USS Spectre Compile: May 1st - 31st 2019. By Alan Reading ======================================================================== Mission: Lifelines Day: 1 Stardate: 2418.04.05 (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 19:42) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – Barkeep, Mei-Ling Hikaru – 19:44) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 19:45) ======================================================================== Mission: Lifelines Day: 2 Stardate: 2418.04.06 (Shadow Flyer- Cockpit - CFO, LTJG Thibodeaux - 00:39) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 00:40) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - ACEO Ensign JG, Katrina Ishara LaBrea - 00:41) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - TAC/ASC, Ensign Garek Darpeg, ASC/TAC - 00:42) (USS Spectre – Ishrani’s quarters – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 00:42) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Counsellor Dani Lamora – 00:50) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Ensign JG Ishrani Quall, ACMO – 00:51) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Counsellor Dani Lamora – 00:54) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 00:56) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 00:58) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 01:00) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:02) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall - 01:04) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:06) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 01:08) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:10) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - CFO, Lt. JG Ryan Thibodeaux - 02:30) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 02:32) (Freighter - Bridge Access Corridor - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 02:35) (Freighter - Bridge Access Corridor - Engineer, Ensign LaBrea - 02:36) (Freighter - Bridge - Lt. JG Thibodeaux - 02:38) (Freighter - Bridge - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign R'uann - 02:40) (Freighter - Messhall - Ensign Garek Darpeg - 02:40) (Freighter - Bridge - Engineering, Ensign LaBrea - 02:41) (Freighter - Messhall - Marine, 1st LT Kenneth Smith - 02:42) (USS Spectre - FO's Office - FO, Cmdr Tom Jackson - 15:00) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:15) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 16:45) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:46) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Wiliams – 16:48) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:50) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 17:01) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 17:05) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 17:08) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 17:10) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – FO, Cmdr Tom Jackson – 17:12) ======================================================================== Mission: Lifelines Day: 1 Stardate: 2418.04.05 (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 19:42) When the USS Spectre first arrived at starbase 19 Ishrani was somewhat in awe by its size and complexity. She remembered seeing the ship through one of the windows, feeling a little nervous about being an officer on this ship. Even now, when the USS Spectre was on his way to a mining colony, Ishrani was still trying to adjust to the ship. After the academy, she had spent several months serving aboard starbase 19 awaiting her new assignment. Although she was excited to get back aboard a starship, it still felt a little awkward to be on a moving vessel. She knew it sounded ridiculous, but sometimes she could swear she felt the ship flying. Ishrani walked about the ship, trying to figure out where everything was. It was an odd habit of hers whenever she got a new assignment. She wanted to explore the place and the people onboard. And what better place is there to meet new people than the local pub or in this case Ten Forward Lounge. The Ten Forward Lounge was a pleasant room. There were several tables. Some of the tables were occupied with people spending their time here. At the far end of the room was a bar where several people were sitting. Behind the bar was a young Eurasian woman pouring drinks for several customers. “Good evening,” Ishrani said with a soft smile as she walked up to the bar. (Reply Hikaru) “I am Ishrani Quall,” she said. “I transferred here form starbase 19”. (Reply Hikaru) Ishrani smiled. What did she want to drink? “What do you recommend? I’m in the mood for something hot and spicy” Ishrani said. (Reply Hikaru) “That sounds nice”. Ishrani excepted her drink and left the bar. She looked around the room and eventually settled down in a chair in the room. Sipping her drink she looked around the room. She noticed two women, a young Bajoran, and an older human, talking pleasantly. Although she wasn’t eavesdropping she couldn’t help but overhear several phrases. She noticed how they were talking about sports and other subjects. Eventually, their conversation turned towards the opposite sex. Ishrani’s interest was immediately drawn. Although Ishrani was a happily single woman, she was not about to abandon the idea of a relationship. Ishrani noticed the Bajoran woman looking around presumably checking out the other people in the room. Ishrani couldn’t quite catch the next part of the conversation. [[Personal message for Ishrani Quall]] the computer announced. ~ That will be my brother ~ Ishrani thought. Every time Ishrani was assigned to a new post her brother contacted her to chat. Ishrani tapped her combadge. “I’ll take it in my quarters” She quickly drained the remaining part of her drink and left Ten Forward Lounge (Reply Hikaru, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – Barkeep, Mei-Ling Hikaru – 19:44) Mei-Ling took her seat behind the bar, enjoying a momentary break from the steady flow of customers she had had that evening. She exhaled slowly, watching the crew mixing in the alcoves and around the tables. Crew new and old, exchanging pleasantries, some seemingly playing mind games of sorts, such as the newly arrived Bajoran Medical Ensign who had a vibrancy about her the like she had not seen in a long while. Indeed her joyful frivolity appealed to Mei-Ling, along with that devil-may-care, cock-a-snoot attitude of hers. It was refreshing to say the least, and the Barkeep found herself wondering if it would rub at all with the stoic, no-nonsense outlook of the Captain. Perhaps not.... “Good evening,” said a sudden newcomer arriving at her bar. "Oh", said Mei-Ling. "Hello there. What will be your pleasure tonight, Ensign?" she added, waiting for the Woman's name. “I am Ishrani Quall,” said the Ensign, a Trill Woman with blonde hair and striking green eyes. “I transferred here form Starbase 19”. Mei-Ling nodded in acknowledgement and then rested her elbow upon the bar, planting her chin upon her upturned palm as she did so. "Yes, I did notice that we took on a lot of new crew at 19. A lot of new Medical personnel too I might add". (Reply Quall) Mei-Ling nodded again, interested in what the young Ensign had to say before reiterating her earlier query as to what she would like to drink. “What do you recommend? I’m in the mood for something hot and spicy” said Ishrani. The Barkeep pursed her lips at that, then she quirked her head a little and looked to the ceiling in thought. "Mmm, hot and spicy", she said, "but no doubt refreshing too I would guess", her mind wondering through the little book of notes that she kept in her head on recipes and such. She'd recently been adding to that list of course, one such beverage coming to mind that she had yet to try on any of her customers which seemed to fit the bill. "How adventurous are you feeling?" she asked. (Reply Quall) "Then perhaps you might like to partake in a little experiment?" she asked, "I recently procured a little known spice that grows in the hills of Vulcan, which mixes particularly well with smoked paprika. It's a new recipe that I'm working on. Perhaps you might like to be my first victim?", said Mei-Ling. “That sounds nice” said Quall, and Mei-Ling turned about eagerly and got to work, mixing up the ingredients mentioned into a turquoise blue liquid that somewhat resembled a Romulan Ale, but which clearly was not. Then she added the aforementioned hot and spicy elements and handed the result to the Ensign before taking her seat once again. (Reply Quall) "Hey, no worries. Be sure to let me know the verdict OK" said Mei-Ling. (Reply Quall) The barkeep smiled as the Ensign then left the bar to meander amongst those gathered, seemingly intent now on just socialising with her new crew-mates whilst taking the occasional sip of her drink... (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 19:45) “Yes, I did notice that we took on a lot of new crew at 19. A lot of Medical personnel too I might add” Mei-Ling Hikaru said. Her head was resting in the palms of her hands while she leaned on the counter. Ishrani smiled. Mei-Ling had a point there. Ishrani was hardly the only new recruit form starbase 19. Although she knew none of the other newcomers personally, she knew several of them were medical personnel. “Well, I guess, it is always good to have a lot of doctors onboard, doesn’t it,” Ishrani said with a smile. She guessed she could see a chuckle in Mei-Ling’s face. Somehow the bartender made Ishrani feel a little bit more at home. But Ishrani wasn’t here just for the lovely ambiance, she also wanted something to drink. “What do you recommend? I’m in the mood for something hot and spicy,” Ishrani said. “Mmm, hot and spicy, but no doubt refreshing too I would guess,” Mei-Ling said. Ishrani could see the woman thinking, it was as if the barkeeper was trying to figure out a perfect drink for her costumer. “How adventures are you feeling?” Mei-Ling asked after a few moments in contemplation. A little stunned by the question Ishrani smiled. “A good adventure never killed anyone,” Ishrani smiled “As long as there’s a happy end”. Mei-Ling seemed pleased. “Then perhaps you might like to partake in a little experiment? I recently procured a little known spice that grows in the hills of Vulcan, which mixes particularly well with smoked paprika. It’s a new recipe that I’m working on. Perhaps you might like to be my first victim?” Ishrani gave a soft chuckle. She always had a keen interest in the Vulcan way of life. She liked their costumes and traditions, and she had somewhat fond memories with the Vulcan cuisine. “That sounds nice”. Mei-Ling added something to a blue liquid en offered the result to Ishrani. There was a soft bluish smoke coming from the liquid. It sure looked like an experiment. “Well,” Ishrani said with a smile “If it goes wrong I guess we have enough doctors onboard to give me an antidote.” “Hey, no worries. Be sure to let me know the verdict Ok” Mei-Ling said. Ishrani took a sniff. It smelled vaguely like peppermint but muskier. She took a little sip. She felt the liquid in her mouth and throat. It tastes slightly bitter. Ishrani coughed because of the smoke she inhaled. Ishrani smiled and took another sip. “It kind of grows on you,” Ishrani smiled. She thanked Mei-Ling and took a seat among the other guests of Ten Forward. (Reply any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) ======================================================================== Mission: Lifelines Day: 2 Stardate: 2418.04.06 (Shadow Flyer- Cockpit - CFO, LTJG Thibodeaux - 00:39) "Do we know the extent of the damage the ship's taken?" "No, we know she is dead in the water and at minimal power. We'll probably need to reestablish some basic power to get the ship back on her way once we repell the borders." Ryan said as he replied to LaBrea. “Do we have any information about equipment or weapons of the pirates?” Ryan looked at the marine Lieutenant. "Information is minimal. We can safely assume that if it can't fit in an escape pod, they don't have it. But intel is limited." "How do you want to do this?" Replied Smith. Darpeg then spoke up. "There is a service airlock on the ventral side of the ship just forward of the impulse engines. Auxilliary life support is also next to that spot." "Ensign, while the airlock is a good idea, I was thinking something a bit more technical and fast striking. Considering that they brought the pirates in, rescuing them from escape pods, we can reasonably assume that shields are likely down. They would have needed to be down to bring the survivors from escape pods on board, and they would have had no reason to bring the shields back up. They were attacked from the inside, not the outside." (reply iyw) "When we arrive, we will do a sensor sweep of the ship to find their location. We will then place the Shadow Flyer in a holding pattern and beam over in three groups. Group 1 will consist of R'uann and LaBRea, with a mission of locating injured crew and getting internal security back online. Team 2 and 3 will be the four of us. Our job is surprise and subdue. It's easier, quicker, we can get the drop on them and they wont see it coming." (Reply iyw) "Though I am open to further suggestions, we've got at least another hour to go. So, folks, thoughts?" (Reply all away team) (reply all away team) (posted by WB) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 00:40) R'uann listened intently to the plans regarding the object of their mission, a ship that had apparently been boarded by pirates no less. And as the discussions grew, with Darpeg seemingly appearing to know a lot more about this vessel than he perhaps should, it became clear that even with what little intel they now had, it was still going to be a surprise nonetheless. "Do you know this ship, Garak?" asked R'uann, still curious as to how he knew the layout so well. (Reply Darpeg) R'uann leaned forwards, her kit stowed on her lap as Darpeg continued on. Then Thibodeaux continued on. "When we arrive, we will do a sensor sweep of the ship to find their location. We will then place the Shadow Flyer in a holding pattern and beam over in three groups. Group 1 will consist of R'uann and LaBRea, with a mission of locating injured crew and getting internal security back online. Team 2 and 3 will be the four of us. Our job is surprise and subdue. It's easier, quicker, we can get the drop on them and they wont see it coming. "Though I am open to further suggestions, we've got at least another hour to go. So, folks, thoughts?", said Thibodeaux. R'uann looked about to the others assembled there. No one seemed to have any more questions, so she put up her hand and voiced the obvious. "So, who's going to go over first?" she asked, glancing then to the two Marines and hoping that it was going to be them, considering that they were the best armed amongst them all. "I mean, I'm assuming that we'll be sending the big guns in beforehand?" she added. (Reply Any) (Reply Any) (Posted by Alan) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - ACEO Ensign JG, Katrina Ishara LaBrea - 00:41) "When we arrive, we will do a sensor sweep of the ship to find their location. We will then place the Shadow Flyer in a holding pattern and beam over in three groups. Group 1 will consist of R'uann and LaBRea, with a mission of locating injured crew and getting internal security back online. Team 2 and 3 will be the four of us. Our job is surprise and subdue. It's easier, quicker, we can get the drop on them and they wont see it coming. Though I am open to further suggestions," LaBrea looked to R'uann with an acknowledging nod and silently mouthed, 'I've got your back.' She instinctively reached to the phaser on her right hip, confirming its presence. She continued to listen to the briefing while bringing up the target ship schematics on her PADD. To override the security lockout, she'll need to access the isolinear storage array, and flash the optical chip. Seems pretty straightforward but that's what worried her. (Reply None) (Sent by Tony) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - TAC/ASC, Ensign Garek Darpeg, ASC/TAC - 00:42) "Do you know this ship, Garek?" asked R'uann, making it sound like an accusation. "Read the ship's transponder code, and then accessed the merchant marine database. It gave me the specifications for the ship, plus all upgrades it has been given." Darpeg began to listen to Thibodeaux as R'uann leaned forward to pay more attention to him. "When we arrive, we will do a sensor sweep of the ship to find their location. We will then place the Shadow Flyer in a holding pattern and beam over in three groups. Group 1 will consist of R'uann and LaBRea, with a mission of locating injured crew and getting internal security back online. Team 2 and 3 will be the four of us. Our job is surprise and subdue. It's easier, quicker, we can get the drop on them and they wont see it coming. "Though I am open to further suggestions, we've got at least another hour to go. So, folks, thoughts?", said Thibodeaux. R'uann looked about to the others assembled there. No one seemed to have any more questions, so she put up her hand and voiced the obvious. "So, who's going to go over first?" she asked, glancing then to the two Marines and hoping that it was going to be them, considering that they were the best armed amongst them all. "I mean, I'm assuming that we'll be sending the big guns in beforehand?" she added. Darpeg understood what R'uann was saying and said, "Starfleet is not lacking in the ability to defend or attack on a ship." (Reply Any) (Posted by Gary) (USS Spectre – Ishrani’s quarters – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 00:42) Ishrani sighed. She sat down on her couch looking at the picture of an Andorian wildflower. “Computer, time” [[Zero Hours Forty-two minutes]] came the female voice of the computer. ~ Five hours? Has it really been only five hours ~ It has been almost five hours since Ishrani received a communication from her brother. Although the communication itself wasn’t that unusual, it still made Ishrani feel a little bit unsettled. Ishrani walked to the replicator and ordered herself a cup of Tarkalean Tea, extra sweet. Somehow this tea always soothed her. Ishrani sipped the tea and sat down again. ~ I need a friend ~ Ishrani sighed. On starbase 19 Ishrani had close contact with a female Barzan. She was always there when Ishrani needed someone to talk to or when she needed a shoulder to cry one. She missed someone like her here. It was, of course, a simple matter of contacting her friend on subspace, but it just wasn’t the same. Communication nowadays was wonderful. You could talk to anyone, even those far far away, but it still wasn’t the same as actually talking to someone. There were visuals, there was audio, but there was no smell, no physical touch. Ishrani sighed. She wanted, she needed, someone real to talk to. Sipping the last of her tea Ishrani stood up. ~ Maybe I should talk to a counselor ~ Despite the late hour, Ishrani walked up to the counselor’s office, hoping there was someone there. Standing in front of the door she pressed the chime (Reply Caras, iyw) NRPG: Feel free to ignore me at this late hour. Feel free to be grumpy for contacting you this late. But you’re also free to welcome me with open arms and talk with me about my feelings and emotions. It is up to you :P RPG: (Reply Caras, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Counsellor Dani Lamora – 00:50) Dani had just finished a late shift with a particularly difficult case of a Lieutenant sufferring from post traumatic stress. The poor man, once a Bajoran Farmer, had been abducted by Cardassian Militia on Bajor and subjected to days of torture at the hands of a sadistic Gul intent upon extracting resistance plans about a planned assault upon a prominant dignatories villa in the hills. For all intents of purposes, it would have been a veritable coup te tat if it had actually been a real plan. As it was though, the Farmer of course knew nothing, for there never was a planned assault, and the Gul ultimately left with nothing. Unfortunately though, Lieutenant Shrall, USS Spectre Engineer, did not... A mind fragmented by endless torment was not an easy territory in which to travel, and after twenty or so counselling sessions focussing upon reprocessing and dealing with buried emotions, Dani was only now just beginning to make some progress. Taking a sip of hot tea from a cup, she was now busy finalising her latest counselling entry into her PADD when the she heard the chime sound to Counsellor Caras private office from the corridor. She glanced towards the opened door to her counselling suite, wondering who might be calling on Caras so late, and knowing that she was out on another stroll with the Marine Commanding Officer, she felt that it might be prudent to check it out. Entering into the corridor, Dani noted an Ensign in medical teal waiting patiently outside for a response from Elani. A response that she knew would not be coming. "Umm, can I help you?" said Dani... (Reply Quall) (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Ensign JG Ishrani Quall, ACMO – 00:51) Ishrani had pressed the chime of Counsellor Caras’ office. It was late in the evening, so odds were that there was no one in the office. Ishrani waited patiently. She held her hands behind her back en wiggled on her feet a little bit. Several minutes passed, and just when Ishrani was about to give up she heard someone. “Umm, can I help you?” asked Dani Lamora, one of the counselors. Ishrani turned around. She hadn’t expected someone to come up to her from the corridor. Ishrani turned around to face Dani. She still held her hands clasped behind her back. Nerves made her very self-conscious. She looked at the counselor. Ishrani always had trouble dealing with counselors. Maybe it was because of her education. Part of her medical training was on Denobula, where she served as a medical practitioner in one of the larger facilities. She had learned to treat the wounded and help people live a better life through medicine and surgery. For all medical problems, there was a medical solution, and it was her job to find it. Of course, Ishrani knew that the mind plays a large part in the way people live their lives, but somehow she always felt psychology to be a little bit floaty. It was a lot of nonsense talking about emotions and feelings, without actually doing something. Perhaps it was just the direct no-nonsense attitude Denobulans had towards medicine, but Ishrani aways felt that surgery and medicine were far more effective in dealing with problems than talking was. This time however Ishrani felt different. She was concerned and needed someone to talk to. Ever since the communication, she received from her brother a few hours ago she felt edgy and awkward. She wanted to talk to someone, and since Ishrani was new onboard the easiest person to talk to was a counselor. “I was hoping to speak to a counselor,” Ishrani said, “So I was hoping Lt. Caras was still seeing people”. NRPG: I know Dani Lamora is an NPC. But I’m still including reply tags, just so this side story is not only just me. I am also assuming Lamora offers to talk with Ishrani. RPG: (Reply Lamora) Ishrani looked at Dani Lamora. “Are you sure?” she asked. When Lamora nodded Ishrani followed her to her office. Inside Dani offered her a drink, which Ishrani gratefully accepted. Ishrani sat down. She sipped her drink and sighed. ~ Where to begin? ~ “How much do you know about the Trill?” Ishrani asked. (Reply Lamora) Ishrani nodded. “Well, Trill are just like any humanoid, I suppose, but we have developed a symbiotic relationship with the symbionts,” Ishrani explained. Although for Trills this was second nature, it still was a source of misunderstanding. (Reply Lamora iyw) Ishrani sipped her drink. “To put it simply. Some” she emphasized the word some ”Trill are joined to a symbiont. In this way, their lives are linked together”. Ishrani sighed. “Most Trill consider it a high honor if selected for joining.” She fell silent. It still felt awkward for Ishrani to talk about this. Being joined was something most Trill were thrilled (pun intended) about. It, therefore, was a great shock to her family when Ishrani openly refused to join and announced she didn’t want to receive a symbiont. (Reply Lamora) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling Suite – Counsellor Dani Lamora – 00:54) "Umm, can I help you?" The query was to the point and had seemingly startled the medical Ensign somewhat, who had turned about slightly confused at the suddenness of the question. “I was hoping to speak to a counsellor, so I was hoping Lt. Caras was still seeing people” said the young Trill. Dani smiled, and then extended her hand in a gesture of open acceptance. "Counsellor Caras is not in at the moment, but I'd be happy to assist if you're amenable to that. I'm Dani, one of the ships Counsellors" she answered. Ishrani asked if she was sure that that was OK. Dani smiled once again and then she ushered the young woman into her counselling room and offered her a drink. At first, the young Ensign seemed a little uncertain as to how to proceed next, her thoughts somewhat a jumble as she appeared to be contemplating just how to express herself and her current concerns. Dani recognised that and jumped in to provide the necessary momentum... "So, what's on your mind exactly?" she asked. "Anything you say here remains here and is treated in the strictest confidence. You can talk to me about anything. Anything at all" Ishrani paused just briefly as she took another sip of the provided drink as though to counter a sudden dryness. Then she continued. “How much do you know about the Trill?” she asked. Dani settled back into her seat at that and then pursed her lips, one eye closing now as she looked to the ceiling and queried the databanks of her own mind. "An interesting species" she began. "I find the duality of the symbiotic connection fascinating in the joined Trill. I mean, is it difficult to keep one set of life experiences from flowing into another set of experiences, when a Trill is joined?" Ishrani nodded her understanding, and then she offered more on the symbiotic aspect of the Trill. “Well, Trill are just like any humanoid, I suppose, but we have developed a symbiotic relationship with the symbionts. To put it simply. Some” she paused a little right there.”...some Trill are joined to a symbiont. In this way, their lives are linked together”. she said. “Most Trill consider it a high honour if selected for joining” Dani listened intently without interruption. She sensed that it was the symbiotic aspect of things that the Ensign was somehow bothered by, but why that was she could only guess at that point? Quall had said that it was an honour to be chosen, and yet.... "Have you been chosen?" asked the Counsellor. (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 00:56) “Have you been chosen?” Dani Lamora asked. There were tears welling up behind Ishrani’s eyes. Had Ishani been chosen? Yes, when it came down to it Ishrani had been chosen. Ishrani remembered it quite well. It was about a year before Ishrani applied to the academy. She never had any intention in joining, so it came as quite a shock to her when she was selected by the symbiosis committee for an intake interview. She had been selected as an initiate. Her parents had applied her to the committee for her. For her parents, it was perhaps the single most perfect day in their lives when their daughter was selected. For Ishrani it was anything but perfect. Ever since Ishrani was old enough to know what was going on she knew she didn’t want to be joined. She disliked the concept of joining. She didn’t want to surrender her soul, her being and her self to someone, to something else. “Can I be honest with you?” Ishrani asked. (Reply Lamora) Ishrani wanted to talk about it. She wanted to shout her frustration to the world. She wanted to tell someone how she hated her parent for what they did. She wanted to scream how she hated the concept of joining. She wanted to jell at the world for what had been done to her. “I…” Ishrani began. She swallowed. She blinked a few tears away. “I never really cared for being joined,” Ishrani said. She felt frustrated. In her mind, she was screaming, but somehow she could voice her anger, her frustration, her fear, and her pain. (Reply Lamora) Ishrani sighed. “My parents forced a joining upon me,” Ishrani said in a harsh loud voice. It was out. She had said it. She confessed this truth that haunted her now for all these years. This cropped up anger she had buried deep within her soul. Ever since the communication with brother this anger was about to burst. (Reply Lamora, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 00:58) It didn't take a Counsellor to see that Ensign Quall was harbouring a great deal of pain within her. That much would have been obvious to anyone that held the gift of empathy, whether the likes of a Betazoid, or a simple understanding born of being nothing more than a good Human listener. “Can I be honest with you?” Ishrani had asked. Dani nodded. "I would expect nothing less" she answered. There it was again. That anguish welling up within. Dani leaned forwards and placed a hand upon the Ensign's own hand in order to comfort her and offer support for whatever demons she might be fighting within. "It's OK" she said. "You don't have to tell me everything in one go. Perhaps just one thing for now, then perhaps another when you feel able" Ishrani paused just briefly to gather her thoughts. Then she continued on... “I…” she began, a tear appearing in her eye as choked back her words. “I never really cared for being joined,” she added. “My parents forced a joining upon me" Dani gripped Quall's hand a little tighter at the mention of that word, hoping that it might show her that she was not alone right now, and that it was OK to allow her thoughts to flow. In essence, anything 'forced' and carried out against ones permission was nothing short of a violation, and when a person was feeling violated, mental anguish always flowed, coupled with episodes of personal guilt, flashbacks, and pain. "Did you inform your parents of the way you felt?" asked Dani. (Reply Quall) Dani nodded once again, and then allowed the Ensign to impart information at a pace that 'she' felt comfortable with, rather than push her for more so soon whilst she was feeling fragile... (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 01:00) “Did you inform your parents of the way you felt?” Dani Lamora asked. “I was furious with them when I found out what they did,” Ishrani said with perhaps more anger than she should have towards the counselor. Ishrani sighed. She looked up a the ceiling. She was silent for a few moments. Dani Lamora didn’t say anything. It was as if the counselor was waiting for Ishrani to speak when she was ready. “I never really wanted to be joined, but I never really said so to my parents.” (Reply Lamora) Ishrani gave a weak smile behind her tears. It was true. It was unfair to blame her parents for something they couldn’t know. But still, Ishrani felt her parents should have known. “I know,” Ishrani said, “but they still should have respected my wishes when I told them”. (Reply Lamora) “But they didn’t,” Ishrani said, her anger rising again. “They forced me into the committee. I had to run away from home”. She said this very fast. It was as if a dam had burst and a flood of unstoppable words came out. “I only had contact with Igmar, my brother,” she said. “I guess my parents knew I applied to the academy and joined Starfleet but I never knew for sure”. (Reply Lamora) Now they came to the cause of her anger and frustration: the conversation she had had with her brother. Ishrani was glad she said all she had said, but she still wasn’t sure if she could tell the counselor about the communication she had had. (Reply Lamora, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:02) Ensign Quall was suddenly more open about her past, to the extent that now that someone was actually prepared to listen to how 'She' felt with things, the floodgate had opened. Dani had seen this so many times of course, for people generally kept things bottled up even from their closest friends through fear of rejection, or a hostile reaction to something that would generally be seen as something to envy amongst their kind. And now the chance to express herself to a complete stranger without any judgement at all, seemed to have instilled in Quall, a voice that she had lost for so many years. Indeed, it was actually a liberating thing... To Lamora, this was becoming all about expectations, regrets, and a fear that people whom Quall loved and respected, had not been there in an understanding manner when she had most needed them. “I was furious with them when I found out what they did, I never really wanted to be joined, but I never really said so to my parents.” Quall had offered. Dani nodded again, aware now that that was something that most Counsellors did, perhaps without even realising that they did it. A kind of visual reassurance sort of thing. "Parents always do feel that they know what is best for their children, even when they actually don't" said Dani, "and then when you factor in what is expected of them, and throw in a little tradition that is normally seen as an honour to be embraced within a given race, it's no wonder that they would not understand" she added. “I know,” said Ishrani, “but they still should have respected my wishes when I told them”. Dani nodded again. "They should have, yes." “But they didn’t,” said Ishrani her angst becoming more noticeable once again. “They forced me into the committee. I had to run away from home. I only had contact with Igmar, my brother. I guess my parents knew I applied to the academy and joined Starfleet but I never knew for sure”. she added, all of her sentences now coming out in short, sharp attacks almost as though her parents were right there in the room with them. Dani felt a need to change tact there as Ensign Quall needed to come back to level ground now, whether she knew that or not. "You're obviously very close to your Brother" she began, changing the subject back to one who she felt she could clearly rely upon. "Can I ask, is he in Starfleet also?" (Reply Quall) "And is he supportive of your decision not to become joined?" (Reply Quall) "I see", said Dani, aware once again that that was once again something that most Counsellors said during sessions, in order to provide a sense that a client was being understood. "Would you like to talk about the discussion with your Brother? Or is it that something that you would rather keep private?" said Dani, noticing then that Quall had almost finished her drink and promptly offering her another. (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall - 01:04) “You’re obviously very close to your Brother,” Dani Lamora said. “Can I ask, is he in Starfleet also?”. Ishrani smiled. She wondered how Igmar would have done in Starfleet. She had to admit he would probably not function that well. He was too outdoorsy for that. Ishrani got the studygene, making her fond of reading, learning, and education. Igmar, on the other hand, got the naturegene. He was fond of gardening, taking care of plants and animals and farming. “Igmar is not explorative kind of guy,” Ishrani explained. “I love him as my brother, but he is not the kind of guy to study at the academy and become a Starfleet officer.” Ishrani smiled. She liked to talk about her brother. Of all the people in her life, she felt he was one of the few who understood him. “He really is a great guy.” “And is he supportive of your decision not to become joined?” Dani Lamora asked. “Eventually he was,” Ishrani said. She looked at the counselor. “You see. My brother is wonderful, but he is not te brainy one in the family. He would never have gotten through the initiateprogram.” Ishrani sipped her drink and looked into the distance. “I guess he never really understood why I choose not to join. But he was supportive of me in the end. I guess that what makes him so special.” Ishranis sighed. Her gaze drifted across the room. “I guess that my brother is part of the reason my parents were so focused on me getting joined. After all, Igmar would never stand a change, and they probably thought I could live up to their idea of a perfect child.” “I see,” was Dani’s only reply. It was a simple reply, but it was a good one. Ishrani wondered if Lamora really could understand what Ishranis went through, but it still felt good to know she wasn’t being judged or ridiculed. “Would you like to talk about the discussion with your Brother? Or is it that something that you would rather keep private?” the counselor asked. Ishrani siped the remaining of her drink. ~ This is it. I suppose telling her wouldn’t be that bad ~ “My brother and I spoke on subspace every now and then,” Ishrani began. “So when he contacted me I wasn’t expecting anything special. He knew I was transferred to the Spectre, and I guessed he just wanted to know how the first day on the new job had been.” (Reply Lamora, iyw) “Well. The conversation wasn’t at all what I expected. Igmar told my younger sister Ezra became an initiate and succeeded. She got joined with a symbiont” Ishrani’s eyes welled up a bit. There were slight tears appearing in the corner of her eyes. Ishrani wanted to talk. “I…” Ishrani said and swallowed. “My parents were (sniffle)so glad”. Ishrani wanted to keep talking but her voice wouldn’t come. She looked at her drink, which she emptied just a few moments ago. (Reply Lamora) (Reply Lamora, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:06) “Would you like to talk about the discussion with your Brother? Or is it that something that you would rather keep private?” asked Dani. Ishrani paused there, and then downed the remainder of her drink. Clearly, they had arrived at a point that the Ensign was a little troubled to go past, and yet there was an eagerness in her eye to tell more. Dani gave her all the time she needed, and would have been understanding whether she chose to speak on this, or hold off. As it was though, she had decided that now was the time to speak. “My brother and I spoke on subspace every now and then, so when he contacted me I wasn’t expecting anything special. He knew I was transferred to the Spectre, and I guessed he just wanted to know how the first day on the new job had been.” said Ishrani, before going into the 'real' reason that her brother had called, and henceforth the main reason for her current level of anguish. “Well. The conversation wasn’t at all what I expected. Igmar told me my younger sister Ezra became an initiate and succeeded. She got joined with a symbiont” said Ishrani, the pain behind her eyes now manifesting as little tears welling up and threatening to run down her cheeks. Dani reached for the box of tissues that she kept on the table, and then offered the Ensign one to assist. “My parents were.....so glad” said Quall, her voice stalling then as her emotions finally began to take over. Dani then stood to fetch her a refill for the now empty glass upon the table, which the Ensign seemed to appreciate. (Reply Quall, IYW) "And now you are feeling a certain... emptiness?" said Dani, treading carefully now so as not to cause any more upset to Quall's already fragile headspace. "Sad that you could not make them as happy with your own decision not to proceed with the joining, as your sister did in doing so?" she added. (Reply Quall) Dani reached out for Quall's hand once again, squeezing it gently to lend her some support. "It is understandable that you might feel the way you feel" said the Counsellor. "And that is OK. You mustn't feel bad that your own path was not the path that your parents would have chosen for you. That is your path to take, and in time, they will understand that, and they will come to terms with it" (Reply Quall) "Ishrani. If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it. And every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change your world." said Dani. "And by the God's, aren't you doing that right now? On this ship, speeding along at warp factor whatever it is, watching the light of all those stars blurring into lines on the blank canvass of space" (Reply Quall) Dani smiled. But even though she felt that she was perhaps making some progress, she had a feeling that the young Ensign might still be needing some support further down the road, which if she chose, she would be glad to be the one to give it... (Reply Quall) (Posted by Alan) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 01:08) “And now you are feeling a certain… emptiness?” Dani Lamora asked. She paused a minute before the last word. “Sad that you could not make them as happy with your own decision not to proceed with the joining, as your sister did in doing so?” Ishrani sighed. It was true. Part of the fear and anger was the injustice in all of this, but it was more. It wasn’t just that her parents seemed to value her sister more than they valued her. It was also the lack of acceptance on Ishrani’s choice. Ishrani said so to the counselor. She explained that she wanted her parents to accept her the way she was. She told her how she wanted her parents to be proud of her for the things she did do. “It is understandable you might feel the way you feel,” Dani Lamora said. She squeezed gentle in Ishrani’s hand. “And that is OK. You mustn’t feel bad that your own path was not the path that your parents would have chosen for you. That is your path to take, and in time, they will understand that and they will come to terms with it." Ishrani gave a weak smile through her tears. It all sounded so nice on paper. Just keep true to yourself and the others will accept you. But wasn’t this exactly what Ishrani had done? Hadn’t she stayed true to herself? And when will the acceptance start? “Do you think I did right?” Ishrani asked after a short silence. “I mean… I know I shouldn’t have gone with the joining. But did I do the right thing in running away and joining Starfleet?” There was a slight change in the way Dani Lamora held herself. “Ishrani,” she said, using her first name for the first time. “If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it. And every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars and change your world.” Ishrani giggled. She wiped the wetness from her eyes. She smiled genuinely now. “And by the God’s, aren’t you doing that right now? On this ship, speeding along at warp factor whatever it is, watching the light of all those stars blurring into lines on the blank canvass of space” Ishrani had to let this sink in a little. Dani’s colorful explanation sounded so wonderful, but Ishrani had to think about what she had just heard. “Thank you,” Ishrani said. She squeezed Dani’s hand. She smiled. The smile reached her eyes this time. Dani Lamora was right. Maybe the choices she had made were influenced by her parents, but she made the decisions. Everything she had done was her accomplishments. One day (soon Ishrani hoped) her parents would accept her life. “Maybe…” Ishrani said, “Maybe I should contact my parents a talk things over”. Dani smiled. NRPG: I think we are closing this little side story here. I had fun with it. RPG: (Reply Lamora, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Counselling suite – Counsellor, Dani Lamora – 01:10) Ishrani's smile lit up the room, and it made Dani smile too. It was always such a rewarding thing to see someone relay their bad experiences like this, and then at least come to the end of a session with a smile upon their faces. It meant that they had progressed. That they could see through the mists that often clouded reason and sense. The Sun breaking through the dark clouds to spread warmth and light and an assured promise of healing. This was a good thing... The young Trill though had simply sat there for just a while, head bowed and not saying anything after Dani's final statement. It looked as though she were pondering it deeply, and then finally she looked up into Dani's face and squeezed her hand back. "Thank you" she said. The sincerity in her voice undeniable now as she gazed briefly up through the tears at the ceiling above. “Maybe...” she said, her voice still breaking just a little, “Maybe I should contact my parents and talk things over”. Dani smiled. This time she reached across and placed her other hand over Ishrani's, cupping it now between both and nodding silently in agreement. "I think that might be a good thing to do", she said. "They will be missing you for sure. After all, you are still their daughter, and they are still your parents. They love you, Ishrani. And you love them. Despite everything..." (Reply Quall, IYW) NRPG: Yes, this scene is coming to an end now. And yes, it's been enjoyable... ;-) RPG: The two Women then stood, Dani gave Ishrani a heartfelt hug and then finally wished her well. As Quall made her way to the door though, Dani called after her. "My door is always open, Ishrani. Remember that..." (Reply Quall. IYW) The young Ensign then made her way back to whence she had came... (Reply Quall, IYW) (Posted by Alan) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - CFO, Lt. JG Ryan Thibodeaux - 02:30) As the Shadow Flyer arrived at the Freighter Ryan silently dropped her out of warp. The Freighter looked to be of decent size, but would only have a crew of about 30, most of them workers and minimal security staff. As he looked out at the Freighter from the Cockpit window she looked to be dead in the water, as described. Ryan then ran a quick sensor sweep of the freighter. There seemed to be three pockets of life signs. About 15 seemed to be holed up on the bridge, another 10 in the mess hall, and about 5 in the cargo area. "Alright we are going to beam over in groups. My guess is that that the larger concentrations are civilians as they said there were maybe four pirates. I'll go with R'uann and Labrea to the bridge, secure that first. Darpeg, Smith and Khindell, you head to the mess hall. We need to make sure civilians are secured first. Once both locations are secure, we can rendevouz at the cargo area." Ryan then deftly placed the shuttle in a holding pattern. Then with some quick strokes he beamed over the first away team to a location just outside the mess hall. Then setting the coordinates on automatic, beamed himself over with the second team to an area right outside the door to the bridge. (reply Away team) (posted by Will) (Shadow Flyer - Crew Cabin - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 02:32) R'uann glanced out of the window at the stricken freighter, which looked as though it had lost aspect control, tumbling as it was in the inky void of space. There were some signs of phaser burns along her flanks, which suggested that she had been attacked by a larger vessel, even though there seemed to be no other vessel around. Had the pirates left? Was anyone still aboard even? R'uann Looked around the crew cabin at those assembled, the two Marines sitting bolt upright as they had been almost the entire journey, their assault rifles held at the ready across their chests, a single trigger finger of one of them tapping lightly against the rifles safety catch as though eager to switch it to unlock. Suddenly though, she was aware of a sense of impending danger. Not from some Betazoid type sixth sense, but from the very real possibility that they might actually be beaming right into an ambush. Brushing the thought aside, she drew her thoughts back to Darpeg's reaction to her earlier query regarding the available data regarding the freighters design and adaptations. He had seemed a little annoyed at that, although for the life of her, she was still unsure why. Those thoughts though were immediately cast aside once again as Thiboeaux swung about in his chair and reiterated his earlier plan. "Alright we are going to beam over in groups. My guess is that that the larger concentrations are civilians as they said there were maybe four pirates." he began, answering R'uann's earlier thought as to whether anyone was actually still alive over there. "I'll go with R'uann and Labrea to the bridge, secure that first. Darpeg, Smith and Khindell, you head to the mess hall. We need to make sure civilians are secured first. Once both locations are secure, we can rendezvous at the cargo area." The two Marines nodded their assent and then stood in readiness. R'uann stood also, checking her sidearm as she did so and then looking to LaBrae to give her a reassuring wink as she watched the Marines and Darpeg de-materialize in response to Thibodeaux's beam-out command. Then she gave a courteous nod to Ryan to signal her readiness to go also. And the next moment, she was standing outside the door to the freighters bridge, in complete darkness... (Reply LaBrae, Thibodeaux) (posted by Alan) (Freighter - Bridge Access Corridor - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign JG R'uann - 02:35) Arriving in complete darkness was unnerving to say the very least. Indeed, R'uann had half expected to at least see some alert annunciator pulsing upon a wall in response to the attack that had disabled the ship earlier. But there was nothing. Just darkness. Then suddenly the illuminating photonic materialisation of Thibodeaux right next to her as he joined them brought a little ray of comfort, and also the light enough for her to reach into her medical kit-bag to retrieve a light unit, and then power it on. Immediately the corridor came to life, bathed as it now was in the bright light. LaBrae was standing a few feet from her, her phasor already drawn and at the ready. There were no signs of life here at all. The bridge door was closed, and all around them they could hear the unnerving creaking of metal plates that was customary of a ship designed for hauling materials, and tended over by a crew of rough and ready grease monkeys. Nothing like the comfort of a Starfleet ship-of-the-line of course... Hesitantly, R'uann looked to Thibodeaux as she drew her phasor from its holster. This was his mission after all and their next move was now down to him. (Reply LaBrae IYW, Thibodeaux) (Reply LaBrae IYW, Thibodeaux) (Posted by Alan) (Freighter - Bridge Access Corridor - Engineer, Ensign LaBrea - 02:36) LaBrea pulled her phasor, and felt the familiar resonance of de/rematerializing, but the pitch black of their destination caused her to swoon momentarily. She'd only transported into total darkness once, in an Academy 'Ghost Ship' simulation. At the time, she'd thought nothing of it. It was more of a game as a training exercise, and she doubted it would ever occur in real life. Now, she quickly realized never to make that assumption again. A split second later, when Thibodeaux materialised and R'uann brought up the lights, LaBrea quickly assessed the situation. "Power's been disabled, all except life support . . .," she said, coupling her PADD to her TriCorder and then to the ship's LCARS panel. "Rerouting from Cargo Bay 4 . . ." -She tapped a series of override codes into the PADD- "and siphoning to the Bridge," she said as the area emergency power system came online, and the command panel blinked to life. Nodding toward the Bridge doors, she addressed Thibodeaux, "Sir." (Reply Thibodeaux, Any) (Sent by Tony) (Freighter - Bridge - Lt. JG Thibodeaux - 02:38) Ryan looked at R'uann and LaBrea and nodded. He pressed the bridge access door and entered. He looked around, the lights were on and dimly lit. Everyone who was in the room seemed to be tied up and gagged on the ground. At a cursory glance he did not see an attacker. He pressed his commbadge, "Thibodeaux to team 2, we have secured the bridge, What is the update on the messhall." (Reply Khindell, Smith, or Darpeg) "Acknowledged." Ryan then looked at his team. "LaBrea, see if you can get full power restored to the bridge and restore security controls to us." (Reply LaBrea) "R'Uann, check the hostages, see if any of them need medical attention." (Reply R'Uann) As soon as Ryan was done with orders, he knelt down to untie one of the hostages, at that moment, out of the corner of his eye he sensed something move. But it was too late. One of the hostages had untied himself and moved behind Ryan. Ryan felt a type 1 phaser pressed into his back. "Stand up," the gruff voice said. Ryan complied. The person then looked at the other two. "Drop your weapons and kick them over here, if you don't comply I'll kill your friend." (reply LaBrea, R'uann) (reply Team 2, LaBrea, R'uann) (posted by Will Banowsky) (Freighter - Bridge - Medical Trauma Technician, Ensign R'uann - 02:40) "I'm on it", said R'uann, acknowledging Thibodeaux's order, and then moving towards the stricken crew, some of whom were conscious, whilst others were out of it entirely. Assessing need, the Bajoran headed straight for the nearest unconscious crewman and knelt down next to him, then taking out her medical tricorder, she proceeded to assess his situation. He was alive, although his vitals had slowed and he appeared to be in shock. There were no visible trauma signs or burns to his skin, which led R'uann to wonder if a gas, or pulsed shock device had been used here. Then suddenly, the situation changed for the worst... One of the 'victims' appeared not to be such a victim, and whilst Thibodeaux had been busy freeing the man nearest to him, another had managed to get free and now held a weapon to his back. "Stand up, drop your weapons and kick them over here, if you don't comply I'll kill your friend." said the man, a burly Human that looked as though he was not going to take no for an answer. R'uann stayed where she was on the floor, her first duty to the wounded crewman who was now showing signs of coming to. Glancing to Thibodeaux and then to LaBrae, she wondered what she should do next. If the crewman pulled the trigger, then Thibodeaux would surely die at such close range, but he would not be quick enough to stop LaBrae from finishing him also, her own phaser held firm and aimed directly at him. "We're here to help you" said R'uann in an attempt to break the stalemate. (Reply Crewman, Any) (Posted by Alan) (Freighter - Messhall - Ensign Garek Darpeg - 02:40) Darpeg had managed to stun the pirates who were guarding the freighter's crew in the messhall, and they began to free them and give them whatever first aid was needed. Fortunately, the pirates were stationed at the entrances and were not looking out for possible rescuers Over their commbadges they heard,=/\=Thibodeaux to team 2, we have secured the bridge, What is the update on the messhall.=/\= "Messhall is secure." "Acknowledged." Darpeg then began to look around for something to tie up the pirates. (Reply anyone) (Posted by Gary Dupree) (Freighter - Bridge - Engineering, Ensign LaBrea - 02:41) "Aye, sir," LaBrea said, moving into the bridge and stepping toward the control console. Before touching anything, she gave it a quick glance over to make sure there was no structural damage or risk of electrocution. She was just about to holster her phasor when- "Stand up, drop your weapons and kick them over here, if you don't comply I'll kill your friend." said the man, a burly Human that looked as though he was not going to take no for an answer. R'uann stayed where she was on the floor, glancing to Thibodeaux and then to LaBrea, who immediately pointed her own phaser held firm and aimed directly at him. "Sir?" LaBrea asked her commanding officer. LaBrea could feel her heart beating in her ears. She'd lost friends before and she wasn't about to let it happen unchallenged. She knew she wasn't the best Marksman in the room, but at this range she could possibly hit the brute without injuring her colleague. Possibly. The risk wasn't worth it. . . Yet. "We're here to help you" said R'uann in an attempt to break the stalemate. LaBrea would only take the shot if her commanding officer gave the order. The phasor was set for stun. He would be aware of that. (Reply Crewman, Thibodeaux, Any) (Posted by Tony) (Freighter - Messhall - Marine, 1st LT Kenneth Smith - 02:42) Kenneth moved up behind Darpeq and Kindell. As the others had moved into the mess hall he had stayed at the hatch sweeping his rifle along the corridor. He was happy at the way the mission had gone so far as they had reached the mess hall without incident and taken out the pirates who were guarding the crew with out any problems. ~Don’t get over confident. That’s when things go wrong~ His comm badge peeped in his helmets ear =^=Thibodeaux to team 2, we have secured the bridge, What is the update on the mess hall.=/\= =^=Messhall is secure=^= He heard Darpeq reply. =^=Acknowledged=^= He double checked that the helmets audio and visual sensors were pushed up to maximum as he scanned the corridor. He did not want to get surprised by some sneaky attacker (Reply anyone) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre - FO's Office - FO, Cmdr Tom Jackson - 15:00) Tom was mulling over his AWAY team assignment. There was something not quite right about this mission. Long ago Tom learned to trust his instincts. Tapping his comm badge he ordered, "Cmdr. Signos, report to the FO as soon as possible". (Reply Signos) " Jessica, I'm worried about this assignment. It just doesn't feel right" Tom admitted. (Reply Signos) Tom listened as his friend and former FO spoke. "We've been detailed by the Captain to lead an away team to meet with the colonies leadership" Tom added. (Reply Signos) Tom relayed the skipper's orders in greater detail. "We are to make contact and determine what the issue has been. To be honest, I think there's something going on in the background." Tom suggested. (Reply Signos) "I'd like your thoughts on the team compliment," Tom asked. (Reply Signos) (Posted by Bill W.) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:15) Ishrani was in sickbay when she heard the voice of Commander Jackson. =/\= Dr. Quall, this is the FO Cmdr. Jackson. Can you come to my office for a short meeting? =/\= Ishrani tapped her combadge. “On my way,” was her simple reply. =/\= Excellent Doctor. I look forward to seeing you – Jackson out. =/\= She guessed it was just a social-get-to-know-all-the-new-crewmembers-call since almost all other new members on board had been asked to pass by the commander's office. She had to admit, she was a little anxious about it. Honestly, she felt the commander a little bit intimidating. When Ishrani was offered a post aboard the USS Spectre she had checked the service records of the captain and first officer. She was more than a little impressed with the file she found on Commander Jackson. He had received several really honorable awards for heroic missions. But what impressed Ishrani most, was that he was younger than she was. A small voice somewhere in the back of Ishrani’s mind wondered if she had failed in life, wondering if she shouldn’t have done more with her career. It was this voice that Ishrani’s silenced, more than she perhaps should. It was only a short walk from sickbay to the office of Cmdr. Jackson. “Enter” came the voice of the FO when Ishrani had pressed the chime. Ishrani entered the room. Behind a desk sat Tom Jackson. Was it her imagination, or was his red command uniform just a little bit brighter and more… well… red than it should have been. She noticed how Jackson looked at her. “You wished to see me, sir?” Ishrani asked. “Doctor, please take a seat. Would you like something to drink?” the commander asked. Ishrani gave a soft smile and asked for a cup of Tarkalean tea, which the commander took from the replicator. When Ishrani sat down the commander began. “I’d like to welcome you aboard the Spectre. Have you yet met with the CMO Cmdr Andrew Williams?” he asked. Ishrani sipped her tea. “We’ve met,” was her short reply. It was the truth. She had met the CMO on her first day aboard. Because there were quite a few new crewmembers assigned to the Spectre at starbase 19, most of which medical personnel, the CMO had held an introductory meeting for all new members. After the meeting, Ishrani had not spoken to Cmdr Williams. Ishrani looked at the face of the FO. Usually, she was quite good at reading facial expressions, but she wasn’t quite sure how to interpret the face of the commander at her remark. If it bothered or surprised him, she couldn’t tell, but the commander didn’t show anything. Instead, he began explaining the mission they were currently on. Ishrani had caught glimpses en phrases from the goings-on of the mission by talking to colleagues and patients, but it was nice to hear the complete mission outline for the first time. After a while, their conversation was coming to an end. The commander had given some details on the mission, and they talked briefly about Ishrani’s family and social situation. In the end, Ishrani was dismissed. Standing outside of the FO’s office she wondered ~ Maybe I should go talk to Commander Williams ~ NRPG: @Robbie. Perhaps it is time for Ishrani and Andrew to get together. Will you be writing a post for me to reply to? Or shall I make the first move? RPG: (Reply any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 16:45) Andrew glanced at the PADD in front of him and sighed to himself. He realised not for the first time that logistics was not the most enjoyable thing that he had to do. The PADD showed all the medical supplies that sickbay would need for this mission. ~Well at least we have enough for the moment. I hope we don’t need it all~ His eyes scanned the PADD and he almost wished for an emergency or something to get him out of this boring task. (Reply any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:46) Ishrani came back from her talk with commander Jackson. The conversation went pleasantly enough, but it still left a little bad aftertaste. Jackson hadn’t said anything or done anything to upset her, but somehow she still felt coming short in not talking to CMO Williams sooner. Granted she had been quite busy dealing with minor injuries and conducting research and experiments, but it still seemed an oversight on her part not to talk to Williams earlier. Ishrani looked at the time. ~ I suppose Williams is on duty now ~ Ishrani thought. She smiled and left for sickbay. When Ishrani entered sickbay she saw Andrew Williams working on a PADD. “Good afternoon,” Ishrani smiled. She noticed how the CMO seemed a little bit bored. (Reply Williams) “How are things going on with the mission?” Ishrani asked. She had been briefed by Jackson, and she realized how much work it meant for Cmdr Williams. There was a lot to do, but she also knew that most of the preparations had been done. They could do very little more now, except wait until they arrived at the mining colony. (Reply Williams) Ishrani noticed how easy it felt to talk to Andrew Williams. Her hesitation in talking to him had vanished completely. She listened to Williams talking about his view on the mission. “You know, it looks to me like you should take a break,” Ishrani said. (Reply Williams) “Well doctor, you, more than anyone, should know the importance of taking a break every once in a while.” (Reply Williams, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Wiliams – 16:48) “Good afternoon,” Andrew looked up from his PADD and saw Quall standing near him. He smiled as he put PADD on a nearby table. “Good afternoon Ishrani.” “How are things going on with the mission?” Andrew gave a slight sigh and nodded. “Things are going okay. We are ready for anything and if we have a mass evacuation or a mass quarantine, we will be ready to deal with it.” He looked around Sickbay, then at the PADD and back back to Quall. “It’s good to make sure where all the extra supplies are when we need them.” “You know, it looks to me like you should take a break,” Andrew smiled again he could feel the tiredness and nodded. “Always too much work.” “Well doctor, you, more than anyone, should know the importance of taking a break every once in a while.” He paused for a moment as he glanced at the chronometer and realized how late in the day. “That is true. I have missed my lunch and would do with getting some food. Do you want to join me?” (Reply Quall) (Reply Quall, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Sickbay – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 16:50) “Well doctor, you, more than anyone, should know the importance of taking a break every once in a while,” Ishrani said with a smile. With a glance at his chronometer, Andrew Williams replied: “That is true. I have missed my lunch and would do with getting some food. Do you want to join me?” Ishrani looked slightly startled. She wasn’t expecting this. Somehow she felt a little hungry all of a sudden. She realized she hadn’t eaten since this morning, after her midnight talk with the counselor. She smiled. She could do with something right about now. “I’d love too” Ishrani smiled. “Wanna go to ten forward?” she asked. (Reply Williams iyw) NRPG: I am assuming you agree. If not, please say so and we can change it. RPG: (Reply Williams) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 17:01) Ishrani said down on the opposite side of the table. She looked at doctor Williams. Somehow she felt comfortable around him. She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Maybe it was those brown eyes of his. Maybe it was the way he talked. She could hear a slight British accent in his voice. Whatever it was, something made her giggle and smile. When their orders were taken Ishrani order a bowl of Plomeek Soup. Sitting down opposite of Williams Ishrani rested her head in her hands, elbows on the table. “I’m just curious. Tell me something about yourself” Ishrani said. She thought she saw something in his eyes. Maybe he was startled by her question. “I promise I’ll something about myself too” she smiled. (Reply Williams) (Reply Williams, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 17:05) Andrew was glad to get away from sickbay and the endless logistics. He had not realized how tired and hungry he was, and it was also good to get the opportunity to get to know Quall better. He had chatted to her fleetingly since she had arrived on board but had not had the opportunity to get to know her properly. As CMO he should know all his staff but be always felt that sickbay was a collaboration with him taking responsibility for any problems and the members of his staff got the recognition. He pulled his mind out of his ramblings as he sat down at a table opposite Quall who had ordered a bowl of Plomeek Soup while Andrew had Borscht which he had not had some for a long time. “I’m just curious. Tell me something about yourself” Andrew paused for a moment as he was about to ask her the same question. “I promise I’ll something about myself too” He nodded and smiled. “Okay.” He thought for a moment knowing that some of his history was classified. ~Well I can start from the beginning~ “I grew up on a Salvage ship with my parents and my sister. I could zero-g before I could walk. I guess that is where I got my love of being in space.” He gave a slight smile. “I always find EVA very peace full. Did you have much EVA experience in your training apart from the basic certification I mean?” (Reply Quall) (Reply Quall, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – ACMO, Ensign JG Ishrani Quall – 17:08) “I grew up on a Salvage ship with my parents and my sister. I could zero-g before I could walk. I guess that is where I got my love of being in space,” Andrew Williams said with a slight smile. Ishrani noticed a slight twinkle in his eyes. It seemed he was reaching a topic that was special to him. “I always find EVA very peace full,” he continued. Ishrani smiled. She could see in his eyes that he really enjoyed EVA. She had to admit she found it hard to picture Andrew doing a spacewalk. She giggled slightly imagining him in a bulky spacesuit. For Ishrani the bulky spacesuit was only part of the problem with EVA. Ishrani remembered a dreadful class at the academy dealing with EVA. It was almost as if the commander was reading her thoughts for he asked: “Did you have much EVA experience in your training apart from the basic certification I mean?” Ishrani gave a slight sigh, but she smiled while doing so. “I can’t say I really liked the EVA part of my training” Ishrani smiled. She looked into Andrew’s eyes, trying to figure out how much it bothered him. “Was Lt. Killian also your EVA-instructor at the academy?” Ishrani asked. “I don’t know. I never had much with EVA, but Lt. Killian made it a lot harder for me.” It was true. Ishrani never liked EVA much. It was precisely the zero-g part that bothered her. Perhaps it was her symbiontsack, but something made her queasy when she was in zero-g. The queasiness and the bulky spacesuit met EVA a rather unpleasant experience. (Reply Williams) “Well,” Ishrani said smiling “During one the lessons my spacesuit was not correctly tettered to the spacecraft. Killian made sure I would never make that same mistake again. He broke the link and set me adrift.” (Reply Williams) “I guess he hoped a shock would get me over my initial fears” Ishrani explained. “I guess it worked enough for me to get through the academy,” she said with a smile. (Reply Williams) (Reply Williams, any) (Posted by Jeroen Nagtegaal) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – CMO, Cmdr Andrew Williams – 17:10) “Was Lt. Killian also your EVA-instructor at the academy?” “I don’t know. I never had much with EVA, but Lt. Killian made it a lot harder for me.” Andrew paused as he though and shook his head. “No Killian was not my instructor when I was there.” “Well,” “During one the lessons my spacesuit was not correctly tettered to the spacecraft. Killian made sure I would never make that same mistake again. He broke the link and set me adrift.” Andrew frowned slightly. “That’s a bit extreme. I can think of a few other ways he could have done that better.” “I guess he hoped a shock would get me over my initial fears” “I guess it worked enough for me to get through the academy,” she said with a smile. “For my training I spent time with the Federation Naval Patrol with a Master Chief Petty Officer Holiday and he was a hard case.” He smiled at the memory. “We had to learn how to scuba dive before we were able to EVA which was scary for me as I had grown up in space and not spent time near any lager body of water. So, they wanted me to go under water that took some getting use to. It was mainly the gravity and if you got your weight wrong you would just drop into the depths watching the light from the surface disappear.” He shivered. “Give me space anytime.” He said with a smile. (Reply Quall) (Reply Quall, any) (Posted by Robbie) (USS Spectre – Ten Forward Lounge – FO, Cmdr Tom Jackson – 17:12) Tom entered and looked at the variety of species present. He had shyed away from going to the lounge in order to not cramp anyone's off duty relaxation time. Tom hadn't been as friendly as he had been on the Templar. The loss of his captaincy still hurt a lot. He walked to the bar and ordered an ice tea, unsweetened. He looked around and noticed Drs Quall and Williams. He needed to talk to the ACMO about the Away team composition. Tom walked to where they were standing. "Hello Doctors. How are each of you tonight?" Jackson inquired. (Reply Quall, Williams iyw) "Dr Quall, I wanted to check in with you to see how you were doing?" Tom asked. (Reply Quall) " I wanted to see if you were interested in going on an away mission to the colony's surface?" The FO asked the young officer. (Reply Quall) "CMDR WILLIAMS, would you mind helping her get ready for the mission? I remember my first mission and I appreciated a bit of mentor ship" Tom asked the CMO (Reply Quall, Williams) (Posted by Bill West) ==============================================================