Stardate:2406.10.02 (USS Nimitz - Holodeck 1 - Ensign Asoru/School Teacher Katie Troi - 2000) Simbel had programed the holodeck to resemble the bridge with all the same controls that he would see and be using. He had also programed the motion sensors to react the same as the real ship would. He had been told that they would be going into battle before long and he wanted to be ready with special radical maneuvers in case he needed them. He wanted to push the ship to the very extremes that it could take, you never know when you might need something drastic to save the day. Katie had been curious about where Simbel was. They were supposed to be meeting and then going out someplace together. She wondered if she had gotten the message wrong, when she found out that he was on the holodeck. She headed there, her mind swimming with the records of her two latest additions to her small school - these Kirien twins were hellions, in all senses of the word. She sighed as the door opened and she walked onto a replica of the Nimitz's bridge in a red alert situation. ::Well, this is not what I would have expected for a romantic evening, Simbel.:: She sent tinged with laughter. Simbel was frustrated, the Nimitz was not the nimble crafts he was use to. He had destroyed the ship several times by over stressing the ship. He had finally managed to come up with one maneuver that barely stressed it. He was deep in another maneuver when he got a thought from Katie that reminded him of what he had forgotten. He had been so absorbed in what he was doing he forgot the time. He looked up and around to see her standing there with a grin on her face and the thought told him she was not overly upset. Simbel stood and walked over to her then embraced her giving her a soft kiss. "I am sorry My Love, I have been trying to get ready for the encounter we are bound to have soon." He said as he motioned around the holodeck as he turned with her on one arm. "Unfortunately, I guess I am expecting too much from the ship in her ability to move. I have only one maneuver to show for all my time here." "If you want we can go to the Lounge, I am sure that Patricia could put together something for us." He said in somewhat of an apology for his forgetting. Katie nodded, taking his arm. "What are you in the mood for ?" ::Besides me:: She added, sexual overtones to the thought. "A little Chinese and then desert" Simble replied with a smile. "Computer save and shutdown program, Asoru maneuver three five nine" he said as he started stirring Katie toward the door. Stardate:2406.10.02 (USS Nimitz - Corridor near Holodeck 1 - Ensign Asoru/School Teacher Katie Troi - 2030) "Desert ?" She said, smacking her lips together in childish delight. "I want a hot fudge sundae. With two cherries and extra whipped creme." She said, fairly dancing down the hallway with delight. The she stopped and leaned slightly forward and said conspiratorially "Can we skip the Chinese ?" "Are all you Troi's so fixated on chocolate sweets as you are?" He said as he hurried up to her. He grabbed her around the waist and started to tickle her as they moved to the turbolift. The door opened and two crew men stood there watching them with smiles on their faces. Stardate:2406.10.02 (USS Nimitz - Turbo lift - Ensign Asoru/School Teacher Katie Troi - 2035) Katie giggled as Asoru tickled her, and they got into the lift with the two crew men. ::Yes, we are.:: She sent. Using her telepathic abilities with him was more natural than talking. ::At least, my memory of Kestra is that she is.:: As the lift sped along, Katie's mind-voice took on a note of lecture. ::All Betazoids tend to be a bit hedonistic in general, and we all love chocolate:: "So you are trying to say that all female Betazoids are in the pursuit of pleasure?" He said out loud so the two crew men could hear. "Well, in that case, I guess we should skip dinner and go right to the pleasure part." He said with a big smile knowing what the two crew men must be thinking. Katie blushed quite red and began to stammer as the turbolift finally reached the crewman's deck. She pushed between them and went out, leaving Simbel in the turbolift. She was suddenly very angry, why did he have to embarrass her like that ? He could have responded telepathically, he didn't have to do that to her. Unless he didn't want her anymore.... She sighed, and turned into one of the lounges, taking a seat on the couch and trying hard not to start crying. Simbel was not quite sure what he had done that would cause her to run away to a lounge and start crying. He was, as always, honest in what he said and wanted to please her. He had followed her and saw that she was trying to not cry, so, he sat down beside her. "Is it not what you want to do?" he asked. "Was it not pleasure of chocolate that you wanted? You said that most Betazoids loved chocolate and it gave them pleasure, so, I thought you wanted that instead of dinner." Katie looked up through her tears and then began to laugh. "You know very well that that was not what they were thinking, Simbel, you naughty man!" She grabbed a pillow, and then swatted at him with it. "Well, I got you to laugh about it didnt I?" he said as he laughed along with her as he ducked her blows with the pillow. He was finally able to get close to her and under her blows to tackle her down to the couch again. "I think we need to go eat before someone comes in and arrests us for fighting with each other." he said as he chuckled. She looked into his eyes and realized that this was the reason she loved him. He was open, honest and caring. All of which were attributes that she treasured in her Imzadi. ::Can we do dinner...in ? :: She sent back, images of feeding him fruit from her mouth high on her mind. ::My chambers:: he sent back to her as he grabbed her and off they went to his quarters. (Reply none, any) (Pb Frank and Melinda) Stardate:2406.10.02 (USS Nimitz - Deck 2 Hallways - Gabriella and Elizabeth Wilson-Kirien & CO Captain Devan Sash - 2154) Beth and Ella were still on starbase time, and hence were not sleeping. They had decided to explore the ship while their parents were talking and fighting, as usual. "I want to go see the shuttlebays." Beth said, stopping dead in her tracks in the hallway. "I'm tired of wandering around, all the hallways look the same." Ella gave her sister a look of long-suffering and thought for a second. "Come on." She said, racing for the turbolift. The two promptly ran right into a pair of legs, knocking the person over and landing on top of him. Both girls looked up and all they could see were the four pips of Captain. ::Oh, kareeest Mum's gonna kill us!!!!!::: Ella projected, scared. "Uh, Captain, Sir?" Beth said, also scared. Sash had been walking towards the turbo lift when he had heard unusual sounds. When he turned the corner two girls almost ran him over. he looked down at them from his full height. "Hello girls," he said, "are you supposed to be here?" ::He knows who we are!!!!:: Beth sent frantically. Ella nodded. "Dad told us to go exploring while he and Mum fought again." Ella said straightforwardly. "You aren't gonna tell Mum that we ran over the Captain ?" Beth said, frightened. The Captain was scccaaaarrrry. "Shh, Beth, he doesn't even know who we are." Ella whispered to her sister. Then she looked at the Captain. "Uh, do you, Captain Sir ?" Sash looked at them and rubbed his chin. "Well, if your parents are fighting, and I haven't seen you before, I would have to assume that you are Dr. Kirian's children." The girls looked up at him with a look that Sash could only take as awed fear. He had to force himself to suppress a smile. "And no, I won't tell them that you nearly ran me over. So what are you girls looking for?" "Uhmmmmm." They looked at each other. Beth blurted out "Anything but hallways!" Ella replied, "Beth wants to see the shuttlebay. She wants to be a pilot like Dad. I wanted to find the gardens. I like plants." Ella finished, being the adult, the responsible one of the twins. "You know Mum?" Beth asked, then Ella's eyes narrowed. "You were the one that demoted Dad and said we couldn't see him when we needed him!" Ella accused. Sash tried to ignore the acusation, but he knew that it wouldn't last. Children had an uncany sense of sticking their teeth into something and not letting you get away with leaving their questions go unanswered. he smiled at Ella. "Yes, I know your mum," he admitted. Then he said, "I like plants too. Let's save that for last and go see the shuttlebay first, shall we?" Ella shook her head. "Dad said he was coming here to be the First Officer and now he isn't. It's all your fault. Dad also said that you were the reason he couldn't come to us." Beth nodded. "Mum needed him. They took us away from her on Geneva because the pregnancy made her go bonkers. The Captain there was bad too, really bad, he wasn't good with people." "But you are though." Ella picked up, following her sister's thread of thought like she could always do. "You understand children." Sash sighed, knowing that this question wasn't going to go away. "Yes, I am the one that demoted your daddy," Sash admitted. "Demotion in Starfleet is what happens when you do something very wrong. Have you ever been grounded or sent to your room?" Ella nodded. "Beth hatches silly plans that generally end up with us in trouble, her more than me." Beth hit her sister on the back of the head for that one. "Owwww!" Ella glared. "You know it is true." "Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to act that way, Gabriella Liara Wilson-Kirien." Beth said, sticking her tongue out. "You are supposed to be on my side." Both of the girls turned to Sash, who they had briefly forgotten about in their arguing. Sash watched the girls with an ever increasing smile. If there was one thing he knew about siblings fighting, it was never get in the middle. "Well, it's sort of something like that, only more serious, because it's grown-up stuff. As for keeping your father from you, well, that wasn't exactly either of our choices. First of all I had no idea that you needed your father. Secondly, until today, I didn't even know you two existed." "Why not? The CMO said she sent you a message saying we needed her. The idiot Counsellor did too." Ella said, voicing her mother's opinions on the senior staff of Geneva. "Dad said that you said he couldn't come." "What did Dad do that was so bad that you had to punish him so hard?" Beth frowned, wondering aloud. "I bet it was a lot of fun to do. The worst punishments always come from the things that are the most fun to accomplish." The questions were coming fast and furious, now and Sash was trying to get his brain around them all. He began to steer them towards the turbolift. "I have no idea why I never got any messages. They might have been intercepted. And if your daddy said he couldn't be there, we might have been on a mission that he couldn't get away from. I really couldn't say. As for what he did, well, it's really between him and me. if you want to ask him you can. It's kind of like when you get in trouble at school, and your friend tells everyone why you got in trouble. You wouldn't like that would you?" The door to the turbo lift closed. "Deck three." The turbo lift ride was brief since they only went down one floor. Coming out of the turbolift they turned down the corridor and soon stopped outside a doorway that had a sign saying "Upper Main Shuttlebay". "Ah this is the place." He looked down at the girls. "Now if you're good, I'll show you something special. But if there are a lot of people working we kinda have to stay out of their way. Deal?" Beth's eyes were wide as the doors opened and she saw all the glorious things that she had learned to pilot on the holodeck, but real this time, and laid out before her. She leaned over the railing, not hearing anything that was said, but just watching it all. Ella looked up at the Captain, watching him closely. "Why are you so good with children?" She asked, not sharing Beth's fascination with all things that flew. "And what is this surprise?" Beth turned around, surprises and presents were some of her favorite things. "Surprise?" Sash chuckled. "Well, if I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise would it? And I like children. I used to have children of my own." He stopped there, not wanting to go into that part of his history with two who were so young. They didn't need to hear it. So he went on pointing out the different kinds of shuttles and what they were used for. Every so often a technician would approach them, then stop when they saw who it was and go back to their work. "Have you ever been inside a real shuttle?" he asked. They both nodded. Beth said, "When we had to leave 262 and Mum was worried the SFI Agent piloted us away in a big shuttle. He even let me fly it for a couple of minutes." Her eyes shone with the memory of pure delight. Ella chimed in. "Dad was teaching Beth to fly on the Holodeck, but he only got a couple of lessons in. We've been.... continuing... the drills." Ella knew that this could get them grounded, but somehow she trusted this Captain. He seemed to not really be a stuffed shirt like the one on Geneva was. This Captain had a personality. And if he said that her Daddy had done something bad, well, her Daddy hadn't really been doing anything recently to make things better at home. In fact, from what little she had sensed from her Daddy, he wasn't too thrilled to see them. "We couldn't go much further, past the lessons that Dad showed me." Beth confessed looking down at her feet. "I kept crashing the ship. Ella thought we needed a real pilot." Sash laughed. "Crashed huh. Well, I remember my first shuttle flight. I think I took out the control tower at the academy. Flying is as much an art as it is technical. You kind of have to feel your way along." They stopped in front of a Type 11 shuttle. "Have you ever been in a type 11?" Both of them shook their heads. He lead them onto the shuttle, directing Beth to the pilots seat and Ella to the secondary station behind them. "Are you sure that you want to trust me with this, Captain?" Beth said, looking up at him in concern. Sash gave her an encouraging wink. "Trust is something you earn my dear."Then he put a hand onher shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. We're not going anywhere right now. Just sit there and get a feel for the controls and where they are." He turned away and tapped his comm badge. "Sash to flight control, I will be testing out the antigrav lift off and landing procedue on the shuttle Archimedes." =^=Very good captain, proceed.=^= He turned to Beth and smiled. He could see the fear in her face. "Now relax. If you're this uptight then something bad is sure to happen. This is a very simply procedure. We're going to lift off, turn around 360 degrees, and then set down again." Beth looked up with hero-worship in her eyes, putting her hands over the controls. They were just like the ones on the holodeck, and she looked up at Sash. "Permission to do so, Captain ?" She asked, looking up at him. He was very very cute..... Ella rolled her eyes, and tried very hard not to yawn. She knew this was a big deal to Beth, but really, it wasn't that big a deal. Was it? Ella leaned back, and didn't even notice the shuttle lifting off, or setting back down. She was watching her sister, very carefully as she looked up at Sash, expecting praise. Neither had a father in their life until recently, and then Beth had discovered *boys* and now Ella was forced to listen to her sister's prattle about who was cute and who wasn't and god it was boring. Sash smiled at her sudden confidence. "Permission granted. Now just take it slow and easy. We're not in a hurry." He could feel the ship raise of the deck plating. He reached over Beth and and tapped a control. This ship hovered about a meter off the floor. He showed her the readouts on the panel and what they meant. "Now gently use this pad on the panel to rotate the ship on it's axis." The ship began to turn. First the movement was so slow that he could barely notice it. Then it jumped a few meters, almost throwing Sahs against the hull. Sash's hands flew to hers and held them tightly. The ship stopped moving. he left his hands on top of hers, his head right next to hers. "Feel the motion," he said softly. "Don't worry so much about the display for this manuever, but how the hsip feels. Close your eyes and let your mind see the circle you're making. Then stop when you think you've come full circle. Trust yourself." Beth nodded, and trusted in Sash, closing her eyes, and the ship turned. She looked up at him. "Did I do that?" She asked, eyes wide with confidence. The captain turned to face her with a look of pride. "Indeed you did." The ship had come to a full stop, facing the same direction in which they had started. "Now gently lower the ship to the deck." He moved his hand on top of hers, letting her take control of the attitude adjustment. Suddenly the ship dropped to the deck with a clang. Sash almost laughed. He could see the look of surprise in Beth's face. "Sweetie, any landing yo can walk away from is a good landing," he said patting her on the cheek. "That was very good. When this mission is over, perhaps we can take my yacht for a spin, if your mother agrees." Ella narrowed her eyes at Sash. Beth glowed with praise. Ella got up and approached Sash to bow formally. "Captain, it would honor my sister and I if you would please be her flight instructor." "Well," Sash was slow to reply, "let's see what your mother has to say about it first. I don't want to be in trouble before I know it." Then he turned to Ella. "Now yong lady, I believe you said you liked plants. Well, I just happen to know where there are some of the most interesting plants in Starfleet. In our arboritum. How would you two like to go and see them." Beth yawned. "I want to stay in the shuttle." "I don't." Ella said, glaring down at her sister. "It's my turn. I swear Elizabeth, you are so greedy!" And with that Ella took Sash by the hand and led him out of the shuttle. Beth just glared and followed, sulking. At least she got to be with Sash. (reply none) (posted by AlMuir and Melinda Martin) Stardate:2406.10.03 mission: homecoming day -4 stardate: 2406.10.03 (Steele Talons - Ensign Jason Dema's quarters - Ensign Travis Keswick - 0900) "No problem". Travis said with a smile "May I say Sir you have a lovely daughter". Jason laughed out loud. "You're mistaken Ensign, she's not my daughter, she's my sister, I think I'm a little too young to have a 16-year old daughter, but still, no offense taken, but anyway, have a seat and tell me about yourself." Jason sat down on the corner of his desk and waited for Travis to reply. Travis's face turned red as he realized his mistake as he sat down. "Well there is not much to tell, I just graduated from the Academy and this is my first post, and I look forward to serving with you and on this ship to the very best of my ability". Jason looked with a serious face. "Indeed, that isn't much, but don't tell me that the academy and the trip to this ship were the only things you had in this life, what's your assignment? where did you grew up? that's what I wanna know." Travis looked uneasy "Well Ensign Dema I was in an Accident onboard a Ship when I was 16 and have no memory of time before that accident. so I have no past but here is what I have sines then. I Studied at the Klingon defense force academy on qo'noS. and went to the University of Batazed and got my masters degree in Criminal Psychology". And my assignment is to serve you as your assistant tactical and security Chief Travis sead Relaxing a little". "so tell me a little about your self". Keswick asked Jason, totally surprised by the question, did answer it, as it could improve the relation between them. "Well, I grew up on earth, with 2 sisters of which one you saw and isn't my daughter." Jason started to laugh again, he just couldn't get it out of his head, but he tried to be serious again. "I served on the USS Nimitz as a security officer, from which I've just been transferred. My sister joined me during my last days on the Nimitz cause of sudden situations. Today, I'm assigned to the USS Mystique, an Akira class, as Chief Tactical and security officer." Travis looked at ensign Dema with intrust as he was telling him about himself. Jason then turned very serious, he stood up and sat behind his desk. As Ensign Dema turned serious Travis became tenses as he waited to here what he had to say. "Now, on to your duties, as you know tactics will be needed in several mission, especially combat. mostly you will be discussing with me about what tactics we'll use, and how we'll put them to work. If something "odd" comes up, related to our duties, the first persons you report to are me, the FO or the CO, is that clear?" " Yes sir it is vary clear Ensign Dema". (reply Jason) (posted by Travis Keswick) Stardate:2406.10.03 mission: homecoming day -4 stardate: 2406.10.03 (Steele Talons - Ensign Jason Dema's quarters - Ensign Jason Dema - 0901) After the personal matters Jason started with the explenation of the duties, but he had a little surprise for Travis. " Yes sir it is vary clear Ensign Dema". Jason smiled, and turned on the holoscreen. "Now, if you will direct your attention to the screen behind you, I've got a little test for you, don't be nervous, you can't fail, we're all here to learn, I just want to see how you think about in certain situations." (reply Keswick) Jason stood up and walked over to the screen and explained the situation, he first used one that he learned at the academy, and modified it to a single ship in space against several others. the screen showed their Akira-class ship and 2 warbirds cloaking and decloaking at distance of 1 millions kilometres, near them was a nebula that scrambles sensors, also a dense astreroids field showed up on the map. "Okay, the situation here is as follows. this Akira is our ship, and at a distance of 1 million kilometres there are 2 warbirds cloaking and decloaking, we want them destroyed, how will you commence?" Jason said nothing about the nebula or the asteroids, as he said nothing about a surprise act. (reply Keswick) After that situation, Jason showed another one he took from a very famous general in ancient Japan. it was a map with a river and 1 bridge. the enemy was a big army while his forces were half of that army, Jason started to explain. "As you can see, the enemy has an army double of your size of army, at your disposal you have the best archers, scouts on horses, cavalry, hostages, ninja's, 1 geisha, samourai's with swords, samourai's with naginata's, and samourai's with spears, how will you win this battle?" (reply Keswick) (posted by Anthony Struelens) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - Ready Room- FO Commander Kestra Troi & CO Captain Devan Sash - 0907) Kestra was just a bit perplexed at what had happened in the meeting. She had not been in a meeting where the crew ignored what the CO and FO said the meeting would be about. She wanted to space most of the ones that was there and start with a new crew but there was none to replace them with. Even the one that was suppose to be her second on the mission didn't get with the plan. She was right on Devan's heels as he entered the Ready Room and if he had stopped suddenly she would have walked right up his back. As it was he went right to his desk and sat behind it, probably thinking he would be safe there. All she could do at first was to walk back and forth in front of his desk. "Okay, Kestra," he steeled himself for her, "what's on your mind?" Kestra suddenly stopped as he spoke not believing what he had just said. "What's on my mind? Devan, you were there, what do you think is on my mind." If looks could have killed, Devan would have been dead at that point. "Nevermind, you are looking for an answer from me!" Sash was taken aback a little. Yes he saw what was going on. He also saw that minds of young and inexperienced officers were being formed here and he wanted to give them the chance to come around because they want to, not because they were ordered to. Kestra started to walk back and forth once again this time using her hands to emphasize her points. "First they can't even get to the meeting on time, Second we both told them what the meeting was about and still they wanted to talk about what the Nimitz should or should not do. Then we had that Damn MCO put holes in the table as if he was trying to surprise anyone. The doctor I have to take with me don't know what he is suppose to do and I have to tell him. I want Ensign Slytherwald to accompany me not Ensign Kateb. The only one that had any real input to the meeting on the right subject was Major Dorkin, even my Second in command did not have a clue." Kestra stopped and had to take a breath but she kept walking. Sash smiled at her. He loved it when she got all worked up like that. Her face changed hue slightly and her breathing... He shook himself internally and refocused. "Kestra sit down." It was not just an invitation. Kestra stopped and looked at him, "What?! Sit down?! We have a situation here that does not call for sitting down!" She spat at him Sash continued his to smile and stated again, "Please," and with a little more force, "sit down." She continued to look at him and finally noticed that he was not asking her, he was actually, in his calm way telling her to sit down. "Fine!!" She said as she flopped down on the couch not wanting to sit still. Sash sat back in his chair and rocked, having gotten that concession from her. To be honest, he didn't think she would do it, so, he was already ahead of the game. "Kestra," he began, "these people are young and inexperienced. They're scared. They are trying to make sense of a situation that doesn't make sense to them." He leaned forward and put his elbows on his desk. "You and I have seen more combat already than most Starfleet officers ever see, in today's universe. They are reacting the only way they know how. We both know that they need discipline and to follow orders to stay alive, and I understand your concerns." He stood up and walked around the desk, and sat on the edge in front of her. "But did you also notice how many of them seem to be coming around. Yes, Dorkin does have a tendency to be overly dramatic, but he does make a point. "As far as Dr. Kinkaid goes, I will take care of him today. Saleke is your deal. We are going to need to walk these people through this by the hand. But this mission is too important. We have work ahead of us, and being angry at them for not knowing any better isn't going to solve anything." Kestra listened to what Devan had to say even if she had not really wanted to. She wanted to rant and rave a bit more to get it out of her system, but, he had really good points whether she wanted to admit it or not. He had not gotten to be captain by ranting and raving like she had just done and she needed to learn to control her temper a bit more if she was ever going to make it to captain once again. She started to remember her first mission and what it was like to go into the unknown to do a job you were not sure if you were qualified to do. Just hoping that you would not do something to get everyone killed. Her demeanor started to change as she remembered and then she smiled at him. "I seem to remember now that it was that same way when I first started, but, I was too afraid to voice such opposition. I guess they are a bit more open than I was." She told him thinking that now she must have looked foolish to him ranting like that. Sash reached down and held Kestra's hands, with a bit of a chuckle. "Ah, todays youth. So foolish and outspoken. I wonder if our first CO's and FO's used to think that about us. Well, about you anyway. I don't think I was ever young." Kestra could not help but revel in his holding of her hands. It sent such sensations through her that she had to bring her mind back into focus with what he was saying to suppress her reactions. She wanted so much to let into her feelings but knew that this was not the time and not the place for it. They had decided that they had to hold off on reacting to each other as they wanted to until the crew felt comfortable of the new command crew. Even then she knew that they would have to watch what the did and when. But, she had to stop dwelling on that and focus back on the subject at hand. She looked up into his eyes, "I can not fathom that you were not young at one time, Devan. Even now you look so young. But, as far as my first CO and FO, I know they thought that I would never actually end up in the command staff. I surprised them then and I am glad that I had the chance to do so. Anyways, I will see what I can do with Saleke as I am having a meeting with him not long from now." (reply from Sash(iyw)) (pb Frank and Al) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - FO's office- Security/SFI & FO- Lt Dru Tagon & Commander Kestra Troi- 0930) Tagon stood outside the room as he touched the door chime. His presence filled the hallway, and people tended to gawk at him as they went past. he had learned to ignore it a long time ago. He felt good to be back in a Starfleet uniform. This Captain Sash seemed to have ideas of his own on how things should be. Hopefully, now, Tagon can get his career back to where he wanted it to be. The door opened and Tagon stepped in. "Commander Troi, I feel that there is a problem with your away mission." Kestra watched as Lt. Tagon filled the room as he came in and wondered if she should or could offer him a seat. She looked around the room quickly to see if there was anything that could take his weight but there just wasn't anything. "I would offer you a seat but it seems like they forgot to put anything that would hold you. Anyways, go ahead and explain where the problem is, please." She was not adverse to hearing what could be wrong especially if it would make things easier and save lives. "The problem I have is two fold," he began," first I have a situation that recquires intelligence to be present, and as far as I know, SFI have not been invoted on this mission. Secondly, I have a command officer going into a potentially lethal mission, without adequate protection." Kestra was starting to wish she had not let Tagon enter but she had to hear him out to see if he had anything worth listening to. "Before you go any further does this involve the Nimitz actions or the actions on the Trawler?" Tagon looked at her with a blank stare. He didn't really understand what she was talking about. It seemed clear to him. "I am talking about your mission plans on the Trawler. Why would I talk about anything else with you?" "Ok," She answered hoping that Tagon was talking about the Trawler mission or she would have him cleaning the air ducts with a small brush the smallest she could find. "First, what does what we are have planned have to do with intelligence? And then what do you mean a commanding officer going into a potentially lethal mission without adequate protection?" She asked then she added, "I warn you, I have been contemplating throwing someone out the air lock today. I have not yet." The picture of Commander Troi trying to pick up Tagon flashed through the Bikar's mind causing him a moment of amusement. "Indeed, I wouldn't want that to happen. You might get in trouble Commander." Then the moment disappeared as he got back to business. "I believe that you are going on a mission to board and take over an enemy trawler. How does this not fit into SFI territory? I may also have information that is relevant about the trawler or be able to determine command codes. There may also be information on the trawler that could be of vital importance to Intelligence." He didn't wait to let her respond, since she posed both of her questions at the same time. "And is it not true that you are going on this mission? Is it not true that you are a command officer? I have not seen a request for extra security to protect you." Kestra smiled at his second response, "Lt. I don't need extra protection, I will be taking security with me to help in that aspect. But, what you said about information that could be relevant about the trawler, you have my attention. Please tell me what you can and what do we need to do." He indeed had information pertinent to the mission and probably the only one that even was thinking of it. "If you are willing to trust your life to Ensign Slytherwald, then so be it," Tagon replied indignantly. He knew that he had much more bodyguard experience than anyone else on the ship, but it was her call. "However, I have committed the ship layout to memory, including the intra-ship passageways and jeffries tubes. I also have done research into the trawler crew , and have found that they are sorely lacking in any military experience. The question is, how much blood are we willing to spill, just because we're not sure who will fight back and who will just do their jobs." Kestra leaned back into her chair thinking about what he had just said knowing most of what he said was the truth. She did not want to show Ensign Slytherwald that she did not trust him, but, Tagon did have a point. She could use the information that he could provide her while there also. "Ok, if the Captain does not need you here on the Nimitz, then I would like for you to accompany me as I could use the information you seem to have. It could make the defference between a lot of people dieing, just a few or none at all." Tagon nodded. "A most logical decision. And I had heard that Betazoids were not capable of such logic." Kestra had to laugh at that, "Sometimes we aren't because of our emotional state most of the time, but, we learn. Now, go see what the captain thinks then meet me at noon for lunch and we will see what and how you can help." "Yes ma'm," Tagon replied. He turned on his heel nd headed for the door. As he stepped out he turned to look back. He looked at her quizically. "Lunch?" Then the door closed "YES!" She said loudly hoping he heard her. Tagon looked at the closed door, and said quietly to himself. "Lunch?" then went to find the captain. (reply none) (posted by Al Muir and Frank Rogers) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - FO's office -CSO Saleke- 0949) After apologizing Saleke continued to stand at attention, when he had entered he had seen the angry look she had given him quite clearly however he had managed to speak before her and now she paused as she considered his words. Normally Saleke would not have been so impolite or forward as to speak before a superior officer but he judged it important she knew immediately that he was aware of his failure. After a moment her face softened and she appeared to relax slightly. "At ease Lt." She said then moved over to the couch and sat down. "Have a seat here." she told him as she patted the couch. Saleke walked over and sat down on the edge of the seat and waited for her to continue. (Reply: Commander Troi) (Posted by Charles) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - FO's office -FO Commander Kestra Troi - 0952) "At ease Lt." She said then moved over to the couch and sat down. "Have a seat here." she told him as she patted the couch. Kestra watched as Saleke walked over then sat down on the edge of the seat as he waited for her to continue. She remembered what Sash had told her not so very long ago that very same morning and she wanted to help Saleke. She knew that this was probably not just his first battle but also his first time going to battle in a command position. She crossed her legs and put her hands on top of one another as she tried to decide how to start and not sound as though she was disciplining him. "Lt. I was a bit upset with you and for the most part with everyone in the meeting. We needed to talk about our mission aboard the trawler and not about how the Nimitz would get us the chance to get on it." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "but, it did not seem that was what we did." "What I wanted you here for was to explain to you that as part of the command staff, you need to make sure you are on the same line as your superiors. We need to put forth a united front to the ones that we command." She looked at him more deeply to see if he was getting what she was saying but it was hard to do with Vulcans. "Now, I know that you are not experienced in command and that will come in time. I also know that you probably have not been in battle and in command at the same time if either at all. As a friend told me today, it is hard for new crew to go into battle with the confidence that us older ones do. We know that there is not only the fact that each one is wondering if they will do what is needed and not get anyone hurt but they don't really understand what is going on between the 52nd fleet and the rest of starfleet. We have to ensure them that they are doing the right thing and that is the hard part." She wanted to give him just a bit of a pause to absorb what she had said so far. "In fact, when I was on my first away mission, I was scared to death. The difference was that there was only one other person on that mission, so, we had to count on each other to do what was necessary. We did, but, it was touch and go until the Nimitz came to rescue us." She remembered when she and Alairn had almost died because of the pirates, but, the nimitz had arrived just in time to beam them out. "So, if there is anything that you don't understand please ask me and I will explain it to you. Btw, your suggestion had not fallen on deaf ears." She said smiling at him. (reply Saleke, any) (Pb Frank Rogers) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - Sickbay – Lt (Dr.) BigWill Kinkaid & Lt (Dr.) Michaella Kirien- 1347) "Lt. Kinkaid?" Michaella said with some concern. "You wished to see me?" Kinkaid stood up and held out his hand in a good will gesture as he approached his assistant. "Ah, yes, Dr. Kirien it is so good to see you. It feels like it has been an eternity since our first encounter at the last staff meeting with the captain." Kinkaid said in hospitable attitude. Michaella inclined her head graciously. "Indeed. I take it that your morning has not gone well?" She asked, quietly. With the activities that transpired earlier in the meeting with the FO, Kinkaid knew Michaella was right about his morning not going as scheduled, but was more interested in his assistant’s adjustments to her placement on the Nimitz. "How are you adjusting to your new surroundings aboard the Nimitz?" Kinkaid asked her. "I suppose that you have heard the rumors of my... fiancée and I, then?" She asked quietly. "I assure you that they are all true. I do have two girls by John Wilson, and this one," She said touching her belly, "Also belongs to him. Not that he wants to acknowledge any of us." She said with venom. Kinkaid raised his eyebrows as he sat in his chair with uneasy concern when Michaella mentioned Commander Wilson’s name, but did make some acknowledgment towards the two children and the soon to be third addition. There were rumors, but the welfare of Michaella and her unborn child was his main concern as chief practitioner on the ship. "Is everything alright with you and your unborn child? Is there something I could do for you to make it a more comfortable?" Kinkaid said as he leaned forward in his seat. Michaella shook her head and broke down in tears. "It really hasn't been an easy pregnancy." She said, sniffling. "It's worse than it was when I had the twins; so much worse. Everything just seems to hurt." She realized that she was whining. "And I keep cramping." She said, finally showing the pain that she was in. Kinkaid was witness to Michaella painful state and quickly accessed his medical tricorder for an assessable prognosis. The scan came back. Michaella was in some type of pain, but could not pin point it without a complete bio-scan to be sure. Kinkaid knelt down beside Michaella with compassion in his eyes and said. “Dr. Kirien, I need you to come over to the biobed area so I can pin point the cause exactly with a bio-scan from the biobed.” Michaella nodded, being helped up by Kinkaid and over to a biobed. She laid back and the scan initiated. She frowned at what Kinkaid said. “Well, hmm Ah Ha! I now see the secondary cause of your current state of health.” Kinkaid relayed to Michaella. “It seems there’s a shortage of vitamins and minerals in your body, but that would be a common attribute to your species on Betazed.” From her facial expressions, Michaella didn’t seem to be concern about that. She wanted know the primary reason for her intensifying pain. Michaella shook her head, listening to the sounds her body was making. "That isn't it Doctor." She said, crying out in the pain. “How often I mean far apart are the cramping pains; contractions?” Kinkaid stressed upon trying to understand Michaella through her agonizing screams. Michaella took his hand, squeezing it in time to them. “OK, now! You’re about to have a BABY!” Kinkaid shouted above Michaella painful cries. "What?!?!?" She cried out. "It's way too soon!" She said, upset. "Don't you know that Betazoid pregnancies last 10 months !!!" She screamed, feeling like she was being ripped apart. Kinkaid read the bio-reading results from the scanner display, which showed that her pregnancy was only in the fifth or sixth standard earth month of the birth cycle. He failed to understand Betazoid birth cycles. ~ Is this normal for a Betazoid woman during this period? ~ Kinkaid thought, but he needed to act fast because the new arrival was coming. Kinkaid quickly made preparation for the birth while Michaella lay in a prone position on the biobed with her legs bent and her breathing was starting to pick up at a heavy pace. "Something is wrong, Kinkaid, it's way too early, can't you stop it ??" Michaella screamed, then saw Sash walk in. Her mind screamed for her Imzadi, she needed him, where was he ? Why wasn't he here? She blacked out from the pain, and woke up with Sash standing over her. She looked up into his eyes and began to cry. Her Imzadi wasn't here, and she was all alone. The pain had been blocked and she looked up into Kinkaid's face. (reply none) (Posted by Melinda Martin and Nathan M. Williams) Stardate:2406.10.03 mission: homecoming day -4 stardate: 2406.10.03 (Steele Talons - Ensign Jason Dema's quarters - Ensign Jason Dema - 0855) When travis entered the room he sow Ensign Jason and a little girl playing when the little girl sow him walk into the room she ran to him and asked jason if she could talk to him. Jason sead when he was done with me so she ran off to find her friend. As Cassandra ran out Jason turned back to the new Ensign. Travis smiled at the little girl as she ran out the door. then looked right back to Jason. "Sorry for that, now, tell me about yourself." Jason sead as Cassandra ran out the door "No problem". Travis said with a smile "May I say Sir you have a lovely daughter". Jason laughed out loud. "You're mistaken Ensign, she's not my daughter, she's my sister, I think I'm a little too young to have a 16-year old daughter, but still, no offence taken, but anyway, have a seat and tell me about yourself." Jason sat down on the corner of his desk and waited for Travis to reply. "Well there is not much to tell, I just graduated from the Academy and this is my first post, and I look forward to serving with you and on this ship to the very best of my ability". Jason looked with a serious face. "Indeed, that isn't much, but don't tell me that the academy and the trip to this ship were the only things you had in this life, what's your assignement? where did you grew up? that's what I wanna know." (reply Travis) "so tell me a little about your self". Keswick asked Jason, totally surprised by the question, did answer it, as it could improve the relation between them. "Well, I grew up on earth, with 2 sisters of wich one you saw and isn't my daughter." Jason started to laugh again, he just couldn't get it out of his head, but he tried to be serious again. "I served on the USS Nimitz as a security officer, from wich I've just been transferred. My sister joined me during my last days on the Nimitz cause of sudden situations. Today, I'm assigned to the USS Mystique, an Akira class, as Chief Tactical and security officer." (reply Travis if needed) Jason then turned very serious, he stood up and sat behind his desk. "Now, on to your duties, as you know tactics will be needed in several mission, especially combat. mostly you will be discussing with me about what tactics we'll use, and how we'll put them to work. If something "odd" comes up, related to our duties, the first persons you report to are me, the FO or the CO, is that clear?" (reply Travis) (posted by Anthony Struelens) Stardate:2406.10.03 (USS Nimitz - FO's Quarters - FO Commander Kestra Troi - 1800) Kestra had finally been able to get off and do some arranging of her quarters. She wanted her quarters to be ready to entertain when the need arose. Just in case there would be time when dignitaries came aboard, when any of her crew wanted to come see her to discuss anything, or even if Devan wanted to come and spend time with her. She did not know when or even if he would as he still had feelings for Vanyssa and Kestra was sure that Vanyssa had feelings for him. She remembered the time before the Boudicca when she and Devan spent a night together. She had thought that she would never again feel the same as she had with Sky, but, she was wrong. Kestra came across a box that she had not seen in a very long time. When she opened it up she found a note that had come with the box so long ago. She took it out and unfolded it so she could read it once again. ~To Counselor Troi, These chimes are used to bring peace and tranquility into your mind and room. It is obvious why I give this to you. I have seen people smile whenever you go by, you are our heart. It is a joy to hear you, and when you speak, calmness fills our minds. T. Spectre~ Kestra remembered the time when he was the CMO of the Nimitz, a time long ago and she had seen him only once since then. She wondered where he was at this time and who he was helping with his expertise. He had been the best CMO that she had seen since then and along with all the others at that time, she missed them. Alairn Daynarian, Irmat T'Brant, Susan Rivers, Baranna, Zephrine Drouhin, Surin, and so many more. She wondered where they were and what they were doing. She knew what happened to Aragorn and Susan but the others she didn't. Looking around, she found a place to hang the chimes where the air moved most so that they would sound their music for her. After she was finished hanging them she stood back and listened to them for a few moments before she returned to her unpacking. She had so many memories to remember and be happy with. (reply from any) (pb Frank Rogers)