NOTE: This is the second part of the Compile for October 2009 and is also 
the start of a new Mission.  Days 1 to 26

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================================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 1
Stardate: 2408.12.25
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================================================

(USS Boudicca - Corridor - ACSO Ensign Davris Maxon - Day 1 - 1750)

"It's not that she actually *tried* to kill me. It's only that she almost did," 
Dav explained, backtracking further the more he tried not to.

He and Gareth Ames, his pilot friend, were tucked into two modestly 
comfortable chairs in a corner of the ship, one of those seating groups at 
the end of a corridor, which, when he'd traveled on Starfleet ships as a 
civilian, Dav had always thought seemed somewhat useless, but now 
proved their advantage - not as intimate as personal quarters, not as 
public as QV. Just the right spot for a chat with someone he didn't know 
well, but wanted to know better.

Dav had promised the story of his trouble with Diana before the SAR, but 
in the days since, he and Gareth hadn't had much chance to get together. 
They'd seen each other here and there only briefly, and Gareth told Dav 
how he and Diana worked the bridge together most Beta shifts, how 
adversarial she was, how she averted her eyes and ducked a little when 
Dav's name was mentioned. This Beta shift, both men miraculously had 
free shifts at the same time, and seized the opportunity for a more in-depth 
analysis.

Dav was glad of it. He'd never had any problem sharing his personal life with 
friends, or even new acquaintances, but hadn't been certain who to trust 
with the story of his history with Tarch, the ensign who seemed to be making 
a bad mark on everyone's scorecard. He wouldn't describe what he felt for her 
as hatred - he'd never found much purpose in making enemies; but he had 
hoped not to see her again.

"No one likes her, you do realize? Your Black Widow." Gareth said, sitting up 
on his legs, leaning over the arm of the chair, ready to hear the dirt about the 
new thorn in his side. The blond human's looks weren't much better than 
average, but his accent was charming. And he had a way with nicknames.  

"It wasn't like that," Dav told him. "Look, I don't want you to have the wrong 
impression about her, especially working so closely with her as you do. She 
really is a good officer."

"You can't stop defending her, can you, Mary Sunshine? Alright. So what's so 
great about her then?"

After a moment, Dav shrugged in answer. Gareth leaned in closer and asked: 
"What really happened?"

Dav explained. They'd met their first year at the Academy and become fast 
friends, Diana a bright-eyed young cadet eager to earn her stripes, Dav a 
couple years older and on his second career, ready to serve. They'd been in 
the same training group, had many of the same friends, shared one another's 
professional and romantic foibles. Their lives grew together, and that was fine, 
for awhile. But their goals were so different. Eventually, they began to grow 
apart on a personal level. But at the Academy, in training, they were still tied 
together.

"Diana had my back in the early days, and I had hers. She told me once, she'd 
never leave me behind. So, we got to the end of our last year. Things hadn't 
been that great between us. Our friendship was effectively over, I rarely saw 
her. But on our final training mission, we were placed together, Diana as 
captain for the exercise, with me as her FO. I think the instructor knew about 
our personal fallout and sought to use it as a factor in the test.

"We were in a holoship, and the program had us running refugees from a geo-
cataclysmic world. En route to their drop-off location, we were blindsided by a 
vapor cloud that infiltrated the ship with lethal gas and began to slowly kill the 
passengers and crew.  Long story short, the only way to save the lives of the 
refugees was to send someone to manually vent the airways. Of course, that 
person would die."

"She sent you," Gareth guessed, and Dav nodded.

"Without hesitation. I have to admit, it was a real test of my dedication. But 
I've seen death. It led me to join Starfleet. I performed my duty that day. 
Obviously, holo-lethal gas, so... not dead."

"Obviously," Gareth laughed. "And glad of that. But why did she send you? 
Captain Bligh might have done it herself, mightn't she?"

"She told me later that she had simply picked the least essential officer, 
regardless of personal feeling. She said that was what she thought the 
instructors wanted. But when she looked me in the eyes and coldly ordered 
me to my death -- any hint of friendship that was left between us died."

Both men were silent a moment, until Gareth began: "I understand why you 
haven't been happy to see her again. Do you mind my asking--"

His question went unsaid, as they both felt a curious vibration that seemed 
to come from within the ship. Dav's first thought was another explosion, like 
the one in engineering. But that had been weeks ago, and this couldn't be 
related.

Then he and Gareth were out of their chairs, Dav's story put on hold yet 
again as they accessed the nearest wall panel displays, where OPS would tell 
them where to go. When Red Alert sounded, they abandoned that and took 
off in opposite directions, headed for their alert positions, until in the next 
moment, while somewhere Captain Stakes' voice called all hands to brace for 
impact, Dav turned to see Gareth running the other way, impossibly slow, 
blurred, lit by a blinding whiteness that next caught up with Dav at a strange, 
out-of-sync speed he couldn't quite wrap his mind around. He barely kept his 
feet, then shockingly, everything was normal, and, with a nod between friends, 
both men took off running again.

(Reply any, none required)
(Posted by Brian Barrett)

*********

(USS Boudicca -Ready Room - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 1757)

Lydia placed the PADD she had been reading on the 'dealt with' pile. 
Another ship had recently vanished, and there had been the usual 
flurry of messages from SFHQ resulting in the now-expected 'we 
don't know' conclusion.

Lydia found the whole thing concerning, but since there was nothing 
she or the Boudicca could do about it, she put the matter out of her 
mind for the moment and instead thought over her short time aboard 
this ship as temporary replacement for Captain Rivers. 

Lydia had been aboard only a few weeks, and strongly suspected that 
she was still regarded with a degree of suspicion by most of the officers 
and crew - after all they had fought on opposite sides during the civil 
war and Lydia knew how deep the scars were for everyone who'd been 
through that conflict. She didn't blame them; her reasons for her 
alliegiance were her own, and she didn't expect her switching sides in 
the final battle to wipe out the natural suspicion that she had been hand 
in glove with Doenitz. She had, after all, been an Admiral and had been 
in command the Night Watch, the fleet that had guarded the MDP. Either 
they would come to accept her personally, or they wouldn't. It didn't 
bother her over much as long as they accepted her as their commanding 
officer. She did miss having Bill around though - it would be nice to have 
one friendly face aboard.

On that thought, she reached for her glass of Idaarian spiced tea. Then 
she frowned and looked closely at the surface of the liquid, which appeared 
to have had a miniscule pebble dropped into it. Concentric ripples spread 
from the centre and bounced gently against the sides of the glass. Before 
Lydia could do more than get to her feet, the call came.

=/\=Captain to the Bridge!=/\=

Not bothering to respond as she would be there in seconds, she ran for the 
door. Was it her imagination, or was there already a slight tremor in the 
deckplates?

(posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 1758)

Entering the Bridge, she noticed once again the competency of the officers 
under her temporary command. Loyal as they all were to Captain Rivers, 
she had no complaints about the way they reacted to her as CO.

"Report!" she said, taking the command chair hastily vacated by the officer 
sitting there.

"Captain, there seems to be some kind of... wave heading for the ship. I 
don't know where it's coming from, it seemed to appear out of nowhere! 
I'm reading immense chroniton activity and something else I can't identify 
as yet."

"Estimated time to impact," Lydia wasted no time in asking *how* a 
competent officer could have missed the early signs. If the instruments 
hadn't picked it up  before now then there would be time later to find out 
why. At least she hoped there would.

"Two minutes and - no, wait, it's increasing speed exponentially - one 
minute and twenty-seven seconds -"

Lydia's hand automatically slammed down on the comm button. "Red 
alert! Raise shields! All hands, brace for impact!"

And then it hit.

(reply ALL)
(posted by Liz)

*************

(USS Boudicca -FO's Quarters - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 1 
- 1759)

<> Red alert! Raise shields! All hands, brace for impact!<>

Dorga instinctively reacted to the warning despite her surprise, and 
nose dived for the deck from her seat at the dining table where she'd 
been eating supper, because impact usually meant some tossing around 
even if you *were* braced, at least being flat out on the deck already 
meant she wasn't about to be falling down if the impact was major 
though she could still be rolling around some.

As the ship lurched wildly, Dorga found herself slightly airborne.  It 
was the strangest sensation, her mind was racing with the wonder of it 
while her body seemed to be moving in slow motion upwards then down-
wards like a feather falling, though the impact wasn't feather light by 
any means, and then she was rolling over and over in slow revolutions 
until she came to a stop against the bulkhead.  It felt and looked to her 
as if a bright light had illuminated her quarters and passed through her.  
Surely it was her imagination.  However although the motions may have 
seemed very slow to her, the pain of connecting hard with the wall was 
tantamount to any fast movement impact.  It hurt like the dickens.

She swore long and loudly with some very colorful Klingon curses, as she 
got to her feet and held on to the bulkhead for a minute or so until she 
was sure that no further impacts were forthcoming, after which she 
hurried to her bedroom to change into her uniform.

Her place was on the Bridge at times like this, and as she changed her 
clothing she couldn't help but be thankful that her parents had met the 
Boudicca a week previously in their personal shuttle, and had taken the 
twins back to Vulcan for an extended visit.  It was incidents like this 
and the bombing that made her feel that perhaps they should remain 
with her parents, where they could grow up in relevant safety.

(reply none needed)
(posted by Sal)

***********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering - aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar  
– 1758.5)

Anton was in Main Engineering.  It seemed that he was spending a majority 
of his time here these days.  The brief excitement of the incident at 
Laatstekans station has worn off and it was back to the day to day main-
tenance and repair.  Today Anton got to repair two replicators.  He could 
have sent someone else to do it but he was getting tired of staring at reports. 

“The academy never mentioned this when they talked about the excitement 
of serving in Starfleet.” Anton muttered under his breath.

=/\= Red alert! Raise shields! All hands, brace for impact! =/\=

~Someday I will learn to keep my mouth shut,~ was all he thought before it 
hit.

(posted by Oleg)




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<<<<<<          DAY ONE  ---  AFTER THE TIME JUMP       >>>>>>>

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Mission: Time after Time
Day 1
Stardate: 2413.09.08
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(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 1800)

The whole thing seemed to take forever but later looking back Lydia 
reckoned it lasted for mere seconds. Time itself seemed to slow 
down on the Bridge, people and consoles alike seemed to blur in and 
out of focus and then a blinding light passed through them. On the 
viewscreen ships appeared - Federation, Cardassian, Klingon - she 
lost count but thought she recognised one or two as those reported 
as missing over the last few months. But as quickly as they had 
appeared, they vanished and the Boudicca returned to normal. If 
normal included warning lights and alarms going off.

"All decks, damage report!" Lydia demanded, looking at the stream of 
automated reports coming in over her screen. It seemed that there 
were after all only minor injuries, and amazingly enough no 
structural damage. They had lost warp drive but the impulse engines 
were online and functioning.

"Everything seems normal, Captain, except there seems to be a 
problem with the ship's chronometer.  Probably a result of the 
chronitons in whatever it was that hit us."

Lydia raised her eyebrows. "How far out of alignment is it?"

"Nearly five years. According to the chronometer the stardate is 
2413.09.08. And Captain? Astrometrics reports that the starcharts 
seem to be out of alignment too. Not by much but they are out of 
alignment. We don't appear to have moved position though, we 
are still at our original co-ordinates."

Lydia frowned. "Contact SFHQ, report our status." She pressed the 
comm button. "Bridge to Engineering, how long before the warp 
engines will be back on line?"

Before Engineering could respond, the communications officer 
interrupted. "Captain, none of our command codes are working. It 
could be a result of the wave damage I suppose."

"Use the emergency channel," Lydia replied. She knew that mess-
ages on the emergency channel would be received regardless of 
command code.

"Captain, we are being advised to hold position. To make no attempt 
to move or contact other vessels." 

She looked at the officer in surprise. "Explain."

"Sir, we are being treated as potentially hostile. There will be three 
ships rendezvousing with us in five hours. Until then we are to do 
nothing, contact nobody,  and await further instructions."

(Reply ALL)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Officer's Quarters - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski -
1800)

With all the transfers of personnel on and off the ship in the last few
months, Operations was just as short of officers as ever. Denise found
herself volunteering to hold down gamma shift on top of her day job. Her 
day job split between the Quartermaster's office and Bob's doing his 
Yeoman shtick. She celebrated Beta shift by getting four hours of sleep 
before dinner and then going back on the go.

Most people would probably start to burn out after a few weeks, but 
Denise was still loving every minute of it. She loved having her thumb in 
several pies. She loved being on top of information and even better in 
training herself in how to be a bridge operations officer. Really, it wasn't 
much beyond database management on a grand scale. Even if that snot
 on beta lead was a .. well, snot. Maybe she'd accidently step out of a 
photon torpedo tube or something and make half the ship happy.

She missed Shadow. She'd almost offered to take over the felenoid's job in
the meantime, but she had enough of her plate - besides, she didn't want to
seem the suck up. She didn't know what to make of ex-Admiral Stakes, they
hadn't exactly had a lot of the same time/space to share. The Captain did
seem to bring out the grumpies in the ship though. Denise just ignored it,
it was just teenage-emulated-drama in her opinion. As long as the Captain
didn't throw them down a blackhole, Denise wasn't going to quibble.

She was having a nice dream about Bob on a deserted beach that was 
somehow storm tossed and mild at the same time. A dream where things 
went a lot more smoothly than the real life version when the shock wave 
tossed her from her bed and sent her head thumping off her bedside table 
on the way to the
floor.

Creole profanity rose from the floor with the quartermaster as she tapped
into the bridge status feed. A sub-department head, she had no real direct
link to the bridge or duty to be there, but she suspected repairs were about
to be done and that WOULD be her job to deal with. 

Chronometers out of whack? Oh god, just don't let it be time travel, she
HATED time travel. 

She felt something drip on her hand and realized her head was bleeding.
Typical, she never leaked when there was someone hunky around to play 
nurse. She grabbed her first aid kit from under the bed and slapped a 
pressure dressing on it before making her way down to her office. She 
could at least let Ops know what resources they had to play with.

(Reply any)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca, Bridge - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel - 1800)

The effect of the Chroniton wave was...unique, and Ayslin was quite
happy to never have to do it again.

The fact that their ships chronometer was off wasn't all that surprising 
as the particle and the clock shared the same root word yet never 
really interacted well.  It was the reaction from Star Fleet that 
surprised her.

"Captain, permission to not do quote unquote, Nothing, sir,"  Ayslin 
asked.

(Reply Stakes, assuming yes)

Ayslin immediately trashed the ships star charts in a deep dark file
somewhere and set the sensors to establishing a brand new local set.
She couldn't contact the local Time/Space beacon to prove their clock
was wrong, but she could do it the old fashioned way.  While she was
at it, she had internal sensors check quantum spin with local stellar
matter, in an effort to prove they weren't in some alternate dimension, 
which would be very bad and very hard to fix, but would explain the 
nasty reaction they got from Star Fleet.  She also went over the 
internal and hull sensors to check for residual chroniton particles 
holding on their hull that might cause Temporal lensing that might 
cause errors in their sensor scans.

After minutes of work, Ayslin looked over at the Captain.  "Sir, I can
confirm the wave didn't knock us into some parallel universe, but it's
going to be a while before I can trust our sensors to rebuild an
accurate star chart and run the data to give us an accurate time,
especially when I don't have access to Star Fleet Time Space Beacons."
 She said, brushing a strand of long red hair back over her ear.
"Does are prohibition on contacting anyone also extend to contacting
Memory Alpha, or listening in on open broadcasts?"

(Reply Stakes, any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 1802)

"Captain, permission to not do quote unquote, Nothing, sir,"  the 
Science Officer Rel asked.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," Lydia said. "I take 'doing nothing' to 
mean not attempting to leave the area or make outside contact. I would 
like very much to know what is going on, where - or perhaps 'when' we 
are. And if we are not in our time, or even perhaps in our own universe, 
I want to meet whoever is coming to meet us on a more level playing 
field than we have at the moment. Do your best."

Rel immediately got to work and a few minutes later looked up from her 
console. "Sir, I can confirm the wave didn't knock us into some parallel 
universe, but it's going to be a while before I can trust our sensors to 
rebuild an accurate star chart and run the data to give us an accurate 
time, especially when I don't have access to Star Fleet Time Space 
Beacons." She brushed a long strand of hair out of her face. "Does our 
prohibition on contacting anyone also extend to contacting Memory 
Alpha, or listening in on open broadcasts?"

Lydia considered this before answering. "For the moment, Lieutenant, 
let's make it passive monitoring only."

(reply Rel iyw, any)
(Posted by Liz)

************

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 1 - 1803)

=/\=Captain, this is Lieutenant Lorimar. As soon as we are able tae 
determine *why* the warp engines shut doon, we will gie ye an 
estimate. At the moment we hae some checking tae do. We’ll advise 
as soon as we know.=/\=

"Thank you, Mr Lorimar. Let me know more when you can. Bridge out.
" Lydia knew that the CEO would do his job better without hassle from 
the Bridge. ~Besides, Arc trusted him, which is good enough for me.~

She looked at the OPS station, and saw the junior officer there looking 
pale, and with what looked like a nasty bump on the head. "Kit, get 
yourself down to Sickbay," she said. Kit Spero had served on the Star 
with her before being transferred to the Dennison. "I'll get someone up 
here to relieve you." ~Now who is good with resources? Ah yes. ~ She 
pressed the commlink.  "Lieutenant Lebranski to the Bridge."

(reply Lebranski)

At that point, Commander 'cha Nooras arrived on the Bridge, what 
looked to be a rather nasty bruise forming on her forehead, and 
immediately took her seat next to Lydia.

"What just happened, do you know?"  she asked.

"Your guess is as good as any at the moment, Number One," Lydia 
replied. "We were hit by some kind of fast-moving wave, containing 
chronitons and some as-yet unknown particles. Lieutenant Rel is 
investigating at the moment, but our chronometers are showing a 
considerable difference in time from when the wave hit us."

"Surely that wasn't a temporal shift we just got ambushed by?"  the 
FO wondered aloud.

"At the moment we just don't know. Either we were shifted in time, 
or to another universe, or," Lydia added with grim humour, "we hit 
the jackpot and moved in time *and* to another universe. Only time 
will tell," she added, a wry smile on her lips.

She then explained the communication they had received from SFHQ, 
and how they were not to attempt to contact anyone.

"For now though our orders are to wait and do nothing," she con-
cluded. "I am interpreting that to mean nothing *active* - Lieutenant 
Rel is conducting some passive scans, and her preliminary investi-
gations suggest that we have at least moved in time, if nothing 
worse."

She lowered her voice. "Once the crew realise that we have shifted 
almost 5 years in time they are going to want to contact their families. 
As I'm sure you do too. We will have to ensure that they don't. I don't 
fancy going up against three ships of the line just because we broke 
silence. Naturally SFHQ have left that to us to enforce. I suggest we 
invoke the temporal directive - no contact until we can be sure it will 
not affect the timeline."

"As for the rest... we will have to wait and see."

~Poor Arc, he must think me dead.~ Her eyes lingered for a moment 
on the small screen in the arm of her chair. ~Would it really be so 
bad to let our families know we are alive? Apparently someone, some-
where, thinks so. Some fool who has never lost someone they loved.~

(Reply Lebranksi, Dorga, any)
(Posted by Liz)

**********


(USS Boudicca  - Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1804)

Bob had responded to the Red Alert along with the rest of the engineers 
from alpha and gamma shifts, which were off duty… or rather, were 
until the alert was sounded.

Whatever had happened, it had been exceedingly brief of duration. Or 
perhaps, exceedingly long. It all depended on whether or not the current 
chronometer readings were to be believed or not. He was working as 
rapidly as he could along with the rest of engineering (and the whole 
crew, he suspected) to answer the litany of questions which the ‘event’ 
had generated.

=^=Bridge to Engineering, how long before the warp engines will be back 
on line?=^=

~Speaking of questions…~

He had only met the ‘new’ CO during the recent staff meeting, and he 
really didn’t know her at all. Well, that was not precisely correct. He recog-
nized her from the War. When he had finally made his way from the 
damaged escape pod that had crashed into Starbase Valhalla, he had seen 
her, but they had not spoken. She was an Admiral then, as he recalled. He 
had been lying on his back on a stretcher with both legs injured, and she 
had made her way by several times going to and from the temporary 
command post that Archibald Stakes had set up. He had overheard that the 
Admiral was his wife… and he recalled idly speculating through his drug and 
pain filled haze that being on opposite sides of the War must have made for 
interesting dinner conversation.

Point was, he ‘knew’ her only by rumor and reputation.

And now, she was the new Sheriff in town.

Better to not keep the Sheriff waiting.

“Captain, this is Lieutenant Lorimar. As soon as we are able tae determine 
*why* the warp engines shut doon, we will gie ye an estimate. At the 
moment we hae some checking tae do. We’ll advise as soon as we know.”

(Reply Stakes iyw, Any)

He raised his voice to be heard above the background noise as soon as the 
channel closed. “Alright folks… until we are certain what happened, let’s 
assume worst case. Ah’d like a level three diagnostic on all systems, and 
level two on the warp reactor and drive systems. Smartly now… the folks 
on the bridge need answers.”

(Reply Any Engineering)

Lorimar had a theory, or at least the start of one. Based on the readings he 
had seen thus far, it appeared that the ship had been subjected to a pulse 
or burst of chroniton particles of an extremely high order. Off the scale, 
never before seen high order. *If* the chronometer readings were correct, 
the entire ship had been subjected to temporal displacement. It was all 
theory for now, of course.

The fact that the warp reactor had shut down, but the impulse drive had 
been unaffected bore this out, at least in part. The control software for the 
reactant injector system was necessarily dependent on extremely precise 
timing during all phases of operation. In fact, the system was designed to 
‘fail-safe’ and shut down if anything interrupted the sensing and control 
information loop, which Lorimar suspected happened during the chroniton 
burst.

Time would tell. Both literally and figuratively.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Russ)

********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering - aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar  
– 1804.5)

It all happened in a blur and when it was over Anton was holding on to the 
console he was standing next to for support.  He felt a bit dizzy and out of 
focus but his head cleared in a moment.  Whatever happened happened 
quickly.

 Anton looked around Engineering trying to remember where he last saw 
Lorimar.  When he saw him he headed in his direction.

=/\= Bridge to Engineering, how long before the warp engines will be back 
on line? =/\=

“Captain, this is Lieutenant Lorimar. As soon as we are able tae determine 
*why* the warp engines shut doon, we will gie ye an estimate. At the 
moment we hae some checking tae do. We’ll advise as soon as we know.” 
Anton heard Lorimar as he approached.

“Alright folks… until we are certain what happened, let’s assume worst case. 
Ah’d like a level three diagnostic on all systems, and level two on the warp 
reactor and drive systems. Smartly now… the folks on the bridge need 
answers.” 

Anton gave orders to a few of the other engineers on what group should run 
diagnostics on what systems and headed to assist with the diagnostics on the 
warp systems.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 1 - 1806)

She had hurried to the Bridge as fast as she could to find it a flurry of 
activity.  The captain was seated in the command chair and Dorga took 
her place at the CO's side.  Over the weeks she had been aboard, 
Dorga had come to respect the temporary captain although she re-
mained wary of her, though she was always courteous and respectful 
towards her.

"What just happened, do you know?"  She asked Captain Stakes.

(reply Stakes, any)

Glancing at the chronometer she could see that the time and date 
were out of whack...unless.....

"Surely that wasn't a temporal shift we just got ambushed by?"  She 
wondered aloud.

~ If it is then we've just moved into the future several years! ~

(reply Stakes, any)
(posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 1 - 1807)

The Captain had no more idea of what had just happened than Dorga 
did, just that the ship had been hit by some kind of fast-moving wave, 
containing chronitons and some unknown particles.  She informed the 
FO that Lieutenant Rel was investigating, and that the chronometers 
were showing a considerable difference in time from when the wave 
hit.

"Surely that wasn't a temporal shift we just got ambushed by?"  the 
FO wondered aloud.

"At the moment we just don't know. Either we were shifted in time, or 
to another universe, or," Captain Stakes added with grim humour, "we 
hit the jackpot and moved in time *and* to another universe. Only time 
will tell," she added, a wry smile on her lips.

It was at that moment that Dorga suddenly decided that she liked the 
temporary captain.  Up until then she had been unsure, but anyone 
with a dark sense of humor like Stakes was showing was okay in Dorga's 
estimations.

She chuckled.

Captain Stakes went on to explain the communication they had received 
from SFHQ, and how they were not to attempt to contact anyone and 
that they were to wait and do nothing.


".....I am interpreting that to mean nothing *active* - Lieutenant Rel 
is conducting some passive scans, and her preliminary investigation
suggest that we have at least moved in time, if nothing worse."

"By Kahless I hope it's nothing worse, for that is bad enough."  Dorga 
replied.

Stakes lowered her voice so only Dorga could hear her, voicing Dorga's 
concerns that the crew would want to contact their families once they 
knew they'd shifted ahead 5 years in time, and tellin her that they would 
have to make sure they didn't.

"......I don't fancy going up against three ships of the line just because we 
broke silence. Naturally SFHQ have left that to us to enforce. I suggest 
we invoke the temporal directive - no contact until we can be sure it will 
not affect the timeline."

Dorga gave her once curt nod, it was the sensible thing to do.

".......As for the rest... we will have to wait and see."

There was nothing more that Dorga loathed than to sit and wait.  She 
longed to contact her children, parents and brother to let them know 
she was alive and well, it was cruel of Starfleet to expect them to remain 
silent and she wondered what their reasons were for ordering it.

~ All these years have passed and my children will have grown. They're 
almost teenagers!  I've missed half their lives in a matter of moments. ~

"I have to wonder why Starfleet are being so harsh?  I would have 
thought they'd be pleased that we aren't dead."

(Reply Stakes iyw, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

*********

(USS Boudicca - QMs Officer - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - Day 1 -
1807)

=/\= Lieutenant Lebranski to the Bridge. =/\= 

~What'd I do now?~ Denise grumbled before pressing her own badge in reply
"On my way."
 
She checked personnel allocation and saw the Chief of Operations was on her
way down to Sickbay, "Oh, well, that explains it." Denise grumbled, status
report tagged with 'possible concussion'. If nothing else, Operations always
knew where their staff was and what they were doing.

"I'm gushing blood, she's got a bump. Oh, sure, please, can I come serve on
the bridge on next to no sleep? It'll make my day -" She broke off her
ranting as she got to the corridor.

(posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Corridor - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - Day 1 - 1808)

"Hi Frank," she said as she hit the corridor, the engineer in question had a
PADD in one hand.

"Boss sent me to get these.." he said holding out the PADD.

Denise took the PADD and flipped through the list, nothing terribly
esoteric, but.. "What the hell is a grav flux capacitor?" Denise asked, "And
a Dalorean?"

Frank, an older man who'd been serving on the Bouddy since time began it
seemed, grinned, "Why ma'am, I'd suspect that's some engineer's excuse to
see the quartermaster who'll show up and yell at them that this is no time
for silliness."

"It's the perfect time for silliness, if you ask me," Denise muttered, still
making her way to the turbolift. As they stood waiting, Denise punched out
the requisite permissions and orders. "Tell Mr Smart Ass that I'm looking up
the part numbers and in the mean time to fill out a proper product
description and requisition. No hurry, he can do it on his next nap
allotment."

Frank grinned, "Yes ma'am." He saluted.

"Don't do that." Denise growled as she stepped into the turbolift, doors
closing on the smiling enlisted man's face. Gah. Salutes.

(posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge -CO Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 1 - 1809)

"I have to wonder why Starfleet are being so harsh?" the FO commented.  
"I would have thought they'd be pleased that we aren't dead."

Lydia snorted. "Of course they're not pleased. Now they have to declare us 
the suspicious living instead of the honoured dead. They have to find out 
what happened to us, and also - and this has just occurred to me - what if 
we are a copy of ourselves? What if there is another Boudicca here in our 
own reality? In short, Commander - what if we didn't disappear?"

She shook her head. "Let's not go there unless we have to, just the thought 
makes my head ache even more. Let's stick with the relatively simple case 
of our having been transported through time in some way that we as yet 
can't explain. As for SFHQ - put yourself in their shoes. We disappear for 
close on five years, then suddenly reappear, with no explanation but an 
apparent malfunction in our chronometers. Wouldn't you be cautious?"

(Reply Dorga iyw, any)
(Posted byLiz)

********

(USS Boudicca - Corridor - ACSO Ensign Davris Maxon - Day 1 - 1810)

He'd been with Gareth Ames when it happened, the vibration of hull and 
deck, the twisting of reality that left them nauseous and unnerved.

They were discussing Diana Tarch. Was it the mention of her name - Diana 
with whom he hadn't spoken since her first day aboard, Diana who had 
been his best friend and now seemed his worst enemy - that caused the 
deck to shake under his feet, Dav had wondered ridiculously.

Now, reality back to normal, if it could be so described, Dav walked briskly 
along another corridor. He'd taken the access ladder with a crowd of crew, 
the turbolifts logjammed and prioritized to other personnel. He knew Ayslin 
was on the bridge, and surely neck deep in data. His place in a crisis was at 
her side to give her any support she needed, but there were other officers 
available to her and closer at hand - not that she needed the help - so this
time, Dav's place would be in the science bay. Someone had to run point 
there while Ayslin worked her magic.

He shook his head again, still trying to clear away the disorientation of the 
strange experience they'd all undergone. Passing other officers and crew on 
his way, he could see a difference between the old pros who had done this 
all before and the few newly minted who hadn't. He was in the second list. 
But he took some courage from the determined professionalism of his 
colleagues, and pressed on. The bridge was on top of the situation, he was 
certain. All he could do was his duty, and taking his cue from the crew 
around him, it was obvious to Dav that life went on in situations like this, 
and did so at a fast pace.

He supposed it was the nature of a life in space exploration, that plans 
couldn't be counted on the way surprises could be. He'd waited weeks to 
have a long chat with Gareth, and that was cut short. He was supposed to 
have dinner with one of the comm officers, who was going to help him with 
his Ferengi conversation skills. And the next morning, he and Sokar were to 
give a presentation to one of the classrooms about What the Science Depart-
ment Does. That was likely to be canceled now too, which was a shame. He 
liked being around kids. It made him miss Liddi, his little niece, a little less.

Dav strode purposefully into the science bay, where some twenty of the 
science staff worked over consoles, shouting questions and answers to one 
another, working to find out what was going on. He nodded to Tanna, who 
impossibly looked both shaken and unflappable at the same time, then went 
to a station where Sokar was working, his long Vulcan fingers flying, his face 
set in determined concentration.

"What's our status?" Dav asked.

Sokar didn't look up. "The effects of the chroniton wave are as yet undeter-
mined. Lt. Rel is feeding us information from the bridge for in-depth 
analysis."

"Chroniton wave?"

Now Sokar looked up. Dav should have known the Vulcan was already light-
years ahead of the game, and the thought hadn't occurred to him to start 
from the beginning. Dav was finding he always felt a little bit behind Sokar, 
and still expected to find his friend annoyed by it. But every time, the Vulcan 
found some way of making Dav feel better.

"The Boudicca has been hit by a chroniton wave of unknown origin," Sokar 
explained, then raised one eyebrow. "Did you not notice?"

Dav couldn't help but smile. He wondered when Sokar had decided that his 
most logical course of action with Dav was to diffuse these situations with 
humor. Dav had to admit it worked on him every time. He liked the feeling 
that Sokar was teasing him.

"Okay, what is Rel saying?"

"We are to find all our stellar cartographers and chain them to workstations. 
But first, I believe you should look at a clock."

Dav looked at the time and date on Sokar's workstation and inhaled sharply. 
"What the... what?" he managed to say, thinking of what it could mean for 
them. This could not be good.

"We appear to have moved forward in our timeline. Lt. Rel has ruled out 
alternate dimensions. It is..." He seemed to struggle for the right words. "It 
is not without possibly grave consequences for the Boudicca's crew."

Dav tried not to think of Liddi, or the rest of his family. What of those of the 
crew who had children of their own off the ship? He felt for them all, and from 
the look on Sokar's face, the Vulcan felt it too. If they were really in the 
future, there would be a lot of emotional trauma. Grave consequences, indeed. 
He hoped counseling was ready for the extra workload.

"I'm headed to stellar cartography now," Dav said. "Inform Rel and let me know 
if you hear anything else." Heading for the door, he turned back for a moment. 
"I guess our classroom thing is on hold for now. I was looking forward to it."

"I was as well," the Vulcan replied. "I believe we will still have our moment, Dav. 
In time."

(Reply any, none required)
(Posted by Brian Barrett)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - Day 1 - 1810)

Denise stepped on the bridge to find she wasn't the only one showing signs
of self-administered first aid. Here was hoping that Ms. Stakes wasn't a
pain in the rulebook like Mr. Stakes and she wasn't about to get told off
for splotches of her own blood on her uniform.

"Lieutenant Lebranski, reporting as ordered." Denise told their new captain.
Really, the whole thing was silly. Who else would she be in Ops uniform
about to sit down in the Ops chair? And if she WASN'T Lieutenant Lebranski,
how would verbalizing the claim make any difference either way? Starfleet
sure had some silly protocols.

(Reply Captain, iyw)

Denise took her seat and started going over ship status and recent reports.
Oh, looked like they really had surfed a time wave. So much for outranking
her brothers any time soon.. Unless they'd managed to get caught too. She'd
have to think positive.

(Reply any)
(posted by Lorna)

***********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1810)

With the help of the Boudicca’s computers, Bob had made fairly extensive 
analysis of the ‘event’ at least from an engineering standpoint. Clearly, a 
great deal more would need to be studied, but the preliminary modeling 
and log review supported his initial theory.

Before he reported to the Captain, however, he wanted the opinions and 
input of the team actually performing the diagnostics. He walked over to 
where Anton was working, and spoke during a pause in his work.

“Mister Gesar, dae ye have any data from the diagnostics so far? The reason 
ah ask, is ah hae a working theory, and ah’m wondering if the evidence 
supports it, or refutes it.” He went on to briefly outline his thoughts about 
the possible cause of the warp drive going offline.

“From what ye’ve seen so far, is that at all consistent with the data?”

(Reply Gesar, Any, Room for more)
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – aCEO Ens (Sg.) Anton Gesar – 1811)

Anton was working with the warp engineers.  He was part boss, part assistant, 
part student.  These men knew a lot about the warp drive and one could 
always learn from observing someone with more experience.  He was up-
loading data to a PADD when Lorimar approached.

“Mister Gesar, dae ye have any data from the diagnostics so far? The reason 
ah ask, is ah hae a working theory, and ah’m wondering if the evidence 
supports it, or refutes it.” He went on to briefly outline his thoughts about 
the possible cause of the warp drive going offline.  “From what ye’ve seen so 
far, is that at all consistent with the data?” he asked
 
Anton looked at the PADD he was holding in his hand and punched up the 
information he just downloaded.  "You have excellent timing chief, the data 
just came through.  It will take me just a second to sort it here."  Anton 
punched a few more buttons on the PADD.  "Here we go.  It seems that most 
of the data supports your theory.  However," Anton walked over to a 
computer station and punched up the warp schematics, "there were a few 
minor anomalies here and here.  To me it appears as if these systems did not 
behave as expected if you factor in your theory.  It may not mean anything, 
there could have been other factors involved.  It would require further 
analysis to determine what happened."
 
(Reply Lorimar, Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)
 
********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1812)

Bob nodded at Gesar’s response. “Aye… it would indeed, and analysis is part 
of what they pay us for isn’t it lad?”

(Reply Gesar iyw)

“In any event, yer observations are well founded.” Lorimar tapped the display 
that Gesar was using to show the warp schematics. He tabbed in several quick 
commands, overlaying the data that he had with that from the warp diagnostic 
thus far. When combined, things were at once more, and less, clear.

He traced his finger over the display and spoke quietly. “Does that look 
familiar; at the time index ah’ve expanded? That *appears* tae be an anti-
chroniton signature. Its nae even close tae the magnitude of the chroniton 
pulse, but its clear enough. Ah wonder what that could mean?” He looked at 
Gesar quizzically, wondering what his thoughts might be.

(Reply Gesar, Any, Room for more)

Lorimar rubbed his beard thoughtfully as he listened to Gesar’s thoughts on the 
matter. He quirked an eyebrow, his mind fully occupied with both the factual 
and theoretical.

“If we consider the flow of time as a series of waves, and we were *pushed* 
forward by a ‘rogue’ wave, for lack of a better term… then the only thing that 
springs tae mind is that the anti-chronitons we’re seeing would naturally be 
present in the ‘troughs’ between waves, no? And wouldn’t that explain the 
readings we’re seeing?” 

(Reply Gesar, Room for more again)

“If we accept that sequence of events… then we next have tae ask… from where? 
And how?”

~’Why’ might be critically important as well laddie…~

(Reply Gesar, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 1 - 1812)

"Lieutenant Lebranski, reporting as ordered."

Lydia looked at the young woman, who had a dressing on her head, and blood
on her uniform. 

"Have you had that cut seen to?" she asked.  "Or did you just dress it yourself?"

(reply Lebranski)

Lydia nodded. "Very well, but any time you feel you need to go to Sickbay, 
Lieutenant, you go. I don't want you bleeding all over the consoles," she added 
dryly, forgetting for a moment that Lebranski was not Kit and might not 
appreciate the dry humour. It was something that she had found in her previous 
command to lighten a grim situation and boost morale a little. "It's not good for 
morale and bloodstains make the Bridge look untidy."

(reply Lebranski, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*******

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 1 - 1812.5)

Dorga heard Lebranski stating she was reporting for duty as ordered, but she 
didn't bother to look up from the reports she was reading via her chair arm 
console until she heard the captain asking about a cut and dressing on 
Lebranski's head.

It certainly looked like it had been dressed by a non-professional medic so 
Dorga believed that Denise most likely had dressed it herself rather than go to 
Sickbay.  If nothing else she'd learned that Denise was one stubborn female.

~ Thick headed at times too, so I doubt the cut has done much damage. ~  The 
FO smiled at Lebranski and winked.

(reply Lebranski)

The captain told Lebranski that she should go to Sickbay if she felt the need as 
she didn't want her bleeding all over the consoles.  "........It's not good for morale 
and bloodstains make the Bridge look untidy."  Stakes stated, apparently joking.

"Not to mention bloodstains are hard to erradicate."  Dorga added, one corner of 
her mouth lifting in a half smile.

(reply Lebranski, any)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar – 1812.5)

Bob nodded at Anton. “Aye… it would indeed, and analysis is part of what they 
pay us for isn’t it lad?”

Anton nodded, "Yes sir."

“In any event, yer observations are well founded.” Lorimar tapped the display 
that Anton was using to show the warp schematics. He traced his finger over 
the display and spoke quietly. “Does that look familiar; at the time index ah’ve 
expanded? That *appears* tae be an anti-chroniton signature. Its nae even 
close tae the magnitude of the chroniton pulse, but its clear enough. Ah wonder 
what that could mean?” He looked at Gesar quizzically, wondering what his 
thoughts might be."It may simply be residual effects of being hit by a chroniton 
wave." Lorimar rubbed his beard thoughtfully as he listened to Anton.

“If we consider the flow of time as a series of waves, and we were *pushed* 
forward by a ‘rogue’ wave, for lack of a better term… then the only thing that 
springs tae mind is that the anti-chronitons we’re seeing would naturally be 
present in the ‘troughs’ between waves, no? And wouldn’t that explain the 
readings we’re seeing?”
 
"If we were to consider the flow of time in such a manner yes.  I definitely agree 
that we are seeing anti-chronitons as a natural effect of being accelerated by a 
chroniton wave.  IT may also be that the presence of anti-chronitons is a kind of 
inertia effect being the opposite force to acceleration.  However, since the 
magnitude of the anti-chronitons is so much lower than that of the chroniton 
pulse that hit the ship the anti-chroniton effect was dampened."

“If we accept that sequence of events… then we next have tae ask… from where? 
And how?”

"If I had to make a guess based on available data," Anton scrached his chin as he 
considered it.  "Chronitons are generated for a variety of reasons.  However most 
man made experiments or devices create chronitons as a result of attemtpting 
some sort of phasing.  The Romulan cloaking device comes to mind as one such 
device, but I can't think of anything that could create a chroniton wave of such 
magnitude.  When we got hit by the wave, the ship was close to a subspace river 
terminus.  Another thing to consider is that the sensor readings taken before the 
ship was hit indicated that in addition to chronitons the wave consisted of unknown 
particles."  He paused for a moment giving Lorimar and himself time to consider 
the points.
 
"Someone... attempted to phase a... ship," Anton spoke slowly as the idea formed 
in his mind. "Yes, someone attempted to phase a ship while inside the subspace 
river.  It could have been a cloak or some kind of experiment.  The chronitons 
generated as a result were accelerated by the subspace river which bunched the 
particles together and that resulted in amplifying the chroniton field that was 
generated.  Then for some reason the subspace river expelled the now accelerated 
and amplified wave of chronitons and the rest is history.  Pun not intended.  Of 
course all of this is conjecture.  With our current knowledge of how the subspace 
river works and lack of actual physical evidence of what happened this is all a 
guess."
 
(Reply Lorimar, Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - Day 1 - 1813)

"Have you had that cut seen to?" she asked.  "Or did you just dress it
yourself?"

"Myself, and it probably looks like I did it without a mirror while running
out the door." Denise replied, honestly. 

The command team comedy act kicked in before Dorga finished up with "Not 
to mention bloodstains are hard to erradicate." 

She snorted her amusement, "I would think the mother of two Klingon warriors
would know all about getting bloodstains out." Then her brain caught up with
her mouth, "Oh God, Dorga, I'm sorry." Way to be the downer, reminding the
mother about her missing children.

"I think I'll just go over to Ops and try to get my size tens out of my mouth 
now.." Denise offered weakly. 

(Reply Dorga, Stakes, any on bridge)
(Posted by Lorna)

*******

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 1 - 1814)

"Not to mention bloodstains are hard to erradicate."

Denise snorted her amusement at the jokes about her injury, "I would think
the mother of two Klingon warriors would know all about getting bloodstains
out."

Her remark surprised Dorga more than anything,  but from past experiences
with Denise, she knew that the woman often spoke first and thought second.

"Oh God, Dorga, I'm sorry....I think I'll just go over to Ops and try to get my
size tens out of my mouth now.." Denise added.

"I can do that for you, just let me get my Bat'leth."  The FO joked with a smile.
"Really...Don't worry about it, my skin is thicker than you imagine.  I am sure
my children are fine and have been well taken care of while we've been apart.
I will not morbidly dwell over the years I have missed watching them grow or
that they must have thought I was dead and grieved.  I will only think of our
reunion to come and the joy we all will feel when we meet again."

(Reply Lebranski, Stakes, any on bridge)
(Posted by Sal)

***********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1814)

Bob hadn’t considered the cause for the appearance of the anti-
chronitons as yet; rather, he was looking for confirmation that they 
were in fact present. Clearly, Gesar’s thought process was ahead of 
his own. His theory was logical, it fit neatly with the data. What else 
would he add to it? Bob continued to listen intently.

“--Then for some reason the subspace river expelled the now accel-
erated and amplified wave of chronitons and the rest is history.  Pun 
not intended.  Of course all of this is conjecture.  With our current 
knowledge of how the subspace river works and lack of actual physical 
evidence of what happened this is all a guess."

Lorimar’s lips curled into a grin. He wasn’t certain if the facts would 
prove it out, but Gesar’s theory was brilliant on its own merits. Bob 
patted him on the shoulder in appreciation. “*Very* nice theory lad… 
logical tae a fault. I hadn’t given that possibility any thought at all… 
its simply brilliant. Nicely done indeed! Ah’ll take over here wie the 
warp engine diagnostics; ah’d like ye tae take all the data we hae so 
far and meet wie the duty science officer on the bridge – that would 
be Lieutenant Rel, ah believe – and brief them in. Whatever input 
they might have, yer our point man, ye can run wie it. When ye have 
a reasonable theory, go ahead and brief the Captain, alright?”

(Reply Gesar)

Bob turned just before working on the diagnostics and smiled warmly 
at Anton. “Very nicely done lad…nicely done indeed!”

(Reply Gesar, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar 
– 1814.5)

Anton just finished describing his theory when Lorimar started to grin.  
Bob patted him on the shoulder.
 
"*Very* nice theory lad… logical tae a fault. I hadn’t given that 
possibility any thought at all… its simply brilliant. Nicely done indeed!  
Ah’ll take over here wie the warp engine diagnostics; ah’d like ye tae 
take all the data we hae so far and meet wie the duty science officer 
on the bridge – that would be Lieutenant Rel, ah believe – and brief 
them in. Whatever input they might have, yer our point man, ye can 
run wie it. When ye have a reasonable theory, go ahead and brief the 
Captain, alright?”

Anton was trying not to grin like a complete fool.  "Yes sir.  Thank you 
sir."

Bob turned just before working on the diagnostics and smiled warmly at 
Anton. “Very nicely done lad… nicely done indeed!”
 
"Thank you sir," Anton said more controlled, the initial wave of emotion 
wearing off, as he headed to a station to get all the data assembled on a 
PADD.

(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - SPC OPS Ensign Diana Tarch - 
Day 1 - 1819)

Diana watched closely, observing Lebranski's every move. 
Working invisibly at the comm station, she had a perfect 
view of the OPS station, and when it came to Lebranski, she 
had a decision to make.

Diana was almost getting things right on the Boudicca. 
Almost. But every time she thought the captain had noticed 
her, that she had finally made a distinct impression on 
command, she was overlooked again. And being overlooked 
didn't sit well with her.

She'd gone through school at the top of every class, and 
that had been on purpose, because mediocrity didn't suit 
her. She'd grown up with legends of great Starfleet captains, 
and none of them came from a mediocre background. Not 
one of them earned their rank through laziness or under-
achievement. Diana would not find herself at the bottom of 
the barrel.

Her favorite teacher at the Academy, perhaps the only one 
she liked, had been a brutal old monster named Kursk, 
famous for being hard on his students. He'd taught her to be 
tough, to support her crew with a spine of steel. Every ship 
needs a backbone, he'd said, someone to make the tough 
decisions and back them up without flinching. That's the only 
way crews are kept safe from the cold of space, he told her. 
The only way. She believed every word.

In her short time on the Boudicca, she hadn't made any 
friends, but that was fine. What mattered was that she did her 
job well. The FO had noticed her, she knew, but Diana hadn't 
done anything remarkable. She'd just done her day to day 
tasks as well as they could be done, but where were the inno-
vative ideas, the quick actions that  would impress 'cha Nooras? 
And how could she impress Captain Stakes, who didn't seem 
even to notice her?

Diana thought she finally had it made when the ship rocked 
and lurched, leaving her feeling a little sick, but not more than 
she could quickly brush aside. She had just entered the bridge 
when the incident happened, bringing reports for Kit Spero's 
approval. It was yeoman's work, but she liked Spero well 
enough, and the COPS was someone Diana was willing to go an 
extra mile to impress. 

At Red Alert, Diana shifted to an auxiliary station, forgetting 
the reports she carried. After reality twisted back to normal, 
she began to monitor the comm, just in case. Maybe, she 
thought, she could provide some useful information. As an 
OPS officer, the comm was within her skill set. She felt lucky 
to be on the bridge when something exciting was happening.

Stakes ordered her to use emergency channels, and Diana 
was the first to receive communications and report them to 
the captain. They were to hold their position, make no contact, 
wait for their escort and further instructions. It was the biggest 
news of the day, and Diana herself had delivered it. She felt 
great, right at the center of things. But it didn't last.

From her out of the way station, she had a great view of the 
captain in action. There were few things that really made her 
feel joyful, and it was her greatest pleasure to watch a skilled 
commander and study her actions. A skilled commander was 
everything Diana wanted to be.

After taking a report from engineering, Stakes looked around 
at her crew, quickly assessing injuries. "Kit, get yourself down 
to Sickbay," she said to Spero, who'd been knocked in the head. 
"I'll get someone up here to relieve you."

Diana couldn't help herself lurching forward in anticipation, 
looking like a school kid, a little too desperate to be picked for 
the team. She stopped herself short of saying something. Spero 
had been too focused on the tasks at hand to notice her come 
in, but certainly the captain had seen her. Or maybe the FO 
would suggest she take the spot.

"Lieutenant Lebranski to the Bridge," Captain Stakes called 
over the comm, and Diana turned back to her console, her 
expression growing dark. 

Lebranski. Of course. The woman with no regard for rules and 
regulations, no respect for command authority, who yet, impos-
sibly, was well liked by everyone on the ship. Diana scrolled 
through comm channels, burying herself in the tasks at hand, 
chewing her sour grapes slowly. She should have known this 
would happen. Lebranski. 

There was some discussion on the bridge of what had happened 
to them. Thrown five years into the future by a chroniton wave, 
probably stranded. Diana didn't worry. Neither Stakes nor 'cha 
Nooras seemed the type to sit around and let something like this 
stand. They'd find a way back. They'd make the big decisions, the 
right decisions, and lead the ship back to its proper place, where 
Diana would be right on track again, probably with some kind of 
commendation, and the bragging rights of a secret time travel 
mission she simply couldn't talk about in detail. Not that anyone 
would be missing her anyway.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Denise Lebranski, 
followed by a floor show. ~No respect,~ Diana thought, although 
uncertainly, observing how the captain and FO seemed to enjoy 
the conversation. Was that really what they wanted? A comedy 
routine? Kursk had told her differently, and she'd believed him. 
This ship just didn't make sense to her.

Diana turned back to her console again, thinking of the OPS 
work Lebranski would be starting in on, imagining how she her-
self would organize it. She wondered, in a fair match, which of 
them would prove the more successful organizer. It occurred to 
her that she wouldn't have thought that at the Academy - she 
would have assumed in any pairing that she would win. But 
Lebranski's facilities for arrangement were well-known. A worthy 
competitor? Diana looked over at the OPS station, where the 
cajun coordinator's fingers were flying. Perhaps she was. 
Lebranski was like a dark reflection, blonde to Diana's raven, 
smiling when Diana frowned. She wondered if Kursk would 
approve of Lebranski's methods. Then again what would he think 
of Diana, standing at the side of the bridge, waiting to be noticed, 
instead of making it happen? She knew the answer to that.

The question remained - did she like Lebranski or not? Grudging 
respect for her abilities, or cold dismissal of her flippant ways? 
Diana regarded the friendly expression alongside the fierce work 
ethic with suspicion. She just couldn't decide.

(Reply any, none required)
(Posted by Brian Barrett)

***********
 
(USS Boudicca – Bridge – aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar – 1830)
 
It took Anton a little bit of time to assemble all the data he wanted 
to take with him.  What took a little longer was assembling his 
theory from his head onto a PADD and including any additional 
relevant data that may support his theory.  Standing on the bridge 
just outside the turbolift he looked around for Rel.  Spotting her he 
approached.
 
"Lieutenant?" Anton called out to get her attention.
 
(Reply Rel)
 
"Lieutenant Lorimar and I were trying to determine why the 
chroniton wave had such a drastic effect on the engines and we 
came up with a theory on what might have caused the wave in the 
first place.  The data we have collected so far supports some of our 
theory but only the end result."  Anton extended the PADD with the 
data to Rel. 
 
(Reply Rel, iyw) 
 
"The reason I'm here is that we need someone with a more scientific 
approach and experience to examine our data and help us prove or 
disprove our theory.  We believe that what may have occured is..." 
Anton went on to describe what he thought had happened.  "... and 
so you can see why we need your help.  I've put together all of it here 
on this PADD."  He extended his arm to hand the PADD to Rel. 
 
(Reply Rel, Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

********

(USS Boudicca – Bridge – aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel  – 1832)

"Lieutenant?" Anton called out to get her attention.

Ayslin looked over and saw the young Engineering Ensign, approaching
her.  "What can I do for you Ensign?"  Ayslin asked, turning to face
Anton.

"Lieutenant Lorimar and I were trying to determine why the chroniton
wave had such a drastic effect on the engines and we came up with a
theory on what might have caused the wave in the first place.  The
data we have collected so far supports some of our theory but only the
end result."  Anton extended the PADD with the data to Rel.

"All right, what do you need from Science?"  Ayslin asked, taking the PADD.

"The reason I'm here is that we need someone with a more scientific
approach and experience to examine our data and help us prove or
disprove our theory.  We believe that what may have occured is..."
Anton went on to describe what he thought had happened.  "... and so
you can see why we need your help.  I've put together all of it here
on this PADD."  He extended his arm to hand the PADD to Rel.

Ayslin took the PADD, and looked over the data.  "It's a decent
theory, trying to phase cloak a ship in the river could easily cause a
number of issues.  Without doing a significant number of scans, I
can't actually verify what caused the wave, and as Star Fleet Command
has tied my hands by forbidding me from running any intensive scans, I
can't try and figure out what happened.  As soon as we're unleashed
and Star Fleet tells us why they're putting us under a comm black out,
we'll actually be able to make some headway."  Ayslin said, her
annoyance clear from the tone of her voice.

(Reply Gesar)

"I've got a little data recorded of the wave just prior to it hitting
us.  Let me run some analysis and see if I can get a sub quantum
signature on the chronitons in the wave.  If it was a federation phase
cloak, I might be able to tell it if I can decompress the wave.  Give
me a bit to run the algorithms, and I'll let you know what I find,"
Ayslin said.  "However, I'll tell you now, it all might turn out to be
nothing," she added with a shrug.

(Reply Gesar, any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Bridge – aCEO Ens (Sg.) Anton Gesar – 1833)

Ayslin took the PADD, and looked over the data.  "It's a decent 
theory, trying to phase cloak a ship in the river could easily cause 
a number of issues.  Without doing a significant number of scans, 
I can't actually verify what caused the wave, and as Star Fleet 
Command has tied my hands by forbidding me from running any 
intensive scans, I can't try and figure out what happened.  As soon 
as we're unleashed and Star Fleet tells us why they're putting us 
under a comm black out, we'll actually be able to make some head-
way."  Ayslin said, her annoyance clear from the tone of her voice.

"Yes of course, I hadn't thought about that." Anton nodded.

"I've got a little data recorded of the wave just prior to it hitting 
us.  Let me run some analysis and see if I can get a sub quantum 
signature on the chronitons in the wave.  If it was a federation 
phase cloak, I might be able to tell it if I can decompress the 
wave.  Give me a bit to run the algorithms, and I'll let you know 
what I find," Ayslin said.  "However, I'll tell you now, it all might 
turn out to be nothing," she added with a shrug.

"Well if I expected every theory to turn out to be something I 
would live a very frustrated life.  Besides, a part of me kind of 
hopes it turns out to be nothing.  Otherwise there will be other 
questions like who, why, did someone do it knowing what the 
result would be.  And it is likely that we will never get those 
answered and while I love mysteries I tend to dislike ones that 
I know can not be solved.
(Reply Rel, Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

*********

(Vulcan - Personnel Housing - Yeoman Shadow to Sretalles - Day 1 
-1907)

Shadow sat with holograms of various humanoids around her. She didn't 
need to learn the nitty gritty of surgery, but she needed to know enough 
to pass the doctorate levels in medical care. Knowing was easy, anything 
she saw, read or heard was instantly stored in her brain for retrieval at 
any time.  Understanding was the tricky bit.

She was also half-waiting for Parrr'Z to return to their home. It had become
easier to just share quarters. He was off in the desert chasing some native
Vulcan monster. They'd contracted some mututated virii, but the 'no good,
green blooded, pointy earred' doctors had decided that while they could
vaccinate, it was ineffective against those already contracted and they
needed to catch one of the animals in their first stage of disease to develop 
a cure. Unfortunately, there was no way to detect whether it had the disease 
until it's blood was scanned. For whatever reasons the Vulcans refused to 
allow technology into the desert and that meant the best of the Federation's 
hunters were now employed in catching things that could be rabid and made 
veloco raptors look friendly. Which was pretty much how she and Parrr had 
ended up on Vulcan. 

She spent her days in the administrative headquarters, her evenings studying
and her nights happy Parrr and her and come to a compromise about bedding.
One flat rope bed that hung on a bedframe and her back was happy as was his
vertigo. Apparently he didn't find it nearly as funny as she did when he fell out 
of a hammock when reaching to turn off his alarm. Oh, he landed on his feet, 
but it woke him up much more quickly than he wanted to wake.

She yawned and stretched and flipped off the holograms to return to PADDs on
the neurosis of deep space. Really, it seemed a lot of words to say very little, 
but she'd store it all in her brain so she could pass all the tests and exams Star-
fleet thought relevant.

She wondered if Parrr would be able to get the leave Starfleet had been
promising them for almost two years. He'd spent time on her world with her
kits, she wanted to spend time on his world with his family. Perhaps her
threatening to find a few more sister-mates to keep him in line with was
what was keeping his schedule full. Surely he'd known she was kidding. Of
course, she wasn't quite sure he'd forgiven her for not wanting to Walk when
they were on Siavo.

"I want to show my children and their children and their children that there
is a third path. They do not have to stay here, they can see the stars and grow 
beyond Siavo. They do not have to Walk until they die, they do not have to walk 
the other path into the endless sleep, they can be children of the stars." Parrr, 
she was pretty sure, had understood in his heart even if he didn't necessarily 
agree. But, she'd been saved by her son dragging him off for yet another trip 
into the woods for hunting. The two were certainly kindred spirits. 

She was pretty sure Captain Susan and Cousellor Dorga would have understood.. 
She missed both so. She missed Arania. She missed Denise. She missed Chief 
Bob. Yes, she had new friends, but the purpose of having friends was to have 
friends for life. 

She was still nose deep in text books when Parrr came in the front door looking 
like a cat who had wrestled the desert and the had desert won.  Shadow stared 
at him wide-eyed, "I .. uh, shall prepare dinner?"

(Reply Parrr)
(Posted by Lorna)

***********

(Vulcan - Personnel Housing - Sec/PO1 Parrr'Z - Day 1 -1910)

It had been a good day of hunting.  Parr had tranquilized one of the beasts 
that the Vulcan doctors and scientists wanted blood from and he had just 
delivered it to the laboratory for processing.

He was tired, hungry, his eyes felt dry and gritty, and his fur felt full of 
sand, not to mention every orifice in his body; he was so glad to be home, 
well not exactly home, just his rented housing that he shared with Shadow... 
The USS Boudicca had been his home and he still considered it to be until he 
actually settled down somewhere when he retired, if he retired, if he wasn't 
killed in action.

As usual, when he opened the door, Shadow was up to her ears in PADDs, 
studying for advancement into her chosen field of psychology.  Parr was ex-
ceedingly proud of her for her ambition, aptitude and dedication, she was such 
a talented lady, he was sure that whatever she chose to do she would be 
exemplary at it.

They had been a couple now for several years.  Parr had visited her homeworld 
and met her kits with whom he'd got along famously, and when they had been 
told, much to their sorrow, that there was no more USS Boudicca to return too.  
He had hioped they could visit Cait and Parr's parents and siblings but so far 
that hadn't been accomplished and even now, Parr could hardly believe that 
hundreds of starships, including his beloved Boudicca had just 'disappeared' 
almost five years ago, never to be seen again along with thousands of souls 
including those that he had been very fond of.  It had left a huge hole in his
 heart but Shadow and hard work were doing a pretty good job of filling the void.

Pausing on the threshhold Parr gave himself a shake to get rid of some of the 
sand trapped in his fur, all he wanted right now was a good meal, a nice long 
shower and to spend the rest of the evening snuggling with Shadow.

Shadow stared at him wide-eyed, "I .. uh, shall prepare dinner?"

He walked inside and the door closed behind him.  "Oh yes please, that would be 
marvelous.  I'm starving!  I'll go and have a shower while you are getting dinner 
ready, I feel like I'm wearing half the desert."

As she got up he walked over to her and nuzzled her affectionately.  "Thank you."  
He told her before turning away and heading to the bathroom.

(Reply Shadow iyw)
(Posted by Sal) 

**********

(Vulcan - Personnel Housing - PO2 Shadow to Sretalles - Day 1 - 1912)

Parrr walked in with the door closing behind him to hide the brilliant Vulcan 
sun.  "Oh yes please, that would be marvelous.  I'm starving!  I'll go and have 
a shower while you are getting dinner ready, I feel like I'm wearing half the 
desert." 

Shadow rolled to her feet with her usual grace while brain warmed up to try 
and decide on food. Finding real meat on a predominantly vegetarian planet 
was a challenge at the best of times.

Parrr caught her on her way to the kitchen and nuzzled her, "Thank you."  He 
told her before turning away and heading to the bathroom.

"Blech!" She said in mock protest, shaking, "I like dessert, not desert!" she 
called after him.

(Reply Parrr, iyw)

"My mate is a mad man," she muttered, knowing he could hear her full and well, 
probably even after he turned on the water, "Showers, deserts, barbarian girl-
friend. His people probably wouldn't even recognize.. AND don't you dare drop 
the towels on the floor again Mister!"

(Reply Parrr, iyw)

Shadow stared at the cooler. Most of the furless seemed to just rely on the rep-
licator, but she liked cooking. She also missed Denise who could get her paws on 
just about any known substance in the universe if you asked nice. Actually, she 
missed Denise's endless supply of useless advice too. The woman was bossy, but 
huge hearted.

Deciding on Retgug steaks and tubers, Shadow turned to the stove. Parrr had 
gotten her a unit that emulated real flame so she felt more at home. He spoiled 
her so. As the sounds of the shower wafted over, she started to sing as she pre-
pared dinner, starting in the middle of the song at her favourite bit.

Well that’s right

that’s right

that’s right

that’s right
 

I really love your tiger light

 
and that’s nead

that’s nead

that’s nead

that’s nead


I really love your tiger feet

(Reply Parrr’Z, any)
(Posted by Lorna)

 **********

(Vulcan - Personnel Housing - Sec/PO1 Parrr'Z - Day 1 - 1913)

Parrr caught Shadow on her way to the kitchen and nuzzled her, "Thank 
you."  He told her before turning away and heading to the bathroom.

"Blech!" She said in mock protest, shaking, "I like dessert, not desert!" 
she called after him.

"Don't you worry, I'll give you dessert later on!"  Parr called back to her 
as he walked into the bathroom and the door shut behind him.  In a matter 
of seconds he was stripped of his harness, belt and insignia and enjoying 
the pleasures of a shower.  He'd rather have water over sonic any day as 
he enjoyed getting wet, though he kept his indulgence with the water down 
to once a week as Vulcan was such an arid planet.  The rest of the week he 
used the sonic.  When he was back on a ship again then he could indulge 
himself with water showers more often.

He wondered if he ever would get back on a ship or even if he wanted too if it 
wasn't the Boudicca.  He'd been waiting for her to return and really missed his 
crew mates on the ship he had been serving on for several years before she 
just disappeared.  He had made a few good friends.

"My mate is a mad man," He heard his mate mutter.  "Showers, deserts, 
barbarian girlfriend. His people probably wouldn't even recognize.. AND don't 
you dare drop the towels on the floor again Mister!"

"Thppppptttt."  Parr replied loudly, having mastered the skill of blowing rasp-
berries after much trial and error.

As he meticulously rid himself of every grain of irritating sand that was on his 
body he could hear Shadow singing as she prepared dinner.  It was one of her 
favorite songs that she sang often when she was busy with tasks.  Something 
about tiger lights and tiger feet, he was pretty sure that she was serenading 
him.

As he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry off with, or at least 
most of the wetness, he joined in with the chorus.  Being furry, he was still a 
little damp when he dropped the towel on the floor and walked back into the 
living area of their abode.

He inhaled the mouth watering aroma coming from the kitchen...something sure 
smelled good and he was famished.

"Meeeeeeeeat!!  Marrrrvelous!!"  He practically purred as he sat down at the 
small table.  "And I believe the word should be neat not nead."

(reply Shadow iyw)

He accepted the plate of food gratefully, thanking his mate for providing it and 
was soon tucking into it with lip-smacking enthusiasm.

"That was deeelicious!  You are a very proficient cook, my heart."

Parr well remembered when Shadow was *not* so proficient and marveled that 
he still had all his teeth after some of the meat she had cooked in prior times, 
that resembled hockey puck rubber both in looks and texture.

(Reply Shadow, any)
(Posted by Sal) 




===================================================
===================================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 4
Stardate: 2413.09.11
===================================================
===================================================


(Vulcan - Desert Reserve - Petty Officer 2nd Class Shadow to Sretalles - 
Day 4 - 0820)

She shouldn't have been so amused at Parrr's state coming in from the
reserve for his two days off duty. The spirits of perverse like to giggle and 
nip your tail - she was the assigned medic on duty for his hunting team.
Her nose hurt, her legs hurt from walking over sand, and her eyes burned
from the brightness that even the shaded contacts didn't seem to help. That
was possibly because they seemed to be forever filled with sand.

She was looking up at the clouds while the hunters were getting ready for
the day in threes. Communications and medical equipment were pretty much 
all the very rule bound Vulcans would allow them. "Do you think a sand 
storm is coming in?" she asked Parrr'Z.

(Reply Parrr)

"You're right - wrong place and colour for a sand storm." She echoed his
words from a verbal frown. Her tail lashed at the increased ozone in the air. 
Then a thought occurred to her, a dreaded, dreaded thought. Parrr had
insisted they camp on the high plateau even though it meant more work for
the teams. "It's the start of the rainy season, isn't it?" she didn't quite
whine to her mate.

(Reply Parrr)

She moaned and shifted from foot to foot, glad she was allowed to stay at
home base in a tent. "I'm soooo glad I joined Starfleet for adventures on
new horizons!" she grumped as she turned on her heel and disappeared 
into the field hospital's tent. Well, not that it was much of a hospital with
only her here, but she could keep the worst of injuries steady until
reinforcements arrived from base camp. 

She pulled her tail into the tent and lashed the flaps down. If her duties
had included traipsing around in that.. STUFF .. she'd have quit Starfleet
on the spot. Worse yet, Parrr was probably going to make fun of her when 
he came back all soggy!

(Reply Parrr, any)
(Posted by Lorna)

***********

(Vulcan - Desert Reserve - SPC Sec/PO1 Parrr'Z - Day 4 - 0821)

His two days off had passed quickly and now it was the start of another 
patrol in the desert to find more of the beasts that the doctors needed 
and keep track of others that had been released back into the wild with 
locating devices attached.  So far only a couple out of the six he'd 
captured had turned out to be infected.

Shadow was studying the clouds while the hunters were getting ready 
for the day.   "Do you think a sand storm is coming in?" she asked 
Parrr'Z.

Parr raised his face and sniffed the air as he looked around and frowned.  
It didn't smell or look like a sand storm was coming in, it smelled more 
like rain was on the way. "No, wrong color."  He stated as he finished 
attaching a canteen of water to his utility harness.

"You're right - wrong place and colour for a sand storm." She echoed as 
her tail lashed.  "It's the start of the rainy season, isn't it?" she asked her 
tone showing her concern.

Parrr grinned at her and nodded, knowing how much she detested getting 
wet and how much she enjoyed making fun of him whenever the oppor-
tunity arose, which was often.  Perhaps there was some truth in the human 
expression, what goes around comes around and her time had come around.

She moaned and shifted from foot to foot, "I'm soooo glad I joined Starfleet 
for adventures on new horizons!" she grumped sarcastically causing Parr to 
chuckle at her.

She turned on her heel and disappeared into the field hospital's tent, lashing 
the flaps down and causing Parr to laugh aloud at her.  He was certain that 
when the torrential rains came there wouldn't be too many dry spots avail-
able, and there was always the fear of flash flooding involved with the infre-
quent monsoons, which is why he'd insisted on setting up base camp on the 
high plateau.  It might be a bit more windy up high which meant more sand 
in everything, but when the rains hit the water would run down hill.

With a cheery, "see you later, Shadow have fun!"  Parr motioned to his teams 
to move out, still chuckling to himself, perhaps he should have warned her 
much earlier about the rain... He laughed.

~ Then again, maybe not! ~


(Reply any)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(Vulcan - Desert Reserve - Petty Officer 2nd Class Shadow to Sretalles - Day
4 - 0840)

It only rained in this desert once every two hundred years. Deserts, Shadow
had found out the hard way, just meant it had an average low rain fall,
which meant when the floods came down from the sky, they could flow like a
torrent for days if said rainfall was far between. It would probably give
Parrr a whole new set of problems. But she was proud of her mate and how
well he was running this group of hunters.

Sitting in the medical tent, which also served as mess tent and gathering
tent, Shadow continued her message for Loren that she'd started the night
before. Even if they didn't share a camp anymore, they were still sisters of
spirit. 

"So, as you can probably hear, there is rain thundering down on the tent
now. I think Parrr KNEW the rain was coming and just didn't say anything.
It's not like the Vulcans would have allowed me personal shield or anything,
but still. I could have at least brought an umbrella or something! It's
pooling only a little on the hard rock-sand of the plateau, but it must be a
soup down below." 

She wondered what she could do to help the hunters on their return. "I know
we've only been at this a day this round but .. I feel as if I've found my
actual calling. I think, instead of a mishmash of things Starfleet doesn't
really understand.. Spirit Healers are a bit beyond the comprehension of
literal minded bureaucrats, I think I want to become a biologist. I want to
study what makes animals and people tick, mentally and physically, and that
seems more to be under the scope of 'biologist' than doctor. I really do
like the theory better than the hands on stuff. I mean, sure it's good to
know how to fix a broken limb or what to do with a pregnant Preesawn triad,
but I'd rather it was all in the hands of Sickbay and not me!"

She tucked her tail around her as she sat on the stool fiddling with some
samples, "Think Parrr would threaten to take up drinking a fifteenth time if
I changed my focus of study *again*?"

She sighed and then heard a strange snuffling from outside, "Miss you." She
finished her letter with, and sent it off to Loren before grabbing a staff.
She'd found sometimes it was best to bludgeon someone into a coma rather
than gut them.

Ears flat against her head, Shadow stepped out into the rain and tried not
to shudder too much as the slick, cold, wet drops stuck to her fur. This was
certainly a scene out of her milder nightmares, she thought, right up until
she saw what was making the noise.

She slapped her comm. Badge, "PARRR!" she bellowed, "You did NOT tell me the
creature we're chasing is over eight feet tall!" 

(Reply Parrr)

"There's one in the camp NOW and it's sniffing at testing corral!" She tried
to remember her bravery when faced with a different creature with many teeth
and large claws, but it was easy to be brave when you had little to live
for. This thing was seven shades of ugly, standing up on its rear paws to
sniff at the top of the corral, it dropped back down to all fours to turn to
look in her direction.

(Reply Parrr)

It was about now she wondered where she'd left her phasor. The scent of
herself and Parrr should have kept this reptilian monster at bay, but
apparently not. All that peeing on fence posts for nothing for poor Parrr.

"Or.. this isn't one of the creatures we're hunting?" She asked Parrr. It
looked the same as the holo's she'd seen. "Or .. are the males and females
different sizes?" She'd been so busy concentrating on making sure she knew
how to fix everyone, she didn't study as well as she should have! She didn't
do more than glance at things she'd decided would be Parrr's problem.

(Reply Parrr)

She was edging backwards towards her personal tent, she didn't know if her
phasor was in there, but Parrr had a small arsenal and he couldn't possibly
have taken it *all* with him. 

The thing threw back its head and let out a howl that would have made Dorga
and Trei proud and then lurched towards her. Apparently Shadow had just
become the snack table.

Several thoughts ran through her head, several options. She decided that she
wanted backup before she tangled with the giant, turned tail and lept
towards the sector Parrr would now being coming from. Her comm. Link was
still open, "It's decided I'm lunch so I'm bringing it to you." Shadow said.
She thought she said it with remarkable calm all things considered, "May I
recommend the phasor rifle on wide-spread?" She said as whimsically as she
could manage, she didn't want Parrr to worry anymore than he probably
already was.

(Reply Parrr, any)
(Posted by Lorna)

**********

(Vulcan - Desert Reserve - Petty Officer 2nd Class Shadow to Sretalles - Day
4 - 0845)

Caitans, like terran lions had short, thin coats. Siavons, like terran house
cats had two layered, long coats. Or, in other words, unlike Caitans, they
shrunk as soon as they got wet. 

Shadow probably appeared a third less her normal size when she slid down the
path from the platue. She was pretty proud of her surfing down, keeping
balance alongside claws retracted. It was a slippery, muddy, slope. The
signs of her adventures so far were plastered across her fur in splatters of
gritty desert mud. Already various creatures were coming out of their
century plus long hibernation with the rains, and Shadow was doing her best
not to add half a dozen insects to her diet.

Spotting Parrr and his party coming towards the plateau about as fast as she
was coming down, she changed direction to catch up to him. She was pretty
sure she'd lost the big and nasty a while ago, but she still wanted someone
with a phasor between her and it. 

A roaring howl came from the edge of the platuea, so much for losing mamma.
Shadow tucked into a roll and came out sliding between Parrr'Z's feet. She
lay flat on her back in the mud panting as she tried to catch her breath.
She was good for sprinting, long sustained runs were *not* her forte.

She was more than happy to let Parrr'Z do his job and protect the dumb
administrator from the big scary animal.

(Reply Parrr'Z, any)
(posted by Lorna)

**********

(Vulcan - Desert Patrol - SPC Sec/PO1 Parrr'Z - Day 4 - 0843)

They hadn't been gone long from camp and already they were soaked to the 
skin.  This was a silly time to be out hunting when they should be in the dry 
somewhere waiting out the monsoons, but duty was duty.

=/\= PARRR! =/\=

The bellow from Shadow made every soggy hair on his body stand on end 
and almost burst his eardrums.

=/\= You did NOT tell me the creature we're chasing is over eight feet 
tall! =/\=

She was right, he hadn't -- for the simple reason he didn't want her to worry 
about his safety even though he was not sure that she would have worried any 
way!  Sometime Shadow was hard to fathom, at those times when Parr was 
uncertain, he usually opted for caution, but how did she know they were over 
eight feet tall unless....

"Why?"  He asked, only to be told that one was in the camp and sniffing around 
the testing corral.'

"I'm on my way back NOW!"  He told her, "stay away from it, they're very 
dangerous, set your phaser to kill!"

He had thought that his scent that he'd distributed most satisfactorily around the 
camp's perimeter, would have discouraged any wild life from entering but 
apparently it had not.

=/\= Or.. this isn't one of the creatures we're hunting? =/\= She asked Parrr as 
he took off running back the way he'd come with his team mates following in his 
tracks.

=/\= Or .. are the males and females different sizes? =/\=

"Yes they are different sizes."  Parr informed her as he slogged his way through 
the step-clogging sand.  "If that one is around eight feet high you're looking at a 
female; the males can be as big as ten to twelve feet high, but the females are 
more dangerous at this time of year because they usually are raising young."

~ Which means she's looking for food for them. ~  Parr left that unsaid, he didn't 
want to scare Shadow.

Then he heard it's blood curdling howl over Shadow's commlink and recognized it 
for what it was.  It had seen its prey and was about to strike.

Scared for his lady love, Parr increased his speed, quickly out pacing his team 
mates.  At top speed he could run as fast as cheetah on Earth, though the rain 
and sandy mud was slowing him down a bit.

=/\= It's decided I'm lunch so I'm bringing it to you. =/\= Shadow said, her voice 
probably much calmer than she was feeling.   =/\= May I recommend the phasor 
rifle on wide-spread? =/\=

~ What?  Risk hitting you! ~  There was no way he would be using wide-spread 
setting if Shadow was in range.

By now Parr had reached the incline and looking up he could see Shadow was on 
her way down.

A roaring howl came from the edge of the plateau, and Shadow tucked into a roll 
and came out sliding between Parrr'Z's feet.  She lay flat on her back in the mud 
panting.

Parr set his phaser rifle to kill, raised it to his shoulder and waited for the creature 
to appear.  He didn't have long to wait.  It shot off the edge of the plateau and 
leaped towards them.  He waited, calmly standing his ground until he could plainly 
see every razor sharp tooth in it's mouth in his targetting sight and then pulled the 
trigger.

The beast's front legs folded under it and it toppled forward headfirst, it's momen-
tum and gravity carrying it skidding quickly towards Parr and Shadow.  Just as Parr 
thought he might have to make an undignified leap aside, it stopped a foot away 
from where he stood, still alive but deeply unconscious.

He gave it a quick prod with his phaser rifle to make sure it was out and then began
 to inspect it.  Just as he'd suspected it was a recently nursing mother so he couldn't 
capture it as it was still raising young.  Instead he helped Shadow to her feet and 
quickly escorted her back to camp.  Hopefully the beast would go about it's business 
and not bother the camp again but for the rest of the day and night he had no inten-
tions of leaving Shadow alone in the camp.

"If it hasn't returned by morning, it won't come back."  He told her.  "In future make 
sure you are armed."

(Reply Shadow, any)
(posted by Sal)

**********

(Vulcan - Desert Camp - PO2 Shadow to Sretalles - Day 4 - 0846)

"If it hasn't returned by morning, it won't come back."  He told her. "In
future make sure you are armed."

Shadow, who knew she probably looked like the mud monster from the brown
lagoon, glared up at her mate, "I WAS armed for what I was warned for!" She
then sighed, "I should have done my own research and not depended on others
to warn me of danger. You are right."

Not that he'd actually *said* that, but she knew it wasn't far away from his
thoughts.

(Reply Parrr'Z)

The plus side of the torrential downpour they were standing in was most of
the mud was being washed off. It wasn't even that cold. However, she had no
idea why Parrr liked these showers so much. Blech. She batted her eyelashes
up at Parrr, looking dangerously cute, even if sodden, "I guess I'll have to
borrow a few of your towels since my research for our camping conditions
were so poor. I'd hate to get our bedding wet."

(Reply Parrr)
(Posted by Lorna)






==============================================
==============================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 16
Stardate: 2413.09.23
==============================================
==============================================

(USS Boudicca – Personal Quarters – aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar 
– 0302)

Anton woke up yet again in the middle of the night.  They had been 
traveling to someplace, where they had no idea.  It had been more than 
two weeks since they had been hit by a wave that seemed to send them 
forward in time five years.  One would expect Starfleet to be cautious 
but this was ridiculous.  What were they so scared off?  It should not 
take that long to verify that they are who they are.

This was not what was keeping him from sleeping however.  The day 
leading up to the incident with the wave he had received a message from 
his father.  He had apparently become very ill and the doctors were not 
sure what it was.  He intended to send a message back once they arrived 
at Geneva.  His father would not be mad, would not feel abandoned.  He 
would understand that duty always came first, and that is perhaps the 
thing that bothered Anton the most.  If his father had died, it would mean 
that he was not there for him at the final moments.  Did not get to say his 
goodbye and tell his father how grateful he was for the life that he had 
given him. 

Emotion was not something demonstrated in abundance in his home when 
he was growing up.  His father was a Starfleet Admiral in retirement who 
believed that duty was above all else.  Boris had retired before he felt it 
was his time, he compensated by treating their home like Starfleet 
academy.  Their play time was study time and when addressed Boris was 
Sir, not Father.  Anton never told his father how much he loved him, not 
in words.  To have missed that chance… Anton slammed his fist on the small 
table next to his bed. 

~I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead.~

There was no going back to sleep now.  

(posted by Oleg)

**********

(USS Boudicca – CEO’s Quarters – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0355)

Sleep just wouldn’t come.

Again.

So much, and yet so little, had happened over the last couple of weeks. 
Damage repair to the runabout had been completed; repairs to the 
Boudicca necessitated by the explosive damage had been done, 
checked, redone, and rechecked. Downtime prior to the incident at the 
station had allowed the crew to catch up on mostly all scheduled and 
routine maintenance tasks.

Beyond the normal vigilance required while cruising at warp, there was
 just not that much to do. 

He was worried about his people. Ordinary downtime, if extended too 
long, was bad enough for morale; when the worry for and about loved 
ones who had gotten no news (he surmised) about their loved ones in 
*years* was heaped upon that…

He stared at the overhead as he lay in his bed and frowned. As he did so, 
he sensed as much as felt a subtle change in the ship. They were down-
warping; and the tiny lag in the inertia damper system was a certain tell. 
Moments later, an impulse turn for a slight course change. Evidently they 
were nearing whatever their destination was supposed to be.

If he were berthed in the actual quarters designated for the CEO, he would 
be able to look out the viewports and perhaps also get a visual indication. 
He had never taken those quarters, however, choosing to remain in the 
junior officer’s stateroom that he had been assigned when he first reported 
aboard. Matt McLaren and his bride Arania were lodged in the CEO’s 
quarters. Even after McLaren left, Bob opted to stay where he was, rather 
than displacing Arania. 

~Unless somethin’ breaks doon, Arania is mair important tae the ship’s 
overall well being than ah am anyway!~

That particular thought put a smile on his face. He rolled out of his bed and 
pulled on a well worn tee shirt, blue jeans and a pair of nicely broken in 
running shoes. With a brief stop to brush his teeth, he headed out for the 
corridor.

(posted by Russ)

************

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0412)

Bob had taken a slow and circuitous route to the usual social hub of the 
Boudicca, though he suspected at this hour it would be mostly deserted. 
Truthfully he didn’t know if Arania kept staff on duty at this time of night/day, 
but he knew the view was always excellent, and the replicators were always 
powered up.

He wandered over to one now, ordered up a large orange juice and wheat 
toast. When the replicator did its magic, he took the plate and glass and made 
his way to one of the oversized windows.

He took a sip of the juice, and marveled at the view. Even at impulse, it was 
breathtaking. As was often the case, his single lament regarding his career 
path popped into his head:

Engineering doesn’t have a view of the stars.

He took a bite of toast without ever taking his gaze from the windows.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Russ)


***********

(USS Boudicca – QV – SPC CIV Cy Tudor – Day 16 - 0415)

In the wee small hours before Alpha shift started and Gamma shift 
ended was the best of times in Cy Tudor's opinion. Gamma shift 
was his favorite one and he often switched shifts so he could work 
them, the only thing he missed was seeing Arania, but then she did 
frequently stay at work well into the night so he did actually talk to 
her quite often. If he could have Gamma shift *and* Arania together 
he'd be a very content person, and then of course there was Denise 
who had become his best friend. Like Arania, Denise was a work-
aholic and worked mind numbing hours on very little sleep. How they 
did it Cy could not fathom, if he didn't get at least 7 hours of sleep a 
day he was like a zombie at work.

What he liked most about Gamma shift in QV was the peaceful 
quiet and the semi-darkness. It was like another world during 
the night, if there was such a thing as day and night out among 
the stars. He would do all the night shift chores and prepare 
things for the Alpha shift workers to make their start of shift easier, 
and then he would study up on what he needed to know, to make 
his dream of owning his own hospitality business come true.

He was seated in the kitchen reading some recipes when a 
blinking light let him know that somebody had entered QV. Cy 
put his e-book down and peeked through the view port on the 
swinging door between kitchen and lounge and watched as the 
shadowy form of a human male walked to a replicator and ordered 
some breakfast.

As the man turned away from the replicator his face was illumin-
ated softly by one of the night lights and Cy recognized him as 
Arania's friend, Bob Lorimar.

Now Cy knew that Lorimar worked Alpha shift mainly, so either he 
was up very early to make an early start or he was having trouble 
sleeping. The man's attire made it clear to Cy that it wasn't the 
former assumption so it had to be the latter, and if that was the 
case then he could safely conclude that something was on the 
CEO's mind that prevented him from sleeping. Cy also knew that 
any bartender worth his salt was also a good listener, so he saved 
his progress in the e-book, hibernated it and then silently left the 
kitchen to approach Lieutenant Lorimar who was eating his break-
fast and gazing out of an oversized viewing windows.

The view must have been engrossing to Lorimar because Cy walked 
right up behind him without being heard, not that Cy was heavy on 
his feet.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Cy greeted him affably, a big grin of 
welcome dimpling his cheeks as he sat down opposite the CEO.

"Is that all you're having for breakfast? I can fix you something far 
more appetizing and much more filling than a slice of toast, plus I 
make a great cup of real java."

~ Or I can sit with you and listen to your lamentations. ~

(Reply Lorimar, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

***********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0417)

Bob hadn’t turned at the approach of the other figure; he hadn’t needed 
to. The man’s approach was nearly soundless, but the starlight coming 
in the windows, combined with the soft blush from the nighttime lighting 
combined ‘just so’, and he could see the reflection of his new companion 
in the transparent aluminum.

As he was being wished good morning, Bob could just make out the 
Cheshire Cat grin, and he recognized the very distinctive voice imme-
diately.

"Is that all you're having for breakfast? I can fix you something far more 
appetizing and much more filling than a slice of toast, plus I make a great 
cup of real java."

He swallowed the bite of toast before answering. “Toast isnae *really* 
breakfast laddie, now is it?” he asked rhetorically before reluctantly turning 
from the view. “Mister Tudor, aye? Arania’s second in command nae less. 
Tae what do ah owe the pleasure?”

(Reply Tudor)

He listened quietly before replying to the original set of questions. “Ah beg 
yer pardon for intrudin’; ah wasnae sure honestly if Arania had the place 
staffed at this hour. Nae ranks required laddie… and most certainly nae at 
this hour. Call me Bob, ah insist.”

(Reply Tudor iyw)

“Ah love the view here… and ah see the company is grand as always. Much 
as ah appreciate the offer, ah’ll pass on coffee and breakfast for now… but 
ah’ll be happy tae share the view if ye fancy it… but ah dinnae wish tae keep 
ye from yer work?”

(Reply Tudor, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

********

(USS Boudicca – QV – SPC CIV Cy Tudor – Day 16 - 0418)

"Is that all you're having for breakfast? I can fix you something far more 
appetizing and much more filling than a slice of toast, plus I make a 
great cup of real java." Cy offered as he sat down at the table that the 
CEO occupied.

Bob swallowed the bite of toast before answering. “Toast isnae *really* 
breakfast laddie, now is it?” he asked rhetorically and turned to look at 
Cy. “Mister Tudor, aye? Arania’s second in command nae less. Tae what 
do ah owe the pleasure?”

"I'm on duty!" Cy replied and waved his hand to encompass QV. "It's 
empty except for you, me and the furnishings, and as much as I enjoy it 
when it's quiet so I can study, it's also nice when people I like come in, so 
I can visit with them."

“Ah beg yer pardon for intrudin’; ah wasnae sure honestly if Arania had 
the place staffed at this hour. Nae ranks required laddie… and most 
certainly nae at this hour. Call me Bob, ah insist.”

"Then Bob it is, and I am Cy!" Cy insisted. "So what brought you here at 
this ungodly hour of the morning anyway?"

“Ah love the view here… and ah see the company is grand as always. Much 
as ah appreciate the offer, ah’ll pass on coffee and breakfast for now… but 
ah’ll be happy tae share the view if ye fancy it… but ah dinnae wish tae 
keep ye from yer work?”

Cy flapped a hand in dismissal, "no worries I have all my night chores 
finished and I was only studying to pass the time until Alpha shift starts or 
Ms. Arania comes to relieve me, whichever comes first... Now she is a worry. 
I am sure she doesn't get enough sleep. She often doesn't leave here until 
well after midnight and then she's back again by 0700 hours, sometimes 
earlier, but she won't listen to any advice I try to give her."

(Reply Lorimar, Any)
(Posted by Sal) 

**********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0420)

Bob smiled slightly. “Cy, ah’m nae sure whether she listens tae me 
or not, either,” he began. “One thing ah am certain of… she’s aboot 
the closest thing tae an Angel ah’ve ever seen in a mortal coil.”

(Reply Tudor iyw)

He glanced briefly out the viewports, noting that the ship was still 
moving at the same apparent velocity. That is to say, none at all. 
Unless the ship made a near pass to a very large and/or very close 
celestial object – moon, planet, comet, whatever – it would take a 
very patient and observant person (or perhaps a well trained 
navigator) to detect relative motion of the background starfield at 
impulse speeds. There was no such nearby frame of reference at the 
moment, so he could only presume that wherever they were headed, 
the Boudicca was not there yet. He cocked a well trained ear and 
listened briefly while placing his open palm on the viewport frame.

~Aye… impulse power still. Ah wonder if we still hae our guard dog/
watchdog ships attending us?~

He turned back to give Cy his full attention. “Ah must confess ah 
havenae spent nearly as much time with her, or around here for that 
matter, as ah would like tae of late. If ye feel she is overworking 
herself, ah could speak wie her about it… carefully and politely of 
course.”

(Reply Tudor)

He pondered that answer a moment, and then changed topics slightly. 
“Ah cannae really say any hour is an ‘unholy’ one… provided ye 
embrace life as it comes, for all it is of course.” He thought about the 
second part of Cy’s question a beat before answering that. “Nothing of 
Intergalactic import, ah’m happy tae report. Just a spot o’ trouble 
sleepin’ is all. If ah cannae sleep, ah tend tae walk and wander a bit. 
Often ah end up here… as ah said, the view and the company are 
always grand indeed.”

(Reply Tudor iyw, Room for more)

“So what aboot you yerself laddie? What draws ye tae the hospitality 
business? Aside from such a wonderful boss as Arania that is?”

(Reply Tudor, Any, Room for more)
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca – QV – SPC CIV Cy Tudor – Day 16 - 0421)

Bob told Cy he wasn't sure that Arania listens to him either, and 
smiling slightly, compared her to an Angel.

Cy chuckled, obviously Bob hadn't seen Arania in one of her rare 
rants when things weren't done to her complete satisfaction, but 
he had to admit that she really was a sweet heart, she just had 
high standards but couldn't really be faulted for that, in fact in 
the hospitality business it was a virtue, so he nodded in agree-
ment with Bob's assessment.

Bob glanced briefly out the viewports and then gave Cy his full 
attention.

“Ah must confess ah havenae spent nearly as much time with 
her, or around here for that matter, as ah would like tae of late. 
If ye feel she is overworking herself, ah could speak wie her 
about it… carefully and politely of course.”

"I would appreciate it if you would; she thinks the world of you 
so I am sure she'd listen to you much more than she does to me. 
All I get from her when I suggest she leave is." Cy made quotation 
signs with his fingers. "Go I will, when good and ready!" Cy sighed 
deeply, "and let's face it she *is* the boss, so I can't argue with 
her too much."

Bob seemed to mull over what Cy had said as if choosing his 
words before speaking. Much to his surprise he answered the 
questions Cy had asked when greeting him. Apparently the CEO 
was one for detail, but then again he was an engineer and atten-
tion to detail was an important aspect of that job. Bob told him 
that he tended to walk and wander when he had trouble sleeping, 
which was why he'd ended up in QV.

“....Often ah end up here… as ah said, the view and the company 
are always grand indeed.” Bob concluded.

Cy gave him a big smile, the Lieutenant was one of the nicest 
men he'd ever met. ~ Darned shame he's not gay...He's certainly 
sensitive enough to be! ~

“So what aboot you yerself laddie? What draws ye tae the 
hospitality business? Aside from such a wonderful boss as 
Arania that is?”

"True, Arania is wonderful, but so was Mei Ling. Though they're 
as different as chalk and cheese they both have high standards 
and expect the best from the rest of us. However, I've always 
been in this business since my early teens and I really enjoy it. 
I am hoping some day to have a business of my own which is 
why I'm studying and why the night time hours are so perfect 
for me to do so. The trouble with that is I do miss serving people 
so I have to mix my shifts to get my people fix."


(Reply Lorimar, Any, Room for more)
(Posted by Sal) 

*********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0423)

Bob smiled brightly at the mention of his friend Mei Ling. “Ah… Mei Ling… 
and Tommy. Well ah remember them, though ah dinnae realize ye 
worked here then, mah apologies.”

He wondered idly what it might be like to serve people… working for 
them, tending to their needs and wants.

~No… ah’ll keep tae mah machines. At least ye can nearly always ken 
what they want, and what they need!~

He nodded at Cy. “Ah wish ye the best of luck with that… and ah’m certain 
that ye’ll make a terrific businessman. Certainly ye know how tae keep yer 
customers happy right enough.”

He fell silent a moment, and gazed once more at the stars, then turned 
back to Tudor. “Well, if ah hae any further bouts of insomnia, ah certainly 
know where tae go eh?”

(Reply Tudor iyw, Any, None)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca – QV – SPC CIV Cy Tudor - Day 16 – 0424)

Bob smiled brightly at the mention of Mei Ling. “Ah… Mei Ling… and 
Tommy. Well ah remember them, though ah dinnae realize ye worked 
here then, mah apologies.”

Cy shrugged and grinned at Bob, "that's okay no apologies necessary.  
I was a kitchen helper then, I didn't do much waiting on tables until 
Arania took over.  Before that I only waited when someone was on a day 
off or sick, but I enjoy everything about this business and it's always 
good to know all there is to know about every job involved, no matter 
how trivial it may seem.  The smallest cogs do their part to keep the 
whole machine working right."

Bob nodded at Cy and wished him luck with his ambitions stating that he 
was certain Cy would make a terrific businessman as he certainly knew 
how to make customers happy.  He fell silent a moment, and gazed once 
more at the stars, then turned back to Cy. “Well, if ah hae any further 
bouts of insomnia, ah certainly know where tae go eh?”

"Yes sirree, you'll always be welcome here."  Cy's face grew serious, 
he'd noticed how Bob's gaze kept returning to the stars while they 
talked and thought perhaps Bob was really wanting to be alone so he 
could watch the stars and relax, but he was such a polite, considerate 
man he would never say so.

"You know, if you'd rather be alone I do understand, sometimes I just 
want to be left alone to think...or just to be silent and do nothing, 
it's good for the soul."

(Reply Lorimar, Any, None)
(Posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 0426)

"You know, if you'd rather be alone I do understand, sometimes I just 
want to be left alone to think...or just to be silent and do nothing, it's 
good for the soul." 

Bob turned back to face Cy, giving him a quizzical look.

~Ah dinnae mean tae offend the lad… was ah bein’ rude?~

“Sorry laddie… ah wasnae… or rather ah hope ah wasnae bein’ rude? 
That was certainly nae mah intention. Forgive me being a tiny bit dis-
tracted, just lost in my own thoughts is all.”

(Reply Tudor iyw)

“The view here as ah said is always grand. Ah suppose it’s a guid thing 
that there are nae windows in engineering… ah might spend a lot of time 
staring oot the windows instead of workin’. Not verra guid for productivity 
ah suppose.”

He took the last pull of his coffee, then gathered the plate his toast had 
once occupied and headed for the recycler. He walked slowly back to the 
table, and placed his hand lightly on Cy’s shoulder.

“Thanks much for the company lad. We’ll need tae dae this when ah can 
actually focus on the conversation. Ah apologize for being poor company…”

(Reply Tudor iyw, Any, None)
(Posted by Russ)

********

(USS Boudicca – QV – CIV Cy Tudor - Day 16 – 0427)

Cy told Bob that if he would rather be alone that Cy would understand 
as he wanted to at times, to think or just be silent and do nothing as 
he'd noticed how the a2O would gaze out at the stars periodically while 
they were conversing, as if he was out there with them, a bit like medi-
tating Cy thought and meditation was something one did alone usually.

Bob turned back to face Cy, giving him a quizzical look.

“Sorry laddie… ah wasnae… or rather ah hope ah wasnae bein’ rude? 
That was certainly nae mah intention. Forgive me being a tiny bit dis-
tracted, just lost in my own thoughts is all.”

Now Cy felt badly for making Bob think he'd been rude, that had 
certainly not been *his* intention at all because Lieutenant Lorimar 
was just not programmed to be rude or inconsiderate or thoughtless as 
far as Cy could tell.  No, Bob Lorimar was practically the ying to Arania's 
yang, just as kind and considerate and wise as she was.

"Not at all!"  Cy replied hurriedly, "I didn't think you were being rude, 
just contemplative."

“The view here as ah said is always grand. Ah suppose it’s a guid thing 
that there are nae windows in engineering… ah might spend a lot of 
time staring oot the windows instead of workin’. Not verra guid for 
productivity ah suppose.”

Bob finished his coffee and gathered together his empty plate and 
headed for the recycler.  It looked to Cy as if he was ready to leave, and 
then Lorimar walked slowly back to the table, and placing his hand lightly 
on Cy’s shoulder, thanked him for his company, telling him that they 
should do this when he could focus on the conversation.  He then apolo-
gized for being poor company.

Cy got up and smiled at Bob, shaking his head.  "No need for apology, 
Bob.  You haven't been poor company at all."

~ I wish I had kept quiet about him wanting to be alone, now I have 
made him feel badly. ~  Cy felt like kicking his own backside. 

"Come again any time, the doors are always open.... figuratively 
speaking that is, I should say the doors are never locked.  I hope you 
get some sleep now and have a good day!"

(room for more)

He stood watching as the CEO left QV before returning to his studies, 
a couple more hours or so and he could get some sleep too.  But as he 
reactivated his PADD he stared off into space, thinking about Bob.  He 
thought that a person couldn't wish to meet a nicer fellow but Cy 
couldn't help feeling that the man was very lonely.  He knew that 
Denise Lebranski (his numero uno girl friend), was quite interested in 
Bob.....

SNORT!  ~ More like pants on fire! ~

....for she had sought his advice about her courting problems, but Cy 
hadn't seen her in a while and was beginning to wonder if that sizzle 
of interest had fizzled out. 

Cy gave a shrug and decided he would ask Denise next time he saw her.  
With some people you just had to be direct and concise and Cy reckoned 
that Lieutenant Lorimar was one of those people, because he surely had 
a knack for misconstruing what people were thinking or saying.

(Reply Lorimar iyw, Any, None)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 0430)

It had been a long two weeks. The Pathfinder, the Vixen and the 
Foxfire had arrived on schedule and orders had been transmitted 
over a secure channel direct to Lydia. Those orders had caused not 
a little dissatisfaction with the crew: no communication with any of 
the vessels sent to meet them. They were not even allowed to 
know where they were being escorted to, the only information they 
were given (and that, it seemed to Lydia at least, grudgingly) was 
that they were being escorted to an undisclosed location to undergo 
'debriefing'.

"Though what they think we can tell them," Lydia had remarked 
tartly to Commander 'cha Nooras in the privacy of the Ready Room 
when their orders came through, "I don't know, aside from the fact 
that we were hit by some kind of temporal wave that threw us into 
the future. And that we have told them already."

Everyone had been on edge for the last fortnight. Everyone wanted 
to contact their families and friends to let them know that they were 
alive and well. Everyone wanted to know what Starfleet knew about 
the event that had displaced them in time. And everyone was 
wondering why they were being treated as hostile.

But finally, and not before time, they had arrived.

"And just *where* have we arrived?" Lydia enquired of the officer at 
the helm.

"Khitomer, Sir," the answer came, a little incredulously.

"Khitomer?" Lydia exclaimed, surprised. "On screen," she ordered. 
~And to hell with it if that's against our orders.~

Silence fell as they saw what appeared to be almost the entire 52nd, 
and for each one, three escorts, in the system. At least a dozen were 
orbiting the planet, the rest were nearby in the system. "What the -"

"Sorry to interrupt you Captain but there is an incoming transmission 
from the planet's surface. You are requested to transport down 
immediately. Unarmed and unescorted."

Lydia raised her eyebrows. "Requested?" she asked. 

"Uh, actually they used the word 'required', Sir."

Lydia shot the officer at communications a look. "In that case," she 
said evenly, "That is what you should have said."

She glanced at the TAC/SC and shook her head as she rose, to fore-
stall any objections he might have been about to make, and then 
turned to face her FO. "Commander, you have the ship until my return. 
If I do not return, do whatever you need to do to ensure the safety of 
the crew. Computer, transfer all command codes to Commander 'cha 
Nooras." 

She smiled. "Just a precaution, Number One. And should I contact you 
from the planet, if you hear the word 'Esmerelda', assume the worst."

(posted by Liz)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - 0431)

It is said, that as one grows older time seems to pass quicker, and
for the most part Dorga would have agreed with that notion.  But for
the last two weeks since they had been displaced in time, time
seemed to have dragged along.

Dorga surmised that most likely it was because she, like everyone
else with family and friends living off ship, were chomping at the bit
to let their loved ones know that they weren't dead as surely they all
had been labelled - missing in action, presumed dead -.  She knew
what it was like to lose a loved one and could only hope that her
children had been young enough for the pain of grief to pass quickly.

She was deep in thought about her twins and how they would react
to the news that she was alive and well.  Also she was fairly certain
that her parents would have been caring for them on Vulcan all these
years and hoped they all were in good health.

~ Years!  A matter of minutes and two weeks for us! ~

The captain's voice brought her from her thoughts to the now as she
asked the helm officer where they had arrived.

"Khitomer, Sir," the answer came, a little incredulously.

"Khitomer?" Lydia exclaimed, surprised. "On screen," she ordered.

The sight that greeted Dorga's eyes was astounding.  It looked like
almost the entire 52nd had congregated, and together with three
escorts per ship made for quite a show. At least a dozen were orbiting
the planet, the rest were nearby in the system.

"What the -"

"Sorry to interrupt you Captain but there is an incoming transmission
from the planet's surface. You are requested to transport down imme-
diately. Unarmed and unescorted."

Lydia raised her eyebrows. "Requested?" she asked.

"Uh, actually they used the word 'required', Sir."

"In that case," Captain Stakes said evenly, "That is what you should
have said."

~ Indeed, there is a vast difference between requesting and
requiring.~

Dorga was about to object to the Captain going down unescorted;
Starfleet should know better than to ask, but the words froze
unspoken as she saw the captain shake her head at the TAC/SC
as she rose, obviously to forestall any objections he might have
been about to make.   Then Lydia Stakes turned to Dorga and told
her that she was in command of the ship until her return, and
added that should she not return, that Dorga was to do whatever
she needed to do to ensure the safety of the crew.

The FO gave a grave one nod. ~ That goes without saying. ~  The
safety of crew and ship was always command officers' prime
concern, and if it meant they would turn renegade rather than be
incarcerated, then they would.

"......Computer, transfer all command codes to Commander 'cha
Nooras."

Captan Stakes smiled. "Just a precaution, Number One. And should
I contact you from the planet, if you hear the word 'Esmerelda',
assume the worst."

Again the one curt nod came from Dorga who returned her CO's
smile.  "Don't worry Captain, I am sure you can make *them* see
that there is no need to be treating us like hostiles."

She vacated her chair and remained standing until the captain had
left the bridge before sitting down in the CO's chair and touching her
commbadge.

"Nooras to Engineering, be on standby and prepared for anything.
We may have to leave in a hurry."

(reply Engineering, any)

She looked around at the bridge crew, "now is a good time I think
for you to begin taking breaks.  It looks like it may be a long night
and I want you all functioning at peak performance."

(reply Engineering, all on Bridge)
(posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – aCEO Ens(Sg.) Anton Gesar 
– 0432)

Yet another early day in engineering.  He was seeing too many of them 
these days.  He kept hoping that somehow burying his head in work 
would relieve his mental stress.  Unfortunately there was not much to 
do.  They were waiting.  They were all waiting to see what would happen 
to all of them.

He stepped up to a console and checked ship status.  They were no 
longer traveling and according to the computer they had arrived at 
Khitomer.  ~Khitomer, I wonder what’s here.~

=/\=Nooras to Engineering, be on standby and prepared for anything.  
We may have to leave in a hurry.=/\= The message came through the 
comm. system.

“Bridge this is Ensign Gesar, we’ll be ready when you give the order.”

(Reply Nooras iyw, Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - SPC OPS Ensign Diana Tarch - 
Day 16 - 0433)

When Diana Tarch asked herself where she wanted to be in 
five years, this wasn't it. Six months out of the Academy, she 
was halfway to her deadline of making lieutenant within a year, 
a deadline Kursk had inspired her to impose upon herself. 
Suddenly, that time was taken from her, and she was not 
happy.

She'd spent the last two weeks thinking of her classmates from 
the Academy, the good ones, the ones she'd competed with for 
the top marks. If this was really their own future, those class-
mates of hers were probably all lieutenant commanders by now. 
The thought turned her stomach worse than a chroniton wave.

At last, the Boudicca had arrived, not that they'd known 
where they were headed. Diana had gotten herself as many 
bridge shifts as she could in the interim. If she wasn't 
needed at the OPS station, where more often than not she 
had to sit with that annoying helm officer Ames, who seemed 
to think he was funny, Diana was at the comm station. She'd 
found that requesting comm assignments in addition to OPS 
station assignments got her on the bridge more frequently 
throughout the week, and that was exactly what she wanted. 
Where better to get a chance at some notable service than in 
the nerve center of the ship? Despite Kursk's words echoing in 
her head, telling her to seize her opportunities with her own 
two hands, she was willing to stand at that console off to the 
side for as long as it took. Even Captain Stakes had started 
somewhere, she told herself. So what if she was working a few 
extra shifts? Diana was focused on her work. She didn't need a 
break.

So there they were at Khitomer, as Ames announced from 
the helm, incredulous. 

"Khitomer?" the captain exclaimed, surprised. "On screen," 
she ordered. 

The bridge went quiet at the sight of the 52nd Fleet 
suspended in space around the Boudicca, but while the 
rest of the bridge crew looked on in shocked silence, 
Diana was hearing something just as stunning.

"What the -" Captain Stakes began, but Diana broke in.

"Sorry to interrupt you Captain but there is an incoming 
transmission from the planet's surface." She felt the 
Captain's eyes, the eyes of everyone on the bridge turn to 
her. "You are requested to transport down immediately. 
Unarmed and unescorted."

The news was shocking. After all this waiting, that was it? 
But Diana reported it, and it felt good to once again be the 
bearer of news, no matter what it might be.

Stakes raised her eyebrows. "Requested?" she asked. 

"Uh," Diana realized her mistake. Why had she said it that 
way? Because of course Stakes would question the one word 
she didn't report accurately. Of course Stakes knew exactly 
what was going on around her. ~Your biggest failing is your 
insistence on underestimating people,~ the words Kurst had 
said echoed in her head. Diana spoke up, trying not to look 
as pale as she felt. "Actually they used the word 'required', 
Sir."

The look Captain Stakes sent her nearly caused physical pain. 
"In that case," the captain said evenly, "That is what you 
should have said."

That was the end of the ordeal, as the captain moved on to 
more important matters at hand.  Diana could have kicked 
herself, but tried not to let it show, not now, with the thought 
that everyone on the bridge might be looking at her. She 
didn't check to see if they were, turning back to her console so 
they couldn't see her defeated expression. Later, trying to find 
some victory in the incident, Diana would congratulate herself 
for taking the reprimand calmly, no flinching, no hint of red 
creeping over her face. But for the moment, she couldn't help 
feeling like an idiot.

Captain Stakes was beaming down, and as she left the bridge, 
Diana turned again, joining the Commander in her standing 
salute. Diana was already standing to begin with, but that was 
fine. She watched the captain leave, tried to hold her own head 
up high, until, as the doors closed on the captain, Diana caught 
a pitying look from Ames at the helm, and turned away again in 
shame.

After speaking quickly with engineering, Nooras addressed the 
bridge crew. "Now is a good time I think for you to begin taking 
breaks," she said. "It looks like it may be a long night and I want 
you all functioning at peak performance."

To her own surprise, Diana found herself breathing a sigh of relief. 
Maybe she did need a break after all.

(Reply any,)
(Posted by Brian Barrett)

*********

(Khitomer - Transporter Room - Boudicca CO Captain Lydia Stakes 
- 0450)

As she materialised on the transporter pad, Lydia was met by a security 
team. They didn't actually have their phasers drawn but their stance was 
a ready one and the expressions on their faces were not friendly. 

"Please identify yourself," one of them said.

"Captain Lydia Stakes, Commanding Officer USS Boudicca, reporting as 
ordered," Lydia said formally, inwardly wondering what the blue blazes 
was going on.

"This way, ma'am," was the only reply she got. With an inclination of her 
head, Lydia followed two of the officers, two other security guards falling 
into step behind her.

~Feels like a court martial,~ she thought to herself. ~How ironic would 
that be!~

(posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca, aCSO's Office - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and YO3
Tanna Slain - 0453)

Ayslin sat with her feet up on her desk, uniform jacket hung over the
back of her chair.  She had the temperature set low and was
comfortable in the morning chill with just her uniform shirt on.  Her
long red hair was gently wavy and she had left it loose, falling down
around her shoulders, and her bangs were swept across her forehead.
She looked at the extra large screen that was built into the wall
opposite her desk and sighed.  They'd changed course at what seemed
like random making it nearly impossible to predict where they were
headed until they got there.  She'd had he various theories as they'd
gone along as to where they were going, and all had proven wrong.  
Now they sat, a blinking dot on the screen, in the Khitomer system,
something she hadn't predicted.

She threw a ball across the room, bouncing it off the wall, and it
shot back at her and she deftly caught it.  She'd taken to early
mornings in the Lab, having long since determined that they'd been
thrown forward in time some four years and nine months or so.  But
with the three ships following them and orders not to do any scans,
she had resigned herself to rather boring days of theorizing.  She'd
tried to keep her mind busy, everyone was worried about their family,
and their friends.  The few crew members who had their whole family 
on board, or didn't have anyone off ship to really miss them did their
best to comfort the others, and pick up the slack from officers and
crew too worried to concentrate.  As much as she worried about her
family, she knew they would be ok.  Sure they all would have mourned,
especially when Star Fleet officially called off the search, but they
all had family and friends to care for and that would care for them.
She was kind of looking forward to coming back from the dead, so to
speak.

The door opened and she missed beaning her Yeoman in the head by
inches.  Ayslin winced as she her the ball impact something out in the
lab and bounce around at random.  Tanna looked back out the door, 
then shrugged and walked into the office, the door closing behind her.
Tanna was her always well made up self, looking beautiful and perfect
with what looked like minimal effort.  Her nails were perfectly trimmed 
and done, and her make up was nearly invisible and looked profes-
sionally done.  Her deep, dark brown hair, lately streaked with barely 
visible deep red, was pulled back in a simple pony tail.  She'd had her 
hair lengthened shortly after Ayslin had returned from the test flight 
so that it came just to her collar, and it looked soft and silky, and like 
she'd pulled it back without thinking.  Her blue uniform looked freshly 
pressed and it showed off her lithe and feminine figure.  She was per-
fectly made up, and put together, and looked like she was completely 
unapproachable, and then she smiled and laughed and she was your 
oldest friend.  She'd managed this all while only being twenty years 
old and she was an outstanding yeoman for it.  She could put even the 
most hostile scientist or officer at ease, and she could talk to anyone 
and get information from them without much effort.  And yet, Ayslin 
had come to discover, that Tanna was still a generally shy and self-
conscious person.  On a ship like the Boudicca, which went from one 
terrifying situation to the next, relationships popped up all over the 
place, most ending quickly, especially amongst the enlisted personnel 
who lived in closer quarters.  And yet, Ayslin was only aware of Tanna 
having one relationship and she'd ended up at Ayslin's door crying when 
it ended.  After a few months knowing her, Ayslin had determined that 
Tanna wasn't the love'em and leave'em type.

They'd become close friends in the past month, and Ayslin had even
gotten Tanna to stop calling her Ma'am.  They'd worked plenty, but
spent plenty of time off duty laughing and drinking, and enjoying them-
selves.  Tanna flashed Ayslin her winning smile and took off her
uniform coat, and tossed it on the couch that sat against one wall of
the office.  "Cute hair," she said, sitting down at the desk opposite
Ayslin, "got a date after shift?"

"Naw, just bored, felt like doing something different," Ayslin said,
taking her feet down off the desk.  "Besides, once we're done with all
this secrecy stuff, I'll have to go back to more formal and work appro-
priate hair styles.  You ready?"  Ayslin asked pulling open a desk drawer.

"What's on the schedule for today" Tanna asked, cracking her knuckles.

"Cribbage," Ayslin said, pulling out the board and a deck of cards. "It's 
not fair playing rummy against a Betazoid."  Ayslin shuffled the cards, 
with a deft hand and started dealing.

"I told you I don't cheat, you're just not as good at cards as you'd like to 
think you are," Tanna said with a shrug and a smile, picking up her 
hand.

(Reply none/Any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(Khitomer - Conference Room - Boudicca CO Captain Lydia Stakes - 0455)

They walked briskly down several anyonymous-looking corridors before 
stopping in front of a large double wooden door. One of the guards spoke 
into the comm panel, the doors opened and Lydia was admitted, the doors 
closing firmly behind her.

She looked around, noting that she was not the first to arrive. She recog-
nised a few faces there but only one that was really familiar, and that could 
be counted as a friendly face. She nodded at the others and made a bee-line 
for the one person in the room she had any interest in speaking to.

"Good to see you again, Commander," she said to Arc's former FO, now the 
CO of the Mithrandir. "Are you as much in the dark as I am?"

(Reply Olorin, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca, Family Quarters - Master Chief PO Laurence Krolar and
CPO Ashley Kester - 0500)

Laurence sat, looking out the window at the mass of other ships
floating between the stars.  Sixteen days he'd looked out at the stars
wondering where Olivia was.  Four years and nine months, without a
single word from her father.  She must hate him, for leaving, for
abandoning her, hell, she probably buried him years ago.

A hand rested on his bare shoulder, long slender fingers squeezing
gently.  "You didn't sleep again, did you?"  Ashley asked, kissing the
top of his head, her long blond hair falling around his face.  She
stood back up, and Laurence leaned his head back against her slender
form.  Ashley was still wearing her pajamas, and her hair was still
slightly mussed from the nights sleep.  Laurence sat in his pajama
pants, his upper body slightly chilled in the cool morning air.
Ashley had spent nearly every hour she wasn't on duty with with him,
and he was grateful for it.  He knew she was worried about her family
too, that she wondered about her siblings and her parents, and he'd
done his best to support her as well as he could too, but she'd been
there for him, morning, noon and night.

"No, I just can't stop thinking about her.  It was my call to send her
on vacation, she would have been safe here, I over reacted, and now
she's spent four and a half years wondering where I am, thinking I'm
dead.  I don't have any family and neither did Abby, who's been taking
care of Olivia?  I've missed nearly half her life now, and that's
assuming Star Fleet ever lets us call home."  Laurence said, Ashley
coming around and sitting down next to him, her arm around his slumped
shoulders.

"Hey come on, Star Fleet wouldn't have let her get put on the streets,
and she was on Betazed, they would have taken good care of her too, as
well as her friend's mother," She said, for what was probably the
hundredth time.  She ran her hand across his back, her nails dragging
lightly across his skin.  Laurence let his large frame lean against
Ashely.

"I know, I know, but I can't stop blaming myself for this.  I'm sorry,
I must be a complete pain, and insensitive too.  I know you want to
talk to your family too."  Laurence said, leaning his head against
Ashley's.

"We're not in the same situation, I understand that.  You know I love
her too, and I understand what you're going though.  Just try to keep
it together for a little longer, they'll let us contact her soon.
She'll be back her as fast as they can get her."  She said.  "Now, we
both have the day off, or at least we're just on call, so come back to
bed, you need the rest, and I've gotten used to having you in bed next
to me, hard to sleep without you now, so don't be selfish and get back
in there."  Ashely said with a smile, standing up and offering him a
hand.

Laurence gave his love a small smile and took her hand, standing up
and wrapping Ashley in a tight hug.  "I love you, you know that
right?"  He said, his voice muffled by her hair

"I know, I love you too, you big softy, she said, her voice muffled in
his chest."  She smiled, pushing him away gently.  "Now back in bed
with you, I promise to keep you company, even if you can't sleep," she
said with a wink and a devilish grin, as she pulled him towards the
bedroom, Laurence putting up no fight at all.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

**********

(Khitomer - Conference Room – Boudicca CO Captain Lydia Stakes 
- 0501)

Lydia noticed Olorin’s surprise at her rank, and remembered that 
the Mithrandir had vanished before Arc’s court martial and her sub-
sequent request to step down in rank to Captain.

Nevertheless he recovered himself quickly and explained what had 
happened to the Mithrandir. Location and stardate differed but in 
essence the story was the same as Boudicca’s.

Lydia nodded and glanced around the room, which was slowly 
beginning to fill up.

"Captain Stakes is well?" Olorin continued, enquiring (Lydia gathered) 
after Archibald.

Her face clouded over. “I really don’t know,” she said. “The last I 
heard was apparently 5 years ago. And that wasn’t good. Oh he 
recovered all right,” she added hastily, guessing that Olorin might t
hink Arc’s health had been permanently affected. “But then he was 
arrested and court martialled.”

She gave Olorin the details succinctly. “So, unable to court martial 
the CO concerned, since he died in the civil war, they went after 
those who had been junior officers on his ship at the time,” she 
finished. “And the higher rank they held now, or I suppose I should 
say five years ago, the harder they went after them. Particularly 
those who had remained loyal to Starfleet in the civil war. Archibald 
was just one of them. He was reduced in rank to Lieutenant(jg) and 
assigned to one of the penal colonies as a guard for two years. Where 
he is now, I don’t know. I don’t even know if he is alive or not, and 
I’m pretty sure he must think I am dead. Thanks to the red tape,” she 
added bitterly, “I have, like the rest of us, not had the chance to let 
him know. I don’t suppose the brass have bothered to think about our 
families and friends!”

She smiled suddenly. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Here I am moaning at you 
when you are just as much a victim of whatever happened to our ships 
as I am. I’m sorry.”

She looked around the room again. “I really wish they would hurry up 
and start this… whatever it is. It’s really very badly organized, 
considering they have had at least two weeks to plan it, wouldn’t you 
say?”
 
(posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Basil Candle - 0523)

They had forgotten about him of that he was sure. In some regards he 
was happy - it had not been pleasant to be shouted at, which was what 
happened after he had returned to the Boudicca, several times in fact by 
two Captains, well one that thought she was Captain. Captain Rivers had 
gone before they had returned (Basil termed it ‘abandoned‘), so Dorga 
had taken him to task and then the new one, Stakes, once she had 
arrived had spent a long time commenting on Basil’s insubordination.

He swore then that if she wanted insubordination he would show her the 
meaning of the word. He then managed to upset almost everyone in the 
entire crew but it was the massive argument with Denise Lebranski, the 
Quartermaster, in front of, what Basil considered, the entire bridge crew 
eventually which led Trei to intervene and place Basil permanently in the 
Brig.

That was weeks ago, now looking through the invisible shield he could 
sense something was wrong. The crew were on edge but never spoke in 
front of him but whispered about a wave a lot. One night he could have 
sworn he heard crying from one of the guards late at night but no-one 
answered his queries.

The more he sat there, listening to whispers the more he needed to find 
out. He made a decision the next person he would ask and if he got no 
response he would go to his plan B. Insubordination, well Basil, smiling at 
the thought, it would be time to up the stakes.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Warren Simkins)

*******

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Security Crewmen, Petty Officers Trinity 
Faith, Piety Hope and Fidelity Love - 0525)

"I really, really, *really* *hate* doing this shift!"

"We know!" Faith and Love chorused in unison.

"To be fair, Pie, you've told us that every time we pull this shift," 
Trinity added. They didn't usually pull Brig duty but someone had 
messed up the rosters and here they were.

"But it's so *boring*! Nothing ever happens! And I bet they all 
*snore*! And all the other guards are so *miserable* at the 
moment!"

"All is a bit of an exaggeration," Fidelity said reasonably. "In fact 
there's only what's his face, Lantern? in the cells at the moment."

"Candle."

"What?"

"His name's Candle. Saw it on the board. Ensign Basil Candle, 
ACSMO," Trinity said in her gruff, masculine voice. "Been here a 
few weeks too."

"What's an ACSMO?" Piety asked, opening her blue china-doll eyes 
wide.

Trinity shrugged. "Dunno, sounds a bit like a sneeze to me."

Piety giggled. "Let's take a look at him." She shot Fidelity a teasing 
look. "He might be your type, Fi! Assuming he's male, and breathing."

"Hey, that's unfair!"

"Yeah," added Trinity, "She's not *that* particular."

Fidelity stuck her tongue out at her friends, and wandered over to the 
mirror to check her make-up. She pouted her lips at her reflection and 
tweaked a strand of blonde hair back into place. "Don't know why I'm 
bothering," she muttered huskily. "He's probably going to be asleep 
anyway."  The three entered the main holding area, and located Ensign 
Candle. It wasn't difficult; as Fi had said, he was the only one in the 
cells. And he was awake.

Fidelity glided up to the invisible barrier, hips swiveling and breathed 
huskily at the man sitting on the bunk, "Well hello handsome. And what 
are you in for?"

(reply Candle, any)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Basil Candle - 0529)

Basil was dreaming, at least he thought he was. Despite the hour he 
was sure he hadn’t fallen asleep, he had been grabbing dozes of a few 
hours, trying to keep his body into a systematic rhythmic sleeping 
pattern. For the time he had been in the cell he had been reverting 
back to his old method of trying to tell the time by using his body as 
a clock. It was an experiment he had been doing for years, back when 
he was just a simple space traveller.

~Instead of a Starfleet criminal~

Now sitting in the brig awaiting whatever fate the new Captain had in 
store for him he would not have expected the vision that entered the 
room. Three security crew  well definitely not men, as by the way they 
wore their uniforms, they were ALL female. Wearing uniforms was an 
art form, Basil still was uncomfortable with his, but the security 
uniform on these had never looked so ..... different.

One of them spoke, blonde hair perfected poised

"Well hello handsome. And what are you in for?"

Basil considered she had a cold or sore throat as her voice was un-
naturally deep.

Basil shook his head slightly, looked back at the women, as if the 
motion would have removed the vision in front of him. 

“What don’t you let down that force field and I’ll show you” he said 
trying to sound macho or suave or just not him.

(reply Fidelity, any other Angel, any)
(Posted by Warren Simkins)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - the 'Angels'  - 0530)

 “What don’t you let down that force field and I’ll show you,” 
Candle said with an attempt at bravado which didn't quite come off.
 
Fid smiled, flashing white teeth at Candle, and winked. "Now 
you know we can't do that, hun," she drawled. "Besides, I don't 
think Lieutenant Trei would like it."

"He'd have a *cow*," Piety nodded. "An *absolute* *cow*. 
Look what happened to Gregor," she added to the other women. 
"And all *he* did was forget to change the replicator back." She 
shuddered at the memory. "He can be very strict," she added 
plaintively.

Trinity nodded. "Can't do it," she said gruffly. "And anyway I'd 
have to restrain you if you stepped outside the cell. Wouldn't 
use a phaser but would restrain you."

One look at her massive form left that in no doubt.

"So you're not going to play ball?" Fidelity concluded. "Pity, 
handsome. Look me up if you get out, I'm sure we could have... 
fun... together."

"Leave the poor guy alone, Fid, and stop teasing him," Trinity 
said. "Poor lad, probably missing his oats, eh Pie?" She laughed 
coarsely, pinching Piety's behind. Piety let out a squeal and 
giggled. Fidelity rolled her eyes. 

"See what I have to put up with?" she asked. "Anyway, since 
we're out here and you're in there - do you want any breakfast 
or anything? I don't think Gregor's been at the replicator for a 
while so you *should* be OK."

(reply Candle, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********
(Khitomer - Conference Room – Boudicca CO Captain Lydia Stakes 
- 0611)

The room had filled up during the last hour, with faces both familiar 
and unfamiliar to Lydia. She recognized Rivers’ former FO, and thought 
she also recognized a tall red-head with what seemed to be a rather 
sour expression on her face. The good-looking Captain T’Vhor she knew 
by sight as well, also Captains Price and S’rin. Most were only vaguely 
familiar though, if that. Nevertheless she had spent most of the last 
hour talking to as many of them as she could, and finding out that their 
stories were all the same.

Finally – and not a moment too soon for Lydia, LoDona appeared with 
an entourage and addressed them all.

~I thought he was retired?~ Lydia shook her head. Maybe a lot had 
changed in the five years they had missed? She tapped her fingers lightly 
but rhythmically on the table in front of her, the only outward sign of her 
impatience. Bill and Esme would have been treading on eggshells if they 
had been there to see it.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," LoDona began. "I have one starting question, for 
all of you, and I'll leave it up to you on who answers first... Where the 
bloody hell have you been?"

“Don’t be ridiculous, Robert,” Lydia said tartly, rising to her feet. “If we 
could answer that, don’t you think we would have done so instead of 
sending out the messages we did? We don’t know what happened, all we 
know is that we were all hit by some kind of wave, which seemed to hold 
us outside of time, and then deposited us back where we started, around 
five years later. The time we spent ‘away’ varied for all of us depending 
on what stardate we were enveloped by the wave, but in essence our 
experience was the same.”

She gestured around the room. “Just where do you think all these ships 
could hide, unnoticed, for five years? And then magically reappear at their 
original co-ordinates without anyone seeing them travel there?”

She shook her head. “Whatever happened, moved us all in time, in mere 
seconds. I suggest that instead of keeping us all here, Starfleet might better 
employ itself in finding out what did happen to us and making sure it doesn’t 
happen again! And let us and our crews get in contact with our families and 
then get back where we belong. On duty!"

(Reply any)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(Khitomer - Conference Room – Boudicca CO, Captain Lydia Stakes 
- 0620)
 
Lydia's brows snapped together at Robert LoDona's reply. A few pithy 
comments sprang to her lips about someone who chose to secede 
and fight against his former comrades-in-arms instead of doing one's 
duty and staying true to your oath of loyalty whilst helping to 
resisting Doenitz and his cabal from within, but she knew she would 
win no friends here with those sentiments. Besides, hadn't one 
reason that she had remained behind when Arc had defected been 
that whichever side 'won' (and Lydia was not fool enough to think 
that either side really won in any civil war) at least part of their family 
had a chance of surviving. The fact that they all had was due more to 
luck than anything else, and Lydia was a great believer that you made 
your own luck. So she said nothing, but folded her arms and remained 
standing, as were several others by this point.

She could care less about the 'poor bastards' at SF command, and not 
at all about the internal digestive workings of the President and his 
cabinet. What she cared about was her crew and their families, and the 
effect this shift in time would have on them all. And most of all, she 
cared about what Arc and Bill and Esme must have gone through. But 
she could see that saying so would be counter-productive in oh so many 
ways at this juncture so she continued to listen in silence.

One comment of his made her smile though. 

"And there will be no incidents. If I hear of one, or any of you refuse 
these orders, then you and your crew will be held in a secure location: 
read, 'Penal Colony' in that; and your ship will be taken apart by the 
monkeys down at Starfleet Engineering for future study. I can promise 
you that, by the time they’re done dismantling and analyzing your fine 
vessels, your ships scrap parts will be redistributed to make the most 
incredible jungle gyms that the children of the Federation have ever 
seen. I’ll make it an especial point to put those works of functional 
children’s art all over parks on Earth, in fact."

~Well maybe that way I'd get to see Arc sooner rather than later!~ she 
thought with a flash of amusement, even as she wondered if he was still 
on the staff of the penal colony, and if he were what the chances of her 
being sent there would be. ~Might actually be worth it if they allow 
conjugal visits between guards and inmates!~  Just in time she changed 
an involuntary snort of laughter at the thought into a cough. It wouldn't 
do after her former comment to be thought to be laughing at LoDona 
now. She glanced around, not a few looked dismayed at the threat, and 
then at LoDona and was surprised to see what appeared to be a flash of 
amusement in his eyes, gone so quickly that she almost believed it 
hadn't been there.
 
The news that their families had been notified of their reappearance was 
good, but she wondered why they hadn't been told that right off. After all 
it must be uppermost in the minds of almost everyone here, if not for 
themselves then for their crews.

~More blasted red tape I suppose. Or a show of power - 'we're in charge 
you aren't' kind of thing. I wonder how I'd have reacted as an Admiral to 
the news that most of a former rebel fleet had disappeared though?~

She would like to think she would have shown more concern for the 
people involved and their nearest and dearest, but she also had to admit 
that she didn't know.

"Whatever you might think," Robert concluded, "I AM glad you're back, 
and I will have a word with each of you before you depart for good. It is 
my most earnest wish that we get real answers - something we can act 
on. I would like to think I know each of you, to a degree, and I do not 
believe you'd be complicit in yet another act of war so soon on the tails 
of the first. We had great cause for our stir, cause that was not present 
when you disappeared. But Starfleet Command must be sure, and we 
will be. If you help and cooperate, then maybe, just maybe, we can go 
back to our lives and what we were best at."
 
Lydia almost snorted. 'complicit in yet another act of war'. As if any sane 
person would want that after the last bloodbath. And she trusted that 
the insane who would want it had been weeded out one way or another. 
Of course one couldn't be sure but there couldn't be that many of them 
left now - and certainly not a good-sized roomful of what was supposed 
to be among Starfleet's brightest and best. As for the 'great cause' - well 
the less said on that subject the better. She was well aware that she was 
in the smallest of minorities on that subject here, and had sense enough 
not to let her thoughts show on her face. As for those Betazoids present
... well it was against the telepathic moral laws to read minds and Lydia's 
emotions were behind a well-shored-up mental wall. Not for nothing had 
she practiced concealment of her true feelings during the excesses of the 
not-forgotten past.

She wondered if the witch-hunt had petered out in the missing five years. 
She certainly hoped so.

(Reply any, none)
(Posted by Liz)

********

(Khitomer - Waiting Room – Boudicca CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1020)

Lydia waited with several other captains in a small room, whither she 
and they had been conducted when the meeting concluded. She had 
asked to contact her ship in order to update her FO on what was hap-
pening, and to expect a stream of messages from the crew's families 
and friends, but had been politely but firmly told that the administration 
centre would be handling all that. Once her statement had been taken, 
she was told, she would have an opportunity to send a message to her 
ship.

And so she waited, outwardly patient and inwardly composing a pithy 
message to whomever had dreamed up this nightmare of bureaucracy, 
if she could ever find out who it was. After a while she moved on to the 
more pleasant task of wondering what messages would await her when 
she did finally return to the Boudicca - *if* indeed she did return; she 
had noticed the presence of Captain Rivers amongst the delegation from 
Starfleet, although not with LoDona's entourage. The other woman had 
aged a little - after all she had lived through nearly five years that Lydia 
had not - but her face was unmistakeable, and Lydia wondered if SFHQ 
planned to give the Boudicca back to her former captain.

And finally she began to daydream of a reunion with Arc, Bill and Esme. 
Where didn't matter, but she hoped that it could be soon. Surely wherever 
they were serving, they would be allowed some special leave under the 
circumstances?

"Captain Stakes!"

She looked up to see a stocky, carrot-haired youngster who looked about 
18 but wore an ensign's pip and so must be older. His face was covered in 
freckles and where it wasn't freckled it was now blushing a fiery red, with 
beads of perspiration standing out on his brow.

"Please follow me, ma'am."

Lydia nodded and rose to her feet, following her guide through what 
seemed to her to be an unnecessarily circuitous route. She was reasonably 
certain that they ended up about three doors down and around the corner 
from where she had been waiting, but so many of the corridors looked the 
same it was hard to tell.

"How do you find your way around?" she asked.

He blushed even redder and held out his palm, on which there lay a tiny 
automap. "I use this," he confessed. "I just put in the starting point, the 
room you were in, as Point A and the ending point, here, as Point B, and 
press this button and it shows me how to get from A to B by following this 
red line, see?"

Lydia looked at the screen. "Yes, " she said. "But if you don't follow that red 
line but just look at the map on the screen, we could have walked to the end 
of that corridor, turned right, and presto."

He stared at her for a moment, then down at the screen. "Oh poop!" he 
exclaimed, going so red that Lydia thought he must be about to have an 
apoplexy. "Sorry ma'am! But really, that Ferengi - he swore on his mother's 
favourite dress that this MotMot was the latest technology!"

Lydia smiled, but forbore to remind him that Ferengi women did not as a rule 
wear clothes. He reminded her a little of her son Bill, who was always keen to 
get hold the latest gadget. "Next time, Ensign, look at the map there as well 
as the red line," she suggested.

"Uhhh, yes ma'am! Sorry ma'am! We're here now ma'am!"

"So I see," Lydia commented slightly dryly as he sounded a buzzer and spoke 
into the intercomm. The door opened and Lydia walked in. As she saw who 
was waiting there her eyebrows shot up.

"Well, now, of all the people I have to admit I didn't expect to see you!" she 
said.

(Reply none yet)
(Posted by Liz)

***********

(Khitomer - Office – Boudicca CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1030)

The beaming, almost rotund figure of Oggy Marsh, erstwhile Counselling 
Examiner formerly stationed on the Boudicca, nodded at Lydia's comment. 
"To be honest, Lydia, I didn't expect to be here myself. But needs must, 
you know, needs must. And when I saw your name on the list, well I just 
had to be in on your statement. I"m all agog to know what happened!"

He looked at the grim-faced Commander who sat beside him behind the 
desk. "And I'm sure that Roger here appreciates the insights that I can 
provide. Sit down, sit down, can I get you an Idaarian Spiced tea? you 
must be gasping by now."

Looking at 'Roger', Lydia was not so sure of his appreciation, but it was 
good to see a friendly face nonetheless.

"Thank you, Oggy, that would be lovely," she said as she took the seat 
facing them. Predictably, she felt, it was significantly lower than the ones 
occupied by the others in the room. She sat back, and crossed her legs 
comfortably. Two could play at the superiority game.

Oggy brought her tea, and tutted as he looked at her seat. "That won't 
do at all," he said brightly. "A tall woman like you folding yourself into a 
short chair like that. And my bulk doesn't easily rest itself on one of 
those! Tell you what, we'll all go and sit over there," he indicated a sofa 
and comfy chair on the other side of the room. He moved over like a 
galleon in full sail and plumped himself down on the sofa, patting the 
cushion beside him. "Come and sit by me, Lydia," he invited. "Make your-
self comfortable. You'll be OK with the armchair, Roger?"

'Roger' (as yet Lydia didn't know his last name) had a face like thunder 
but grudgingly moved over to join them, placing a video and voice 
recording device on the coffee table between them.

"Interview pertaining to the loss and reappearance of the USS Boudicca. 
Present are Captain, formerly Admiral, Lydia Stakes, Commanding Officer 
USS Boudicca;  Commander Roger Smith, Starfleet Command; and 
Counsellor Augustus Marsh, Starfleet Counselling, stardate 2413.09.23.
1032," he intoned formally. "Now, *Captain* Stakes, please give us your 
story."

Lydia ignored the needling and was about to start when Oggy interrupted. 
"Oh I don't think that will do, do you? 'Story' implies that what Lydia is 
about to tell us is not true. Or do I mean, may not be true? Hmm. Well in 
either case, it's not appropriate. Lydia, my dear, tell us what happened. 
From the beginning, if you can."

(posted by Liz)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1045)

"Really, Ensign, this is the order in which you decided to give
communication priority?" She asked all sweetness and light.

=/\= It is Lieutenant, I suppose YOU have a problem with it too. =/\= came
the snarky reply.

"Why, I'm just curious as to why you placed ensigns with no families ahead
of Chief Petty Officers with children is all." She said, batting her baby
blues. "Do you think ensigns are more important than CPOs?" she asked, all
innocence.

Not even a fresh from the academy ensign would be so stupid to answer an
affirmative to that question, =/\= I just passed on this list, ma'am, it was
created by Lieutenant Morris. =/\=

"Well, I guess I should probably speak to Lieutenant Morris then, I'm just a
quartermaster filling in for now, haven't had a lot of sleep.. well, you
know how it is, don't want to muck anything up." She did her best to look
completely clueless.

=/\= The Lieutenant said I could handle it all; not to disturb him.. =/\=

"Oh, so HE thinks that Ensigns are more important than CPOs then?" she 
asked with wrinkled nose of confusion.

=/\= No ma'am! =/\=

"Well, what do I tell them then?" she asked.

There was silence on the link. =/\= I'll transfer you. =/\=

"You have NO shame." Her partner at CONN observed.

"None." Denise agreed with a wicked grin.

=/\= What is the problem, Lieutenant Lebranski? =/\=

"I was just thinking, sir, that maybe we could prioritize our own personnel?
Less complaints and if we muck it up, well, we muck it up and its our
captains that have to deal with it not your admiral." 

=/\= Lieutenant Lebranski.. =/\= he started.

Denise spent the next ten minutes interrupting his every argument with a mix
of cuteness, cluelessness and barely veiled threats to his ever having a
working replicator again when the chief enlisted heard how high he rated
them. 

=/\= FINE Lebranski, your ship - you can prioritize. But on your head be it!
=/\= he snarled and signed off.

"Did he actually say 'on my head be it'?" she echoed with a raised eyebrow,
"My, someone's spent too much time in the holodeck!" 

The CONN officer snickered.

Denise took an eyeball at the bandwidth that had been allotted to her, "All
hands," she said started a ship wide communication, "As of thirty seconds
ago, we've been given the green light for communication, download has been
started. Text messages will go out as I get them, voice communication has
secondary priority and finally video messaging will be scheduled based on a
schedule I'm now creating. You should have it on your terminals shortly."
She signed off, hoping she hadn't just stepped way above her duty and rank,
but damnit, everyone should get good news for the first time in two weeks.
Give the gossip mill a chance to churn out some glee.

She quickly whipped out a schedule that was based on number of children, age
of the youngest, and then rank. Which, coincidently meant Dorga would go
first but wouldn't leave the enlisted waiting twenty hours to be able to
talk with their kids. 

With that bit of work done, her only reason for remaining on the bridge was
completed. She tapped her comm. Badge to summon her relief so she could go
to bed. Quartermastering and Bob's paperwork could wait a few hours, she
needed sleep.

(Reply any/all)
(Posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Krolar's Quarters - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron 
Trei - 1100)

Detron knew of Krolar's decision to send his daughter Olivia to 
Betazed.  Detron felt he needed to do something to help Krolar deal 
with the situation.  Since he is half Betazoid, he can help Krolar in 
ways he doesn't even know.   Detron didn't know if he could contact 
Olivia telepathically but he knew he could tell Krolar about Betazed.  
Detron pressed the door chime.

"Good morning Krolar.  TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG)  Detron Trei here 
offering  to help you with your situation concerning Olivia."

~I hope I can help him.~

(Reply Krolar)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar Family Quarters - Master Chief PO Laurence
Krolar and CPO Ashley Kester - 1102)

Ashley answered the door when the chime sounded to find the 
imposing chief of security standing outside.  "Laurence, I think this  
is for you," she said, and backed away to make room for Laurence.  
Laurence walked up to the door, dressed in jeans and an old faded 
t-shirt.  He stood at maybe an inch taller than the chief of security 
and was a good two decades older, but Laurence was still sure he'd 
lose a fight with the man if it ever came to that.

"What can I do for you sir?"  Laurence asked.

"Good morning Krolar.  TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG)  Detron Trei here
offering  to help you with your situation concerning Olivia."

Laurence was visibly taken aback by the statement.  He'd never said
more than a hello to the Chief of Security, and yet here the man 
stood trying to but into family business.

"I'm not sure what you heard sir, but I'm handling everything as well
as I can.  Short of handing me a direct comm line to Olivia, right
now, there's not much you or I can do until I can speak with her.  I'm
sure there are plenty of people who need your help more than I do,
Sir," Laurence said stiffly.  Ashley had become family, and he loved
her, but he didn't know the Chief of Security, and he didn't really
want to open up to the man.  "Thank you for the thought, however, 
it was kind of you,  Sir.

(Reply Trei, room for more if he wants to push the issue)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Chief Engineer’s Office – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar 
– 1103)

Bob nodded his head appreciatively as he took in all that was being 
said. CPO Greene, one of his lead warp enginemen had asked for a 
few moments of the CEO’s time, and of course Bob had made sure 
he was available.

Greene, a giant of a man, standing nearly two and a half meters tall 
and carrying a heavily muscled frame, looked like an adult at the 
child’s table sitting on the opposite side of Lorimar’s desk. He cradled 
a mug of coffee which seemed to disappear into his hand. Bob sipped 
at his own as he listened thoughtfully to what the CPO was saying.

Bob and Mo (short for Maurice, but *no one* ever called him that) had 
been friends since the former had reported aboard. They evacuated 
along with several others when the Boudicca had been abandoned 
during the final battle at the Mars Defense Perimeter, sharing an escape 
pod. Greene had in fact been instrumental in getting Bob to safety.

Lorimar had never forgotten.

The door to his office was closed, which itself was unusual; Bob took his 
‘open door’ policy quite literally. At the moment, however, privacy was 
required, as the two men were discussing some very private matters.

They reached the bottom of their coffee mugs and the end of the conver-
sation at just about the same time. A few moments later, Lorimar 
reached his decision. He stood and shook Greene’s hand firmly, smiling 
warmly at the man. “Mo, ah very much appreciate ye bringing this tae 
mah attention. Wie all that’s been goin’ on, ah’ve nae had time for all the 
details ye know?”

Greene returned Lorimar’s smile as the CEO’s hand disappeared in his. 
“Any Chief worth his salt would do the same, Bob. I know you will do the 
right thing… you always do. Surprising to find that quality in a com-
missioned officer,” he chuckled lightly, knowing Bob would take his joke 
in the proper spirit. With that, he turned for the door and back to his 
work.

Bob, for his part, activated his desk terminal and keyed in his personal 
command codes. He smiled to himself. ~Sometimes it is guid tae be the 
Chief Engineer!~

(Reply Any, but none needed)
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Krolar's Quarters - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron 
Trei  - 1105)

Detron was thanked for his offer to help but turned down by Krolar.  
Detron understood Krolar's privacy but was a bit offended by not 
having a chance to help.  Detron noted this for future encounters.

"Very well.  I just wanted to help you deal with your situation.  I can 
tell you what life is like for her on Betazed.  Have a nice day."

Detron left Krolar's quarters.

~Fine.  Insult me if you think you can deal with the consequence.  
Grrrrrrrrrr.~

(Reply Krolar)
(Posted by Edward)

*********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar Family Quarters - MCPO Laurence Krolar and 
CPO Ashley Kester - 1106)

Laurence watched the Chief of Security walk away, confused at what 
had just happened.  Somehow he'd managed to anger the the 
Lieutenant, by not wanting help with a private issue.  Shrugging he 
walked back into his quarters and sat down on the couch next to 
Ashley, who put her head on his shoulder.

"What was that all about?"  Ashley asked.

"I don't know," Laurence said, putting his arm around Ashley's
shoulder, rubbing her arm.  They both sat upright when Laurence's
terminal chirped.  "Who's messaging me now?" Laurence wondered, 
not willing to hope.  He got up and walked over to his Terminal, he 
had twelve new messages.  "Ashley!  They cut the blackout."

Laurence heard Ashley order the computer to route her messages
to the living room screen, while Laurence read his at the desk.  The 
first message was from Odessa Colony informing him that all his real
property had been placed in trust to be transferred to his daughter 
when she turned 18, but was being transferred back to him following 
some paper work which had been attached.  Other were various 
messages from Star Fleet concerning his being reinstated in the 
command structure.  He found one from just a few days after the 
wave hit from Olivia, he stored that one without reading it, not 
wanting to subject himself to that at the moment.  At the bottom of 
the list he found the one he was looking for.

===
To: Laurence Krolar, Stationed aboard the USS Boudicca
From: Olivia Krolar, Betazed

Daddy!

I missed you so so so much.  They told me you can't write back right
away, it's ok.  I'm not sure what to write other than I missed you.  I
wasn't sure whether to believe them when they said you were alive, 
but they insisted it was true.  I'm fine, Nola's mom took care of me.  
I don't know when you'll be able to call me, but I'll write every day
until I hear from you.

Love,
Olivia
===

The message was dated from four days previous, and there were three
more messages from her that read similar.  He realize he was crying
when the tears fell on the terminal's key pad.  He looked up and
Ashley looked a little misty eyed too.  Laurence got up and went over
to where Ashley was standing and put his arms around her.  "Olivia's
fine, how's your family?"  Laurence asked quietly.

"Everyone's fine, I'm an aunt again, James Morris, born last year.  My
mom and dad are fine as are my brothers and sisters.  My little sister's 
now older than me.  Everyone was ecstatic to find out I was alive.  It's 
just good to hear from everyone," Ashley said, leaning back against 
Laurence.

"Good.  I'm going to try to get a live comm line out of here and see
if I can get in contact with Olivia.  It's going to be a pain, but I need to 
see her in real time."  Laurence said.

"Do you mind if I stay here, I'll try to get a comm line too, but I think 
I'm going to write back just in case it takes too long," Ashley asked, 
closing her eyes.

"You can always stay here, you could move in if you want," Laurence
said, quietly.

"Do you mean that?"  Ashley asked, turning around to face Laurence,
still in his arms.

"I do," Laurence said.

Ashley looked at him for a moment, a small smile on her face, "I'll
make you a deal, you ask Olivia about me moving in when she comes
back, if she says yes, I'll be here.  But if she needs some time with
just you, that's fine too, I'm not going anywhere, even if I sleep
somewhere else sometimes."

Laurence nodded silently, kissing Ashley's nose.  "We should probably
get in the Comm line queue, before it gets too long."

Ashley smiled and nodded, resting her forehead on Laurence's shoulder
for a moment, her long blond hair falling to obscure her face.  A moment 
later the couple separated and started the process of trying to get in 
touch with their family.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 16 
- 1110)

<> All hands. As of thirty seconds ago, we've been given the 
green light for communication, download has been started. Text 
messages will go out as I get them, voice communication has 
secondary priority and finally video messaging will be scheduled 
based on a schedule I'm now creating. You should have it on your
terminals shortly. <>

It sounded strange to hear Lebranski speaking so close to Dorga 
AND hear her voice over the general broadcasting channel.  It was 
good news at last.  They could contact their family and friends and 
receive any messages.  The FO wondered how long it would take 
Lebranski to make the schedule as there were several hundred 
crew members aboard, not to mention the civilians like  Arania and 
Cy Tudor.  She hoped Denise had taken them into consideration.

~ I wonder where they will be on the list? ~

Her chair arm console chirruped.  According to the message she had 
several messages waiting from her children and her parents.  With a 
smile she accessed the first one from her mother and began reading 
it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lt. Lebranski leaving her station, 
no doubt on her way to get some much deserved rest.

"Thank you Lieutenant Lebranski, well done."

(Reply Lebranski iyw, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

*********

(USS Boudicca – Outside MCPO Krolar’s Quarters a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar 
– 1121)

After downloading the information to a PADD, he had asked the com-
puter for Chief Krolar’s location. He headed right to his quarters, and 
then pressed the door chime.

“Chief, ‘tis Bob Lorimar. Ah apologize for intruding, but might ah hae 
a moment of yer time?”

(Reply Krolar)
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar family Quarters - MCPO Laurence Krolar - 1123)

Laurence folded his long frame off the couch, and walked to the door.
Lieutenant Lorimar had announced himself, and at this point was one of
the few on the ship he would actually answer the door for.  Laurence
scrubbed at his face before he opened the door, pretty sure it was
still obvious he'd been crying, but so had half the crew, so it wasn't
that odd an occurrence in the past two weeks.

The Door slid open and Laurence stood a little straighter, even out of
uniform it was hard to take the protocol out of him.  "Please come in,
Sir.  What can I do for you, do you need me in Engineering for
something?"

(Reply Lorimar)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Krolar Family Quarters – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1124) 
 
Bob made a forceful effort not to stare; he figured that the Master Chief would 
be upset, and the cause was certainly sufficient. If the situation were reversed, 
Bob thought that he would be a complete basket case and be hiding in some 
dark corner. 
 
~Perhaps bein’ a parent gives ye a sort of hidden strength? Who is tae say? 
Wonder if ah’ll ever be given that blessing?~ 
 
He smiled genuinely at Krolar as he accepted the invitation to come in. He 
managed to resist the impulse to look around, instead focusing on the chief 
himself. “Again ah ask yer forgiveness for intruding, but there was a small 
matter ah needed tae see ye aboot.” 
 
(Reply Krolar iyw) 
 
He cleared his throat quietly then spoke, hoping that Krolar would not be 
offended by the intrusion. “Chief, far be it from me tae intrude in personal 
matters, but please take this as its intended, alright?” He handed Krolar the 
PADD he had brought with him and then pressed on. “Forgive me for not 
addressing this sooner, but ah wasnae aware that ye’d sent yer daughter 
off the ship prior to… the ‘event’.” 
 
He stopped, deciding just how much he should or should not say. 
 
~Keep it simple, ye bloody fool…~ 
 
“Errmm… at any rate Chief, on that PADD are the codes for my ‘live-link’ 
time slot. Ah’ve naebody that is pressing… that is tae say, just mah folks, 
and we dinnae chat that often anyway. Ye can use that one of two ways… 
either take mah slot, which is probably a few hours ahead of yours, or ye 
can use it tae double yer available time by slotting it concurrently wie yer 
own assigned time, that’s up tae you.” 
 
He smiled at warmly at Krolar. “Laurence… ah insist ye use it… please, as  
a favor tae me? After all what is the point of bein’ Acting Second Officer 
and Chief Engineer if ye cannae draw a ‘perk’ now and again eh?” 
 
(Reply Krolar, Any) 
(Posted by Russ)

***********

(USS Boudicca – Krolar Family Quarters – Master Chief PO Laurence Krolar 
– 1126)

He smiled genuinely at Krolar as he accepted the invitation to come in.  
“Again ah ask yer forgiveness for intruding, but there was a small matter 
ah needed tae see ye aboot.”

"Of course sir, what can I help you with?"  Laurence asked with a nod.

He cleared his throat quietly then spoke. “Chief, far be it from me tae 
intrude in personal matters, but please take this as its intended, alright?” 
He handed Krolar the PADD he had brought with him and then pressed 
on. “Forgive me for not addressing this sooner, but ah wasnae aware 
that ye’d sent yer daughter off the ship prior to… the ‘event’.”

He stopped briefly.

“Errmm… at any rate Chief, on that PADD are the codes for my ‘live-link’ 
time slot. Ah’ve naebody that is pressing… that is tae say, just mah folks, 
and we dinnae chat that often anyway. Ye can use mah slot tae extend 
yer time... double it, effectively.”

He smiled at warmly at Krolar. “Laurence… ah insist ye use it… please,
as a favor tae me? After all what is the point of bein’ Acting Second
Officer and Chief Engineer if ye cannae draw a ‘perk’ now and again
eh?”

Laurence looked down at the PADD in his hands for a long moment, then
back up at the Lieutenant.  It was rare that Laurence found himself
speechless, his training usually allowed him to keep his mind from
locking up, but after two weeks of emotional turmoil, it had finally
reached it's limit.

"Sir...I...I can't...you're family will want to hear from you," Laurence 
stammered out, but there was a piece of him, a very large piece of him 
that jumped for joy at getting a little extra time to spend talking to his 
daughter, who had spent so long wondering where he was.

(Reply Lorimar)

"Sir, I will owe you, probably more than I'll be able to pay back very
soon, but I will, I promise you."  Laurence said, offering Bob his hand.  
"This means a lot to me, thank you.

(Reply Lorimar)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Krolar Family Quarters – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar 
– 1128)

"Sir...I...I can't...you're family will want to hear from you." 

Krolar seemed embarrassed, and that was hardly Lorimar’s intent. 
Still, the poor man had no doubt been on an emotional roller coaster 
for the past fortnight, and he was understandably emotional.

~Fine bloody leader ye are… took ye all this time and still another 
NCO had tae hit ye with a club tae make ye realize yer senior man 
was hurting. Clod!~

“Ah’ve got messages in the buffer waiting tae go out tae them. They 
are adults, the time is nae the same as it is tae yer daughter, ah’m 
certain. Besides,” he chuckled lightly to break the tension, “who in 
their right mind would wish tae see mah ugly mug in real time? It 
might damage the comm. equipment, and then where would the rest 
of ye be?”

"Sir, I will owe you, probably more than I'll be able to pay back very
soon, but I will, I promise you."  Laurence said, offering Bob his hand.  
"This means a lot to me, thank you.”

Bob grasped his hand and shook it firmly. “Call it mah small contri-
bution tae the situation, such as it is,” he said smiling.

~If ah could turn back the clock for ye laddie, ah gladly would,~ he 
thought but didn’t dare say aloud. He didn’t want to drive home the 
length of their separation; he was sure that Krolar was already painfully 
aware of it. 

He continued speaking before he let go of the man’s hand. “As for the 
rest of that, dinnae talk nonsense. Ye owe me nothing… ‘twas little 
enough ah could dae for ye. It’s nae just NCO’s taking care of officers… 
that’s supposed tae be a two way street ah think.”

He released Laurence’s hand and headed for the door, but stopped and 
turned to look him in the eye once more. “If there is anythin’ else ah 
might dae… big or small, just ask, alright? Mah door is always open, 
whether it’s the office or mah quarters or anywhere else.”

(Reply Krolar, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1200)
 
Detron walked into QV and took a seat at the bar.  Detron was in a 
mood after being rejected to help Krolar with his situation.  Detron 
needed someone to help him calm down and to talk to about his 
rejected offer.  He felt insulted by the rejection and didn't trust his 
restraint in front of Krolar.  Ariana approached Detron and asked 
him for his order.  He ordered the usual to start.
 
"I'll have Earl Gray and a bowl of those beetles to start.  If I may, I 
need to talk to someone about being rejected to help their situation."
 
(Reply Ariana)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - SPC Bar Manager, Arania - Day 16 - 1201)

Quelaetha Vorenda was a little busier than usual although from 1100 
hours to 1400 hours was always the busiest time through the day.  
Arania felt that people were coming to pass the time in QV more often 
for the past couple of weeks  because of the situation they found them-
selves in.  They sought out company during times of trial.  As her 
people were fond of saying, misery loves company.  Personally she 
always thought it was a silly expression because when she was 
miserable she just wanted to be alone.   Recently she had discovered 
that the humans had an expression just like it and judging by the 
increase in patronage it appeared that she was mistaken and the 
expression was true.

She was mulling this over in her mind with some amusement as she 
polished some glasses, when Detron Trei walked in and took a seat at 
the bar.  From his expression, Arania was certain that he was *not* 
in a good mood and wondered if she would find out why.  She gave 
him a welcoming smile as she put down the polishing cloth and asked 
him for his order.   He ordered the usual to start.

"I'll have Earl Gray and a bowl of those beetles to start.  If I may, I 
need to talk to someone about being rejected to help their situation."

"My ears are always open to you."  Arania told him.  "First your lunch 
then you talk."

She went to fetch his tea and the beetles, placed them before him, 
perched on a stool she kept behind the counter, folded her hands in her 
lap and waited patiently for him to tell her his woes.


(Reply Trei, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1205)

Ariana placed Detron's Earl Gray and bowl of beetles down on the bar.  
Detron grabbed a handful and tossed them in his mouth.  She asked 
him to tell of why he was in a bad mood.  She sat at a stool with her 
hands folded in her lap.

"I went to offer Krolar help in his situation without Olivia his daughter.  
I went to offer comforting since I grew up on Betazed and Olivia is 
there now.  He rejected my offer straight up and I left his quarters 
feeling insulted.  I don't know how I will react when I see him again."

(Reply Ariana)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 16 - 1206)

Detron told Arania that he'd offered to help Chief Krolar concerning 
him not having Olivia, his daughter with him.  Arania realized that 
Krolar's daughter must have been off the ship when it was flung into 
the future.  She knew that Dorga's twins, Parami and Rivers were 
also off ship when it happened but hadn't known about Olivia.  She 
could only imagine how much the parents were missing their children 
and how much it hurt them to have missed several years of their 
growing up in what had been a matter of minutes.

Apparently Chief Krolar had rejected Detron's offer of help and in the 
process had offended the half Betazoid, who was obviously angered 
and stated that he didn't know how he'd react towards the Chief when 
he saw him again.

Arania nodded in understanding.  She also knew what it was like to be 
rejected.  Not everyone wanted a good listener or to hear her sage 
advice when she offered it.  Thinking of rejection made her think of 
Matthew, and she wondered if his new ship had been tossed into the 
future also.  Just thinking about him made her feel sad so she forced 
herself not to.

"I think avoiding any contact with Chief Krolar until you are feeling 
calmer and less hostile towards him, is the best my friend.  Perhaps he 
is of the type who values privacy above friendly concern.  Do not let it 
trouble you; he has lost the opportunity of having a good friend who 
cares for his problems."

(Reply Detron, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei  1208)

Ariana told of her experience when she was rejected.  She told Detron 
that it was Krolar's loss to not have him there to help.  She said it 
would be best if he didn't see Krolar until he could be civil with him.  
Detron agreed with that conclusion.

"Yes it will be best I don't see Krolar until I can be civil with him.  
Thanks for the advice and giving me your ear to vent my frustration.  
I'll have the special."

(Reply Ariana iyw)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 16 - 1209)

Detron agreed with Arania about staying away from Chief 
Krolar for a while.

"Yes it will be best I don't see Krolar until I can be civil 
with him.  Thanks for the advice and giving me your ear 
to vent my frustration.  I'll have the special."

Arania gave him a warm smile and patted his big hand 
gently.  "Coming right along!"  She told him as she slid off 
the stool and bustled into the kitchen where she prepared 
his meal.  A starter of  Perodan soup (a greenish blue 
colored soup made from a sea cucumber-like creature), 
followed by Wild Rice, Toomast and Roshas stuffed shoulder 
of Muhtrot served with buttery mashed Drogan tubers.

She carried it out to Detron and with a flourish set the meal 
before him.

"Bonny appletight!"  She declared.  "That's French for enjoy
your meal!"

Picking up her polishing cloth, she began polishing the glasses 
once again.

(Reply Trei iyw)
(Posted by Sal) 

*********

(USS Boudicca - Main Engineering - aCEO's Office - Ens(Sg.) 
Anton Gesar - 1217)
 
Anton was sitting behind his desk, his head on the desk forehead 
pressing forward.  The early start and the lack of sleep over the 
last several weeks has had him exhausted.  Combine that with 
the inactivity of the ship and he felt like he was done for.  The 
communication ban had been lifted and people were starting to 
feel relieved as messages from home were coming through.  
Anton imagined that the rest of the crew was feeling just as 
anxious as he.  A lot of messages had compiled throughout the 
last four days when the families were informed that they were 
back from the dead.  The messages were coming through spora-
dically as crew on other ships were trying to compile and organize 
them.  They were doing a halfway decent job.  Maybe because 
there were too many messages or because they did not want to 
delay them any longer than they have to.  It's the waiting Anton 
hated.  First the waiting to find out why starfleet was so freaked 
out, then the traveling to some unknown location, now messages 
from home and their fate. 
 
He straightened up in his chair.  No matter what, it would not be 
good to let anyone see him sitting there like this.  He wiped his 
face with his hands and straightened up his uniform.  The console 
beeped indicating a message had been sent to his console.  He 
paused for a moment not sure if he was ready to hear it.  Then 
again it could easily be from someone on the ship or completely 
unrelated.  He reached out and tapped the control to play the 
message. 
 
The face of a man he had never seen before appeared on the screen 
and he began to speak almost immediately.  He was well dressed 
and had an excellent speaking voice that Anton had no doubt made 
him successfull in his chosen profession.  Twenty seconds into the 
message Anton reached up and tapped the control to stop playing 
the message.  He heard all he wanted to hear.
 
He stood up and pressed hit the office window controls that would 
make them clear again.  Looking out into Main Engineering he 
noted all the crew, all with looks on their faces that said they were 
just as tired of waiting as he was. 
 
~One less thing to wait for,~ he thought as he headed out of his 
office.
 
(Reply None)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1425)

Denise was wearing cut offs, white t-shirt and combat boots in an effort to
scream "I AM NOT ON DUTY AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" .. So far, it wasn't
working and she just got asked what holo-program she was running and 
offered bribes for her holo-time. She stepped into the brig, somewhat 
relieved to see the unholy trinity was no longer on duty. They were way 
too cheerful for her liking. And a little too manic. And a little too 
destructive.

She'd rather be sleeping, really, but she'd come up with the communications
schedule, her boss figured she could deal with all problems associated - and
the biggest problem was one Ensign Candle in the Brig. Who'd she'd had a
hell of a blow out with him to end him up here.

"Hey Doc - if I wave a white flag, can we have a conversation before we have
round six?" She asked tiredly, approaching his cell.

(Reply Candle)

"We've got our communication black out removed -" She stopped, seeing his
confused look. "Okay, let's start at the top.. Since apparently no one gave
you a newspaper. We were hit by a chronotron wave. We were catapulted five
years in the future. Starfleet thinks we were plotting some sort of evil take-
over bid 'cause the whole 52nd fleet disappeared over the span of a year or 
so. So we got escorted to Khitomer under communications blackout for the 
last two weeks." She raised an eyebrow, "Go." She said waiting for the
explosive reaction.

(Reply Candle)

(Further on)

"ANYWAY.." Denise said, "I'm here to give you access to your incoming
communications, and to give you your slot for outgoing. Unfortunately, an
officer has to be with you while you do both. Any preferences in who gets
that job? Any officer, doesn't matter who."

(Reply Candle)
(Posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Basil Candle - 1427)

Basil immedialtly looked at the door as it opened.  He saw the 
quartermaster, his bane, his bete noire enter.  He sighed con-
sidering faking sleep

"Hey Doc", she said without any cheer, " if I wave a white flag, 
can we have a conversation before we have round six?"  she 
sounded tired as she approached his cell.

Basil just shrugged but said, “You can do whatever you like……. 
as usual, not like I can go anywhere”

She ignored his attempt to garner a reaction and replied, "We've 
got our communication black out removed -"

He blinked confused

She looked at him squarely, "Okay, let's start at the top.. Since 
apparently no one gave you a newspaper. We were hit by a 
chronotron wave. We were catapulted five years in the future. 
Starfleet thinks we were plotting some sort of evil take-over bid 
'cause the whole 52nd fleet disappeared over the span of a year 
or so. So we got escorted to Khitomer under communications 
blackout for the last two weeks." She raised an eyebrow, "Go." 
She said waiting for the explosive reaction.

Basil blinked again, her words just washed over him, never pene-
trating. Instead he stepped back and sat down on his bunk that’s 
been his home for …”

~Five Years? Was what she said true? Was she lying as revenge? 
That must be it revenge. How pathetic~

“Nice try, Denise. Your Starfleet training deserting you? You 
sinking to my level huh? Come ON Denise, say something.”

She just stood there as Basil stared at her. Worry danced round 
Basil’s eyes, as he searched her face for the lie and not finding it.

“COME ON Denise, TELL ME IT’S A LIE”

"ANYWAY.." Denise said interrupting , "I'm here to give you access 
to your incoming communications, and to give you your slot for 
outgoing. Unfortunately, an officer has to be with you while you do 
both. Any preferences in who gets that job? Any officer, doesn't 
matter who."

Basil was stunned, she wasn’t lying. Questions, theories all jumbled 
together in his mind.

“Why don’t you decide, you’ve been so good at making decisions for 
me so far” he replied sniping back, not wanting to dwell on the 
growing realisation in his gut.

(Reply Denise, Any)
(Posted by Warren Simkins)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Brig - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1428)

“Why don’t you decide, you’ve been so good at making decisions 
for me so far” he replied with his usual surliness.

Denise looked at him for several moments, wondering if she should 
just go back to bed. "What bug crawled up your butt and died? And 
I don't just mean the brig trip, but before that, you've been trying 
to alienate every person in the quadrant who dared look your way. 
Well, congratulations, it's working. Summon an officer if you find 
someone you actually want to talk to."

She turned on her heel and decided she'd there were a plethora of 
people who would be happy to talk to her. She could start with Cy 
and work her way over to Bob's office for the afternoon delight of 
even more paperwork.

(Reply Candle, any)
(Posted by Lorna)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Brig – Basil Candle - 1430)

Denise berated him, "What bug crawled up your butt and died? 
And I don't just mean the brig trip, but before that, you've been 
trying to alienate every person in the quadrant who dared look 
your way. Well, congratulations, it's working. Summon an officer 
if you find someone you actually want to talk to."

She turned on her heel leaving,

Basil sighed.  If he wanted to at least spend a few hours away 
from the brig then this was his opportunity. 

“Okay,”  either she ignored him or didn’t here, “Okay” he said 
louder, “I’ll choose someone.  I suppose it’ll have to be from 
security personnel.  If Trei’s free then he can accompany.  Either 
that or I’ll take one of the angels.”

(Reply Denise, any)
(Posted by Warren Simkins)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Brig – Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1431)

“Okay” Candle said just as she was about out the door, “I’ll choose 
someone.  I suppose it’ll have to be from security personnel.  If 
Trei’s free then he can accompany.  Either that or I’ll take one of 
the angels.”

"No, any officer, means any officer." She said, turning, "I was hoping 
you'd let me choose so I'd have an excuse to get the CCO down here. 
But Trei it is." ~And may he eat you.~ She supposed she should stick 
around and play nice and be a good Starfleet officer, but mostly she 
just wanted to get back to bed.

(reply Candle, any)
(posted by Lorna)

********

(USS Boudicca - Security – Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1433)

Denise tapped her comm. Badge as she made her way through security, 
"Lieutenant Trei, when you have a break in your schedule, can you 
escort Candle to a communication terminal please? He requested you."

(Reply Trei)
(Posted by Lorna)


(USS Boudicca - Trei's Office - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei 
- 1435)

Detron saw Denise come into his office saying Candle requested him 
to escort him to an Communication station.  Detron looked up from 
his PADD with a annoyed flash.

"Noted Lebraski.  I will escort him in a minute."

~Basil you are becoming a giant hemorrhoid.   GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.~

(posted by Edward)

*******

(USS Boudicca - Brig - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1440)

Detron faced the two guards and stated his business.

"TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei here to escort the prisoner as 
requested.."

Detron took Basil down to a Communication station grumbling loudly 
on the way.

(Reply Candle iyw, Lebraski Iyw)
(Posted by Edward)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Communications Station - Basil Candle - 1617)

Basil sat at one of the communications station drumming his fingers on 
the desktop. The escort was awkward as he had tried to make small talk 
but Trei’s look and Basil could have sworn he growled as well put a stop 
to that. Instead he considered what he was going to do to say. The Basil 
could hear Trei pacing beyond the door. Basil wondered what had got 
him so het up, 

~Apart from me of course~ he thought. The he realised, he was probably 
thinking about meeting his family. If Denise was correct then 5 years had 
passed and this would prey and all minds, especially one that usually 
exuded calm like Trei.

~Might as well do this~

He started the recording,

“Hello Mother and Father,

Guess this is a voice you thought you would never hear from again. I sup-
pose I owe you an explanation for not keeping in contact and I am sure 
Mother wants to catch up on 5 years of my life. Sorry looks as if we were 
in some ‘time shift’ so for me this is only a few months” he was trying to 
keep his voice light, not dwell on any details,

“I can imagine you still want to know about my new assignment. As usual 
I am finding it hard to settle in. I can see Father shaking his head now, yes 
the usual Candle stubborn streak never admitting defeat despite evidence 
signed, sealed and witnessed by loads of clear-sighted individuals. I will say 
this - at least they haven’t thrown me out of an airlock that, puts a real 
crimp in any career prospects. Mother - I can see you heading for the 
kitchen now - don’t send any cookies though I have never understood 
whether that will work in this case.”

Basil was sure that cookies had never truly solved any diplomatic incident 
in Starfleet history. He sighed, he was avoiding, evading. He sighed, rubbed 
his fingers into his forehead. Sighing deeper this time he continued,

“….. Can someone that has made many mistakes truly go back. Here I am, 
part of a crew that have been thrust through time and I am probably the only 
one that wants to go back. They have all strapped on their belts, pulled up 
their jumpsuits and got on with it all. I .. I just want to change a few decisions, 
is that really possible? I think I’ve made a big mistake Mother, Father and I 
don’t know what to do about it.

I would love to hear your voices, to feel your hand on my cheek, reassuring 
smiles saying that no matter what I do you will still love me. Then again if you 
were here I would never have made the mistakes. I have so missed talking to 
you and next time I have the … opportunity I will leave another light on for 
you. One day I am sure you will find home and maybe one I day I will too.

I miss both of you today more than any, 

I’ll speak again,

Your son,

Basil”

Basil saw the flashing message asking if he was sure he wanted to 
send the message. 

Basil poked his head out of the door, was secured then escorted 
back.

“Thanks Trei you know we should do this more often, a lovely walk, 
witty banter, good company who could ask for anything more”

Trei gave him was of his patented looks and was gone,

Basil smiled thinking of the message whisked off into the ether. It 
would bypass any relays and message stations but instead head into 
deep space just like all his messages he had ever sent to his dead 
parents.

(Reply none)
(Posted by Warren Simkins)

**********

(Khitomer - Conference Room – Boudicca CO, Captain Lydia Stakes 
- 1815)

Lydia felt drained. She had gone over the events more times than she 
could count, with each repetition getting the feeling that Smith believed 
her less and less. That, she supposed, was his job. But it had only been 
the leavening presence of Oggy which had enabled her to get through it 
without losing her temper with the smug so-and-so who questioned her 
every word. At one point Smith had even thrown her war record into the 
mix and accused her of planning a mutiny.

Lydia had actually laughed then, with genuine amusement. "Commander, 
if you really believe that this is some plot by some die-hard Doenitz 
sympathisers, don't you think they would have found a more likely bunch 
to take part?"

"What if it were a plot by LoDona and his cronies?" Smith had retorted. 
"I can't think of a likelier bunch to take part then, can you?"

"Except for me?" Lydia suggested with a grin. "You can't have it both ways, 
Commander."

"You might have thought it would aid you in rehabilitating your husband," 
he sneered. "Get him a command back."

Lydia's eyes had narrowed and her lips had pursed for an instant, but she 
had checked the angry reply she had been about to make. "Which is of 
course why I disappeared for 5 years within weeks of stepping down from 
the Admiralty," she pointed out after a moment, her tone deceptively mild.

"She has a point," Oggy told Smith delightedly. "She has you there, Roger 
my lad."

And it had gone on.

But now it was over, and she had been taken back to the Conference 
Room and told to wait, along with a good number of the captains who'd 
been there before. She couldn't see Olorin, and wondered if he was still 
being interrogated (because that is what it had felt like despite Oggy's 
friendly presence) or whether he'd been allowed to return to the Mithrandir. 
She hoped he had been allowed to go back to his ship, although it would 
have been nice to see a friendly face. At 1800 she had been allowed, briefly, 
to speak to Commander 'cha Nooras over a monitored commlink, and Lydia 
now found herself concerned about what was happening on her ship; how 
the crew were dealing with the 'invasion' of inspectors. One of the few bits 
of information she had been given was that the Boudicca and the Mithrandir 
would be amongst the first to be examined; the Mithrandir because it was 
one of the smallest ships, and the Boudicca because of her. And, ironically 
enough (Lydia considered) because of Captain Rivers' association with the 
ship.

Briefly she wondered if anyone really knew what they were doing here or 
whether this was the usual cock up that you got when too many top brass 
tried to decide what to do, and who should be cock of the dunghill. It was, 
she thought, a real relief to be free of all that, although she doubted that 
many would believe it.

"Captain Stakes? You are cleared to depart now."

"And the Boudicca?"

"Assuming no problems with the inspection, you can depart the system at 
1400 hours tomorrow. Orders will be transmitted to you."

Lydia stood up. Unable after everything today to trust herself to be polite 
to the man, she merely inclined her head and followed her escort to the 
transporter.

(posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1900)

She was dog tired but unwilling to abandon her crew to face the 
inquisitors alone, so Lydia had made her way to the Bridge. Each 
duty station seemed to have a stranger there beside the regular 
crew, and for a moment Lydia wondered just how much manpower 
SF command had committed to this. A lot, it seemed, if this was a 
sample of what was going on all over the ship. But the faces of her 
officers made her glad that she was here with them, if only to offer 
tacit support.

She walked over to her chair and sat down, saying quietly to her 
FO, "We will talk later about events downside, Number One. First, 
fill me in on what's happened up here."

(Reply ALL)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar Family Quarters - Master Chief PO Laurence
Krolar, Olivia Krolar, CPO Ashley Kester - 1900)

"Come on, come on, just let me get through...," Laurence muttered to
himself, "Connect all ready."  Laurence drummed his fingers on the
desk waiting.  Then suddenly the screen resolved into an image of
Olivia, but not as he remembered her.  She'd grown, her face had
changed slight, the last of the baby fat was gone and her face had
started to get thinner.  He could tell her hair was longer than it had
been, but not how long with such a close up of her face.

=/\=Hello?...Daddy?!=/\= Olivia shouted, gray eyes going wide.  =/\=Is
it really you?=/\=

"It's me, Sweet Heart, I'm here, and you'll be here as soon as I can
get you on a ship and get you out here,"  Laurence said, tears running
down his cheeks.

=/\=Daddy, don't cry, you're going to make me start,=/\= Olivia said,
sniffling, and rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I hate to tell you cadet, you already are,"  Laurence said.  He
didn't care that he was crying, he was simply glad to lay eyes on his
daughter.  "How tall are you Cadet, you look live you've grown like a
weed, but I can't tell over the comm line."

Olivia smiled and pushed her chair out of the way and stood up,
backing up.  The camera zoomed out, and Laurence could see her
standing there.  Her feet were bare, and she was wearing capri pants
and a short sleeve shirt.  Laurence had been right, her dark brown
hair was down to the small of her back.  =/\=I'm four feet ten inches.
 I just had a growth spurt.=/\=  She said with a shy shrug, then say
back down in front of the camera.

"God, you've grown so much," Laurence said, with a sigh, "grown up.
Still my little girl though, no matter how tall you get.  I'm sorry I
left."

=/\=It's not your fault, Daddy, they told us when they called the
other morning.  I know you didn't mean to leave.=/\=  Olivia said, but
Laurence couldn't tell if she meant it, and his heart nearly broke.

"I'll never leave you again, I promise."  Laurence said, and he meant
it with every ounce of will he had.

Olivia's face looked up at the screen suddenly.  =/\=Ashley, I nearly
forgot about Ashley.  Is she there, are you two still together?=/\=
She asked, obviously concerned.

Laurence just smiled, "Yes, we're still together, it's only been a few
weeks since we last talked for us on the ship."  Laurence said.

Ashley ducked her head into the frame of the picture.  "Hey kiddo,
long time no see," she said with a wink and a grin, "and you look
good.  I missed you, for the four weeks my time you've been gone."

=/\= I missed you too,=/\= Olivia said.  Ashley smiled and said her
temporary good bye, miming a kiss and withdrawing from the screen.

Olivia smiled, her eyes following Ashely's departure before looking
back at her dad.

=/\=Nola and her mom are coming back to the ship too, so maybe I can
ride with them.  I lived with them here on Betazed.  It's nice here,
but I think I like being on a ship better.=/\=

"I'm not sure I'm ever going to be able to truly thank Nola's mother
for looking after you.  Is she there?"  Laurence asked.

=/\=No, she's in the other room, I think they got a call from Nola's
dad.=/\=  Olivia said, with an unsure shrug.  =/\=Everyone was really
nice to me here.  The teachers and everyone were always asking if I
was all right.=/\=

"Yeah, Betazed is like that, I knew they'd take care of you,"
Laurence said, he was still worried, though.  "How are you doing,
though.  I know it must have been really rough for you."

=/\=I had help, Star Fleet assigned a counselor to me, Doctor Omarra.
We talk every week, she was the one that told me they'd found you.
She is really nice I think you'd like her.  She told me it was ok to
be sad, but that you wouldn't want me to give up either.=/\= Olivia
said, looking down at her hands.  =/\=I tried to be strong for you
daddy, but I missed you a lot, and sometimes it was hard.=/\=

"It's ok, sweet heart, no one can be strong all the time, and it's ok
to cry and be sad some times.  I'm proud of you for dealing with it,
and getting help when you needed it.  You've done really good, Olivia.
 I've always been proud of you, never forget that."  Laurence said
with a firm conviction

Olivia beamed, smiling fit to crack her face in two, it was the same
smile that he remembered, the same smile that made his day better
every time he saw it.

"Oh, and start thinking about your room, it's a little out of date
now, looks like a six year old lives in it," he said with a grin and
she giggled.  They talked for a while longer, or Olivia talked and
Laurence listened intently.  Olivia filled him in about her life, what
she liked to do for fun, told him she'd taken up soccer and was on the
school team.  She'd taken up drawing and that her favorite subject in
school was history.  They talked for nearly thirty minutes when
Laurence saw a little red light in the corner of the screen begin
flashing.

"Hey, Cadet, our time is almost up, everyone on the ship, and in the
fleet is trying to call home right now.  What time is it there?"
Laurence asked, he knew he could easily look it up, but he wanted to
prolong the conversation if he could.

=/\=1224 hours, you'll call again, right?=/\= Olivia asked, her voice
suddenly filled with worry.

"I promise, as soon as I can. I'll call tomorrow, once we know where
we're headed, so that you can meet the ship there.  So start packing
tonight, you may have to leave really quick, depending on how fast
they organize things.  I promise, you'll be here, you'll be home again
in no time, and I'll be able to hug you in person." Laurence said,
starting to feel choked up again.

=/\=I got it, daddy.  You promise you'll call?=/\= she asked again.

"Nothing in the universe could stop me.  You just have to wait for a
few more days, and then we'll be together again.  I can't wait to get
you back here,"  Laurence said, he was crying again.  "I've got to go
now, they need the line back.  I love you, Olivia, I love you so so
much."

=/\=I love you too, don't cry, Daddy, I'll be home soon=/\=  Olivia
said and she waved.  Laurence smiled and waved back and then cut the
line, the screen going dark.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

************

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 16 
-1900.5)

Dorga had been the first one to be interrogated by the SF minions 
and really didn't have a lot to tell her questioner.  What was there 
to tell, one minute they were in 2408, the next they'd found them-
selves in 2413 after being swept into the future by a wave of 
turbulence and bright white light.   No matter how many ways the
grim faced interrogator had gone about trying to find a way to prove 
Dorga was lying, she couldn't have lied even if she'd wanted too, 
and finally after an hour or more she had told the man politely but 
in no uncertain terms that would brook any arguments from the 
Lieutenant, that the interview was over and then had left him 
gawping at her and had returned to the bridge.

The captain appeared, Dorga changed seats and the captain sat down 
next to her.  Quietly she said, "We will talk later about events down-
side, Number One. First, fill me in on what's happened up here."

"Welcome back, Captain.  They certainly kept you away long enough!  
Actually there is not a lot to tell really, as you can see the inquisition 
continues.  I have had my turn for now, whether I get a re-match is 
unknown, but at least being able to receive our messages from family 
and friends has eased the minds of the people on ship."

Dorga placed a gentle hand on Captain Stake's forearm.  "You look 
exhausted, why don't you get some rest, I can stay here."

(Reply Stakes, ALL) 
(posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1903)

Commander 'cha Nooras filled Lydia in succinctly, something that 
Lydia had come to expect from her FO. She also stated that getting 
messages from home had eased the minds of their crew, which Lydia 
was glad to hear. She was longing to check her own messages and 
when Dorga gently placed a hand on Lydia's arm and suggested she 
got some rest, Lydia nodded. Her instinct was to be here with her 
crew but she recognised that she was not much use to them without 
recharging her batteries.

"Thank you, Dorga," she said gratefully, so tired that she was unaware 
this was the first time she had addressed the other woman by her first 
name. "I will take a couple of hours. I'll be in my quarters if I'm needed."

(posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - 1905)

To Dorga's surprise the captain actually nodded in agreement to her 
suggestion that she get some rest.  Captain Stakes had been on 
Khitomer for at least sixteen hours and she looked completely ex-
hausted, so instead of dismissing Dorga's suggestion, she thanked 
the FO and told her she'd be in her quarters if she was needed.  
Dorga was determined to make sure that the captain was *not* 
needed and hopefully she'd get a good night's rest.

Settling back into her chair after the CO had departed, Dorga 
accessed the message that she had started to read just before 
Captain Stakes had arrived, and began reading it once again, having 
only read 'dear daughter'.  Her Mother - DruH'ga was a full blood 
Klingon; one who had chosen the Warrior's way early in life and had 
been an engineer in Starfleet when she'd met Nooras, Dorga's Father.   
Anyone who didn't know her well might form the impression that she 
was stoic, severe and filled with suppressed hostility and like her 
Vulcan Father, not given to public displays of affection.  However, in 
their private lives it was entirely different, they never failed to show 
Dorga and her younger brother Varek the love and affection they felt 
for them, neither did they repress it when they messaged their off-
spring and grandchildren audibly, visually or text.

Having read her Mother's communication, Dorga sighed, swallowed 
the lump that had grown in her throat and blinked away the tears 
that threatened to form.  Then she transferred the queue of other 
messages from her family to her home computer where she would 
access them in private and then let them know where the Boudicca 
would be heading, once she knew herself.  That is if they ever got 
away from Khitomer.

She glanced balefully around at the interrogators on the Bridge and 
wished them anywhere else but on the Boudicca, and the Boudicca 
to be anywhere else but here, preferably back in 2408 if that was at 
all possible.

Five years in a child's life was just too many years to miss.

(reply any, none needed)
(posted by Sal)

********

(USS Boudicca - CO's quarters - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1909)

The first thing Lydia did was to check her messages, hardly even 
noticing how empty those quarters seemed. The one from Arc she 
opened first, and had to view it again because the first time she 
found herself crying and missed a lot of what he said. Then the 
ones from Esme and Bill, which also had to be viewed twice. After 
that, she read the message from Lebranski, and noted the time that 
her live link was scheduled for. She approved of the way Lebranski 
had sorted the schedule, and made a mental note to speak to her 
later. 

~Tomorrow,~ she amended to herself, as she skimmed through the 
remaining messages, backed up since their time jump. The expected 
demands from SFHQ to know where they were, etc, which she 
deleted. Not much point in replying now.

A last message blinked on her console and she accessed it.

[Dear Captain Stakes, by now, I am sure that Starfleet Medical has 
informed you about Archibald illness and although he is alive, his 
reaction to a poison that was generated by a malfunctioning 
replicator...", he paused for a moment letting the recording continue, 
"Truth is, we don't really understand what happened to cause the 
problem and the infection is so unusual being part organic and part 
mechanical, that Starfleet Medical is having problems isolating it."I 
am continuing to devote my spare time to the research of his 
condition and I am contact with Starfleet Medical, as soon as there is 
any change I will let you know, immediately. Dr Jorsad Ari, CMO, 
USS Mithrandir.]

Lydia frowned. "Computer, time and date of last message?"

[Message sent at 2408.11.26.0909]

A few weeks and five years ago. But not too late to thank the 
doctor for his thoughtfulness, she thought. And she had time to 
kill before she could speak to her family.

"Computer, message to Doctor Jorsad Ari, CMO, USS Mithrandir.

"Dear Dr Ari, I would like to thank you for the thoughtful message 
which you sent me about my husband a few weeks ago. Probably 
due to the event which caught both our ships and threw us into 
the future, I have only just received it but I am very grateful to 
you nonetheless.

"I am very pleased to be able to tell you that Archibald made a 
good recovery. Subsequent events, however, make it unlikely 
that he will return to a command position. I would, however, like 
to let you know that the medical officer in charge of the Starfleet 
facility where Archibald was transferred informed me that if it had 
not been for your prompt actions and excellent care, he would 
certainly have died. The research you forwarded to SF medical 
before the Mithrandir vanished were instrumental in their 
successful treatment of his condition. You have my eternal thanks, 
Doctor, and that of Archibald and our family. If there is anything I 
can ever do to help you in any way, please let me know.

"With warmest regards,

"Captain Lydia Stakes, CO, USS Boudicca."

She reviewed the message and nodded to herself. "Send message."

[Message sent at 1913]

Smiling, because of the kindness of a man she had never met, Lydia 
got herself a large glass of wine and curled up on the sofa, day-
dreaming of what she would say when she spoke to her husband and 
children in an hour or so.

(Reply any, none)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar 
– 1910)

Bob Lorimar was leaning nonchalantly against a console, his 
eyes watching the ‘invasion force’ like the proverbial hawk. 
He was not happy about the inspection. He was not privy to 
what had happened on Khitomer; nor did he wish to be. Such 
things made him very, very happy to be a department head 
and not a command officer. Technically, he supposed, he was 
command staff, but his primary duty was still Chief Engineer…
and that was, as he would often remark to anyone listening, 
the best job in the fleet.

Whatever the reason, the team of invading Starfleet 
engineering types were literally and figuratively crawling all 
about the engineering section.

~At least their immaculate uniforms willnae get dirty! Not in 
mah department!~

Bob stifled a a chuckle at that, the amused glint stopping at 
his eyes. He did find himself speculating just exactly what 
might cause such a stir. Clearly, if they had gone forward in 
time for roughly five years in an instant, there was a mystery 
to solve. However, command had that same five years to figure 
things out. The fact that they evidently hadn’t was an interes-
ting point, he thought.

~Either their detective skills are verra sad indeed… or this 
mystery is a verra complex one?~

He wouldn’t lay odds on it either way. He glanced across the 
room and caught Ensign Enright’s eye. From her body language 
she was very irritated. He meant to find out just how mad she 
was. Making his way closer to her, he leaned against another 
console and caught her eye again.

Making certain no one else could see, he cupped his chin in his 
hand to partially obscure his mouth. When he was certain she 
was looking, he flicked his tongue out at her, then quickly pulled 
it back. 

She blinked, not believing her eyes at first. Then she blushed, 
and started laughing, at first slightly, then building to a crescendo 
of uncontrollable mirth.

His job done, Bob turned and walked back to his previous post, 
watching the invaders.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca, aCSO's Quarters - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel 
- 2030)

Ayslin paced in her quarters, waiting for the call to connect to her
parent's house on Trill.  The connection was taking longer than she
liked, but the Boudicca's comm system and all it's protocols were five
years behind the time.

The screen on her wall suddenly showed the Trill Ministry of
Communications symbol, then the word 'Transferring'.  Ayslin looked at
the screen, her head cocked to the side for a moment, before the image
resolved and her brother appeared.

=/\=Ayslin!=/\= Laric yelled, a look of shock on his face.  Tears had
already sprung to her eyes, but she managed a sly grin.

"I know it's been a long time, but you sound like you thought I was
dead or something."  Ayslin said, her voice cracking slightly.  Before
her brother could answer the camera auto zoomed out to show a four or
five year old, blazing red hair, come running into the room, followed
by the rest of the family.

=/\=What, Daddy?=/\=  the little girl asked, and Laric picked her up.

=/\= Not you, sweety, you know how we told you your Aunty Ayslin
wasn't dead after all?=/\=  Laric asked.  Ayslin, the elder, just
stood in her quarters and watched the scene, tears now streaming down
her cheeks as she understood who the little girl, with the strong
family resemblance was.  The little girl nodded, and Laric turned her
to look at the screen.  =/\=Well, that's her, they found her, after
all this time, they finally found your Aunt=/\=

By this time, standing close behind Laric were her parents, and her
best friend and Laric's wife, Mallia, and her eldest brother Kellis.
Everyone was crying and smiling and pressing in closer.  Ayslin the
lesser looked at the screen and waved, shyly.

Ayslin the Greater smiled and waved back.  "How old are you, Ayslin?"
she asked.

=/\=Four,=/\= her niece said proudly  =/\=Are you really my Aunt?=/\=

"I am dear, and I'm sorry we've never met before, I've been very far
away," Ayslin said.  "You have a very pretty name, if I do say so myself."  
she said smiling.

=/\= We just...we just had to, she looks a lot like your side of the
family...and...and I always told you I liked your name,=/\= Mallia
said with a happy smile on her face.

"Oh, no, it's quite an honor.  But if Ayslin is only four...  you
knew, didn't you dad, you told me Mallia had been asking about me, and
that I should call them."  Ayslin said, realization dawning on her face.

=/\=We wanted to tell you on a live call, sending a message seemed so
impersonal, but you were so far off the main track that we just couldn't 
find the time to talk.  And then we got word you'd disappeared.=/\= Laric 
said, his voice gruff.  He put Ayslin down and she ran off to stand behind 
Mallia's legs.  =/\=We're not going to go into all that now, we're just glad 
to have you back.=/\=

=/\=Where are you, Ace?=/\= he dad asked, concerned etched on his
face.  Kellis piped up from behind him echoing the question.

"Can't tell you where I am now, classified for the moment, but I'll
contact you tomorrow once we get our orders.  I'm sure the brass will
give us plenty of time to meet, I know there are a lot of people who
will want to meet up with family before we head off into the unknown
again."

They talked for a while, and Ayslin got plenty of updates from all the
members of his family.  Everyone seemed happy, and relieved, and while
they didn't have a lot of time to really talk, she assured them she wasn't 
going to disappear again.  When they were all saying their good byes, 
she took special attention in saying goodbye to her new niece.  Hoping to 
meet her in person sooner rather than later.

(Reply None)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

**********

(USS Boudicca - FO Quarters - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 16 
- 2310)

With a mug of cappuccino in hand, Dorga sat down at her desk in her 
quarters and then set the mug on a coaster after taking a sip of it while
turning on the console.  She yawned loudly and considered going to bed 
rather than read the messages that awaited her attention, what would a 
few more hours mean, but then she knew she couldn't; she really had to 
reply before she slept because her family were concerned and would 
want to hear that she was in good health from her.  Besides she'd already 
delayed any reply for four hours.

So she began to read each message in chronological order as they had 
arrived, stopping now and then to refill her mug.

(posted by Sal)






==============================================
==============================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 17
Stardate: 2413.09.24
==============================================
==============================================


(USS Boudicca - FO Quarters - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 17 
- 0016)

An hour or so had flown by before Dorga was ready to call it a night 
and get ready for bed, having sent messages to her parents and her 
children with promises that she would keep them apprised of further 
developments concerning where they would be able to rendezvous.

She turned off her computer and slid the chair back.  Removed her 
boots and left them beside the chair, stripped off her tunic and 
stood up to remove the pants, letting them fall to the floor as she 
padded to her washroom to do her nightly ablutions.

Fifteen minutes later a naked Dorga left the 'head' and entered her 
bedroom to throw herself gratefully on her bed.  Within seconds she 
was sound asleep.

Today had already begun and her work day would soon be starting.

(reply none)
(posted by Sal) 

********

(USS Boudicca - Ready Room - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 0900)

Lydia sat back in her chair and sipped the warm spicy tea she had 
just replicated. Kit Spero had asked for a leave of absence; one of 
the messages she had received from her family had informed her 
that her father was gravely ill. Lydia had no hesitation in granting 
it but it left the Boudicca without an OPS chief.

There were several possibilities but one person stood out, to Lydia 
at least. She still kept a copy of the Lebranski database, and the 
woman had done a stellar job yesterday with the scheduling of the 
live contacts. True, there had been the incident with Candle but then 
again the man could be very.... provoking. ~And its time I spoke 
with him again too! But first things first!~

She pressed the comm button on her desk.

"Stakes to Lebranski. Please come to my Ready Room as soon as 
possible."

(reply Lebranski)
(posted by Liz)

********

(USS Boudicca, aCSO's Office - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel 
- 0900)

Ayslin sat at her desk trying to figure out where to start.  She had
five years of research to catch up on, to try and restart her career
which was now woefully behind everyone who she had considered a
contemporary.  Her only way out was the be the first member of the
52nd to put out a paper.  She'd just picked up PADD to read a few
journal articles she'd managed to procure on subspace field theory,
when her terminal flashed an incoming priority message.  She checked
the headers and saw that it was from Trill so she let it through.  A
face she didn't recognize appeared on the screen.

=/\=Doctor Ayslin Rel?=/\= The man asked inquisitively.  =/\=My name
is Doctor Megoran Tish, Senior Medical Officer for the Symbiosis
Commission=/\=

"Doctor Tish, good to meet you, what can I do for the Symbiosis
Commission?" Ayslin asked, knowing full well that it wasn't a
coincidence that the Symbiosis Commission, the incarnation of over
protective parents, were calling less than a day after the comm
blackout was lifted.

=/\=We are aware, to a degree, of the 52nd Fleet's situation, and we
are contacting all joined Trill that were effected.  We tried to
contact you yesterday, but the comm systems were understandably busy.
We need to have one of our medical officers meet with you and ensure
that your symbiont hasn't come to any harm from the temporal
transition.=/\=  Doctor Tish said, a bland look on his face.

Ayslin hated the commission doctors, they were the worst of their
kind.  "I'd hate to be a bother, I know how busy the Commission's
medical officers are, I'm sure, if you send the tests to my ships
Chief Medical Officer they can run the tests and send you the results,
it would be much faster," Ayslin said, hoping that would be enough.

=/\=I'm sure your medical staff is top notch, but with the 52nd fleet
had a number of joined Trill's, and to have so many of us effected in
one unexplainable event, had the Commission rightfully concerned, as
such, the Commission Medical staff will be doing all of these exams in
person.=/\=  Tish said.  =/\=Where shall our officer meet you?=/\=

Her way out, Ayslin nearly leaped for joy.  "I'm sorry, Doctor Tish,
we haven't been given our orders yet.  I'll have to get back to you on
that," Ayslin said, trying to feign disappointment.

=/\=That is all right, Doctor Rel, The Commission is in touch with
Star Fleet Command, we will have them relay your next port of call to
our field Medical Officer.=/\= Tish smiled a flat smile, and nodded.
=/\=We'll be in touch if we need anything else, otherwise, expect to
see one of our Medical Officers soon=/\=

The comm line close and Ayslin continued to stare at the screen, once
again reminded why she hated doctors.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Admin - QM Denise Lebranski - 0901)

"I miss Shadow," Denise muttered for the fifteenth time. Sure, the girl..
well, woman now she guessed! .. made lousy coffee, but she made sense of 
the buerocratic nonsense better than any other being Denise had ever met. 
Oh,sure, Denise kept it all in her head and could tell you which paperwork 
went with what action but she never understood WHY. Until she'd met 
Shadow she didn't think any sapient being could possibly understand why.

Now she was trying to learn five years of changes *AS* HQ insisted
everything handed in yesterday. She wanted a pay raise. She wanted 
Shadow.  She wanted a double shot of rum.

She couldn't even co-op Rel's Yeoman, because that poor lady was
reorganizing Counselling, Medical AND Science. 

=/\= Stakes to Lebranski. Please come to my Ready Room as soon 
as possible.
=/\=

"Captain, I think I'm in love." She said before clicking on her comm. 
badge, "On my way, Captain!" She didn't care if she was about to get 
a court martial for misappropriation of goods, it got her out of trying to 
figure out why, after, two hundred and seventeen years Starfleet had 
replaced the QX-700321A with a the new QX-700321B and required it 
filled out  *before* the LSNG2631-9.

(posted by Lorna)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Ready Room - QM Denise Lebranski - 0904)

She wondered, as she entered the Captain's ready room, if Stakes had 
the same 'open door' policy as the Captain Rivers or if the woman just 
hadn't gotten engineering to fix it yet. It wasn't as if the poor boys in 
yellow hadn't had a few things to repair lately.

"Reporting as requested, sir," Denise said, forgoing a salute. She felt
happy enough to deliver it, but she was fairly sure Captain Stakes was
carrying a palm phasor somewhere on her uniform and didn't want to 
get shot.

(Reply Stakes)
(Posted by Lorna)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Ready Room - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 0905)

The door opened and Lebranski entered.

"Reporting as requested, sir," she said as she did so.

Lydia nodded. "Sit down, Lieutenant."

Once Lebranski had done so, Lydia continued. "I have no doubt 
you're as up on scuttlebutt as anyone else but in case you haven't 
heard yet, Ensign Spero has been given compassionate leave and 
will be away from the ship for some time. This leaves us without a 
Chief Operations Officer, and I need a good replacement. Your 
organisational skills are excellent, and you did a good job when you 
stood in for Kit when we had our encounter with whatever threw us 
forwards in time. Therefore, with immediate effect I am making you 
Chief Operations Officer. I leave the organisation of the department 
up to you but you might want to consider Ensign Tarch for commu-
nications officer. However, if on consideration you consider her skills 
better utilised elsewhere, that's entirely your decision. I don't inter-
fere in the running of the departments but I *do* expect everything 
to run smoothly. Any questions, Lieutenant?"

(Reply Lebranski, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Ready Room - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 0906)

Lydia nodded. "Sit down, Lieutenant."

Curious, Denise took the seat across from the Captain's desk.

"I have no doubt you're as up on scuttlebutt as anyone else but in case you
haven't heard yet, Ensign Spero has been given compassionate leave and will
be away from the ship for some time." The Captain started.

This WAS news to Denise. ~I'm slipping. Oh God, I hope she isn't promoting
Ensign OCD to the job.~

The Captain continued ".. This leaves us without a Chief Operations Officer,
and I need a good replacement. Your organisational skills are excellent, and
you did a good job when you stood in for Kit when we had our encounter with
whatever threw us forwards in time. Therefore, with immediate effect I am
making you Chief Operations Officer. I leave the organisation of the
department up to you but you might want to consider Ensign Tarch for
communications officer. However, if on consideration you consider her skills
better utilised elsewhere, that's entirely your decision. I don't interfere
in the running of the departments but I *do* expect everything to run
smoothly. Any questions, Lieutenant?"

"Uhm, no sir. Thank you, sir." She stood up, she now had *three* jobs.. four
if she kept doing the Captain's paperwork. ~Shadow, wherever in the universe
you are, I pray with my every fibre you're making your way back to this
ship. *I* need you!!~

(Reply Captain)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 0910)

She wasn't surprised to find said Ensign Tarch standing on the bridge. It
seemed she was on the bridge every minute of every day she could connive. As
if presence on bridge would make her reach her ambitions faster. She walked
over to the woman and smiled her bestest, sweetest smile. The smile that had
any man who had dated her twice run for the hills. "Good morning, Ensign."
She said with cheer.

(Reply Tarch)

"The Captain, in her infinite wisdom has just promoted me to chief of
operations and recommended you for chief of communications." There, that
outta make the little climber happy and have her doing squee dances for a
week that the captain noticed her. The captain noticed everything and what
she didn't, the executive officer did. "You feel up to the job?" she asked.

(Reply Tarch)
(posted by Lorna)

********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1003)

Once the ship had docked, Lydia stood up from the command 
chair and looked at Lieutenant Trei. 

"I know you must be anxious to meet your family, Lieutenant, 
but I'd be grateful if you would make arrangements for someone 
in your department to escort Ensign Candle from the Brig to my 
Ready Room."

(reply Trei)

Lydia nodded, and headed for her Ready Room to prepare for the 
coming encounter. She had a feeling that Denise would turn out 
to be a pussy-cat compared to Basil.

(reply Trei)
(posted by Liz)

********

(USS Boudicca - Ready Room - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1010)

The door-chime sounded and the door opened to admit Ensign 
Candle, escorted by three security officers. Lydia motioned to them 
to wait outside, and waited for the door to close before she spoke.

"Well, Ensign. I think you and I need to have a talk, don't you?"

(Reply Trei, Candle, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1400)

Finally the inspection team was done with them, and to judge from 
the sour expression on the face of the officer in charge, they had 
failed to find anything more incriminating than a contraband copy 
of Jungle Passion which had somehow escaped the destruction of the 
Champlain all those years ago. The crewman concerned was even 
now being reamed by his department head, and the Boudicca had 
received her sailing orders.

"Helm, lay in a course for Starbase 47," Lydia ordered.

"Course laid in, Sir."

"Warp 7 once we leave the system. Engage!"

It would take them a week to get there, and whilst their databases 
were being updated with almost five years worth of information the 
crew would have a chance to reunite with their family members. 
Lydia had already spoken with Admiral Linden, who had agreed to 
help in any way she could to ensure that everyone who wanted to 
would get to the starbase in time. She had told Lydia about the 
Family of the Boudicca support group and promised to lend them 
any assistance she could.

(Reply ALL)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar 
– 1422)

Lorimar stood at the newly repaired warp reactor control suite, 
one hand resting lightly on a corner, the other absently cup
ping his chin, index finger twirling unnoticed through his beard. 
He was staring at the reaction chamber, with its otherworldly 
pulsing, swirling, glow without really seeing it. Still and all, the 
reassuring *thrum* of the reactor operating at a low power 
setting was comforting somehow. Like the embrace of an old 
and trusted friend.

An old and trusted friend that had killed some of his people, 
and injured a score of others.

Terrible as it was, he considered just how much worse things 
might have been.

~If the ‘Genie’ had escaped the bottle… the whole show might 
have gone up!~

He’d written his own letters of condolence to the grieving 
families, adding them to the ones that other officers and NCOs 
had composed. Somehow, it all still seemed hollow, insuf-
ficient, and surreal. Starfleet was a dangerous choice of career, 
even in these enlightened times. He thought briefly of the risk, 
wondering if those killed by the explosion had ever considered 
that they might one day make the ultimate sacrifice. Facing 
mortality, he suspected, was something that everyone eventually 
must consider. Unless of course, you were blown to bits in an 
instant so brief you had no time in which to do so.

He turned to face his office, and gazed at the immaculate bulk-
head and transparent aluminum windows therein. It had been 
cleaned, sterilized, cleaned again; and yet in his mind’s eye he 
could still see what was left of poor Charlie Smidden messily 
smeared there.

He had seen the carnage, of course, but not first hand. Rather, 
he had reviewed the visual flight recorder images, and those of 
the follow up investigation. Over and over he had watched them, 
checked and rechecked the data. Would they ever have the 
answers? How? Why? Who? He made a mental note to check with 
the security and medical departments, along with his own people 
to see where they were with the investigation.

The warp core caught his attention. The swirling, energetic, and 
strangely beautiful miasma danced and darted about in a sudden 
flurry of increased activity, which could only mean a jump in the 
demand for generated power. He listened intently without looking 
at the instrumentation, heard the distinctive sounds, and *felt* 
the warp drive and all its’ attendant subsystems cutting in. 
Evidently the Boudicca was taking to the stars once again. He 
wondered idly if the thrill he felt every time the engines engaged 
was shared by all engineers that cared for the ships which plied 
the vastness of space. Had Zefram Cochrane felt the very same 
thrill aboard Phoenix all those years ago?

(Reply Any, None)
(Posted by Russ)




==============================================
==============================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 23
Stardate:  2413.09.31
==============================================
==============================================

(SS Thockmorton, Public Passenger Area - Olivia Krolar and Rebecca
Kester - 1610)

Olivia sat by the windows, music playing in her ears.  She had her
head leaning against the window, eyes watching the stars blur by.  It
was an odd feeling, she was bored out of her mind, but excited to see
her father for the first time in nearly five years.  Sighing, she
changed the track on her music player, and pulled a PADD out of her
bag, hoping some reading would help pass the time until dinner.  It
was hard for her to really grasp that her father wouldn't have changed
from what she remembered of him, although her therapist had said what
she remembered might not be wholly accurate anymore.   She'd miss
Doctor Omarra, she had been really nice over the years, and had let
Olivia talk about anything.

She'd remembered when she first met Doctor Omarra, she'd come to 
the hotel where Olivia was staying with Nola and her mother.  Doctor
Omarra hadn't said anything at first, she'd let the Senior Chief Petty
Officer tell her and Nola's mom that the Boudicca was missing.  Olivia
hadn't really understood what he had been saying, but Nola's mom was
crying, she'd slapped the Chief, that had surprised Olivia, but the Chief 
hadn't reacted, he'd just stood there and took it without a word.  Doctor 
Omarra had taken Olivia aside and explained things better than the 
Chief had, Olivia remembered crying too.

She'd lived with Nola and Nola's mom after that.  It was a little
weird, living with Nola, but they had gotten along mostly.  And yet,
there she was, sitting alone looking out the window.  She kept
thinking she was going to wake up at any moment.  They'd searched for
a while, but eventually Doctor Omarra had told her that they had to
start thinking about accepting the fact that he wasn't going to come
back, that he was probably dead.  When she was eight, she'd buried her
Dad next to her mom on Betazed.  The same Senior Chief that told her
he was missing, and seven other enlisted men and women, carried an
empty casket.  Nola and her mother, and Doctor Omarra sat with her as
they watched.  A smartly dressed Captain, gave Olivia a Federation
flag and said he was sorry for her loss.  She cried for a long time
after that, and stayed in her room a lot, Doctor Omarra had said it
was normal, part of the grieving process, she'd told Olivia.  She'd
lost both of her parents by the age of six, she felt alone.  Somewhere
between nine and ten she began to come out of her shell, make friends,
be happy again, Doctor Omarra had been really proud of her.  Olivia
still cried sometimes, when she got lonely, or someone reminded her of
her dad, and she was pretty sure the Doctor knew about it, but she
never made a big deal about it.

Then Doctor Omarra and a Starfleet officer showed up at their door,
and told them all that the Boudicca had been found and everyone was
alive.  Olivia had cried again, but not because she was sad.  After
that everything had happened so fast, Doctor Omarra had said she was
going back to the Boudicca as soon as arrangements could be made.
Then there was the afternoon when a call was routed to Nola's house
for Olivia, and he'd been on the other end.  Her dad had started
crying almost immediately, and so had she.  And now, iby dinner time
tomorrow, she was going to be home with her dad.

The Family of the Boudicca, a support group formed by families of
those that were lost on the Boudicca, had chartered a ship from Earth
to the station the Boudicca would be stopping at.  Other shuttles had
meet up with it along the way, and slowly the ship filled with family
members that were going to see their loved ones.  The Thockmorton, 
a name she thought sounded silly, wasn't carrying all of the Boudicca
families, not by far, but it carried a good number of them.  Nola, her
mother and Olivia meet up with the ship as it passed Betazed, Olivia
had her own room on the ship, but she'd spent most of her time looking
out the windows, it was a sight she missed, but had thought for a long
time she'd never be able to bear to see again.  And so she sat, bored
and excited in near equal measure, reading magazines she'd read
before.

She didn't look up for a while, until someone tapped her on her
shoulder to get her attention.  Olivia pulled the ear phones out of
her ears and looked up to find a happy looking woman in what was
probably her late sixties standing next to her.  "I'm sorry, I didn't
hear you, Ma'am."

"Don't worry, dear, I just asked if you minded my sitting across from
you.  There are a lot of people on this ship that would rather be
alone, understandably so, and I'd hate to intrude if you're looking
for some peace and quiet."  The woman said, with a friendly smile.
"And you don't need to call me Ma'am, Rebecca works just as well," 
she said, taking a seat across from Olivia.

"My name's Olivia.  You have family on the Boudicca?"  Olivia asked,
then wanted to hit herself, of course she did, everyone except the
captain and crew of the ship had family on the Boudicca, it was a
chartered ship.

But Rebecca didn't bat an eye at Olivia's stupid question.  "Nice to
meet you Olivia, yes I do, my daughter is there.  Are you're parents
on the Boudicca?"  Rebecca asked, the pleasant smile on her face never
faltering, it was genuine, or at least Olivia thought it was.  She'd
started to come into some minor empathic abilities, but they were so
intuitive, and she had little active control over what little power
she had, that it was had to tell when he was getting a read or just
guessing.

"Just my Dad, my mom died in the War," Olivia said, she really didn't
remember her mom much, vague, slippery memories.  She had pictures 
of course, but she had only just turned four when her mom had died and
for a while before that, she'd been on a different assignment from her
dad.  Sometimes she felt guilty about forgetting her mom, but Doctor
Omarra had told her that both the guilt and the fading memories were
normal for people in her situation.

"Oh, Dear, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring something like that
up, especially considering what we all just went through."  Rebecca
said looking upset.

"It's all right, I really don't mind talking about her, helps me
remember," Olivia said with a shrug.  She stuffed her music player and
ear phones back in her bag and put her PADD down on the table in front
of her.

"Are you traveling by yourself?" Rebecca asked.

"No, with a friend from the Boudicca, she and her Mother and I were on
vacation when the ship disappeared.  "but the Friends of the Boudicca
gave me my own cabin when we signed up for the trip.  I guess they
figured every family got one, which is good, because those rooms
aren't that big."  Olivia said, pleased to talk to someone new, even
if she wouldn't admit it.

"No they aren't, that is for sure.  Even with just me and my husband,
it's a little tight, and neither of us are that big," Rebecca said
with a smile.  "But we've made it a week, we can manage one last day."

Olivia nodded.  "It was really nice of the group to get this passenger
ship for everyone, it would have taken longer if we'd had to find a
ship out from Betazed by ourselves."

Olivia enjoyed talking to Rebecca and the two continued to chat for a
few minutes before lapsing back into a comfortable silence, watching
the stars go by.  Eventually Olivia decided to return to her quarters
and get ready for dinner.  She said her goodbye to Rebecca and
collected her things with a smile.

(posted by Patrick D.)






==============================================
==============================================
Mission: Time After Time 
Day 24
Stardate:  2413.10.01
==============================================
==============================================



(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 0945)

They would be docking at Starbase 47 in fifteen minutes and the 
tension on the Bridge - in fact, throughout the ship - was palpable. 
Lydia was thankful that their journey through time had been 
almost instantaneous; if it had not been, if they had experienced 
every hour of those five years apart from their families and friends, 
she could only imagine what it would have been like. As it was, 
those who were expecting to meet their loved ones were under-
standably nervous, wondering what that meeting would be like, 
wondering what suddenly-grown children would look like, how 
everyone would react to meeting again someone they had thought 
dead.

It was a strange feeling, she thought, knowing that your family had 
believed you dead for so long, whilst for you it was only a matter of 
a few weeks or months since you'd seen them or spoken with them. 
For some people, Lydia among them, they would get to see their 
family not straight away but later that afternoon, when the SS 
Thockmorton arrived. Others, she knew from the stream of messages 
from the starbase in the last couple of days, would be met by loved 
ones already waiting there.

A skeleton crew, those who had no one meeting them and those 
whose family or friends were arriving the next day, would man the 
ship to allow the rest of them time for reunions. After that, shifts had 
been arranged to allow everyone to have as much time off as possible. 

(posted by Liz)

**********

(Starbase 47 - Gangway - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei 
- 1030)

Detron's mom and his sister came to greet him as he exited the ramp.  
Detron expected his mom and his sister to come though he felt it was 
not necessary as he was clearly alive.  Detron's mom was the first to 
embrace him and tell him how worried she was.  Detron's sister was 
the next to berate him for not informing her of his situation.  Detron 
told her there was nothing he could do.  The next thing he knew he 
was pushed ahead 6 years in the future but it only felt like 2 weeks 
time for him.  Detron could see the toll of his uncertain death on his 
mother's face and his sister as well.  His sister started to cry which 
made his mom gush.  Detron felt the heavy sadness upon him.  He 
remained stoic fighting off the tears.  A Klingon warrior doesn't cry.  
He told them about his Rite of Ascension aboard the Boudicca.  He told 
of the Chief Engineer being poked with a painstick by accident.  He told 
of the whole ordeal in as much detail as he could remember.  He told of
most recent missions with as much exciting events as he could tell.  
Detron looked at his sister in a gold starfleet uniform which would 
signify she elected to go into security.  Detron frowned slightly at this 
because of the potential she would be taking orders from him in the 
future.  Detron would rather avoid a situation like this because of the 
perceived special treatment that would come.

"It is great to see you.  I am glad you came to meet me although you 
should have had some idea that I was still alive.  I feel you sadness and 
understand what it must have been like but there is no need for sadness 
now.  You are becoming a beautiful young woman sis.  I see that you 
went into security just like your brother.  It is an honorable profession 
but be aware there will be no special treatment from me as I am chief of 
security.  Let us go to the lounge to talk."

(Reply Detron's family)
(Posted by Edward)

***********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar Family Quarters - Master Chief PO Laurence
Krolar and CPO Ashley Kester - 1100)

"Stop pacing, you're making me dizzy," Ashley said from the couch
where she was lounging reading a PADD of various scholarly papers 
that were starting to appear as the database.  "She's fine, you talked 
to her a few days ago, she was on the ship, you've checked it's dock
logs, it's maintenance reports, it's crew manifest, flight plan, and
every other piece of publicly available data, and some pieces of data
that weren't publicly available.  She's going to be just fine."

"I know, I know, I'm just..." Laurence said.

"Nervous, I know.  It's going to be ok," Ashley said with a loving smile.

Laurence sat down in the chair, and looked at the screen on the wall.
Three hours and the passenger ship would dock and Olivia would be
back.  The wait was going to kill him, he was sure of that, but having
Olivia back would make up for it.

"Did you get your parents room squared away on the station?"  
Laurence asked needing to focus on something else for the moment.

"Yep, they're all set at the hotel, should have a nice room too,"
Ashley said, sitting up.  "We'll go out to eat at one of the nicer
restaurants, all that jazz," She said with a shrug.  "You know they're
going to want meet you, right?"

"I know, just tell me when and where."  Laurence said with a smile,
even if he was a bit nervous about that as well.

Ashley smiled and lay back down on the couch to continue reading, 
and Laurence watched the clock.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca – Main Engineering – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1207)

Lorimar had just climbed down from the upper gallery of engineering to 
the main deck and was continuing his intensive examination of the warp 
reactor systems. It was, he thought, largely redundant; all this had been 
done, done again, and yet again after the incident. However, cautious 
engineers lived longer, and served aboard more efficient, safe, and pro-
ductive ships. So he continued the scans anyway, unnecessary though 
they were.

Watch standing crews had been reduced to the bare minimum allowed by 
regulations, or nearly so, in order to allow as many of the crew to visit 
their families and friends as much as they could, for as long as they could. 
Regulations mandated that a sufficient number of personnel be available 
at all times for an emergency engine start, in the unlikely event that the 
Boudicca needed to leave in a hurry, or defend herself, or even just tend 
to her own energy consumption. As it was, the ship was operating in 
external support mode, drawing the Lion’s share of her energy needs, 
structural integrity, and artificial gravity requirements from Starbase 47’s 
systems. This would be an excellent opportunity for shut down and main-
tenance of key systems. There had been so much downtime of late that all 
of that had been taken care of already. Minor repairs aside, the only work 
engineering had done of late was cleaning up after the fleet inspectors had 
left their mess behind.

Thus, Bob was doing more ‘busywork’. He was at the moment standing in 
for one of the ship’s junior engineers, in order that they might take some 
leave to be with their loved ones… which was why he was keeping himself 
occupied with the examination of the repaired systems.

No one was waiting for him. Neither Mother or Father had made the incre-
dibly long and taxing journey out to Starbase 47. Work kept them occupied, 
and he had exchanged several long messages with them both.

~Still… it might hae been nice if *someone* had come out tae meet ye 
laddie, no?~

He shook his head to clear it, and pressed on with his work.

(Reply Any, None)
(posted by Russ)

********

(USS Boudicca, Personal Quarters - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel 
- 1215)

Ayslin normally didn't spend this much time getting ready, but she
wanted to look perfect when her family arrived, she still wasn't sure
if it would be just her parents or if any of the rest would be there
too.  She looked at her hair one more time, it was pulled back into a
neat bun, letting the spots that ran down the sides of her face and
neck show.  She checked her uniform, neatly pressed, badge, rank and
shoes polished to a high gloss.  Everything was in place, and she was
ready to go.  Her family would be staying on the station, she figured
the place was pretty well booked with the number of families flocking
to see their loved ones come back, but there was room enough for most
everyone.

(posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(Starbase 47 - Shopping Quarter - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1222)

She'd been kicked off the ship. The first officer had come onto the bridge,
looked at her with furrowed brow and said something about 'You're still
here?' Denise hadn't really been listening, she'd been trying to memorize
the power relays for the ship. It was about then when her console turned off
and a very large ex-counsellor told her that she was on forced leave for the
day.

Denise had invited Bob along, but as with many of her invitations and
communications it went unanswered. She decided to put in an engineering
request to look into the communications for the Chief Engineer's terminal.
While software was Ops, hardware was Engineering. The software said they
were getting there, but she wasn't going to invade Bob's privacy to see if
they were being read or not.

~Let's face it, your romance with the chief engineer is dead in the water.
Didn't even make it out of dock. Best to forget him and move on. Obviously,
I misread the whole thing.~ Yet, when the boisterous group of security
officers invited her out for a bar crawl she passed. She didn't feel much
like drinking.

So, she'd gone shopping. She was staring at a dark earth-tone red shirt in
mandarin style and thinking how much it would flatter Cy. Well, more staring
through it while her mind whirled in patterns and didn't really get
anywhere.

"LIEUTENANT! Salute superior officer on deck!" a forceful female voice
barked.

Denise's head whipped around and a big grin crossed her face. "AUNT GINNY!"
she cried and ran to hug the older woman tightly.

"GAH!" The woman said and mock tried to pry her neice off her before
returning the hug.

"What're you doing here??" Denise asked. She hadn't expected to see any
family. The Lebranskis were fleet and had been fleet since launch. They'd
had an engineer on the original Enterprise. They all knew the risks of space
travel, that people disappeared and sometimes they reappeared and sometimes
they didn't. There'd be a hell of a party when she got back to Earth, but
until then it was business as usual. "Still on the Cats Paw?"

Her aunt had a few more grey hairs, and a bit more padding around the
middle, but Captain Ginivere Lebranski otherwise looked the same as the last
time Denise had seen her; seven years ago solar time. She was in charge of a
marine transport and changed between a red command uniform and a green
marine as the mood struck her. Today she was in green. "Two things, one, to
see my favourite niece, and two, to return something to her."

Denise cocked her head, confused, "I'm not your favourite niece, you play us
all off each other equally."

Ginny snorted, it was true and she wasn't going to deny it. She looped her
arm through Denise's and led her away from the shops. She pulled out a disc
like object. It looked like someone had flattened a Borg sphere. She handed
it over to Denise.

Denise took it, puzzled as she strolled alongside her aunt, ignoring the
looks they were getting. 

"Oh come on, it's only been a few weeks for *you*." She took the disc back
and pressed the middle of both the top and bottom, which caused it to
inflate back into a familiar sphere; if a little battered.

"HIYA'S BOSS LADY!" the sphere announced with that enthusiastic Spanish
accent as the holo-marine Jose Rameriz appeared around it.

"Oh God." Denise blinked. They'd left him behind on the station. *SHE'D*
left him behind on the station. Some boss SHE was!

"Requestin' permission to comes back aboard? You's needs a good marine!" He
said cheerfully. "I's a bit battered, my battery life sucks, but I figures
Chief Lorimar can fixes me right up!"

"Uh. Permission granted." She muttered, not that she thought Rameriz
*really* wanted or needed permission. 

Rameriz disappeared and the lights on the sphere turned themselves off. She
detoured her aunt to a mail transportation unit and punched in her security
codes with voice print and had the sphere transported to Bob's desk. That'd
teach him for not answering her messages.

"He's the last one, you know." Ginny said after the sphere disappeared in a
shimmer of light.

"Huh?" Denise asked, brilliantly.

"The last of the holo-marines. The rest were discontinued when the Spectre's
murdered the flesh and blood Rameriz. They were considered too unstable for
safety, but yours passed psych evals with flying colours. He has a tendancy
to mope and whine, but otherwise he's a fine marine."

"Holo-Rameriz murdered flesh and blood Rameriz? Gah." Denise said with a
shudder. She remembered something about that, but it hadn't seemed important
at the time. "Speaking of marines, where are your lot?"

Ginny waved her free hand negligibly, "Oh, I released them to the station,
said not to break anything important and to be back by 0630 tomorrow
morning." She smiled down on Denise, "And you're going to show me around
your ship."

"I was kicked off for the day," Denise protested.

"By your Captain?" Ginny asked, eyebrows raised.

"No, the first officer."

"Then I outrank her and countermand the order." Her aunt tugged her towards
the lifts.

Boy, there was a clash of personalities Denise hoped never happened - she
wasn't quite sure who'd win between Dorga and her Aunt. Knowing her luck
they'd just get along perfectly and both turn on her.

(posted by Lorna)

*********

(Star Base 47, Dock 3 - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and Family 
- 1300)

Ayslin hugged her parents as they came off the shuttle from the Trill
Science vessel that had given them a lift.  She wasn't sure how they
managed to get a lift on a government science ship, but she wasn't
about to question good luck.  Little Ayslin his behind Laric's legs as
Mallia embraced Ayslin.

"It's been too long," Mallia told her old friend.  "Much too long.
Nearly six years."

"It's only been about a year for me, I talked to dad on the comm line
about a month ago.  It's so odd being so out of sync."  Ayslin then
turned and crouched down and smiled at her niece.  "Hello there, I
hear we have the same name."

Little Ayslin nodded from behind her father's legs.  "Are you really my 
Aunt?"

"I am, I'm sorry we've never met before, but I'm very happy you could
come,"  Ayslin said quietly and as non-threateningly as she could.
Ayslin knew it must be hard for a four year old to grasp that Ayslin
really was her aunt.

Laric knelt down next to his daughter and put his arm around her
shoulder.  "You're Aunt has been very far away," he said, not going
into the concept of time travel with her, something best left for
decades into the future.  "But she's back now.  Star Fleet found her
and brought her back," Laric said with a fatherly smile.

Little Ayslin came out from behind her father, and looked Ayslin over
from top to bottom as if she was making sure she was real then moved
forward and gave her crouching aunt a tentative hug.  Ayslin hugged
her back, and then let her go, perfectly willing to let things move at
her niece's pace.

Ayslin stood up and smiled at her family.  "It's good to have you all
here.  I missed you a lot," she said.

Her family walked quietly with her, as then found their hotel, it was
good to have family around, Ayslin decided, she hoped they could 
stay for a while.

(Reply None/any)
(posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1300)

Detron went to his office to authorize the tour of the ship for his 
family.  Regulation stated that all officers had to clear security 
before giving their family a tour of the ship.  Detron did this even 
though he was chief of the department.  He cleared any others to 
tour the ship at this time.  His mother and sister walked into his 
office to check it out and were impressed with the Klingon artifacts.  
There were connections to Betazed there as well.  Detron suggested 
they go to the ship lounge QV for some lunch.  Mindia his sister was 
delighted to see such a place.  Rowaina his mother was less than 
excited to have lunch at a bar.  Detron reassured her that QV was a 
lovely place and the manager was a lovely person named Ariana.  
She has a great heart.  Convinced of that they made their way to QV.  
They entered QV and took a seat at the bar.  Detron ordered Earl 
Gray for himself and his mother.  He ordered that wonderful juice for 
Mindia and a large bowl of those beetles.

(Reply Ariana)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Qulaetha Vorenda - SPC Bar Manager, Arania - 
Day 24- 1301)

The place was pretty quiet due to so many of the crew being on the 
station meeting their family and friends or showing them around.  
Arania had let her staff go, so there was only Cy and her on duty as 
neither of them had any family to care about whether they were 
alive or dead.  She was sure that they'd manage just fine between 
the two of them and they'd made plans to go and explore the star-
base when they had some time off, though really Arania would still 
be working as she was planning on finding some fresh supplies for 
her 'pantry'.

She was making a list on a PADD of basic items she was running low 
on when Detron Trei walked in with two females.  Right away she 
could tell that they were related, there was a strong family resemb-
lance so she guessed that the older woman was his mother and the 
younger was most likely a sister.

The trio took seats at the bar and Arania greeted them cordially with
 a big welcoming smile.  Detron ordered Earl Gray for himself and his 
mother, some Tuslat juice for the younger female and a large bowl of 
Karoba beetles which Arania promptly produced from the kitchen.  
She always had the beetles available knowing how fond Detron was of 
them, plus of course she enjoyed snacking on them now and again 
during her work day.  They were high in protein and great for giving a 
person some energy when it was flagging.

"My hope is that you enjoy your visit and the humble fare provided."  
She told them as she placed the items on the counter.


(Reply Trei, any)
(Posted by Sal) 

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei 
- 1305)

Detron saw Ariana serve his family the drinks and the beetles.  
Detron noticed how quiet it was.  He introduced his family to 
Ariana.

"Ariana meet my mother Rowaina and my sister Mindia.  What 
do you recommend for lunch for those visiting from Betazed.?"

Detron told his family about QV and the parties held there 
including his Rite of Ascension celebration.  Detron told his family 
of how great a friend Ariana was.  Detron went over to her and 
gave her a big bear hug squeezing her tight.  Detron took his seat 
again.

(Reply Ariana)
(Posted by Edward)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - SPC Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1306)

Detron introduced his family to Ariana as she served them with their 
drinks and appetizer.

"Ariana meet my mother Rowaina and my sister Mindia.  What do you 
recommend for lunch for those visiting from Betazed.?"

Arania gave her little bow to each of Detron's women folk and told them 
she was most pleased to make their acquaintance, and then she handed 
each of them a lunch menu.

"Recommend the special for today, I do."  She informed them and 
beamed at them, "is why it is special, no?  It is most delicious, Muhtrot 
braised in dark Rosha gravy with oven baked Sulas and steamed carrots, 
followed by steamed Muushan pudding or a platter of various fruits, 
Bahdret cheese and crackers."

(reply family)

Detron told his Mother and Sister about QV and the parties held there 
including his Rite of Ascension celebration.  He told them how great a 
friend Arania was, bringing a flush of embarrassment to Arania's cheeks.  
He left his seat and came over to her to give her a big bear hug 
squeezing her tight and causing her to giggle and kiss his cheek, and 
then he sat down again.  She thought he was very sweet.

With another little bow, Arania left the trio to fetch their chosen meals.

(Reply Trei, any)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1310)

Detron heard the special from Ariana and nodded to his family that it 
was a good choice.  Detron told his mom and sister that anything really 
was a good choice.

"That will be great for all of us.  Instead of the pudding, the mixed fruits 
would be wonderful almost like on Betazed.  After lunch I will show you 
the Rite of Ascention program in Holodeck 1."

(Reply Ariana)
(Posted by Edward)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1311)

After Arania told them what the special was for the day and gave them 
menus to look at, Detron told his family that anything really was a good 
choice, which was true of course and Arania flashed him a smile of appre-
ciation.  He told her they would have the mixed fruits instead of the 
pudding and as she turned away to fetch their meals she heard him tell 
his Mother and Sister that he would show them his Rite of Ascension 
program.

Arania remembered Detron's Rite of Ascension very, very well *and* 
the trouble young Parami had caused by using a pain stick on poor Bob 
Lorimar.  She knew that the boy hadn't meant to hurt Bob and he 
certainly had been very contrite and remorseful about what he'd done, 
and fortunately the doctor had fixed Bob up as good as new afterwards.  
She was sure that Dorga's son had learned a hard lesson that day.  
Thinking about this reminded Arania that she hadn't seen Bob for quite 
a while.

~ Check on him I must. ~  She thought, vowing that she would do so 
very soon, when she left work.

She busied herself preparing the three meals and was soon serving them 
up to Detron and his family, after which she refreshed their drinks and then 
politely excused herself to do some prep work in the kitchen.

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Sal) 

***********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1313)

Bob had eventually realized what was bothering him. He was *hungry*, 
having spent the entire morning in engineering, sustaining himself only 
with several cups of replicated coffee. That would simply not do, so he 
had secured a relief and headed for QV.

The place was busy, as he would expect at this time of day. He saw 
several crew that he recognized, and quite a few civilians as well. Family 
members and friends, he presumed.

Prominent among them were his friend Detron and what he presumed 
were either two of his family or perhaps close friends. He waved a greeting 
in their direction, and started that way. He very nearly bumped into Arania 
on the way, as she was headed in the direction of the kitchen at a quick 
pace. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her in a huge hug, 
and beamed a glowing smile at her.

“Arania mah friend… how are ye keeping?”

(Reply Trei, Arania, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

********

(USS Boudicca – QV – Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 – 1314)

Arania had served Detron and his family and was on her way back to the 
kitchen to do some prep work as the place was beginning to get busy, as 
more and more of the crew were bringing family and friends in to show 
off Qulaetha Vorenda, when somebody wrapped their arms around her and 
gave her a big, affectionate hug.

She eeped with surprise and looked up to see  the bright, glowing smile 
of her dearest friends, the one she'd only just finished thinking about.

“Arania mah friend… how are ye keeping?”

Wrapping her arms around his neck she gave him a small squeal of delight 
and soundly kissed his lips.

"BOB!!  Just now I was thinking of you and HERE you are!!   I am well, 
how fare you my dearest friend?"  She asked, her smile as bright and 
beaming as his was.

(Reply Lorimar, Trei, Any)
(Posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1318)

Bob had exchanged friendly greetings with Arania, after which she had 
steered him over to an out of the way corner table. 

“Care tae join me for a bit of lunch, Arania? Ah’m famished!”

(Reply Arania)

He gave her his order, the very barbaric but oh so delightfully filling 
steak sandwich with mushrooms along with some onion rings and a glass 
of milk.

When she at length joined him at the table, he reached across and 
squeezed her hand gently. “How are ye holding up Arania? A wee bird 
tells me ye are working far harder than ye should be. Far be it from me 
tae stick my nose in someone else’s business but *are* ye pushing yersel’ 
as hard as ah hear?”

~An’ some friend ye are! Having tae take the word of someone else aboot 
yer friend’s well being!~

(Reply Arania, Room for more)

Bob nodded thoughtfully as he listened to her response. “Forgie me lassie… 
but ah’m worried about ye. Please take care of yerself, alright? Pushing if 
ye hae tae is one thing… but if ye are pushing just tae stay busy…”

~Fine bloody advice ye gie… when ye are doin’ the verra same thing!~

(Reply Arania iyw, again room for more)

As he was listening to Arania he noted his friend Denise coming in, along 
with someone that was wearing a Captain’s uniform.

~Does she hae a relative that is a Captain? Ah dinnae recall her mentioning
… Och. Are ye that bleedin’ tuned out? Fool!!~

He wanted to go and say hi, but he wished neither to intrude nor abandon 
Arania…

What to do?

(Reply Any)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca – QV – Bar Manager, Arania – Day 24 - 1319)

Bob reached across the table, squeezed her hand gently and asked how she 
was. He told her a wee bird told him she was working far harder than she 
should be, and asked if she was pushing herself as hard as he heard she 
was.

~ A wee bird? ~ Arania wondered who the bird was and why the bird was 
talking to Bob about her. ~ If I find the bird the wings I will clip! ~

She certainly had her suspicions and fixed Cy with a glare that would 
have turned him to salt had she the power to do so. Cy had spoken to her 
a few times about the hours she put in at the lounge. Fortunately Cy was 
too busy to notice.

"Hmph! It is sure I am, that the *bird* is thinking that it is for my 
good that a discussion about me with you was undertaken. However be 
assured that working hard is good for me and also there is *nothing* for 
which I wish to be spending much time in quarters."

She snapped the napkin open and laid it on her lap, her lips thinned 
with annoyance. "Factually, considering to ask for new quarters I am... 
less large for I do not wish to remember the married times in the 
present quarters anymore. Then perhaps I will desire to leave here more."

(Reply Bob, Room for more)

Bob nodded thoughtfully as he listened to her response. “Forgie me 
lassie… but ah’m worried about ye. Please take care of yerself, alright? 
Pushing if ye hae tae is one thing… but if ye are pushing just tae stay 
busy…”

She patted his hand gently. "My gratitude to you for caring, and I am 
certain the bird also cares much, but be assured return to quarters I 
do, when it is necessary for rest."

(Reply Bob iyw, again room for more)

Excusing herself in order to fetch their lunches, Arania left the table 
and headed towards the kitchen but on the way Denise Lebranski accosted 
her and introduced her to her Aunt Ginny. As they also wanted something 
to eat, Arania prepared their orders as well as Bob's and her own, 
served Denise and Ginny first and then returned to the corner table 
where Bob was waiting, with their meals.

Having set Bob's steak sandwich with mushrooms and a side of onion rings 
before him together with his large glass of milk, Arania sat down across 
from him with her green salad and grilled Rashut fish. Her drink of 
choice was also milk... Bahdrat milk.

Giving Bob a long look, fork poised before her mouth she couldn't help 
herself, she had to ask.

"Thought I did, that you and Denise were going to be a couple, mistaken 
I must have been, no?"

She popped the succulent pink fish into her mouth and chewed it 
thoughtfully.

(Reply Lorimar, Any)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca – QV – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1321) 
 
Bob was taken aback, never had he seen hints of Arania’s dark side 
before.  Clearly he had hit a sore spot, metaphorically speaking. The 
last thing he had wanted to do was anger her. 
 
She went on, snapping her napkin into her lap in a near display of 
physical violence. He could see that she was clearly annoyed, as she 
went on. 
 
"Factually, considering to ask for new quarters I am... less large for I 
do not wish to remember the married times in the present quarters 
anymore. Then perhaps I will desire to leave here more." 
 
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, grateful to have both an opening and 
something to possibly distract her from her anger. 
 
“Lassie, ye dinnae need tae move, unless ye really wish tae. Ah’m sure 
that either myself or one of the other engineering types could help ye 
redecorate. Ah daresay we could make your home look so different that 
even yer wee *bahdret* would nae recognize it.” 
 
(Reply Arania, room for more) 
 
They talked about it for a time then she reached across the table and 
squeezed his hand, reassuring him that she was in fact (at least in her 
mind) doing just fine. 
 
~A brave face she puts on the loss of her husband indeed… but ah still 
cannae unnerstand a man like Matthew – the man ah thought he was 
anyway – leaving her so abruptly!~ 
 
She excused herself to get their lunches, and he was pleased that she 
did. It gave him a moment to collect his thoughts… and to recall just how 
hungry he was. 
 
He was happy to see her return, both for the company and the meal. 
 
He thanked her and then politely waited until she began to eat, then he 
went after his plate with scarcely contained gusto. He had just selected 
an especially good looking onion ring and popped it in his mouth when 
she posed a question. 
 
"Thought I did, that you and Denise were going to be a couple, mistaken 
I must have been, no?" 
 
If decorum had permitted it, he would have spit the onion ring back on his 
plate. As it was, he very nearly choked on it. Struggling and red-faced, he 
managed to get it down. Coughing several times, he then took a sip of his 
milk and tried to regain his composure.

He looked at Arania with a mixture of surprise, embarrassment, and some 
other feelings he didn’t quite understand.

When he was certain he wasn’t *actually* going to choke, he found his 
voice. “Errmm… couple? Us? What made… ummm… what made ye think 
that? Friends we are, as ye might say… we were supposed tae go tae dinner 
the night of Detron’s right of ascension, but ah screwed that up, ah fear.”

He paused a beat, thinking fast, and suddenly he recalled some things that 
he had overlooked, and certain other things became much more clear.

“Do ye mean tae say that ye think she is *interested* in me… other than 
as a friend ah mean?”

(Reply Arania, Any, Room for more)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski - 1322)

She spotted Trei with his family at the bar and gave him a rueful smile as
she led her aunt into the room. Ginny had removed her four pips about
halfway through the tour, getting sick and tired of being saluted at every
turn. She couldn't do anything about the rank marks on her sleeves, but the
majority of the skeletal crew didn't see them. Denise was fairly sure the
sharp eyed security chief would.

She stopped at the bar with the shopping bag, she'd dragged her Aunt back to
pick it up for Cy. She gave Arania a smile, "Hi Arania, can you pass this on
to Cy for me, please?"

(Reply Arania)

"This is my Aunt Ginivere Lebranski, she's Captain over on the Cat's Paw."
Denise introduced her, "And this is Arania, bartender, soul healer and
musician." She continued.

(Reply Arania)

"My friends call me Ginny, my enemies call me something a lady like myself
never understood." Ginny replied, Denise rolled her eyes at the tired old
humour she'd heard a thousand times.

(Reply Arania)

They took a seat at one of the tables, "So, this Cy the boyfriend?"

Denise managed not to spit her coffee over her aunt and instead settled for
half-choking and managing to swallow it. She looked up to very amused green
eyes dancing. "No. Cy is my best friend and not just because we have similar
taste in men."

"Shucks. And here I was hoping to take him out and show him what an elder
Lebranski is capable of."

"Send him Shawn." Denise muttered. "If you can pry him away from his horses
long enough."

"Now, now." Ginny said with practiced ease. Cousin Shawn hadn't been
forgiven for skipping Denise's 16th debutante for a horse show.. even all
these years later. Family prerogative to have silly arguments that lasted
forever and didn't really do much but create entertainment between the
non-involved. "So who's the boyfriend? Your mother wanted me to check him
out." Ginny continued ruthlessly.

Denise groaned, "No boyfriend. I totally misread the play. He's been hiding
since."

"Oh well, regather and regroup. Always a new target." She turned to accept a
plate from Arania, "Oh, now this smells heavenly, thank you!"

"Well, there is this cute scientist.." Denise said, hoping to distract her
aunt from tactical analysis of her failed dating life.

"We haven't had a scientist in a while, think he'd survive a family
gathering?" Ginny asked attacking fork to food.

"I'm not sure *I* survive the family gatherings!" Denise protested.. and
tried to picture Maxon facing off against a houseful of Lebranskis and their
satellite members. She had an image of the triplets dragging him into the
hall closet and him never being heard from again.

Ginny snickered and the two focused on food for a while. "How come you never
went into security?" Her aunt asked, eyeing Trei at the bar.

She hoped they were out of range of Trei's hearing, she'd probably never
hear the end of it otherwise. "I don't like hurting people." She replied
honestly, twirling noodles around fork. "I'm better at organization anyway."

"Your tac scores were top rated, don't give me that nonsense." Ginny didn't
quite snap. "But I can understand not wanting to go looking for trouble.
Heck, though, I'd have sponsored you to the corps!"

In a marine's world, the corps was better than security. Denise privately
thought security was a much harder job. Marines just had to blow stuff up
and try to live through it, security had to protect innocents, investigate,
prevent, prepare as well as blow stuff up. "Thanks, but green does lousy
things to my skin tone."

Ginny, possessing the same fair skin, kicked her niece.

"Ow!" Denise protested.

"Hmph. Skin tone indeed." The elder Lebranski muttered. 

The two devolved into family gossip from there. Once plates were emptied,
coffee mugs refilled several times and emptied once more, Ginny stood. 
"More than time for me to get out of your hair and let you go find a party 
or two." She waited for Denise to stand and gave her a strong hug, "Find
trouble and drag him back to your quarters by the hair!" 

Denise gave her aunt a kiss on the cheek and released her, "You too. Or
would that force you to settle down to just one?"

Ginny laughed, "I'm down to three, God can't ask more than that!" She turned
with a wave to the bar and strode off to the doors. Denise supposed security
wise she should escort her aunt off the ship, but Captain Lebranski had
higher clearances than she did and didn't seem to want to be escorted
anyway.

Instead, the younger Lebranski woman sat back down and ordered a piece of
chocolate cake. 

(Reply any/all)
(Posted by Lorna)

***********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Bar Manager, Arania & CIV Cy Tudor - Day 24 
- 1323)

Arania had spent some time talking with Bob Lorimar at one of the corner 
tables furthest away from the bar.  He had come to get some dinner as well 
as meet with her for a while and she had extracted from him, what he'd like
to eat and was just on her way past the bar to the kitchen when she spotted 
Denise Lebranski.  She gave a little wave and smiled at her.

"Hi Arania, can you pass this on to Cy for me, please?"  Denise said, handing 
her a shopping bag.

"Assuredly."  Arania declared, naturally curious about what was inside.  "Is it 
a gift?"  She asked, only just noticing an older woman with the insignia of a 
captain on her uniform.  She eyed the woman curiously, noting a slight 
resemblance to Denise in the woman's features.  ~ Family probably.~  It 
seemed that practically everyone aboard had at least one family member to 
be with.

(Reply Denise)

"This is my Aunt Ginivere Lebranski, she's Captain over on the Cat's Paw." 
Denise introduced the stranger, "And this is Arania, bartender, soul healer 
and musician." She continued.

Arania gave the elder a warm smile and bowed her head respectfully.  "Is a 
pleasure to make your acquaintance, most esteemed Captain."  She stated.

(Reply Capt. Lebranski, any)

"My friends call me Ginny, my enemies call me something a lady like myself
never understood." Ginny replied causing Denise to roll her eyes; an action 
that Arania found very disrespectful.  On Iradon children were brought up to 
respect their elders whether the elder deserved it or not as every elder had 
something they could teach the young, and knowledge and learning were 
highly regarded.

"Suppose then, that I must call you Ginny as an enemy of yours, I am not."  
Arania stated logically.  "Do you wish some food and drink?"

(reply Ginny, Denise)

Arania watched as the pair walked to a nearby table and sat down before she 
continued on into the kitchen where Cy was busy getting a couple of orders 
together on one massive tray.  She placed the shopping bag on a side counter 
and told Cy that it was from Denise.

"Okay, thanks Arania."  Cy replied, blowing her a kiss with his lips, "I'll take a 
look at it later when it's quietened down...that's if it ever does quieten down!"

He picked up the large tray and carried it out to the dining area with an ease 
and flourish born of much experience and a knack for the dramatic, giving 
Denise a nod and soundless 'thank you' as he passed the table where she was 
sitting with an older woman.

Soon after, Arania came out of the kitchen again, and as Denise and Ginny 
were closest to the kitchen she served them their food and drinks first before 
taking Bob's over to him, where she sat down to enjoy her own meal in his 
company, that she'd brought.

Giving him a long look, fork poised before her mouth she couldn't help herself, 
she had to say.

"Thought I did, that you and Denise were going to be a couple, mistaken I must 
have been, no?"

(Reply Lebranskis, Lorimar, any/all)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski  - Day 24 -1325)

"Assuredly."  Arania declared, naturally curious about what was inside.  
"Is it a gift?"  She asked. She gave Ginny a curious look over.

"A shirt I thought would bring out his eyes." Denise said with a grin. Cy
was a much better clothes picker than her, she could only hope she'd managed
this one well.

(Reply Arania)

"This is my Aunt Ginivere Lebranski, she's Captain over on the Cat's 
Paw." Denise introduced the stranger, "And this is Arania, bartender, 
soul healer and musician." She continued.

"Arania gave the elder a warm smile and bowed her head respectfully.  "Is 
a pleasure to make your acquaintance, most esteemed Captain."  She stated.

"Not all that esteemed," Ginny said with a wry smile, "My friends call me
Ginny, my enemies call me something a lady like myself never understood."
Ginny replied causing Denise to roll her eyes.

"Suppose then, that I must call you Ginny as an enemy of yours, I am 
not."  Arania stated logically.  "Do you wish some food and drink?"

"Yes please." Denise said, "I would love a second serving of that mr'trr
alfredo you had the other night, with my usual mug of coffee."

(Reply Arania, iyw)

"I'll take some spaghetti bolinaise if you have it, anything resembling if
you don't. Coffee's good with me too." Ginny ordered.

(Reply Arania, any)
(posted by Lorna)

*********




(USS Boudicca - QV - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski  - Day 24 -1357)

She was more playing with her chocolate cake than eating it. She'd spotted
Bob off in the corner with Arania and wondered how long he'd been there.
Then she'd debating going over to say hi, but he'd seemed to be having a
serious conversation with the bar manager. She knew they were long time, and
close, friends. The longer she sat there, the more she had a nagging feeling
she should go over there. But she didn't want to intrude, she didn't want to
make a fool of herself even more if that's when she'd been doing for the
last few months.

~Face it Lebranski, the man has never even tried to kiss you. There's
gentleman and slow movers - but that's ridiculous.~ She sighed and took a
bite of the cake. ~He offered friendship and you tried to grab more. Thank
GOD the only people I told were Dorga, Cy and Bob himself. They'd never
babble. So I haven't made a public ass of myself.~

She stood up, giving up on the cake. She saw Cy rushing between tables some
more, "I'm going to head back to the station before Dorga catches me
aboard.. Join me later if you ever get off shift." She teased. Normally it
was him saying that to her!

(Reply Cy, any)

Denise gave a wave to Bob and Arania, deciding that was the nice middle
ground and decided it was time to go find a very loud club with lots of
alcohol.

(Reply any)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - CIV Cy Tudor - Day 24 - 1358)

Cy was the only one working as Arania seemed to be in a deep heart-
to-heart conversation with Bob Lorimar but he didn't mind, he liked to 
keep busy as it made the time go by fast AND he was hoping that Bob 
was persuading the Boss Lady not to spend so much time at work and 
rest more often.

He was just rushing from serving one table to go to another to take 
their orders when Denise told him she was headed back to the station 
before the FO caught her aboard, and for him to see her later if he ever 
got off shift.  He'd have liked to find out why the commander wouldn't 
like seeing Denise aboard but he was far too busy to talk and Denise 
didn't linger.

"Sure I will, if I do!"  He told her hurriedly with a smile as he walked 
by and saw her wave at Arania and Bob.  ~ So she knew he was there, 
I wonder why she never went to join them?  Hmmmm...Probably saw 
they were deep in conversation, didn't want to butt in. ~  He answered 
himself as he reached the twosome at the table who were waiting to 
give their order.

~ Butt in?  Since when would that stop Denise Lebranski!! ~

He gave an Arania bow to the couple at the table and a big smile.

"Sir...Madam, welcome to Qulaetha Vorenda and what can I get for you 
today?"

(Reply any, none)
(Posted by Sal)

********

(USS Boudicca - Holodeck 1 - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei 
- 1400)

Detron led Rowina and Mindia to Holodeck 1 and told them to stand 
away from the door..  Detron told the computer to run Rite of 
Ascension program.  The computer processed the order and told 
Detron the program was ready.  Detron stood at the door and told 
the computer run program.  Detron entered the scene followed by 
Rowina and Mindia.  Rowina was very impressed with the program 
while Mindia seemed afraid of the holo warriors standing on the 
platform.  Detron assured Mindia that the warriors were voice activ-
ated and should not be active at the moment.  Detron asked if the 
computer remembered the ceremony to be played back.  After getting 
the confirmed response, Detron told the computer to run play back.  
Rowina and Mindia winced every time Detron was hit by a pain stick.  
The last station really made Rowina scared for Detron's life.  Mindia 
was also greatly concerned for her brother.  When Detron regained a 
standing position, Rowina wanted to give Detron a hug for comfort.  
Mindia did the same and Detron spread his arms to accept the comfort.  
Detron stopped the playback for good reason to prevent them seeing 
young Parami jab Bob with the pain stick.  They didn't need to see that 
and were better off not  seeing it.  Detron told the computer to end pro-
gram and called for the arch.  They left the holodeck enhanced by the 
experience.

(Reply None)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(Star Base 47, Gangway - Olivia Krolar and MCPO Laurence Krolar and
CPO Ashley Kester - 1415)

Olivia waited for the gang way to open, they were letting anyone with
children under 12 go first to avoid what would have obviously turned
into a nightmare of confusion if everyone was let off the ship first.
Olivia wasn't going to argue, she was ready to go, and she wanted to
see her dad.  Her boredom had been replaced by nervousness, and she
had a flock of butterflies in her stomach, she wasn't really sure why,
it was her dad she was seeing, not some stranger.

She'd gotten dressed up, she wanted to look nice when she saw her dad.
 She'd found an outfit, a dress, not a real fancy one, but one that
she thought her dad would like, she'd made sure it was light green,
her dad's favorite color.  Nola had helped her braid her hair into a
long French braid.  Nola's mom told her she didn't need to dress up,
that her dad wouldn't care so long as she was there, but Olivia felt
like she needed to look nice.

She waited and waited for what seemed like hours, but finally they
opened the hatchway at the end of the gang plank, and Olivia, and Nola
and her mom and a number of other families, walked down the plank
towards the station.  One of the crew members was at the end of the
gang way with a PADD checking of names, and telling them that once
they'd found their families, to keep moving so everyone else could get
off the ship too.  Olivia gave her name and walked out onto the
docking area.

She didn't need to look around for more than half a heart beat.  Ten
feet away, her dad was standing a huge grin on his face.  "Daddy!" she
yell, and took of running as fast as her legs would carry her.  She
leaped into his armed and he caught her and spun her around.  "Daddy,
I made it," she said, her arms wrapped around his neck, her face
buried in his shoulder.

Finally he put her down, "I never doubted you for a second, sweet
heart.  I love you."  Laurence smiled at his daughter.  "Was your trip
ok?"

"It was boring, there wasn't a whole lot to to, but it was nice to see
the stars again."  Olivia said with a small smile.

Laurence stepped back and looked at Olivia.  "Good lord, you got
tall," Laurence said with a smile, "but it suits you, even if a month
ago you could ride on my shoulders."  It hadn't escaped Laurence's
attention that Olivia was dressed up beyond what was strictly
necessary, but before he could say anything, Ashley walked up next to
him, an ear to ear grin on her face.

"That's a beautiful dress, Cadet,"  Ashley said.

"Ashley!"  Olivia yelled and the two hugged.  "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Kiddo."

"It is a very nice dress, Olivia, you didn't get dressed up just for
me, did you?  You know you didn't need to do that."  Laurence said,
taking his daughter's hand, and leading her off to the side, Ashley
trailing behind the two.

"I haven't seen you in so long, I wanted to look nice," Olivia said,
looking down at her feet, thinking she'd upset her dad.

Laurence put a hand under her chin and lifted her face up to look at
him.  "You look beautiful, and I appreciate you thinking about me.
I'm just saying that I didn't expect you to dress up, it was a nice
surprise."

Olivia smiled again, and Laurence leaned down and kissed the top of
her head.  "We should get going, Daddy, they said we needed to keep
the area clear so everyone else can get off the ship."

"Well then we'll get your bags and head back to the Boudicca.  Did you
bring much stuff?"  Laurence asked.

"No, just a little, a couple of trunks are being shipped slow, as we
didn't have room on the charter, but I don't need anything right away.
 I remember the rules for living on a ship," Olivia said proudly,
taking Laurence's hand.  The two started following the line on the
wall towards baggage claim, but Olivia slowed up when she noticed
Ashley wasn't following.  "Aren't you coming Ashley?"

"Sorry, Kiddo, Gotta meet my folks, they were on the ship with you,
they're getting off towards the end of the group," Ashley said leaning
up against the wall.  "Don't worry, you and you're dad have a lot of
catching up to do, I'll see you later or tomorrow.  Don't worry,
you'll be sick of me soon enough," she said with a wink and smile.
"Now get, you've got five years to catch up on, go do it."

Olivia smiled at Ashley and after a moment's hesitation waved.  Ashley
waved back, and Olivia looked up at Laurence.  "Is my room really as
bad as I think I remember it is?"

Laurence laughed, the first good laugh he'd had in nearly a month,
"You're going to want to move things around, and probably put a new
shade on the walls.  Don't worry, we're going to be here for a while,
and there's plenty of places to get new stuff for your room," Laurence
said.  "It's good to have you back," he said, giving her hand a
squeeze.

"It's good to be home, Daddy," Olivia said, a smile on her face as she
walked next to her father for the first time in years.  It really was
good to be home.

(Reply None/any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(Starbase 47 - Gangway - Boudicca CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1425)

Lydia craned her neck, trying to see through the crowds of people 
waiting, some already embracing children and partners. She thought 
she caught sight of MCPO Krolar, one of the Engineering crew, swinging 
a girl up into his arms, but in the crowd she couldn't be sure. Naturally 
families with children were allowed off first, and all around her there 
were reunions, mostly tearful but, Lydia was sure, they were happy 
tears.

She found herself almost holding her breath, waiting for the adults to 
come off. She wondered what they would say to one another when she 
finally did meet up with Archibald (Bill and Esme were arriving on the 
USS Billericay the next day) as the crowd surged around her, people 
trying to push their way in one direction or another to meet up. 
Suddenly she caught sight of him, looking around the crowd in search 
of her. His hair looked greyer than she remembered and his face was 
thin, too thin, and then he caught sight of her too and began making 
his way towards her. Lydia moved forwards too, losing sight of him as 
a group of three or four people, arms around one another, surged across 
her line of vision laughing and chattering. And then they were gone and 
he was there in front of her.

"Hello, old girl," he said quietly, and then she almost couldn't breathe, 
he was holding her so tight.

Sometimes words just get in the way.

(Reply any, none)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca, Science Labs - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and 
family - 1430)

After the tour of the ship, Ayslin's parents had decided to go back to
the station and settle into their rooms.  Ayslin knew they were
getting older, and didn't blame them for wanting to sit down for a
while after the long trip.  Laric, Mallia and little Ayslin stayed
with Ayslin to sit and talk in her office.  Tanna was happily keeping
Ayslin's niece occupied in the Lab while Ayslin talked to her Brother
and sister in law.

"How are mom and dad doing?"  Ayslin asked, her voice tinged with a
hint of concern.

"They're slowing down, but I think they're still ok for the most
part," Laric said with a shrug Ayslin recognized as him not wanting to
talk about something.  "Remember, they're five years older than you
remember, even if they look good for their age."

"I know, it's just really hard to remember just how much happens in
five years.  I keep expecting everyone to be exactly the same, just
five years older... It's just really weird." Ayslin said.  "So, how's
the whole parenting thing going, she seems like a good kid."

"She is," Mallia said with a loving smile.  "I just wish we could have
told you before you...left?" she said, "I think that's the best word
to describe this, now that died is no longer correct.  She's making
friends at the preschool, at least as much as a four year old can make
friends.  All of her Grandparents dote on her, and your brother is her
favorite uncle."

"What's up with Kellis, where's he now?"  Ayslin asked as the mention
of her oldest sibling, but the answer was interrupted by a knock on
the open door frame.

Standing in the door was a young man, a few years older than Ayslin,
carrying a case.  His short cropped dark hair was neatly kept but not
to the point of being fussy.  He wore a simple slate gray suit and
looked perfectly relaxed, his spots giving away his purpose to Ayslin,
she knew a Commission doctor when she saw one, especially when 
she knew the host personally.  "Doctor Ayslin Rel?"

"Doctor Marconis Yevarin?  As I live and breath, I didn't think I'd
see you at my door."  Ayslin said getting up.

"Actually it's Doctor Marconis Tet," he said with a relaxed smile.
She should have known he was joined, she'd never seen the man 
relaxed a day in his life.  Sadly she recognized the symbiont name as 
well and sighed.  "I know, he died about six months after you were 
assigned to the Boudicca.  And you know how much the Commission 
hates informing us when one of us dies, they insist it's bad for morale, 
and encourages connections they don't like."

Laric stood up, and nodded to Mallia.  "Ace, why don't we head back to
the hotel rooms, I'll make the family reservations for dinner and let
you know the time.  It looks like the Commission needs to talk to you
some."

"That sounds good, I'm sure Doctor Tet won't need too long," she said
giving Marconis a long look.  "Tanna will make sure you know how to
contact me, I'll see you tonight."  Ayslin smiled as Laric and Mallia
left and collected Little Ayslin.   She turned back and looked at
Marconis.  "It's been a long time Marc, and I must say, the joining
did you good."  She said gesturing for him to take a seat opposite her
desk.

"Everyone says that, was I really that anxious?"  Marconis said with 
a quiet smile.

"There was a pool over when you're jump out of your skin.  As much 
as I'm sorry Professor Tet died, you getting an older symbiont probably
did you well, evened you out."  Professor Yelettic Tet was one of the
teachers at the Commission, responsible for teaching incoming
potential hosts the basics of life as a prospective host.

Marconis laughed for a few moments, "And Rel gave you a sense 
of humor."

"I'll have you know, I had a sense of humor before being joined, I
just didn't use it much," Ayslin said.  "Now, what tests do you need
to run on me that forced you to come all the way out here?"

"Just a couple of scans on Rel, a blood test, and some psych
questions.  The Commission is over reacting, but that's their job.
They're also aware that most of us don't make good patients, which 
is why they sent a familiar face for you."  Marconis said with a grin.

"What did they think I'd do, shove who ever they sent out an air
lock?"  Ayslin asked, somewhat insulted that the Commission thought
she needed to be handled with kid gloves.

"Nothing quite so dramatic of final, but they wanted someone who 
you'd let through the door, and honestly, I saw your name and volun-
teered.  Now roll up your sleeve and let me steal a little blood.

(USS Boudicca, aCSO's Office - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and
Marconis Tet and Yeoman Tanna Slain - 1545)

The door to the office opened and Marconis and Ayslin stepped out,
laughing over old memories.  "It was good to see you again, Marc,"
Ayslin said, I'm glad you took the assignment.

"Me too.  Listen, I know you're family's here and you haven't seen
them in five years, but I'm on the station for another couple of day,
at the Star's Rest, we should get together and have dinner or lunch 
or something," He said, and Ayslin could see the old Marconis coming
through just a little.

"Are you asking me on a date, Marc?"  Ayslin asked, raising an eye-
brow.

"Would you say yes if I was?"  Marconis asked.

Ayslin thought about it for a second, both to consider the offer and
to torture Marc for a few moments.  "You know, I think I would.  What
about dinner tomorrow night, pick someplace and let me know, I
honestly haven't had a chance to look over what the station has to
offer."  Ayslin said with a kind smile.

"Deal, I'll give you a call when I find something,"  Marconis said with 
a smile.

"Oh just surprise me, be more fun that way," Ayslin said with a wink.
They hugged briefly and said their goodbyes and Marconis left to head
back to the Station.  Tanna walked up next to Ayslin and leaned
against her desk.

"He's cute,"  she said, he voice conveying her smile.

"He is, just an old friend though."  Ayslin said with a shrug turning 
around.

"Sure he is, you know he's got a crush on you something fierce,
right?"  Tanna said with a grin a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raising.

"I'm sure it's not as significant as you say, we went through the
joining classes together, that's all."  Ayslin said with a smile, "I'm
heading home, go have a good time on the station until your family
gets here."

Ayslin walked out the door and Tanna watched her go and shook her
head.  "He's not the only one with a crush."

(Reply none/any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(Starbase 47 - SS Thockmorton, Debarkation Centre - SPC 
Sec/CPO Parrr'Z - Day 24 - 1704)

Had it really been almost five years since the USS Boudicca had 
disappeared along with the 52nd fleet?

Parr had kept busy over the years, most of them had been spent 
on Vulcan on loan so to speak, to the Vulcans, together with his 
lady love, Shadow, but he had never given up hope of seeing his 
beloved ship once more and had refused several attempts to 
promote him and consequently reassign him to other ships for 
that very reason.

At last his faith in her return had proved to be well founded and 
when they had received news of the miraculous return of all the 
missing ships, Parr had wasted no time in booking passage off 
Vulcan to rendezvous with the Thockmorton that had been 
contracted to transport family, friends and starfleeters to Star-
base 47 and accepting his overdue promotion to Chief Petty 
Officer.

Parr had stood alongside Shadow, waiting impatiently for those 
with young children to leave the ship and then waited again for 
families to disembark, shifting from one foot to the other in his 
eagerness to get off the Thockmorton, and find the USS Boudicca 
so he could report in, hopefully to see some of his old comrades 
and friends, and then perhaps they could explore the Starbase 
once they'd stowed their stuff in their quarters.

At last, after almost an hour of impatient waiting, Parr and 
Shadow stepped off the gangway on to the starbase pausing 
briefly to watch some of the families reuniting with their long lost, 
now found, loved ones before weaving around groups of people to 
exit the docking bay.

(reply any)
(posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - PO2 Shadow to Sretalles - 1712)

Shadow wasn't quite sure if she even *had* a position with the ship. Parrr
had followed her to Vulcan, it was only fair she followed him to the
Boudicca. Not that there was ever a moment's chance that she *wouldn't* 
want to go back to her camp, but, still, in the bureaucracy's eyes they were
still processing her transfer request and she was here as personnel-on-leave. 
She was pretty sure that was one step up from 'baggage'and equal to 
'civilian'.

She made sure all their belongings got into Parrr's quarters, leaving it up
to him to demand bigger quarters and decided she had one very important 
stop to make.

She knew there would be one person, at least, on the ship who would 
believe she had no family or friends waiting for her. Well, that was just 
wrong.  Shadow stepped into QV, knowing that she'd startled those she'd 
already met crossing the ship. She carried herself taller, she was fuller and 
her fur was sleek. She was no longer the gangly teenager that the Boudicca 
had seen just a few short weeks ago; for them.

She didn't see her target in the lounge so she waltzed into the kitchen, not
shocked to see Arania hovering over beverages and drinks. She must have 
sent away the cooks to meet with their own families. "Arania, teacher." She 
said, to catch the woman's attention.

(Reply Arania)

"I was saddened to not be met by she who knows my soul best." Shadow said
honestly. She knew the reasons, "So, I felt it best to come here and demand
a hug in reparation."

(Reply Arania)

Shadow, having learnt all about hugs from Parrr in the years inbetween
didn't have any instincts to fight as she enveloped the smaller woman in a
hug. "I have missed you greatly." She said, knowing if she was furless her
eyes would be leaking.

(Reply Arania)

"And now I would like my teacher's recognition that I am adult and can claim
my name." Shadow said, giving Arania's cheek a lick.

(Reply Arania)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - SPC Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1713)

With all her staff off duty and spending valuable time with family and friends, 
except for Cy Tudor, Arania was keeping fairly busy in the kitchen and bar 
while Cy mostly waited tables and prepped veggies.

QV had steadily become a little busier as the afternoon had progressed, with 
crew bringing their loved ones in to see where they spent many of their free 
hours.  Arania was both touched and pleased that her customers thought so 
highly of Qulaetha Vorenda - The Spirit of Community as she strove to make 
it a place where the hard working crew and their on-board families could come 
and feel at peace and relax......

So Arania was humming to herself, quite content in her tasks as she prepared 
some drinks and appetizers when a familar voice she hadn't heard for a few 
weeks, greeted her.  A familiar voice yet it held something it had lacked before.  
There was a strength and confidence in it very unlike the shy almost whisper 
like quality it previously had.

"Arania, teacher."

There was only one person who thought of her as a teacher and called her such.  
She spun around with a big smile on her face and joy lighting her bright green 
eyes.  Her eyebrows shot up with surprise.  Gone was the gangly teenager she 
remembered, in her place stood a sleek furred, fully grown Shadow who stood 
tall and assured.

"Shadowww!!"  Arania exclaimed with delight.  "How wonderful to see you, you 
look so.....so....grown up!"

"I was saddened to not be met by she who knows my soul best." Shadow said.
"So, I felt it best to come here and demand a hug in reparation."

Arania immediately ran into Shadows arms and hugged her tightly, tears of both 
joy and sorrow spilling from her eyes.  Joy at seeing her beloved friend and sorrow 
at the years that had passed for Shadow where Arania had been far from her.

"Met you I would have, had I known you were to be here!"  Arania exclaimed.

"I have missed you greatly." Shadow stated.

Giving Shadow another squeeze, reluctant to free her from the hug, Arania nodded.  
"Is five years for you, but for me a few weeks, yet I missed you just days after you 
left us."

Arania stepped back and beamed up at Shadow while wiping the tears from her 
cheeks.  "You look wonderful."  She told her, nodding again with approval.

"And now I would like my teacher's recognition that I am adult and can claim
my name." Shadow said, giving Arania's cheek a lick.

"Is salty, no?"  Arania chuckled.  "Oh yes, dearest Shadow, you ARE an adult most 
assuredly and may rename yourself as you wish."

She gently kissed Shadow's furry cheek, the whiskers tickling her lips.

"Come, let us sit down together and talk, a break I am due and you can tell me your 
new name."

Turning, Arania picked up the tray of drinks and carried it out to the bar for Cy to 
distribute, then taking Shadow's hand she led her to a far corner table where they 
could sit and talk in peace.

"A party we must have to commemorate your adult naming, my friend."  Arania 
told her.

(Reply Shadow)
(Posted by Sal)

********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - PO2 Shadow to Sretalles - Day 24 - 1714)

"Is salty, no?"  Arania chuckled.  "Oh yes, dearest Shadow, you ARE an adult
most assuredly and may rename yourself as you wish." She gently kissed
Shadow's furry cheek, the whiskers tickling her lips.

"The soul's liquid," Shadow said with a loop at the end of her tail.

"Come, let us sit down together and talk, a break I am due and you can 
tell me your new name."

"You?? A break? Things *have* changed while I have been gone.." Shadow
teased, following Arania out.

Turning, Arania picked up the tray of drinks and carried it out to the bar
to be distributed, then taking Shadow's hand she led her to a far corner
table where they could sit and talk in peace.

"A party we must have to commemorate your adult naming, my friend."  
Arania told her.

"Mff." Shadow negated with a head shake, "A party we should have to
celebrate the return of friends and families in the camp. Souls reunited,
friendships renewed, families remade."

(Reply Arania)

"I am thinking of Starsong to Boudicca, but I have yet to dwelve amongst the
paperwork insisted on by Starfleet. Do you think the Captain will give me my
job back? Starfleet is saying I'm overqualified now, but I don't much care.
Home is home."

(Reply Arania)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1717)

"A party we must have to commemorate your adult naming, my friend." 
Arania told her.

Just as Arania expected, Shadow snorted and shook her head.

"A party we should have to celebrate the return of friends and families 
in the camp. Souls reunited, friendships renewed, families remade."  
She countermanded.

Arania nodded her head affirmatively, moving it from side to side as it 
bobbed.

"A goodly idea that is indeed, and you shall have the chore of letting 
all know of it then.  As t'is your idea."  Arania grinned at Shadow 
impishly, "leave the edibles and drinkables to me.  We will decide on 
time in a while but for now...what is to be your adult name?"

"I am thinking of Starsong to Boudicca, but I have yet to dwelve amongst 
the paperwork insisted on by Starfleet. Do you think the Captain will give 
me my job back? Starfleet is saying I'm overqualified now, but I don't 
much care.  Home is home."

Arania's face sobered and her lips formed a silent 'Oh'.  She clasped 
her hands together.  "Ahhh wellll!!....Of course you do not know!!!"  
She shook her head.

"Our Captain Susan is not CO here now, a new temporary one we have.  
Her name is Stakes, Lydia Stakes."

(reply Shadow, any)

"I do not know much about her and have not met her, only heresay is 
what I have heard here from the crew, but from that I have taken the 
idea that she is a strong, disciplined, fair-minded, honest, no nonsense 
type of leader.  Also I heard that an Admiral she once was and also 
fought for the Doenitz monster!"

(Reply Shadow, any)
(Posted by Sal)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - PO2 Shadow to Sretalles - Day 24 - 1718)

"Our Captain Susan is not CO here now, a new temporary one we have.  Her 
name is Stakes, Lydia Stakes."

Shadow's tail wrapped around Arania's wrist, "I know, she was Captain before
I left. Loren is still my best friend."

"I do not know much about her and have not met her, only heresay is what 
I have heard here from the crew, but from that I have taken the idea that she 
is a strong, disciplined, fair-minded, honest, no nonsense type of leader.  Also 
I heard that an Admiral she once was and also fought for the Doenitz monster!"

"Many who stayed on the side of Doenitz did because they wanted to try and
protect those they could." Shadow replied, "Some wanted to bury their heads
in the sand. Some wanted to change the horrors without committing treason, 
a horror unto itself. The wounds have scabbed over, even if they have not
healed yet. But, we like to think all who had darkness in their hearts and
served Doenitz because they felt he was right, have been found and removed
from Star Fleet."

(Reply Arania)
(Posted by Lorna)

********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1719)

Apparently Arania had been mistaken in thinking that Shadow did 
not know about Captain Susan being on LOA when the Boudicca 
disappeared, which was a good thing as Arania had wondered how 
her furry friend would take the news, as Arania knew that Shadow 
adored Susan Rivers.

"I do not know much about her."  Arania stated, talking of Lydia 
Stakes, "...and have not met her, only hearsay is what I have heard 
here from the crew, but from that I have taken the idea that she is a 
strong, disciplined, fair-minded, honest, no nonsense type of leader.  
Also I heard that an Admiral she once was and also fought for the 
Doenitz monster!"

Shadow explained that many who stayed on the side of Doenitz did so 
in order to protect those they could. "....Some wanted to bury their 
heads in the sand. Some wanted to change the horrors without com-
mitting treason, a horror unto itself. The wounds have scabbed over, 
even if they have not healed yet. But, we like to think all who had 
darkness in their hearts and served Doenitz because they felt he was 
right, have been found and removed from Star Fleet."

"May the Goddess make it so!"  Arania declared, making a sign with her 
right hand, lifting it upwards from her lips to the air above.  She gave 
Shadow a soft smile.  "So Starsong, if that is to be your new name...
Tomorrow is when we should make the party for some of the crew will 
not their people see, until then!"  She was thinking of Dorga and a couple 
of others who had told her their families weren't due in until the following 
day, and she knew that the FO was pulling a double shift and would be on 
call later that day in order for enable most of the bridge crew and counsel-
ing crew to have the time off.

(Reply Shadow, any)
(Posted by Sal)

***********

(USS Boudicca - Q.V. - PO2 Shadow to Sreatlles - Day 24 - 1720)

Shadow was more than happy to talk about happier things than the civil war.
One of them was certainly party planning.

"Perhaps we should have a low key gathering, the usual QV.. musicians 
taking turns, a buffet table, maybe a favourite memory exchange? One person 
gives a memory of a family member or crew mate.. then that person has to 
give a memory of someone else and it goes round robin."

(Reply Arania)
(Posted by Lorna)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - Bar Manager, Arania - Day 24 - 1721)

"Perhaps we should have a low key gathering, the usual QV.. musicians 
taking turns, a buffet table, maybe a favourite memory exchange? One 
person gives a memory of a family member or crew mate.. then that 
person has to give a memory of someone else and it goes round robin."

The mention of robins reminded Arania of her visit to Matthew's 
parents home for their wedding and the happy times she'd had there 
and the subsequent short time she'd lived with her husband aboard 
the Boudicca.   She had seen a red breasted bird delving in the dirt 
for bugs and worms and Matthew had told her that it was called a robin.  
These uncalled memories threatened to make her melancholy but she 
didn't want to trouble Shadow, it would only make Shadow sad to see 
Arania so.  So Arania forced herself to sound cheerful as she asked the 
logical question.

"Yes a robin can be round if well fed, but what does a bird have to do 
with remembering?"

(reply Shadow)

Arania nodded in understanding.  There were some strange expres-
sions in speech originating from the humans, some were even similar 
to ones on her own planet, but it seemed to Arania that she would be 
forever learning new ones and that they were without end.  Still...as 
long as her friends were willing to explain them to her she would 
enjoy learning them, and party games was a concept she could under-
stand even if she thought it was weird.

"So a theme for the party will be not necessary?"

(Reply Shadow)
(Posted by Sal) 

********

(USS Boudicca - Personal Quarters - aCEO Ens (Sg.) Anton 
Gesar - 1812)
 
Anton was sitting in his quarters enjoying a glass of Cognac.  
Though perhaps drinking would be more appropriate than enjoy-
ing, having found it difficult to enjoy anything in the last week.  
Boris had taught him since he was a child that service in Starfleet 
required sacrifice.  ~Things happen out there that you can not 
control,~ Anton heard Boris's voice in his head.  ~Your family 
knows that you are making sacrifices and so they must too.~  
Anton knew that despite all his convictions, Boris never forgave 
himself for not being there when his wife passed away.  He was a 
Captain then and felt that he could not abandon his duty, even 
when she got sick.  He only took leave when her condition 
worsened but his ship was very far away from earth.  By the time 
the shuttle got him to a starbase and several transports got him 
home it was too late.
 
Anton began to wonder how the people in the crew might feel.  
Who would they blame for the fact that they missed five years of 
their families lives?  Lovers who moved on in their absence, 
friends who left without a forwarding address, family who passed 
away in the meantime.  Who would they blame?  Would they 
blame themselves, their commanding officers, Starfleet, the 
Universe?  Anton was lost in his thoughts. 
 
=/\= Comms to Ensign Gesar =/\=
 
"Gesar here."

=/\= There is a request for communication from the Starbase.  
Someone is requesting to speak to you directly. =/\=
 
"Ok, patch them through to my quarters please."
 
The small screen on the computer console in his quarters came on 
and Anton saw a face he became briefly familiar with only recently.
 
=/\= Mr.Gesar, I'm glad I was able to reach you.  My name is... =/\=
 
"I know what your name is, I got your message."
 
=/\= Ah, excellent.  I was concerned that the message did not get 
through.  Very well then, I would like to meet with you to go over the 
details of the wi...=/\=
 
"I'm sorry but I'm afraid I may not have the time to meet with you.  
While we are docked here we still have a lot of work to do on the ship 
and I am not sure if I can spare the time."
 
=/\= Mr.Gesar, I understand your... reluctance to meet.  I can under-
stand how you must be feeling at the moment.  However, I came to 
this Starbase at a great expense...=/\=
 
"Which I have no doubt you are going to bill me for," Anton inter-
rupted.  Point made the man was not sure what else to say.
 
=/\= I will be on starbase for at least another day, if you change your 
mind feel free to contact me.  Believe me Mr.Gesar, I understand what 
you are going through.  Perhaps if we meet it will bring closu...=/\=
 
Anton cut off communications with the press of a button, killed what 
was left of his Cognac in one swallow and headed out the door.

(posted by Oleg)

*********
 
(USS Boudicca - QV - aCEO Ens (Sg.) Anton Gesar - 1835)
 
Anton was sitting in a chair close to the window staring out into the 
stars.  Every so often he would take a sip of his coffee, but the whole 
time just staring out into the stars.
 
(Reply Any)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

*********

(Starbase 47 - Guest Quarters - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 24 
- 1900)

Lydia regarded her reflection in the mirror. The dress she had chosen 
was a deep midnight blue that deepened the sapphire of her eyes and 
set off her blonde hair nicely. It was also, not at all coincidentally, one 
of Arc's favourites.  She heard a whistle from the doorway and turned 
to see him leaning there, smiling. As she smiled back, he stood upright 
and walked towards her.

"Turn around and close your eyes," he said.

Lydia cocked an eyebrow at him but obeyed. She felt him drape some-
thing around her neck and fiddle with a catch, and then he said, "You 
can open your eyes now."

She did so and gasped. "Oh Arc, it's beautiful!" A silver locket set with 
tiny sapphires and engraved with an entwined A and L hung suspended 
on a delicate chain. She turned and kissed him. "Thank you!"

"Open it," he said.

Inside was a small holopic of Arc, Esme and Bill.

"You'll always have us with you now," he said quietly. "Wherever and 
whenever you are."

Lydia blinked her eyes hard as they were threatening to tear up and 
spill over. "Oh Arc," she began and he laid a finger across her lips 
before taking her in his arms.

"Hush, old girl. I've got you back and that's more than I dared hope for. 
It just seemed so unfair after all we'd come through, to lose you in some 
inexplicable accident. But you're back with me now and I insist you allow 
me to spoil you a little. Speaking of which, are you ready?"

She nodded and he picked her stole up and placed it around her 
shoulders before offering his arm. "Shall us then?"

Lydia grinned at the familiar phrase and tucked her hand into the crook 
of his arm. "By all means," she answered.

(posted by Liz)

*************

(Starbase 47 - A Bar - aCEO Ens (Sg.) Anton Gesar - 1947)
 
Anton got tired of sitting by himself at the QV on the Boudicca.  Most 
of the crew who were there were too wrapped up in their own thing 
like meeting with family and reuniting with friends.  His bladder full 
of coffee Anton tried his quarters, which did nothing to improve his 
mood.  Deciding that a little adventure would help him clear his mind 
he decided to try the station.  He wondered for quite sometime walking 
this way, then walking that way.  It occurred to him at some point that
in all his wondering he was looking for something specific though look-
ing around he realised that he failed in his search.  What he was look-
ing for was a quiet out of the way bar.  Something where the lights 
were darker than usual and clientele not so... boisterous.  Having failed 
he found himself at this bar, though he realized that he had no idea 
what it is called.  It was precisely the kind of place he was trying to 
avoid but was tired of walking when he happened upon it.  It was bright, 
it was somewhat loud and full of people.  He sat at the bar rather than 
table, there was no point in finding a dark quiet spot.  There wasn't one.  
 
The bar was very long and perhaps what made it seem surprisingly 
empty considering that most of the tables were occupied by at least four 
or five people.  One might say it was a happening place.  There was no 
music, and there was no need as the multitude of conversations would 
have drowned it out anyways.  Something that today, Anton found help-
ful rather than annoying as it helped drown out the noise in his own 
head.  He was looking down at the bar as he quietly sipped his drink, 
when the bar tender slid another glass up to him.
 
He looked up at the bar tender who was already starting to walk away, 
"Hey!" Anton said loud enough to get his attention.  The man stopped, 
turned and walked back toward him.  "I did not order another one."
 
"Courtesy of the man at the end of the bar."  The bartender pointed and 
walked away.  Anton looked in the direction and having recognized the 
man turned away in both annoyance and frustration.  The man app-
roached.
 
"Mr. Gesar, what a coincidence." 
 
"Will I ever get rid of you?" Anton asked in a frustrated tone.
 
"Not until the conclusion of our business," the man replied.  When 
Anton said nothing he continued, "I understand this is a very 
difficult time and I also understand your desire to simply put things 
off.  But I would not be doing my job if I did not advise you of your 
rights and of the consequences of delaying.  You must understand 
that once you were declared... missing in action as it were... after a 
period of time you could legally be declared dead which means that 
all of your holdings would go to a next of kin or become government 
property if no next of kin was found."
 
"Holdings?  What are you talking about?"  Anton asked shaking his 
head in confusion.
 
"Perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere a little more 
appropriate."
 
Anton stood up off the stool at the bar as the two men walked just 
outside where they could speak without shouting.
 
"Perhaps you should tell me now what you are talking about."  Anton 
insisted showing that this is as far as he was willing to go.
 
"Very well...  How much do you know of your father's history Mr.
Gesar?"
 
Anton had to think about it for a moment.  "Before he adopted me he 
had been married, his wife passed away.  Before that, most of it is in 
his Starfleet personnel records..."
 
"No Mr.Gesar, I mean his pre-Starfleet history," the man interrupted.
 
"I have to admit I know nothing about that part of his life.  He never 
spoke to me about where he was from or his childhood."
 
"In that case I will have to enlighten you.  Your father's family owned 
several lucrative businesses that your grandfather inherited from his 
father and so on and so on.  Wealth in the family ran quite far back as 
the family business was handed down from father to son for generations.  
When your father choose to join Starfleet rather than take over the 
family business there was a rift between him and your grandfather.  
Boris was the only child and when his father passed away his shares in 
the business went to Boris though he choose not to take charge of the 
company.  Which brings us to you Mr.Gesar.  In his will your father left 
everything to you Mr.Gesar.  As legal council for the corporation that 
your father was a majority stockholder in he selected us to be arbiters 
of his estate."
 
Anton took a moment to consider what the man just told him.  "So 
what is it you want from me?"
 
"Nothing really, I am only here to inform you of your father's will.  The 
urgency was the concern over your shares becoming government 
property as you are the only next of kin left.  You will begin receiving a 
monthly allowance while the rest of the money you are earning as divi-
dends is put in trust for your retirement or whatever else you desire.  
Your fathered believed that you will desire to remain with Starfleet and 
set up your finances in this manner.  If you choose to you can sell all 
your shares now or you can return to earth and take over as chief exe-
cutive officer."
 
"How long?" Anton asked quietly
 
"How long what?"
 
"How long ago did he pass away?"
 
"Approximately one year."
 
"Great!" Anton spoke with a tinge of anger in his voice.  "You've in-
formed me now.  I presume that this is the last time I'm going to have to 
see you?"
 
The man took out a PADD from his coat.  "If you would indicate here that 
you are satisfied with the arrangement your father setup I will be leaving 
on the first transport out tomorrow."
 
Anton took the PADD and entered his authorization.  "Here, satisfied?" 
Anton handed the PADD back.
 
"Yes, this is my card should you at some point decide to change the 
arrangements."  Anton gave the man a look.  "Very well," the man said as 
he put the card back into his coat and walked away.
 
(Reply None)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)
 
**********

(Starbase 47 - Guest holosuite - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 24 
- 2130)

"That was a wonderful meal," Lydia said as she licked her fingers which 
were still sticky from the baklava. "Perfect, in fact."

Arc swirled the ballon-shaped glass that held the 7-star Metaxa brandy 
they had chosen to accompany their coffee and inhaled the aroma before 
answering. "The night isn't over yet," he said, nodding to the dance floor 
as he set his glass down on the table and stood up. "May I have the 
pleasure of this dance, my lady?"

The strains of a waltz began and Lydia smiled. "Why certainly, sir," she 
replied, standing herself and allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. 
"Isn't this....?"

"Irving Berlin's Always," he answered. "It just seemed right. After all it's 
what was playing the night we won the competition at the University. And 
I seem to recall it was special for another reason too."

Lydia chuckled as they began to dance. "You better remind me later," she 
said.

"What, this afternoon wasn't enough for you? Sheesh! But I'll be happy to 
oblige you later, old girl. But first things first, OK? Hiring this suite for 
three hours cost a *lot* of credits!"

Lydia's laugh was a counterpoint to the music as they waltzed expertly 
around the room.

(Reply any, none)
(Posted by Liz)




===============================================
===============================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 25
Stardate:  2413.10.02
===============================================
===============================================

(Starbase 47 - Transient Quarters - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski  - Day
25 - 0530)

The piercing noise that woke her brought her to consciousness with the
realization everything hurt. Her head had its own private roktek band
playing in uneven time. Her hair hurt. Her teeth hurt. And there was a warm
body lying on her arm.

"C'mon darlin', time to get up." The warm body said with entirely too much
cheer. She groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. The warm body,
definitely large and male, laughed and rolled off the bed, turning off the
alarm. "Told you matching my squad drink for drink was a bad idea."

She pulled the pillow off her face to eye her companion, tall, muscular,
somewhat hairy, and putting on a green uniform. ~Well, that goes with the
squad comment.~ She rolled half over to touch the terminal and pay for
another eight hours. "You go report in - I still have leave." She mumbled,
falling back on the pillow.

"Normally, I'd say I still have an hour, but I somehow think you won't be up
to much until after lunch." She could feel his morning person grin. She was
a morning person, normally, but not after .. well, she wasn't sure how much
.. tequila. He leaned over the bed and kissed the back of her neck, "See you
next leave, fleeter. Was definitely fun and worth repeating."

She wasn't quite sure what she said in reply, probably something rather
impolite, because she was already falling asleep again and said it into her
pillow.

(posted by Lorna)

**********

(Starbase 47 - Food Court - Lieutenant (jg) Denise Lebranski  - Day 25 -
0720) 

She'd finally found the hangover remedy she'd thoughtfully purchased 
before going into the bar that had been swarming with green. She still hurt 
in places non-hangover related, but a warm bath in her quarters would fix 
most of that soon enough. Good thing uniforms were long sleeved and long 
legged.  She had a whole set of interesting marks she didn't feel like 
explaining.  Well, maybe gossiping about, but that would require finding Cy 
and she wasn't quite sure his reaction would be to her ending the night with 
a marine squad leader. ~If I'm lucky.. he'll just ask for pictures.~

Breakfast was a skillet that was a mix of eggs, meats, vegetables and
cheeses. It smelled a little odd, probably the foreign cheese, but tasted
pretty damn good. 

She had to admit she felt more relaxed and cheerful than she had in some
time. Pulling out her pocket PADD, she checked for incoming messages and
replied to a few snarky texts from her brothers with just as much snark. 
~Ah family, wouldn't trade them for a world.. if only because the resale on
planets is lousy.~

(Reply any)
(Posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Family Quarters - PO2 Shadow to Sreatlles - Day 25 - 0930)

Parrr was on Beta shift today so the two were having a rare lie-in. Parrr
was on his back, three quarters asleep while Shadow was propped on her
stomach beside him, one claw idly drawing circles in his chest fur while he
tried not to wince as she tickled him. "Parrr, are you happy?"

(Reply Parrr)

"Me too." She replied. "Am I hopeless in that I think this happiness can't
end and something dreadfully horrible must happen? That this whole pieces
fit in the puzzle joy must burst?" 

(Reply Parrr)

She snuggled against him, head on the hollow between shoulder and neck. "I
have two things to tell you.." she said with a curl of her muzzle. Smiles she'd 
finally learnt last year.. One of the Vulcan xenobiologists had explained how 
humans saw smiles on felenoid faces and taught her to just curl the ends of her 
mouth back and up, and not display an abundance of pointy teeth.

(Reply ParrrrrrrrZ?)

"Well, one.. I invited Loren to visit us, if she can get time away. I hope
that's okay with you?"

(Reply Parrr)

"I promise she will NOT repaint her bedroom." A seventeen year old Loren had
repainted her room pitch, flat, black. The Vulcans had been unimpressed and
Parrr most unamused. 

(Reply Parrr.  :) 

Into the silence, she finally spoke. "I'm thinking of changing my name." She
sighed flitting her ear against his cheek, "but, I don't know. On the one paw it 
feels like I'm doing something I haven't earned in the eyes of my people even 
if *I* feel I have.. on the other paw, I want to remain an example to those who 
could choose other paths to walk and changing my name seems to be giving in 
to my people's strict cultures and traditions.. on the third paw, I don't think the 
furless will understand and it may be more confusion and hassle than it's signi-
ficant worth.. and on the fourth paw, I'm running out of paws. What do you 
think?"

(Reply Parrr  :) 
(Posted by Lorna)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Family Quarters - SPC Sec/CPO Parrr'Z - Day 25 
- 0930.5)

Enjoying a rare lie-in and sweetly dozing in bed with Shadow, the Caitian 
was in that pleasant twilight zone somewhere between sleep and wake-
fulness when he felt Shadow toying with his chest fur.  She liked to do 
that and he didn't particularly mind except it tickled a bit, so he let her 
indulge.

"Parrr, are you happy?"  She asked, bringing him completely awake to 
respond.

"Of course, my lady love, we are together, that makes me very happy."

He gently pulled her down to lie close to him and stroked her back as she 
told him she was too and asked if she was hopeless to think that something 
dreadful might happen to ruin it.

He certainly hoped that wasn't the case though it was possible he thought.

"It is a possibility of course, but it is not always true that happiness must be 
ended in some dreadful manner.  I have known many mated couples who 
have lived their entire joined lives together in perfect happiness.  Why can-
not we?"

(Reply Shadow)

She snuggled against him, head on the hollow between his shoulder and 
neck, where she fit just right and told him she had two things to share with
 him, smiling up at him in what he called her 'pretend' smile, as it certainly 
wasn't how felinoids smiled.  It was just something she'd learned that pleased 
the humans, a slight curling of the corners of her mouth.   He smiled back at 
her displaying an abundance of pointy teeth, there was no way he was going 
to learn to do that just to make the humans feel more comfortable.  They 
would have to take him as he was and like it.

"What is it?"  He asked, pulling her closer to him and enjoying the feel of 
their bodies pressing together.

"Well, one.. I invited Loren to visit us, if she can get time away. I hope that's 
okay with you?"

Parr nodded, he liked Loren and it was fine with him as long as she didn't re-
paint her bedroom like she had last time.  He was about to vocalize his 
thought when Shadow read his mind as she so often did.

"I promise she will NOT repaint her bedroom."

He rumbled a chuckle.  "Well she is a couple of years older and hopefully a 
couple of years smarter!"  He waited for the second thing she wanted to share 
with him and as the silence stretched, almost as if she wasn't sure whether or 
not to tell him he began to hope.

~ Could she be....?  Is it possible...? ~  Hope sprang into his mind, a hope he 
had suppressed almost all the years they'd been together when time had 
passed without any sign that they were compatible enough to breed.

Into the silence, she finally spoke, her words ripping the newly bloomed hope 
from him and shredding it to pieces.

"I'm thinking of changing my name." She sighed flitting her ear against his 
cheek, "but, I don't know. On the one paw it feels like I'm doing something I 
haven't earned in the eyes of my people even if *I* feel I have.. on the other 
paw, I want to remain an example to those who could choose other paths to 
walk and changing my name seems to be giving in to my people's strict cul-
tures and traditions.. on the third paw, I don't think the furless will understand 
and it may be more confusion and hassle than it's significant worth.. and on the 
fourth paw, I'm running out of paws. What do you think?"

~ I think we're very happy as we are, but what a joy it would be to hold a furry 
bundle of joy conceived from our happiness. ~  He thought, dragging his heart 
back from his toes.  But he had been listening to her, he always listened to her 
and so he said, "I don't think you need to consider the furless and what they will 
understand, nor do I think you should concern yourself about what your people 
think.  I *do* believe you should do what your heart tells you to and pay no mind 
to *anyone* or *anything* else.  You have spent your whole life trying to please 
everyone else, now it is time for you to please yourself for once and do what you 
think is right for *you*."

He lightly licked her brow.

(Reply Shadow)
(Posted by Sal)

********

(Starbase 47 - Guest Quarters - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes and family 
- Day 25 - 1000)

"...And so does Auntie Ena and Uncle Hamish," finished Esme, who had 
hardly stopped talking after her first excited squeal of "MUMMY!" when 
she had caught sight of Lydia waiting together with Arc for her and Bill 
to disembark.

Lydia smiled ruefully. "I'm so sorry to have put you through all this," 
she said. "All of you."

"Not your fault, Ma," Bill hugged her. "Just don't let it happen again," he 
added with mock sternness. "And to make sure it doesn't, I got myself a 
transfer onto the Boudicca. Security department, under your Lieutenant 
Trei."

"Really?" Lydia was delighted, then looked at Esme. "What about you, 
poppet? Still on the Hypatia?"

"Oh, I'm going to be assigned with Dad," Esme said happily. "Of course 
Lieutenants don't have a yeoman but at least I finally managed a transfer 
to where he's based. But we've got a whole week's leave now and we can 
spend as much time as possible together, right?"

"Right," Lydia said. "But I will have to spend some time on the ship and 
Bill, you should report to Lieutenant Trei and let him know you're being 
assigned to us at the end of the week. Speaking of which, I should be 
heading back for a few hours. Commander 'cha Nooras is meeting her 
family soon. Why don't you all come back with me and we'll meet up for 
lunch in QV?"

(posted by Liz)

***********

(USS Boudicca - FO Quarters - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 25 
- 1010)

A tap of her forefinger closed the last message of eight she had 
received from her parents and twins.   Had they been on old-
fashioned paper, the paper would be frayed at the edges and thin-
ning at the folds, for she had read them over and over so many times 
since receiving them.

Dorga was troubled.

When she had received the first four she had been overjoyed to hear 
from her loved ones and had replied to each of them telling them so 
and how she longed to see them again.  But as she'd read and re-read 
them there had been something niggling at her causing her concern.  
Something just wasn't right about Parami's responses.  The first 
message she'd received from him had been short and concise, almost 
impersonal and she remembered every word as they played out in her 
mind.

---

Greetings Mother,

I was astonished to hear that you are still alive after 
believing you to be dead for so long.  Everyone is happy 
about this and Grandfather has told us that we will be 
traveling to Starbase 47 to see you again very soon.
Until we meet again.
Parami

---

The greeting was so formal, almost impersonal but Dorga had put that 
down to him being schooled on Vulcan - until she'd read Rivers' 
message which was a vivid contrast to her son's, being filled with joy, 
affection and longing to see her again.

She noted that Parami had said 'everyone' not 'I am happy' and his 
message lacked the happy anticipation of seeing her again that Rivers 
had been oozing with.  Were her twins so different in so many ways?  
They hadn't been when she had last seen them, but in almost five 
years an awful lot could happen that might change a child's character, 
and Vulcan was a hard place for Earth type children to be schooled.  
Prejudice was prevalent despite the Vulcans' denials and often children 
adapted by mimicking those around them in order to fit in and be 
accepted.

The second message from Parami hadn't been any warmer than the 
first in response to her reply telling him how much she longed to see 
him again.  In it he had merely stated that they would be arriving at 
SB47 on October 2nd.  No...I am also longing to see you again, no... 
how glad I'll be, no... I love you as his sister had written.

With a sigh, brow furrowed with troubled thoughts, Dorga rose from the
 computer chair and went to the wall mirror to check out her reflection.  
She had donned a brand new civilian outfit having debated whether to 
go civvie or in a new uniform.  However she concluded that she was off 
duty, and for some reason felt that if she wore a uniform then perhaps 
her family would think she was prepared to return to duty when she 
should be spending time with them.  So the civilian clothing was more 
appropriate.

Seeing herself in civvies always made her feel as if she was looking at 
someone else; civilian clothes on her was rather like getting a new hair 
style...it just didn't look right no matter how good she looked.  That 
thought brought a smile to her lips and she pushed back the doubts in 
her mind; after all they were probably just her own imagination running 
wild.

With a curt one nod to herself in the mirror, she whirled and whisked out 
the door.

Now it was time to meet her parents and children; their yacht was due to 
dock at 1030 hours.

(reply none needed)
(posted by Sal)

**********

(Starbase 47 -  Hotel Quarters - aCEO Ensign (Sg) Anton Gesar and
company - 1015)

Something woke Anton up.

No, not woke him up.  He definitely was no longer asleep but he was
not really awake.  But something definitely disturbed his sleep.  A
stirring of some sort coming from... somewhere.  His brain screamed
silently at whoever or whatever it was that woke him which he
instantly regretted.  Even the through of screaming made his head
pound that much more.  It was difficult to think with all the pounding
but the brain was up and it was running.  It was saying things like
open your eyes and he would say ~I don't want to.  Go Away!~  But it
would not relent.

Finally, slowly, he began opening his eyes only to experience his
second regret of the day.  The light in the room wasn't bright, but it
was enough to bring another rush of pain.  It took several attempts
before his eyes adjusted and he was able to look around the room.  The
first thing he was able to discern was that he had no idea where he
was.  The room was somewhat messy, with left over fruit and what
looked like several bottles of something alcoholic on the table.
There were clothes all over the floor and what looked like women's
underwear hanging from the post of the bed.

~Dammit!~ Anton thought as he felt stirring on his left.  That same
stirring that only moments ago woke him up.  Brought him out of the
blissful state of sleep and into the pain that could only be a
hangover.  The stirring, the damn stirring is there again.  Anton
looked to his left to discover the source of stirring was a woman, who
in a sleeping state was turning onto her back and towards him.  Anton
took a moment as he looked at her, he lifted the sheet over himself
slightly to find that he was nude underneath.  He looked at the woman
again, finding her attractive he began to regret having no memory of
the night before.

~It could have been worse, I could have found myself happy to have
forgotten,~ he thought to himself in self amusement.  ~At least I had
a good time.~ The fog of sleep was beginning to lift which
unfortunately made the pain in his head that much more obvious.

Anton nearly jumped out of bed when he felt something drape over his
stomach from behind.  Carefully he looked behind himself to find
another sleeping female.  ~Apparently I had a really good time.~
Carefully without waking the others Anton extricated himself from the
bed.  The shower having done nothing to help relieve his hangover and
the hotel replicator not programmed with his hangover relief
concoction Anton got quietly dressed and headed out of the room.

(posted by Oleg)

*********

(Starbase 47 - Docking Bay 5 - FO/CDR Dorga 'cha Nooras - Day 25 
- 1028)

The distinctive whooping alarm reverberated around the large docking 
bay, as its huge doors parted and the strip lighting around them began 
to flash.  There was a sparkle of  blue and white like mini lightening 
as the yacht's nose eased through the forcefield that held the life 
support... oxygen and warmth, inside the bay.

 From where she stood impatiently waiting, Dorga smiled and waved as 
the cockpit of the spacecraft breached the forcefield curtain, certain that 
the pilot and co-pilot - probably her Father and Mother, would be able 
to see her, and fought the urge to run to meet it as it settled on the 
area designated, having been led there by signals from one of the bay 
workers.

She waited for the engines to terminate before she started walking 
towards the family yacht, and arrived a few metres short of the hatch as 
it slowly opened to allow the gangway to slide forward, coming to rest 
on the deck a metre below the hatch...and there they were!!!

Rivers gave a loud whoop of joy and a loud, "MOTHER!!!" that turned a 
few heads and caused some wide smiles when she spotted Dorga, and she 
was the first down the ramp as she ran towards her Mother who whisked 
up into her arms and spun her around while dotting kisses to her face, 
just like Dorga used to when her daughter was just 8, just a few short 
weeks ago.   The FO stopped the spin and set her girl on her feet and 
then turned to face her parents and Parami who was standing behind his 
grandparents. 

Dorga could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks, she was so over-
whelmed by seeing her children grown so much, when her memory of 
them being 8 years old was so fresh in her mind.  Drawing Rivers to her 
side, Dorga stepped forward and embraced her Mother in a tight hug to be 
bear hugged in return; she then kissed her Father on both cheeks and as 
they stepped aside she faced her son. 

At almost 13 years of age Parami was only a foot shorter than Dorga, and 
where her face was wreathed in teary-eyed smiles to see him, his was 
coldly impassive as he stared at her as if she was a stranger, causing her 
to hesitate before stepping forward to wrap her arms around him, but it 
was like embracing a lifeless pillar of stone; Parami did not pull away but 
neither did he return her embrace or speak; he just stood motionless until 
his Mother released him from her hug.

Dorga stepped backwards and studied Parami's features, searching for a 
glimmer of pleasure to show that he was happy to see her again but only 
saw a flash of something in his eyes...was it hostility?  Was he angry 
with her?  If he was, why?  It wasn't as if she had chosen to disappear 
for almost 5 years.

~ Best to act as if nothing is wrong. ~  Dorga thought, though his 
coolness towards her cut her to the quick.

Forcing herself to smile, she wiped the tears away.  "I am so happy to 
see you all again and I'm *so* sorry that you thought I was dead."

Drug'Ha reached for Dorga's hand and held it, giving it a squeeze.  
"It  doesn't matter, you are alive and unharmed that is all that counts, 
isn't that so, husband?" 

Nooras gave his curt one nod, a habit that Dorga had taken on as her 
own, and his lips curled at the corners slightly.  "Indeed wife.  Now 
let us go from here. we are in the way and as we have not been to this 
starbase before, I wish to investigate it."

"Oh yes, can we Mother, pleeeease?  Are there lots of shops here?"  
Rivers exclaimed as she slid one of her arms around Dorga's and 
snuggled close, grinning up at her.

Dorga smiled down at her daughter who was half a head shorter than her 
brother.  At least one of her offspring was glad she was alive.   Anger 
flashed through her mind; would Parami have preferred that she was 
really dead?  She mentally shook that thought away as she replied.

"Of course we can, and then we shall have some lunch in Qulaetha 
Vorenda.  We have to do some shopping to make your bedrooms more 
suitable for your ages now, anyway.  That should be fun."

"I always love to go shopping!"  Drug'Ha laughed and linked her arm with 
Dorga's free one.  "Especially with someone else's latinum."

They made their way out of the docking bay with Nooras and Parami in 
their wake and swept out into the corridor that led to a turbolift that 
would whisk them up to the promenade levels.  As they stepped into the 
lift and the door closed Dorga cast a curious glance at Parami.  He 
hadn't spoken a word so far and still wore that look of indifference on 
his youthful face as he stared straight ahead.

(reply any, none)
(posted by Sal)

********

(USS Boudicca - Jeffries Tube 6 Alpha - a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar - 1038)

For the last forty minutes or so, Lorimar had been creeping around in 
the not-so-well-lit secondary maintenance access tube that intercon-
nected facilities on decks six and seven. Diagnostics had shown some 
environmental control issues that were causing intermittent interrup-
tions in the main ventilation system. Some of the science types had 
first complained to engineering about it. Frankly, he didn't blame them. 
Working stellar cartography or any of the other deck six labs with less 
than perfect ventilation would wear on anyone's nerves.

Some engineers hated working in confined spaces, necessary as it often 
was to the job. Bob, however, relished it. Crawling about the ever so 
important but often unseen areas of the ship afforded him some measure 
of solitude that he might not otherwise enjoy. 

Besides, the work needed to be done and with the majority of the staff 
enjoying well deserved leave time, he could at least make himself useful.

He had just buttoned up a junction node, replacing and securing the access 
panel when his commbadge chirped.

=^=Stakes to Lieutenant Lorimar. I was wondering if you are on duty at 
the moment?=^=

~The Captain? Wonder what she is asking about me for?~

He tapped his commbadge with his right hand, while he reflexively played 
the light from the handlamp strapped to his left arm around the access cover, 
making certain it was properly secured.

"Captain, this is Lorimar. Ah am indeed on duty, just finishing up some work 
on deck six. What may ah dae for ye ma'am?"

(Reply CO, Any)
(Posted by Russ)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - 1039)


=/\=Captain, this is Lorimar. Ah am indeed on duty, just finishing 
up some work on deck six. What may ah dae for ye ma'am?=/\=

Lydia smiled to herself. It was as she had thought. The man was a 
d*mn good engineer and like all d*mn good engineers, hard to tear 
away from their beloved ship.

"You can tell me when you have rostered yourself for shoreleave, 
Mr. Lorimar. I understand you are covering for those currently on 
shore leave, but your Assistant Department head should be doing 
some of that for you. I *can* make it an order, but I'd much rather 
not."

(reply Lorimar, room for more)

"If you are free for lunch, I'd be happy if you would join me and my 
family in QV. I'm sure Archibald and Esme would like to see you 
again."

(Reply Lorimar, Any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes - Day 25 - 1040)

Having settled Arc and Esme in her quarters for the time being, Lydia 
had brought Bill with her to the Bridge to look around. Arc and Esme 
were already familiar with the Boudicca of course but Bill had never 
been aboard the ship before. Leaving him to look over the tactical 
station, she moved to the command chair and sat down before tapping 
her commbadge.

"Stakes to Lieutenant Trei. Lieutenant, if it is convenient could you come 
to the Bridge please? If you are with your family at the moment then 
please let me know when you could spare a few minutes."

(Reply Trei)

Having received the TAC/SC's reply, she tapped her commbadge again. 
"Stakes to Lieutenant Lorimar. I was wondering if you are on duty at the 
moment?"

(Reply Trei, Lorimar, anyone who wants to be on the Bridge)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Jeffries Tube Six Alpha – a2O/CEO Lt Lorimar – 1040) 
 
~Shore Leave? Surely she cannae be serious? A ‘Liberty Hound’ ah’m not. 
But ah doubt anyone in Starfleet named ‘Stakes’ is much of a joker…~ 
 
“Respectfully Captain, ah’ve had quite enough ‘Shore Leave’ for the time 
being. If ye have had time tae review mah after action report regarding 
the test flight of the Runabout, perhaps ye will understand mah feelings on 
the subject of off the Boudicca adventure.” 
 
(Reply CO Stakes iyw) 
 
He listened carefully to the Captain’s reply, keeping his expression neutral 
even though no living soul aboard could see him. To his surprise, he then 
heard her invite him to lunch. The prospect of joining Captain(s) Stakes and 
family was at once flattering and daunting. 
 
Captain (Archibald) Stakes (then Commander Stakes aCO) had not, in his 
opinion, cared much for Lorimar. He was the consummate professional, and 
evidently an excellent commander and tactician; the Fleet’s success (and 
moreso that of the Boudicca) spoke volumes on that subject. A friendly man, 
he was not… at least not in the memory of the then ACEO Lorimar. 
 
~People change, or they dinnae. Ye are wrong about them, or right. Who’s 
tae say, really?~ 
 
He was grateful that his new Captain couldn’t see his expression over the 
open commlink. “Aye Captain, ah will join ye as requested. Will there be 
anything else ma’am?” 
 
(Reply CO Stakes, Any) 
(Posted by Russ)

**********

(USS Boudicca – Bridge – CO Captain Lydia Stakes – 1041) 

=/\=Respectfully Captain, ah’ve had quite enough ‘Shore Leave’ for t
he time being. If ye have had time tae review mah after action report 
regarding the test flight of the Runabout, perhaps ye will understand 
mah feelings on the subject of off the Boudicca adventure.=/\= 

Lydia's lips twitched. She had indeed read Lorimar's report and could 
see his point. However...

"If you don't wish to go ashore, Lieutenant, that is your choice. I do, 
however, want to see rostered down time for you, however you choose 
to spend it. Unless of course you are choosing to spend it working. Time 
off is important for everyone - particularly department heads who are 
effectively on-call 24 hours a day, every day, whilst we are out of port. 
So I do expect you to take time off. clear?"

(reply Bob iyw)

Lydia then invited Lorimar to lunch with her and her family.

=/\=Aye Captain, ah will join ye as requested. Will there be anything 
else ma’am?=/\=

"No, Lieutenant, that will be all for now. I look forward to seeing you at 
lunch. And to seeing your rostered downtime. Stakes out."

(Reply Lorimar, any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(Starbase 47 - Hotel Lobby - aCEO Ensign (Sg) Anton Gesar - 1045)

"Excuse me," Anton spoke as he approached the attendant at the
counter.

"Yes sir," the attendant spoke.

"This might be a strange question but is room 3274 under my name?"
The man gave Anton a curious look as he keyed up the information.

"And you are sir?"

"Gesar, Anton."

"Yes sir, the room is in your name."

Anton provided the man with the information to settle the account for
the room.  "There are two guests still in the room, be sure that they
are served breakfast or lunch before they leave.  You can charge that
to my account."

Anton walked out of the hotel lobby and into a large plaza inside the
Starbase.  He stopped as his demeanor began to change.  The weight of
a pain temporarily replaced by another pain was now all to apparent
and pressing down on his shoulders.  It reminded him of a not so funny
joke he heard when he was a child.  A small boy complained to his
father that his head hurt.  The father told him to kick a rock with
his foot.  The boy asked how that would help with his headache, to
which the father replied, "Because then your toe will hurt and you'll
forget all about the headache."

(Reply Any, None)
(Posted by Oleg Kislyuk)

*********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1045)

Detron heard the request for him to the Bridge from Captain Stakes.  
Detron wasn't doing anything at the time so he took the turbolift to the 
Bridge.  Detron really didn't have any feelings toward the Captain at this 
point maybe he will develop an opinion when they met.  Detron stepped 
on the Bridge and walked up to the Captain.

"TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei reporting as requested sir."

(Reply Stakes)
(Posted by Edward)

*********

 (USS Boudicca - Bridge - CO, Captain Lydia Stakes and SecO Ensign 
Bill Stakes - 1046)

The turbolift doors opened and the tall figure of a Klingon wearing the 
gold of TAC/SEC and lieutenant's pips stepped onto the Bridge and 
approached Lydia.

"TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei reporting as requested sir."

"Thank you for being so prompt, Lieutenant," Lydia replied. She beckoned 
to Bill, who came forward. At 6'2" he was almost as tall as Trei but the 
TAC/SC had a way of seeming to make even the Bridge look small.

Bill came smartly to attention. "Ensign William Stakes, sir. I have the 
honour to be assigned to your department, effective at the end of this week," 
he said.

Lydia kept her face neutral but inside she was proud of her dark-haired son, 
so like his father in looks. In the five years she'd missed, both Bill and Esme 
had attended and graduated from Starfleet Academy. She regretted missing 
their graduation but she was immensely proud of their achievements. It went 
without saying that Bill would get no preferential treatment from her. He 
never had, during the time he had spent gaining experience as an enlisted 
security officer on her previous ship, and she saw no reason to change that.

(Reply Trei, any)
(Posted by Liz)

**********

(USS Boudicca - Bridge - SPC SecO Ensign Bill Stakes - 1049)

"Welcome to the department Mr. Stakes," Lieutenant Trei said, extending 
his hand in welcome.  "Take the time to get yourself oriented in your 
quarters then meet me in QV at 13.00 for some lunch to discuss your 
position in the department.  We will get along fine as long as you do your 
job.  Personal relations will come in time.  You have your orders."

"Thank you, Sir," Bill said, giving the Lieutenant's hand a firm shake. "I'm 
proud to be serving on a fine ship like the Boudicca, and will do my best to 
live up to your expectations."

He came to attention again, and then turned smartly and left the Bridge.

(posted by Liz) 

*********

(USS Boudicca - Personal Quarters - SPC SecO Ensign Bill Stakes - 1130)

It had taken a little time but Bill had finally found the Quartermaster's 
Office, and been given his assigned quarters. Unlike Esme he hadn't shared 
his mother's quarters on the Star, and so his current quarters were more 
than adequate for his needs. His clothes and belongings were still on their 
way over from the starbase so the quarters looked a little bare but he was 
still pleased with them. And once he got his tri-dimension chess-set on that 
little table over there, and his books on that shelf on the far wall, and that 
rug Esme had bought for him on her last shore-leave, it would start to look 
like home.

Truth to tell he was excited to be here; the Boudicca had a special name in 
the fleet and Bill was well aware that a place on that ship was hard to come 
by. He hoped he would prove that he was worthy of it.

~I wonder what the Lieutenant has in mind for me,~ he thought to himself 
as he tried the couch out for comfort. The sound of the doorchime signalling 
the arrival of his stuff roused him and he went to help the crewmen bring it 
in. He didn't have that much but it would take him a little time to unpack 
properly. Life with his parents had taught Bill tidiness and order in his per-
sonal belongings, and he intended to start out right here too. Afterwards, if 
he had time before meeting Lieutenant Trei, he intended to check out the 
Security Department.

(reply Any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********
 
(USS Boudicca - Bridge - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1048)

Detron just heard  Captain Stakes assign her son to the security depart-
ment under him.  Detron took a moment to mentally file his name in his 
memory then extended his hand to welcome him to the department.

"Welcome to the department Mr. Stakes.  Take the time to get yourself 
oriented in your quarters then meet me in QV at 13.00 for some lunch to 
discuss your position in the department.  We will get along fine as long as 
you do your job.  Personal relations will come in time.  You have your 
orders."

(Reply B.Stakes, Stakes)
(Posted by Edward)

**********

(Starbase 47, Arboretum - MCPO Laurence Krolar, Olivia Krolar, CPO
Ashley Kester and Kester Family - 1200)

"Why did they want to meet you here?"  Olivia asked as she walked 
next to her dad.  He'd told her she didn't have to come, but she insisted
it was fine.

"Not sure, neutral ground, I guess.   If things end up too awkward
it's easier to cut things short than if we're in someone's quarters,
or at a restaurant."  Laurence said with a shrug.  Olivia was dressed
significantly more casual than she had been yesterday.  They'd spent a
long time talking about the past five years, and then proceeded to
start plans for her new room.  Laurence was a firm believer that
working on a project together was one of the best ways to get back in
the parenting groove and help Olivia get used to having him around
again.

They rounded a corner in the park, and Ashley and her parents were
standing with her, their backs to Laurence and Olivia, talking.
Ashley waved as they got within speaking distance and Ashley's 
parents turned around.

Olivia stopped and looked between Ashley and her mom.  "Is this a 
joke?"

"Olivia!" Laurence said, a little shocked.

"No, Chief Krolar it's all right," Rebecca Kester said, holding out
her hand.  "Olivia and I have meet already, on the shuttle.  Obviously
I should have mentioned my last name.  It's good to see you again,
Olivia."

"I'm sorry I said that, I was just a little surprised.  It's good to see 
you too," Olivia said holding out her hand to Rebecca.

Ashley grinned as Olivia and her mother shook hands.  "Laurence, I'd
like to introduce you to my parents, Rebecca and Malcolm Kester.  
Mom, Dad, this is Laurence Krolar and his Daughter Olivia."  Ashley 
said.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ma'am, Sir." Laurence said.  Rebecca looked
like a very typical mother while Malcolm stood out, he was tall and
wiry, and stood with a bit of a stoop, like he'd spent his life stuck
in cramped quarters, but he still had a smile on his face.

"It's good to meet you too, Chief," Malcolm said, shaking Laurence's
hand.  "Ashley's told us a lot about you and Olivia.  Rebecca and
Ashley packed some food, maybe we can find a table and sit down 
and talk."

Laurence nodded, and Ashley gave him a boost of confidence by taking
his hand as well as Olivia's and leading them and her parents over to
one of the many tables to have some lunch and get to know each other.

(Reply None/Any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - SPC SecO Ensign Bill Stakes - 1250)

Bill knew he was early, but he preferred to be on time. He waved cheer-
fully at his parents and sister, and then approached a charming young 
woman behind the bar and flashed the kind of smile that had won him 
hearts across the galaxy.

"Good afternoon!" he said cheerfully. "I'm new here - Bill Stakes. Just 
been assigned to the Security Department. I'm to meet Lieutenant Trei 
here in ten minutes - could I order a drink in the meantime?"

(reply Arania? Any)
(Posted by Liz)

*********

(USS Boudicca - QV - SPC Bar Manager, Arania - 1251)

Arania watched the attractive young man as he walked into QV and 
waved at the Captain her husband and her daughter, at least that is 
who Cy had told her the younger woman and older gentleman were, 
and he seemed to find out the scuttlebutt before anyone else did on 
the ship.  He'd also told her that Captain Stake's son was aboard and 
that her son was going to work in the Security Department.  This 
young man was dressed in the right color for security, she'd never 
seen him before and he obviously knew the people seated with the 
Captain, therefore it was logical for her to think that he was the son.

Instead of joining the CO and family members as Arania expected, 
the young man walked directly to the bar and sat down in front of 
her, flashing her a big, warm smile that made him even more attrac-
tive, bringing light to his face and eyes.  She had no choice but to 
give him one of her own warmest, welcoming smiles in return.

"Good afternoon!" he said cheerfully. "I'm new here - Bill Stakes. Just 
been assigned to the Security Department. I'm to meet Lieutenant 
Trei here in ten minutes - could I order a drink in the meantime?"

~ Hah, correct I was, ~  Arania thought triumphantly as she scruti-
nized his face, ~ and a likeness there is to his Mother, around the 
eyes. ~

She gave a nod and her customary bow.  "Most certainly!   For this is 
the place to dine and drink and socialize and welcome you are to this 
humble establishment.  Please, what may I bring you?"

(reply B. Stakes RFM)

At 1300 hours right to the second, Detron Trei walked in, sat next to 
Bill Stakes and ordered his usual bowl of beetles and a glass of Earl 
Gray, so Arania left the two of them to their business after she had 
filled the lunch order, and made herself scarce to check on her patrons 
seated at the tables, refilling coffee mugs and asking if everything was 
to their satisfaction and whether she could get them anything else.

(reply Any)
(Posted by Sal)

**********

(USS Boudicca - QV - TAC/SC Lieutenant(SG) Detron Trei - 1300)

Detron saw Stakes sitting at the bar.  He had the eager look of a cadet 
fresh off graduation from the Academy.  Detron understood this feeling 
but eagerness was a liability in security because a rash move almost 
always got someone killed.  Detron walked over to the bar and sat next 
to Stakes.  He ordered a bowl of beetles and a glass of Earl Gray. 

"Mr. Stakes are you adjusting well?  If you are asking what I expect 
from you, it is nothing elaborate.  At this time, I expect you to maintain 
general security and report to me anything out of the ordinary.  Do you 
have anything of note that can be useful to me and the department?"

(Reply B.Stakes)
(Posted by Edward)

********

(USS Boudicca - Family Quarters - PO2 Shadow to Sreatlles - Day 25 
- 1930)

Shadow was glad neither she nor Parrr were particularly materialistic when
she'd been told by Operations that there was only one family set available
and they'd better claim them while they could. So, while Parrr'Z was working
his first shift, she moved their belongings from each of their old quarters
and into their new. She didn't think she'd have use for the holo-trees,
having found potted plants worked just as well to make her feel life in her
home, but didn't want to throw away such a thoughtful gift from Chief Bob.

~At least Parrr should not be jealous of a furless engineer anymore! If I
have not proved myself in the last five and a half years, I do not think I
ever shall!~ She shook her head in amusement. Parrr's possessiveness tended
to appear in strange ways at the oddest times. But he did not clutch with
claws when he did hug too tight, so as Dorga had suggested, she'd learned to
ignore or deal.

They had two bedrooms, a common sitting room, a kitchenette, and a
recreational holo-unit. She wasn't quite sure what they'd do with it all.
She left Parrr's weapons in the sitting room, excluding the knives he liked
to sleep with around him and her spear that sat under the bed on her own
side. At least he was a lover who understood her own paranoia.

Maybe she could pester one of Denise's creations out of her, the walls
needed art.

Deciding she was about as domestic as she was going to get, she opened a
message to Loren. "Rameriz has been found and is back on the ship." She
said, "I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, he's down in engineering
and I don't have full access restored yet - but I'll try and get to him as
soon as possible. If you get some time, you should come stay with Parrr and
I. We have plenty of room now!"

She hoped her soul-sister could break away, but..  Shadow sighed, if dreams
were real, there would be no challenge to life.

"The Captain's not on the ship, she seems very mysterious and not as open as
your Aunt. I have put in a request for a meeting with her tomorrow. I'm not
sure if she has a Yeoman to set up her schedule yet or not though!" Shadow
shook her head, "It's all very confusing. I do wish you were here, as
selfish as it is.

"Maybe Parrr will finally accept a promotion. You know I chose my name, I
just haven't decided if I will go ahead with the change or not. Will it remove 
the example I've been trying to offer my kith and kin?" She sighed, "Thanks 
for the last music sample, I thought I would go bug nutty on Vulcan.. Their 
voices are not what one would call 'in tune.'"

She sent the message off, hoping Loren would get it with some speed. In the
meantime, she'd just have to prepare dinner for her Tiger Feet.

(Reply any)
(posted by Lorna)

*********

(Starbase 47, Hotel Quarters - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and
Doctor Marconis Tet - 2330)

Dinner had turned into drinks which had turned into dancing which 
had lead back to the Marconis' hotel for a few more drinks and
conversation.

"Where in the seven nebulae did you learn to dance like that?"  Ayslin
asked, smiling openly as she sat next to Marconis watching the stars
outside his window.

"You'd never believe me," Marconis said, chuckling a bit.  The drinks
had gotten to them a little, but it was nice to feel like she didn't have 
to be perfect for once.  Marc wasn't necessarily tall, but he stood close 
to six feet.  He was slender, lanky instead of muscular.  His hair fell 
somewhere between blond and brown, and he had gray eyes that 
bordered on silver in the right light.  Generally speaking he was good 
looking, but his smile was his best feature, Ayslin decided.  His smile 
was easy and relaxed and it lit up the room and it made  Ayslin smile 
right along with him.

"Oh come on, you have to tell me."  Ayslin said pushing at Marconis,
which was rather ineffectual as he was significantly taller than she
was.

"Would you believe that Professor Tet was an avid dance enthusiast?"
Marconis said, trying and failing to his a laugh.

"A mental picture I'd rather not have, thank you very much," Ayslin
said, but still laughed right along with Marc.  It was good to have a
fellow joined Trill to talk to, who understood the issues and confusions 
of living with memories that both were and weren't yours at the same 
time.

"How are you holding up, Ayslin?"  Marc asked, resting his hand on
her's.  Maybe it was the alcohol, but the action took Ayslin a little by 
surprise, but it wasn't unwelcome.

It took her a moment to reply, the humor had gone out of the room, 
but Ayslin didn't mind, no one had asked her yet how she was doing 
and really meant it like Marc did.  When she looked up at him he was
genuinely concerned for her, about her.  Maybe Tanna was right, on
both counts.  He must have mistook her pause for something other that
composing her thoughts, and he started to move his hand away, but 
she caught it with hers and put it back.

"I'm...ok, I guess.  I mean it's hard to really say.  My family is
fine, no one died, I'm healthy, or so you tell me.  It's hard, I lost
five years, how do you have a conversation with someone when they 
have five years of stuff to talk about and I barely have two weeks.  How
many times can I say I'm sorry some kind of temporal phenomenon took
me against my will.  It's not my fault this happened to me.  It's not
my fault I missed the birth of my niece, or my parents 50th wedding
anniversary.   But everyone still looks at me like it was.  I know
they don't want to, they know in their head it wasn't my fault, but I
know Kellis didn't come because he blames me for putting Mom and Dad
through this."  Ayslin said, feeling like she'd been holding this in
forever.

"Hell, to get right down to it, he hated that I got joined in the
first place.  He'd never tell me to my face, but he thinks I got
joined because I didn't like who I was, thought I was better than
where I came from.  It's the same with joining Star Fleet and leaving
Trill.  And maybe he's right.  We grew up in a small town, my parents
were never that well off.  Dad was a mechanic and mom was a nurse.  
I didn't want to live in that place forever, the place where I was just
my parents Daughter, Laric and Kellis's litter sister.  I needed to
make my own name.  I'm sure he's simply chalked all this up to me
simply not being happy with what I had.  That if I'd never gotten
joined and joined Star Fleet, that I never would have put mom and dad
through all this mess."  Ayslin stopped talking, unsure of what to say
next, tears threatening to form in her green eyes.

To his credit Marc never tried to interrupt, never tried to put his
own opinion in, just listened and held her hand, only speaking once
she stopped.  "Have you thought of leaving the Fleet?"  He asked
quietly, and Ayslin couldn't tell if there was any motive beyond the
question other than the simple question of her intentions about
solving her problem.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't.  But then, who'd take me, I'm five
years out of date with no research to show for the time, that's a life
time in my profession. My collaborators moved on with our research
when I disappeared, I haven't even scratched the surface of the
advancements I've missed, the discoveries.  I could be on my way to a
tenured professorship at the Daystrom institute, or the Ministry of
Science.  Maybe in a few years I could leave, but for now, Star Fleet
is where I have a career, And it's where my friends are."  Ayslin said
with a sigh.

"Not all of them," Marc said, squeezing her hand and smiling at her.

"No, not all of them," Ayslin said with a genuine smile.  "I'm really
glad you volunteered to come out here, Marc, I know there were
probably assignments closer to Trill that you could have taken."

Marc smiled at her warily then stood up and walked over to the window.
 "To be completely honesty, I didn't exactly volunteer to come out
here."  Marc said, his back to Ayslin.

"Oh really?"  Ayslin said, standing up and walking up next to him.
"What did you do?"

"I may have walked into Doctor Tish's office and requested the
assignment specifically."  Marc said with a shrug.

"That is a bit different than just volunteering," Ayslin said.  She
really was beginning to think that Tanna had been right.  "Wanna tell
me why you walked into Bone Bags' office and requested my case
specifically?"  She asked, her tone of voice betraying that she had a
good idea of the answer.

Marconis turned and looked at her, a small smile on his face.  Prior
to the day before she couldn't remember Marconis looking her in the
eye, and she had to admit he had beautiful eyes.  "I had such a crush
on you when we were at the Ministry of Science together and then at
the Commission.  It sounds silly when I say it out loud, but I really
did, I still do, although I'm not sure people our age can really have
crushes like students do.  Remember when we worked together in
xenobiology, how ofter does the Sophomore get to work with the 
senior who was the head of her class."

"You were the only good thing that happened with that class, I still
hate biology, give me rare subatomic particles over organs and cells
any day,"  Ayslin said with a sigh.

"I honestly didn't think you knew I existed.  I mean you were never
mean or unkind or anything, quite the opposite in fact, you were nice
to me when no one else would give me the time of day."  Marc said,
leaning against the window.  "But I'm not sure you ever saw me as
anything other than a lab partner."

"I don't think I really saw anyone at school, I was so driven, we all
were, at least I thought so at the time.  I also wasn't exactly a wiz
at social situations.  But I did see you, I just..." Ayslin said, her
voice trailing off as she shrugged.  "I was a year ahead of my class,
and I needed to get a recommendation to the Commission, but don't 
for a minute think I didn't notice you, and don't for a minute think I
don't wonder about the past sometimes.  You were a good friend, and
despite the fact that you were a nervous wreck and I was an
introverted bookworm, and I'm glad I met you back then and I'm glad
you're here now." she said, resting her hand on his upper arm.

"Do you believe in second chances, or at least another shot at a first
chance?" Marc asked, smiling at Ayslin.

"If one or both of us hadn't been joined, I would have said no, we
just weren't right for each other, but now...maybe it could, but I'm
not sure how, it's not like you're going to join Star Fleet and I've
already said I'm not retiring."  Ayslin said, with a sympathetic
smile.

"Hey, they've got this thing called long distance relationships, they
work sometimes.  What do we have to lose, other than another chance.
And we have a couple more days until you depart.  We had a good time
tonight, and we both seem to want to try, so lets try.  If it helps, I
thought, and still think you're the most intelligent, beautiful, kind
and funny person I've ever met."  Marc said taking a step forward.

Ayslin smiled, she knew that it wasn't being close that would be their
problem, having Marc standing only inches away felt right, it was
going to be the distance.  Still, they were two incredibly smart
people, if there was a way to make it work, they'd find it.  "Flattery
will get you everywhere.  All right, we'll try.  We'll find a way to
make things work somehow.  We do seem to be a good match for each
other, and I doubt I'm getting you out of my head for a while anyway.
Maybe we just needed to be friends first, and have time to realize
what we should have figured out years ago."

"I'll find a way to make this work, I promise you," Marconis said,
reaching up and brushing his fingers lightly against Ayslin's cheek.
It was that touch, the first touch that wasn't just friendship, or
sympathy, but attraction and tenderness, that made Ayslin believe it
could work.  It felt different than anyone else's touch, there was no
awkwardness, no forced affection, and certainly not a motion to be
acted through like it had been in Ayslin's previous flash in the pan
relationships.  No, this touch meant something to both of them, and it
made Ayslin feel relaxed and comfortable and cared about.

Closing her eyes she leaned her head gently against Marc's hand.
Finally she opened her eyes, and looked at Marc.  "It's getting late,
but the Bouddica is such a long walk away and it seems kind of silly
to say good night after what we just talked about,"  Ayslin said,
closing the final few inches between them and resting her forehead on
Marc's shoulder, her long red hair covering her face.  She was
pleasantly surprised to find that Marc was the perfect height for
resting her head on his shoulder and that she very much liked being
that close to him.

"You could always stay here, I can sleep out here on the couch,"  Marc
said, the perfect gentleman.

Ayslin smiled, and while it was hidden, she let it show in her voice,
"Or you could sleep in the bedroom...eventually."  She lifted her head
up to look at Marc and smiled before gently pulling his head down and
kissing him, the man she had just found again, the man she cared for
deeply, and maybe in time, more than cared for.

(Reply None needed)
(Posted by Patrick D.)




=============================================
=============================================
Mission: Time After Time
Day 26
Stardate:  2413.10.03
=============================================
=============================================

(Starbase 47, Hotel Quarters - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and
Doctor Marconis Tet - 0900)

Ayslin walked out of the bathroom, wrapped in an soft bathrobe,
compliments of the hotel, still toweling off her hair.  "A real hot
water shower, how did you manage to get a real shower," Ayslin said,
sitting down next to Marc on the bed who was going over notes on his
PADD.

"Technically I'm a visiting government official on official business.
You don't have them on the Boudicca?" He asked, still shirtless and
under the covers, PADD in hand.

"Once in a blue moon, mostly its just sonic showers, which are fine,
but there's nothing like a long hot water shower, the fluffy bathrobe
helps too."  Ayslin said with a sigh.

"You know you could just replicate your own, right?"  Marc said,
putting the PADD down on the nightstand and putting an arm around
Ayslin's shoulder.

"There's nothing quite like a complimentary bathrobe,"  Ayslin said,
pulling it tighter around herself.  "Can't we go back to bed?"

"Sorry, I've got another appointment today, one of the unjoined Trills
on the station is applying to the Commission, and they want a full
physical and blood and genetic workup.  Besides, it's the Commissions
policy with you Star Fleet folks to have every unjoined Trill worked
up in case of an emergency.  All the Medical work ups are done...just
in case."  Marc said with a shrug.  "Besides, you should put in some
time at the office, and I'm sure your folks want to spend more time
with you."

Ayslin gave an overly dramatic sigh, "But I don't want to be responsible 
today."

"Neither do I, but we'll manage.  I'm sure we can fit some time in
later tonight.  You can take me on a tour of the Boudicca, maybe?"
Marc said.

"All right, fine, I'll be good.  We can have dinner in the ships
lounge, and I'll show you around the place," Ayslin said, kissing Marc
on the cheek, then standing up.  Deciding that if she went back to her
room, she'd probably never end up in her office.  She walked over to
the replicator and punched in her Star Fleet authentication code, and
replicated a brand new uniform and rank, pulling her comm badge out of
her purse and recycling her dress from the previous evening and having
the computer send the information back to her quarters on the Boudicca
so she could replicate it again later.

Dressed in her freshly pressed uniform, pips shining, she pulled her
still slightly damp hair back into a loose pony tail.  She looked
herself over in the mirror, satisfied she looked fit for duty, she
walked back in to find Marc pulling on his boots.  They kissed briefly
and said their goodbyes until that evening.

(posted by Patrick D.)

********

(USS Boudicca, Bridge - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel - 1000)

Ayslin had taken her time getting to the bridge, and found an ensign
at the science console patiently working on some project or another.
She walked up to the Ensign and put her hand on their shoulder.
"You're relieved, Ensign, take the rest of the day off,"  Ayslin said.

"But, Ma'am I wasn't scheduled for leave today."

"Consider it a surprise.  Now go have some fun, or relax, or something
other than being on duty.  I had a very good day yesterday, consider
this me passing it along."  Ayslin said with a friendly smile.

"Thank you Ma'am, I will," the Ensign said vacating the seat which
Ayslin took, logging onto the terminal and running a list of
departmental reports from the last few days.

(Reply Any who want to interact on the bridge)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

********

(USS Boudicca, Krolar Family Quarters - MCPO Laurence Krolar and
Olivia Krolar - 1300)

Laurence looked around the empty bedroom with his hands on his hips.
He and Olivia had spent the morning sorting and packing her old
things.  Clothes went straight into the recycler, and a couple pieces
of furniture were picked up to be broken down by the larger recyclers
in Engineering.  Now they were getting ready to put it all back.

Laurence was wearing his typical off duty clothes, a faded t-shirt and
jeans.  Olivia was dressed in something similar and her long hair put
up in braided pigtails.

"What do you think?"  Olivia asked looking up at him.

"Well...It's a good shade of blue, but I think it's going to make you
feel like you're living in a cave.  I'd try a lighter shade of blue,
but it's your room, and we can always change the color if you don't
like it," Laurence said.  "I think we should also get you a desk,
you're going to want someplace other than your bed and the dining 
room table to work."  Laurence said.

Olivia scrunched up her forehead in thought as she looked around the
room.  "I'll lighten the shade up a little, but I do like the blue a
lot.  Do I have enough replicator credits left for the desk after we
get the bigger bed, and some more clothes?"

Laurence looked down at her and smiled.  "Don't worry about it, I'll
transfer some more into your account, you'll want to put stuff on the
walls too."

It took them a few more hours to get everything delivered and into the
newly recolored room.  Olivia had kicked her shoes off and was lying
on the bed while Laurence finished moving the desk into place where
Olivia wanted it, when the door chime rang.

"Can you go get that, Cadet, I'm almost done here,"  Laurence asked
without looking up.

Olivia didn't even respond she just hopped off the bed and walked out
to get the door.  A minute later, she walked back in the room.  "Dad,
I think they made a mistake, they delivered two computer terminals
instead of one."

Laurence, turned around and smiled at his daughter.  "No mistake, the
second one is going on your desk."  Olivia squealed and launched
herself at her father, wrapping her arms around him.

"Really, it's mine?"  Olivia asked torn between asking her father more
questions and going to look at the terminal.

"Yes, but there are a few conditions."

"Anything, whatever you want me to do I'll do it,"  Olivia said,
practically bouncing.

"Everyone I've talked to, teachers, therapist, Nola's mother, have
told me you're responsible, possibly too responsible for being almost
eleven, so I'm trusting you with this because I think you can handle
it.  For now, it's going to be limited to access to internal
communications, personal data storage, and access to the ships video
and data library.  Anything beyond that you can ask me and use my
terminal at my desk.  On your birthday in a couple of months, we'll
see how things go, and if you're still doing ok in school, and at
home, we'll see about getting you hooked up for more access so you can
call your friends on Betazed,"  Laurence said.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, Daddy, you're the best," Olivia
said hugging him again.  Laurence hugged her back, then sat her down
on the bed and sat next to her.

"I'm going to make you a promise, I'll respect your privacy, up until
the point where you give me reason to think you're lying to me and I
have to look at your terminal, and if I do, I'll tell you I'm going to
do it and you'll be standing next to me when I do it.  I was a kid
once too, and I know that having a parent snooping around was my 
worst nightmare, but now that I'm a parent I know why they did it.  
So I'll make you that promise if you promise me that if you ever want 
to talk about something with me, you will, anything at all.  I don't 
want you hiding stuff from me because you're afraid I'll be mad.  I love 
you, and I'm here to help you as best I can.  If you don't feel like you
can talk to me, talk to Ashley, you can trust her too."  Laurence
said.  He know Olivia probably thought he was crazy for talking like
this, but it was something he needed to tell his daughter now.  "I
know I haven't been there for you, and I'm sorry, but I'm here now,
and I'm going to catch up as fast as I can.  It's not the easiest
thing to do, going from parent of a six year old to parent of an
eleven year old, so tell me when I screw up."

"I will daddy, but you're going to be fine.  I promise I'll be good,
and I'll talk to you.  I'll make you proud of me, I promise."  Olivia
said, looking up at him.

"I'm already proud of you, I've always been proud of you, sweet
heart," Laurence said, wrapping his arm around Olivia's shoulder and
giving it a squeeze.  "You'll always be my daughter, and I'll always
love you, don't ever forget that," Laurence said standing up.  "Now,
all the heavy lifting is done, you can finish off the room however you
want.  I'll set the terminal up now."

Olivia smiled up at him.  "I love you too daddy," she said hopping off
the bed and grabbing a box of books she'd replicated earlier.

Laurence walked out of the room with a smile on his face.  ~~It's good
to have her back, now I hope I don't let her down.~~

(Reply none/any)
(Posted by Patrick D.)

*********

(USS Boudicca, QV - aCSO Lieutenant (jg) Ayslin Rel and Doctor
Marconis Tet - 1830)

Ayslin and Marconis walked into QV hand in hand.  It was busy, busier
than it would normally be when they were docked, but there were 
plenty of families that wanted to see the ship, still there were a few 
open tables, and Ayslin lead Marc across the room to a free table, not 
AS close to the windows as she normally preferred but still within sight.
They sat down and Ayslin shoved the menu across to Marc.

"So, what do you think of the ship?"  Ayslin asked while she waited.
She was still in uniform, but she undid her collar and let her hair
down, running her fingers through it to get it to lie like she wanted
it to.  

"Bigger than I pictured in my head," he said paging through the menu.
"I will say this, you have some outstanding medical facilities for not
having as much space as a city based hospital."  Marc was dressed in a
suit, a pin on his collar and a larger badge over his right jacket
pocket both bore the symbol of the Symbiosis Commission medical
directorate.

"It only seems big because everyone is on leave, when you fill this
place up with crew it's a lot smaller."  Ayslin said with a shrug.

(Reply any who want to interact)
(Posted by Patrick D.)


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