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  1. Guest

    Round 6 LtCmdr Solok - Active Duty

    ((Main Operations, USS Drake)) ::The first place Solok had had to go was the brig. Apparently, his feats of transporter excellence earlier had not been as wholly excellent as they had first seemed. From the reports, the brig visual recording, the internal sensor record, and the large stain on the wall, Solok was able fairly quickly to assess the nature of the damage done by the transporter accident.:: ::The greater difficulty had appeared in determining whether the accident was the result of null space physics, chance, something the Udukiin had done to interfere with the Drake's transporter -- or a problem with the transporter, which would transfer the investigation from his desk to Pandora's. Or operator error, which would likewise transfer the investigation, but not to Engineering: to Security.:: ::Solok had settled for leaving it to the Chief Engineer's capable work crews to determine whether further inquiry -- into the transporters, or into Solok's performance as transporter operator -- was warranted. He was confident, naturally, as Vulcans often are, that he had done no wrong.:: ::Having finished assessing the transporter systems, Solok traveled directly to Cargo Bay 1, just down the corridor from his office. A series of tricorder scans -- as well as a rather significant pile of animal waste -- confirmed his findings in the transporter log: someone had made an unauthorized transport from the planet in null space, just before they were thrust back into normal space, then attempted to hide the record of the transport in the log. The transporter signature indicated whatever had been living here was only recently transported off the Drake. Further scans revealed bioevidence of two humanoids in the Cargo Bay. DNA scans seemed to indicate they were Weston and Reed.:: Solok: Fascinating. ::He summarized his findings, and forwarded the report from his PADD to the Security office. He also left a brief note for Rogers, telling him what he had found. Leaving the Cargo Bay, he took the few steps necessary to get to Main Operations, then strode through the doors and headed directly for his office:: ::Although the rest of the vessel -- with the very likely exception of Engineering -- was rather inactive, owing to the beginning of shore leave, Operations was abuzz with activity. As was often said of Medical, in Engineering and Ops, the work often began when the mission had ended for everyone else. Solok had not been seated at his desk longer than 15.003 minutes when Traukarrt, his Gorn yeoman, deposited a report from Shuttlecraft Control on his desk. The Vulcan read it through once quickly, then began filing the necessary reports.:: ::As he did so, he activated the second and third computer monitors he had requested for his own use in Operations. On one, he called up the roster of crew being assigned to or reassigned from the Drake. Quarters would need to be assigned, pending security clearances and medical examinations. Should Rogers promote any of the junior officers to Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander, they'd need to be resituated among the senior officers, as well. He saw open quarters for Brice and Shryker, and assigned them immediately. The other assignments would have to wait on the customary awards and promotions ceremony/party.:: ::Except for one. The Gorn smuggler, Krogg, was apparently remaining aboard. Rogers' orders to find their guest accommodations were, Solok figured, open to some interpretation. Solok identified an empty double compartment among the enlisted crew's quarters. Assuming no one would accept assignment as Krogg's roommate, Solok set aside the entire suite for the Gorn. He then sent yet another note to Security -- to Whale or whoever was now in charge of that department -- requesting the quarters be fitted for covert surveillance. Until they knew something more about this man, it would serve them well to keep an eye on him.:: ::On the third monitor, Solok called up the data from the computerized in-room "nanny," a feature that allowed parents -- and sickbay, and the Captain -- to monitor unattended children. Apparently, his quarters were empty.:: Solok: Computer, what is the location of civilian Sabek che'Solok? Computer: Sabek che'Solok is not aboard the Drake at the present time. oO Curious. Oo Solok: What is the location of Ensign Sakorra Jefferson Reed? Computer: Ensign Reed is not aboard the Drake at the present time. oO Curiouser. Oo ::A quick check of the transporter logs confirmed Solok's deduction, that his wife and son had beamed to the colony, no doubt in pursuit of "entertainment." He could feel something he might have called resentment -- if he understood emotions more fully -- through his telepathic bond with Sakorra. She seemed to want him to join her on leave. But there was work to be done, and Solok was the best Vulcan for the job.:: ::He rose, heading for the exit into the corridor outside Ops.:: Solok: Computer, what is the location of Ensign Arthok? Computer: Ensign Arthok is in sickbay. ::He headed for the turbolift. He would check on Arthok's condition -- he had not seen the Tamarian since Traukarrt escorted her from the bridge -- and then he had a personal matter to which to attend on the holodeck. Then, and only then, would he consider joining his family for what Starfleet called "rest and relaxation." Ironically, but not unvulcanly, Solok seldom found shore leave to be either.:: TBC ... === Lieutenant Commander Solok Chief Operations Officer USS Drake
  2. ((USS Mercury, Deck 25: Holodeck 3)) ::Shore leave had proved to be quite relaxing. Besides his after action report he hadn't done any work whatsoever but for Arden there was only one other indulgence that he craved before the Mercury's next adventure. Taking a trip down to Holodeck three and praying not to be interrupted this time Arden started another one of his rock climbing simulations.:: ::As the holodeck doors opened Arden found himself standing five meters from the rock wall he would be climbing. All around him was a lush tropical jungle, the sun was shining with a light breeze. All in all it was a prefect environment which would look even better from the top.:: :: A meter away sat a crate in which Arden found all the supplies he would need for this climb. Rolling up his sleeves and buckling his harness in place he gathered the other provisions testing the functionality of each. Even though this was a holodeck and his gear was fabricated fault free Arden checked anyway just as he had been taught. The motto of never make assumptions etched into his mind. Somehow that motto seemed all the more relevant since joining Star Fleet particularly with his chosen career path.:: :: By the time Arden reached the second of the three segments in the wall he almost wished he paid closer attention to the weather settings prior to starting. Having climbed above the canopy the breeze was still gentle but he could feel the heat more. A sweat coated Arden continued onward anyway. As he poked his head over the pinnacle of the wall onto a large open plateau. Usually Arden felt relieved at having completed the exercise but this time he was shocked to see Captain Tallis standing a couple meters away. Shaking it off and remembering that he was hanging by a rope a good two hundred meters off the ground, he swung his right leg up onto the plateau to allow him to quickly haul his body off the cliff face. Taking a couple steps away from the cliff he disconnected his safety ropes and approached the Captain, still confused despite Captain Tallis's expression of enjoyment.:: ::Tallis hadn't been able to make a trip down into the sensor module section of the ship for quite some time, and was pleased to have the opportunity. He was even more pleased to have the opportunity to do what he was about to do. A few stealthily deployed clearance codes allowed him access to the otherwise closed off holodeck in which Arden was running his climbing program. A few more codes allowed him to easily access the part of the program that needed to be accessed. He knew it would not be long before Cain made it to his location. Until then, he took the time to enjoy the heat and the jungle scenery. It was a far cry from the confines of sickbay.:: ::So it was that when the Science chief made it to the top of the rock face, his captain was waiting for him with a flask and a light lunch of subs filled with a selection of fillings. For a moment, Tallis was sure that Cain would fall back down the cliff in shock, and was glad that the safety protocols were active. Fortunately, the worst did not come to the worst, and Arden hauled himself up onto solid ground.:: ::Taking the flask offered to him Arden drunk deeply. Afterward he wiped the sweat from his face before addressing the Captain.:: Cain: Captain are you a.... Tallis: ::Laughing:: No, I'm real. And to answer your next question, this is the first time I've ever gatecrashed someone's holodeck time. In my defence, I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have something important to talk to you about. ::A formal air quickly descended on the proceedings, which Tallis hadn't quite been aiming for, but couldn't really be helped. As much as he tried, there really weren't very many ways to keep something like this casual.:: Cain: Yes Sir I'm afraid you'll have to forgive my appearance. What did you want to talk about Sir? Tallis: Well, to be honest, I'm thinking of appointing a new Chief of Science... ::To say that Arden didn't understand would have been an understatement. Arden knew the Captain well enough that he wasn't joking, definitely not having gatecrashed on his holodeck time. To his knowledge he had been doing a great job as the CSO and couldn't think of a reason to be replaced. Deciding the best thing to do would be to remain calm he asked the next logical question.:: Cain: May I ask why you are replacing me, Sir? I think I have done a pretty decent job thus far. Will I still be in the science department? ::The Bajoran smiled through Cain's inevitable concerns as he ploughed ahead, deliberately being vague, and knowing that Cain was about to get the shock of his life. In short, he was enjoying every minute.:: Tallis: Well in fairness, Arden, I don't think you'll have much time to spend there. Cain: I don't understand Sir. ::They had reached the point where Tallis's fun had to come to an end, and an offer needed to be made.:: Tallis: Commander Parker is moving into a more specialist role that should give us the edge we need out here in the Menthar Corridor. That means I need someone who's reliable, competent, respected by the crew, and a [...]ed good officer all round to step into the role of first officer. That would be you, if you're willing to accept a promotion? :: Now it become crystal clear why the Captain wanted to move Arden. Arden honestly felt idiotic. Not because he had expected the promotion but rather that he underestimated how much the Captain thought of him.:: Cain: I am honored Sir and I'm willing. I certainly have some big shoes to fill but I will do my best Captain. ::Rhul beamed as his wind-up unraveled into a realization of what was really going on. Arden was humble as ever, but that was one of the qualities that a great command candidate needed; it helped to keep in touch with the lowerdecksmen.:: Tallis: Your best will be more than good enough, Arden. Although come to think of it, Parker's feet are pretty big... ::he chuckled.:: Cain: I doubt that there are many who could actually fill his shoes. ::smiling:: Did you have any thoughts about the next chief of science Sir? Tallis: I think that Ba'Eli would make a good choice, given her enthusiasm for her change in departments. ::Arden had gone from shock and confusion to pride and excitement in the space of a few moments. The new position came with a lot of responsibility but that wasn't anything new. Even if Arden took a while adapting this time he knew he had support if he needed it. :: Cain: Thank you again Captain this definitely means alot to me. Tallis: You're more than welcome. I think you'll find yourself getting used to a red collar quicker than you might expect. You seem to have a knack for command. For now, though, help yourself to a sandwich. ::He glanced to the rock face towering behind him.:: I have a feeling you'll need it if you're going to make it to the summit... TBC A JP by Captain Tallis Rhul Commanding Officer USS Mercury NCC-99812 and Lieutenant Commander Arden Cain First Officer USS Mercury NCC-99812
  3. To catch us up, voting is for Rounds 2 - 4. One sim from each vote is qualified to move forward to the next round of judging. Voting closes at Midnight on 1 April 2012. This round of voting only qualifies one sim to move on to the next round of judging. REMEMBER: This is NOT a popularity contest. Vote based on MERIT, not the fact that someone is your crewmate. Any crews found "stuffing the ballots" or ratings, will be disqualified PERMANENTLY. Yes, that means the whole crew! Good luck one and all, Roo
  4. ((Jefferies Tube - Somewhere Between Decks 502 and 503)) ::It was odd, Janick found. Almost every time he'd been assigned a boring, monotonous task such as this previously in his career, he'd considered it a punishment for some wrong-doing he couldn't remember perpetrating. It seemed to him that he'd paid what dues were owed to Starfleet many times over, and in this - the thirty-eighth year of his existence - he deserved better. After the chaos and pandemonium of the last few days, however, it was the menial tasks he craved. Especially the ones stuck down Jefferies tubes, away from supposedly sentient life-forms, panic, destruction and fire. Most definitely fire. All of that was no doubt still occurring, somewhere on the station, but down here in his tube it seemed a thousand miles away.:: ::Out with the old sensor, in with the new one. Connect it up, test it. Rinse, repeat. Clearly an engineering job under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances and it was a fairly simple task. Besides, to be fair to the Lieutenant who'd accosted him, he was wearing the right colour uniform for it and not entirely doing a great deal else. If he wasn't doing this, no doubt fairy-hair would find him something worse, probably with more people. Gertz hadn't heard from 'her' in a while, he realised. He wasn't overly bothered by that.:: ::As he crawled along the tube to the next sensor array, Janick heard a noise up ahead. His first reaction was that of defensive jealousy. This was *his* tube. Whichever engineer thought otherwise could bloody well shove off to another one. His second thought was that of concerned curiosity. What if it was someone, or something, else? Cautiously he approached the bend in the tube, and peered around it. Immediately he retracted his head, and considered what he'd seen. A ferengi, in frankly disgustingly soiled attire, clutching a fabric bag. The back was wriggling. The ferengi, too, was wriggling. Gertz decided to stay where he was, for the time.:: Ferengi: Come to Lenk, me pretties. Come on, all o' ya. You's gonna make Lenk a rich ferengi, yes you is! If Lenk still had a family that could bear to be seen in public with 'im, yous could help Lenk provide fer 'em at last! ::There was a loud clanging, and a shrieking sound.:: Lenk: Oi! No biting Lenk! You's not so valuable that Lenk can't kill one or two of ya ta make a point! ::Janick crept around the corner, trying to steel himself against the smell of the... man? Just as Lenk reached forward for his prey, Gertz decided to announce his presence. The startled vermin (this could feasibly apply to both creatures I suppose but in this instance it applies solely to the ferengi's prey) shrieked and scurried away, causing Lenk to curse, and slam his gloved fist against the wall in annoyance. The ferengi rounded on him, and tried to assume as aggressive a pose as possible considering he was, by necessity, on his hands and knees.:: Lenk: Now look what you done! He was this close! ::The ferengi indicated an exaggeratedly small distance with his thumb and forefinger.:: I almost 'ad 'im, he'd have been me sixth today! Gertz: Your sixth what, exactly? ::Lenk grinned widely, revealing rotting teeth that even Lieutenant Brek would probably have found revolting, and proudly displayed the contents of his cloth bag - carefully - to the petty officer.:: Lenk: Fyra! They went and 'scaped from the labs when the power went. Valuable, they is, if you knows who wants 'em. ::Suddenly, Gertz knew what he'd happened upon. This was a chance, he realised. Unlike the comb-in-the-trashed-hotel-room incident while on shore leave (which due to what he now knew to be careless handling of the evidence had accidentally resulted in implicating nobody but himself), here was a real, actual criminal. He'd be a hero. Starfleet security would be clamouring to transfer him to their ranks. They might even commission him, if he was lucky.:: ::There was just one small problem. While there was no end of evidence of the act being committed, Gertz wasn't entirely sure it was a crime. His instinct (which was probably based more on class - not to mention racial - prejudice than actual experience) told him that it probably was, so in the heat of the moment that would suffice.:: Gertz: Mister, erm- Lenk, is it? ::The ferengi nodded, eagerly.:: Mister Lenk, you leave me no choice but to arrest you for the crime of... er... ::incoherent mumbling::. You are to be remanded in my custody, to be transferred into the welcoming embrace of a Starfleet Security holding cell at *my* convenience, whereby you will be prosecuted to the full extent of Federation Law. What have you have to say for yourself? ::Gertz grinned smugly. He'd never bothered to find out what you were supposed to say upon arresting a criminal, but assumed it would probably be something like that. Upon hearing it, said criminal would then be overcome with regret, remorse, fear or guilt - possibly all four at once - and submit themselves to his will. Lenk showed signs of being overcome with precisely none of those things.:: Lenk: ::Blankly:: ...what? Gertz: ::Gesturing, to help ease the apparent language barrier.:: I'm. Arresting. You. Lenk: ...why? Gertz: ::Mumbling:: Smuggling, theft, vagrancy, or something similar. ::More clearly:: Does it matter? I mean, look at you... ::He would have sniffed in disgust, if he didn't think the sudden odourous onslaught would kill him.:: Lenk: More's the point, look at *you*. No security officer wouldn't be crawlin' around with a bag of tech-stuff. What's that tick thing mean? ::After a moment of confusion, Janick realised the vagrant was referring to his rank insignia.:: Gertz: It means that I am Petty Officer Third Class Janick Gertz, of Starfleet. And you, as I believe I have mentioned, are in my custody. ::The ferengi smirked at him, and much to Gertz' annoyance, remained defiant.:: Lenk: It means you're a volunteer who they don't trust with no real jobs, who 'as to crawl 'round vents all day. And Lenk don't like custard. Gertz: ::Incensed.:: Listen here, I may have been unjustly held back in my career... Maybe I *do* have to crawl around vents all day - not actually true, incidentally. However, at least I'm permitted - nay, required - to do so! You, Mister Lenk, are neither. You are under arrest, whether you like it or not! I demand that you cease your oO possibly Oo illegal activities forthwith, and follow me to a detention cell! ::Gertz' smug grin returned, confident his weighty flourish of authority would have the desired affect. Still the vagabond refused to flinch. Gertz gritted his teeth.:: Lenk: If you wants to arrest me for doing nuffin' wrong, yous gonna have to go get a proper security man. Lenk knows 'ow the chain of command works, see. ::Pointing with a filthy fingerless-gloved hand:: *You* can't do nuffin' to Lenk. ::Gertz's eyes opened wide, and for a while he was uncharacteristically lost for words and knelt in the tube with his mouth agape. He stared at the man incredulously.:: Gertz: Chain... chain of command?! You, of all people?! If you don't bloody well get off your [...] right this second and follow me, I'll go and get the chain of command alright, sunshine. I'll get the bloody thing and beat you to within an inch of your loathesome, Lilliputian, little life, you putrid, pox-ridden, plebeian [...]ant! How dare you question the authority of a Starfleet officer?! Lenk: Non-commissioned Starfleet officer... Gertz: ::His face reddening with wrath:: I'll have you know, there are THREE crewmen below me, who report DIRECTLY TO ME. They're bloody useless, I can't find them half the time, and I don't even know one of their forenames, but they report to ME oO sometimes Oo! Which makes me significantly more important than the likes of you, you bloody filth-encrusted, foul-smelling, f-f-f-f- Lenk: Now, now, that sort o' language isn't really becomin' of such an important Starfleet officer, is it? ::What happened next was not Janick Gertz' finest hour. If there were a collection of Gertz' proudest moments in Starfleet, this would not even make the director's cut (and let's face it, we'd be struggling for content as it was). It also wasn't entirely Janick's doing. For several moments, as his fist began the lightning-quick journey towards the ferengi's foetid face Janick could not account for it's whereabouts. All he knew was, after impact, his hand hurt. But not half as much as the Ferengi's cheek. Were he a more violent man, or even were he still in his youth, he might have reflected upon this moment with an air of triumph and victory and remark that it was "a hell of a left hook". However, Janick Gertz was not a more violent man, and certainly was not still in his youth. So upon seeing the Ferengi's head bounce off the wall of the Jefferies tube, he collected his bag of sensors - both old and new mixed together in his haste - and crawled away from the scene. Very swiftly.:: oO He's not dead. Just sleeping. Just sleeping. He headbutted my fist, there was nothing I could do to stop it. Nothing at all. And even if there was, I wouldn't have. Shouldn't have been... doing that... crime thing. He was definitely doing crime, of some sort... Oo TBC! -------------------------- PO3 Janick Gertz Operations Lackey/Crime-fighting Superhero Starbase 118PO3 Janick Gertz - Hammer Of Justice Simmed by Necessity James
  5. (( Shuttlebay, USS Drake )) ::As the Drake sailed through the thalassic null space, mounting simultaneous rescue and demo operations, a shuttlecraft carrying the half-blind, barely conscious Didrik Stennes was tractored into the bay. Upon landing, a medical team boarded the craft and found the ensign strapped into the pilot's seat, head slumped onto his chest. Though his body was battered, bruised, and quite frankly, not getting any better, his mind was still functioning, and was grasping at ways to protect itself from the onslaught of stimuli his body was sending its way.:: (( Flashback/Dream – Tromsø, Norway, 2374 )) ::In Tromsø in October, each day was ten minutes shorter than the one before, so everything was a race against time. Workers rushed to get home before dusk–4:00pm; parents kept extra close watches on their young ones, who had a knack for rushing off into the freshly fallen snow; and teenagers' priorities shifted to make the most out of what little autumn remained. On this unseasonably warm October day, fourteen-year-old Didrik had skipped classes to spend the brief afternoon on the sea, or more accurately, the high-speed overland transport that crossed the Norwegian Sea, connecting Tromsø to the Faroes in just under an hour.:: ::It was 4:30pm by the time he snuck into the backdoor of his house in Tromsø; already nighttime. Moving quietly through the rooms, his covert actions were interrupted by a concerned female voice, though not one he could immediately pinpoint.:: VOICE: Didrik, where have you been? ::Didrik's eyes widened when he turned to the source of the voice. Standing before him was a young woman, dressed well beyond her years. The woman wasn't human, not in the slightest. From the ridges on her nose, he guessed perhaps a Bajoran, but she wasn't like any Bajoran he'd ever seen. She had purple-grey bones circling her dark eyes, and what looked like a spoon in the middle of her forehead. Didrik recognized her from somewhere, but at the same time, he didn't. Or rather, he recognized her as two different people, but wasn't sure which was right.:: ((OOC: Physically, it's Lt. Sinda, but embodying Didrik's mother Hera in this dream/flashback.)) STENNES: Uh, I stayed late after class today to help set up for the festival this weekend. I would have called but–– ::The strange woman cut him off, and beckoned him closer with her hand. Didrik approached, still trying to work out exactly who she was.:: SINDA/HERA: I need to tell you something, Didrik, something important. Your brothers and sisters already know; they were here when we got the news. ::Wait a second. Didrik had been here before. This was the day his mother told him…, but wait, something was different. She wasn't. Was Lt. Sinda his mother? It all made perfect sense, but didn't. Didrik's memory told him he should nod at this point, to encourage his mother, or possibly a Starfleet tactical officer, to continue.:: SINDA/HERA: Yesterday, the Dominion attacked Betazed. They've occupied it. ::Didrik remembered his stomach hitting the floor, a feeling that was dutifully recreated in this instance, even though he knew exactly what was happening. His father was on Betazed, reporting for the Federation News Service. He knew his father would come home eventually, and yet he was compelled to ask...:: STENNES: Is Far okay? ::Silence for too long after Didrik's question. The words were hard for her to say. Didrik was puzzled. Had Lt. Sinda known his father?:: SINDA/HERA: I don't know, Didrik. The Federation offices here haven't been able to contact Betazed since the day before yesterday. The news says that it wasn't a violent attack, but without anyone to confirm what happened, it's… ::Her voice trailed off. Didrik kept the rest of his questions to himself, and went up to his room. He logged into his computer terminal and began finding the answers on his own. How far was Betazed from Earth? Why wasn't the Tenth Fleet protecting the planet like they should have been? Why would the Dominion attack Betazed? Was it their first inroads into attacking Earth? In his adulthood, Didrik was a virtual encyclopedia on the topic of the Dominion War, but still used the bare-bones civilian SearchNets to find whatever information he could to re-answer these questions.:: (( Flashback/Dream — Starfleet Academy, Earth, Fall 2384 )) ::The lecture hall felt like it was 40˚C. To Didrik, the air felt still and stiflingly humid. But then again, he knew exactly the reason why. It was the first half of the Tuesday lecture period, what Lieutenant Commander Bevins called "Question Time." During Question Time, the Commander lobbed increasingly difficult engineering questions to the hall full of cadets, one at a time, chosen at random. Those who could answer the questions correctly earned their keep for the day. Those who couldn't would have to work twice as hard to catch up at the next lecture. Didrik dreaded Question Time, as he had yet to answer a single one correctly all semester. His nervous sweating and nail-biting didn't go unnoticed by Commander Bevins, who singled him out yet again.:: BEVINS: Cadet Stennes. ::Didrik jumped at the sound of his name, then stood to face his professor. But wait, this wasn't right either. Commander Bevins was an overweight, bald, greasy old man. Or was he? The professor at the center of the lecture hall was young, not even 30, Didrik would guess. He shook his sweaty head to clear the cobwebs. Was Commander Rogers his engineering professor at the Academy?:: ROGERS/BEVINS: ::clearing throat:: Cadet? Are you with us? STENNES: Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. ROGERS/BEVINS: Cadet, after a rough shuttlecraft landing that disables the craft's propulsion, what do you check first when performing repairs? ::The question was short, indicating the answer was easy. Didrik knew the answer, too: check the alignment on the magnetic constrictors with a hyperspanner, replacing the constrictors if necessary. But those words eluded him in this moment, and he stayed silent, a buoy of ignorance in a sea of competent cadets.:: STENNES: I… don't know, sir. ::Commander Rogers… er, wait, Lt. Commander Bevins… was that right? Whoever it was, he was good at showing disapproval, and his barely audible snort made Didrik feel even smaller than he did before. Though he tried to keep up, Didrik spent most of the remainder of the lecture staring at the wall chronometer.:: ::After class, Didrik collected himself as best he could. Grateful to be out of the Engineering Department, he took a few deep breaths as he walked across the Presidio toward more familiar territory. He rounded the corner of his dormitory, and heard a male voice call his name.:: VOICE: Cadet Stenz. ::Didrik recognized the voice, but also the trademark mispronunciation of his surname as characteristics of different people. He looked up and saw a Vulcan Admiral staring at him sternly. The man's stance was sloppy, slouching, not at all how a Vulcan would carry himself.:: STENNES: Admiral Wagner. ::Wagner was obviously not a Vulcan name, but the Admiral responded to it nonetheless. Didrik was almost positive that his Department CO aboard the Drake was not named "Wagner," and yet, here he was, trudging his drooping frame over to where Didrik stood.:: SOLOK/WAGNER: I admire your tenacity, Cadet, but it needs to stop now. ::Didrik remembered. This was the nail in the coffin of his Starfleet career.:: STENNES: I understand you have some concerns, Admiral, but with all due respect, the prospectus I wrote for you is a very sound premise for my junior thesis. SOLOK/WAGNER: This is not about your prospectus, Cadet, it's about your performance. I won't risk my reputation at the Academy by mentoring a cadet who's failing half of his core courses, no matter how good of an honors thesis I think he could turn out. STENNES: Sir, I appreciate your–– SOLOK/WAGNER: Cadet, stop. Now, listen young man, if you put in half as much energy on your core curriculum as you've put into hounding me about your thesis over the past six months, you might have strengthened your academic record to the point where I would have agreed to mentor your research. I've been telling you exactly that since last semester, and if you haven't gotten it by now, then maybe you just don't have what it takes to make it in Starfleet. ::No matter how many times Didrik had replayed this exchange in his mind over the years, hearing Solok––er, Admiral Wagner say those words to him still put a shiver down his spine.:: STENNES: I apologize, Sir. ::The strangely human-acting Vulcan admiral continued on his way, whistling. Didrik climbed the stairs to his dormitory and immediately accessed his computer terminal. Logging into the database for the Office of the Registrar, he began reading, not for the first time, the proper procedure for withdrawing from the Academy.:: (( Flashback/Dream — Rakantha Province, Bajor, 2386 )) ::Didrik had quickly learned that it was easier to go without shoes when walking home on a rainy day. With shoes, he'd had to bend down and manually extricate his feet from the mud every third step, and half the time, his foot would slip out of the shoe anyway, leaving it still stuck in centimeters of rain-saturated clay and silt.:: ::So he walked, barefoot, down the muddy path from the center of the village to the house he rented, just over a kilometer away. The twice daily walk to and from the schoolhouse gave him time alone with his thoughts, and the opportunity to reflect on all that had happened to him in the past year; to think about his job as a teacher; about Starfleet, and of course, about Tiro and their future together.:: ::Or, their future apart.:: ::Didrik pumped some water into a basin at the foot of the steps to his house, and submerged his feet until most of the mud washed away. Before both feet had crossed the threshold, he was greeted warmly.:: VOICE: Welcome home, love. ::Didrik smiled, grateful that some things stayed the same. The voice was familiar and loving, and it filled Didrik with joy. When he finally rounded the corner into the kitchen, however, confusion once again set in.:: KELLS/TIRO: You must've stayed even later than I thought you would tonight. More tutoring? ::The environment, the clothes, the way he stood with one heel atop the toes of the other foot, all were hallmarks of Tiro, but the person standing in the kitchen certainly wasn't. It was Aron Kells. Were their voices really that similar? How could he have mistaken Aron's voice for Tiro's?:: STENNES: ::absently:: Yes, I just want to make sure a few of the younger ones will have a head start with their new teacher. They're all bright kids, but you can't teach the same way to all of them. ::Didrik sat at the small dining table, where a cup of ginger tea was waiting for him.:: KELLS/TIRO: Have you told them you're leaving yet? STENNES: No, I don't want to make a big deal out of it. ::A pair of hands descended on Didrik's shoulders, beginning a slow, kneading rhythm. Didrik closed his eyes almost reflexively.:: KELLS/TIRO: They'll miss you. You're probably the best teacher this village has ever had. ::With his eyes closed, Didrik was having trouble remembering who he was talking to. After a minute or so, the hands stopped, and when Didrik opened his eyes, his love had joined him at the table.:: KELLS/TIRO: I have a surprise for you. ::He produced a thin rectangular box, which Didrik opened. Inside was a Federation-style PADD, displaying a map of North America and a flashing yellow blip over a point near the center of the continent.:: STENNES: What's this? KELLS/TIRO: Chicago. STENNES: ::nervous laugh:: I don't understand. KELLS/TIRO: I didn't want to say anything until I knew for certain, but I was accepted into the Music Conservatory of the Chicago College of Performing Arts. STENNES: What? ::Clearly, that wasn't the response Tiro, or Aron, expected. He continued, albeit slightly deflated.:: KELLS/TIRO: We always talked about how much I wanted to study music, and since you're going back to Starfleet Academy, it didn't make sense to do it here on Bajor. ::Didrik felt the emotions of this conversation for the first time in a long while. It was so much easier to forget, to simply tell his family their split was a mutual decision, to do whatever it took to keep himself from feeling as despicable as he did in this moment.:: KELLS/TIRO: Doesn't being a third-year cadet mean you can live off campus? I think I remember you telling me something like that before. Chicago looks like a great place to build a life together. ::The silence was palpable.:: STENNES: Tiro, when I go back to the Academy, my life isn't going to be the same. I won't get to choose where I live, or whether I go or stay. I'll go wherever they send me, and I won't always get to bring someone along. ::Once the ice was broken, they both knew what was coming.:: KELLS/TIRO: Oh. I see. STENNES: I mean, if I could, you know I would, but Starfleet isn't the most family-friendly organization, and I'd hate for you to go all the way to Earth just for me to get reassigned somewhere else once I graduate. KELLS/TIRO: Didrik, I love you, and I'll follow you anywhere, if you want me to. Do you? ::Didrik never gave him an answer. Just more lies and nonsense about how his hands were tied once he signed up with Starfleet. The words hurt twice as much as Didrik remembered, and he couldn't figure out why, until he looked up and saw Aron's face looking back. He wanted to reach out to both of them, but trapped in the memory of his own past, he continued to spew more words, until the room grew prematurely dark, and he was overcome by a pain unlike one he'd never felt.:: (( Sickbay, USS Drake – Present )) VOICE: Ensign Stennes, can you hear me? ::Didrik opened his good eye, and realized he was lying on a bio-bed in Sickbay. He was relieved his last-minute shuttlecraft repairs managed to get him off the planet, and that he was alive, but immediately his thoughts returned to his mutated arm, which was obscured from his vision by a restraint that covered his chest and torso.:: STENNES: I'm here… OOC: Please don't be bothered if (a) I used your character, or ( I didn't. The mind does crazy things when it's limits are tested, and rest assured Didrik doesn't secretly wish Sinda were his mother. Ensign Didrik Stennes Helm Officer USS Drake
  6. ((Mountain Top – Signal Booster)) :: He entered the clearing and stopped looking around until his eyes settled on the all too familiar face. A look of contempt crossed his face.:: Mancuso: Umas. :: That voice. That irritating voice. Umas knew it well. Mancuso, the traitor. Mancuso, the spineless, wretched worm that had double-crossed him. This day would truly be filled with multiple victories. It was exciting.:: Umas: Hello, Jackie. Quite a trip. Still climbing mountains, I see. Still trying to earn the Captain’s trust. Mancuso: And you’re still stealing your best ideas from everyone else. :: His voice was venomous and sarcastic.:: :: A condescending smile spread across Umas’s lips.:: Umas: Well, when you just leave them lying around for anyone to see, what do you expect? Can’t turn a blind eye to genius, Jackie. Wasting your talents is what you’re doing. See, I’m actually helping you realize your potential. You should be thanking me. :: His words were meant to toy with Mancuso, to poke him, provoke him, make him squirm. Umas gestured smugly at the signal booster and the intricate device attached to it.:: Umas: Had to make a few last minute adjustments, but we’re just a button-push away from rescue. I thought I’d wait for you to arrive so that we could both have a front row seat when I fire it up. Mancuso: :: Shaking his head.:: You....idiot. You’d kill yourself ….everyone else....just for your revenge? Umas: Revenge? ::scoffing:: No. That would be wrong. Our gods would disapprove. But justice? Oh, yes. *That* is worth the self-sacrifice, don’t you think? :: He leaned a shoulder against the signal booster and folded his arms confidently. After ten years of work and patience he deserved to be a smug jackass.:: Mancuso: :: Laughing.:: Right. Is that what you tell yourself? Is that what makes it all ok? Umas: No! None of this is “okay”, but you brought this on yourselves! ::calming:: I don’t expect an unfaithful, unbeliever to understand. ::nodding back the machine:: This is your work, Jackie. You should be proud. It’s going to fix everything you and your kind have defiled, and destroyed, and murdered. Mancuso: ::With a smirk, he laughed.:: Your child, your wife...your gods even.....everybody but you. This isn’t about anyone but you. A pathetic man who can’t accept that things are his OWN fault. :: He looked at him with contempt.:: You chose to bring your family along. Their blood is as much on your hands as it is on the Captains. You made your choice, same as I did. Umas: Yes. ::calmly:: And I’ll pay for my share of the crimes along with the rest of you. I have no delusions of escaping punishment for what I’ve done. But I do look forward to your judgment, and the Captain’s, and everybody else who played a part in the deaths of the innocent. :: Reaching out a hand, he held his finger over the button.:: Umas: So, shall we? Mancuso: ::His eyes darted around.:: Oh...and you really think I’ll just sit back and let you? :: Umas whistled, and from behind emerged about thirty savages, armed to the teeth, and even their teeth were quite sharp.:: Umas: As I see it, you don’t have choice. :: He quickly turned and slapped the button. Immediately, the device began to power up, and a loud, low hum began to churn in the air.:: Mancuso: :: He tossed his phaser from his hip behind him towards the natives.::: There is always a choice. :: He darted ahead, as the phaser overloaded behind him, throwing some of the natives back, and sending a few of the lesser encouraged ones running. He stood and tackled Umas to the ground.:: Mancuso: And to think....I actually took mercy on you. :: Jack threw a hard punch that connected against Umas chin. He was thrown backwards by Umas next move, but ran at him again, tenacious. He threw an elbow against the side of Umas head.:: Mancuso: You ….are...one mistake.....that I intend to remedy. ::: He pulled a knife from his boot. Umas fought hard, but Jack fought harder. He pushed his weight against him, and threw his knee into Umas side. ::: Mancuso: Whatever happens.....:::He hissed through clenched teeth.::: You won’t live to see it. :: He pushed with all his weight, feeling the knife slide in slowly. He looked in Umas eyes as he pushed further. He felt no satisfaction. No justice. No sense of peace. All he felt was burning rage.:: :: Umas’s eyes began to tear-up in pain. He glanced at Jack and blinked a few times. Shock twitched across his face. He couldn’t believe Jack had killed him. He couldn’t believe the man had won.:: :: A final exhale of air escaped Umas’s lungs and his eyes rolled back in his head.:: :: A bright, blinding white pulse surged from the mini-deflector dish and raced up toward the sky. The remaining natives shielded their eyes and flinched in fear. After ten years of patience, Umas’s prayers would finally be answered.:: :: Mancuso stood and looked skyward. Blood streaked across his face, and he shook his head, knowing that it was too late. All Jack could do now was watch. It would be quick for him. He knew it. Directed up as it was, the beacon would light the sky ablaze like napalm, and the world would be an empty husk. He fell to his knees as the wave of energy blasted outward and upward, and the last thought as Jack looked upward and saw the hole in the clouds ,passed through his mind only a millisecond before his entire being was turned to atoms.:: oO Look at all the stars.....beautiful isn’t it? Oo :: The pulse quickly reached the atmosphere, and instantly set it ablaze. The white light then surged outward, sending ripples across the sky, much like what had caused the Avandar to crash on the planet years ago. Clouds blew apart, and suddenly the cold winds sucked back in one direction, and then ignited with a turbulent heat in the opposite direction, blasting across the face of the planet like a tsunami of flames.:: :: The final seconds of life unravel across the planet in a violent, quick extinction, and in an instant, everything was devoured. All that remained was the barren husk of a lost world.:: A JP from Ensign Jack Mancuso Engineer USS Avandar & MPNPC Koltar Umas Rebel Leader simmed by T’Lea
  7. (( Deck 8,Parkers' Office )) :: Even during shore leave, there were always things to do...it seems the paperwork never stops and you never catch up to it. After a two hour workout and a quick shower, Hannibal was now tackling the assortment of PADDS on his desk...Breen and Tholian intelligence reports, ships' supply status, fuel consumption reports...all awaiting his signature and approval. He decided to take care of ships' business first, then get to the intelligence reports. When his door chime rang, he was surprised...he had not seen Maya in two days, and he hoped it was her. With great eagerness he shouted at ther door...:: Parker: COME! To Parker's surprise, it was Sky...and from what she was wearing, there was no longer any doubt about her condition...she was pregnant...and he was instantly furious....if he had known Sky was pregnant, he would have neveer allowed her to go down to that asteroid....he instantly began to growl at her for keeping this from him for so long. He got up from his desk and began to walk towards her..he wanted her to look him in the eyes and tell him who he was going to kill for this transgression.....:: Blake: Before you go and rip the child out of my womb, or choke the life out of Alix, you’ve got a few things that you need to know. Parker:: enraged:: HIM! YOU CARRY HIS CHIILD?!!! I'M GOING TO STAKE HIM TO THE NEAREST BULKHEAD AND SKIN HIM ALIVE! :: Parker turned abruptly away from Sky, realising how hard this must be for her. He growled again before turning back towards her. The coffee mug he was holding shattered in his hand, the remainder of his coffee now on the floor..:: Parker: Just how far along are you? Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell me? :: Parker would never admit it, but he cared deeply for Sky, and he would have protected her even more than he already had...and he would have killed that slimy [...] a lot sooner than he would have...:: Blake: I’m three months pregnant – fifteen, sixteen weeks. The reason I didn’t tell anyone is because I was afraid of what everyone might do. So far, you’re the only one that’s had a negative opinion. Parker: I do not have a negative opinion of you being pregnant...I have a negative, brutally homocidal feeling towards the father of your child...I am going to make him suffer mightily before he dies...some of the things you have done since you were pregnant could have ...caused you to lose your child, Sky...I will kill him for putting you in this position, inpregnating you, sneaking out like a thief in the night...Where is the little pe'taq? I hope you have said your goodbyes to him...soon he will be breathing vacuum....I'm going to.... Blake: I’m not finished. ::She snapped.:: The child inside of me is very much alive. Take her father away from me, and I will find a way to make you pay. :: Parker was little concerned about her threat..she was oh for two in the attempting to kill him department...:: Parker: Did you say....her? Blake: Yes, *her*. ::She said lightly.:: The baby is a girl. :: Parker had never had much exposure to babies, or children for that matter. He still felt an attraction to her, but not the overwhelming desire to immediately bed her. Parker wasn't jealous, but part of him wanted that baby to be his...a very small part of him. He had Maya. He had Kamela. And Sky had....this baby...and part of him. The baby would give her someone to love, who would never leave her in the middle of the night...and he would protect them both. Parker allowed himself mentally to open himself to her..to let her know he would be there to protect her and the baby. He walked up to her, and gently put his massive arms around her, then lightly kissed her. He looked into her eyes for a few more seconds, then they both broke the hold..the last thing that needed to happen right then was for Maya to walk in and see them that way...:: ::There was another pause. Sky thought during it; a baby girl. A girl that was currently the size of a large apple, but would grow. A daughter that she would, naturally, love and treasure. ::Parker’s thoughts floated into hers, and then she looked up. Gently, he put his arms around her and kissed her lightly. Parker: I am happy for you Sky..very happy.... ::So he lead her over to a chair and sat her down, and turned to the replicator.:: Parker: Want something to drink? Blake: Not at the moment. Why? Parker: I'm getting something...I kinda destroyed my last drink.... ::Kinda was an understatement. It was still on the floor in pieces. Blake: Yeah. ::She paused.:: You certainly had a reaction, didn’t you. ::He growled again, and got somewhat of a horrible smelling drink, and sat down across from her.:: Blake: I want your word that you won’t hurt Alix. Parker: You want what? ::Sky rolled her eyes.:: Blake: I want your word that you won’t touch Alix. Parker: Dammit Sky...I do not trust him...I do not like him...never did... Blake: If we were married and on the Ronin or Earth, you wouldn’t be saying that. Parker:: growling:: You have my word. I will not kill him.. ~~Allright,maybe wound him just a little..~~ Blake: Parker . . . Parker: Allright...he stays completely intact. I...won't harm a hair on him.... ::He went over to his desk and opened a draw, pulling out a box. He walked back to Sky, and handed it to her.:: Parker: Do not allow Kitty to eat it..... ::Don’t allow . . . what? Instinctively, she cautiously opened, the box, still eyeing him as she wasn’t exactly sure what would come out. That “what” was white Brekkian chocolate. It didn’t look replicated, it didn’t smell replicated, and knowing Parker, it probably *wasn’t* replicated. She smiled and laughed.:: Blake: Where the hell did you find this stuff? Parker: I got it on 375. It was supposed to be another gift for you taking over Security, but i nevr got a good time to give it to you. Until now.... Blake: Do you *know* how much of this stuff I’ve gone through since I found out I was pregnant? Parker::smiling:: Most likely a bunch... :: Sky laughed again, shook her head, then put hte lid back on the box..:: Blake: Look, I just . . . I just want your support. Parker: Sky..I've been protecting you a while now..that will not change....I would kill to protect you and the baby. You know that....
  8. ((Zell’s Quarters - Deck 6)) Zell: Just a moment! :: Another deep breath and a gaze out of the window later, he walked over and pushed the button to allow entry. The doors slid open… :: ::To reveal the only Brekkian Betazoid hybrid on the ship. She was wearing her gold tank-top and her black slacks and boots, her arms were crossed, and she was practically glaring at the Trill. But she smiled that angelic smile that told you “You’re in trouble”.:: Blake: Well Mister “I’m going to suddenly disappear off the face of the universe and then return without so much as saying “Hi” to his girlfriend”, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do. :: Once again, Deven was aghast at the situation. He'd barely thought about the incident on the Bridge and remembered he'd planned to sleep on it before asking to talk with her... but that plan was now shot. He was scrambling in his head to find something to respond will... :: Zell: I guess I do... ::She practically pushed past the Trill, and stood in the middle of the room, staring out the window, until she finally turned around to face him, the glare gone. Her arms seemed to be crossed uncomfortably as she stood there, looking at him.:: Blake: Look, if you didn’t want to be with me, you could have just . . . *told* me! I’ve been rejected for almost all my relationships, and another one isn’t likely to hurt anymore. Just tell me to my *face* that you don’t like being with me instead of disappearing and leaving me in a complete and utter *mess*! :: The lashing out was expected. Thankfully the medication had worn off a bit more which allowed Deven to think a bit more, but he was now very scared... he had no idea how to explain the situation. :: Zell: That's not what happened at all... Blake: Then where the hell did you go?! Why didn’t you tell me you left the ship!? The *least* you could have done was leave a note somewhere on the system where I could have found it! :: If he'd been the man he was once, there wouldn't have been a hesitation. This time, though, he second-guessed every word he wanted to say. It showed in his eyes as they darted around the room. The uncomfortable shifts in weight and the heavy breathing kicked in next. He tried to look her in the eyes but kept trying to focus elsewhere. :: ::The fact that he hesitated and tried not to think was proof that he didn’t want to talk about it. She sighed, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her nose lightly rubbing against his.:: Blake: Just . . . tell me that I am *not* dreaming that you’re here, and that you are actually here? Please? :: Deven felt the same way... it wasn't until that moment that he felt he was really back and in Sky's presence. He relaxed and instinctively wrapped his arms around her, and then remembered she was in a fragile state. His touch was tender but also caring. :: Zell: I'm here... but... :: He closed his eyes to think of the words, but before he could say anything else a cool burst of air hit his left side. Deven jerked his eyes to the origin of the coldness and saw him... again. :: Fitzpatrick: ~~You left us Lieutenant...~~ :: The green-collared terran was pale with dark, sunken eyes. His uniform was in torn in several places and an obvious burn left the man's right side badly disfigured. Deven's heart began beating and the heavy breathing started again. His hands clenched into fists as the terror took hold. :: Fitzpatrick: ~~You left your post!~~ :: The Trill shut his eyes and let go of Sky. He dropped to his knees and started to hyperventilate as he tried to silence the Marine. :: Zell: NO! NOT AGAIN! WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?!? :: A sudden contraction from his stomach signaled he needed to get out, and Deven ran to the bathroom. The sounds of regurgitation were deafening. After it was over, the Trill fell back with his back against the bulkhead and sobbed with head in hands. Then he remembered Sky was still there. He looked over and there she was. :: Blake: Deven? Deven look at- Zell: ::crying:: I don't want to see them any more... ::The fact that he had flipped out back in the lounge was proof that something was wrong on its own, as was the sudden vomiting for no apparent reason. Now it was hitting far too close to home. Once upon a time, it was Deven in Sky’s position, trying to help the party that was hurt. Now it was the other way around, and this was no dream at all. This happened when they were both wide awake. She knelt down to his position.:: Blake: Deven, *look at me*. Don’t look at anything else, just look at *me* :: He hesitated but finally complied, Blake: Who’d you see? Zell: I... ::sniffle:: I can't talk about it. They said I couldn't talk about it... classified by Intelligence. Blake: oO [...]ed SFI. They’re ruining my life! Oo Look, if you can’t tell me who he is, describe him for me. Was he angry with you, was he trying to kill you, was he trying to touch you? Hell, picture him in your mind so *I* can see him if you want to. Zell: ::still breathing heavily:: No, I can't Sky. It's too much... Blake: Deven, I’m right here. He can’t hurt you, not when I’m right here. :: The memories were beginning to emerge again... and it took everything he had to stop thinking about it. Random images of consoles spattered with blood, a small room flooded with red light, klaxons blaring at different tones and intervals... it was all so horrible that it seemed more surreal than real. :: Zell: He didn't... I mean, I couldn't... it was just so... :: Deven just trailed off and continued breathing fast. :: Blake: He wants your attention. He wants to feel your fear when you look at him. You *can’t* give it to him, otherwise it will just worse. Now you need to slow down you’re breathing, you need to relax, and just focus on me. Zell: I'll try... ::And at that, she practically dove into his mind to face a complete mess of a Trill. Through his eyes, everything seemed that little bit scarier, and his thinking process was marginally worse than what it had been when he’d last been with her. Most things were still blocked for some reason or another, but the ideas were more clear.:: Zell: Did you see? Blake::She sighed.:: I think I’ve got a pretty good idea. StarFleet Intelligence or Security knock on your door when we’re on that diplomacy mission, you leave in perfect condition, told not to tell anyone or contact them – and I know you, you would have left a note at *least*. Something bad happens while you’re with them, something to do with the person you’re seeing, scaring and scarring you. You start seeing things, dreaming things that you don’t want to dream that turn into nightmares, and the only support that you got was from counselors that you didn’t know, and doctors giving you medication that you know nothing about or still don’t understand, more or less making the situation worse. You come back to the Mercury, for whatever reason I don’t know, still in bad shape mentally. ::There was a pause.:: Did I get it right? Zell: ::finally calming down:: I think you have the basics... Blake: Good. I’ll make your explanation for leaving. ::She grinned.:: Come on, let’s get you up. I think you’ve had a long trip – might be time to sleep. Zell: You're probably right. :: Before she could help him up, an automated message came through the Brekkian/Betazoid's comm badge. :: Computer: =/\= Emergency, Chief of Security report to Strategic Operations Office. =/\= Blake: Response :: Deven forced a smile. He was a mess now on both the outside and in his head, but at least he knew he had some help. :: Zell: It's ok. I'll clean myself up and go to sleep. Blake: Response :: She leaned in a kissed him on the cheek before rushing out the door. Deven, now alone again, took a few more deep breaths. He sighed aloud before once again talking to himself. :: Zell: Threw up in front of a beautiful woman... classy as ever Deven. Classy as ever... TBC Lt. Sky Blake Chief of Security USS Mercury and Ltjg. Deven Zell Chief Operations Officer USS Mercury
  9. ((Menthar Anchorage, A Seedy No Name Bar)) Harrigan: And what brings you to the Menthar Anchorage, Tobias Walker? Walker: Oh, just taking in the sights... ::If 'the sights' meant the bottom of his glass then he was certainly speaking the truth. Karen was looking for some of those sights herself.:: Harrigan: Did you see Starfleet are aboard? I get the feeling they're here to ruin our day... Walker: Yeah, I saw them come aboard, not one much for worrying about them, though. ::It was out of the corner of her eye that Karen saw movement on the floor. With a suspicious expression, she tried to get a clearer look, craning her neck to see over one of the intervening tables. She could see a tail disappearing out of sight.:: Harrigan: Ugh. Just what I need. This place is infested. You see that? Walker: Yeah, I saw that too... Any idea what is was? ::The barman put her burger and a drink down on the table in front of her, and she immediately seized the beer bottle, downing half of it.:: Harrigan: It looked like a mouse or a rat. I don't know, whatever it was, it better not come near me. ::She looked at her fork, which looked sharp enough to drive into a rodent's skull.:: Walker: Yeah, I think I will go check it out... ::Walker stood, a strange chirp emanating from him, followed by a session of him fiddling with something that looked like it could be in the top pocket of his overcoat. Again, Karen found herself craning her neck to see what was going on.:: Walker: =/\= This is Walker, say again... =/\= ::No response:: =/\= Walker to the Mercury =/\= ::Still more silence:: =/\= Walker to the away team =/\= ::Away Team? Wait, he wasn't getting something from his pocket, he had a badge attached to his chest!:: Harrigan: ::Disbelieving:: You're Starfleet... Walker: Yeah, did the com badge give it away? Harrigan: You might as well have had that triangle thing you use as a symbol painted on your face. Away team? You got people sweeping the station? Walker: I'm not here to ruin anyone's day, but rather just get on with mine and get in touch with my ship... Any idea what the hell is going on right now? ::Maybe it was her newly heightened suspicions about Walker, or just the fact that she'd had time for her natural thought process to work through the alcohol-induced fog, but the first things that flashed into her mind at that question was that tail, disappearing out of sight. It looked awfully familiar. Could it have been...?:: ::No. Surely the Ferengi couldn't have been that stupid...:: Harrigan: I hope I don't, but I'm starting to thing we should go see the owners. Walker: Something must be playing willy nilly with the power grid to keep a signal from coming through... Can you get a hold of your ship? ::She tapped at a button on her cuff.:: Harrigan: =/\= Harrigan to the Hornet, come in please. =/\= ::A quick answer came in the form of some sparks shooting from one of the bulkheads as the lights quickly dimmed. Karen leapt about a mile off her seat, partly through shock and partly through anger, as she saw another rat scurry frantically from one side of the bar to the other in plain sight.:: Harrigan: FRACK! Frack that stupid, witless, tangerine beach ball of a tube grub!!! Walker: Response ::She locked eyes with Walker... sort of. She managed to hold his gaze for about a couple of seconds before having to blink herself back from dizziness.:: Harrigan: Oh no, no, no... you keep your Starfleet ears out of this. This ain't my fault. I just... ::she paused covering her mouth for a barely concealed burp.:: Walker: Response ::Turning towards the bar, Karen grabbed her half-empty beer bottle and yanked the burger off her plate, sending scratty pieces of salad flying in several directions. As one of the blackened onion rings toppled off the plate, a little furry visitor poked his face out from a gap between two of the panels on the bar and dragged it back inside, leaving only a greasy smear as evidence that it was ever there.:: Harrigan: Don't worry, Starfleet. I'm going to fix this. Fix it real good. ::She stormed a few paces towards the door before realising she was still ravenous, and so stopped to take a large bite from the burger.:: Walker: Response Harrigan: I'm going to go and visit the fat slug who got me into all this, and I'm going to insert some of his merchandise where even the rains of Ferenginar won't be able to reach. ::She downed the rest of the beer and threw the bottle at the wall, hoping it would break. Instead, it just clattered to the floor with a loud chime, leaving her feeling distinctly disappointed.:: GOLT! Walker: Response Harrigan: Oh, you are more than welcome to tag along. Just do me a favour and make sure I don't kill him! ::Again, she was in motion, purposefully headed towards the exit. When she found herself instead bumping into one of the couches a few feet to the left of the door, she stopped, confused, and turned to plant a hand on Walker's shoulder.:: Harrigan: Maybe you could help me get to the top of the promenade? Walker: Response TAG/TBC PNPC Karen Harrigan Freighter Captain SS Hornet as SIMmed by Captain Tallis Rhul Commanding Officer USS Mercury NCC-99812
  10. ((Dense Jungle, 3 kilometres from the Laurel Celestia, Saksenna Impact +12 minutes, Unnamed Planet)) :: The thick coppery taste of blood filled his mouth again as Oliver dragged himself through the mud on his stomach. As quietly as possible he spit it out and dragged himself further along the game trail and away from the monstrously heavy and laboured breathing behind him. At this point the Laurel Celestia was a dream, and the only real focus he had left was the breathing in the jungle behind him, and his desire to get as far from it as possible. The deep rhythmic breathing that sounded more like a combustion engine turning over than anything organic. One hand in front of the other, that's all that mattered anymore. A long trench stretched out behind his body, a clear trail for anyone to follow, made all the clearer by the long trail of blood at the centre of the furrow. His face was pale and spattered with blood, mostly his, and mud, his hair caked with both. Oliver Weston had definitely looked better. One hand in front of the other. He froze as another gods [...]ed roar tore through the jungle behind him. Whale's Fat [...] still frustrated at losing his kill and the nasty fall he'd taken earlier. The ground shivered again, this time for longer than the last. Oliver counted eight seconds until the shaking stopped and Rexy screamed again in frustration. One hand in front of the other. He could hear the foliage and branches being snapped and crushed off behind him somewhere as the [...] hunted. He spit again and tried to bite back a scream as he dragged his ragged leg over something sharp in the mud. His belt tunicate caught on it and yanked slightly down his torn thigh, causing waves of pain and nausea to wash over him, threatening his vision with black. One hand in front of the other. He tugged up and over and free and his next aimless grope in the dark rewarded him with the tough, knotted root of some ancient alien tree. :: :: Oliver clawed his way around it to the other side and propped himself upright against trunk, trying desperately to put something substantial between him and the Rex. Using both mud caked hands he managed to drag his broken left leg out in front of him and get a clear look at the belt he'd cinched tight above the wound. He'd cut it free from his ISARAS vest before he tossed the dead weight away. That must have been...forty minutes ago, maybe an hour. But it felt like last week. That was long before the quakes started as well, those only started ten minutes ago, and the first of them had saved his life. He could hear the [...] now, chuffing in the jungle behind him. Sniffing roughly at the air and trying to catch Oliver's scent in the pouring rain and amid the other smells of the jungle. The rain came suddenly and hurricane strong shortly after the earthquakes had started. The sky above the canopy filled with clouds and blotted out the stars and breath taking particle stream in minutes and a hard hot rain followed after. The earth turned to mud, the jungle was soup in its driest places, and Oliver had been running, walking, limping, crawling and finally dragging himself through it towards where he hoped to find the Laurel Celestia. The ancient and ruined hulk of a Federation Oberth class, that crashed here before he had even been born. :: :: Fighting back tears and half spitting, half sobbing blood he readjusted and tightened his tunicate, trying not to scream. The chuffing was getting closer now, definitely in the clearing he'd just spent four minutes crawling across. Trembling he reached down to his boot and drew the combat knife he'd stuck there after discarding his vest. Slowly he pulled it free and clutched it tightly to his chest as he listened to the ten ton thoropod step into clearing, and dip its nose to sniff loudly at his bloody trail. :: :: How did I get here? :: ((Dense Jungle, 11 kilometres from the Laurel Celestia, Saksenna Impact - 45 minutes, Unnamed Planet)) :: Their hump through the jungle was about half over when Whale ordered them to freeze. There was a terrible drawn out moment where everything was still as the grave, before it was shattered by the painfully slow appearance of Fat [...]s snout, head and neck as he caught our scents. :: SHELLEY: That's...that's a Tyrannosaurus Rex WHALE: Fat [...]. We meet again. WESTON: :: His voice was just above a whisper. :: Doesn't it only see movement? Shouldn’t we stay still? :: Tarallo didn't even look over at the Intelligence Officer as he responded. :: TARALLO: Common misconception. Excellent vision. WHALE: Response? WESTON: Well that's something at least. TARALLO: And sense of smell. :: Oliver looked at him. :: Excellent sense of smell. WESTON: Thank you Niner, shut up. TARALLO: Sir. WESTON: Game pla- :: They all took an involuntary step backwards as the Rex roared in their direction. Nothing could have been louder. The wave of noise hit them like a punch in the face and the [...] lowered his head as it stormed forwards. Oliver didn't see who shot first, but the burst of phaser fire went high as Rexy went low. It roared again as it closed the distance between them in short order. Oliver reached sideways and shoved Niner hard in the chest while his other hand went up and grabbed Fi roughly by the back of her ISARAS vest. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another bright burst of fire before Whale or Shelley broke ranks to scatter. :: WESTON: MOVE!!!! :: Niner tucked into a crouch and sprinted off low and steady towards the treeline, while Oliver hauled Jan in front of him and pushed her forward until she found her feet. Massive foot falls were slamming out a fast pace behind him as they both broke into a sprint. Oliver kept his hand locked on the back of Jan’s vest, and his arm straight, as he was certain the sniper was thinking of turning to squeeze off a shot, and every time she hesitated he pushed harder. The Rex was definitely on their trail now as they broke into the treeline, its roars were deafening and Oliver could hear its breathing as it gained on them. Somewhere behind him there was more phaserfire, Whale, Shelley or Alton trying to interrupt the pursuit, but this hunter was persistent. Ducking and weaving through the trees, it was only a second too late that he saw the shadow loom over them. With one final shove he sent Jan sprawling on her face as he felt the gut wrenching jerk at the back of his neck. :: :: A moment later and Oliver was floating. Violently floating. Violently thrashing from side to side as the Rex worried at his tactical vest. Eight feet off the ground and the world was a dark blur as he was whipped around like a ragdoll by the Rex, its teeth holding tight to the vest. And then, after the sharp sound of tearing fabric filled his ears, Oliver was flying. Leaves slapped against his face, forcing his eyes shut, leaving him only able to feel the sharp impact of a heavy branch that split his lip. His eyes opened with a start as the sturdy branch reoriented his flight into a downward descent and blood filled his mouth. :: :: Crawling through the brush, it took him a moment to find his feet and pull himself upright. The jungle was full of shouting and shooting. Jan's tungsten shot was easy to hear alongside the more common phaser burst, and the Rex's roars dominated all. :: FI/WHALE/SHELLEY: Response? :: A rustle of movement had Oliver reaching for the hand phaser that was no longer there. His vest was in tatters, and hung around his waist by a single strap. Defenceless, save for a combat knife that hung upside down near his crotch, Oliver crouched to run when Doctor Shelley appeared. :: SHELLEY: Response? WESTON: Doctor! Are you alright? :: Oliver was staring pointedly at her stomach. :: SHELLEY: Response? WESTON: What? :: He looked around for the first time and saw the cliff a few meters behind him. :: :: More thrashing nearby and the loud crack bang of Jan's weapon brought them back to the fight, and the Marine raced into sight, stopping several meters away and further along the cliff. :: FI: Response? :: Oliver never had the chance to reply, all he heard was Shelley screaming as the massive jaws exploded out of the trees in front of him. A branch caught him hard in the shoulder, forcing him backwards, but it was nothing compared to the teeth of the Rex closing around his upper left leg. Oliver folded around the creatures head and came eye to eye with his attacker for one brief, horrifying moment before the ground gave out underneath them both. He was dimly aware of screaming in pain as the others shouted things he couldn't understand. :: FI/WHALE/SHELLEY: Response? :: The Rex let go of him as they hit the river below and went under the rapids. :: ((Dense Jungle, 3 kilometres from the Laurel Celestia, Saksenna Impact +12 minutes, Unnamed Planet)) :: The rapids had given him a good distance on the [...]. On the shore he used his small homemade medical kit to stop the majority of the bleeding and shoot himself full of pain killers. The meds allowed him to half stumble half, jog through the jungle towards the Oberth. That lasted fifteen minutes, tops, then he had to use the tunicate, toss the vest and walk/stumble the rest of the way. It was only after the incredibly foreboding message that burst through his waterlogged commbadge that the earthquakes started. Then, the rain. By that point he was crawling. And bleeding. And being hunted again. :: ANYONE: Response? LtJG Oliver Weston Intelligence Officer USS Drake
  11. A few people have made suggestions in the shoutbox. Please re-post them here. We can consider them together.
  12. Jordan aka FltAdmlWolf

    Round 1 Round 1 Voting

    Voting closes Sunday, February 20, 2012 at 23:59 PM. Choose one winner in each group. The winners will proceed to the first run-off round. REMEMBER: This is NOT a popularity contest. Vote based on MERIT, not the fact that someone is your crewmate. Any crews found "stuffing the ballots" or ratings, will be disqualified PERMANENTLY - yes, that means the whole crew.
  13. ((DS17 - Engineering)) Wilde: We need to move. We've just broken lockdown, and I don't have a holographic Luna. We need to get to Mitchell's office and switch the programs before he or his aide realise. Walker: Ok, so if that's all, we should be back in plenty of time. Thankfully I don't think anyone's looking for me. Did you guys do something to prevent the sensors from detecting a transport? Reed: A transporter tracker code. It's designed to pull a transporter beam to a location without leaving a trace in the transporter logs or the pattern buffers. Wilde: Ingenious, isn't it. Walker: And are you sure you're not crazy for doing this? Wilde: Of course I know what I'm doing. You can take the man out of Starfleet Intelligence, but you can't take Starfleet Intelligence out of the man. When I was a Jaygee I used to get up to these schemes all the time. Never been caught yet... Walker: So nice to include me on the first time. So other than your obvious planning skills, any idea on how we're going to swap them out? Wilde: We can debate that later. Move it, ladies! ::Sarah had her instructions, so Danny and Luna quickly and quietly left Engineering for Ops. Luna was grinning as they walked forward:: Walker: Ok, so what we are saying is we need to get in the room, swap it out, without being detected. :: Turning to her fellow engineer:: I presume that we won't trigger any station alarms? Wilde: Maybe just a few... Walker: That's...kind of limiting isn't it? Do we have a portable holoprojector? Wilde: Why would we need one? Walker: :: Grinning:: Oh come on, you don't see the irony of delivering the package using the same method? Commander, have you no sense of Style? Wilde: Lieutenant, I am style... However time is of the essence and I've just lost about ten minutes thanks to your misunderstanding. ::She smirked and the devious double-act entered a turbolift.:: ((Timewarp - Outside Fleet Captain Mitchells office)) ::They had the advantage of it being evening, and so only the late shift were on duty near the visiting flag officers temporary office. Quietly, Danny and Luna crept up to the door, and acted nonchalantly. No one seemed to wonder why they were there, and Danny flipped open his tricorder, scanning the interior of the room.:: :: Luna stood with her back to the Commander as she murmured quietly, doing her best to cover his actions without being obvious and brining notice to herself. :: Walker: How are we doing? Have you found it? Wilde: It's in there, behind some kind of safe. Looks like the Fleet Captain plays his cards close to his chest. Walker: A safe? Kind of surprising even there. So, you going to go in or is the door lock too tough for you? :: Without meaning to, she fell into the camaraderie of a caper, harassing her co-conspirator:: ::Surprisingly the door opened after just pressing a few keys on the door chime. The half-romulan nodded in respect, normally it took longer to trick the locks, unless someone chose 1..2...3..4..5 as the code. :: Wilde: Ok, I'm going on. Keep a look out. Walker: Just hurry up, I'm in double trouble if we get caught. ::Slipping into the office was easy. It looked as though the Fleet Captain was departing soon, as all his belongings were packed and ready for the morning transport. Danny scanned the room again to get a bearing on the safe. It was on the wall behind his desk. The tricorder couldn't pick up an energy signature, so he knew it was just a case of cracking the combination.:: :: Outside, the Tiger's engineer tried to remain unassuming as she waited. However, seemingly moments later, she saw an ensign, likely one of the flag officer's aides, coming down the corridor. Not wanting to reveal anything, she made the snap decision to walk into the room. :: Wilde: Is anyone coming? Walker: Just an ensign, but looks officious, likely an aide. Someone who would definitely ask questions about a Junior loitering in the area. How are we doing? Wilde: Shouldn't be too long. The sequence is basically a bog standard combination lock... Walker: That's odd. You'd think if he was going to be paranoid enough to lock something away, he'd put it in something more secure. Wilde: Indeed... Walker: May I? :: She knelt down near the safe, then carefully ran her fingers around the edges before she found the thing line she'd been looking for. :: Thought so, trigger circuit. If you open the safe, it triggers whatever is on the other side. Wilde: Well I'm impressed. ::He grinned.:: I see you have your uses after all. :: Something about the response soured her good mood:: ::Danny hadn't meant for it to be a snarky comment. Based on their past, yet brief, relationship, he knew that Luna enjoyed a bit of tormenting banter as much as he did.:: Walker: Oh you know, us "filthy Romulans" have to be good at something. Wilde: I beg your pardon? ::He was only half listening. One portion of his mind was focussing on unlocking the safe to complete their task, and another part was worrying whether or not that Ensign would happen in to the office and see them snooping around.:: :: The distracted way he responded added fuel to the fire. With effort she kept her voice pitched low, despite the venom it carried:: Walker: You should "Beg my pardon"! I can't believe you make a point to include me in this caper, but don't have the courtesy to even treat me as a human being! Wilde: What the devil are you talking about? And is this really the time to bring it up? Walker: The devil indeed! What you said...on the shuttle... :: She gritted her teeth to prevent her voice from carrying:: That I was a "filthy Romulan". ::He thought back. Absent-mindedly, he had unlocked the safe and retrieved the original holo-program. The shuttle on the mission? He'd suffered head injuries...:: Wilde: What I said... I said... ::he remembered.:: ::He remembered the fear. The cold sweat running down his back at the sight of the Romulan Warbird hanging in the shuttles viewer like a giant predatory hawk. They weren't called Warbirds for nothing. He also remembered how he felt on Deck 7 before breaking into the holodeck to assist security.:: ::They would get him. After all his years of training, of service to Starfleet and sweet-talking his way out of tricky situations, he couldn't escape the cold steely grasp of the Romulans.:: ::They had hurt him. Not just physically. Emotionally and psychologically. They'd made him betray his own mind. His own eyes. His own sense of right and wrong, and without any of those things, what was he?:: :: She thought back to the Shuttle, the feeling of being on a team again. Feeling the rush of an impossible task, adjusting on the fly to make it happen. Then, the look of revulsion from the man who'd invited her. The sense of teamwork falling apart, the isolation surrounding her again. :: ::He gulped.:: Wilde: If I offended you, I apologise. They were careless words spoken in a tense situation. :: For a moment, Luna thought he was going to apologize. To actually say that he'd done wrong and own up to it. Instead, he fell back on a slimy non-apology. :: Walker: That's it? That's how you don't apologize? "It was a stressful situation?" and everything's all fine and dandy? Wilde: Yes, as a matter of fact. That is the end of it. I've apologised. Whether you take my word or not, I consider the matter closed. Walker: You know what? Fine, Commander. Forget I said anything, what could I possibly know. ::He could feel it again. That hateful sense of fear creeping up on him. Danny Wilde was afraid of nothing! Or so he thought. He'd never, ever, thought of Luna, or her brother Ben as enemies. They were half Romulan, and chose to serve Starfleet and the Federation. They were not affiliated with the pointy-eared monsters he knew and feared. Ben was one of his closest friends. He'd served under him as First Officer of the Ronin. How could a friendship, or indeed a Command structure work if the two parties despised each other?:: ::Steeling his jaw, Danny made the final switch of the holoprograms and closed the safe.:: Wilde: Luna, what the hell do you want from me? Walker: What do I want? I want you to treat me based on what I do...not what my DNA reads. I want to know why you feel you can lash out at someone and then give a half-hearted apology in passing. Or at least give me some reason why it happened! Wilde: My reasons are my own! What business is it of yours anyway? I've said I'm sorry. If I hurt your feelings I am indeed sorry, but that's the end of it. :: Her voice came out colder than deep space. The pitch of her voice was low, but her voice could have been coming from a cobra for all the humanity in it. :: Walker: You sanctimonious....racist... PIG! How dare you condescend to me witha fake apology and then make me out to be the bad guy here. ::Danny turned on her, his eyes flashing bright blue.:: Wilde: You better watch what you say, Lieutenant. Things like that can ruin peoples careers. You think I'm racist? Is that right? Tell me, because I turn my nose up at the way Klingons eat Gagh, is that racist? I admit, the Wilde name has been synonymous with some narrow-minded views in the past, but I can count on both hands the number of different species who have married into my own family - Trill, Ktarian, Bajoran, Betazoid, hell, I think there's even a Bolian in there somewhere too. Walker: So it's not racism overall then, just Romulans is it? We're good enough to get you out of tough s[...]es, but not polite folk like Vulcans right? Wilde: You know, Luna, sometimes you just don't understand a word I'm trying to say! Walker: So why did you bring me? Just to keep an eye on me so I wouldn't tattle? Wilde: Bring you? I had no choice! Now you're demanding answers for a comment I made whilst under attack in a shuttle? Walker: Well excuse me for thinking I could talk to you about it Commander. See, I had this crazy notion you'd actually listen and explain to me some reason for your actions...not just shut me down with a "oops didn't mean to debase your identity with a racist stereotype, must have been the stress" comment. Wilde: Oh please! I'm not as two-dimensional as that! ::Just then, someone knocked on the door. Danny and Luna stopped arguing and looked together in shock.:: Ackbar: Fleet Captain? This is Ensign Ackbar, you'd said to come by to discuss the reviews? ((DS17 - Temporary Offices)) ::The Ensign knocking on the door took them both by surprise. Luna shot the Englishman a furious look, visibly blaming him for the situation.:: Wilde: Ackbar? It's a trap! They're onto us... Walker: :: Rolling her eyes, she loudly giggled :: Oh yes...he's VERY busy right now. Wilde: ::quietly:: Luna! Are you out of your mind? ::He took a step toward her and grasped her uniform by the neck, removing her rank pips in one fell swoop. Another hand removed his own insignia, demoting them instantly to able crewmen.:: Walker: Prepping for our new rank? :: Despite her words, Luna grabbed a smallish piece of cloth from one of the boxes, tying back and covering her hair and ears in a makeshift scarf:: Wilde: Follow my lead... ::He rushed to a packed box belonging to Fleet Captain Mitchell and urged Luna to do the same. He grabbed the box and made for the door.:: Ackbar: Who are you? Wilde: Crewman Wilde and Crewman Walker: Station Ops. We've been ordered to take the Fleet Captain's belongings down to the transporter room ready for the morning. Who knew he'd have so much stuff to move? Walker: Or that he'd pack so heavy. You'd think he was transporting bricks. Ackbar: Where is the Fleet Captain now then crewman? Wilde: I assume he still in his quarters. You know what the brass are like, eh... ::He grimaced at the realisation this Antedean pipsqueak outranked him in this situation.:: Wilde: ... sir. :: Something seemed fishy about the crewman's responses, not to mention the long pause before the sir. Obviously these two thought they knew better than an academy trained ensign. Didn't they know, that despite the pitfalls and traps of command, eventually he could be an Admiral?! He gave his coldest gaze to the two of them as he responded. :: Ackbar: What the senior Officers :: he emphasized the rank:: are, or are not like is of no relevance to your task crewman. I suggest you get to it. And put some effort into your work! Your tasks may not be as important as any officer's, but your miniscule assistance allows us to get the real work done. :: Hearing the trash spewing forth from the ensign's mouth almost made Luna lose it. Instead, she mocked a contrite look before nodding. Out of the corner of her eye, she didn't trust the look on the Commander's face. She tilted her box as if losing control of it, and stumbled into Wilde. :: Walker: Whoa, sorry there. This is heavier than I thought. :: Turning to the ensign:: Sir, permission to continue carrying these to the pad? They, uh, aren't getting any lighter. Ackbar: ::The Antedean Ensign shook his head as he turned away. :: Fine. Go. Dismissed. ::With a polite smile Danny and Luna walked straight out of there carrying boxes. They got as far as the end of the corridor before a word was spoken.:: Walker: So. Do we put these back in there, or carry them down to a transporter pad? Wilde: I say we just dump them here in the corridor. That obnoxious Ensign can take the rap for it. Good idea with the disguise, too... Walker: :: She let out a short laugh:: Well, I had to do something to cover my hair and ears. Our names might not be known...but... Wilde: Something wrong? :: She sobered:: Walker: It was just the last thing I expected. :: she lifted the box in a gesture of their situation:: It was like this, working together where rank wasn't really an issue. Being part of a team, you know? Then when I reached out to you... Wilde: I think I understand what you mean... Walker: Yeah. I just figured it'd be different here. Wilde: It is. I am sorry you feel otherwise. ::They made their way back to Engineering to be transported back to the Tiger. Danny handed Luna her pips back, and he replaced his own on his collar.:: Wilde: Ever since I came aboard the ship, I've tried to extend the hand of friendship, because I hoped to have as much fun and adventure with you as I have done with Ben. Walker: I'd actually thought you were ok. Irritating and arrogant at times, but had hoped for something similar. Of course after the shuttle... Well I just felt betrayed by that hope. ::Irritating and arrogant? Well, he'd been called worse.:: Wilde: I realise that. I have nothing against many people, but if you want to know the truth... ::He sighed.:: Wilde: I... am afraid of Romulans. :: She was shocked. That he was scared had never occurred to her in her wildest imaginings. :: Walker: What? Why? Wilde: It stems from a mission a number of years back. I was abducted from my away team and held prisoner on the Prison Ship Torval... The Tal'Shiar thought I'd know secret command codes for an experimental starship. :: At the mention of the Romulan secret police slash intelligence agency, she bristled before putting a hand out to his shoulder in sympathy:: Walker: I can only imagine what you went through there. Ben said some things about what he went through, but anytime I asked he clammed up. Well..more than usual. Wilde: I've been dealing with it ever since. Seeing the Warbirds in the recent mission, it took me back to that terrible week on the ship. :: Understanding flooded through her:: Walker: And in the smoke, you saw a Romulan grabbing you. Not a oO friend Oo comrade coming to help. Wilde: I'm afraid so. I really didn't mean to cause any offence. It's nothing personal, but it seems I have a lot of work to do in getting over my shortcomings. Walker: :: Her mouth turned up in an embarrased smirk:: It's ok. In fact, there's the smallest chance that with everything else going on...I could have possibly taken it worse than it was. Wilde: ::Chuckling:: You think? Walker: :: grinning:: I said maybe. But :: She hesitated before looking at him:: if that offer of friendship was still open... I could use one. :: she barked a brief laugh:: Just promise not to get pregnant and leave the ship ok? Wilde: Well unless we get transported to a parallel universe where that could happen, I think I'm safe. Why are you concerned? Walker: Oh, Mikali. An andorian I know. Wilde: I see... ::They arrived back in Engineering, much to Sarah Reeds relief.:: Reed: I take it the mission was a success? Wilde: ::sharing a look with Luna:: Absolutely. ::DS17's chief engineer activated the transporter tracker again, ready to beam them back to the Tiger.:: Wilde: Don't worry, Sarah. I won't be calling upon your mischievous talents again. ::He double-tapped his com.badge, and the blue transporter swirls engulfed Danny and Luna.:: Until next time. ::He winked, before being sent back home.:: ~Fin~ Lt.Commander Danny Wilde Chief Tactical Officer USS Tiger-A & Lieutenant(jg) Luna Walker Chief Engineering Officer USS Tiger-A
  14. ((Deck 4, USS Victory)) :: The walk from the turbolift to his quarters on the Victory was arguably the longest walk Liam had ever taken. There was so much that he wanted to tell her, and so much more that she deserved to know that he couldn't tell her. He wished that he could tell her everything, but he simply didn't know how.:: :: His mind wandered, filling with moments they had spent together. He remembered how they had walked together on the beach at Lake Armstrong with friends, most of whom had moved on to other places, their lives changed by forces much greater than themselves. He stood there for a long moment, knowing that his life was about to be changed by that same force. But it was that same force that had brought him here in the first place. Brought him to this place at this time. It brought him to her. He took a deep breath as he stepped through the door, knowing that whatever was in store for him, for them, he was going to have to face it.:: ((Liam's Quarters, USS Victory)) ::Cayden had taken care of checking out and getting the few things they had in the suite back to the ship. It hadn't taken long, and so she ended up sitting in his quarters listening to the soft tones of music that had been composed by the first of the Adyr hosts. Long before her joining she had fallen in love with the music, but now it had far more depth than ever before. In the stillness of the room the music grew soft and suddenly she felt as if something was coming. It was the scent of something on the winds of change.:: ::And for a moment, she was worried. Lost in the gentle rise and fall of the sounds, Cayden felt as if she were floating on an ocean so endless that it stretched out all around her. The excitement of the unknown was there, but now there was a new fear. It was something that she had never felt before. It was…:: ::The doors to the room slid open and instantly all of her concerns faded. No matter how much time they seemed to spend together, she never got tired of seeing his face come into the room. A smile appeared on her face and she moved towards him.:: Adyr: So, what happened? ::She hadn't thought it would be bad; but she had spent the better part of the past hour wondering what was going on behind the closed doors of the ready room. Her eyes went to his collar where she saw the extra pip and her smile grew. He had gotten a promotion! But something kept her from jumping into his arms just then in celebration. He smiled, but it wasn't his normal smile. No, there was something else there now. Uncertainty? Concern? Fear? She had no idea, but she moved towards him and took his hand in an attempt at reassurance.:: :: Her voice was upbeat, almost melodic, as it always was. It always had the uncanny ability to draw him out of whatever distraction might be weighing on him. Almost always, perhaps. He did his best to smile in order to hide his nervousness.:: Frost: Well for starters, it looks like I'm moving up in the world. ::She nodded but remained reserved despite her smile and refusal to appear worried. There was more that he had to say and he almost seemed to not want to say it. Taking his other hand she let a smirk appear on her face.:: Adyr: They give you your own ship already? I knew they wouldn't be able to resist talent like this. ::Squeezing his hands she let the attempt at a joke hang in the air for a moment but the same smile he had on his face moments ago remained. Now she knew something big was going on and she finally let her own smile fade into a more concerned look. Her hands grasped his a bit tighter as so many emotions and voices played on the outskirts of her mind.:: :: She always seemed to have an uncanny ability to make him smile, no matter what he felt. He did his best to hold it back, but what made her so good at making him smile also made her good at reading him. She saw through the smile and her expression changed from the excitement of seeing him to a look of worry.:: Adyr: What happened Liam? :: He let out a long breath as he walked her over to the sofa and sat her down. He searched for the words to explain what he was feeling, but there was no elegant way to put it. No magical combination that would make them easy for him to say, or for her to hear.:: ::Following him to the other side of the room she sat never taking her eyes off his face. She carefully studied the expression willing the news to be not quite as detrimental as his outward appearance made it seem. As each second passed, however, she grew increasingly worried. Still holding on to one of his hands, she realized that she was scared to let go.:: Frost: I got my new orders. They came directly from Starfleet Command. I've been ordered report to Utopia Planitia. Cayden... I've been reassigned. ::The look, his nervous smile, his worry…it all made sense now. It was a huge change. No, it was a monumental change. Though change was something she looked for, she understood that many others in the galaxy didn't quite hold the same outlook. For Cayden, however, change was the very best way to give the symbiont new experiences, and it held a special appeal to her. Change took her new places to experience new things.:: ::And change had been the catalyst that had led her right into his arms.:: Adyr: That's wonderful. ::Her bright smile returned.:: Pretty fantastic if you ask me. You're going places, Commander Frost. ::Winking at him and emphasizing the word Commander, she let go of the worry for the moment and tried to drag him out of the depths that he seemed to have gotten himself into. This would be great for him, but as she put the pieces together in her head, she began to understand what his concern was.:: :: She was as supportive as ever, and he was grateful. In some ways it made things easier, and yet they made others much harder. And the strangest part was he couldn't tell which one of those he was in.:: Frost: It's a huge opportunity. Maybe. But that's not what I'm worried about. It's you... us. :: And with that, it was out there. He couldn't take it back or pretend that nothing was happening. Nor could he pretend that he wasn't invested what they had together.:: ::Leaning her head to the side, her smiled seemed to broaden. It wasn't the leaving part or the moment in time where there was the possibility where what he was going to say next would tear him from her forever. No, it was the fact that he had just defined what was, only a short time prior, undefined. With one word, she could feel hear heart soar. One word. Us.:: ::The feeling was so overwhelming that all at once the butterflies returned and she felt slightly light in the head, which at the moment, served her well. It kept her from panicking in the moment where the words he said next could either take her higher or make her crash to the rocky ground below.:: Frost: I... want to ask you to come with me. But I can't just ask you to give up the life you've built just to follow me. I don't even know where I'm going. ::It was at this point her grin could get no bigger. Suddenly she realized what had been hanging in the balance just moments before, and with those moments gone and the statement out in the open, she could barely contain the excitement.:: :: Of all the reactions he had expected from her, an excited smile was one of the last. And yet it was exactly what he should have expected. Her ability to see the best of every situation, and her habit of reacting in unexpected ways was part of what drew him to her. Half a dozen lifetimes of experiences tempered her decisions, and fascinated him to no end.:: Adyr: That's the best part, love. ::She stood now and pulled him to his feet. How could she make him understand that she wasn't leaving her whole life behind so much as continuing the life she loved. Moving around, changing, going places; these were the things she lived for. And with him there by her side, it seemed to be her greatest desires and wishes answered. It was the chance at the perfect life, at least in her eyes.:: Frost: I... I don't understand. ::Perhaps it was the fact that she had the memories of a life in Starfleet floating around in her mind. Maybe it was that she somehow had been drawn to that life without actually realizing it. Whatever it was, she was perfect for that kind of situation. It fulfilled every whim she had too; to be on a ship, to be able to provide the random support to its officers and crew, and to have the one she adored...no…the one she had fallen for, right there with her.:: ::For a moment she paused in her elation and thought about it. He had thrown the word `us' out there and now she realized that she was indeed falling and she was falling hard. It was unlike any other feeling in the entire universe and she couldn't get enough.:: :: It was the look in her eyes that finally made him understand what she meant. Even before she spoke, her eyes expressed more than her words ever could, or needed to. And for a while he once again found himself lost in their depth like he so often did.:: Adyr: ::Smirking again.:: Perhaps you should just ask me instead of wanting to ask me. You might be surprised at the answer you get. ::Now she looked at him expectantly as he put things together in his head. Slowly, the concern seemed to fade to a point.:: :: He struggled with himself for a long moment. Was she truly prepared to give up everything she had built for herself just to follow him? But her eyes held the answer. An answer that had been there all along, and for a moment he felt the fool for missing it. It was the way she looked at him, the way she looked at everything, that told him. Perhaps it was her, perhaps it was the lives she had lived before, that was drawn to explore. She was drawn to the unknown the same way she was drawn to him, and he was to her. In that way, they were more alike than he had ever truly realized.:: Frost: Cayden, I don't know exactly where I'm going, but will you share the journey with me? ::To his question, she only nodded very enthusiastically.:: Adyr: I would absolutely, positively, love to go with you, wherever that somewhere might be. No matter where that somewhere might end up. ::She could still see the concern in his eyes despite the smile she knew he was powerless to stop.:: :: An incredible weight was lifted from his shoulders in that moment. A weight that he had carried with him from the moment he had realized how hard he was falling for her. He still worried for her, for the life she may have given up for him. But he could see in her eyes, the way he always did, that her mind was made up, and that there was no force in the universe powerful enough to change it. Frost: Are you sure? ::Cayden shook her head slightly. Perhaps it was the human nature against change coupled with his concern for her happiness, or at least that was what she assumed it was, but he still seemed concerned about her leaving her `life'. She could only smile and run her fingertips through his hair and eventually wrapping her arms around the back of his neck bringing her body ever closer to his. As she felt his arms encompass her, she brought her lips close to his ear and whispered.:: Adyr: I want this. More than anything. ::She left it up to him to figure out the multiple levels of what exactly `this' meant.:: :: He held her close, realizing now just how far he had fallen. There was no going back now. Wherever he was going now, he was going with her. And he couldn't imagine it any other way.:: Frost: Cayden... I love you. :: Saying it for the first time made it real for the first time. A feeling crept into his stomach, a feeling like the one he had when he first leaned in and kissed her. It was like the who universe fell away, and all that was left for him was her.:: ::She had never dreamed that three words would be able to have such an effect on her, but in that second, a moment torn from all of time's march, her mind, body, and heart soared as it had never done before. Still wrapped up in the embrace she leaned back just enough to look him in the eyes. In a somewhat trembling whisper that betrayed her normal calm and collected state and showed him the effect of the words, she could only respond by letting her own feelings flow.:: Adyr: And I love you. ::It was a fact that she now knew to be true.:: ::With no other words that could be said, they simply gave in to the moment. As this chapter of their lives quickly drew to a close, the universe stood still for just one moment, fading into nothing as their lips met in a blaze of passion so bright that no star could compare. The kindling had been allowed to become a flame, and now it had grown into a blaze the likes of which neither had experienced before. In only a few hours they would disembark the Victory for the final time, leaving behind all the memories that had been planted there, but with the promise of new memories in the near future, it was a trip that they were ready to take together.:: ::A lot was going to change, and even more would be coming at them in the soon, but for now, at least, the universe held its breath and allowed them time to simply get lost in each others arms.:: LtCmdr Liam Frost & PNPC Cayden Adyr As simmed by Commander Kali Nicholotti
  15. ((Chief Medical Officer's Office - Deck 500)) ::Life, Eliaan Deron had learned the hard way, had a habit of going in a direction you could never have dreamt. When he thought back to his first day at Starfleet Academy, he had never imagined that this was what fate had in store for him. He would never have expected to fall in love with a Napean doctor on a mercy mission only to have him die; he would not have thought he'd end up serving under his friend Kali Nicholotti who he had trained with; he never expected to fall in love with Kaedyn Tann; never expected to leave Starfleet after the death of a patient only to return as a science officer and be forced into Sickbay again.:: ::Still, none of that was as unexpected as the sight of his partner, newly joined to a Symbiont, with his previous host's son and mother bunking down in his office for the night. He had been glad that Mezan had found it all as strange as he did but had greeted him warmly. This was uncharted territory for everyone but Eliaan loved Kaedyn and wanted to support him during this difficult time and Kaedyn wanted to be near Jilenna's family and to ensure they were kept safe during the emergency.:: ::And so, he found himself lying on a makeshift bed on the floor of his office staring at the ceiling trying to process everything that had happened lately, while Kaedyn and Mezan slept on his couches and baby Janel slept in a cot between them. The lone non-Trill among them, he felt almost as if he were intruding,which he knew was silly since it was his office after all. Despite this, he had no idea what Trill custom suggested in situations like this. He knew that it was taboo for Joined Trill to carry on romantic relationships with partners of previous hosts but could stay friends with the friends of previous hosts. How did their society deal with the families and particularly the young children of former hosts?:: ::As he pondered these questions, sleep evaded him. He had never been someone for who sleep came easily, when he did want to go to sleep his mind would kick into warp speed and he'd start mulling over things deemed too difficult to think about during the day.:: ::After a long time simply staring at the ceiling, he decided to get up and catch up on his mountain of messages. As he did so, he heard a small whimper from the crib and, with a level of trepidation, he approached and looked down at Janel. It was a strange feeling, he felt some responsibility towards this child to which he had no ties and had only just met but if Kaedyn was almost his parent then Eliaan was almost his step-parent.:: ::Janel lay in the crib wriggling, kicking his legs and whimpering a little but not crying. He looked up at Eliaan, who glanced over his shoulder at the two other adults in the room who were both fast asleep. He reached into the crib and lifted him out and as he was hit by a terrible smell, he immediately realised why Janel was unsettled. Deron: Oh dear... Umm, okay. I can totally handle this... ::Resisting the urge to hold the infant at arm's length he walked over to the replicator behind his desk and replicated the items he thought he needed for the procedure. Still holding the baby, he cleared a space on his desk and placed him gently onto it. :: Deron: Don't worry, I'm your... Well... its complicated... but I'm a Starfleet office so I can be trusted and a doctor so you are in safe hands. ::The baby made no response and Eliaan took that as informed consent to have his diaper changed by this stranger.:: Deron: Okay, this can't be too difficult. ::Removing the dirty diaper and cleaning the "patient" wasn't too difficult but as he tried to put the new diaper on he found it much more difficult than he expected. Janel giggled as he failed for the second time to assemble the device around the baby in a manner that both fitted and would remain on him. This, Eliaan muttered, was ridiculous, he was able to perform incredibly delicate surgery but he couldn't do this. The idea of waking Kaedyn or Mezan crossed his mind but then he realised how pathetic he would seem if he couldn't do this.:: ::He made a third attempt and was incredibly relieved that it was successful. Janel began to wriggle and compain again as he lifted him back up and held him against his shoulder.:: Deron: ::soflty:: Shhhh shhhh shhhh ::The baby settled slightly and Eliaan began to pace back and forth, gently bouncing him.:: Deron: I know your mommy is gone. You probably don't understand but I'm sure you miss her. I want you to know that she hasn't gone far and she still loves you very much. ::He smiled realising, perhaps for the first time, how precious this could be and how strong Kaedyn must have been longing to get back to his "son".: Deron: Things are going to be strange for a while and I don't know what's going to happen, I'm afraid. ::The sound of his voice as he spoke softly and the slow movement back and forth behind his desk gently lulled the infant and he began to fall asleep.:: Deron: Don't worry though, you are surrounded by people who love you and we'll work something out ::With Janel finally sleeping and exhaustion threatening to catch up with him, he placed the baby back into his crib and returned to the makeshift bed on the floor.:: Zehn: ::whispering:: Eliaan... ::Not realising Kaedyn was awake, he sat back up with a start.:: Deron: ::whispering:: Yes? Zehn: ::whispering:: I love you Deron: ::smiling:: Love you too -- Lieutenant Eliaan Deron, MD Chief Medical Officer SB118 / USS Victory ~~and~~ Lieutenant (junior grade) Kaedyn Tann Chief Nursing Officer SB118 / USS Victory on medical leave
  16. Submitter's note: Sim by Evanna Blackwood and Jen Malcolm. Additionally, :'( :'( :'( ((Part 2)) ((New Triage tent)) Peiy: Davies! ::It was a terrified shriek:: Do something! ::Her shriek jolted him out of his stunned paralysis. He lunged for a supply crate, reaching in and grabbing the first thing his fingers wrapped around, which happened to be a layrngoscope. It wouldn’t do much against the knife, but it was better than being empty handed:: ::The native’s eyes darted between the two mites. It was quickly apparent that the blue one wouldn’t cause him any trouble. The noise coming from it was making his ears hurt so he turned them back and flattened them to his head. He moved towards the other one and paused. It had picked something up that he’d never seen before. He had no idea what it was or if it was dangerous. He didn’t pause long and closed the gap quickly, raising the knife, preparing for a quick swipe at the mite.:: ::Having no other recourse, Davies lunged forward, hoping the knife would miss him. He used his forward momentum to barrel into the native and wrapping his arms around the native’s middle, they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs:: ::The native lost his grip on his knife as he fell backwards to the ground, caught off-guard by the quick, unexpected motion. He pushed the mite hard and scratched at it hoping to get it off him and regain the upper-hand. :: ::Despite the pain she was in Peiy tried to see what was going on. It was very difficult to move so she wasn’t able to see what was going on. She had to trust in Davies self-defence training and try to remain as calm as possible. It was the most vulnerable and scared she’d ever been, she couldn’t believe all this was happening. As far as she’d been aware relations with the natives had been improving, so she couldn’t understand what had brought all of this on.:: ::Davies didn’t know which way was up. They rolled around, banging against the side of the biobed. He grunted as a sharp pain flared in his gut, but somehow in the frenzy he knew he hadn’t been stabbed. He lashed out, wincing under the sharp fingernails. It was like wrestling with a large dog, only there was nothing playful about it:: ::The native spotted his dropped knife and scrambled to scoop it up. The mite was stronger than it had looked and put up a good fight but now that he had his knife back he was going to finish it. He lowered the knife, meaning to plunge it into the mite and slice it right open but was meeting fierce resistance.:: ::Davies was no fighter. He’d avoided fights growing up by being the class clown and he’d had no brothers to scuffle with. But he did have a survival instinct and as the native got ready to plunge his knife into his own soft parts, he kicked out, watching in surprise as his foot landed where he intended and knocked the native off balance. He scrambled to his feet and in a desperate attempt to finish things, dug into the supply crate again. Where was the phaser?:: ::Peiy was still feebly rolling about, twisting her head and straining to see what was going on. Davies went one way and the native was recovering from the latest blow, an unpleasant but effective kick. It staggered back up onto it’s legs and crouched, making ready to lunge at Davies.:: Peiy: Davies! Your back! ::It was his turn to get knocked off balance and as he fell the supply crate tumbled down along with him, spilling its contents all over him and the native. He pushed the native off of him again and started hurling anything he could grab toward the other man. It was a terrible strategy but his panicked brain was telling him to do anything he could to keep the native away from him long enough to scramble to his feet.:: ::He pulled himself upright and found he’d managed to beat the native to his feet. He kicked, aiming for the head, hoping to render him unconscious. Pain shot through his leg and he felt his knee buckle, but he grabbed the table and continued his onslaught, letting the rational part of his mind be drowned out by his fervor.:: :: Peiy started to cry out in agony again, the pain was worse than ever and it was lasting longer. She desperately hoped it would all be over soon. She wasn’t aware of the dire condition she was in. The minutes continued to stretch out and Peiy began to think the pain would never ever end. She looked around for Davies. Was he even there? Her breathing exercises were long forgotten and she was getting in a panic.:: Peiy: Help!? ::Davies panted and looked down at the still form of the native. Somehow he’d managed to land enough kicks to knock him out. He swallowed against the intense pain radiating up his leg. The native had caught him with his knife right across his ankle. He gritted his teeth, knowing that meant severed tendons. He tried to get back to Peiy but couldn’t even step down on his foot. He hopped over to the biobed, dragging his leg behind him.:: ::He leaned his weight against the table and mustered up the best smile he could:: Davies: ::panting:: How’s my girl doing? Peiy: ::Strained:: Am I nearly done yet? ::Pause:: It’s sooo baaad. ::He laid a hand on her stomach. It was tight with a contraction:: Davies: I’m going to take a look. Peiy: ::Cringing:: With your eyes I hope. ::Dreading the other possibility.:: ::He hobbled over to the supply table and spilled some of the precious alcohol onto his hands, preparing for an internal exam. As he rubbed his palms together he squeezed his eyes closed trying to push all of his anxiety down:: ::Peiy looked around, her eyes wild and darting. If she could only move she would flee and take her chances elsewhere. Relief flooded over her when she saw the familiar face and she pointed to the door.:: Peiy: ::Stuttering:: J jih jih jih Jen! ::Davies’ eyes snapped in the direction of the door, and he almost laughed in relief, but the jubilation died on his lips as he watched her stagger in. Half of her was covered in blood. He would’ve rushed over but he knew his severed ankle would never let him make it:: Davies: Are you ok? ::Jen waved his concern away and headed straight for Peiy:: Malcolm: It’s not my blood. What’s going on here? ::She pushed her uniform sleeves up and reached out for the alcohol. Davies passed it to her wordlessly and watched gratefully as she took over:: Peiy: ::Feeling a little relieved.:: Thank goodness you’re okay! Please tell me I’m nearly done. Malcolm: Let’s find out. ::She dragged a stool over and took a position at the end of the biobed.:: Just hold tight for a second. ::Jen raised her eyes:: Davies? :: Peiy did not like where this was going. She was scared, exhausted and in so much agony. The tears rolled down her face. She didn’t think she could cope with any more and tried to squirm away from the two of them. She shook her head and tried to tell them to stop but the words wouldn’t come.:: ::Davies pressed his hands to her shoulders:: Davies: Don’t worry, Jen’s fast. Peiy: ::Whimpering:: Mhmm. ::Trying not to be so tense and failing.:: Please hurry. ::And while Jen wasn’t as fast as Peiy would’ve hoped, the exam was brief. Having learned what she needed, Jen stood and peeled off her bloodied outer jacket for the somewhat cleaner tunic underneath. She wiped her hands clean on the jacket and walked around to the side of the biobed to talk to Peiy:: Malcolm: Peiy. There’s no way you’re pushing this baby out. So, you can just lay back and let me take over all the work, ok? Peiy: ::Speaking slowly:: Take over? You don’t mean...? You can’t. Not that. ::Sobbing:: Please... ::Jen laid her hand on Peiy’s arm:: Malcolm: Peiy, I have to. We talked about this being a possibility, remember? Peiy: ::Glum:: I know. ::Tears still rolled down her face, she was gravely worried for herself and the baby. All she could do was lay limp on the bed, even if she’d wanted she was too exhausted to be able to push..:: ::While Peiy came to terms with the idea, Jen nodded her head at Davies to pull up the restraints. Though the biobed had no power to run the force-field restraints, the engineers had retrofitted it with straps. They were more of a precaution than a real need as Peiy probably wasn’t going to be able to put up much of a fight. The sheer volume of blood hemorrhaging from her was beyond any help Jen would be able to give her, even if they’d had Bolian blood for a transfusion. She’d known the instant she’d started her exam that Peiy wasn’t going to make it through the procedure and all Jen’s energy was going to go into trying to save the baby now, though her hopes were not high for success:: Malcolm: Don’t worry, Peiy. We’ll take care of you. ::Peiy struggled feebly but it was no good and within the next few minutes she had passed out.:: TBC (PNPC) Ensign Chris Davies Medical Officer USS Avandar Simmed by Malcolm and (PNPC) Ensign Peiy Tactical Officer USS Avandar Simmed by Blackwood and Lt. Jen Malcolm CMO USS Avandar
  17. Submitter's note: The mites refer to the crew of the USS Avandar, stranded on the planet with some restless natives. Additionally, this sim was written by Evanna Blackwood. ((Near the Mites expanding swarming grounds)) ::Idue was now heavily pregnant. She had suspected it before and had been unsure about whether to return to her people or not. She had been disgusted with them for showing such kindness to these evil mites. After they had killed some of their own with the red light and somehow put the others to sleep. It was some strange sorcery. The beast that had carried them here lay dead since the day it had arrived and completed it's bidding for Nonod, the goddess of death. :: ::Idue had known these mites were nothing but a plague, an infestation of their lands. They had failed in their great unifying hunt to kill the mites and cleanse their sacred burial grounds. The mites were too resilient but she had caught one. Her Circhev had helped her take down the mite whilst Tyrha had covered them. They should have taken the opportunity to study the beast and work out how to kill it. Instead they invited it into her home. The home her parents and Yathe's had spent much time and effort building for them as a gift so that they could complete their bond together and start their own family. :: ::Yathe had shown great disrespect to her and their parents by his actions. Treating a foul demon as a guest, healing it's wounds and trying to talk to it, even giving it their precious water. Idue missed Yathe a great deal but was not sure she could forgive him for his actions. He had favored it over her and spoken against her publicly several times. It was a great humiliation. So now here she was out in the open, roaming around the woods trying to support herself with no clan and no home. Without a clan she would have no support and would be completely vulnerable during childbirth. If she and her youngling survived that trial she would still struggle to feed and protect them both. :: :: She had observed the mites sending out hunting parties of their own. They were not nearly as quick or efficient in the hunt. It had taken a lot of time spent observing them but she had realised what it was that was odd. They seemed mainly to use their sense of sight when hunting, they did appear to react to audio cues but it wasn't that often. She had on occassion lost prey to them too. She would manage to take out a beast but before she could come down from her hunting perch to retrieve it they were too close. They would take her prize before she could claim it. Dirty, smelly, thieving mites.:: ::She had noticed recently an elder from another clan come down to the mites camp. The elder was always escorted and they always left some overlooking the camp. She had been close enough once that one of them had smelled her and called out to her. He could probably have smalled the change in her too, but she did not care. She retreated further into the jungle and left them to it but sometimes late at night when she was sitting high up in the branches or a tree resting she wondered if the hunter had said anything to one of her clan about it. More than was likely he'd have forgotten about it long before they even turned to go back to the camp but all the same Idue did find herself wondering about it on occassion. :: ::With the mites harvesting the local prey and the land so heavily it was slim pickings, they had no concept of living withing the balance of nature. They would have this entire region stripped in but a few seasons. Idue was hungry, she had seem some mites, one blue and the other with a fiery mane, stealing their food and putting it within the bounds of their swarming grounds. Several bushes and vegetable plants had been stolen. Idue decided she was going to go take them back. :: ::First she had to get passed the mites with the shells. She still remembered the way they took off a portion of their shells to eat, and how one of them had a dark colour. That was the one who had tortured the packmule. If she saw that one she would crack open it's shell with her poisoned dagger if she could. She had spend a few hungry days watching the mites activity. The shelled mites appeared to moving thing around a lot recently. She waiting until it was getting dark and sneaked in to the camp as best she could. :: ::She made her way directly to the place where they had hoarded their food supplies. There were a few mites going into some square hut and she waited in the shadows until they were gone. She checked her surroundings very carefully and then moved over to the bushes. She smalled the sweet flowers from their fruit bushes, it wasn't the season for them to bear fruit but the petals were good in a salve. They could help cuts, bruises, burns and a number of flesh wounds heal more quickly. :: :: She picked up the orange-brown root vegetable and brushed off the dirt. These were quite tough but if you sliced them and then heated the slices over the fire for a few minutes it softened it up and more them much easier to eat and digest. This wouldn't fill her belly just now. She sniffed around to see what they had, it was hard to tell as the smell of mite was overpowering, but she found something suitable. There was a bush at the back with a purple fruit. It was spherical and had a knobbly purple skin, but if you used your hunting knife to remove the skin the fruit inside was delicious. The skin could be dried, ground into a pulp and used for light pain relief. She peeled the fuit and put the skin in her pocket for later. :: ::As she raised the fruit to her mouth she looked up and saw a mite. It hadn't spotted her yet and she stayed very still, hoping not to draw it's attention.:: ((Opened the door if anyone wants to try chat with a native. If not I will have her leave again soon(ish). Remember natives don't understand federation standard. good luck. )) (msPNPC) Idue Native Hunter Simmer by Blackwood
  18. (( Graveyard near the USS Avandar )) :: It was dusk now, the twilight spilling over the graveyard and bathing it in the sun's last vestigial yellow rays. The jungle warmth washed over the gathered crowd, which to Tan's mind was a good omen. On Byroni, where he was born, they say that to bury the dead during the cold would send them to the Trill equivalent of Hell. Instead, the honoured dead were to be buried during the heat of the day so that their bodies would be warm at night and they would find comfort and solace in the Earth's loving grip. :: Tan: We are gathered here today to pay tribute to one of our own, Commander Hugh Barnes. :: Alleran stood at the front of the gathering, one of their last PADDs clasped in both his hands. He articulated himself carefully, speaking slowly and with careful, practiced precision.:: Tan: Commander Barnes was born on Qo'n'os, homeworld of the Klingons... as were other offices present here today. So when I say that Barnes was born on a planet of warriors, full of courage and valour, I want you all to understand that I believe in my bones that Commander Barnes inherited from his homeworld more than a birth certificate which certainly caused all manner of confusion for Federation Immigration. He inherited a soul that had fire, passion, dedication, honour, and a deep, intrinsic feel for right and wrong that he had with him as long as I had known him, brief though it was. :: He pressed a button on the PADD, moving to the next set of notes. He wasn't reading verbatim, but instead he was speaking from a set of notes. It was more authentic this way. :: Tan: A Trill symbiont can live for thousands of years, and so when I say that I never got to know Commander Barnes as well as I should have, and this regret will be with me as long as I live, I want the true meaning of what I say to be clear. Although Hugh is no longer with us, his memory lives on... in all of us here. In the shared, collective memory that we all share. This memory is a long one. :: The Trill flicked to the next page. :: Tan: A ship is like a home, and a crew like a family who live in it. Each of us have a role to play in Starfleet, and as our Chief of Security, Commander Barnes worked tirelessly to keep the crew safe from those who would trespass into our home to do us harm. Such was his dedication to his duty, that this task continued unabated even as our home, shattered and broken, was splayed out on this planet. :: Another page. :: Tan: ... anyone can live in a house, but a home is different. A house has walls, a ceiling... ::he nodded towards Audie:: ... a cute dog. Ahome... that is to say, the shared love and joy, the shared grief and loss, that bond that ties us all together... has no walls or boundaries. When the Avandar broke her back on this planet, Eden, forcing us to live on its surface... the house was gone, yes, but the home within merely moved to the camp not far from here. :: He paused again, moving to the next page of notes. :: Tan: Commander Barnes was a member of that home... that family... and I am, as all of you are, saddened and aggrived by his loss. I know that he cared for us... all of us. His love was strong enough for him to lay down his life so we could live. All we can do to thank him, now, is honour that sacrifice in everything we do, for every day we live. :: Alleran gently reached out, touching the wood of his coffin, looking at the closed casket. :: Tan: I'm sorry we couldn't save you, Barnes... but your efforts gave us all a second chance. Klingon legends say that they slew their gods for being more trouble than they were worth... but I know it was because they were making more room in the heavens for you, sir. :: Withdrawing his hand, Tan moved to stand with the others. :: (( OOC: Anyone else? )) :: Speeches were made and Tan listened respectfully, diligently, and then the time came. The coffin was lowered into the ground as Taps, that old solemn tune, was played. :: (( OOC: )):: Alleran came to attention, drawing his hand up in a crisp salute. Quietly, he muttered to himself, confident the music would hide the tremor in his voice. :: Tan: Goodbye, Commander Barnes. Somehow, we'll find the strength to carry on without you. :: The Marines presented arms, then twenty-one phaser shots flew into the atmosphere of Eden, flying off into space. The weapons were lowered, then fired again... then again. :: :: Barnes's body was lowered into his grave and the detail Tan had assigned began their grim work. Soon, the monument to Commander Barnes's sacrifice was a large headstone carved from local granite, along with a mountain of freshly turned earth. :: :: Switching off the PADD to conserve the power, Tan nodded to the others in attendance who were near him. :: Tan: I'm sorry to rush everyone, but... :: There was a true sadness in his voice as he glanced out at the nearby row of coffins, all cut from local timber and draped in Federation Flags. :: Tan: ... we have a lot of these to do today. Let's get moving. End. ----- Lt. Alleran Tan Operations USS Avandar
  19. ((USS Tiger-A - Bridge)) ::As Tracey sat at her post at Ops, with the red alert lights flashing all around her, creating an eerie glow upon the armor she still wore, she thought of the situation and realized the necessity of some of the tests she was placed under in this universe's rendition of the Academy. Being holed up at StarFleet medical for almost a year, undergoing psychological analysis by Doctor Samuel Huff, Tracey spent most of her free time studying manuals and performing tests. Some were to assess her skills as a StarFleet officer, and some were to assess if she could actually be able to return to service. Either way, Tracey was happy at the time, for it allowed her to take her mind off of the situation she found herself in.:: ::Tracey recalled that day, as she shuffled down the corridors of the psychological ward of StarFleet medical, holding her patients robe closed and her slippers glided along the floor. She recalled almost crashing into the StarFleet officer standing at the nurses station, where Tracey was heading to receive her dose of medication. Tracey looked up with a surprised, but sad face, at the man standing in front of her. He smiled awkwardly. Tracey didn't smile back.:: ((Time Warp - Two and a half years ago - Starfleet Medical - Psychological Ward)) Townson: You are...? Officer: Lieutenant Dolovitch, Ms. Townson. We met... Townson: ::waving him off:: Yes, yes. Yesterday at lunch. ::to a nurse on the other side of the nurses station:: Nurse! Its time! ::pointing to an overhead chronometer then looking back up towards the Lieutenant:: What's on your mind, soldier? Dolovitch: Well, Ms. Townson, ::lifting his PADD slightly:: according to the information that I have here, you are performing well on your Starfleet tests. ::The nurse approached the counter and placed medication on a small napkin with a small white paper cup filled with water. Tracey's attention turned from the officer in front of her, towards that of her medication. She looked at the pills and nodded a curt thank you towards the nurse and then palmed her pills before popping them in her mouth, and washed them down with the water. She then looked up at the Lieutenant before fully swallowing.:: Townson: ::gulp:: And that surprises you, soldier? I've been a member of Starfleet for many years before coming to this universe. Dolovitch: We know that, Ms. Townson. Its your level of knowledge that surprises us. Townson: Does it now. ::Tracey didn't know if what he was referring to was the fact her level of skill was surprisingly poor or good. In fact, she didn't quite care. She felt relaxed and wondered if the medication was assisting with her state.:: Dolovitch: We would like you to take a special test. Townson: Special? ::looking up at the Lieutenant with a sly smile:: Special in what way? Dolovitch: ::returning the smile:: Its a...oh you'll see. ::Tracey didn't speak for a moment as she looked for clues as to what this test could be about, in the Lieutenant's facial gestures. Not being anything close to an empath nor very good at reading facial features, it was not surprising Tracey failed miserably to try to get more information from the man in this way. However, she herself was intrigued.:: Townson: You're on, soldier. I'll take the test. As you can see, my schedule is pretty much clear. Dolovitch: Very good, Ms. Townson. I have scheduled you for the test tomorrow afternoon. Townson: I'll need a pass to get out of here. Dolovitch: Well ahead of you. Consider it done. I have already spoken with Doctor Huff. Townson: Then I'll see you tomorrow, then? Dolovitch: ::nodding:: Tomorrow it is, Ms. Townson. ::And with that, the Lieutenant tapped a few keys on his PADD and turned to leave, leaving Tracey standing alone at the nurses station. Just then, the clouds outside the complex, moved off and a ray of sunshine beamed in through the window of the complex, and Tracey found herself gazing at a floating piece of dust in the sunbeam. Once it disappeared past the beam, and into the rest of the sterile hallway of the hospital, Tracey brought her thoughts back to the present. Looking at her outfit she was wearing, she knew she could not stay here forever. It would not only lead to her own depression, but to an early death as well. This was not who she was. She was an Officer of Starfleet, not an inpatient at a mental institution and she knew she had to pass that test.:: ::Lifting her head, Tracey spun in her slippered feet and headed back to her room. There she sat and studied and read everything she thought might be on that test the next day, for she did care. For her own life, she had to go back to the only occupation she has known since she was drafted at 15, for there was no other reason to continue should she not, for she knew she had no other skills to offer.:: ::The next day began like every other in this strange, peaceful, universe. She showered and ate breakfast with the other patients, assisting the nurses and doctors when needed and then retreating either for therapy or back to her room. This morning was different, as after breakfast she was guided by a nurse to a room which housed uniforms. Cadet uniforms. Tracey tried them on until she found the correct fit, as the nurse looked on. It was for protection, she was told. All patients on this ward were never left unattended. And even though Tracey felt uneasy about it, she understood the reasoning.:: Townson: ::posing in her uniform:: How do I look? Nurse: ::smiling:: Very professional, Ms. Townson. Townson: ::smiling back:: Now I'm Cadet Townson. ::The two left the room together and Tracey picked up her pass from the nurses station as Lieutenant Dolovitch rounded a corner. He joined Tracey and the nurse at the nurses station. Tracey looked up at the man.:: Dolovitch: You appear to be ready, Cadet. Townson: ::moving to an attention stance:: Yes, sir! I am, sir! Dolovitch: ::nodding to the nurse then speaking to Tracey:: Very good. Follow me, Cadet. ::Starfleet Headquarters was not a small complex. Moving from the medical complex, which consisted mostly of research facilities due to the fact that most of those within were healthy individuals in this universe, to that of the training center, was not a quick process. Tracey was given the choice of walking or using transport. Tracey chose the former. She wanted to see the complex, not as military barracks and a place of death and sadness and despair, but one of happiness and joy and choice. It was odd to see this place not covered with security, and checkpoints at every corner. It was odd to see the lack of crying parents grieving for their children drafted into a war without knowing whether they would ever see them alive again. It was odd to not see the stream of dead and dying soldiers being taken to Stafleet medical for autopsies and emergency surgeries. The lack of the constant blood tests to make certain one is not a Changeling.:: ::Tracey took in the sunshine of the west coast spring afternoon with awe in her yellow eyes as she looked around at the apparent freedom and peace around her. But although her heart was filled with joy, she did not believe she deserved it. She was a child of a different universe. A place of war and disease and desparation wherever she went, and if asked, she could list off many others other than herself, who deserved to come to this place of peace ahead of her. Why was she chosen? Why was it she who came to this place? She was just a soldier. She didn't deserve it.:: ::Walking through the front doors of the testing facility, Tracey noticed all the Cadets moving everywhere. They looked young, for the most part, but not like children. Tracey was older than most, but there were others who were older as well, so Tracey didn't feel too out of place. This was not the first time Tracey had entered this complex. She had taken a few tests here already as well as some in her room at the medical complex. But this was her first time here dressed as a Cadet, and she felt almost oddly comfortable. Almost like she was halfway home, even though the design of the uniform was very different.:: ::Tracey and Lieutenant Dolovitch walked into a room and a Lieutenant Commander was standing there. The Lieutenant told Tracey to wait, and he went to speak to his suprior officer. Within moments, the grey haired Lieutenant Commander approached Tracey and extended his arm. Tracey took it and shook it quickly before letting go and coming to attention.:: Townson: Cadet Tracey Townson reporting for testing, Commander. Lt. Cmdr: As ease, Cadet. My name is Lieutenant Commander Richard Gard. I will be assessing your skills on this test. Are you ready, Cadet? Townson: Yes, sir, Commander! I am ready! Gard: Very good, Cadet. Lieutenant Dolovitch will bring you to a room with a mock bridge. Inside you will have all the tools at your discretion to perform your assigned task. You will also be given a crew made up of other Cadets. You are to perform a simple rescue operation. Do you have any questions, Cadet? Townson: ::looking straight ahead:: No, sir, Commander! Rescue operations are not something I am not familiar with! Gard: I'm glad to hear, Cadet. With your backgound, this should be straightforward. ::turning and giving a knowing smile to Lieutenant Dolovitch:: Lieutenant...lead the Cadet to the testing area. Dismissed. ::And with that, Tracey and Lieutenant Dolovitch left the room and moved towards another area of the testing area. Tracey and the Lieutenant entered what appeared to be a bridge of an older starship design. Looking around, Tracey noticed the other Cadets already at their assigned posts. As soon as one of them noticed Lieutenant Dolovitch, they all turned to look his way.:: Dolovitch: Cadets, this is Cadet Tracey Townson. Townson: Hi. ::The Cadets just looked at Tracey without responding. The Lieutenant continued.:: Dolovitch: Cadet Townson will be taking this test to test her reaction to particular stimuli. Some of you may be familiar with it. Its called the Kobyashi Maru test. ::There was a slight gasp from some of the Cadets on the bridge.:: Dolovitch: ::turning to Townson:: As the Commander stated, it is a rescue operation. When you are ready, we will begin the simulation. Townson: ::nodding:: Understood, Lieutenant. ::Tracey was anxious but confident in her abilities. She recalled having to perform recue operations in her universe of origin on many different occasions, and she figured that this would be no different. Tracey surmised that speed would be necessary and that she would have to pinpoint her target, move in and conduct the rescue. It should be straightforward.:: ::As she moved to the center seat, she overheard a couple of Cadets whispering to each other.:: Cadet 1: Thats the one from Starfleet Medical. Cadet 2: You mean the crazy one? ::Tracey quickly glanced their way and realized at that moment that the stigma of mental illness was still something those in this universe had to deal with. She gave them a stern look then returned her attention to the matter at hand. But in the back of her mind, the "crazy one" statement still lingered. She knew she was different. It was time to show that she was not "crazy" too. She knew she had to pass this test.:: ::Once Tracey was settled in, she took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.:: Townson: Begin simulation. ::The bridge came to life and the viewscreen showed a starfield.:: Townson: Report! Cadet: All systems functioning...sir we're being hailed. Audio only. Townson: On speakers. Speakers: =/\= To any Federation vessel. This is Kobyashi Maru. We are losing power...=/\= ::Tracey looked at the Cadet questioningly. The Cadet shook his head. Another Cadet spoke up.:: Cadet 2: Kobyashi Maru is a Federation freighter operating at the edge of the Klingon neutral zone. Townson: Operations. Try to reestablish communications. Tactical, get a fix on their location. Helm, lay in a course for the neutral zone, warp 5. Engage! ::The mock ship jumped to warp and within moments, the mock ship found the location of the distressed vessel. Thus far, Tracey found herself to be quite proud of herself. Things were moving quite smoothly.:: Cadet: Kobyashi Maru on screen, Captain. It appears to be just on the opposite side of the neutral zone. Vessel is without power and drifting. Sensors picking up numerous injured. Townson: Anything else. Cadet: Negative, sir. Townson: Very well. Move us in closer. To transporter distance. Computer: Warning. Crossing neutral zone is a violation... Townson: Shut that off! Cadet: Yes, sir. ::Tracey spun in her seat and looked at the Cadet at the rear of the bridge.:: Townson: Inform sickbay to prepare to receive... ::Suddenly the ship rocked from the telltale power of that emanating from disruptor fire. With the shields down for transport, the damage was extensive. Tracey, as well as others, were thrown to the ground. Tracey looked up at the screen in shock to see three Klingon war ships at close range.:: Townson: How!? How did they...!? SHIELDS! SHIELDS! Cadet: Shields unresponsive, Captain! Townson: NO! NO!... ::Another volley of torpedos and disruptors was all it took for the simulation to come to an end. Sitting on the floor in the middle of the smoke-filled bridge, Tracey heard the doors open behind her. As the other Cadets were dismissed, Tracey stood and looked at the silhouette of Lieutenant Commander Gard and stood at attention in her now dirty uniform.:: Townson: I...I realize I failed, Commander. I would like to retake the test. Gard: ::shaking his head:: Your performance here will be placed on your permanent record, Cadet. Townson: But, sir...I... Gard: You will be assessed upon your performance here, today, Cadet Townson. Lieutenant Dolovitch will escort you back to the Medical complex where you will await final evaluation. Understood? Townson: Yes, sir. ::Tracey and Lietenant Dolovitch left the training center and returned to the Medical complex without exchanging words. She knew she failed miserably. She should never have crossed the neutral zone. But how could she rescue survivors otherwise? She sighed trying to hold back her tears. She knew now that there was no way she would ever be able to return to service and found that test unfair. It wasn't as if she had not undergone unfair tests in her universe of origin, it was just that she had yet to encounter one in this universe, and therefore figured her failure would lead to not being able to return to Starfleet. The only thing she knew how to do was Starfleet, and she couldn't bear trying to think of what else she could do here in this strange, peaceful, and lonely universe.:: ::Once again, at the nurses station, Tracey turned in her pass and thanked Lieutenant Dolovitch. Once the man left, Tracey went to her room, and changed back into her hospital clothes. She then sat on her bed, pulled her knees up to her chest and rocked herself back and forth trying to comfort herself from the memories of this day. As tears streamed down her face she watched the Starfleet Officers outside her window hoping that she didn't ruin her chances at her too becoming one of them some day..:: -FIN- Lt. Commander Tracey Townson Chief of Operations USS Tiger-A
  20. Ensign Jack Mancuso Engineer USS Avandar (( Somewhere aboard the wreckage of the Avandar)) ::He sat in the darkness of the ruined bridge, alone and quiet, sitting very still in the Captains chair. His eyes didn't open, or move. His hands twitched slightly. The only sound the slow heaving of his breath. To any ho had observed the scene, they would probably believe he had sat down and fallen asleep.:: Jack: How long are you going to sit there and ignore me? Mancuso: As long as it takes. ::He opened his eyes and looked at...himself. The uniform still flawless. The bright shining Ensign.:: You aren't real. Jack: Ouch. That really hurts me Jack. I'm as real as you are. Mancuso: Oh? And what are you then? Am I going mad? Jack: ::Smiling:: Yes. Yes you are. But regardless....I am you. Conscience. Guilt. Whatever you wish to call it. Mancuso: ::Laughing:: I always envisioned this taking place with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Jack: Really? Well...I'd think that madness is unexpected. Mancuso: To hell with you. I'm not crazy. Jack: OH!? Are you so sure? Because you're prepared to do whatever it takes to get off this planet. Prepared to go against your friends, the Captain....all for a chance to escape. Where I come from that's called mutiny Jack. Mancuso: SHUT UP!! I'm just trying to save us. All of us. It's for their own good. Only Commander Umas sees it like I do. Jack::: Stepping around to look him in the face:: Are you really trying to justify yourself to me? I am you. I know what you know. Mancuso: Stop. Jack: You're just a scared little boy. Mancuso: Stop! Jack: You're scared and now you want to run away. Mancuso: STOP IT!! Jack: :: He threw his hands in the air.:: I give up. Your heart is becoming black. Hollow. Cold. There's no room in it for anyone but Jack Mancuso and his distorted sense of right and wrong. LOOK AT YOU! You're becoming a desperate, cold and remorseless man. YOU are the worst of what you truly are Jack. Mancuso: ::He sighed:: And what are you? Some mental defense that my mind has thrown u to save itself? Jack: That might be one way to say it. Another would be to say that you are on the edge, looking out over an abyss. I mean hell Jack, you're the one sitting in a dark ruined bridge talking to yourself. If that doesn't scream out for you to seek help and pull yourself together I don't know what does. Mancuso: ::He lept to his feet now:: I am not crazy. I'm not. I'm an engineer. I have ideas that can help us. That can save us. And I'm going to save us. All of us. Push comes to shove, whether they want it or not. And heaven help anyone that stands in my way. Jack: ::Nodding slowly:: And so fear, desperation, and bitterness push you over the edge. Dad would just love seeing you fold under the pressure like this. Mancuso: Oh....nice try. You're so smug and self righteous. Jack: You'd rather I show up all ethereal and transparent? Rattling chains and shouting 'Turn back now before it's too late'? Fine...we'll do it the hard way. Mancuso: ::He spun around:: What's that supposed to mean? ::He froze, realizing the other Jack was gone, if he had ever really been there. Regardless, he had made his choice. He had picked his side. And there was no turning back now. He was a great engineer. And now he would prove it. He felt something slide down his cheek and he reached up. He looked at it on his fingertips for a moment. Why had he been crying? Shaking his head, he turned to walk out of the bridge. He was just tired. He needed sleep. His imagination was just running away with him.:: Ensign Jack Mancuso Engineer USS Avandar
  21. (( Jaxx & Tressa's Suite, Echivar Island Resort )) :: Warmth. There was so much warm and comfort. It was normal of course... but why? Tressa did not recognize the place she was... she was just there. I was strange how this fact did not incite fear. She was not afraid of the unknown location, or the unusual aura the area seemed to radiate. It was strangely comforting; like she was always in this place. There was a warm security that radiated from every... wall? :: :: Wall? No... there were no walls. It was like a blanket... loosely draped around her, but it was large... there was so much space here, and yet it was so cozy. :: Voice: ~Are you ready?~ :: Tressa turned to the voice that she... heard? No not heard... it was almost like when Andrus had spoken to her through her mind... yet different. Her eyes landed on a figure not far from her. It was small and large, young and old. Whenever she tried to focus on it, it's form shifted suddenly... it seemed... young. :: Voice: ~No time to prepare, we have to be ready!~ :: She could not identify the voice either, it shifted so suddenly; the pitch the tone... again she had the sensation of it belonging to a young individual... but whether it was male or female she couldn't tell. :: Tressa: oO Ready for what? Oo :: There were no voices here... how strange... no sound except for a steady rhythm in the background. :: Voice: ~ I don't know, but it's important! ~ :: It sounded excited... :: Tressa: oO How can you know how important it is, but not know *what* it is? Oo Voice: ~We just know... ~ :: The first question Tressa had was 'we'? But a second presence soon made itself known. :: Tressa: :: Looking at it. :: oO Are you getting ready too? Do you know where we're going? Oo :: The figure, again indefinable in any way, remained silent. :: Voice: ~ Can't talk. Not like me. Doesn't know like I do... ~ :: Tressa cast a sympathetic glance towards the second figure. :: Tressa: oO Can't talk? Why? What do you know? Oo Voice: ~I don't know *why* just can't talk... ~ :: The figure was quiet for a moment, and Tressa felt excitement, anticipation, eagerness. :: ~I know *them* They are there... they know... they are waiting... ~ Tressa: oO Them? Do you know who 'they' are? Oo :: The voice appeared to turn towards her, it regarded her quietly a moment. :: Voice: ~ They are you. Are you ready? ~ :: Before she could ask for clarification she was away from that place, and floating... there were waves, so tranquil, so peaceful. There was a boat...Tressa was sure... she was reclining in something... among the waves it had to be a boat... yes a boat. :: :: But then water... water in her boat? Was the boat sinking? That wasn't right! She stirred annoyed at this sudden development, and slowly the young Gideon began to awake from her dreams... there was not boat... but there was the comforting feeling of the bed beneath her... and it *was* wet. :: :: Wet? She jerked awake suddenly. Why was the bed wet? There wasn't any water near or... water? Waters... a new realization hit Tressa and her arm flew out to stir the man beside her. :: Tressa: Andrus! Jaxx: Hmm? ::Immediately opening his eyes he focused on Tressa. The wave of emotions hit him so hard he did not need to guess the problem.:: Tressa: Andrus, Wake up! I think it's time! Jaxx: ::sitting up:: Why? Tressa: I think my waters just broke... Jaxx: ::rolling his eyes in agitation:: You think, or you know? For love of the Four Deities, you have a duel major in Zoology, and Exobiology and you cannot tell me if you are sure or not!? :: Through her nervousness she could hear a slight note of panic to Jaxx's voice; regardless of this she was a bit snappy as she responded. :: Tressa: Well, this isn't something that happens to me every day, you know. ::Rolling out of bed, he threw on some pants as he stumbled to find his commbadge. As he pulled up his pants, he reached for the badge on the night stand. As his hand touched it, he lost his balance and started to fall. Catching himself on the night stand, he knocked the commbadge on the floor. As he bent over to pick it up, the darkness in the room concealed the corner of the night stand. He yelped as he smacked his head.:: :: Tressa turned alarmed at the sudden noise, and Jaxx's grunt. Were either of them thinking clearly they may have turned on a light... :: Jaxx: Dammit! Tressa: :: Alarmed. :: Are you alright? Jaxx: I am fine! ::tapping the commbadge:: =/\= Jaxx to Kali =/\= ((Kali’s Suite, Echevar Island Resort)) ::Sleep seemed to come so much easier when you had the entire day to wear yourself out. This was the second night that she had climbed into the silky soft sheets and slept the sleep that only babies sleep.:: ::Dreams hadn’t come to her in a long time, but that night it was different. After the nightmares following her encounter with the Hirogen, she forced herself not to dream. Of course she wasn’t sure how she had accomplished that, but it had been a long time since she had been graced by any visions of the night; bad or otherwise. Tonight, though, it seemed as if whatever she had done had been undone.:: ::There was nothing discernible in the abstract images that played through her mind. She felt a strange sensation of being totally and utterly confused. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind it all made sense without actually doing so. And without recourse, she had no other choice but to follow where they led.:: ::Where they led, however, was to nothing.:: ::The sudden absence of the dream seemed to drag her from the blissful state of sleep she had been in. Total darkness encompassed her as she put together where she was and what time of the day, or night as it might have been, that it was. As if the universe let her take a breath before continuing, her badge chirped mere seconds later.:: Nicholotti: =/\= Go ahead. =/\= ::Her voice was clear from the momentary grogginess that tended to accost you when you first woke up. At least the universe had allowed her that.:: Jaxx: =/\= It is time...she thinks, but I know! =/\= ::Kali sat straight up in bed and was already in motion as she responded. There was no need for an explanation.:: Nicholotti: =/\=Get her to the Victory. Tell them I’m on my way. =/\= Jaxx: =/\= See you there. ::as the line closed, he spoke again. ::Jaxx to the Victory, two to beam to Sickbay. =/\= Miles: =/\= Aye, Captain...stand by...energizing.=/\= ((Sickbay, USS Victory)) ::In the matter of seconds the blue lights engulfed them and rematerialized them in Sickbay. Helping Tressa to the biobed nearest them was his first move. He spotted a couple nurses heading over as Kali beamed into the room. Smiling at her was what he attempted, but it was obviously forced. Glancing down at Tressa, he could hardly keep his dinner in place. He could stare down multiple Romulan Warbirds, take on a fleet of Cardassian Galor Class ships, he could even help stop a war from breaking out in many systems at once. But there was nothing that made him feel as intimidated as he did right now.:: :: Tressa watched the nervousness Jaxx tried to hide with mixed emotions. She was slightly amused, yet mostly worried about him. Her attention was soon taken by Kali as the woman moved over to them. :: ::Issuing the needed orders as she moved, Kali walked to where Jaxx had helped Tressa to a bed. The nurses were in a flurry of action as she finally got close to her friend.:: Tressa: Kali! :: Relief was flooded in her voice. :: ::The smile that Kali wore was soft and warm. She had been there all those months ago to break the news of the pregnancy. Now she was here to bring those children into the world.:: Nicholotti: How are you doing? Tressa: I'm okay. Nervous.. Andrus hit his head. :: Her eyes flickered to him. :: ::Kali glanced up at the man she had known for a very long time. The man she had once died for, the man who had always been the one solid thing in her life when everything else was falling apart, looked downright scared at that precise moment. He was trying to fake it, but she had never seen him quite like this. In her mind she giggled; becoming a father would be, perhaps, the most life changing event he would ever experience.:: Nicholotti: How are *you* doing? Jaxx: ::attempting to reassure himself more than the women:: In command. ::After so long, Kali had learned to pick certain things up from him. Maybe that was why they had been able to work so well together for so long. She stepped to the other side of the bed and pulled up a chair. Positioning it next to Tressa’s head, she put her hand on the taller man’s shoulder.:: Nicholotti: You should sit. ::The smile she gave him conveyed that it was more of an order than a request.:: Jaxx: I am perfectly fine right...::pausing for a moment as he realized he wanted nothing to do with the next part:: over in this chair. ::pointing to the seat next to Tressa:: ::Placing one hand on each of her friend’s arms, Kali smiled and spoke in a calm and reassuring tone.:: Nicholotti: Everything’s fine. ::Glancing up at the monitors.:: The babies are doing good, but I need both of you ready for what’s going to happen. ::Jaxx did a double take. Was she serious? This was not the Bridge, and he had no business in Sickbay unless he was a patient. He was there for moral, and emotional support and that was all he could muster.:: Jaxx: Easy for you to say. Tressa: :: Taking a long breath :: Okay. :: She was nervous. Though so very glad that Kali was here. The woman had saved her life, and nursed her back to health. More than being her close friend, Kali knew Tressa inside and out. The doctor had worked with Gideon physiology (her physiology to be precise) before, and that gave Tressa more comfort than a dozen of Starfleet's best doctors. :: ::The nurses were setting things up around her as the raven haired doctor-turned-command-officer laid out the plan and went over each step.:: Nicholotti: It’ll be faster than you think. Just those two main incisions and you get to meet your children. Jaxx: ::looking to Tressa:: Two slices...I bet you are glad you are Gideon. :: He was joking again. It was his defense mechanism; it made Tressa smile never the less. :: Tressa: I will recover quickly.. especially with Kali here. :: She smiled at her doctor and friend. :: ::Content that the parents were well aware of how things were going to go down, Kali flashed them one more grin.:: Nicholotti: I’m going to get ready and then we’ll begin. Don’t push. ::She looked directly at Tressa.:: Just breathe. And you. ::She looked towards Jaxx then.:: Don’t let her. ::Turning, Kali moved to the prep area and began donning the surgical scrubs and gloves required for the procedure. Her heart skipped more than one beat – at least it did in her mind – as she suddenly realized what she was about to do. Tressa and Jaxx had become her family. They were the two closest people to her in the world. Now, she would bring their children into the universe. Brand new life created by the bond of love that knew no bounds. Creating a future, not with the toil of one’s own hands, but with genuine care, wise guidance, and knowledge of what was and what could possibly be. This was the epitome of what living was.:: ::For a second Jaxx wanted someone to explain his paralysis. Instead, he realized why he could not move. In his entire life he had never been so scared and excited at the same time. He thought it would be much easier if they could just beam the babies out and run them through the biofilters.:: :: Kali and the nurses moved in almost perfect synchronized movements. As Tressa laid back on the biobed she held Jaxx's hand tightly. This was it. They were going to meet their children... Tressa's heart pounded furiously in her chest, her eyes flickered to Jaxx while Kali moved through Sickbay readying herself for the procedure. :: Tressa: :: Turning to Jaxx. :: Andrus? Please remember to breath. You look like you're going to pass out. Jaxx: You remember not to push! ::Jaxx took a deep breath.:: Tressa: They're coming... :: She smiled, nervously. :: ::Jaxx smiled and kissed her forehead. It was hard to project a feeling of calmness when he was anything but. He usually had the ability to calm the children when they were restless, or at the very least control the emotional part of the situation. This was one of those times his telepathic abilities were useless to him. It was all he could do to keep the terror at bay.:: :: Tressa closed her eyes and took comfort from the gentle kiss. Jaxx was always in control, always calm and logical. Now he was in a situation that he had no control over, and could not do much to help. She felt for him but acknowledge it would not be long before it was over and they would have their children here... at the same time it was amusing to see Andrus so anxious. As Kali moved over towards the two, Tressa smiled at her dear friend as she caught her eye. :: Tressa: Kali, I don't want to be put to sleep. ::Being that she was still in motion when her friend spoke, Kali wasn’t sure she had heard her right.:: Nicholotti: You don’t want to what? ::Stepping closer, Kali placed on hand on her shoulder and looked at her questioningly.:: Tressa: I want to be awake when they arrive. ::Now a smile spread across that same face.:: Nicholotti: Oh, of course. I’m just going to give you something that will block your feeling from the waist down. It might be a bit unnerving to not be able to feel your legs, but it’s better than the alternative. ::Even now she was trying to make the smaller woman smile. Kali didn’t have to be Betazoid to see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. Every move she made was calculated and planned to give her friend the gift of reassurance. Anything that could be done to make her comfortable Kali would go out of her way to do.:: Tressa: Thank you Kali. I'm really glad you're here. :: She smiled another nervous smile, though this one was full of gratitude. :: Jaxx: So much for your vacation. ::poking fun at Kali's idea for the trip:: ::The head of the nursing staff nodded towards Kali to signal her that everything was ready. From her current position near Tressa’s head on the other side of the biobed from Jaxx, Kali was unable to see anything. The curtain would help keep an already queasy father from contaminating the room.:: Nicholotti: Not everyone gets to say they delivered babies on their vacation. ::She grinned at him.:: Ready to meet your kids? ::Kali glanced from one to the other and back again before practically jumping up and setting herself into motion again. Reaching out, she took a hypospray from a nurse. On either side of the bed there was a line of more nurses; one team for each of the babies. The doctor had not let anyone sleep that night. Noting that everything was in place, Kali moved back up to her head and pressed the hypo against the Gideon woman’s neck.:: Nicholotti: Here we go. Jaxx: Everything is going to be fine...I am right here. Tressa: :: Nodding :: Okay. :: The young Gideon was nervous now. So very nervous. She trusted Kali with her life, and those of her children... but nothing in the past few months could prepare her for this moment... :: ::With a wink, Kali moved to the other side of the curtain, took her place and waited as the nursing staff got in place. From that moment on, her focus was solely on the task at hand. It wasn’t a difficult surgery as far as surgical procedures went, but the importance behind this one in particular weighed heavily on her mind. Still, she kept her cheerful demeanor as she moved through the process.:: :: There wasn't a lot that could be said about what happened next.... Tressa didn't feel anything... she couldn't see anything either due to the screen. She simply laid and waited while nerves chewed away at her. Kali would talk to the nurses and occasionally say something directed at either herself or Andrus... yet through the whole thing she remained cheerful and happy. :: :: Yet that was Kali. Kind, caring, cheerful Kali. Kali, who always seemed to know what to say, and how to ease her concerns. Tressa wasn't sure how she would have survived without her. With the three of them together it felt like one big Starfleet family... and soon there would be two more to add to that number... :: ::Almost there. As she prepared to remove the first of the twins, Kali called up to her friend.:: Nicholotti: How are we doing up there? Tressa: Okay, considering... Jaxx: Nauseated, but still here. ::Satisfied the answer wasn’t going to get any better, she simply laughed and expertly pulled the first twin from its home within its mother. The sheer shock, coupled with the bright lights after having been cozy and warm in total darkness incited a loud and healthy cry. Kali released the child from his binds and handed him to the closest nurse for the team that would be cleaning the baby up and ultimately handing him to his parents.:: :: An infant's cry! Tressa's eyes brimmed with tears and she looked to Andrus, as his eyes appeared to mist over. It was the most moving sound in the world... simply knowing that was her child taking its first breaths in this world. :: Nicholotti: First baby is a healthy boy. ::Kali couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice now as she returned to the task at hand.:: ::Jaxx smiled big. The thought of his son emerging into the galaxy was enough to bring a tear to his eyes. In this moment, his fear and uncertainty went away and he was left with only joy. He turned to watch the nurses take the baby and then focused on the next one about to emerge from darkness.:: ::Once the process had started, getting the second child out of its darkness and into the light had been easy. When the wail of a second cry broke through the roar of motion, Kali found herself totally without any other thoughts than the depth of her feelings at that single moment in time.:: Nicholotti: This one’s a little girl. ::Now, she released the child and walked to the second team’s station to help with the second baby as the nurses and the other medical staff took care of closing the incision. It only took a few minutes to have her cleaned and wrapped tightly in a blanket. Kali cradled the new arrival in her arms and moved towards the bed. When she arrived, she beamed at the two new parents. Carefully, she handed the child to Jaxx.:: Nicholotti: Meet your daughter. ::Jaxx took his daughter into his arms. Immediately, she got quiet. With the worst out of the way, Jaxx was calming down. His children were with them now and the vessel of life was being repaired. Jaxx knew that things would be different from here on out. The cargo that had given Tressa a round shape had been delivered. It was the last day her feet were going to hurt, and with regular trips to Sickbay...Jaxx would see to it. Holding the baby girl over so Tressa could see her, Jaxx smiled at the love of his life. While he doubted his own skills as a parent, he knew Tressa would be the best mother in the galaxy. Jaxx: Here she is... :: And there she was.... Tressa had never seen anything so perfectly beautiful in all her life. The child was calm and serene in the arms of her father... and Tressa could feel more tears [...]ing at her eyes. Carefully she reached out a hand to touch her beautiful baby girl. Her skin was soft, and even as Tressa watched her new daughter, the Gideon/Betazoid slowly became more aware of its surrounding :: Tressa: ... she's so perfect...:: there were a few more tears. :: :: Slowly the child squinted at the world around it, and Tressa raised her eyes to Andrus. :: Tressa: She looks like you... she has your eyes... :: She smiled, her eyes so full of love as she looked between the man she loved and the beautiful daughter they had together. :: ::Jaxx looked into the his daughter's deep black eyes. He could see himself in her eyes, and he noticed the corner of her mouth slightly perk up. There was no doubt, she was his angel.:: Jaxx: We did good. ::The moment had been magical in every way. With the scary part over, Kali stepped back and let them enjoy it. It was a moment that would never come again; something you could never do over…They had become four from two. It was the perfect family in every way.:: Tressa :: Quietly:: should we introduce the Kali's now? Jaxx: By all means. ::smiling:: :: She smiled and turned her gaze to Kali, beckoning the woman closer. :: ::It took a moment to register that Tressa was looking at her. Snapping out of her thoughts, she smiled and stepped closer.:: Tressa: Kali... meet Little Kali... Little Kali, meet Aunty Kali. :: She smiled. :: ::Raising an eyebrow, Kali looked from Tressa to Jaxx and back again.:: Nicholotti: After me? ::It was an incredible honor from her closest friend. Most best friends got to be maid of honor at the wedding. Kali got to be the namesake for their child.:: Jaxx: McKenzie Kalianna Tressa: There's no other woman in all the universes I would rather name my daughter after... Andrus and I already discussed it. :: She winked. :: ::Kali looked at the child. So much ran through her head in that moment; the future, the past, the universe around them. She felt so small, yet everything in that moment seemed perfect. There was no pain, no war, no hurting…it was all just…perfect.:: ::Nicholotti: ::Finally, she waved slightly.:: Hi Kali. Jaxx: ::smiling at his friend:: Thank you. ::winks:: :: Tressa smiled at Kali and her eyes echoed Jaxx's thanks. This moment was perfect with the three of them there her children healthy, and happy. She rested back against the pillows not taking her eyes from the two children, McKenzie, who Jaxx cradled, and her son who Kali had brought over as the nurses finished closing. When the task was over, she was carefully adjusted her position... and then her son was in her arms... :: :: Love, elation, joy.... so many emotions as her tiny son was placed in her arms. There were no words to describe that moment in time. As her arms took the weight her tummy and back had once carted around for so long and she was able to look into the eyes of her first born child. He was here and he was perfect. Once again she noticed the dark betazoid eyes both her children had inherited from their father and she smiled while more tear misted her eyes... no matter how long Andrus was with her... every time she looked into her children's eyes she would see their father. They would be the little piece of him that remained after Andrus could no longer be with her. :: :: As her son yawned and grew accustomed to the world around him, she gently stroked his thin, almost invisible hair and welcomed him. :: Tressa: Hello, Mykel... my boy. ::Jaxx watched as his son let out a grunt. It was adorable, and he looked to Tressa and laughed.:: Jaxx: He has your spunk! ::laughing:: That is the same noise you make when you hate my orders! :: Tressa laughed. But pain quickly shot across her abdomen from the movement. She winced slightly but took a few quick breaths to steady herself, before looking between her son, and soon to be, Bonded One. :: Tressa: We will keep your daddy on his toes then, won't we my boy? ::Jaxx wasn't thinking when he made his fiancé laugh. There was pain now, but soon she would be back on her feet, and not long after that...back to work. Jaxx started to wonder how they would handle things now that the kids were here. Perhaps they would have to look into a nanny? Jaxx was not sure how Tressa felt about it. He did not mind; he was practically raised by one. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he focused on his family.:: Jaxx: I am the luckiest man in the world. :: Tressa smiled at him, and looked down at her daughter and then her son. How had she been so lucky, herself? To have such a wonderful partner, and two of the most beautiful children. The over whelming love and happiness she felt were unparalleled; this moment was perfection. It was the start of two new lives and the bonding of the people who would help shape those children's futures. :: :: It had not been a 'traditional' Gideon birth, and some of her anxieties had been for that; but it could not have been more perfect. All she needed was in that room. Her mate, her closest friend and her children. :: :: Looking at those children now, she realized how much work there was to do, and what there was to organize. There was education, were they would sleep at the suit, who would watch the children while they were on duty? Tressa did not trust holograms, so a holographic was not an option. Her mind was running so fast she looked to Andrus to share some of what was rolling through her head. :: Tressa: You know, Andrus. If their gestation is anything to judge by, we will need to start looking at early learning programs. Gideon children grow very fast. ::Kali moved towards the doorway and motioned for one of the nurses to request beds for the children for that moment while the new parents marveled at their gift to the universe.:: Jaxx: We know what we are heading for...and it will be fine. Tressa: There are a few center's on the Starbase that have schooled Klingon children. It is a good place to start. Klingon children grow quickly as well. They may be more suited to the requirements our children will need. Jaxx: We will look there first. ::nodding:: Tressa: :: Smiling as she looked down on her children. :: We're going to have to inquire as to wither we can get some cots in our suite. We may also need a walker for them. :: She winked. :: Jaxx: Sweetheart, it will be fine. ::Kali smiled at Tressa. It seemed that she was running away with things now that the children were there. Letting her get two or three 'to-do's in, the doctor-for-the-moment moved two small bassinets towards the bed where Jaxx was sitting.:: Nicholotti: There will time to worry about all of that later. You need rest now. Jaxx: Yes, listen to the doctor, first we will start with walking. ::pausing:: You, not the babies. :: She smiled. Yes there would be time later... but how much time? Gideon children grew quickly, and while she acknowledged her children were only half; even as she watched them she could see them growing more aware of their surroundings. In a few months they might even be walking. Instead of increasing her worry Tressa looked to the two individuals with her. : Tressa: Okay. :: Raising a brow :: Do I have the okay to leave? ::Smiling, she nodded.:: Nicholotti: You can leave in a few hours. I want to monitor you for a little bit and there's some routine tests that need to be done on the kids. Tressa: :: Nodding. Then turning to Jaxx. :: You would be more comfortable in the suite. I can let you k now when I am discharged tomorrow, if you like? Jaxx: Nope, I am staying. I do not care if it takes the rest of our vacation. ::Kali laughed. Tressa's physiology allowed for some amazing things, but she wasn't letting the woman go until she knew there were no complications with her or the children.:: Nicholotti: It won't be long. Half a day. I and the nurses will help so that you can rest. You may not get much after that. :: Tressa kept her amusement to a giggle this time, and was mindful of the slight aching around her abdomen. :: ::Jaxx smirked. He knew that the children would keep them busy. He also knew they had a lot to look into, and quickly. Jaxx was thinking they may need a private tutor for the children, someone that could teach at their pace. It would be great to have a telepath as well, it would speed things up. Now his mind began to race with all of the things they needed to figure out.:: ::The doctor knew it wasn't true. She had Jaxx by her side and he wouldn't let her take on the burden on her own. Grabbing another blanket and covering Tressa, she gave them both a look that said she meant it before dimming the lights and stepping outside the room leaving the new family to rest.:: :: Soon her little one was out of her arms and placed in his bassinet, his sister snuggled into the one beside him. As Kali moved out of the room, and the lights dimmed, she found she couldn't take her eyes off her children. She stared for sometime at the two tiny babies, until Andrus' voice broke her concentration. :: Jaxx: Close your eyes, get some sleep. I will be right here when you wake up, and the children will be right here with me. :: She smiled at him, finally dragging her eyes away from their two angels. Reaching out a hand she pulled him in for a kiss. :: Tressa: I know, my imzadi. ::Jaxx smiled at Tressa. She was the most beautiful thing in the universe, and now she had given birth to that very image. They were the most important things in his life, and nothing would get in the way of his love. As Tressa closed her eyes, he sat next to her rubbing her head as she drifted off to sleep. The meds had taken effect and it was time for her body to heal. He briefly thought of the last time he was by her side in Sickbay. They had come a long way, but it was almost perfection.:: :: As she settled on the bed, it was startling how quickly she managed to drift off. Her mind was still racing with thoughts of the twins and the many days ahead. It was soothing having Andrus by her side, and the gentle stroking of her head helped, calm her. This was not how she had planned her life, but that was more because it was so perfect. Her life as it was in this moment was just so perfect. Her career, her good friend, her fiance, and their two beautiful children. There was nothing about her life she would change... and that wonderful thought, was the last she had as she slipped into a deep sleep. :: TBC Lieutenant Tressa Chief Science Officer Starbase 118/USS Victory & Commander Kalianna Nicholotti First Officer Starbase 118/USS Victory & Captain Andrus Jaxx Commanding Officer Starbase 118/USS Victory
  22. (( OOC2: For those of you who can't read sims in full colour (esp. T'Lea), or for those of you who can't read this sim due to heavy formatting or weird HTML errors, I've prepared an image version of the sim here: http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1707/teattheblueones.png )) (( Jungle )) :: Tan and Vaala worked together, moving from bush to bush, gathering large buckets of the yellow berries. The crew couldn't live off them alone, of course, but everyone was doing their part and the berries would be a welcome variation from their usual fare. :: :: They had been working for almost an hour when Alleran discovered the first of the blue berries. They appeared to be exactly like the yellow ones they saw earlier, but slightly smaller and a dark navy blue. Alleran called Vaala over and the large Klingon woman ambled towards them, staring curiously. :: Vaala: Do you think we can eat them? :: Tan casually reaching out and plucking one from the bush. He inspected it a moment -- it was round and looked juicy -- then shrugged, popping it in his mouth. :: Vaala: H-hey...! Don't do that! What if it's poisonous? :: Alleran chewed thoughtfully, giving a wide smile. :: Tan: Well, if they are going to kill me, at least they taste great! :: The Trill reached out for another, but Vaala swatted his hand. Coming from the tall Klingon woman this hurt more than a little. :: Tan: Ow! Vaala: Oops! Sorry...! ::a pause:: But, um, yeah. You really shouldn't eat them... look. We'll take a small sample back to the crash site and then we can see if they're safe, okay? :: Reluctantly, Tan nodded. :: Tan: That seems fair. Okay, let's head back that way, there were more yellow ones back there... :: The two began moving back to the east, towards the crash site, and resumed working. After a few minutes, Alleran blinked, staring down at his hand. The colour seemed... off, somehow. :: Tan: Do you see that? :: The Klingon craned her neck, stopping her picking. Tan held out his hand to her. :: Vaala: Mmm? Tan: The colour... it's off. Everything's a weird shade of blue... :: Vaala frowned, moving over to Alleran, pulling out her tricorder. :: Vaala: No, everything seems fine to me, but um-... your heart rate is up... *way* up. And your pupils are dilated... :: :: Looking back up to her, Alleran just smiled. He watched as the tall woman scanned him with a giant blinking pear, two little green eyes appearing on the fruit's surface.:: Tan: That's the most awesome fruit-corder I've ever seen! And I'm a Triterian caterpillar, so I understand fruit like nothing else! :: Vaala stared at him, her four insectoid eyes blinking in confusion. :: Vaala: Lieutenant...? You're not a Triterian caterpillar, you're a Trill and a Starfleet Officer. ::pause:: I'm... I'm not sure you should have eaten that berry... :: As a caterpillar, Tan didn't speak the same language as Vaala, but now felt an irresistible urge to shed his old, worn skin and start the metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly. He wiggled and he jiggled, and soon his constraining skin was tossed aside. :: Tan: I'll find us food, Vaala! I'm a tracking caterpillar, so I can smell wild, naturally occurring muffin and cake plants, pick their sugary fruit, then bring them back to everyone! :: Vaala's face was a wide smile. :: Vaala: I know you can! And here, some friends to help you on your quest! :: Wow! Vaala *could* speak caterpillar! Tan watched in amazement as, from over her left shoulder a little orange face appeared, smiling widely. Alleran recognized him instantly. :: Tan: Ensign Fluffy-Pants...! :: The tiny fluffy toy waved his little arm in excitement. :: Fluffy-Pants: Hello, Mister Alleran! Golly gee and crackers, we are going to have so much fun! :: Fluffy-Pants jumped down from Vaala's shoulders, tottering up to him with a huge smile on his face. Behind him, Vaala vanished in a soft cloud of pink flowers. :: Fluffy-Pants: Mister Alleran, I'm your best friend! Now let's go find some tasty tucker so we can feed the whole ship! Onwards and upwards! :: Scooping up the fuzzy little Starfleet officer, Tan laughed and ran off into the forest. :: Fluffy-Pants: Don't eat the blue ones, Mister Alleran! Only the yellow ones! :: Gasping, Alleran stopped. He held out the fluffy creature, who smiled at him. :: Tan: Whyever not, Mister Fluffy-Pants?! Those berries gave me the power to talk to stuffed cats! :: Suddenly, there was a dark flash behind him, and a scowl crossed over Fluffy-Pant's stuffed face. :: Fluffy-Pants: "Stuffed"... are you saying... I'm *not a real cat*?! Tan: Well, no... you're made of stuffing and love and- Fluffy-Pants: TRAITOR! :: With a furious roar Fluffy-Pant's mouth opened wide and thousands of tiny bees poured out, stinging Alleran's arms and face. With a pained squeal he dropped the poor Ensign, who exploded into a cloud of even more bees. :: :: This was no way for a caterpillar to live! :: :: Running further into the forest, Tan knew what he had to do. He couldn't live as a caterpillar anymore... he had to change! :: :: Wrapping his arms around himself, Tan began to shift. Almost immediately, bright red and lavandar wings began to sprout from his back. Laughing joyously, Alleran took wing, soaring up from the jungle aloft his colossal butterfly wings. :: :: The sky was a multicoloured kaleidoscopic rainbow of joyous light and patterns, and Alleran loved every moment of it, laughing and shouting gleefully. His wings beat a steady thump as he flew over the jungle. :: :: This was MUCH better. :: :: There was the ring of a musical tone overhead, and Tan glanced up. There, flying above him, was Ensign S'Acul, running like a cat would, his four legs motoring in the air, his whole body a giant baked pastry. From behind him, arainbow ribbon of bright colours followed where-ever he went. :: "S'Acul": Nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan! Tan: Oh, S'Acul, you're speaking Cat-lish! It's okay... my old pet Zlix, she taught me how to speak your language in preparation for Catnarok! Nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan... ____━━ ____━━ ___━━____┓━╭━━━━━╮ ____━━ ____━━ ____━━____┗┓|::::::^━━━^ ____━━ ____━━ ____━━____━┗|:::::|。◕‿‿­­­­◕。| ____━━ ____━━ ____━━____━━╰O--O-O--O ╯ (( Reality )) :: Vaala stumbled through the undergrowth, tripping over one of the many exposed roots and tangled vines that had slowed her path. The Trill officer was a lot shorter and smaller than her, which allowed him a great deal more manoeuvrability in the cramped jungle. And so, despite his injured leg, he had been getting away from her. :: :: She frantically waved the standard issue Starfleet uniform pants over her head, trying desperately to attract Tan's attention. :: Tan: ... nyan nyan nyan nyan... Vaala: Sir-! Sir...! Mister Tan, you *have* to put your pants back on...! Fluffy-Pants is back at camp, he's not here, and... oh gosh, mind the bees nest, mind the bees- ... ... it's okay! We can treat those stings, Mister Tan! Just please come back and put your clothes back on...! (( "Reality" )) Tan: I'm the CaterpiLLERAN, now a ButTANerfly! :: And then the sky began to rain little yellow berries, which floated down to meet him, immediately bursting into song. :: "We're wonder berries, Yellow and sweet, Burst in your mouth, Such a tasty treat!" :: The Caterpilleran did a loop, catching the floating berries in his mouth and then swallowing them. From the surface of the jungle below a giant tree grew up to meet him. Alleran recognized the tree's face, which -- with the sound of a combadge chirping -- grew out of its bark and began to speak to him. It was the Della Ve-tree! :: Ve-Tree: Oh wise and mystical Caterpilleran, we hope you're enjoying your spiritual quest to reach enlightenment! Tan: I am, oh heavens I am, I just wish I had more time to spend with Ensign Fluffy-Pants before I turn into a water elemental! It's such a shame he exploded into bees... it's okay, though, because I've transformed into my evolved self, the Buttanerfly! Now I can raise the dead with the power of song! :: From the various branches of the Ve-tree a thousand little tiny green T'Leaves sprouted, humming and chanting in chorus. Small little red fruit grew -- each of them having T'Sara's face -- growing fresh and ripe. Fruit of the Ve-Tree, indeed. :: Ve-Tree: That happens to the best of us, old chap! Don't worry, my bark's worse than my bite, just like frogs on a log! I'll "leaf" you to your quest! T'Leaves: Frogs on a log! Frogs on a log! Tan: Tee hee hee hee hee! You're not nearly as scary now you're a giant tree, Cappy Ve-Tree! Just tell your millions of T'Leaves that we'll be fine and not to worry, I know the ship had a little tiny fender-bender, but I'll fix it all with my mystical Catterpillarran powers! Behold the powers of the moon and the sky! ::singsong:: The Della Ve-Tree, You understand me, You see what I see, And friends we shall be, Answer me these questions three, And then I can see, What it means to be, Enlightened! :: The T'Leaves broke off from their tree and flew all around him repeating the last word, "Enlightened". Pleased with how things had gone, The Catapillarran flapped his colossal multicoloured wings, flying off towards the horizon, heading for the second star on the right and getting higher and higher... :: :: But something was chasing him! :: "Oh no! A Klingon!" _o_ _,-=(_)=-,_ ,_o_, .-=-. ' ' ======= _____----(_o_)----_____ //-n-\\ "A KLINGON WARBIRD!"/ '-------------' \ _____---=======---_____ [' '] ====____\ /.. ..\ /____==== // ---\__O__/--- \\ It was getting closer! \_\ /_/ _ And closer...! "Fly, "Fly!" _|_|_ CATERPILLERAN!" ^/ . ..\^ "Fly!" "Fly away!" ___[=========]___ ___-==++""" . /. . . \ . """++==-___ __-+"" __\ .. . . | .. . | . . . /__ ""+-__ /\__+-"" `-----=====\_ O _/=====-----' ""-+__/\ _/_/ ""="" \_\_ /_/ \_\ // "Save me, Ensign Fluffy-Pants!" \\ /") ("\ \o\ "The Klingon caught me!" /o/ \_) (_/ . . \`-"'"-'/ } 6 6 { I'm sorry Caterpilleran, =. Y ,= /^^^\ . You're headed for a fall, / \ ) jgs ( )-( )/ I can't save you, I lied... ... *I'm not a real cat after all!* (( Reality )) :: Having finally caught up to the babbling, half-naked Trill, who was rolling around in the mud crying for Mister Fluffy-Pants, Ensign Vaala realized she had absolutely no idea how to keep him still. Puffing and panting from running,the tall Klingon finally resorted to just bodily sitting on him. :: :: Then, when she felt he was suitably restrainted, she tried simultaneously to force the pants back on their original owner, while avoiding looking at any part of his nakedness. Eventually the black pants tore along the crotch and Vaala gave up. :: :: She spoke into her combadge. After Tan had called the camp she'd received a number of very... confused... calls. Apparently Tan had spoken to them through the combadge still attached to his jacket, which the Trill was right at this moment trying to remove. :: Vaala: =/\= No, sorry, I couldn't get him dressed...! In fact, he's taking off his jacket now... he just kept *singing* and *singing*, and he's covered in mud from running through the creek, so he's... *slippery*. =/\= :: There was a pause as Vaala struggled with the wiggling Trill, who continued to sing nonsense. His jacket went *splat* into the mud, and then the undershirt followed suit. Then he was completely naked. :: Vaala: =/\= ... in my professional opinion as a couselor, he's *totally wigged out*, ma'am! I'll try and bring him back to camp! =/\= Anyone: ? :: She coughed, shifting herself on top of the squirming naked Trill, who was now shouting for Mister Fluffy-Pants to come save him from the "Warbird". Warbird, huh... did Alleran think Vaala was fat enough to mistake for a *starship*...? Hmmph... :: Vaala: =/\= And, um, well... at least we know his spots actually *do* go all the way down... that's, uh, that's one-hundred percent confirmed... and we know *not* to eat the blue ones. =/\= (( OOC: > )) Tag! TBC... ----- Lt. Alleran Tan Operations USS Avandar
  23. ((Camp Avandar)) ::DeBarres really wanted to see Beornan after the attack of the natives and knew that he would probably be shipping out soon after the capture of Commander T’Lea. :: ::DeBarres walked out near to the perimeter and looked around. She knew that he should be back soon or at least that was the plan. The sun was starting to set, making the sky a funky blue. There was a pair of marines walking the tree line and she decided to hang back a bit from their position.:: :: DeBarres was wearing her best clothes, ones that were rescued from Avandar, and she’d spent some time making herself as presentable as possible under the current circumstances.:: :: She finally saw two marines emerge from the woods. She waved at the two of them and Pritzker parted heading off in another direction at a brisk pace.:: ::She walked over to Beornan who looked confused at best, making sure to stay barely inside the Perimeter.:: DeBarres: Hey there stranger! ::Smiling as she moved to about a foot in front of him, her manner was straight forward and she tried to give herself an aura of dominance. :: :: After getting over his initial surprise Beornan clasped his hands behind his back and gave her a warm smile, she always seemed to confident and he liked that. Tipping his head to the side slightly he guessed she was talking about the fact she hadn’t seen much of him recently. He hadn’t been avoiding her, at least not exclusively. He’d been taking every opportunity to get away from anyone and everyone. The more alone he could be the better, he’d jumped at it. :: Oumriel: Hello Charlotte, how are you, what’ve you been up to? DeBarres: I’ve been fine...busy of course, but I haven’t seen you in a while. :: There was a bit of sadness towards the end of the comment.:: Oumriel: I was glad to hear that Peiy is on the mend. DeBarres: It’s a big relief, I hope to get some time with her tomorrow. If I can get an hour or two before my shift, I’ll go see her.. Oumriel: What are you doing out here anyway? It’s probably best you stay away from the perimeter. Even the hunting parties avoid straying too far from the turrets effective range. DeBarres: Well, I can take care of my self, thanks.....but there is another reason I’m out here. ::A small smile curled up her mouth.:: Oumriel: ::Smiling sheepishly:: I know you can take care of yourself. We’re not allowed out here without full tactical armor equipped and you’re wearing... DeBarres: Beornan, I am hunting a different type of prey tonight. ::Smiling and leveling a pointed finger at him:: Ourmriel: ::Folding his arms across his chest, chewing his lip as though deep in thought:: I’m flattered but perhaps... I should... go. ::He started to walk but she intercepted him.:: DeBarres: You’re coming with me tonight. ::Twitching her little finger in a motion for him the come with her.:: and I will not take no for an answer. I have a small feast at my ‘private quarters’ and you are going to relax. That’s an order…...Soldier! ::Grinning.:: Ourmriel: ::Puffing out his chest he stood at attention and saluted her before giving her a playful wink.:: Yes ma’am! ::DeBarres waved him to follow her, and he fell in step with her as she started off. :: DeBarres: Hut one, two, three, four........::Trying hard not to giggle, she was only partly successful.:: :: Grinning like a buffoon he did an exaggerated march for her entertainment. :: DeBarres: Come on soldier, or do we have to make this double time! ::But there was no seriousness in her voice, at all :: Ourmriel: You know wh- DeBarres: Who told you that you could talk!......::Giggling, as they approached the shelter that DeBarres called home. It looked a lot like the rest of the private shelters, it probably measured only 3 meters by 3 meters, and to save on materials it was linked to a lot of others sharing some walls with each other.:: ::She pulled back a section of paneling and waved him in side. :: DeBarres: Come on, Beornan....and off with those boots. Didn’t you learn any manners? ::Still smiling at him, pulling off her work boots and stepping inside.:: Ourmiel: Alright, Alright!. oOWow what a fiery one!Oo ::He took off his boots, placed them next to hers as he followed her inside.:: ::The floor was just another large piece of paneling but the walls looked fairly sturdy, and the roof was part of the same material. There was a a few belongings by the side wall. and there was a couple of bed rolls and starfleet blankets.:: DeBarres: Sit down and relax, welcome to my humble abode. ::Getting some starfleet rations and getting two mugs of water. :: DeBarres: ::Sitting down close to him with two mugs of water and rations.:: Dinner is served. ::Handing him a mug and a ration, keeping one for herself. She did a slight toast in the air to no one in particular.:: Oumriel: Thank you. ::Following her action, then taking a sip of the warm liquid.:: ::He took his bar and ate it very slowly, chewing and chewing and chewing. It wasn’t that he was savouring the taste, it was more like delaying the inevitable moment where you had to try gulp it down. The chewy, flavourless bars always wanted to catch in your throat. He sat, staring out the open door thinking about times he could now barely remember back on Halii. The food was exquisite, he could see it in his mind but could no longer recall the taste. :: ::The open door let the what ever strange light that was left, into the darkened shelter, they ate in silence for the most part, for both of them were very hungry.:: ::Finishing her meal, she put down the mug, and slid closer to him. Taking her hands she reached around him, and gave him a big squeeze. Not letting go, she could feel him breathing, but as she held him she felt his breathing relax and she started to drift.:: :: Beornan began to feel the tensions of the day melt away, he hadn’t realised how tense he had even been. They'd all been on edge after the natives attack, but it was nice to cuddle up to Charlotte. :: Ourmriel: Well, thank you for the bite to eat and the company. ::He went to move but she was still firmly attached.:: DeBarres ::Refocusing a bit, but not letting go.:: You are mine tonight soldier, and you will sleep here tonight........ and I mean sleep. ::Whispering in his ear then giving him the tiniest of kisses, as it was almost dark.:: :: A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he felt himself go tingly all over :: Ourmriel: Well, the lady gets what the lady wants. oOAnd she is ballsy enough to take it.Oo DeBarres: ::Letting go, for a minute.:: Good. ::Smiling :: Get out of some of that gear and get comfy. ::She got up and went to a neat stack of clothes in the corner, then went to the door and pulled it shut with a small squeaking noise. The room fell into total darkness. There was a rustle of clothes being changed:: No peeking. ::Came her voice in the darkness.:: oO(Beornan) Yes Sir! ...What a taskmaster... ::Long pause.:: ...Peeking...Oo :: He giggled at the thought of trying to peek, the darkness was like a black cloak. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness yet. He quietly took off his clothes and folded them neatly into a pile nearby - it was a habit drilled into him from his time at the Marine Academy. :: ::There was a shuffle on the floor as DeBarres came over to were he was the last time she had seen him. She reached out her arms, and started to feel for the Marine.:: Oumriel: Hey, watch it lady. oOCheeky.Oo :: He ran his fingers along her arms until he found her hands and took them in his. He had that nervous, jittery feeling and it was a way of controlling the level of contact. :: ::DeBarres felt his strong hands in her, and she could feel it again, she trembled just a bit, letting her body get used to the feeling. They just stood there for a minute or two.:: DeBarres ::Whispering, not wishing to be overheard by the neighbors, but they must of been unoccupied, for the moment :: Come on, lie down an just hold me tonight. :: Oumriel: I swear if you give me one more order tonight... ::Grinning in the dark, looking at her as his eyes adjusted.:: DeBarres: ::Small giggle:: All right, no more tonight …..Hold on for a minute:: Letting go she moved over a grabbed the blanket and laid it down on the floor. She then got the makeshift pillow, and put it down:: Are you ready ? ::It was her softest voice and the authority had vanished.:: Oumriel: ::Chuckling:: oODare I ask?Oo Ready for what? DeBarres: Sleep...... silly...we are going to take this slow....marine. oO Don’t want to scare him off, ….darn you DeBarres Oo ::Beornan grinned and shook his head but he was also a little relieved. There was a lot she didn’t know about him, about his racial abilities and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to share it yet.:: ::DeBarres got on floor, as quietly as possible. She reached out and found his leg, letting her hand slide down it.:: ::Beornan shivered a little but it had nothing to do with the cold. He sat down quickly and re-gathered DeBarres hands. They lay down together side by side, he wrapped his arm around her, keeping those wandering hands in check. He kissed her on the back of the neck and settled down to rest. It felt odd but nice sleeping in the shelter, he’d become accustomed to camping out either with one of his squaddies like Griffon, or on his own.:: ::Charlotte was very attractive, wild and exciting and it felt great to be with her. She had such a vibrant and fun spirit and that bossy streak that turned him on. The fact that she was also so pleasing on the eye didn’t hurt either. He quickly drifted off to sleep feeling peaceful and content.:: :: Rolling onto his back and placing his hand over his stomach Beornan dreamed about a time before the troubles. Before the fire and pain and tough move to StarFleet Marines. Beornan was alone in the dining room setting the table, a delicious smell wafted through from the kitchen. He’d gotten his mother Soui to take his soul mate out for the day. He was cooking her favourite meal and everything was nearly ready. He had great news to share about his job offer and to him everything was coming together perfectly. :: ::DeBarres felt him roll over, she was tired but wanted to hold him. She rolled over quietly and she could hear the soft breathing of him, and realized that he’d fallen asleep almost immediately. She curled around him putting her hands around his chest, she was to his side as she held on. DeBarres lightly moved her hand up his chest and lightly touched face, feeling the stubble of his unshaven face. She could feel the tingle again as she made an out line of his face. As the finger went over the left cheek and touched his forehead she feel something strange come over her.:: DeBarres ::There was an aroma of food, as she felt like she had walked into a kitchen, and there was Beornan sitting at a table with someone that she did not know, but the food smelled wonderful:: oO(DeBarres)What is the blazes is this, one minute I’m in my shelter with this hunk, and now I’m in a kitchen sitting down next to him. I know I’m hungry about what in the …...am I dreaming.... hello? Beornan.......can you hear me? Oo ::She took her finger away from his forehead, and found herself back in her shelter, with Beornan lying next to her, making soft sleeping noises :: oO (DeBarres) Wow! what was amazing … but what was it !?Oo :: ::DeBarres pulled her had hand away, totally, leaving her left hand on his chest. She snuggled close but her mind was racing with possibilities. :: oO (DeBarres) It could be something like a vulcan. Mind thing..... is he telepathic? …..Should I do it again? Oo ::As she thought about it she felt the warmth of his body and grew peaceful, soon she faded into dreamland.:: ((Hours later)) ::The first rays of sunlight penetrated the cracks near the roof, but the two slept peacefully. As the sun continued to rise, the beams of light shown lower into the shelter. Finally they bounced from a salvaged mirror, and struck DeBarres in the eyes, forcing her awake. She had felt the strong shoulders as she rolled to the side. Finally, she opened her eyes and saw Beornan still sleeping.:: ::DeBarres, carefully bending over she gave him a quick peck on the lips, getting a slight charge from him again :: ::For an instant DeBarres felt like she was in a warm place, but it vanished as quickly as it hit her:: oO(DeBarres) what is going on here? Does he have a battery hooked up someplace.... wowOo ::She studied his face, and ran her finger over his lips, softly not to wake him up. She laid back down for a few minutes, as she cuddled up next to him feeling his warmth, in the cool morning air.. There was sufficient light coming in from the cracks, to see the out line of the Marine peacefully sleeping as the light bounced around the white walls:: ::She finally realized that she couldn’t stay like this all morning, so she carefully got up, trying not to walk the sleeping Marine :: oO(DeBarres) wonderful night, …..but what was that strange thing last night.... was it a dream? Oo ::She smiled and looked at the dozing Beornan.:: oO(DeBarres) Come on girl, get a move on. Oo ::She turned her back to him, as not to be distracted - Charlotte tugged and pulled off her nightshirt. Quickly folding it, she found her fatigues and she started to get dressed carefully, using the bare minimal pressure on the floor, letting him sleep. :: :: Beornan slowly rubbed his eyes and blinked as he began to wake up. He felt different, but he couldn’t place it. He was aware it was something he hadn’t felt in some years now but he couldn’t work out what it was exactly. :: :: It had been the most restful sleep he’d had since they crashed here and he felt great. The bridge of his nose crinkled slightly as his eyebrows knitted into a small frown as he looked around the tiny shelter. It was getting warm already and he enjoyed the heat as he propped himself up, reached to rub between his shoulder blades.:: :: That's when he spotted DeBarres, she was getting changed and was revealing probably more than she intended to. His jaw snapped shut mind yawn and he looked away quickly feeling a little awkward. oOThose are some sexy curves. Little beauty.Oo:: ::DeBarres pulled down her tunic over her head, tugging to make sure she was presentable at least, and then tucked it into her pants. Her work shoes were of course outside. She ran her hands over her hair. It wasn’t the worst morning hair she’d ever had, but she didn’t usually have a sleep over guest.:: oO(DeBarres) It’s the best I can do on short notice. Oo ::Turning around she saw Beornan looking away, but from the expression on his face, he had been awake for a minute or two.:: ::Slightly shocked, Charlotte quickly recovered and put on a smile.:: oO(DeBarres) Oh, well, he is a marine and probably has seen more than that before.Oo DeBarres: Good morning …..hope you haven’t been awake too long....::A small smile grew to a large one.:: :: Beornan felt the heat rise but fortunately his embarrassment wasn’t too noticeable thanks to his darker skin tone. :: Oumriel: ::Cheeky smile:: Well, uh no, just, just now actually. DeBarres: Come on...... Beornan, it’s OK. I wouldn’t have done if I wasn’t alright with it. ::She bent over and gave him a squeeze on the shoulder. :: Oumriel: ::Giving himself a shake as he got up:: It’s not the way things are usually done. I better move myself, there is a lot to do... DeBarres ::A little more serious:: The ship doesn’t crash every day, and I would rather change in here with you than with the rest of the crew out there. Oumriel: I’m glad of that. ::It wasn’t clear which statement he was agreeing with, he pulled on his own grotty clothes and got ready for another day.:: oO(DeBarres) I hope I didn’t embarrass him Oo :: DeBarres : Do you...want to go to breakfast, I hear they have coffee sometimes ? ::A little worried that she had embarrassed him.:: :: The little crease on the bridge of his nose was back as he frowned slightly in concentration. He didn’t say anything at first as he messed about straightening himself up. Then he looked over with a serious expression. :: Ourmriel: I can’t stand coffee. I can’t understand people’s addiction to that awful stuff... ::There was a lengthy pause and then his expression softened:: I do need something to get me started though. ::Small smile:: ::A smile appeared on her face, much more feminine than the bossy woman of yesterday and she approached him after he finished putting on the last of his gear. :: DeBarres: Beornan …... I have to tell you something.......::Quietly, and talking a light hold of his hand.:: Oumriel: ::Heart rate doubling:: What is it? DeBarres : I hope you don’t think me too forward, I know I am a bit of a flirt …..it is ...just who I am. ::pause::...and I don’t want to rush you....so if you need to take things easy....that is the way that we will do it. Oumriel: From the moment we met you, yelling at us to get you down, we knew that. ::Shoulders slumping in relief:: Here I was thinking you were going to tell me something I didn’t know... DeBarres ::Laughing:: Oh, other than the dead bodies that I have buried all over the quadrant, I don’t have too many deep dark secrets ::Reaching up to give him a peck on the cheek, feeling a tingle again.:: :: He grinned and rolled his eyes before wrapping his arms around her and holding her gently for a minute. He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and looked at her earnestly.:: Oumriel: Thank you. ::It was a simple statement but summed up more than she could know.:: ::DeBarres looked up at the Marine, and smiled, and for this moment in time everything was fine:: (PNPC) 2nd Lt Beornan Marine Combat Engineer USS Avandar Simmed by Blackwood & (PNPC) Crewman DeBarres Tactical / Security Specialist USS Avandar Simmed by Eerie
  24. ((Campsite, Planet side)) ::Eerie moved through the dark camp, the moving had been done for the day, and he was going to get some sleep before the next shift started early in the morning. He moved away from the odd crew member, keeping his distance. He saw someone on an intercept course but he could not tell who it was in the dim light :: :: Blackwood left the meeting once they started passing round the booze. She wasn’t interested in it, she wasn’t really interested in anyone’s company but she did see someone she needed to talk to. She had a message to pass on, once she’d done that she’d find someplace quiet to mooch for the night. :: ::Eerie saw that the person continued to head directly towards him, then he could see the flowing hair, it could only be one person , he came to a halt:: Blackwood: Hey! Hey Buster! Eerie: ::Formally :: Lieutenant, what can I do for you? Blackwood: ::Sighing:: Just passing on a message. It’s about Peiy. When I haven’t been needed elsewhere i’ve been helping our stretched medical unit look after her. oO(Eerie) Oh,no....or it could be good news....hopefully...pleaseOo Eerie:: Sorry, …...these past three weeks, I have tried to focus on other things....I’m sure you understand, Evanna........::less formal, and letting his shoulders slump a bit :: Blackwood: ::Suddenly losing it and screaming in his face:: At least your friend’s still alive, but mines not! ::Kicking dirt at him.:: ::Brushing the dirt off:: oO (Eerie) I guess I deserved that, so stop thinking of yourself rockhead Oo Eerie ::breathing deeply :: I am sorry ….again, I know everyone is hurting......I was sorry to hear about Ensign York, I know she was a friend of yours and of DeBarres... I am sorry, just a lot of death... ::Eerie was a bit unsure if he wanted the news, but he was almost frozen in place, time seemed to stop as he heard Evanna speak :: Blackwood: ::Clearing her throat and composing herself:: Well. I’ve been working on her, she’s stable. In fact she’ll be up to having guests in the morning. She’s resting now so “don’t ask.” ::With a blinding speed for a Brikar, Eerie moved over to Blackwood, and picked her up and gave her an almost massive hug, it took a second or two for him to realise that he needed to let up and he relaxed his iron grip:: :: Blackwood wanted to scream in his face but his tight grip was making it hard for her to breathe never mind scream. She hated the fact that Peiy got to live when Penny had died. She didn’t like Peiy, and Peiy didn’t like her. She’d trade them in a second without a regret. :: :: There was a strange noise from Eerie it sounded like crying, as he set her down, he turned his face and put his hands to his face, it took him a minute, but he put his hands down and turned back to Evanna:: :: An odd sound came from Eerie and it cut through her foul mood like a knife. She’d never heard anything like it from him before. She was pretty confused about what was going on, she’d expected a smile maybe. She’d had the odd one of those from him when she’d tried super hard with him. :: Blackwood: Eerie? I thought... you’d be... happy? Eerie ::Trying to regain his composure ::: Thank the lord, Evanna that is great news. Thank you!:: realizing that his voice was above the normal tone, he tried to quiet down but he just couldn't seem to do it. ::Eerie wanted to scream for joy!!:: Eerie ::Screaming at the top of his lungs : YEE-AH! :: It appeared everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing and focused on the screaming rock man :: ::Then it hit him, what he just did and stopped immediately , and looked like the cat who had swallowed the canary:: ::Eerie walked back over to Blackwood :: Eerie :: quietly :: sorry about lifting you up, and ….the …...Evanna, I would tell you not to breath a word of this but, I think everyone heard it.::sheepishly:: :: Blackwood knew he couldn’t help but rejoice. She’d do the same if it were Penny, but it wasn’t. To her it was as though he was rubbing salt into her wounds as she gave him the most dark glare ever. :: Blackwood: That’s all I needed to tell you. ::She turned her back on him.:: ::Eerie watched as Evanna walked away from him, he was shocked :: oO (Eerie) What is going on here, this is great news, and Evanna just walks away from me? Oo ::Eerie just stood there for a few minutes, not sure of what was going on. Peiy was recovering, he knew that Evanna and Peiy did not see eye to eye, but she should be happy for any bit of good news in this tragedy of the last three weeks :: oO (Eerie) I admit I was a bit out of line, but …..what is she up to? Oo :: Blackwood went back into the triage tent to check on everyone. A few patients including Peiy were sleeping restlessly. She couldn’t blame them it was getting cold. She gave them all an extra blanket. There wasn’t quite enough to go round. She headed outside, got her own and gave it to Peiy. As she watched over the next few minutes Peiy and the others seemed to settle down a bit. :: Blackwood: Sleep well. ::To them all:: :: She went outside and sat next to the tent opening, huddled up and watched people come and go as she fiddled with her BFF charm absently. :: LT. Eerie Tactical Officer USS Avandar & Lt. JG Blackwood ACSO USS Avandar
  25. ((OOC: A little music to set the scene - ))((This sim takes place two nights prior to the campfire scene)) ((Hidden clearing overlooking Camp Avandar)) ::There were only two places on this world that S’Acul could find refuge. The first was his shack. The second was this clearing that he had found one night while exploring the jungle.:: ::True, he wasn’t supposed to be out at night, away from the camp, without someone with him - but he was beginning to find that the rules they had established in their short time here were easily bendable when they needed to be.:: ::There was only one person he had shared this secret with so far - and she was one of the few people he knew he could trust implicitly. Doc Malcolm had become a close friend and confidante in the few weeks they had been on this planet, and S’Acul had found it very easy to relax around her. It was in a much different way than with anyone else - he felt like he could relax his mind and his instincts with her nearby.:: ::And so it was that the two Starfleet officers sat quietly together on the crest of the hill, their eyes on the small figures in the camp below them. This spot was... perfect. It gave them full view of the entire camp, of the remains of the Avandar, and plenty of sky at the same time. The stars were not familiar to them, but they were still a welcome sight.:: ::They had both been sitting in silence for some time, the Caitian absently rubbing his paw against one upturned knee, his tail curled behind him, his eye gazing upward at the darkness above - only a few stars were showing themselves so far tonight.:: S’Acul: You holdin’ up okay, Doc? ::Jen stared down at the campfire in the middle of their camp - several people had gathered around it, but it was difficult to tell who they were at that distance. Most had stopped wearing their colored tunics in the hot weather, which made distinguishing the faraway figures even harder:: Malcolm: Yeah. ::she scratched the back of her neck where some nighttime bug had indulged itself:: As long as I keep busy. S’Acul: ::shrugging:: We don’t have to talk about it - not unlessss you want to. I know itssss been hard on you. Jusssst know you can talk to me if you want. Malcolm: Eh. Talking doesn’t change a thing. ::She looked over at him and scrutinized the injured side of his face:: You’re scaring is not as bad as I thought it would be. ::she nudged his leg with the side of her thumb:: I did a pretty good job. How are you adjusting? S’Acul: ::smirking:: I may not be a counsssselor, but I know when someone is deflecting the issssue. ::The Caitian sighed and tilted his head forward, his eye falling to watch the flicker of the campfire far below.:: S’Acul: I’ve been better, to be ssssure... but I’m holding up okay. For now, at least. ::smiling and shifting his eye to look at her:: And yeah, you did do a pretty good job. I’ve been debating - sssshould I use an eye patch, or just go with the scarred look? Malcolm: Personally, I think an eye patch would just be hot and sweaty. And you’d have to worry about keeping it fairly clean. S’Acul: ::chuckling and nodding, his eye shifted back to the people down below:: Valid points, Doc. I jusssst thought people might appreciate the pirate look. I ‘sssspossse I’m already ssscary enough without that. ::flashing a toothy grin:: Malcolm: You? Our resident kitty cat scary? ::She ran her fingers through the fur on the top of his hand, fluffing it a bit:: Nah. S’Acul: ::smiling slightly:: Okay, sssso I’m a big teddy bear. Ssstill, not everyone likes me. Umas, for example. ::The Caitian sighed and let his upper half fall backward to lay against the curve of the hill, looking up at the sky again, his field of vision partially obscured by leaves and fronds. His eye rolled slowly from one side to the other, silently counting the stars in his head.:: S’Acul: Not that I really blame him. Or anyone else, for that matter. ::.She thought about Umas. She shared something with the man - the loss of a daughter - so she could sympathize with his frustrations. She thought back to the night of the crash, when Umas had waited alongside her in the triage tent in the moments they’d been unaware of the fate of those inside the daycare. She shook her shoulders and pushed the thought from her mind and was finally able to catch what S’Acul had actually said.:: Malcolm: What are you talking about? ::With a sigh, the former helm officer let his eye slowly slide shut and stretched his arms out above his body before letting them fall against the hill, his body making a sort of X as his legs spread out as well.:: S’Acul: Umas... blamessss me. For the death of his wife and daughter. I think a lot of people do, for those that died. ::Jen drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them:: Malcolm: I don’t think that’s true. ::He chuckled slightly, though there was no humor to the tone. A light wind picked up and blew a few loose leaves down over his chest. His eye opened slowly and he tilted his head forward slightly, gazing at the biggest one.:: S’Acul: You don’t know, Jen. You don’t ssssee the way ssssome of the others look at me now... I can sssee the hate in their eyes. They might not sssay it, might not even admit it... but I can sssee it in some of them. Umas the most. ::She rested her head on her knees. Maybe he was right. People tended to look to lay the blame somewhere, it was human nature. She picked a silver leaf off of his chest and twisted it in her fingers:: Malcolm: As long as you aren’t blaming yourself. ::He was silent for a few long moments after her comment. Twisting his elbow, he lay one paw beneath his head to keep it propped up, the other moving to pick up another of the leaves from his chest. He held it over his face, studying the complexity of the veins, for a moment feeling impressed by Mother Nature’s handiwork. Laying the leaf down over his eye, he just stared at it, trying to understand its being. His paw came to rest back on his chest.:: S’Acul: I think about that a lot. Ssssome days I do... sssome days I don’t. I usually know, deep in my heart, that I did everything I could. It could have been worse. We could have all died, instead of the few that did. ::sighing:: Sssomehow, I muddle through. ::She raised her head and lifted her hand into the air, releasing the leaf into the nighttime breeze. She watched it flutter away, landing not far from them on a tuft of brown grass:: ::As the wind picked up to flutter the leaf the doctor had released, it also sent the leaf sitting atop the Caitian’s face flying - and for whatever reason, it went flying higher and higher, soaring out of the clearing and fluttering toward the campsite. Likely it would fall somewhere near the camp fire - no one would know where it had come from.:: ::As his green eye was revealed, he spotted the moon peeking out from behind some clouds. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he sat up slowly, tapping her arm and pointing to it.:: S’Acul: Look, there - you can finally see the moon tonight. I think... itssss a new moon, or at least this planet’s equivalent, I think. ::scritching beneath his chin:: I’ve been trying to keep track of the moon cycle, see if I can figure out how long the days are here. ::Jen looked up at it, surprised at how much it resembled the Earth’s moon. The color was a little wrong though. It wasn’t the bright white moon she remembered watching from her porch in Iowa, it had a purplish tint to it, which was quite lovely:: Malcolm: And what did you come up with? S’Acul: ::sidling a little closer, so he can point to the curve along his arm:: You sssee the way it sort of resembles a ssssmile there? It seemsss to take about thirteen hoursss for it to show more of the moon. I was able to convert one of the remaining PADDs into a sssort of time piece, to try to keep track of our ssstandard hours. Judging by that, and how the moon moves East - ::He swept his arm across their field of view, pointing across her body.:: S’Acul: I think I’ve calculated that their dayss are not disssimilar from Earth’s. Roughly twenty five hours, give or take a few hours. ::frowning:: Honestly, though, I’m just guessing. I did figure out, though... we misssssed New Years. For good reason, of course. ::smiling weakly:: Missssed my birthday, too, but consssidering what’s happened that isn’t ssssurprising, either. Malcolm: Oh! ::It came out as kind of a pout as she punched the side of his leg:: Happy birthday. When was it? S’Acul: ::laughing, he rubbed the spot she punched and grinned:: Ouch! What about that whole “do no harm” thing? ::still laughing softly:: It was four days after the crash. New Years was two weeks ago. ::His laughter faltered into a sort-of smile, and he sighed softly. Turning his head, he looked up at the moon again, tilting to lean his head to lean against her shoulder.:: S’Acul: 26. ::She shook her head:: Malcolm: Old man. ::She craned her neck and shot him a smile:: S’Acul: ::grinning slightly, shooting a look up to her:: Break out the walker, Doc. I might need it ssssoon. ::pausing:: You think we’ll ever make it out of here? ::She looked down at the top of his head and stopped herself from answering with the way she felt, which boiled down to not really caring if they did:: Malcolm: Anything is possible. ::The Caitian frowned slightly, though he kept it hidden from view. After a moment he lifted his head from her shoulder and rolled onto his side, laying his good ear against her knee, his gaze falling once again on the people below.:: S’Acul: I don’t know either. But... for what itssss worth... Happy New Year, Jen. ::She laid her hand on his head:: Malcolm: Happy New Year, S’Acul. Fin. Lt. Jen Malcolm CMO USS Avandar And Ensign S’Acul Aveunalliv HCO USS Avandar
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