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[ROUND 12] Lt (jg) Alleran Tan - Doors, Fear, Faith, Family and Courag


Arielle Teagan

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((DISCLAIMER: Sim is slightly edited to to remove unanswered tags and resultant formatting issues.

Sim has contributions by Commander Karynn Brice and Belleau Dioron (played by Fleet Captain Sidney Riley). ))

(( Earlier, outside the Conference Room... 8:32am ))

Tan: I have... not much experience with kids, so just jump right in if I mess anything up.

::The Haliian turned and smiled compassionately at the man as the doors to the turbolift closed. A few taps on the panel and soon the turbolift hummed to life.::

K. Brice: Actually, I was planning on being the one to break the news, if you don't mind. It's... ::she paused:: ...my duty to tell her. But I was hoping your presence might soften the blow.

:: Alleran nodded firmly, quite happy with that arrangement. ::

Tan: This sounds like a good plan. She should be up by now, but... with her parents away, I'm guessing that she probably stayed up really late and ate icecream for dinner. At least, that's what Marlee used to do when her parents were out...

:: Tan gave a wry smile. Again, as was common when he discussed his previous hosts, there was a subtle perspective shift to the third person. ::

Tan: Alleran was good kid. He never did anything bad... or fun. I honestly think that he probably needed to break the rules far more than he did. It's not good for kids development to be so... constrained, so reluctant to step outside their parents boundaries. You don't learn by constantly following the rules- you have to find out, back when you're young and your mistakes don't matter so much, just *why* we have the rules in the first place.

:: He smiled. ::

Tan: You can't really respect something you don't understand. I believe kids need to climb trees, if only to learn how much it hurts to fall out of them. It's a lesson that Alleran really only learned after he was joined. He learned a lot, really, at that point and... in a way I doubt you'd recognize him otherwise.

:: Tan's smile grew. The turbolift hummed along as it moved. ::

Tan: Joining is... it's a lot like getting married, in a way. ::a wink:: You change your last name, and for some purposes you count as one single legal entity... and you pick up a lot of each others habits. You even begin to talk like each other, think like each other, finish each others sentences... you're *bonded*, emotionally and chemically. Sometimes your "parts" disagree with each other, they fight even, or sometimes it's just one person leading the way with the other following... but at the end of the day it's a *team*. You work together, each learning and adapting, growing stronger.

(( Later, Turbolift near Deck 5, Section C-3, USS Independence-A, after finding Belleau... 08:36ish))

:: A monster aboard the ship. Belleau's nightmare was a real thing. ::

:: Alleran, carrying Belleau, tore into the turbolift. The First Officer had called security... this was good. They, while reasonably capable in a fight, had no weapons and that thing... whatever it was... would need security to take it down. He could hear Karynn's footsteps behind them stop as the Haliian whirled around. ::

K. Brice: Computer - erect forcefield around intruder.

:: That should stop it. But, judging by Belleau's scream... no joy. The Haliian joined them in the turbolift. ::

K. Brice: Bridge.

:: Alleran's relief as the doors closed was palpable. He held Belleau tightly, glancing between them. ::

K. Brice: Are you ok?

:: Belleau was crying...sniffling between her words. Tan held her close, trying to comfort her. ::

Tan: I'm fine... we're both fine.

Dioron: It tried to get me...It...It tried to get me...

K. Brice: It's going to be ok, I promise.

Dioron: But...But...it is still coming...

:: Alleran did not like that one bit. He'd underestimated Belleau's perception once, but not again. ::

Tan: We'll take you to the bridge. It's heavily shielded, you'll be safe there.

::The doors to the lift opened without ceremony and they were deposited onto the bridge..::

K. Brice: Take her into the Ready Room. ::to Belleau:: You'll be safe in there - and I'll be in in a minute.

::The child looked to Tan.::

Dioron: But...but...

:: He sympathized, but the bridge proper was no place for children, and the Ready Room was as good as any. Holding her tightly, the Trill nodded in the affirmative. ::

Tan: I'll come with you, Belleau. I won't leave you alone.

:: They arrived at the bridge, stepping into the room. ::

K. Brice: ::to Bridge staff:: Report!

:: Belleau glanced towards the First Officer and tilted her head. Alleran set her down, letting her walk on her own, but he did hold her hand. She spoke rather loudly as they walked through the doors to the Ready room. ::

Dioron: Where's my mom?

:: Ahh, Belleau. She was keen and observant, that much was for certain. Alleran was under instructions to have Karynn tell her- that was her duty- and he wanted to avoid traumatizing the girl. ::

Tan: It's... complicated. Mister Brice- that is, our brave First Officer- will explain when she's done with her bridge-type stuff.

:: The doors closed and Belleau looked back at them as the clamped shut with a click. ::

Dioron: It's going to come after us... ::She looked around nervously.::

:: Alleran wished he could say it wouldn't. But the thing had jumped right through a forcefield. ::

Tan: I'll make sure it won't get you.

:: That was a promise. ::

Dioron: Are you sure? My room wasn't safe and it's no different than here...

:: He nodded, trying to be reassuring. He did have an idea... fortunately, the ready room had a replicator. He approached it. Perhaps it was all the running, but he felt... suddenly quite weak. Half way there he stopped, coughed loudly, and produced another smudge of pink phlem. Frowning darkly, he wiped it off on his sleeve, then nodded to the replicator. ::

Tan: Look, I'll show you. Computer... Type I phaser. Security clearance, Tan nine nine zero one X-ray.

:: The little keychain-like device appeared in a small shower of sparks. Alleran picked it up, holding it in his right hand. As he did so, Belleau looked around the room, then she looked up at Tan her eyes wide. ::

Dioron: She works on the bridge...she's not there? Why is mom not there?

:: With a glance to the closed door, Alleran was determined to wait, but he couldn't say nothing. Belleau had survived on her wits alone in Starbase 118... she was perceptive. She could see when something wasn't right. ::

Tan: We will get to that, I promise. Right now, though, I think you and I both know that we- you and I, the crew, the ship, are now in danger.

:: Dioron took a sharp breath. Alleran crouched down and reached out, gently touching her shoulder. His voice was quiet but strong, carrying a certainty he was not sure he, himself, felt. ::

Tan: I know it's hard for you, now, and things are strange and confusing... but you take after Sidney in so many ways. You're tough, you're brave, and you're strong. Things will all become clear in time, but right now...

:: He clutched the phaser tightly with his other hand, giving a swift glance around the room. ::

Tan: ... I think your mother would want you to focus on the task at hand, which is currently, to keep an eye out for anything that can get into this room.

:: Another cough. Tan covered his mouth to avoid getting it on Belleau. ::

Tan: oO I thought I was getting over this... and there aren't any bugs up here. Maybe a latent reaction... Oo

Dioron: ::Mumbling.:: Brave...

:: Tan tried something. He took his hand off her shoulder, unclipping his combadge and showing it to her. ::

Tan: You know what this is, right?

::For a moment the pre-teen looked at him like he was crazy.::

Dioron: Of course! It's a comm-badge...everyone has one... ::She shrugged.::

:: He nodded. Another glance around the room, then back to the Terran/Bajoran. ::

Tan: It's more than just a communications device, though. It's a *symbol*... more than just the gold and microfilament. It's something we look to, when times are tough. A symbol of our unity... a common bond linking our friends, our family... and through that unity, we gain courage.

::Belleau looked at Alleran with no emotion as he continued talking...::

Tan: These are dangerous times, for all of us. I may not know what's going on, but I know this. There's a whole Starship full of people out there- ::he pointed to the door with the badge:: -who are working together to find out. But for you and I, right now? Our primary mission...

:: He smiled, gently placing the badge on her chest. ::

Tan: ... little crewman... is to make sure we keep ourselves safe, don't panic, and have faith that everything that can be done is being done.

:: Tears began to stream down the Terran/Bajoran's face uncontrollably. The Trill gave a playful smile, despite it all, leaning in towards the Terran/Bajoran conspiratorially. ::

Tan: The good Commander Brice may have occasional trouble opening doors, or so I've been told, but she's a *brilliant* officer. I trust her explicitly. She saw that thing first hand. She's working on it right now, I bet, and I... we won't let any of them get to you.

::Belleau turned suddenly facing Alleran, the tears clouded her eyes. Tan closed his eyes a moment, nodding, then opened them. ::

Tan: No matter what, Belleau, you will never be alone... okay? Even if nobody's with you physically, your mother and I always have you in our thoughts. No matter what happens to us... no matter *what*... nobody can change that. They can take our things, our commissions, our lives... ::a warm smile:: ... but never our love. Never that.

:: He gently patted her shoulder again. The doors to the Ready Room opened. Glancing up (and putting his arm, protectively, before Belleau) he kept the phaser pointed towards the deck, but if he needed to raise it, he could. ::

:: Fortunately, this was not the case. He visibly relaxed. ::

Tan: Everything a'right out there, Commander?

::The Haliian looked from the Trill to the young girl. The proper answer was no. They had an intruder on the ship and at least two ships that got closer than they should have before they were aware of them. And the Captain was missing - so it was left on Karynn's shoulders to fix it all and find her. No... everything was not ok. But she couldn't very well say that - not to the little girl whose mother was missing and not to an officer who looked up to her. She set a determined look across her features, speaking evenly.::

K. Brice: It will be.

:: Alleran gave the Haliian his best smile. ::

Tan: We're both being very brave in here, sir.

:: Technically, Karynn might deserve to be called 'Captain' at this point, but he fervently tried to avoid that. Belleau would pick up on it, he was certain, and the implication would not be lost on her. ::

::For someone reason there was a strangeness in the air...something hung there unsaid... Dioron turned abruptly and screamed at the Joined Trill.::

Dioron: I AM ALWAYS BRAVE!

(( OOC: The sim leads into Dioron's sim "It's Happening Again..." at http://groups.yahoo....e/message/19739, Karynn's sim at "From Bad to Worse" at http://groups.yahoo....e/message/19750, and Tan's sim "Heartbroken" at http://groups.yahoo....e/message/19771. ))

Tag! TBC...

-----

Lt (jg) Alleran Tan

CAG

USS Independence-A

Edited by Arielle
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