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  1. ((Blueheart's Quarters, USS Discovery-C)) ::And so, Lt Cogud began his tale.. .. :: COGUD: It all started... well I guess when I was born. ::Cogud went on to tell the Commander the many aspects of his childhood, including his family's experience with Orions, and how he had been taught to hate them.:: COGUD: I can't change my upbringing. BLUEHEART: ::nodding somberly:: No. No, you can't. ::He furrowed his brow and the helmsman picked up on this cue.:: COGUD: Yes of course, you want to know why Mr Vedra called me a racist... I mentioned the Sol System Rally, I may have... given in to my upbringing. Seeing the Lieutenant reminded me of my upbringing and when I couple that with the upbringing of many of my academy colleagues I feel cheated, so I blamed the first Orion I saw and thought I stood a chance against, then I fired my best shot... ::Raj nodded. His countenance took on a grave appearance. He hated bigots. No, he DESPISED them. Why a dark-skinned individual is considered filthy was beyond his understanding. Why someone born of a lower caste is untouchable was beyond his comprehension. Why a pansexual tri-gendered alien race is one big prostitution ring was beyond his grasp. Whatever his own personal take on the subject, he wasn't about to let that leak into his professionalism. What he did understand about bigotry was that it's forged in the flames of insecurity and low self-worth, later festering into a paranoid delusion. Bigotry is a disease. As a physician, he was compelled to treat the disease.:: BLUEHEART: I see. oO Cogud probably hurled a volley of racial epithets at Vedra. And Vedra is already clinically depressed to begin with. So many things could go wrong from here. Oo ::He stood up, fetched another bottle of wine (this time a three-year-old Bordeaux) and filled the gentlemen's glasses before his own.:: BLUEHEART: Jorus, am I correct to presume you feel some remorse following your action? COGUD: ::Nodding slowly.:: Of course. BLUEHEART: Good. It's a start. ::to Vedra:: Raine, I understand your hurt. But this is something that cannot be rectified overnight. ::Vedra clenched his jaw and fists but said nothing.:: BLUEHEART: Raine.. Jorus is going to need time.. VEDRA: He can have all eternity. I will never forgive a sick [...] like him! BLUEHEART: ::firmly but gently:: I'm not asking you to forgive him. And neither is he. I'm asking you to understand where this hate is coming from. Can you do that, Raine? Can you do that for me? VEDRA: Why? ::He hissed.:: Why would I do that for you? Why SHOULD I?! The moment he gets a chance he's going to attack me or send some goon to attack me.. Or some other poor Orion. I can't understand that. I can NEVER understand that. Can't he think for himself? Why follow blindly what his family believes in? BLUEHEART: It's not easy UN-learning something, Raine. VEDRA: No! I'm happy with the way things are right now. We stay away from each other. Everyone's happy. BLUEHEART: Well, I'm not happy. ::He leaned back in his seat.:: Are YOU happy, Jorus? COGUD: No. BLUEHEART: And you're not happy too, Raine. No one is happy. All this hate back and forth is only going to escalate, and not only between the both of you. It will spread like wildfire, trust me. Then we'll have anarchy and another mutiny and heck, maybe even a public lynching! As First Officer, I can't let that happen. ::He stared solemnly into each of their eyes as he lowered his voice.:: As a friend, I can't let you guys destroy each other, as well as your own lives and career. Don't throw it all away. Not for this.. Not for this. COGUD: How do you propose to do that? BLUEHEART: ::standing up and pulling up his pants:: We hold hands and dance. COGUD: What! Sir... BLUEHEART: And that's an order, lieutenant! TBC ================================ Lt Jorus Cogud Chief Helmsman USS DISCOVERY-C & Lt JG Raine Vedra Chief of Astrometrics USS DISCOVERY-C & LtCmdr Raj Blueheart First Officer USS DISCOVERY-C
  2. ((Eerie’s Dream)) ::Eerie was walking on a beach, next to gently rolling waves that lapped up onto his feet. It was a bit disconcerting but it didn’t bother him too much. The high heat however, was wonderful. He looked out at the water, which was disturbing to him since he could not swim. As with all Brikar he really disliked water and images of when he almost drowned came back to him. He discarded them and soaked in the heat. :: Eerie: oO Other than the water, this place is great. Oo ::He walked down the beach. It was strange as there seemed to be no end to the sand, no hills or anything. Just sand stretching out endlessly. :: ::The last thing he remembered was being on the alien station. He was confused though. He raised his hands and he could feel pain. Then there was the odd sensation of something pressing down on him. Not that it bothered him too much. While he had experienced pain before, it was like his ‘hands’ were on fire.:: ::He felt a object strike him in the back of the head. He turned around and found a stone, a rather large one in the sand, before the waves come and washed over it. The slight roar of the water came with it.:: :: Eerie looked up to see Evanna Blackwood, standing in front of him grinning. Her flaming red hair flying in the slight breeze. Evanna had been his roommate on the Aurora and Avandar. They’d had a rough start, first really disliking each other and then becoming good friends before the friendship had soured. It had started to get back on track a little bit before her death. Eerie had always regretted not being with her when she died, or the bad place their friendship was at when she passed away. :: ::He felt like this was an odd case of fetyi or deja vu, as Evanna had hit him on two occasions with a rock.:: Eerie: oO Am I dead? Oo Eerie : Evanna? :: Eerie noticed that the water did not roll back this time. Now his feet were covered with water. She was on the dry sand and he moved towards her getting up on the dry sand as well.:: Blackwood: Buster... you’ve always been a few pebbles short of an avalanche but you’re blind now as well? ::Eerie was not particularly surprised at the comment, but there was an edge to it, much like Evanna on Eden. There she had joined the rebels, who had plotted to overthrow the Captain. Traitors.:: Eerie: Evanna. What are you doing here? Am I dead? ::Confused.:: Blackwood: You’ve always been dead buster, you’ve got no soul. No personality. You’re just a walking, staring rock! ::Evanna pranced and danced on the beach but did not go near the water. Evanna had never learned to swim. Furthermore she had nearly got herself and Eerie killed in a holodeck accident, where they had both almost drowned, so it was no surprise she hadn’t liked being anywhere near the water. It had given her panic attacks, but today there appeared to be a spring in her step. It was as if her favourite target was square in her sights.:: Blackwood: As for what i’m doing... What does it look like i’m doing here? ::Pausing and gawping at him impolitely:: Oh yeah, you’re blind now as well. I’m enjoying the sun and the beach. What else would I be doing? . . . Well, there’s some washed up seaweed on this shore that i’m collecting for my research. I think it’ll make a good restorative balm. ::Eerie had shared a lot of him with Evanna over the first year he was assigned to Aurora and the Avandar, before the falling out on Eden. Then the realization that Evanna had killed members of the crew during the uprising against Captain Vetri. Only to find out that it had been a dream of sorts, and that everyone had retained the memories of those long 10 years.:: Eerie:: Angrily.:: I have a personality! You know that as much as anyone, Traitor! You killed the doctor. Gwinnett told me, after all of that talking..:: Willing to fight fire with fire, and surprised at himself for the rise of emotion.:: ::Blackwood’s hair erupted into flames and her face was contorted with fury. She suddenly had a big armful of rocks in her arms and began hurling them at him one at a time. The sand at Eerie’s feet turned to quicksand and he slowly began to sink in it.:: Eerie: oO What in the rocks is going on here? This is not good. Oo ::He struggled to break free only to sink a little bit faster:: Blackwood: ::Screaming loudly, furiously:: YOU were the traitor! Not me! I wanted to go home! I wanted us all to go home! You left me with no choice, what was I to do? You wasted years building huts! You’re practically a living mech Eerie. You could have helped with the ship. ::Still struggling with the sand coming up to his knees. Eerie was sinking.:: Eerie: I tried to help you. You could of came back with me. You ....Evanna...you wanted to kill us all. We would've never gotten off of that cursed planet. You know that now. I did my duty...::proudly:: You listened to to Umas... ::Blackwood would not accept it. There was still the other more potent facts.:: Blackwood: Umas was right! The only sane person left apart from Pouncey. Even that soft headed marine saw sense. We had a shuttle Eerie. A working shuttle with some power in it. The engineers got a power generator going... why didn’t they power the shuttle? We had a communications beacon plopped near the wormhole. They could have got a message out. We could have been saved! All of us! We could have gone home, where we belonged! No one even tried! You sentenced us to death! ::The Avandar had been forced to crash land on a alien planet, only to desecrate the land of the local native population. After some negotiations which had broken down by an attack from a splinter group of the crew lead by Commander Umas, the natives attacked the Avandar camp. The splinter group stole a shuttle to create their own way of life, and later continued to raid the loyal camp and natives who finally made peace with the Avandar crew.:: ::Eerie continued to sink in the sand and no amount of movement, would let him break free.:: Eerie: It was all a dream, Evanna...a experience put in our minds by an alien presence on the planet. No one died...it was just a dream. ::But Eerie knew it was more than that. It had shaped him for better or worse. It had been 10 years...10 years of heartache and mental pain. Only to have a daughter and to see and feel the entire camp to be utterly destroyed in a final explosion that ended the experience.. :: ::Eerie had also lost his mate Peiy during the experience. He was confusing himself with it all again. He had not made his peace with it or Blackwood.:: Blackwood: You think that makes it okay? You think we can just brush it off? We lived it as if it was real and had it been there would have been no second chances. We were doomed because of the selfishness of a blind Captain who lost her marbles and couldn’t be bothered. She lost sight of a lot of things that day and only Umas had the strength of mind to try keep us right... but none of you scared little babies wanted to listen. You all went on sucking your thumbs and shirking the little bit work it would’ve taken to set it right. ::She stopped throwing rocks for a second.:: Blackwood: You’re right though, we got a second chance didn’t we? Or did we? I didn’t get a second chance... Who would forgive me for my part in the dream? Did you? ::Eerie could feel weight of the sand closing in on him tight now. Evanna’s words hit him harder. Worse that anything than he had ever felt before, like the very life was being squeezed out of him:: ::Eerie couldn’t face her and he turned his head for a moment.:: Eerie: oO She is right...you never forgave her...a lot of the crew could not. You should have done better by her. Oo ::Eerie turned to look at the Evanna and the flaming red hair.:: Eerie: We all made mistakes, Evanna....I am so sorry I could never tell you and it bothers me every day. I should've told you...before you died. ::He looked down at the sand which was now about waist high, and continuing to climb around him. Eerie remembered the funeral ceremony, reading all the away team reports about her death. Not finding anything to blame, other than the warped Count and his followers. Eerie had been there for Evanna before, but not at her death.:: Blackwood: Too little too late Buster. ::Folding her arms and looking mighty unimpressed.:: ::The sand now came up to mid chest, and Eerie stopped struggling. He was locked in, and he was continuing to sink in the sand.:: Eerie: For what it is worth. I should've forgave you. .. and I forgive you ....::Sounding defeated. The sinking slowed a bit, but continued.:: What do you want of me? My death....will it make it better, or is vengeance the only thing you have left? Like on the planet. That isn’t existence, that is truly someone that is dead. I am alive.::Forcefully. But the rising sand would make short work of him.:: Blackwood: Easy for someone to declare forgiveness and start back-peddling when their back’s against the wall. ::Clearly not believing it.:: Eerie:: Resigned to his fate, but still defiant..:: Fine... if my death to make you feel better, makes sense for you. ::pausing a few seconds:: That is all this is, just like the planet Eden.... death and destruction is all you care about.. ::Eerie started to let go. ::Go away...let me have my final moments in peace. ::Eerie shut his eyes and started to let his mind drift. He wasn’t going to give Blackwood anymore satisfaction at his expense.:: ::Images of those that had been close to him, drifted into his mind. Tredd, his mentor. Lt. Commander Matthews, Ensign Peiy his former girlfriend. He even had a vision of Sei their fictional daughter during Eden. He tried to blot out Evanna, but he couldn’t :: ::It was at that moment, as Eerie’s mind drifted that a large wave washed ashore reaching way up to Eerie’s neck and sloshing around Blackwood’s ankles, making her leap back. From the waves a form appeared as if the sea itself was taking on humanoid form. The blue form stepped up on the beach, throwing water upon the fiery demon and extinguishing her fire. The demon Blackwood quickly fled the scene.:: ::Eerie felt the wave and grabbed a breath of air, as the water enveloped him. Then the water receded and the water turned into a blue person he knew quite well.: The sand had fallen away some and he let out his breath.:: ::The blue form turned to Eerie and offered him a wide, friendly smile. There was a twinkle in her eyes as she held out her hand to Eerie. The sea water returning to it normal tidal pattern.:: ::Eerie took her hand gratefully, and stepped out of the remaining sand. His former girlfriend Peiy stood in front of him. She was smiling at him. Eerie smiled back easily at her.:: Eerie : Peiy? I am so happy to see you. None of this makes any sense. Evanna is dead....I hope I am not. I still have so much to do. :: Still smiling and the feeling of her hand again was wondrous.:: Peiy: Am I dead? No i’m on Bolarus with my family remember? Life is just a series of journeys. Often you have to think with your head and other times you must listen to your heart. Sometimes you don’t even know you’ve been on a journey until you leave the shuttle behind. ::He understood most of what she said, a bit confused, however the brikar was going to learn to fully understand. He continued to smile at her. Thrilled to see her :: Eerie: I will Peiy, you will always be with me. Peiy: Make the most of your journey Eerie. I love you. ::Her blue form was retaken by the waves as if she was one with the sea, leaving Eerie looking out over the beach alone.:: ::Eerie looked out now over the peaceful water now lapping over his feet again. Then back to the sand, his smile had faded. He felt a bit more at peace. This wasn’t the end. He stood there in the low water for a few moments with good thoughts of Peiy and Evanna, and his journey before peaceful sleep overtook him once again.:: -eof- Lt. Cmdr Eerie Chief Tactical/Security Officer USS Vigilant & PNPC Lt Cmdr Blackwood Former Science Officer AND PNPC Ensign Peiy Former Tactical Officer Simmed by Reinard
  3. ((Runabout Rick Husband)) ::Through the runabout, a voice echoed. It was peaceful, perhaps, but some kind of surety or strength stood behind the pleasant façade.:: Odyssey Station: Welcome to Odyssey Station. Please proceed to the nearest docking port. All Travelers must abide by the Wayfarer's Code while visiting the station. ((Flashback moments prior)) ::Opening his eyes just long enough to note that Kevin was staring out the window, Ben forced them shut again. His hands gripped his shoulder straps as they plunged through the gravity well and into probably, oblivion. When he could tell that theyd passed through, he opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He could feel anxiety slipping off of him now that they were there.:: ::Unbuckling his safety restraint, Ben walked past officers trying to catch a first glimpse of where they were headed. His hand went out before him as he walked toward the door of the [...]pit, and it pressed on the door, which yielded and opened. Stepping across the threshold, he crossed into the courtroom and took a seat beside an older gentleman wearing a pinstriped suit. No sooner had he taken a seat than the proceedings began.:: Bailiff: All rise for the honorable judge Justin Phillips III! :: As everyone stood, Ben looked around. So many of them were there. Perhaps not as many as the day before, but that was natural. For some, it must have been hard to come at all; returning would not be easy. Friends and family of the deceased held one another, crying. The judge sat, and the old wooden benches creaked as everyone in attendance followed. Ben lost himself as he examined in detail those in mourning.:: Prosecutor: The prosecution calls Benjamin Livingston! Livingston: oO What? Oo ::Ben went stiff as a board, every hair standing up on end. Involuntarily, his legs straightened beneath him, lifting him to an upright position. They began to carry him forward, toward the bench. As he looked around, the tear-filled, glaring eyes had shifted to him!:: Livingston: oO This isnt right I didnt do anything. I wasnt involved! Oo :: His slow, forced steps quickened as he sought to move past the angry onlookers. Reaching the appointed seat, he was approached by the bailiff, who offered him a beautiful leather-bound book one of only a few hed seen in his life.:: Bailiff: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? ::Ben looked down to find his hand resting upon the cover, his fingertips sensing the books beauty and softness. His other arm was midair.:: Livingston: I do. ::The book dropped from beneath his hand; the Bailiff retreated with it under his arm. Ben looked around and the crowded room, then sat. The seat, too, was very comfortable, much as the book had been.:: Judge: Please state your name for the record. Livingston: Ben Livingston. Judge: Your FULL name, Mr. Livingston. Livingston: ::beat:: Benjamin Livingston. Judge: And your relation to the defendant? ::Ben closed his eyes and swallowed what little was in his dry mouth. His tongue tasted like sandpaper. He looked up at the judge, who glowered, jaw clenched and gavel in hand, down at him. The prosecutor, likewise, stood facing him with arms crossed.:: ::He looked over to the table before him, where sat, eyes pleading and sorrowful and contrite, the boy who had looked at him so many times before, after getting himself into trouble with the neighbors or Mom and Dad or his teachers.:: ::Ben gulped down the sandpaper.:: Livingston: He is my brother. Prosecutor: And your Starfleet rank, Mr. Livingston? Livingston: ::frowning:: Im not in Starfleet. I work for a corporation. Judge: ::loudly:: Answer the question, Mr. Livingston. Livingston: Lieutenant, Junior Grade attached to Starbase 118 Operations. ::He glanced to the side, then down.:: oO Where did that come from? Oo Prosecutor: And on the day that ::sniff:: ahem, that this tragedy occurred, Mr. Livingston. Where were you? ::Ben reached to grab his hand. When had it begun shaking? He leaned in toward the small microphone before him.:: Livingston: I was at home. Prosecutor: And your home is where? Livingston: Boston, Massachusetts. Prosecutor: So you were not with the defendant in New York City on that day. Livingston: No. But I did speak to him that morning. Prosecutor: But to be clear, you were not WITH him, Mr. Livingston? ::Bens mouth opened, but nothing came out.:: Judge: I remind you that you are under oath to tell the truth. Livingston: ::beat:: No. I was not. ::Bens gaze wandered back to the seat in front of him. His brother held his head in his hands, fingers gripping his hair. Those big, brown eyes had always laughed. Now there was more anguish in them than amusement.:: Prosecutor: And does the phrase Odyssey Station mean anything to you? ::He squinted, thinking.:: Livingston: No no I dont think so. Prosecutor: I must insist that you be more exact, Mr. Livingston. Does that phrase mean anything to you? Livingston: ::beat:: No, it doesnt. Prosecutor: And the phrase biomatrix? Livingston: No, it doesnt, unless it was covered in passing in an engineering course. Prosecutor: Think, Mr. Livingston. Does it mean anything to you anything at all? Livingston: Its a largely experimental biomechanical device that simulates living tissue, although recently it has been made to produce effects bordering on, or meeting the definition of, sentience. They may be useful tools, but they should be considered very dangerous. I strongly advise shelving of the technology, destruction of public records that may lead to their creation, and classification of relevant information as Top Secret and Dangerous to the Public. Prosecutor: Are you a traveler, Mr. Livingston? Livingston: I dont see Judge: You will answer the question, Mr. Livingston! Livingston: Ive done a bit, but nothing particularly exotic. Euorpe, Mars, China once to Vulcan, on business. ::The prosecutor looked at the judge, who returned the glance, then turned back toward Ben.:: Livingston: Why is this important to the case? Prosecutor: Have you ever engaged in extra-galactic travel? Livingston: oO Extra-galactic Oo Thats absurd! Prosecutor: Thank you, Mr. Livingston. You may step down. ::Ahead of him, the weeping, glaring crowd continued to scrutinize him as he walked back to his seat. A deep sigh escaped him as he once again retook the ancient, creaking wooden bench. His eyes closed.:: ::Beneath him, the bench jostled from side to side, and there was noise all around him. Opening his eyes and looking around, he saw Kevin at the window looking at the space station that must by now have become visible. Theyd all made it, after all.:: ---- Lieutenant, J.G. Ben Livingston Assistant Chief Engineer Starbase 118 Ops
  4. Polling closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 31st. This is a run-off poll, where our general membership will choose from the top sims of the first six rounds of the contest to find the best sim that will proceed to the final round of the contest. Please read the six sims below, which were chosen by a panel of judges (one from each ship) to find the best sims from each round of Set 1: Wulfantine & Richards: Guilt RiddenWALTAS: One More TimeMajor Hannibal Parker - Revelations & InvitationsFox, Malon, (msNPC)s Zaveri & Dalal - Invitation to a ForfeitedLt.Cmdr. Kevin Breeman/Lt. JG. Johanna MacLaren JP: Healing HandsEnsign Devon Romjin & Tadanobu Hoshino - The Legacy Of The SonOnce you've read the sims, vote in the poll above. Choose the sim that's the best written, most evocative, makes you feel the most, and generally deserves to be considered as one of our fleet's very best. If any crew is found "stuffing the ballot" -- having everyone on the crew vote for the same sim to ensure it proceeds to the final round -- that crew will be eliminated from the contest for the remainder of the year. Good luck to the nominees!
  5. ((Bridge - USS Columbia)) ::Perhaps someone is reading this and thinking that it is horrible for Puncdor to have lost the use of his Teth A gland. Actually I believe it would be best to call the gland what it is in the tongue of one civilization in a nearby galaxy that has from time to time had dealings with dragons. I believe I would be straying too far from my present concern were I to tell you how it was that this civilization came to know of the organ, much less what civilization I'm talking about. In any case they called it the igel. Now from a certain point of view it really is true that the loss of the igel gland was a tragedy for Puncdor. For example it is a coming of age among the older of Dragonkind to transition to adulthood and to dine on the Evastock and the Korbastik. But by wanting to remain young Puncdor shunned this transition, opting for one form of end over another -- and it really would have been an end to his childhood had he kept his igel and now, as he decided to give up the igel, it was an end to his ever becoming an adult dragon. I should like to say that had he returned home Puncdor probably would not have been shunned by his own kind. Perhaps he would have been seen as a minor, able to move from one place to the next in relative freedom. Dragons like their space and they roam far and wide, civilizing all manner of pockets of space.:: ::But let's return to our present corner of this true story of how Puncdor came to be discovered. If anything could be said of Puncdor's igel its loss posed for him an excruciating pain that I can assure the reader lasted not more than an hour. For the igel is an organ rather akin to the appendix in a human being. It swells, makes quite a fuss, and in humans simply bursts and threatens to kill the organism. In dragons it doesn't quite burst but rather turns the organism into something much fiercer. But losing the igel is in no wise fatal.:: ::Elaine LeBlanc was quite correct however when she summed up the loss of the igel thus::: LeBlanc: Uh well... I suppose it would be like being kicked in the testicles. Nevarass: I'd imagine that is putting it mildly. ::And it certainly was putting it mildly. As I have mentioned in a previous instalment of this history Puncdor was in a pain so profound that it felt akin to the end of dragonkind, rather than just to the end of the world as one individual in a different universe suggested the pain of being injured in the male gonads was like.:: Nicholotti: Then let's see if there is both a permanent solution and something we can do to help him with that discomfort. Nevarass: Yes, sir. I think we should monitor Puncdor for now to ensure he remains stable. But what about the adults, out there? LeBlanc: Could Puncdor help? ::And indeed the "Maternal Figure" of Kali Nicholotti suggested that perhaps Puncdor could get the others to follow them back through the black hole to lead them home.:: ::By now the pain was easing slightly, mostly on account of Puncdor's lying on his back and giving the hollow left in the wake of the igel a chance to rest.:: Puncdor: Uh well... It would be easy to suggest that the food supply here is soon to run out. And not only that but civilization. The younglings won't have any civilization to protect. They'll be alone out here in this odd galaxy of yours. Nevarass: That’s a good notion. Of course, if that fails, maybe we could convince them to follow us. We are food, after all. Nicholotti: Alright, Ensign Nevarass, if you would work with Puncdor and Miss LeBlanc on finding a permanent solution. ::It was at this point, as she was looking with some amount of sympathy toward the permanently young dragon, that Elaine came upon an idea.:: LeBlanc: Could we drop the force field? Nicholotti: Very well. Someone needs to stay with him, however. ::Shortly thereafter the maternal figure left Puncdor to his own devices, to think on what he would do with the rest of his life now that he had been granted this perhaps not eternal but rather prolonged youth. The first thing he decided he would do was to stand. Doing so was less painful than he had thought it would be. He moved his tail slightly and [...]ed his head this way and that. Decided that this should remain the extent of his callisthenics so as not to alarm the rest of the bipeds he walked rather than flew over to where the two science officers were. However, as is normally the custom with curious creatures like bipeds of the Milky Way Galaxy a new face came along wishing to speak with this new and wonderful discovery. Puncdor eyed the peculiar large-eared alien with great delight and curiosity. He had seen him a few times before when he'd been back inside his force field.:: Brek: You are safe with us, Puncdor. As you must have realized, we are not a violent community. All those weapons you see around us are for our protection. Puncdor: Yes. Yes, the children of your species are also the adults, defending you. ::The alien scratched its arm for a moment and then said,:: Brek: I can see you are curious about us, and if you want, there are many things you'll be able to learn about us: music, culture, games... But first, we need to ensure our safety. Can you ask the adults in your community to leave us alone? We can give them food, we can even treat their injuries. But for this to happen, we must be treated as equals. ::Puncdor tilted one side of his mouth in concern and uncertainty.:: Puncdor: Well.. As I said earlier I can probably tell them that there is not much food out here, or civilization. I hope they will listen though... Brek: I understand. If nothing you say to your elders makes a difference, then we'll have to rely on our technology to continue to protect ourselves. You, on your side, will have to decide whether you want to stay with us, or would rather go back to your species. ::Puncdor was quickly realizing this, but I dare say that his decision was one which I cannot easily summarize for you yet.:: TAGS TBC Kli'bits'querz''aa*em affably known as Puncdor The Dragon Now Permanently Juvenile Male Creature as narrated by The Narrator as simmed by Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Breeman Chief Engineer Starbase 118 and USS Columbia
  6. ((Rear Compartment, Runabout 'Rick Husband')) ::To be there, yet almost completely invisible, was something that Vincent often tried accomplishing. Sometimes, usually on account of stillness, or rank, perhaps, it would work. Other times, his size simply got the best of the situation, and people would 'see' him in the plain sight where he stood. Now, however, was one of the former moments, and for a time, as the runabout filled with officers, he seemed nearly invisible to them all.:: ::It wasn't something he minded either; being able to stand in the back of the rear compartment and simply watch the tired officers as they moved into the ship and sat was not only something that killed time for him, but it kept his mind busy as well. One by one he counted off the senior staff; there was the Chief of Security, the Chief Engineer, extra security officers, and the Ferengi diplomat that couldn't really fire a phaser. Beside him was a small dragon, with its tongue sticking slightly out. Then came the others, in collars of all colors, all seemingly preoccupied with things around them.:: ::That left him to a bubble of relative silence where he could still hear the soft clicking as he adjusted the rifle tucked up against him and the side arms in the holsters on either side of his body. For him, peace always came first. Kali had instilled the sanctity of life on all she'd led when she was in the Corps, but Vince knew that such outlooks didn't always mean the firepower wouldn't be needed. He'd be there to back Kali up in anything she did, but in the end, he'd never be caught like he had been on Lavon.:: ((Flashback, Lavon Palace, Stardate 238606.26)) ::Following the fireteam leader, a small statured Asian woman who held an aire of command and confidence about her without ever saying a word, Vince let his eyes fall on the form of the First Officers up ahead. A million thoughts raced through the mind of the young, and fairly fresh, Marine, the least of which was not the seething annoyance at the man's recent comments about those in the green collars. It was no secret that Andrus Jaxx hated the Marines with a fiery passion, but it was kind of a surprise that Kali took the comments and said nothing more.:: ::It was one thing that he planned on taking up with her when they returned to the Resolution. Her, and the Marine CO, a man who could at least stand up for the job they were doing.:: ::Still, even though he'd just met her a day ago, Vincent found himself worried that he was doing the wrong thing. The path this woman had chosen was a strange one, but something about it, and her, seemed to just be right. It was like his anger and seething hit a wall that absorbed it and stole it from him. The emotions never had a chance to boil over because of it.:: ::Suddenly, the group stopped. He had to catch himself quickly before he ran right into the woman he had to look down to look at.:: Jaxx: He is here. ::nodding toward the Main Chamber:: extreme caution, Lieutenant ::pausing for a moment:: set phasers to kill. Nicholotti: He, who sir? ::Kali was lost on this point. She looked around the narrow hall, but saw nothing unusual.:: Jaxx: I am not sure exactly what, but we are being watched. ::Without hesitation, the woman turned and orders were issued. Vincent raised his eyebrow towards the First Officer, but something in the way he stood, and in the tone of his voice, told the tale of honesty and the deadly truth none of them realized. Turning around slowly and training his weapon as he went, he was far too late to do anything about the door that suddenly slammed down between them and both Kali and Jaxx.:: Jones: Dammit! ::Having run to the metallic slab that kept him and one other Marine separated from the officers, he slammed his fist on it and watched through a small window as a massive Hirogen hunter faded into existence just in front of Kali and Jaxx. A frantic look came over him, though no one would see it to share the moment. Unable to move the slab with his bulk alone, the Marine searched quickly for anything that would allow him to pry the door open.:: ::The event lasted moments, and the door eventually opened on its own, but by the time the team came back together, it was already too late. Glancing forward as he ran into the room, Vincent looked on as the First Officer picked up the fireteam leader and moved towards the closest exit, where the transporters would be able to find her. Glancing sideways, he noted another casualty, a teammate, but the trail of crimson that fell, leaving a path where Jaxx had been to where he was, drew Vincent's attention as a icy chill ran down his spine.:: ((End Flashback)) ::Subconsciously, Vince had looked towards the [...]pit, to where that woman was now. Vowing to keep her in that state, alive and well, even if it were for the arms of another, he found himself gripping the rifle just a bit tighter as a few more people entered the craft.:: ::Back to watching, rather than re-living painful memories of the past, he noticed the medical officer from earlier join the rest of them in the somewhat packed rear compartment. He didn't know the man, having just met him, but something seemed to be written on his face and it didn't look entirely like sun and roses. And whatever it was drew Vincent to him as he started to move forward.:: Jones: The rough day's just beginning, unfortunately. Skyfire: Yep...I know. May I join you? ::With a subtle nod of his head, he offered the new medical officer a place next to him on the wall, as far removed as was possible from the crowd.:: Jones: They call me Jonesy, you can too. I'm not an officer, just an ear, if you needed it. Skyfire: I'll keep it in mind in the event I need it...tell me, who is the counselor on our posting? I am afraid I wasn't given much chance to read up on the assignment before it was handed to me...but I should schedule an appointment when we get back. ::An ear, and a shield, and perhaps the interference that ran between darkness and light, somewhere in places no one actually knew, keeping others from knowing the truth. For the briefest moment, he missed his place on Starbase 118, the chair he leaned back in, and the console where his boots were often found. But they would be home soon enough. They would be home and perhaps things would get back to normal.:: ::As soon as he thought it, he scratched the idea. No, normal was far too chaotic. He really could do with at least a week without someone trying to blow up the station, eat his soul, kill his captain, or steal anyone from his home. After all, those things made it a far less desirable place to live.:: ::But as long as Kali was there, and he served his fellow officers as he could, then maybe chaos was survivable.:: TAG/TBC -- CWO 1st Class Vincent 'Jonesy' Jones Lead NCO, 292nd 'Eagle Eye' 118th Counter Intel Division Starbase 118 / USS Victory As simmed by Captain Kalianna Nicholotti
  7. ((Greir’s Quarters)) ::Greir sat at his console. He'd had a productive day and thoroughly enjoyable evening. He felt he had been further able to cement his friendship with Dr Malon, and further earn her trust.:: ::However that gnawing feeling was still bothering him and he finally decided to take action, starting by checking the chronometer. Deciding that now was as appropriate a time as any he took the plunge.:: ::The last time he’d tried to call home he’d cut the connection before anyone could answer. He had his fingers tightly interlinked behind his back to stop him wimping out and doing the same again. He watched the symbol on the screen rotate and turn, wondering whether someone would answer or not.:: ::He felt a great deal of guilt about not having kept in touch with family over the years. He felt guilty about not having been there to support his people through the battle of Bondi. The loss of Rori pained him badly. He wanted to try and make things right but it had gotten to the point he was afraid to call home. He was afraid of what they thought of him.:: ::Loffe sat in his office, staring at the small monitor on his desk. The sound of an incoming sub-space message had taken him from his work. The readout mentioned Vigilant.. Loffe rubbed his chin, then realised what that meant.:: Loffe: oO Greir? Why now? Oo ::He clicked accept, setting his jaw.:: Loffe: Hmmm... ::The face of his older brother filled the screen and Greir was filled with anxiety. Though Loffe looked older he was unmistakable nonetheless and it was a further indication of the time that had passed. The two of them stared at each other for a while neither wanting to be the first to speak. He swallowed hard and was first to break the silence, speaking nervously in his native tongue.:: Greir: Good day, brother. I’m... glad to see you. How have you been? ::Loffe glared at his brother. He looked mature, and Loffe had to admit the Star Fleet uniform gave his younger sibling an air of authority he lacked as a youth on Duronis. Nevertheless, why had he dained to call him now?:: Loffe: I am have been.. fine. And you? ::in a cool almost dismissive tone.:: ::Greir tried not to let the cool response bother him too much. He hadn’t been expecting a warm response after all this time anyway.:: Greir: I’m well, thank you. What have you been up to? ::Trying to open a bit of a dialogue.:: Loffe: Things have been eventful, as you may... or may not... know. ::Loffe was referring to the Battle of Bondi and the tragic losses they had suffered.:: But they are not your concerns, brother. ::Greir did get what he was referring to and the comment about it not being his concern rubbed him the wrong way and put him on the defensive.:: Greir: I know what happened. If I could’ve been there I would have. How is it not my concern? ::Loffe just huffed. He was wracked with contrary emotions. It was wonderful to see his brother again, after so many years. But then, why had it been so many years?:: Loffe: Hurrumph. Well, sorry. It’s just that you’ve ::pause:: not been in touch. I felt like you’d cut all ties with us. ::There is was in a nutshell. The overpowering feeling of guilt rose up to try claim him and he didn’t know where to begin to try explain himself. He was not one for lying or making excuses and he didn’t feel what he’d done was right so how could he justify it?:: Greir: It’s not like that at all, it’s not what I wanted... ::Irregardless he couldn’t take it back now.:: Loffe: Well, you’re here now. ::his tone now softening.:: How is Star Fleet? Your ship? ::This was a topic he could talk about any day of the week quite happily. His hands finally coming up from behind his back. The excitable gestures and gleam in his eye spoke volumes of his passion for his work.:: Greir: You would not believe the wonders I have seen Loffe. I just got transfered to this ship, the USS Vigilant. Even before we could get it off the ground we were called into action. I wish I could tell you all about it and the instrumental role I played but it’s all classified! I did not call to talk about myself however, please, tell me what has passed... ::Loffe was pleased, genuinely, that his brother had found a purpose in life, even if it saddened him slightly that it was not in the service of Duronis itself. A service that cost many to pay the ultimate price. The Klingon War was but a few months before.:: Loffe: The Battle was terrible. Many perished. I feared the worst. ::Edla came in from the garden and heard the voice that she had not heard in such a long time. She set the tools down, and moved over to Loffe, staying out of the view of the monitor for a moment. ::Loffe rubbed his leg. The wound still hurt very much. He had made a good recovery, but in truth he was never going to be able to do all the things he once had. However, he was one of the lucky ones.:: Loffe: But we survived, any battle you can walk away from is a good one I guess. Do you want to speak to mother and father? Greir: Of course, if they will see me that is. Loffe: Mother will, Father is his own man, as you well know. ::Greir nodded slowly, he knew well enough. Soon enough his mother appeared on the screen. :: ::She hadn’t talked with Greir such a long time and she was thrilled to see his face. She could see more and more of her husband in her son’s face. The same eyes, and there was a bit of her parents there as well. She was so happy to see the mature face of her son.:: Edla : Federation service seems to be good to you.::Smiling at him. There was a weariness in her face, however, putting a hand on Loffe’s shoulder..:: Greir: I do love my work, but how are you? ::Concerned:: Edla: I am okay. Tired, just tired these days. ::She forced a smile on her face.:: I wish I could get your father on the comm. He is stubborn. That horrible pride.::The smile vanished. ::Greir sighed heavily. It seemed that while Rori had paid the ultimate price at the Battle of bondi, it had taken it’s toll on the rest of his family too. Yet another thing he had not adequately taken into account. It seemed where family and home was concerned he just couldn’t judge things properly.:: ::He’d known his dad would have been hit hard by the loss of his brother. He didn’t really expect his father would want to talk to him but he had so many questions. Did Gjord hate, or maybe blame him for the things that had passed. He had to know where he stood, even though he knew it could be painful.:: Greir: Why won’t he talk to me? Edla :: Frowning:: He is still upset mostly at himself, but he would never admit that to himself. I don’t know if he knows that you decided a different path for service. If I can get him on the comm would you talk with him? Greir : If he doesn’t want to talk to me... I can hardly blame him. I’ve always been the weakest son. ::Loffe straightened at that comment. He had always liked, loved even, Greir and felt protective towards him as any older brother would. However, by that very fact that he was protective did allude to the more quiet nature of the younger Reinard.:: Edla : Someone has to take the first step, Please, if you could just talk with him. ::Pleading. :: ::She turned and called out.:: Edla : Gjord, there is someone on the comm that would like to talk with you. ::There was a gruff reply.:: ::Loffe glanced back at Greir, and gave him a look he had done in the past, when they were both children.... a kind of “Dad’s going to be mad at us for this” look.:: Loffe: I hear him now. ::Gjord came and saw Loffe and Edla move away from the monitor. He could see his son’s face on the monitor. He stiffened as he came to the monitor. Seeing Greir reminded him of the loss of his younger brother. There was not a lot of physical resemblance, but the way that Greir carried himself reminded him of his brother.:: ::Loffe nodded, silently. Their Father had many great characteristics, and stubborness and pride ranked very highly. Loffe did not expect Greir to get much sympathy in the ensuing conversation.:: Gjord: Hmph. So...::Looking at Loffe and Edla.:: I guess this is your idea. Well, I see you still have that uniform on. Where are you posted now?.::Coldly.:: Greir: I just got a new assignment. I’m on the USS Vigilant now. The ship will be operating much closer to home - Zeta Gelkis region mainly. I didn’t call to talk of me... how have you been father? :: He paused for a minute, he could see backbone in his son. He was repelled and impressed at the same time. Taking a small measure of pride at how well he turned out. But not wanting to admit it.:: Gjord: Hmm. I am fine. No thanks to you.... . ::turning his head, and then back to face his son.::You should of been here. ::There was an edge in his voice.:: Edla: Gjord! ::Giving her husband a disapproving look.:: Greir: Well before you all cut me out of your life. ::Which was rich coming from him...:: I have one thing I want to say. ::There was a long pause as he struggled to contain the surge of emotions. It was a very tense situation facing his family for the first time in so many years. He was getting a mixed response, but considering he hadn’t been cut off yet it was better than anticipated. Less than he’d hoped but he only had himself to thank for it. His expression would crumple then smooth back out before crumpling again.:: ::Gjord studied his son’s face carefully. He hadn’t seen it in almost five years. He could see maturity in it, seeing some harder lines in his face and definition . That had replaced some of his youth. He had to admit that he wasn’t a bad looking son.:: Gjord : I’m listening. ::Following his arms. Barely looking at the monitor. Edla came up and put her hand on his shoulder, trying to soften him a bit.:: Greir: ::Voice fraught with emotion:: I’m... sorry... about Rori... ::There was a long pause before he managed to continue. He couldn’t look at the screen. He was welling up and did not want to show such weakness. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest and he felt on the edge of a panic attack.:: Greir: …about everything. ::There was a long silence as Gjord looked at the monitor. Loffe felt the tension and it made him, even with all his personal certainty, feel uncomfortable. Gjord meanwhile looked at directly at his son. :: Gjord : Hmph....only a fool can be wrong about everything. I didn’t raise any ‘fools’, perhaps a jackass . I have chores to do. We’ll talk later. ::With that he left the monitor, and went outside. :: ::Loffe frowned and felt for his sibling even more.:: ::Greir sighed again. He wasn’t satisfied with that as he hated leaving things unresolved but it was the best he could hope for. He didn’t know what else to say and supposed that was the end of the conversation.:: Greir: I guess we’re done here then. Elda: Do you have to go? How are you doing on the ship? Have you made any friends? ::Trying the keep her son with her for a few more minutes, with a barrage of questions.:: Grier: I told you, I didn’t call to talk about me. I wanted to know how you have all fared... we’re like strangers now. No one will tell me anything. Elda.:You are my son, and always will be. Give you father some time. Contact us again, he won’t contact you, but it is a start.::Giving him a weak smile.:: Grier: Until next time then. My love to you all. ::He was sincere but did not think it would count for much.:: ::Elda smiled at her son, proud of him. Loffe felt a pang of angst realising that Greir was going.:: Loffe: Good bye Greir, don’t leave it so long until next time, understand me. ::Greir nodded solemnly as he closed the channel. His mother had clearly been happy to see him and it seemed as though his brother was about ready to forgive him. His father was another matter entirely and it really bothered him. It was really late now and the conversation had really put a downer on an otherwise very enjoyable evening.:: ::He went into his bedroom and slowly stripped. Finding it hard to settle down he tossed and turned as his keen mind tried to get to work on the problem. Eventually he became so tired that he drifted off to sleep.:: A JP by: Lt Cmdr Reinard Chief Counsellor USS Vigilant and (NPC) Loffe Greir's older brother Simmed by Leo-Handley Page and (NPCs) Elda and Gjord Greir's Mother and Father Simmed by Eerie
  8. "Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream." ~ Kahlil Gibran ((Present)) ((Blueheart's Quarters, USS Discovery-C)) ::In 2576, when Amman will tear out the door to Blueheart's quarters amidst the wreckage that was at one time the resplendent flagship of the Avalon sector, the grieving Emerson Ravenscroft will enter that space in the hopes of sensing some residual emotion, some remnant memory, tattooed into the bulkheads and deckplates by fires and explosives. Alas, he would find no such solace. But Love, the one and only true timeless cosmological constant, knowing no shame or rue, will always find a way to breach the barriers of Time. And that was exactly what she did that fateful day.. After Raj had left, Emerson had headed to the replicator to have himself a smoked turkey sandwich. He had then experienced a strange sensation of foreboding. So strong was this feeling that it almost felt that a physical presence had manifested itself in the room. It had spurned him to spin around, instinctively, only to reveal nothing to his eyes. He had shrugged it off as stemming from either hunger or fatigue and had carried on with his quest for a sandwich. The dark foreboding returned. His heart, abruptly stopped, sank to the depths of his being. Blood drained from his head and beads of sweat erupted on his brow. The hairs on his arms and on the back of his neck stood on end. A shiver coursed through his veins like an ice-serpent. Bile rose to the back of his throat. His initial thought was that he was about to die. But almost as swift as this thought had entered his now-bloodless mind, another thought burst through. It was not HIM who was about to die! He crashed to the floor onto his knees. A searing pain bored its way through the right side of his skull, ultimately wracking his whole brain. It felt like talons and claws and nails and thorns thrashing about hysterically inside the vault of his skull. He whacked the right side of his head with his fist repeatedly. Again and again and again. He felt the skin and bone rent asunder from the top of his right eye all the way to the back of his right ear, the blood and fat and marrow spilling out like the entrails of a slaughtered pig. The pain vanished. Abruptly. His entire body went rigid. So sudden was the switch from painful to painless that he vomited. His mind began to shut down. Just before his head hit the pool of warm and lumpy bilious ejecta, random images burned themselves on his retinas. A morgue. A shot to the head. An alien landscape. A dreamless frozen sleep. Raj. Emerson would convulse once before losing his consciousness to darkness. Yes, Love almighty and eternal will always find a way to breach the barriers of Time, and that was exactly what she did that fateful day. Re-igniting a link between two sworn hearts unbroken by Time. No one ever said there wouldn't be a price to pay.:: TBC ============================ Lt Emerson Ravenscroft Xenolinguist USS DISCOVERY-C as simmed by LtCmdr Raj Blueheart First Officer USS DISCOVERY-C
  9. (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) :: Dressed in all black, she stood quietly off to the side, little more than a shadow in the midst of the other mourners. She drew in a deep breath of the cool forest air, the fresh scent of pine seemed somehow soothing. She looked down with tears threatening to cloud her vision as the tiny bundle, cradled in a sling against her chest, squirmed and made the tiniest sound. The round little face scrunched up but quickly relaxed, never even opening his eyes as she gently stroked his cheek with the back of her finger. The peacefulness of her son's expression brought a hint of a smile to her pale lips. In her mind, he was a gift from the gods, born premature but healthy in every way. :: :: She looked up once again at the little old man standing at the head of the crowd. She had yet to meet him but she knew everything there was to know about Ryoma's father. As he spoke, Devon Romjin stood a little taller, holding her head high. :: TADANOBU HOSHINO: Today we gather to remember the life... and death... of Ryoma Hoshino: son to my family, and to Lyshan VI as a whole. --------------- (( Intel Office, USS Discovery-C - Current Day )) :: Devon sat leaning back in her chair with her feet propped up on the edge of the desk. In one hand was a PADD containing all the information she could dig up on Valdor III, in the other hand was a cup of already cold chamomile tea. It wasn't her usual drink but her stomach had been a little upset most of the evening so Travers had suggested it. :: :: With a sigh, she tossed the PADD onto the desktop and sat up, letting her feet hit the floor with a thud. She looked at the dark liquid in the cup, her stomach turned and she sat the cup down, pushing it half way across the desk. :: ROMJIN: Travers... ::even though she was alone:: You're home remedies suck. --------------- (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) TADANOBU HOSHINO: Earlier this year, Ryoma, serving aboard the USS Discovery, was... :: voice wavering, the corner of his eyes glistening :: ... lost to the cold of space. While helping his crewmates to escape the stricken vessel, a Breen energy weapon cut through the hull of the Sovereign-class starship and Ryoma... :: A tear traced a moist track down his face :: ... my son, was dragged out into space. :: Devon bite her lip, her throat tightening as memories of that day came flooding back like a tidal wave. If she had been where she was suppose to have been, maybe... She blinked, sending a single tear rolling down her face. :: --------------- (( Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-C, Current Day )) :: Devon usually went to the Eagle's Roost for dinner following her shift. Not today. Just the thought made her even more nauseous. Travers had actually told her she was looking a little green and urged her to go to sickbay. But that wasn't going to happen if she could avoid it at all. :: She took a quick shower and then climbed into bed, pulling the blanket up over her head. She just needed sleep. For a moment she thought about Ryoma. She missed him. Sighing, she closed her eyes. She'd track him down later... if she felt better. :: --------------- (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) TADANOBU HOSHINO: Ryoma gave his life so that other may live. As parents, we could not be prouder of his actions, but we wish he were... :: He choked on his words. :: ... home. ROMJIN: oO Me too. Oo :: The thought brought a fresh tear falling from her dark eyes and she hugged her child a little tighter, leaning her cheek against his head. :: TADANOBU: In memory of his actions, his service to Lyshan VI and the Federation, we open the Ryoma Hoshino Natural Site, protecting our world as my son protected us. --------------- (( Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-C - Current Day )) :: Devon rolled over onto her back, throwing her arms out to the sides and swallowed hard. Her legs were tangled in the sheets but she couldn't bother kicking out of them. She lay completely still for several minutes, until the door chime sounded. She drew in a sharp breath and swallowed hard again. :: ROMJIN: Go away. I'm trying to die in peace. :: She already knew who it was so she wasn't surprised when the door opened and Travers sauntered in. :: TRAVERS: :: hands on hips :: Tsk tsk tsk. You're late for your shift but lucky for you I'm such a terrific friend. ::reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hypospray:: I also have a sure fire upset tummy fixer upper. ROMJIN: ::raising her head just enough to look at Peter Pan:: Oh yay. ::letting her head drop:: Just shoot me. ::Travers rolled his eyes, followed by shaking his head and chuckling as he crossed the room to stand right beside her. :: TRAVERS: You know under different circumstances... ROMJIN: I'll kick your [...] if you even think about it. TRAVERS: ::laughing:: You'd have beat me to death a million times already. ::Leaning down just enough, he pressed the hypospray against her neck.:: There. Give it a few seconds and you'll feel alive again. THEN we have to get moving before boss mad notices you're late. :: Without a word, she grabbed her pillow and threw it at him. :: TRAVERS: ::catching it easily enough:: So does Daddy know about it yet? ROMJIN: ::her head jerked up:: What!? ::seeing him laughing, she dropped her head again:: Oh my gods, Trav, don't be stupid. --tbc-- (PNPC) Ensign Devon Romjin Intel USS Discovery-C -- as played by Lt. jg Collim Kieran
  10. ((Stardate 257608.31)) ((Mess Hall, USS Discovery-F)) ::Emerson spooned tasteless grub into his mouth. Not because he was hungry. Not because he sought nourishment. Only because it was a ritual. A habit. A routine to hold on to whatever remnant of sanity still lurking inside that dented and cracked skull. Like a gaudy Picasso he stood out in his drab oversized civilian clothes in the equally drab hall, his skin an asymmetrical patchwork of scars, sutures and scabs. Without looking up, he knew the others were watching. Watching an ugly animal feed. Watching a grotesque fossil from the past. Watching an alien displaced in time and place. A shadow fell upon his bowl of grey goo. Hunched over the bowl, he didn't look up.:: RAVENSCROFT: Get lost. CAMERON: ::tremulous voice:: Lieutenant.. Ravenscroft? RAVENSCROFT: Am I? ::Another swallow, another suppressed gag reflex.:: I don't even know who or what I am anymore. CAMERON: I have someth---- ::A swipe of an arm was all it took to send the bowl sailing through the air and into the far corner of the hall. The loud clang of the metal container against the tables and bulkhead was followed by deafening silence. When the retired major-sergeant turned back to look at the former linguist, he became frozen in place by a pair of feral green eyes, bloodshot, bruised and vacuous. They locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity, the innocent of the present and the demon from the past, a hundred lifetimes standing between them.:: RAVENSCROFT: Frak off. ::Trembling, but defiant, MSgt Cameron gently placed a sleeker, futuristic version of the PADD on the cold metal table then slid it very slowly towards him. He waited a couple of seconds before speaking.:: CAMERON: I'm part of a salvage crew subcontracted by Starfleet in the extrication of the Discovery C. We managed to pull up some of the more intact ship logs. ::He paused, not certain just how delicately he should proceed from that point onwards.:: One of the first few logs I extracted were personal logs of the crew.. including those of.. the First Officer.. commander Blueheart.. RAVENSCROFT: Frak you! ::Growling, he jumped up and back, kicking the chair and sending it smashing against the bulkhead behind him. He gave the sergeant a parting savage look, nostrils flared, broken teeth bared. Digging his tightly clenched fists into his pockets, he turned away to leave, limping, his head throbbing, the wounds and scars on fire. Now was not the time to remember. No! Now was not the time to remember! He drew out his right fist and smacked it against his skull, thrice, scratching at the incision scar at the same time.:: CAMERON: ::raising his voice, unperturbed:: Lieutenant! ::He stopped in his tracks. He turned slowly, seething with rage. A morbid desire to wrap his callused fingers around the [...]y man's scrawny neck rose within him like the bile induced by the garbage he just forced himself to ingest. He wished to see his fingernails dig deeper and deeper into the supple flesh, collapsing the carotids millimeter by millimeter till the man turned fatally dusky, till his eyeballs and tongue leaked out of their orifices like slugs emerging from their lairs. It would be like killing all those Breen two hundred years ago, yesterday.:: CAMERON: The mission logs are classified and off limits. I went to extraordinary lengths to get you a copy of his personal logs. I thought you'd like to have them. Reading some of them.. well,.. ::His voice dropped a timbre.:: .. .. I know he'd have wanted you to have them. ::The sergeant grabbed the PADD off the table and threw it at him. All those years in cryostasis hadn't diminished reflexes borne and honed in the military. His right arm shot out with lightning speed to catch the device in midair before he even felt the stretch and subsequent snap of quiescent ligaments in his limb. He stared at the PADD, more out of surprise that he had reached out to catch it rather than actually successfully catching it. Cameron walked past him on his way out of the mess hall, breaking off eye contact with the feral beast, halting only briefly beside him for a parting word or two.:: CAMERON: Some of your friends are down on the planet, at the wreckage site. ::[...]ing his head to the side ever so slightly:: Good day, lieutenant. ((Time warp – One hour later)) ((Temporary Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-F)) ::He believed the itching would be gone once he surrendered himself to reading the logs. The itching of curiosity. The itching of missing someone so frakking badly. It only got worse. Subconsciously, he scratched that sinister scar that ran from the top of his right eye all the way back to his right ear with soiled, unkempt fingernails as he accessed the logs, sitting cross-legged in a dull grey room devoid of furniture, one entry at a time.:: Personal Log of Lieutenant Commander Raj Blueheart First Officer of the USS Discovery, NCC-31929-C Stardate 239002.19 I toured Astrometrics today with Essk. He almost launched a probe! One should see the look on Valdivia's and Vedra's face when the launch sequence was initiated. I had to pinch myself hard to keep me from laughing out loud. I don't remember ever wanting to laugh this much, ever. Oh wait. Except maybe for that time when Em wrestled a giant neurotic bird in Sickbay. (Not Dr Morning-Song). End of personal log. Stardate 239003.18 Em and I took the kids to the Arboretum for a picnic. We told them about Lady Julia and how she's now part of the universe, all around us. I think this is the kids' first exposure to spirituality, and the gods know I have no idea whether what I did was appropriate. Every so often I kept telling myself I should've consulted Steve before explaining life and death to our kids, but then I saw Vayu look up and out of the viewing window at a passing bright star and waved goodbye to Julie. And then I knew I did okay. We did okay. Me, Em and Steve. .. Though I'll leave explaining the birds and the bees and the lizards to those two. End of personal log. Stardate 239008.22 A year ago we were on shore leave on Earth, having the time of our lives. Now we are fighting for our lives. The conflict with the Breen had escalated with the assassination of their key ambassador. No party had come forth to claim responsibility for the crime. Independent commissions investigating the matter had not turned up anything conclusive. I had not been surprised. There are too many factions, splinter groups, even within Starfleet, I personally believe, that have gone rogue and have taken the execution of justice into their own hands. Now with a full scale war between the Federation and the Breen, the future looks dismal. Everyday I find my optimism and hope for a peaceful resolution to this strife evaporating. The crew of the Discovery has stuck through thick and thin many times before, always emerging triumphant and cohesive in the end. But with so much death and loss and shattered lives all around us, I'm not certain we will be as lucky this time. I dread thinking about the kind of future the kids will inherit.. End of personal log. Stardate 2390010.01 We laid Lieutenant Raine Vedra to rest today. He shot himself in the head with his phaser. His depression had relapsed. We are beginning to witness the collateral effects of the war. Displaced families, genocide, xenophobia, famine, depression, disease outbreaks, human trafficking, anarchy.. The impending complete collapse of Humanity. There are moments when I look at my own phaser and.. But I still have Em! I am blessed that way. I don't know how I'd even find the strength to wake up every day without him. He is my sanctuary. He is my war bunker, my panic room. Time stops when I'm with him. Nothing else matters when I'm with him. Yet I'm plagued by doubts of a future where we're still together. It's a sick, sick feeling I can't completely dismiss. And it makes me sad, most days, thinking about this prospect. Funny how joy and security can morph into paralyzing sadness in the lapse of a heartbeat. If ever there comes a terrible fate where only one of us is allowed to survive this war, I pray Ares will keep Em alive. He is the sun that gives life to all, not just me. He is the love of my life. Always shall be. Even in death.. My immortal beloved. End of personal log. ::He was holding his knees close to his chest by the time he read the last of the logs, rocking back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. A metronome to accompany a tragic symphony. He was remembering the past. The past was crawling out of its cave, fangs bared. Like a hounded quarry he howled a horrifying guttural sound, clawing his way into a corner of the dark room, cowering and shaking, curling into a tight ball of flesh and bone and pain. There was no escape. The past had ensnared its prey.:: END ========================== Lt Emerson Ravenscroft Former Xenolinguist USS DISCOVERY-C as simmed by LtCmdr Raj Blueheart First Officer USS DISCOVERY-C
  11. (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) :: There was a slight bite to the evening air. Devon suppressed a shiver as she double checked the address she had written down. Biting her lip, she stood staring at the numbers. Doubt or maybe it was fear, once again rose inside her. She had no idea how the couple would react to meeting her or more importantly the small baby bundled warmly in the baby sling draped in front of her. But this was the right thing to do. She had to at least give them a chance to know their only grandchild. :: :: Taking a deep breath, she climbed the last two steps and pressed the door bell. Then she rocked gently back and forth as little legs began to squirm against her stomach. :: :: She was reaching for the bell again when the door slowly opened, just a crack. :: ROMJIN: Mr. Hoshino? :: The eyes peering out through the crack narrowed momentarily as the older man tried to register the woman's face. That moment was soon gone once the eyes fell onto the baby. :: TADANOBU HOSHINO: Oh, come in, child - it is freezing out there. :: The door open wide allowing Romjin access to the home's entrance. A single pair of men's boots lay neatly facing the door. On the wall, an elaborate inked piece of calligraphy added character to a rather utilitarian room :: :: Tadanobu stood slightly above Devon on a step delineating the inside of the house from the unadorned entrance floor. A fireplace crackled out of view, shadows dancing in the background from where it cast its light. :: :: The older man's white hair bore a stark contrast to the dark patches around his eyes, his body hunched up slightly from an unseen burden. It wasn't hard for Devon to guess what that burden maybe. :: HOSHINO: Now, miss, if you don't mind me asking, who are you? :: His voice was low and measured, he was sizing her up, just as his own son had barely a year prior. :: :: Looking into the old man's eyes, her heart ached even more. Did he realize his son had that very same way of looking at someone? Or was it just the way the had looked at her? :: ROMJIN: Devon Romjin, ::pause:: I... ::the baby made the slightest whimper and Devon uncovered his head:: I'm sorry to bother you but... ::smiling sadly as her mind and heart raced:: I knew your son. :: There was a moment's silence, not awkward, but one charged with meaning. :: HOSHINO: You came to the ceremony today, didn't you? You stood at the back of the crowd. I saw you. :: He inhaled deeply, exhaling with a drawn out sigh. What was he to do? :: Come in, come in. Step up into the house... and please, leave your shoes there. :: He smiled, it seemed warm, but his eyes were dead. In truth, the old man was wondering what he was about to hear... :: ROMJIN: Thank you. :: As she passed by him, he caught a glimpse of the baby's face. That it seemed ethnically different to Romjin was immediately obvious: the wispy black hair, the sharper dark eyes, the skintone... He knew what was about to come next. :: :: Stepping inside, she was glad to get out of the cold. She tried not to show her nervousness as she unfastened her jacket while still holding the baby close with one arm. Then she managed to unzipped the sides of her boots and kicked them off, leaving them neatly where the older man had indicated. :: ROMJIN: Yes, I was there. ::her voice cracked ever so slightly:: I... ::She really wasn't good at this sort of thing.:: It was a beautiful service. HOSHINO: :: Motioning to her to sit beside the fire. The furniture was wooden, hand-made by Tadanobu himself. :: Ryoma never mentioned he had gotten married... then again, we didn't speak much before he... :: His voice trailed away. :: :: The house was spartan, although it hadn't always been that way. Although tidy, it is was utilitarian and cold. It wasn't like that when Ryoma was there. It wasn't like that until his mother left. :: :: Sitting beside the fire, she loosened the sling and pushed it further open to give the little one more freedom to move his little legs. She looked up at the old man and blinked. :: ROMJIN: Married... :: She glanced down at the baby and then back up at the man. :: Oh... No. ::shaking her head:: We nev... ::This was very awkward to her. As if sensing her emotions, the baby let out a squeal as he clutched his mother's finger. She couldn't help but smile down at him. She took a breath and shifted him to a more comfortable position.:: ROMJIN: I'm sorry. :she gave him a very nervous smile:: This isn't exactly how... ::shaking her head as if to clear it, she looked back down:: This is Ryo... your grandson. :: The old man looked at Romjin with piercing eyes. Was she for real? Coming to his house with a baby... what did she want? He forced himself to look down at the baby's eyes, the hard face lingered for only a moment before cracking into a sobbing wreck. They weren't the soft sobs of heartbreak, they were the heartwrenching sorrowful tears of a man who had lost everything only to be shown the light. :: :: Tadanobu buried his face into his hands as he sobbed out loud. A year of pain, loss, and burden came crashing down upon him. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his face still covered by his hands as he attempted to catch his breath, to suppress the tears for just a moment that he might gaze on the legacy of his only son. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and left his armchair, falling to his knees. He didn't stop, crawling over to the baby in Romjin's lap, and reaching out with a hand. As his fingertip reached the baby's cheek, Ryo flinched, leaning back and grasping with his free-hand to wrap his meaty paws his grandfather's weathered index finger. It was too much for the old man to take. He dared not take back his hand, so he sobbed openly, right at Devon's lap. His head eventually falling onto the lap of the baby. :: HOSHINO: I miss him so much... :: He barely managed to form these words between breathless groans of sorrow. :: Thank you... :: His voice was now a whisper. :: Thank you. --tbc-- (PNPC) Ensign Devon Romjin Intel USS Discovery-C -- as played by Lt. jg Collim Kieran & (PNPC) Tadanobu Hoshino Civilian -- as played by Ens. Ryoma Hoshino
  12. (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) :: In the wooded hillside of the beautiful but slowly dwindling Lyshan VI wilderness, a sombre palette of mourners stood out amongst the browns and greens of the evergreen forest. :: At the head of the crowd stood a white-haired man, back bent by work, carrying himself as though shouldering the galaxy's burdens all upon himself. :: TADANOBU HOSHINO: Today we gather to remember the life... and death... of Ryoma Hoshino: son to my family, and to Lyshan VI as a whole. --------------- (( Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-C - Current Day )) :: Ryoma was awake. The chronometer told him that he had got into bed only some four hours before, but he was awake, and not feeling particularly rested. Four hours until his next shift... Barely even worth trying to sleep again. :: On his feet, and to the bathroom. The face that stared back at him had eyes ringed with darkness. A walking corpse. :: --------------- (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) TADANOBU HOSHINO: Earlier this year, Ryoma, serving aboard the USS Discovery, was... :: voice wavering, the corner of his eyes glistening :: ... lost to the cold of space. While helping his crewmates to escape the stricken vessel, a Breen energy weapon cut through the hull of the Sovereign-class starship and Ryoma... :: A tear traced a moist track down his face :: ... my son, was dragged out into space. --------------- (( Eagle's Nest, USS Discovery-C, Current Day )) :: Rice, grilled salmon, miso soup and a glass of water. A great start to the day, but it was the coffee that Ryoma really needed. He ate slowly, chopsticks in hand, as he flicked through the day's intelligence reports on his PADD. :: His gaze drifted over to one of the window seats. That was where he scored his date with Ensign Devon Romjin... He smiled in a wave of warm nostalgia. Hopefully, once Intel quietened down, they would get a chance to have a second date. :: HOSHINO: oO If I'm still on my feet by then! Oo --------------- (( Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) TADANOBU HOSHINO: Ryoma gave his life so that other may live. As parents, we could not be prouder of his actions, but we wish he were... :: He choked on his words. :: ... home. TADANOBU: In memory of his actions, his service to Lyshan VI and the Federation, we open the Ryoma Hoshino Natural Site, protecting our world as my son protected us. --------------- (( Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-C - Current Day )) :: Stomach full, Ryoma had nodded off on his bunk not long after returning to his quarters. While even enough caffeine to cheer up a Vulcan could keep him from his slumber, the chime of the computer woke him with painful ease. :: COMPUTER: Message received from Meredith Aras. :: Ryoma's eyes shot open at the sound of the name. His heart pumped with adrenaline (and caffeine) and he shot over to the terminal. :: RYOMA HOSHINO: Computer, play message. :: The screen blinked to the image of a man in his sixties. Silver hair brushed into a neat side parting, sitting in a rather non-descript office space with old-fashioned books lining the walls. :: ARAS: Ryoma, I have some news for you... --------------- (( Hoshino Residence, Lyshan VI - Stardate: 2390.10.23 )) :: Tadanobu was alone, a picture of his son in his hand, tears streaking his face. The house was almost empty, a poor semblance of the home where Ryoma had taken his first steps. :: In the bedroom, half of the room seemed undecorated, the grey patches of dust dulling the colours of the furniture beneath. The woman who stood at his side during the Park Opening was nowhere to be seen. :: TADANOBU HOSHINO: [...] you, son. You threw your life away for Starfleet... their war with the Breen has killed many more than you could ever have saved. What was the point, Ryoma! My son is gone, not even a body to be found, and for what? Service to warmongers. :: He threw the display into a wall. For Tadanobu, there were some wounds that time would never heal... :: --------------- (( Crew Quarters, USS Discovery-C - Current Day )) :: Ryoma proof-read his message to the Captain. He didn't like subverting the chain-of-command, but Captain Waltas had personally asked him to look into the target of their mission, and this was the closest he had come to something resembling solid intelligence. :: RYOMA: :: Reading aloud :: According to my source, the Cardassian government was working on a system-level space-time warp disruption device. Development on the weapon began during the Federation-Cardassian border war, and SFI reports suggest that at least one small-scale practical test of the weapon may have been conducted during the Klingon-Cardassian war. RYOMA: ::continuing:: A weapon that affects the mobility of an opponent's fleet would allow the holder of said weapon to dictate and dominate invasion locations. This is a very likely cause of Starfleet Command's concerns. My source suggests that the weapon would be found somewhere in the southern hemisphere of Vador III in what would have been the Warp Drive Research Center. :: Ryoma nodded to himself and submitted the message to the upper decks. Meredith had been his mentor. Starfleet Intelligence from the Academy to retirement, serving with distinction during the Dominion War, and the only support Ryoma received for his application to the Academy. A father in the only role where Ryoma's own wouldn't support him. :: RYOMA: Thanks, Med. :: His eyes turned back to the screen, a message awaited him from the Medical and Counseling departments, but that would have to wait: it was time to get back to work. :: ==================== Ensign Ryoma Hoshino Intelligence Officer USS Discovery-C
  13. ((USS Avandar, Daycare)) :: It had fallen over again.:: :: No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't get more than many bricks to stand on each other without the whole thing collapsing. Some, she could do. More... usually stayed up. It was when she got to many that it went badly.:: :: Thinking about it, she decided that giving Izzard to Gee had been were it went wrong. When Izzard was there, she could sometimes get many *many* bricks to stay up...:: :: She'd have to get him back when she next saw her.:: :: With a sigh, she grabbed a brick and started again, only to get distracted when Noisy started yelling. Given the tone, she realised it must be getting time for food, and she looked around for any sign she was right... and there it was.:: :: Whilst tall Not-Mummy went to settle Noisy down, blue Not-Mummy was fiddling with the magic hole in the wall, pulling nommy-bottles out and putting them on the tray in her hand.:: :: Okay, so it wasn't as nice as when Glowy-Mummy or Funny-Mummy fed her, but food was food, and she wasn't going to pass it up just because she was here in the toy place.:: :: Dumping the brick she was holding, she lifted her hands and giggled when tall Not-Mummy picked her up and carried her over to one of the little tables. She gave her a pat of thanks as she was settled into her chair, then grinned up at the blue Not-Mummy as a nommy-bottle was held out to her.:: :: Her smile dropped away, though, when her hand touched blue Not- Mummy's. Ever since she'd arrived today, the person hadn't had the happy sparkle she normally did, and the touch let her see that there was quite the opposite lurking under that blue surface.:: :: She thought about that, absently plugging the bottle into her mouth, and decided that this simply was not going to be acceptable. When her real mummys were sad, they usually made each other happy again - and the sure sign of that was when she went to stay with Gee for sleepy-time - but blue Not-Mummy didn't have the feel of someone who had that.:: :: The other smalls seemed content with their noms, even Pointy - who, whilst his ears looked like Funny-Mummy's, acted very different. A couple of smalls on the other table got into a fight over who got to hold the cuddly during food time, but that got sorted quickly enough - which was good, because she had thinking to do, and she didn't need the distraction.:: :: Unfortunately, no ideas came to her.:: :: By the time her bottle was empty, and she'd shoved a couple of crunchy orange things into her mouth from her plate, she was starting to get annoyed. People were meant to be happy in the toy room - the occasional tantrum from a small aside - and having one of the Not- Mummy's break that rule just was allowed.:: :: The sound of the moving wall reached her ears as she groped around for another tasty off of the plate, and she looked over to see if anyone she knew was coming in. It wasn't, and she went back to her noms... only to stop as she felt blue Not-Mummy get even less happy.:: :: Tall Not-Mummy said something to the newcomer, but he didn't seem interested in what she was saying. Instead, he tried to speak to blue, and that seemed to be making her even *less* happy.:: :: With a frown, she looked him over. He was dressed like most other people - though his suit had yellow on it, unlike hers, which had red - and he was blue and bald like the Not-Mummy who wasn't happy to see him. He felt unhappy too, which was good, but not unhappy enough... and as he moved closer, she decided that there was *one* thing she could do...:: :: Taking hold of her bottle again, she shuffled around in her chair and lobbed it straight at him. It didn't go all that fast, admittedly, and got nowhere near his head, but it *did* reach him and bounced off of his arm.:: :: For a moment, nothing at all happened, except that everyone was looking at her - which was nice - and it was obvious he wasn't taking the hint. Making a rude noise at him, she waved her hand at the moving wall, letting everyone around feel that she wanted him to go away. A few more words from both Not-Mummys, and leave he did... looking even less happy than when he'd come in. This was good, especially as blue Not-Mummy felt happier now. Not all the way, but better...:: :: With a satisfied little burble, she looked at her plate and picked up one of the green bits that was on it. She *liked* the green bits. And if she was lucky, she'd get to draw them later - the crayons were always fun to play with.:: :: She still needed to get Izzard back, though. Sending him off with Gee had definitely not been a good idea.:: END -------------------- (PNPC) T'Sara Maren First Toddler USS Avandar simmed by Captain Della Vetri
  14. ((Deep Space 17: Tallis and Toni's quarters, 0400 hours)) ::No sooner than Toni laid down, wrapped in Rhul's strong arms, a sense of safety washed over her. And for the first time in quite a while she felt protected from the harshness of reality. With this knowledge, she soon was lulled into restful sleep by his assuring whispers.:: ((0600 Hours)) ::Awakened by the computer alarm, she sat up and stretched her arms, then slid her feet to the floor. Taking off her clothes from the night before as she moved to the bathroom, she threw them into the refresher, then entered the sonic shower. :: ::Later, in a comfortable embroidered Laudean dress, she entered the Twilight's Edge.:: ((Deep Space 17: Twilight's Edge, 0700)) ::He should have been seeing the now quiet promenade through the haze of sleep-bereft eyes. The smell of freshly-brewed coffee that rose from the table in front of him should have been all that was keeping him awake. In truth, however, he had been up for a couple of hours already and running on adrenaline. Unable to sleep, he had done his best to settle down for long enough to let Toni drift off before taking a sonic shower, dressing for breakfast and hitting the promenade. On the way, he had removed a package from his travel bag that he had surreptitiously had sent to him while the Thunder-A crew had been on Earth; finding himself in a position where he had no family heirlooms for what he had planned, he had been in contact with the Anderssons. As the family that he had grown up with after leaving his homeworld, he owed them an update and they had been keen to grant his favour. It was with his best friend Steffen's blessing that he now had his grandmother's diamond engagement ring stowed away safely in the pocket of his dark green tunic.:: ::By the time Toni arrived, looking like a gift from the Prophets, he was ready to greet her with breakfast already laid out on the table and her first cup of coffee ready to pour.:: Tallis: Good morning, beautiful. I thought I'd get everything ordered up ready for when you arrived. Turner: ::her eyes moving from him to the lavishly laden table; smiling:: It looks like you did a good job of it too. ::Moving around the table, he pulled out her chair. It was his usual, chivalrous gesture.:: Tallis: ::Putting on his best waiter act.:: So, what can I serve you this morning, Ma'am? ::Spreading his hands wide, he indicated the selection of breakfast foods that were arranged before them. The usual cooked Terran fare, such as sausage, bacon and eggs were laid out on a platter, accompanied by a bowl of fruits from various worlds. A toast rack with a selection of jams, jellies and marmalades in small sampling bowls topped off the display, alongside a large vase of long stemmed pink roses with Baby's Breath... behind which a large dish of grits were waiting to make an appearance.:: Turner: ::putting the napkin in her lap:: It all looks good, but bacon and eggs, toast and orange marmalade, and coffee would do as starters. ::Noticing the roses for the first time, she smiled as she admired them, then looked to Rhul.:: Turner: You remembered. They're beautiful. Tallis: ::Beaming:: Hey, you know me... I wasn't going to do half a job! Turner: ::spotting the bowl of grits; laughing slightly:: Looks like they're not the only things you remembered. I'll take some of those too. Tallis: I was counting on that too. Seems like I'm one of the few people who didn't know what they were. ::The waiter who had dealt with his sizeable order had been human, although his accent had been different to Toni's.:: ::The fact that he had included them on the menu brought the realization that she and Sidney had converted him, at least partially, to the southern dark side. She chuckled internally with that thought.:: Turner: Shall we eat? ::Rhul served Toni's breakfast for her and then helped himself to a couple of pieces of toast and some butter. As much as he was hiding it on the outside, he had butterflies in his stomach. He knew there was no good reason for that; given everything that had led them to this point he was sure that Toni would not turn down his proposition. As he buttered his toast, he continued the conversation, trying to remain as casual as possible.:: Tallis: I've been thinking a lot about what things will be like when we move back to Til'ahn. Living with you and the children has been a wonderful experience so far but once we have our own house I have a feeling it will be even better. ::He was right. It had been a wonderful experience. He had brought with him the gift of laughter that had nearly faded from their lives.:: Turner: ::nodding:: I agree. Having a place to call home will be great for the children, especially a home where they know they are loved. ::Images began to form in his mind's eye; he had bonded well with both of the children and fate had presented him with not just a chance to be happy himself, but to offer happiness and stability to three other people that were dear to him in the process.:: Tallis: We could plant a garden... I can see the children running around in there now. I could teach Garth to play springball. We could sit outside on the warmer evenings and watch the suns go down. It all seems like a dream come true. ::And in honesty it was; they had been able to do some of those things before he had first left the Embassy and transferred to the Mercury, but everything now came with the added bonus that they wouldn't ever have to go their separate ways at the end of the day. Of course, there would be times when they would both need to travel to complete their duties but knowing that the other would be waiting for them when they returned, that they would be living under the same roof, seemed to make everything sweeter.:: ::She smiled warmly, thinking of the time they had walked home from the Market Place in the rain; Garth's laughter as Rhul chased him around the house, pretending not to be able to catch him; Vee trying so hard to play the flute for him, wanting him to be proud of her, and him showing that he was.:: Turner: ::noticing he was not eating much:: Are you alright? ::He realised he had paused half way through buttering his toast. Smiling in acceptance that he couldn't wait any longer, he answered by placing his knife and half-buttered toast back down on his plate.:: Tallis: I'm fine... more than fine in fact... ::And then he rose from his seat, only for long enough to lower himself onto one knee, following the human customs that he had read up on before leaving Earth. Reaching into his pocket, he removed the heirloom ring, and held it towards Toni, looking deep into her blue eyes and drinking in every detail to remember in future years.:: Tallis: Toni, we've been through dangerous missions, stood by each other's side through the hardest of times and even after being separated we have always found each other again. The Prophets did not create words for me to describe just how much and how deeply I love you and will always love you. Will you marry me? ::She paused, taken off guard by his actions and question. Sitting back in her chair, she took in a long breath, reaching to caress the side of his face.:: Turner: Marry you? ::tears of happiness forming in the corner of her eyes:: Nothing in this Universe would make me happier than to become your wife, because, I love you deeply too, and will always love you. ::Flinging her arms around his neck to kiss him, they lost their balance, tumbling from his kneeling position to an awkward sprawl across the floor, but still holding the kiss, until the waiter disapprovingly cleared his throat.:: Turner: ::laughing, glancing up to the waiter:: Don't mind us. He just asked me to marry him, and I was showing him how head-over-heels in love with him I am. Waiter: ::helping them up and back to their seats:: Oh, I see. Congratulations. Tallis: ::Laughing and dusting himself down:: Thankyou. ::He had expected to be the one to sweep Toni off her feet, rather than the other way around. The waiter, having dealt with what he could possibly have considered to be a potential incident, cleared his throat once again before returning to his duties.:: Turner: ::after the waiter had left:: To answer your question... Yes, I'll marry you. Tallis: I was hoping you'd say that. ::Moving closer to her, he slipped the ring onto the fourth finger of her outstretched left hand. It looked right at home; he felt as though he should have done this a long time ago.:: Turner: ::watching him place the ring on her finger:: It's beautiful. ::He could not have been more pleased. He had taken steps to make sure it would be the perfect fit and did not want to give her just any ring.:: Tallis: Technically it's a family heirloom. It belonged to Steffen's grandmother and his family were happy to pass it down. I wanted it to mean something, and to have a little history behind it. Turner: That they would do that for you, makes it even more special. Tallis: ::He smiled:: Not just for me, for us. They think of me as their son, so that will technically make them your in-laws... ::And they were certainly better than the recently-deceased alternatives, but now was not the time for such negative thoughts.:: Turner: Now all we have to do is decide where and when. Any thoughts about that? Tallis: Here, or on the Tiger. Before we go back to the Embassy. I don't see any need to wait. I asked Sidney and she said that she would perform the ceremony, unless you'd prefer to have it somewhere else? ::He was keen to tie the knot as soon as possible but not to the exclusion of Toni's feelings and wishes. He did not know whether or not she had any plans for how and where she wanted to get married. Hopefully a holodeck or a part of DS17 or the Tiger could accommodate whatever she wanted to do. If not, he would wait.:: :: It certainly wasn't the wedding she had dreamed about, but if that is what he wanted, then she'd gladly relinquish that ceremony, after all, she was in love with him, and he seemed to want to do it as soon as possible.:: Turner: Then we'll elope, if Sidney has the time. Tallis: We can speak to her to finalise a time and a place, and we already have a maid of honour and a page boy. ::Picturing Vee in her favorite, a sparkly dress, and Garth in a suit, carrying their rings, she smiled.:: Turner: That we do! ::He wondered how the children might feel about that. He hoped it would not prove to be difficult for them.:: Turner: Okay, with that settled, we'll need to buy wedding bands, and have Sidney arrange for a witness - perhaps her First Officer would do it... The children have new clothes I bought them on Earth, and I have a dress suitable to wear. Am I forgetting anything? ::He racked his brains, trying to think if there was anything about human weddings that he had forgotten.:: Tallis: What about a bouquet? Turner: ::glancing at the roses he had gotten her:: No, I can carry these pink roses as my bouquet. ::It seemed a little bit like they were running on a shoestring but that all added to the sense of excitement.:: Tallis: If you're sure? Turner: Let's go tell Vee and Garth, and get started. With any luck at all we can be married by tomorrow morning. ::It certainly looked like she was on board and if she wanted to do things a different way then she was hiding it very well indeed. He hoped that she wouldn't regret eloping but it came with the advantage of their knowing that their future was secured. As for breakfast, he was far too hyped up now to eat even a morsel.:: Tallis: Let's do that! As soon as you're finished eating. ::Too excited to eat anymore, but not wanting him to think his efforts with breakfast would be going unappreciated, she made an egg sandwich with the toast.:: Turner: ::wolfing down a spoonful of grits:: I'll finish eating on the way. You ready to go? Tallis: I'm ready to go whenever you are. ::Both having served with the fleet, Tallis and Toni were no strangers to adventure; they were about to embark upon the most exciting one of all.:: TBC JP by. . . Ambassador Tallis Rhul Embassy Duronis II USS Thunder NCC 070605-A andFleet Captain Toni Turner Commanding Officer Embassy Duronis II USS Thunder NCC - 70605-A
  15. ((Matthews’ Quarters-Deck Four-USS Mercury)) ::Alexander moved on the new cane that was waiting for him out of the bathroom of his quarters into the bedroom where he could see the love of his life, Jade Elizabeth Matthews looking out of the viewport at the space station Deep Space Ten. He looked at her, the passion in his eyes that could only come for the overwhelming love he has for her in the heart that belongs to her. With each passing day he looked at her, falling in love with her each time he looked into her eyes, her flowing brown hair that smelled of jasmine. The perfume that she changes every so often, burns in his memory to remind him of her constantly. He had put on his jeans, black wool sweater and boots. He moved behind her, placed his arms around her and held her tight. He touched her stomach and felt a kick on his hand, he smiled then kissed her on the cheek.:: Alexander: That felt very odd. Seems feisty like his mother. ::Smiling.:: I guess Doctor MacLaren was right, about us having a son. Jade: ::giggling:: Girls can kick too. ::Jade rested her on the side, nestling against Alex’s.:: Alexander: ::Turning her around to face him.:: There is something that I did not have a chance to tell you today. ::Touching her face gently.:: Jade: What’s that? ::she looked concerned.:: Alexander: ::Looking deeply into her beautiful green eyes.:: I do love you with all my heart Jade. I have never been happier. ::He moved down to kiss her softly on her lips.:: Jade: I love you too. ::she kissed him:: ::He had to be careful holding her close, but he could not help it. She and the baby were the lifeline back to the ship, his duty, his home away from home. He could only think about while being captured was her, the baby, his mother and father and his duty.:: Alexander: I have a surprise for you. Every year, no matter where I am. I will always do my best to have dinner with my family. Since this is our first year together, I Alexander James Matthews would be very honored to escort you to dinner. May I have the pleasure Mrs. Matthews ? Jade: aw, I would be honored too! ::She kissed him again.:: ::He moved on the cane along beside her towards the door of their quarters and out into the corridor, to the holodeck for dinner.:: ((Matthews’ Family Home-The Valley-Earth)) ::Frances and Jefferson had heard that Alexander made it through the surgery and that his new leg, grown by Doctor Johanna MacLaren and the medical staff on Starbase 118. The trips into town for renting the holodeck and connecting to the Mercury would have been a bit too much for the other members of the family that Jade has not met yet. So during the past year after the private cabin for Jade and Alexander was completed, Jefferson, his brother George Patton Matthews and his sister Patricia Miranda McCain thought since there were family members serving in Starfleet or on merchant vessels, it would be best to have a holodeck at the main house for such occasions. George and Patricia could not make it to the wedding of Jade and Alexander, but it was agreed that Valentines Day dinner would be held in the ancestral home. Frances and Patricia were in the kitchen almost finished with dinner, while Jefferson and George were in the holodeck working on the connection to the Mercury.:: Jefferson: ::Looking to his brother.:: I’m glad you could make it this time George....This is a special Valentines Day. The wedding, Jade expecting, Alexander being captured and the loss of his leg. ::Looking down.:: We thought that they both were lost during war.... George: ::Placing his hand on Jefferson’s shoulder.:: Jeff, the main thing right now is that they are safe, you are going to have a grandchild, you have a new daughter-in-law , Alex has a new leg and is able to continue on with his life. Jefferson: You know, I was telling Frances just about the same thing while Alexander was in the hospital. ::Tapping the console connecting to the subspace relays.:: It looks like everything is working so far. ::Walking over to the table.:: I do hope everything is going to workout well, Jade and Alex have been through alot in the past few months. George: Yes they have, but you know, it has made them both stronger. ::Jefferson turned and looked to George with a smile, walked over to him and gave his brother a hug, then left the holodeck to see what was going on with Frances and his sister Patricia.:: ::Inside the kitchen of the main house, Frances and Patricia were preparing the dinner that they have both been working on all morning and later into the day. They both were a bit nervous, they both were a bit worried about seeing Alexander, then Patricia had never met Jade and was excited to meet her, since she did not able to attend the wedding. They both stood at the butcher board in the middle of the kitchen cutting the vegetables.:: Frances: I’m so excited to see my son. ::Using the knife on the carrots, then looking to Patricia.:: Pat you are just going to love Jade, she is the most wonderful girl. I was so happy when she and Alex were married. I wish you could have been at the wedding, it was just... ::Smiling at the thought.:: Patricia: ::Slicing the mushrooms.:: I can only imagine how beautiful it was, even though it was on the holodeck. I can’t wait to meet her. ::Looking at Frances.:: How far along is she ? Frances: ::Looking at her.:: Four almost five months. When she talked to us right before Alex had the surgery...::She started cutting the carrots again.:: I could see there was something in her face when we talked that day. ::Laughing.:: She told me that Alexander did the same thing that Jeff did when I told him. Patricia: ::Smiling.:: Oh, I can just imagine. You know that if i could have been here for you when Alex told you about his leg, I would have... ::Frances stopped cutting the carrots, then looked up from them. She could only think of how her only son felt. She remembered the crash and the scream of anger from Alexander that day while he was on the starbase. She knew that he was frustrated, feeling helpless and scared. She wanted to comfort him, but her new and only daughter, Jade was there to be with him.:: Frances: I know Pat, thank you. ::Looking up to see Jefferson and George enter the kitchen.:: Is everything ready Jeff? ::Kissing him on the cheek as he came over to her.:: Jefferson: ::Smiling.:: Thank you and yes to connections are complete to the ship. ((Holodeck Two-Deck Four-USS Mercury-Connection to Matthews’ Family Home)) ::Jade and Alexander stood in front of the doors of the holodeck two, just aft of their quarters. He tapped the controls to complete the connections to their home on Earth. He looked to her and smiled. This was the first chance that he and Jade have been able to relax since they returned to the Mercury and after the mission. He spent the night holding her close in his arms, then dreaming of life with the baby. He held her hand in his as the doors opened. He looked inside to see the dinner table in the main dining room. The vaulted ceilings with the cedar beams, the stone floor and walls made of the same wood. He and Jade were home, even though it was the holodeck. He inhaled the smell of the house, closed his eyes as he entered with Jade by his side. He held his arm out to her as he walked with a limp, but with the cane for support, he felt good to be able to stand on his two feet. The room was decorated with red,white, and pink streamers. Hearts all around the room, the table had the centerpiece with flowers and hearts all around the vase. :: Alex: ::Looking to Jade.:: Welcome home. I know that we did not get to spend Christmas with the family, but think we can roll them all into one. Happy Valentines Day Jade. Jade: Thanx my darling! ::kissing him:: ::He brought her close to him and kissed her cheek. He could smell the perfume as it always made him think of the first time he met her on the holodeck. The more he remembered that first meeting, the more he smiled. He looked up as Jefferson, Frances, George and Patricia entered the dining room. He smiled to see his father, mother, aunt and uncle. Jade has never met George or Patricia before.:: Jefferson: Welcome home son. ::Looking to Jade.:: Jade, welcome home. ::Looking at them both.:: You both look well. Frances: ::Smiling as she walked towards them. She looked to see her son with a cane, It made her feel much better.:: There you both are. ::She took Jade into her arms, with tears in her eyes as she stepped back to look at her son.:: My baby boy and daughter are home. George: There is he is. Good to See you Alex. ::Shaking his hand, then looking to Jade.:: Then you must be Jade. Welcome to the family, I’m George Patton Matthews. Jefferson’s brother. ::taking her in his arms.:: Patrica: ::She cried a little looking at Alexander, but it could have been much worse. She looked to Jade and smiled.:: Alex, it so good to see you. Welcome to the Matthews family Jade. Jade: ::tearful:: You are the best family I could wish for. ::Alexander greeted everyone, as he looked and smiled to his family a tear formed in his eye. He held Frances in his arms, then placed his arm around Jade. Even though they were holodeck images, he felt them and shared them with Jade.:: Alex: I would like to present Lt. Jade Elizabeth Matthews. ::Looking to George and Patricia.:: My aunt Pat and Uncle George. Jade: ::polite:: Hi there. ::Jade went to shake hands but they hugged her.:: Jefferson: ::Walking over and patting Alex on the shoulder with tear.:: It’s so good to see you son. I’m glad to see you. How are you feeling ? Alex: ::He looked around, then back to his father.:: Glad to be alive dad. Glad to be alive. ::He and Jefferson walked over to the table, where he joined Jade and the others. He pulled out the chair for Jade to sit and the others followed suit. He toasted them all sat down to eat the holiday dinner that he and Jade did not get the chance to have over Christmas, but at least the family was together on this one day of sweethearts. He took out from his pocket the colors for the nursery on the ship. The pastel colors of blue and green, for Jaden Alexander Matthews.:: TBC Lt. Jade Elizabeth Matthews Chief Of Security USS Mercury NCC 99812 & Lt. Cmdr. Alexander J. Matthews Second Officer/Chief Of OperationsUSS Mercury NCC-99812
  16. ((10-Forward)) Valaine: From my fun...? :: His confusion remained for another moment, but realization hit him. The span of days where he’d been... physically incapacitated... around the time of Xena’s birth. He hadn’t mentioned that to anyone, though he figured his reputation had taken a hit from the gossip from his attempted failures. This... was something else altogether. :: :: It was a long moment he stared into his drink... before he began to lightly laugh. A hand came up to cover his eyes as it grew into a full laugh. :: Valaine: *She* did that? Talya dosed me with... an anti-Chase hypo? You wouldn’t say it if you weren’t serious... I know you are, but... frack me, that’s messed up... *we’re* messed up... :: Despite the words, he went on lightly laughing until he stifled it with a third large-scale intake of his liquor, which very nearly did the entire glass in for. Still chuckling, he tapped a fingernail on the glass to get the barkeeps attention for a second. :: Blake: I suppose so . . . Valaine: I assume you “heard” it from her. She wouldn’t *tell* you that. Blake: I had her confess to it in a turbolift a day or two later. Honestly, I heard it from *you*. *You* told me what was going on. Valaine: *I* told you...? Ahh... ::realizing::... I was confused... probably thinking waaaay too loudly for you to miss it. Blake: Oh yeah. Your thoughts were ridiculous when I went to talk to you. You were so *bruised*. Valaine: I do so like to torment you with my thoughts, but those I’d planned to keep to myself. So I could deny the rumors later. Blake: Oh, sure. That’s what they *all* say. :: Taking the last of his first glass down, Chase made a concentrated attempt *not* to quickly down the first drink of his second glass. Which failed, as he downed nearly a third of the glass, to the silent-but-clear displeasure of the bartender. :: Valaine: ::eyebrows crunching together with annoyance:: Your face’ll freeze that way. :: The bartender scoffed lightly at the remark, turning away to deal with other bar business. But it wasn’t smart to take on the barkeep, not in any establishment. :: Blake: So, Mr. Drunk- Valaine: ::correcting her:: I’m not drunk yet. I’m annoyed. Two more of these and you can call me drunk. I get that much for being drugged and put out of action. You have *no* idea who I disappointed in those three days. Very disappointed females all over the place. :: Granted, as he took another long drink of his second tall glass, he would admit he was already feeling warm. Quite warm, with a stomach full of liquor and a body trying to quickly process it all down to simpler sugars. Not an easy feat when dealing with straight up hard alcohol. It was already making him ramble and exaggerate, though it was honest to say he was not one that held to the monogamy required of his wedding vows. :: :: Reaching up to tap his neural node and activate his implanted computer system, his blue eyes flashed with light as the monitors in his cornea came to life. He keyed to his personal vital systems, bringing up the levels of intoxication. The number read from parts per million in his bloodstream was steadily ticking upwards. :: Valaine: Frack, I love this thing. ::meaning his neural node:: I may as well have a mechanical heart implanted. Would match my profession, having a metal heart. :: He didn’t mean for that to sound so introspective, but a cold heart made of metal was what he wanted. He’d never been able to achieve it, despite how nasty he got or what trouble he got into. But in his heart he was an engineer. :: Blake: Oh? Valaine: Engineering, it’s what I am. It’s all I’ve got, really. When a system comes up faulty, you disassemble, repair, redesign, and rebuild. My heart is faulty. I need a new one. One less likely to fail or fall apart... or give a frack about frack. A steady, mechanical organ that does it’s job efficiently and without regard for external stimuli. Blake: Only to be knocked out should someone release an EMP. :: The second glass came up empty as she spoke, and he tapped for a third. The barkeep gave him a look that translated roughly into “getting in a bit deep, aren’t we?” But the man made the third glass, delivering it to the annoyed engineer. :: :: As he took it in hand, he realized something... then reached up beneath his other ear, pulling off the monitoring device located beneath his other lobe. The CMO’s heart monitor, giving sickbay a live feed. It would probably rat him out for drinking, too. :: :: With a rather pointed motion, he held the device aloft above his drink for a moment, giving it a steady, angry glare... it was the device of the enemy... and he let it drop into the blue fizz. A drop splashed out onto the bar as it sank to the bottom of the tall glass. :: Blake: Things have gotten pretty hard, haven’t they. Valaine: Rock solid. And not in the good way. Blake: Yeah. ::There was silence for a few seconds.:: Valaine: I never said I was good at this... but I’ve *tried.* You can’t say I didn’t try... Everyone wants to be this perfect person, but it just doesn’t work that way. Life happens. Sometimes things suck. Sometimes people aren’t good at things some people would consider normal, or natural. Blake: You’re telling *me*. :: Chase sent another heavy drink into his system, then his blue eyes keyed on her. This woman was an oddball herself, he’d learned enough about her to know that full well. Not to mention her abilities. :: Valaine: I know you get it. You of all people should. Blake: I have to put up with at least half a ship of thoughts. People tell me that if I complain about it, why don’t I just *stop*. The problem with being me is that there’s no “off” switch to my telepathy - if I want to stop hearing everyone, I have to get an inhibitor. But because of the way I am, I’m expected to be absolutely fantastic at my job, as if I’m meant to be able to predict when something’s going to happen. When I slip up at something like that, it feels like all fingers are pointed at me. ::She sighed.:: Sorry to rain on your parade, but everyone has their own problems. Valaine: Yeah... ::eyes falling as deep into his drink as the medical monitor had::... so I’m whining at the choir, is what you’re saying. So then, why don’t you get your own drink. We can be miserable together. Blake: See, unlike yourself, my days of getting smashed are over. ::She frowned a little.:: Especially since I have a Vulcan partner who would find it ‘illogical’ and give me a lecture on the dangers of alcohol. ::That wasn’t necessarily the only reason. She didn’t mention that half of the reason was because of Faith. It was illegal for Brekkian mothers to be above a certain alcohol limit when their child was a young age. Now that Sky was a mother, she could see why that was the case.:: Valaine: ::a fraction of an iota of humor returning to him:: Maybe I can still do you a favor. Flood out other peoples thoughts if I concentrate hard enough... :: Setting his hands to his temples, he shut his eyes in concentration. He didn’t “yell” the thoughts, but he began to send rapid fire thoughts her way... not so innocent ones either. He was actually quite *good* at transmitting for a non-telepath. An organized brain could do that. However, the thoughts were as nearly-drunken as *he* was getting. :: Blake: You can try . . . ::She could merely shake her head at the Terran’s attempt. He tried, but unless Sky willingly jumped into his head, his attempt was more or less worthless and pointless. She didn’t dare mention that, though. Besides, there were a couple of Trills in one area that were unintentionally making a racket.:: Blake: But the loudest people around would be on the Bridge. :: Scoffing verbally, he finished yet another glass of the bright bubbly blue liquors, the bottom of the heavy mug clunking loudly as he set it down with less care than he had before. :: Valaine: Bridgelings... *pfft*... figures they’d monopolize your brain. ::he eyed the bartender, who was facing the other way:: But then, I’d figure you’d key into Sabor. You know I’ve never met him, right? There’s something wrong with that. ::pause:: Not that Vulcans tend to appreciate my company. :: Somewhat more powerfully than he should have, he lifted and clunked the heavy glass on the tabletop, causing the bartender to spin around with a touch of annoyance. Chase just gave him an equally annoyed look, pointing at the empty glass with a “What the heck is THIS about?” expression on his face. :: Blake: Trust me, some people would think that not meeting Sabor is a blessing. ::She paused.:: You sure you want to get- Valaine: Smashed. Smashed takes more. ::pausing:: What’s wrong with him anyway? He’s not ugly, is he? Blake: Quite the opposite, actually. No, people just don’t like his problems. Valaine: Problems... A Vulcan with “problems.” I think I like him already. Blake: You might, if you appreciate cleanliness. He has a case of germophobia from a . . . traumatic experience in childhood, and OCD that built onto it. You should have seen him when I first met him. He was probably the only Vulcan who was brave enough to be a smart-[...] to me. :: A new glass of blue bubbles was set before him, and he grasped it as he turned in his seat to look at Sky straight on. :: Valaine: A smart-[...] Vulcan? Ohhh, this I gotta see. Or... meet. :: The mischief in his expression was not subtle. Neither was the glaze in his eyes. The drink in hand, he was out of his seat and heading for the door without another word. :: Valaine: Computer, where is Sabor, Mr. Smart-[...] Vulcan? ::Sky shut her mouth to avoid protesting and causing an argument that Chase would probaby just laugh off anyway. After those drinks, it’d be a miracle that he could stand. Besides, Sabor wasn’t really aggressive . . .:: Computer: Lieutenant Sabor is currently in his quarters. Blake: Do you *really* want to do that? :: There was a slight stumble, and a small glob of blue liquid plopped to the floor of the corridor. To solve the problem of spillage, Chase brought the glass to his lips and drank healthily... or unhealthily, as it was... to bring the level in the glass down to a less spillable level. But he didn’t stop, making a steadily worsening pace to the doorway he’d been directed to. :: :: At the doorway, Chase didn’t bother hitting the cue. Instead, he wrapped his fist against the door in a solid, persistent knock. :: Valaine: ::lacking volume control:: OPEN UP! This is security!!! ::Sky rolled her eyes, pulling out the battery from her phaser as she usually did out of habit.:: Blake: You know you only have to let me to the keypad, right? Valaine: Do it, Chief of Security! :: Stepping back to let her do her job, he wondered why she wasn’t more interesting in pursuing this dangerous smart-[...] Vulcan. She just didn’t know how to play along! :: ::Keying her code into the keypad, the door popped open.:: Blake: You know, you really need to learn to not be an idiot whilst drunk . . . or is that just a Brekkian trick? Valaine: Why w’d I wanna? ::his obnoxious smile finally returning to him:: Now open up! I need to meet the man that’s wooing my Sky Blake! :: Overly dramatic much? :: Blake: oO This is not going to end well. Oo Right, well. Ladies first? ::She gestured for him to enter with a slight smile on her face.:: Valaine: Why thank you, you’re so kind. ::he bowed slightly, taking the lead into the door:: ::Sabor had walked out of the hallway into the lounge as soon as Sky dumped her holster, drying his hands on a tea-towel, his eyebrow raised at the sight of Chase Valaine - especially in their quarters. He nodded once in acknowledgement towards the two.:: Sabor: Faith is asleep. I think we would both appreciate it if a “racket” was avoided. Blake: It’s fine. Chase only came by to say hello. Valaine: *PFFFT* “Hello...” ::he grinned at Sky, then spoke to Sabor:: Sabor! My Vulcan man! I’ve been told the most polite, clean facts about you. Nice to make your acquaintance! :: He reached out, but remembered halfway into the motion that he was holding a mug of blue bubbly. So he held up a free finger with a suddenly serious expression. :: Valaine: Wait. No germs, right? I can fix this. :: And he proceeded to drink the entire remaining glass. :: :: And throw the mug into the corridor, where it *THUNKED* several times before coming to a rest on the carpet. :: Valaine: There. Germ free! Now, Sabor... ::he moved near the Vulcan and wrapped an arm possessively around his shoulders:: … we gotta talk. You and me. ::he jabbed a thumb toward Sky:: And her. ::Sky was suddenly glad that Sabor was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, otherwise he probably would have freaked out at Chase touching him. As it was, the Vulcan looked rather uncomfortable with the situation, especially after the display Chase had just made.:: Sabor: Perhaps I should- Blake: I’ve got it. ::Sky smiled again.:: I haven’t seen Faith all day. I’m sure you’ll be fine until I get back? Valaine: ::immune to Sabors discomfort:: Of course he’ll be fine! Sabor:::Pulling himself out of Chase’s grip.:: Only for you, Skyleena. ::Sky let out a breath for a short second before retreating to her room to check on Faith - and to pick up the glass on her way. Yeah, this was probably not going to end very well.:: Valaine: Now, Sabor... can I call you Sabor? Great. Now, Sky and I, we’ve been chatting and she mentioned you impressed her with your smart-assery. I figure it takes a special kinda Vulcan to be a smart-[...], right? So you and me, we’ve gotta... I dunno. Hang. Or mind meld. Or something. Do you drink? Probably water, the germs, right? Right... :: He made his way to the replicator after that rapid fire conversation. :: Sabor: I do not require a beverage at this time, Mr. Valaine, and I am beginning to think that you do not require one, either. Valaine: “Mr. Valaine?” Mr. Valaine was my *father,* Sabor. ::he paused suddenly:: Actually, he was Mr. Fairweather, and he was an abusive [...]. You wouldn’t have liked him. Anyway, “Chase.” Say it with me. “Chase.” ::to the replicator:: Where’d my glass go? Frack it... computer, an Adios. :: The blue bubbly liquid manifested on the replicator pad, and Chase was quickly taking a drink of it. :: Sabor: I do not believe that is a “good idea”. ::The Vulcan was starting to feel very isolated. This “conversation” was very one-sided. And what did the Terran want in the first place?:: Valaine: Who said it was suppose to be? ::giving the Vulcan a smile:: But enough about me. I want to hear about *you.* ::he plopped down onto the couch, set his feet up on the coffee table, and set an arm along the back, making himself at home:: Tell me about yourself, Sabor. Show me this smart-assery Sky bragged about! Sabor: I am unsure what you mean. Are you referring to my attitude when I first met Sky? In my defence, she asked a question. I merely answered it. ::Well, it wasn’t technically a question. Sky had stated clearly that Sabor shouldn’t enter her office (at the time) unless he had some sort of Brekkian chocolate. He told her that unless she wanted him to ask the Captain to change course to the Delos system (Brekka’s system), there was no *real* Brekkian chocolate onboard. But as the conversation moved on, there were a few times where he had told Sky that her Armory was ‘dusty’.:: :: A pleasantly entertained grin on his face, he held it for a moment as he thought the Vulcan over in all his inebriated glory. :: Valaine: Mmm hmm... ::the hard, glazed eyes stayed on the Vulcan, then eased up:: Isn’t that nice. Boring, but nice. We really need to get some alcohol into you. You’re more repressed than *other* Vulcans, and that’s saying something. :: Chase was deliberately attempting to make the man a bit uncomfortable now, taking some drunken pleasure in making the germophobe nervous. Not that he was being cruel, he was genuinely curious and fueled by alcohol in his fervor. :: Sabor: I only use alcohol for cleaning, *Chase*. ::He said curtly.:: I do not consume alcohol willingly. It is illogical. Valaine: Willingly. Unwillingly. There’s little difference. Except for the force. Minor distinction. ::he kept right on drinking despite the Vulcan’s protest:: Have you ever *tried* it? Maybe Sky would appreciate if you let loose a bit, am I right? :: The words were nothing much, but the tone was clearly suggestive in that entirely-lacking-in-subtlety manner that Chase had, and he wasn’t done yet. :: Valaine: She’s just about the *only* female onboard who hasn’t enjoyed my company. You found yourself a genuine article, other mens wives aren’t so... dedicated. You should return the favor. Sabor: Skyleena Blake is her own mind. Once it is made up, there is little to no chance of changing it. Her . . . “unwillingness” towards you may be because of her previous relationship with people like yourself. ::He turned around and washed his hands again.:: Besides, I am not required to be different around her. If I *was*, the relationship between us would not be as successful with all of the “problems” we have encountered. Valaine: Ahhh, yes. The problems. She mentioned those. ::nodding seriously, then smiled again:: But wow, that was a zinger! “Because of her previous relationship with people like yourself.” I’m *almost* offended... but we’re on such a roll, I choose not to be. ::waving it off:: Especially since that’s the smart-assery I came to see. :: Chase stood somewhat unsteadily, but caught his balance and moved toward the Vulcan again, but this time he didn’t envelope him in a close grip as he had before. :: Valaine: Where did she get off to anyway? Who knows what trouble we could cause if she isn’t here to supervise. ::pausing:: So let’s do that! What do you do for fun? Do you do holodecks? Or does the idea of what other people do in those rooms in private keep you holodeck-free? :: Yet again utterly lacking in subtlety. :: Sabor: In a way. I prefer to avoid the holodecks onboard unless absolutely necessary. Valaine: Then where do you spend your time? Sabor: Mr. Val- *Chase*, my Armory is more sterile than any of the holodecks onboard.It is one of the few places where I am not disturbed. My expertise is with weapons. Valaine: ::eyes lighting up:: The *Armory!* That’s perfect! We should totally do this. :: A grip of fabric in one hand and Chase was tugging the Vulcan toward the door, clearly on a mission to get into trouble and invite Sabor along for the ride. The fact he was more than a little drunk didn’t deter him from his next motivation. The randomness of his desires were a clear distraction from his earlier troubles. :: Valaine: You can shoot, right? Teach me everything you know. My aim *sucks!* Sabor: Sky is a better shot than myself, I would suggest taking up lessons with her. I am the Armory officer because of my knowledge of the weapons. The best description of my job is similar to weapons development. :: The grip on Sabors sleeve relaxed, and Chase almost seemed disappointed for a moment. :: Valaine: I might have to break the news to Sky. She’s got no idea she’s dating a totally normal Vulcan. I figured you *had* to be *some* fun to keep her around. :: It wasn’t an insult, but it did result in Chase doing his best to finish the drink in his hand before he jammed the glass back into the replicator pad nearby. :: Sabor: What are you suggesting? That I am causing Skyleena to become the Terran equivalent to “bored”? Valaine: Suggesting? Come on, Sabor. I am *totally* funned out here. ::the indication being the opposite, translated through his monotone reply and expression... which again morphed into something happier, the alcohol keeping his black mood at bay:: Coooome ooooon, you’ve *gotta* have something you’ve wanted to do, but you’re too chicken to do it without a drunken Terran to lead the way! And I’m your Terran! Sabor: I do not believe that this is a ‘sane’ idea. Valaine: Do it for Sky! I will do literally anything you want. Name it. No reservations, no restrictions, no boring Vulcan “sanity!” This is your opportunity! Sabor: I do not have anything I wish to do currently. The only pressing matter to attend to currently is Veusa. Valaine: Gesundheit. Sabor: Veusa is the name of my younger sister. She is close to graduating the Academy. I believe *you* would find her likable due to her unusual amount of time spent among Terrans. Valaine: ::instantly interested for another reason altogether:: Is she cute? I bet she has your cheekbones. Sabor: She is my sister. ::Sabor repeated.:: There are few differences between us. The most major difference is her attitude and personality . . . ::Sabor frowned a little. Veusa did not have a short range of emotions, in fact, she was ridiculously like a Terran.:: :: Chase was undeterred by the sibling banter. In fact, he kept that smile as he came nearer Sabor, until they were rather close, well into the Vulcan’s personal bubble of comfort. Close enough to smell the alcohol rampaging through the Terran’s system. :: Valaine: Forget your sister. What would you say if I was more interested in *you?* :: Those fingers came out again to grasp the fabric of Sabor’s sleeve, giving it a light tug. :: Valaine: Sky wouldn’t mind, would she? Maybe I could teach you a few things. Sabor: It depends on what you wish to “teach” me. Valaine: ::smiling slyly:: Oh... a few things... :: Chase gave a harder tug, pulling them closer together, his intentions anything but veiled. It was the alcohol at this point, enhancing his brutishly frank personality flaws. Normally he’d know full well a Vulcan was beyond his reach. Not in *this* moment... in this moment he was impressing himself on Sabor quite openly, pushing closer to the Vulcan. :: Valaine: There’s this one Andorian technique I happen to love, where you-- Blake: Am I interrupting something? :: Chase turned his head to look at Sky as she returned to the room, slightly annoyed and clearly unsteady, save for the tight grip he had on Sabor’s sleeves. :: Valaine: Only if you don’t plan to join in. Otherwise, yes. Blake: Chase, you’re not going anywhere, not after the reading the computer gave me of your alcohol level. Sabor: I agree. Actually, I would prefer it if you let go of me, now. :: Either intentionally or not so intentionally, he completely ignored their pleas for sanity. Instead he pushed a mite bit closer to Sabor, his smile in place. :: Valaine: Wha’cha gunna do? Nerve pinch me? Then use and abuse whilst your hostage is unconscious, eh? I *knew* you had a saucy side, Sabor! Sabor: Skyleena, I am uncertain of what he means, but I am very uncomfortable right now. It is bad enough that my senses are heightened, let alone him pushing it. Blake: Just take a deep breath. It’s not as if he’s going to do something to you. ::But Sabor did have a point. He was already over the edge as it was with Chase just touching him. If Chase pushed himself any closer to the Vulcan, he’d probably freak.:: Valaine: ::to Sabor:: Oh, I am *absolutely* going to do something to you. Blake: Chase, sit down before electrocute you. :: The glazed, altered blue eyes shot toward Sky, his expression suddenly gone pensive and a bit grim, as well as slightly annoyed, eyes half lidded and lips pursed for a moment. A hard moment later he dropped his tight hold of Sabor’s sleeves. :: Valaine: Geez, *you* guys’re a *ton* of fun. Really. ::sounding rather like a flat fib:: But I’ve really gotta go find someone in’trested in my talents. ::he stepped back from Sabor, smile returning as he bowed, arms out with a dramatic and unsteady flourish:: If you’ll excuse me. :: And he clearly meant not to be returning to his *wife* for those attentions, either. Not after the fight they’d just had. He turned for the door, hand landing on the nearby wall to keep himself on his feet as he made to leave. :: Blake: Come on, Chase, do you really think you can make it out the door let alone catch someone else? :: Chase only laughed at that, openly before he responded to Sky without turning away from his doorway-centric path. :: Valaine: ::through the slur:: You act like I hafta *chase* them! I’ll h’ve you no, they come to *me!* ::Sky sighed, and Sabor merely shook his head.:: Sabor: ~~ May I drop him *now*? ~~ Blake: ~~ I don’t see another option. ~~ ::And without any hesitation, the Vulcan stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and the Terran, who was insanely drunk by anyone’s standards.:: Valaine: ::stopping at his approach:: I tho’t you weren’t in’trested? Sabor: I am merely making sure that you have a pleasant sleep. Valaine: ::not catching on, nose turning up:: Sleep...? Not f’... ::It was then that the Vulcan applied the aforementioned nerve pinch.:: :: The hand that had come up to swat away the annoying Vulcan fell with the rest of the Terran, gravity taking hold where his consciousness had left him. :: Blake: Right. He’s probably not going to be very happy tomorrow morning. Sabor: Skyleena, I do not care at this point. ::He hauled up the Terran onto the couch.:: So long that he is a lot lower than his current level. ::Calling Talya to come here and pick him up or dropping him off was out of the question - especially since Sky had ordered her to relax with Xena. Freaking out about Chase was certainly not under the category of relaxation. So Chase would have to involuntarily spend the night here.:: ::Getting a light blanket from the cupboard, Sky neatly threw it over the Terran and more or less tucked him in. She was suddenly glad that one of her mentors as a teenager was just as drunk as Chase was every Saturday night, so she had a good experience of dealing with situations like this - especially since Sabor tried to avoid any attempt to help her. Instead, he set down a glass of water and unwillingly removed the Terrans shoes. Fresh clothing was also there for the morning.:: ::So, with the Terran on their couch, Sabor and Sky retreated to their room, but not before Sabor put restrictions on the replicator.:: JP by~ LtCmdr Sky Blake Chief of Security/Second Officer USS Avandar & CWO Chase Valaine Engineer USS Avandar
  17. (( Banquet Halls, Twilight's Edge, DS17 )) :: Sitting at a table with fellow ensigns such as Jorey and Malik, Zerxes was ready for this event to be over. Dinner had come and gone and he'd avoided conversation as much as possible. There were few on this ship that he yet knew, and even fewer that he trusted. So far, his time on the Tiger had been mostly negative. :: :: By nature, Al-Leyans were a suspicious people. It bordered on paranoia at times. They were fiercely loyal once it was earned, but there was little in between the two extremes. In the weeks since Bilire IV Zerxes had not been asked once about the incident with Mannin. He knew that she'd met with the commanders, but that was as far as it had gone. He hadn't been asked a single question by Riley, Clack, even Atimen. His best guess was that they were trying to sweep the incident under the rug, hoping the fresh-faced ensign wouldn't know enough or be willing to pursue the matter. Stewing on these thoughts for a few weeks had left Zerxes fairly jaded. :: Riley: Attention everyone... :: The projected voice of the captain pulled Zerxes from his thoughts. He looked in her direction with feigned interest, for appearances sake only. As she began the usual jargon about their accomplishments, and introduced some guests, Zerxes' mind quickly drifted to his plans for finally flying the Dagger again on the holodeck. He started thinking about what mission to set up for the first simulation. Getting lost in thought to pass the time was an old talent. He'd done it throughout his childhood while his father had tried to teach him how to run the company. :: Riley: Our first award recipient is a member of the Security Department. Her expertise and feats are well known amongst the crew. Chloe Mannin, please come forward. :: That snapped Zerxes back into focus! :: oO The award for Best Friendly Fire goes to... Oo :: He listened as Riley commended Mannin for her recent performance on Bilire IV. Zerxes had actually come to forgive Mannin in some ways after their talk in his quarters, but his resentment toward the commanding officers was splling over. He felt like the victim of a small conspiracy, while Mannin appeared the beneficiary. :: Riley: Congratulations Mannin, well done. At this time I am also promoting you to full Lieutenant with all the privileges and duties thereof. :: If he could have gotten away with it Zerxes would have walked out of the room. He started to slump into his chair, feeling completely wronged. However, he quickly considered how many were aware of the incident and were likely looking for his reaction. He straightened up and joined in the applause with a token clap. :: Riley: At this time would Lieutenant JG T'Mihn Ah'myghan please come forward. :: As she called various other up and bestowed their new titles and accolades, Zerxes' attention was long gone. He looked over at Ari, barely seeing her over the back of Alex Blair's shoulder. He was glad to see she was smiling, hoping it meant she was doing better in her recovery from the Reaper abduction. Since they'd talked a few days back, he'd fought the urge to find her and make a dinner invitation. He wanted to give her time to figure things out and seek his companionship when it felt right to her. :: :: Expecting to be alone, he started thinking about how he would spend leave. He planned to spend plenty of time in Black Jendorvak, hoping it would present some opportunities to burn off some steam. While Starfleet was not allowed there, he figured casual clothes and enough credits would get him through the door. He'd already heard of some of the card games. :: Riley: Ensign A'ern Zerxes and Ensign Bradon Jorey please come forward. :: At first, Zerxes hadn't even heard her. He noticed Jorey standing up from their table and started to nod to the man. Then, some behind him gave him a congratulatory slap on the back. He looked around and noticed plenty of eyes on him, then shot out of his chair. He swallowed, wondering if anyone had noticed his lack of attentiveness, as he followed Jorey onto the stage. :: oO Raise shields... Oo Riley: Gentlemen, your performance this last mission was one of great dedication and duty. For your efforts to help the Romulan Colony and protect those in Starfleet I am pleased to promote you both to Lieutenant JG with all the privileges, benefits and duties thereof. :: She motioned at Clack, and the First Officer approached Zerxes with the new insignia. Their eyes met as he attached it to new Lieutenant's collar, and Zerxes nodded his acceptance. There was no interaction between them before Riley moved in and took his place. She held her hand out to Zerxes, wearing what he perceived was a genuine smile. He tried his best to return it. :: Riley: Congratulations Lieutenant, well done. I look forward to seeing your progress as you continue. Zerxes: Thank you, sir. I am... surprised. :: As she moved on to continue the ceremony, Zerxes walked off stage. Various people extended hands or raised glasses as he passed, and he returned their gestures while still wearing a blank look of shock. Before he could get back to his seat, the captain called up the next recipient. :: Riley: Ensign Aribelle Tagren please come forward. :: Still standing, Zerxes looked over at Tagren and watched as she left her chair and joined Riley on stage. He go back to his own seat and remained invested, hoping for an uplifting moment for his only real friend among the crew. :: Tagren: Fleet Captain. Riley: Doctor... yYou are a shining example of what a medical officer should be. Your efforts on the colony to save the Romulan Colonists, your work with infectious disease...your gallant efforts to protect those on the crew. I am honored to have you as a member of the crew. It is my honor at this time to promote you to Lieutenant JG with all the privileges, benefits and duties thereof. :: Zerxes smiled for her, not surprised she was being promoted if he and Jorey had been worthy. Her work in the last mission was far more impressive than his. :: Riley: I am also honored at this time to promote you to Chief Medical Officer, with all the privileges and duties thereof. Congratulations Lieutenant Aribelle Tagren, I know you will make the crew proud in this position. :: For the first time all night, Zerxes felt truly happy for someone. He never got to know Firestarter and perhaps he was a great CMO, but he knew that Ari was fantastic for the job. His mood lightened, he remained attentive for a while. Riley began to hand out the Service Ribbons, which Zerxes found somewhat trivial. He knew he'd receive a couple only for having been there, not for any exemplary performance. :: Riley: For the injuries sustained on Bilire IV, the following officers are recipients of the Purple Heart: LtCmdr. Tracey Townson, LtCmdr. Lance Firestarter, Lieutenant Chloe Mannin, Lieutenant JG Aribelle Tagren. For the injuries sustained in defense of the ship, Lieutenant JG A'ern Zerxes oO What?! Oo :: He looked around, as if the eyes of the entire crew were going to be on him. :: oO A Purple Heart? For being shot by a crewmate? Oo :: His good mood didn't get to last long. The promotion had caught him by surprise, but he found it slightly defensible based on his close proximity to the captain for much of the mission. But now this just seemed excessive. Was this part of their plan, smothering him with a promotion and awards to try and avoid the issue? :: :: He felt hot, and his throat tightened like that new Lieutenant's pip was squeezing him at the throat. He would've paid plenty to be out of that room and back on Bilire fighting an army of Klingons. That was where he belonged. It was simple. It was everything else was more complicated than he'd ever imagined. :: Riley: This bring the awards portion of our celebration to a close. Congratulations to all those who received award for 2389! Great work Tiger crew! Firestarter: Cheers to everyone! Wilde: Three cheers for the Tiger! Hip hip! Blair: Hurray! :: As most of the assembly joined in the cheer, Zerxes remained silent. He started to look for the fast way out of the crowd and to freedom. It wouldn't be easy, standing several inches taller than nearly the entire crew. He located Ari and thought about engaging her, using their conversation to get close to the exit. :: Atimen: Congratulations, Lieutenant. :: Suddenly, he heard Atimen's voice come from the side. He turned and met his department head's smiling face, trying not to look as panicked as he felt. :: Zerxes: I... thank you, Commander. Atimen: Your work last mission was excellent, I'm glad to have you in Security. :: He wasn't able to force a smile. He tried to look serious, hoping it would mask the swell of emotions. :: Zerxes: I just wish I could have done more. :: Fortunately, Atimen seemed to be overwhelmed by his enjoyment of a piece of cake to really take notice of Zerxes' mood. :: Atimen: Is this your first time at DS17? :: He was worried that if this kept up he wasn't going to be able to keep the charade going. He needed to get somewhere else, and fast. :: Zerxes: Yes, it is. Any recommendations? Atimen: Sure, but that would ruin half the fun. I'd recommend wandering around the Promenade, especially the less frequented areas. Excellent food down there. :: He tried to make eye contact with Ari, but she was engaged with T'mihn. He looked back at Atimen and waited for him to finish. Before he did, an idea popped into mind. :: Zerxes: Sir, can I have a word with you in private? Atimen: Oh? Zerxes: I would rather not wait, if you do not mind stepping outside for a moment. Lieutenant JG A'ern Zerxes Security Officer USS Tiger-A
  18. OOC: This is in tribute to Abbey. When my cat Tas passed away, I decided that, since I had simmed him in the UFOP world, that Tyr would take him to Ba'ku when he became too old to travel with him, so that he could live forever at least in a fantasy world. Abbey deserves nothing less. ((Ba'ku Homeworld)) ::She'd never liked him. Never really considered him a friend or even a companion. At best, they had tolerated each other, with the occasional attack that had sent her yowling to her protector's feet and him skulking away with his tail between his legs. Now, she spotted those same eyes gazing at her as he put her down. Her legs were unsteady and she swayed on them momentarily as the dizziness and nausea that had been so prevalent lately assaulted her again. Her skin, yellowed from a failing liver and medication, burned momentarily under the warm sun. With a black coat and her white belly, Abbey used to love the sun, taking special pleasure in rolling from side to side in conented comfort in the sunbeam that came through the window.:: ::That is, when HE wasn't around.:: ::After a gentle pat (and what appeared to be a tear from her protector's face), he turned and left, and for a moment she feared that she would be at his mercy again. With no one around, he would surely tackle her, and in her weakened state she couldn't defend herself. Content to bask in the sunlight that seemed to heal her with every breath, she lay down in the field and took in what the sun gave her. Then HE came forward.:: ::She bristled. Even managed a hiss from the mouth that seemed to no longer crave food or her kitty treats.:: ::He gently touched her nose with his, then nudged her gently with his chin. Suspicious, she eyed him, no longer hissing but not issuing any welcoming purrs or displays of affection. Too long had she tormented him. Too many times she had let her guard down only to be attacked a few minutes later. But this time, something was different.:: ::He seemed to understand. He knew her pain. Knew that she was feeling it right now. He seemed to know, with nothing but a touch of the nose, that she'd come here because she had to, because she could no longer be with the protector-just the same as he had two years ago. And, perhaps, because she was a friend, even if he didn't act like it. A constant shadow at his side, a companion that he looked to when the protector was away. They'd shared toys, treats, and a food and water bowl for almost 11 years. That bond, just like the ailing black and white body, was slowly being restored.:: ::Another nudge, and a purr. Abbey looked up and stood, feeling strength returning to her legs. The patches of fur that had been shaved for IVs (much to her annoyance) had grown back and she was her full self again, jet-black fur with an undercoat of brown, with bright green eyes and a pink nose shining in the sunlight. Likewise, Tas was as she remembered him before he'd gotten sick. Orange and white fur, golden eyes, and the most expressive face she had ever seen. They were together again, after seemingly so much time apart, and sitting side-by-side they watched the protector leave. They knew he couldn't stay where they were, just as surely as they knew they would see him again. One day he would return, and there would be no more errands to run or workplaces to attend to. One day, they could pile on him like they had those wonderful, memorable days of the past, purring in contentment and each receiving scratches behind the ears and backrubs. Yes, they would see him again, but until then, each had the other. No longer alone, no longer sick, and no longer in sadness or pain. And the two friends that had never been friends renewed their unspoken bond, forged by love of their protector and his love of them. Together, they trotted into the forest, to explore, and enjoy eternity together.:: =========================== Abbey -and- Tas as simmed by Captain Tyr Waltas Commanding Officer USS DISCOVERY-C
  19. ((Breen Homeworld)) ((Stardate 257607.28)) CAMERON: =/\= Hey Holmes! Check this out! =/\= ::The man in the matte grey EVA suit lumbered up to his similarly-dressed colleague and peered over his shoulder, the lights around his visor illuminating the console Cameron was working on. The rest of the derelict ship was submerged in cold, unforgiving darkness.:: HOLMES: =/\= What? More ice-slugs? =/\= CAMERON: =/\= Ship logs. A non-encrypted cache of them. Back in the day, they used a rudimentary system to store information. A system that didn't require too much power to access. I hooked up my Q-scanner to the console and with whatever minimal power I can afford to waste from it, I barely managed to extract some of the logs. This one was right at thetop of the pile. =/\= HOLMES: ::leaning in closer to peer at the Q-scanner screen:: =/\= Good. Maybe we'll finally learn what happened to the ship and crew. =/\= CAMERON: =/\= I wouldn't get my hopes up too high, Holmes. It appears to be a personal log…. of the First Officer…. Just some random entry. Might not tell us much…. Let me get it cleaned up.. there.. almost done. =/\= ::He disconnected the scanner and waited for it to display the salvaged remnant of the log.:: HOLMES: ::sighing:: =/\= She was a mighty fine ship back then. They don't make `em like they used to. I still can't believe we found her. We finally found her, after all those years looking in every quadrant and peeking into every wormhole. Who would've guessed we'd find her right in our backyard? =/\= CAMERON: =/\= What the hell happened, Holmes? How did she end up here, in this God-forsaken hellhole? =/\= HOLMES: ::shrugging and shaking his head sadly:: =/\= We keep digging until we find theanswers, Cam. We don't ever stop until we find those answers! All of them! =/\= CAMERON: =/\= Okay. Done. =/\= ::The scanner screen flickered and pulsed. Both men anxiously awaited with bated breath asthe personal log entry of the Starfleet officer rolled up the screen. It began as such: :: Personal Log of Lieutenant Commander Raj Blueheart First Officer of the USS Discovery, NCC-31929-C Stardate 239001.31 The last night of shore leave had been a memorable one, and especially poignant. Emerson and I had the time of our lives on the beach. The food and wine were exquisite, the music lovely and the company of friends and family priceless. I can't begin to decide exactly what wasthe main event I was celebrating: the end of shore leave with a large part of the crew and Eskyys' and Jenyys' generous hospitality, or, the anniversary of my fourth year with Starfleet, which also happens to be how long I've served on board the Discovery. I don't think anyone realizes this little trivia, not even Emerson, and I wouldn't have expected them to. What's a paltry four years compared to the decades of Waltas, Mitchell and Eskyys? Ah, but without realizing it, they HAVE given me a wonderful present to commemorate this milestone in my career. The farewell supper Eskyys and Jenyys had organized for the crew on the beach overlooking the sunset-kissed Caribbean on the last day of shore leave was the best gift anyone has ever given me. I've never been a part of a more loving and beautiful family. We had cast away whatever lingering animosity and bilious enmity that may have arisen between us following the mutiny, into the ocean that night. The close circle we had built aroundthe campfire, Emerson's solo woeful highland tune on the violin and the flowing wine, laughter and tears had been a sort of ritual, a closure, to that dark and unspeakable period in theotherwise immaculately glorious tapestry that is the hallowed history of the Discovery. New bonds had been forged, old ones reinforced. We had bid our adieus just before the stroke of midnight, with a promise to return. I had resolved to hate Earth for all eternity until those precious moments on the Oasis Resort in theBahamas. The bitter old memories of Earth have been diluted by sweeter, newer, more potent ones. The birthplace of the human civilization has been once again sanctified. End of personal log. +++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++ Personal Log of Lieutenant Commander Raj Blueheart First Officer of the USS Discovery, NCC-31929-C Stardate 239002.01 – Supplemental Off the starboard bow, Emerson and I had watched with sorrowful hearts the modified probe cradling the inanimate, cryostatic body of Lady Julia Reyna Amada Raj, make its steady way into the roiling core of the Sun. We had prayed over her and had sung hymns, in full accordance to neo-Grecian rites, witnessed by the revered pantheon. I had placed her favorite purple mouse next to her, inside her burgundy velvet-lined polished steel casket. Several moments later, with a brief, barely discernible flash of intense white light, she had pierced theheart of the Sun. Atoms scattered across the universe, she will now live forever. Farewell, my immortal beloved. End of personal log (supplemental) HOLMES: =/\= That's it? Doesn't tell us much. =/\= CAMERON: =/\= No, it doesn't. But it's just one of several thousands of logs cached up in here. Eventually we'll find the right ones that'd tell us what happened to the Discovery. =/\= HOLMES: ::looking around the eerie decrepit chamber:: =/\= I hope so. There's a lot riding on this salvage mission. =/\= CAMERON: ::grinning wryly behind his visor:: =/\= You don't say. You ready to believe it's a conspiracy? =/\= HOLMES: ::looking around again, chills running down his spine:: =/\= The flagship of theAvalon sector, mysteriously disappeared without a trace over a century ago, finally found, just as mysteriously, buried miles beneath the frozen salt dunes of the Breen homeworld…. I'm ready to believe anything! =/\= ::And the men continued their work on the derelict starship.:: END ================================ Dr Evan Holmes & MSgt Isaiah Cameron (Ret.) AstroDynamics Archeology & Salvage Unit Alpha Alliance Federation as simmed by LtCmdr Raj Blueheart First Officer USS DISCOVERY-C
  20. ((Cargo Bay 4 - USS Columbia)) ::Johanna MacLaren's fury at the dragon turned to terror as her back erupted in fire. Her cry of anger turned into a scream of agony. Then she had no more breath for the scream. She was drowning in her own blood as her chest seemed buried under an enormous weight. She was going to die; Breeman was going to die because she'd cared more for his hand than their safety. More fire ran down her back and then the pull of the transporter gave a momentary surcease to the pain. Fighting to breathe, struggling not to cry out, she tried to lift herself from Kevin's inert form. She looked down to see him covered in her blood, but she could not move. The strength had left her; her arm would not obey her and each breath was now a fight. The clinical portion of her brain cataloged her injuries. Massive blood loss, likely lung collapse, respiratory failure, likely muscular laceration. She'd sent her staff to the center of the ship. No doctor would arrive before she bled out. Twenty-six year old, Human/Betazoid female: death from massive trauma and blood loss. Tears of pain and fear streaked down her face. She would never see Joseph again. She was dying, and he might already be dead in the Jeffries tubes. Then hands were lifting her and red fire of pain gave way to the blackness of blissful oblivion. ::David Banks stepped through the doorway, his right index finger idly twitching by his side. Ever since the war he'd never been able to kick that habit. Over the years since as he'd trained to work as an excavation specialist at the Federation archaeological digs all over the galaxy people had never failed to notice the twitching finger as he'd walked. It happened most often as he thought about what to do next, how to handle this or that situation.:: ::It had been the transporter alert and then the faint sounds of the frantic nursing staff trying to move a body that had triggered him. He'd not heard anything like that since the war. Entering the cargo bay he saw someone he recognized. A female medical officer. She was lying face down, two huge claws protruding from her back.:: Banks: Christ.... ::He looked around himself and saw a nurse looking about at the equipment.:: Banks: You. Yeah, kid with the hair. Mengler: Me? Oo Jeez, I'm trying to find a doctor for Doc MacLaren! Who does this guy think he is?Oo Banks: You're with me. Mengler: Who are you? I'm need a doctor for Doc MacLaren... Banks: Listen to me, I know some officer has given you an order to stand here and watch stuff. My name's David Banks. Give that officer my name if you get in trouble. Until then you're coming with me. ::He picked up a medical tricorder from a table nearby and then walked over to the patient and said,:: Banks: ::Whispering:: Perforated lung tissue. Tearing of the... rhomboids, back muscles, spinal muscles. Tearing of the right... ribs... ::The boy stood beside him waiting until Banks turned and grumbled,:: Banks: Laser scalpel, suction, forceps. ::Dutifully the boy went and grabbed the required items.:: Banks: What's your name kid? Mengler: Steve, I was trying to get a doctor for Doc MacLaren. Why didn't you say you were a doctor... Banks: Steve? Alright Steve, we're going to do a foreign object removal and reconstructive lung surgery here, sound good? Mengler:Oo Here! God, it's not like there's a choice.Oo Yeah, I'm a medic; I'll help anyway I can. ::The red tide returned and Johanna found herself on her side, cold, shivering, her arm numb and each breath a monumental effort. She prayed to pass out again to end this agony and then there was an unfamiliar face and a gruff voice close to her face.:: ::David spoke softly to the woman,:: Banks: Hi... I'm a doctor... There's nothing to worry about okay? MacLaren::she looked at him, shivering and her eyes luminous with the tears she was trying to supress. Gasping:: Yes...there...is...lung collapsed...blood loss...lots of...::She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out. ::Definitely a doctor. He got down on his hands and knees and said,:: Banks: Medical kit. Osteoregenerator. Mengler:: still rattled by MacLaren's condition and the idea of turning her over to a stranger.:: Say again? Banks: See that uh... ::He indicated over toward the piping coming out from the air filtration pump nearby.:: Pump? Mengler: Aye, sir. We have one. Banks: Pull it out and bring it here, will ya? Mengler: You're going to do major surgery right here this minute? It's not sterile! Are you serious? Banks: [...] right I'm serious. MacLaren:Ye're... a doctor...? Eh dinna ….want to...die...like this... ::David nodded and breathed quietly to himself, contemplating what he'd say.:: Banks: You won't die. ::As Mengler handed him the pump he pulled at the back of the casing until it came loose. Retrieving a pocket knife from his breast pocket he adjusted the power and then turned on the pump. It gently ran at just the right rate.:: ::Setting the machine down beside him he said,:: Banks: It sounds like you're a highlander. That about right? MacLaren:: gasping:: Eh'm a Lowlander...on my...dad's side...Scots are... all...fighters though. ::Grinning, he spoke, trying to muster his best cheerful sounding voice and said,:: Banks: Aayyyeee thought so. ::Turning to Steve he said,:: Banks: Now Steve, I want you to hold this machine right here okay? If you do what I tell you everything will be fine, okay? Mengler:: Looking at MacLaren's deadly pallor, he wasn't so sure:: Sure, of course. You're going to be fine, Doc. ::As the boy held up the machine David sterilized the end of the nozzle with the medkit sterilizer. Setting the nozzle down he looked through the medical kit for an anaesthetic. Finding a local he attached it to the hypospray and pressed it gently into MacLaren's back.:: MacLaren:Is it...as bad...as...it feels? Laird God, it hurts. Banks: You're doing great. ::As he fired the hypospray he asked,:: What's your name? MacLaren::still struggling to breathe:: Johanna...MacLaren...Eh'm the...CMO. Eh dinna ken...who..you..are Banks: Yeah? ::Turning to Steve:: Turn it on please. Mengler: Done ::He slowly ran the nozzle over the open wound as he gently pulled at the claw.:: Banks: I'm David. David Banks. MacLaren:: her hands suddenly clenching:: Oh God, what is that? ::He knew it would be stupid to try and distill it down. She was a doctor and he owed it to her to tell her exactly what he was doing.:: Banks: Suction. MacLaren:: shivering and beginning to ramble:: So cold.. is it snowing?...Joseph can ice skate...Where is Joseph? ::Christ, she was going into shock. And yet the bleeding had stabilized, and the lung was about ready to be repaired. He knew it was now or never and so he decided now.:: Banks: Everybody's fine, Johanna. MacLaren: Hope, is Hope...safe? Kevin! Must help him.. ::He didn't know who either of those two were. So he did his best to improvise. There were some things he knew he could be honest with her about. This wasn't one of them. She had to know that she could lose consciousness without owing the world around her anything, and that he'd take care of her while she was out.:: Banks. Listen. It's time to start now okay. You're going to be just fine. Don't worry about those two. I will take care of them, okay? ::He set the general anesthetic hypospray cartridge and placed it against the woman's neck, his right hand now beginning to apply the haemosponge to the open wound.:: Banks: That's it... We're both going to get through this. ::He set to work. Now he carried both people by himself.:: ((Dreamscape)) ::The pain was gone; the fear had fled. Snowflakes danced around Johanna and looking down at herself, she was delighted to see iceskates on her feet and Joseph laughing a few feet away, his cheeks ruddy from the cold. He glided over and took her hand so they could skate together on the frozen loch just in front of her childhood home in Aberfoyle. Their breath made little puffs in the frigid air but hey were warm from the exertion of skating. For once there was no misunderstanding between them, no misinterpretations. They were simply a young couple in love, spinning and laughing. They moved into a spin and then his lips were warm on hers, still tasting faintly of the hot chocolate they'd shared a few moments before. She did another little spin, but when she turned back, he was far away on the ice looking at her with a face stricken with grief; Hope stood forlornly beside him. An older man she did not know stood with them. She tried to skate back, but the faster she skated, the further away they seemed until finally she was alone on the ice. Lt.JG Johanna MacLaren CMO SB118/USS Victory and Columbia and David Banks, simmed by Lt. Commander Kevin Breeman CEO SB 118/USS Victory/Columbia
  21. Commander Karynn Brice - Consciousness ((Karynn’s Quarters)) ::The first thing she noticed was how dark it was. In the pitch-blackness, for a moment she wasn’t sure whether her eyes were closed or she had lost her sight or the room was just really dark. The second thing she noticed was the pain. Her head throbbed. It felt like it had been caught between a hammer and an anvil. Or a spike had been driven through it.:: ::A moment passed by and she determined that yes her eyes were open. But she still wasn’t sure if that meant that her sight was gone or the room was just that dark. She felt nauseous. And dizzy. She put her hand to her head and felt warm sticky liquid.:: Brice: Computer, Lights. ::The room lights blazed forth in full splendor and suddenly the Haliian officer realized that her request had been a mistake. And that her eyes were working just fine. She quickly shut her eyes as her head throbbed even more than it had been. At least it had helped her figure out where she was - she was laying on the floor of her quarters, not far from her coffee table.:: Brice: Computer, lights 5%. ::The lights dimmed significantly. Karynn tried to remember how she had gotten there. Part of a memory flitted back to her.:: ((FLASHBACK - Shuttle Portobello)) Brice: ::activating the link again:: =/\= Commander Brice to the Bridge, we’re ready to depart. =/\= ((END FLASHBACK)) ::She and her group had departed from the Drake, listening to the comms chatter as they went. She remembered being excited at their opportunity for an up-close flyby on the new species. But they hadn’t been gone long when something else had happened. She found herself in another world.:: ((DREAM)) ::The light faded to blackness as she rolled on her side in the snow. It was so cold... and the dampness was beginning to soak through her thin clothes. Her teeth chattered and she couldn't see. She gasped again as another wave of intense pain washed over her body.:: ::Squeezing her eyes closed tightly, she willed for the pain to go away - a maneuver which rather expectedly didn't work. However, as she opened her eyes, she could see again - although the scene had changed. The room she was in was dimmer than the bright light of a snowy outdoors she had just been in. Around her, familiar people either stood or sat in chairs, although none of them seemed to notice that she was on the floor.:: ::Although she was still in pain, she managed to stand up and look around. Nearby she spotted Ethan and with only a few strides, she managed to cross to him. He didn't seem to notice her, so she reached out and brushed his arm with her hand. At that moment, he slumped forward. From somewhere she heard a voice.:: Voice: He's failing. ::She felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach. She heard quick small footsteps and turned to see Matthew rushing past. Not wanting him to discover his now-dead father, she reached out and grasped his arm. Again, as she made contact, he suddenly went limp and fell forward in a heap at her feet.:: Ehlanii: ::screaming:: NO! ((END DREAM)) ::She had nearly screamed as she came out of the dream state. A panic had flowed through her veins and her hands trembled. For a moment she hadn’t known where she was. And then she realized that she was in the shuttle. All she had wanted to do for a moment was call Ethan and check on Matthew. It took all her will and training to focus on figuring out what had happened - and where those images had come from.:: ::It had taken a moment because they came from deep within her subconscious, a dream she had dreamt before. Several years previously someone, for reasons still unknown to her, had made an attempt on her life and that was the dream she had experienced while she was unconscious. She had taken a deep breath in, forcing herself to remain calm, to focus on the shuttle around her. It had taken all her effort, so she was quite relieved when they were summoned home by the COO of the Drake.:: ((FLASHBACK, Shuttle Portobello)) SOLOK: =/\= USS Drake to Commander Brice. =/\= BRICE: =/\= Brice Here. =/\= SOLOK: =/\= You have new orders, Commander. Abort your mission and return to the Drake immediately. =/\= BRICE: =/\= Aye, on our way. =/\= ::She nodded to the pilot who plotted a return course, thankful that she didn’t need to issue any other instructions.:: ((FLASHBACK ENDS)) ::Karynn had initially had every intention of going straight to the bridge, but after the shuttle docked she still felt distinctly off, as though someone had been mucking around in her brain. Hoping that a splash of cold water and perhaps a change of uniform would help (she was feeling particularly damp from the cold sweat her re-dream had triggered), the Haliian had headed to her quarters.:: ::The next event was still a bit blurry to the touch empath. She remembered being overwhelmed with anger shortly after entering her quarters.:: ((FLASHBACK - Chief Engineer’s Office, USS Ronin)) ::Her arms were folded solidly across her chest. Luckily she hadn't needed to wait long after her meeting, but ever since the incident her thoughts had been racing and her frustration had been building. Now that he had finally arrived, she let it out in a controlled stream. Her voice was quiet but icy, her words were crisp and separated.:: Ehlanii: How... could... you? :: He slipped his hands into his pockets and looked down. Weight of his world on his shoulders. He didn’t have an answer for her; he’d done what he thought was best, what he had deemed to be the safest way of controlling things.:: Ehlanii: You couldn't trust me to do my job? We were making progress. Your decision set us back. We don't even know how far back. HOW COULD YOU, Ethan? :: He leant on a rung of the ladder and looked at her. He hadn’t spoken a word so far but he didn’t doubt that the conversation wasn’t one sided.:: Brice: I did what I had to do. ::Her voice rose a few decibels higher:: Ehlanii: Were you even listening? Did you care that you put all of us in danger? You put me in danger with your stupid stunt! What if she had thought that I was complicit in it all? You used my conversation with her to cover your actions! If you didn't care about yourself you could have at least thought of that. Or Ben! As it is, she suspects that he had something to do with it. She might even think it was his orders. He's your friend. Or at least he used to be. ::She took a breath, which gave him an opportunity to say a word.:: Brice: I didn’t think about that, alright? I… I thought you’d all be okay, Danny would beam you all back- ::His time was limited. She wasn't finished and she wasn't yet ready to hear his response. Her voice quickly cut him off again.:: Ehlanii: And that's not even including Sarion and Commander Maria. Or the whole ship! What if she had decided to blow us all out of the sky? Its not like she doesn't have the power to do it! :: His jaw tightened.:: Brice: That’s not fair play! I endangered myself, she wasn’t going to harm the rest of you when the blame was all on me! I did what I had to do to get her on our side, I didn’t see anyone else trying anything! ::Her eyes flashed with anger.:: Ehlanii: I was. I had quite a profile going. I was preparing suggestions to give to Commander Walker. I was probably close to finding the right motivation to get her to help us. Why couldn't you just control yourself? ((END FLASHBACK)) ::That was really when things got murky for the Science Officer and Former Counselor as she tried to piece things together in her moments after waking. As she had been overwhelmed by the memory, she had lost consciousness - and muscle tone. She’d passed out and (although she didn’t quite know it right now) managed to hit her head on her coffee table on the way down. She vaguely remembered ever so briefly regaining consciousness (with a headache) once in the dim light and had some recollection of the ship shaking violently at which point, as best she could tell, her head hit the coffee table again and she lost consciousness.:: ::As she attempted to piece it all together in the fleeting moments, she became aware enough to recognize that she needed a bit of help from the ship’s medical types. She reached up and tapped the comm badge on her uniform.:: Brice: =/\= Brice to Doctor Shelley =/\= Shelley (or other Medical): =/\= RESPONSE =/\= Brice: =/\= I believe I may be in some need of medical assistance. =/\= Shelley (or other Medical): =/\= RESPONSE =/\= Brice: =/\= I am not sure. I haven’t tried to sit up yet. My head is in significant pain and I appear to be bleeding. =/\= Shelley (or other Medical): =/\= RESPONSE =/\= Brice: =/\= I believe just from the head. At least as far as I can tell from my limited self-survey. =/\= Shelley (or other Medical): =/\= RESPONSE =/\= Commander Karynn Brice Chief Science Officer USS Drake
  22. ((OOC: As you read this, please bear in mind that the writers behind Tallis and Parker have communicated extensively during the course of this JP, and are in fact on awesome terms in real life. They just like throwing their characters at each other every now and again for fun, and hopefully for your enjoyment. No animals were harmed in the creation of this SIM.)) ((IC: USS Canis Major, Deck 1: Bridge)) ::Ready and raring to go for the first full day aboard the Canis Major, Tallis and Toni had met Alucard on the way to the turbolift. Rhul found, to his surprise, that the noises the lift made were somehow less offensive, and the consoles on the main bridge were a positive dawn chorus to his ears as soon as the doors opened.:: Parker: Captains on the bridge! :: Captain Turner made her way to her chair as Hannibal and Kamela formerly relieved their nighttime helm and navigational counterparts, the ships' computers continuing their rhymthmic sing song cadence. He and Kamela soon had the updated ships' position and tactical situation in hand, as well as their distance from Betazed:: Turner: response Kamela: We'll make orbit of Betazed in seven hours, twenty four minutes, Captain. Parker: No hostiles in range, as far as I can tell, Captain... ::The Bajoran quirked an eyebrow upwards. Hannibal sounded almost disappointed; after all, he always seemed to be spoiling for a fight.:: Tallis: None outside the ship, anyway. ::Judging by the exchange of glances between Kamela and Hannibal, he had picked up on the laconic undertone of Rhul's comment.:: Parker: That would be correct, Captain...no external hostiles...::not missing a beat:: Internal ones tend to be the most...dangerous...they strike quickly...brutally...and take no prisoners....sir.... ::The smile on Rhul's face pulled taut as Hannibals' icy retort lowered the bridge temperature by at least fifteen degrees. This feeling was familiar; Tallis had felt it shortly after Parker's initial assignment to the Ronin before they had bumped heads for the second time, and way back on the Challenger when they had bumped heads for the first. Rhul hadn't taken all too kindly to Hannibal's lecture on what it meant to be Bajoran.:: Turner: response Vess: response ::Indignant at Parker's blatant disrespect for a senior officer and still struggling to make sense of the emotions that had followed Hannibal's merciless gutting of his own father, Tallis found himself pleased as he managed to keep his voice almost dispassionate during his next request. Although Toni would unquestionably know that Parker was about to cop a dressing down, he was confident that the other officers would be less likely to appreciate the extent to which things could go.:: Tallis: ::From his position behind the command chair:: Captain, request permission to speak with Major Parker privately in your office? Turner: Response ::As the Major rose from his seat in anticipation of the next order, Tallis managed to cut through his building rage to remember to complete his duty.:: Tallis: Ensign Massem, take over the Major's position. Massem: Response ::As soon as the fresh ensign started for the forward console, Tallis strode for the lift.:: Kamela: Captain...request permission to........ Turner: Response ::Tallis wasn't surprised that Parker's partner would be joining them; he wasn't angry at Toni for granting her permission, and his respect for Kamela told him that she was probably going to attempt to mediate. Inevitably, though, there was little question whose side she would be on.:: Tallis: oO If I have to take them on two on one then so be it... Oo ((Turbolift)) ::The lift doors closed to seal the three officers in a heavy silence. It bore down on them harder and harder, but each of them was too stubborn to bow, to proud to be the first to break the silence and betray the true nature of the situation to the rest of the crew, even after they had exited the lift. Tallis stormed ahead of the other two officers, determined to hold on to the role of the superior officer for as long as he could, but they were hot on his heels as he stepped inside the office.:: ((Deck 5: Captain's Office)) ::Grim faced and arms folded, Tallis stared right through Parker's smug face as he entered the office with Kamela alongside him. Once again, it was the overconfident marine who had seen fit to light the blue touch paper after all that had happened. Making disrespectful comments in front of the rest of the bridge crew was completely unacceptable.:: Tallis: Take a look at who's wearing which rank pips, Major. What you just did on the bridge was way out of line. ::This wasn't like their last disputes. Tallis's fury wasn't fuelled by the fact that Parker was questioning his integrity as he had on the Challenger, or by the fact he had decided to openly flout regulations by smoking in the observation lounge as he had on the Mercury. This fury was intense, burning with the raw emotion of crippling loss and one man's need to lash out at whatever he could to make himself feel better. He had been suppressing his feelings of berievement, trying to deal with them by forcing himself into a new daily routine, but Parker had blown everything wide open... yet again.:: :: Parker looked at the Captains pips, and as much as he wanted to spit on the deck in disgust, Hannibal knew he respected the rank, but at the moment, had little regard for the man wearing it. He pursed his lips as though to utter a growl, but instead, through gritted teeth, he spoke:: Parker: No more out of line than your shot across the bow, Captain.. I considered your actions...dishonorable.... Tallis: You're the first to talk about honour, about being a soldier. Tell me, Parker, where in the Marine handbook does it tell you that flouting regulations is the right way to go about your business? Or is that just something you pencilled in because it suits you? The great Hannibal Parker, rewriting Starfleet protocol because his galaxy-sized ego tells him that he's the be all and end all? :: Hannibal held his ground, but he could see the rage burning in Tallis' eyes, and Hannibal knew neither man was going to back down. The conference room was now a battlefield, with no quarter given, no prisoners taken. For the two men, it was all or nothing. Hannibal took a step forward...:: Parker: Captain.... I have never disobeyed a lawful order, never not completed a mission, no matter its danger or difficulty. I'm very good at what I do, Captain, and I have never failed to do my duty or dishonor myself. Can you say the same, Captain? :: Hannibal knew his verbal blast had struck home...Tallis Rhuls' failure to kill his father at the ski lodge was now front and center...:: Tallis: You're right, and I'm sure the court martials that you sat through on the Challenger will speak for that. How exactly did it feel to put Lex Menar in the mediplex? ::His bile-filled comment referred to Parker's turbulent days early in his career where he had found himself at loggerheads with the command staff more than once. Lex Menar, one of the ship's female security officers, had taken a disliking to Hannibal and found herself on the wrong side of a training session that got out of hand.:: :: Tallis had scored a direct hit, but it only enraged Hannibal further...:: Parker: Your father was a mouthy [...]...I guess the apple indeed does not fall far from the tree.... :: Before Tallis could speak, Parker unleashed another brutal broadside:: Parker: You dare to speak to me about honor, when the Prophets delivered the man who had caused you and your brother so much pain, who abandoned you when you were children to fend for yourselves on Bajor, what did you do? Whimper in the snow like a whipped dog! Even Captain Turner knew what she had to do when the time came. Soban knew what to do, and your father had him killed. Why didn't you, Captain...WHY DIDN"T YOU!!!!????? :: Kamela held firmly to Hannibals' arm, as the two men were now dangerously close to each other and Kamela was doing what she could to get seperation between the two. If the Captain raised the ante, which was almost a sure bet, she hoped she could get between them before the combat went from verbal to physical....:: ::Parker's tirade poured gas on what could only be described as a wildfire. Rhul's pulse raced in his temples as his eyes bored holes through Hannibal's. He wouldn't sit through one more lecture on morals from a man whose vision was skewed by violence and death. He exploded into a counteroffensive, his voice straining not to crack as he yelled his outrage at the object of his rising frustrations.:: Tallis: Don't you dare speak to me about the Prophets! Do you think because you're lucky enough to have worked with Kira Nerys that you're some kind of expert on Bajorans!? Is that it!? You don't know anything about my people, or my brother. And do you know what's worse? You stand there talking to me about duty when you don't even understand what it is! Tell me where in the Starfleet manual I can find the paragraph that commands me to kill! Tell me where it tells me that incapacitating an enemy for imprisonment is unnacceptable! That's exactly what I did before you careered into that clearing, pinned him against a shuttlecraft and made me watch while you gutted him like a fish! :: Hannibals' fury was barely contained...he was barely aware of Kamela tugging against his arm, attempting to keep him from doing something which he was desiring to do more and more by the second..His reply exploded from him like a quantum torpedo...:: Parker: IT WAS WAR, [...] YOU! He was the enemy! You know why I could not let him go. You saw what that son of a [...] did to my father! What he did to my mother! You stand there, questioning me for what I have done? ::Tallis understood Parker's motivations for doing what he did all along, and had seen with his own eyes what his father had done to Hannibal's own, but it did nothing to quell the storm, and Tallis was far from finished.:: Tallis: I get that, Hannibal, but don't you think Starfleet Intelligence could have used to him to gather information about the rest of the Brotherhood? Did you stop to think about that for a second? Because I don't think I was the only one who was compromised out there. Don't think for one second that I'll believe you if you tell me that you were in control of yourself. You reverted to that same murderous [...] that we all know is deep down inside, just waiting to break the surface. You're a killer, Hannibal, and you're out of control. The uniform you wear is just a disguise, something that you take as permission for committing the heinous acts that you're so happy to tell everyone that you're good at! :: Hannibal stood, his right fist curled into a ball, and his eyes narrowed, locking on to Tallis as if he were a target to be destroyed. Tallis was dangerously close to being obliterated, but somehow, Hannibal held it together, denying Tallis the outburst he so wanted...:: Parker: And just what the frak are you, Captain? You cloak yourself in the uniform of a Starfleet captain, but when the going got tough, you couldn't handle it. It's easy to be captain when you have a ship and crew to do your bidding, or men like me to do your killing for you...but when it comes down to getting down and dirty, up close and personal, I find you sorely lacking. You quit, Captain. You quit because you couldn't handle it. You quit because you lost a brother. How many other captains lost family members during the war captain? They didn't quit. Perhaps you never had what it truly takes to be a member of Starfleet....Your duty requires you to KILL THE ENEMY! He was in your sights, and you failed... :: Hannibal was no diplomat, but he had come as close to calling Tallis a coward as he could...:: ::The gargantuan marine had just shone the brightest light possible on one of Tallis's failings. With all of the momentum taken out of his argument for the time being, Rhul's voice dropped back to somewhere close to normal volume but his arms and legs shook from heightened levels of adrenaline. There was pure hatred for Parker in his eyes as he drove home his final point.:: Tallis: Maybe I am a coward if that's the way you're going to define it, but he was my father, Hannibal. I'm not going to stand here and argue that he had any right to go on living, because I'm not sure I could even convince myself. He was responsible for Soban's death, and now he's paid the price. But I didn't get to choose my father, I just got stuck with him, and what really gets me is that you know how hard I worked to stop him from doing the things he did. Why do you think I ended up in this uniform in the first place? Have you forgotten everything that happened aboard the Mercury? I doubt you have. So I guess what this comes down to is the fact that you can't understand why I'm angry at you in the first place. Parker: No, Captain...I do not understand why you would be angry at a man who did his duty while you laid in the snow and did nothing.... ::It looked, for all intents and purposes, as though Rhul had a bad taste in his mouth as the reasons behind his initiation of a cold war came to light.:: Tallis: It's because you repaid brutality with brutality. You're right, Toni knew what to do when the time came. She killed my mother, but it was quick, painless and I didn't see it. And although your motivations weren't exactly as dark as Kern's, what you did to him came close to being on a par with what he did to your own father. I was on the end of that knife as well, Hannibal, or at least I might as well have been. You're an animal, and I can barely stand to look at you. :: Hannibal knew Tallis had crossed that line..there was no going back now. The man behaved like a coward, and now he was going to treat him like one...:: Parker: [...] you, I'm going to.... :: It was then Kamela stepped between the two men. She knew Hannibal could take no more, and Tallis was only inches from Hannibal killing him..:: Kamela: THAT'S ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU! :: Kamela stood between the two men, but her eys were fixed on Rhul's. She knew what was in Hannibals' eyes...she had seen it before, and she knew what it meant...:: Kamela:: quietly:: Hannibal....go back to the bridge....we will be along shortly..... :: Hannibal wasn't budging, and he wasn't taking his eyes of Tallis Rhul either..:: Parker: I'm going to... Kamela: Please, Ty...please....... :: Hannibal slightly relaxed, then began to open the distance between the two men. Kamela looked back at him, his eyes still full of white hot rage...:: Parker: through clenched teeth:: I'll be at my station.... :: The doors opened and closed, leaving Kamela and Tallis Rhul there together. His eyes were still full of hate for the man she loved, but she was going to try to talk to him...:: Tallis: Listen, Kamela... Kamela: No, Captain...this time YOU listen. I saw the tracks in the snow at the lodge. Kern...your father...was going to get away. If Hannibal had been twenty seconds later, he would have. You may have served with Hannibal, but I know him. There is a difference. He has been carrying around the pain of the way his father died for years, Captain...YEARS. Hannibal was born and bred a warrior, and whether you like it or not, Starfleet needs men like him..to do the things people like you consider to be...too difficult. Tell me Captain....how many times have you counted on Hannibal to do his duty? How many times has he saved the ship? His shipmates? When you left he fleet and YOUR OWN FATHER put a price on your head, who kept you safe on the Defiant until SFI could rescue you? How different would things have been on Duronis had he not been here? Hannibal is a killer, a rogue and perhaps many other things...and he trusted you...but you dishonored him by your failure you do what was needed. You did the worst thing that anyone could do to him, Captain......You owe, Captain, and you neglected to pay the debt..... ::And so it continued. Even without Hannibal Parker present in the room, it was still his unique code of morals that applied, his perception of what was right and wrong that was going to matter. This was still hostile territory.:: Tallis: ::Eyes narrowing:: I don't pay debts with lives, and I think you'll find that's true of most of this crew and if the both of you want to keep living your lives without giving anyone else credit for the things they do then that's fine with me. But let's face facts. Tallis Kern is dead, Kamela, and who killed him? Parker did. He got his chance to exact revenge. Kern didn't get away. If I had managed to finish what I started then I would have robbed Hannibal of that chance, and we'd still be here having the same [...]ed argument. ::There was regret in his voice as he continued but it still carried the same hard edge.:: Tallis: This ::he spread his arms, referring to the current argument:: was bound to happen the moment that my parents decided to go looting during the Dominion War. It was unavoidable. Yes, I'm grateful to Hannibal for keeping me hidden on Deep Space Nine and I'm more than grateful for what he's done in the line of duty. On some level, I know I'm grateful that he was there to do what needed to be done in that clearing, because if he hadn't have been coming then I would have had to finish it. But maybe, when you take a look at the big picture, I'm getting a little tired of him constantly lecturing on me on how I should and shouldn't be. First I was a traitor. Now I'm a coward, and every step along the way I get a little bit more of a lecture about things I know more about than he ever will. The Prophets. What it means to be Bajoran. And there's this continuing reference to my inadequacy to serve the uniform. Now if that was true, would I have ever earned a command? And while we're setting the record straight, I didn't quit the Mercury because my brother died and I couldn't handle it, I left to go and find him because he had been reported missing, not dead. If you can honestly tell me that Hannibal wouldn't have done that if he'd heard you had gone missing then fine, maybe I'll believe you. It's just way past time that he opened up his eyes and realised that some people are different from him, and that doesn't make them cowards, or traitors, or dishonourable men: it makes us diverse, which is the entire point of having a crew. Each of us has our specialties, each of us has a different personality. Except for those of us who are denied permission for that by Hannibal Parker. ::And that certainly started the ball rolling on a new train of thought in Tallis's mind. Why exactly did Hannibal judge him so harshly at every turn? Why did he have to fight tooth and nail to earn even a shred of respect? Was it really that Parker thought of him as the worst type of intergalactic pond scum, or was it for some other reason?:: :: Kamela listened to his reasoning, and she could see the heat in his eyes begin to cool. Hannibal was a hard man, and he expected those around him to be as tough in their own way. As she listened, she heard a man with far more held in that what had been revealed so far..:: Kamela: Captain, Hannibal is not an unfeeling man, or an uncaring one. He needs to know the truth...all of it......you should tell him...soon. Perhaps you also need to check your ego at the door too.... ::Rhul tried to calm down, reminding himself that he was angry at Hannibal and not Kamela.:: Tallis: Well maybe you need to speak to him too. We can't keep banging heads like this. ::He folded his arms:: I know I didn't exactly cover myself in glory when it came to the crunch, but I did what I could, and if I hadn't found Kern then he definitely would have escaped. Hannibal's been carrying the pain of his parents around for years, I do know that. I've been carrying the shame of mine for just as long, and I don't for one second have any illusions about which one is worse. He wins hands down. I just... oO miss my brother so much... Oo ::The thought came involuntarily, suspending the end of the sentence and leaving the room in silence. Rhul fought down a well of grief as he realised that he had not only just put his finger on the exact reason at why he was so angry, but that he had also taken everything out on the man that least deserved it to happen.:: :: Kamela saw something in his eyes...but she was unsure of exactly what it was, but what she did know it was the thing that was underpinning everything that had taken place that morning. It wasn't about Hannibal and what he did...it was about the Captain. That realization burned in her and she did everything she could to not let it show. Hannibal had spent most of the last mission being a target, and he did not need to be attacked from those closest to him. The two men were extremely stubborn, which made what had to happen even tougher...:: Kamela: Captain....you need to tell Hannibal what you are telling me. I will talk to him...he will listen to me..... :: She knew he was going to have to cool down...a lot before she tried to reason with him..and even that may not be a sure bet. Hannibal was stubborn and set in his ways, and his code of honor was similiarly unbreakable..but she had her ways....:: Tallis: I just wish everything could have started differently in the first place. Then Hannibal's parents would be alive, and I wouldn't be a devil-worshipper's orphan. :: That would be partially true. Hannibals' mother was already dead when Tallis Meral and Tallis Kern desecrated her body, an it was indeed possible for Hannibals' father to have survived the war. Details aside, Kamela tried to impart some words of wisdom...:: Kamela: Captain...call it God, the Prophets, the Great Bird....what has happened has happened, and we have to live with the results. Hannibal is what he is, just as you are. Just as I am. We do the best we can with what we have. Hannibal will forgive you, Captain, but you have to tell him what you feel. This war between you has to stop. I know it will be difficult. :: blowing out a breath:: You know Captain...Hannibal would have gone with you to help you find Soban, and he would have done it because one of his shipmates...his captain...was in trouble. Yes, nothing would have stopped him from coming for me if something had happened to me. That code of his cuts both ways... ::Kamela could see the rage begin to fade from the Captains' eyes as she spoke, and she hoped that her softened words had made a positive impact. She knew what it was like to lose a sibling and her parents, lost to the Breen attack on Earth. The fact that the ship which killed them was destroyed was cold comfort...:: Tallis: I know... and the ironic thing is that I would have gone with him. Whatever he thinks of me, or however angry I am at him at the moment, I've never been his enemy. Kamela: Hannibal is a good man, Captain...just as you are. Be honest with him...give him a chance to know the entire truth...I will do my part Captain if you agree to do yours... ::She knew if she could get Tallis to agree, that would be the easy part. Getting the man mountain to listen was going to take a bit of subtlety...:: Tallis: ::Resolutely:: You can count on it. ::And she could. Kamela had a way of putting a reasonable front on Hannibal's mode of operations, and she was certainly better at being diplomatic. Even after both men had blown their top, she had found a way to cut through to the root of things.:: Kamela: Allright:: smiling::...let's get back to the bridge before Hannibal and Captain Turner come running down here... Tallis: That's probably a good plan. ::He returned the smile, the last traces of anger disappearing from him.:: I'd hate for an SAR team to show up. ::He was about to leave, but stopped to express one final sentiment.:: Tallis: I'm glad we got to talk things out. Kamela: I am too, Captain. This is the longest conversation we've ever had without someone shooting at us... ::That drew a laugh; she was absolutely right. They had previously only ever met under wartime conditions, or something very close.:: Tallis: True. You certainly make a good foil between me and Hannibal. I'd appreciate it if you could help me smooth things out with him once and for all. I much prefer it when we're on the same page. Kamela: Allright....deal. I'll be there for both of you... The two of you are opposite sides of the same coin... I'll bet once you two hash things out, you will be friends... :: As the two headed for the door to return to the bridge, Captain Tallis Rhul had just one more comment, but it was of absolute sincerity..:: Tallis: As far as I'm concerned, we already are. A JP by Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker 2nd Officer/Chief of Strategic Operations/Marine Commander USS Canis Major Federation Embassy Duronis II and Captain Tallis Rhul Navigation Officer USS Canis Major Federation Embassy Duronis II
  23. ((Dream Scape, Deepest recess of Alexander Richards mind.)) :: Seconds passed to minutes and minutes passed to hours as the Ensign lay next to the younger form of his wife. Neither moved just looking up at the sky allowing the grass blowing in the breeze to tickle them both. Neither said a word, resting in the absolute serenity of the moment. Occasionally Marissa would allow her hand to gently stroke her husbands face, soothing him, helping him drift further and further away from the stark reality of his current situation. The young man was dying. Ever so slowly, his muscle structure was breaking down whilst his internal organs began to slowly shut down. Memories that the man was no longer aware of began to fade from other parts of his mind. Above him, a cloud shaped like his childhood pet, Pebbles, a Ragdoll cat faded and dissipated. The young man paid it no heed as he lay quietly almost paralyzed by the tranquility of it all. :: ((Deep Space Ten)) :: His heart began to slow, just a dull thud in his heaving chest. His breathing was much more labored. A simple scan of his current state would reveal the synapses slowing to a crawl. Renal function was at a bare minimum for survival. It was as if the young mans body were giving up the fight, losing it's grip on life slowly but surely. If he were conscious he would know he had a reason to fight. He was just mere minutes at best from what could be described as his only chance at life. A bio bed in sickbay forcing his internal organs to work, to keep him alive until the doctors could formulate a cure. Mere minutes away from the comfort of his loving wife and son, the only two things in his life worth keeping him grounded on the mortal coil. For a brief instant he stirred, groaned and then went lifeless again. Was he finally fighting back against his situation? Was he finally trying to fight to stay alive. :: ((Dream Scape, Deepest recess of Alexander Richards mind.)) :: Alexander couldn't be sure whether it was the tranquility that broke him from his serenity or an outside force but finally he was realizing the cold hard truth. This situation was too perfect. There was no reason he should be here. His wife and he looked far to young for this to be real. For a moment the serene scene stayed before black storm clouds began to gather on the horizon. The magic of it all was broken. Tornadoes began forming in the various fields as lightning bolts hit the floor sparking brush fires. Images flashed in the sky burning bright then fading. His wife, his son, his friends. All the young man could do was think fight as he gripped the visage of Marissa tightly. Holding her close as they both painfully aged to their current forms. Alexander didn't want to let go. He couldn't let go. His family and friends were everything to him. What would they do if he left the mortal coil? Was there even anything on the other side? The visage of Marissa moved round to face him and held him tight. She kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear. :: Marissa: oO If you want to leave this place then hold me tight and don't let go. Believe in yourself. Believe in your friends. Hold on Alexander Richards and fight. The moment you doubt yourself or let go, you will lose your touch with the mortal coil. Hold on and fight! Oo TBC Ensign Alexander Richards Acting Chief of Science USS Mercury
  24. ((Dream scape, Deepest recess of Alexander Richards mind.)) :: Fields. Fields of tall grass as far as the eye could see. Bathed in bright sunlight and lovingly warm. Richards, as a much younger form of himself was stood in the middle of one of the fields. Beside him was a ghostly visage of a younger Marissa. A person he had only seen in pictures. She stood about 3 feet tall with long flowing jet black hair, a good 6 inches shorter than Alexander who himself had the long locks of his youth. Both just stood there in silence looking at the beauty of it all. So peaceful, so tranquil. :: Alexander: oO Is this heaven? Oo Marissa: oO It's whatever you want it to be. Oo Alexander: oO It's so peaceful here. I almost feel at home. I don't want to leave. Oo Marissa: oO And you never have to. This can be whatever you want it to be. Oo Alexander: oO It's perfect. Just you, and me, the beautiful landscape. The tranquility of it all. Yet I find myself questioning my presence here. Almost as if I should be somewhere else. Oo Marissa: oO Why be anywhere else but here, with me, loved forever. No cares, just relaxation and eternal peace. Oo Alexander: oO But where is here? I have no memories of ever visiting such a place. And I feel so young, look so young. Oo Marissa: oO It's whatever or where ever you want it to be. Oo :: A gentle breeze blew past the pair. Voices, almost inaudible and completely incomprehensible. Something felt off yet Alexander felt completely at peace. As if he belonged here. Like he was always meant to be here. He still couldn't shake the idea that there was something else beyond all this though. Something he should remember. :: :: The pair settled to their backs in the meadow, holding each others hands. Time seemed to pass slowly. The more Alexander stared into the sky, the more he seemed to relax, to let go. the more idea of their being something beyond this was becoming nothing but a distant memory. He could never remember feeling like this, almost euphoric. The breeze caused the grass to sway gently, brushing against the two as they lay there. The image of Marissa leaned over and kissed Alexander. :: Marissa: oO You know you never have to leave this place. We can stay here happily for eternity. Just you and I. Oo Alexander: oO I'd like that. It just feels so right. Like I belong here. Like I've always belonged here. Oo Marissa: oO You do belong here with me. just the two of us, forever in perfect harmony. Oo ((Deep Space 10)) :: Despite all that was going on around the team, Alexander remained still. Only twitching every now and again as if in some deep trance. His vital signs beginning to deteriorate. He was dying slowly but surely. Time was running out for the young Ensign in more ways than one. :: TBC... Ensign Alexander Richards Acting Chief of Science USS Mercury
  25. ((Main Bridge-USS Mercury)) ::Alexander looked upon the station as he waited for the Captain’s answer to move the Mercury closer to the station. He could only wait for the answer, he thought about Jade and the baby. Since he has really had not that much time to really be with her since she came back on duty, he could only dream of being with her and his mother and father. He did not get to spend the holidays with them this year, but he knows that they will understand and give them a nice holiday dinner with his aunt and uncle. He knows that the valley is covered with snow. The trees and the lower valley where the private cabin for he and Jade is waiting for their return to Earth when there is time for them to return home. Jade has never been to the valley, she has only been there in a holodeck simulation. There is one place that he has not had the chance to show her. The little town past the mountains, where his mother had her private practice and taught classes in the holodeck for the Academy.:: ::He spent his time with her while growing up before he was old enough to attend school. The shuttle flight from the main house in the valley took about thirty minutes, but at times when she wanted to relax and enjoy the winter season, Frances would gather the horses and hitch up the team to the sleigh. She and Alexander would bundle up in the warmest clothing and ride into town for her to make visits, shopping and even a house call with one of her patients. He smiled to himself at the thought of those days as a young boy growing up in the Midwest. He did have playmates that lived in the little town Chardon, there were others that lived closer to him just on the edge of the valley. He would meet them for snowball fights, building snowmen and making angels in the snow. His mind drifted to Jade and how much he would love to show her the real place where he had grown up. He would really love to see the family all there to really meet Jade, but that will come with time. He felt his leg twitch as he stood there on the crutches waiting, it snapped him back to the present and the thoughts about the situation of the away teams jumped back into his mind.:: ::He looked around the bridge as he continued to wait for the Captain, but he looked over to his console and walked over to it, checked the daily roster for the shift change. He looked up just as the relief personnel were coming to the bridge for the Beta shift to start. The time had run by so quickly that no one really noticed. The main thing that was on their minds was the away teams and the transporter problems. Looking down to the console again he could see that some of the science labs needed more power than normal due to the extra experiments that were being run to solve the mystery of the slime. He sat down at his operations console to give his leg a rest and continue his duties while the Captain continued to formulate the plans that were laid out before him.:: ::He closed his eyes for just a few seconds to focus on his duty as the relief operations officer stood next to him, he became aware of her presence, looked up to her and directed her to the engineering console. He was getting tired, but he could not leave his post while the teams were on the station in the situation. He rubbed his leg and scratched it as he watched the change of schedule of the power setting to the holodecks shifted to the science lab. He tapped the console to bypass the build up from the main conduit to the auxiliary. Once that was completed he heard the PADD beep next to him. He looked to see that the repairs to TR One have been completed. He smiled at the good news. He knew that Jade was there and he sent a message to her PADD that he loves her and can’t wait for her to be back on the bridge with him. He missed her so that he could only say to her while they were on duty things with his eyes and his heart that he loved her and could not wait to hold her close. There would be time again soon for them to be together. He rubbed his face and looked at the main view screen at the space station wanting to get in a shuttle himself. To do something other than wait, but there was a feeling that was bothering him. He felt hunger and there was something that he had not been able to do for some time. He grabbed his crutches, used both legs to stand with a feeling of pain, he moved to the rear section of the bridge looked around and entered the head.:: ::After a few solitary moments he returned to the operations console and continued to wait for the Captain as he continued to do his operations duties.:: TBC -- Lt. Cmdr. Alexander J. MatthewsChief Of OperationsUSS Mercury NCC-99812
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