Alleran Tan
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Posts
990 -
Joined
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Days Won
24
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Alleran Tan
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Welcome back to the group Nathan.
Welcome back to the Fleet!
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Welcome back!
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Woo hoo, welcome to the Fleet!
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((Operations Office - USS Independence-A))
::Picking up her standard uniform, yellow colored beret from her desk, she ran it through her dark hair until it was in place. Tracey then looked back at her desk, just beyond where her beret was lying just a few moments ago, and saw the pile of PADDs that screamed for her attention. Tracey frowned as she tried to figure out how to tackle this mess. So she figured she'd start with the top PADD first.::
::Using her prosthetic hand, Tracey slipped the top PADD off the pile and it fell to the desk. She then slid it towards herself and began to read the contents. It appeared to be a backorder for a shipment of something called "posthoduric remodulators". Apparently the Independence needed thirty of these things. Tracey had no idea what they were, nor what they were used for, but she signed for it and fed the information into her computer terminal.::
::For most of the day, Tracey performed this type of task, while taking minor breaks to the replicator for coffee and snacks. When she reached the final PADD on her desk, Tracey paused and looked over its contents carefully. It was a list of those lost on the previous mission. The name of Gary Mahlor stood out. The man whose life Tracey tried in vain to save and led to Tracey loosing her hand. The names of a few others whom Tracey had never met were also on that list. Now Tracey had to write to the immediate families of those lost, get those letters signed by the Captain and First Officer, and send them out. It was a part of her job Tracey did not like at the best of times, but Tracey recalled the letter she sent to Gary Mahlor's family over two years previous. Now without hesitation, Tracey recalled what she wrote that day with perfect clarity, and began to write almost an exact replica.::
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mahlor
We regret to inform you of your son’s death. We know it comes as striking news to you, your family and loved ones. How tragic that men, and women alike, must depart from this life at such a young age. Our deepest sympathies and affections are extended to you and your family. We – and I especially – cannot begin to comprehend the grief and sorrow that you’ll experience within the next few days.
In this vocation lives of good men, like your son, are put on the line to save others, and to better the society in which we must live. This means any small error can be costly. Our team failed to protect your son, and together we will forever regret it.
We honored and revered your son – our brother – in life; we wish to bequeath his memory in death. May He remain with you and comfort you in your trials and loneliness.
We extend to you our deepest regrets and most sincere apologies.
Respectfully yours,
Lt. Commander Tracey Townson
Chief of Operatons
USS Independence-A
::Tracey looked over the letter. It seemed cold and without care, and she wanted to tell these people just what kind of officer he could have become. The Gary Mahlor Tracey remembered from her universe was a warrior and had saved Tracey's life on more than one occasion on the battlefields. He not only swore to protect the Federation and the Alpha-Beta quadrants from the Dominion, but those around him as well. And he did so with distinction. But Tracey did not know the Gary Mahlor from this universe. But one thing was clear. Once again, Tracey felt personally responsible for the man's death, and both time due to her acting before thinking.::
Townson: ::while commiting the letter to be sent for signing by the Catain and First Officer:: I'll never forget you Seargent.
::Tracey then wrote the rest in much the same fashion, posted them, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and sighed wishing she could go back in time and change all kinds of things.::
-TBC-
Lt. Commander Tracey Townson
Chief of Operatons
USS Independence-A
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Woo hoo! Welcome to the fleet, guys!
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I think I preferred it at the academy. I've been kind of ignored, and I honestly don't know what's going on on my ship. I really couldn't tell you what we are doing!
Hi Blake,
That's not good at all- I assure you that's not the way things usually go down! Hmm.
My suggestion would be to either email your mentor (I don't know if the Challenger does those?), or your First Officer (that's Lawn, by the way) or your Commanding Officer (that's Tel-ar) and just ask what's going on!
When it comes to new writers, my experience has been everyone always bends over backwards to help them fit in and give them plenty of tags. I'm sure you could also get a recent summary of the Challenger mission-to-date, or whatever you wanted.Sorry things haven't been perfect on your new posting- but we're all here to help!
I've taken the liberty of just sending Tel-ar a quick e-mail letting him know of this post. I'm sure you'll get a whole heap of help now that you've pointed it out- and thank you VERY much for doing so. So many new writers encounter a problem and just leave without saying anything... if you point these kinds of things out to us, we can fix them ASAP!
Once again welcome to the Fleet, and I'm sure we'll get you settled in in no time!
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Wow! A huge class this time- welcome to the fleet, all of you! Looking forward to seeing you all sim!
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A thought- for sims that are multi-part, and designed to be viewed together ("Happy Families", for instance, loses a lot of its impact if viewed apart) did we want to have just one "vote" for them?
It has some ridiculously crazy competition so it's a bit of a moot point- but I think it'd be a good point for future competitions...
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Whoa whoa whoa! How come Belinda Desdemona didn't graduate? Or Thomas Patterson for that matter? Or Laila Renek???
I'm confused: I thought I would be at least the third one to graduate. And I'm confused as to why most of my class is still in the Academy!!! GAH!
Aww, okay, since you want to ruin the magic...
For academy classes, in order to make sure that there's plenty of guidance for new players and so that the sims remain on-track, the new player(s) learn the way things we do things rather than getting into bad habits (or completely lost!), what we do is... we get experienced simmers (full Lieutenant or higher) to ghost-write cadets. The idea is that these cadets keep the class going and make a good example for the rest of the new writers.
So... if there were people in your cadet cruise who were great writers, who wrote at least three sims, who displayed correct formatting and who were right on track to graduate but didn't- it's almost certain that they were experienced writers who were ghost-writing cadets.
Sorry to spoil the illusion for you. I know for me, I was shocked that "only" two people graduated from my own class, so it's okay. I know how it is.
Once again... welcome to the fleet.
(PS- no, I wasn't one of the cadets...)
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Darn it. I knew this would be a hard round to vote on - serves me right for submitting so many entries.
Welcome to my world!
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Heya Walker, welcome to the fleet!
Uh oh. Another Walker!
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((After the wedding of Lt. Commanders Ehlanii and Brice - Quarters of Lt. Commander Tracey Townson - USS Independence-A))
::Tossing and turning, Tracey found that sleep was not forthcoming. Instead of fighting her bout of insomnia, Tracey went to her desk. There was something she felt she needed to do. Something she hoped would ease her feelings of loneliness and despair.::
::The wedding was a beautiful ceremony that Tracey could only dream of having when she herself was married, what was it now, more than two years previous now? Hers was a rushed ceremony between battles and skirmishes. Both she and her husband were high ranking officers with continuous duties to perform. But Tracey began to fall in love with the man when she was a Private, rescued from sure death in a losing ground battle. Her husband, a junior officer at the time, encouraged Tracey to go to the academy, if for nothing else, to keep her from the battlefields and to keep her alive for at least the next four years.::
::The two became close over that time, even though it was a long distance relationship. With Tracey at the academy and serving on Cadet cruises and her husband to be, moving from battleship to battleship. But years later, Lieutenant Tracey Townson was posted to the battleship Resolution. A ship her husband to be served on as First Officer. Shortly after Tracey was promoted to Lt. Commander, the wedding plans began and within two months, the two had married.::
::But the man who Tracey married also existed in this universe. She had met him when she first came to this strange, peaceful, place with the small, slow starships. But the man who was Tracey's mentor, savior and love did not recognize her. Tracey tried, in vain, to live through that; work with the others on this universe's version of the Resolution. But Tracey found it impossible. So Tracey found herself at Starfleet Medical, where she underwent therapy for almost a year under the supervision of Doctor Samuel Huff, one of the lead Psychiatrists at that institution.::
::Since her release, she has tried to keep herself from being reminded of her past. But with her brief return to her universe of origin and now the wedding, Tracey felt like she needed just one small thing from the man who she once referred to as her Imzadi.::
Townson: Computer, access Starfleet personnel files.
::After searching, Tracey located the person she wanted to contact. The picture on the screen in front of her made a tear fall from her cheek, and her nerves made her shake a little. She felt she needed to hear the voice behind the picture and wondered if the officer would even recognize her after two years not seeing each other after serving together for such a brief time. But Tracey felt she had to try.::
::The man was now a full Commander and now, Commanding Officer of said vessel and Tracey pinpointed its location. It was not far from Romulan space. Mission details were spotty at best, but Tracey figured that it was there due to the recent events surrounding the destruction of Romulus.::
::With a pain in her stomach, like a schoolgirl making contact with a guy she likes over the net, Tracey contacted the bridge of her own ship.::
Townson: =/\= Townson to bridge. Open up a subspace communication to USS Victory NCC-362447. Patch it through to my quarters. =/\=
::Tracey could hear the clicks and beeps coming from the bridge, when all of the sudden she found herself face to face with a bridge officer of the Victory. Suddenly Tracey's nerves went through the roof, and she concidered cutting the link right there and then.::
Wright: ::appearing on the screen:: =/\= Victory communications? =/\=
Townson: ::taking a deep, nervous breath =/\= Uhmmm...My name...is uhmmm. I'm Lt. Commander Tracey Townson, Chief of Operations onboard the Independence? =/\=
Wright: =/\= Right, I suppose you want Chief Rais? =/\=
Townson: ::taking another breath as her finger hovered over the "disconnect" button:: =/\= I'd...I'd like to speak with Commander Jaxx. =/\=
Wright: =/\= I will let him know he has a call from the Indy.. =/\= ::He smiled as she spoke, then placed the call on hold. The logo appeared on the screen.::
Townson: =/\= Why thank you. =/\= ::rushed and with a forced, nervous smile.::
::Suddenly the face of the man who was her former husband appeared on the screen in front of her. He looked a little older, but the youthful exuberance was still there.::
::Jaxx sat in the Ready Room. The reports were still coming in and he wanted to review them. The crew had been enjoying some down time on their transit back to Earth. Barricading himself in his office he worked longer than he expected to. A call came through from the Independence. While, he expected to see the face of Sidney, he was surprised to see another. He smiled slightly as he checked the amount of pips.::
Jaxx: =/\= What can I do for you? =/\=
Townson: ::visibly shaking:: =/\= Uhmmm....hello Commander. My name is Lt. Commander Tracey Townson. I was wondering if you remember me. We served for a short time on the Resolution awhile back. =/\=
::That was a name he would never forget, not to mention her face. He always found her to be an amazing and attractive woman, one he could see himself with in another life. He smiled warmly, remembering her difficulty aboard the Resolution. He had offered her help to figure things out, Jaxx was more patient then the CO at the time. He tried to allocate resources to a project that could help her, but nothing ever came to fruition. After he was reassigned, he heard she had been moved to StarFleet Medical. He had been contacted a couple times by Doctor Huff, but was very unaware she had returned to active duty.::
Jaxx: =/\= Of course. Are things alright? =/\=
Townson: =/\= Well actually...Commander. If you could just talk. Just say something. I know it sounds crazy, but just talk about your ship, your crew...[...]it Andrus, I just need to hear your voice. Its all I have left. =/\= Tracey closed her eyes as tears began to flow uncontrollably::
::It did not take a Betazoid to tell Tracey had hit a rough patch. Giving the woman a reassuring smile he tried to think of something to say. There wasn't much he could say that she could not read in LCARS. He looked at the woman, and the smile turned to concern for her.::
Jaxx: =/\= I have been fine, the crew sees to it. The Victory is great and I have a very solid crew that makes me look good. ::changing the subject he shifted in his seat.:: Things not going so good for you? =/\=
::Opening her tearfilled eyes, Tracey stared at the image on the screen in front of her and imagined the man in a different uniform and in a different place. She then rose her right, prosthetic hand in front of the screen for a moment.::
Townson: =/\= I uh...I lost my hand, Andr...I mean Commander. I made a mistake. I ...I acted out of haste. I feel like...well like I'm harsh to junior Officers here and...well...you know...it's like the way we were...I mean, I was trained. I keep myself busy with work, but...but during off times, well, I just don't think I'm handling things very well. =/\=
Jaxx: =/\= For the record I think you have handled things very well. I do not think there is a stronger woman where you come from, believe me I would only marry a strong woman. But you cannot be strong all of the time. Talk to me...=/\=
::Tracey knew, from his record, that the Andrus Jaxx of this universe was a former counselor. When she first found out about it, Tracey knew that was his calling. As First Officer of the Battleship Resolution, he was able to ease the tensions of those serving under his command. Even through impossible odds. Tracey had commented to him on several occasions that he would have made an excellent motivational speaker if the galaxy wasn't at war. Here in this universe, it appeared that Jaxx put his skills to a good occupation.::
::Tracey was beginning to calm a little. Thoughts of communications, such as this, before being assigned to the Battleship Resolution came flowing back to Tracey, and for now it seemed she was back in her universe. Back when she was a junior officer either on Earth or Romulus or wherever she was assigned at the time.::
Townson: =/\= I have just come from a wedding ceremony. Probably one of the most beautiful I have ever witnessed. If all weddings are like this here...well it reminded me of our...well the rushed weddings of the place I come from. =/\=
::He never got the chance to hear about certain details about their relationship where she came from. Jaxx was privy to some of the what had happened in her life, but they did not serve together long enough for him to find out any more than he did.::
Jaxx: =/\= Bring back memories? =/\=
Townson: =/\= Yes. It reminded me of you. ::with a tinge of sadness in her voice:: I ... I just felt I needed to see you. Hear your voice. If only for a little while. I must apologize if I took you away from your duties.=/\=
::It was an odd situation for Jaxx. He felt connected to Tracey in a strange way, and felt that he owed it to himself, even if in another universe, to look out for her.::
Jaxx: =/\= Contact me day or night. If I am unavailable, I will contact you as soon as I can. When I tell you that I understand how you feel...::pointing to his head:: know that I really do. I would suggest you take an extended leave, but something tells me you would not hear of it. I could direct you to your counselor, but they have probably helped as much as they could. Talking to me seems right. I have always been curious about myself, where you come from. He must have become a great man to earn the love you still have for him.=/\=
Townson: =/\= Without a doubt. =/\=
Jaxx: =/\= I offered you help once in finding a way back. I have a science vessel at my disposal and a very good science department. We have some time to tinker around with some experiments. I want to do this, if you would want to go back. =/\=
::Tracey stared for a moment at the man who was the spitting image, and who shared the same name, as her husband did, for what seemed like forever. Tracey had gone back, if only briefly, just a few weeks ago. The horrors of war, and the smell of death all around her filled her senses, if only for a little while.::
((BACKSIM - Otherverse - USS Resolution - Triage Center))
::The beeps and noises of the bio-bed was the first thing that Tracey heard as she came ot of unconsciousness. The the ship rocked around her and Tracey opened her eyes. The red, flashing lights around the massive room was the first thing she saw. Lifting her right arm, she could see her hand was still missing. But the room looked familiar, as the cries of people in pain all around her echoed off the walls.::
Voice: ...found her on deck 6.
Another Voice: Did you inform the Commander?
::Tracey turned to look at the two Doctors talking. They wore familiar clothing. Clothing she hadn't seen in almost two years.::
Doctor 1: What happened to her hand?
::The second Doctor just shook his head.::
Townson: Hey! Report Doctors!
::Tracey said the words with a familiar authority in her voice. She knew exactly where she was. One of the Doctors approached Tracey's bed.::
Doctor: You need to relax, Commander. Do you know what happened to your hand? And where did you get this uniform? And your trachea and voice-box appear to be uninjured. How did you...?
::Tracey quickly looked at her uniform, which was still the one she was wearing in the peaceful universe.::
Townson: Nevermind that Doctor. What ship is this?
Doctor: It's the battleship Resolution. Commander Townson is on her way from the bridge. As soon as we have a free surgical unit...
Townson: ::Sitting up and cutting off the Doctor.:: I need to speak to Captain Cedeno immediately! THIS IS WHERE I...
::The universe Tracey was in began to fade and she found herself being pulled back to the universe where she had originally lost her hand. The Doctor looked on in bafflement as she disappeared in front of his eyes.::
((Otherverse - USS Resolution - Corridor))
Townson: =/\=What do you mean, disappeared Doctor?=/\=
::Tracey was walking through the corridors of the large battleship as quickly as she could. She was holding her flip-open communicator and speaking frantically into it. Repair teams were almost everywhere, as was normal for this ship. The yellow alert lights were a continuous presence during this war, and the only times they change was when the Resolution was at red alert. Tracey spoke, but not with her usual voice, but more of a voice like a computer due to her injury months earlier.::
Doctor: =/\= I'm sorry Commander. I don't have any more information.=/\=
::Tracey made her way around a corner and entered through the large doors of the triage center. She quickly spotted the Doctor she was talking to, closed her communicator, placed it securely on her belt, and made her way through the maze of injured soldiers to where the Doctor was.::
Townson: Describe what you saw, Doctor. What was she wearing?
::As the Doctor described what he remembered, Tracey whispered to herself.::
Townson: EV pants, on top of a Lieutenant's service uni...
::Tracey then began to fade out of existence as she looked at the Doctor in horror.::
((Moments later - USS Independence - Sickbay))
::The pain coming from Tracey's wrist was intense. Tracey opened her eyes as she was laid on a bio-bed on a ship she hadn't seen the likes of in almost two years. Finally, she thought, she was home. Home where her parents were alive. Home where she grew up. Home where she served aboard the Hammond as an Ensign and eventually, StarBase 118 as its Executive Officer so many years earlier. The surroundings of the sick-bay, the uniforms, the feeling. Tracey was ecstatic with joy despite the pain. She had returned home. A place she thought she'd never see again.::
Townson: ::with her computerized voice brought on by an injury suffered months earlier, in and wearing a Starfleet uniform from the otherverse.:: I'M HOME!
::There was no joy in her voice, just her eyes. Her computer voice could not change tones.::
Sharpe: ::Putting Townson down on an empty Bio-bed:: Doctor Zhou, got Lieutenant Townson here ::Sharpe said as Medical Staff came rushing to the table, as Zhou approached:; Here is the Tricorder I used to scan her Doctor ::Sharpe said handing over the Medical Tricorder he found in the emergency Med kit on Deck 14.::
::But Tracey quickly felt herself disappearing. She knew was heading back to the universe of hell.::
Townson: DOCTOR! YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING! THIS IS WHERE I BELONG! GET ME ADMIRAL ANASSASI! SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELP ME!
::As Tracey disappeared, she let out a scream. A shrill computerized scream that echoed off the walls and through time to when the Independence first entered this anomaly.::
((Back to present - Tracey's quarters - USS Independence-A))
::Tracey had read the report of that incedent and was convinced that the Tracey Townson who belonged here was where she used to be. Without hesitation, Tracey spoke.::
Townson: =/\= Yes. Its not a question of want. I feel like I have to right a wrong. I don't belong here. =/\=
:: It felt just so easy to talk to this man. Like she knew him forever, which she did in a way, and the words kept flowing.::=/\=
Townson: =/\= Don't get me wrong. I like it here. A peaceful Federation, as you...well...is a place I've always dreamed of living in. I can send you recent information that we collected. But if you fail, dear...I mean Commander, don't feel bad. I am slowly coming to terms with the idea that I may live out the rest of my natural life here. =/\=
Jaxx: =/\= I will not make any promises. The odds are not in our favor,but that does not mean we cannot at least try. ::forcing a faint smile:: =/\=
Townson: =/\= I appreciate it Commander, and thank you for your time and effort. I may very well call on you again in the future, that is if you don't mind. =/\=
Jaxx: =/\= I do not mind at all. As long as it helped? =/\=
Townson: =/\= Yes, Commander. This must seem very strange for you. But just seeing you and talking to you has put me more at ease. Thank you.=/\=
Jaxx: =/\= Very well. Rest well Tracey. =/\=
::And with that, the image faded and the Starfleet emblem shone in Tracey's face. Tracey stared at the image for awhile before resting her head on the right arm still wearing her dress uniform tunic, and whispered quietly.::
Townson: I miss you Imzadi.
::She then fell into a peaceful sleep.::
Fin
Commander Andrus Jaxx
Commanding Officer
USS Victory
&
Lt. Commander Tracey Townson
Chief of Operations
USS Independence-A
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Woo hoo! Welcome to the fleet!
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Hale and T'Pen, welcome (back) to the fleet!
Looking forward to seeing you two in action! -
Woo hoo! Welcome to the Fleet.
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JP - Lt. Commander Karynn Ehlanii and Fleet Captain Sidney Riley - Informal
Friendship
((Corridors, USS Independence-A, 23:40 hours))
::Sidney Riley hurried down the corridor in her bare feet. The dream still
weighing heavily on her mind, the Captain paid no attention to the stares
that greeted her as she ran, her green terry robe, flying behind her like a
train.::
::She stopped outside the door, tears streaming down her face onto her light
green shirt and flowing green striped pants. Hurriedly she pressed the
chime, not giving herself time to think. She couldn't give herself time to
think...::
::It seemed like forever before there was a response. Her mind was in a
whirl. Why was this happening to her?::
::Karynn heard the door chime and sat up quickly, her breaths coming fast.
The Haliian hated being startled awake, especially when she was only
justfalling asleep. As her heartrate slowed, she glanced over at
Ethan, still
sleeping and shook her head. The man would’ve slept through the Hobus
disaster.::
::She grabbed her robe from the foot of her bed and wrapped it around
herself, over her pajamas. Rubbing her eyes, she went through the door of
their bedroom into the living area, hearing it swish closed behind her. It
was good Matthew was still on Earth - he probably would have woken up. She
reached the door of their quarters and pressed the PADD on the side. As
they swished open she found herself face to face with the Captain on the
other side. She wasn’t sure whether it was the Captain’s presence or the
state the woman was in that she found more surprising.::
Ehlanii: Captain... I... what can I do for you, Sir?
Riley: Commander, I...I'm sorry. I need a Counselor and with Ensign Pierce
transferring to the Aurora. I need to talk to someone. I didn't know who
else...
::She reached around pulling her robe closer around herself.::
Ehlanii: Right now, Sir? I can see you first thing in the morning...
Riley: Please, it...it can't wait, not any longer.
::Karynn indicated that the human/deltan come inside, a tired smile crossing
her features.::
Ehlanii: I think I can understand that. Come on in, Sir. I could get you a
cup of tea...
Riley: No, I don't want to bother Commander Brice. Could we go? Could we
go to the holodeck?
::The thought of the two senior officers on the ship heading to the holodeck
in their pajamas amused the Haliian. She ran her fingers through her hair
and shrugged.::
Ehlanii: Ethan was sound asleep a minute ago and would likely sleep through
anything, but if you’d be more comfortable in the holodeck, that’s fine with
me. Its up to you.
Riley: I just...it might help me explain. And...::She paused.:: I don't
want word of this getting around...
::Karynn simply nodded. Pulling her robe closer around her, she stepped out
into the bright corridor, blinking at the lights. The door swished closed
behind her.::
::The Captain looked over her shoulder as two crewmen passed and looked back
at her. She'd been over emotional for weeks, well, since Operation Bright
Star. She didn't need any more rumors running around the ship.::
::Karynn wondered what the two crewmen thought. Their CO and FO were
walking through the corridors of the ship, dressed in nightwear. Karynn
would certainly have been curious as an ensign had she seen a similar
sight.::
::The tears continued to stream down Sidney's face, but at least now she was
moving forward. She reached up and rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her
green robe, sniffling.::
Riley: I never imagined how far quarters are away from the holodecks until
now... ::She laughed uncomfortably.::
::Karynn joined in politely with the woman’s laugh, although her’s was a
little lighter, a little less uncomfortable. She glanced at the woman and
smiled sympathetically.::
Ehlanii: Aye, but we’ll be there soon.
::And soon they were. Thankfully they didn’t meet with too many crew
members along the way. Soon the two women were stepping through the double
doors and into the very empty holodeck room.::
Ehlanii: So... what brings a crying Sidney Riley to my door at this time of
night?
::Sidney waited until the doors to the holodeck closed before she responded.
The stark yellow on black grid hurt her eyes and she blinked.::
Riley: I had a dream...
Ehlanii: That bad?
Riley: No...I mean...yes, it's just...I can't control my emotions anymore.
Everything, anything...all of it. ::She wrung her hands.:
Ehlanii: Well we can certainly talk about it, ::she gestured to the room
around them:: although it might be better to start a program than stand here
in the grid.
Riley: I know a place...::Sidney walked a little further into the holodeck
before she spoke again.:: Computer, begin program "Riley One, Sitting Room".
::The yellow on black grid instantly changed to a large room with vaulted
ceilings and huge windows which opened up to the porch. It was early
evening and the sun had already passed the windows on this side of the
house, the soft breeze however still assailed the windows. The white lace
curtains billowed softly in the wind the smell of the river wafted into the
room along with the light feel of salt in the air. Sidney smiled through the
tears as she closed her eyes and savored the vision.::
Riley: This is my home away from the Independence. I grew up here mostly,
after I escaped Vulcan.
::Karynn looked at the room around her, gently running her fingers along the
various textures of the furniture near her.::
Ehlanii: It’s nice... relaxing.
::The Terran/Deltan walked over to one of the rose colored Victorian style
chairs, rubbing her bare feet lightly on the soft white carpet. She sat
down, pulling her legs up into the chair and leaning slightly on her left
right side. She motioned for Ehlanii to have a seat. Reaching over, Sidney
pulled the chain on the old lamp sitting on the rose wood end table. The
room filled with a little more light as the sun continued to find its
rest.::
::Karynn settled in another seat near the auburn-haired woman. She tucked
one foot under her and waited for Sidney to start.::
Riley: I want to thank you...::She looked down at the floor, her mind
following the edges of the carpet, and then the lines in the hardwood
floor.:: you didn't have to come with me.
::The Haliian smiled gently at the captain.::
Ehlanii: It wasn’t a problem. I couldn’t not help someone who obviously
needed to talk.
::Sidney looked up at Karynn Ehlanii, her eyes were puffy from crying. Her
face red, she sniffed lightly.::
Riley: I just don't know what else to do. I just can't...I can't keep going
like this, my personal life is a mess.
Ehlanii: Sometimes talking about it helps.
Riley: ::She smiled softly.:: That’s what I’m hoping...
::The Haliian thought for a moment about how best to approach things. She
took a slow quiet breath in and let it out equally slowly before speaking.::
Ehlanii: Well, perhaps we can start with what you see as the biggest
problem.
::Sidney paused for a moment. What exactly was the biggest problem? The
fact she couldn’t control her emotions or the fact she was in love with
three men and couldn’t make up her mind to save her sanity. In all
actuality, the Terran/Deltan felt like they were both connected.::
Riley: It’s hard to explain really...
Ehlanii: ::smiling gently:: Just walk me through it. I might understand
better than you think.
::A worried expression crossed Sidney’s face.::
Riley: I’m not sure I understand it myself, so you’ll be doing better than
me.
::She paused again, now she was just stalling for time. Time to collect her
thoughts, or time to rethink talking to someone, she wasn’t sure.::
Riley: I’ve been having a hard time dealing with my emotions since Operation
Bright Star. It feels like everything is crashing down around me. My whole
life is falling apart, except my career.
::The Haliian smiled gently, sympathetically. “My whole life” was a
sweeping statement. Potentially an exaggeration... or potentially right on
track. Karynn decided to tease things out a bit more.::
Ehlanii: That’s a lot to be crashing. I can understand it would be
overwhelming. What are some of the pieces that are falling apart?
Riley: My personal life has always been a mess, especially when it comes to
how I feel about certain people.
::She reached over and began playing with the edge of the chair lightly with
her finger.::
::Karynn watched the woman, waiting in silence. There was such a thing as a
counselor talking too much in a session.::
Riley: The thing is ::she kept her eyes on the chair.:: I’m not sure if
that’s the problem or a symptom of the problem. Since the battle, since my
injury I’ve felt like I can’t control my emotions. ::She took a deep
breath.:: when it comes to relationships.
::They were getting closer. Now the scope of the current conversation had
been limited from “my whole life” to “relationships.” Karynn took a wild
guess that it was romantic relationships the woman was referring to. After
all, those tended to give a lot of people problems.::
Ehlanii: ::thoughtfully:: You can’t control your emotions. ::the Haliian
paused:: What does that mean to you exactly?
::Sidney looked up from the chair, but her gaze was set on the curtains
flowing in the breeze.::
Riley: I feel too much for too many people. ::She paused for a moment,
suddenly feeling very flustered. She sighed.::
::Karynn pondered the statement, turning it over in her mind, and noting the
woman’s sigh.::
Ehlanii: How so?
::Riley took a deep breath. She was going to have come out with her feelings
sooner or later, she was the one afterall, who had woken the Halliian and
the drug her around the ship in their night clothes. Still, it was hard for
her to articulate what she wanted to say. Her mind running through worries
about what her First Officer would think of her.::
Riley: It’s just I think I’m in love with three different men. ::She
deliberately kept her gaze on the window.::
::Even though the woman wasn’t looking at her, Karynn made sure to keep her
expression neutral and sympathetic. She hadn’t really guessed that the
Captain was romantically attached to one man, much less three, although she
had heard the rumors around the ship just before and after Operation Bright
Star. Unlike some, though, she generally tried to keep herself out of the
gossip.::
Ehlanii: And that’s a problem for you...
::It wasn’t exactly phrased as a question, but it was a statement inviting a
response from the auburn-haired woman. That got Sidney’s attention, she
turned quickly from the window, a shocked expression on her face as she
looked at Karynn.::
Riley: Yes! It’s...::She fought for the words.:: It’s a huge problem!
::Karynn’s response was very simple.::
Ehlanii: Why?
::The question caught her off guard...why? It was simple, logical and to
the point. What had she honestly expected her to say? It took a long moment
for her to think, why was it problem? She thought about each situation for
a brief moment, her thoughts focusing mostly on her failed relationship with
Alleran Tan..::
Riley: Because I destroy peoples lives. ::She felt several tears roll down
her cheeks.:: Because I can’t decide what I’m feeling and I can’t make up my
mind. I rip peoples hearts out and... ::She stopped, she felt like she was
on the verge of a breakdown...::
Ehlanii: And...?
Riley: I don’t know... ::She looked back down at the chair.::
::The Haliian paused. There was a lot that had just been said that she
could deal with, but the unspoken thought was still looming. She really
needed to know what that was.::
Ehlanii: You said it for a reason. What were you thinking about?
::She looked up at Karynn with sad eyes.::
Riley: And, I make them miserable and I come to regret my actions. I was
thinking about...::She paused.:: I was thinking about Alleran Tan,
specifically.
Ehlanii: You know for certain that you’ve ruined his life, that he’s
miserable?
::Absentmindedly Karynn rubbed her palm with her other thumb, the location
of a scar from her past. It was a reminder that even the bad experiences in
life could be transformed.::
Riley: He left didn’t he? ::She closed her eyes.:: He left because of
me...he told me so, because I didn’t know what I wanted. Because I couldn’t
make up my mind. Because I hurt him.
Ehlanii: He told you all that? That the entire reason that he left was
because of you?
Riley: Sort of... I mean...yes...mostly.
Ehlanii: Mostly?
::This time it was a question.::
::Sidney thought back to the letter she had received from Alleran prior to
his departure.::
oO Being rejected by the first :: person in two lifetimes I truly loved...
some day, :: this wound too will fade. Oo
Riley: He sent me a letter, just prior to leaving, it rambled on and on
about several things. About how he didn’t feel worthy of me, how he felt I
didn’t love him... I made him feel like that.
Ehlanii: And he said that you’d ruined his life, that he would never
recover, that he was going home in shame and disgrace?
Riley: I...::She paused, searching her mind.:: I’m not sure...I have the
letter still...
::The Haliian watched the woman, for a moment, sorting through the situation
in her mind. She shook her head.::
Ehlanii: Perhaps, if we need it, you can look at it another time. But I’m
pretty sure words like that would stick with you. ::she paused:: Did he say
he could never love again?
Riley: He said he thought he would die unloved and friendless. ::She bit
her lower lip for a moment.:: But that’s not true...He told me that if I
loved someone to seize them with all of my strength and never let them go.
::Karynn pondered the information. She knew that Alleran had been dealing
with a lot when he left. She had begun to help him work through some of it.
So while the shattered romance with the Captain may have been a catalyst,
she knew it wasn’t the whole issue either. And even in the short time she
had worked with him she had come to realize that the man was prone to … the
dramatic. The silence between them hung in the air for a bit. She shifted
her gaze to look gently but intently at the auburn-haired woman.::
Ehlanii: I’m not going to say that what happened didn’t hurt him. Shattered
romances almost always do... for both parties. But I also don’t think that
it was the sole cause that he left, or that it destroyed his life.
::Sidney thought about her words for a moment. She still felt like she had
destroyed something.::
Riley: But...I hurt him and...I don’t want him to...I ::once again she felt
lost for words.::
Ehlanii: ::nodding sympathetically:: You don’t want him to what?
::The Terran/Deltan reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes with her
sleeve.::
Riley: I don’t want him to think I don’t love him. ::She paused, a surprised
expression on her face.::
::The Haliian arched one eyebrow slightly. Now they were really getting
somewhere.::
Ehlanii: So why not tell him.
::Riley looked up, a simple expression on her face.::
Riley: How can I? He left... ::Her hand shook for a moment, until she set
it down on the arm of the chair.:: I don’t want to hurt him again...I mean I
have feelings for two other men, what if I make the wrong decision?
::Karynn raised her right shoulder slightly in a small shrug.::
Ehlanii: Is there a wrong decision?
Riley: I don’t know...::She thought for a moment. Her mind drifting to the
way she felt when she was with the Joined Trill. The intensity of her
feelings.:: Doesn’t there have to be a wrong decision? I mean...there’s
only one right person out there and...::She paused again her mind working.::
Ehlanii: Are you sure? Only one? Its a large universe.
::This time Sidney raised an eyebrow. That was a universal idea wasn’t it?
Surely it wasn’t foreign to the Commander. She thought for a moment...she
had always been a fairly firm believer in true love. The fact there was one
person out there for everyone, one soulmate. Maybe it was a silly idea, but
knowing her parents story and seeing people like the Halliian Commander and
Ethan Brice, only solidified the idea more so in her mind. That was the
whole problem, Sidney Riley didn’t believe she could actually be in love
with three people and it bothered her.::
Riley: Well, yes.
Ehlanii: So how do you ever know you’ve found the one person for you? ::she
smiled gently:: And where does that leave those cultures who have more than
one love, more than one life-partner?
::Sidney tilted her head. She hadn’t thought of that.::
Riley: I don’t know...I’m not from one of those cultures.
Ehlanii: No? ::she arched an eyebrow:: You may not have grown up in one,
but it’s part of your heritage...
::At first Sidney looked at the woman like she was crazy and then the
realization of what she meant slowly crept across her features.::
Riley: But...I’m mostly Terran...I mean...I grew up with Terrans on Vulcan
and Earth...I’ve never been to Delta IV...
Ehlanii: ::shrugging her shoulder slightly:: So?
Riley: So...It’s not possible. How can that be genetic?
::Karynn laughed slightly, quietly. Genetic wasn’t exactly what she had
meant, but...::
Ehlanii: Some things are genetic, some are cultural. I agree with that.
Whether this is or not, I wouldn’t have a clue. But if it were genetic, if
you could have more than one love because you’re Deltan, is it possible you
might have more than one love as a Human?
Riley: I’m not sure...I... ::Lost for words again.:: But, I mean...I’ve
always believed there is one person. One right person. I can’t be what I’m
not...
::Karynn smiled sympathetically.::
Ehlanii: So lets go back to my other question then. How do you ever know
you’ve found the one right person for you?
Riley: The right person for me...I will be totally happy when I’m with him.
::She closed her eyes.:: I will know because he will be kind and good, he’ll
love me for who I am, not the uniform I wear ::She laughed lightly.:: Or the
fact I’m part Deltan. ::She raised an eyebrow and opened her eyes.:: He
will be smart and courageous, romantic and funny...
::She stopped abrupty.::
::Karynn let the silence reign for a moment, studying the other woman.::
Ehlanii: Why did you stop?
::Sidney took a deep breath, a smile breaking out across her face. Could
she honestly tell Karynn the reason she had stopped was because as she said
the word funny, a picture of Alleran Tan holding Lira Fruit up to his head
as mock antenna as he had impersonated Jhen Thelev had popped into her
mind?::
Riley: Because I thought of something someone did once...::A bright smile
crossed her face for the first time since they had started talking.::
::A smile played at the corner of the Haliian’s mouth. It was nice to see
the Captain smile for once.::
Ehlanii: Do you mind if we shift directions for a bit?
Riley: Shift directions? How so?
Ehlanii: Well, you’ve told me about one of the men that you love. What
about the other two?
Riley: The other two...
Ehlanii: ::nodding:: Have you destroyed their lives?
::Sidney thought for a moment. Bron had left her...Darius had Katherine
Sharkey. She hadn’t destroyed their lives, they had made their own
choices...::
Riley: No... ::She shook her head::
Ehlanii: Do any of the three of them satisfy your list?
::For some reason the Terran/Deltan hadn’t been expecting that question.
For a moment she looked surprised, then she looked down blushing lightly
before she looked back up.::
Riley: Yes
Ehlanii: ::smiling gently:: Then I think you have your answer.
::A worried look crossed her face.::
Riley: But, he might say no...
::The Haliian nodded slowly.::
Ehlanii: He might. Love always has the potential for hurt. If it didn’t it
wouldn’t be love. But if he’s “the one”, then do you really think he would?
::Sidney took a sharp breath, that was right. And Alleran had told her, if
you loved someone to seize them with all of your strength and never let them
go. The question was...was she strong enough to do that?::
Riley: ::Smiling.:: No...
Ehlanii: ::smiling gently:: Then I think you know what to do.
::The Terran/Deltan practically jumped out of the chair, she would have
given Karynn a hug, but she paused remembering the Halliian was a touch
empath.::
Riley: Thank you...
::The Haliian smiled warmly at the woman. She’d had a feeling that all the
commanding officer really needed to do was talk through it. With the
Captain standing, she rose too.::
Ehlanii: You’re welcome, Sir. I’m glad I could help.
Riley: I’m glad you were here to talk to...there aren’t many people I can
talk to...it means a lot to me...and you don’t have to call me “Sir” off
duty either... ::She smiled.:: My name is Sidney.
Ehlanii: ::thoughtfully:: Sidney... ::she smiled brightly:: I’ll try to
remember that. You can call me Karynn, if you’d like.
::The Captain laughed lightly.::
Riley: I think I can remember that. ::She winked.:: What do you say we head
back to our quarters...I want to avoid the changing of the shifts...I can
just imagine the rumors about us running around in pajamas.
::The Haliian laughed quietly, nodding as she did so. Then she paused.::
Ehlanii: S... ::she stopped herself short, changing what she was going to
say.:: Sidney?
Riley: Yes?
Ehlanii: I’m touch empathic. I know you know that. I tend to avoid
physical contact, so I don’t invade other’s privacy. But not with my
friends. At least, if they’re that comfortable with me.
::The Terran/Deltan smiled brightly, shaking her head lightly. She hadn’t
realized she’d been that obvious earlier.::
Riley: Thank you Karynn...You pretty much know what I’m feeling anyway...
::She reached out to give Karynn a friendly hug.::
::The Haliian hugged her, smiling as she did so. She’d made a friend. The
first, it seemed, in a long time, almost a year. After a moment, she pulled
back.::
Ehlanii: Thanks. It means a lot.
::For the first time in a long time Sidney felt something other than
impending doom and gloom. She couldn’t remember the last time she had kept
a smile on her face for longer than a few seconds.::
Riley: To me too.
The End
Lt. Cmdr. Karynn Ehlanii
First Officer
USS Independence-A
and
Fleet Captain Sidney Riley
Commanding Officer
USS Independence-A
-
Hey all, I am nominating this sim on behalf of Ensign Adan since he has trouble with the forums. Because of the YouTube embedded plugin and to fix tags, I have done some very minor cosmetic editing to the sim. The original is here: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/sb118-victory/message/13999
To set the scene, Senator Kaitek (a Romulan senator, the last surviving member of the council) has just been rescued from Decas IV. He is in sickbay- MacKenna and T'tala are sent to escort him to the Briefing Room.
-----
(( OOC: "Inexplicable happenings, dreams and memories both strange and terrible... half remembered, translucent like the morning fog and evaporating just as easily." ))
(( OOC: Music for this sim: ))
(( The Dreamscape, unknown location ))
:: Have you ever had a dream so real, you didn't know if you were asleep or awake? ::
:: A dark, spacious room. Unlit. Thick carpet. A couch in the corner of her vision. Some kind of apartment? The lights of the city out the windows were unfamiliar to her. ::
:: T'tala yanked the long, wickedly serrated weapon out of the lifeless vulcanoid body below her. A river of olive green blood poured from the wound but she payed it no heed. The Vulcan woman, wearing unfamiliar clothes, wiped the blood off with a cloth she had handy. The cloth did its duty then was tucked into her hipsack. She tapped a wrist-mounted communicator. ::
T'tala: Is é an tasc a dhéanamh. Sprioc amháin tar éis seoladh agus an fhianaise a bhaint astu. Orduithe?
:: In her dreams, she didn't have a universal translator. The words sounded vaguely Vulcan but it was not a dialect she was familiar with. The Dream-T'tala did not sense anything wrong with her speech; it was like she had spoken the language all her life. ::
Strange voice: Fái an ardán láithreach. A luaithe is a athdháileadh ar-fuireachas chun treoracha a thuilleadh. Fada beo ar an Impireacht.
:: T'tala tapped her communicator twice, heading for the door. She casually tucked the blade into a sheath in the small of her back, flicking one of the flowing garments of her dress over it to conceal it. She went to the lobby, flashing a flirtatious wink to the Romulan attendant who she'd convinced to grant her access to her "lover". The young man- little more than a gullible boy, really- flushed a light green. T'tala forced a girlish giggle then stepped outside. ::
:: Making her way out into the pouring rain, T'tala ducked into one of the many small streets and disappeared. ::
:: So vivid and so real, as though she were there. She could hear the roar of the pouring rain, feel the cold drops as they ran down her skin, smell the moisture in the air... ::
(( T'tala's Quarters, USS Victory ))
:: But like all dreams, this too shall fade. T'tala of Vulcan awoke, still in her uniform, her hands grasping her pillow. The same dream... twice in a row, now, right on the coattails of the one about Pitik. What did it all mean? ::
:: What did any of this mean? ::
:: Her combadge chirped. ::
Sutel: =/\= Doctor Sutel to Petty Officer Third Class T'tala. =/\=
:: T'tala forced her mind out of the groggy, post-dream state. It was a moment before she could answer. ::
T'tala: =/\= Go ahead, doctor...? =/\=
Sutel: =/\= The Senator is on-board. You are required to assist Senator Kaitek from sickbay to the Captain's Ready Room, and entertain him until Captain Jaxx is free to see him. Meet Commander MacKenna outside sickbay at your earliest opportunity. =/\=
T'tala: =/\= Yes, sir. T'tala out. =/\=
:: T'tala threw herself out of bed, something she found remarkably difficult. Her pregancy was coming along- moving around was difficult. She dressed herself as fast as possible; fortunately, her maternity issue uniform was easy to pull on over the top of a set of loose fitting pants. This, she presumed, was by design. ::
:: Hurrying as fast she could, T'tala left her quarters and headed for a turbolift. ::
(( Deck 5, USS Victory ))
:: T'tala ambled at her best speed towards sickbay. MacKenna would meet her there, of course, but she wanted to be fast. ::
:: Fortunately, the Vulcan woman arrived just as the Commander did. She did her best to present a straight back and a firm posture, despite being five months pregnant. ::
T'tala: Commander. Apologies for being late. Shall we collect the Senator, ma'am? Please, do not set a slower pace on my account- if the Senator is impatient, I will simply catch up.
:: With a nod, she stepped into the sickbay. ::
(( FLASHBACK: Fifty two years ago, Vulcan-registered freighter Jek'telen, Breen space ))
:: Eight year old T'tala placed the final sphere into place. It was a toy- a Vulcan children's toy- where the goal was to arrange hundreds of tiny spheres into their associated groupings. Some were warm, some cold, some larger or smaller than usual and each a slightly different colour. Some emitted noise, others shook slightly, while the rest were inert. The test was not in the physical task, but in the logical groupings of the spheres. ::
Nikkaran: Well done.
:: The older Vulcan male placed his hand on T'tala's head, rubbing her hair. She smiled up at her father. ::
T'tala: I ordered the blocks by size, then colours according to their spectrum on the light scale- much as a rainbow appears in the sky after rainfall- then by motion and then noise.
Nikkaran: And what of their temperature?
T'tala: I disregarded temperature. I did not consider it important compared to the size, or the-
:: There was a violent roar- Nikkaran and T'tala were both thrown off their feet. The freighter shook as though in a frenzy, decompression alarms screaming in their ears. The thick, male voice of the ship's computer droned over the alarms. ::
Computer: Warning. Decompression on deck six. Warning. Intruder alert. Warning. Decompression on...
:: Nikkaran's eyes widened in shock. ::
Nikkaran: Intruders...?
:: T'tala looked frightened, her lip bloodied and green from her fall. ::
T'tala: Father...?
:: Nikkaran scooped up the young girl in his arms, jogging. ::
Nikkaran: The Breen. It must be. T'tala, touch my combadge.
:: She did as she was told, despite her fear. The comchannel crackled to life. ::
Nikkaran: =V= It's them, isn't it? =V=
:: The voice of her mother, frenzied with panic, greeted her father. ::
Salara: =V= It's the Breen! They're cutting through the hull on deck six! We've sent out a distress call. Sa'dal, Sulaco and Vakkara are fetching the phasers. Take T'tala and secure her on Deck Two, I will meet you there! =V=
Nikkaran: =V= Affirmative, Nikkaran out! =V=
:: They had barricaded themselves inside an unused storage room on Deck Two, but it was no use. The Breen swept through the ship, methodical, endless in their search. Salara was shot first- Nikkaran second. With his dying motion the man had pinched T'tala's neck, hiding her limp form under his bloodied chest, spiriting her away from the Breen with his body. ::
:: Hours later T'tala awoke, drenched in green blood and surrounded by the cold, dead bodies of her parents. The crew of the ship, as close to her as family, were long departed to the afterlife. ::
:: Frightened almost out of her wits, T'tala ordered the ship's autopilot to take them back to Federation space. The ship's cargo had not been touched, the vessel aside from the Breen's entrance was intact, and the crew were slaughtered- not even the other children were spared. ::
:: It was senseless. So senseless... pitiful, that none had survived. Why had they done this? Why had the Breen attacked them, slaughtering them without mercy... for nothing? ::
(( Flashback ends ))
:: The doors to sickbay opened. T'tala nearly fell over in shock, her Vulcan eyes wide with disbelief. She could not believe what she was seeing- the sight before her was impossible. Not impossible in the figurative sense of the word- that was something merely improbable- no. This was impossible. She had... she had seen him die. Nikkaran's body was cold. It had begun to rot. The Federation rescuers who found her had buried the body in space. He was dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.::
:: Yet here he stood. Older, yes... but ever so much the man of her memories. T'tala's voice was a hoarse croak. ::
T'tala: Father...?
-----
PNPC T'tala
Captain Jaxx's Personal Assistant
USS Victory
As simmed by,
CPO Radi Rais
Chief of Operations
USS Victory
-
Lt. Cmdr. T'Lea
Diplomatic Officer
USS Aurora, NCC-72750
((USS Aurora - CO's Quarters))
:: Neat and tidy. That was the way T'Lea liked her workspace, and her living
space. Orderly. Organized. Controlled. Lately, her habits had almost become
unconscious, and a slightly unhealthy obsession to have everything absolutely
perfect around her. That behavior actually revealed a lot about the woman, or
more to the point, what she was feeling – if one had the instinct to recognize
it, that is.::
:: T'Lea was on a mission to unpack, and that meant that there was a certain
amount of clutter involved, but the hybrid was doing her best to keep it down to
a minimum. At the moment she was working on properly categorizing the
literature on the bookshelf, and situating a few artifacts that she'd collected
from her previous career, when the doors swooshed open behind her.::
:: The Romu-vulc hardly glanced over her shoulder to see who had come in,
knowing it could only be one person, now that Gina had her own quarters.::
Vetri: Settling in okay? Adapting okay to the diplomatic life?
:: Noting that Della seemed to be in a good mood, T'Lea grabbed a few more books
from the cargo box, and shuffled them around in her hands, before slipping them
into their proper places on the shelf.::
T'Lea: Getting there, and well enough. I did have an enlightening conversation
with Ambassador Noss a short while ago. I think he's worried I'm going to start
a galactic war. He made it perfectly clear why I'm here and what he expects
from me. I'm inclined to ignore him.
:: She'd come to terms with what Noss had said earlier in her office, and she
had decided that Captain Vetri's orders and needs took precedence over Noss's
demands. If T'Lea eventually got fired over it, then too frakkin bad. ::
Vetri: Noss is an idiot, but a useful one. How about your medical? Anything
happen there?
:: Scrounging up a small statue of an Aenar, the hybrid innocently wagged her
head in response.::
T'Lea: Not at all. It went well. Doctor Malcolm is a pleasant woman. The
baby is fine and I'm cleared for duty.
Vetri: ::Dropping the fake sweetness completely:: Then why did I find Gina
nearly crying? What's wrong, couldn't think of a way to *completely* rip her
heart out?
:: The sudden shift in vocal tone, had T'Lea turning on her heel, quite
surprised by the utter menace of irritation in Della's voice.::
T'Lea: What? What does Gina's emotional state have to do with me? She was
fine when I left Sickbay.
Vetri: You're one of the few things she has to hold on to, and you didn't even
have the courtesy to acknowledge that she was trying to help you. Regardless of
your feelings about her decision, she needs your support, because what you think
matters to her. A lot.
:: Oh. The cold shoulder she'd given to Gina in Sickbay was now coming back to
assault T'Lea in a very bad way. Yeah, maybe T'Lea deserved it, but owning up
to it was another thing completely. She slammed the statue down on a shelf to
punctuate her stubbornness.::
T'Lea: Targ dren. She did her job and I let her. If she can't handle it
that's her problem, don't blame it on me. Besides, the kid doesn't give a
flying frak what I think, she never has, ::beat:: why start now?
Vetri: Oh, I don't know. Maybe because the three of us - soon to be four - are a
frakking family, and you're in one of the parenting roles? Something you'd
better get some serious practice with, it looks like.
:: The sharp, slanted, warning look she gave Della seemed to darken all of the
finer features on T'Lea's face. In that split second she looked down right
evil.::
:: Honestly, T'Lea didn't know which was worse, being called a parent, or being
called a bad one. All right, so maybe Della hadn't exactly called her that, but
that's what T'Lea heard. To make matters worse, T'Lea had no delusions about
her parenting skills. She really was terrible with kids.::
T'Lea: I see. I've ruined the girl's life by having a difference of opinion.
I'm sorry, but not everybody has five, or six lifetimes worth of experiences to
get it right. And not everybody comes from a perfect frakking family like you.
:: Without even realizing it, until it was too late, T'Lea had tipped her hand
to the Trill.::
Vetri: ::coldly:: Then learn from what Raivus screwed up. Be better than her.
And start *now*.
:: Not allowed a chance to reply, the door to their quarters opened, and then
closed, leaving T'Lea standing there in the wake of her own unquenched anger.
That didn't last long though. In a flash of unsurpassed movement, the Vulcan
hybrid unleashed her emotions and let go in a single strike, hurling the small
Aenar statue against the window. The replica artifact made a loud "bong" noise
against the glass, cracking the item in half on impact, before it hit the floor
in two pieces. Luckily, the window was that special stuff they used in space
and it didn't break easily, otherwise T'Lea would have just spaced herself and
everything in their quarters.::
:: Pacing off the rest of her anger, like a caged lioness, T'Lea could feel the
heat of emotion dissipating throughout her veins as she tried to regain
control.::
:: Raivus was T'Lea's estranged Romulan mother. Della couldn't have pushed a
bigger button, and T'Lea had led her straight to it. But *that* wasn't the only
reason for the hybrid's detonation, there were other things festering inside,
and now Gina added to it...::
:: She stayed silent in mind and body for a long, grueling moment. The stars
streaked past the window, and would have had a dizzying effect *if* T'Lea had
actually been paying them attention. Instead, she turned from the nauseating
view, and nodded at an idea as it formed in her head.::
:: Their quarters needed a plant, or two.::
:: An odd thought, at an odd time for sure, but that's what T'Lea's strung-out
little mind had landed on as a way to ignore her feelings.::
:: A plant would freshen up the place. That's exactly what their quarters
lacked. Freshness.::
:: She took a deep breath, and then exhaled, bottling up the leftover bits of
herself that had exploded. The poor dismembered Aenar statue, however, was
forgotten on the floor as she exited.::
:: Crossing the bridge in a dignified Vulcan manner, T'Lea's intent had been
to seek out Mr. Carmody, and see about getting a few plants, but as she reached
the turbolift her empty stomach called for a visit to the Mess Hall instead.
Tomato soup and French fries would hit the spot. After all, nobody wanted to
deal with a hungry Romu-vulc, lest she become cranky because of it.::
Lt. Cmdr. T'Lea
Diplomatic Officer
USS Aurora, NCC-72750
-
Woo hoo! Congratulations on graduation, and welcome to the fleet! Looking forward to seeing you both in action!
-
I am going to post my entry regardless, but I do have a question if any of y'all know:
Do these stories follow normal sim format? What with the ::colons:: and people's speech noted by their name in ALL CAPS?
Or are these more like regular stories, with normal paragraphs?
You can do it however you like- whatever style takes your fancy. Some people do them in "sim format", others do narrative style. Whatever you feel most comfortable with and whatever serves your story best.
-
A'right, welcome to the fleet guys! Well done!
-
Adding JaHaad epitai D'mak as a graduate of this class
Woot! Better late than never- welcome to the fleet!
-
((Main Sickbay, USS Independence-A))
::It seemed to be a typical day in sickbay. Chief Medical Officer Tenzin Zhou was giving some last minute guidelines about the operations of the Independence's medical facilities to Nurse Faryul. They were engaged in their usual banter, with her teasing him. It would all have been typical except for the doctor's clothing, which was decidely not Starfleet regulation and was the current object of the nurse's ridicule.::
Zhou: I really don't see what's so funny about it.
::Faryul tried to stifle her laughter by covering her wide grin. She was only partially successful.::
Faryul: I'm sorry, doc. You're right. There's nothing funny about your manbag.
::The doctor frowned.::
Zhou: Ah, aren't you ever the mature one, Nishal.
::The nurse just smiled back innocently as the doctor continued.::
Zhou: Well, I checked, and this "manbag" is considered highly useful for the modern backpacker, and the shopkeeper on DS17 told me it's quite the trend back on Antica.
Faryul: The poor Anticans. Someone should let them know.
::Zhou ignored the bait and walked towards the biobed of "Jane Doe."::
Zhou: Anyway... anything new to report?
Faryul: ::stepping up to the biobed beside Zhou:: Nope. Sleeping Beauty remains fast asleep.
Zhou: ::turns to his nurse:: Earth fairy tales are another one of your interests?
Faryul: ::gives a puzzled look:: Earth fairy tales? What are you talking about? The Sleeping Beauty and the Prince of Dreams is one of the greatest works of Bajor.
Zhou: ::returns the puzzled look before smiling nervously:: Ah...yes...the Prince of Dreams...anyway, I don't suppose she responded to any of the other treatments.
Faryul: Well, you could always try giving her a kiss.
Zhou: Ahem.
Faryul: Don't worry. I won't tell your wife.
::The doctor furrowed his brow and tried to give his nurse a look of disapproval, but she simply stared back at him with her usual smile. Finally, he relaxed his frown and sighed.::
Zhou: ...okay. I'm going to leave now. You know I promised Mitul the day off, and until the other doctors show up, sickbay is in your care. Please don't make me regret that.
Faryul: I know. You already have too much to regret. Like purchasing that manbag.
Zhou: I'll miss you, too, Nishal.
((Outside Ehlanii's office))
::Doctor Zhou was worried he would be late for the meeting. Too much chatting with Nishal, he noted as he arrived at the first officer's office. From afar, he saw the pink hair of Lieutenant Walker, and the doctor waited as the assistant chief engineer walked up to his side and right outside the door as well.::
Zhou: Lieutenant.
::Zhou wasn't sure if he should bring up Romulus or not and decided to be cautious and avoid the subject. He allowed the Lieutenant to ring the chime. The door opened and a voice greeted them. Zhou simply nodded in acknowledgement.::
Kobylarz: Welcome to the party.
Ehlanii: We're almost all here.
::Within moments, Ensign Stark arrived.::
Ehlanii: Good. We can get started. We'll have one more joining us, a Marine Sergeant Somers, but she required time to change into civilian garb. ::She rubbed her forehead ridges.:: Our job is to determine the FTU's contact on the surface and locate them. We'll be beaming down here.
::The First Officer turned her PADD towards the assembled team::
Ehlanii: I'd like to hear some ideas.
Kobylarz: Well the obvious one would be to walk in there and ask the local bar keep for the local drug dealer...
::The commander nodded, a slight smile on her face.::
Ehlanii: A good idea, Mr. Kobylarz. Any others?
Stark: Some surveillance wouldn't hurt. Watch the area we know the activities may take place.
Zhou: Storing drugs like these would require a secure facility with the proper preservation tools. We should look for installations that seem to be drawing a higher amount of power than the surrounding area, especially those that seem a bit remote. I doubt they'd try to operate in proximity to the colony's main population centers.
::The chime rang and without looking up, Karynn answered.::
Ehlanii: Enter.
K. Somers: All ready Sir. Greetings Sirs, I must apologize in advance, I am not trained in the finer arts of conversation, I never wanted to or attend Starfleet Academy, so if my speech is a little different, please be aware that I am actually nervous.
Kobylarz: Nervous? A marine sergeant?
Ehlanii: Glad to have you with us Sergeant Somers.
K. Somers: Thank you Sir. To answer my last comment, I am not a novice in away missions, it is just my first time doing such a mission from a ship with the reputation that the Independence-A has, its has me kind of edgy. ::She held her hands up in surprise.::
K. Somers: I have heard nothing but good things about the ship. ::beat:: Also the message I got from Marine Captain Somers did not mention anything about Civilian clothing, going from the brief message she sent and reading between the lines, I think she had an argument with someone and was feeling embarrassed. Do you know anyone who she has the occasional heated arguments with Sirs?
Zhou: ::looking at the others:: Um...
K. Somers: So again I am sorry for my prior lack or readiness, I am covering all aspects, I will shut up now.
Ehlanii: ::clears her throat:: Mr. Somers, this is neither the time nor the place for a discussion on who your sister argues with.
::An uneasy silence fell upon the room.::
Zhou: oO Sweet mercy, do I hate meetings... Hmmm, is this bag really that ridiculous looking? Nishal was just kidding right? Sometimes, I wonder what's going on inside that head of hers, especially when she mentioned that time when she- Oo
Kobylarz: Light load you got there, hope you brought a change of clothes we may be there a few days.
K. Somers: ::Looking at the Lieutenant with a smile:: I have a one-piece matte black Marine Spec Ops jumpsuit under these clothes Lieutenant, it is a self sufficient unit and a custom made one, it will shrug off any dirt or such and will keep my body dry and warm should I end up in liquid...
Zhou: oO I wonder what kind of food they'll have down there. Oo
K. Somers: ...So I can easily wash my other clothes...
Zhou: oO Actually, a drink wouldn't be bad either. Lieutenant Kobylarz mentioned a bar, didn't he? Maybe I'll tag along with him. Oo
K. Somers: ...besides Sir as a Marine we are taught to make do with what we have. If we had time I would briefly tell you of this onetime my unit was on an extended Recon mission...
Zhou: oO Mmmmm, bourbon. Oo
K. Somers: ::playful sigh:: ...but that's a story for another time.
Ehlanii: Yes it is, Mr. Somers. Right now we should turn our attention to the task at hand as we're already behind.
Zhou: oO Sweet, sweet bourbon... wait, what? Oh! Oo ::looks around and clears his throat:: Yes, please continue, commander.
::Ehlanii began speaking again, giving orders, and Kobylarz and Somers had another discussion before the commander interjected.::
Ehlanii: I think its time we head to the transporter room. Mr. Somers, briefly our mission is to locate the FTU's contact on the planet. Let's go.
Zhou: Lead the way, commander.
::And with that, the doctor followed the commander to the transporter, leaving thoughts of sweet bourbon--and his manbag--behind in the commander's office.
Lieutenant Tenzin Zhou
Chief Medical Officer
USS Independence-A
-
Woo hoo! Welcome to the fleet! Grats on your graduation!
[Round 9] Tressa & Cmdr Andrus Jaxx - Pivitol Moments
in 2011
Posted
(( Submitter's note: Part I ))
((Captain's Quarters, USS Victory))
::The door swooshed open and Jaxx found Tressa sitting at her desk. He unzipped his jacket and threw it on the sofa. He could tell something was bothering her, and wondered how long it would take for her to vocalize it. Jaxx was not in the habit of actively reading everyone's thoughts. It was something that he continued to improve on whilst living among other species. As for Betazoids, they were not as lucky. Around them, he did tend to stick to their sense of openness.::
:: Tressa looked up as the doors opened. Her anxieties flared, and she desperately tried to block out her negative emotions. She imagined a wall; a strong wall, that would keep her tears, and worries at bay. Purposely avoiding his welcoming eyes she smiled at him, and guilt ravaged her; this was the first moment they had alone together since before shore leave and here she was glued to her seat with fear; she couldn't even look him in the eyes. Her own returned to the desk in front of her. ::
::As the silence continued, Jaxx moved to where Tressa was sitting. He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. It was a good night for him. The final step in his career had been achieved. The rank of Captain, and his own command was a goal he developed as he grew as an officer. Any officer that desires command fresh out of the Academy has no idea what they are wishing for. Slowly, he stood fully and walked to the replicator.::
:: The silence was just starting to become deafening when he approached her, and kissed her head. Just the sensation of his hands on her shoulders where enough to ease some of the tension she felt. it was amazing how he had that effect on her. Being close to him made her so happy, and his touch was enough to chase her anxieties. Tonight her worry could not be so easily chased away. She looked up as he spoke, but again avoided his eyes. ::
Jaxx: Vreeca. ::turning to Tressa:: Would you like something?
Tressa: oO I'll start with six bottles of brandy and we'll see how I feel after that... Oo
:: It was something she couldn't have, and she knew it. ::
Tressa: Just an icoberry juice.
:: She stood when he turned back to the replicator, crossing over to him to take the drink. She raised it to him, keeping her eyes on the cup. ::
Tressa: A toast, to Captain Jaxx. :: She smiled ::
::Jaxx smirked at the woman slightly. There was something that irked her, and he knew it. He decided to give it some more time. If she wanted to keep something to herself, she was able to do so. He tried not to remind her that he was empathic or could feel what she was feeling. He simply raised his glass.::
Jaxx: ::smiling:: Agreed.
:: She sipped the drink, keeping herself busy with it. Tonight was a good night for Jaxx, and she was reluctant to share her situation. But if not tonight then when? Tomorrow night? Next week? There would never be a time that Tressa would deem perfect, or ideal. The situation was not ideal and she knew her reluctance was only because the longer she didn't tell him, the longer she could pretend he wouldn't be upset.... she was terrified... so terrified of losing him. ::
::Jaxx watched as the Gideon woman became lost in her beverage. It seemed as the weight of the world was bearing down on the small Gideon. As much as he wanted to help her, or talk her through what she was feeling, he did not want to push her in any direction, especially away from him. He wanted her to feel comfortable coming to him, and pushing her would not foster the feeling he wanted.::
:: After a quiet moment she took a breath and started back to the desk, talking to Jaxx as she did. ::
Tressa: A- Andrus...
:: She paused at the desk and put down the glass, picking up a PADD instead and slowly turning back to him. Her emotions were strong, and she desperately tried to keep them under control; because she wanted to appear in control. ::
::Jaxx realized it was serious. The question was, how serious? He started to move in closer to the woman as she held the padd in her hands. The fact that it was here, and the way she spoke, it was not duty related. He looked at the woman in front of him, still not sure what to think.::
Tressa: I need to talk to you... :: She swallowed nervously, and began to walk back to him. her mind was in a dozen places... ::
Jaxx: I am listening..
:: She stopped a few feet from him, and looked down at the PADD in her hands. She tried to gather enough confidence to project into her voice. ::
::He watched her body language as she inched closer to him, but still out of arms reach. It was clear that something was on that padd. What it was remained a mystery, and he was slightly okay with that. The issue he had was with the emotions he could sense within Tressa. She was all over the place, and he feared if she did not calm down it would be bad for her.::
Tressa: I- I had my physical today... and-
:: She stopped... the wall was crumbling, she could feel her eyes misting... she wanted to run, she wanted to keep it from him... ::
Tressa: :: Quietly :: I'm so sorry...
::Jaxx looked at the woman and moved closer. If it had something to do with her physical it meant her health. He continued moving closer stopping just before her. He started to tense up, thinking he was about to lose her.::
Jaxx: For wha...
::In that moment Jaxx no longer allowed privacy. He reverted to the Betazoid sense of openness and in that moment he knew what Tressa was saying. In an instant he relieved her day and felt all that she had felt. Her thoughts and emotions were now as if they were his memories. He shared in the moment, and even though he was not physically there, he was a Betazoid, one glimpse into Tressa and he was there.::
:: Her voice was barely above a whisper and she wondered if her had even heard her. With a sharp breath she closed her eyes, closed them tightly, and tried to shut everything out as she focused on the words she needed to say. ::
Tressa: I- I'm... :: Another paused :: I'm with child.
::The words hit him even harder. It brought him from the warm feeling of being there when Tressa found out. The feelings were comforting to him and he was not nervous at all. Quickly he was pulled from these feelings and faced with reality. He was now the Captain of a starship and about to be a father. This was no place for children to be, at least not his own. He realized many officers made the choice, and he had even allowed them on the vessel, but at the parents request. Now he was in that situation. He could never ask Tressa to give up her career, and he was not willing to walk away from his. There was more to it, he would not walk away from his role as a father.::
:: There was a silence, and Tressa felt her ears burning from the intensity of it. Before Jaxx could say anything she continued, the mental wall she had envisioned to keep her emotions at bay was crumbling, and she could feel the first tear falling down her cheek. She kept her face down turned on the PADD in her hands, and tried to keep her voice even. ::
Tressa: I'm sorry, I- I know... I. This isn't- wasn't what I wanted. Because of my- of Gideon customs, I can't- options are... I'm keeping them... :: Her voice wavered and her hands gripped the PADD tighter. :: I- I just, want you to know, you don't have to- I don't want you to- to feel forced or- ... :: Her voice broke and another tear fell. ::
::Jaxx moved in a bit closer and put his arms on her shoulders. The padd in her hand was shaking as much as she was. What was she thinking? Why would she think that he did not want to be a part of their lives? Jaxx knew he loved Tressa, but they were words that came with a price. It was a price that had been payed dearly by women he loved in the past. Before today he was not ready.::
:: She wanted him to know he didn't have to stay. She felt it was her fault this had happened, and she would shoulder the burden... Jaxx, was a Captain, he was a busy man, they barely had time for each other let alone children... she didn't want him to trapped. She kept talking though tears were now cascading down her face, her shoulders had sagged and any hope she had of remaining in control was wavering. ::
Tressa: I- I'll be fine... :: She sighed heavily, and tried to straighten herself... :: I- if you can't, I- I un- :: Her voice broke again. :: I understand... and- :: A sob escaped and she moved the PAD towards him. :: I have com :: Her voice broke again :: transfer papers... it- it'll be easy- easier when they start asking questions...
:: She tried to straighten herself, tried to draw herself up, and show she was strong, and capable of handling the situation. For the first time during their exchange she tilted her head upward towards him, and try as she might her eyes flickered to his for the first time that day. ::
::Transfer? There was no way Jaxx was going to allow that. Running from a challenge was not something he was used to doing, and it was not the Tressa he fell in love with. He glanced down at her and into her eyes. He loved her more than life itself, and now there were three lives he would give his own for.::
:: How she loved those eyes, how weak she felt as she looked into them now. There were more silent tears as the wall in her mind crumpled, and she almost did with it. Her legs felt weak, and her emotions were plain to see. ::
::Jaxx looked deeply at the young Gideon. His eyes had misted over and he did his best to keep from letting too many stream down his cheek. As he looked at the woman, he put on his [...]y grin and took the padd from her hand. With a single motion he tossed the padd behind him and into the wall.::
Jaxx: ::smiling:: I deal with transfer requests in the Ready Room, not my living room.
:: The PADD hit something... the wall or floor, but her widened eyes were on Jaxx. His eyes were misted and a few had fallen down his face, though his characteristic smile was in place; it was reassuring. Biting her lip her eyes dropped. Her next word was a mumbled. ::
Tressa: Andr-
::As Tressa started to speak, Jaxx put his finger over her lips and smiled.::
Jaxx: My turn, you listen.
:: Tressa quivered slightly; both because of her uncertainty of what would be said and because of his touch. She turned her red, misted eyes upward to his. ::
::When he got her full attention and her eyes were back to his, he removed his finger. He slid one hand to the side over her face, and the other to her tummy. He was not a man of many words when it came to matters of the heart, but he spoke what was there waiting to be said.::
Jaxx: Tressa, I love you. If you think for one moment I will not be there for you, or my children...you are out of your mind and I will have the Counselor remove you from duty, then I will place you under the supervision of a responsible member of the crew for observation...someone like...me.::tilting his head slightly::
:: Her eyes brimmed with new tears, though these were very different to the ones she had spilled earlier. Her body was warmed with contentment and elation at his words... not only would he stay, but he had spoken the words neither of them had been able to previously. Her mouth twitched at his joking, it was so like him, but she remained silent as he continued to speak. ::
::It was his attempt at humor, at least for the moment. It was a defense mechanism for him, it was a way to deal with real world issues. If you take the importance out of something the choice becomes easier to make, and there is less of a chance you made the wrong one.::
Jaxx: We will make this work, I do not care how hard it is. I love you, and together we will raise these children. I was sorry this happened two minutes ago, but now I am overjoyed.
::He wrapped his arms around Tressa. He truly believed those words. There were many things that needed to be done, but there was one that would come first. There was an opening at Starbase 118, and if he pulled a few strings he could snag the command. It was good for the children, but a huge undertaking. There were only 162 StarFleet personnel on the ship. The station housed over 119,000. It was clearly more work, but less travel. He would be home every night with the kids, and Tressa could actually get more done in her field.::
:: He took her in, and she went willingly. There was no safer place than in his arms, and at once she felt his warmth. Her hands gripped at the formal, white shirt he still wore as she buried her face in his chest, holding on as though at any moment he would disappear or she would awaken from a dream. ::
:: As she held him, and breathed in his familiar scent, the tears slowly became less. In that moment she realised how badly she needed him. When she was weak he held her up. Through her injuries and doubts he was always there for her, and now more than ever, she was thankful. ::
Tressa: :: Huddling into him :: I love you, too. :: She meant it. :: I was just so scared of losing you...
Jaxx: I know, but it is okay. I am not going anywhere.
Tressa: It's just... you're smart, attractive, successful... it's so hard to believe you've come this far without a woman on your arm and a family by now... I figured it was something you didn't want... I didn't think you'd...
::She brought up a good point. He was engaged a couple of times, and liked to be emotionally unavailable. His career had always come first, and he had goals of reaching Captain before starting a family. They way he looked at it, they happened at the same time.::
Jaxx: Want them? Yes. Ready for them? No. I did think I would have more time to be mentally prepared, but I guess it will have to happen in a matter of months.
:: Tressa turned her face up to him, her expression was soft, though full of turmoil. ::
Tressa: I'm still so unsure... I'm young, I have no idea what to expect, I don't know of any half Gideons, I'm afraid of what my family will say. Everything is just so...
:: She stopped and shivered, turning her face back into him and wrapping her arms around him. Tressa held him tightly never wanting to let him go. ::
Tressa: And then there was you... and I was so scared... I love you, Andrus. You've done so much for me, I feel things for you I never thought I could... and children are such a huge change...
Jaxx: ::smiling:: Yes, but change is good.
Tressa: I have no idea what I'm doing.
Jaxx: ::laughs:: We will figure it out as we go.
:: Tressa looked up at him again. She was still unsure and anxious, but her emotions were no where near as bad as they had been. With Jaxx here she felt calm, this was her favourite place; in his arms. ::
Tressa: I thought Kali was having a joke with me when she first told me...
::That would be a joke she would play on Jaxx. It would not be so funny when it was a woman. He smiled down at the Gideon.::
Jaxx: She would never do that to you...
Tressa: :: Nodding :: I think I made her use every tricorder in Sickbay. She was really good, even got-
:: Tressa stopped and her eyes widened slightly; the recording! Would Jaxx want to hear it? She parted from him slightly, feeling somewhat excited, and fished around in her pocket, until she found it. ::
Tressa: :: Quietly :: This is a recording. :: A slight smile... it was tiny. ::
::Jaxx realized what she had in her hand. The sound would solidify the thoughts and feelings, but it was something he was looking forward to. He glanced down at her hands, then back to her eyes.::
Jaxx: Is that what I think it is?
Tressa: Their hearts.
Jaxx: I would love to hear it.
... .... ...
TBC
Lieutenant (JG) Tressa
Chief Science Officer
USS Victory
&
Captain Andrus Jaxx
Commanding Officer
USS Victory