>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Mission: You Can't Go Home Again Day: 5 Stardate: 2444.06.05 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (Mars Facility – Admiral’s Office - CO Admiral Remae Ktell – 0840) (Mars Base, ACMO’s Office, Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken, 0847) (Mars Ground Facility – Medical – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0907) (Mars Base, Medical Center, SPC CPO Yeoman Kathy Miller, 0908) (Martian Facilities – Medical Center – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0910) (Mars Base, Medical Center, SPC CPO Yeoman Kathy Miller, 0911) (Martian Ground Facilities – Medical Center – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0917) (Martian Facilities – Medical Center – aACMO Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken – 0915) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 0948) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Ops – CPO Tamblyn – 0950) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Tac, Ens Carson Peters – 0951) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Ops – CPO Tamblyn – 0953) (Mars Ground Facility, Landing Pad One, Runabout Delilah -- aACSO, Ensign Sekal - 1001) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 1002) (Mars Ground Facility, Landing Pad One, Runabout Delilah -- Science Officer Ensign Jaton Alyl - 1003) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 1010) (Mars Base, Security Center, Peters' Office, Sec/Tac Ensign Taya, 1012) (USS Mystique- Bridge -- aACSO, Ensign Sekal - 1015) (USS Mystique- Bridge -- Science Officer Ensign Jaton Alyl - 1017) (USS Mystique - Bridge - ENS jg Counselor Ariel Trei - 10.18) (Mars Ground Facilty - Hanger Bay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 1755) (Starfleet Martian Ground Facilities – Hanger- MO Ens(jg) Kasian Poldan–1808) (Mars Facility – Surgical Bay 1 –aACMO Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken – 1830) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ire Williams -1947) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ravok Shara -1948) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ire Williams -1950) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ravok -1951) (Mars Facility – Willliams-Verin Family Quarters - ENS JG Sienna Williams-Verin and Ensign JG Trip Williams - 20:30) (Mars Facility – Corridor to sickbay - Ensign JG Trip Williams - 22:00) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - ENS JG Kaz Poldan and Ensign JG Trip Williams - 22:00) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - Ensign JG Trip Williams- 23:00) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - Civilian specialist Kora- 23:11) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 2315) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aFSXO Ens JG Trip Williams – 2317) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 2318) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – civilian specialist engineer Kora – 2319) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – civilian specialist engineer Kora – 2325) (USS Mystique, SPC Entity Luma'lenai, 2345) (Mars Base - Science Annex, Officers Quarters- aACSO, Ensign Sekal and SPC Entity Luma'lenai, 2346) (Mars Base, Officers Quarters- SecTac, Ens(jg) Carson Peters, 2351) (Mars Base, Sec/Tac Ensign Taya, 2354) (Mars Base - Grounds patrol- NPC, Petty Officer Steven Hammons- 2355) (Mars Base, Runabout Delilah Transport Station- SecTac, Ens(jg) Carson Peters, 2359) (Mars Base, Runabout Delilah Transport Station- Petty officer Steven Hammons, 2400) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (Mars Facility – Admiral’s Office - CO Admiral Remae Ktell – 0840) Remae was speaking to their new Medical Officer, a Cardassian named Dural Methor. The officer was confirming the fact that Cardassians knew how to speak, more so, if it was about themselves. As he explained, he mentioned that his chosen field was adopted as a means to an end and to try and right the wrongs of his people; the use of various methods of weapons of mass destruction. “… Starting with the twelve microorganisms I’ve brought with me in stasis.”, he said matter-of-factly. The Admiral coughed before asking, “So, that’s totally safe then?” and he was told about the many safety protocols protecting the entire base from infection if they all failed. My next stop brings me to report to the CMO and discuss the details of work duties and how many techs I can use for research.” Remae took another look at the PADD the officer had brought with them; it had indeed allowed permission for the hazardous bio-matter to be transported to Mars. “Ensign Bracken is the person you are looking for. He is running the Medical Facilities on Mars.”, he said and then looked at the officer, “… I suggest you find her as soon as possible.” “You are dismissed, Ensign.”, he said and that was the end of their polite conversation. “Admiral Remae to Security, I want security officers posted at the Alpha Medical Bay until further notice. Limit access to essential officers only.”, he said tapping his badge. “Just the Twelve? Why stop there?”, he said talking to nobody and tossing the PADD onto his desk in disgust. (Reply from Security, Any) (Posted by Anthony Keen) (Mars Base, ACMO’s Office, Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken, 0847) "I'm here, Doctor, er, Ailynn, to talk about the security and quarenteen protocols for the samples our new arrival, Doctor Methor has graced us with. I know your department is trained for this, and I'm not telling you what to do. I'd just like security to be kept informed of everything involved. I'd also like regular reports from Doctor Methor. Perhaps we could schedule a containment breech drill at some point. Again, I know you have this covered, so seeing you is more a formality, as I haven't been able to come by yet since I arrived." Ailynn led the Andorian Sec Officer toward her Office as they spoke, finding herself smiling, everything that her mother had told her about Andorians, which even in her case was sadly limited, was true. “Forgive me…Taya? Would you like to sit? This is an issue I can’t deal with whilst we’re stood up.” She motioned toward the replicator “Help yourself, I have one.” She lifted the cooling contents of the cup on her desk” (Reply Taya) “I don’t like these Tay’. I haven’t seen the manifest as yet, but I can guess. I’m not going to sit here and tell you your job, but you hold every drill you see fit. Absolute carte blanche permission from me on this, you will always have my full, absolute, backing on this matter.” (Reply) There was something nudging her brain, and it finally got her attention. “You’ll forgive me, my mother, Aimee Bracken, formerly Captain of the Hades, she had an Andorian as an aCMO. She always speaks about Tesha in the highest of regards.” Ailynn laughed, “said that she would have delivered me had things not…” her face fell, her shoulders shrugged. “Had things not gone south with the Federation.” (Reply Taya) (Posted by Mark) (Mars Ground Facility – Medical – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0907) After his very short meeting with the Admiral, Dural made his way to Medical via the arboretum. He saw a number of rodents and various animals running loose. He wondered to himself if these were here as part of the biosphere, or if it was a sort of “hunt your own food” kind of cafeteria. Times past small game is what his people subsided on as a major protein source and he knew that humans hunted in the early days as well. ~It’s something I’ll have to ask about.~ He mused to himself as he strode into medical. “Good morning!” He said eagerly to the receptionist. “I’m here to speak to Doctor Bracken.” (Reply any, Dr. Bracken) (Posted by Todd) (Mars Base, Medical Center, SPC CPO Yeoman Kathy Miller, 0908) The Andorian from security had left about ten minutes ago after talking with Dr. Bracken about safety measures for the pathogens the new Cardassian doctor brought with him. Kathy didn't know about any of this and it made her angry. She prided herself on her efficiency and in taking care of her department, so not having the information, was unacceptable. Doing some investigating, it turned out to be a simple oversight; the report of the doctor coming to Mars went to main security, but medical hadn't been copied into the message. For a long time, the person in security on the other end of the comm, would remember the tongue-lashing she had gotten. It was interesting that they were getting a Cardassian. Kathy had nothing personal against them, but it often took people a great amount of time to get over things that happened in the past. It was the same with the Andorian. Her people were founding members of the Federation, so there were a lot of questions and theories on why she was in Starfleet. Once word spread there was now a Cardassian on the base, the rumor mill would be churning. "Good morning! I’m here to speak to Dr. Bracken." As if on cue, the Cardassian doctor walked into medical. Kathy was startled by his presence, as she had been lost in thought. Clearing her throat and hoping he didn't misread her reaction, she greeted him back. "Dr. Methor, I presume? We've been expecting you." Kathy tapped the call button to Dr. Bracken's office. "Doctor, you have another person here to see you." She looked back at Methor. "Please have a seat. Dr. Bracken will be with you. May I get you a refreshment?" (reply Bracken, Methor, any) (posted by Rob B.) (Martian Facilities – Medical Center – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0910) Dural strode into the Medical hub of the facilities. Compared to the laboratory section he was in earlier that day, this one was much better maintained. If what he assumed was correct in that these medical facilities were as untouched as the lab was, they had done a lot of work updating it. He saw new supply boxes tucked in the corner, among other signs of new life in this old facility. "Dr. Methor, I presume? We've been expecting you." She said as she tapped a button in a lower section that he couldn’t see. "Doctor, you have another person here to see you." She looked back at Methor. "Please have a seat. Dr. Bracken will be with you. May I get you a refreshment?" The woman had asked. She could be almost as tall as he, but she was easily half his mass. “No, not now. Thank you. I may require something when I’m off duty, which is something I’m going to discuss with the good Doctor, my duty hours. Is there a place around here where one can get libations suited for off duty hours?” he asked politely. (Reply Yeoman Miller, Dr Bracken, any) (Posted by Todd) (Mars Base, Medical Center, SPC CPO Yeoman Kathy Miller, 0911) "Please have a seat. Dr. Bracken will be with you. May I get you a refreshment?" said Kathy. "No, not now. Thank you," said Methor. "I may require something when I’m off duty, which is something I’m going to discuss with the good doctor; my duty hours. Is there a place around here where one can get libations suited for off-duty hours?" Kathy chuckled. Libations? She couldn't think of any time in her life that she heard someone use that word. In the very short time she was talking with Dr. Methor, it was clear he was charming. Of course, he was a man, after all, and they all turned on the charm when they wanted something from a woman. "If it's libations you want, the Red Sands Tavern just opened on the base. It's quite nice, with both replicated and real food, though I'm not sure how the proprietor has managed to get real food shipped in. "There's also been live entertainment, with some of the crew singing or playing musical instruments. There's a rumor Admiral Remae is going to sing karaoke, but it's probably not true. I heard there might be a standup comedy night as well. "The base still needs a lot of work, but there is a fun place to relax and unwind." (reply Bracken, Methor, any) (posted by Rob B.) (Martian Ground Facilities – Medical Center – Medical Officer – Ensign JG Dural Methor DrPH – 0917) "If it's libations you want, the Red Sands Tavern just opened on the base. It's quite nice, with both replicated and real food, though I'm not sure how the proprietor has managed to get real food shipped in.” "There's also been live entertainment, with some of the crew singing or playing musical instruments. There's a rumor Admiral Remae is going to sing karaoke, but it's probably not true. I heard there might be a standup comedy night as well.” "The base still needs a lot of work, but there is a fun place to relax and unwind." “That does sound lovely. I shall give it a try at my earliest convenience.” He responded. The chance to socialize did make him anticipate this new posting. “Most everyone is so friendly here.” He stood up at the sound of his name. “Doctor Methor.” She extended a hand. “Ah, yes contact greetings.” He said and accepted her handshake. His brief grip was firm and cooler than one would expect. “Doctor Bracken…Ailynn. Please step into my Office. We have a lot to discuss.” “Well, Petty Officer, that’s my cue. Maybe the next time we chat you’ll tell me your name.” He said and stepped into the CMO’s office. (Reply Yeoman Miller) “And Doctor Bracken, I’m sorry but calling you by your first name right now, years of military service won’t allow me to at this early in our working relationship, I hope you won’t take offense.” He apologized. “As the Admiral has pointed out, you will be my supervisor… and old habits die hard.” (Reply Dr. Bracken) Dural let the senior direct the conversation where she wanted it to go. (Reply Dr. Bracken, CPO Miller) (Posted by Todd) (Martian Facilities – Medical Center – aACMO Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken – 0915) Walking out of her office, Ailynn smiled a good morning at a few staff who happened to be passing. She’d always been of the mind, as had her mother before her, to always treat those under you, with the same courtesy and kind regard, as you me expect of them. Having spent a very pleasant few minutes talking to Taya about, amongst other things, the security arrangements regarding the specimens that were now in lab Alpha. Now, it was time to meet the Cardassian Doctor who had brought them to the base. “Doctor Methor.” She extended a hand, hoping that he wasn’t the type to go for a ‘bonecrusher’ handshake, her hands were her trade. (Reply Methor) “Doctor Bracken…Ailynn.” Please step into my Office. We have a lot to discuss. (Reply Methor) (Posted by Mark) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 0948) Charles shifted in his chair and leaned toward Carson, “This next question needs to be just between the two of us and completely off the record.” Carson sat back in his seat, "Off the record it is then," he turned in his chair and tapped on the console to turn of any active monitoring systems within the office, "Go on." he said as he turned back to face him (Reply Tamblyn - room for more if needed) Tamblyn glanced at the time and then said, “Just how far will I be allowed to go in order to get this individual? Do you have a preference on if he can talk or not when they are captured?" "Preferably we find who it is and then monitor them for a time, if that's impossible than an arrest would be preferable. We need to find out who they're working with and if it's a solo operation." Carson said. (Reply Tamblyn) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Ops – CPO Tamblyn – 0950) Tamblyn glanced at the time and then said, “Just how far will I be allowed to go in order to get this individual? Do you have a preference on if he can talk or not when they are captured?" "Preferably we find who it is and then monitor them for a time, if that's impossible then an arrest would be preferable. We need to find out who they're working with and if it's a solo operation." Carson said. Tamblyn nodded in understanding, “Very well, sir, I now know the rules of the game. Unless you want me present at the ten o’clock meeting, I will be in my office getting started on this. I have a few ideas on where to begin.” spoke as he began to rise out of his seat. (Reply Peters) Charles resettled himself back into the chair, “Other than the intel officer you ask to work with me on this, you will be the only one, other than the admiral, that I will discuss this with. Fair enough?” (Reply Peters) The chief petty officer rose from his seat and started for the door. When the door opened, Charles turned back to face the ensign. “Sir, anyone that pulls this job is not ‘solo operation’; the people who do this ALWAYS work for someone else.” (Reply Peters iyw) “I do have one quick FYI for you, sir. My wife is currently in cell 4; she was apprehended early last night attempting to subvert the security measures to my personal quarters. She is currently the list of suspects I have off the top of my head.” (Reply Peters) With a shrug, Charles explained, “Every marriage has its own little quirks. With our two kids grown and moving out on their own, he may have taken on a freelance job for a little excitement. Or she may have simply wanted to surprise me when I returned to my quarters. Only one way to find out though.” (Reply Peters) (Reply Peters) (Posted by Charles R.) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Tac, Ens Carson Peters – 0951) Tamblyn nodded in understanding, “Very well, sir, I now know the rules of the game. Unless you want me present at the ten o’clock meeting, I will be in my office getting started on this. I have a few ideas on where to begin.” spoke as he began to rise out of his seat. Carson shook his head, "It's the reason I called you in earlier, I wanted to brief you and make you aware what was needed. To re-iterate, this will be a closed-loop investigation, I dont expect to be hearing about it as a rumour. If you need to bring anyone else in on it, I need you to clear it with me first." he wasn't usually as serious as this, but the investigation required it. Charles resettled himself back into the chair, “Other than the intel officer you ask to work with me on this, you will be the only one, other than the admiral, that I will discuss this with. Fair enough?” "Absolutely," Carson said, pleased he'd gotten his point across. The chief petty officer rose from his seat and started for the door. When the door opened, Charles turned back to face the ensign. “Sir, anyone that pulls this job is not ‘solo operation’; the people who do this ALWAYS work for someone else.” Carson nodded, he'd had the same thought. Which was exactly the reason he'd wanted an SFI agent in on the job with them, he didn't want to have to call them in at the end to be told he'd screwed up one of their secret operations. It seems they'd be sending Ensign Rozen, he't not met the woman yet, but if she was anything like Foxglove it'd be a tough task getting a read. “I do have one quick FYI for you, sir. My wife is currently in cell 4; she was apprehended early last night attempting to subvert the security measures to my personal quarters. She is currently the list of suspects I have off the top of my head.” Carson surpressed his shock, he'd been aware that the man was married, but that his wife was currently under lock and key on the very base was something he hadn't expected to learn from this meeting. As he stood he replied, "Your wife? How peculiar. Any reason you would think she'd take a job on like this?" With a shrug, Charles explained, “Every marriage has its own little quirks. With our two kids grown and moving out on their own, she may have taken on a freelance job for a little excitement. Or she may have simply wanted to surprise me when I returned to my quarters. Only one way to find out though.” "Indeed," Carson said, "The information leaked so far, seems to point towards the fact that the person... or people we're looking for are Uniformed agents. But nonetheless we can't rule out civilian involvement. Find out which it was and if she's involved I don't expect to find out about it from a third party. Understood?" (Reply Tamblyn) Carson sat down and sighed heavily, the day had barely begun and he knew it was going to be a long day. He sat back down, behind his desk and pulled up the information for the prisoner currently abiding in cell 4 and began skim reading the biographical and historical information on her before Darpeg, Taya & Rozen arrived. (Reply Tamblyn) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office– Sec/Ops – CPO Tamblyn – 0953) "Indeed," Carson said, "The information leaked so far, seems to point towards the fact that the person... or people we're looking for are Uniformed agents. But nonetheless, we can't rule out civilian involvement. Find out which it was and if she's involved, I don't expect to find out about it from a third party. Understood?" “Yes, sir. Now if you will excuse me, I’ll be right back. I want to use the head and grab something to drink before the ten o’clock meeting starts.” and then Tamblyn headed out the door in a rush. After relieving the pressure on his bladder, Charles returned to Ensign Peters’ office for the meeting and met the other ensigns that were there when he got there. (Reply None) (Posted by Charles R.) (Mars Ground Facility, Landing Pad One, Runabout Delilah -- aACSO, Ensign Sekal - 1001) All were present and accounted for and gathered in the passenger compartment near the transporter pad. A member of the security force was manning the console for it and the coordinates for the Mystique's bridge locked in. Sekal turned from the transporter officer and addressed the group. "The question has been asked by Counselor Trei what the purpose of this outing is and what each of you will be doing and I will tell you that now before we beam up." He turned his head to Counselor Solice. "Counselor Solice you, Ensign Verin and petty officer Hammons will remain on the bridge. Ensign Verin has some questions for the entity that inhabits the ship and claims to be the ship. At this time we do not have enough data to confirm or deny this assertion. What we do know is this." He turned his head to include all of them. "The entity calling itself Luma'Lenai has control over ships functions including sensors, transporter controls and the computer bank and will 'see' and 'hear' everything we do. The entity has already shown itself capable of and willing to punish those whom she believes have wronged her." His eyes returned to Counselor Solice. "It is our belief that the entity has undergone a number of traumatic events that have left her emotionally damaged and that you who have expertise in this area may be able to give her some catharsis. What is being asked of you will be a trying task and I anticipate will not be accomplished quickly but over an extended period of time. If we are going to be living in close proximity to this life form we need to know what must be done to placate her as well as what not to do to avoid incurring her ire." (Reply: Solice) He turned then to Counselor Trei. "Counselor you will accompany myself and Ensign Alyl to the main computer core. We also have a number of questions and requests to make of Luma' Lenai but in addition we will be investigating how she initially bonded with the ship and any way we might in the future be able to move her either to the surface or to another ship." He shifted the tricorder that was resting against his right hip without taking his eyes off of her. "An important thing we have been doing is building trust with the entity, a trust I assure you we do not wish to infringe upon. As Luma is a living entity apart from the ship I anticipate that you will be able to sense her mood and the computer core may be a sensitive area for her. I would like for you to monitor her and advise us if we seem to be crossing any sensitive boundaries. Any insights you gain on the entity or ideas that you believe may have merit on our investigations will also be welcome." (Reply:Trei) He then turned to Steven Hammons. "I assume that you have already been briefed on pertinent details Mr. Hammons." "Absolutely sir." The security officer piped up. "I know this Luma has shown willingness to use psionic attacks and that Ensign Verin is particularly subject to them." He addressed her. "Sorry Ensign but that report was exhaustive." (Repl: Verin) He turned back to Sekal. "One of our failsafes is an automatic transporter return and it will be locked onto me at all times, if Ensign Verin is attacked I will grab her and initiate it getting us both off then I will return with an armed security detail if necessary to get the rest of you out of there." Sekal nodded. "Understood." He then turned his attention to Jaton. "Ensign Alyl do not hesitate to bring anything to my attention you find applicable. This will not be our last visit to the Mystique." (Reply:Alyl) "PADDS are on the transporter control console. Take at least one and if the entity is willing to share information download anything that you feel will be of use to us." (Reply: All present) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 1002) Carson had finished up his conversation with CPO Tamblyn and the man had gone on his way just before the requested senior officers had begun to assemble for the meeting. He took a heavy breath and began pulling the information he had back together, ready to go through it again with the group. Amongst the security ensigns there was someone he wasn’t familiar with, so as he ushered them into the office and had the door close behind them, he said, “Thank-you all for coming. I’m aware you’re taking time out of hectic schedules.” Carson looked around the group, made eye contact with the black-haired woman wearing Intelligence colours and said, “I don’t believe we’ve met. It’s probably best we get the introductions out of the way before continuing?” (Reply Rozen, Any present) Carson nodded and settled down in one of the chairs as she spoke, “… and I’m Ensign Carson Peters. Now we’re all acquainted we can get down to business.” He shifted in his seat slightly before continuing, “We’re all equal rank here, so I do not expect any of you to consider what I’m about to say an order, but I had hoped you’d keep what we’re discussing here on a closed loop. The information could be dangerous if discussed outside of these walls too openly.” (Reply any present iyw) ~Enough beating around the bush~ he thought to himself before speaking, “Two days ago, pirates attacked and were pushed back. We interrogated the prisoner caught by the pilots and discovered that they had come across means of purchasing classified information directly from this base…” Carson continued to survey the room as he spoke, though his eyes kept flitting back to Rozen. He was intrigued to gauge whether anything he was saying came as a surprise to her or whether she already knew parts of it. “…Unfortunately, the Breen known as Ketrol required immediate medical attention and is currently under armed guard in sickbay but is still medically unsound enough to continue our line of questioning.” “Because of that, we’ve had little chance but to sit, wait and keep an eye out to see if our salesman would make a mistake and show themselves to us.” He stopped for a moment to take a drink from the cup in front of him. “I believe that time has come.” Carson handed them all a padd with the same information on it. “Late last night there was an unauthorised off-base communication made.” He looked at the Security officers, “this morning when I was following up on the unauth list, I stumbled across this specific one, which did not look like some youthful mistake, the kind we’ve been dealing with for the past few days. It’s well hidden, fully encrypted and uses protocols to throw off people such as ourselves off the scent as to where it originated.” “It’s a small thread, I admit, but it’s a thread on which I believe we should pull to see if it leads to someone.” He gave them a moment to take in the information in front of them. “I have since had the computer search through for similar transmissions and found several more which follow the same pattern. In addition to this, one of the civilian specialists working for engineering has flagged a suspicious number of terminals around the base which seem to have been tampered with, these two things could be completely unreleated or they could be linked… Thoughts?” he said, opening discussion up to the room. He’d hold back on the plan he had, until they’d had time to digest the information given to them and had a chance to speak. (Reply Rozen, Taya, Darpeg & Flagg if there) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Ground Facility, Landing Pad One, Runabout Delilah -- Science Officer Ensign Jaton Alyl - 1003) Jaton listened intently as Sekal addressed the assembled officers. "The question has been asked by Counselor Trei what the purpose of this outing is and what each of you will be doing and I will tell you that now before we beam up." He turned his head to Counselor Solice. "Counselor Solice you, Ensign Verin and petty officer Hammond will remain on the bridge. Ensign Verin has some questions for the entity that inhabits the ship and claims to be the ship. At this time we do not have enough data to confirm or deny this assertion. What we do know is this." He turned his head to include all of them. "The entity calling itself Luma'Lenai has control over ships functions including sensors, transporter controls and the computer bank and will 'see' and 'hear' everything we do. The entity has already shown itself capable of and willing to punish those whom she believes have wronged her." His eyes returned to Counselor Solice. "It is our belief that the entity has undergone a number of traumatic events that have left her emotionally damaged and that you who have expertise in this area may be able to give her some catharsis. What is being asked of you will be a trying task and I anticipate will not be accomplished quickly but over an extended period of time. If we are going to be living in close proximity to this life form we need to know what must be done to placate her as well as what not to do to avoid incurring her ire." (Reply: Solice) He turned then to Counselor Trei. "Counselor you will accompany myself and Ensign Alyl to the main computer core. We also have a number of questions and requests to make of Luma' Lenai but in addition we will be investigating how she initially bonded with the ship and any way we might in the future be able to move her either to the surface or to another ship." He shifted the tricorder that was resting against his right hip without taking his eyes off of her. "An important thing we have been doing is building trust with the entity, a trust I assure you we do not wish to infringe upon. As Luma is a living entity apart from the ship I anticipate that you will be able to sense her mood and the computer core may be a sensitive area for her. I would like for you to monitor her and advise us if we seem to be crossing any sensitive boundaries. Any insights you gain on the entity or ideas that you believe may have merit on our investigations will also be welcome." (Reply:Trei) He then turned to Steven Hammond. "I assume that you have already been briefed on pertinent details Mr. Hammond." "Absolutely sir." The security officer piped up. "I know this Luma has shown willingness to use psionic attacks and that Ensign Verin is particularly subject to them." He addressed her. "Sorry Ensign but that report was exhaustive." (Repl: Verin) He turned back to Sekal. "One of our failsafes is an automatic transporter return and it will be locked onto me at all times, if Ensign Verin is attacked I will grab her and initiate it getting us both off then I will return with an armed security detail if necessary to get the rest of you out of there." Sekal nodded. "Understood." He then turned his attention to Jaton. "Ensign Alyl do not hesitate to bring anything to my attention you find applicable. This will not be our last visit to the Mystique." Jaton nodded as he adjusted the kit with him in order to get his tricorder ready. "Understood, sir." "PADDS are on the transporter control console. Take at least one and if the entity is willing to share information download anything that you feel will be of use to us." Jaton walked over and took the top PADD in the pile. He opened up the kit, and placed it inside where he could easily find it later on. (Reply: All present) (posted by Spencer) (Mars Facility – Security Complex, Peters’ Office – Sec, Ens(jg) Carson Peters – 1010) "I will get with Ensign Foxglove and we will see what we can find from it, then report to you." the intelligence officer replied. Carson nodded, this is what he'd expected. Of course she'd want the information and then head off on her own to work on it in private and not together. That just wasn't going to work. "I actually have about 75% of a plan formulated- if you'll hear me out on it. Either way, I don't think you'll be able to get a hold of Foxglove. She seems to have chosen the last three days to go mountain climbing." Not for one second, did he believe the reports coming from his officers that Ensign Foxglove had taken 3 of her first 5 days on shift as R&R, but he was far to busy to chase it up. ~Something to come back to~ he thought to himself. (Reply Rozen iyw) "I already have Chief Tamblyn looking to decrypt the messages that we've intercepted, its a high level of encryption though and my hope was that you would work side-by-side with him to chase that lead down. Your intelligence background may make the job somewhat easier." (Reply Rozen) He turned to Darpeg & Taya, "The other side of this coin, is that we need to chase down where this communication was sent from. If we can do that, I think we stand a good chance of being able to track down our perpetrator. It's somewhat of a needle in a haystack on top of a moving shuttle that your chasing at Warp 1. I'll quarterback both efforts from here and assist where needed, I think if we all work together we can get to the bottom of this before any more information is sold or leaked." (Reply Taya/Darpeg) "Once we know who we're targetting, I think it's best if we keep a close eye, see what we can learn. If that's not possible, then we arrest thim and be done with it. Unless anyone has a better idea?" (Reply Taya/Darpeg) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Base, Security Center, Peters' Office, Sec/Tac Ensign Taya, 1012) Carson turned to face Taya and Darpeg. "The other side of this coin, is that we need to chase down where this communication was sent from." Taya didn't know why Carson was talking about coins, but from context, she knew what he meant. It was taking her a long time to understand Human idioms. She agreed with what he was saying, though it was stating the obvious. "If we can do that, I think we stand a good chance of being able to track down our perpetrator." That wasn't necessarily true. A person as clever as this spy was, wouldn't make it east for them. "It's somewhat of a needle in a haystack, on top of a moving shuttle, that you're chasing at warp 1." Again, from context, Taya figured out what Carson meant. "I'll quarterback both efforts from here and assist where needed." Taya knew right away what that one was. She had learned about football when on Earth, and grew to appreciate the strategy, art, and violence behind it. She couldn't help but crack a smile. "I think if we all work together, we can get to the bottom of this before any more information is sold or leaked." Taya was certain they would eventually capture the spy, but there was no way to know if this person would pass along more information before that happened. They had to move quickly. "Once we know who we're targetting, I think it's best if we keep a close eye, see what we can learn." This was sound reasoning, as they would want to arrest any accomplices that might also be on the base. They would never to exercise caution, as a person trained to infiltrate a Starfleet facility, was smart enough to recognize if they were being watched. Taya wondered if the spy had a suicide device implanted in them, like the Breen that Petrova caught. "If that's not possible, then we arrest them and be done with it. Unless anyone has a better idea?" "I think what you've said so far is the way we should go," said Taya. "I'm not a computer expert, so point me in the right direction once we ID the spy." Andorian society was based on clans and extreme loyalty to the clan. Living on an ice world, that was imperative. At this point in Taya's life, the people she was serving with on Mars were her clan mates. Someone was threatening the clan and Taya didn't like that at all. May whatever deity in which the spy believed show mercy if Taya was the one that found them. (reply any at meeting) (posted by Rob B.) (USS Mystique- Bridge -- aACSO, Ensign Sekal - 1015) The landing party solidified on the bridge innocuously. Luma had already been notified of their imminent arrival and was waiting for visitors. Sekal turned and addressed the empty air of the bridge. "Luma it is Sekal. Ensign Verin and I have returned and brought others to introduce to you." He pointed to each in turn as he introduced them. "Counselor Solice is a member of our medical department as is Counselor Trei. They are here to help us get to know you better and might perhaps have some things to say about us that will be of interest to you." (Reply: Solice, Trei, Luma) He then pointed to Jaton. "Ensign Alyl works closely with myself and Ensign Verin, he will be working toward the same goals as we to learn from you and about you." (Reply: Alyl, Luma) "The final member of our group is Petty Officer Steven Hammons, he means you no harm but is here to watch us and insure that no harm comes to us." Steven Hammons nodded and raised a hand in greeting. "Hello Luma, a pleasure to meet you." (Reply: Luma, all present) (Posted by Charles Gatling) (USS Mystique- Bridge -- Science Officer Ensign Jaton Alyl - 1017) It was Jaton's first away mission in 25 years, but as he materialised on the bridge he instinctively reached for his tricorder and began scans as though no time at all had passed for him. Sekal turned and addressed the empty air of the bridge. "Luma it is Sekal. Ensign Verin and I have returned and brought others to introduce to you." He pointed to each in turn as he introduced them. "Counselor Solice is a member of our medical department as is Counselor Trei. They are here to help us get to know you better and might perhaps have some things to say about us that will be of interest to you." (Reply: Solice, Trei, Luma) He then pointed to Jaton. "Ensign Alyl works closely with myself and Ensign Verin, he will be working toward the same goals as we to learn from you and about you." Jaton didn't know where to turn as he was introduced to the entity. Still, he nodded respectfully as Sekal spoke. "It's good to meet you, Luma. I have heard so much and I've been looking forward to meeting you." (Reply: Luma) "The final member of our group is Petty Officer Steven Hammons, he means you no harm but is here to watch us and insure that no harm comes to us." Steven Hammons nodded and raised a hand in greeting. "Hello Luma, a pleasure to meet you." (Reply: Luma, all present) (Posted by Spencer) (USS Mystique - Bridge - ENS jg Counselor Ariel Trei - 10.18) She heard her instructions and understood them. If she was to monitor the entity, she needed to protect her mind. She performed mental exercises to shield her emotions and mind from the entity called Luma. She was now prepared to monitor Luma. She was ready to go with Sekal to the computer core but said hi to Luma first. "Hello, Luma. It is nice to meet you." She sensed that Luma was looking at her and feeling her out. This is going to be an interesting assignment for sure. (Reply Sekal, Hammons, Any) (Posted by Edward) (Mars Ground Facilty - Hanger Bay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 1755) Once sensors had picked up the team of fighters heading back news spread quickly. Keira made sure repair and refuel teams were in place ready to scramble and “tuck the fighters in”. Her and her teams were situated outside the hangar so they could watch the fighters come in to land. She tapped her combadge, “ Merek to repair teams, remember get right in these fighter FACEs, Fuel checks, Ammo checks, Casualties and Equipment.” She said calling out the acronym they had told them to remember to check all the systems on craft returning from mission. “Though, check our people first. Scans report we’re down a few fighters. Merek out.” She tapped her foot in anticipation. Someone had pointed out a large grouping of blinking lights, the running lights that had been turned on for landing procedures were bright enough to be seen over the sunlight coming in low in the Martian skyline. ~There they are.~ The grouping came in low and slow one flight landing then another. With out any kind of warning a large explosion rocked the aft section of the lead vessel the God of War. The near surgical strike took main power out in one go. Inertia carried her forward and she began to list with non-damaged section overtaking the damaged side. Half a moment later the ship exploded the shock wave could even be felt where her teams were staged. “Fvadt!” {R: Damn!} “Alert! Explosion on the God of War!” She said after tapping her combadge, reporting the incident. “Engineering and damage control teams are in route.” She ran carrying her engineering kit. “Team one, you’re with me!” She ordered mid-run. She now picked up a dead sprint to finish the fifty or so meters between her and a utility truck. Team one had followed suit and was right behind her. In one fluid motion she jumped into the cab and landed with her posterior in the seat. She dropped her kit into the passenger seat as she turned on the electric vehicle forgoing the usual systems checks and the safety harness and stomped on the accelerator. In very little time she was already at the crash site. She turned hard right and slammed on the brakes skidding her vehicle to a halt. The heat from multiple fires could be felt even out where she was. She pulled out her tricorder and opened it with a flick of her wrist, she started to scan. The damage was caused by an initial explosion somewhere in the aft section, followed by a loss of containment in the antimatter and deuterium fuel pods resulting in a catastrophic release of energy. As she continued to scan it would reveal that the entire aft section was gone, atomized. The mid section was all chewed up just fragments of twisted shards of metal. The cockpit area was all that was left that even resembled a ship, and that was just pieces of the tritanium and duranium alloy frame. ~Scan for life signs~ She tried to adjust her engineering tricorder for a medical function. It just didn’t have the proper sensor suite. It could scan for elements and compounds. ~Calcium phosphate salts~ She adjusted the tricorder to look for bones. She found enough for one skeleton, but it wasn’t all together and parts of it were already melting as plasma fires were burning at temperatures around 30k Kelvin. Her Damage Control Chief responded as if he could almost read her mind. “Sir, it’s too hot in there. We’ll have to wait ‘til it cools down.” “There’s a body in there.” She said looking again at her tricorder. “It’ll stay in there too, ‘til this whole wreck cools down.” The Chief said, but could see that she was getting emotional. “ Emergency transporters probably got them all. Think, what are some other ways we can ensure that’s not one of ours?” She thought. “Muster?” “Yep, good head count will solve most of your problems.” The Chief assured her. “Merek to OPS.” She said holding back her emotions while opening a channel. “Do we have a head count?” “All personnel accounted for. Two injured for sure. Reports are still coming in.” Keira breathed a sigh of relief, the Chief patted her on the back with a smile. “Any reports for the wreckage?” Asked the Yeomen. “Near total loss.” She admitted. “I don’t even know if the main computer or flight recorder or whatever this thing’s got made it. We’ll back out so fire suppression can get out here. There is one body, or enough calcium for a body in there.” She said walking back to her vehicle. “Fire teams on the way. OPS out,” and the line closed. The two vehicles left as fire teams could be seen approaching in on small craft. (Reply any, or none) (posted by Todd) (Mars Facility – Surgical Bay 1 –aACMO Ens(jg) Ailynn Bracken – 1830) Having gowned, and scrubbed up in the anteroom next door, Ailynn strode into the bay…her domain. It had been an odd few days for her, a growing curve steeper than any that she could ever remember. She certainly wasn’t the person that she was when she first arrived. Time was she would have stopped at the door, time was that she would have had to get her wits together. She wasn’t that person anymore. Stepping assuredly across the bay floor she held out her hands for Carter to apply the sterilizing gel. “Sats.” She called.” “Patient is 105 over 65. Blood O2 99 percent. Stable Doctor.” “Thank you Chief. Patient is a human female, early twenties. Procedure is a lower cranial ICH, followed by a standard midbrain aneurism clamp. Primary incision will be by the dextral side of the neck, adjacent c2. Are we ready? Then we’ll proceed.” Ailynn held out her hand, looking around at the bay, and the observation windows looking down on her. She remembered the feeling that her mother had described to her, the moment that The whole world held on her skill and her nerve. “It’s going to be a long night. Some music…Chopin…Nocturnes” Ailynn closed her eyes, calming herself down, then, only then, reaching out. “Scalpel” The pass was firm and fast. Ailynn made a mental note to have something special sent for Carter’s birthday, she was too good. “Primary incision. Ready swabbing. We’ll then proceed to pull back the skin and expose the skull. Make ready, microsaw, we’re going to remove a small section, drain, and then suture the bleed. Minutes passed, tens of minutes, Ailynn had lost all track of time in the moment of the job that she had to do. “Ready with suction. Get me a fine drain. Coming through Occipital bone, Posterior Fossa.” “Suction Doctor.” Gone was the informality, and quite right too, Carter understood, even as she did, that there was a time and a place for levity, and the time was not now. “Gentle swabs I need to see the bleed. Carter come across. Suction. Sats?” “Patient steady, Previous levels” “I have the bleed. Microsuture, setting point zero one.” Once more the pass was textbook, Ailynn took the instrument, and carefully sealed the bleed in the tiniest of blood vessels. “All sealed. Begin to close this section.” She closed her eyes again, actually fully calm now, there was the strangest calm that encompassed her, opening them once more, she replaced the section of skull, and began to rejuvenate the bone around it. Smiling gently, she spoke quietly to the room. “Listen to the fingerwork…can you imagine if we had hands like that? Realising that her hands had finished the bleed. She turned to Carter. “Time?” “2045 Doctor.” “Hold here, anyone who wants to step back to stretch please do.” Later, and a new section opened, Ailynn looked at the surface of Petrova’s brain. “Ladies and Gentlemen. Moving to the second procedure. Carter get me a scan. Drink…” Another nurse put a cup with a straw clos to her mouth that she took a small sip of, and swilled it around her mouth before swallowing. “Thank you.” “Inserting clamp guide.” She looked up at the scan. “Rotate posterior 040. Neural map.” Her trained hands slowly inserted the needle. She was glad of the money spent on the type VI, the difference was night and day. Ailynn looked up at the observation windows, and in one, just for a second… “Ashlyn?” She closed her eyes, and blinked, the figure that she thought she saw was no longer there. An hour later, she had reached the site of the aneurism. “Proceeding to stage three.” She clamped the feed end of the aneurism, and then gently applied the brace, that would forever hold it in place. Gently releasing it, she then adjusted the clamp, loosening it until it allowed a blood flow through. “Brace secure, moving to close.” Another half an hour later, she closed up the final section of Petrova’s skull, and as was her tradition, passed over the final movements over to the most junior member of the team, who on this occasion was an Ensign McAdams. “Focus. I know you’re tired. Focus.” Ailynn tutored him gently, guiding his hand. “She doesn’t want scars, sloooooow it down.” McAdams looked up at her, nodding, then back to his work. Ailynn smiled gently, watching his final stitches. “Time at end…2248. Move her to recovery. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, excellent work…no…beyond excellent.” It was a tired Ailynn that half an hour later looked at the residential block, one way lay her own quarters, the other lay Ensign Verin-Williams’. She had no idea if Sienna was still awake, but Selfish though it was, Ailynn needed a hug. She reached the rooms that Sienna and Trip shared, and walked in. This was the first time she had entered on her own steam, without them being there. Smiling to herself, she tiptoed toward Sienna’s room, and walked in, the door closing silently behind her. Sitting down on the bed, she regarded Sienna, fast asleep. She didn’t know why she’d taken so long to realise her beauty. Ailynn realized that she was losing the battle against sleep, she had no clue what time it was, but it must be near midnight by now. Lying down, only having managed to remove one shoe, she lost her fight against sleep. (Reply any pre 2200.) (Posted by Mark) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ire Williams -1947) "Hey Ire, how are you?" Ire grinned. "Still in one peace, more of less. You?” " Yeah, I'm under orders to remain in this bed, I'm going insane just laying here knowing Ensign Petrova might not make it. I can hear the conversations and the whispers. People aren't optimistic. " His grinned turned into sad. “Yes I had a Doctor come and tell me that they are trying to stabilise her here and then move her to Star fleet medical on earth as we don’t have the proper facilities here.” " She is one of us, up there I feel like I can do almost anything. Down here on this planet in this stupid bed ,I feel useless...powerless" “Stop that. You are no use to anyone going off on one before you are ready. I know it’s frustrating need to make sure that you are better before you go charging off or you will find yourself back here again.” " My mother isnt allowed to see me yet . Only officers I guess, last month I was doing Karaoke in some bar on earth . Now this " “Rovak I never took you for the moping type. You need to get you back side in gear and get will so that they can discharge you so that we can find the person who blew up the God of War and injured Alex.” (Reply Ravok) (Reply Ravok any ) (Posted by Robbie) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ravok Shara -1948) Ravok looked at Ire with a serious look. "The destruction of the God of War wasnt an accident?" (Reply Ire) " I didnt know that. It's getting closer and closer to home Ire, I would love nothing more than to leave this room and find out what's going on. Trust me I'm pissed. People can throw around regulation 619 all they want . First your fighter, than the God of War. Ensign Petrova might not make it . Its alot to process. I want to strangle the life out of whoever is behind these things ,but we cant do anything at all until we are given explicit orders to do so. We dont have the authority to investigate anything . This matter must be handled by the book and to the letter" Ravok paused and leaned towards Ire . " The fact we know this much might even be pushing it. We have no other choice but to follow orders as they are given to us . But believe me when I say if we for whatever reason are given a go ahead to make whoever did this pay. Trip will lead us to another victory and this time I wont get stabbed and you wont lose another ship" ( reply Ire) " You and I have to be patient and keep our heads cool. If we see or hear anything suspicious we will go through the appropriate channels . Until then we should grant limited access to our hangars . Every ship checked every bit of worked logged, every tool checked ,everyone tracked by commbadge and biometric scans. Beyond that there is very little we can do except wait ...Wait until we are ordered to respond. If we go out of line we could endanger more lives ." Ravok stated firmly to Ire. ( reply Ire ) ( posted by davis) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ire Williams -1950) Ravok looked at Ire with a serious look. "The destruction of the God of War wasn’t an accident?" Ire shrugged. “I don’t know but there has been a few to many accidents at the moment. My fighter, the way the baddies got through our shields and dropped by to kill us and then there is the was the God of War just blew up. It just don’t make any sense.” " I didnt know that. It's getting closer and closer to home Ire, I would love nothing more than to leave this room and find out what's going on. Trust me I'm pissed. People can throw around regulation 619 all they want . First your fighter, than the God of War. Ensign Petrova might not make it . Its alot to process. I want to strangle the life out of whoever is behind these things ,but we cant do anything at all until we are given explicit orders to do so. We dont have the authority to investigate anything . This matter must be handled by the book and to the letter" Ravok paused and leaned towards Ire who leaned in as well. "The fact we know this much might even be pushing it. We have no other choice but to follow orders as they are given to us . But believe me when I say if we for whatever reason are given a go ahead to make whoever did this pay. Trip will lead us to another victory and this time I wont get stabbed and you wont lose another ship" Ire grinned. “Totally. We will get payback but it will be done right.” " You and I have to be patient and keep our heads cool. If we see or hear anything suspicious we will go through the appropriate channels . Until then we should grant limited access to our hangars . Every ship checked every bit of worked logged, every tool checked ,everyone tracked by commbadge and biometric scans. Beyond that there is very little we can do except wait ...Wait until we are ordered to respond. If we go out of line we could endanger more lives ." Ravok stated firmly to Ire who nodded. ~my own if I don’t get flight checked~ “Yes I went to get the person or person’s who did this to us but getting other people hurt on the process is not acceptable.” He smiled to himself. “And in saying that you need your rest and I need to find a doctor and get myself checked out as I also need to be flight worthy.” (Reply Ravok) Ire grinned and gave him a friendly wave as he exited the room. He paused for a moment in the hallway before heading towards the nurse’s station. “I am sorry to bother you. Is it possible to be checked by one of the doctors. I was part of the people from the God of War but I have been checking up on everyone and realised that I have missed myself out and can I also borrow that PADD.” (Any one from medical) (Reply Ravok and any from medical) ( Posted by Robbie) (Mars Facility – Medical - Ensign JG Ravok -1951) “Yes I want to get the person or person’s who did this to us but getting other people hurt on the process is not acceptable.” Ire replied Ire smiled to himself. “And in saying that you need your rest and I need to find a doctor and get myself checked out as I also need to be flight worthy.”he said to Ravok Ravok nodded his head " Go get checked out my friend " Ravok said to Ire as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes . Ire grinned and gave him a friendly wave as he exited the room. He paused for a moment in the hallway before heading towards the nurse’s station. ( reply none ) ( posted by Davis) (Mars Facility – Willliams-Verin Family Quarters - ENS JG Sienna Williams-Verin and Ensign JG Trip Williams - 20:30) Sy had returned to her quarters on advice of the Vulcan. She had expected Trip to have gone there. After inquiring of the computer where her brother and her new girlfriend were, she was surprised that Lynn was off with Trip. Sy felt so betrayed right in that moment. Trip had blocked her out, then instead of going to be with his people in sickbay had gone to take his anger out in the gym. And Lynn instead of being in sickbay healing the people who were obviously not so broken as to need her skills was with Trip. Sy sat down on her bed, her clean room bothering her. She and Lynn had cleaned it that morning and unpacked and put everything away. Her teddy bear was on her bed, there were lots of fluffy, comfortable pillows in jewel colors. She had been pleasantly surprised that the walls had been embedded with early 22nd century paint discs, that could alter the color with an electronic padd. She had found an app to do just that and was in the process of connecting it to the sensors in the wall, then sighed as the wall became a beautiful amethyst jewel shade. Her silk and satin fabrics were in matching jewel tones, the fuzzy pillows, the velvet wrap at the foot of her bed covered in cat hair because that was where Kenna slept. Sy considered playing a bad joke on Trip, but in his current mood he would likely take it badly, so she did not change the walls of his room to a bright pink in retaliation for him abandoning her when she needed him after his promise just the day before not to do exactly that. Seemed like she couldn’t trust anyone or take them at their word. And it hurt. Sy leaned back against the wall, making sure the piles of cushions were there, so she wouldn’t damage the sensors. It was very fragile tech. She was thankful it was there. “Computer, please open a communication, to Captain Sophie Williams-Verin, Strategic Operations, Starfleet Command.” The computer chirped when it was ready. “Hey Mum. I’m sure you already know this. But Trip went off on a mission and didn’t die. He nearly got blown up close to mars, coming in. He had a relationship with some ice queen that he thinks is his new imzadi but she got pretty hurt, and I have no idea how that’s going to play out. It can’t be as bad as I thought since Lynnie took off to go spar with Trip instead of healing her.” Sy whimpered, knowing the sensitive microphone likely picked it up. “So remember how we said that things could be seriously rough if Trip was out of sensing distance? I tried those tricks you suggested but none of them seem to be really helping .I had to have one of the medical doctors sedate me so I could sleep yesterday afternoon when I was forcibly removed from duty, then last night when the tranquilizer wore off and I still couldn’t sleep, I went to Lynnie.” Sy lightly banged her head on the wall, “Mum Trip has been so distant and almost mean at times. I mean he’s always been the older one, and he and I are utter opposites, but he seems to take me for granted. Like I’m always going to be there. He wakes me up at ungodly hours, and then he just assumes that I am going to tell him what he wants to hear. Mum he slept with someone he is commanding, and then she was the one that got hurt! He’s blocked me out Mum…” Sy didn’t realize she was crying by this point, absently petting Kenna, “He blocked me out for a bit, then the bond snapped into place and I saw through his eyes for a moment. Mom, I feel like I lost my other half. I’ve always been there for Trip, but he and Lynn were both promoted to acting department heads and I wasn’t. Some vulcan was picked. Maybe you were right Mom, maybe I should have been a counselor and not a botanist. I spend most of my time being an unofficial counselor anyways.” Sy looked up at the ceiling, knowing her Mom’s heart was going to break with the tears that were obviously in her voice, “So yeah. Mum, I kinda told Lynn about my feelings and gave her some of the many gifts I accumulated. Thanks for going to pick up that pin when it was ready, Lynn really loved it. I also.. Mum we spent the night together. With clothing on, but I could sleep with her in bed, and it was nice. We kissed this morning and she helped me get unpacked here. I’m going to take your advice and go super slow with her Mum. I just wish Trip would take that advice too.” Sy closed her eyes, her heart hurting. “There’s no need to come here with a rifle and your hat and boots Mom, promise. We’ll be ok. I don’t know what to do about Trip, about being unable to sleep when he’s not around or awake, and I feel so inadequate. I’m a failure as usual Mum. I don’t know why you wanted me to be your heir Sky was a better choice. She at least isn’t a disaster at life, Mum. I love you and Dad.” Sy directed the computer to stop recording and send the message, pulling her knees up to her chin. Her heart hurt, but the tears had stopped and that was better than crying again over her brother. Inquiring of the computer again, it appeared Lynn was back in the medical annex. Sy didn’t want to sense Trip. He hadn’t bothered to even attempt to reach her after that frantic and loud message earlier, so she kept herself to herself, going into the other room where the replicator was. She got a spinach salad with lemon salmon and sat down to eat. It was a high protein/high iron meal which had been recommended by Kasian the day before. However the vegetables and lettuce were replicated and not very well at that. Sy often grew the real things and she pulled her padd to her to make a note to plant a variety of lettuces and other assorted vegetables. If she was going to be the botanist, she was going to get good food out of it. Kenna ran over to the door and began mewling at it. The cat loved Trip and always seemed to know when he was on his way. Sy picked up her plate and headed towards her room. If Trip wanted her, he could come to her and apologize and talk. She was not putting up with his bullshit today. Her anger simmered under the surface. Trip had arrived back from the gym. The surgery was going on and he was going to head back to sickbay as soon as it was over. He was still learning how to lead, and he wanted to make sure he was adequately out of the professionals way. He also knew himself. He was running on minimal sleep and pure emotion, and that would not have been helpful. Most of the pilots were treated in hangar bay, no serious injuries minus that of Ravok and Alex. He had sent a message to the Sands to see if they could deliver what he needed for the pancakes to his quarters so he could make them from scratch. He knew he would be pressing his luck if he tried to go get them himself. He was doing his best trying to keep himself under control. He picked up the bags outside the quarters, entered and placed them in the kitchen area in the fridge so they wouldn’t spoil. He knew that his sister was going to blame him for a multitude of sins, some his fault, others were a stretch, but he would take his lumps. He wished he could tell his sister that he needed his space, that he needed to be free to grow and make mistakes, that they weren’t always going to be around and he needed to be able to have his own life. But he had a feeling that she was going to take that the wrong way. He wasn’t even sure if he meant it either. He was just tired of her making him feel guilty for everything in his life that put distance between the two of them. He also knew he was going to need to be the one to initiate the conversation. He didn’t want to, but he knew. He wasn’t even going to share how he felt. The last time he tried to talk to her about his feelings she either fell asleep or threw things back in his face. But he knew that she didn’t mean to hurt him. He wished he knew if she knew that he would never hurt her too. He was dealing with a wellspring of emotion. He knew Sy was hurting because someone was picked over her, that Trip was given a department, and that had something to do with it. He knew she was mad because she felt he was distancing himself from her. But he wasn’t sure if she understood the weight that Trip was under. That every time he went out it meant someone under his command might die. That every time he went out, he might have to take a life. That his orders often time meant that someone, on either side might die. And that weighed heavily on him. He wasn’t playing pretend, his new role meant a life or death situation. He was 22, and he was having to make those calls. But he didn’t want to burden his sister. If he needed to be the bad guy he would. He would have a lot of time to figure things out anyways. It's not like he was going anywhere. He looked at Kenna, sighed, and placed a chocolate bar inside her collar. “Go on, go back to momma.” He said shooing the cat over to Sy’s room. ::Sy I’m home. Give me a few minutes, I haven’t showered in over 30 hours. I don’t want to smell like mansweat and body odor in front of you.:: Kenna mewled at Trip, glaring at him with her deep sapphire eyes before turning, her tail high in the air and strutting back towards where Sy was. She had often carried apologies from Trip in this manner. The burst of pleased emotion, whether to the chocolate or his presence was unclear. ::Not like it would be the first time…:: Sy's voice held a touch of sarcasm but not terribly. Trip entered into his room, it was cleaner than he remembered. He placed his gym shoes in the closet and carefully placed his gym clothes in the dirty clothes hamper. He looked in the mirror. He hadn’t shaved since getting to Mars and a beard was forming nicely. As he looked in the mirror he didn’t see a child, for the first time he saw an Adult. He looked like his dad. He was going to keep the beard. ~Dad, what would you do here. You’d just take it huh, you’d do your best to take the lumps. Family comes first.~ As the hot water hit Trip, he took all the pain, all the hurt, all the thoughts, fears, doubts and he put them into the little black box in his head where he put the emotions and anxieties from Rae’s death. The one spot of emotion that was his, that he could keep everyone out. Would keeping all that from Sy making her madder at him, he didn’t know. He just hoped that she knew he was doing it so that he could focus on her, focus on them, and not be wrapped up in his own stuff. Was that the healthy course of action, probably not. But thats why he had a therapist. Sy's voice touched him, ::Doing that is bad for you. Mom taught you meditation exercises. Let the water wash away the stress, and the bad emotion. Visualize it running down your body, carrying it away. See it as a color, view the water as healing.:: As soon as Sy realized what she was doing, a semistartled mental eep happened followed by her breaking the contact. She had reacted instinctively to his need and provided it, even though she was very unhappy with him. All her life he had come before her and she had taken care of him. Trip heard what she said and shook his head. He wasn’t asking for her help. What worked for her had never really worked for him. He liked punching things, that was what calmed him down. Running, physical exertion. He was never more attuned to his own thoughts than on a long run. But she had meant well. He knew that, but she always tried to take care of him, even when he didn’t ask. He wanted her to take care of herself and not him. But he respected her and was thankful. It was a sign she couldn’t be too mad at him. As he exited the shower he changed into civilian clothes. Black slacks and socks, with a red polo that had the starfleet academy logo on the right with the words Starfleet Academy Wrestling, circling around the logo. On the back of the shirt was his last name in black letters. He returned to the living room and sat on the couch. ::Hey, Sy,:: he said telepathically, ::I’m in the living room if you want to talk. But if you don’t just please listen:: Sienna was not sure what she wanted. She was pretty confused and needed him. ::Yeah. We REALLY need to talk:: ::I’m sorry for not being there for you these last few days. I know that things have been hard, and I’m sorry. I haven’t been around, and I am sure you felt like I was pushing you away. It wasn’t my intention. I can be selfish, like in high school, when our cousins D.J. and Liam took me into their clique, and I walked around like I owned the place, and I didn’t really register the fact that you wanted to feel included in that too. I’m sorry, I’m doing it all over again aren’t I.:: Trip wanted to list all the excuses, all the things that made sense why he was distant. But it wasn’t the time. He would take his lumps here, just like he took them with the Admiral. If Sy needed to make him the bad guy, if she needed to lash out at him to feel better, he would be that for her. If she needed to rip into him to get to a better place. He would be that sacrificial lamb. But if all she needed was a hug, well Trip was an excellent hugger. ::I’m sorry for hurting you, it has never been my intention to hurt you. If you want to talk, if you need to talk. I’ll be here. I literally can’t go anywhere else.:: Sy remained quiet before exiting her room. She looked better but not great she knew. Her hair was matted and needed to be brushed and her face needed washing after her crying. "Yeah. We need to talk." She sighed and chose to sit on the floor by the door to her room. "I am sorry I was right." She chose to start with. "I know her being injured was hard." Sy didn't touch any of the real things bothering her. "I could not sleep with you out of sensing distance. My neuro transmitter levels tanked hard yesterday afternoon as soon as you got out of sensing distance. After the psi blocker mess, Sekal sent me to sickbay. Alyl hates me and made that pretty clear in the hell meeting and I do not think he knows I went on that mess of a dinner date with his kid." She wrapped her arms around her knees and laid her head on top of it, "And Kaz sedated me for a couple of hours. When I woke up it was worse, so I went to Linnie and spent the night, clothed, with her." Sy looked down. "Maybe it would be best for both of us if I just went away?" Trip looked at his sister, walked over to her, and in one motion picked her right of the ground into his patented Trip bear hug. Squeezing as tight as possible without hurting her. Then placing her on the couch he sat down next to her and looked her square in the eyes. “No dice, home slice. You ain't leaving here and neither am I. You don’t know what is best for me, I promised not to bring this up, but I have to. To make a point.” Sy squeaked loudly and Kenna thought this game was hilarious and fun and tried to climb Trip to get to Sy. “You don’t know what’s best for me, I don’t know what is best for me, that is painfully clear, I’m still figuring that out. But I know one thing for sure, damnit Sy, you leaving, is not what is best for me. You giving up is not what is best for me. I’m already basically under house arrest and have latrine duty until the Admiral says otherwise. If you leave because of me and the dicks in the science department, well I’ll kick both their asses and house arrest turns into the brig. Because my sister isn’t allowed to quit because people are jerks. Not even if one of those jerks is me.” Trip paused. “Look, I may need some space from you, I may need freedom to make my own choices, I may need to screw up to learn and be allowed the freedom to do that. But my life without you, Sy, you leaving here, in tears, feeling defeated. Would be the opposite of best for me. Is it best for you, I don’t know. But I don’t think you believe that.” Sy looked up at him, lost and defeated, "Lynn says a lot of this depression is all the diff meds interacting badly. And that once they clear it will be better. That the psi attack the other day by Luma started all this. My system is too fragile. I can't be a line officer like you." Just a smidge of jealousy. "But it is other things too. When you blew up earlier I felt it. It was enough that the chief I was working with summoned the vulcan. He has the entire department watching me." She stretched, her back popping. “Look, please don’t be jealous of me. For Science, being acting department head, well I don’t know what that means, I guess it means atoms or something. For me, for me it meant ordering friends and colleagues into battle. Giving them orders that might mean their death. Ordering the death of others. So please, I don’t even know if I can be a line officer like me. I already second guess everything.” Trip then moved over to the table and grabbed the hair brush that was sitting there and returned and started brushing his sister’s hair like he used to do before bed when they were little. “As to the crash, I’m sorry for not coming to you sooner, I don’t know what happened. I just know that once med teams had taken those who needed it to sickbay, I went to the admiral to debrief him. Then when I should have come here, or gone to sickbay, I went to punch something, because I needed to get my head on straight before making rational calls. But I should have, I should have at least checked in more. I needed to be alone, and I am sorry for that. I’m not trying to push you away, I promise.” "Whoever you ordered to send me that message every 4 hours that you were ok, well, next time tell him that actually changing the wording might be useful and believable?" Sy grinned just a teeny bit. “I’ll just make sure to send you messages directly myself.” Trip said with a smile. “Enough about me. I don’t want to talk about me. What else is bothering you sis, now's the time to let it all out, don’t hold anything back.” He said as he continued to brush her hair, being gentle with the knots. Sy's hair was normally beautiful but it was dull today. "When Luma attacked me, I do not know what happened. She said I wasn't enough of a telepath to bond with her. But it made me more sensitive. Kaz says my psi transmitter levels are nowhere near my normal baseline levels. I can't sleep without you in sensing distance. Kaz had an idea, to try a proxy. I tried that last night and it kinda worked with Lynn. But when I woke up this morning it was still there. And when you got back in distance and something.. relaxed. I felt almost normal. Sy frowned, "I saw through your eyes. I saw Alex's burned body. That has happened before, but only when you were...hurt. I am reacting to what people are feeling. I feel like I need to talk to a counselor or a Betazoid. I don't know how to handle what is happening. I just know that what is happening is not working for me." She looked away. “You were always more Betazoid than me, always wanted to be more Betazoid then me. I’m ashamed to say it. I wished I was full human, like most of our cousins. Maybe, whatever Luma did to you, awoke something, changed your brain chemistry in a way that is making you more Betazoid, more of a telepath. You always had a genetic incompatibility, maybe something the entity did is overwriting your DNA. But whatever is happening, we’ll figure it out together.” Sy nodded, considering it, "We should take you to meet Luma. You might have some ideas to help her. She is pretty interesting. " Sy's tummy growled. She had been really hungry. “Besides, you don’t have to worry about Alex, she’ll probably be on Earth for the next three months minimum for surgery, rehab, and recovery. I don’t think, with all that she is going to have to endure, that it’s going to work out. Even if I try.” Trip paused again, and stopped brushing, “Sorry, we’re not talking about me. I hear there is a new Betazoid counselor you could see. Or on your day off go home and see mom. I wish I could go with you. But I’m confined to quarters, sickbay, the mess hall, and other essential facilities until further notice.” Sy had no idea where the comment about Alex had come from, "I AM sorry about what happened, I didn't like her but that is not what matters." Sy leaned back and closed her eyes as Trip managed to get the knots out of her hair. “Are you hungry Sy?” Trip asked, he was famished, he hadn’t really eaten since he got back. “Because I am hungry.” Trip moved over to the kitchenette area where the hot plate and fridge were. “I had the Sands deliver some stuff.” ~You didn't like her, because you didn't get a chance to know her. No one did. I hope I never get so broken my first instinct is to push people away. I hope I never push you away sis.~ He took out 8 slices of bread, some butter, and three different kinds of cheese, cheddar, provolone and swiss, as well as some bacon. He began frying the bacon in a frying pan. “I know you didn’t like her, but she had a sweet side underneath. I’m assuming you want bacon on your grilled cheese.” Trip enjoyed the sizzle sound the bacon made. “Whatever is changing within you, whatever is changing you chemistry, Sy, we will face it together. You and me, like it has always been. Even if it doesn’t seem that way” Sy nodded as he cooked. She moved over to the kitchen area, but stayed far enough away that her black thumb of real cooking would not infect the appliances. She had been permanently banned from the kitchen at their ranch, "Trip she was mean and rude to the Enlisted. And we know better, they work harder than we do, especially that Castille guy." Sy had really liked him. "Maybe if she had not been so, so.. determined? To make everyone an enemy she would have made some friends and not been so disliked. " Sy inhaled the smell of frying bacon, gooey cheese and grilling butter in appreciation, radiating that contentment. "I kinda know what you mean though about is needing to figure out who we are separately from who we are together.It's hard though." Sy reached out to touch his shoulder. "Careful sis, we don't want a repeat of First Contact day 2439 when you almost burned down Aunt Becky's house." Trip said with a laugh. Sy grinned, "That's why I am standing back here. I do not understand how a girl who can grow plants and encourage them to flourish can get near a food heating unit and can cause it to go crazy. I just don't get it." There was a smile in her voice but this was a real thing. The girl was anathema to kitchen appliances. "It's not like I want you out of my life sis, but we've always been the twins. Not Sy and Trip, the twins. Yeah we have uncles who are twins, cousins that are twins. But they don't share a link. They aren't as intimately connected as we are. And I love that, it is a blessing. I just want to learn who Trip, just Trip is. But I'll always be here. We'll always be a team." Trip then placed some bacon in between the bread and cheese and began cooking in earnest. She nodded. "I don't want to lose you. " a sob choked her voice, "And with Alex it was like you were intent on throwing away your career. And… I can't lose you." Sy shook her head, "And I want Mom." Yeah, she was homesick and a little overwhelmed. "I didn't think it would be this hard " "Well I fessed up to the Admiral. Letter of reprimand. Confined to quarters other than essential facilities until further notice. Latrine duty and sorting through admirals paperwork until he says so. But that's it. Nothing else. He appreciated the honesty." Sy let out a deep relieved breath, "That isn't so bad, I guess. Better for it to be now than in the future. Do you need help with any of that?" Would not be the first time she had waded through dung in her life. “Nah, this my burden to bear. I don’t mind. It’s a moment to grow.” "And if I didn't let dating Rae or Celia get in the way of me being there for you, do you think I'm gonna start now?" Trip placed two sandwiches on her plate. "One grilled cheese and bacon sandwich just like grammy makes it. Oh and it's only a 40 minute flight home. You could visit mom on your day off." Sy winced, "It may be but there is no transport, and the transporter relays are down between here and asteroid 1. Personnel are taking anything that moves to get from there to here. We really need a good size transport vehicle." She spoke, absently while eating the incredibly good food he prepared. She looked at the second and pushed it towards him, "Lynn's hungry and would likely appreciate this as much as I do when she finishes…" Sy put her hand over her mouth, not knowing how she knew that. "Don't tell her, please?" She begged her brother, her voice soft. "It's likely just this new sensitivity…" “What that you were able to sense her in surgery?” Trip asked, “That you could feel her hunger? Don’t worry I wont tell her. I was very clear with her, I’m not going to get in the middle of you two and I’m not going to put her in the middle of us. As long as you two are a thing, I won’t ruin it.” Trip took a bite of his sandwich and then devoured the first one it two subsequent bites. “This is much better than field rations. We didn’t want to use the replicators on the mission to preserve power for shields and weapons. Just please be careful. Both for your sake and mine. Lynn is the only close friend I have left these days, well that isn’t my sister or my cousin. And I don’t want a rift between you, to make me lose my friendship with her. Because I will always choose you over her.” Sy considered that, and spoke very gently, "I am being super careful with her. She is broken in many ways and needs to recover from the push her Mother had to make her what she is. I don't really know where this is going Trip. But I really like the first steps of this journey." “Well, Sy, above all else, I want you to be happy, and I will work to make that happen. You’re the constant, the one person I know will never leave me. But I highly recommend that before you make this official, you tell the admiral. I get the sense that he doesn’t mind if officers shack up, he just wants to know about it. Even if it doesn’t get sexual. Unless of course you want a letter of reprimand like your dear old brother?” Sy wrinkled her nose, "Ugh, yuck! No! Do not want a matching one of those!" She giggled a bit, "I need to talk to her first before I say anything. But I will tell him before it gets 'official' " She made the quotes sogn in the air. "Lynn matters, she IS family. She just may be other things too. We need to figure that out." Trip devoured his second sandwich as if he had tasted bacon for the first time. He really hated field rations. “Do you remember the party after Lynn’s prom 7 years ago, at Uncle Will’s house, when Tommy Connicky spiked the punch and everyone got toasted?” For some reason Trip felt he needed to tell this story. "I remember passing out and waking up in the med unit with a friggin' lecture on why I could not drink any terran alcohols. Ugh. Mom was furious. She could tell I had not meant to drink.." “Well I made out with someone that night, and for the last seven years I couldn’t remember who it was, but it was either Lynn or Ashlyn Jones. Well I finally found out who it was.” "You made out with…." Sy blushed, "Tell me it was not Linnie!" “No it wasn’t. I wasn’t sure until I talked to her about it. Took me a month to get back into Rae’s good graces, but she understood that a 15 year old drinking alcohol for the first time doesn’t know what is going on. Anyways it was Ashlyn Jones. Sweet girl, loves dragons more than me. Just wanted someone to love her. But that is not the point I’m trying to make.” Sy seemed confused but just listened to her brother explain. “The weird convoluted point I’m trying to make is that in my personal life, I’ve not always been the best decision maker. But when it comes to the uniform, somehow, someway I make it work. So I know that you worry about me making a mistake with my career. And I thank you for that. But I’m not gonna gamble with it. Between rushing the gun with Alex, and learning I made out and technically cheated on Rae with Ashlyn after a 30 minute conversation about why dragons are the coolest. Well it hit me.” Trip tapped his temple. “I need to do a lot better job about engaging my brain off duty, almost use it more than I do when I’m in the uniform. Because I don’t want to sound cocky, but I’m gonna be a damn good officer, you know if I can stop being a screw up whenever I take the uniform off. So don’t worry sis. Wake up call received.” Sy grinned and leaned over the table to kiss his forehead, "I love you too". (reply none) (posted by Mel and Will) (Mars Facility – Corridor to sickbay - Ensign JG Trip Williams - 22:00) Trip slowly made his way to sickbay. His hand was a bit achey from punching the wall and he was dealing with a headache, so he wanted to get those checked out. He also needed to check on his officers. He was doing his best to cover the most direct route so it looked like he wasn't trying to circumvent his restriction to quarters and essential areas by taking long meandering walks from point A to point B. He wanted to earn his place back into the admiral's good graces. As he rounded one of the corridors he saw a woman exit from one of the rooms on that hall with two NCOs and some civilians. She was a good looking woman, with dark brown hair. Their was a familiarity about her, a quiet confidence, but at the same time she was giving off a vibe of vulnerability. She was dressed in civilian clothing and was holding a PADD, talking and smiling. There was something about her that just seemed so familiar. She had shoulder length hair. He wondered if she was a civilian visiting the base or someone off duty. He kept trying to figure out who she was. She looked very similar to Ailynn, but it wasn't her. So who was the mystery woman. ~Could it be Ashlyn, no Ashlyn should be on Bajor last I heard. Plus, she is too confident looking to be Ashlyn. To attractive to be Ashlyn. No Ashlyn was pretty hot when she didn't hide her beauty. No that can't be Ashlyn. Can it. No. Maybe.~ "Ashlyn!" He called out. The woman turned around briefly, looked around as if she had heard something and then turned and walked down a different cooridor. Trip thought about chasing after her, his curiosity was piqued. But he knew his restrictions. Besides, it probably wasn't Ashlyn. ~Wouldn't it be crazy thought.~ (reply None) (posted by Will Banowsky) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - ENS JG Kaz Poldan and Ensign JG Trip Williams - 22:00) Trip entered sickbay hoping to do his best to keep out of everyone’s way. He was there for three reasons, to check on Ravok, to check on Alex, and to get himself checked out. Not necessarily in that order. He had heard from the grapevine that Alex would be observed overnight and then released in the morning, same with Ravok, so he had made the decision he would sleep in the sickbay waiting room if he had to just to make sure both were fine by morning. He was still wearing the civilian clothing he had changed into and had a backpack strapped to his back. The only bit of work he had done was naming Greta Smith as the head of White Skull Squadron as Alex would be unable to fill that role for the foreseeable future. As Trip began looking around, it seems that things had died down from the initial flurry of the crash. Trip approached a Trill doctor. “Excuse me,” He said tapping the doctor on the shoulder, “I don’t mean to be a bother, I can uh wait, but I guess I am a few hours too late for my post explosion check up.” It was standard protocol for the pilots to get a check up after combat, but he had felt fine and he wanted all man power possible on Alex and Ravok and those with graver wounds then his before he actually saw someone. “The name is Trip, Trip Williams, I know I should have been in here earlier, but I wanted you guys to be all hands on deck helping Alex and Ravok before I came in here fit as fiddle.” “Fit as a fiddle” Kaz said jokingly he liked the term it amused him honestly and after the past few hours he needed the change it had been super busy and the outdated tech really hadn’t helped much. “That’s a new medical term for me.” He said with a smile, holding out his hand “I’m Dr Kasian Poldan my friends call me Kaz so feel free.” ~Kaz, Kaz, why does that name sound familiar?~ Trip asked himself Kaz pointed to exam room 3 “that room open” he said the exam or self was only going to take a few minutes if he was as he said ‘fit as a fiddle’, but Kaz had a gut feeling there was more to his visit then that. As the two entered the room Kaz grab a tricorder as Trip sit on the bed. “Any headache, blurred visions?” Since you’ve been back he said as he opened his tricorder. “No headache, well sort of, a minor one that started roughly around the crash but I’ve had a pain killer. I think it’s a stress headache, but I don’t know. No blurred vision.” “Could be a lot has happened.” Kaz said looking at his tricorder to as he scanned the man in front of him. “Also my right hand hurts, but that is probably because I ummm….Promise not to roll your eyes at me like I’m stupid.” “I’m the king of stupid around here so you are probably safe.” Kaz said to reassure him, and honestly Kaz had done a lot of stupid things in the last five days. “I punched a wall in the gym with my right hand as hard as I could. I know, I shouldn’t have done that. But I relieve stress by hitting things and I had broken the punching bag. So is my hand alright, is my headache normal?” “Huh” Kaz said trying to hold back a laugh. “I punch people even broke the science trill nose.” Kaz said as he scanned Trip’s hand. “You punched a the science Trill in the nose, what did he do? Not that I’m questioning it. Lots of people I’d like to hit, lot’s of people I have hit,” “Long story really turns out he’s” Kaz stopped he hated to say this “he well my dead father not farther. It’s all confusing and I didn’t believe him so I hit him.” “Is this a trill symbiote thing?” “Nope, the symbiote hold our memories but do not affect much else so I’m Kasian Poldan the next host will have my memories and feelings for my past relationships, but honestly those are easily controlled by the current host.” “So he’s genetically your father, like Kasian’s father, not like a thing where his previous host was your father or something like that?” “100% DNA, RNA match only he’s 28, and not 54. Make a fist for me. Kaz said. “It’s all very confusing Arvos my twin thinks it’s the best thing I disagree, but Jaton Alyl is the least of my worries.” Kaz for some reason was rambling about his personal life and problems. It seemed to be something he did now. “You have a twin too? It’s a blessing and a curse don’t you think. I mean don’t get me wrong I love my sister Sy, but sometimes, well, I’m guessing you don’t have a telepathic bond with your twin?” Kaz blinked a few times as the words clicked this was Sy brother. This is as the brother of the girl he took to that crazy family dinner. His heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest. His mind racing he needed to calm down. “You ok man, like I’m not trying to actively read you, but even with passive empathy, your anxiety is so much I can feel it. What, did you find a tumor or something? Give it to me straight?” Kaz laughed “no no it’s all good sorry. Your hand is a bit bruised going to sore for a few days. I uh just didn’t realize you were Sy brother is all caught me a bit by surprise.” Kaz wasn’t sure how much he knew and he also wasn’t sure how much he should share. “As for being a twin I guess not being connected telepathically is a bonus Arvos is unjoined so he lacks the life experience that Poldan allowed me. I’m a bit jealous about that. ~also means he not in some stupid arrangement to get married~ Kaz thought to himself. “You’re headache could be a number of things from stress to being back around Sy with a telepathic rush like that there is bound to be a few side effects. Nothing to worry about unless it stay for an excessive amount of time.” “Thanks. So I don’t mean to pry, but, Sy tells me your mom is being a bit overbearing right now. If you ever want to punch it out, I’m a trained fighter.” “Mom is always overbearing I just need her to go home, and take that ice queen with her.” Kaz time went bitter he couldn’t help it he loved his mother but he couldn’t deal with all the political crap anymore. “Sparring would be good anytime you need a partner. I should warn you Poldan third host was a master at hand to hand combat.” Kaz didn’t often speak of Poldan talents mostly because he didn’t want to get stuck in engineering helping out. “Listen, Alex may be a bit much but she is not an Ice Queen, you don’t even know her!” Trip paused and he realized that Kaz was probably not talking about his injured and sedated would have been girlfriend. “You weren’t talking about Alex were you?” Kaz looked a bit confused at Trip. “Nope was referring to my mother’s guest from Trill who happens to be my future wife unless I find a way out of it.” Kaz looked at Trip for a second. “Come on, let's see how much trouble I can get into tonight.” “I wish I could. It’ll make the rumor mill soon. I’m uh, restricted to quarters, sickbay, messhall and other essential facilities until further notice. So I’m gonna have to rain check. Can’t piss off the admiral twice in one day.” “ that’s fine we are not leaving sickbay I’m just taking you into a restricted area is all. You did want to see Alex right?” Kaz had only been assuming to this point he didn’t generally get these things right. “Eventually, she’s here all night, and I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. So arranged marriage huh, must be nice. Or I guess not in your case. I dunno, would make my life easier. All my relationships have ended in death, heart break, or, well while this one isn’t quite started or over, with a bang. Is your betrothed really that much of a…” Trip whispered, “A bitch.” Kaz laughed he never been asked that “you have no idea her father is on the government council but pretty low compared to my mom. What power and title he has will go to his oldest son, but daddy little girl should get something right. She entitled, spoiled, and if you don’t meet her standards you’re scum. Took her on a date once she didn’t have a good time. She told the entire school about it never got another date again. She just impossible and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with her. So I joined starfleet and that hasn’t even gotten me out of it.” Is thought for sure that this would fix his problems, but turns out running away fixed nothing. “I tried to lie and tell mom I met someone here even took Sy to that hell of a dinner. I feel really bad about that those two were so mean to her.” Kaz caught himself remembering who he was talking to “Sorry about that by the way. Your sister is great I owe her so much just for trying to help.” “Don’t worry, I get the feeling that on overall scale of who she might have been mad at over the last few days, you don’t register that high. So why doesn’t Icey McIce Woman marry your brother. Shouldn’t that be acceptable.” “I’m joined that puts me higher standing in our government. Me being Poldan 5th host I could be a senior member of the council of I wished.” Kaz explained it was poorly but he hated it. “Politics sounds like a pain. We have it easy in my family. Be what you want, marry who you want, just remember family comes first.” Trip walked over to Kaz and put his hand on his shoulder, “It seems to me you have four choices. Marry the woman, get her to fall in love with someone else, tell your mother where to stick it, or die. I highly suggest avoiding the fourth choice,” “Four sounds better than one honestly.” Kaz said he wasn’t one to choose death but it be about the same to him at this point. “What about pawning her off on your umm, Dad?” Trip said with a laugh. “Well if you ever need a beer or something let me know. Between my sister and my best friend about to date, and the only other two guys I know are under my command, so I need to a keep a bit of distance. And the girl I was gonna date, is lying unconscious in the ER, so...Yeah need new friends.” Kaz smiles had making friends always been this easy had he made it harder then it was. “You mean after your released from lock down.” Kaz said with a small chuckle. “I’m confined to quarters, but there was nothing about not being able to have guests.” Trip said with a chuckle. “Though, I need to work something out with my sister first, so might need to be a day or two. Family, it’s our greatest gift, maybe that is why it is hard. Nothing worth having is easy.” Kaz gave a nod he did understand that very much. “Don’t forget the pancakes this time.” He said remembering Sy had said something about pancakes. “Well, sometimes you need to bribe your twin.” Trip looked at Kaz. “Listen, I know it can be frustrating that your mom is forcing you to this marriage. Sometimes, we just don’t understand our parents motivations. I spent four years at the academy trying to escape my father’s shadow, my grandfather’s shadow. I did some stupid things, and I wasted to much energy not to be them. But they never wanted me to be them, they wanted me to be me. When I finally figured it out, it wasn’t too late to apologize for being an ass. Look, my situation is different, but the reality is all my dad ever wanted for me was for me to be true to myself and be happy. I’m sure deep down your mom feels the same way. Maybe you could talk to her about it. Maybe she’ll surprise you, and show you that her son is more important than politics.” Kaz sighed “I guess I’ve tried everything else what could it hurt.” Kaz said he never enjoyed talking to his mother about this thing she seem to always be closed off about the conversation, but then he never really out and said no to the arrangement either. Trip then offered his fist to Kaz for a fist bump, “Whatever happens, dude, I got your back.” Kaz bumped fists with Trip “thanks man” Kaz said but he knew Trip really didn’t know what he was getting himself into. “Hey and listen, if your mom doesn’t budge, we can fake your own death or somehow trick Betrothedzilla into falling in love with someone else. I mean, what could go wrong?” Kaz nodded he needed more friends that would help him solve this issue. He knew if he ever returned to trill he probably not get to leave again or at least no without that ice queen. (Reply none) (posted by Richard and Will) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - Ensign JG Trip Williams- 23:00) Trip was sitting in the waiting room of Sickbay one one of the couches. Kaz, whose life seemed like one of those holonovels in which his cousin Anne Marie served as a model for some of the characters, (of which he never took part of because who wants to play out a holo novel in which the model for the love interest is your cousin) had given him a clean bill of health, and he thankfully did not have a broken hand and the headache seemed to be more natural. He was now waiting near his two officers who were being kept in Sickbay over night. Both had private rooms that were thankfully adjacent to each other. Trip wanted to be close at hand in case anything happened. He knew Ravok, who be all accounts was sound asleep, would make it through the night, and Alex's surgery seemed to have gone well but they would not know until they got her to earth. He wanted to be on hand so that he could walk with the med team as they prepared her for transport back to Earth. He had entered both of their rooms quietly, but didn't stay long. He left a small stuffed animal of a Peregrine Falcon that he had the replicator fabricate. He knew he didn't need to give him anything, but it made him feel less guilty about getting something for Alex. He would have stayed all night in Alex's room, but the reality is he didn't know how to treat this. They had slept together but they weren't dating, they were going to start dating, but they weren't serious. She was his officer however and her care was under him. So he would at least be there present, as he would any subordinate, to ensure she was properly cared for. He had no idea what this meant for their relationship, but he wasn't optimistic. She would be on Earth for a while, rehabbing and recovering, and would probably not be ready for return to duty for awhile. He would be on Mars mostly, but there was rumors of a trip to Trill. He would try and call her when she was better to figure it out. But he had a feeling she might push him away. Nothing worth having was easy, and it wasn't going to be easy to make it work. He did get the feeling that any split might be amicable. Just another possible relationship cut short due to the Starfleet reality. Still he wouldn't be the one to end it, not yet, and certainly would wait until she was clearly in the rehab phase and in a better place. Trip was many things, but he would never leave someone just because they were in an accident before their relationship could start. And he would never break things off with a person while they were medically sedated. He was many things but he was not a complete jerk. He had placed next to her a stuffed red dragon that had a white skull symbol on it's belly. It was a cartoonish looking dragon not too much unlike the 20th century children's toy line of Care Bears. With it was a note for her to read when she woke up, that he would stand by her, that he was rooting for her, that he cared for her. That he wasn't going to abandon her just because she was injured. Again he wasn't optimistic of the relationships future, not given the current state of events, but if it ended it wouldn't be for lack of effort on his part. As he settled into the couch he felt sleepy, he grabbed a blanket out of his backpack and re-positioned one of the pillows on the couch and laid down. His eyes were growing heavy, his body tried and relaxed. He drifted slowly off to sleep. ::Sy, I hope this means you can sleep now too:: (Reply any if they feel like waking up Trip) (posted by Will Banowsky) (Mars Facility – Sickbay - Civilian specialist Kora- 23:11) Security finally allowed Kora in to the sickbay to sit with her step son Ensign Ravok. On her way to Ravoks room she noticed a handsome young man sound asleep on one of the couches. ~ Maybe hes one of the pilots.~ she thought as she looked at him . She continued walking to Ravoks room ,upon entering the room she walked up to Ravoks bedside and looked at him she carefully rubbed his head . " Lathuel...Taeth kreh hvaedroalh aehfa lmnaae. Ueiik'h'unhr hill. Fvaennh hwiiy iekil'eirh vauthil. Hveolhaonn h'levreinnye. Jol hwiiy. " she said to him in Rihannsu/ Romulan . (( Lathuel, I am here for you my son. In battle, victory was yours , behold it . I love you )) She glanced over to his night stand and noticed a small stuffed animal. It was falcon . A peregrine falcon. ~ I see there are others here who care for you as well~ she thought in her head . She bent down and kissed his forehead and took a seat in a chair and held the stuffed animal on her lap.She closed her eyes for some rest ( reply iyw) (Posted by Davis) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 2315) Keira walked into sickbay, she had never been here before. ~Time to schedule that physical.~ She looked around to see who was on duty. She spotted the medical technician at the front and the guard shift flanking the rooms. “I’m here to see Ensigns Petrova and Ravok.” She said keeping her voice low. (Reply Kora, any in medical or security, Ravok if conscious) (Posted by Todd) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aFSXO Ens JG Trip Williams – 2317) Trip had drifted off to sleep for maybe five minutes when he heard stirring in the waiting area. He opened his eyes, wiping the drool from his mouth when he looked up and saw the blonde officer standing in sickbay. He had been stirred from his sleep by hearing her say that she was there to see his officers. "Excuse me, ummm, did you say you were here to see Ravok and Alex." Trip said with a smile. He was wearing civilian clothes. "Ensign Trip Williams, acting Flight Squad XO." Trip extended his hand. (Reply Merek) Trip then peered into the two rooms, Alex's was empty except for her, and it looked like Ravok's step mother was sittiing next to him." "Looks like Ravok's mom is in, but Alex is right through that door. She's medically sedated, they're transferring her tomorrow. She's stable, but it doesn't look to good." (reply Merek) "It's kind of late to be making a visit, I don't mean to pry, but do you know them well?" (reply Merek) (Reply Merek) (posted by Will) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – aACEO – Ensign JG Keira Merek – 2318) "Excuse me, ummm, did you say you were here to see Ravok and Alex?" The man wearing civilian clothes said with a smile. "Ensign Trip Williams, acting Flight Squad XO." She accepted his hand shake. “Ensign Merek, acting Chief Engineer, or the actual official title is acting Assistant Chief Engineer, but I’m not here on any official business. I came to see how our troops are doing..” ~Troops? No one uses that word! Feanna!{R: Fool}~ “ ..you know show my support and all that.” She showed him the tiger lilies that looked an awful lot like the ones in the arboretum. "Looks like Ravok's mom is in, but Alex is right through that door. She's medically sedated, they're transferring her tomorrow. She's stable, but it doesn't look to good." “Stable is good.” She really didn’t know what to say. "It's kind of late to be making a visit, I don't mean to pry, but do you know them well?" he asked. “I have not met them personally, no. Kora works in my department though, but as fellow officers in Starfleet they are part of my extended family.” She didn’t know how he would take that line. “They were willing to put their lives on the line for me, and I hadn’t even met them yet. It’s late because I couldn’t sleep for feeling guilty having not done this sooner.” (Reply Trip) “Thanks.” (Reply Trip) “You’ll be glad to know all the fighters are “Tucked in” for the night.” She reported. “Ready to head out as soon as you want to take to the skies again.” (Reply Trip) “The yacht is toast.” She said with regret “I have yet to examine it. It was on my list of things to do first in the morning.” (Reply Trip) She now speaking in lower tones, “There was a lot of energy in that explosion, most of the vessel isn’t there anymore. You know what happens when metal heats up to the point of melting and then cools down super quickly? Most metals get super brittle, some get super soft. If it cools down slowly it will be close to baseline when I examine it. I saw an explosion before the warp core breached. I need to know if lack of maintenance caused it or something else. I stand the best chance of that if I examine it close to where the metals should be composition wise.” (Reply Trip) “I of course left some guards on it. You can come with me to examine it in the morning if you’d like. This will be one of the only times I hope that it was just not maintained properly.” (Reply Trip) She began walking toward the more critical patient’s room. “It was good talking to you too, tomorrow then?” (Reply Trip) “I won’t be long, get some sleep, I think we are all going to need it.” She said with a smile. Carrying the two flowers aloft she quietly slipped into Alex’s room. The biobed monitor showing numbers vastly different then they would have for a Vulcanoid. Nervous she ground her boot toe into the deck in a half-circular motion. She looked up and spoke in low tones. “You don’t know me. We’ve never met. You laid your life on the line for me, and that means something that I can’t ignore.” She placed a single lily on the bedside table. “They’re going to send you to Starfleet medical tomorrow. So I may never get the chance to say this. Thank you. So if for what ever reason you don’t make it and the Valkyries take you away to Valhalla, Vorta Vor, Eden or where ever it is humans go after…. Know that your sacrifice was not in vain. If you do make it back, I owe you a drink or several.” She exited that room and went to Ravok’s. (Reply Kora) “Just wanted to duck my head in here to see how he was doing. So this is him, huh?” she said. (Reply Kora) She held out the remaining orange flower,“..for him. I’m told flowers are a customary human gift when visiting someone in sick bay.” (Reply Kora) “No, don’t wake him. He needs his rest. Just tell him: reh ourhhe {R: I wait}” she said. (Reply Kora) “Regretfully I have to get up early. I’ve got work that has to get done quite early. It was good talking to you, not in an official capacity anyway.” (Reply Kora) She waived to her and Trip if he is still awake on her way back to her quarters. (Reply Kora, Trip, Any) (Posted by Todd) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – civilian specialist engineer Kora – 2319) Kora heard talking in the waiting room. She opened her eyes and seen Ensign Merek talking to the handsome young man on the couch. Kora looked at Ravok and placed the stuffed animal on the night stand. She rose to her feet and stood just outside the doorway to the room. She noticed flowers in Ensign Mereks hand. ~ I wonder she is here for ? Maybe it's the other pilot ? ~ Kora thought to herself. ( reply any) ( posted by davis) (Mars Facility – Sickbay – civilian specialist engineer Kora – 2325) Kora stepped back into the room to allow Ensign Merek room to enter. "nuqneH Ha' neH {Klingon: Hello come in} Kora said to Ensign merek gesturing with her hand for her to enter. “Just wanted to duck my head in here to see how he was doing. So this is him, huh?” Keira asked Kora nodded her head and looked at the sleeping Ravok. A smile of pride flashed across Koras face. " Aye, this is my son. Ravok Shara..well Ensign Ravok Shara " Keira held out the remaining orange flower,“..for him. I’m told flowers are a customary human gift when visiting someone in sick bay.” Keira said to Kora. Kora reached out and gently took the flower from her hand " He will understand the custom. I will wake him and let him know you are here" Kora replied . “No, don’t wake him. He needs his rest. Just tell him: reh ourhhe {R: I wait}” Keira said. Kora smiled at her and padded her on the arm . " I will tell him you stopped by then " “Regretfully I have to get up early. I’ve got work that has to get done quite early. It was good talking to you, not in an official capacity anyway.” Keira stated " Hann'yyo hwiiy {Romulan: Thank you } Go get your rest. I'm sure we will talk more another time ." Kora said to her with a smile. She watched as Ensign Merek left the room and heard out of the medical bay "Such a sweet girl" Kora said. When speaking Romulan Kora often wondered what her Klingon forefathers would think of her . Kora, a Klingon fell in love with a Romulan man and helped him Raise his son. Kora used to hold Ravok as a baby and rock him to sleep . Change his dirty Romulan diapers and fed him . Truth be told she fell in love with Ravok before she was even interested in his father. It was her connection to Ravok while serving on his father's ship that made her get close to his father in the first place . Not only did she handle all the maintenance and engineering responsibilities. She also took it upon herself to help with Ravok. She was the only one who could calm the romulan baby. She would play with his ears to get him to go to sleep and during playtime she would let the baby play with her ridges . Ravoks first word was mom ,not in Romulan but in klingon. Ravok's first few words were actually in Klingon, much to the dissatisfaction of his father. So Kora learned Romulan at the same time Ravok did . They helped each other and in that experience her bond with a romulan boy who wasnt of her womb, who wasnt of her blood grew stronger than anything she had ever known. It didnt matter what anyone had to say . He was her baby, her son , her everything. Her klingon heart whose very beat shattered the heavens, beated for Ravok...her son. ( reply none) (Posted by Davis) (USS Mystique, SPC Entity Luma'lenai, 2345) Luma had been instructed two days prior that she was to not allow people to appear on her skin without it having been approved by the Admiral. So the Luma was surprised when a team had beamed up not from the base but from the Jupiter station. They had arrived in her transporter room 3, which was not her main transporter room. Luma was displeased by this. It was considered rude. But the Admiral had told her that everyone was supposed to go through him. These particular small ones were wearing all black, face masks, showing no hair and upon closer examination the black clothing was indeed body armor. This was wrong. This was an invasion force. Luma imprisoned them in her transporter room and then raised her external shields. She did not activate her red alert, not wanting to frighten the small ones. Luma thought for a microsecond and utilized her connection to the base, then followed the feel of Sekal's mind through the wiring and let out a loud burst of annoying sound through Sekal's speakers to awaken him. Luma understood secrecy and the need to keep her presence a secret. People would try and steal her. She did not desire to be stolen. Sekal had been sound asleep of course, dreaming numbers and statistics between memories of things done and said. He had been walking around his father's ship at twelve years of age when everything changed. The ship was not the Sinya but he now found himself once again on the bridge of the Mystique and he was no longer young but grown. Suddenly he could hear Luma Lenai's voice. "The Sekal! Wakes up! Luma needs to speak with the Sekal. Wakes up!" He sat bolt upright in his bed and noted that the computer terminal in his room which he had turned off before going to bed had activated. Luma's voice came from the speakers, =^= The Sekal. Did you send peoples to Luma early in body armor and carrying weapons? Luma has raised her shields and cut the power to the doors of the transporter room 3 and to the teleportation controls. These small ones came from the Jupiter Station, and there are five of them.=^= It took a second for his brain to process the entity's words and it helped to bring him toward wakefulness. "Luma there was no transport activity to the Mystique authorized due to my knowledge and certainly no one from the science department. I assure you we have no one on Jupiter station as well." His brain was still a little foggy due to the abrupt transition. "Jupiter station?" Luma was recording everything that the agitated small ones were saying. =^= If these are not your small ones, then please come collect them. If you would prefer for Luma to dispose of these, then Luma will return them to the place they came from. Or Luma can imprison them, but Luma lacks a shuttlecraft and her brig force fields are not operational. Luma does not know how to awaken the Admiral, or the Sienna.=^= Luma's voice grew distant for a moment and the sound of a phaser beam could be heard clearly through the audio circuits. He suddenly came completely to his senses and shot from the bed to his uniform which his combadge was still attached to. He ripped it off with his left hand and compressed it then spoke evenly but firmly. "Security there are five armed intruders on the Mystique. I repeat there are five armed intruders on the Mystique. Immediate action is required." (Reply: Security) "Five armed intruders wearing body armor. Luma reports that they transported from Jupiter station. Repeat Jupiter station. Luma has shields energized. I will attempt to get her to drop them for transport." (Reply: Security) He then addressed the computer. "Luma you will have to lower your shields to allow a security contingent to beam aboard." Luma howled in pain, and at that moment the entity lost control of her telepathic broadcasting. Luckily her drive power had not been reconnected or she would have fled. =^= Those small ones used a phaser rifle on the Luma's walls and it hurt.=^= Luma had seemed confused by that. Luma summoned forcefields and made a box, close the intruding small ones in on all sides. Luma was learning that she had integrated further into the circuity and as a result the skin being damaged hurt her much the same way as it would to be cut. They would have to find time to research this so that Luma could turn this annoyance of pain off. It had been a long, long time since the entity was forced to endure pain. "I have summoned security to take care of the intruders Luma, allow them on board." =^= Luma will not lower her shields unless the Sekal comes with the security. Luma is afraid. More small ones with the hurty weapons may come. The Sekal must come. =^= He began dressing quickly prior to rushing to the Delilah. "I will be there within minutes. I will comm you when I get to the shuttle." Luma was feeling very alone and very vulnerable. Sekal pulled on his boots then replacing the combadge on his chest where it adhered he hit it again as he was rushing out the door, his voice again evenly modulated but firm. "Admiral Ktell the Mystique has been boarded by intruders from Jupiter station. Security has been notified and I am on the way to the Delilah to transport up with the first security contingent." (Reply: Ktell) "Luma will not lower her shields unless I am with them." (Reply: Ktell) He hit the combadge a third time as he rushed through the outer door of the science annex and took off at a run toward the landing pad "Security, Luma will not lower the Mystique's shields unless I am with you. I am en route. ETA two minutes. Luma reports that the intruders are armed with phaser rifles." (Reply: Security) A five kilometer runner on Vulcan moving through lower gravity he was eating up ground at a prodigious rate and his strides were half again above his normal gait. He hadn't had time to warm up and was stiff at first, thankfully not pulling a groin or calf muscle due to being in superb condition. As soon as his leg muscles loosened however his speed increased and the light, chilly wind was whistling in his ears. (Reply: Any Security, Ktell) (Posted by Melinda and Charles) (Mars Base, Officers Quarters- SecTac, Ens(jg) Carson Peters, 2351) What a day it had been, he'd pulled a double shift to complete everything that had happened. He was going to call it a night when the the pilots had returned, unfortauntely their vessel had blown up, which brought up another set of questions which would need answering so he'd stayed on shift. He had gotten back to his quarters little under half an hour ago and had began to wind down and calm himself so he could get a nights rest when there was a sudden alert on the terminal in his quarters. On his first night he'd gotten the computer to tag him in on any Security requests by senior base officers. He tapped the button and heard Sekal's somewhat panicked (for a Vulcan) voice coming through the comm. system, =^=Five armed intruders wearing body armor. Luma reports that they transported from Jupiter station. Repeat Jupiter station. Luma has shields energized. I will attempt to get her to drop them for transport.=^= Sekal was speaking from whoever was on duty in the Sec Ops centre, Carson tapped his comm. badge, "Sekal we'll be right there." He said addressing the Vulcan, and then continued as a reply to whichever Security officer was on the channel, "Have an armed boarding team meet me at the Runabout Delilah, I want as much experience as possible, pronto. We'll beam on board" "Yes, Sir." Came the response. He began moving around his quarter quickly gathering his things, this was too important to leave to chance so he tapped his comm. badge again. He knew he was being selfish, they'd all worked tirelessly today, but there was one more job to complete. (Reply anyone with an NPC Security Character/any Security senior officer who wants to be involved) "Ensign Taya, we have what sounds like a Spec Ops team on board the Mystique trying to take control. Meet me at the Runabout, we're going in." (Reply Taya) He didn't wait for a reply, and began running at full pelt down the corridor heading to his destination. (Mars Base, Runabout Delilah Transport Station- SecTac, Ens(jg) Carson Peters, 2359) Carson rounded the corner to see a team of Security Officers, they'd clearly just arrived as well. "Ready?" He said as he looked around at them all, "Yes, we're just waiting on Ensign Sekal." The man who handed him a rifle said, "Sekal, why?" Carson said puzzled. He couldn't understand why the Science officer, an acting Chief at that needed to come across and put himself in danger. Carson began checking over the weapon handed to him. "He said something about the shields not going down without his presence." The guard seemed equally confused, but this cleared the matter up for Carson. "Right. Transporter set and ready to go?" He asked as he heard the footsteps of someone approaching from behind. (Reply Taya, Sekal, Anyone else present) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Base, Sec/Tac Ensign Taya, 2354) It was late and Taya wasn't ready to go to sleep, so she was outside the base, enjoying the cool night air. She had completed her last rounds, so after such a hectic and busy day, the time alone was nice. Looking at the sky, she stared at Phobos, one of the moons, her mind drifting to home. It would be midday now where she lived on Andor. What were her family members doing at this very moment? Were any of them thinking of her? She hoped they missed her as much as she was missing them. =^=Ensign Taya, we have what sounds like a spec ops team on board the Mystique, trying to take control. Meet me at the runabout. We're going in.=^= Taya's shoulders dropped at the call from Carson. Because of standing orders, she was already armed, with a phaser on her right hip and a stun baton on her left. All she needed to do, was get to the runabout pads. Unfortunately, she was on the other side of the base and transporters were still a work in progress. On foot, she would never make it in time. An idea came to her and she tapped her comm badge. "Computer, are there any maintenance teams near my current position?" [[Affirmative.]] "Any with a ground vehicle?" [[Affirmative.]] "Connect me with the one closest to me." [[Connection made.]] "Security to maintenance team. This is Ensign Taya. I need your help right now." There was no response. "Taya to maintenance team. Respond now." She had a stern tone. =^=This is Petty Officer Lamont. No disrespect, ma'am, but we're pretty busy right now. You'll need to call someone else.=^= "Listen to me, Lamont. We have an emergency on the Mystique and I've got to get to the runabout pads, asap. I need you to come get me and drive me there. This is a code 39 event, so someone drop what they're doing, home in on my comm signal, and get here." There was a pause. =^=Crewman Borders is on her way.=^= "Thank you, Petty Officer. Taya out." Pacing impatiently, the seconds ticking by, Taya thought about what was happening. SFI or Section 31 found out about base personnel interacting with Luma, so they must be trying again to control her for their own purposes. No matter how benevolent a society or organization was, there was always a dark element to it. She couldn't help wondering if Foxglove or Rozen had something to do with it. A beam of light appeared from behind a building, followed by a maintenance vehicle turning the corner. The driver rolled up next to Taya. "Can this thing make warp speed?" said Taya, jumping on board. "Um. No, ma'am," said Borders, a confused expression on her face. "Just get me to the runabout pad," said Taya. "If you've ever wanted to see what one of these could do, now's the time." "Yes, Ma'am. I've always wanted to break the speed record," said Borders with a smile. Taya lurched in her seat as Borders gunned the engine. As they raced across the base, the cold wind whipped through her hair. It was invigorating. To protect them from injury, she had to keep her antennae low and pointing forward. There was one time they turned a corner so fast, Taya thought they'd be on two wheels. Glancing at Borders, she seemed to be enjoying herself as much as Taya was. Reaching the pads, Borders slowed down enough for Taya to hop out. "Thank you, Crewman Borders. We'll need to do this again some time." "Yes, ma'am. Be safe up there." She backed up and began driving away. As Taya approached the others gathering at the Delilah, should could see various reactions at her grand entrance. "Any house in a storm," said Taya with a grin. She hoped she got the idiom right. "So, what's the situation?" (reply anyone there) (posted by Rob) (Mars Base - Grounds patrol- NPC, Petty Officer Steven Hammons- 2355) All was quiet as he made his rounds, he had worked a split today, taking off after his report following the return of the Science mission to the base and returning to duty at twenty one hundred. Petty officer Hammons was a six year veteran who had never pulled duty off of Earth before this point and had found himself a little out of his league when dealing with the loopy entity aboard the Mystique; fortunately orders and directives had been clear. He shuddered to think what might have happened if things had spiraled out of control. The entity from reports could easily have shut them in and toyed with them had she been of that bent. Fortunately things hadn't gone sideways, at least not that way. ~ Protection detail isn't so bad after all, throw in a little tension to spice it up and Voila! Good entertainment value.~ That's when a routine patrol turned sideways instead. =^= Petty officer Hammons to the Delilah, we have an armed incursion on the Mystique with combatants in body armor. =^= "Damn!" Was by far the least colorful word in the string of expletives that rolled off his tongue before he hit the combadge to reply. "Hammons here, I'm on my way." He wasn't far from the landing pads which was probably one reason he had been tapped. "What lousy luck! Loopy Luma here I come again. The least you can do is bake me a cake." He checked out of habit to verify his personal side arm was secure then put his muscular five foot, ten inch frame into motion running flat out for the Delilah. (Mars Base, Runabout Delilah Transport Station- SecTac, Ens(jg) Carson Peters, 2359) Carson rounded the corner to see a team of Security Officers, they'd clearly just arrived as well. "Ready?" He said as he looked around at them all, "Yes, we're just waiting on Ensign Sekal." The man who handed him a rifle said, "Sekal, why?" Carson said puzzled. He couldn't understand why the Science officer, an acting Chief at that needed to come across and put himself in danger. Carson began checking over the weapon handed to him. "He said something about the shields not going down without his presence." The guard seemed equally confused, but this cleared the matter up for Carson. "Right. Transporter set and ready to go?" He asked as he heard the footsteps of someone approaching from behind. (Reply Taya, Sekal, Anyone else present) (Posted by Jono Bradley) (Mars Base, Runabout Delilah Transport Station- Petty officer Steven Hammons, 2400) Two of the senior officers were already in attendance as he rolled in, he had seen the Vulcan science officer Sekal running like the wind in their direction. ~This doesn't make sense but who am I to second guess an officer who doesn't have a damn thing to do with security and boarding action infringing on our turf?~ He though in disgust. "Sirs!" He nodded at Peters and Taya as he grabbed the phaser rifle another in their detail shoved in his direction. "I'm assuming we want prisoners if at all possible." (Reply: Peters) He nodded and set the rifle to heavy stun. The splash on a hit would be minimal to the guys they were facing so it would take at least two hits to knock them down. Body armor wasn't proof against the setting but it was resistant. That's when the Vulcan entered the compartment. Hammons couldn't help himself, it's just in his nature. "Forgot your weapon sir?" His eyes were on the spot Sekal's tricorder had been slung earlier in the day. (Reply: Sekal, Peters, Taya, any present) (Posted by Charles Gatling)