Rahman and Rivi Vataix

I wanted to give a shoutout to @Lael Rosek and @German Galven for a wonderful scene they wrote together. I particularly liked how this scene shows the growth of Rosek's character, who as she notes when talking to Galven, was once in his position of being told that a line had been crossed (you can read *that* scene "Tempestuous Trio" here: Parts One , Two , and Three). It's great to see this kind of character development in our fleet. Furthermore, this scene was constructed through the regular tag system back-and-forth rather than a joint post and is a great demonstration of how substantial and intimate scenes like this can be constructed in the typical tagging system and not just left for JPs. Well-done, both of you! (OOC: The completed scene below is constructed from several sims.) ((Bridge, USS Montreal)) {{Time Index: A half hour after landing}} Rosek: Can we disable them without destroying them, Commander? ::She prayed the answer was yes. She really didn’t want the blood of 200 otherwise innocent people on her hands. She was already barely able to live with the blood that seemed to permanently stain her hands from the lives she’d been forced to take during her career just to survive.:: Tel-ar: I can disable both warp drives on your command. Estimated 3.47 minutes before they reach long range Rosek: ::pauses:: Can we do it without destroying the vessels? Tel-ar: There is always a chance, :: Tal did some quick calculations and simulations on the computer before he finished speaking. :: There is a 38.362% chance that the freighter might suffer more damage than expected and 13.275% chance of the smaller vessel suffering more damage than expected. ::A quiet sigh of relief passed her lips. There was a chance, no matter how small, that despite their best intentions, they’d end up doing more harm than they intended. If she managed to get to the end of this day without having to take a single life, it would be a good day. She had no desire for it to become a habit nor did she want it to become a running theme. She’d signed up to save lives, not take them.:: Ch'Dargon: Those percentages are high, these ships were not designed very well. The freighters in my home system could take much more. :: He bragged a bit unintentionally.:: Tel-ar: A number of the freighters more vulnerable systems such as life support and the impulse engines are in very close proximity to their warp engines. There is only a small margin for error. Hamasaki: We can have the shuttles perform a rescue if necessary, although, with quarantine protocols in effect, it'd just be beaming them to a hospital directly from the freighter or our makeshift sickbay. Dante: We can take that action in no time Commander. Hamasaki: We should have our patrol in range to cover most of the possible launch vectors within 4 minutes. ::beat:: They'll be just too slow to directly engage with the current ships attempting to break the quarantine. ::Lael took only a moment to take in all of the information being presented to her before turning to Tel-ar with a curt nod. It wasn’t an easy decision by any means and was one of the most difficult ones she’d had to make since becoming first officer. With Mei on the surface talking with the Klingon delegation, this choice was on her.:: Rosek: Do everything you can to minimize the damage, Commander, but if it comes to it-- ::turns back to face the viewscreen:: To quote the Vulcans, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”. Rosek: Damage to the ships? Hamasaki: I'm reading some damage to their communications and life-support systems. Rosek: ::to Hamasaki:: Get our shuttles out there to recover the ships’ occupants. All of our personnel must maintain quarantine. Advise them they’ll need EVA suits. Hamasaki: Aye. They're already nearing the freighter. Rosek: ::presses her thumb to the button on the armchair:: =/\=Rosek to Skyfire.=/\= Skyfire: =/\=Go ahead, commander. =/\= Rosek: =/\=I know you have your hands full down there, but we have two vessels full of passengers that tried to breach quarantine and they might need medical assistance. Prep a couple of your medics with the necessary supplies to treat the passengers.=/\= Skyfire: =/\=On it. I’ll pull a personnel hat trick and find the people.=/\= Rosek: =/\=Understood. Rosek out.=/\= ::She sat in silence for a long moment, contemplating what had just happened and the call that she’d just made. A grimace twisted her features and she had to remind herself that she was here because Mei trusted her judgement and had faith that she could handle situations like this. She’d never felt the burden of command so heavily as she did in that moment. Her choice could just as easily have resulted in 200 deaths. It wasn’t something she’d chosen lightly, but that didn’t change the risk she’d taken.:: ::Meanwhile, Dr. German Galven had stopped by Sickbay to see how everything was going and overheard some of the conversation between Lael and Chythar over the CMO’s commbadge. He wasn’t too sure that what they had done was the right thing. And of all people, Lael made that decision to stop the ships, but at what cost? He quickly got the bridge and arrived as the conversation between the officers was dwindling down.:: Tel-ar: Thrusters off line… :: short pause. :: last passengers beamed off. It will crash about 5 miles away from the city. Rosek: :: leans back in the chair :: They were the first...but I doubt they’ll be the last. Stay on your toes. Hamasaki: Ma'am, the shuttles are already in orbit and moving to intercept. They'll need to standby for beam out. There's only one left if we need to scramble it for another emergency. Galven: I’m confused. Why are we shooting at ships? ::He was indeed confused and was oblivious to how Lael wasn’t too happy about his sudden appearance on the Bridge. He did, however, notice that everyone was looking at him with curiosity as to why he was there asking that. He then walked around to where Lael was and saw that her eyes were closed, but for a moment.:: ::German’s sudden appearance had her fighting not to jump. It was a perfectly reasonable question, but something about the way he asked it made her tense. Her hands wrapped around the arms of the chair she currently occupied and she had to force herself to be conscious of how tight her grip was so she didn’t damage Mei’s chair. She could easily have left indents from the tips of her fingers, possibly even mangled the arms. Closing her eyes for a long moment, she drew in and then released a steadying breath. She owed him no explanation and didn’t offer one beyond a simple statement of fact.:: Rosek: Vessels containing 200 potentially infected people tried to break quarantine. Galven: My apologies, but isn’t there a better way to handle that kind of situation? ::Lael rose from the chair, turning to face German as she drew herself up to her full height, her bright blue eyes piercing his. Logically, she knew German hadn’t intended to challenge her...only her decision. But the poorly-chosen moment for his frankness had placed her in a difficult position. To maintain her authority with the rest of the crew, she’d need to call him on it.:: ::When Lael rose from her seat, her gaze met his. The way she was looking at him should have caused him to stop talking, but then the Andorian spoke which threw him off and he turned his head to look over at tactical station.:: Tel-ar: They were given a direct order to land and more than enough time to comply with that order, Chief. Galven: We could try communicating with them? If they don’t comply, then trap them in a stasis field? Hamasaki: Projecting a stasis field over kilometers through atmospheric attenuation is .. rather risky. In addition, they knew that under Federation Code 335 § 89.922 once a planetary quarantine is declared, all merchants are to stay in orbit until cleared by planetary authorities. That said… ::Wisely, the young ensign allowed her sentence to trail off without finishing it. The last thing Lael needed was two officers openly questioning her judgement. It set a bad precedent. Regardless of whether she was right or not, protocol demanded that she be awarded the respect of dissenters voicing their thoughts to her privately so they didn’t stir up a mutiny. Though she doubted one incident would lead to that, allowing it to happen again and again very well could.: Rosek: ::without breaking German’s gaze:: Thank you, Ensign Hamasaki. Keep an eye out for any other ships that are looking to break quarantine. ::It was then that German realized he made a mistake in questioning Lael and everyone esle on the bridge when the ensign helmswoman stopped talking and how Lael had never took her eyes off of his gaze. He had seen her like this before, but it was during the time when they were on the decaying planet and they were fighting the pirates. This time, he was on the receiving end of her daggers. He shifted nervously.:: Tel-ar: The city has dispatched a security detail to deal with the exploratory vessel and its occupants. They have informed me that they will keep us informed, in case there are any further problems. Hamasaki: The shuttles are reporting that approximately 50 people need attention from the freighter, and they've got a complaint from the freighter captain, but are returning it to orbit for orbital facilities to handle the rest. They're standing by to beam up medical personnel and begin SAR. Rosek: ::nods:: Noted. ::turns to Tel-ar:: Commander Tel-ar, you have the bridge. Comm me immediately if more ships try to break quarantine. ::to German:: May I see you in the ready room? ::It wasn't a request and she hoped German would pick up on that. As much as she was dreading this conversation, they needed to have it. He had to understand the magnitude of what he’d almost done.:: Tel-ar: As you wish. ::The Denobulan hesitated before he spoke. He knew now he had broken a rule. Now being alone in a room with a woman scorned wasn’t what he had planned on doing, but he complied.:: Galven: Yes, ma’am. ::Without looking to see if he followed, she crossed the bridge in a few long strides, the irritation clear in her posture, her hands tucked behind her back as she entered the ready room for what she was convinced would be one of the most awkward conversations of her career.:: : :He followed her close behind and noticed by the way she was walking that the Al-Leyan wasn’t too happy about what German just said. His posture was a little sunk in as he approached the door, then glanced back at everyone on the bridge, then turned.:: ((Ready Room, USS Montreal)) ::The moment the doors closed behind them, she turned to him, her lips a thin line. Despite her best attempts, she was certain her features couldn’t appropriately convey the hardness she was trying for because this was German. She couldn’t look at him with the severity she knew the situation warranted. She didn’t need a mirror to know that her eyes were giving her away with the softness in them.:: : :Once his inside, German stood still with his posture straightened and his hands clasped together behind him. He knew he was about to be dressed down for his behavior just a few seconds ago by the way Lael’s lips formed a straight line. He looked straight on past her once she began to speak.:: Rosek: Remind me, Lieutenant. What’s the proper protocol to follow if you disagree with a choice your commanding officer has made in a given situation? Galven: Not say anything until a moment presents itself to talk with them privately. Rosek: ::arches an eyebrow:: So you’re aware of the protocol, but you chose to ignore it despite the potential consequences. : :He was aware of it, but at the time he was so bewildered that he forgot about the protocol. He had broken that trust between ranking officials. He was straining himself to glance at her, but wanted to remain as professional as ever for her.:: Galven: ::voice quivering:: I’m sorry, but::beat::I was confused and-- Rosek: ::scowls:: You arrived on the bridge after the fact with no knowledge of the details and decided I’d made the wrong call. ::She was right. He didn't know what to say after she told him that. What German did was incredibly stupid and he knew it.:: ::She took a couple of steps forward, a dangerous glint in her eye as she stopped an arm’s length away from him.:: ::As she stepped closer to him, his gaze met hers and saw how upset she was with him.:: ::If looks could kill.:: Rosek: If you’re going to serve under my command, I need to know that you’ll follow the orders I give you regardless of whether you agree with them. What you did out there demonstrated an astonishing lack of trust in my ability to make decisions that are in the best interests of all parties involved. Galven: ::lips quivering:: Commander, I have never not trusted your ability to lead and I have a feeling that was a difficult decision to make, but at the time I was confused as to what was happening. I was stupid. ::It took everything she had not to drop her mask as she saw how upset he was. His reaction was flaring her temper and she had to get it under control. The way he was acting felt manipulative even if logically she knew that wasn’t his intention. She knew from past experience that German was his own worst critic and was probably more upset with himself than she was with him.:: ::In truth, she wasn’t upset. Just disappointed. She had to force herself to remember a time when she’d stood in front of Rahman feeling the exact same way German did right now. She’d prayed at the time for the deck to open up and swallow her whole, so ashamed of her outburst that she’d seriously had to fight tears. Against her will, her expression softened slightly.:: ::Lael didn’t say anything which made the situation a little more awkward and made German wonder what she was thinking. He wanted to know more about her reasoning behind her motives back on the bridge. Granted, she didn’t have to tell him, but the Denobulan’s curiosity got the better of him.:: Galven: Permission to speak freely, Commander? Rosek: ::murmurs:: Go ahead, Lieutenant. Galven: We are going to have enough on our hands treating to sick, but now there's going to injured people on board. How will they trust us knowing we were the ones that hurt them? ::She had to clench her fists to keep her temper in check at the reminder of the similar statement he’d made on the bridge moments before. He was right. She should have at least tried to give the ships a warning. Everything had happened so quickly and her primary focus had been on ensuring whatever illness those people were potentially infected with didn’t leave the planet.:: ::She’d shut off her emotions and, clearly with them, her empathy. She was thankful it hadn’t ended in disaster. It was a burden she’d carry for a long time...until she could forgive herself. If she ever did.:: ::The way the Al-Leyan responded by clenching her fists made German move back a little. He wanted to brace himself for a storm.:: Rosek: Be that as it may, Lieutenant...the bridge is not the proper forum to express your concerns when you come strolling in after the fact having not been present for what led up to the course of action. ::She didn’t exactly answer the question, but German reminded himself that it wasn’t his place to question her. He didn’t want another incident like the both of them had down in the mines during the Havley’s Hope mission.:: Galven: I understand that. I'm incredibly sorry for breaking your trust and that's the God's honest truth. I'll accept any punishment you have for me. ::pauses:: And I hope you can forgive me. Rosek: ::rolls her eyes:: Enough with the groveling. ::huffs:: If you truly believe what you’re saying, stand by it. ::The statement had come out more than a tad harsher than she’d intended it to, but it irritated her to no end when people asked forgiveness even if they’d made a mistake. To her, it had always been a sign of weakness...though she knew that wasn’t true of everyone. She rarely, if ever, apologized when receiving criticism or advice from her superiors. She simply acknowledged that it had been given to her and confirmed her understanding with a simple “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am”.:: ::It was how she’d survived the Academy with them constantly drilling down on the cadets those first few months to make the weak ones quit. But she’d been damned and determined not to be one of the ones who was weeded out.:: Galven: ::straightens his posture:: Yes, ma’am. Rosek: ::meets his gaze:: I once stood where you are, Lieutenant. I made a mistake and questioned my direct superior, Luna Walker, in front of the entire senior staff AND the Antor II governor. When Captain Rahman called me and Commander Walker into her ready room, I silently prayed that a gaping hole would form in the deck and that I’d fall through. But I stood my ground. The only apology I offered was where and in front of whom I had made the remarks. I didn’t ask for forgiveness because I knew my commitment to never make that mistake again was enough. ::She was trying to give him advice...to toughen him up for the climb up the ladder. Apologies didn’t fix the mistake, action did. No matter how sincere his apology, if he couldn’t back it up with action, it wouldn’t matter. It was something she’d learned the hard way at the Academy and in certain situations out here. :: ::He felt somewhat better that she had been in his shoes before, but he knew not to do it ever again. The situation was more of a one time experience. And he fully was capable of putting it locked away in his memory bank. If Captain Rahman was there, she’d be very disappointed in him. Also the Caitian commander. Which made him wonder how they were doing and if there was any progress.:: Galven: I’m not going to make the mistake again as well. Rosek: ::expression softens slightly:: Have you ever heard of Anne Frank, Lieutenant? : :Thinking back to his Academy days, he had never heard of the woman’s name. He tried to remember if there was any mention of her in his history classes.:: Galven: ::shakes his head:: The name doesn’t ring a bell, no. ::She didn’t figure he would have. The young woman’s story was an inspiration to Terrans even today. She’d first read The Diary of Anne Frank in high school. English had been her least favorite subject, but something about the story had touched her heart and had stayed with her ever since.:: Rosek: ::gaze drops from his for a moment before returning to it:: She was a young Jewish girl who became a victim of a fascist group who believed that Aryans were the master race and anyone who didn’t fit that mold was rounded up and slaughtered. Galven: That’s horrible… Rosek: She died at 16. But before she did, she said this: “What is done cannot be undone, but at least one can keep it from happening again.” ::lays a hand on his shoulder and squeezes:: We all make mistakes, Lieutenant. What makes us stronger is doing everything in our power not to repeat those mistakes. : :That was lesson to be learned and also keep very well in his mind. Lael was giving him his confidence back by telling him about the girl and her situation. The disgusting depravity of people and how they were ignorant of other races. Historical mistakes of people surely needed to be remembered and not have it repeated. He shook his head and frowned at such a life for a teenager. Most likely scared and wondering what was to be next. Then dying in the hands of the disgusting level of what a group would do to gain power.:: Galven: Lesson learned, ma’am. You can count on me to do better. ::She opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the chirp of her commbadge. She’d been so wrapped up in the situation with German that she’d almost forgotten she was expecting an update on the set-up of the quarantine zone. She tapped her commbadge, Solok’s voice coming through.:: Solok: =/\= Solok to Doctor Skyfire and Commander Rosek. =/\= Skyfire: =/\= Skyfire here, doctor. =/\= Rosek: ::murmurs:: I should get back to the bridge and you're needed down below. Galven: Yes ma’am. ::turns to the door, then glances back at Lael:: Thank you. ::Lael opened her mouth to speak, but as the doors closed she was hit with the most disorienting sensation followed by a flash of an image so brief that she couldn’t make it out. She gasped, gripping the edge of Mei’s desk to remain standing. Her footing was still shaky at best as she rose to her full height, straightening her uniform.:: Rosek: =/\=Rosek here. Go ahead, Doctors.=/\= --- Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek Executive Officer USS Montreal I238110RH0 & Lieutenant German Galven Chief Science Officer USS Montreal V239507GG0

Episode 2x03: "Point of Light" I originally hadn't planned to wait until the fourth episode had also aired before writing my thoughts on Discovery's third episode in its sophomore season, but in many ways, "Point of Light" works better when viewed as just the first part in the longer story that continues into "An Obol for Charon," specifically regarding the Tilly/May plot. The main story for "Point of Light" itself concerns the Klingons, which we see for the first time since last year. The episode's title refers to the point of light that Kahless promises to return to, which the Klingons later understood to be Boreth and built a monastery that Worf went to in the following century. In this episode, however, Boreth is only seen at the end as the location Tyler/Voq and L'Rell's baby is sent to for safekeeping. While the reveal of the child in this episode is sudden to the audience (and to Tyler), the point is to both force L'Rell to make yet another sacrifice and to give Tyler a new reason to rekindle whatever feelings he might have had with L'Rell. On the latter, I didn't feel it was as effective, but both Tyler's relationship with L'Rell and Burnham were never that convincing to me, a victim of the show's fast pace and shortened seasons compared to previous Treks. For L'Rell herself, I could see this as being another slight that will ultimately come back to bite the Federation and Section 31 in particular if L'Rell decides to rebel against her Section 31 masters. If it weren't for the trailer reveal for the fifth episode coming up, I might have thought this episode overall was more of a backdoor pilot for the upcoming Section 31/Georgiou show, and some part of me would be fine with that honestly. While overall I found this episode's examination of Klingon politics more interesting than last season (and pretty on par with the kind of internal Klingon court intrigue we saw in TNG and DS9), Discovery has shown in these first few episodes of the second season that it doesn't really need the Klingons, which were where the most controversial creative decisions were made in the first season. This episode's attempt to walk back many of those decisions, from the retcon of the D7 identified by Lorca's shuttle computer to the overall bald look, are okay, but when the show has the characters explicitly reference these changes rather than just let them be seen and understood by the viewer, it feels like the show is writing too clearly towards the loudest critics on social media and YouTube. The worst of fan fiction and even published Trek novels are those that try to explain everything too clearly and make all the connections explicit. While fans enjoy debating on forums for pages on the significance of a costuming change or an error by the art department (see discussions of Commander Chakotay's rank or the registry of the USS Yamato), giving all the answers actually makes the universe feel more artificial. When Pike tells Number One in the next episode to rip out all of the holocommunicators, we the audience know that the only reason that line is in there is because of the complaints from some fans over the lack of seeing holocommunicators in TOS (nevermind that someone from the 19th century might find it odd to learn that 21st century humans often send text communication akin to modern telegrams more frequently on their phones than make video calls). The Klingon storyline for "Point of Light" is overall a pretty complete episode, even with the appearance of Georgiou and Section 31 at the end. The other two storylines, however, feel a bit too hollow. They both are clearly setting things up for subsequent episodes, but they could have used a bit more plot over exposition, particularly the Burnham/Amanda story. Observations Tyler/Voq states that the new D7 will not bear the design of a particular house but that of a united Klingon empire. This actually ties in with beta canon, including the Haynes Klingon Bird of Prey Manual written by veteran Star Trek art designer (and Voyager designer) Rick Sternbach, who revealed that Klingon ships are built and provided to the empire by individual houses, thus explaining the size differences and whatnot seen throughout the shows. If the D7 is the first "united" Klingon design, that could explain why it's seen in service for so long, being the first "basic" Klingon design all houses could share. This episode suffered from too much "artistic" camera work. While one or maybe even two twists of the camera from an unusual shot to a more conventional framing might be effective at key points of an episode, its overuse in this episode drew too much attention to itself, distracting the viewer from the story. Episode 2x04: "An Obol for Charon" While I enjoyed Discovery's first season for the most part, my biggest personal misgiving about it was the move to total serialization. While I understand modern television has moved to that model of storytelling, it makes it harder to go back and rewatch Discovery if you can't commit to several hours or consecutive nights. As one friend put it, sometimes you just want to put on an hour of Trek for a bit. In this regard, I'm liking the approach of the second season where there is an overall arc for the season--the Red Angels--but that each episode so far could be seen by itself on a rewatch. I can describe "New Eden" as "the one with the pre-warp humans" or "An Obol for Charon" as "the one with the dying organic library." Only a few such episodes like the Mudd episode from season one can similarly be described so distinctly. Much like "New Eden," "An Obol for Charon" reintroduces many familiar Trek tropes from previous Trek series. We get an actual briefing scene with the senior staff (and a clever introduction of the universal translator with Linus the Saurian before the subsequent novel scene on the bridge where we see it malfunctioning completely). There's a bit of "Disaster" (TNG) and other "the ship has been disabled" tropes as well with the Stamets/Reno/Tilly scenes, and they really work here now that we know more about these characters to care. Also, Reno needs to be made chief engineer of Discovery, so we can enjoy more Reno/Stamets banter. In contrast to last season's overall grim tone from the war with the Klingons that culminates in an unearned speech in the finale that attempts to recast the season's message as one of ironically not taking shortcuts on the path to righteousness, stories like "An Obol for Charon," where Captain Pike must show faith in the beliefs and values he swore to uphold (as well as show faith in his officers' assessment that the unknown out there means no harm), do far more to illustrate Star Trek's overall message of hope and faith in our ability to overcome our fears and baser instincts. In other words, "show, don't tell," and this last episode shows it quite well. Observations No new name is revealed for Number One, but we learn she likes her hot sauce. Although some have interpreted the universal translator scene to mean that everyone is normally speaking other languages, we know Michael does not speak Klingon and Pike likely doesn't speak French, German, and Hebrew natively as well (probably). I interpreted the scene as the UT was actively translating the speech of people who normally just spoke "Earth English" into other languages rather than staying off. I'd imagine the UT isn't usually in use aboard Starfleet ships except for those that need it on a regular basis like Linus. Likewise, although Saru chides the crew for not learning another language, I wouldn't take that line to literally mean that no one else knows a second language. I might know a little Spanish, but that doesn't mean I know Arabic or Andorian... Can someone close the shuttle bay door already? They're lucky that giant forcefield apparently held in the midst of all the systems failures.

Episode 2x02: "New Eden"  Thoughts: The second episode of Discovery's second season continues to show a new direction for the series as a whole, in this case towards a more familiar style of Star Trek storytelling. If last week's opener was still a bit too action-heavy of a blockbuster, then "New Eden" marks a return to the classic Trek "planet of the week," in this case a settlement of humans on a distant planet that wouldn't feel out of place as the starting point for one of Kirk's adventures in TOS. From mentions of Starfleet General Order 1 (aka the Prime Directive) and an away team sent incognito to learn what's going on among the locals, it's both comforting to see these familiar tropes yet also still feel we're watching something new by learning more about Captain Pike's style of command and how the rest of the crew handle the challenges thrown at them. For those left on Discovery, we get a return to the A/B story type format, or in this case, perhaps the surface vs space sides of the same overall plot dealing with the human settlement. On the surface, operations officer Joann Owosekun is recommended to join the away team by Michael. We're told she was raised in a Luddite collective so she'd be good for this mission, and while she does get a small moment to shine in helping the away team out of a locked cellar, it's a shame she's still basically treated the same as an extra. While Discovery was envisioned with Michael taking on the central role, if the show is trying to change into a more ensemble-driven series, then an easy way to have developed Owosekun further would have been to let her become a voice for the humans on New Eden rather than keeping it mainly still focused on Pike and Burnham's different views on how to handle the settlement (namely, whether the prime directive still applies). On the ship, Ensign Tilly gets to be the hero seemingly once again, and while I personally find her an endearing enough character, again, the writers should be willing to let the other bridge crew step up and contribute to the overall plan. Rather than have Tilly explain for instance what Detmer the helmswoman would need to do, it would have been just as easy to have Detmer understand what she needed to do on her own and likewise have the rest of the bridge crew figuring out what else they needed to do rather than being one step behind Tilly. Still, these are just a few criticisms in what is overall an enjoyable episode and an encouraging sign that Discovery is getting its footing. That said, I suspect next week's episode revisiting the Klingons will really be the test of whether Discovery can avoid some of its less successful tendencies from last season. Observations: -We get our first glimpse of World War III with a soldier's helmet cam from 2053. Apparently, an entire church was transported away to the planet in the Beta Quadrant. -Besides Christianity, the church also had a mix of beliefs from Judaism, Islam, Wicca, Shinto, among others. It's a bit odd that there'd be such a mix from just one church, but perhaps the Red Angels rescued a larger slice of a town (or from multiple sites). Why though remains a mystery, presumably to be revealed later in the season. -Pike wasn't kidding about needing a new ready room, which apparently isn't even the same room off of the bridge that Lorca was using. The set is gorgeous, and the lighting really highlighted the high production values of Discovery. -With Tilly now having seen a dead classmate and Stamets' previous experience with seeing Culber, one wonders if why we might not hear about the spore drive in the future is the strange connection it seems to have with the dearly departed.

Yes! Canon! 😎 Bahaha!

((Camp 2 Medical Tent, Day 119 - Late at night)) ::Wil hesitated, and took a deep breath, before walking into the medical tent.:: :: Treet Treet ::beat:: Chirl Chirl ::beat:: Rihm Rihm, G'var laid still and tried to rest as, whatever it was, continued to sing just outside the tent flap. Doc had given her something for the pain but she could still feel her hand. Try as she might she couldn't stop her fist from clenching and unclenching, the sensation was most unsettling and sleep would not come. Instead G'var had decided to focus on the Song outside, breathing in the floral scent of a bush not far away. Breathing deep the aroma, G'var let herself relax. Everyone was safe for now, they had found so many of the missing. Suddenly the song stopped, She kept her eyes closed as someone entered the tent, a faint smile formed on her face as she recognized Wil’s familiar scent.:: ::Thinking that G’var was asleep, Wil went to turn around to leave - but spun around again when he heard G’var speak.:: G’var:::Opening her eyes::-Wil ::beat:: what brings you by? Ukinix: Hey there, Lieutenant. G’var:::looking Wil up and down::-How are you doing ::beat:: you're not injured? ::Wil simply raised his eyebrows, and was surprised at her concern.:: Ukinix: ::Small laugh:: I’m fine. More importantly though, how are you? :: Stifling a laugh, at the absurdity of the question. Looking down at her ruined arm, bruises were already formed on her abdomen and her legs had friction burns on them, She was mess. G'var smiled wider, it was a price she was willing to pay for the others.:: G’var:::waving her hand down her body::-Doing outstanding ::beat:: How are you doing. Ukinix: I’m not the one with half of my arm missing, G’var. ::Seeing the concern on Wil’s face and hearing the worry in his voice , G'var knew she shouldn't be so flippant. No one had ever shown her such genuine concern before.:: G’var:::taking a deep breath::-A price I was willing to pay ::beat:: My Team is alive ::beat:: you're safe ::looking to her ruined arm:: A price I was willing to pay. ::Wil exhaled through his mouth. He wasn’t sure he agreed, but he let it slide. He decided to change the topic to what had been weighing heavily on his mind all day.:: Ukinix: Hey, um - do you remember briefly waking up, when Doctor Maxwell cauterized your wound? ::Cocking her head, G'var gave Wil a quizzical look, thankfully she didn't remember that part of the Doc’s treatment, though she had a vague memory of floating.:: G’var:::smirking::-Thank Kahless, no ::beat:: I remember the Beast pouncing ::beat:: then swinging my blade ::beat:: then falling, after that just bits and pieces ::beat:: flashes really ::beat:: then waking up here- Ukinix: You yelled - screamed, in fact - out loud, and almost burst my eardrums in the process. And you screamed my name. It didn’t sound good. I um - are you angry at me? Was this my fault? G’var:::laughing:: What? ::motioning to her arm:: Was this your fault? You think I'm angry with you? Ukinix: I guess I thought maybe my singing attracted that thing. I mean, I hope it didn’t. ::propping herself up on her elbow, G'var looked Wil in the eye, it seemed he was serious, what could ever make him think she was angry at him?:: G’var:::shaking her head::-No Wil I'm not angry with you for anything thing. My actions were my own. How could any of this be your fault. ::Wil crossed his arms, and nodded slowly. He couldn’t sense anger, but he knew what he had heard.:: Ukinix: Hmmm... G’var:::rolling her eyes::-I'm an honest being Wil ::beat:: If I'm ever angry with you, you're going to know ::beat:: cause I will tell you. You don't control my actions ::beat:: I do ::beat:: I never blame others for my actions. ::taking a deep breath:: I care too much for you Wil to ever be angry with you. Can you not say the same? ::Wil took a moment to think. He looked at G’var, and smiled.:: Ukinix: OK, honestly? You intrigue me. And you scare me. Although, ::looking down at G’var’s arm:: not at the moment. ::English accent impersonation:: Right now, I fink you’re ‘armless. ::G'var raised a brow and have Wil an incredulous stare. Wil looked at G’var’s face, and opened his eyes a little.:: Ukinix: OK, bad joke. G’var:::smirking::-little too soon tool pusher ::holding her hand out:: Thank you though for try to make me laugh. ::Wil gently held on to G’var’s hand.:: Ukinix: Of course I care about you, you’re my good friend. I’ve made - being marooned on Limbo, I’ve made many good friends, from such different backgrounds. ::Smiling:: Mum said I would, she was right. G’var:::exhaling::It's nice to be cared for. Ukinix: I need to ask you something. I spoke to Wren tonight. She said that you ordered her to retreat back to the pod and cover you. Why didn’t you just order her to fill that thing full of phaser fire? Why take it on with nothing but a bat’leth? ::Wil’s question was fair, why hadn't she ordered Wren to fire? The truth was she had made a mistake. G'var could blame the fire in her Klingon blood, the primal need to test oneself against a worthy foe. That would be lie, she had been caught of guard by the surprise of the attack, the need to keep everyone safe had blinded her. Now as she felt her phantom hand clench, she knew she had put them more in danger. Her injuries left her vulnerable and were a resource drain.:: G’var:::staring up at the tent roof:: I made a mistake Wil! ::growling:: I reacted and didn't think ::beat:: My training should have kicked in, but it didn't ::beat:: I could have gotten you all killed. ::Wil looked at G’var. He could sense the regret in her, which he didn’t expect. He suddenly felt bad.:: Ukinix: No, wait, I - that question came out wrong. Everything happened so quick, I’m not meaning to pick a split second decision to bits. G’var, you succeeded, you *saved* our lives. G’var:::turning back to Wil::-Thank you ::beat:: it's still my mistake no matter how you sugar coat it. ::squeezing Wil’s hand:: Thank You ::Wil smiled, and looked down, swallowing. He came to a realisation that G’var wasn’t a reckless Klingon after all. She was a Starfleet officer, and relatively fresh out of the Academy - just like he was.:: Ukinix: We’re both new in Starfleet. ::Smiling:: Hey, at least you didn’t suggest to Captain Rahman that we pull a Burnham and start a war by blowing up Tholians in their territory. ::Wil gave G’Var an embarrassed but reassuring smile. Then his mouth made an “ooh” shape when he realised *who* he had just made the reference to. He decided to quickly smooth it over by changing the subject.:: Ukinix: Cole did an amazing job, treating you in the field like that. G'var:::smirking:: Bicondova said something similar when she came by earlier ::beat:: she also told me how you where stroking my cheek when I was unconscious ::smirking: -I do seem to recall you stroking my cheek. Ukinix: No, I didn’t - ::frustrated sigh:: - she said that to me too. I *didn’t* stroke your cheek! G’var:::cocking her head:: Bicondova was quit descriptive ::beat:: about the tenderness you showed. Ukinix: She’s wrong. I *patted* your cheek. Quite firmly! To keep you awake. G’Var:::giving Wil a sultry look:: Not how she described it Pusher. Ukinix: ::Rolling his eyes:: Then Wren is full of it. ::Wil’s could sense warmth from G’var. They had a professional relationship and he respected her immensely, but it had also been flirtatious at times.:: G’Var:::lifting a brow::- Is the thought of stroking my cheek that distasteful to you Wil? Ukinix: What? Oh, no not at all, I - G’var:::squeezing Wil’s hand a little stronger::-I it’s like we're engaged Wil ::beat:: It's was just a kind act ::beat:: You’ve shown me more kindness than I deserve. You make me laugh, and I feel I can be myself around you. You stood next me when I need you, and you asked for nothing in return. Ukinix: Ah - well I might get you to source me some blood wine - ::Wil’s sensed that warmth turn into something more. He wasn’t sure what to say, nor what to do.:: G'var::laying back down::-What's that Terran phrase ::beat:: You've hit the Jackcauldron? Ukinix: ::Smiling:: “Jackpot”. It’s Jackpot. ::Wil took a deep breath, and looked at G’var. It wasn’t lost on him what G’var was feeling. He smiled, looked away, and looked back again. She was attractive, even though he knew she could snap him in half.:: Ukinix: ::Teasingly:: You’re a Lieutenant now, isn’t there a Starfleet rule about fraternising with lower ranked crew? G’var:::raising a brow::that's not how that works Wil. ::Wil leaned forward, and put his other hand around hers.:: Ukinix: ::Quietly:: We gotta focus on helping get everyone off of Limbo. ::Rolling her head back, G'var knew Wil was right, they still had a Mission to complete, the Crew were counting on them to get them back to New Risa and off this rock. Still they had two months, it wasn't like she was going to get off the cot right this second and start a forced march. Looking up to Wil G'var decided to go for broke. Reach up she grabbed Wil by his collar and pulled him lower.:: G’var:::winking::-You're so dense for a pusher sometimes. ::With that G'var leaned up and gave Wil a Kiss, not between friends, but what she hoped was something more. After a few seconds she let go of Wil’s collar and laid back down.:: G'var:::smiling::-You get me now ::beat:: or do I need to draw it out in the sand for you? ::Wil suddenly had multiple flashbacks. His first girlfriend, who’d left him for another player at his footy club. The occasional female friend in his gap years before starting at the Academy. Kissing the Andorian woman when they were paired together for a training session at the Academy. But other than that, he’d only really had one focus in his life - joining Starfleet.:: Ukinix: Oh, G’var. Bloody hell… ::He looked at her, and decided he couldn’t fight it anymore.:: Ukinix: ::Cheeky smile:: If you start throwing stuff at me, I’m leaving. ::Wil leaned in, and gently kissed G’var.:: ::G'var returned the kiss. Pulling Wil closer running her hand through his hair. G'var had never experienced these emotions before, no one had ever given them back either. All her life she had never experienced love. She tried not to laugh at the absurdity of finding Love on this mudhole. G'var revelled in the sensation for a few more seconds then then leaned back down. Wil could sense a “soothing” feeling in G’var, although he couldn’t quite explain or comprehend it.:: G'var::placing a hand on Wil’s cheek::-Don't worry I don't throw things ::beat:: I do have an iron mallet though ::smiling:: don't worry Pusher ::beat:: It's gonna be awhile before we get that far. ::Wil put his hand on her arm.:: Ukinix: ::Laughing, nodding:: OK. G'var::holding out her hand::-For now just sit with me ::beat:: I could use the company. ::beat:: tell me how the debriefing went with the camp ::beat:: and Wil ::beat:: if you draw another sand table ::beat:: I will start throwing things ::smiling:: ::Wil sat on the cot, next to G’var, and held her hand.:: Ukinix: Well, Captain Nickson suggested we shouldn’t leave until you feel better - that makes sense. But I’m sure we’ll all leave real soon. It’s the logical thing to do. ::As a small muscle spasm ran down her leg, G'var silently agreed, admittedly she wanted to leave as soon as possible as well, but seeing as how even breathing caused her pain right now, she could see the Logic in resting as well. G'var continued to hold Wil’s hand as he debriefed her on how the Camp took their news. Squeezing just a little tighter, she was comforted by Wil’s Presence and the start of what she hoped was something much more than friendship.:: ============================ Lieutenant Junior Grade G'var Security/Tactical Officer USS Veritas V239511G10 & Ensign Wil Ukinix Engineering Officer USS Veritas V239511WU0

Episode 2x01: "Brother" Thoughts: The second season premiere is called "Brother," but it's really all about the man pictured above: Pike. As in Captain Christoper Pike, second captain of the original USS Enterprise and Kirk's immediate predecessor. Previously portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter in the first TOS pilot "The Cage" (and then Sean Kenney as the disfigured Pike in "The Menagerie") and then more recently by Bruce Greenwood in the Kelvin Timeline films, Discovery's iteration sees Anson Mount donning the captain's uniform, which as Pike notes, is of the "new" design that the Constitution class crews get first dibs on. In a nutshell, Pike is the anti-Lorca. When Pike arrives aboard Discovery to take command because of an emergency, Acting Captain Saru informs him that a DNA test is necessary to confirm his identity, a new Starfleet security measure evidently in place because of Lorca's deception from last season. In doing so, Pike takes the time to explain to his new bridge crew who he is and takes the time to get to know them, which means for the audience, we actually get to feel like the rest of the bridge crew is more than just glorified extras, with an entire sequence just having them give their names to their new captain (and us as an audience for the first time). Despite only being an hour long, the premiere takes time throughout the episode to give us these little moments that seem to acknowledge some of the criticisms of last season, and a conversation between Tilly and Stamets discussing his requested transfer off of Discovery is a hopeful sign that this second season won't be shy about focusing on quieter character moments among the crew in between the larger action set pieces. Still, there will be action. The episode primarily deals with the Discovery crew trying to rescue survivors of a crashed Starfleet vessel found on an asteroid that's about to slam into a pulsar, and in a sequence reminiscent of the Kirk/Khan EVA jump in Into Darkness, Michael and Pike along with a couple of Enterprise officers need to get to the crashed ship from Discovery without the help of a transporter or shuttle. It's an exciting sequence with effects worthy of any big screen Trek feature and perhaps even a bit of a misdirection/nod to the 2009 film's similar skydiving sequence (as soon as you see the suit colors, you'll know what I'm talking about), although I have to admit it still felt I'd seen it before with the aforementioned Kelvin film sequences. Conversely, I thought the escape sequence from the asteroid was a bit more novel and sets up Michael's encounter with the mysterious "Red Angel." The episode ultimately ends without an actual appearance by the (adult) Spock that the title refers to, but it sets the stage for his inevitable reunion with Michael. In this regard, I liked that the episode felt complete enough on its own even though it promises a larger serial story arc. My preference would be for this to be the model they go with so that more of Discovery's episodes can stand on their own like previous Treks rather than be just a mere chapter, which makes it more difficult to just put on for a rewatch. Observations: -We're teased with the Enterprise at the start of the episode, but the only part we see is Spock's quarters, which are in the style of the Discovery-era interior design. While there are elements of the TOS design in it along with a few familiar props, purists who were upset by Discovery's "visual reboot" are likely to still find issue with it. At this point, I think it's basically going to be one of those unsaid things like the makeup changes of aliens from TOS to TNG that fans will either accept or never reconcile with. -And yet those same purists/canon watchdogs will also note that Enterprise's stated crew complement match that of her numbers during the Pike-era. #theydidtheresearch -We learn "Random Communications Officer Man" (as Mudd called him last season) has a full name: Ronald Altman Bryce. The season 2 trailer shown afterward shows some interesting developments in store: -The spore drive will be back as Captain Pike is shown experiencing the apparently breathtaking jump for the first time. -Although Pike changes to a Discovery-style uniform at the end of this episode, the trailer shows Michael in what looks to be a new TOS/Enterprise-style blue sciences uniform (complete with skirt and tall boots). -This episode didn't show us the Klingon characters or Emperor Georgiou from last season, but the trailer promises they'll be back. I'm more or less ambivalent about seeing their return, but I'll hold judgment until I see how they are affected by the new tone and direction Discovery has promised both off camera and on (when Pike tells Michael they'll have "fun" along the way, you can't help but feel that's the writers also promising that to the audience).

Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery kicks off January 17, 2019! We'll start this one thread for now to see how much discussion it generates and if we need to split into individual episode discussion threads, we can, but I think keeping it all in one thread should be manageable and easy for others to flag as filled with spoilers if they're worried about that. So, let's begin... RED ALERT! SPOILERS BELOW! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

DATES: The class began on December 21, 2018 and ended December 30, 2018 LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Commander @Oddas Aria FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander @Randal Shayne GRADUATES: Garmeus Zxenyon Tiria Hamasaki (returning member, previously as Zhaiyt Graves/Ceciri Ariadust) Welcome to the fleet! Your adventure is just beginning!

An excellently written joint post by @G'var, @Geoffrey Teller, and @Cole Maxwell showing the evacuation of the USS Veritas (( FLASHBACK - Sickbay, USS Veritas )) ::The panels and instruments in sickbay beeped and chirped softly as the medical staff continued about the business of their rounds. The few patients occupying the biobeds were all well out of danger and required little more than observation at this point to ensure they were all thoroughly healed. MedTechs checked readouts while the CMO sat in his office, updating casualty reports now that the crisis of the Artemis had passed. One patient, a short, red haired Ensign, was busy dismantling a molecular imaging scanner and spreading the parts on an unoccupied biobed next to his. :: Teller: oO I’m running out of stuff to take apart in here. Can’t believe I’ve got to sit it out while the rest of the Engineering team has to glue the ship back together. I didn’t get blown up THAT badly. Oo Teller: Hey Doc, if you let me out of here, I’ll find you a polarization inhibitor for this thing ::he gestured vaguely towards the pile of inert components:: should give you much better resolution than the stock model. :: Cole was conferring with a nurse about the reports while he sat at the desk and heard the Chief Engineer’s yell from the main room. He looked over to see Teller had taken apart a scanner. He took a deep breath and sighed with annoyance. :: Maxwell: oO Just another hour… Oo Maxwell: ::forcing a grin:: While I appreciate that Chief, I’d prefer if you didn’t go looking for things to tear apart anymore. You’ll be able to go back to work in about an hour. Teller: I appreciate you being thorough but come on, it was internal bleeding. ::Smirking:: That’s where the blood is supposed to be! And it’s not like I haven’t got a spare lung. Who needs two anyway? ::Teller laughed as Maxwell scolded him with a look, then turned back to the pile of components. He began to whistle a tune but before he could get two notes out, the deck was washed in the blue of disaster alarms. Teller was momentarily transported back to the interior of the Odyssey and his heart skipped a beat. The Captain’s voice on the Comm only partially snapped him out of his remembering:: Rahman: =/\= All hands, this is the Captain. Proceed to the nearest escape pods and Abandon Ship. I repeat, all hands Abandon Ship. This is not a drill. =/\= ::Teller dropped the components in his hand and froze in shock for a moment.:: :: Cole rose from his desk and instinct took over. He’d drilled for a starship evac at the academy and the procedures were drilled into his consciousness. Rushing in to sickbay from the office, the medical officer started giving orders. :: Maxwell: We’ve got three patients, let’s get them stabilized and prepped for evac. ::to Nurse Imari:: Imari, contact the shuttlebay and confirm we’ve got a shuttle ready to go. ::to another Nurse:: Get the emergency evacuation supplies out of storage and get them down to the shuttlebay. ::to Teller, with a knowing smirk:: Chief, looks like you’re coming with us right now. Teller: oO Not again. Please not again. Oo :: Cole jogged over to the main LCARS interface and began downloading a copy of the medical database as a backup, along with any files containing specialized medicine or treatments the crew needed. He hoped the replicator on the shuttle would suffice for making anything they might need. :: ::Teller looked around in a mild daze, paralyzed for a moment by shock and confusion. He tried and failed to go in several directions at once and settled for pulling off his hospital gown and grabbing a uniform jacket out of a nearby locker. The parts of his mind not reeling in shock took stock of the cabinet and he began throwing equipment into a gear bag hurriedly as the staff in sickbay went to their stations and began doing the same. Doctor Maxwell coordinated the frantic efforts like a trained orchestra conductor. Moments later, A fierce Security Ensign ran into the room, already with several people in tow :: ::As G'var entered Sickbay she was greeted by the same chaos as in the Corridor. G'var watched as the Ship’s Medical staff frantically ran from cabinet to drawers, cramming whatever they could into kits and packs. Scanning the room G'var could see Doc Maxwell right in the middle giving orders to the staff and trying to keep the chaos moving as orderly as possible.:: G’var:::striding over to Maxwell::- Doctor! One of your staff flagged us down in the corridor, said you needed help evacuating Sickbay. ::motioning to Bicondova and IA:: We came to help out, what do you need us to do? :: Cole looked up from the console again. He’d been answering questions and furiously trying to get people focused while dismissing non-essential personnel to the escape pods. It was taking everything he had to remain calm in the face of danger. Now that G’var was here, the doctor grinned knowing he had even more help. But then he saw she had the Orion woman in tow and the grin vanished. :: Maxwell: G’var, you two grab a gurney and help her ::motioning to one of the patients in sickbay:: onto it. She should be stabilized and ready for transport. Teller: Are we under attack? Is it the Tholians?! ::G'var could see the CHENG was agitated, he was wearing his uniform a little crooked and his hair was unkempt::: G’var: oO hope the CHENG is good to go, this must be one rough wake-up.Oo G'var: Negative CHENG, there have been no secondary explosions or decompressions, from what I was able to gather in the Security Center it appears to be an internal problem with the deuterium supply. IA:::sauntering up to Teller::-Darling!!! There’s not a Tholian within a parsec of the ship.::giggling:: You've just run out of fuel, and we’re all about to suffocate. ::Holding her hand out to Teller:: Now why don't you just take Mistress IA’s hand and i’ll fly you right off this heap. Teller: ….your voice sounds real familiar….you’re the woman from the damn interceptor! IA:::doffing a hand in recognition::-indeed ::beat:: you can address me as her Most Magnificent, Mistress IA. Can I Autograph something for you? :: Cole heard a beep and grabbed the PADD with the newly downloaded database backup. He grabbed his own medkit and stuffed the PADD inside. Walking over to IA and Teller, Cole pulled out a hypospray with the pheromone suppressant and jammed it into the Orion woman’s neck. :: IA:::Rubbing her neck::-Noy Jitat! ::leering at Maxwell:: I didn't know you liked the rough stuff Doctor, after we get of this dump, show a girl a good time. Maxwell: ::shrugging:: You were due for a top off. ::G'var gave Doc Maxwell a silent Thumbs up as he re-inoculated IA. From the corner of her eye G'var could see that Teller was hurriedly trying to back a carry all with whatever would fit. G'var could sense the apprehension and nervousness radiating from the CHENG. She was just about to say something when she saw Doc Maxwell begin to step over.:: :: Cole saw that Teller was still frantic. He put the hypo back in the medkit and grabbed the red haired man’s shoulders. He then brought his eyes down to the Chief’s level. :: Maxwell: Teller! We’re going to be fine. I need you to focus for just a few minutes. Alright? Teller: Huh?! Oh...right Doc. Sorry. Alarms got my nerves a little jangled, I’m alright. ::Teller looked around, his heartbeat thunderous in his ears. Staff were pulling themselves together quickly and professionally. Teller tried to calm his breathing but couldn’t entirely squelch the sensation of panic. The lack of a clear task and his own recent experiences were compounding his indecision badly:: Teller: oO This is too much like the nightmares. I do NOT want to hurtle off another doomed ship this week. Not doing that again. Oo :: Cole hoped that sedating the Chief Engineer wouldn’t be necessary, but kept the idea in the back of his mind. Looking around, he saw everyone seemed to be ready. :: Maxwell: Alright people, let’s move! Shuttlebay! ::G'var took an over laden pack from one of the staff and quickly threw it across her back. Motioning Bicondova over, G'var squatted down and took hold of the gurney. Bicondova huffed as the back she was carrying shifted and she nearly tipped over. G'var nodded approvingly as she shifted her gait and kept her balance. Together the two lifted the unconscious Crewman off the floor.:: G'var:IA! ::Nodding to a pile of medical equipment:: Make yourself useful and take something with you. IA: Darling, I don't lift, I supervise. Teller: I saw the state of your ‘ship.’ lady - that thing made a Tellarite garbage scow look well managed. IA:::haughtily::-Fine..::Shouldering a Pack and picking and a case.:: Let’s get this show on the road. Teller: Now that said I couldn’t help but notice you’ve got a fine singing voice - don’t suppose you know any Orion pirate shanties? I’d love to learn a new one! ::Mistress IA rolled her eyes at the smirking Ensign as they headed into the hallway of the dying ship:: ((Turbolift 6, USS Veritas)) ::The ride down to deck 9 had been interesting G'var was thankful the power held out long enough to get everyone and everything down from Sickbay. With all Escape pods launched from Deck Six, the Shuttlebay was now their egress point. As they made their way to the shuttlebay, G'var stripped off her equipment pads, clicking out of the last strap, she smiled slightly, the pads had protected her one last time climbing out of the lift tube, the car having stopped halfway between decks 8 and 9. :: (( Corridor - Deck 9, USS Veritas )) ::Teller, G’var, Doctor Maxwell and party headed to the shuttlebay as the ships lights flickered around them. Teller could hear systems failing and rerouting, the dip and hum of the power system struggling vainly to meet demand. Teller knew that whatever was overwhelming their ship was doing it with shocking speed. Teller tried to open a comm line to engineering but only got static..:: ::As the group hurried through the empty corridor to the shuttlebay, G'var could feel the ship’s systems begin the spin down; the familiar hum of the deck and the buzzing of the bulkheads was fading. To her right the CHENG kept tapping his comm badge trying to raise anyone in Engineering. G'var, prayed to Kahless that there was no one left in Engineering, that were all safely off the ship.:: G'var:::looking to IA::- When we get into the Shuttle I want you to take the Helm, get the ship ready to fly. :: looking her in the eye:: All our lives are in your hands now, you read? IA:::smacking both hands to her chest::-Darlings! I keep telling you, I'm the best Fraking Pilot in the Shoals, you're more safe in my hands than at your mother's breast. ::winking:: Trust me when I say, I have no desire to end my life in a fiery crash on some desolate planetoid. G'var:::smirking::- Now that I can almost believe. ::Teller ground his teeth. The woman’s voice, which at first had seemed so sensuous, was now rapidly becoming exceptionally grating.:: Teller: Could’ve fooled me, way you kept your ship. I’m amazed you lived this long. Maxwell: Let’s focus people. We’re almost there. :: Cole was pushing one of the two gurneys behind the rest of the group to make sure nobody fell behind. He kept his eyes on Teller in particular. :: Teller: oO This is infuriating, something's killing the ship and I’m running through a hallway away from my station. I should be downstairs making sure everybody got out. I’m not making that mistake again. Oo Teller: Computer, Verify that Main Engineering has been completely evacuated? ::The computers reply stuttered and was garbled badly:: Computer: Main Engineering has been ccCCcc evacuated. All on-duty personnel have reported to theEEeEEeir assigned evacuation stations. Teller: I sure hope that’s true. Wait. Computer, Verify that Crewman Shandres has left the ship? G'var: That girl can't still be on the Ship! Computer: CCCCCCCCCCCCreman Sandresssssss departedddddddd the ship at 15:42 hours in Escapppppe Pod Seventeen Sig... Bicondova:::under her breath::-That girl has more lives than a cat...good luck Taz.::smiling:: ::Teller kept running as the main computer core shutdown. Systems all over the ship were failing to their independent emergency redundancies. He only hoped that whatever affected the ship wasn’t crippling the smaller and more fragile shuttles.:: ::The loss of power was affecting more and more systems, by the time they reached the Shuttlebay, G'var was forced to access the emergency door locks, with power down the doors had to be forced, with everyone’s help they were able to get the doors open enough to allow everyone through.:: (( Shuttlebay 2 )) G'var: Everyone get to the Ferdinand, we’re wheels up in five! ::pointing to the shuttle:: IA get in there and start warming her up. CHENG! ::looking to Teller:: Let's see if we can get those doors open shall we. ::Teller skidded to a halt at the lip of the shuttlebay, a wave of vertigo making him nearly double over. Every instinct was screaming at him to run the other way. He heard G’var’s request from a distance and it was enough to keep moving, but panic was fighting its way to the front of his mind.:: Teller: ….should...yeah...doors...ok. Maxwell: Right! Imari, take Crewman Keller from G’Var and get her loaded. Imari: Yes doctor. :: Cole, his medical team, and the two patients in tow boarded the shuttle. The doctor helped get the two unconscious members of the crew onto the benches and strapped them in. Once done, the team chucked the gurneys out of the shuttle and onto the bay floor. The nurses and techs were securing the medical supplies and Cole took scans of the two patients again. :: ::Teller jogged over to the control station and with shaking hands began the departure sequence. An alarm echoed through the bay and the great doors began sliding upwards. The shimmering environment field was flickering, dangerously close to collapse. Teller frantically tried to pull up a ships diagnostic but the panel went dead under his hands. In frustration, he punched the panel hard enough to make his knuckles bleed:: ::As the Medical Staff strapped in the injured Crew. G'var moved to the cockpit. Taking the co-pilots seat G'var was impressed by how quickly and expertly IA was getting the ship ready. Perhaps her earlier boast had some truth to it.:: G'var:::turning to Bicondova::-I want you to stay with the Medical Team, make sure they have what whatever they need and keep them and yourself safe. Now go back and strap in this could get bumpy. Bicondova:::Giving a quick salute with her rifle::- Aye Aye Ma’am! ::Teller jogged to the shuttle, but each step seemed to make his legs heavier and his heartbeat louder. He knew he had to get off the crippled Veritas but the animal part of his mind was gnawing at itself with panic. Hesitating at the boarding ramp, his hand went to his recently healed left side. He could feel his breath again growing short and his chest throbbed with imagined pain. Teller slumped into the crew chair just inside the door heavily and desperately tried to stop hyperventilating:: Teller:: oO Just can’t trust these little buckets in an emergency. Anything could happen. Oo ::As Bicondova went to the rear, G'var turned to IA.:: G'var: Can you fly this ship? All our lives are in your hands now, don't let us down. IA:::Laughing::- That was one hells of a pep talk Ensign ::sensually stroking the flight controls:: Don't worry Darling, I'm about to make love to this big boy, strap in ::beat:: tight. You're in for one hellova show. G'var:::placing her face in her palm::-Just get us on the ground in on piece. Maxwell: ::Aloud.:: Alright we’re good to go back here. ::towards the flight controls:: What’s the hold up?! IA:::Pressing a control on the console::-Nothing My pretty, just setting the mood.:: :: Cole rolled his eyes and let out a breath of frustration. :: Maxwell: oO It’s always SOMETHING! Oo ::As IA powered on the engines and began to raise the shuttle from the deck a strange melody began playing over the internal speakers.:: Foghat:...Slow ride...Take it easy… :: Cole smiled without realizing it when he heard the song. :: Maxwell: oO Foghat? Oo G'var:::reaching for the mute button::-what is this Noise, Focus on flying. IA:::slapping G'var’s hand away::-Pilot picks the music ::beat:: shotgun shuts her cake hole.::winking and smacking her lips as G'var:: Hold On Back There this is gonna be ::throwing yoke forward:: bumpy! ::Everyone lurched backwards as the inertial dampeners struggled to keep up with Mistress IA’s suicidally aggressive piloting. Hastily piled gear shifted around the cabin as people struggled into whatever seats they could find. The bay vanished in a rush behind them moments before numerous alarms began blaring from the cockpit:: IA:: Oh my. It seems we’re using fuel at an alarming rate, darlings. ::Teller looked up at the alarm in the woman's voice:: Teller: What? This thing should be good for hundreds of light years! IA: ::purring:: Perhaps you’d like to explain that to our fuel reserves. Oops. Too late. There they go. ::Everyone watched in muted horror as the moon filled the viewport window completely. The shuttle continued inexorably downwards as systems, starved of power, failed one after another. Using what remained in the shuttles attitude control system, Mistress IA pointed the craft in the general heading their failing sensors suggested was shared by numerous escape pods. Buffeted from side to side, crew, patients and gear were thrown violently around the shuttles interior as the atmosphere thickened around the craft. The slight whistle of atmosphere turned into a deafening howl as people fought to hold on. Emergency lighting flickered and sparked as the uncontrolled descent wrought destruction on the delicate electronics of the shuttle. In the dark, someone wept. IA: ::pouting: I said no flaming death! This is what I get for being a good girl! Hrmph. ::The clouds parted and the viewport briefly filled with glimmering seas and verdant green jungle. A turquoise sea sparkled to the horizon and a string of small islands was visible nearby. The onrushing ground rapidly filled their perception as the shuttle began shearing through treetops hundreds of meters off the ground. One burning nacelle was torn away as the tumbling shuttle plowed into the landscape, coming to rest at the end of a smoking, half kilometer gouge.:: ((Crash site - Day 0 - Limbo)) ::The remains of the shuttle sparked and popped in the smoldering black soil of the island. Nearby animals angrily hooted and squawked as they fled from the noisy intruder. In places, the jungle burned openly. Several columns of black smoke rose above the treetops from other nearby landing sites as streaks of light in the sky heralded the imminent arrival of more evacuees. Sonic booms rolled over the water from the numerous hurtling craft. The shuttle hull itself clicked and popped as it cooled. A momentary shower of sparks from the rear of the craft dispersed as the heavy metal hatch was explosively jettisoned by one of the few remaining emergency systems. Oily black smoke poured from the shuttle as crewmen staggered out, half blinded by the brilliant sunlight and coughing violently from the fumes.:: ::Teller winced as he dragged his gearbag towards the hatch, certain something in his arm or shoulder was badly out of alignment. He hoped it was only dislocated.:: Teller:: oO Never getting in one of these things ever again. Never. Oo ::G'var carefully disengage the safety harness, bracing her arm against the Flight console she slowly stood. Beside her IA lay unconscious, her chin resting on her chest. Reaching her hand to the Orion's neck, G'var found her pulse, her breathing steady. G'var let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Looking back into the shuttle, she could see others beginning to get to their feet.:: IA:::gently covering G'var’s hand::-Why Ensign ::beat:: I didn't know you cared. G'var:::retracting her hand::-You're awake, that's good ::beat:: are you injured ::beat:: can you move? IA:::standing shakily::-I’m fine Ensign ::Turning to the back:: Go see to them. ::As G'var moved to help the others IA called back over her shoulder.:: IA:Remember Darling ::beat:: Big Shiny Medal made of Latinum! G'var:oO Yeah :: beat:: she’s fine.Oo :: Cole had been taken a spot on the shuttle’s floor and had tried to help brace the unconscious patients as the craft crash landed. In the process, his head flew back upon impact with the surface and banged into the shuttle bulkhead. The bright light from the open hatch brought him back to some semblance of consciousness, but pain throbbed in his head and his vision was blurry. :: Maxwell: Huh.. what? ::He shook head to try and clear the daze, but while it helped his vision the pain only intensified.:: Maxwell: oO Got… to… get out… Oo ::Cole was able to grab one of the benches and get to his feet. He instinctively clutched at the back of his head due to the pain. When he brought the hand back into view, his fingers were red.:: Maxwell: oO Damn… Oo :: The doctor looked around and saw that the rest of the crew were making their way out of the shuttle. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Cole followed suit, trying to put the pain aside. But not before stopping to make sure his team and patients weren’t in any critical condition. :: ::Shuffling clear, Teller’s feet sank a bit into the soft soil as he tried to shake the ringing from his ears. Within moments, Mistress IA, G’var and Maxwell also exited the remains of the craft, signaling that no one remained aboard. After seeing to the disposition of his patients, Maxwell and G’var joined Teller at the foot of a nearby tree and tried to take stock of their situation.:: :: The shuttle had come to rest in a small clearing surrounded by what looked like tropical rain-forest. The sky was filled with a large ringed gas giant planet. Cole immediately felt the heat and humidity on his skin. :: Teller: Doc, G’var...I’m glad you made it down mostly in one piece. You ::looking pointedly at IA:: I’m still on the fence about. IA:::Smirking::-I did get us safely to the ground Mr. Spitfire. Show me a Starfleet pilot whom could do any better.:: Slapping the hull of the shuttle:: You know these Starfleet designs are flying bricks ::beat::..very resilient to abuse ::smiles::. G'var:::raising a brow::-I hate to say she has a point CHENG. Maxwell: ::nodding:: Uh huh… :: Cole was just happy to be on solid ground. He was making every effort not to throw up. :: Teller: Right. Now we get to play the survival game. Instructor at the Academy said it goes like this - seconds, minutes, hours, days- you have to figure out if you’re going to survive the next sixty seconds, then fix those problems, then extend it to ten minutes, then to an hour, and on and on. I’ve got some ideas for a search grid if you’re up for a bit of a hike, G’var. G’var:::stretching::-would love nothing better, we need to find any many other pods and crew as we can. Teller: Doc, if you’d be willing, I think you’re in the best position to get an inventory together, then we can figure out what kind of timeline we’re looking at. ::Teller’s head was swimming. The heat and humidity were oppressive. It was getting difficult to focus and the ground was quite soft.:: Maxwell: ::Nodding and looking around.:: We should probably see about having people make their way here to this clearing since it’s open and we have the shuttes resources. I’ll go make sure the shuttle’s emergency beacon is functioning and begin triage as people arrive. Teller::oO Good that’s good...just need...quick break. Oo Teller: Great. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to pass out for a little while. ::Teller slumped against the tree behind him as Maxwell began examining the mans shoulder and arm with his tricorder.:: Maxwell: Teller! G'var: By Kahless’s Beard! :: The tricorder showed the man’s shoulder was dislocated. :: Maxwell: No ligament damage at least. ::to G’var:: Hold him still. G’var:::Bracing Teller::-Check! got’m Doc! :: The doctor, fighting through his own pain, positioned himself next to the nearly unconscious Chief Engineer and took the man’s arm into his hands. With a silent count to three, Cole rotated the arm quickly to reset the shoulder back into its socket. Teller jumped back to life with a yell of agony. :: Teller: Ungh….can’t a guy take a nap in the jungle? Maxwell: ::trying to smile:: That’s what you get for taking things apart in my sickbay. G’var:::lightly kicking Teller’s foot::-Come on CHENG they ain't pay’n us by the hour. Do some push-ups and you’ll be fine.::smiling:: Teller: ::groaning as he stands:: Well it sure ain’t Risa. ::The three of them took in the balmy tropical clearing with a shared look of trepidation. In the distance, the local animals began to hoot again as birds wheeled high overhead.:: [End] =============================== Ensign G'var Security/Tactical Officer USS Veritas V239511G10 & Ensign Cole Maxwell, M.D. Medical Officer USS Veritas V239512CM0 & Ensign Geoffrey Teller USS Veritas - NCC 95035 Capt. R. Rahman, Commanding V239509GT0

Can’t wait! More new Star Trek in one month!

“And then I sent them a message telling them to enjoy their shore leave! 😂“

Would you like to join the ASDB team? https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Advanced_Starship_Design_Bureau Send me or @Oddas Aria a PM. With regards to the Prometheus, the 113 number along with the ship's other specs on our wiki come from the licensed book Starship Spotter. But clearly, the authors didn't actually check to see if that made sense. Probably the easiest way to find the "true" height is to just do an analysis of the CGI side image.

I went with Cardassians since we know they had at one time a more stable society before the military takeover. In a post-war Cardassia, I could see them fitting in just like the previously aggressive Andorians. The other factions’ core identities seem too different from the Federation, especially when it comes to tolerance and diversity. As Martok said so well (and which I think Discovery rightfully explored more) about the Klingon view of the existential threat of outsiders:

Actually, this looks to be from a new mobile game coming out called Star Trek Fleet Command set in the Kelvin Timeline: You can see the same ship design there and the shot of the fleet hidden at the end of the trailer during the "glitch" footage.

Congrats and welcome!

" @German Galven gained +1 in negotiation skills."

😂 Ensign Teller now has a little insight into what Rahman has to deal with...

Welcome to the fleet!

Awesome! I’ve sent you a PM.

All right, the annual fleet awards ceremony is right around the corner, so let's see what you're wearing! This year, Captain Rahman heard a rumor the awards ceremony is being held somewhere particularly sunny, so like any good engineer-at-heart, she brought an extra-large hat to be prepared. The hat also proves useful for going incognito when necessary... "Oh, #$@%, is that what Tristam is wearing? Activate cloaking device..."

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus... http://www.startrek.com/article/bridge-crew-beams-up-tng-with-new-expansion “Ubisoft has announced Star Trek: Bridge Crew The Next Generation, a new expansion for Star Trek: Bridge Crew, which will allow players to continue their voyage in the Star Trek universe as they take the helm of TNG’s Galaxy Class starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701D. From the iconic bridge, players to test their combat skills against the stealthy Romulan fleet and the villainous Borg in Ongoing Voyages mode.”

(( Flashback )) (( 121 years earlier )) // Expedition Commander’s Officer’s Log. [Stardate 227411.23]. Seventeen hours after entering the Shadows, Pellecia suffered an unexpected failure of its propulsion and the subspace cloak. Without the protection of the cloak, a subspace drag effect created by the dense tetryon fields caused sudden and rapid deceleration. Though inertial dampeners were able to compensate, several systems were damaged and three crew were killed by shifting cargo. Full damage report and the names of the deceased are attached. Let it be known that they died in service of the empire. // (( Day 2 )) (( Captain’s Quarters, Deck 7, IRW Pellecia )) :: Allek poured another glass of ale as he read through the report from his chief engineer. Besides the critical damage to the subspace cloak and the ship’s propulsion systems, their food synthesizers had stopped functioning, and life support systems were behaving erratically throughout the ship. Not dangerously so, at least not yet, but it was certainly inconvenient. :: :: To add insult to injury, much of his crew had spent the day fighting plasma fires below decks. No one else had been killed, but it had been gruelling, difficult work, and many of the ship’s crew had suffered burns. The Remans had suffered particularly badly, as they’d been expected to handle the most dangerous work. :: Allek: How long will it take to get us back en route? :: The ship’s chief engineer wore a serene expression despite the smears of some kind of soot or grease covering much of her pale, slender face. :: Treyalak: The repairs are simple enough. If we keep up double shifts, I can have the subspace cloak and warp drive back online within 36 hours. The structural damage is more severe. Without access to a drydock, we’re looking at several hundred EVAs to repair the damage to the space frame. If I get everyone who’s qualified to help, we might be able to do it in a week. :: Allek took a short pull from his glass then gestured to the still full one across from him. :: Allek: You look like you need this more than I do. :: She glanced down, looking as if she’d forgotten the fragrant drink was even there. Hesitantly, she picked it up and allowed some of the cooling liquid to touch her lips. :: Allek: I’ll make the announcement tomorrow. Start with the repairs. If we don’t get enough volunteers for the frame repairs, we’ll start pulling crew from other assignments. Dorix: There are over fifty Remans on this ship. Surely we won’t need to buden our officers with this kind of menial labor. :: The expedition commander had a slightly round face. Twenty years ago, he’d been a beast of a man. Now, his former bulk had turned largely to fat, as was common with age. Despite this, he still had the force of personality and the reputation of the embodiment of what nearly every imperial officer wanted to be. Awed to the point of fear. Cultured. Well-connected and respected with both military and the civilian leaders. :: Allek: Commander, the Remans spent the last twelve hours fighting plasma fires on three decks. I’m not sure it’s wise to compel them to do more at this point. Not without rest, at least. Dorix: It’s their duty in this life, Sub-Commander. They should be proud to have it. :: Allek had heard this tone in his superior’s voice before. It made it clear that he would not tolerate dissension. His opinion had been made known, and he expected it to be treated as an order. :: Allek: Very well, Commander. :: He’d have to offer them something in return. First the disease. Now this. He’d never seen so much tension between Reman and Romulan crew before. :: Treyalak: The sooner we get started the better, Sirs. Request permission to return to duty. :: Allek looked to Dorix, who gave a slight nod of approval. :: Allek: Dismissed, Centurion. I’ll come by in a few hours to check on your progress. :: The female stood, nodded to both her superiors, then left to return to her hectic engine room. As the door closed behind them, Allek took another long pull from his glass to empty it. :: Dorix: The commanders of Raze and Sulvian have signaled to ask for orders. :: The other two members of the expedition fleet had been eager to resume their course ever since the accident. :: Allek: If they could spare some of their crew to help with the repairs-- Dorix: I’ve decided that they should resume course rather than wait for Pellecia. :: Allek was so taken aback by this, he felt as if the blow had been physical. Without the other ships, Pellecia would be stranded here. If something went wrong with the repairs, they would no longer have the option of evacuating. :: Dorix: Further, I’ve decided to transfer my flag to the Sulvian. Sub-Commander Vulek will be pleased, I’m sure. :: The muscles in Allek’s his jaw cramped. :: Dorix: The mission is too important, Allek. We can’t allow a delay of this long. Allek: Then why not evacuate Pellecia? :: The other man laughed. :: Dorix: You can’t be serious? The ship still has every chance of being salvaged. I have no intention of abandoning it. :: Allek had to bite back the obvious response. Dorix did have every intention of abandoning it. The only difference was that he was leaving the crew behind. :: Dorix: Once repairs are complete, you will proceed on a course to our designated rendezvous point outside of the Shoals. :: It would be months before they could make such a rendezvous. :: Allek: And if we aren’t there? Dorix: Then I’ll, of course, arrange for a rescue mission. Pellecia is outfitted with enough food and water for at least five years. You’ll be fine. :: Allek had his doubts. :: Allek: When do you plan to leave, Sir? Dorix: Tomorrow morning, I think. We’ll assemble the crew in your shuttle bay to make the announcement. I believe you needed to gather them to explain your repair plans anyway. Allek: Very well, Sir. :: Dorix let out a short sigh. :: Dorix: You act as if I’ve just signed your execution order, Allek. You’ll be fine. In all likelihood, we’ll be back on Romulus together in a year’s time. :: There was that tone again. Imperious and dripping with condescension. :: Allek: As you say, sir. :: There were a few moments of quiet between them before Dorix stood to leave. :: Dorix: You have much to learn about command, Sub-commander. May chance this journey will give you the opportunity. :: Allek poured himself another drink. :: Allek: Good luck with the mission, Sir. :: Dorix nodded his approval of the sentiment, then left without saying another word. By the time Allek fell asleep in his bed, he was very, very drunk. :: (( Day 3 )) (( Main Bridge, Deck 1 )) :: Though nursing a slight hangover, Allek stood on the bridge of his ship. The transfer of command had taken place quietly before the assembly below decks. Now that it was all over, Allek was feeling strangely positive. With Dorix no longer on board, Allek felt like he was truly in command of his vessel for the first time since they’d left Romulus. :: :: The Reman Uhlan at the comms station looked up as Allek passed by. :: Drivek: Sub-Commander, Sulvian has issued a departure vector for the fleet. They’re preparing to go to warp. :: Both ships had recloaked several hours earlier, but Allek still turned his attention to the main viewer. If they looked closely, they’d still be able to see the flash of the ships going to warp. :: :: The rest of the bridge grew quiet as they all watched for the same thing. When two full minutes passed without any sign, Allek assumed they’d missed it. :: Allek: Are they still out there, Uhlan? :: The Reman looked confused. :: Drivek: Yes, Sir. I’m… getting some unusual comms chatter. I think something’s gone wrong. :: Despite his weariness, he felt his attention snap into focus as he stepped back towards the young Uhlan. :: Allek: Define ‘wrong.’ Reman: I’m… not sure, Sub-commander. I-- :: The Lieutenant at tactical interrupted. :: Kenson: I’m detecting some kind of subspace power surge in the immediate vicinity. Allek: Shields up! :: The response was automatic, as was the tactical officers quick hand movements. The hum of the ship’s shield generators was a comforting one, but any relief it brought was short lived as a green and orange fireball suddenly erupted several hundred meters ahead of them. They all knew what that meant. :: Allek: Which ship was that? Kenson: I’m not sure, sir, but I think that was the Raze. Allek: Scan for survivors. Drivek: Sir, receiving a message from Commander Dorix. Audio only. Allek: Put it through. :: The Commanders tension-filled voice filled the bridge, though it was badly distorted by some kind of interference. :: Dorix: =/\= ...interfered with the warp field...unable to...system failure...are abandoning ship...standby for- =/\= :: A second explosion on screen cut short the commander’s final words. This one was closer than the first, and the resulting shockwave caused the Pellecia to shudder beneath their feet. :: :: The silence on the bridge was deafening, and felt like it lasted for an eternity. Allek finally broke it to issue orders. :: Allek: Any sign of survivors? :: The sounds of several consoles being worked came to his ears, but no words. He repeated the question. :: Kenson: No, Sir. No lifesigns detected. No signs of shuttles or escape pods. Drivek: Nothing on subspace, Sub-Commander. :: Allek walked slowly to his raised command chair, fearing his legs would collapse before he made it. They didn’t, but it had taken a monumental effort. He sat deliberately, then took two deep breaths to center himself. :: Allek: Keep scanning. :: It was the only order he could think to give for several minutes. What else could he say. The bridge crew were just as shocked as he was. Despite his failings, Dorix had seemed like the kind of indomitable man that would live forever. His sudden and senseless loss would stun the entire crew when it became known, as would the loss of so many other loyal officers and crew. :: Allek: Uhlan Drivek, send word to Centurion Treyalak to halt all repairs and to report to my office. Immediately. === Sub-Commander Allek Tr’Rehu Commanding Officer IRW Pellecia (as written by @Evan Delano) T239007ED0

@Alex Blair as Captain Niraa: I like Niraa. We should make her a recurring character.