely vulnerable, like a ship with its shields down in the sights of a powerful enemy. If Hannibal attacked her now, he would destroy her, but her love for him made her take that chance....When Hannibal spoke, his voice was low...even..... Parker: You want to know why I don't say those words, Kamela? I will tell you why. Everyone with one exception I have told that to is DEAD! My father...my mother...my uncle...all gone! My sister I have not told her that since the Dominion War, but she accepts that. Why can't you? [...] it all! You know that I do! And this marriage thing? Kamela...our enemies are still out there. We both have prices on our heads.... Allison: And you think by marrying me that is going to change? Hannibal...together we are stronger than we are apart. Let them come,Ty.... :: Hannibal was furious with her, and in the firelight, he could see her eyes rimmed with tears...at that moment, he saw Kamela not as the trained killer and Intelligence operative she was. Now, she was a woman who risked his wrath to tell him how she felt...and where she wanted him to truly fit into his life.Slowly, as she approached him, his anger began to melt away, and for the first time in his life, he was vulnerable to another human being.... :: She walked slowly over to him, and placed a hand on his massive chest, right over his heart...:: Parker:: softly:: I do not want to lose you......I ....am...... :: She had him. She had done what no enemy could have done. She had his heart....the only [...] in his formidable armor was the woman who now stood before him. How ironic, he thought...they were in a castle, a very worthy fortress, and the only way to take a fortress like this without heavy losses was from the inside out...just as she had done...:: Allison: Yes,Ty? Parker: I am not easy to get along with..... Allison: I know....... Parker: I drink..I fight...I smoke cigars....... Allison: I know...and as long as you don't dally with any of those women you dance with.... Parker: I haven't..... Allison:: Just setting the ground rules.... Parker: And you know I will still take on any mission and any enemy...... Allison: And you know I will as well.... Parker: This will not be easy for you... Allison: Are you proposing to me Hannibal? :: Hannibal was now holding her close, the fire gone from his eyes, replaced by something else...love...:: Parker: It would seem so..... Allison: [...]ing her head slightly:: Hannibal..... :: He held her even more tightly, then lightly kissed her lips.....:: Parker: There is no other woman who is worthy to stand by my side. You have seen me at my worst..and perhaps...it is time for you to see me at my best...I ...love you, Kamela.::beat:: And I have for a long time...... :: For the first time in a great while, Kamela felt she could breathe. She had risked it all confronting Hannibal, and now she was silently thanking God he felt the same way about her. She felt his hands come up and deftly move the straps of her camisole down her shoulders, until it was lying on the floor.She kissed him, hungrily, as he picked her up and put her on the bed..:: Allison: So...are we consumating the engagement? Parker:: smiling:: I have not heard you say yes to the......engagement.....or marriage..... :: Now Hannibal was playing coy...:: Allison:: also smiling:: Yes.... to both.....now shut up and ravage me.... post by Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker2ndOfficer/Marine Commander/Chief Of Strategic OperationsEmbassy, Duronis II

((Latched to the Dorsal Fin of a Hardskin Ally, The Void)) :: Iron Breaker sent out a pulse of excitement at the conflict it was engaged in. To the Hardskins it would mean nothing but to its people they would know that battle had been joined in the spawning grounds. And to Born in Broken Light, closer at hand, it would be an admonition towards his inaction. His carapace still glowed a bright pearlescent white as he gave into the hate he'd borne for generations. He could hear, vaguely, Broken Light pleading with him but remained deaf to it and all other entreaties. This Hardskin-friend was obviously defenceless and he would soon have another victory to add to his already long list. :: :: Flexing his carapace he gained a firm purchase on the prey-beasts dorsal fin and began to crush it between his void hardened plates. Fissures and breaks in it's skin released puffs of gasses that blew out along his stomach with significant force. Around him he could sense debris being torn loose and drifting away as he rocked back and forth and from side to side. To Born in Broken Light it would look like he was thrashing on the Hardskin's back, using the long lower half of his body as a counter weight as it hung along the back and below its target. :: :: With a final, terrible heave Iron Breaker reared back. The lower half of his body swung like a pendulum beneath the Hardskin and his upper half arched backwards with his prize. Dozens of black fissures and cracks spider webbed along the top disc of the Hardskin, each spreading away from the gaping wound left in its back. Inside the sound of shearing metal would resound through every level of the Ally as part of it was torn away, exposed to the cold. In between his plates he squeezed again, putting a final effort into destroying the dorsal fin he'd taken. It buckled and bent and he felt the last explosions of gas as he let it go and watched it drift up and away from the fray. :: :: Iron Breaker allowed himself a moments rest as he drifted away from the wounded prey-beast. Though in part it was also to take in the terrible wound he'd inflicted. Iron Breaker watched with cold eyes as the last few burst of white gas escaped the two ragged spars that stretched above the disc. His carapace glowed a soft blue as a euphoric pleasure swept through him, a pride in what he'd just accomplished. Reaffirmation that his name was rightly earned and that age had now slowed him or dulled his instincts. He watched as the Hardskins tiny Ally hung limply in the void below him and felt victory close at hand. Rearing back his massive, scarred head he let out a void roar that made even Broken Light recoil. :: :: His one remaining antenna twitched a fraction of a second before the first spear struck him in his exposed belly. It was one of the Hardskin Predators vorpal spears. The largest they possessed and tipped in such a way that removing it was impossible. Iron Breaker had survived five such blows in the past, but only once to his stomach. His roar of victory changed swiftly to anguish as his carapace lit up bright white again, and with frightening speed he turned from the wounded Hardskin and expelled gasses from four of his six gills, rocketing away to a safer distance. :: Iron Breaker Cosmozoan Guardian and Warrior as simmed by Lieutenant Oliver Weston Intelligence Officer USS Drake

((Reaper Unreality)) T'Mihn: This place might not even be real, but in our minds. Jorey: oO This isn't in my mind... must be their mind.Oo ::As the realization came the environment seemed to flicker in agreement with him. Tagren: What makes you say that? ::As the two women discussed the situation, Jorey focused on the idea of being caught in another's mind. oOMaybe this isn't our nightmare, but rather we are in a Reaper's dream. There is no way out, we cannot wake up, because we are merely character's in the Reaper's dream.Oo Tagren: I noticed my medical kit missing but I wasn't sure... I did try to use my communicator but got nothing. Not even a... T'Mihn: ::nodding:: I believe we are in a virtual environment. ::Jorey turned his thoughts inward again and the two women's voices faded into the background. oO Virtual environment... no that can't be. How would I be back aboard the Helios at the Battle of Betazed while the others were still in the twisted hospital replica? If it were virtual, wouldn't we all be in the same location?Oo T'Mihn: ::T'Mihn's voice slowly made its way back to holding Jorey's attention:: Existing in fear is a choice. Tagren: It feels like they... whoever they.... a Reaper? It feels as if they are trying their best to force that choice on us. Jorey: Why? oO Why do they want to dream about us afraid? Does it make them feel better to see others weak? Maybe they can't experience fear and need to feel it second hand? Like fear addicts...Oo ::Jorey's thoughts gave way to the doctor's confusion and fear. Tagren: Are... are we back on the ship? No, wait... Jorey: ::Jorey, involuntary, moved slowly toward the doctor:: No doctor, we are not on the ship. ::Jorey felt the strange sensation of not being able to control himself. He placed his hand gently on her arm and looked her in the eye and with all sincerity continued:: We are in no place... we are nowhere. Alone. Tagren: I... don't feel very good. Please, give me a moment. ::Jorey watched as the doctor closed her eyes and slumped down against the wall.:: oO Nowhere? No, not nowhere. Somewhere, but not a place in our reality. A dream can exist, but that doesn't make it real. The reaper dreams of us in nightmares.Oo Jorey: If a man dies, but exists in another man's dreams, is he still real? Does he still exist? ::Jorey slowly sat down on the cold, hard floor. He crossed his legs, placed his elbows on his thighs, and held his chin up with the palms of his hands.:: oO Am I already dead? And the Doctor and T'Mihn too. But instead of our souls being blessed and joining the gods, we are somehow trapped in this purgatory to be a reaper's play things while he dreams?Oo Jorey: ::Jorey felt the predator within him.:: Doctor, we will not die and leave you alone...:: Jorey felt oddly compelled and whispered just loud enough to be heard.:: Maybe we are already dead and trapped here together. No escape, no relief, and no hope. ::Jorey looked up Tagren and then to T'Mihn before closing his eyes and cradling his face between his hands. Jorey wondered if he was losing himself to the despair and hopelessness that had been stalking him since he first beamed down to Bilire IV.:: Ensign Brayden Jorey USS Tiger – A Helm Officer

((Here… But not really… )) ::Even though my parents never married, I knew that they loved me and each other. I wanted for basically nothing, only the desire to see each more, but I understood at a very young age that a person's duty bound them to things. Despite that, I knew that their bond with me was stronger, their duty as my parents, and it never had to be vocally stated. It simply was.:: ::I was sheltered to an extent as a child. We would spend almost every Christmas in a cabin in the Rockies, removed from Starfleet and duty, huddled in our winter coats, watching the snow, and sitting by an old-time fireplace singing and exchanging gifts over hot chocolate and dishes from recipes that originated from across the sea of stars. We enjoyed getting away from it all and spending time as a family.:: ::In one cherished memory, I remember standing, the crispy tundra underneath my boots, catching snowflakes with my tongue as my dad lifted me to his shoulders, his blue eyes smiling tenderly, happily. To bring me closer to the deep purples and blues that tinted the sky, he said. I would stretch my arms and pretend that I could touch the peaks of the mountains, that I was just as tall. My mom would watch, her smile wide, covered in what seemed to be ten layers of shirts, pants and an oversized parka. She never handled the cold well.:: ::Cold.:: ::This place was cold and I trembled.:: ::So was death, the idea of it. I thought the three of us were unstoppable, empowered by my mother's and my grandfather's tales of the El-Aurians. I thought we could live forever. That time in this moment would simply remain the same, constant, never changing.:: ::I trembled.:: ::I could still hear the beeping of machines. The vision of my paling father resting in the hospital bed he would later pass away in. His hand holding mine as he struggled to breath. His eyes always remained the same. Smiling, tenderly at me with happiness, even as his body deteriorated. I was young, unaffected by death, and then it hit me like a bullet.:: ::And I trembled, crying, cold.:: ::Death was cold.:: ::Cold.:: ((Present: Bilire IV, Reaper's Unreality)) ::Just like this room…:: ::Aribelle felt her mind slipping and she struggled to fight the surge of memories that flooded her as she patted down the concrete walls, her body cold, drenched from water and in pain.:: Tagren: Where am I? What is this place? Dodhun: It is your worst nightmare. Tagren: My… worst nightmare? ::It did not register. She mulled over it in her brain, which was still fuzzy, in a haze. She shivered, teeth chattering. She thought to press her communicator, her fingers in pain from the cold, but was greeted by nothing. Instantly, she closed her eyes and rode out all the emotions she was feeling in that moment. Slowly, memories started to come back to her. Of the water, rushing into the hospital, of it overpowering her, the turbulent waters taking her over.:: ::She should have died.:: ::Maybe she did.:: ::Cold, she trembled.:: ::Is she was dead, would she be able to feel this much pain? This much cold? Still feel wet? Still feel fear? She could not think…:: Tagren: oO Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me… Oo ::With a sense of purpose, Tagren straightened herself up, still shaking.:: Tagren: Let me out of here! ::No answer.:: Tagren: Hello? ::No answer. The ominous presence had faded, but that did not leave Aribelle any less terrified. There was something so wrong, unreal about this whole thing. Breathing and coughing up more water, Aribelle twisted around and tried to walk, to the other side of the cell, the light flickering in and out above her. Just as she stretched her arms to touch the other wall, she lost her footing and fell forward onto the floor, the side of her face cracking onto the concrete. As she faded into unconsciousness, blood pooled slowly around her head, soaking into her already wet fiery colored hair.:: TBC Dr. Aribelle "Ari" Tagren Ensign, Medical Officer USS Tiger-A

((San Francisco, Earth)) ::The surface of the bay was refulgent. A cold salty breeze swept inland and into the refurbished San Francisco Ferry Building, now filled with bistros and cafes and quaint cozy restaurants. They sat facing each other at a small round table by the waterfront, the rays of sunlight pleasant on the skin and brilliant on the bunch of mauve and pink petunias at the center of the table. Coffee is always a bad idea when it comes to ex-flames. He thought about this as he sipped his beverage staring out onto the resplendent bay. He also thought about other things. Things from the past.:: ((Flashback – 4 years ago, Migrant Colony Medical Camp, Mars)) ::Their relationship had been on the verge of collapse for some time now. Raj had continued to water and nourish the wilting relationship obsessively, not realizing that he was in fact drowning them both.:: MATTHEWS: ::gently leading him aside by the elbow:: A word, Raj? BLUEHEART: Sure, Dylan. ::His heart sank.:: MATTHEWS: Look, this isn't working out. We both know it. We both need to move on. BLUEHEART: Okay. ::He smiled. He surrendered.:: MATTHEWS: You're hurt, I can see that, but this is for the best. If only…. ::That evening Raj had returned home to his temporary quarters and stripped off all his clothes before stepping into the common shower room. Finding it deserted, he turned on the water to a scalding temperature, and sat under the cascading water jet, naked, with his knees drawn up close to his chest, too numb to cry, too numb to feel any heartache. He unclenched his right hand where he had concealed a scalpel he had sneaked out of the infirmary. He stared at the gleaming blade for the longest time, his heart never even picking up pace. How tranquil it would feel to be numb and unaware towards everything, forever, he contemplated. The universe had conspired against him that evening. For the waters did not run scarlet.:: ((End flashback)) ::Raj shuddered. The gentle breeze was cold. But not that cold.:: MATTHEWS: Sorry I haven't kept in touch. ::There was a tinge of sadness in his voice. Maybe Raj just imagined there was. The Starfleet officer gently placed his cup on the table and cautiously gazed into a set of incredibly deep blue eyes. The years have been good on him, he thought to himself. He still looked essentially the same as he did all those years ago. The strong jaw, the distinguished nose, the furrows creasing his brow. If at all, those fine lines radiating from the outer corner of his eyes only lent an air of distinction and success to that handsome face.:: BLUEHEART: I wouldn't expect you to. ::His smile was not a smile.:: MATTHEWS: ::removing his jacket and placing it over the back of his chair:: So tell me, officer. ::He leaned forward, gripping both elbows as he placed them on the table.:: Who's that handsome specimen I saw you with earlier? BLUEHEART: ::trying to disregard the sparkle in those mesmerizing eyes:: Em? ::This time it was a smile.:: He's…. a xenolinguist. Part of the crew. ::The bay was like a bowl of diamonds glittering under the noon sun.:: MATTHEWS: ::chuckling:: Em. That's his name, is it? Well he's not only a xenolinguist. ::There was that sparkle in the eyes again.:: He's more than that. He's someone special, isn't he? ::He smiled broader.:: I'm really glad you found---- BLUEHEART: Can we not talk about Em? ::He reminded himself to smile. And did.:: MATTHEWS: ::leaning back in his seat but still retaining that infectious smile:: Now you're being defensive. ::He even chuckled.:: BLUEHEART: No. I'm being protective. Of my privacy. oO And of my friends. Oo ::He sipped some coffee because he couldn't smile. Not this time.:: MATTHEWS: Okay, okay. Right. So.. ::running a hand through his wind-swept hair:: what's it like being on a starship? ::Raj inwardly groaned. But at least that unclassy, worn out question was a little effort on Dylan's part in the right direction. He unfastened the buttons of his formal attire jacket and removed it, folding it neatly before placing it gingerly on his lap like one would a newborn kitten.:: BLUEHEART: oO In four years time you can ask your brother. Oo It's cool. ::pause:: Well, actually it's pretty awesome. oO If you don't count the mutiny and my ill-stricken holodeck adventures. Oo ::He caressed the velvet of the petunias. A massive cloud lumbered across the sun, its shadow silently gliding over the shimmering surface of the bay. The wind, still as cold, picked up speed momentarily, ruffling the doctor's already tousled hair. Raj couldn't bear looking lest bittersweet memories be awakened, so he glanced away, out onto the dark shape rolling across the bay. A seagull swooped down near their table and perched itself on the railing some feet away. It squawked loudly, gawking at the pair for the longest time with inquisitive eyes, then flew off into the re-emerging sun, perhaps bored with the placid antics of the two mundane humans.:: MATTHEWS: I bet. ::There's that dimple at the left corner of his mouth. Raj had been wondering what was missing from that face.:: You see a whole different set of patients in the military, huh? ::A waitress appeared out of nowhere and refilled their cups. The sweet aroma of cinnamon coffee, like the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, was breathtaking.:: BLUEHEART: ::inhaling the beguiling scent and cradling the cup in both palms:: I'm not a medical officer on board the Discovery. But yes. You see a lot more combat-related injuries and novel pathogenic diseases. I guess. ::The coffee was divine.:: MATTHEWS: Oh? ::He crossed his legs under the table.:: You're not practicing on board? BLUEHEART: No. I'm the First Officer. Counselor before that. MATTHEWS: Wow. That's news. First Officer. ::He took a sip of his coffee.:: You were so passionate about Medicine in school. I thought for sure you'd win the Nobel prize one day. ::Perfect white teeth. Again.:: ::The giant cumulonimbus was taking its sweet idle time to stroll across the pale blue sky. As punishment for its lassitude, it got lanced by several shards of sunbeams piercing their way through to the surface of the bay. It was a beautiful. Almost serene. Gloomy and bright all at once. Just how Raj thought perfect weather should be. Should always be. A slim shaft of sunlight hit their table. The petunias seemed more opulent in color than before. Something glinted, gleamed, catching his eye. Dylan's left hand rested on the table top, palm facing down.:: BLUEHEART: ::shrugging:: People change I guess. ::He had spoken the words without forethought.:: MATTHEWS: You're right. ::There was that tinge of sadness again.:: People do change. But it never occurred to me you'd quit Medicine. Why did you? BLUEHEART: ::staring right through and beyond Dylan's handsome face:: You know why. ::He stifled a sigh.:: MATTHEWS: ::It was he who sighed.:: Perhaps I do. But I'd still like to hear it. For the record. ::Patrons were walking by, to and fro. A child was crying somewhere, maybe lost and unable to locate her guardians. The ferry building was swarming with people.:: BLUEHEART: I couldn't stand to be near you. ::He said it so casually, like he was mentioning the weather forecast.:: There. I said. MATTHEWS: ::downcast eyes:: Thank you. I understand. BLUEHEART: I don't think you do. Understand. ::His voice was as cool as the light breeze streaming through Dylan's curls.:: MATTHEWS: ::Another sigh.:: I told you the reason---- BLUEHEART: Well, I had stopped listening after "this isn't working out". ::It was a mystery how he remained cool, composed and collected right then.:: MATTHEWS: The next instant you vanished. BLUEHEART: You expected me to stay? ::He almost snorted. Almost.:: ::Dylan Matthews remained silent. Now it was he who looked past Raj into that mystical eternal space that stretched till the edge of the universe. The silence was unnerving, uncomfortable. But necessary.:: MATTHEWS: I'm truly sorry, Raj. ::He leaned forward. His words were soft, warm, heartfelt. Raj quickly drew back anticipating Dylan's hand reaching out to touch his. Of course, it was all in his imagination.:: BLUEHEART: It's okay. ::It was not.:: That's all in the past. ::A forced smile. A pathetically fake smile.:: ::In a parallel universe, the waters might have actually run scarlet. And Raj Blueheart may not have existed to see himself rise through the ranks in Starfleet. He shuddered again at the macabre thought. He also considered revealing to the man before him what he had set out to do that fateful night. Kill him softly and slowly with guilt. Make him suffer the same way he did four years ago, alone and naked in that shower stall, under the streaming hot water, a stolen scalpel poised and quivering in his hand. Yet he didn't. He couldn't. A certain desperation, a vacuum, was already present in the man, slowly devouring him from within.:: MATTHEWS: ::managing a forced smile himself:: Yes, the past. The past is always a good place to start. ::A hover-ferry hurried by, an amalgamation of native Terrans and aliens alike acting all touristy on board the speeding craft. A passenger's large yellow hat flew off in a gust of wind. Raj watched it soar into the clouds then plummet into the bay. He returned his gaze to the glimmering object diverting the sun's rays into his eyes. Suddenly self-conscious, he tried to look away, swiftly and inconspicuously, but was too late.:: MATTHEWS: I still wear it even though it has been two years…. ::He brought his hand up to his chest and twisted the gold band round and round and round his ring finger.:: BLUEHEART: I'm sorry. ::He didn't know exactly what for, but it seemed like the appropriate thing to say.:: MATTHEWS: ::shrugging:: No, it's all right. ::He stretched his long legs under the table. He paused a bit, taking his turn to stare out at the Golden Gate Bridge. Then, as if reading Raj's mind, he spoke, with that same tinge of melancholy in his voice.:: The infirmary he was working in on Xaloq IV was bombed. ::Melancholy was highly infectious. Raj felt his heart implode with sudden, unexpected sadness. When he looked at Dylan, he almost saw a different person before him. How was it that stories, happy or catastrophic, were able to morph a person's features right before one's eyes? Dylan had aged ten years, such was the grief still strong and menacing within him.:: MATTHEWS: No one survived. ::He looked away. Far away.:: He was at the wrong place at the wrong time…. ::The lively sparkle in his eyes had been replaced with glistening moisture.:: ::The languid cloud finally set the afternoon sun free from behind its murky veil. The waters of the bay was gloriously refulgent once again. The cool salty breeze had died down but the sea gulls still glided high above on lofty air drafts. The Golden Gate Bridge stood majestic but silent in the distance, casting a keen eye on two men revisiting their past in the present. He hesitantly reached out a mildly tremulous hand, across the table and coffee cups and petunias, to drape over Dylan's.:: TBC ======================================= LtCmdr Raj Blueheart First Officer USS DISCOVERY-C

((Deck 4, USS Victory)) :: The walk from the turbolift to his quarters on the Victory was arguably the longest walk Liam had ever taken. There was so much that he wanted to tell her, and so much more that she deserved to know that he couldn't tell her. He wished that he could tell her everything, but he simply didn't know how.:: :: His mind wandered, filling with moments they had spent together. He remembered how they had walked together on the beach at Lake Armstrong with friends, most of whom had moved on to other places, their lives changed by forces much greater than themselves. He stood there for a long moment, knowing that his life was about to be changed by that same force. But it was that same force that had brought him here in the first place. Brought him to this place at this time. It brought him to her. He took a deep breath as he stepped through the door, knowing that whatever was in store for him, for them, he was going to have to face it.:: ((Liam's Quarters, USS Victory)) ::Cayden had taken care of checking out and getting the few things they had in the suite back to the ship. It hadn't taken long, and so she ended up sitting in his quarters listening to the soft tones of music that had been composed by the first of the Adyr hosts. Long before her joining she had fallen in love with the music, but now it had far more depth than ever before. In the stillness of the room the music grew soft and suddenly she felt as if something was coming. It was the scent of something on the winds of change.:: ::And for a moment, she was worried. Lost in the gentle rise and fall of the sounds, Cayden felt as if she were floating on an ocean so endless that it stretched out all around her. The excitement of the unknown was there, but now there was a new fear. It was something that she had never felt before. It was…:: ::The doors to the room slid open and instantly all of her concerns faded. No matter how much time they seemed to spend together, she never got tired of seeing his face come into the room. A smile appeared on her face and she moved towards him.:: Adyr: So, what happened? ::She hadn't thought it would be bad; but she had spent the better part of the past hour wondering what was going on behind the closed doors of the ready room. Her eyes went to his collar where she saw the extra pip and her smile grew. He had gotten a promotion! But something kept her from jumping into his arms just then in celebration. He smiled, but it wasn't his normal smile. No, there was something else there now. Uncertainty? Concern? Fear? She had no idea, but she moved towards him and took his hand in an attempt at reassurance.:: :: Her voice was upbeat, almost melodic, as it always was. It always had the uncanny ability to draw him out of whatever distraction might be weighing on him. Almost always, perhaps. He did his best to smile in order to hide his nervousness.:: Frost: Well for starters, it looks like I'm moving up in the world. ::She nodded but remained reserved despite her smile and refusal to appear worried. There was more that he had to say and he almost seemed to not want to say it. Taking his other hand she let a smirk appear on her face.:: Adyr: They give you your own ship already? I knew they wouldn't be able to resist talent like this. ::Squeezing his hands she let the attempt at a joke hang in the air for a moment but the same smile he had on his face moments ago remained. Now she knew something big was going on and she finally let her own smile fade into a more concerned look. Her hands grasped his a bit tighter as so many emotions and voices played on the outskirts of her mind.:: :: She always seemed to have an uncanny ability to make him smile, no matter what he felt. He did his best to hold it back, but what made her so good at making him smile also made her good at reading him. She saw through the smile and her expression changed from the excitement of seeing him to a look of worry.:: Adyr: What happened Liam? :: He let out a long breath as he walked her over to the sofa and sat her down. He searched for the words to explain what he was feeling, but there was no elegant way to put it. No magical combination that would make them easy for him to say, or for her to hear.:: ::Following him to the other side of the room she sat never taking her eyes off his face. She carefully studied the expression willing the news to be not quite as detrimental as his outward appearance made it seem. As each second passed, however, she grew increasingly worried. Still holding on to one of his hands, she realized that she was scared to let go.:: Frost: I got my new orders. They came directly from Starfleet Command. I've been ordered report to Utopia Planitia. Cayden... I've been reassigned. ::The look, his nervous smile, his worry…it all made sense now. It was a huge change. No, it was a monumental change. Though change was something she looked for, she understood that many others in the galaxy didn't quite hold the same outlook. For Cayden, however, change was the very best way to give the symbiont new experiences, and it held a special appeal to her. Change took her new places to experience new things.:: ::And change had been the catalyst that had led her right into his arms.:: Adyr: That's wonderful. ::Her bright smile returned.:: Pretty fantastic if you ask me. You're going places, Commander Frost. ::Winking at him and emphasizing the word Commander, she let go of the worry for the moment and tried to drag him out of the depths that he seemed to have gotten himself into. This would be great for him, but as she put the pieces together in her head, she began to understand what his concern was.:: :: She was as supportive as ever, and he was grateful. In some ways it made things easier, and yet they made others much harder. And the strangest part was he couldn't tell which one of those he was in.:: Frost: It's a huge opportunity. Maybe. But that's not what I'm worried about. It's you... us. :: And with that, it was out there. He couldn't take it back or pretend that nothing was happening. Nor could he pretend that he wasn't invested what they had together.:: ::Leaning her head to the side, her smiled seemed to broaden. It wasn't the leaving part or the moment in time where there was the possibility where what he was going to say next would tear him from her forever. No, it was the fact that he had just defined what was, only a short time prior, undefined. With one word, she could feel hear heart soar. One word. Us.:: ::The feeling was so overwhelming that all at once the butterflies returned and she felt slightly light in the head, which at the moment, served her well. It kept her from panicking in the moment where the words he said next could either take her higher or make her crash to the rocky ground below.:: Frost: I... want to ask you to come with me. But I can't just ask you to give up the life you've built just to follow me. I don't even know where I'm going. ::It was at this point her grin could get no bigger. Suddenly she realized what had been hanging in the balance just moments before, and with those moments gone and the statement out in the open, she could barely contain the excitement.:: :: Of all the reactions he had expected from her, an excited smile was one of the last. And yet it was exactly what he should have expected. Her ability to see the best of every situation, and her habit of reacting in unexpected ways was part of what drew him to her. Half a dozen lifetimes of experiences tempered her decisions, and fascinated him to no end.:: Adyr: That's the best part, love. ::She stood now and pulled him to his feet. How could she make him understand that she wasn't leaving her whole life behind so much as continuing the life she loved. Moving around, changing, going places; these were the things she lived for. And with him there by her side, it seemed to be her greatest desires and wishes answered. It was the chance at the perfect life, at least in her eyes.:: Frost: I... I don't understand. ::Perhaps it was the fact that she had the memories of a life in Starfleet floating around in her mind. Maybe it was that she somehow had been drawn to that life without actually realizing it. Whatever it was, she was perfect for that kind of situation. It fulfilled every whim she had too; to be on a ship, to be able to provide the random support to its officers and crew, and to have the one she adored...no…the one she had fallen for, right there with her.:: ::For a moment she paused in her elation and thought about it. He had thrown the word `us' out there and now she realized that she was indeed falling and she was falling hard. It was unlike any other feeling in the entire universe and she couldn't get enough.:: :: It was the look in her eyes that finally made him understand what she meant. Even before she spoke, her eyes expressed more than her words ever could, or needed to. And for a while he once again found himself lost in their depth like he so often did.:: Adyr: ::Smirking again.:: Perhaps you should just ask me instead of wanting to ask me. You might be surprised at the answer you get. ::Now she looked at him expectantly as he put things together in his head. Slowly, the concern seemed to fade to a point.:: :: He struggled with himself for a long moment. Was she truly prepared to give up everything she had built for herself just to follow him? But her eyes held the answer. An answer that had been there all along, and for a moment he felt the fool for missing it. It was the way she looked at him, the way she looked at everything, that told him. Perhaps it was her, perhaps it was the lives she had lived before, that was drawn to explore. She was drawn to the unknown the same way she was drawn to him, and he was to her. In that way, they were more alike than he had ever truly realized.:: Frost: Cayden, I don't know exactly where I'm going, but will you share the journey with me? ::To his question, she only nodded very enthusiastically.:: Adyr: I would absolutely, positively, love to go with you, wherever that somewhere might be. No matter where that somewhere might end up. ::She could still see the concern in his eyes despite the smile she knew he was powerless to stop.:: :: An incredible weight was lifted from his shoulders in that moment. A weight that he had carried with him from the moment he had realized how hard he was falling for her. He still worried for her, for the life she may have given up for him. But he could see in her eyes, the way he always did, that her mind was made up, and that there was no force in the universe powerful enough to change it. Frost: Are you sure? ::Cayden shook her head slightly. Perhaps it was the human nature against change coupled with his concern for her happiness, or at least that was what she assumed it was, but he still seemed concerned about her leaving her `life'. She could only smile and run her fingertips through his hair and eventually wrapping her arms around the back of his neck bringing her body ever closer to his. As she felt his arms encompass her, she brought her lips close to his ear and whispered.:: Adyr: I want this. More than anything. ::She left it up to him to figure out the multiple levels of what exactly `this' meant.:: :: He held her close, realizing now just how far he had fallen. There was no going back now. Wherever he was going now, he was going with her. And he couldn't imagine it any other way.:: Frost: Cayden... I love you. :: Saying it for the first time made it real for the first time. A feeling crept into his stomach, a feeling like the one he had when he first leaned in and kissed her. It was like the who universe fell away, and all that was left for him was her.:: ::She had never dreamed that three words would be able to have such an effect on her, but in that second, a moment torn from all of time's march, her mind, body, and heart soared as it had never done before. Still wrapped up in the embrace she leaned back just enough to look him in the eyes. In a somewhat trembling whisper that betrayed her normal calm and collected state and showed him the effect of the words, she could only respond by letting her own feelings flow.:: Adyr: And I love you. ::It was a fact that she now knew to be true.:: ::With no other words that could be said, they simply gave in to the moment. As this chapter of their lives quickly drew to a close, the universe stood still for just one moment, fading into nothing as their lips met in a blaze of passion so bright that no star could compare. The kindling had been allowed to become a flame, and now it had grown into a blaze the likes of which neither had experienced before. In only a few hours they would disembark the Victory for the final time, leaving behind all the memories that had been planted there, but with the promise of new memories in the near future, it was a trip that they were ready to take together.:: ::A lot was going to change, and even more would be coming at them in the soon, but for now, at least, the universe held its breath and allowed them time to simply get lost in each others arms.:: LtCmdr Liam Frost & PNPC Cayden Adyr As simmed by Commander Kali Nicholotti

((Chief Medical Officer's Office - Deck 500)) ::Life, Eliaan Deron had learned the hard way, had a habit of going in a direction you could never have dreamt. When he thought back to his first day at Starfleet Academy, he had never imagined that this was what fate had in store for him. He would never have expected to fall in love with a Napean doctor on a mercy mission only to have him die; he would not have thought he'd end up serving under his friend Kali Nicholotti who he had trained with; he never expected to fall in love with Kaedyn Tann; never expected to leave Starfleet after the death of a patient only to return as a science officer and be forced into Sickbay again.:: ::Still, none of that was as unexpected as the sight of his partner, newly joined to a Symbiont, with his previous host's son and mother bunking down in his office for the night. He had been glad that Mezan had found it all as strange as he did but had greeted him warmly. This was uncharted territory for everyone but Eliaan loved Kaedyn and wanted to support him during this difficult time and Kaedyn wanted to be near Jilenna's family and to ensure they were kept safe during the emergency.:: ::And so, he found himself lying on a makeshift bed on the floor of his office staring at the ceiling trying to process everything that had happened lately, while Kaedyn and Mezan slept on his couches and baby Janel slept in a cot between them. The lone non-Trill among them, he felt almost as if he were intruding,which he knew was silly since it was his office after all. Despite this, he had no idea what Trill custom suggested in situations like this. He knew that it was taboo for Joined Trill to carry on romantic relationships with partners of previous hosts but could stay friends with the friends of previous hosts. How did their society deal with the families and particularly the young children of former hosts?:: ::As he pondered these questions, sleep evaded him. He had never been someone for who sleep came easily, when he did want to go to sleep his mind would kick into warp speed and he'd start mulling over things deemed too difficult to think about during the day.:: ::After a long time simply staring at the ceiling, he decided to get up and catch up on his mountain of messages. As he did so, he heard a small whimper from the crib and, with a level of trepidation, he approached and looked down at Janel. It was a strange feeling, he felt some responsibility towards this child to which he had no ties and had only just met but if Kaedyn was almost his parent then Eliaan was almost his step-parent.:: ::Janel lay in the crib wriggling, kicking his legs and whimpering a little but not crying. He looked up at Eliaan, who glanced over his shoulder at the two other adults in the room who were both fast asleep. He reached into the crib and lifted him out and as he was hit by a terrible smell, he immediately realised why Janel was unsettled. Deron: Oh dear... Umm, okay. I can totally handle this... ::Resisting the urge to hold the infant at arm's length he walked over to the replicator behind his desk and replicated the items he thought he needed for the procedure. Still holding the baby, he cleared a space on his desk and placed him gently onto it. :: Deron: Don't worry, I'm your... Well... its complicated... but I'm a Starfleet office so I can be trusted and a doctor so you are in safe hands. ::The baby made no response and Eliaan took that as informed consent to have his diaper changed by this stranger.:: Deron: Okay, this can't be too difficult. ::Removing the dirty diaper and cleaning the "patient" wasn't too difficult but as he tried to put the new diaper on he found it much more difficult than he expected. Janel giggled as he failed for the second time to assemble the device around the baby in a manner that both fitted and would remain on him. This, Eliaan muttered, was ridiculous, he was able to perform incredibly delicate surgery but he couldn't do this. The idea of waking Kaedyn or Mezan crossed his mind but then he realised how pathetic he would seem if he couldn't do this.:: ::He made a third attempt and was incredibly relieved that it was successful. Janel began to wriggle and compain again as he lifted him back up and held him against his shoulder.:: Deron: ::soflty:: Shhhh shhhh shhhh ::The baby settled slightly and Eliaan began to pace back and forth, gently bouncing him.:: Deron: I know your mommy is gone. You probably don't understand but I'm sure you miss her. I want you to know that she hasn't gone far and she still loves you very much. ::He smiled realising, perhaps for the first time, how precious this could be and how strong Kaedyn must have been longing to get back to his "son".: Deron: Things are going to be strange for a while and I don't know what's going to happen, I'm afraid. ::The sound of his voice as he spoke softly and the slow movement back and forth behind his desk gently lulled the infant and he began to fall asleep.:: Deron: Don't worry though, you are surrounded by people who love you and we'll work something out ::With Janel finally sleeping and exhaustion threatening to catch up with him, he placed the baby back into his crib and returned to the makeshift bed on the floor.:: Zehn: ::whispering:: Eliaan... ::Not realising Kaedyn was awake, he sat back up with a start.:: Deron: ::whispering:: Yes? Zehn: ::whispering:: I love you Deron: ::smiling:: Love you too -- Lieutenant Eliaan Deron, MD Chief Medical Officer SB118 / USS Victory ~~and~~ Lieutenant (junior grade) Kaedyn Tann Chief Nursing Officer SB118 / USS Victory on medical leave

Submitter's note: Sim by Evanna Blackwood and Jen Malcolm. Additionally, :'( :'( :'( ((Part 2)) ((New Triage tent)) Peiy: Davies! ::It was a terrified shriek:: Do something! ::Her shriek jolted him out of his stunned paralysis. He lunged for a supply crate, reaching in and grabbing the first thing his fingers wrapped around, which happened to be a layrngoscope. It wouldn’t do much against the knife, but it was better than being empty handed:: ::The native’s eyes darted between the two mites. It was quickly apparent that the blue one wouldn’t cause him any trouble. The noise coming from it was making his ears hurt so he turned them back and flattened them to his head. He moved towards the other one and paused. It had picked something up that he’d never seen before. He had no idea what it was or if it was dangerous. He didn’t pause long and closed the gap quickly, raising the knife, preparing for a quick swipe at the mite.:: ::Having no other recourse, Davies lunged forward, hoping the knife would miss him. He used his forward momentum to barrel into the native and wrapping his arms around the native’s middle, they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs:: ::The native lost his grip on his knife as he fell backwards to the ground, caught off-guard by the quick, unexpected motion. He pushed the mite hard and scratched at it hoping to get it off him and regain the upper-hand. :: ::Despite the pain she was in Peiy tried to see what was going on. It was very difficult to move so she wasn’t able to see what was going on. She had to trust in Davies self-defence training and try to remain as calm as possible. It was the most vulnerable and scared she’d ever been, she couldn’t believe all this was happening. As far as she’d been aware relations with the natives had been improving, so she couldn’t understand what had brought all of this on.:: ::Davies didn’t know which way was up. They rolled around, banging against the side of the biobed. He grunted as a sharp pain flared in his gut, but somehow in the frenzy he knew he hadn’t been stabbed. He lashed out, wincing under the sharp fingernails. It was like wrestling with a large dog, only there was nothing playful about it:: ::The native spotted his dropped knife and scrambled to scoop it up. The mite was stronger than it had looked and put up a good fight but now that he had his knife back he was going to finish it. He lowered the knife, meaning to plunge it into the mite and slice it right open but was meeting fierce resistance.:: ::Davies was no fighter. He’d avoided fights growing up by being the class clown and he’d had no brothers to scuffle with. But he did have a survival instinct and as the native got ready to plunge his knife into his own soft parts, he kicked out, watching in surprise as his foot landed where he intended and knocked the native off balance. He scrambled to his feet and in a desperate attempt to finish things, dug into the supply crate again. Where was the phaser?:: ::Peiy was still feebly rolling about, twisting her head and straining to see what was going on. Davies went one way and the native was recovering from the latest blow, an unpleasant but effective kick. It staggered back up onto it’s legs and crouched, making ready to lunge at Davies.:: Peiy: Davies! Your back! ::It was his turn to get knocked off balance and as he fell the supply crate tumbled down along with him, spilling its contents all over him and the native. He pushed the native off of him again and started hurling anything he could grab toward the other man. It was a terrible strategy but his panicked brain was telling him to do anything he could to keep the native away from him long enough to scramble to his feet.:: ::He pulled himself upright and found he’d managed to beat the native to his feet. He kicked, aiming for the head, hoping to render him unconscious. Pain shot through his leg and he felt his knee buckle, but he grabbed the table and continued his onslaught, letting the rational part of his mind be drowned out by his fervor.:: :: Peiy started to cry out in agony again, the pain was worse than ever and it was lasting longer. She desperately hoped it would all be over soon. She wasn’t aware of the dire condition she was in. The minutes continued to stretch out and Peiy began to think the pain would never ever end. She looked around for Davies. Was he even there? Her breathing exercises were long forgotten and she was getting in a panic.:: Peiy: Help!? ::Davies panted and looked down at the still form of the native. Somehow he’d managed to land enough kicks to knock him out. He swallowed against the intense pain radiating up his leg. The native had caught him with his knife right across his ankle. He gritted his teeth, knowing that meant severed tendons. He tried to get back to Peiy but couldn’t even step down on his foot. He hopped over to the biobed, dragging his leg behind him.:: ::He leaned his weight against the table and mustered up the best smile he could:: Davies: ::panting:: How’s my girl doing? Peiy: ::Strained:: Am I nearly done yet? ::Pause:: It’s sooo baaad. ::He laid a hand on her stomach. It was tight with a contraction:: Davies: I’m going to take a look. Peiy: ::Cringing:: With your eyes I hope. ::Dreading the other possibility.:: ::He hobbled over to the supply table and spilled some of the precious alcohol onto his hands, preparing for an internal exam. As he rubbed his palms together he squeezed his eyes closed trying to push all of his anxiety down:: ::Peiy looked around, her eyes wild and darting. If she could only move she would flee and take her chances elsewhere. Relief flooded over her when she saw the familiar face and she pointed to the door.:: Peiy: ::Stuttering:: J jih jih jih Jen! ::Davies’ eyes snapped in the direction of the door, and he almost laughed in relief, but the jubilation died on his lips as he watched her stagger in. Half of her was covered in blood. He would’ve rushed over but he knew his severed ankle would never let him make it:: Davies: Are you ok? ::Jen waved his concern away and headed straight for Peiy:: Malcolm: It’s not my blood. What’s going on here? ::She pushed her uniform sleeves up and reached out for the alcohol. Davies passed it to her wordlessly and watched gratefully as she took over:: Peiy: ::Feeling a little relieved.:: Thank goodness you’re okay! Please tell me I’m nearly done. Malcolm: Let’s find out. ::She dragged a stool over and took a position at the end of the biobed.:: Just hold tight for a second. ::Jen raised her eyes:: Davies? :: Peiy did not like where this was going. She was scared, exhausted and in so much agony. The tears rolled down her face. She didn’t think she could cope with any more and tried to squirm away from the two of them. She shook her head and tried to tell them to stop but the words wouldn’t come.:: ::Davies pressed his hands to her shoulders:: Davies: Don’t worry, Jen’s fast. Peiy: ::Whimpering:: Mhmm. ::Trying not to be so tense and failing.:: Please hurry. ::And while Jen wasn’t as fast as Peiy would’ve hoped, the exam was brief. Having learned what she needed, Jen stood and peeled off her bloodied outer jacket for the somewhat cleaner tunic underneath. She wiped her hands clean on the jacket and walked around to the side of the biobed to talk to Peiy:: Malcolm: Peiy. There’s no way you’re pushing this baby out. So, you can just lay back and let me take over all the work, ok? Peiy: ::Speaking slowly:: Take over? You don’t mean...? You can’t. Not that. ::Sobbing:: Please... ::Jen laid her hand on Peiy’s arm:: Malcolm: Peiy, I have to. We talked about this being a possibility, remember? Peiy: ::Glum:: I know. ::Tears still rolled down her face, she was gravely worried for herself and the baby. All she could do was lay limp on the bed, even if she’d wanted she was too exhausted to be able to push..:: ::While Peiy came to terms with the idea, Jen nodded her head at Davies to pull up the restraints. Though the biobed had no power to run the force-field restraints, the engineers had retrofitted it with straps. They were more of a precaution than a real need as Peiy probably wasn’t going to be able to put up much of a fight. The sheer volume of blood hemorrhaging from her was beyond any help Jen would be able to give her, even if they’d had Bolian blood for a transfusion. She’d known the instant she’d started her exam that Peiy wasn’t going to make it through the procedure and all Jen’s energy was going to go into trying to save the baby now, though her hopes were not high for success:: Malcolm: Don’t worry, Peiy. We’ll take care of you. ::Peiy struggled feebly but it was no good and within the next few minutes she had passed out.:: TBC (PNPC) Ensign Chris Davies Medical Officer USS Avandar Simmed by Malcolm and (PNPC) Ensign Peiy Tactical Officer USS Avandar Simmed by Blackwood and Lt. Jen Malcolm CMO USS Avandar

Submitter's note: The mites refer to the crew of the USS Avandar, stranded on the planet with some restless natives. Additionally, this sim was written by Evanna Blackwood. ((Near the Mites expanding swarming grounds)) ::Idue was now heavily pregnant. She had suspected it before and had been unsure about whether to return to her people or not. She had been disgusted with them for showing such kindness to these evil mites. After they had killed some of their own with the red light and somehow put the others to sleep. It was some strange sorcery. The beast that had carried them here lay dead since the day it had arrived and completed it's bidding for Nonod, the goddess of death. :: ::Idue had known these mites were nothing but a plague, an infestation of their lands. They had failed in their great unifying hunt to kill the mites and cleanse their sacred burial grounds. The mites were too resilient but she had caught one. Her Circhev had helped her take down the mite whilst Tyrha had covered them. They should have taken the opportunity to study the beast and work out how to kill it. Instead they invited it into her home. The home her parents and Yathe's had spent much time and effort building for them as a gift so that they could complete their bond together and start their own family. :: ::Yathe had shown great disrespect to her and their parents by his actions. Treating a foul demon as a guest, healing it's wounds and trying to talk to it, even giving it their precious water. Idue missed Yathe a great deal but was not sure she could forgive him for his actions. He had favored it over her and spoken against her publicly several times. It was a great humiliation. So now here she was out in the open, roaming around the woods trying to support herself with no clan and no home. Without a clan she would have no support and would be completely vulnerable during childbirth. If she and her youngling survived that trial she would still struggle to feed and protect them both. :: :: She had observed the mites sending out hunting parties of their own. They were not nearly as quick or efficient in the hunt. It had taken a lot of time spent observing them but she had realised what it was that was odd. They seemed mainly to use their sense of sight when hunting, they did appear to react to audio cues but it wasn't that often. She had on occassion lost prey to them too. She would manage to take out a beast but before she could come down from her hunting perch to retrieve it they were too close. They would take her prize before she could claim it. Dirty, smelly, thieving mites.:: ::She had noticed recently an elder from another clan come down to the mites camp. The elder was always escorted and they always left some overlooking the camp. She had been close enough once that one of them had smelled her and called out to her. He could probably have smalled the change in her too, but she did not care. She retreated further into the jungle and left them to it but sometimes late at night when she was sitting high up in the branches or a tree resting she wondered if the hunter had said anything to one of her clan about it. More than was likely he'd have forgotten about it long before they even turned to go back to the camp but all the same Idue did find herself wondering about it on occassion. :: ::With the mites harvesting the local prey and the land so heavily it was slim pickings, they had no concept of living withing the balance of nature. They would have this entire region stripped in but a few seasons. Idue was hungry, she had seem some mites, one blue and the other with a fiery mane, stealing their food and putting it within the bounds of their swarming grounds. Several bushes and vegetable plants had been stolen. Idue decided she was going to go take them back. :: ::First she had to get passed the mites with the shells. She still remembered the way they took off a portion of their shells to eat, and how one of them had a dark colour. That was the one who had tortured the packmule. If she saw that one she would crack open it's shell with her poisoned dagger if she could. She had spend a few hungry days watching the mites activity. The shelled mites appeared to moving thing around a lot recently. She waiting until it was getting dark and sneaked in to the camp as best she could. :: ::She made her way directly to the place where they had hoarded their food supplies. There were a few mites going into some square hut and she waited in the shadows until they were gone. She checked her surroundings very carefully and then moved over to the bushes. She smalled the sweet flowers from their fruit bushes, it wasn't the season for them to bear fruit but the petals were good in a salve. They could help cuts, bruises, burns and a number of flesh wounds heal more quickly. :: :: She picked up the orange-brown root vegetable and brushed off the dirt. These were quite tough but if you sliced them and then heated the slices over the fire for a few minutes it softened it up and more them much easier to eat and digest. This wouldn't fill her belly just now. She sniffed around to see what they had, it was hard to tell as the smell of mite was overpowering, but she found something suitable. There was a bush at the back with a purple fruit. It was spherical and had a knobbly purple skin, but if you used your hunting knife to remove the skin the fruit inside was delicious. The skin could be dried, ground into a pulp and used for light pain relief. She peeled the fuit and put the skin in her pocket for later. :: ::As she raised the fruit to her mouth she looked up and saw a mite. It hadn't spotted her yet and she stayed very still, hoping not to draw it's attention.:: ((Opened the door if anyone wants to try chat with a native. If not I will have her leave again soon(ish). Remember natives don't understand federation standard. good luck. )) (msPNPC) Idue Native Hunter Simmer by Blackwood