Toni

I think I hold the record for the shortest winning story. It was a little over 300 words, and two of the judges said there was no way an entry that short could be a winner. After they read it, they both apologized to me. That was way back in Nov/Dec 2005. I hope the archive will stay up for a while to give us a chance to move some of our manuscripts to where they can be read. I have four of them linked right now to my wiki page.

DATES: The class began on December 22, 2014 and ended Dec. 30, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy3 COMMANDING OFFICER: Captain Samal Frazier FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant Chythar Skyfire GRADUATES: Jack ParkerJohn PetersonThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet!

Congratulations and Welcome to the fleet! I hope you will enjoy simming here as much as I do!

DATES: The class began on December 8, 2014 and ended Dec. 15, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt Commander Alex Blair FIRST OFFICER: Commander Ben Livingston GRADUATES: Ilyazi MalonDiego BeyettCeciri AriadustThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

DATES: The class began on December 1, 2014 and ended Dec. 9, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy4 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt Commander Ben Edwards FIRST OFFICER: Captain Nugra GRADUATES: Thomas Kody JanewayAntoinette De Salvo Nel LupoThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

DATES: The class began on November 30, 2014 and ended Dec. 8, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy3 COMMANDING OFFICER: Captain Liam Frost FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant Colt Daniels GRADUATES: Anduin RixxJ'TavaLydia SeverinaThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

DATES: The class began on November 24, 2014 and ended on November 30, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Fleet Captain Toni Turner FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander Brek GRADUATES: Veronika (Vi) GreavesD'yer RixThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

DATES: The class began on November 17, 2014 and ended on November 23, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander Roshanara Rahman FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander Tyler Kelly GRADUATES: Maxwell TraenorBarris HanaThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

DATES: The class began on November 10, 2014 and ended on November 17, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy4 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander Alex Blair FIRST OFFICER: Commander Nugra GRADUATES: Ashley RoyNIck StahlSivahRoslyn McGrady-Mo'PhatzHeath StoryThis thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. Welcome and congratulations! We are happy to have you with us!

Congratulations and Welcome to the fleet. We are glad to have you with us!

You didn't fail by any means, You created nervous laughter. As I said you did a good job, Marcus.

All of your stories were great! It was a extremely good competition this time around! My hat's off to all of you for a job well done!

Dawn's Early Light by Lt. Commander Hannibal Tiberious Parker (( Late 2373, Fire Base Sierra, Planet TR 144, Tyra System )) ::The planet wasn't much... Class M, smaller than Earth, similar gravity...unremarkable in its natural resources or of much importance other than a beachhead against the Dominion. It was here the 282nd of the Starfleet Marines had engaged Dominion forces for the previous two weeks. Time after time, they drove off the drug-addled monsters, managing to keep their base camp from being overrun. Neither side had managed a clear advantage over the other, and in the skies above, Starfleet and Dominion forces engaged in a deadly cat and mouse game of survival. There had been talk of a major engagement by the fleet, but as far as Sargent Hannibal Parker was concerned, it was all talk. They had supplies, comms, and ammo. Power for the base camp kept the Jem'Haddar out due to the force fields they had put up...but they had to go outside the force fields to engage the enemy.:: ::The Marines held the high ground, with the Jem'Haddar camp three clicks away. The land between them was a rabbit warren of scorched earth, craters, and destroyed foliage. Smoke rose from the gulf between the two camps, and from their vantage point, Hannibal and his men could see the beginnings of some sort of structure. Intelligence told them it was a ketracel white facility, and their job was to eliminate it.:: ::Going into the communications bunker, Hannibal went to speak to the commanding officer, Colonel Sampson. The look on his face never seemed to change...he would have been a good poker player, his grey eyes set into his head with a way that would look right through you. They had been on this rock for three weeks, and he had not ever seen the man smile...but there was not a great deal to smile about. There were once two hundred and fifty Marines here..they were down to one hundred and twenty five. Looking down on the much smaller man, the Colonel spoke, raising his voice over the whine of a fighter squadron swooping down on the Jem'Haddar..:: Sampson: Looks like those fighters are going to do the job for us, Sargent... ::A thunderous explosion, felt more than seen, rumbled through the bunker. Looking outside, four mushroom clouds, flecked with flame and smoke, rode their way ominously skyward, the booms from sympathetic explosions rocking the void between them...:: Parker: We'll see, Sir...those [...]s are proving to be quite hard to kill. Sampson: That should take care of them. Indeed it should. Starfleet at the moment ruled the skies and the space above it, which could only mean one of two things...the Dominion was busy elsewhere, and losing the facility was the cost of doing business, or they really were going to keep a grip on the sector...which meant the Sovereign Class USS Charleston would be back to pick them up in short order. No doubt he could use a shower, as could everyone else in the unit by then. ::Sitting at the Communications console, a Starfleet Lieutenant... Carlson? turned to speak to the General...his flushed face told Hannibal that whatever it was, had to be important...:: Carlson: Sir..this just came in from Admiral Ross. The fleet is engaging the Dominion. The Charleston is recovering their fighters and going to join the fleet. ::Hannibal didn't like that one bit. Sure, the Jem'Haddar had been dealt with for now, but there was always a chance there were survivors, or something would put them back in the fight. Without air cover. Looking back at the Colonel, he spoke..:: Sampson: All we have to do is sit tight till this thing is over, Sargent. ::Turning to a subordinate, Colonel Sampson issued another set of orders...::: Sampson: Stand down from alert status, and lower the shields. Save the power for when we need it. ::The subordinate nodded, and the hum from the shield went away. Something in the back of Hannibals' mind told him it was a very bad idea, and that feeling of dread only increased as the hours passed.:: :: Eating chow in the mess tent four hours later, Hannibals' worst fears were realized as the Starfleet Lieutenant raced out of the command bunker, his face white with fear and shock. The Colonel, sitting at the head of one of the mess tables, stood up as the man approached.::: Carlson: Colonel! The fleets' gone! :: All conversation stopped dead with the news. If what he was saying was true, they were marooned, behind enemy lines...:: Sampson: What the hell are you talking about? There were over a hundred ships in that fleet! Confirm that last report.. Carlson: I did Sir...I'm only getting ID's from ten ships. Ten out of 112......... :: Their worst nightmare was coming true. They were trapped, behind enemy lines, and it was only just beginning. One hundred and twenty five Marines on the verge of being slaughtered by a relentless enemy. The Jem'Haddar were not interested in taking Marines as prisoners, and everyone in that tent knew it. Colonel Sampson stood up, his face resolute, his voice calm..:: Sampson: Hannibal, get your men ready to fight. Set the perimeter. Carlson, get those shields back up and get an inventory of our supplies. Make sure our sensors can track incoming ships, friend or foe. ::Before Hannibal could answer, Carlson spoke again, his voice tinged with fear...:: Carlson: General...should I send a distress signal? :: With a finality as solid as permacrete, he spoke...:: Sampson: The only one who will hear it will be the Jem'Haddar, Lieutenant....on your way...Hannibal, you too. Lock this place down. Parker: Aye, Sir... Carlson: Will do, Colonel. :: Picking up his rifle, making sure it had a fresh power cell, he spoke to the Marines in the room...:: Parker: Get all the water, ammo, rations and grenades you can carry. You know the drill. We got company coming. Pass the word. Move it! :: The scraping of boots and clang of weapons as the Marines gathered their weapons and made their way over to the makeshift armory, all the while passing the word to the other Marines on watch. Marines took extra ammo, food and water to their compatriots on the line. Hannibal took his position forward, looking out over the now burned out Jem'Haddar position. The waiting game had now begun..::: :: Day turned to night, and with no moon and no lighting, the Marine camp was black as a tomb. The occasional shimmering from the shields was the only light, its brief illumination just enough to temporarily ruin his night vision. A light on the horizon, too low to be a ship, arched high into the sky, followed by a shriek that sounded like ripping heavy burlap...:: Parker: INCOMING!!!! :: The warhead slammed into the shields, the sound of the explosion cracking against his ears. Another. Then another. Screams from the Marines, holding their ears as those closest to the impact point had their eardrums shattered by the impacts. With each succeeding blast, the shields flared less and less blue, and began to flare red. The shields were failing, until one final fusillade took them down for good. The sounds of explosions now replaced by darkness and calls for medics, who rushed from the command bunker to treat the injured.Hannibal could hear the Colonel calling for status reports, wanting to know how fast they could get the shields back up. The reply was cut off as the assault began anew, this time the first shell slammed into the command bunker, the concussion knocking Hannibal off his feet, debris raining down upon the besieged Marines.:: :: Hannibal was furious. They were being methodically chewed to pieces by long range artillery they somehow managed to get to the surface. The command bunker, along with Colonel Sampson, was gone, consumed in the fire started by the artillery barrage. The power supply was gone. So far, their stocks of food and water were unscathed. They still had plenty of ammo, but no one to shoot at. The surviving medics did what they could, patching up the wounded, and those who could not be saved were given a lethal dose of painkiller. Fortunately, they still had medical supplies, so they could at least survive until the bitter end, which Hannibal knew was coming.:: :: A quick survey of the medics and surviving Marines told the tale. Hannibal and one other Sergeant, Thompson, were the only surviving officers. Twenty nine Marines, including the Colonell, were dead, with another nineteen wounded. That left only seventy seven fully whole Marines out of two hundred and fifty they hit the rock with. He didn't know if any would be left by morning:: :: There was no place to hide, no place for cover. Those who could fight stayed on the line, phaser rifles at the ready. Others were collecting weapons and supplies from the dead, and placing the dead in body bags.. They worked quickly, never knowing when incoming fire would interrupt the process of collecting the dead. Hannibal knew only one thing...if he was going to die on this rock, he was going to die like a Marine. He didn't fear it...he embraced it...The only possible good news was that they knew that they were facing Cardassian artillery, thanks to a few fragments they found...which meant that this part of the system the Dominion allowed the Cardassians to control. Now, if they would only come out and fight. Cardassians were brutal, but at least you could see them coming and they stayed down when shot.:: :: Working his way around the camp, Hannibal found one man, a Starfleet Ensign. He had dove into a shell crater to escape the bombardment. Curled into a fetal position, he was almost hysterical, shaking as though he was being electrocuted. Babbling to himself, Hannibal first felt pity for the man...then anger. Kneeling down into the crater, Hannibal jerked the man up, the Ensigns' eyes filled with terror..:: Parker: Ensign...ENSIGN! PULL IT TOGETHER! :: The young man tried to pull away, but Hannibals' grip only tightened on the mans’ uniform.::: Ensign: THE FLEETS' GONE! WE'RE GOING TO DIE HERE! THEY ARE GOING TO COME IN HERE AND KILL US ALL! WE GOTTA… :: Before he knew it, Hannibal backhanded the Ensign, then slapped him again, splitting his lip. Drawing his Bowie knife and placing it under his chin, Hannibal spoke to him in a voice more chilling than the enemy itself…:: Parker: WE are going to fight until we can’t. To the last man. WE are going to stay here and DO OUR JOB! If you try to run, I will kill you myself. IS THAT CLEAR!!! :: The young man was still shaking, but the haunted look in his eyes began to fade. Hannibals’ lip was quivering in anger, and only then did he realize his outburst had drawn a crowd. With Sergeant Thompson watching him from a distance, Hannibal continued…::: Parker: Fear is a choice, Ensign. Choose to live. Choose to fight. Choose to die. Now. :: Hannibal had no use for cowards, and he had decided if the young man wanted to die, his knife would make quick work of him right here and right now. Slightly moving the knife away from his chin, the man nodded..:: Parker: Good. Now get your [...] on the line. When they come over that hill, just keep pulling that trigger until you’re dry, then snap in a new clip. Can you do that? Ensign::nodding:: Yes sir…… :: Watching the young man take his place, Hannibal took his, and waited for daybreak. It wasn’t long before the sounds of incoming fire drew their attention…:: Parker: HERE WE GO MARINES!!!!!! :: Checking his combat tricorder, he could see it was being jammed. As the rounds began to fall around the compound, the explosions were smaller,which meant mortars..which meant a ground assault was imminent. They still had mortars, but because they could not see exactly where their enemy was, they could only guess in the darkness before dawn. The Marines lit the sky with their mortars, pounding the positions they thought the enemy was located. A bright flash from the former hilltop held by the Jem’Haddar told them they had hit paydirt. Round after round dropped on the enemy position, fanning out from that position, until enemy fire stopped falling. Lighting off a tracer round, they found what they were looking for as dawn broke above the embattled forces. Cardassian soldiers were moving through the no mans land between the two positions. This was the moment of truth. There were at least three hundred Cardassians moving towards them, spreading out so they were not such easy targets. Surprised by being lit up, they began to run towards the Marines. Thompsons’ voice rang out…:: Thompson: Wait for my signal. Make every shot count! Grenades at the ready! Let ‘em have it! :: The thump of grenade launchers put up a wall of shrapnel, slicing into the Cardassians, but they were not enough against them. Inside phaser range, Thompson sang out again…:: Thompson: It’s been an honor...FIRE AT WILL!!!! Parker: YES SIR! :: From behind their sandbag barricades, the Marines cut loose, the blue beams from their rifles contrasting the the red beams from Cardassian weaponry. It seemed like the more they dropped, more took their place. Shots hit the sandbags around Hannibal, one slicing through and catching him in the hip. He was grazed pretty deeply, but he ignored the pain and fought on. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Ensign who had been cowering in a shell crater, drop his rifle and began to run away..:: Parker: ENSIGN! GET YOUR… :: It was too late. A disruptor blast caught him in the back, and as he spun around, another caught him in the head. He was finished..:: :: Only seventy five yards separated the Cardassians from the Marines. Most of the Marines had grenade launchers attached to their rifles, but once they had expended them, the fire was too intense to reload them. Throwing them from behind the wall blind was their only option as the enemy crept even closer. A Marine next to Hannibal went down, a perfect hole blown in his chest. Running between positions, Thompson was cut down. It was now only a matter of time before the Cardassians would move to outflank them...they still had superior numbers, and if they managed to accomplish it, game over. The Cardassians would pay dearly, but the Marines would lose the battle. Slapping another clip into his rifle, Hannibal was making his superior marksmanship work for him, cutting down the reptilian troops with abandon. Above the din of dead and dying men and women, a flash of light and heat blew Hannibal back off the line..:: Parker:Oo This is it..Oo :: Hannibals’ greatest fear was to die a dishonorable death. When he was younger, his father told him the greatest thing a warrior could do was to die with honor. There was nothing more honorable than dying in a last stand against innumerable odds , and he only wished that his day to honor his father would come a little later than today. If anyone found his body, there would be no doubt about how he died, facing his enemies, gun or knife in hand.:: :: Another blast..then another. Either the rounds were falling short and the Cardassians were cutting down their own men, or...hope beyond hope, there was a Federation starship up there providing fire support. Whatever it was, the rate of fire from the Cardassians was easing, and the Marines poured it on between the blasts. In another ten seconds, all firing had stopped coming from the Cardassians... the battle for Fire Base Sierra was over. An eerie quiet settled over the battlefield, and as the smoke cleared, it revealed a sea of dead Cardassians mingled with the previously killed Jem’ Haddar. Out of that quiet, a voice Hannibal thought he would never hear again came over his commbadge..it was Captain Taylor of the USS Charleston.:: Taylor: =/\= This is Captain Taylor of the USS Charleston. Any commanding officer please respond.=/\= :: Thinking it was a trap, Hannibal responded, and asked a question only the captain would know…:: Parker: =/\= This is Sargeant Parker, Captain. How many days did I get in the brig for drunk and disorderly at Starbase One?=/\= Taylor: =/\= None. The charges were dropped. You’ve got ten minutes to get your people together and get off that rock before we need to bug out. We’ll destroy what you can’t take from orbit.=/\= Parker:=/\ Copy that, Captain, and thanks for the air strike. Parker out.=/\= :: It was indeed Captain Taylor all right. Looking around at his spent Marines, he yelled out to them..:: Parker: We’re bugging out! Get the wounded ready to travel! :: In short order, the wounded, the dead, and the surviving Marines were back on board the Charleston. His first stop was Sick Bay, where he could get his hip tended to. They still had to make it out of the occupied area and into Federation space, but he felt confident that if Captain Taylor could escape the carnage of the battle, he could certainly get them home…:: Sargeant Hannibal Tiberious Parker Starfleet Marines Lt. Commander Hannibal Tiberious Parker First Officer Embassy, Duronis II/USS Thunder

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet. We are happy to have you with us.

Congratulations and Welcome to the Fleet! We are very happy to have you with us!

Congratulations and Welcome to the Fleet! I hope you will enjoy simming here as much as I do!

DATES: The class began on September 22, 2014 and ended on September 28, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt. Commander T'Mar FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander Roshanara Rahman GRADUATES: * Esme Drake * Annabella Armstrong This thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. We're so glad to have you with us! If you have any questions, just ask.

DATES: The class began on September 16, 2014 and ended on September 23, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy4 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander Ben Edwards FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant Commander S’Kahh Rossh GRADUATES: * Reni Marja Svalasdottir This thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. So glad to have you with us. If you have any questions, just ask.

DATES: The class began on September 8, 2014 and ended on September 22, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy3 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt. Commander Alex Blair FIRST OFFICER: Commander Alucard Vess GRADUATES: * Brell * Olivia Kingston This thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. So glad to have you with us. If you have any questions, just ask.

DATES: The class began on September 8, 2014 and ended on September 14, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy2 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt. Commander Ben Edwards FIRST OFFICER: Lieutenant T'Mihn GRADUATES: * Marcus Drake This thread is a place for others to welcome you to the fleet, and for you to check in with the other members of your class and keep in contact as you head your separate ways. So glad to have you with us. If you have any questions, just ask.

Way to go on your final exam, Ensigns! Hope you enjoy the fleet as much as I do!

DATES: The class began on August 25, 2014 and ended on September 1, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy4 COMMANDING OFFICER: Fleet Captain Toni Turner FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander Ben Edwards GRADUATE: Ayiana Sevo Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet! Enjoy!

DATES: The class began on August 11, 2014 and ended on August 18, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy2 COMMANDING OFFICER: Lt. Commander Alex Blair FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander Ben Edwards GRADUATES: Arthur Baker Leigh Byant Tatash Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet! Enjoy!

Ambassador Della Vetri - Extreme Babysitting ((ZSC Supreme Vigilance, Turbolift)) :: Having left the bridge, Della was using the ride in the turbolift to indulge in what were by this point probably at least fourth thoughts about what she was about to do. Her comment about her mental shielding hadn't been an idle one, and now here she was about to shove herself head-first into what promised to be the emotional equivalent of a fusion reactor.:: :: Not, all in all, one of the things she would have put on her list of "things I'd love to do today".:: :: On the other hand, she wasn't doing it for her *own* sake, and if there was one thing she was reasonably sure of, it was that a horde of children, fresh from whatever nightmare experience they'd just been living, were going to need someone around that quite plainly *wasn't* involved in the business of hurting people.:: :: She had no doubt that at least some of the marines they had around would be utterly brilliant when dealing with kids - it was just not the time to start experimenting along those lines.:: :: The lift doors opened, and she took a deep breath to try and steady herself, shoving every ounce of mental effort she could summon into shoring up the barriers between her psionic senses and the outside world as she started heading down the corridor the short distance needed to reach the lounge.:: :: It didn't help as much as she might have liked.:: :: Even before she'd reached the door, she could feel the emotional blaze on the other side, and it took a concerted effort of will to force herself through. What greeted her on the other side of the door was about what she'd expected, though in far more luxurious surroundings than she might have counted on. It seemed senior Suzerainty officers got to enjoy quite a bit of the high life when off duty...:: :: Far more important than that, though, was the fact that there were quite plainly two groups of people here. Near the door, trying to look as unthreatening as possible, were a pair of Starfleet marines who gave the impression that they'd much rather be a lot of other places. Occupying a large portion of the rest of the room was a, well, horde of Zalkonian children of various ages, giving off an almost living aura of fear, distrust, and perhaps more tellingly, almost totally hopeless resignation.:: :: Another thing that struck her was the fact that apart from the sounds of breathing and the occasional rustle of movement, the room was utterly silent.:: :: Time to bite the bullet...:: Vetri: Okay, first thing I need to ask - is anyone hurt? :: She kept her tone brisk and businesslike, with none of the exaggerated cheer or cuteness that people often put on when talking to children. The merest glance was enough to tell anyone with half a brain cell that these kids had seen too much of the dren life could throw out to be impressed by such a tack.:: :: There was no answer from anyone, but it was impossible to miss the way attention shifted to focus on her even more than it already had. being on the receiving end of that much scrutiny was... uncomfortable, but she pressed on.:: Vetri: No? Good. In that case, we can try and skip forward to the nicer bits. :: She made a deliberate show of shooing the two marines into a corner, away from the kids and hopefully making the point that the guys with guns were not the ones in charge around here. Somehow, and she had *no* idea how it happened, what resulted was an odd little pantomime that had both of the marines sloping off into the corner looking sheepish and for all the world like they were being sent to sit on the naughty step. For that matter, the Caitian one of the pair managed to make his eras and tail droop in a truly spectacular display of fake dejection. :: :: Given the flare of amusement - grim as it was - she sensed from a couple of the kids, the fact the pair of them were playing along without any sort of hesitation at all was definitely helping.:: Vetri: Right, you two sit there, be quiet, and behave yourselves. ::turning back to the children:: Just so you all know, my name is Della, and I'm here to make sure that you are all as comfortable and looked after as we can get. I'll apologise straight away for the fact that things are a little... unsettled, right now, but we're working on fixing that. :: No response at all, which she pretty much expected. At least they seemed to be *listening* to her, though.:: Vetri: Somewhere in this room, I know we have one of these... ::pointing at the commbadge pinned to her jacket:: ...that one of you was given. Now, I'm not wanting it back, I'd just like to know where it is - my friend Hella would probably like it back eventually. :: A subtle shift in the group drew her eye, and she was a little disappointed to see that it was a few of the kids pulling away slightly from one of their number. The reason for it was easy enough to spot, though, glinting in the child's hand. Just as easy to see was the rather disturbing fact that apart from the commbadge the only thing the little girl had was a Starfleet uniform jacket wrapped tightly around her - one she strongly suspected had been donated by one of the Marines, given the colouring.:: :: Any thought at all as to *why* such a donation might have been necessary ws ruthlessly shoved aside, and Della made her tone stay casual as she addressed the little female.:: Vetri: You have it? Great. Keep hold of it for me, would you? You've kept it safe so far, so I think we can trust you to keep doing it. ::looking around:: Also, I think I should say thank you for taking such good care of it. After all, if you hadn't kept hold of it, I wouldn't have been able to scoop you all up and get you here. :: This time, when she looked around the room, she made a bit of a show of just how tacky she thought the overblown decoration really was.:: Vetri: And just as soon as I can, I think I'll see about getting the bits together for you to redecorate in here. I know *my* girls love doing it... especially the littlest. ::smiling at the smallest of the children she could see:: She's about your age, actually. Child: What are you going to do with us. :: Outwardly, Della just glanced at the boy, one of the eldest in the group, as she listened to his question. Inside, however, she practically jumped for joy at the fact that his challenging demand for answers was coming her way at all.:: Vetri: You got a name, kid? Doesn't matter much if you don't want to give it to me, just thought I'd ask. :: With a stubborn set to his jaw, he stayed silent, and Della just shrugged amiably once again.:: Vetri: Probably wouldn't answer that myself, if I were you. No worries, was just being curious. To answer your question, though... ::she pointed at the replicator on the wall:: I'm declaring open season on that thing, just don't make yourselves sick. I'm also going to see about getting some stuff in here to make it a little more homey, so if there's anything you want then let me know and I'll see what I can do. We're not planning to be on this ship for long, though, so I apologise in advance if I can get everything done for you. :: There was some quiet muttering among the group, and Della waited for a minute or so before speaking up again.:: Vetri: I *am* going to need to start getting names soon, I'm afraid. *But*, that's so I can arrange something else for you. You know how grown-ups always seem to be the ones in charge? Well, *this* time, it's the other way around - we have a cargo bay full of adults, and I would *very* much like to be able to find some kids they belong to. That way, I can put them in the care of people who have a decent grip on what the next little while is supposed to be about for you guys. Child: Which is what? :: Somewhere along the line, either she'd gotten used to it or the emotional pressure around her had actually eased. Either way, Della felt a lot less buffeted than she had been when she walked in, and that in turn let the laugh that came out of her mouth sound smooth and easy as she wandered over to the replicator.:: Vetri: You tell me, kiddo. I'm just here to make sure you stay safe. :: Calling up the menu listing on the replicator, she browsed it for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at the children.:: Vetri: Could someone tell me what the heck Vethaberry caramel pie is, and whether it's as tooth-rottingly cakey as it sounds? Girl: It's really nice... but we never get anything more than boring plastic dinners. :: With a sly grin, Della pointed at the young girl and beckoned her over. With obvious reluctance, she obeyed, looking more than a little nervous about what opening her mouth had let her in for. As a matter of fact, that turned out to be far less daunting than she might have feared.:: Vetri: You just volunteered to be in charge of cakes. Go nuts. ::to the rest:: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we need to at least *pretend* to be organised around here, or this is going to get horribly messy. ::pausing, and pretending to think about it:: Actually, who cares about the mess. Turner: =/\= Turner to Vetri, is everything alright?=/\= :: At the sound of the voice over the comm, everything went still again, apart from Della, who tapped her commbadge to respond.:: Vetri: =/\= That depends. We seem to be trying to decide whether we should work the replicator into a meltdown. =/\= Turner: =/\= We will be leaving soon to rendezvous with the Thunder. =/\= Vetri: =/\= Good. The sooner we're not here, the happier I'll be. I didn't go to all the time and trouble of arranging a planet for these guys to take over just because I was bored. The sooner we get them on their way there, the sooner they can get to the serious business of being *kids*. =/\= :: And the mention of the planet had been quite deliberate. A whole other kind of stillness settled over the children as the import of what she'd said started to sink in, and she could only imagine what the response of the *adults* was going to be.:: Turner: =/\= Do you think you can go organize the adults soon? =/\= Vetri: =/\= Hell no, I'm staying here. Get someone else to organise the grown-ups. I'm staying with the important people. ::pausing for a beat as she gave the children a thoroughly cheeky grin:: They have cake. =/\= :: Or at least they would do if she could get them to actually start raiding the replicator. She'd given them enough hints that it was fine to do so, but so far there had been little sign they really trusted her enough to follow through.:: :: Hardly surprising, really.:: Vetri: =/\= Oh, speaking of cake. If you could arrange for a medic to show their face at some point, that'd be nice. *Someone* is going to make themselves sick, probably me, so having a little help on hand when that happens would be appreciated. =/\= :: And, whilst they were at it, maybe that medic could take a few moments to discretely check the kids for any problems that would need attention...:: :: Actually, that thought triggered another one - one that made use of some very large blunt instruments to get her attention. Given just how raggedy and malnourished these kids looked, what she'd been trying to get them to do was probably a truly idiotic idea. Possibly the very *worst* thing she could do to a bunch of kids so drastically underfed was put rich food into them.:: Vetri: ::muttering:: Crap... Turner: =/\= I'll send the Marine medic. He should be able to take care of them until we can get them to the Thunder's sickbay. =/\= Vetri: =/\= Something just occurred to me. Look, I need to try and figure out what needs doing around here. If you'll excuse the method, I'll just give you a peek at why... =/\= :: Closing her eyes, she concentrated, filtering her way past the various auras the clouded her sense of the ship around her until she locked in on the one she was after. Carefully, she reached out to it in a particular special way, and slipped an image of the children as she'd first seen them into Toni's awareness.:: ::Toni soon envisioned the images of hollow-eyed terror, gastric distension, lethargy, and malnourished and bruised bodies. Tears blurred her eyes, and her medical training kicked in.:: Turner:=/\= Yes, stay with them, but take cake off the menu. Start them on a nourishing broth. It will be easier for them to tolerate food better. I'll be down to check them as soon as the teams are beamed aboard. =/\= Tag Ambassador Della Vetri Diplomatic Officer Embassy of Duronis II