Stardate:19.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - right outside astrophysics - Counsellor Winters - 1438) "Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. out." Vanyssa nodded in response, and dropped her good girl act like the cloak it was. It was almost a visible transformation, and she smiled with wicked joy. She walked right into astrophysics where she saw her pet kill one of the officers. "Good pet." She spoke, smiling. She watched him make the call home. "Toss me one of those phasers, pet." She spoke, referring to Falthgood. " Computer, just where may i find Lt. Kestra Troi?" Vanyssa asked, a syrupy sweet tone in her voice. =^= LT. Kestra Troi is in sickbay =^= Vanyssa nodded. "I'll be on the bridge, soon, pet." She gave him a kiss, and then slapped him. "That is for getting above yourself, earlier. The rest will come later, when we have delivered this ship to the Captain." (reply Falthgood) Vanyssa walked through the ship, and did her best to keep her mask on until she entered sickbay. "Kestra?" Vanyssa asked, smiling. Vanyssa walked over to Kestra's office as she backed away, sensing something was wrong. "Guess what, Kestra? I'm not possessed. I really am someone else." And with that Vanyssa reached out and grabbed ahold of Kestra's mind, ripping through what futile barriers she had in place, to get the information that she wanted and needed. Vanyssa eased Kestra to the ground when she was done, and shot her full of diatralizine - a mild sedative and telepathic suppressant. "That should take care of you, Kestra, dear." Vanyssa spoke to the blinking, dazed Lieutenant. "Do be a dear and go about your duties...if you can." Vanyssa smiled and ordered the computer to not dispense any medications to anyone other than Fickett. She walked out of sickbay leaving chaos behind her and sealed the doors shut. Vanyssa had left them a fighting, token chance to get out. There was, after all, the jeffries tubes. And they just might have the antidote to diatralizine in sickbay.... She laughed as she headed to the bridge. (Bridge, 1447) Vanyssa called to Sevant. "I'm on my way. Had a minor... errand...to take care of." She arrived on the bridge a few minutes later, her phaser out and ... readjusted to the proper level. Vanyssa believed in not taking chances. The day she needed a phaser to take down a crew member would be the day the Corps came to torture and kill her as a liability. That day was far far in the future. "Falthgood said that they would be here in an hour. What happened to force the schedule ahead?" Vanyssa asked Sevant, stalking down the ramp to him. She ignored the other characters on the bridge. Let them see how a REAL Counsellor acted, unlike that mousy little brat that they had. Of course...Vanyssa thought with a smile.... that mousy little brat might not come back from this away mission. She might be going to see her husband rather sooner than she had anticipated. (reply Sevant, any) (pb melinda the evil :-) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Counsellor's Quarters - Jennah Winters-Dark - 1320) Jennah had finally managed to escape from Katie's grasp and had run back to her Quarters. She didn't understand why her mom was acting the way she was. She had the computer viewscreen on Lt. Zzt in Engineering. She had been planning her revenge for some time, to get back at him, and had had the help of several of her schoolmates who didn't like what the big fuzzy teddy bear had done either. She called up the plans of engineering, shamelessly using her Daddy's passcode to get in. She didn't realize that this could be traced by the security people, and she didn't care too much. The evil teddy bear man opened his mouth nad then from the sprinkler came a huge jet of soapy water, aimed right at his mouth. Jennah giggles to herself as he was forced to have his mouth washed out with soap and water. She then activated the program the klingon boy had given her, that was supposed to erase her tracks. She giggled then, and logged off, scampering out the door, the first part of her revenge complete. (reply Zzt, any who are there :-) (pb melinda) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Astrophysics - COUNS Vanyssa Winters / Zach Falthgood - 1350) Vanyssa walked in to see everyone assembled. She took her seat next to Falthgood and looked at the assembled gentlepeople. "I have been informed by Commander Sevant that we are to study these images and he will be coming down later to see if we have made any progress in recovering our memories. I suggest that those that have not done so should familiarize himself with his service record. Maybe it will shake loose any of the memories." Zach snorted, "I would lay a bet that we are also supposed to be figuring out what this anomaly is." he turned and gave a smile, "since our technical skills don't seem to be affected by this... malady. So far, I've made little-to-no real progress on the composition or makeup of the anomaly or what is on the other side." He smirked, just a little, "I still don't know what we ran into on the other side." Vanyssa stood up and glared down at him. "I suggest that you put some respect into your tone, Lt." Her eyes promised that she would get back at him for disrespecting her in front of colleagues. "Yes Maam." he said smartly. He turned back, a small grin on his face. "In either case, I don't think there is much I will be able to do unless we can get a probe to survive the journey..." He reached out for a small device, and pushed it. NRPG: I'm assuming on the TAC/SC and CMO are with us, as was planned. And Laurence said she would be coming, but right now is in the shuttlebay. Which is just fine for me... heh RPG: "... and now we can talk freely, but only for a couple minutes." he turned back, his face serious. "Efforts are being made to study the anomaly, it won't be long before the Captain decides to take the ship closer. Only Sevant is in high enough position to really put it off, unless they do indeed decide to listen to my recommendations to the opposite. So far, so good, though." "Kestra suspects. She keeps making a big deal about how we are unreadable like Aragorn is." Vanyssa chimed in. "Kestra has a history of emotional disorders though. My concern is that there are at least two other telepaths aboard, a counselor named Eleni Rhodos and the schoolteacher, one of the Troi's. I don't see either of them being able to read us, but I would urge caution around all of them." Vanyssa spoke. Zach shrugged, "If the techniques you and the other telepaths thought of are working properly, then we should have no fear of that. We just have to keep 'searching' for our memory. I don't think it's that hard, I certainly as hell don't feel like 'myself', how do we live like this?" Vanyssa nodded to herself. "Doctor, have you come up with anything? The sooner this is over the better." She asked, stroking Zach's palm absently with one elegant nail. (reply Doctor, Nishi) Falthgood looked at the screen, "Ill continue doing what I can." He reached out to the device, intent on shutting it down. Vanyssa intercepted his hand for a second. "One thing." She leaned over and kissed him, then looked him in the eyes. "You belong to me. I suggest that you remember that. You continue to exist at my sufferance, and " She let his hand go. "This conversation ends..." He pushed, then winked, then hit the button, "... but the way I see it, I'm thinking that the gravimetric stresses on the shuttle might end up being too much, if we were to send it again. I am not sure, I will have to talk to the CEO about that." Vanyssa looked down at her service record on the screen. "Can you believe that I have two daughters? Two half-breed- betazoid daughters? I bet my grandmother must love that. From what I can tell she's a very.....status conscious person." "Anyone else have unexpected relations?" She looked around the room, as she asked. (reply the conspirators) (posted by Jeremy and Melinda) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Astrophysics - CMO Lt. Fickett - Day 2 - 2406.04.19.1352) "... and now we can talk freely, but only for a couple minutes." he turned back, his face serious. "Efforts are being made to study the anomaly, it won't be long before the Captain decides to take the ship closer. Only Sevant is in high enough position to really put it off, unless they do indeed decide to listen to my recommendations to the opposite. So far, so good, though." "Kestra suspects. She keeps making a big deal about how we are unreadable like Aragorn is." Vanyssa chimed in. "Kestra has a history of emotional disorders though. My concern is that there are at least two other telepaths aboard, a counselor named Eleni Rhodos and the schoolteacher, one of the Troi's. I don't see either of them being able to read us, but I would urge caution around all of them." Vanyssa spoke. Zach shrugged, "If the techniques you and the other telepaths thought of are working properly, then we should have no fear of that. We just have to keep 'searching' for our memory. I don't think it's that hard, I certainly as hell don't feel like 'myself', how do we live like this?" Vanyssa nodded to herself. "Doctor, have you come up with anything? The sooner this is over the better." She asked, stroking Zach's palm absently with one elegant nail. "The only thing I can think of is that those telepath blocking techniques are having a side effect of blocking our own self-awareness," replied Louis. "I've gone over the medical reports with a fine-toothed comb. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of us, physically speaking." Louis grinned impishly. "So, as some Vulcan fellow I once read about was fond of saying, 'once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'" (reply Winters, any) (posted by Aaron Scifres) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Astrophysics - Lt. Cmdr Nakamura -1353) Zach shrugged, "If the techniques you and the other telepaths thought of are working properly, then we should have no fear of that. We just have to keep 'searching' for our memory. I don't think it's that hard, I certainly as hell don't feel like 'myself', how do we live like this?" Vanyssa nodded to herself. "Doctor, have you come up with anything? The sooner this is over the better." She asked, stroking Zach's palm absently with one elegant nail. Nishi was in a dark mood, but he knew better than to let it show here; to these people he was a grunt and nothing more, just somebody who had the right face for the job. A thought had been brewing in the back of his head, and now that there was a silence, it felt like the right time to mention it. "Um, I'm chief of security on this ship, sir" he said to Winters, while trying not to make eye contact with her. " I could suggest that the anomaly poses a risk to the ship, I don't know, but I think that might help, maybe" he trailed off, not wanting to say too much. Chief of security, the words echoed in his mind, and he found himself absently playing with the rank insignia on his collar. (Reply: Winters, any) Vanyssa looked down at her service record on the screen. "Can you believe that I have two daughters? Two half-breed- betazoid daughters? I bet my grandmother must love that. From what I can tell she's a very.....status conscious person." "Anyone else have unexpected relations?" She looked around the room, as she asked. "A baby, a little boy, and a wife, or girlfriend" he replied instinctively to the question "and here, his father isn't..." Nishi stopped and kept himself from saying what he was thinking ".. dead" he finished, coldly. (Reply; Any present) (Posted: Alister) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (Uss Nimitz - Astrophysics - COUNS Vanyssa Winters - 1358) Vanyssa hadn't liked when Nishi was speaking about he being a chief of security. She wasn't comfortable with having him here at all. She didn't trust him. Maybe it was just paranoia on her part, but life in the service had given her a good healthy paranoia. "A baby, a little boy, and a wife, or girlfriend" he replied instinctively to the question "and here, his father isn't..." Nishi stopped and kept himself from saying what he was thinking ".. dead" he finished, coldly. Hearing the word dead made something in Vanyssa snap. Someone had just died. Someone very important to her. She held her head in her hands and tried to figure out what had just broken. She felt Zach's comforting touch on her shoulder, and for the first time in her life wanted to accept what he was offering. She shrugged his hand off of her, and tried to quiet the pounding in her head. "Something just happened. I think my husband is dead." She spoke calmly. ~Vanyssa?~ A voice spoke from somewhere in the ship. ~Vanyssa, are you ok?~ Vanyssa blocked the voice out and sat back, the room still moving before her. Vanyssa knew that it would be several hours, at least before confirmation came from Earth as to the death of David Dark. She thought about the memories she had of David from her time, and his death there, several years before. His death at her hands for being a traitor. It had been her first mission on board the Vanguard. She had received a commendation for preventing the assassination of Captain Clairidge. David had been almost kind to her, probably figuring that sleeping with the Counsellor would have saved him. The feeling of power when he died, the feeling of fear when the staff realized she could do the same to them. "Excuse me." She got up and walked out, half in memory. She found herself at the childcare center looking at the daughter of both her and David. A little girl, nine months old, dressed in a cute dress and little white frilly socks. The little girl was being patiently played with by a laughing nine year old with long brown hair and brown eyes. Vanyssa blinked back tears, damning herself for being so sentimental. Vanyssa stood there watching for a good twenty minutes before she heard a voice behind her. (reply anyone who wants to come play) (pb melinda :-) Stardate:2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - Cmdr Sevant & Capt Rivers - 1358) "Captain, Commander, I have to go check on something then I will return. Do I have permission to leave the bridge?" Sevant folded his arms behind his back as the Captain nodded. "Yes, Doctor. Keep on the memory loss problem, and report back to me. "I sir, I will return as soon as I am done" The Vulcan watched her leave the bridge with hooded eyes. He took a deep, theatrical breath, and turned to the Captain. "May I speak to you in the Ready room?" The Captain seemed to consider this for a few moments, then nodded. "Very well Number One." Sevant gestured to the door, and followed her in. (Nimitz - Bridge, Ready Room - Sevant & Rivers - 1415) Sevant, according to schedule, had been bouncing questions off Captain Rivers for nearly ten minutes. He frowned at the appropriate times, made the right 'connections' when called for. He suffered through the agonizing show of memory loss, in an attempt to alleviate whatever fears the Captain might have that something was *very* wrong. Although, with each answer, she seemed to be more and more suspicious. Sevant didn't know quite what was wrong, he was answering just as a Vulcan should, calm and logical. What would throw her so out of sorts about his answers? He decided to try a different tack. "It seems, Captain, that the ACMO might be right. Something is wrong, nothing seems to be sparking my memory." He frowned, keeping his body rigid and in complete control. ~How does Sevant do this, day after day, I would have killed myself out of boredom well before I got out of my teens.~ he thought sourly. "Yes, it appears we have a problem." was the Captain's reply. Sevant quirked an eyebrow, and was about to ask about it, when the Captains badge beeped. =^=Ensign Kateb to Captain Rivers. The modifications to the shuttlecraft and the probe have been done and double check. I'm going to astrophysics... from there I will be better suited to control the shuttle and work with it.=^= "Very well Ensign, keep me informed." =^=I understand Captain... Kateb out!=^= "I think that's a bad idea," Sevant said quietly. The captain's reply was simple, she quirked an eyebrow herself as she stood and began making why for the replicator. "Why, Number one?" ~She knows...~ Savant's blood began to boil, images of security teams came rushing to mind. He Vulcan frowned, then launched himself out of the chair the instant she had cleared the desk. She hadn't been expecting that, and went sprawling into the wall after he knocked into her. He grabbed at her throat with his left hand, and held her tight for a moment. She didn't even have a chance to get a sound out as she brought up her hands to defend herself. Without waiting a moment longer, Sevant pulled his right hand back, and hit her upside the temple with all his strength. The result was no-contest, she dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Sevant put a finger to her neck, feeling for the artery, and nodded when he felt a pulse. She would be out for hours, but would remain alive for later questioning. That was good, that was what he wanted. He took a breath, and said "Computer, lock out this room. No one enters without mine or Captain Rivers permission." [The Ready Room has been locked] Sevant immediately walked behind River's desk, and sat down. He looked at the terminal, and flipped it on. He had some work to do, some commands to enter into the computer that he had learned earlier. It wasn't supposed to have happened this soon, but hey, mistakes happened. With a will be bent forward, and began quickly typing in the commands he required. NRPG: I think everyone is clear after this, hence why I'm going to let some time pass. If I'm wrong, let me know and Ill push this back a bit further. RPG: (Nimitz - Bridge, Ready Room - Sevant & Rivers - 1435) Sevant sat back, his job complete. He hit the 'execute' button, and smiled as the screen went dark. "Computer, recognize me." [Sevant, Captain of the ISS Nimitz.] "Good, Computer. Lock out all other officers computer and command authorizations. Reinstate Counselor Winters as the acting First Officer, reinstate full access to Tactical Chief Nakamura, Lieutenant Falthgood, and Doctor Fickett." [Verify] "Authorization Sevant Tango seven Charlie." [Verified, and complete.] Sevant smiled, a wicked sight had anyone seen it, and tapped his badge. "Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. out." There was no 'Deck 50' on the Nimitz, that was their code command that the takeover of the ship had been started, and that they had parts to play. The fact he had ordered Nishi to the bridge meant there was going to be trouble. Sevant looked around the ready room for a couple moments, then noticed the weapons locker beside the desk. He grinned as he pulled out the two type-2 phasers contained therein, and checked their charges. So far, so good. He stood with the phasers in hand, and gave one more glance to the Captain. "Thank you for the wonderful ship, Captain, it will be of great use." He insolently raised one of the phasers, on low stun, and shot her twice. That would keep her out even longer, might even put her into shock, but she would still live to talk later. He looked at both phasers and keyed one to the highest stun setting, and one to a kill setting. He wanted the crew alive if possible, dead if necessary. He held both phasers up, by his head, and took a breath. This was going to be fun. "Computer, unlock the ready room and engage computer lockout... Now!" The computer beeped in confirmation. With a will he strode through the doors, and immediately swept the bridge with the phasers. "Everyone will remain in place, and slowly put your hands above your head." Everyone on the bridge looked shocked for a moment, then the fool at Tactical made a sudden move. Sevant had been expecting that, it was Securities job to protect, and they were usually the only ones with weapons immediately available. That meant that this security officer needed to die. It always helped to have an example, after all, and these people were in dire need one one.. With practiced grace he pointed with the phaser set to kill, and pulled the trigger. The officer grunted as he was hit and thrown several feet back into a work station, a neat hole in his upper chest. "Is there anyone else that would like to tempt me?" Sevant asked, with a sneer on his face and loathing in his tone. (reply: Any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - ACMO Lt. Kestra Troi - 1358) Kestra watched the exchange between Vanyssa and Sevant with dismay as there was something deffinitely not right. Susan didnt seem to think that anything was wrong at the moment, but, Kestra could feel that she was keeping an eye on things and did not want to give her position away at the moment. She wanted to just give up and go back to sickbay where she could at least help someone there. Susan had wanted her to stay there while Vanyssa was away, so, she had to bear with the infernal look that Sevant had given her. Kestra just really did not think that Sevant was acting the way he normally did which matched the way the rest of the Away Team was acting. Kestra thought of the many varied possibilities of what could have happened to them while they were in the anomaly. There could have been an intelligence that did something to their minds while they were in close contact with the area. There could be that the aliens in the anomally changed positions of the away team and the real away team is still in there. Also, this could be a case of alternate universe where the same people there are here instead of there. They would seem the same but different with things happening not exact the way they happen in this universe. Then again it could just be that there were something in the anomally that messed up their neural nets that affect memory. Kestra was still trying to figure out what was going on when she got a sudden feeling of hurt and shock from Vanyssa which surprised her. She tried to reach out to Vanyssa with comforting thoughts, but, again she could not sense her. It seemed that for some reason Vanyssa had lost control of her shields and let her guard down, then put them right back up. Kestra decided that she should go find out what happened to Vanyssa. "Captain, Commander, I have to go check on something then I will return. Do I have permission to leave the bridge?" Kestra said as she stood and looked at both. (reply Susan, Sevant) "I sir, I will return as soon as I am done" Kestra answered knowing that Sevant didnt want her on the bridge at that moment anyways. She turned on her heels and headed for the turbolift. (USS Nimitz - Turbolift - ACMO Lt.(sg) Kestra Troi - 1359) As Kestra entered the turbolift, she asked the computer where Vanyssa was located as she could not feel her so that would have to do. She was rewarded by the computer telling her that Vanyssa was located outside the Childcare facilities, so, she headed in that direction. She hoped that some of Vanyssa's memories had returned to her. She did fear that maybe only the ones between the two of them during her breakdown would surface, but, she had to see if she could help her. (USS Nimitz - Outside childcare - ACMO Lt.(sg) Kestra Troi - 1405) Kestra walked up to Vanyssa and watched for a moment as Vanyssa was watching her daughters on the other side of the window. Kestra could see not feel that Vanyssa was having trouble with her feelings. Kestra really did not want to bother her but things needed to be said and she wanted to understand what happened to the away team. "Vanyssa, they are cute arent they at this age?" Kestra said very softly as not to scare Vanyssa or the kids if they could hear. Vanyssa turned startled and stared at Kestra, her mouth open slightly. "Ah, yes, yes they are. Do you know who the older one is? I know that the younger, the little girl, is my daughter. My daughter and David's, that is." Kestra understood now some of what was going on with Vanyssa, she was trying to get her memory back. Kestra's look softened and she moved closer to look in. She could see that Jennah was playing with her sister and could see that Jennah loved her little sister. "Vanyssa, the other little girl is also your daughter, .... Jennah Winters-Dark. Arent they beautiful together like two sisters should?" Kestra answered her with a warm smile hoping that what had gone before between them wont rear its ugly head too much here. "Oh." Vanyssa turned to Kestra with a strange look on her face. "But she looks nothing like me?" Kestra did not know how much she should tell Vanyssa at this time which could cause her not to get her memory back but decided that some would be better than nothing. "Well, She is not your biological daughter, you adopted her." Kestra replied and waited to see what would happen with that information. Vanyssa nodded. "Ah. Then maybe my grandmother won't kill me then. One half-breed daughter seemed bad enough. You know my grandmother?" Kestra thought back as it had been a while ago that she had met Vanyssa's grandmother but thoughts of her came back to her, she thought that maybe at David and Vanyssa's wedding she probably saw her once again. "Your Grandmother Kera Moriani, I saw her last at your wedding" Kestra told her after thinking a bit. Vanyssa nodded. "So what was the wedding like?" She asked. "Tell me that it was at the very least traditional?" Kestra smiled at Vanyassa a warm smile as she answered her, "Yes, it was very traditional." Vanyssa nodded to herself. "Good. At least I managed to do something right." Vanyssa looked at her daughter playing. "I suppose that you know that David is dead, then?" She asked Kestra looked down, "I had not known it till now, but, I knew that he probably would not survive long even on earth." Kestra then looked back at Vanyssa, "I am sorry Vanyssa" Vanyssa nodded. "It's ok. I guess I expected it to happen to, with the level of damage he suffered. When we were on Earth, I went to break my bond with him. I found that out from my personal log." She finished. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Kestra asked even though a lot had gone between them, they were both Betazoids and they do help one another. Vanyssa shook her head. "What I remember of him was a guy who was very full of life, very passionate, very fun to be around and to be w ith. What do you know of him?" She asked softly Kestra thought for a minute before answering Vanyssa, "I, too, thought him to be very full of life, passionate when he was with you, and yes full of life." Kestra responded to her then continued, "I also saw that he was very devoted to duty in everything that he did. He was injured while doing his job to the fullest." "In the journals I've listened to, Vanyssa seemed to be very torn between leaving the fleet and. continuing on board. She felt that after the romulans invaded the ship." And Vanyssa thought thankfully that the romulans were now exterminated. "That it wasn't a safe place for her children. And I must say that I agree with her...a starship isn't a safe place for children. It is rather selfish of me to keep them around. You have children, right?" Kestra noticed that she was talking about herself as if she was talking about someone else. She also talked about a incident that Kestra herself had no knowledge of. "Yes, I have three, twins and one I adopted." Kestra answered, "Can I ask you what romulan invasion of this ship are you talking about?" Kestra asked hoping not to scare her away from the subject. Vanyssa blinked her eyes. "I'm not sure why they came here, but they did. It was before Vanyssa and David married, when Vanyssa was pregnant." Vanyssa laughed. "I guess it's me that I'm talking about, but listening to the logs of scrambling through conduits in a dress, no less, pregnant and scared - well, it hardly seems like me." "Well, hearing yourself after an incident like the away team has had, then it would be strange until you get your memory back. It is natural really, but, if you want to talk about it I am always here to listen as you would for me. Want to tell me what happened in the anomally? Maybe talking about it will help bring back your memory." Kestra was pulling trying to get her to open up to her. Vanyssa turned away from the window and for a split second allowed Kestra to see the wrath that consumed her. She then shut it all down, and smiled pleasantly. "Darkness, lots of darkness." She spoke softly. "And screaming. And then I woke up in sickbay. I don't even know how we got back." Kestra saw the blackness in Vanyssa's soul and it scared her. How could she keep that hide within her then Kestra thought she wasnt that was what She saw each time that she looked at her. "The shuttle just came out and back then I think it was tracked into shuttle bay." Vanyssa nodded. "Ah." She read the surface of Kestra's thoughts quickly. "What are you thinking Kestra Troi? Why do I scare you? After all, I'm just Sweet little mousy Vanyssa, wouldn't harm a fly." "Vanyssa, it is not you that scares me but the darkness in you. I don't understand it, what it does and why is it in you." Kestra said warmly trying to put her nervousness aside. "Plus the fact that you are talking like Vanyssa is someone else." Vanyssa thought well within her shields that Kestra should be scared of her. "She almost feels like someone else. I've said that." Vanyssa replied irritably. "And have you seen this 'darkness' inside any of the others?" She asked, half curiously. "Yes, I have seen the darkness in the others." Kestra answered her, "Vanyssa all of the away team has been affected and I am worried about you all." Vanyssa shook her head. "Darkness? Evil? What we inhaled a puff of smoke and got possessed? That sounds like a fairy tale! Things like that don't happen in real life." "I have not said it was evil but not natural. It is not suppose to be there in any of you. Possession is mostly of a thing of the mind so in a way, yes you are possessed but not evil." Kestra said trying to explain to her. Vanyssa got very close to Kestra and hissed "I can assure you, Kestra Troi of the Fifth House, that I am not possessed by anything but a dislike of you." ~Well, she remembers that part with a vengence~ Kestra thought to herself. "I know you are not possessed Vanyssa and yes I know that you are not a particular fan of mine and I understand after what I put you through. I have apologized but I know that is not enough. I will continue to try and make up for the hurt I caused you during my breakdown. If my presence offends you that much I will simply leave at this point, as this conversation can now go no further. Just remember please that I am always here for you." Vanyssa relished the feeling of contriteness that she had evoked in Kestra. It was almost as good as the finest liquor, and she savored it. "Mhmmm. Whatever you think is best. But I wouldn't go telling tales to the Captain about how I have evil inside me. ... After that breakdown of yours, do you think she will believe you? Do you think that they trust you, Kestra Troi? They don't you know. The nurses in sickbay look on you with a feeling of disgust, and your fellow officers, well, they are all wondering when the next breakdown is going to happen. They wonder if they can trust you in a crises. Can't you tell?" "Vanyssa I would not say you are evil as I know that not to be." Kestra said trying to stay calm as she deserved all of what she was saying and more. "Yes I do feel it, but, at least I can say now that I deserve it and I do have to prove myself once again. You can be vindictive all you think you need to be, you have the right. Just remember that when in need I will do my best to help you. Since my presence seems to be upsetting you, I guess this conversation is at an end." Vanyssa watched Kestra walk off and smiled to herself that she had planted a seed of doubt. She turned back to the window where the little girl with the brown hair looked up at her, in the eye. Vanyssa backed hastily away from the window, and turned, heading back to astrophysics to see what Zack was up to. (reply from Susan, Sevant, Vanyssa, any) (posted by Frank with help from Melinda) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz, Main Engineering, Lt(sg) Zzt, 14:00) Zzt and his crew where working intently. All their minds on the delicate, and potentially deadly, work they were preforming. They were in the middle of a careful recalibration of many components of the ships warp drive. At fixed intervals, components of the ships warp drive need either repaired or replaced with new parts. It was relatively routine, and not a major risk to the ship as long as everything was running smoothly. Other than the odd happenings surrounding the away team everything on the Nimitz seemed status quo, so Zzt had seen no reason not to proceed with the schedule maintenance. That was before they lost vital computer access at the most crucial stage of the procedures. Zzt cursed as he was suddenly and unexpectedly kicked out of the computer. "What going on!?" Zzt exclaimed, typing his access code into the computer again and then again and growled when it was rejected both times. "SIR!" Crewman Partick yelled, "I've lost computer access. I've been locked out." Their was a small chorus of "Me too's" from around the room. "This bad," Zzt said, working furiously to regain access to the computer. With no luck. A few moments latter Zzt slapped his comm-badge. "Zzt bridge." [Comm access denied.] Zzt's ears fell flat and he felt the fur on his neck begin to rise. "Where Captain Rivers?" Zzt asked, since the computer seemed to still answer simple questions. [Their is no Captain Rivers on board the Nimitz] Came the cold computer reply. Zzt growled. "Who command Nimitz?" He asked [Captain Sevant is commanding officer of the USS Nimitz.] "He killed her!" Zzt yelled, anger in his voice. "Zzt rip skinny Vulcan apart!!" He charged the doors, only to bounce off when the didn't open. In furry, Zzt forced his claws between the doors and with a mighty heave snapped the doors free, tossing them behind him. Taking a deep breath, Zzt tried to calm himself. Turning back he scooped up his massive tool box, knowing he'd need it. He looked up at his crew staring wide eyed at the scattered doors. "OUT!!" Zzt yelled, "Take tool kits! Find hide holes! Sevant mutiny against Captain! Be ready help retake ship when Zzt call you! In mean time, make things difficult on mutineers!! Pull plug on impulse engines and gas system. We no want sleep now. Someone go tell marines we needs help! Zzt go try override computer lock out. Buy Zzt time. Remember remove comm-bages so they no track you! We got hour to retake ship and stop overload that started. Move!" With that Zzt raised his large tool kit like a club and peeked out into the hall way before waving his engineers out and seeing them all off safely. Zzt pulled his own comm-badge off and tossed it down with the others. Then moved off down the corridor, tool kit raised high ready to splat anyone foolish enough to jump out at him. Making his way to one of the service ladders, that crisscrossed the ship, and began working his way toward the main computer core. His engineer mind already working on the problem of bypassing the computer lockouts. (Reply Any) (Posted by Wes) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - corridor not far from Childcare - ACMO Lt. Kestra Troi - 1410) Kestra left Vanyssa wishing that the conversation had gone in a different direction, but, for some reason it had been different. She kept thinking of what all was said which there had been things said by Vanyssa that just did not ring as true. The things that she said Kestra thought there were just enough truth in it to sound true. Vanyssa would not have made so many mistakes Kestra thought to herself. Kestra needed to head back to the bridge and discuss this with Susan, so, she started heading in that direction. She was not really realizing what she was doing as she did it by instinct as she entered the turbolift. "bridge" Kestra said without thinking as she had down it so many times before. The feeling of moving started, then, she thought that Susan might want some concrete evidence about what She was going to tell her. She had to find the information to be able to present her case to Susan and one place to get it would be sickbay. "Computer stop turbolift and continue to Sickbay deck" Kestra said as she needed to head in that direction first. She felt the turbolift stop then head in the direction she wanted. (USS Nimitz - Sickbay - ACMO Lt. Kestra Troi - 1440) Kestra had been in sickbay getting all of the information that she needed to combat what she knew now to be either a different Vanyssa or a possessed one. She even saw on the computer what she had not seen when she was looking at Vanyssa, her looks, she looked a bit different. Kestra gathered all the information onto a data crystal and started to walk out when she heard Vanyssa. She looked around but there were no other way out than the one that Vanyssa would come in through. "Kestra?" Vanyssa asked, smiling. As Vanyssa walked over to Kestra's office, She knew that something had changed in Vanyssa as she could not before. It seemed that Vanyssa was on a mission and it involved Kestra whether she liked it or not. All Kestra could do was try to back away from what she knew was coming, something that she had no choice in happening. "Guess what, Kestra? I'm not possessed. I really am someone else." Vanyssa said as she reached out and into Kestra's mind. Kestra tried her best to put up the best shielding that she had ever put up. She put everything she had into it but Vanyssa walked past them as if Kestra had opened her mind to Vanyssa. All Kestra could do was think hard on anything but what would be useful and scream at the pain Vanyssa was causing. Kestra finally succumed to the pain and passed out momentarily. "That should take care of you, Kestra, dear." Vanyssa spoke to Kestra as she lay there dazed and blinking trying to see what Vanyssa was going to do next. "Do be a dear and go about your duties...if you can." Kestra could do nothing at the moment and heard Vanyssa order the computer to not dispense any medications to anyone other than Fickett. Vanyssa then walked out of sickbay leaving chaos behind her as the nurses went to try and help Kestra. Kestra finally got up on shaking legs to make her way to the doors only to find that they would not open. "computer open doors" Kestra yelled [authorization required] "Kestra gamma delta three five seven" Kestra spouted [authorization denied] Kestra slid down the doors in frustration thinking she should have seen this coming. Then a thought came to her that maybe Onyx might have escaped this as she was or is in shuttlebay. "Kestra to Onyx and Richard" Kestra said as she punched her combadge, "the ship is being taken over, watch yourselves, I am locked in sickbay." (reply Onyx and Richard iyw) After her talk with them she decided that she should also try and alert security if she could. "Sickbay to Security, Red Alert, find and detain all of the away team members." Kestra informed them. (reply from sickbay hopefully hehe) (reply Onyx, Richard, anyone in security not already detained, anyone else) (posted by Frank) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Astrophysic, adjacent lab - OPS/CONN Ensign Onyx Kateb - 1415) Onyx didn't want to meet the others, she knew that members of the away team were in the astrophysic so when she entered to the lab side the astrophysic, she made sure that the lights wouldn't turn on when she walked in. She had barely enough light to sit inside of one of those cubical and start working, accessing the control remotly of the shuttlecraft. It took time, she had to make sure the systems link where properly responding to her commands. Has a distraction, Onyx decided to open a one way link to the other lab and listen to there conversation. Has time went on, flags pop in her head... she decided to record everything that was going on in the other room. Later, she would give that to Captain Rivers as evidence. She kept going, the shuttlecraft was out and going toward the anomaly without no problem, and then she heard the unthinkable, a phaser blast. Onyx stop the shuttle and took the recording, access the part of it and saw Flathgood using a weapon against a science officer. She went into hiding and look at the events in disbelief. Once Falthgood was out, Onyx open the labs light and found the weapons locker, now she knew the truth and she would be ready to fight. What was making her worried was Kestra... the double of Winters had a tooth against her. Onyx walk out of the lab and made a few steps in the astrophysic lab. She walk up to the science officer and scan her, making sure she had the evidence. She put everything on a padd and transfert it to a isolinear ship, kept it in her pocket. She had to get to Kestra and fast. She carefully walk out of the astrophysic lab and made her way toward the turbolift. (USS Nimitz - Deck 10 - 1445) Onyx arrived on deck ten her heart pounding, she look around making sure that she wasn't followed or observed, then she heard her combadge. =/\=Kestra to Onyx and Richard=/\= Kestra said as she punched her combadge, =/\=the ship is being taken over, watch yourselves, I am locked in sickbay.=/\= "Don't panic, I'm coming." Onyx could hear Richard's reply. =/\=I'm coming!=/\= After her talk, Onyx heard Kestra ringing the alarm. "Sickbay to Security, Red Alert, find and detain all of the away team members." Kestra informed them. "Now, all hell is breaking loose." Onyx arrived close to the door, she could hear loud voices and she knew that Kestra was near the door, she had too wait. She saw Richard coming and whispered. "Stay against the wall." Onyx knew how to over ride the doors that was simple and she was nervous... Now, if only security would be here, she would feel much better. (reply from Stolev, anyone) (posted by Laurence Durand) Stardate:2406.04.19 (Nimitz - Astrophysics - 'Shades' Falthgood - 1437) =^=Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. out.=^= Falthgood's head had snapped at that first command, his face a mask and eyes narrow. ~We are nearly five hours early, the idiot!~ was his first thought. However, he had learned early that even the appearance of disagreement could earn pain and death. While the science crewman behind him started muttering something like, "Deck 50, WHAT deck 50?", Falthgood had been reaching down beside the desk, to the small weapons locker that was attached there. He had checked for it early, in fact, and had made a point of always being near it. Without a word he brought up a phaser and pulled the trigger at the crewman. The look on her face was classic, she hadn't even had time to realize he was pointing a weapon at her. He grunted when she fell, but without a burn mark. The scientist looked at the phaser, and shook his head. "Level 1, the cowards." He jacked it up a few levels, then stood and took aim again. This time, when he hit her, she died nice and quiet, mostly owing to the fact that she was already down and unconscious. He immediately turned and put the phaser on the desk while reaching out to flip on his monitor. He wasted no time as he brought the subspace transceiver online and began entering equations and filters, that would cut through the interference of the anomaly. It took a couple minutes, but when they were finally in place, he opened up tight-beam channel and aimed it at the anomaly. "Agent Falthgood reporting, ID Seven one Tango One. Operation has begun nearly five hours early. Prepare the boarding team and send them as soon as possible." Several long seconds passed, then a slightly scratchy, yet defiantly feminine voice, replied with =^=Copy, preparing the team. Expect help within one hour. Hold the ship until then.=^= "Understood, Out." He took a breath as he cut the transmission, and stood. He had work to do, and lots of it. (reply: any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Sickbay - CMO Lt. Fickett - 1436) "Come on, damn you!" Louis growled at the computer terminal. The layout of the medical database was contrary to what he was used to, and his attempts to traverse it had been frustrating at best. The sound of his comm badge whistling caught his attention, though. =^= Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. Out. =^= Louis looked over at the chronometer. ~Too early! I'm not even close yet!~ Sighing, he turned around in his chair and popped open the security locker and pulled out all four phasers. He put three in his medical bag, and tucked the fourth into his belt, making sure they were all set to the heaviest stun. He didn't want to kill anyone who might be able to get the information they needed out of the medical computers. He had just finished checking the phasers and was about to head out into sickbay proper when he heard Winters enter. He backed away from the door and leaned out just enough to peer through the edge of the window. "Kestra?" Vanyssa asked, smiling as she walked over to Kestra's office "Guess what, Kestra? I'm not possessed. I really am someone else." Louis could tell that Vanyssa was invading Kestra's mind; he had seen it far too many times himself, and had even been charged with trying to repair the damage. Kestra eventually succumed to the pain and passed out momentarily. "That should take care of you, Kestra, dear," Vanyssa said as Kestra lay there dazed and blinking. "Do be a dear and go about your duties...if you can." Louis heard Vanyssa order the computer to not dispense any medications to anyone other than him before walking out of sickbay, leaving chaos behind her as the nurses went to try and help Kestra. "Computer, kill the lights," muttered Louis, hoping that no one realized he was in there. Once the lights had dimmed, he craned his neck to peer back out the window. Kestra finally got up on shaking legs to make her way to the doors only to find that they would not open. "Computer, open doors!" she yelled. [Authorization required.] "Kestra gamma delta three five seven," she spouted. [Authorization denied.] She turned slid down the doors in frustration. Then, she suddenly slapped her comm badge. "Kestra to Onyx and Richard" Kestra said. "The ship is being taken over, watch yourselves, I am locked in sickbay." Louis's mouth opened in shock when he heard a reply come across the comm system. (reply Onyx and Richard iyw) Louis hit his own comm badge urgently. "Sevant, you incomptent fool. You didn't disable the comm system! Kestra is down here calling half the ship to alert them to us!" (reply Sevant -- presumably that he will disable it immediately) "Sickbay to Security, Red Alert, find and detain all of the away team members," Kestra informed them. "Computer, open the door. Authorization Fickett 99-Zulu." He grasped his phaser in one hand and his medical bag in the other, and as soon as the door open, he charged out, just in time to hear the computer's response to Kestra's comm badge request. [Authorization require to access comm system.] "I'm afraid they can't hear you, my dear," he said with a snide grin on his face as he levelled the phaser at Kestra. "Now, move away from the door." He motioned to the rest of the crew in the room. "All of you, into my office please. Now." (reply Kestra, Sevant, any in sick bay, any) (posted by Aaron Scifres) Stardate:2406.04.19 (Nimitz - Astrophysics - Lt. Commander Nakamura - 1437) =^=Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. out.=^= A chill ran down Nishi's spine, adrenaline and excitement, mixed with fear - it was an old friend. Falthgood dispatched the one crewman in the room who wasn't one of their number, he was cold, frighteningly so as he did it. After falthgood had finished the job, Nishi gave him a small smile and left the room. A phaser would have been a mistake, this was the calm before the storm, more to the point, it was him trying to be calm before the storm. He walked through the ship's corridors, amongst unsuspecting crewmembers on his way to violate whatever trust they had in him, or his counterpart. (USS Nimitz - Turbo lift - Lt. Cmdr. Nakamura - 14:39) The turbo lift doors opened and Nishi found himself facing a frustrated looking ensign, dressed in the green of a science staff member. "Sir, the turbo lift wont open onto the bridge, there's some kind of lockdown" he said as Nishi stepped in. "I know" Said Nishi with a nod, the doors sliding closed behind him. "bridge" he spoke to the lift, and it started to move upwards. "He turned to the ensign, "I can override the lockdown" the young man looked relived. It was a strange sensation, standing there, being trusted by this young man, whom he was about to attack. Nishi Nakamura of the Nimitz, was somebody who people trusted, with their lives, it seemed. The inevitable questioning look came into the young man's eyes. "What's going on, Sir?" "Stop" he said, before he knew what he was doing, the lift came to a halt. "sir, what..." asked the ensign. "Just get out" Nishi almost whispered "you don't want to be in this lift." Maybe the ensign heard the seriousness in his voice, maybe he thought it was an order, but he did as he was told. (USS Nimitz - Bridge - 14:40) Nishi Stepped onto the bridge, what he had just done was something new for him, it frightened him - he was a soldier, he had killed more people than he could count, but all of them had been in battle, not face to face like that, well... all but one. The scene on the bridge was as he expected, Sevant and Winters had the bridge crew bailed up, but they wanted him there, which meant there would be work for a soldier. =^= Sickbay to Security, Red Alert, find and detain all of the away team members. =^= Kestra's voice issued from his comm badge, announcing that they had been found out - indeed there would be work of a soldier. Nishi nodded to the two psychics on the bridge, stepped over the body behind the security console and found the weapons locker. His hand on the sensor was enough to unlock it, and he took out the two hand phasers it contained, and with his thumbs pushed both weapon's setting to maximum, and prepared himself for war. (Reply: Sevant, Kestra, any) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Childcare Facility - Schoolteacher Katie Troi - 1440) Katie looked up as she saw the children's computer shut off. "Auntie Katie, the computer won't work!" T'Pring wailed, and Katie knelt to hug T'Pring and dry the tears, then whispered that maybe Alison, one of the assistants, could read the kids a story while she found out what the problem was. She walked a few steps away from the children and hit her comm badge. "Katharynne Troi to Engineering." =^= Comm access denied. =^= Katie blinked, then walked ot the doors, which were sealed shut. She demanded that the computer let her out, but it wouldn't. ~Vanyssa? Vanyssa Winters!~ Katie cried and was answered with only static. She switched tactics. ~Kestra? What is going on? The COMM won't work and neither will the doors!~ She sent to Kestra, knowing that Kestra wasn't cut off from her. ~Kestra?~ She sighed and leaned against the door. ~Jennah? Can you hear me?~ ~Yes.~ Jennah spoke softly. ~I can't get out of my quarters though. And Mommy is feeling really strange to me.~ ~Go hide. In the closet, like when the bad aliens came. Put on the mask and hide under the blankets. I'll be there as soon as I can.~ ~Allison.~ katie projected seeing the empath almost jump. ~Get the kids into one of the interior rooms. Lock the door and seal it with a phaser. Something bad is going on here, and I don't want the m hurt. Or scared. Anymore than they already are.~ Katie walked over to the old fashioned safe that David had given her for the room after the romulans had managed to lock out the security lockers. She tossed one of the phasets to Allison and climbed up onto the desk and into the ventilation to crawl to a jephries tube. After a few seconds she ran into Stolev. The last she knew he wasn't on the away team. "Stolev?" She asked vocally, whispering. "By Gods, what the heck is going on?" She asked. " (reply Stolev) My name is Katie, I'm the schoolteacher. For some reason we got locked in and I decided to come help." (reply Stolev) "Who me?" Katie whispered. "I was a starfleet security officer before I decided that teaching suited me better." Katie grinned and whispered. "Has anyone gone to activate the marines? I can't 'path to any of them - there aren't any sensitives down there, and David is... is not here anymore." She leaned against the wall, thankful to give her knees a rest. ~I really am too old to do any of this. (reply Stolev) "So what is the game plan?" She queried. (reply Stolev, any) (pb melinda :-) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Astrophysics - Falthgood - 1443) "I'll be on the bridge, soon, pet." Zach grinned, and leaned into kiss the Counselor with unrestrained passion, now that they were uncovered. A few moments later, however, she hauled off and slapped him. He looked at her, his face a mask. "That is for getting above yourself, earlier. The rest will come later, when we have delivered this ship to the Captain." Falthgood was privately very glad that they were currently shielded from telepaths. He could think all the evil and traitorous thoughts he wanted, without fear of retribution. "I'm sorry, Counselor. I will... Submit to your punishment, when we have time again." (reply: Couns) He watched her leave, and only when she was gone did he let the rage show as he kicked the dead body of the scientist. He took several deep breaths to calm down, they only had to hold the ship with four people for an hour. After that, he could have her killed. She had just about outlived his excitement, anyway, she was becoming quite the burden. With a new happy thought to focus on, he gave another kick to the body and walked out the door. There were still many things to do, he was needed in Engineering. (reply: any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - Sevant - 1445) "And what of you, has anyone on the ship provided you problems that your Corp training had trouble overcoming?" The Counselor laughed, an evil cackle that made Sevant frown. "No. I went to take care of Kestra." Sevant informed her that Kestra had managed to get a hold of the comm. "Hmmm, it didn't work. She just tried using the Comm. system." The Counselor didn't look happy about that. "You know, I hate her in our universe and her counterpart is worse. Speaking of counterparts, mine should be at the hands of Kestra and her trainee corps telepaths right about now." Sevant quirked and eyebrow, as Winters continued. "There are marines on this ship... Do you think they will come running to the rescue?" The Commander had given that thought, he was pretty sure he had a way around it too. "I wonder if they will feel like David." She said as she walked over and grabbed hold of one of the prisoners. "Hello dearie." He took a breath as she went into a rapport trance, they didn't have time for this. Once she was done, she let the man drop to the deck-plates and said "Captain Sevant, I suggest we get closer to the wormhole. Even if these pansies try and take control from us, the closer we are, the faster reinforcements can get here. In fact, Sir, I suggest taking the ship through the wormhole. I don't want some other Federation ship showing up to help, Sir." Sevant was about to answer when she spoke up again. He shut his mouth, and bit back a growl. "Sevant, We have a problem." "What." he growled. "I don't know what warp core buildup means, but it doesn't sound good." Sevant rolled his eyes as she walked over to an engineering crewman. "What does it mean?" she asked. He gave her the quick rundown about the reaction, something that most officers knew anyway. "Well, any ideas, Captain? Just like the Endeavor, idiots would rather blow her up than let us have her." "I could have told you they are not stupid, Counselor. They managed to make it this far. The fact they have no spines, doesn't mean they are stupid or lacking in primate ideals of valor." He holstered the phaser set to kill, and sidestepped to the Operations console, never putting the stun phaser down. He took a glance at the panel, then looked back up with a curse. He took a breath, "Ok, the core will go critical in an hour, we cant stop that without getting to engineering, but I might be able to expand the time limit by a few. Cover the prisoners." (reply: Winters) He immeidatly hosltered his phaser, "Falthgood, you idiot, the engineering crew managed to put the core into overload, you were supposed to be down there... Get there at once or Ill have your head." He had a beep as acknowledgement. Once the Counselor was covering the bridge crew, Sevant sat down at the Ops console. He shook his head at the readings he saw, this ship was undergunned and underpowered. His own ship put out nearly twice this much power. He started by shutting down all the fusion generators, and then started turning systems on full. Every system that could drain power, was turned on full. He stood quickly when that was over, and walked over to Tactical. He looked at the readouts on the board, then picked a spot in space opposite the anomaly and opened fire with the phasers. With a growl he set them to fire automatically ever two minutes, to drain some extra power from the core. "There, I might have bought us twenty minutes, enough for our away team to beam into engineering and deal with it, or Falthgood to do something useful for a change. I pity the ship that wanders into our line of fire, though." (reply: any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz, Service Access ladder J17, Lt(sg) Zzt, 14:45) Zzt continued to climb, his long arms and legs letting him skip several rungs at a time. He stopped as he came to an intersection with one of many Jeffries tubes. He sniffed the air, a familiar scent in the air. "Shoey? Where you?" Zzt said, as quietly as he could. Looking down the gloomy jeffries tube. "Sir?" Came a muffled reply. There was the sound of someone scurrying up the tube towards Zzt. Soon Ensign Shoey came into view, hurrying up the tube toward Zzt. "What you do?" Zzt asked, as the Ensign got closer. "I'm working on disabling internal sensors," Shoey said, lifting his decupler so Zzt could see. "Charley and Sarnat are taking the back ups off line. In about 5 minuets internal sensors will be off line. 3 other engineers are disabling the impulse engines and you already know that the warp drive is off line. We sent Crewman Sue to warn the marines and we got 3 more sabotaging the gas distribution system. Should be off line already." Zzt nodded as Shoey filled him in, chiding himself for not thinking ahead like his crew seemed to be doing. He had only worried about what he would be doing and not given his crew more detailed orders. "Good, good. Carry on," Zzt said, waving Shoey back down the tube with one paw. Shoey smiled, turned and started back down the tube. "Good luck sir," Shoey said, looking back at Zzt. "You too," Zzt said, starting back up the ladder. (USS Nimitz, Deck 7, Lt(sg) Zzt, 14:50) Zzt poked his nose out of the access ladder sniffing the air for the scent of any one on the away team. His ears perked up picking the smallest of sounds. Far off he could hear people locked in their quarters trying to get out. Pulling him self out of the service ladder carefully, Zzt looked around and headed toward a weapons locker he knew was on this deck. Finding the weapons locker, Zzt set his tool kit down, opened it and got to work breaking into the locker. He had to be careful not to trigger the internal alarm, or he'd give away his position. This slowed him down, but in a matter of minuets Zzt had the locker open. He scooped up the phasers and tucked two into his pockets and placed the others in his tool box. Rising he moved off toward the Main Computer core, pulling one of the phaser out and holding in firmly in one paw. ~I'll get that traitorous Vulcan.~ Arriving at the computer core, Zzt set down his tool box again, pulled the wall panel away and got to work overriding the doors locking mechanism. He could of easily ripped the doors open , but then he couldn't lock himself in again once he gained access. A few minuets latter and the doors popped open slightly. Zzt easily forced the doors open and slipped into the room. His eyes scanned the room, his ears peeled and keen nose sniffing the air. Confident the room was empty, Zzt placed his tool kit down and turned to force the doors shut again, reengaging the locking mechanism. Then he set to work on overriding the lock out. (Reply Any) (Posted by Wes) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - Sevant - 1445) Sevant looked back at the crew, "Rivers was ready to unravel me." he said in a bad mood, "I don't think she believe me, or my acting. As well, they were ready to launch the probe and shuttle. Yalta is supposed to contact us once she is fully ready, in the mean time I'm letting her work quite happily, I've got all doors and launching ports locked down." He looked back over, "And what of you, has anyone on the ship provided you problems that your Corp training had trouble overcoming?" Vanyssa laughed, going to the command chair and sitting in it, putting her feet up. "No. I went to take care of Kestra." Sevant informed her that Kestra had managed to get ahold of the comm system...somehow. Vanyssa sat up looking very indignant. "You know, I hate her in our universe and her counterpart is worse. Speaking of counterparts, mine should be at the hands of Kestra and her trainee corps telepaths right about now." Vanyssa shivered in relish, wishing for a brief instant that she could be there. "There are marines on this ship... Do you think they will come running to the rescue?" Vanyssa asked curiously, wanting to take on a marine or two. She wondered what they would feel like when she touched their minds. Marines in her universe made good lovers, if not a little ham handed ones. Marines in her universe who wanted to live made even better ones. "I wonder if they will feel like David." She thought idly then got up and walked over to one of the crewmembers, an engineering person by the look of him. "Hello dearie." She reached around and grabbed his head, forcing rapport with him to gain his engineering knowledge. When she was done, he fell to the ground and she walked over to the engineering console. "Captain Sevant, I suggest we get closer to the wormhole. Even if these pansies try and take control from us, the closer we are, the faster reinforcements can get here. In fact, Sir, I suggest taking the ship through the wormhole. I don't want some other Federation ship showing up to help, Sir." Vanyssa finished, after tapping commands into the computer. (reply Sevant, any) (pb Melinda the evil :-) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - Sevant - 1445) "That's right, face the wall on your knees... Cross your legs." It was such a pretty sight, the bridge crew under guard. He could get to like this real quick. =^=Sevant, you incompetent fool. You didn't disable the comm. system! Kestra is down here calling half the ship to alert them to us!=^= Sevant didn't even waste the time to curse, "Computer, lockout the communications system except for authorized officers." [Communications system locked out.] NOW Sevant cursed, a long and fluid stream of words that blended together quite nicely. It ended with him opening a channel to Falthgood, "Falthgood, you no good son of a *bleep*, your program didn't automatically lock out communications like it should!" A few moments passed, then =^=Then you didn't type them in right, Falthgood out." The channel closed, leaving Sevant fuming mad. He would deal with that incompetent idiot... Later. (reply: any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz, COUNS Vanyssa Winters, 14:45) Vanyssa had just finished telling Sevant about taking the ship in when she stared closer at the engineering readouts. "Sevant, We have a problem." She spoke simply, and got up so that he could take a look at the screen. "I don't know what warp core buildup means, but it doesn't sound good." Vanyssa walked over to the Engineer she had hurt earlier and shoved her phaser under his chin. "What does it mean?" She hissed. He stammered something about explosions if the buildup got too high. "Well, any ideas, Captain?" She asked, restraining the urge to hit him. "Just like the Endeavor, idiots would rather blow her up than let us have her." (reply Sevant, any) (pb melinda) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - FO - Sevant - 1452) Sevant watched the Counselor of the Nimitz stride onto the bridge, phaser out, and with plenty of maliciousness seeming to radiate from her. It was still odd as hell, not being able to sense her at all, but it was thankfully something he wouldn't have to deal with for long, they would have their mental blocks removed completely once they were back home. Sevant had the crew pressed up against the wall, on their knees with legs crossed and hands behind their head. The ship had been maintaining position for hours, another hour with only the occasional command given by Sevant when required wouldn't do any harm. "Falthgood said that they would be here in an hour. What happened to force the schedule ahead?" Sevant looked back at the crew, "Rivers was ready to unravel me." he said in a bad mood, "I don't think she believe me, or my acting. As well, they were ready to launch the probe and shuttle. Yalta is supposed to contact us once she is fully ready, in the mean time I'm letting her work quite happily, I've got all doors and launching ports locked down." (reply: if desired) He looked back over, "And what of you, has anyone on the ship provided you problems that your Corp training had trouble overcoming?" (reply: any, as desired) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Jeffries Tube - TAC/ASC Lt. Stolev - 1455) Sasha froze as he heard a noise ahead of him. He pulled out his phaser in one hand and his tricorder in the other, scanning to see who it was. It wasn't one of the away team members, but he didn't recognize the name. "Stolev?" He heard the whisper ahead of him and put his phaser back in its holster. "By Gods, what the heck is going on?" she asked. Sasha scooched up next to her. "Some sort of mutiny has been undertaken by the senior officers who went missing on a recent away mission." He frowned, wondering how much he should be telling her. "Who are you, and what are you doing in here?" he asked, trying not to sound threatening. "My name is Katie, I'm the schoolteacher. For some reason we got locked in and I decided to come help." Sasha scratched his head. "So what made you think climbing into the Jeffries tubes would be helpful? Wouldn't staying with your students be more helpful? What sort of training do you have, anyway?" "Who me?" Katie whispered. "I was a starfleet security officer before I decided that teaching suited me better." Katie grinned and whispered, "has anyone gone to activate the marines? I can't 'path to any of them - there aren't any sensitives down there, and David is... is not here anymore." She rotated out of her crouch and leaned against the wall. "Ahhh... so you are a former security officer and a telepath eh? Well I guess you can be of help after all." He grinned at her in response, relieved to have found someone else who actually would know what to do in a situation such as this. "As far as I know, no one has activated the marines. But then again, I don't have access to the computer or the comm system right now." "So what is the game plan?" she queried. "Well, I was on my way to the shuttle bay, to find Onyx and Zzt. They're the only senior officers I can think of that weren't on the away mission and haven't been incapacitated..." His voice trailed off as a thought occurred to him. He pulled out his tricorder and tapped in a few commands. "Hopefully they won't be able to isolate the signal from this; I'll try to use it to locate them." Shortly, a pair of flashing icons appeared on the monitor; one labeled "Onyx Kateb", the other labeled "Zzt." He pulled out his PADD map and consulted it in conjunction with the tricorder readings and their present position. "Looks like Onyx is outside sickbay on Deck 10. Zzt appears to be heading towards the main computer core. We're closer to Onyx. The marines, as I'm sure you know, are way down on Deck 20. Why don't you make your way to them, and I will go get Onyx." (reply Katie) "Good luck," whispered Sasha before turning and scooting down towards a junction that would lead him to the corridor outside sickbay. (USS Nimitz - Deck 10 - TAC/ASC Lt. Stolev - Day 2 - 1505) Phaser at the ready, Sasha slowly slid aside the hatch to the Jeffries tube. He spotted Onyx and another man wearing a science uniform standing against the wall near the door to sickbay. He glanced around to make sure that no one else was around. "Onyx!" he hissed. Once he had made eye contact he climed slowly out of the tube and hurried quietly over to them. "Katie the schoolteacher has gone to alert the marines. What's going on here?" he asked in a whisper. (reply Onyx, Richard, Katie, any) (posted by Aaron Scifres) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Jeffries Tube - SPC Schoolteacher Katie Troi - 1455) Katie thought to herself, very privately and inside of her excellent shields that the reason she had left Starfleet in the first place was to stop crawling through tiny places. She reached one of the ladders that would lead straight down and began climbing. She thought to herself that it was going to be infinitely harder to get back up than it was to go down. After about seven minutes of climbing down, she consulted the plans that she had tucked into her jumpsuit pocket and began crawling toward the staging area. She thought about the last time that she had went climbing through the ship, and that had been with Nishi to kill romulans and retake the ship. ~Mhmm Nishi~ She thought with a smile. Too bad Eloise had shown back up. There might have been something there. That had been lots of fun but for some reason this wasn't. This was too much like work for Katie's taste. ~I wonder if Jennah is right and that isn't Vanyssa. I really don't want to have to kill Vanyssa.~ Katie reflected to herself that she would do so, and wouldn't hesitate, if it meant securing the ship and Vanyssa's children. ~After all, she'd want me too, right? The kids are more important.~ She stopped her introspection as she arrived right outside of Lee's office and reached down and into the office with her mind to find him there. She decided that in the interests of self-preservation to project reassurance and calm at him, so that hopefully he wouldn't shoot the messenger. She banged on the grill. "Lee! Let me In!" She cried out, hoping that he would let her in. "Stolev sent me and we have a problem." She finished, praying that he wouldn't shoot her. (reply Lee) Katie took his hand and swung down from the ceiling. "This was a lot easier ten years ago" she said with a smile and outlined what she knew. "The last I heard from Stolev, they were on the bridge, that is Captain Sevant and Counsellor Winters. Stolev was going to collect Onyx Kateb and rescue Kestra Troi from Sickbay. " She finished in seriousness. (Reply Lee) "Yes, Sir, Counsellor Winters, Commander Sevant, Lt. Nakamura, Lt. Falthgood and Lt. Fickett, Sir. The away team. And no communications internally, or computer access." She finished as her stomach gave a very audible rumble. She flushed in embarrassment. It was painfully obvious that, for all of what she might have been, she was just still a civilian. ~Maybe Stolev is right..maybe I should have stayed with the kids. Allison certainly can't be threatening enough if trouble comes. I'm getting way too old to be a hero.~ (reply Lee, any) (pb Melinda :-) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Lee's Office - SPC Schoolteacher Katie Troi & 1st Lt Richard Ian Lee - 1456) "Stay here, there is no safer place on the ship for the time being." Katie blinked a couple times at the thought that Lee would even think that she cared about her own safety. "What and be left out of the action?" She asked. "If it's all the same to you, Sir, I would rather come along. I did my fair share of the extermination of the romulans and, well, Vanyssa, the real Vanyssa wouldn't thank me for sitting around when her girls were not safe. And neither would David." Rich shook his head, he didnt have time for this. "Do what you will then." and walked out. Katie followed him out into the staging area, and watched him give his orders to all the teams. She stopped him with her arm before he left. "What about me?" She demanded. He gestured off to the armory, "At least get a weapon," he said in a rushed tone. Katie walked into the armory, and looked over all the toys that when she was a starfleet officer she would have given anything to have. She picked up one of the medium size weapons and headed back out to join back up with Lee. "I'm ready." She spoke confidently, her phaser tucked into her belt and a nice, solid gun in hand. Rich looked up and down at her, she was the last thing that should be attached to a Marine unit. "You realize, I hope, that you might very well get killed." he said, as his unit was prepping to leave. "Yes." She replied simply. "But one more person may very well be what regains the ship. I don't know what Vanyssa and Sevant have planned, but I'm sure that I wouldn't want to be part of it. And." She qualified. "I'm in better shape than I appear, and I worked out against David when he was training Vanyssa. If I can take David down unarmed I'm sure that I can do something against the traitors with this." Rich was glad she couldnt see his face behind the place, the scowl he wore might have been enough to convince her he was plannnig a murder. "Very well," he said. "Stick close." He turned, and bellowed "Suicide Kings to Me!" All around him, the squad formed, decked for battle. "We go to Engineering, don't stop for anything but one of the aforementioned traitors. Ready?" "HOO WAH!" "Move." Katie nodded and followed the marines. She noticed that they had tucked her into the middle of them, and she wasn't sure if she liked that too much, but at least she was going to get a piece of the action. (reply the any who are on their way to engineering) (pb Melinda & Jeremy) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Lee's Office - 1st Lt Richard Ian Lee - 1456) "Lee! Let me In! Stolev sent me and we have a problem." Rich looked around, then up. Slowly he put down the PADD he was reading and stood, then slowly pulled down the access panel. He quirked an eyebrow at the person he saw hanging there, and offered a hand so she could come down. She grabbed it and swung down. "This was a lot easier ten years ago" Rich nodded, but said nothing. She immediately launched into a quick explanation of what was going on. Within moments, Lee was frowning. "The last I heard from Stolev, they were on the bridge, that is Captain Sevant and Counselor Winters. Stolev was going to collect Onyx Kateb and rescue Kestra Troi from Sickbay. " she finished. Rich took a breath, "This isn't a joke, I trust." He turned from her, and grabbed his helmet from the desk. This was his time to officially be on duty, he was one of the twenty in full BDU. "Who all is involved? And what is our situation?" "Yes, Sir, Counselor Winters, Commander Sevant, Lt. Nakamura, Lt. Falthgood and Lt. Fickett, Sir. The away team. And no communications internally, or computer access." He turned to face her, and ignored the rumblings of her stomach. "Stay here, there is no safer place on the ship for the time being." (reply: Katie) Rich stocked out into the Marine Staging Center, "Priority Alert, All Active teams arm up NOW! Runners to the off-duty teams and wake them up, no attempt at internal comm. use. NCO's and Squad Leaders to me, MOVE!" he bellowed. "This is NOT a drill people! HAUL SOME A$$!" To everyone's credit, everyone started moving before the words were out of his mouth. This group had been through more battles in the last year then most marines saw in a lifetime, they knew what 'Priority one, no drill' meant. Rich activated the Pallas and slid it under his arm, all the while planning what to do. This was now the second time there had been a forcible takeover of the ship, it was getting to be a nasty habit. He slammed the helmet down on a planning table, eyes hooded as he considered what he could do. All around him, Squad CO's and Senior NCO's were lining up in battle armor. Rich ground his teeth together until they had assembled, then turned to face them. "We have a problem, this ship has once again been taken over by an enemy force. This time, however, they snuck from within." He didn't give them time to let that sink in, "I have one standing order now, The rest we will work out as we go. If anyone comes across Commander Sevant, Commander Winters, Commander Nakamura, Doctor Pickett or Lieutenant Falthgood... They are to be shot on sight. They may have hostages, so be careful and sure and what you are doing, and. Do. Not. Miss." He gave a look to them, "Sevant has secured the ship, locked out all ship communications and locked out the computer. He has control of the bridge, along with Commander Winters. The CMO was last seen near sickbay, Falthgood near Astrophysics. They have murdered at least two people, and probably more by now." Rich look at each for a moment, "I want them found, and neutralized. I want this ship back under our control." He turned, and slapped the helmet of the senior NCO of the Suicide Kings. "We are going to be on engineering detail, from there at least we can find an engineer to unlock the core." He pointed to Darkfall, "And you people are coming with us, you will be the Core escort once we find a competent hacker." He started pointing out other Squad CO's, "You all will start patrolling the ship, picking up weapons and handing them out to whomever is rated to use em. Start working your way to the bridge, but do so quietly, I don't want anyone spooked." He turned to one last squad CO, still half asleep and pulling into his armor. "And you will work your way to sickbay." "This is no joke people," he said at last. "Lets go get'em." "OOOOAH!" filled the room. Rich watched the Marines break up, the NCO's started barking at the rest of the squads to get moving and prepare for orders. The squads were still getting armed and armored, but it wouldn't take long. Rich grinned, evilly, as he slid the helmet over his head. This was going to be a pleasure. (reply: any) (posted by Trout) Stardate:2406.04.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz, Near Marine Staging area, Crewman Sue, 1458) Sue popped out of the jefferies tube and began moving quickly toward the marine staging area, almost at a full run. Time was short, they had to retake the ship and quickly. She turned a corner and nearly collided with a group of marines in full gear phaser rifles at the ready. Sue screamed as she saw all the phaser rifles level at her. She threw her arms over her head. "Don't shoot!!! I'm unarmed!!" She screamed waving her arms above her head. "Lt. Zzt sent me! The ships been taken over! A mutiny!" (Reply Lee or Katie) "Zzt ripped the doors to engineering open and sent us to sabotage certain ship systems while he went to the computer core to try to override the lock out. Remind me never to make him mad. He thinks Sevant has killed the Captain. I think he plans on killing Sevant if he gets the chance. I've never seen him so angry." Sue rattled off quickly, shaking visibly from fear, her eyes locking on the giant amongst the marines who she knew must be Lee. (Reply Lee or Katie) "Oh!" Sue said, suddenly remembering. "We got anther problem as well, sir. We were in the middle of a delicate re-calibration of the warp drive when we lost computer control, if we don't regain computer control in 40 minuets or so the ship will explode from an engine overload." (Reply Lee or Katie, Any) (Posted by Wes) Stardate:2406.047.19 Mission: Oubliette, Day 2 Stardate: 2406.04.19 (USS Nimitz - Bridge - TAC/ASC Lt. Stolev - Day 2 -1400) "May I speak to you in the Ready room?" Sasha looked up at Sevant's query, having noticed Kestra leaving the bridge moments before. The Captain seemed to consider this for a few moments, then nodded. "Very well Number One." Sevant gestured to the door, and followed her in. Sasha paused for a moment to think, then walked over to Ensign Carter at the other console. "Ensign, you keep an eye on that door. I don't know what it is, but something fishy is going on. I don't like that Sevant is alone with the Captain, especially given the memory problems that the away team has been experiencing. I know the surveillance systems never got hooked back up in there after that whole fiasco with Aragorn a while back, so just stay alert." "Aye, sir" replied Carter. "I think I'll check on things in security, see if anyone there has turned up anything," ordered Sasha. "You manage things from here." "Will do, sir." (USS Nimitz - Security Office - TAC/ASC Lt. Stolev - Day 2 - 1435) Sasha was at his desk, frowning as he watched recordings of the surveillance videos of the away team, trying to figure out if there was anything sinister in their actions or if they were truly just trying to "rediscover" themselves. While Falthgood and Winters seemed to "discover" plenty about each other, the rest seemed to wander about aimlessly, studying personal trinkets or service records in vain attempts to jog absent memories. =^= Lieutenant! =^= Ensign Carter's voice came urgently over the comm. =^= I just lost all surveillance systems. I can't access any primary security systems at all! =^= "What the..." Sasha tapped a few keys and found that he had no access either. "Computer, are there currently any operational failures?" [Access to that information is restricted.] ~Restricted?~ Sasha had jumped up and was checking his phaser as he crossed the room when he heard Sevant's voice on the comm. =^= Sevant to Winters, Falthgood, Nakamura and Fickett. Converge on Deck 50. Nakamura to the Bridge. Out. =^= ~There is no Deck 50,~ was the first thing that popped into his head. Then he stopped as he realized that Sevant had just ticked off the names of the away team members. "Carter!" he shouted as he ran for the door, only to collide bodily with it and bounce back into his office. "Computer, open the door!" [Authorization required.] "Authorization Stolev-32-Charlie-Foxtrot." [Authorization denied.] Sasha spun around, looking around the room for anything that might help him get out, when he heard the sound of doors opening in the distance. Belatedly, he realized that the comm channel was still open. He held himself as still as he could, keeping quiet, straining to hear what was going on. =^= Everyone will remain in place, and slowly put your hands above your head, =^= came Sevant's confident voice. Then he heard a rustling noise and the sound of a phaser firing, punctuated by a loud thud; a thud that would only have been that loud if the person wearing the comm badge had been the one to hit the floor. Sasha winced and said a silent prayer for Carter, hoping that the phaser wasn't set to kill. =^= Is there anyone else that would like to tempt me? =^= Sasha began to fear the worst, his mind scrambling to make sense of it all. Why was the away team behaving in this manner? =^=That's right, face the wall on your knees... Cross your legs. =^= Sevant was clearly securing the bridge, but for what purpose? Then he heard another voice, this one sounding even further away. He was able to eventually determine that it was Fickett on the comm system. =^= Sevant, you incomptent fool. You didn't disable the comm system! Kestra is down here calling half the ship to alert them to us! =^= =^= Computer, lockout the communications system except for authorized officers, =^= came Sevant's immediate reply, and the comm link then abruptly terminated. Sasha sat down and slowly looked around the room. Only the gentle hum of the engines and the slight whoosh of the air circulation system could be heard. Struck by inspiration, Sasha turned and looked up at the air vent, considering it. It was two feet by one foot; a very tight fit indeed. Suddenly another idea came to him. He opened one of his desk drawers and dug through it until he found what he was looking for. He pulled the PADD out gently and tapped it to make sure that it still had its data. He had downloaded the schematics to the PADD to help find his way around the ship when he had first come aboard. While at that time he had only been interested in the corridor layout, the schematic also contained a map of ventilation ducts and the points at which they connected with other rooms and Jeffries tubes. In fact, a tube ran just behind and above his office; he would only have to squeeze through about four feet of ventilation ductwork to get into it. Quickly, he dragged his chair over until it was below the air vent, then hopped up on it and pulled the vent cover off. "Here goes nothing," he muttered as he hoisted himself up and squirmed his way into the vent, desperately hoping that one of the away team members didn't decide to take over security at that moment. (USS Nimitz - Jeffries Tube - TAC/ASC Lt. Stolev - Day 2 - 1455) Sasha breathed a sigh of relief as he finally pulled himself out into the Jeffries tube. While the tubes were designed for utility and not comfort, they seemed luxurious when compared with the cramped confines of the ventilation system. He paused to think. Last he knew, Onyx had headed for the shuttle bay, and Zzt was either in engineering or on his way to Onyx. He couldn't think of any other senior staff who weren't infiltrated or incapacitated. Sasha pulled out his map and, after consulting it briefly, began crawling through the tubes in the direction of the shuttle bay. (reply any) (posted by Aaron Scifres)