Alora DeVeau

And they're all true!!!!

See what happens when you tell a woman who is both Andorian and marine "no".

((Drex’s Quarter - 38th Floor - Soldotna - Denali Station)) As he moved from Anchorage tower to Soldotna tower Vahin was once again taken aback by how similar the towers were to the ones they had raced through on Melale. He wondered how much of that water-logged city matched the one he now called home. What strange parts of Denali could be found mirrored in that other city? In his hand he carried a bottle of Bolian wine his brother had sent him as a gift a few months ago. He had never gotten around to drinking it and hoped it would make up for a mistake he had made a few months ago. He approached Drex’s apartment’s door and pressed the PADD next to it in order to alert the occupant inside. Like almost every time he was at home off-duty, Drex found himself in the small room he had transformed into his art studio. Standing in front of a medium-sized canvas, he delighted in experimenting with a new painting style after seeing the picture of a work by a French artist sent to him by Dominique. The painting was far from finished, as a large part of the upper area was still missing, but through the many dots, some humanoid figures near a lake with turquoise waters were unidentifiable. Drex took a step back, observing the effect of the last brushstrokes applied and at that moment he heard the doorknob ring. He put the brush on the nearby table and grabbed the rag he used to clean his hands before reaching the living room and the entrance door. As the door slid open to reveal the friendly Denobulan scientist ,Vahin smiled and waved with his free hand. Drex was not expecting any visitors and his clothes were a mess of colors and stains, but it was with pleasant surprise that he smiled at the guest he found in front of him. Vahin: I’m sorry to disturb you Lieutenant Drex but I just wanted to give this to you. He held the bottle of wine out for Drex to take. Drex: You never disturb me Doctor and, please, stop calling me that. I’m Drex and that’s enough. To what do I owe the pleasure of having you here? Drex lowered his eyes on the bottle offered and took it before moving from the door allowing the Bolian to enter the apartment. Vahin: It’s for two reasons. One to congratulate you for your promotion and, two, because I forgot to bring it to the wonderful potluck you held. ::lowers his head in shame:: I hope you can forgive me for the second one. Drex: There’s nothing to be forgiven for, Araxxu. Please come in. Vahin raises his head and smiles at Drex’s response. Vahin: Thank you for saying that. So… ::he cranes his neck to try and see past Drex:: how are your paintings coming along? I remember that one you had made of the girl from the story book your mother used to read to you. Drex moved into the living room and put the bottle on the table. Drex: The one behind you… :: He nodded as he took a couple of glasses from the cupboard :: My painting activity is going well, I’m experimenting with new techniques. Do you paint or maybe are you a sculptor? Vahin turned to look back at the entrance he had come through and saw the beautiful mural painted around the door. More seemed to have been done on it since he was last in Drex’s apartment and it had only enhanced the painting. Vahin: Beautiful. ::turns back to Drex:: I’m afraid the Vahin family isn’t known for its artistic ability. One of my older brothers sings a bit but that’s as close as we’ve come to having an artist in the family. While listening to the Doctor, he left the glasses near the bottle and walked to the kitchen area, from where he could still see and talk with Vahin. Drex: We’re better off eating something, what do you prefer? Salted or sweet? Maybe both… Vahin gave the question more thought than it was probably needed, both sounded good, so he said so. Vahin: I’m happy with either though salted probably wins out by a hair. Like they say back home, “You can take the Bolian out of the ocean but you can’t take the ocean out of the Bolian.” In other words, salt is in our blood. ::he chuckles:: I mean obviously sodium is in our blood and in higher levels than a lot of species but I think we’re meant to take in a more metaphorical sense. The Denobulan smiled at Vahin’s explanation. Drex: Please, have a seat :: Pointing to the sofa and armchairs near the large glass wall. :: And let’s get all the time we need to enjoy this bottle in good company. He gave Drex a large smile as he watched the friendly Denobulan place food down on the table. He took the offered seat and relaxed back into one of the comfortable armchairs. Vahin: Once again you’re an excellent host. You and my sister would get along well. She throws the most amazing parties, every guest leaves with a smile on their face and a full belly. Vahin patted his belly as he spoke. Vahin: It probably came from having a twin who loves to eat. What about you Drex, what’s your family like? Drex uncorked the bottle and poured a generous amount of the Bolian wine in each glass, before taking a seat on the other side of the low table, facing the Bolian. Drex: My family… is a large family, not as big as many on Denobula. I have a twin sister and four, well almost five, half siblings and two official step mothers and I think three step fathers. I’m not sure if my mother is married or not at the moment. As Drex spoke about his family Vahin’s mind drifted to his mother, she had spent a few days in bed recently as her sickness flared up. When not in the clinic Vahin had spent as much time speaking to her over the vid-screen as possible. It had been hard seeing his one strong and energetic mother looking frail and bedridden. But he had come to visit Drex, in part, to get his mind off of things back home and he decided then he needed to push away some of the darker thoughts that crowded his mind and focus on the conversation at hand. Vahin: It can be hard being away from family, can’t it. But I can never seem to find the time to get back home to visit. The Denobulan pushed one of the glasses towards Vahin. Vahin takes the offered glass with a thankful nod and holds it in his hand. Drex: I didn’t go home this shore leave, but it’s not the time that I’m missing. Yet I know doctors duties are way heavier than mine. Unfortunately the moment we choose to serve in Starfleet changed our priorities and our responsibilities. Vahin: ::sighs:: So true Mr Drex. We did sign up for this life and I don’t regret it most days. Drex lifted his glass, studying the liquid against the light. Its color was dark ruby red with garnet reflection. Even though he was not a connoisseur, he was able to recognize it as an aged bottle. Drex: But some days you do… What's going on, Araxxu? Do you have a fiancé who is tired of waiting for you? Vahin: ::chuckles but then frowns:: If only it was that. Drex: I can be a good listener, if you need, and I'm good at keeping a secret. The science officer raised the glass to his nose: it smelled of red fruits and pepper and tomato leaves. Vahin watches as Drex smells the newly poured glass of wine. His uncorked thoughts float through his mind, his issues back home, his issues on Denali. He tries to put them into words but finds it so difficult. Vahin: Things back home aren’t good…they are…my mother is..I’m sorry. I’m not usually at such a loss for words. ::he takes a moment then just blurts it out:: My mother is dying. As he said the words it’s as if a damn breaks in his mind. For so long he had been trying to keep his personal and work life separate. As much as he knew the issues back home were affecting his work on Denali he had been trying to compartmentalise everything. But now, he had finally told someone and he could feel some of the stress he had been holding wash away. A few tears begin to pool at the corner of his eyes and he tries to blink them away. Vahin: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t bother you with this. I’ve been trying not to let things back home carry over to Denali. But I think I’m failing in that. He takes a deep breath before he continues and tries to settle himself before continuing. Vahin: She…my mother..she’s always been the one who ran the family. I don’t know what will happen when she’s gone. ::frowns:: And knowing she won’t be..won’t be here much longer. ::another deep breath:: I just wish I could spend more time with her now. Drex listened in silence. Those were no news people like to hear. Vahin was a good doctor, so it did not seem respectful to Drex to reassure the Bolian with probably false hopes. Words could be useful, but Vahin needed something else. Drex: On Denobula we said that wine makes everything better. Let's drink to our friendship, then. :: He lifted his glass a little while looking at Vahin :: And if you agree, I will accompany you home, when the times require it. I will make sure you'll find the time. Drex’s kind words begin to lift Vahin from some of the dark thoughts he was lost in. It felt good not to have to go through this alone. Vahin: ::tries to smile:: I hope the wine is to your liking. My brother sent it to me from Bolarus and he knows more about these things than I do. Drex: I am not an expert :: He smiled :: But it tastes good. Vahin takes a long sniff of the wine inside the glass, at first it smells much like any wine, but there are some lingering notes that for a brief moment remind him of happier days on Bolarus; of he and his family sharing a bottle over dinner, and nights staring up at the starry sky surrounded by loved ones. Vahin: Are you close with your family? Drex: Yes, I am. To my sister and one of my half brothers, mainly. We grew up together. And I worked several years with my brother and his father. He took another sip of his wine as Drex talked about his family. It felt nice to sit back and talk with one of his Denali crewmates. So often their interactions were during the hectic moments of a mission, and although he knew Drex had formidable science skills, he knew little of him personally. Vahin: Ah, the family business. Most of my family works together as well. I’m..what’s that human expression, the black sheep of the family. ::chuckles:: What is it you did with your father? Drex: My step father has an architecture studio. We did design together. I’m older than I looked! Vahin’s eyes move to look at the painting Drex has done in his apartment. Vahin: Well that explains your artistic nature. Drex nodded and smiled, then I took another sip from his glass. Drex: Tell me about your experience with the sea on Bolarus. I wasn't kidding about taking a boat and explore this Ocean Vahin smiles at the mention of the waters of his homeworld. It had been quite some time since he’d last been out on the open seas of Bolarus but the memories of a youth spent enjoying them were always close at hand. Vahin: Well! As I’m sure you’re aware, Bolarus is more sea than land. I grew up in an undersea mining colony and was swimming before I could even walk. Once I got older I had my own catamaran. Nothing too fancy of course but I sailed it everywhere I could, I was braver back then of course, now I can’t imagine sailing rough seas in a cabinless boat. He took a long deep drink from his glass and let the Bolian wine warm his stomach. Drex: A catamaran! Cool! :: He did not have much experience in such a boat, as he always preferred to sail on single hulls, but he remembered trying them a couple of times when he was a teenager :: You must promise me we’ll go sailing on Bolarus sooner or later. Vahin: And yourself? You mentioned this boat was a gift. Drex: At home I have a skiff for fun and a small cabin cruiser for exploration. I haven’t seen the boat my father sent me yet. But if I know him well enough :: A sly smile appeared on his face :: And trust me, I know him enough… The boat will be beautiful outside and totally uncomfortable inside. The Denobulan reached out and grabbed some pretzels. He chewed slowly, thinking of his father and the events that had led the old man to his generous gesture. Drex: He knows how much I love to sail, but I’m quite sure I’ll find some unexpected surprise in that boat. Vahin: ::raises his glass:: Well here’s to good surprises. Drex: Well :: He finished chewing another snack :: The last boat he took was completely without bunks and a kitchen. He had everything emptied and installed holographic projectors that rendered the seabed detected by the sensors. Vahin: ::laughs:: I think I enjoy sleeping and eating too much to go without bunks and a kitchen. I hope we find both in your new ship. Drex: If it’s the case, I’ll ask Kettick for some to reprogram the projectors and have them render the inside of a luxury yacht :: He chuckled :: Would it work? Vahin: ::chuckles along with Drex:: Knowing Kettick, I’m sure they could make it work. He takes another long sip of the wine and leans back in his chair. It felt good to be relaxed, laughing with a friend, he needed to get out of the clinic and do this more often. Vahin: Have I ever told you about the time I took my catamaran out and got caught in a storm? No? Well it all started on what seemed like a calm, sunny day, I had heard that a storm front was coming but thought I had more time…. And with that Vahin and Drex drank wine and shared stories of their past adventures. By the time Vahin stumbled home a few hours later he was happy in the knowledge that he found a friend. <><><><><><><><><><>=/\=<><><><><><><><><><> Lieutenant Drex Science Officer Denali Station D240011D14 & Lt Jg Araxxu Vahin Medical Denali Station D240006AV3

Welcome, we're glad to have you!

Someone's grumpy.

The poetiest of poets!

*hides the dynamite*

I think the banana things needs to be a constant now.

Don't mess with Harford.

But...but...rocks are interesting!

@Jo Marshall is always good for a laugh.

Sometimes, things don't go as we expect. We wind up in a situation in the story and we're uncertain what to do. Meri/Alix found herself in that position, but what does she do? Write an excellent sim based upon the context of what's happening and gets herself back into the game. I also love the creativity in this. IC: ((Maintenance Crawlspace, Deck 9B3/4, USS Eagle)) Owa slipped forward in the lead with Doc close behind him phaser drawn. As they came around the corner, Doc's mind was slammed full of intrusive and jumbled thoughts, none of them pleasant, save for the kittens, that was odd but not exactly comforting considering. The cacophony in her mind brought her to her knees and Owa, seemingly unphased, positioned his body to shield hers while she attempted to regain composure. Before she could get a word out in response to their plan, Alix's mind was suddenly flooded with a bombardment of imagery, none of it pleasant and the pressure building inside her skull caused her ears to ring a loud high screeching sound that brought her to her knees. Hands cradling her head, she grasped for conscious thought, any stream of her own voice, just some thread to hold onto. “Alix”: oO medical..... kit..... Oo Yes that's right, she was a doctor. She clawed at her kit fumbling for the drugs, any drugs, that would help her control her mind. A soft hum floated up from somewhere back in the distant reaches of her consciousness. She almost swore she saw a hatch opening or being opened nearby but everything peripheral was just the other side of tangible so instead she focused on digging through the hyposprays splayed before her. Then suddenly all Alix heard was the humming, or was it singing? The imagery flooding her mind swirled in a disorienting kaleidoscope of color and suddenly went black. Only the humming remained. The walls of the Eagle, her team, her med kit, nothing was left to anchor her. She heard a soft lilting melody coming from behind her and stood to go and find it. Doc did not find composure, shielded by the half Bajoran man she barely knew. Instead her mind raced, thoughts slipping through her fingers like sand, and fell forward into an all consuming blackness. The only sensation left to her was a gentle melody from somewhere that should have been distant, but felt all too close and all too real. Pushing to her feet she stumbled in the dark to find the comforting song her mother used to sing. After rooting around in the darkness for minutes, minutes that were almost imperceptible to her confused mind, Alix Harford found herself stumbling into the familiar rustic kitchen of her childhood home. Expecting to see her mother there singing and baking, she stood staring across the kitchen at herself humming the melody. The Alix that stared back at her looked harder, felt harder. “Doc” Alt Harford: You're not- how do you know that tune? “Doc” Alt Harford: ::simultaneously:: My mother sang it to us. “Alix” Real Harford:: simultaneously:: My mother sang it to us. “Alix” Real Harford: Are you- Are we- me? “Doc” Alt Harford: ::snorting:: I'm me. You're obviously some figment of my imagination. A repressed memory. “Alix” Real Harford: This is a trick from the telepath. You’re not real. “Doc” Alt Harford: Well, we can't both be figments. The two Harfords stared at each other in hostile, stunned silence for a long moment. “Alix” Real Harford: Alright, logic will explain this. Logic explains everything. I know that I was pulled into an alternate dimension and I know that another me, an alternate me, was identified. How do we ascertain whether we are each real or one of us is a projection of telepathy? “Doc” Alt Harford: Ask me something only we would know. And we both answer at once. “Alix” Real Harford: That assumes we have the same past, doesn’t it? There’s more than a small flaw in your plan. “Doc” Alt Harford: There's no need to be so pedantic. It's a trust exercise. “Alix” Real Harford: I guess if there’s not a better hypothesis… Who’s your favorite sister? “Doc” Alt Harford::simultaneously:: Allison “Alix” Real Harford::simultaneously:: Allison A moment of cautious recognition passed between them before the real Alix waved a hand out in a gesture that indicated her doppelganger should take the next question. The harder version of herself nodded back and pondered a moment. “Doc” Alt Harford: What did your mother give you to calm your nerves? “Alix” Real Harford::simultaneously:: spearmint tea “Doc” Alt Harford::simultaneously:: spearmint tea “Alix” Real Harford: Alright, I’d like to interject and say that I’m not entirely okay with whatever this is. “Doc” Alt Harford: It appears that this meeting of the minds doesn’t care whether you’re okay with it or not. “Alix” Real Harford: Let’s just finish this so we can figure out why we’re here. What happened on Stardate 238906.04? “Doc” Alt Harford::simultaneously:: A shuttle accident. ::pause:: My father died. “Alix” Real Harford::simultaneously:: A shuttle accident… what? Dad didn’t die… dad died? Grief for a father she never lost flooded through Alix. Tears welled to her eyes as she grappled with the realization that somewhere out there she still had a father. They hadn’t spoken in more than four years, but he was alive. Pity pushed the tears down her cheeks as she looked at this harder version of herself. “Alix” Real Harford: I’m so sorry. How did? What? ::long pause:: I’m sorry. “Doc” Alt Harford::snapping:: You are most certainly not me. Why are you crying? He wasn’t your father. You didn’t lose your father. “Alix” Real Harford: Wouldn’t you be devastated to learn that any version of him, of anyone you loved… “Doc” Alt Harford::cold:: No. ::biting:: Why would I be here with you, you’re clearly weak? You wear a uniform. You even look soft. Clearly defensive, Doc turned on her heel and stormed out of the kitchen. Wiping tears from her face and tamping down the sting of the harsh words that were slung her way, Alix followed. The moment they stepped out of the kitchen the kaleidoscope of imagery forced into their minds returned with a heavy weight to it and their ears rang with a shrill, hollow sound. Both women dropped to their knees moving in unison to clutch at their now splitting heads. “Doc”: oO That worthless Betazoid. Oo “Alix”: oO What Betazoid?Oo “Doc”: oO I suppose it’s not surprising you can hear my thoughts. Karen, the Betazoid with the boarding party. She’s doing this. Oo “Alix”: oO So how do we get out of this? Oo “Doc”: oO Well I can’t shoot her. Maybe someone else will.Oo “Alix”: oO We can’t just wait for the problem to go away. I’m an officer. I’m a doctor. I have a duty to my team. They need me.Oo Racking her brain, Alix did her best to focus on the before. What had she been doing before? The answer to their problem lingered right outside her mind’s grasp. “Alix”: oO medical..... kit..... Oo “Doc”: oOYes, that’s right. You’re a doctor. We’re a doctor. Get us out of this mess. Oo “Alix”: oOHow. We’re trapped here. This is our worst nightmare. Oo “Doc”: oOYou’ve got to fight. Fight to get out of this. Fight to help your people.Oo “Alix”: oOI can’t. It’s too much. I can’t.Oo The will to fight, to push through this, was escaping Alix. She wasn’t tough. She wasn’t a fighter. She was a doctor, a scientist, who’d strayed too far from her lab for the last time. This is where she was going to end; lost in space, lost in her mind, arguing with herself. From in front of her she felt a cool hand grab hold of hers, then slender calloused fingers wrapped around her other soft hand. “Doc”: oO Fight, Alix. Fight for them. Fight to get home. Oo Doc visualized pressing her will into the other woman as they knelt facing each other, her hands which had seen hard work entangled with her counterparts' smoother palms. Mentally she pushed the other woman, trying to think her into a clearer space, trying to take all of the pain into her own mind and allow Alix a reprieve and hopefully an opportunity to break free. She felt her connection to the other woman’s mind weakening and prayed it was a good sign. Slowly, like a gentle sunrise, Alix felt the cacophony lifting from her mind. She fought. She grasped for reality reaching with her mind for the Eagle and where she knew she was meant to be. Kendrick. Kettick. Zevash. The Eagle. Her team needed her. She has a duty. With a final push she felt her hands slide into her medkit and she scrambled to grab a Lexorin hypospray. When he fingers wrapped around it she stuck it to her neck and injected the neurotransmitter inhibitor without hesitation. Almost immediately the terrifying pull at her mind fell away and she could think clearly. Out of nowhere, Doc’s mind raced back in on itself. She blinked, looking up at the half Bajoran who was now pressed against her, pinning her to the ground like dead weight. She shoved Owa off of her and he rolled, lifeless, to the ground, blood seeping from his back. Alix looked around her at evidence of an explosion, injuries, a half blasted door that had apparently shielded her from the worst of it, and Kettick… Doctor Harford immediately got to work. Kendrick/ Kettick / Zevash/ Peri/ Stendhal: Response TAG/TBC ---------- ● ---------- Alix "Doc" Harford Slave serving as Doctor & Comms BDS Kai Ircash, Shai Bel Defense Forces Bajoran Hegenomy AND Ensign Alix Harford Medical Officer Denali Station D240104AH2

Very honest and very realistic!

Welcome! we're glad to have you!

Kettick is my favouretest Remmilian in the whole universe! ((Maintenance Crawlspace, Deck 9B3/4, USS Eagle)) The Remmilian did not say a word as he locked his console, pulled out his sidearm, and started to open the power cell compartment. Kettick: Plasma, shrapnel or concussion? I don't have the materials for gas, smoke or incendiary on me. The combat engineer harnesses are only available in the Armory, alas. Kendrick: The Armory is one deck up. ::checks his phaser:: Which means we have to get creative. Quite. And that was precisely the unofficial motto of the Corps of Engineers: Find a way, or make one. Zevash: Response Doctor Harford was watching him as if he had suddenly grown a smock and a top-hat and started tap-dancing. Harford: Lt. Commander Kettick, as the umm... officer responsible for keeping you all alive, I'd prefer shrapnel be our last resort option, of the three. ::addressing both superior officers:: If it's all the same to you, Sirs. The Remmilian nodded. Preference duly noted. But while Kettick agreed with Starfleet values when they professed violence was seldom the answer, he also believed that in the rare case when it was, it was best to answer very thoroughly. Zevash: Response Kettick looked up towards the S&T officer. Kettick: I have a Security qualification, but I do not fancy our chances against two commandos. On the other hand, I believe an improvised explosive in a corridor, such as an overloading phaser cell, to be a very efficient means of pursuit determent, especially if we can use a blast door or forcefield to direct the shockwave towards the pursuers. Kendrick: I like your thinking, Kettick. Zevash: Response As the Remmilian walked towards the nearest hatch door that separated them from the possible hostiles and started preparing their trap, several things happened at once. There was a soft thud behind him, some concerned words by Kendrick... but all of this was drowned by the onslaught of images and sensations that assailed his senses. While some of the creatures were rather cute, the barrage overwhelmed him. His brain was filled with static, incapable of processing anything else. At least, one of his brains was. The rest of his network of neural ganglia, distributed across his organism and completely devoid of any interest about sensory information, kept churning, and executing previous orders. Without any sensory feedback, there was a bit more fumbling involved than a Kettick at nominal capacity might want to be caught dead commiting, but the work was done, and the Remmilian's body took a lurching step backwards, then reached the end of the list of tasks assigned by the central brain and just... stood there, looking like he did not have a care in the world, face impassible as ever and posture uncharacteristically slack. Slack enough that his fingers released the spehere of duct tape, that bounced quietly and happily forward down the corridor, adding the smidgen of kinetic energy the reaction inside needed for the very unstable power cell at its core to go fully critical. The Engineer could only hope that whatever had short-circuited his senses had also affected his sympathic system. Because in a few seconds, when the blast wave from the makeshift plasma grenade would meet a backstop that, instead of a forcefield, consisted in a Remmilian standing in the middle of the corridor and hoping to shield the rest of his team from the wave that would scour the hallway in both directions? That was going to smart like the grand-Queen of all Tuesdays. TBC -- Lieutenant-Commander Kettick Chief of Engineering Denali Station G239107LR0 Your Engineering department kindly reminds you that you are supposed to read the flakking manual.

@Serala My only disappointment is that you didn't use, "Never give up! Never surrender!"

I love how he sets the tone here.