Star Trek: Season 9

[X]

Like a heart racing from exertion, Aeric felt the pulse of the EPS conduits through his link to the Arabella. With his mind connected to the ship, he could feel and caress that data that flowed through the information link. Every damaged system tingled like an unhealed wound and the workers scurrying about the vessel served well as her immune system.

He was a part of this ship and she a part of him. Although she wasn't the Aurora, he had been there for her conception and the pangs of her birth. He knew how the ship felt when she was whole and now she was getting closer. Aeric submerged his consciousness deeper within the ship, becoming one with the programs within her computer core. Organic intuition danced with sensors and diagnostic sofware to paint a picture of the vessel's health in his mind's eye.

You'll be whole soon, he thought to the ship as his mind brushed against the new reclassified secondary warp core section where the SCE finalized their work.
 

[Feathers]

Galdar pressed the chime on the door of Nicholas Andrews' quarters.

He'd known the Lieutenant almost from the day he'd arrived aboard Starbase 416 and if there was anyone he thought of as a friend, it was Nick. Their relationship was still more duty based than social but it was as close to friendship as he'd come since entering Starfleet and he valued it on that basis.

He pressed the chime again, a little surprised to have received no response. Nick and he ran different shifts but they usually managed to sync up for a chat at about this time before Nick went back out. He could have called the Lieutenant on the comm system but he always felt that to be a somewhat inappropriate approach for matters such as this. Face-to-face was always a Ferengi preference. Still, he'd fall back on his com badge if he didn't get an answer soon.

Cutting off the thought, the door opened in front of him.

"Yeah?" Nick looked a little haggard as he stood in the doorway, an impression reinforced by the somewhat untidy state of his quarters. He wasn't the neatest person at the best of times so Galdar was pleased they had never had to share quarters, but this looked a little unnatural, even for him.

"Nick, have you got a minute? I've made a decision and I need to tell you about it."

[Meds]

The linseed oil slowly ran down the delicate carved willow. The rag looked unkempt but it had been a trusty servant to the wood for many years. Working in slow gentle circles the rag smoothed the oil into the willow and as the work continued the wood began to shine. A good twenty minutes went by until the whole cricket bat was finished. Joseph held it up and looked down the flat surface, a gentle curve on the edges made the bat look elegant, flipping it over to the other side the light raised triangular carving looked as sharp as a Captains trouser crease.
Pulling his yellow and gold Australian cricket shirt on he paused to look at himself in the mirror. "Shane Warne would have been proud"

His backpack, slightly battered and worn carried several leather cricket balls, two sets of wickets with bails and a six pack of ice cased beer. Putting his bat under his arm he left his quarters and headed to the docking bay so he could get some fresh food for his trip. It didn't take long to get onto the station deck, he didn't want to be here long, he wanted the smell of the planet down below and to be able to play some of his favourite game.

[Jen]

Joint post by Wraith1701 and Jen

The drone of multiple conversations enveloped them as they ate. Ryla still felt a little buzzed from her experimental sip of the stiff drink, but it was beginning wane with each bite of the rich food K'Tan had ordered for them. "What was it like?" she asked before a bite of tlhatlh.

"What was what like?" replied K'Tan.

He waited for her to answer as she chewed the peppery leaf and washed it down with another sip of water, "growing up in a Klingon family. You spoke fondly of your mother...what is she like?"

K'Tan took a long, slow pull of his drink, then carefully returned the mug to the table.  "She is a strong woman; very firm, but with a bit of a soft spot for the underdog.  Her family has strong ties to the Defense Force, and her father wanted her to carry on the family tradition.  Instead, she chose to raise a family with my father.  She always used to say, 'A warrior isn't born; a warrior is painstakingly crafted, like a perfectly balanced bat'leth.  The forging of that blade begins in the home.'  I guess she decided that she could best protect the Empire by creating the next generation of warriors."  The hint of a distant, bittersweet smile lit K'Tan's face.  "And she is probably the wisest person that I know."

Ryla smiled, "she sounds like a noble woman."

"She is. She gives great advice.  You asked about my scar earlier.  If I'd listened to her back then, I wouldn't have this mark.  It serves as a reminder to me, to never think that I've grown to the point where I can't learn from others."

K'Tan grabbed a few leaves of tlhatlh, wrapped them around a piece of zilm'kach, and dipped it into the bowl of grapok sauce.  "Are you familiar with the word  'QuchHa'? "     

Ryla shook her head, "no."

K'Tan nodded.  "That's understandable; it's something of a taboo subject among Klingons; something that is rarely spoken of among outsiders."  He gazed at the Trill doctor.  "I have to ask you not to repeat what I'm about to tell you to anyone else. Klingons are a proud people, and airing out dirty laundry can be more damaging than you'd imagine."

Ryla slowly set her water down. As a physician she was well versed in maintaining confidentiality—his secret was safe with her. "Of course," she replied.

He paused as though mentally steeling himself.   "QuchHa translates roughly as 'The Unhappy Ones'.  It refers to an oppressed class in Klingon society, A group who are looked down on by many as being, in many ways, less than slaves."

"Are they an alien subject race of the Empire?"

"No.  They are Klingon.  But Klingons afflicted with a genetic abnormality which makes them look more or less like Humans.  The forehead ridges are either very faint, or nonexistent, and most are physically frail by Klingon standards.  They were once fairly numerous, and some were even allowed to serve along with non-afflicted Klingons in the defense force.  But over the last hundred years, their numbers have diminished.  Many died trying to gain honor through suicide missions for the Empire, others fled the Empire in shame."  K'Tan gave a mirthless smile.  "A fortunate few were even able to reverse the condition, and go on to achieve glory.  But for the most part, the remaining QuchHa' are a shrinking minority, and often face discrimination from many of the more traditional Klingon families."

K'Tan took another small sip of his drink.  "When I was a child, many assumed that I was QuchHa.  It was easier for them to accept me as a genetically inferior Klingon than to imagine that a frail human was living among them."

A far away look came into K'Tan's eye.  "Which brings me to a young woman named K'Lara.  She was a magnificent woman, small in stature, but with the heart of a warrior.  Her House was one of the oldest in the Empire; some said that the line went all the way back to the first Emperor.  K'Lara was an only child, and her mother was a bit controlling.  As the protector of her House's honor, she was very concerned about her Family's image.  So you can imagine how scandalized she was to discover that her daughter was being courted by someone from a lesser house, especially when that someone was QuchHa'."

"You were in love with her..." Ryla noticed a flicker of pain in his eyes following her comment—the Trill suddenly felt a wave of guilt. She knew all too well how difficult it was to remember painful events of the past.  "I'm sorry, K'Tan...You don't have to tell me anymore."

He smiled, grateful for Ryla's empathy.  But part of him ached to get the story off of his chest.  Besides, the floodgates had already been opened.  He steepled his fingers before him on the table, and gazed into the Trill's eyes. "I appreciate your understanding.  But I want to share this."

[wraith1701]

joint post by Jen and wraith1701


K'Tan sighed, pausing to collect his thoughts, then continued.  "My mother warned me that I was courting trouble, and I was too stubborn to listen.  But my stubbornness paled in comparison to K'Lara's.  She was very strong-willed; even by Klingon standards.  The more her mother tried to keep us apart, the more determined she became to be with me.  In the end, she sought to formally challenge her mother's desires by involving the family Gin'tak.  This is no small matter."

K'Tan took a sip of water before continuing. " The Gin'tak is a family adviser employed by many of the Great Houses.  In a way, he is the protector of the family honor.  The Gin'tak settles disputes within a household before they can escalate to the point bringing down the House.  You have to understand; with her mother disapproving of our relationship, K'Lara stood to loose her family name if she continued to pursue it.  She felt the Gin'tak would decide in her favor, forcing her mother to yield."

"She was wrong.  The Gin'tak decided that her mother was right, and that the honorable thing for K'Lara to do was to make her personal concerns secondary to the needs of her House.  She had no choice but to submit."

"It was weeks before I heard from her again.  Her comm message was frantic and disjointed, and when I heard the fervor in her voice, I knew that things would not end well.  She said that if I truly loved her, I would get my bat'leth and meet her at the Jwhe'pe swamp that evening.  Together, we would embrace our destiny as one."

"My blood froze when I heard this.  The swamps are home to the most ferocious predator on Askive, a foul abomination that is one of the few nonsentient creatures in the universe that kills not for food or defense, but out of sheer, sadistic joy.  The swamps are often littered with the decomposing remains of the creatures it has killed and left to rot." 

K'Tan gave an involuntary shiver, and his voice dropped to a whisper.  "And it can not be killed!  Disruptors, blades, poisons... they only feed its rage.  To stand against it is suicide."

"After leaving a note for my family, I raced after her.  My only desire was to convince her that I was not worthy; I felt that if I could somehow turn her against me, she would abandon her death-wish.  When I got to the swamp, she had already engaged the beast.  It was horrible.  The sight of its malformed, filth-slimed hide still haunts my dreams, as does the rotten-corpse smell.  And its horrible scream... the twisted, insanely gleeful keening...I cannot describe it.  If evil has a sound, then I surely heard it that night."

"I've never been as afraid as I was then.  But the sight of her there, hip-deep in the muck, struggling with that foul... thing.. It's like my body fought a battle with my mind, and my mind lost.  Before I knew it, I was there with her.  For an insane moment, amid all of the slashing and hacking, I had the gall to think that we might even overcome the beast.  I must have been blinded by my overconfidence, because the next thing I saw was one of its blackened, rotting claws slashing towards my face.  After that, everything is a nightmarish blur.  I remember being thrown onto the firmer mud surrounding the swamp, and I remember K'Lara's screams.."

K'Tan's vision blurred.  He touched his face to discover tears streaming down his cheeks.  He shook his head, and took a long, hitching breath.  With a hurculean effort, he managed to reassert a modicum of control over himself.  "I later awoke in my own bed."  His hand traced the scar on his face.  "And I had this.  My mother and brother said that they had found my note and followed my trail.  They found me unconscious at the swamp, and managed to distract the beast long enough to drag me to safety.  They found no trace of K'Lara."

Ryla was speechless. She didn't know much about Klingon culture, but she suspected that words of sympathy would not offer him much comfort. But it wasn't in her nature to ignore him; the Trill instinctively reached for his hand.

K'Tan smiled appreciatively at Ryla's gesture.  Her touch was like a soothing balm on an old wound, and he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  Without thinking, he laid a hand atop hers. Looking into her gentle eyes, he felt something inside of him melting, and was overcome by a desperate need to know everything he could about her.

"I appreciate you taking the time to listen, but I didn't mean to monopolize the conversation.  I've been wondering; what made you decide to join Starfleet?"

[Jen]

Joint post by Wraith1701 and Jen

Ryla instantly felt a flitting of her heart, followed by a surge of heat that colored her cheeks. She smiled at K'Tan and looked down at the hand he had moved to cover her own.  Despite the voice of protest echoing within her, she slowly retracted her hand from his.  Friends first, she told her inner dissenter.

Noting the doctor's discomfort, he mentally chided himself.  She's been through a lot.  Slow down.  He folded his hands before him and found himself getting lost in her eyes.  Such beautiful eyes...

"Ahaa...well...I...I wanted adventure."  She paused briefly, struggling to pull herself from the gravity of his gaze. The Trill was surprised at how anxious she felt. It was an alien sensation; something she'd never experienced while joined to Drett.

Ryla took a sip of water and placed her hands in her lap, "I came from a long line of physicians, but the Emarrin family typically stays close to home. I guess you could say I'm the exception to the rule."  She glanced up to recall a memory, "my sisters use to insist that I was adopted by freighter pilots. As soon as I had the ability to do so, I ran a DNA test to verify their claims. In fact I conducted three of them just to make sure." She laughed, "each result was conclusive: they had been teasing their little sister for years and I believed every word."

Ryla returned her gaze to K'Tan.  "...I wanted adventure," she repeated pensively as she absently moved her fingers into a small pocket in her dress. The Trill paused a moment as she warily considered her next words. After a short gap in the conversation, she continued, "I should have thanked you for giving this to me." Ryla presented him with the small stone talisman, which now rested in the palm of her hand. "It has helped me through some very challenging times. I translated the runes—it's a prayer of healing. I don't go anywhere without it."

K'Tan felt his heart quicken, pleasantly surprised by the sight of the talisman.  The fact that she still carried it made him feel a fleeting yet comforting sense of closeness to her.

"...I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you, the day you gave this to me. I shouldn't have been so inconsiderate. I... wasn't myself." .

He smiled warmly, and replied, "You have nothing to apologize for.  The last few months have been trying for everyone... so much loss and death... I'm just grateful for a chance to spend time with you now."

K'Tan's attention was drawn to the bar at the rear of the restaurant.  There, among the drinking patrons, he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar face- the drunken Klingon from earlier that day.  He silently cursed to himself.  Every moment he got to spend with Ryla felt like a bit of treasure, and he didn't want to risk losing it through a confrontation with some drunken, would-be assassin.  He pushed his chair back slightly from the table.  "Would you like to join me for a walk?  I'd hate to spend too much of our shore leave cooped up in here.  And I noticed some well maintained garden areas on the promenade."

[Feathers]

In the doorway to his quarters, Andrews nodded and stood aside, gesturing Ensign Galdar vaguely into the living space. He watched impassively as the Ferengi stepped over the threshold and moved to the indicated seat, almost unconsciously picking up the uniform jacket slung carelessly across the back of it.

Idly folding the clothing in his hands, Galdar sat.

"Nick, I'm looking for a transfer to the Arabella" he announced, without any sort of preamble. "I thought I'd let you know before I got too far into the process...and before you found out by other means. The rumour mill has been particularly effective recently."

He grinned at this, having already relayed some of his conversation on the Arabella's 'Borg Incident' to the Lieutenant. With a wan smile his only response, Nick moved to the replicator and turned to order a drink.

"Tarkalean tea"

As he waited, Galdar looked for somewhere to put the uniform in his hands. Leaning over, he placed the clothing on the small table by the desk, knocking something off the edge as he did so. Leaning further, he retrieved a com badge from the floor. About to place it back on the table he was surprised to see another almost hidden from view by the clothing he'd just put down. Who needed two com badges?

Both badges suddenly chirped but the voice that followed came only from the device on the table, "Ops to Lieutenant Andrews".

Galdar turned to see Andrews looking in his direction, scooped up the active badge and gently threw it across the room.

"Here, Sir", the Lieutenant announced as he caught it, left handed.

While Andrews was talking, Galdar returned his attention to the second badge, still in his hand and tapped it experimentally. Nothing.

"On my way. Out", Andrews announcement cut across his concentration and snapped him back to the present as the Lieutenant moved to the mirror and started to try and arrange his hair.

"Looks like we need to table this conversation for another time," Andrews announced. "I've got to go fly a ferry mission to the Argiolas system. Something about warp plasma and a damaged starship."

Galdar nodded and handed him his newly folded uniform jacket with another smile.

Andrews grinned back. "Hey, don't let my duty stop you tidying the place!"

[X]

Joint post by Jen and Just X

Oona James moved quietly about the decks of the Arabella like a ghost, phased and cloaked from all detection. While she had intended on returning to her ship, a part of her wanted to know more about the place that her husband called home. She was a quiet observer, like most of her people, but the desire to be unobserved ended when she saw the woman that her husband said was no longer on the ship. It wasn't that she was on the ship, it was that she also looked quite pregnant. Was Aeric attempting to hide an indiscretion from her?

Following the woman she knew to be Sevryll onto the turbolift, Oona disengaged her personal cloak.

"Hello," Oona said as she appeared from thin air.

Sevryll's response was not one that she expected from a Vulcan. The woman had obviously been startled, for she had reflexively backed against the wall.

She raised her hand cautiously to show that she was unarmed before responding, "My name is Oona, I'm Aeric's wife. He told me that you were not on the ship but when I saw you, I decided that I needed to speak with you."

The Vulcan continued to maintain a good distance from the strange woman, "How did you do that? Better yet...why? Typically when one sneaks about as you have, they are intent upon sabotage. I should call security..."

"Security is unnecessary. I intend no harm. Had I, would have bothered showing myself to you?" She said softly and smiled to the pregnant woman. "My people use masking technologies to keep us out of galactic politics. We are a private people, but explorers none the less. I would not have bothered you, but I really wanted to meet you in person. Aeric has spoken very highly of you and Aria."

Sevryll scanned the woman's thoughts and found that she was telling the truth. She relaxed slightly as she turned to face the door, "You have mistaken me for the Commander."

Oona's brows raised in both shock and curiosity, "You're not Sevryll? I know that I have met few Vulcans, but Aeric's mental picture of her if identical to you. Are you her twin?"

"The Commander has no twin." Sevryll was reluctant to share a vast amount of information with the stranger. " We share the same name and appearance, but that is all.... Deck 2."

"You share the same name and appearance?" Oona asked quizzically looked from the woman's face to her belly before taking a deep breath. "Do you both also share a close connection with my husband?"

Oona couldn't understand why the woman was being so evasive ... unless there was something to hide.

Sevryll gave her a sidelong glance, "As I've said, I only share her name and appearance." She felt the woman's palpable jealousy and quirked an eyebrow, "...I have no 'connections' among these people."

Oona nodded, "So do you know Aeric or Aria?"

As much as she would have enjoyed ended the conversation there, her curiosity refused to let it simply die.

The doors opened and Sevryll stepped out of the lift into the corridor. She sighed at the question and paused to look at the persistent woman, "I do not know your husband and the young woman is a stranger to me as well." The two stood there, staring at one another as crewmembers bustled past them.

Oona's smile brightened as she followed the Sevryll that was not Sevryll, into the corridor. "What about Sairyn or Rory? I'm not trying to pry, but I think it's odd that you don't know many people on this ship."

The Vulcan stopped once again and turned to face Oona, "where I am from, interrogations are conducted with more...skill, for lack of a better term. Will you resort to torture should you fail to obtain the information you desire?"  Oona's blank stare told Sevryll that the woman had failed to interpret her remark as sarcasm. "I am not familiar with any of the individuals you are referring to.  I am merely a passenger on this vessel. The only persons with whom I'm somewhat acquainted, are Captain Quinn and Doctor Peterson."

"I'm not trying to interrogate you. I wish to understand my husband's perspective and it seems that Sevryll, the one that is not you, might have some insights." Oona said.

"...Did you not say that your people value their privacy?" Sevryll coolly replied.

[Jen]

Joint Post by JustX and Jen

"I'm sorry if I came off strongly, it wasn't my intent to offend. It seems that having a complicated marriage has impeded my manners.  Perhaps we should start over," Oona said politely and offered her hand. "I'm Oona."

Sevryll accepted it, "unfortunately, I have had my share of spousal complications. No offense was taken."  She grimaced with discomfort as they continued down the corridor.


"You've had a spouse that was in love with another woman?" Oona asked quizzically and added a polite smile. "What brings you to this ship with no friends or family around?"

"That is a story, which will take more time than I care to explain." She slowed to a hobble before stopping to catch her breath. Sevryll grimaced again then rested her hand on her belly as the infants kicked inside her womb.

"I have more than enough time to listen, but does your child?" Oona replied and allowed her eyes to drift to the pregnant Vulcan's midsection.

Sevryll drew a sharp breath as an acute pain raked her body. Oona took her arm, "let me help you..."

She lead the Vulcan to her quarters and helped her sit, "I'm fine. The pain has past. Thank you for your help."

Oona moved to the replicator and ordered Relan Tea for them both, a Vulcan beverage that she had seen her husband drank on occasion. She handed the pregnant woman one of the cups and took a sip from the other. As much as she might want to see what insights this woman could provide her on her husband, she did not wish harm on Sevryll or her pregnancy.

"How much longer until you are due?" Oona asked softly, but the pain of not being able to start her own family still weighed heavily on her.

"Thank you," said the Vulcan as she took the beverage from Mrs. James. "I am six weeks along, but certain... unusual factors... have accelerated gestation. I could go into labor any day now."

"Unusual factors? That's an understatement," replied Oona in a tone laced with shock.

Sevryll considered the woman a moment. She was the first person, other than Nathanial Quinn, that had engaged her in a conversation lasting longer than five minutes. She knew the woman was fishing for information on Aeric James, but Sevryll was beginning to appreciate her company.

As she took a sip of her tea, the Vulcan determined it was safe to tell her the truth, "I am from a parallel dimension. The rift I crossed affected my pregnancy." She silently measured Oona's reaction before continuing, "The woman you have mistaken me for, has traded places with me. She crossed through the void in search of her son. He was taken by the Borg. The Captain has informed me that he has not heard from her since that time."

Oona's surprise was apparent on her face. "I was unaware of this... Aeric didn't tell me where she went or why. I hope that she is well. As much as I resent Aeric's feelings for her, I don't wish her to come to any harm or to lose her children."

" I believe your husband is caring for her youngest daughter while she is away." Sevryll placed a hand on her belly and glanced up at Oona, " I carry the same infants. It is my desire to see Sevryll's children reunited with her as well."

"I briefly met M'Rynn in Aeric's quarters and I was very taken by the girl." Replied Oona.  "I'm glad that she has Aeric to look after her... I'm sure her mother is too. He'd storm the heavens to protect someone he cares about. She couldn't be in better hands, but it does hurt just a little to watch him with her."

Sevryll nodded. "I understand. "

Oona took a slow breath, "I have longed to start a family with my husband, but we would be fighting the impossible. Physicians from my world have informed me that having Aeric's child is a hopeless venture due to his heritage. It seems that compatible partners are one in a trillion. Unfortunately, the other Sevryll seems to be that one. Of course, I haven't told him of this. I know he wants a son and I would be a fool to tell him that the other woman in his life is the only one who could provide him with that."

"I see... " Sevryll was beginning to understand why Oona had approached her initially.  She knew her guest must have suspected Aeric was responsible for her pregnancy.
"The father of my own children was human. It has been a difficult pregnancy... "

"Human?" Oona mused and allowed sadness to creep into her voice. "While your species isn't as long lived as mine, I would not have suspected your species of mingling with such a short lived race. It must have been hard falling for someone that would be gone all too soon."

"I was not a willing participant...and he died young, in part, because of it," Sevryll interjected.

Oona understood the implications behind the woman's words and found herself wondering if she would not have made the same decisions.

[X]

Joint post by Jen and Just X

"I think that perhaps I have been lonelier than I thought I would be. My vessel is a home in the stars, but it is an empty home. Anyone I meet outside of my own people, quickly forget my presence save for Aeric and his extended family. I have been changed by my time with Aeric and my homeworld has not truly felt like a home since I met him." Oona sighed, "enough about my problems, tell me about yourself. Somehow I get the feeling that I'm not the only person that feels lonely in the sea of people that comprise this ship."

"I am accustom to being alone—metaphorically speaking. There are few who can be trusted in my universe. My arrival here was purely accidental, and the Captain is currently searching for a planet to deposit me. Aside from my children, I will be alone there too."

"Why would you force yourself into self imposed exile?" Oona asked. "It's actually quite ironic. I have a home, but none to share it with and you will soon have a family with no place to call home."

"Indeed," replied the Vulcan as she gazed at Oona. "I do not relish the thought of settling somewhere alien...but I have no place among these people."

She wondered of Oona's world and their success at remaining out of galactic politics. The struggle for power had been the catalyst for violence within her own universe. Sevryll was intrigued. How could Oona's world be successful at hiding themselves from those bent on conquest?   "Are your people always veiled in shadow?"

"Yes. We are a culture that values our privacy. We use our technology to stay to ourselves, not spy on the universe at large for some sort of advantage." Oona said. "My people have a biological ability to be quickly forgotten by most species. Our technology has developed to enhance our desires to not be discovered. I honestly don't recall a being outside of my husband and his extended family that has ever pierced our veil of secrecy."

Peace had always been an unobtainable dream for the Vulcan and Oona's world sounded to Sevryll, like the ideal location for she and her children.

"Perhaps I am immune." Sevryll had been a spy for the Cooperative; a Borg like race that assimilated various peoples—integrating their DNA in order to acquire useful attributes. It was possible that in her universe, Oona's planet fell to the Cooperative as well.  She thought of the Trill doctor, known as Ryla. Sevryll informed the Captain that the DNA, belonging to a race that reproduced by reanimating the dead, made her resurrection possible. It was an ability that had given the Cooperative an upper hand during the war with the Empire and Alliance. Sevryll knew this aptitude had been denied to her—only a select few among the Cooperative had this capability. Thanks to the assimilation of the Betazoid people, her telepathic skills were enhanced beyond the ability of all Vulcans. It was a trait bestowed upon her by the Cooperative to fulfill her duty as an embedded spy. She had other abilities as well...most of which she had yet to discover.

"I could verify your resistance on my ship. We isolated the gene that provides Aeric with protection. I know that M'Rynn has that defense now. If you are immune, that would be a blessing. I find having to constantly revisit conversations with people tedious at times." Oona said and offered her smile again. "It would be nice to have another adult to speak with and actually have them recall the conversation. Perhaps we might be able to help each other."

Sevryll quirked a brow... she was surprised that Oona would want to aid her.  "That is generous of you, but.... there something you want in exchange." She resisted the urge to scan the woman's thoughts. The Vulcan would give her the opportunity to verbalize her proposal.

Oona gave the woman a serious look. "I need to know if I am wasting my time trying to repair things with my husband.  I would simply like to know if he loves her more. I have never had the chance to see how he reacts to her presence and I would love to see and know how he responds to simply seeing her.... It will help me decided what to do."

Sevryll had decades worth of experience in espionage—determining the affiliations and turning others through various... methods. But that was all behind her now. Oona's scheme was far from nefarious, but Sevryll was hesitant to deceive the oblivious husband.  "May I consider your request?"

Oona nodded in agreement, "Yes, but I want you to know that it's not a requirement for passage. Whatever you choose, that will not retract my offer to give you a place aboard my ship."

[Feathers]

In his quarters, Galdar looked at the silent Starfleet insignia in his hand. With Andrews off the station, what he was about to do should go undetected.

He tapped his com badge.

"Galdar to Andrews"

The badge in front of him chirped but did not relay his message. He hadn't expected it to as it hadn't on any of the previous five times he'd tried. In the same way, it didn't seem capable of transmitting anything at all

A com badge that didn't handle audio was nothing more than a receiver and the only point of a receiver is to receive things. Why anyone would want a com badge with those capabilities, however, was a question he couldn't answer.

[X]

At his office desk, Aeric looked over the latest additions to the shuttle schematic that he had been considering. With the Aurora away, he needed to come up with a suitable replacement. He mind and fingers were also at work redesigning and repairing the orb that he had once given Dennis. It had been operational for days, but a recent burst of insight had given him new ideas on making it better.

On the smooth sleek desk rested a PADD that still displayed the latest communication from the star base. His idea at a ship-wide game had somehow blossomed into a full competition with other ships and even those aboard the star base considering competing. What once was a simple idea had mutated into a full out contest that Aeric had been more than happy to allow the star base personnel to host and run the event.

With the ship under repairs and the staff reduced to a skeleton crew to manage the many shore leave requests, Aeric had noticed the emptiness and absence that the lack of familiar faces caused. He also couldn't help but notice the missing people in his life.

Aeric rose from his desk with the spherical device in hand and headed for his quarters. It was more than time for M'Rynn to have her protector back in her life.

[Meds]

Joseph didn't like space stations, they were cold and grey. Stale air filled his lungs and he winced at the thought of having to work here. Being brought up in the sunny climate of Australia he was used to the feel of the sun, the crisp fresh air of the woodland forest, the majestic sight of the blue mountains but here, here was just grey. Still he needed some provisions for his well earned shore leave and here was the only place he could obtain it. Searching around he noticed a blur in the corner of his eye.

"What the..."

The blur vanished, he could have sworn he had seen a man.

"Damn stale air"

Seeing a small  shop he headed to it and took out his list.

[dinghead]

On deck 5 sat the Arabella's gym. It was a tidy little area, making efficient use of limited space. Variable weight machines, isometric units, and calisthenic aides... even a sparring ring configured for Anbo-Jitsu.

What it didn't have, was a running track. For that, there were the holodecks, where you could conjure anything your little heart could desire.

But those were down for maintenance.

...And so Ensign Darius Shane barked "Make a hole!" for about the thousandth time today. His shift was hours over and he had a long bit of downtime till the next one, so he decided to go for a run.

Passing open maintenance tubes, access panels, and vaulting over an oblivious starbase engineer whose prone body stuck out across most of the hall as they worked unseen in some crawlspace. Darius tried to get his mind past the last two sticking points. First, he had been ordered upon settling in to check in with the ship's Counselor. Of course, after what the crew of the Arabella had been through, the ship's Counselor was the only man more harried than the repair crew. That's why he'd not done it yet. Really. That was why. Yep, not evading anything, no sir.

The other, was almost more problematical. The rest of the security department had been a bit... quiet. Maybe it was Darius filling dead-man's shoes, maybe it was the fact that at 35, he was the oldest ensign any of them probably ever seen.
Maybe it was his file.

The boss had mentioned it when he'd first checked in. Maybe it had made the rounds. That was an unpleasant thought. He could just imagine what it sounded like to someone who didn't have D'Callan's clearances to peer under some of the classified parts. 'Hi fellas! I'm a trained killer who wound up here as a result of spacing a cargo bay full of...NO!' he barked the last thought.

Crap, maybe he should see Margon anyway.

As for the rest of the Security staff, he had a plan. He had a cunning plan. Actually, it was his usual plan for a new posting. Invite everyone to an actual home-cooked MEAL. Of course, the dang holodecks being down would seriously cramp it... wait a sec. Were ALL the holodeck systems down? Hadn't he read in the specs that the Arabella's phaser range used holodeck technology? Yeah, but converting a phaser range into a hologramatic kitchen seemed oddly, sacrilegious somehow. He'd have to book time in one of the starbase's suites instead.

Speaking of, he'd need ingredients. All right, time to hit the showers and go shopping.

[wraith1701]

joint post by Jen and wraith1701


After leaving the restaurant, K'Tan and Ryla headed towards the vast, open space dominating the core of the station's habitat zone.  A series of large, terraced areas adorned the cavernous walls, and were home to thousands of trees, flowers, and plant-analogues from hundreds of worlds.  The climate controlled air was pregnant with the fragrance of blooming flowers, blended with the invigorating, piney scent of the robust trees and bushes. Organic looking walkways, many of which were suspended in the air, connected the islands of flora like some titanic, plant-festooned spider's web.  Dozens of pedestrians made their way across the airborne walkways, some pausing to bask in the light and warmth cast by the massive, cylindrical glow tube running vertically through the park area.  Here and there, K'Tan spied more than a few couples ducking behind trees and shrubs to steal furtive kisses.  Blushing self-consciously, he redirected his attention to the path ahead.

As the pair followed the walkway to a quiet, idyllic looking garden terrace, Ryla recounted her recent meeting with Aeric James.  They entered the shade of a towering tree while she described Jame's proposal of creating a new medical ward, with Ryla as its head.  K'Tan looked down at the petite Trill with a grin of vicarious pride.  Thinking back on what he knew of the doctor's skill and insight, her promotion seemed like a logical decision.

"The Head of a new medical division, eh?" he asked.  "You are an incredibly intuitive physician; you were key in unraveling the virus that ended the Tiberius.  I can't think of anyone better suited for the task."

"I'm not sure how I feel about the new responsibility," replied the Trill as she circled the large Menellen Oak.  Though the station remained a comfortable temperature, the oak's leaves had begun to transition from white to blue. It was obvious the tree had been fooled into believing it was winter on J'naii.

Ryla stared up at the canopy as her fingertips absently traced the ribs of the trunk, "On the one hand, I'm eager for the opportunity. On the other, I'm not certain that I'm ready to go back." She shrugged as she rounded the tree and stopped before K'Tan.  "Lieutenant Commander James aggravated me during the meeting. It was intentional— he said he was looking to elicit a spirited response. Before the Borg attack, I probably would have forced a smile and agreed with him." She gazed up at the Terran and frowned, "I seem to have regained my temper since I lost Drett. I'm going to have to watch that in the future."

The sweet smell of chameleon roses wafted in the air.  For a minute, Ryla felt as though they were planet side. Then she heard the warble of a recorded bird emanating from a near by gourd, and the illusion faded. "Nice," she laughed... "So how did your meeting go?"

K'Tan chuckled.  "How did my meeting go?  Well, It's funny that you mention being aggravated by Lt. Commander James.  For a moment there, it almost felt like he was speaking down to me."  K'Tan leaned his back against the gnarled tree trunk and turned to Ryla with a conspiratorial grin.  "Between you, me, and the artificial birds, I felt a fleeting urge to punch him in the face.  But then I realized; he is the acting first officer, and second in command on the ship.  Not to mention that some of the points he brought up made sense.  And I had to remind myself that while an abundance of pride is an essential part of any Klingon officer's skill set, having too large an ego could be detrimental in Starfleet."   His grin took on an impish cast.  "After all; it just wouldn't do to kill a superior officer over a perceived insult."

"True...that may be crossing some sort of line," laughed Ryla.

He gazed contemplatively into the distance.  "Letting my pride get the best of me almost ended my career on several occasions in the past.  I'd like to believe that I've finally put that demon to rest."

Ryla smiled, "He certainly has a way with people.  What irritating things did he say to you?"

"I want to advance my career, and one day have a command of my own," He replied.  "But one can't grow without challenging oneself, and lately, I've felt that serving as chief tactical officer wasn't enough of a challenge.  The team I've developed is quite capable; the department can now practically run itself.  So I approached him with a proposal for expanding my duties to include tactical and operations.  His response hinted that I didn't appreciate the complexity of the ops position, and that I, quote, 'had to know, not guess what my ship is capable of'. "  K'Tan gave a growl of mild disdain.  "As though I were some cadet fresh from the academy.  I've served as operations officer on some of the Empire's finest ships before I joined Starfleet.  I have more than just a passing familiarity with what the position entails."

"To make a long story short, I agreed that It would be best for the ship, and myself, if I focused on one department, at least for now.  Assuming that the Captain approves, I will be leaving tactical and assuming the role of Chief Operations Officer."

"Congratulations," she said with a smile.  "I think the Arabella will benefit greatly from your transition to Ops... It doesn't seem too long ago that you came by sickbay to show me the new pip on your collar. You'll have a ship of your own before you know it."

"Thanks," He answered.  K'Tan was determined to see her encouraging words become a reality.  He just hoped that it would be with Starfleet.

"What do you say we return to the Arabella?" he asked.  "I need to continue my review of the ops department, so that I can hit the ground running once the change become official." 

Ryla glanced up with a small smile.  "Yes, I think it's time to turn in."

"By the way," K'Tan added.  "I hear that there's some type of inter-ship competition in the works."  He grinned.  "It sounds right up my alley.   Are you taking part in it?"

"Competition huh?" she replied.  "I know nothing about it...but it sounds interesting..."