Sal Taybrim

Yes. Yes it is.

For me this was a no-brainer. I love, love, LOVE that moment in Wrath of Khan in the nebula where Khan is sitting on a damaged bridge, fingers steepled, looking for the Enterprise and all of a sudden it cuts to the exterior; the music swells and the Enterprise rises up behind the Reliant. It gets me cheering every. single. time. It's one of my most favorite moments in all of Trek. <3

Congratulations to both of you! We're so happy you're here!

(( Computer Core; F.M.S. Krayvet )) ::Kaitlyn refocused her thoughts, plastered an image into her mind; the Orion woman who Kaitlyn now desperately wanted to kill.:: ::The fires relit, Kaitlyn’s energy coming back as well as it could. She shouldered her rifle, pulled herself up enough to get aimed downrange, and pulled the trigger.:: ::The woman was advancing, deftly dodging Kaitlyn’s disruptor fire as she threw her own rifle aside and drew a dagger. Kaitlyn reached back, yanking the shard from her leg with a hiss and tossing it aside. She could not move at max speed, but she needed to be able to move at all.:: ::Khante approached with a feral grin, dagger clutched tightly in her hand. Kaitlyn pushed away from her cover, away from the continued weapons fire from Khante’s guards, to where she could regain her footing. She grabbed a chunk of debris; essentially a broken piece of bulkhead about two-thirds of a meter long.:: ::She really wished she had kept that pipe…:: ::The guards continued their fight with the rest of the team, though the rest of the room faded out of Kaitlyn’s perception. Her eyes locked on Khante, and the two horrific days she had spent while Khante had her fun came back in a flood.:: ::James talked about the times he had seen RED, when a situation had driven him so far into anger that all he could see was his target and all he could feel was the intense desire to beat them to a pulp.:: ::Kaitlyn had been plenty angry before, but this time… she saw RED.:: ::Khante advanced on Kaitlyn.:: Khante: Time for you to die, pretty face... ::The Orion woman reached out, faster than Kaitlyn was able to dodge, grabbing hold and pulling Kaitlyn closer. Her knife flashed in the dim light, Kaitlyn able to get her scrap metal in the way just in time to deflect it.:: ::Kaitlyn finally got a closer look at Khante, seeing signs that the Orion woman had already been in a fight that day. She had taken a hit to her face, too; Kaitlyn could use that.:: Falcon: Not before I add to that new bruise of yours. ::Kaitlyn grabbed the scrap in a two-handed grip, advancing to swing at Khante. Khante was ready for it, knocking Kaitlyn’s weapon upward and slamming her elbow into Kaitlyn’s jaw. Before Kaitlyn could recover, she drove that same elbow into the crook of her neck, which exploded in pain. Thankfully, she managed to keep hold of her scrap.:: ::Khante spun Kaitlyn around, keeping her on the side closest to the rest of the team.:: Khante: I thought I said STAY DOWN, little flea! ::With one hand, Kaitlyn held the dagger at bay as best as she could. She managed to fight her other hand free, swinging it around to punch over her shoulder, into Khante’s face. Kaitlyn immediately reversed, bringing her elbow back under to strike into Khante’s midsection. The grip on her shoulders loosened, and Kaitlyn was able to slip free.:: ::Now, Kaitlyn’s smile was the one to turn predatory.:: Falcon: What’s the matter, little greenskin? Too quick for you? ::Khante bared her teeth, hissing as she stabbed her dagger toward Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn managed to dodge back, ignoring the burning pain from her thigh and reveling in Khante’s frustrated scream. Khante shoved Kaitlyn toward the bulkhead, Kaitlyn allowing the move to succeed.:: ::Kaitlyn’s injured leg was having a tough time keeping up. She needed support to be able to move quickly, to strike at her hardest. The bulkhead would do.:: ::She hit the bulkhead with a thud, turning around in time to see Khante charging with her dagger. Kaitlyn spun aside, remaining along the bulkhead, as the ship shook violently beneath them. It knocked Khante off balance, forcing her to run into the bulkhead. Bracing with one arm, Kaitlyn brought her other elbow around to strike Khante in the back of her head, slamming her face into the wall.:: ::Second confirmed nose kill. Three more and she would be a nose breaking ace.:: ::The air was definitely getting a little thin. Kaitlyn could notice it, but it seemed to be affecting Khante a bit worse. Kaitlyn had to strike now and strike hard, before she, too, started succumbing to the effects.:: ::Khante lashed out with her dagger once more, her swing clumsy. Kaitlyn dodged back, swinging her on scrap upward with all the strength she could muster, making a lucky connection with Khante’s arm.:: ::Her hand went limp, dropping the dagger.:: ::What happened next felt like slow motion. Kaitlyn dropped the scrap, reaching out to grab the dagger before Khante could recover it. The deck shook again, though Kaitlyn’s lean against the bulkhead kept her from staggering. Kaitlyn pressed in, using her elbow to hammer Khante’s skull into the bulkhead once again.:: ::Khante was disarmed. Disoriented. A good Starfleet officer would have incapacitated Khante, taken her in to answer for her crimes.:: ::In that moment, that was NOT Kaitlyn.:: ::Kaitlyn swung the dagger around, hard, slamming past Khante’s defenses and driving it straight into the side of the Orion woman’s green neck. Kaitlyn pulled it out roughly, driving it in again as she yelled.:: ::Khante collapsed, but Kaitlyn did not stop. Kaitlyn fell with her, landing beside Khante’s face-down prone form, and continued to drive the dagger into the woman’s back.:: ::All the while, Kaitlyn yelled. All the anger, all the pain, all the frustration caused by being on that ship mixed with whatever remained from seven years before came out in a flood of rage.:: ::Finally, with one final resounding shout, Kaitlyn plunged the dagger as deeply into Khante’s back as she could… and then fell back into a kneeling position beside her, staring.:: ::The battle behind her finally ended, doors reopening on oxygen flooding back into the room. Sounds, voices, came from behind her, but Kaitlyn paid them no heed.:: ::Eventually, someone approached to tap gently on Kaitlyn’s shoulder. The woman turned to look, her face neutral. The usual smirk, the standard levity and snark… None of it was there. There were no tears, but her eyes were moist.:: Any: ? ::Kaitlyn gave a slow nod.:: Falcon: ::Neutral tone.:: Let’s get out of here. Any: ? (( Flashback – Seven Years Ago; Abandoned Factory; Oliph VII )) ::Kaitlyn opened fire with both weapons, lighting up her attackers in a hail of phase pistol blasts. What the pistols lacked in raw power they made up for with a blistering fast fire rate. As the last of the group was impacted and started to be pushed backward, Kaitlyn sprung to her feet and started to charge ahead. The Orion fell in front of the door, holding it open.:: ::The area beyond was more heavy industry. Piles of debris, stacks of piping and materials, and pieces of defunct equipment littered the grounds. Kaitlyn dove out of the doorway, rolling into cover behind some of the equipment. The klaxon was much louder now, and weapons fire started to strike the edges of her cover. She set down one pistol long enough to grab her emergency signaler, switching it on. If Nova was anywhere in earshot, she would come running. Taking up her pistol again, she popped out long enough to see her next destination.:: ::She had no real idea of the layout of this building/complex/thing. Light streamed in through a gap in the ceiling, and the far side of the large room had a doorway leading to what she believed to be outside.:: ::The best cover took her past each one.:: ::Waiting for a break in the first, Kaitlyn launched herself out from the piece of equipment. She unleashed a flurry of shots from her twin pistols, trying to suppress any return fire until she could roll behind the next pile of debris. Shots passed her on all sides, or struck the ground nearby, but somehow she managed to avoid getting hit. A risky second attempt got her even closer to her objective.:: ::That was when her signaler started pinging. Nova was close! Her ‘youngest kid’ good luck seemed to be with her that day. Looking up, she saw she was close enough to the opening for the next part of her cunning strategy.:: ::She reached to her belt, pulling out a primitive flare gun. She pulled back its hammer, aiming for the gap and firing. The bright white flare flashed upward, giving the dual benefits of signaling Nova her exact location and temporarily blinding anyone who had been looking too closely at her. In the confusion, Kaitlyn managed to sprint to the doorway.:: ::Overheard, Kaitlyn could hear the scream of Nova’s impulse drive as the Raven-class turned tramp freighter swooped in between the buildings. She saw her phase cannons swing out and snap into position, all glowing a bright red. Kaitlyn ducked behind cover, smiling at Nova’s dramatic entrance.:: Falcon: Light ‘em up, guys. ::As if in response, Nova began to fire with all her cannons; or at least any which could be brought to bear. They blasted through gun emplacements, punched through forcefields and bulkheads, and evaporated anyone foolish enough to stand still. The paltry return fire bounced harmlessly off Nova’s shields.:: ::For a moment, no eyes were on Kaitlyn.:: ::Nova seemed particularly fixated on one building, a signal to Kaitlyn that they wanted her to go that way. Best guess; unable to beam her out. Get to a roof. Ducking into the rough corridor made by Nova’s cannon fire, Kaitlyn sprinted across the dirt ground separating the buildings and kicked her way inside.:: ::It was a mad dash to get to the roof. She blasted holes in any remaining defenders, shot the chains off locked doors, and paused as Nova raked a floor with cannon fire to clear her path. There was no time for analysis, for consideration, barely even for thought. Kaitlyn was on pure automatic, with survival as her only goal.:: ::One final door finally admitted her onto the roof. It was still strongly defended, forcing Kaitlyn to remain ducked behind the stairs. She attempted to return fire, but the defenders were too well entrenched. She could not make any more headway.:: ::Nova had raised her altitude, turning to bring her cargo ramp toward the building. The ramp started to lower, a familiar form walking down.:: ::It was James. On his back was a portable power generator. In his hands was a man-portable phase cannon. Protected by Nova’s shield bubble, he strode down the ramp, yanked the cannon’s charging lever, and took aim at the remaining defenders.:: ::His shots punched through their emplacements, and served as a hell of a distraction. Kaitlyn was back on her feet in an instant, her pistols comparatively wimpy looking but managing to drop the few who looked her way.:: ::She passed through the shield bubble at a dead sprint, weapon blasts being stopped behind her. Now fully spent, Kaitlyn’s legs finally failed as she got halfway up the ramp, James holding his fire to grab Kaitlyn’s arm and keep her from falling.:: ::The grab, while reasonable, BURNED.:: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Lt Commander Kaitlyn Falcon Chief Helm Officer Starbase 118 / U.S.S. Albion F237507RF0 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Writing that makes the tension so palpable you can nearly reach out and touch it... I love reading these posts!

I'm another Bones vote. I also like Simon Pegg's Scotty; but Urban's bones just oozes DeForest Kelley. The fact that Beyond had a LOT more Bones/Spock and a lot less Uhura/Spock (and a lot more Uhura getting to do cool things by herself without random Khan interruptions) was 110% to its credit.

Ouch... >.< Yillara's face is not-so-pretty anymore...

Things not to ask your ExO when getting a promotion: "Sir, do you have a concussion?"

I was totally gonna start quoting that sim, too - and then figured since it was cool enough to quote large chunks that it would be better off if I quoted the whole thing as a top sim

(( F.M.S. Krayvat - Corridor )) ::Mr. Whittaker had clearly stated they were leaving Ms. Trel'lis behind, despite all of their protests. She badly wished to protest further, but she came to the realization that this was another thing that she, as a civillian, just wouldn't understand. And this Starfleet Commander was clearly more prepared to handle situations such as this, and besides a minor run in with an electrical current, she'd been kept out of harm..:: Shadonna: We're coming back for her...right? We're not just going to leave her here forever?...::She glanced around.:: Wait...::In her panic, her voice rose:: WHERE IS DUCHESS?! ::In the chaos, she had somehow lost hold of her beloved pet, but where could she be? She was never far from her at any given time. She wasn't a fan of walking like a common pet...oO Oh why didn't I place her in her carrier?? Oo she began to frantically search around her feet, becoming more distraught at each passing moment.:: Hobbs: Lady Shadonna. ::beat:: We have to go. Duchess will try to follow us. ::In full panic mode, she had momentarily forgotten their rather precarious situation, and any previous hopes of a stealthy retreat were certainly dashed.:: Shadonna: ::panicked:: Hobbs! We can't leave her! She's so tiny, and innocent, and delicate! ::fretting:: Oh my...my little baby..::near tears:: Hobbs: Lady Shadonna, look at these people around you. ::He waited a moment before continuing.:: These officers are risking their lives to keep us safe. We can’t go back for Duchess. ::He adopted a look of deep sympathy. It was no mystery how much she cared for her tiny pet.:: We have to go. Falcon: Assuming it’s not already too- Puhn-Lon: You little! ::The grunt of pain and exclamation from the guard brought Shadonna crash landing back into the present. If that wasn't enough, the squealy, airborne form of her beloved little pet sailing towards Ensign Taelon's face with a surprisingly high velocity was sure to to have done it. Letting out a little shriek in a mixture of relief and alarm, Shadonna watched as both Taelon and Duchess struggled to gain control of the "out of control" situation. With her arms outstretched impatiently for her precious pet, she was suddenly shoved to the ground as a barrage of blaster fire erupted around them. Terrified for her life, she covered her head with her arms protectively, but did manage to see a little pink tuft scampering angrily down the corridor away from the eminent danger.:: Falcon: Down! Shadonna: oO Oh Duchess be careful!! I'll find you my little one! Oo ::Cowering on the floor, she began to shake as the lights suddenly cut out and the sound of heavy boots hitting the deck-plates came closer. Surely they were done for now...no way they were going to get out of this...:: Puhn-Lonb: Mir, Huun- back me up! Whittaker: ::Whittaker’s voice strained from the agony.:: Help! Zinna: ::softly:: Commander! ::Instinctively, her eyes sought out the cry for help. There was a time...although it seemed eons ago, that she would have dove in front of the severely injured Commander, offering herself as additional protection...but now? She was so terrified she could barely move, despite the heavy form of who she assumed was Hobbs, shielding her. She felt helpless, and selfish, and she hated herself for it. Not a single fiber of her being would allow her to move and offer assistance. When had she allowed this to happen...? Had she really lost every shred of who she used to be, to become who she was now? oO What a time for an epiphany...Manu protect him...Oo Puhn-Lon: You will not escape! You should have surrendered! ::Tears filled her eyes and began to spill over. They should have surrendered, surrendered and begged for mercy. What had fighting back gotten them? Their current death sentence about to brought down upon them. She head the unmistakable crack of metal against bone and prayed for the Gods to comfort and make all of their deaths quick...:: Falcon: No! YOU should have surrendered. ::Shadonna's eyes shot up, she knew that voice, and it was one of theirs. And it was [...]ed! She watched in unabashed awe as Commander Falcon delivered a swift and brutal hit, taking out a guard with brutal efficiency. oO I so want to be just like her when I grow up...Oo They weren't quite out of danger yet, taking out the one had just angered the others, and made the fiery haired killing machine a nice, pretty target. Phaser blasts once again started in a series of angry blasts. Luckily, a few of the other crew had managed to get their hands on a few weapons of their own, and were returning in kind. Things seemed to be pretty evenly matched. Well...mostly...:: Whittaker: Please tell me you know how to fire that thing?! Taelon: I - ::Shadonna watched as a blast ricochet off the bulkhead above them before landing...somewhere.:: Taelon: N-n-not really, sir. Zinna: ::still on the floor:: oO Then put it down before you hurt one of us! Oo Whittaker: ::He called out into the gloom:: Trel'lis? Where are you?! Trel'lis: ::Her voice was a whisper:: Over here, about a half-meter from your location. I did a tuck-and-roll, when they opened fire. Whittaker: Good to know you're still with us! :: beat, attempting to boost morale :: And everyone else? Taelon: Alive. ::He paused.:: I think. Zinna: ::finally getting up from the deck:: I'm fine commander... ::Still prostrate on the floor, she gave a little multi-digit finger wave:: Shadonna: ::slightly muffled:: I'm ok too...::whispering directly to Hobbs:: I think you can get off me now... Hobbs: Response? Whittaker: We may yet get out of this yet! Trel’lis: Let’s not breathe too easy yet. ::beat:: I can guarantee you there will be *more* guards, drawn by the weapons fire. Zinna: ::sarcastically:: Terrific... Taelon: Oh. Good. ::The fire seemed to have stopped. Had they managed to shoot everyone? That couldn’t be all of them…:: Trel’lis: Let’s get outta here, before anyone *else* shows up! Zinna: ::Walking away from the group to take a breath:: oO You can say that again... Oo ::Hopping up, she unconsciously held her non burned hand out for Hobbs, not even realizing she was offering him assistance. Once he was up, she brushed herself off and looked warily down the hazy corridor.:: Shadonna: Great plan...I have no desire to be the welcome entertainment for the reinforcements... Trel’lis: I’m just glad my little ‘ploy’ worked and allowed for a countermeasure. Taelon: ::He managed a smile, however brief.:: I’m just glad you’re alright, honestly. Um - to the core, then? ::The Core? What was that again? She knew of a club she used to play at when she first started, but she highly doubted they were heading towards a disco...:: Zinna: ::nodding:: Ready... Shadonna: ::glancing around:: Wait where is- ::She felt a hand slap over her mouth. Right. Not this again. Giving an apologetic look towards Hobbs, she gave a swift nod in understanding and decided Duchess seemed to handle her little targ self well enough...:: Taelon: Oh - ::Taelon looked from Whittaker to Falcon, and abruptly shoved the gun he was holding towards Falcon, offering it with a note of desperation.:: You should probably take this, sir. Before I shoot someone. Again... ::Her eyes widened, oO That blast was him ?? Oo, she slid a little farther away just to be on the safe side...:: Taelon: Sir, with all due respect, you kind of look like you lost a fight with a Gorn. ::He paused, and muttered.:: S-sorry, it’s a regional phrase - but - it might be best if I carry you? Having the others drag you might make things worse? ::Sobering, Shadonna got a better look at the broken looking Mr. Whittaker. Shame washed through her, hadn't she just been cowering on the floor, and here he was...obviously torn to shreds, but not yet giving up...:: Zinna: I may not be a medical officer anymore, sir, but as the only one with current medical experience, I second Taelon's suggestion. You've been terribly injured, multiple times. The last thing we need is a supervising officer who can't lead us. Whittaker: :: holding out a hand :: Thankyou Ensign. ::Standing back, she winced right along with everyone when the battered officer let out a groan of pain. This man needed a physician, immediately. She'd buy him 10 as soon as they got out of here...:: Whittaker: Ensign, it occurs to me how much help you have been today. You've helped keep us all safe where you can and you've managed to do your duty despite being injured. :: beat :: I am hereby giving you a field promotion to Lieutenant, junior grade until we get escape this mess. Taelon: Response? Whittaker: Now, you mentioned a computer core? Taelon: Response? Whittaker: :: nodding :: Agreed. :: beat :: Lead on. :: looking to Trel'lis :: Lieutenant, grab one of the Orion's disruptors and bring up the rear. Shadonna: ::bouncing happily on the balls of her feet:: Oooh promotions!! I love promotions! Whittaker: Find the targ and then take point. with Taelon. :: turning to Zinna :: Counselor, can I borrow you a moment? Zinna: Response? ::While Commander Whittaker had a private word with Zinna, Shadonna clapped merrily, doing happy little dance and making her way to Taelon. Grasping his newly promoted officer's face in both her hands, she laid a big kiss right against his lips. Pulling back she beamed happily.:: Shadonna: Congratulations Lieutenant JG Taelon! You have been ever so brave...::batting her lashes:: Falcon/Zinna/Taelon/Whittaker/Hobbs: Response? ::Hearing the throat clearing, Shadonna casually released the captured Taelon and caught the look Hobbs was giving her.:: Shadonna: ::looking confused, whispering directly to Hobbs:: What..? Whittaker: Is everybody ready to go? Shadonna: ::turning her attention back to Theo, raising her hand slightly:: I'm ready! Whittaker: In that case: move out! ~*~ MSNPC Lady Shadonna Diva As simmed by... Lieutenant Mirra Ezo, MDChief Medical Officer Starbase 118 OpsC239205ME0

Also: yesssss!

I could see this as a title on the TV show:

8/10 - would watch while sober. It's campy, silly has a good heart and didn't make me want to throw things at the screen. It's not perfect; but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Guys, seriously, the scenes this mission have showcased some incredible writing. You guys rock. Keep it up! I just loved this bit - great character study from Zinna:

Does this mean we'll be having the crew party in sickbay after this mission?

fresh off the presses: <3

Oh, divas...

Awesome.

I'm not so sure Sal should know about this...

Dear Lady Shadonna, I love you...

The diva tells it like it is:

Congrats and welcome to the fleet! Great to have you both with us, and hope to see you around the Galaxy!

That sorta makes it a free-space, right?