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  1. ((Government Complex, Lokesh City)) ::Tyr paced nervously back and forth, watching the Laudean security forces scrambling to divert traffic from the area. It was clear that they had no idea how to deal with the situation, as they appeared more to be herding sheep than they were directing people where to go. His eyes moved back to the group of children, who were nervously looking back and forth at the street and the shouting Laudean officers, probably waiting for their parents, who were caught in the traffic. As he watched, he noticed a lone Laudean, standing apart from the crowd, dressed far too warmly for the day. He seemed to be watching the Security officers, and where they moved, he moved away.:: Waltas::grabbing Parker's shoulder, speaking low and ominously:: Three o'clock. Don't look directly. ::Tyr watched Parker turn to the side and observe, and the same expression crossed his face as Tyr's. He saw the big man tense instantly.:: Parker: Son of a [...]... Waltas: He's far too out of place. See him avoiding the Security personnel? Attempting to blend in? Parker: It's hard to blend in with that coat he's wearing.... Waltas: That coat..could hide quite a bit. Parker: I'd bet my pay he's the second bomber, looking for a way to do the most damage... Waltas::As loudly as he dared:: Irina. On me. Pavlova: Long coat? Waltas: Three o'clock. ::He watched Irina look over to the man then quickly look away.:: Pavlova: We need to get him away from those children. Waltas::Nodding:: Sets off alarm bells. And he's far too close to the children. ::He looked to the Security forces, still attempting to clear the street:: There's no time. Irina, take left, Parker, take right, I'll go straight at him. Parker: Got it. Pavlova: Moving. ::The three officers surreptitiously approached the man in a roundabout way, with Tyr eyeing the children as if he was going to them, Pavlova circling around and Parker headed into the blocked street to cut off escape. The man looked Tyr's way, but his head was down, his hand not straying far from his phaser. Tyr paused, seemingly interested in a piece of debris at his feet, and knealt down, still watching the man from behind the Duronis-required sunglasses. He indiscriminately tapped his comm badge.:: Waltas: =/\= He sees me but I don't think he knows we're on to him. Close in but do not engage. =/\= Parker: =/\= Copy that... =/\= Pavlova::=/\= In these uniforms he sees all of us.=/\= ::After a moment of inspecting the piece of debris, Tyr stood and stretched lazily, hoping to remain unthreatening, his eyes never leaving the man. He saw him open his coat and reach inside, and he tensed. A flash of some sort, and the man was running...directly toward the children.:: Waltas::Screaming, drawing his phaser:: TAKE HIM DOWN! NOW! ::Tyr fired, hitting the man in the shoulder, while Parker and Pavlova struck him as well, but he seemed unphased. Tyr broke into a dead run, trying to cut him off from the children, but the man had the advantage and kept running even after another shot from Pavlova staggered him. Tyr reached him first and tackled the man to the ground, decking him with a hard right hand. The man's hand again went for his coat but Tyr grabbed his hand and wrenched, breaking it. Wailing in pain, the Laudean looked at him through hate-filled eyes, drew a wicked-looking knife from his boot and plunged it into Tyr's shoulder. Growling in pain he was forced to defend against the knife, catching it with his right hand, but this left the Laudean free to use his broken hand to withdraw an object from his jacket. He hurled it directly at the group of children.:: Waltas: NO! ::Everything moved in slow motion. He saw Hannibal and Irina scrambling for the device and he struggled to his feet. Both Irina and Parker reached the device and slapped it away from the children. He struggled to get to his feet to throw himself on it..and the device exploded. He felt as if he'd been struck, flying backward and slamming into one of the cars sitting in the street. The air blew out of his lungs and a horrible ringing in his ears was all he could hear. A red haze filled his vision and he wavered on the brink of unconsciousness. Taking several gulps of air, he shook his head and rolled onto his stomach, his vision clearing. The blast had been small, but his arms told him that there was shrapnel-likely a grenade of some sort. His eyes finally cleared...and revealed a scene of horror.:: ::The children, panicked, had run in the direction of the device just before it went off, and nothing the officers could have done would have changed the outcome. Tiny, broken bodies lay everywhere, at least 10, some wailing in pain, others silent. Tyr, unable to stand, crawled toward them, the closest a small girl gasping for breath. She was wearing a pink dress with the same "dracoon" he had seen in the forest during his and Toni's honeymoon, and her hair was still neatly tied in a bow. By her face, she was no older than 6, and she looked up at him with pleading eyes, not understanding why she couldn't breathe. Not comprehending what had happened. Looking to him for answers. He got to his knees, surveying her wounds, which were gruesome. She was bleeding from two gaping wounds in her neck, and her breath came in ragged gasps.:: Waltas::Weakly:: medic..someone..help.. ::The girl stopped breathing.:: Waltas: No..NO! ::Frantically he tore off his command jacket and wrapped the girl's most obvious wounds, then began CPR, desperately alternating between breaths and chest compressions. After several moments, his command jacket was soaked in blood, and the girl had long passed away. Tyr kept up the CPR, unaware others had gathered.:: Parker: Tyr...she's gone.... Pavlova: He’s right, she’s gone. Waltas: No. I can save her. I can.. ::He resumed compressions.:: Parker: We are going to get the [...]s responsible for this, whether the Laudeans want it or not. I swear it. We are going to kill them all for what they have done... Pavlova: They’ve definitely crossed the line. Waltas::Snapping, viciously:: NO! She'll live! I.. I can.. ::His body, hurting from the battle with the Laudean and the blast, gave out. He slumped onto his side, not horribly wounded in body, but his spirit was crushed. The girls' eyes were still open, staring up at the Duronis skies, still with the confused and bewildered look upon her face. Her sweet, young features were frozen in time, belying the garishness of her wounds. Her young life faded with the light of the day. Tyr looked at her and wept openly, his eyes passing over the other children who were dead or wounded from the horrible attack. A monster had done this. Someone who could somehow justify murdering children to prove their point. A sick animal, willing to snuff out young, innocent lives to make a political statement. To gain or hold onto power. Horrible things happened in war. Tyr himself had done things he later regretted. But never, in his career, had he even considered killing innocents. He wasn't capable of it. None of his beliefs would ever demand that he should do such a thing. He couldn't imagine any set of beliefs that WOULD allow or justify the murder of innocent, sweet children, on their way home from school. Yet, the proof lay in front of him. All around him. Evil did exist, and it had landed upon his soul like a vulture upon its prey. He looked back to the little girl, her dress now stained in blood and wrapped in his command jacket, her tiny hands clutched in the throes of death, her legs curled into a fetal position from the pain, her eyes still questioning....still not understanding.:: ::He didn't understand, either.:: ============================== Captain Tyr Waltas CO, Strategic Operations Duronis II Embassy C237910TW0
  2. (( Constitution Upper Decks )) ::Ji-hu was keeping an eye on his partitioned terminal while coordinating a repair team who were fixing a security office near Promenade-07. Apparently a small mob of Hinji were roaming the level, indiscriminately vandalizing any Starfleet property. Starbase security was in pursuit, but security and engineering were stretched thin, so when the area was clear he sent in a small team of Constitution engineers with a couple of security officers. The ensign had just pushed through requested schematics for a heavy duty door repair when there was a ping from Sindri’s coordinates.::::He rushed over to the terminal and noticed that a section of Nightshade’s habitat lighting had been turned off, he smiled, but then noticed something else. A small energy fluctuation from the same location. A notification that hadn’t gone to Starfleet, but to someone else.::Choi: ::muttering:: What the…::His communicator trilled and his hand reached up automatically while his eyes stayed on the readout.::Wynter: =/\= Wynter to Ensign Choi. =/\=Choi: =/\= Choi here, do you n-n-need something Lieutenant? =/\=Wynter: =/\= Yes, we found a piece of hardware that might have been used in the Nightshade sabotage. We need it analyzed. =/\=Choi: =/\= Understood, Lieutenant Wynter. I can p-pick it up at the transporter on Deck 2 and take it to M-Main Engineering for analysis. =/\=::Ji-hu waved over an on-duty ensign, who approached to take over his operations.::Wynter: =/\= Good, I'll mark it for transport with my tricorder. Energize when you are ready. =/\=Choi: =/\= Aye aye, Lieutenant. I’ll let you know if I find anything. Choi out. =/\=::Ji-hu advised the ensign to put in the call to the transporter on Deck 2, and to not under any circumstances touch his partitioned console. He nodded at Lieutenant McLaren as he made his way to the turbolift.::::The Bolian crewman had just finished transporting the device when Ji-hu arrived, and the young ensign walked over and picked it up. His hands were a little sweaty… nerves… and the device slipped out of his palm and landed with a thud on the deck floor. The Bolian gave him a dubious glance, but he shrugged, retrieving it, before heading back to the turbolift, mortified.::Choi: Main Engineering.::He studied the device as the lift hummed to life, shooting through the Constitution’s decks. It was an electronics modification component with a small interface and a button, a small cylinder that fit comfortably in Ji-hu’s hand. The cylinder was standard when engineers had to add electronic systems without pulling something completely apart, although this one showed some singeing from shoddy application. Amateurs. Ji-hu couldn’t bring himself to believe this had anything to do with sabotage. If anything it was probably a stopgap modification to regulate power fluctuations in the grid.::(( Constitution Main Engineering ))::Main Engineering was staffed by a skeleton crew, given the mass exodus to aid efforts on the Starbase. Ji-hu flipped the device in the air nonchalantly as he walked over to an analysis station just off the main chamber—dropping it once more. He whistled to himself as he placed the component into the analysis port, which slid a protective field into place as he walked over to the information output console.::Choi: Computer, run a full analysis on the component.::He listened as the computer began to run through a series of rapid systems, analyzing the component… but something was wrong, there was a high-pitched whining and then a small “thrum.” Then, suddenly, the analysis port was on fire.::::Ji-hu’s jaw dropped just before the fire suppression system kicked in.::::Moments later, the dripping wet ensign was in Main Engineering as two other officers charged into the lab to salvage what was left of the waterlogged port.::Choi: C-c-c-computer… analysis…Computer: Inconclusive. Before a full analysis could be completed the device discharged a high yield EM pulse when a remote current was established as part of the analysis protocol, which created a voltage surge due to magnetic induction.::Ji-hu’s face paled.::Choi: So why didn’t the device go off before Wynter found it?Computer: Unknown. The circuit may have been left intentionally disconnected.Choi: … so when power was disconnected from habitat lighting the new circuit would go live, electrocuting the engineer and blowing the system! WYNTER AND SINDRI!::Ji-hu began to smash his communicator and desperately call for the two officers, but there was no response.::Computer: Please be advised: There are currently reports of random communicator disruption from the Starbase.oO Am I too late then?! Has Sindri already set off a EM pulse at another sabotaged panel?! Oo::Without thinking, Ji-hu found himself pounding towards the Main Engineering transporters. A bored looking crewman, a young human woman, went wide eyed as the soaked ensign crashed into the transporter chamber.::Choi: GET ME AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO LIEUTENANT SINDRI’S LAST KNOWN LOCATION MAYBE NEAR A POWER PANEL IN THE MAINTENANCE TUNNEL ENERGIZE NOW!::He stood gasping for air as she punched in a few coordinates. She apologized, there seemed to be some sort of disruption that was scrambling her signal, but if she could focus the transporter's parameters…::(( Starbase 104 - Nightshade Service Tunnel ))::He felt the creeping tingling as the world went to a blinding darkness, and then he could feel the cool air of a tunnel, and see a distant light as someone was moving through it.::Choi: ::gasping for breath:: SINDRI DON’T TOUCH THE PANEL EM PULSE SABOTAGE STOP!*****Ensign Choi Ji-huEngineering OfficerUSS Constitution-BC239402CJ0
  3. ((DS26, Recreation Deck 2, Holodeck 14)) ::Though they had both been there responding to the crisis on Kriosian III Brell had been mostly leading teams from Atlantis and Morin had spent nearly the whole time assisting in sickbay. The younger Bolian’s time was also taken by his academy coursework. This chance to learn on the job out among the distant stars had not gotten him out of having to sit through lectures. Right now that all seemed a million light years away as both were focused on one thing; winning.:: ::Morin dodged the metallic disk still flashing red, it bounced off of the holodeck wall and came right back for him. He aimed his phaser and shot grazing the edge of the disk. It counted and began to flash blue aiming itself for his uncle instead. He jumped to his feet to taunt.:: Morin: Nice try! ::Brell smirked at his nephew’s comment. Morin had improved his game quite a bit at the academy and had gotten in a few impacts on him. So far he had managed to keep ahead of the younger man, but it was far closer of a game than he would like. He readied for the disk to come at him and fired long enough to send the now flashing red disk flying towards the opposite wall. Morin had given him a chance by exposing himself to taunt him. The disk bounced off of the wall and just as Morin was turning his head to react it impacted him between the his shoulder blades sending him diving to the ground.:: Computer: Full Impact - Game, Brell. ::He took a few steps forward and knelt down offering his nephew a hand, then pulled him up on his feet.:: Brell: Good game. Morin: You got … lucky … Go again. ::Brell looked to Morin and it was clear that after three games in a row that he could easily play another. He merely sheened with exhilaration of extended physical activity, while his own red tank top dampened by sweat showed how much more exerted the commander felt.:: Brell: I thought we had agreed to best two out of three. Computer end program. ::The phaser disappeared in from their hands and grid lines of the small holochamber replaced the seemingly full sized velocity court they had been standing in.:: Morin: You just know I win by running around a lot. Brell: ::Smirking.:: Perhaps. ::The two exited the holodeck and started down the walkway. They had plans to meet up with Hars, Lyldra, and the twins later on. Brell was looking forward to cooking a big meal for his family and having help in the kitchen in the form of Morin. He too had been expected to help out in the kitchens of the family underwater homestead as a child. So it was nice to have someone around who knew more than telling the replicator what they wanted.:: Brell: Would you like to grab a bite to eat? Morin: Food already? Brell: Well we can't cook in few hours all hungry and smelling everything. It would make us unable to concentrate. As a Doctor to be you should be able to tell more about cognitive function when an individual is hungry. ::Morin rolled his eyes, then poked his uncles belly for emphasis.:: Morin: As a Doctor to be I think you could skip a meal. Brell: That isinsboratanation, Cadet. ::Both Bolians laughed loudly causing a few people to turn towards them. Brell appreciated his nephews concern and he was someone whom he could always count on for support. Even if it came in form of a jibe.:: Morin: We could head back early. I would not mind playing with the twins a bit ::Brell could not believe how much they had grown in weeks they had been away tending to the Kriosian crisis. They were making whole words and simple sentences now and had greeted him him with a flurry of da-da’s upon seeing him. He had worried it had been long enough that they might forget him in throws of learning by leaps and bounds on near daily basis. The nineteen month olds were quite aware of his absence and missed him, coming home to them was one of the best feelings.:: Brell: Sounds like good idea to me. Higgs: =/\= Ensign Higgs to Commander Brell. =/\= ::He sighed, Higgs was the watch officer on duty aboard Atlantis right now and he would only be calling if there was a problem.:: Brell: =/\= Brell here, yes Ensign. =/\= Higgs: =/\= Sir the holodeck systems crashed about thirty minutes ago, and now other subsystems are not responded correctly. We are having some kind of cascading problem over here. =/\= Brell: =/\= Recall the Engineering staff, and I’ll inform Commander Rhyn about the sution before coming aboard. =/\= Higgs: =/\= Yes, sir. =/\= Brell: Well it looks like duty calls. Tell your aunt and co-uncle that I could be late, and that I well be with you all as soon as I can. Morin: Yeah, no problem. oO I’m sure they are used to it. Oo ::They gave each other a quick hug goodbye and parted ways, Morin towards the habitat module one cross-way and Brell to the nearest transporter room. Little did either know that Brell would not be coming back until very late. The problems aboard Atlantis only seemed to grow, subsystem by subsystem. It was not too long before he had to call in help from the station and inform Renos that something was going on.:: TBC Commander Brell, First Officer USS Atlantis, NCC-74682, Andaris Task Force Academy Deputy Commandant - PotW Co-Facilitator E239109B10
  4. (Mitchell’s Quarters - Embassy Crew Quarters - Duronis II) :: Pounding on the door had not awakened Colonel Rode Mitchell, but Hella had a job to do, and would not disappoint Hannibal, so kicking the door down was not beyond what she deem reasonable even if it was the door of a Colonel. Mitchell: Ok, Ok, I’m up. I’m up. Hella: Yeah right, but you're already a half hour late for PT, and that means you've made me late too. Oh and by the way, PT this morning is with a full pack. Shake yourself and let's get moving. Mitchell: Wha? Full pack?? ::Hella waited impatiently until he packed and put on his boots, thinking that he didn't look very much in shape and he couldn't keep up with her as they ran down the beach. But then no one on the base could beat her, except her daughter, Cabrew. :: Hella: Ready yet? Mitchell: ::slinging it over his shoulders:: Not really. ::Darting out the door, Hella called out to him. :: Hella: I'll wait for you on the beach. oO If it doesn't take all day for you to get there. Oo ::Her wait at the beach was shorter than she had estimated, but not by much. And to her, he already looked tired. Doing some stretches to give him time to rest, she introduced herself.:: Hella: I'm Marine Captain Hella, but my call sign is Banshee when I'm flying. I've been tasked to get you in shape to meet Marine specifications. We'll be running down the beach for five miles to start. ::She figured, he'd already noticed she had taken off her pack and was barefooted.:: Mitchell: ::between heaving breathes.:: Nice…to….meet…you… but…5….miles…..really? Isn’t the standard like..3? Hella: Oh, well, it's not me who needs to get in shape. Anytime you're ready we'll get started. Mitchell: Fine…lead the way. ::Hella sprinted off, but then slowed down to his pace, encouraging him to go faster.:: Hella: Think of your pack as a friend that you're carrying to safety, rather than a burden. He's counting on you. Are you going to let him down? Mitchell: N…no… TBC/TAG PNPC Marine Captain Hella Special Assignments Embassy Duronis II USS Thunder NCC-70605-A Simed by Rear Admiral Toni Turner Author ID number: E238209TT0
  5. (( Corridor - Deck 1 - USS Athena )) :: Piper hurried through the corridors with her shoulders hunched and head down. She wished her arms were full of things to act as a barrier between herself and the people around her. Unfortunately, modern technology meant that the gigabytes of data her report held were contained in a single PADD. :: :: She glanced around herself. She'd never actually been on the Athena's top deck. She was a lab rat, and happy to be so. With the topsy-turvy state of the science department since Lieutenant Commander Kaji's absence, tasks like reporting to the captain were assigned less by rank and more by lottery. Piper had drawn the short stick this time. :: :: She didn't dislike the captain, quite the contrary. Selene Faranfey was a legend and Piper held her in awe. She'd never spoken to her personally, but Piper followed her reports and announcements avidly. Her reluctance to give the report was much more due to her dislike of speaking to strangers in any case, and her dread of leaving the comfort of her laboratory. :: :: A man turned the corner in front of her and Piper paled. This was why she didn't leave her comfort zone. People like that were supposed to stay in mission logs and myth, not show up in your path. He slowed to greet her and her brain blinked out. :: Nugra: Excuse me, Lieutenant. Can I help you? Seelie: Um, uh. Hi. oO What was she doing again? Oo I'm looking for the Captain? :: Piper's voice went up in a question as she wasn't entirely sure at the moment that was what she was doing. Of course, she knew these people lived and worked on the ship, but it was a damn big ship. She didn't typically run into them. :: Nugra: I think the Captain just got back from an away mission. Is there anything I can help you with? Seelie: I have a report! :: She held out her PADD in front of her as proof. :: Nugra: Oh! ::laughing:: Forgive my manners. I'm John. ::sticking out hand:: Seelie: Yes, John Nugra. I know. I know all about you! oO Crap, that sounded stalkery. Oo I mean, yes, I know who you are. :: She realized he was still holding out his hand and she shook it quickly, hoping her palms weren't too sweaty. :: Nugra: ...and you are? Seelie: Oh! I'm Piper, I mean Lieutenant Seelie. Sir. Nugra: Well then, nice to meet you. Hope you can find the captain. Seelie: Yes, thank you. Have a good day, Sir. Nugra: I will. You too. :: She let him walk past her and then hurriedly pulled her personal slimpadd out of a pocket and glanced around for witnesses before taking a photo of Nugra's retreating back. When he had turned the next corner and then slapped herself in the forehead hard enough to leave a red mark. oO Stupid Stupid Stupid Oo Before she readied herself to continue on to give her report she brought up one of her bookmarked Holonet sites and posted a message on her account feed, attaching the photo. :: ------Starfleet Legends, a Real Person Fiction Forum------ SEELIE_SCIENTIST says: GUESS WHO I JUST MET? THE ACTUAL JOHN NUGRA! PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, RIGHT? (Posted 09:41am SD239404.08) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :: She took another moment to internally squeal before forcing herself to act calm and keep moving. :: Lieutenant Piper Seelie Science Officer USS Athena
  6. (( Fortress Parker- Duronis II Embassy )) ::Just then another chime at the door interrupted their conversation and Jaxon looked over to the huge Marine.:: McGhee: Likely just my luggage I guess, I requested it be delivered here. I had intended to take a car to the city if you had had the place full of guests. Parker:::Nodding::COME!!!!! McGhee: Just inside the door gentlemen. I thank you. ::A few embassy staff members carried in a duffel bag, a crate and seven times as many cases inside the door. The Welshman spied something and reached a decision, got up and picked up one of the smaller cases before returning to Hannibal. Standing at a side table he set down the bag and continued speaking without turning around.:: McGhee: I have a few more questions.::opening the case, rummaging around::Tell me how do you feel now you are father…::pulling out a bottle and a cigar case, holding both up before turning to Hannibal::… and do have two glasses and a light? Parker::Smiling::Got you covered, brother...be right back.... ::Hannibal went to the kitchen, opened the pantry, and got down two glasses, perfect for sipping fine whiskey. His ancient Zippo lighter was already in his pocket. As he made his way back over to the couch, he spoke:: Parker:::Glasses covered, lighter in hand...::looking at the pile::You were never known to travel light... McGhee: You know me. I don’t travel light and without…. amenities. Anyway we never celebrated your son’s birth and I have feeling in….::checking his watch::…. two and half hours I’ll be up to my ears in work. ::Setting the glasses on the table, Hannibal watched as Jaxon poured the whiskey in the glasses, the smell smooth and lush, like a good whiskey should be. He then opened the cigar case, and handed Hannibal one of the cigars. Biting off the tip, (an act sure to make Naloor shake her head), Hannibal fired up the elderly Zippo, placing the flame on the end of the cigar, the cigar end flaring brightly as Hannibal drew air through it. With the cigar now lit, the smooth, sweet smell of tobacco and aged whiskey were now wafting through the room. The two men picked up their glasses, and with a nod and a clink, Hannibal spoke:: Parker: To being reunited, once again..... ::Relaxing in the sofa while he puffed his cigar, jaxon thought about all that had happend in the last 2 years. His wife's return, the taking over of the company and his time on Vulcan were just a few things he had experienced. :: McGhee:::sipping his drink::It has been some time, yes. ::The two drank the entire contents of their glasses, then Jaxon refilled them. Drawing a puff on his cigar, Hannibal spoke:: Parker: You know, we can assist you with your freighter. We do have more than one starship these days... McGhee: Not the director? I think she and EVE have a score to settle since the last encounter…. ::A slight understatement as the last time both had stood opposite each other with armed weapons and standing orders that could not be ignored. Jaxon was extremely proud of the way EVE had handled the situation. Considering the AI was following a hardware order that was impossible to ignore she had managed achieve her goal and see it to that Chang could as well. Jaxon doubted that Chang was happy with the way she was treated.:: ::Hannibal had read the report from Chang, and the screen nearly glowed with her fury, as much as Chang could be angry. Hannibal had seen her angry, boiling seething mad, and it was not pretty:: Parker: No, not Chang. She's still here, but we have an escort ship...Miranda Class...USS Bronwyn. She's acquitted herself well in combat since we have had her... McGhee: The Bronwyn? Hmm…. I thank you for the offer, Hannibal, however the Raven should be enough. There is the element of pride amongst the merchant fleet. EVE will call for any assistance should she deem it necessary ::Hannibal knew “merchies” had a great dislike for those who wore the delta, and if they could save themselves, they would. He had fought enough of them over the years to know the last thing they would want is a Federation starship saving them:: Parker: Merchantmen are a proud bunch. Always have been from the time of sail.::Taking another sip::Are you sure you don’t need the Bronwyn? McGhee: I doubt that would be necessary as the ship is intact and the crew well trained. Quite a few different techniques and standards we use today are adopted and adapted from my experience in Starfleet. It's all a part of the changes I made since becoming the head of the clan. ::Now, that was news:: Parker: What happened? How did you take over from your father? ::The Welshman paused with the glass half to his lips. Hannibal was a member of the McGhee clan and thus could call on any clan member, vessel, or facility for assistance and expect it to be granted. At the same time he had no say in internal affairs such as running the company or internal power struggles, though Jaxon guessed the Marine would certainly prove useful in persuading others to provide him with their support. Either way there was no need to retain the news from him.:: McGhee: Well I had to, my father died 19 months ago. A shuttle accident. ::Hannibal felt a pang of sorrow. Although he had only met the man once, Hannibal liked his manner..no nonsense, and he welcomed he and Kamela into their castle:: Parker: I’m sorry to hear that. Jarred was a good man. Do they know what caused it? McGhee: I’m not so sure. He had those within the clan that didn’t see eye to eye with::break::well nothing was proved so far. I’m trying to look forward. ::Hannibal caught the inflection, the desire to leave the conversation where it was. If someone in the McGhee clan did indeed kill Jaxon’s father, it was indeed his call to either let sleeping dogs lie, or find out the truth. Hannibal wanted the truth, and after another swig, spoke:: Parker: I understand...but if you want his death investigated, I’m quite sure I can find the appropriate resources to get to the truth... ::Finding out the truth might be more traumatic than letting things be, and perhaps even place Jaxon and Joel in jeopardy. It was Jaxon’s call, but Hannibal had a feeling he already knew the answer:: McGhee: I have my suspicions Hannibal, however family politics are complex hurriedly pointing a finger can quickly lead to screams of slander and erode my position. Things are different when running a company and not a department ::The Welsh hybrid fell into momentary silence before continuing in thought:: McGhee:::musing and mulling::Maybe someday someone else will have a shuttle accident. ::Hannibal raised an eyebrow:: Parker: Jaxon...if you are planning such a thing I best not know more... :: Hannibal was a trained killer, and a Starfleet Marine. Jaxon was neither. Hannibal could make it happen and not leave a trace, but even if Jaxon asked him to do it, de would decline...Hannibal was many things, but murderer was not one of them:: ::Jaxon turned to Hannibal and took in the look on the Marines face and felt his own brow furrow. Then again they hadn’t spoken in nearly 2 years and he wasn’t to know that Rianne had help him break down some of the antisocial habits he had nurtured. McGhee: Hmm?::turning and smirking::Only a bad joke Hannibal, don’t worry my vest is still clean.::recalling S’Caan::Or at least acceptably grubby.::more to himself::No further incidents ::Hannibal remembered S’Caan, McGhee’s evil alter ego. The two never tangled, but there was no doubt when he looked in his eyes that he was a stone cold killer...but to kill him also meant he would kill Jaxon. Hannibal hoped it would never come to that:: Parker: How are you doing at keeping him at bay? ::Hannibal remembered S’Caans’ handiwork during the 2389 invasion. He was as brutal, lethal, and merciless as Hannibal himself, perhaps more so:: ::The question came as no surprise as they had both talked at length about his alter ego especially as the Marine was one of the few who knew of his existence. Someday Jaxon wanted to ask Hannibal of his thoughts and sentiments upon seeing the quiet and serene Vulca-Human Chief suddenly cutting through his opponents just as easily as the seasoned veteran Marine himself.:: McGhee:::pulling on his cigar, nodding in confirmation:: He is still in there someone and S’Kendel is assisting me in holding at bay. Parker::Nodding::I’m glad you have him under control...how does he feel, being trapped inside your head? McGhee: Angry. I expect he feels….::explaining::The first mindmeld while I was a teen didn’t bring S’Caan and the negative to the surface, but pushed him so far into my mind that he almost became subconscious. It is the reason S’Kendel didn’t sense him over the years. Parker: A mind meld? McGhee: Sort of. More a surface mindmeld.::slowly::A full mindmeld...um even between family is …. very intimate Hannibal.::shifting uneasily on the sofa:: ::Jaxon got up and refilled their glasses, the amber liquid glugging out of the bottle. While the alcohol was loosening his tongue, it was still a difficult subject. How should he explain this to the massive outgoing marine?:: McGhee:::pouring drinks::I’ll try and explain::handing Parker his glass::As our women are not here Hannibal we could speak freely of our past escapades without shame and maybe even with a little pride? ::It was true they had an empty house, and Hannibal was no shrinking violet when it came to women. It was bad form on the verge of suicide to speak of past conquests in the presence of his wife. Smiling, Hannibal spoke:: Parker: No shame here. Only fond memories. So...tell me...did you... McGhee:::laughing, picking up his cigar::No nothing like that. But as two grown men we would be able laugh and maybe boast about our different encounters. But do you think the 15 year old Hannibal and Jaxon would both be just as easy on the subject back then? ::At fifteen, Hannibal was no longer a virgin, but talk of such things would have been difficult for him them. HIs father didn’t even know of his son’s prowess until he made sixteen, and that was when a neighbor heard him and his paramour in the barn:: Parker: No...Hannibal then was not the Hannibal you see now... McGhee: It’s the same with a mindmeld, everything is shared and two become one. S’Kendel was trying to protect me and as I was emotionally unstable he only delved into the upper layers of my mind and shared his. Unfortunately he didn’t expect me to learn how to shield my mind and while he thought he was uncovering things and helping me I was unwittingly hiding things that I thought was private and he accepted it. Add five or six years without his guidance and S’Caan had taken root. Parker: And there he stayed, until you were no longer able to contain him… McGhee: Exactly. TAG JP Simmed by Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker Marine CO USS Thunder-A/ Duronis II Embassy C238703HP0 And Civilian Jaxon McGhee Head of the McGhee Freighter Consortium Writer ID: E238801JM0
  7. ((Transient Quarters, Starbase 104)) Bakewell: So, how’d it go? ::Professor Ramsey Bakewell, pre-eminent Federation Xenosociologist asked as he stuck his feet into a pair of old carpet slippers and lowered himself into the old leather chair with it’s prolapsed stuffing.:: Saveron: They were… unexpectedly disinterested. ::The simple console in the Starfleet transient quarters did at least have a direct link to the station’s subspace hub; the signal quality was excellent even this far out.:: Bakewell: It’s the other side of the Empire for them; the Klingons on that border are probably more concerned about the Tholians than the Romulans. ::The salty-haired academic opined as he swivelling his chair around, his face lit by the screen in front of him, in the otherwise dim and cosy study. Two items were laid on the green leather of the desk; a steaming mug presumably full of coffee, and a tribble.:: Saveron: The cultural comparison suggests distinct commonalities and certain lines of approach, but the issue of Klingon aggression towards what remains of the Romulan Star Empire appears to have no simple solution. ::Long fingers curled around the Vulcan’s cup of theris-masu.:: Bakewell: Someone would have solved it already if it did. ::He observed, taking a swig of his coffee and absent-mindedly putting it down on to of a PADD.:: How’s Desideratum? ::The Vulcan quirked one upswung brow before reaching under the desk and producing a small carry cage. From inside it he took his own tribble; this one had long, white hair that trailed behind it as it ambulated gently across the desk.:: Saveron: As you may observe, Fluffy is in adequate health. ::He replied, as though the shift from interstellar politics to tribbles was nothing unusual.:: ::In the case of his erstwhile PhD supervisor, it wasn’t. Bakewell gave him a flat look.:: Bakewell: If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. FCXR Moonbeam Desideratum is a highly hybridised show tribble with a distinguished pedigree; you can’t call it ‘Fluffy’. ::He pointed at Saveron via the screen with a pair of fine tweezers and a scowl.:: Saveron: One would suggest that the truth of the matter is that one has already done so. ::He observed dryly.:: I recall that it has a disqualification registered. Bakewell: It would be a champion if it didn’t. Has it still got the spot? ::Saveron obligingly picked up the White Angora tribble and turned it over, displaying the small black patch of fur which was the source of it’s show disqualification whilst Ramsey studied it critically, before putting it down again.:: Bakewell: More’s the pity. ::He muttered.:: I’ve never bred another Angora White that close. Nor has anyone else. Take this now. ::He gestured to the ball of fluff in front of him.:: Lucky if it’s got two thirds the length on Desideratum, I had it shipped in from another hybridiser and it’s a good job I practice strict quarantine on imports; it’s got the Antaran Mange. ::He grumbled, picking at the tribble’s fur with the tweezers. It was coming out in clumps.:: Saveron: One believes that is a notifiable disease. ::The Vulcan observed.:: Bakewell: You bet it is, and I’m hoping to cure it before it has to be destroyed. Tahla would have a fit, but Iklis is going to lose his stock over this. ::He rattled off first names, assuming Saveron was up on the great hybridisers of show tribbles because that was what was important in life. Shrin’Tahla zh’Aim was an Andorian news reporter known for her scathing sports coverage; Antaravan Iklis a Bajoran archaeologist who specialised in relics associated with Pah Wraith cults. And Ramsey Bakewell advised Federation diplomats.:: Saveron: One would suggest that prevention of an epidemic is of greater importance than preservation of the line. Bakewell: That’s because you’re a doctor. ::He replied, not looking up from the sick tribble.:: You have to care about that sort of stuff, it’s in the rules somewhere. Now me, I’m a sociologist, so I understand the importance of the tribble. ::A small tube of cream appeared, and Bakewell began applying the contents to the tribble’s bare patches wiht a cotton bud.:: Saveron: Such may not be obvious to everyone. ::He suggested blandly.:: Bakewell: Of course not. I wouldn’t have a job if it was. ::His rather sad-looking tribble started to coo under his gentle ministrations.:: But the tribble really is the perfect, simple model of all living things. It breathes, it eats, it poops, and it replicates. That’s what life comes down to. Resources in, waste and more life out. All the drives boil down to that. Saveron: No mention of sentience, culture, complex behaviour? Bakewell: Froth on the coffee. ::He waved a hand dismissively.:: Take your Klingons. They’re getting some resource from preying on the Romulans - probably space and easy access to already mined metals. If you want them to stop, they need some reason not to, either another source or some strong discouragement. Or they could be removing a perceived danger; Romulans have never liked Klingons. Neither do tribbles. Saveron: They did evolve in Klingon space. Bakewell: Right, so natural anti-predator response. And they have one complex behaviour that no one really understands. ::Right on cue Fluffy, Saveron’s tribble, started to sing.:: Saveron: Indeed. ::He replied dryly.:: So you would suggest that if one would understand more complex life forms, one might first study tribbles. Bakewell: Exactly. You can learn a lot from tribbles. And if you feel you understand them, try cats. Because no one understands cats. END Commander Saveron Diplomatic Officer USS Constitution-B R238802S10 Posted 27 March 2017
  8. (( Control Room - USS Glenn )) ::The tension between the two women was thick enough to double as duranium. Kamela had considered the matter closed, but T’Lea had other ideas:: Allison: There was no cover to blow, Commander...and I never said I was anything like you said. Remember this...you are dancing on the daggers' edge...make sure you don't fall off..... T’Lea: Fine. You win. :: Kamela gave a sideways glance at the Science officer as she hastily made her way away from the [...]pit. Turning back to face the viewscreen, the sand bar growing ever closer. No sooner than she looked down at her flight controls, she felt her head being violently shoved forward, until her forehead hit the console. Kamela saw stars, and felt the trickle of blood flow down her forehead, T’Lea’s words ringing hollow in her ears:: T’Lea: You and SFI can go frak yourselves. Tell that to your boss. :: That was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Time to teach this Romulan wanna be a very painful lesson. Gathering her wits, she could see the defiant and momentarily victorious T’Lea walking away. Tappping the console to place the helm in auto pilot, Kamela got up and rapidly closed the distance between herself and the retreating Science officer. Reaching out her left hand, Kamela grabbed T’Lea’s right shoulder, then roughly spun T’Lea around. Seething in anger, Kamela spoke:: Allison: You [...]!!! ::Kamela punctuated her words with an elbow strike, catching T’Lea in the chin and driving her backwards against a panel, her head snapping back with the impact:: :: A woman with less fortitude, and less experience at taking a hit like that would have likely been knocked unconscious, and while T’Lea was certain that her jaw was going to be sore in the morning, right now it felt most excellent.:: :: She stumbled, and then righted herself as she caught part of wall. When she looked back up at Kamela she gave a quiet, throaty chuckle indicating just how much she was going to enjoy this, and just how little the woman had hurt her.:: :: What happened next was fast and furious. An exchange of raw fists striking and counter striking, blocking and maneuvering for the best place to do the most damage. T’Lea didn’t know if Kamela was holding back, but the little voice in T’Lea’s head, which was probably some fragment of her conscience, was telling the Romu-vulc not to land a hit to the other woman’s sternum with the full superior strength she possessed, or else this would end up in an accidental, on-purpose, death. The other indication that Kamela was not completely committed to murder either was that she had not yet reached for the weapon on her person.:: :: At least the two brawling women had some sense of shuttle etiquette.:: :: To Kamela’s surprise, T’Lea’s fighting skills were quite good, and in close quarters, much to the Romu-Vulc’s advantage. Certain things Kamela refrained from doing, mostly because killing T’Lea was not part of the plan. Therefore, she was left brawling with a woman twice her strength, in very close quarters:: T’Lea: Just for the record… :: She wrenched the woman’s arm back, almost to the breaking point, and whispered the next words ever so carefully in her ear from behind.:: T’Lea: … I could have your husband if I wanted him. :: She knew that would tip the pathetic Intel. Officer over the edge, and she expected the full onslaught of her rage to flow.:: :: It wasn’t what T’Lea said...it was how she said it, almost purring the words. Kamela knew in a rational sense, the Romulan had no chance at her husband..however, Kamela was no longer rational, the icy calm she was known for now disintegrated into full blown rage...she had now fallen prey to the Romulan:: Allison: Not in a million years, you miserable petaQ! :: Breaking the painful arm lock T’Lea had on her, Kamela slammed a boot into T’Lea’s knee, then another elbow to the face. Blocking a blow from the Romulan hybrid, Kamela slammed a fist into her face, then followed it up with an upper cut, which once again forced the stronger woman backwards. With her defenses down, Kamela moved in for the kill...or so she thought:: :: Wiping the green blood from her lip, T’Lea limped off of the knee that had taken one hell of a kick. Perhaps she had been enjoying the pain a little too much. Perhaps she had played with her food a little too long. Perhaps it was time to remind Kamela of her natural born strength.:: :: The very next fist that came T’Lea’s way was caught in the palm of her hand. She squeezed to express her control, and then with cobra-like, enhanced reflexes struck a nerve under the woman’s arm, rendering it temporarily useless. The tactic allowed an opening in the otherwise competent fighter. In one swift move, T’Lea hulked Kamela’s entire body mass up in the air and threw her into the front window of the [...]pit, landing her on the control dash.:: Computer: =/\= Command not recognized. Please try again.=/\= :: Kamela lay on the control panel, her breath deflated, but not her spirit. Quickly hopping up, her left arm tingling, she spoke:: Allison: ::In Romulan:: Is that all you got? I play with my son harder than that!. COME ON!!!!! :: In typical Romulan fashion, she had scurried to the back of the runabout, and between the two combatants, was Commander Jorey:: Jorey: ::A disapproving sigh and then in a flat tone.:: What in the Great Fire is going on? :: T’Lea rubbed at her knee almost smiling. She’d hurt Kamela. Kamela had hurt her. But best of all, she had cracked the Intel. Officer’s cool. And it looked like T’Lea was still under her skin.:: :: Hilarious is what this was to T’Lea. Oh, how she had missed this kind of combat. It would have been even better if she were allowed to kill, but she had to admit she wasn’t that person anymore. And truth be told, she may not have even reacted this badly had Della been around, but she wasn’t, so she did. Maybe that said something about her sex life, or lack thereof. Interfacing with a computer console by way of somebody’s face was the next best thing, apparently, because she felt satisfied.:: T’Lea: ::Vulcaning-up:: Apologies, Captain. ::dabbing at her split lip:: We must have… encountered turbulence upon re-entry in to the atmosphere. Allison: It's all smoothed out, Captain ::looking at her instruments: We'll be on final approach in a few minutes... Jorey: Smoothed out? ::His gifts and the Gods told him otherwise. He shook his head.:: I strongly advise that the two of you to each make appointments with Counsellor Ryan. In the meantime, Kamela get back to your station and make sure the Glenn is ready to land? Lieutenant Commander T’Lea Chief Science Officer Embassy, Duronis II Author ID I238301T10 & PNPC Lt. Commander Kamela Allison-Parker Operative - Starfleet Intelligence/Helm Officer USS Thunder-A/ Duronis II Embassy As simmed by: Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker Marine CO USS Thunder-A/ Duronis II Embassy C238703HP0
  9. (( Bajor, Hathon, Oddas Household, Stardate 238804.02 )) ::The house was mostly dark, after dinner, the lights mostly dimmed. Aria's parents were both home at the same time for a change, still in their militia uniforms. Her mother, Umize had promoted to General earlier in the month, in a normal family this would have likely caused friction, but her father Gura seemed content to remain a Colonel and adviser to the government. The Deka tea and the tuwaly pie sat half eaten in front of her. Tuwaly pie was one of her favorites, but she has just mentioned her future Starfleet plans to her family, not for the first time, but it was causing another argument. Her sister, Ushow, soon to leave for her own academy training in the militia, pushed herself from the table in a sign that clearly said 'I am ashamed of you'. :: Umize: ::dropping her fork:: Is this because of that girl? Oddas: ::raising her voice:: This has nothing to do with Alea! ::taking a deep breath:: This has to do with using my talents to help other people, like ::emphasizing:: my family taught me. Umize: We taught you to take care of ::raising her voice:: Bajor! Not, the rest of the galaxy. ::snidely:: Talents! Using your hands like a common maintenance worker. Oddas: That's what you think of Engineers? What you think of the people who keep your ships in the air, of the people who keep your troops fed with replicators who keep your weapons from exploding in your hands? Do your troops know this? Gura: ::politically::There is no reason to be ... harsh Aria. Oddas: Me?! Gura: ::holding up his hands:: Fine! stay here, be an Engineer. Be a Militia Engineer, you don't need to go join the Federation forces, help your people here. :::She had known this argument was coming. She took a sip of her tea to try and collect her thoughts, but her sister spoke up from the side of the room. :: Ushow: ::quietly, forcefully:: You're going to get hurt, or worse, fighting for someone else. You'll be on some Prophet forsaken rock defending someone or following some orders for people who aren't your own and you'll get wounded or killed. We'll get a nice letter from some Admiral telling us how brave your were, how noble your sacrifice was, how necessary it was to the future of the Federation. ::snorting:: The Federation, as if that is something we need to be part of. Oddas: The Federation sacrificed lives, and ships, and resources when the Dominion came to invade. Were those lives unnecessary sacrifices? Was Bajor a Prophet forsaken rock? ::she paused:: I know you haven't been to the shrine lately, but even you know the Emissary was of the Federation too. Umize: ::anger rising in her voice:: And I know you don't remember it, but the Federation stood by while the Occupation was going on. Oddas: ::sighing:: This is happening, Mom, ::turning to look:: Dad, ::turning again:: Ushow. The Federation wants to do good things and I want to help them. Its what my family taught me to do. I'm going to build up the galaxy the way you've all been building up Bajor. ::softly, apologetically:: I'm sorry you can't see that. ::Her father looked as if he wanted to say something, but her mother spoke first. :: Umize: If you do this, you cannot come back. When that letter your sister described comes, we won't read it. Don't come back for support, don't come back on leave, don't come back when that girl breaks your heart. ::Her mother picked up her dishes, put them in the disposal unit, and left the room. Her father seemed to want to say something, Aria knew from experience he was trying to think of the political way of choosing between his daughter and his mother without upsetting either. She also knew he agreed with his wife: when he disagreed with anyone they knew. He looked like he wanted to make a retreat as quickly as possible. She looked at her father and could feel the tears welling in her eyes but didn't want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her cry. :: Oddas: ::her voice cracking:: Go, ::clearing her throat:: I know you want to. ::He left, a mixture of disgust and sorrow on his face. She was left with her older sister in the room. Ushow poured herself more tea. :: Ushow: ::standing, but looking at her:: That earring you wear, its our grandmother's. She died rescuing a group of Bajoran pleasure women from a Gul. ::She had said it focusing on Aria's family earring, emphasizing the word 'Bajoran'. :: Oddas: ::mustering her courage:: I know. She didn't know those women, they were strangers to her. I've heard the story, read it on the memorial wall. All my life we've called standing up for what's right what we do in this family. ::she paused, looking at her pie and moving it around with her fork:: I'm just doing that on a larger scale. NT Lt. Commander Oddas Aria Chief Engineering Officer Duronis II Embassy - USS Thunder-A - 70605-A ASDB - Training Team - Top Sims Judge E239305OA0
  10. (( Constitution - Arboretum ))::The Ohmallera Memorial was tucked away in the Betazed section of the Constitution’s arboretum. Lush plant life from the Betazoid home world practically enveloped the dark, eight-foot statue, a minimalist design depicting three towers standing above a dark pool of water, all of traditional Betazoid design, with an enormous disc rising behind them, perhaps a black sun, a dark moon or, Ji-hu thought, the saucer section of a Federation starship. The latter was likely the intent—Ji-hu remembered the terrible images from Ohmallera after the attack.When he’d first found the memorial Ji-hu had been a little disturbed to realize he was serving on the same ship that had destroyed the city—he’d never made the connection, even though he remembered the news coverage—but he supposed there’d been all sorts of tragedies and triumphs, big and small, aboard the Constitution, that he’d have no way of realizing. Pushing aside some of the foliage he’d discovered an inscription that read, in Federation Standard: RESPONSIBILITY OF POWER 2388 will be remembered as a tremendous loss for the United Federation of Planets when the USS Constitution was hijacked and used to destroy the city of Ohmallera, Betazed, costing more than a million innocent lives. The Constitution continues to fly in vigilance against the forces of chaos in the universe while acknowledging that we are not immune to them.This was followed by a Betazoid prayer for spirits to love and protect the deceased. Really put things in perspective for his own stupid problems.After the business on the Starbase Ji-hu had got a little rest and decided to spend some of his downtime meditating… a suggestion of his Academy counsellor he’d been sorely neglecting in his final months at the Academy. After everything that’d happened he decided to make a bit more of an effort. Either because it was hidden away or because of the section was in the shadow of the statue the memorial’s section of the arboretum was quiet. He laid out a blanket beneath the memorial, closed his eyes and started some breathing exercises. In eight seconds, hold for eight seconds, out for ten seconds, repeat. He focused on the sounds around him, picking them out to ground himself; the distant, lulling chatter of a botanist with a group of school children visiting the arboretum for a biology course… the sound of water trickling through a nearby stream… the gentle breeze simulating a warm summer wind in a temperate climate…Ji-hu was standing beneath the stars in a golden robe with two other men flanking him. The stars blinked curiously overhead like a million animal eyes in the shadows. An owl-headed god perched above all, two enormous mirror eyes watching the scene. A little girl was running toward Ji-hu, until she transformed into a dog, or wolf, in the blink of an eye, then back again, and kept repeating the transformation to the point where the two forms were one in the same. She was chased away by a humungous bear, which transformed into an old man in the same manner, back to bear, back to a man. Ji-hu could feel a burning sun blazing behind him, but was afraid to turn around.He awoke with a small start as his head had started to droop down towards his chest. He was sitting in the grass in the arboretum, underneath the memorial behind him. He must have drifted off, his mind grasped at the dream… he remembered Ursun, and Iel’ue had been there? Something about quantum robes…::oO That’s an interesting thought… there’s clearly no physiological transformation. That would destroy complex humanoid lifeforms. Didn’t you do a course that touched on the allasomorphs? What if the Hinji “shapeshifting” isn’t changing their shape at all, but something else entirely? OoChoi: ::whispering:: Turing… remind me when I’m finish meditating to read up on T’saarri’s work on macroscopic quantum superpositions.Turing: Copy that, meatsack.::Ji-hu closed his eyes again and tried to pick out the sounds, the steady gurgling of the memorial’s pool behind him, the underlying, gentle hum of the Constitution’s systems everywhere… but his mind kept going back to what he’d seen on Starbase 104. The Hinji weren’t like other “shapeshifters” at all. There was something else going on there. Something the Federation had never seen before. That’s why xenobiologists were so stumped. They were looking at it all wrong. The problem wasn’t a physical one, it was a quantum problem.::Choi: ::whispering:: Turing, was it Professor Akimoto who wrote that paper on bio-chemical superconduction… something about an interference field?Turing: Do you want me to tell you now, or after you finish meditating? Assuming you are still meditating.::Ji-hu pulled a PADD out of his bag and logged in to LCARS. Turing sighed.::oO Social conditioning response. I think I built that in during Academy so Turing would guilt me when I had homework to do but tried to access my gaming accounts. OoChoi: I promise I’ll go back to meditating in a bit, I just want to find that Akimoto essay. Was that on my topology syllabus?::Ji-hu would have time for meditation later. He had a theory. It may not save the Hinji or decide anything in the negotiations for Leron II, but a theory was just the beginning to something bigger. Discovery.:: ***** Ensign Choi Ji-hu Engineering Officer USS Constitution-B C239402CJ0
  11. ((Gardens, Family Villa, Outside of Shi'Kahr, Vulcan)) ::Savan’s family and T’Mihn proceeded up the main walkway into the villa. The first stars of the Vulcan night sky were beginning to appear. T’Nura and Torin went ahead, but Staran paused on the steps to speak with T’Mihn and Savan. The petite Vulcan stopped and looked skyward, indigo eyes scanning the velvet black sky, with it's twinkling jewels.:: ::She stargazed as a child, but not much now traveling through spae at ultra illuminal speeds. Star gazing on TIl'ahn she would do, but it didn't "feel"right, this did.:: :: She sensed movement next to her. Saran moved next to her, pointing at constellation patterns and notable man made objects in space.as he spoke. Staran: My wife’s ancestors who originally lived on this land knew the stars. The arc of the ancient constellations run immediately above us this time of year. T’Mihn: Ah.yes. :;Pointing:: That one is Mother Sehlat, over there is her cub. That is le-matya who seems to be chasing the cub but never catches him. Staran: And there, in the middle of that constellation is Kuvak Station. That is where the Ti’Shaan is in port. ::Looking:: T’Mihn: The Station seems to be in the eye of Shovock. OOC: (A raptor type bird, very large, graceful, and seen to be a good luck omen.) Staran: Kuvak Station is set in geosynchronous orbit with Shi’Kahr. I would like to invite you both to the station and on board the Ti’Shaan before you leave Vulcan. Savan: I would like to see more of the ship. T’Mihn: ::Nodding.:: As would I. Staran: In fact, the Ti’Shaan is the first in its class. It is the most elaborate starship that our people have constructed in some time. ::Staran would probably not admit it, but he sure seemed very proud of the ship and artistry behind her.:: Staran: Do not take this in the wrong way, I have great respect for Starfleet. But as I’m sure as you both understand, the interests of Vulcan and Starfleet are not always one and the same. It is time that we return to the stars in our own way. We too were explorers. ::T'Mihn looked at the man. Savan saw that she appeared to be fighting the urge to smile.:: T’Mihn: No offense is taken, where none is given Staran. I tend to disagree on 'were', we still are explorers. Exploring, mind, or the katra is still exploration. ::Savan realized this could be an interesting exchange. His contact with his uncle was so limited. He was no seeing him through an adult’s eyes, not a troubled child’s. Staran had a face that almost seemed both surprised or bemused, as much as a Vulcan officer would admit.::: Staran: Commander, with all do respect, I do not believe you have spent much time on Vulcan. The stars do not draw as many as they should, and as for the mind, I believe more exploration, as you call it, should be encouraged. T'Mihn: I can see you have much on the mind, and things to share with Savan. Staran: And how did you arrive at that conclusion? ::Staran looked almost perplexed.:: T'Mihn: You had that certain look only a fellow parent can recognize. It's a logical conclusion, after today's events, much must be discussed and contemplated. Staran: Indeed, commander... ::Savan then watched T’Mihn continue into the home, leaving Staran momentarily silent.:: Savan: Well, we should join the others. ::The elder approached Savan and looked at him, directly but with a quiet warmth of a Vulcan parent. He wasn’t following T’Mihn inside.:: Staran: No, your associate T’Mihn is correct. We do have much to discuss together. Savan: ::raising an eyebrow:: I supposed you are correct. ::Savan was at a lost of words. Here he was with the father figure who sent him away years before and with whom he had few exchanges in the years to follow. Thankfully, his uncle stepped in.:: Staran: Walk with me, my nephew. ::And so did Savan obey his uncle’s words. He followed him quietly as they finally arrived at the viewing place of Shi’Kahr. The city lights glowed in the distance, with its spires reaching upward. On foot, the capital would be more than an hour away. He remembered how Staran had to be near the city because of his post, but preferred to remain on its outskirts.:: Staran: So I trust you met with the doctors from the Vulcan Science Academy while you were on board the KiVahl? Savan: I did. Staran: Your silence says nothing and everything. Savan: In all frankness, I am uncertain by the findings they presented. ::The words coming out of Savan’s throat did not at all feel like himself. And apparently, he was not the only one to notice.:: Staran: I need to interrupt you, my nephew. I realize that we have not spoken a great deal since you left this home, and that you may see me as an officer of the High Command who may happen to be a relative. But you do not need to assume Vulcan airs and restraint for my benefit. When it comes to a matter of this gravity, it is illogical to ignore your identity . Savan: I do not understand. Staran: Savan, speak your truth. Speak in the way that is appropriate for you. Only in that manner may I truly understand your position. You are son of two worlds, Savan. There is no shame in truth. ::Savan was a little dumbstruck now. In other words, his uncle was asking him to be himself.:: Savan: Alright, I am very torn by what the doctors told me. Staran: Torn? Explain. ::The Vulcan captain looked sincerely confused. It was clear that he thought the doctor’s offer to repair the Trellium D damage was positive.:: Savan: Uncle, after I had to leave this world, I had to forge my own path. No one on Vulcan could help me in the end with who I became. I was not wanted here. ::Savan paused as he heard the words come out of his mouth despite himself. He could then sense a shift in Staran. It appeared he had hit a chord for his uncle, who was looking off into the distance and then turned to look at his nephew.:: Staran: Savan, before we go any further, know this. I took your custody very seriously. In fact, I did not want you to leave. Savan: You did not? ::All Savan could remember was Staran’s seemingly infinite frustration with his inability to behave.:: Staran: No. But logic dictated that I choose another course of action. Having you remain on Vulcan would have given you no future—at least not one I wanted for you. Sending you to another world more open to emotions… to be raised with someone who could understand better than I did, that was the only logical choice. ::Now it was Savan’s turn to be surprised.:: Savan: I never considered it that way. ::Staran then stood up and looked at the villa.:: Staran: How could you? For all intense and purposes, you were a child. And you were more than my nephew, I considered you my son. I had only the best intentions for you. Savan: ::quietly:: I appreciate you saying that. ::Of course, the Vulcan captain was not going to get too expressive and changed topics.:: Staran: Now let us return to the topic at hand. You are, as you say, “torn.” Savan: Yes. I found my own way. It is imperfect, yes. It is not always easy. I need to rely on medicines and treatments, to compensate. But I have survived and, in the end, learned and thrived. Staran: ::perplexed: And you believe restoring the full functioning of your emotional control centers would destroy what you have learned? Savan: Not just that, it may destroy who I am, who I have become. Staran: My nephew, I know that you are aware that treatment, if successful, will not cause you to suppress either your memories or sense of identity. I sense that your concerns lie elsewhere. ::Savan realized that his uncle saw a fallacy in his worries.: Savan: Perhaps they do. ::Something of an epiphany occurred.:: Staran: I think I understand. It is because you will now have a choice. Savan: A choice? Staran: A choice between adopting the Vulcan way or maintaining your own. That is what your concerns are about. You think you need to turn your back on your past now? Savan: I think that would be a correct assessment. ::Now Staran began to sound paternal and all-knowing, but Savan actually appreciated it.:: Staran: Savan, I know how well educated and well versed in Vulcan tradition Torin is. As the educator he is, he would have shared that with you.. And I know that you understand that the Vulcan mental disciplines take years to master. While of course, much of that foundation is done during adolescence, it is a lifelong process of mastery and self-discovery. And it is clear to me that you have discovered many of these concepts on your end. Savan: Then why did the doctors come to me with this treatment? Staran: I asked them to speak with you, even though the findings are preliminary… ::Staran paused a moment.:: because I wanted you to be given the option of this treatment... but not to force you to follow the Vulcan Way or to sacrifice your identity. I wanted you be able to have the full ability to explore your mind and all its capacities, just as any other Vulcan is able to. Where you go is your decision and yours alone. My intention is for your path to simply be a less arduous one. I am aware of the challenges you have undergone and how you have transcended them. ::Savan knew what his uncle was referring to in a roundabout way. No medications, no frequent psych checkups, no repeated neurological exams—or at least, far less of all of it. And then there was more, perhaps even the ability to meld. He then felt something he had been wanting to say for years come out.:: Savan: To be honest, Uncle, I did not want to leave this planet, Uncle. I just wanted to be a Vulcan, a Vulcan like everyone else but I could not. And within, part of me still does. I wanted to belong, to fit into this society. ::Savan stared off into the lights of Shi'Kahr.:: Staran: My nephew, you are a Vulcan. While most of us now follow the Teachings of Surak in a way that conforms to certain traditions, there is always diversity in the Vulcan way. ::Savan looked at his uncle, trying to process still the exchange that had just happened.:: Staran: I am certain the others are waiting for us. ::Staran got up to leave the viewing area and return to the villa.:: Savan: Uncle, if you could take a few moments more, could you please tell me about my father? Staran: Varis was brilliant. It is not a word we Vulcans use to describe one another, but it is appropriate in your father’s case. His insights were often unparalleled. Savan: How so? Staran: That will take some time. Let us talk about him tomorrow. I have taken leave while you are here. I can accompany you to meet with the doctors, and then we speak further about your father. ::Savan sensed there was more to Staran’s words, but decided to allow him share it on his own time.:: Savan: I would appreciate that. NT Lt. Commander Savan Tactical/Security Officer Embassy of Duronis II/USS Thunder-A
  12. ((Par’tha Expanse, Beta Quadrant, Kiros, Kirosian Continent)) ::The world came back in slow agonising waves the loud whine in his ears blocked all other sounds even his own voice, he thought it was his voice but try as he might no sound reached his ears. Then he heard it a tiny voice in the distance it had no words or at least none that he could recognise, but it was there and slowly growing louder as the whine began to dim allowing one of his senses to come back to the world. The voice grew and grew getting closer and closer, they had to get with him soon they were so close, he felt his strength starting to return but his throat hurt a raw burning pain that felt as if hands were clutched around his neck squeezing hard:: Achim: BBAAAOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHH….. ::The world snapped back into focus sharply as the whine in his ears stopped, the tiny voice that he’d heard was his, the raw throat from his own shouting. Pain lanced through his legs it felt like something was crushing them, his hooves could feel a breeze ?, where was he and why was it so hard to think. His right arm hurt as he moved it so he used his left to wipe his face, feeling wetness his light fur matted and slick, Achim looked at his hand..red with blood squeezing his eyes shut the sting of dust clung to them:: ::The dust was everywhere in his lungs and mouth, all over him and no matter where he turned his head the air was thick with it:: Achim oO Why, what happened … Oo ::He didn’t know how long he lay there thoughts refusing to form half sentences put together but then lost in the darkness that surrounded him, then word after word stayed joined becoming a thought that held a few more and a half sentence, still more and finally the sentence finally they held together:: ::It had been this morning or was it, how long he had been here he didn’t know but it had been earlier that he had visited his mother before heading to work, she had trouble walking these days, the lameness that set in among the elderly now sat in both hooves. She had been the head of their herd for many years after his father passed and went to the great pasture, so now it was his turn to look after her. Well not only his there was his sister as well so one went in the morning the other in the afternoon, where was he… oh yes in the morning after seeing to his mother he had headed to work in the office the same one he had been in for the past seven years. It wasn’t a major career but it provided enough, on this morning everything had gone had it had done of all those past days until … until that rumble started. It grew from such a tiny sound to the rear of an angry mountain as everything started moving shaking and swaying as if it had been drinking to many intoxicants the night before, glass panes shattered bricks crumbled and fell concrete fractured and exploded:: ::They had tried to get to the stairs but people scrambled in mass hysteria like a colony of ants; in these long moments that lasted an eternity the world had ceased to abide by the laws of gravity and physics. It was impossible to try to stand still because one second you would be standing there and then the next, chunks of floor would vanish or drop only to vanish moment’s afterword. What had been thought of as a solid floor was no longer but instead became precarious suspension bridge of terror without railings and surrounded a buildings whose structure was failing faster than you could see:: ::He thought he knew fear but at that moment nothing he had ever experienced came close to comprehending what he had felt then or now, from the window he had seen other buildings fail and fall taking all those within them plummeting to the ground. At the sight of not one but many more such buildings fall sent a wave of nausea through his stomach, each chamber spasming feeling the adrenaline pumping through him. Clouds of dust rose up as the city’s skyline crashed earthward, then it happened to them a massive lurch sent them all to the floor the lucky ones that is those that were unlucky disappeared through the holes already rent into the building:: ::Falling..a serene feeling with no pressure upon you if the realization of what was coming wasn’t there then sleep would have been easy, but the dawning outcome shouted loudly as dust rose up and obscured the view of the destruction out of the window. The office building mirroring the collapse and destruction of its neighbours, mirroring the fate of the city as fires erupted as lines that brought light and heat snapped and twisted like thing young shoots pulled out of the ground to eat:: ::Then he awoken he didn’t know how long ago parts of the building trapping him where he lay, unable to move unable to run to his mother’s house or his sisters place of work, no he had to get out to get to them they needed each other he had to. But the debris failed to move un-swayed as it was by ovine personal concerns or anguish, another cry escaped him as he lay there, within the heavy silence other voices joined in:: Achim oO I’m not alone more of us survived Oo ::The thought lifted his spirits if others survived being in this building surely there must be others, there had to be. When would they come, when would the government send help and what had caused it, he knew of earthquake he had seen explanations of them watched programs about them but here, they were nowhere near the region that experienced them:: Achim oO If it wasn’t the planet shaking then what could it be ? Oo ::There were always stories about the warlike A’kir but surely they couldn’t have done this, could they. Lending his voice to those that had survived Achim called for help, help he hoped would come soon, very soon:: MSNPC Achim Office worker Kiros lll As simmed by Ensign Kurt Logan – Security/Tactical Officer USS Atlantis, NCC-74682 E239203KL0
  13. ((Temporal Anomaly, Typhon Expanse - USS Apollo Shuttlebay)) Pavlova: That's a negative. Nobody leaves that runabout until the shuttle bay is secure.=/\= Oddas: ::deciding on a softer approach:: =/\= Are you going to be ok? =/\= Pavlova: ::Sadness in her voice.:: : =/\= Ask me later, and don't get assimilated. =/\= Oddas: =/\= That goes double for you. =/\= ::There was one more drone outside, but it was far enough away that Irina ignored it for the time being. If the Borg were smart, and she expected they were, they’d be beaming into the Glenn, and so that was where Irina headed at a full sprint.:: Oddas: =/\= Oddas to Pavlova =/\= Pavlova: ::Panting with a combination of exertion and pain.:: =/\= Go.=/\= Oddas: =/\= We need you back at the runabout. Thetis could use your help. =/\= Pavlova: =/\= What’s your status? =/\= ::The last drone had obviously anticipated Irina’s action, and appeared just outside the Glenn’s door, or at least it did until Irina fired, again reducing a formerly humanoid head into so much goo, slime and Borg circuitry, but that was the last shell in her weapon.:: Oddas: =/\= Just not getting assimilated =/\= Pavlova: =/\= Please hold on. =/\= ::Irina made it the last few steps and with her injured leg shoved the dead drone aside while she lifted open the hatch with almost enough force to damage it. What she saw beyond was three of the hologirl from the ship, the limp form of Dr. T’Leira and one drone with a phaser trying to get a bead on an injured Oddas Aria.:: ::CLICK:: : Her shotgun was dry, but the sound of racking the slide was enough to momentarily distract the Borg drone. Irina had actually met Captain Jaxx once. He had boarded the USS Vigilant to brief the crew on their mission to protect a Romulan base that had come under suspicious attacks. She hadn’t spoken to him, but did sit opposite him at the staff briefing and the look in his eyes when their eyes briefly met made her suspect that he had read her mind, which at that time was working feverishly to learn the equations for the slingshot maneuver and time travel. None of that registered at this moment though. It didn’t matter if he was an admiral, or a captain as his uniform indicated now. No, all that mattered was that he was trying to kill, or worse assimilate the woman she loved.:: :: Irina focused on the moment like Lynthia Waltas had taught her, and for a split second to Jaxx, Nia and Aria, Irina had what felt like minutes to think, remember and plan. She thought back to the Admiral’s engagement party and how Aria looked standing alone at the bar, and how finding love was the farthest thing from her mind though somehow she had managed to find it anyway. She remembered waking up in Aria’s arms that night after a particularly vivid nightmare, and of later introducing her to Katya and Jazmine.:: ::Irina remembered her subspace unofficial wedding to Dimitri and her real and wonderful wedding to AJ, but how it was only Aria who had seen her at her most vulnerable, and somehow loved her anyway. She looked into Aria’s unmoving eyes, frozen time with everyone else, and thought of her taste for sweets, her tendency to babble when nervous or excited, and of how somehow, when during their first dance and Aria stumbled into Irina’s waiting arms, that she had suddenly realized not only that she wasn’t dead inside, but that this engineer, from a completely different species, had tripped not only into Irina’s arms, but into her heart.:: ::As time returned to normal, Irina was a blur of motion as her plan was fully formed. With her left hand she grasped the shotgun by the barrel and swung it at Jaxx with all of her considerable strength, while her right hand went to her to the small of her back, under the shirt, and came back with her 463-year-old Walther PP pistol in hand. The pistol, liberated by a distant ancestor from a captured German officer at battle of Khursk in 1943, had been in Irina’s family ever since. The blueing and almost all of the engraving were long since worn off, but the weapon remained in perfect mechanical condition as it had always been well-maintained.:: ::The butt of the shotgun hit Jaxx in his prosthetic arm with enough force to shatter the butt stock and even bend the barrel, and while the strong alloys of the arm weren’t dented, the hit was strong enough to physically shove Jaxx almost a meter to the side. More important than moving him, it disrupted his shot from Irina’s chest down to her left thigh and gave Irina enough time to bring the Walther to target.:: ::Despite the rather puny .32 caliber round, the roar of the pistol was deafening inside of the small runabout. The weapon held 8 in the chamber and 1 in the pipe, and Irina fired all of them in such rapid succession that it sounded almost like a machine-gun, and had a similar result. The first round went through Jaxx’s organic right eye, and each successive round went into the same hole or just next to it, with the end result being a twitching, nearly headless body collapsing to the floor, assimilation tubules flailing about, but not making contact with any of their would-be targets.:: ::Irina looked down at T’Leira while instinctively reloading her weapon.:: Pavlova:: looking at Oddas :: : Was she….? Oddas: She's alive, I don't think the drone had time to try assimilation. Nia: It didn't. When Aria pulled me away, it drew its attention toward us. That was was a brave thing for you to do, Oddas. You not only saved me but the doctor as well. Thank you. ::Irina slumped back a bit and did a sort of controlled fall into the bulkhead, which caught her and helped her stay upright.:: Pavlova: I thought I’d lost you. I can’t lose you, Aria. Not now, not…… ::Irina lowered her voice to a whisper :: : ever. Oddas: ::trying to smile:: it's good to know the Borg aren't going to keep us apart. Major Irina Pavlova Chief of Security Duronis Embassy / USS Thunder Author ID 0238908HA0
  14. ((USS Apollo, Bridge)) ::Some of her crew were cube people, she was confused, were they trying to make her new friends cube people too? They always just tried to attack and take. They had eventually stopped before, but she could not stop them now without hurting her friends. So many memories of her old crew and now they were in front of her! She was focusing so much computing power on the scene in front of her she felt relief when she heard T'Lea get her attention. :: T’Lea: I need you to relay our plan to Major Pavlova, or Commander Oddas. We need to be in synch for this to work. They have to be ready with the shuttle and the same time we are ready to implement the plan. Can you do that? Thetis: ::nodding, wide-eyed, half looking at the cube person:: I can. T’Lea: Excellent. Let me know when it’s done. ::She let her thread in the shuttle bay consume most of her resources and shunted the scene in front of her for later processing, it made her more comfortable and the one named Oddas, Aria, seemed more relaxed than dealing with cube people. She came back to the forefront when the conversation was over. T'Lea was leaning over her, listening.:: Thetis: ::smiling:: I did it. T’Lea: How much time do they need? Thetis: She said '15 minutes, shields may not be up, and possibly not the "TSD"' ::she made a face, she could not find mention of a 'TSD' in her memory:: I did get the impression she was speaking .... ::she searched for the word:: exaggerating? She also wanted me to let you know that I have encrypted the comms on a rotating frequency. T’Lea: That’s… not optimal, but it will have to do. ::comm. tap:: =/\= T’Lea to Oddas. Message received. Signal me when ready.=/\= Oddas =/\= Acknowledged =/\= T’Lea: =/\= Oh, by the way, Thetis is coming with us. Can you accommodate room for one more? =/\= Oddas: =/\= I have a plan, I will make it work. =/\= T’Lea: =/\= That will make her very happy. T’Lea out. =/\= :: With a small grin she looked at Thetis. Thetis for her part was beaming.:: T’Lea: See. Thetis: ::still smiling:: Thank you. ::When T'Lea turned to look Thetis followed her gaze and saw a cube person, in a crew uniform and her smile began to fade. She wanted to whimper again but fought to hold it back.:: oO Why are they coming again?! I want to leave now! Oo T’Lea: Is he still here? What have you two been doing all this time? Jorey: response Allison: My husband tells me Andorians are great warriors. Show me your warrior spirit, Commander. Fight them. Fight them for your shipmates. Fight them so you can go home to Andor and your family. I know there is some of you left, Commander… T’Lea: You’re wasting our time with that. Andorians are liars, and cowards. They have no strength of will. They are weak. So weak and dishonorable that this one had both antenna cut off. ::The women were having a disagreement Thetis didn't understand. She just wanted get to the shuttle bay now. There was no use, once the cube people started coming they would come and come and eventually all of the crew would be gone! :: Andorian: Vulcan bitc- :: He paused… and Thetis could find no time in her memory a cube person had ever done something like that .:: Andorian: Kill me. T’Lea: Can we save him? Jorey/Allison: response Andorian: Kill me! T’Lea: What about sedation and a stasis pod? Jorey/Allison: response Andorian: ::struggling:: They’re coming… my family... I love th- :: Suddenly he reached for the other woman a borg probe extending from his arm ready to inject the woman.:: oO They would all be gone! Oo ::The lights on the bridge began to get brighter as Thetis began to react to one of her new friends in danger. ::
  15. ((CSO’s Office)) ((Before the Events of ‘Date Night’)) ::Taelon sat at his desk for a few minutes after Theo left, stunned. There were a thousand thoughts going through his head - what did this mean, is it casual, are humans ever casual about this? When had this changed, exactly? Had Theo tried to drop hints before and he’d not seen them? Paramount among them was one fact: He had no idea how dates worked. El-Aurians...well, he assumed they dated, too, but he hadn’t exactly gotten a crash-course in it. Right - he could address that logically, he decided. There had to be sources in the databanks that’d tell him what to expect and what to...do. Right? Right. He hurriedly started typing. What the computer flashed up was in no way reassuring. :: Computer: Dating: Human colloquial term for a form of courtship, which may include any social activity undertaken by, typically, two persons with the aim of assessing each other's suitability as a prospective partner in a more committed romantic and/or sexual relationship. ::Taelon’s eyes got wider. A few second later he stood up so quickly he knocked his chair over and bolted out of the office and into the hallway. The decks were a blur as he ran to where he thought Ishani’s quarters were. Foregoing the intercon, he pounded on the door.:: Taelon: Ishani! ::There wasn’t any reply.:: Damnit, please be home… :: Ishani had been lounging around on her couch catching up on some light reading when the pounding began. Concerned Ishani put down her PADD and opened the door. The door slid open to reveal Taelon still standing with his arms raised. His expression was that of a deer in the headlights.:: Kasun: Taelon? :: She looked at him in concern. :: What’s going on? Taelon: Theo asked me out. On a - can I come in? Kasun: :: Ishani stared at Taelon for a few long seconds before standing aside so she was no longer in the doorway. :: Uh sure. : Of all the things she could think of that would put Taelon into such a tizzy, being asked out on a date by the first officer of the base was not one of them. She must have misheard him. :: Whittaker asked you what? ::Taelon promptly darted past her into the bright and stylish interior. Quite an upgrade from his own bare quarters, but he wasn’t in the mind to take much notice. He started pacing the living room.:: Taelon: On a date. Like, a human one. And, and I looked it up and it’s some commitment custom? ::He looked at his half-sister imploringly.:: I don’t know how to do that! Kasun: Ah :: If this had been anyone else Ishani would have laughed at the absurdity of their overreaction, but Taelon’s reaction was sadly in character for him given his background. :: Dating isn’t normally that... formal. Yes it is used by humans to find a compatible life partner, but no one really expects that level of commitment on the first date. Taelon: ::His pacing didn’t slow.:: Oh. How do you tell what...level….. Kasun: Ultimately it depends on the the people involved. Some people just date to enjoy the company of the person they’re with and not with any long term plans in mind, others are looking for the person they want to marry. Taelon: Right.. ::He rubbed his arms, stopping and looking at her.:: L-like you and Kro...you’re, what? Kasun: Kro and I are just dating for companionship and... other things, but at this point long term hasn’t really entered the discussion. :: Ishani wasn’t even certain if Kro knew how much older she was than him, let alone if he cared about that. :: Taelon: Other things….? Kasun: I doubt Whittaker has that in mind right now. He is attracted to you, hence why he asked you out and he most likely wants to see where it goes. ::While they weren’t really close by any means, Ishani did know enough about their first officer that he wouldn’t ask someone out willy nilly.:: It’s not like if you go out on a date with him you have to continue dating and then eventually marry him. You get a choice too. Taelon: ::Taelon looked at her with an expression that was conflicted; torn in that way he tended to be.:: I...yeah, I know. ::He rubbed his arms again, frowning. He still wasn’t sure how to feel. The emotions were conflicting: flattery, excitement, and sheer terror. What happened if this went badly? What happened if it went well? And which one of those outcomes scared him more?:: Taelon: So, what...what do I do? Kasun: Well I’d just be yourself. Whittaker asked you out so he should have a plan for the evening, you just need to go along with it. Taelon: I don’t think he had a plan. Um. Unless he was hiding it. ::He interlaced his fingers, yanking at them nervously.:: H-he offered to let me pick the place, so... Kasun: You should really try to not overthink things. oO Though I know that’s hard for you. Oo Ultimately dating is about finding compatibility. If at the end of the date either you or Whittaker do not want to go out again, then that is a successful date in and of itself. Taelon: ::He side-eyed her:: I, uh, sure...but don’t successful dates usually imply...not that? Kasun: No, not really. A successful date is finding out whether or not you want to go on another date with that person. :: Smiling gently:: Like I said, the goal is to find someone compatible with you and your personal relationship goals. Taelon: And how do you know if that’s the case? I mean - it’s probably obvious, isn’t it. ::He sighed.:: Kasun: You won’t know until you’ve gone on the date, you know. Taelon: I think I’d prefer hard rules. ::He shrugged loosely.:: All I remember was from school, and those seemed...I don’t know. Simple. Innocent. ::He grunted, and sat on the couch, chin resting on one upturned hand.:: Taelon: Or maybe that’s just colony life. Not like there was anything fun to do, I guess. Kasun: Dating as a child or teen is much simpler. :: She sat back down on her couch. :: They just do it because of lust and there is no goal to it aside from vague aspirations of forever. They feel everything stronger so things become more black and white. ::Shrugging:: It is the nature of children and the just prepubescent. Taelon: ::He managed a slight smirk. She was right about most of that, he knew. But it didn’t seem so complex back then. Hell, back then he’d been completely baffled by it - looking and effectively being 8 while the rest of the kids went into the upper grades had made certain things fly by him.:: What’s the nature of adults, then? Kasun: Surely you have some examples from your own life? Taelon: ::He sighed again.:: My examples are my parents, Ishani. They’re...them. ::They shared a father. As for the mother...well, somehow he doubted her style would work for him.:: Kasun: ::grimacing:: Ah true. I guess the way to put it is that with adults is that things aren’t as naive, there are more shades of gray and romantic relationships aren’t based upon mashing genitals together. Not that there aren’t adult pairings who are all about that... :: She was a walking result of such a pairing after all. :: but adults don’t pretend that it’s true love. Taelon: ::He rubbed his hands over his face. He wasn’t quite sure how to phrase what he wanted to ask - not exactly, any way. In the end he looked at her again.:: What was it like with you and Kro? Kasun: :: Ishani flushed red.:: Um well... At first it was purely physical. We first met when I had that concussion on the mission where we lost the Albion. oO And I made a complete fool out of myself. :: Her eyes softened as she smiled. :: But we got to talking and he’s far smarter than most would give him credit for, and he’s kind and cares about my desires. Taelon: oO And good at smashing heads, apparently… Oo ::Taelon let that thought peter out before he spoke.:: That’s...good. That you’re getting on well, I mean. Are you, you know…. ::He gestured with his hands, but quite what he was trying to imply failed him.:: Serious? Kasun: Maybe. We’ve only been dating for a few months, but I’d like to see where it ends up. Taelon: And...if goes badly? Kasun: I’ve had many relationships over the years, been married twice and dated a multitude of others. Obviously all but one of my romantic relationships has ended. Some were mutual, some I instigated the breakup, others he did, and a few blew up so badly that the relationship completely disintegrated, but I don’t regret taking the chance no matter how badly some of them ended up. Taelon: I see. ::His father had often given him similar advice, but it didn’t exactly help. Try everything once, make the leap, do something - the words made sense and the sentiment was appreciated, but they seemed to find it so easy to follow their own advice. Just as he found it easier to step back and run. He’d taken one risk and it’d paid off, hadn’t he? What was another?:: Taelon: I don’t know. ::He’d gone quiet for a long moment, and hugged himself, hands clasping his biceps.:: I just don’t want to disappoint him. Kasun: I know. I wish I could say you won’t ever disappoint him, but everyone disappoints someone sometimes because we are all flawed mortals. :: Impulsively she pulled him into a hug before continuing. :: Kasun: Even if you two eventually got married there will be times where you disappoint him and he in turn disappoints you. :: She pulled away but still held his hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. :: That’s life, and you can’t live your life trying not to disappoint someone. ::Taelon eventually just nodded. It was clear he was still torn; something in her words had hit home, but as for what would take, that couldn’t be certain. So long as he didn’t lock himself in the labs for the next few weeks, one could consider the conversation a success.:: Lieutenant JG Ishani Kasun MD, PhD Crisis Response Unit Starbase 118 Ops O239306IK0 & Lieutenant Taelon Chief Science Officer Starbase 118 OPs O239303T10
  16. ((Little Risa - Mirra and Flynn’s beach house)) ::Something had been bothering Mirra since they returned from the mission. Well, to be fair, after a mission such as that, lots of things would be bothering her. But this wasn’t about the mission. It was about the Captain…she had been well aware of his damaged telepathy, it wasn’t news. But it had been on her mind ever since he reached out to her telepathically in the Thirsty dog. When she took the time to sit down and think about it, she realized it wasn’t an issue with the Captain at all...it was her. She was desperately homesick. Coupled with the offhand, and entirely innocent comment made by Theo in his panicked realization she was onto his crush, it had settled further in. So, that was why, at this very moment, she was in the kitchen of the Little Risa beach house she shared with Flynn, putting the finishing touches on the meal of Raixen, her own mother’s recipe. She’d sent the very informal invitation to dinner, and had been quite pleased when he accepted. Just as soon as she plated the noodles, she heard the telltale sound of footsteps.:: Ezo: ~I’m in the kitchen!~ Taybrim: Hello? ::He stopped, realizing that the voice was in his head and just a tinge of embarrassment followed. He had just gotten so used to speaking all the time that he defaulted to it - even though it wasn’t the way of his people. Well, good thing no one could see him blush - though empathy could certainly feel the flush of embarrassment:: ~Hello! I’m hope I’m not late.~ Ezo ::Turning with a grin, she had both plates in each arm, giving a little head nod in greeting.:: ~Thank you for coming, I hope you’re hungry, my mother’s recipe makes enough for an invading army…~ ::Sal lifted his head and sniffed the air a bit. Ahh, that was a familiar scent. Raixen, if he wasn’t mistaken - though the key aroma was vilne, a savory spice that was a favorite in the lowlands.:: Taybrim: ~As all good Raixen recipes should~ ::She gestured with her head towards the back door, walking with bare feet across the kitchen and carefully sliding the glass door open with her foot before stepping through out on the back patio. The circular fire pit was already lit, casting shadows lazily around the deck furniture:: Ezo ~I thought we’d eat out here, by the fire tonight.~ ::turning her head, she smirked playfully:: ~ although I decided for forgo the dinner chime…~ ::A calm breeze blew through the deck, dancing the flames lightly. Ahh, the blissful late day sun in little Risa. Sal stretched a little, removing his own shoes and letting his arms stretch out in the loose Betazoid robes. If he closed his eyes he could almost pretend he was home for a moment.:: Taybrim: ~That’s OK. I think my own family only used the chime for formal dinners and holidays.~ ::Which was not uncommon among the middle and lower classes - well, those who were descended from such. Wealth hadn’t been a hardship on Betazed for decades if not centuries. But traditions were still passed down.:: Ezo: ::snickering slightly:: ~Pretty sure my family only took it out of its dusty old box when my great aunt came for dinner.~ ::Mirra’s family was unique in the sense they weren’t steeped in tradition. They respected it, honored it, but weren't necessarily concerned with it. Considering she and her brother weren't bound in arranged marriages, they were something of an anomaly.:: Taybrim: ::He offered her a smile, something that blossomed past the expression and into a feeling, a wellspring of empathy:: ~I deeply appreciate the invitation. It has been too long since I have partaken in a traditional sit down meal.~ ::a pause and a hint of humor entered his mind:: ~Lunches at the Illogical Eatery don’t count!~ Ezo: ::smiling softly, she bowed her head slightly.:: ~Of course. To be honest, I am surprised it has taken us this long to share a meal together.~ ::grinning:: ~pastries aside.~ ::Plates now arranged, she held her hands up in a slight “Tada!” Flourish. Gesturing towards the vacant seat beside her, she settled into the slightly overstuffed cushion of the patio lounger.:: Ezo: ~Please, dig in. I hope it is a pleasant reminder of home…::smirking:: and not a reminder of your previous dinner companion.~ ::She of course, was referring to Wannis. That woman was enough to make someone a monk. Praying to the Gods for blindness.:: Taybrim: ::Sal shivered at the thought - both a physical and a mental shiver. He absolutely hated being a judgemental person, but he had found with Wannis that there truly were people in the universe who could make one’s skin crawl.:: ~This is vastly preferably company to my last dinner. And by vastly I mean the difference between a sunbathing holiday on Risa versus one on Rura Penthe.~ ::His dark eyes sparkled with mirth:: ~This washes away the memories of the other in the best way.~ ::With a mouth full of food, she enjoyed the telepathic advantage of “talking” with one’s mouth full.:: Ezo: ~Well, my motives were entirely selfish. I hadn't realized how much I missed...well...this. Not having to “shield up” constantly. Having a casual conversation without the inevitable discomfort over an errant thought I wasn’t even listening to anyways.~ ::sighing heavily:: ~The amount of patients I have fidgeting, worrying that I’ll dig through their minds, being overly paranoid, thus making me overly paranoid. It’s exhausting.~ ::He blinked a little at that, understanding that paranoia. His own experiences had been somewhat muted - whether it was the perception that Betazoid women were more forceful than Betazoid men (which was true for some families) or whether he had washed most of his experiences prior to damaging his telepathy away with old memories was unclear. What Sal did remember keenly was how much his ill-fated betrothed struggled to keep her own shields up and how constantly exhausted she seemed. He had a deep empathy for that.:: Taybrim: ~It is.~ ::He agreed quietly:: ~And frustrating.~ ::Oh yes, he was starting to remember now. Talking to some people was like pulling teeth - especially when one was wearing a teal collar.:: Ezo: ::grinning:: ~That...and you, dear sir, are terribly out of practice.~ ::She nudged him lightly with her leg. Intending to soften the harsh observation. He was, in fact, out of practice. But it was entirely understandable, and not meant as an insult. They both could benefit from a little “homeworld” bonding.:: Taybrim: ::He looked up and shot her an amusedly admonishing glance:: ~I suppose for a long time I had no one to practice with. I can’t pick up any surface thoughts of those who are not either telepathically keen - or Betazed - anymore.~ ::He paused, looking off towards the skyline while contemplating the complex flavors of the meal before adding.:: ~I suppose I might be able to read them if I dug - but no one would want to test that, most of all me.~ Ezo: ::Smiling brightly:: ~You could always make Theo volunteer for it. For the sake of medicinal science.~ ::snickering, she could imagine the look of abject horror on his face should it ever be suggested.:: ~I bet his head is filled with engineering schematics and perfecting cosmopolitan recipes....~ Taybrim: ::He leaned forward again, offering a bit more of an open mind, a quiet calm to allay worry.:: ~Sometimes the world feels quiet. Usually it simply feels placid. Maybe that’s just me putting a positive spin on things.~ Ezo: ::smiling softly. Her heart twinged in mild sorrow. Telepathy was as natural a sense for Betazoid as much as sight:: ~I think that is a brilliant outlook.~ ::It was hard to describe what it was like to have one’s telepathy dampened. Sal supposed it was equally hard to describe to someone who could hear what it would be like to start going deaf. Well, maybe that was a good description.:: Taybrim: ~Have you ever worked with a patient who was blind? Someone who used their other senses to compensate? Perhaps their sense of hearing was sharpened or their sense of touch was refined so they could read with their fingertips? I did that with my empathic senses. I compensate for the loss of one with a sharpening of the other.~ Ezo: ::having finished her meal, she set her fork down, and leaned back, folding her legs beneath her.::~Actually yes, but not with sight. A little girl. I met her during my internship. Got a nasty infection, but didn't get medical attention in time, damage was too severe, lost her hearing as a result. But, she made up for it with her other senses. After time, she became so intune with her sense of touch, she could “hear” basic speech patterns. ::gazing into the fire in marvel:: miraculous thing, the body. Dull one sense, and often, the others will adapt. ::smiling:: and no amount of medicine could replicate that.~ Taybrim: ~How true.~ ::He chewed his last bite in thought before lifting his fork in a salute to the hostess:: ~Life is a miraculous thing. All the better that we have a fantastic doctor to shepherd us~ ::he winked, but the thought was earnest as much as it was flattering.:: Ezo: ::a small amount of red tinged her cheeks:: ~Well, it would certainly be easier if people would stop keeping me on constant alert...blowing off their arms and such~ ::shrugging slightly:: ~Not that it was done purposefully...I hope…~ ::Sal’s brows knit. Oh, the crew and senior staff of StarBase 118 had certainly kept the StarBase 118 medical department - and it’s chief in particular - busy. He felt badly about that. Worry and regret tinged his thoughts like a clinging film.:: Taybrim: ~Agreed, I do not want to see a repeat of some of the dark things our crew had had to endure recently. I am hoping that we will see less and less of the Orion Syndicate from here on out.~ ::He paused and despite him trying to hold it back, one thought - one name still trickled through.:: ~Chennel…~ ::It was the first audible sound she made that night which wasn’t positive. A low growl slipped through her lips. Too late to prevent its escape. That woman. That...woman. She haunted Mirra’s darkest nightmares and fired her blood like no other.:: Ezo: ~Gods curse the day that horrible witch crawled out of the fires of hell. ::clenching her jaw:: I used to believe that evil was an abstract concept. Never once expecting to meet it in the flesh…~ Taybrim: I’m sorry. ::He spoke it. He paused and his neck flushed a deep pink. Not only had the first thought that spurred this torrent of negative emotion come unbidden to his thoughts, but his first reaction was to interact in a way that was uniquely not-Betazed. The backlash was to beat himself gently up for that, silently.:: ~She is truly wicked. And I am sorry. Not just for bringing it up, but that we have not yet apprehended her. It stays in my mind - and on our radar.~ ::Lame, Sal… lame… He trailed off in thought, watching her to gauge the reaction and where to go next.:: ::Releasing her tightly clenched jaw, Mirra cleared her throat awkwardly. The absolute definition of an “over reaction.” Well, wasn’t she about to win host of the year...:: Ezo: ::flushing slightly:: ~No, please. I’m sorry...I...guess...well? We have a bit of a complicated history. ::she grimaced. And shuddered:: ~She had...uh…”plans” for me? I never wished to be a non-telepath more in my entire life.~ ::she shook it off and clasped his hand in both of hers:: ~I know it bothers you. It bothers all of us. Personal history aside, she’s dangerous. Very dangerous.~ ::smiling with encouragement:: ~Never doubt for a second my belief that we will bring her to justice.~ ::He looked up, locking Mirra’s gaze for a moment. His thoughts slowly organized into ideas that were calm and controlled, focused.:: Taybrim: ~She hurt my crew. She hurt you. Theo. Flynn. Tatash. She continued hurting. The team that rescued Lady Shadonna. The team who tried to apprehend her. Half my senior staff or more she had hurt. I do not want to witness her hurting another person, ever again.~ ::He wanted to think ‘I will not’ - but he was the sort of person who did not make promises that he could not keep. Until they located Chennel and acted, everything was still in that frustrating realm of possibility.:: ::Like many times before, Mirra found herself gazing in awe, enraptured in Sal’s determined speech. She knew he meant every single word. Down the the marrow of his bones. This, this was her Captain.:: Ezo: ::beaming:: ~You are a fantastic Captain. Has anyone told you that recently?~ Taybrim: ::He flushed again, this time with a bit of unbidden embarrassment. Which wasn’t something he showed much. Usually the diplomat side of him took everything in stride. Then again there was an art to well timed drinks of water, turns or other stalling tactics to pass the moment and regain perfect composure. Still, his smiled:: ~That’s why they pay me the big salary~ ::he winked - as Starfleet officers there was functionally no salary, just some extra privileges.:: ~But I’m honored that you think so. In my defense, I have a fine crew - I would not ask for better.~ Ezo: ::she laughed heartily, happy for the injected humor to lighten the mood. Big salary indeed.:: ~You are not wrong. This crew is amazing.~ ::sitting up formally, crossing her arms and donning a serious face:: ~And that is my professional opinion.~ ::uncrossing her arms, she grinned:: ~I think it is time for dessert, what do you say to some molten, possibly soon to be sacrificed confections?~ Taybrim: ~Molten confections?~ ::Someone had once told him about a molten cake… Sal had thought that sounded dangerous. He was trying to remember who threatened him with the recipe now.:: ~Are these a traditional sweet…?~ ::Mirra leaned over the side of the wicker lounger, producing a bag of marshmallows. A nod to their bonfire activities on Raskor I, once the now retired Commodore Kinney had finally been removed from the playing board. She held them aloft with a childlike grin.:: Ezo: ~Marshmallows!~ Taybrim: ::Grinning wildly:: ~Oh yes! I’m good at burning those!~ ::a pause, he considered this:: ~They were tasty when crispy.~ Ezo: ::smirking, she reached back and produced two more bags:: ~I am very good at burning them...like, tiny sugary torches.~ ::she was admittedly terrible at this. But, it was ridiculously fun, so she replicated enough to hopefully get a chance to eat a few in the process:: ~I can repair a stripped aortic valve on a rickety escape pod, but apparently a marshmallow is my downfall…~ Taybrim: ~I blame the stick. You know, right tool for the job and all…~ Ezo: ::snickering slightly:: ~Thank you for humoring me. And your vote of ill placed confidence~ ::smiling brightly, and handing him a skewer:: ~Ready?~ Taybrim: ~Well, if it’s ill placed confidence on you, only know that I lack the same confidence in my own skills where marshmallows are concerned.~ ::He winked and stabbed a marshmallow on the spit:: ~I’m ready as I’ll ever be.~ ::Carefully the stick was held out to toast the edges:: ~Maybe if I’m very patient…~ Ezo: ::biting her lip, she watched the little sugar puff as if it were a live grenade:: ~Slowly…~ ::A tiny ‘whoof!’ and the Marshmallow caught flame. He waved it around, which only made the burning catch faster. Finally Sal blew it out, half the marshmallow was a crispy blackened color.:: Taybrim: ~Or maybe I just really, really like them partly black?~ Ezo: ::her skewer and marshmallow lay abandoned beside her as she was currently overcome by a fit of laughter.:: ~Or that.~ ::shrugging her shoulders:: ~Perhaps it’s not a Betazoid thing….? Black eyes and black marshmallows. That is what we shall claim anyhow.~ Taybrim: ~I think that’s a grand idea. It saves … face.~ ::He grinned, and ate the blackened marshmallow anyways.:: Ezo: ::grasping the skewer with renewed determination:: ~My turn…~ ::easing the stick carefully toward the flames, she cautiously scooted the stick closer, only to have it instantly ignite as if soaked in starship fuel. Yanking it back, she blew on the flaming marshmallow in a fruitless attempt of salvage. Glancing up she grinned before popping the blackened confection into her mouth.:: ~Yep. Totally not a Betazoid thing.~ ::he leaned forward, watching the process and chuckling as the final product looked extremely similar to his own.:: Taybrim: ~You know what? That’s a good story and I’m sticking to it.~ ::He grinned towards her:: ~Hey… ::He tapped the bag:: ~at least we have a lot of chances to practice.~ Ezo: ::shoving a second marshmallow to take the place of the destroyed first, she lightly tapped Sal’s skewer with her own in cheers:: ~To practice!~ Taybrim: ::a marshmallow toast:: ~To practice!~ ~*~ A JP by: Lt. Commander Mirra Ezo, MD Chief Medical Officer Starbase 118 Ops C239205ME0 And Captain Sal Taybrim Commanding Officer StarBase 118 Ops E239010ST0
  17. ((OOC: This sim is first told from Savan’s perspective, then another character’s.)) ((Family villa outside of Shi’Kahr, Vulcan)) ::Savan found his old room. It was not at all as he had left it. It obviously had been occupied by others, perhaps a guest room. But as he looked around, he saw a container with some personal items that he did not take to Earth years ago. Among the possessions was a holoportrait of Savan as a young child with his parents. It looked like they were on some lush green world—obviously, not Vulcan. He was surprised that Staran and T’Nura had actually kept this and all of the other items.:: ::Some minutes had passed, when Savan could tell he was being watched.:: Torin: Don’t worry, I am not from the V’Shar. Savan: Father? I had no idea you were here. ::Savan’s face brightened up. While not his blood father, Torin was very much his father. After the crisis that tore Savan’s family apart and led to his departure from Vulcan, the half-human, half-Vulcan scholar became a beacon in his life. And with his family, he could actually express his emotions freely, without restraint. His joy at seeing his adoptive father was obvious.:: ((OOC: This is Torin: https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/File:Torin.jpg)) Torin: Staran told me that he had seen you during a mission, and that he had asked you to come home during shore leave.I was planning to come to Vulcan for some time, so it seemed like the perfect time. Savan: I am glad you are here. ::growing serious for a second:: Have you spoken with Staran? Torin: I supposed you mean regarding the discoveries from the Eye of Terak? Savan: Yes…. Torin: He did… but so you know, he did not learn of the findings until after he had invited me. But that discovery made my trip all the more important. So, how are you taking it? Savan: Honestly, father, I am very torn. ::Savan’s adoptive brothers called Torin “dad” in the human fashion, but Savan always used the more formal father.:: Torin: Why? Savan: Despite everything, I came to appreciate the opportunity I had in the end… to feel what few Vulcans have, to experience so many things. But when those scientists examined me on the ship en route here and told me they may be able to make me Vulcan, a real Vulcan… I was ready to turn my back on everything just so… Torin: … you could finally fit in? ::Savan looked out through the windows that showed ShiʻKahr shimmering in the fading light of the afternoon. He turned back and saw Torin, focused and attentive.:: Savan: Yes, father. I never realized how much I still feel excluded… to this day. Being in Starfleet, so far away… and with different species, I rarely think of it. But after being around Vulcans recntly, just for a short while, the sense of order, efficiency, and calm… Torin: Order is very seductive, Savan. And most Vulcans would never admit this, but so is logic. Savan: No they wouldn’t… but I see your point. So what do you think I should do? ::Torin smiled.:: Torin: Savan, you already know what I will say. Savan: That it’s my decision… ::Torin grew serious as he looked at his son’s face.:: Torin: Yes, that’s right… but you need to think carefully and find out what you are really looking for. Just because you may be able to suppress your emotions like most of the people on this planet does not mean you will feel at home. ::Savan looked at his adoptive father, speechless. Torin just said nothing and walked up to Savan and gave him a big hug.:: Torin: ::quietly:: I know you will make the right choice, whatever it is. ((OOC: This is part II, now told from Torin’s perpective.)) ((Library, Family Villa, Outside of Shi'Kahr, Vulcan))7 ::Torin was thrilled to have seen Savan. They spoke a bit more, then Torin let him get settled. He knew coming back to Staran and T’Nura’s home would be intense. After all, this was the home he had to leave.:: ::To make the most of the time before the evening meal, Torin headed to the library. He was amazed by the wonders that Staran and T’Nura had collected.:: ::When he entered the library’s threshold, he saw another Vulcan, short in stature. He realized it was Savan’s fellow officers from the Embassy, T’Mihn. There was something different about her, and Torin was curious about finding out why.:: Torin: You seem like you can actually read that without a problem. T’Mihn: T’Mihn: I..eh.. had a lot of practice. ::She gestured towards a chair as an invite to sit down.:: It just seemed easy. Torin: It took me several years for me to even able to read those scrolls properly. T’Mihn: I think the trick is to remember the direction the writing is supposed to go and it's not always a literal rendering. The sentences are treated as a journey while being written and read.. So who have I the honour of speaking with? Torin: Yes, it’d be impolite for me not to introduce myself. I am Torin. T’Mihn: I am T'Mihn, are you kin of Savan? Torin: I am Savan’s adoptive father. I suppose he hasn’t spoke much about me or his family on Earth. T’Mihn: ::Canting her head to the side with a shoulder shrug.:: Only small amounts, but I don't push him. Our ways are private. Had you seen him yet? Torin: That is his way. Always a little discreet, always a little secretive… But yes, I did see him a short while ago. In any case, his uncle Staran let me know that Savan was returning to Vulcan. I was planning to come for research anyway, so I moved up my trip. T’Mihn: I'm sure he was pleased. ::Referring to Savan:: Torin: For all intents and purposes, he is my son… and I miss him. Adopting him was one of the greatest moments of my life. T’Mihn: Bringing a child into one's life is always a wonderful moment. I notice you're pretty relaxed, you must be part Vulcan or full blooded raised elsewhere. Torin: Ah I suppose my obvious emotions are a giveaway. You are correct. I’m half-Vulcan. My father was in Starfleet, and he became enamored of Terran culture the minute he arrived at the Academy. He later met my mother, who is very much a strong Terran woman. T’Mihn: And they do not offend me. ::nodding, Lifting a hand up.:: That explains why you're 'comfortable in your skin". Their world's cultures are as diverse and Earth's bio diversity. How did your parents handle raising a hybrid of two cultures? Pardon me for asking. Torin: Well, my mother is very opinionated, and my father found it was illogical to argue with her… so they allowed me to find my own path between our cultures. That aside, I did have to take a human last name... from my mother's family. T'Mihn: I HAVE met those types of Terrans. He made a sound choice. Did you chose your father's or mother's clan name? Torin: Bergen... Torin Marcus Bergen. Has a certain ring to it? ::laughing:: T"Mihn:::A sharp nod with her customary grin in the eyes. :: Good choice. It does. Well.. Mister ..::Pause:: Bergen, I shall introduce you to my friend Q who fancies making gadgets out of ordinary items? Just bring them back in one piece. T'Mihn: ::Glancing around to make sure no one was listening in.:: I am sure some of us had given you trouble over being...:;both eyebrows disappeared under her bang briefly.::..ahem.. emotional. Torin: ::laughing:: Well, there’s that, and the “nasty” rumor that several of my father’s forebearers were Vʻtosh katur, thoses dreaded “Vulcans without logic.” ::Torin then took an observant glance. There was something different to this Vulcan from Starfleet.”” TAG/TBC MSNPC Torin Marcus Bergen Savan's adoptive father Lt. Commander Savan Tactical/Security Officer Embassy of Duronis II/USS Thunder-A Writer ID: E239303S10 http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/Savan
  18. ((Capitol Palace, A’Kir Isle of Governance, Planet Kiros)) ::We didn’t do it.:: ::The words were on the lips of every A’Kir citizen as news of the terrible seismic tragedy on the Kirosian continent swept through A’Kir territory.:: ::King Mwinuroja charged down the labyrinthine corridors of the Capitol Palace with furious determination, while his advisors flanked him, mouthing off with their various opinions and dissemblements. The King of the A’Kir, the most important elected official on this side of the planet, stood nearly seven and a half feet tall, his hide black, marked with a silver patch that covered half his bull-like face, dividing his countenance in a way that made his two profiles were quite distinct. His people had chosen for him a gold-colored tie with a conservative dark blue suit. This was no day for his dress to be showy. His horns were tall and sharp, an ivory-colored ornament to the fierce, unwavering look that started from his eyes, large and dark, and extended through the grim set of his mouth and the flaring of his nostrils.:: ::Of course the Kirosians were going to blame the A’Kir for the shaking of the earth. The Kirosians blamed the A’Kir for everything.:: ::The high, green walls of the Capitol Palace curved elegantly in rounded and sometimes suddenly angular directions that would have confounded anyone not familiar with their maze-like layout. Mwinuroja marched forward, confident as ever in his path. The building’s design was descended from an ancient construction tradition, created so outsiders would never find their way through, while insiders easily knew the way. It went back to ancient times, when labyrinths were built for protection against Kirosian invaders from across the wide oceans. Thousands of years ago, Kirosians came in sailing ships of wood and pitch that the modern mind almost couldn’t envision as functional. The archaeological record showed it, the appearance of ramheaded figures in ancient art, the evidence of inter-continental conflict and struggle in prehistory.:: ::History showed it, too. The political and cultural barrier between A’Kir and Kirosian was long-standing and acrimonious. Attempts at peace had been made, but it is not easy thing to wash bad blood from the hands of history, and the two sides of the world never could find a way to meet in the middle. With advances in technology came advances in armaments and battle tactics. With advances in culture came advances in inter-cultural resentment and isolationism.:: ::Mwinuroja had tried to work toward peace from within, but his people were so stubborn in their ways. He had worked hard for years to keep their internal struggles from spilling over and becoming acts of aggression against the Kirosians. He had sacrificed his time, his youth, his public reputation, to forge a better world, to fight the political fights that kept the A’Kir out of any direct conflict with their neighbor. He had shown the people a strong leader, a fierce king, and he had given his life over to holding the ties of their fragile political system in place, maintaining internal order and freedom from strife sometimes through nothing but sheer force of will.:: ::And now did the very earth rebel?:: Mwinuroja: WHAT fresh hell comes now with the new hour? ::Rounding a corner that wouldn’t have been visible if you didn’t know it was there, King Mwinuroja strode into his situation room, a large chamber filled with terminals, assistants, and at one end, a private, hidden office that was his alone. The advisors charged in toward their various destinations, joining the fray of frantic comms, shouts and fevered whispers of collaboration between the staff housed there. One shout rang out from a young, dappled steer, updating the king.:: Assistant: Majesty, the communication from Starfleet is online. Mwinuroja: Very well! I shall communicate from my office, and mark you that I am to receive no disturbance. ::At least the A’Kir weren’t afraid of making offworld contacts. The Council still denied them a voting seat, but it was willing to hear their problems. And it had sent this Starfleet to help.:: ::Inside his private chamber, deep at the center of the labyrinth, Mwinuroja closed the door so he could be alone. He felt like stamping his feet in a charge. He was mad as could be, fit to gore. Taking a moment to collect himself, to try to reach his better nature of diplomacy, he moved to his large wooden desk, sat down behind it, and switched the comm on, prepared to say exactly what his constituents expected of him in this situation.:: ::We didn’t do it.:: King Mwinuroja Leader of the A’Kir simmed by LtCmdr Ren Rennyn First Officer USS Blackwell, Andaris Task Force A239102RR0
  19. Polling closes at 11:59pm Pacific on Sunday, March 5. This is a run-off poll, where our general membership (that's you!) chooses which sim, from Set 1 of 2017 (Rounds 1-6), should proceed to the final round of the contest for a chance to be selected as the Top Sim of 2017! These sims below were chosen by a panel of judges (one from each ship) from the sims submitted in Rounds 1-6 of the contest. TO START, please read these sims: Round 1: Jalana Rajel & David Cody, "New Friends & Ghosts of the Past" Round 2: Dalor & Manyx, "A Taste of fear" Round 3: Jack Gard & Akeelah D'Sena, "This Isn't Forever" Round 4: Toni Turner, "The Getaway" Round 5: Tyr Waltas, "Cold Soul" Round 6: Jalana Rajel & Sal Taybrim, "Captain to Captain" NEXT, using the poll above, vote for the sim you like the most. It should be the sim that's the best written, with strong characterization, and evocative or descriptive scene-setting. DON'T vote for a sim just because you serve on the same crew as the person who wrote it. Any crew that "stuffs the ballot" (by having everyone on the crew vote for the same sim to ensure that it wins this poll) will be eliminated from the contest and shamed by the rest of the community as terrible, terrible cheaters. That would be awful. Good luck to the nominees!
  20. (( Sickbay, USS Gorkon )) :: Precious time had already been lost, the captain left bleeding out for far too long. Her injuries were extensive, penetrating muscle, flesh, and at probably least one vital organ or artery, since the hypercoagulin did nothing to staunch the flow of blood. He didn’t have time to focus on any other patients right now, only the one. Rushing Quinn into surgery was his priority. :: :: He handed over the captain to the waiting operating team, while he scrubbed and changed into something more appropriate for the task ahead. He mulled it over in his mind: Reynolds' anatomy was similar enough to a human that it posed no problem in that regard, though her hybrid physiology could be… unpredictable. The fact that she was a touch-telepath complicated matters just a bit more. He quickly sterilized his hands and gloved up before proceeding. Since their first meeting aboard the Garuda, he hadn’t had occasion to do any major lifesaving on the captain. :: :: When he entered the operating room, she was already prepped and under anesthetic, the monitors in the room beeping and glowing with her vital data, none of which seeded any hope in his heart. The blood they were transfusing was being lost almost as quickly as they could pump it into her, and the surgical biobed's scanners indicated a hemopneumothorax, as well as multiple deep lacerations to the liver and intestines. Not one was an easy injury to treat, further complicated by the fact he had to do them one at a time. CD took a breath as he glanced at the readouts, forcing himself into a state of calm. :: :: Time was a luxury he didn’t have, so he began first with the injuries to her lung, draining the blood from her chest so that her lung could re-inflate. He had to remember to breathe as he steadied his hands. He’d performed heart surgery on Bajorans before, but there was a first time for everything. This was his first stabbing with multiple wounds. As he performed his work, a small wave of doubt began to form in his mind. :: oO What if she dies? Oo oO Not on my watch, she won’t… Oo :: He pushed back the negative thoughts and blanked his mind of such fatalistic talk, focusing only on the task. It was delicate work regenerating the lung tissue and surrounding areas, but in the end he got it repaired. The anabolic protoplaser and autosuture were getting a workout today, as he moved on to the liver. Each second that elapsed started to gradually eat away at his calm, even though she was stable and-- :: Rakujia: She's crashing! :: The surgical nurse's announcement came as the the monitors began to shrill their alarms, the busy traces of her life signs becoming flat lines. More doubt crept into CD’s mind as the alarms went off, and Stripey was quick to shut all the negative talk down. A good thing, too because Chythar could not afford any mistakes. He needed this to work, for the sake of the crew as well as his own sanity. Professional pride be damned, his reputation as a miracle worker was on the line. He may not have been any Dr. Bones McCoy by any means, but he’d worked miracles in the past. This one had to work, or the consequences -- and conversations -- would be his worst nightmare. :: Skyfire: 10 milligrams of cordrazine. Charge the cardiostimulator to 3 millijoules. :: While the anesthetist, Doctor Seung, loaded a hypospray and delivered the cardiac drug directly into Reynolds' veins, Rakujia passed him the cardiostimulator and he pressed it to her chest, delivering the shock that would hopefully restart her heart. :: Rakujia: No response. oO Damn it, Quinn...don’t die on us. Please. Oo Skyfire: Increase to 5 millijoules. Rakujia: No response. oO I was ignorant of so much last time. Don’t let this add to my casualty streak. Oo Skyfire: Again. Rakujia: No-- ::He paused, then his voice was full of relief.:: No, wait! We've got her! :: Once again, the monitors began to pulse with the regular, if weak, rhythms of the captain's life. He gave a sigh of relief, like a great weight being lifted from his shoulders. Holding someone’s life in your hands was one thing. Saving the life in your hands was the greatest feeling in the world. He was still not looking forward to the report, or the log entry. Both of those would be tiring, and he would probably need some coffee before getting started. For all those he couldn’t save in the other universe, this moment was worth every memory he carried. :: :: CD had lost track of the amount of time he had spent already, and wasn’t looking forward to writing up that number, nor the report along with it. Alucard would probably have words with him. Heck, he fully expected Walter to call him up while busy and demand an update, but that was not on his mind at the moment. The life of his patient took precedence. :: :: Hours -- and three more cardiac arrests, each more prolonged than the last -- later, the liver was repaired. A nurse dabbed away beads of sweat from his eyes and continued his work, moving on to the gastrointestinal repairs. The autosuture was now warm to the touch, like a warmed power pack from a phaser in his hand. Fortunately, it was a dulled sensation as he was using his entire focus to do his job. Warm battery packs had nothing on him right now. Out of all the bombs he’d survived, all the research he’d done, there was nothing that could have prepared him for this, except experience he didn’t have. He continued his task and deliberately did not look at the clock. The last thing he wanted to do was screw up because he was wanting to do it fast rather than right, which would go against the oath he took. :: :: Once the last of the surgical procedures was complete and the surgical sites were closed, he ran another series of scans. There was nothing more that could be done in surgery for the time being, and he left Rakujia and Seung to take her to one of the private recovery rooms. He would remain close by as long as he could get away with, primarily to keep an eye and also out of a sense of duty. Despite his best efforts, he didn’t play the odds. A quote from one of his favorite 21st century novels came to mind. :: oO Never tell me the odds! Oo :: While that quote held true, he had a list of phrases prepared. None of which would please Walter, he was sure. None of which pleased CD either. His surgical scrubs coated in blood from his efforts over the last several hours in the surgery, he excused himself to his office for a change of uniform. At the very least, if called upon, he’d look professional, if not completely decked out for diplomacy. Once his teal collar was back on, he put on one of his uniform jackets and zipped it up before dealing with the paperwork. The tone of the conference had gone from diplomatic to grim in the span of… had it been 12 hours? No, it was more than that, CD was sure. He grimaced as he checked the timestamp from paging Nurse Rakujia to the time they clocked out of surgery. Time for the boring part: the report. :: === Lieutenant Commander Chythar Skyfire Chief Medical Officer USS Gorkon, NCC-82293 O239002CS0
  21. ((Par’tha Expanse, Beta Quadrant, USS Darwin, Deck 8, Personnel Quarters)) ::Taking a last look round his shared quarters after making sure that all his belongings were packed such as they were, with replicator technology the only things that were carried were items that had a personnel significance everything else could be replicated when you arrives at your destination. Thinking of his meeting with Lieutenant Pond when she was moving quarters and her multitude if items that had miraculously been packed into the bags that she carried, made him look at the two that he had, not packed tight and not massive. One sea bag with the more important items in and one Corp duffel type bag, with everything packed Kurt did the one thing his father would despair at but his mother insisted on, the art of saying goodbye:: ::To his father machinery was machinery smaller bits were put together to make bigger pieces all inanimate and in no way effected by the words or actions made by the crew to elicit continued working or performance above the parameters set by said machinery. His mother was on the other side of the coin it didn’t hurt to be polite even to inanimate objects especially when they kept you alive as did virtually everything on a ship did virtually every day. Then there were the stories that virtually every crew had about their ships where it exceeded its design limits set by those inanimate objects that made everything up, if two examples were needed then the USS Gorkon and its year long run in a hostile dimension and the very ship he was on now the USS Darwin. She had taken more punishment than she designed for and fought as hard against a battleship as any other battleship would have, way beyond her design limits. So regardless of your feelings to the odd golf ball on a stick shape that while perfect for her designated role wouldn’t win any beauty contests she had won a warm place in most of the crew aboard:: Logan oO Well those that chose to look properly at her anyway Oo ::A hand rested on the bunk he had ironically occupied twice, once when first assigned aboard then again after his demotion and then a tap to the bulk head on his way out to the corridor, hearing the door close Kurt settled his sea bag on his shoulder and with duffel in hand headed to the Turbolift:: ((Deck 7 docking port)) ::Due to the number of crew changes and organisational changes brought on by the enlargement of the Andaris taskforce all four of the ships were docked with Deep Space 26, allowing for easier personnel and cargo movement. Kurt could have used the transporter to quickly change to the Atlantis but time wasn’t pressing so it allowed time for a small Corp ritual that Kurt liked to do, there were enough in the Corp gathered from all the races that made up the Federation. Some unique to a singular race some a hark back to the origins of the unit, this was one of those an old custom’s that had somehow kept going due mostly to that belief that kind words and belief could lift you and yours beyond what was possible. That included what sat in his hip flask that sat in a pocket attached to a sash that was tied round his waist seeing as Duty uniforms didn’t come supplied with a pocket for hip flasks as standard, something to do with drinking on duty. Sitting inside the flask was a drink known as Grog and although it sounded much like something a Klingon would find appetising it was a drink that had begun with the Marines on earth sometime around 1740 so the history said. Made up of the sailor allowance of Rum mixed with water, lemon juice and cinnamon, designed so their allowance couldn’t be hoarded over days allowing for a drinking session to take place. After a time the recipe developed a following of its own as the drink for the Marines to have, times had changed as had the development of different alcohols and replicators so storage wouldn’t be an issue any more, still tradition is tradition sometime for good sometime to stagnate, this one was a good one:: ::Standing before the open docking port door a Security officer talking with another in gold noting down the comings and goings, usually even on a friendly base this door would be closed for security reason the fact that it was open and manned meant they knew that it had been requested for use. Turning his back to the door Kurt placed his bags in the floor and lifted his hip flask in hand taking a look around he unscrewed it’s top:: Logan: To you and those that walked along side, and to those that stay. Thank you for bringing us home. ::Taking a swing of Grog Kurt snapped a salute to ship, he could hear the silence from behind him no doubt they hadn’t seen of someone doing a salute before leaving a ship. Replacing the flask he re shouldered his bags and turned to the silent faces staring at him Kurt focused on the Security Officer:: Logan: Ensign Logan leaving the Darwin for the Atlantis ::Accepting the silent nod from the officer Kurt stepped of the ship and down the docking corridor, with a final turn and nod toward the ship he headed off to the Docking port that held the USS Atlantis. ((USS Atlantis Deck 8, Docking Port)) ::In a déjà vu image Kurt walked up to the Atlantis who’s door was also open with an officer talking with a, this time, a woman in gold talking about no doubt additions and subtractions from the ship. His nod to the ship caught the attention of both officers who looked over their shoulders to find the individual that was the recipient of the nod, finding no one the creased brown of confusion greeted him as he stopped next to them:: Logan: Ensign Logan transferring from the Darwin to the Atlantis ::Showing his transfer orders his name was marked against and he was given the permission to come aboard, walking past leaving them to continue with their conversation Kurt stopped several paces into the ship and paced his bags down and lifted his hip flask again its embossed emblem glinting in the light:: Logan: To you and those that will walk along side, and to those that no longer can. We ask you bring us home. ::The Swig of Grog and snapped salute was again accompanied by silence from behind him, the chuckle that bubbled within from the image of the two behind him looking at each other Kurt held in it wouldn’t look good to, however good natured it was laugh at two crew members he didn’t know. In terms of transfers this one had had a lengthy window of time meaning his authorizations had already been granted and his quarters were already assigned and they were in another round of déjà vu shared quarters. It was the usual arrangement of two, two person bunk rooms shared a small lounge and a bathroom which in terms of size and shape mirrored the one he had occupied on the Darwin:: ((Deck 7, Crew Quarters)) ::A shared room didn’t give a lot of space for personal effects, in fact the small shelf above the bunk consisted of that space unless agreement was made with either your bunk mate and or the other two in regards of lounge area. Kurt had few personnel effects that he put on show, his Marine Sabre he fixed to the bulkhead he had been allowed to keep it despite the manner of his movement so it took its rightful place next to him. The only other item was one of his old dancing shoes, his left one the other shoe was at home on the mantel piece placed there by his mother so he would always know where to come home to, dust free and polished as much as old leather could be it was the only other piece to be displayed:: ::Of the rest only his Corp uniform remained in his sea bad, along with his growing weapon collection the duffel held his rosewood boxes containing his awards. He hadn’t opened them since he had received them, yes the boxes were dusted and kept shiny but the contents hadn’t been touched:: Logan oO No doubt that will come up sometime with Sindrana when I next have to have a conversation, although with her on a different ship that may thank fully take some time Oo ::Storing his bags in the under bunk space Kurt eyes drifted to the one different box in his duffel, a dull silver glasses case he wanted to put it straight back into the bag but his hands instead slowly opened it. As the top slowly hinged upwards Kurt willed the box to be empty to find nothing but a pair of dark glasses even though he knew it would be, he knew what he would find.. a dog tag. It laid there its chain underneath it the light shining from its surface highlighting the indented letters on its surface:: ::The dark corridor spotted with weapon hits to the bulkheads flickered in to and out of view as the lights spluttered with life, burnt wiring and insulation hung heavy in the air mixed with clinging smell of death. No matter how fast he ran it wouldn’t leave him it only became stronger the father he went, but he couldn’t stop he had to go faster always faster, faces appeared in from of him and just as quickly vanished. Lines of fire from energy weapons left lingering traces in his eyes as he moved orange lines joining the green criss-crossing the corridors in front of him:: Logan: …..no…… ::He had made a promise he couldn’t, no wouldn’t fail not for him but there was so many of them everywhere he turned raising stings of pain from him but he refused to fall to stop. There it was the barricade or what was left of it, yes he had reached it he’d made it now together they could.. a Phaser rifle lay on the ground a Phaser ll lay to its right, there were other weapons even if they were spent there had to be:: ::He saw the feet first then legs slowly he let his eyes climb, hands held weapons still ready to fight scorch marks on the uniform led upwards till Kurt looked him straight in the eyes..:: Logan: …NO… ::The throbbing in his left hand cut through the stings from elsewhere, different sharper looking down he saw his clenched fist but he had been holding something hadn’t he…yes..YES he had been before the corridor, something in his hand. Forcing his hand to open his breath coming shallow and sharp, at first it refused to obey the stings becoming stronger but slowly it obeyed him, slowly it opened revealing what was inside. Focusing hard the Dog Tag came into view shinning in the darkness no not darkness it was light, light and clean and safe, safe. Darkness evaporated round him revealing the bunk room on the Atlantis his left hand aching where the edges of the Tag had dug into his hand, dampness clung to him a run of sweat traced his spine as he stood there. Placing the Tag back in the case a shaking hand placed it back into the duffel his voice cracking:: Logan: It’s been a long day my friend, I’ll see you soon at the end of it ::Securing the last of his belongings the bathroom became a sanctuary, the sonic shower a comfortable cloak bringing the world back into focus. Stepping back out into the bunk room the mirror checked his dress, clean sharp standing tall, room squared away officer squared away, locking the door as he exited Kurt headed down the corridor to his next port of call on his new ship:: Ensign Kurt Logan – Security/Tactical Officer USS Atlantis, NCC-74682 Andaris Task Force E239203KL0
  22. ((First Officer’s Quarters, Deck 2 -- USS Za))::Trellis sat at the desk in his quarters, subspace communicator at the ready. He was excited to have his weekly conversation with Zaina. He had a lot to talk to her about. This last mission had been quite emotionally, physically and psychologically draining. He needed the Risian’s good spirits and happy face to help cheer him up. A good glass of wine or three wouldn’t be a bad thing, either. For the moment, though, he’d willingly accept Zaina’s beaming face. He was sure she had a lot to talk to him about, too. ::He hit the call button and waiting patiently for the relays to connect. While waiting he looked over at the chess set on the table in the corner. It was his move in his correspondence game and he was analyzing his options. Another board was on another section of the table. That was for his regular games with Kaitlyn and other members of the crew. Finally, after what seemed like minutes, he saw the blonde hair of his long-distance girlfriend appear. He grinned when he saw her.:: Vondaryan: Hello! Am I glad to see you! Zaina: Trellis! ::She beamed:: It’s so good to see you! ::It really was. The Academy had been everything she had hoped, and at the same time so much more than she had expected. It was certainly exhausting, and with her term finally complete she was enjoying some down time at her brothers beach house, sitting on the deck and enjoying the warm sun of Little Risa while Antero and the rest of the stations senior staff were off saving the universe. Or whatever it was they were up to, it was slightly above the cadets clearance level. Thankfully the massive Pina Colada next to her was working wonders to help her not worry about it. Now she had something even better though, losing herself in those dreamy blue eyes. She only wished she could wrap herself up in his arms and take in his scent.:: ::He sniffed the tea he held up to his nose as she spoke. It was aromatic, with a hint of orange spice and moba fruit. It was an intriguing mix which he had to admit he rather liked.:: Vondaryan: How was your first full term at the Academy? Have you got your finals results back yet? Zaina: Yeah! I did alright. The basic engineering classes were a lot of fun, but some of the other core classes like TAC110 didn’t go all that well…::She deflated a bit, averting her gaze:: Thankfully the phasers all default to stun, so the instructor ended up being fine... Vondaryan: ::he chuckled:: That wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear, actually. But good to hear nonetheless. Zaina: Oh ::She slumped her cheek into her hand.:: and History of the Federation? Ugh, way too many Stardates to remember. Vondaryan: I was being serious about getting the answer keys for you. ::he tapped a few buttons on the display:: It wouldn’t be much of a problem and you would have lots of extra time for other activities. Zaina: ::She giggled:: Great idea until I get caught. Only one of us is smooth enough to be a master spy. ::She stuck out her tongue with a little smirk.:: Besides, I’ve managed to get by so far. I even joined a casual volleyball league. Vondaryan: ::he raised his eyebrows:: You have been busy. I hadn’t realized. Zaina: Yeah, but I like it. It’s better than being stuck working at the family resort my whole life. People here see as more than just a person to give their drink order. ::She gave him a happy smile.:: It’s nice. Vondaryan: How’d your brother take the news? ::Trellis had fond memories of Antero Flynn. They both had a love of fun and drinking, among other things. It was amazing how similar Vissians and Risians were. Probably why he really liked Flynn’s sister.:: Zaina: Antero didn’t really take the news well, but he came around. Once he accepted it he showed me a lot of support. ::Shrug:: Plus I guess he realized I would be getting a lot of the same outcast treatment that he got for joining. Vondaryan: ::he chuckled:: I’m sure you get much better treatment. ::he smirked:: After all, you’re WAAY cuter than he is. Zaina: Your sweet. ::A gentle smile.:: But i’m sure we have MUCH more interesting things to talk about. By which I mean you. ::A playful smirk:: How are your adventures in deep space? Been staying out of trouble I hope. ::He frowned. While technically true that he hadn’t been in trouble -- thankfully he’d remained parasite free throughout -- the last mission had been tough nonetheless. He didn’t especially want to talk about it at the moment so took a sip of his tea instead.:: Vondaryan: I don’t get in trouble… But it has a habit of following me around. ::he snorted:: Just another day in the life of a Starfleet officer, really. Zaina: Sounds like that’s something I’ll have to get used to when I graduate. ::She sat up as she took a sip from her iced beverage..::What’s it like being a first officer? Are your quarters nice? Vondaryan: ::he tilted his head:: Oddly, quite similar to being an intelligence officer. Lots of paperwork, sifting through reports and gathering the right information for the right situation. ::he chuckled:: Though this time I get to be more open about it. ::he smiled:: My quarters are about the same size as back on Ops. Lots of chess sets around and even a small workspace for my engineering projects. Zaina: I bet your bed is huge. ::She gave him a devious grin.:: Have someone to help you keep it warm? ::He blinked at his girlfriend. Why would she be asking such a thing? Before he had left Ops they’d agreed to continue their relationship long-distance. Did she suspect something different? Why would she think that?:: Vondaryan: ::he blinked again:: Um, no. I’ve actually been quite lonely without you here. ::Her heart broke a little at his expression. It wasn't a feeling of guilt, but of familiarity. From the moment the pair met the chemistry between them was obvious. Their relationship blossomed into something beautiful, and while their time together was rather short lived, being with him made her heart soar. Once he was reassigned though, she was filled with a very different feeling. The kind of feeling that was so obvious to her friends like Theo, Mirra and Aitas that she had been dragged out of the beach house more than once. Her eyes wandered to the damaged exocomp unit that he had bought for her at the Curious Bauble. It was a project that she was thrilled to undertake with her new sweetheart, but with his departure it she couldn't bring herself to work on it without it being a reminder of his absence. As it turned out, long distance was hard...:: Zaina: Trellis…::She left out a soft little sigh, wishing she could hold her hand to the side of his face as she gazed into those brilliant blues..:: I’ve been lonely too. I just feel like maybe we need to go easier on ourselves. Vondaryan: What did you have in mind? Zaina: I want us to embrace the time we had together, and the time yet to come. But maybe the time in between we shouldn’t close ourselves off to the comfort of others? I just don’t know if pining for each other all the time is doing us any favors.. ::Well. That was unexpected. Not entirely unprecedented in either of their cultures, necessarily, but unexpected.:: Vondaryan: ::smirking playfully:: Does this mean you’ve got someone in mind at the Academy? Zaina: Well, not really…::She matched his smirk.:: Would you really want to know if I did? ::He pursed his lips, considering. He was still a little shocked at her proposal, truth be told. He had grown to like and perhaps even love her in the short time they were together. While he wasn’t typically a jealous person, did he really want to hear about his girlfriend’s love life outside of him? He thought better of it.:: Vondaryan: ::he chuckled:: No, probably best I don’t. I don’t have anyone on the Za in mind, but I haven’t been looking, either. ::he sighed:: It does make sense, though. I believe there’s an old Earth saying: ‘What happens on Vega stays on Vega.’ ::he shrugged:: So I guess we’ll consider this our time on Vega, until we see each other again. Zaina: ::Grinning:: Well rest assured, there isn’t anyone on Ops half as handsome or clever as my trelly bear. Vondaryan: Trelly bear? ::he raised his eyebrows in surprise:: Zaina: ::A mock frown.:: What? All healthy couples must have lovey dovey nicknames that they embarrass each other with. ::She gave a serious nod.:: It’s a fact. Vondaryan: ::he chuckled again:: Oh, well then by all means, let’s get nicknames. I am, after all, a fan of facts. ::he tilted his head:: Just not ‘Trelly bear,’ okay? Zaina: ::She giggled.:: Well I did say embarrass each other. Besides, you can pay me back with my own little nickname. Vondaryan: How about Zay-zay? Or Zany? ::he pursed his lips:: No, too plain. Zaney poo? ::He gave a sour face. Even he didn’t like that.:: Zaina: Well I do tend to be a bit Zaney, ::She scrunched her nose.:: but maybe a version with less poo in it. Vondaryan: Well, I’m open to suggestions. Zaina: Hey, I can’t pick my own! ::She grinned:: You just gotta use that officer thinking and come up with something. Vondaryan: I’ve never had to give anyone a lovey dovey nickname before. This is new to me. ::he grinned:: It’s a good thing I like new experiences, then, isn’t it my Zanthi fever. ::he shook his head.:: No, that’s not good at all, is it. ::Sometimes he was too literal and linear for his own good. He was really struggling with this nickname issue.:: ::She let out an amused laugh which relaxed its way into an expression that portrayed her deep affection for the man. She met his eyes, as best she could through a subspace feed.:: Zaina: You are way too far away. ::She shot him a little pout.:: I miss you. ::He sighed. She had a point. Sometimes he regretted his new posting. Those times were few and far between, but sometimes. Usually when he was alone in bed or talking to Zaina. Still, the fact that they could speak was great. They’d be back together soon, too, he hoped. The years would be gone before he knew it and he’d be back with Zaina.:: Vondaryan: I miss you too. ::he kissed his fingers then put them to the screen. It was the best he could do for now.:: -- Zaina Flynn Engineering Cadet Starbase 118 As simmed by: Lieutenant Commander Antero Flynn Chief Helm Officer Starbase 118 Ops C239205AF0 and Lieutenant Commander Trellis Vondaryan First Officer USS Za O239208TV0
  23. (( Deep Space 26, Level 4, Conference Room 1 )) :: Jalana turned and headed off to find the reptile again. Okay that was not really hard, he was really tall. She knew a couple of reptile species, and she could keep them apart if she cut them open and looked at their organs, but she had the slight suspicion that he wouldn't like that. Once her curiosity was peaked she wouldn't stop though. Jalana headed right for the mass of white fabric and as she stood in front of him, she realized that she really was too small. Either she'd have to look up so far that she'd fall on her butt or he had to bend forward and step on the ... tunic. Yes that was a good word. So Jalana did what Jalana did. She pulled up a chair and climbed on it, being above everyone else for the second time, but at about the same eye level as the reptile. She reached out and tapped his arm, chuckling to herself as she realized that she continued the circle. :: ::With a deep nod and a smile of respect, the fifty-three year old Ferentis turned, sauntering deeper into the party. As he observed officers and crew below him, he wondered if that had been right. If Starfleet was based on anything, it was truth. Truth to oneself, to one’s organization, in all matters, whether they were scientific, or historical, or personal. And though he subscribed to this idealistic… naive… charming… fragile view of the universe, he still told a white lie once in a blue moon. Come, now- what being had six stomachs? But in all seriousness… was he not in error? In his time before Starfleet, for all those years, lying had been a skill, and like all skills, it had required constant practice to maintain. Deep space was a dangerous place. If one didn’t know how to obscure the truth, it was unlikely one could survive. But that past was behind him. Wasn’t it?:: Rajel: Pardon me. ::Several things struck him at once. First and foremost, it wasn’t many people who could sneak up on him, even if he was brooding. Excellent hearing afforded him an advantage few species could match. And yet, the owner of this effeminate voice had managed to do just that.:: ::The second thing that struck him was how she sounded. Specifically, where the sound was coming from. Rather than emanating from somewhere below him, as most noises did, this (rather pleasant) anomaly of noise seemed to be entering his ear directly, almost as if the speaker were at his height level. Highly intrigued, he turned.:: ::To his abject astonishment, he didn’t need to bend down to see who had spoken to him. She- an exceptionally pretty young Trill with hair that would have made the sands of Vulcan look pale- stared into his eyes, instead of craning her neck upwards. This was something he almost never experienced outside the comfort of his home planet. Few other species could compare to the sheer size of Ferentis’ people, and this individual did not appear to be a member of any of those races.:: ::He cleared his throat, and his reply came out in a rich baritone.:: Ferentis: ::Taken aback, but hiding it with the practice and charm of an old gentleman.:: Yes? :: Oh that Bariton. Unless the women on their planet spoke that deep, she assumed it to be a he. :: Rajel: ::Jalana raised a hand and wiggled her fingers as she looked at him with a big smile.:: Hi! I'm Jalana and you are? Ferentis: oO Confused, that’s what I am. Oo ::What was the explanation? Had his spotted superior suffered a particularly egregious growth spurt while a child? Did her culture find value in exceptionally tall heels? Another miserable possibility crossed his mind. Had he begun to sink through the floor? Someone might have laughed at the mention of such a preposterous occurrence, until Ferentis gave them one of his rare, “Do not interfere in the affairs of Pahkwa’thanh, for thou art crunchy and go well with brie” looks.” Because it had happened. As far as he knew, the poor maintenance crew aboard the El Corazon had yet to totally smooth out the warped deck plating from Ferentis’ first steps aboard.:: ::But such a kind face deserved a genuine answer, regardless of intention or position. Ferentis: I am Ensign Ferentis, at your service. ::Bowing humbly.:: Rajel: Such a pleasure. ::She looked at the outfit he was wearing a little more up close now and leaned forward.:: Lovely embroidery. Who made it? ::She just had to bring up the embroidery. She couldn’t have let it go. Not that he was entirely embarrassed about it, but still.:: Ferentis: That would be me, ma’am. ::Taking on a more informal tone.:: What do you think? ::Wizened eyes glittering with contained mirth.:: Rajel: ::She raised her eyes to his.:: Really? A little improvement here and there, but good. ::She paused and blushed.:: I'm so sorry. One of my former hosts was a fashion designer, she liked to poke her head out every now and then. :: Pause :: Actually I wanted to meet you to find out which reptilian species you belong to... that was too direct, wasn't it? :: She smiled apologetic.:: ::Poor Jalana. Ferentis was certain that she meant no offense- the sincere apologies made that clear. But besides their fearsome appearances, and even fiercer appetites, the one thing Pakhwa’thanh were known for was their manners. Even when insulting someone- a rarity in their culture- it was done politely. He used every bit of willpower he had- quite a considerable force- to keep absolutely nothing from showing on his face. His surprise, his mild annoyance, his far more considerable amusement- nothing pierced that rock solid visage.:: Ferentis: oO You could always eat her. ::Pause.:: No, too predictable. Oo Ferentis: ::Smiling kindly.:: It’s quite alright. I am a Pahkwa’thanh, hailing from Dupwa’thuv, Deena Sector, Beta Quadrant. And if I might observe, you are a...Trill? Ferentis: oO Which still doesn’t explain… Oo ::The lizard glanced down, and only then did he realize that the captain was standing upon a chair. He wasn’t sinking, and she wasn’t insanely tall. Just resourceful and quite precocious, in his elderly opinion. He liked her.:: ::He’d put Jalana’s momentary spontaneity behind him. Obviously, she was a vivacious individual, one who took hold of life and apologized rather than ask permission. It was a rather unusual trait for the Pakhwa’thanh, but one that was not entirely unprecedented in his time in space. On Dupwa’thuv, such a mentality might make a person particularly ostracised from the public. He’d lived long enough to learn how to forgive and forget. Most things, at least.:: :: He smiled, or so Jalana thought. Reading reptilian faces was sometimes a challenge. She had been able to practice just a little on the Gorn features of Nugra before his passing. But she had never met one of Ferentis' kind. At least she thought so. :: :: These names tied a knot into her brain in the first moment. But as a doctor, she had heard a lot of difficult words and had memorized them. She'd just have to hear it a few times and she'd be fine. She was also quite sure that she'd never heard about that species and in her long life that was a pleasant surprise. .oO Meeting a new species - Check Oo. A bright smile spread from her lips to her sparkling green eyes. :: Rajel: That is correct. I am a Trill, hailing from Trill, Trill Sector, Alpha Quadrant. ::She just couldn't stop smiling, it was so exciting to meet new people, especially new species in their own Fleet. :: I would just _love_ to learn more about the Pahkwa..uh.. Ferentis: Pakha’thanh. ::He was used to people butchering his name, the name of his species, and the location of his planet. When he’d been younger it had been a cause for great annoyance. Nowadays, he simply accepted it with as much poise and grace as his elderly status afforded.:: Rajel: Yes, thank you Pahkwa'thanh. If you ever have some time and we are not at a party, maybe we can have a chat if you like. And if you want to know anything about Trills we can make an exchange. ::There was that perky grin again.:: What do you think? ::Never before had anyone of so lofty a rank been so...friendly to him. His Academy instructors saw him as another student at best, and a rather terrifying threat at worst. To see a captain of so distinguished a position and so kind a manner was exceptionally new to him. Her green eyes glittered like a thousand emerald gems in the Vulcan sun. Red hair, freckled features...by any standard she was beautiful.:: ::Had he not learned early in life to hide that which he did not want to make public, he would have jolted himself awfully. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Had he been?...no. But had he? Could he? He was a reptile, for god’s sake! Never before had anything like that happened. Was his absence from his home causing him to feel like this? It had been decades since his return- perhaps this was simply a side effect.:: ::It wasn’t appropriate, by any stretch of the imagination. And he would not allow a simple imbalance of hormones to destroy what was fast becoming a tight friendship.:: Ferentis: I would enjoy that very much indeed. :: She couldn't help but bounce and clap in her hand before she blushed and reminded herself that she wasn't 12. She cleared her throat and put her hands behind her back. :: ::Her reaction could only be described as childish. But not in a bad or demeaning way. It was absolutely adorable to his half-century old eyes. It was something that he had not seen in years. A child’s laughing, cheerful, wondrous eyes. Not to say she was a child- by no means. But she had a life about her that he hadn’t been privy to for years. He cherished it.:: Rajel: Pardon me. What I meant was that I'm looking forward to it. ::She paused, remembering something else.:: Oh and if you are ever looking for a new garb, feel free to send me a holo image, I know two people who would love the challenge. ::He grinned his toothy grin.:: Ferentis: Nothing would please me more. ::Pause:: By chance, who are the people you speak of? Rajel: Well me for one, and Georgio. Our sentient emergency holographic hairdresser, but he also is a fashion diva with some great sewing and .oO What's the right word here? Oo. unique design skills. ::A sentient...holographic...hairdresser. Those words simply didn’t go together often, and Ferentis took a few moments to allow his large brain to chew through their meaning. What poor soul had been so devoid of duty so as to have time to put someone like that together?:: Ferentis: It sounds like there is a story in there somewhere. ::Suddenly, her attention was diverted away from Ferentis for just a brief moment. It was a moment he understood well. It was the sign that things were coming to an end.:: :: Jalana noticed that Maxwell walked away from the group, that was the sign that he'd disconnect the link between Conny and this place very soon. She gave him a quick nod and looked back to Ferentis. :: Rajel: I hate to cut this short, but it is time for me to leave. If you would excuse me, please? It was a real pleasure, Ferentis. ::Despite his happy smile, he felt a rather grievous pain inside. He knew it would be some time before he spoke to this most strange captain again.:: Ferentis: Believe me, captain- the pleasure was entirely mine. :: She grinned at him and with a slight bounce jumped off the chair. :: ::As he watched the excitable captain depart, he wondered what would become of him, he in the service of this idealistic little smattering of planets. The faintest stirring within him told him that the leathery old heart of his was beginning to stir again, despite his intention to keep it otherwise. If a part the heart dies, it’s best to leave it as is. That was his thought process, until now at least. One thing was clear; he would see her again, and he would always care about her.:: ::And he doubted he’d ever forgive her for that.:: ::Smiling a sad little smile to himself, he lumbered off. He needed another drink.:: ::Or twenty.:: ---- PNPC Ensign Ferentis Engineer USS El Corazon NCC 74220 as simmed by Lieutenant Randal Shayne Helmsman USS Atlantis NCC 74682 G239202RS0 & Captain Jalana Rajel Commanding Officer USS Constitution B Image Team Facilitator A238906JL0
  24. ((Tallesin Forest-Devi Providence, Til'ahn))::Tyr and Toni materialized at the foot of a large forest. In spite of all the time he'd spent on Til'ahn, he had never really studied the geography, except to plan for tactical situations like a ground or air attack. Now, he fully appreciated the beauty of the planet he'd called home. The forest was composed of enormously tall trees, taller than the ones on Ba'ku, although he wondered if part of that was due to the regeneration of the cells in the trees. They were ever-young on Ba'ku, but the trees here seemed ancient by comparison. Time had scarred and bent them, leaving markers that bore witness to the passage of the years. He took a deep breath of the natural air, catching the scents of the forest and the creatures within. A deep contentment filled him -he was in his element. Turning a Ba'ku loose in a forest was like turning a child loose in a candy shop. His energy spiked, his interest became keen in everything around him, and his senses seemed to magnify.::Turner: :: Hugging him, smiling:: Alone at last. . .Waltas: :: Closing his eyes:: I'll give it ten minutes before someone contacts us or Hannibal tracks us down.Turner: :: Frowning:: Do you think I'm a dummy? I made sure that the transporter engineer had good cause to be discreet.Waltas: :: Smiling:: Good. I think that extra week of shore leave I gave him might have helped too.Turner: ::slipping her backpack onto her shoulders:: It will be dark in a few hours, so we best get started and find a place to make camp.Waltas: :: Nodding, looking into the forest:: There's a clearing about a kilometer away judging from the tree dispersal. :: Kneeling:: The ground has a steady downward slope. We'll probably run into a stream or small lake near the clearing. :: He paused, looking at her expression:: What?:: Toni had a flashback of her teen years, watching her father read the signs that the landscape provided. As a guide in the lower portion of the Appalachian Mountains, (Georgia and the Carolinas) he had taught her everything she knew about survival, and he'd always said that those skills would come in handy some day. And now, somehow, his words now had a clarity she could not deny. Turner: Nothing, you just reminded me of someone when you did that.Waltas: Ba'ku are natural rangers. What I can't see I can smell, and what I can't smell I'll either hear or track. Didn't you know you married an elf?:: Immediately she envisioned the stereotyped short little man with pointy ears, nothing like the tall, well-built man that she married. Turner: :: chuckling:: You must have had one helluva growth spurt somewhere along the way.Waltas: :: He leaned in and kissed her:: I'll warn you..in an environment like this other aspect of our physiology are enhanced as well. :: He winked::Turner: :: smiling teasingly:: Oh? Really? That'll be a nice enhancement for a delayed honeymoon.Waltas: :: Moving forward, speaking over his shoulder and chuckling:: I was talking about strength and hearing, but it's interesting that's where your mind went. :: Grinning he quickly moved out of range before he was smacked:::: She ran to catch up with him, swinging her fist at him, but missed. :: Turner: :: laughing:: Okay big boy, sooner or later, you'll pay for that one.:: They journeyed through the forest, with the light of the two suns playing through the branches of the trees. It was peaceful, and they found themselves walking not for speed but for enjoyment, slowing their pace, meandering, arm in arm and very much in love. It was beyond peaceful-beyond anything they'd hoped for - just hoping it would last. They were both Starfleet officers, and knew that duty had a way of poking its head in personal affairs at the most inconvenient of times. He'd taken no weapons with him, relying on Hannibal and the crew to protect them but at the same time to stay out of sight.:::: Holding hands, they journeyed a little over a kilometer before the forest thinned a bit, revealing a small clearing and a large, crystal-blue lake nearby. A waterfall could be heard cascading downward nearby, and there were fish swimming in the water. Birds chirped in the trees and seemed to greet them, and a few land animals similar to squirrels chittered angrily at them from the branches above on their invasion.::Waltas: This looks like a good spot to me.Turner: :: pleased with his choice:: It's perfect. :: searching for a better word to describe it.:: Magical.Waltas: I hear a waterfall nearby. Want to join me?Turner: I'd love to.:: They were both a little warm from their journey and the volleyball game earlier, and the thought of a mountain waterfall shower was enticing. Tyr led the way, letting his ears guide him, and the source of the lake's water was soon revealed an enormous waterfall cascaded down from high above a rocky outcropping. Tyr took no time in stripping off his shirt and shorts.::Waltas: You coming with?Turner: Great joy? :: already stripped, she took his hand:: If you're waiting on me, you're backing up.:: They raced together and splashed into the end of the lake, moving to the waterfall. The water was cool but not overly cold and was intensely refreshing as it washed over his body. He turned to watch Toni for a moment, admiring her form and her grace -it was like a scene from a movie - the ones that always ended happily. He grew quiet, stepped toward her, wrapping his arms around her.::Waltas: I love you.Turner: :: whispering:: My feelings for you are mutual.:: He kissed her softly, then the kiss deepened.::
  25. ((USS Magnus Hirschfield, [...]pit - En Route to the Typhon Expanse)) Allison: Captain...Chang acknowledges our message, says "good hunting", Captain.... Pavlova: Oh yay, tell Sammy Spook I said high. Jorey: Well, hopefully it won't come to that. Our plan is just to head into the expanse and test the TSD at impulse and warp speeds. How long until we reach the expanse? :: Kamela checked her instruments one more time:: Allison: Three hours, twenty three minutes until we reach the outer boundary... Jorey: Well then, ::Brayden said standing up from his chair.:: we definitely have some time. Commander Oddas, Major Pavlova. Please, join me in the lounge. ::While Oddas, Pavlova, and Jorey went to the back of the runabout, that left Kamela alone at the helm, with T'Lea and the Laudean scientist Nia. Making a slight course correction, Kamela now had the runabout on the most direct course to the Typhon Expanse. She was barely paying attention to the conversation going on behind her between T'Lea and Nia...there was something about the Laudeans' voice...Kamela wasn't sure what it was, but...there was something there, but she just wasn't sure about it. Once the two had finished their conversation, unwanted company settled down in the seat next to her...T'Lea. It wasn't in her plans to talk to the woman, especially now. The cloud that has been hanging over them since the night T'Lea and Hannibal got drunk together was about to clear:: T’Lea: Is it business or personal? :: Coyly, Kamela responded:: Allison: Exactly...what are you referring to? T’Lea: Your hatred for me? Just curious where you are coming from? ::There it was, out in the open. Knowing she could quickly stab the woman in the throat, she thought better of it. She was a Starfleet officer, and besides, being away from Hannibal and Ryland was something she did not wish to do. Turning to face T'Lea, fire flashing in her eyes, she spoke:: Allison: I have nothing against your skills as a Starfleet officer..and you better believe it's personal... T'Lea: This is in reference to mine and Hannibal’s indiscretion with alcohol? :: At best, she respected T'Lea's straight forward approach. It was also one of the reasons she disliked her. She had not realized that she had clenched her fists until she felt her fingernails digging into her palms:: Allison: Yes, it's about that night. It's not about what happened, it's about what could have happened.... T'Lea: You don’t honestly believe that- Allison: Hannibal is many things, T'Lea. Violent, barbaric according to some, brash, occasionally arrogant. Much like yourself. It's a reputation well earned. He wouldn't hesitate to protect you, your family, this crew from anything or anyone who might threaten it. He's also honorable, loyal, kind, a great father, and thoughtful. Also well earned. T'Lea: You just affirmed your trust in him. There should be no issue. Allison: The problem is...the two of you together are like dynamite and matches. Kindred spirits. I know way too much about you to think otherwise. I've lured him away from much prettier women than you, but you have that something extra. You two feed off each other in certain circumstances, like drinking in the holodeck and wrecking the place. I trust him to not step over the line, although by his nature he can and has gotten pretty close, but he knows when to say when. The question is...do you? ::Kamela had no doubt of Hannibals' fidelity..the man was an Alpha in all sense of the word, but she possessed the one thing no one else could ever get..his heart, a fact she had proven over the years she had known the massive Marine. Kamela was good at reading people, and she was quite certain of the answer she would be getting...and knowing T'Lea, it would possibly open up another avenue of mayhem:: T'Lea: You think me a threat? That I am some amton'wi-kha nvaihr that wrecks marriages? You’re out of your frelling mind. I have no designs for your husband. I do not covet him, and I am not secretly plotting against you. :: she got up:: My marriage may be in question, but believe me yours is safe and sound. Enjoy it. :: There it was. Behind the bravado, Kamela saw pain, pain she was not expecting to find. T'Lea could indeed be hurt, and the woman had just revealed her weakness to her. There was more here than meets the eye, and although if T'Lea was a suspect, she would have dug deeper. It still didn't change the overall picture...Hannibal and T'Lea were indeed dangerous together, but not in the way of the two being intimate. She was satisfied with her answer, but she was not about to let her know that. Refusing to give her the high ground, Kamela also stood up as T'Lea fired her parting shot:: T’Lea: If it makes you feel better I’ll avoid any further interactions with your husband. Allison: That will be impossible, T'Lea.:: Her voice low so only T'Lea could hear her:: Three things...one...the day will come when the two of you will have to work together at the behest of SFI. Two...I know who you were...and who you are now...and three...I know who your mother is.::smiling:: Glad we could clear all this up, it's been a long time coming::inclining her head towards the back of the runabout:: You may go now... :: Kamela watched as T'Lea made her way back to the aft lounge. One thing was certain...there was no danger of T'Lea seducing Hannibal, or even attempting to. She had learned something important about her, that her marriage with Della was having problems, and she now knew that Kamela had access to her whole sordid history before she joined Starfleet. There was nothing she would ever do with the information...T'Lea was a good Starfleet officer, with no issue of divided loyalties. She felt for her, in the way only a woman would...certainly, the distance had to be a factor, but there was something else there, but in Kamela's mind, it was up to them to work it out. The two women had one thing in common...they were both mothers and there was no doubt in her mind that T'Lea loved her children as much as she loved Ryland. Kamela may appear to be an ice queen, but T'Lea would not feel her wrath...at least, not now. She her another axe to grind with Della concerning her allowing the Romulan assassin who almost killed Hannibal several years ago to go free. That was another day, another fight, she thought as she settled down back at the controls:: TAG/TBC PNPC Lt. Commander Kamela Allison-Parker Operative- Starfleet Intelligence/Helm Officer USS Thunder-A/ Duronis II Embassy As simmed by: Major Hannibal Tiberious Parker Marine CO USS Thunder-A/ Duronis II Embassy C238703HP0
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