Star Trek: Season 9

[X]

Joint post by Moyer777 and Just X

Margon made his way to the Afterburner.  He ran into one of the waiters in the corridor.

"Have you seen J'Dan this morning?" he inquired.

"He's around here somewhere." said the polite young man. "Let me check-- Craig to J'Dan, what's up boss?"  There was no answer.  "I'll let him know you are looking for him counselor"

"Thanks" said Margon as his own badge chirped.

"Commander James to Counselor Margon"

"Yes Commander" Margon relplied.

"I have a cancellation in my schedule and wondered if you had a few minutes."

"Certainly, I'm on my way"

Margon thanked Craig and excused himself.  As he made his way to Aeric's office he tried to calm his nerves.  He tried not to be paranoid and not look around every corner for someone to attack him.  He needed to resolve this, but how?

He made his way to the Commander's office, was invited in and sat down.

Aeric smiled to himself at the progress of his meetings. He was getting a great insight to the crew with the one on one time and it was something that would better serve the ship in the long run. He smiled across his desk to the seated Margon.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Aeric said. "How are you holding up after all that has happened?"

Margon paused for a moment.  Should he tell Aeric about what was really going on?  He thought better of it and tried to think past his current dilemma.

"I'm all right, but a little frazzled to tell you the truth.  It is at times like this that I draw on a lot of the training I got from Star Fleet.  That, and the years of wisdom that come along with life.  Is there any chance that Star Fleet is going to send me some help?"

Aeric smiled. "If that's what you need, it's what you will have. I know how stressful things have been for the crew as of late and I don't wish to see you overloaded."

Aeric entered a few commands into his PADD before continuing. "Help is on the way. On a personal note, what is your opinion of Doctor Drett?"

"She has been through a lot Commander, but I am confident that she will be O.K.  I think the only thing we need to be concerned about is her confidence.  Losing your symbiont hasn't been a normal thing in the Trill culture.  This is unexplored territory.  She seems to be adjusting.  I think the more interaction she has with her friends on the crew during her off hours, the better she will adjust.  She just needs to know we believe in her and her abilities.  I did notice her fondness for K'Tan."  The counselor smiled.

Aeric chuckled. "That's good to hear. Do you believe that she's ready for more responsibilities? We have so many people dealing with the aftermath of assimilation that we're going to need to dedicate some resources into their treatment and recovery."

"I agree."  The counselor reached up and rubbed his new eye. "Everyone is having to adjust right now, I think it's a great idea to get folks the help they need.  In the case of Dr. Drett, I would find something she specializes in and challenge her to step it up.  It will get her mind off of what has happened and help her focus on her future.  She is a bright lady, even without her symbiont."

The counselor's communication badge chirped "Counselor" said the familiar voice, "You were looking for me?"

"Excuse me Aeric" Margon tapped his badge, "Yes J'Dan, I needed to go over your entertainment schedule for the next week"

The counselor felt bad that he had to lie, but he didn't know if his communications were being monitored.

"Sure thing" J'Dan said cautiously, What in the world did Margon want to know the entertainment schedule he thought to himself.

"I'll be over in a half hour or so, Margon out."  He smiled faintly and looked back at Aeric.

"So where were we?"

"I've just requested that we pick up two new assistant counselors," Aeric started. "The captain will need to sign off on the request, but I don't believe it to be an issue. I would also like it if we could, for the time being, refocus your practice. How would you feel about running a trauma management group while your assistants deal with your normal case load? I know that you have been through a lot and I don't want you pushing yourself to a breaking point. We need you now more than ever."

The counselor sighed, "That would be a welcome relief, thank you for your concern.  Speaking of the Captain, have you noticed any tension with him?  He hasn't come to see me, even though I have invited him on several occasions.  It isn't like Nathan to be so stand offish.  You are working closely with him.  Is there anything I need to be aware of?"  Margon looked at Aeric with admiration.  He felt good about the first officer and the job he was doing.  The meeting was really boosting Margon's respect level for Aeric.

Aeric shook his head slightly, "I know that he's been through a great deal of trauma while in the other universe, but I haven't directly spoken to him on it. Quinn is a good man that knows his limitations and given time, I believe that he might share what happened. After I complete my reports, I am going to present the findings to him and see if I can find out what happened. Once I do, we'll see what we can do to make things better."

Aeric smiled to the counselor. While this was only one of the many meetings that he needed to have with the senior staff, he enjoyed the honest conversation that Margon offered. This was a man that hard earned his respect by putting the needs of the crew before his own. In some ways, the counselor reminded him of himself. Both had lost so much in their lives and both had pushed on despite the pain.

"Margon, if you need anything or anyone to talk to, please remember that I am here. I might not be a qualified counselor, but listening is something that I inherited from my mother and sometimes we all need someone to just listen."

"Very much appreciated Commander, thank you." Margon wanted to ask for his help with the Orion worker, but held his tongue. "I can certainly use someone to talk to. Maybe we could do dinner sometime soon.  I am grateful for your friendship."

"I would like that Margon."

[Jen]

Joint post written by BryanCD and Jen

With their Holoadventure complete, Rory James ushered the girls into a turbolift to take them home for their daily nap. M'rynn and Elisabeth were singing when the door opened to reveal Lieutenant Commander K'arath. Rory smiled and motioned for the girls to follow her in. Elisabeth preferred to skip into the lift, but M'rynn was less eager to join her friends. To Sevryll's four-year-old daughter, K'arath looked angry. Rory apologized to the commander then stepped into the corridor to take the girl's hand and encouraged her in. M'rynn remained frozen in place—staring with wide, dark brown eyes up at the Chief Engineer. She had seen him several times before, but after all that had happened with the Borg she just didn't trust people who looked cross.  Rather than pick her up, Rory promised the girl a large bowl chocolate pudding and her choice of bedtime stories if she cooperated. The word "chocolate" seemed to do the trick, and the little girl slowly entered with the holographic woman. Rory apologized again for delaying K'arath as M'rynn continued to stare at him from behind the woman's leg.

K'arath did his best to hide his discomfort as he stared at the wall of the lift.  He realized just then that this was the first time he had seen Sevryll's daughter since he had stopped by her home on Vulcan, after one of the early missions on the Tiberius. In their own home, the children had been mischievous and playful although he had not interacted with them. He just didn't know what to do with a child. But since the encounter with the Borg, he knew their lives had dramatically changed. M'rynn's mother and brother were still in the alternate universe, and despite the kindness of the acting XO and his family, she was alone. He allowed his eye's to drift down towards hers as she continued to try and hide. He wanted to just....say something, anything, but the door opened on his deck before he could complete the thought.

He nodded curtly to Rory and strode off the lift.

[Bryancd]

Joint Post by JustX and Bryancd

Time seemed to progress faster in recent days as Aeric worked hard to serve as the acting XO. Meetings with the senior staff had become far more common place than with his previous posting as the Chief of Operations. Given what he new about his next appointment, Aeric eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Arabella's Chief Engineer.

Aeric rose from his desk with a PADD in hand as the chime to his office sounded. While the device was not necessary with his connection to the ship, it serve well in displaying things to those that did not have his psychic abilities. "Enter."

K'arath strode into the office and regarded the El-Aurian officer with a warm smile. It had been some time since he and the Commander had time to just talk. He distinctly recalled his initial arrival on the Tiberius in his unique runabout and being impressed by the man's command of technical knowledge. The last time they had the opportunity to work together was during the construction of the Arabella.

"Chief Engineer reporting as ordered, sir," he said.

"Thank you for coming," Aeric said and motioned to the chair across from his desk as he returned to his. "Please have a seat. I'm hoping this won't keep you from your engines long, but I'd like to get your take on the ship and what we need to do to make her the best in the fleet. She fared well against the Borg, but I think that we are both aware that she has the potential to do much better."

K'arath sat back in his chair and a exhaled a long breathe. "Sir, we have two problems which we need to address. First, the ships bio-gel systems have been cleansed of the nano-probes the Borg used to assimilate the ship thanks to Starfleet Medical Research. Their technological hardware adaptations are proving more time consuming to remove as we need to do that manually. I believe your Zero Point system connected to the warp core gave them a bit of a surprise and I'm sure they miss greatly the opportunity to assimilate it," he said with a slight grin, which quickly faded. The second issue is one of personnel. We lost a number of crew," he hesitated as his voice caught and Aeric saw, for the first time, a Klingon attempt to compose himself, "..of my staff and have brought in a few new officers to repla....to serve in their absence. I have had an opportunity to meet Ensign Maddock and have only briefly reviewed Ensign Garriss. I will make a point of meeting with him and reporting back to you."

Aeric nodded slowly, "I have Garriss on my list to meet as well. We can compare notes on him later."

After a slight pause, Aeric continued. "Being a Klingon, I assume that you subscribe to the belief of an honorable death. There have been many honorable deaths on this ship. I would like to see us move to a position where honor can be gained in other nonfatal ways. Each loss is a set back that we can do without. I know you run a very tight department K'arath, but what can we do to make it better? "

K'arath let out a long breath while he considered the XO's question. "To have honor is ones work, a warrior needs to honor themselves first. For Klingon's, that sense of self as well as self sacrifice is developed through a series of physical trials of strength and perseverance. Perhaps it's time for my new crew to learn something about themselves so that they better serve the crew which will depend upon them. The holodeck could provide the proper template and....motivation," he said with a slight smile.

Aeric chuckled. "I thing that I might have something to help with that. It will be completely voluntary of course as not to interrupt the leave that the captain has granted."

Aeric tapped a few commands on his PADD and slid it across to the chief engineer. "It will a contest that will test the mental and physical character of the participants. It will consist of five person teams with a requirement that each team is a blending of all departments. One person from engineering, one from command, one from medical ... I'm sure you get the point. From there the contestants will design and build a five man shuttle pod to operate on specific energy and fuel reserves. Then each pod will be raced to the planet. The contestants then need to make landfall in a specific area and go on to other obstacles. A team swim. A climb. It's still in the works, but it's going to be tough. Hopefully a few days in length and limited rations. All those things that we learned in the academy will be brought back to the surface and people will get a chance to bond."

"I know it's not a department specific team building, but what do you think?"

K'arath's smile broadened and he felt a new found sense of respect for the somewhat mysterious XO. "It will be....glorious."

Aeric smiled and rose. "Thank you for your time Chief."

[Meds]

JOINT POST BY JUSTX & HAWKEYEMEDS

Joseph knocked his back pack so it felt comfortable on his back. He tapped his com badge.

"Computer is Captain Quinn available"

The computer chirped back immediately.

"Captain Quinn is not available at this time"

Joseph smiled and thought to himself "I don't blame him, I bet he's enjoying his shore leaveand tasting something nice"

Turning back he decided to head to the afterburner and enjoy a nice cold beer, it had been a long and eventfull day and a nice drop of real ale would end his day nicely That is of course as long as no one else wanted him.


Next on Aeric's on his list of meetings was Lieutenant Commander D'Callan.

"James to D'Callan," Aeric said after tapping his badge.

"D'Callan here."

"If you aren't busy, could you report to my office to discuss a few things."

"On the way sir, D'Callan out."

The fact that it had only taken ten minutes for his chime to ring made Aeric smile. "Come".

The door slid open and D'Callan walked in. The man looked tired. It was beginning to be a trend with his department heads.

"Been up all night?"

D'Callan smiled and gestured to the chair. Aeric nodded for his to take the seat and D'Callan did.

" Unfortunatley I've had the Bowers investigation to deal with and we've just had a new crewman who's come board who looks a bit of a handfull.  I'd love to say that I have been busy practicing my bowling technique. Somewhere along the line I've got a game of cricket to play and I have a suspicion that Lieutenant Commander K'Tan has been putting in some batting over time "

Aeric leaned forward.

"Batting? Bowling? You seem to be quite interested in this cricket game."

D'Callan laughed and then looked at his XO.

"Sir, it's in my blood. As you know I come from Australia, and its kind of an important game for us ozzies. First reference to the game came in around 1300 in England, and us Australians ended up battling against the pomms for the Ashes"

D'Calan suddenly stopped as he noticed Aeric had almost glazed over. "Sorry Sir, I get a bit carried away"

"It's fine Lt. Commander, I think having hobbies are a good way to strengthen one's character." Aeric said. "It's also good to see you recovering from the recent stresses this crew has had to face. We need to find a better way to address some of the problems that this ship routinely faces."

Aeric lifted the PADD from his desk and briefly reviewed the contents. "Since we are considering a move for K'Tan, we might be expecting a little more from you. Joseph, I want this ship to be the envy of the fleet. I want dozens of transfer requests to join our crew to be on my desk each morning. I want us to be the model that all other Federation crews attempt to emulate. To do that, we need the best and I think that Captain Quinn got the best when he assembled this crew. What do you have in the works Joseph? What ideas do you have and what do you need to accomplish them?"

Joseph sat forward and remembered back to a conversation aboard the station.

"Sir, I tend to have a knack at judging people very well. I met a young officer aboard the station. A Ferengi named Galdar. He seemed an enthusiastic young officer and maybe a bit brash. He made it clear that he fancied himself as a bit of a pilot. I have not made any official move regarding a recommendation but as you mentioned transfers I thought I'd bring it to your attention."

Aeric swept his fingers over his PADD "Consider it noted."

Joseph continued. "It came to my attention during our recent issues that I need to boost moral in my own section. The incident with Ensign Bowers has obviously not gone unnoticed so I would like to have some team building time, but not in a militaristic kind of way. I have some ideas regarding Tactical but I need to have a chat with Lieutenant O'tak. I like his idea of the MACO Assault Armor Mark I. Its in its early stages but I'd like to see it go through."

Aeric smiled. "Excellent ideas Joseph. This isn't the first time that I have heard mention of the resurrection of the MACOs. I have an idea that might work to not only foster team building, but test some of the concepts behind a retooled MACO for the Federation in our age. This also isn't the first time today that a department head has mentioned team building exercises. Have you ever heard of an Earth sport called bobsledding? Or a decathlon?"

Looking up in the air Joseph smiled "Decathlon. The old games aye. I've seen them in the archives. Hard stuff but fun. I suggest we put a handicap on K'Tan if he takes part in the shot put."

"Being raised by a Klingon doesn't give a human Klingon strength." Aeric laughed and turned his PADD to face D'Callan. "Actually, I'm thinking something a little more intense. A ship-wide contest, volunteers only. The only condition is that each team is comprised of exactly five members. One person from command, medical, tactical/security, engineering, and science. The contest should challenge the mind and the body. So, each team must design and construct a five person inline shuttlepod within a specific time frame. Then, the shuttles are raced to the planet where the contestants proceed through a variety of other sports until they reach the finish line. Let's say swimming, running, and perhaps mountain climbing. It's not something we can do given the current status of the Arabella, but it might be interesting to start the process of setting up a ship-wide game of some sort."

"I'll bring the idea to the captain after I complete my reviews. I want you to come up with some proposals on how you would handle Tactical, I'd like to see more of your ideas."

"Aye, sir." D'Callan replied.

"Dismissed Lt. Commander," Aeric said to formally conclude the meeting.

Joseph stood and nodded to the Xo and as soon as the door closed he aimed straight for The Afterburner. He wondered if the new security officer would turn up. First impressions were important to D'Callan.

[Dangelus]

A joint post by Bryancd and Dangelus


Fifty two minutes. Lester Garriss had found the amount of time he had spent in sickbay as outrageously over bloated. Doctor Peterson has assured him that the examination would be quick. Perhaps if the doctor had got on with the tests without trying to make conversation with him it may have been. He had always been wary of new medical staff delving into his past and discovering his frequent appointments with counsellors yet the doctor hadn't even mentioned it. This worried Lester more.

Since he had yet to report in at his duty shift Lester was unable to estimate if his medical diversion would delay his progress today. Of course his superiors were aware of where he was so he wasn't concerned about that yet it still prayed on his mind. Lester didn't like to stand out among his peers and the thought of wandering into Main Engineering an hour into the shift looking for the duty roster made him flinch. He wanted to be performing his duties to the best of his ability without drawing attention to himself.

"Main Engineering" he commanded the turbolift.

"Relax" Lester muttered to himself, exhaling purposefully.

It was strangely quiet outside Main Engineering. The only sound was an energy fizzle emanating from exposed circuitry on the wall of the corridor. This was not an unusual sight on the Arabella at the moment. Lester had lost count of how many 'patch up jobs' he had personally attended to since the start of his assignment. The ship had sustained serious damage so to ensure vital systems were available and stable the less crucial operations were only getting temporary fixes or even being bypassed altogether.

As the opening mechanism of the doors to Main Engineering whirred and clicked Lester composed himself to enter as calmly as possible. Picking up a PADD with today's duty roster and assignments he quickly noted that Chief Engineer K'arath was on duty. Lester felt his throat constrict almost immediately.

K'arath looked up from the engineering station and saw the Ensign standing before him.

"Sir," he croaked as much as said. His hands were clasped tight behind his back and K'arath thought he heard the man crack his knuckles.

"Ensign...at ease Ensign," he said but saw no noticeable change in the man's posture. Although small for a Klingon, he was used to nervous initial encounters with humans but this was a something else. The Delta shift leader Lt. Plummer had made note of Ensign Garriss discomfort when working with others.

"Sir, you are... aware of my appointment in sickbay I take it. I apologise for the delay it has caused in the commencement of my shift. I am confident that if I get on with my duties at once you will not see a noticeable drop in my productivity" Lester said in an attempt to end the encounter.

This was the first time that Lester had had to speak to the Klingon Chief Engineer since being assigned to the Arabella. He had been present during departmental briefings but never had to directly report to K'arath or engage in conversation. The Chief Engineer had been too busy coordinating repairs and upgrades to the ship to personally meet new members of the engineering team leaving these tasks to his subordinates.

K'arath looked at the Ensign as if he was deliberating something.

"If... that will be all Sir..." Lester spoke again, this time slowly turning away.

A moment, Ensign," K'arath said, freezing the man in place."I had a meeting with the XO and we have decided to engage in some departmental team building exercises on the holodeck. It would be you, myself, and Ensign Maddock as a team, working together." Sensing the man's immediate discomfort he added, "It will be mandatory." He smiled.

Lester felt as if he had sustained a blow to the stomach. He could just about tolerate working as part of a team when it came to shipboard operations but this? Trying not to show his distaste at the thought of having to take part in the exercise he simply replied, "Yes... Sir."

[dinghead]

Darius smirked to himself as he rounded the final curve towards his destination. The Arabella was going to be a far more interesting posting that he'd first imagined.

His initial sweep of her turned up five likely places to stash weapons, medical supplies or things he'd rather his new CO didn't know about. In fact, he'd almost gone ahead and created a few 'emergency supply lockers' as it were, but he'd decided against it. First, this ship wasn't likely to be boarded...OK, it wasn't TERRIBLY likely at least. Second, there were kids on board. The very last thing he wanted was to have to explain to a sobbing mother that his paranoia had gotten her inquisitive little angel hurt, or worse.

Besides, it didn't seem like something D'Callan would approve of. Ticking off the boss an hour or so into your first day? Not going to look so good on the resume.

D'Callan was still something of open question to Darius. He didn't seem the type to stand overly on rank and ceremony, as long as the job was done right. This Shane respected. It was how his unit had operated in fact. 'Officers...' he thought to himself, 'all those bright pips can downright BLIND `em sometimes...'

Fortunately, that breed of officer seemed to be a endangered species in this crew. They'd seen action, some of it was so hairy it needed a shave if reports were to be believed.

'So settle in, do your job and lose the drama cause no one cares.' Turning sharply at the next doorway, he entered "the bar" as the Afterburner had been identified to him. At least he devoutly hoped this was the place D'Callan had meant. Nursing a drink in the wrong locale while his boss was waiting for him elsewhere, would make stashing phasers in crawlspaces look worthy of a medal by comparison...

[X]

If there had been passion missing from their relationship, it did not show in their kiss. Aeric held his wife in a tight embrace and slowly pulled his lips away from Oona's. He had not realized that how much he had missed her until she stood there before him in his office. He had missed the feel of her soft red hair against his skin and that unique scent that was completely her.

"Did I interrupt your meetings?" Oona purred softly in his ear.

Aeric shook his head and smiled, "We're taking a brief break. I have more to complete, but I can afford to take a break."

Oona nodded. "Are we going to stay here for now or will you be returning back to my ship?"

"I still have duties to attend, it is best for us to stay in my quarters until we are done."

"Is Rory with the children?" Oona asked as her fingers slid down the back of her long absent husband.

"Yes," Aeric smiled, " we should have the place to ourselves for a few hours to get caught up. I'll also need to notify the captain of your arrival."

Oona sighed, "If you must. I fail to see how it will matter in the long run. He won't remember. None of them will. Have you treated Elizabeth? Will she be able to remember me now?"

Aeric nodded again. "As you suspected, it was the gene and not the nanites that protected me. She has that protection now. Aria was reborn with it and Rory's shielded from the virus your people like to leave behind."

Oona kissed his cheek and released him. "You lead and I'll follow."

Aeric chuckled to himself as his wife vanished from sight. He could barely register even the presence of her mind when she was cloaked, but he knew she was there. It was turning out to be a far better reunion than he expected. His heart might have been torn, but his duty was not.

"Computer, lights." he said and led the way out of the office. "Computer, also inform Captain Quinn that I will be spending the next several hours with newly arrived family and I will speak to him of it soon."

As they walked, Aeric could sense his wife just out of reach. Almost every important thing in his life had been just out of reach and this was no different. His heart was split in two and it was his fault. For so long he had gone after things that were just out of reach that he found it hard to notice the things that he did have. He needed to do something about that. He needed to change himself and his habit of playing the martyr. He could have a grand measure of happiness if only he was willing to endure that which he could not have. Endure and be happy or hurt and be alone. When put that way, it wasn't much of a choice, but it was still hard to decide. The heart wanted what the heart wanted and the universe would not allow him to have it all.

[Meds]

D'Callan walked into the Afterburner and quickly glanced round. Sitting at the bar enjoying a drink was the new security officer. "Good time keeping" thought D'Callan. Walking over to the new crewman he nodded at the barman who quickly looked round and then ducked below, Darius gave a slight frown as the barman reappeared with two bottles of wetheroak real ale. Pouring the amber liquid into two old style Human pint glasses D'Callan lifted his glass to the Ensign. "Cheers mate"

From across the room Michael watched the chief of security and then looked down at the puzzle in front of him. He had been looking at it for half an hour and he still could not see the planet that was hidden. Deciding that the bar was not the best place to concentrate he decided to find solace in his own quarters. His shore leave began tomorrow and he decided that a trip to the station store would be a bit of an adventure.

[Bryancd]

Lt. Dunn walked briskly down the corridor, his head held high not so much out of a sense of supreme confidence but in an effort to make sure his new rank pips could be viewed clearly. He had just finished his first duty shift as Lt. Nothing had really changed, D'Callan's staff interacted more like brothers and sisters when not on official duty assignments. If anything his first day as an Lt. had been filled with good natured ribbing and teasing as much as jaunty salutes. Still, he was proud of what he had achieved and as usual, nervous anticipating the expectations on him going forward.
He walked through the Afterburner doors and immediately saw D'Callan. 'What a shocker!' he thought with a smile. The chief did enjoy his downtime. He was sitting at the bar with the new security Ensign Darius. Dunn had yet to meet the new man and could think of no better way to break the ice, especially as D'Callan had broken out his stash of the "real" stuff.

[wraith1701]

joint post by Jen and wraith1701



In a holodeck on Starbase 416, Ryla's Mok'bara training continued.

K'Tan stood with his legs slightly spread.  Both arms were held at shoulder level, forearms bent inward to bring the fingertips of each hand nearly together, less than a centimeter apart.  "The Mok'bara represents the heart and soul of the Klingon people."

Exhaling slowly but steadily, he pushed his hands down towards his waist; to Ryla, it appeared as though he were working against some unseen force of resistance.

"Practicing the forms soothes the spirit."

Her eyes followed as he then took a step forward, simultaneously sweeping his arms up, then forward and down as his leading knee bent to bring him to rest in a crouching position. "Mastering the forms centers the body."


His fingers curled into claws, K'Tan smoothly swept his arms up to the right while rising from the crouch. He slowly pivoted his body in the same direction as his sweeping arms, then held that position for a beat.  "Becoming one with the forms brings victory."

His balletic movements were ironic given Mok'bara's defensive purpose. Ryla wondered if they were the origin of the word "art", in the term "Martial Art". She watched in silent admiration as the robust Terran moved with fluid grace before her.

K'Tan swiveled at the waist to face the opposite direction; the fingers of his right hand tucked into his palm. His right hand lanced forward as he flexed his left elbow, tucking the opposite hand in towards his ribcage. Another beat.  K'Tan then returned to his initial stance, bringing his arms up and crossing them at the wrists before his chest.  "Form 1.  The ghop-taj, or 'cutting hand'.  A deceptively simple looking set of moves, yet it is the cornerstone of The Art."

K'Tan gestured for Ryla to follow him to a series of mirrors lining the back wall of the training room.

"We will practice the ghop-taj today until you can duplicate the moves with minimal assistance. We will practice it on our next session, and the one after that as well."  He placed one hand gently on her left shoulder— she resisted the sudden urge to take a step back. "Our goal is to make the form a reflex for you; something you can do with as little thought as you use for walking or blinking your eyes.  Once the form becomes a part of you, we can begin your real training."

The doctor attempted a joke to elevate a sudden and unexpected feeling of nervousness. "I guess I should have mentioned this before you agreed to teach me... but I'm not the most graceful dancer. I tend to step on toes quite a bit."



Nearly two hours later, Ryla sat panting on the training room floor, her brow glistening with sweat.  "Who would have thought repeating a short series of moves could be so strenuous?" she asked.

K'Tan handed her a towel.  "You did well," he said, as she dried her face and neck.  "And I have a confession to make.  This training program includes variable gravity.  For the past 45 minutes, we've been practicing under 1.4 G's."  K'Tan smiled, then quickly raised his hand to catch the sweat-drenched towel rocketing towards his face.  "Nice throw."

He tossed the towel into a nearby hamper, his free hand absently tracing the old scar running down the side of his face.  "Computer:  Restore gravity to default setting."

As the gravity returned to Starfleet's standard of 1 G, Ryla felt suddenly lighter.  She stood with more force than she intended, her momentum causing her to stumble towards K'Tan.  The Tactical officer gently grasped her shoulders to steady her; as he felt her muscles tense under his hands, he quickly released her, and stepped back.  "Are you alright?" he asked.

Ryla blushed, and smiled sheepishly.  "Yes; I'm fine."  Her eyes strayed to the scar on the man's face.  "I hope you don't think I'm being forward, but I've been meaning to ask you.. where did you pick up the scar?"  As K'Tan's expression froze, she quickly added, "I meant no offense.  I was just wondering.  Your medical records have no information about it."

K'Tan's features thawed into a forced-looking smile.  "No offense taken, Ryla.  It's just that it's a bit of a long story."  He glanced at his chronometer.  "I'm scheduled to meet with Commander James back on the Arabella in a few hours, but if you truly want to hear the tale, perhaps I can tell you all about it over dinner?"

The smile she returned came easily.  "I'd like that."

[dinghead]

Darius eyed the second glass with interest. He had two rules regarding beer, this situation satisfied both. "Thanks, Sir."

He took the glass with the reverence it deserved. The color and aroma were like nothing he'd ever seen, not outside the fake brews you'd get from a replicator anyway, and those don't count. He took one sip and sighed. "When I was in training, my first instructor was an ex-Bajoran freedom fighter. He used to tell us that the reason he survived the horrors he had, was that he had two missions. One, was to free his home, and the other was to taste the perfect beer." He smirked. "If I were to send him a bottle of this, he might cross the second off his list."

As he complimented the brew, Darius noted the approach of another officer, this one had a black pip that was far shinier than than the slightly worn gold one beside it. Come to think of it, Lt. Commander D'Callan had the same sort of shine on his black pip as well.

He'd heard there'd been promotions before his arrival, he just hadn't known for whom. "Gentlemen," He said raising his glass to both the Boss and the man weaving towards them, "belated congratulations."

[iceman]

Myella was in her quarters when doctor Peterson walked in. The look on his face told Myella that something was very wrong. She walked over to her husband with great concern and asked him what was wrong.

Dr. Petersom sat down at his desk and said " I can no longer run away from my past, the last mission has made me realize this. Myella sat down next to him with a puzzled look on her face and said " What do you mean?"

Peterson started to explain how he blamed the Borg for the loss of everything that was important in his life. How the battle of Wolf 359 changed his life forever, and how the hate of the Borg had consumed him for years. They had taken his family.

Casey explained how he realized that this hate was preventing him from being a good officer. He was afraid to trust those beneath him to do their jobs.

The Doctor had come to realize that he had spent so many years trusting only himself, because he was afraid to get close to anyone else for fear the Borg might take them away from him too.

He explained that until the last encounter with the Borg he had thought he had dealt with these demons, but now realized that he can no longer run from them and must deal with them head on, or they would continue to interfere with his life and career.

Myella looked at her husband with great concern and replied " We will get through this together, no matter how long it takes."

"I have informed Lt. Commander James of the situation and will be seeking counselling when we return from shoreleave. A wellness center will be set up to handle the day to day medical issues so sickbay will only handle the most severe."

Myella took her husbands hand in hers," I am very proud of you. You have admitted that you have a problem and have sought help for youself. I know how hard that must have been for you. It almost makes you Human," she laughed. " What are you waiting for?Lets get packed for our vacation shall we?"

[X]

Oona simply sighed to herself as Aeric looked at her from the edge of his bed. The sound of laughing children entering the living area with had quickly forced him to change their plans. He had assured her that he wanted her to meet the girls, but their current state of dress would seriously complicate that meeting.

"I'm sorry," Aeric said in a hushed voice as he began to redress. "I didn't expect anyone home so soon."

Oona nodded as she still lay in bed with a combination of the sheet and her scarlet locks covering her nudity. "I'm beginning to think that there will always be something to keep us apart Aeric. I knew that your life here would complicate our life at home, but when will we have our chance to be happy?"

Aeric turned to face her, his chest still bare. "Oona, I'm trying to make this all work. I have missed you and I haven't betrayed our vows."

"This life that you lead away from me isn't fair." she replied while sitting up and holding the sheet to her chest. " I knew that I didn't have all your heart when we married, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I ever had any of it. How can someone that claims to love you be fine with never seeing you? You might not have physically betrayed them, but I don't believe that your heart has been completely true to them."

"That's not true. I have missed you, but .."

"You have your other loves here and you haven't had to hurt as I have." Oona cut him off.

Aeric had no response as he moved and sat beside her. As much as he wanted to argue it, she was right. He was surrounded by family and those he cared about. It had made their time apart much easier for him.

"Despite your physical age, I forget how young you are inside. You are just a young man in some ways. One that still hasn't decided what he wants out of this life." Oona said and stroked his thigh. "I thought that this separation would remind you where you belonged, but it hasn't has it?"

Aeric sighed and touched her face. "I do love you. So much has happened and I'm just trying to get my bearings."

"You also love more than just me." she replied with a sad smile. "You need to decide what and who you love more. I can't and I won't fight against a memory. I know that a heart is not so finite that it's love can only be given to one person, but I also know that I am not so evolved that I am willing to share you with someone else."

"Oona, I've been faithful to our vows." Aeric started, but Oona stopped him by placing one of her delicate fingers to his lips.

"We've been married over a decade and I've had few chances to spend with my husband. Ten years might be a short time to someone like you and I, but a day of longing for your husband doesn't seem to pass as quickly. Perhaps we should not have married so soon after you lost your daughter, but we did." Oona sighed. "You need to decide what you want to do Aeric. I am not going to wait forever and you can't know what you want until you resolve those questions in your heart."

"What are you trying to say?" Aeric tilted his head slightly.

"We should suspend our marriage and the vows that we promised until you know what you want?"

Aeric's brow raised at that.

"I'm not going to fight with a ghost. I'm not going to fight against the whole of your Federation for your heart. If you and I are going to be together, then you need to decide what life is more important to you. You need to grow up and decide who you are going to be. Does your heart belong here or with me?"

"Why do we need to suspend our vows for that?" Aeric asked.

"As long as you are keeping your vows because of duty, we will never know if you can keep the spirit of them because of love. If our life together is one simply based on duty, it's a life I can do without. I want my husband to love me more than those other things in his life. I need to know what you would do if those duties were gone. Which of us do you love more, me or ... your Federation?"

Aeric nodded softly as he took in her words and the words she left unspoken. Truth cut through him like a dagger. "How does this work?"

Oona leaned in and softly kissed the lips of her husband before beginning the long explanation on how separations worked in her society. It could have taken longer, but separation or not, she still wanted to meet the children that she shared in her heart with her husband.

[wraith1701]

joint post by Just X and wraith1701



After Oona's departure, Aeric decided that his best course of action would be to lose himself in his work.  But on returning to his office, he found himself reliving their bittersweet reunion.  Of its own accord, his mind turned to memories of the delicate curve of her neck, and the gentle sound of her laughter.  He gave a small, pained sigh.  He could still taste the warmth of her last kiss.

I have to focus on work, he thought.

Aeric rose and stretched.   With meeting upon meeting, it was getting hard to tell how long he was at it. He glanced at his PADD again and waited for K'Tan to arrive. Aeric had made a lot of progress with the other department heads, but transfers were always tricky. It was also something that he felt was right for the ship. It would not only test K'Tan in new ways, it would give new insights to the position. Aeric knew that K'Tan was capable of more and in turn, he would expect more from him.

"Enter," Aeric called out as the chime to his door rang.

K'Tan entered the office, a PADD tucked into the crook of his right arm.  "Greetings, Commander James."  K'Tan gestured to the seat opposite of Aeric's desk.  "May I?" he asked.  At Aeric's nod of assent, K'Tan sat and activated his PADD.

"Thank you for taking the time to see me, Commander.  Skuttlebut has it that you are conducting performance appraisals of the senior staff, so I took the liberty of compiling some efficiency reports for my department."  He slid the PADD towards Aeric James.

"As you can see, I've developed my staff into one of the most outstanding Tactical departments in the fleet; we've fine-tuned systems almost to the point of perfection.  I've also successfully developed some true leaders-- While I was acting head of security, I took an ensign under my wing and helped to groom him into one of our newest Lieutenants- Lt. Dunn.  I've also tapped into and expanded the leadership potential in Lt. Otak.  When tasked with improving our shields and sensors during the Ter'Ossik mission, he and his team improved sensor efficiency by nearly 21%."

K'Tan paused, sighed, and leaned forward.   "Speaking of efficiency, there is a matter that I'd like to discuss with you.  Hopefully, as acting first officer, you can convince the captain to address it as well."

Aeric's eyebrow quirked in an almost Vulcan fashion.  "Go on, Mr. K'Tan.  Spit it out."

K'Tan paused to gather his thoughts, then continued.

"With every other ship that I've served on, both Klingon and Federation, the Tactical and Security departments were one and the same.  It seems redundant to have two department heads presiding over what is essentially one department.  And with the losses we suffered with the Borg, it seems to be a waste of resources."

Aeric nodded his understanding, and K'Tan continued.  "Joseph D'Callen has shown an impressive grasp of security matters.  And I've developed an extraordinarily competent Tactical team.  With the support of officers like Lt. Otak, I'm certain that there would be a minimal learning curve while D'Callen acclimates himself with the ship's tactical systems."

"Sounds like you're trying to work yourself out of a Job," Aeric said.  "With D'Callen in charge of Tactical, what would you be doing?"

K'Tan leaned forward aggressively.  "While I served in the Klingon Defense Force, I was being groomed for a position in command.  I served in many different positions, all with the aim of familiarizing myself with every aspect of starship operations."

K'Tan straightened in his chair, squaring his shoulders.  "Quite frankly, commander, I don't feel that I'm being challenged enough by serving as Chief Tactical Officer.  I could do it in my sleep.  And my ultimate goal is to gain a command of my own."

K'Tan stood, and began pacing the room.  "Initially, I thought that the best path to command would be to transfer to the Operations.  But many aspects of Ops, such as routing power to various ship's systems, run parallel to Tactical.  Besides; I'm looking to move forward.  I fear that permanently adopting Ops Gold would be a step backwards."

He stopped, and turned to face Aeric.  "Instead, I think that I can best challenge and develop myself, as well as serve the Arabella, by taking on a different position.  I wish to permanently transfer to command division, and take on a new role-- that of Strategic Operations Officer.  By doing this, I could oversee ops, while keeping a hand in Tactical.  Not only would this streamline communications between the two departments, but it would allow me to oversee Lt. Commander D'Callan's transition to Chief of Tactical, and avail him of my expertise at the post.  In a nutshell, as Strategic Operations Officer, I would be in charge of overseeing and coordinating the activities of the Operations and Tactical departments."

"Wow," Aeric said with a smile. "I do believe that is the most that I've ever heard you say at one time. It's a bold idea, but one that I am not in the power to grant. It is also a position that found more on a starbase than a starship. That being said, the core of your idea has some merit. At the same time, I don't believe that you are fully aware of the needs of the operations position. It is also unclear what duties a Strategic Operations Officer would hold on a starship. It seems that you have given this a lot of thought and I admire that. What I can to is authorize your immediate transfer to Chief of Operations and give you the opportunity to present a full proposal on your idea to the captain."

Aeric's smile faded slightly, "While the Tiberius was a much larger ship than this one and there was a need for separate Tactical and Security officers, the Arabella is a much smaller ship. Tradition has dictated that these positions be combined on a ship of this size because of the overlap. I need you to convince both the captain and myself why merging tactical with operations instead of security is the way to go on this. Operations has always coordinated their activities with Tactical. Not only tactical, but science, engineering, and even medical."

Aeric gave the man a serious look. "In all honesty K'Tan, a ship lives or dies by the skill of those in operations. It's far more than managing power or allocating sensor time. It's about knowing the ins and outs of a ship as well as every other department head. To send power to tactical and sensors, you have to know, not guess, know exactly what your ship is capable of. You have to know your people. If you want your own command one day, the best route to that is putting on that gold shirt and becoming one with your ship by knowing it. Operations is the only department that allows that. It's the only department that expect it. You are a bold man for wanting to put even more on your plate and I commend that. I want you in operation because I know that it will test you and that you will meet that test head on. If you want more duties, I am not going to refuse you a chance to present why you should have them."

"You want a new position. Convince myself and the captain that it is necessary to the ship and that it is in the best interest of the ship."

K'Tan quietly considered the Commander's words.  He had to admit to himself; much of what Aeric James said made sense.  And he knew that part of his reluctance to fully let go of Tactical was due to his fierce affinity with martial matters.

The hint of a rueful smile formed on his face.  It seemed that the longer he served, the further he drifted from the starship duties that he had always held most dear... first his reassignment from Security to Tactical; now from Tactical to Ops.

But to TRULY challenge myself, I have to be open to embracing new things, he thought.  As well as being open to stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Besides, he mused.  The commander is right; there is much I could learn from being Chief of Ops.

A subdued smile of determination grew on K'Tan's face, and he slowly nodded his head.  "What you are saying makes sense, Commander."  He extended his hand, and gave Aeric's a firm shake.  "I would be honored to serve as Chief Operations officer of the Arabella."

[Jen]

The Trill examined her reflection for the third time and frowned. "Why are you making so much of this?" She directed a puff of air towards her spotted forehead; causing the short strand of blond hair that fell across it, to settle on the right. Ryla stared at the flaxen lock for a moment, before her gaze descended on the fawn colored eyes of the woman in the mirror.  She was slowly coming to know her, and she was not unlike the person Ryla use to be.

The woman was wearing the unassuming, sunrise-yellow dress that her mother and father had sent the previous year. She had rolled her eyes in response to her mother's communiqué, which was delivered the morning that the Joining Day gift arrived: "Don't wear it any place dark and muddy. It's not intended for one of your caving expeditions. Go someplace bright and clean for a change... and send pictures. You never send pictures! For all we know you've grown a half a meter taller and all your spots have fallen off."

That would be the least of my problems, she thought with a smirk as her eyes roamed over her reflected image. Ryla hadn't had the opportunity to try the garment on until now. She was surprised that she liked it. It definitely looked better on her than it did in the box. The dress was pretty, but not flashy or loud. It was very feminine, but not too revealing. It was simple, but not at all plain.  Basically, it was the perfect outfit for a quiet dinner that wasn't quite a date. 

Her parents weren't the only people who had sent communiqués. She thought of all the messages recently received from family and friends. When she failed to answer their's, her sisters threatened to drop in on her. Despite the distance, Ryla didn't put it past them to arrive on her doorstep unannounced. It was definitely a possibility, but they hadn't knocked on her door yet...so chances were their threats were idle. 

Ryla knew it was inconsiderate to ignore them all and she hated herself for being so insensitive, but she wasn't ready to be bombarded with the inevitable fuss. She loved her family, but keeping them at a distance was paramount at this stage. Their overprotective nature would only hinder her effort to rediscover herself.  If she decided to have the memorial for Drett, she would invite them to attend...but not before she had the time to heal.

The woman in the mirror smiled dimly before turning to pick up a small object on the desk behind her. She and Ryla simultaneously opened their right hands and examined the elaborately carved Talismans.  Each polished black stone was engraved with the Physician's Prayer of Healing. A week after K'Tan gave it to her,  she had translated the Terrosick runes with the help of the ship's computer. She wondered if he understood it's meaning or the irony of his timing:

Bind and break the harm that was done. Render this affliction forever powerless. Health and vigor. Strength and life. Let it be.

She knew it had no real power, but it made her feel better. She had carried it ever since, and committed the words to memory. The stone was so much more than a mere trinket to her.  The inexpensive memento had given her a degree of comfort when she felt alone and frightened. To Ryla...her precious stone was a remedy.

She tucked the object into a small pocket as the intercom cut the silence of her quarters, "Lieutenant Commander James to Lieutenant Drett."

She grimaced at the use of the symbiont's name, "Yes, Commander?"

"Are you available for an impromptu meeting in my office in five minutes?"

Ryla paused a moment before replying, "certainly...if you don't mind my casual attire. I was just on my way to the starbase."

"It's alright, this meeting is very short notice. Don't worry, I won't keep you long."